17
幾度と無くバルバロトとジェックスは剣を交えた。互いの実力は拮抗しており、膠着状態が続いていた。
「ふう......ふう......」
浅い呼吸を繰り返しながら、バルバロトはジェックスの評価を改めていた。
(噂以上の強さだ。剣の腕前は勝ってるが、身体能力や反射速度は向こうの方が上。嫉妬してしまいそうな才能の持ち主だな......
だが、負けるわけにはいかない。ここで俺が負ければ餓狼の牙たちの士気が上がり、一気に不利になってしまう。それだけは、なんとしてでも阻止せねば!)
再び、バルバロトとジェックスがぶつかる。激しい剣戟の音が深夜の森に木霊する。お互いに譲れない想いがある二人の気迫は周囲の者達を黙らせるほどに荒ぶっていた。
二人の荒々しい戦いに多くの者が見入っている。バルバロトは巧みな剣術で、ジェックスは大胆な剣技で多くの者達を虜にしていた。
男に魅入られても嬉しくは無いのだが、今の二人には周囲を気にする余裕はない。
互いの実力は拮抗しており、なにか一つでもミスを犯せば忽ち膠着状態は崩れて敗北に繋がってしまうと二人は理解していた。
鍔迫り合いになり、至近距離から互いの顔を見合わせる。
「なぜ、これ程までの実力がありながら――」
「その言葉は聞き飽きるほど聞いたんだよ!」
「くっ!?」
押し戻されるバルバロトは苦しい顔をする。ジェックスはバルバロトの言葉が気に入らなかったのか息が乱れている。
「お前らに分かるか? 搾取される側の気持ちが! 文字が読めない上に書けないから騙される気持ちが! ただ、平和に生きていたのに突然攫われて知らない男に蹂躙される気持ちが!
「それは......」
「分からないだろう! どうせお前も貴族として何不自由の無い生活を送ってきた奴に俺達の怒りが分かるはずがない!
俺達は怒りそのものだ! だから、力の無い者達に代わって復讐してるんだ! 例え、望まれていなくとも俺達は止まらない、止まるわけにはいかない!
国に分からせてやる。俺達という存在を。刻んでやるんだ、腐った貴族共に!
その為なら俺はこの命、惜しくは無い!」
「それほどまでの覚悟を......」
だから、これ以上の御託はいらん。
激昂して胸の内を曝け出したジェックスは剣を構え直した。
対するバルバロトも思う事はあっても口には出さず、ジェックスに答えるように剣を構え直した。
「いざ、尋常に――」
「――参る!」
ぶつかり合う二人から発生した衝撃波が周囲の者達を襲う。耐え切れずに転倒してしまう者が出るほどの衝撃波だった。
先程の荒々しい剣戟から一転して、研ぎ澄まされた針のように繊細な戦いを見せる二人。互いに言葉は用いず、剣で語る二人に周囲のものは固唾を飲んで見守る。
キンッキンッと金属がぶつかり合う音が鳴り響く。一切の呼吸を忘れて、瞬きすら惜しむように周囲の者達は互いが敵であるにも関わらず、二人の剣舞に釘付けとなる。
二人はいつしか世界には自分と目の前の敵しかいないと錯覚を起こしていた。極限まで研ぎ澄まされた感覚は世界から無駄なものを省いてしまっていた。
雑音もなければ目障りな障害物もない。まっさらな世界で二人は剣を交えている。
されど、いつまでもこの時間が続くわけではない。極限の集中状態にあった二人は互いに離れると肩で息をする。それは、互いの体力が残り僅かとなっている証拠だ。
『ハア......ハア......』
体力が底を尽きそうになってはいるが、闘志が尽きたわけではない。まだ、戦えると二人は示すように駆け出す。
どれだけぶつかり合ったか分からない二人は、負けられないと剣に力を込める。鍔迫り合いとなり、膠着状態が続くかと思えばバルバロトが足蹴りを放つ。
咄嗟に後ろへと飛び退いたジェックスに当たらなかったが、体勢を崩す事には成功する。
「行儀の悪い騎士だな!」
「そうかよ!」
体勢が崩れたジェックスはバルバロトの攻撃に文句を言うが、バルバロトは一切気にしていない。
一気に攻勢に出ようとするバルバロトにジェックスは笑みを見せる。
「隠しておきたかったが、どうやら無理なようだ」
剣の腹を見せ付けるように突き出すジェックスにバルバロトは眉間に皺を寄せる。
(何をする気だ? いや、何をするかは分からないが今は好機。逃す手はない!)
詰めの一手を仕掛けようと剣を振り上げた瞬間、ジェックスは声を張り上げる。
「吹き飛べぇっ!!!」
ジェックスが叫ぶや否や、ジェックスの持つ剣の刀身が薄い緑色の光を放つ。
そして、次の瞬間バルバロトに突風が襲い掛かる。
「こ、これはあああああああ!?」
何が起こったのかわからなかったバルバロトは、突如放たれた突風により吹き飛ばされる。鎧を纏っている大人の男性を軽々と吹き飛ばしてしまうほどの突風を放ったジェックスに騎士達は驚愕の表情を浮かべる。
「さあ、次はどいつだ?」
Ch 17
Barbaroth and Jex had crossed swords many times. They were both very good at what they did, and the stalemate continued.
"Fu ...... Fu ......."
Taking a series of shallow breaths, Barbaroth was revising his assessment of Jex.
(He's even stronger than  rumors say. His sword skills are superior and his physical abilities and reflexes are better.  He got a talent that I'm almost jealous of. ......)
(But I can't afford to lose. If I lose here, the morale of the Hungry Wolf Fangs will rise, and I will be at a disadvantage. I have to avoid that at all costs!)
Once again, Barbaroth and Jex clashed. The sound of fierce sword fights echoed through the forest in the middle of the night. The spirit of the two, who both had uncompromising feelings for each other, was so fierce that it silenced those around them.
Many people were watching the two fight wildly. Barbaroth was captivating many with his skillful swordsmanship and Jex with his daring swordplay.
It's not nice to be fascinated by a man, but the two of them don't have time to worry about their surroundings right now.
They both knew that their abilities were so close that if they made even one mistake, the stalemate would collapse and  one of them would be defeated.
They came to blows and looked at each other from close range.
"You are very talented?""
"I've heard those words enough times!
"What?"
Barbaroto looks pained as he is pushed back. Jex is not happy with Barbaroth's words, his breathing is uneven.
"You know what? You know what it's like to be exploited! How it feels to be cheated because you can't read and write! Just how it feels to live in peace and then suddenly be kidnapped and violated by a people you don't know any of that !
"That's ......."
"You don't understand! You've lived an uncomplicated life as a nobleman anyway, how can you possibly understand our anger!"
"We are anger itself! that's why we are taking revenge on behalf of the powerless! Even if they don't want us  to do so , we won't stop. We can't stop!"
"We will make the country understand. We'll show them who we are. We'll carve our mark on the corrupt nobility!"
I"'ll  give my life for that!"
"That's how determined I am. ......"
"So, no need for any more talk."
In a fit of rage, Jex exposed his heart and readied his sword.
Barbaroth, on the other hand, had his own thoughts but did not say them out loud, and he readied his sword to answer Jex.
"Now, to the fight --"
"I'm coming!"
The shockwaves generated by the two colliding people hit those around them. It was such a shockwave that some people could not withstand it and fell down.
The two of them show a delicate battle like sharpened needles, a complete change from the wild sword fights of earlier. The people around them watched with bated breath as the two spoke with their swords without using words.
The sound of metal clashing against metal rings out. Forgetting to breathe or even to blink, the people around them were glued to their sword dance, even though they were each other's enemies.
For some time, the two of them had the illusion that they are only people in the world were themselves and the enemy in front of them. Their senses had been sharpened to the extreme, and they had eliminated everything that was useless from the world.
There was no noise, no annoying obstacles. The two of them crossed swords in a world that was completely clean.
However, this time would not last forever. They were in a state of extreme concentration, but when they pulled away from each other, they breathed on each other's shoulders. This is a sign that both of them have very little energy left.
"Haa...... haa......"
Although they were  on their limit  but , they had not lost their will to fight. They ran out to show that they could still fight.
They are not sure how many times they have clashed, but they put all their strength into their swords, determined not to lose. As if the two were locked in a stalemate, Barbaroto unleashed a kick to the leg.
It didn't hit Jex, who jumped back as quickly as he could, but it did succeed in throwing him off his stance.
"You're a badly behaved knight!"
"You're right!"
Jex, out of position, complains about Barbaroth's attack, but Barbaroth doesn't care at all.
Jex smiles at Barbaroth as he tries to go on the offensive at once.
"I was hoping to keep it under wraps, but it appears I can't."
Barbaroth wrinkles his brow as Jex thrusts out the stomach  of his sword for all to see.
What I am going to do? No, I don't know what I'm going to do, but now is  my chance . I  can't miss it!)
The moment he raises his sword to make the final move, Jex raises his voice.
"Blow it up!!!!"
As soon as Jex shouted, the blade of his sword emitted a light green light.
The next moment, a gust of wind hit Barbaroth.
"What the hell is this?"
Barbaroto, who did not know what had happened, was blown away by a sudden gust of wind. The knights were astonished by Jex, who had unleashed a gust of wind that could easily blow away a grown man in armor.
"Who's next?"
Eroge Reincarnation, Struggle of a Golden Pig Aristocrat Against Fate
エロゲ転生　運命に抗う金豚貴族の奮闘記
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/eroge-reincarnation-struggle-of-a-golden-pig-aristocrat-against-fate/
Action Adventure Comedy Fantasy Harem Romance Shounen Slice of Life
Adapted to Manga Age Progression Aristocracy Beautiful Female Lead Broken Engagement Butlers Character Growth Complex Family Relationships Cowardly Protagonist Crafting Dense Protagonist Domestic Affairs Doting Parents Elemental Magic Emotionally Weak Protagonist Empires Fallen Nobility Fantasy Creatures Fantasy World Fat Protagonist Fat to Fit Galge Handsome Male Lead Hard-Working Protagonist Harsh Training Kingdom Building Kingdoms Knights Late Romance Lost Civilizations Loyal Subordinates Magic Magic Formations Maids Male Protagonist Management Manipulative Characters Marriage Misunderstandings Modern Knowledge Monsters Naive Protagonist Nobles Reincarnated in a Game World Royalty Sadistic Characters Sword And Magic Sword Wielder Time Skip Transmigration Underestimated Protagonist Weak to Strong Wizards
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n4214gk/
名無しの権兵衛