Slowly, Athena was pressured into a reluctant silence. Velt had expected this response, and he let out a faint sigh.
“The reason it’s limited at all is because we don’t got the right bodies to do it. Removing the limiter will mean using powers beyond what the body is capable of, and we of the Human Tribe won’t be able to handle it. Meaning...if the brat wants to use anything, he’s gonna have to break something.”
Athena and Fram gulped, having finally understood what he really meant. The reason he said it would be impossible for any proper human. Their brain would prevent their body from breaking itself by using powers beyond its means.
“Even if it works, the brat will go through extreme agony every time he uses a Tribe Skill. He’ll have to endure it tens, hundreds, thousands of times, all while breaking his body of his own will.”
And physical death never came for duelists. Every duel, he would have to personally choose the pain.
“Removing the Human Tribe’s limiter is already difficult in and of itself. No decent guy can break his own arm. Even if he could, he couldn’t fight properly after that. And let’s say he could fight, do that too many times, and you lose your mind... It’s a method of impossibility over impossibility.”
In the midst of Velt’s explanation, the two girls had lost their words. What was there left to say? To hurt oneself, chip away at their spirit, and endure the unending pain and suffering. Who in their right mind would choose a living hell just to be a duelist? Even if such a person existed—
“So you’re saying I can do it!”
Snap—the sound of something hard breaking.
“If this is my means to win...I’ll do whatever it takes!”
Despite breaking his own arm, his smile remained intact. Yuri’s mind and body weren’t feeble enough to fold to such a low hurdle.
“Hah... Even Reilly gave up on it, and you didn’t even hesitate.”
“Bad Yuri! You’re not in the field! You can’t just go and break your arm!”
“You seem pretty calm about this, but doesn’t that hurt...?”
“It hurts like crazy!”
“...If you want to train, make sure you heal up first.”
“Here, I have a healing charm, use it quick!”
Despite their panic, Athena and Fram promptly pressed a healing charm against Yuri’s broken arm.
After a look over the three of them, Velt gave a large yawn. “Well then, Foxy, Icy, he’s all yours. Have a few duels, and get him to the point where a few skills won’t break him too badly.”
“Very well. What are you going to do?”
“I’m going to have a nap before finishing up some business. We Administrators are pretty busy, I can’t just hang around with you people forever,” Velt said as he took his leave with a dismissive wave of his hand.
Once Yuri’s left arm was back in shape, Athena lifted her fist in high spirits.
“Aight! Let’s work hard to make Yuri stronger!”
“Before we do that,” interrupted Fram, “you two should turn off the broadcast feature on your Proofs.”
“Eh? But if you turn off the broadcast, you can’t review it later, right?” Yuri asked.
“True, but the broadcast is also used as evidence of a match. If both sides turn off the feature, wins and losses aren’t added to the record, and your rate won’t change either.”
“In short, we can fight all we want for training purposes!” said Athena in summation. Yuri didn’t need any further prompting to tap his Proof and sever its connection.
When all preparations were done, Athena enthusiastically brandished her straight sword.
“Then I’m first, let your Big Sis teach you all about it! Come at me!”
“Thank you! I’m counting on you!”
Yuri respectfully bowed his head to Athena before they both raised their Proofs high. The surroundings colors drained away while they held up their weapons and confronted one another.
“Now then, what should we start with?”
“Right... Even if you tell me to remove my limiter, that’s quite vague.”
And as the two of them groaned, Fram, who had merged with the background, called over.
“For starters, Athena, how do you usually use your Tribe Skill?”
“Mnn... I tell my ancestors, ‘Hey, I’m gonna borrow some power’?”
“So it’s pretty ill-defined.”
“The ancestor’s role, or purpose, is also pretty important, I guess. Like, with my Solar Fox, I form a strong image of sweeping away evil with flame.”
“Yuri, do you know the details of the tribes you take after?”
“Yes, when I was born, my parents compared past records. According to them...for the Beast Tribe, my power apparently stems from the bull Asterios.”
“A bull, huh. Then with your sword, it should help boost lunges and thrusts. If you’re empty-handed, then punches and palm strikes. Also charging and trampling, that sort of thing. Maybe you can draw it out if you imagine those movements?”
“Thrust and charge... I see...” he readily nodded along to her explanation.
“The next step would be how to remove that limiter thing—”
“Should I break my arm again, and see where that gets me?”
“You shouldn’t be so casual about breaking bones!”
“But maybe he’ll grasp some sensation from hurting himself. If he gets used to it, he might be able to draw out Tribe Skills without too much difficulty.”
“So practice makes perfect!” Yuri responded, bracing his fists and giving his left one a strong clench. The sensation of breaking his left arm a moment ago... He strengthened his will and resolve, strongly convincing himself it was a necessity. He pictured himself casting aside his hesitation and fear.
“—Here I go!”
With a firm image in his head, Yuri forced his foot into the ground. And just as he made his left hand snap ominously—Athena’s body was shot backwards.
“—Khh!” she grimaced as she took on a heavy blow with her sword. She braced her legs so as not to lose to the impact, gouging out and leaving trails in the beach sand. It was only in the midst of her trajectory that she got a good look at Yuri.
Yuri had his right fist thrust straight out. An explosive imprint remained where he had been before, the sand grains stirred up by the impact dimly glimmering in the morning sun.
That blow had far exceeded the physical capabilities of the Human Tribe. Not only was the Beast Tribe’s Athena pushed back, a faster charge than she had anticipated had taken her by complete surprise, and she just kept sliding, unable to fully kill her momentum.
A mix-blood had unleashed such a devastating blow.
“...! Yuri, you did it! You really—”
Seeing Yuri’s exceptionally elevated abilities, Athena’s expression brightened with glee, but she cut her own words short.
“Ah, hahah... Perhaps I aimed a little too high.”
Beads of sweat oozing down his forehead, Yuri’s knees fell to the sand. One of his left fingers was broken, his right arm turned in the wrong direction. The left leg he used to step in with was pulverized from the knee down, while the immense amount of blood he shed from his limbs soaked the white sand red.
Such a catastrophe, such a horrid scene to behold. Athena couldn’t contain herself from racing up in panic.
“Y-Yuri!? Are you okay—no, I can tell you’re not!!”
“Yes, right... I can’t say I’m very okay.”
“Good, then let’s pause for now! Dispel the field and—”
“No, please continue.”
With his broken left hand, Yuri grasped the arm Athena was holding him up with.
“At the very least...we now know I can use Tribe Skills. But the opening made with the initiation and recoil is too great; I have to get used to the pain...”
He continued to grip Athena’s arm with his quivering hand, so as to never let the means he had finally found ever leave his sights. To grasp out at his own possibilities.
“So...please, one more time!”
After such willpower and resolve, Athena could naught but tighten her expression and ready her sword once more.
“...Okay, I’ll do whatever I can. Just leave it to Big Sis!!”
Athena gave her chest a hard thump, returning Yuri’s feelings.
That exchange repeated several more times, and just as the seventh one was upon her—
“...Frammmmm... I can’t bear to watch anymore...” Athena sobbed profusely and gave up. “Yuri’s already in tatters... He’s a red, wrung-out rag...”
“...You look like you could go a few more rounds.”
“Even if I can, Yuri can’t...!”
She whined and whimpered as she pointed at Yuri, collapsed on the ground. As if his left fingers weren’t enough, the arm connected to it was curved into complex contours. His right hand no longer maintained its original shape, white bone poking here and there through his bloody flesh.
It wasn’t long before Athena’s wails caused his motionless body to twitch.
“Erk... Ah, sorry... I passed out for a second there...!”
“It’s fine, perfectly fine! Rather, you could just stay unconscious!!”
“No...I think I have one more in me...!”
“No way, no way, no way! You’re becoming like one of those zombies the Demon Tribes use! Let’s reset once, alright? If you keep at it in your condition, you’ll make your Big Sis cry!”
“You think...so...? Maybe you’re right...I shouldn’t push myself too far from the get-go.” Yuri finally conceded in his feeble, cracked voice, and Athena patted her chest in relief.
“And so, Athena...would you kindly finish me off?”
“...Eh? Finish?”
“Fighting Mr. Elias, I learned that a duelist’s death is quite unique. I need to get used to that too, so instead of ending with surrender, please kill me.”
“You want me to kill someone who could do with a mosaic placed over his whole body!?”
“Yes... Additionally, I need to know how severe the wounds have to be, and how much blood I have to lose to be considered dead, so I would very much appreciate it if you could kill me as slowly as possible...!”
No sanity left in his smile, a bloodstained Yuri slowly drew his wounded body closer and closer.
“It’s fine. I’ll be fine, so...!!”
Seeing the madness seep into his appearance, his speech and his actions, Athena trembled all over—
“This... I’m the one who won’t be able to stand it!!”
She forcefully lowered her straight sword at Yuri. Reluctantly, she honored his wishes to avoid all his vitals, one slash at a time... And for the time that followed, Athena sobbed and muttered, “Yuri is scary...” to herself.