Battle Race in the Fantasy World

EP.144 A Brush with Death

What do teenagers in another world do with their time?

People of the Empire would give different answers to that question.

Some would say their own games. Others would say parties. And some would say reading.

“Today we’re going to do bicep curls. Everyone brought their bars, right?”

“Yes!”

“Good. Now stand in front with the bars you brought.”

For Jonathan’s teenagers, it’s obviously exercise.

“Bicep curls are essential for building your biceps. Now, what are we doing?”

“Bicep curls!”

“And what is it good for building?”

“Biceps!!”

Old man Neil nods approvingly with a hearty laugh at the children’s chorus.

“Alright. Now, apply pressure until your elbows don’t bend…”

Suddenly, Old man Neil stops talking and looks off into the distance.

Narrowing his eyes, he lets out a sigh and then says to the children.

“Kids, grab your bars. We’ll do bicep curls when we get back.”

“Are they coming?!”

“Yes. They’re coming. Alright, we fought first last time, so this time let’s let them go first.”

Ding ding ding!-

As soon as he finishes speaking, the bell signaling the approach of monsters rings out.

Normally, the legion soldiers would move in unison to form their battle formations.

But now, following the legion commander’s orders, everyone except the sentries is resting.

They all wear expressions that seem to ask, ‘Is this really okay?’

They should be preparing to face off against those creatures, but the order given was for complete rest.

“Waaahh!!”

The sight they witnessed was about a dozen children eagerly running out.

They were heading straight towards where the man-eating monsters were swarming in.

Those who wondered what on earth was happening soon after…

“Waaahh!!”

Saw the children return, covered in monster blood and looking delighted.

Anyone could see they were hunters who had just slaughtered monsters and returned.

They looked like professionals who could say goodbye to monsters with just a graze.

After that, similar situations repeated several times.

The children rushing out in a group before the bell even finished ringing.

Every time, they go out shouting and come back laughing joyfully.

After that, the bell warning of monster invasions no longer rang.

That’s when the soldiers finally realized. And they thanked the Emperor.

For making a treaty with those people instead of continuing to fight them.

‘As expected, His Majesty the Emperor is truly amazing!!’

Watching Jonathan’s little ones wipe out monsters once again,

The legion commander, officers, and soldiers had to admire the Imperial family’s foresight.

*

Tsk tsk-.

While the soldiers were looking at the children with a mixture of admiration and fear in their eyes,

Baron Jonathan was clicking his tongue while holding an improvised barbell.

He wasn’t trying to scold the children or say anything to the soldiers.

Right now, he was disappointed not with this side, but with the other side. That is, with the monsters.

“You’re thinking we came here for nothing, aren’t you?”

“It seems so. How could they be beaten by kids? We came quickly because we heard the Empire was struggling. This is completely different from what we expected, isn’t it?”

It couldn’t be helped. The reason why the Empire was struggling in this monster crisis.

It wasn’t simply because the monsters were strong, but because they were different from before.

They used to run away when at a disadvantage, and ambush when the opponent seemed weak.

That had been the typical behavior pattern of monsters until now.

The legion had also been thoroughly prepared for such aspects.

Now they stubbornly come head-on, fight to the death.

Monsters that don’t know the meaning of rest and only feel satisfied after fighting? Of course, they can’t adapt.

They need to rest a bit, reorganize their formations, and tend to the wounded.

But with groups constantly coming to die, all of that became impossible.

This is why soldiers kept getting injured, and the legion’s losses accumulated to this point.

‘But precisely those aspects must be heaven for our kids.’

Monsters don’t run away even when at a disadvantage? They fight to the death?

This is enough to make Jonathan tear up with gratitude.

Even the northern ones would turn tail and run without looking back if things got too tough.

The ones here keep charging in with their eyes rolled back due to the drug effects.

For the children who were still inexperienced in ‘pursuing’ enemies, these were truly the best opponents.

‘From a father’s perspective, they’re all the same trash though.’

As Baron Jonathan was sighing regretfully, about to offer some consolation,

Old man Neil, who had returned with the children, quietly approached.

“My Lord. Young Master. We’ve returned.”

“Good work.”

“Thank you for your hard work, Old man.”

“It was nothing. Ah, My Lord. Jesse got slightly injured this time.”

“Is it a serious injury?”

“No, it’s just a broken arm, that’s all.”

“…?”

Kyle, who was listening to the conversation, had to tilt his head in confusion.

Strange. A fracture would usually be considered quite a serious injury.

It’s not just a crack, but a complete break. Isn’t that a severe injury?

“That’s a relief. Have him fall back and rest adequately.”

“Understood, My Lord.”

But the two Jonathans coolly brushed it off.

Even Jesse, the injured child, was laughing heartily with his peers in the distance.

“Um, and My Lord. I apologize, but could you look after the children for a while?”

“Is something the matter?”

“Well. Something unexpected has come up.”

“Something unexpected? What do you… Ah.”

Baron Jonathan had heard the gist of it from Kyle.

And wanting to see it for himself, he had come into the legion’s quarters.

“Are you finally going to have a match?”

“Haha. Yes. This old man foolishly fell for a request to teach.”

“What do you mean foolish? It’s wonderful. Truly wonderful. Your heart must be full. The granddaughter of the Empire’s expert you fought. It must be a great thing for both that woman and your past rival.”

Saying this, Baron Jonathan turned his head to look at Kyle.

“Kyle. I’m sorry, but could you watch the children?”

“Pardon? Me?”

“Yes. This father wants to go watch Old man Neil’s match.”

At Baron Jonathan’s words, Kyle smiled brightly.

“Father.”

“Yes?”

“I also want to watch Old man Neil’s match.”

“Oh my. I’m ordering you as the head of the Jonathan baronial family.”

“My Lord. Looking after the children is not my duty, but yours.”

“It’s a parent’s request. Won’t you do it?”

“It’s a child’s request to their parent. Won’t you accept it?”

Usually, they show a very good family atmosphere.

But when it comes to watching a fight between strong individuals, neither would yield an inch.

Watching the father and son telling each other to look after the children, Old man Neil let out an awkward laugh.

“Um, My Lord. And Young Master. How about we do this?”

In the end, Old man Neil, unable to bear it any longer, came up with the most reasonable suggestion.

It was to just bring all the children along and watch together.

“Will that be alright? They’re at the age where they should be exercising.”

“It’s fine. Watching like this will surely be good training too.”

“…Alright. Then let’s do that. Kyle. You heard him? Let’s split them and manage half each.”

“That’s fine with me too, Father.”

The father and son had reached a dramatic agreement.

Thus, the father and son headed to a wide open space with the children.

When they asked the legion commander for a space where they could fight comfortably, he gave them an entire campsite.

He said it was a space for reinforcements arriving soon, but they could use it until then.

“Young Master! Is Grandpa really going to fight over there?!”

“Yes. It’s the Empire’s Top 10, the Empire’s Top 10. You’ve all heard of them, right?”

“Yes! They came to the village a few times! They fought with other adults every time they came!”

“Oh really? So? What did our little ones feel?”

“Umm…”

The children gathered in small groups, thinking hard.

Kyle found their appearance so adorable that he was about to say, “Just say anything,”

“If I get a little older and exercise a bit more, I might be able to win?!”

“That’s right! I felt the same, Young Master!!”

“Me too!!”

“…”

If the Top 10 heard this chorus from the children, wouldn’t they foam at the mouth?

Children not even half their age were saying, ‘If we get a bit older, we might be able to take you down.’

But what’s funny is that this isn’t exaggeration or bluster.

“Shh! Young Master! It’s starting!”

Jesse, who had suffered the ‘minor injury’ of a broken arm, said so.

Turning his head, he saw Old man Neil and Commander Priscilla standing face to face in the middle of the open space.

‘She said she had been longing for this moment.’

It wasn’t about anger towards the one who defeated her grandfather, or seeking revenge.

As a strong individual who surpassed the martial artist she respected most, who was also her grandfather.

She wanted to fight the one whom that respected person had called a formidable enemy.

If the Jonathan people heard this story, wouldn’t they have applauded her as a true woman?

“Hmm.”

Baron Jonathan stroked his chin as he observed Commander Priscilla.

His eyes, usually deeply sunken, shone with a clear light today.

It was the look he had when seeing a fairly good strong person, or when discovering a new piece of exercise equipment.

“How is she?”

“Judging from the condition of her arms and legs, her quick attacks should be quite powerful. Looking at her breathing, she’s definitely worthy of being in the Top 10. As for comparison with other Top 10… Well. I’ll have to judge after seeing her fight.”

Kyle nodded slightly, as if agreeing with those words.

“It looks like they’re about to start.”

Commander Priscilla, meeting in the center, energetically introduced herself.

Old man Neil also revealed his name to the challenger with a gentle smile.

Without any trickery, a pure clash of strength, speed, and technique.

The real battle that everyone admired was about to begin.

“…Hm?”

At that moment, Baron Jonathan suddenly turned his head.

And then he fixed his gaze on a very distant point, somewhere that couldn’t be precisely identified.

“Father?”

Just as Kyle was about to ask what was wrong, what had happened,

Whoosh!-

Baron Jonathan vanished from his spot.