[Xuanwu]

Originally Posted by Marvix

(Not translated by me)

Spoiler for Life.1 (11) Part 1:

Life.1 Tempestuous transfer student (11) [Decisive battle! Zekka vs Xenovia (part 1)]
Us three gathered near the wall.
Our opponents, Xenovia-senpai and her friends, were also having a strategy meeting on the opposite side, while putting on protective gear.
“A match…swords…crossing…normal…oppai…”
“S-schwe-chan! See, Zekka-chan’s consciousness is flying away again?!”
“Looks like even using magic on her head won’t help. Heeey, Miyamoto-san.”
Their voices seemed to come from somewhere faraway. I feel tension, however the sense of emptiness is much stronger.
“The match is going to start soon, it would be bad if you didn’t even put on protective gear.”
“Isn’t there some switch to turn her enthusiasm to the max?!”
“She isn’t any mechanism, people don’t have any switches—oh.”
A light bulb popped over gyaru’s head.
“Come to think of it, there was one in the Oppai dragon show.”
“It would feel awkward to poke them out of the blue, so let’s rub them once for starters.”
Saying that, Schwert-san started moving her fingers smoothly.
And then her fingers boldly rubbed my breasts through uniform—
“O……”
“ “She awakened?!” ”
“Opp, pa-pa-pa, opa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa.”
“ “Awake…ned?” ”
Misfortunes never come alone, I got salt rubbed in the wound.
I shivered, feeling goosebumps running throughout my whole body.
“Uuu, what did I…”
“She awakened! Hey! So there was a switch for max enthusiasm?!”
“Human’s body is truly marvelous.”
Switch? Max? I’m dying from anxiety right here, you know?
“Zekka-chan, the match is about to start!”
“Ah, yes, I understand, do I?”
“So she’s still half-conscious. Hey, cheer up. I’ll put defensive gear on for you.”
Schwert-san took off only my blazer and then deftly put on protective gear on me. And Avi-senpai came carrying a heap of bamboo swords in her hands.
“They will use only one, you know?”
“How naive, Schwe-chan! At times like this, the more the merrier!”
I’ll be troubled if you talk about swords as if they were money.
“Is that alright, Miyamoto-san, even if intended as a contest, it’s still a fight.”
When I got equipped with defensive gear and a single sword, we discussed the strategy, our heads touching each other.
And despite me saying that, the ones talking were mostly the other two.
“Not to mention, Xenovia-senpai’s strength is the real deal. Realistically speaking, our defeat is predetermined.”
A sudden hard-hitting advice.
“I heard from the prez-san that Miyamoto-san is a beginner.”
From that they drew a conclusion that there’s one path to victory.
“That is to devote yourself to evading and defending. Preserving with all your heart and waiting to create an opening.”
“But Zekka-chan’s power is also incredible, you know? When push comes to shove, she can demonstrate strength like in that fight!”
“I don’t know of Miyamoto-san’s physical prowess, however that person’s swordsmanship relies on strength. Senpai will probably cut us some slack, but we legit have no prospects of victory with a head-on approach."
Despite speaking lazily, Schwert-san’s explanation was perfectly logical.
In a short while, we got called by sensei for a match, and then the other two enthusiastically pushed me in the back.
“In any case, do it with spirit! But don’t force yourself too much!”
“If it’s not a mortal wound, we can treat it later.”
So it will really end up in a fight? I stepped to the dojo’s center in the worst mood possible.
“Two swords…?”
Xenovia-senpai had already been waiting, taking an imposing stance.
However what caught my attention were two swords in both of her hands.
Why, how - unknowing to my doubts sensei announced.
“No time limit for this match, the one to land a hit first will win.”
An original rule to fight to the bitter end without any breaks.
“Looking forward to our match. Let’s have a good fight.”
“Ah, I’m looking forward to it, too…”
I had a handshake with my courteous senpai. She has incredibly strong hands.
“Then, both of you, get ready.”
Calm down. Though it came down to fighting, it’s still just a match. We aren’t fighting to death.
There’s no need to go all out. And as Schwert-san said, my opponent will probably hold back.
“Start the match!”
Finally, a sign for commencement of out match. I took a stance and prepared to examine my opponent's movements for now.
“...She disappeared?”
However, along with the starting sign Xenovia-senpai vanished from my sight.
“Zekka-chan! Below!”
Avi-senpai yelled from behind.
Dropping my gaze, I found Xenovia-senpai crouching deeply and prepared to draw her sword.
(A f-frontal attack all of the sudden?!)
The sword cut through thin air, but an intense slashing sound ringed close to my ear.
“Nice dodge! Still—!”
Xenovia-senpai made a swing with her other sword.
“?!”
Aimed straight at my face. I’d stopped the attack head-on with my bamboo sword.
Though I got blown back, unable to completely absorb the impact.
(What speed, what power…! This is her holding back…?!)
Rolling over the floor several times, I realized what “swordsmanship relying on strength” meant.
“You have good eyes. To think you could respond to my opening move.”
The swordsman towering before my eyes, she seemed genuinely impressed.
“Genuinely…impressed…?”
I felt a fire lighting up in the corner of my heart. The bitterness of me, of all people, being worried about by another dual-wielding swordsman.
(No good. I need to calm down. Count them, 2 oppai, 4 oppai…)
Remember your goal. Restrain yourself, what are you going to do, getting fired up in such a place.
“Now then.”
After I somehow stood up, senpai took a posture, filled with fighting spirit.
“How much will you be able to keep up with me?”
Xenovia-senpai’s figure disappeared once again.
No, it’s not like she literally disappeared, it’s just that she has fast legs.
“From the right…?!”
Gradually honing my senses, I saw a blue flash in the corner of my field of vision.
“So you can see even through this!”
I somehow managed to fend off and avoid a fierce flurry of strikes from two swords.
“You are like a wind!”
However, being unable to avoid it completely, minor injuries started to pile up.
Though I didn’t take a single hit, I was strictly on the defensive.
“Zekka-chan, step forward!”
“Don’t be absurd, she’s doing great for an amateur.”
Those two were cheering me up, but more importantly, the vigour coming from my opponents fencing was too intense.
“I-Irina-san. Isn’t she going too far?”
“That Xenovia, she’s got fired up.”
After finally being able to make slight openings, my unwillingness to fight acted as the brakes, dulling my sword.
“...Did you let it pass just now…?!”
Of course, Xenovia-senpai would feel uncomfortable if this repeats continuously.
Being bewildered that a counter never comes, she pressed me without slowing down.
“You should’ve had ample opportunities to come at me! Why won’t you strike back?!”
“......”
“You’ve been only defending all this time! If you keep this up, you won’t reach me!”
A strong aura gathered around her right hand.
“If you are a knight, then try fighting back!”
Her strongest and fastest attack yet.
Unable to evade it in time, I ended up stopping it with my sword head-on.
“—?!”
The same outcome as in the beginning. I was blown back with great force.
“....Ha…ha…ha…”
Shifting gaze to my hands, I saw that the bamboo sword broke.
Perhaps because I once again was rolling on the floor repeatedly, part of the helmet covering my head also got torn off.
“Zekka-chan!”
Avi-senpai, who was watching me from up close, involuntarily rushed over to me.
“Why are you so stubborn about not attacking? You see the openings, right?”
A swordsman before my eyes made a sharp indication to me, who dropped on one knee and lowered her gaze.
“Xenovia-senpai, Zekka-chan…”
“Sorry, but I have to talk with her.”
Senpai slightly raised her voice.
“True, this isn’t a deathmatch. But still, there’s no point if she has no will to fight.”
Lacking ability or holding back - we aren’t talking about anything of the sorts.
The person facing me has seen right through me—I have no intention of fighting properly.
“Are you really going to withdraw like this?”
Undoubtedly, she’s an upright person, getting mad for my own sake.
(But it can’t be helped, can it? After all, I want to become normal.)
And I had no plans to enter Cult sword from the start.
(I only did it, because I got dragged in by others and had no other choice.)
Even if got serious and won, what would be the meaning for—
“Once upon time, I was an aloof swordsman.”
Then, as if reading my mind, Xenovia-senpai let out those words, a lonely look on her face.
“I was a person whose only redeeming quality was her swordsmanship. As a warrior from church, I fought just as my superiors ordered me to.”
She suddenly gazed upon Shidou-senpai and Asia-senpai.
“But then I managed to make precious friends. I want to protect them and meet their expectations.”
I sense that it must be her reason to fight.
“...So Xenovia-senpai has people important to her, huh.”
I was extremely jealous, however I had no such—
“You have them too, don’t you?”
Senpai looked at the girl who tried to prop me up.
“Avi Amon cares deeply about you.”
“About, me…?”
“If not, would she stand before me, trembling?”
Then for the first time I looked at Avi-senpai. She was standing before Xenovia-senpai as if to protect me.
“Avi, senpai…”
This isn’t the first time I’ve seen something like this.
—You don’t need a reason to help a person in need!
When we met, she tried to face the student council for me, a complete stranger.
—Zekka-chan, your swordsmanship is essential for me!
All the more, she wanted us to become comrades, despite me being this cowardly.
“You should stand up, you should answer her feelings.”
Xenovia-senpai’s voice was filled with emotions.
“I don’t understand complicated matters, and, honestly, don’t really plan to.”
Then she nailed it.
“You have someone precious to you and an opponent before your eyes—this is reason enough for swordsmen to fight!”
Words without any tricks, just plain honesty. That’s why they pierced my heart.
And from the depths of the opened hole something hot overflowed, filling me up.
“Ze-Zekka-chan? Don’t force yourself…”
“I’m sorry, Avi-senpai. In the end, I must still fight.”
The chains within me started to come off.
Before the match started, Avi-senpai brought a heap of bamboo swords.
I picked up two from there and then slowly approached the battlefield where she awaited.
“Mi-Miyamoto-san! Don’t forget to put a protector on your head!”
“That’s not necessary.”
There’s no need to run around anymore. Even if there was, it would lead nowhere.
“Avi-senpai, I didn’t understand a thing.”
“Zekka-chan…”
“It may be too late. Even so, I will be happy if you watch over me.”
Saying just that and with a sword in each hand I faced the swordsman before me.
“Xenovia-senpai, thank you.”
“I just said how I felt, there’s nothing to thank me for.”
She shrugged, saying there was nothing to worry about.
“From now on I’ll get serious.”
“Yeah! Come with everything you’ve got! And I will stop you with all my might!”
Our gazes finally clashed head-on.

Spoiler for Life.1 (12) Part 2:

Life.1 Tempestuous transfer student (12) [Decisive battle! Zekka vs Xenovia (part 2)]
The feelings I locked away within me, bursted out all at once.
After aura ran along my entire body, protective gear, unable to withstand such pressure, got blown away.
“ “Touki?!” ”
Shidou-senpai and Asia-senpai yelled in surprise.
“X-Xenovia-san!”
“The same power Sairaorg Bael-san used! She isn’t any ordinary swordsman!”
Of course, there was now way the one facing it wouldn’t understand.
“You don’t have to tell me, I knew it from the beginning!”
Xenovia-senpai prepared her two swords once again.
“A barrier is in place. Let’s resume the match!”
Sensei, who had been staying silent until this moment, gave a signal, as if she’d been waiting precisely for this moment.
At the same moment Xenovia-senpai rushed straight ahead.
“Zekka-chan! Evade!”
Avi-senpai screamed at me, who showed no signs of trying to evade the attack.
However, what resounded after that wasn’t a shriek or an anguished groan.
“You blocked my sword head-on…!”
Xenovia-senpai’s eyes were wide open with shock.
Her bamboo sword was blocked perfectly with my own two swords.
(Avi-senpai helped me, protected me, then at least this match—!)
Now I won’t overlook any openings! I immediately launched a powerful counter.
“I will win!”
The strengthened bamboo sword and all my limbs easily sent senpai flying several meters back.
With a loud sound, she almost got smashed into a wall, however senpai stood up right away.
“...So you are returning a favour, huh, it would’ve been dangerous if I hadn’t managed to block it in time.”
Xenovi-senpai took off her protector without any care.
“Now we are in the same boat.”
It turned into a match with both of us fighting unprotected, only our uniforms put on.
“But to think you were a dual wielding swordsman like me.”
“I’m not, the same.”
“What?”
“My dual wielding, is the strongest there is.”
Hearing that, Xenovia-senpai looked happy from the bottom of her heart.
“If that’s the case, let’s decide whose dual wielding is the real deal right here!”
Our swords crossed once again. However, unlike a moment ago, we were evenly matched.
To break off this standstill I aimed for a blind spot, but senpai responded to it perfectly and brought down her sword.
“Niten Ichi-ryuu, liriope!”
Only my afterimage got cut. It dissipated akin to summer haze.
“An afterimage?!”
The real me got behind her, by now this attack became unavoidable.
Despite this, my sword cut through thin air, as if slicing an illusion.
(She disappeared?! Making oneself transparent? Teleporting? No, nothing like that…!)
The explanation was much simpler - she moved at extreme speed, even faster than before.
“To think you would force me to use Evil Pieces, a [Knight]’s trait.”
Her body was clad in demonic energy.
I thought that her basic abilities seem too high, and it seems like she was actually a devil.
But it’s not a speed my eyes and legs can’t keep up with.
“It’s started to get interesting!”

“This is a match I can’t afford to concede!”
After that we crossed swords numerous times, small lacerations appearing on both our bodies.
The conclusion drew near, however, what gave up first weren’t our bodies.
“ “—?!” ”
The moment we locked our bamboo swords, they broke.
Touki and demonic energy - our weapons weren’t able to withstand such a burden.
(Will it end up being a draw?! I won’t allow it!)
I will win. But Xenovia-senpai felt the same way.
We can’t be stopped any longer, both of us will continue to fight till the bitter end.
(Getting new bamboo swords—I have no time for this—I should quickly grab some weapon!)
In the corner of my vision were numerous swords hoisted on a wall.
Be it a demonic sword or a youkai sword - it doesn’t matter, I should grab something to fight with.
“Come! Ex-Durandal!”
However, senpai didn’t go to the trouble of looking at the wall.
After a short chant, numerous chains appeared as if cutting through space.
(She played the first move and summoned a weapon from another space, but it is—!)
The sword clutched in Xenovia-senpai’s hand could be called legendary-grade.
Moreover, she’s already approaching me.
Now it’s not even about not having time to grab a new weapon, an average sword won’t stand a chance in the first place.
Then, then to win against her—
“Come to me!”
Lifting limitations I placed upon myself, I yelled without a shred of hesitation.
“Tensei—!”
The shine, the power, the oppai - the things sealed off were released all at once.
“Her breasts are shining…?!”
Xenovia-senpai stopped. The shine wasn’t the only reason.
“I-it’s shaking, is it an earthquake?!”
“That’s not it! This is!”
Moving only her eyes, Xenovia-senpai glanced around and understood.
“The swords are scared—?”
What shook the room were numerous blades hoisted on the wall.
Grandma taught me that every weapon has a will of its own.
And they knew me, the swordsman, and my blade, “Tensei”.
[I’ve been waiting for this.]
A majestic voice resounded.
My shirt and sarashi got torn, and white sashed got blown away with the wind.
With golden particles illuminating the world, he, who was sealed off, appeared from my chest.
“ “ “ “ “A sword came from oppai?!” ” ” ” ”
It’s natural for everyone to be surprised, but without paying any attention to them I pulled him out from my cleavage.
“Tensei! I!”
[Explanations are unnecessary. You just want to win, right?]
“Yeah, I must win against her!”
[A legendary holy sword and a swordsman with beautiful breasts - I have no complaints about our opponent.]
With a sword pointed at Xenovia-senpai, I rushed towards her.
“ “Haa!” ”
Sparks were flying violently from our ultrafast offence and defence.
“A sword-type Sacred Gear, doesn’t it have a second sword…!”
“And you senpai, is it alright not to split your weapon!”
“How did you…”
“When looking at it, when fighting against it, the sword's will can be felt!”
Her weapon is most likely a combination of more than two swords.
Then it’s reasonable to think that it has multiple abilities as well.
(More, I need more power!)
This sword named Ex-Durandal can rival Tensei.
There’s a way if I could land at least a single blow, however things aren’t guaranteed to go so smoothly.
Involuntarily gritting my teeth, a taste of blood spread over my mouth.
“Blood—crimson—this is—!”
And then I realised that there was a certain power within me.
Flashing before my eyes was the time when I met a crimson-haired goddess.
That morning she embraced me and then her breasts touched mine—
“Tensei!”
[Evolution!!]
Having no time for hesitation, I ordered and he immediately answered my call.
Tensei’s ability is [Usurpation].
Firstly, it can steal the enemy's life force with [Dual] and then store it with itself.
Secondly, it can turn the stored up life force into high-speed regeneration or touki with [Evolution].
But the most remarkable aspect is being able to use the enemy's ability just once after stealing their life force.
I manifested her ability that was stored inside my oppai.
“Th-this is Rias onee-sama’s…”
Asia-senpai’s expression was telling that she couldn’t believe her eyes.
When I met with the goddess, our breasts touched each other, that’s why I can use this power.
However, albeit unconsciously, I was tormented by guilt for stealing it.
[No, you haven’t stolen anything, far from it, you can’t hope to snatch even a tiny bit.]
Tensei spoke 0.1 seconds before the power manifested.
[As unbelievable as it is, that crimson-haired girl has a special nyuu energy.]
[Someone made her oppai evolve to the extreme.]
[The thing stored in me now is no more than a vestige born in the process of that evolution.]
A special nyuu energy, evolving to the extreme with someone’s help - I couldn’t understand what he was going on about.
(But if Rias-senpai’s oppai won’t shrink a bit—)
Then I’m glad, I can use this power without reserve.
[Sacred Gear Expansion!]
[Genesis Sword <Crimson>!!]
A deep crimson demonic power overflowed from the blade.
Unable to withstand its massive output, the glass cases on the wall, in which swords were stored, started to shatter.
Slightly waving the sword made splinters of glass disappear.
Crimson traces left nothing in its wake. Those splinters didn’t rain on anyone.
“...Demonic power of destruction, no, should I call it demonic sword of destruction.”
Xenovia-senpai quietly analysed the unfolding spectacle.
“A nonstandard Sacred Gear ability. However, there should be some price for using it.”
She intently looked at me.
“Let me ask you again. Why are you willing to go to such lengths for Avi Amon?”
As a swordsman, Xenovia-senpai wanted to understand what kind of swordsman I was.
“...She was the first person to praise me.”
I thought that a sword was no longer necessary, but she genuinely accepted it.
“...She was the first person to call me necessary.”
I wonder if I have ever experienced such a warm welcome in my entire life.
We had just only met with Avi-senpai, we barely knew each other.
(Perhaps, I just got the wrong about being praised or being necessary, perhaps, it’s not enough of a reason to go fight like this—)
But she is the same as me.
A person, who, despite being alone, kept desperately waking the path she believed in.
“For the first time, I thought about someone as a comrade.”
Her birthplace, upbringing and character are completely different from mine.
“That’s why I fight.”
Nevertheless, I think about her as a comrade.
“If it’s for her sake, then I must fight—!”
As if responding to my overflowing feelings, the bread aura I received from Rias-senpai illuminated the world.
When the room, dyed crimson, got shrouded in silence, a single line from Shidou-senpai reached my ears.
“...Just like Xenovia back then.”
From the way she was speaking, it was undoubtedly a precious memory.
The person in question let the tension out of her shoulders and, uttering “Good grief”, smiled meekly.
“That reminds me, I still haven’t heard your name.”
“You do know it, though.”
“I want to hear it from you.”
Her tone was awfully gentle.
But if she asks me, I shall reciprocate. Taking a large breath, I spoke loudly.
“Miyamoto Zekka of Niten Ichi-ryuu!”
I pointed my blade straight forward. And my opponent responded the same way.
“Rias Gremory’s [Knight], Xenovia!”
I saw an Evil Piece glowing in her chest.
“Prepare yourself, Xenovia-senpai!”
“Here I come! Zekka!”
Our voices overlapped. Our movements overlapped. Our thoughts overlapped.
“ “It’s a showdown!” ”
Approaching each other, we spoke with our eyes: “We’ll settle it with this one strike”.
Occult sword research club and Occult research club will draw this game to conclusion!
“That’s it.”
In an instant, a giant light enveloped the two of us.
My vision turned white, and on the verge of losing consciousness I saw sensei with her black wings fluttering.
“You certainly went overboard. But this was an interesting game.”
The one passing a verdict on this showdown wasn’t God.
“On the name of fallen angel Penemune, secretary-general to [Grigori]—this match is concluded.”
I found the one I was looking for, and incidentally got found myself.

Is this Sekiryuu's translation btw or someone else's? Can't see anything on the ORC website.