chapter05 · 124-ep124
Episode 117: The Results of Her Training (Some of Them)
【Hah!?】
【Hold on, what!?】
【What was that just now!?】
【Didn't that bug just go flying from one hit!?】
【No, no, that made no sense! What WAS that!?】
【Ojou-sama, you did not even punch it just now, did you!?】
【She merely placed her fist against it... so why did the impact-absorbing bug go flying!?】
【Ojou-sama, what did you just do, desu no!?】
An insectoid monster supposedly capable of absorbing dozens of Karin's strikes had been shattered in one blow.
Naturally, the incomprehensible sight made the comment section accelerate all at once.
"Fufufu, that was a technique I learned at the dojo Mitsuki-sama introduced me to!"
Still dodging attack after attack, Karin smiled as she answered the viewers' questions.
"I believe it was called fa jin? Or something like that, desu no! It is terribly convenient! By transmitting the power from my feet through my hips, then my shoulders and arm, efficiently into only my fist without letting my body waver, it lets me produce a nicely powerful blow while Elegantly suppressing the recoil and pointless destruction around me from high-powered strikes whose recoil <Recoil-Free Cannon> alone cannot fully eliminate, desu no!"
Indeed. The true nature of Karin's technique was fa jin.
More precisely, one-inch fa jin.
Unlike an ordinary strike, it used a special method of body movement to transmit the full body's strength through the tiniest motion, without twisting the hips or shoulders. It was a 'technique' that delivered an internally destructive impact solely into its target without causing pointless damage to the surroundings.
An explorer's striking power and physical ability originated from an unknown energy called mana, and Karin's control over that mana was exceptional too. She applied fa jin technique while perfectly controlling the mana flowing inside her and the inhuman physical strength it produced. She had succeeded in transmitting the power of her entire body into only her fist even more efficiently than during her self-taught days.
To add further explanation, unlike strikes that required the fist to be pulled far back, one-inch fa jin involved extremely little motion. When Karin used it, that made it possible to deliver several high-powered impacts in an instant. The result looked essentially identical to making the Insect Warrior exceed its capacity with a single hit. Incidentally, the enemy had flown away at the end because she instantaneously switched from internally destructive blows to a surface-breaking strike.
"Well, in its current form it does not feel much like punching, so it still needs plenty of improvement... but it is useful in situations like this for now, desu wa ne!"
(In fact, I am certain Setsuna-sama achieved her full-power Elegant punches that brought no needless destruction to her surroundings by mastering this technique and related skills! If I train much, much harder, I sense I shall be able to do the same thing while punching normally!)
As though demonstrating once more the strength of the technique she had just explained—BOBOBOBOBOBOH!
""""GYIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIH!!!""""
Karin delivered fa jin to one insectoid monster after another, turning each into nasty fireworks in an instant.
In a dramatic change from moments ago, she exterminated the Insect Warrior horde at an incredible rate.
【EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEH!?】
【No way!?】
【Seriously, every single one is turning into nasty fireworks with one hit!?!?!?】
【Um, uh, is this for real...?】
【Hold on, what does this mean!?】
【I did not understand a SINGLE THING in Ojou-sama's explanation???】
【Wait, I almost glossed over this, but WHAT do you mean a strike so powerful <Recoil-Free Cannon> can't fully eliminate its recoil!?!?!?!?!?】
【Um, so rather than Karin ojou-sama's striking power having increased... could she have possessed... that strength all along...?】
【O-Ojou-sama, from the way you said it, were you never able to use your full strength before because you were being careful not to damage your dress or surroundings!?】
【Hah????????????】
【I-I mean, that theory has been around for ages, but...】
【Hah? What? So does this mean learning fa jin lets Ojou-sama use part of the strength she was holding back, even while in Elegant mode????????】
【So she removed one limiter while still wearing the power-saving armor known as her Elegant dress... is that it!?】
【That's WAY scarier than her striking power simply increasing????????】
【N-no, surely that can't be... r-right?】
【Wait, if the surroundings were all she cared about aboveground, that would make sense, but if the DRESS is included, then this ojou-sama might be an insane person who restrained her power even in the abyss for the sake of her Elegant streams!?!?!?】
【Her insanity hasn't been a possibility for ages. It's established fact】
【Come to think of it, the deep-layer copy monsters, which didn't seem concerned about damage to their clothes or surroundings, produced completely ridiculous force with their kicks...】
【Could you please stop lending credibility to the famous forum theory that 'Ojou-sama would be even more dangerous if she stopped restricting herself to Elegance'!?】
【Eh, does that mean even Adiabatic-Compression Fist might have been an inefficient technique for generating heat around her fist while restricting her movements????????】
【The theory that learning martial arts isn't boosting her strength but UNLOCKING it makes no damn sense!?】
【Why has martial-arts training produced theories that this ojou-sama hasn't 'grown stronger,' but has instead 'become able to use her original strength even while playing with restrictions'!?】
【(There's a chance this isn't even her 'original strength' in the first place...)】
The viewers were dumbfounded by Karin's new technique and its power, then erupted over the sudden implications about her true physical ability.
But—the growth inspired by Setsuna-sama's encouragement and the unexpected revelation of her hidden character lore did not end there.
Immediately after Karin annihilated the Insect Warrior horde at a terrifying speed—
DOGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON!!!
A gigantic volcanic cannonball pierced even the dungeon walls and came hurtling toward her with a thunderous roar.
It was a bombardment from a Dragon Cannon, an artillery-specialist monster with only its neck emerging from the ground.
Its power and speed were tremendous, with the potential to vaporize even a deep-layer-class explorer in one strike—but—
"—Sei."
Twitch—DOGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON!!
The instant Karin placed the back of her hand against the approaching volcanic cannonball with tremendous speed and incredible gentleness, its trajectory went flying off in an entirely different direction. Rather than striking Karin, the attack had been redirected elsewhere.
"I did it, desu wa! It worked, desu wa!"
【Hah?】
【Hah?】
【Eh? Wait. What just happened?】
【Didn't the volcanic cannonball suddenly change course and fly off somewhere!?】
【Where are you goiiing!? (No, seriously, what just happened!?)】
【Did the volcanic cannonball not dodge Ojou-sama just now!?】
【How does this work!?】
【Have even inorganic volcanic cannonballs finally become too frightened of Ojou-sama...?】
【It's not some delinquent stepping aside for a terrifying yakuza member!?】
【Hah???????? Did the laws of the world get rewritten while I wasn't looking????????】
【H-hey, could this be...!?】
Comments nearly stopped altogether at the abnormal sight.
And as though providing the answer before the viewers—
¥10,000 @motimotimotimoti
Amazing! That's exactly Setsuna-sama's hidden fighting style, which she never had an opportunity to display in the original manga! Exactly as I imagined it! To think you redirected such an unbelievable attack so beautifully—you're amazing, Karin ojou-sama! Amazing, amazing! I shouted without meaning to!
"T-Tamago-sensei!? You even went out of your way to send a superchat! I-is that truly so, desu no!? Ehe, ehehe... I am super happy, desu wa! To be entirely honest, I am still in the middle of training this technique, and against a volcanic cannonball, I still fail a fair percentage of the time... but I am so pleased this attempt succeeded, desu no!"
Mochimochi Tamago-sensei had recognized Karin's feat faster than anyone and sent an excited superchat. Karin threw her arms into the air in delight.
Indeed. Like fa jin, this was a new technique Karin had acquired at the dojo Mitsuki introduced to her.
Karin had learned, at lightning speed, the aikido redirection techniques and martial-arts body mechanics that Setsuna-sama reportedly possessed. She combined them with her incredible physical ability to redirect the volcanic cannonball.
Karin had already honed her detection skills to achieve perfect evasion. She could grasp the flow of force and mana with abnormal precision, giving her the best possible foundation for learning highly difficult aikido-style martial arts.
The comment section exploded over the preposterous feat.
【HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!?】
【BWAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA】
【No fucking way!? No, seriously, no fucking way!?】
【Someone please tell me this is a fake video...】
【You seriously learned that!? And why the hell was your FIRST demonstration after learning it against a volcanic cannonball!?】
【Tamago-sensei is so innocently delighted. How heartwarming, desu wa~ (eyes rolled back)】
【She learned it so fast I'm all laughed out???】
【I think it's only been about a WEEK since Setsuna-sama's hidden lore came up!?】
【She must touch the volcanic cannonball to redirect it, yet her palm is still silky smooth. Absolutely lmao】
【She doesn't burn herself with adiabatic compression either, so this person... IS she a person?】
【That blatant attempt to seem human by saying she still fails to redirect it fairly often!】
【No, wait, if she's failed to redirect volcanic cannonballs several times, then why is Ojou-sama completely fine right now!?!?!?】
【She doesn't even have a trace of injury????????】
【H-high-level explorers apparently heal quickly, so...】
【Even so, that means she only suffered injuries minor enough to heal completely in a short time, desu wa yo!?】
【Between headbutting dungeon walls and taking Sharie-sama's magic without injury, why are there so many signs that an evasion master like Ojou-sama is THIS tough!?】
¥5,000
Um... Could Karin ojou-sama have been hit countless times while learning her absurd perfect evasion, causing all her defense-related skills to grow immensely and making her body hard as a rock...?
【Eek】
【Ah】
【I just saw a terrifying and extremely convincing superchat】
【I thought saying she sometimes fails to redirect them was an attempt to seem human, but it might actually be a superhuman anecdote. I'm all laughed out】
【"I still fail to redirect volcanic cannonballs sometimes" has become another Ojou-sama quote that's terrifying once you understand the meaning】
【It's terrifying even if you DON'T understand the meaning...】
【H-hey, does Karin ojou-sama grow stronger the more lore gets added to Setsuna-sama...?】
【Tamago-sensei prizes accurate character interpretation above all, so he'd probably refuse any blatant retcons】
【Th-then we can rest easy! (Too late)】
The comments raced by at a terrifying speed.
Amid all of that, Karin said, "Well, I shall continue prioritizing perfect evasion, so in imitation of Setsuna-sama, the situations where I use this technique will likely be limited." But she was apparently so delighted by Tamago-sensei's praise that she advanced while redirecting several more volcanic cannonballs.
She used only her fists this time to slay the Dragon Cannon—whose face practically said, "Huh????"—and the wyverns protecting the area, then marched steadily toward the boss room.
【No, no, no, she's OBVIOUSLY gotten stronger for real, lmaooo!】
【Whether the theory that she's only unlocking her original strength is true or not, this is BAD, desu wa yo!?】
【We haven't even seen the limits of her unrevealed <Divine Artisan> equipment, yet her personal growth stat is S too!?!?!?】
【It's terrifying that she's growing while the limits of her strength remain hidden, isn't it????????】
【Why does this ojou-sama still have room to grow...?】
【It's easy to forget, but Karin ojou-sama is only sixteen...】
【It's not that she merely has room to grow—she's literally still growing...】
【The way she perfectly embodies Mitsuki-sama's principle that technique beyond skills is important is absolutely lmao】
【↑Mitsuki-sama must be climaxing over this stream】
【That's seriously why Mitsuki-sama hasn't appeared in chat, isn't it? Too dangerous lmaooo】
【This makes so little sense I'm laughing weirdly now lololol】
【The "※Not Fake" labels that recently vanished from Karin ojou-sama's clips are making a rapid comeback. Lmaooo】
【She instantly acquires techniques no matter their difficulty, then combines them with skills to develop and master them further. She is a god of war descended into the modern age. A living deity. By teaching her and allowing her to unite and spread the techniques of every master, the martial path our predecessors built will achieve even greater development. Living a long life is truly worthwhile】
【Hold on, what the hell is this wall-of-text incantation!?】
【I thought it was a wall-of-text troll, but this is...】
【Could this be someone from the dojo Mitsuki-sama introduced!?】
【Somewhere outside our awareness, they're about to start training History's Strongest Disciple: Delinquent】
【A club for an ogre. Wings for a tiger. Martial arts for Ojou-sama】
【We have a new proverb. Lmao】
【H-hey, could she seriously achieve an Elegant deep-layer conquest with no <Divine Artisan> equipment????????】
【I mean, Ojou-sama's growth is insane, and she could probably defeat them barehanded, but...】
【Perfectly evade every attack IN A DRESS? Isn't that impossible because of their abilities!?】
【If she fights THAT, won't the arms of her dress get blown away unless she does something about the wind armor!?】
【The pile bunkers had long reach, and she managed with the heavy weapons that doubled as armor, but won't punching the wind armor barehanded send her flying and ruin the Elegance!?】
The comment section celebrated Karin's growth, but countless voices still questioned whether an Elegant conquest of high-difficulty deep layers was reckless.
But Karin paid those concerns no mind.
"Now then. My true Elegant-conquest revenge begins here today, desu wa ne!"
"GUOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!"
The high-difficulty deep layers' floor 1 boss room.
On the other side of the door, Karin faced the black-scaled monster that had appeared—the Storm Dragon—and struck her fists together to renew her fighting spirit.
No one yet realized somebody was watching with a malicious lick of the lips.
―――――――――――――――――――――――――――――
The story briefly mentions this too, but at Karin ojou-sama's current stage of learning, her redirections still use a fair amount of arm strength, desu wa. Just as judoka tend to be rather solidly built, techniques of that kind require a surprising amount of strength. Even using aikido and other techniques in which strength accounts for a very small proportion, it appears she's achieving her volcanic-cannonball redirections with a strength-to-technique ratio of about three to seven, desu wa ne.
And so, Ojou-sama Buzz volume two finally releases tomorrow, the 18th, desu no! (For the e-book, that means midnight tonight, desu wa ne!) The newly written story previewed here is included in full, so I hope you'll consider buying it.
Also, as I explained in detail in the recent-news post, an additional made-to-order production run of Karin ojou-sama acrylic stands has been confirmed for the Melonbooks-sama online store, and preorders are already open. Please purchase yours by the 24th if you would like one, desu wa!
That became a lengthy afterword with the book releasing tomorrow, but if you found this entertaining, support through stars and follows alongside the book would make me very happy, desu no!