41. Seal & Shura vs Dragon’s Gate

According to passersby, the Knights office is to the east of bottom part.

So, I and Shura go around the bottom layer to the east. 

Not long after, I see a stone gate with a dragon medal on it. There are wooden fences on the left and right.

….Two… Three-story building?

I can see the branch office through the gap between the fences. It’s made of wood and there are some flower beds too. It doesn’t really look like a Knights office.

It must be measured by the person who created this branch. That’s to make it easier to visit.

But, it’s ruined by the intimidating gate and its gatekeeper.

There are two gatekeepers. One is a man with a headband carrying a spear on his back. The other is a man with an all-back hairstyle and ‘bad-person’ like eyes carrying an elongated hammer on his back.

I tell the two knights that I have come to see Pearl. Then the two knights squint and look down at me.

“Don’t be stupid! It’s outrageous to come to see Captain Pearl without reservation!”

“I don’t think Captain Pearl is an acquaintance of a dirty-looking kid like you. Know your place! Go back to where you belong.”

Should I seal these guys…

“Should we beat them up? Hey, should we?”

Shura is squeaking her fingers, waiting for my ‘Go’ signal.

On the contrary than Shura who is craving for blood, I’m calm.

“Nah. Let’s retreat first. And go back again later――”

“Hmm? What are you quarreling about? “

A bitter voice echoed from the end of the gate.

Thick and heavy equipment, also a dragon cloak.

A middle-aged man knight with an arranged hairstyle.

Yep, without a doubt, it’s him, Pearl, one of the four visitors I met in Distall’s prison.

“Ah, that’s our Captain.”

“This boy said that he’s your acquaintance …”

Pearl sees me, and he immediately breaks his stiff knightly look.

“You…!?”

Pearl looks surprised.

I’m glad, it seems he remembered me too.

“Hmmm”

Pearl takes a breather and thinks with his face down.

“Ah!”

Pearl raises his face and opens his mouth a little.

“Moule, Magai”

“ “Yes sir! “ ”

The two gatekeepers put their heels together.

Moule and Magai, seems to be their names.

Pearl points just in between me and Shura and shouts out loud.

“Those two are brothers and sisters who ran away after making a disturbance in <Mother Punk>! Catch them instantly!!!”

“Huh?”

“Haah?”

The faces of the two gatekeepers change.

The man with a headband picks up the spear, and the man who look like a ‘bad person’ grabs the hammer with both hands.

“Oi oi old man. What kind of a joke is this? “

Seal and Shura in front of the knight office Illustration

“Running away is not good! BOY!”

That eye… Somehow, I could read his aim.

Bastard, he just wants to test my abilities.

“Bastard, fine… come!”

I put my bag on the ground and put a talisman with the word “獅” between my fingers on my right hand. [TN: it’s his spear]

When I gaze to the lower left, I see Shura looks kind of pissed while staring at Pearl.

” ’Onii-chan’, do you have any plans?” [TN: Brother]

“I’ll take care the one with spear. I’ll leave the one with the hammer to you. That’s it. Or do you need other strategy? Oh My ‘Imouto’ ” [TN: Younger sister]

“I don’t… That old man with beard… I’ll definitely hit him once!!”

The one who makes the first move is the man with spear.

He jumps straight at me.

I dodge the spear by stepping back with a little.

“The movement he made just now… it seems you’re not a guy who only know how to run!”

The man is staring at me while holding his spear

“Lion Spear, ‘OPEN’ “

I take the spear out of the talisman.

The man takes another step and stare at my spear with a sparkling yes.

“Summoning technique!? Aren’t you cheating?!!”

“A good spearmanship. But, I know spearmanship more than you.”

Compared to Carrs, he’s more powerful and faster even though, I didn’t sense any use of Red Mana. But his spearmanship is worse than Carrs.

“Hmmp!”

The man kicks the ground and approaches me.

Since his Spearmasnhip is worse than Cars and speed is slower than Shura, it’s easy to catch his attack.

Before I’m in his spear range, I’ll shut him down.

“Grow”

With the Green Mana, I stretch the Lion Spear. I move it in horizontal direction.

The stretched handle of the lion spear, which was not filled with Red Mana, bend and struck the spearman’s cheek with the handle.

SLAP!!

A light hitting sound is heard. The man loses his focus.

I return the Lion Spear to its original length, point the ridge at the man and pierce him.

This time, I use both Green and Red Mana. 

The strongly stretched Lion Spear goes into his belly, and slams the man against the fence on the side of the gate,

“Kuurg!?”

“Game set. Huft, what a waste of time. “

At the same time, another man flies in the sky and falls in front of the gate. 

It’s the other gatekeeper who uses a hammer.

Shura slaps her hand and raises her chin, saying “Easy.”

Then, I and Shura stand side by side and look at Pearl.

“Next is…..”

“You!”

Pearl looks at us as if we’re nothing much.

I and Shura are sick of his expression and kick the ground at the same time.

Even if we start moving at the same time, of course it’s Shura that reaches Pearl first.

“I’ll make your body can’t move ever again!”

Red Mana strong enough to distort the background.

Shura prepares her serious right punch.

“I’ll be troubled if it happened.”

“…..!”

A full power punch from Shura…

But, it’s stopped on the palm of Pearl’s left hand without making a noise.

“You see, I have a wife and a child!”

Pearl holds his right fist. The huge amount of Red Mana instantly condensed and gathered in his fist.

“Damn!”

Shura moves to a defensive stance.

Pearl’s right fist, which is moving at an unstoppable speed.

However even at such speed, Shura still able to bounces off his fist, kicks the ground and takes a distance.

“Huh! Not bad! You’ve a great reaction speed! “

“This! Damn Bearded old man…!!”

Shura lands next to me.

“… He’s a melee. It’s dangerous to get closer.”

“I know. I will change to Ash in five minutes. That girl who can fight from far is more advantageous against him. “

So, I need to stall until then…

With Shura’s mobility, it’s not impossible to just attack and run.

“I’m sorry! Please don’t get so angry! I just wanted to test your abilities.”

Pearl has two swords on his waist.

One is a sword with a Green Alchemy Stone embedded in the handguard, and the other is a sword with a Red Alchemy Stone embedded in the handguard.

Pearl pulls out a sword with a Green Alchemy Stone embedded in it.

“But, are you okay? You stopped there. It’s still in my range, you know? “

“Hmm?”

Pearl swings his sword.

” ‘Zanpu’ ” [TN: Wind Slash]

I and Shura are five or six steps away from the sword. In spite of that…

“――!”

“How…..!”

I and Shura get hit by Pearl’s attack.

To be exact, we are hit by something transparent released from Pearl’s sword.

While floating in the air, I stare at the true identity of the slash.

“It’s wind…!”

Perhaps, the blade of wind is generated by pouring in the Green Mana.

“Urgh…!”

I and Shura fell to the ground. While looking down at us, Pearl reaches out his hand with a carefree smile.

“I never thought it’s easy for you to beat my subordinate! I’m wrong! You’ve grown stronger since when I met you in prison! !! “

“Seriously… you remembered me, after all. troublesome test! ?? “

I grab Pearl’s hand, but he pulls my hand and hugs me right away.

“Well done for reaching this city!”

The rugged armor bites into my skin.

――So cheerful! I mean,

“It huuurrtt!!?”

Armor… Your Armor!! It hurts!

“Oooooo! I’m glad to see you again, boy!!!!!”

Shura leaks a small voice, “Urck”.

“Argh…! Your Armor! It’s painful!! Old man, get away from me…! “

I push Pearl with both hands.

Pearl crosses his arms and laugh, “GAHAHA!” 

“Well then, come, enter my ‘castle’! Welcome! Young sealer and his companion!”