The Appraising-Eye Slave Trader ~ A Blind Boy Reincarnated as a Villainous Noble Dominates with the Power to 'See True Talent' ~ - Episode 9: How to Fight Using the Appraising Eye

Episode 9: How to Fight Using the Appraising Eye

The air in the training room was tense and tight.

Standing in front of me was Kariya — formerly my personal maid, now a C-rank adventurer.

Her pale blue hair was neatly tied. She wore a lightly equipped maid outfit. She was holding a wooden sword lightly at the ready.

“……Are you truly sure about this?”

A calm voice. Just that made my heart jump.

“Ouji-sama, you certainly are someone blessed with talent in magic. However — you cannot block a sword with magic.”

“I know that. But still, if I can ‘see’ it, I can ‘read’ it. If I can ‘read’ it, I can ‘dodge’ it.”

I took my stance. I didn’t know any form. I simply spread my legs, lowered my center of gravity, and focused my eyes.

Appraising Eye — activated.

Kariya’s figure was wrapped in a faint light. And in my vision, her status and muscle movements floated as overlays.

Heartbeat, breathing, range of motion of her skeleton, muscle tension, weight distribution on the soles of her feet…

(So this is a “combat stance”…!)

Just moving produces this much information — I never would have thought.

It feels like I’m deciphering a dense mathematical formula.

“Then, I will begin.”

The moment Kariya declared, the air burst.

A smooth, disappearing kind of step-in.

(So fast—!?)

I instinctively pulled back. I couldn’t follow it with my eyes. But the appraisal had predicted the trajectory of the slash from her “shoulder movement” and “left foot angle.”

The sound of slicing wind. The wooden sword grazed right past in front of me.

“…!”

I barely dodged it.

“…To think you could dodge the first move.”

Kariya widened her eyes slightly.

“Nah, it was just coincidence. My body moved on its own.”

No — to be precise, I had “moved it beforehand.”

By incorporating magic into my physical techniques, I moved my body like a program.

By taking a sub-job as a magician, new possibilities had opened up for me even in physical combat.

With this…

(My reading was right…)

More than I thought, “muscle movements” are easy to understand.

Before Kariya slashes, she always has a habit of slightly pulling her left shoulder.

And before stepping in, she shifts her center of gravity rapidly from heel to toe.

If I read that “premonition,” even if I can’t react in time, I can “move in advance.”

(…I see, so this is what they call “predictive reading.”)

“Next, I’m coming.”

Kariya’s wooden sword swung two times, three times.

A horizontal slash, a diagonal downward slash, a low sweep.

I continued dodging all of them by a “hair’s breadth.”

(Shoulder, right foot, hip tension…! It’s coming!)

Backstep, evasion, sidestep —

Just like how I, when I couldn’t see, used only “information” and “atmosphere” to judge people.

Now too, I fight using only “information of movements.”

Before I knew it, I was sweating. But I wasn’t out of breath yet.

(I can do this…! I can read Kariya’s movements…!)

──But.

From there, Kariya increased her speed.

“Then, I will now go with ‘speed’.”

――*Wham!*

“Kh…!”

What entered my vision was a straight thrust.

But for just an instant, the shoulder pull was off.

(That was… a feint!?)

Immediately after, a slash came up from the diagonal lower angle, not straight on.

“──Tch!”

Twisting my body, I barely deflected the wooden sword.

But a light impact ran through my arm. A graze wound… maybe?

Kariya quietly took one step back.

“My apologies. I acted by habit…”

“No… It’s fine. Actually, thank you. You’re going all out.”

I laughed. I was rotating my arm wildly.

“The more information there is, the stronger I get.”

Next time, I’ll read even further ahead.

Kariya’s sword danced. It was as if it was tearing the sky.

A straight thrust, a sharp upward slash, a step-in with a spin—

Beautiful movements like a dance. But they carried a definite “killing intent.”

“What’s wrong, Ouji-sama? Your earlier ‘reads’ seem to be getting dull.”

“…Shut up… There’s just a bit more information to handle now…!”

Yes — the current Kariya is “irregular.”

In a single move, she mixes two, three possible “options.”

So to speak, it’s a “stance based on feints.”

(Just reading isn’t enough to keep up…)

But I have — the appraising eye.

“──《Simultaneous Reading》, activate.”

In my mind, “multiple Kariyas” play out at the same time.

One slashes from the left, one thrusts, one circles around.

The angle of the shoulders, the path of the feet, the tension in the hips — all slightly different.

But the appraising eye shows me in color which path has the highest “likelihood of being chosen.”

(The one with the most natural motion and smoothest flow of power… that’s the “real one!”)

I step to the left.

At that moment, Kariya’s sword swung down along the “true path.”

“──I knew it, that one!”

*Clack!*

The sound of wooden swords clashing echoed in the training room.

My sword deflected Kariya’s at the last possible angle.

And I stepped into her guard.

I poured all my magic power into the sword.

“……!”

Kariya twisted her body to escape.

But I had read even that “escape.”

“That way, right…!”

I stepped forward with the opposite foot and lightly body-checked her sword arm.

Thrown off balance, Kariya dropped her wooden sword.

*Clatter* — the sound marked the end of the match.

I exhaled deeply. I was placing my hands on my knees.

(Hahh… damn, that was rough…!)

My legs were shaking. My arms hurt.

But the definite feeling of victory filled my chest.

Kariya stepped back a few paces and knelt.

She lowered her head quietly on the spot.

“A complete defeat… Ouji-sama. To think you’ve come this far…”

“…I was serious too.”

I said while catching my breath.

“The appraising eye isn’t just a power for seeing talent. Right now, I can see… muscle movement, breathing flow, habits, psychology — all of it.”

It’s a power I gained precisely because I once couldn’t see.

“Observation” and “insight” — those are my weapons.

Kariya stood quietly. She brushed her hair aside.

“…Ouji-sama, I now know firsthand that you are the one who masters ‘battlefield information’ more than anyone. You’re no longer just a slave trader.”

“A slave trader, a magician, with the appraising eye…”

I shrugged and said:

“And now I can win in combat too. I deserve the title of the strongest, right?”

The moment I said that with a laugh—

“Ouji-sama, that was amazing!!”

The one who came running was Varna.

“As expected of Ouji-sama…! I can’t believe you beat Kariya-san! Please train me too!”

“…Y-you’re too much of a muscle-head, I actually can’t read you… You’re scary…”

“Ehh!? Why not!?”

Behind her, Lilia gave a modest round of applause.

“C-congratulations, Ouji-sama…! You were really… so cool.”

“Ha ha… Thanks, Lilia.”

Once again, I realized the potential of the “world” visible through the appraising eye.

Reading information, understanding it, staying ahead.

With this power— I can go anywhere.

(Next… how far should I go? Who should I raise, guide?)

I’ve still got plenty left in me.

My path as a slave trader is only just beginning.