The sun was finally starting to set.
We'd been fighting for hours, and I was almost completely out of gas.
I'd been involved in nearly ten clashes with Martial Squires and every single time, my opponents were way out of my league.
The moment they realized I wasn't as experienced, or as strong as they'd assumed, the stronger Squires simply lost interest. They ignored me and went hunting for bigger prey aka Hideyoshi.
The gap between me and them was massive. Maybe not purely in physical strength—but in skill? In efficiency? In understanding?
I couldn't land a clean hit, and I just fucking face tanked the damage.
Except for one.
A certain scaly Martial Squire.
I call him "The thing"
He liked being hit.
If it weren't for his dark skin and short buzzcut, he totally matched the profile.
Since he wanted to, I punched him with everything I had. Full power. No restraint.
My fist crumpled on impact. It felt like punching a mountain!
The worst part?
He laughed.
Also, I genuinely thought he was already out of the war.
Wasn't he knocked unconscious earlier by Hideyoshi?
Mods, ban this guy.
Turns out the knockout rule only applied to Martial Apprentices.
Martial Squires could keep fighting until they physically couldn't move anymore or until they voluntarily forfeited from the war... which was near impossible.
These fuckers loved to fight.
They're almost more Saiyan than I am!
I nearly used my Divine Arsenal from the frustration of my consecutive losses.
Almost.
Hideyoshi had appeared beside me out of nowhere and whispered firmly, to not to use it. Not to even show it. ever.
He didn't explain why.
But after everything I'd seen from him, I didn't question it. Just gave him a salute and a "Yes, Brother!"
Was it banned in wars?
…Probably.
Wouldn't want their practitioners to die senselessly in state sanctioned civil wars.
Still. I'll get you back.
The Thing.
I already knew the gap between realms are big but this?
Martial Squires were Martial Artists who had attained their own Martial Body—a perfected physical form tailored entirely to their chosen path.
While Martial Apprentices are still the process.
They were the result.
After all, only the very peak of Apprentices could even dream of reaching that level.
The difference between a peak Martial Apprentice and the weakest non-direct-combat-focused (poison, hypnosis, etc) Martial Squire was absurd.
In power levels... something like a power gap of 300 to 1000.
More than triple!
They don't stand a chance!
While Martial Apprentices still fought with mostly human bodies.
Mine wasn't.
My Saiyan body was already at Squire-level—or close enough that it fooled people.
Damn it. That had to be why they brought me here.
My body was a something like tank.
My technique? A toddler behind the controls.
…No, wait.
It's because I beat Katsui and those other two Squires!
Shit.
I really did bring this onto myself.
A Martial Squire suddenly landed in front of me, light on her feet.
"Switch," she said, tapping my shoulder.
I swallowed.
she's cool
"Shit. Here I come."
I really didn't want to fight anymore, but the way she moved past me, seamlessly sliding into another engagement, telling me to switch as if it's the most natural thing in the world, made refusing feel impossible.
Peer pressure in a war zone.
Fantastic.
I stepped into the space she'd vacated.
And standing across from me—
My mortal enemy.
The thing.
He grinned wide.
"You again?" he laughed. "Haven't you had enough, monkey boy?"
I ignored the bait and dropped into a boxing stance, mind racing.
Options?
Basically none.
None of my strikes worked.
I tried feints. Angles. Sudden bursts. Even copying Hideyoshi's style with sand explosion thing.
But unlike before, the thing was fully alert and didn't fall for anything.
He was laser focused.
How does his defense work?
Think, Merun. Think.
What would Rui do?
…He'd use a technique he trained specifically for this.
And if he didn't have one?
He'd adapt on the spot.
But how?
I didn't know a single technique designed to bypass raw defense.
I even tried that vibrating punch thing once—
He told me to stop.
Said it was "getting weird, man."
Humiliating.
So I circled.
Shifted left and right.
Heavy jabs. Body shots. Probing blows.
Nothing.
He didn't even flinch.
He yawned.
"Is that all you can do?"
His eyes sharpened.
"My turn."
He crouched—and charged.
Ah.
This bullshit again.
He came at me full speed, completely unguarded, because my attacks meant nothing to him.
Fortunately, even without footwork techniques I was simply way faster.
I dodged the first swing, the second, the third... He wasn't running out of steam!
…Wait.
I remember a move!
Attack Titan vs Armored Titan.
I slipped past another haymaker, grabbed his arm, and yanked him forward, snapping my arm around his neck as I laid on my back.
Guillotine choke.
I tightened with everything I had.
I'm a genius! SHINZOU WO SASAGEYO!
His neck is bulky and rough.
It felt like squeezing a huge boulder that didn't budge.
However, I finally heard some cracks.
His laughter stopped. His body tensed. He finally understood the danger.
Of course, so did I.
BOOM.
His fist slammed into my lower ribs.
Something inside me crunched.
Fuck.
I didn't let go.
Neither did he.
THUD.
THUD.
THUD.
Each blow drove agony through my side, my vision blurring, my breathing turning shallow and wet.
I held on.
Finally—
He stopped hitting me.
His body laid limp as his arms spread out on the floor.
I gasped.
…I won! AHAHAHA!
My first Squire victory!
I don't even have my Martial Path yet!
I released him and collapsed onto the sand, limbs shaking, ribs screaming.
I couldn't breathe without pain.
But the unconscious Martial Squire didn't fall.
His eyes suddenly opened.
His face twisted.
Into a sneer.
My stomach dropped.
The Thing was faking it.
This wasn't a ring.
No bell.
No referee.
This was war.
This rookie mistake of mine was gonna cost me everything.
He mounted me instantly.
Ground and pound.
I raised my arms, barely blocking as fists rained down.
My arms screamed until I physically couldn't defend myself anymore.
I saw his face clearly now.
Smiling.
Enjoying it.
You bastard.
Are you happy?
I don't even have a Martial Path yet!
Just knock me out!
He kept feinting the final blow and smiling.
...You.
Are you looking down on me?
How dare you.
I'm a Saiyan—
Rage flooded my veins.
Heat surged through my body.
My vision burned.
His smile faded.
TREAT ME LIKE A WARRIOR! I'LL FUCKING KILL YO—
BOOM.
Sand exploded.
A shockwave tore us apart.
When the dust settled, Hideyoshi stood there, scratching his head.
"Oops! Didn't see you there, Brother!" he laughed.
Below him lay two Martial Artists.
One unconscious—sporting a clean, suspiciously Naginata Butt-Shaped circular bruise on his chin. The other Martial Artist frozen in terror.
Hideyoshi looked down at the frozen man.
"Squire Butsu," he said cheerfully. "Your passive body-forging has become truly incredible. Truly. Tortoise Arts at their finest!"
His tone sharpened.
"However… in my humble opinion—it's time for the tortoise to become a snapping turtle."
He tightened his grip on the naginata.
The weapon creaked under the pressure.
"I trust you'll keep whatever you felt or saw to yourself," Hideyoshi added lightly. "This kid is important to me."
The heaviness vanished.
Butsu nodded stiffly.
"I-I understand."
Hideyoshi smiled brightly and patted his shoulder.
"Great! So are you out of the war now, or do you still want to go for another round?"
"…IT IS MY HONOR!" Butsu roared, fire returning to his eyes. "AGAIN!"
Hideyoshi laughed.
Sekigaharan Martial Artists really were a different breed.
As the night fell, the war had ended.
The Kinzoku Clan has secured the beaches of Odani.