Science Shall Prevail Over Magic

Lithium, 17th Chapter: Shin vs. Highlight

“Just like that… So, is my Mana… really useless?”

Right where she stood, Luna sank feebly onto her knees.
After having just one of her attacks defended, Luna had lost her will to fight.

‘Pitiable,’ thought Shin inwardly.

That overwhelming power was dispelled with a flick of hand.
However, if you didn’t come up with another method and claw your way back to recovery, you would only die an insignificant death.

In a real battle, to stop thinking meant to stop living; Shin was well aware of that correlation.
That girl, who had not yet discovered this correlation, was probably not that experienced.

“Un, not bad. I heard Mages required time to concentrate their power, but your speed was almost at the level of using a Mana Calculus. Your power, too, was just like the power of a Mana Calculus that had been amplified via a Manacraft… that’s the rough assessment.”
“Eh?… T-That.”

“Did I make you worried? I’m glad to tell you that your worries are unfounded. Anyhow, I knew what type of Mana was about to come, that’s why…”

Highlight did rebuke her for disclosing information of her attacks.
Luna drooped her head upon those words.

“You know that every Mana has a characteristic strength, right? So, what would happen if it were countered by the same Mana? Especially, by a Mana Calculus which is a crystallized form of that Mana. Isn’t it obvious how it would turn out?”

Although Luna’s expression was like ‘what?’ at Highlight’s words, Shin comprehended what had transpired earlier from those words.

‘So, the identical type of Mana has a cancelling effect, huh…’ Shin mused.

What was called Mana was in actuality energy, and the Mana Calculus was the crystallized form of that energy.
Basically, the Water Mana which Luna had fired ended up nourishing the Water Mana Calculus which Highlight had likely been holding in his hand. It became clear upon rumination.

One might argue, however, that the underlying principle could in the end be regarded as occult fantasy.

“Un, I’m happy, though. As long as you gain experience, learn, and grow, you’ll be fine. From now on, you’ll be a splendid Guild Member. You’ll start as Class D Grade 3. Until the proof of your qualification is ready, you can wait at the reception or in the lobby of the second floor. Well, you can also just spectate the exam of the next applicant…”

Saying this, Highlight turned his line of sight to Shin for the first time.

Luna, as if caught, reluctantly consented to Highlight’s suggestion and turned around.

“—Y-You are from back then!?”

Upon seeing Shin, Luna widened those round eyes of hers.
Maybe because she was on her toes, she seemingly hadn’t noticed Shin’s presence before. Nevertheless, Shin could not understand the meaning behind the words Luna had uttered.

“What, you two know each other? Fellow country… doesn’t seem so… Oh well, your name is Shin? Since you can’t use a Mana Calculus, it will be a test of martial arts for you, huh? Alright, let’s get it started then… Sorry, but I don’t hold back against those of same gender.”

‘He’s good with words,’ mused Shin.

Handsome features on the outside and an equally smooth tongue on the inside.
Without retorting, Shin turned his glance and went quietly past Luna.

“You’re good at weapons, eh? Pick one you like from over there.”

Where Highlight had turned his line of sight to, there was a shelf hanging by chains.
Without any hesitation, Shin walked to it.

From rapiers, to short tipped blades, greatswords that could not be wielded in one hand, axes, spears, and bows; spread out on the shelf were weapons, albeit primitive, of all kinds. Without a second thought, he picked up a sword, the shape of which was closer to the one he fabricated through the convergence of elements.

‘…It’s unexpectedly heavy.’

The one fabricated through convergence of elements did have some weight, too.
It was a matter of course since every substance had mass equivalent to the number of atoms it comprised.

However, what Shin normally used was made purely of a single element bonded through the power of science.

Whether or not he would be able to decently handle this sword, which was in contrast not a lump of pure iron, Shin harbored some unease.

“Falchion, huh? Then I too will go with this one.”

Highlight, who had approached next to Shin unnoticed, picked up the same sword as him and returned to where he had earlier been standing.

Shin too chose his previous spot near Luna, who was standing in the flow of the scene.

“U-Um… you- Shin-sama, do you… remember me?! Um, you saved our village.”
“Eh, uh”

In the middle of the “the exam will start now” words, Luna frantically insisted on her identity.
Despite the girl being on the verge of desperation, her identity had completely vanished from Shin’s memory.

This was natural since, to begin with, Shin had little interest in others.

“How about having a chat after the exam?”
“…Ah, s-sorry.”

Upon Highlight’s request and Shin’s equivocal response, Luna retreated to the back of the hall, watching Shin and the instructor.

Shin might have forgotten, but Luna had hailed from the place that Shin had been teleported to in the beginning. She was the only Mage in the village and, therefore, was burdened with everyone’s expectations. However, when she had faced the horde of Blue Ogres, she had succumbed to despair.

‘There’s no hope,’ right when Luna was about to give up, he made a gallant entrance. Without exerting his all, he slew a monster with every stroke of his blade. In pursuit of Shin, whom she revered as a hero, she ended up here.

However, when she finally got to talk to that person again, he only gave a vague reply with a face that said: ‘who are you?’ Due to the shock of having been forgotten, and the fact that Shin, who was supposed to be a Guild Member of the capital, was also taking the Guild registration exam alongside her, Luna’s head was thrown into confusion.

“Go ahead then, Shin-kun. Show me what you’ve got.”

Without delving further into the meaning of the strange exchange he had with Luna, Shin came to his senses upon Highlight’s “let’s get the exam started” statement.

The exam was now underway; that is, the battle was now underway.

Holding the sword he was not particularly accustomed to in one hand, Shin recalled the times when he was taught ancient Japanese sword arts.

‘Once you swing your sword, kill.’
Regurgitating those words inside his head, Shin brought the sword up waist high and took one step forward.

One ken of attack and defense. (TN: One ken is equal to six feet)

The trajectory of the sword swung by Shin could only be stopped with ease by the sword set up by Highlight.

In terms of sharpness, there was no comparison with the one he had normally been using. What he was holding in his hands right now was nothing more than dead weight.

However, Shin was not such an amateur as to let it end just like that. Letting the edge of the sword slide, he deflected the path of Highlight’s sword and executed an upper slash from below.

The sword strike, that had yet to gain sufficient speed, was dodged by Highlight with a sway.

“Whoops… you still have some way to go. Your movements are good, though.”

Aiming for the gap that had opened up after the upper slash had been dodged, Highlight’s body scythed down.

Shin, as if he had predicted it, evaded it with a back step—However.

‘…Heavy!’

The weight of the sword, that was far more than he had expected, dulled Shin’s movements.
Now that he was not using the Acceleration System either, the Alloy Boots were nothing more than shackles to Shin.

‘At this rate,’ the moment Shin thought so, he reflexively let go of the lump of pig iron of a sword and rolled over, dodging Highlight’s sword strike by a sun. (TN: A sun is equal to 3.03 cm)

“Hey, hey!? A swordsman letting go of his sword… is no different from him letting go of his life, don’t you know?”

Saying this, Highlight stuck the tip of his sword into the floor. With his other hand he grasped the sword which Shin had discarded.

“…I’m not what you would call a ‘swordsman’.”
“N, I guess that’s so. Though, that look in your eyes says, ‘there’s more’.”

While what Shin normally used came across as a sword, it was not really a sword per se.
It was nothing but molecules in the shape of a katana created through Earth’s technology.

He could not be expected to wield a genuine sword like a professional would in this world.

However, when it came to combat, Shin would be up among a select few combatants in the world- correction: in the now ruined Japan.

He did not have the slightest intention of letting it end just like that.

For a moment, Shin considered making use of the technology at his disposal. However, it was just a test of skills, not a matter of life and death. When he remembered this, he regained his composure.

Shin gained some distance from Highlight and took his Alloy Boots off. Locking his vision on Highlight, he assumed a relaxed stance.

“Er… is that by any chance unarmed style? Your stance is a little odd, but that must be due to your sect. To be able to meet a compatriot from Revival Kingdom… I’m honored.”

‘Wait, this guy too?’

In Shin’s line of sight were two dropped swords and the figure of Highlight, who had lowered his waist and put his hands out in front, in his stance.