From An Inch

Winter clicked her tongue, "Ignoring the North are they? How annoying."

"Who do we send Head?"

"To use an Ace would be far too petty right now. Line, how confident do you feel?"

Line looked up in surprise, "Me?"

"Yes, you."

Jumping up they rapidly answered, "Of course I'm confident!"

"Good, I'll send you first. Then we'll follow up with. . . him."

Vin looked at Winter with a questioning gaze, "Tyran?"

Winter nodded.

Immediately Vin tried to argue, "That guy is unstable! I'm not sure why you decided to have him here in the first place!"

"His strength is not something we can ignore, even if his personality is akin to dirt."

"Are-are you sure? I'm not sure how they will react!"

"Let's not question my decisions."

". . . Yes Head."

"Now let's begin."

~ ~ ~

Mira looked around the Arena. It had been quite some time since he had seen it. Doing some basic stretches he listened in on the murmurs floating about in the audience.

"Isn't that just a kid? Is the South really that desperate?"

"That poor kid isn't even armored! Is he a Pugilist?"

He didn't let it bother him. Instead he changed his focus to his opponent. He remembered the East Head calling them Line. They wielded two hook swords, which they were currently adjusting in their hand.

Horrow's voice broadcasted, "Then without further ado, let the fight begin!"

Line lifted his swords to a stance, "Although you may be young, don't expect me to hold back!"

"Why would you hold back? We're in a fight right?"

"Ah? I mean- you're quite young! Isn't it courtesy to not go all out against kids?"

"Why is it?"

"I uh. . . don't know?"

"Then why follow it?"

Line paused for a moment, "Good point! Guess I'll just fight with all I have!"

Mira nodded, "Okay!"

Line dashed forward, from what he could tell Mira was a Pugilist! That meant he had an advantage in range. If he simply maintained the right distance he could finish this fight without getting heavily injured!

'Right! Game plan set! If I don't lose here then we won't have to use Tyran!'

Line swung his hook sword towards Mira's throat. Watching as the distance between the sharp edge and Mira's throat get closer he felt a little disappointed. Perhaps sending a kid was a bad idea after all.

Mira opened his palm and a flow of blood rushed out to form a large axe. Swinging it forward while leaning back Mira launched a counter attack without getting hit. Line was stunned to see an axe form so quickly. Ducking underneath the swing he quickly reformed his plan.

Once the axe passed overhead he shot upwards and swung towards Mira's jaw. Yet his eyes snapped towards Mira's axe, which was stopped an inch away from him. With a turn of his wrist Mira redirected the axe towards Line and swung.

'He's trying to hit me with that little distance? There's no time to gain any worthwhile momentum! I'll easily block it and deal a heavy blow!'

Lifting his hook sword in the path of the axe he continued to follow up with his attack, no longer worried about Mira's axe. Until Mira's axe made contact that was.

"Eh-?"

BOOM-!

Line's hook sword was nearly ripped from his hand. Mira's axe acted like there wasn't anything stopping it as it slammed against the metal and into Line's ribs. The force immediately knocked him off his feet and sent him flying across the Arena.

-<>-

"Have you ever heard of a one-inch punch?"

Mira tilted his head, "One-inch punch?"

Star's previous Wielder raised a fist, "It's a technique. Usually meant to show off your strength. By distancing your fist directly an inch away from your target you would strike it with all you have. But it's incredibly ineffective in actual battle. Can you guess why?"

Pondering the question for a bit Mira guessed, "The distance?"

"A good guess. Partially correct too. Without a good amount of distance you won't be able to put a lot of strength in your swings. To properly execute a one-inch punch you would have to build up the momentum using the rest of your body. This feat is far more tiring than an ordinary swing."

"So what's the point of doing it?"

"Like I said, to show off. However in this case it's going to be your entire fighting style."

"I thought you said it was only for showing off?"

"It is. Because it's incredibly inefficient for regular fighters. However you're extraordinary. You have an abnormal amount of vitality and strength. I believe you can be the only person who will be able to properly execute this style in battle, and use it well."

"If it's still inefficient wouldn't it be better to not use it?"

"It's so inefficient nobody uses it in combat. But that also means no one is sure on how to properly counter it. You'll make up for your lack of speed by eliminating the distance needed to swing your weapon. Having to deal with incredibly powerful swings that are near inches away at all times will overwhelm even veteran fighters."

". . . Okay!"

"This is going to be a long process to properly learn and execute. Are you ready?"

"Yes!"

-><-< p>

~ ~ ~

Just about everyone in the South Province Spectator Box raised their eyebrows in surprise. Wrock glanced towards Akiol, "That's a bit interesting. Did you teach him that?"

"No. I have a clue on who did though."

Akiol also couldn't help but smile. What a great opportunity they were granted! The majority of Akiol's styles were based around the sword. Meaning he could only give them a basic guidance on how to properly wield their weapons. He had planned to find someone more qualified than him to teach the two. But to think that step was completed without his assistance!

Wrock joked, "You might have a bit of trouble sparring with those two now. They might lose respect~"

"I certainly won't be able to take them both on at the same time anymore. Especially if Givale improved just as much."

This improvement, it was terrifying!