《The Failed Swordsman Who Became the Strongest After Spamming the 100 Million Years Button》


 Chapter 1.1 - 100 Million Years Button and Prison of Time [1] – part 1

    100 Million Years Button and Prison of Time [1] ¨C part 1


    Allen Rodore. 15 years old.


    I¡­ did not have the talent for the sword. To the point where I felt pathetic.


    Nevertheless, I kept swinging the sword day in and day out.


    I single-mindedly kept swinging the sword many times more than anyone else, and much longer than anyone else.


    Because my mother always said ©`©` ¡ºEffort will surely bear fruit¡».


    Mother raised me all on her own.


    My father seems to have died of an epidemic when I was a baby. I heard that he was a sincere and honest person, but I don¡¯t even remember his face thus I wasn¡¯t attached to him. It seems that I got my sharp eyes from my mother and the pitch ck hair from my father.


    I don¡¯t remember much from my childhood, but I remembered that my mother worked herself to the bone everyday for my sake.


    The enrollment fee and tuition fee of the Gran Swordsmanship Academy I am attending now, are the wages my mom saved and managed carefully year after year.


    So even if I was scorned as the ¡¸Failed Swordsman¡¹ at the academy, even when I was bullied by my ssmates, even when I was treated as a burden by my teacher ¨C I kept swinging my sword every day, no matter how painful.


    I will put in ten fold the amount of effort more than anyone and be a splendid swordsman.


    And I will give an easy life to my mother who has struggled so far.


    ©`With that in mind, I¡¯ve been doing my best at the Swordsmanship Academy.


    All that effort will be for naughte tomorrow.


    The trigger was ¡­ today at dusk.


    While I was swinging the sword alone in the schoolyard as usual, Dodriel Barton appeared apanied by two girls.


    Dodriel Barton.


    The eldest son of the House of Baron Barton, with his conspicuous blue hair trailing behind his back.


    I abhor this guy.


    Because he always scorned me as ¡¸Failed Swordsman¡¹and bullied me.


    Usually I would pretend not to hear and pass off his snide remarks.


    Today however, he said something I absolutely couldn¡¯t forgive.


    ¡¸Take back your words¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸Oi oi¡­ Don¡¯t get so angry over the truth, Allen. If the child is trash, then the parent must also be trash, right? There is nothing weird about that¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Dodriel, you¡­!¡¹


    I got enraged and grabbed onto his cors.


    ¡¸Tch¡­ how dare you touch me with your filthy hands! You lowly failed swordsman!¡¹


    He kicked me in the stomach.


    Despite being a child as well, I was blown away due to the difference in our strength.


    I disgracefully fell on my butt, but immediately stood back up and scowled at him.


    ¡¸I certainly might be a talentless trash¡­. But I won¡¯t let you call my mother trash!¡¹


    Dodriel shrugged his shoulders and sighed.


    The two girlsughed at me while I shouted.


    ¡¸Hah¡­ A frog¡¯s child is called a frog, right? Of course the parent of trash like you is trash too. It has been decided so since a long ago¡¹


    Dodriel ridiculed as though feeling pity for me from the bottom of his heart.


    ¡¸Y-You¡­!¡¹


    With the blood running to my head, I pulled out the sword fastened at my hips.


    ¡¸Oi Oi, are you sure? Anymore than that would be a vition of the academy rules, you know?¡¹


    ¡¸Tch¡­¡¹


    Private battle using swords between students are prohibited by academy rules.


    Breaking this will result in severe penalties such as suspension or expulsion.


    If I, who am at the bottom of this academy were to do this ¡­ I¡¯ll definitely be expelled.


    ¡¸¡­Then! Dodriel Barton¡­ I challenge you to a duel!¡¹


    ¡¸Heh¡­ The eternal failed swordsman against the highest genius swordsman of this academy¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah! If I win, you will take back those words from before!¡¹


    ¡¸Aha! Amusing¡­ how amusing, Allen! If you were to win, I will take back my words from before! I¡¯ll even bow my head or anything else you want! ©`however, if you were to lose-¡¹


    He cut off his words there, and his lips curled into repulsive smirk.


    ¡¸¡­If I were to lose?¡¹


    ¡¸Let¡¯s see¡­ you must quit this academy on the spot¡¹


    ¡¸Wha-!?¡¹


    The condition that Dodriel proposed was preposterous.


    ¡¸Obviously¡­ In a duel, both parties have to face off on equal terms. Don¡¯t you know that?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah! I know! But this is unbnced! ¡¹


    On one hand, withdrawal of remarks and on the other, dropping out of academy.


    These aren¡¯t equal terms.


    ¡¸Oi oi, don¡¯t misunderstand, Failed Swordsman-san? You dropping out of academy doesn¡¯t hold that much value. Or more precisely, you yourself don¡¯t hold that much value in the first ce?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    It¡¯s frustrating but¡­ it is as he says.


    My grades at the Swordsmanship Academy were the lowest by a huge margin.


    It¡¯s a situation where I don¡¯t know when I¡¯ll be forced to quit due to poor grades.


    ¡¸Understood¡­ I ept the duel on those terms¡¹


    ¡¸Ooh, I ept your challenge! Time is tomorrow morning at 9. How about having it at the gymnasium?¡¹


    I gave a slight nod.


    ¡¸I will take care of applying for the duel. Allen, at the very least struggle desperately to make it seem like a duel. Although, it obviously will be a waste of effort. Ahahahahahahah!¡¹


    Thus, I was to duel the Genius Swordsman tomorrow.


    Thinking about it now, what a foolish thing I have done.


    (No¡­ but, if he were to say the same thing again, I would challenge him to a duel all the same)


    I¡¯m not rotten to the point where I ignore the ridicules towards my mother.


    (But¡­ Dodriel is strong)


    He is the exact opposite of me ©` a genius type.


    Even though he hasn¡¯t practiced much, he immediately absorbs any type of swordsmanship as his own like a sponge.


    Rumour has it that he enrolled into the academy with a referral from a prestigious school in the capital¡­


    (Even so¡­ I definitely can¡¯t lose¡­)


    My dropping out of this academy hinges on this duel.


    Above all, he must withdraw the snide remarks towards my mother.


    After that, I returned to my dorm, and then headed to the forest with a sword in one hand.


    I arrived at the ce where I always practice swinging, and kept swinging my sword wholeheartedly.


    ¡¸Fuh, Fuh, Fuh¡­!¡¹


    I continued swinging my sword recklessly and desperately.


    It¡¯s not that I had be desperate.


    But rather, this was all I could do.


    When I first entered, I bowed down to various teachers at the Academy of Swordsmanship and asked them to take me under their wing.


    However¡­,


    ¡¸Unfortunately, you don¡¯t have talent. You can¡¯t survive through my training¡¹


    ¡¸Oi Oi Oi! You sure run your mouth saying ¡ºMake me your disciple¡»with such a feeble sword like this!¡¹


    ¡¸Do you know of the phrase¡­ ¡ºKnow your ce¡»?¡¹


    All of them tly refused.


    I had nothing to hang on to.


    That is why, I don¡¯t know the styles of sword, let alone the techniques.


    The only thing I was taught in the academy sses was how to swing the sword and how to train the body.


    In other words, the only thing I can do as ¡ºtraining¡» is to swing my sword fully.


    After that, when the sun went down and the moonlight shined on me- I finally stopped swinging my sword.


    ¡¸Ha, haha, hahahahaha¡­!¡¹


    Laughter spontaneously overflowed from my mouth.


    ¡¸How foolish.. I was¡­! There is no way I can win by doing this¡­!¡¹


    Swinging the sword frantically has no meaning at all.


    No matter what, I¡¯m going to lose tomorrow anyway. It would be a tragic sight.


    The gap between me and that guy, can¡¯t be closed in a single day.


    Even several years will not be enough to catch up.


    (Frustrating¡­¡­. frustrating frustrating frustrating¡­ frustrating!)


    It¡¯s frustrating, but¡­ no matter how many times I run the simtion in my mind, I can¡¯te up with a vision that wins against that genius.


    ¡¸Just what¡­ should I do¡­¡¹


    It was so frustrating that¡­ my tears overflowed.


    I want power.


    The power to defeat Dodriel.


    However, I don¡¯t have enough of anything.


    Power, talent, and above all else, time¡­


    ¡¸¡­¡­goddamnit!¡¹


    And right when I punched the ground.


    ¡¸Ho Ho Ho¡­¡­. you seem to be at a loss, young swordsman.¡¹


    Suddenly, I heard a hoarse voice from overhead.


    ¡¸Wh-Who are you!?¡¹


    When I panicked and looked up, a short old man was standing there.


    His hair, eyebrows, and beard were all pure white.


    The waist was also clearly bent and he had a cane in one hand.


    But the most ominous part of it all, I didn¡¯t sense his presence.


    ¡¸Me? I am something of a¡­ hermit of time.¡¹

 Chapter 1.2 - 100 Million Years Button and Prison of Time [1] – part 2

    100 Million Years Button and Prison of Time [1] ¨C part 2


    The mysterious old man who called himself the hermit of time, massaged his long and magnificent beard that almost reached the ground.


    ¡¸Now then, young swordsman¡­ If you have troubles, why don¡¯t you talk to this old man?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Talking to you wouldn¡¯t change anything¡¹


    ¡¸Mu¡­¡­. But isn¡¯t it painful if you keep it all to yourself? Talking to someone can make you feel better. No need to be reserved. After all, I¡¯m just an old man who¡¯s near his death bed¡¹


    ¡¸Ho Ho Ho!¡¹the hermit of timeughed cheerfully.


    ¡¸¡­I guess¡¹


    As I had already half fallen into despair, I began to talk about my current hopeless situation.


    I don¡¯t have the talent for the sword.


    I am being bullied in the Academy of Swordsmanship.


    My mother I left behind in my hometown.


    The duel tomorrow.


    So when I spat out everything I¡¯ve been keeping in my heart so far- I certainly felt some ease.


    ¡¸I see¡­ so that¡¯s why you were so depressed¡­¡¹


    The hermit of time listened to my story seriously without making light of it.


    The old man was unexpectedly a good listener.


    ¡¸If that¡¯s the case¡­ I might be able to help you out a little¡¹


    ¡¸¡­And how would you do that?¡¹


    To be able to turn such a hopeless situation around©` If there is such a magic, by all means, I want to learn it.


    Thereupon, the hermit of timeughed grinningly.


    ¡¸Ho Ho, about that ¨C you just have to use this guy¡¹


    The old man took out a red button the size of a clenched fist from his breast pocket.


    ¡¸¡­What¡¯s that?¡¹


    ¡¸100 million years button©` an extremely rare magic item¡¹


    ¡¸100 million years button¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Umu, the person who presses this button will have the same effect as having trained 100 million years in an instant! It¡¯s a very nice item!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­That is so shady¡¹


    It was my straightforward impression.


    ¡¸Maa maa, just listen to the story. It¡¯s the request of an old man with not much longer to live, ok?¡¹


    Then, the old man rubbed his hands together,


    As he had just finished listening to my story, I felt uneasy to tly refuse him¡­. and I was also slightly interested.


    ¡¸¡­Make it short¡¹


    ¡¸Oh! You¡¯d like to hear! Thank you, thank you!¡¹


    After that, the old man loudly cleared his throat.


    ¡¸Those who press this 100 million year button will move to another world, where they will spend 100 million years. You will be free to do as you please in that world. You can do nothing. Or you can meditate. Or you can earnestly continue your training. 100 million years is plenty of time after all¡¹


    ¡¸¡­100 million years of time, I can train as long as I want?¡¹


    For me, this was a dreame true.


    ¡¸Umu! In addition, there is a house and a bed there- and also arge bath! There is no need to worry about food! There is a storage that infinitely gushes out food! In addition, there is no need to worry about your life span because it is a different world!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­.!¡¹


    It has a bed and food, plenty of time, and what¡¯s more, it doesn¡¯t increase my age.


    It was too ideal a circumstance that I gulped down my saliva.


    ¡¸And the best thing about this 100 million year button is that, for the you who is over here, only a single moment would have passed!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­What does it mean?¡¹


    I did not understand the meaning.


    100 million years is 100 million years. There¡¯s no way it would pass in an instant.


    ¡¸Actually ¡­ 100 million years of memories will be erased at the moment of returning from the other world to the real world! In other words, for the you who is here, at the moment the button is pressed -¡¹


    ¡¸¨D¨DI will be in the state of having trained for 100 million years!¡¹


    ¡¸Exactly! I¡¯m d you understand easily!¡¹


    At the end of the exnation, the hermit of time said, ¡¸How is it? Isn¡¯t it amazing?¡¹ and stuck out the 100 million years button towards me.


    I intently stared at the red button.


    (If¡­ If I truly could train for 100 million years¡­)


    I might be able to win against Dodriel.


    A short period of about 4 or 5 years is not enough to catch up with Dodriel.


    But if I have 100 million years of time ¡­ Even a talentless swordsman like me can catch up with that genius- no, I can surpass him.


    After thinking so far, I was pulled back to reality.


    I understood how ridiculous the things I was thinking sounded.


    (Seriously, what the hell was I thinking¡­)


    It was too good to be true¡­


    This is not a fairy-tale, there is no way such a dream-like solution exists.


    ¡¸Haa¡­. Is the story over? I don¡¯t have time to go along with such stupid stories¡¹


    ¡¸Oya¡­? You don¡¯t believe me?¡¹


    ¡¸I think it is amazing¡­ If it was real¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m not lying! I¡¯ve never told a single lie in all my life!¡¹


    ¡¸I see, I think that is a good thing.¡¹


    And then, I picked up my sword again and began swinging.


    I already know I can¡¯t win¡­ but at the very least, I want to do what I can.


    ¡¸Kuh¡­. just once, won¡¯t you press it at least once? It is the request of an old man with not long to live¡­!¡¹


    At that time, the hermit appealed by rubbing both hands.


    I didn¡¯t expect to him to request so desperately.


    ¡¸Aa¡­ I understand already¡¹


    He should be satisfied if I just push it once.


    I thought so and when I tried to reach for the button, the hermit of time suddenly spoke with a serious face.


    ¡¸Young swordsman¡­ let me give you a piece of advice.¡¹


    ¡¸Huh¡­ is there still something else?¡¹


    ¡¸Never¨Cnevermit suicide! Although, beyond this point is a different world, your body is only one. If you die, that¡¯s the end.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah yeah. I got it.¡¹


    Thus I pushed the button that the hermit of time was holding.


    But, as expected or something¡­ there was no particr change.


    ¡¸Ho ho, how about it? How did you feel about waving your sword earnestly for 100 million years?¡¹


    The hermit of time asked me happily from the bottom of his heart.


    ¡¸Nothing has changed. That was an outright lie.¡¹


    I wasn¡¯t particrly dejected.


    The story of the 100 million years button was too good to be true.


    ¡¸Ho ho ho! It¡¯s too big a change, so you don¡¯t notice it! Seeing is believing¡ª so why don¡¯t you swing your sword once?¡¹


    How persistent¡­


    Slightly frustrated, I swung the sword lightly once.


    ¡¸Fuun!¡¹


    At the moment, a violent wind swept over.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡­.Eh?¡¹


    If my eyes weren¡¯t deceiving me, my sword just branched out into three images.


    The space itself was curved ¨C the sword was that fast.


    ¡¸Ho ho ho! That¡¯s amazing! I hardly recognize you, young swordsman!¡¹


    The hermit of timeughed while pping.


    (Is this¡­ for real?)


    I tried cross-cutting this time.


    ¡¸Ha!¡¹


    Three seconds after swinging the sword horizontally -¡¸Zaaan!¡¹the sound of cutting the wind resounded after a dy.


    My sword has surpassed the speed of sound.


    ¡¸Wh-What the¡­ hell¡­!?¡¹


    It is not just at the level where my body is ustomed to the sword.


    I was surrounded by a ridiculous omnipotent feeling that I and my sword were one and the same.


    ¡¸How is it? Doesn¡¯t it feel like being reborn?¡¹


    The hermit of timeughed happily, as I looked and marvelled at the abilities of my hands.


    ¡¸A-Ah! Truly, I feel like having been reborn¡­!¡¹


    I lowered my line of sight to the 100 million years button that was held in the hand of the hermit.


    ¡¸O-One more time¡­ Please let me press it once more¡­!¡¹


    I have certainly be stronger.


    I have be stronger©`but I¡¯m still unsure if I can win against Dodriel.


    There was a big wall between me and him, so much so that I couldn¡¯t understand the strength difference between us two.


    ¡¸Sure sure! You can push it as many times as you¡¯d like!¡¹


    ¡¸Re-Really!? Thank you, thank you¡­!¡¹


    After that, I pushed the button many times over.


    No- I had identally pushed it.


    This cursed 100 million years button¡­

 Chapter 2.1 - 100 Million Years Button and Prison of Time [2] – part 1

    . 100 Million Years Button and Prison of Time [2] ¨C part 1


    ¡¸What¡­? Where¡­ am I?¡¹


    Before I realised, I was standing in an unfamiliar ce.


    If I remember correctly, I listened to the story of the 100 million years button from the shady old man¡­ and then¡­


    ¡¸¡­Oh right, I pressed the 100 million years button.¡¹


    So that means, this is the ¡ºDifferent World¡»that the hermit of time mentioned?


    As I looked around the surroundings, a white house on clean soil came into view.


    And one more thing ¨Crge numbers were suspended in mid-air.


    00000000 Year 1 Month 1 Day 00 Hour 01 Minute 31 Seconds


    It is probably the clock of this world that ticks second by second.


    I must leave this world when the clock reaches 100 million years.


    In other words, I can do anything I wish with this time.


    ¡¸Yes¡­ Yes¡­ Yes!¡¹


    Yes, Hell Yes¡­!


    With this much time, I can surely win against Dodriel.


    I was overflowing with happiness¡­¡­ I tightly clenched my fist.


    (But still, to think that crazy story would be true!)


    When I leave this ce, I must thank the hermit of time.


    (No, wait¡­ If I¡¯m not mistaken, my memories will be erased when I leave this ce¡­)


    Well, I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll turn out alright.


    Even if I lose my memories, I will not lose the sword skills acquired here.


    After 100 million years©` the me in the real world will surely convey my thanks.


    (Oops, I mustn¡¯t procrastinate.)


    I immediately drew my sword and started swinging.


    Although the time is long, it seems short.


    I¡¯m sure 100 million years would pass by in the blink of an eye.


    (This is my long-awaited big chance¡­ I can¡¯t waste even a second¡­!)


    After that, I continued swinging my sword with all my heart and soul.


    The next time I was aware of the time, was when my stomach started growling.


    ¡¸It¡¯s already time for food¡­¡¹


    When I looked at the suspended clock, about 20 hours have passed.


    Telling the time in this different world is difficult as there isn¡¯t a sun.


    ¡¸Well¡­ shall I go get some food?¡¹


    I discontinued my swinging momentarily, and headed towards the one single white house in this world.


    ¡¸Wow, it¡¯s spacious¡­¡¹


    It was muchrger than the house my mother lives in and the dormitory I currently live in.


    And it was absurdly clean. Not a single speck of dust.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s see¡­ where is the food¡­?¡¹


    ording to the story of the hermit of time, there should be a magic foodstore that generates food infinitely.


    I roamed around the house a little and found a huge refrigerator next to the kitchen.


    ¡¸Is it inside this¡­?¡¹


    As I opened the double-doors of the refrigerator that opened from the middle and looked inside,


    ¡¸Wow¡­¡¹


    Meat, vegetables, fish and milk ¨C all sorts of ingredients were packed tightly.


    I picked up therge tomato that caught my eye, and bite into it.


    ¡¸¡­¡­.! De-Delicious¡­!¡¹


    A fresh luscious sweetness as though it was harvested just this morning, ran through my mouth.


    Then I picked the dried meat and vegetables that didn¡¯t need cooking and went to the bathroom immediately.


    ¡¸Hu-! Huge¡­¡¹


    It was about 10 times bigger than I had imagined.


    In addition©`


    ¡¸Aaa-¡­ such nice hot water¡­¡¹


    The temperature was just perfect even though I didn¡¯t adjust anything about how it works.


    Not too hot, not too cold- the water temperature was just right, I could feel the muscles in my whole body loosening.


    After that, when I got out of the bath, I went to the bedroom and before long as I had gotten sleepy.


    I have no ns of spending time on anything other training.


    If I did that, 100 million years will pass in an instant.


    ¡¸It¡¯s so fluffy¡­¡¹


    The bed in the bedroom, had an otherworldly softness to it.


    And it was more than just feeling soft.


    It also had the strength to wrap around my body tightly.


    While wrapped in a light and warmforter, I murmured.


    ¡¸This is the best¡­¡¹


    Delicious food.


    Pleasant bath.


    Soft bed.


    And above all else ¨C 100 million years of time.


    Nothing can top this.


    This is undoubtedly the best circumstances.


    ¡¸Hehe, I¡¯m gonna train for 100 million years in this ce¡­ I will surely be an amazing swordsman¡­¡¹


    With bright hope and strong ambition in my heart, I fell into a slumber.


    ¡ö


    It¡¯s been 10 years since I arrived in this world, I¡¯ve been continuously swinging my sword every single day.


    After swinging my sword for 10 years, I havee to understand the principle behind it.


    (I wonder if my swings are optimised now¡­)


    Anyway, I understood how to swing the sword.


    When swinging the sword downwards, there is a timing at which I should exert force, and conversely a timing where I should rx the sword. I finally grasped the idea behind the technique.


    At the mark of 100 years, I had acquired various sword techniques.


    For example like this,


    ¡¸First Sword ©` Flying Shadow!¡¹


    I can now perform a flying sh.


    I also tried to name the various techniques I learned.


    I felt like I was the founder of a new school and it was a lot of fun.


    300 yearster.


    I am¡­ a little tired.


    Not physically, but rather mentally.


    Repeating the same thing day after day.


    Swing the sword, eat, sleep.


    The same thing day in and day out for 300 years.


    I was mentally fatigued of this life.


    The other day, I took a walk around this world for a distraction.


    Surprisingly, this ce was much narrower than I expected.


    In conclusion, this different world is just a small sphere.


    When I left the house and walked straight, I arrived at the back door of the house shortly. This ce is far smaller than the schoolyard, just a small sphere.


    I was lonely.


    500 yearster.


    Lately, no matter what I eat, they all taste the same.


    Meat, fish and vegetables all taste the same.


    It feels like chewing on a nd rubber.


    I knew full well that my mind was deteriorating.


    However, there is no means of getting out from this closed off world.


    With nowhere to voice my dissatisfaction, it grew day by day.


    Even the bath doesn¡¯t have to be asrge as it is.


    Just having enough space to stretch my legs is plenty.


    Same for the bed too.


    Just having a mattress and aforter should be enough.


    I don¡¯t need such extravagant facilities.


    I don¡¯t need them so ¨C please give me a person.


    I want to meet someone.


    I want to talk to them.


    I want to indulge with someone else other than my thoughts.


    I wanted to interact with someone badly¡­ That sort of feeling was welling up inside me.


    ¡¸Mother¡­ Are you well?¡¹


    700 yearster.


    Absolute loneliness.


    Maddening loneliness.


    I was about to break apart.


    I wanted to slip out of here as soon as possible.


    Hatred swelled up for the hermit of time who sent me into this hell.


    ¡¸¡­that guy definitely knew¡¹


    How helpless and cruel this world was.


    That¡¯s why he begged so desperately.


    To make me push the button.


    ¡¸¡­I will never forgive him¡¹


    With desire for vengeance in my heart, I continued swinging my sword today too.


    1000 yearster.


    I forgot why I was swinging the sword.


    I probably had some sort of objective.


    I think there was definitely a reason why I swung my sword so desperately all this while.


    But I had forgotten what it was.


    5000 yearster.


    I had a sudden thought.


    ¡¸If I choose tomit suicide here¡­ can I get out of this world?¡¹


    The hermit of time said.


    ¡¾Never¡­ Nevermit suicide¡­ Although it is a different world, you only have one body. If you die, that will be your end.¡¿


    Yes, I can choose to end it anytime I want.


    Such a simple thing.


    I just have to thrust the sword in hand through my chest.


    That is all it takes to escape this hell.


    ¡¸I can end it¡­ I can finally end this hell!¡¹

 Chapter 2.2 - 2. 100 Million Years Button and Prison of Time [2] – part 2

    2. 100 Million Years Button and Prison of Time [2] ¨C part 2


    I immediately turned the tip of the sword towards my chest, and closed my eyes.


    Now I just have to stab myself.


    The pain will onlyst for a brief moment.


    Yes, that¡¯s all it takes.


    That is all¡­ and yet¡­


    ¡¸Why won¡¯t my hand move¡­¡¹


    My hand felt as though it was petrified.


    I simply felt afraid.


    The fear of death far overwhelmed my present agony.


    That¡¯s what I had thought.


    10 000 yearster.


    I had stopped thinking.


    Raise the sword overhead, and swing in downwards.


    I became an existence which simply repeated that concept.


    Why do I swing the sword?


    Why do I live?


    In the first ce, what is ¡ºI¡»?


    I had forgotten everything.


    Even when I fell into that state ¨C I never let go of the sword.


    I must never let it go, is what I thought.


    It might be some sort of obsession.


    Even after 100 thousand years¡­ 1 million years¡­ 10 million years¡­ I kept swinging the sword throughout.


    Finally it became, 99999999 Year 12 Month 31 Day 23 Hour 59 Minute 59 Second¡­ one secondter, this world slowly started to copse.


    ¡¸Over¡­ atst¡­¡¹


    The existence known as I, will be pulled back into reality.


    (Never¡­ push that¡­ button again¡­¡­)


    I etched that onto my soul.


    That is the Devil¡¯s Button.


    Something that must not exist in this world ©` a cursed button.


    (When I return to the real world, destroying that button will be my first task¡­)


    Never forgive the hermit of time.


    Never forgive that bastard geezer who sent me into this hell.


    I will beat him to a pulp.


    And when he can no longer move, I will make his hand push the 100 million years button.


    I will make him go through the same hell as I did.


    I will make him experience 100 million years in this hellish empty world.


    I closed my eyes gently so the ck light that burned in my chest wouldn¡¯t disappear.


    ¡ö


    A mere few secondster©` I was once again, back in that white world.


    Unbelievably, the clock suspended in mid-air indicated, 00000000 Year 1 Month 1 Day 00 Minute 01 Second.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡­¡­Ha!?¡¹


    I doubted my own eyes.


    Impossible, Impossible Impossible Impossible¡­!


    ¡¸Did I¡­ push it again¡­!?¡¹


    There is no doubt, after returning to reality¡­ I pushed it.


    The cursed 100 million years button.


    I have to go through¡­ that insanely long time¡­ once again¡­?


    ¡¸U, U, UWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!¡¹


    I screamed.


    I screamed and screamed while running around.


    However, I didn¡¯t go mad.


    In this world, when emotions swell up beyond a certain threshold, it will be forcibly restrained.


    Happiness, Sadness, Joy, Regret ©` none of these can exceed beyond a certain line.


    This prison of time, will never ever allow emotions which make you ¡ºForget the time¡».


    Regardless of my raising hell, the clock suspended mid-air continuously and precisely marks the passage of time, second by second.


    After that, I looped around the real world and the prison of time countless times.


    The stupid, foolish and helpless me in the real world, pushed the 100 million years button countless times.


    Can¡¯t fault myself either.


    After all, the me over there, does not have the memory of this 100 million years of hell.


    I have to find some other way.


    The way things are, I will be eternally trapped in this world.


    I have to do something.


    (But¡­ what should I do?)


    There is no means of conveying this hell to the me in the real world.


    The worst part of this world is¡­ the moment I escape this world, my memories are wiped clean spotless.


    Therefore, I am eternally stuck in this loop.


    Eternally¡­ in this hell of a world.


    As I went through this world for the eighth time, a sudden thought shed through my mind.


    ¡¸Right¡­ That¡¯s right¡­¡­ There was such an easy way to escape this world¡­¡¹


    Haha.


    There was definitely something wrong with me to not think of it earlier.


    Why didn¡¯t I realise something so simple?


    Howughable¡­ The answer was already in my hands.


    ¡¸If I can cut this world, wouldn¡¯t I be able to break free from here¡­?!¡¹


    That¡¯s right.


    A sword is essentially a thing that cuts.


    Grass, Tree, Rock ¨C and anything else that is its target.


    (If so, it wouldn¡¯t be strange to cut¡ºThis World¡»)


    No, I have decided to cut it.


    Otherwise it won¡¯t work.


    The only reason I can¡¯t cut the world right this instance is because I don¡¯t have that power.


    Surely, if I tempered and disciplined myself, I can be a magnificent swordsman who can cut this world.


    (Fortunately, I have infinite time¡­)


    After that, I single-mindedly swung my sword insanely.


    A sword technique that cuts the world ¨C seeking for that one sh which would provide sanctuary.


    ¡­¡­Somewhere within me, even I, knew it was ridiculous.


    But, if I didn¡¯t have some sort of goal¡­ if I didn¡¯t have something to cling onto¡­ I might break.


    No¡­ just holding onto this ridiculous goal might mean I¡¯m already broken.


    However, it will truly be over if I recognised that.


    Therefore I,


    (CutCutCutCutCutCutCutCutCutCut¡­!)


    I kept swinging the sword with that prayer constantly ringing in mind.


    Like the auto suggestions that naturally appear in search-engines ¨C Being able to cut the world was a given. Not being able to cut it was more ridiculous.


    I kept praying so much that I believed it from the bottom of my heart.


    And several million yearster, an unusual phenomenon urred.


    ¡¸Wh!?¡¹


    For just an instant, when I swung the sword in a downwards arc, the space that my sword passed through¡ºWavered¡».


    I did not mistake it. It certainly wavered.


    The space, the world ¨C I was able to cut it slightly.


    ¡¸Ha, Hahaha¡­ I knew it, I can cut it¡­ I can cut the world!¡¹


    Iughed out loud.


    I rolled aroundughing as though I had gone mad.


    After that, 100 thousand years¡­ 1 million years¡­ I continued swinging the sword single-mindedly.


    The ¡ºWaver¡»trail left behind by the sword gradually and ever so slightly increased©` but it certainly had grownrger.


    To the point of being able to feel the change.


    That there is growth.


    That I can see the end.


    I was happy more than anything¡­ and I kept swinging my sword.


    And just like that, at this moment, the time was 99999999 Year 12 Month 31 Day 23 Hour 59 Minute 30 Second.


    In another 30 seconds, the next loop will begin.


    ¡¸¡­fuuuh¡¹


    I can do this.


    I don¡¯t know why, but I had that conviction.


    ¡¸This is farewell, white world¡¹


    Thinking so made me feel strange.


    A nostalgia-like¡­ yearning-like¡­ vague feeling.


    ¡¸Regardless, I never want toe here again¡¹


    With a softugh, I lined up the sword at my eye level.


    ¡¸See ya, time prison¡¹


    I bid farewell to this ce which I had spent 10 billion years.


    Then I took the stance of holding the sword above my head, and then swung it down resolutely.


    ¡¸©`HAA!¡¹


    At that moment, a huge sh entered the space ¨C

 Chapter 3.1 - Dropout Swordsman and Swordsmanship Academy [1] – part 1

    3. Dropout Swordsman and Swordsmanship Academy [1] ¨C part 1


    I heard a voice.


    ¡¸Alle¡­ wake¡­! What time¡­ you think¡­¡­¡­ quickly¡­ wake up¡­!¡¹


    As I slowly opened my eyes, I saw the clear blue sky.


    I am lying on my back, it seems.


    (What¡­? What¡­ was I¡­¡­?)


    My blurry vision gradually became clearer, in addition to my other senses which were slowly returning.


    The cold ground.


    The smell of grass.


    My dried up mouth.


    The light from the radiant sun.


    And the voice that was calling to me.


    ¡¸Allen! Oi, quickly wake up! Seriously, why are you sleeping here!?¡¹


    Before my eyes, I saw the form of the dorm mother, Pa-san, looking down at me.


    ¡¸!?¡¹


    I hurriedly sprang up.


    ¡¸R-Right now, what year, what month, what hour, what minute is it¡­!?¡¹


    I immediately tried to confirm the present time.


    Pa-san shrugged her shoulders astonishedly.


    ¡¸Huh¡­ Allen? Are you still dreaming?¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, no, I see¡­ so it¡¯s over¡¹


    I escaped the hellish 100 million years loop, and returned safely to the real world.


    ¡¸Oh right, the hermit of time¡­!?¡¹


    I unsheathed my sword and surveyed the surroundings.


    However¡­ there was no trace of him anywhere.


    ¡¸Hermit of time¡­? Allen¡­ are you really alright?¡¹


    Pa-san asked me with a serious expression.


    ¡¸No, that is¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Which reminds me, you had a terrified look on your face¡­ Did you perhaps have a nightmare?¡¹


    ¡¸Maybe¡­ I¡¯m not sure¡­¡¹


    All that might have actually just been a dream.


    No, it was surely a dream.


    Thinking about it rationally, there couldn¡¯t possibly be a 100 million years button.


    ¡¸Tell me about the nightmare. If you do that, it won¡¯t be real¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I don¡¯t really remember much about it¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡¹


    That was a lie.


    In fact, I remember everyst detail.


    However, she would onlyugh if I told her that absurd story.


    ¡¸Is that so? Then, let¡¯s quickly head to the dorm! I¡¯ve prepared breakfast a long while ago, you know? There won¡¯t be any left if you don¡¯t hurry!¡¹


    Then, Pa-san spun on her heels, and walked towards the dorm.


    ¡¸S-Sorry¡­¡­¡¹


    Right when I was about to follow after her while earnestly apologizing,


    From the corner of my eye©` a suspicious red button gleamed.


    There is no way I could mistake it.


    That is¡­¡­


    ¡¸100 million year button¡­!?¡¹


    Shivers ran through my body.


    Does that mean¡­ it wasn¡¯t a dream¡­?


    I swallowed deeply and slowly picked up the button.


    (If I push this¡­ Will I be back in that hell¡­?)


    No¡­ it should be fine.


    If it turns out to be real, I can just escape by cutting the world again.


    If it was a dream, nothing will happen if I push this.


    Either way, I have nothing to lose from pushing this button.


    ¡¸Fuuu¡­¡¹


    I took in 2 to 3 deep breaths and©` pushed. I pushed it.


    However, nothing happened.


    ¡¸¡­obviously¡¹


    The hermit of time.


    The 100 million years button.


    The Prison of Time.


    As expected, all of that was a dream.


    Of course it is.


    That fairy-tale like story couldn¡¯t possibly be real.


    When I tossed away the button, I noticed something.


    There was arge sh on the 100 million year button.


    (Huh¡­? Did this sh exist before¡­?)


    I approached the tossed button to examine once again.


    ¡¸Hey, Allen! What are you loitering over there for! Come quickly!¡¹


    I heard Pa-san¡¯s loud and clear voice from the front.


    ¡¸Y-Yes!¡¹


    After that, I followed after Pa-san back to the dorm


    ¡ö


    Pa Garedzar


    The dorm mother of the dormitory where I live.


    She had a big frame with a height of over 2 meters with a strong appearance.


    She was wearing a white apron over her ck shirt.


    Her sleeves were rolled up to the top, and her arms were at least three times thicker than mine.


    At first nce she seems really scary, but in reality she is a very kind person


    After eating breakfast Pa-san prepared, I put my hands together.


    ¡¸Thank you for the food.¡¹


    ¡¸Okay! You ate well today too! Good job!¡¹


    Pa-san patted my back with a heartyugh.


    ¡¸Oh yeah, what about your academy?¡¹


    ¡¸!?¡¹


    At that moment, my heart leapt into my throat.


    Which reminds me, I promised to duel Dodriel at 9am today.


    ¡¸Wh-What is the time now?¡¹


    ¡¸Nn, 7.50am¡¹


    Pa-san pointed at the wall clock.


    ¡¸Wha-¡­!¡¹


    No matter how much I rush, it will take at least 3 hours to get to Gran Swordsmanship Academy from here.


    I couldn¡¯t possibly reach there with only 1 hour left.


    However, not going is not an option.


    I absolutely don¡¯t want them to think I ran away from the duel.


    ¡¸I-I¡¯m leaving¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸Take care! Don¡¯t get hurt!¡¹


    ¡¸Yes¡­!¡¹


    And then I rushed out of the dorm.


    I ran.


    I ran and ran©` and solely ran.


    ¡ºDuel¡»is not simply a verbal promise. It is one of the systems established by the Swordsmanship Academy.


    If you¡¯rete for the duel by even a second, you will lose by default due to absence.


    (Probably¡­ No, I definitely won¡¯t make it in time)


    While that may be true, I can¡¯t just sulk inside my room.


    After that, I somehow arrived at the academy, and immediately headed towards the acknowledged duel location in the second school building.


    ¡¸S-Sorry for beingte! I am Allen Rodore who applied for the duel at 9am today! Is the reception still open?¡¹


    The sses wearing male receptionist looked over at the paper in his hand and raised a voice ¡¸Oh?¡¹.


    ¡¸You came too early. There is still another hour till the match start.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Eh?¡¹


    That is ridiculous.


    I left the dorm at 7.50am.


    I couldn¡¯t possibly have reached in a mere 10 minutes.


    However, the small clock ced on the table, certainly pointed at 8am.


    (Only 10 minutes has actually passed¡­ Was the clock at the dorm broken perhaps¡­?)


    At any rate¡­ I¡¯m d.


    ¡¸Haa¡­ thank goodness.¡¹


    I avoided losing due to absence.


    Afterwards, I just have to throw everything I have on to Dodriel.

 Chapter 3.2 - Dropout Swordsman and Swordsmanship Academy [1] – part 2

    3. Dropout Swordsman and Swordsmanship Academy [1] ¨C part 2


    As I had arrived here unexpectedly early, I killed the time at a nearby stall by appropriately filling my belly.


    Although I ate breakfast just a little while back, I felt hungry for some reason.


    And five minutes before the scheduled time, I went to the gymnasium which we agreed as the duel location.


    When I arrived there, I was overwhelmed.


    ¡¸Wh-What is¡­ this¡­¡¹


    Even though it was early morning, the gymnasium was overflowing with a crowd of students.


    ¡¸Wow, it is the entry of the Failed Swordsman!¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re finally going to disappear! Watching you swing the sword like a fool everyday was unsightly!¡¹


    ¡¸We have to be grateful to Dodriel! He¡¯s going to drive away the burden of the academy after all!¡¹


    Jeering from my ssmates rain down on me to the point where I wanted to plug my ears.


    ¡¸H-How¡­?¡¹


    When I was in confusion, I heard an unnatural deliberate giggle.


    In the direction of the giggle- Dodriel was standing at the middle of the gymnasium, surrounded by his followers. He had a repulsive grin stered on his face as he gave a sidelong nce at me, who can¡¯t stop trembling.


    ¡¸Aha¡­ you deserve praise for not running away at the very least, Allen.¡¹


    ¡¸D-Dodriel! What is this¡­! I didn¡¯t know about this!¡¹


    I questioned Dodriel while pointing at the crowd of surging students.


    ¡¸Hey, I am surprised too. It seems that the information about our duel leaked somehow¡­ Some guys have really bad taste.¡¹


    Dodriel unnaturally shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡¸You¡­!¡¹


    There is no doubt. It was this guy who spread the information about our duel and gathered all the academy students here. It seems that he is nning to humiliate me with the entire academy witnessing it.


    Just¡­ how rotten can this guy get.


    ¡¸st away the Failed Swordsman!¡¹


    ¡¸Kyaa©`! Dodriel-sama! Good luck!¡¹


    A male teacher came into the gymnasium as the the students cheered for Dodriel¡¯s victory and my defeat. He was momentarily surprised at the number of students and their loud noise, but then kept walking without saying anything.


    ¡¸Well¡­ It is the predetermined time, thus I want to start the duel between Dodriel Barton and Allen Rodore.¡¹


    ¡­¡­I see, so he isn¡¯t even going to question this situation.


    Fundamentally, a duel can¡¯t take ce if the terms for both parties are not equivalent.


    Obviously, a duel in such an away situation is not fair in the slightest.


    (The neutral party from the academy, isn¡¯t even going to interfere in this situation¡­)


    Which means, even the academy wants to drive me out of here.


    (Shit¡­!)


    I just have to grit my teeth and ept the fact that I¡¯m surrounded by enemies on all sides.


    ¡¸Ahem, both parties, are you ready? Then©` START!¡¹


    And the match began, in such extremely away circumstances.


    ¡¸I won¡¯t end this in an instant, Allen. I¡¯ll slowly hurt you¡­ until you cry and beg for forgiveness!¡¹


    Dodriel pulled out the sword fastened at his waist and gave a sadistic smile.


    ¡¸¡­If you look down on me, you will be the one to get hurt!¡¹


    In ordance to that statement, I pulled out my sword, and held it in front of my navel. The basic stance of swordsmanship ¨C Seigan no Kamae. 1


    A heavy air permeated through the duel atmosphere.


    Within such an atmosphere, I closely observed Dodriel¡¯s sword.


    A beautiful temper pattern can be seen on the sword de.


    If I¡¯m not mistaken, I remember him boasting pridefully that it was the work of a master craftsman.


    Whereas, my sword costs 1000gold ©`©` the lowest-ranking sword which can be found for sale anywhere.


    (I would probably¡­ No, I¡¯m definitely going to be defeated in this match.)


    Sword, Skill, Talent- I can¡¯tpete with that guy in any of this.


    (But, there is no way I can back down at this point¡­!)


    Even I have my own pride.


    (I¡¯m not gonna shamelessly retreat, when my mother is ridiculed¡­!)


    With fighting spirit burning brightly in my heart, I stared right into Dodriel¡¯s eyes.


    His sword, is an offensive sword. Much like rain, his performs waves of consecutive attacks which doesn¡¯t allow the opponent to counterattack.


    I have no chances of winning by crossing swords with him from the front where his specialty lies.


    (I have to aim for a counter ©` a one shot certain kill!)


    Even that genius is a human.


    He will eventually make a mistake.


    (Therefore, I just have to endure his fierce attacks until then!)


    When even the slightest opening presents itself during the fierce sword exchange, I have to exploit it with a single powerful blow.


    Even if I can¡¯t win, at the very least I can injure him.


    This was my strategy.


    (Now,e¡­!)


    I readied my mind, and waited for Dodriel to step in.


    However, contrary to my expectations, that guy absolutely didn¡¯t step in to attack me.


    Moreover, for some reason he didn¡¯t close the distance between us by even a single step.


    (¡­What? Just what is he ying at?)


    While I was being suspicious of Dodriel¡¯s ¡ºUnusual Behaviour¡»,


    ¡¸Allen¡­! what, what did you do¡­!?¡¹


    He had cast away the bold smile from a while ago, and was ring at me with an angry look.


    ¡¸¡­What are you saying? I don¡¯t understand your question.¡¹


    ¡¸Do you n to y dumb¡­ with your Failed Swordsman reputation¡­!¡¹


    While gritting his teeth, Dodriel started to circle around me while maintaining a considerable distance.


    I stuck with the Seigan no kamae stance while keeping him in the middle of my sight.


    (¡­ Dodriel has very short patience.)


    I know him just as well as he does me.


    Short tempered and fickle natured ©` that natural born genius will eventually get tired of this stare down. He will surely rush at me before long.


    And then 1 minute¡­ 2 minutes¡­ passed ©` Dodriel changed his stance.


    (¡­He¡¯sing!)


    The next moment,


    ¡¸UOOOOOOOO!¡¹


    He released a loud vigorous roar and rushed at me in a straight line.


    ¡¸¡­¡­!¡¹


    Even while feeling the pressure from his loud roar, I strengthened my spirit and opened my eyes wide.


    However, what unfolded there was a ridiculous scene.


    (¡­Ha?)


    No matter how much time passed, Dodriel does not get close to me.


    To be more precise, he was running slowly towards me©` as how children pretend to y with swords.


    (What the hell is Dodriel thinking¡­?)


    I immediately came up with an answer to that doubt.


    (I see, is that so¡­¡­ There is no value in taking me seriously, huh¡­!)


    ¡¸You are not worth my true power¡¹©` that¡¯s what that guy was implying.


    How frustrating.


    I didn¡¯t expect him to make a fool out of me to this extent.


    I was under the impression that he would at least take the duel seriously.


    (Damnit¡­!)


    I clenched my fist tightly and gritted my teeth.


    A few secondster, Dodriel finally got close to me and began attacking.


    ¡¸Rain Style ©` Summer Rain!¡¹


    He unleashed a cruderge swing followed by a series of thrusts which were screaming ¡¸Please Avoid¡¹.


    (I don¡¯t even need my sword to ward off such an attack.)


    I avoided the slow consecutive attacks with minimal movement, it was slow enough to make me yawn.


    ¡¸Wha!?¡¹


    Dodriel finished delivering his thrusts and, with a pale face, leapt back immediately to put distance between us.


    ¡¸A-Allen¡­? To be able to see through all my sword, luck sure is with you today¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Eh?¡¹


    ¡¸But, I was just warming up. The next attack will be 3 times faster than thest. You won¡¯t get lucky like just now.¡¹


    ¡¸No, what are you sayin-¡¹


    As soon as I posed my question,


    ¡¸Rain Style Secret Technique ©` Passing Shower!¡¹


    Dodriel stuck out his sword straight, and charged at me again.


    It¡¯s not a consecutive attack as before, but a one-point concentrated thrust.


    However,


    (¡­¡­Did he be slightly faster?)


    It was a one-strike attack which was still at the level of a child¡¯s y like before.


    What bothered me most was, Dodriel¡¯s one-strike thrust had left himpletely defenceless.


    As though provoking me with ¡¸Cut me¡¹.


    (Damnit¡­¡­ just how much more is he going to humiliate me¡­!)


    I got tired of the repeated provokes, and swung my sword at him.


    ¡¸Be serious!¡¹


    The single vertical swing that I released with the intention of intimidating him¡ªbranched into seven shes and captured Dodriel¡¯s whole body.


    ¡¸Kaa, Haaa¡­!?¡¹


    At the same time, Dodriel was struck by the seven shes¡­ unable to endure the blows, he let go of his sword, and was blown up to the wall of the gymnasium.


    The entire gymnasium was dead silent. To the point where I could hear them gulping in their throats.


    ¡¸¡­Huh?¡¹


    A stupid voice leaked out of my mouth, due to that unexpected situation.


    ¡¸D-Dodriel Barton, unable to continue! Winner, Allen Rodore!¡¹


    Even after the referee, the male teacher announced the results, the gymnasium was still surrounded by the strange silence.


    I realised at that time.


    ¡¸It¡­ wasn¡¯t a dream¡­!?¡¹


    That the billions of years of hell spent in that different world was not a dream or an illusion.


    (The reason why Dodriel¡¯s movement seemed unusually slow was not because he was going easy on me¡­)


    In reality, I was far stronger than that guy!

 Chapter 4.1 - Dropout Swordsman and Swordsmanship Academy [2] – part 1

    4. Dropout Swordsman and Swordsmanship Academy [2] ¨C part 1


    Several days after the duel with Dodriel- the bullying towards me became worse.


    The direct bullying towards me has stopped.


    However, malicious gossip was instead being spread about me.


    Dropout Swordsman.


    Coward.


    User of Forbidden Arts.


    I was called as such throughout the Academy.


    Dodriel and his followers probably spread this rumours.


    However, unexpectedly I was unfazed by all this.


    (In the past- me from more than a billion years ago, surely wouldn¡¯t have been able to bear this.)


    I was calm enough to view myself objectively.


    ¡¸I wonder if mother is doing well¡­¡¹


    On the way home to the dormitory where Pa-san was waiting, I suddenly became worried for my mother I left behind in my hometown.


    It has been 3 years since I started attending the Gran Swordsmanship Academy


    Although we have been exchanging letters once every month, I have never returned to my hometown.


    I was too upied with myself, that I didn¡¯t have much time.


    ¡¸Alright¡­ I¡¯ve decided. Let¡¯s return during the next break.¡¹


    It would take about 10 hours to walk to my hometown, Goza vige.


    But, the me right now should be able to arrive faster.


    ¡¸Oh yeah, I should buy a souvenir at least¡¹


    I¡¯m returning after 3 whole years.


    I can¡¯t go empty-handed.


    Mother loves rice crackers and mochi very much.


    She would surely be happy if I brought her those as souvenirs.


    (No, before that¡­ How much do I have right now¡­)


    When I took my wallet out of my pocket and turned it over, three coins fell out.


    ¡¸520 golds¡­¡¹


    I can¡¯t buy a decent souvenir with this.


    ¡¸¡­Should I take on a part-time job?¡¹


    Regarding the part-time job¡­ let¡¯s consult Pa-san.


    That person has many personal connections. She might be able to introduce me to a good part-time job.


    And I¡¯m sure I can work in peace, if it¡¯s her rmendation.


    Then I went back to the dormitory while humming.


    ¡ö


    As soon as I returned to the dormitory, I asked Pa-san if there was a good part-time job.


    ¡¸A part time job!?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, is there any good ce you know of?¡¹


    ¡¸Why so suddenly? Will your sword training be alright?¡¹


    Pa-san asked me while tilting her head.


    ¡¸Training is also important, but I was about to go see my mother in my hometown. That is why¡­¡¹


    ¡¸-I see, so you tried to buy souvenirs, but didn¡¯t have any money?¡¹


    Before I finished saying everything, Pa-san continued.


    ¡¸Ahaha¡­ it¡¯s embarrassing, but it¡¯s exactly as you say.¡¹


    ¡¸Ok Ok¡­ I understand your situation. If that¡¯s the case, there¡¯s one special guy!¡¹


    While crossing her arms, she smiled happily for some reason.


    ¡¸Is it true? Please introduce me!¡¹


    ¡¸Of course! -If you go here, you can get rich quick!¡¹


    Saying that, Pa-san stripped off the poster on the bulletin board and mmed it on the table.


    I picked up the wrinkled paper, and gazed at its contents.


    ¡¸Sword Festival¡­?¡¹


    Sword Festival- A festival for swordsmen held once a month in the neighboring town of Obis. Even if it¡¯s called a festival, it¡¯s not the fun-filled atmosphere with food stalls lined up by the streets.. It is a festival where swordsmen sh one-on-one and contend their own swordsmanship. Certainly, the top three winners will receive a huge amount of prize money.


    ¡¸Yes, that¡¯s right! A man has to contend with his strength after all!¡¹


    She said while pping her triceps that was three times thicker than mine.


    ¡¸Sword Festival¡­ huh?¡¹


    Me from a billion years ago, would never have participated in this festival even by mistake.


    Now that I¡¯ve surpassed that hell, I should be able to put up a good fight, even though winning the top prize will be difficult.


    However, there is one major problem in going to the Sword Festival.


    ¡¸It may certainly be a good idea¡­ but the participation fee is¡­¡¹


    To participate in the Sword Festival, I need to pay a thousand gold as participation fee.


    Unfortunately, I don¡¯t have that much.


    As I apologetically returned the poster back to Pa-san,


    ¡¸You¡¯re an idiot! How can I be called a dorm mother if I don¡¯t provide the money, when my dorm student is trying to show his manliness!¡¹


    Then she picked 1000 gold bill from the shelves and shoved it into my hand.


    ¡¸Here, take this!¡¹


    ¡¸I-Is it really alright!?¡¹


    ¡¸Ah! Instead, you canpensate me with the winnings!¡¹


    ¡¸T-Thank you¡­! I will definitely win and get the prize money!¡¹


    I was able to participate in the Sword Festival unexpectedly, so I continued to swing my sword today in preparation for the Sword Festival set to be held at the weekend.


    ¡ö


    Several dayster.


    I went to the neighboring town, Obis, to participate in the Sword Festival.


    ¡¸Well¡­ I should be arriving there soon¡­¡¹


    I went to the venue following a simple map drawn by Pa-san.


    ¡¸Since this shop is here¡­ I have to turn right at the next corner¡¹


    And when I turned around the corner, I lost my breath.


    ¡¸¡­!¡¹


    A lot of powerful swordsmen gathered there.


    The spectacle of big men ring at each other with their swords on their hips had an intensity that cannot be described.


    (Se-Seriously¡­!)


    Swelled up muscles.


    Fists that looked like rocks.


    Swords that have been used for a long time.


    There is no doubt.


    Everyone here was a much better swordsman than me.


    (Slightly, no¡­ my outlook was too optimistic¡­)


    I never imagined the level for the Sword Festival would be this high.


    I was overwhelmed by the sight for a moment, but I immediately remembered what I had to do now.


    ¡¸Y-Yeah, I have to register to participate¡­!¡¹


    While I was looking around to search for the reception desk,


    ¡¸¡­Oops¡¹


    Suddenly, someone bumped into me from behind.


    As I turned around, there was a man of 2 meter height with a crew-cut hairstyle looking down at me with a grumpy face. Seeing as how he had arge sword on his back, he must be here to participate in the Sword Festival.


    ¡¸Huuuuh? Don¡¯t block the way, stupid brat!¡¹


    The man bared his hostility towards me while shouting.


    The three women who were following behind him, sneered.


    ¡¸Mou-, don¡¯t bully such a weak child, Bubble¡¹


    ¡¸Since he has a sword on his hip, I wonder if this child is also a participant?¡¹


    ¡¸No no, that¡¯s not possible! Even if such a frail child participates, it won¡¯t be fun!¡¹


    So saying, this rude group cackled happily.


    Surely even I was offended by this.


    The one who bumped into me was thisrge man called Bubble or something.


    Moreover, I was standing at the edge of the road, and above all, he was not focused on where he was going as he was talking to the women.


    It would be obvious to anyone, that the fault lies with Bubble.


    Perhaps due to that thought it manifested through my expression,


    ¡¸Oi, what¡¯s with that rebellious eyes? Do you wanna pick a fight with me?¡¹


    A vein popped up on his forehead as he cracked his knuckles.


    And as a result of the various things I considered,


    ¡¸¡­I apologize¡¹


    I chose to honestly apologize than to fight back.


    If I caused a ruckus here, they might not let me participate in the festival.


    I didn¡¯t want to disappoint Pa-san, who has even handed me the participation fee and was cheering me on from the dormitory.


    ¡¸Ha, is that all you can say!? Loser!¡¹


    With that parting remark, Bubble and the women disappeared into the bustling crowd.

 Chapter 4.2 - Dropout Swordsman and Swordsmanship Academy [2] – part 2

    4. Dropout Swordsman and Swordsmanship Academy [2] ¨C part 2


    I sighed deeply after they were nowhere to be seen.


    ¡¸Haa¡­¡¹


    It was a pain.


    I don¡¯t wanna get entangled with such a bunch.


    (¡­Let¡¯s move from here)


    The world is huge.


    There are some kind-hearted people like Pa-san. and there are weird ones such as Bubble.


    I don¡¯t have to waste time on such a weird bunch.


    ¡¸Err, the reception¡­ is over there.¡¹


    There was a long line right in front of the venue for the Sword Festival.


    At the top of that was a sign board that reads,¡¸Sword Festival Reception¡¹.


    The reception is definitely that way.


    I stood at the back of the line and waited for my turn toe.


    10 minutester.


    ¡¸Next person please¡¹


    ¡¸Yes¡¹


    It was finally my turn.


    At the reception desk, a beautiful blonde-haired woman was carrying out the registration.


    ¡¸Good morning. Are you sure you want to participate in the Sword Festival today?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, please.¡¹


    ¡¸Certainly. The participation fee is 1000 gold.¡¹


    While thanking Pa-san in my heart, I took out the 1000 gold bill from my frog wallet and handed it to the receptionist.


    ¡¸Thank you very much. Can you tell me your name and the school you belong to?¡¹


    ¡¸I am Allen Rodore. My school is, well¡­¡¹


    I never thought that I would be asked about my school.


    ¡¸Allen Rodore-sama, which school are you from?¡¹


    I have been asked twice.


    Apparently, I must give a school name.


    ¡¸Th-That is¡­ I don¡¯t belong to any school¡­ I am¡­ self-taught¡¹


    Anti-climatically, I answered¡¸self-taught¡¹.


    ¡¸Puh¡­ self-taught, yes¡­? C-Certainly¡­!¡¹


    The receptionist desperately tried to suppress herughter and proceeded with the registration work with trembling hands.


    Almost all swordsmen belong to some sort of school.


    Swordsmen who do not belong to any school are limited to those who are very entric or have no ability to enter a school.


    It¡¯s natural to beughed at because this dropout is going to participate in this Sword Festival which aims to gather talented contestants.


    After finishing the registration, I exited the line and sighed.


    (Haa¡­ that was a little embarrassing¡­)


    No, it has already passed.


    Don¡¯t think any more about it and focus on the Sword Festival.


    If I¡¯m right, there should be about thirty minutes left before the festival starts.


    ¡¸Ok, let¡¯s do some practice-swings till then.¡¹


    After that, I found a suitable vacant spot and kept swinging my sword quietly.


    ¡ö


    Five minutes before the Sword Festival started.


    I returned to the venue to attend the opening ceremony.


    The venue for the Sword Festival is arge stone stage on a level ground.


    And spectator seats surrounded that stone stage. It was such a simple arrangement.


    At present, the person in charge of the Sword Festival exined the rules of the Sword Festival on the stage, and many participating swordsmen are listening quietly around the edge of the stage.


    The battle format is a one-on-one duel.


    If you fall from the stone stage, you lose.


    The matching is determined by drawing lots just before the match starts.


    The rules were that simple.


    After finishing all the exnations, the Sword Festival began atst.


    ¡¸Now we will decide the pair for the first match!¡¹


    Thementator woman for the Sword Festival drew two pieces of paper from the box filled with the names of the participants.


    ¡¸The first match ¨C Bubble Domingo vs. Allen Rodore! Pleasee to the stage promptly!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­The first match itself?¡¹


    Ideally, it would¡¯ve been good to watch several other swordsmen fight before I was called.


    However, there is no helping what has already been decided.


    I got on the stage with my opponent, Bubble Domingo.


    As I did,


    ¡¸Oi Oi, just when I was wondering who it was, turns out to be the loser from before! I am surprised! Who would¡¯ve thought you actually came to participate in the Sword Festival!¡¹


    On the stage, Bubble provoked me with a scoff.


    (Hearing the name ¡ºBubble¡», I thought it might be him¡­ but for it to actually be true¡­)


    As I ignored his cheap provocations, thementator began to read the paper at hand.


    ¡¸Well, ording to this prior information, the school of Bubble is that Vajra style! Crushing the opponent with a powerful blow with arge sword as a weapon ¨C it¡¯s a refined traditional school! On the other hand, Allen is¡­puh puh¡­ Allen is self-taught it seems!¡¹


    At that moment, the venue burst outughing.


    It was even easier to understand ¨C they were scoffing me.


    ¡¸Gyhahahaaha! Bubble, you just won the lottery! You easily got your first win!¡¹


    ¡¸Oi,d! Be careful not to get trampled!¡¹


    ¡¸Puhpuhpuh¡­¡­ Show us your proud ¡ºself-taught¡»sword!¡¹


    Even Bubble was not an exception.


    ¡¸Oi oi oi, give me a break! Self-taught ¨C wouldn¡¯t it seem like bullying this weak little frail child¡­! Gyahahahahaha!¡¹


    Bubble, exaggeratedly held his sides inughter.


    How frustrating.


    Frustrating¡­ but, he hasn¡¯t said anything wrong.


    I have certainly be stronger.


    However, it is only within the small circle known as the Gran Swordsmanship Academy.


    In fact, if you take a step into the outside world like this, there are mountains of such higher skilled swordsmen.


    (I still have a long way to go¡­)


    The world is vast ¨C just learning this was worthing to the Sword Festival.


    Anyway, let¡¯s fight with the intention of learning from this higher-rank opponent..


    ¡¸-Please teach me.¡¹


    I said so and bowed, and waited for the match start signal.


    ¡ºNo matter how rude your opponent is, you must pay the minimum respect as a person. If not, you are no different from your opponent.¡»- is what my mother taught me.


    After that, Bubble and I took our ces at the match start.


    ¡¸Are both participants ready? Well then, let the first match- START!¡¹


    At the same time as thementator announced the match start, me and Bubble pulled out our swords.


    I held the sword in front of my navel ¨C Seigan no Kamae.


    Whereas Bubble, raised his sword overhead.


    (Just how much has my sword grown over that billion years of hell¡­ I will ascertain it in this Sword Festival!)


    For that purpose, I can¡¯t be on the defensive.


    At the very least, I have to proactively attack from the front with my own swordsmanship.


    Therefore, this time, I decided to make the first move.


    I quickly swung the sword vertically from Seigan no kamae stance.


    ¡¸First Sword-Flying Shadow!¡¹


    It¡¯s a flying sh I¡¯ve honed for over a billion years of training.


    The power is modest, but it¡¯s quick to perform and can be shot while maintaining the distance, so it¡¯s perfect to test out your opponent.


    (Now¡­ how will you react¡­!?)


    Before the approaching sh, Bubble did not show any movement.


    (I see¡­ So he¡¯s going to wait till thest minute and then evade it with minimal movement)


    A rude guy but¡­ he far excels me in regards tobat.


    The very moment I thought that,


    ¡¸©`Nani!?¡¹


    Bubble was directly hit by the flying shadow on the bridge of his nose and was blown out of the stage.


    ¡¸¡­Eh?¡¹


    As I stiffened at this unexpected situation,


    ¡¸Wi-Winner! Allen Rodore!¡¹


    Thementator announced the result of the match loudly.


    A big fuss happened between the audience and the many swordsmen who heard this result.


    ¡¸Wh-What happened¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸For a moment, didn¡¯t it seem like an insanely fast moving ck object!?¡¹


    ¡¸Haa!? I didn¡¯t see anything like that!¡¹


    I was dumbfounded at how soon it ended.


    ¡¸N-No way.¡¹


    Perhaps I¡­ have be way stronger than I imagined.

 Chapter 5.1 - Dropout Swordsman and Swordsmanship Academy [3] – part 1

    5. Dropout Swordsman and Swordsmanship Academy [3] ¨C part 1


    Immediately following the end of the match between Allen and Bubble.


    The Sword Festival Management Committee had be noisy.


    That¡¯s because one of the Five Academy in the capital ¨C Thousand de Academy¡¯s President, Leia Lasnode, suddenly visited.


    ¡¸T-To show up all the way out here at our region¡¯s Sword Festival¡­! W-We are very grateful for your visit¡­!¡¹


    The elderly man who was in charge of the Sword Festival managed to express his gratitude in spite of his trembling.


    On the other hand, Leia scratched her cheek apologetically.


    ¡¸That is¡­ I don¡¯t really need a VIP seat, even a regr seat is fine¡­¡¹


    In fact this was her real intention.


    She came here as a spectator to observe the Sword Festival.


    She identally caught the attention of the managementmittee member and was brought to the VIP seat.


    ¡¸No, no! I can¡¯t do that! I¡¯m very sorry that I could only prepare this ce¡­!¡¹


    The man earnestly apologizes.


    There was of course a reason why he was so frightened.


    The president of one of the Five Academy has great social influence and power.


    If Leia¡¯s mood was displeased, the ¡ºSword Festival¡» itself will be easily ended.


    It was no wonder that the man, who is in charge of the Sword Festival, was so frightened.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t be so humble. This time, I came to observe the participants, rather than the Sword Festival.¡¹


    Leia then decided to give a little exnation to relieve the tension of the managementmittee member.


    She wanted to refrain from watching the matches in such a tense atmosphere.


    ¡¸Recently, I¡¯ve been searching for new students for the further development of Thousand de Academy. You can think of it as scouting.¡¹


    In the past, Thousand de Academy was a prosperous school, but in recent years the quality of students has declined, and it¡¯s status as one of the Five Academy was in jeopardy.


    The former president took responsibility for it and resigned, and Leia became the new president in the subsequent presidential election.


    She visited promising swordsmen from around the country to restore the school, and offered enrollment with exemption from tuition fees for such individuals.


    It is difficult to improve the quality of students instantly. Therefore, some super-excellent students were enrolled and partially improved the average quality.


    ¡¸I see¡­ So this time, you¡¯ve set your sights on the previous prize winner¡ºBounty Hunter¡»?¡¹


    The person in charge of the Sword Festival, who was slightly less nervous now, asked Leia.


    ¡¸Yes, of course. ¡ºBounty Hunter Rose-Valencia¡»- I wanted to confirm her abilities with my own eyes once¡¹


    If she were truly as strong as the rumors say, Leia will immediately propose a rmended admission.


    ¡¸Indeed¡­ I saw the bounty hunter fight for the first time at thest tournament¡­ The Secret Art of Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style! It was such a spine-chilling fight.¡¹


    ¡¸That sounds exciting ¨C However, I did note here to observe Rose alone.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Is that so?¡¹


    ¡¸By chance, I hope to find an undiscovered gem in this festival.¡¹


    Then, Leia turned her sharp inspecting gaze towards the stage.


    ¡ö


    After defeating Bubble with First Sword ¨C Flying Shadow, I continued to win every match.


    10 matches 10 wins ¨C I never dreamed that this would happen.


    After that, next is the final match where the winner is decided.


    Thementator started to announce when the final match preparations were ready.


    ¡¸Thank you for waiting! Then we will start the final match! Thebination is Rose-Valencia vs. Allen-Rodore! Both participants, please go on to the stage!¡¹


    Bounty Hunter Rose-Valencia.


    That name sounded familiar. A genius female swordsman of the same age as me.


    The overall winning prize money of a tournament was stolen.


    She found the culprit responsible for stealing the prize money, and handed him over to the Holy Knights.


    It¡¯s not clear what her objective is, but she¡¯s a swordsman who is reputed to be talented.


    I and Rose-san, both got onto the stage.


    She had a dignified look with red pupils and beautiful silver hair mixed with pink extending to her back. Her clothes were of ck theme with an ent of red, and from the stomach to the bottom of her chest was exposed. I was at a loss on where to look. And she wore low-rise shorts.


    I had been watching her matches from the side of the stage.


    With such a delicate body, she uses her sword skills to throw around big muscr men as thought they were beanbags, which was just stunning.


    After thementator confirmed we were both on stage, they gave a brief exnation as usual.


    ¡¸Rose-Valencia is the legitimate sessor of the secret art Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style! On the other hand, Allen is self-taught!¡¹


    Thementator after speaking to that extent, paused and took in a deep breath.


    ¡¸-However, I can confidently say! There is no longer anyone who would look down on Allen¡¯s self-taught sword!¡¹


    As thementator said, after my fight with Bubble, not a single person scoffed at me.


    It was rather the opposite now.


    If it wasn¡¯t my misunderstanding, some sort of respect was paid towards me.


    In fact, there were a lot of people who wanted to shake hands, and there were also a few who volunteered to be disciples.


    I responded to the handshakes, but I refused to take in disciples.


    I¡¯m still wet behind the ears.


    I¡¯m not in a position to teach the sword.


    Then, just before the match started, I bowed as usual.


    ¡¸Please treat me well.¡¹


    As I did,


    ¡¸Me too, treat me well.¡¹


    She answered with a clear voice that resounded like a bell.


    After each other¡¯s greeting,


    ¡¸Are both participants ready? Well then, final match ¡ª START!¡¹


    Thementator dered the match start.


    Simultaneously, Rose-san and I pulled out our sword, and assumed the Seigan no kamae stance.


    With the exact same stance, we faced-off with each other for a while.


    (Judging from previous battles, herbat style is a counter type.)


    A defensive sword that finds the slightest opening to exploit with one-strike certain kill while blocking the opponents attacks.


    Attacking recklessly without a n would be a poor move.


    (Should I shoot ¡ºFlying Shadow¡»and see how she responds to it¡­?)


    The moment when I decided my next move.


    ¡¸!?¡¹


    Rose-san appeared right before my nose tip.


    (She, matched my breathing¡­!?)


    In the small amount of time when I inhaled and blinked, she drew so close.


    It¡¯s a tremendously advanced bodywork.


    ¡¸Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style ¨C Sakura sh!¡¹


    She lowered her center of gravity firmly and unleashed a thrust containing her full body weight.


    However, my heart is not weak enough to be thrown into disarray by the sudden approach.


    ¡¸¨CHA!¡¹


    I greeted her with a thrust in the same direction as her aim towards my torso.


    As a result, the tips of both our swords collide and shed together.


    Iron and iron collided violently, and a high-pitched metallic sound reverberated.


    ¡¸No way!¡¹


    Due to the unexpected situation, Rose opened her eyes wide in shock, creating a slight opening.


    There is no way I¡¯m going to miss this opportunity.


    I immediately dropped my center of gravity and drove a thrust towards her chest instantly.


    ¡¸¨CSh!¡¹


    ¡¸!?¡¹


    My perfectly timed thrust ¨C just slightly grazed her nk.


    In that state where she waste by more than one breath, she forcibly twisted herself to avoid a direct hit.


    She must have put in extraordinary efforts together with her natural talent.


    ¡¸Kuh¡­ I¡¯m not done yet¡­!¡¹


    Rose was worried about her nk for a moment, and then immediately responded with a sh.


    ¡¸Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style ¨C Evening Sakura!¡¹


    After that, we crossed swords countless times.


    During that time, the venue was different and quieter than before.


    There was not a single cheer nor a boo.


    asionally they shared their impressions and just quietly watched our battle.


    ¡¸Oi Oi, that bounty hunter, Rose, is being treated like a child¡­¡¹


    ¡¸As expected, should I volunteer to be a disciple one more time¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Baka, don¡¯t cause any bother to him. Allen-san doesn¡¯t have the time to deal with the likes of you.¡¹


    After that, each time we crossed swords, fresh wounds umted on Rose-san¡¯s body.


    ¡¸HaaHaa¡­ Bastard, just where¡­ did you learn that sword from!?¡¹


    ¡¸No, like I said¡­ I¡¯m self-taught¡­¡¹


    Being self-taught is not something to be proud of.


    I hope you would stop bringing it up.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t lie! Your sword has the weight of countless years of trials and devotion umted in it!¡¹


    She turned a sharp eye on me and asserted clearly.


    (S-Sharp¡­)


    Certainly, my sword is packed with the weight of more than a billion years of time. The¡ºWeight¡»she felt is probably that.


    ¡¸¡­ That is just your imagination.¡¹


    I whispered while averting my eyes.


    To be honest, I don¡¯t want to talk about the 100 million years button.


    I mean, nobody would believe me even if I talked about it.


    Perhaps she was displeased with my answer,


    ¡¸I see¡­ so you¡¯re going to feign ignorance to the bitter end¡­¡¹


    Rose-san became a little sullen.


    ¡¸Alright then. We¡¯ll see how long you can keep up that facade¡­ As the 17th generation legitimate sessor of the secret art, Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style ¨C I will win this match.¡¹

 Chapter 5.2 - Dropout Swordsman and Swordsmanship Academy [3] – part 2

    Dropout Swordsman and Swordsmanship Academy [3] ¨C part 2


    At that moment, the air around Rose-san changed.


    It was as if she had be one with her sword.


    ¡¸Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style Secret Technique ¨C Mirrored Sakura sh!¡¹


    Four mirror strikes from the left and right respectively ¡ªan unstoppable eight-strike consecutive sh was unleashed.


    (!?)


    The technique which was elegant as the flurry of falling sakura blossoms ¨C captivated me for an instant.


    Eight furious shes drew ever closer in the meantime.


    However ¨C ultimately, it¡¯s nothing more than a ¡ºconsecutive attack¡».


    A small gap existed between each strike.


    I firmly grasped those gaps, and unleashed my own technique to unravel her secret technique.


    ¡¸Eighth Sword ¨C Yatagarasu¡¹1


    This is a technique of shing eight times with just one swing.


    Although it is the same¡ºEight¡», it is not a consecutive attack ¨C it literally cuts eight times¡ºSimultaneously¡».


    There was absolutely no gaps between each sh. A genuine¡ºEight sh with one stroke¡».


    Despite being dyed by more than one breath, my Yatagarasu tore into and devoured the Mirrored Sakura sh.


    ¡¸Impossible¡­!¡¹


    Rose, whose secret technique has been broken, exposed her defenseless body.


    ¡¸-This is the end¡¹


    Towards her body which was full of openings ¨C I unleashed a diagonal sh from her shoulder.


    ¡¸Ka¡­!¡¹


    She dropped to her knee, and slowly fell forward on the ground.


    Amidst the dead silence of the venue,


    ¡¸Wi-Winner! ALLEN ROOOODORRE!¡¹


    Thementator announced the oue.


    Simultaneously, the venue erupted into cheers.


    It was so very clearly ¨C praise towards me.


    Thus, I won at the Sword Festival, and I got arge sum of 100 thousand gold as the prize money.


    ¡ö


    Two days after the Sword Festival.


    As usual, when I was swinging the sword alone in the schoolyard, a broadcast rang out ¨C I was called to the principal¡¯s office.


    For some reason or another, I had a bad feeling about it.


    (¡­Perhaps, it is about that rumour?)


    That baseless rumour that I used a dark art and an underhanded method in the duel with Dodriel.


    In a sacred duel, such underhanded methods are strictly forbidden.


    Of course I didn¡¯t do that, but the academy might not care for it.


    (Haa¡­ I might finally be told to quit this academy¡­)


    Maybe Dodriel¡¯s house ¨C Baron Barton¡¯s House, put some pressure on the academy.


    (No, my grades are already at the very bottom of this academy in the first ce. I am at position where it wouldn¡¯t be odd to get expelled due to poor grades.)


    Perhaps, even if the duel with Dodriel didn¡¯t happen, I would have been sentenced to drop out eventually. The only difference is that it is happening sooner rather thanter.


    (Well, fortunately I attained the minimum strength thanks to the 100 million year button.)


    If I have enough strength to win the Sword Festival, I can enter into the local knights order.


    If I belong to the Knight¡¯s Order, I can get a stable pay.


    That way, I can make my mother in my hometown live an easy life.


    (I have that path open to me now¡­)


    When I was walking while thinking about that, I could see the principal¡¯s office ahead.


    When I knocked on the door, which was a little more exquisitepared to the ssrooms, and named myself.


    ¡¸Oh, Allen. I¡¯ve been waiting!¡¹


    The door was opened vigorously, and the vice-principal who seemed to be in a good mood popped out from inside.


    (Not only the principal, but also the vice-principal¡­)


    There is no doubt anymore.


    Unfortunately, it seems that I will be forced to leave today.


    ¡¸Oops, let¡¯s not talk over here. Please,e inside!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Excuse me¡¹


    When I entered the room ushered in by the vice-principal, the principal who seemed to be in a good mood greeted me.


    ¡¸Oh, Allen! I¡¯m d you came!¡¹


    ¡¸Th-Thanks.¡¹


    For some reason, both of them were in a good mood.


    Maybe¡­ they¡¯re d to be able to eliminate the academy¡¯s good-for-nothing.


    I sighed in my heart.


    ¡¸Actually¡­ you received an admission rmendation!¡¹


    The principal said something unexpected.


    ¡¸Admission rmendation¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes! From one of the prestigious Five Academy¡¯s ¨C Thousand de Academy!¡¹


    Thousand de Academy ¨C even I have heard of this academy. No, it is one of the famous swordsmanship academies in the capital that everyone knows.


    The Swordsmanship Academy is divided into three parts: Elementary School, Middle School, and High School. The Gran Swordsmanship Academy is a middle school where students from 13 to 15 years old attend. Thousand de Academy is a high school where people aged from 16 to 18 years old attend.


    ¡¸Our Gran Swordsmanship Academy, in the countryside, produced a student who got admitted to one of the Five Academy¡¯s. ¨CThis is a ridiculous feat!¡¹


    ¡¸The reason for Thousand de Academy to call out to Allen is unknown but¡­ at this point, it doesn¡¯t matter if it was a slip up or anything else! The important matter is that, a student from our academy was admitted into one of the Five Academy¡¯s!¡¹


    The principal and vice-principal talked with excitement throughout.


    ¡¸You did really well, Allen!¡¹


    ¡¸As expected of a student from my school! You achieved a great feat!¡¹


    Both of them grasped my hands and shoulders,


    ¡¸Ha, Haa¡­¡¹


    I could only respond with a half-hearted reply.


    ¡¸Nevertheless, as expected of Allen! The truth is, I always had high hopes for you!¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s right! You should read the graduation speech as the graduate representative! Of course, you will be given the top marks!¡¹


    Then they praised me eagerly and passionately non-stop.


    I looked at them with cold eyes.


    (Even though they neglected the bullying towards me until now¡­ they changed their attitudes at the exact moment the admission rmendation came in from Thousand de Academy¡­)


    Both of them wanted to get me into Thousand de Academy by all means it seems.


    This Gran Swordsmanship Academy would probably get some¡ºprestige¡»out of it.


    However, what to do with this admission rmendation is not something that I can decide on my own.


    ¡¸-I am sorry. I need to think about it a little.¡¹


    And the moment I conveyed my intentions.


    ¡¸W-What do you mean by thinking?¡¹


    ¡¸Is it about epting the admission rmendation!?¡¹


    The look in the eyes of the two changed.


    ¡¸To go to Thousand de Academy, or belong to the Knights Order as a holy knight, or to ept requests from the masses as a magic swordsman¡­ ¨C To be frank, I haven¡¯t decided yet.¡¹


    Exactly.


    This choice is very important as it would dictate my path in the future.


    ¡¸My mother back in my hometown ¨C I need to discuss with my mother before I can give you an answer.¡¹


    I should return to my hometown and talk to my mother before giving an answer.


    ¡¸How foolish! Are you going to waste the chance to get into that prestigious Thousand de Academy!?¡¹


    ¡¸If you graduate from one of the Five Academy of the capital, you can be a Senior Holy Knight! A bright career is waiting for you!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I am sorry. I¡¯m still not sure about what to do.¡¹


    Even after that, they persistently tried to send me to Thousand de Academy- I never gave into the persuasions.


    In the end, the two people who lost their patience ended up saying ¡¸I¡¯m waiting for a good answer¡¹and ended the topic for now.


    ¡¸¡­Excuse me.¡¹


    And when I exited the room¡­ perhaps they were called in by the principal. Or they heard the earlier broadcast. A great number of teachers gathered in front of the Principal Office.


    ¡¸Allen! As I expected, you definitely have talent! How would you like to learn my Amaterasu Style?¡¹


    ¡¸No no! My Vacuum Style best suits him. How about it, Allen-kun? I can specially prepare the post of vice-instructor for you!¡¹


    ¡¸Just what are you guys saying!? Monsoon Style is most suitable for an excellent swordsman like Allen-kun!¡¹


    Apparently, the news that I had an admission rmendation from Thousand de Academy has already been spread among the teachers.


    Three years ago ¨C when I was a first-year student, I requested the teachers¡¸Please ept me into your school!¡¹, they refused me inly.


    Usually, if I asked swordsmanship questions, they would ignore me with an annoyed look¡­ but now.


    (I wonder if this is the so-called¡ºto be a chameleon¡»¡­)


    Of course, I didn¡¯t feel like belonging to the schools of such terrible teachers.


    Perhaps these people are soliciting me eagerly to advertise that¡¸A student from our school has advanced to that prestigious Thousand de Academy.¡¹


    In other words, I¡¯m only a means to attract customers.


    ¡¸¡­I¡¯m sorry, excuse me.¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, wait Allen-kun! At least listen first!¡¹


    Then I walked quickly through the crowd of teachers and went home alone.


    (Haa¡­¡­ For the time being, I have to go home this weekend and discuss with my mother.)


    Even so¡­ today, I feel like I¡¯ve been exposed to the dirty nature of humans.


    Mother and Pa-san ¡ª thinking about people like them who are decent, purified my impressions.


    Then I went back to the dormitory for the time being.

 Chapter 6.1 - Dropout Swordsman and Swordsmanship Academy [4] – part 1

    6. Dropout Swordsman and Swordsmanship Academy [4] ¨C part 1


    A few days have passed since I heard about the admission rmendation.


    Today and tomorrow the academy is closed, so I decided to go visit my mother who lives in Goza vige.


    Morning preparation and breakfast have already beenpleted.


    All I have to do is leave with my luggage.


    ¡¸OK ¨C well then, I¡¯m off.¡¹


    When I said so from the entrance of the dormitory, Pa-san turned towards me from the cafeteria.


    ¡¸Did you forget anything? Have you taken the souvenirs?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, perfectly.¡¹


    The rice crackers and mochi purchased at the street stall yesterday are carefully wrapped in a cloth borrowed from Pa-san.


    ¡¸I see. Take care on your way!¡¹


    ¡¸Yes!¡¹


    I bowed and left the dormitory.


    By the way, at the entrance of the dormitory, the trophy of the Sword Festival was gracefully disyed¡­ and I felt slightly embarrassed.


    After leaving the dormitory, I went down south of the long beast road to Goza vige.


    After trotting for 3 hours, Goza vige finally came into sight.


    Houses with thatched roofs were evenly spaced, with vast pastures and fields around them. It was a very small vige with a total poption of perhaps less than 100 people.


    ¡¸It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve been back here¡­¡¹


    Even after deducting the billion years spent in that different world, it is the first time in three years I¡¯m returning to this vige.


    While I was immersed in nostalgia,


    ¡¸Ehh! Aren¡¯t yer Allen!?¡¹


    I heard a hoarse southern ent of an old man from the back.


    As I turned around, it was the bamboo geezer, who used to y with me with bamboo stilts.


    ¡¸Bamboo geezer! Long time no see!¡¹


    ¡¸Heeey there, yer grew so big in the small time time y¡¯were gone-!¡¹


    Goza vige, located in the southern part of the continent, has a very strong southern ent.


    ¡¸Ahahaha, that is because I¡¯m still in my growing period.¡¹


    After that, I reminisced about the past together with him.


    ¡¸Oh-ops! Rather than talking with me, quickly go to Rodore-san! She hav¡¯ been feelin¡¯ down er¡¯ since yer left.¡¹


    ¡¸Understood. I¡¯ll see youter, bamboo geezer.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeeah,e show yer face at me ceter!¡¹


    ¡¸Of course!¡¹


    Then I parted with the bamboo geezer and walked for a while on the path with the smell of livestock ¨C and finally found my home.


    ¡¸Uwaah¡­ it¡¯s been so long.¡¹


    The house hasn¡¯t changed at all since I left 3 years ago. It¡¯s exactly the same.


    I opened the old worn out door that was not locked, sideways.


    ¡¸Mother, I¡¯m home.¡¹


    As I called out, I heard a running noise from the back of the house.


    And,


    ¡¸A-Allen!?¡¹


    My mother, with a pot lid in one hand, appeared with glistening eyes.


    She must have been in the middle of preparing dinner.


    ¡¸Un, I¡¯m home, mother.¡¹


    ¡¸Aah¡­ ye¡¯ve grown so big!¡¹


    Saying that, mother opened her hands wide and hugged me tightly.


    ¡¸It¡¯s ben¡¯ so long! Are yer doing fine!?¡¹


    ¡¸Un, as you can see, I¡¯m doing fine.¡¹


    ¡¸d to hear that! Look at me, talkin¡¯ while standin¡¯, sit down first.¡¹


    ¡¸Un.¡¹


    Then I sat at the dining table stool and talked about various stories with my mother who was preparing dinner.


    And when my mom put a lid on the pan and became a little freed up, I decided to bring up the main subject.


    ¡¸¡­¡­Mother, can I discuss something important with you?¡¹


    ¡¸What appened¡¯? ¡­suddenly bein¡¯ so serious.¡¹


    ¡¸Un, about that-¡¹


    Then I talked to my mother about the most troublesome subject, my career choice.


    I am currently in my third year and am worried about my future career.


    There are three choices: holy knight, magic swordsman, and advancing to Thousand de Academy.


    The pros and cons of choosing each of them.


    Afterpleting the rough exnation of the current situation, she shrugged her shoulders disappointedly.


    ¡¸That was al¡¯¡­ When ye said¡ºImportant matter¡», I had thought it would be somethin¡¯ crucial¡­ To think ye were worried over somethin¡¯ so simple¡­¡¹


    ¡¸N-No¡­ this isn¡¯t something so simple©`¡¹


    ¡¸-Ye want to go to Thousand de Academy, right?¡¹


    ¡¸How¡­ did you know?¡¹


    My hopes. thoughts, and feelings ¨C Although, I haven¡¯t put any of them into words, my mother hit the bullseye on them.


    ¡¸Ye shouldn¡¯t underestimate yer parent. Allen loved swingin¡¯ the sword ever since he was little. I could easily see that ye wanted to go to Thousand de Academy.¡¹


    As I became silent, my mother gently told me.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t worry about me. Allen, ye just live yer life the way ye want. I will always cheer ye from the sidelines as ye walk yer path. However, ye must only die after me, even if it is only one secondter. That is the best filial piety ye can show.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Understood. Thank you, mother.¡¹


    As I thanked, mother smiled brightly.


    ¡¸Okay, let¡¯s eat the steamed rice! Today I made plenty of stew that ye liked!¡¹


    My mother poured the freshly made stew into a wooden dish.


    Stew with big potatoes mixed in.


    A stew that only makes its appearance for my birthday ¨C a special menu of my home.


    ¡¸It¡¯s delicious¡­ so delicious¡­!¡¹


    I ate mother¡¯s stew for the first time in over a billion years ¡ª it was so delicious.


    ¡¸I see, I see! There is plenty, so don¡¯t be shy and eat a lot!¡¹


    After eating a lot of mother¡¯s special stew until I was satisfied, I got in to the dear old steam bath..


    At any rate¡­


    ¡¸Mother¡­ has gotten older¡­¡¹


    Seeing mother after a long time, she seemed considerably old.


    (Considering she will be 50 years old this year, it might be normal aging¡­)


    There were a lot of fine wrinkles on her face and grey hair had increased, and I felt that she had gotten shorter.


    ¡¸¡­I have to study hard at Thousand de Academy and be a good swordsman quickly.¡¹


    And then I have to make a lot of money and make my mother have afortable life.


    I renewed my resolve, and I released my exhaustion in the bath.


    ¡ö


    Immediately after Allen headed to the bathroom, the voice of an old man rang out from the dining table where only Dahlia Rodore should have been.


    ¡¸Hohoho! This stew, how delicious it is!¡¹


    There was an elder man with a bent waist ¨C the hermit of time.


    He came out of nowhere, while holding the stew dish and spoon in his hand.


    ¡¸¡­I thought it might be you, seeing as how the seal has loosened¡­ hermit of time¡¹


    The peculiarity of the southern ent disappeared, and the one who was speaking in fluent standardnguage was, Allen¡¯s mother, Dahlia Rodore.


    ¡¸Even so, you concealed it really well¡­ It was bone breakingly hard to locate.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, If that¡¯s the case, should I break another one?¡¹


    Dahlia suddenly appeared behind the hermit of time and brought down her fist on his head.


    However, the hermit of the time avoided that blow easily by making himself transparent.


    Dahlia¡¯s fist flew through the air and just smashed a wooden chair into smithereens.


    ¡¸Hoho! How scary, scary!¡¹


    The hermit of time with enough time to spare, threw a big potato into his mouth.


    ¡¸Hohoho! Such a delicious meal after a long time. Then, we shall meet again somewhere else.¡¹


    After saying that, he suddenly vanished like mist.


    ¡¸¡­Tch, he escaped.¡¹


    At that time when Dahlia was irritated and clicked her tongue.


    ¡¸Oi, that presence just now, was it him!?¡¹


    The entrance of the Rodore house opened, and bamboo geezer appeared.


    He was also using fluent standardnguage.


    ¡¸You werete. The hermit of time escaped a long time ago.¡¹


    ¡¸Kuh¡­ so that means¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa¡­ it seems that the 100 million years button has been used¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Shit¡­ damn!¡¹


    A grave air surrounds the two.


    ¡¸Hey, Dahlia¡­ How was the hermit of time able to capture Allen? The seal should have been perfect.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Perhaps there was something that shook Allen¡¯s feelings strongly. I was relieved when I read in the letter that he was enjoying academy life, but¡­¡¹


    Allen has never told Dahlia that he was bullied at the academy. It¡¯s not because he doesn¡¯t trust his mother, but because he just doesn¡¯t want to worry her.


    ¡¸Anyway, the hermit of time seems to want to get in our way¡­¡¹


    Dahlia gritted her teeth, while clenching her fist tightly.


    ¡¸But this time, I won¡¯t let you do as you wish¡­¡¹


    Later, bamboo geezer returned to his home, and Dahlia took the broken chair to the garbage dump outside.

 Chapter 6.2 - Failed Swordsman and Swordsmanship Academy [4] – part 2

    . Failed Swordsman and Swordsmanship Academy [4] ¨C part 2


    After returning to my hometown of Goza vige and consulting with my mother, I decided to receive the rmended admission from Thousand de Academy.


    But there was something unexpected here.


    I thought that by epting the rmended admission, I would be automatically treated the same as a passing candidate, but it seems that this is not the case.


    Written and practical tests at the time of admission are exempted, but it seems that I definitely must attend an interview for eligibility examination.


    I was very anxious, but I was a little relieved because the principal and vice-principal were saying¡¸I have never heard the story of someone being dropped in an interview.¡¹


    And today is the day of the Thousand de Academy interview.


    Because there was no specific dress code, I decided to attend in the uniform of Gran Swordsmanship Academy.


    ¡¸Even so¡­ there is a ridiculous amount of people¡­¡¹


    For the first time in my life, I stepped on the capital of this country ¨C Orest.


    Despite being astounded by the surprisingly heavy traffic of people and high-rise buildings, I managed to get to the main gate of Thousand de Academy.


    ¡¸Fuu¡­ I finally made it.¡¹


    Fifteen minutes before the scheduled interview time. Just about time.


    I showed the person guarding the main gate my admission ticket, and he let me enter.


    The interview venue is on the third floor of the third academy building ¨C the reception room at the back.


    (The third academy building¡­ should be this building.)


    The moment I entered the building, climbed the stairs and arrived on the third floor ¨C I took a step back.


    (Se-Seriously¡­?)


    There were many students preparing for the exam there.


    Perhaps they are not the rmended admission group, but the general entrance examination group.


    I didn¡¯t expect it to be on the same day, so I was a little surprised.


    After that, I waited quietly for my name to be called.


    ¡¸Examinee Number 1723, Allen-Rodore, please enter as soon as possible. I repeat. Examinee Number 1723, Allen-Rodore-¡¹


    The in-house broadcast rang out.


    I immediately stood up, moved to the reception room at the end of the hallway, knocked and opened the door.


    ¡¸Excuse me¡¹


    There were three interviewers sitting in the room, and a stool was ced opposite them.


    The interview started as soon as I sat there.


    ¡¸The interview willmence now. First, tell us your examinee number and name.¡¹


    ¡¸Examinee number 1723, Allen Rodore.¡¹


    As soon as I answered, another interviewer asked a question.


    ¡¸Next, please tell us your strengths¡¹


    ¡¸My strength¡­ is surely my perseverance¡¹


    That was the first thing that came to my mind as one of my strengths.


    ¡¸Perseverance, is it? To what level would you say it is?¡¹


    ¡¸Let¡¯s see¡­ it¡¯s at the level where I can continue swinging the sword for more than a billion years.¡¹


    ¡¸Well, a billion years, is it¡­? That¡¯s¡­ tremendously long¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, It truly was a tremendous experience¡¹


    That was an earth-shattering experience. If I was asked¡¸Would you do it again?¡¹, that would certainly be distressful.


    ¡¸So, what are your weaknesses?¡¹


    ¡¸My weak point¡­, My weak point is¡­ being rash. At that time, if I had acted a little more calmly ¡­ No, this is nothing more than a what if. And I don¡¯t regret my actions at that time.¡¹


    Yes, at that time-I pressed the 100 million years button without any thoughts. This is both an advantage and a disadvantage.


    ¡¸Ha, haa¡­ at that time, you say¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    The interviewer was silent, perhaps he was thinking about the next question.


    ¡¸E-Err¡­, well then, let¡¯s continue. Please tell us the school you belong to. and, if possible, please demonstrate one of your special techniques on the dummy installed behind you.¡¹


    ¡¸As for my school¡­ although it is embarrassing to admit, I am self-taught. But I do have a number of techniques, so I can demonstrate one of them.¡¹


    I stood up, and drew my sword.


    And then,


    ¡¸Eighth Sword ¨C Yatagarasu!¡¹


    I sessfully divided the dummy into eight equal parts.


    This is not a special technique, but I chose it simply because it looks good.


    ¡¸WHA!?¡¹


    ¡¸The sh, split into eight parts¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸And¡­ such a clean cut¡­!?¡¹


    The three interviewers reacted in three different ways.


    I suppose I did good.


    (Hell yeah, choosing Yatagarasu was the correct option.)


    So when I sheath my sword back in its scabbard and sat on the round stool again,


    ¡¸T-Thank you very much. This concludes the interview. A few dayster, we will send you the results in an envelope, please confirm at that time. Well then, take care on your way back.¡¹


    The interview was finished sessfully.


    ¡¸Then, excuse me.¡¹


    After I thanked them for thest time, I left Thousand de Academy after leaving the reception room.


    ¡¸Fuuuu¡­¡¹


    I was a little nervous.


    However, I was able to answer satisfactorily from start to finish.


    I did not make any mistakes either.


    Also, thest demonstration was a good touch.


    (For now, I will definitely pass.)


    With a solid feedback, I went home to Pa-san¡¯s dormitory.


    ¡ö


    In the interview room after Allen left, a subtle atmosphere drifted.


    ¡¸¡­He was quite the odd student. I didn¡¯t understand anything he said. Although it is a rmendation ¡­ Is it really okay to give him a pass?¡¹


    ¡¸Certainly, he didn¡¯t make any sense¡­ However, he is a student who the president wanted to directly rmend admission for¡­ As expected, it¡¯s not at our discretion¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, and he was also self-taught¡­ With the right teacher, that boy will definitely transform ¡­Honestly though, I didn¡¯t understand a single word he said.¡¹


    The interviewer¡¯s agreement were perfectly consistent, that they didn¡¯t understand what Allen was saying.


    ¡ö


    A few days after the interview, I received an envelope from Thousand de Academy.


    Since it arrived at this time, it is definitely about the passing result.


    Was I able to pass safely ¨C To be honest, my heart was throbbing.


    ¡¸Fuuu¡­¡¹


    After taking a deep breath several times, I unsealed the envelope slowly so as not to tear the contents.


    There was arge piece of paper inside, and there was a word written with huge font.


    ¡¸¡­Pass¡¹


    That¡¯s right, I passed.


    ¡¸YEAH!¡¹


    I would naturally get admitted because it was a rmended admission, but still I was happy.


    (It¡¯s really true that I get to attend that prestigious Thousand de Academy¡­ it feels like a dream!)


    Just a month ago, I was ridiculed as Dropout Swordsman ¨C I was worried for my future.


    And a few monthster ¨C it¡¯s finally time to say goodbye.


    I gathered all my luggage and bowed deeply to Pa-san who came to see me off at the entrance.


    ¡¸Pa-san, I am truly indebted to you for these three years.¡¹


    Yes.


    I¡¯m going to say goodbye to Pa-san and this dormitory where I¡¯ve been living for three years.


    The daily round trip from this dormitory to Thousand de Academy would be a painstaking routine.


    In the first ce, Thousand de Academy has it own dormitory system, thus I can¡¯t live in a general dormitory without a special reason.


    ¡¸Haa¡­ you truly exaggerate every single thing. This isn¡¯t our final farewell, you should leave with a little more bang.¡¹


    Although Pa-san said that, I wanted to properly convey my words of gratitude.


    ¡¸Truly, no amount of gratitude will be enough. You gave me a shelter when I was broke penniless, came to wake me up every morning, made delicious rice, consoled me when I was in trouble, told a lot of fun stories ¨C anyway, Thank you so much for all the happy moments¡­!¡¹


    Pa-san became teary-eyed.


    ¡¸Oh, no, I¡­! Old age has loosened up my tear nds it seems¡­!¡¹


    Saying that, Pa-san rubbed her eyes with both hands.


    ¡¸-Fine. Come here whenever you feel hungry! I will give you as much food as you want!¡¹


    ¡¸Yes! I will definitelye to eat your cooking again!¡¹


    Her dishes are a superb piece of work.


    I will never forget those stimting and hearty dishes.


    ¡¸Well then, I¡¯ll be leaving now.¡¹


    ¡¸I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s called the Thousand de Academy or Ten Thousand de Academy ¨C but make sure to reach the summit!¡¹


    ¡¸Yes!¡¹


    In this way, the Dropout Swordsman Allen-Rodore of Gran Swordsmanship Academy sessfully graduated, and from tomorrow onwards became ¨C Swordsman Allen-Rodore of Thousand de Academy.

 Chapter 7.1 - Black-And-White Princess and Soul Dress [1] – part 1

    7. ck-And-White Princess and Soul Dress [1] ¨C part 1


    After bidding farewell to Pa-san, I headed for Thousand de Academy¡¯s dormitory.


    The key to the dormitory has been mailed by the academy during the admission process, so it is already in my pocket.


    ¡¸Now then ¨C I¡¯ming in.¡¹


    I know there isn¡¯t anyone here ¨C but I always end up saying it when going home.


    ¡¸Oh, it¡¯s much wider than I thought.¡¹


    It was one room of six tatami mat size.


    The room isrge enough to livefortably alone.


    The toilet was foreign styled and very beautiful, and the bath wasrge enough to extend my legs.


    In addition, basic appliances such as a refrigerator and washing machine were already installed.


    Also the location of the dorm is great.


    This dormitory is located in Thousand de Academy, so I can go to ss easily.


    ¡¸This is more than satisfactory.¡¹


    As expected of one of the Five Academy¡¯s ¨C Thousand de Academy.


    They certainly have tremendous financial power because these rooms are prepared for all the students of this academy.


    ¡¸Well then, shall I change my clothes?¡¹


    From within the wrapped clothes, I took out the Thousand de Academy uniform and changed into it,


    And then, I checked my appearance in front of the dresser.


    ¡¸Yoshi, perfect.¡¹


    Thousand de Academy uniform was a mixture of ck and white.


    I¡¯m told ck symbolizes the sheath and white symbolizes the de.


    By the way, the academy uniform for girls is a short skirt that emphasizes ease of movement.


    They haven¡¯t changed the design for hundreds of years, it was a tradition and formality ¨C I remember it being written on the pamphlet.


    Personally, I like the pattern of sword crosses on both shoulders.


    ¡¸Now¡­ it¡¯s still a little early, but shall I get going soon?¡¹


    The entrance ceremony begins in fifteen minutes.


    I left a little early, but if I walk slowly while looking at the school building and the surrounding buildings, I should arrive at the right time.


    After that, on the way to the gymnasium where the entrance ceremony was held.


    I overheard what the two girls walking in front of me were talking about.


    ¡¸Hey, did you hear? There were three people who passed the exam through rmended admissions!¡¹


    ¡¸I heard that too. That¡¯s so unfair. Because they entered the academy with just an interview, without going through that extremely difficult test.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s true! They definitely came in here through dirty connections!¡¹


    ¡­¡­From that story, it seems better not to reveal that I am a rmended enrollee.


    I want to spend my life in Thousand de Academy in a quiet and peaceful manner as an ordinary student¨Cjust quietly swinging my sword.


    The three years at the Gran Swordsmanship Academy were really terrible.


    I didn¡¯t belong to any school until I graduated from the academy, and I¡¯ve been bullied for a long time, so I don¡¯t even have any friends.


    I absolutely don¡¯t want to go through that dark period again.


    I want to learn a lot, train a lot, make friends normally, and sometimes y with everyone in the ss ¨C living an ordinary student life.


    (¡­It will be alright. If I don¡¯t identally slip my mouth, they¡¯ll never know that I¡¯m a rmended student.)


    Anyway, I was lucky.


    If I hadn¡¯t listened to this story, I might have let slip about being a rmended admission during the flow of a conversation.


    To be able to avoid it is honestly quite lucky for me.


    (Yeah, I feel like today¡¯s flow is really good.)


    Then I headed to the gymnasium in a good mood.


    Several teachers stood in front of the gymnasium, and were guiding the new students into the gymnasium.


    I joined in with the line of people before me and entered the gymnasium.


    There is something like a sheetid out on the floor.


    Inside the gymnasium, there were many simple ceremony chairs lined up.


    Apparently there seems to be no seat assignment, and the teachers are organizing the new students saying, ¡¸Seat in order from the front.¡¹


    I walked along the flow of people and sat down in the middle of the front row.


    Since I was at the very front, I could see the stage of the gymnasium clearly.


    An advantageous seating position.


    I then patiently waited for the entrance ceremony to start.


    Then, an advanced-aged teacher climbed onto the stage and started testing the microphone.


    The entrance ceremony seemed to begin atst.


    The aged man who climbed onto the stage, looked to be the vice-principal, stating that the ceremony will proceed with a simple opening speech.


    ¡¸And¡­ next is the ceremonial address from the president. ¨C Thank you, President.¡¹


    Then a female teacher started walking to the center of the stage.


    ¡¸Good morning everyone. My name is Leia Lasnode, and I am the president of this academy. Pleased to make your acquaintance from here on out.¡¹


    Leia bowed in a beautiful posture. She was an extremely beautiful young woman.


    Glossy ck hair that extends to the back. Long slit eyes. Tall and very stylish.


    Wearing a tight ck suit, with a matching ck tie. Tight ck gloves on both hands.


    She seemed like a person who can get things done.


    No, since she became the president of one of the Five Academy¡¯s at such a young age, I¡¯m sure she¡¯s actually an excellent person.


    Her actual age is unknown, but judging from the looks, she seemed to be in her twenties.


    Then, the president raised her head slowly and spoke again.


    ¡¸Congrattions to all the new students!¡¹


    The president, who read a long ceremony speech, then began to talk about the current situation of the school.


    ¡¸As you already know, our academy has been in a difficult situation in recent years. We can already hear rumours and fears that the Five Academy¡¯s will be the Four Academy¡¯s if we keep it as it is.¡¹


    Then she further added.


    ¡¸So we made a major reform this year. We renewed the teachers who had problems, including the former president, and introduced a rmended admission system to secure excellent human resources from this year. And this time ¨C I was very thankful that I seeded in securing three rmended students. These students are all the swordsmen that I have judged to be¡ºtranscendent¡» in my eyes.¡¹


    While listening to the story silently, I had a bad feeling.


    Should I say as expected or else, because the president said the unthinkable.


    ¡¸Then, the three students who have been enrolled through the rmended admission: Ria Vesteria, Rose Valencia, and Allen Rodore pleasee up to the stage.¡¹


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­I¡¯m done for.


    The peaceful and safe student life I sought, disappeared like mist with just a single word from the president.


    The surrounding students looked around to see the rmended enrollees, and the entire gymnasium became noisy in an instant.


    (¡­I wonder if I can just sit like this and hide away?)


    Such a wicked thought crossed my mind for a moment, but Leia-sensei was beckoning while looking straight at me, so I gave up on it.


    Then, when I moved up to the stage, there was a face I knew in front of me.


    A dignified face featuring red eyes and beautiful pinkish silver hair extending to the back.


    ¡¸Ro-Rose-san¡­!?¡¹


    Rose-Valencia: Sakura Blossom One Sword-style user who fought in the finals of the Sword Festival.


    She recognised me and raised her right hand to greet me.


    ¡¸It¡¯s been a while, Allen.¡¹


    ¡¸W-Why are you here!?¡¹


    ¡¸Nn? Obviously to pursue you¡­ oops, we¡¯re still in the middle of the ceremony. Let¡¯s talkter.¡¹


    She shuts her mouth and I followed suite.


    ¡¸Now, from the right, please introduce yourself one by one in order. Please give us your name, school, and a simple word at the end.¡¹


    The president handed the mic over to Ria.


    As she stepped forward, she opened her mouth with a bold posture.


    ¡¸Everyone, I am d to meet you. My name is Ria Vesteria. I came from the neighboring Vesteria Kingdom to study abroad here. My affiliated school is the, High King Style. Although I am royalty, in this academy, I am a student like everyone else. I hope to get along well with everyone.¡¹


    She said that and gentlyughed.


    Ria-Vesteria. She was a gentle person with long and beautiful golden hair tied into twin tails with wine-red coloured ribbons. She was like a princess who jumped straight out of a story, withrge clear eyes and snow-white skin.


    Although I was a little surprised that she was a princess of the neighboring country, she had a dignified aura surrounding her that was convincing.


    Then, the new student¡¯s who heard about Ria¡¯s self-introduction began to mour.


    ¡¸By Ria-sama¡­ you mean the same person who won the Sword Festival at the age of five!?¡¹


    ¡¸An amazing person just became our ssmate¡­¡¹


    ¡¸W-Well¡­ she is a rmended admission after all. They would have to be at this level at the very least¡¹


    Then Ria lowered her head and a big apuse erupted from all over the gymnasium.


    ¡¸Thank you very much. Next, Rose, please take the stage.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes¡¹


    Then, Rose also stepped forward and cleared her throat.


    (¡­Why is Rose-san enrolled at Thousand de Academy in the first ce?)


    She never even attended the middle school of swordsmanship¡­


    When I was thinking about that, she started introducing herself.


    ¡¸I am Rose-Valencia. My school is Sakura Blossom One-Sword style. Pleased to make your acquaintance.¡¹


    It was a very simple self-introduction, but the impact on freshmen was great.


    ¡¸Ro-Rose Valencia is that ¡ºBounty Hunter¡»!?¡¹


    ¡¸Terrifying ones keep appearing one after the other¡­ Thousand de Academy is going all out this year¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸The legendary Sakura Blossom One-Sword style which is said to be passed down from father to child. I want to witness it at least once with my own eyes!¡¹


    Then, when Rose-san bowed, the same apuse as before erupted.


    ¡¸Thank you very much. Well then, thest one is Allen, please take the stage.¡¹

 Chapter 7.2 - Black-And-White Princess and Soul Dress [1] – part 2

    7. ck-And-White Princess and Soul Dress [1] ¨C part 2


    I was handed the mic by the president ¨C I was honestly at a loss.


    (I was given this baton after the previous two super big names¡­ What should I do?)


    I was already crying in my heart.


    But, I can¡¯t run away here.


    If I ran away with my tail between my legs like this, I won¡¯t be able to go to the academy after today.


    I squeezed out as much courage as possible and took a step forward.


    At that moment, the gazes full of expectations from the new students pierced my chest like an arrow.


    I steel myself and started to introduce myself.


    ¡¸Well, Uh¡­ Ie from the Gran Swordsmanship Academy and am called Allen Rodore. My affiliated school is, well¡­ self-taught. I want to do my best this year.¡¹


    The moment I closed my mouth, the gymnasium was dead silent.


    About ten seconds after that, the new students began to fuss up all at once.


    ¡¸¡­Hey, Oi¡­ Just now, that guy¡­ didn¡¯t he say he was self-taught?¡¹


    ¡¸How can he say that without any shame¡­ Just how thick-skinned is this guy¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I mean, where is even the Gran Swordsmanship Academy? I have never heard of such an academy.¡¹


    ¡¸He has a hopeless look¡­ Can he even hold a sword properly?¡¹


    ¡¸The two from before made sense to be a rmended admission¡­ but this person is a little¡­ how do I say?¡¹


    ¡¸This is called buying one¡¯s way into the academy¡­ the worst!¡¹¡¹


    With just one introduction, my likability seems to have dropped to the bottom of the earth.


    When I bowed my head, only Leia¡¯s apuse reverberated in therge gymnasium.


    Farewell my ordinary academy life


    Hello hellish academy life.


    I gritted my teeth tightly so that my tears would not overflow.


    To be honest, I wanted to run straight back to the dormitory where Pa-san was, or to Goza vige where my mother was.


    ¡¸Now today¡¯s entrance ceremony ends with this. Everyone can move around freely as you please after this. Thank you for your kind attention from the start.¡¹


    The entrance ceremony, which turned into hell, finally ended.


    ¡ö


    As soon as the entrance ceremony was over, I left the spot quickly.


    I felt like I could hear a voice calling me for a moment¡­ but it was probably my imagination.


    ¡¸Nevertheless, what is up with the president¡­¡¹


    That was cruel ¨C overdoing it.


    I alone waspletely humiliated.


    That¡¯s¡­ not a humane action.


    (Rather, why did she choose me as a rmended admission¡­)


    I walked alone in the forest on the academy grounds, while sighing.


    On the paved road just a little away from here, I could hear the new students happily making friends.


    (¡­lucky for them)


    I¡¯m sure they will enjoy a pleasant student life for the next three years.


    With that in mind, I went deeper into the thick forest.


    After going through the forest for a while, I arrived at an empty wide spot.


    ¡¸¡­I guess this will do¡¹


    I decided to swing my sword alone in the forest away from the training grounds.


    (¡­I feel lonely)


    The swings that should have always been fun were, for some reason, very heavy today.


    My sword, heart, and soul ©` were crying.


    Even in such a tough situation, I kept swinging my sword.


    ¡ºEffort will definitely bear fruit¡»©`because that is what mother always told me.


    After that, I kept swinging my sword for a few hours.


    The sun had already set in the west, and the moonlight dimly lit the surroundings.


    ¡¸-Yoshi, I should return now.¡¹


    The sses will start tomorrow, so it¡¯s a good idea to stop here today.


    ¡¸Oh, right. Shall I go to therge public bath on the way?¡¹


    I decided to take a little bolder action, because my mind was calmed a little by swinging.


    ¡¸Hmm, therge public bath¡­ should be this way¡¹


    I headed to therge public bath by relying on the academy map that was in my chest pocket.


    After walking for a while,


    ¡¸Ah¡­ it¡¯s here.¡¹


    I found arge building with a signboard that read¡ºLarge Public Bath¡».


    After going through the elegant curtain hung at the entrance, and opening the men¡¯s changing room door ¨C Ria Vesteria-san was in her underwear.


    ¡¸¡­!?¡¹


    She just unhooked the brassiere, and I saw a fleeting nce of the thing that should never be seen.


    Ria-san¡¯s face and white skin became reddish with every passing second.


    ¡¸So-Sorry¡­!¡¹


    I apologized and shut the changing room door tightly.


    Due to the strange throbbing in my heart and the heavy feeling of guilt, I wasn¡¯t sure about what to do.


    From the other side of the door, I heard swift ruffling of clothes.


    Somehow it felt like a sound that I shouldn¡¯t hear, thus I plugged my ears promptly.


    While I was standing like a stone statue, the changing room door slowly opened.


    Ria-san, who was dressed in school uniform, looked at me and said.


    ¡¸©`I challenge you to a duel.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Eh?¡¹


    ¡¸I am challenging you to a duel. Will you not ept?¡¹


    She was putting tremendous pressure on me to ept the challenge.


    I have never seen such a frightening smile in my life.


    ¡¸E-Err¡­ I don¡¯t mind but¡­ what about the conditions?¡¹


    ¡¸Let¡¯s see. The loser has to be the ve of the winner ¨C how does that sound?¡¹


    She presented such a ridiculous condition with an innocent looking-smile.


    ¡¸S-ve!? That is too heavy a penalty-¡¹


    The moment I voiced out my objection.


    She hits the wall right next to me and brought her doll-like face closer.


    ¡¸-Do you ept, or do you not?¡¹


    She whispered in my ear with a cold voice that sent chills down my spine.


    She ced a knee between my thighs, so I couldn¡¯t escape even if I wanted to.


    ¡¸So¡­ what will you do?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I ept.¡¹


    The big question still remains as to why she was getting dressed in the men¡¯s changing room¡­ Anyway, it was my fault for seeing it.


    I reluctantly nodded.


    ¡¸Yes, how wise¡­¡¹


    She freed me from restraint with a sadistic smile.


    (¡­Where did the kind Ria-san from during the entrance ceremony go?)


    While I was thinking about that,


    ¡¸-I heard everything, youngsters!¡¹


    Suddenly, Leia-sensei appeared through the curtains with a heartyugh.


    ¡¸S-Sensei!?¡¹


    ¡¸Leia!? Why are you here!?¡¹


    ¡¸Fufufufu! I had a hunch that something interesting was about to happen. So I was lying in wait nearby!¡¹


    She smiled happily from the bottom of her heart.


    ¡¸Anyway, I heard what went down! You both are gonna duel, right? Then I¡¯ll be the witness!¡¹


    After that, I was taken into arge room called the Underground Training Area.


    ¡¸Now, it¡¯s alreadyte at night, so let¡¯s get started!¡¹


    Leia-sensei pped her hands twice.


    ¡¸Ria, Allen ©` Are you both ready?¡¹


    ¡¸Of course, O-K-¡¹


    ¡¸Well¡­ I¡¯m good to go.¡¹


    After we both nodded, Leia-sensei,


    ¡¸Yoshi, Ria Vesteria vs Allen Rodore ©` START!¡¹


    She dered the start of the duel with a loud voice.


    I pulled out my sword and assumed the stance ¨C Seigan no Kamae.


    On the other hand, Ria-san stuck out her right hand into the empty space.


    ¡¸Invade ©` !¡¹


    At that moment,


    A giant fissure ran through the space, and a deep crimson sword appeared out of it.


    ¡¸Fufu, good girl.¡¹


    When she grasped the handle of the sword, a beautiful ck and white me danced on the de.


    ¡¸Th-This is¡­¡¹


    All of a sudden, a sword appeared from nowhere, and a mysterious me enveloped it.


    This power which is different from deception and illusion ¨C I know of it.


    ¡¸No way¡­ soul dress!?¡¹


    Those with innate talent, can embody their soul onto their equipment at the end of harsh relentless training ¨C Soul Dress.


    I couldn¡¯t attain it even after a billion years of training.

 Chapter 8.1 - Black-and-White Princess and Soul Dress [2] – part 1

    8. ck-and-White Princess and Soul Dress [2] ¨C part 1


    As I enviously admired her soul dress,


    ¡¸Hey! What are you standing around for? Quickly bring out your soul dress too.¡¹


    She said that ridiculous thing as though it was a given.


    ¡¸Ha, haha¡­ Sorry to disappoint you but, I can¡¯t perform such an amazing feat.¡¹


    As I shrugged my shoulders and shook my head, she stared at me in wonder.


    ¡¸¡­Eh? Are you¡­ being serious?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah.¡¹


    Unfortunately, I can¡¯t summon a soul dress.


    On the contrary, this is the first time I have ever seen a real soul dress.


    As I said so,


    ¡¸Puh¡­ Ahahahahaha! Hi,hi-hi-¡­ My, my stomach¡­ my stomach hurts¡­¡¹


    She held her stomach andughed really happily.


    ¡¸HaaHaa¡­Haaaa¡­ To think that a novice who can¡¯t even summon a soul dress, gets to fight me, who is revered as the¡ºck-and-White Princess¡»¡­is unpleasant.¡¹


    As I thought that she would continueughing just like before, she sharply red at me.


    (A princess with a wide range of emotional expression¡­)


    I¡¯m sure everyday will be fun with her.


    And one more thing ¨C I didn¡¯t even want this duel. She coerced me into epting it.


    However, I predicted that it would be even more cumbersome if I argued here, so I decided to keep my mouth shut.


    ¡¸Well it doesn¡¯t matter. I will at least acknowledge your courage and guts. ©`fufu, don¡¯t think it will end in a moment, alright? I will fry you slowly with low heat, ok¡­ I will simmer, and simmer, and simmer you!¡¹


    Unlike her elegant appearance, she seems to have a simple personality.


    The gentle and dignified figure that I saw at the entrance ceremony was probably an act.


    (¡­Certainly, I can¡¯t summon a soul dress.)


    But that doesn¡¯t lead to an instant loss.


    There are many other fighting methods other than a soul dress.


    ¡¸©`Here Ie, Ria-san?¡¹


    I asked, without the slightest carelessness, while still holding on to ¨C Seigan no kamae.


    ¡¸Eh, by all means.¡¹


    On the other hand, she was being cocky.


    She released one hand from the sword and beckoned me with with her finger.


    ¡­Even I have my pride as a swordsman.


    I can¡¯t just stay silent after being underestimated to this extent.


    ¡¸First Sword ¨C Flying Shadow!¡¹


    Much faster than usual.


    Much stronger than usual.


    I shot a feint.


    ¡¸Wh! A flying sh¡­!?¡¹


    She was surprised for a moment, but immediately entered into a defensive posture.


    ¡¸-White Scale!¡¹


    The white me formed a coil-like big shield and burned out the flying shadow.


    ¡¸Hee¡­ Seems like this will be a little enjoyable¡­!¡¹


    I used the blind spot created by her shield ¨C to close in instantly.


    Then, I immediately unleashed the next strike when I entered the inner side of the shield.


    ¡¸Eighth Sword ¨C Yatagarasu!¡¹


    ¡¸Eight simultaneously¡­!?¡¹


    Ria-san stiffened for an instant at the eight imminent shes, but


    ¡¸Kuh©` ck Breath!¡¹


    She immediately burned the eight shes with ck me.


    (¡­As expected, really powerful)


    Her soul dress ¡®s ability to deal with every situation far exceeded my expectations.


    When I confirmed by sight that all the shes were knocked down, I tried drawing closer to perform a follow-up attack.


    ¡¸Don¡¯te closer! ¨C Draconic Roar!¡¹


    She spread ck and white mes over a wide range.


    In the face of an irregr ranged attack, I can¡¯t help but put distance between us temporarily.


    There was a big distance between us, and we fell into a stalemate for a little while.


    ¡¸You¡­ what was that skill just now¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸I don¡¯t know which one you¡¯re talking about, but both are techniques I have devised.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Right. At the very least, you have the aplishment of being acknowledged by Leia¡­¡¹


    She muttered while looking over at Leia-sensei.


    ¡¸Anyway ¨C now I know clearly that you¡¯ve faced swordsmanship in earnest and devoted substantial time into training, through the attacks we exchanged just now.¡¹


    Well that¡­ I have spent over a billion years in training.


    ¡¸Alright, I will acknowledge you as a ¡ºFairly Good Swordsman¡»¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Why thank you.¡¹


    For the time being, I took it as apliment.


    People will be happier if they took things positively.


    ¡¸But, there¡¯s no point in refining your sword skills when you can¡¯t use soul dress. I will demonstrate it to you from here on out. No amount of effort will be enough to ovee ¨C the insurmountable wall known as talent!¡¹


    Having said that, she charged straight towards me.


    (In a contest of simple muscle strength, I should be better¡­ So, what are you thinking¡­?)


    I want to avoid being caught in the mes due to evading poorly.


    Responding to the taunts of my opponent is annoying but¡­ it can¡¯t be helped.


    Let¡¯s take her on from the front.


    Our swords shed ¨C the moment we were locked sword to sword, Ria-sanughed.


    ¡¸High King Style ¨C Strong Strike!¡¹


    At that moment, a tremendous impact that didn¡¯t feel like an elegant woman¡¯s strength assailed my arms.


    ¡¸Wha¡­t!?¡¹


    This woman, how does she possess such brutish strength¡­!


    ¡¸HAAAAAAAAA¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸Kuh, OOOOOOOOO¡­!¡¹


    Legs, Hips, Abdomen, Arms ¨C I met her assault by mobilizing all my muscles.


    However,


    (Shit¡­, I can¡¯t stop her¡­)


    I was outmuscled by her explosive power ¨C my sword was sent flying, exposing my abdomen full of gaps.


    ¡¸You¡¯re full of openings!¡¹


    Her powerful kicknded there.


    ¡¸Guh!?¡¹


    I deliberately jumped back to reduce the shock and narrowly escaped heavy damage.


    At the same time, I retrieved the sword that fell behind and prepared for the next attack.


    (Shit¡­ that strength is troublesome¡­)


    The secret of her ridiculous strength is the zing me behind her.


    At the moment the swords collided, the mes behind her red up, and she obtained that explosive power.


    Ria-san, who gave me an effective blow, looked at me with a sidelong nce.


    ¡¸If we simplypare our swordsmanship, then you are certainly above me ¡­which irritates me. However, my swordsmanship, which is strengthened with soul dress, can¡¯t be beaten by your makeshift swordsmanship. Did you finally understand a little? The absolute power of soul dress.¡¹


    Abination of swordsmanship and soul dress¡­ honestly, it is nothing less than admirable.


    (But¡­ how naive)


    I clearly understood something from her previous strike.


    She relies too much on her overwhelming soul dress, that her swordsmanship has be rough.


    In addition to that, her carelessness and self-pride ¨C there¡¯s plenty of chances to win.


    (¡­Shall I use that?)


    The technique that I devised within one of the several loops in the Prison of Time ¨C I never imagined the technique created just for the fun of it, would get a chance to debut in actualbat.


    (Well¡­ now that I¡¯ve decided to use it, first¡­ I have to precisely predict Ria-san¡¯s movements)


    I reyed the offence and defense we exchanged in my mind.


    First, she saw the flying shadow and developed a white me shield that protected a fairly wide area.


    Second, in front of the approaching Yatagarasu, she calmed down and controlled the ck me and shot everything down urately.


    Third, when I drew closer with a follow-up attack, she deployed a wide-range attack calmly without panicking.


    (¡­Ria-san has consistently made rational and conservative choices)


    And currently, she has gotten an effective telling blow against me ¨C I have a pretty good idea of her next action.


    After finishing the analysis, I calcted the optimum point from Ria-san¡¯s position.


    I passed the sword tip through that point, gently in a way she wouldn¡¯t be suspicious.


    (¡­Yoshi, the preparations areplete now)


    After that, if she moves as I thought ¨C it will burst.

 Chapter 8.2 - Black-and-White Princess and Soul Dress [2] – part 2

    . ck-and-White Princess and Soul Dress [2] ¨C part 2


    ¡¸Fufu, I will bring you down with the next blow.¡¹


    She may have been convinced of victory already.


    Ria-san, who had a sadistic smile, hadn¡¯t noticed my preparation.


    ¡¸Now, prepare yourself!¡¹


    Then, she charged straight towards me.


    She closed the distance between us in an instant and raised her deep crimson sword overhead, as high as possible.


    ¡¸High King Style ¨C Strong Strike!¡¹


    Ria-san who was convinced of her victory and I, who was convinced of my own victory ¨C our line of sight intersected.


    (As I calcted¡­ this is my win)


    I sheath my sword back into the scabbard and turned my back towards her.


    ¡¸Second Sword ¨C Hazy Moon¡¹


    And the very next moment,


    ¡¸Ho¡­w¡­!?¡¹


    An invisible attack shed from her chest to abdomen.


    With a counter blow that emerged from apletely unexpected ce, she simply gave up her consciousness without trying to fight back.


    Second Sword ¨C Hazy Moon.


    This is a pre-installed sh.


    Predict the point where the opponent will pass through and sh it in advance.


    A counter that automatically bursts at the moment the opponent passes through.


    It is extremely difficult to aim and hit, but if it hits, it is a deadly blow.


    ¡¸Fumu, it ended as I expected¡­¡¹


    Leia-sensei confirmed that Ria-san waspletely unconscious and,


    ¡¸Ria-Vesteria unable to continue! So, Allen-Rodore wins!¡¹


    She announced the result of the duel.


    ¡¸Fuuu¡­¡¹


    Finally released from the tension, I exhaled deeply.


    ¡­She was a tough opponent.


    However, it was a really good experience to fight against an opponent who made full use of soul dress.


    ¡¸As expected, you are strong, Allen. You definitely have my acknowledgement.¡¹


    Leia-sensei was nodding with self-pride, ¡¸As expected of me¡¹to find an excellent student.


    ¡¸Th-Thanks¡­¡¹


    I don¡¯t know where and when she acknowledged me¡­ but being praised does feel nice.


    ¡¸More so than that¡­ I have to take Ria-san to the infirmary soon.¡¹


    As I approached Ria-san who was fallen in a dead tired state, Leia-sensei shook her head.


    ¡¸Un? Ah, this one is unusually strong, so we can leave her as is. Give her about 2 or 3 minutes and she¡¯ll regain consciousness.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, is that so¡­?¡¹


    No, but no matter how strong the body is¡­ Isn¡¯t it bad to simply leave a fainted person alone.


    ¡¸Aa, just watch.¡¹


    ¡¸Ha¡­ Haa¡­ Understood¡­¡¹


    Somehow Leia-sensei seems to know Ria-san well, so I decided to leave her alone for a while as she said.


    Approximately 2 minutester,


    ¡¸¡­Ha!?¡¹


    As Leia-sensei said, Ria-san stood up as if nothing had happened.


    ¡¸Uh¡­? What¡­ happened¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Unfortunately, you lost the duel, Ria.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Duel? ¡­!¡¹


    Perhaps her shabby consciousness and memory had finally be clear, she quickly stood up and approached me.


    ¡¸Wh-What does it mean!? Why did I lose!? What did you do to me!?¡¹


    To her panicking, I carefully exined the effects of Hazy Moon.


    ¡¸Th-That is cowardly! Unfair I say, unfair!¡¹


    Discontent and grumbling overflowed from her mouth, perhaps due to being dissatisfied with my exnation.


    ¡¸E-Even if you say that¡­¡¹


    In the first ce, Hazy Moon is not a technique created for actualbat.


    If the opponent isn¡¯t easy-to-read like Ria-san, I can¡¯t use it in actualbat.


    Looking at it from a practical standpoint, it is not as good as Flying Shadow or Yatagarasu.


    First, it has many weak points.


    shes installed in the space are notpletely invisible, and if you look really carefully, you can see a slight air gap.


    It is also very difficult to set up a sh so that the opponent does not realize it.


    (But¡­ this time I could win thanks to her over-confidence in the power of soul dress¡­)


    The next time I fight her, I will definitely have a hard time.


    (I also have to train more¡­)


    And as I swore in my heart to train further,


    ¡¸Ahem ©` Anyway, this duel ended in the victory of Allen¡­ What will you do, Ria?¡¹


    Leia-sensei expressed a teasing grin.


    ¡¸What do you mean by that?¡¹


    She seems to have actually forgotten.


    With a puzzled look, she slightly tilted her head.


    ¡¸I¡¯m talking about that thing. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve forgotten¡­ the promise before the duel.¡¹


    ¡¸Promise before the duel¡­!?¡¹


    Ria-san suddenly became speechless, and her face turned pale with every passing moment.


    (I can¡¯t believe, she actually forgot the conditions of the duel¡­)


    ¡¸Oh, that reaction, does that mean you¡¯ve recalled it?¡ºThe loser has to be the ve of the winner¡»¡­right?¡¹


    For some reason, not the winner of the duel, but the witness, Leah-sensei, was in the process of cornering Ria-san.


    ¡¸E-Err¡­ that ve thing was just a¡­ you know, a figure of speech¡­¡¹


    She began to be visibly dismayed and hastily shook her hands.


    Her line of sight swam right and left and was clearly acting suspicious.


    ¡¸Well, the current duel hasn¡¯t passed through the reception office, and it wasn¡¯t enforced through formal procedure. So, I don¡¯t mind keeping quiet about it.¡¹


    Unexpectedly, Leia-sensei reached out a helping hand.


    ¡¸Le-Leia¡­!¡¹


    Ria-san looked at Leia-sensei as though looking at god.


    (¡­Well, this actually saves me from the trouble)


    To be honest, even if she was told to¡ºbe a ve¡», it would be troublesome.


    After all, she is the princess of the Vesteria Kingdom.


    If such a thing leaked out, it will surely be a big problem.


    (For the time being, this is one issue settled¡­)


    As I stretched my body,


    ¡¸But ¡­ are you really okay with this?¡¹


    Leia-sensei asked Ria-san with a serious expression.


    ¡¸A-About what¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Oh you¡­ The proud princess of the Vesteria kingdom, lost the fight that she¡ºpersonally¡»picked, and is also trying to escape from the penalty she¡ºpersonally¡»had presented. But, if you¡¯re okay with that, then it¡¯s fine¡­ It was simply on my mind. that¡¯s all. Un, you don¡¯t have to worry about it.¡¹


    This issue was finallying to an end¡­ but this person¡­


    I can affirm, Leia-sensei has a bad personality. Considerably bad.


    Even right now, she waspletely ying with Ria-san.


    (¡­I should not get too involved with this person)


    While I was thinking about that, Ria-san finally started groaning loudly.


    ¡¸KU, UUUUUUUU! ¡­E-Enough! I understand, I understand already! I will keep my promise, that should be fine, right!?¡¹


    Out of desperation, Ria-san yelled loudly halfway through.


    Looking at her, Leia-sensei shrugged her shoulders unnaturally.


    ¡¸Oi Oi, don¡¯t make it sound as though I¡¯m forcing you. This is your problem to solve. Will you keep your promise and be a ve, or will you run away from your promise? It¡¯s no good if you don¡¯t decide for yourself.¡¹


    ¡¸Mu, guuuu¡­¡¹


    She cried out a voice that couldn¡¯t be heard and red at me.


    And then,


    ¡¸I-I am inexperienced but, p-please treat me well¡­ Master¡­¡¹


    Ria-san, whose face was dyed in red, bit her lip and while trembling in shame, bowed her head.


    ¡¸Eh, err¡­ umm, me too¡­¡¹


    Due to everything that happened today, I¡¯m exhausted, but for the time being I decided to put an end to this scene, and bowed my head.

 Chapter 9.1 - Black and White Princess and Soul Dress [3] – part 1

    <strong>9. ck and White Princess and Soul Dress [3] ¨C part 1</strong>


    At present time,


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    I was alone with Ria-san in her room.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    Sitting on a wine red carpet, we sank into silence.


    The silence felt almost suffocating.


    To the point where the sound of the second hand of the clock ticking second by second could be heard clearly.


    (¡­¡­How did this happen)


    As a result of that duel that gambled each other¡¯s human rights, she became my ve. No, she was forced to be.


    (A princess from one country became a ve of a stranger while studying abroad. If this was leaked to her home country¡­ Not just at the level of troublesome but ¨C a terrible uproar will ur¡­)


    To be honest¡­ I really want to be done with this.


    Why do I have to suffer through this¡­


    (Haa¡­)


    I sighed in my heart for the umpteenth time.


    After that duel, Leia-sensei brought us here halfway forcibly, saying, ¡¸ves have to dedicate everything to their master!¡¹


    And then she said, ¡¸I¡¯ll arrange to move all of Allen¡¯s baggage here tomorrow, so that¡¯s the n!¡¹and she went off somewhere.


    She really is like a tempest.


    (¡­But in light of the academy rules and themon sense of society, Leia-sensei¡¯s behavior is not wrong.)


    That¡¯s right.


    At first nce, she seems to be doing whatever she wants, but in fact, she has only done the obvious thing as the duel witness.


    In the first ce,¡ºduel¡» is a serious sword fight that stakes ones¡¯ pride, and the conditions and promises decided by both parties beforehand must be kept. A weak person who breaks this is not a swordsman, but a brute who has strayed from the moral road.


    This is the first thing we learn at the Academy of Swordsmanship in Elementary School, and probably the swordsmen of this country ¨C no, every single swordsman throughout the world have inscribed it in their hearts.


    In fact, even Dodriel kept his promise.


    That high-pride man bowed his head and firmly apologized and withdrew his rash remarks towards my mother and I.


    A promise in a duel holds that much weight.


    (That¡¯s exactly why this situation is bothersome¡­)


    Because of Ria-san¡¯s personality, if I said¡¸We can forget about ve contract¡¹, she wouldn¡¯t obediently back down and say¡¸Thank you!¡¹.


    If she was such a character, then at the moment Leia-sensei said,¡¸You lost the duel¡¹, she would have ran away from that fact.


    In other words, the only way to cancel this ve contract is for her to win over me in a duel.


    (But, it¡¯s already toote now¡­)


    Ria-san¡¯s attack pattern.


    Attack and evasion tendency.


    Thought process during battle.


    Such important aspects of an opponent in a battle, was exposed to me in the previous battle.


    Even if she had one or two hidden trump cards ¨C it might be a hard fight, but in the current state, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll lose. I have one or two hidden trump cards of my own too.


    (Haa¡­¡­ Should I just lose on purpose¡­?)


    For a moment, such a stupid idea crossed my mind, but I immediately shook my head.


    That is absolutely no good.


    I¡¯m also a swordsman.


    I can¡¯t deviate from the path of a swordsman, such as losing purposely in a duel.


    If I did that, I won¡¯t be able to face my mother or Pa-san anymore.


    (¡­What do I do from now on)


    Although I say¡¸What to do¡¹, at the current state there is nothing I can do. Thus, racking my brain would just be a waste of time.


    I finally arrived at the conclusion that¡¸it¡¯s useless no matter what I do right now¡¹, and looked around the room without being noticed by Ria-san.


    (¡­ it¡¯s a surprisingly cute room)


    Her room has a sense of unity with white as the base color and pink as the ent ¨C a very girlish room.


    Since she is royalty, I thought she would bring in more chandeliers and extravagant furnishings, but I don¡¯t see anything of the sort.


    It¡¯s a very normal ¨C lovely girlish room.


    (And it kinda¡­ smells nice¡­)


    It smells different from a perfume or a detergent.


    Of course, it is not strong enough to choke, but a gentle and natural scent that smells sweet when you concentrate your consciousness.


    Then, as I looked around the room, I found something interesting.


    (Hee¡­ so she likes stuffed animals?)


    There was a cute bear and hippo stuffed animal at the bedside.


    (Fufu, so she does have a cute side)


    And while I was observing her room,


    ¡¸I-It¡¯s embarrassing, so don¡¯t stare too much¡­ please.¡¹


    She muttered those few words while blushing.


    The honorific attached at the end was probably because she is supposed to be my ve.


    ¡¸So-Sorry¡­¡¹


    I apologized for the time being.


    I shouldn¡¯t have looked so intently at the room of a teen girl.


    Even I understand that much.


    However, this is a big achievement.


    Only aftering to this room, was it possible for us tomunicate ¨C sessfully.


    I decided to start the next conversation, before this speaking atmosphere died down.


    ¡¸Say, err¡­¡¹


    ¡¸W-What could it be¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸How do I put this, umm¡­ why don¡¯t you quit with the honorifics?¡¹


    Honestly, honorifics don¡¯t suit Ria-san at all.


    I think this is probably because I just saw her¡ºelementary¡»side awhile ago.


    ¡¸¡­ I think it would be strange if I, as a ve, don¡¯t use honorifics to address Master. Moreover¡­ I have my own will and pride as a swordsman. I can¡¯t differ from my promise.¡¹


    And she turned her face away.


    She was a much more stubborn person than I expected.


    (Even if you say that¡­ After this, we are going to live together to a certain degree, I would feel suffocated if you keep using honorifics while talking¡­)


    To be honest, I don¡¯t particrly hate her.


    Rather, I just hope to get along as a good friend.


    Certainly, she has a bad mouth and feigns friendliness while in public ¨C but she still kept her duel promise as she does now, and also has dignity as a swordsman.


    I can¡¯t say that our rtionship is very good right now because of so many things, but¡­¡­ I want to get along with her in the future.


    (Besides¡­ she can even use soul dress)


    I also wanted to ask a little about things like the secrets of expressing soul dress.


    (In order to get along with her, I first need to get her to quit the honorifics.)


    Language shapes actions and rtionships.


    As long as she keeps using honorifics, it would be difficult for us to get along.


    On the other hand, by removing honorifics, the distance between us will be surprisingly shorter.


    If the honorifics disappear and we be able to have casual discussions, our actions and ideas may also be pulled together and we would see each other as equals.


    (This stubborn and head-strong Ria-san has to quit honorifics¡­ so, I have to use that)


    It is a little aggressive of a technique, but this time it can¡¯t be helped.


    I looked straight into her eyes and said in a slightly stronger tone.


    ¡¸Well then¡­ I order you. From now on, I prohibit you from using honorifics towards me.¡¹


    ¡¸I-Isn¡¯t that cowardly¡­!?¡¹


    It was within my expectation that she will refute in this way.


    That¡¯s why I speak the answer I had prepared in advance.


    ¡¸Isn¡¯t it one of the master¡¯s rights, to forcibly make the ve do something they don¡¯t want to?¡¹


    The logic is a little weird, but it makes sense.


    And then,


    ¡¸¡­I understand¡­*cough* ¨C Understood. But, it¡¯s really okay, right? You can¡¯t withdraw that order, ok?¡¹


    Ria-san tried to confirm it just in case.


    ¡¸Aa, that will be fine.¡¹


    Honorifics don¡¯t suit her.


    After all, the rough manner of speaking suits her best.


    ¡¸If that¡¯s the case, Allen also stop using honorific ¡­It feels kinda unpleasant.¡¹


    She was blushing a little.


    ¡¸Is that so? Then, I will do so without reservation.¡¹


    I¡¯m not very good at honorifics either.


    If Ria, the princess, allows me, then I will dly ept her kind offer.


    Anyway, when I was able to get rid of honorifics safely, I decided to touch upon a subject.


    ¡¸Anyway¡­ something this ridiculous happened right after enrolment.¡¹


    ¡¸Fuun, just whose fault is it I wonder¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s¡­ a tricky question? Certainly, I was wrong for seeing it, but I think Ria is also at fault for changing in the men¡¯s changing room.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Eh, what are you saying? I was changing in the women¡¯s changing room¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Ha? No, that isn¡¯t possible. That was definitely the men¡¯s changing room.¡¹


    ¡¸N-NO Way!? But, I carefully checked before entering!¡¹


    No, when I entered, there was no doubt that the men¡¯s changing roombel was hanging over there.


    Seeing Ria¡¯s¡­, after identally seeing Ria, I firmly confirmed that it was the men¡¯s changing room. I remember clearly.


    Ria was taken aback and opened her mouth wide, as though realising something.


    ¡¸Maybe¡­ Leia¡¯s doing?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­It¡¯s possible¡¹


    Thinking back on it carefully, Leia-sensei¡¯s appearance was too timely.


    And now that I think about it¡¸I had a premonition that something interesting would happen. So, I was lying in wait nearby!¡¹was what she said.


    I don¡¯t know what the purpose is, but I¡¯m sure she is undoubtedly involved in this.


    ¡¸Kuu-, she got me! But why!? What is her purpose!?¡¹


    ¡¸I don¡¯t know the purpose¡­ But I learned that person is a big problem in a single day.¡¹


    And then,


    ¡¸¡¸¡­haaa¡¹¡¹


    We both sighed simultaneously.


    ¡¸¡­hey, don¡¯t imitate me.¡¹


    ¡¸No, I was a fraction of a second earlier than you.¡¹


    ¡¸No no, I was ©`¡¹


    Then, Ria and I enjoyed that meaningless empty talk.


    As I thought, the distance between us got closer when the honorifics disappeared.


    Then the wall clock began ringing out ¡°Dong Dong Dong¡±.


    It was already 11pm.


    It¡¯s time to sleep in preparation for tomorrow.


    ¡¸Aa¡­ it¡¯s already thiste¡¹


    ¡¸Un¡­ We have to get ready for bed soon.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, Ria, go take a bath first.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­That is a perverted way of saying.¡¹


    I was being considerate just in case, but for some reason she was ring at me.


    ¡¸¡­Nn? Which is perverted?¡¹


    I don¡¯t think there was anything perverted in what I just said¡­


    ¡¸Th-That is¡­ m-mou¡­ it¡¯s nothing!¡¹


    Ria walked toward the bathroom, while blushing for some reason.


    ¡¸I-If you peek this time, I will never forgive you¡­!¡¹


    Then, she closed the divider curtain and began to undress.


    ¡¸Aa¡­ it¡¯s absolutely fine, so don¡¯t worry.¡¹


    After that, I took a bath after Ria got out.


    Just before going to bed, there was a problem with the question,¡¸Who will sleep where?¡¹.


    Well, it¡¯s obvious, but this room has only one bed.


    I said I was the man and would sleep on the floor, but Ria said,¡¸It¡¯s strange for the master to sleep on the floor and for the ve to sleep on the bed¡¹while nodding her head.


    Since there was no choice, we decided to sleep on the right and left ends of the bed together as apromise.


    (I feel that she trusts me a little too much, and her guard is too low¡­ well, it¡¯s fine)


    Then I used the remote control at the bedside and turned off the lights in the room.


    ¡¸Goodnight, Ria.¡¹


    ¡¸G-Goodnight¡­ Allen¡­¡¹


    I was tired that day, and I immediately lost consciousness and fell into a deep slumber.

 Chapter 9.2 - Black and White Princess and Soul Dress [3] – part 2

    ck and White Princess and Soul Dress [3] ¨C part 2


    Next day.


    Ria and I went to the ssroom together.


    We both are in the same ss, Year 1 ss A.


    Because we live in the same room, there is no need to head to ss separately.


    ¡¸And, you see! There is a traditional dish called Ramzac in my country! It is really delicious!¡¹


    ¡¸Really? I¡¯d like to eat it next time.¡¹


    ¡¸I know a good store near Thousand de Academy! I¡¯ll show you next time!¡¹


    Compared to yesterday ¨C perhaps she was refreshed after a day of sleep, or she forgot that she was a ve, her attitude towards me had softened.


    (It¡¯s a hundred times better than her cold attitudest night)


    And talking to her¡­ was simply fun.


    Every expression she puts on is interesting, and I don¡¯t get tired of watching her every gesture. Maybe she is the¡ºpopr type¡».


    While thinking about that, we arrived at the ssroom of Year 1 ss A.


    As I opened the sliding door with a rattle,


    ¡¸G-Good morning¡­ Ria-san!¡¹


    ¡¸Today, is a very nice weather!¡¹


    Two girls in the same ss talked to Ria, a little nervously.


    ¡¸Yes, good morning. It¡¯s a pleasant morning today.¡¹


    Ria quickly acted friendly and smiled while waving her right hand.


    (¡­Looking at her like this, she really is an elegant¡ºprincess¡»)


    I can¡¯t imagine that the cheerful and slightly crude Ria when with me, and the current,dylike and dignified Ria, are the same person.


    If she so tells me that¡¸The truth is¡­ I have a dual personality¡¹, I would actually be convinced.


    When Ria started chatting with the girls, I quietly left her.


    I know girls have girls-only conversations between them.


    (The seating¡­ still hasn¡¯t been decided yet, right?)


    There was no seating instructions on the ckboard in front of the ssroom, so I headed to the rearmost window seat where it was most inconspicuous.


    Then there were three male students who were talking happily about something on the way to the seat.


    I thought that it wouldn¡¯t be nice to not greet them, so I summoned up some courage and greeted.


    ¡¸G-Good morning.¡¹


    As I did,


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡­¡­¡¹¡¹¡¹


    All three stopped talking with each other and nced at my face for a second ¨C then they resumed their conversation.


    They ignored mepletely.


    And then they temporarily red at me.


    (¡­haa, they definitely hate me)


    This is definitely due to yesterday ¨C the aftereffect of the hellish entrance ceremony.


    (For humans, first impression is important after all¡­)


    Starting from a favorable rate of zero from the very first day of the academy, is a bit too harsh¡­


    (Well, just the fact that they aren¡¯t insulting me face-to-face is good I guess¡­)


    At the Gran Swordsmanship Academy, I was subjected to various insults, such as the Dropout Swordsman, Coward, and the Dark Arts user. Being ignored by three people, is no big deal.


    When I tried to get away from them.


    ¡¸-Hey, you guys. Do you have a moment?¡¹


    Ria, who put a soft outward smile, called out to the men who ignored me.


    ¡¸Y-Yes!¡¹


    ¡¸W-What is it, Ria-san?¡¹


    ¡¸Is there anything troubling you!?¡¹


    The three men seemed to be ecstatic as they were spoken to by Ria, a peerless innocent beauty, at least in outward appearance.


    These guys¡­ are calctive.


    (But, Ria¡­ what does she intend to achieve by calling out to them?)


    As I moved to the window-side seat while paying attention to that situation, she said something unexpected.


    ¡¸Just now, I¡¯m sure Allen greeted you¡­ I wonder if you didn¡¯t hear it through your chattering?¡¹


    And as she said,


    ¡¸Eh¡­ no, that is¡­¡¹


    ¡¸We heard it but¡­ how to put it¡­¡¹


    ¡¸H-His voice was too soft¡­ or something like that¡­?¡¹


    They just beat around the bush without getting to the point.


    Looking at them, Ria smiled sweetly.


    ¡¸You know, people who do such stupid stuff¡­ I really hate them.¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡­¡­!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    She didn¡¯t mind the men who were at a loss for words, and continued with the usual gentle smile.


    ¡¸Please don¡¯t talk to me ever again. ©`Well then, good day to you.¡¹


    Ria, who frankly told all the things she wanted to say, lowered her bag to the seat right next to me.


    The whole ssroom was frozen by her unexpected cold remarks.


    In the heavy atmosphere where everyone was silent, the perpetrator herself seemed to be totally unconcerned, sits down carefully on the chair so that the skirt does not fold, and arranged the textbook in the bag indifferently on the desk.


    ¡¸I¡¯m kinda sorry¡­¡¹


    I apologized to Ria with a soft voice.


    (The remarks just now, was definitely in consideration of me¡­)


    However, if she does that, Ria¡¯s likeableness with the ss will drop.


    In fact, the three men are now ring at Ria.


    And while I was hurt by an indescribable sense of guilt,


    ¡¸What are you apologizing for? I just expressed things which I dislike.¡¹


    Saying so, she softlyughed.


    It wasn¡¯t a forcedugh, but a naturalugh that spilled out spontaneously.


    I was momentarily captivated by that cute and transparent smile.


    After that, as the ssroom was covered with an unprecedented¡ºRia shock¡», the rattling sound of the door being opened reverberated.


    And it was Rose-san who appeared from the door with a drowsy look.


    Perhaps she was not a morning person, as her usual cold looks were nowhere to be seen.


    She had an ahoge standing upright, and her long hair is ubed and springing out in all directions.


    She looked around the surroundings, and when she met my eyes, she headed towards me unsteadily and sat down in front of me.


    ¡¸Fuwaa¡­ Good morning, Allen. And Ria too.¡¹


    ¡¸Good morning, Rose-san.¡¹


    ¡¸What do you mean ¡°and Ria too¡±?¡¹


    Ria gave a sharp eye, but apparently Rose-san seemed unaware of it, as she yawned.


    ¡¸Rose-san, your¡­ hair is springing out everywhere, is that alright?¡¹


    I asked just in case, while pointing at the ahoge that had a prominent presence in the middle.


    ¡¸¡­No problem. I have gravity looking out for me¡­¡¹


    She said so in an iprehensible muttering tone.


    Apparently she always waits for her bed hair to fix itself naturally.


    I¡¯m not familiar with girl¡¯s hair, but Rose-san probably belongs to the minority.


    A chime rang out to announce the start of ss, and at the same time the door in front of the ssroom was vigorously opened.


    ¡¸Good Morning, Ladies and Gentlemen!¡¹


    The person who came from there was, Leia-sensei, d in full ck attire of, a ck suit, a ck tie, and ck gloves on both hands.


    ¡¸Fumu fumu¡­ this is wonderful! There are noteers or absentees from the very first day ©` The best start!¡¹


    Sheughed happily as she pped the attendance book in her hand.


    A female student asked a question on behalf of everyone in the ssroom.


    ¡¸Umm¡­ why is president here?¡¹


    ¡¸Nn, that is obvious right? Because I¡¯m the homeroom teacher of Year 1 ss A.¡¹


    At that moment, the ssroom became noisy.


    Naturally, my heart was also disturbed.


    (¡­Yeah, this is the worst to say the least)


    This sensei is a little¡­ no, she is a very unpleasant person, as I came to realise yesterday.


    (More precisely, what about your duties as the president¡­?)


    The president of one of the Five Academy¡¯s holds tremendous social influence and power.


    Naturally, it is amon talk that with a great deal of power,es a corresponding responsibility and a tremendous amount of work every day.


    (I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a job where one can afford to serve as a homeroom teacher concurrently¡­)


    Leia-sensei loudly pped her hands.


    ¡¸Now, the morning homeroom is beginning. Without dy, I have some important information to share!¡¹


    She took in a breath and announced it at once.


    ¡¸It¡¯s regarding the team members of the Big Five Holy Festival on the weekend!¡¹


    The whole ss became excited when she said, the ¡°Big Five Holy Festival¡±.


    The Big Five Holy Festival ¨C It¡¯s where each of the Five Academy selects three of their best freshman, and have all of thempete for victory in a round robin event.


    If you can make an impression here, a path to the Senior Holy Knight position that everyone yearns for, will be opened.


    It was natural that the students were rumbling.


    ¡¸Originally, we would carefully select the members from the results of the practical test that will be implemented after this. But this year, the team members have already been decided!¡¹


    The ssroom rumbled and at the same time a bad premonition-like chill ran through my spine.


    One of the reasons ¨C Leia-sensei had a very good smile on her face.


    From now on, she will start to say something that is certainly not good.


    It¡¯s only been two days since I met her, but I already slightly understand her nature.


    ¡¸Well then, there is no point in dying it so, let¡¯s announce the names!¡¹


    The ssroom bes quiet instantly.


    A few secondster, Leia-sensei announced the participating members.


    ¡¸Representing the Thousand de Academy, in this year¡¯s Big Five Holy Festival, will be ¨C Ria Vesteria, Rose Valencia, and Allen Rodore!¡¹


    There, just like I predicted¡­


    While ring at Leia-sensei, I grumbled with a sigh.

 Chapter 10.1 - Black-and-White Princess and Soul Dress [4] – part 1

    10. ck-and-White Princess and Soul Dress [4] ¨C part 1


    The moment that Leia announced the members of The Big Five Holy Festival.


    ¡¸P-Please hold on a moment!¡¹


    A male student shouted.


    ¡¸Nn, what is it?¡¹


    Leia-sensei asked him so and quietly waited for the boy¡¯s response.


    ¡¸How to say, that is¡­ Ria-san and Rose-san being chosen¡­ It¡¯s only obvious. It is a famous story that Ria-san can use soul dress since she was five years old, and Rose-san is the legitimate sessor of Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style¡­ It¡¯s vexing to admit but, they are certainly better than us. Therefore, I canprehend them being chosen.¡¹


    ¡¸Fumu, and your point is?¡¹


    ¡¸But ¡­ I don¡¯t understand the reason why this unknown swordsman, Allen-Rodore, is chosen as a participating member in the prestigious Big Five Holy Festival!¡¹


    He red at me with a sharp nce.


    (No, even if you make such a scary face¡­)


    Leia-sensei was the one who chose the participating members, so you¡¯re barking up the wrong tree.


    Somehow ufortable, I scratched my cheek, and two more male students backed up the first guy.


    ¡¸That¡¯s right! Why were we excluded, and such a suspicious unknown guy chosen?¡¹


    ¡¸Please give us a convincing reason!¡¹


    Looking at them closely, these three were the guys who ignored my greeting a while back.


    In response to such questions, Leia-sensei,


    ¡¸Reason? Obviously, it ain¡¯t anything other than strength.¡¹


    She answered indifferently.


    However, of course, the three men cannot be convinced by such a simple exnation.


    ¡¸¡­¡­Strength? A self-taught swordsman who can¡¯t belong to any school! Surpasses us in ability!? It¡¯s ridiculous!¡¹


    ¡¸President¡­ are you sane?¡¹


    ¡¸His old academy ¨C do you know Gran Swordsmanship Academy? A small academy in the countryside, and the yearly average number of students who make it into one of the Five Academy is zero. There seemed to be a little better guy this year, known as Dodriel, but his whereabouts are now unknown. It¡¯s a nameless mediocre academy, you know?¡¹


    There was one interesting piece of information in their desperate defense.


    (¡­Dodriel was missing)


    Speaking of which¡­ I never saw him after the duel.


    (Well, I don¡¯t care, but¡­)


    Leia-sensei, who heard the enthusiastic ims of the three of them,


    ¡¸So, what do you wish to do in the end?¡¹


    Surprisingly enough, they took some time to digest their own defense.


    ¡¸That is¡­ we would like you to¡­ select the participating member once again carefully.¡¹


    ¡¸In the first ce, it should be customary to select the members for the Big Five Holy Festival after taking into ount the results of the practical test.¡¹


    ¡¸T-That¡¯s right! This is so unprecedented! We firmly request you to redo the selection!¡¹


    As Leia-sensei took a step backwards, their volume gradually increased.


    However, such momentum was instantly stopped with just one question from sensei.


    ¡¸Fumu, that is, you are saying that you are dissatisfied with my, the president¡¯s decision?¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡­¡­!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    Not only the three, but the whole ssroom fell dead silent.


    Everyone was silent and an air of tension filled the room.


    That¡¯s obvious,


    Even if she seems like this ¨C Leia-sensei is one of the Five Academy, Thousand de Academy¡¯s president.


    If one were to say something imprudent, it wouldn¡¯t be strange to be expelled from the academy at once.


    However, those three also couldn¡¯t back down after asserting this far,


    ¡¸¡­Y-Yes, we are dissatisfied. We can¡¯t ept this!¡¹


    They still replied defiantly to Leia-sensei.


    Starting with one guy¡¯s remark, the other two also voiced out.


    ¡¸From a nameless and obscure third rate academy ¨C in addition, a self-taught swordsman is not fit to be our representative!¡¹


    ¡¸We three, are all graduates from a prestigious academy of swordsmanship! And we also graduated with almost the top grades! There is no way we are inferior in ability to that nameless guy!¡¹


    Oh damn¡­ my name was being torn into pieces.


    (¡­Just what kind of person do I look like to people?)


    Why is this nder about me spreading throughout the ss?


    (Somehow, my vision got cloudy¡­)


    So while I was sadly watching¡ºnder Allen Tournament¡»,


    ¡¸Fuuuu¡­ say, Allen¡¹


    Leia-sensei sighed and called out my name.


    I¡¯m sure it is nothing good, but I can¡¯t ignore it.


    ¡¸¡­What is it?¡¹


    Just in case, I responded.


    As I did,


    ¡¸You¡­ are really unpopr!¡¹


    Leia-sensei cackled happily.


    (Whose fault do you think it is, Just whose¡­!)


    This is probably the first time I ever wanted to beat a woman.


    (But if I get angry here, I will be ying right into Leia-sensei¡¯s hands¡­)


    Then I would be the same as Ria.


    Therefore I,


    ¡¸Yes, unfortunately, it does seem so.¡¹


    I did not let myself get angry and responded calmly.


    As I did,


    ¡¸Oof¡­ that is a bad reaction. Unlike Ria, you¡¯re a dull guy¡­¡¹


    Leia-sensei made a yawning expression as though bored.


    ¡¸Sorry.¡¹


    I lightly apologized while grinning in my heart.


    ¨C This time, it¡¯s my win.


    ¡¸Fumu¡­ but, this is troubling, I never thought there would be this much objection.¡¹


    Leia-sensei put her hand on her chin with a troubled look and started thinking.


    Because she was silent, a heavy atmosphere fell upon the ssroom again.


    Meanwhile, I, who was at the center of this topic, felt it a bit harder than others.


    (No¡­ enough already, no more¡­)


    I was so tired of everything, that I stood up and headed to the podium where Leia-sensei was standing.


    And I whispered into her ears, so that the others couldn¡¯t hear it.


    ¡¸Sensei, Is it okay for me to leave thepetition? Honestly, I don¡¯t particrly have a strong feeling for the Big Five Holy Festival¡­¡¹


    Yes, I am not so interested in the Big Five Holy Festival.


    This is because the Big Five Holy Festival is a battle to showcase the results of learning in Middle School.


    It¡¯s obvious when you look at the dates ¨C on the calendar, the first weekend of the week you enter the High School of Swordsmanship is the Big Five Holy Festival.


    In other words, in middle school ¨C for me who didn¡¯t belong to any school nor learn much at Gran Swordsmanship Academy, the Big Five Holy Festival has no significant meaning.


    (If anything, I¡¯m looking forward to sses at Thousand de Academy rather than this tournament)


    I am particrly looking forward to a wonderful lesson on the acquisition of soul dress.


    (Moreover, if I untactfully participated in the Big Five Holy Festival and sustained serious injuries¡­ It will hinder the sses from hereafter)


    And there are many more suchpetitions in the future.


    The fact that there are tournaments like the Big Five Holy Festival for second and third year students, can be easily understood by looking at the pamphlet of the academy guide.


    I¡¯d like to study hard at this Thousand de Academy, and I¡¯d like to express that power at the second and third yearpetitions.


    Leia-sensei, who heard my story, quietly nodded.


    ¡¸Fumu¡­ I understand you well. Thank you foring all the way to tell me. Please return to your seat.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes.¡¹


    I went to my seat while looking down to get away from everyone¡¯s gazes


    (But¡­ I did something bad to Leia-sensei¡­)


    Sensei must be aware that she would encounter a lot of opposition, when she selected a nameless swordsman like me, to participate.


    I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s an evaluation of my current ability, or if it¡¯s like a little kinship in anticipation of my future growth.


    Anyway, there is no doubt that she evaluated me positively.

 Chapter 10.2 - Black-and-white princess and soul dress [4] – part 2

    ck-and-white princess and soul dress [4] ¨C part 2


    (She earnestly listened to what I had to say earlier, and also listened to the opinions of the male students who strongly opposed my participation¡­ Perhaps Leia-sensei is just a little entric and might be a really good teacher)


    With that in mind, when I sat in my seat, Leia-sensei pped her hands.


    ¡¸Everyone listen. I will now convey Allen¡¯s wish to you guys.¡¹


    She cleared her throat before continuing.


    ¡¸Allen said, ¡º©`It is unthinkable that I¡¯m beingpared to the ipetent likes of them. I don¡¯t mind taking on all three of the ipetent trio in a mock battle right away. I¡¯ll show them the difference in strength between us.¡»¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­Haa?¡¹


    My head turned nk for an instant.


    ¡¸Man¡­ As expected of Allen ¨C full of confidence! After all, he is a swordsman personally acknowledged by me!¡¹


    Leia-sensei spoke proudly of me and nodded satisfiedly.


    ¡¸N-No, please wait a minute! I didn¡¯t sa©`¡¹


    Before I could exin,


    ¡¸Bastard, Allen! You got so cocky, just because we were silent¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸Who did you call the ipetent trio¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸A one-vs-three mock battle? If you want to get ganged up on, we will fulfil your wish!¡¹


    I was surrounded by the three men.


    ¡¸C-Calm down, that was Leia-sensei¡¯s selfi-¡¹


    When I tried to solve the misunderstanding, a pping sound loudly resounded as though hindering it.


    ¡¸Okay, if that¡¯s the case, let¡¯s go to the training ground at once!¡¹


    Leia-sensei didn¡¯t give me an opportunity to speak.


    (Th-This woman¡­)


    When I red at Leia-sensei, she expressed the best smile so far and gave me a thumbs up.


    What the hell is that? I want to smash it.


    ¡ö


    After that, the students of year 1 ss A moved to the Underground Training Area.


    Of course, to watch the mock battle between me and the trio.


    (To think I woulde here two consecutive days straight¡­)


    As I was sighing while thinking about that, one of the trio called out.


    ¡¸Oi, Allen. For a self-taught like you who graduated from a nameless third-rate academy, I alone am more than enough.¡¹


    He pulled out his sword and pointed his chin at me.


    He seemed to be saying¡¸You hurry and draw your sword too¡¹.


    (Well¡­ whatever)


    The sooner this ends, the better.


    And if he fights alone here, I can avoid the overwhelmingly disadvantageous match of one-vs-three.


    Therefore, I pulled out my sword took the stance ¨C Seigan no Kamae.


    ¡¸-Here Ie.¡¹


    ¡¸Go ahead.¡¹


    The next moment as I slightly nodded.


    ¡¸ZeryaaaAAAAAAA!¡¹


    He rushed straight, while screaming a manly cry.


    (Gripping, posture, stepping in ¨C are all at a high level)


    As expected of a student of one of the Five Academy, Thousand de Academy, is what I¡¯d like to say but¡­


    ©`But I can¡¯t bring myself to.


    ¡¸Iron Cutting Style ¨C Rust-Off!¡¹


    Towards the looming downwards swing, I sidestepped half a body to the left, and scooped up his sluggish right leg with my scabbard.


    ¡¸Wha!?¡¹


    Suddenly, with one leg scooped up, he lost his bnce and fell down on his butt.


    Then, I pointed the tip of my sword at his neck which was full of openings.


    ¡¸-The match is over.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    The match is over.


    Since I won in a one-vs-one match, won¡¯t you guys just recognise me already?


    To be honest, I don¡¯t want to fight a one-vs-three match.


    In the first ce, I never wanted such a futile match


    While thinking about that, I heard an intense booing from somewhere.


    ¡¸Oi wait, Allen! That is unfair! You promised a one-vs-three mock battle! This result is invalid, invalid I say! I cancel this with my authority as the president¡¹.


    Yes, it was Leia-sensei.


    (This person¡­ no, this woman¡­ what kind of an ally is she¡­?!)


    As my eyebrows started twitching in anger, I took a deep breath and held it.


    If I get red up here, I will be acting just as she wants.


    In this situation, ignoring or responding to her would be the best oue.


    But never get angry, don¡¯t let her disturb my heart ¨C the best way to deal with it is a smile.


    So as I kept fighting with Leia-sensei below the surface,


    ¡¸A-Are you alright!?¡¹


    ¡¸What happened? You fell over so easily!¡¹


    Two of the trio rushed to the one who was stupefied due to being defeated by me.


    ¡¸That guy, he isn¡¯t just all talk¡­ We¡¯ll lose if we underestimate him¡­¡¹


    Apparently his fighting spirit hasn¡¯t broken yet, and as soon as he got up, he turned his sword towards me.


    In response, the other two took out their sword and took the formation of an equteral triangle with me in the middle.


    One at the front.


    Two people behind diagonally left and right respectively.


    There is no sign of an attack from them, perhaps their wariness has increased due to the previous bout.


    (This is¡­ a strategy where the two at the back attack me, when I¡¯m upied with the guy in front)


    While guessing their strategy, I was thinking ¡¸why is this happening¡¹.


    That¡¯s right, I just wanted to have fun with everyone at this Thousand de Academy and swing my sword.


    Enjoy going to sses with everyone, graduate three yearster, be a holy knight, and receive a stable sry.


    I can make mother who has been struggling so long have an easy life with that money, and maybe, I could even get married to someone.


    (I was supposed to have such a peaceful and happy every day¡­ Where did I make a mistake¡­)


    ssmates are hostile towards me, and favorability from everyone is brilliantly zero ¨C this is a minus start.


    And now, I¡¯m surrounded into a corner by three ssmates.


    ¡¸Haa¡­¡¹


    Life really doesn¡¯t go as we want.


    Even though I entered Thousand de Academy, one of the prestigious Five Academy in the capital, I keep going through one trial after another with no time to rest.


    (Anyway, let¡¯s finish up this match soon)


    For now, shall I break this stalemate?


    To do that, I must first crush one of the vertices of the triangle.


    I targeted the one who was in front of me cause it doesn¡¯t really matter whom I choose, and zeroed the distance with him in a single step.


    ¡¸Eight Sword ¨C Yatagarasu!¡¹


    ¡¸!? Cloud Style ¨C Cirrocumulus!¡¹


    As expected of a student of the prestigious Thousand Academy.


    He reacted brilliantly to the high speed Yatagarasu and unleashed a counter technique immediately.


    However,


    ¡¸Nu¡­ gu¡­ Guhaa !?¡¹


    Clouds Style Cirrocumulus ¨C It was a stunning four-strike consecutive attack, but it wasn¡¯t enough for thest four strikes of Yatagarasu.


    He took four shots, one on his head, torso, right shoulder, and vicle, and was blown backwards against the ground.


    (Two left¡­)


    When I looked back, the guy had just raised his sword overhead.


    ¡¸EAT THIS!!! Iron Cutting Style ¨C Iron Break!¡¹


    ¡¸-Toote¡¹


    While crossing each other, I hit his neck with one strike.


    ¡¸Sh¡­it¡­¡¹


    His upper body violently shook, and he fell face-forward.


    When stepping into the opponent¡¯s range, you must adopt a stance of being able to attack at any moment.


    If you need to swing up to make a downwards strike for each and every attack, it¡¯s too futile.


    After taking down the two guys without injuring them,


    ¡¸-I¡¯m sorry, you two. But¡­ leave the rest to me.¡¹


    A guy¡¯s voice resounded from directly behind me.


    Thest guy.


    (At this distance, this range ¨C I can¡¯t avoid it.)


    He is in the most ideal attacking position, evasion is impossible.


    ¡¸Crescent Moon Style Secret Technique ¨C Moonlight sh!¡¹


    I could hear the sword cutting the wind.


    ¡¸Watch out, Allen!¡¹


    ¡¸Avoid it!¡¹


    Ria and Rose-san cried out rmedly.


    However, no problem.


    The ce where he is standing, is within my shing range.


    ¡¸Second Sword ¨C Hazy Moon¡¹


    ¡¸Wha, huh¡­!?¡¹


    Receiving a powerful sh to the abdomen, he copsed with his eyes opened wide in shock.


    ¡¸Haa¡­ finally over.¡¹


    In preparation of the closing act of this battle ¨C predicting thest attack toe from my back, I prepared a sh beforehand.


    Anyway¡­ why is it that, all I¡¯m doingtely is fighting?


    (¡­I want to settle down quickly, and go back to swinging my sword)


    While thinking about that, I sheath my sword in its scabbard.

 Chapter 11.1 - Thousand Blade Academy and the Big Five Holy Festival [1] – part 1

    <strong>11. Thousand de Academy and the Big Five Holy Festival [1] ¨C part 1</strong>


    As I safely repelled the trio, I looked back at my ssmates who were quietly watching the battle,


    ¡¸A-Amazing, Allen!¡¹


    ¡¸How did you do thatst invisible sh! Teach me next time!¡¹


    ¡¸No, aren¡¯t you more eager to know about the first eight consecutive strikes !? It was too fast to see the swing of the sword!¡¹


    ¡¸At any rate, this guy is an amazing swordsman!¡¹


    ¡¸A perfect victory against those three¡­ that is incredible. Congrattions!¡¹


    Apuse and praise showered me.


    ¡¸Eh, ah¡­ th-thanks¡­¡¹


    I, who have no experience of being warmly hailed by my ssmates, confusedly bowed for the time being.


    As I did,


    ¡¸Good job, Allen!¡¹


    ¡¸How did you perform thatst technique¡­!?¡¹


    Ria and Rose-san ran over to me.


    ¡¸Thank you, Ria. Err¡­ by thest technique, you mean Hazy Moon?¡¹


    When I asked to confirm with Rose-san, she nodded many times over.


    ¡¸Right, no one except Ria has seen it.¡¹


    Then I exined the structure of Hazy Moon in simple terms.


    Rose-san listened to it in a deeply interested manner.


    ¡¸-so, Hazy Moon is an instation-type sh.¡¹


    ¡¸I see¡­ that was really interesting. Thank you.¡¹


    She smiled sweetly with a slightly pleasant look.


    ¡¸Hmm, but I still think that technique is unfair¡­¡¹


    Ria, who was quietly listening to the exnation beside us, muttered dissatisfied with her arms folded.


    Perhaps reminded that she was also defeated in the same manner yesterday.


    ¡¸I see?¡¹


    I personally can find out where the sh is installed by looking closely, and in the first ce, distracting the enemy before installing the sh requires too much effort, thus, it is a technique with too many ws¡­¡­


    Well, each person has their own opinion, so I didn¡¯t expand too much on it..


    And while we three were talking happily,


    ¡¸Uh¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I¡­ uh¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Wha¡­¡¹


    The defeated trio start toe to their senses.


    (So they can already move again¡­)


    As expected of students of Thousand de Academy.


    In addition to polished swordsmanship, their bodies seem to be well trained too.


    ¡¸Uhh¡­ are you alright?¡¹


    It felt uneasy to simply stand there and watch, so I held out my hand to one of the trio.


    And he gave me a sharp look,


    ¡¸¡­sorry¡¹


    He grabbed my hand firmly and stood up while staggering a little.


    The other two somehow managed to stand up on their own ¨C the three gathered and stood in front of me.


    (¡­¡­O-Oi Oi, I don¡¯t want to fight anymore)


    While having a bad feeling, I watched what they would do.


    ¡¸-I apologize. Please forgive my rudeness until now.¡¹


    Then, he bowed deeply.


    ¡¸¡­Eh?¡¹


    When I was bewildered by the unexpected situation, the other two bowed deeply in the same way.


    ¡¸¡­We have misjudged you, Allen, you are the most suitable person to be our representative.¡¹


    ¡¸Please forgive all that reckless remarks from before¡­¡¹


    So I decided to forgive the three who had sincerely apologized.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t worry. I understand your feelings too, so I don¡¯t mind anymore.¡¹


    Yes.


    In the first ce, there is nothing weird about them opposing the fact that I was chosen to be a participant of the Big Five Holy Festival ¨C rather, it was exceedingly natural.


    All of their intense training to this point, and their earnest way of the sword ¨C I understood it well in the battle just now.


    (I have heard that the sses at the prestigious swordsmanship academy are tough and everyday feels like hell¡­)


    These three people overcame it with tremendous effort, and finally entered this Thousand de Academy. However, they were omitted from the selection of participants for the Big Five Holy Festival, where one disys the achievements in middle school. Instead, I, a self-taught swordsman who graduated from a nameless third rate academy was chosen.


    (It¡¯s no wonder that they would get angry¡­)


    In fact, not getting angry would be more strange.


    (But in terms of the actual training time, I¡¯ve simply dedicated much longer¡­)


    They might have swung their swords to death for three years.


    However, I have been swinging my sword quietly in a crippled state for over a billion years.


    In terms of the number and duration of swinging the sword, I am confident that I will never lose.


    Then the trio suddenly sighed deeply.


    ¡¸To lose not only in swordsmanship but also the kindness of the heart¡­ We have lost face as men¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, for certain¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Allen¡­ if you don¡¯t mind, can we be friends?¡¹


    He said that and and held out his hand to me.


    ¡¸Yes, I hope to be friends too.¡¹


    I held that hand firmly and exchanged a friendly handshake.


    Then, after I and the trio made peace with each other, Leia-sensei coughed and cleared her throat..


    ¡¸-Well then, does everyone consent to Allen participating in the Big Five Holy Festival?¡¹


    When she looked around at the students, everyone here nodded.


    In that situation, I alone had something troubling me, so I asked her.


    ¡¸No, but¡­ will the students from the other ss ept it as well?¡¹


    I don¡¯t think ss A can choose the representative of the academy at their own discretion.


    The answer came from one of the trio.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t worry, Allen. All of us here in ss A acknowledge it. The other sses will certainly not raise any objections.¡¹


    ¡¸Thousand de Academy students are assigned to sses in order of highest grade.¡¹


    ¡¸The highest-rank ss A acknowledges Allen. No one willin. So, hold your head high!¡¹


    I see¡­ so that¡¯s how it is.


    As I was convinced, Leia-sensei pped her hands together.


    ¡¸Yoshi, I shall announce again! The three participants for this year¡¯s Big Five Holy Festival are Ria Vesteria, Rose Valencia, and Allen Rodore!¡¹


    The moment after she loudly announced this, apuse and cheers burst out.

 Chapter 11.2 - Thousand Blade Academy and The Big Five Holy Festival [1] – part 2

    Thousand de Academy and The Big Five Holy Festival [1] ¨C part 2


    The next morning.


    The male students of ss A were gathered at the gymnasium to take a practical test.


    ¡¸Fuuu¡­ early morning in these clothes, is too cold.¡¹


    We wore white gym uniform and ck shorts.


    This light clothing is a little too cold in the morning.


    While we boys were waiting for the girls to finish changing clothes ¨C the girls¡¯ changing room door finally opened.


    ¡¸C-Cold-¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Mou, I am shivering¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Why are we having a practical test so early in the morning¡­¡¹


    The girls unanimouslyined¡­ then, it surely must be cold.


    Because the girls were wearing a white gym uniform and ck bloomers.


    Unlike the boys, the clothing area of the lower half of the body is unusually short, so cold air assaulted their bare legs.


    At the Five Academy, everyone respects tradition and formality, due to that, women¡¯s gym clothes have always been bloomers.


    The feedback from the girls is not very good, but there seems to be no sign of change at all with the single point of¡¸tradition¡¹.


    While I was standing at the end of the gymnasium doing nothing, a female student ¨C Ria, ran up to me.


    ¡¸G-Good morning, Allen.¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, good morning, Ria.¡¹


    Why did shee all the way to this end of the gymnasium?


    As I waited for her to speak first,


    ¡¸Um¡­ how is it?¡¹


    Ria, while bushing slightly, looked down at her gym suit.


    (¡­No, even if you ask me¡¸how is it?¡¹¡­)


    I nced at her body from top to bottom.


    (¡­Yeah, it looks like a normal gym suit no matter how I look at it)


    There is nothing unusual.


    It¡¯s the one sold at the Thousand de Academy store.


    The most I could say is, it was hard to keep my eyes from being captivated by therge breast bulges that can be seen through the gym clothes.


    (But I know better ¨C no, is it more urate to say that I was taught better)


    About a year before, Pa-san told me this.


    ¡ºRemember, Allen¡­ When a girl asks for an impression about clothes, essories, haircuts, and such ¨C you must definitely affirm¡¸that¡¯s really nice!¡¹, ok!?¡»


    And she also said¡¸No matter what it is, a man¡¯s job is to always give a positive impression.¡¹


    Yes, this is that situation right now.


    So, I smiled and answered, as Pa-san taught.


    ¡¸Yeah, I think it¡¯s nice.¡¹


    ¡¸R-Really¡­? Eheheh¡­¡¹


    She said¡¸thank you¡¹in a small voice and happily returned back to the other girls.


    ¡­¡­To be honest, I really don¡¯t understand what she wanted.


    But anyway, the answer just now was definitely correct as affirmed by Ria¡¯s happy response.


    As expected of Pa-san.


    (Even so, why isn¡¯t Leia-sensei here yet¡­?)


    While rubbing my hands together, breathing into them and warming myself slightly, another female student ran up here ¨C Rose-san.


    ¡¸Hey, Allen¡¹


    ¡¸What is it?¡¹


    ¡¸How is¡­ mine?¡¹


    She picked at the edges of the white gym clothes with both hands.


    Apparently, she came here for the same thing as Ria.


    ¡¸Yes, I think it¡¯s very nice.¡¹


    As I said that gently as before,


    ¡¸I see¡­¡¹


    Sheughed in satisfaction while blushing and returned to the girls.


    (¡­I wonder just what kind of ritual is this?)


    When I was puzzled about that on my own, a high-pitched sound of a whistle invaded my ear.


    Looking towards the direction of the sound, Leia-sensei, who was dressed in a ck suit as usual, was already standing at the center of the gymnasium.


    ¡¸Students of Year 1 ss A ¨C Gather!¡¹


    Sensei¡¯s voice was much louder than the whistle.


    (You don¡¯t need that whistle at all¡­)


    While thinking about that, I trotted up to Leia-sensei.


    Then, when all the boys and girls were gathered in the center of the gymnasium, she opened her mouth.


    ¡¸Now then, students with impure hearts who thought¡ºyou don¡¯t need the whistle¡­¡»¡¹! That¡¯s not good, not good at all! Setting the atmosphere is important! A whistle is very important in the gym¡­ Well, isn¡¯t that so!?¡¹


    Well¡­ I kind of understand what she wants to say.


    Even at the Gran Swordsmanship Academy, during basic physical education ¨C a whistle was ringing all the time during swinging and running.


    But still, she is so energetic this early in the morning¡­


    ¡¸Well, that¡¯s all for now¡­ today, we¡¯re going to do a practical test!¡¹


    Then Leia-sensei started to exin the practical test.


    ¡¸First of all, the use of soul dress is prohibited. The purpose is to measure the proficiency of pure swordsmanship! Next, regarding school techniques, all of them can be used. Show me the swordsmanship you have polished!¡¹


    Afterpleting the exnation,


    ¡¸Now then, everyone should borrow an appropriate sword for your own size from the gymnasium preparation room!¡¹


    Finally, after giving the instructions, she lightly blew the whistle happily.


    (I¡¯m pretty sure she just likes whistle blowing¡­)


    Ah, so Leia-sensei is a little childish.


    Then we looked for the one sword that suits us in therge quantity of swords in the gymnasium preparation room.


    It is forbidden to use your own sword in the practical test.


    This is a measure to avoid inequality among students.


    For example, let¡¯s take the proficiency of the cheap sword that I usually use, and the proficiency of highest-grade sword.


    It is obvious which would provide better results.


    The fact that the result depends on the superiority or inferiority of the sword is contrary to the purpose of the practical test that measures the proficiency of the swordsman. Therefore, although it is a little troublesome, the sword is borrowed from the academy in the practical test.


    (¡­Yoshi, let¡¯s go with this sword)


    I returned to the gymnasium after finding a sword that was about the same size as the one I use everyday.


    There were three other men in the gymnasium besides Leia-sensei.


    Perhaps the two young men are assisting with the practical test, and the old aged man with sses is the measurer.


    After a while, all the students had borrowed a sword and returned, and then sensei resumed the exnation.


    ¡¸Now, as everyone knows, the practical test isposed of three events ¨C Iai sh, Ten sh, and Consecutive shes. Well, it¡¯s the same thing you did in middle-school. Let¡¯s start with Iai sh first. -Oiii, start the preparations.¡¹1


    ¡¸¡¸Yes!¡¹¡¹


    The young men asked by Leia-sensei, immediately set up a dedicated pedestal and set a bamboo of an appropriate length on it.


    When the test preparation wasplete, Leia-sensei started speaking.


    ¡¸Well¡­ I think everyone already knows, but let¡¯s briefly exin the flow. -First, the student must stand in front of the bamboo set here and assume the Iai-stance. After that, draw the sword at any timing and bisect the bamboo. The time taken from drawing the sword and to cut the bamboo will be recorded in this test.¡¹


    The exnation was exactly what I received in middle-school in the Gran Swordsmanship Academy.


    ¡¸And this time, this measurer will measure everyone¡¯s records. This man is a 50-year veteran. Make sure to be polite.¡¹


    At the same time as sensei finished speaking, the measurer, who had a likeable face, quickly bowed.


    Measurers ¡ª This is an important job that is indispensable for all practical tests in elementary, middle and high school. Their job is to do just one thing ¡ª measuring test results urately.


    In order to qualify as a measurer, high specs are required, such as a visual acuity of 3.0 or more, reflexes within 0.2 seconds, and the difference between sensory time and real time within 0.01 seconds. Therefore, the number seems to be insufficient nationwide despite high demand.


    ¡¸I shall tell you this as a reference record, the average of the first year students is around 0.8 seconds annually. Well, put it in one corner of your head.¡¹


    Leia-sensei then took out a notebook and pen from her inner chest pocket.


    She is probably going to record the results in the notebook.


    ¡¸Well, let¡¯s begin immediately. First ¨C Ria Vesteria!¡¹


    ¡¸Yes!¡¹


    When her name was called, she stood in front of the bamboo and quietly closed her eyes.


    A few seconds after the gymnasium fell silent,


    ¡¸-Ha!¡¹


    A sharp sh ran through and the bamboo before her, became two equal parts.


    Everyone¡¯s gaze gathered at the measurer.


    ¡¸- 0.5seconds. Hoho, well done!¡¹


    It¡¯s a stunning record that was 0.3 seconds less than the average for first-year students.


    ¡¸Yoshi!¡¹


    She happily did the guts pose and returned to the ce that she was standing before.


    ¡¸A good record right from the start, this is a good sign! Well then, next ¨C Rose-Valencia!¡¹


    ¡¸Yes¡¹


    Rose-san briskly moved to the front of the bamboo ¨C and suddenly dropped her center of gravity.


    ¡¸Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style ¨C Lightning Sakura! ¡¹


    Then the next moment ¨C a thunderp-like sh ran through our sight, and the bamboo was bisected magnificently.


    From the fact that splits ran across the two divided bamboo, you can imagine how powerful that move was.


    ¡¸-0.3seconds. Magnificent!¡¹


    The students around us were very worried about the new record, which was 0.2 seconds less than Ria¡¯s record.


    ¡¸Fufu¡­ it¡¯s my win.¡¹


    ¡¸Gu-gununu¡­!¡¹


    Rose-san with a triumphant look, and Ria with a frustrated look.


    Apparently, they seem to get along really well with each other.


    ¡¸As expected of the secret art, Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style, it was a tremendous strike! Yoshi, next ¨C Allen-Rodore!¡¹


    ¡¸Yes.¡¹

 Chapter 11.3 - Thousand Blade Academy and The Big Five Holy Festival [1] – part 3

    Thousand de Academy and The Big Five Holy Festival [1] ¨C part 3


    Finally my turn came.


    I stood in front of the bamboo on the pedestal and took a deep breath.


    (Iai sh, huh¡­)


    If I¡¯m not mistaken, my best record in the Gran Swordsmanship Academy was 1.2 seconds.


    In the past, it was the poorest event for me, but now that I have trained for over a billion years, this event might be my forte.


    The moment when my breath was in order and my mind reached the nil state ¨C I drew out the sword in one breath.


    ¡¸-Sh!¡¹


    It¡¯s the fastest sh I can unleash now.


    ¡¸Hou!¡¹


    Leia-sensei, who saw my Iai sh from right beside me, was in wonder.


    The sh just now, even I think it was really good.


    And the result is¡­


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡­Eh?


    For some reason, the measurer didn¡¯t tell me the result.


    ¡¸E-Excuse me, how many second was it?¡¹


    As I asked so conservatively,


    ¡¸¡­Eh?¡¹


    He looked at me with a surprised look.


    ¡¸Eh, no, err¡­ I mean, I would like to know how many seconds it was¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m also curious as to how many seconds the record is. I would be happy if you could tell us without dy.¡¹


    Leia-sensei also asked in addition to my own question.


    As she did,


    ¡¸N-No no, what are you two saying from just now? He still hasn¡¯t cut the bamboo, you know?¡¹


    The measurer tilted his head confusedly.


    ¡¸No¡­ I have already cut it¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, it¡¯s as Allen says.¡¹


    When I gently poked the bamboo in front of me with my fingers, the cleanly bisected bamboo, slowly slipped on to the ground.


    At that moment, the ssmates who watched behind became noisy.


    ¡¸N-No way¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸I couldn¡¯t see it at all¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Seriously, when did he draw the sword¡­!?¡¹


    At the same time, the measurer who was keeping his eyes peeled, immediately ran to the bamboo that had been split in two.


    ¡¸Im-Impossible¡­!? I, a 50 year veteran¡­ overlooked an Iai sh¡­!?¡¹


    While trembling all over, and repeatedly attached and separated the two cut-sections of the bamboo.


    From a bystander¡¯s point of view, he would seem a little crazy.


    ¡¸However, this is a little troublesome¡­ You couldn¡¯t see it when it¡¯s moving at that speed¡­¡¹


    Leia-sensei ced her hand on the chin, and with a troubled look, she wasing up with some kind of measure.


    ¡¸Fumu¡­ it can¡¯t be helped. Allen, please cut slower next time.¡¹


    ¡¸S-Slower¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, please.¡¹


    ¡¸Ha-haa¡­ understood¡­¡¹


    I never imagined that¡¸slow¡¹ would be required in Iai sh, whichpetes for speed.


    For the time being, I once again stood in front of the new set of bamboo and readied my mind in moderation.


    And then,


    ¡¸-Sh!¡¹


    The sh that was intentionally slowed down when slipping out of the scabbard, and cut the bamboo considerably slower than before.


    ¡¸-0.1seconds. This being your slower¡­ you¡¯re a terrifying swordsman.¡¹


    The best record ever so far, the ssmates who watched from behind, got excited.


    ¡¸As expected, Allen!¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re so far forward¡­¡¹


    For some reason, Ria was puffing her chest, while Rose-san seemed a little dispirited.


    ¡¸Fumu, let¡¯s keep Allen¡¯s record as a temporary record. Originally, he should have cut it in less than 0.1seconds.¡¹


    Then, everyone took the test one by one, but in the end I didn¡¯t see anyone that beat my temporary record of 0.1 seconds.


    After that, the¡ºTen sh¡», a test topete for how quickly it was possible to cut all of the ten dummies in a vertical line.


    As a result of using First Sword ¨C Flying Shadow, I set an academy record of 2.0seconds.


    Next,¡ºConsecutive sh¡» is a test that uses a human body model topete for how quickly the shes hits the four most weak points of human beings ¨C the chin, heart, liver, and sr plexus.


    As a result of using Eighth Sword ¨C Yatagarasu, it ended in 1.0second. Everything seemed to be an academy record, and Leia-sensei was very impressed.


    And the long practical test finally ended.


    ¡¸Yoshi, with this the practical testes to an end. Everyone, well done. After this, the gymnasium will be open all day. Swinging, mock-fight, practicing your style ¨C do whatever you like. Well then ¨C Disperse!¡¹


    And then Leia-sensei left the gymnasium.


    ¡¸Fuuu¡­ I¡¯m slightly tired.¡¹


    Since it was my first practical test after a long time, strangely I was bracing myself for it, thus I was mentally tired rather than physically.


    And as I was stretching my body, a male student approached me.


    One of the people I beat yesterday ¨C the Iron Cutting-style user.


    ¡¸Say, Allen. The technique you used for¡ºTen sh¡»¡­was called Flying Shadow, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, do you want to ask something about it?¡¹


    ¡¸Umm, how to say¡­ If it¡¯s okay, can you teach me that technique? I¡¯ll teach the Iron Cutting-style in return!¡¹


    ¡¸Err¡­ no, sorry¡­ I¡¯m still not a good enough a swordsman to teach other people swordsmanship.¡¹


    And as I refused him politely,


    ¡¸P-Please I¡¯m begging you! It¡¯s alright even if you don¡¯t teach the entirety of Flying Shadow! A few tips would be enough! ¡­Please!¡¹


    He requested earnestly with both hands pressed together.


    ¡¸O-Ok¡­¡¹


    When I¡¯m being asked so far, I had no choice but to ept.


    In the first ce, I¡¯m not hiding the technical principal of Flying Shadow.


    Rather, I would like for it to be imitated more and more so that Flying Shadow could improve and evolve.


    ¡¸¡­Understood. But I¡¯m not very good at teaching, so don¡¯t get your expectations high, ok?¡¹


    ¡¸S-Seriously!? Thank you, Allen! I love you!¡¹


    Perhaps they had heard the conversation now,


    ¡¸Oi, wait a second! Don¡¯t try to get a head start alone!¡¹


    ¡¸Look, Allen, teach me your techniques too! Instead, I¡¯ll teach you the basics of the Crescent Moon-style!¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯d like you to teach me too, Allen-kun! In return, I¡¯ll teach you the form of Shimmering Water-style, ok? Please!¡¹


    Other students also came to me excitedly.


    ¡¸Aa, yes it¡¯s alright.¡¹


    And while I listened to everyone¡¯s requests,


    ¡¸W-Wait, Allen! That¡¯s unfair, teach me too!¡¹


    ¡¸Please teach me too.¡¹


    Ria and Rose-san, who both got ate start, took both of my sides.


    After that, everyone noisily talked together about swordsmanship.


    In addition to how to shoot Flying Shadows that was requested the most, the essence of the Iron Cutting-style, the basics of the Crescent Moon-style, the form of the Shimmering Water-style, tricks to make the Iai sh a little faster, what we always think about when swinging, and such ¨D¨D The story about swordsmanship blossomed all at once.


    (That¡¯s right, I always wanted to spend this kind of time¡­)


    Getting along with everyone, and talking about our favorite swordsmanship¡­


    I had been wanting it all the time during my three years at the Gran Swordsmanship Academy.


    (But in the end, I couldn¡¯t get a hold of it because of the unreasonable bullying ¡­but right now, it¡¯s within the palm of my hand¡­)


    While I was vaguely remembering the past, and reflecting on this happiness I finally seized,


    ¡¸¡­Allen, are you crying?¡¹


    Ria looked at me worriedly.


    As I noticed, there were slight tears in the corner of my eyes as she said.


    I seem to have gotten a little too emotional.


    ¡¸Ah¡­ n-no I¡¯m not.¡¹ There¡¯s just dust in my eyes, don¡¯t worry.¡¹


    So when I was rubbing my eyes exaggeratedly, a male student asked a question while swinging his sword recklessly.


    ¡¸Hey, Allen! How do I shoot a sh from here out?¡¹


    ¡¸Haha. To shoot Flying Shadow, you must hold the sword in a certain way-¡¹


    Thus, the happy time I had been wishing for since I was a child, flowed slowly.

 Chapter 12.1 - Thousand Blade Academy and The Big Five Holy Festival [2] – part 1

    Thousand de Academy and The Big Five Holy Festival [2] ¨C part 1


    The day after I was officially recognized as a participating member in the Big Five Holy Festival, it was a day off due to the anniversary of the founding of the Thousand de Academy.


    Although it is the founding anniversary, all the school facilities are open.


    For this reason, many students will crowd into the training and exercise areas today.


    The time is 7:00 in the morning.


    I ate a simple meal with Ria, washed my face, brushed my teeth, and got ready in the morning.


    In the meantime, she sat on a dressing table chair and tied her long beautiful blonde hair with an elegant wine red ribbon into the usual twin tails.


    When I was changing from sleepwear to academy uniform in the dressing room, I heard Ria humming. Apparently, she¡¯s in a good mood today.


    When I looked out of the window, I could see warm sunlight illuminating the ground.


    (¡­Nice weather. It¡¯s the perfect weather for training)


    It feels like it¡¯s been a long time since I wasn¡¯t disturbed by anyone and quietly swung my sword.


    Recently, I had a duel with Ria, a mock fight with the trio, and the practical test.


    For that reason, I had little time to swing alone and felt a little stressed.


    (Fufu, should I just swing straight from morning to night?)


    Then, when I fastened the sword to my waist, I realized I had forgotten the water bottle in the refrigerator.


    (Oops, don¡¯t forget)


    As I picked up the water bottle that has been cooled overnight, for today


    ¡¸Nee nee, Allen. Are you free today?¡¹


    Ria asked with a happy smile.


    (¡­ Honestly, it is very difficult to answer when she asks such a question)


    That¡¯s because whether I¡¯m free or not depends on what she ns to do.


    If possible, I would like her to ask me after stating what she ns to do first.


    (How should I answer this¡­)


    Guessing from her good mood¡­ this is definitely an invitation to go somewhere. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s to a training center or shopping in the city¡­


    (¡­just how should I answer)


    While I was racking my brain,


    ¡¸¡­S-Sorry, are you perhaps busy?¡¹


    She apologized with a dispirited look.


    (Surely, swinging is important, but¡­ Spending time with Ria ¨C with my friend is also important.)


    If you have a sword, you can swing anywhere anytime.


    But hanging out with Ria is not always possible.


    (In the first ce she is a princess¡­ I don¡¯t know when she will return to her home country, Vesteria)


    After considering everything, I said tenderly to blow away her anxiety.


    ¡¸-I¡¯m free. My schedule is open for the whole day.¡¹


    She heard the response and pped her hands together.


    ¡¸Yay! Well then let¡¯s go eat Ramzac together today!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Ramzac?¡¹


    I¡¯ve heard that name before¡­


    ¡¸Did you forget it already? Hey, I told you about it a few days ago. My home country ¨C Vesteria¡¯s traditional food!¡¹


    Ah¡­ I remember now.


    Speaking of which, we did talk about it a few days ago.


    ¡¸There¡¯s a delicious Ramzac restaurant nearby, so let¡¯s have lunch there!¡¹


    ¡¸Sure, I don¡¯t mind.¡¹


    Thus, today¡¯s lunch schedule was decided.


    After lunch, we would probably go shopping somewhere together.


    Unfortunately, it is still not possible to train today.


    (But¡­ it might be good to enjoy a holiday like this)


    As I fleetingly looked at Ria with a sidelong nce ¨C she looked very happy.


    So wey back and spent time alone in the room until noon.


    ¡ö


    About three hourster.


    The time is 12pm.


    We ventured out into the town to eat Ramzac.


    We were both wearing Thousand de Academy uniforms.


    This is not to say that it is troublesome to change to personal clothes, but Five Academy students are basically encouraged to go out in uniform.


    Recognizing ourselves as a member of Five Academy, and being an example of a fine swordsman at all times in society ¨C seems to be the meaning behind it.


    As expected, the Five Academy which values tradition and formality, it is quite strict.


    (Well, it is ultimately¡ºrmended¡»and not¡ºduty¡»)


    Therefore, wearing in clothes wouldn¡¯t have been a problem, but¡­


    ¡¸Allen, let¡¯s go in uniform today!¡¹


    It was a strong request from Ria, so both of us went out in uniform.


    She said¡¸Because there isn¡¯t much time in life, when we can wear a uniform and walk around in public unreservedly.¡¹


    Certainly, that sort of perspective also makes sense.


    Then while we were walking on the main street together,


    ¡¸Yeah¡­it¡¯s very good weather today!¡¹


    Ria said with a smile, holding out her right hand towards the sun.


    ¡¸Aa, perfect for trai- an outing.¡¹


    For a moment my¡ºtraining desire¡»overflowed, so I hurriedly rephrased.


    However,


    ¡¸¡­Just now, didn¡¯t you say training?¡¹


    Ria, who didn¡¯t miss my slipped word, stared straight at my face.


    I don¡¯t avert my gaze and looked straight into her eyes too.


    ¡¸It¡¯s just your imagination. I don¡¯t even think about swordsmanship when I go out together with Ria.¡¹


    This was not a lie.


    I really didn¡¯t have a single thought about¡ºswordsmanship¡».


    Just that,¡ºswing the sword¡»movement, crossed my mind for a brief moment.


    I¡¯m wondering if it¡¯s an after-effect of unconsciously swinging the sword for over a billion years, no matter where I am or what I¡¯m doing, I end up thinking¡¸let¡¯s swing the sword.¡¹


    This might already be something of a sickness¡­


    Then, for 4 to 5 seconds, we looked at each other straight.


    As we did,


    ¡¸I-I see¡­ sorry for doubting.¡¹


    She blushed and looked away.


    It seems that she believed me.


    ¡¸Aa, don¡¯t worry. More importantly, is this the right way?¡¹


    ¡¸Y-Yes, I have already been there a few times!¡¹


    ¡¸I see, that¡¯s reassuring.¡¹


    After that, while we were having a pleasant chat while heading to the Ramzac shop,


    ¡¸¡­Ah¡¹


    We unexpectedly came across Rose-san in uniform.


    ¡¸Allen, and Ria¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Good morning, Rose-san. What a coincidence to meet here¡¹


    I raised my right hand and greeted her.


    ¡¸¡­Why are you two together?¡¹


    Perhaps she wasn¡¯t in a good mood today, as she looked alternately at me and Ria with a reproachful look.


    ¡¸U-Umm¡­ We n to go eat a dish called Ramzac.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Ramuzak?¡¹


    Rose-san tilted her head confusedly.


    Apparently, it seems to be a dish that even she doesn¡¯t know.


    ¡¸Ramzac is a traditional dish from Vesteria, Ria¡¯s home country. -Oh right, Rose-san, why don¡¯t youe too?¡¹


    ¡¸Eh¡­?¡¹


    For an instant, Ria cried out bewilderedly.


    ¡¸I¡¯lle.¡¹


    As soon as Rose-san answered, she lined up next to me.


    As she did,


    ¡¸¡­This way. Follow along.¡¹


    For some reason, Ria began to walk quickly while pouting.


    ¡ö


    After that, as we navigated right and left with the guidance of Ria, she stopped in front of a certain store.


    ¡¸Alright, we¡¯ve arrived. This is my favorite shop ¨C Vend.¡¹


    It was a brick building with arge chimney on top of it, and it felt like a retro atmosphere.


    ¡¸Wow, this store looks nice!¡¹


    ¡¸I like stores with this kind of exterior.¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, let¡¯s enter¡¹


    When we entered the store with Ria at the front, who seems to have cheered up a little,


    ¡¸Wee, is it alright for three people?¡¹


    A waiter wearing a white cook hat weed us immediately.


    Ria nodded on behalf of us three.


    ¡¸Certainly. Come this way please.¡¹


    Fortunately, there seemed to be vacant tables and we were immediately taken to a table for four.


    Ria sat right next to me, and Rose-san sat opposite me.


    The waiter quickly set up sses of water for three people,


    ¡¸Please feel free to call out to us once your order has been decided.¡¹


    After saying so courteously, he returned to the kitchen.


    Then I simply looked around the store.


    There were many guests with families due to it being the daytime, and there was a pleasant and lively atmosphere.


    (The waiter was polite and the customer base is not bad¡­ This is a nice store¡­)


    While thinking about that,


    ¡¸Hey hey, look here, this is Ramzac!¡¹


    Ria excitedly pointed to the picture of Ramzac on the menu.


    ¡¸Oh, this surely looks delicious!¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, this doesn¡¯t look bad.¡¹


    As far as I can see in the picture, Ramzac seems to be a bite-sized triangr puff pastry filled with beef stew with plenty of beef.


    Beef stew with lots of beef in puff pastry ¨C there is no way it can taste bad.


    This seems quite promising.


    ¡¸There are various side menus¡­ This is the first time for both of you, so Ramzac alone should be fine, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, that¡¯s enough¡¹


    ¡¸No problem.¡¹


    After confirming my and Rose-san¡¯s order, Ria raised her right hand and called for the waiter.


    ¡¸Excuse me©`!¡¹


    The waiter who heard Ria¡¯s voice, immediately came from the kitchen.


    ¡¸-Sorry to keep you waiting. Are you going to ce your orders?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, Well, please give me one Ramzac tter.¡¹


    ¡¸Certainly.¡¹


    Then the waiter courteously lowered his head, and quickly returned to the kitchen.


    ¡¸The¡ºRamzac tteres in an amazing amount! Let¡¯s see¡­ even three adults, could barely finish it all!¡¹


    ¡¸Really? Even though it¡¯s only one serving?¡¹


    ¡¸Yup! The first time I ordered, I barely finished it!¡¹


    ¡­¡­ At that time, did Ria eat it all alone? Or did she have any other friends and ate together with them?


    To be honest, I was really interested, but I didn¡¯t ask because it was something I would get to know eventually.


    After waiting for 10minutes.


    ¡¸Sorry for making you wait. Here is one Ramzac tter.¡¹


    The waiter ced arge te with Ramzacs piled in it on the table.


    ¡¸T-This is¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸Finish eating it all¡­!?¡¹


    At a nce, there seems to be at least 30 Ramzacs which were bigger than the size of a clenched fist.


    Even if it is divided into three equal parts, it is at least ten.


    (It¡¯s quite a bit bigger than the picture¡­?!)


    Usually, dishes like this are a little smaller than the picture, but¡­


    To be honest, I¡¯m not confident that I can eat all ten of these.


    ¡¸Fufufu, it¡¯s amazing right©`?¡¹


    While I and Rose-san were stunned, Ria alone had a happy smile stered on her face.


    ¡¸T-There is quite a lot¡­ But it certainly does look good.¡¹


    ¡¸Yup, the smell is so delicious ¡­A bit too many though.¡¹


    ¡¸Right!? Come now, let¡¯s start digging in while it¡¯s still hot!¡¹


    Then we ced our palms together and,


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸Itadakimasu!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    And we filled our mouths simultaneously.


    ¡¸Nn©`¡­ this is what I¡¯m talking about!¡¹


    ¡¸Uu! ¡­¡­So delicious!¡¹


    ¡¸Hamuu¡­! ¡­Tasty¡¹


    Moderately crunchy and sweet tasting beef.


    A hot and rich voured beef stew.


    Crispy pie dough that creates a crisp texture.


    Ramzac had a certain volume and was as tasty as it looked.


    ¡¸I knew you¡¯d say that! It¡¯s a very popr dish in my country!¡¹


    Ria cheerfully stuffed Ramzac one after another into her mouth, as the traditional dish of her home country was praised.

 Chapter 12.2 - Thousand Blade Academy and The Big FIve Holy Festival [2] – part 2

    Thousand de Academy and The Big FIve Holy Festival [2] ¨C part 2


    10minutester.


    (Gu¡­h, to think it would be this delicious¡­!)


    I was losing consciousness in front of a mighty enemy.


    A friend who fought valiantly was¡­ already done.


    In such a situation,


    ¡¸Nn©`! How nostalgic!¡¹


    Ria, who sucked Ramzac like a beverage, looked just like the heroes from those legends.


    (¡­Yeah, this is impossible)


    There are things that humans can and cannot do.


    (I¡¯ll entrust the rest to her¡­)


    I honestly gave up on the Ramzac subjugation.


    This is by no means deserting under enemy fire ¨C it¡¯s a strategic withdrawal.


    When I abandoned the meal and drank the water, my eyes met Rose-san¡¯s who just got up.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    Because our eyes unexpectedly met each other, the silence continued, staring at each other.


    To be honest¡­ I feel a little ufortable.


    Unexpectedly, she opened her mouth as I wracked my head to see if there was any topic.


    ¡¸Hey¡­ why do you use honorifics for only me?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Well, I wonder why?¡¹


    I realised, now that she mentioned it.


    Speaking of which, I only use honorifics for Rose-san in year 1 ss A.


    (¡­I wonder why?)


    Is it because Rose-san acts mature?


    Or because our encounter was at a special ce called the Sword Festival?


    Maybe both are true.


    ¡¸I want you to quit the honorifics.¡¹


    Certainly, if only one person in the ss is addressed with honorifics, you will feel alienated.


    ¡¸¡­Understood, Rose-san.¡¹


    I honestlyplied with her request.


    ¡¸Discard it already.¡¹


    ¡¸U-Understood¡­ Rose.¡¹


    ¡¸Un, good. Allen.¡¹


    Rose smiled, while staring at my eyes.


    When my consciousness seemed to be sucked into her beautiful red eyes,


    ¡¸¨CThank you for the meal!¡¹


    Ria mmed both her hands together producing a loud p.


    As I looked at the te, there was not a single Ramzac left.


    It was aplete destruction.


    ¡¸S-Seriously¡­!¡¹


    To think she ate that many all on her own¡­


    As I stared in wonder,


    ¡¸Alright already! Let¡¯s go to the next store!¡¹


    For some reason, she suddenly lost her mood, and proceeded quickly to pay the bill.


    ¡¸W-Wait, Ria!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Tch, almost.¡¹


    ¡ö


    After enjoying Ramzac in Vend, we strolled around the aquarium, candy shops, general stores, and more.


    The girls looked lovely as they acted like teenage girls.


    At present, we were at the most famous luxury jewelry store in the capital.


    ¡¸Wow¡­ beautiful! Nee Nee, look here, Allen!¡¹


    Ria stuck out her finger with a diamond ring on it.


    ¡¸A-Aa, yes¡­ It suits you¡­!¡¹


    I praised her with a stiff smile, while being careful not to touch it.


    ¡¸Hey Allen, look. This is also pretty.¡¹


    Rose, who wore a tinum ne on her neck, asked for my impression this time.


    ¡¸Aa, it¡¯s lovely! It suits you very much, so make sure not to drop it, ok?¡¹


    Yes, these are both for sale, and the employee happily rmended trying them on.


    Surely the employee here knows that Ria is the princess of the neighboring country and that Rose is the bounty-hunter.


    The jewelries were frequently rmended to these two, so it was quite obvious.


    I followed after the two of them slowly and quietly, while paying attention to the jewelry disyed around me.


    (If it is the financial power of Ria and Rose, it might not be of concern at all.)


    If I break any one of these, that¡¯s the end of the road for me.


    I will end up with a tremendous amount of debt and, in the worst case, drop out of the academy ¨C and have to immediately get a job.


    The most terrifying thing is that there is no price tag on the jewelry.


    (I¡¯m sure the amount is at a level where my eyeballs would pop out¡­)


    I was so worn out, that I called out to Ria and Rose from a safe area where there was no jewelry.


    ¡¸S-Sorry. I¡¯m a little tired, so I¡¯ll rest at this bench for a while!¡¹


    As I did,


    ¡¸A-Are you alright!?¡¹


    ¡¸What happened suddenly!?¡¹


    They came up to me with the expensive jewelry still on.


    (G-Give me a break¡­)


    I can¡¯t stomach any more of this.


    ¡¸I¡¯m all right! Just a little dizzy! You both have a good time over there, calmly,posedly and while having fun!¡¹


    I stuck out my hands forward and asked them to stand still.


    ¡¸A-Are you really alright?¡¹


    ¡¸You don¡¯t have to worry about us at all, you know?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, don¡¯t worry! A little rest would do the trick!¡¹


    As they were convinced, they quickly spun on their heels, they started to chat merrily.


    ¡¸Hey Rose, how many months do you want? Is it the standard three months?¡¹


    ¡¸Ideally three, but the most important thing is the feeling. It might be alright even if it isn¡¯t the worst.¡¹


    ¡¸Uwaa¡­You are surprisingly devoted.¡¹


    ¡¸I see?¡¹


    I have absolutely no idea what they¡¯re talking about, but they seem to get along pretty well.


    (Anyway, both of them have great stamina¡­)


    They¡¯ve been standing and walking around for a few hours already now, but they¡¯re still so energetic.


    Although I was mentally enduring that out-of-ce feeling in this ce, I never thought I would go down first.


    (Maybe I¡¯m not used to shopping ¡­?)


    While thinking about that, I was looking at both of them absentmindedly ¨C suddenly the window ss of the shop broke into pieces and the crime prevention bell rang.


    ¡¸W-What!?¡¹


    When I hurried and looked towards the window, there were ten men with ck masks stepping into the store with a sword in one hand.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t move! Everyone silently raise both hands!¡¹


    It was a jewelry robbery.


    (Shit, for it to happen at this exact time¡­ so unlucky)


    I exchanged nces with Ria and Rose, and for the time being, I decided to raise my hands and do as the robber said.


    There are a lot of non-swordsmen in the shop such as the employees and customers.


    Making a poor move and causing confusion, must absolutely be avoided.


    After that, the robber confirmed that everyone in the store obeyed the order, handed arge leather bag to one employee, and pointed his sword at the same time.


    ¡¸Oi, you! Pack as much jewelry as you can in this bag! Right now!¡¹


    ¡¸Eh, ah, p-please spare my life¡­¡¹


    The young employee, was frozen in fear and unable to move due to the sword tip being pointed at his throat.


    ¡¸¡­Tch, useless!¡¹


    ¡¸Kyaaa!?¡¹


    The jewelry robber shed the back of the employee who was frozen due to fear.


    At that moment ¨C the air around us changed.


    (If you had stolen only the jewels, I would¡¯ve let you escape as safety of the people is the top-priority¡­)


    If the other side is going to harm the people, then we must also react ordingly.


    I and Rose pulled out our swords at the same time, and Ria manifested her soul dress.


    ¡¸Invade ¨C ¡´Fafnir¡µ!¡¹


    A beautiful crimson sword with beautiful ck and white me dancing along the de appeared in mid-air.


    ¡¸W-What is that !?¡¹


    The moment when the attention of the robbers moved to us.


    ¡¸Eighth Sword ¨C Yatagarasu!¡¹


    ¡¸Sakura Blossom One Sword Style ¨C Sakura sh!¡¹


    ¡¸High King Style ¨C Strong Strike!¡¹


    The waves of attack was unleashed and all the robbers were suppressed at once.


    ¡¸Ga¡­ha¡­¡¹


    ¡¸What¡­ is¡­ this¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸Mo¡­monster¡­¡¹


    We already brought down 9 men.


    Only one man left.


    ¡¸W-Who¡­ are you guys¡­Sh-Shiiiiiit!¡¹


    Thest one grabbed some scattered jewels in the store and ran away.


    ¡¸Hey! Don¡¯t run!¡¹


    ¡¸Wait!¡¹


    When Ria and Rose tried to chase the robber,


    ¡¸U-uh¡­¡¹


    The groans of the employee who was cut on his back, stopped their feet.


    ¡¸T-This takes priority.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­It can¡¯t be helped.¡¹


    They sheathed their swords in frustration but,


    ¡¸No problem ¨C he¡¯s still within my range¡¹


    I was already holding the sword in position.


    Punishment for crime ¨C can¡¯t let such a man escape so easily.


    ¡¸First Sword ¨C Flying Shadow!¡¹


    And the sh flew through the air in a straight line,


    ¡¸-Guhaa!?¡¹


    It hit the robber directly on the back of the head and managed to bereave his consciousness safely.


    ¡ö


    The next day.


    In the morning paper,¡¸Students of Thousand de Academy stopped robbery!¡¹ , the article was decorated with a photo.


    It was a wonderful photo with a pair of beautiful girls, Ria and Rose, valiantly holding their swords.


    And on the right back,


    ¡¸S-So small¡­¡¹


    I, who was alert of the surroundings with my sword, looked about the size of a bean.


    In addition, it was written in the article that the students, ¡ºtwo people¡»of Thousand de Academy yed an active role, and I waspletely absent in the story.


    (But¡­ I guess it¡¯s fine)


    At the end of the article, it was written that the employee who was wounded, was able to leave the hospital on the same day, so for the time being I was relieved.

 Chapter 13.1 - Thousand Blade Academy and Big Five Holy Festival [3] – part 1

    Thousand de Academy and Big Five Holy Festival [3] ¨C part 1


    The day after the jewel robbers were subdued.


    On the day before the Big Five Holy Festival, I, Ria, and Rose were called to the director¡¯s office.


    On the way to the director¡¯s office.


    ¡¸Mou! Right when we were having lunch¡­!¡¹


    Riained about Leia-sensei who suddenly summoned us.


    The three of us were having lunch together and suddenly a call was made on the in-house broadcast.


    Ria, who cherished the time of having lunch with everyone, was a little upset.


    ¡¸Now now, calm down, Ria. Even still, it¡¯s the director, I¡¯m sure she is quite upied.¡¹


    ¡¸Haste makes waste. And it might be urgent business.¡¹


    Me and Rose sided with Leia-sensei for the time being.


    Even with the way she is, she is still one of the most powerful people in this country.


    Besides, she is not only the director, but also the homeroom teacher of ss A for some reason.


    Surely she must have a mountain of work piled up.


    ¡¸You might be right, but¡­ she didn¡¯t necessarily have to call us during lunch break¡­¡¹


    Although Ria understood the sense behind the summon, she doesn¡¯t seem to be convinced of it.


    ¡¸Maybe it¡¯s just a small errand, and we would be able to return soon? Then let¡¯s eat together again.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Un, understood.¡¹


    While soothing Ria as such, we walked through a long corridor heading for the director¡¯s office.


    (This is a sudden summon, but since the three of us were called together, I have an idea of what it might be.)


    Perhaps it is to discuss about the Big Five Holy Festival on the weekend.


    In today¡¯s morning¡¯s newspaper, I confirmed that the academy fighting match ups were announced.


    Thousand de Academy¡¯s first opponent is, one of the Five Academy ¨C Ice King Academy.


    (But¡­ even if it says Ice King Academy, honestly. nothinges to mind.)


    I don¡¯t know any famous students, I don¡¯t even know the achievements at tournaments or even the power rtionships with the other four academies.


    To be more precise, I¡¯m not very familiar with the¡ºFive Academy¡»in the first ce.


    However, that is quite understandable.


    So far ¨C for the me before pressing the cursed 100 million years button, Five Academy was as high as the heavens itself.


    Normally, one wouldn¡¯t gather the particrs about the world where they would never get to step foot into in their lifetime.


    If I had such time, it is always better for me to swing the sword by even one swing more.


    (But never in my dreams did I think that I¡¯d be going to the Big FIve Holy Festival¡­)


    You never know how life will turn out.


    (For now¡­ I will do my best)


    Don¡¯t hold back Ria and Rose at the very least, don¡¯t smear mud on the good name of Thousand de Academy ¨C I¡¯m gonna fight with all my strength.


    While I was thinking about that, we were finally able to see the director¡¯s office ahead.


    The ck door, which is probably Leia-sensei¡¯s favorite color, had a heavy presence.


    On behalf of us three, I knocked on the door and a short¡¸enter¡¹replied.


    It¡¯s different from the usual joking tone.


    It was an administrative and strong tone.


    The three of us exchanged nces for a brief moment and then slowly opened the door.


    ¡¸-Excuse me.¡¹


    Inside the room, Leia-sensei was sitting at a high-ss ck work desk.


    Apparently she seems to be working, and was looking down on what looks to be a document, with a serious look.


    The room was surprisingly tidy, but the pile of documents ced around the room attested for her busyness.


    ¡¸-Sorry but, I¡¯m right in the middle of something. Wait over there for a while¡¹


    Sensei said without looking at us whilst turning over a piece of paper again.


    ¡¸U-Understood.¡¹


    I answered briefly and decided to stand quietly near the wall and wait.


    Ria and Rose followed after me.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡­¡­¡¹¡¹¡¹


    Nobody said a word.


    Only the sound of sensei turning the paper resonated greatly within the office.


    (It must be a very important document¡­)


    Sensei was silently reading the document without even blinking.


    It is the first time to see sensei with such a serious expression.


    (¡­As expected, she is pretty busy after all)


    Naturally speaking, it was a matter of course, but I recognized anew the heap of work of Leia-sensei.


    While being a director of the Five Academy, she is also in charge of an entire ssroom.


    I¡¯m sure she is managing a terrifying amount of work, where an ordinary person would faint, every single day.


    Despite all that, in order to make the ss fun, she behaves brightly in front of the students. For that, I greatly admire her.


    (This is an adult woman¡­)


    She looks somewhat cool.


    After enough time passed,


    ¡¸Fuuu¡­¡¹


    Perhaps sensei had reached a point where she could pause the work, as she finally exhaled while stretching greatly.


    At the same time, the atmosphere in the office immediately softened.


    She turned her shoulders around alternately, and as she was massaging her stiff neck, I spoke words of appreciation.


    ¡¸Sensei, thank you for your hard work.¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, it was fun.¡¹


    And then, she drank the tea in the teacup with a satisfied look.


    ¡¸Is that right, d to hear tha-¡­ it was fun?¡¹


    ¡­Strange.


    It¡¯s a little unsuitable to say¡¸It was fun¡¹as an impression of your work.


    Doubtfully, I moved my eyes to see what sensei had been eagerly reading ¡ª it was Weekly Shonen Yaiba.


    Weekly Shonen Yaiba ¨C a teenic magazine that boasts overwhelming poprity among middle and high school boys.


    Apparently, that¡¯s what she had been reading all this while.


    ¡¸Man, this week¡¯s Yaiba was good overall! Especially reading all of it in one sitting was great! Let¡¯s make a statement ¨C this series will definitely blow up! The art is still rough and the story is also unrefined, but how do I say it ¨C this welling up passion, like I could feel the¡ºsoul¡»in it!¡¹


    Sensei flushed and spoke so excitedly, just as a teenage boy would.


    ¡¸¡­Is that so?¡¹


    I want to chop up the foolish me who thought sensei was¡ºcool¡»even for a moment.


    Or rather, to think that she had us wait all this while just to finish reading aic¡­ my emotions had grown from anger to disgust.


    It was the same for both Ria and Rose. Both of them were breathing heavily with a furious look.


    (Is it really okay for this person to be the director of Thousand de Academy¡­?)


    As that tinge of doubt crossed my mind, I asked sensei about something that has been bothering metely.


    ¡¸Isn¡¯t Leia-sensei supposed to be really busy? Normally, if someone were to hold concurrent posts as the director and homeroom teacher, I don¡¯t think they would have the time to read manga¡­¡¹


    And then she proudly rubbed her nose.


    ¡¸Fufu, no problem. Because I¡¯ve left all the misceneous matter to this guy.¡¹


    And at the end of sensei¡¯s line of sight,


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    A man sitting in a small chair was silently doing paperwork at the corner of the room.


    ¡¸!?¡¹


    ¡¸Hii!?¡¹


    ¡¸W-Who!?¡¹


    Ria and Rose jumped back in surprise, and I immediately stood in front of them.


    (S-Since when was this person here¡­!?)


    It¡¯s not that his presence was weak, it¡¯s that I didn¡¯t realize at all that he was there until now.


    ¡¸Hahaha, a good response!¡¹


    Senseiughed happily at our surprised state.


    ¡¸W-Who is this person?¡¹


    Based on the outward appearance, he should be around his mid-thirties.


    In spite of being inside the room, he was wearing a silk hat low over his eyes.


    A magnificent handlebar mustache with both ends pointing upwards.


    The unusual white and ck stick that leaned against the desk was probably his.


    ¡¸Let me introduce you. No.18, a servant in charge of my misceneous matters.¡¹


    The man called No.18, without paying attention to us, just gave us a nod from that spot.


    In the meantime, his hands continued to work without stopping and processed a stack of paper at a tremendous speed.


    As I tried to approach closer to greet him,


    ¡¸Oops, be careful. This is a A ss criminal who has been sentenced to imprisonment with hardbour for 100 years.¡¹


    Sensei just said a ridiculous fact nonchntly.

 Chapter 13.2 - Thousand Blade Academy and Big Five Holy Festival [3] – part 2

    13. Thousand de Academy and Big Five Holy Festival [3] ¨C part 2


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸Wha!?¡¹¡¹¡¹


    We immediately backed away from him for good this time.


    ¡¸Prisoner number 0018 ¨C So I call him No.18. Nice name, right?¡¹


    Sensei praised herself by saying¡¸As expected, my naming sense is perfect!¡¹


    And Ria retorted.


    ¡¸Ho-Hold up Leia! Just what are you doing, dragging out inmates?¡¹


    ¡¸Nn, didn¡¯t I say that No.18 is my servant? Document preparation,munication, scheduling, etc ¨C His work covers a wide range!¡¹


    She said so sonorously, without the slightest hesitation.


    Apparently, she was always idle because she was throwing all her work to No.18-san.


    This time, Rose asked a question.


    ¡¸Sensei, what did No.18-san do? That he would be sentenced to 100 years of imprisonment with hardbour?¡¹


    ¡¸Umu, peeping.¡¹


    Sensei answered immediately without any hesitation.


    In front of the unexpected response, I investigated further for confirmation and asked questions.


    ¡¸B-By peeping¡­ The one that takes ce in the girls¡¯ changing room or in the women¡¯s bath ¨C is it that kind of¡ºpeeping¡»?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, that¡¯s right. This guy likes the female body ¨C especially the bodies of teenage girls. The criminal act was repeated devotedly over many academies all over the country. ording to testimonies, he has also peeped inside the Thousand de Academy public bath several times.¡¹


    Ria and Rose who heard that,


    ¡¸Uwaa, the lowest¡­¡¹


    ¡¸The enemy of women.¡¹


    They looked at No.18-san with contempt as though looking at garbage.


    In the middle of that, one thing caught my attention.


    ¡¸Surely peeping is an unforgivable crime¡­ but does that alone warrant imprisonment for one hundred years?¡¹


    A hundred years in prison is almost like a death sentence. I have never heard of a case where punishment for peeping was so heavy.


    ¡¸Fumu, that was just a simple exnation¡­ First of all, No.18 is an alumnus of Thousand de Academy. He¡¯s quite the fine swordsman. So, even if his peeping was discovered, the average Holy Knight could not do anything. And by the time he was finally arrested, he had umted hundreds of crimes..¡¹


    Apparently, he seems to be a super-powerful peeper.


    ¡¸Even if they managed to jail him after tons of struggles, this guy will break out immediately. By tearing off the prison bars with bare hands, or cutting down the walls using chopsticks from lunch for sword.¡¹Leia-sensei shrugged her shoulders in a¡¸good grief¡¹manner.


    ¡¸And by peeping and jailbreaking over and over again, his prison term has umted up to a 100years.¡¹


    ¡¸I-I see¡­¡¹


    For the time being, I learned that this person is a pervert who lives for peeping, in addition to being an excellent swordsman. And then,


    ¡¸What are you doing leaving such a dangerous person unregted!?¡¹Ria hit sensei with a good question.


    At the same time, Rose nodded in agreement.


    Naturally, the girls of the target age, demonstrated a strong negative reaction to the fact that a peeping tom was allowed into the same academy.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t worry, No.18 is perfectly harmless. Because I educated him firmly¡­ Right?¡¹


    Leia-sensei pped the shoulders of No.18-san.


    ¡¸O-Of course, Leia-sama!¡¹


    He, who had been silent until now, was now trembling all over, bowing over and over again, turning pale.


    (J-Just how did she educate him¡­)


    Although I was interested to know, I was too scared to ask. It is surely something that shouldn¡¯t be known by people.


    ¡¸Moreover, No.18 is also good with his head. He has a doctorate in three fields which arepletely unrted to each other. -Well, in short, I discovered this guy through this and that, and I summoned him here with the authority of director to help me with my work. As I said before, this guy ispletely harmless. There is nothing for you students to be worried about.¡¹


    ¡¸I-Is that so¡­¡¹


    There are many things to be worried about, such as information leakage and escaping, in addition to peeping within the academy and so on¡­ But if Leia-sensei, the director, says he is harmless, there is no other choice but to believe. Ria and Rose seemed unconvinced, but they no longer pressured No.18-san.


    ¡¸Oops, the discussion has gone astray. And lunch break is almost over too, so let¡¯s get to the main point already.¡¹


    Having said that, she cleared her throat.


    ¡¸I think you might have already guessed, but the reason I called you three here is for nothing other than regarding the Big Five Holy Festival. As reported in today morning¡¯s newspaper, our opponent for the first match ¨C is that sted Ice King Academy! Those bastards!¡¹Sensei suddenly raised her voice and mmed her fist on the desk.


    ¡¸Ouch!?¡¹


    She immediately took off her gloves and blew on her right hand.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡­¡­¡¹¡¹¡¹


    It felt like watching a one-woman monodrama.


    ¡¸A-Ahem¡­ You guys who newly enrolled, wouldn¡¯t know about the details of this academy¡¯s history. I will touch on it during sses, but before that, let me exin a little. -First, ours and Ice King Academy had a beautiful rivalry for many years. In the past, Thousand de Academy was always the best, and Ice King Academy was the second best at various tournaments, including the Big Five Holy Festival. Especially during the three years when I was a student at Thousand de Academy. I won all thepetitions ¨C they even called us the golden generation¡­¡¹


    Sensei spoke nostalgically, with a distant look in her eyes.


    (Was sensei, the OG around here¡­)


    While we were still surprised by the facts, she continued to exin with a calmer tone.


    ¡¸But times have changed ¨C they really have changed. Due to various problems, Thousand de Academy fell, and as though in pursuit of that, Ice King Academy fell as well. The public ¨C the media wanted it to be interesting and joined forces against us¡­. Fall of the Capital, Beginning of the End ¨C such titles flew around rampant¡­¡¹Sensei furrowed her eyebrows and clenched her fist.


    I¡¯m sure that as an OG, it¡¯s a regrettable and vexing thought.


    ¡¸Furthermore, our academy even lost to the Ice King Academy¡­. As you can see, at every tournament, Thousand de Academy is now at the bottom, and right above us is the Ice King Academy¡­¡¹


    Leia-sensei ced a piece of paper on the desk that summarized the results of various tournaments, including the Big Five Holy Festival.


    (It¡¯s as she says.)


    As far as I can see, the upper three academies switch orders every year, but the lower two academies are always constant. For more than a decade, thest ce has always been Thousand de Academy, and the fourth is Ice King Academy.


    ¡¸The immortal prestige that monopolized the first and second ce for many years -Thousand de Academy and Ice King Academy are now stories of the past¡­. And as we remained at the bottom for all this time, a problem urred¡­¡¹


    After a breath, sensei continued without pause.


    ¡¸Ice King Academy, which once had a beautiful rivalry with us, bared its fangs at us. As though venting their anger on always being second during our golden days, they started to fan mes towards us¡­ Dulled Thousand de, Shame of Five Academy ¨C such nder was thrown around. Those damn bastards, they revealed their true nature as soon as our weakness was disyed!¡¹


    And then,


    ¡¸Unbelievable!¡¹


    ¡¸Unforgivable, Ice King Academy¡­!¡¹


    Not only Ria, but Rose also seemed somewhat frustrated.


    After talking about it, sensei took a few breaths and summarized.


    ¡¸-And well, this is why you can¡¯t lose to Ice King Academy no matter what. What¡¯s more, this Big Five Holy Festival is the first tournament since I took office. I want an overwhelming¡ºresult¡»that can beat the Ice King Academy!¡¹


    Ria and Rose nodded in response to sensei.


    ¡¸There! This is the strongest line-up I createdst night, without even a wink of sleep!¡¹


    Sensei mmed a piece of paper which read¡¸list of participants¡¹on the desk.


    There, it was written ¨C Vanguard Allen-Rodore, Center Rose-Valencia, General Ria-Vesteria.


    (I see¡­ a reasonable lineup for sensei.)


    She seemed quite intense, so I was worried that she wouldy down an unreasonable lineup, but¡­ it seems that she kept a calm mind.


    (As I can guess from this line-up, my role is to bring out the opponent¡¯s battle style, technique, and behavior pattern¡­)


    Of course, ideally we want to win. However, if that proved difficult, at the minimum, I must blind them from getting any information on us.


    As for the center, Rose. The secret art of Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style, the legitimate sessor, is in the position of¡ºAce¡»in this lineup. After I stop the enemy vanguard from gaining information, she can take advantage of the flow born there to subjugate the enemy center and leader. The battlefield will be greatly influenced by her sess.


    Andstly, the general, Ria. She is the only one who can summon soul dress. As such, she is the most suitable for the role of general in terms of both strength and overall capability. In fact, without her negligence and self-pride, she would be an overwhelming force.


    (In other words, this is a very solid, strong-minded lineup where I, the vanguard, will exhaust the opponent as much as possible, and then center Rose and general Ria, who have been lying in wait, will deal the finishing blow.)


    As I nodded in consent of the participant list,


    ¡¸Nee, Leia. Why is Allen the vanguard? Normally, he should be the general, right?¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s what I thought as well. The strongest fighting power should be the general, no?¡¹


    Ria and Rose put forth those questions.


    (Nono, the general should be Ria. Either her or Rose, would be most appropriate¡­)


    On one hand, the princess of the neighboring country who maniptes the soul dress¡´Fafnir¡µ.


    On the other, the legitimate sessor of the secret art, Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style.


    Disregarding those two people, and appointing a swordsman from Gran Swordsmanship Academy as general, there is surely something not right when you think about it.


    Then, senseiughed happily as though she had already predicted such questions would arise.


    ¡¸Fufufu, did you notice ¨C yes, this is my strategy!¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸Strategy?¡¹¡¹¡¹


    All three of us asked the exact same thing.


    Sensei coughed¡¸Ahem¡¹, and began speaking, brimming with confidence.


    ¡¸As I said before, I want a victory. However, not just any victory. Aplete and overwhelming victory that would make those Ice King Academy guys aughing stock¡­!¡¹


    Ria and Rose nodded with a serious expression, whereas I, had a bitter smile. Personally, I prefer a simple and certain victory over a shy and overwhelming victory.


    After that, sensei continued on in high spirits.


    ¡¸As you all know, the Big Five Holy Festival is a three-vs-three winning through system. In other words, if our vanguard ovees those three people ¨C Ice King Academy, would be defeated without even getting a nce at our center and general¡¹


    ¡¸I see¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Certainly¡­ If you¡¯re aiming for an undefeated victory, Allen should set out as the vanguard.¡¹


    ¡¸Fufufu, no way those guys at Ice King Academy would have dreamed that our greatest fighting strength woulde out first, and those guys who suffered three consecutive defeats, will think this -¡ºIf even the vanguard is this strong, then what kind of monsters are the center and general?!¡»!¡¹


    ¡¸Uh! You sure used your head, Leia! Way to go!¡¹


    ¡¸Ice King Academy will be frightened by the invisible illusion of Thousand de Academy in the future¡­ not bad.¡¹


    Ria and Rose nodded consentingly.


    (N-No no no, that¡¯s absurd¡­)


    I need to win three times in a row against three first-year representatives of one of the Five Academy, Ice King Academy?


    (Impossible, that is just impossible¡­)


    No matter how look at it, they¡¯re overestimating me too much. At most, even one win would be a great aplishment. Without realizing the bitter look on my face, sensei suddenly beganughing with a joyful expression.


    ¡¸Fufu, I can already picture the sight of those guys trembling with their teeth rattling at the three consecutive losses¡­! Fufu, haha¡­ fuhahahahahahahaha!¡¹


    ¡ö


    And the day of the Big Five Holy Festival.


    Leia, who looked at the list of participating contestants of Ice King Academy handed over by the Big Five Holy Festival organizer,


    ¡¸Wha¡­!? D-Don¡¯t fool around¡­ What¡¯s with this underestimating list¡­!?¡¹


    Her teeth rattled in frustration.

 Chapter 14.1 - Thousand Blade Academy and the Big Five Holy Festival [4] – part 1

    14. Thousand de Academy and the Big Five Holy Festival [4] ¨C part 1


    This was written in the participation list submitted by Ice King Academy ¨C ¡ºVanguard No registrant, Center Cain-Material, General Sid-Euclius¡»


    Of course, it was the part of¡¸No registrant¡¹that agitated sensei. In the three-vs-three winning through system, the handicap of missing one person is tremendous, and there is usually no¡¸No registrant¡¹.


    (By normalmon sense, they should¡¯ve added even an unskilled swordsman as a contestant and try not to lose the battle by default.)


    From the viewpoint of information gathering, that would¡¯ve been best. However, Ice King Academy deliberately created a loss. They conceded a victory to Thousand de Academy.


    In other words, this is an obvious provocation that¡¸Two people are enough for the likes of Thousand de Academy¡¹.


    ¡¸How infuriating! Fooling around like this!¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s certainly unpleasant.¡¹


    Not only Leia-sensei but also Ria and Rose were irritated.


    Naturally.


    A match between swordsmen must always be fought in earnest. No matter how much of a difference exists in ability, conceding a match deliberately is unforgivable. Because it is the most insulting act towards the opponent.


    (Even I¡­ am little offended¡­)


    As we were shaking with anger, Leia-sensei rushed to the organizer woman.


    ¡¸If that¡¯s how the other side wants to y it, we have an idea as well! I am changing the participating contestants! There are no registrants in the vanguard and center ranks! Allen to the General rank! We don¡¯t need two or three members to defeat the mere likes of Ice King Academy! Allen alone is enough!¡¹


    Being red at by Leia-sensei ¨C a Director of Five Academy, who holds tremendous power and social influence ¨C the woman responded firmly whilst trembling.


    ¡¸I-I am sorry¡­ The deadline for changing contestants was two days ago¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I don¡¯t care what the due date is! It doesn¡¯t increase the number or change the contestants after all! There is no demerit for Ice King Academy!¡¹


    ¡¸S-S-Sorry¡­! B-But, r-rules are rules, so¡­¡¹


    The organizermittee woman, who stepped back involuntarily due to sensei¡¯s menacing look, managed to speak the words with teary eyes.


    When I tried to calm sensei down,


    ¡¸Ara ara, how repulsive. People withoutposure are quick to find faults with everyone.¡¹


    A womanughed, shooting an insulting look at Leia-sensei.


    ¡¸What did you say¡­!? You are¡­ Ferris!?¡¹


    ¡¸Long time no see, Leia-chan.¡¹


    She was the director of Ice King Academy Ferris-Dorahain.


    A beautiful snow-like kimono with a pattern of white and blue. Her long pale hair is elegantly gathered on the side, and an ornate hairpin that imitates a snowke added colour. With clear white skin, and long eye slits ¨C it¡¯s difficult to read her thoughts from the so-called fox eyes.


    (She seems to be in herte twenties¡­ and looks a little older than Leia-sensei.)


    And there were two male students behind her. These two are probably today¡¯s opponents.


    Leia-sensei, who saw Ferris-san, pointed out the list of participants of Ice King Academy, with a vein popping on her forehead.


    ¡¸You went and done it now¡ºvixen¡» ¡­I never imagined you¡¯d debut with such an¡ºunderhanded¡»method.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh dear, calling it underhanded is such an exaggeration¡­¡­ We just sent in the¡ºright¡»number of members¡­ ok,¡ºMuscle-Head¡»chan?¡¹


    The two smiled on the surface, and continued to make endless nasty ripostes.


    Eventually,


    ¡¸You heavy-makeup!¡¹


    ¡¸Shut up, simple-minded woman!¡¹


    It declined to the level of quarrel which would probably happen between elementary girls.


    (Even if they¡¯re like this, both of them are leaders of this country¡­)


    The future of this country might actually be bleak¡­


    ¡¸I shall dere! Today, I¡¯m going to bring back¡ºthat era¡»! ¨C That era of the strongest Thousand de Academy! ¡¹


    ¡¸Anyone can say anything with just a mouth. You¡¯re going to end up crying soon!¡¹


    Both of them said,¡¸Hmph!¡¹and turned away.


    Apparently, the unending child¡¯s quarrel, seems to have been resolved momentarily.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s go, Sid, Cain!¡¹


    ¡¸Nn©`¡¹


    ¡¸Yes.¡¹


    Ferris-san took the two male students and went to the waiting room of Ice King Academy.


    ¡¸We¡¯re also going, Allen, Ria, Rose!¡¹


    Then we went to the Thousand de Academy waiting room. We¡¯re about thirty minutes away from the start of the match, and it¡¯s about time for the final adjustment.


    ¡ö


    Immediately after entering the waiting room, Leia-sensei spoke with a stern expression.


    ¡¸There are several reasons why Ferris has submitted such a stupid participant list.¡¹


    ¡¸At best, it¡¯s just to agitate us, right?¡¹


    ¡¸I think it is also to provoke us.¡¹


    Sensei nodded to Ria and Rose¡¯sment.


    ¡¸Of course, those are also two of the reasons. However, the real intent is probably -¡ºDisy of Strength¡»!¡¹


    ¡¸Disy of strength¡­ towards us?¡¹


    Sensei shook her head to Ria¡¯s question.


    ¡¸No, probably not us. It is for the other Five Academy ¨C a challenge towards the top three academies. ¡ºIce King Academy shot down Thousand de Academy with just two members. We are different from what we used to be¡» or something like that.¡¹


    ¡¸W-What¡¯s up with that!? We are not even worth considering!?¡¹


    ¡¸How unpleasant.¡¹


    Furthermore, sensei added,


    ¡¸Ferris is sly and cunning, and on top of that, she hates losing to me the most. Thus, the fact that only two of them wille forward ¨C surely because they are convinced that they can win. That distrusting vixen putting her faith in those two swordsmen¡­ means they are by no means ordinary.¡¹


    After saying that, sensei had a really sour look.


    ¡¸¡­At any rate, brace yourself and head out, Allen. Today¡¯s opponent are brilliant swordsmen who are different from all that you¡¯ve faced in the past.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, understood.¡¹


    And just when the talk was over, an announcement by thementator flowed in.


    ¡¸Everyone, we have kept you waiting for too long. From here on, we willmence the first match between Thousand de Academy and Ice King Academy!¡¹


    The Big Five Holy Festival finally began,


    ¡¸Fuu¡­¡¹


    I took in a deep breath.


    (¡­This is not a fight for myself alone.)


    It is a battle on behalf of all the students at the Thousand de Academy. When I thought so, my heart throbbed and my palms began to sweat.


    (¡­Just the right amount of tension. In addition, the conditions are not bad either)


    When I opened my eyes,


    ¡¸Do your best! Allen, you can definitely win!¡¹


    Ria grasped my hand firmly.


    ¡¸Thank you, Ria. I will give it everything I¡¯ve got.¡¹


    As I gently squeezed her hand and turned my foot towards the stage.


    This time,


    ¡¸Make sure to win, Allen!¡¹


    Rose looked at me passionately with those burning crimson eyes.


    ¡¸Aa, I will do my best.¡¹


    And finally sensei patted my back.


    ¡¸Yoshi! Hit them hard, Allen!¡¹


    ¡¸Yes!¡¹


    Immediately after that, an announcement for the contestants to enter sounded.


    ¡¸Without further ado, from the west gate ¨C Vanguard of the Thousand de Academy, Allen-Rodore!¡¹


    Receiving everyone¡¯s hopes, I stepped onto the battle stage with the hope of victory.


    And the next moment ¨C I was overwhelmed.


    ¡¸UOOOOOO! Do it, Allen!¡¹


    ¡¸Defeat the Ice King Academy©`!¡¹


    ¡¸I won¡¯t forgive you if you lose©`!¡¹


    West side ¨C The audience seating on the Thousand de Academy side was filled with an overflowing crowd.


    Everyone from ss A, other ss members, and seniors from second and third year rushed to this ce.


    (That¡¯s right¡­ it¡¯s different now)


    It¡¯s not the same as when I had a duel with Dodriel at the Gran Swordsmanship Academy.


    At that time everyone was hoping for my defeat.


    (But now¡­ it¡¯s different!)


    Everyone is cheering me on.


    Everyone is supporting me.


    Everyone wishes for my victory.


    (I am no longer¡­ alone!)


    The painful, difficult and lonely battle was over.


    From now on, I will wield my sword for everyone, with everyone.


    (¡­I will definitely win)


    I was quietly waiting for the appearance of the other party, while hiding my burning fighting spirit.


    ¡¸Continuing, from the East Gate ¨C Center of Ice King Academy, Cain-Material!¡¹


    At that moment, on the east side ¨C powerful cheering was sent from the audience seat of the Ice King Academy¡¯s side.


    ¡¸Kyaa©`! Cain-sama! Look over here!¡¹


    ¡¸Y-You look so cool as always! Please do your best!¡¹


    ¡¸You can defeat the likes of Thousand de Academy on your own!¡¹


    Cain Material appeared while receiving tremendous support.


    Cain-Material. He is a man with a neat appearance, dressed in the pure white uniform of Ice King Academy. Wearing ck-rimmed sses, and has a silver pendant that simtes a cross.


    (This person, is quite experienced¡­)


    Cain-san raised his right hand and responded to the shrill cheering. Although it is such a big stage, he doesn¡¯t seem to be on edge. He waspletely calm andposed. I knew at a nce that he was a strong enemy who would never let down his guard.


    When we both stood at the center of the stage,


    ¡¸Both parties, are you ready!? Well then ¨C Match Start!¡¹


    Thementator dered the start of the match. I quickly pulled out my sword and held it in front of my navel. The basic form of attack and defense, Seigan no kamae ¨C this is my basic stance that can instantly defend, parry and counterattack no matter what movement the opponent makes.


    Whereas Cain-san ¨C suddenly grasped both hands firmly and kneeled in a gesture that prayed to God.


    Looking at it, a bad premonition ran through my body like a storm.


    (I-Is it possible¡­!?)


    ¡¸The whip of time to this devout believer ¨C ¡¶Hell Hundred¡·!¡¹


    The next moment, a big fissure ran through the empty space, and a sword appeared. It was a distorted de that looked like a clock¡¯s hand and emitted¡ºsomething¡»that instinctively caused an unpleasant feeling.


    ¡¸S-Soul dress¡­!?¡¹


    I was surprised by that unexpected situation. Leaving aside¡ºGeneral¡», I never imagined even the¡ºCenter¡»would use soul dress. Cain-san lovingly patted his sword and looked at me with a sharp glint in his eyes.


    ¡¸Now, it is the time of judgement! I¡¯ll go first ¨C no, I¡¯ll end this!¡¹


    He didn¡¯t wait for the turmoil to settle down, and immediately closed the distance between us.


    (Kuh, fast!?)


    As expected of one of the Five Academy, the representative of Ice King Academy. Not only manifesting the soul dress, but also has a very high level of physical ability. In terms of pure speed, he is above Ria but below Rose.


    ¡¸Receive the judgement of God!¡¹


    He stuck out the sword straight and lunged closer.


    (Certainly, he is fast¡­ but, there are also many openings¡­!)


    If he continues in this course, the next blow will simply graze my shoulder.


    On the other hand, my blow can hit the opponent¡¯s chest firmly.


    (It is a double returnpared to the risk¡­!)


    So my choice is to cut the flesh ¨C no, cut the¡ºskin¡»and stop right before the bones¡­!


    When I took one step forward to brace myself for some damage to a certain degree,


    ¡¸No! Dodge, Allen!¡¹


    Leia-sensei¡¯s bellow resounded.


    ¡¸Eh?¡¹


    ¡¸-Toote!¡¹


    Then the next moment, when his sword tip grazed my skin.


    ¡¸Fufu, farewell ¨C foolish swordsman.¡¹


    My consciousness sank into darkness.

 Chapter 14.2 - Thousand Blade Academy and the Big Five Holy Festival [4] – part 2

    14. Thousand de Academy and the Big Five Holy Festival [4] ¨C part 2


    When I came to realise, I was standing in an unfamiliar ce.


    ¡¸Eh¡­? Where am I¡­?¡¹


    Surely, I was fighting with Cain-san at the Big Five Holy Festival¡­ and then¡­


    ¡¸¡­Oh right. The moment I was cut by his soul dress, I lost consciousness.¡¹


    Looking around, I saw a small, dirty house.


    And one more thing ¨C numbers were listed in the air.


    99Year 12Month 31Day 23Hour 59Minute 42Second.


    It¡¯s probably like a time limit of this world, with the numbers decreasing second by second.


    ¡¸No way¡­ is this a prison of time?¡¹


    I feel that the air and atmosphere are a little like that of the other world.


    (This¡­ should be the ability of his soul dress¡´Hell Hundred¡µ)


    Guessing from this situation now ¨C until the clock reaches 00Year 01Month 01Day 00Minute 00Seconds, the target that was cut by the soul dress ¨C that is, the ability to seal the target in this world for a hundred years.


    ¡¸For now¡­ shall I try it lightly?¡¹


    If this is a world with the same or simr structure to that other world¡­ it can be cut.


    I moderately concentrated,


    ¡¸-HA!¡¹


    I swung down the sword while holding back considerably.


    Then the space through which the sword passed through, greatly wavered.


    (Yoshi¡­ there is a reaction)


    If this is the case, I will be able to escape from here at anytime.


    (But, wouldn¡¯t it be a waste¡­?)


    I obtained a hundred years after all.


    There is no other way to make effective use of this.


    ¡¸Well then, first of all, check the surrounding environment¡­¡¹


    This was my second experience, and this time there was a way to escape, so I was able to act very calmly.


    Then I spent an hour investigating the world.


    From the conclusion, this world was also a small sphere.


    If I walk out of the worn-out house and walk a little in a straight line, I get to the back door of the house.


    Fortunately, the house had everything needed for life, although the quality was poor.


    Bare minimum food.


    A bath where I can somewhat stretch my feet.


    Tattered mattress andforters.


    ¡¸Un, this is plenty.¡¹


    Although it¡¯s not as gorgeous as that other world, the necessities were present.


    After getting a grasp on the situation,


    ¡¸Yoshi, let¡¯s swing the sword!¡¹


    I decided to fully enjoy this world.


    Unlike that hell loop, it¡¯s really easy to get out anytime.


    Fear, frustration, anxiety ¨C I can face my swordsmanship purely without being trapped by those negative feelings.


    Ten yearster.


    I was just swinging every single day.


    Control the breathing, raise the sword ¨C swing it down.


    This movement has been repeated thousands and hundreds of millions of trillions of times.


    My heart seems to be purified with every stroke.


    (Aa, I¡¯m happy¡­)


    Swing the sword silently without anyone getting in the way.


    It couldn¡¯t be reced by anything else, my heart was content.


    Eat.


    Sleep.


    Swing the sword.


    While living such a wonderful life ¨C there was only one thing that burns my heart.


    (There is only a mere 90years left¡­!)


    Yes, it¡¯s the remaining time.


    The clock in the air pointed to 89Year 07Month 10Day 19Hour 15Minute, and the remaining time was less than ny years.


    (And there are still many more things I want to do¡­! A-Anyways, I should hurry up¡­!)


    Twenty, thirty, forty yearster¡­ time progressed at the speed of light.


    And after fifty years, the results of the training began to sprout little by little.


    ¡¸Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style ¨C Sakura sh!¡¹


    ¡¸Iron Cutting Style ¨C Rust-Off!¡¹


    ¡¸Cloud Style ¨C Cirrocumulus!¡¹


    I seeded in recreating the techniques with reference to the basic philosophy, type, and the essence of the school that I asked my friends from ss A before.


    Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style was the only technique I learned by imitation¡­ Surprisingly, I was able to learn it immediately.


    However, soul dress was the one thing I couldn¡¯t manifest.


    In the first ce, I still don¡¯t know how to develop a soul-dress ¨C I didn¡¯t know the training method for it.


    (I hope they will start teaching it soon in ss¡­)


    Thinking about that, I kept swinging my sword today as well.


    Finally, it became 00Year 01Month 01Day 00Hour 00Minute 01Seconds.


    A secondter ¨C the white world will copse with a sound.


    ¡¸No way¡­? It¡¯s over already¡­?¡¹


    Honestly, it passed by in an instant.


    (Even though I was thinking of cutting the world after training moderately and returning to the original world¡­)


    I didn¡¯t have enough time to train moderately.


    The time of 100 years was too short for me, as the time sensation of¡ºone loop of 100 million years¡» had permeated into my marrow.


    (I haven¡¯t even done 10% of what I wanted to do yet¡­)


    It hadpletely caused indigestion.


    (Although it was appeased by¡ºdesire for swinging¡»¡­ Damn, I wanted to train more and more¡­)


    I wonder if there is any way to stop the copse of this world.


    But ¡­ I couldn¡¯t find the answer no matter how much I thought about it.


    A sword is originally something that¡ºcuts¡»and never¡ºputs together¡»something.


    (I guess I have to give up¡­)


    As I shot a sidelong nce to the crumbling world, and the moment I sighed ¨C an electric shock ran through my mind.


    (¡­No, not yet. This isn¡¯t the end yet!)


    Perhaps this world may continue to loop a hundred years forever.


    Yes, like the 100 million year button repeated 100 million years forever!


    It¡¯s still too early to give up.


    There is still hope.


    (P-Please, Please¡­)


    Then as I slowly opened my eyes ¨C Cain-san was storing away the soul dress.


    (No matter how I look at this, this is the real world¡­)


    Unfortunately, the 100-year bonus time stopped at one time¡­ no loop urred.


    (Haa¡­ No way I would get so lucky¡­)


    As I dropped my shoulders, the audience seats on the side of Ice King Academy suddenly began to get excited.


    ¡¸As expected, so amazing! It was a one-shot certain kill!¡¹


    ¡¸Cain-sama! Defeat the next opponent in the same style!¡¹


    ¡¸Hehe, the guys at Thousand de Academy might withdraw from the match, right? They might even be cowering in fear after witnessing the match just now!¡¹


    Somehow, it seems like Cain-san has already won.


    When I was doubtful of this situation, the referee approached me with a pitiful look.


    ¡¸¡´Hell Hundred¡µ¡­ is a truly terrifying soul dress. Allen-kun¡­ how pitiful for such a young swordsman¡­ Shall I count you as not being able to continue?¡¹


    For some reason he looked at me with sorrowful eyes and encouraged me to gently withdraw from the match.


    ¡¸N-No no, I can still continue! Or more precisely, I¡¯m about to get serious from now on!¡¹


    To withdraw without even doing anything¡­ this is not a joke.


    Although it was a little unsatisfactory, I¡¯ve been training for a hundred years.


    From now on, the results of the training must be fully tested.


    And as I did,


    ¡¸¡­Ha?¡¹


    The referee opened his eyes wide for some reason.


    ¡¸Y-You can understand me¡­!? C-Can you really continue!? Rather, is your mental state alright!?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­? I don¡¯t really understand, but I can still continue the match.¡¹


    ¡¸U-Understood¡­!¡¹


    Then the referee got off the stage quickly.


    The only ones left on the stage was me, who was full of eagerness, and Cain-san, who for some reason thought he had already won.


    Putting away the sword and turning his back towards the opponent ¨C it is a foolish behavior that is nothing less than disqualification as a swordsman.


    (I can¡¯t bear to attack an opponent full of openings, but¡­ this is a serious match.)


    It is disrespectful to the other party, if I don¡¯t take the chance when I see one.


    (There¡¯s only one thing I should do right now ¨C just do my best!)


    I gripped my sword tightly and immediately expressed the results of my training.


    ¡¸Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style Secret Technique ¨C Mirrored Sakura sh!¡¹


    Four strikes from the left and right each like mirror match ¨C eight shes that could not be discerned by the eyes.


    The first time I met Rose-san at the Sword Festival, she unleashed this special technique on the final stage.


    Moreover, this version has its own modifications.


    Instead of the traditional eight-consecutive strikes, it has evolved to produce eight shes¡ºsimultaneously¡»with a single swing like the Eighth Sword ¨C Yatagarasu.


    ¡¸¡­Ha?¡¹


    Cain-san, who noticed eight shes approaching from behind,


    ¡¸Ga-haa¡­!?¡¹


    While his eyes widened in shock, he received those eight shes all over his body.


    ¡¸Aa¡­gu-ha¡­!?¡¹


    After that, he somehow tried to get up¡­ but only to the point of squirming on the ground.


    He probably received a mild concussion.


    With his eyes out of focus, he pointed his trembling finger towards me.


    ¡¸H-How?! You must have been sealed in that empty-hell-like world for a hundred years¡­?! Why are you still conscious !? Why isn¡¯t your heart broken!?¡¹


    Then I parted only a single request to him who started to say a lot of incoherent things.


    ¡¸Cain-san, 100 years is a bit too short¡­ If there is an opportunity next time, I would like to ask you to at least add a loop function.¡¹


    As I requested so, he slightly banged his head.


    ¡¸Absurd¡­!¡¹


    After that, the referee who confirmed that Cain-san lost consciousness, announced the results loudly.


    ¡¸Cain Material, unable to continue! The winner, Allen Rodore!¡¹


    At that moment, the Thousand de Academy audience seating was filled with joy.


    ¡¸Hell Yeaaaah! WE WONNNN!¡¹


    ¡¸Way to go, Allen! You were really amazing!¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s our vanguard! Ride this wave and, defeat the general too!¡¹


    As I received warm and kind admiration from everyone, I raised my right hand and responded.

 Chapter 15.1 - Thousand Blade Academy and the Big Five Holy Festival [5] – part 1

    15. Thousand de Academy and the Big Five Holy Festival [5] ¨C part 1


    After winning over Cain-san, I returned to the Thousand de Academy waiting room.


    ¡¸Amazing! Amazing! As expected of Allen!¡¹


    ¡¸Umu! You wonderfully held down that mental interference-type soul dress! What tremendous mental strength!¡¹


    Ria and Leia-sensei showered me with praises.


    ¡¸Thank you very much¡­ However sensei, how did you know that Cain-san¡¯s soul dress was a mental interference-type?¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, I¡¯m actually quite ustomed to soul dress, you know? If you observe the other person¡¯s soul dress carefully, you can quickly predict the type.¡¹


    ¡¸I see¡­ That¡¯s true.¡¹


    I wasn¡¯t particrly surprised when I heard that Leia-sensei was ustomed to soul dress.


    (There is no doubt, Leia-sensei is extremely powerful.)


    During the practical test, she was the only one who had caught my Iai sh, which even a veteran measurer missed. The great pervert swordsman who destroyed iron bars with his bare hands and cut walls using disposable chopsticks as a sword ¨C No.18-san didn¡¯t even show the will to rebel in front of Leia-sensei.


    And when she was a student of Thousand de Academy, she won every match at everypetition ¨C the golden generation.


    (I wonder just how strong she is¡­)


    To be honest, I was quite interested as a swordsman.


    (When the Big Five Holy Festival is over, I¡¯d like to request for a mock battle.)


    When I was thinking about that, Rose pulled on my clothes.


    ¡¸Allen¡­ how were you able to use my technique?¡¹


    She asked with a look which seemed to say¡¸unbelievable¡¹.


    ¡¸Err, about that¡­¡¹


    Then I told her the full particrs of the fight. I¡¯ve been trapped in a different world for a hundred years by Cain-san¡¯s¡´Hell Hundred¡µ. There were minimum amount of supplies, and had no inconvenience to living. So, after earnestly swinging my sword in training, I remembered the fundamental principle, type, and essence of the schools which I learned from ss A friends. Only Rose¡¯s Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style was learned by imitating from my memory because it had not been taught.


    As I did,


    ¡¸S-Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style that I learned from my father over the years¡­ by simply watching and imitating¡­!?¡¹


    She bit her lower lip in frustration.


    My heart ached for some reason even though I didn¡¯t do anything particrly bad.


    ¡¸Eh, ah¡­ that¡¯s uh! To be precise, that technique from a moment ago is a little different from the Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style Secret Technique ¨C Mirrored Sakura sh! It¡¯s abination of Eighth Sword-Yatagarasu! That¡¯s why I wasn¡¯t able topletely imitate it.¡¹


    ¡¸So, you had improved it. No wonder it was much sharper than mine¡­¡¹


    Although I tried to patch things up, I seem to have made it worse.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    As Rose and I were silent, an ufortable air fell over us.


    Ria and Leia-sensei stared at me, and silently conveyed¡¸do something¡¹with their eyes.


    (W-What should I do¡­)


    I desperately wracked my head and thought of a good idea that would bring Rose back to energy.


    ¡¸U-Uh, that is¡­ Oh, yes! I¡¯ll teach you next time! The Mirrored Sakura sh that I used a little while ago!¡¹


    And Rose raised her head.


    ¡¸R-Really?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, I mean, it was originally Rose¡¯s technique.¡¹


    ¡¸T-Thank you¡­!¡¹


    She smiled cheerfully and thanked me.


    (Fuu, I¡¯m d she¡¯s back to normal¡­)


    Then, when I finally put a rest to this scene,


    ¡¸Everyone, we¡¯ve made you wait for too long. From now on, the second match of Thousand de Academy vs. Ice King Academy will start!¡¹


    The announcement rang out.


    ¡¸Good luck, Allen! I¡¯m rooting for you!¡¹


    ¡¸Win just like before.¡¹


    ¡¸You are strong ¨C go with confidence and pride in your chest!¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, thank you very much!¡¹


    With the support of Ria, Rose and Leia-sensei, I returned to the stage once again.


    ¡¸Without further ado, the West Gate ¨C Vanguard of Thousand de Academy, Allen-Rodore!¡¹


    The moment I set foot on the stage,


    ¡¸HERE HE COMES! ALLEN!¡¹


    ¡¸Go and Wiiiiiin! Win this match, and it¡¯s our win!¡¹


    ¡¸You can do it! Fight On!¡¹


    West side ¨C The audience seating on the Thousand de Academy side were unusually excited. Perhaps the expectations has skyrocketed because I won the previous match.


    ¡¸Continuing, East Gate ¨C General of Ice King Academy, Sid-Euclius!¡¹


    Following announcement, Sid-san slowly emerged from the opposite side.


    Sid Euclius. He was wearing a pure white uniform of Ice King Academy in an informal manner. His snow-like white hair was messy and he has brown skin. Huge sharp ring eyes with ck pupils. It is a fierce feature that makes him give off a ferocious vibe.


    The moment he showed up, the audience on the east side ¨C Ice King Academy¡¯s side, fellpletely silent. Cheering, encouragement, rooting ¨C there was not a single supportive voice. On the contrary, no one even opened their mouth ¨C to the point where it fell ominous. There was an astonishing difference in enthusiasm between the west and east side audience seating. Without paying attention to any of that, Sid-san proceeded to the middle of the stage.


    Somehow¡­ I understood.


    (He is probably ridiculously strong ¨C perhaps even the best I¡¯ve ever faced)


    I felt something like an exceptionally unique aura only the strong would have.


    When we were both on the stage, the livementator livened up the atmosphere.


    ¡¸Because Ice King Academy didn¡¯t register a vanguard at the beginning, contestant Sid is the General! In other words, this might even be the final battle! If contestant Allen wins this match, Thousand de Academy can finally escape from the lowest spot for the first time in over a decade!¡¹


    In response to the announcement, Thousand de Academy¡¯s audience seating erupted in cheers.


    ¡¸And ording to the information that came in advance¡­ Both of them are self-taught! They haven¡¯t received the teaching of the sword from anyone! I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll show you an exciting match that¡¯s unconventional!¡¹


    And when thementator said so.


    ¡¸Self taught in this day and age¡­ bubuu, I¡¯m sure it will be a low-level match¡­¡¹


    Some audiences ridiculed.


    They were not rted to the Thousand de Academy or Ice King Academy ¨C probably the general public. To be honest, it¡¯s frustrating, but¡­ it¡¯s natural for them to react like this. Even though it is a General battle, surely they would feel disappointed hearing both swordsmen are self-taught. That¡¯s how coldly the public perceives¡ºSelf-taught¡».


    When I thought of that, Sid-san suddenly reached out to his chest pocket. Grabbed a survival knife lined up on the underside of his uniform ¨C he threw it into the audience without any hesitation.


    It was a genuine, powerful throw. The knife flew at a tremendous speed towards the man who ridiculed us earlier.


    ¡¸Hi¡­Hii!?¡¹


    The targeted man bent down on the spot and fortunately avoided the knife. Looking closer, the knife stuck firmly into the wall, right down to its hilt. it had hit his head¡­ he would definitely be dead.


    ¡¸Tch, it missed¡¹


    Sid-san, who tried tomit murder all of a sudden, was seriously irritated that the knife had missed. In other words, he wasn¡¯t trying to imitate or the like ¨C he was seriously aiming for the man¡¯s life.


    (What a guy¡­?)


    As the whole venue became noisy, Sid-san slowly spoke.


    ¡¸Bastard¡­ you justughed at me, didn¡¯t you?¡¹


    Sid-san probably he has sharp ears, as he said towards the man while ring. The low and cold tone echoed throughout the venue.


    ¡¸N-N-No, no! That¡¯s not true at all!¡¹


    The man shook his head frantically, his teeth rattling with much fear.


    ¡¸I¡¯ve clearly remember your face, yeah? So, take care when walking down the street at night.¡¹


    ¡¸??!?¡¹


    Fearfully, the man ran away from the spot and left the venue. The venue fell silent in that sudden situation.


    (Sid-san¡­)


    There is no doubt that he is a sharp person.


    (Not apliment, but¡­ that was a great throw.)


    It was about a hundred meters from here to that spectator seat. Moreover, it was notpletely windless. Given the conditions, that was a splendid throw that shot out exactly where he aimed. Sharp hearing, superhuman visual acuity, strong arm strength, and stubbornness ¨C just by looking at the current act, I can tell that he has the skills necessary for a swordsman at a high level.


    (He is no ordinary man after all¡­)


    The feeling of pressure when facing each other ¨C is far beyond Ria and Rose.


    And then, the livementator advanced along the Big Five Holy Festival with a slightly louder voice in order to liven up the atmosphere.


    ¡¸Uh, umm¡­ There was a little incident there, but let¡¯s start again! Here, I would like to start the second match of the Big Five Holy Festival!¡¹


    It¡¯s finally going to start. I reach for the hilt of my sword while maintaining moderate tension.


    ¡¸Are both parties ready!? Well then ¨C Begin!¡¹


    At the same time as the signal to start the match, I pulled out my sword and assumed the usual stance ¨C Seigan no Kamae.


    Sid-san, on the other hand, slowly pulled out the sword at his waist in an annoyed manner. Holding it loosely with his right hand, he took no stance and just stood there.


    (I¡¯ve seen various school forms, but this is the first time I¡¯m seeing this¡­)


    His stance was too peculiar, no matter how much of a self-taught he was. The tip of the sword waspletely pointing down, like a drunken man¡¯s carefree bag. Such a thing can by no means be called a¡ºstance¡».


    (Are you luring me? Or¡­ Are you underestimating me?)


    Slight irritation boiled up in my chest¡­


    ¡¸Fuuu¡­¡¹


    I took a deep breath and regained my cool.


    (Leia-sensei was very cautious of Ferris-san. And Sid-san in front of me, is the swordsman that Ferris-san nominated as general.)


    There must be something special in this stance that I can¡¯t understand.


    (If I rush in amateurly, I don¡¯t know what kind of counter I¡¯ll receive¡­)


    Normally, if we continue to face-off against each other as is, we will fall into a state of stalemate. However, I have a convenient technique that I can use in situations like this.


    ¡¸First Sword ¨C Flying Shadow!¡¹


    If it¡¯s Flying Shadow which I shoot unterally from a long distance without closing the distance, I can see how the opponent will react.


    (Now, how will you respond¡­!?)


    The sh that flew in a straight line towards him ¨C suddenly disappeared.


    ¡¸Wha!?¡¹


    My eyes widened reflexively.


    (W-What happened¡­!?)


    Sid-san hasn¡¯t moved in the slightest from there. Despite that¡­ my Flying Shadow suddenly disappeared without a trace.


    (What does this mean¡­? What on earth did he do¡­?)


    I firmly observed Sid-san but¡­ even though he was in the middle of a match, he was yawning. There are no signs that he did anything at all.


    (Maybe¡­ he has already manifested some kind of soul dress!?)


    That is more convincing. Soul dress has various abilities such as the¡´Hell Hundred¡µfrom before. There will surely be abilities thatpletely disable the kind of flying shes and flying tools.


    (Anyway¡­ One more time!)


    I readied my sword and swung it down stronger and faster than before.


    ¡¸First Sword ¨C Flying Shadow!¡¹


    A much sharper sh than before rushed towards Sid-san.


    (Now, how will you deal with it¡­!?)


    I observed firmly so as not to miss any movement he makes. Then he swung his hanging sword at an unstoppable speed and cut down Flying Shadow from the front. Yes, it was as simple as that.


    (You¡¯re kidding me, right¡­!?)

 Chapter 15.2 - Thousand Blade Academy and the Big Five Holy Festival [5] – part 2

    15. Thousand de Academy and the Big Five Holy Festival [5] ¨C part 2


    I shuddered at the sword speed. Sid-san¡¯s sword speed was much faster than that of Ria ¨C much more than that of even Rose. At the level where the tip of the sword can barely be seen at thest second in a full state of concentration¡­ an overwhelming speed.


    And as I caught my breath, Sid-san red at me.


    ¡¸Oi¡­ I came here for a¡ºfight¡». If you¡¯re going to y a boring¡ºshooting game¡», I¡¯ll crush you!¡¹


    Tremendous bloodlust was released from his whole body.


    (He ising¡­!)


    I held on to Seigan no Kamae, and waited with a perfect posture. And the next moment, Sid-san was right before my eyes.


    (F-Fast!)


    I held my sword horizontally at once, and defended against his downwards swing. Both our swords collided, and a metallic sound rang out.


    (What ridiculous strength¡­!?)


    While enduring the blow with both hands, I saw smugness on Sid-san¡¯s face.


    ¡¸Hmm¡­ your reaction is so-so.¡¹


    He immediately spun around andnded a strong kick into my abdomen.


    ¡¸Ga-ha¡­!¡¹


    The air in my lungs was knocked out and I was blown back.


    (Damn¡­ Just the kick is so powerful¡­)


    I immediately performed ukemi and returned to Seigan no Kamae. 1


    However, there was no follow-up attack from Sid-san. He loosely dangled his sword, and stretched his body. It¡¯s frustrating, but he doesn¡¯t seem to have recognized me as a proper opponent yet. I¡¯ll take that as an opportunity to analyse the series of attacks we exchanged.


    (Sid-san¡¯s high-speed approach waspletely different from Rose¡¯s¡­)


    Rose¡¯s is a¡ºsoft movement method¡» that matches the breathing and blinking of the opponent.


    On the other hand, Sid-san just left it to his ridiculous leg strength¡ºStrong movement method¡».


    (Most of all, the thing that bothered me the most was¡­ his swing)


    To put it bluntly, the swing was too lousy. The grip was half-baked, and his nk was not closed properly. A lousy blow that was just swung down with all his strength.


    (Speaking of which¡­ It was the same for the current kick.)


    It¡¯s just a random spinning kick that he left to his excellent leg strength.


    (Although it had an astounding force¡­ it was just as rough)


    If he was able to drop his center of gravity firmly and transmit power from the ground properly, I would have suffered more damage by now.


    That¡¯s right. He¡¯s just bulldozing through with his innate natural physical abilities.


    (Sid-san is undoubtedly a genius who is born only once every decade.)


    It¡¯s frustrating, but¡­ I can never match up to him.


    Extraordinary arm strength.


    Excellent leg strength.


    Flexible body like a spring.


    All of them are first-ss qualities, and all of those¡­ is something I don¡¯t have.


    (But that doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t win¡­)


    He desperatelycks effort, training, and above all ¨C an earnest heart to face swordsmanship.


    (And the chance of victory lies right there¡­!)


    As I finished analyzing him, he clicked his tongue loudly.


    ¡¸Tch. What are you looking at me up and down for¡­ Anyhow, a talentless bastard like you can never win against me in your lifetime. Stop resisting and just surrender already.¡¹


    Heughed mockingly at me.


    ¡¸Certainly, Sid-san is a genius. You¡¯re in a different ss from me. But ¨C I will be the one to win this match.¡¹


    ¡¸Aaa?¡¹


    A vein popped on his forehead.


    ¡¸I see I see¡­ Aa-Aa, that¡¯s troublesome¡­ If you really want to die so badly¡­ won¡¯t you tell me sooner!?¡¹


    The next moment, with an explosive eleration, he zeroed the distance in an instant.


    ¡¸ORAORAORAAAAAA!¡¹


    And then, he swung his sword frantically. His ridiculous physical ability make even such an amateurish attack into a terrifyingly sharp, four consecutive strikes.


    (Kuh,unching Yatagarasu would not stop his shes in time¡­)


    In this situation, it¡¯s time for that technique to make a debut.


    ¡¸Cloud Style ¨C Cirrocumulus!¡¹


    Four simultaneous shes, although its number is fewer, theunch speed is a cut above the rest. This allowed me to deal with all four of his shes.


    ¡¸Tch, don¡¯t get ahead of yourself! Worthless trash!¡¹


    As all four of his shes were cut down, Sid-san jumped high on the spot ¨C and brought down a full swing with his whole body weight. In addition to his extraordinary arm strength, a powerful swing with his whole body weight ¨C cutting it down with my own strength would be difficult. However, his teachinges into y in times like these.


    ¡¸Iron Cutting Style ¨C Iron Break!¡¹


    The moment the two swords collided, I put all my strength into my body. The body and the sword are integrated as if they were one iron ¨C and the impact flows to the earth.


    ¡ºIf mind and body can be iron, then iron can also be soft¡» ¨C the essence of the Iron Cutting Style.


    ¡¸Guh¡­damnit!¡¹


    As even his full swing was defended against, he leapt back far behind and sheathed his sword into the scabbard. Immediately after that, he charged straight at me. It is in obvious that he¡¯s going for a super-fast Iai sh ¨C he is not even trying to hide it in the first ce.


    ¡¸DIEEEEEEEEEEE!¡¹


    Sid-san closed in on me at an unstoppable speed. In this case, her fastest sword is most effective.


    ¡¸Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style ¨C Lightning Sakura!¡¹


    A thunderp-like sh met his Iai sh. Almost even ¨C no, mine was slightly faster.


    ¡¸Guh!? Changing your style again and again¡­ such a creepy guy!¡¹


    As all his attacks were defended against, Sid-san took a distance from me. With this, his turn has ended. From here on out ¨C it is my turn.


    For the first time in this fight, I closed the distance. And unleashed a killing blow.


    ¡¸Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style Secret Technique ¨C Mirrored Sakura sh!¡¹


    Four mirror shes from left and right each ¨C eight simultaneous shes at unstoppable speed.


    ¡¸Something like this¡­ I can shoot donnn!¡¹


    He made full use of his extraordinary physical ability and shot down all the shes.


    (As expected of his reaction speed and sword speed)


    I was dumbfounded by his talent at this point.


    (However¡­ my true aimes after this!)


    Sid-san, who prevented Mirrored Sakura sh from attacking his left and right, was left open in the center of his body ¨C the middle was defenseless.


    I aimed there and,


    ¡¸Eighth Sword ¨C Yatagarasu!¡¹


    I unleashed eight simultaneous shes.


    ¡¸Guh-nuOOOOOOO!¡¹


    However, he cut down even that. Sid-san shot shes one after another at an amazing reaction rate.


    However,


    ¡¸Guh¡­gaha!¡¹


    Two consecutive Yatagarasu ¨C he was unable to cut down all sixteen shes, and one sh reached him. Although it was only one shot, the sh caught him on the head. Dark red blood trickled down from his forehead.


    ¡¸Bastard!¡¹


    He red at me with bloodshot eyes, holding his injured head with his right hand. I matched his gaze firmly and dered clearly.


    ¡¸Sid-san is truly strong. Arm strength, Leg strength, Sword Speed, Reaction Speed ¨C I can¡¯t win in any one of those. However there is one, in regards to earnestly swinging the sword ¨C in regards to¡ºSwordsmanship¡», I am superior to you.¡¹


    ¡¸Guh¡­¡¹


    Then he slowly looked up to the heavens ¨C and hardened.


    And then,


    ¡¸Kukuku, kakakaka¡­kugyahahahahahahahahaha¡­!¡¹


    Suddenly he startedughing like crazy.


    ¡¸Aa¡­shut up. shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up! You¡¯re a truly creepy bastard!¡¹


    He red at me with his big eyes.


    ¡¸That! Those eyes! Those bastard eyes are the ones that creep me out¡­ Those eyes that believes in effort¡­ and swordsmanship and such¡­!¡¹


    He paused for a moment, and then cried out.


    ¡¸No matter how much a trash swings the sword, trash is trash ¡ª trash trash trash! It will not change, no matter how much it swings the sword, no matter how much effort it puts in, trash is trash! Just get that in your head already!¡¹


    After fussing as such, he suddenly stuck out his hand to the empty space.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll show you¡­ the absolute talent that makes¡ºeffort and swordsmanship¡»seem ¡ºmiserable¡»¡¹


    At that moment, tremendous pressure was emitted from his whole body.


    This sensation¡­ is the third time following Ria and Cain-san.


    (As expected¡­ Sid-san can use it too)


    I went on guard and grasped my sword tightly. And he yelled out with a heinous smile.


    ¡¸Devour ¨C ¡´Vanargand¡µ!¡¹2


    At that moment, a huge fissure ran through the empty space, from which a sword appeared. The de is white like snow, and the hilt is ck like the dead of night.


    (It¡¯s finally out, soul dress¡­)


    I raised my guard to the maximum level and assumed Seigan no Kamae again.


    ¡¸This¡­ is the end for you¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Come!¡¹


    From here on out ¨C it¡¯s the decisive battle.

 Chapter 16.1 - Thousand Blade Academy and the Big Five Holy Festival [6] – part 1

    16. Thousand de Academy and the Big Five Holy Festival [6] ¨C part 1


    As soon as Sid-san manifested his soul dress¡´Vanargand¡µ, I immediately noticed something unusual.


    (¡­Did the temperature drop?)


    It¡¯s right about daytime now, there¡¯s not a cloud in the sky, and the sun was rising high. Nevertheless, the open air was already cold enough to feel chilly. As I looked closer, his sword was spewing a cloudy, white mist.


    (Is that cold air¡­?)


    And when I was analyzing his soul-dress ability,


    ¡¸Well then, I¡¯ll end it quickly¡­! -¡´Freeze Lance¡µ!¡¹


    A huge spear, as tall as him, appeared in the air. It was a beautiful, transparent icence.


    (As expected¡­ Is his soul dress a type that maniptes cold air?)


    I focused on the icence while maintaining Seigan no Kamae.


    And the next moment,


    ¡¸Sora, Dance!¡¹


    The icence was fired at tremendous speed.


    ¡¸©`HA!¡¹


    I attacked from the front to cut it down.


    However,


    (H-Hard¡­! Such ridiculous hardness!)


    It¡¯s harder and heavier than iron ¨C it¡¯s clear that this wasn¡¯t any ordinary ice.


    ¡¸GUUOOOOOOOO!¡¹


    Somehow, I managed to parry thence upwards andunch it into the air.


    Then, when I shifted my gaze towards Sid-san again,


    ¡¸Oi¡­ where are you looking?¡¹


    Sid-san was already standing behind me.


    ¡¸!?¡¹


    ¡¸Soraa!¡¹


    I tried to avoid it by desperately jumping forward right away but,


    ¡¸Guh¡­!?¡¹


    His sword shed my back, and at the same time a burning pain seared through my body. I immediately got up and put Sid-san in the center of my sight.


    (The wound is¡­ not deep. It¡¯s alright, I can still fight¡­!)


    Due to cheering myself up, as I elevated my head ¨C the second spear was alreadypleted.


    ¡¸Hey hey, herees the next one!¡¹


    Before the spear was fired, I immediately ran to the right.


    (I must not stop running¡­)


    That¡´Freeze Lance¡µcannot be destroyed with my power. In that case, I should at least move around so as not to be the target.


    As I did,


    ¡¸Don¡¯t keep running!¡¹


    Sid-san lined his shoulders with me in one step and immediately fired four consecutive shes.


    ¡¸Kuh¡­ Cloud Style ¨C Cirrocumulus!¡¹


    I attempted to defend with the Cloud Style from earlier but,


    ¡¸Kaha¡­!?¡¹


    I failed to knock down thest shot ¨C a strong sh directly tore into my left shoulder. Fortunately, it didn¡¯t reach the bone, and I was still able to hold the sword with both hands.


    (Damn, it¡¯s faster than before¡­!? )


    Perhaps due to the ability of¡´Vanargand¡µ, Sid-san¡¯s sword speed has risen remarkably from before. After that, the same sword exchanges was repeated many times, and one by one, the wounds on my body increased.


    ¡¸HaaHaa¡­ Damn¡­¡¹


    It¡¯s a hopeless situation, but I must never give up.


    ¡¸Allen! Don¡¯t lose!¡¹


    ¡¸D-Do your best!¡¹


    ¡¸Legs! He¡¯s using his legs to toy with you!¡¹


    Everyone at Thousand de Academy was still loudly cheering me on.


    (For everyone, I definitely cannot lose¡­)


    However, I still haven¡¯t found the clue to defeat Sid-san.


    (¡´Vanargand¡µis a terrifying soul dress¡­)


    It maniptes cold air freely and creates an absurdly hard icence. In addition, ites with a bonus that improves the physical abilities of the owner.


    (That¡¯s foul y¡­)


    And then,


    ¡¸Hey you¡­ are you perhaps thinking that I¡ºbecame faster¡»?¡¹


    Did he read my thoughts?


    ¡¸That¡¯s not right¡­ That isn¡¯t it¡­¡¹


    Sid-san shook his head while biting down hisughter.


    ¡¸¡­What do you mean?¡¹


    ¡¸Haa, I guess you haven¡¯t realized it after all¡­ That you personally have be¡ºslow¡»¡¹


    Saying that, he pointed at my hand. When I dropped my gaze on both hands,


    ¡¸T-This is¡­!?¡¹


    I finally realized. My limbs are starting to turn pale purple.


    ¡¸Yo yo, do you know hypothermia?¡¹


    As though disclosing the secret, Sid-san raised¡´Vanargand¡µthat continued to release cold air as we speak.


    (Damn, he got me¡­)


    I didn¡¯t notice any changes in my body because I was too conscious of that icence and Sid-san¡¯s pressure.


    (At first nce, there is no sign that Sid-san is trembling in the cold ¡­)


    He, who wields¡´Vanargand¡µ,seems not to be affected by the cold air released from there.


    (This is bad¡­)


    The longer this matchsts, the more body temperature I lose. Which will put me at a disadvantage.


    (It is getting worse and worse¡­)


    Now that my body is still listening to me, I have to settle it as soon as possible. Impatiently, I immediately ran towards Sid-san.


    ¡¸Eighth Sword ¨C Yatagarasu!¡¹


    Yatagarasu, which should¡¯ve been able to unleash eight shes ¨C ended up with only six shes.


    ¡¸Gyahahahahaha! What happened!? There is only¡ºsix¡»,you know!?¡¹


    With augh, Sid-san easily shot down the six shes.


    ¡¸Guh¡­¡¹


    With a body that has decreased functions to this extent¡­¡­ There is no longer a chance to win from going head-to-head.


    (If so, I just have to go for his rear¡­)


    Then I inserted¡¸Second Sword ¨C Hazy Moon¡¹in various ces, exchanging blows with him so as not to seem unnatural.


    After that,


    ¡¸HaaHaa¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Nn©`, reached your limit already?¡¹


    Sid-san, who was convinced of victory, slowly headed towards me with his sword resting on his shoulder.


    (¡­Positioning is perfect)


    After that, if hees here as is, Hazy Moon will burst.


    (No matter how fast the reaction rate is¡­ A blow from the blind spot is absolutely inevitable¡­)


    And when I was holding on to Seigan no Kamae so that I wouldn¡¯t seem unnatural ¨C he paused.


    And then,


    ¡¸¡­Oi Oi Oi, what is this easy to see trap? ¡¹


    He passed the sword through the space where I inserted Hazy Moon. In response to the movement, Hazy Moon cut the air in vain.


    ¡¸Kukuku, how can an obvious trap like this work? At best, only a second-rate swordsman will get caught in this.¡¹


    Saying that, he closed the distance with me in an instant,


    ¡¸Soraa!¡¹


    A strong front kick struck my abdomen.


    ¡¸Ga-haa¡­!¡¹


    I heard a detestable bone-breaking sound, and rolled across the ground like a ball.


    ¡¸¡­*cough* *cough*!¡¹


    Perhaps the broken bone had damaged the internal organs, as I was spewing out blood.


    ¡¸Oi Oi that¡¯s filthy! Who do you think will clean it upter!?¡­Oops my bad, even I don¡¯t know!¡¹


    Then Sid-san stepped on my face mercilessly andughed loudly,¡¸Hahahahahahahaha!¡¹


    ¡¸H-Hey, that¡¯s going too far!¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t get too cocky¡­¡¹


    Ria and Rose red at Sid-san murderously. Then, he scratched his cheek with aplicated expression.


    ¡¸Aa-¡­ sorry. Certainly, that was going too far¡­ Un, I¡¯ll quickly kill him.¡¹


    And he thrust¡´Vanargand¡µat me.


    Under the rules of the Big Five Holy Festival, the act of killing the other party is prohibited. However, he does not care about such a thing, and will kill without any hesitation.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t joke around!¡¹


    ¡¸R-Referee! Stop him!¡¹


    ¡¸Contestant Sid, stop it!¡¹


    Ria and Rose turned pale and the referee jumped onto the stage. However, it is utterly impossible to make it in time, at this distance.


    (Shit, is this my end¡­)


    Due to the severe frostbite, my body doesn¡¯t move properly anymore. No, it is impossible to move in the first ce because Sid-san is stepping on my stomach.


    ¡¸Haha! I¡¯m going to make a corpse that makes meugh!¡¹


    And then,


    ¡¸-¡´Vanal Thrust¡µ!¡¹


    Tremendous amount of cold air was released from¡´Vanargand¡µ, and the thrust that gained explosive propulsion approached my throat.


    If it reaches me ¨C I will die helplessly.


    (Is this it for me¡­?)


    I swung my sword every day


    I trained harder than anyone else.


    I spent more time on swordsmanship than anyone else.


    I earnestly swung the sword for more than a billion years.


    But ultimately ¨C I was no good.


    I lost in the face of absolute talent.


    (Ria, Rose, Leia-sensei, Pa-san, and mother¡­ sorry)


    Without a doubt, I¡¯m going to lose my life here today.


    My body can no longer move a single finger.


    My sword has already been blown off somewhere.


    But still ¨C my heart was not broken.


    In front of my impending death ¨C I suddenly opened my eyes wide.


    I can¡¯t close my eyes here.


    Until the moment of death, cling on to¡ºlife¡».


    Contrary to the body that did not move, the turbid flow of emotion was swirling in my mind.


    (I¡¯m frustrated, I don¡¯t want to die, I don¡¯t want to lose ¨C I want to beat this genius!)


    At that time, there was something deep in my heart ¨C something like a¡ºsoul¡», whispered.


    ¡¾As usual, you¡¯re a jerk¡­Allen¡¿


    At that moment, my consciousness was swallowed by darkness.

 Chapter 16.2 - Thousand Blade Academy and the Big Five Holy Festival [6] – part 2

    16. Thousand de Academy and the Big Five Holy Festival [6] ¨C part 2


    Sid¡¯s¡´Vanal Thrust¡µgoes straight for Allen¡¯s throat.


    ¡¸Allen!?¡¹


    ¡¸N-No¡­!?¡¹


    That¡¯s when Ria and Rose copsed to their knees and many of the audience covered their eyes.


    ¡¸¡­Aa!?¡¹Sid¡¯s unpleasant voice echoed.


    His thrust ¨C was grabbed by Allen¡¯s right hand. Moreover, even when he tried to shake off Allen¡¯s hand with his prided arm strength, the sword does not budge even an inch as though it were lodged into a rock.


    ¡¸Tch¡­ your final struggle huh¡­?¡¹


    And the next instant, Allen lifted Sid together with¡´Vanargand¡µand threw them as though throwing away trash.


    ¡¸The¡­hell¡­!?¡¹


    Sid was puzzled by the unexpected situation, but he immediately calmed his mind and went on guard. After that, when the cold air released from¡´Vanargand¡µcleared up, Allen, who should have been riddled with wounds, stood up on both feet. The numerous wounds carved onto his body were nowhere to be found. In addition, his appearance was obviously different from the past.


    Long white hair that has emerged softly.


    A ck pattern that appeared near the bottom of the left eye.


    And above all ¨C a brutal look that does not bear the slightest resemnce to his usual self.


    As though he had transformed into apletely different person.


    Allen looked around the surroundings and lifted the corners of his mouth greatly.


    ¡¸It¡¯s been sooooooooo bloody long¡­ Oi! How many hundreds of millions of years ¨C No, how many billions of years has it been!? It has developed quite a lot, E¡±e!?¡¹


    Allen shook his shoulders in a good mood and startedughing on his own.


    While Ria, Rose, and everyone else in the ce looked astonished,


    ¡¸¡­So he came out after all.¡¹


    Leia was the only one who had a sharp eye on Allen.


    Having finishedughing, he muttered as if speaking to himself.


    ¡¸Even so¡­ Having this much incredible power, and not being able to draw out even a slight portion of it¡­ You really are talentless in a sense¡­ Allen.¡¹


    It was aimed at Allen, the owner of the body.


    Sid asked Allen, who has made a strange transformation.


    ¡¸Bastard¡­ who are you? Don¡¯t tell me¡ºSpirit Core¡»?¡¹


    Spirit Core ¨C it is thought that there is always one residing in the human soul. There are various types of spirits, phantom beasts, ancestral spirits, etc, and soul dress is thought to be an equipment that embodies a part of this spirit core that has its own soul.


    ¡¸Me? I¡­¡¹


    He opened his mouth, but quietly shook his head.


    ¡¸A¡±a¡­ doesn¡¯t matter¡­ I don¡¯t have to bother telling someone who is about to die.¡¹


    He was dering indirectly that he would¡¸kill Sid¡¹.


    Sid, who understood it immediately,


    ¡¸Bastard¡­ Who do you think you¡¯re talking to? You¡¯re an eyesore, disappear ¨C ¡´Freeze Lance¡µ!¡¹


    He immediately fired a super-massivence that was more than twice asrge as the ones he had fired before.


    It was the size of thisnce that clearly showed Sid¡¯s caution against the current Allen.


    ¡¸Allen, avoid it!¡¹


    ¡¸Please, run!¡¹


    The screams of Ria and Rose echoed.


    And as for Allen, who was in front of what would be an instant death if hit,


    ¡¸Ha, ridiculous!¡¹


    He hit the loomingnce, casually with his left hand.


    At that moment, the hugence shattered into pieces.


    ¡¸Im-Impossible¡­!¡¹


    Sid doubted his eyes. That was not a simple icence. It was a specialnce with higher hardness than iron ¨C made by the power of the soul called soul dress.


    He became speechless in the face of such an absurd sight ¨C seeing thence being shattered, which is difficult to destroy even with a sword forged by a master craftsmen, with Allen¡¯s bare hands.


    ¡¸Pu¡­Gyahahahaha! Whats with that stupid look! Did you really think that such¡ºice y¡» will work on me¡­ A¡±a!?¡¹


    When Allen was agitated at Sid, a slight¡ºred¡»was reflected at the edge of his sight.


    ¡¸Haa¡­?¡¹


    When Allen suspiciously checked the source of the red, he saw slight bleeding from the back of his hand, which had just hit thence.


    At that moment, he flipped.


    ¡¸Bastard, shitty geezer! The hell is this brittle body!? Don¡¯t fool around¡­!¡¹


    Allen, who was yelling furiously, turned around and red at a single point in the audience. There was an old man who had been watching the match from the start of this Big Five Holy Festival.


    Hair, eyebrows, and eyshes ¨C were all white and his hips were clearly bent.


    ¡¸Hyoho!? I¡¯m found I¡¯m found¡­!¡¹


    He soon became transparent and disappeared from the venue.


    ¡¸Tch, cowardly geezer¡­ he hasn¡¯t changed at all¡­ The next time I see him I won¡¯t let him get away so easy¡­¡¹


    At that time ¨C Sid, who saw Allen¡¯s empty back,ughed boldly.


    ¡¸You¡¯re too careless, aren¡¯t you? You turned your back to me like this! -¡´Vanal Thrust¡µ!¡¹


    A deadly thrust that gushed out tremendous cold air and gained explosive propulsion.


    But that thrust.


    ¡¸Oi Oi, don¡¯t misunderstand¡­ This isn¡¯t¡ºcareless¡», it¡¯s called¡ºleeway¡»¡¹


    He gently pinched the sword with his thumb and index finger. Almost as if ¨C carefreely pinching a grain of rice stuck to the clothes.


    ¡¸This is a joke, right¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸A¡±a? Was that perhaps your strongest technique¡­?¡¹


    Speechless, Sid simply stared at the monster before him.


    (Can¡¯t win¡­)


    He felt the feeling of¡ºfear¡»for the first time in the 15 years since his birth.


    Allen, who knew that Sid was speechless and that thest attack was his strongest skill,


    ¡¸¡­Oi Oi, seriously? I see, you¡¯re too sorry to even find the words huh¡­¡¹


    While desperately enduring hisughter, he shook his head left and right.


    ¡¸Fuu¡­ Well, then, I¡¯m going to stretch my body a bit¡­ Why don¡¯t you keep mepany?¡¹


    From then on ¨C it could no longer be called a battle. Allen continuously unleashed punches and kicks one after another ¨C Sid simply continued to receive it with his body.


    Arm strength, leg strength, reaction speed ¨C all of which were in a different league. Sid¡¯s absolute superiority in his natural talent was crumbling down before Allen¡¯s monstrous physical abilities. His confidence waspletely shattered.


    ¡¸HaaHaa¡­¡¹


    However, Sid was still standing on both legs while enduring bruises andcerations all over his body. His superhuman reaction speed continued to shift Allen¡¯s attacks that aimed precisely at his vitals by only a few centimeters.


    ¡¸That¡¯s it keep it up! Just avoiding it is admirable enough!¡¹


    Allen sent dry apuse with no heart.


    ¡¸Tch¡­ get lost¡­¡¹


    Sid spat out bloody saliva. Although he was shown the difference between them, his eyes were still not dead yet.


    (If this monstrous power is due to the¡ºspirit core¡», then there is absolutely a ¡ºduration¡»¡­ If that monster sinks back¡­ I will have a chance to win¡­! )


    He single-mindedly wished for an endurance battle.

 Chapter 16.3 - Thousand Blade Academy and the Big Five Holy Festival [6] – part 3

    Thousand de Academy and the Big Five Holy Festival [6] ¨C part 3


    Sid waited for the exhaustion of that¡ºsomething¡»which controlled Allen¡¯s body.


    However,


    ¡¸Aa-¡­ I¡¯ve had enough.¡¹


    That strategy never came to fruition.


    Suddenly, a ck sword appeared in Allen¡¯s right hand.


    The de and hilt ¨C everything was ck; it was the ck of the abyss that makes you feel uneasy just by looking at it.


    (What¡­ the hell is that¡­ Doesn¡¯t that look way too dangerous¡­!?)


    Sid¡¯s instinct warned him to¡¸get out of here right now¡¹.


    That ck sword was so anomalous in nature, that it was hiding otherworldly powers.


    However,


    (I? Running away ¡­? Against that trash? No way¡­?!)


    His pride did not allow him to escape. It was a heavier choice than death for him, who possessed innate natural talent, to run with his tail tucked between his legs against a swordsman he once looked down upon.


    And then,


    ¡¸Well then, goodbye.¡¹


    Allen said that carefreely as though parting with his friend ¨C he projected the ck sword forward andunched a¡ºthrust¡»of explosive speed.


    In front of a thrust that could possibly st the human body into atoms, Sid pushed out¡´Vanargand¡µto the front and countered it with his ultimate defense technique.


    ¡¸-Close the time of eternity¡´Ice Wall¡µ!¡¹


    At that moment, a huge wall with 100 millionyers of thin ice appeared between the two. Eachyer was harder than iron, and there wasn¡¯t a single swordsman who was able to break through this wall of absolute defense. However, Allen¡¯s thrust does not stop. The ck sword broke through the ice wall as if it were cutting through a piece of paper.


    ¡¸Gu- again, Close the time¡´Ice Wall¡µ!¡¹


    As a desperate measure, he developed a double ¨C 200 millionyer wall. The mental power consumption is considerable, but if he doesn¡¯t stop this blow, he will surely die. Sid was convinced he could stop it.


    And after breaking through 100 million and tens of thousands ofyers ¨C Allen¡¯s thrust finally stopped.


    (¡­Shit! Just how powerful is that thrust¡­!)


    Sid¡¯s heart was relieved only for a brief moment.


    ¡¸Three¡­¡¹


    Allen¡¯s voice echoed throughout the venue. At that moment, the wall that protected Sid began to tear with a sound again. Allen slowly began to put his strength into it.


    ¡¸Two¡­¡¹


    The speed at which the ice walls were destroyed increased with each count.


    ¡¸One¡­¡¹


    The referee, who understood the meaning of this count correctly, immediately jumped onto the stage.


    ¡¸W-Wait! That¡¯s enough!¡¹


    The referee dered the match to stop, but Allen did not stop.


    ¡¸Get lost¡­!¡¹


    At that moment, the thrust that prated through 200millionyers of ice wall, flew in a straight line towards Sid¡¯s heart.


    ¡¸!?¡¹


    Sid managed to twist himself at a godly reaction speed and avoided a direct hit on his heart. However, the ck sword pierced deep into Sid¡¯s right shoulder, and he was blown to the wall of the venue by the impact.


    ¡¸Gahaa¡­!¡¹


    All the air in his lungs was knocked out and he banged the back of his head ¨Cpletely losing consciousness.


    Right there,


    ¡¸Fuun, fuunfufuun, fuun!¡¹


    Allen approached while humming ¨C a second ck sword was held in his hand.


    ¡¸Well then, one more blow¡­¡¹


    Allenughed innocently like a child in front of Sid, who didn¡¯t even twitch.


    Then, the moment he lifted up the ck sword overhead joyfully,


    ¡¸Stop it already, Allen¡­!¡¹


    Ria forced her way in between the two of them.


    ¡¸¡­Aa?¡¹


    ¡¸This is overkill! A-Allen is not someone who does such a terrible thing!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Who the hell are you?¡¹


    His ice-cold eyes tightened Ria¡¯s heart.


    Still, she spoke out firmly.


    ¡¸I-I am Ria-Vesteria! ¡­¡­Look, did you forget? It¡¯s your ve Ria-Vesteria!¡¹


    ¡¸Haa? Don¡¯t know¡­ If you get in my way, I¡¯ll kill you too.¡¹Allen said, indifferently with cold eyes devoid of any emotions ¨C and pointed the tip of the ck sword at Ria.


    ¡¸¡­A-Allen? Are you serious¡­?¡¹


    Her faint voice echoed throughout the venue. But there was only one ce it didn¡¯t resonate ¨C Allen¡¯s heart. Ria pleaded desperately with tears in her eyes. Not to Allen who is here now, but to the usual gentle Allen.


    ¡¸Y-You remember right, Allen !? We ate Ramzac together and talked a lot together! Sometimes we have little fights ! But it was always so much fun¡­!¡¹


    As she recounted their memories, tears began to overflow from her eyes.


    ¡¸Tch, such a noisy woman¡­ That¡¯s enough, die.¡¹


    Allen, looking frustrated, swung the overhead ck sword off-handedly ¨C down to Ria¡¯s chest.


    ¡¸Please¡­ Return to your usual kind self¡­ Allen!¡¹


    At that moment, his arm suddenly halted ¨C the ck sword fell from his hand.


    ¡¸A-Allen¡­!?¡¹


    Allen, with an agonized expression, dropped down to one knee with his left hand holding his chest.


    ¡¸If you can take back control from me¡­ Then¡­ you should¡¯ve given your best¡­ from the start¡­¡¹


    Then he slowly copsed on the spot.


    His long white hair returned to his usual ck hair, and the ck pattern that was under his left eye disappeared.


    ¡¸A-Allen¡­!? Are you alright¡­!?¡¹


    Ria ran up to Allen, who was panting heavily, and raised his head to herp.


    ¡¸R-Ria¡­ sorry¡­ for scaring you¡­¡¹


    Allen reached for Ria¡¯s cheek with foggy consciousness.


    ¡¸No, it¡¯s alright¡­ So don¡¯t worry¡­¡¹


    She held his hand gently and never let go.


    ¡¸Your voice, reached me¡­ thank you¡­¡¹


    At the end of those words,


    ¡¸¡­Allen? Nee, Allen¡­? Respond, Allen!¡¹


    He quietly lost consciousness.

 Chapter 17.1 - Thousand Blade Academy and the Big Five Holy Festival [7] – part 1

    Thousand de Academy and the Big Five Holy Festival [7] ¨C part 1


    It is around noon, two days after the ups and downs of the Big Five Holy Festival.


    An urgent board meeting was held on the top floor of the¡ºFive Academy Tower¡»towering in the capital of this country ¨C the center of Orest.


    Strict traffic regtions were put in ce around this building where the Directors of the Five Academy¡¯s gathered together, and the number of Holy Knights who corresponded to the security was enormous, and their quality was of the highest. It is a state of high alert that does not let even a rat pass.


    The five people gathered in the VIP room on the top floor were all the faces of this country.


    Leia-Lasnode of Thousand de Academy.


    Ferris-Dorahain of Ice King Academy.


    With the three other Directors of the Five Academy¡¯s.


    The agenda is the second match of the Big Five Holy Festival ¨C the battle of Allen-Rodore vs. Sid-Euclius. There were two obvious vitions of the rules seen there.


    It was an old gentleman from the¡ºgovernment¡», who had no interest with any of the Five Academy¡¯s, was entrusted with the progress of this conference. He announced the result of the voting with a stern voice.


    ¡¸-Then, by five votes in favor and zero against, I will suspend Sid-Euclius of Ice King Academy for a month.¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸No Objection!¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹


    The opinions of all the directors, including Leia, werepletely unanimous. Ignoring the referee¡¯s restraint, and executed a lethal attack on the opponent.


    Although the attempt was prevented by Allen, it was a clear vition of the rules, and punishment was inevitable. The debate over Sid¡¯s suspension was settled early, and the meeting finally moved on to today¡¯s subject.


    ¡¸-Then, I would like to continue to discuss the punishment of Thousand de Academy¡¯s Allen-Rodore. First of all, whether or not to sentence the heaviest¡ºexpulsion¡»punishment. Please discuss carefully for thirty minutes.¡¹


    The next moment the old gentleman said so, the directors began to express their opinions.


    ¡¸Obviously it has to be expulsion!¡¹


    ¡¸I agree. In fact, he should be turned over to the Holy Knights for attempted murder.¡¹


    ¡¸E-Err, I¡­ think¡­ it can¡¯t be helped but to expel him¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Un Un, when I think about what he did to our Sid¡­ I have no choice but to vote for expulsion.¡¹


    ¡¸Wait! Allen at that time waspletely in an unsound state! I don¡¯t think he was responsible!¡¹


    1 vs 4.


    In terms of numbers, Leia was in apletely unfavorable situation.


    ¡¸Even if you say unsound state of mind¡­ Isn¡¯t it that he was just immature?¡¹


    ¡¸I agree. Students of the Five Academy¡¯s must always discipline themselves.¡¹


    ¡¸E-Err¡­ after all¡­ losing one¡¯s self is not good¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Un¡­ As far as I can see in the video, he seemed able tomunicate properly with Sid¡­ It¡¯s a little different from being unsound no, Leia-chan?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    Leia was at a loss for words.


    (Guh¡­)


    She bit her lower lip and wondered if there was any good idea to turn this board upside down. But ¨C Leia was rather weak at brain work and not so good with talks. It was impossible to objectively persuade the stubborn directors. Instinctively realizing this, she quickly gave up persuasion by¡ºwords¡»and appealed in the simplest and most primitive way.


    ¡¸IF ¨C IF you decide to expel Allen¡¹


    Tremendous¡ºpressure¡» was emitted from Leia, and everyone in this ce took a breath.


    ¡¸You¡¯re going to have to fight me ¨C that¡¯s okay, right?¡¹


    Childish and immature ¨C it can¡¯t even be called a n, but it was the most effective one. There was no one in this ce who was ignorant enough to not know the name¡ºck Fist Leia-Lasnode¡» and her valour.


    ¡¸Guh¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Nuu¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Hi-Hieee¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸Oh,-scary!¡¹


    The brilliant¡ºindividual¡»known as Leia-Lasnode, even if she were to single-handedly take on one of the Five Academy¡¯s entirely ¨C she can put up a fight for more than five minutes.


    From amon sense standpoint, this was just a threat ¨C nothing more than a child¡¯s tantrum.


    Because, even if it was feasible, it is not possible to turn the Five Academy¡¯s into enemies in order to cover for one student. This is because profit and loss cannot be bnced.


    However,¡¸If it is Leia, she might actually do it¡¹- such thought crossed the minds of the other four directors.


    In fact, when she was still young. Arge criminal organization called¡ºScarlet Rain¡», injured a swordsman who can be said to be Leia¡¯s best friend. When she heard the news, she indignantly ignored the opposition from everyone around her, and stormed the organization¡¯s headquarters alone. As a result, the Scarlet Rain, which the Holy Knights had difficulties with for many years, was destroyed in just one night. It is one of Leia¡¯s most famous acts of valour.


    There are many different powers in this world, but at the end of the day, the most effective of them all is fighting prowess after all.


    Then, when everyone simply held their tongue, the timer rang. The old gentleman who quietly stopped the sound of the timer, coughed once.


    ¡¸Now, we will vote in regards to¡ºpossibility of expelling Allen-Rodore of Thousand de Academy¡». I¡¯d like you to dere your opinion of whether you are¡ºin favour¡»or¡ºagainst¡»his expulsion from school, one by one from Leia-sama to the left.¡¹


    Thus, the voting which greatly influenced Allen¡¯s fate began.


    ¡¸I am resolutely against it!¡¹


    Leia dered clearly in a loud voice, and the turn passed to the next director.


    ¡¸E-Err¡­ That is¡­ I-I¡­¡¹


    She, who usually takes the neutral ground, was swaying between¡¸in favour¡¹and¡¸against¡¹.


    Leia, who sensed it, deliberately mmed her right finger.


    ¡¸Hii¡­!? A-A-A-Against¡­!¡¹


    She, who had belonged to the pro-favour spree, sumbed to Leia¡¯s prowess.


    The pro-favours who witnessed it, red at her simultaneously,¡¸Traitor!¡¹.


    The following two people,


    ¡¸I¡¯m definitely in favour!¡¹


    ¡¸I agree. I¡¯m also in favour.¡¹


    They strongly wanted Allen to be expelled, and immediately agreed to the sentence.


    Two against.


    Two in favour.


    In this state that waspletely split in two, the one with thest vote ¨C Ferris-Dorahain. In the victim position of this case, and in addition, had a cat and dog rtionship with Leia during their academy days.


    (Guh¡­ Is this it¡­!?)


    (Fufu, we won¡­)


    Leia gritted her teeth, and the two people who were in favor, smirked.


    And the next moment.


    ¡¸Un, I¡¯m against.¡¹


    Ferrisughed with a smile and voted against Allen¡¯s expulsion. Upon receiving this, the old gentleman immediately dered the result of the vote.


    ¡¸Two in favour. Three against. ¨C Due to the majority of the opposition, Allen-Rodore¡¯s expulsion from the academy is rejected.¡¹


    At that moment, the two, who had been strongly pushing for Allen¡¯s expulsion, were furious and hit the desk.


    ¡¸R-Ridiculous!?¡¹


    ¡¸What is this farce!?¡¹


    They looked at the two, who had changed their opinions at thest minute.


    ¡¸What does this mean you bastards!?¡¹


    ¡¸This isn¡¯t what we agreed!¡¹


    Yes. The two hade into contact with all the directors except Leia and had arranged beforehand to expel Allen. In addition, they had given arge amount of money to Ferris, to support Allen¡¯s expulsion.


    It was no wonder they were furious.


    With their faces dyed red, they red at the¡ºtraitors¡»with resentment.


    ¡¸Fue, E-Err¡­that is¡­ I-I am sorry¡­!¡¹


    The director, who had sumbed to Leia¡¯s prowess just before,y down on the desk with tears in her eyes. Ferris, on the other hand, doesn¡¯t seem to be scared, and spoke with a nonchnt look.


    ¡¸Yes, I certainly heard what you had to say. But it was only listening¡­ Nobody said¡ºokay¡»though.¡¹Ferris said, narrowing her slender fox eyes whilst chuckling.


    ¡¸B-Bastard¡­ But you epted the¡ºteacake¡»¡­!¡¹


    The teacake here is a hidden word for¡ºbribe¡»which can be understood only between the two people.


    Then Ferris,


    ¡¸Nn? Aa, that was really delicious, thanks a lot.¡¹


    It was a simple word of thanks for receiving the original meaning of¡ºteacake¡».


    ¡¸Guh¡­T-This¡ºVixen¡»¡­! Just what are you thinking!?¡¹


    ¡¸No?, I thought of expelling Allen at first, but¡­ you see, Sid¡­¡¹


    Saying that, she began to exin about why she voted against it.


    ¡¸This morning, I told Sid, who is still in the hospital¡¸I¡¯m going to expel Allen¡¹and he said,¡¸Miss, I¡¯ll kill him at the next tournament, so stop it¡¹¡­ That prideful child, requested by lowering his head, you see.¡¹


    Ferris recalled his appearance at that time, and smiled loosely.


    ¡¸That figure was so cute¡­! So, I decided to listen to his request!¡¹


    Sid was originally an orphan born in a slum, and they met by chance at various asions, and Ferris protected him since he was five years old at the time. After that, he grew up a little naughty because of giving him too much freedom, but Ferris really loved him. Sid also feels a strong debt of gratitude to Ferris, who brought him up, and calls her¡¸Miss¡¹.


    ¡ºRequest¡»from Sid, who is akin to her own child, and the¡ºRequest¡»from an old director.


    She didn¡¯t even need to weigh them.


    ¡¸Guh, you fools¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸Why can¡¯t you look ahead¡­ This will be a big loss in the future¡­¡¹


    The reason why the both of them wanted to expel Allen was because they were afraid of his power as seen in the recorded video.


    It is truly a masterpiece that the soul dress of Sid,¡´Vanargand¡µwas simply trampled down with overwhelming physical ability. And that overwhelming ck sword with tremendous power. The wonderful defensive technique¡´Ice wall¡µdeveloped by Sid, was prated through with ease. In the video, the existence of multiple beings has been confirmed.


    (Damn¡­ Even though things may appear this way now, Thousand de Academy can easilye back to life¡­)


    (Won¡¯t I be driven away from the¡ºdirector position¡»that I attained through a lot of hardships¡­)


    They wanted Allen to be expelled for their own sake. The position of¡ºDirector of Five Academy¡» is like sweet honey, if anything. No one stands against them before their enormous power and social influence. Therefore, many people aim for this position.


    If you show even the slightest opening ¨C you can be removed for reasons like poor performance at a tournament, such as the Big Five Holy Festival. In fact, the former director of Thousand de Academy was chased away just this year.


    Even they, have absolute confidence in the students they have raised. But, they don¡¯t think of being able to win against that Allen. Therefore it¡¯s best to nip them in the bud before they be dangerous.


    Permitting the strengthening of Thousand de Academy leads to the weakening of themselves. So they wanted to somehow expel Allen, an unknown threat, out of the academy. All of it is to protect the position of¡ºDirector of Five Academy¡». Then, as the two people in favor were trembling with regret, Leia patted her chest with relief.


    (Somehow, it worked out¡­)


    And when she took in a deep breath ¨C the old gentleman spoke.


    ¡¸Now, I would like you to consider the specific punishment of Allen-Rodore. Please discuss carefully for thirty minutes.¡¹


    Allen, who broke the rules of the Big Five Holy Festival, although exempted from expulsion, is subject to some punishment.


    Leia tried to lighten Allen¡¯s punishment somehow.


    Two in favor of calling for stricter punishment.


    A timid neutral party of one person.


    And Ferris, who amusingly throws the board into confusion.


    The debate of the five directors was fierce.

 Chapter 17.2 - Thousand Blade Academy and the Big Five Holy Festival [7] – part 2

    Thousand de Academy and the Big Five Holy Festival [7] ¨C part 2


    The rhythmic beeping sound of the machine, brought me back to consciousness.


    £¨¡­¡­£©


    The smell of disinfectant.


    Artificial dazzling light.


    A pure white ceiling spreading out in front of me.


    It seems that I¡¯m lying on my back.


    ¡¸Uh¡­ Where am I¡­?¡¹


    When I turned my head and checked the surroundings, there were the figures of Ria and Rose. They were sitting in a chair, with their upper body on my bed, and were sleeping. Finding the friends I knew calmed my heart a little.


    I slowly raised my upper body so as not to wake the two of them, and leaned against the headboard.


    ¡¸I see, this is the hospital¡­¡¹


    There was an electrode on my chest and an electrocardiograph next to the bed. The beeping sound was the sound of the horizontal line moving up and down with my heartbeat.


    ¡¸What happened after that¡­¡¹


    After Sid-san unleashed a thrust at my neck¡­ I honestly don¡¯t remember much. However, I remember that¡ºsomething¡»lurking within me was happily rampaging. At that time, I was sinking in deep, dark water.


    I remember being very, very sleepy. But for some reason, I felt like I should never sleep. Then, as I fought the drowsiness, I heard Ria¡¯s voice. When I turned towards the voice ¨C I was pointing my sword at Ria.


    I struggled to death. I struggled desperately in the water ¨C and when I noticed, I was back in the real world.


    (What was all that about¡­?)


    As I was thinking back to that time,


    ¡¸U-Uun¡­¡¹


    Ria rubbed her eyes, and slowly raised her upper body.


    ¡¸Good morning, Ria.¡¹


    ¡¸!? A-Allen! You¡¯re awake!¡¹


    With her eyes wide open, she hugged me tightly.


    ¡¸Ah, you¡¯re hurting me, Ria¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m d¡­ really d¡­¡¹


    She whispered so, again and again with a trembling voice.


    (I have made her worry¡­)


    It was a bitplicated, because of the feeling of guilt that caused her worries, and the feeling of joy that she was worried about me to this extent.


    But¡­¡­ For the time being, I have to say this.


    ¡¸E-Err, you know¡­ I-It¡¯s touching¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Touching? ¡­!?¡¹


    She understood exactly¡ºwhat¡»was touching me, as she blushed brightly and separated from me.


    And with both hands crossed in front of her chest, she red at me with disgust.


    ¡¸¡­A-Allen, you pervert!¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, that¡¯s too harsh¡­¡¹


    And when I was smiling bitterly,


    ¡¸Nn¡­ Allen?¡¹


    Rose rubbed her eyes and got up while shaking her upper body.


    She seems to be a weak morning person as usual, and her usual dignified air was nowhere to be found. In addition, an erect ahoge protuded from the top of her head. It¡¯s a truly artistic bed hair.


    ¡¸Good-morning, Rose¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Good morning ¡­Are you alright?¡¹


    She was concerned about me in a slightly lingering tone.


    ¡¸Aa, I¡¯m most likely okay.¡¹


    Strangely enough, even though I suffered so many wounds, I couldn¡¯t find any trace of it anywhere on my body.


    (Is this also¡­ his power¡­?)


    ¡ºSomething¡»had taken over my body and rampaged as much as possible.


    (Seriously, who was that guy¡­?)


    When I put my hand on my chest and pondered about it, the door of the hospital room suddenly opened,


    ¡¸Oh, you¡¯ve woken up, Allen!¡¹


    Leia-sensei, dressed in her usual ck suit, showed up.


    ¡¸Look, I¡¯ve brought fruits. If you have a good appetite, you can eat it.¡¹sensei said, and handed over a stic bag hanging from her right hand.


    When I checked inside, there were three bunches of bananas.


    (Well, I heard it¡¯s good for health, but¡­)


    To be honest, I don¡¯t need so much. However, it¡¯s the thought that counts.


    ¡¸Thank you. I will eat itter.¡¹


    Then, when I thanked her meekly, senseiughed.


    As she did,


    ¡¸-More importantly! What happened to Allen after all !?¡¹


    ¡¸Tell us quickly!¡¹


    The two stood up and approached sensei.


    ¡¸¡­¡­?¡¹


    Just what are they rushing?


    I tilted my head, as I alone was unable to understand the situation,


    ¡¸Well, calm down. The first thing to do is exin to Allen what happenedter.¡¹


    After that, sensei told me about the ending of the Big Five Holy Festival. I and Sid-san, who had both lost consciousness, were immediately rushed to the hospital. Both of us were seriously injured, but they somehow managed to save our lives.


    Both teams were disqualified from the match between Thousand de Academy and Ice King Academy due to serious vitions of the rules on both sides. And today, a board of directors was held to decide the penalty of us both.


    As soon as sensei finished talking,


    ¡¸So what happened to Allen!?¡¹


    ¡¸Tell us quickly.¡¹


    Ria and Rose immediately asked for an¡ºanswer¡».


    So they were asking about the punishment that the board of directors have sentenced on me.


    Sensei coughed once and spoke.


    ¡¸Allen was suspended for a month.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Suspension? Not expulsion from the academy but rather¡ºsuspension¡»!?¡¹


    ¡¸Is it really true?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, I somehow managed to bring it down to suspension ¡­To be honest, it was just barely¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸That¡¯s a relief¡­¡¹¡¹


    Ria and Rose patted their chests as though they themselves had escaped expulsion.


    ¡¸It¡¯s a little hard to say but¡­ as a joint responsibility, Ria and Rose were also suspended for a month.¡¹


    ¡¸Isn¡¯t that strange?¡¹


    They were not involved in that match at all. On the contrary, they did not even participate in a single match of the Big Five Holy Festival.


    This is too unfair.


    ¡¸It¡¯s fine, I don¡¯t mind if it¡¯s just this much.¡¹


    ¡¸No problem.¡¹


    They said so, but I was not convinced.


    ¡¸Why were Ria and Rose suspended from the academy? Please tell me the reason!¡¹


    Then, sensei exined it tentatively while scratching her cheek.


    ¡¸As the word implies¡ºjoint responsibility¡». Even though they were a representative of the same Thousand de Academy, they couldn¡¯t stop Allen from running wild ¨C that is the surface reason.¡¹


    She continued talking.


    ¡¸But, there is no doubt that their aim is to reduce the strength of Thousand de Academy. The Five Academy¡¯s, including ours, will hold the most important ss of¡ºacquisition of soul dress¡»for one month from now. The purpose is to crush the whole period. Ria and Rose ¨C they must want to weaken our future key yers¡¹


    ¡¸Good grief, they keep thinking of sly things¡­¡¹sensei shrugged her shoulders as she said.


    ¡¸Ria, Rose¡­ sorry¡¹


    I apologize for causing trouble to the both of them.


    ¡¸Well, you don¡¯t have to worry about that! Allen recovered perfectly and didn¡¯t get expelled! It¡¯s a celebration today, congrattions!¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s okay, you don¡¯t have to worry about anything.¡¹


    Then, unusually, Leia-sensei said a few words of apology.


    ¡¸To be honest, this is not Allen¡¯s fault¡­ It¡¯spletely my blunder. The suspension of these two could have been prevented as long as I was a little more proficient at debating¡­¡¹


    Saying that, she clenched her fist tightly.


    Apparently she had something to think about.


    ¡¸-If I could have just made one excuse¡­ those stubborn geezers were really persistent. They persistently pinned down every slip of the tongue¡­ In the end, it became a brawl, and the discussion flowed in a bad direction. I¡¯m ashamed to say that I don¡¯t even remember what I said¡­ I certainly remember, I swore in my heart that¡ºI¡¯ll definitely dent these two faces like potatoes someday!¡»¡­¡¹


    Saying so, sensei confessed everything in detail as if to repent.


    (¡­¡­It seems that Leia-sensei is also responsible for Ria and Rose being suspended.)


    I could easily imagine her screaming and forgetting herself during the meeting

 Chapter 17.3 - Thousand Blade Academy and the Big Five Holy Festival [7] – part 3

    Thousand de Academy and the Big Five Holy Festival [7] ¨C part 3


    And then,


    ¡¸Well, that¡¯s not joint responsibility¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Un. To put it simply, it waspletely sensei¡¯s fault.¡¹


    Ria and Rose mercilessly retorted to sensei.


    ¡¸Hahaha¡­ That¡¯s quite harsh.¡¹


    She nced around, while scratching her head. Then, when the talk settled down, Ria asked with a slightly troubled face.


    ¡¸But a month of suspension means, we have to stay in the dorm at all times?¡¹


    ¡¸That will really dull the body¡­¡¹


    Certainly¡­ If we stay in the dormitory for a month, we will definitely be dull.


    ¡¸Do not worry. That¡¯s no problem because, No.18 has already thought about this issue.¡¹


    ¡¸S-Sensei didn¡¯te up with it on your own¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Fuuu, obviously. Because I can¡¯t do brain work!¡¹


    For some reason, sensei said that with confidence, without any hesitation.


    ¡¸Well, I¡¯m going to have you be a¡ºmagic swordsman¡»for a month from now on.¡¹


    ¡¸Magic Swordsman¡­?¡¹


    Magic swordsmen are people who take requests from citizens and merchants and live their lives with the rewards. In the past, it was discriminated as an obscene profession as¡¸using sacred swordsmanship as a tool for making money. However, the situation has changed in recent years, and there has been almost no discrimation. It is said that there is data that as many as 30% of the students who actually graduated from high-school be magic swordsman.


    ¡¸Aa, however, instead of making money as a magic swordsman, you will take on requests for free. It¡¯s like volunteering. It would be a good idea to choose something that is expected to be a little rough, such as beast extermination and escort of vips. With your abilities, there¡¯s no danger ¨C above all, this experience will surely serve you in the future.¡¹


    ¡¸But, if we, who were suspended from the academy, were walking outside brazenly, wouldn¡¯t it be a problem?¡¹


    ¡¸No problem at all. I¡¯m going to counter with¡ºforced volunteering as punishment¡». It is¡ºpunishment¡»that the director of Thousand de Academy gave to the students. Appeals against this would interfere with the government¡¯s¡ºDirector¡¯s Authority¡» and would be strictly punished by the holy knights of the government. ¨C Un un, as expected of No.18 . It was the right choice to pick him up!¡¹sensei said, and nodded with satisfaction.


    (I wonder if No.18-san is working all the time¡­)


    His criminal act is by no means forgiven, but¡­ I felt a little pity.


    ¡¸Fuun, Magic Swordsman huh¡­ I¡¯ve been a little interested in it for a while now¡¹


    ¡¸It might be nice to get rid of some beasts.¡¹


    Ria and Rose seemed eager to work as a magic swordsman. It made me feel a little better.


    Sensei coughed once, and gave us a small warning.


    ¡¸As I told you, you will be working outside the academy as a magic swordsman ¨C Be careful of the ck Organization.¡¹


    ck organization. It is arge-scale criminal organization that has be popr in recent years. Manufacturing and smuggling drugs, human trafficking, assassination of key people ¨C they are involved in various criminal activities. The Holy Knights are working to eradicate the organization with their pride on the line, but¡­ the results are not good. The fact is that we have no information at all, about their mastermind, headquarters, and purpose.


    ¡¸Yes, understood.¡¹


    ¡¸Sure, I don¡¯t want to get involved with them¡­¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s alright, I understand.¡¹


    And when everyone took the advice, sensei pped her hands together.


    ¡¸For now, we wait until Allen¡¯s health is fully restored. I¡¯m going to have you start working as a magic swordsman as soon as he does, but¡­ you have no objections, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes.¡¹


    ¡¸Of course!¡¹


    ¡¸Magic swordsman¡­ feels a little nostalgic.¡¹


    Thus, my new life was about to begin, as a magic swordsman.


    ¡ö


    The capital of this country ¨C east of Orest, is a huge town called Drestia. It¡¯s also known as the¡ºMerchant Town¡»where there are many wealthy merchants, and the streets are lined with street vendors with shy signs. On the main street, peoplee and go day and night, and the lively touts echo constantly.


    The time is after 2 o¡¯clock in the middle of the night. In the back alley of Drestia, one man wasughing like crazy, and was single-mindedly kicking¡ºsomething¡».


    ¡¸Aha, Ahahaha, Ahahahahaha!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    That something was a man who was once famed as the strongest of the Blooming Flower Style. However, he was already in a battered state, and even when kicked, he only gave a slight groan. The senior, who had finished the work, called out to the guy who was kicking.


    ¡¸Oi, neer! That¡¯s enough, you¡¯re overdoing it! I¡¯m going to bolt already!¡¹


    The man stopped kicking and expressed a friendly smile..


    ¡¸Aha, sorry¡­ It was finally getting fun¡­¡¹


    Surprisingly, the person who caused such a violent crime, apologized. His mouth was distorted in pleasure, but because he wore a ck hood deep over his head, his expression could not be discerned precisely.


    ¡¸This way, hurry up¡­!¡¹


    Then he rushed into the carriage that had been prepared in advance, along with ten other associates who were dressed in ck. The furoshiki 1 they held with great care were packed with gold and silver treasure that gave off a dazzling glow.


    The group of ck cloaks was the end terminal of the¡ºck Organization¡»which caused unrest among the public. Clean up what was instructed from above and do the work as instructed ¨C a disposable existence, like bullets. However, among them, there was an excellent bullet that returned to its original location every time.


    ¡¸Aha¡­ today is a good night¡­¡¹


    This man who was kicking the human body which had stopped moving, whilstughing happily ¨C No one at the end knows his identity. Except for one fact ¨C that he was terrifyingly strong.


    In the underground ¨C that was all that mattered. With just that, he had established a fixed trust. He took out a single flower that he had picked before getting into the carriage and started to pluck the petals one by one.


    ¡¸¨DDaisuki, Suki, Daisuki, Suki¡­ Daisuki!¡¹2


    Satisfied with the results of the flower fortune-telling, he held himself with both hands. A gust of wind blew and the ck hood came off. His distinctive blue hair was tied up behind him, and his face, illuminated by the moonlight, had arge sword scar. Except for the wound, his eyes and nose are in good order.


    Originally, he had a neat face, and was also popr with the swordsmanship academy¡¯s female students because he was born handsome. With the petal-less flower in his mouth, he lovingly stroked therge scar on his face with an ecstatic expression.


    ¡¸Aha, that¡¯s right¡­ yeah! We¡¯ve been tied by the red thread of fate since a long time ago¡­ Aren!¡¹

 Chapter 18.1 - Magic Swordsman and Black Organization [1] – part 1

    18. Magic Swordsman and ck Organization [1] ¨C part 1


    After that, I underwent various tests¡ºjust in case¡». The results were all normal ¨C my body hadpletely recovered. I finally got out of hospital and immediately went to see Ria and Rose. They were very happy with my discharge.


    And now I was heading to the president¡¯s office with Ria and Rose.


    On behalf of us three, when I knocked on the ck solemn door,


    ¡¸Enter.¡¹


    The administrative voice of Leia-sensei, returned.


    I think women¡¯s vocal cords are amazing, because sensei can speak administratively, when in truth, she wasn¡¯t actually doing any work.


    ¡¸Excuse me.¡¹


    We were allowed to enter the room, and when I opened the door slowly,


    ¡¸Oh, it¡¯s you guys¡­¡¹


    Sensei, who just finished reading this week¡¯s issue of Weekly Shonen Yaiba, was stretching greatly.


    ¡¸Good morning, Leia-sensei.¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, morning. Allen, has your body recovered?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, I¡¯ve had a lot of tests since then, but there was no problem anywhere.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s wonderful. ¨C All right, I¡¯m going to have you engage in volunteer activities as punishment for breaking the rules of the Big Five Holy Festival.¡¹


    Then, sensei stood up.


    Of course, we came here today for that purpose. But before that, there is something I need to ask.


    ¡¸Sensei, before that¡­ Could you tell me the continuation of that story that ended midway?¡¹


    The day I regained consciousness.


    Sensei was unusually busy with work, and the important talk ended midway.


    ¡¸Oops, sorry. Now that you mention it¡­¡¹


    Sensei seemed to havepletely forgotten, and pped her hands together.


    ¡¸¡­¡­In the end, what was it that took over my body? ¡¹


    ¡¸In conclusion, it was your¡ºspirit core¡». -Ria, since you¡¯ve already already mastered soul dress, you should have some idea right?¡¹


    When sensei turned to Ria, she nodded.


    ¡¸Spirit Core¡­?¡¹


    As I tilted my head to the word I had never heard of, sensei exined it in detail.


    ¡¸Spirit Core ¨C it is a¡ºmass of power¡» that is said to dwell in the human soul. There are various types of spirits, phantom beasts, ancestral spirits, etc., and the¡ºsoul dress¡» you aim to master is a concrete representation of a part of this spirit core.¡¹


    Finally, sensei closed the talk after prefaced,¡¸This is my guess¡¹.


    ¡¸You were in a state of being ruled by your own spirit core. This is the most logical hypothesis.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­So if other swordsmen are overwhelmed by their spirit core, will they be like that too?¡¹


    ¡¸In theory, that¡¯s true ¡­That said, a spirit core usually doesn¡¯t have that strong of an ego. You can think of yours as being pretty special.¡¹


    ¡¸A spirit core with an ego¡­¡¹


    There is a presence in me who has an ego other than my own. It was a very strange feeling which I couldn¡¯t describe with words.


    ¡¸Well, you don¡¯t have to worry for the time being. It controlled your body for such a long time. There is no doubt that it was exhausted.¡¹


    ¡¸Is that so¡­¡­¡¹


    ording to sensei¡¯s tone, it seems quite difficult for the spirit core to take over my body.


    ¡¸Now, let¡¯s end this story here ¨C let¡¯s talk about the future.¡¹


    Sensei pped her hands to change the atmosphere.


    ¡¸First of all, you should go to the Magic Swordsman Association. I¡¯ve already let them know about it, so things should go smoothly.¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you.¡¹


    ¡¸So, the way to the Magic Swordsman Association¡­ Rose, can I leave it up to you? ¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, sure.¡¹


    I wonder why she left it up to Rose?


    Then, Rose took out an iron te out of her bosom.


    ¡¸I am already a Magic Swordsman.¡¹


    The te had the name Rose-Valencia and the registration number. Certainly, I remember that this was the proof of identity for Magic Swordsmen.


    ¡¸Eh, Rose was a magic swordsman!?¡¹


    As Ria was surprised unexpectedly,


    ¡¸Un, a little while back.¡¹


    Rose nodded.


    ¡¸Well, that¡¯s why. As a magic swordsman, Rose is your senior. If you have any doubts, you can ask her..¡¹


    ¡¸Leave it to me.¡¹


    Rose puffed her chest.


    ¡¸Alright then, we¡¯ll leave now.¡¹


    ¡¸Umu, I hope this will be a good experience for you guys.¡¹


    Then we left the Thousand de Academy, with Rose at the lead.


    ¡ö


    Immediately after Allen, Ria, and Rose left the president¡¯s office.


    ¡¸No.18¡¹


    Leia muttered.


    ¡¸Yes! What is it, Leia-sama?¡¹


    He, who was working silently in the corner of the room, stopped his hand and raised his head for the first time.


    ¡¸You are going to be Allen¡¯s bodyguard.¡¹


    ¡¸Bodyguard, is it¡­ Understood!¡¹


    As soon as he guessed Leia¡¯s intentions, he bowed his head respectfully.


    ¡¸There were two directors who strongly demanded Allen¡¯s expulsion¡­ ording to Ferris, they had even given bribes.¡¹


    ¡¸My goodness¡­¡¹


    No.18, who heard of the bribe for the first time, raised the alertness of this case.


    ¡¸There¡¯s a good chance that they might send assassins. If a suspicious guy approaches Allen, crush him immediately. Yours is a little dangerous, but¡­ this time, I¡¯ll allow the use of your soul dress.¡¹


    ¡¸Understood!¡¹


    As he was ordered with a new task, he asked something that concerned him.


    ¡¸¡­But, will it be alright?¡¹


    ¡¸Will what be alright?¡¹


    ¡¸If I leave here, it will impede the current work¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­I will specially allow for the documents to be taken out. Carry on with work whilst keeping an eye on Allen.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Understood.¡¹


    No.18 was imposed with the challenge of shouldering the director¡¯s duties alongside Allen¡¯s bodyguard duty, but reluctantly epted it.


    ¡¸By the way, Leia-sama, can I ask something?¡¹


    ¡¸What?¡¹


    ¡¸If I escort Allen-dono, I will inevitably have to stick with Ria-jou and Rose-jou as well.¡¹


    ¡¸That would be so.¡¹


    ¡¸Well obviously¡¹- even when Leia thought that, she waited for him to continue.


    ¡¸They are too attractive, and so¡­ How do I say¡­ it¡¯s very difficult to express it¡­¡¹


    Unusually, No.18, was slurring his words.


    ¡¸What is it, say it clearly.¡¹


    Leia frustratedly rushed him to answer.


    ¡¸That is¡­ if there is an opportunity, can I peek?¡¹


    ¡¸Are you stupid? Obviously you can¡¯t, refrain yourself!¡¹


    ¡¸Kuh¡­ U-Understood¡­¡¹


    Thus, No. 18 decided to tackle the three challenges of bodyguard, misceneous duties, and abstinence simultaneously.

 Chapter 18.2 - . Magic Swordsman and Black Organization [1] – part 2

    Magic Swordsman and ck Organization [1] ¨C part 2


    We navigated through the capital, Orest, with Rose leading the way.


    After enough time had passed since we departed from Thousand de Academy ¨C a certain building came into view.


    ¡¸We¡¯ve arrived.¡¹


    As expected, Rose stopped in front of the building.


    ¡¸T-This is the Magic Swordsman Association¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re kidding, right¡­!¡¹


    This three-story building has probably not been renovated for years. The brick exterior walls were exposed to the wind and rain, and shy graffiti was seen here and there. It was obviously damaging the surrounding scenery¡­


    (Is magic swordsman a profession that is full of barbarians¡­?)


    Holy Knight is diligent and sincere.


    Magic Swordsman is frivolous and insincere.


    -This is the general public image.


    (I thought this upational image included a lot of traditional discrimination and prejudice, but¡­)


    Looking at this building, I feel like the image fits correctly¡­


    When Ria and I, shrank back at this entric exterior,


    ¡¸What¡¯s up? ¡­Let¡¯s enter¡¹


    Rose put her hand on the door as if she was returning home.


    Surprisingly, she doesn¡¯t seem to be bothered by this at all.


    ¡¸E-Eh¡­ are we really going in there? Or rather, is this really the Magic Swordsman Association?¡¹


    Ria, the¡ºprincess¡»of the neighboring country, demonstrated a clear rejection.


    I feel exactly the same as her.


    And then,


    ¡¸Un, that¡¯s right.¡¹


    With her hands still on the door, Rose nodded.


    Ria and I exchanged nces, and nodded.


    ¡¸F-For now, we have no other choice but to enter¡­¡¹


    ¡¸R-Right¡­ Un, let¡¯s enter for now¡­¡¹


    Perhaps only the exterior is terrible, and it might be unexpectedly decent inside.


    My wishful-thinking was broken within 2 seconds of stepping inside the building.


    ¡¸This is¡­?!¡¹


    ¡¸The smell is so strong¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Really? It smells like usual though¡­¡¹


    Immediately after opening the door ¨C the thick smell of alcohol greeted us.


    Apparently there seems to be a tavern inside the Magic Swordsman Association, and many people were drinking with each other even though it was still daytime.


    (This is¡­)


    Just like the image, no¡­ it¡¯s actually a tad worse.


    Ria seemed to have the same impression, and her face was twitching tantly.


    As we stood stunned at the entrance,


    ¡¸Hic¡­ who¡­ are you guys¡­ unusual faces around here¡­?¡¹


    A man who looked like a drunken magic swordsman, approached us while calling out.


    ¡¸¡­Ria, Rose, stand back.¡¹


    I said in a low voice and stood in front of them.


    ¡¸Ooo¡­ hic, lookin¡¯ closely, you littledies, look veeery pretty¡­! Why don¡¯t you have a little drink with me?¡¹


    He came closer while staggering.


    ¡­This is dangerous.


    I concluded so,


    ¡¸-Sorry, but we have something to do.¡¹


    I stood in front of the two, and politely refused his offer.


    And then,


    ¡¸Tch¡­¡­ Nobody ¨C asked you!¡¹


    He swung down the bottle of sake in his hand to my head. It hit the top of my head and shattered, and I was covered in sake from my head.


    ¡¸W-What do you think you¡¯re doing! Are you alright, Allen!?¡¹


    ¡¸What are you doing¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸Gyahahahaha! Such a wimp! You¡¯re drenched!¡¹


    The drunk manughed at me while holding his belly.


    ¡¸You¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸You crossed the line¡­!¡¹


    Ria and Rose, widened their eyes in anger and tried to rush the man.


    ¡¸-It¡¯s alright, you two¡¹


    I advised against it. We are now, in the middle of suspension. If we make a fuss in a ce like this, we¡¯ll cause trouble for Leia-sensei again.


    ¡¸Besides ¨C it¡¯s just sake.¡¹


    Yes. Getting angry over every minor thing, will only exhaust us.


    ¡¸It¡¯s only sake so¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Normally, it would cause a serious injury¡­¡¹


    ¡¸No, look¡­ nothing happened.¡¹


    Then I showed them that I was not hurt, by brushing off the ss pieces on my head.


    ¡¸No way¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸There¡¯s no injury¡­¡¹


    This time, I was really just drenched in sake.


    (Maybe he held back the moment it was about to hit.)


    Even though the bottle of sake hit directly, there was not a single cut on my head.


    ¡¸Come, let¡¯s go.¡¹


    ¡¸U-Un¡­¡¹


    ¡¸If Allen says so¡­¡¹


    Then we passed by him and walked towards the receptionist.


    Then the other magic swordsmen who had been watching the whole scene unfold, began tough all at once.


    ¡¸Kukuku¡­ Oi Oi, Dread! You were not even considered as an opponent!¡¹


    ¡¸Gyahahahaha, so uncool! You were made a fool of by those damn brats!¡¹


    ¡¸So pathetic, Oi! You should just quit being a magic swordsman!¡¹


    The magic swordsman who received mockery from the group ¨C Dread-san, was shaking in anger.


    Seriously¡­ These people do such unnecessary things.


    ¡¸Oi, bastard¡­!¡¹


    His pride was hurt ¨C without hesitation, he pulled out the sword fastened at his hips.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t think you¡¯ll get away easy after making a fool out of me¡­!¡¹


    He swung his sword two to three times, and thrust it out at me ¨C perhaps to intimidate.


    (¡­Well, I can¡¯t overlook it this time)


    I looked him in the eye firmly and told him.


    ¡¸The sword is not a tool for threatening. Are you¡­ really sure about this?¡¹


    I confirmed with him.


    I firmly confirmed the meaning of the act of a swordsman pulling out the sword.


    Perhaps due to the sake, Dread-san fell back two steps.


    ¡¸Uu¡­!?¡¹


    (!? Is this Allen¡¯s bloodlust¡­?!)


    (So heavy, and so painful¡­?!)


    And then,


    ¡¸S-Sorry¡­ My bad, I was a little too drunk¡­ I¡¯ve snapped out of it now¡­ As you can see, please forgive me¡­¡¹


    He immediately sheathed his sword, and bowed deeply.


    ¡¸¡­Understood. Please be careful of drinking too much.¡¹


    I epted his apology.


    Everyone makes mistakes.


    I¡¯ve made countless mistakes so far, and most of all, there¡¯s no harm done here. Only my body and clothes smell of sake.


    If he kindly apologize, then that¡¯s fine.


    ¡¸A-Aa¡­! S-Sorry! Next time, I¡¯ll treat you to it¡­!¡¹


    Saying that, he quickly left the Magic Swordsman Association.


    I¡¯m happy about his offer, but¡­ I¡¯m still a minor, so I can¡¯t drink.


    And then,


    ¡¸A-Allen¡­?¡¹


    Ria called my name with a slightly faint voice.


    Perhaps because she was suddenly entangled with a magic swordsman, her eyes were a little frightened.


    Maybe she, who is a princess, doesn¡¯t have this kind of experience. No wonder.


    ¡¸Are you alright, Ria? Shall we rest somewhere?¡¹


    ¡¸U-Uun, I¡¯m fine. Just a little surprised.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s fine, but¡­ If you don¡¯t feel well, don¡¯t push yourself, and let me know.¡¹


    ¡¸U-Un¡­! Thank you, Allen! (Thank goodness¡­ It¡¯s the usual, kind and gentle Allen¡­!)¡¹


    Then, we went to the back of the Magic Swordsman Association which had be dead silent for some reason, and went to the reception desk.

 Chapter 19.1 - Magic Swordsman and Black Organization [2] – part 1

    Magic Swordsman and ck Organization [2] ¨C part 1


    After ending the trouble with Dread-san before it developed into a bigger problem, we went straight to the back of the association.


    As we went straight ahead, we soon found a ce that read¡¸Reception¡¹in arge text.


    (Q-Quite easy to spot¡­)


    Even if you¡¯re new to this ce, you¡¯ll know at a nce that this is the reception ¨C it was a very friendly design.


    However, one section was very unfriendly.


    (Is that person¡­ the receptionist¡­?)


    It was a man with a frightening look who seemed to be the receptionist.


    Clean shaven head. A well-proportioned mustache. cker than ck sunsses. A robust muscr body. He appears to be in his mid-forties.


    His expression was¡ºnothing¡»and he was just reading the newspaper silently.


    (Is there any other receptionist besides this person¡­?)


    I looked around, but unfortunately I couldn¡¯t find any such person.


    (I guess, this person is the only one¡­)


    To be honest, he¡¯s a little scary, but¡­ Leia-sensei seems to have passed on the details, so I¡¯m sure it¡¯s okay¡­ it has to be.


    I swallowed my saliva and as soon as I took one step ahead -Ria and Rose pinched my clothes at the same time.


    ¡¸N-No, Allen! No matter how you look at him, that person seems dangerous!¡¹


    ¡¸We shouldn¡¯t get involved¡­ that is definitely the face of someone who has killed several people.¡¹


    ¡¸No, but¡­ that person seems to be the only receptionist¡­¡¹


    First and foremost, the¡ºMagic Swordsman Association¡»is one of the public institutions.


    The receptionist is personnel from the government, so they should be decent¡­ I sincerely hope they are.


    (It should be fine¡­ right?)


    I¡¯m pretty anxious, but we can¡¯t afford to stand still here.


    ¡¸¡­Let¡¯s go¡¹


    ¡¸A-Allen¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Understood, I¡¯ve prepared myself¡¹


    Then, when we three stood in front of the reception with determined resolution,


    ¡¸¡­Aa?¡¹


    He politely folded the newspaper he was reading and quietly stood up.


    (H-Huge¡­!)


    (Looks like a bear¡­!)


    (¡­Scary)


    His height was about 2 meters¡­ maybe about the same size as Pa-san.


    (In terms of simple size, Pa-san whose width is broader wins¡­ but)


    This person was overly intimidating in appearance and body.


    There was a different kind of scarinesspared to her.


    Still ¨C I mustered my courage and spoke.


    ¡¸U-Umm©`¡¹


    ¡¸-Oi, sonny. I saw what you did¡­ you¡¯re incredible for a guy so young.¡¹


    Saying that, he distorted his face.


    He was probablyughing, but honestly¡­ it¡¯s insanely scary.


    ¡¸T-Thanks¡­¡¹


    I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m being praised for, but I thanked him for the time being.


    ¡¸It¡¯s the first time I¡¯m seeing your face, but¡­ Are you the¡ºvolunteer¡»guy that Leia-ojouchan mentioned?¡¹1


    ¡¸!! Y-Yes, that¡¯s right!¡¹


    A ray of light was finally visible.


    ¡¸Oh, so I was right! I¡¯m d I noticed you guys. I was called on the phone saying¡ºIf you see three unfamiliar people, please take them as volunteers¡»¡­ That¡¯s too little of an information¡­ She cut it abruptly, and I couldn¡¯t connect even if I tried again, so I was troubled about what to do.¡¹


    Saying that, he scratched his head.


    ¡¸I-I apologize on behalf of our sensei¡­¡¹


    I truly was sorry about that matter.


    ¡¸Haha, don¡¯t worry. She has been like that since long ago. ¡­Well then, it¡¯s a littlete, but let me introduce myself. I am Bons. Bons-Dalton. I am the branch manager of the¡ºMagic Swordsman Association Orest Branch¡». Nice to meet you guys.¡¹


    He held out his right hand and shook hands with each of us.


    He looked scary, but he seems to be a good person withmon sense.


    Our tension reduced slightly, and we introduced ourselves one by one.


    ¡¸I am Allen-Rodore. I¡¯ll be in your care today.¡¹


    ¡¸I am Ria-Vesteria. Pleased to meet you.¡¹


    ¡¸Rose-Valencia. Nice to meet you.¡¹


    ¡¸Allen, Ria, and¡ºBounty Hunter¡»Rose¡­ -Yoshi, I¡¯ve remembered your names.¡¹


    Bons-san said that whilst nodding, and matched our faces and names.


    ¡¸Well, first of all, let¡¯s start with the registration as magic swordsman. The only ones who need to register, are Allen and Ria, right?¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸Yes.¡¹¡¹


    ¡¸All right, then, both of you write your full name, age and address here.¡¹


    Saying that, he took out two pieces of printed paper that read¡¸Request for Registration¡¹.


    Ria and I, fill in the necessary information.


    ¡¸I¡¯ve finished writing.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m done too.¡¹


    Surprisingly, there were few entries to fill, and it seemed to register only the bare minimum amount of personal information necessary.


    ¡¸Yoshi, let me see.¡¹


    Then he took off the ck sunsses and put on reading sses.


    His eyes that I saw at that time were unexpectedly round and cute, and very kind.


    ¡¸All right, there are no omitted entries.¡¹


    After checking the two pieces of paper, he took off the reading sses and put on his cool sunsses again.


    ¡¸Now then, I¡¯m going to make the tes, so wait a minute¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, please.¡¹


    Saying that, Bons-san walked to the back of the reception.


    As soon as he was out of sight, the three of us took a big breath.


    The tension had subsided.


    ¡¸Haa¡­ I¡¯m so d. He looked scary on the outside, but on the inside, he¡¯s a really nice person.¡¹


    ¡¸Un, he eyes were cute.¡¹¡¹


    ¡¸Aa¡­so d that he was a normal person¡¹


    ¡ºPeople don¡¯t match appearance¡» ¨C we were reminded of such a natural thing.


    While waiting for Bons-san to make the tes ¨C another trouble brewed.


    ¡¸-The hell, you bastard! Say that one more time!¡¹


    ¡¸Oo, I¡¯ll say it however many times you want! The reason we failed thest request was entirely your fault!¡¹


    The duo, who seemed to be a party, suddenly started fighting each other.

 Chapter 19.2 - Magic Swordsman and Black Organization [2] – part 2

    19. Magic Swordsman and ck Organization [2] ¨C part 2


    Their faces were already bright red before they were agitated, thus I was immediately aware that they were drunk.


    ¡¸A-Another trouble¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Perhaps this association¡­ has a little too many of them.¡¹


    ¡¸¡ºA little¡»means, other associations have troubles too¡­?¡¹


    As we whispered to each other,


    ¡¸Oo! Fight, fight!¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s it. way to go!¡¹


    ¡¸Stomach! The stomach is open!¡¹


    The magic swordsmen around them didn¡¯t seem to stop the fight, but rather enjoyed it as an appetizer for their sake.


    And then,


    ¡¸¡­Tch, so noisy.¡¹


    Bons-san, who clicked his tongue loudly, peeked from the back.


    It seems that the work was over, and two tes were held in his hand.


    ¡¸Bo-Bons-san, all of a sudden a fight started¡­!¡¹


    As Ria said so, I nodded in agreement.


    ¡¸Aa, I know. Wait a little.¡¹


    Then, he quickly strode to the two people who were fighting.


    Apparently, as the branch manager here, he will mediate between the two.


    However, the two who were in a heated fist fight, were not aware of Bons-san¡¯s approach.


    ¡¸Oraaah! Drop Deaaad!¡¹


    ¡¸Hey, where the hell are you aiming! You dimwit!¡¹


    ¡¸-Bastards, whose association do you think you¡¯re rampaging on?¡¹


    Bons-san¡¯s intimidating low voice resonated.


    ¡¸¡¸¡­¡­!?¡¹¡¹


    The heat of the battle of the drunken duo, seems to have receded in an instant.


    ¡¸Bo-Bons-san¡­ S-Sorr¡­ Buhee!?¡¹


    A powerful straight right from Bons-san urately caught the face of the magic swordsman.


    ¡¸Ouch¡­¡¹


    ¡¸So strong¡­¡¹


    It was a blow that made Ria and Rose, involuntarily shut an eye.


    I confirmed after looking at it..


    ¡¸S-Strong¡­¡¹


    From the feet to waist. From waist to chest. From chest to arm.


    Perfect weight transfer without any wasted movements.


    Without even the slightest wavering , the straight right, which was released in a perfect straight trajectory ¨C was an ultimate punch reminiscent of art.


    The other man who clearly saw that punch of terror,


    ¡¸S-Sorry¡­! B-But he called me excessive baggage¡­!¡¹


    While apologizing, he made excuses desperately to escape the blow of sanctions.


    ¡¸You know that, don¡¯t you? The rule here is ¨C in a quarrel both parties are to me! ¡¹


    ¡¸N-No, No¡­Guheh!?¡¹


    Another punch.


    Exactly the same as before, the man epted the beautiful blow with his face.


    Then, after sessfully ending their quarrel, Bons-san shouted loudly, which echoed throughout the association.


    ¡¸You idiots¡­! Sake is a drink, not something you get swallowed in! Is that clear!?¡¹


    After hearing responses from various ces, the inside of the association calmed down.


    Then, Bons-san, who had just taken care of his work, came back here.


    ¡¸¡­Good grief, sorry about that. We have a lot of hot-blooded drunkards in our ce. These things happen several times a day¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸Is that so¡­?¡¹¡¹¡¹


    It sounds like a tough job.


    Bons-san then returned to the previous topic,


    ¡¸-Here, this is the te to prove the identity of a Magic Swordsman. Don¡¯t lose them.¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸Y-Yes! Thank you very much!¡¹¡¹


    The te I received had a little red sticking to it..


    Perhaps it is blood that got on it when Bons-san punched the two magic swordsman.


    ¡¸¡¸¡­¡­¡¹¡¹


    But after witnessing that powerful straight right, I didn¡¯t feel likeining about it at all.


    ¡¸So what are you going to do now? Do you want to ept some requests?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, by all means¡¹


    ¡¸Alright, ¡­¡­But please tell me a little before that? Why are you guys volunteering?¡¹


    Come to think of it, he didn¡¯t get the full story from Leia-sensei.


    ¡¸Well, that¡¯s because¡­¡¹


    Then I briefly exined the situation.


    At the Big Five Holy Festival, I fought a literal¡ºDeath Match¡»with my opponent.


    As a result, I was suspended from the academy for one month, and the same punishment was sentenced to Ria and Rose as a joint responsibility.


    I can¡¯t receive the soul dress ss, but Leia-sensei gave me¡ºa certain punishment¡»so that my sword arm would not get dulled at the very least.


    Thus, we became a volunteer magic swordsman and take on requests for free.


    Bons-san listened quietly while sitting on the chair.


    ¡¸I see, so that¡¯s how it is¡­¡¹


    As soon as he was convinced, he nodded.


    ¡¸Well, if that¡¯s the case, I¡¯d rmend the extermination of monsters.¡¹


    ¡¸¡ºMonsters¡»¡­? Instead of beasts?¡¹


    Beast extermination is subjugation of wild bears, wolves and such ¨C subjugation of animals that are not proactively aggressive but could attempt to harm humans.


    Monster extermination is above that ¨C It is the subjugation of dangerous animals that attack humans proactively, such as chimera and ogre.


    ¡¸Of course! Even if you did beast extermination for an entire month, you wouldn¡¯t achieve any significant growth! A real man should hunt monsters!¡¹


    Having said that, he arranged three requests on the desk.


    It¡¯s the killing of goblins, ogres, and chimeras, respectively.


    He seems to be encouraging us to take these three.


    ¡¸But then Leia-sensei had rmended beast extermination¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Oh¡­ then you don¡¯t have to worry. Because Leia-ojouchan, still can¡¯t distinguish between the two ¡­Even though, I¡¯ve taught her many times in the past¡¹


    Bons-san had a nostalgic look on his face.


    (What kind of rtionship do the two of them have¡­?)


    I was a little interested but, I didn¡¯t want to spoil his mood by asking something weird, so I kept silent.


    ¡¸What should we do, Allen¡­? I have hunted goblins before in Vesteria¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Chimera is strong, but perhaps we can manage with three people¡­¡¹


    The two expressed their opinions, and looked at me silently.


    Apparently I have to decide.


    (Goblin, ogre and chimera¡­)


    Unfortunately, I¡¯ve never fought any of them, so I really can¡¯t say anything.


    However, Ria seems to have been able to subdue goblins in Vesteria¡­


    There is also Rose¡¯s opinion that chimera are a strong enemy but three people can manage it.


    (¡­Let¡¯s give it a try )


    In addition, Bons-san had been eagerly waiting for us to nod yes.


    This is not the atmosphere where I can refuse these three requests anymore.


    ¡¸For now, I think we should try it.¡¹


    ¡¸Yoshi! Well, this time, I¡¯ll entrust these three requests to you!¡¹


    Saying that, he loudly stamped the three pieces of written request with a seal.


    Thus, we sessfully registered as magic swordsman, and decided to receive the request for monster extermination.

 Chapter 20.1 - Magic Swordsman and Black Organization [3] – part 1

    Magic Swordsman and ck Organization [3] ¨C part 1


    After that, we left the Magic Swordsman Association, and looked at the three request forms for the time being.


    ¡¸Goblin, ogre, and chimera¡­ I know the minimum information from rumors and pictorials, but I have never seen the real thing¡­¡¹


    Ria and Rose looked at each other with surprise for a brief moment.


    ¡¸Is that so? I hear that the number of monsters has increased recently¡­ So, we¡¯ll probably get to see a lot of them¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, I¡¯ve heard that rumortely, too¡­¡¹


    I don¡¯t know if I should count myself lucky or otherwise, as I¡¯ve never seen them before.


    Then Rose tilted her head and asked.


    ¡¸By any chance, were you born in a noble family, Allen?¡¹


    Perhaps she thought so because I said I have never seen a monster before.


    Unfortunately, I did not have a sheltered upbringing, but rather an exposed upbringing.


    ¡¸No no, I am from Goza vige ¨C a rural area in the countryside.¡¹


    ¡¸Goza vige¡­? Sorry, I don¡¯t know.¡¹


    ¡¸Haha, I bet not.¡¹I chuckled.


    Goza is a very small vige with a poption of less than a hundred.


    Only the vigers or merchants who trade with the vigers, or local officials would know of it.


    It is a vige with a small presence and economic scale.


    No wonder that Rose doesn¡¯t know.


    I cleared my throat and get back to the main topic that began to derail a little.


    ¡¸Now, what do we do? From these three kinds¡­ shall we start with goblins?¡¹


    Subjugation of five goblins.


    The number of necessary subjugations is the highest among the three requests, but the fighting power of each goblin is not very high.


    This is probably the easiest request of the three.


    ¡¸Yeah¡­ First, warming up with the weak goblins, and then moving on to ogres is the safe route.¡¹


    ¡¸I think that¡¯s a good n. We can leave the chimera forst.¡¹


    We were of one mind.


    ¡¸All three kinds appear in the Zol forest¡­ It¡¯s too good to be a coincidence.¡¹


    ¡¸Certainly¡­ Bonz-san is a very kind person.¡¹


    ¡¸Un, his round cute eyes are the testament to that.¡¹


    ¡¸Although, he looks scary, he¡¯s a good person. Also, he seems to be acquainted with Leia-sensei since long ago.¡¹


    In any case, it¡¯s helpful that all three requests were at the same location.


    This saves us the hassle of travelling back and forth.


    ¡¸Then, let¡¯s move at once.¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸Ou!¡¹¡¹


    Thus we headed to the Zol forest, a little away from Orest.


    ¡ö


    It took about an hour on foot to reach.


    As we arrived at Zol Forest, we looked for our first target, the goblins.


    Naturally, dangerous monsters other than goblins also lived in the forest.


    So we acted quietly so as not to make careless noises.


    And then,


    ¡¸Look there, Allen¡­!¡¹


    Ria whispered, as she pointed to the hoof prints on the ground.


    ¡¸Are these¡­ goblin footprints?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, I¡¯m sure of it.¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s still fresh¡­ The goblins are close.¡¹


    ¡¸Yoshi, let¡¯s be more caution from here on.¡¹


    Ria and Rose nodded, and we erased our presence and searched for the goblins.


    Two minutester,


    ¡¸¡­There it is¡¹


    We found seven goblins in front of us.


    Green body surface.


    Height of about 100cm and walking on two legs.


    With a muscr body.


    And a wooden club dangling on the waist.


    (I¡¯m seeing them for the first time¡­ but they look exactly as I¡¯ve heard)


    Fortunately, the goblins don¡¯t seem to have noticed us.


    Seven of them were all gathered in one ce and were in the middle of devouring nuts.


    ¡¸I would like to bring down all seven together, but¡­ that is certainly pushing it, isn¡¯t it?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, our goal this time is to train after all.¡¹


    ¡¸Un, let¡¯s take them head-on.¡¹


    Our purpose this time is not just hunting goblins.


    Fighting against goblins ¨C that is, training aimed at gaining experience in actual battle.


    Launching a surprise attack and taking down all seven in one fell swoop, defeats the purpose of training.


    ¡¸Ria, Rose, are you ready?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes.¡¹


    ¡¸Of course.¡¹


    After confirming their nods, I deliberately shook the nearby bushes with my sword.


    The goblins turned towards the rustling all at once.


    ¡¸Gugya!¡¹


    ¡¸Gugyagya!¡¹


    ¡¸Gyagyagya!¡¹


    Several of them shouted something with their hoarse voice, and the next moment, all seven goblins rushed at the same time.


    Ria and Rose firmly assumed their respective stances, and I fired a faint from long range.


    ¡¸First Sword ¨C Flying Shadow!¡¹


    The first Flying Shadow after the holy festival,


    ¡¸Ha!?¡¹


    The power and speed had increased by threefold more than usual.


    ¡¸Buhii!?¡¹


    ¡¸Buhya!?¡¹


    ¡¸Bugya!?¡¹


    As a result, all seven goblins were severed in an instant.


    ¡¸E-Eh©`¡­¡¹


    Honestly, this is no training.


    As I turned back towards the two,


    ¡¸A-Allen¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­No way?¡¹


    The two, were baffled by the unexpected situation, with their mouths hanging wide open.


    ¡¸E-Err¡­ sorry, I ended it too soon¡­¡¹


    With a bitter smile, I lightly apologized.


    ¡¸No, no, no, no¡­What was that? It wasn¡¯t the usual¡ºFlying Shadow¡»!? ¡¹


    ¡¸Is it a new technique¡­?¡¹


    The two curiously approached me.


    ¡¸No, no, it¡¯s the usual Flying Shadow¡­¡¹


    However, in any case, the current sh was¡ºthree-fold¡»the ordinary Flying Shadow.


    Speed, Power, Range ¨C everything was in a different league from the usual.


    (W-What¡¯s going on¡­?)


    I dropped my gaze on my right hand in amazement.


    And then,


    ¡¸Anyway, let¡¯s leave this ce first.¡¹


    Ria saw the carcasses of the seven goblins and suggested moving to a ce.


    ¡¸Y-Yes, let¡¯s move for the time being.¡¹


    Sooner orter, beast and monsters stronger than goblins will be drawn here by the smell of blood.


    We should leave this ce as soon as possible, so as not to encounter any of them.


    And when we were about to move,


    ¡¸Oh¡­ wait a moment¡¹


    Rose quickly collected the horns of the seven goblins in an ustomed manner.


    ¡¸That is¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s the proof of the goblin¡¯s subjugation. Without this, the request would not bepleted.¡¹


    ¡¸Hee, is that so?¡¹


    As expected of Rose, an experienced magic swordsman.


    ¡¸Well then, let¡¯s go.¡¹


    ¡¸Yup.¡¹


    ¡¸Un.¡¹


    Then we quickly left the spot, and opened a discussion about the next target.


    ¡¸Next is ogres¡­¡¹


    Subjugation of three ogres.


    Although the number is less than the goblins, the difficulty is higher.


    Ogres are just like goblins, but bigger in size.


    Intelligence is much lower than the goblins, but its size is a threat.


    There are individual differences, but even the smaller ones are as huge as Pa-san.


    ©`In other words, ogres are huge.


    Rumor has it that some mutant-ogres are over 10 meters tall.


    ¡¸If you¡¯re looking for an ogre¡­ it has to be a ce near water source.¡¹


    ¡¸Exactly.¡¹


    I nodded in agreement with Ria¡¯s opinion.


    As she said, the ogre¡¯s habitat is almost always near water.


    Because their intelligence is too low, they are unable to memorize the terrain.


    In other words, if they leave the water site even once, they will not know how to return to it. If that happens, the ogres which couldn¡¯t find the next water site, will die due to dehydration.


    So they are instinctively inseparable from the water site once they discover it ¨C they are unable to leave.


    ¡¸A water site in the Zol forest¡­ There was a small river to the west, wasn¡¯t there?¡¹


    If I remember correctly, there was a small river running from north to south.


    ¡¸Yeah, I remember that too.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, I didn¡¯t know¡¹Rose said.


    ¡¸Yoshi, let¡¯s find the river first and then search for the ogres.¡¹


    ¡¸Un!¡¹


    ¡¸Okay¡¹

 Chapter 20.2 - Magic Swordsman and Black Organization [3] – part 2

    Magic Swordsman and ck Organization [3] ¨C part 2


    Then we went due west and found a beautiful stream before long.


    We went upstream while being vignt of the surroundings.


    And then,


    ¡¸O. O. O©`¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Uu Uu Uu¡­¡¹


    ¡¸GuuGuGuuGu¡¹


    We discovered three ogres.


    They were groaning and lumbering along the stream of water.


    I¡¯m sure they are looking for prey.


    ¡¸Even so, they¡¯re huge¡­¡¹


    Although I¡¯ve heard the rumours, seeing them in real life, they seem much bigger.


    (Just from looking at them, they seem to be around 3meters¡­)


    All three are a simr size, with arge club in their right hand.


    If we took a blow from that huge body¡­ I¡¯m sure we wouldn¡¯t escape unscathed.


    One wrong move, and it might even spell our deaths.


    We were overwhelmed by their huge body, but began to discuss by whispering.


    ¡¸So, should we attack from the front after all?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s a little scary, but since it¡¯s for training¡­ that¡¯s the way to go.¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯ll be fine. Ogres are dumb. If you include a feint, they will scatter immediately.¡¹


    Apparently, Rose, who excels in technique, seemed confident in the ogre subjugation.


    Certainly, her agile movements and the Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style arepatible when facing against ogres.


    ¡¸I¡­ want topare strength with the ogres a little.¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, Allen. I was thinking the same thing.¡¹


    Riaughed happily saying that.


    To be honest, saying¡¸I¡¯m not afraid¡¹would be a lie.


    Even so, I wanted to know how my physical strengthpares to the ogres which boasts brute strength ¨C As a swordsman, I was naturally curious.


    ¡¸If you think you can¡¯t win by force, strike back with your sword right away, ok?¡¹


    ¡¸I know, I won¡¯t be rash.¡¹


    ¡¸I just want to test a little. Don¡¯t worry.¡¹


    We readied ourselves and ¨C I threw a pebble at one of the ogres.


    And then,


    ¡¸Ubo¡­?¡¹


    The ogre which was hit on the back of the head, turned around, and the remaining two followed suite.


    The ogres which noticed our presence, distorted their faces as though saying,¡¸We¡¯ve found our prey¡¹.


    ¡¸-Here theye!¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah!¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m ready!¡¹


    As we each assumed our respective stance,


    ¡¸U-UBO, UBO¡­ UBOOOOOOO!¡¹


    ¡¸O. OOOOOOOOO¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸GUUUUUGUGUGUGU¡­!¡¹


    The ogres rushed towards us simultaneously.


    Contrary to their huge bodies, their movements were quick.


    That body is by no means fat, everything is made up of muscles.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s see who¡¯s stronger¡­e!¡¹


    I maintained Seigan no Kamae and waited for him to step into my range.


    And then,


    ¡¸UBAAAAAAA!¡¹


    ¡¸SEI!¡¹


    The moment when my sword and the ogre¡¯s club collided.


    ¡¸UBO!?¡¹


    Due to the overwhelming strength difference ¨C the ogre was blown away.


    ¡¸¡­Ha?¡¹


    I stared wide-eyed at the ogre rolling far away.


    After that,


    ¡¸High King Style ¨C Strong Strike!¡¹


    ¡¸Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style ¨C Sakura sh!¡¹


    Ria¡¯s raw strengthparison with the ogre ended in a draw, so she pushed back the ogre with the natural strength of her soul dress.


    On the other hand, Rose, with her fluent sword technique, finished off the ogre with a brilliant strike.


    And after all the ogres were finished off, I called out to Ria and Rose.


    ¡¸Good job you two.¡¹


    ¡¸Thanks¡­ but, it¡¯s kind of a mixed feeling.¡¹


    ¡¸Allen, when did you train that much?¡¹


    ¡¸No, I¡¯ve been sleeping in the hospital for the past few days, so my body should be dull¡­¡¹


    I felt almost no resistance from that ogre.


    Perhaps it was originally weak or was it the least powerful of the three? It has to be one of those.


    Thus, the monster extermination advanced more smoothly than expected.


    Certainly, as Bons-san said, it was correct to choose the monster extermination rather than the beast extermination.


    Then we headed to thest of the three requests ¨C the chimera subjugation.


    Unlike the previous two requests, the Chimera¡¯s nest was clearly written on the request form.


    We carefully head to the chimera¡¯s nest so that we don¡¯te into contact with other troublesome monsters and beasts.


    We crossed the river, through a small pond, and followed down the monster¡¯s trail ¨C and found its nest.


    ¡¸¡­It¡¯s here¡¹


    There was a chimera in the middle of a slightly raised teau.


    A chimera is a monster consisting of three species: a lion, a goat, and a snake.


    Its face is a lion, the back of its body has a big goat head, and the tail is a long snake.


    In particr, the snake¡¯s movement is agile, and its fangs have strong paralysis poison.


    Because all three animals have independent mind, it is a very strong opponent.


    The chimera in front of us was sleepingfortably lying prone on a makeshift bed of tree branches and grass.


    ¡¸It¡¯s sleeping like that even though there is only one of it¡­ Isn¡¯t it too open? ¡¹


    ¡¸¡­No, look closely. The snake on the tail has one eye open.¡¹


    Rose pointed to the tail of the chimera.


    As she said, looking closely, the purple snake was on the lookout for the surroundings with one eye open.


    ¡¸Chimera is different from our opponents earlier. Don¡¯t drop your guard.¡¹


    Rose urged us to be cautious.


    ¡¸Have you fought one before, Rose?¡¹


    ¡¸Un, in the past.¡¹


    Then Rose told us about the experience at that time.


    ¡¸It was a formidable enemy. The lion in front, the goat on the back, and the snake on the tail ¨C each attack and defend at its own discretion. Anyway, there was no gap, and I couldn¡¯t close the distance to attack.¡¹


    ¡¸That is certainly troublesome¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, but what was most troublesome was it¡¯s outer skin. The outer skin of the chimera is very hard. If you don¡¯t step in close enough, it can¡¯t be cut¡¹


    ¡¸I see¡­ To deal damage, you need to get close. However, it is difficult to close the distance because the three animals get in the way¡­¡¹


    Rose nodded immediately.


    (It certainly is formidable¡­)


    This monster is no fool.


    It has a good grasp on the distance which would spell trouble for it.


    In other words, if you try to close in more than a certain distance, the three animals ¨C lion, goat, and snake will block you simultaneously. Certainly, just from listening to the story, I understand that it¡¯s a formidable enough an enemy.


    Then we discussed with each other and decided on a strategy.


    First of all, me and Ria ¨C the two people who can unleash heavy attacks in closebat, will suppress the lion and goat which holds raw power.


    In the meantime, Rose will finish off the troublesome snake with the fast Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style.


    After that, while maintaining the advantageous situation of three vs two, we will wear it down gradually with our attacks.


    Don¡¯t try to force a certain kill blow or hit a vital point ¨C a solid strategy.


    ¡¸Ria, are you ready?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, let¡¯s go on the count of three. Rose, match that and quickly suppress the snake.¡¹


    ¡¸Understood.¡¹


    Then, Ria slowly began to count.


    ¡¸Three¡­ Two¡­ One¡­¡¹


    Tension ran through all three of us,


    ¡¸Zero¡­!¡¹


    At that moment, we rushed out all at once.


    ¡¸¡­Eh?¡¹


    However, before I noticed ¨C I had already closed the distance to the chimera¡¯s torso.


    A defenseless torso in front of me.


    Ria and Rose were still far behind.


    ¡¸Hi-Hisss©`!¡¹


    ¡¸Ga-Garuru!?¡¹


    ¡¸MEIIII!?¡¹


    The snake hissed violently, and the lion and goat jumped to their guard when they heard it.


    ¡¸But, it¡¯s toote.¡¹


    I was already stepping into their chest ¨C right at the certain kill distance.


    (¡­I can do it!)


    At this distance, even without a certain kill technique, I can deal significant damage!


    I swung down the sword I had already raised overhead ¨C in one breath.


    ¡¸Eighth Sword- Yatagarasu!¡¹


    At that moment, eight sharp shes assailed the chimera.


    Moreover, it was different from the previous Yatagarasu.


    The attack branched into eight shes as usual, but each one of them was terrifyingly sharp ¨C each was like a stroke that was swung down by concentrating every nerve in the body.


    And the eight shes, as though cutting tofu ¨C split the chimera into eight pieces in an instant.


    ¡¸¡­Eh?¡¹


    ¡¸What¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸N-No way¡­¡¹


    From behind, looking at the eight pieces of chimera, Ria and Rose solidified while still holding their sword in hand.


    Thus, the first three requests werepleted almost by me solely.

 Chapter 21.1 - Magic Swordsman and Black Organization [4] – part 1

    Magic Swordsman and ck Organization [4] ¨C part 1


    As I one-shot the chimera ¨C no, eight-shot it,


    ¡¸Wh-What¡¯s this, Allen? What was that power just now!?¡¹


    ¡¸You, were too fast!¡¹


    Ria and Rose pushed onto me forcefully.


    ¡¸I-I am also surprised actually.¡¹


    At the minimum, it was on par with the genius swordsman ¨C Sid-san ¨C the same eleration, sword speed, and arm strength.


    It felt as though each one of those is now a step abovepared to the past.


    (Is it the experience of fighting the extraordinary genius, Sid-san? Or is it a byproduct of being taken over by the spirit core?)


    Either way¡­ it¡¯s a plus for me.


    I¡¯m still a long way off ¨C I can be stronger!


    ¡¸Uh, I need to train my soul dress more¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I can¡¯t let the difference in strength grow any further¡­¡¹


    For the time being, after sessfullypleting the three requests, we decided to return to Bons-san.


    ¡¸Oh, youpleted all three so soon? Way to go!¡¹


    Bons-san who was working on some paperwork, stopped andughed delightfully.


    As usual, it was a scary smile, but I got used to it.


    ¡¸Now, as I said, monster extermination was the right choice, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, thanks to you, it was a good experience.¡¹


    ¡¸Gahaha! I see, that¡¯s good! But this time was just a warm-up. There are stronger monsters than chimera in that forest, and I¡¯m going to have you guys take on more and more high difficulty challenges.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, thank you.¡¹


    After that ¨C wepleted various requests.


    Of course, not everything went smoothly.


    In the subjugation of Giant Slime, the clothes of Ria and Rose were dissolved¡­ and so on.


    As a result, I prevented the disaster by lending the clothes I was wearing at that time.


    I was really surprised when the two started sniffing the smell of the uniform.


    I didn¡¯t sweat too much, so it should¡¯ve been fine¡­ I hope.


    A week has passed since we started living as magic swordsmen.


    People get used to everything unexpectedly, and even the frivolous building which clearly was an eyesore to the surrounding environments before, no longer bothered us.


    And I also made a few magic swordsman friends.


    While Ria and Rose went to the bathroom, as I was gazing at the request forms on the request board,


    ¡¸Oi, Allen! Hang out with me a bit!¡¹


    Dread-san, holding a small ss in one hand, called out to me.


    ¡¸What is it, Dread-san? If you want me to drink sake, no thank you.¡¹


    Since that incident, he seems to be reducing the amount of alcohol he had been drinking, and I¡¯ve never seen him as drunk as he used to be.


    ¡¸Hehehe, You¡¯re as straightced as ever, you! Well, just sit down! There are talks which can only be had between men¡­ isn¡¯t there?¡¹


    He smirked as he said so.


    We¡¯re talking about Dread-san here, it most likely isn¡¯t gonna be anything decent¡­


    I had no choice but to sit next to him because I thought it would be rude to refuse.


    And then,


    ¡¸-So, which one are you going out with?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Come again?¡¹


    Suddenly he asked me a question that didn¡¯t make any sense.


    ¡¸There you go again! Don¡¯t try to dodge the question! That big-chested blond Ria-jou and the cool beauty Rose-jou! I¡¯m asking which one you¡¯re going out with! ¡¹


    ¡¸Eh, n-no, that¡¯s not¡­¡¹


    I was caught off guard by that unexpected question.


    (Is this the rumored, love gossip¡­?


    Then, the people who have been secretly eavesdropping on us ¨C acquaintance magic swordsmen began to join in on the conversation right away.


    ¡¸Going by that reaction¡­! Is it the both of them!? Are you going out with both of them!?¡¹


    ¡¸Kuu, well if it¡¯s a man like you, it is only to be expected¡­ God, I¡¯m so envious¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸Even if it¡¯s two at the same time¡­ you probably have your¡ºfirst choice¡», right?¡¹


    ¡¸No, wait! Shouldn¡¯t we confirm how far they have gone first?¡¹


    The story went in a direction that I didn¡¯t understand on it¡¯s own.


    (I-I have to stop them quickly¡­)


    If such a rumor spread, it will cause trouble for Ria and Rose.


    ¡¸E-Errr! I¡¯m not particrly going out with either of them!¡¹


    I had to clearly state that.


    If it¡¯s a rumor that only I will suffer, I wouldn¡¯t really care.


    It is said that gossipst but 75 days, and it will be forgotten sooner orter.


    However, it is necessary that I firmly deny the rumors that might cause trouble for my precious friends.


    However,


    ¡¸There you go again!¡¹


    ¡¸Saying¡ºI¡¯m not going out with either one¡»even though you¡¯ve been so close with them all this time.¡¹


    ¡¸Aa! We won¡¯t let you escape that easily, Allen.¡¹


    My voice did not reach these drunk magic swordsmen.


    (This is why I don¡¯t deal with drunkards¡­)


    I doubt I could reason with them anymore.


    No matter how much I try, they were not in the mood to listen.


    Therefore I,


    ¡¸Anyway¨Cdon¡¯t spread any strange rumors, alright?¡¹


    With a gentle smile, I reminded them.


    ¡¸O-Ou, of course we know that¡­¡¹


    ¡¸H-Hehe, it¡¯s just a joke¡­ Big bro Allen¡­¡¹


    ¡¸D-Don¡¯t get too serious¡­ O-Ok?¡¹


    They finally seemed to have understood, as they averted their gaze and diverted from the topic.


    And then,


    ¡¸Allen!¡¹


    ¡¸Let¡¯s take the next request.¡¹


    Ria and Rose were waving to me from the reception.


    ¡¸I¡¯ming.¡¹


    Then the three of us had Bons-san choose a request as usual.


    ¡¸Well then¡­ for the next request, I want you to take this one.¡¹


    ¡¸This is¡­ an escort mission?¡¹


    A wagon escort from Orest to Drestia.


    From the capital to the¡ºMerchant¡¯s Town¡»- amon escort request.


    ¡¸Aa, it¡¯s just a short distance from here to Drestia. It will be a simple request for you guys¡­ but this has a bit of a special circumstance. This client¡¯s grandmother has a weak back¡­ So they want to request for a skilled magic swordsman, just in case something goes wrong¡­ Won¡¯t you ept it?¡¹


    Just to be sure, I exchanged nces with Ria and Rose, and both of them nodded in agreement.


    We were thinking of the same thing it seems.


    ¡¸-Alright, we will kindly ept this request.¡¹


    In the countryside like Goza vige, everyone always helped each other.


    When the rice harvest is poor, all other farmers bring their crops over.


    Wheat and potatoes ¡ª the same is true for when other crop harvest is poor.


    Everyone shoulde together and help those who are in need.


    ¡¸Oo, that¡¯s great! That¡¯s very helpful! I know I can entrust this to you guys reassuringly!¡¹


    Bons-san stamped a big seal on the request form.


    ¡¸Oh, and one more thing ¨C this is a personal request from me.¡¹


    Then he took three bills from his pocket ¨C 30 thousand gold.


    ¡¸I¡¯d like you to do some market research¡¹


    ¡¸Market research is it?¡¹


    With that 30 thousand gold, he is probably going to request something of an errand¡­


    To be honest, it didn¡¯t seem to have much to do with training.


    ¡¸You guys are going to Drestia in that escort mission, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, that would be so.¡¹


    ¡¸In Drestia, arge festival called¡ºDaido Commercial Festival¡» will be held for three days from tomorrow. So I want the three of you to buy goods at various stalls and tell me your impressions of them.¡¹


    Saying that, Bons-san shoved the 30 thousand gold into my hand.


    ¡¸¡­Eh?¡¹


    ¡¸T-That just means¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Go and enjoy the festival?¡¹


    ¡¸Noo, that¡¯s not it. The festival over there is very popr. I want you to explore that secret a little. It is also for the festival to be held in the Magic Swordsman Association in the future. Well, in other words, this is an important request. So don¡¯t misunderstand, ok?¡¹


    With a serious expression, he reminded us that it was an important request¡­


    ¡¸No, but¡­¡¹


    That¡¯s too much of a stretch, unreasonable even¡­


    It was so obvious that he was telling us to enjoy the festival.


    Then, Bons-san shook his head and heaved a loud sigh.


    ¡¸Haa¡­ Listen, Allen¡­ Pushing yourself head first into a wall is not all there is to training. You need to rest mentally too! This kind of¡ºtime off¡»is important too!¡¹


    ¡¸Ha-haa¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Well, that¡¯s the gist of it ¨C you guys have been doing too much training every day for the past week! Take a break!¡¹


    His real intention had finally spilled out.


    ¡¸E-Eh¡­¡¹


    ¡¸No, even if you say that¡­¡¹


    ¡¸We are currently in the middle of suspension.¡¹


    When Rose said the right answer,


    ¡¸Right, that is exactly why this is my¡ºrequest¡». -If someoneins, tell me immediately. I¡¯ll send them flying!¡¹


    Saying that, he cracked his knuckles.


    ¡­How intense,


    ¡¸U-Understood¡­ T-Thank you.¡¹


    I didn¡¯t feel right to reject it after being urged this far, so we decided to indulge in Bons-san¡¯s good will.


    ¡¸Hehe, my best regards!¡¹

 Chapter 21.2 - Magic Swordsman and Black Organization [4] – part 2

    . Magic Swordsman and ck Organization [4] ¨C part 2


    Then we went to our client¡¯s grandmother, Sandy-san, and immediately left the city of Orest.


    On the way from Orest to Drestia,


    ¡¸Haee¡­?! You all are students of that Thousand de Academy?¡¹


    Sandy-san was amazed.


    ¡¸Y-Yes, more or less.¡¹


    ¡­In the middle of suspension though.


    ¡¸If the students of Thousand de Academy are escorting me, then that¡¯s very reassuring. But is it okay? This request is cheap, isn¡¯t it? We are poor wheat farmers after all.¡¹


    She pointed to therge number of sacks on the wagon.


    It was packed to overflowing with threshed wheat.


    I took a look a little while ago, the color is good, and the richness of the skin is just right.


    It¡¯s a fine first-ss wheat.


    This will surely fetch a good price.


    ¡¸Ahaha, money is not the purpose.¡¹


    This is purely volunteering, and not for the sake of wanting money.


    In fact, we have not received any rewards for all the requests we havepleted.


    ¡¸However, the Thousand de Academy¡­ Recently, people say that they¡¯ve ¡ºfallen¡», but their image of being the¡ºstrongest¡»during our generation is still fresh in our memories¡¹


    Thus, Sandy-san began to reminisce about the past.


    ¡¸Especially ck Fist Leia-Lasnode! I don¡¯t know much about it, but I¡¯m sure it was called¡ºNo-Sword Style¡»? Anyway, she was really cool¡­ She battered every single one of her opponents! It was always a pleasure to watch that woman!¡¹


    Sandy-san showed her punch with her right hand.


    ¡¸The only person that stood a chance against her was Ferris of Ice King Academy! But in the end, it seems Ferris never won.¡¹


    ¡¸Heee, is that so¡­¡¹


    She told us quite an interesting story.


    While listening to the stories of Thousand de Academy from the old days, we arrived at Drestia in no time.


    Fortunately, we never encountered any beast or monster throughout the journey.


    ¡¸I¡¯m d that we were able to finish the task without any problems.¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you. I had a lot of fun telling those stories. Well, I¡¯ll take my leave¡­ ha!?¡¹


    Sandy-san suddenly hardened like a stone statue in the middle of the conversation.


    ¡¸Sa-Sandy-san!?¡¹


    ¡¸W-What happened!?¡¹


    ¡¸Are you alright?¡¹


    ¡¸Back¡­ my back¡­!?¡¹


    She squeezed out those words forcefully.


    Speaking of which ¡­ Bons-san said the client had a weak back.


    ¡¸A-Anyway, let¡¯s go to the hospital!¡¹


    When I was still a kid.


    I still remember clearly that Bamboo geezer injured his back andid in bed for a long time.


    That energetic bamboo geezer was barely able to move for a whole week.


    It seems that if you hurt your back, you can¡¯t really move.


    ¡¸No, no! It¡¯s a contract to deliver the shipment by noon today¡­¡¹


    Apparently this wheat has a delivery time.


    In addition to that, it¡¯s noon today ¨C there¡¯s only an hour¡¯s grace.


    ¡¸U-Understood. Then I¡¯ll take responsibility and deliver it!¡¹


    ¡¸I-Is it really alright?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, leave it to me.¡¹


    ¡¸T-Then, I¡¯ll rely on you¡­¡¹


    And then, Sandy-san took a piece of paper out of her pocket.


    The delivery date of wheat, the delivery ce, the purchase price, etc. were written on it.


    It looks to be the contract.


    ¡¸I¡¯ve properly received it. Please take Sandy-san to the nearby hospital.¡¹


    ¡¸Y-Yes, that¡¯s fine but¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Will you be fine alone, Allen?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, leave the shipment to me¡­ Oh yeah, once we¡¯ve taken care of things on both our sides, let¡¯s meet at that huge clock tower.¡¹


    I pointed to the clock tower that stood out just in front of us.


    ¡¸Yeah, understood.¡¹


    ¡¸Be careful.¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you. Well then, take care of Sandy-san.¡¹


    Then I went to the delivery location by relying on the contract I received from Sandy-san ¨C there was a map drawn on it.


    ¡¸This should be the ce.¡¹


    There was a shop called¡ºRocky Store¡»at the location shown on the map.


    (It would be a nuisance to carry all this wheat into the store, let¡¯s take only one sack)


    I opened the sliding door with a rattle, and entered the store with a sack of wheat.


    A little further in, I found a shopkeeper-like person in the back of the store.


    ¡¸Oh. is it a customer?¡¹


    ¡¸No, a wheat farmer named Sandy-san injured her back, so I¡¯m a magic swordsman who has carried it here on her behalf.¡¹


    ¡¸Ho¡­ magic swordsman huh¡­ In that case, can you show me the documents?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes.¡¹


    Then I handed over the valuable contract that she had handed over to me.


    As he took a look at it,


    ¡¸Nn¡­¡¹


    For some reason, instead of the wheat I had brought up here, he sized me up from head to toe.


    ¡¸Maa¡­ it¡¯s going to be half price.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Half price?¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re a slow guy aren¡¯t you¡­ I¡¯m saying I¡¯ll buy it at half the price of the contract.¡¹


    ¡¸Wha! What do you mean!?¡¹


    ¡¸You see, this wheat¡­ it¡¯s pretty bad quality. I want you to be grateful that I¡¯m even buying it for half price.¡¹


    He picked a pinch of wheat from the sack and evaluated as such.


    ¡¸That¡¯s not true. This is very good wheat!¡¹


    ¡¸Ha, what would a third-rate magic swordsman know about it? Huh?¡¹


    ¡¸You can understand it at a nce. In my vige, agriculture is prosperous and I¡¯ve seen a lot of wheat. I can assure you, there are no quality issues with this wheat. On the contrary, it¡¯s a splendid first-ss wheat!¡¹


    The shopkeeper, bluntly clicked his tongue.


    ¡¸Tch¡­ what a troublesome brat. ¨C Excuse me, can youe in here now?¡¹


    Then, from the back of the store, a duo of tall guys withrge body builds appeared.


    ¡¸Oh my¡­ Rocky-danna, is there a problem?¡¹1


    ¡¸Nn©` at a nce, he looks to be a magic swordsman but¡­ isn¡¯t he just a brat?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry to bother you guys¡­ This brat doesn¡¯t seem to get the point.¡¹


    The duo exchanged nces and shrugged their shoulders simultaneously.


    ¡¸Oi, Oi, small kid. Children should listen and do as adults say, you hear?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s still not toote, you know? Hurry up and apologize to Rocky-san.¡¹


    It looks like these two are bouncers at this store.


    ¡¸¡­Rocky-san¡¹


    ¡¸Kukuku, what is it?¡¹


    ¡¸-It¡¯s weird to reduce the price of this fine wheat by pointing quality as the reason. I¡¯d like you to buy it for the right amount.¡¹


    When he heard my response, he heaved a sigh.


    ¡¸Haa¡­ This is why I dislike magic swordsman. They don¡¯t have the basic intelligence¡­¡­I¡¯m sorry to bother the two of you, but please take care of this one here.¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, it can¡¯t be helped.¡¹


    ¡¸I can¡¯t even call something like this as work.¡¹


    The pair of men drew closer to me in long strides, while cracking their shoulders and necks.


    And then,


    ¡¸Here¡­ take this!¡¹


    One of the men pulled back his arm and unleashed a straight right.


    (¡­What is this?)


    Wasteful weight transfer.


    Useless preparatory actions.


    The fist grip is also loose.


    It cannot bepared with Bons-san¡¯s artistic straight right.


    ¡¸-Sorry.¡¹


    I quickly threw a back fist into the man¡¯s sr plexus which was full openings.


    ¡¸Hau¡­ ga¡­!¡¹


    His face turned pale at the sudden shock and fainted as he copsed on the spot.


    ¡¸Wh-What did you do!?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Eh? Did you not see it?¡¹


    To look away during a battle¡­ It seems that this pair are amateurs who simply have big bodies.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t screw around!¡¹


    The remaining one, raised his right hand overhead in the same way, and tried to strike.


    This is also a terrible attack same as the other man.


    ¡¸-Sorry¡¹


    ¡¸Haga, ha¡­!?¡¹


    I threw a back fist at the same spot as the first man, and rendered the second man unconscious.


    Now, we can finally talk in peace.


    ¡¸Now then¡­¡¹


    When I got a step closer to Rocky-san,


    ¡¸Hi-Hiiiiiii!?¡¹


    He seemed to be a little scared, and he desperately retreated back with his butt on the floor.


    ¡¸I have not made an unfair request. So, I¡¯ll say this one more time. -Won¡¯t you buy it for the right amount?¡¹


    ¡¸A-Aaaaa! U-Understood! O-Of course! I¡¯m sorry, I swear not to do something like this ever again! S-So, please spare my life!¡¹


    I didn¡¯t say a word about taking his life¡­ well, it doesn¡¯t matter.


    ¡¸Thank you. I¡¯ll bring in the rest of the wheat. Where should I ce it?¡¹


    ¡¸J-Just leave all of it in front of the store! We¡¯ll take care of the rest!¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, that¡¯s would be helpful.¡¹


    After that, the moment I finished unloading all the wheat that was in the wagon in front of the store, he shoved out a small leather bag of cash.


    ¡¸I-It¡¯s the full amount as written in the contract. You can confirm it.¡¹


    Just in case, I checked it and it was filled with cash exactly as written in the contract.


    ¡¸-I¡¯ve confirmed the amount. Well then, excuse me.¡¹


    As a minimum courtesy, when I bowed lightly and tried to leave the ce,


    ¡¸¡­H-Hey, just who are you!?¡¹


    He asked me such a thing at the end.


    ¡¸I¡¯m no one important. As you said ¨C just a third-rate magic swordsman.¡¹


    Thus, I managed to deliver the wheat safely, and went to the rendezvous point to meet with Ria and Rose.

 Chapter 22.1 - Magic Swordsman and Black Organization [5] – part 1

    Magic Swordsman and ck Organization [5] ¨C part 1


    It was around the time Allen parted ways with Ria and Rose and headed to Rocky Store alone.


    Three people who had been observing Allen from far away using binocrs, started to move.


    ¡¸Yes, yes! Target is now alone! The princess who shouldn¡¯t be harmed, is no longer present!¡¹


    ¡¸Haa¡­ finally, mou¡­ I was getting tired, mou¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Let¡¯s kill him quickly and go home. I have to prepare for the next job.¡¹


    The three are female swordsmen who were requested by a certain source to assassinate Allen.


    These three women who carry out assassinations for a living, are dwellers of the underground society.


    They are first-rate swordsmen whose abilities are rumored to be¡¸Five Academy Representative Level¡¹.


    ¡¸Roger!¡¹


    ¡¸You don¡¯t have to reply to every single thing, mou¡­ We¡¯ve decided to kill him quickly, mou¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Let¡¯s begin then.¡¹


    The three were hiding in a dense forest.


    The moment they descended from a tall tree to¡¸Swiftly kill Allen¡¹.


    ¡¸Fumu¡­ as expected of Leia-sama. While her head is a great disappointment, her¡ºintuition¡»is a cut above the rest when it matters.¡¹


    A man wearing a silk hat and holding a shy white and ck stick suddenly appeared.


    Prisoner number 0018 ¨C No.18 who was ordered by Leia to guard Allen.


    ¡¸Ha-Haaaa? Who are you, ossan? And, don¡¯t look at me with that perverted look. It feels disgusting.¡¹


    ¡¸Uwaaa¡­ how troublesome, mou¡­ So gross, let¡¯s just kill him already, mou¡­¡¹


    ¡¸We won¡¯t attract any attention here, and above all, we don¡¯t have much time¡­ It can¡¯t be helped, let¡¯s kill him.¡¹


    Other than their target ¨C the women do not possess viinous aesthetics that would drag in the general public.


    However, any obstacle to their work is simply gotten rid of immediately without hesitation.


    In front of the three female swordsmen who gave off an intense bloodlust ¨C No.18 looked at their faces, bodies, and clothes.


    ¡¸Haa¡­ It¡¯s like you don¡¯t understand anything¡­¡¹No.18 sighed.


    The three of them all had very well-endowed features, although they were of different lineages.


    Distinctive facial features.


    Innocent child-like features from their teenage years.


    A dignified feature reminiscent of a famous sword.


    Their style is perfect, and the outfits they wear were sensational with a lot of exposure.


    If it was an ordinary man were to see these three beautiful lovely women, he¡¯d think¡¸Ah, it¡¯s a lovely day today¡¹.


    However ¨C No. 18 was severely disappointed.


    He had an indescribable bitter expression ¨C as though witnessing dominoes that have been built up for many years copsing due to a foolish mistake.


    ¡¸Grovel ¨C ¡´Cajon King¡µ!¡¹


    ¡¸Devour, mou ¨C ¡´Grand Eater¡µ!¡¹


    ¡¸Slumber in midwinter ¨C ¡´Permafrost¡µ!¡¹


    The¡ºpressure¡»of hopelessness bore down on No.18.


    In front of a spectacle, where an ordinary swordsman would faint ¨C He messaged his prided handlebar moustache.


    ¡¸I see¡­ All three of you are soul dress users?¡¹


    No-18 widened his eyes momentarily,


    ¡¸For Allen-dono, who has not yet been able to handle his oversized power¡­ you three might have been a little too much to handle.¡¹


    No-18 was very calm, there wasposure on his face.


    ¡¸Hey! I wonder what kind of sound you make when you cry!?¡¹


    ¡¸Die cleanly, mou¡­ If you spurt out blood, I¡¯ll beat you to death, mou¡­¡¹


    ¡¸At the very least, I¡¯ll grant you a quick painless death.¡¹


    Three female swordsmen wielded their soul dress, and the curtain opened on the battle to the death.


    A mere one minuteter.


    ¡¸Im-Impossible¡­¡¹


    ¡¸What¡­ even¡­ mou¡­¡¹


    ¡¸N-No way¡­!?¡¹


    The three female swordsmen were groveling on the ground.


    The shock of having their soul dress broken, made their consciousness hazy.


    On the other hand, No. 18 did not break a sweat, let alone a scratch.


    He clearly showed off the difference in power that couldn¡¯t be matched.


    ¡¸You three have great materials and yet ¨C you don¡¯t understand anything¡¹


    His gaze was directed at the clothes of the three.


    ¡¸Those clothes ¨C such a stupid design based on the premise that you will be seen¡­ Oh, how deplorable¡­ We will decide it here.¡¹


    He slowly started talking.


    ¡¸¡ºBeing seen by people is what I want¡», that by itself is not what I¡¯m condemning. It is the taste of gentlemen anddies who care about their appearance, and those are quite fine. -But! If you lose too much¡ºshame¡»and normalize being seen¡­¡­ That will be the end of it all.¡¹


    There was a hint of sadness on the face of No.18, as he quietly shook his head.


    ¡¸You, who get drunk on being seen, who choose to¡ºshow¡»¡­ to put it simply,¡ºunnatural¡»!¡¹


    And then he brought his argument to the conclusion.


    ¡¸¡ºNatural¡»- is a woman who doesn¡¯t notice being peeked at, her natural expression, her minor habits, and the extreme embarrassment at the moment when the peep is discovered! When all thesee together in perfect harmony ¨C a beauty is born!¡¹


    No.18 looked at the clothes of the three women once at the end.


    The emphasized chest, the skirt which can easily flip up, and the stomach exposed without hesitation.


    Everything goes against his¡ºaesthetics¡».


    ¡¸You who choose to show and have lost your shame ¨C are not even worth peeping.¡¹


    Speaking cheerfully about his¡ºaesthetics¡», he contacted his master, Leia, and reported the incident in detail.


    ¡ö


    After sessfully delivering the wheat to the Rocky Store, I headed to the clock tower of the meeting ce.


    Rose stood absent-mindedly there.


    She also noticed me, and raised her right hand slightly.


    ¡¸Allen, over here,¡¹


    ¡¸Rose, how is Sandy-san¡¯s condition?¡¹


    ¡¸She¡¯s all right now. She strained her back, so she just needs to rest for a while.¡¹


    ¡¸I see. Thank goodness¡­¡¹


    I¡¯m really d it wasn¡¯t anything critical.


    ¡¸Which reminds me, where is Ria?¡¹


    ¡¸Still at the hospital. She said¡ºwe can¡¯t leave Sandy-san alone while she¡¯s still recovering¡»¡¹


    ¡¸I see¡­ how Ria-like.¡¹


    Such considerations are one of her greatest virtues.


    ¡¸Well, shall we go?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, I¡¯ll follow your lead.¡¹


    ¡¸Un, this way.¡¹


    Then we headed to the hospital where Ria and Sandy-san were waiting.


    The hospital was only three minutes from the clock tower.


    Afterpleting a simple procedure at the reception desk, we turned towards Sandy-san¡¯s room.


    Her room was a shared room for four people.


    ¡¸I¡¯m back. How do you feel, Sandy-san?¡¹


    ¡¸Oo, Allen-kun¡­ I¡¯m really sorry for troubling you¡­ I am somewhat fine thanks to you, so thank you.¡¹


    ¡¸No, please don¡¯t worry. And ¨C here, the money from delivering the wheat.¡¹


    And I handed her the small leather bag.


    ¡¸Oh my¡­! I¡¯m really thankful for everything¡­¡¹


    ¡¸No, this is also an extension of the job.¡¹


    Finally, after finished summarizing, I whispered to Ria.


    ¡¸Thank you, Ria.¡¹


    ¡¸Uun, this much is no problem.¡¹


    Sheughed gently, saying so.


    After that, as we were about to leave the hospital, Sandy-san spoke.


    ¡¸Come to think of it¡­ What are you going to do now? Since you¡¯re in Drestia at this time of year, why don¡¯t you enjoy the annual Daido Commercial Festival? ¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. That is what we nned to do.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, is that right? Then rent a yukata! It¡¯s a festival after all, and wearing the school uniform is a little unfitting¡­ So, how about it?¡¹


    And then,


    ¡¸Yuka-ta¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s like a traditional outfit in this country.¡¹


    As Ria tilted her head, Rose immediately added an exnation.


    Ria, the princess of neighbouring country, Vesteria, doesn¡¯t seem to know about yukata.


    ¡¸Yukata huh¡­¡¹


    I never thought about it.


    I worried about what to do and looked at Ria and Rose.


    ¡¸¡­I- I¡¯d like to try wearing it.¡¹


    ¡¸Un, uniform is a little conspicuous.¡¹


    ¡­¡­Certainly, there was a point in what Rose said.


    This time, we¡¯re really pushing the boundary of suspension with this¡ºrequest¡»¡­So, the thought of being recognised is quite stressful.


    There would be nothing better than to enjoy the festival as much as possible together.


    Thus, a normal yukata is surely a better choice than the uniform of the famous Thousand de Academy.


    ¡¸Right¡­ We¡¯re going to a festival after all, so I would like to rent a yukata.¡¹


    ¡¸In that case, there is a good shop in front of this hospital!¡ºYukata Rental Main Store¡», a long-established store that has been around since I was young. All the people in the store are nice people too.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, is that so? Then, we¡¯ll drop by there.¡¹


    This information is really helpful.


    It¡¯s more reassuring to have a shop introduced to you than a shop you¡¯re going to for the first time.


    ¡¸Well then, Sandy-san. Let¡¯s meet again sometime.¡¹


    ¡¸I hope your back recovers soon!¡¹


    ¡¸See you.¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, thanks. Everyone, take care.¡¹


    Then, we parted with Sandy-san and left the hospital.

 Chapter 22.2 - Magic Swordsman and Black Organization [5] – part 2

    Magic Swordsman and ck Organization [5] ¨C part 2


    Then, the shop that Sandy-san rmended in front of the hospital ¨C Yukata Rental Main Store immediately caught my eye.


    ¡¸Shall we go in?¡¹


    ¡¸Un, let¡¯s go!¡¹


    ¡¸Yukata¡­ it¡¯s been a while¡¹


    Then we went into the shop without any expectations.


    ¡¸Wee. Are you here to rent a yukata?¡¹


    As soon as we entered the store, a gentle-mannered old woman wearing a yukata weed us.


    ¡¸Yes, we would like to rent for three people¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, please leave it to me!¡¹


    Then, she shouted loudly to the back of the store.


    ¡¸Oooi, there is a male customer! Someonee over here!¡¹


    Immediately after that, a male clerk wearing a yukata appeared with loud footsteps.


    ¡¸Yesing, wee! Let me see, customer-sama. The men¡¯s yukata are over here, so please follow me.¡¹


    Then I followed the male clerk and moved to the back of the store.


    ¡¸Please choose your favourite yukata from one of these.¡¹


    Yukata for men were lined up in a row in front of me.


    As expected, there weren¡¯t as many as for women, but there was enough to worry about choosing.


    I looked through it and,


    ¡¸Let¡¯s see¡­ Then, I¡¯ll go with this.¡¹


    In order not to stand out too much, I chose a slightly simple yukata with a lot of ck background.


    ¡¸This one, yes? Then, pleasee this way. Let me help you put it on.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, please.¡¹


    Then I was guided to the men¡¯s changing room.


    The man¡¯s dressing was quick, as he put the ck yukata on me and wrapped a white sash around it. It only took about a minute.


    ¡¸Oh, it suits you very well!¡¹


    When I looked in the mirror, there was my figure dressed in a yukata, and I felt somewhat embarrassed.


    ¡¸Thank you¡­¡¹


    Then I left the changing room and waited for Ria and Rose to finish.


    10minutester.


    Finally, the women¡¯s changing room door slowly opened,


    ¡¸H-How, does it¡­ look¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Does it suit me?¡¹


    It¡¯spletely different from their usual uniform look ¨C they both appeared out in gorgeous yukatas.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    Those appearances, took my breath away.


    I was speechless at their overflowing beauty.


    The light skin-colored yukata that Ria wore, had a scarlet dragonfly pattern, and the sash was the same wine red as the ribbon that connected her twin tails.


    Whereas, Rose¡¯s deep blue yukata had a white cherry blossom pattern, and the sash used a yellow onepoint.


    Without any thought at ttery, they both looked really beautiful and well.


    ¡¸U-Un. It suits both of you well.¡¹


    ¡¸R-Really? Thanks¡­¡¹


    Ria said in a small voice whilst blushing.


    ¡¸Fufuu, I¡¯m happy.¡¹


    Rose smiled happily.


    ¡¸I-I think¡­ that yukata suits Allen very well as well.¡¹


    ¡¸Un, it¡¯s cool and tight.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, thanks.¡¹


    Then, we shared our impressions of each other, paid the yukata rental fee, and finally went out to the Daido Commercial Festival.


    ¡ö


    In the heart of Drestia, there is a big road called¡ºGod Street¡».


    The Daido Commercial Festival is an annual festival held on this God Street.


    It¡¯s definitely the biggest festival in this country.


    After that, we arrived at God Street,


    ¡¸Looking at it from here, there really is a huge crowd¡­¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s much busier than Orest¡­¡¹


    ¡¸As usual, it¡¯s so congested¡­¡¹


    I was overwhelmed by the number of people at the festival.


    Whether I look to the right or to the left ¨C there¡¯s a crowd everywhere.


    Street stalls lined up on both sides of the street.


    Vendor¡¯s energetic touts for customers.


    Delicious food smells that stir up your appetite.


    A rich atmosphere that yelled¡ºThis exactly is a Festival!¡».


    ¡¸Let¡¯s enjoy this festival to the fullest!¡¹


    ¡¸Un, let¡¯s go quickly!¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, that¡¯s right!¡¹


    We dived into the sea of people.


    As we walked along the waves of people,


    ¡¸Ah, look Allen! It¡¯s choco banana!¡¹


    ¡¸Look, there is candy apple too!¡¹


    Almost simultaneously, Ria and Rose pointed to the ones they were interested in.


    ¡¸Ah, let¡¯s try them one by one.¡¹


    Then we went around the various stalls and ate a lot of things.


    We started with choco banana, and then the candy apple.


    Grilled squid, fried noodles, fried chicken, cotton candy, frankfurter ¨C To be honest, I¡¯m already full.


    The reason why most of the stalls that we stopped by had a bias towards¡ºcooked rice¡»is definitely because of Ria.


    Anyway she sure has an appetite.


    She eats so well, that I wanted to ask where all that food goes to in that body.


    (¡­Surely I can¡¯t say¡¸you sure can eat¡¹to a girl.)


    Even I understand that much.


    But then, how do we stop her rampage¡­ I didn¡¯t have the slightest idea.


    ¡¸Oh, sugoi! Look, Allen! It¡¯s a high-quality beef loin skewer!¡¹


    She still pointed to dozens of stalls with sparkling eyes.


    There was a massive beef loin with thick fat on it as if it wasn¡¯t enough already.


    (Ooo¡­)


    Taking that on in this super-full condition is a little hard¡­


    Just watching it makes my chest hurt.


    (I had this feeling since we went for Ramzac together but¡­ Ria is more that slightly¡¸gluttonous¡¹¡­)


    No matter how much she eats, I¡¯m not going to say anything as long as she can maintain that healthy figure.


    But, it¡¯s unreasonable to ask us to eat the same amount¡­ give us a break.


    I exchanged nces with Rose, and nodded.


    She seems to have reached her limit long ago, the same as me.


    ¡¸Ri-Ria¡­? You¡¯re still going to eat¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸We want to rest and digest properly.¡¹


    ¡¸Eh, no way?¡¹


    Unbelievably, Ria said with a straight face.


    It was a true, honest surprised expression.


    (Are you trying to say we still have a ways to go¡­!?)


    I need to think a little about eating with Ria in the future¡­


    Anyway, anymore than this is not good.


    Somehow we need to divert her thoughts from food.


    ¡¸Well, there are a lot of stalls other than food, so why don¡¯t we take a look at them?¡¹


    ¡¸T-That sounds good, Allen! I agree!¡¹


    Rose immediately backed up my proposal.


    And then Ria,


    ¡¸I see. If that¡¯s what you two want to do, let¡¯s go!¡¹


    She immediately agreed with this idea without disying any significant resistance.


    Finally released from hell¡¯s food tour, Rose and I breathed a sigh of relief.


    Then we walked around the game stalls ¨C such as lottery and goldfish bowling and ring toss.


    Ria¡¯s shot¡¯s were 100% bullseye. Plush toys, figures, badges, etc. ¨C she attained a great number of rewards.


    On the other hand, Rose snatched all the super balls with amazing dexterity.


    ¡¸Yay! Great harvest!¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, it¡¯s aplete victory!¡¹


    ¡¸A-Ahaha¡­ The shopkeeper was in tears, though¡­¡¹


    Then, when we visited various stalls and enjoyed the Daido Commercial Festival,


    (¡­Nn? What is that?)


    Just in front of me, was arge building with heavy security.


    (Is it about 7 stories above the ground¡­?)


    Around the huge, intimidating building, there were arge number of swordsmen who were standing quietly.


    You can tell that they are not Holy Knights even from the absence of uniform.


    (¡­¡­ What on earth is this?)


    And when I vacantly looked at the building, and the swordsmen,


    ¡¸That is the Daido Firm. Inside, the Five Wealthy Merchants are discussing about various things by now.¡¹


    Rose, sensed my doubts and smoothly gave an exnation.


    Five Wealthy Merchants ¨C The general term for five of the most prominent merchants. They are influential people of this country, the same as the directors of the Five Academy.


    (I see¡­)


    Then, those swordsmen are private soldiers who guards the Five Wealthy Merchants inside.


    ¡¸Rose truly is well-informed.¡¹


    ¡¸Not exactly. In the past, I once came here together with my grandfather. Thus I know a little.¡¹


    ¡¸Rose¡¯s grandfather¡­? Does that mean, Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style¡¯s-¡¹


    Just as I was about to finish ¨C there was an explosion in Daido Firm.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸Wha!?¡¹¡¹¡¹


    From the surrounding buildings, a group dressed in ck rushed into Daido Firm one after another.


    Those movements, theirposure as though they knew there was going to be an explosion, and clothes which concealed the face ¨C they are without a doubt, the culprits who caused this incident.


    (¡­So their target is the Five Wealthy Merchants)


    And by the time I was done putting my thoughts together,


    ¡¸Da-Daido Firm is on fire!?¡¹


    ¡¸Shit, c-call the Holy Kniiiights!¡¹


    ¡¸Hurry it up! The Five Wealthy Merchants are still inside!¡¹


    The surroundings fell into aplete state of panic.


    The movement of the private soldier who was in charge of the security ¨C was disjointed.


    Those who seeked help from the Holy Knight.


    Those who rushed into the Daido Firm right away.


    Those who fell into a panic, and froze where they stood.


    (¡­¡­The fire caused by the explosion is not so violent.)


    And by looking at it, the building seemed to be covered with concrete ¨C in other words, the fire spread was slow.


    The fire will be extinguished by the Holy Knights who will arrive soon.


    Then there¡¯s only one thing I should do here.


    ¡¸I¡¯m going in. Ria and Rose, wait here!¡¹


    As a swordsman, I have to help those in trouble.


    ¡¸I-I¡¯m alsoing!¡¹


    ¡¸Naturally, me too¡­!¡¹


    Thus, the three of us rushed into the burning Daido Firm.

 Chapter 23.1 - Magic Swordsman and Black Organization [6] – part 1

    Magic Swordsman and ck Organization [6] ¨C part 1


    The burning Daido Firm.


    There was already a fierce battle ongoing inside.


    ¡¸ZUEEEEE!¡¹


    ¡¸Gaha¡­¡¹


    The private soldiers who immediately rushed into the Daido Firm without hesitation ¨C were quite skilled.


    With their brilliant swordsmanship, they cut down the group of ck cloaks one after another and runs up the building.


    Judging from his movements, it seems that the Five Wealthy Merchants are on the seventh floor; the top floor.


    ¡¸Ria, Rose, we¡¯re going too!¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah!¡¹


    ¡¸Un!¡¹


    As we proceeded to the top floor together with the reliable private soldiers, they suddenly stopped on the sixth floor.


    ¡¸Gaha¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Impossible¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸I can¡¯t¡­ hit¡­!?¡¹


    The skilled private soldiers were felled one after another by a single swordsman d in ck.


    ¡¸¡­¡­No, No, No! It¡¯s too crunchy! Entertain me more and more and more! Aha-ahaha-hahahahaha! ¡¹


    The ck swordsman began tough like mad as he trampled on the fallen soldiers.


    (¡­¡­He¡¯s dangerous.)


    When I readied the sword in front my chest, increasing my guard,


    ¡¸¡­¡­!? Is it possible!? Maybe¡­ Maybe¡­ Maybe¡­!? You¡¯re Allen!?¡¹


    ¡¸!?¡¹


    He called my name with a cheerful voice and distorted grin.


    ¡¸That reaction! I was right! Un, Un, there¡¯s no way I¡¯d mistake you! Aha¡­ I finally got to see you!¡¹


    While pping both hands together, he shook his shoulder happily.


    ¡¸¡­Who are you?¡¹


    I don¡¯t remember such a strange person among my acquaintances.


    ¡¸Ah, you¡¯re so terrible¡­! Even though we loved each other so intensely, you had forgotten all about me¡­¡¹


    I had no idea what he¡¯s talking about, but¡­


    It was obvious that he was obsessed with me.


    (I have no choice but to do it¡­)


    And when I hardened my resolve,


    ¡¸Allen, you go ahead to the Five Wealthy Merchants first!¡¹


    ¡¸Leave this to us¡­!¡¹


    Ria and Rose took a step forward with their sword ready.


    ¡¸We can take care of this guy with the two of us!¡¹


    ¡¸No problem. Leave this to us.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Understood.¡¹


    If they say so, I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be all right.


    I left the ce assuredly and rushed to the seventh floor where the Five Wealthy Merchants were waiting.


    ¡¸Aa!? Wait, Allen!¡¹


    ¡¸Your opponent¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Will be us!¡¹


    Then I ran up the stairs and swung opened the roombeled VIP room.


    At that moment,


    ¡¸Hi-hiiiiii!?¡¹


    ¡¸P-Please spare my life¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸I have a lot of m-m-m-money! I¡¯ll give you whatever you want!¡¹three of the Five Wealthy Merchant said, with trembling voices.


    They most likely mistook me for one of the assants.


    Well, it¡¯s no wonder.


    (But¡­ the other two are sitting without any hint of fear¡­)


    When I nced up ¨C the two people sitting on a luxurious chair in the middle of the room, turned a sharp gaze at me.


    One was a man with arge scar running across his left eye.


    The other was a beautiful red hair woman¡­¡­ I felt like I¡¯ve seen this person somewhere, but now was not the time for that.


    First of all, I have to remove the vignce of the Five Wealthy Merchants towards me, and escape from this building at once.


    ¡¸I am Magic Swordsman Allen-Rodore. I havee to rescue you all.¡¹


    At that moment, fear faded from their eyes.


    But, of course, they do notpletely trust me.


    That¡¯s why I uttered a strong¡ºthreat¡»that would rewrite their suspicion.


    ¡¸As you already know, there was an explosive in this building. And that¡¯s not necessarily the only one. There¡¯s a possibility that something even bigger might still be hidden! And ¨C it might be closer than you imagine!¡¹


    The mysterious group nted explosives in this building without being found by anyone.


    (And surely if they wanted, they could have blown up this whole building. Nevertheless, they nted an explosion that was of mild power.)


    It was clear from this, that the purpose of these men was not the elimination of the Five Wealthy Merchants ¨C but¡ºkidnapping¡».


    Five Wealthy Merchants far surpass the directors of the Five Academy in terms of simple financial power.


    If the kidnapping was sessful, they could demand arge amount of ransom.


    (Even if their purpose was kidnapping, it does not guarantee the¡ºlife¡»of the Five Wealthy Merchants.)


    If their primary objective of kidnapping was unsessful, it was quite possible that they would resort to assasination immediately.


    In that case, it¡¯s likely that this building had more explosives nted, especially in positions that would blow up the VIP room.


    So we had to leave this ce right away.


    ¡¸U-U-U-Understood!¡¹


    ¡¸L-Let¡¯s leave this ce immediately!¡¹


    ¡¸Can we count on you to guard us!? Allen-kun!?¡¹


    As expected, of the Five Wealthy Merchants.


    They immediately understood what I was about to say.


    Even when they were panicking in an unfamiliar battlefield, they were stillposed enough to think.


    ¡¸Yes, of course. Please follow me!¡¹


    Then, I took the Five Wealthy Merchants and moved quickly to escape from the building.


    We exited the high-risk VIP room and ran down the stairs.


    When we safely reached down to the sixth floor ¨C the figure of Ria, who was lying unconsciously on her back, entered my sight.


    ¡¸Ri-Ria!?¡¹


    I ran up to her in a hurry and put my hand on her chest.


    (¡­Thank god)


    Her heart was beating strongly.


    Apparently she just seems to have lost consciousness.


    And the next thing that entered my vision,


    ¡¸Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style Secret Technique ¨C Mirrored Sakura sh!¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaa¡­! Such child¡¯s y¡­ won¡¯t work, you know!?¡¹


    ¡¸No way¡­ Kyaa!?¡¹


    It was the figure of Rose, who avoided all the certain kill blows, and was hit by a strong front kick.


    ¡¸Ro-Rose!?¡¹


    Blown back, she banged the back of her head against the concrete of the building and fell on the floor.


    She doesn¡¯t even twitch now and seem to have lost consciousnesspletely.


    (Ria, Rose¡­)


    There¡¯s no way the two of them would lose from frontal attacks.


    There must be something else.


    Something that could catch these two off guard¡­


    ¡¸Fuu¡­¡¹


    I calmed my head and heart which boiled in anger, with a deep breath.


    After a short pause, I looked around the surroundings calmly ¨C I saw the private soldiers holding their swords with trembling hands.


    ¡¸Excuse me¡­ I¡¯ll take over from here. You all lead the Five Wealthy Merchants out of the building.¡¹


    ¡¸Are you sure about this!?¡¹


    ¡¸Understood¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸We¡¯ll leave it to you¡­!¡¹


    At the same time as I nodded, the private soldiers took along the Five Wealthy Merchants and started running.


    The swordsman in front of me didn¡¯t even try to obstruct ¨C he just intently stared at me.


    ¡¸¡­I¡¯m quite surprised. That you¡¯ll just let them escape.¡¹


    ¡¸Aha! That¡¯s because you are much more important to me than a boring order¡­!¡¹


    He wasn¡¯t joking or anything, it seemed he was really only interested in¡ºMe¡».


    ¡¸¡­Just who the hell are you?¡¹


    I can¡¯t see his face from here because he was wearing a ck hood.


    ¡¸Nn©`¡­ You¡¯re so terrible for forgetting about me¡­ Even though I¡¯m thinking about Allen, day after day after day after day after day¡­ you know?¡¹he said,ughing cheerfully with his arms wide open.


    ¡¸Why don¡¯t you take off the hood already? I don¡¯t have time for this.¡¹


    It was likely that explosives were still nted in this building.


    I don¡¯t want to stay in such a dangerous ce for too long.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t rush¡­ We were finally reunited after all, you know? Oh right, will you remember if I said this¡­ Dropout Swordsman-sama?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­!?¡¹


    Dropout Swordsman.


    The only person who called me in that manner, in middle-school ¨C the guy at Gran Swordsmanship Academy.


    (Speaking of a guy who has a strong obsession with me at the Gran Swordsmanship School¡­)


    There is only one guy whoes to mind.


    ¡¸Are you¡­ Dodriel!?¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaa! Correct, correct, super correct¡­?! Nice to meet you, Alleeeen?¡¹1 Dodriel said, and took off the ck hood.


    Blue hair that was severely damaged, tied behind a well-featured face.


    And above all ¨C there was arge sword scar running across his well-featured face.


    Maybe it¡¯s the one he got from the duel with me.


    ¡¸Dodriel-Barton¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Aha¡­ You finally remembered me, Alleeen-Rodoreeee!¡¹

 Chapter 23.2 - Magic Swordsman and Black Organization [6] – part 2

    Magic Swordsman and ck Organization [6] ¨C part 2


    Dodriel called out my name in an eerily which sent shivers down my spine


    ¡¸¡­Why didn¡¯t you erase the scar?¡¹


    I pointed to the painful to look at sword scar left on his face and asked.


    The medicine in this country is very well developed.


    That kind of wound should¡¯ve been able to be treated in just a few hours. It¡¯s also cheap.


    ¡¸How stupid, no way I can erase it¡­ Because this is the proof of love between you and I !¡¹


    Dodriel said, and slowly stroked the scar in a loving manner.


    ¡¸After that, you see¡­ I, the genius swordsman, didn¡¯t know how I lost to Allen, the dropout swordsman, or what was wrong ¨C no matter how much I thought about it¡­ I felt so mortified and agonized and cried every day¡­¡¹


    While shooting nces at me, he continued his story.


    ¡¸I chose this ugly face to remember this suffering ¨C a grudge against you.¡¡Every morning, every time I looked at this face in the mirror, my hatred for you burned! With that hatred as my fuel, I made an¡ºeffort¡»for the first time in my life! I swung my sword every day from morning till night! Everything was ¨C to kill you!¡¹


    Dodriel shook his shoulders as though surrendering into madness ¨C but the very next moment, he had a refreshing smile.


    ¡¸But you see¡­ As I spent my days ruled over by such grudge and hatred for you, I suddenly realized. Allen ¨C you actually, really loved me.¡¹


    I don¡¯t understand a thing¡­ What the hell is this guy saying?


    ¡¸In those days, I was in love with you, too¡­ No, I wonder if I should say that the hidden thoughts that I¡¯ve been hiding all that time have emerged? Every day, I think of you, I dream of you, and my passion for you and my love for you! ¨C I fell in love with you while I was living like that every day.¡¹


    This guy had gone mad.


    Everything he¡¯s saying was incoherent.


    He waspletely broken.


    ¡¸It doesn¡¯t seem like we can have a decent discussion.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha! That¡¯s right! It¡¯s impossible to be calm! Passionate! Let¡¯s talk passionately!¡¹


    Dodriel turned his sword towards me.


    In response, I immediately assumed Seigan no Kamae.


    Then when we faced each other ¨C I finally recognised it.


    ¡¸That sword¡­ is a soul dress?¡¹


    From his sword, I felt a creepy¡ºsomething¡».


    Although it appeared to be a in sword which is sold everywhere, there was¡ºsomething¡»that felt different.


    ¡¸Ahaa! You saw through it! Even though my soul dress is so in. As expected, you know eeeverything about me¡­¡¹


    Dodriel wore an ecstatic expression, and hugged himself with both hands.


    I ignored his entricities.


    (To think he acquired soul dress in such a short period of time¡­)


    He¡¯s creepy, but¡­ as expected, Dodriel was a genius.


    (I can¡¯t guess what kind of power his soul dress has from its appearance.)


    If it spouted out mes like Ria¡¯s¡´Fafnir¡µ or emitted cold air like Sid-san¡¯s¡´Vanargand¡µ, then I can have a rough idea regarding its ability.


    Dodriel¡¯s sword has nothing noticeable in the de or hilt.


    It really was a in sword that was sold everywhere.


    (In such a case, I should move around so that he can¡¯t attack me¡­!)


    For the time being, don¡¯t let him attack.


    Ideally, before he activates his ability ¨C before he goes all out, I should defeat him


    Even if it was not so, it would be good to make him use the ability of his soul dress ¡ºfor defense¡».


    It was absolutely necessary to avoid the unknown ability from being used¡ºfor offense¡».


    The reason was that my reaction will be dyed by one breath no matter what, and it could lead to a fatal gap.


    ¡¸Here Ie¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaa¡­e, Allen! Because I¡¯m not going anywhere¡­!¡¹he said, opening his arms wide, despite being in the middle of battle.


    There was no stance or anything ¨C his whole body was full of openings.


    (Carelessness and self-pride, nothing has changed¡­ It¡¯s one of the few weaknesses of being a genius swordsman¡­)


    Then I closed the distance between us,


    ¡¸Eighth Sword ¨C Yatagarasu!¡¹


    Eight sharp shes were unleashed at the same time.


    Both hands, both legs, neck, head, torso, chest ¨C the man who was the target of those eight shes, did not make any slight movement.


    There was just a crazy smile on his face.


    (¡­Did he give up?)


    Such a foolish thought disappeared in an instant.


    All eight of the shes that I unleashed ¨C went through Dodriel¡¯s body.


    ¡¸Wha!?¡¹


    ¡¸Ahahahaa! How mysterious!¡¹


    As I was astonished by the current exchange, he took a big step towards me.


    And then,


    ¡¸Rain Style ¨C Summer Rain!¡¹


    A sharp thrust of murderous intent was delivered over and over again.


    ¡¸Guh!?¡¹


    I somehow managed to avoid the vital points and distanced myself from him.


    (He got my right shoulder and left nk¡­!)


    But fortunately, the wound is not so deep.


    Dull pain limited actions, but there was no problem with continuing the battle.


    (Damn¡­. his swordsmanship is so much sharper than before¡­)


    Dodriel has not only mastered soul dress.


    He had also sharpened his swordsmanship.


    ¡¸Noo, Alleeen? You don¡¯t have to run away so much¡­¡¹he chuckled, and shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡¸Just what did you do?¡¹


    My Yatagarasu definitely hit Dodriel¡¯s body.


    But somehow, all eight shes passed through his body.


    (The current phenomenon is not something that can be exined as a defensive body movement or so¡­)


    Surely he must have used his soul dress¡¯s ability.


    (Were Ria and Rose defeated by this strange power¡­?)


    And then,


    ¡¸Aha! Now then, I wonder what I did¡­!¡¹


    As he zig-zagged from side to side, he shortened the distance with me at high speed.


    Because his movement was not in a straight line, it was difficult to measure the distance.


    ¡¸Rain Style Secret Technique ¨C Passing Shower!¡¹


    It¡¯s not a series of thrusts like the one before, but a concentrated one-point sharpened thrust.


    ¡­But, not to the point of being unavoidable.


    In terms of swordsmanship skills, Rose was ahead of him.


    ¡¸¡­Too naive!¡¹


    I deflected up that thrust from the bottom right with an upward cut.


    ¡¸What!?¡¹


    And when his posture was broken ¨C I unleashed a technique that would be difficult to evade.


    ¡¸Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style Secret Technique ¨C Mirrored Sakura sh!¡¹


    Like a mirror match, four shes from left and right each ¨C eight unstoppable shes bore down on Dodriel.


    (I will see through with this¡­!)


    The mysterious ability of his soul dress!


    I opened my eyes firmly and analyzed Dodriel¡¯s every move precisely.


    At that time,


    (Eh?)


    He acted strangely.


    He moved.


    And that too was one step¡ºforward¡».


    Not avoiding or defending with the sword ¨C just one step forward.


    What that means is ¨C that move was the best action that should be prioritized over defense, over evasion.


    Immediately after that, the eight shes I unleashed passed through his body.


    ¡¸Aha, it didn¡¯t hit! How mysterious! Rain Style ¨C Intense Rain!¡¹


    Kesa-giri(Diagonal sh), Karatake-giri(Bamboo Split), Upward sh, Downward sh, Thrusts ¨C Rain-like consecutive attacks were unleashed from point-nk range. 1 2


    ¡¸Guh!?¡¹


    I somehow managed to ward it off desperately, but it was difficult to defend everything from point-nk range ¨C I suffered several wounds.


    (However¡­ I¡¯ve unraveled the mystery)


    What Dodriel had moved to just now was ¨C my¡ºshadow¡».


    He jumped into my shadow without hesitation in that situation where the shes were imminent.


    In other words, his ability is,


    ¡¸-I saw it, Dodriel. The ability of your soul dress is to hide in the shadow, isn¡¯t it?¡¹


    While stepping on the opponent¡¯s shadow, all attacks from that target have no effect.


    ¡¸Ahaha! Correct, Correct, Super correct! You¡¯re the first to see through my¡´Shadow Ruler¡µ! We canmunicate with each other without words¡­ Un, after all we are tied by the red thread of fate!¡¹


    He kept talking while grimacing happily.


    ¡¸But what can you do now that you know? It¡¯s not like you can lose your shadow in this ce, right? Alleeen?¡¹


    Dodriel then nced to the left and right.


    A lot of fluorescentmps installed on the ceiling, and the sunlight peeking through the broken windows ¨C certainly it would be difficult to erase my shadow in this ce where there are many light sources.


    ¡¸¡­It¡¯s not like I don¡¯t have other options.¡¹


    ¡¸Hee¡­ funny. Show me¡­ this so-called option¡­!¡¹


    The next moment he ran straight towards me.


    I held onto Seigan no Kamae and considered my next action.


    (I can affirm ¨C There is nothing in this world that cannot be cut.)


    If something¡ºcan¡¯t be cut¡», it¡¯s just that the swordsman¡¯s skill was not good enough.


    I, who cut that different world, know this better than anyone else.


    (Right¡­ The perception that I can¡¯t cut him is absolutely wrong.)


    Then I calmly recalled the first act.


    (My sh passed through Dodriel¡¯s body without a graze¡­ that is, the moment he stepped on my shadow, his body was in a different ce from this world- he had moved to the¡ºShadow World¡»!)


    Then¡­ the answer is simple.


    All I have to do is forcibly cut through the space there.


    Like that Prison of Time!


    ¡¸Farewell, Alleeeeen! Rain Style Secret Technique- Passing Shower!¡¹


    He stepped firmly onto my shadow and lunged at me with a concentrated one-point thrust aimed at my heart.


    I sharpened my nerves, and together with that looming thrust,


    ¡¸Fifth Sword ¨C World Judgement!¡¹


    ¡¸Ka-ha¡­!?¡¹


    I tore apart the shadow world he was hiding in.


    ¡¸Guh-ga¡­ A-Ahaa¡­ A-Amazing, as expected¡­ My, Allen¡­¡¹


    ¡­¡­As expected, the genius swordsman Dodriel.


    This guy jumped back one step at the veryst moment.


    It was probably the intuition of a swordsman.


    Thanks to that, he barely avoided fatal wounds.


    (However, he has suffered countless deep wounds.)


    Where continuing this battle would put him at a disadvantage.


    Then, the group of ck cloaks who were watching this battle from a distance,


    ¡¸The n-neer¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸Was defeated¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸Guh, R-Retreat!¡¹


    No sooner than the battle concluded, they fled.


    ¡¸A-Ahaa¡­ L-Let¡¯s meet again somewhere¡­ A-Alleeen?¡¹


    Saying that, Dodriel jumped out of the window behind him and disappeared with the group of ck cloaks.


    ¡¸Haa¡­ I got involved with a nasty guy again¡­¡¹


    Having won the battle against Dodriel, I took a deep breath and sheathed my sword into its scabbard.

 Chapter 24.1 - Magic Swordsman and Black Organization [7] – part 1

    <h4></h4>


    Chapter 24. Magic Swordsman and ck Organization [7] ¨C part 1


    I didn¡¯t stop the group of ck cloaks and Dodriel from escaping. Rather, there was no time to stop them.


    ¡¸Ria, Rose¡­! Wake up!¡¹


    I shook their shoulders strongly, but¡­ perhaps the damage was too much, as they did not react at all.


    ¡¸Damn¡­¡¹


    I had no choice but to carry the two of them on both sides and start running towards the exit at full speed.


    (Please¡­ let it just be my over-thinking¡­!)


    The group of ck cloaks pulled back easily. Too easily that it gave me an uneasy feeling.


    Their retreat was too timely¡­ and that scared me.


    The presence of a second explosion ¨C a muchrger explosion inevitably crossed my mind.


    ¡¸Uoooooooh!¡¹


    I desperately rushed down the stairs.


    Rather than rushing down ¨C it was more the momentum of falling down from jumping.


    From 6th to 5th floor.


    From 5th to 4th floor.


    From 4th to 3rd floor.


    I moved cautiously and quickly so as not to burden the two unconscious as much as possible.


    ¡¸A little bit more¡­!¡¹


    When I finally arrived on the first floor and saw the exit.


    There was a nasty sound like a pin or something had came off.


    Spine-chilling pressure froze my whole body.


    (No, way¡­!?)


    A secondter, there was an enormous explosion that was iparable in scale to the previous one.


    The center point was probably the VIP room on the seventh floor.


    And the power was far beyond my expectations. Not just to the extent of this building. It was powerful enough to blow away the whole area.


    ¡¸UOOOOOOOO!¡¹


    I ran.


    With the explosion being just a fraction of a second behind me.


    But ¨C no matter how much training I have, I¡¯m human after all.


    There is a limit to my speed, and I can¡¯t outrun an explosion.


    (Shit, I won¡¯t make it out in time¡­)


    At least as minimal resistance, I hugged the unconscious Ria and Rose tightly.


    (If I can act as a shield even a little for the both of them¡­)


    A fraction of a secondter, while bracing for the impact of the explosion,


    ¡¸Desate -¡´Withered Parasol¡µ¡¹


    The explosion that was closing in right behind me disappeared in one breath.


    ¡¸¡­Eh?¡¹


    While I was stunned,


    ¡¸If it wasn¡¯t explicitly a surprise attack, such a poor and boring explosion is no big deal.¡¹


    The woman who erased the explosionughed mysteriously.


    ¡¸Y-You are¡­¡¹


    The moment I spoke.


    ¡¸As expected of Rize-sama¡­ Aaaaaa!¡¹


    ¡¸That was well done! As expected of the lone woman of the Five Wealthy Merchants!¡¹


    ¡¸Hahaha! House Dorahain will be safe for decades toe!¡¹


    The people around me were cheering excitedly.


    (¡­House Dorahain?)


    That name is surely¡­ the same name as Ice King Academy¡¯s director, Ferris-san¡¯s House.


    When I looked closer, the facial features and the garments were simr to Ferris-san.


    Healthy, youthful and smooth skin.


    Long slit fox eyes.


    A beautiful fire-like kimono with red and white as the basis.


    Long red-and-white hair is put together on the side, and the ornate hairpin which imitated a brilliant fire stood out well.


    (Perhaps they are sisters¡­?)


    While I was thinking about that,


    ¡¸U-Uun¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­W-Where am I?¡¹


    Ria and Rose regained consciousness.


    ¡¸Ria, Rose! You finally woke up¡­!¡¹


    And when I patted my chest in relief,


    ¡¸Allen¡­? O-Oh right, that guy!?¡¹


    ¡¸Where is that swordsman!?¡¹


    They must have recalled Dodriel. The two stood up immediately and went on guard.


    ¡¸It¡¯s alright, I¡¯ve already defeated him.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I-I see. You really are strong, Allen¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­How frustrating.¡¹


    Then they quietly bite their lips. The loss to Dodriel seems to be quite unbearable.


    (What should I say at times like this¡­)


    When I was thinking about such a thing, a woman suddenly called out to me.


    ¡¸Iyaa, thank you, Allen-kun. You truly saved us.¡¹


    It was thedy of the famous noble house, House Dorahain, who erased the big explosion just a while ago, and was showered with loud cheers.


    Her northern ent was stronger than Ferris-san.


    ¡¸N-No, I¡¯m also thankful for the help. That was really wonderful¡­ To erase that powerful explosion in an instant.¡¹


    If I remember correctly, she called it¡´Withered Parasol¡µ.


    What kind of ability does that soul-dress have?


    ¡¸Ahaha. Iyaya, that was just a minor self-defense technique. You¡¯re really good at ttery, yaa¡­ Allen-kun.¡¹she said, andughed happily, hiding her mouth with her kimono sleeves.


    ¡¸Self-defense technique¡­ is it?¡¹


    The¡ºpressure¡»that I felt only for a moment was far beyond that level though¡­


    ¡¸Oops, I¡¯ve yet to introduce myself ¨C I am Rize-Dorahain. I handle therge-scale financing system of the Five Wealthy Merchants. Let¡¯s get along from now on.¡¹


    ¡¸I am Allen-Rodore. I¡¯m a student at Thousand de Academy, and now I¡¯m working as a magic swordsman for certain reasons.¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, I knew it! You¡¯re that Allen-kun!¡¹


    She pped her hands together, and nodded understandingly,


    ¡¸I¡¯ve heard a little about you from my younger sister, Ferris.¡¹


    ¡¸Is that so?¡¹


    As I expected, Ferris-san and Rize-san seem to be sisters.


    ¡¸I heard that you defeated that girl¡¯s most favourite, Sid-kun¡­¡ºAbsolutely won¡¯t forgive him!¡»or so, she cried out!¡¹


    ¡¸W-Well, what can I really say to that¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, it¡¯s just like the grumbling of a small child, don¡¯t worry about it.¡¹


    Unlike some sorry people such as Leia-sensei and Ferris-san, Rize-san was an¡ºAdult Woman¡».


    How do I say, she had something likeposure and elegance¡­ such charms was overflowing from her.


    ¡¸Uun, but now I¡¯m hugely indebted to Allen-kun¡­ What should I do?¡¹she said, tilting her head.


    ¡¸It¡¯s not really a d-debt¡­ I just did the most natural thing as a swordsman-¡¹

 Chapter 24.2 - Magic Swordsman and Black Organization [7] – part 2

    Magic Swordsman and ck Organization [7] ¨C part 2


    As I politely refused,


    ¡¸You see.¡ºAlways pay your debt¡»is my creed. Even if you¡¯re good, I¡¯m not.¡¹


    Rize-san shut my mouth with her slender index finger.


    ¡¸That¡¯s right¡­ Yeah, let¡¯s do this. If Allen is in trouble in the future, pleasee to my house. I¡¯ll help you just once at anytime.¡¹


    ¡¸At any time¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, that¡¯s right. You cane at any time.¡¹


    At any time, I can get the support of one of the Five Wealthy Merchants once.


    (I obtained an incredible right¡­)


    Five Wealthy Merchants is an authority of this country, along with the directors of Five Academy. Although it¡¯s only once, but to be able to borrow her power¡­ It¡¯s one hell of a trump card.


    Then Rize-san whispered in my ear.


    ¡¸And unlike my sister¡­ I¡¯m quite worried about you.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­! To be concerned about someone like me, how should I say¡­¡¹


    To have such an excellent soul-dress user worrying about me¡­ Honestly, I¡¯m a little happy.


    (¡­Oh yeah, I can use the right to borrow her power to help me with my training!)


    I have no intention of begging for money or expensive things with this right. I don¡¯t need that much money. I only want to live a modest life with my mother ¨C if I have the least amount of money for that, that¡¯s fine.


    There is nothing special I want either. If there was something I wanted, then it would be a new sword. So, after all ¨C isn¡¯t it best to use that right for training?


    ¡¸Aa, mou! I really can¡¯t get enough of your honest expressions¡­!¡¹she said, and licked her lips..


    And then,


    ¡¸Excuse me, you¡¯re troubling Allen¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t go closer than that¡­!¡¹


    Ria and Rose, who had been listening quietly from a while ago, suddenly jumped in front of me simultaneously.


    ¡¸Oh my, you girls have quite the stiff guard¡­¡¹Rize-sanughed, and moved back a step.


    And when the peaceful conversation ended, she narrowed her eyes and gave me a piece of advice.


    ¡¸Maa, I¡¯m not trying to intimidate you, but¡­ you guys should think about your safety a little bit from now on, alright? The ck cloaked group just now was the¡ºck Organization¡»that¡¯s been stirring up a fuss among the public.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­So, it was them.¡¹


    I thought that it¡¸might be¡¹judging from their distinctive outfit, but to think it actually was them.


    ck organization ¨C arge criminal organization that has been the talk of the country in recent years. Manufacturing of drugs, Smuggling, Human Trafficking, Assassination of Key People, and other various criminal acts. And also the organization which Dodriel is currently serving under.


    (If I could, I didn¡¯t want to get involved¡­)


    However, there¡¯s no helping for what happened at Daido Firm. Not swordsmen or anyone else ¨C rather, simple ordinary people were attacked by the mysterious group that suddenly appeared. If I made the decision not to take action at that time, I would have regretted it forever. So, this time, there really was no helping it.


    ¡¸Thank you for the advice.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, be careful. Well, I have to deal with the aftermath now, so I¡¯ll be taking my leave here. Let¡¯s meet again sometime, Allen-kun.¡¹Rize-san said, andughed gently whilst narrowing her fox eyes.


    ¡¸Yes, let¡¯s meet again sometime.¡¹


    Then we parted ways with her and for the time being we returned to the Kimono Rental Main Store. Of course, topensate for the yukata that had been torn. However, the people in the store had already heard of the incident, and said that thepensation was not necessary. On the contrary, they even said,¡¸Thank you on behalf of Drestia¡¹.


    ¡ö


    About three weeks after the turbulent Daido Commercial Festival.


    Subjugation of Giant Worm.


    Procuring 3 kilos of rare grass.


    Subjugation of Goblin Lord.


    Having achieved all of today¡¯s requests that was given by Bons-san, I reported the questpletion at the reception desk of the Magic Swordsman Association.


    ¡¸Yoshi! Allen, Ria, Rose ¨C thanks for everything up until now!¡¹


    He came all the way out of the reception and shook hands firmly with each of us.


    Yes.


    It¡¯s been exactly a month since we were suspended.


    This is the day that marked our end as magic swordsmen.


    ¡¸Thank you for everything, Bons-san.¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you very much!¡¹


    ¡¸You were very helpful. Thank you.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, that¡¯s good! Thanks to you guys, I was saved from all the umted requests!¡¹


    When we were exchanging farewells with Bons-san,


    ¡¸Uoooooo¡­ Allen¡­ It feels so lonely already¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, Ria-jou and Rose-jou¡­ Two flowers who soothed our hearts¡­ Kuuu¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Come and see us again at any time! You will be free after sses, right?¡¹


    All of the magic swordsmen, including Dread-san, were saddened by our departure.


    There are ces where they are a little rough in their actions and behaviors, but¡­


    When you hangout with them, you¡¯ll understand that they are all kind, good-natured people.


    ¡¸It was only a month, but thank you for everything¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸We are also grateful to you! If you are ever in town again, please call us!¡¹


    ¡¸Till we meet again.¡¹


    After saying our goodbyes to everyone, we left the Magic Swordsman Association.


    The sky had already darkened, and a slightly cool breeze calmed my body and mind.


    ¡¸Haa¡­ A lot of things happened, but being a magic swordsman was fun.¡¹


    ¡¸Un, at first I was surprised, but¡­ When it was over, it all turned out to be really fun.¡¹


    ¡¸Being a Magic Swordsman is fun.¡¹


    Until now, I¡¯ve had a big idea of bing a Holy Knight, working for the people, and getting a stable sry. But this month¡¯s experience broadened my horizons a little. Bing a magic swordsman, listening to the wishes of people, a lifestyle that helps everyone¡­ it wasn¡¯t too bad.


    ¡¸Well then, it¡¯ste already, so let¡¯s depart.¡¹


    ¡¸Un, we¡¯re finally returning to Thousand de Academy tomorrow!¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m looking forward to the soul-dress sses.¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, that¡¯s right.¡¹


    Thus, after a month of sessful training as a magic swordsman, we decided to return to Thousand de Academy.

 Chapter 25.1 - Return to Academy and Civil War [1] – part 1

    Return to Academy and Civil War [1] ¨C part 1


    After a month of training as magic swordsman, the three of us, who have served the suspension period, gathered in front of the director¡¯s office.


    As usual, I knocked, got permission to enter, and slowly opened the ck door.


    ¡¸Excuse me.¡¹


    There was the sight of Leia-sensei who seemed to be lively as usual, and No.18-san who seemed to be more tired than usual for some reason.


    ¡­¡­He seemed to have been used by sensei very much for the past month.


    ¡¸Oh, you¡¯re back! Hou, you three have some strong-willed look on your faces now!¡¹sensei expressed her impression, observing the three of us.


    ¡¸A-Ahaha¡­ yeah, a lot of things happened¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah¡­ There was a lot of events¡­¡¹


    ¡¸It was tense too¡­¡¹


    Calming down and looking back on it, the past month has been quite tense¡­ Perhaps it¡¯s more urate to say¡ºaged¡»rather than¡ºstrong-willed¡» face.


    ¡¸Fufuu, let¡¯s hear about it then.¡¹Leia-sensei said,ughing happily.¡¸Yoshi, then I¡¯ll dissolve the suspension of you three ¨C and permit you to return to Year 1 ss A!¡¹


    She stamped the director¡¯s seal on three pieces of documents that she had at hand.


    ¡¸Thank you very much.¡¹


    ¡¸Hooray!¡¹


    ¡¸We finally returned.¡¹


    Now we can finally take part in the sses.


    (Soul Dress ss, huh¡­ I¡¯m really looking forward to it!)


    Although the one month dy is worrying, the expectation and joy that came together with it cancelled out the worry. I¡¯ve encountered a number of soul dress in this short period of time.


    Ria¡¯s¡´Fafnir¡µ.


    Cain-san¡¯s¡´Hell Hundred¡µ.


    Sid-san¡¯s¡´Vanargand¡µ.


    Dodriel¡¯s¡´Shadow Ruler¡µ.


    Rize-san¡¯s¡´Withered Parasol¡µ.


    All of them have tremendously powerful abilities.


    (What kind of ability will my soul dress have¡­?)


    To tell the truth, I was thinking a lot about thatst night, so much so that I couldn¡¯t sleep.


    ¡¸Now, it¡¯s time for the first period¡­ Fumu, it¡¯s going to start in 10 minutes, so I guess I¡¯ll go with you three.¡¹


    So we went to Year 1 ss A together with sensei. The corridor that I¡¯m walking through for the first time in a month felt a little nostalgic.


    ¡¸There, we¡¯ve reached.¡¹


    Sensei shifted one step sideways without opening the door of the ssroom. Apparently, I have to be the one to open the door.


    ¡¸Fuu¡­¡¹


    ¡¸F-For some reason¡­ I¡¯m nervous¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s been a month after all¡­¡¹


    Of course, it was the first time in a month¡­ but more than that, it felt kind of difficult to face everyone.


    (I¡¯ve caused a lot of trouble for everyone¡­)


    The match with Sid-san at the Big Five Holy Festival.


    (If only I was not controlled by the spirit core, and had controlled that power properly¡­)


    Perhaps, Thousand de Academy would¡¯ve won against it¡¯s fated opponent, Ice King Academy.


    I inadvertently think about that imusible¡ºif¡»scenario¡­


    ¡¸Fuu¡­ I¡¯m opening it.¡¹


    The two nodded silently. I was prepared for cold looks and abuse from my ssmates, and the moment I opened the door.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸Allen, Ria, Rose! Congrattions on returning to academy!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    Several crackers crackled, and simultaneously congrattions were sent our way.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡­Eh?¡¹¡¹¡¹


    The three of us gaped at the unexpected situation.


    ¡¸Ahahaha! Oi Oi, what¡¯s with that face!¡¹


    ¡¸Great job!¡¹


    ¡¸Allen, Ria and Rose, thank you very much for your work! It must have been hard.¡¹


    Everyone in ss A ran up to us.


    ¡¸N-No, umm¡­ everyone, are you not angry¡­?¡¹


    I voiced out what I was constantly worried about.


    ¡¸No, No! The other party went overboard first! Besides, he was a spoiled bastard!¡¹


    ¡¸Aa! Rather, it was refreshing to see him get beaten up!¡¹


    ¡¸Well, in the end, you did go slightly overboard!¡¹


    That said, everyone weed us warmly.


    (¡­¡­)


    My eyes have gotten teary¡­slightly.


    However, it was shameful to cry in front of such arge number of people, so I pinched my thighs and forcefully held back my tears. While doing so, questions flew at me rapidly.


    ¡¸Hey, you were a magic swordsman while suspended, right? Tell us that story!¡¹


    ¡¸You registered with the Orest branch of the Magic Swordsman Association, didn¡¯t you? There¡¯s a rumor that there¡¯s a super scary¡ºbaldy¡»over there¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Which reminds me. I want to ask about that! The incident during Daido Commercial Festival! In Rize-Dorahain¡¯s interview, Allen¡¯s name came up!¡¹


    ¡¸E-Err¡­¡¹


    While I was puzzled by the rain-like questions,


    ¡¸Ahem, hold your horses. Save your stories for during break period. The first period has already started after all.¡¹Leia-sensei said, pointing at the wall clock above the ckboard.


    Looking at it, three minutes had already passed from the start time of the first period.


    ¡¸Damnnnn, can¡¯t be helped I guess.¡¹


    ¡¸Allen, Ria, Rose! Please tell us the storyter!¡¹


    Then, everyone took their seats albeitining. The three of us also went to our seats ¨C three empty seats by the window.


    Standing on the podium, sensei said something strange.


    ¡¸Now then, starting today ¨C we willmence the soul dress ss!¡¹


    ¡¸Hooray! I¡¯ve been waiting for this!¡¹


    ¡¸This past month has been tough¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Fuu, my spirit core is roaring!¡¹


    At the same time, my ssmates cheered,¡¸I was waiting!¡¹.


    I, Ria and Rose looked at each other dumbfounded.


    ¡¸Se-Sensei¡­? What do you mean by¡ºstarting today¡»?¡¹


    ¡¸Nn? ¡­Oh, haven¡¯t I told you yet? It¡¯s been a month since your suspension to your return to the academy. All the students in ss A have been doing only strength training of their own volition. They wanted to undergo the soul dress ss at the same time as the three of you no matter what.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s just¡­!?¡¹


    When I turned my eyes towards everyone, they smiled and nodded.


    (Certainly, I¡¯m very happy to learn soul dress with everyone¡­)


    It would¡¯ve been okay to learn with just Ria and Rose, but it¡¯s probably more fun to learn soul dress together with the entire ss.


    (But, to waste a month of everyone¡¯s precious time¡­ is not right.)


    I¡¯m far sorry than I am happy.


    Then, as though having read my mind, senseiughed boldly.


    ¡¸Oh, don¡¯t misunderstand, okay? They did not waste a minute or a second, okay?¡¹


    ¡¸What does that mean?¡¹


    ¡¸Fuu, I trained them personally! I closely supervised them and worked really hard! Look properly. You can understand that everybody has leveled up quite a bit, right?¡¹


    ¡­¡­Certainly.


    As I looked closely, everyone¡¯s body was at a level which can¡¯t bepared to how it was a month ago.


    (They didn¡¯t be like Pa-san or Bons-san, but¡­)


    The boys¡¯ bodies have swelled up a bit. As far as I can see for the girls, the fat around the legs transformed into fine muscles.


    Strength is the basis of all swordsmanship.


    In an extreme example, if a five-year-old genius swordsman child and a muscr amateur, had a serious match with the sword ¨C no doubt, the amateur will win.


    The foundation of¡ºmuscle strength¡»is that important.


    ¡¸Hehe, Allen? Right now, I can keep up with your movements!¡¹


    ¡¸After oveing a month of hell, the Iron Cutting Style has developed further ¨C it is now different than how it used to be¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Let¡¯s have a mock battle this time.¡¹


    The trio, who fought with me before,ughed confidently.


    ¡¸¡­! Aa, of course! Let¡¯s have a mock battle!¡¹


    Apparently, I waspletely overthinking it.


    All here are much more talented swordsman than me. They didn¡¯t waste a month of time.


    ¡¸Yoshi, let¡¯s start the ss right away! First, we¡¯re changing ssroom ¨C follow me!¡¹


    Then we followed after Leia-sensei to a basement called¡ºSoul Dress Area¡».

 Chapter 25.2 - Return to Academy and Civil War [1] – part 2

    25. Return to Academy and Civil War [1] ¨C part 2


    ¡¸Yoshi, everyone go pick a spirit sword each from the preparation room!¡¹Leia-sensei said, and suddenly blew the whistle hanging around her neck.


    Felt like deja vu.


    ¡¸Allen, let¡¯s go!¡¹


    ¡¸This way.¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, yeap.¡¹


    Ria and Rose pulled me by both hands towards the preparation room.


    Spirit sword ¨C A sword made out of rare material called spirit ore.


    I¡¯ve heard that this is mainly used in soul-dress sses.


    It is said that the wielder¡¯s¡ºsoul¡»which lies dormant in the deepest part of their hearts is brought up to the surface, or so.


    ¡¸This is a¡­ spirit sword!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Beautiful.¡¹


    Both of them quickly pulled out one each from arge number of lined up spirit swords. I also followed their lead and picked up one.


    (Oh¡­ it¡¯s unexpectedly heavy)


    It looked like a transparent blue ss, but¡­ it was much heavier than an ordinary sword because it was made out of mineral.


    As many ssmates were still waiting for their turn, we got out of the preparation room, holding a spirit sword each.


    At that time, a good idea came to mind.


    (¡­I got it! If I swing this, it will be good training!)


    If I swing with this weight, the effect will surely be doubled or tripled. The effects will be incredible on ¨C the trunk and shoulder, the abdominal muscles and dorsal muscles.


    And as I swing it a couple times as warm up,


    ¡¸Just to let you know, spirit swords are stupid expensive. Each is around 1million gold, so treat it as carefully as possible.¡¹sensei said in a loud voice so that all the students could hear.


    ¡¸O-One million gold¡­!?¡¹


    The amount almost made my eyeballs pop out ¨C and I immediately stopped swinging.


    (A single sword is a million gold¡­!?)


    I held the spirit sword with both hands firmly and looked around.


    Just from counting at a nce¡­ there were more than thirty swords. In other words, all in all, there were at least 30million gold here. With that amount, you could spend 10 years of your life just ying around without working.


    (As expected of one of the Five Academy, Thousand de Academy¡­)


    The quality of the equipment here was jaw-dropping.


    While my face was turning pale, everyone around me was handling the spirit sword without any concern¡­ maybe everyone was quite rich.


    Well, it¡¯s only natural I suppose. Everyone here is a super elite who has graduated from a famous academy of swordsmanship, and no one was from the countryside like me.


    And then,


    ¡¸Nn¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Ah¡­¡¹


    Ria and Rose, who held the spirit sword, let out strange fidgety voices from just now.


    ¡¸Fuu, are you both alright¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸S-Sorry, Allen! For making strange noises¡­¡¹


    ¡¸F-For some reason, my body is feeling strange¡­¡¹


    Saying that, they dropped their gaze on the spirit sword a little shakily.


    (¡­¡ºStrange feeling¡»?)


    I have no idea what kind of strange feeling it is, but¡­ Looking at them closely, both their cheeks were bright red. Perhaps they have a fever.


    (Wouldn¡¯t it be better to go to the infirmary¡­?)


    When I was thinking that, ¡ºFWEEET!¡»the whistle sounded once again.


    ¡¸Now then, does everyone have a spirit sword?¡¹sensei asked, looking around at everyone.


    In response, we nodded.


    ¡¸As you may already know, the spirit sword is a special sword that is used only to learn soul dress. Just by holding it, you feel something strange, right?¡¹


    The students around me nodded all at once towards sensei¡¯s question.


    (A strange feeling huh¡­ yeah¡­ I don¡¯t feel anything.)


    It seems that I¡¯m the only one here who doesn¡¯t feel a thing.


    ¡¸Talented students like you ¨C swordsman who have a high degree of spiritual response, should feel throbbing in the inner part of your body. This is the proof that the¡ºSpirit Core¡»lying dormant within you is being stimted. There is a great individual difference in how much throbbing you feel¡­ Well, it is generally said that women are more sensitive than men.¡¹


    Apparently, the throbbing depended on talent.


    (Talent, huh¡­)


    There¡¯s no other convincing exnation¡­


    ¡¸From now on, I¡¯m going to have you all talk with the¡ºSpirit Core¡»that resides within your soul. After that, you might have to discuss, or fight, or negotiate ¨C whichever it might be, find a way to share its power. The power you get from the spirit core ¨C a part of the spirit core that is made into a concrete form ¨C that is¡ºSoul Dress¡»!¡¹


    ¡­I see.


    This sensation of finally having all my previous knowledge of soul dress systemized and organized. I felt like the dots were finally connected, and it felt very good.


    ¡¸Well, let me give you one piece of advice ¨C don¡¯t get swallowed up, ok?¡¹sensei lowered her voice and warned clearly.


    ¡¸The spirit core is fundamentally something which protects you. You can almost think of it as your ally. But in very rare cases, it tries to take over your body ¨C those which have strong egos. As you all know, Allen¡¯s spirit core is one such example.¡¹


    Everyone¡¯s gaze focused on me.


    ¡¸That said, Allen¡¯s is special, and it¡¯s an anomaly ¨C a rare case even among rare cases. Normally, this rarely happens, so you don¡¯t have to worry too much about it.¡¹


    ¡­In other words, there is a lot to worry about me taking this ss.


    Somehow, I got really nervous¡­


    ¡¸And in the unlikely event that you guys get swallowed up by your spirit core, you don¡¯t have to worry at all. I¡¯ll suppress you with force.¡¹sensei said, cracking her fingers.


    (¡­How reassuring)


    She was unreliable when it came to normal work and duties, but the one thing that we can safely count on was her strength.


    ¡¸Well, then I¡¯ll get into the exnation right away. How to use the spirit sword is simple and clear! First, close your eyes and focus your mind. Then, slowly, go deeper and deeper into your own consciousness ¨C sink into your soul. And by the time you realise, your spirit core would be in front of you.¡¹


    Deeper and deeper¡­ huh.


    It was a very abstract and sensuous exnation.


    ¡¸Well, seeing is believing. For now, just give it a try.¡¹


    Sensei then pped her hands together and dered¡¸start¡¹.


    After that, everyone quietly closed their eyes and began to focus their minds.


    (I¡¯ll¡­ give it a try too.)


    Honestly, it was a little scary.


    Moreover, I felt anxious at the thought of my body being taken over by that guy and going on a rampage again.


    (But this time, Leia-sensei said¡ºI will suppress you with force¡»)


    If it¡¯s her, she can surely subdue me somehow even if I went on a rampage.


    ¡¸Fuu¡­¡¹


    I exhaled a deep breath and went deeper and deeper into my consciousness ¨C I sank towards my soul.


    One minute¡­ two minute¡­ three minute¡­ time slowly passed.


    And when I came to realise¡­ there he was.


    ¡¸Yo-yo¡­ it¡¯s been a while, hasn¡¯t it?¡¹


    Long white hair that emerged lightly.


    A ck pattern that emerged on the face


    A ferocious look that could kill.


    And above all ¨C his face was the spitting image of my own.

 Chapter 26.1 - Return to Academy and Civil War [2] – part 1

    6. Return to Academy and Civil War [2] ¨C part 1


    I stood in the middle of a withered wilderness.


    Withered tree.


    Withered soil.


    Withered air.


    That guy was the only one in this deste world.


    ¡¸¡­So, you were my spirit core after all.¡¹


    ¡¸A¡±a? Aa©`¡­ I see. Well, for now, we can stick to that perception.¡¹ that guy sat on a huge rock with a cracked surface, and muttered something under his breath.


    ¡¸So then, why did youe here, Allen? Did you finally decide to hand over your body to me, E¡±e?¡¹


    ¡¸Obviously not. If I hand it over to you, you¡¯d simply go on a rampage again.¡¹


    ¡¸Gyahahahaha! Well that¡¯s¡­ because it¡¯s funny that you wouldn¡¯t use the power you have, right? Going on a rampage, and destroying, and having fun¡­ you should live in the moment¡­ nA¡±a?¡¹


    I don¡¯t like that way of life ¨C living only for the moment.


    ¡¸I don¡¯t agree with you. I want to live a modest and long life.¡¹


    ¡¸Long, huh¡­ What a boring way to live¡­¡¹he grumbled, while shrugging his shoulders.


    ¡¸Anyway ¨C Never in this lifetime am I going to hand over my body to you. It¡¯s only obvious, looking back on what you did thest time.¡¹


    He drove Sid-san to a half-dead state.


    No, not just that. If Ria hadn¡¯t stopped me then, I¡¯m sure I would¡¯ve killed him without any hesitation.


    ¡¸Last time¡­? A¡±a, didn¡¯t I save your life both times?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡ºBoth times¡»? You speak as though there were two instances.¡¹


    Certainly, during the fight with Sid-san¡­ this guy saved my life.


    At that time ¨C I honestly didn¡¯t have the power to avoid the¡´Vanal Thrust¡µthat threaten to pierce my throat.


    If he hadn¡¯te out, I definitely would have died.


    But that was the only time I was saved by him.


    ¡¸Oo, that time when you were ying with that shitty ice brat¡­ and that other time. When you pushed that shitty geezer¡¯s button. If I remember correctly¡­ Was it around the five thousand years mark on the first loop? Allen¡­ You tried to die once, didn¡¯t you?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­!?¡¹


    I remembered something¡­ very disgusting.


    (That¡¯s right, this guy is my spirit core¡­ That means he has the memories of that billion years¡­)


    ¡­¡­I was going really crazy at that time.


    For 5,000 years, I didn¡¯t meet or talk to anyone ¨C I went insane because I had to live the same life day after day after day.


    That was when I had the urge to die.


    ¡¸Oh, you remember now, don¡¯t you? I¡¯m the one who stopped that stupid act, you know? It was really hard¡­ The¡ºpath¡»hadn¡¯t opened and yet, I had to forcibly control your body. Because of that enormous use of power, I had to sleep for the next several hundred million years¡­. Well, anyway ¨C be grateful. There is no reason for you to resent me¡­ right?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Were you really the one who stopped me?¡¹


    I thought that the fear of death had exceeded the pain of that time.


    ¡¸Huh, who else is there besides me? First of all, human beings are not that strong. A guy who is determined to¡ºdie¡»will die more easily than he thinks.¡¹


    ¡¸I see, understood¡­ Thank you.¡¹


    I can¡¯t help but thank him in this matter.


    ¡¸A¡±aah? I don¡¯t want your¡ºfeelings¡». Show your gratitude with actions¡­¡­ Hand over your body.¡¹ he asked for my body again.


    I felt a little ufortable with this repeated dialogue.


    ¡¸¡­You sure are asking for my consent a lot¡­ If I was as strong as you were, l would¡¯ve taken it by force.¡¹


    ¡¸Are you some kind of stupid? With your consent ¨C that is, borrowing your body with you in a zero resistance state, and snatching it away by forcibly twisting your mind ¨C the degree of wear and tear is remarkably different between those two! In the end ¨C I am a spirit body after all¡­¡¹


    He looked at his right hand as though yearning for something.


    ¡¸Hee, so that¡¯s how it is¡­¡¹


    That¡¯s very good information.


    As Leia-sensei said previously, when he takes over my body, he seems to be tremendously draining¡ºsomething¡».


    (In other words, it¡¯s not so easy to take my body over and over again¡­¡­!)


    When I was thinking about that,


    ¡¸Tch¡­¡­ Oi, if you have no intention to hand over your body, get lost already¡­ you¡¯re an eyesore.¡¹


    He shook his hand as though driving away a fly.


    He¡¯s a very self-centered guy.


    ¡¸I can¡¯t do that. I came here today, to borrow your power. -You understand, right? I want to acquire soul dress.¡¹


    First, I decided to dialogue with him.


    He¡¯s a crazy guy, but he¡¯s not stupid.


    He canmunicate with words properly, and above all, he has a rational ability to think.


    Dialogue¡­¡­ Or, if I negotiate, I might be able to borrow a part of his power.


    And then,


    ¡¸A¡±A? A greenhorn like you¡­ wants my power? ¡­Puuh, Gyahahahahahahahahaah! Hi-Hi-Hiii! How funny¡­!¡¹


    Just what was so funny, I don¡¯t know¡­ but he struck his knees again and again and keptughed.


    ¡¸O-Oi! This is not a joke-¡¹


    ¡¸Even if it¡¯s a joke, it ain¡¯t funny!¡¹


    And the next second, he was already standing right before my nose tip.


    His right arm had already swung back, and the impact in the next fraction of a second was inevitable.


    ¡¸Oraa¡­!¡¹


    It wasn¡¯t a faint or anything of the kind ¨C it was a direct straight right.


    ¡¸??!?¡¹


    At a moment¡¯s judgement, I slid my sword between my face and his arm.


    It was a perfect defense.


    I dropped my center of gravity firmly in preparation for the impact.


    But still ¨C my body was blown away horizontally like a ball.


    (What is this¡­ ridiculous strength¡­?!)


    Defense did not function as a defense¡­


    I spun in mid-air to reduce the impact, and somehow performed ukemi. 1


    At the same time, I ced my sword in front of my navel, and assumed Seigan no Kamae.


    ¡¸Oi Oi¡­ you¡¯re too light, you know!? Are you eating properly¡­ A¡±a!?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I am eating properly.¡¹


    Defense is useless against this guy.


    If so ¨C attack attack attack!


    I must not give him the chance to attack¡­!


    I closed the long distance between us in three steps, and unleashed my specialty, eight sh attack.


    ¡¸Eighth Sword ¨C Yatagarasu!¡¹


    In the face of the eight shes that had be much sharper and more powerful after the fight with Sid-san ¨C that guy yawned.


    Immediately after that, both hands, both legs, neck, head, torso, and chest ¨C the eight shes struck his whole body thoroughly.


    Unlike during the fight with Dodriel, every sh was a direct hit.


    There was a solid response.


    However, none of them dealt any damage.


    Far from ripping through the skin, there was not even a scratch.


    Rather¡­ my sword was the one which seemed to break.


    (No, way¡­!?)


    As I was stunned and staring at my sword,


    ¡¸Oi Oi, how do you n to cut my body¡­ with such childish sh? A¡±a?¡¹


    He shook his head wide from side to side as if to provoke me.


    (As expected, we are realms apart¡­)


    Arm strength, Leg strength, Stamina ¨C Everything was on a whole different level.


    After that, I tried to cut him over and over again¡­


    He massaged his right arm, without a care in the world.


    (It¡¯s futile¡­ Face, Neck, Sr Plexus ¨C Even when it hits vital spots, normal shes doesn¡¯t cut through¡­)


    But, it¡¯s not like I have lost all options,


    I have a non-normal sh ¨C a special sh.


    (If it¡¯s that sh that cuts through the space, the world¡­ even this guy wouldn¡¯t escape unscathed¡­)


    I aimed at the moment when that guyzily stretched his body ¨C and unleashed.


    ¡¸Fifth Sword ¨C World Judgement!¡¹


    However,


    ¡¸Oi Oi Oi¡­ If you swing it so slowly¡­ I¡¯m gonna fall asleep.¡¹


    Before I realised it, he was already pinching the sword which I had raised overhead.


    ¡¸¡­¡­!?¡¹


    Monster.


    That single word shed through my mind.

 Chapter 26.2 - Return to Academy and Civil War [2] – part 2

    Chapter 26. Return to Academy and Civil War [2] ¨C part 2


    ¡¸The only strength that matters here is the ¡ºstrength of the mind¡»! You amateur greenhorn¡­ You¡¯re don¡¯t have enough resolve topete with me! A¡±a!¡¹


    Without any way of defending myself as he was still pinching the sword, the powerful front kick pierced my abdomen.


    ¡¸Ga-haa¡­!?¡¹


    Air was knocked out of my lungs, and blood in my body jumped about. My vision flickered, and my sense of bnce was all but lost.


    That guyughed happily, watching me writhing on the ground.


    ¡¸HaHaa¡­! I guess I¡¯ll take over your body when your consciousness weakens!¡¹


    ¡¸Sto¡­p¡¹


    Immediately after, my consciousness was swallowed into the darkness.


    ¡ö


    The moment Allen was defeated by the spirit core.


    An unusual phenomenon urred to his body.


    The ck hair changed into long grey hair, a ck pattern emerged under his left eye. And above all else, the air he emitted changed. A 180 turn around from kind and gentle to something like a ¨C bare sword.


    ¡¸Gyahahahaha! Easy, too easy, Allen¡­!¡¹


    As he wasughing after hijacking Allen¡¯s body ¨C the figure of Leia with a ck fist appeared before him.


    ¡¸No Sword Style ¨C Sever!¡¹


    A powerful Seiken-Zuki, which broke the sound barrier and far surpassed the speed of sound, hollowed Allen¡¯s abdomen. 1


    ¡¸Ga-ha¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸You ¨C No, the Spirit Core¡ºcan¡¯t move freely until it takesplete control¡»right?¡¹


    Hatred swelled in his eyes, as he staggered three steps back.


    ¡¸B-ck Fist¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸That much stamina in this body, huh¡­ You really are a monster.¡¹


    ¡¸Shit¡­!¡¹


    And as soon as Allen lost consciousness, all the changes that had happened to his body disappeared.


    ¡¸I don¡¯t like using such underhanded methods¡­ Well, think of it as a handicap. If you werepletely released, even I would have a hard time¡­¡¹


    The Soul Dress Area fell silent.


    Then, Ria spoke on behalf of all the students.


    ¡¸Se-Sensei¡­ Was that¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, Allen¡¯s spirit core. I¡¯m sure you understood with a single nce, it was a genuine monster¡­ Such frightening talent. Although it is frightening¡­ as a teacher, I am looking forward to his future growth.¡¹Leia said, and showed her right hand wet with blood.


    ¡¸T-That blood is¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Nn? Aa¡­ it¡¯s my blood of course. Although, this didn¡¯t happen even when I leveled three mountains¡­ This mess is from punching the abdomen which is a weak point. It was absurdly hard.¡¹she eximed, shaking her head whilstughing lightly.


    Ria, who judged that the wound on Leia¡¯s right hand was shallow from her tone, finally asked what she was most concerned about.


    ¡¸Is A-Allen safe!?¡¹


    ¡¸Of course. He should wake up soon, so no need to worry. -Hey, more importantly! You guys concentrate on attaining your soul dress!¡¹


    ¡ºFWEEEET!¡»she blew her favourite whistle.


    ¡ö


    After losing the match against that guy¡­ when I came to realise, I was on my back, facing up.


    ¡¸¡­Uh. W-Where am I¡­?¡¹


    As I slowly sat upright,


    ¡¸Oh, You woke up, Allen.¡¹


    Leia-sensei was standing beside me.


    ¡¸Se-Sensei¡­!? Oh, yeah¡­! That guy ¨C what happened to that monster!?¡¹


    While my consciousness was fading, I certainly heard his voice saying¡ºI¡¯ll take it¡».


    I hurriedly looked around, but I couldn¡¯t find anything being in ruins.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t worry. I properly subdued him ¡­Though I did use an unfair method.¡¹


    Sensei said with a bitter face. As she herself said¡ºunfair method¡», it must not have been how she would usually do things.


    However, no matter what method it was, she stopped me from rampaging¡­ I felt really grateful.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry, thank you,¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t mind it. I had already predicted it in the first ce.¡¹she grinned.


    As things finally settled down ¨C I thought to myself.


    (¡ºStrength of the mind¡»huh?)


    That¡¯s what that guy said.


    ¡ºThe only strength that matters here is the strength of the mind¡»to be more precise.


    And he added¡ºyou don¡¯t have enough resolve¡».


    In other words, in order to win over him in that world ¨C I need to train my mind in order to attain soul dress.


    (But¡­ how do I train the¡ºmind¡»?)


    I have never thought about that.


    It¡¯s easy to get an image of how to train your body and polish your swordsmanship. Practice-swings, learn techniques from someone ¨C and such.


    But, when ites to training the mind¡­ it¡¯s quite difficult.


    Silent Meditation? Waterfall Meditation? Or¡­ what else?


    As I was racking my brain over that,


    ¡¸Now, Allen, this is your chance!¡¹


    Sensei pped her hands twice and cheered.


    ¡¸Ch-Chance¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, that¡¯s right! Once the spirit core appears on the surface, it will wear out tremendously! Right now, you might even be able to get back power from that monster!¡¹


    ¡¸I have to do that, o-one more time?¡¹


    ¡¸Obviously, right? Come on, hold up your spirit sword! Don¡¯t miss this opportunity!¡¹


    Sensei took my hand and made me hold the spirit sword tightly.


    ¡¸B-But¡­ what if that guy rampaged again¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸No matter. Such a trivial thing is not something that you, as a student, should care about. And most probably¡­ he won¡¯te out again today. As long as he¡¯s a spirit core, he will have that weakness. And it¡¯s fine since I¡¯m on the lookout.¡¹


    Then, sensei gave me a piece of advice.


    ¡¸-However, never ever get involved with him when I¡¯m not around¡­ alright?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­!¡¹


    Sensei said in a strong, firm, and serious tone that I¡¯ve never heard from her before.


    ¡¸Allen, your spirit core is a literal¡ºmonster¡». It is on a different¡ºrank¡»from the average spirit core. You, having just fought him, should know better than anyone how dangerous he is, right?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Yes.¡¹


    Certainly, that guy¡¯s strength¡­ is on apletely different level.


    ¡¸Initial stiffness ¨C if you miss that weakness of the spirit core, even I do not know what will happen¡­ Therefore, always perform the soul dress training within the reach of my eyes. If that¡¯s the case, it doesn¡¯t matter no matter how much you rampage. I will make sure to stop you.¡¹


    ¡¸Y-Yes! Thank you very much!¡¹


    After that, I tried to fight him many times over¡­


    The difference was so huge between us that it wasn¡¯t even a decent match.


    However, except for the first time, my body was never taken over again.


    And he was certainly weaker. I think he was worn out from taking over my body.


    (¡­¡­But no matter how many times I keep going, I can¡¯t beat him.)


    In order to win, I have to strengthen my¡ºmind¡».


    (¡­¡­I got it! If I can¡¯t get an answer by thinking on my own, I just have to ask Leia-sensei!)


    Fortunately, she is very knowledgeable about spirit cores. She will surely know a good way to train the mind.


    ¡¸Sensei, in order to strengthen the mind©`¡¹


    And the moment I spoke,


    ¡¸-Cheese, I¡¯vee to pick a little fight!¡¹


    The doors of the Soul Dress Area swung opened wildly.


    A group of five entered from there.


    They all wore the uniforms of Thousand de Academy, some of whom I have seen in the academy buildings several times. They are probably, our first year students.


    ¡¸Now now now! Who the hell is Allen-Rodore the¡ºThird-rate swordsmen¡»?¡¹


    ¡­It would seem that I was their objective.

 Chapter 27.1 - Return to Academy and Civil War [3] – part 1

    Chapter 27. Return to Academy and Civil War [3] ¨C part 1


    Immediately after a group of five suddenly barged into the Soul Dress Area.


    ¡¸E-Excuse us, Director!¡¹


    ¡¸H-hey, you guys! What do you think you¡¯re doing in the middle of a lesson?¡¹


    The two teachers entered the room immediately and rebuked their actions.


    However, surprisingly Leia-sensei stopped them,


    ¡¸It¡¯s fine! I like hot-blooded guys. And to tell you the truth, when I was in my first year, I was excluded from the members of the Big Five Holy Festival. On the day I learned about it, I asked one of the participating members to have a duel and took their position.¡¹


    ¡¸O-Oh, is that what happened¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, moreover¡­ At that time, Thousand de Academy was full of fighting spirit! Mock battles and duels took ce everywhere you looked! It was a good old age!¡¹


    Senseiughed happily.


    Personally, I want to refrain from fighting too much within the academy. The idea is to have fun with everyone and polish our swordsmanship.


    As I was thinking about it, the male student at the head of the group drew out his sword.


    ¡¸And so! Where is Allen-Rodore? You¡¯re too scared to show yourself. is it? Nn?¡¹


    He eyed all the students of ss A with provocative words.


    ¡¸That guy¡­ is Reyes, a song-sword user.¡¹


    ¡¸That Reyes-Volgan who was always causing problems in middle school¡­! I never thought he¡¯d enroll into our academy¡­!¡¹


    In the background, I heard the voice of ss A students whispering.


    (Reyes-san, huh¡­ He doesn¡¯t seem to have a very good reputation¡­)


    Reyes-Volgan.


    HIs hair was quite long for a man, and it was a deep red colour.


    Silver piercings on his left ear.


    The height is about the same as mine ¨C around 170cm.


    I decided toe forward for the time being because the conversation will not advance if I kept silent as is.


    ¡¸I am Allen-Rodore¡­ What business do you have with me?¡¹


    ¡¸Fuuun¡­¡¹


    An evaluation-like nce was turned towards me by the group of five.


    ¡¸Haha! Whyyy, did a mediocre swordsman like this receive the honour to be a participating member of the Big Five Holy Festival?¡¹


    ¡¸Did you bribe your way in?¡¹


    ¡¸How to say this? Something like the air surrounding this guy¡­ seems unreliable as a swordsman.¡¹


    ¡¸To put it bluntly, he looks he weak.¡¹


    ¡¸Well, at any rate, he isn¡¯t a match for us.¡¹


    It seemed that I didn¡¯t fit their bill, and the voices of abuse flew out from each of them.


    ¡¸You guys, running your mouths as you like¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­You have poor judgement skills.¡¹


    Ria and Rose red at them with sharp eyes.


    But Reyes-san didn¡¯t care about it and took a piece of print out of his pocket.


    ¡¸I¡¯ve looked into you, Allen-Rodore! Gran Swordsmanship Academy¡¯s lowest! You were made fun of as the ¡ºDropout Swordsman¡», and your grades were always the lowest from the beginning of admission! Even if you want to belong to a sword school, you were turned down by everyone due to the exceedingck of talent ¨C furthermore, you are self-taught! On your third year, you defeated a swordsman called Dodriel by underhanded means! ¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    Certainly, he has well researched about me during the Gran Swordsmanship Academy period.


    But ¨C what does that have to do with anything?


    The past is the past after all.


    Even if Ipare myself with the me from a billions years ago¡­ I don¡¯t think it has any meaning.


    ¡¸Now do you understand how hopeless of a swordsman this Allen-Rodore is?! You idiots of ss A are being fooled by this dropout swordsman! Or what? Is he holding on to your weaknesses? Or are you getting money? Huh? ¡¹


    The students of ss Aughed at Reyes-san, who was barking at them with crude words.


    ¡¸Oi Oi, You¡­ did you not watch the match between Allen and Sid?¡¹


    ¡¸I saw it, though? Losing in the early stages and showing a little motivation in the middle, but at the end he was swallowed by the spirit core and it was a foul loss! Did I miss something?¡¹


    And their target moved from me to ss A.


    ¡¸Even if you¡¯re called ss A¡­ It¡¯s just based on your ability at the¡ºmoment of enrollment¡»right?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes-yes¡­ you don¡¯t have to be so domineering over that.¡¹


    ¡¸A swordsman¡¯s strength, is his soul dress¡¯ strength. That¡¯smon sense, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Because, Princess Ria can use soul dress, I can agree with that. But, a dropout swordsman and a drab bounty hunter being chosen is iprehensible.¡¹


    ¡¸I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s ame friendship or whatever. But you ipetent fools who did not undertake the soul dress ss and just did simple muscle training, are no match for us.¡¹


    They ridiculed everyone in ss A.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Damn¡­¡¹


    I can¡¯t keep silent after they¡¯ve gone so far.


    At the moment, when Ria and I stepped forward.


    ¡¸Hee, You don¡¯t have to go out of your way to deal with these punks, Allen. Leave this to me. I¡¯ll rust these octopus bastards with my Iron Cutting Style¡­¡¹


    Saying that, Tessa-Burmond, the swordsman of Iron Cutting Style, jumped to the forefront.


    ¡¸What¡¯s this? You¡¯re going to be first opponent?¡¹


    ¡¸Ou, I¡¯m the first opponent! But well, you guys won¡¯t be able to move on to the second opponent either way!¡¹Tessa said, smiling confidently and fearlessly.


    ¡¸Hee¡­ how amusing. I¡¯ll y along with you,e on already,¡¹


    ¡¸It will be a sight to see how long that attitudests. Iron Cutting Style ¨C Rust Off!¡¹


    At the next moment, Tessa begin to start running in a straight line and shed at Reyes-san.


    (¡­A good strike)


    This is probably the result of the intensive strength training for the past month.


    Grip, stepping into opponents range, and spirit ¨C all those have grown beyond what it used to be.


    ¡¸This is the endddddd!¡¹


    In front of the speed and weight of the downswing, Reyes-san grimaced.


    ¡¸Surge -¡´Three Skeleton¡µ!¡¹


    At that moment,


    ¡¸What¡­!?¡¹


    Tessa¡¯s blow was caught by three small dragons that suddenly appeared.


    The dragons with only the bones without meat, with a red light floating in their eye sockets,ughed happily,¡¸Korokorokoro!¡¹.


    And the next moment,


    ¡¸Skeleton Shower!¡¹


    The three dragons broke down into small bones and charged Tessa at a tremendous speed.


    ¡¸¡­¡­!? Guha¡­!¡¹


    With his whole body struck by the rain of bones, he was blown away ¨C and lost consciousness.

 Chapter 27.2 - Return to Academy and Civil War [3] – part 2

    Chapter 27. Return to Academy and Civil War [3] ¨C part 2


    ¡¸Te-Tessa!?¡¹


    ¡¸Are you alright, oi!?¡¹


    ¡¸B-Bring him to the infirmary!¡¹


    Reyes-san who saw the mouring ss A,


    ¡¸Puh-ahahahahaha! So weak! Is ss A, a gathering of such a weak bunch!?¡¹


    Heughed whilst pping. In response, the four people behind himughed at Tessa as well.


    (¡­Tessa)


    Perhaps, Tessa was much better in terms of simple swordsmanship.


    (However, looking at them in terms of¡ºswordsman¡»¡­ Reyes-san was better.)


    The only difference between the two is the presence and absence of a soul dress. Whether or not you can manifest your soul dress as a swordsman¡­¡­ is a crucial point. In fact, this determines whether or not you can be a Senior Holy Knight.


    That is why the power of soul dress is given that much importance.


    As we were heartbroken by Tessa¡¯s defeat,


    ¡¸Indent -¡´Kongomaru¡µ!¡¹1


    ¡¸Coil -¡´Sarasouju¡µ!¡¹2


    ¡¸y -¡´me Children¡µ!¡¹


    ¡¸Pierce -¡´Awl¡µ!¡¹


    The remaining four manifested their soul dress all at once.


    ¡¸S-Seriously¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸This guys, just in one month, they mastered soul dress¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸Tch, so they weren¡¯t just all talk¡­¡¹


    ss A became uproarious before the unexpected situation. I alone quietly pulled out my sword and stood in front of them.

 Chapter 28.1 - Recruitment Period and Strange Group [1] – part 1

    28. Recruitment Period and Strange Group [1] ¨C part 1


    After that, for a week, I learned soul dress during ss periods, and after school, I single-mindedly swung my sword alone ¨C it was such a fulfilling week.


    From then on, I confronted that guy many times over and lost every time.


    -But it¡¯s not without progress.


    That guy, who was so strong to the point of being invincible, has been evading my shes once in a while for the past few days.


    (Is it about once every 100 times¡­?)


    Even I thought to myself¡¸That was a good sh!¡¹.


    That guy always evades only during those particr shes.


    At first, I thought¡¸Was it on a whim?¡¹, but apparently not.


    That guy who always takes my shes head on with his robust body¡­ Only when I unleash a good sh does he evade without fail.


    (That guy¡­ probably judged that he wouldn¡¯t escape unscathed.)


    Thinking about that¡­ makes me happy. My heart beats excitedly.


    What I have not been able to cut until now, I will be able to cut. The joy of experiencing growth.


    Such feelings overflowed within me.


    It¡¯s like the first time I cut the little space in the prison of time.


    (If I train as it is, I will surely be able to beat that guy someday. If that happens, I can also attain soul dress¡­!)


    While I was waiting for Ria at the entrance of the room, filling my heart with such hope,


    ¡¸Sorry for making you wait, Allen! I overslept a little¡­¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s alright. We still have a lot of time.¡¹


    There is still another 30 minutes until the start of the first period. This dormitory is located within the Thousand de Academy, so even if we left 5 minutes before the start of the first period, we would still make it in time ¨C thus, there¡¯s still plenty of time to spare.


    ¡¸¡­More importantly, are you alright? You don¡¯t seem to be getting good sleeptely?¡¹


    Was it from the time since we started taking sses for soul dress?


    Ria has been having trouble falling asleep. Even after she fell asleep, she muttered painful voices in her sleep and tossed and turned over and over again.


    As I genuinely asked her worriedly,


    ¡¸¡­¡­!? U-Umm¡­ don¡¯t look at my sleeping face too much¡­¡¹she blushed with an embarrassed look.


    ¡¸Ah, no, S-Sorry¡­¡¹


    It may have been improper to say that to a teenage girl¡­


    As I was troubled about what to say next,


    ¡¸¡­Did I make a s-strange face?¡¹Ria timidly asked me.


    ¡¸T-That was no problem! You have a beautiful sleeping face as usual!¡¹


    ¡¸B-Beautiful¡­¡­ T-Thank you.¡¹


    ¡¸You are w-wee¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    Ria sank into silence, and I was not sure as to what to say either.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    An indescribable strange atmosphere loomed over us, and the ticking sound of the second hand of the wall clock resounded loudly.


    (I-It feels so heavy¡­ However, I created this atmosphere, I should say something¡­!)


    (W-What to do¡­ It turned weird suddenly¡­!?)


    Then a little¡­ No, quite forcibly, I tried to break through that atmosphere with the brute force of a loud voice.


    ¡¸¡­W-Well, let¡¯s go!¡¹


    ¡¸Y-Yeah¡­! That¡¯s right!¡¹


    Ria caught on well, so we seeded in getting out of the stalemate safely. After that, Ria and I left the dormitory in a high tension state.


    And as we reached the main building of Thousand de Academy.


    ¡¸Swimming Club! Please join the swimming club¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸You there, do you want to polish your swordsmanship? How about joining the Swordsmanship Club¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Let¡¯s run faster, the Track Club! First-year students! Join the Track Club and let¡¯s run like the¡ºwind¡»!¡¹


    Swimsuit, martial arts uniform, short pants ¨C Seniors, wearing their respective club¡¯s uniforms, were handing out arge amount of flyers.


    ¡¸What¡¯s this¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸I don¡¯t know either¡­¡¹


    As I and Ria gaze at this bizarre spectacle in mute amazement,


    ¡¸Oh, you there! You have a good physique! Won¡¯t you join the Judo Club!?¡¹


    ¡¸Wah, such a pretty girl! Would you join our Cheerleading Club!? We have a lot of cute outfits!¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, you two! How about the Mountaineering Club!? The scene after climbing a steep mountain, is irreceable by anything else!¡¹


    We were surrounded by many senpais just like that, and were handed a lot of flyers.


    ¡¸Wowowow!? That is, I¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸L-Let¡¯s go, Ria!¡¹


    I grabbed Ria¡¯s hand and ran towards the main building. Apparently they are prohibited from recruiting in the academy building, and immediatelyunched an attack on the next target.


    ¡¸Fuu¡­¡¹


    ¡¸That surprised me¡­¡¹


    Before I knew it, a lot of flyers were shoved into my uniform pocket, and Ria had a lot of flyers in her left hand.


    ¡¸That was¡­ recruitment, right?¡¹


    ¡¸I think that might be the case¡­¡¹


    While talking about that, we headed to our ssroom.


    And when we entered Year 1 ss A, there was the sight of our tired ssmates.


    ¡¸So, it was the same for everyone¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Seems to be so¡­¡¹


    Judging from this exhausted condition, everyone seemed to have been through a terrible recruitment.


    When I and Ria got to our usual seats ¨C Tessa, the swordsman of Iron Cutting style, spoke to me in a haggard state.


    ¡¸Yo, Allen¡­ Were you targeted as well?¡¹


    ¡¸Un, just a little¡­ You seem to have been targeted as well, Tessa¡­?¡¹


    Hisplexion was bad, and above all, the amount of the flyers which had been put on his desk, indicated the terrible damage.


    ¡¸He-hehe, amazing, right? Most of the flyers were from the judo club guys, you know¡­? Saying my physique matched the judo club and whatnot¡­¡¹Tessa pointed to his desk andughed with a painful smile.¡¸That was really dangerous¡­ I was suddenly surrounded by 10 sweaty senpais in their judo uniforms¡­ and almost lost consciousness many times because of their strong manliness and appeal¡­¡¹


    ¡¸That sounds difficult¡­¡¹


    Sounds like hell just hearing it¡­


    ¡¸Naa, Tessa. What¡¯s this unusual recruiting?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Nn? Don¡¯t you know Allen? A week from today is the new recruitment period ¨C a recruitment period for first-year students.¡¹


    ¡¸In May? Normally, it should be in April, right after enrolment, no?¡¹


    At least the recruitment period for new students at Gran Swordsmanship Academy was in April.


    ¡¸Aa, at a normal swordsmanship academy, that is so. But, Five Academy is different. For one month after enrolment, new students have to concentrate on soul dress ss, so recruitment is prohibited for that month.¡¹


    ¡¸I see¡­ That¡¯s why the new student recruitment starts in May after the soul dress ss is over¡­¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s right. A week from now, whening to the academy, and leaving the academy, and also during lunch break I guess. We won¡¯t be able to rest for this whole week¡­ so be ready¡¹he said, and sat in his seat, which had be an advertising billboard for the judo club.


    ¡¸This sounds terrible¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah¡­ I have heard that¡ºRecruitment period of Five Academy is terrific¡»,but to think it was to this extent¡­¡¹


    A littleter, the door of ss A opened with a rattling sound. At the same time, a bunch of flyers slowly invaded the ssroom.


    I don¡¯t know who it is, but they seem to have taken a serious damage¡­


    The bunch slowly approached me ¨C and the flyers were ced in the seat in front of me.


    ¡¸¡­puha¡¹


    It was Rose with her ruffled pinkish silver bed hair. She is not a morning person after all. Surely she was handed these flyers while walking sleepily to ss as usual.


    ¡¸Good morning, Rose. That seems terrible.¡¹


    ¡¸Your amount of flyers¡­ is probably the most in this ss.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Morning.¡¹


    Her sleepiness might have surpassed the annoyance of the flyers. As usual, she stretched her body with an ahoge protruding on her head.


    ¡¸Fuwaaa¡­ Recruitment period is terrific¡­¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s right, I was surprised.¡¹


    ¡¸It was so lively.¡¹


    ¡¸Allen and Ria, which club are you joining?¡¹


    ¡¸U-n¡­ I haven¡¯t decided yet.¡¹


    ¡¸I haven¡¯t either,¡¹


    As one of the pleasures of student life, I want to belong to a club somewhere.


    But I haven¡¯t decided which I¡¯m going to be joining yet.


    Due to the name¡ºSwordsmanship Club¡», I¡¯m a little interested in it, but that¡¯s about it.


    ¡¸I haven¡¯t decided yet either. Let¡¯s go check them out, after ss?¡¹


    ¡¸I don¡¯t mind of course.¡¹


    ¡¸I agree, let¡¯s go together!¡¹


    Thus, the three of us decided to see the activities of each club together after sses were over.

 Chapter 28.2 - Recruitment Period and Strange Group [1] – part 2

    28. Recruitment Period and Strange Group [1] ¨C part 2


    After that, the soul dress ss was done under the supervision of Leia-sensei from first period to the fifth period.


    ¡¸Fuu, today was also intense¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Soul dress ss is mentally taxing rather than physically¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I kinda feelnguid¡­¡¹


    Then for a little while, we took a break in our seats.


    We drank water, stretched a little, and as the fatigue wore off,


    ¡¸Now then, shall we go see the club activities?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, let¡¯s go.¡¹


    ¡¸Un, let¡¯s go.¡¹


    We left the ssroom.


    As for the club activities of Thousand de Academy, all three of us knew almost nothing, so we decided to go around all the clubs once.


    First of all, the cheerleading club which was active in front of the main building.


    ¡¸GO©`GO©`LET¡¯S GO! THOUSAND BLADE ACADEMY! WE©`ARE©`THE©`NUMBER©`ONE!¡¹


    Powerful cheering from the bottom of the stomach.


    Coordinated perfect dance.


    I¡¯m sure it¡¯s the result of a great practice.


    A performance that made me want to apud unintentionally.


    (But, what worries me is¡­ there¡¯s a lot of exposure)


    Their outfits were quite radical, with their backs and bare legs exposed.


    Somehow, I was really troubled as to where to look.


    ¡¸Ch-Cheer club is a little over¡­ that, outfit is¡­¡¹


    Ria must have also thought it was embarrassing to wear it, and silently shook her head sideways.


    ¡¸Is that so¡­?¡¹


    Whereas, Rose doesn¡¯t seem to mind it all.


    (Come to think of it, Rose¡¯s in clothes were shy¡­.)


    When we first met at the Sword Festival, she wore a dress that waspletely exposed from the stomach to the bottom of her chest, and a ck low-rise hot pants.


    (It was a very exposed figure, so I guess I was at a loss as to where to look at¡­)


    For Rose, such an outfit might not be a problem.


    Then we went to see the swimming club.


    An outdoor pool with seven 25-meternes.


    The depth is over three meters even at the shallowest point, and it is written in the pamphlet distributed at the time of admission that it is used for various purposes such as snorkeling and training using the weight of water.


    ¡¸Swimming huh¡­ I used topete with Bamboo Geezer in the river in Goza Vige¡­¡¹


    There is arge river near Goza vige.


    The water was so clear that I could see the bottom of the river, and I remember swimming with everyone in the vige in the summer.


    There were some delicious fish, and I used to fish with my mother in that river¡­


    When I was thinking back on those old days,


    ¡¸Swimming club huh¡­ Un, sounds fun!¡¹


    ¡¸It doesn¡¯t sound bad.¡¹


    Ria and Rose expressed their feelings.


    After we watched the activities of the swimming club, it was time to move on to the next club.


    ¡¸Yoshi, shall we go see the next club?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, let¡¯s do that.¡¹


    ¡¸Un.¡¹


    We went through the various club activities one by one, and finally came to the swordsmanship club, which was the likely winner.


    ¡¸There are so many people¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Wow¡­¡¹


    The gymnasium, the activity site of the swordsmanship club, had more than a hundred members, and all of them were doing practice-swings.


    Certainly, the number of people is great.


    It definitely boasts the greatest number of members of all the clubs that we have seen so far.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸SEI! SEI! SEI!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    With a fixed cry and rhythm, more than a hundred people swinging at the same time ¨C it seemed a little cramped.


    ¡¸Next! Three consecutive strikes!¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸Yes!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    Arge drum was struck in the center of the gymnasium, and the practice menu changed.


    ¡¸¡­U-Un¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s a little¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Un, strict.¡¹


    Yes.


    As Rose said, there was something like¡ºstiffness¡»in this swordsmanship club.


    (I think swordsmanship should be more free, fun, and creative¡­)


    You don¡¯t¡ºdo¡»because it is a practise menu of the Swordsmanship Club.


    You¡ºdo¡»because you want to, because you want to be stronger.


    I felt that their way of thinking and approach towards swordsmanship was a little different from mine.


    ¡¸¡­For now, let¡¯s go back to the ssroom.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, let¡¯s think over it carefully.¡¹


    ¡¸We¡¯ve seen all the clubs already.¡¹


    And when we tried to go back to ss A.


    ¡¸Oh? You, aren¡¯t you Allen-kun!?¡¹


    Suddenly, a voice called out from behind.


    I can¡¯t ignore it, so I turned around slowly.


    ¡¸Ah, I was correct! I¡¯m happy that you are interested in our club! Nee nee, what do you think? Of our practise!?¡¹


    The female student who was beating the big drum in the center of the gymnasium, ran up to me.


    ¡¸Ah, n-no¡­ that¡¯s¡­¡¹


    Obviously, I couldn¡¯t just say¡¸I think it¡¯s quite off¡¹to her.


    ¡¸Ah, sorry! I haven¡¯t introduced myself yet! I am the deputy head of the Swordsmanship Club, Silty-Rosette, nice to meet you! Allen Rodore-kun!¡¹


    Silty-Rosette.


    A cheerful female student with short hair which is dyed light brown.


    Beautifulrge round eyes.


    Slightly tanned, healthy, firm skin.


    From the fleeting nces I saw of her upper canine tooth, I sensed something wild.


    ¡¸I am Allen-Rodore of Year 1 ss A. Nice to meet you.¡¹


    As I bowed slightly ¨C Silty-senpai grabbed my right hand and began to shake my hand vigorously.


    ¡¸Wow, your hand is amazing!? Just how long have you been swinging the sword!?¡¹


    She stared at my hand, which was full of calluses, with her sparkling eyes.


    ¡¸E-Err¡­ I think since I was around five.¡¹


    ¡¸Hee, since you were so little! But, does it be like this in just 10 years¡­?¡¹


    To be more precise¡ºMore than a billion years and a decade¡»¡­


    It will get troublesome if I actually said that, so I simply nodded with a wry smile.


    ¡¸¡­Un, it¡¯s good! It¡¯s really good, Allen-kun! Nee nee, if it¡¯s alright. won¡¯t you have a match with me?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa©`¡­ sorry, I have some business to take care of today¡­¡¹


    It wasn¡¯t a lie.


    I¡¯m going to have to discuss which club was good, together with Ria and Rose in the ssroom.


    And then,


    ¡¸¡­Nee nee, if it¡¯s alright, won¡¯t you have a match with me?¡¹


    She repeated the exact same words again with a smile.


    ¡¸N-No, like I said¡­!?¡¹


    When I tried to refuse again, Silty-senpai snapped her fingers.


    At that moment, the entrance to the gymnasium was blocked by members of the swordsmanship club.


    ¡¸Si-Silty-senpai¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Sorry¡­ but, I definitely won¡¯t let you escape. No matter what you say, you¡¯re an outstanding talent that I can¡¯t let go¡­¡¹


    Saying that, she changed from her cheerful, pure smile to ¨C a bewitching smile reminiscent of an adult woman.


    (Haa¡­)


    I heaved arge sigh in my heart.


    It would seem that I have gotten involved in something troublesome again¡­

 Chapter 29.1 - Recruitment Period and Strange Group [2] – part 1

    29. Recruitment Period and Strange Group [2] ¨C part 1


    As I sighed loudly, Silty-senpaiughed.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t worry, don¡¯t worry! We will exclude the use of soul dress from this match!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Why, thank you.¡¹


    ¡­That wasn¡¯t what I was worried about, but I guess it doesn¡¯t matter.


    (Thinking over, this might actually be a good experience)


    The opportunity to cross swords with the deputy head of Swordsmanship Club is not easy to obtain.


    (And most of all, Silty-senpai doesn¡¯t seem to be the kind to listen to what others have to say¡­)


    In order to quickly conclude this scenario, facing off against her would be the best way.


    ¡¸Nee nee, I¡¯m going to fight in my club uniform but¡­ what about Allen-kun? Will you change clothes? Or are going to fight as is?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m fine with fighting as is.¡¹


    Thousand de Academy uniforms excel in sticity, and even provides better freedom of movement than their club uniform.


    Silty-senpai asked whileprehending that.


    ¡¸I see. Well then, here you go!¡¹she said, and handed over a wooden sword used for practice activities.


    ¡¸Thank you.¡¹


    After we both finished our preparations, the student who served the position of referee, announced.


    ¡¸From here, we are going to hold the match, Silty-Rosette vs Allen-Rodore! Both participants, pleasee to the center of the gymnasium!¡¹


    Silty-senpai and I, headed to the center of the gymnasium as beckoned by the referee.


    ¡¸Both participants, are you ready? Well then ¨C START!¡¹


    At the same time as the start of the match was dered, Silty-senpai and I both assumed Seigan no Kamae.


    And then,


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    As we both sank into silence, it was time to analyze her.


    From senpai¡¯s body build and form. I analyzed her¡ºsword¡¯s¡»forte.


    (Her developed thighs can be seen even from over the club uniform¡­ I have to pay special attention for the thrust thates out of that leg power, and also her Iai sh¡­)


    And there¡¯s another point to be worried about.


    (¡­The center of gravity is flowing slightly behind)


    Perhaps senpai¡¯s sword is a¡ºdefensive sword¡» ¨C with defense as the main axis and aims for a counter.


    When most of the analysis was over, I spoke.


    ¡¸¡­Senpai, aren¡¯t you going toe?¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, I¡¯m not going to attack my junior incessantly at the very beginning of the match. I¡¯ll let Allen-kun have the first move.¡¹


    ¡¸Is that so¡­ Well then, I¡¯ll take you up on your offer. First Sword ¨C Flying Shadow!¡¹


    I fired a convenient shot that could attack unterally from a long distance without having to close in.


    Senpaiughed boldly at my technique.


    ¡¸Here ites, the flying sh! But ¨C too naive!¡¹


    She probably watched my fight at the Big Five Holy Festival.


    Without being taken aback, she calmly shed down the looming Flying Shadow.


    However ¨C that was within my calction.


    ¡¸-It¡¯s just a distraction.¡¹


    ¡¸!?¡¹


    I drew closer by concealing my figure behind Flying Shadow, and got behind senpai.


    ¡¸Eighth Sword ¨C Yatagarasu!¡¹


    ¡¸Circle Style ¨C Wind Circle!¡¹


    She rotated her wooden sword in a circr motion ¨C cutting down the swooping eight shes.


    The movement, which was reminiscent of bojutsu, was so polished that I momentarily fixed my eyes on it. 1


    ¡¸You surprised me a little but¡­ naive, too naive! An attack of that level, won¡¯t be able to break my Circle Style!¡¹


    ¡¸That seems to be the case¡­¡¹


    Circle style huh¡­ it¡¯s quite amazing.


    I didn¡¯t imagine that she could cut down my attack from that disadvantageous position.


    It is surely because her school specializes in¡ºdefensive¡»techniques.


    (This has gotten a little interesting¡­)


    So far, I¡¯ve only been fighting with opponents who were good at¡ºOffensive Sword¡», like Dodriel and Sid-san.


    To deal with a¡ºDefensive Sword¡»like Silty-senpai¡¯s¡­¡­ If I think about it, this might be the first time.


    ¡¸In that case, I¡¯ll earnestlye at you¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu,e already!¡¹


    Then I narrowed the distance between us in one step ¨C and started attacking with the¡ºfoundation of shing¡».


    I don¡¯t use techniques of schools.


    Diagonal sh, Bamboo sh, Upwards sh, Downwards sh, Trusts ¨C I attacked incessantly with basic swordsmanship.


    (It was clear in the first act that simultaneous shes like Yatagarasu does not work against Circle Style¡­)


    It will surely be defended with¡ºWind Circle¡»again.


    In that case, much faster, much heavier, much sharper.


    All I have to do is unleash such sharpened shes consecutively¡­!


    ¡¸-Shi!¡¹


    ¡¸Waa, too fast, wai¡­!?¡¹


    Following the bombardment of the consecutive attacks, senpai¡¯s stance was gradually thrown out of order.


    And a momentary opening presented itself.


    ¡¸Ha!¡¹


    I unleashed a thrust aimed at that opening.


    However,


    ¡¸Hyaa¡­!? Da-Dangerous¡­!?¡¹


    Her wooden sword blocked my thrust at the veryst minute.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    That was a little disappointing.


    I had reacted at thest minute, but if my thrust was a fraction of a second earlier¡­ It would¡¯ve surelynded on her shoulder.


    However, I won¡¯t miss the next one.


    If it¡¯s the next ¨C I can break through!


    And when I assumed a forward-bent position ¨C she spoke.


    ¡¸Ne, nee, Allen-kun¡­!? Were you perhaps, holding back at that time¡­!?¡¹


    At that time ¨C she was probably asking about the time I fought Sid-san.


    ¡¸Not at all, I always give my best.¡¹


    ¡¸But I feel that you¡¯ve be faster than you were before¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸Is that so? That makes me happy.¡¹


    It¡¯s honestly pleasant¡­ when other people praise my growth.


    It makes me want to train harder.


    ¡¸Well, here Ie.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    When I sidled up half a step forward ¨C she dropped her center of gravity and assumed aplete defensive posture.


    (¡­I feel thankful)


    If she¡¯s going to take such aplete defensive stance, I don¡¯t have to be wary of counters.


    In other words ¨C I can solely concentrate on attacking!


    ¡¸-HA!¡¹


    ¡¸Kuu¡­¡¹


    At the same time as stepping into her range, I brought down a downwards sh, and senpai firmly caught it with her wooden sword.


    After that, with the threat of counter being nil, I shed forward more and more than before.


    ¡¸HAAAAA!¡¹


    ¡¸W-Wait¡­! Wait wait wait!?¡¹


    While repeating so, she desperately handled all my attacks.


    ¡¸What is it?¡¹


    Without ckening the attack, I responded to her.


    ¡¸W-Wait a little! I beg you, give me some time to think! Please give me some strategy time!?¡¹


    S-Strategy time¡­?


    (The time to think, while in the middle of a battle¡­?)


    If this was a duel, I would¡¯ve rejected such a foolish idea, but¡­


    This time it¡¯s just a mock battle, so it¡¯s fine I guess.

 Chapter 29.2 - Recruitment Period and Strange Group [2] – part 2

    29. Recruitment Period and Strange Group [2] ¨C part 2


    ¡¸Haa, understood¡­ just a little¡­¡¹


    ¡¸T-Thank you¡­!¡¹


    Then, she took three steps back, and put distance between us.


    However that ¨C was the worst judgement.


    ¡¸Ah, senpai that spot is¡­¡¹


    The ce where she moved to was,


    ¡¸Eh¡­? Heba!?¡¹


    The ones that I inserted amidst the exchange of blows, Second Sword ¨C Hazy Moon. One of those inserted shed, precisely shot the back of senpai¡¯s head.


    ¡¸Ha¡­?¡¹


    After a painful blow that came from outside her awareness, she fainted with her eyes rolled to the back of her head.


    (W-What an unlucky person¡­!?)


    The number of Hazy Moon that I inserted in this wide gymnasium was only a mere three. She didn¡¯t really have to move back and put distance between us¡­¡­


    As I dumbfoundedly looked at the unconscious senpai,


    ¡¸D-Deputy Head!? What exactly happened!?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­It was a sh! Look closely, it is also inserted in other ces!¡¹


    ¡¸Kuu, stretcher¡­ bring a stretcher!¡¹


    The members of the swordsmanship club hurriedly carried over a stretcher.


    ¡¸Wi-Winner! Allen-Rodore!¡¹


    The referee dered the result of the match as so, while the gymnasium was in a state of turmoil.


    While watching the club members carry Silty-senpai to the infirmary with a sidelong nce,


    ¡¸For the time being¡­ let¡¯s return to the ssroom.¡¹


    ¡¸Y-Yeah.¡¹


    ¡¸Un, let¡¯s do that.¡¹


    The three of us decided to return to the ssroom.


    ¡¸Fuu¡­¡¹


    After returning to ss A, I was finally able to take a break.


    ¡¸Good job, Allen. It was a disaster.¡¹


    ¡¸It was really terrible.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, well it was a good experience.¡¹


    I feel like I somewhat grasped the method to break a¡ºDefensive Sword¡».


    After that, we discussed about the real issue a hand ¨C which club we were going to join.


    ¡¸About that, Allen, have you decided which club to join?¡¹


    ¡¸Have you?¡¹


    Ria and Rose, simultaneously asked me.


    ¡¸U-n¡­¡¹


    I carefully reflected on all the clubs we looked around today.


    And then,


    ¡¸¡­I think I¡¯m not going to join any.¡¹


    I made that decision.


    ¡¸Does that mean¡­ you¡¯re going to be independent?¡¹


    ¡¸Un, I don¡¯t think I need to force myself to join any.¡¹


    As one of the pleasures of academy life, I wanted to participate in club activities, but¡­


    That¡¯s it! There wasn¡¯t any club that seems to fit me.


    (The one club I was interested in, the Swordsmanship Club, was a little off¡­)


    Rather than joining a club just for the sake of it, I¡¯d rather just be independent.


    And then,


    ¡¸I see¡­¡¹


    ¡¸How unfortunate¡­¡¹


    For some reason, Ria and Rose dropped their shoulders.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    Because the two of them had a frown and were silent, the conversation flow stopped.


    (Eh¡­ did I cause this?)


    After that, as I was thinking about a new topic to somehow break this silence,


    ¡¸¡­¡­! Nee, if that¡¯s the case, why don¡¯t we start a new club!?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­! That¡¯s a good idea.¡¹


    Ria suddenly said something ridiculous, and Rose promptly agreed.


    ¡¸S-Start a club¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Eh! Since it¡¯s Allen we¡¯re talking about, it¡¯s probably gonna be a sword swinging club?¡¹


    ¡¸Well, sounds about right¡­¡¹


    They are not wrong, they are not wrong but¡­


    Judging by the way they put it, it¡¯s as though I am a¡ºswinging human¡»who has no interest in anything but swinging the sword¡­ I was a little hurt by that.


    ¡¸If that is the case, you just have to set up a sword swinging club!¡¹


    Ria said so with full of confidence.


    ¡¸If you are recognized as a club, you can use the academy grounds to a certain degree, and above all else, you can even get club budget!!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Academy grounds freely, huh?¡¹


    I honestly don¡¯t care about the club budget, but¡­


    It was very attractive to be able to use the academy grounds freely to some extent.


    (If I submit an application, can I use the pool?)


    With the resistance of water, sword swinging and strengthening the body ¨C there is no doubt that the range of training will expand.


    ¡¸Certainly¡­ that may be feasible.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes right! Naturally, I will join the club!¡¹


    ¡¸Me too!¡¹


    ¡¸I-Is that alright? The only thing we will be doing is swinging, you know?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, it¡¯s fine! (Now I have an excuse to be with Allen¡­! And three hours at that!)¡¹


    ¡¸No problem! (I can study swordsmanship right beside Allen¡­! And three hours at that!)¡¹


    Ria and Rose nodded yes many times over.


    Apparently, they were both starving for¡ºwanting to swing¡».


    I felt a little happy to find friends who have the same interest.


    ¡¸If you¡¯ve decided to do so, let¡¯s get straight to the procedures!¡¹


    ¡¸Strike while the iron is hot!¡¹


    Saying that, they ran out of the ssroom ¨C and a mere three minutester, they were back.


    Ria was holding the¡ºApplication Form for Establishing Club Activities¡»in her right hand.


    ¡¸We did it, Allen! Leia will be our club advisor!¡¹


    ¡¸Three people are required to join as members to be recognized as a club. Our number is just perfect!¡¹


    ¡¸I-Is that so¡­ thank you.¡¹


    The club establishment progressed forward on its own, while I did nothing.


    (Well¡­ it¡¯s truly just a club for swinging, so it¡¯s fine I guess)


    The only difference would be either swinging alone or swinging with everyone.


    In that case, it would be more fun to do it with everyone as a club.


    Even while I was thinking about that, the nks in the¡ºApplication Form for Establishing Club Activities¡»were filled up quickly.


    ¡¸Ah¡­ that¡¯s right, Allen. Let¡¯s decide the club¡¯s name!¡¹


    ¡¸I want Allen to name it.¡¹


    Let¡¯s see¡­ Un, let¡¯s make it simple and call it¡ºPractice-Swing Club¡»?¡¹


    It¡¯s a super simple name, clearly representing the club¡¯s activities.


    ¡¸Practice-Swing Club¡­ I think it sounds good.¡¹


    ¡¸Un, understood.¡¹


    As we were working towards establishing a club ¨C the ssmates who were looking around the club activities, returned back to the ssroom.


    ¡¸Oh, what are you doing Allen?¡¹


    ¡¸Practice-Swing Club¡­? Are you starting your own club?¡¹


    ¡¸Whaat, Allen¡¯s club¡­!? In that case, I¡¯ll join!¡¹


    ¡¸M-Me too!¡¹


    ¡¸Nee nee, Allen. I, intend to join the swimming club, but¡­ is it possible to join two clubs?¡¹


    After that, as a result of allowing to join even while being in another club, it was decided that all ss A students would join the Practice-Swing Club.


    In this way, the Practice-Swing Club boasted an unusual scale of 30 members, even though it was newly created, and it is recognized throughout the academy as a¡ºstrange group that keeps swinging sword every day silently in the corner of the schoolyard¡».

 Chapter 30.1 - Recruitment Period and Strange Group [3] – part 1

    30. Recruitment Period and Strange Group [3] ¨C part 1


    Today, I survived an intense soul dress ss, and was in thest period of homeroom.


    Leia-sensei, who stood on the podium, gave a simple parting greet and message.


    ¡¸-Fumu, that¡¯s all for today¡­ Which reminds me, next week is the¡ºClub Budget War¡». Participating students, try to do your best!¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸Yes!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    ¡¸Well, goodbye. See you tomorrow!¡¹


    After sensei left the ssroom,


    ¡¸¡­Club Budget War?¡¹


    Everyone seemed to know, but¡­


    I didn¡¯t know much about Thousand de Academy or Five Academy, so I didn¡¯t know anything about it.


    (¡­¡­Was it written on the pamphlet?)


    While thinking about such a thing, when I was packing up,


    ¡¸Allen, it¡¯s finally here¡­ the Club Budget War!¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m getting fired up!¡¹


    Ria and Rose approached me excitedly.


    ¡¸¡­¡­I don¡¯t really know about this Club Budget War thing.¡¹


    ¡¸Eh, really!?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s one of Five Academy¡¯s specialties, you know?¡¹


    ¡¸S-Specialty huh¡­ Sorry, but can you please exin in detail?¡¹


    Ria nodded and gave me a detailed exnation.


    ¡¸It is obligatory for clubs with more than 10 members to participate in the Club Budget War ¨C it¡¯s a real war!¡¹


    W-War huh, such exaggeration¡­


    I thought so inwardly, but I listened to the continuation of the exnation without interrupting them.


    ¡¸Each club selects three of their best members and aims for the pinnacle of the academy ¨C arge amount of club budget! The match format is of course a one-on-one serious sword match! ¡¹


    ¡¸I-I see¡­¡¹


    In other words, the club budget war seems to be a serious battle over the¡ºclub budget¡»which is the activity fund.


    ¡¸Look at this.¡¹


    Saying that, Rose took out a bundle of paper that read¡ºGuideline for Implementation of Club Budget War¡».


    Detailed rules about the club budget war and the magnification of the club budget given for each rank were written there.


    ording to this, the clubs below the sixteenth ce get an even budget amount each.


    Best Eight is four times that amount, and the fourth ce is eight times.


    The third ce is 16 times, and the second ce is 32 times¡­ The first ce is 64 times.


    ¡¸It¡¯s 64 times the difference between the 16th ce and the 1st ce¡­ Certainly, that is arge amount.¡¹


    ¡¸Well, if arge club like the swordsmanship club is ced less than 16th ce¡­ it would be hell.¡¹


    ¡¸Well, I suppose¡­¡¹


    If the swordsmanship club with that many members falls below the 16th ce¡­


    Equipment such as wooden swords and armor.


    Consumables such as therapeutics and bandages.


    Expenses such as when going on an expedition.


    It would be impossible to cover all of them with such a low club budget.


    ¡¸And so¡­ At least one first-year student must be part of the three man team by all means. I mean, it¡¯s not an exaggeration to say that all the recruitment to this day are for this budget war!¡¹


    ¡¸I see¡­ So, that¡¯s why senpais were so desperate¡­¡¹


    I finally understood slightly why they were so tizzy during recruitment.


    Then, when I was reading through the guidelines for the implementation of the club budget war, I found two rules I was worried about.


    ¡ºIn the match where the first year student participates, the use of the soul dress is prohibited¡» huh¡­.


    It seems that even the first year students who haven¡¯t manifested their soul dress yet, or have not been able to control it, have been given a chance.


    And this time, unlike the Big Five Holy Festival, it does not seem to be a¡ºwinning-through form¡».


    It is the same as the Big Five Holy Festival to the point where it divides the members into ¨C Vanguard, Center, General.


    However, the vanguard who won in the first round cannot fight the opponent in the next round.


    The vanguards will only fight once, and the next center match will be yed by each others centers.


    It is a simple and clear rule that the club which wins two out of the total three matches, wins.


    ¡¸Of course, we are aiming to be the overall champion!¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s better to have a lot of club budget!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­But, do we need that much budget? We are the practice-swing club¡­¡¹


    The only thing necessary for practice-swing club activity is¡­ a healthy body.


    To be honest, I don¡¯t think we need so much budget.


    Or more precisely, I doubt if we need any budget at all.


    ¡¸It would be more convenient to have a lot of club budget. For instance¡­¡­ Yes, you can buy the right to use the practice ground!¡¹


    ¡¸Right to use practice ground¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, you can negotiate with the swimming club and the swordsmanship club and have them rent the pool or gymnasium in exchange for a certain amount of club budget!¡¹


    ¡¸Hee, that¡¯s convenient.¡¹


    It seems that there are more uses for club budget than I thought.


    ¡¸Then, let¡¯s decide the participants immediately!¡¹


    Then we tried to talk to the other club members ¨C ssmates in ss A.


    However, many of the ss A, including Tessa, had already been registered as a participant in another club.


    (Well, it¡¯s only natural if I think about it normally¡­)


    The ss division of Thousand de Academy is divided from ss A to ss F in order of highest grades.


    And, the club budget war must have at least one first-year student participate by all means.


    In addition, if soul dress is not allowed in the first-year yers match ¨C it was natural to choose a student of ss A who received the highest evaluation in terms of pure swordsmanship.


    As a result, the participants of practice-swing club were decided to be me, Ria and Rose.


    ¡¸It feels like the usual.¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, let¡¯s do our best to win the overallpetition!¡¹


    ¡¸We will definitely win.¡¹


    ¡ö


    A weekter, the Club Budget War was finally held.


    The venue is the Underground Training Ground.


    A square stage ced in the center.


    In addition, the audience seats were set up so as to surround it.


    It was the ce where I exchanged swords with Ria on the first day of enrolling into the academy.


    The audience seat was packed with students, and the whole venue was filled with tremendous enthusiasm.


    (However¡­ I didn¡¯t think we would get this far.)


    First match against Mountaineering Club.


    Second match against Cheerleading Club.


    Third match against Arm Wrestling Club.


    Fourth match against Judo Club.


    Pushing through the rest of the clubs, we advanced to the finals.


    ¡¸Fufu, Practice-Swing Club is making great progress!¡¹


    ¡¸A natural oue!¡¹


    ¡¸A-As expected of both of you.¡¹


    Up until now, I haven¡¯t fought in any of the matches.


    Because the vanguard Ria, and the center Rose, won the first two rounds without fail and continued to win straight.


    (No one would have imagined a team consisting of three first-year yers.)


    Soul dress was not allowed in a match against first-year student.


    The senpais, whose soul dress were sealed by this rule, couldn¡¯t carry out the match as they nned, and fell one after another against Ria and Rose.


    ¡¸Now! Well then, we¡¯re starting the final match! I¡¯m sure you already know, but I¡¯m going to introduce you to the¡ºSpecial Rules¡»for the final match!¡¹


    A female student who was in charge of the Club Budget War livementating, began exining in a loud voice.


    ¡¸Up until now, by winning two consecutive matches with just the vanguard and center ¨C did not require for a General match to be held. However! Only in this finals, even if the victory or defeat is decided in the previous two matches, the General match will be held! We would like to ask the Generals to contend with their peak swordsmanship, which will be an example for all students!¡¹


    This was the announcement before the start of the Club Budget War final.


    ¡¸Then, let¡¯s move on to the introduction of each club immediately! A strange group who keep swinging the sword in one corner of the schoolyard! The dark horse of the Club Budget War which boasts a number of 30 members immediately after its founding! It is the entrance of the Practice-Swing Club!¡¹


    ¡­Does it warrant being called a¡ºstrange group¡»just for swinging the sword?


    While thinking about that, I went up to the stage with Ria and Rose.


    ¡¸The Vanguard is contestant Ria-Vesteria! The Center is contestant Rose-Valencia! And finally, the General is club head, contestant Allen-Rodore!¡¹


    And then,


    ¡¸Good luck! Allen, Ria, Rose!¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t lose! You have our support!¡¹


    ¡¸You have to win aftering this far!¡¹


    Enthusiastic cheering was sent by everyone in ss A who gathered in the audience seat.


    ¡¸And they will be facing against, the underground rulers of Thousand de Academy! The Executives of Student Council! The Vanguard is Secretary Lilim-Tsuorine! Center is the ountant Ferris-Magdalot! And the General, of course, our student council president ¨C Sie-Arcstria! ¡­Well, that vice-president is currently away from the country due to a punishment game, so that person will miss the Club Budget War!¡¹


    All of the opponents were surprisingly female students.


    (But the vice-president was away from the country due to a punishment game?)


    Just what kind of a game they yed¡­?


    ¡¸Well, that¡¯s it! First round ¨C we will start the vanguard match!¡¹


    Thus, the battle between the Practice-Swing Club and the Student Council Executives began.

 Chapter 30.2 - Recruitment Period and Strange Group [3] – part 2

    30. Recruitment Period and Strange Group [3] ¨C part 2


    After that, the vanguard match and the center match were conducted¡­ the results were an overwhelming defeat.


    ¡¸¡­Strong.¡¹


    Secretary Lilim-Tsuorine.


    ountant Ferris-Magdalot.


    The undefeated Ria and Rose, were unable to lift a finger against the both of them.


    ¡¸S-Sorry, Allen¡­¡¹


    ¡¸We failed¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m d you two were not injured.¡¹


    After calling out to Ria and Rose, I nced back.


    ¡¸As expected of Lilim and Ferris! With this, the victory of the Student Council Executives is determined!¡¹


    ¡¸Well, it¡¯s a natural oue.¡¹


    ¡¸We won, but they were stronger than expected? Are they really first-year students? ¡­I¡¯m starting to doubt if their age is false?¡¹


    The members of the student council were happily exchanging high-fives.


    (To think there was this much difference in basic abilities¡­)


    While thinking about that, when I nced at the members of the student council executives,


    ¡¸Now, the student council executives have won two consecutive wins! The defeat of the practice-swing club has already been decided, but this is the finals! So we¡¯re going through with the General match!¡¹


    Thementator resumed the announcement, and the audience¡¯s cheer voltage rose rapidly.


    ¡¸Then, let¡¯s go! The General of Practice-Swing Club! He overpowered the soul dress user at the Big Five Holy Festival, but was disqualified and suspended from academy due to poor behavior! The problem child of Thousand de Academy! Allen-Rodore!¡¹


    Yup¡­ they got it right.


    It¡¯s all correct with zero lies¡­ though it was a bit of an ill introduction.


    ¡¸And then ¨C the ultra-genius swordsman who has taken the president seat in her second year! The President of Student Council Executive! Contestant Sie-Arcstria!¡¹


    Long beautiful ck hair tied behind.


    Snow-white skin.


    Height of about 160cm.


    She had a very cute face, and somewhat felt like an¡ºOnee-san¡».


    ¡¸Fufu, please be gentle, Allen-kun?¡¹she said, holding out her right hand quickly.


    ¡¸Me too, please don¡¯t be too hard on me, President.¡¹


    I took her hand and shook it firmly.


    (The head of the student council executives who defeated Ria and Rose ¨C she is definitely a superior opponent.)


    Let¡¯s face her with the intention of learning from her.


    Then, as we stood in the middle of the stage, thementator announced.


    ¡¸Both parties, are you ready? Well then, General match ¨C START!¡¹


    At the same time as the signal to start the match, I went on the offensive at once.


    ¡¸First Sword ¨C Flying Shadow!¡¹


    Shoot a big flying sh, hide behind it and close the distance right away.


    This is one of my best tactics that is difficult to deal with at first sight.


    However,


    ¡¸¨CA technique that blocks your vision is perfect as a camouge, isn¡¯t it?¡¹


    ¡¸!?¡¹


    The president calmly warded off Flying Shadow, and firmly grasped my position hiding behind it.


    (¡­She read me!?)


    ¡¸C-Cloud Style ¨C Cirrocumulus!¡¹


    I became flustered and unleashed four simultaneous shes which has the shortestunch time.


    It¡¯s a feint.


    ¡¸Ara, four ispletely insufficient, you know?¡¹


    She was able to evade the two shes brilliantly and easily defended the rest.


    Composure, kic vision, swordsmanship ¨C everything is at a high level.


    (Strong¡­ and as opposed to Sid-san¡¯s brute strength, hers was¡ºSkillful strength¡»¡­)


    This is probably the first time I¡¯m facing such a skilled opponent.


    Surely half-baked attacks won¡¯t work against her.


    ¡¸That¡¯s true, how about this then¡­? Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style Secret Technique ¨C Mirrored Sakura sh!¡¹


    A total of eight shes were unleashed simultaneously, with four strikes from left and right each, like mirror alignment.


    ¡¸So pretty. But still, not good enough.¡¹


    Without even using any school techniques, she cut down the eight shes in a single sh.


    (Su-Sugoi¡­)


    I never imagined that it could be cut down perfectly like that.


    In terms of simple skills, she was definitely better.


    However ¨C I still have that thing.


    That deadly sh that tore through the prison of time and defeated Dodriel¡¯s¡´Shadow Ruler¡µ¡­!


    ¡¸Fifth Sword ¨C World Judgement!¡¹


    The sh that can cut apart space, the world,


    ¡¸Wow, an amazing sh¡­!¡¹


    She nimbly dodged with time to spare.


    ¡¸¡­¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸But¡­ Doesn¡¯t it take a little too much time to swing? If you can¡¯t hit, then it¡¯s no big deal.¡¹


    Just by witnessing it once, she saw through the weakness of World Judgement.


    As she says, World Judgement¡¯s power is tremendous, but¡­ there was a weakness, the skill was slightly slow.


    (¡­¡­I am speechless.)


    Her swordsmanship was so sharpened that I was at a loss of words to praise the president.


    ¡¸Fufu,e, Allen-kun?¡¹she said with a gentle smile, as if inviting a small child.


    ¡¸U-UOOOOO¡­!¡¹


    Then I attacked her over and over again.


    However, it was avoided, parried, warded off ¨C none of them caught the president.(i have a feelingmenters are gonna be like but he trained for so long only to get owned like this wah wah wah)


    The swordsmanship that I¡¯ve been polishing up to this point was ineffective against her..


    The pinnacle of swordsmanship ¨C I was vividly shown the definition of¡ºthe best of skill¡».


    I couldn¡¯t help it ¨C it was so much fun.


    (Fu, haha, hahahaha¡­!)


    It was fun to know that I am still immature.


    It was fun to swing the sword freely with all my strength.


    It was fun to fight against an opponent whom I couldn¡¯t cut, try as I may.


    (Aa, this is truly fun¡­ Truly ¨C So much fun!)


    At that moment.


    Only for a brief moment ¨C tremendous power surged through my body.


    ¡¸Raa!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Eh?¡¹


    The next moment.


    A terrific sh that even blew my mind, cut through the world.


    Her sword coincidentally tried to ward it off but ¨C it couldn¡¯t bear the monstrous power, and snapped in half.


    ¡¸¡¸¡­!?¡¹¡¹


    The president and I took in a breath at the same time.


    An attack which boasts an astounding power ¨C a simple cross cut.


    (F-For just a moment there, did that guye out¡­?)


    I put my hand on my chest, but I didn¡¯t feel the soul being strung up like when holding a spirit sword.


    (W-Was it my imagination¡­?)


    When I raised my head ¨C there was the figure of the president who stood in a daze.


    ¡¸Umm¡­ what should we do?¡¹


    Personally, I¡¯d like her to get a new sword and face off against me again¡­


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    Then she red at me for a moment and shook her head quietly.


    ¡¸That is impossible¡­ I give up¡­¡¹


    Immediately following,


    ¡¸Contestant Sie-Arcstria, withdrawing! So the winner is Allen-Rodore!¡¹


    The referee announced the oue, and the entire venue became noisy.


    ¡¸Wha-wha-wha-what is this!? To think Allen-Rodore was concealing this much power!? Uproarious! Dark Horse! Surprise Victory! The head of the student council, Sie-Arcstria was defeateeeeeed!?!¡¹


    In response to the ent of thementary on the situation, the whole venue was very excited.


    In the end, the club budget war ended with the result of the;


    1st-ce Student Council Executives, the 2nd-ce Swing Club, and the 3rd-ce Judo Club.


    A lot of apuse was sent from senpais and ssmates to us, who brilliantly ced in 2nd-ce of the club budget war in the first year of the club¡¯s founding.


    I, who never had the experience of being blessed by everyone like this, was honestly quite happy.


    (However, there is one thing that bothers me¡­)


    The student council president who was defeated by me just a while ago is staring at me with a sullen expression.


    (Haa¡­ I¡¯m begging you, please don¡¯t bring up something troublesome¡­)


    While sighing in my heart ¨C I pretended not to notice the president¡¯s sharp gaze.

 Chapter 31 - Recruitment Period and Strange Group [4]

    31. Recruitment Period and Strange Group [4]


    The day after the club budget war.


    After the morning ss, while I was eating lunch with Ria and Rose as usual ¨C an in-house broadcast flowed.


    ¡¸Year 1 ss A, Allen Rodore-kun, pleasee to the student council room asap. I repeat. Year 1 ss A-¡¹


    That voice undoubtedly belongs to the president, whom I fought yesterday.


    Even if she says¡ºasap¡»¡­¡­


    It¡¯s clear as day, that it wasn¡¯t going to be anything decent.


    However, I can¡¯t possibly ignore her after being called through the broadcast.


    I dragged my heavy feet to the student council room.


    ¡ö


    And currently,


    ¡¸Nee, Allen.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­What is it, president?¡¹


    In the student council room, I was being bombarded with questions by the president, who was grinning creepily..


    There were four people in the room ¨C me, the president, the secretary Lilim-senpai, and the ountant Ferris-senpai.


    Lilim-senpai was doing maintenance on her sword, and Ferris-senpai was eating sweets and reading fashion magazines.


    It seems that neither of them intend to stop the president¡¯s reckless behaviour.


    ¡¸That thing yesterday, what was it?¡¹


    The president, while sitting in a fine chair, asked me who was standing across her desk.


    ¡¸¡­What do you mean by¡ºthat thing¡»?¡¹


    ¡¸Fuun, so you¡¯re gonna feign ignorance¡­? Well, I¡¯ll change the question. At the beginning, you were clearly going easy on me, right?¡¹


    ¡¸No, not at all.¡¹


    In yesterday¡¯s General match, I fought with all my might from beginning to end.


    And then,


    ¡¸Lie! If so, what was that sh yesterday? What exactly was that strike which snapped my sword in half!?¡¹


    She promptly stood up while hitting the desk with her palm, and asked questions in rapid session.


    ¡¸No, that¡¯s¡­¡¹


    Honestly, even now I don¡¯t know what that sh was.


    (It probably doesn¡¯t have anything to do with that guy¡­)


    It is a little different from the strange feeling of being hijacked.


    Above all, there was no feeling of the soul being strung up.


    ¡¸The greate back y after being cornered ¨C I¡¯m sure it must have felt good! Although, I was humiliated!¡¹


    ¡¸E-Even if you say that¡­¡¹


    ¡­Although she seems to emit¡ºonee-san¡»-like vibes, she seems to be a little childish on the inside.


    The president then sits down on her chair, with a sullen face.


    ¡¸¡­Nee, is it fun to tease a girl?¡¹


    ¡¸N-No, that¡¯s not my intention¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    She fell silent at once.


    Don¡¯t re at me with such scornful eyes¡­


    ¡¸¡­I see. So you have no intention of apologizing.¡¹


    Apparently, she was waiting for my apology this time.


    Of course I wouldn¡¯t understand, if you don¡¯t say it out loud.


    ¡¸For being so stubborn, Allen-kun ¨C I will have you ept this next match.¡¹


    ¡¸A m-match?¡¹


    As I asked in return,


    ¡¸Dekudekudekudekudekudekudeku ¡ª Deden!¡¹


    The president, who suddenly made a poor drum roll sound with her mouth, took out a set of trump cards.


    ¡¸¡­Are we going to have a match with trump cards?¡¹


    ¡¸Exactly! Do you know¡ºPoker¡», Allen-kun?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, I know the rules at least¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I see, that¡¯s good.¡¹


    Saying that, she took twenty coins out of the desk drawer ¨C and handed half of them to me.


    ¡¸This is¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, this is¡ºlife¡»¡¹


    She began to exin with a suspicious smile.


    ¡¸From now on, I and Allen-kun will y poker by betting this life. The rules are very simple, so just listen to them smoothly.¡¹


    Saying that, she continued the exnation.


    ¡¸First of all, we¡¯ll bet each other¡¯s life one by one. Then draw 5 cards and get into the first betting time. You can bet additional life, or continue with the same number of life as is. -But if your opponent bets additional life, you must also bet the same number of life.¡¹


    There is nothing particrly unusual.


    It¡¯s amon flow of poker.


    ¡¸After that, we exchange cards only once ¨C and we enter thest betting time. If it¡¯s a good hand, you can bet additional life. On the contrary, if it is a bad hand, you can fold.¡¹


    ¡¸What happens if we fold?¡¹


    ¡¸You will lose half of the life you bet. Round up the fraction.¡¹


    I see¡­


    ¡¸If we both don¡¯t fold, we open each other¡¯s hand ¨C the holder of the¡ºstronger hand¡»wins. The winner takes all the life bet on the match.¡¹


    After finishing the rough exnation of the rules,


    ¡¸Well, to put it simply ¨C y poker normally and if your life goes to zero first, you lose.¡¹


    Finally, it was summarized briefly as so.


    ¡¸Understood.¡¹


    There was nothing peculiar about the rules.


    It¡¯s just in poker.


    (Yoshi, let¡¯s lose at the right ce¡­)


    If I win poorly here, I will get involved in some troublesome matter again.


    (In order not to leave a grudge, while winning moderately ¨C I will try to lose at the very end.)


    When thinking about that, the president finally said something very bothersome.


    ¡¸And the loser have to listen to¡ºany one thing¡»that the winner says!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Are you for real, president?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m really serious. No matter what kind of order it may be, the loser must definitely abide by it¡­ You understand, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Haa, understood¡­¡¹


    It¡¯s not like she¡¯s going to back down, even if I were to say¡ºno¡».


    If that¡¯s the case, it¡¯s better to y a good game and finish early.


    (Fortunately, I¡¯m good at ying cards.)


    Well, I¡¯ll probably win.


    ¡¸All right. -Let¡¯s start the firstmemorative battle!¡¹


    Then I and the president arranged each other¡¯s life in the center of the desk one by one.


    ¡¸Fufu, my heart is beating excitedly.¡¹


    Saying that, she firmly grasped the deck and handed out five cards, one at a time.


    (Aa©`¡­ this, she¡¯s cheating.)


    I understood as soon as the match began.


    (Forcefully proposing a match like a child, but cheating under the surface like this¡­)


    Although she¡¯s a second-year student, and sitting in the responsible position of¡ºStudent Council President¡», she¡¯s a little wicked¡­


    But, how nostalgic.


    (Cheating in card games, was bamboo geezer¡¯s forte¡­)


    When I was a child.


    I would always pester bamboo geezer saying¡¸How did you do that!? Teach me!¡¹, whenever he cheats during a game.


    Remembering those old days, I yed the game indifferently.


    Fortunately, the president¡¯s cheat seems to be quite petty.


    I have plenty of time to prepare.


    Then we finished two battles, three battles and ¨C Ipleted my preparations.


    (This should be enough¡­ Next, I¡¯ll just have to wait for the president to make the first move.)


    After that, life was taken and given out repeatedly.


    It had be a see-saw like game.


    And when we approached the seventh battle,


    ¡¸That face¡­ do you have a good hand, Allen-kun?¡¹


    The president finally begun moving.


    My hand is two pairs of two and five.


    Without exchanging cards yet, it¡¯s a very good hand that can aim for three card and full house.


    ¡¸As expected of president, you can see through everything.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, it¡¯s obvious looking at your face.¡¹


    It¡¯s not my face that she really sees¡­


    The president didn¡¯t suspect that it was purposely leaked by me, and had a triumphant look.


    ¡¸Continuing this see-saw game is getting tiring, so¡­ how about we bet all our life in this battle?¡¹


    While chuckling in my mind as things progressed as I expected, I responded as calmly as possible.


    ¡¸¡­That¡¯s scary. Just what kind of strong hand do you have, president?¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, probably around the same as Allen?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Understood. I also have confidence in this hand, so I ept your challenge.¡¹


    ¡¸Alright, then I¡¯ll change one card!¡¹


    Saying that, she hurriedly exchanged a card.


    It seems that the card at the top of the deck was thest key.


    ¡¸Fufu, now, go ahead and exchange too, Allen-kun.¡¹


    President must already be assured of victory.


    She was grinning in a good mood.


    ¡¸Understood. I¡¯ll exchange my card.¡¹


    I discarded my entire hand and,


    ¡¸¡­Eh?¡¹


    The five cards drawn from the deck were stacked face down in the middle of the desk.


    ¡¸Y-You changed all five¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. In matches of grave importance as this, I¡¯ve decided to surrender myself to luck.¡¹


    ¡¸And you didn¡¯t even check the cards, are you for real!?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, I will continue this match with this hand.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    In the face of an unexpected situation, the president reflexively took a breath.


    ¡¸¡­ What will you do? Of course, you have the option to fold the cards.¡¹


    Yes.


    She still had the option to fold her cards.


    That way, she¡¯ll lose half her life and can avoid an immediate defeat on the spot.


    ¡¸Fu, Fuun¡­! You can¡¯t shake me with that! (Did he trick me¡­? No, that¡¯s impossible¡­! I handed out the first card. And I was the one who shuffled it. Allen-kun had zero chance to interfere with the board¡­! Which means¡­ this is 100% a bluff!)¡¹


    ¡¸Is that so¡­ that¡¯s unfortunate¡­¡¹


    She relinquished her final chance.


    ¡¸C-Card Open! My hand is¡ºFour of A Kind¡»eight! Now, show your hand!¡¹


    ¡¸Understood.¡¹


    Then I turned over the stacked five cards one by one from the top.


    Ten of Spades.


    Jack of Spades.


    Queen of Spades.


    King of Spades.


    ¡¸Im-Impossible¡­!?¡¹


    And thest card ¨C Ace of Spades.


    ¡¸Sorry, president. ¡ºRoyal Straight Flush¡»- it would seem that this game is my win.¡¹


    Four of A Kind vs Royal Straight Flush.


    As a result, I gained an overwhelming victory.


    Then, the two who must have been listening in,


    Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai quickly approached me.


    ¡¸Su-Sugoi¡­!? It really is a royal straight flush¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸B-But it has a tremendously low probability¡­!?¡¹


    And the president who suffered aplete defeat,


    ¡¸T-There is definitely something suspicious about this! This is cheating, cheating I say!¡¹


    While pointing at me with a trembling hand, she said so.


    ¡¸Ahaha, I wonder who is the real cheater?¡¹


    ¡¸W-What are you saying¡­?¡¹


    I pointed at one of the cards facing down and said to her, who was trying to y innocent to the bitter end.


    ¡¸This is a¡ºgimmick card¡» that shows the numbers on the front by the pattern on the back¡­ isn¡¯t it?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­!?¡¹


    When her cheating was clearly exposed ¨C the colour drained from her face without uttering a word of rebuttal.

 Chapter 32.1 - Recruitment Period and Strange Group [5] – part 1

    32. Recruitment Period and Strange Group [5] ¨C part 1


    The president, who was silent after having her gimmick pointed out,


    ¡¸¡­Y-Y-Y-You use me of such a thing? Do I look like someone who would cheat using a g-gimmick card¡­?¡¹


    She seemed unable to hide her trembling, and retorted about three breathste.


    (Still trying to cheat her way through even after being found out¡­)


    In contrast to her appearance, she was quite a coercive person.


    ¡¸Even if you say that¡­ There¡¯s solid evidence here.¡¹


    I turned my gaze to the deck on the desk.


    On the back of this card, a small x is closely marked from the top left to the bottom right.


    If you look carefully at them ¨C there is an¡ºerror mark¡»with one line missing from one of the x¡¯s.


    The error mark is made to be able to understand the number written on the surface of the card at a nce by¡ºwhat position its in¡»from the top left to the right.


    ¡¸For example, if it is the card at the top of the deck¡­ the error mark is at the¡ºseventh position¡»counting from the top left to the right. The x on this position is printed with one line missing, right? In other words, this card is-¡¹


    And as I flipped the face down card,


    ¡¸So it¡¯s a card of¡º7¡»after all.¡¹


    The result appeared as expected.


    ¡¸Uwaa. You really saw through it, amazing!¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s an unpleasant level of insight¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Kuh¡¹


    The president, who could no longer talk her way out of it, bit her lower lip regretfully.


    It seems that she finally admitted her cheating.


    ¡¸¡­W-When did you realise it?¡¹


    ¡¸Of course, from the very beginning.¡¹


    ¡¸F-From the beginning¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. In a match¡ºDon¡¯t trust the tools that the other party brings out¡»- an acquaintance of mine,¡ºThe Master of y¡»Bamboo Geezer taught me. So as I cautiously examined the card, sure enough¡­ they were gimmick cards.¡¹


    I was taught a lot by bamboo geezer, such as a typical gimmick card andmon methods of cheating.


    ¡¸B-But! Even if you unraveled the secret behind the card, how did you set up such a hand!? The cards were handed out and even shuffled by me. You didn¡¯t touch the deck even once!?¡¹


    She pointed at the deck ced on the middle of the table.


    (¡­This is troublesome. What should I do?)


    Bamboo geezer didn¡¯t particrly forbid me from speaking, but¡­


    I don¡¯t really feel proud going around announcing the tricks behind cheating.


    ¡¸E-Err you see¡­ It¡¯s kind of a¡ºsecret¡»©`¡¹


    ¡¸T-That¡¯s too cruel! P-Please Allen-kun, tell me! I won¡¯t be able to sleep tonight¡­¡¹she said, clinging onto me.


    ¡¸S-So close¡­ You¡¯re too close, president¡­¡¹


    Taking in her slight sweet scent, my heartbeat started beating a little faster.


    And then,


    ¡¸Now now, Allen-kun. Don¡¯t be stingy and tell me©`¡¹


    ¡¸I am also super interested¡­¡¹


    Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai circled behind me and lightly poked at my sides.


    It seems that both of them are also interested about the trick behind the cheat.


    ¡¸Haa¡­ Understood. But, please don¡¯t tell anyone else?¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you, Allen-kun!¡¹


    ¡¸My lips are sealed tight, so rest assured©`¡¹


    ¡¸I super reassure you¡­¡¹


    Then I taught the trick behind this cheat.


    However, this is not such a big deal.


    First of all, I ran¡ºcard collection¡»as soon as this betting game started.


    The method is very simple.


    When both parties reveal their hand and returns their cards to the deck ¨C just hide the cards you¡¯re looking for under the sleeves of your uniform.


    I repeated this several times and made a royal straight flush¡ºunder the sleeve¡».


    After that, discard all your hand at any time you like, and at the same time ce the five hidden cards on the deck. That way, the card I¡¯m pulling will definitely be a royal straight flush, and certain victory is guaranteed.


    ¡¸-Right? You can cheat however you like without ever touching the deck, right?¡¹


    The party that begins the cheat first, does not think that they are being¡ºset up¡»for a cheat.


    In fact, the president deliberately shifted her gaze all over the ce so that I wouldn¡¯t discern the gimmick card, thus she didn¡¯t get suspicious of my own cheat. As a result, it was very easy to collect cards.


    And the president who was quietly listening to me,


    ¡¸C-Cruel! Allen-kun is cruel! Onee-san never imagined that you were this kind of a child!¡¹


    Her face burning red with anger. She turned rather serious, and shook my shoulders.


    ¡¸Ahaha. I thought¡ºIf it¡¯s for the sake of victory, the president will surely cheat¡»¡¹


    At that time ¨C it was the same during the club budget war.


    She constantly red at me due to the frustration of losing.


    The typical action of a sore loser.


    ¡¸¡­Mo-Mou! Listen Lilim, Ferris! Allen-kun is so not cute unlike his appearance!¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s what I thought too. He has a gentle face, yet surprisingly strong.¡¹


    ¡¸I was surprised that he saw through it at first nce¡­. Different from the vice-president who hasn¡¯t noticed even after two years¡­¡¹


    Apparently, the vice-president who is currently out of the country due to a punishment game seems to have been duped by this.


    ¡­How pitiful.


    ¡¸Well then¡­ president. This match is my win, isn¡¯t it?¡¹


    ¡¸U-Uu¡­¡¹


    She bit her lip and nodded.


    In addition to having her own cheat being seen through, she was even entrapped by the opponent¡¯s cheat ¨C even the president will have to admit defeat.


    ¡¸The right to order the president to do any one thing, how shall I use it¡­¡¹


    The student council president has a variety of rights, such as allocating the site for club activities and holding events such as Tanabata and the New Year¡¯s Countdown, Rose said.


    But I¡¯m not particrly dissatisfied with the current Thousand de Academy.


    Everyone in ss A is a good person and I am very happy with the sses and facilities.


    (¡­Honestly, I have nothing to ask of the president.)


    As I was worried about what to do with this useless right,


    ¡¸A-Ah©`! That look on your face, you¡¯re thinking of something perverted aren¡¯t you!? You¡¯re going to do something perverted to me!¡¹


    The president said mean things to embarrass me.


    ¡­¡­If you¡¯re going to do that, then I have an idea of my own too.


    ¡¸You¡¯re right¡­ Certainly, I can ask for such a thing.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Eh?¡¹


    The unexpected response made the president stare in wonder.


    ¡¸No matter what the order is, the loser must absolutely abide¡­ right?¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, no, u-umm¡­ that is¡­¡¹


    While blushing, she cast her gaze down and shrank back.


    She seems to be unexpectedly weak to pushes.


    (O-Oo¡­ Allen-kun is surprisingly aggressive¡­!)


    (That Sie is beingpletely toyed with¡­ He¡¯s quite capable¡­)


    It¡¯s about time I stopped the counterattack against the president.


    If I overdo it, it will be troublesometer on.


    ¡¸Ahaha, I¡¯m just kidding. Of course, I won¡¯t use it for such a thing.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­! M-Mou¡­! Don¡¯t tease onee-san!¡¹


    ¡¸Sorry. But, it was the president who teased me first, so let¡¯s settle it by calling it a¡ºtie¡»¡¹


    For the time being, let¡¯s put this right aside.


    Maybe it can be used on a different asion.


    ¡¸Well then, president. I will take my leave here.¡¹


    When I tried to leave the student council room after the game,


    ¡¸W-Wait, Allen-kun!¡¹


    The president grasped my hand flusteredly.


    ¡¸What is it?¡¹


    ¡¸Will you listen to a request of mine?¡¹


    ¡¸A request?¡¹


    When I asked, she nodded.

 Chapter 32.2 - Recruitment Period and Strange Group [5] – part 2

    32. Recruitment Period and Strange Group [5] ¨C part 2


    ¡¸Truth is¡­ I want Allen-kun to join the student council for the position of¡ºgeneral affairs¡»¡¹


    ¡¸Me, into the student council?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, we traditionally follow a perfect supremacy principle. Lilim and Ferris over here, were very strong, right? I scouted the both of them.¡¹


    As she turned her gaze over to Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai,


    ¡¸Fufu, You saw our match right, Allen-kun? I am quite strong!¡¹


    ¡¸At that time, Sie was super persistent, though¡­¡¹


    They each responded differently.


    ¡¸I wanted Allen-kun to join by all means. That is why I proposed the poker match.¡¹


    ¡¸I see, so that was why¡­¡¹


    The president seems to have intended to pull me into the student council using the ¡ºright to order any one thing¡».


    It¡¯s a pretty pushy measure, but¡­ I guess it¡¯s a very president-like measure.


    ¡¸Won¡¯t¡­ you?¡¹


    She asked me fearfully.


    ¡¸¡­Then, I¡¯m not going to join the student council using my right from just now.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s so sly! No!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Is that so?¡¹


    She sure does have her childish moments, for someone who refers to herself as¡ºonee-san¡».


    Although she¡¯s my senpai, she seems a little adorable.


    ¡¸¡­Fufuu¡¹


    ¡¸H-Hey, did you justugh!? Youughed while looking at me!?¡¹


    ¡¸No, it¡¯s just your imagination, president.¡¹


    Then I reverted the talk that was about to derail.


    ¡¸Well, putting aside the jokes¡­ About the matter of joining the student council, it¡¯s not something I can decide on my own.¡¹


    ¡¸If you¡¯re thinking about interference with the activity of the practice-swing club, there¡¯s no problem at all, you know? There¡¯s almost nothing to do with¡ºgeneral affairs¡», and if you only show up at regr meetings held during lunch break, there¡¯s no problem at all.¡¹


    ¡¸Understood. I¡¯ll take that into consideration. Then, I¡¯ll give my answer on another day- Excuse me.¡¹


    Then, after summarizing the discussion briefly, I left the student council room.


    ¡ö


    After that, I returned to ss A and told Ria and Rose what had happened in the student council room.


    And then,


    ¡¸Allen joining the student council? That is an absolute NO!¡¹


    ¡¸Allen belongs to us!¡¹


    ¡¸I-I see.¡¹


    It¡¯s uncertain as to when I belonged to Rose and Ria, but¡­


    At any rate, I understood that they were against it.


    ¡¸I see, I¡¯ll turn it down then.¡¹


    Yoshi, there is still another 15 minutes of lunch break left.


    It¡¯s better to convey it early.


    As I stood up from the chair thinking so,


    ¡¸Wait a moment! I will also go this time!¡¹


    ¡¸I will go too! We should clearly turn down things like this!¡¹


    For some reason, the two got fired up and said they woulde with me.


    ¡¸I-I see, that¡¯s reliable.¡¹


    Then, with Ria and Rose at the lead, I headed to the student council room.


    After walking about 2 minutes through the vast academy building, I saw the student council room in front of me.


    ¡¸This is the ce, right¡­¡¹


    Ria knocked three times without any hesitation, and opened the door without waiting for an answer.


    ¡¸Excuse me!¡¹


    ¡¸Excuse me!¡¹


    In the student council room, the president, Lilim-senpai, and Ferris-senpai were ying¡ºmillionaire¡»together.


    ¡¸Ara, you guys are from the practice-swing club¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa©`, what was their name¡­ I forgot.¡¹


    ¡¸They are Ria-Vesteria and Rose-Valencia¡­ They¡¯re quite famed as¡ºprincess¡»and¡ºbounty hunter¡», though¡­¡¹


    As Ria and Rose stood before the president and the senpais,


    ¡¸Stop trying to take away¡ºour¡»Allen!¡¹


    ¡¸We resolutely reject the prospect of joining the student council!¡¹


    They said with a strong, firm tone.


    Then the president stood up on the spot and spoke.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s see¡­ why do you two reject it?¡¹


    ¡¸Because Allen is the head of our Practice-Swing Club!¡¹


    ¡¸Exactly!¡¹


    ¡¸I think you already heard it from Allen-kun, but¡­ There¡¯s really nothing in general affairs, so it won¡¯t affect the activities of the practice-swing club, you know? It¡¯s okay just to go to regr meetings held during lunch break.¡¹


    ¡¸A-Allen always eats lunch together with me!¡¹


    ¡¸M-Me too¡­!¡¹


    When they made such a strong rebuttal,


    ¡¸Aa, I see¡­ that¡¯s what this is all about¡­¡¹


    I have no idea what exactly the president understood, but she was nodding her head understandingly.


    ¡¸Well then, how about Ria-san and Rose-san join the student council together with Allen-kun?¡¹


    ¡¸Us¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Into the student council¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. The frame of general affairs is still vacant, and you are also wee in terms of ability. If you join the student council, you¡¯ll have a lot of fun, you know? For example¡­ we spend a lot of club budget and hold a candy party several times a month!¡¹


    ¡¸Together with Allen¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Candy party¡­¡¹


    ¡¸No, president¡­ Let¡¯s use the club budget for managing the student council properly¡­¡¹


    The president seemed to have narrowed the target to Ria and Rose, and brought up various stories to convince them.


    ¡¸Other than that, there are also training camps in the summer, you see? If I¡¯m not mistaken, this year we decided to go to a resort in the south. Barbecue in the beach together with Allen-kun¡­ What do you think?¡¹


    ¡¸Going to a resort together with Allen¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Beach barbeque¡­¡¹


    ¡­¡­I feel like the story is heading towards a strange direction.


    Then, suddenly, the president leaned towards Ria and Rose ¨C and began a secret conversation by whispering.


    ¡¸Allen-kun is also a boy, right? If you appear in an open swimsuit, unlike your usual formal uniforms¡­ wouldn¡¯t he fall easily?¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡­¡­!?¡¹¡¹


    I don¡¯t know what on earth the president told them, but the two of them blushed brightly for a moment.


    And then the next moment,


    ¡¸Allen¡­ let¡¯s join the student council!¡¹


    ¡¸Thinking about it calmly, I think it¡¯s a pretty good idea!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Eh?¡¹


    The two reliable swords ¨C fell into the hands of the president before I knew it.


    ¡¸¡­President. What did you whisper to the two?¡¹


    ¡¸Fufuu, it¡¯s a¡ºsecret¡»! I won¡¯t tell it to a naughty child who cheats!¡¹


    Perhaps she was still bitter about losing that poker match, as she said so childishly.


    ¡¸Now, Allen-kun! There is nothing obstructing you from joining the student council! Naturally, you¡¯re going to join, right?¡¹


    As I nced at Ria and Rose, they both nodded.


    (Even though they were so strongly opposed to it¡­ just what exactly was whispered to them¡­?)


    I¡¯m not sure, but at any rate they seem to agree.


    Well, personally, I have noints as long as the practice-swing time doesn¡¯t decrease.


    ¡¸Haa¡­ I understand. I¡¯ll join the student council.¡¹


    ¡¸YAY! We got Allen-kun!¡¹


    This is how my student life as a concurrent member of the practice-swing club and the student council executive began.

 Chapter 33.1 - Meeting at Summer Camp [1] – part 1

    33. Meeting at Summer Camp [1] ¨C part 1


    The day after I joined the student council as general affairs.


    After the morning ss, I, Ria, and Rose, gathered in front of the student council room.


    To participate in the regr lunch break meeting held every day.


    When I knocked on the door on behalf of us three,


    ¡¸-Pleasee in.¡¹


    The president¡¯s clear and beautiful voice, replied.


    ¡¸Excuse me.¡¹


    When I slowly opened the door, there was the figure of the president, Lilim-senpai, and Ferris-senpai.


    Everyone sat in their own seats and had their lunch box ced on the desk.


    ¡¸Wee. Allen-kun, Ria-san, Rose-san.¡¹


    ¡¸This is the first regr meeting that you guys will be attending¡­ Brace yourself!¡¹


    ¡¸Though, we just eat lunch as per usual, though¡­¡¹


    Our desk was already well prepared, ced with tabletop card with our names and position.


    We greeted our senpais briefly and as we took our seats,


    ¡¸Then, first of all, let¡¯s introduce ourselves!¡¹the president said, and shifted her gaze to Lilim-senpai on the left.


    ¡¸Err, Ahem. I¡¯m from Year 2 ss A, secretary Lilim-Tsuorine. Even if I say secretary, it¡¯s just in name only, and most of my work is thrown to the vice-president! Let¡¯s get along from here on!¡¹


    Lilim-Tsuorine.


    Slightly short light brown hair.


    The hair is tied on the left using a pink hair clip, and her forehead shows well.


    A cheerful schoolgirl with big cat eyes.


    ¡¸Year 2 ss A, ountant Ferris-Magdalot. ountant just in name, and most of the work is thrown to the vice-president. I hope we get along well, though¡­¡¹


    Ferris-Magdalot.


    Dark blue hair, cut just before the shoulders.


    The right eye is hidden behind bangs and has a face that gives a downer impression as opposed to Lilim-senpai.


    She is a little taller than the president, slightly more than 160 cm.


    ¡¸From the same Year 2 ss A, I am the student council president, Sie-Arcstria. Even if I say the student council president, it¡¯s just in name, and I ask the vice-president to do all the work. Let¡¯s have fun together from now!¡¹


    Surprisingly, all of the members of student councils were¡ºonly in name¡».


    (All the work is dumped on the vice-president¡­ is that really okay?)


    Unexpectedly, the rtionship between Leia-sensei and No.18-san crossed my mind.


    Then we introduced ourselves following the president.


    ¡¸I am Allen-Rodore. At the invitation of the president, I joined the student council as general affairs member. Nice to meet you all.¡¹


    ¡¸I am Ria-Vesteria. A first-year student, nice to meet you.¡¹


    ¡¸Rose-Valencia. Nice to meet you.¡¹


    After we had finished introducing ourselves to each other, we had a pleasant lunch with the six of us.


    The president, Lilim-senpai, and Ferris-senpai ¨C all were good people and we had a very good time.


    I was only concerned about one point¡­


    (This is a¡ºregr meeting¡»only in name, and in actuality just a¡ºlunch party¡», right? )


    During the regr meeting, there was no talk about the student council¡¯s work.


    (¡­No, now that I think about it, today is like the¡ºFirst Meeting¡». Surely they¡¯re just doing this not to throw us off on our first day.)


    However, my expectation¡­ or my hope was betrayed splendidly.


    After that, a week passed, two weeks passed, but¡­ the student council really did no work.


    The testament to this is the pile of documents that have been piled up on the desk of the vice-president.


    And one day.


    The president who was not able to watch the pile of documents which grew bigger day by day said.


    ¡¸The vice-president¡¯s return ister than I expected¡­ This might be a little bad.¡¹


    Vice-president ¨C If I remember correctly, they said¡ºleft the country due to a punishment game¡» in the announcement of the Club Budget War¡­


    It¡¯s something I¡¯ve been a little worried about for a long time, so let¡¯s take this opportunity to ask.


    ¡¸Now that I think about it, I heard that the vice-president had left the country¡­ How far did he go?¡¹


    The president then responded with a ridiculous response.


    ¡¸The Underground Veins of the Holy Ronelia Empire.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Ha?¡¹


    The Holy Ronelia Empire- a dictatorship in which the evil emperorys down evil politics and is one of this country¡¯s designated travel bans.


    ¡¸W-Why did the vice-president go to such a dangerous ce!?¡¹


    ¡¸Excavation.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Excavation?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. While deciding on the punishment game, I said¡ºI want a blood diamond!¡»and the vice-president said¡ºLeave it to me!¡»¡­ He actually went to pick it up, how troubling¡­¡¹the president said, with a sigh.


    Blood Diamond.


    It is an ultra-rare mineral that is mined slightly deep underground of the Holy Ronelia Empire.


    A rock which shines deep crimson, it is so beautiful that it is favored by the royal nobility as a jewel.


    However, because the mining site is monopolized by the Empire, it is hardly distributed to the market.


    When it is rarely put up for auction, it will be sold at a price that will make the eyeballs pop out, and will appear on the first page of newspapers.


    (But to go to that Holy Ronelia Empire¡­ for such a feeble reason¡­!?)


    As far as I can tell, the vice-president seems to be a pretty risky person.


    Then, Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai who were simply listening to the conversation until now, spoke.


    ¡¸Speaking of, that guy is taking long to return. Did he perhaps¡­ die?¡¹


    ¡¸No way, no way. I can¡¯t even imagine that idiot dying, though¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Haha, that¡¯s true as well!¡¹


    It seems that his robustness is given the stamp of approval by the members of the student council.


    (J-Just what kind of person is he¡­?)


    I was eager to meet him.


    After that, I spent fulfilling days with soul dress ss in the morning, regr meetings in the student council room for lunch break, and soul dress ss again in the afternoon, and the activity of the Practice-Swing Club single-mindedly after school.


    The fun times flew by quickly, and by the time I realised, it was already June 30th.


    It was thest ss day of the first semester of Thousand de Academy.


    ¡¸-Yoshi, we are done with returning the answer sheets! Students with scoring mistakes and questions shoulde to me!¡¹Leia-sensei said, pping her hands together.


    Because it was thest day of the first semester, all the final exam papers we took the other day were being returned.


    ¡¸Un, I guess this is about it¡­¡¹


    I look at the answer sheet that was just returned to me and nodded quietly.


    Literature ¨C 68 marks.


    Mathematics ¨C 78 marks.


    History ¨C 62 marks.


    Chemistry ¨C 75 marks.


    Military Strategy ¨C 85 marks.


    As I took in a deep breath, being relieved that all my marks were above the failing point of 40 marks, Ria exhaled relieved.


    ¡¸I¡¯m so d, it turned out alright!¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, somehow.¡¹


    The students who get failing marks have to take supplementary lessons during the summer vacation, so it¡¯s a great relief that I avoided this.


    ¡¸Ria¡­ is as amazing as usual.¡¹


    Her scores are all above 90 marks, and military strategy was 100 marks. I¡¯ve heard that she has been receiving special education since she was a little girl ¨C the results really are stunning.


    ¡¸Ehehe, thanks.¡¹


    Then, I and Ria, after confirming that we both avoided the failing point ¨C turned our gaze to the problematic Rose.


    Yes. She was surprisingly very bad at studying.


    When Rose muttered with a serious look¡¸I don¡¯t know what I don¡¯t know¡¹, I understood she wasn¡¯t joking and thought¡¸This is really dangerous!¡¹.


    After that, we held a diligent study session overnight. I and Ria took turns filling up her knowledge to the limit.


    (I managed to finish everything within the test range, but¡­)


    ording to the person herself, she said¡¸No problem¡¹, but ¡­


    ¡¸How did you do¡­ Rose?¡¹


    ¡¸Did it turn out well¡­?¡¹


    Then she slowly turned around and,


    ¡¸Safe!¡¹


    All were 40 marks ¨C answer sheet which barely escaped the failing mark was shown proudly.


    ¡¸Oo, that¡¯s great!¡¹


    ¡¸Amazing! You really worked hard!¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you. You guys were really helpful¡­¡¹


    At any rate, everyone was able to avoid the failing mark safely.


    Now we can participate in the summer training camp of the student council executive scheduled to begin tomorrow.


    After finishing the marking mistakes and responding to questions, Leia-sensei started thest homeroom.


    ¡¸Well, starting tomorrow, it¡¯s your long-awaited summer vacation!¡¹


    The summer vacation of Five Academy is a little earlier than that of middle-school swordsmanship academy.


    There is a whole month off from July 1st to July 31st.


    This seems to be a care for first-year students who are tired from the rigorous soul dress sses.


    ¡¸The first summer vacation of high-school. I understand the feeling of being merry, but don¡¯t cut loose too much! Well then ¨C Disperse!¡¹


    In this way, the first half of the course at Thousand de Academy waspleted sessfully.

 Chapter 33.2 - Meeting at Summer Camp [1] – part 2

    33. Meeting at Summer Camp [1] ¨C part 2


    I took the map handed to me by the president in one hand and went out to the city of Orest.


    Ria and Rose followed behind me in their uniform.


    ¡¸Nee, Allen. Where are we right now?¡¹


    ¡¸Probably, just around the right of this road¡­ Ah. This is the ce.¡¹


    When I turned the road in front of me ¨C there was arge mansion with arge garden.


    The stone namete is engraved with¡ºArcstria¡», which is no doubt the president¡¯s house.


    (Even so, it¡¯s a magnificent mansion¡­)


    Looking up at the dignified appearance of three stories above the ground,


    ¡¸Ah, Allen-kun! Over here!¡¹


    In the middle of the garden, the president waved her hand while hopping and called out to me.


    Behind her were the usual two student council members.


    ¡¸President, Lilim-senpai, Ferris-senpai ¨C Good morning¡¹


    ¡¸Un. Good morning, Allen-kun.¡¹


    ¡¸Good morning, Allen-kun! It¡¯s a fine weather today as well!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Nn ¡­Morning.¡¹


    The president and Lilim-senpai acted as they always do, but Ferris-senpai was more down than usual.


    Seeing from the point of rubbing her eyes while stretching, she seems to be a weak morning person just like Rose.


    (But¡­ Rose looks more sleepy because of her strong bed hair.)


    And as I wasparing Rose and Ferris-senpai in that way,


    ¡¸Nee nee, Allen-kun. What do you think of¡­ onee-san¡¯s casual clothes?¡¹


    The president asked me by pulling the sleeves of my clothes.


    Dressed in a simple white dress, she looked a little more mature and fresh.


    ¡¸I think it suits you very well.¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, thank you.¡¹


    As soon as she was in good spirits, she walked into arge warehouse-like building.


    ¡¸Everyone©`e over here!¡¹


    When I followed her into the building ¨C there was a huge ne in there.


    It seems that they are already ready to take off, and three pilots were sitting in the cockpit.


    ¡¸TA-DA! It¡¯s our private jet! Let¡¯s fly to Veneria Ind today!¡¹


    A huge private jet in a magnificent mansion ¨C luxurious enough to be mistaken for one of the Five Wealthy Merchants.


    ¡¸President, are you perhaps a noble?¡¹


    ¡¸Nn©` it¡¯s a little different? The Arcstria family has been in a key position in the ¡ºgovernment¡» for generations. ¡ºRodis-Arcstria¡» ¨C my father¡¯s name, have you ever heard of it?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯ve seen that name in the newspaper several times¡­¡¹


    I don¡¯t remember very clearly, but I¡¯m sure he was a minister at some ministry.


    ¡¸Now, we¡¯re already ready to take off. Everyone, get on without being reserved!¡¹


    ¡¸The first flight after spring break! I¡¯m excited!¡¹


    ¡¸Lilim, likes machines a lot¡­¡¹


    Then we went up after the president and climbed in the entrance.


    Inside the private jet, it was like a luxurious room.


    There was a sofa, a bed, a kitchen and a refrigerator.


    After that, we enjoyed a rxing flight, and a few hourster we arrived at a resort in the southern sea ¨C Veneria Ind.


    Veneria Ind.


    It is one of the country¡¯s most famous tourist attractions.


    Arge number of tourists flock from neighboring countries for the beautiful sea and sandy beaches.


    And what greeted us as we got off the private jet was ¨C the sight of the sea disappearing beyond the horizon.


    ¡¸Uwaa, so pretty! Look, look, Allen! It¡¯s so beautiful!¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s amazing.¡¹


    ¡¸Un, the wind feels so nice.¡¹


    ¡¸Yoo-hoo!¡¹


    ¡¸Lilim, that¡¯s for the mountains, though¡­¡¹


    While everyone spilled their thoughts ¨C I was deeply impressed.


    (This is¡­ the sea¡­)


    It was the first time seeing the sea, for me, who spent the entirety of my childhood in the ind of Goza Vige. For me, who had been swinging my sword at Gran Swordsmanship Academy for a long time.


    Blue clear water everywhere.


    The sea breeze had a peculiar smell.


    Pure white and beautiful sandy beach.


    (Amazing. It¡¯s all exactly like my mother said¡­! )


    As I was impressed by seeing the sea for the first time,


    ¡¸Well¡­ Lilim, Ferris, and I, are going to clean up the vi ahead. We haven¡¯t used it in a while, so it might be a little messy.¡¹


    For some reason, the president suggested going off on our own.


    ¡¸In that case, we will also-¡¹


    ¡¸-No, it¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay! Never mind! We¡¯ll take care of the cleaning! It¡¯s really okay! ¡¹


    The president immediately shook her head side to side.


    ¡¸Ahaha! Because Sie¡¯s room is always messy©`! Previously, even her underwear¡­ hegu!?¡¹


    Right when Lilim-senpai was about to blurt out something ¨C the president¡¯s formidably fast hand struck the back of her neck, and easily took away her consciousness.


    ¡¸It has been imed since long ago that words can lead to disaster, though¡­¡¹


    Ferris-san muttered as such, while repeatedly poking the unconscious Lilim-senpai.


    In this series of exchanges, I somehow understood.


    (¡­Perhaps, president doesn¡¯t want us to see her scattered personal belongings)


    That is most probably the case, seeing as how she personally wants to clean it up instead of ordering the employees.


    ¡¸-Ahem. Anyway! We will go clean the vi a little! As for Allen-kun and rest¡­ let¡¯s see. Can you go kill some time at the¡ºocean house¡»?¡¹


    ¡¸U-Understood.¡¹


    Then the three of us headed to the nearby ocean house.


    A few minutes after walking along the beautiful sandy beach, I saw a very huge ocean house in front.


    ¡¸Oh, this must be it.¡¹


    ¡¸Quite the huge ocean house. There are a lot of customers too!¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s very crowded.¡¹


    It was a wooden ocean house that seemed to havebined three average houses.


    In the right half of the store, meals such as yakisoba and curry rice are sold.


    Whereas in the left half, there was a small line of ying items such as beach balls and simple intable boats.


    (Un, if there are so many different things, I think we¡¯ll be able to kill enough time.)


    Then, as we walked into the shop, Ria reacted to a certain something.


    ¡¸W-Watermelon split¡­?¡¹


    At the end of her line of sight was the¡ºWatermelon Split Set¡», which included a watermelon, a stick, and a blindfold.


    Rose added amentary as usual.


    ¡¸It¡¯s a traditional game of this country. You try to smash the watermelon while wearing a blindfold.¡¹


    ¡¸I-Is that fun¡­?¡¹


    There seems to be no culture of watermelon splitting in Vesteria, as Ria was tilting her head curiously.


    ¡¸Ahaha, maybe it would be fun to try itter.¡¹


    So, as we were enjoying looking at the various products, the old man who was in front of us ¨C suddenly shed at Ria.


    ¡¸Look out, Ria!¡¹


    ¡¸Kyaa!?¡¹


    I hugged her with my right hand and pulled out my sword with my left hand ¨C and somehow managed to defend the assassin¡¯s de.


    ¡¸Guh, you brat¡­ Get out of the way¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­A sword cane? Just who are you?¡¹


    This is different from a random attack.


    There was a clear intent to kill Ria.


    And then,


    ¡¸Haa, like I said¡­ We should¡¯ve just attacked all of them, instead of employing surprise tactics¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Princess Ria. I have no personal resentment towards you, but you will have to die here for the sake of the country.¡¹


    All the customers in this shop surrounded us with a sword.


    (Forty, no¡­ it¡¯s probably more than 50¡­)


    We seem to have gotten caught up in a troublesome thing at the very beginning of our summer vacation.

 Chapter 34 - Meeting at Summer Camp [2]

    34. Meeting at Summer Camp [2]


    The moment the mysterious group surrounded us.


    ¡¸Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style ¨C Sakura sh!¡¹


    ¡¸Wha- gaha!?¡¹


    Before I realised, Rose had already drawn her sword ¨C and suddenly unleashed a strong thrust that blew a man out of the store.


    ¡¸This way! Fighting arge number of opponents in a confined space is disadvantageous!¡¹she said, immediately running out of the ocean house.


    (¡­As expected of Rose.)


    This is probably from her experience as a magic swordsman.


    Despite the sudden battle, she was very calm.


    ©`How reassuring.


    ¡¸Ria, let¡¯s go!¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah!¡¹


    We ran out of the store, through the copsed corner of the encirclement.


    ¡¸Tch, after them!¡¹


    They pursued after us while crying out angrily.


    After that, we got out of the ocean house safely, and we stood back to back and covered each other¡¯s blind spots.


    ¡¸These students are getting too cocky¡­! You guys, we are going with the shing encirclement!¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸Ou!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    By the order of one person, they immediately separated into groups of three.


    And then,


    ¡¸ORAAAAAAA!¡¹


    ¡¸SHAAAAAAA!¡¹


    ¡¸DIEEEEEEEEE!¡¹


    Downwards sh, Thrust, Diagonal sh ¨C each of the three unleashed arge attack.


    (Commanded movement, simr swordsmanship¡­ Are they perhaps soldiers?)


    However,


    ¡¸Eighth Sword ¨C Yatagarasu!¡¹


    ¡¸Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style ¨C Lightning Sakura!¡¹


    ¡¸High King Style ¨C Strong Strike!¡¹


    Individually, their skill level was low.


    ¡¸Ga, haa¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Gyaaaaa!?¡¹


    ¡¸S-Strong¡­!¡¹


    With half-baked swordsmanship ¨C they can¡¯t even reach me, the Dropout Swordsman, let alone, the genius swordsmen Ria and Rose.


    ¡¸-The fight is over. If you still want to continue this, there will be no mercy.¡¹


    ¡¸Sh-Shit¡­¡¹


    In the end, we were able to suppress them in a matter of minutes.


    ¡¸Rose. Just in case, tell the employee at the ocean house to contact the Holy Knights.¡¹


    ¡¸Understood.¡¹


    For the time being, this is the end of the case.


    It¡¯s better to leave the questioning and identification to a professional, the Holy Knights.


    As we started settling down,


    ¡¸These people¡­ were after me, right?¡¹Ria muttered.


    ¡¸They did say¡ºPrincess¡», so they were undoubtedly aiming for you, Ria¡­¡¹


    Since their movements resembled military personnel, they might be assassins sent from a country which holds hostility towards Vesteria ¨C It would be reasonable to think so.


    Then the fallen men on the ground,


    ¡¸¡­We¡¯re going with that.¡¹


    ¡¸Are you s-serious¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸Those of us who failed in our mission will be killed even if we return anyway¡­! In that case, we¡¯ll just have to bet all or nothing!¡¹


    They started a strange exchange that didn¡¯t make sense.


    ¡¸What were you talking about just now¡­?¡¹


    Immediately after that, they all took something that looked like blue ss out of their pockets ¨C and threw it into their mouths.


    The next moment.


    ¡¸Uu-Guu¡­AAAAAAAA!?¡¹


    ¡¸HAA HAA¡­ GAAAAAAAA!?¡¹


    They rolled around on the spot, crying in agony.


    ¡¸Wh-What¡¯s going on¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸They swallowed something strange just now!¡¹


    Obviously it doesn¡¯t look normal.


    We distanced ourselves and increased our guard just in case.


    Then, in their hands, who rose up slowly like a ghost,


    ¡¸Haahaa¡­ he-hehe¡­ this is the end for you guys¡­!¡¹


    They were grasping soul dress.


    ¡¸Wha!? Were all of them soul dress users!?¡¹


    ¡¸But something feels wrong¡­!¡¹


    As Ria said, it was certainly odd.


    (What is that soul dress¡­?)


    Their soul dress ¨C was changing its form every moment.


    ¡¸W-We don¡¯t have long either¡­ We¡¯ll finish this immediately¡­!¡¹


    As soon as someone muttered that,


    ¡¸UU¡­ GAAAAAAAA!¡¹


    One of the enemies, mmed the huge soul dress against the sandy beach.


    When our field of vision was filled by the knocked up cloud of white sand,


    ¡¸ORAAAAAAA!¡¹


    They came at us all at once.


    And their movement was,


    ¡¸F-Fast¡­!?¡¹


    Their speed was beyond recognition.


    ¡¸ZEERIAAAAA!¡¹


    ¡¸Ku¡­!?¡¹


    Not just the speed¡­ but their strength has also increased¡­!?


    (Everyone one of them has a strengthening-type soul dress¡­?)


    No, that¡¯s quite unlikely.


    ¡¸Just what did you do¡­!?¡¹


    I asked the man in front of me, while deftly managing the sessive consecutive attacks that were unleashed one after another.


    They were breathing raggedly, and eyes were out of focus ¨C they are not normal.


    ¡¸Haahaa, spirit pill¡­ I swallowed a powerful drug that causes the spirit core to rampage and manifested a pseudo-soul dress¡­¡¹


    ¡¸The spirit core, rampaging¡­!?¡¹


    If you do such a reckless thing, your body would be burdened with a tremendous load.


    ¡¸I-If you do such a reckless thing, your body won¡¯t be able to survive!¡¹


    ¡¸Aa¡­ That¡¯s why we¡¯re in a hurry!¡¹


    Saying that, they swung again and again ¨C the¡ºsword that holds their life¡».


    ¡¸W-Why do you go so far¡­ To target Ria, even to the extent of throwing away your life¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s because, His Majesty, the Emperor¡¯s orders were¡­ the erasure of the princess!¡¹


    ¡¸Guh!?¡¹


    He unleashed a diagonal sh of ridiculous force.


    In order to kill that force, I jumped back greatly while defending with my sword firmly.


    ¡¸NOT YET!¡¹


    ¡¸DROP DEAAAAAD!¡¹


    ¡¸SHITTY BRAAAAT!¡¹


    They immediately closed the slight distance.


    Though unstable, it is a soul dress that elevates power.


    Amazing physical ability born due to the removal of the limiter.


    And above all else, their hearts which was resolved for death.


    (¡­This is dangerous)


    But, I¡¯m not going to lose to them, who abandoned their swordsmanship, and solely rely on their physical abilities and an out-of-control soul dress.


    ¡¸Fifth Sword ¨C World Judgement!¡¹


    To suppress their power, I brandished a muchrger power.


    The sh which can tear the world asunder, easily smashed their shes.


    ¡¸Gaha¡­¡¹


    ¡¸S-Strong¡­¡¹


    ¡¸We couldn¡¯t reach you, even after putting our life on the line¡­!?¡¹


    As they fell to the ground, they groaned and did not stand up again.


    Perhaps their body has reached its limit.


    ¡¸Haa Haa¡­ we can¡¯t kill this guy! But¡­ we can kill the princess! EVERYONE, CHARGEEEEEE!¡¹


    The next moment, the remaining forty people ¨C out of desperation, started charging towards Ria.


    ¡¸Wha!?¡¹


    No defense was taken into ount ¨C it was literally a do-or-die charge.


    (This is bad¡­)


    Even¡´Fafnir¡µcan¡¯t burn down that number at once.


    No, even if it had such power ¨C the gentle Ria won¡¯t be able to do it.


    She doesn¡¯t have that much coldness and ruthlessness.


    ¡¸Run, Ria!¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah!¡¹


    Ria calmly retreated.


    Yes.


    By now, Rose should have called for the Holy Knights ¨C we don¡¯t have to attack them unnecessarily.


    However,


    ¡¸Eh!?¡¹


    The man who was lying at her feet ¨C grabbed her ankle tightly.


    ¡¸He, hehe¡­ You alone, we must definitely kill¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸R-Release me!¡¹


    ¡¸Ria, in front you! Defend!¡¹


    In front of Ria, who was preupied with the man who caught her ankle,


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸UOOOOOOOOO!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    The men with bloodshot eyes was closing in on her.


    ¡¸¡­KY-KYAAAAAAAA!?¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸DIEEEEEEEEEE!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    The moment when 40 rampaging soul dress were released towards Ria all at once.


    ¡¸-How disgusting. Oi. So many of you, going after a single woman¡­ Aaa?¡¹


    A huge ice wall appeared suddenly.


    In addition to that ¨C it wasn¡¯t any ordinary ice wall.


    ¡¸T-Tough¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸W-What on Earth is this!?¡¹


    ¡¸Whose soul dress¡­!?¡¹


    It¡¯s a special form of ice with frightening hardness ¨C not a single crack even after stopping forty rampaging soul dress.


    ¡¸T-This technique¡­!?¡¹


    And the next moment,


    ¡¸-Freeze Lance¡¹


    More than a dozen huge icences that appeared in the sky, fell like rain.


    ¡¸GYAAAAAA!?¡¹


    ¡¸OUCH, OUCH¡­¡¹


    ¡¸What the hell is this¡­!?¡¹


    Cold-hearted and ruthless ¨C merciless attack assailed them.


    I know of this power which can even turn even the resort of the southern sea into the cold of mid-winter.


    ¡¸Oi Oi, Why the hell are you having trouble with these small fries¡­? You trash¡­¡¹


    As I turned my gaze to the voice,


    ¡¸S-Sid-san¡­!?¡¹


    The Ace of Ice King Academy ¨C Sid-Euclius was there.

 Chapter 35 - Meeting at Summer Camp [3]

    35. Meeting at Summer Camp [3]


    ¡¸S-Sid-san¡­!? Why are you here!?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa? That¡¯s because you-¡¹


    And when he began speaking.


    ¡¸-HEY, Sid! It¡¯s cold, hurry up and put away your¡´Vanargand¡µ!¡¹


    A beach ball flew from behind ¨C hitting him in the back of the head directly.


    ¡¸¡­AA?¡¹


    For a moment, he had a dangerous smile on his face, but¡­


    The moment he learned that the person who threw the ball was the director of the Ice King Academy ¨C Ferris-Dorahain,


    ¡¸The Miss, is cold¡­¡¹


    Surprisingly, he erased¡´Vanargand¡µobediently.


    ¡¸Good grief! Suddenly the hot southern seas felt so chilly¡­ Eh? If I¡¯m not mistaken¡­ aren¡¯t you Allen-kun?¡¹


    Behind Ferris-san, dressed in her usual kimono, was several students dressed in the uniform of Ice King Academy.


    ¡¸Sid-san, and Ferris-san, and the people of the Ice King Academy¡­ Why on earth are you here?¡¹


    ¡¸What do you mean¡ºwhy¡»? Obviously it¡¯s a summer camp for the student council.¡¹


    I was deeply surprised at that statement.


    ¡¸S-Student Council¡­!? Sid-san¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­AA? Do you have a problem with that?¡¹


    ¡¸N-No¡­ I thought it was a bit surprising.¡¹


    Sid-san, who is violent and doesn¡¯t seem to follow the rules¡­ is part of the student council?


    ¡­It doesn¡¯t fit his image at all.


    ¡¸Fufu, even with the way he is, our Sid is actually good with his head, you know?¡¹


    Saying that, she nudged Sid-san¡¯s head.


    ¡¸Miss, what do you mean¡ºeven with the way he is¡»¡­ I don¡¯t have such a stupid face.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, I didn¡¯t say a stupid face. Don¡¯t worry, you are cute.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m not cute¡­¡¹


    The two had such a friendly conversation.


    Sid-san, who is usually harsh, is noticeably¡ºsoft¡»only when he talks to Ferris-san.


    (What kind of rtionship do they have¡­?)


    When I was thinking about that,


    ¡¸A-A-A-Are you perhaps¡­!? Allen-sama!?¡¹


    A student of the Ice King Academy came towards me while trembling all over.


    Moderately long ck hair.


    ck-rimmed sses. Slender and tall.


    A silver pendant that mimics a bright cross hanging around the chest.


    I¡¯m sure this person was¡­


    ¡¸E-Err, are you¡­ Cain-san?¡¹


    Then the next moment, his eyes widened.


    ¡¸Oh, oh¡­!? You remember someone like me¡­?! ¡­Kuu, I, Cain-material, feel like rising to heaven!¡¹


    ¡¸Well, it was only three months ago.¡¹


    Yes. It has only been three months since that tumultuous Big Five Holy Festival.


    The Big Five Holy Festival, the Magic Swordsman Apprenticeship, the ck Organization ¨C Duel with Dodriel, the Club Budget War, and the semester finals.


    Looking back, I¡¯ve been living a tense life for the past 3 months.


    (But was Cain-san always like this¡­?)


    I feel like he was more calm than this.


    And then,


    ¡¸Haa¡­ You¡¯ve be so sick, Oi¡­¡¹


    Sid-san shot a cold look towards Cain-san as if he were an insect.


    ¡¸What are you talking about, Sid! I¡¯m not sick! -Aa, but Allen-sama! After all, the¡ºperson himself¡»is wonderful! Dignified standing figure! The body that has been trained to its limits! The eyes that contain kindness and strength! Unlike the recorded¡ºvideo¡», all of them are dazzling!¡¹


    He scanned me from the tip of my toes to the top of my head as he said so with a sense of excitement.


    ¡¸T-Thanks¡­¡¹


    ¡­Clearly, it was not an ordinary behaviour.


    Where did the former calm andposed man disappeared to?


    ¡¸Sid-san¡­ Just why did Cain-san be like this¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸Haa? Why the hell do I have to tell the enemy trash about that?¡¹


    ¡¸Y-Yeah that¡¯s right, sorry¡­¡¹


    I¡¯vepletely made a mistake with the person I¡¯m asking towards.


    Sid-san, who hates me with a passion, is not going to be kind enough to talk to me.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    And, when a slight silence loomed over,


    ¡¸¡­¡­He became like that just after the Big Five Holy Festival was over.¡¹


    Sid-san slowly spoke.


    (Oh, he¡¯s going to tell me¡­)


    He¡¯s a dangerous person, but he seems to have his own peculiar kindness.


    ¡¸Cain became a little messed up in the head, from the frustration of losing to you¡­ ¡ºI should also be able to surpass the 100years that Allen was able to surpass¡», he said¡­ and pricked the tip of his finger with¡´Hell Hundred¡µ¡­¡¹


    ¡´Hell Hundred¡µ- Cain-san¡¯s soul dress which is a mental interference-type.


    The mind of the target which was cut is sealed for a very short period of one hundred years.


    It is a slightly disappointing ability without a loop function.


    It can be said that it is the lowest version of the 100 million years button.


    ¡¸He didn¡¯t have the same monster soaked mentality as you to bear¡´Hell Hundred¡µ¡­ Eventually, Cain who was going mad was immediately hospitalized, and he was this way when he woke up¡­¡¹


    Saying that, Sid-san shook his head as though he were disgusted.


    ¡¸And in tandem with him! Foolishly, I stepped into the domain of God ¨C and I was unconscious in a serious condition for about a month¡­ Though however! Thanks to that, I was awakened! So, I don¡¯t have even the slightest regret!¡¹


    ¡¸I-Is that so¡­¡¹


    His eyes were now giving off a¡ºdangerous vibe¡».


    The people of Ice King Academy are dangerous in many ways.


    ¡¸-By the way, Allen-sama. Can I ask something?¡¹


    ¡¸Y-Yeah¡­ go ahead.¡¹


    To be honest, I don¡¯t want to get involved too much, but¡­


    There is no way I can ignore him so bluntly.


    ¡¸Oh, thank you! So, right away ¨C you were in that hellish world for a long time of 100 years¡­ What were you doing all that time?¡¹


    ¡¸Let¡¯s see¡­ Primarily, just practice-swings.¡¹


    Actually, I wanted to do more training, but¡­


    The real thing is that the time of 100 years was too short, so I¡ºcouldn¡¯t do anything but swing¡».


    ¡¸P-Practice-Swings¡­!? You were swinging for 100 years¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸Y-Yes.¡¹


    For me, who have been swinging for more than a billion years, swinging for a hundred years went by in the blink of an eye.


    ¡¸Kuh¡­ what strong mental power! An earnest approach to swordsmanship! As expected, Allen-sama is the best!¡¹


    ¡¸Cain-san, if possible, I¡¯d like you to stop calling me¡ºAllen-sama¡»¡­¡¹


    The students of the Ice King Academy have been staring at us strangely for a while.


    I want to correct it early before a strange rumor starts to circte.


    ¡¸Oh, please excuse my impoliteness¡­ Well, from now on, I will address you as¡ºGod¡»!¡¹


    ¡¸Please never do that¡­¡¹


    In this way, as I continue to have a conversation that does not mesh with Cain-san,


    ¡¸T-Then, just how should I call¡­ w-what!?¡¹


    Suddenly, a huge helicopter hovered in mid-air.


    Immediately after that ¨C two figures jumped down from it.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸Wha!?¡¹¡¹¡¹


    The two who fell from a few hundred meters above the ground,


    ¡¸Heyo! Everyone seems to be doing well!¡¹


    ¡¸Yes¡­ yes, it would be helpful if you could arrange it that way. Yeah, yes¡­ best regards.¡¹


    It was Leia-sensei who was in a yful spirit, and No.18-san who responded on the telephone busily.


    What kind of legs do the both of them have¡­ They didn¡¯t seem to be fazed from the impact of the fall.


    ¡¸Le-Leia-sensei!? and No.18-san as well¡­ why are you here?¡¹


    ¡¸For crying out loud! Going to the training camp will need an advisor¡¯s lead!¡¹


    ¡¸S-So, that means the advisor of the student council is Leia-sensei¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Well, that¡¯s how it is! Now then, the long-awaited resort! Freed from daily hard work, let¡¯s go have fu©` Ferris!? Why are you here!?¡¹


    A 180 turn around from her good mood ¨C sensei, who found Ferris-san, had a tantly disgusted expression on her face.


    ¡¸That¡¯s my line! Even though it¡¯s supposed to be a super fun summer camp, why do I have to look at such a boring face¡­ Haa, we¡¯re going to be hit by bad luck¡­¡¹


    ¡¸What¡¯d you say, you vixen¡­!¡¹


    And as the two who had a cat and dog rtionship began quarreling,


    ¡¸Allen-kun! Sorry to keep you wait-¡­ eh? There seems to be more people now.¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, looking closely, they seem to be the group from Ice King Academy!¡¹


    ¡¸No, more importantly¡­ there seems to be a strange group of people, fallen on the ground¡­ It smells like trouble, though¡­¡¹


    The president, Lilim-senpai, and Ferris-senpai, who had finished cleaning the mansion, returned.


    And at the same time,


    ¡¸We are the Holy Knights of Veneria branch!¡¹


    ¡¸The suspicious people ¨C are over there!¡¹


    ¡¸T-This is serious¡­ Get in touch with the rescue team right away!¡¹


    Rose came back apanied by a great number of Holy Knights.


    ¡¸Rose, you were toote. Where did you go?¡¹


    ¡¸There was no phone at the beach house, so I went to the nearby station.¡¹


    ¡¸I see, thank you.¡¹


    The Holy Knights, advanced with the site processing skillfully.


    Then, one of them walked over here briskly.


    ¡¸You guys are victims, aren¡¯t you? That uniform¡­¡­ Are you students of Thousand de Academy and Ice King Academy? I¡¯d like to hear more about it, but before that, are your teachers nearby?¡¹


    ¡¸W-Well, they¡¯re over there¡­¡¹


    And at the end of my gaze,


    ¡¸Haa, ¡ºCrybaby Ferris¡»! Shall I make your face uneven like a potato again!?¡¹


    ¡¸Go ahead if you can! I¡¯ll beat you at your own game, you¡ºMuscle Head¡»!¡¹


    There was the sight of Leia-sensei and Ferris-san, tussling and shouting abuse at each other.


    How do I put this¡­ I felt quite embarrassed.


    And then,


    ¡¸T-This is¡ºspirit pill¡»!?¡¹


    ¡¸Is the ck Organization involved after all¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Report this immediately to headquarters ¨C to the Senior Holy Knights¡­!¡¹


    The Holy Knights who were proceeding with on-site processing were emitting a somewhat unsettling vibe.


    Meanwhile,


    ¡¸Come, Sid! Let¡¯s¡ºswing¡»together! It¡¯s the word of Allen-sama ©` word of¡ºGod¡»!¡¹


    ¡¸Gross, don¡¯te near me¡­ shitty sses!¡¹


    Cain-san, who was happily swinging, encouraged Sid-san to do it as well.


    On the other hand,


    ¡¸Yoshi, I¡¯ve decided! Then, let¡¯s make a joint summer camp with Ice King Academy this year!¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, that¡¯s good! It¡¯s sure to be exciting!¡¹


    ¡¸Uwaa, Sie started to say something super bothersome again, though¡­¡¹


    The president also said something astounding.


    (It somehow became so turbulent in a single moment¡­)


    After a short discussion, a joint summer camp with Ice King Academy was finally held.


    (¡­¡­I beg you, please let¡¯s finish this quietly without any incident.)


    With that small wish in my heart, I heaved a loud sigh.

 Chapter 36.1 - Meeting at Summer Camp [4] – part 1

    36. Meeting at Summer Camp [4] ¨C part 1


    After a joint summer camp with Ice King Academy was decided.


    We moved to the president¡¯s mansion, and the people of Ice King Academy moved to Ferris-san¡¯s vi. To ce away our luggage and change our outfit.


    ¡¸Well, shall we?¡¹


    I changed from my uniform to a swimsuit, and for the time being, I headed to the hall of the meeting ce.


    My bottom is a verymon swimsuit called¡ºSurf Pants¡». It is a in fabric with a sober ck color, and the top is a light, white parka.


    In the quiet hall with no one, I think back to the previous incident.


    (In the end, what actually happened¡­?)


    Of course I¡¯m concerned about the attack from the mysterious group.


    After that ¨C the Holy Knights¡¯ rescue team arrived and gave first aid to the severely injured. And then, all fifty people were detained and promptly taken to the association.


    The head of the Veneria branch of the Holy Knights Association said to Leia-sensei and Ferris-san,¡ºI will contact you as soon as I get more information¡».


    (¡­¡­Their target was definitely Ria.)


    The word¡ºprincess¡»was repeated several times.


    They targeted her not because of¡ºresentment towards Ria¡»but rather, because she is the¡º Princess of Vesteria¡»- That is the most likely scenario.


    (Perhaps, they were assassins from a country or organization that is hostile towards Ria¡¯s home country, Vesteria¡­)


    I almost forgot about it because we¡¯re always together, but Ria is the princess of Vesteria.


    There will be immediate dangers such as assassination and kidnapping surrounding her, which is mostly unrted to an ordinary person like me.


    (If possible, I want to be of help to her¡­)


    While thinking about that, and waiting for everyone to finish changing their clothes ¨C the door in the back right opened slowly.


    ¡¸Sorry to keep you waiting¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Allen, what do you think?¡¹


    The ones who walked in from there was Ria, who looked a little embarrassed while blushing, and Rose, who looked dignified as usual.


    I saw the two in their swimsuits and,


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    My breath was taken away.


    Ria had a string tied around her neck ¨C a ¡ºhalter neck¡» bikini. It was a cute design with red frills running on the white fabric.


    Above all, it was a form in which her chest area was emphasized¡­ It¡¯s very stimting.


    Rose¡¯s was a simple ck bikini. A thin ck cloth was wrapped around the waist ¨C I¡¯m sure it¡¯s a type of swimsuit called ¡ºPareo¡».


    The contrast between the beautiful pinkish silver hair and the ck swimsuit was beautiful, and her mature appearance was very attractive.


    ¡¸It¡¯s very¡­ I think it¡¯s very good¡­¡¹


    I stated my honest impression as I shifted my gaze to the top left.


    ¡¸R-Really? Thank you¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, thanks.¡¹


    After I gave my impressions ¨C we fell silent.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    For some reason, Ria was ncing at me repeatedly.


    Rose, who was standing upright without the slightest movement.


    And I, who can¡¯t look directly at their swimsuit figures.


    An indescribable delicate atmosphere loomed over us.


    (I should make the smart move and say something right¡­?)


    When I desperately turned my head and searched for a topic,


    ¡¸Sorry to keep you waiting-!¡¹


    This time, the door in the back left opened, and the president and senpais, who changed into their swimsuits, showed up.


    ¡¸Nee, Allen-kun. What do you think?¡¹


    The president wore a white bikini with a blue border and a long-sleeved gray parka.


    Because the front of parka was fully open, the chest area was very emphasized¡­ and surprisingly, she looked really slender.


    ¡¸I-I think it suits you very well.¡¹


    As I had to further avert my gaze, I said so with a downcast look.


    Such beautiful women ¨C furthermore in their swimsuits, I honestly didn¡¯t know if it was alright to look.


    Then, the president who sensed that,


    ¡¸Oh-? Allen-kun, what happened?¡¹


    While grinning, she leaned forward and looked at my face.


    ¡¸P-President¡­ please don¡¯t be mean.¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, it is revenge for before.¡¹the president said, andughed happily.


    (She was probably teasing me due to the¡ºright to order any one thing¡», where I slightly teased her.)


    I¡¯vepletely forgotten about it until now, but it seems that she remembered it well.


    ¡¸Well, we¡¯re all ready ¨C let¡¯s go!¡¹


    ¡¸Err, where is Leia-sensei?¡¹


    ¡¸Sensei had already changed long ago, and went ahead first.¡¹


    ¡¸I-I see.¡¹


    She is faster in changing clothes than me, a guy¡­?


    ¡¸Then let¡¯s go! Today, is the defeat of the Ice King Academy!¡¹


    After that, we went to a private beach owned by Ferris-san.


    ¡ö


    After that, as a result of discussion between Leia-sensei and Ferris-san, it was decided that we would have various matches. Thousand de Academy vs Ice King Academy.


    The first match was a beach volleyball showdown.


    The representatives of Thousand de Academy was me and Ria.


    On the other hand, the representatives of Ice King Academy was Sid-san and Cain-san ¨C Oddly, it was a showdown between first year students.


    The game went back and forth, and an even battle continued.


    ¡¸As expected, Sid-san¡­ he has a huge range of defense.¡¹


    ¡¸Mediocre people¡­ should not persevere, and give up already¡­!¡¹


    I and Ria scored efficiently through coordinated teamwork.


    Sid-san, who made use of his overwhelming physical ability and forcibly earned points with strong attacks and blocks. Cain-san on the other hand, waspletely devoted to the receive and toss.


    ¡¸Allen, GO!¡¹


    The perfect toss that Ria gave me,


    ¡¸HA!¡¹


    I narrowly drove the ball into the inside of the line.


    ¡¸Dammit¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸As expected of Allen-sama¡­ such sharpness¡­!¡¹


    The count was now 20-19.


    If we get one more point, we win the game.


    ¡¸Nice, Allen!¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s because you gave me toss in a good position, Ria.¡¹


    When we were exchanging high-five,


    ¡¸¡­Gross¡­ No matter how much ordinary people work together, trash is trash! I¡¯ll show you¡­ the absolute¡ºdifference¡»between us!¡¹


    The air around Sid-san changed.


    Ferocious and violent ¨C I was assailed with tremendous pressure that reminded me of the battle at the Big Five Holy Festival.

 Chapter 36.2 - Meeting at the summer camp [4] – part 2

    36. Meeting at the summer camp [4] ¨C part 2


    ¡¸Ria, this is the decisive point¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, we¡¯ll definitely finish it¡­!¡¹


    Then Ria exhaled and spun the ball with her palm.


    And then,


    ¡¸HERE¡­!¡¹


    She threw a sharp serve that took a good turn.


    However,


    ¡¸Too naive!¡¹


    Sid-san picked up the blow aimed at the corner of the court with such an amazing reaction speed.


    ¡¸-Here, you can have it back.¡¹


    ¡¸Aa!¡¹


    Cain-san, who had already entered toss position, gave a perfect ball to the center of the court.


    ¡¸Eat this ¨C ¡´Vanal Ball¡µ!¡¹


    Sid-san¡¯s drive-in spike was an extreme fastball ¨C a miracle ball that branched into four balls.


    ¡¸Kuh¡­ Allen, take it!¡¹


    The blow which slipped through Ria¡¯s block,


    ¡¸Cloud Style ¨C Cirrocumulus!¡¹


    It waspletely sealed by my four consecutive receive.


    ¡¸What¡­!?¡¹


    The ball returned in a fluffy arc ¨C falls deep inside the enemy court.


    ¡¸21-19! It is the victory of Thousand de Academy!¡¹


    A student at Ice King Academy, who served as the referee, announced the results.


    ¡¸If the ball turns into a four-ball, all you have to do is hit it all back.¡¹


    ¡¸You trash¡­!¡¹


    In this way, the first match ¨C a two-vs-two beach volleyball showdown, was a spectacr victory for Thousand de Academy.


    ¡¸As expected Allen! That was amazing!¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s all thanks to Ria¡¯s coordination.¡¹


    ¡¸As expected of Allen-sama! Astounding receive! This Cain, is so deeply impressed, that I can¡¯t even take a step forward!¡¹


    ¡¸Eh, ah, th-thanks¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Whose team are you on, shitty sses!¡¹


    ¡¸Ouch!?¡¹


    And while we were mouring about,


    ¡¸Fufu, my students are better this year¡­ yeah, Ferris?¡¹


    ¡¸Kuh¡­ we¡¯re going to the next one!¡ºBeach g¡»!¡¹


    Immediately the start of the next game was announced.


    Beach g ¨C A ssic sport thatpetes for a single g that is ced only 20 meters away.


    The contestants face their backs against the g and lie face down, and stand up with the whistle ¨C and start running towards the g.


    The rules are very simple ¨C first person to get the g, wins


    From Thousand de Academy, I, Rose, and the president participated.


    ¡¸The start of Beach g is most crucial¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m confident in my explosive power!¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, I won¡¯t lose!¡¹


    On the other hand, the contestants from Ice King Academy were, Sid-san, Cain-san, and a female student of their student council.


    ¡¸Oi, don¡¯t get in my way.¡¹


    ¡¸Of course, I understand.¡¹


    ¡¸Do your best, Sid!¡¹


    When everyone was lying face down ¨C the whistle blew.


    The moment I immediately stood up and turned around.


    ¡¸Ha, you¡¯re all slow. You damn small fries!¡¹


    Sid-san had already started running forward.


    ¡¸Kuh, so fast!¡¹


    There was a remarkable difference in our reaction speed¡­


    And as he leisurely grabbed the g,


    ¡¸Hahaa! My level of talent is different! You ordinary trash fellows!¡¹he said, with a heinous smile on his face.


    (The speed of the initial response after listening to the whistle, a supple running as though his body was a spring¡­ As expected of Sid-san.)


    (¡­This trash, was able to keep up with my eleration. Somehow, his physical abilities have increased remarkably¡­ Was he influenced by the power of¡ºthat monster¡»? Or is this the gross result of steady training?¡­ At any rate, I won¡¯t drop my guard.)


    And as the beach g came to an end,


    ¡¸F-False start, False start! He started 0.1 second earlier! Right, everyone!?¡¹


    ¡¸AH, no, no¡­ It¡¯s just the barking of a loser dog!¡¹


    Leia-sensei and Ferris-san were engaged in a heated battle as usual.


    (It¡¯s been like that ever since they were students¡­ shouldn¡¯t they get along well?)


    After that, the battle between Thousand de Academy and Ice King Academy continued ¨C as a result, we settled on a draw of 10-10.


    Though, Leia-sensei and Ferris-san were hoping for another match to decide the final victor¡­


    ¡¸We¡¯re at the long-awaited summer camp, so why don¡¯t we finish this at the¡ºSword King Festival¡»after summer vacation?¡¹


    The president sessfully saved summer camp by guiding their thoughts to the¡ºnext battle¡».


    After sessfullypleting the first day of the joint camp, we returned to our respective lodgings.


    ¡ö


    After that, we all had dinner together, and chatted ¨C we had a very good time.


    ¡¸Fuu¡­ that was fun.¡¹


    After parting with everyone and returning to my room, I looked at the wall clock while stretching my body greatly.


    ¡¸It¡¯s already 10pm¡­ Shall I turn in for the day?¡¹


    If I stay up toote, it will have an effect on tomorrow.


    After preparing for bed, the moment I was about to turn off the lights,


    There was a knock on my door.


    (Who is it¡­ thiste at night?)


    ¡¸Yes, who is it?¡¹


    As I asked so,


    ¡¸-Sorry for disturbing you at this time, Allen. It¡¯s me.¡¹


    Leia-sensei¡¯s stern voice replied.


    As I immediately opened the door, sensei was standing there with her arms folded, and a serious expression on her face.


    ¡¸What happened, sensei? At this hour?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s about this morning ¨C I came to talk about the group that attacked Ria¡¹ sensei said, with a serious look that I¡¯ve never seen before.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry about the time, but won¡¯t you follow along?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Understood.¡¹


    It seems that the guys from this morning, have a rather troublesome background, after all.


    (It¡¯s quite a hassle, but¡­ It can¡¯t be helped this time¡­)


    My precious friend, Ria, is in danger.


    If there¡¯s anything I can do ¨C I¡¯ll do my best to cooperate.

 Chapter 37.1 - Meeting at Summer Camp [5] -part 1

    37. Meeting at Summer Camp [5] -part 1


    I followed Leia-sensei and was led to her room


    The room was surprisingly tidy and there were no clothes thrown around.


    ¡¸Well, just take a look at this first. It¡¯s faster to see the actual thing than to exin it¡¹


    sensei said, taking out a brown envelope from the desk.


    ¡ºssified¡»was printed on the surface.


    ¡¸And this is¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s a report from the Holy Knights Association that came in just a while ago. There¡¯s quite a lot, so just quickly skim through.¡¹


    ¡¸Understood¡­¡¹


    I took the report out of the open brown envelope and looked through it.


    Regarding the incident that urred in Carlos district of Veneria.


    Noon, July 1st: As a result of the investigation, the 50 people detained were found to be assassins from the Holy Ronelia Empire. This can be concluded from the seized distinct ck equipment. They possessed spirit pills, and as such it is clear that the Holy Ronelia Empire has some rtionship with the¡ºck Organization¡».


    Evening, July 1st: Due to the side effects of the spirit pill, their condition suddenly changed. The Veneria branch¡¯s standing relief team was unable to correspond. Therefore, it was decided to transfer them to a nearby major hospital in secret.


    Night, July 1st: During transportation, due to an assault from an unknown figure who appeared all of a sudden, all fifty men were killed. Their bodies were burned, which seems to be a measure to conceal information.


    ¡¸They were murdered¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa. Most likely an assassin sent by the Holy Ronelia Empire or the ck Organization. The trusted Holy Knights who were in charge of security during the transfer ¨C all seemed to be knocked out.¡¹


    Sensei shrugged her shoulders and continued further.


    ¡¸As a result of on-site inspection, some suspicious footprints were found near the beach house. Aside from the group who attacked you, another small group might have been hiding.¡¹


    ¡¸A small group¡­?¡¹


    Sensei nodded.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sure this incident is abat experiment using spirit pill. In doing so, the enemy prepared two groups. A small group that collects the observed data and fifty sacrificial pawns.¡¹


    ¡¸S-¡ºSacrificial Pawns¡»¡­ they treat human life so lightly¡­¡¹


    ¡¸The masterminds behind this incident, are inhumane guys. ¨C You should be careful too.¡¹sensei concluded with an advice.


    ¡¸But why only me? Don¡¯t you have to tell Ria, Rose, the president and the rest?¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s because you ¨C no, nevermind.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Well anyway ¨C adults have their own reasons and circumstances. I decided that it was better to tell you alone. Naturally, you can¡¯t say a word about this to anyone else.¡¹


    ¡¸Is that so¡­ Understood¡­¡¹


    I¡¯m not really convinced, but¡­


    It didn¡¯t seem like she would tell me more about this even if I asked, so I simply nodded for the time being.


    ¡¸But the current situation is not too much to worry about. And you certainly don¡¯t have to worry when I¡¯m around. I am fairly capable after all.¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you.¡¹


    I have heard a lot about sensei¡¯s true strength recently.


    It is very reassuring if she says so.


    ¡¸Alright, that¡¯s all. Sorry to keep you up sote. The training camp will continue tomorrow! So, sleep well and get in good shape!¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, then ¨C Goodnight, sensei.¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, night.¡¹


    Then I left Leia-sensei¡¯s room.


    ¡ö


    After that, games and training were repeated single-mindedly for the next four days ¨C today is thest day of the joint summer camp.


    We dragged our tired bodies and gathered at Ferris-san¡¯s private beach as usual.


    Then Leia-sensei, Ferris-san, and the president, stood in front of everyone.


    ¡¸Well, gentlemen! You did well to endure through a tough but fun summer camp!¡¹sensei said.


    ¡¸Thank you so much, I think you all really worked hard.¡¹Ferris-san said.


    ¡¸And this being thest day ¨C let¡¯s y to our heart¡¯s content!¡¹


    And when the president said so,


    ¡¸Hooray! We can finally jump into the sea!¡¹


    ¡¸It was pretty tough this year, but¡­ I¡¯m happy from the bottom of my heart that we¡¯re finally liberated¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Yahoo! Let¡¯s y till we drop!¡¹


    There were loud cheers from both students of Thousand de Academy and Ice King Academy.


    Everyone was very happy, but¡­


    To be honest, I was slightly¡­ No, I was pretty disappointed.


    (It¡¯s over already¡­ I wanted to train more together with everyone¡­)


    It¡¯s fun to swing the sword quietly alone. But it¡¯s more fun when we swing it together. -Same as how meals taste better withpany.


    And as I dropped my shoulders,


    ¡¸Nee nee, Allen-kun! Do you have a minute?¡¹


    ¡¸Topete with that Sid while being a first-year student¡­ you¡¯re really amazing!¡¹


    ¡¸T-Thank you.¡¹


    I was surrounded by female students who seemed to be seniors at Ice King Academy.


    (This might be a good opportunity.)


    There was something that I am a little worried about, so I decided to ask.


    ¡¸Come to think of it, is the student council president of Ice King Academy on break? I don¡¯t think I saw them during the training camp¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Aa- about that. Our president does not like hot weather. He might be at a summer resort in the north right about now, I think?¡¹


    ¡¸The vice-president and secretary should be there too. Those two cling to the president at all times.¡¹


    ¡¸Hee, is that so¡­¡¹


    That means that at this summer training camp, the Ice King Academycked three people who were held important positions.


    (So that¡¯s why we were able to take the lead, I have to work a little harder from here on¡­)


    As I was thinking about that alone,


    ¡¸Waa, you have a good body!¡¹


    ¡¸Sugoi! So muscr!¡¹


    ¡¸Eh, ah, wait¡­!?¡¹


    Two people who were standing beside me, began to touch my abs in a curious manner.


    The sensation of slender fingers running along my skin¡­ felt ticklish.


    And then,


    ¡¸H-Hey! You¡¯re troubling our Allen!¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t touch him!¡¹


    ¡¸R-Ria, Rose!?¡¹


    The two brushed aside the seniors of Ice King Academy and grabbed my hands tightly.


    ¡¸Hey! We¡¯re going, Allen!¡¹


    ¡¸Let¡¯s go enjoy the sea.¡¹


    ¡¸A-Ah, okay.¡¹


    Then, for some reason, I was taken by the two who were in a bad mood, and headed towards the beach.


    ¡¸Un¡­ it¡¯s really pretty.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, there aren¡¯t such beautiful seas in my country.¡¹


    ¡¸The water is so clear that you can see the bottom.¡¹


    The sea that I saw everyday during the games and training, and looking at it now with a calm presence of mind ¨C it truly was beautiful.


    ¡¸Now, what should we y?¡¹


    Many students were already doing what they wanted at the beach.


    A student fishing on the shore.


    A student building a sand castle.


    A student sshing water in shallow waters.


    Everyone was enjoying thest day of the summer camp to the fullest.


    ¡¸Well, I just thought about it ¨C how about this!?¡¹


    Ria took out three floating rings in a deted state that she had been holding in her hands.


    ¡¸¡­Floating rings?¡¹


    ¡¸Un! I borrowed it from the president this morning! Let¡¯s swim together with this!¡¹


    ¡¸There is also sea breeze, so it will surely feel good!¡¹


    ¡¸I see, that¡¯s a nice idea.¡¹


    Then, we inted the floats and slowly entered the sea.


    ¡¸Oo, it¡¯s a little different from river water!¡¹


    The water felt a bit like¡ºsticking to the skin¡».


    ¡¸Nn, it¡¯s cold!¡¹


    ¡¸Feels so good.¡¹


    The two, who had experienced the sea several times, seemed to enjoy the¡ºcoldness¡» rather than the¡ºfeel of the water¡».


    ¡¸So, which way should we go?¡¹


    ¡¸First of all, let¡¯s go a little farther from here!¡¹


    ¡¸Sounds good!¡¹


    ¡¸Yoshi, let¡¯s do that!¡¹


    After that, we swam to a depth where we needed to rely on the floating rings, and we talked about various stories while being jolted by the waves.

 Chapter 37.2 - Meeting at the Summer Camp [5] -part 2

    37. Meeting at the Summer Camp [5] -part 2


    ¡¸-And after that! My father, who mistook the letter as a love letter, furiously said,¡ºIf you want my daughter, demonstrate that you are the strongest in Vesteria!¡»¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, that¡¯s quite the misunderstanding.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, that¡¯s a rather pitiful story.¡¹


    It was so much fun to talk in a different environment that I even forgot the time.


    And as I was lightly floating around,


    ¡¸¡­I suddenly feel like wanting to swing.¡¹


    ¡ºWant to swing¡»has seethed up from the depths of my body.


    In this situation, where my feet does not touch the ground.


    What kind of weight transfer is the best way to unleash sharper shes?


    To know that ¨C I want to swing.


    ¡¸Fufu, Allen really loves to swing, huh?¡¹


    ¡¸Always thinking about swordsmanship.¡¹


    ¡¸Is that so? I feel shy¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸It¡¯s not apliment!¡¹¡¹


    And when the three of us were enjoying ourselves while floating in the floating rings,


    ¡¸¡­K-KYAAA!?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­N-Noo!?¡¹


    ¡¸Ria, Rose!?¡¹


    Suddenly something emerged from the sea ¨C the two on the float were turned upside down due to the momentum.


    ¡¸W-What!?¡¹


    And then, they appeared from the sea,


    ¡¸-Hahaa! This is tonight¡¯s dinner!¡¹


    ¡¸Amazing, Sid! You grabbed a swimming fish!¡¹


    It was Sid-san, who grabbed two fishes in both hands each, and Cain-san who praised it.


    ¡¸Sid-san, Cain-san!? W-Why were you under there!?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa?¡­ What was that, Allen?¡¹


    ¡¸Oo, Allen-sama! I am deeply sorry for frightening you. Currently we are trying to experience¡ºdive fishing¡»¡­This is really interesting!¡¹


    ¡¸I-Is that so¡­¡¹


    It seems that both of them are just enjoying the sea.


    ¡¸You¡­ You two! Swim up slower next time!¡¹


    ¡¸You frightened us!¡¹


    Ria and Rose managed to return to the floating ring, and naturallyined.


    ¡¸You fools! Speed is the most important thing in this!¡¹


    ¡¸No, Sid¡­ That is only when we¡¯re catching the fish, it has nothing to do with surfacing¡­ It¡¯s our fault this time, we will be more careful next time.¡¹


    ¡¸Tch¡­ you¡¯re just stretching the reason¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry for the racket¡­ Well then everyone, let¡¯s meet againter.¡¹


    Then they went back to the bottom of the sea again.


    After that, we finished swimming with the floats and joined the president and the others to y to the fullest.


    ¡ö


    That night, we decided to have a barbecue with everyone from Ice King Academy.


    The meeting time is 19:00 hour in front of Ferris-san¡¯s vi.


    After having finished ying, we headed to Ferris-san¡¯s vi with the president and others.


    ¡¸T-This is amazing¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Uwaa, looks so delicious!¡¹


    ¡¸It smells good!¡¹


    Ferris-san¡¯s vi was also amazing though¡­


    Now that I was hungry, I was attracted to the many ingredients that were lined up in front of me.


    ¡¸Wee, people of Thousand de Academy. The preparations areplete so ¨C let¡¯s start the barbeque!¡¹


    The moment Ferris-san said that,


    ¡¸YAHOOOOO! Thank you very much!¡¹


    ¡¸Ferris-sensei is the best! I love you very much!¡¹


    ¡¸MEEEEEEAT!¡¹


    Cries of joy burst out from everywhere.


    ¡¸It¡¯s going to be a feast, Ferris-san.¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you very much, Ferris-san!¡¹


    ¡¸I am grateful!¡¹


    After we expressed our gratitude, we took the ingredients that were piled up on the central desk.


    ¡¸Well¡­ shall we sit over here?¡¹


    ¡¸Un!¡¹


    ¡¸Roger!¡¹


    When I found an empty seat and sat down,


    ¡¸Here we go.¡¹


    ¡¸Move in a bit more.¡¹


    ¡¸A-Aa¡­¡¹


    Somehow, they sat down next to me on both sides.


    (Normally, I think one of them sits in front of me, but¡­ Well, that¡¯s okay)


    As we lined up the ingredients we each picked on the table ¨C I realized that the fire had already been set.


    ¡¸Oh, even the fire has been set. That¡¯s really helpful.¡¹


    ¡¸All we have to do is barbeque it!¡¹


    ¡¸First of all, we have to stick it on a skewer!¡¹


    Then I stabbed the meat with plenty of fat on two skewers and put it on the wire mesh.


    Ria stabbed the meat into a skewer one after another and barbequed a tremendous number.


    ¡­As expected of Ria.


    Rose has a good bnce. She alternated between meat and vegetables, and then put a small fish on the wire mesh.


    Two minutester ¨C a pleasant, appetizing smell rose.


    It¡¯s time to dig in.


    ¡¸Well then, itadakimasu!¡¹


    ¡¸UnUn! Let¡¯s dig in!¡¹


    ¡¸Itadakimasu!¡¹


    Then when we picked up the skewers we wanted.


    ¡¸Oi, you!¡¹


    Sid-san, who crossed in front of us, snatched the fish skewers that Rose had.


    ¡¸S-Sid-san?¡¹


    ¡¸What are you doing all of a sudden?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Wha?¡¹


    When we quickly threw questions at him,


    ¡¸Tch¡­ it is a¡ºScorpionfish¡»after all.¡¹


    Saying so, Sid-san nonchntly threw the fish away.


    At that moment,


    ¡¸Scorpionfish!?¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, that is a poisonous fish!¡¹


    ¡¸Wait, Wait! Everyone, don¡¯t eat the fish!¡¹


    The surrounding became noisy.


    Scorpionfish ¨C a fish with a small amount of paralysis poison in its body.


    ¡¸Miss, what¡¯s going on!?¡¹


    ¡¸T-That¡¯s strange¡­? I showed all the fish to a local fisherman, and I was told that there was no poison, though¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Tch, he didn¡¯t do a proper job¡­ Oi, bring all the fish over here! I will personally check them!¡¹


    Then he quickly examined arge amount of fish in the cooler box.


    ¡¸S-Sid-san is very knowledgeable about fish¡­¡¹


    As I muttered, Cain-san, who happened to be nearby, spoke.


    ¡¸Yeah, calling him a¡ºfish expert¡»wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration. It seems that Sid-san grew up in a very peculiar environment when he was a child, so his¡ºknowledge of living¡»is very rich. If you can only take one thing to a deserted ind, I¡¯d rmend taking him.¡¹


    ¡¸I-I see¡­¡¹


    Just what kind of environment did he grow up in¡­


    He has a lot of mysteries.


    ¡¸A-Anyway¡­¡­ The fish seems to be a little dangerous, so let¡¯s eat meat instead.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, let¡¯s do that!¡¹


    ¡¸Un, sure.¡¹


    Then we pulled ourselves together and resumed the barbecue.


    ¡¸Un, tasty!¡¹


    ¡¸This is delicious!¡¹


    ¡¸So juicy!¡¹


    Eating outdoors feels very delicious for some reason.


    Then, when the three of us were enjoying the grilled meat ¨Crge fireworks bloomed in the night sky.


    ¡¸Beautiful¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Un.¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, it¡¯s really pretty.¡¹


    Red, Blue, Green ¨C Such beautiful fireworks painted the ck canvas of the night sky.


    ¡¸Nee, Allen, Rose¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Nn, what is it?¡¹


    ¡¸What?¡¹


    ¡¸Let¡¯s go to summer camp together, next year too.¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, we definitely will.¡¹


    ¡¸Of course.¡¹


    Thus, the joint summer camp of Thousand de Academy and Ice King Academy, which was full of turbulence ¨C came to an end safely for the time being.

 Chapter 38 - Vesteria Kingdom and Elite Guard [1]

    38. Vesteria Kingdom and Elite Guard [1]


    From the resort in Veneria Ind in the southern sea to president¡¯s mansion.


    We flew back in the same private jet as we came.


    When the aircraft reached cruising altitude and the turbulence subsided,


    ¡¸Now, let¡¯s y¡ºMillionaire¡»till we get home!¡¹


    The president suddenly announced a game as usual.


    ¡¸Yoshi! Let¡¯s do it!¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, lets!¡¹


    Lilim-senpai who easily gets into things, and Ria who lovespetition, were immediately attracted by the proposal.


    On the other hand, Rose and Ferris-senpai, who are weak morning people, were sleeping well in their seats and are unlikely to participate this time.


    Leia-sensei seems to have drank a little too muchst night, and was sleeping while groaning.


    ¡¸Of course, Allen-kun is participating too right?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, please go easy on me.¡¹


    ¡¸Un! 4 yers, just the right number! Now, let¡¯s begin!¡¹


    She then started distributing the cards while humming.


    (¡­¡ºThis time¡»it¡¯s a normal deck)


    This time when nothing was being bet, she did not use¡ºgimmick card¡», but a regr card deck.


    For about an hour after that, we just continued ying millionaire.


    Personally, I wanted to y another game already¡­


    ¡¸Wow, the Millionaire 12 times in a row¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸A-Allen-kun¡­ You, are a bit too good¡­¡¹


    ¡¸O-Once more! One more time, Allen!¡¹


    The president, Lilim-senpai, and Ria ¨C all three of them hated losing quite a bit, so they didn¡¯t want to stop ying.


    As expected, ying millionaire for a whole hour, was a little boring.


    (Let¡¯s just lose this time¡­)


    As I was thinking of that,


    ¡¸Allen-kun! Onee-chan promises not to get angry, so be honest and confess! You¡¯re doing some cheating again, right!?¡¹


    The president, who lost her mood after sessive defeats, made such a im.


    But this time I didn¡¯t cheat ¨C this was apletely false usation.


    ¡¸No, I wouldn¡¯t cheat while ying an honest game. -I¡¯m not the president after all.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Gikuu¡¹


    Yes.


    This president is incorrigibly doing it again.


    When one game was over and we moved on to the next game.


    She sets the millionaire¡¯s strong cards, such as the¡ºJoker¡»and¡ºTwo Card¡», to the bottom of the deck.


    After that, only when handing out cards to herself, she secretly took it from the bottom of the deck.


    It is a technique called¡ºbottom deal¡», a cheat that is often used in ying cards.


    (Nobody seems to have noticed it, but I overlooked it because it is a small cheat that gives the president a small advantage¡­)


    But if she wants to use me of cheating, then it bes a different story.


    ¡¸AA-Allen-kun!? It¡¯s useless to try and shake up onee-chan like that!¡¹


    As expected of the president.


    Her stubborn till the end personality is amazing in it¡¯s own rights.


    (I feel a little pity to expose her trick in front of everyone¡­)


    Even the president has dignity and needs to keep face.


    So I kept smiling and showed her a bottom deal with my right index finger at high speed.


    When she received my sign¡ºI know of your trick¡», she stiffened a little ¨C and after a little while, pped her hands together.


    ¡¸¡­Well, let¡¯s move onto the next game!¡¹


    ¡¸Wait a minute, Sie. Why were you silent just now?¡¹


    ¡¸W-Were you perhaps¡­ cheating, president!?¡¹


    ¡¸T-This story is over! It¡¯s not good for everyone to doubt people! Let¡¯s cherish our hearts to trust!¡¹


    Saying that, the president immediately tried to start the next game.


    Even though she was the first one to use me of cheating,


    ¡¸You¡¯re trying to escape.¡¹


    ¡¸Uwaa¡­¡¹


    ¡¸President¡­¡¹


    Lilim-senpai, Ria and I ¨C As we directed our cold gazes towards the president,


    ¡¸I-I won¡¯t do it again, forgive me¡­¡¹


    Atst, she raised the white g and apologized honestly.


    ¡¸Good grief, it can¡¯t be helped¡­ This is thest time, Sie!¡¹


    ¡¸You must never cheat again, ok?¡¹


    ¡¸President, at least don¡¯t get found out next time.¡¹


    ¡¸E-Everyone¡­ thank you!¡¹


    After that, the president did not cheat, and we enjoyed various games such as fan-tan, concentration, etc.


    ¡ö


    The private jetnded safely and we were allowed to disperse.


    The president, Lilim-senpai, and Ferris-senpai, will be hanging out together in the president¡¯s mansion for a while longer.


    They invited us too, but¡­


    We wanted to take a break, so we politely declined.


    ¡¸-President, thank you for everything. The summer camp was really fun. It was a wonderful experience.¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you very much! I truly had a lot of fun!¡¹


    ¡¸Fuwaa¡­ thank you¡­¡¹


    When I, Ria, and Rose, conveyed our gratitude,


    ¡¸You are wee. Well then, let¡¯s meet again at the academy¡¹the president said, with a kind smile.


    And Leia-sensei, who is the advisor of the student council,


    ¡¸Right, everyone. There are a lot of temptations during the summer vacation, so be careful not to go overboard.¡¹


    She gave a proper teacher-like advice, and brought the summer camp to an end.


    Coming from Leia-sensei, who had a huge drinkingpetition with Ferris-san and went overboard yesterday¡­ It was not very persuasive.


    ¡¸Well then, shall we go home?¡¹


    ¡¸Un.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­ I want to go home and take a nap¡­ Kuwaa¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯ll apany you along the way. I¡¯d like to go home as is, but I have a visitor today.¡¹


    Thus, the four of us headed towards Thousand de Academy.


    We navigated through the city of Orest, and arrived at the ce where the dormitory of Thousand de Academy was connected.


    ¡¸My dormitory is here. See youter, everyone.¡¹


    Rose came to a halt and waved goodbye.


    ¡¸Aa. Goodbye, Rose.¡¹


    ¡¸Make sure to wake up on time tomorrow.¡¹


    ¡¸Take care of yourself.¡¹


    After parting with Rose, as we turned towards our dormitory ¨C a gust of wind breezed through.


    ¡¸That¡¯s some nice wind-¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, yes.¡¹


    And when I and Ria were walking shoulder-to-shoulder together ¨C I saw a man in noble clothing who did not seem to be from around here.


    (Civilian clothes within Thousand de Academy huh, how unusual¡­)


    And the very next moment,


    ¡¸High King Style ¨C Destruction!¡¹


    He closed the distance between us instantly, and unleashed a sharp sh filled with murderous intent.


    ¡¸!?¡¹


    I narrowly blocked it by drawing my sword right away.


    (¡­Guh, so strong)


    Unprecedented eleration, and this weight ¨C he is not an average swordsman.


    Moreover,¡ºHigh King Style¡»is the same school as Ria.


    ¡¸W-What are you doing all of a sudden¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸You unsightly trash¡­ Don¡¯t get close to Ria-sama¡­!¡¹


    The pompous swordsman, scowled in anger.


    (¡­Ria¡ºsama¡»?)


    And then,


    ¡¸C-ude!? Why are you here!?¡¹


    ¡¸Oh©`, it¡¯s been a while, ude!¡¹


    Ria and sensei called out to the mysterious swordsman, ude.


    Sharp eyes with long slits, which were scowling at me for some reason.


    Slightly long glossy ck hair.


    White noble clothing.


    The age is probably around 15 years old.


    Height is slightly shorter than me, about 165 cm.


    ¡¸Uh¡­ Ria, I would appreciate it if you could introduce me?¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, sorry. This child is ude-Stroganoff. The Captain of the Elite Knights of Vesteria. Who should be busy with work over there, but is here somehow¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I see¡­¡¹


    I still don¡¯t know why he attacked me, but¡­


    He seems to be friendly.


    ¡¸Ria-sama, it¡¯s been a long time! And ¨C what¡¯s the meaning of this Leia! There is a worm near Ria-sama!¡¹


    (W-¡ºWorm¡»¡­?)


    We haven¡¯t even got to know each other yet. Or rather, we haven¡¯t even exchanged a single word, worm is a little too much¡­


    Leia-sensei, who was severely reprimanded by ude-san, shook her head sideways in a good grief manner.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t get so worked up, ude. How do I say this¡­ they both are in a special rtionship.¡¹


    ¡¸S-Special rtionship¡­!? N-No way¡­ L-L-L-¡­ Lovers!?¡¹


    He turned pale and quivered.


    ¡¸Oh no, that¡¯s not right. Much more than that actually. A¡ºMaster-Servant Rtionship¡»- to put it simply, a¡ºve¡»¡¹


    As he received that shocking reveal,


    ¡¸M-Master and Servant¡­? ve¡­? ¡­¡­Eh?¡¹


    He whispered as the colour in his face drained awaypletely.


    ¡¸Se-Sensei!?¡¹


    ¡¸L-Leia!? Why did you expose it!?¡¹


    ¡¸Hahaha! There¡¯s no point in lying, right?¡¹


    Saying that, senseiughed sonorously.


    (T-This sensei¡­!)


    She¡¯spletely enjoying this situation ¨C like a criminal who takes delight in people¡¯s reaction to his crimes.


    The other party is the Captain of the Elite Guards of Vesteria.


    If mine and Ria¡¯s ve contract is known¡­ I can¡¯t even predict how troublesome it will be.


    ¡¸R-Ria-sama¡­ is that the truth?¡¹


    ude-san¡¯sst bastion ¨C asking Ria directly.


    (¡­This is our chance!)


    If she says¡ºno¡»clearly here, that will be the end of the story.


    All of the sensei¡¯s petty schemes wille to nothing!


    However,


    ¡¸Eh, ah, umm¡­ U-Un¡­¡¹


    For some reason, she nodded while blushing.


    (Un¡­ this kind of honesty and unable to lie is the virtue of Ria.)


    It¡¯s a very good thing as a person, and I want her to be like that in the future as well.


    (However¡­ there is a separate¡ºce and time¡»for that!)


    ude-san, who was confronted by a hopeless reality from Ria,


    ¡¸Wh-Wha¡­ Ria-sama, a ve¡­? ??!¡¹


    He was overwhelmed by the magnitude of the shock, and fainted on the spot.


    ¡¸C-ude!? Hold on!¡¹


    ¡¸Hahaha! Things have turned out interesting again, Allen!¡¹


    Sensei patted my back.


    (¡­This is bad. This is probably¡­ the worst of them all.)


    Although just in name, the princess of another country is enved.


    That one fact is very, very heavy.


    In addition to that, Ria¡¯s father. In other words, the King of Vesteria¡­ I heard that he is a very doting parent.


    (When ude-san regains consciousness, if I make even one wrong move¡­)


    I¡¯m sure it¡¯s going to be more troublesome than ever.


    (Haa¡­ why does this keep happening to me¡­)


    I looked up at the blue sky, exhausted and heaved a veryrge sigh.

 Chapter 39 - Vesteria Kingdom and Elite Guard [2]

    39. Vesteria Kingdom and Elite Guard [2]


    After that, Leia-sensei carried the fainted ude-san over to the infirmary.


    ording to the academy nurse, it is simr to the symptoms of anemia caused by severe stress, and if he rests as is, he should wake up soon.


    When asked what caused this, Leia-sensei replied vaguely,¡¸Well, there was something that was a little too stimting.¡¹


    Ten minutester.


    ¡¸Uh¡­ where am I¡­?¡¹


    ude-san slowly opened his eyes.


    ¡¸Ah, you woke up, ude!¡¹


    ¡¸R-Ria-sama¡­? Aa, I¡¯m d. It was all just a dream¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Eh?¡¹


    He patted his chest with relief and smiled softly.


    ¡¸I just had a really long dream¡­ That Ria-sama went to study abroad, and of all things, you became the ve of a filthy worm¡­ It was a painful and agonizing nightmare¡­¡¹


    ¡¸E-Err¡­ that wasn¡¯t a dream.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­Eh? ??!?¡¹


    As ude-san looked around restlessly, his eyes met mine, and


    ¡¸Bastard, aren¡¯t you the filthy worm!? So that means, it was all real¡­¡¹


    Immediately jumped out of bed and turned his sharp gaze mixed with hostility and hatred.


    ¡¸¡­Nice to meet you, ude-san. I am Allen-Rodore.¡¹


    I didn¡¯t want him to keep calling me a filthy worm, so I gave him my name for the time being.


    However,


    ¡¸I don¡¯t give a damn about your name, bastard! Don¡¯t get close to Ria-sama, you fiend!¡¹


    He waspletely hostile to me and we weren¡¯t even able to have a proper conversation.


    (This is a problem¡­)


    Personally, I want to stop the information from being spread beyond ude-san.


    I definitely don¡¯t want to let the King of Vesteria know about my rtionship with Ria.


    (For that purpose, I¡¯d like to get a conversation started, but¡­)


    It seems to be quite difficult¡­


    And when I sighed heavily in my heart,


    ¡¸Hey, ude! You¡¯ve been going too far since just now! Apologize to Allen!¡¹


    Ria, who was clearly offended, scolded ude-san severely.


    ¡¸Ria-sama¡­!? Have you yielded even your body and mind¡­ to this filthy worm¡­¡¹


    Reprimanded by his beloved Ria, he began to grit his teeth and trembled.


    ¡¸Ria-sama has been unreliable ever since she was little¡­ Undoubtedly she was deceived by this low-life worm¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸Just who are you calling unreliable!¡¹


    Ignoring Ria¡¯s rebuttal, ude-san red at me.


    ¡¸Remember, you filthy worm! I¡¯ll give you the pain of hell! And Ria-sama! I will surely free you¡­! Well, this is good-bye for now.¡¹


    Saying that, he jumped out the window of the infirmary.


    At that moment,


    ¡¸¡­Puh, ahahahaha! ude is amusing as always! Really worth teasing!¡¹


    Leia-sensei, who had been desperately enduring herughter so far, held her stomach and burst outughing.


    ¡¸Haa¡­ Leia-sensei¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Leia! What are you nning to do!?¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, don¡¯t make such a scary face. It¡¯s just a small joke.¡¹


    I think this is beyond the scale of a¡ºsmall joke¡»¡­


    ¡¸Well, let¡¯s get serious now¡­ It¡¯s about ude, who will probably attempt to contact Allen before soon. At that time, you can exin the situation and convince, or fabricate a story and confuse ude ¨C well, choose whichever one you like.¡¹


    ¡¸B-Both seem to be quite difficult though¡­¡¹


    I don¡¯t think ude-san, who was so angry with me, would listen obediently.


    ¡¸Well take care of it somehow! Now that the¡ºvisitor¡»has disappeared, I¡¯m going home!¡¹


    Saying that, she turned around and went out of the infirmary.


    Apparently, the¡ºvisitor¡»that sensei had mentioned earlier was ude-san.


    ¡¸Haa¡­ for the time being, we should go home too.¡¹


    ¡¸I am worried about the mess that ude is going to stir up. Be careful of your rear, when going out at night, and ces which are hidden from view¡­ alright, Allen?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, understood.¡¹


    Then we left the infirmary and returned to our room.


    ¡ö


    A whole day has passed since then, but¡­


    Since then, ude-san hasn¡¯t showed up in front of us again.


    (Nevertheless, I can¡¯t let my guard down¡­)


    Perhaps he is cooking up some kind of strategy right now.


    I need to brace myself for the next few days.


    ¡¸Fuu¡­ I guess it¡¯s about time to return.¡¹


    The time is 7am.


    When I finished my daily early morning routine and went back to my dorm,


    ¡¸Fuwaa¡­ Ah, good morning, Allen. You woke up early today as well.¡¹


    Ria, dressed in pajamas, said so sleepily.


    I guess she just woke up.


    ¡¸Good morning, Ria. Oh, right. There was an envelope for you.¡¹


    I handed her the envelope I had just picked up from the mailbox.


    ¡¸¡­For me? I wonder from whom?¡¹


    ¡¸That is¡­ there¡¯s no sender¡¯s name.¡¹


    There were no stamps on this envelope, let alone the sender¡¯s name.


    Perhaps someone posted it directly to our mailbox.


    And then,


    ¡¸T-This is¡­!?¡¹


    Ria gazed seriously at the imposing red stamp pressed on the back of the envelope while turning pale.


    ¡¸What is it¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸This is¡­ a letter from my father¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Your father¡­ you mean the King of Vesteria?¡¹


    ¡¸Un, this might be a little bad¡­¡¹


    I¡¯m sure it¡¯s definitely about that.


    Apparently, ude-san reported to the king immediately after that.


    ¡¸For now¡­ let¡¯s check the contents.¡¹


    ¡¸Y-Yeah¡­¡¹


    Carefully open the envelope and take out the high-quality paper folded inside.


    It was written in beautiful letters:


    To my dear daughter, Ria.


    I heard a certain story from ude.


    You seem to be struggling with a lot of special circumstances there.


    Papa is very worried and can¡¯t concentrate on work.


    Will youe back home one time this summer vacation?


    On July 6th at 10am, I directed an aircraft dedicated to the royal family to arrive at Thousand de Academy.


    Please bring your friend, Allen-Rodore, with you.


    Please bring him no matter what.


    I love you.


    From Papa.


    At first nce it¡¯s a gentle letter addressed to one¡¯s daughter¡­


    It would be obvious to anyone who reads it that there was an inconceivable anger oozing from it.


    ¡¸Your father, seems to be really angry¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Maa, I suppose¡­¡¹


    He heard that his beloved daughter that went to a foreign country, became the ve of a man with shabby background.


    Naturally, he would be angry.


    (And it was ude-san who reported this story¡­)


    Surely he must have inserted some malicious dramatization.


    ¡¸What shall we do¡­ Allen!? July 6th is today!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­No other choice but to go.¡¹


    The other party is the king who rules an entire country.


    Unlike ude-san, he must be sensible and intelligent.


    If I exin the situation properly, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll understand.


    ¡¸S-Sorry¡­ I¡¯ve been causing you nothing but trouble¡­¡¹


    ¡¸You don¡¯t have to worry about it. -Rather, we should get ready quickly. There¡¯s not much time left.¡¹


    ¡¸U-Un, understood¡­ thank you.¡¹


    After that, Ria ran to the back of the dressing room.


    ¡¸Fuu¡­ Heavy¡­¡¹


    The fact that I was summoned directly by the king of a country was very heavy for me, as a student.


    (All things considered, after the resort in Veneria Ind in the southern sea, I¡¯m going to Vesteria Kingdom across the sea¡­ Even though it¡¯s summer vacation, I can¡¯t rest at all¡­)


    Then, I began to prepare for the trip while heaving a sigh.

 Chapter 40 - Vesteria Kingdom and Elite Guard [3]

    40. Vesteria Kingdom and Elite Guard [3]


    After preparing for the trip, Ria and I headed to the schoolyard of Thousand de Academy.


    A huge royal airne was already waiting there.


    (¡­It¡¯s a bit bigger than the president¡¯s private jet.)


    As expected, the scale is different when ites to the ones owned by the royal family.


    In front of the ne, there was a group of five people wearing ck dresses and bowed simultaneously as they saw Ria.


    A woman at the head of the group spoke.


    ¡¸-I¡¯ve been waiting for you, Ria-sama, Filthy Worm-sama. We¡¯re ready to take off, please get on board.¡¹


    Filthy Worm-sama, huh¡­


    (What¡¯s the point of the¡º-sama¡»even¡­)


    It was a very nice greeting that let¡¯s me know in an instant that I was not weed at all.


    And then,


    ¡¸Hey, if you say something like that¡­ I won¡¯t go.¡¹


    Ria, who was outright in a bad mood, said with a sharp gaze.


    ¡¸¡­I am sorry. Ria-sama¡­¡­¡­¡­ Allen-sama, pleasee this way.¡¹


    After a long pause, she called my name properly.


    ¡¸Fuun¡­ Let¡¯s go, Allen.¡¹


    ¡¸A-Aa¡¹


    Then, with Ria pulling my hand, I got on the ne.


    ¡ö


    While flying from Thousand de Academy to Vesteria Kingdom.


    Ria taught me a lot about the tourist spots of Vesteria.


    The Hill of Hope that is said to make any wishe true.


    The National Vesteria Museum which exhibits a variety of historically valuable art, antiques and relics.


    The Great Arena where swordsmenpete with their skills and amazing battles unfold every day.


    She is likely to be proud of her home country, after all.


    Ria, who enthusiastically talked about Vesteria, seemed very happy.


    ¡¸When the talk with my father is over, let¡¯s definitely go sightseeing together!¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, sure.¡¹


    Then, as we made a promise, the ne gradually dropped its altitude and slowlynded on the ground.


    ¡¸-We have arrived at the capital of Vesteria, Arlond. Pleasee this way.¡¹


    When I got off the ne and left the airport ¨C I was shocked.


    The air, the smell, the people ¨C everything was different.


    Well, I suppose it¡¯s the most natural thing since it¡¯s a foreign country.


    However, for me, who left the country for the first time and crossed the sea, the impact was quite big.


    After we left the airport, the woman in ck dress spoke.


    ¡¸Ria-sama. The meeting with His Majesty the King is scheduled for 8pm. We still have about an hour and a half to go, dinner-¡¹


    ¡¸-I¡¯ll have it together with Allen. Just the both of us.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Understood.¡¹


    She nodded reluctantly.


    She doesn¡¯t seem to agree with me and Ria going out together.


    ¡¸¡­Then, we will take our leave here. As a precaution, once again ¨C the meeting with His Majesty the King is scheduled for 8pm. Please don¡¯t forget, thank you.¡¹


    ¡¸I know. I¡¯m not gonna stand him up aftering this far.¡¹


    ¡¸No, that¡¯s not why I¡¯m repeating¡­ Ria-sama has been a little scatterbrain since always, so I hope you will look at your watch and act precisely¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I-I¡¯m not scatterbrain! Mou, leave already!¡¹


    ¡¸-Understood. Please take care.¡¹


    Then we parted with the group and slipped into the bustling crowd in the main street.


    ¡¸Good grief¡­ It¡¯s a bit mean to call someone unreliable, and scatterbrain¡­ right?¡¹


    ¡¸A-Ahaha, yes¡­¡¹


    To be honest, Ria has a little unreliable side to her, and I¡¯m sure she¡¯s also a little scatterbrain.


    I know it well because we¡¯ve been living in the same room for the past few months.


    However, because it was not possible to say those things to her face, I decided tough and dodge the question.


    Then I shifted my gaze to the main street we were walking on.


    (¡­Unlike the capital Orest, there aren¡¯t many big shops.)


    Instead, there are small stalls lined up.


    Although, the total number of shops seems to be overwhelmingly more than the ones in Orest.


    (Even though it is already after 6pm¡­ there is still a great number of people.)


    A swordsman with a sword fastened on his waist.


    A woman with shopping bags.


    A man walking with a bottle of sake in one hand while humming unconcernedly.


    Various people were walking along the street with cheerful faces.


    It was as vibrant as the merchant town, Drestia.


    And when I was looking around the street.


    ¡¸Nee, Allen. We don¡¯t have much time, so why don¡¯t we have dinner?¡¹Ria said, pping on my shoulder.


    ¡¸Aa, that¡¯s right.¡¹


    The time was 6.30pm.


    I was also getting hungry.


    ¡¸Is there anything you would like to eat, Allen?¡¹


    ¡¸U-n, let¡¯s see. If I have to choose¡­ something with meat.¡¹


    ¡¸Really? Then there¡¯s a shop I¡¯d like to rmend! It¡¯s my favorite shop that I¡¯ve been visiting since I was a child!¡¹


    ¡¸Hee, in that case, let¡¯s head over there.¡¹


    ¡¸Un! This way, follow me!¡¹


    Then I followed Ria and arrived in front of a restaurant that is still very much fresh in my memory.


    ¡¸T-This is¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, it¡¯s amazing right? An authentic Ramzac shop!¡¹


    Ramzac is a traditional dish of Vesteria.


    A bite-sized triangr puff pastry filled with beef stew with plenty of beef.


    (Ramzac is certainly delicious. And because it has plenty of beef, it matches my request¡­)


    However, the problem is the amount.


    When I went to eat this with Ria and Rose previously, Rose and I had to raise the white g in front of the excessive amount.


    (W-What should I do¡­ refuse?)


    As I was thinking about that,


    ¡¸The shop here is run by a family, and it¡¯s really good! The pie crust is really crispy! Full of rich beef stew! And, And! The meat is so soft that it melts in your mouth!¡¹


    Excited in front of the authentic Ramzac, Ria expressed so passionately.


    ¡¸I-I see¡­ I¡¯m looking forward to it¡­¡¹


    There is no way I can say¡¸I¡¯m sorry, but why don¡¯t we go to another shop?¡¹,when she sounds so happy.


    With a slightly stiff smile, I nodded.


    (¡­If pushes to shove, I can just have her finish my portion as well.)


    It¡¯s not good to overdo it ¨C this is what I learned from myst Ramzac meal.


    If it bes too difficult, let¡¯s give her the rest.


    ¡¸Come, let¡¯s enter.¡¹


    ¡¸Aa.¡¹


    And when we entered the store,


    ¡¸Hello, wee¡­ Oh! If isn¡¯t Ria-sama! So you finally returned!¡¹


    A short, old-aged employee ran up to Ria.


    ¡¸It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen you, grandma Ram! I came back for a little while because of a few of circumstances.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh I see, I see! I¡¯m just d you¡¯re doing good! By the way¡­ you brought along a cool guy. Is he perhaps¡­ your boyfriend?¡¹


    ¡¸E-Err¡­ That is, umm¡­?¡¹


    Ria suddenly became evasive, and looked up at me.


    Apparently, she doesn¡¯t want to answer this kind of question voluntarily.


    (Speaking of which, I think Pa-san taught me something¡­)


    ¡ºListen well, Allen. Girls are delicate creatures. So if a girl is in trouble, you, as a man, must take care of her and help her!¡»


    Ria is a teenage girl.


    And she is currently at a loss as to how to answer the question.


    As a man, I should take care of and answer on her behalf.


    ¡¸Ahaha. We are just friends.¡¹


    As I answered the question.


    ¡¸¡­I see ¡­so you¡¯re still¡ºfriends¡»¡¹


    For some reason, Ria suddenly dropped her shoulders and heaved arge sigh.


    ¡¸Fufu, I see I see! How bittersweet¡­ I feel a little young too!¡¹


    On the other hand, Ram-san, who was feeling lively for some reason,ughed happily.


    ¡¸Well, are you going to order the usual?¡¹


    ¡¸Ah yes, please give us two extrarge portion Ramzac.¡¹


    ¡¸Sure, then, please take your favorite seat!¡¹


    After that, Ria and I ate the authentic Ramzac with relish.


    ¡ö


    After we ate Ramzac till our stomachs were full, we paid the bill and left the store.


    ¡¸Nn©`! It was so delicious, Allen!¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, the authentic was different after all. It was much better than the one in Orest.¡¹


    ¡¸But, you didn¡¯t eat much¡­ are you alright?¡¹


    ¡¸A-Aa¡­! I¡¯ve been dieting recently!¡¹


    Yes. This time, I didn¡¯t overdo it.


    Right when I ate five ¨C I felt content, so I gave the remaining fifteen to Ria.


    (All things considered¡­ Ria¡¯s gluttonous manner is quite terrifying.)


    The figure of Ria eating a sum of thirty-five ramzacs, was even kind of godly.


    (Well¡­ The real thinges after this.)


    Ramzac is, after all, an incidental prelude.


    From now on, the¡ºMain Battle¡»of talking to Ria¡¯s father ¨C King Vesteria begins.


    ¡¸Ria, you remember, right? If you are asked¡ºDid you be a ve?¡», you must definitely answer¡ºNo¡», okay?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s alright, I will answer properly this time!¡¹


    ¡¸Yoshi, can you lead the way?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, this way. Follow me.¡¹


    Then, following Ria¡¯s lead ¨C I arrived at arge castle which stood towering over its surroundings.


    The five people who apanied us on the ne were also there.


    ¡¸-We¡¯ve been waiting for you, Ria-sama, filthy¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ Allen-sama.¡¹


    She attempted to address me as filthy worm, and after a long, long gap, she called my name with a bitter expression.


    ¡¸His Majesty the King is waiting for you. -Pleasee this way.¡¹


    Then we passed through the guards who red at me sharply and entered the royal castle.


    (¡­As expected, I¡¯m nervous)


    Meeting with the king of a country ¨C no matter how you think about it, it¡¯s too heavy for a student.


    (Until just a few months ago, I was a dropout of the swordsmanship academy in the countryside¡­)


    What, why, and how did thingse to this point¡­


    (I¡¯m not good at talking, but I¡¯ll try as much as I can¡­.)


    Then, I walked through the royal castle while heaving a sigh, which had be a habit as ofte.

 Chapter 41 - Vesteria Kingdom and Elite Guard [4]

    41. Vesteria Kingdom and Elite Guard [4]


    The capital of Vesteria, Arlond.


    We were guided by a group in formal dress through the castle towering over the surroundings.


    (That¡¯s amazing¡­)


    The castle was decorated with magnificent sculptures that make you feel the history of each piece, gorgeous chandeliers, and unique paintings that looked like masterpieces. It was apletely different world from the countryside where I grew up.


    ¡¸It¡¯s only been 3 months and yet¡­ I feel a little nostalgic.¡¹


    As we walked down the wide hallway, Ria expressed her thoughts.


    ¡¸Oh yeah, for Ria, this is your home.¡¹


    There are times when I sometimes forget that she is a princess, since we¡¯re always together..


    ¡¸Yeah, I used to run around the castle when I was little.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, I can easily imagine that.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Nee, Allen. Is that apliment?¡¹


    ¡¸Un, I wonder?¡¹


    ¡¸Mou, don¡¯t tease me!¡¹


    When we were conversing as such,


    ¡¸-Beyond this point is the throne room. Please take care not to be rude before His Majesty the King.¡¹


    The five, in formal dress, bowed their heads deeply.


    Apparently, only I and Ria will be going to the throne room.


    ¡¸¡­Let¡¯s go.¡¹


    ¡¸Un.¡¹


    And then we started walking forward.


    (Fuu¡­ I¡¯m nervous)


    I was born in the countryside and have never talked to someone of high rank such as His Majesty the King.


    Good manners, behavior,nguage, etc¡­ There are so many things to worry about.


    And then,


    ¡¸It¡¯s alright, Allen. You are invited as a friend of mine today. Just be confident as a guest.¡¹


    Even if you say that¡­


    The other party is the king of a country ¨C I have to take care of manners and conduct.


    ¡¸F-For the time being¡­ I¡¯ll be careful not to be rude.¡¹


    Then we walked straight for a while ¨C there was a big, regal door.


    On both sides of the door stood two guards d in sturdy-looking armor.


    They turned their cold, sharp gaze towards me for a moment, and soon after, they saluted Ria.


    ¡¸Wee home, Ria-sama.¡¹


    ¡¸His Majesty the King is waiting. -Please enter.¡¹


    When the two guards opened the heavy doors, there was a figure of the King sitting on the throne and ude-san standing behind him.


    (So this is the King of Vesteria ¨C Gris-Vesteria¡­)


    Sharp big eyes.


    Shortly cut, same bright blonde hair as Ria.


    The well-groomed imposing goatee is a little grey due to age.


    He seems to be in his mid-forties.


    A golden crown was ced on the head, and the figure wearing a red cloak was exactly that of a king.


    ¡¸Oo! You¡¯ve returned, Ria!¡¹


    His Majesty Gris got up from the throne and rushed to Ria with a full smile.


    ¡¸I¡¯m home, father.¡¹


    ¡¸Oo, Oo! I¡¯m really d that you¡¯re doing well! Papa was worried sick about you¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you. But I¡¯m already 15 years old now, so you don¡¯t have to worry so much.¡¹


    After that, when the conversation between the two seemed to have ended, I started to introduce myself politely.


    ¡¸Nice to meet you, my name is Allen-Rodore, I am a first-year student of Thousand de Academy. Getting along well with Ria-san¨C¡¹


    ¡¸So you¡¯re the bastard, Allen-Rodore!¡¹


    His Majesty Gris cut me off and turned his hateful eyes towards me.


    ¡¸I heard from ude! You used crooked means on my daughter and fiddled with her body and mind ¨C the worst of the worst!¡¹


    ¡¸N-No, that¡¯s not tru-¡¹


    ¡¸Show your strength.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Eh?¡¹


    ¡¸If you want my daughter, demonstrate that you are the strongest in all of Vesteria!¡¹


    His majesty gave himself up to anger and shouted in a loud voice that reverberated throughout the castle.


    (¡­This line. Now that I think about it, I think it came up in one of the stories Ria told during summer camp¡­)


    I never thought I¡¯d be in that position though.


    (A-Anyway, this is bad¡­)


    I have to get rid of the misunderstanding quickly before the story takes a weird turn¡­!


    ¡¸Your Majesty Gris, please listen to me! Actually, there was a big misunderstanding about the matter-¡¹


    And as I somehow tried to exin things,


    ¡¸Shut up, shut up! I¡¯ve heard that you¡¯re a crook who excels in the art of conversation, and can easily seduce the party you¡¯re talking to!¡¹


    He didn¡¯t listen to me at all.


    ude-san, who was behind His Majesty, curled the corners of his mouth into a disgusting smile..


    (That ude-san¡­)


    To call a person a crook¡­ It¡¯s a little too much of a dramatization.


    And when I was forced into a precarious position, Ria red up at His Majesty from his side.


    ¡¸Father! Listen to what Allen has to say!¡¹


    ¡¸No! That guy is a devilish man who was able to deceive you, who was stout-hearted. If I give him even the slightest chance, even I¡¯ll be ensnared!¡¹


    ¡¸Allen is not such a bad person! If you talk to him properly, you will know right away!¡¹


    Ria clearly expressed her opinion, without fear of His Majesty¡¯s loud voice.


    However,


    ¡¸¡­Damn it! My daughter has been brainwashed this far¡­ I won¡¯t forgive¡­ I won¡¯t forgive you, Allen-Rodore!¡¹


    Her struggle was in vain, and the situation worsened over time.


    (¡­It doesn¡¯t seem like he¡¯ll hear me out anymore.)


    In that case, I should first listen to the other person¡¯s story and seize the beginning of the conversation.


    ¡¸Well then Your Majesty, can I know how I should demonstrate being¡ºstrongest of Vesteria¡»?¡¹


    And then,


    ¡¸Fuun, let¡¯s see¡­ It¡¯s unfair to say,¡ºFight an adult Holy Knight¡»to a student¡­ It would be too petty as the King of Vesteria¡­¡¹His Majesty, said while massaging his goatee.


    ¡¸¡­Yoshi, I¡¯ve decided! The swordsman of the same age in this castle! If you show that you are the strongest, I will admit that you are the¡ºnext strongest of Vesteria¡»- and I will not bring up this matter again!¡¹


    ¡¸I-Is that true!?¡¹


    ¡¸Umu, I promise on the name of Vesteria.¡¹


    Inside the castle ¨C and against swordsmen of the same age, which means I have a chance.


    (¡­No, wait. His Majesty, who blindly loves Ria, has bothered to make this proposal¡­)


    He must have the conviction that he definitely wouldn¡¯t lose.


    (However¡­ the probability of winning is not zero!)


    And when I strengthened my resolve,


    ¡¸But if you lose the battle, Ria¡¯s studying abroad will be stopped immediately! Don¡¯t even hope that she¡¯ll ever return to Thousand de Academy!¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸Wha!?¡¹¡¹


    His Majesty smiled wickedly and continued to speak.


    ¡¸Now, what do you want to do? You have the option to turn tail and run, you know? Of course, in that case ¨C Ria would go to¡ºVesteria¡¯s Swordsmanship Academy¡»!¡¹


    And then,


    ¡¸J-Just a minute, father! What¡¯s that! I will not ept such an unreasonable argument!¡¹


    Ria immediately voiced her protest, but His Majesty was stubborn and did not give up.


    ¡¸No! You must listen to papa once in a while!¡¹


    ¡¸NOOO! I won¡¯t listen at all!¡¹


    ¡¸Absolutely not! This is one thing I will not yield! Even papa has things that I cannot yield as a parent!¡¹


    ¡¸Mugugugugu¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸I won¡¯t give up no matter how much you re! You¡¯ll polish your swordsmanship in our Vesteria and be a fine swordsman! ¨C Damn it. If I didn¡¯t fall for Leia¡¯s temptation at that time, things wouldn¡¯t have turned out like this¡­!¡¹


    Thest line ¨C His Majesty gritted his teeth, grumbled something with a small voice.


    And then,


    ¡¸What are you going to do now, Allen-Rodore! I tell you, you have no chance of winning! This is not a threat. It is absolutely impossible for you to win! I think it¡¯s a smart choice to run away with your tail tucked between your legs¡­¡¹he said, and left the choice to me.


    ¡¸A-Allen¡­¡¹


    Ria pinched the sleeve of my clothes a little anxiously.


    (I¡­ want to be together with Ria.)


    Moreover, she also wants to learn swordsmanship at Thousand de Academy.


    (If His Majesty Gris is so confident, then surely he must have quite the number of swordsmen under his arm¡­)


    But ¨C no matter how difficult it is, if the possibility is not zero, I¡¯ll face it.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll show you ¨C that I¡¯m the next strongest of Vesteria.¡¹


    ¡¸Fuun¡­ It¡¯s a stupid choice. After all, you¡¯re just a child¡­ Then, starting at ten o¡¯clock tomorrow, we will conduct the duel at the Great Arena! You¡¯ll have to face three swordsman of our choosing, but¡­ You have no objection, do you?¡¹


    His Majesty raised three fingers andughed as if to shake me up.


    ¡¸T-Three!? Father, the conditions are unfair!¡¹


    ¡¸-It¡¯s alright, I have no objection.¡¹


    ¡¸A-Allen!?¡¹


    This match is a match of the heart.


    (Even if Iined and the opponent was reduced to one person ¨C His Majesty will not recognize my strength.)


    I have topletely win against the three swordsmen that he confidently sends out.


    If I don¡¯t show my power, then His Majesty will continue to try and take back Ria by various means¡­


    ¡¸Fuun¡­ I¡¯ll recognize your spirit at the very least.-ude!¡¹


    ¡¸Yes!¡¹


    ¡¸For the time being, he¡¯s a guest. Prepare the guest room for Allen-Rodore.¡¹


    ¡¸Certainly!¡¹


    After giving an order to ude-san, His Majesty sat on the throne.


    It seems that today¡¯s meeting ends here.


    ¡¸-Oi. This way, filthy worm. Follow me.¡¹


    Then I and Ria left the throne room, following after ude-san.


    When the heavy door waspletely closed by the two guards, I took a deep breath.


    (Haa¡­ that was ridiculous.)


    I was just going to talk, but I never thought this would happen.


    (But ¨C for Ria¡¯s sake, I definitely won¡¯t lose tomorrow¡­)


    In this way, tomorrow, I was going to face an important battle with Ria¡¯s academy life at stake.

 Chapter 42 - Vesteria Kingdom and Elite Guard [5]

    42. Vesteria Kingdom and Elite Guard [5]


    Trantor: Saitama-sensei Editor:Ryunakama


    42. Vesteria Kingdom and Elite Guard [5]


    We were guided by ude-san and headed to the first floor of the castle.


    ¡¸-Filthy worm, this is your room¡¹he said, and stopped in front of a room.


    And then,


    ¡¸Nee, ude!? His name is not filthy worm, it¡¯s A-L-L-E-N! How many times must I tell you!? I will get angry!¡¹


    Ria reprimanded ude-san with veins popping on her forehead.


    ¡¸I-I¡¯m sorry, Ria-sama. However, that is something I can¡¯t do¡­¡¹


    He bowed deeply, saying so.


    Apparently, he can¡¯t stop calling me a¡ºfilthy worm¡»even if warned by Ria.


    (Well, it doesn¡¯t really matter¡­)


    I have been called¡ºDropout Swordsman¡»and scorned for three whole years. So being called¡ºfilthy worm¡»at this point, doesn¡¯t really affect me.


    I slowly opened the door in front of me because there was no point in disputing it with him.


    ¡¸Oh¡­ this is a really nice room.¡¹


    Therge and wide room had a bed and sofa that looked very luxurious.


    Taking a closer look, my luggage that I left on the ne, was also carried in.


    Apparently, as His Majesty Gris said, they would treat me as a guest for the time being.


    As I looked around the room, ude-san coughed.


    ¡¸I forgot to say one thing, but I would be monitoring ¨C *Cough* I mean, I am your caretaker.¡¹


    Right now, he definitely said¡ºmonitoring¡»¡­


    ¡¸I¡¯m in the room directly opposite, so be sure to let me know when you go outside. -In the case, you fail to report to me¡­ you know what¡¯ll happen right?¡¹


    Saying that, he showed his sword on his waist meaningfully.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll be sure to let you know, so it¡¯ll be fine.¡¹


    ¡¸Fuun, good then. Then take a rest in preparation for tomorrow¡­ Although, I can already see your unsightly defeat.¡¹


    After leaving the cutting remark, he walked to the exit.


    ¡¸Fuun, Allen will definitely win!¡¹


    The clearly sullen Ria, identally tried to close the door of the room.


    ¡¸R-Ria-sama, why close the door¡­? Your room is on the top floor¡­¡¹


    ude-san questioned her as Ria tried to stay in the same room as usual.


    ¡¸¡­Ah, right.¡¹


    Ria¡¯s scatterbrain came out in the worst form possible.


    ¡¸F-Filthy worm¡­ You have been bringing Ria-sama to your room everyday¡­!?¡¹


    After sniffing out our rtionship from Ria¡¯s reaction, his face turned pale.


    (ude-san¡¯s reaction¡­)


    I can¡¯t let him confirm that, even by mistake.


    ¡¸T-There¡¯s no way that¡¯s true! R-Right, Ria?¡¹


    ¡¸Y-Yeah! It¡¯s as Allen says!¡¹


    As we tried to get our story straight¡­


    ¡¸Kisama, Kisama Kisama Kisama¡­! You filthy worm bastard¡­¡¹


    He gritted his teeth with his eyes turning bloodshot, and clenched his fist.


    And then,


    ¡¸¡­Ria-sama, I will guide you to your room¡­¡¹


    As his anger turned to sadness, ude-san hung his head and called out to Ria.


    ¡¸A-Allen, good night. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡¹


    ¡¸A-Aa, good night.¡¹


    In the room after the storm had passed, I heaved arge sigh.


    (Haa¡­ I guess this will make my reputation worse again¡­)


    I¡¯m sure ude-san will tattle to His Majesty again.


    I once again sighed and stopped thinking.


    ¡ö


    Then I brushed my teeth, took a bath, and got ready to sleep.


    Looking at the clock, it was already 9:30 pm.


    It feels a little early to go to bed, but¡­


    (There¡¯s an important battleing up tomorrow, and I¡¯m already done with today¡­)


    After that, when I turned off the lights andid on therge bed, I felt a little ufortable.


    ¡¸¡­Right, I¡¯m sleeping alone today.¡¹


    Ria always sleeps on the left side of the bed, so I unconsciously left her the usual sleeping space.


    (¡­It feels somewhat strange.)


    There¡¯s usually Ria next to me, talking about our friends and swordsmanship ¨C by the time we realize we would¡¯ve already fallen asleep.


    So it was a bit lonely to lie down on the bed alone¡­


    (¡­Let¡¯s sleep early today)


    I shut my eyelids and released the tension from my whole body.


    The sound of the clock¡¯s second hand ticking, echoed in the quiet room.


    As I listened to the regr sound, sleep gradually came.


    I heard a beautiful insect noise from outside the room.


    Soft bed with just right environmental sound.


    In a perfect space that¡¯s never been better ¨C I felt a strongck of¡ºsatisfaction¡».


    ¡¸¡­It feels like I didn¡¯t swing enough.¡¹


    Although I didplete my daily early morning swings today¡­


    From then on, we prepared for the trip in a hurry and continued on the ne to Vesteria.


    Then I ate Ramzac and had a meeting with His Majesty Gris ¨C and now in bed.


    I haven¡¯t been able to swing enough at all.


    On the contrary, I haven¡¯t even gripped the sword properly at all.


    (But I¡¯ve already taken a bath¡­)


    If I swing now and take a second bath, I¡¯m going to have a lot less time to sleep.


    ¡¸But¡­ it can¡¯t be helped.¡¹


    Once I start wanting to swing, I can¡¯t escape that desire anymore.


    When I got up and looked at the wall clock, the clock hands pointed exactly at ten o¡¯clock.


    As expected, there¡¯s not much time left.


    (¡­It¡¯s okay. Just swing a little and then take a shower right away)


    Sleeping time will be shortened, but because I get a quality sleep when I swing ¨C there is no problem.


    ¡¸Yoshi, let¡¯s go!¡¹


    I changed from my nightwear to Thousand de Academy¡¯s uniform and got ready immediately.


    ¡¸Now, I need to let ude-san know.¡¹


    I left my room and stood in front of the room directly opposite, and knocked on the door.


    However, there was no reply none whatsoever.


    ¡¸ude-san? Are you there?¡¹


    I knocked on the door a little harder this time, but there was still no reply.


    ¡¸This is a little troubling¡­¡¹


    I can¡¯t go out to swing without his permission.


    (Perhaps, he has fallen asleep already¡­?)


    When I turned the knob, the door opened without a sound.


    Apparently it was not locked.


    ¡¸ude-san, I¡¯ming in.¡¹


    Just in case, I called out and then stepped into his room.


    There was one light in the room, and the arrangement of household items was exactly the same as in my room.


    And then,


    ¡¸Fuun, fufuun, fuun, fufuun¡¹


    From the back of the room, I heard a slight humming and the sound of the shower.


    He seemed to be taking a bath.


    (I see, that¡¯s why he didn¡¯t hear the knock.)


    In that case, let¡¯se back in about ten minutes.


    If he knew that I entered his room without permission, it will be troublesome again.


    When I killed my footstep sound and headed to the exit ¨C the sound of the shower stopped and the curtain opened.


    (¡­It¡¯s the worst timing.)


    If I rush out of the room now, I might be mistaken for a thief if it goes poorly.


    In that case, I¡¯d better stay and tell the honest reason why I¡¯m here.


    When I was standing in the middle of the room, ude-san who was stark naked, stepped out.


    I doubted my eyes.


    ¡¸¡­C-ude-san?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Eh?¡¹


    ude-san, who was undressed, had a surprisingly delicate body.


    Above all, the chest area had tworge mounds that symbolizes femininity.


    ¡¸¡­Y-Your chest!?¡¹


    ¡¸Ki-Kisama, why are you¡­!?¡¹


    Then he, no ¨C ¡ºshe¡»had her cheeks dyed bright red.

 Chapter 43 - Vesteria Kingdom and Elite Guard [6]

    43. Vesteria Kingdom and Elite Guard [6]


    ude-san¡¯s face was dyed bright red.


    ¡¸D-Don¡¯t look!¡¹


    She cried out while crossing both hands in front of her chest.


    ¡¸S-Sorry¡­!¡¹


    I came to my senses and immediately turned around.


    At the same time she rushed into the bathroom and closed the curtain violently.


    (ude-san is¡­ a woman¡­?!)


    I mistook her for a man because of her appearance and tone.


    As I calmed down my beating heart with a deep breath, I heard her quivering voice from behind the curtain.


    ¡¸Ki-Ki-Kisama¡­! Why are you in my room¡­!? Creeping at night into a woman¡¯s bedroom!? I see, is that how you broke Ria-sama!?¡¹


    ¡¸N-No! That¡¯s not true!¡¹


    That misunderstanding is really bad.


    I hurriedly denied it immediately.


    ¡¸Why were you in my room!? Depending on the reason, I¡¯ll hand you over to the Holy Knight!¡¹


    ¡¸Well, I¡¯m going to go practice-swing, so I thought I¡¯d call out to ude-san! But no matter how many times I knocked, there was no answer, and when I turned the knob, it just opened.¡¹


    ¡¸-So you entered a woman¡¯s room without permission?¡¹


    ¡­It¡¯s too rude to say to a woman¡ºI thought you were a man.¡»


    Even I know that much.


    ¡¸¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡¹


    In order not to hurt her feelings, I decided to apologize.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    ude-san said no more, and an awkward silence filled the room.


    The sound of drops of water dripping from the bathroom, echoed loudly.


    Then a little whileter, she slowly spoke.


    ¡¸¡­Take responsibility.¡¹


    ¡¸Responsibility¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸You saw a woman naked¡­ There is only one way to take responsibility as a man¡­¡¹


    ¡¸D-Do you mean¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, if you¡¯re a man, ept your fate¡­¡¹ude-san said, and threw something out from behind the curtain.


    It came in contact with the floor and produced a metallic noise.


    ¡¸T-This is¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s a self-defense dagger. Now,mit seppuku.¡¹1


    ¡¸Se-Seppuku¡­!?¡¹


    I¡¯m really sorry about seeing her naked.


    But, isn¡¯tmitting seppuku going too far?


    ¡¸Y-You saw a virgin girl naked! It¡¯s only obvious right! Well, make up for it with your life! Then I¡¯ll forgive you!¡¹


    ¡¸N-No, err¡­ atoning with my life is a little¡­¡¹


    ¡¸There¡¯s no use in arguing ! Come on, cut your belly! I¡¯m going to catch a cold!¡¹


    She shouted with a high-pitched voice.


    (¡­This time, it¡¯s my fault that I mistook ude-san for a man.)


    I ampletely at fault for humiliating her.


    However, I can¡¯t possibly afford to die in this ce.


    ¡¸¡­E-Excuse me!¡¹


    And I rushed out of the room.


    ¡¸Wha!? Oi, wait!¡¹


    After that, I returned to my room directly opposite, and barricaded the door with a chair and a small cab.


    Tomorrow will be a very important duel for me and Ria.


    I can¡¯t go all night without a wink of sleep.


    ¡¸Yoshi¡­ With this much of a barrier, ude-san will not be able to enter silently¡­¡¹


    If she tries to open the door by force, it will definitely create a loud noise and I can wake up instantly.


    In other words, it is almost impossible to attack me in my sleep.


    (With this¡­ I should be able to sleep a little calmly.)


    So Iid down on the bed, focusing my nerves towards the door.


    Next Morning.


    ¡¸Good morning, Allen¡­ Are you alright? You¡¯ve got bags under your eyes.¡¹


    Ria, who came all this way to wake me up, said so while looking at my face.


    ¡¸Aa. Good morning, Ria ¡­I had some trouble falling asleepst night.¡¹


    In the end, I was worried about ude-san¡¯s night attack, and I could not get even a wink of sleep..


    ¡¸But well, staying up all night for one day doesn¡¯t really affect me much. So don¡¯t worry.¡¹


    My longest streak of sleeplessness record is 35 days.


    Thest loop in the prison of time ¨C a record achieved when I was single-mindedly swinging to cut that world.


    So, in fact, staying up all night for one day, is no big deal.


    ¡¸Is that so? It¡¯s alright then, but¡­ don¡¯t push yourself too hard.¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, thank you.¡¹


    As we were having such a conversation in the hallway, the door across from my room slowly opened, and ude-san appeared.


    ¡¸¡­Good morning, Ria-sama.¡¹


    ¡¸Good morning, ude ¡­Eh? You didn¡¯t sleep too?¡¹


    Looking closer, there were bags under her eyes.


    ¡¸Yes. I was a little worked up and couldn¡¯t fall asleep.¡¹


    ¡­She probably couldn¡¯t sleep due to rage.


    ¡¸Rather than that, it¡¯s already time for breakfast, Ria-sama. Pleasee this way. You too. Follow me, filthy pervert worm.¡¹


    Saying so, ude-san red at me and started walking.


    (Filthy pervert worm¡­)


    Apparently, due to the case yesterday, I seem to have gone down one rank from¡ºworm¡»to¡ºpervert worm¡».


    ¡ö


    Afterwards, we had breakfast at the cafeteria and headed for the Great Arena in a carriage.


    ¡¸Oo, this is amazing¡­¡¹


    One of the Vesteria¡¯s attractions that I heard a little from Ria while we were on the ne ¨C the Great Arena.


    It was a huge, stone-built, circr arena.


    Although the building is somewhat degraded by wind and rain, it gave of a sense of history and strength.


    ¡¸There isn¡¯t much time until themencement of the duel. Quicklye with me.¡¹


    As I followed ude-san, who was walking with quick-steps, we arrived at the contestants¡¯ waiting room.


    In the room ¨C there were a variety of weapons, such as a sword, a hatchet, a spear, and arge arsenal of other weapons.


    ¡¸By rule, weapons are prohibited to be brought into the arena. Therefore, you will have to fight with these weapons prepared by the arena.¡¹


    ¡¸Understood.¡¹


    It seems to be taken into consideration so that the victory or defeat is not influenced by the quality of the weapon.


    ¡¸Yoshi! I¡¯m going to look for the ideal sword for Allen!¡¹


    Thus Ria went to the section where a lot of swords were lined up.


    (¡­She shouldn¡¯t be able to hear us from this distance.)


    I didn¡¯t miss this opportunity and spoke to ude in whispers.


    ¡¸Umm, ude-san¡­ About yesterday¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­What do you want, pervert worm¡¹


    She turned a sharp gaze at me as though actually looking at a worm.


    ¡¸Well, I am truly sorry.¡¹


    ¡¸You won¡¯t get away easy after seeing me naked.¡¹


    Saying that, she walked away in a huff.


    She didn¡¯t ept my apology¡­ As expected, the repair of this rtionship seemed hopeless.


    (And that tone just now¡­)


    Apparently, some sort of attack will beunched after this.


    (Haa¡­ Why does this keep happening to me¡­)


    As I heaved a sigh and dropped my shoulders,


    ¡¸Nee. Allen! What do you think about this one?¡¹


    Ria, ran up to me while holding a sword.


    ¡¸This¡­ is certainly a good sword.¡¹


    The edge coat is beautiful and the de span is just the right length.


    And it doesn¡¯t feel bad in my hand.


    ¡¸Thanks, Ria. I¡¯ll go with this.¡¹


    ¡¸Un! I¡¯m rooting for you, so do your best!¡¹


    As I received the sword from her ¨C the live announcement rang out.


    ¡¸¡ªThank you so much for waiting! The Great Arena will start from now on! All scheduled duels will be canceled today ¨C a special match will be held!¡¹


    At that moment, the venue erupted into cheers.


    I can¡¯t see the audience from here, but apparently there are a tremendous number of spectators.


    ¡¸First of all, West Gate! The worst of the worst crook who sunk his poisonous fangs into our Ria-sama! Allen-Rodoreuuuuu!¡¹


    When I got the terrible announcement from thementator, and went from the waiting room to the stage,


    ¡¸Withdraw! You trash bastard!¡¹


    ¡¸How dare you put your hands on our Ria-sama!?¡¹


    ¡¸A crook who is only good with his mouth! Don¡¯t think you¡¯ll be returning home safely!¡¹


    Fierce boos and hooting poured down on me like rain.


    Looking closely, the audience was mostlyprised of the guards from Vesteria Castle ¨C in other words, a gathering of those who are¡ºunder¡»His Majesty Gris.


    (This feeling is kind of nostalgic¡­)


    When I was at Gran Swordsmanship Academy, it was always like this.


    Everyone hated me.


    Everyone wanted my defeat.


    Everyoneughed at my failure.


    Such painful and hard days was my daily life.


    But ¨C now it is different.


    ¡¸Do your best! Allen!¡¹


    Ria¡¯s voice, firmly reached my ears.


    I ¨C am no longer alone.


    ¡¸And the East Gate! If you have physicalbour, leave it to him! Vesteria¡¯s best arm¡ª Galius-Lumberduck!¡¹


    At the end of the announcement,


    ¡¸Ughaaahhhhhhhhh!¡¹


    A skinhead man, over two meters tall, ran up the stage.


    A stubble that covers the chin.


    A sword scar that ran along the right cheek.


    A muscr body.


    On his right hand, a huge metal rod of about 1 meter was held.


    (No matter how I look at him, he doesn¡¯t look to be the same age as me¡­)


    And then,


    ¡¸H-Hey! No matter how you look at him, he doesn¡¯t look to be of the same age!¡¹


    As Ria jumped out onto the stage, she raised her voice and red at His Majesty Gris, sitting in the special audience seating.


    And the man who heard Ria,


    ¡¸Hehe, certainly I will be 20 years old tomorrow, but¡­ today I¡¯m still a teenager, Ria-sama.¡¹


    Galius-san said with a heinous smile.


    Even though its barely, he seemed to be in the same age group as me.


    ¡¸T-That is a y on words! Unfair!¡¹


    ¡¸Excuse me, Ria-sama. But His Majesty said no problem ¨C so I¡¯m going to continue on as such!¡¹


    And he rested the huge metal rod on his shoulder.


    ¡¸That is just¡­¡¹


    I gentlyughed to reassure her.


    ¡¸It¡¯s alright, Ria. I will definitely win.¡¹


    ¡¸Allen¡­ Okay, I believe you.¡¹


    She got off the stage, and when I and Galius-san faced each other, the livementator spoke.


    ¡¸Now, are both parties ready!? Then, the first match ¨C START!¡¹


    At the same time as the announcement, Galius-san closed the distance with a surprisingly fast movement.


    ¡¸Victory goes to the one who makes the first move! ORAAAAAAAA!¡¹


    And he swung down the huge metal rod which he had already raised overhead.


    It¡¯s a great blowbined with speed and weight.


    ¡¸Allen, dodge!¡¹


    I heard Ria¡¯s scream from the distance.


    (¡­I like spending every day with Ria.)


    I love spending time with her at Thousand de Academy.


    I won¡¯t let that end at this ce.


    So today ¨C today alone, I absolutely cannot afford to lose.


    (No matter how strong my opponent is ¨C I will win!)


    At that moment, a mysterious power seethed from the depths of my body.


    And then,


    ¡¸-HA!¡¹


    My side sweep, easily cut Galius-san¡¯s metal rod in half.


    ¡¸Wha!? Guhaa¡­!?¡¹


    The severe side sweep directly hit his torso, and he crashed into the arena wall ¨C and copsed with his eyes turned to the back of his head.


    Before the unprecedented development, everyone at the Great Arena fell silent.


    And after a good few seconds, thementator dered the results.


    ¡¸Galius-Lumberduck unable to continue! Winner, Allen-Rodore!¡¹


    At that moment, the whole venue became noisy.


    ¡¸That blow, I seriously couldn¡¯t see it!¡¹


    ¡¸What does this mean!? His Majesty said he was only good with his mouth¡­¡¹


    ¡¸O-OiOiOi¡­ what¡¯s with that guy¡­ Isn¡¯t he absurdly strong!?¡¹


    When I casually looked up, I met His Majesty Griess¡¯s gaze, who was clenching his teeth in the special audience seat.


    ¡¸Guh¡­ Allen-Rodore¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Today ¨C I¡¯m feeling a little stronger.¡¹


    In this way, I defeated Galius-san with a single blow, and I got the power that seethed from the depths of my body ¨C and proceeded to the second match.

 Chapter 44 - Vesteria Kingdom and Elite Guard [7]

    44. Vesteria Kingdom and Elite Guard [7]


    I defeated Galius-san in the first match ¨C now in the following second match.


    ¡¸Eighth Sword ¨C Yatagarasu!¡¹


    ¡¸Nu~u!? Ga-ha¡­¡¹


    Just three seconds right after the match started, I floored my second opponent at lightning speed


    ¡¸Romeldo-Gora unable to continue! Winner, Allen-Rodore!¡¹


    When thementator dered the results, the Great Arena was enveloped in an unsettled atmosphere.


    ¡¸O-OiOi¡­ Isn¡¯t that guy¡­ too strong!?¡¹


    ¡¸He is fast¡­ and strong¡­¡¹


    ¡¸If we lose the next match¡­ then it would mean our defeat, right¡­?¡¹


    As if to fan the mes, thementator dered exaggeratedly.


    ¡¸The famous swordsmen of Vesteria castle lost two matches in a row!? Allen-Rodore, a foreign swordsman shrouded in mystery! Just who is this man!?¡¹


    I was staring at my palm while such an atmosphere loomed.


    (Mysterious power surges through me¡­ With this, I can definitely do it¡­)


    ¡¸Now! Today¡¯s special match is finally here ¨C the third match! Thest person is¡­! The captain of Her Highness Princess Ria¡¯s exclusive elite guards! ude-Stroganoff!¡¹


    As soon as the announcement was over, ude-san appeared from the east gate in front.


    ¡¸C-ude-samaaaaaa!¡¹


    ¡¸Please! Please! You¡¯re the only one we can count on¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸Please bury the sted Allen-Rodore¡­!¡¹


    This is the most excited the audience has been today.


    As expected, the Captain of the Elite Guard is very popr.


    ¡¸You pervert worm¡­ I never expected you to make it this far¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­So you were the final opponent, ude-san.¡¹


    ¡¸Fuun. Be prepared, I¡¯ll make you pay forst night¡­!¡¹


    Saying that, she drew out her sword even though the match start hasn¡¯t been dered.


    Combined with yesterday¡¯s incident, she seems to be super motivated.


    ¡¸Then, from here on! We will start thest match today! Are both participants ready!? Then ¨C Start!¡¹


    At the same time as the start signal.


    ¡¸High King Style ¨C Strong Strike!¡¹


    ude-san closed the distance with me in an instant and brought down a downwards sh from overhead.


    (As expected, she started with this move¡­)


    I had predicted this move from her aggressive personality and,


    ¡¸-HA!¡¹


    I intercepted the sh with an Iai-sh gaining enough eleration when drawing my sword from the sheath.


    Our swords collide violently, and sparks flew.


    ¡¸You worm¡­ What a ridiculous strength¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸Well, thanks¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸Kuh!?¡¹


    As I pushed back our locked swords and took control of the fight by breaking her posture, I stepped in half a step forward to set up a follow-up attack.


    However,


    ¡¸Don¡¯t underestimate me!¡¹


    She turned around in a flowing motion without any wasted movement and performed a sharp side sweep.


    ¡¸!?¡¹


    I, who was in a forward-bent posture, stepped back right away and evaded the sweep.


    (¡­Splendid)


    The flow from one technique to another was superb.


    It seems that ude-san¡¯s defense cannot be broken with a slight¡ºbreak¡»like just now.


    ¡¸Tch, that¡¯s a futile good reaction¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I can say the same for ude-san. That was a superb body movement.¡¹


    ¡¸Shut up!¡¹


    After that, we continued to exchange furious sword blows.


    Her sword was faithful to the basics.


    Whether it¡¯s the downwards sh she performed earlier or the side sweep ¨C each one was an exemry of the basics. It was a beautiful, polished sword.


    Furthermore,


    ¡¸High King Style ¨C Destruction!¡¹


    ¡¸Guh!?¡¹


    There was a definitive strength in her delicateness and preciseness.


    This sharpened swordsmanship must have been acquired at the end of a harsh relentless training.


    However©`


    ¡¸HAA!¡¹


    ¡¸Guh¡­!?¡¹


    There was a big difference in our physical abilities.


    (I can do it¡­ As I am right now, I can ovee her with strength¡­!)


    (This guy, how is he so strong¡­!? Is this really the same person¡­!?)


    Physical strength is the basis of all swordsmanship.


    If the skills are almost equal, then a simple difference in physical strength means everything.


    ¡¸Fuun!¡¹


    The diagonal sh I unleashed,


    ¡¸¡­D-Damnit!?¡¹


    ude-san, pushed by that power, was blown far behind.


    ¡¸¡­You pervert worm¡¹


    Even when rolling across the ground, she performed ukemi andpletely killed the impact.


    Soon after that, she got up and held her sword into position ¨C but I do not miss this huge opportunity.


    ¡¸First Sword ¨C Flying Shadow!¡¹


    As a follow-up attack, I shot Flying Shadow that is unterally fired from a long distance.


    ¡¸A flying sh¡­!? High King Style ¨C Strong Strike!¡¹


    She managed to counteract the impending sh but ¨C it was just a feint.


    ¡¸He vanished¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m behind you.¡¹


    ¡¸Wha!?¡¹


    I used Flying Shadow as a front and moved behind ude-san.


    ¡¸Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style Secret Technique ¨C Mirrored Sakura sh!¡¹


    Like a mirror match, four shes from left and right each ¨C eight shes assailed her.


    ¡¸Guh¡­ kyaa!?¡¹


    She shot down five of the eight shes with an astounding reaction speed and sword speed, but¡­


    It was not possible to cut down every sh from that posture, and the remaining three shes struck her right shoulder, abdomen, and thighs.


    However,


    (¡­As expected)


    All three cuts were shallow.


    She gave up on cutting down the three shes at thest minute, and twisted her body to avoid a deep wound.


    ¡¸K-Kisama¡­¡¹


    ude-san jumped far back and distanced herself.


    Blood seemed to rush to her head for a moment, but she took a deep breath and regained herposure.


    ¡¸¡­It¡¯s frustrating to admit, but you¡¯re not just a crook with a mouth.¡¹


    She grumbled with a really sour look on her face.


    ¡¸¡­I am not really a crook in the first ce.¡¹


    I corrected her, but¡­ I don¡¯t think it will have much effect.


    ¡¸It is no exaggeration to say that you as a human being are the worst pervert worm -¡ºthe enemy of all women¡». But, the¡ºSwordsman¡»called Allen-Rodore ¨C is deserving of respect.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Thank you.¡¹


    Am I being praised or being ndered? ¡­I honestly don¡¯t know.


    ¡¸It is that much more disappointing¡­ Allen. You don¡¯t have¡ºtalent¡». To the point of being hopeless even.¡¹


    ude-san dered as such.


    ¡¸¡­You¡¯re pretty blunt.¡¹


    I know best that I don¡¯t have the talent for swordsmanship.


    However, when it is said directly to my face¡­ It¡¯s a bit tough, after all.


    ¡¸It¡¯s unfortunate, but that¡¯s the truth. -I have been leading the Elite Guard since I was ten years old, and the number of swordsmen that I have taught so far is slightly over 50,000. That¡¯s why I have confidence in my eyes that can see through the talent of a swordsman. -I assure you, it¡¯s impossible for you to attain soul dress.¡¹


    She said as though delivering the final blow.


    ¡¸It is true that your¡ºeffort¡»is amazing. Despite being untalented, your body has been trained to the limit, and you are able to match someone like me in swordsmanship, surpassing me even. You probably endured hellish training for a dozen years or so. The mental power that deviates from thatmon sense ¨C it can only be called¡ºmonster¡»¡¹


    To be precise, it¡¯s over a billion years¡­ Well, that¡¯s fine.


    ¡¸But, you¡¯re never going to be a great swordsman.¡¹


    ude-san continued in a matter-of-fact tone.


    ¡¸The ability of a swordsman dependsrgely on the power of the soul. This is themon sense in this world.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Yes, I certainly do know of it.¡¹


    ¡¸You, who can¡¯t attain soul dress will probably have to keep putting in effort until you die. It¡¯s an agonizing road full of strife, but¡­ I¡¯m sure you will carry through with it. However, at the end of the road, there will be¡ºnothing¡». Even if you wage a lifetime, you would just be waiting for the hopeless reality of¡ºI couldn¡¯t attain soul dress ¡».¡¹


    ¡¸¡­You could say that.¡¹


    Only a handful of excellent swordsmen can manifest their soul dress.


    And I¡¯m¡­ surely not in that handful.


    ¡¸If you¡¯re going to walk down that hell, then let me eradicate your sword sooner.¡¹


    Saying so, she pushed her right hand forward.


    ¡¸Breathe -¡´Avio Troop¡µ!¡¹


    At that moment, a sword appeared from the empty space.


    The de of the sword was so long, it could even be called a halberd.


    ¡¸¡­Soul dress.¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, this is¡ºtalent¡»¡¹


    She answered briefly, and shed the cobblestone of the stage three times quickly.


    Then, three emblems that emitted a pale light appeared there.


    (¡­What¡¯s that?)


    At that moment, a part of the cobblestone made a crackling noise and changed form.


    The stones which were about the size of a clenched fist, turned into a swallow and a crow.


    The stone that was as big as a sake barrel, transformed into an owl.


    ¡¸Chi- ChiChiChiChi!¡¹


    ¡¸Guwaa©`¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸Furororo¡­!¡¹


    They chirped as if they were alive, and flew around her freely.


    ¡¸Is this¡­ a maniption-type ability¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, I wonder? I¡¯m not naive enough to tell you my abilities.¡¹


    Then, ude-san pointed the tip of the long sword towards me.


    ¡¸Here Ie ¨C Allen-Rodore!¡¹


    ¡¸-Come!¡¹


    The real thing starts from here on.


    This is the final battle¡­!

 Chapter 45 - Vesteria Kingdom and Elite Guard [8]

    45. Vesteria Kingdom and Elite Guard [8]


    The swallow and the crow flew around ude-san as though protecting her, and the owl was looking down at me from a slightly higher position.


    (¡­At first nce, it is a maniption-type ability to control materials such as stones)


    The simple increase in number will make it more troublesome, and because of its simplicity, it¡¯s a powerful ability.


    (But I still can¡¯t say for sure¡­)


    My opponent is the Elite Guard Captain, ude-Stroganoff.


    It is hard to think that her ability is just to manipte objects.


    (When you face an unknown ability¡­ Attack!)


    Attack, attack, and keep attacking ¨C you must not allow the soul dress to be swung ¡ºfor offense¡»!


    ¡¸HAAAAAAAA!¡¹


    I ran in a straight line towards ude-san to control the forestall.


    ¡¸You seem to know how to fight against a soul dress user¡­ That¡¯s a good decision. However, your opponent is a bad match.¡¹


    With enough time to spare, she swung down the long sword on the spot.


    And then,


    ¡¸Furorororo¡­!¡¹


    The owl flying over her head, began to nose dive towards me.


    (Fast¡­!?)


    It was different from a free fall.


    It¡¯s obviously a speed boosted by the power of soul dress.


    However, this level of speed is no problem¡­!


    ¡¸HA!¡¹


    The moment I cut the approaching owl right into two halves ¨C ude-sanughed.


    ¡¸Burst!¡¹


    ¡¸Wha!?¡¹


    In that moment, the stone owl, emitted a dazzling light and burst into a huge explosion.


    ¡¸Guh!?¡¹


    I jumped back greatly due to a split second judgment, but the stone fragments scattered by the st, struck my body.


    While my visibility was obstructed by the smoke,


    ¡¸High King Style ¨C Strong Strike!¡¹


    ude-san started attacking in a sh.


    ¡¸Kuh¡¹


    While in a disadvantageous posture, I raised my sword overhead horizontally to prevent the impending downward sh.


    ¡¸A good response but ¨C your abdomen ispletely open!¡¹


    ¡¸Gaha!?¡¹


    Her sharp front kick struck my abdomen.


    A dull pain ran through my body.


    ¡¸??!¡¹


    In order to regain a proper posture, I leapt back and took a distance.


    ¡¸Fuu¡­¡¹


    Control your breathing, rethink the exchanges ¨C analyze¡´Avio Troop¡µ¡¯s ability.


    ¡¸¡­I see. Rather than just manipting the object, it is the ability to manipte after transforming the object that was cut into a¡ºbomb¡»¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Correct. So, your head isn¡¯t half bad either.¡¹


    Saying that, she cut the cobblestones,


    ¡¸Furororororororo!¡¹


    The owl, which was exactly the same shape as before, breathed again.


    As long as there is the original material, it seems that bombs can be made infinitely.


    (¡­This is a nasty ability.)


    I bit my lower lip and checked my condition.


    (The wounds¡­ are not too deep.)


    This was due to jumping back instantly and avoiding the heat wave and bomb st.


    The stone fragments only lightly cut my skin at most.


    Damage from being kicked in the stomach has already been recovered.


    (Yoshi¡­ There¡¯s no problem in continuing the battle.)


    All that¡¯s left is to find a way to defeat¡´Avio Troop¡µ¡­


    Then I put the sword in front of my navel and assumed the stance ¨C Seigan no Kamae.


    ¡¸Then, it¡¯s my turn now!¡¹


    ude-san swung her long sword just like a conductor¡¯s stick.


    And the next moment,


    ¡¸CHI-CHiCHiCHiCHiCHi!¡¹


    ¡¸KUWAAAAAA-!¡¹


    The fist-sized swallow and crow drew closer at a tremendous speed.


    (F-Fast!?)


    It was much faster than the owl.


    ¡¸SEI!¡¹


    At the moment of quickly cutting the two birds, a small explosion urred.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    I took a short step back and at the same time avoided all the scattered stone fragments.


    (The speed of movement is dreadfully fast, but¡­ The scale and power of the explosion is much smaller than that of the¡ºowl¡»¡­)


    Although it was barely, I can avoid all of the heat waves, sts, and stone fragments.


    ude-san, who was observing my movements from a distance, spoke calmly.


    ¡¸To be able to keep up with this speed, you sure do have a good sword speed.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Well, thank you.¡¹


    When I replied briefly,


    ¡¸-It can¡¯t be helped, I¡¯ll have to increase the¡ºnumber¡»¡¹


    The next moment, she quickly shed the ground.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸CHICHICHICHICHI!¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸GUWAAAA!¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹


    There were five swallows and crows each ¨C a total of ten breathing bombs.


    ¡¸¡­Are you kidding me?¡¹


    Cold sweat flowed through my back.


    (No matter how small the explosion is, this number is dangerous¡­)


    ¡¸Now, dance!¡¹


    At the same time as her orders,


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸CHICHICHICHICHI!¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸KUWAAAAAA!¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹


    Ten bombs flying at high speed rushed towards me.


    ¡¸Damn¡­! What an absurd ability¡­!?¡¹


    Then I concentrated all my nerves and shed the approaching swallows and crows.


    But it was difficult to avoid both sts and stone fragments ¨C and one by one, fresh wounds umted on my body.


    ¡¸Haahaa¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Haa¡­ No matter how much effort you¡¯ve put in, you will neverpare to¡ºinnate talent¡»in the end. Look at the present state ¨C the state of battle haspletely changed with one soul dress, right? Unfortunately, this is reality. Allen-Rodore.¡¹


    ude-san, surrounded by many birds, described the futility.


    I¡¯m sure she¡¯s already convinced of victory.


    (Damnit¡­ the distance, if only I can close the distance¡­)


    As I clenched my teeth, I red at the owl that was floating over her head.


    As soon as I show signs of even a slight approach, she immediately takes a defensive posture with the owl.


    (¡­It¡¯s a really troublesome soul dress.)


    If I draw closer, arge-scale st of the big owl.


    If I take distance, a continuous small-scale sts of fast swallows and owls.


    Furthermore, the bombs are nearly infinite.


    (¡­I¡¯m beaten. At this rate, I can¡¯t win¡­)


    Her abilities were a bad match for me, who doesn¡¯t have a soul dress.


    I look around to see if there¡¯s any breakthrough solution ¨C we¡¯re on a stage.


    There are no shields to block the explosion, no trees to hide behind.


    Then, when ncing around left and right, Ria¡¯s image was reflected at the edge of my sight.


    ¡¸Allen¡­¡¹


    She linked her hands tightly in front of her chest as though praying for my victory.


    Even in such a desperate situation ¨C she believed in my victory.


    (¡­I¡¯ve got to strengthen my resolve.)


    The explosion of that owl is muchrger than that of the swallow and the crow.


    But it¡¯s much smaller than the oversized explosion I saw at Daido Firm.


    (¡­It¡¯s okay. The explosion is not at the level that would blow my body into pieces.)


    Strengthen my resolve.


    The resolve to jump into the explosion.


    The resolve to bear the pain until the end.


    Above all ¨C the resolve to survive.


    After solidifying my determination and resolution,


    ¡¸UOOOOOOOHHHHH!¡¹


    Just straight ¨C I took the shortest distance towards ude-san.


    ¡¸You fool, so you¡¯ve given into despair!¡¹


    As she swung down the long sword,


    ¡¸FURORORORORO¡­!¡¹


    The owl began to fulfil its role by nose diving.


    ¡¸HA!¡¹


    At the moment of shing the huge imminent bomb, a dazzling light overflowed.


    £¨¡­¡­£©


    In the next fraction of a second, my body will be frozen by the pain that will follow with the explosion.


    (¡­Don¡¯t fret! Move Forward!)


    The next moment I stepped into the light, inspiring myself ¨C a big explosion urred.


    Heat wave, st, and stone fragments ¨C hit my whole body like a storm.


    My field of vision waspletely blocked by the smoke from the explosion.


    ¡¸D-Direct hit¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸O-OiOi¡­ Did he die?¡¹


    ¡¸It was a huge explosion¡­ he actually might have.¡¹


    There was a stir in the audience.


    ¡¸A-Allen¡­? Please tell me it¡¯s a lie¡­?¡¹


    This was Ria¡¯s quavering voice.


    ¡¸That¡¯s why I told you to surrender¡­ You fool.¡¹


    And this was ¨C ude-san¡¯s voice!


    While the smoke was keeping her out of sight ¨C I relied only on her voice and grasped her position.


    And then,


    ¡¸-It still isn¡¯t over, you know?¡¹


    ¡¸Wha!?¡¹


    I pierced out of the cloud of smoke and raised the signal of counterattack.


    ¡¸Eighth Sword ¨C Yatagarasu!¡¹


    ¡¸Guh!?¡¹


    ude-san was in anguish, as two shes struck her shoulder and leg.


    ¡¸Ki-Kisama¡­ are you invulnerable!?¡¹


    ¡¸No, of course your attack was effective¡­!¡¹


    I swung my sword determinedly even while exchanging words.


    ¡¸Kuh!¡¹


    On the other hand ¨C she was forced to be on the defensive.


    (Yoshi¡­! I have the overwhelming advantage now that the distance has been closed¡­!)


    (Dammit¡­ I can¡¯t use the bombs when he¡¯s this close¡­)


    ¡´Avio Troop¡µ, its ability is maniption and explosion.


    Both are good for medium and long distance fights.


    In addition, the shape of the long sword.


    A long sword is a medium-ranged weapon, and at this distance, she can¡¯t counterattack easily.


    (I will finish things here!)


    ¡¸Fifth Sword ¨C World Judgment!¡¹


    As I tried to unleash arge swing, ude-san expressed a smile.


    ¡¸I¡¯ve already prepared a countermeasure to deal with the weakness of closebat.¡¹


    When she suddenly opened her right hand,


    ¡¸Pii!¡¹


    There was a small parakeet made of a pebble.


    (Was she concealing it¡­!? But if it¡¯s an explosion of this size ¨C no problem! )


    ¡¸HAAAAAAAA!¡¹


    The moment I swung down the certain kill blow.


    ¡¸Piiiiiiiiiii!¡¹


    A dazzling light burst from the parakeet¡¯s body ¨C my field of view was enveloped in white.


    It wasn¡¯t a bomb, it was a sh bomb.


    ¡¸Kuh!?¡¹


    When I was deprived of sight by the violent light, I exposed a huge opening.


    ¡¸-Right there!¡¹


    ude-san shed my defenseless abdomen.


    ¡¸Gaha¡­!?¡¹


    I felt a sharp pain, and jumped back at once.


    My flickering vision gradually became clear, and when I immediately check the condition of the cut wound,


    (¡­Eh?)


    Strangely enough, the wound was shallow.


    (Did she not cut through properly¡­? Or did she not step in properly?)


    In any case, I was saved by her mistake.


    And when I felt relieved,


    ¡¸Ki-Kisama, do you usually eat iron or something¡­!? (The sword doesn¡¯t cut through¡­!? That¡¯s impossible, what hard skin¡­ In the first ce, he¡¯s unhurt after that huge explosion!? Body strengthening-type soul dress¡­ No, there is no sign of that. Damn¡­ What kind of magic did he use!?)¡¹


    While turning pale, ude-san shouted something that doesn¡¯t make sense for some reason.


    ¡¸¡­What are you saying? Of course not¡­¡¹


    I¡¯ve never heard of anyone who eats iron.


    ¡¸Then ¨C here Ie.¡¹


    And when I stepped forward,


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    ude-san took a step back.


    Herplexion had turned pale, and her previous confidence hadpletely disappeared.


    (I¡¯ve already gotten used to the explosions.)


    Either¡´Avio Troop¡µhas weakened, or my body has adapted to the explosion.


    Even though it was a big explosion, it didn¡¯t do as much damage as I had expected.


    Now, even if I was subjected to a series explosion of the swallows and the crows, I will probably not bear a single wound.


    (There¡¯s nothing to fear anymore.)


    All I have to do is solely attack!

 Chapter 46 - Vesteria Kingdom and Elite Guard [9]

    46. Vesteria Kingdom and Elite Guard [9]


    I broke through ude-san¡¯s¡´Avio Troop¡µ.


    ¡¸HAAAAAAAAA!¡¹


    I started running to settle this battle.


    ¡¸D-Don¡¯te near meeeeee¡­!¡¹


    She made arge number of bombs in a hurry to prevent me from drawing closer and fired them all at once.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸CHICHICHICHICHI¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸KUWAAAAAAA!¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹


    Over 20 swallows and crows.


    ¡¸HA!¡¹


    I cut them all down one after another.


    A small, continuous bombardment hit my whole body, but now I feel no pain from the heat waves, sts, or stone fragments.


    ¡¸You¡­ monster!¡¹


    ude-san, who soon realized that the bombs didn¡¯t work, immediately changed her strategy and tried to contend against me with pure swordsmanship.


    Thebination of High King style, which specializes in powerful single blows, and a long sword that can easily carry body weight, is powerful.


    But if it¡¯s simple swordsmanship and physical ability ¨C I win!


    ¡¸-Right there!¡¹


    ¡¸Guh!?¡¹


    The upward sh that I released, broke ude-san¡¯s guard.


    Although she did not let go of the sword, her hands werepletely raised ¨C exposing her defenseless torso.


    ¡¸Damn it!¡¹


    ude-san¡¯s torso was defenseless in front of me.


    ¡¸This is the end¡­ huh!?¡¹


    When I was about to unleash the deciding blow ¨C I felt an¡ºabnormal¡».


    I hurriedly jumped back, and dropped my gaze on the hilt.


    ¡¸T-This is¡­!?¡¹


    Looking closer, the base of the de seems to have been dissolved with acid, and it seemed like it would break at any time.


    As I listened carefully, I could hear a weird sound from the inside of the sword.


    (What is happening¡­?!)


    While I was puzzled, the sword continued to melt each passing moment, and finally ¨C the de portion fell to the ground with only the hilt in my hand.


    This sword is no longer useful.


    (Is this also the ability of ude-san¡¯s soul dress¡­?)


    ¡­¡­No, it¡¯s not.


    As I looked closely, a white powdery¡ºsomething¡»was inserted in the de.


    (The only person who would do this is¡ºThat person¡»¡­)


    When I quickly looked up ¨C His Majesty Griess, sitting in the special audience seat, gave a wry smile.


    (Guhahaha¡­! Have you finally noticed, fool! Your sword is equipped with a chemical that reacts to¡ºheat¡»and emits a strong acid! It goes well with ude¡¯s bomb! ¨C Fufu, that¡¯s why I told you, didn¡¯t I? It is absolutely impossible for you to win!)


    This reaction¡­ As expected, this set-up seems to have been ordered by His Majesty.


    (Damn¡­ He would go so far just to win¡­)


    When I looked back, ude-san had aplicated expression.


    (¡­His Majesty¡¯s doing? All the weapons in the waiting room were probably prepared this way¡­)


    When she noticed my gaze, she opened her mouth weakly.


    ¡¸¡­ I don¡¯t want to win with such an underhanded method.¡¹


    And then,


    ¡¸But I have already dedicated myself to Ria-sama¡­ In order to protect Her Highness, I will make use of whatever underhanded methods¡­!¡¹


    She said clearly, with a determined look.


    ¡¸Yeah, I think that¡¯s fine.¡¹


    Just as I have my own resolve, ude-san has her own resolve too.


    ¡¸Kisama Allen, you did really well. You are an excellent swordsman who far exceeded my expectations. But now that you¡¯ve lost your sword¡­ You don¡¯t have a chance to win anymore. Give up and surrender. Even if I¡¯m using underhanded methods, I don¡¯t want to cut down an unarmed opponent¡­¡¹


    She turned the tip of the long sword towards me with an ufortable expression.


    (Surely my victory is hopeless in this situation where I have lost my sword¡­)


    However,


    ¡¸ude-san¡­ Do you think I¡¯ll give up ¨C just because I lost my sword?¡¹


    So what?


    I¡¯ve always been fighting in overwhelmingly disadvantageous situations.


    The duel with Dodriel at Gran Swordsmanship Academy.


    There was a huge gap between the genius swordsman and the dropout swordsman.


    The death match with Sid-san at the Big Five Holy Festival.


    He had innate physical abilities, a powerful soul dress, and was a far superior opponent.


    One-vs-One fight with the president in the Club Budget War.


    There was a big difference in the skills of pure swordsmanship.


    (I¡¯ve always been the challenger, in a series of reckless fights¡­)


    This time is also the same, simply an extension of that.


    And then,


    ¡¸Allen, that¡¯s enough¡­ You¡¯ve done plenty¡­ It is suicidal to fight ude without a sword¡­! I don¡¯t want to see you get hurt anymore¡­¡¹


    Ria, who was watching the fight from the side of the stage, cried with tears in her eyes.


    ¡¸¡­Say Ria, can I ask something?¡¹


    ¡¸W-What?¡¹


    ¡¸What do you truly want, Ria?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Eh?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡­ want to be together with you. I want to continue improving our swordsmanship together.¡¹


    Having clearly expressed my wish, I quietly waited for Ria¡¯s answer.


    ¡¸I-I too want to be together with Allen¡­ I want to stay together forever¡­!¡¹


    She said so clearly in a loud voice.


    ¡¸I see¡­ thanks.¡¹


    That¡¯s enough.


    That¡¯s enough reason for me to fight.


    ¡¸¡­Here Ie, ude-san.¡¹


    ¡¸Kisama, are you for real¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. I will win against you ¨C and live together with Ria. Absolutely, no matter what¡­!¡¹


    No matter how hopeless the situation may be ¨C I will never give up.


    After experiencing over a billion years of hell, I know more than anyone the importance of not giving up.


    ¡¸¡­Although my opponent is unarmed, I will not hold back.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, that¡¯s what I want.¡¹


    My and ude-san¡¯s gaze crossed ¨C she quietly shook her head sideways.


    ¡¸¡­It seems that I have been quick to judge. Let me withdraw my previous remarks ¨C you deserve respect as a swordsman, and above all, as a¡ºman¡»! ¡¹


    As she openly praised me,


    ¡¸In response to your heart ¨C I will unleash my strongest sword!¡¹


    The long sword was held horizontally and the point was directed towards me.


    A tense air permeated the Great Arena.


    And then,


    ¡¸UOOOOOHHHHHH!¡¹


    ¡¸HAAAAAAAAAAAAA!¡¹


    I and ude started running at the same time.


    ¡¸HAA!¡¹


    I unleashed a straight right with all my might.


    ¡¸High King Style Secret Technique ¨C High King Dragon de!¡¹


    She made full use of the advantage of the long sword and unleashed a diagonal sh from the shoulder


    The blows which carried our emotions, intersected.


    However,


    (¡­Dammit.)


    As expected¡­ it doesn¡¯t reach.


    My right arm and her long sword ¨C the difference in range is obvious.


    Her sword will cut me down before my fist reaches her.


    ¡¸ALLEN¡­!¡¹


    I heard Ria¡¯s scream.


    (Not yet¡­ It starts from here on¡­)


    Stretch your arm.


    Kick the ground.


    Squeeze out all the power¡­!


    (Faster, Quicker, Swifter¡­!)


    Even a fraction of a second earlier¡­!


    I will definitely win¡­!


    ¡¸UOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!¡¹


    ¡¸!? (That¡¯s absurd, he elerated in this situation!? Evasion ¨C Impossible. Defend? Impossible ¡­Death? -No, not yet!)¡¹


    The moment our blows met.


    ¡¸Burst -¡´Avio Troop¡µ!¡¹


    She exploded her soul dress of her own volition.


    ¡¸Kuh!?¡¹


    ¡¸Gaha¡­!?¡¹


    A sudden big explosion caused us to be blown away.


    I¡¯m already used to the explosion,


    ¡¸¡­Otto¡¹


    So, I quickly performed ukemi and reorganized my posture.


    ude-san, on the other hand, probably couldn¡¯t perform ukemi because of the impact.


    She rolled across the cobblestone like a ball.


    ¡¸Guh¡­¡¹


    She managed to stand up with trembling legs, while breathing heavily.


    (Why did you blow yourself up there¡­? Was it a miscalction..?)


    She should know well that explosions are no longer effective against me.


    In fact, I¡¯m almost unharmed even after that explosion.


    On the other hand, ude-san, who was exposed to the heat wave and st, seemed to be gasping for breath.


    Her body had quite a number ofcerations, and it was clear that she had suffered considerable damage.


    And above all ¨C her long sword had broken in half.


    (Anyway, this is a chance¡­)


    The moment I clenched my fists in order to make the most out of this once in a lifetime opportunity,


    ¡¸¡­I surrender.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Eh?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­You win, Allen-Rodore.¡¹


    ude-san said, and let go of the broken sword.


    Immediately after that,


    ¡¸This is the end! ude-Stroganoff has dered surrender! Therefore, the winner of today¡¯s special match is ¨C Allen-Rodore!¡¹


    When thementator dered the results loudly ¨C a small round of apuse broke out from the audience.


    It grew bigger and bigger, eventually turning into a thunderous apuse.


    ¡¸Unbelievable¡­! It was an incredible fight¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, there¡¯s no doubt! This was the best duel to date!¡¹


    ¡¸Way to go, Allen-Rodore!¡¹


    There was a huge cheer of apuse and finger whistles.


    Thus, I seeded in defeating the three swordsmen of His Majesty Gris.

 Chapter 47 - Vesteria Kingdom and Elite Guard [10]

    <strong>47. Vesteria Kingdom and Elite Guard [10]</strong>


    After a spectacr victory over the bet with His Majesty Gris, we returned to Vesteria Castle and had a meeting with His Majesty.


    At present, His Majesty Gris sat on the throne with a sad look.


    ude-san, who received medical treatment at the castle infirmary, was dressed in bandages on various parts of her body.


    In addition to them, including Ria and I, only the four of us were gathered in the throne room.


    Then, Ria, who had been looking at my body anxiously for a while, spoke.


    ¡¸Nee, Allen. Is your body¡­ actually alright?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa. I don¡¯t feel any pain anywhere, so it¡¯s probably fine.¡¹


    Shortly after arriving at Vesteria Castle, ude-san and I were taken to the infirmary.


    Due to the suicide explosion at the end, she ended up with bruises andcerations all over her body and was told to rest for a week.


    On the other hand, no matter where they looked on my body, they couldn¡¯t find a single scratch and sent me back without any treatment.


    (Surely, I thought I had some wounds in the beginning¡­)


    But in reality, there were no scars on my body.


    (Uun¡­ How mysterious¡­)


    While I was thinking about that,


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    His Majesty and ude-san didn¡¯t speak a word.


    A heavy air permeated through the silent throne room.


    It¡¯s no use being silent for so long, so I decided to bring up the discussion.


    ¡¸Your Majesty Gris. As I said yesterday, there was a big misunderstanding.¡¹


    ¡¸-Enough, stop what you¡¯re saying.¡¹


    He interrupted me.


    He didn¡¯t listen to me at all just as before.


    ¡¸Hey, Father! Listen to Allen! Or rather, before that, what was that¡ºfunny sword¡»? I¡¯d like you to exin it to me.¡¹


    Ria quickly spat out all her umted dissatisfaction at once.


    ¡¸T-That was¡­ Umm¡­¡¹


    ¡¸What?¡¹


    His Majesty, who received Ria¡¯s sharp, cold gaze,


    ¡¸¡­Ahem. By the way, Allen-Rodore.¡¹


    He changed the subject to me, as though escaping from Ria¡¯s questioning.


    ¡¸W-What might it be?¡¹


    I cannot ignore His Majesty¡¯s call.


    As I returned a reply for the time being,


    ¡¸Father, so you use Allen only when it¡¯s convenient?¡¹


    With a vein popping on her forehead, Ria questioned His Majesty in a blunt tone.


    ¡¸C-Calm down, Ria. I don¡¯t mind, so please calm down¡­okay?¡¹


    ¡¸Well if Allen says that, then I¡¯ll be silent, but¡­ You¡¯re always too kind¡­¡¹


    She calmed down for the time being, albeitining.


    And then,


    ¡¸¡­I¡¯ll acknowledge it.¡¹


    His Majesty closed his eyes and murmured quietly.


    ¡¸You and Ria¡¯s¡­ I¡¯ll acknowledge your love rtionship¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡­¡­Eh?¡¹¡¹


    Me and Ria looked at each other at the same time.


    If not mistaken, His Majesty said¡ºlove rtionship¡»instead of¡ºmaster-servant rtionship¡».


    ¡¸Guh¡­ How many times will you make me say it! I¡¯m saying I¡¯ll acknowledge your love rtionship¡­!¡¹


    He stood up exasperated and red at me.


    ¡¸T-Thank you very much¡­¡¹


    ¡¸T-Thank you. Father.¡¹


    For the time being, we thanked him and looked at ude-san.


    When she noticed my gaze, she averted her eyes.


    (ude-san¡­)


    Apparently, when she first reported to His Majesty, the word¡ºve¡»was concealed and conveyed in the form of lover.


    (But thinking about it¡­ Was this person so angry just because his daughter had a lover¡­?)


    Isn¡¯t that a little over-protective¡­?


    For a moment, such a thought crossed my mind, but soon it was cut off as a hasty thought.


    (I¡¯m still a student, so I can¡¯t understand the feelings of a father who has a daughter¡­)


    It¡¯s too early to call His Majesty¡ºoverprotective¡».


    When I was thinking about that,


    ¡¸But! I don¡¯t acknowledge everything! I just acknowledged a clean and beautiful dating rtionship! By no means¡­ do I acknowledge a physical rtionship!¡¹


    His majesty said such a ridiculous thing.


    ¡¸O-Of course!¡¹


    ¡¸H-Hey, Father! What are you shouting that for!?¡¹


    Ria and I eximed while our faces turned red.


    ¡¸¡­Then, it¡¯s good. But don¡¯t forget this, Allen-Rodore. I did not acknowledge you, nor do I agree with Ria¡¯s decision to have a lover!¡¹


    His Majesty continued further.


    ¡¸Of course, I intend to let you return to Thousand de Academy tomorrow! ¨C ude!¡¹


    ¡¸Yes! The personal ne is ready for departure at anytime!¡¹


    ¡¸Umu, well done.¡¹


    Satisfied with ude-san¡¯s reply, His Majesty deeply nodded.


    Apparently, we will be sent back to Thousand de Academy tomorrow morning.


    (¡­We¡¯re in the middle of summer vacation now, aren¡¯t we?)


    I feel like we¡¯ve been flying around the world for the past few days.


    (At this point¡­ I can assert this clearly.)


    This summer has been much more difficult than attending academy normally.


    (Aa¡­ I want summer vacation to end already¡­)


    I left the throne room with Ria, while thinking about my current days which were the exact opposite of the ordinary student life.


    ¡ö


    After Allen and Ria left, Gris heaved a loud sigh amidst the quiet throne room.


    ¡¸Damn, I should have made a more direct¡ºset-up¡»¡­ Remember, Allen-Rodore¡­! At the next opportunity, it will be not explosive chemicals but explosive powder¡­!¡¹


    He, who was boiling in anger towards Allen, mmed his fist onto the throne.


    When ude saw his bad temper, she spoke as though squeezing out the words from the bottom of her stomach.


    ¡¸¡­I am very sorry, Your Majesty. This blunder despite being the captain of Ria-sama¡¯s personal elite guards ¡­I will ept any punishment.¡¹


    After seeing ude, who hung down her head, Gris asked a question which had been puzzling him for a while now.


    ¡¸ude. Just what happened at that moment? In my eyes, it looked like you made a poor decision and self-destructed¡­¡¹


    He asked about the reason why ude, who was in an absolute dominant situation, suddenly decided to blow herself up with¡´Avio Troop¡µ.


    Then ude started with,¡¸It may sound like an excuse, but¡­¡¹and then she said it clearly.


    ¡¸Regarding that decision ¨C it was the absolute best decision.¡¹


    ¡¸Fumu¡­ continue.¡¹


    ¡¸If I had made the wrong decision and tried to cut down Allen-Rodore¡­ I probably would have been ¨C No, I definitely would¡¯ve been killed.¡¹


    Gris widened his eyes at the unexpected remark that came out of her mouth.


    ¡¸W-What do you mean? Exin it in detail!¡¹


    ¡¸Yes! The moment when my sword was just about to cut him, his spirit core, which I didn¡¯t feel even the slightest sign of during the match, emerged out to the surface for a brief moment. A man with a ferocious face and white hair ¨C even now, just remembering it, sends chills down my spine. That thing ¨C Allen-Rodore¡¯s spirit core, is a genuine monster¡­¡¹


    Her pressing voice echoed loudly throughout the throne room.


    ¡¸Nuu¡­ A spirit core that even you judged as such¡­ I don¡¯t care even if it¡¯s your personal opinion. How would rate it¡¯s¡ºrank¡»?¡¹


    ude, who was asked so, indecisively spoke with a heavy tone.


    ¡¸¡­Even at minimum, I think it would be at the same rank as Ria-sama¡¯s Fafnir.¡¹


    ¡¸D-Do you mean the same as the current sealed state? Or the same as the¡ºAwakened Fafnir¡»?!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­The same rank as Awakened Fafnir.¡¹


    Gris stood up and raised his voice in panic.


    ¡¸R-Ridiculous!? That kind of spirit core in a brat like that¡­!? ude, you must be mistaken!¡¹


    ¡¸Your Majesty¡­ It¡¯s very difficult to say this, but it¡¯s the same ss as Fafnir at the very minimum. And it most likely, exceeds Fafnir.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­!? That¡¯s not a joke or a lie, right!?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes¡­¡¹


    From ude¡¯s serious look, Gris understood that it was all true.


    ¡¸No way, such a thing¡­¡¹


    He sat down deeply on the throne, murmuring something.


    ¡¸¡­Which reminds me, wasn¡¯t it Leia who leaked the love rtionship between that guy and Ria?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, that is so.¡¹


    Gris then put his hand on his chin and thought about it.


    ¡¸I see¡­ so this was all devised by that girl!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­?¡¹


    Unable toprehend the intention of the remark, ude silently tilted her head.


    ¡¸She purposely leaked the information to provoke me, and gave a warning in the form of Allen-Rodore! What a nasty move¡­¡¹


    Gris grumbled while gritting his teeth strongly.


    (Damn, just how much has she grasped¡­!? If I make a smart move, can I pull Allen-Rodore to our side? Or is he already Leia¡¯s puppet? In any case, we have to speed up our ns¡­)


    ¡¸Anyway ¨C as long as they have a Fafnir ss spirit core, we need to strengthen our national defenses too!¡¹


    ¡¸It is as Your Majesty says.¡¹


    ¡¸What about the mission given to the Royal Guard Knights?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes! ording to the report I received earlier, the production nt of Spirit Pill found within Vesteria Kingdom has been destroyed!¡¹


    ¡¸What of the mastermind, the ck Organization?¡¹


    ¡¸Unfortunately, the nt was already deserted¡­ The whereabouts of the ck Organization, which is the mastermind behind therge-scale manufacturing of spirit pill, have not been grasped at all.¡¹


    ¡¸Nuu¡­ so those guys got away¡­¡¹


    Gris clicked his tongue loudly, and immediately changed his mind and gave the next order.


    ¡¸¡­Well, that doesn¡¯t matter. Two people¡­ No, three people should return to Vesteria Castle and the rest will continue to pursue the ck Organization.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, understood!¡¹


    ude, who received Gris¡¯mand, immediately moved into action.


    Gris, who was the only one left in the wide throne room, sank into his thoughts while massaging his goatee.


    ¡¸A spirit core of Fafnir ss¡­ Allen-Rodore, is that guy possibly¡­ No, I¡¯m overthinking it¡­¡¹


    ¡ö


    After the meeting with His Majesty, I finally got out of the throne room and was able to take a breath of relief.


    ¡¸Fuu, we were saved¡­ We have to thank ude-san.¡¹


    If she had reported our master-servant rtionship¡­ It would have been a more troublesome situation.


    However,


    ¡¸Uun, she seems to have been blowing half-truths to my father¡¯s ears¡­ so I can¡¯t honestly thank her¡­¡¹


    Ria didn¡¯t seem to be very convinced, and she wasining a little with her arms folded.


    ¡¸Ahaha, that¡¯s quite harsh.¡¹


    ¡¸Like I said, Allen is a little too kind, aren¡¯t you? ¡­Although, that is also a good thing.¡¹


    While chatting as such, we temporarily stepped out of the castle.


    And then,


    ¡¸N-Nee¡­ Allen. Father thinks of us¡­ as lovers, right¡­?¡¹


    Ria timidly asked me.


    ¡¸Judging from the earlier discussion, it would seem to be so.¡¹


    ¡¸If that¡¯s the case, then¡­ if we don¡¯t do something that normal lovers do¡­ Don¡¯t you think it would be a little suspicious?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­ I see, you are right.¡¹


    As soon as I nodded,


    ¡¸R-Right!?¡¹


    For some reason, she said with a sense of joy.


    ¡¸A-Aa¡­ But, what is it that lovers normally do?¡¹


    It¡¯s not something I¡¯m proud to admit publicly, but I¡¯ve never dated a woman before.


    In fact, I made friends of the same age, regardless of gender, for the first time after entering Thousand de Academy.


    ¡¸A-Actually, I have a good idea¡­ will you hear me out?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa. I¡¯m all ears.¡¹


    Then, for some reason, she took a deep breath and adjusted her breathing.


    And then,


    ¡¸U-Umm¡­ shall we go out on a date¡­?¡¹


    Ria blushed and said with a smile.

 Chapter 48.1 - Vesteria Kingdom and Elite Guard [11] – part 1

    48. Vesteria Kingdom and Elite Guard [11] ¨C part 1


    I was invited by Ria, and we decided to go on a date around Vesteria today.


    The time is noon 1pm.


    We hadn¡¯t eaten lunch yet, so we decided to walk around various stalls and try the food there while sightseeing.


    ¡¸Oh, look, Allen! Butter Potato is on sale! Let¡¯s eat together!¡¹


    Ria quickly found what she wanted to eat, and pointed to one of the stalls.


    ¡¸Fufu. Ah, let¡¯s go¡¹


    ¡¸Yes!¡¹


    When I nodded, she rushed to the stall with a blooming flower-like smile.


    ¡¸Excuse me, I¡¯d like two butter potato!¡¹


    ¡¸Aight,ing right up! Oh, if it isn¡¯t Ria-sama!?¡¹


    The owner of the stall was a bear-like woman wearing a blue coat.


    She was only a size smaller than Pa-san.


    In other words, she was veryrge.


    And then the bear-like woman,


    ¡¸Oh my? The attractive person over there¡­ are you the boyfriend?¡¹


    With a grin on her face, she asked.


    ¡¸U-Umm¡­¡¹


    I couldn¡¯t reply right away.


    (How should I answer this¡­?)


    At present, due to His Majesty Gris¡¯ misunderstanding, we are supposed to be in a love rtionship.


    But this is a story we exchanged between us and His Majesty.


    (A love rtionship with the princess¡­ I don¡¯t think it is something that should be spread wide¡­)


    And as I was thinking of how to answer it,


    ¡¸E-Ehehe¡­ yes, that is so¡­¡¹


    Ria responded while blushing.


    ¡¸Kuh, the small Ria-sama has already grown up so fast¡­ Anyway, this is a joyous day! Yoshi, I¡¯ll add another one as service!¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you very much!¡¹


    After that, we received the butter potato and left the stall.


    ¡¸I actually said it¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Are you alright?¡¹


    ¡¸U-Un! I¡¯m fine¡­ most definitely!¡¹


    Then we went around the various stalls and ate various things.


    ¡¸Even so¡­ hamu! He selfishly called us here¡­Nn©`! And when his business was over, he selfishly told us to go back¡­! Father is truly selfish! Mou¡­ this is so delicious, Allen!¡¹


    While eating strawberry ice cream, Ria expressed a mixture of dissatisfaction towards His Majesty Gris and her impressions of the ice cream.


    ¡¸Aa, this is good ice-cream. Umm¡­ And you know, if we stay too long, His Majesty Gris¡¯ mind could change? Depending on how you look at it, it might not be a bad idea to leave tomorrow, right?¡¹


    I carefully answered each of her questions.


    ¡¸That is¡­ quite possible¡­ Un, let¡¯s definitely go home tomorrow!¡¹


    Ria seemed convinced and nodded.


    In this manner, we fully enjoyed eating together and walked around Vesteria,


    ¡¸Ah, it finally came into view. That¡¯s one of our tourist attractions ¨C the National Vesteria Museum.¡¹


    She pointed to arge building visible in the distance.


    ¡¸¡­Oo, it¡¯s so huge.¡¹


    National Vesteria Museum.


    An architectural style reminiscent of a temple.


    It¡¯s about three stories high, but it is very long.


    In terms of simple area, it would surpass the Vesteria Castle.


    ¡¸Now, let¡¯s enter.¡¹


    ¡¸Aa.¡¹


    There seemed to be no entrance fee, so we went in through the front entrance.


    There were a lot of tourists in the building, but¡­


    In the first ce, the museum itself is veryrge, so there was not much pressure.


    If this is the case, we should be able to view the exhibits calmly.


    ¡¸A¡ºmuseum¡»huh¡­ This is the first time I¡¯m visiting one¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Hee, is that so¡­ Yoshi! Then, this Ria-sensei will exin all the exhibits to Allen!¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, why thank you.¡¹


    Then I went around to see various exhibits with Ria.


    The skeleton of a giant that was said to exist long ago.


    A stone statue of the Legendary Hero of Vesteria, Gran-Vesteria.


    As the name suggests, it¡¯s Ria¡¯s ancestor ¨C the ancestor of House Vesteria. There seems to be a legend that he once defeated an evil dragon that sunk this whole country into fear and dismay.


    Historically famous paintings.


    If I remember correctly, I¡¯ve seen these ones in the textbooks.


    ¡¸-Actually, this strange picture is said to have been drawn blindfolded by the artist, Henry. So you see, the picture frame is also dyed with a lot of colours, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Huh, yeah¡­¡¹


    Ria, who was educated at an early age, has a wealth of artistic knowledge.


    It wasn¡¯t too shallow nor too deep ¨C she gave me an appropriate amount of exnation, so I enjoyed it very much. Maybe she¡¯s adjusting the amount of information to pass to me, by looking at my interest.


    And while walking through the museum, looking at various exhibits,


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    One very interesting mural caught my interest.


    A total of seven beasts, such as a dragon and a wolf, were drawn¡­ It was a picture full of mysterious charm.


    It was a little strange that no one stopped to look at this work, even though it was disyed in the middle of the hall.


    ¡¸Hey, Ria. What kind of opus is this mural?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, this one¡­ Producer, production year, production location ¨C all unknown. A literal¡ºmysterious mural¡»¡¹


    ¡¸M-Mysterious mural¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. Even though it does not meet the exhibition standards set here, for some reason it has been disyed for a long time. Some time ago, I asked my father¡ºWhy do you disy a picture that no one looks at in such a good ce?¡»¡­ but he dodged the question.¡¹


    Ria shrugged her shoulders.


    ¡¸Hee¡­ Is it the favourite picture of His Majesty Gris?¡¹


    ¡¸Well, that doesn¡¯t seem to be the case either. There were several times when I came here together with him during inspections¡­ At that time, he was always ring at this picture¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I-I see¡­ It truly is a mysterious mural¡­¡¹


    Then we enjoyed a wide variety of exhibits and it was already dusk by the time we left the museum.


    ¡¸Fuu©`¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Nn©`¡­¡¹


    We were in the room for a long time, so we both stretched at the same time.


    ¡¸Fuu, thank you, Ria. I had fun thanks to you.¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, I¡¯m d.¡¹


    Her smile illuminated by the sunset was very beautiful.


    ¡¸N-Now¡­ It¡¯s getting dark now, shall we go home?¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, wait a little. There is onest ce I want to go¡­ Is that okay?¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, where will you take me next?¡¹


    ¡¸That is, of course -¡ºThe Hill of Hope¡»! ¡¹

 Chapter 48.2 - Vesteria Kingdom and the Elite Guard [11] – part 2

    48. Vesteria Kingdom and the Elite Guard [11] ¨C part 2


    Then we navigated straight through the capital, Arlond, with Ria at the lead.


    After walking on a t road for a while and climbing a gentle slope ¨C we arrived at our destination, the Hill of Hope.


    ¡¸Fuu, so this is the ce¡­¡¹


    Many people gathered there even though the sun had already set.


    ¡¸Over here, Allen!¡¹


    ¡¸Aa.¡¹


    I was called by Ria and headed towards the edge of the hill,


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    I became speechless in front of the beautiful view that spread in front of me.


    ¡¸¡­Beautiful, right?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Aa, it¡¯s the first time I¡¯m seeing an amazing scenery like this.¡¹


    A number of lights emerged in the dark of the night.


    The light of fluorescentmps from the stalls, and the light ofnterns from the people who walked on the main street, were moving as if it were living.


    (The kind which is different from natural beauty¡­ I guess this kind of thing is called a¡ºpicturesque scenery¡»)


    And when we were both enjoying the beautiful scenery,


    ¡¸-Thank you.¡¹


    Ria suddenly thanked me.


    ¡¸Eh?¡¹


    ¡¸I was very happy that Allen fought for me. Thanks to Allen, I can continue to live with you. So ¨C thank you.¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, you are wee.¡¹


    ¡­¡­Looking back, it was a really hectic three days.


    When I thought I could take a break after the summer camp, I was suddenly attacked by ude-san, and the next day I went to Vesteria.


    On that day, I met with His Majesty Gris immediately after lunch. The duel at the Great Arena was decided, and in the middle of the night, ude-san was naked¡­ Let¡¯s forget this part.


    And today ¨C it was settled that I and Ria would be able to learn swordsmanship at Thousand de Academy by defeating the three swordsmen His Majesty had sent out.


    (I really want to take a break soon¡­)


    I was mentally tired rather than physically.


    When I was thinking about that,


    ¡¸My father¡­ what did you think of him?¡¹


    Ria asked a question that was quite difficult to answer.


    ¡¸E-Err¡­¡¹


    He was a very distinctive person, but to summarize in a single word,


    ¡¸Let¡¯s see¡­ He is a man who cares a lot about Ria.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, yeah that¡¯s right. Though asionally he overdoes it¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Un, I have noment regarding that.¡¹


    In such a ce where there were so many people, I was a little hesitant to bad-mouth the king.


    Then, as we both were admiring the beautiful scenery ¨C Ria began speaking in whispers.


    ¡¸You know¡­ Actually, my mom¡­ died right after she gave birth to me¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Is¡­ that so¡­¡¹


    I was surprised at the sudden serious talk, but I managed to reply.


    ¡¸Un¡­ Mom was originally weak and couldn¡¯t bear the burden of childbirth¡­ That¡¯s why I only know my mother¡¯s face through photos¡­ Father said she was a very bright and strong person.¡¹


    ¡¸I see¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I heard this from someone who has been serving us for a long time¡­ It seems that father, made a promise to mother right before she died that¡ºI will definitely protect our child at all costs!¡»¡­ I think that¡¯s why he takes care of me a little too much.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I see.¡¹


    Thete queen ¨C so he was pouring in her portion of love towards Ria as well.


    In that case, it makes a lot of sense that he dotes on Ria.


    ¡¸The case this time though ¨C it¡¯s 100% father¡¯s fault that he added the set-up to Allen¡¯s sword¡­ But that too is due to valuing me too much¡­ So that¡¯s why¡­ I don¡¯t want Allen to hate father¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, understood.¡¹


    It seems that Ria is a family-minded girl.


    ¡¸Thank you¡­ and I¡¯m sorry¡­ for suddenly bringing up a gloomy story¡­¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s alright, don¡¯t worry about it.¡¹


    As I addressed her kindly, Ria murmured¡¸thank you¡¹once again.


    ¡¸¡­¡­I wonder why, but¡­ I just wanted Allen to know¡­ It¡¯s a little heavy, isn¡¯t it?¡¹


    ¡¸No, that¡¯s not true. I¡¯m so happy to know more about Ria.¡¹


    Then I started talking about myself.


    (It¡¯s a little different from¡ºreturning the favour¡»¡­)


    I also want Ria to know me.


    ¡¸¡­It¡¯s the same for me too.¡¹


    ¡¸Eh?¡¹


    ¡¸In my case, I don¡¯t have a father. He died of an epidemic as soon as I was born.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­Is that so¡¹


    Ria looked a little surprised and stared at me.


    ¡¸Mom, as a single woman, raised me so far. She works hard every day¡­ and I am very grateful.¡¹


    ¡¸I see¡­ I¡¯m sure she is a strong person.¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, I respect her.¡¹


    Then, after I finished talking, Ria said to me.


    ¡¸¡­I would like to go meet Allen¡¯s mother next time.¡¹


    ¡¸I feel happy but¡­ I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be surprised because it¡¯s in the rural countryside! There are far more livestock than people.¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, it¡¯s fine. It¡¯s the ce where Allen was born and raised, so it¡¯s definitely a nice ce.¡¹


    ¡¸I see. I¡¯m happy that Ria has taken a liking to it.¡¹


    After that,


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    There was silence between us.


    However, it wasn¡¯t suffocating.


    It¡¯s a gentle and warm silence ¨C for us to understand each other.


    A few minutester.


    ¡¸¡­Nee, Allen. Since we¡¯re here already, how about making a wish?¡¹


    Ria brought up a proposal.


    ¡¸Wish¡­? Aa¡­ speaking of, the Hill of Hope was said to make¡ºany wishe true¡», right?¡¹


    I remember Ria talking about that when we flew on the ne from Thousand de Academy to Vesteria Kingdom.


    ¡¸Yes. Look, you can see that big tree over there, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Umm¡­ Aa, that one.¡¹


    At the ce where Ria was pointing, there was arge tree that was so tall that the top was not visible.


    ¡¸That tree is said to have been growing for hundreds of millions of years¡­ I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s true or not though.¡¹


    ¡¸Hee, is that so¡­¡¹


    Hundreds of millions of years¡­huh.


    (This tree, too¡­ I¡¯m sure it had a hard time¡­)


    For the first time in my life, I felt a deep sympathy for a tree.


    ¡¸That¡¯s why, if you put your hands together under that tree and think of what you want from the bottom of your heart ¨C it is said that any wish wille true.¡¹


    ¡¸Hee, that sounds good. Let¡¯s give it a try.¡¹


    ¡¸Un!¡¹


    Then we moved to the base of the tree.


    And then we looked at each other once ¨C quietly put our hands together and prayed for our wishes in our hearts.


    (-May I be with Ria forever.)


    (-May I be with Allen forever.)


    After we finished our wishes, we opened our eyes and quietly returned to our original spot.


    ¡¸Nee¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Nn?¡¹


    ¡¸What did you wish for, Allen?¡¹


    ¡¸Nn©` Let¡¯s see¡­ It¡¯s a little embarrassing to say it out loud, so it¡¯s a secret¡¹


    It¡¯s a little embarrassing to say¡¸I want to be with you¡¹in front of the person in question.


    ¡¸Muu¡­ then, at least a hint!¡¹


    ¡¸Hint huh¡­ If I must say¡­ I would be happy if Ria wished for the same thing.¡¹


    When she heard the answer, she smiled happily.


    ¡¸Fufu¡­ Perhaps, we wished for the same thing after all.¡¹


    This is how I spent myst day at Vesteria, with Ria.

 Chapter 49 - New Semester and First-Year War [1]

    49. New Semester and First-Year War [1]


    After returning from Vesteria Kingdom, I wanted to spend a peaceful summer vacation.


    However, life was not so merciful and I was hit by various troubles.


    (That¡¯s right¡­ It was when I went to see a movie with Ria and Rose.)


    Ria blurted out that we went to Vesteria ¨C and made things unnecessarilyplicated.


    Naturally, Rose was offended for being left out.


    I promised to go alone with her next time, and managed to settle the situation peacefully.


    Besides that, I encountered a robbery by chance and subdued the criminals, and I was also harassed by Cain-san from Ice King Academy, who had turned into a passionate stalker. To be honest, I never got a proper break.


    (It was a really busy summer vacation¡­)


    I managed to survive such an intense holiday safely and,


    ¡¸Well then¡­ Ria, did you forget anything?¡¹


    ¡¸Nope, everything is perfect.¡¹


    The first day of the new semester ¨C I went to Thousand de Academy with Ria.


    August 1st.


    Because it was the height of summer, the scorching sun rays zed down on us.


    However, today, the humidity was low and there was also wind blowing, so it was a refreshing feeling rather than the usual suffocating feeling.


    As I observed Ria with a fleeting nce, she seemed to be humming in good spirits.


    (¡­It was worth going to Vesteria)


    I am able to attend Thousand de Academy with her ¨C I¡¯m genuinely happy about that fact.


    ¡¸¡­What¡¯s the matter, Allen? By any chance, is there something on my face?¡¹


    Ria, who noticed my gaze, said that while touching her face.


    ¡¸Fufu. No, it¡¯s nothing.¡¹


    We went to the ssroom, listening to the singing of cicadas in the summer along the way.


    ¡ö


    When I opened the door of Year 1 ss A, many of our ssmates were already inside.


    ¡¸Oh! It¡¯s been a while, Allen!¡¹


    The first to call out was, Iron Cutting style swordsman, Tessa Burmond.


    ¡¸Good morning, Tessa.¡¹


    When I raised my hand and gave a greeting ¨C he analyzed me from top to bottom.


    ¡¸W-What¡¯s up, Tessa¡­?¡¹


    All of a sudden while I was confused,


    ¡¸Allen, you¡­ have gotten considerably stronger, haven¡¯t you?¡¹


    He muttered with a slightly frustrated look.


    ¡¸I-Is that right? I can¡¯t really tell for myself¡­ Well, I can say the same for you too, Tessa. You¡¯ve improved your skills quite a bit, haven¡¯t you? That palm¡­ You¡¯ve been swinging a lot, haven¡¯t you?¡¹


    His hand, which was covered in calluses, was clearly stiff and strong.


    ¡¸Oh, you realised! But it¡¯s not just swinging, you know? We went through a harsh training to not lose to you. Be prepared for when we fight next time, okay?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡¹


    After that,


    ¡¸Good morning, Allen!¡¹


    ¡¸Good morning! Allen-kun, Ria-san!¡¹


    Beginning with Tessa, everyone in the ss greeted me.


    ¡¸Good morning everyone.¡¹


    ¡¸Good morning! Let¡¯s get along in the second semester as well!¡¹


    After I finished greeting everyone, I dropped my belongings into my seat. And then the back door of the ssroom opened weakly.


    ¡¸¡­Fuwaa¡¹


    It was Rose, who came in from there, seeming to be more sleepy than usual.


    When she came to me with unsteady steps,


    ¡¸Fuwaa¡­ Morning, Allen, Ria.¡¹


    She raised her right hand weakly while stretching.


    ¡¸Good morning, Rose. You look as sleepy as usual.¡¹


    ¡¸Good morning, Rose. Your ahoge is amazing as usual¡­¡¹


    When the three of us were gathered as usual, the familiar academy chime rang, and everyone got to their usual seats.


    The seat by the window for the first time in a month.


    The scenery outside seen from here also felt somewhat nostalgic.


    Then, a little whileter, the door of the ssroom opened with a rattling sound,


    ¡¸-Good morning, everyone! We¡¯ll begin the morning homeroom right away!¡¹


    As usual, Leia-sensei came in full of vigour.


    ¡¸I have some announcements, but¡­ let¡¯s do that at the final homeroom today. -Yoshi, let¡¯s start right away! Everyone move to the Soul Dress Area!¡¹


    After that, we took the soul dress ss without a break in the first period.


    Some ssmates have already manifested their soul dress, and are now working to control and strengthen them.


    I looked at them with a sidelong nce and¡­ felt a little envious of their talent.


    (¡­No, in the first ce¡ºtalent¡» is different for mepared to everyone else. They entered Thousand de Academy with their abilities, instead of a rmendation ¨C they are elites among the elites. I have no time to be jealous¡­ Ordinary people like me, simply have to work hard non-stop¡­!)


    Then, I shook off the misceneous thoughts, and assumed a stance with the spirit sword in hand, and concentrated my mind.


    Inhale deeply and exhale slowly.


    I went deep into my consciousness ¨C sinking towards my soul.


    And then I opened my eyes ¨C withered wilderness spread before me.


    Withered tree.


    Withered soil.


    Withered air.


    (How many times have Ie to this deste world¡­?)


    Then I called out to that guy, who was lying on a huge rock.


    ¡¸Yo¡­ it¡¯s been a month.¡¹


    ¡¸Oo¡­! Despite the previous experiences¡­ you¡¯vee again¡­ E¡±e?¡¹


    I threw one question at that guy, who had a heinous smile.


    ¡¸Hey¡­ If I defeat you, I can attain soul dress, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Oo, that¡¯s right. Well, even if you had 10 billion years, it would be impossible for a green ass shitty brat like you¡­ A¡±a.¡¹1


    ¡¸I see, I¡¯m relieved to hear that.¡¹


    There is a¡ºway¡».


    The possibility is not zero.


    If I beat him, I can use my soul dress!


    ¡¸Here I go! First Sword ¨C Flying Shadow!¡¹


    ¡¸Haa, a boring sh¡­ E¡±e?¡¹


    The first fight in a month ¨C it was incredibly one-sided.


    ¡¸Eighth Sword ¨C Yatagarasu!¡¹


    ¡¸Ora Ora, what happened¡­! Is this all you¡¯ve got¡­!¡¹


    Without caring the least bit about the direct Yatagarasu ¨C that guy raised his fist high up to the sky, and casually brought it down.


    ¡¸Gaha¡­!?¡¹


    Despite my perfect defense, the blow dealt fatal damage to me.


    (¡­Strong)


    I thought I overcame a lot of things and got a little stronger, but¡­ I was still no match for that guy.


    Rather, the difference in strength between us felt even wider now.


    (No, this isn¡¯t just my imagination¡­)


    That guy is definitely stronger than when we fought for the first time.


    As though regaining his original strength in tandem with my growth¡­


    ¡¸Dammit¡­¡¹


    I took damage beyond my limit, and fell face down.


    ¡¸Haa, so weak, O¡±i¡­ This doesn¡¯t even serve as warm up¡­ A¡±a?¡¹


    He spat and jumped onto the usual rock and sat cross-legged.


    ¡¸¡­N-Not gonna take my body?¡¹


    As I asked with my fading consciousness,


    ¡¸I¡¯m sure ck Fist is nearby anyway¡­ Your weak vessel can¡¯t even endure a weak ass punch from her¡­ If only the initial stiffness wasn¡¯t there, I could manage it one way or another¡­¡¹


    That guy made a wry face as though truly irritated.


    (¡­As expected, that guy¡¯s strength seems to depend on my strength.)


    And finally, when I got that big piece of information ¨C Ipletely let go of my consciousness in this world.


    ¡¸¡­Tch, shitty brat. To think he could bruise my skin¡­ He¡¯s grown a little, I guess¡­¡¹


    ¡ö


    And when I came to,


    ¡¸Haa haa haa¡­¡¹


    I was drawn back to the real world.


    ¡¸Dammit¡­¡¹


    Too far. The road to attaining soul dress ¨C was steep and seemed tost forever.


    However,


    ¡¸¡­Like hell I¡¯m gonna give up.¡¹


    No matter how reckless it might be, as long as I don¡¯t give up, there¡¯s a possibility.


    ¡¸Once more¡­¡¹


    When I gripped the spirit sword again, the chime rang, signaling the end of the ss.


    Looking at the clock, it was already the end of the second period.


    ¡¸Yoshi! That¡¯s enough! We will take an hour of lunch break from here on! Fumu, oh right¡­ Gather back at Soul Dress Area instead of ssroom for the afternoon lesson! Well ¨C Disperse!¡¹


    Then, I, Ria, and Rose, went to the student council room with a lunch box in hand to attend the regr meeting.


    Therge academy building of Thousand de Academy was already familiar, and we arrived at the student council room in no time.


    And when I knocked on the door in front of me,


    ¡¸¡­Come in.¡¹


    After a short pause, the president replied.


    It was a little strange, unlike the usual bright voice.


    ¡¸-Excuse me.¡¹


    Although I felt something was out of ce, I opened the door slowly. The whole room was filled with darkness.


    The lights were turned off and curtains were pulled shut.


    And at the far end of this dark,rge room ¨C the president was sitting all alone.


    Secretary Lilim-senpai, and ountant Ferris-senpai, were nowhere to be found.


    ¡¸What¡¯s wrong, president¡­? I¡¯ll turn on the lights for the time being, alright?¡¹


    When I turned on the lights,


    ¡¸Nee, Allen¡­ I have something to tell¡­ will you listen?¡¹


    The president slowly rose from her chair and came up to me.


    ¡¸Y-Yes¡­ what might it be?¡¹


    No matter how I looked, she was not normal.


    (What on earth happened to the president¡­?)


    When I gulped a breath,


    ¡¸I am¡­ hopeless¡­ Please, help me¡­!¡¹


    Suddenly, she leaned over my chest.


    ¡¸P-President¡­!?¡¹


    A gentle, sweet scent filled my nostrils. An indescribable soft sensation was transmitted through.


    Naturally, my heart started beating faster and I was confused about what to do.


    ¡¸No, no, president! Please move away from Allen right away!¡¹


    ¡¸Too much contact is a No!¡¹


    Ria and Rose pulled off the president at a surprising speed.


    (Haa¡­ I wonder what it is this time¡­?)


    Just when I thought I¡¯d get a break after the summer break¡­


    As soon as the new semester started, another trouble seemed to have arisen.

 Chapter 50 - . New Semester and First-Year War [2]

    50. New Semester and First-Year War [2]


    For the time being, I decided to sit the president in her chair, and listen to her story once she calms down.


    ¡¸Well¡­ So what happened, president?¡¹


    ¡¸Nee¡­ will you help me?¡¹


    The president looked at me with upturned eyes and her head slightly tilted, but I can¡¯t just immediately reply,¡¸Sure.¡¹


    ¡¸It depends on the kind of help.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Stingy¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m not stingy ¡­Just tell me what happened? I won¡¯t know if you don¡¯t tell me.¡¹


    The president then pointed to a section of the student council room.


    ¡¸¡­I can only see a mountain of documents.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s right.¡¹


    A mountain of documents was piled up on the vice president¡¯s desk, and Lilim-senpai said¡¸It¡¯s in the way!¡¹and moved it to the corner of the room.


    ¡¸Unfortunately, the vice president did note back even after the summer vacation.¡¹


    ¡¸It looks like that.¡¹


    The vice president went to the Holy Ronelia Empire, a country banned from travel, to mine the rare blood diamond.


    The work of the student council seems to have been cleaned up by the vice president for a long time, and now that he was gone, the work had umted.


    ¡¸Lilim and Ferris, who have a keen intuition, didn¡¯t evene to the regr meeting ¨C that is, they ran away.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I see.¡¹


    ¡¸Even if I do my best alone, such a quantity¡­ There¡¯s no way I can finish it all up¡­¡¹


    I suddenly became exhausted when I understood what kind of help the president wanted from me.


    ¡¸That¡¯s why I ask. Allen-kun¡­ Please help me organize the documents.¡¹


    Saying that, she brought her hands together in front of her face and bowed.


    ¡¸¡­¡­Excuse me, president. I remember the prerequisite for us to join the student council was that,¡ºwe don¡¯t have to do a single piece of work¡»?¡¹


    ¡¸That was then! This is now! Unforeseen things happen all the time, right? Ria-san and Rose-san think so too, right¡­? Right¡­!?¡¹


    The president looked at Ria and Rose, asking for support,


    ¡¸U-Umm¡­¡¹


    ¡¸This is called reap what you sow¡­¡¹


    Their responses wereckluster.


    Well, this is entirely due to the president¡¯s negligence, so it was only natural.


    ¡¸N-No way¡­!?¡¹


    The isted and unassisted president,


    ¡¸P-Please Allen-kun¡­! This time, it¡¯s really really bad¡­!¡¹


    Without using cheap tricks, she was requesting earnestly.


    ¡¸Even if you say that¡­ A promise is a promise¡­¡¹


    Then when I refused gently,


    ¡¸E-Even though onee-chan is requesting your help so seriously¡­! Don¡¯t you have even the slightest humanity!? Demon! Devil! Allen!¡¹


    The president stared at us and began to whine like a child.


    ¡¸Please calm down, president. And¡ºAllen¡»is not an insult¡­¡¹


    In order to calm down the president, I decided to mention an alternative.


    ¡¸If you don¡¯t have enough manpower¡­ Why don¡¯t you take your work home and get the help of your retainers?¡¹


    President¡¯s House ¨C House Arcstria is a famous house who inherited top government positions from generation to generation.


    There was a person who seemed to be a butler in the summer training camp, so she will be able to get it done even without our help.


    ¡¸That¡¯s no good. All materials submitted to the student council are strictly prohibited from being taken out.¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re being upright at a strange ce¡­¡¹


    The president who calmly cheats all the time, is being upright in a ce where it doesn¡¯t make sense.


    ¡¸So please, Allen-kun¡­! Help your onee-san¡­! Oh, yes! I¡¯ll treat you to ice cream next time¡­!¡¹


    Saying that, the president shook my shoulders.


    (No, I¡¯m not a small child¡­ You can¡¯t entice me with ice cream¡­)


    At best, you can entice Ria with the prospect of food.


    (But if I refuse here ¡­)


    Last time ¨C as in the case of the Club Budget War, I will receive calls from the in-house broadcasts again.


    (If it¡¯s going to be a hassle anyway, should I get the job done¡­)


    I¡¯m also a member of the student council, although just in name.


    And most of all, she¡¯s been asking so desperately¡­ I don¡¯t have the heart to turn her down.


    ¡¸Haa¡­ Understood. I¡¯ll do my best to help you.¡¹


    ¡¸R-Really!?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah. However¡­ there is no next time.¡¹


    I reminded her just in case.


    ¡¸T-Thank you! Allen-kun! I¡¯m going to treat you to a delicious ice cream next time!¡¹


    It seems that it did not reach the ears of the ecstatic president.


    (Haa¡­ By the look of things, it seems that I¡¯ll be working again¡­)


    As I heave a sigh,


    ¡¸Mou¡­ I¡¯ll lend a hand too.¡¹


    ¡¸It can¡¯t be helped¡­¡¹


    Ria and Rose, who were reluctant, decided to help the president.


    ¡¸Yay! If it¡¯s four people, I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll manage it somehow!¡¹


    On the other hand, the president who regained her motivation and vitality took out her lunch box from the bag in a good mood.


    ¡¸Come on, guys! After you have lunch, let¡¯s start right away!¡¹


    After that, we had lunch and divided the piles of documents into four portions.


    Replying to written opinion statements raised from the activities of each club.


    Replying to requests from the staff room.


    Replying to the proposal for a crackdown on morals issued by the Public Morals Committee.


    Certainly it would not be realistic to do this alone.


    ¡¸Yes, president. All of these documents are over. ¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you. But there are still mountains of them left, so take more with you.¡¹


    ¡¸Roger.¡¹


    Even while saying that, she proceeded to deal with therge amount of documents that she had collected before anyone else.


    Even with the way she is, she is still the student council president ¨C the basic specs are very high.


    (If we continue to do our best at this pace, it should be over by after school tomorrow¡­)


    While thinking about that, carrying a pile of documents from the vice-president¡¯s desk,


    ¡¸Nn?¡¹


    I saw a poster that was somewhat intriguing.


    Which read,


    ¡¸¡­First-Year War?¡¹


    It was written with a powerful brushwork,¡ºAugust 8th, the opening banquet at the Underground Training Area!¡»


    While I was reading through the poster,


    ¡¸Oh? Allen-kun, you don¡¯t know?¡¹


    The president who noticed me, came up behind my back and leaned onto me and peered at the poster.


    ¡¸Y-Yes. What is this¡ºFirst-Year War¡»?¡¹


    ¡¸The First-Year War, is apetition for the ¡ºFirst-Year Student Quota¡»of the Sword King Festival ¨C a swordsmanship tournament for first-year students only!¡¹


    ¡¸Swordsmanship tournament¡­ only for first-year students¡­¡¹


    I don¡¯t know what the Sword King Festival is, but¡ºSwordsmanship Tournament¡»sounded very good.


    ¡¸It¡¯s about time we recruited people who wish to participate¡­ I think you¡¯ll hear from your homeroom teacher at thest period today.¡¹


    Which reminds me, didn¡¯t Leia-sensei say that there will be a message during thest homeroom¡­?


    (¡­¡­I want to go.)


    I want topete with Ria, Rose, and everyone else in ss A¡­


    When I was feeling so excited, the president pped her hands.


    ¡¸Here! Concentrate on your work, more than about the First-Year War! Let¡¯s finish it quickly!¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, that¡¯s right.¡¹


    So I controlled my excitement and concentrated on the work again.


    After that, about 20 minutes have passed and five minutes before the end of the lunch break,


    ¡¸Well¡­ That¡¯s about it for today.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, that¡¯s right. The soul dress ss will begin soon, so let¡¯s wrap it up.¡¹


    ¡¸Fuwaa¡­¡­ I¡¯m getting sleepy¡­¡¹


    We decided to suspend work at that point.


    ¡¸Make sure toe after school, okay? Because it¡¯s a promise with onee-san!¡¹


    After parting with the president who said that, I, Ria and Rose went to the afternoon ss.


    ¡ö


    After that, we finished the afternoon ss and returned to ss A from the Soul Dress Area.


    The soul dress ss¡­ was very mentally fatiguing.


    ¡¸Fuu¡­¡­¡¹


    When I sat in my seat, exhaling loudly,


    ¡¸Allen, are you okay? You look a little tired¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Are you sleeping properly? Sleep is important to recover from fatigue.¡¹


    Ria and Rose called out to me kindly.


    ¡¸Thank you. Yeah¡­ I¡¯m going to go to bed earlier than usual today.¡¹


    When I was talking about that, the ssroom door opened and Leia-sensei came in.


    ¡¸Well ¨C let¡¯s start thest homeroom. I have an important announcement today, so listen carefully!¡¹


    Sensei pped and spoke of the important announcement.


    ¡¸I think there are many students who already know from their seniors in club activities and the annual schedule ¨C next August 8th, the ¡ºFirst-Year War¡» will finally begin.¡»


    At that moment, tension ran through the ssroom.


    ¡¸Just in case, let¡¯s start by exining what the First-Year War is. Well, to put it simply- the First-Year War is a duel between first-year students who are trying to qualify for the Sword King Festival!¡¹


    Sensei¡¯s loud voice echoed throughout the ssroom.


    ¡¸The Sword King Festival is very high-profile because¡ºEvery High-School Swordsmanship Academy¡» participates in it. If you can aplish a great achievement there, the path to a brilliant career, such as a Senior Holy Knight or a government official will open up for you. The first step towards that is the First-Year War, a war to win the right to participate!¡¹


    If you be a Senior Holy Knight, you will receive a higher sry than a Junior Holy Knight.


    I heard that they receive more generous treatment than Junior Holy Knight.


    (¡­Senior Holy Knight, huh)


    If I can be a Senior Holy Knight, I will be able to give my mother afortable life.


    (This might be a chance¡­)


    Sensei continued talking while I was thinking about that.


    ¡¸Participation in the First-Year War is not mandatory, but I would like you all to participate. Yoshi, those who have already decided to participate in the First-Year War at this point raise your hands!¡¹


    The moment sensei said so.


    All the students in ss A raised their hands.


    ¡¸¡­Hou, it¡¯s rare for everyone to participate! This year¡¯s first-year students ¨C no, this year¡¯s ss A is quite motivated!¡¹


    Sensei nodded satisfied.


    ¡¸For the rest of the week, put your heart and soul into training! Well ¨C Dismissed!¡¹


    ¡ö


    After that, I worked hard to manifest my soul dress every day by struggling to death with that guy.


    But, even if an ordinary talentless person like me worked to death for a mere one week¡­ There is no way I can achieve great results.


    In the end, August 8th ¨C the day of the First-Year War came, without me manifesting my soul dress.


    The venue is the same Underground Training Area as during the Club Budget War.


    A square stage ced in the center.


    In addition, the audience seat was set up so as to surround it.


    In the center of the stage, Leia-sensei, the director of our academy, gave a brief greeting, and us participants of the First-Year War listened to it from the wing of the stage.


    (10, 20, 30, 40¡­ about 50 participants)


    When I was looking around casually, Leia-sensei¡¯s greeting ended.


    ¡¸Well, that is it for the formal greetings. Many students of this year have already developed soul dress! More fierce battles will unfoldpared to past years! Last but not least, all of you who have honed your swordsmanship every day ¨C sh with everything you¡¯ve got and disy those results! So then, I dere the beginning of the First-Year War!¡¹


    The next moment sensei said so.


    ¡¸UOOOOOHHHHHH! IT¡¯S FINALLY HERE!¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t lose, TESSAAAA!¡¹


    ¡¸Allen-kun! The gates of the swordsmanship club is always open to you!¡¹


    There was a tremendous cheer from the audience.


    Enthusiastic support of seniors who have a strong body from the Judo Club.


    The deputy head of the Swordsmanship Club, whom I had crossed swords with before, Silty-Rosette, was waving at me.


    (Such enthusiasm¡­)


    When I was in the right mental state with a mix of tension and excitement ¨C Ria and Rose stood in front of me.


    ¡¸Allen, I will pay you back for the defeat I suffered on the first day of the academy!¡¹


    ¡¸I suffered an embarrassing defeat at the Sword Festival, but I¡¯ll definitely win this time!¡¹


    I was very happy when I received their straightforward gaze.


    ¡¸Aa, today we¡¯re enemies ¨C let¡¯s do our best!¡¹


    Thus, the death match-like war which staked the right to participation of one first-year student in the Sword King Festival ¨C The First-Year War began.

 Chapter 51 - . New semester and First-Year War [3]

    51. New semester and First-Year War [3]


    After Leia-sensei dered the start of the First-Year War, a female student who served as thementator began exining the rules.


    The First-Year War takes ce in a tournament format, and the winner is given the first-year student participation right for the Sword King Festival.


    Only swords can be brought into the match, and no armor is allowed.


    In order to be fair, the match card was decided by lottery just before the start of the match.


    All of them were very ordinary rules, and there was nothing unusual about it.


    ¡¸-Well, then! Now that we¡¯ve finished exining the rules, let thememoration of the first match begin!¡¹


    The female student, sitting in the front row of the audience seat, inserted her hand in a transparent box with a lot of small balls.


    Looking closer, each ball had a name on it.


    Surely it ys the role of a lottery.


    ¡¸The first contestant is ¨C this person!¡¹


    When she took out the ball vigorously ¨C my name was written on it.


    ¡¸Ohhh What A Great Start! He came out in the very first match! Everyone knows Year 1 ss A Allen-Rodore! The Head of the mysterious group, the practice-swing club, and the shadow boss of the student council! In the Big Five Holy Festival, his opponent was beaten to a half-dead state, and during the new recruitment period, the Deputy Head of the Swordsmanship Club was defeated by underhanded means. And in the Club Budget War, he was the scoundrel who trifled with President Sie! To what extent will this man¡¯s rapid advances continue?¡¹


    It¡¯s not exactly wrong, but¡­ it was a very malicious introduction.


    Immediately after the live announcement was heard.


    ¡¸Oh! So he¡¯s the rumoured problem child. This is the first time I¡¯m seeing him!¡¹


    ¡¸Hehe, what are you going to do this time?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m here to see you! Alleeeennn!¡¹


    Some of the seniors cheered me on.


    (This feeling¡­ I wonder if what I¡¯m feeling is happiness¡­)


    It was a bag of mixed feelings¡­


    ¡¸Now, as for Allen¡¯s opponent ¨C Year 1 ss B Raise-Volgan! There¡¯s a rumor that Raise-Volgan, during his middle-school years, sent 10 students from another academy to the hospital! I wonder if there are any people who are familiar with the moniker¡ºRaise the song-sword user¡»!¡¹


    When thementator announced, Raise-san got up to the stage.


    ¡¸Oh, that song-sword user!¡¹


    ¡¸Come to think of it, I¡¯ve heard of him before¡­ He was rumoured to be a mad dog, though¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Now, will it be the atrocious Allen-Rodore, or Raise-Volgan, the song-sword user? Isn¡¯t it an amazing card from the very first match!¡¹


    While the audience was excited, I stared at Raise-san.


    Raise Volgan.


    Dark red hair which was a little long for a man.


    Silver piercings on the left ear.


    He was about 170 centimeters tall.


    (This is the second time I¡¯m crossing swords with him¡­)


    If I remember correctly, the first time was¡­


    When he suddenly marched into the Soul Dress Area as soon as I was lifted off suspension¡­


    When I recalled back to those days,


    ¡¸Yo, it¡¯s been a while. Allen Rodore-san yo?¡¹


    He greeted me with a smile on his face.


    ¡¸¡­It¡¯s been a while, Raise-san.¡¹


    ¡¸My, to get to fight you from the very beginning¡­ luck sure is with me today! Today¡¯s flow is quite good¡­!¡¹


    With his eyes bloodshot, he yelled at me.


    (Apparently, he has a grudge against me¡­)


    As I and Raise-san continued to re at each other,


    ¡¸Are both participants ready? Well then ¨C Match Start!¡¹


    Thementator dered the start of the match.


    I immediately drew my sword and assumed Seigan no Kamae.


    Raise-san, on the other hand, manifested his soul dress in the opening act just like thest time.


    ¡¸Well up -¡´Three Skeletons¡µ!¡¹


    At that moment ¨C three fleshless bone dragons suddenly appeared.


    Red light floated in their eye sockets.


    ¡¸This is¡­¡¹


    Huge.


    It¡¯s one or two sizes bigger than when we fought before.


    ¡¸Haha, did you notice!? But you know, size isn¡¯t the only thing that has changed! ¨C Skeleton Dance!¡¹


    At the same time as he cried out ¨C the three dragons bared their fangs all at once.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸KORORORORORORO!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    Large pointed fangs.


    Sharp bone fragments protruding out of the whole body.


    Literally, the whole body is a weapon.


    (¡­¡­It¡¯s the first time I¡¯m seeing this technique.)


    However, if they¡¯re going toe at me ¨C Just pulverize it the same way asst time!


    ¡¸Eight Sword ¨C Yata¨C!?¡¹


    The moment I tried to destroy the three dragons with eight shes.


    ¡¸-Naive, too naive!¡¹


    As if he had foreseen it, Raise-san attacked me.


    ¡¸Guh!?¡¹


    I was forced to abandon my technique and lock swords with Raise-san.


    And right there,


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸KORORORORO!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    The three dragons rushed towards my limbs.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    I tried to avoid it somehow by twisting myself,


    ¡¸Guh¡­!?¡¹


    A sharp bone fragment, which protruded out of one of the bone dragons, cut my shoulder shallowly.


    ¡¸Fuha! That¡¯s a nice expression, Allen-Rodore¡­!¡¹


    Raise-san curled the corners of his lips and expressed a crooked smile while holding back my sword firmly.


    ¡¸¡­I see, so you intend to seal my techniques by engaging me at super-closebat.¡¹


    If the distance was closed to this point, it is not possible to unleash techniques freely ¨C neither Flying Shadow, Hazy Moon, World Judgement, nor Yatagarasu.


    (The same goes for Raise-san, but¡­ he has¡´Three Skeletons¡µ¡­)


    Thanks to the remotely-controlled soul dress, he can one-sidedly release powerful attacks.


    ¡¸Fuha, that¡¯s right! Ever since the day I lost to you, I¡¯ve been training in super closebat!¡¡It¡¯s all just to kill you!¡¹


    He dered so with a triumphant look.


    (To seal the opponent¡¯s swordsmanship in super closebat, huh. It¡¯s easier said than done¡­)


    For most swordsmen, this is a tactic that is almost impossible.


    This is made possible by Raise-san¡¯s quick reaction speed and excellent swordsmanship.


    (As expected, he is an elite who enrolled into Thousand de Academy with his true strength¡­)


    His basic abilities are extraordinarily high.


    ¡¸Kuku, based on that expression¡­ It seems that you still can¡¯t use soul dress, eh? Well after all, it¡¯s Allen-Rodore, the dropout swordsman, right?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Yeah, as you say.¡¹


    Unfortunately, it¡¯s as he says.


    ¡¸Pu-hahahahahaha¡­¡­! You have no talent after all¡­! Hey hey, what are you going to do? Your prided swordsmanship is sealed, and you can¡¯t even use a soul dress¡­! If you¡¯re going to give up, now is the time, you know? ¡¹


    Raise ridiculed me with repeated provocations.


    ¡¸I still have another hand to y.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Hee, how amusing. Won¡¯t you please tell me, what kind of hand it is?¡¹


    ¡¸If swordsmanship is sealed ¨C then I just have to push through with raw strength.¡¹


    ¡¸Haa? What are you sa¡­!?¡¹


    I put power into my whole body.


    ¡¸-ZA!¡¹


    I pushed him back in that locked swords situation with pure physical strength.


    ¡¸You¡­ how do you have such brute strength¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸HAAAAAAAA¡­!¡¹


    From there, I answered with diagonal sh, upward sh, downward sh ¨C unleashing shes by pouring in all my might.


    Sword and sword collided, and violent sparks flew.


    ¡¸Guh, this guy¡­ is not human¡­¡¹


    Raise-san kept on defending my consecutive attacks while still sticking closely to me.


    After two minutes passed, finally,


    ¡¸HA!¡¹


    ¡¸Ku-guha¡­¡¹


    He was blown away because he couldn¡¯t stand my shing. Perhaps his grip weakened due to my nonstop consecutive attacks.


    ¡¸Kuh, ga¡­ gaha¡­!?¡¹


    Due to the impact, he was unable to perform ukemi and rolled across the ground.


    ¡¸¡­This is the end. Please surrender.¡¹


    ¡´Three Skeletons¡µ havepletely given up.


    The super close-up battle was ovee by the difference in physical ability.


    -Match conclude.


    Then, Raise-san who was blown away,


    ¡¸Kuku¡­ haha¡­ Ahahahhahahahaha!¡¹


    All of a sudden, he startedughing like crazy.


    ¡¸Aa-A¡­ lucky, I¡­ really am lucky¡­¡¹


    He stood up slowly, with incoherent muttering.


    (¡­What is that?)


    If you look closely, his right hand ¨C was holding something like a ck machine.


    ¡¸And, Allen-Rodore¡­? You are super¡­ unlucky!¡¹


    The moment he pressed the switch on his right hand.


    ¡¸!?¡¹


    Dazzling light overflowed from my feet and a huge explosion urred.


    ¡¸¡­Kuh, a bomb!?¡¹


    I immediately shot Flying shadow with one hand to offset the explosion, but ¨C due to my unfavourable posture and shooting it with one hand, I was pushed away by the explosion.


    I rolled on the ground to kill the momentum and performed ukemi.


    ¡¸Fuha! It is beyond doubt that no human reaction can escape from there! But no matter¡­ It¡¯s over¡­¡¹


    He said and deliberately looked at my right hand.


    The explosion blew my sword away and I waspletely unarmed.


    ¡¸¡­That should be against the rules, though?¡¹


    The explosion just now was not the ability of ¡´Three Skeletons¡µ. It is just a in bomb.


    It was probably prepared one day before the First-Year War.


    ¡¸Haa¡­ the First-Year War, the right to participate in the Sword King Festival¡­ I don¡¯t really care about any of that¡­ You humiliated me¡­ killing you is the only thing I want¡­!¡¹


    Saying that, he thrust his hands out in front of him.


    ¡¸Die -¡´Skeleton Gluttony¡µ!¡¹


    At that moment, the three dragons broke apart and transformed into one giant dragon.


    ¡¸GURORORORORORO¡­!¡¹


    The giant dragon¡¯s roar sounded like rumbling in the ground, and it drew closer with its jaws wide open as though trying to swallow me whole.


    The approaching giant bone dragon ¨C I grabbed its skull forcefully and smashed it to the ground to the fullest of my strength.


    ¡¸HA!¡¹


    A tremendous shattering sound rang out and bones flew everywhere across the stage.


    ¡¸GU-GURORO-RO¡­¡¹


    The red light in the eye sockets vanished as soon as the bone dragon was shattered to pieces..


    ¡¸¡­Ha?¡¹


    Raise-san was petrified on the spot with his mouth agape.


    ¡¸Unfortunately, it seems that I was the lucky one.¡¹


    If he had prepared something other than a bomb, something more powerful ¨C I certainly wouldn¡¯t have walked away unharmed.


    ¡¸As long as you use underhanded means ¨C You can¡¯t beat me.¡¹


    I closed the distance with him and delivered a strong punch to his abdomen.


    ¡¸Ka-haa¡­!?¡¹


    All the air in his lungs was knocked out and he fainted, crouching on the spot.


    ¡¸W-WHAT!? The match was concluded with bare hands! The showdown between two problem childs, is theplete victory of Allen Rodore, who disyed overwhelming difference in strength!¡¹


    After sessfully winning the first round, I advanced to the second round.

 Chapter 52 - New semester and First-Year War [4]

    <strong>52. New semester and First-Year War [4]</strong>


    After defeating Raise-san in the first round, I continued to win in the second and third round as well.


    Finally, I advanced to the semi-finals.


    ¡¸Now, the First-Year War has finally entered the final act! Then, everyone, I would like to ask for a big round of apuse for the swordsmen who have ovee many battles to reach this stage!¡¹


    When thementator said so, the audience gave a round of apuse to us, who were on the stage.


    I, Ria, Rose and Tessa, advanced through to the semi-finals.


    ¡¸Allen, finally ¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸The real thing starts from here on¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, let¡¯s have a great match!¡¹


    And when the three of us were talking,


    ¡¸Oi, Oi, don¡¯t forget me¡­¡¹


    Tessa said while shrugging his shoulders.


    Honed Iron Cutting Style and muscr body ¨C I can¡¯t forget him, who is one of the best in ss A.


    ¡¸Aa, I¡¯m looking forward to fighting with Tessa.¡¹


    ¡¸Hehe, well thanks.¡¹


    And when the conversation has just finished,


    ¡¸Then, from now on, we will decide the match cards of the semi-finals!¡¹


    Thementator girl announced loudly and put her hand into the transparent box containing small balls.


    ¡¸Well, the first contestant of the semi-final! The Evil Star who advanced almost unscathed so far! Allen Rodore!¡¹


    At that moment, the audience seats boiled with excitement.


    (¡­¡­ Evil Star, huh)


    From the standpoint ofmentary on the live situation, I can understand the necessity of exciting the audiences¡­


    Even so, I want you toe up with a more decent name.


    ¡¸And on the other hand ¨C the legendary secret sword which is said to be peerless! Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style, the legitimate sessor ¨C Rose Valencia!¡¹


    When thementator introduces Rose very urately,


    ¡¸Kya, Rose-san!¡¹


    ¡¸Here, please turn over here!¡¹


    ¡¸Good luck! I¡¯m rooting for you¡­!¡¹


    High pitched cheering burst out.


    Looking at it, many of the female students in the audience were waving to Rose.


    Apparently she seems to be very popr among the same sex.


    (Well, Rose is cool after all¡­)


    Dignified features characterized by red eyes.


    Pinkish silver hair extending tied at the back.


    She¡¯s an extremely weak morning person, but¡­ It might be an attractive weakness depending on how you see it.


    As I was thinking about that, Rose had a warlike smile.


    ¡¸I¡¯ve been looking forward to this since I lost at the Sword Festival.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯ve always been looking forward to crossing swords with Rose. Let¡¯s do our best today!¡¹


    And when I held out my right hand,


    ¡¸Of course, I¡¯m going to do just that!¡¹


    Rose grasped my hand tightly.


    ¡¸Now, are you both ready? So the first semi-final match ¨C Begin!¡¹


    At the same time as the signal to start the match, I and Rose pulled out our swords.


    Our stance was exactly the same ¨C the sword held in front of the navel, Seigan no Kamae.


    Rose¡¯s gaze intersected with mine, and a tense air permeated the venue.


    (It¡¯s been a long time since I faced Rose like this¡­)


    It is already slightly more than half a year ago that we crossed swords at the Sword Festival.


    At that time, I never dreamed of us attending the same swordsmanship academy.


    ¡¸¡­Here Ie, Allen.¡¹


    ¡¸Aa.¡¹


    The moment I nodded.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    Rose had already drawn close to my nose tip.


    Matching her opponents breathing and getting close in that slight blink of an eye ¨C her special movement technique.


    (I knew it wasing, but my response was still dyed by one breath ¡­)


    As usual, it was tremendously advanced bodywork.


    ¡¸Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style ¨C Sakura sh!¡¹


    Rose shot a sharp thrust with her whole weight without losing any speed.


    I greeted her thrust which was aimed directly at my torso, with a thrust of my own at the exact same angle.


    ¡¸HA!!¡¹


    The tip of the swords collided, creating an antagonistic state.


    This sequence is exactly the same as previously at the Sword Festival.


    (Here is where I attack¡­!)


    When I dropped my center of gravity and slipped towards Rose¡¯s chest.


    ¡¸The same move won¡¯t work twice¡­!¡¹


    She, who had read my movement, was already moving on to the next attack.


    ¡¸Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style ¨C Evening Sakura!¡¹


    An amazing diagonal sh at an unstoppable speed.


    (Fast¡­!?)


    Simultaneously as I closed in ¨C the naked sword was unleashed at the perfect timing.


    In the past, I would have been unable to react.


    But now, I¡¯ve ovee a number of struggles to the death ¨C It¡¯s not at the level I can¡¯t dodge!


    ¡¸-Naive!¡¹


    I avoided that blow by a hair¡¯s breadth,


    ¡¸No way¡­!?¡¹


    Andnded a strong kick on her defenseless body.


    ¡¸Guh¡­!?¡¹


    Rose¡¯s feet left the stage and she was blown away greatly.


    (¡­As expected of Rose, that¡¯s a good reaction)


    She immediately defended her sr plexus with her left arm.


    There¡¯s probably almost no damage to the internal organs. So there should be no problem with continuing the battle.


    As soon as Rose made one rotation in the air and killed the shock, she assumed Seigan no Kamae.


    ¡¸Kuh, as expected¡­ so strong¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Rose too, that attack just now was a close call¡­ Neither your cuts nor defensive movements can bepared to the time at Sword Festival¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you¡­ but, I¡¯m still getting started.¡¹


    After that, we exchanged a flurry of intense blows.


    ¡¸UOOOOOOH!¡¹


    ¡¸HAAAAAAAAA!¡¹


    The sound of iron colliding with iron resounded, and sparks danced around us.


    As a minute and two went by, the flow of the match gradually, but surely leaned towards me.


    ¡¸Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style ¨C Lightning Sakura!¡¹


    The thunderp-like Iai sh,


    ¡¸ZA!¡¹


    I forcibly cut it down with a downswing.


    ¡¸Kuh¡­!?¡¹


    And when her defenses dropped slightly,


    ¡¸First Sword ¨C Flying Shadow!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Kuh¡¹


    With Flying Shadow which has a shortunch time, I dealt a significant damage from a short distance.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Haa Haa¡­¡¹


    I held onto Seigan no Kamae, basically unscathed.


    Rose, on the other hand, suffered considerable damage and was breathing heavily.


    The fact that I hold an advantage in this match isrgely due to the difference in simple physical strength, and because I had already seen through her tendencies.


    (Rose tends to unconsciously dislike performing the same technique continuously¡­)


    There were three types of techniques already used in this battle: Sakura sh, Evening Sakura, and Lightning Sakura.


    (The next move is probably ¡­)


    Trying to turn this unfavorable situation around ¨C she¡¯s going to bring out that big skill that she hasn¡¯t used yet.


    Just then,


    ¡¸Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style Secret Technique ¨C Mirrored Sakura sh!¡¹


    As expected, Rose unleashed the secret technique of Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style.


    And in reply, I,


    ¡¸Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style Secret Technique ¨C Mirrored Sakura sh!¡¹


    I met her attack with the exact same technique.


    Four strikes from the left and right each like a mirror match ¨C Eight unstoppable shes collided violently.


    The result was one-sided.


    ¡¸Kuh ¡­ Kyaa !?¡¹


    My Mirrored Sakura sh easily tore into her Mirrored Sakura sh and dealt some heavy damage to her.


    ¡¸Why¡­ how¡­¡¹


    She murmured with a shocked expression.


    ¡¸The difference between physical strength and direction ¡­¡¹


    There is a big difference between me and Rose in the muscle strength that is the base of swordsmanship.


    In addition, I had foreseen that Rose¡¯s next move would be Mirrored Sakura sh, and I unleashed my Mirrored Sakura sh diagonally against her sh ¨C in a direction to kill the force.


    Power and direction.


    It was only natural that my Mirrored Sakura sh, which had the advantage in both of them, would win.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    After that, thementator spoke as we fell into a stalemate.


    ¡¸Well, who on earth would have expected this would be such a one-sided match!? And if it¡¯s not my mistake, Allen¡¯s technique just now was the secret art, Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style! As expected, the Emperor of Evil! Do you steal the other party¡¯s techniques too?¡¹


    E-Emperor of Evil¡­


    (Haa¡­ I¡­ don¡¯t care anymore¡­)


    When I sighed in my heart, Rose spoke softly.


    ¡¸Allen is strong after all¡­ It¡¯s frustrating, but in a pure swordsmanship match, I lose¡­¡¹


    Contrary to those weak words, her eyes were burning with a strong fighting spirit.


    (So it¡¯s finallying¡­)


    I raised my guard and observed every single movement of hers.


    ¡¸But, I definitely won¡¯t lose this match!¡¹


    At the same time as she dered powerfully, a strong pressure that felt like piercing through my skin was released.


    (There is no doubt, Rose has already manifested it¡­)


    And the next moment,


    ¡¸Dye -¡´Winter Sakura¡µ!¡¹¡¸1. TL Note: ¡°Winter Sakura¡± is originally called ¡°Higanzakura¡±, which is a tree ¨C scientific name ¡°Prunus subhirte ¡±.¡¹


    A huge sakura tree appeared behind her.


    A magnificent thick trunk that gives off a powerful vibe.


    Blooming in full blossom ¨C scarlet petals with a mysterious charm.


    (¡­Beautiful)


    The sakura blossoms were so beautiful that I could even forget the flow of time by watching them.


    ¡¸¨DGather¡¹


    As Rose whispered, the sakura petals concentrated on her hand ¨C forming a sword.


    A de that reflects the light with a beautiful scarlet color.


    Vibrant ripples.


    Indescribable pressure emitted from the entire sword.


    I knew at a nce that it was no ordinary sword.


    ¡¸-Allen, here Ie.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Aa,e!¡¹


    The First-Year War semi-final ¨C the battle with Rose has entered the final phase.

 Chapter 53 - New semester and First-Year War [5]

    <strong>53. New semester and First-Year War [5]</strong>


    Rose, who expressed her soul dress¡´Winter Sakura¡µ, raised the beautiful scarlet sword high.


    ¡¸-Dance,¡´Sakura Blizzard¡µ!¡¹


    At that moment.


    The petals of the sakura blossoms that bloomed behind her, flew towards me with tremendous force.


    ¡¸What!?¡¹


    My entire field of view was dyed scarlet.


    The number of petals easily surpassed 10 000, which would be absurd to count.


    (Kuh ¡­ As long as Rose¡¯s ability is unknown, I can¡¯t carelesslye into contact with those sakura petals¡­)


    ¡¸First Sword ¨C Flying Shadow!¡¹


    I shot Flying Shadow for the time being to shoot down arge number of the approaching sakura petals.


    However,


    ¡¸Naive!¡¹


    As she swung her left hand ¨C and in conjunction with it, the petals also curved and easily avoided my sh.


    (Simr to Raise-san¡¯s¡´Three Skeletons¡µ, her soul dress is one that can be controlled remotely¡­)


    In front of the Sakura Blizzard that closed in towards me like a wave,


    ¡¸Eighth Sword ¨C Yatagarasu!¡¹


    Eight shes were spread out in all directions, creating a barrier to protect me.


    However,


    ¡¸There!¡¹


    A handful of sakura petals, which pierced through the gap in the barrier, grazed my side.


    ¡¸Guh!?¡¹


    A sharp pain ran, which showed on my face through my pained expression.


    As I dropped my gaze on my side, it was torn up as if it had been cut with sharp knives.


    (As expected, it¡¯s not normal sakura petals¡­)


    What a terrifying sharpness. It seems that each petal is a small sh.


    It is a much more troublesome ability than the simr remotely controlled¡´Three Skeletons¡µ, because of the overwhelming number.


    ¡¸I see¡­The ability of¡´Winter Sakura¡µ is to manipte the sharp sakura petals ¡­ ¡¹


    ¡¸Half correct. But the other half ¨C is a miss!¡¹


    Saying that, she attacked me directly from the front without any tricks.


    ¡¸Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style ¨C Evening Sakura!¡¹


    The diagonal sh that was released towards my chest was iparably faster than before.


    ¡¸Wha!?¡¹


    I held my sword horizontally and somehow managed to prevent the blow.


    But her blow was not just faster.


    (Dammit¡­ what power¡­!?)


    A shock that I have never experienced before was transmitted from the sword to both my hands and from both hands to the whole body.


    ¡¸HAAAAAAAA!¡¹


    From there on, Rose added more power,


    ¡¸Guh!? ¡¹


    I was pushed back in a pure strength contest, and was blown away.


    Right then,


    ¡¸Not yet!¡¹


    Without dy, Rose started showering fierce attacks on me.


    ¡¸Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style ¨C Consecutive Sakura sh!¡¹


    sh-like thrusts were unleashed consecutively.


    ¡¸Kuh ¡­!?¡¹


    Dodging it, cutting it down, letting it slightly graze my skin ¨C I somehow managed to avoid all the thrusts and jumped back greatly.


    (Unlike before, Rose is nowpletely ahead in physical ability¡­)


    The trigger for that was definitely when she activated her soul dress.


    There is only one conclusion to draw from here.


    ¡¸That overwhelming physical ability¡­ -¡´Winter Sakura¡µis a strengthening-type soul dress¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, correct. This cherry tree is just an enormous mass of power.¡´Winter Sakura¡µ¡¯s ability is to manipte that power at will.¡¹


    Saying that, she picked up a single petal.


    (I see. She absorbs the enormous power contained in the sakura trees and greatly improves her physical abilities ¡­)


    The attack that manipted the sakura petals was just a by-product.


    (Despite being a strengthening-type, it has the power of a maniption-type¡­ It¡¯s an extremely troublesome power¡­)


    But that¡¯s not to say there¡¯s no way to deal with it.


    ¡¸If so ¡­ how about this move?¡¹


    I switched the target from Rose to¡´Winter Sakura¡µ, the main body.


    And then,


    ¡¸HAAAAAAAAA!¡¹


    The moment I swung my sword overhead and unleashed a downward sh containing my full body weight,


    ¡¸Kuh!?¡¹


    A strong impact ran through both hands, as if hitting steel.


    (H-Hard¡­!?)


    It¡¯s not like I thought it was just a normal tree, but I couldn¡¯t even get a scratch on it.


    When my eyes widened in astonishment, Rose¡¯s voice came from behind.


    ¡¸-That¡¯s not a physical tree. It is the ¡ºconcept of tree¡»which is being anchored to this world. It can¡¯t be cut so easily.¡¹


    I immediately looked back and she had already pulled out her sword.


    ¡¸Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style ¨C Lightning Sakura!¡¹


    Thunderp-like Iai sh was unleashed.


    ¡¸Kuh¡­!¡¹


    I took a defensive posture right away, and somehow blocked the attack, but¡­


    In the current situation, with unfavorable posture and falling behind in physical ability, I was unable to kill the momentum and ended up exposing my defenseless abdomen.


    ¡¸The pay back for just now!¡¹


    She drove a sharp kick right into my abdomen.


    ¡¸Ka, ha¡­!?¡¹


    I was blown away like a football by that superhuman leg power.


    ¡¸Ku, gaha¡­¡¹


    The air in my lungs were squeezed out, and blood jumped about within my body


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    However, in order to not to allow further follow-up attacks, I immediately stood up and assumed Seigan no Kamae.


    ¡¸¡­To take that blow, and immediately assume a counterattack posture¡­ you have incredible physical strength after all¡­¡¹


    She stared at me as if she was looking at a monster.


    ¡¸This time, it¡¯s my turn¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, go ahead.¡¹


    Then I made full use of all the techniques I had and incessantly attacked Rose.


    She defended it with her inherent subtle swordsmanship, and replied with counterattacks at precise timings.


    As a result ¨C one by one on my body, the number of cuts increased.


    However, it was not that, there was no chance to win.


    Rather, the flow of the match was gradually tilting towards me.


    ¡¸Eighth Sword ¨C Yatagarasu!¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style Secret Technique ¨C Mirrored Sakura sh!¡¹


    Both of those eight shes collided and disappeared together.


    Our physical abilities were now evenly matched.


    (No, mine is slightly higher¡­!)


    I judged that this was the time to attack, so I pressed forward.


    ¡¸UOOOOOOHHH!¡¹


    ¡¸Kuh¡­ HAAAAAAAAAAAA!¡¹


    Our swords collided, and were locked together.


    (Since manifesting¡´Winter Sakura¡µ , Rose has visibly gone on the offensive.)


    At first, I thought that she wanted to conclude the match before her ability was seen through, but it seems that, that was not the case.


    (Rose had a reason to rush to attack!)


    The huge sakura tree that was the source of her power ¨C gradually began to wither.


    About half of the sakura blossoms that were in full bloom, have fallen.


    And each time the petals fell one by one ¨C her physical ability also fell visibly.


    (In other words,¡´Winter Sakura¡µhas a duration ¡­!)


    In the state of locked sword to sword ¨C In the contest of strength that I was losing before,


    ¡¸HA!¡¹


    ¡¸Kyaa¡­!¡¹


    This time I won.


    Blown backwards, Rose managed to adapt to perform ukemi and immediately assumed Seigan no Kamae.


    ¡¸It seems that there is a duration to¡´Winter Sakura¡µ¡­No, is it more urate to say that you don¡¯t have full control?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    When I asked that, she fell silent.


    I seem to have hit the bulls-eye.


    (Didn¡¯t Leia-sensei say that it will take an enormous amount of time to control the soul dress after it manifests?)


    The more powerful it is, the more difficult it is to control.


    ¡¸¡­You saw through it in the middle of the match. As Allen says, I haven¡¯t managed to control¡´Winter Sakura¡µ. The three-minute duration¡­ was already long gone.¡¹


    She told me as though confessing.


    And the next moment.


    ¡¸-So, I will settle this match with this next attack!¡¹


    All the remaining cherry blossoms gathered on her sword.


    Her sword, supplied with enormous power from¡´Winter Sakura¡µ, gave off a mysterious scarlet glow.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    In front of the overwhelming pressure, I involuntarily gulped.


    ¡¸-Here Ie, Allen.¡¹


    ¡¸Aa¡­ let¡¯s settle this.¡¹


    We exchanged brief words, and we broke into a run at the same time.


    ¡¸HAAAAAAAAAAA!¡¹


    ¡¸UOOOOOHHHHHH!¡¹


    The moment we stepped into each other¡¯s range,


    ¡¸Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style Secret Technique ¨C Mirrored Sakura sh!¡¹


    ¡¸Fifth Sword ¨C World Judgement!¡¹


    The attack which carried each other¡¯s body and soul, intersected.


    And then,


    ¡¸¡­You are so strong. Allen¡­¡¹


    Rose¡¯s sword broke.


    At the same time ¨C the main body of Winter Sakura, disappeared like sand.


    ¡¸-The match is over.¡¹


    As I pointed my sword tip towards Rose,


    ¡¸¡­Aa, it¡¯s myplete defeat.¡¹


    She, who had done her best,ughed momentarily.


    ¡¸M-MATCH OVEEEEERRRR! The one who came out on top of that breathtaking fierce fight is ¨C ALLEN RODOREEE!¡¹


    In this way, I somehow managed to defeat Rose, who manifested a powerful soul dress, and advanced to the final stage of the First-Year War.

 Chapter 54 - New Semester and First Year War [6]

    <strong>Chapter 54. New Semester and First Year War [6]</strong>


    After finishing the semi-finals, Rose and I headed to the infirmary to treat the wounds that we sustained during the match.


    Rose walked unsteadily.


    I was walking slowly next to her, matching her pace.


    And then,


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    Rose suddenly staggered and leaned onto me.


    ¡¸Are you all right?¡¹


    I supported her body in a hurry.


    ¡¸I¡¯m alright¡­ However, because I used Winter Sakura beyond the duration¡­ This is the drawback¡­¡¹


    Rose said so and began to walk slowly again.


    It seems that she pushed herself too hard in the fight just now.


    ¡¸I see¡­ Then let¡¯s walk a little more slowly.¡¹


    ¡¸Un, thank you ¡­¡¹


    After a little while.


    As we were silently walking down the hall,


    ¡¸¡­ It¡¯s frustrating. I couldn¡¯t win, again¡­ ¡¹


    Rose grumbled.


    ¡¸¡­The oue might be different if we went at it again, you know?¡¹


    I happened to win this time, but the oue might be different the next time we fight.


    ¡¸¡­ Allen is really kind. But¡­ I clearly understood the difference in power between us. It¡¯s frustrating, but I still can¡¯t win¡­¡¹


    While saying so, she quietly shook her head.


    ¡¸But I¡¯m going to train more and more ¨C I¡¯ll beat you someday. So¡­ Will you fight me again next time?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, of course. It¡¯s a promise.¡¹


    ¡¸Well, thank you¡­¡¹


    Rose smiled gently.


    ¡¸A-Aa¡­¡¹


    Different from her usual dignified self ¨C it was a soft and warm smile.


    Perhaps because I caught a glimpse of such a rare smile, my heart started beating a little faster.


    ¡ö


    When we reached the infirmary, I knocked on the door, and


    ¡¸-Come in.¡¹


    The voice of the young woman returned, and I opened the door saying,¡¸Excuse me¡¹.


    ¡¸Wee. Did you two get hurt at the First-Year War?¡¹


    The teacher in the infirmary scanned us from top to bottom.


    ¡¸Yes, please.¡¹


    ¡¸Fuu, today is a busy day¡­¡¹


    She shrugged her shoulders and stopped working on paperwork and stood up.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll be fine taking my turnter¡­ so please check Rose first.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, I understand. Well then, Rose-san. Sorry, but could youe this way? ¡¹


    ¡¸Yes¡­ Allen, thank you.¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t worry about it.¡¹


    After that, Rose followed the teacher to the back of the infirmary ¨C towards the direction of the bed.


    ¡¸You wait over there. Don¡¯t enter even by mistake.¡¹


    The teacher said briefly, and closed the white partition curtains.


    ¡¸Well¡­ I¡¯ll disinfect the wounds first, so take off your clothes.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes.¡¹


    I heard their voices from behind the curtain.


    And then,


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    Perhaps due to the angle of light, Rose¡¯s silhouette was clearly visible through the curtain.


    I turned my back reflexively and put my hand on my heart which was beating rapidly.


    (C-Calm down¡­ S-She hadn¡¯t stripped yet, so it¡¯s safe¡­)


    After that, I heard the sound of clothes rustling and dropping on the floor.


    As I restlessly passed the time,


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    I heard a sharp, short sigh.


    ¡¸It¡¯ll sting a little, but please endure it. If we don¡¯t take proper measures, you¡¯ll heal slower.¡¹


    Then a littleter ¨C the curtain opened, and the teacher returned to the front.


    Rose, bandaged around her hands and feet, sat on the bed, with her upper body upright.


    At first nce, there seems to be no problem.


    ¡¸Teacher, how is Rose¡¯s condition?¡¹


    ¡¸I saw a lot ofcerations, but¡­ None of them are deep, so there are no major problems. Observing the fatigue of the body¡­ Did she use her soul dress in an unreasonable manner? I think she¡¯ll get better soon if she rests.¡¹


    ¡¸I see, thank you.¡¹


    As I sighed a breath of relief, the teacher pped her hands together.


    ¡¸Well, you¡¯re next. I¡¯ll disinfect your wounds first, so take off your clothes.¡¹


    As she said that, she began to prepare a brown bottlebelled¡ºAntiseptic¡»and cotton fabric.


    ¡¸Yes.¡¹


    I took off my uniform as told,


    ¡¸¡­Eh?¡¹


    I finally noticed the unusual thing that had happened to my body.


    On my body ¨C there was not a single wound that should have been there.


    (Which reminds me¡­ The dull pain that I was feeling at the end of the match has already faded¡­)


    When I was searching my body for injuries, the teacher tilted her head curiously.


    ¡¸Oh¡­? Weren¡¯t you supposed to be injured?¡¹


    ¡¸Y-Yes¡­ I was supposed to be, but¡­¡¹


    I should have suffered a lot of injuries in the battle with Rose.


    But in reality, there was not a singleceration left on my body.


    ¡¸How odd¡­ The blood on your clothes is still damp¡­ I¡¯ll ask just for the sake of it, but¡­ is this your blood?¡¹


    The teacher asked, touching the bloody uniform from the side.


    ¡¸Yes, no doubt¡¹


    ¡¸Um¡­ perhaps you can use a recovery-type soul dress? ¡¹


    ¡¸N-No¡­ I¡­ I haven¡¯t manifested my soul dress yet¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I see¡­ The human body is still full of wonders.¡¹


    The teacher muttered curiously so, and returned the antiseptic and cotton to its ce.


    But I had an idea as to this strange phenomenon.


    (Maybe that guy healed me¡­?)


    This was the case during the Big Five Holy Festival as well.


    I was supposed to have been seriously injured in the death battle with Sid-san, but¡­


    When I regained consciousness, there was not even a scratch left.


    (¡­No, even if I think about it here and now, I won¡¯t get any answers.)


    Fortunately, that guy is not tight lipped.


    Let¡¯s ask itter on, during the soul dress ss.


    (Well, I¡¯m also curious about what happened to the match between Ria and Tessa¡­ I think it¡¯s about time to return to the venue.)


    I took my uniform and put my arms through the sleeves again. Before I returned to the Underground Training Area, I decided to just say a few things to Rose.


    ¡¸Rose, I¡¯m going back now.¡¹


    ¡¸I see.¡¹


    ¡¸See youter.¡¹


    And when I tried to turn towards the exit,


    ¡¸Nee, Allen.¡¹


    Rose grabbed my right hand gently.


    ¡¸Nn, what is it?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­ Absolutely, win¡­ I don¡¯t want you to lose to anyone other than me.¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, Aa, understood. I will definitely win!¡¹


    Somehow, I thought,¡¸How Rose-like support.¡¹


    ¡¸Then I¡¯ll be leaving now.¡¹


    ¡¸Un, Do your best.¡¹


    I gently grasped Rose¡¯s hand back and left the infirmary.


    ¡¸¡­Fufu. A kind boy with a cute face. He was called Allen-kun, right¡­? He might just be my type¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I-It¡¯s not good for a teacher to hit on students¡­¡¹


    ¡ö


    At the Underground Training Area, the battle between Ria and Tessa was in its final stage.


    ¡¸Iron Cutting Style Secret Technique ¨C Iron Execution!¡¹


    ¡¸High King Style ¨C Strong Strike!¡¹


    The two swords shed violently,


    ¡¸Guh, nu, ooOOO¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸HAAAAAAAAA!¡¹


    Tessa was blown away with tremendous force as he was defeated by Ria¡¯s overwhelming power.


    ¡¸Ga-haa¡­¡¹


    Tessa, who flew horizontally, crashed into the outer wall of the Underground Training Area and fell down to the floor.


    The sword slipped out of his hand.


    He wasn¡¯t in the condition to continue the battle.


    ¡¸-Winner, Ria Vesteria! Overwhelming! It was simply overwhelming strength! ¡¹


    When thementator announced the result, a loud cheer broke out, praising Ria.


    And the cries that were lost in it,


    ¡¸UOOOOHHHHH!? TESSAAAAAAA!?¡¹


    ¡¸Damn it¡­ It was a good match¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Kuh¡­ Nice fight¡­ You are a man among men!¡¹


    From a block of the audience. a number of cries asserted their presence.


    Apparently, Tessa seems to be loved by his Judo Club seniors.


    ¡¸Now, whether you like it or not, this is the final match of the First-Year War! Let¡¯s start the finals of Allen Rodore vs. Ria Vesteria!¡¹


    With so much cheers being thrown around, I and Ria, stared at each other quietly.


    ¡¸¡­How nostalgic.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, it¡¯s already been 4 months¡­ It went by so quickly¡­¡¹


    On the day I entered Thousand de Academy, I and Ria crossed swords at this Underground Training Area.


    (A lot of things have happened since then¡­)


    Death fight at the Big Five Holy Festival.


    Apprenticeship as a Magic Swordsman.


    Incident at the Daido Commercial Festival.


    Summer camp organized by the student council.


    Establishment of the Practice-Swing Club and the Club Budget War.


    Three sessive battles at Vesteria Kingdom.


    My student life, which began with my cohabitation with Ria, was full of ups and downs every day.


    ¡¸Allen. Last time, I suffered an embarrassing defeat¡­ but this time, I¡¯ll win.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t afford to lose either¡­!¡¹


    And when our conversation reached a pause,


    ¡¸Are you both ready!? Well then, let the final match ¨C Begin!¡¹


    The start of the match was dered.


    I slowly pulled out my sword and assumed Seigan no Kamae.


    Ria, on the other hand, thrusted her right hand forward.


    At that moment.


    ¡¸Invade -¡´Fafnir¡µ!¡¹


    A beautiful ck and white sword appeared as though tearing through the empty space.


    ¡¸Well, here Ie ¨C Allen!¡¹


    ¡¸Aa,e ¨C Ria!¡¹


    Thus, the finals of the First-Year War ¨C began.

 Chapter 55 - New Semester and First-Year War [7]

    <strong>55. New Semester and First-Year War [7]</strong>


    The moment Ria manifested¡´Fafnir¡µand was ready for battle.


    ¡¸UOOOOOOHHHHH!¡¹


    In order to close the distance with her, I started running.


    (Ria has a wide range of long-range attacks using ck me and white me. It¡¯s simply suicide to engage her in a long-distance battle¡­)


    However, she might have been anticipating it.


    ¡¸Too naive, Allen! Draconic Roar!¡¹


    Ria immediately swung her sword and spread a mixture of ck and white mes.


    A non-regr ranged attack covered the stage.


    ¡¸Kuh!?¡¹


    I jumped back at once and brushed off the sparks that fell onto me.


    Right then,


    ¡¸ck Breath!¡¹


    Jet-ck mes swooped down on me.


    ¡¸First Sword ¨C Flying Shadow!¡¹


    In response to the looming ck me, I greeted it with my prided Flying Shadow.


    However,


    ¡¸Wha!?¡¹


    The shadow that I shot was drowned out by the ck me in an instant.


    (Damn, the output is in a different league fromst time¡­)


    I jumped wide to the side and avoided the ck Breath.


    (If I try to get close, indiscriminate ranged attack. If I take a distance, long-range attack with ck mes¡­ It¡¯s a really troublesome ability after all¡­)


    Her way of fighting is very simr to ude-san.


    (Maybe they underwent the same training in Vesteria Kingdom¡­)


    While thinking about that, Ria observed every movement I made, and didn¡¯t show even the slightest opening.


    The carelessness and pride that was visible in the previous battle, havepletely disappeared.


    ¡¸¡­I never thought you could tear down Flying Shadow. I¡¯m amazed, Ria.¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, are you surprised? But, this isn¡¯t even the extent of my powers¡­!¡¹


    When she swung her sword, zing ck mes rushed towards me again.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    After that, I was forced into a one-sided defensive battle.


    ¡¸Eat this ¨C ck Burst!¡¹


    Ria swung down her sword with all her strength from an overhead position.


    ¡¸Huge¡­!?¡¹


    Arge mass of ck me was released, which was about two times bigger than ck Breath.


    ¡¸Kuh¡­¡¹


    The next moment, when I quickly jumped to the right and tried to avoid it,


    ¡¸Burst!¡¹


    The mass of ck me exploded, and arge amount of fist-sized mes scattered in all directions.


    ¡¸¡­!? Eighth Sword ¨C Yatagarasu!¡¹


    I spread a barrier of shes right away, but¡­


    With just eight shes, it was impossible to shake off more than a hundred mes.


    One of the scattered ck mes attacked my right leg, and burning pain ran through it.


    ¡¸Dammit¡­ First Sword ¨C Flying Shadow!¡¹


    I shot a flying sh as a minimal counterattack.


    However,


    ¡¸-White Coil!¡¹


    Ria¡¯s white me formed a coil-likerge shield, and blocked Flying Shadow very easily.


    And then,


    ¡¸ck Breath!¡¹


    In response, Ria unleashed the wave-like ck mes as a counter.


    (This is bad¡­ Little by little, the damage is surely umting¡­)


    As evidence of this, the movement of my body gradually became dull.


    (If the match continues to drag on like this, I¡¯ll be at a disadvantage¡­)


    If I can¡¯t find a way to reach her, the match will gradually get worse and I¡¯ll lose.


    This overwhelmingly disadvantageous situation. Having understood it perfectly, I heaved a loud sigh.


    (Haa¡­ The fact that I can¡¯t use a soul dress is fatal as a swordsman¡­)


    The increasing number of fights with soul dress users has made me realize that fact.


    (¡­No, save theints for after the match ends.)


    I switched my mind set and strengthened my resolve.


    (¡­ I¡¯ll be fine)


    This body endured the big explosions of ude-san¡¯s¡´Avio Troop¡µ.


    It will surely endure Ria¡¯s powerful mes.


    (¡­Let¡¯s go!)


    Endure the pain that will surelye in a few seconds!


    With my resolve strengthened, I instantly started running.


    ¡¸UOOOOOHHHHH!¡¹


    ¡¸So you¡¯re finallying¡­! Draconic Roar!¡¹


    The mes mixed in ck and white divided me and Ria.


    (Don¡¯t fret¡­! The pain is only momentary¡­ If I break through this me wall¡­ I will have a winning chance¡­!)


    Brilliantly zing, scorching mes ¨C I dived right into the heart of it.


    ¡¸Guh-a¡­¡¹


    The violent mes burned my body, and a sharp pain ran through me.


    Hot, painful, agonizing, but ¨C not unbearable¡­!


    ¡¸HAAAAAAAAAAAAA!¡¹


    The moment I overcame the stinging pain and managed to break through the wall of fire.


    ¡¸Just as I expected. I knew you would break through that me wall valiantly.¡¹


    Ria, waiting at the end of the wall, had already swung her sword high.


    Apparently¡­ She seems to have read my pattern.


    ¡¸High King Style ¨C Strong Strike!¡¹


    ¡¸Guh¡­!?¡¹


    I defended the imminent downward sh by standing ready with my sword positioned horizontally.


    A tremendous impact ran through my body. And the moment I thought I managed to defend it,


    ¡¸HAAAAAAAAAAAA!¡¹


    A tremendous amount of fire jetted from the back of Ria¡¯s sword.


    It granted explosive propulsion to her downward sh, and


    (Guh, H-Heavy¡­!?)


    I couldn¡¯t bear that tremendous power and was blown away.


    (Damn it¡­)


    For thest four months, I¡¯ve been training to death.


    I¡¯ve ovee many fierce battles. Always doing the very best with all my effort.


    However, the growth of¡´Fafnir¡µfar exceeded mine.


    Ria didn¡¯t miss this opportunity where my posture was greatly broken and,


    ¡¸HAAAAAAAAAAA!¡¹


    Ria went on the offensive at once.


    ¡¸High King Style ¨C Consecutive Spears!¡¹


    An explosive thrust of ck me was unleashed repeatedly.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    By dodging, parrying, and blowing off ¨C I somehow survived through the consecutive attacks.


    I was honestly impressed by the stormy onught.


    (Ria¡­ you¡¯re truly amazing.)


    She had an overwhelming talent for swordsmanship, had the soul dress¡´Fafnir¡µ, and worked hard earnestly every single day.


    I know it best because I swung the sword together with her in the Practice-Swing Club.


    ¡¸High King Style ¨C Strong Strike!¡¹


    She, once again, unleashed a strong downward sh.


    ¡¸HA!¡¹


    And in response, I met her attack with a diagonal sh containing my whole body weight.


    The swords shed violently with each other, and today is the second time we are locking swords.


    (¡­ She¡¯s what we call a¡ºgenius who makes an effort.¡»)


    For someone like me¡­ For an ordinary man who desperately tries to bridge the gap in talent with effort, she is like a natural enemy.


    ¡¸Allen, I¡¯m sorry, but this match is ¨C my victory!¡¹


    From the back of Ria¡¯s sword, mes jetted out with tremendous momentum.


    With explosive propulsion, her sword bore down on me mercilessly.


    (Damn¡­ I want to win¡­)


    I know better than anyone else that I am a talentless ordinary person.


    Even so¡­ I want to win against Ria.


    I want to beat her genius swordsmanship.


    I want to win against a genius who makes an effort.


    (I want to win against the¡ºtalent¡»that has always stood in my way¡­!)


    At that moment, unprecedented enormous power overflowed from the depth of my body.


    ¡¸UOOOOO¡±O¡±O¡­¡­RAA¡±!¡¹


    ¡¸Wha¡­ Kyaa!?¡¹


    Her sword, boosted by¡´Fafnir¡µ, was pushed back by my simple physical strength.


    For the first time in this match, I overcame Ria in a contest of strength.


    (What¡­ is this¡­)


    It felt like the power that was sealed in the depths of my body was seething up. It felt strange and nostalgic for some reason.


    I¡¯ve had this kind of experience several times before, but¡­ This time, it feelspletely different¡­


    (¡­I can do it!)


    And when I was staring at my palm,


    ¡¸¡­ A-Are you¡­¡ºAllen¡»?¡¹


    As Ria said so, she held her sword in front of her chest.


    As her sword de acted as a mirror ¨C I saw a white-haired head and a ck pattern emerged under my left eye in the reflection.


    ¡¸Aa¡­ my appearance seems to be a little different, but it¡¯s definitely me.¡¹


    That guy didn¡¯t take over.


    This body is now properly controlled by me.


    ¡¸Did you perhaps¡­ control the power of the spirit core?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­No, not yet.¡¹


    It¡¯s true that this tremendous power fills my whole body, but¡­


    (¡­Still, there is a realm of difference in power between me and that guy.)


    Now that I¡¯m stronger, it became much clearer.


    It seems that the road to attaining soul dress is still far off.


    (This time¡­ It¡¯s probably his whim or something¡­)


    The next time we meet, I should probably give that guy a word of thanks.


    (¡­Well, let¡¯s concentrate on this battle for now.)


    Restore the derailed thoughts.


    (Anyway, this has closed the difference in physical strength¡­!)


    Surely, I wouldn¡¯t lose one-sidedly in terms of strength anymore.


    (From here on out, it will be my swordsmanship and Ria¡¯s¡´Fafnir¡µ. It¡¯s the match to decide which is better¡­)


    I lowered my center of gravity and assumed Seigan no Kamae.


    ¡¸Here Ie¡­ Ria!¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, I wouldn¡¯t have it any other way¡­ Allen!¡¹


    The finals between me and Ria, entered the final phase.

 Chapter 56 - New semester and First-Year War [8]

    <strong>56. New semester and First-Year War [8]</strong>


    With the tremendous power that was surging through my body, I held my sword high and swung it down at once.


    ¡¸First Sword ¨C Flying Shadow! ¡¹


    At the same time, Ria swung her sword in arge arc.


    ¡¸ck Breath!¡¹


    The moment the two collided, the shadow I released cut through the ck me easily.


    ¡¸¡­No way!?¡¹


    With her eyes wide open from the unexpected oue, Ria immediately jumped sideways and avoided the looming Flying Shadow.


    (¡­Yoshi, I can work with this!)


    As I thought, I¡¯m not going to lose in strength anymore¡­!


    I decided that now is the chance to win and,


    ¡¸HAAAAAAAAAAA!¡¹


    To change the state of battle into closebat, I quickly ran towards Ria.


    ¡¸Draconic Roar!¡¹


    A tremendous amount of mes mixed in ck and white blocked my path.


    (As expected, she made that move¡­)


    But right now ¨C I can push through!


    ¡¸-HA!¡¹


    With a side-sweep sh, I erased the mes that obstructed the path.


    ¡¸M-My mes¡­ with just your sword pressure¡­!?¡¹


    Due to the surprise, Ria stiffened slightly.


    I didn¡¯t miss that opportunity, and unleashed a diagonal sh with all my strength.


    ¡¸SEI!¡¹


    ¡¸Kuh¡­Kyaa!?¡¹


    She immediately defended with her sword, but was blown to the side due to the overwhelming strength difference.


    ¡¸What¡­ ridiculous strength¡­!¡¹


    She managed tond safely and took a great distance.


    ¡¸This kind of strength even without the presence of soul dress¡­ As expected of Allen¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Same goes for Ria. In just four months, you can manipte your soul dress to this extent¡­ You are amazing after all.¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, thank you. But my real power is from here on out!¡¹


    Saying that, she thrust her sword onto the stage and quietly closed her eyes.


    The next moment,


    ¡¸-Dragon Soul!¡¹


    She was dressed in sparkling white me and dark ck me.


    ¡¸This is ¡­?!¡¹


    A tremendous pressure that pierces the whole body.


    Only the space surrounding Ria was of a different weight. An extraordinary presence.


    (Wow, Ria¡­)


    It is nothing less than remarkable that she still had an ace up her sleeve.


    ¡¸It¡¯s going to be somewhat different from before, alright?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, it appears to be so¡­!¡¹


    The moment I blinked.


    The figure of Ria, with her sword held high, was in front of me.


    ¡¸Fast!?¡¹


    This is different from Rose¡¯s movement technique.


    This was simply Ria¡¯s physical speed.


    It was that in and simple. No secret or trick behind it. How troublesome.


    ¡¸Eat this!¡¹


    The looming downward sh,


    ¡¸Kuh¡­¡¹


    I reflexively rolled to the right and managed to avoid it.


    ¡¸I won¡¯t let you escape! High King Style ¨C Consecutive Spears!¡¹


    ¡¸Kuh, Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style Secret Technique ¨C Mirrored Sakura sh!¡¹


    Our attacks met fiercely and sparks flew.


    After that, our sword fight fell into a seesaw state. Our offensive and defensive exchanges were equally matched.


    ¡¸High King Style ¨C Strong Strike!¡¹


    ¡¸-HA!¡¹


    Our swords collided and stopped.


    The two swords were locked in apletely antagonistic state.


    The swords don¡¯t even twitch as if time itself had stopped.


    (No way¡­ Even¡´Dragon Soul¡µcan¡¯t push him back¡­!?)


    (I see¡­ So, the cells in her body are stimted by the white mes she wears. It¡¯s a really good ability, with a wide range of applications¡­)


    Our gaze intersected, and we jumped back at the same time.


    (¡­As it stands, our physical abilities arepletely even.)


    In addition, the long-range ck mes and the indiscriminate ranged attacks¡­ I can deal with both of them now.


    In short, what I should do here is simple. Just keep on engaging in closebat!


    ¡¸-UOOOOHHHHHH!¡¹


    As I ran straight towards Ria,


    ¡¸Kuh, White Coil!¡¹


    She deployed a huge white me shield forward.


    The white me shield that functions the same as an impregnable fortress.


    ¡¸Eighth Sword ¨C Yatagarasu!¡¹


    I cut it down easily with the eight shes.


    ¡¸Wha¡­¡¹


    Her face turned pale, and she quickly leapt back.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Haa Haa¡­¡¹


    As the battle went on, Ria¡¯s breathing visibly became heavier.


    (¡­I see, that state doesn¡¯t seem tost that long.)


    Can her body no longer bear the burden of soul dress?


    Or does it have a duration like Rose¡¯s¡´Winter Sakura¡µ?


    I don¡¯t know which one, but¡­


    (There is no doubt that the flow of battle is tilting towards me right now¡­!)


    When I was thinking about that, Ria spoke.


    ¡¸Nee, Allen¡­ You¡¯ve been exercising that inhuman power for so long¡­ Doesn¡¯t your body feel weird!?¡¹


    ¡¸N-Not really an inhuman power though¡­ Anyway, my body is quite fine.¡¹


    Unlike Rose and Ria, there was no burden on my body.


    No, far from being burdened, the condition of my body was getting better.


    The burns I should have suffered during the match were nowpletely healed.


    ¡¸I see¡­ Then, if the matchsts longer¡­ it will be my loss.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­That¡¯s probably right.¡¹


    Judging from Ria¡¯s exhausted state, if we continue on as is, it will end as she says.


    ¡¸I see¡­ So that¡¯s how it¡¯ll end after all¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Aa.¡¹


    However, I couldn¡¯t imagine that Ria, who absolutely hates to lose, would stand by and ept the loss without doing anything.


    When I raised my guard and maintained Seigan no Kamae,


    ¡¸Now, Allen. Before I run out of gas, let¡¯s settle it now!¡¹


    The mes that covered Ria¡¯s body, all gathered on her sword.


    ¡¸¡­¡­!?¡¹


    White me and ck me mix, and a beautiful but hellish me rises.


    ¡¸This is my true final attack.¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, I¡¯ll take it on¡­!¡¹


    Ria slowly held up her sword sky-high and swung it down resolutely.


    ¡¸This is the end ¨C Dragon Breath!¡¹


    An enormous dragon with ck me and white me mixed together, was unleashed with tremendous force.


    ¡¸GUUUOOOOOOOOO!¡¹


    On the other hand, I unleashed my ultimate attack that mobilized all my power.


    ¡¸Sixth Sword ¨C Dark Roar!¡¹


    A sh that was farrger than Flying Shadow, plunged forward to y the enormous dragon.


    ¡¸HAAAAAAAAA!¡¹


    ¡¸UOOOOOHHHHH!¡¹


    The two attacks shed violently in the middle of the stage.


    And then,


    ¡¸Kuh, GUOOOO¡­¡¹


    The Dragon Breath was extinguished by Dark Roar.


    ¡¸Yoshi¡­!¡¹


    The moment when I was confident of victory and made a victory fist.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    Ria¡¯s body shook violently, and copsed forward.


    ¡¸Wha, Ria!?¡¹


    The sword slipped from her hands and extinguished into fine particles.


    (Damn¡­ she fainted? At a time like this¡­!?)


    Apparently the attack just now, genuinely used up everyst bit of her strength.


    Before the resigned, defenseless Ria, the absolute Dark Roar approached ever closer.


    If she took that attack head on in that state¡­ she wouldn¡¯t escape safely.


    ¡¸Guh¡­ OOOOOOOOO!¡¹


    I immediately threw away my sword and ran.


    (Damn¡­ please make it in time¡­!)


    By utilizing the mysterious power that filled my body, I ran with incredible force which crushed the floor underneath.


    And I somehow matched with the Dark Roar and,


    ¡¸-HA!¡¹


    I mmed the side of it with all my might.


    A hard sound resonated and a severe impact assailed my right hand.


    But ¨C Dark Roar doesn¡¯t stop.


    While maintaining the tremendous momentum, it pushed forward towards Ria.


    (No good¡­ it won¡¯t stop¡­!?)


    I shifted my gaze quickly and tried to seek help¡­


    Only at times like these, Leia-sensei was not nearby.


    In other words, I have no choice but to stop it on my own.


    (Squeeze out the power. The power to protect Ria¡­!)


    I gritted my teeth and clenched my fist strongly.


    Then, a huge amount of power that I have never felt before, surged through my whole body.


    ¡¸You¡­ DISSAPEEAAARRR!¡¹


    When I poured all the power into my right hand, and unleashed a single blow, a¡ºck something¡»was produced in my hand.


    The next moment, an eardrum crushing sound reverberated throughout the academy, and Dark Roar vanished, a few millimeters away from Ria.


    ¡¸Haa Haa¡­ I made it in time¡­¡¹


    The mysterious power that filled my whole body waspletely gone now.


    Finally being able to breathe, I exhaled greatly,


    ¡¸Ouch¡­¡¹


    A sharp pain ran through my right hand.


    Looking closer, there was a deep sword wound engraved on my hand.


    (This arm¡­ I have to let it rest for a while¡­)


    I stopped the sh, which I had unleashed with all my might, with my bare hands. It¡¯s a natural result.


    No, rather, I should count myself lucky that this was all that I sustained.


    ¡¸But¡­ I¡¯m really d¡­¡¹


    When I saw Ria breathing regrly, I heaved a sigh of relief.


    ¡¸Ri, Ria-Vesteria, unable to continue! So, the person who conquered this year¡¯s First-Year War is¡­ ALLEN RODORE! But surprisingly! What a contestant Allen! He hurt his prestige by protecting Ria! The Evil Emperor Showed Kindnessssss!???¡¹


    Thementator proimed my victory.


    ¡¸Way to go, Allen!¡¹


    ¡¸What an unbelievable match!¡¹


    ¡¸Amazing¡­ You¡¯re really amazing¡­!¡¹


    The longsting First-Year War ended with my victory.

 Chapter 57 - New semester and First-Year War [9]

    <h4>57. New semester and First-Year War [9]</h4>


    At the top of the audience seat.


    Leia furrowed her brows as she observed Allen and Ria¡¯s match.


    ¡¸That appearance and that power¡­ Did he control the spirit core¡­? No¡­ impossible. If that was the case, the output is way too low¡­ Is it that guy¡¯s whim¡­? Or else©`?¡¹


    As she was wracking her brain over that question,


    ¡¸Hyohohohoho! Maan, I¡¯m so relieved! With this, my mistake is also written off!¡¹


    An old man, who was pping delightedly, suddenly appeared out of thin air.


    He was short. His hair, eyebrows and eyelids were all white.


    He had a bent waist and a crooked smile on his face.


    ¡¸Wha!?¡¹


    Leia flusteredly turned back, as she realised someone easily snuck behind her without her noticing.


    The old man who saw her reaction, had a pleasant smile on his face, and hit the floor with the tip of the bent cane which he held in his left hand.


    ¡¸Oh dear¡­ I was wondering what would happen if he came out mid-way, but¡­ I¡¯m relieved that the¡ºpath¡»seems to be opening up smoothly!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Bastard, hermit of time!?¡¹


    Leia red at the hermit of time while clenching her fist.


    ¡¸Hoho! Long time no see, ck Fist. I¡¯m d you¡¯re doing well.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I got the message. You already used it on Allen, that cursed 100 million year button¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸Calling it¡ºcursed¡»is quite harsh¡­¡¹


    The hermit of the time, while grumbling so, stared at Allen as he received the victory trophy on the stage.


    His hair, which had been mixed with white hair until a while ago, was now back to ck.


    ¡¸Fumu, it¡¯s already back to¡ºck¡»so soon¡­ It looks like it will still take a longer time¡­¡¹


    The hermit of time indulged in his own thoughts, while massaging his fine, white beard.


    Leia¡¯s True Fist pierced through the air right towards his face. 1


    ¡¸Hebu!?¡¹


    ¡¸I have a mountain of things to ask you. Sorry but, take a nap for a while¡­!?¡¹


    The hermit of time slipped through Leia¡¯s fist and passed through her whole body.


    ¡¸Man, as expected of ck Fist. What fearsome speed¡­ Good grief, one cannot be too careful around you¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Shit¡­ Is that the rumored¡ºtransparency¡»¡­!?¡¹


    When he saw Leia¡¯s frustrated expression, heughed in satisfaction.


    ¡¸-Well, I still have tons of work to do. Let¡¯s meet again some other time, ck Fist¡­¡¹


    ¡¸S-Stop!¡¹


    Paying no heed to the voice, the hermit of time disappeared like mist from the Underground Training Area..


    ¡¸Shit¡­¡¹


    Leia, who blew the chance that had sprung up suddenly, bit her lip frustratedly.


    ¡¸¡­Dahlia. There is¡ºsomething¡»that exceeds your predictions going on here¡­ ¡¹


    ¡ö


    On the other hand, it was around the time when Allen conquered the First-Year War.


    Deep underground in the Holy Ronelia Empire, one man was screaming in joy.


    ¡¸I-I did it¡­! I finally found it!¡¹


    Vice President of Student Council Executives of Thousand de Academy.


    He has lived as a miner for months ¨C sneaking through the Holy Ronelia Empire¡¯s tight securitywork and slipping through the empire¡¯s pursuers and the ck Organization.


    ¡¸This is¡­ the blood diamond that I have dreamed of!¡¹


    He had two fist-sized blood diamonds in his hands.


    The crimson, which is said to have magical beauty, emitted a mysterious shine even in this state without any processing.


    ¡¸Fu, Fufufu ¡­! The president will surely be pleased ¡­!¡¹


    A number of shlights illuminated him as he grinned happily.


    ¡¸T-There he is!¡¹


    ¡¸Contact the Imperial Guards as soon as possible!¡¹


    ¡¸Hurry up and tell the ck Organization too! We can only stall him for so long!¡¹


    The Magic Swordsmen employed by the Ronelia Empire shouted with bloodshot eyes.


    Each one of them had a soul dress, and it can be seen that each person was considerably skilled.


    ¡¸Tch, one after another¡­ They¡¯re really persistent¡¹


    The vice-president cut down the group of skilled magic swordsmen as though brushing away insects, but¡­


    As expected, it became more troublesome to fight one by one since their numbers exceeded 100.


    ¡¸Haa¡­ let¡¯s run¡­¡¹


    He shook his head as though annoyed, and fled with his back towards the pursuers.


    ¡¸Wha!? Hey, wait!¡¹


    More than ten magic swordsmen desperately chased after him. But the difference in physical ability was obvious.


    Every passing second, the vice president¡¯s back started to fade into the distance.


    ¡¸President¡­ Please wait! I¡¯ll definitely bring this blood diamond home ¡­¡¹


    He held the raw stones of the blood diamond in both hands and ran through the underground of the Ronelia Empire.


    ¡ö


    After receiving the championship trophy from the First-Year Warmittee, I went to the infirmary where Ria and Rose were.


    ording to the teacher in the infirmary, Ria seems to have used a ridiculous amount of power and was extremely exhausted.


    Fortunately, her life was not in danger, and should wake up soon with enough rest.


    After Ria¡¯s treatment ended safely, she wasid on the bed.


    ¡¸-Rose, how are you?¡¹


    I spoke to Rose, who was resting in the adjacent bed.


    ¡¸Nn¡­ I¡¯m feeling alright. Tomorrow, I should be able to move as usual.¡¹


    ¡¸I see¡­ d to hear that.¡¹


    She stared me in the eye and let out a shortugh with a slightlyplicated expression on her face.


    ¡¸¡­Judging from the state of things, I¡¯m guessing you won.¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, somehow¡¹


    ¡¸I see¡­Un, congrattions¡¹


    The victory of the swordsman who defeated her. As a swordsman, of course, there will be someplicated feelings


    Still, Rose genuinely said¡¸Congrattions¡¹.


    ¡¸Aa, thank you.¡¹


    I expressed gratitude honestly for her feelings.


    After that, I ended up chatting with Rose until Ria woke up.


    After the battle with me, her spirit core seemed to have been strangely strung up, thus she did not get to sleep much.


    After 10 minutes passed.


    ¡¸Umm¡­¡¹


    Ria, sleeping on the adjacent bed, slowly opened her eyes.


    ¡¸Ah, Ria! You regained consciousness¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­A-Alle¡­n?¡¹


    As she slowly raised her upper body, she looked around in confusion.


    ¡¸Where are we¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s the infirmary. Is your body all right now?¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, un¡­ I¡¯m alright, so I¡¯ll be fine if I sleep a little.¡¹


    ¡¸I see.¡¹


    Come to think of it, Leia-sensei also said,¡¸Ria is unusually strong¡¹the first time we dueled.


    As I recalled those old days,


    ¡¸I see¡­ so, I lost¡­¡¹


    She murmured so, and clenched her fist with frustration.


    The bed sheet crumpled greatly, and a heavy silence fell inside the infirmary.


    As the silent state continued for about 20 seconds,


    ¡¸¡­ Hurting two girls¡­ Allen is terrible.¡¹


    Rose sitting on the bed next to Ria¡¯s said something ridiculous.


    ¡¸Eh, n-no that¡¯s¡­ It¡¯s a match so¡­¡¹


    ¡ºHurting girls¡»is not exactly wrong, but¡­


    (Isn¡¯t it a little misleading or a slightly malicious expression ¡­?!)


    When I was panicking about how toe up with an excuse,


    ¡¸¡­ Really, that¡¯s right. How do you n to take responsibility?¡¹


    ¡¸E-Even Ria¡­!?¡¹


    Jumping on Rose¡¯s remark, even Ria began to say such a thing.


    ¡¸Hey, Allen ¡­ what will you do?¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯ll take responsibility, won¡¯t you?¡¹


    Two vs One.


    I found myself overwhelmingly disadvantaged in numbers.


    ¡¸N-No¡­ Even if you say take responsibility¡­ ¡¹


    And as I was acting flustered,


    ¡¸¡­Fufu, it¡¯s a joke.¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, just kidding.¡¹


    Saying that, Rose and Riaughed happily.


    ¡¸Both of you¡­ Give me a break¡­¡¹


    I¡¯m already called the Dropout Swordsman, Problem Child, Evil Emperor, etc.


    I have a bad reputation in the academy.


    (To be honest, I don¡¯t care about people¡¯s reputation anymore¡­)


    It¡¯s better not to speak ill of people at all.


    As I sigh a breath of relief,


    ¡¸-Next is the Sword King Festival. I¡¯m cheering for you, so don¡¯t lose!¡¹


    ¡¸Do your best for us too.¡¹


    Ria and Rose cheered me on.


    ¡¸Aa, of course. I¡¯ll put in my best effort.¡¹


    Sword King Festival.


    I know this well, even if I am not familiar with Five Academy.


    No, this is a swordsmanship festival that everyone in this country knows.


    (From the Ice King Academy, Sid-san will appear in the first-year student spot¡­)


    It¡¯s not just the Ice King Academy.


    There will surely be outstanding first year swordsmen who will also appear from the other Five Academy¡¯s.


    (Fufu, I¡¯m looking forward to it¡­!)


    And when I was excited about fighting at the Sword King Festival,


    ¡¸Eh¡­? Come to think of it, Allen, what¡¯s that wound?¡¹


    The sharp-sighted Ria found the bandage wrapped around my right arm.


    ¡¸This is¡­ Uh, umm¡­ a small injury¡¹


    I decided to tell a small lie so as not to let her feel extra responsibility.


    And then,


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­Nee, that¡¯s a lie, right?¡¹


    She stared into my eyes and immediately saw through the lie.


    ¡¸T-That¡¯s not true¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Are you sure¡­ When Allen tells a lie or talks about something you don¡¯t really mean, your eyes shift to the upper left corner¡­ You know, like right now.¡¹


    Saying that, Ria looked me straight in the eyes from the front.


    ¡­Do I really have such a habit?


    ¡¸A-Anyway¡­ This wound is like a side effect due to recklessly using my power! Now, let¡¯s end this topic here!¡¹


    And I broke the topic a little forcefully.


    ¡¸That¡¯s right, both of you! Get well soon and let¡¯s continue swinging together!¡¹


    I switched to another topic, trying to escape Ria cornering me.


    ¡¸Muu¡­ understood.¡¹


    ¡¸OK.¡¹


    Thus, the First-Year war full of turbulence ended safely, and we briefly returned to our usual fun-filled regr days.

 Chapter 58 - Bounty Head and Awakening [1]

    <h4>58. Bounty Head and Awakening [1]</h4>


    The day after the First-Year War.


    Today was a holiday, and I was thinking of taking a proper rest after a long time, but¡­


    Suddenly an appointment came up, so I was now hastily heading towards an ice cream shop in the center of Orest.


    ¡¸Err, I¡¯m sure it should be around this area ¡­¡¹


    As I looked around with the brochure of the shop in one hand,


    ¡¸Allen-kun! Here, here!¡¹


    From behind, I heard the president¡¯s loud voice.


    Looking behind, there was the figure of the president calling out to me while hopping lightly, in lovely casual clothes.


    ¡¸-Sorry, did I make you wait long?¡¹


    ¡¸No, I just arrived as well, so it¡¯s alright.¡¹


    The president smiled gently and nced at me from top to bottom.


    ¡¸¡­¡­ Allen-kun¡¯s casual clothes are fresh. Un, I think it looks very good.¡¹


    Due to the president¡¯s wish, I went out in casual clothes after a long time


    My top is a simple white shirt with ck haori, and the bottom is dark blue pants. 1


    All of these are things that Pa-san presented to me on my birthday.


    ¡¸Thank you. President, you look good too.¡¹


    Her top is a loose white blouse.


    Bottom is a long skirt with a deep slit.


    A red pendant hanging from her neck..


    Cool and elegant, this outfit suits the president very well.


    ¡¸Fufu, thanks¡¹


    And now that the greetings were over,


    ¡¸Even so, you invited me so suddenly yesterday¡­¡¹


    I immediately asked the thing that was bothering me.


    Yesterday.


    Shortly after receiving the First-Year War trophy and on the way towards the infirmary where Ria and Rose were, I received a letter from the president.


    The content was very simple.


    ¡ºI am going to treat you to ice cream to thank you for helping me with the student council¡¯s work the other day. Let¡¯s meet at the clock tower on Oriana Street at noon tomorrow. -Sie Arcstria¡»


    However, three conditions were written under it.


    Keep it a secret from Ria and Rose, ande alone.


    Come in casual clothes, not uniform.


    Don¡¯t bring a sword because it stands out.


    And in the lovely envelope that contained the letter, the pamphlet of the ice cream shop which was the destination was enclosed.


    ¡¸Fufu, ¡ºwomen are as fickle as autumn weather¡», right?¡¹2


    ¡¸¡­Is that so?¡¹


    I think the meaning ispletely different though¡­


    Well, the president being so sudden is a usual urrence.


    If I was surprised by this degree of antics, I wouldn¡¯t be able to stand her.


    And then,


    ¡¸Nee Nee. Ria-san and Rose-san, haven¡¯t found out, right?¡¹


    The president looked around the surroundings and whispered.


    ¡¸Yeah, you don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡¹


    I just said to Ria¡¸I¡¯m going out for a moment¡¹and I don¡¯t have ns to train with Rose today.


    ¡¸But why keep it a secret? I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any need to hide it.¡¹


    When I asked frankly,


    ¡¸Mou, you¡¯re so thick-skinned¡­¡¹


    The president heaved a loud sigh as she shook her head.


    ¡¸Well, that¡¯s fine. More importantly, today is a holiday after all! Let¡¯s y around all day long!¡¹


    ¡¸All day¡­? We simply talked about eating ice cream.¡¹


    ¡¸Now, Let¡¯s Go!¡¹


    Having said that, the president walked in high spirits.


    ¡¸Ah, wait a moment, president!¡¹


    Then I followed her and arrived at the destination ice cream shop.


    It looked like a small castle, and many women were already queued in long lines.


    ¡¸Wow, there¡¯s a great number of people here¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, it just opened recently, so it¡¯s quite popr.¡¹


    We lined up at the end of the line and waited for our turn while looking through the menu handed to us by the employee.


    ¡¸Umm¡­ I¡¯ll go with the summer exclusive¡­ the Mandarin Orange Ice-cream. Have you decided yet, Allen-kun?¡¹


    ¡¸Let¡¯s see¡­ I¡¯m going with vani ice cream.¡¹


    After the order was decided, the two of us had some small talk.


    The president was a good story-teller and a good listener, so the wait was over in no time, and by the time I realised, we were at the head of the line.


    ¡¸Excuse me. I¡¯d like a regr-sized vani and a summer mandarin orange.¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you very much! Please wait a little!¡¹


    The cheerful employee moved quickly and immediately handed us spherical ice-creams in a cutely designed cup.


    After that, we moved to a two-person table set up in the store and sat down.


    And then,


    ¡¸Nee Nee, Allen-kun. It¡¯s hard to eat with that hand, isn¡¯t it? Why don¡¯t you let onee-chan feed you? Say¡ºaaa-n¡»?¡¹


    The president had an impish smile seeing my right hand wrapped with a thick bandage.


    ¡¸No, I can¡¯t use my right hand, but I can still eat it with my left hand.¡¹


    I held a small spoon with my left hand and ate the ice cream in the cup smoothly.


    ¡¸Mu, you¡¯re so not adorable¡­¡¹


    ¡¸A-Ahaha¡­ President, if you don¡¯t eat yours soon, your ice cream will melt¡­¡¹


    After the two of us enjoyed the delicious ice cream, we decided to go around a fashion clothing store.


    ¡¸-Wee!¡¹


    A young store clerk wearing fashionable clothes weed us with a sweet smile.


    ¡¸H-Hello¡­¡¹


    And when I nodded lightly,


    ¡¸-Hey Allen-kun, this way!¡¹


    The president proceeded steadily to the back of the store.


    ¡¸Fumu fumu¡­ so the lovely ones are lined up over here¡­¡¹


    The president looked at the clothes on disy with sparkling eyes.


    Then, she held what she was interested in on her body and checked it by the full length mirror installed in the store.


    ¡¸Allen-kun, do you know? This year¡¯s trendy color is green.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, is that so? This is the first time I¡¯ve heard of it.¡¹


    asionally with such short conversations, I followed behind the president who moved around the store without hesitation.


    Meanwhile, I felt very restless.


    (How do I put this¡­ I can¡¯t seem to calm down¡­)


    Whether I look to the right or to the left, everyone is¡ºsparkling¡».


    The hairstyle and clothes were all very fashionable, and I just felt very out-of-ce.


    (To get used to the city¡­ will take more time it seems¡­)


    It¡¯s hard for me to get used to the city when I grew up in such a rural area; Goza Vige, where there are far more livestock than people.


    After 15 minutes passed,


    ¡¸Nee, Allen-kun. This one-piece with polka dots and this one-piece with young leaves here¡­ Which one do you think is better?¡¹


    The president tilted her head with two types of pretty one-piece dresses in her hand.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    The moment I heard that question, a terrible shock ran through my whole body.


    (I thought it was an urban legend, but it really does exist ¡­)


    The two-choice question of hell that is unleashed when going shopping with a woman.


    If you answer incorrectly, the woman¡¯s mood gets worse immediately, and you¡¯ll see hell that day¡­ Is what I¡¯ve heard.


    (But there¡¯s no problem¡­ ! The winning form in such a case has already been given by Pa-san¡­!)


    In my mind, a conversation with Pa-san that I had a few years ago came back to me.


    ¡¸Okay, Allen? Girls, including me, are creatures who want¡ºassent¡»¡¹


    ¡¸Assent, you say¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, yes. In such cases, the girl herself already has the answer.¡¹


    ¡¸Ha-Haa¡­¡¹


    ¡¸In other words, what is required is assent, not your opinion.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­It¡¯s a difficult thing, isn¡¯t it? So how do I find the¡ºanswer¡»?¡¹


    ¡¸That is easy. If you look at the girl¡¯s eyes, you can discern it right away!¡¹


    ¡¸Look in the eye¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Girls are pure and honest. Their gazes unintentionally follow the one they like.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, I see¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Well, a crude man is unable to understand a woman¡¯s delicate heart¡­ So, it¡¯s important to meet halfway, okay!?¡¹


    Pa-san said that, and with a huge butcher knife, she sent a pig¡¯s head flying.


    (¡­How nostalgic)


    The pork simmered that day was really delicious¡­


    (Oops, concentrate, concentrate¡­ Now focus on the problem at hand ¡­)


    I returned to the problem at hand after a little derailment. I casually nced at the president¡¯s eyes while pretending topare the two types of one-piece.


    Then I realized that her gaze tends to shift to leaf pattern one-piece.


    (¡­¡­Which reminds me, didn¡¯t she say that this year¡¯s trendy color is green?)


    This year¡¯s trendy color and the president¡¯s gaze, if I tie the two together, the answer will naturally be one¡­!


    ¡¸Um¡­ I think that the one-piece with young leaf pattern is good¡­¡¹


    I said it clearly.


    There is no turning back.


    Sweat began flowing in the palm of my hand, and tension increased my heart beat.


    (¡­What is the result?! )


    As I gulped in my throat,


    ¡¸Really!? That¡¯s good, I thought so too! Then I¡¯ll take it!¡¹


    The president, with a flower-like smile blooming on her face, ran to the cash register with the young leaf pattern one-piece.


    (Fuu¡­ This was the most difficult thing today, but I managed to get through it¡­)


    As I thanked Pa-san in my heart, I exhaled a sigh of relief.


    ¡ö


    Then I was taken by the president and walked around various shops.


    (Food shops, general stores, jewelry shops, handicraft shops¡­ I guess we also went to an antique dealer¡­)


    A store that I would never stop by if I was alone, products that I had never seen, it was exciting and fun today,ing into contact with many unknowns.


    And the president was smiling happily all the time, thus I can say that today was a good day.


    ¡¸Aah¡­ The sun is going to set soon.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah¡¹


    The time is already seven o¡¯clock at night.


    The president and I were walking down Oriana Street side by side.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    There was a little silence between us, and we simply continued walking for a short while.


    (¡­Today was quite tiring)


    Should I bring up a topic?


    Or should I walk silently?


    As I was thinking about what to do,


    ¡¸¡­Nee, Allen-kun.¡¹


    The president spoke with an unusually serious expression.


    ¡¸What is it?¡¹


    ¡¸Would you be interested to join the¡ºgovernment¡»?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Eh?¡¹


    With a serious expression, the president brought up a ridiculous solicitation topic.

 Chapter 59 - Bounty Head and Awakening [2]

    <strong>59. Bounty Head and Awakening [2]</strong>


    The next morning after the First-Year War was over.


    ¡¸Then, Ria, I¡¯m going out for awhile.¡¹


    Allen said after changing from his usual uniform to the casual clothes gifted by Pa.


    ¡¸¡­Eh? Ah, u-un¡­ Have a good day.¡¹


    Surprised by the suddenness, she waved goodbye with an awkward smile.


    ¡¸Un, I¡¯m off.¡¹


    He said so and slowly closed the door.


    Then, Ria who was left alone in the dormitory,


    ¡¸¡­¡­Strange¡¹


    She was attacked by a strong sense of difort and an unpleasant feeling.


    Looking closer, Allen¡¯s sword still stands next to the desk.


    ¡¸¡­Definitely strange.¡¹


    He carried his sword on his person at all times, but he left it behind today.


    ¡¸Whenever he went somewhere, he always told me where he was going¡­¡¹


    A number of¡ºabnormalities¡»evolved into great anxiety, and it weighed on her shoulders.


    And then,


    ¡¸¡­Perhaps it¡¯s a girl?¡¹


    She came to that single conclusion.


    ¡¸¡­N-No No No! That¡¯s not possible with thatte bloomer Allen!¡¹


    She shook her hand greatly, and strongly denied her thoughts.


    Ria herself knew better than anyone else that Allen was ate bloomer.


    It¡¯s been four months since they started living together after all ¨C and he didn¡¯t show any signs of making a move on her.


    However,


    ¡¸¡­That should be impossible¡­ for Allen, right?¡¹


    She could not judge the answer to that question as an absolute¡ºNo¡».


    ¡¸Even if Allen is ate bloomer¡­ If other dominant girls approached him¡­¡¹


    And the result of simting a number of patterns in her mind,


    ¡¸¡­This might be bad.¡¹


    Her face turned pale.


    At an information exchange meeting held in secret with Rose, she has already heard that Allen is popr with the opposite sex.


    ¡¸Allen is kind¡­ Rather he is too sweet to people¡­¡¹


    The possibility of his kindness and sweetness being taken advantage of is not zero.


    (¡­This is dangerous.)


    She decided that, and


    ¡¸I can¡¯t stay here¡­!¡¹


    She changed from uniform to casual clothes so that she wouldn¡¯t stand out, and immediately rushed out of the dormitory.


    After that,


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry, Allen ¡­ I don¡¯t mean to doubt you¡­ No, it is to protect you ¡­¡¹


    Ria tailed Allen, as though whispering her excuses to someone.


    After fifteen minutes of tailing while keeping to the shadows.


    ¡¸N-No way¡­¡¹


    Before her gaze, a hopeless scene was unfolding.


    ¡¸Allen-kun! Here here!¡¹


    ¡¸-Sorry, did I make you wait long?¡¹


    ¡¸No, I just arrived as well, so it¡¯s alright.¡¹


    Allen, whom she ced her faith in, met up with the student council president, Sie Arcstria.


    Moreover, there were no other student council members ¨C Lilim nor Ferris.


    Perfect one-on-one.


    No matter how you look at it, it was a perfect¡ºdate¡».


    ¡¸A-lle¡­n¡­?¡¹


    She fell into a daze, unsteadily walking towards them.


    At that time,


    ¡¸¡­What are you doing, Ria?¡¹


    Rose, who happened to pass by, tapped Ria on the shoulder.


    ¡¸Uhhyaa!?¡¹


    Due to the abruptness, she jumped with a shrill scream.


    When Ria panicked and turned around, there was the figure of Rose in casual clothes.


    ¡¸D-Don¡¯t surprise me like that, Rose!¡¹


    ¡¸No, I just called out to you normally though¡­¡¹


    Because of the unexpected reaction from Ria, Rose was a little confused.


    ¡¸M-More importantly¡­! What are you doing here!?¡¹Ria asked.


    Perhaps even Rose had a date with Allen in secret ¨C Ria misunderstood, and questioned her fiercely.


    ¡¸Even if you ask me¡ºwhat¡»¡­ I¡¯m just here to eat the ice cream that¡¯s popr now.¡¹


    Saying that, Rose pointed to the ice cream shop with a small castle-like appearance.


    ¡¸I-I see¡­ Then it¡¯s fine.¡¹


    At least she is not an enemy.


    With that confirmation, Ria heaved a sigh of relief.


    ¡¸And I could ask the same, why are you hiding from sight, Ria?¡¹


    This time, Rose asked a straight question.


    ¡¸¡­Look at that.¡¹


    In the direction that Ria pointed.


    ¡¸Allen and¡­ president!?¡¹


    There was the scene of Allen and Sie who were talking in a friendly manner.


    ¡¸I-Is that¡­ a date!?¡¹


    ¡¸Well, I¡¯m monitoring it now to make sure of it.¡¹


    ¡¸I-I see¡­ I¡¯ll follow along too¡­!¡¹


    Thus, they joined together to monitor Allen and Sie¡¯s conduct.


    ¡ö


    Allen and Sie entered the ice cream store in front.


    While being careful that they wouldn¡¯t be found, they lined up in the long queue.


    ¡¸Excuse me. Strawberry, Vani, Chocte Banana, Lemonade, Matcha, Milk Coffee and Caramel Syrup and Cream Nuts¡­ and summer-exclusive mandarin orange please¡­ All the sizes arerge.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Typical Ria. Ah, I¡¯d like one regr size summer-exclusive mandarin orange¡¹


    ¡¸Of course!¡¹


    The cheerful employee moved quickly and handed out spherical ice cream in a cutely designed cup.


    After that, they moved slowly to a two-person table in the store and resumed monitoring.


    ¡¸Mou, why do you seem to have so much fun¡­! ¡­Oh, this, it¡¯s delicious!¡¹


    ¡¸Kuh, my heart is kinda disturbed¡­! ¡­Oh, true to its reputation, it tastes pretty good!¡¹


    After that, as Allen and Sie enjoyed various shops, Ria and Rose tailed them with gloomy thoughts in their mind.


    By the time they realised, the sun was already setting.


    As the sunset illuminated Oriana Street, Allen and Sie walked quietly side by side.


    ¡¸Uh ¡­ It¡¯s kind of a nice atmosphere¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­This is bad.¡¹


    As Ria and Rose, hidden behind the trash can, were gritting their teeth, Allen and Sie stopped right in front of a beautiful fountain.


    When Sie expressed something with a serious expression, Allen seemed greatly shaken.


    ¡¸¡¸¡­Is it¡­ a confession!?¡¹¡¹


    Colour drained from both their faces.


    ¡¸The princess of Vesteria Kingdom, Ria-Vesteria, right?¡¹


    A man in a ck cloak suddenly fell from the sky.


    ¡¸¡¸!?¡¹¡¹


    Ria and Rose were taken by surprise, but immediately took distance from the man.


    ¡¸¡­ When asking people for their name, don¡¯t you know to name yourself first?¡¹


    Ria observed the man in front of her eyes, while being ready to deploy¡´Fafnir¡µat any moment.


    Short crimson hair.


    Trained muscr body of about 2 meters.


    Age probably in the mid thirties.


    Deep masculine features.


    Low and deep voice emitted a strong confident vibe.


    (This guy¡­ is terribly strong¡­!)


    Instinctively, she saw through her opponent¡¯s strength, and raised her guard.


    ¡¸Zahahahahaha! You¡¯re a strong-willed girl Not bad! I¡¯m Zack Bomber! Now, you name yourself-¡¹


    And when Zack tried to ask Ria¡¯s name,


    ¡¸-Bring out your soul dress, Ria!¡¹


    Rose cried out in a cornered voice.


    ¡¸Invade -¡´Fafnir¡µ!¡¹


    In response, Ria manifested her soul dress right away.


    ¡¸Do you know this man, Rose!?¡¹


    Rose has already deployed¡´Winter Sakura¡µand is directing tremendous hostility towards Zack.


    ¡¸Zack-Bomber¡­ Another name is¡ºCongration Zack¡»¡­! He is a dangerous man who has attacked the Holy Knights branch of each country without any purpose and has burned everything to the ground. He is still wanted internationally, and there is arge bounty on his head.¡¹


    ¡¸Zahaha! So my face and name is already revealed? I guess I¡¯ve be famous too!¡¹


    Zack¡¯s shoulders shook as heughed happily.


    ¡¸In thest few years, no one has heard anything at all about this man. But to think he became a member of the ck Organization¡­¡¹


    From his jet-ck attire, Rose immediately identified the connection to the ck Organization.


    ¡¸Well¡­ you got that right. I had a lot going on too¡­¡¹


    Zack scratched his head lightly.


    ¡¸Well anyway¡­ I¡¯m not gonna rob your lives, so be assured!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Here hees, don¡¯t let your guard down!¡¹


    And then,


    ¡¸Bellow -¡´ze Cross¡µ!¡¹


    ¡¸Wha!?¡¹


    ¡¸Impossible¡­!?¡¹


    The next moment when Zack manifested his soul dress, a huge bomb swallowed Ria and Rose.


    ¡ö


    Suddenly the president asked me¡¸Would you be interested in joining the¡ºgovernment¡»?¡¹. I was greatly confused.


    ¡¸W-What do you mean by government?¡¹


    ¡¸Frankly speaking, recruiting ¨C headhunting. If Allen-kun is ok with it,e talk to my father right awa-¡¹


    When the president, with a serious expression, was about to proceed with the details,


    A huge pir of fire suddenly rose.


    ¡¸¡¸Wha!?¡¹¡¹


    The sudden situation caused people around us to panic.


    ¡¸W-What!? Fire!?¡¹


    ¡¸A ruffian is on a rampage! Contact the Holy Knights!¡¹


    ¡¸Oi Oi, at least give me a break on holiday¡­!¡¹


    The ce where the pir of fire went up was near. Just about ten meters from where we were.


    ¡¸Allen-kun!¡¹


    ¡¸Let¡¯s go!¡¹


    When we rushed to the scene, there was a man with a huge scorching sword resting on his shoulder.


    ¡¸Zahahahahaha! The¡´Fafnir¡µfrom rumours, only amounts to this much!? I¡¯m so disappointed!¡¹


    At his feet, there was the figure of Ria and Rose crawling on the ground.


    ¡¸R-Ria-san!? And Rose-san too!?¡¹


    ¡¸You¡­ What did you do to them ¡­!¡¹


    I clenched my scarred right arm and red at the man in front of me.

 Chapter 60 - Bounty Head and Awakening [3]

    <h4>60. Bounty Head and Awakening [3]</h4>


    I took a step forward to help the fainted Ria and Rose, but


    ¡¸Wait, Allen-kun!¡¹


    The president immediately pulled on my hand.


    ¡¸You can¡¯t fight properly with that arm. I know how you feel, but you have to calm down!¡¹


    That finally brought me back to my senses.


    My right hand was so deeply wounded that I could not even hold a spoon.


    I can¡¯t fight properly in this situation.


    ¡¸Fuu¡­¡­¡¹


    Inhale deeply and exhale to cool my head.


    ¡¸¡­Thank you, President¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t worry about it.¡¹


    She whispered with a gentle voice, and turned a sharp gaze towards the giant in front of her.


    ¡¸¡­You¡¯re Zack Bomber, aren¡¯t you? I heard that you¡¯ve been missing for a few years, but I never imagined you joined the ck Organization¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Oh? I¡¯m happy, so you know me too?¡¹


    ¡¸Naturally, for someone of House Arcstria¡­. Even so, to allow such a big-shot to invade¡­ I wonder what the border guards are doing¡­¡¹


    The president whispered so with a bitter face, and brought up yet another topic.


    ¡¸So what is your purpose? As usual, are you going to burn down one of the Holy Knight¡¯s branch again?¡¹


    ¡¸Zahahaha! That doesn¡¯t sound bad, but I¡¯ve a little work today. I came to nab Ria Vesteria.¡¹


    Saying that, Zack turned his eyes to Ria, who wasying on the ground.


    ¡¸Ria-san¡­ and your¡ºwork¡»is rted to ck Organization, isn¡¯t it?¡¹


    ¡¸Ooh! If I do my job and get results, I can also be¡ºsparkly¡»! Not the dull shine like right now, but much brighter!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡ºSparkly¡»?¡¹


    And when the president continued to talk with Zack,


    ¡¸Don¡¯t move! Are you the reported ruffian!?¡¹


    ¡¸We¡¯ll take you to the Holy Knights Association!¡¹


    ¡¸Citizens! It¡¯s dangerous here, so stay away!¡¹


    More than thirty Holy Knights surrounded Zack in an instant.


    ¡¸Fufu, you guys arrived early.¡¹


    The president, who confirmed the arrival of the Holy Knights,ughed with satisfaction.


    Apparently, she was just stalling for time with those series of conversations till now.


    As expected of the president, it was aposed decision.


    ¡¸Holy Knights, I have been waiting for you. I will take the lead, so I would like you to support me.¡¹


    While still keeping Zack in her sight, she told the Holy Knights so.


    ¡¸What are you saying¡­!? Arcstria-sama!?¡¹


    The moment when they learned that president was a government official ¨C a woman of House Arcstria,


    ¡¸Understood! All men, support Acrstria-sama!¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸Yes!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    The Holy Knights immediately saluted and followed the president¡¯s instructions.


    ¡¸Thank you very much. And can I get a sword?¡¹


    ¡¸Of course! Please, take this!¡¹


    The Holy Knight pulled out the sword he had fastened on his waist and handed it to the president.


    In this way, the president gained a specialized sword and readied her military strength in a matter of seconds, and thrusted the sword tip towards Zack.


    ¡¸Surrender quietly, Zack Bomber. Soon the senior Holy Knights and the Directors of the Five Academy will arrive. You don¡¯t have the slightest chance of winning.¡¹


    And then,


    ¡¸By Directors, you mean that¡ºck Fist¡»¡­! Zahaha, I wonder how¡ºsparkly¡»she is now¡­ How thrilling¡­!¡¹


    I don¡¯t know what he was imagining in his mind, but his mouth distorted into a grin.


    ¡¸Fuu¡­ it doesn¡¯t seem like I can get through to you.¡¹


    The moment the president said so,


    ¡¸-Hey, are you guys¡ºsparkly¡»too?¡¹


    Zack, who moved behind the president in an instant, had already raised the huge sword high up.


    ¡¸¡­Wha!?¡¹


    ¡¸President, please avoid!¡¹


    I warned immediately, but it was toote.


    ¡¸-¡´ze Circle¡µ!¡¹


    A huge explosion, with Zack at the center, devastated the surroundings.


    A tremendous shock wave destroyed the surrounding buildings and intense heat waves melted the road.


    ¡¸Kyaa!?¡¹


    The president, blown away by the ze, banged the back of her head and lost consciousness.


    ¡¸Gu, ga¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Burns¡­ it burns¡­¡¹


    ¡¸You monster¡­¡¹


    The Holy Knights, who boasted so many in numbers, were devastated by just one attack.


    ¡¸N-No way¡­?¡¹


    He clearly demonstrated his overwhelming, extraordinary power.


    ¡¸Zahahahahahahahaha! None of you are¡­¡ºsparkly¡»enough!¡¹


    Zack¡¯sughing voice echoed throughout Oriana Street, which had be scorched earth.


    After heughed at the president and the Holy Knights for a while,


    ¡¸Now then!¡¹


    Holding the fainted Ria under his arm, he started walking away.


    I stared at it hazily as though it was happening somewhere far away on the other side of the.


    (¡­How did this happen?)


    Today, I should have had a busy and enjoyable day with the free-spirited president.


    The sun was beginning to set, so I was to apany the president back to her mansion soon, then go back to the dorm and have dinner with Ria, and then sleep together in the same bed.


    (I was supposed to have had such a happy day as usual¡­)


    Why did this happen?


    ¡¸¡­Oi, wait.¡¹


    ¡¸Nn¡­?¡¹


    In response to my whisper, Zack slowly turned around.


    As I looked closer, blood dripped from Ria¡¯s shoulder, who was carried on his side.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    The anger that I had been suppressing sprang up from the depths of my body.


    ¡¸¡­Give her back.¡¹


    ¡¸What did you say?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Give¡­ Ria back!¡¹


    I borrowed a sword from an unconscious Holy Knight and gripped it tightly with my right hand, which was wrapped in bandages.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    A sharp pain ran for a moment, but it quickly disappeared.


    ¡¸¨DUOOOOOHHHHH!¡¹


    I ran straight towards Zack, and


    ¡¸Eighth Sword ¨C Yatagarasu!¡¹


    With all the power I could muster, I unleashed a single attack.


    Both hands, legs, head, neck, chest, belly ¨C eight shes rushed to his body.


    ¡¸Haa¡­ Such a weak light¡­¡´ze shield¡µ¡¹


    When he lightly swung the huge sword, a heavy me shield appeared.


    The shield, which was red enough to make my eyes sore, swallowed the eight shes in the blink of an eye.


    ¡¸Wha!?¡¹


    The output slightly surpassed Ria¡¯s¡´Fafnir¡µ.


    When I was stunned by the difference in power,


    ¡¸There we go!¡¹


    Zack went on, andnded a strong front kick.


    ¡¸Ga-ha¡­!?¡¹


    A nasty sound rang from my abdomen, and I was blown away greatly.


    ¡¸¡­Shit.¡¹


    The broken bone probably damaged some internal organs, and the taste of iron filled my mouth.


    Even with my vision shing, I somehow managed to stand up.


    ¡¸Wa-it¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, you¡¯re weak, but your body is strong! Zahahaha!¡¹


    I paid no heed to his ridicule,


    ¡¸Give¡­ Ria back¡­!¡¹


    With my body riddled with wounds, I ran at him again.


    ¡¸Fifth Sword ¨C World Judgement!¡¹


    Enduring the pain, clenching my teeth ¨C the moment I swung down the sword with all my might.


    ¡¸Slow, slow¡­ I¡¯ll fall asleep by the time the sword arrives¡­-¡´ze Lance¡µ!¡¹


    My vision was filled with fire.


    ¡¸What the¡­!?¡¹


    The sword borrowed from the Holy Knight broke in half and the zing fire engulfed my whole body.


    ¡¸Ka-ha¡­!?¡¹


    Hot.


    Hurts.


    Painful.


    Indescribable pain ran through my body.


    However,


    ¡¸Not¡­ yet¡­¡¹


    I didn¡¯t step back.


    I took a step forward, being burned by the turbid stream of mes.


    (Absolutely¡­ get her back¡­ I won¡¯t let such a crazy guy¡­ take Ria¡­!)


    The sword to cut him has already broken.


    Still, I didn¡¯t give up, I clenched my fist tightly and took another step forward.


    ¡¸O-Oi Oi¡­ are you really human¡­? A normal human would usually die from that¡­¡¹


    I could see Zack¡¯s face slightly through the gap of incessant fire.


    (This is myst chance¡­)


    I released a straight right with all my power towards his face.


    ¡¸UOOOOOOOH!¡¹


    ¡¸Zahaha! Only your guts and conviction are full-fledged, but sadly that doesn¡¯t extend to your abilities! -¡´ze Shield¡µ!¡¹


    A huge shield of fire appeared in front of him,


    ¡¸Gu-gaaaa!?¡¹


    The zing me burned my right hand.


    (Not yet¡­ I won¡¯t let it end here¡­!)


    I pulled my right hand back again and shot another straight right at the shield of fire.


    ¡¸-UUUUUUUUUGAAAA!¡¹


    At that moment, a¡ºck something¡»with tremendous density was produced in my right hand.


    The jet-ck darkness that overflowed from my right hand, very easily consumed the shield of fire.


    ¡¸What the hell!?¡¹


    Furthermore, the darkness maintained its momentum and rushed towards Zack, pushing forward murderously.


    ¡¸Guh,¡´ze Lance¡µ!¡¹


    He immediately threw Ria to the side and unleashed a zing fire.


    ¡ºck¡»that swallowed everything and¡ºRed¡»which burned everything, shed violently.


    ¡¸UOOOOO¡±O¡±O¡±O¡±!¡¹


    ¡¸Impossible¡­!? What is this ridiculous output¡­!?¡¹


    And then,


    ¡¸Nuh, Guh, OOOOOOOOOO!?¡¹


    The jet-ck darkness devoured his mes, and Zack, swallowed by the darkness, was blown far away.

 Chapter 61 - Bounty Head and Awakening [4]

    <h4>Chapter? 61. Bounty Head and Awakening [4]</h4>


    I somehow managed to repel Zack, and


    ¡¸Haa Haa¡­¡¹


    Heavily breathing, I dropped my gaze on my right hand.


    ¡¸What¡­ happened¡­¡­?¡¹


    That moment when I waspletely absorbed in unleashing a straight right.


    A tremendous density of¡ºck Something¡»was produced in my hand.


    (That¡¯s right¡­ It was very simr to the feeling of when I annihted Dark Roar in the finals of the First-Year War ¡­)


    If there is one difference, it is the power.


    At that time, the scale and destructive power was not as excessive as it was this time.


    And above all ¨C this amount of jet-ck darkness was not produced.


    (What the hell¡­ is this power¡­?)


    When I was thinking about that ¨C a huge pir of fire rose from afar.


    ¡¸Wha!?¡¹


    And then,


    ¡¸Zhahahahahahaha! I can see it, I can see it ¡­! You were¡ºsparkling¡»brilliantly, gahahahaha!¡¹


    Zack, wrapped in me armor, approached me with long strides.


    ¡¸N-No way¡­¡¹


    There was not even a slight cut on his body.


    ¡¸Unscathed after taking that attack head on¡­!?¡¹


    As I stood there, stunned,


    ¡¸Yo, what¡¯s your name-¡­ oops, no good no good.¡ºWhen you ask a person for their name, you must start with yourself!¡»!¡¹


    All of a sudden, he startedughing, ¡¸Zahahahaha!¡¹


    ¡¸My name is Zack Bomber! Currently, I belong to the ck Organization due to some reasons! Now, tell me your name!¡¹


    For some reason, the guy who started introducing himself, waited for my reply with his arms folded.


    To be honest, he didn¡¯t make any sense, but since he named himself, it is necessary to name myself too.


    ¡¸¡­Allen Rodore.¡¹


    When I answered, he nodded satisfied.


    ¡¸Allen Rodore huh¡­ Zahaha! That¡¯s a good name! I¡¯ll make sure to remember that name!¡¹


    And then,


    ¡¸Now, bring out that¡ºck darkness¡»again!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Ha?¡¹


    Zack began to say something even more nonsensical.


    ¡¸Not¡º¡­¡­Ha?¡¹! The attack just now was Allen¡¯s soul dress, wasn¡¯t it? Come on, don¡¯t keep it a suspense! Show me that sparkle! Come on, hurry up! ¡¹


    He thrust his right hand forward and told me to hurry.


    ¡¸¡­ I¡¯m sorry for not meeting your expectations, but I haven¡¯t manifested my soul dress yet.¡¹


    ¡¸What!? Which means¡­ that power was an undeveloped manifestation !? Za-Hahahaha! A wonderful, tremendous talent! That¡¯s fine, then tell me this!¡¹


    I don¡¯t know just what was so fun, but that guy started talking excitedly.


    ¡¸There are three main ways to bring out the power of soul dress! One, talk to the spirit core and borrow the power. Two, negotiate conditions with the spirit core and borrow the power. And thest way is ¨C to make the spirit core submit and forcefully take the power!¡¹


    Zack exined so while folding one finger at a time.


    ¡¸This is my impression after taking that ck blow¡­ Your spirit core is a pretty rough-tempered guy, ain¡¯t it?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­ You figured well.¡¹


    ¡¸Zahaha, that¡¯s right! It is impossible to talk and negotiate with such a ferocious spirit core!¡¡There is no other choice but to make the spirit core submit! ¡¹


    ¡¸¡­ If I could do that, I wouldn¡¯t be having such a hard time.¡¹


    It¡¯s like the ultimate example of¡ºeasier said than done¡»- to make that guy submit by force.


    When I quietly shook my head sideways, he had a strange expression.


    ¡¸Mu? With as much courage that Allen has, it shouldn¡¯t be impossible, right? At any rate, you were able to push forward through¡´ze Cross¡µ- because of your monstrous mental strength!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Let¡¯s just say that my mental strength slightly excelspared to ordinary people. Even so, as long as I don¡¯t make that guy submit ¨C get the spirit core to yield, I can¡¯t manifest my soul dress.¡¹


    Then he frowned.


    ¡¸Allen, aren¡¯t you mistaking something? In order to draw out the¡ºentire¡»power of the spirit core, it is necessary to physically make it submit as you say. But if you just want to snatch¡ºa portion¡»of its power ¨C it¡¯s enough if you just make it yield with your mind!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Make it yield with my mind?¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s right! Have a strong mind! Be resolved! Don¡¯t bend your beliefs! With that strong mental strength, make the spirit core yield! And more sparkle ¨C show me the sparkle!¡¹


    The moment when the excited Zack spoke so passionately.


    ¡¸-Cut it out! You simpleton!¡¹


    ¡¸Guha!?¡¹


    A mysterious woman suddenly appeared, kicking him in the back of his head.


    ¡¸Ouuuuch¡­ Oi Oi, Thor! It was just getting good. What are you doing!?¡¹


    ¡¸¡ºWhat are you doing!?¡»is my line, you damn idiot! I was wondering where you were even though it¡¯s already the meeting time, and I find you ying the fool here!¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, that¡¯s right! Listen to me, Thor! I found some wonderful sparkly gem! In my judgement, it¡¯s the best I¡¯ve ever seen!¡¹


    ¡¸Tch¡­ Don¡¯t bring in the nonsense¡ºsparkly¡»when you¡¯re at work! You¡¯re gross as ever¡­!¡¹


    Thor was a short, slender girl in a ck cloak.


    Judging by the appearance, she seems to be a rowdy girl in her early teens.


    Light pink hair, curled at the end.


    The bangs are fastened with a simple hairpin and she had a wide forehead.


    (That ck cloak¡­. Is she from the ck Organization too¡­)


    We¡¯re already in this predicament with Zack alone, and now there is reinforcement¡­


    Honestly, this situation is hopeless.


    As I gritted my teeth and looked around to see if there was any way to ovee this difficult situation,


    ¡¸Oi, big oaf! We¡¯re taking the princess and leaving immediately!¡¹


    Thor showed no fighting attitude and tried to work calmly.


    ¡¸Wait, Wait! I¡¯ve found a sparkling gem! It should be alright to y a little, right!? ¡¹


    ¡¸Idiot, give priority to the mission! ording to our information, that¡ºck fist¡»is heading towards here at lightning speed. Take the princess and move quickly!¡¹


    It seems that Leia-sensei, who heard themotion, is heading right towards us.


    ¡¸Hou, that ck Fist ising here! Hey, if it¡¯s the two of us, shouldn¡¯t we be able to kill her?¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t get carried away, simple-minded fool! The other party is¡ºtranscendent¡»- Go do it alone if you want to, and die a dog¡¯s death!¡¹


    ¡¸Zahaha! Even though we¡¯ve been working together for a few years now, you¡¯re still as cold as ever.¡¹


    After the discussion, Zack released his¡´ze Cross¡µand carried the fainted Ria under his arm.


    ¡¸Yoshi, let¡¯s go.¡¹


    ¡¸Ou!¡¹


    They said so briefly and withdrew at a tremendous rate.


    ¡¸W-Wait!¡¹


    The moment I cried out.


    ¡¸I don¡¯t have time to care about a shitty brat like you.¡¹


    Thor, who should have been far ahead, was standing right behind me before I knew it.


    ¡¸Wha!?¡¹


    ¡¸-Die.¡¹


    She pulled out the short sword fastened at her hips, and thrusted it towards my neck. However,


    A sound as though metal and rock collided, reverberated.


    ¡¸What¡­ the hell¡­!?¡¹


    Perhaps the sword was rusty. As Thor¡¯s attack did not prate my skin.


    ¡¸Tchii¡­¡¹


    Throwing away the short sword, she distanced herself from me in an agile movement.


    ¡¸Oi Oi, what is that creature? I¡¯ve never heard of a human which a de can¡¯t cut¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸Zahahahaha! He¡¯s sparkling nicely! Still immature, but¡­ this guy will shine brilliantly someday!¡¹


    While Zack and Thor were talking, I ran towards them.


    ¡¸Let go of¡­ Ria¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Tch. We don¡¯t have enough time to deal with an unknown beast like you!¡¹


    The moment Thor spread the ck cloak over her body.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸KI©`KI©`KI©`!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    Arge amount of bats flew out of it.


    ¡¸W-What¡­!?¡¹


    The bats flew around my face, covering my sight.


    ¡¸-Yoshi, let¡¯s retreat now, hey.¡¹


    ¡¸Zahaha! Let¡¯s meet again some other time, sparkly gem!¡¹


    While I was driving away the bats which were obstructing my sight, the two got farther away.


    ¡¸Kuh¡­Oi, wait!¡¹


    And when I took a step forward,


    ¡¸Eh¡­!?¡¹


    My vision shook greatly.


    There was no sense of bnce.


    My whole body was wrapped in a strange floating feeling.


    My legs do not move forward as if both feet were stuck in mud.


    (What¡­ is this?)


    This is strange, I thought, and looked down ¨C there was a big puddle of red.


    ¡¸This is all¡­ my blood¡­? ¡¹


    The moment I realized this.


    The damage I¡¯ve suffered so far assailed my body all at once.


    ¡¸Shit¡­¡¹


    Then I helplessly lost consciousness while drowning in my own pool of blood.


    ¡¸-Oi Allen, pull yourself together! Shit¡­ No.18!¡¹


    ¡¸Yes!¡¹


    ¡¸Keep an eye on Allen! No treatment required, he has already started regenerating! If by chance, that guy surfaces, don¡¯t miss the¡ºinitial stiffness¡»window!¡¹


    ¡¸Understood.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m going after them! I¡¯ll leave the rest to you!¡¹

 Chapter 62 - Bounty Head and Awakening [5]

    <h4>Chapter 62. Bounty Head and Awakening [5]</h4>


    Through my still hazy consciousness, I heard the stiff voice of a woman.


    ¡¸¨CAa, it¡¯s the ck Organization! A tall, big man and a slender woman, they were wearing the infamous ck cloak! As soon as you get any information, please contact me immediately!¡¹


    This voice probably belongs to Leia-sensei.


    (Eh¡­ Come to think of it, what am I doing¡­?)


    My head slowly started to clear up, and gradually my five senses became clear.


    (¡­It¡¯s an unfamiliar ceiling.)


    Apparently, I seem to be lying on my back.


    I pushed off the brown nket that was covering my body and slowly raised my upper body.


    ¡¸W-Where am I¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸-You¡¯vee to, Allen! Rest assured, this is the Director¡¯s office in the academy. Those guys are gone.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Those guys!?¡¹


    The moment I heard those words, my heart leapt into my throat.


    Shopping with the president.


    The ck Organisation that attacked Ria and Rose.


    Battle with Zack and Thor.


    I remembered all of them clearly.


    ¡¸Oh right, Ria!? Is Ria safe!?¡¹


    I immediately stood up and approached Leia-sensei.


    She shook her head quietly.


    ¡¸¡­Sorry. She was already taken away by the time I arrived at the scene¡­¡¹


    ¡¸No¡­¡¹


    In an instant, the colour drained from my face, and my vision shed.


    ¡¸O-Oi¡­ are you alright!?¡¹


    Sensei rushed to me and supported my body that was assailed by strong dizziness.


    Even though I didn¡¯t want to think about it, the worst case scenarios rushed into my mind.


    What if Ria is tortured?


    What if Ria is humiliated?


    What if Ria ¨C if she¡¯s already killed?


    A number of¡ºwhat ifs¡»filled my head.


    (That¡¯s no good¡­ Get yourself together ¡­! I can¡¯t change anything by thinking about it¡­!)


    I clenched both fists, grit my teeth, and strengthened my heart .


    ¡¸¡­I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m all right now. Rather than that, where did those guys go?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­That¡¯s right. Let¡¯s share information before we discuss about it.¡¹


    Saying that, sensei arranged wanted posters with mug shots on the table.


    ¡¸These are the wanted posters of the Congration, Zack Bomber, and the Conjurer, Thor Sammons. As you can see, both of them are internationally wanted first-ss bounties. You did well to survive against those two, Allen.¡¹


    When I heard sensei¡¯s exnation, I was surprised.


    (Come to think of it¡­ I was on the verge of death with a serious injury, right¡­?)


    I was pierced by the¡´ze Lance¡µ, and my whole body was burned by a zing congration.


    Eventually I lost consciousness due to excessive bleeding ¨C and I wasying here when I came to.


    As I fearfully looked down at my abdomen,


    (Eh¡­?)


    There were no burn marks left, not even a scar.


    (¡­Medicine in this country is developed, but this injury healed way too fast¡­ )


    Did Leia-sensei dispatch an excellent doctor with the director¡¯s authority?


    When thinking about that,


    ¡¸Now, take a look at this.¡¹


    She pointed to the national map spread out on the desk.


    ¡¸Currently, House Arcstria is taking measures to strengthen border security at every critical ce like never before. It is extremely difficult to escape through such a tight securitywork. Those guys are definitely still hiding within the country.¡¹


    Apparently, while I was sleeping, the president used the power of¡ºArcstria¡»to move.


    ¡¸And for the purpose of the ck Organization, they can¡¯t kill Ria immediately.¡¹


    ¡¸The purpose of the ck Organization¡­?¡¹


    When I asked,


    ¡¸¡­I¡¯m sorry. This matter falls under confidential national security. Even in the sense of keeping you safe, I can¡¯t tell you yet.¡¹


    Sensei shook her head with a slightly bitter look.


    ¡¸I¡­see¡­¡¹


    It¡¯s very worrisome, but¡­


    If she says that it is a confidential matter, then it is not possible to pursue it any more.


    ¡¸I can¡¯t go into detail, but¡­ They almost certainly brought Ria to aboratory¡»somewhere in the country. Twenty-four hours until the end of the¡ºanalysis¡»,they can never harm Ria.¡¹


    ¡¸Only 24 hours¡­?!¡¹


    It was too short a time.


    ¡¸Aa, it depends on the position of theboratory¡­ We can expect midnight to be the time limit. ¡¹


    I immediately checked the clock in the room.


    The current time is twelve o¡¯clock in the daytime.


    Only half a day left.


    ¡¸-Anyway! We can¡¯t even fight until we know where theirboratory is. Allen, please help with the search too!¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, I understand ¡­!¡¹


    Then I rushed out of Thousand de Academy to find theirboratory.


    ¡¸Wait for me, Ria¡­¡¹


    I¡¯ll definitely find it by midnight today¡­!


    ¡ö


    Then I frantically continued gathering information.


    First of all, Pa-san, the dorm mother, and Bons-san, from the Magic Swordsman Association.


    After that, Ferris-senpai and Lilim-senpai of the student council.


    After that, I called out to passers-by in Orest at random.


    I used all my personal connections and searched for theboratory high and low, but¡­ the result was zero.


    ¡¸Damn, what should I do ¡­¡¹


    The sun has already sunk, and the darkness of the night covers the world.


    The time is nine o¡¯clock at night.


    Three hours remaining until midnight time limit.


    (Even while I¡¯m doing this¡­ Ria must be suffering¡­)


    Thinking about that, I was so agitated and frustrated.


    But as long as we don¡¯t know where the enemy is, we can¡¯t do anything about it.


    I fully realized the weight of¡ºinformation¡».


    (¡­Maybe Leia-sensei has already found it.)


    I dragged my heavy feet to her, as if clinging to myst hope.


    I passed through the gates of Thousand de Academy and went to the director¡¯s office.


    When I knocked on the heavy ck door, I got a short reply saying ¡¸¡­Enter.¡¹


    There was a hint of fatigue in her voice.


    ¡¸-Excuse me.¡¹


    When I opened the door slowly, there was the figure of Leia-sensei looking through a thick pile of documents.


    ¡¸¡­Allen, how did it go on your end?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry, I ran around all day, but¡­ I didn¡¯t get any results¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I see¡­ I¡¯m also trying to find information, but¡­ the results are not good¡­¡¹


    Sensei said so and exhaled deeply.


    Heavy air flowed through the director¡¯s office.


    One minute, two minutes after that,


    ¡¸This is just my intuition, but¡­ I have an idea of a guy¡­ who is sure to know the location of theboratory.¡¹


    Sensei said something ridiculous.


    ¡¸Oh, is it true?!¡¹


    ¡¸Aa¡­ She is constantly surrounded by wicked rumors, but her informationwork is¡ºextraordinary¡». First of all, I¡¯m certain she knows where theboratory is.¡¹


    ¡¸Who is it!? Please tell me!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­But she¡¯s a rotten guy. She absolutely won¡¯t give us the information. To put it bluntly, going to her is¡º100 percent¡»a waste¡­¡¹


    ¡¸If the chances are not zero, it¡¯s worth a shot! And there¡¯s no time to waste! Sensei, please tell me who that person is!¡¹


    After a little hesitation, she spoke quietly.


    ¡¸The boss of¡ºFox Finance¡»that governs the country¡¯s finances from the shadows ¨C Rize Dorahain, one of the Five Wealthy Merchants. The eldest daughter of the prestigious House Dorahain, a witch who is rumored to be connected to various shadow organizations ¨Cmonly known as Bloody Fox Rize.¡¹


    ¡¸Ri-Rize-san¡­!? You mean Ferris-san¡¯s sister¡­?¡¹


    When I asked,


    ¡¸Oh, so you know of her, Allen?¡¹


    Sensei was a little surprised.


    ¡¸Y-Yes¡­ No, more than that ¨C does Rize-san really know the location of theboratory!?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa¡­ However, that rotten Rize, won¡¯t tell us easily. She is the richest person in this country in both name and reality, and above all, she is famous for her insidiousness. It is almost impossible to get information out of such a guy. Since she already has everything she wants¡­ You would probably be turned away at the front gate¡­¡¹


    It¡¯s about that quirky Rize-san.


    As sensei says, she won¡¯t easily entertain my request.


    But, I have the power to make it work at least once!


    ¡¸If that is the case, then it could work¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸What? What do you mean !?¡¹


    That¡¯s right¡­ I hadpletely forgotten.


    (I have that thing¡­)


    Rize Dorahain, one of the Five Wealthy Merchants that boasts tremendous wealth and influence.


    I have the incredible ¡°right¡± to ask for her help¡ºjust once at anytime¡»¡­!

 Chapter 63 - Bounty Head and Awakening [6]

    63. Bounty Head and Awakening [6]


    I was distressed and hadpletely forgotten.


    (The right to borrow the help of one of the Five Wealthy Merchants¡­)


    There is no better time than this.


    ¡¸What do you mean by¡ºthis could work¡», Allen!? Exin in detail!¡¹


    ¡¸Yes! Actually¨C¡¹


    Then I talked about the incident at the Daido Commercial Festival three months ago.


    When we were working as Magic Swordsman, we took on an escort mission from Orest to Drestia.


    During the Daido Commercial Festival which was held once a year there, the Five Wealthy Merchants held a meeting at the Daido Firm.


    The ck Organization aimed at that opportunity to blow up the Daido Firm, and attacked the Five Wealthy Merchants.


    We happened to be there, and fought off the ck Organization and I received the ¡°right to request help just once at any time¡± as an expression of gratitude.


    ¡¸I see¡­ So that¡¯s what happened.¡¹


    Leia-sensei, who was quietly listening to the story, murmured.


    ¡¸Yes, I¡¯m sure Rize-san will help me!¡¹


    Then sensei frowned silently.


    ¡¸I don¡¯t know what kind of impression she gave off to Allen, but¡­ Rize is a heartless, rotten personality.¡¹


    ¡¸Is that so?¡¹


    The day when I saw her at Drestia, she didn¡¯t give off such an impression at all though¡­


    ¡¸She is a shrewd proprietor who established¡ºFox Finance¡»within a single lifetime. She always smiles and smiles around people, so she looks like a nice person.¡¹


    As sensei said, Rize-san was basically smiling and smiling.


    ¡¸But behind that smile, she always uses methods which are barely legal ¨C sometimespletely illegal, to crush rival firms and people who oppose her, one after another. Rize, who monopolized 50% of the financial market in that way, was then connected to various¡ºshadows¡». They would be the¡ºbackers¡»who¡¯d protect her from people who seeked revenge and government regtions. Nowadays, we don¡¯t even know which organizations are connected to Fox Finance ¨C It has be a darkness that couldn¡¯t be shaken at all. To be honest, I don¡¯t trust her one bit.¡¹


    Leia-sensei concluded the story, and added a single line at the end.


    ¡¸But¡­ I¡¯ve never heard of her breaking her promise.¡¹


    ¡¸T-Then¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, since we don¡¯t have time or any other way¡­ Allen, can I ask you to use that precious right?!¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, of course!¡¹


    As such, I finally saw a sliver of hope.


    ¡¸Please wait a minute!¡¹


    Rose, with a bandage around her forehead, came into the director¡¯s office.


    ¡¸Ro-Rose!? I¡¯m so d that you¡¯re safe!¡¹


    ¡¸Oo, so you¡¯ve regained consciousness!¡¹


    When we ran up to her,


    ¡¸Thank you, my body is all right now. That¡¯s why I want you to take me with you.¡¹


    Rose looked straight at me and said clearly.


    ¡¸Rose¡­ I appreciate your feelings, but with your body in this condition¡­¡¹


    Her hands and legs were covered with bloody bandages.


    ¡¸My body is fine. Inbat, with the power of¡´Winter Sakura¡µ, it will move as much as I want!¡¹


    ¡¸Well, even if you say that¡­¡¹


    That power has a limited duration and she doesn¡¯t haveplete control yet.


    Taking Rose¡¯s body condition into consideration, it is pretty obvious that it would be better for her to rest here.


    However,


    ¡¸¨CYoshi, that¡¯s fine.¡¹


    Leia-sensei readily epted Rose¡¯s request.


    ¡¸S-Sensei?¡¹


    ¡¸At present, we can¡¯t use No.18 who was issued to border security. So it¡¯s better to have a little more fighting power. And with Rose¡¯s strengthening-type soul dress, a few injuries won¡¯t be a problem.¡¹


    If sensei, who is much more familiar with soul dress, says so, I have no choice but to agree.


    ¡¸¡­Rose, please don¡¯t overdo it, alright?¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you, Allen.¡¹


    And when we finally agreed on it,


    ¡¸Then, let¡¯s leave for Drestia! I¡¯ll arrange for fast horses, so you guys go wait in the schoolyard!¡¹


    Sensei quickly rushed out of the director¡¯s office.


    ¡¸¡¸Yes!¡¹¡¹


    ¡ö


    Then we were pulled to Dresstia by the Director¡¯s personal fast horses.


    The capital, Orest, is not far from the Merchant Town, Drestia.


    After riding in the horse coach for some time ¨C we finally arrived at our destination.


    ¡¸¡­Returning to Drestia for the first time in three months.¡¹


    I looked around while walking down¡ºGod Street¡», which passed through the center of Drestia.


    At both ends of the street, there were stalls lined up, and people were active as if it were still daytime, even though the time was around ten o¡¯clock at night.


    ¡¸Come¡­ Rize¡¯s mansion is this way.¡¹


    Following Leia-sensei, who was quick-paced, we navigated through the city of Drestia. And a huge mansion came into view.


    ¡¸As usual, it¡¯s a nasty house which shows off her wealth¡­¡¹


    The beautiful mansion, reminiscent of a white pce, was remarkably huge.


    It reached about six stories, no, seven stories.


    The vast garden had arge pool and a beautiful fountain, and a magnificent stone garden can be seen in the distance.


    A stupendous mansion with a mix of different cultures, was surrounded by borately designed iron fences.


    (A-Amazing¡­ )


    As the overwhelming mansion captivated me, a number of shlights shone on us.


    ¡¸Who are you!? Why are you peeking into Rize-sama¡¯s mansion at this hour!? Depending on what you next answer¡­ Wha!?¡¹


    They seemed to be Rize-san¡¯s private soldiers,


    ¡¸Y-You¡¯re¡ºck Fist¡»!?¡¹


    ¡¸What!? Did you not learn your lesson from thest time?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­What business do you have here?¡¹


    They surrounded us in no time.


    I don¡¯t know what happened in the past, but their piercing res zeroed in on sensei.


    ¡¸W-Wait, you guys! I didn¡¯te here for that today. I¡¯m just here for a discussion!¡¹


    ¡¸Fuun, that¡¯s a shame! Rize-sama has already gone to bed!¡¹


    ¡¸If you have business with her,e back tomorrow!¡¹


    And then,


    ¡¸¡­No, wait. The boy over there, are you¡ºAllen Rodore¡»?¡¹


    One of the private soldiers turned a sharp look at me.


    ¡¸Y-Yes¡­ That¡¯s right.¡¹


    ¡¸Fumu, I see¡­ For some reason, we were told to let you pass if you came to visit. Now, go in, Rize-sama should be rxing in the hall upstairs.¡¹


    Saying that, he opened a small gate.


    ¡¸Hey, wait a minute, you guys! Didn¡¯t you say that Rize was sleeping a little while ago?¡¹


    ¡¸You fool! Obviously that was a lie!¡¹


    ¡¸ck Fist, I can¡¯t let a dangerous person like you to pass!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I¡¯ll have you wait over there quietly.¡¹


    Apparently, the private soldiers here seemed to bepletely hostile towards sensei.


    ¡¸¡­Sensei, Rose. Please wait for a while.¡¹


    ¡¸Allen, be careful¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Be careful, Allen¡­ The other party is that bloody fox. If anything happens, just shout right away!¡¹


    ¡¸A-Ahaha¡­ I don¡¯t think Rize-san would do such a strange thing.¡¹


    Then, I parted with Rose and Leia-sensei, and went through the gates of the mansion alone.


    I slowly opened the grand door and followed along the crimson carpet. A white staircase continued towards the floor upstairs.


    ¡¸She should be on the second floor¡­¡¹


    Remembering the words of the private soldier, I slowly went up the stairs ¨C there was the figure of Rize-san, sipping tea from a silver tea cup.


    A beautiful fire-like kimono with red and white as the basis.


    Long red-and-white hair put together on the side, and an ornate hairpin which imitates a brilliant fire stands out well. Healthy, youthful and smooth skin. And long slit fox eyes.


    ¡¸-Rize-san, pardon me for visiting sote at night.¡¹


    ¡¸Ara, If it isn¡¯t Allen-kun. What¡¯s the matter? Coming sote¡­¡¹


    She had a gentle smile on her face and asked in a soft manner.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t have much time, so I¡¯ll get straight to the point. My precious friend, RiavVesterria, was kidnapped by the ck Organization. They hid themselves in aboratory¡» somewhere in this country. Rize-san, do you have any idea of their hiding ce?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, of course I know.¡¹


    She said so very easily without concealing anything or putting on airs.


    ¡¸I-Is that true!?¡¹


    ¡¸I don¡¯t like to lie.¡¹


    Saying that, Rize-san brought the cup of ck tea to her mouth.


    ¡¸That¡­ Could you tell me the location of theirboratory with¡ºthe right to request help just once at any time¡»!? ¡¹


    ¡¸Un, of course.¡¹


    When Rize-san readily consented,


    ¡¸-That is right, but are you really okay with it? Are you really going to use it for something like this?¡¹


    While tilting her head, she brought up that question.


    ¡¸Though I am the one who is saying this¡­ Even if it¡¯s only once, you can request anything of this Rize Dorahain, you know? Why don¡¯t you use it for yourself?¡¹


    She stood up with elegant conduct and slowly started circling around me.


    ¡¸Truly¡ºanything¡»you know? Treasures of gold and silver, master-crafted sword and authority ¨C If you use my power, I can prepare anything for you. Even though it is such an incredible right¡­ Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s absurd to use it to know the location of a dirtyboratory?¡¹


    As expected¡­ Rize-san is a kind person.


    She thought of my well-being and presented me with a lot of possibilities.


    I¡¯m really grateful to her, but -¡ºmy answer¡»has already been decided long ago.


    ¡¸Thank you very much. But still, I want to know where Ria is.¡¹


    It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want any money.


    Money will be needed in the future to make my mother live an easy life.


    (But I¡¯m sure mother won¡¯t be happy with the money I got by forsaking my friend¡­!)


    And then,


    ¡¸I see¡­Fufu, Allen-kun¡­ is just like Sid-kun said¡­¡¹


    Rize-san whispered something and took out a rolled up map from the sleeves of her kimono.


    ¡¸Take it. I knew you¡¯de, so I had prepared it in advance.¡¹


    ¡¸T-Thank you very much!¡¹


    When I expressed my gratitude, Rize-san smiled gently.


    ¡¸There¡¯s a red dot on the map. That¡¯s theirboratory.¡¹


    When I spread the rolled map ¨C there was certainly a red dot.


    ¡¸Well, I still have work to do. So, you will have to excuse me.¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you, Rize-san!¡¹


    When I conveyed my thanks,


    ¡¸I just gave back the favour I received, so don¡¯t mind it. Hope you will be in good terms with Fox Finance from now on.¡¹


    Rize-san said that and went up to the third floor of the mansion.


    ¡¸Thank you very much, Rize-san¡­!¡¹


    I expressed my gratitude one more time and ran out of Rize-san¡¯s mansion.


    ¡¸Even so, Allen-kun is really something else after all¡­ What kind of¡ºcolour¡»will that pure and innocent child show in the future? Fufu, I am really looking forward to the future¡­¡¹

 Chapter 64 - Bounty Head and Awakening [7]

    64. Bounty Head and Awakening [7]


    After getting the information I was seeking, I went back to the main entrance where Rose and Leia-sensei were waiting.


    ¡¸Ah, Allen! How did it go!?¡¹


    ¡¸Did that bloody fox do anything to you!?¡¹


    ¡¸Rize-san was a very nice person after all! Here, look at this map! It seems that theirboratory is at this red dot!¡¹


    When I unfolded the map that Rize-san gave to me, they had a smile on their faces.


    ¡¸We did it¡­ Now we can go to help Ria¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸I didn¡¯t think you could really draw out information from that Rize¡­ Well done, Allen!¡¹


    After that, sensei stared at the red dot on the map,


    ¡¸Fumu, it¡¯s about 15 minutes from here¡­ But was there really aboratory in that forest?¡¹


    She tilted her head, and murmured with aplicated expression.


    ¡¸Anyway, let¡¯s just go and see. At present, this is our only clue.¡¹


    ¡¸Certainly, Allen is right¡­ Yoshi, let¡¯s go!¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸Yes!¡¹¡¹


    After that, we passed through¡ºGod Street¡»and advanced west and further west.


    The road became more and more steep, and it led into a dense forest.


    And running continuously for 10 minutes,


    ¡¸¡­It¡¯s here.¡¹


    Sensei, who was holding the map in one hand, stopped suddenly.


    ¡¸Is this the ce¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸There are¡­ no such buildings¡­¡¹


    I and Rose surveyed the surroundings.


    As sensei had said before we left, it was really just a forest.


    Lush, tall trees obscured the sky, and the sound of a huge waterfall nearby.


    There was no trace of human footprint, let alone an unnatural building.


    ¡ºNatural¡»scenery spread in every direction.


    (N-No way¡­ A miss¡­?)


    Cold sweat flowed down my spine, and the worst thought crossed my mind.


    And then,


    ¡¸As expected of Rize¡¯s informationwork¡­ It¡¯s bullseye.¡¹


    Sensei said so with a mixed expression ¨C half joy and half frustration.


    And she began to walk towards the huge waterfall in front of us.


    ¡¸S-Sensei¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Where are you going¡­¡¹


    When I and Rose said that,


    ¡¸No Sword Style ¨C Sever!¡¹


    She suddenly unleashed a powerful True Fist towards the waterfall.


    The next moment.


    The huge waterfall shattered, and an oldboratory appeared there.


    ¡¸¡¸Wha!?¡¹¡¹


    I and Rose stared in wonder at theboratory that appeared so suddenly.


    ¡¸It¡¯s a powerful perception obstruction ability. It is probably the work of the Conjuror Thor Sammons. Even I was unable to sense it without getting this close¡­ It¡¯s a very advanced barrier¡­¡¹


    After praising Thor, sensei cracked her knuckles, and put on a warlike smile.


    ¡¸Judging from the deployment of the barrier, they are undoubtedly here! Let¡¯s go!¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸Yes! ¡¹¡¹


    Then, we rushed into theboratory with Leia-sensei at the lead.


    ¡ö


    Ria, who was defeated by Zack Bomber, a member of the ck Organization, woke up at the lowest level of theboratory.


    ¡¸Where am I¡­?¡¹


    When she tried to move her body through her hazy consciousness.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    A dull pain ran through both wrists.


    She found her hands were bound by chains connected to the ceiling.


    Both her feet were fitted with heavy chains, rendering herpletely unable to move.


    And then,


    ¡¸Zahaha, so you¡¯ve woken up! You have a surprisingly strong body, Ria Vesteria!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Oi, little girl. I¡¯m still keeping you alive, so don¡¯t get any strange ideas, alright?¡¹


    Zack and Thor, who noticed Ria¡¯s waking up, studied her expression from the back of the room.


    ¡¸¡­Zack Bomber!?¡¹


    Ria, recalling the bitter defeat at his hands, distorted her face in anger and frustration.


    Her hands and feet were sealed, and she couldn¡¯t do anything about it.


    ¡¸¡­Do you have the hobby of chaining up teenage girls? You¡¯re a pervert, aren¡¯t you?¡¹


    She threw such snide as the least form of resistance.


    And then,


    ¡¸Zahaha! You¡¯re quite the strong-natured girl to still be able to talk like that in this situation!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Ha! You can¡¯t be saved from being called a pervert with that big frame right, Zack?¡¹


    Zackughed happily, and Thor rode with it.


    From the current exchange, Ria judged that she wouldn¡¯t be killed at this ce.


    ¡¸What is your purpose? What on earth did you kidnap me for?¡¹


    She asked questions that had been bothering her ever since she was attacked at the summer training camp.


    ¡¸Nn? That¡¯s, of course because of your-¡¹


    And then, when Zack began to speak.


    ¡¸Hey, idiot Zack! Don¡¯t expose the organization¡¯s confidential information that easily! Do you really have a brain in your head or not!¡¹


    With a vein popping on her forehead, Thor kicked Zack¡¯s shin.


    ¡¸Za, Zahahahaha! I¡¯m sorry! Come to think of it, it was a secret wasn¡¯t it!¡¹


    ¡¸Good grief¡­ Get yourself together¡­¡¹


    When they were talking about that,


    ¡¸Fu-Fushushu¡­ I¡¯m sorry to interrupt during the chat¡­ But, I need a sample soon¡­¡¹


    A man who looked like a researcher, holding arge syringe, called out in an eerie manner.


    Thick round sses.


    Pale face.


    He was about 150 centimeters tall and his age was around mid-forties.


    The ck hair with streaks of gray were unkempt, and there was not a shred of cleanliness to him.


    ¡¸Aa, get on with it.¡¹


    ¡¸Fu-Fushushu¡­ Understood¡­¡¹


    The man, who had Thor¡¯s permission, bowed his head deeply and approached Ria.


    ¡¸H-Hey¡­ What are you doing!?¡¹


    When Ria twisted her body in resistance,


    ¡¸Tch¡­ We¡¯re just getting a little blood. Don¡¯t struggle, fugly¡­¡¹


    Thor, who looked irritated, spat out.


    ¡¸F-Fugly¡­!?¡¹


    Ria, a teenage girl, who had some confidence in her appearance, became furious at being called fugly.


    However, she received special education on wisdom from an early age.


    (Fuuuu¡­ Fuuuuu¡­ Calm down Ria Vesteria¡­!)


    She calmed down by controlling her breathing.


    (Even if you get violent in this situation, you¡¯ll just waste your strength¡­ It¡¯s a bit annoying, but now it¡¯s wiser to do as they say. Though, it¡¯s irritating that I can¡¯t do anything in this situation¡­!)


    Then, Ria held her tongue and stopped resisting.


    ¡¸Fu-Fushushu¡­. Well, excuse me.¡¹


    The man stabbed the needle into Ria¡¯s upper arm, and a stinging pain ran through her.


    The man who collected arge amount of blood, as much as three cylinders,


    ¡¸Fu-fushushu¡­ T-This much should be enough¡­¡­!¡¹


    With a distorted joyful expression on his face, he set the cylinders into a huge machine.


    ¡¸Oi, how long does it take to¡ºanalyze¡»?¡¹


    ¡¸Fushushu¡­ Even if I rushed, it would take at least a day¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I see, finish it as soon as possible. I hate waiting.¡¹


    The impatient Thor grumbled, climbing the stairs and disappearing to the upper floor.


    Zack, who was left behind and bored, stretched greatly.


    ¡¸Well, for the time being, let¡¯s eat¡­ Oh right, Ria. You should be feeling hungry, right? I¡¯ll choose something good for you.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Fuun, I¡¯m not gonna ept charity from the enemy. Besides, it could be poisoned.¡¹


    ¡¸Zahahaha! You¡¯re a really strong girl! Well, whatever¡­ Just call me when you¡¯re feeling hungry.¡¹


    Zack disappeared upstairs,ughing heartily.


    Then Ria kept waiting for an¡ºopportunity¡»single-mindedly.


    In order to preserve her strength, she didn¡¯t resist or struggle. She simply patiently waited.


    Allen will surely find me. He will save me.


    She believed so single-mindedly and kept waiting.


    And, ten hours had passed since Ria was captured and brought here.


    ¡¸Fu, Fushushu¡­. Are you awake, Ria Vesteria¡­?¡¹


    The researcher man called out to Ria.


    ¡¸¡­What do you want? If it¡¯s blood, you¡¯ve already taken enough, haven¡¯t you?¡¹


    ¡¸Fufushushu¡­ Well, just listen. You will be sent back to the¡ºhome country¡»after this. Although, you would already be dead by then¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Probably so.¡¹


    Ria did not let her heart waver by his remarks, as she had already anticipated that to be the most likely scenario, and just ignored it.


    ¡¸B-Before that¡­ Ju-Just a little bit¡­ I thought I¡¯d enjoy you¡­¡¹


    The man¡¯s vulgar gaze crawled around Ria¡¯s whole body.


    ¡¸You¡¯re the lowest of man¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Fu, Fushushu¡­. You can say whatever you want¡­¡¹


    The man said so, and sidled up to Ria one step at a time.


    ¡¸N-No! Don¡¯te close!¡¹


    As the man reached for Ria¡¯s body, a ray of red sh ran across the dark room.


    The next moment.


    ¡¸Fu- Fushu¡­!? H-H-Hot, HOT!¡¹


    The man was engulfed in scorching congration, rolling down on the ground, and screaming out in anguish.


    ¡¸Ah-Guh-GAAAAAAAAAAA¡­!?¡¹


    A dreadful death wail echoed throughout theboratory, and the man died in seconds.


    And then,


    ¡¸Zahahahahaha! That was quite dangerous eh, Ria!¡¹


    Zack appeared with a heartyugh, holding a ss of sake.

 Chapter 65 - . Bounty Head and Awakening [8]

    65. Bounty Head and Awakening [8]


    Ria, who was shocked by the unexpected development, spoke slowly.


    ¡¸Y-You¡­ What are you doing? Weren¡¯t yourades?¡¹


    ¡¸Nn¡­ I don¡¯t need a rotten man who puts his hand on a restrained little girl as arade¡­¡¹


    Saying that, Zack took a gulp of the sake in the ss.


    And then,


    ¡¸-Oi, big oaf! What the hell happened!?¡¹


    Thor, who heard the death wail, rushed to the scene in panic.


    ¡¸Nothing much, just a little fire. Only the researcher was reduced to ashes.¡¹


    ¡¸Wha!? You¡­ IDIOT! He was a valuable researcher, do you even understand!?¡¹


    ¡¸Sorry, forgive me! He was an unbearable man to see!¡¹


    Zack apologized while scratching his head.


    Thor sighed loudly seeing that.


    ¡¸Good grief, there is no medicine that can cure foolishness¡­ I¡¯ll have to report it to the ¡°top¡± just in case, got it?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, do as you like.¡¹


    In the midst of a somewhat tense air flowing between the two of them,


    ¡¸¡­I¡¯m not going to thank you.¡¹


    Ria murmured.


    ¡¸Zahahaha! Obviously! Who on earth would thank their kidnapper?¡¹


    Zack, who was sober,ughed while holding his belly in his arms, and brought the ss to his lips again.


    ¡¸Ngungunggu¡­ Puha¡­ ! A¡±a¡­ Anyway, Ria. That sparkly one ¨C Allen still isn¡¯t here yet?¡¹


    The one who answered the question was Thor, whose face was distorted in agitation.


    ¡¸Oi, simpleton¡­ We¡¯re hiding thisboratory in my barrier, you know? Who the hell can find this ce? Ee?¡¹


    She was pissed as her barrier was made light of.


    This time, Ria butted into the conversation.


    ¡¸-No matter how good the barrier is, Allen will find it soon.¡¹


    ¡¸What¡¯d you say, you fugly¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸I-I¡¯m not fugly! You¡¯ve been calling me that for a while, how rude¡­! Aren¡¯t you a shorty then!¡¹


    ¡¸You bitch¡­! Did your parents not teach you not to make fun of other people¡¯s appearances¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸You were the one who called me fugly first¡­!¡¹


    And when Thor and Ria continue to argue nonsense,


    ¡¸-By the way, Ria. What kind of rtionship do you two have? Allen was quite obsessive with you, ya know?¡¹


    A slightly drunk Zack, raises questions one by one.


    Ria, who was greatly shaken by the unexpected question,


    ¡¸No, right now we¡¯re still¡­ Well, it has nothing to do with you!¡¹


    Her face blushing red.


    ¡¸Zahahahahaha! Youth! Well, if I had any advice to give you as the senior in life ¨C that guy will shine! He will surely shine brilliantly! Hold tightly onto him so you don¡¯t lose him!¡¹


    ¡¸S-So annoying! It doesn¡¯t have anything to do with you!¡¹


    When they were talking about that,


    ¡¸¡­Oi, simpleton. Don¡¯t talk about things that would give too much hope. We¡¯re sending this one to ¡°home country¡±. She¡¯ll never see that¡ºunknown beast¡»again.¡¹


    Saying that, Thor turned a pitiful gaze towards Ria.


    ¡¸Zahaha! Thinking about it normally, that would be the most likely scenario! However, the other party is an¡ºextraordinary sparkle¡»! Under that warm but dazzling light, many people who have been charmed by it gather! There is a chance that he woulde, you know¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Fuun, what a stupid thing¡­!¡¹


    The moment Thorughed scornfully.


    A sound as though a huge ss has been shattered, pierced their ears and resounded throughout theboratory.


    ¡¸I-Impossible¡­ My barrier has been broken!?¡¹


    ¡¸Zahahahahaha! So you came after all! Allen Rodore ¨C The sparkling gem!¡¹


    ¡¸Allen¡­!¡¹


    As all three people reacted differently to the sound, Thor quickly started to move.


    ¡¸Damn¡­ Why are you looking so happy, you fool! Quickly move to your position!¡¹


    ¡¸Zahaha! I¡¯m looking forward to it!¡¹


    Thor, who was frustrated, and Zack with a warlike smile, went upstairs to wee the uninvited guests.


    ¡ö


    When we broke into theboratory, we went down a corridor that was winding like a maze.


    (This is probably a part of the countermeasure to deal with intruders.)


    The corridor was dimly lit, and visibility was extremely poor.


    We needed to be wary of traps and ambushes, so we had to slow down our speed.


    After that, we went down the corridor for a while ¨C and arrived at a small room.


    In that room,


    ¡¸U¡±u¡­ it¡¯s the intruders¡­¡¹


    ¡¸L-Let¡¯s do it¡­ If we beat them, we¡¯ll be¡­ free¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸Sorry, but¡­. Please die here!¡¹


    There were seven swordsmen who red at us with bloodshot eyes, almost giving the feeling of a revenant.


    Their right hand gripped a strange, unstable soul dress, and they were severely short of breath even though we haven¡¯t fought yet.


    If I remember correctly¡­ I fought against simr guys at the summer camp.


    (This case seems to be deeply connected¡­)


    I immediately pulled out my sword and assumed Seigan no Kamae ¨C and noticed a small change.


    (¡­Their soul dress is more stable than the ones from summer camp?)


    The soul dress which was forcibly manifested by spirit pills should have been more unstable and distorted in shape.


    And then,


    ¡¸So you guys are enhanced soldiers who are dosed with spirit pills, huh¡­ However, to think that you can manifest such a¡ºstable soul dress¡»¡­ This did note up in any of the reports¡­¡¹


    As Leia-sensei murmured annoyedly.


    ¡¸U¡±u¡­ GAAAAAAAAA¡­!¡¹


    One swordsman roared and hit the wall.


    At that moment, a huge hole was made in theboratory.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸Wha!?¡¹¡¹¡¹


    The guys in the summer camp also boasted fearsome physical abilities, but¡­ the enemy in front of us was far beyond that.


    As we kept our guard up,


    ¡¸Let¡¯s go¡­! ¡¹


    ¡¸UOOOOOOO! ¡¹


    ¡¸GAAAAAAAAAA ¡¹


    All of them charged at us simultaneously.


    ¡¸Ku¡­ Allen, Rose! Step back! I¡¯ll take ca-¡¹


    I turned towards the swordsmen who brandished their soul dress recklessly,


    ¡¸Don¡¯t get in my way!¡¹


    I unleashed a side sweep.


    ¡¸Ga-ha¡­!?¡¹


    The blow that surpassed the speed of sound, easily destroyed their soul dress ¨C shing them all down without a decrease in momentum.


    (I wonder why¡­ my body movement is¡­!)


    It was not filled with the mysterious power like before.


    Even so, my body was light as if I had been reborn.


    (Allen, when did you get so strong¡­?)


    (I wonder if he adapted to that guy¡¯s power during the¡ºregeneration¡»earlier¡­ !? But it¡¯s much faster than expected¡­!)


    I repelled the first wave of enemies and,


    ¡¸-Let¡¯s hurry forward. Ria is waiting.¡¹


    I advanced to the inner part of theboratory.

 Chapter 66 - Bounty Head and Awakening [9]

    66. Bounty Head and Awakening [9]


    After defeating the swordsmen who were enhanced by spirit pills, we advanced to the depths of theboratory.


    We went through the dark, narrow corridor for a while ¨C into a dimly lit, slightly wider room.


    (¡­There¡¯s something here)


    I felt someone¡¯s breath in the depths of the dark.


    ¡¸Thor Sammons, right?¡¹


    When sensei asked ¨C from the far end of the room, a short woman in a ck cloak appeared.


    Light pink hair curled at the end.


    A constant displeased look in her sharp eyes.


    It was Thor Sammons, a member of the ck Organization that kidnapped Ria.


    ¡¸Aa, you¡¯re ck Fist¡­ ga-ha!?¡¹


    Leia-sensei¡¯s fist pierced deep into Thor¡¯s abdomen.


    (F-Fast¡­!?)


    I almost couldn¡¯t see any of her initial movements till the point where her fist was unleashed.


    ¡¸Sorry, but I don¡¯t have time right now. I¡¯ll interrogate youter¡­¡­ What!?¡¹


    Sensei, who should havended a fierce blow, suddenly leapt far back for some reason.


    ¡¸¡­Tch, so that¡¯s what it was.¡¹


    Fresh blood was dripping from her right hand, as she murmured annoyedly.


    And then,


    ¡¸Gyahahahaha! As the information said, you really are a simpleton, ck Fist!¡¹


    Another Thor appeared from behind the first Thor.


    ¡¸¡¸Two Thors..!?¡¹¡¹


    When I and Rose said that at the same time ¨C the¡ºThor¡»in front of us, turned into a sword that was thrust into the ground.


    And then,


    ¡¸Bewitch -¡´Mimic Art¡µ!¡¹


    The moment Thor said so.


    A kind of white y overflowed from her sword, and it started to take the form of Leia-sensei.


    ¡¸So I was right¡­ The one I hit was the soul dress which copied into Thor herself. Guessing from the current act, I guess¡­ the condition to copy is¡ºcut the target¡»?¡¹


    With a keen eye, sensei calmly analyzed the opponent¡¯s soul dress.


    ¡¸Kuku, I heard you were a muscle brain, but¡­ surprisingly you figured it out!¡¹


    As Thor said that, she held up a dagger in each hand which she took out of her bosom.


    It seems that she herself will participate in the fight while controlling the copy.


    ¡¸¡­ Allen, Rose. You guys go first.¡¹


    Sensei whispered so that only we could hear it.


    ¡¸I¡¯m not sure how much performance my copy will have. It¡¯s going to be a hassle if it targets you.¡¹


    If that copy possesses the same strength as sensei¡­


    Rose and I will be killed helplessly.


    ¡¸And¡­ we don¡¯t have much time anymore. Depending on the result of the¡ºanalysis¡», Ria might be¡ºdisposed¡»of as is. Rescue her as soon as possible before that happens. I¡¯ll follow right after you, once I¡¯ve beaten this guy.¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸Understood.¡¹¡¹


    Leia-sensei herself should know the best about the ins and outs of her copy.


    In that sense, it would be best to leave this ce to her.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s go, Rose!¡¹


    ¡¸Aa!¡¹


    As we agreed, Rose and I immediately started running to the back of theboratory.


    As we ran ¨C Thor silently let us pass.


    It seems that her role is to halt Leia-sensei here.


    We ran down the corridor and came out to arger room than the previous one.


    But there,


    ¡¸Y-You¡¯vee¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸Intruders¡­ must be eliminated¡­!¡¹


    There were an absurd number of swordsmen.


    ¡¸This is¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, it¡¯s going to be a long fight¡­¡¹


    Hundred, no¡­ There were about two hundred or so.


    With their eyes bloodshot and breathing heavily, they were holding a distorted-shaped soul dress in their right hand.


    Everyone here was definitely an enhanced swordsman who dosed on spirit pills.


    The moment Rose and I pulled out our sword and assumed our respective stances.


    ¡¸UOOOOOOOOHHH!¡¹


    ¡¸GAAAAAAAAAAAAA!¡¹


    They charged at a tremendous speed all at once.


    We were overawed momentarily before the two hundred angry roars.


    ¡¸-DIEEEEEEE!¡¹


    As I defended the looming downward sh,


    ¡¸Guh¡­¡¹


    A terrible shock ran through both arms.


    (What¡­ brute strength!? )


    Is it the effect of spirit pills or the power of strengthening-type soul dress?


    I don¡¯t know which it is, but either way, the swordsman in front of me boasted a power different from ordinary people.


    But I can¡¯t afford to lose to the false power which relies on drugs!


    ¡¸UOOOOOOH ¨C HA!¡¹


    I took back control on the frontal contest of strength. Keeping that momentum going, I strike with a diagonal sh.


    ¡¸Wha¡­!? Ga-ha¡¹


    I guess he didn¡¯t expect to lose in a contest of strength.


    There was a great upheaval among the enhanced swordsmen.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s go, Rose!¡¹


    ¡¸Aa!¡¹


    Then we shed down the swordsmen who were at the front one by one. Already rendering more than 50 unable to fight.


    The fight tilted heavily towards us ¨C there was no doubt about that.


    However,


    (At this rate, it¡¯s bad¡­)


    Beyond this point, a formidable enemy ¨C Zack-Bomber is lying in wait.


    I can¡¯t exhaust my strength in this ce.


    In addition to that, time is running out.


    This is not the time to be held up in a ce like this.


    (Damn, what should I do¡­)


    And when the feeling of impatience sprang up and slowly began to burn in my heart.


    ¡¸Dye -¡´Winter Sakura¡µ!¡¹


    A beautiful sakura tree suddenly appeared.


    At the same time, Rose¡¯s movements became faster beyond recognition.


    ¡¸Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style Secret Technique ¨C Mirrored Sakura sh!¡¹


    Like a mirror match, four strikes from left and right each ¨C eight unstoppable shes cut down four swordsmen.


    ¡¸Ro-Rose!?¡¹


    ¡¸The worst case scenario would be if both of us are exhausted here. Allen, you go ahead!¡¹


    ¡¸B-But¡­¡¹


    Rose¡¯s soul dress has a¡ºduration¡».


    An endurance battle against hordes of enemies is not her specialty.


    (¡­What to do!? The right person to take care of this ce would be me¡­)


    Should I go or let Rose go?


    As I was racking my brain, trying to figure out the right answer,


    ¡¸It¡¯s okay. Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style will not be defeated by such false power!¡¹


    Rose stared me in the eye and said clearly.


    There was a strong determination and resolution in her voice.


    In response to that desire, the sakura tree grew bigger.


    I received her feelings and,


    ¡¸Understood, thank you.¡¹


    I said and started running to break through this room.


    And then,


    ¡¸You won¡¯t get away!¡¹


    ¡¸We will stop you here¡­!¡¹


    The enhanced swordsmen jumped at me all at once.


    ¡¸Kuh!?¡¹


    The moment when I took a counterattack stance,


    ¡¸Dance ¨C Sakura Blizzard!¡¹


    The petals of sakura blossom, which looked like a turbid stream, swallowed them in no time.


    ¡¸GU-GUAAAAAAAAA!?¡¹


    Each petal was sharpened like a de, and the single attack rendered more than 10 enhanced swordsmen unable to fight.


    ¡¸Go!¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, thanks!¡¹


    With Rose¡¯s support, I advanced through theboratory.


    I ran down a winding maze-like path. This time, I came into a room as big as a gymnasium.


    The lights here were working properly. I recognised the person who was waiting at the very end, at a single nce.


    ¡¸Zack Bomber¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸Zahahahahaha! So you¡¯vee, sparkly gem!¡¹


    He had arge sword that looked like a charred cross resting on his shoulder, with a warlike smile on his face.


    ¡¸¡­Where¡¯s Ria?¡¹


    There was no sign of her anywhere in thisrge room.


    ¡¸She¡¯s right below us.¡¹


    Saying that, Zack thrusted therge sword into the floor.


    ¡¸¡­Is she safe?¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t worry. She¡¯s still quite lively¡­ Well, probably hungry though.¡¹


    When I heard that, I sighed a breath of relief.


    (Finally, I reached her.)


    Rize-san, Leia-sensei, and Rose ¨C with everyone¡¯s help, I finally got a chance to get Ria back.


    (All that¡¯s left is to cut down the enemy in front of me!)


    I slowly pulled out my sword and assumed Seigan no Kamae.


    ¡¸Here Ie.¡¹


    ¡¸Zahaha! Don¡¯t be shy,e at anytime!¡¹


    Immediately after that, I instantly reduced the distance with Zack to zero.


    ¡¸Fast!? -¡´ze Shield¡µ!¡¹


    He deployed a huge me shield ahead of him, at an instant¡¯s judgement.


    A scorching congration that made my eyes hurt just by looking.


    But I don¡¯t feel as much pressure as before.


    ¡¸Eighth Sword ¨C Yatagarasu!¡¹


    The shield I was unable to breakst time, was easily torn through now.


    ¡¸What the hell!?¡¹


    Surprised by the unexpected development, Zack jumped back and took distance.


    ¡¸Zahaha, way to go! I can hardly recognise you, Allen Rodore!¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m still not done¡­ Zack Bomber!¡¹


    Thus, the curtain unfolded on the fight between me and Zack.

 Chapter 67 - Bounty Head and Awakening [10]

    67. Bounty Head and Awakening [10]


    Mine and Zack¡¯s gaze met,


    ¡¸HAAAAAAAAAA!¡¹


    ¡¸NUUUOOOHHH!¡¹


    We started running at the same time as though it was prearranged.


    ¡¸HA!¡¹


    ¡¸Nuun!¡¹


    Our swords shed, and a tremendous roar rang out.


    ¡¸True to your appearance¡­ what brute strength¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸Za-Zahaha¡­! Same goes to you¡­ A ridiculous strength from such a small body!¡¹


    Both our physical strengths were evenly matched.


    From here on out, swordsmanship will decide the oue.


    (It¡¯s a waste of time contesting strength¡­ Let¡¯s take distance for the time being, and reorganise.)


    When I was thinking that,


    ¡¸ze Shield!¡¹


    He suddenly deployed a me shield at zero distance.


    ¡¸Wha, at this distance¡­!?¡¹


    My vision was filled red, and intense heat assailed my eyes.


    ¡¸Kuh, Eighth Sword ¨C Yatagarasu!¡¹


    When the eight shes chopped up the shield, Zack was already far behind.


    It seems that he hid his figure with the huge shield and jumped far back during that time.


    He dropped his center of gravity and shot a¡ºthrust¡»from far away.


    ¡¸-¡´ze Lance¡µ!¡¹


    A scorchingnce was unleashed from the tip of therge sword.


    ¡¸First Sword ¨C Flying Shadow!¡¹


    In response to his long-range attack, I shot a flying sh.


    However,


    ¡¸Soft, too soft!¡¹


    The ragingnce of congration prated Flying Shadow easily. And it rushed towards me without the slightest decrease in power.


    ¡¸Wha!?¡¹


    I immediately jumped greatly to the right and avoided thence-shaped me.


    (So Flying Shadow is not strong enough to push it back¡­?)


    It seems that a Dark Roar ss attack is necessary to counter the long-range¡´ze Lance¡µ.


    And while I was thinking about Zack¡¯s attack and how to deal with it,


    ¡¸-Right after you avoid an attack, you have to increase your guard a little bit more, you know?¡¹


    By the time I noticed, there was the figure of Zack brandishing hisrge sword, right before my nose tip.


    ¡¸Shit¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸Inferno Style ¨C me sh¡¹


    Four shes of mes approached at tremendous speed.


    ¡¸Uh, Cloud Style ¨C Cirrocumulus!¡¹


    I aimed for the gap right when the attack was about tond, and instantly unleashed four shes which have a shortunch time.


    However, Zack¡¯s sword was not weak enough to be outstripped by a makeshift attack unleashed from a disadvantageous position.


    (What power¡­!?)


    My four shes were quickly broken.


    I desperately twisted my body in an attempt to avoid it.


    ¡¸Guh¡­¡¹


    Two shes hit my right shoulder and left leg. Sharp pain of flesh being cut and dull burning pain ran at the same time.


    While enduring it, I leapt back and attempted to reorganise.


    (¡­Fortunately, the wound is not that deep.)


    It will have no impact on the continuation of the battle.


    (The problem is, how do I¡ºbreak it¡»after all¡­)


    Zack¡¯s stance was the same as mine, Seigan no Kamae.


    Therge sword held in front of the navel did not tremble even the slightest ¨C a frighteningly¡ºnatural¡»stance.


    (¡­This stance is not something you can master overnight.)


    His was more solid than anyone I¡¯ve ever fought ¨C his basis of swordsmanship.


    I¡¯m sure he has spent a huge amount of time training, together with his natural talent.


    (¡­But it¡¯s strange.)


    There was one thing in his polished swordsmanship that bothered me.


    ¡¸Did you learn that swordsmanship from a Holy Knight?¡¹


    From the basic posture to the defensive techniques and the way of stepping in up until now ¨C Zack¡¯s movement was exactly the same as the Holy Knight¡¯s Swordsmanship Instruction Book.


    And then,


    ¡¸¡­ Even if I may appear this way, I used to be a Holy Knight.¡¹


    He murmured so with a slightly bitter expression.


    ¡¸What¡­ !? Then why did you join the ck Organization!?¡¹


    An international organization that protects the peace of the world ¨C The Holy Knights Association.


    Arge-scale criminal organization that disturbs the order of the world ¨C The ck Organization.


    These two entities are opposites.


    ¡¸¡­There are things that you can¡¯t do while serving in the Holy Knights Association.¡¹


    Zack whispered so with a grim face,


    ¡¸-But now, I don¡¯t care about such worthless matters! Come on, Allen! Your shine ¨C show me more sparkly!¡¹


    He suddenly shouted, as if to erase the heavy air.


    ¡¸Extol ¨C Will-o-Wisp!¡¹


    Zack cried, and swung therge sword in a big arc.


    Burning mes soared, and it gradually took the shape of a creature.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸-KON!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    It was zing crimson foxes that were given birth by the congration.


    The number was slightly over ten. Their sharp fangs bore towards me.


    (No way, such power¡­¡­ !)


    Damnit, an ability with a wide range of applications¡­


    ¡¸Zahahahaha Let¡¯s begin with the climax!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Come!¡¹


    After that, our sword exchanges were extremely fierce.


    ¡¸Gyarururururu¡¹


    ¡¸Kuh¡­HA!¡¹


    When I cut the will-o-wisps that were being created endlessly,


    ¡¸-Right there! Nuun!¡¹


    ¡¸Guh!?¡¹


    From behind it, Zack¡¯srge sword swooped down on me.


    In front of the wave of attacks by the will-o-wisps and therge sword, I was forced to defend one-sidedly.


    (Damn, this number is too much to handle¡­)


    I am alone, and my opponent is Zack and more than a dozen will-o-wisps.


    The¡ºdifference in numbers¡»was overwhelming.


    Therge number of will-o-wisp get in the way when I try to attack, and I receive a hard counterattack instead.


    However, if I go into defense, the fierce wave of attacks like now will continue.


    (What the hell am I supposed to do¡­?)


    And when I was desperately thinking of a way to break through,


    ¡¸Will-o-Wisp ¨C Crimson Lotus!¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸KON! ¡¹¡¹¡¹


    Eight foxes, charged toward me simultaneously in a coordinated manner from all directions.


    ¡¸Kuh, Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style Secret Technique- Mirrored Sakura sh!¡¹


    And when I repelled the eight foxes with eight shes,


    ¡¸Inferno Style ¨C Great me sh!¡¹


    A powerful downward sh came in from behind.


    ¡¸Guh!?¡¹


    I somehow managed to block it even though I was in an unreasonable position, and I deliberately jumped back greatly to kill the shock.


    ¡¸Zahaha! What an astounding reaction speed! Even your defensive technique was perfect! I thought I broke through perfectly, but I never imagined that you would defend it!¡¹


    Zack said calmly, and again produced ten will-o-wisps.


    (At this rate, the situation will grow worse for me¡­ I have no choice but to insert it here¡­!)


    The positioning is perfect.


    All that¡¯s left is to wait for him toe.


    When I was waiting for the opportunity, while holding on to Seigan no Kamae,


    ¡¸What¡¯s the matter, you can¡¯t win simply by defending you know? Will-o-wisp ¨C Raging Fire!¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸KON!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    Zack shot all the will-o-wisps he had created all at once.


    (-It¡¯sing!)


    Right after that.


    ¡¸Second Sword ¨C Hazy Moon!¡¹


    Twenty shes that have been inserted so far, cut through all the approaching will-o-wisps.


    ¡¸Hou! So you can use some pretty interesting techniques!¡¹


    I can¡¯t miss this opportunity when the will-o-wisps has been reduced to zero.


    ¡¸First Sword ¨C Flying Shadow!¡¹


    With all my power, I unleashed a flying sh that was a size bigger than usual.


    ¡¸Zahaha! I already showed that it doesn¡¯t work! -¡´ze Lance¡µ!¡¹


    The moment when the terrific burst of mes tore through Flying Shadow.


    ¡¸-It¡¯s a feint.¡¹


    I approached closer to Zack while hiding behind Flying Shadow, and took his rear.


    The perfect opportunity was finally created.


    ¡¸Fifth Sword ¨C World Judgement!¡¹


    I aimed at his defenceless back and unleashed my ultimate attack.


    However,


    ¡¸It¡¯s not a bad aim but my rear is not a blind spot for me.-¡´ze Circle¡µ!¡¹


    The next moment, an enormous burst of mes circled around him.


    A dreadful shock wave assailed my body, and an intense heat wave pierced at my skin.


    ¡¸Guh¡­!?¡¹


    Blown away by the tremendous shock, I somehow managed to perform ukemi and grit my teeth hard.


    ¡¸Right, you had that technique¡­¡¹


    Although they were taken by surprise, the powerful shock wave knocked down the president and the Holy Knights in a single blow.


    (To think it could be used for defense¡­)


    And when I was gritting my teeth hard,


    ¡¸But you have a strange body¡­ Normally, if you took the attack just now, you should have suffered severe burns¡­¡¹


    Zack inspected my body and murmured something.


    Meanwhile, I analyzed our conditions.


    Little by little, damage has umted on my body.


    My right shoulder and left leg which received the shes.


    In addition, small burns that urred while defending against the will-o-wisps can be seen in various ces.


    Zack, on the other hand, was almost unhurt.


    The damage on him was only at the level of small cuts on his skin, and there are basically zero definitive damage.


    (¡­I¡¯m beaten. At this rate, I might not be able to win¡­)


    There was only one reason why this fight was so agonizing ¨C the absence of soul dress.


    In the end, what stood in my way is the big wall known as¡ºtalent¡».


    (I have no choice but to do it¡­)


    It¡¯s frustrating, but Zack is a better swordsman than me.


    I have to pull out that guy¡¯s power. I¡¯ll never win as I am right now.


    Recall it.


    (¡­Zack was saying)


    I don¡¯t have to physically make him yield, I just need to pull out a part of his power. I just have to make him yield with my mind.


    (¡­Even that guy said the same thing)


    ¡ºStrength of mind¡»and above all¡ºresolve¡»was not enough.


    Then I slowly went inside my consciousness ¨C sinking deep into my soul.


    I will win.


    I will beat the enemy in front of me.


    To protect Ria.


    To protect the daily life with Ria.


    That¡¯s why.


    It¡¯s enough for just today.


    No, it¡¯s enough for just this moment.


    That¡¯s why.


    (Hand over your¡­ power!)


    When I said so resolutely ¨C As though engraving it onto my soul, as though thrusting a sharp de into my chest,


    Deep within my mind ¨C I heard that guy¡¯s voice.


    ¡¾Brat¡­ I wonder if you can do it¡­¡¿


    At that moment.


    ¡¸This is¡­!?¡¹


    cker than ck, as though¡ºdarkness¡»itself was condensed into the shape of a ck sword ¨C it tore through space and appeared.

 Chapter 68 - Bounty Head and Awakening [11]

    68. Bounty Head and Awakening [11]


    The ck sword that suddenly appeared in front of me.


    The moment I gripped it with my right hand.


    ¡¸¡­¡­!?¡¹


    I instinctively understood.


    That this power goes far beyond the level I am right now.


    (Heavy¡­)


    It¡¯s not physical weight ¨C the overwhelming¡ºdensity of power¡»is what leads to the sensuous weight.


    This darkness-like ck sword was a violent, overwhelming mass of power.


    And then,


    ¡¸Za¡­ Zahahahaha! Amazing, what a shine! As expected, my eyes did not deceive me! I¡¯ve never seen this kind of sparkling before!¡¹


    Zack, with his gleaming eyes fixed on the ck sword, began tough like crazy.


    ¡¸Now, show me how powerful it is! -¡´ze Lance¡µ!¡¹


    He fired a scorchingnce, as if to test my new power.


    The moment I swung my sword lightly to cut off the attack ¨C a tremendous shock wave broke forth and cleaved thence of mes easily.


    ¡¸Wha!?¡¹


    In addition, without the slightest decrease in power, the shock wave advanced straight towards Zack.


    ¡¸Buh,¡´ze Shield¡µ!¡¹


    Zack widened his eyes greatly to the unexpected development, and immediately deployed a huge shield of mes.


    But it shattered miserably without holding out even for a fraction of a second.


    ¡¸Ga, ha¡­!?¡¹


    Zack¡¯s body was engraved with a deep sword wound just from receiving the shock wave.


    (What power¡­ !?)


    I was surprised at its overwhelming power.


    (What¡­ the hell¡­ is this¡­?)


    Suddenly, an extreme feeling of fatigue assailed my body.


    Just by holding the ck sword, my vitality was sucked away every second.


    (I see, so this thing has a¡ºduration¡»¡­)


    With this absurd consumption rate, a drawn-out battle is impossible.


    (I have to settle it right now¡­)


    And then,


    ¡¸a¡­Zaha, ha¡­ To think it was to this extent¡­!¡¹


    Zack, who had been heavily damaged, put on a viinous smile while staggering forward.


    ¡¸But not yet¡­! Allen, I know that is not everything to your power! More shine ¨C show me more sparkly!¡¹


    When he thrust therge sword to the floor, more than a hundred crimson foxes were created.


    ¡¸Will-o-Wisps ¨C ze!¡¹


    The moment he gave the orders.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸KON!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    The will-o-wisps gathered all at once above Zack¡¯s head ¨C forming a huge mass of mes, which looked like a small sun.


    ¡¸Zahahahahaha! Let¡¯s settle this soon! Sparkly gem, Allen Rodore!¡¹


    ¡¸-Aa, let¡¯s settle this.¡¹


    Quite some time haspsed since I started fighting with Zack.


    If I don¡¯t end this fight soon, Ria might fall into more danger.


    And in the first ce ¨C my body is unlikely to endure the consumption rate of the ck sword.


    ¡¸Now, show me if you can ovee this attack!¡¹


    With all his might, he swung down therge sword that he had raised high above his head..


    ¡¸-¡´ze re¡µ!¡¹


    A huge, sun-like, mass of mes was fired towards me with tremendous force.


    Towards the scorching congration which threatened to destroy this entire room, I unleashed an attack with all my might.


    ¡¸Sixth Sword ¨C Dark Roar!¡¹


    At that moment,


    The darkness that overflowed from the ck sword engulfed Dark Roar. And a giant ck sh flew across the space.


    ¡¸HAAAAAAAAAAAA!¡¹


    ¡¸UOOOOOOHHHHHHH!¡¹


    Darkness and Sun shed violently. And the jet-ck darkness swallowed everything.


    ¡¸Nu- Nuo!?¡¹


    The ck Dark Roar that still boasts an immense force,


    ¡¸Za, Zahahahaha! Magnificent ¨C you sparkly gem!¡¹


    Swallowed Zack and continued to destroy half of this hugeboratory.


    ¡¸Haa haa¡­ It¡¯s over¡­¡¹


    The ck sword, which had finished its role, disappeared silently without a sound.


    I, who had exhausted all my strength on thatst attack, took a very deep breath and,


    ¡¸¡­It hurts!?¡¹


    A dull pain ran through the palms of both hands.


    When I looked at it, the skin of my palm was torn up, and blood was oozing out slightly.


    Perhaps, I couldn¡¯t stand the shock of the ck Dark Roar.


    After all, that ck sword seems to be too big of a power for me right now.


    After defeating Zack,


    ¡¸Wait for me¡­ I¡¯ming, Ria¡­ !¡¹


    I dragged my heavy body to the basement of theboratory.


    ¡ö


    Thor, who seeded in making a copy of Leia as she expected,


    ¡¸You¡­ monster¡­¡¹


    She fell down as though crumbling.


    Next to her, lied the unresponsive copy of Leia.


    ¡¸Fumu, you were more troublesome than I expected¡­¡¹


    The unscathed Leia pped her hand and inhaled.


    ¡¸¡´Mimic Art¡µ- is a versatile and formidable ability, but the performance of the¡ºcopy¡»is a little insufficient. I¡¯ll say it¡¯s about 60 to 70 percent of the original specs¡­¡¹


    Then Leia, who ended the battle uneventfully,


    ¡¸Well, let¡¯s hurry ahead.¡¹


    She ran to the back of theboratory, pursuing after Allen and Rose.


    After a while, she came into arge, empty room.


    There were arge number of fallen swordsmen and a huge sakura tree that was about to wither.


    And, there was the figure of Rose and three enhanced swordsmen who were about to reach the conclusion of the fight.


    ¡¸UGAAAAAAAAAAAAA¡¹


    ¡¸Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style Secret Technique ¨C Mirrored Sakura sh!¡¹


    In that juncture ¨C the two attacks met, and thest sakura petal fell.


    ¡¸Ga-ha¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸Shit¡­ Even with spirit pills¡­¡¹


    ¡¸We can¡¯t win¡­!?¡¹


    As the three enhanced swordsmen copsed, Rose stood firmly.


    ¡¸Haa haa¡­ I won¡­¡¹


    The huge sakura tree disappeared into particles, and the scarlet sword disappeared along with it.


    Rose defeated all the enemies at thest second of¡´Winter Sakura¡µ¡¯s duration.


    Strong dizziness and tremendous fatigue struck her.


    Her vision shook greatly, and her sense of bnce became greatly unbnced.


    ¡¸Eh¡­?¡¹


    When Rose¡¯s body fell straight to the side as is,


    ¡¸Are you all right?¡¹


    Leia gently supported her right away.


    ¡¸Se-Sensei¡­ Yes, no problem.¡¹


    ¡¸I see, d to hear that. However, to take care of this many enhanced swordsmen¡­ You¡¯ve be really strong¡­¡¹


    When Leia whispered,


    ¡¸Rather than that, we have to quickly get to Allen! Zack is incredibly strong. He can never win alone¡­!¡¹


    Rose, who knew of Zack¡¯s strength, strongly appealed.


    ¡¸That¡¯s right, let¡¯s hurry ahead.¡¹


    Then Leia lent her shoulder to Rose and started moving at high speed.


    They ran along the winding corridor and came into arge room with bright lighting.


    There, they witnessed an unbelievable spectacle.


    ¡¸¡¸Wha!?¡¹¡¹


    A huge mass of mes resembling the sun was devoured by darkness.


    The attack that Allen unleashed was beyond the boundaries of the norm.


    Not only swallowing the sun, but also destroyed half theboratory with a thunderous roar.


    ¡¸¡¸¡­¡­¡¹¡¹


    In front of the¡ºoverwhelming destruction¡»that transcended human limits, Leia and Rose gulped involuntarily.


    And Leia, who quickly understood the current situation, had her gaze glued to Allen¡¯s ck sword.


    (N-No doubt¡­ That ck sword is that guy¡¯s personal weapon¡­)


    Cold sweat flowed down her back.


    (If that guy is controlling Allen¡¯s body¡­ It cannot be undone¡­)


    The timing window of¡ºInitial Stiffness¡»has already passed.


    (Allen grew at a frightening rate and has be much stronger than before. Against that guy who controls Allen¡¯s body¡­ Can I hold him back on my own¡­!?)


    What crossed her mind was her tworades who supported the golden age of Thousand de Academy.


    (Damn¡­ If only I could borrow their strength¡­)


    It was unusual for Leia to think of such a timid thing.


    That simply speaks to the volume of fear she holds towards the spirit core that slumbers within Allen.


    After that,


    ¡¸Are you¡­¡ºAllen¡»?¡¹


    Leia, with her resolve prepared, asked Allen.


    ¡¸Se-Sensei! And Rose too! I¡¯m so d that you both are safe!¡¹


    Allen turned to them with a carefree, gentle smile on his face.


    ¡¸Fuu¡­ Aa, you look to be safe, too.¡¹


    Leia breathed a sigh of relief.


    And immediately, asked about the ck sword.


    ¡¸By the way, about that ck sword, did you really manifest your soul dress?¡¹


    ¡¸I think it¡¯s probably¡ºa portion¡»of the soul dress¡­ It¡¯s going to take a long time to manifest a proper soul dress¡­¡¹


    Allen scratched his cheek, saying so.


    ¡¸¡­I see, I¡¯m rooting for you.¡¹


    Leia gave a brief reply with aplicated smile.


    (¡­Allen Rodore, you really have a frightening talent. In such a short period of time, you grew to the point of being able to snatch power from that guy. Your mental strength is already a monster. After all, you managed to surpass the¡º100 Million Years button¡»¡­)


    Allen, on the other hand,


    (I¡¯m sure more training is needed to manifest my soul dress, but¡­ I grasped the¡ºsense¡»of a soul dress¡­!)


    It is by no means impossible to attain soul dress.


    Just learning that fact alone, was a great harvest for him.


    ¡¸Sensei, more importantly, let¡¯s hurry. ording to Zack, Ria is held just below this room.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, let¡¯s hurry.¡¹


    Then Allen, who defeated the mighty opponent, Zack Bomber decisively, went with Leia and Rose to the lowest level of theboratory.

 Chapter 69 - Bounty Head and Awakening [12]

    69. Bounty Head and Awakening [12]


    When we went to the lowest level of theboratory, which was now half-destroyed by the ck Dark Roar, there was a spiral staircase leading to the basement.


    As we slowly descended with increased vignce, there were a huge number of eerie machines lined up.


    ¡¸W-What is this¡­?¡¹


    The huge beaker in front of me was filled with a transparent orange liquid, and a bluish stone floating in it.


    ¡¸¡­It¡¯s a very ufortable ce.¡¹


    Beyond Rose¡¯s gaze, there was a water storage tank-like mysterious machine that emitted sounds like an electrocardiograph.


    ¡¸Fumu¡­ It looks like they were doing research on spirit pills here.¡¹


    Leia-sensei picked up a bluish ore and muttered so.


    As we continued straight through the dimboratory which was filled with stagnant air, we encountered five people who looked like researchers.


    ¡¸Y-You¡¯re¡­ ck Fist!?¡¹


    ¡¸Thor-sama and Zack-sama¡­ have been defeated¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa¡­ It¡¯s over¡­¡¹


    They started cowering in fear when they saw Leia-sensei.


    ¡¸I guess I don¡¯t need to introduce myself. Now, I¡¯m going to get straight to the point. Where¡¯s Ria Vesteria? I don¡¯t mind even if you resist, but you¡¯ll just experience pain is all¡­¡¹


    When sensei cracked her knuckles,


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸Hi-Hii!?¡¹¡¹¡¹


    The researchers screamed all at once.


    And then,


    ¡¸T-this way¡­¡¹


    One of the researchers began to guide us to the back of theboratory.


    In the back of theboratory was a prison with iron bars, and in it there was the figure of Ria with both hands and feet restrained.


    ¡¸Ri, Ria!¡¹


    ¡¸A-Allen! Even Rose, and Leia!¡¹


    Apparently, there was no serious injury to her body.


    As I sigh a breath of relief,


    ¡¸Where¡¯s the key?¡¹


    ¡¸He-here¡­!¡¹


    Sensei received the key from the researcher, unlocked the prison and continued to remove the chains on Ria¡¯s hands and feet.


    And then,


    ¡¸Allen!¡¹


    ¡¸Oops!?¡¹


    Free from her restraints, Ria jumped into my chest.


    ¡¸I was scared¡­I was really scared¡­¡¹


    I embraced her trembling body gently.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry I¡¯mte. It took some time to find thisboratory.¡¹


    ¡¸No, it¡¯s okay¡­ Thank you, Allen. I believed you would definitely find me¡­!¡¹


    A big smile bloomed on her face, with tears in her eyes.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    Being shown such a pretty smile right in front of me,


    ¡¸I-Is your body okay¡­?¡¹


    I turned my face away slightly and asked.


    ¡¸Un. They took a little bit of blood, but nothing else.¡¹


    ¡¸I see, I¡¯m truly d.¡¹


    And when I and Ria were talking,


    ¡¸¡­Ria. I know how you feel, but you¡¯re being a little too clingy.¡¹


    Rose, with a vein popping on her forehead, said so in a low voice while tapping her foot.


    ¡¸¡­Ah, I¡¯m sorry, Allen. I¡¯m just a little too happy.¡¹


    ¡¸A-Aa¡­ Don¡¯t worry about it.¡¹


    And when I and Ria distanced ourselves slowly,


    ¡¸This is an unexpected harvest.¡¹


    Sensei picked up a bluish pill which seemed like a spirit pill, and whispered quietly.


    ¡¸Harvest¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa. As far as I know, this is the first time in the world that we have seized a ck Organizationboratory. This is a great achievement, Allen!¡¹


    She said so and patted my back.


    ¡¸It¡¯s because I had help from sensei and Rose, and even Rize-san.¡¹


    ¡¸Haa¡­ You¡¯re as humble as ever. It¡¯s the exact opposite to me.¡¹


    Then sensei smiled and pped.


    ¡¸Well, it¡¯s alreadyte, so you guys better go home soon.¡¹


    ¡¸What about sensei?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m going to restrain these people, toss them into the Holy Knight¡¯s station, and then join the on-site inspection. And there¡¯s a lot of other work to be done still.¡¹


    She said so while shrugging her shoulders.


    ¡¸Well, to tell you the truth, I¡¯d like to borrow your help too, but¡­ This is the work of the ¡®Director of Five Academy¡¯¡­ I can¡¯t impose these duties on my students.¡¹


    It looks like there¡¯s nothing we can do to help from here on.


    ¡¸Thank you very much. Well then, we¡¯ll take our leave here.¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you very much, sensei!¡¹


    ¡¸Goodbye.¡¹


    And when I, Ria, and Rose were leaving this ce, I heard someone running down the spiral staircase at a tremendous speed.


    ¡¸Who is it?¡¹


    I stood in front of the exhausted Ria and Rose, and immediately pulled out my sword.


    And then,


    ¡¸It is I¡­*gasp* No. 18¡­¡­*gasp* I have returned¡­!¡¹


    Large beads of sweat trailed down his forehead and he was breathing heavily.


    ¡¸No. 18-san!?¡¹


    If I remember correctly, I heard that he was out on border security.


    ¡¸You¡¯rete¡­ Where were you loitering around, No. 18?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry, huff huff¡­ I started running at full speed as soon as I was contacted, huff huff¡­ But as expected, it took a long time.¡¹


    He exined so, gasping for breath.


    ¡¸Good grief, such a helpless guy. Here¡¯s your next task. Just in case, escort Allen and the rest to Thousand de Academy. Rose is especially worn-out, so it would be helpful if you move while keeping that in mind.¡¹


    ¡¸U-Understood¡­¡¹


    No matter how you look at it, No.18-san was way more exhausted than Rose.


    And then,


    ¡¸C-Come, everyone¡­! Now that I¡¯m here¡­ You can rely on me, *Cough Cough* Let¡¯s go¡­!¡¹


    We went up the spiral staircase with No.18-san at the lead.


    ¡¸Oh, that¡¯s right! You have sses tomorrow as usual, so don¡¯t oversleep!¡¹


    At the end, Leia-sensei said something that was very teacher-like, as she smiled and waved goodbye.


    ¡ö


    In the forest located far north of theboratory.


    ¡¸¡­Hey, simpleton. You¡¯re alive, aren¡¯t you?¡¹


    The unscathed Thor called out to Zack, who was riddled with wounds all over.


    ¡¸Some¡­ how¡­ But I¡¯m beaten¡­ can¡¯t even move a finger.¡¹


    Saying that, he shook his head feebly.


    ¡¸So pathetic. What happened to your prided¡´Phosphorescent Armour¡µ?¡¹


    ¡¸Za, Zahaha¡­ If it wasn¡¯t for that, not a single piece of me would be remaining.¡¹


    He was swallowed by the ck Dark Roar, and barely survived by deploying¡´Phosphorescent Armour¡µat thest second.


    ¡¸But dammmnn¡­ It was really ridiculously sparkly, you know! Because his power is still iplete, its true depth is still unknown!¡¹


    Zack spoke so excitedly, reflecting on the jet-ck darkness burned into his memory.


    ¡¸Fuun, Allen Rodore. If he¡¯s such a great talent, should we butter up to him¡­?¡¹


    Thor, who trusted Zack¡¯s aesthetics in her own way, was beginning to seriously think of a way to make up with Allen.


    ¡¸Zahaha, I wonder if that¡¯s possible. Well,e to think of it, how was things on your end? Did you win against ck Fist?¡¹


    ¡¸HAA? Obviously Not! In the first ce, it¡¯s impossible to win over a transcendent. I tucked my tail between my legs and immediately ran away.¡¹


    Thor said so without any shame.


    From her point of view, simply surviving the battle with ck Fist Leia Lasnode was a victory.


    There¡¯s no way they could win in the first ce. That¡¯s why they split up.


    ¡¸Fumu, to be able to escape from ck Fist¡­ Did you use that thing?¡¹


    ¡¸Ou, I threw¡ºCopy of Leia¡»and¡ºMy Copy¡»and ran away. It¡¯s dangerous to think that there is only¡ºone¡»soul dress, isn¡¯t it?¡¹


    Saying so, Thor took out two daggers.


    ¡´Mimic Art¡µis an extremely rare two-ded soul dress.


    The only person who knows this is Zack, due to their years of working together as a pair.


    ¡¸As usual, you use sly methods¡­¡¹


    ¡¸You can say whatever you want, my creed is¡ºsurviving is winning¡».¡¹


    As they finished sharing information,


    ¡¸Well¡­ we¡¯re going back to the home country for the time being.¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, that¡¯s right.¡¹


    Thor carried Zack on her little body, and disappeared into the dark of night.


    ¡¸You¡¯re damn heavy, dude! Lose weight, right now!¡¹


    ¡¸Za, Zahaha¡­ Don¡¯t ask the impossible.¡¹


    ¡ö


    After returning to the dormitory safely, I and Ria decided to have supper.


    She must have been very hungry. Ria ate a lot during supper.


    ¡¸If you eat that much, won¡¯t you get fat¡­¡¹I wondered, but it was not easy to ask a woman about her weight, so I swallowed it in my throat.


    Anyway, our huge refrigerator packed with arge amount of ingredients, waspletely emptied out in that one sitting.


    After that, Ria, who took her bath earlier, wasbing her hair while humming in a good mood.


    ¡¸Hmm, Hmm, Hmm¡­¡¹


    She untied her usual twin tails and let her hair down. It was very attractive.


    Even though I¡¯ve gotten used to it, my heart still throbs whenever I see her with loose hair.


    ¡¸W-Well, I¡¯ll have a bath too.¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, Un. Slowly wash off the fatigue.¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, thank you.¡¹


    After I got out of the bath and got ready to go to bed, the time was already 2am.


    ¡¸Then, I¡¯ll turn off the lights, okay?¡¹


    ¡¸Un, please.¡¹


    I turned off the lights and got onto the bed with Ria.


    The moderate stic mattress gently supported my body, and a warm nket enveloped over my body.


    Strength drained away from my body, and at the same time, the fatigue of today seemed to melt away in tandem.


    ¡¸Good night, Ria.¡¹


    ¡¸Good night, Allen.¡¹


    And we went to sleep quietly.


    Five minutester.


    ¡¸¡­¡­Nee, Allen. Are you still awake?¡¹


    Ria whispered.


    ¡¸I¡¯m awake.¡¹


    ¡¸I see.¡¹


    ¡¸Aa. What¡¯s wrong¡­?¡¹


    When I asked,


    ¡¸¡­Somehow, I¡¯m a little restless.¡¹


    She whispered in a feeble, anxious voice.


    She was abducted by the ck Organization and was held in that creepyboratory all day.


    So it¡¯s no wonder.


    ¡¸I see¡­ Then why don¡¯t we have some fun talk? Let¡¯s see¡­ should I make some hot tea?¡¹


    I said the first thing that came to mind tofort Ria.


    ¡¸That is¡­ If possible¡­ I would like to¡­¡¹


    It was unusual for Ria to chew on her words.


    ¡¸¡­¡­? You can tell me whatever you want.¡¹


    As I replied as gently as possible,


    ¡¸Well, that is¡­ Can I hold your hand¡­?¡¹


    She said with her voice trembling.


    ¡¸A-Aa¡­ Of course, you can¡­¡¹


    I was a little surprised by the unexpected request, but there was no reason to refuse if this was what Ria wanted.


    I stretched my right hand to Ria, feeling slightly nervous


    ¡¸Aa, thank you.¡¹


    Her small hand gently grasped mine.


    With the distance between us getting shorter day by day, and my pounding heart beating even faster ¨C I went to sleep together with Ria as usual.

 Chapter 70 - Darkness and Sword King Festival [1]

    70. Darkness and Sword King Festival [1]


    The day after the battle against the ck Organization.


    Ria and I were on our way to the ssroom, still tired from our endeavoursst night.


    ¡¸Fuwaa¡­ I¡¯m sleepy, Allen.¡¹


    Ria put her hand to her mouth and said so while yawning a little.


    ¡¸Aa, that¡¯s right.¡¹


    These past two days.


    Because I had been dealing with the ck Organization, I couldn¡¯t get proper sleep.


    As expected, a few hours of sleep was not enough to refresh my body.


    When we arrived at Year 1 ss A, I opened the door of the ssroom, and


    ¡¸Ah, it¡¯s Ria-san!¡¹


    ¡¸We¡¯re so d you¡¯re safe¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸It was a disaster. Well, at any rate, you¡¯re safe and that¡¯s all that matters!¡¹


    Everyone in the ss ran up to Ria all at once.


    ¡¸When I heard that you were kidnapped by the ck Organization, my heart almost stopped.¡¹


    ¡¸Did they do anything strange to you? Are you alright?¡¹


    ¡¸Those guys¡­ The next time I see them, I won¡¯t let them get away easy.¡¹


    Everyone who was concerned about Ria from the bottom of their hearts, said with a smile of relief.


    ¡¸Everyone, I¡¯m sorry that I made you worry. But you don¡¯t have to worry, nothing happened to me.¡¹


    Right about when Ria told everyone that she was all right, the back door rattled open, and Rose, who seemed to be sleepier than ever before, walked in.


    ¡¸Ah, good morning, Rose.¡¹


    ¡¸Good morning. Your bed hair is more terrific than usual.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡­¡­ Morning.¡¹


    With her imposing ahoge pointing up, she moved unsteadily towards her seat.


    Just like us, Rose¡¯s body seems to have umted a lot of fatigue.


    After that, as we were having idle talks, the chime which signaled the start of ss, rang.


    And then,


    ¡¸Good morning,dies and gentlemen! It¡¯s a wonderful morning!¡¹


    Leia-senesi, who was full of energy as usual, opened the door of the ssroom vigorously.


    Sensei should not have slept for thest two days as well, but¡­


    Unlike us, she looked lively enough.


    ¡¸Well, I know it¡¯s the first homeroom, but the announcement is¡­ Umu, there¡¯s nothing special to announce. Yoshi, do your best in today¡¯s sses as well! The first period is the soul dress ss! Gather to the Soul Dress Area right away!¡¹


    Sensei pped loudly, and we started moving to the Soul Dress Area.


    ¡ö


    When we arrived at the Soul Dress Area, each of us took one spirit sword in our hands, and began to speak with our own spirit core.


    (Fuu¡­ I feel like it¡¯s been a while¡­)


    Even though it hasn¡¯t been long since Ist went to the world of the soul.


    Recently, so many events have urred, that made me feel like it¡¯s been a while.


    (Well, it¡¯s about time to get on with it¡­.)


    I gripped the spirit sword firmly with both hands and concentrated my consciousness deep into my soul.


    I sank deeper and deeper into my consciousness, and when I slowly opened my eyes ¨C withered wilderness spread all over.


    Withered tree.


    Withered soil.


    Withered air.


    This is the withered world that belongs to that guy.


    A huge rock with a cracked surface was before me.


    At the top of it, he was sitting cross-legged.


    ¡¸Haa¡­ Bastard, do you never learn? No matter how many times you try, you just can¡¯t. Do you not understand?¡­¡­ A¡±a?¡¹


    He grumbled as though truly disgusted.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll keep trying again and again. I¡¯ll¡ºnever win¡»is not set in stone, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Are you stupid? There¡¯s no way a shorty like you can win against Me! E¡±e?¡¹


    He didn¡¯t even try to hide his grumpiness, and emitted a dreadful bloodlust which made my hair stand on end.


    ¡¸I won¡¯t know unless I try¡­!¡¹


    When I answered back strongly, without flinching at his bloodlust ¨C his bloodlust quickly disappeared.


    ¡¸Well, whatever. I was in the mood to exercise a little today, so I¡¯ll y with you¡­!¡¹


    And the moment he slowly stood up,


    Jet-ck darkness overflowed from his whole body.


    ¡¸Wha!?¡¹


    ¡¸What are you surprised about? This was originally my power. Since you¡¯ve grown up a tiny bit, I¡¯m also able to draw out my power little by little.¡¹


    He said that with a ferocious smile.


    But what surprised me was not him using¡ºdarkness¡».


    (D-Density is¡­ way too different¡­!)


    The darkness between me and him was so different that it was stupid to even try andpare.


    Density, quantity, and power ¨C all of them were otherworldly.


    As expected, the power taken from that guyst night seems to have only been a mere fraction.


    ¡¸Kuh¡­ Even I can¡­!¡¹


    I focused my mind and with the same strong mind asst night ¨C I seeked the ck Sword.


    However,


    ¡¸Eh¡­?¡¹


    The ck Sword didn¡¯t appear. Only¡ºck mist¡»appeared in the palm of my hand.


    ¡¸Ha! Brat, you¡¯re still a chick. That¡¯s because you expressed my ck Sword into a concrete form just a little while ago! Your¡ºspiritual power¡»ispletely empty¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸S-Spiritual power¡­? What¡¯s that?¡¹


    When I tilted my head to the words I¡¯m hearing for the first time,


    ¡¸Something like that¡­ just go ask ck Fist instead¡­!¡¹


    He jumped over here at a tremendous speed.


    ¡¸Damnit¡­¡¹


    As I was unable to pull out the ck Sword, I drew my usual sword. But at that moment,


    ¡¸¡­Hey, where are you looking?¡¹


    He was already standing behind me.


    (F-Fast¡­!)


    That guy, d in darkness, was iparably faster than he was before.


    ¡¸Hey, nt your feet firmly!¡¹


    ¡¸Guh!?¡¹


    Even his physical strength was iparable to before.


    (What strength¡­!)


    I somehow managed to defend his strong kick with my sword, but was sent flying horizontally like a ball.


    ¡¸Ga, ha¡­¡¹


    My back crashed into a huge rock making me spew out all the air in my lungs.


    The tremendous impact made my consciousness waver and my sword slipped from my right hand.


    (Defense¡­ was absolutely pointless¡­)


    Before that overwhelming violence, the defenses that I had acquired in the past were of no use.


    ¡¸Hey, herees the finishing blow¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸Shit¡­. I¡¯m not gonna¡­ ept defeat¡­ !¡¹


    The moment I thrust my hands forward, towards his looming fist,


    Circr darkness unfolded forward and perfectly defended his straight right.


    Towards the unbelievable scene that unfolded,


    (T-This is¡­ !)


    My eyes widened.


    Until now, even if I tried to defend his attacks with my sword, it was not possible to kill the overwhelming force, and defence did not serve any meaning.


    But this time Ipletely killed all his force. My first sessful perfect defence.


    (I see¡­ So¡ºDarkness¡»can be used in such a way¡­!)


    The moment when I manipted darkness for the first time and grasped a definitive clue towards bing stronger,


    ¡¸Tch¡­ Don¡¯t get carried away, shitty brat¡­!¡¹


    A strong straight right d in darkness pierced into my abdomen.


    ¡¸Ga, ha¡­¡¹


    I was blown far backwards.


    The blood in my body bounced in all directions, and severe pain ran.


    ¡¸Ha-haha¡­!¡¹


    I was filled with a tremendous sense of fulfillment.


    (Much, much more¡­ I can be much stronger!)


    If I can manipte this¡ºdarkness¡»freely, I can be even stronger!


    (If that were to happen, I¡¯ll be able to draw even more power from him. I might be able to manifest my soul dress like everyone else!)


    In this way, I obtained two great oues ¨C ¡°Maniption of Darkness¡± and ¡°Spiritual Power¡± ¨C and was then drawn back to the real world.

 Chapter 71 - Darkness and Sword King Festival [2]

    71. Darkness and Sword King Festival [2]


    When I was pulled back from the world of the soul to the real world, I immediately went up to Leia-sensei.


    ¡¸Sensei, may I ask you a few questions?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, go ahead. Don¡¯t be afraid to ask me anything.¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you very much. What is¡ºspiritual power¡»?¡¹


    When I raised that question,


    ¡¸Hou¡­ Where did you hear that word?¡¹


    Sensei seemed a little surprised and returned a question instead.


    ¡¸Just a moment ago, when I was fighting my spirit core. That guy blurted it out to me.¡¹


    ¡¸I see, that¡¯s how it was¡­ Fumu, how do I exin this¡­¡¹


    She scratched her cheek with a troubled expression.


    ¡¸As for spiritual power, I thought I¡¯d talk about it after you guys hit the¡ºwall¡», but¡­ Oh well¡­ Rose and some other students have already hit a slump. Maybe it¡¯s time to exin it¡­¡¹


    Sensei drew that conclusion and pped loudly.


    ¡¸Fumu, in things like these, being fair is also important. Yoshi! I¡¯ll exin spiritual power to everyone during the second period! Sorry Allen, but could you just wait a little longer?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, I understand.¡¹


    As I expected,¡ºspiritual power¡»seems to be one of the important elements to be stronger.


    Then I decided to ask another thing that has been on my mind for a while now.


    ¡¸Sensei, excuse me. Just one more thing, okay?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, of course.¡¹


    ¡¸How to put this¡­ that is¡­ Ria¡¯s father, His Majesty the King of Vesteria, would be angry, right? ¡¹


    We¡¯re talking about His Majesty, who dotes on Ria after all.


    If he has learned that she was kidnapped by the ck Organization, then I¡¯m sure he¡¯s in a furious fit of anger right about now.


    And then,


    ¡¸Ah¡­ about that¡­¡¹


    Sensei, with a slightly troubled expression on her face, whispered into my ear.


    ¡¸About that¡­ Don¡¯t tell anybody else about this, but he hasn¡¯t said anything.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Eh?¡¹


    ¡¸It was that big of an incident. So naturally, he should¡¯ve gotten information about Ria¡¯s kidnapping, but¡­ he hasn¡¯te forward with anyints, that it even gives me the creeps. Seriously, what¡¯s up with that guy?¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s really strange¡­¡¹


    Itpletely does not match his character.


    Judging by his usual character, he should¡¯ve started an all-out war with the ck Organization the moment he received the news of the kidnapping.


    (Seriously, just what happened¡­?)


    When I was thinking about it,


    ¡¸Well, anyway¡­ The current situation surrounding Ria is very quiet. Well, I don¡¯t know what will happen in the future, but¡­ There¡¯s no point in thinking about it now.¡¹


    Sensei said while shrugging.


    ¡¸I suppose¡­¡¹


    Certainly, it was no use worrying about something we will get no answers to.


    If¡ºsomething¡»does happen, I have to be prepared and make sure to do everything in my power ¨C that¡¯s the best answer.


    ¡¸Thank you, sensei. Well then, I¡¯ll go and try again!¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, I¡¯m rooting for you!¡¹


    And I entered the world of the soul again. Until the end of the first period, I continued to fight that guy again and again.


    ¡ö


    After that, the first period passed by in the blink of an eye.


    The moment the chime rang to announce the start of the second period.


    ¡ºFWEEEEET¡»! Leia-sensei¡¯s favorite whistle rang out in the Soul Dress Area.


    ¡¸-Everyone! I have a small announcement, so please gather over here!¡¹


    Everyone gathered around sensei, puzzled by the sudden call-up.


    ¡¸It¡¯s a bit sudden, but I¡¯m going to have you measure your spiritual power from now on! But before you do that, let me briefly exin what spiritual power is all about in the first ce!¡¹


    Then, sensei began to exin in a loud voice.


    ¡¸Spiritual power is, in other words,¡ºmental energy¡». We swordsmen consume this and manifest our soul dress. After training in soul dress sses, you all get mentally tired, don¡¯t you? That¡¯s because it consumes a great deal of spiritual power which is mental energy.¡¹


    She continued exining further.


    ¡¸And spiritual power is not something one is born with, but acquired through the training of soul dress. There is no limit to the amount of spiritual power, theoretically speaking. The more you train, the more it increases little by little. That said, there is no way that human beings can live for hundreds of millions of years. There is no theoretical limit, but by the biological limit of man, there is a¡ºsubstantial amount limit¡»in spiritual power. Well, this is just a brief exnation of spiritual power.¡¹


    Sensei finished exining spiritual power and said,


    ¡¸Let¡¯s go and measure the amount of spiritual power immediately. Come follow me!¡¹


    We quickly started walking toward the back of the wide Soul Dress Area.


    When we walked for about two minutes, I saw a double-door about two meters tall.


    (Was there such a door in the Soul Dress Area?)


    Because it was the exact same colour as the wall, I never noticed it.


    ¡¸Heave-Ho¡­!¡¹


    Sensei opened the door and went in, and we followed.


    Then there was something like a magic circle which often appears in fairy tales.


    ¡¸This is the spiritual power room. As the name suggests, it is a room designed to measure the spiritual power of a swordsman. Well, seeing is believing. So, let me show you an example.¡¹


    Sensei said, and moved to the center of the magic circle and began to take a deep breath.


    The next moment, dazzling crimson light was emitted from the magic circle.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸O-Oh¡­!?¡¹¡¹¡¹


    Several students gasped at the mystical sight.


    ¡¸The color that the magic circle emits is determined by the amount of spiritual power of the person. In order of low spiritual power to high, the colours are¡ºpurple, indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange, red¡». As a guide, let¡¯s see¡­ Considering that this is your first-year, if above¡ºindigo¡»is emitted, your spiritual power can be considered good enough.¡¹


    Sensei finished the demonstration, and left the magic circle.


    ¡¸The measurement method is very simple. Move to the center of the magic circle, and turn your consciousness towards the depths of your soul. That will start the magic circle automatically and it will measure your spiritual power.¡¹


    Sensei concluded the exnation and,


    ¡¸Now then, whoever is prepared, step to front first.¡¹


    Sensei pped and urged us.


    And then,


    ¡¸Yoshi, I¡¯ll go first!¡¹


    Tessa Burmond, the swordsman of Iron Cutting Style, was the first to name himself.


    ¡¸Yoshi. Go on and give it a try, Tessa. The point is to sink your consciousness into the depths of your soul, the same as when interacting with the spirit core!¡¹


    ¡¸Yes!¡¹


    After a cheerful reply, Tessa stood at the center of the magic circle, exhaled loudly and closed his eyes.


    The next moment, a pale light of scarlet leaked out of the magic circle.


    ¡¸Hou, it¡¯s already scarlet! That¡¯s great, Tessa!¡¹


    Sensei widened her eyes and exhaled a breath of admiration.


    ¡¸Hehe, thank you!¡¹


    After that, we measured our spiritual power one by one.


    Almost all of the students were purple, and scarlet was seen rarely.


    By the way, the Ria¡¯s was green and Rose¡¯s was blue.


    Rose, who was defeated by Ria in spiritual strength, seemed to be quite frustrated.


    She trembled in small increments and said¡¸N-Not bad¡­¡¹


    After a little while, it was finally my turn.


    ¡¸Then, thest one is Allen. Give it a try.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes.¡¹


    I moved to the center of the magic circle,


    ¡¸Suu¡­ Haa¡­¡¹


    I took a few deep breaths and concentrated my mind.


    The moment when my consciousness sank deeper and deeper towards my soul.


    ¡¸¡­¡­!?¡¹


    ck light was emitted from the magic circle, followed by a high-pitched sound. And then the magic circle shattered.


    ¡¸U-Unmeasurable¡­!?¡¹


    Sensei¡¯s dumbfounded voice resounded greatly in the spiritual power room.

 Chapter 72 - Darkness and the Sword King Festival [3]

    72. Darkness and the Sword King Festival [3]


    As a result of my spiritual power measurement,


    ¡¸E-Eh¡­?¡¹


    For some reason, the magic circle shattered.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡­¡­¡¹¡¹¡¹


    Due to the unexpected situation, the spiritual power room fell silent.


    All of my ssmates¡¯ gazes pierced all over my body, and cold sweat flowed down my back.


    (This is¡­ certainly my fault¡­ right?)


    Up to now, about 30 people have measured their spiritual power, but this never happened.


    Maybe I made a mistake in measuring my spiritual power.


    I was feeling uneasy as an indescribable awkward air flowed in.


    (T-This magic circle¡­ How much does it cost?)


    Even though it wasn¡¯t on purpose, I broke the academy¡¯s equipment.


    Naturally, I have to pay for it.


    The magic circle was installed in a dedicated room called¡ºSpiritual Power Room¡».


    No matter how you think about it, there¡¯s no way it would only be around 1000 or 2000 gold.


    (I-If I remember correctly¡­ It was around one million gold per spirit sword, right?)


    There were more than one hundred spirit swords in the preparation room.


    But this magic circle is the only one in this spiritual power room.


    From a viewpoint of rarity, the magic circle overwhelms the spirit sword.


    (At minimum it will cause at least 1 million gold¡­ right?)


    Colour quickly drained from my face.


    A million gold is a lot of money.


    If you have that much money, you will be able to live without working for a year.


    (¡­This is bad)


    I was supposed to be a fine swordsman and let my mother live an easy life.


    At this rate, I might drag her into a debt of hell.


    (¡­No, no, calm down. Maybe it¡¯s surprisingly cheap¡­.!)


    Yes, it¡¯s not decided that the magic circle is that expensive yet.


    Perchance, it might be a consumable item with a limited number of usages!


    With that hope in my heart, I turned my gaze towards sensei.


    ¡¸W-What on earth¡­!?¡¹


    Her eyes widened as her fists trembled.


    (¡­It¡¯s over.)


    That imminent expression, no doubt.


    The magic circle seems to be rarer and more expensive inparison to the spirit sword.


    (What the hell, spiritual power is immeasurable¡­ !? Did that guy interfere with anything¡­? No¡­ That¡¯s impossible. I¡¯ve never heard of spirit rank affecting the measurement of spiritual power. In other words, the cause of the destruction of the magic circle is¡­ the enormous spiritual power of¡ºAllen himself¡»¡­)


    I mustered my courage and called out to sensei, who was silent with a pale face.


    ¡¸Se-Sensei¡­¡¹


    However, there was no answer.


    I guess it was a great shock for her.


    She bit her lower lip and seemed to be lost in her own thoughts.


    (The cause is definitely that cursed¡º100 Million Years button¡». He was probably imprisoned in the Prison of Time for quite a long time. 1000 years perhaps¡­ No, at worst it might¡¯ve been 2000 years. I feel sorry for him. He must have met unexpected difficulties with escaping.)


    After a little while, sensei recovered from the big shock and looked me in the eye.


    ¡¸Allen¡­ How many years-¡¹


    ¡¸I-I¡¯m sorry!¡¹


    I quickly bowed my head.


    ¡¸W-What are you doing all of a sudden?¡¹


    Sensei said with a puzzled look.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry I broke the rare magic circle. Right now I can¡¯t do anything, but I¡¯m going to work hard and pay it back.¡¹


    ¡¸A-Aa¡­ You don¡¯t have to worry about that. The spirit ore in this magic circle can¡¯t be used for a spirit sword. It¡¯s not that expensive because it¡¯s a low-quality spirit ore.¡¹


    ¡¸I-Is that true¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa¡­ And it¡¯s just a small ident that urred during ss. You¡¯re not responsible, and of course you don¡¯t have to pay for it, so you can rest assured.¡¹


    ¡¸I-I¡¯m d¡­¡¹


    I breathed a sigh of relief from the bottom of my heart.


    ¡¸L- Leia! So, what was Allen¡¯s spiritual power after all!? There was no¡ºck¡»light in your exnation!¡¹


    Ria questioned sensei.


    At the same time, our ssmates¡¯ gaze was directed to sensei collectively.


    ¡¸Hmm, that¡¯s right¡­ It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen such a ck light, so I can¡¯t say anything about it. There is only one thing I can say for certain. Allen¡¯s spiritual power is overwhelmingly greater than anyone else in this ce. Of course, it is also better than mine.¡¹


    When sensei said so,


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸Wha!?¡¹¡¹¡¹


    All my ssmates stiffened in shock.


    Leia-sensei has many shorings, but in regards tobat, she is unparalleled.


    The fact that I had more spiritual power than her, took away all my ssmates¡¯ breath, including my own.


    ¡¸Se-Sensei, isn¡¯t that too much of an exaggeration¡­?¡¹


    I asked nervously.


    ¡¸No, there is no mistake. Solely in terms of¡ºspiritual power¡», you are ahead of me. You can take pride in that. There aren¡¯t that many swordsmen who have such enormous spiritual power.¡¹


    Sensei said so andughed.


    ¡¸T-Thank you, very much.¡¹


    I was very, very happy.


    In my fifteen years of life, I, as a swordsman, have never been praised by a¡ºsensei¡».


    This was especially true when I was at Gran Swordsmanship Academy.


    -Allen, you don¡¯t have any talent.


    -No matter how much you swing, it¡¯s no use.


    ¨C You¡¯re an eyesore, quit it already.


    ¡ºSensei¡»said so with emotionless cold eyes.


    And today, I¡­ Was praised as a swordsman.


    At the Five Academy which is far superior to Gran Swordsmanship Academy.


    From the person who is revered as ck Fist; known and recognised by everyone throughout the world as a remarkable swordsman ¨C From Leia-sensei¡­!


    (Being praised¡­ I feel so happy¡­)


    And when I was biting my lips in tremendous joy,


    ¡¸O-Oi Oi¡­ Seriously, your spiritual power is more than the ck Fist Leia Lasnode!?¡¹


    ¡¸This is the spiritual power of a national strength ss, isn¡¯t it?¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re incredible after all, Allen¡­!¡¹


    All of my ssmates praised me.


    After a little while, as the noise calmed down, sensei pped.


    ¡¸Now that we¡¯ve finished measuring spiritual power, I¡¯ll teach you the specific training methods to strengthen your spiritual power.¡¹


    She coughed once to get everyone¡¯s attention and began to speak slowly.


    ¡¸The training method is very simple, it¡¯s about pushing yourself to the limit! The moment when the mind is worn out and the heart screams out, spiritual power grows greatly! It doesn¡¯t matter what it is, whether it¡¯s practice-swings or endurance running! Keep repeating the hardship which makes you want to give-up, single-mindedly, again and again!¡¹


    ¡ºRepeat the hardship which makes you want to give up, single-mindedly, again and again!¡»¨C It was the training method that I went through.


    No matter what, I simply swung my sword single-mindedly for more than a billion years in that hellish¡ºPrison of Time¡».


    Patience, Endurance, Continuation ¨C such in things are already familiar to my body and mind.


    In fact, it is even fun these days.


    ¡­Perhaps, my spiritual power was due to that experienceing to fruition.


    ¡¸Until the end of the second period, there¡¯s still thirty minutes left. Then, we will return to the Soul Dress Area and resume the training of soul dress! For the strengthening of spiritual power, we will conduct a strength training session in the afternoon!¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸Yes!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    We, who learned the¡ºspiritual power¡»which is indispensable for soul dress, began to speak with our spirit core again.

 Chapter 73 - Darkness and Sword King Festival [4]

    73. Darkness and Sword King Festival [4]


    After the ss in the second period, Ria, Rose and I, gathered in front of the student council room with our lunch boxes in hand.


    It is to participate in a ¡±lunch party¡± called ¡°regr meeting¡±.


    When I knocked on the door,


    ¡¸Enter.¡¹


    The president¡¯s dignified voice returned.


    When I opened the door slowly,


    ¡¸Ah, Allen-kun, and Rose-san and¡­ Ria-san!¡¹


    Seeing us, the president ran up to us.


    ¡¸I¡¯m really d you¡¯re safe¡­! I was relieved to hear that you had been rescued from aboratory on the outskirts of Drestiast night¡­!¡¹


    As the president held Ria¡¯s hand,


    ¡¸It was a real disaster¡­ Are you all right?¡¹


    ¡¸I was super shocked¡­ I am really d that you¡¯re safe though¡­¡¹


    Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai, who were rxing on the sofa in the back, also ran up to us.


    ¡¸I have made everyone worry so much.¡¹


    When Ria bowed her head,


    ¡¸No, Ria-san is not responsible for anything¡­ I¡¯m really sorry that my¡ºHouse¡»allowed such dangerous people to invade¡­¡¹


    The president, the daughter of the House Arcstria, bowed deeply.


    ¡¸President, you don¡¯t have to apologize¡­! Please raise your head¡­!¡¹


    Ria hurriedly said that, but the president shook her head.


    ¡¸National defense is one of the important duties of House Arcstria. I can¡¯t make any excuses regarding this case.¡¹


    And she apologized again.


    ¡¸And, Allen-kun, you were a great help. If something had happened to Ria-san¡­ I¡¯m sure it would¡¯ve gone beyond simply being the problem of House Arcstria, and developed into an international issue.¡¹


    This time she thanked me instead.


    ¡¸No, please don¡¯t worry. I just helped my friend.¡¹


    Then the president briefly said ¡°Thank you,¡± and began to talk about the current security system.


    ¡¸Now, under the guidance of the swordsmen of House Arcstria, a much tighter securitywork than before has been built. In addition, we are nning to expand our personnel from next month onwards. Those guys should not be able to sneak in that easily in the future.¡¹


    And when the talks calmed down a little,


    ¡¸Umu! Let¡¯s end that talk there. Let¡¯s have lunch now!¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m already hungry though¡­¡¹


    Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai were attentive and tried to blow away the slightly heavy air.


    ¡¸That¡¯s right. I¡¯m getting hungry too.¡¹


    I didn¡¯t miss the opportunity and also tried to shift it into a fun lunch atmosphere.


    ¡¸Yeah. Well then, as usual, let¡¯s start the student council¡¯s regr meeting!¡¹


    Understanding our intentions, the president smiled a little happily and signaled the start of the regr meeting in a cheerful voice.


    After that, we enjoyed the lunch party as usual.


    ¡ö


    After the regr meeting at the student council and strength training in the afternoon, I went to the Director¡¯s office alone.


    When I knocked on the solemn ck door,


    ¡¸Enter.¡¹


    Leia-sensei¡¯s stiff voice replied.


    (This voice¡­)


    I wonder if it¡¯s because we have spent a lot of time together, but somehow, I understood.


    (This stiff but somewhat bright voice¡­ she¡¯s definitely cking off¡­)


    I¡¯m sure she pushed all her work onto No. 18-san and is happily reading Weekly Shounen Yaiba.


    Thinking about that, I slowly opened the door. And there was the figure of Leia-sensei, seated at the luxurious ck desk and had aplicated expression on her face.


    ¡¸I¡¯m tied up right now. Wait there a minute.¡¹


    Without looking at me, her gaze stayed nted on the document at hand, with a furrow between her eyebrows.


    ¡¸Yes.¡¹


    I answered briefly and waited for sensei.


    About three minutes had passed since then.


    ¡¸Fuu¡­¡¹


    Sensei threw the document she had been reading carefully ¨C the Weekly Shounen Yaiba ¨C on her desk and exhaled loudly.


    There was a hint of excitement on her face.


    Apparently, the contents of this week¡¯s issue were satisfactory enough.


    ¡¸It was fun.¡¹


    Sensei murmured and drank the water ced on the desk vigorously.


    ¡¸Well, what is it, Allen? It¡¯s rare for you toe alone.¡¹


    She finally took the time to talk with me.


    ¡¸Yes. Actually, I have something I would like to talk about.¡¹


    ¡¸Oo, I see¡­ In that case, don¡¯t hesitate to ask about anything. Fortunately, I¡¯m free today.¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you very much. Well then¡­¡¹


    Then I told her about the various things I¡¯m worried about right now.


    The ck sword which I was able to pull out in theboratory could no longer be pulled out.


    In the world of the soul, that guy said that my spiritual power waspletely empty¡».


    I was able to pull out a small amount of darkness by my own will.


    And sensei who listened to all those stories quietly,


    ¡¸Fumu, I see¡­ In other words, you¡¯re troubled by the¡ºck Sword¡»,¡ºSpiritual Power¡», and¡ºDarkness¡». How to train them and in what order.¡¹


    She put together exactly what I was worried about.


    ¡¸Yes, that¡¯s exactly it¡­¡¹


    ck sword, spiritual power, darkness; I¡¯ve learned a lot of things at once over thest few days.


    In order to manifest my soul dress, the ck sword, I have to win against that guy in the world of the soul.


    Sensei said that in strength training is the best way to strengthen spiritual power.


    And when ites to manipting darkness freely¡­


    Honestly speaking¡­ I don¡¯t even know where to start.


    And then,


    ¡¸From the three of them. you should definitely start with¡ºdarkness¡».¡¹


    Sensei dered.


    ¡¸With darkness¡­ Is it?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, no doubt.¡¹


    Sensei exined the order of the training further.


    ¡¸In your case, the first step is to be able to manipte¡ºdarkness¡»freely. After that, strengthen your spiritual power, and increase the¡ºamount of darkness¡»that can be manipted. And finally, the ck sword ¨C the training to manifest your soul dress. This would be the best order.¡¹


    ¡¸I-I see¡­!¡¹


    First, master to control the darkness, and then train my spiritual power to increase the amount of darkness. Then, I raise my fighting prowess to the absolute limit, and defeat that guy at the end. Which would enable me to attain the ck sword, meaning, manifest my soul dress.


    Certainly, it makes good sense.


    ¡¸It was very helpful, thank you sensei!¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, you¡¯re wee. The Sword King Festival is right around the corner. I¡¯m rooting for you behind the scenes.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes!¡¹


    After I answered cheerfully,


    ¡¸Then, excuse me.¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, try not to push yourself too hard.¡¹


    I left the Director¡¯s office.


    ¡ö


    After Allen exited the Director¡¯s Office,


    ¡¸¡­Yoshi, this should buy a little more time.¡¹


    With a heavy feeling of guilt in her chest, Leia said so.


    And then,


    ¡¸Are you sure that¡¯s alright, Leia-sama¡­? You taught such a wrong training method.¡¹


    No.18, who was working on paperwork in the corner of the room, asked her as though confirming her decision.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    Leia, on the other hand, fell silent with a bitter expression.


    She was tormented by the pangs of conscience.


    ¡¸Originally, you should aim for the manifestation of the ck sword first. No matter how much that¡ºdarkness¡»grows, it is only a¡ºby-product of the ck sword¡». No matter how much time he invests in it, it is ultimately just a sideroad. The main road which is the ck sword, that is, the manifestation of soul dress, he will never reach it. You should already know that right, Leia-sama?¡¹


    In front of the exceedingly precise opinions of No.18, Leia shrugged her shoulders.


    ¡¸¡­It¡¯s unavoidable. To think that he could snatch power away from that guy so soon¡­ No one could¡¯ve imagined it.¡¹


    She sighed, as though¡ºnot knowing what to do¡».


    ¡¸Allen is¡­ undoubtedly a¡ºgenius¡». After all, he was able to make that monster yield with his mental strength. Fufu, with this, I don¡¯t even know which one of them is the real monster.¡¹


    Sheughed feebly and,


    ¡¸Anyhow, we can¡¯t let Allen standout any more than this. It would be dangerous if he caught the attention of the top brass of the ck Organization. Especially the¡ºThirteen Knights of The Oracle¡». If those guys start moving, even I don¡¯t know what would happen.¡¹


    She murmured with a difficult expression.


    ¡¸I see, concealing Allen-dono is the top priority. Is that right?¡¹


    ¡¸Well, that¡¯s what it is¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Understood, I will do as such. But then¡­ Allen-dono will be participating in the Sword King Festival though¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸There is no way he could grow with such a bullshit training method. I¡¯m sure we¡¯d be utterly defeated by the other Five Academy. No, it would be troublesome if we don¡¯t get defeated. The degree of attention on the Sword King Festival is incredibly high after all.¡¹


    She whispered with aplicated expression and,


    ¡¸Now, let¡¯s end this talk here! There is no point in chattering pointlessly. Go work, work!¡¹


    ¡¸U-Understood!¡¹


    She pped her hand and ordered No.18 to resume his work.


    But, on this asion, Leia had already made a huge mistake.


    She was so wary of Allen Rodore¡¯s¡ºtalent¡»that she overlooked Allen Rodore¡¯s¡ºanomaly¡».


    And after this day, Allen single-mindedly trained¡ºDarkness¡».


    Even while walking.


    Even while taking sses.


    Even while swinging.


    Even while eating.


    Even while taking a bath.


    As long as he was awake, he single-mindedly trained¡ºdarkness¡».


    The¡ºendurance¡»that he acquired at the end of a billion years made it possible.


    Finally, it was the day of the Sword King Festival.

 Chapter 74 - Darkness and Sword King Festival [5]

    74. Darkness and Sword King Festival [5]


    When I heard about the wonderful training method from Leia-sensei, I worked hard every day to control¡ºDarkness¡».


    Going through training with the clear goal of¡ºmanipte darkness¡»instead of swinging my sword aimlessly as before was a little fresh and fun.


    During the day, I attended the academy.


    After that was over, I participated in the activity of the practice-swing club.


    In the evening, I honed my swordsmanship with Ria and Rose.


    While living through such a simple daily routine, I was conscious of¡ºdarkness¡»at all times.


    A few, such fulfilling days passed, and it was finally the day of the Sword King Festival.


    ¡¸Well then, Ria, I¡¯m off.¡¹


    The time was seven o¡¯clock in the morning.


    Having finished my morning preparations, I said goodbye to Ria at the front door.


    ¡¸Un, be careful. I¡¯ll cheer you on from the audience seat, so make sure to spot me, alright?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, I got it.¡¹


    The contestants participating in the Sword King Festival had to arrive at the venue a little early.


    That¡¯s why I had to leave the dorm first.


    ¡¸Take care, Allen.¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, see youter.¡¹


    I was seen off by Ria, waving her small right hand, and I went straight to the student council room.


    Before the Sword King Festival begins, we have a brief strategy meeting. After that, all the participating members are scheduled to head to the venue.


    When I arrived at the student council room, I knocked and slowly opened the door after I got permission to enter.


    ¡¸President, Lilim-senpai, Ferris-senpai, good morning.¡¹


    ¡¸Good morning, Allen-kun.¡¹


    ¡¸Good morning, Allen-kun! The weather is just perfect for the Sword King Festival!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­ Good morning.¡¹


    The president with a soft smile.


    As usual, Lilim-senpai was full of energy.


    Ferris-senpai, who is a weak morning person, still had a drowsy look.


    Each of them returned the greetings in three different manners.


    ¡¸Well then, Allen-kun is here, so let¡¯s start the strategy meeting soon.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s right! By the way, my rmendation is¡ºAll-out attack!¡»That¡¯s all!¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯d like you to make it short if possible though¡­ Fuwaa¡­¡¹


    When I chuckled at Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai¡¯s usual antics,


    ¡¸Well, before that¡­ I haven¡¯t shown it to Allen-kun yet. Here, this is our list of participants.¡¹


    The president handed over a piece of paper.


    ¡¸Thank you very much.¡¹


    The names of five representative participants of Thousand de Academy and the fighting order were written on it.


    Vanguard = Allen Rodore.


    Second = Lilim Tsuorine.


    Center = Ferris Magdalot.


    Vice-General = Sie Arcstria.


    General = Sebas Chandler.


    ¡¸¡­Sebas Chandler?¡¹


    The name of a stranger was written.


    It was also registered as¡ºGeneral¡».


    ¡¸Sebas-Chandler, our vice-president.¡¹


    The president answered my mumble with a sigh.


    ¡¸Eh¡­? Did you already find the vice-president?¡¹


    It was said that the vice-president went to the Holy Ronelia Empire, a country that was banned from travel, in search of Blood Diamond.


    Unbelievably, it was for a mere¡ºpunishment game¡».


    ¡¸Nope, still missing as of yet¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­That means-¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah¡­ Unfortunately, the general match will be a loss due to absence.¡¹


    The president continued to talk with a gloomy face.


    ¡¸When I requested the head of Public Morals Committee to serve as a substitute, I was turned down saying,¡ºNot interested¡». In terms of ability, only Sebas is left who can be entrusted with the position of¡ºGeneral¡»or¡ºVice General¡»¡­ That¡¯s why I thought,¡ºInstead of leaving it nk, might as well write his name!¡»and so I registered as such¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I-I see¡­¡¹


    Certainly, the number of people who can be entrusted with¡ºGeneral¡»or¡ºVice General¡» position, where the strongest ss of swordsmen from each academy is projected, will naturally be limited.


    The match between swordsmen is a serious battle.


    If a person of half-baked ability is sent out, a tragedy is certain to happen.


    (But conversely speaking¡­¡ºHead of Public Morals Committee¡»and¡ºVice-President Sebas Chandler¡»are powerful enough to be recognized by the president.)


    If there is an opportunity, I would like to have a mock battle with them.


    When I was thinking about that,


    ¡¸That is why our strategy is¡ºAll-out attack!¡». Or rather, that¡¯s the only option left to us!¡¹


    The president hit the desk and said so strongly.


    ¡¸Oh! That¡¯s good, Sie! We have the same thinking!¡¹


    Lilim-senpai strongly agreed with the president¡¯s¡ºpush forward strategy.¡»


    Satisfied with that, she nodded and began to talk about the contents of that extremely simple strategy.


    ¡¸The strategy is very simple. As you can see, this time I stepped down to the¡ºVice-General¡» position. The intention, is of course, the certain win of the Vice-General battle! So Allen-kun, Ferris, Lilim, the three of you have to snatch¡ºtwo wins¡»one way or another! We will aim for an early settlement before reaching the General match!¡¹


    ¡¸I-I¡¯ll do my best¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸Leave it to me! I¡¯ll settle the match perfectly!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­ I¡¯ll at least try to put in some effort though.¡±


    And as each of us returned our replies,


    ¡¸Then, let¡¯s go to the venue of the Sword King Festival!¡¹


    Following the exultant president, we headed to the venue of the Sword King Festival.


    ¡ö


    The Sword King Festival is one of the highest profile swordsmanship festivals in the country. It is attended by every high-school Swordsmanship Academy.


    Each academy will be divided from Group A to Group H and willpete in the qualifying rounds.


    And only the top two academies that have won through in each group canpete in the main round.


    Naturally, such arge festival does not fit in a single day, and so, the Sword King Festival is held for three days.


    The first day is qualifying rounds, the second day is the main rounds, and the third day is the finals.


    ¡¸Now, we¡¯re here. This is the qualifier venue for Group A,¡ºOrest National Arena¡».¡¹


    The president said, pointing to a huge round shaped arena towering in front of us.


    ¡¸T-This is another magnificent building¡­¡¹


    It was about a size smaller than¡ºGreat Arena¡»in Vesteria.


    That was a stone structure with history and persistence that was exposed to the wind and rain, but this was a modern structure made of steel and concrete.


    ¡¸Well, let¡¯s finish up at the reception desk early. You also need to get used to the¡ºatmosphere¡»inside.¡¹


    The president then proceeded to the reception tent quickly.


    We passed through the gate of the Orest National Arena after we had finished the reception.


    After going through a long cobblestone passage, a scene of arge number of swordsmen unfolded before me.


    (Su-Sugoi¡­ )


    Whether I look to the right or to the left ¨C no matter where I look, they¡¯re all swordsmen.


    The overwhelming atmosphere and the feeling of pressure made me a little overwhelmed.


    I was feeling something akin to¡ºanthropophobia.¡» 1


    Growing up in Goza vige which has far more livestock than people, I¡¯m not very good with this kind of crowd.


    However, I have to work hard and get used to this.


    ¡¸Suu¡­ Haa¡­¡¹


    I took a few deep breaths and calmed down.


    A little whileter, the opening ceremony of the Sword King Festival Executive Committee began.


    The elderly man standing on the tform gave a brief greeting and exined the rules.


    Each academy¡¯s selected five ¨C Vanguard, Second, Center, Vice General, General ¨C the victory goes to the side which acquires three wins first.


    In order to nurture the younger generation, each academy must appoint a first-year student as¡ºVanguard¡»without fail.


    Only swords are allowed into the match, whereas armour and others are prohibited.


    There was nothing unusual. It was just the usual simple rules.


    And finally,


    ¡¸Then, I will release today¡¯s tournament table.¡¹


    The moment the elderly man on the tform said so,


    A tournament table was projected on the huge screen behind him.


    (Thousand de Academy¡­)


    I looked through the tournament table, and found¡ºThousand de Academy¡»on the left end.


    It seems that Thousand de Academy will be in the first match today.


    (The opponent for the first match is¡­¡ºWerewolf Academy¡»¡­)


    It¡¯s a name I¡¯ve never heard of.


    When I was thinking about that,


    ¡¸Uh-heh¡­ We¡¯re fighting¡ºWerewolf¡»in the first match itself¡­ Urgh!¡¹


    Lilim-senpai tantly grimaced.


    ¡¸Lilim-senpai, do you know the Werewolf Academy?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s a fairly famous school. They¡¯re veterans who advanced to the main roundsst year and the year before that. Well, that doesn¡¯t really matter. I just personally don¡¯t like them, because it¡¯s quite a vulgar academy¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I-I see¡­¡¹


    When we were talking about that, the voice of a woman resounded throughout the venue.


    ¡¸Well then, today¡¯s schedule is quite packed, so I¡¯d like to start the first qualifying match right away! Everyone of Thousand de Academy and Werewolf Academy please prepare! With the exception of those two teams, everyone else please leave the stage at once!¡¹


    It seems that the first match will start soon after this.


    And then,


    ¡¸Good luck, Allen!¡¹


    ¡¸You can do it! Fighting spirit is what matters!¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m rooting for you though¡­¡¹


    The president and senpais cheered me on while patting my back.


    ¡¸Ha! I¡¯ll do my best!¡¹


    Thus, I became fired up in anticipation of the¡ºVanguard Battle¡».

 Chapter 75 - Darkness and Sword King Festival [6]

    75. Darkness and Sword King Festival [6]


    Following the instructions of thementator, students other than Thousand de Academy and Werewolf Academy got off the stage and headed to the contestants¡¯ waiting room.


    As the crowd of swordsmen moved, I took a nce at the audience.


    (Wow, there¡¯s a huge number of people in the audience¡­)


    The venue was a full house. There was not even a single empty seat.


    As expected of the Sword King Festival.


    Even though it¡¯s still the qualifying rounds, there was a remarkable difference in public attention.


    (It would be very difficult to find Ria in this crowd¡­)


    Finding Ria from tens of thousands of spectators when I don¡¯t even know where she is.


    Honestly, it¡¯s not realistic.


    Still, I kept looking through the spectators as there was nothing for me to lose.


    ¡¸Now then, from here on, we will start the¡ºVanguard battle¡»between Werewolf Academy and Thousand de Academy!¡¹


    The femalementator dered loudly.


    The next moment, the enthusiasm in the venue reached climax at once, and cheers burst forth as though the earth itself was rumbling.


    ¡¸There we go! The atmosphere in the venue has fired up. Let¡¯s introduce the contestants without dy!¡¹


    Thementator cleared her throat, and began to introduce the contestants enthusiastically.


    ¡¸First of all, Vanguard of Werewolf Academy ¨C Gallow Yundler! ording to the information at hand, he is a super genius swordsman who manifested his soul dress at ten years old! In addition, he has fully mastered the¡ºBlooming Flower Style¡»which is famed in the west! It seems that he was supposed to enrol into the Five Academy, but¡­ due to a violent incident that urred just before that, he unexpectedly entered the Werewolf Academy! In other words, in terms of simple ability, he can be said to be Five Academy ss!¡¹


    The swordsman who was introduced, slowly went up to the stage.


    Gallow Yundler.


    Perfectly styled, shy blonde hair .


    There was a big hint of confidence on his face together with his good features.


    He was a little taller than me, about 175 centimeters tall.


    He was dressed in the uniform of the Werewolf Academy, with a crimson cross running on ck fabric.


    And then,


    ¡¸UUOOOOOOHHHH! Make the festival bloody, Gallow!¡¹


    ¡¸ughter the trash of Thousand de Academy!¡¹


    ¡¸Demonstrate that the times have changed to those¡ºLosers of the Capital¡»!¡¹


    From one block of the audience, foul-mouthed cheers flew.


    They all wore the same uniform as Gallow-san.


    Probably the students of the Werewolf Academy.


    As Lilim-senpai said, it seems to be an ill-natured academy.


    ¡¸Now, the vanguard of Thousand de Academy ¨C Allen Rodore! ording to the information at hand, he is¡­ Eh? ¡­Ah, E-Errr¡­ he is unaffiliated to any school, and he seems to be just doing practice-swings every day. As for the soul dress¡­ Ah, it seems not to have been manifested yet.¡¹


    What can I say¡­? It was a very sad introduction.


    (Everything you said is true, but¡­ I think you could have made a little more decent introduction than that.)


    When I was thinking about that,


    ¡¸Pu¡­ Gyahahahahaha!¡ºUnaffiliated swordsman¡»,what a joke!¡¹


    ¡¸Isn¡¯t the quality of the student way too bad?¡¹


    ¡¸In the end, Thousand de Academy has fallen that much huh¡­! It¡¯s about time they got kicked out of¡ºFive Academy¡»,right?¡¹


    From the audience seat of Werewolf Academy, terrible mockery and abuse flew.


    (It somewhat¡­ feels nostalgic¡­)


    Recently, thanks to the gradual increase in the number of friends, I have encountered less of these jeers, and due to my days being full of ups and downs, Ipletely forgot that I was unaffiliated.


    And then,


    ¡¸Allen! I¡¯m with you! Don¡¯t lose to these guys!¡¹


    Just behind me, in the front row of the audience, Ria shouted loudly while waving.


    Behind her was everyone from ss A, including Rose and Tessa, and seniors dressed in the uniforms of Thousand de Academy.


    (Ria¡­! And everyone¡­!)


    When I waved back to Ria, I felt something was off.


    (Eh, that¡¯s strange¡­)


    Despite Thousand de Academy being mocked, everyone from ss A and the seniors were strangely quiet.


    On the contrary, they had a smug grin on their face for some reason.


    (What the hell is going on¡­?)


    As I tilted my head looking at the audience seating,


    ¡¸Oi Oi, what¡¯s up? You can withdraw if you¡¯re too scared you know?¡¹


    Gallow-san said that andughed at me.


    ¡¸¡­No, it¡¯s okay.¡¹


    I¡¯m way past getting used to the jeers from audiences.


    (And I¡¯m no longer alone¡­)


    Even the lone cheer from Ria, outstrips ten thousand boos.


    And then,


    ¡¸Kukuku, I see I see¡­ Well, you need not worry. Against a third-rate swordsman who is unaffiliated with any school and without a soul dress¡­ haha! It would be too pitiful to use my full power¡­!¡¹


    Gallow-san repeated the provocation, his shoulders shaking together with hisughter.


    As a swordsman, I couldn¡¯t ignore this.


    ¡¸The match between swordsmen is a serious battle.¡¹


    It is true that I was not allowed to enter any school, and I have not been able to manifest my soul dress yet.


    Still ¨C I am a¡ºswordsman¡».


    To go easy on your opponent in a sword match is a very disrespectful act.


    And then,


    ¡¸Oi Oi, what a funny thing you¡¯re saying¡­ I, a super genius swordsman, a ¡°serious battle¡± against a leftover scrap bastard like you? Ha, it¡¯s not even going to be a¡ºmatch¡»! Or rather, if you get too cocky¡­ I¡¯ll kill you!¡¹


    Gallow-san said that, and shot a sharp gaze.


    ¡¸Is that so?¡¹


    As long as he is stubborn and says,¡ºI won¡¯t use my full power¡», it is pointless no matter what I say.


    There¡¯s only one thing I can do.


    (I just have to attack him incessantly until Gallow-san is pressed to unleash his full power¡­!)


    As a swordsman, I was insulted so badly that fighting spirit was seething in my heart.


    Right after that,


    ¡¸Are you both ready! Then, Thousand de Academy vs. Werewolf Academy, the First Battle ¨C Begin!¡¹


    Thementator signaled the start of the match.


    At the same time, I kicked the ground hard to close the distance.


    The next moment ¨C I was already before the nose tip of Gallow-san.


    ¡¸¡­Eh?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Ah?¡¹


    At the same time, a startled voice escaped from both our mouths.


    (This is¡­!?)


    My intention was simply to get close ¡°slightly¡± and examine how Gallow-san responds, but¡­


    I stepped into the¡ºcertain kill distance¡»- No, I identally stepped in.


    Because I was single-mindedly training¡ºdarkness¡», I didn¡¯t notice it.


    Apparently, in tandem with my body, which adapted to the darkness, my physical ability seems to have risen remarkably as well.


    (But, what should I do¡­?)


    It¡¯s just that, cutting down someone who hasn¡¯t pulled out their sword¡­ makes me feel troubled as a swordsman.


    (But this is a serious match¡­)


    It is nothing but an insult to Gallow-san if I hold back here.


    (I can¡¯t cut down an unarmed opponent¡­ However, easing up on the opponent is not excusable¡­)


    As I was stuck between a rock and a hard ce, I delivered a front kick as apromise solution.


    ¡¸-SEI!¡¹


    The kick that I threw with the intention of restraint,


    ¡¸Ga, haa¡­!?¡¹


    Pierced deeply into Gallow-san¡¯s abdomen and he was blown away like a ball.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡­¡­Ha?¡¹¡¹¡¹


    The entire venue fell silent.


    Gallow-san, who flew horizontally, crashed into the wall of the venue andpletely lost consciousness.


    An unbelievable silence, where tens of thousands of spectators were gathered, enveloped the Orest National Arena.


    ¡¸N-No way¡­! Oh, Excuse me! W-Winner, Allen Rodore!¡¹


    The moment when the puzzledmentator dered the results,


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸YOSHAAAAAAAAAAAAA!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    As though their silence from before the match was a lie, the seniors of Thousand de Academy screamed out joyfully.


    ¡¸Did you see that, Werewolf College! This is our Allen Rodore!¡¹


    ¡¸Even so, to not even use the¡ºsword¡»! Returning insult with an insult. This is the shadow boss of our Thousand de Academy!¡¹


    ¡¸Hahaha! We¡¯re going to win the Second and Center battles just like these!¡¹


    Because the seniors were merrily shouting strange things,


    ¡¸No way, that Gallow lost in a single blow. Thousand de Academy¡­ I thought they had fallen, but this year, they seem to have found a good talent.¡¹


    ¡¸But to not even use the sword in a serious match¡­ I pity Gallow¡­ I wonder if he can ever recover as a swordsman.¡¹


    ¡¸Allen Rodore, huh¡­ Behind his gentle face, he is hiding his ogre-like cruel nature.¡¹


    Rumors were spreading to the audiences around them.


    My¡ºmisunderstood bad reputation¡»went beyond Thousand de Academy and finally spread to the general public.


    ¡¸Haa¡­ I just hope it doesn¡¯t boil up something troublesome again.¡¹


    I slowly got off the stage, heaving a loud sigh.


    In any case, I won the first battle against Gallow Yundler-san.

 Chapter 76 - Darkness and Sword King Festival [7]

    76. Darkness and Sword King Festival [7]


    After winning the first battle safely, I returned to the president and senpais who were watching me from the stage wing.


    And then,


    ¡¸As expected, Allen-kun! You were splendid!¡¹


    ¡¸It was a wonderful front kick! I waspletely enthralled!¡¹


    ¡¸Well done though¡­¡¹


    They were quite happy with my victory.


    ¡¸Thank you very much.¡¹


    After replying with a smile, I sent a nce towards the audience, and my gaze met Ria¡¯s.


    When I waved over to Ria, who had been cheering for me all the while, a big smile bloomed on her face.


    When I was doing so, thementator¡¯s voice resounded loudly.


    ¡¸Who on earth expected such a result! Allen Rodore, perhaps he is going to be the¡ºDark Horse¡»of this tournament! Now, let¡¯s continue. We will start the¡ºSecond battle¡»!¡¹


    The Second of Thousand de Academy is Lilim Tsuorine-senpai.


    ¡¸I¡¯m rooting for you, Lilim-senpai!¡¹


    ¡¸Take advantage of Allen-kun¡¯s momentum, Lilim!¡¹


    ¡¸Do your best though¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Fufufu, leave it to me!¡¹


    Saying that, she went up to the stage triumphantly.


    ¡ö


    After that, Lilim-senpai disyed an offense which almost seemed like a raging fire, and won the Second battle.


    And the Center match continued, where Ferris-senpai managed to win safely despite struggling a little.


    When we won all three battles ¨C the Vanguard battle, the Second battle, and the Center battle,


    ¡¸Sword King Festival Qualifiers A Group ¨C The winner of thememorative first match is one of the Five Academy, Thousand de Academy! Congrattions!¡¹


    We were able to safely win the first match against the famous, veteran Werewolf Academy.


    And then,


    ¡¸Way to go! Each one was a good match!¡¹


    ¡¸Hey, is this finally the year of resurgence of the¡ºInvincible¡»Thousand de Academy!?¡¹


    The audience sent a voice of blessing and a crackling apuse.


    ¡¸Now then, we will continue with the second match, Twilight Academy vs Mist Academy! For everyone at Thousand de Academy and Werewolf Academy, please go down to the contestants¡¯ waiting room!¡¹


    Then we went to the contestants¡¯ waiting room as thementary progressed.


    Walking down the long corridor, the moment I opened the door of the waiting room.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    Almost every swordsman in the waiting room stared at me.


    A person who peeped at me with a sidelong nce.


    A person who turned an evaluating nce towards me.


    A person staring straight from the front, without hiding it.


    (It¡¯s not my imagination, right¡­)


    As I felt ufortable with the strange situation,


    ¡¸Fufu, everyone is very interested in Allen-kun, aren¡¯t they?¡¹


    ¡¸Because he had a brilliant ¡°Sword King Festival debut!¡± Kuh, how I envy you!¡¹


    ¡¸No, it¡¯s troublesome as usual though¡­¡¹


    The president and senpais said so andughed it off lightly.


    ¡¸We don¡¯t need to care about their nces. Let¡¯s take it easy and prepare for the next match. ¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, that¡¯s right.¡¹


    Then I waited for the start of our second match, talking happily with my senpais as usual.


    ¡ö


    After that, we continued to win with unstoppable momentum.


    Most of the matches were three straight wins ¨C Vanguard, Second, and Center.


    There were rare matches where Lilim-senpai or Ferris-senpai were defeated, but¡­


    The president, who was waiting in the Vice General battle, firmly secured a win. And we finally advanced to the final match of the A-Group qualifiers.


    ¡¸Now, let¡¯s start the final match of today. Thousand de Academy vs. Astrology Academy!¡¹


    Thementator dered with the loudest voice by far today.


    ¡¸At the Sword King Festival, the top two academies in each group will advance to the main rounds, which means, both of these academies have already advanced to the main rounds. But will they break through in first ce or in second ce? Due to that, it is basically heaven and hell beyond this point!¡¹


    She took a breath and continuedmentating.


    ¡¸In the matching of the main rounds, the academy that broke through in the first ce will be matched against the second ce of another group! The second ce will sh with the first ce of another group! In other words, both Thousand de Academy and Astrology Academy will want to break through the first ce at all costs!¡¹


    When I heard the matching of the Sword King Festival main rounds for the first time,


    (Well, we can¡¯t lose here!)


    I was firmly made aware of the¡ºweight¡»of this final round.


    There is no doubt that the first ce of each group will be the¡ºFive Academy¡»including the Ice King Academy.


    If we continue winning in order, we will eventually sh with other Five Academy.


    But it¡¯s better to be aste¡»as possible.


    (In the main rounds, we will have to fight four matches, excluding the finals.)


    Thest four matches will be the best 16, best 8, quarter-finals and semi-finals.


    Of course, every single match will be a deadly match, and the physical exhaustion will be tremendous.


    (We have to win¡ºconsecutive battles¡»in the form of a¡ºtournament¡». Which means, in the sense of avoiding unnecessary exhaustion and injury, it is advantageous to sh with a Five Academy aste¡»as possible.)


    When I was thinking about that,


    ¡¸Now, let¡¯s quickly introduce the contestants!¡¹


    Thementator moved on to the customary introduction of the contestants.


    ¡¸First of all, Vanguard of Thousand de Academy ¨C Allen Rodore! What a total victory of all the battles so far! Moreover, he is the dark horse of this tournament that achieved the feat of¡ºall wins unscathed¡»without receiving a single sword wound!¡¹


    And without dy, she began to introduce the next contestant.


    ¡¸And next, Vanguard of Astrology Academy ¨C Sven Rosrick! He belongs to a rare school of the southern origin called the Soft Sword Style, and has left a wonderful performance of winning all the matches so far, the same as contestant Allen!¡¹


    The swordsman who was introduced slowly climbed up to the stage.


    Sven Rosrick.


    Long ck hair extending on both sides.


    Cool facial features that could be mistaken for being around 3 years older.


    He was almost as tall as me, about 170 centimeters tall.


    Yellow lines running on white fabric, the uniform of Astrology Academy, which looked like noble clothing, dressed his person.


    When he climbed onto the stage, he stared at me.


    ¡¸I am Sven Rosric. Just want to say best regards.¡¹


    He held out his right hand and seeked for a handshake.


    ¡¸Me too, Sven-san.¡¹


    I grasped his right hand tightly and shook his hand before the battle.


    (Sven-san has honest eyes. And above all, he¡¯s a very polite person¡­)


    It seems like we¡¯ll be able to have a pleasant match.


    As I was thinking about that,


    ¡¸You¡­ You¡¯ve been having a hard academy life, right?¡¹


    With my right hand still in his grip, Sven-san said something I didn¡¯t understand.


    ¡¸¡­Eh?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, my bad¡­ When I hold the other person¡¯s hand, I can relive what kind of life they have lived so far. It is something like a ¡°by-product of my soul dress¡±.¡¹


    ¡¸S-Something like that¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa¡­ For example, Gran Swordsmanship Academy was a really terrible ce, right? From such a terrible environment, you did well to grow to this point, and¡­!?¡¹


    While speaking, Sven-san¡¯s face suddenly turned pale and he pulled away his right hand.


    ¡¸Haa haa¡­!?¡¹


    As he hyperventted,rge beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.


    ¡¸T-This is¡­!¡¹


    Did he perhaps¡­ Relive my memory in the¡ºPrison of Time¡»?


    (If so, I feel like I have done something bad¡­)


    I don¡¯t know how many¡ºhundreds of millions of years¡»of memory he experienced, but¡­


    Judging from his reaction, he must have experienced quite a painful memory.


    (Oh no¡­)


    I should have warned him when he told me about his ability.


    ¡¸Umm¡­ Sven-san, are you all right¡­?¡¹


    And when I approached him, who was as white as a sheet,


    ¡¸Hi-Hii¡­!? D-Don¡¯te near me! MONSTER!¡¹


    He screamed, jumped off the stage, and ran away frantically towards the waiting room.


    ¡¸E-Err¡­¡¹


    As I was left stunned, alone on the stage,


    ¡¸¡­What on earth happened!? Contestant Sven was shaking hands with contestant Allen¡­ And suddenly ran away! Well, uh¡­ I would like to seek for the judgment of the Sword King Festival Executive Committee on this matter, so please wait for a while!¡¹


    Thementator said so, and left the seat for a while.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    Tens of thousands of people¡¯s gazes pierced me.


    ¡¸As expected, there¡¯s something¡ºhidden¡»about Allen Rodore.¡¹


    ¡¸Exactly. That frightened figure of Sven¡­ I¡¯m sure he received some kind of¡ºthreat¡»!¡¹


    ¡¸No no, maybe Sven was just ¡±acting¡±, right?¡¹


    ¡¸W-What do you mean¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s quite simple really¡­ Allen Rodore offered him a deal.¡ºGive up the match in return for arge sum of money¡».¡¹


    ¡¸I-I see¡­!¡¹


    From here, I can¡¯t hear what the audiences were talking about, but¡­


    I could somehow feel my bad reputation spreading.


    (Haa¡­ Why am I the only one who always has to go through this¡­?)


    Just when I ended up thinking we¡¯ll be able to have a pleasant match, things turn out this way.


    And when I heaved a sigh deeply,


    ¡¸Thank you very much for waiting! So¡­ As a result of the deliberations, it has been ruled that, Allen Rodore wins by default in the Vanguard battle!¡¹


    Thementator said, and announced my victory by default.


    At that moment, the buzz of the venue became even noisier.


    It is most likely that¡­ The audiences don¡¯t agree with the result.


    And then,


    ¡¸Well,e on! That was an unexpected happening, but let¡¯s put in behind and move forward to the Second battle!¡¹


    With a cheerful voice that blew away the noise of the venue, thementator advanced the qualifying rounds.


    ¡ö


    After that, the match with Astrology Academy was extremely fierce.


    In the Second match, Lilim-senpai was defeated after a fierce battle.


    And when the score was tied one-to-one, Ferris-senpai managed to attain a narrow victory against a strong opponent in the Center match.


    And in the remaining Vice General match, the president picked up a certain victory.


    As a result,


    ¡¸The first ce of the A group is one of the Five Academy, Thousand de Academy!¡¡Everyone, please give them a big round of apuse!¡¹


    We got through the A-Group Qualifiers in first ce and advanced to the¡ºSword King Festival Main Rounds¡».

 Chapter 77 - Darkness and Sword King Festival [8]

    77. Darkness and Sword King Festival [8]


    After we broke through the qualifying rounds of the Sword King Festival, I went back to the dormitory with Ria after sharing the joy of victory with the president and everyone else from Thousand de Academy.


    ¡¸Fuu¡­ I¡¯m a little tired¡­¡¹


    I took off my shoes at the door, and exhaled loudly.


    ¡¸Fufu, good job. It was a big sess today.¡¹


    ¡¸Thanks to Ria¡¯s support.¡¹


    I put my sword down, and slouched onto the sofa.


    (It was a really tense day¡­)


    Today alone, I fought nearly ten swordsmen ¨C against extremely talented swordsmen representing each academy.


    I did not confront a single soul-dress user who excelled at long-range attacks, so I managed to win somehow.


    (¡­I¡¯m mentally tired.)


    The match between swordsmen is a serious battle.


    Just before the start of the match, I steeled myself and was tensed throughout the match.


    It is only natural to be tired, because I repeated it nearly ten times.


    (Let¡¯s take a break¡­ Just for a little bit¡­)


    I decided to close my eyes on the sofa for a little while.


    And then,


    ¡¸Nee¡­, Al¡­ Nee Allen, wake up.¡¹


    ¡¸Nn¡­ Ah, Ri-Ria¡­?¡¹


    When I came to, Ria was shaking my shoulder.


    ¡¸Mou¡­ If you sleep in a ce like this, you¡¯ll catch a cold.¡¹


    ¡¸A-Aa, sorry¡­¡¹


    It seems that I fell asleep on the sofa.


    ¡¸Nn¡­!¡¹


    In order to get rid of sleepiness, I stood up and stretched my body,


    ¡¸Allen, the bath has been heated, but¡­ What do you want to do? Would you like to eat first?¡¹


    Ria tilted her head saying so.


    It seems that while I was asleep, she has been taking care of various things.


    ¡¸Thank you, Ria. Let¡¯s see¡­ I¡¯ll take a bath first.¡¹


    ¡¸I see. But don¡¯t fall asleep in the bath, okay?¡¹


    ¡¸Aha, I know.¡¹


    Then I entered the bath which Ria prepared, ate her homemade Ramzac, and went to bed rtively early at 9pm.


    ¡¸Fuwaa¡­ Un¡­ Good night, Ria.¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu¡­ Good night, Allen.¡¹


    Feeling Ria next to me as usual, my consciousness slowly faded into slumber.


    ¡ö


    And the next day arrived.


    Just like yesterday, I joined with the president and senpais before going to the National Holy Battlefield.


    The National Holy Battlefield is an important cultural property designated by the government and is open to the public during the Sword King Festival and some other festivals.


    The stone-like building had a simr historic vibe to Vesteria¡¯s Great Arena. It was built with solemnity and presence.


    ¡¸-I would like to end the greetings here. Thank you for your attention.¡¹


    At the end of the speech by the Sword King Festival Executive Committee, apuse was sent from the full house venue.


    From there, a woman in thementary was in charge of advancing the festival.


    ¡¸Today is the main rounds of the Sword King Festival! Grand battles to determine the pinnacle of Swordsmanship Academy is about to begin!¡¹


    At that moment,


    Thunderous cheers, apuse, support, and finger whistles broke out collectively.


    (¡­¡­!?)


    I felt the¡ºpressure of sound¡»for the first time in my life.


    It was such a strange feeling, as though an electric shock was running through my skin.


    ¡¸So let¡¯s move on to the¡ºlottery¡»to decide the match card!¡¹


    Thementator, who held the microphone in the front row of the audience seat, took out tworge boxes.


    On the surface of each box, the numbers¡ºOne¡»and¡ºTwo¡»were written.


    ¡¸The lottery method is simple and clear! Boxes¡ºOne¡»and¡ºTwo¡»contain balls with the names of the Academies that broke through the first ce and second ce respectively! From now on, I¡¯m going to take one ball out of each box. The academies listed on the balls will match against each other!¡¹


    She rolled up her right sleeve and put her hand in box¡ºOne¡»after stating the drawing method.


    ¡¸Now, the firstmemorative match! They came out right from the start! One of the Five Academy, Thousand de Academy!¡¹


    Thementator held up the ball which had¡ºThousand de Academy¡»written on it high.


    ¡¸The first match itself, huh¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Right away it would seem¡­ Let¡¯s do our best!¡¹


    ¡¸Yoshaa! Let¡¯s just do it!¡¹


    ¡¸Uwaa¡­ If possible, the third or fourth match would¡¯ve been better though¡­¡¹


    Tension ran through all four of us.


    Then, thementator put her hand in box¡ºTwo¡»with the same vigour.


    ¡¸Now, from box¡ºtwo¡»- It¡¯s Snow Academy! But, Snow Academy was so exhausted in the qualifying rounds that there was a call this morning, saying that they¡¯re¡ºwithdrawing from the main rounds¡». Thus, it will be a default win for Thousand de Academy! Thousand de Academy, luck is with you today!¡¹


    ¡¸Wi-Withdrawing¡­?¡¹


    When I muttered to myself, the president gently added an exnation from the side.


    ¡¸They probably exhausted themselves in the qualifying rounds. In the¡ºmain rounds¡», one or two academies are like this every year.¡¹


    ¡¸I see¡­ That¡¯s what it was¡­¡¹


    Since every single battle was fought fiercely, they¡¯re unable to recover within a single day.


    As I was thinking about that,


    ¡¸Now, let¡¯s move on and start the draw for the second match!¡¹


    Thementator put her hand in box¡ºOne¡»again.


    ¡¸The only one who contacted us, saying¡ºwithdrawing from the main rounds¡»is Snow Academy. There will be no more default wins after this! Well, the next academy is¡­ Here theye! They¡¯re also one of the Five Academy ¨C Ice King Academy!¡¹


    Ice King Academy ¨C A super-famous swordsmanship academy where Sid-san and Cain-san belong to and Ferris-san serves as the director.


    ¡¸Facing them will be¡­ It is the up-anding dark horse, Phantom Academy, who advanced to the scene of Sword King Festival main rounds as early as their third year of establishment!¡¹


    Phantom Academy, huh¡­


    That¡¯s a name I¡¯ve never heard of.


    ¡¸From here on, we will start the¡ºVanguard battle¡»! Everyone from Ice King Academy and Phantom Academy, get ready! Everyone else, please move to the special seating!¡¹


    We followed the instructions of thementator and headed to the special seat.


    Each of the sixteen academies that participated in the tournament was assigned a special viewing seat in the front row of the audience seats.


    When the four of us arrived at the special seat dedicated to Thousand de Academy,


    ¡¸Well then, we¡¯ll introduce the contestants before the start of the battle!¡¹


    As usual, thementator began to introduce the contestants.


    ¡¸The Vanguard of Ice King Academy ¨C Sid Euclius! Super genius swordsman who manifested his soul dress during his childhood! He won all the qualifying matches with overwhelming ability. His opponents didn¡¯t even stand a chance. He has a great performance record so far! And also a super problem child that caused a violent incident at the Big Five Holy Festival soon after enrolling, and was suspended for a month!¡¹


    Sid-san, who received the introduction, slowly climbed up to the stone stage.


    (Even so, the¡ºBig Five Holy Festival¡», huh ¡­)


    It happened only four months ago, but¡­ It feels like a long time ago.


    ¡¸And the Vanguard of Phantom Academy ¨C Zari Drahl! This is¡­ We don¡¯t have any data at hand! There is only the super-recent data that he won all the matches in the qualifying round of the D Group! Truly a¡ºnameless¡»contestant, I wonder what kind of fight he¡¯ll show us!¡¹


    When thementator eximed, Zari-san, dressed in a scarlet robe that seemed to be the uniform of Phantom Academy, went up to the stage.


    I could feel the tense air between the two contestants even from here.


    ¡¸Are you both ready! Then the Vanguard battle ¨C Begin!¡¹


    Thementator signaled the start of the battle.


    ¡¸Drag in -¡´Acid Swamp¡µ!¡¹


    At the same time as the signal to start the battle, Zari-san brought out his soul dress. Sid-san, on the other hand, with his sword hanging sloppily in his right hand, simply stared at his opponent absentmindedly.


    ¡¸HAAAAAAAAAAAAA!¡¹


    Zari-san¡¯s roar echoed throughout the venue, and the match between the Ice King Academy and Phantom Academy began.


    And the battle was awfully one-sided.


    ¡¸Oi Oi¡­ Is it over already? This doesn¡¯t even serve as a warm up¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Kuh¡­ Monster¡­¡¹


    Without even using his soul dress, Sid-san, with his overwhelming physical ability, trampled down Zari-san.


    ¡¸S-Strong¡­¡¹


    He was iparable to the time we fought before.


    Arm strength, Leg strength, Reaction speed, Sword speed ¨C the physical ability that is the basis of swordsmanship, had improved to the extent of¡ºabnormal¡».


    In reaction to the overwhelming difference in power, the entire venue including thementator, gasped.


    ¡¸-HAA!? E-Excuse me! Winner, Sid Euclius! Man¡­ It was an amazing match! Superhuman body movement that left everyone speechless!¡¹


    Thementator talked about the battle briefly.


    ¡¸Now, continuing on, let¡¯s move to the next battle!¡¹


    After that, she introduced the contestants of both academies again, and the Second battle began.


    ¡ö


    After that, contrary to popr expectations, Ice King Academy was defeated by Phantom Academy.


    ¡¸H-How do I say this!? One of the Five Academy, Ice King Academy, was defeated in the best 16 stage!?¡¹


    When thementator said so, a bigmotion broke out among the audience.


    Everyone was surprised by the unexpected result.


    In the Vanguard battle, Sid-san won an overwhelming victory.


    And in the sessive Second battle, Center battle, and Vice General battle, were all won by Phantom Academy.


    And then,


    ¡¸Haha! The only decent swordsman was the guy at the start, Sid alone!? How pathetic Ice King Academy! The 2nd and 3rd year students were just for show, is it! Oi, Sid! You better quit that bumpkin Ice King Academy, ande to the Phantom Academy!¡¹


    He was a contestant of Phantom Academy. The man who just fought in the¡ºVice General Battle¡», Rahm Riot, ridiculed the Ice King Academy.


    (This is bad¡­)


    I have learned one thing during the joint summer camp with Ice King Academy.


    (Even with the way Sid-san is, he is someone with a strong sense of camaraderie¡­)


    Although he has a rough temperament, at his root, he is kind. There¡¯s no way he¡¯ll take the insult of his friends lying down.


    And then,


    ¡¸A¡±a!? Bastard scum¡­ What did you just say?¡¹


    Sid-san, who seemed clearly displeased, approached Phantom Academy¡¯s Vice General, Rahm-san.


    ¡¸S-Stop¡­! Don¡¯t let him get to you, Sid!¡¹


    The seniors of Ice King Academy desperately tried to stop him, but¡­


    Sid-san, who was burning with anger, could no longer be stopped.


    As though to add fuel to the fire,


    ¡¸Haha! I¡¯ll say it however many times you want! Ice King Academy is a¡ºgathering of ipetence¡»!¡¹


    Rahm-san provoked him again.


    ¡¸Ho¡­ If you really want to die that badly¡­ I¡¯ll kill you as you wish! Devour all -¡´Vanargand¡µ!¡¹


    At that moment, extreme cold air swept through the venue.


    ¡¸Haha! Amusing, a first-year brat wants to kill me!? Bore -¡´Snake Poison¡µ!¡¹


    Thus, the all-out fight that no one foresaw began.

 Chapter 78.1 - Darkness and Sword King Festival [9] – part 1

    78. Darkness and Sword King Festival [9] ¨C part 1


    The battle between Sid-san, who maniptes cold air, and Vice General of Phantom Academy, Rahm Riot-san, who maniptes poison, was fierce.


    ¡¸¡´Freeze Lance¡µ!¡¹


    When Sid-san rained down the icences,


    ¡¸Haa, naive!¡´Snake Coil¡µ!¡¹


    Rahm-san¡¯s purple shield made of poison, easily defended it.


    ¡¸Now it¡¯s my turn -¡´Snake Whip¡µ!¡¹


    When he swung his sword in counterattack, more than a hundred snakes made of poison attacked Sid-san all at once.


    ¡¸What a boring technique -¡´Heavenly Ice Pir¡µ!¡¹


    A huge icicle rose from the stage and wiped out the serpents that rushed towards Sid-san.


    (Amazing!)


    It was an even battle in a see-saw state.


    However, when the battle continued for a few more minutes, the trend gradually became clear.


    ¡¸What¡¯s up what¡¯s up! Is that all you got?! Mighty vice general, haa!?¡¹


    ¡¸Guh¡­ Damn first-year brat!¡¹


    Sid-san¡¯s movement after the¡ºwarm up¡»was bing more precise. On the other hand, Rahm-san¡¯s movement gradually slowed down.


    His hands and feet were discolored to a pale purple, and signs of hypothermia can be seen.


    (The effects appeared much faster than before!)


    It has only been about two minutes since the fight started. Perhaps the cold air emitted by¡´Vanargand¡µhas been strengthened to the extremes.


    (To think it has grown to this extent¡­)


    Rahm-san was by no means an immature swordsman.


    Excellent physical ability and sharpened swordsmanship. Plus a powerful soul dress with useful battle applications.


    He was a first-ss swordsman worthy of participating in the Sword King Festival main rounds.


    However, Sid-san was a¡ºsuper-first-ss swordsman¡»who far exceeded him.


    Overwhelming innate physical ability.


    A powerful and unrivaled soul dress that perfectlyplements his physical ability -¡´Vanargand¡µ.


    (As expected, Sid-san is extremely strong¡­)


    After that, the flow of the battle greatly leaned toward Sid-san, and finally his Freeze Lance shot through Rahm-san¡¯s right leg.


    ¡¸Gu, ha¡­!¡¹


    He held his right leg and crouched on the spot.


    (This greatly reduces his mobility¡­ The match should end here, right?)


    With Sid-san having a heinous smile on his face, everyone thought that the match would be settled.


    At that moment,


    ¡¸Fool, you¡¯ve let your guard down!¡´Snake Bite¡µ- OOOH!¡¹


    Rahm-san suddenly sprung up, and shot a huge snake, which was kneaded with arge amount of poison, at a tremendous speed.


    However,


    ¡¸Close the time for all eternity -¡´Ice Wall¡µ!¡¹


    A huge wall of countlessyers of thin ice folds blocked its way.


    The venomous snake that was unleashed at the perfect timing and at point nk range ¨C lost against the Ice Wall.


    ¡¸N-No way¡­!¡¹


    The difference in power was so great that Rahm-san lost his words.


    ¡¸Oi Oi¡­Thatst blow was a surprise attack, wasn¡¯t it? How unsightly! E¡±e!¡¹


    The moment Sid-san snapped his fingers.


    Ice Wall turned into countless lumps of ice and mowed down Rahm-san with tremendous force.


    ¡¸Ah, ga¡­¡¹


    His right leg was pierced, and his ultimate attack was easily defended. Riddled with wounds all over, physically and mentally exhausted, and shot all over by the blizzard of ice lumps, he slowly copsed.


    ¡¸W-W-What An Oue? The victor of¡ºVanguard¡»vs.¡ºVice General¡»is Sid Euclius of Ice King Academy!¡¹


    As thementator tried to liven up the venue,


    ¡¸Way to go, Ice King Academy!¡¹


    ¡¸I didn¡¯t think a vanguard would beat a vice-general¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸I think we can expect something special at next year¡¯s Sword King Festival!¡¹


    The audience couldn¡¯t seem to hide their excitement at the unexpected¡ºgood game(gg)¡».


    The fight is over! ¨C When everyone was thinking that, I alone had a really bad feeling.


    (No, not yet¡­)


    I knew this well.


    Once the fire is lit inside Sid-san, he wouldn¡¯t stop with just this.


    As I expected, he walked up to Rahm-san, who was incapacitated, and set up¡´Vanargand¡µin a stance.


    (This stance is¡­¡´Vanal Thrust¡µ!?)


    It is a deadly thrust that jets out cold air and obtains explosive propulsion.


    If Rahm-san, who can no longer move even a finger, received such a blow¡­ He will literally be torn to pieces.


    ¡¸Wha!? Contestant Sid!? No more, no more! This goes against the rules of the tournament!¡¹


    Thementator issued a warning quickly, but¡­ It was toote.


    ¡¸¡´Vanal Thrust¡µ!¡¹


    Tremendous cold air jets out, and a thrust of tremendous power was unleashed.


    ¡¸No, Sid-san!¡¹


    The moment I shouted out,


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡´Four Gate Gravity Formation¡µ!¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹


    Transparent green nks about the length of Sid-san¡¯s body, pinned him from all sides.


    ¡¸What¡­ is this¡­!?¡¹


    He was pinned from all sides and couldn¡¯t move, so he irritatedly clicked his tongue loudly.


    (Who is it¡­!?)


    When I turned my eyes to the voice, there was the figure of four Senior Holy Knights.


    They went up to the stage with a green longsword, which seemed to be a soul dress, holding it in front of their chests.


    (Senior Holy Knights¡­ Thank goodness!)


    They were probably deployed in preparation for such unforeseen situations.


    ¡¸Fuu¡­they came at thest minute.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯ve heard the rumors, but¡­ this guy really is a rabid dog¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Sid Euclius. The current attack was a clear vition of the rules.¡¹


    ¡¸Sorry, but we will have to take you to the Holy Knights Association.¡¹


    The moment a senior Holy Knight with handcuffs approached Sid-san.


    The green boards that held him down, froze with every passing moment, and


    ¡¸Get this disgusting thing¡­ away from me!¡¹


    It shattered along with Sid-san¡¯s angry roar.


    ¡¸I-Impossible!¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s a high gravity quadruple restraint!¡¹


    He thrust out the tip of¡´Vanargand¡µat the senior Holy Knights, who were surprised by the unexpected situation.


    ¡¸Who the hell are you guys!? If you get in my way, I¡¯ll kill you too!¡¹

 Chapter 78.2 - Darkness and Sword King Festival [9] -part 2

    <h4>78. Darkness and Sword King Festival [9] -part 2</h4>


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡­¡­¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹


    Sid-san forced the senior Holy Knights to step back in fear with a single re, and turned his gaze towards Rahm-sanying right under his feet.


    ¡¸He-Help¡­¡¹


    He reached for his fellow Phantom Academy students with a trembling hand, and chattering teeth.


    However, due to the intense bloodlust emitted by Sid-san, they were petrified on the spot.


    ¡¸Haa¡­ You¡¯re gonna have to die now¡­¡¹


    When Sid-san swung down his sword without any hesitation,


    ¡¸Stop, Sid!¡¹


    A woman¡¯s voice echoed and his sword stopped mid-swing.


    ¡¸M-Miss¡­?!¡¹


    The woman on the stage was Ferris Dorahain, the director of Ice King Academy.


    ¡¸Haa¡­ As usual, a child who doesn¡¯t know restraint. If you go through with it, that boy will really die, you know?¡¹


    ¡¸B-But Miss¡­ This trash said¨C¡¹


    ¡¸So you won¡¯t listen to me?¡¹


    When Ferris-san said that with a sad expression,


    ¡¸Tch¡­ I got it.¡¹


    He sheathed his sword and released¡´Vanargand¡µ.


    And then,


    ¡¸S-Secure him¡­!¡¹


    Once Sid-san¡¯s intention to kill disappeared, more than ten senior Holy Knights moved in to arrest him.


    ¡¸No need to be so rough man¡­¡¹


    Sid-san was not scared at all and was taken away with his¡ºusual¡»attitude.


    As the hall venue quieted down, the president whispered.


    ¡¸To be able to break the soul dress of four senior Holy Knights¡­ What a frightening child!¡¹


    ¡¸Un Un, he¡¯s grown up a lot since the summer camp! I¡¯d like to have a match against him with all my strength once!¡¹


    ¡¸No matter how I think about it, I don¡¯t think you can win though, Lilim¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Wh-What!?¡¹


    I was concerned about another thing, as the president and senpais talked about him.


    ¡¸I wonder if Sid-san is gonna be alright¡­¡¹


    This is the¡ºsecond time¡»he has caused problems following the Big Five Holy Festival.


    (If I remember correctly,st time, he was suspended for a month the same as me, but¡­)


    Perhaps, a heavier punishment may be handed down this time.


    And then,


    ¡¸Of course, there will be some kind of punishment, but¡­ I am sure he won¡¯t be expelled.¡¹


    The president dered clearly.


    ¡¸Behind Sid-san is¡­ No, behind Ferris-san is that Rize Dorahain. No one will go against¡ºFox Finance¡»by choice. It will most likely be a short suspension likest time.¡¹


    ¡¸I see, that¡¯s good¡­¡¹


    And when I sigh a breath of relief,


    ¡¸O-Okay now! There was an unexpected brawl, but let¡¯s get back to the tournament and draw for the third match!¡¹


    In a loud voice that blew away the noise in the venue, thementator resumed the Sword King Festival main rounds.


    ¡ö


    After that, the other Five Academy also won adequately, and the match of the best eight was about to start.


    The first match of the best eight, the quarter finals, was once again Thousand de Academy.


    ¡¸Fuu¡­¡¹


    It¡¯s finally here.


    In the best 16 round, Snow Academy withdrew, so this will be our first match in the Sword King Festival main rounds.


    (I am going to express the results of all my training to this point on this stage!)


    And as I clenched my fist tightly,


    ¡¸Fufu, I am a little nervous!¡¹


    ¡¸Now, who is our opponent? Bring them out already!¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯d like to avoid a Five Academy if possible though¡­¡¹


    The president and senpais also seemed to be restless, and fidgeting slightly.


    ¡¸Now, just which academy will have a showdown with Thousand de Academy!?¡¹


    Thementator then put her right hand in arge box marked¡ºSword King Festival¡»on the surface.


    From the best eight onwards, first ce and second ce was irrelevant, so the opponent was determined at random.


    And,


    ¡¸Here they are! One of the Five Academy, the all-girl¡ºWhite Lily Academy¡»!¡¹


    We finally matched with one of the¡ºFive Academy¡», White Lily Academy.


    (This is it! This is my first battle against another Five Academy since the Ice King Academy!)


    As I was getting fired up,


    ¡¸I-It¡¯s over¡­¡¹


    ¡¸T-This might be a little hard¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Man¡­ No matter how I think about it, this is¡ºcheckmate¡»though¡­¡¹


    The president and senpais said with their shoulders drooped.


    Even the always positive Lilim-senpai, had a bitter smile.


    ¡¸Are they really that strong¡­!?¡¹


    When I, who don¡¯t know much about the Five Academy, asked ¨C the president simply nodded.


    ¡¸They¡¯re not just strong¡­ White Lily Academy is a super-strong academy that has been the¡ºrunner-up¡»in thest five Sword King Festivals consecutively.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes yes, and this year, the strongest first-year student known as¡ºProdigy¡»Idol Luxmaria has joined them. Allen-kun¡­ work hard!¡¹


    ¡¸No, you don¡¯t really have to work hard. I just want you to do your best so you don¡¯t get killed at the very least though¡­¡¹Ferris-senpai said rtively seriously.


    (T-The other party is that strong¡­!?)


    When my eyes widened in surprise,


    ¡¸Now, let¡¯s start with the customary contestant introduction!¡¹


    Thementator began to introduce the contestants.


    ¡¸Vanguard of Thousand de Academy ¨C Allen Rodore! There is no affiliated school or soul dress, but his overwhelming physical strength and polished swordsmanship is worthy of mention! In the qualifying rounds of A Group, all wins were won unscathed, and he is a dark horse-like existence of this tournament!¡¹


    When I went up to the stage,


    ¡¸Allen! Good luck!¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t be tense! We¡¯re together with you!¡¹


    ¡¸You are the first-year representative, so don¡¯t lose!¡¹


    From the audience, Ria, Rose, and Tessa¡¯s encouraging cheers supported me.


    ¡¸And the Vanguard of White Lily Academy -¡ºProdigy¡»Idol Luxmaria! I don¡¯t think there is even a need to talk about this swordsman in detail! This swordsman who is known as the ¡°Strongest First-Year¡±! Let¡¯s just quietly watch and burn her exquisite techniques into our memory!¡¹


    The moment a magnificent female swordsman climbed up to the stage, a thunderous cheer broke out.


    ¡¸OHHHHH, SHE¡¯S HERE! I came here to see her!¡¹


    ¡¸KYAAA, IDOL-SAMA! Please turn over here!¡¹


    Idol Luxmaria.


    Azure pupils which almost seemed transparent.


    Long, beautiful, pure white hair that was half-up.


    Noble facial features as though sculpted.


    Snow white skin.


    Height was about 165 centimeters, which could be said to be tall for a woman of 15 years old.


    She was dressed in the White Lily Academy uniform, blue ent on white fabric, giving off a vibe of¡ºdignity¡».


    (Even so¡­ She¡¯s very popr¡­)


    Men and women alike, sent thunderous cheers and support to Idol-san.


    When she climbed up to the stage, she looked me straight in the eye without saying anything in particr.


    And then,


    ¡¸Are you both ready! Then the Vanguard battle ¨C Begin!¡¹


    The voice of thementator echoed throughout the venue.


    At the same time, I pulled out my sword and assumed Seigan no Kamae.


    (The female swordsman who is known as¡ºProdigy¡»and¡ºStrongest First-Year¡»- Idol Luxmaria-san!)


    She is the perfect opponent!


    As such, the fire of battle between Idol-san and I was ignited.

 Chapter 79 - Darkness and Sword King Festival [10]

    <h4>79. Darkness and Sword King Festival [10]</h4>


    Idol-san gripped a long sword in her right hand, with her center of gravity slightly to the right. Assuming a slightly unique stance.


    (One-hand stance¡­ that¡¯s rare¡­)


    From the viewpoint of both offence and defence, it makes more sense to hold the sword with both hands.


    Firmly lower your center of gravity.


    Try to keep the other party at the center of your vision.


    Gently grip the sword with both hands as if wrapping it.


    This is the established theory of modern swordsmanship that we learn at Swordsmanship Academy.


    Her stance greatly deviated from that definite theory.


    (But don¡¯t let your guard down¡­)


    The other party is a top-notch swordsman called¡ºProdigy¡»and¡ºStrongest First Year¡».


    I¡¯m sure that unique stance has some sort of meaning.


    As I was examining Idol-san¡¯s stance while maintaining Seigan no Kamae,


    ¡¸¡­Ah.¡¹


    Suddenly, she let out a short cry and sheathed her sword into the scabbard. And walked up to me without her sword.


    What on earth is she thinking?


    ¡¸¡­¡­Nn.¡¹She stood in front of me and held out her right hand.


    ¡¸What is it?¡¹


    As I tilted my head,


    ¡¸Handshake¡­ You don¡¯t know? Greeting by holding hands.¡¹


    ¡¸I know that, of course, but¡­¡¹


    I didn¡¯t expect to be asked for a handshake at this timing when the match had already begun.


    ¡¸P-Pleased to make your acquaintance.¡¹


    I gently grasped Idol-san¡¯s small hand and shook it.


    ¡¸Un, nice to meet you.¡¹


    After we broke the handshake, she turned her defenceless back towards me and returned to where she was.


    (She¡¯s somewhat strange¡­)


    Is she unique, or just living in her own head?


    (I think they refer to people like this as a ¡±natural airhead¡±¡­)


    When I was thinking about that,


    ¡¸Let¡¯s do it.¡¹


    Idol-san held the sword which she drew out with her right hand and said so while maintaining her unique stance.


    (That stance is surely not because of being a ¡±natural airhead¡±.)


    It seems that the one-handed grip is her stance.


    ¡¸Then¡­ Here Ie.¡¹


    Victory goes to the one who makes the first move.


    The¡ºsword of wait-and-see¡»is dangerous against a superior swordsman.


    (Attack, attack, single-mindedly attack and push through with momentum!)


    I kicked the ground firmly and zeroed the distance with her in one step.


    ¡¸F-Fast!?¡¹


    I did not miss the chance where she stiffened for a moment,


    ¡¸HA!¡¹


    I unleashed a reverse diagonal sh aimed at her left shoulder which was half defenceless.


    (Yoshi, I got her!)


    The moment I was convinced of the telling blow,


    ¡¸Naive!¡¹


    The metallic sound of swords shing resounded.


    ¡¸Wha!?¡¹


    The blow I unleashed was defended by a second sword that she pulled out with a backhand grip.


    ¡¸T-Two Sword Style!?¡¹


    ¡¸Haa!¡¹


    Idol-san countered with her right sword.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    I had enough time to dodge that blow and jumped back.


    And then,


    ¡¸You¡¯re fast¡­¡¹


    She whispered, staring me in the eye.


    ¡¸Thank you for that.¡¹


    ¡¸I never thought I would have to pull out my second sword at the very beginning of the match. It¡¯s beyond my expectations.¡¹


    Saying that, she slid her right leg half a step forward and her left leg half a step back.


    Her right hand maintained a slightly higher position, and her left hand was pulled back behind.


    (¡°sh¡± with the right hand, and ¡±thrust¡± with the left hand, I see¡­ It¡¯s a pretty aggressive stance¡­)


    Even so, two-sword style, huh¡­


    I¡¯ve heard of it, but this is the first time I¡¯m facing it.


    The difference in¡ºsword¡»is one-to-two. It is inevitable that I lose in number.


    (Should I y by the books, and press forward with ¡±force¡±?)


    When I was thinking about how to proceed with the match,


    ¡¸¡­Wha!?¡¹


    Before I realised, Idol-san was already before my nose tip.


    ¡¸Thunder Style ¨C Heavy Thunder!¡¹


    She brandished the swords at lightning-like speed, and ten shes bared their fangs.


    ¡¸Kuh, Eighth sword ¨C Yatagarasu!¡¹


    I tried to offset it with my eight shes, but one sh slipped through and grazed my left cheek.


    ¡¸Kuh¡­¡¹


    At the same time, one of the Yatagarasu cut her right cheek.


    ¡¸Kyaa¡­¡¹


    Our cheeks were cut like a mirror-match. Aplete tie in terms of injury.


    (She is overwhelmingly superior in the number of shes, but¡­ As expected, my ¡°two hand grip¡± wins in power¡­)


    The current exchange is testament to that.


    Although there were two less shes in number, the Yatagarasu I unleashed tore through her shes.


    In terms of the simple power of each individual sh, mine was superior.


    And then,


    ¡¸What tremendous power¡­ Are you really human?¡¹


    Idol-san whispered, while caressing the wound on her cheek.


    ¡¸Of course I¡¯m human. I could say the same for Idol-san too, that sword speed was not human either¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, thank you.¡¹


    Sheughed delightedly and assumed her unique stance again.


    In response, I firmly assumed Seigan no Kamae.


    ¡¸Then, I¡¯ll make the move this time!¡¹


    ¡¸Come!¡¹


    Then we exchanged ferocious blows repeatedly.


    ¡¸HAAAAA!¡¹


    I closed the distance with Idol-san, and unleashed consecutive attacks without giving her time to breathe.


    ¡¸Kuh¡­¡¹


    Diagonal sh, Bamboo Split, Downward sh, Upward sh, Thrust ¨C She somewhat managed to defend all the point-nk consecutive attacks raining down on her.


    However, there was a big gap in physical strength between me and Idol-san, apart from the two hand grip and one hand grip.


    Every time she defended a blow, her stance gradually became disordered.


    ¡¸Right there!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    The blow that Inded cut through Idol-san¡¯s side.


    Her face distorted in pain, but she matched the timing when I pulled back my sword, and stepped into my range.


    ¡¸Thunder Style ¨C Thunderp!¡¹


    Just as my consecutive attacks before, she unleashed her own set of consecutive attacks at unstoppable speed.


    (Top, Bottom, Top, Bottom, Left, Right ¨C Middle!)


    I opened my eyes wide andpletely cut down her wave of seven consecutive attacks.


    ¡¸No¡­ way!¡¹


    I guess she didn¡¯t think it would be possible to defend them all.


    Idol-san disyed a slightly upset face.


    I didn¡¯t miss that opportunity, and unleashed a follow-up attack.


    ¡¸Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style Secret Technique ¨C Mirrored Sakura sh!¡¹


    ¡¸Kuh¡­¡¹


    She gave up on intercepting and jumped back a great distance.


    ¡¸First Sword ¨C Flying Shadow!¡¹


    I aimed for the opening when shended, and shot a flying sh.


    ¡¸This¡­!?¡¹


    With an unstable posture, Idol-san somehow managed to cut off the looming sh.


    But I had already closed the distance by hiding behind Flying Shadow.


    ¡¸Fifth Sword ¨C World Judgement!¡¹


    I unleashed a certain kill attack at the critical moment.


    ¡¸This is¡­!?¡¹


    Idol-san took a defensive posture for a moment, but she probably instinctively judged that World Judgement could not be defended against.


    She immediately jumped to the right and avoided therge swing.


    However, I have already inserted something there.


    ¡¸Second Sword ¨C Hazy Moon¡¹


    ¡¸Wha, kyaa¡­!¡¹


    The two shes that I inserted during the earlier exchanges burst and grazed her left shoulder and side.


    Fresh blood trickled down Idol-san¡¯s white skin.


    (That¡¯s a good response.)


    The moment Hazy Moon caught her skin, she reflexively twisted her body. So she splendidly avoided a direct hit.


    ¡¸Haa haa¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    Idol-san suffered severalcerations.


    And I am still almost unscathed.


    For now, the battle was heavily leaning towards me.


    When the match temporarily fell into a rigid state,


    ¡¸W-W-What can I say about this situation? Allen Rodore, an entirely nameless contestant, haspletely overwhelmed the¡ºProdigy¡»Idol Luxmaria! Incredible, contestant Allen! Who on earth would have expected you to be such a powerhouse!¡¹


    Thementator eximed in an attempt to enliven the venue.


    However, the audience silently held their breath, and closely observed the fight between me and Idol-san.


    And then,


    ¡¸You are strong¡­ Allen. I never imagined that I would ever lose in swordsmanship!¡¹


    Idol-san said frustratedly, and sheathed both her swords.


    At that moment, I sensed it.


    (So¡­ It¡¯s finallying!)


    Tense air began to permeate the battlefield, and the intimidating air surrounding her grewrger.


    ¡¸If it¡¯s a match without soul dress¡­ You might be the best of our generation.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯ll take that as apliment.¡¹


    ¡ºA match without soul dress¡»- an improbable condition in the battle between first-ss swordsmen.


    ¡¸I want to sh with everything I¡¯ve got against you, Allen!¡¹


    The moment she strongly dered so,


    ¡¸Fill me up -¡´Neba Glome¡µ!¡¹


    Twonces reminiscent of azure lightning suddenly appeared from empty space.


    (It appeared, Soul dress!)


    The wall of absolute talent that always stands in my way ¨C Soul Dress.


    (The real battle starts from here on out¡­)


    From here on, it is¡ºProdigy¡»Idol Luxmaria¡¯s real power.


    ¡¸Here Ie, Allen!¡¹


    ¡¸Aa,e!¡¹


    This is how the curtain finally raised on my and Idol-san¡¯s battle.

 Chapter 80 - Darkness and Sword King Festival [11]

    80. Darkness and Sword King Festival [11]


    Idol-san finally brought out her soul-dress¡´Neba Glome¡µ.


    (The battle thus far was just a prelude, so to speak. From here on out, it¡¯s a real battle with everything we¡¯ve got!)


    I focused on Idol-san with fighting spirit burning in my heart.


    The moment I blinked, Idol-san, who was in the center of my vision, suddenly disappeared.


    ¡¸What?!¡¹


    As I widened my eyes in surprise,


    ¡¸-Over here.¡¹


    I heard her calm voice from behind.


    I reflexively crouched as low as possible on the spot, and a side sweep shed over my head.


    And in session, she delivered a powerful front kick.


    ¡¸-This is going to hurt a little.¡¹


    I crossed my arms in front of my chest while turning around, and defended against the kick from the front.


    However,


    ¡¸Guh¡­!¡¹


    A violent impact, which was released from her thin leg, blew me away.


    (What¡­ power!)


    While being blown back, I backflipped in mid-air to kill the momentum, and performed ukemi tond safely.


    Idol-san slowly lowered her slender right leg, which she delivered the kick with, and assumed a unique stance of Two-Sword style ¨C no,¡ºTwo-Lance Style¡».


    I spoke while maintaining Seigan no Kamae.


    ¡¸¡­You¡¯ve gotten even faster.¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you. But I¡¯m still getting started!¡¹


    The next moment,


    ¡¸Flying Thunder God ¨C 20 Million Volts!¡¹


    A bluish light was emitted from her whole body, and a crackling lightning sound rang out.


    (Is she electrifying herself?!)


    Powerful electric current flows through her body to stimte her cells.


    This greatly improves muscle strength and reaction rate, which makes the superhuman speed she demonstrated just now feasible.


    (The ability to manipte electricity, huh¡­ This is going to be tough¡­)


    As I was analyzing Idol-san¡¯s abilities,


    ¡¸Thirty Million Volts -¡´Lightning Strike¡µ!¡¹


    From the tip of her azurence, a raging lightning was released in a straight line.


    ¡¸First Sword ¨C Flying Shadow!¡¹


    My flying sh was drowned out by the azure lightning.


    (As expected, it is difficult to intercept with Flying Shadow¡­)


    After confirming the difference in output, I immediately jumped to the left.


    When I safely avoided the lightning strike and looked up, Idol-san was standing right in front of me.


    ¡¸Thunder Style -¡´Thunder p¡µ!¡¹


    Waves of consecutive attacks descended on me like a storm, not allowing me to catch my breath.


    ¡¸GUOOOOOOHHHHH!¡¹


    Thrust, sh, Mow down ¨C Just when I somehow managed to defend the first three consecutive attacks,


    (No good! Her attacks are too fast!)


    It is impossible to defend all the consecutive attacks.


    Having made a quick decision from my previous experience, I jumped back while bracing to suffer some damage.


    The sharp edge of thences cuts off my flesh, on the side and left foot slightly.


    ¡¸Guh¡­¡¹


    I somewhat managed to swallow the searing pain.


    Immediately uponnding, I ran towards her to close the distance.


    ¡¸-HAAAAAAAAAA!¡¹


    (The situation will get worse if I¡¯m just stuck on defending¡­)


    I have to keep attacking Idol-san so as not to give her the initiative to attack!


    ¡¸Eighth Sword ¨C Yatagarasu!¡¹


    ¡¸Thunder Style ¨C Heavy Thunder!¡¹


    Both of our shes intertwined and disappeared.


    ¡¸UOOOOOHHHHHH!¡¹


    ¡¸HAAAAAAAAAAAAA!¡¹


    Sword andnce shed fiercely, as sparks flew and dull metallic sound echoed again and again.


    However,


    (Kuh¡­ Too far¡­)


    I can¡¯tpletely close the distance between me and Idol-san.


    The difference in reach between a sword and ance is roughly¡ºtwice¡»as much.


    Too far ¨C Too hopeless of a distance.


    Before my sword reaches her, hernce will surely reach me first.


    (Shit¡­)


    One by one,cerations on my body increased.


    Unable to endure anymore, I jumped back and took distance temporarily.


    ¡¸50 million volts -¡´Lightning Bird¡µ!¡¹


    Idol-san fired a huge lightning bolt which transformed into small birds with immense force.


    The number was slightly more than a hundred.


    ¡¸Kuh, Eighth sword ¨C Yatagarasu!¡¹


    The eight shes were spread in all directions as a barrier to protect myself.


    However,


    ¡¸Ga, ha¡­!¡¹


    In the face of a flock of more than a hundred birds, the barrier was too small.


    Almost all the lightning strikes showered on me, and I involuntarily knelt on the spot.


    (This is¡­ bad¡­)


    It is different from being cut, burned, or blown up.


    I guess this is called¡ºElectric Shock¡».


    The¡ºshock¡»that assailed my body almost made me lose consciousness.


    And Idol-san didn¡¯t miss the huge opening when I knelt on the spot.


    ¡¸70 million volts -¡´Moby Dick¡µ!¡¹


    As the match reached its critical moment, she unleashed the biggest lightning strike yet.


    It took the appearance of a colossal white whale with an inted stomach, and flew towards me with its mouth wide open.


    ¡¸F-Fifth Sword ¨C World Judgement!¡¹


    The moment when Moby Dick was cut by the strongest attack that cuts through space itself,


    ¡¸-Diffusion.¡¹


    ¡¸Wha!?¡¹


    Moby Dick unleashed the vast amount of lightning umted in its body, all at once.


    My whole view was dyed white. An unprecedented electric shock ran through my whole body.


    ¡¸Ga, ha¡­¡¹


    I desperately held onto my fading consciousness. I whipped my legs which were about to give out and somehow managed to stand back up.


    ¡¸Haa¡­ haa¡­¡¹


    The air feels heavy.


    No matter how much I inhale, it doesn¡¯t fill up my lungs.


    In such a desperate situation, I assumed Seigan no Kamae.


    ¡¸Y-You can still stand¡­?¡¹


    Idol-san¡¯s trembling voice echoed throughout the venue.


    ¡¸The current attack would¡¯ve been an instant death for ordinary people. Even a first-ss swordsman would beid in bed for a month. -¡­Are you really human?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, but¡­ it surely¡­ had an effect.¡¹


    I¡¯ve never experienced such an attack before.


    My body was already battered.


    Even right now, I¡¯m only barely standing by mustering willpower alone.


    ¡¸I see¡­ Allen¡¯s greatest strength might just be that monstrous¡ºmental strength¡». However, I¡¯m sorry, but it¡¯s over.¡¹


    Saying that, she pointed the azurence towards me.


    ¡¸You, who haven¡¯t manifested soul dress, have no chance of winning. Any more than this would be pointless. Give up.¡¹


    Idol-san advised me to surrender in a blunt tone.


    ¡¸Certainly, I haven¡¯t expressed my soul dress yet. From Idol-san¡¯s point of view, who can use¡´Neba Glome¡µat will, even a person who can somewhat use soul dress would be a better opponent, I suppose¡­¡¹


    As I said that, I let my consciousness sink deeper; deep into the depths of my soul.


    ¡¸But, there¡¯s something even I can do.¡¹


    ¡¸What can you do with that body?¡¹


    The next moment, Idol-san disappeared from my sight.


    ¡¸-This is the end.¡¹


    I heard her voice and the sound of wind being cut from behind me.


    I¡¯m sure she came to settle the match.


    I don¡¯t have the power to dodge that attack anymore, not even the power to look back.


    However, I have onest resort¡»up my sleeve.


    (If I use this with all my might, my Sword King Festival will definitely end here¡­)


    I still can¡¯t endure that shock with this undeveloped body.


    At minimum, I will fall asleep for at least a day.


    (President, Lilim-senpai, Ferris-senpai¡­ I¡¯ll leave the rest to you.)


    Without looking at the attack approaching from behind, I poured all my spiritual power into the depths of my soul.


    At that moment,


    ¡¸HAAAAAAAA¡±A¡±A¡±A!¡¹


    ¡ºDarkness¡»of unprecedented scale overflowed from my whole body.


    ¡¸What¡­ Is this?!¡¹


    Idol-san widened her eyes in surprise by the unexpected situation, and jumped back greatly.


    The jet-ck darkness enveloped my whole body as if it were an¡ºarmor¡».


    Then, strangely, the pain that was assailing my body slowly subsided.


    Apparently, this darkness also has healing properties.


    ¡¸No way, soul dress?!¡¹


    She asked with her eyes widened in astonishment. However, I was no longer there.


    ¡¸-Over here.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­!?¡¹


    I captured Idol-san¡¯s rear in an instant, and delivered a side-sweep sh.


    She reflexively crouched low on the spot and avoided the blow.


    ¡¸-This is going to hurt a little.¡¹


    I delivered a front kick d in darkness.


    Idol-san turned around with her arms crossed in front of her chest, disying perfect defense.


    However,


    ¡¸Ka, ha¡­!¡¹


    Her defense copsed brittlely in front of the¡ºblow of darkness¡», and was blown away like a ball.


    (No way! Defense is useless?!)


    Unable to kill the overwhelming momentum, Idol-san crashed into the wall of the building.


    It¡¯s the kind of damage where one would¡¯ve lost consciousness, but¡­


    She slowly stood up.


    ¡¸Ha-haa haa¡­ What, is that power!?¡¹


    She was bleeding from the forehead, and breathing raggedly, but there was no decline in her fighting spirit.


    ¡¸It is Darkness. Well, it is like an¡ºunsessful soul dress¡»or something like that, I think?¡¹


    Darkness is, after all, no more than darkness.


    I am still far from the¡ºck Sword¡», and the road of training is endless.


    (But, I¡¯m definitely getting closer!)


    The feeling of the growth was very, very pleasant.


    ¡¸Idol-san-san¡­ It¡¯s about time to settle this match.¡¹.


    ¡¸Fufu¡­ To be pushed this far¡­ You¡¯re the best, Allen Rodore!¡¹


    Thus, the battle between me and Idol-san entered the final act.

 Chapter 81 - Darkness and Sword King Festival [12]

    81. Darkness and Sword King Festival [12]


    I assumed Seigan no Kamae, and Idol-san assumed the unique Two-Lance stance.


    Our gazes intersected and she made the first move.


    ¡¸Flying Lightning God ¨C 50 Million Volts!¡¹


    The bluish electricity on Idol-san¡¯s body swelled remarkably.


    Moreover, looking closely, the wounds sustained on her body healed every passing moment.


    Rapid stimtion of cells seems to enhance natural healing ability.


    ¡¸You have a really outstanding soul dress!¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, there¡¯s still a lot more toe!¡¹


    She recoveredpletely in an instant, and


    ¡¸50 million volts -¡´Lightning Bird¡µ!¡¹


    She swung thence in arge arc, which released more than a hundred lightning birds.


    Numerous long-range attacks which is my weakness.


    However,


    ¡¸-That technique won¡¯t work on me anymore.¡¹


    The flock of birds was extinguished the moment they touched my darkness.


    This darkness even defended that guy¡¯s straight right.


    In terms of output, mine is superior.


    ¡¸N-No way!¡¹


    I took advantage of the mere slight opening where she was taken aback, and closed the distance in one step.


    ¡¸Eighth Sword ¨C Yatagarasu!¡¹


    ¡¸Kuh, Thunder Style ¨C Heavy Thunder!¡¹


    ¡ºEight¡»vs¡ºTen¡»shes. As a result of both of our shes shing,


    ¡¸Kyaa!¡¹


    Sharp de wounds ran across Idol-san¡¯s shoulders and thighs.


    The eight shes I fired pushed through her Heavy Thunder with overwhelming power.


    She squinted her eyes in pain and reflexively jumped back.


    Without letting up, I immediately closed the distance,


    ¡¸-HA!¡¹


    I instantly swung down my sword from an overhead position.


    ¡¸Guh¡­¡¹


    She crossed the twonces and somehow managed to stop my blow.


    Sparks flew as we fiercely locked swords ¨C a direct contest of strength.


    ¡¸UOOOOOOO¡±O¡±O¡±O!¡¹


    ¡¸HAAAAAAAAAAAAA!¡¹


    We both roared.


    ¡¸-RA!¡¹


    ¡¸N-No way!¡¹


    Idol-san, being outmatched in the contest of strength, was blown back greatly.


    She organised her posture mid-air andnded safely on the stage.


    ¡¸To lose in strength with 50 Million Volt Flying Lightning God¡­ What extraordinary physical strength! Is it a strengthening-type soul dress¡­?¡¹


    Idol-san bit her lower lip and asked with a frustrated expression.


    ¡¸Ahaha¡­ Unfortunately, I still don¡¯t know.¡¹


    What kind of ability does my soul dress have?


    I wouldn¡¯t know until I manifest it.


    ¡¸Going further than this will put a greater burden on my body, but¡­ I will do anything to win against you!¡¹


    Idol-san opened her eyes wide with fiery spirit burning in them and,


    ¡¸Flying Lightning God ¨C 70 Million Volts!¡¹


    Even higher voltage electric shock was carried through her body.


    With her beautiful white hair standing on end, she swung her azurence with all her strength,


    ¡¸How about this! 70 million volts -¡´Moby Dick¡µ!¡¹


    She unleashed a colossal white whale with an inted stomach.


    Towards the white whale that has umted a vast amount of lightning in it¡¯s abdomen,


    ¡¸Fifth Sword ¨C World Judgement!¡¹


    I cut it apart without hesitation.


    At that moment, Idol-san smiled with confidence of victory.


    ¡¸It¡¯s over ¨C Diffuse!¡¹


    Violent lightning, iparable to the previous one, enveloped my whole body.


    ¡¸Guh!?¡¹


    The sound of violent electric discharge hit my eardrums, and my vision was dyed pure white.


    The stage was scorched pitch ck and a peculiar odor permeated the air.


    ¡¸If it¡¯s this¡­ Even with the protection of¡ºdarkness¡», you¨C?!¡¹


    Idol-san¡¯s expression changed from expectant to shock, and from shock to despair.


    ¡¸Tell me this is a lie¡­¡¹


    d in jet-ck ¨C I was unscathed.


    ¡¸I feel slightly numb, but I seem to have been able to defend it somehow.¡¹


    ¡¸Mon¡­ ster¡­¡¹


    She simply stood therepletely defenceless as she whispered something.


    I thought it would be too improper to attack at this timing, so I called out to her.


    ¡¸-It¡¯s my turn next.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    When I dropped my center of gravity and put power into both feet,


    (This is¡­)


    Suddenly, my vision swayed, and the darkness that covered my body greatly fluctuated.


    (Damn¡­ Is it time¡­?!)


    Today was the first time I used this much¡ºdarkness¡».


    Thus I still don¡¯t know the exact¡ºduration¡»of this power.


    ¡¸You haven¡¯tpletely controlled that power yet, huh¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah¡­ It¡¯s a little embarrassing to admit, but it is as you say¡­¡¹


    It¡¯s only been two weeks since I manifested darkness.


    Even though I am able to manipte it a little, I still don¡¯t haveplete control.


    ¡¸I see¡­ In that case, I still have a chance to win!¡¹


    As Idol-san said that, she held the twonces up high.


    Then ¨C a huge lightning fell on the tip of thences from the cloudless azure sky.


    ¡¸What!?¡¹


    She began to speak slowly, looking away from me as I widened my eyes in surprise.


    ¡¸As far as I can tell, Allen¡¯s¡ºdarkness¡»seems to have a duration. Then I¡¯ll make you exhaust that darkness until your spiritual power runs out!¡¹


    Idol-san held up the two shiningnces andughed fearlessly.


    ¡¸-Here Ie, Allen!¡¹


    ¡¸Aa,e!¡¹


    And then,


    ¡¸100 Million Volts -¡´Imperata Glome¡µ!¡¹


    She fired a spiral lightning strike with enormous force.


    On the other hand, I focused the jet-ck darkness on the edges of my sword and created a¡ºpseudo-ck sword¡».


    ¡¸Sixth Sword ¨C Dark Roar!¡¹


    The ck Dark Roar d in darkness flipped over the stone stage. The two attacks, unleashed with all our might, shed in the middle.


    Darkness and Lightning raged violently. Intense shock waves assailed the venue.


    And then, the azure lightning strike and the ck Dark Roar disappeared at the same time.


    ((E-Equal¡­?!))


    When we ascertained that the attacks had disappeared, we both dropped to our knees at the same time.


    ¡¸¡¸Haa haa¡­¡¹¡¹


    I desperately took in oxygen into my body and somehow managed to hold on to my consciousness.


    The darkness dding my body had already vanished.


    The ck Dark Roar just now seems to have exhausted all my spiritual power.


    (But, Idol-san-san should also be at her limit due to that attack just now¡­)


    And when I raised my head,


    ¡¸Flying Lightning God ¨C Limit 100 Million Volts!¡¹


    Idol-san, who turned into azure lightning, stood up slowly.


    (She can still bring out such power¡­?!)


    I couldn¡¯t help but remember the gods due to her appearance. It took my breath away.


    Then she put together the twonces in front of her chest and whispered.


    ¡¸-Glome Alchemia.¡¹


    Violent thunder produced heat which melted the twonces and fused them together.


    And arge sword was created.


    ¡¸Lightning Sword ¨C Indra¡¹


    The de, the hilt, the guard, which were all pure white, emitted overwhelming pressure.


    Idol-san ced the sword in front of her navel and assumed Seigan no Kamae.


    I was in a desperate situation in which my spiritual power has been exhausted, darkness disappeared, and my body riddled with wounds.


    But for some reason, strange emotions swirled in my mind.


    (Fuu, haha¡­ Hahaha¡­..!)


    I couldn¡¯t help it ¨C It was fun.


    It¡¯s fun to fight with everyst bit of my power.


    It¡¯s fun to fight against an opponent whose limit I cannot see.


    It¡¯s fun to fight with my life on the line.


    (Aa¡­¡ºBattle¡»¡­¡­ is so much fun!)


    At that moment, it throbbed.


    Not my¡ºSoul¡».


    But my Blood, Flesh, and Bone throbbed greatly.


    ¡¸¡­¡­!?¡¹


    The¡ºsomething¡»which had been blocking the¡ºpath¡»for the longest time, fluctuated. The¡ºpath¡»seems to have opened.


    ¡¸This sensation¡­?!¡¹


    The next moment, from the very depths of my body, a huge amount of darkness overflowed at an unprecedented scale.


    Non-stop, the stage was dyed jet-ck all over.


    I slowly stood up and assumed Seigan no Kamae.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    It was quiet.


    There was no need to exchange words anymore.


    At the end of the silence which felt like hours,


    ¡¸-UOOOOOOO¡±O¡±O¡±O¡±!¡¹


    ¡¸-HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!¡¹


    We started running at the same time.


    The jet-ck darkness and pure white lightning intersected in the center of the stage.


    And then,


    ¡¸Ga, ha¡­¡¹


    There was a deep sword wound in my chest.


    Searing pain assailed my chest.


    (The wound is¡­ too deep¡­)


    Continuingbat¡­¡­ will be difficult¡­¡­


    (But not yet! I can¡¯t fall here yet! I must not!)


    I swallowed the blood which rose from within, and brought my consciousness under control by gritting my teeth hard.


    Then, I heard rustling of clothes from behind.


    (Damn¡­ Idol-san can still fight¡­?!)


    Mustering my willpower, I turned back.


    The moment I tightly grasped the sword with my trembling hands and managed to assume Seigan no Kamae,


    ¡¸Allen Rodore¡­ It¡¯s your win¡­¡¹


    The lightning sword, Indra, snapped right in half, and Idol-san slowly copsed on her back.


    Silence enveloped the venue.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ IDOL LUXMARIA, UNABLE TO FIGHT! WINNER ¨C ALLEN RODOREEEEEE!!!¡¹


    Thementator dered the results in a loud voice that could even reach the heavens.


    At that moment, the audience erupted in cheers.


    ¡¸Amazing! What a fight! They¡¯re both still first-year students?! Unbelievable!¡¹


    ¡¸Allen Rodore¡­ How did such a terrifying swordsman remain nameless until now¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸That¡ºProdigy¡»Idol Luxmaria, was defeated! We need to publish Extra News! I¡¯ll immediately write this story!¡¹


    After receiving tremendous cheers and thunderous apuse, I responded by raising my right hand up.


    At the end of a serious battle in which we both staked all our strength, I won against the remarkable¡ºProdigy¡»Idol Luxmaria.

 Chapter 82 - Darkness and Sword King Festival [13]

    82. Darkness and Sword King Festival [13]


    I gained a spectacr victory in the first battle, and dragged my heavy body down the stage.


    And then,


    ¡¸A-Amazing, Allen-kun! I never thought you¡¯d beat that¡ºProdigy¡»Idol Luxmaria!¡¹


    ¡¸Way to go! You¡¯re pretty much on par with us!¡¹


    ¡¸Lilim, no matter how you look at it, he¡¯s better than us though¡­¡¹


    The excited president and senpais quickly came running to me.


    ¡¸Thank you very much. It was a tough fight, but I somehow managed to win.¡¹


    When the four of us were having such a conversation, the president put her hand to her mouth as though remembering something.


    ¡¸Ah, sorry¡­ Your treatmentes first before talking.¡¹


    When she turned towards the infirmary,


    ¡¸¡­No, there is no need for that though.¡¹


    Lilim-senpai said, looking at my body.


    ¡¸Both of you, take a good look at Allen¡¯s body. The wound is already healing.¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸Eh?¡¹¡¹¡¹


    The three of us raised our voices at the same time.


    ¡¸What¡­ on earth?!¡¹


    ¡¸I-It has already started to heal?!¡¹Ferris-senpai said.


    ¡¸Oh, it really has¡­¡¹


    The deep sword wound that should have been on my chest was almostpletely healed.


    Even the bleeding had stoppedpletely. It looked like a wound that was sustained a few days ago.


    ¡¸A-Allen-kun¡­ Are you really human?¡¹


    ¡¸This resilience and that physical ability, that¡¯spletely not human, no?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡®s at the level where it would make more sense if you said¡ºinhuman¡»though¡­¡¹


    ¡¸A-Ahaha¡­ Please stop with the jokes. No matter how you look at me, I¡¯m just a normal human.¡¹


    When I smiled bitterly saying so,


    ¡¸Mumumu¡­ Even so, you have a good body after all¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Let¡¯s see! These muscles have good sticity! You¡¯ve trained it well!¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s feels so good to touch though.¡¹


    The president and senpais ran their slender fingers on my pectoral muscles and abs.


    ¡¸S-Senpai¡­ It¡¯s ticklish!¡¹


    As I was enduring the ticklish feeling,


    ¡¸Now that the grand Vanguard battle hase to an end, let¡¯s move on to the Second battle!¡¹


    Idol-san was taken to the infirmary, and thementator resumed the Sword King Festival in a loud voice.


    At the same time, the audience, who warmed up in the previous battle, boiled with excitement.


    ¡¸Yoshi ¨C I¡¯m next! I definitely won¡¯t waste this winning flow that Allen-kun created!¡¹


    ¡¸Good luck, Lilim-senpai!¡¹


    ¡¸Lilim, I won¡¯t ept it if you lose!¡¹


    ¡¸You have a serious responsibility though¡­¡¹


    Cheered on by us,


    ¡¸Fufu¡­ Aa, leave it to me!¡¹


    She gave us a thumbs up and went up to the Second battle in high spirits.


    ¡ö


    After that, in both the sessive Second and Center battles¡­


    Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai were defeated.


    White Lily Academy line-up was solid, and the swordsmen entrusted with the Second and Center position, were absurdly skilled.


    Then, the Vice-General battle began.


    The president, without putting the¡ºArcstria¡»name to shame, won splendidly with a magnificent battle.


    The results were two wins and two losses.


    The oue of the match was carried forward to the General battle.


    However,


    (Is this as far as we go?)


    The crucial¡ºGeneral¡»- Sebas Chandler-san, vice president of the student council, was not here.


    Sebas-san had left for the Holy Ronelia Empire and was missing.


    So we had to settle the match at all costs before we got into the General battle.


    ¡¸Now then, from now on it will be ¨C Thousand de Academy vs. White Lily Academy¡ºGeneral Battle¡»!¡¹


    Thementator dered the opening of the General battle.


    ¡¸General of Thousand de Academy ¨C Sebas Chandler! ording to the information at hand ¨C contestant Sebas is the vice president of the student council of Thousand de Academy! In addition, it is said that his ability exceeds Sie Arcstria who disyed a magnificent battle earlier!¡¹


    Sebas-san¡¯s introduction was read out.


    Of course, there was no one to go up to the stage.


    An indescribable silence enveloped the venue.


    ¡¸¡­¡­Oh? Contestant Sebas Chandler! Please go up to the stage!¡¹


    Thementator made the announcement again, but the loud voice simply echoed.


    ¡¸P-President¡­ This is already¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, we have no choice but to withdraw¡­¡¹


    The moment the president called out to the Sword King Festival Executive Committee on behalf of Thousand de Academy ¨C a small jet passed high above the stage.


    ¡¸U¡­OOOOOHHHH!¡¹


    A man in tattered clothes fell from the sky at tremendous speed.


    (Wha!? H-He threw himself off!? He won¡¯t survive that height!)


    Pulled down by gravity, he was falling faster every passing moment.


    ¡¸Ga, ha¡­!¡¹


    The mysterious man fell directly onto the stone paving, and a huge crater was formed in the center of the stage.


    The sudden situation plunged the venue into silence.


    And then,


    ¡¸¡­Fuu, that was close. The parachute didn¡¯t open. I almost got hurt¡­¡¹


    The mysterious man stood up as if nothing had happened and dusted off his clothes.


    (W-What a crazy guy!)


    He fell from a height of several hundred meters ¨C unharmed.


    That tenacity reminded me of Leia-sensei and No.18-san back at the summer training camp.


    As I was staring at his body, my eyes widened in shock.


    (That ck cloak! Is he from the ck Organization?!)


    What he was wearing on his person was a ck cloak always worn by the members of the ck Organization.


    (Damnit! Is he aiming for Ria?!)


    When I was about to pull out my sword,


    ¡¸S-Sebas!? Why did you fall from the sky!?¡¹


    The president called out, with both hands on her mouth and eyes wide open.


    Following that,


    ¡¸You¡¯rete, Sebas! I thought you were dead!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­You¡¯ve been missing for four months. It is noughing matter though.¡¹


    Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai spoke with a friendly air drifting around them.


    (This is Sebas-san, the vice president?!)


    Sebas Chandler.


    Straight hair dyed brown.


    A gentle face that leaves a gentle first impression.


    He was almost as tall as me, and for some reason, he was wearing the ck Organization¡¯s cloak.


    ¡¸Aa, luck is truly with me today! My beloved president is waiting at the ce where I descended! Could this be fate!?¡¹


    Sebas-san, who didn¡¯t even spare a nce at Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai, knelt in front of the president.


    ¡­¡­He seems to be another quirky person.


    ¡¸Mou, you¡¯re sote! Where on earth were you loitering?¡¹


    When the president asked so with an onee-san tone,


    ¡¸S-Sorry! I seeded in smuggling myself into the country by swimming from here, but¡­ No matter how much I dig and dig, I couldn¡¯t find them. In addition, I was attacked by a shabby group of people wearing ck cloaks, and so my return waste. As your knight, it is an unbing disgrace.¡¹


    Sebas-san gritted his teeth and punched the stage with regret.


    It seems that he is in love with the president.


    ¡¸Un Un, I understand your circumstances, but¡­ don¡¯t go around calling yourself my knight on your own, will you?¡¹


    However, she didn¡¯t seem to have the same¡ºinterest¡», as she took Sebas-san¡¯s passionate feelings in one ear and out the other.


    ¡¸So¡­ Did you find it?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, of course! Please take a look!¡¹


    Sebas-san took out two fist-sized ores from his bosom.


    ¡¸The ultra-rare ore that is mined only deep underground in the Holy Ronelia Empire ¨C Blood Diamond!¡¹


    (H-He really brought it back¡­?!)


    As my eyes widened in surprise, the president¡¯s face bloomed into a big smile.


    ¡¸Wow, it¡¯s beautiful! Thank you, Sebas!¡¹


    ¡¸I-I am undeserving of such words!¡¹


    Sebas-san looked very happy receiving a word of thanks from the president.


    (No matter how you look at it, the president has him in the palm of her hand. If the person in question is good with it, then that¡¯s fine¡­ I guess?)


    When I was thinking of that,


    ¡¸Well¡­ Sebas, it¡¯s finally your turn! Please defeat the¡ºGeneral¡»of White Lily Academy!¡¹


    The president gave out a rather difficult order.


    ¡¸My turn¡­? I don¡¯t really get it, but if the president desires it, I will defeat whatever general it is! ¡¹


    Sebas-san pulled out the sword fastened on his hips, in high and proud spirits.


    Even from a distance, you could tell that it was covered in rust ¨C an unreliable sword.


    And then,


    ¡¸W-What a shy appearance!? In the history of the Sword King Festival, I wonder if there has ever been a shier entrance!?¡¹


    Thementator, who did not know about the situation, roused up the audience.


    It seems that the act just now was perceived as a¡ºperformance¡».


    ¡¸Now then, going against contestant Sebas who enlivened the venue is, General of White Lily Academy ¨C Lily Gonzalez! Her school prides itself with its overwhelming destructive power ¨C the Vajra Style! Perhaps even the person who boasts the strongest¡ºphysical strength¡»of her generation ¨C The Heroine of White Lily Academy !¡¹


    A female student slowly climbed up to the stage.


    (H-Huge!)


    Lily Gonzalez.


    A bear-likerge frame; like a smaller version of Pa-san.


    Shortly trimmed blonde hair.


    Fearless, bold features.


    Her clear eyes carried strong confidence.


    I could clearly see at a nce that she was an excellent swordsman.


    ¡¸Are you both ready! Well then ¨C Begin!¡¹


    At the same time as the start of the battle, Lily-san brought out her soul dress.


    ¡¸Ram -¡´Void sh¡µ!¡¹


    The next moment, a huge sword over two meters long appeared out of empty space.


    ¡¸Vajra Style ¨C Boulder sh!¡¹


    Lily-san instantly closed the distance and swung down a powerful blow from overhead.


    However,


    ¡¸-Too slow.¡¹


    Her soul dress was shattered by a single blow from Sebas-san.


    ¡¸Im¡­possible¡­¡¹


    At the same time, Lily-san slowly lost consciousness.


    (T-Too fast!)


    Sebas-san¡¯s¡ºsingle blow¡»was a series of blows that couldn¡¯t be discerned with the eye.


    (Twenty, no¡­ More than thirty blows, huh¡­)


    Moreover, he not only destroyed the soul dress, but also unleashed a sh which knocked Lily-san unconscious.


    (¡­Strong.)


    In terms of pure swordsmanship, he certainly surpasses even the president.


    ¡¸Li, Lily Gonzalez unable to continue! So, winner, Sebas Chandler!¡¹


    The shocking end caused a stir in the venue as thementator dered the result.


    Amidst that situation,


    ¡¸By the way, president¡­ Who is this? Judging from his appearance, he looks to be a student from our academy.¡¹


    Sebas-san, who finished the match in an instant, asked the president while looking at my uniform.


    ¡¸¡­Hou, it¡¯s rare for you to care about others. Can you tell me why?¡¹


    ¡¸Well, that¡¯s because¡­ An unbelievable¡ºinhuman¡»is wearing our uniform. It is natural to be concerned. But, just where did you find it? An absoluterge mass of pure power. This kind of¡ºmonster¡»is not something youe across easily.¡¹


    Sebas-san said, with a mixture of fear and caution in his eyes.


    (In-Inhuman and Monster¡­)


    He started saying preposterous things about me before I even had a chance to introduce myself.

 Chapter 83 - Darkness and Sword King Festival [14]

    83. Darkness and Sword King Festival [14]


    As soon as we met, I was called¡ºinhuman¡»and¡ºmonster¡». So I decided to introduce myself for the time being.


    It¡¯s not toote to clear up the strange misunderstandings.


    ¡¸Uh¡­ Sebas Chandler-san, right? Nice to meet you, I¡¯m a first-year student.¡¹


    When I called out to him,


    ¡¸Thousand de Academy vs. White Lily Academy ¨C It was Thousand de Academy that won the fierce match between the two¡ºFive Academy¡»! Is this finally the year, where the Old King resurrects!!!?¡¹


    Thementator dered the victory of Thousand de Academy loudly.


    Right after that.


    ¡¸I never thought they¡¯d beat White Lily Academy. This year¡¯s Thousand de Academy is different!¡¹


    ¡¸Allen Rodore, Sie Arcstria, and Sebas Chandler! Their names are worth remembering!¡¹


    ¡¸That¡ºFirst-Year of Darkness¡»was especially terrific! Who would¡¯ve imagined that¡ºProdigy¡»would lose!?¡¹


    The audience¡¯s cheers and encouragement showered on us.


    ¡¸Fufufu! We¡¯re amazing, right!¡¹


    ¡¸No, Lilim¡­ both of us lost though¡­¡¹


    As Lilim-senpai puffed her chest with pride, Ferris-senpai retorted.


    Looking at such a normal scene, I chuckled involuntarily.


    ¡¸-We found you, Sebas Chandler!¡¹


    A deep, rough voice echoed, and more than 30 Senior Holy Knights pushed into the venue all at once.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t move!¡¹


    ¡¸Sebas Chandler, you are charged with a great number of assaults. We¡¯d like you toe to the Holy Knights Association.¡¹


    ¡¸If you resist, we¡¯ll have to take you by force!¡¹


    All of them have already brought out their soul dress, and they assumed an attack stance so they could rush him immediately if he resisted.


    As the venue became noisy by the sudden situation,


    ¡¸Haa¡­ You guys are really persistent.¡¹


    Sebas-san sighed, shrugging his shoulders.


    Apparently, he knew why they were here.


    And then,


    ¡¸Mou¡­ Sebas, what the hell did you do this time?¡¹


    The president did not look particrly surprised, and asked so exasperatedly.


    ¡¸No, for some reason, border security was unusually tight, so I broke through in a slightly rough manner. And I couldn¡¯t really exin my situation either¡­¡¹


    The Holy Ronelia Empire is a country that is prohibited from travel.


    There is no way the Holy Knights would let him get away easily with a flimsy reason as¡ºTo go pick a blood diamond due to a punishment game¡».


    (Even so¡­ He really isn¡¯t lucky.)


    It was only recently that border security had be stricter.


    Arcstria House have just recently revised and strengthened their securitywork due to the invasion of the ck Organization ¨C Zack Bomber and Thor Sammons.


    ¡¸Haa¡­ Sebas, go to the Holy Knights Association before the problem gets bigger. I¡¯ll pick you upter. Be quiet until then, okay?¡¹


    ¡¸Understood! Oi, you guys better be thankful to the president. Because of her mercy, you were able to escape from getting hurt.¡¹


    Even with this number of Senior Holy Knights, Sebas-san spoke with confidence.


    (Wow, he has some nerve¡­)


    Perhaps he has the confidence that he can win against all of them.


    However, the president lifted an eyebrow towards Sebas-san¡¯s haughty attitude.


    ¡¸¡­¡­Sebas? I said, be quiet, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Y-Yes!¡¹


    Sebas-san, in ordance with the president¡¯s order, was taken away by the Senior Holy Knights.


    (Fuu, what kind of rtionship do they have?)


    I was a little interested, but¡­ let¡¯s ask that another time.


    In any case, we won the fierce battle with the excellent White Lily Academy, and returned to the special viewing seat of Thousand de Academy.


    When I sat down in my seat and finally calmed down,


    ¡¸¡­Nee, Allen-kun. Will you be alright in the next fight?¡¹


    The president asked hesitantly.


    ¡¸Well¡­ If my opponent is not at Idol-san¡¯s level, there¡¯s no big problem.¡¹


    In the fight with her, I should have consumed all my spiritual power, but¡­


    For some reason, my condition was in a perfect form like never before.


    The wound in my chest waspletely healed now. Unusual vitality filled my body to the brim from head to toe.


    (I wonder what on earth is this?)


    It was a strange feeling. Like something other than spiritual power was coursing through my body.


    But this is not the first time.


    I¡¯ve experienced this feeling once before.


    (If I remember correctly, it was around the time when I was fighting against the president in the Club Budget War¡­)


    When I was vacantly thinking back on those old days,


    ¡¸I-I see¡­ You can still fight even after all that.¡¹


    The president smiled bitterly.


    ¡¸-What about Lilim and Ferris?¡¹


    ¡¸Ah¡­ I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯ll be a little tough.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry, but it¡¯s the same for me. My spiritual power ispletely empty though¡­¡¹


    The two of them had sad looks and shook their heads quietly.


    ¡¸I see, it¡¯s the same for me. I overdid it in the Vice General battle a while ago, so I can¡¯t even afford to bring out my soul dress anymore.¡¹


    The president, Lilim-senpai, and Ferris-senpai ¨C were totally exhausted.


    Sebas-san was taken away by the Senior Holy Knights in the previous incident. So he was absent.


    -To be honest, there was no other way out of this situation.


    ¡¸Fuu¡­ I am afraid we will have to withdraw this time.¡¹


    The president heaved arge sigh and made the decision.


    ¡¸I¡­ see¡­¡¹


    It¡¯s a little unfortunate, but it can no longer be helped.


    The match between swordsmen is a serious battle.


    If they forcibly fought in a wounded state as they are now, the president and senpais might suffer serious injuries.


    In times like this, you should not overdo it, rest the body, and aim for the next opportunity.


    ¡¸I am sorry, Allen-kun. We senpais are holding you back¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry, Allen-kun. Today, I was fully made realise that Ick training.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­I¡¯m a little sorry too, though.¡¹


    The president, Lilim-senpai, and Ferris-senpai apologised.


    I bowed my head to the three senpais.


    ¡¸P-Please don¡¯t worry. Now that I think about it, I¡¯m feeling a little tired, too. So it was just the right decision.¡¹


    I told a small lie so as not to hurt the president and senpais¡¯ feelings.


    ¡ö


    After withdrawing from the semi-finals, our final cement was fourth ce.


    We can¡¯t participate in the finals tomorrow, but¡­


    The audience apuded us for our achievement of defeating White Lily Academy.


    (Let¡¯s do our best to advance to the finals next year.)


    From tomorrow, sses will start again as usual.


    Training of soul dress, improvement of physical strength, maniption of darkness, and, of course, I can¡¯t miss the daily sword swinging.


    (Fufu¡­ There are still a lot of things to be done!)


    A lot of things ¨C which means I can be much stronger.


    When I thought about it, a smile naturally came to my face.


    After that, the long closing ceremony ended ¨C bringing an end to the Sword King Festival of Thousand de Academy.


    At the same time, the seniors, who were cheering me on in the audience, crowded around me all at once.


    ¡¸I was watching you, Allen! You yed such an active part! If I¡¯m not mistaken, you won all the battles. You never lost, right!?¡¹


    ¡¸Hey, hey, I¡¯d like to join your Practice-Swing Club too! Actually, please teach me swordsmanship already!¡¹


    ¡¸Or rather, why are you the only one who is so lively!?¡¹


    While being jostled by the seniors, I was asked questions in rapid session.


    I left the National Holy Battlefield, surrounded by a lot of friends


    But right after that, my eyes widened in shock.


    (W-What¡­ is this!?)


    ¡ºExtra¡»was distributed at the exit of the National Holy Battlefield.


    Of course, it does not matter that extra is being distributed.


    The problem is¡ºmy face¡»which decorated the front page.


    ¡ºThat Prodigy Hydra is defeated!? The nameless swordsman, Allen Rodore!¡»


    ¡ºThe Real Strongest First-Year, Allen Rodore! The secret behind his strength is!?¡»


    ¡ºThe Supernova d In Jet-ck Darkness ¨C Allen Rodore!!!¡»


    The headlines written inrge font could be read from a distance.


    (W-What¡¯s going on¡­?)


    When I was petrified like a stone statue before the unexpected situation,


    ¡¸Wow¡­ Allen-kun, you have be famous¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Kuh, I envy you¡­! Next time, I¡¯ll y an active part instead and make the name of¡ºLilim Tsuorine¡»known to the whole country!¡¹


    ¡¸No, I think this would normally be embarrassing though¡­¡¹


    The president and senpais took an extra each and said so as though it was someone else¡¯s problem.


    (T-This is¡­)


    Everywhere I looked ¨C the extras with my face decorating the entire page were being distributed.


    The general audience who received it, saw my face on the extra, and repeatedly shot nces at me.


    I felt very embarrassed, not knowing what to say.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s go home early¡­¡¹


    The senpais followed behind me as I quickly walked towards the dorm.


    Then I navigated through the streets of Orest, finally returning to my and Ria¡¯s dorm.


    ¡¸Fuu¡­ I¡¯m tired.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha. It was hard, huh¡­ Allen.¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, I was astonished by the extra at the end.¡¹


    Then I ced my sword at the usual spot, and slouched onto the sofa, exhaling loudly.


    ¡¸Fuu¡­¡¹


    Strangely, my body was so energetic, but¡­


    Mentally, I was pretty tired.


    I¡¯m not sure if that was a good thing or not.


    (¡­In such cases, there¡¯s nothing better than going to bed early.)


    Then I ate dinner, took a bath, and went to bed with Ria.


    ¡¸Good night, Ria.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. Good night, Allen.¡¹


    When the lights were turned off, I slowly closed my eyes.


    And then ten, twenty, thirty minutes passed, but


    (Strange, isn¡¯t it? ¡­Yes, there¡¯s something strange after all.)


    There¡¯s a thing that has been bothering me for a while, and I couldn¡¯t sleep.


    ¡¸¡­Naa, Ria¡­ Are you awake?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Un, what¡¯s wrong?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s alright if I¡¯m mistaken, but you seem to be a little down, Ria.¡¹


    Yes.


    Ever since I won against Idol-san, Ria seemed a little down.


    She smiles as usual, but I could feel ack of shine on her face from time to time.


    And then,


    ¡¸¡­Yeah, a little.¡¹


    She nodded.


    ¡¸If you have any problems, why don¡¯t you talk to me?¡ºJust talking to someone makes you feel better¡», you know?¡¹


    This line was from the¡ºHermit of Time¡»who happened to be a good listener.


    ¡¸¡­¡­It¡¯s just that, Allen beat Idol, an amazing swordsman, today. You got a lot of apuse from the audience and were praised by the seniors.That in itself, makes me very happy, but¡­ I feel like you¡¯ve gone somewhere far away. When I think about that, my heart aches. I wonder what this feeling is¡­ I don¡¯t understand it.¡¹


    Ria whispered so, and fell silent.


    ¡¸I see.¡¹


    ¡¸Un.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    An indescribable silence loomed upon our bedroom.


    (Heart aches, huh¡­ This is quite difficult.)


    Unfortunately, I don¡¯t have any knowledge of psychiatry.


    It¡¯s hard to identify why Ria is having pains in her chest.


    But¡­ this alone I can dere firmly.


    ¡¸As for me, I don¡¯t really understand what Ria is feeling. However, there¡¯s one thing I can say for certain.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­What?¡¹


    ¡¸I will always be by Ria¡¯s side. I won¡¯t go anywhere. When I go somewhere, we¡¯ll go together.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­Really?¡¹


    As Ria asked me with a downcast look,


    ¡¸Aa, it¡¯s a promise.¡¹


    I strongly affirmed.


    ¡¸¡­¡­T-Thank you.¡¹


    She said, burying her face in the bed cover, and we fell silent again.


    ¡¸H-How do you feel? Do you feel a little calm?¡¹


    ¡¸Un¡­ I feel very happy.¡¹


    ¡¸Well, that¡¯s good.¡¹


    Then, Ria and I held hands, and went to sleep.

 Chapter 84 - Top Secret and Thousand Blade Festival [1]

    84. Top Secret and Thousand de Festival [1]


    A few days have passed since the end of the Sword King Festival.


    Early September.


    Afterpleting morning ss, I, Ria, and Rose, headed to the student council room with our lunch boxes.


    ¡¸It¡¯s been getting chillytely.¡¹


    I brought up the subject while looking out the window.


    ¡¸That¡¯s right. I think I like the climate as it is now.¡¹


    ¡¸Hmm, I prefer a little cooler.¡¹


    When Ria and Rose said that, their gaze turned towards me.


    ¡¸As for me¡­ Let¡¯s see. Autumn is moderately cool and I can swing calmly, so I quite like it.¡¹


    ¡¸Then, what about winter?¡¹


    Ria asked, tilting her head.


    ¡¸Ah, winter is good, too. The cold tenses my body and mind, so I can focus on every single swing.¡¹


    ¡¸Hou, how about spring?¡¹


    Rose asked this time.


    ¡¸Yeah, spring is good, too. It¡¯s warm so I can swing my swordfortably.¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸What about summer then?¡¹¡¹


    Ria and Rose asked at the same time.


    ¡¸Summer is good, too¡­ Especially the harsh heat is good.¡ºThis is what true training feels like!¡»That feeling is best.¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu¡­ Haa, Allen judges everything by their usefulness for training.¡¹


    ¡¸Well, it seems that Allen is the¡ºcricket of training¡».¡¹1


    ¡¸I-Is that so?¡¹


    While chatting as such, we arrived at the Student Council Room before long.


    I knocked and got permission to enter the room, and opened the door.


    ¡¸Good morning, president.¡¹


    ¡¸Good morning. Allen-kun, Ria-san, Rose-san.¡¹


    The president, who had arrived at the student council room a few minutes earlier, greeted us.


    In the back of it, Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai sitting on the sofa waved towards us.


    ¡¸Well, now that we¡¯re all together, let¡¯s start our regr meeting right away!¡¹


    The president took the lead, and the established¡ºIn name only regr meeting¡»began.


    After that, as usual, we had a good time talking about various things while eating lunch.


    ording to the president, Sebas-san, the vice-president, was still in custody.


    I am told, he was suspected of being rted to the ck Organization due to wearing their ck cloak and all.


    Therefore, it would take a little more time before he can return to Thousand de Academy.


    Now that Sebas-san¡¯s story was over,


    ¡¸Now that I think about it, the¡ºThousand de Festival¡»ising up soon. Has Allen¡¯s ss decided what to do?¡¹


    The president brought up a new topic.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡­¡­Thousand de Festival?¡¹¡¹¡¹


    When the three of us tilt our heads together,


    ¡¸Oh, you don¡¯t know? Thousand de Festival is an academy festival held once a year!¡¹


    ¡¸Each ss picks an activity, and there are a lot of participants from outside the academy!¡¹


    Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai briefly exined the Thousand de Festival.


    (Academy Festival, huh¡­)


    When I was at Gran Swordsmanship Academy, I wasn¡¯t allowed to join any of them.


    This will be the first time I¡¯ll be participating.


    (Even so, an¡ºactivity¡»huh¡­ Just what will we do?)


    ¡­I¡¯m looking forward to it.


    ¡¸I see¡­ Judging from your expression, it seems that nothing has been decided yet. I think you¡¯ll receive more information in one of the homerooms very soon.¡¹


    The president smiled happily.


    It seems that she was also quite looking forward to the Thousand de Festival.


    ¡¸Have president¡¯s ss decided what to do?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, of course. We of the Year 2 ss A-¡¹


    ¡¸-A superrge haunted house that spans three ssrooms!¡¹


    ¡¸By the way, I am the general manager¡­ I¡¯m pretty confident that it will be super scary though¡­¡¹


    Saying that, the three of them did the haunted pose with their hands hanging in front of them.


    ¡¸Fufu, you three wille, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, of course.¡¹


    When I responded cheerfully,


    ¡¸A haunted house is¡­ Well, it¡¯s just to trick children. A waste of time! R-Right, Rose?¡¹


    ¡¸A-Aa¡­! Ria¡¯s right! S-S-Swordsman should strive to train hard every day without getting hooked in such activities!¡¹


    ¡­It seems that they were poor at¡ºhaunted¡».


    The president, who sensed it, had a nasty little smile.


    ¡¸¡­Ara? Are you perhaps¡­ scared?¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸I¡¯m not scared!¡¹¡¹


    The two made a big blunder by responding to the president¡¯s provocation.


    ¡¸Yes. If you¡¯re not scared, please stop by. It looks like Allen-kun wille, too. There¡¯s no reason to say no, right?¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡­¡­¡¹¡¹


    And the two who could no longer back out,


    ¡¸Y-Yes! O-Of course!¡¹


    ¡¸A-Ah! All right, I¡¯ll take up the challenge!¡¹


    They replied, desperately trying to hide the trembling in their voice.


    The two of them were slightly trembling and it was clear to everyone that they were pretending to be tough.


    ¡¸R-Ria, Rose¡­ If you¡¯re both scared, you don¡¯t have to force yoursel-¡¹


    I tried to reach out a helping hand, but


    ¡¸D-Don¡¯t misunderstand! I-I¡¯m not afraid of a haunted house!¡¹


    ¡¸T-That¡¯s right! D-Don¡¯t be rude, Allen!¡¹


    They insisted that they were¡ºnot afraid¡», and refused my help.


    ¡¸By the way, the Year 2 ss A did a haunted housest year, too. At that time, more than ten people fainted.¡¹


    ¡¸Fufufu! Those who have experienced our haunted house will surely not be able to go to the bathroom alone at night!¡¹


    ¡¸I want you to tremble with fear though¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡­¡­¡¹¡¹


    Ria and Rose had a seriously troubled look after hearing that.


    (If you¡¯re afraid, you should just be honest about it¡­)


    When I was smiling bitterly,


    ¡¸Muu¡­ Is Allen okay with scary things?¡¹


    ¡¸Hmm, you seem to be resistant to this kind of thing. Even when Sie cheated in the poker game, you schemed behind your gentle face and defeated her.¡¹


    ¡¸You are usually very calm, so I¡¯d like to see your surprised look at least once though¡­¡¹


    The president and senpais¡¯ target changed to me.


    ¡¸Ahaha, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t get afraid¡­ I just don¡¯t have much fear of ghosts.¡¹


    When I was still in Goza vige, there were times when I couldn¡¯t sleep all night after listening to bamboo geezer¡¯s ghost stories, but¡­


    It was around the time when I entered middle-school that I stopped believing in ghosts.


    ¡¸Hee¡­ You seem pretty confident.¡¹


    ¡¸This calmness of yours¡­ is quite resolute.¡¹


    ¡¸I guess I¡¯ll have to put a little more effort into scaring you though¡­¡¹


    For some reason the president and senpais were full of motivation.


    ¡¸¡­Well, president. It¡¯s about time.¡¹


    Looking at the clock, it was five minutes before the end of lunch break.


    ¡¸Mou, time flies by when you¡¯re having fun. Well then, Allen-kun, Ria-san, and Rose-san. See you tomorrow.¡¹


    After the regr meeting at lunch, we left the student council room and headed for the afternoon ss.


    ¡ö


    Afterpleting the afternoon sses, we returned to the ssroom.


    ¡¸Fuu¡­ It was a good training.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, I guess. My body feels beat up all over.¡¹


    ¡¸Leia-sensei¡¯s sses are quite hard.¡¹


    As I was chatting idly with Ria and Rose, and preparing to return home ¨C the doors of the ssroom were opened vigorously.


    ¡¸-Everyone, you did well through the tough sses today! It¡¯s thest homeroom, but¡­ No announcements! You can go home!¡¹


    Leia-sensei finished thest homeroom briefly, and


    ¡¸-Allen, I need to talk to you for a little bit. Come to the Director¡¯s office alone after this.¡¹


    She summoned me in a slightly stiff voice.


    ¡¸Y-Yes, I understand.¡¹


    ¡¸Umu, I¡¯ll be waiting for you.¡¹


    She nodded with satisfaction and left the ssroom.


    ¡¸¡­That was quite the serious look, considering Leia.¡¹


    ¡¸Why do you need to be¡ºalone¡»?¡¹


    Ria and Rose tilted their heads with a suspicious expression on their faces.


    ¡¸Well¡­ For now, I¡¯m going.¡¹


    ¡¸Un. We¡¯ll be training in the usual ce.¡¹


    ¡¸Come quickly once it¡¯s over, okay?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, I got it.¡¹


    Then, I separated from Ria and Rose and left the ssroom.


    I navigated through the long corridor and arrived at the director¡¯s office.


    I coughed once and slowly knocked on the ck door.


    ¡¸-Enter.¡¹


    Leia-sensei¡¯s stiff voice replied.


    ¡¸Excuse me.¡¹


    When I opened the door, there was the figure of sensei, with a serious expression while sitting on her work chair.


    (¡­What¡¯s going on? Did something bad happen?)


    When I was thinking about that,


    ¡¸Thanks foring, Allen. Today I have a few things to talk to you about, but¡­ First of all, cing fourth ce in the Sword King Festival after defeating the White Lily Academy ¨C This is a great achievement. Congrattions.¡¹


    Sensei smiled gently, saying so.


    ¡¸Thank you very much. But this result is thebined effort of the president, Lilim-senpai, and Ferris-senpai.¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, that¡¯s true of course, but you don¡¯t have to be too humble. You¡¯ve won all of your matches from qualifying to the main rounds. You achieved the most out of all the participating contestants and left the greatest impression. You¡¯re strong ¨C you should be more confident and puff your chest out with pride.¡¹


    She continued further.


    ¡¸And here¡¯s the main issue at hand. By defeating¡ºProdigy¡»Idol Luxmaria, your name is recognized at a¡ºnational level¡».¡¹


    ¡¸I-Is that so?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa. Among¡ºFirst-Year Swordsmen¡», you are undoubtedly the one who is most talked about right now!¡¹


    Immediately after sensei dered as such,


    ¡¸-That is why. There is one thing I must talk to you about no matter what.¡¹


    Sensei said, with unusual seriousness.


    ¡¸W-What is it?¡¹


    I gulped down my saliva and waited for sensei¡¯s next words.


    A minute or two passes. Heavy silence loomed over the director¡¯s office.


    And finally, she slowly opened her mouth.


    ¡¸-About that cursed¡º100 Million-Year Button¡»!¡¹


    ¡¸Wha?!¡¹


    100 Million Years Button. At the mention of those unbelievable words,


    (W-Why¡­ does sensei know about the 100 Million Years Button?!)


    My eyes widened due to the excessive shock.

 Chapter 85 - Top Secret and Thousand Blade Festival [2]

    <strong>85. Top Secret and Thousand de Festival [2]</strong>


    100 Million Years Button ¨C A cursed button.


    The moment I pressed it, I was confined for 100 million years in the¡ºPrison of Time¡».


    Where I continued to swing my sword mindlessly for 100 million years.


    And after repeating¡º100 million years¡»over and over again ¨C I escaped from that hellish loop by ¡ºcutting the world¡».


    (I have never told anyone about the 100 million-year button.)


    I thought no one would believe such a fairy tale-like story.


    And yet,


    ¡¸Sensei, how do you know about the 100 Million-Year Button?!¡¹


    When I asked her,


    ¡¸Of course I know. I have experienced it, too.¡¹


    She said something outrageous.


    ¡¸B-By experienced¡­ you mean?!¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, that¡¯s right. I spent a very long time in the¡ºPrison of Time¡», too.¡¹


    Sensei whispered with a distant look in her eyes.


    ¡¸Which means, you know about the hermit of time too?¡¹


    ¡¸Of course I know. That rather annoying geezer with a really long, white beard, right?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    There is no more doubt.


    Just like me, sensei received the 100 Million Year Button from the hermit of time and ¨C identally pushed it.


    ¡¸S-So, what do you mean by¡ºtalk about the 100 Million Year Button¡»?¡¹


    When I asked her directly,


    ¡¸Hmm, that¡¯s right. Let me start with this first ¨C Don¡¯t ever tell anyone about the 100 Million Year Button in the future.¡¹


    Sensei said, looking me straight in the eye.


    ¡¸Y-Yes, that¡¯s fine, but¡­ Why not?¡¹


    In the first ce, I had zero intention of talking to anyone about the 100 Million Year Button.


    However, as I am¡ºprohibited from revealing¡», I want to know the reason.


    ¡¸Well, where should I start¡­¡¹


    Sensei began to speak slowly, with her arms folded.


    ¡¸Well, let me share the information I¡¯ve got first. The principle of the 100 Million Years Button is a cursed button which the hermit of time carries around. Its origin is old, and the existence of the hermit of time and the 100 Million Year Button has been dated back to a few hundred years ago.¡¹


    ¡¸F-Few hundred years ago!?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, it¡¯s far beyond the lifespan of a human being. Since he himself calls himself the¡ºhermit of time¡», he probably has no life span. He¡¯s more of a¡ºspectre¡»than a human being.¡¹


    A spectre, huh¡­


    Certainly, now that I think about it, I felt that the hermit of time was emitting otherworldly vibes.


    ¡¸I don¡¯t know what his purpose is, but he wanders around from ce to ce, handing out the 100 Million Year Button to especially outstanding¡ºswordsman with innate talent¡».¡¹


    Since the hermit of time appeared in front of me, that¡¯s probably not the case.


    ¡¸But such people seldom surface ¨C no, they are extremely rare. Because most swordsmen can¡¯t stand the hell of 100 million years and theymit suicide.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    I remembered something unpleasant.


    ¡¸The swordsman who break the curse of the 100 Million Year Button and were able to escape from the prison of time are called¡ºTranscendent¡».¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Transcendent?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, yes. And the problem begins from here. There is arge organization that has recently been gathering transcendents and is operating in the shadows of the world.¡¹


    ¡¸Is it perhaps¡­ the ck Organization?¡¹


    ¡¸Good guess. It is exactly as you say.¡¹


    Sensei nodded, and drank from the ss ced on the desk.


    ¡¸You¡¯ve left a very big impression at this year¡¯s Sword King Festival. The unthinkable impression of ¨C The¡ºNameless Swordsman¡»who defeated¡ºProdigy¡»Idol Luxmaria. The degree of attention on the Sword King Festival is high. I¡¯m sure this information has already reached those guys¡¯ ears.¡¹


    She continued further.


    ¡¸In addition, even though it wasn¡¯t made public, you defeated the infamous¡ºCongration Zack Bomber¡»by yourself. And Zack is a member of the ck Organization. Naturally, this information will be well known within the organization. In other words, what I¡¯m trying to say is that there¡¯s a good chance that the ck Organization will try to contact you in the future. To scout you, of course¡¹


    ¡¸T-To scout me?!¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, it¡¯s very usible. Be careful, alright? They are horribly persistent. If it¡¯s for the sake of achieving their purpose, they¡¯ll use any dirty method without hesitation.¡¹


    ¡¸I understand. I will be careful.¡¹


    ¡¸Umu, please do.¡¹


    It¡¯s absolutely unthinkable for me to join the organization that kidnapped Ria.


    However, it won¡¯t hurt to be cautious.


    ¡¸Well, to summarize everything, the ck Organization is gathering¡ºTranscendents¡». And due to your sesses so far, they are likely toe and scout you. So, if someone asks about the¡º100 Million Year Button¡»in the future, do not tell the truth and feign ignorance. He¡¯s definitely a member of the ck Organization.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes¡­¡¹


    When I nodded,


    ¡¸Well, that¡¯s all. Sorry for drawing it out.¡¹


    Sensei said, and drank up the ss of water.


    ¡¸No, it had been weighing down on my mind, so thank you very much.¡¹


    ¡¸You don¡¯t have to worry about it. I am the Director, and also your homeroom teacher, after all.¡¹


    She smiled gently and touched on a small subject at the end.


    ¡¸From here on out, it¡¯s a question of pure curiosity, but¡­ Allen, how many years were you trapped in the¡ºPrison of Time¡»?¡¹


    ¡¸Err, sorry. I don¡¯t remember exactly how many years.¡¹


    ¡¸Just a rough estimate is good enough.¡¹


    ¡¸Let¡¯s see¡­ About a billion years, I think?¡¹


    As a result of continuing to loop through 100 million years over and over again, I didn¡¯t keep count after the tenth loop.


    At that time, I was not in the state of mind to keep count.


    And then,


    ¡¸HA?!¡¹


    Sensei petrified like a stone statue, hearing my reply.


    ¡¸¡­S-Sorry, if it wasn¡¯t my mishearing, I heard¡ºa billion years¡»just now.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. I was in that world for at least that much.¡¹


    But it most likely didn¡¯t surpass 20 loops, I think.


    ¡¸A-Absurd¡­¡¹


    She murmured something, with her mouth hanging wide-open.


    ¡¸W-What on earth did you do for such an astronomical amount of time?¡¹


    ¡¸Let¡¯s see¡­ Mainly just practice-swings.¡¹


    There were times when I was developing various techniques ¨C Flying Shadow, Hazy Moon, Dark Roar, Yatagarasu, and so on ¨C but primarily I was always swinging.


    ¡¸F-For more than a billion years, just continuously swinging!?¡¹


    ¡¸Y-Yeah¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I¡­ see¡­ You are a truly fearsome guy.¡¹


    Sensei said, as though astonished and exhaled loudly.


    ¡¸Fuu¡­ No, it¡¯s nothing. Forget about that just now.¡¹


    ¡¸O-Okay¡­¡¹


    When I gave a half-hearted reply,


    ¡¸Just in case ¨C What I told you today is a top secret that is only known to a handful of people. Don¡¯t speak a word of it to anyone, alright?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, I understand.¡¹


    ¡¸All right, that¡¯s all for now. I¡¯m sorry it took so long.¡¹


    ¡¸No, I¡¯m sorry too. Thank you very much.¡¹


    Then, I said¡¸excuse me¡¹and left the director¡¯s office.


    (Fuu¡­ Anyway, to think even Leia-sensei pushed the 100 Million Years Button¡­)


    The world is small.


    I never imagined there would be someone else who had experienced that hell so close to me.


    (However, the ck Organization mighte to scout, huh¡­)


    It is impossible for me to join the organization which kidnapped Ria.


    (But they¡¯re arge-scale criminal organization.)


    The moment I turn down their invitation, it is conceivable enough that they wille at me in a frenzy.


    In that sense, I should be cautious.


    ¡¸Well¡­ It¡¯s time to go to where Ria and Rose are.¡¹


    Then, I went to the schoolyard which was the activity ground of the Practice-Swing Club.


    ¡ö


    Shortly after Allen left the director¡¯s office,


    ¡¸I-Impossible¡­¡¹


    Leia was greatly perplexed. Her face waspletely pale.


    ¡¸More than a billion years in that lonely, isted world?! Even I was at my limit at 500 years! Just what kind of mental strength does he have?!¡¹


    Her voice echoed greatly in the spacious director¡¯s office.


    The name 100 Million Years Button, is only what the hermit of time calls it.


    A person who actually spent 100 million years and returned alive to the real world does not exist ¨C except for Allen.


    If you can¡¯t destroy that world ¨C the prison of time ¨C before that, you will be broken and fall towards the path of suicide.


    In fact, even Leia, at the time of her 500th year, had she not smashed that world with her fists, she surely would have be broken and met a miserable end.


    On record, the longest time someone was imprisoned in the Prison of Time is ¨C 1000 years.


    Of course, the number of digits exceeding¡º10,000¡», much less¡º1, 000, 000, 000¡», has never existed.


    Therefore, she was frightened.


    After spending over a billion years of hell, Allen¡¯s normalness ¨C was more frightening than anything else.


    ¡¸Allen Rodore¡­ Even after taking into consideration the mega-ss spirit core that dwells in his soul ¨C there is something strange about him as an individual.¡¹


    She was finally beginning to recognize the¡ºAnomaly¡»that is Allen Rodore.


    ¡¸Anyway, this ispletely beyond expectations. I have to report it to Dahlia right away.¡¹


    Leia moved to get in touch with Allen¡¯s mother, Dahlia Rodore.

 Chapter 86 - Top Secret and Thousand Blade Festival [3]

    86. Top Secret and Thousand de Festival [3]


    The day after I heard the story of the 100 Million Years Button from Leia-sensei.


    We were sitting through thest homeroom in Year 1 ss A.


    ¡¸Everyone, good work today too! Judging from your appearances, all of you seem fatigued, but¡­ Ovee it with enthusiasm and youth!¡¹


    Leia-sensei set up her favourite saying and hit the ckboard with her palm.


    It is an encouragement method from sensei who still loves reading Weekly Shonen Yaiba.


    (Speaking of¡­ Everyone seems tired these days.)


    The sses were as usual, but there was a hint of fatigue on the faces of my ssmates.


    Of course, Ria and Rose are no exception.


    The other day I asked Tessa why and he said soul dress ss has be particrly more intense.


    Until now, all they had to do was to talk to the spirit core and negotiate so that they could share its power.


    However, recently, when they request more than a certain amount of power, the spirit core seems to show fierce resistance.


    So every time there is a soul dress ss, they have to fight the spirit core in the world of the soul. As a result, their mental fatigue has umted.


    (Well, in that regard, perhaps I¡¯m¡ºlucky¡»?)


    In the first ce, that guy doesn¡¯t lend me even the slightest bit of power from the very beginning.


    (¡ºNegotiate and Dialogue¡»- On the day I show that kind of attitude, a straight right flies at me, and by the time I realise, I¡¯m already back in the real world.)


    We¡¯ve been at each other¡¯s throat since day one, thus I alone was full of energy even though everyone else was exhausted.


    I¡¯m already used to that kind of mental fatigue.


    (Everyone is doing their best. I, too, have to push myself to the limit more!)


    Recently, my motivation for training has been rising.


    And the time spent fighting that guy in the world of the soul has also greatly increased.


    Now that I¡¯ve mastered¡ºdarkness¡», I can actually defend against that guy¡¯s attacks.


    This is tremendous growth.


    (This darkness is a really useful power.)


    The jet-ck darkness acts perfectly as both offense and defence in unity.


    When I wear it, it bes a strong armor which protects me.


    When I concentrate it on my sword, it bes a¡ºpseudo-ck sword¡»that boasts fearsome sharpness.


    When I concentrate it on my wounds, most of them are healed in no time.


    (Haa¡­ I truly wonder what kind of ability my soul dress will have?)


    An unknown power that is still far in the distance ¨C soul dress.


    Just thinking about it makes my heart beat faster and a smile naturally spread on my face.


    (Fufu, I¡¯m looking forward to tomorrow¡¯s ss again.)


    When I was thinking about that,


    ¡¸Well, it¡¯s about time to disperse, but¡­ I have one big announcement today!¡¹


    Sensei said and coughed once.


    ¡¸It is finally the time for the annual¡ºThousand de Festival¡»! I know there are a lot of you who have already heard from your seniors in clubs, but I will exin it briefly just in case!¡¹


    Then she spoke roughly about the Thousand de Festival.


    ¡¸Thousand de Festival is an academy festival held here at Thousand de Academy once a year! Since we are one of the¡ºFive Academy¡», the festival¡¯s liveliness is quite remarkable! Every year, many public visitors from outside the academy participate ¨C including young swordsmen who will knock on the gates of Thousand de Academy in the future! I want you to enjoy it with the awareness and pride of being a student of Thousand de Academy!¡¹


    We¡¯ve already heard most of this from the president and others..


    ¡¸There¡¯s only two weeks until the Thousand de Festival. From now on, I will ask you to decide what activity Year 1 ss A will carry out. Those who havee up with a good idea, please do not hesitate to raise your hand! I don¡¯t mind what the activity is, as long as you have a lot of fun!¡¹


    After that, everyone came up with ideas as they pleased ¨C which was eventually narrowed down to five.


    Cosy Cafe.


    Filmmaking in ss.


    Mini-game tournament.


    Handmade Ramzak store.


    Blue Sky Practice-Swing Party.


    All of them were attractive and it was difficult to say which one of them was better.


    The Practice-Swing Party under the blue sky was especially attractive.


    ¡¸Fumu, there¡¯s a strange one mixed in there, but¡­ Well, that¡¯s fine I guess.¡¹


    As Leia-sensei said that, she handed out ballots to everyone and set up a ballot box on top of the teacher¡¯s table.


    ¡¸-Those who have decided on your vote, insert it in this box!¡¹


    After that, we voted one by one.


    ¡¸¡­Yoshi, everyone has voted. Let¡¯s tally the votes!¡¹


    Sensei then opened the ballot box and began to tally it.


    And the results were ¨C


    Cosy Cafe ¨C sixteen votes.


    Filmmaking in ss ¨C six votes.


    Mini-game tournament ¨C four votes.


    Handmade Ramzak store ¨C three votes.


    Blue Sky Practice-Swing Party ¨C one vote.


    Year 1 Group A activity was decided to be a Cosy Cafe which gained the support of the majority.


    ¡¸What¡­!?¡¹


    It was decided by everyone¡¯s majority vote, thus I had noints about the result.


    However, there was only one thing that was frustrating¡­


    That is ¨C I had only one vote in my proposal, the¡ºBlue Sky Practice-Swing Party¡».


    Needless to say, this one vote was cast by me.


    In other words,¡ºzero votes¡».


    (I thought it would definitely be fun. To swing together with swordsmen from outside the academy¡­)


    Apparently, my poor exnation didn¡¯t properly convey the joy of the Blue Sky Practice-Swing Party to everyone.


    (I¡¯m going to try again next year.)


    Thousand de Festival is not something that is only held particrly this year alone.


    It¡¯s just a matter of trying again next year and making the evolved Blue Sky Practice-Swing Partye true.


    As I was secretly burning with eagerness,


    ¡¸Well then, everyone, immediately begin the preparations!¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸Ou!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    And the preparations for the opening of the Cosy Cafe began.


    ¡ö


    After that, the entire ss started setting up the Cosy Caf¨¦ after thest homeroom for the next two weeks.


    First of all, we started with the cosy costumes.


    A female student, who does cosy as a hobby, brought in a catalogue. And all the other female students gathered around her merrily.


    ¡¸Nee Nee! I think this would suit Ria-san very well!¡¹


    ¡¸B-But¡­ Doesn¡¯t the skirt seems a little too short?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay! No problem if you wear spats inside!¡¹


    ¡¸I-I don¡¯t want to be seen in spats either!¡¹


    Talks which shouldn¡¯t be heard by men had developed around Ria. On the other hand,


    ¡¸What do you think, Rose-san? Do you have any costumes you would like to wear?¡¹


    ¡¸Fumu¡­ I¡¯m kinda interested in this.¡¹


    ¡¸T-This?! R-Rose-san is surprisingly daring.¡¹


    ¡¸Is that right? I think it¡¯s quite normal though.¡¹


    Rose chose her favorite costume in a matter-of-fact manner.


    (Is it really alright, Rose?)


    I was a little worried about what kind of costume she chose because I know of her revealing casual clothes.


    While the girls were excitedly deciding on the cosy costumes, the boys were mass-producing origami rings single-mindedly for the purpose of decoration.


    At first, the boys were like,¡ºI¡¯m looking forward to seeing their cosys!¡», and so on, but soon¡­


    Cut it with scissors, roll up the origami, and paste it.


    Cut it with scissors, roll up the origami, and paste it.


    Cut it with scissors, roll up the origami, and paste it.


    Their mouths stopped talking as they repeated the same work single-mindedly. The same movement was repeated silently like machines for three whole hours.


    And then,


    ¡¸Nee Nee, Allen-kun! Can youe over here?¡¹


    I was called by a voice from the group of excited girls.


    ¡¸Err¡­ What¡¯s going on?¡¹


    When I reluctantly got up and headed over there,


    ¡¸Nn- What would Allen-kun like to wear?¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, I have to wear it, too?¡¹


    ¡¸Of course! Allen-kun must wear a cool costume and bring in female customers!¡¹


    Saying that, they suggested a variety of costumes in high spirits.


    (¡­To be honest, I don¡¯t have interest in this.)


    But, since the girls are going out of their way to pick a costume¡­


    I don¡¯t want to discourage them.


    After the cosy costume was decided, we moved on to the menu decision.


    A cafe, of course, requires drinks and simple snacks.


    ¡¸First of all, coffee,tte, cafe auit, cappino, and¡­ I also want mhiato!¡¹


    ¡¸Oi Oi, don¡¯t forget the soft drinks.¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, that¡¯s right! So what about the snacks?¡¹


    ¡¸Toast, meat spa, omelette, and hashed beef rice. At minimum those.¡¹


    ¡¸I like it! Then, dessert will be pancakes and coffee jelly, and such!¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, I like the sound of that!¡¹


    When the boys and girls were happily exchanging their opinions,


    ¡¸W-What?! I dare you to say it again!¡¹


    ¡¸As I said¡­ ¡ºThat menu¡»is impossible for a cafe!¡¹


    Tessa and the girls began arguing for some reason.


    (What the hell happened?)


    I strained my ears, trying to hear the conversation.


    ¡¸White rice, hijiki, dried sardines, vegetables and pickled daikon radish! A caf¨¦ needs to cook such dietary dishes of the Iron Cutting Style, right!?¡¹


    ¡¸Such dishes are not necessary! This is a Cosy Cafe!¡¹


    ¡¸Kuh¡­ you blockhead! Naa, Oi, Allen! What do you think?!¡¹


    Tessa suddenly turned the story towards me.


    ¡¸N-No¡­ I think Tessa is in the wrong this time.¡¹


    Dietary dishes in a Cosy Cafe¡­ I have to say it¡¯s a mismatch.


    When I said that,


    ¡¸Nu, Gugugu¡­ If Allen says so, then it can¡¯t be helped.¡¹


    Tessa reluctantly withdrew his im, gritting his teeth.


    When the costume and the menu was decided, we started to practice cooking the dishes on the menu.


    ¡¸Kuh¡­ setting the omelette¡¯s appearance is very difficult.¡¹


    ¡¸Gah! Why won¡¯t the eggs roll up beautifully?! There is something wrong with this frying pan!¡¹


    ¡¸A-Ahaha¡­ I don¡¯t usually cook, so this is a little embarrassing.¡¹


    The girls were attempting¡ºhalf-boiled fluffy eggs¡», led by Rose, to make omelettes, but¡­


    Unfortunately, it didn¡¯t go very well.


    It seems that the girls in our ss are a little weak at cooking.


    They probably spent almost all their time on swordsmanship since they were kids.


    It¡¯s no wonder.


    (If that¡¯s the case, I should help out too.)


    I gave them a little advice on making omelette.


    ¡¸Actually, there is a secret technique to roll the egg beautifully. After you first put the eggs in, you scramble them firmly on the frying pan. And then you can easily peel off the eggs from the frying pan.¡¹


    And then,


    ¡¸This is¡­! W-Wow, Allen! I didn¡¯t think you were proficient in cooking too!¡¹


    ¡¸Oh! It is so easy now! As expected of Allen-kun!¡¹


    ¡¸Wow, it¡¯s true! Thank you, Allen-kun! But it¡¯s amazing that you even know how to cook.¡¹


    The girls, who seeded in ¡°half-boiled fluffy egg¡± one after another, turned their envious eyes towards me.


    ¡¸Ahaha, I used to cook a long time ago.¡¹


    Life in Goza vige ispletely like self-help.


    Harvesting vegetables, caring for livestock, and cooking rice. All these basic things must be done by yourself.


    That¡¯s why I was a little better at cooking than most people.


    Then, the two weeks of flurry and fun passed quickly. Today, it was finally the day of the Thousand de Festival.

 Chapter 87 - Top Secret and Thousand Blade Festival [4]

    87. Top Secret and Thousand de Festival [4]


    On the day of the Thousand de Festival.


    The students of Year 1 ss A gathered in the ssroom at 8:30am, thirty minutes before the opening, and were preparing to open the cafe.


    As Tessa and the others started preparing the food, I changed into my cosy costume in the men¡¯s changing room.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s see, this hand goes here and¡­¡¹


    While looking at the memo at hand, I managed to dress up by myself.


    A haori with a whitecap design on blue fabric.


    A light gray hakama with certain elegance.


    ck strapped Zori.


    ¡¸This is a¡ºSamurai Costume¡»huh¡­¡¹


    Samurai ¨C A subss of swordsmen identified in a country in the Far East; a minority group who practice unique swordsmanship.


    They¡¯re usually gentle and dislike conflict, but¡­


    Beneath their smiles they hold fearsome fighting prowess, or so I¡¯ve heard.


    I finished putting on the samurai cosy, and looked at my reflection in the dresser.


    ¡¸As expected, it stands out a little.¡¹


    It was on the actual day that I suddenly became embarrassed.


    However, I can¡¯t quit now after all the preparations have been made.


    ¡¸Fuu¡­¡¹


    I exhaled my breath loudly and calmed my heart.


    (Yes, thinking about it carefully, it¡¯s a¡ºfestival¡»today.)


    Even if I stand out a little, people would just think¡ºI guess there are things like these too¡»and move on. Especially because it¡¯s a festival.


    ¡¸Well, if I act confidently, I should be fine. Yes!¡¹


    I changed my mind set and returned to the ssroom where everyone was waiting.


    I walked down the hallway that was busy with opening preparations, and slowly opened the ssroom door.


    ¡¸A-Allen-kun! Wow, it looks good on you after all!¡¹


    ¡¸So cool! This is sure to be very popr!¡¹


    High-pitched cheers came from the girls.


    ¡¸Eh¡­ Ah, U-Un¡­ Thank you.¡¹


    I¡¯ve hardly ever been praised by others before. So I was at a loss as to what to say at a time like this.


    Then, the back door of the ssroom opened when I returned vague replies.


    From there, Ria, dressed in her cosy costume, walked in.


    ¡¸T-This is¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸D-Dazzling¡­ What destructive power!¡¹


    ¡¸Oh god, my chest¡­ feels tight¡­¡¹


    While the boys were showing big reactions ¨C without responding to the gazes on her, Ria walked up to me, and


    ¡¸W-What do you think, Allen¡­?¡¹


    She showed off her cute cosy, her cheeks dyed scarlet.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    Maid clothes in ck one-piece and white apron dress with frills.


    It matched Ria¡¯s beautiful blonde hair. A beautiful look, and she was very pretty to say the least.


    ¡¸I-I think it¡¯s very cute¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I-I see¡­ T-Thank you¡­¡¹


    Sheughed shyly.


    (Ria¡¯s maid clothes are certainly pretty.)


    However, there was only one aspect I was worried about.


    I shifted my gaze to the bottom part of the cosy.


    (I-It¡¯s a little too short, isn¡¯t it?)


    Yes, Ria¡¯s skirt length was very short.


    If a slightly strong wind blows, you can see under it.


    (It may not be good for me as a man to say this, but¡­)


    I really had to point this out.


    ¡¸T-That¡­ Is that alright¡­?¡¹


    I said, pointing to her skirt modestly.


    And then,


    ¡¸Fufu, that part is alright¡­ See?¡¹


    Suddenly, she began to lift both ends of her skirt.


    ¡¸Ri-Ria¡­?!¡¹


    I hurriedly closed my eyes with both hands due to her unexpected behavior.


    However, from the gaps of my fingers which urred naturally, the inside of Ria¡¯s skirt can be seen a little¡­ It¡¯s missing?


    ¡¸Eh¡­?¡¹


    Looking closely, it was a miniskirt-style shorts where the inseam was sewn tightly.


    ¡¸Allen is hi.¡¹


    ¡¸Eh, ah, no¡­. This is¡­¡¹


    I faltered back as Ria red at me, and sheughed like a mischievous child.


    ¡¸Fufu, I¡¯m kidding. But were you surprised? They¡¯re called ¡°culotte skirts¡±! The girls told me,¡ºThis will definitely be alright!¡».¡¹


    Saying that, she spun around in a circle.


    Due to centrifugal force, the skirt was fluttering.


    However, because the inseam was sewn firmly, the inside was not visible.


    ¡¸Well, that¡¯s good¡­¡¹


    I don¡¯t feel good¡­ when Ria is looked at with those kinds of gazes.


    When I patted my chest with relief,


    ¡¸Are you a little relieved?¡¹


    She said, peering into my face.


    ¡¸Aa, I¡¯m pretty relieved.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­Ehehe, I see. Thank you.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­? Why are you thanking me, Ria?¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, I¡¯m just a little happy.¡¹


    When we were talking about that, the back door opened vigorously.


    The person who walken in from there was,


    ¡¸Good morning, Allen.¡¹


    ¡¸Aa. Good morning, Rose¡­?!¡¹


    Bunny ear hairband.


    White, round tail of a rabbit.


    ck leotard with a lot of shoulder exposure.


    Mesh stockings.


    She was a splendid bunny girl who did the term justice.


    ¡¸How is it, Allen? It suits me quite well, don¡¯t you think?¡¹


    Rose asked, with an imposing air.


    ¡¸Well, it certainly looks good on you, but¡­ I-Is that really alright?¡¹


    ¡¸Nn? What do you mean?¡¹


    ¡¸How should I put this¡­ Shoulder area, c-chest area and such¡­¡¹


    ¡¸This much is no big deal. It¡¯s not that different from my casual wear.¡¹


    When she puts it like that¡­ I suppose it¡¯s not all that different¡­


    Her in clothes are where the chest area ispletely exposed from the lower part of the chest to the stomach, and the bottoms are ck low-rise pants which barely cover her legs.


    ¡­To be honest, it¡¯s not all that different from what I¡¯m looking at right now.


    When I was convinced of it,


    ¡¸Allen, that is¡­ a samurai cosy, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Hmm hmm, I see¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, it looks like it is.¡¹


    Ria and Rose stared at my cosy from head to toe.


    And,


    ¡¸Un. Allen looks very cool! This costume looks very good on you!¡¹


    ¡¸There is sort of a grace to it. The fresh blue is very attractive.¡¹


    They praised my cosy.


    ¡¸Ahaha, thank you.¡¹


    While having such a pleasant talk, it was three minutes before the opening by the time we realised it.


    Portable stove.


    A set of cooking utensils.


    Ingredients, tableware, decorations, etc ¨C all preparations were ready.


    Everyone in the ss quietly shut their eyes and simted the production movement in their mind.


    ¡¸Hey, I¡¯m a little nervous¡­¡¹


    ¡¸This tension is not bad¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, that¡¯s right.¡¹


    The three of us are in charge of the waiting service, and our job is to remember all the items on the menu.


    I had finished memorizing it perfectlyst night, so now I just have to wait for the time to put it to use.


    After that, it was thirty seconds before the opening. An in-house broadcast rang out.


    ¡¸Good morning,dies and gentlemen! This is Director Leia Lasnode. In a short span of two weeks, you¡¯ve done well to prepare this far! Now, all that¡¯s left is to show the results! Well then, I dere the opening of the Thousand de Festival!¡¹


    The moment Leia-sensei announced the beginning of the Thousand de Festival, a loud cheer was heard from outside the ssroom.


    (W-What¡­?)


    When I looked out the window, there were a tremendous number of people rushing into the academy building of Thousand de Academy.


    ¡¸What a crowd¡­¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s one of the Five Academy, Thousand de Academy, after all¡­¡¹


    The waves of people reminded me of the¡ºGod Street¡»in Drestia, the merchant city.


    While doing so,


    ¡¸Excuse me. Are you already open?¡¹


    The first customers visited the Cosy Cafe of Year 1 ss A.


    Three women at the same time.


    ¡¸Yes, of course. In this cafe, you can designate one of the cosyers as your waiter. Who would you like?¡¹


    Tessa, who was in charge of the reception, with a natural customer service smile, said the lines confidently.


    (¡­! Way to go, Tessa!)


    From his bold bearing, I could surmise his¡ºadditional efforts¡».


    And then,


    ¡¸Well then¡­ We¡¯d like to go with¡ºAllen-kun¡».¡¹


    The three female guests pointed to a picture of me at the reception desk.


    I went to wee the customers, with a natural customer service smile which doesn¡¯t fall behind Tessa¡¯s.


    ¡¸Thank you very much for visiting our cafe. Here, pleasee this way.¡¹


    I escorted them to their seats and,


    ¡¸Have the orders, been decided?¡¹


    In a slow tone so as not to hurry, I gently listened to their orders.


    ¡¸Uh¡­ Honey toast and cafette, please.¡¹


    ¡¸As for me¡­ egg sandwich and coffee.¡¹


    ¡¸Um¡­ I¡¯m a little hungry right now, so I¡¯d like to have an omelette and atte.¡¹.


    ¡¸Yes, certainly.¡¹


    I quickly took note of the order, repeated it correctly, confirmed that there was no mistake, and passed the order.


    After that, I carried the orders that the person in charge of cooking prepared. The first task waspleted sesfully.


    (Yoshi Yoshi! As perfectly as I imagined it!)


    I think I canplete this job calmly, there was a time when I thought that way.


    After that,


    ¡¸Allen-kun, you¡¯ve got another four-people nomination!¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, I understand¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸Ria-san, you¡¯ve got a nomination from one person!¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, I understand!¡¹


    ¡¸Allen-kun, this time you¡¯ve got five-people nomination!¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, please wait a moment¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸Rose-san, it¡¯s a nomination from one person.¡¹


    ¡¸Umu, understood.¡¹


    ¡¸Allen-kun, next is seven-people nomination!¡¹


    ¡¸Y-Yes¡­!¡¹


    For some reason, there were unusually many more nominations for me.


    They were all groups of female customers. After escorting them to their seats, for some reason, they started talking about various stories and I had a hard time taking orders.


    (Maybe this is a result of the women¡¯swork¡­)


    One female customer called another female customer and so on, and our cosy cafe appeared like a women¡¯s specialty shop.


    For about three hours, I had to deal with the female customers who walked in one after another. Then, it was finally time for a shift change.


    We¡¯re in charge of the morning session, and arepletely free in the afternoon.


    After changing into our uniforms in the changing rooms, the three of us decided to look around the activities of other sses.


    The first ce we¡¯re visiting has already been decided.


    Of course, it is the special haunted house by the president and senpais.


    ¡¸N-Nee, Allen¡­? Are you sure you want to go?¡¹


    ¡¸I-If you want to turn back, now is the time.¡¹


    ¡¸A-Ahaha. I already told the president that I¡¯ming.¡¹


    Even as nice as she is, the president is actually the type to hold grudges.


    If I stood her up, it¡¯ll be troublesometer.


    (And above all, I¡¯m also looking forward to it.)


    ording to the president, it seems to be at the quality where more than ten people faintedst year.


    I¡¯m actually looking forward to seeing what kind of gimmick it is.


    Then we pushed our way through the crowd and arrived at the ssroom of Year 2 ss A.


    And what we saw there was,


    ¡¸This is, quite well done¡­¡¹


    It was a huge haunted house that spanned three ssrooms from ss A to ss C.


    It no longer looked like a¡ºssroom¡».


    Eerie ivys was crawling around on the ck painted exterior.


    There were w marks here and there.


    Dark red color which looked simr to blood was smeared everywhere.


    (It¡¯s a nice atmosphere¡­)


    This might actually turn out to be good.


    And then,


    ¡¸¡¸¡­¡­¡¹¡¹


    Ria and Rose held each other¡¯s hand with ghastly-pale faces.


    We haven¡¯t even entered yet¡­


    They seem to have reached their limits due to this eerie exterior alone.


    ¡¸Naa, you two¡­ If you¡¯re afraid, just say it¨C¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸I¡¯m not afraid!¡¹¡¹


    The two said in unison stubbornly as ever.


    Their legs were trembling, and it was clear that they were putting up a strong front.


    ¡¸Okay okay¡­¡¹


    I already know that they both hate losing and are unreasonably stubborn.


    I just gave up on the persuasion.


    ¡¸Excuse me, we three would like to enter, please.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, thank you. Take care of your steps and enter inside.¡¹


    I paid the entrance fee at the reception, took the frightened Ria and Rose and set foot into the prided haunted house of the president and senpais.


    ¡¸This is the reception. The target, Allen Rodore, has entered. President, I leave the rest to you.¡¹


    ¡¸This is Sie. Roger. Fufufu, you¡¯re finally here. I¡¯m finally going to get my revenge for all the things in the past, Allen-kun!¡¹

 Chapter 88 - Top Secret and Thousand Blade Festival [5]

    88. Top Secret and Thousand de Festival [5]


    When we went through the haunted house door, there was a dimly lit small room.


    ¡¸This is¡­¡¹


    There was arge poster there.


    It was the instructions of the haunted house.


    Because it is dangerous, please do not run in the building.


    If you feel sick, please wait on the spot. The students of this ss wille to pick you up immediately.


    There are some representations which use maniption-type soul dress. Please bear that in mind.


    Then, please be careful and continue forward.


    The instructions were like a real haunted house, and my expectations naturally grew.


    ¡¸Ria, Rose.¡¹


    ¡¸Y-Yes¡­!!¡¹


    ¡¸What¡¯s the matter with you two?¡¹


    Just calling out, gave them a jump.


    (¡­I wonder if it¡¯s really all right.)


    A little, no, I¡¯m plenty worried, but¡­


    Since they stubbornly insist on not being¡ºafraid¡», there¡¯s nothing I can do about it.


    ¡¸We¡¯ve read the instruction, so let¡¯s continue on.¡¹


    I pointed to the only door in the room.


    ¡¸Y-Yeah, yes!¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, r-right¡­!¡¹


    Then, I slowly opened the door.


    Beyond that point was a narrow passage with ck curtains on the left and right.


    Light blue lighting illuminates the floor and shows the direction.


    ¡¸He-hee¡­ Q-Qu-Qu-Quite a nice atmosphere isn¡¯t it¡­ Well, I¡¯m not afraid at all, though¡­¡¹


    ¡¸R-Right¡­ The president and senpais did a pretty good job¡­ I¡¯m also not afraid at all though¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, it certainly has a good atmosphere.¡¹


    I took a step forward, smiling at their brave front -¡ºclick¡»- the sound of a lock was heard from behind.


    ¡¸¡¸Hii!?¡¹¡¹


    Ria and Rose let out a shriek and tried to open the door behind us.


    However, the door was locked and could no longer be opened.


    ¡¸W-WW-WW-What do we do¡­ Allen?!¡¹


    ¡¸L-Locked¡­ We¡¯re locked inside?!¡¹


    Ria and Rose shook my body violently, bewilderedly.


    The two trembling this much was something rare, and was rather cute.


    ¡¸It¡¯s okay, so calm down¡­¡¹


    I said gently, trying to calm Ria and Rose.


    ¡¸U-Un¡­ Thank you.¡¹


    ¡¸Fuu¡­ s-sorry, I lost myposure.¡¹


    And when they regained their coolness,


    ¡¸Let¡¯s move on.¡¹


    We finally started to go into the haunted house.


    I walked in the lead, whereas the two followed behind me; Ria on the right and Rose on the left.


    Their hands were tightly clutching the sleeves of my uniform, and it was very hard to walk.


    However, there was no way that I could say ¡ºIt¡¯s a little hard to walk¡­¡»


    to the two of them who were trembling.


    (Even so, the¡ºsound of door locking¡»was a good touch that induced anxiety.)


    The reality of being¡ºtrapped¡»reminds human beings of the feelings of oppression, fretfulness, and dread.


    In that sense, the current trick was a simple but very good¡ºintroduction¡».


    (If I¡¯m not mistaken, the general manager was Ferris-senpai, wasn¡¯t it¡­)


    When I looked around, I saw a broken mirror, one indoor slipper of a pair, a half-open locker, and so on. Props which induced fear indirectly caught the eyes.


    (All of them are clever props. They didn¡¯t spare a thought in inducing fear.)


    Should I say, as expected of the haunted house that made more than ten people faintst year.


    (Fufu, it¡¯s getting a little fun.)


    As we went down the narrow, dark course, a student dressed as a short old-man with a bent waist slowly came toward me, tapping his cane on the floor.


    ¡¸Oh, you guys¡­! I wonder if you¡¯re still alive¡­?!¡¹


    Then, he began talking without waiting for our reply.


    ¡¸We¡ºdead souls¡»are bound by the¡ºkeystone¡»at the far end of this building, and are unable to enter Nirvana. I¡¯d like to ask you guys a favour. I want you to find the¡ºcurse dispelling amulet¡»somewhere in this building and ce it on the keystone.¡¹


    Apparently, the condition to clear this haunted house is to listen to his request, and help the dead souls bound to the house reach Nirvana.


    ¡¸Just like how there are dead like me who can reason, there are also dead who can¡¯t and will attack the living at first sight. Be very careful.¡¹


    Having said that, he walked away somewhere.


    ¡¸Curse dispelling amulet he says¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I see, it seems like we have to look for it first¡­¡¹


    With a clear purpose, the two werepletely absorbed into the world of the haunted house.


    ¡¸Well, then, let¡¯s go find the curse dispelling amulet.¡¹


    ¡¸Un.¡¹


    ¡¸Aa.¡¹


    After that, the two of them, who got used to the atmosphere here, came to walk shoulder to shoulder with me.


    As we advanced to through the narrow passage, we came out to a wide spacious room


    (There is something here¡­)


    The moment I tried to cross the hall while being slightly cautious, the sound of wings pping and the ominous cries of ravens resounded.


    ¡¸¡¸Hiiii!?¡¹¡¹


    Ria and Rose hugged me involuntarily. But the trick is not over yet.


    Cold wind blew from all sides, and a big doll in red clothes attached to the ceiling began to rattle.


    ¡¸¡¸A-A-Aaaa¡­¡¹¡¹


    While their eyes were glued to the ceiling,


    (So, the ¡±floor¡±, huh¡­)


    After checking the ceiling quickly, I calmly shifted my eyes to the floor.


    (A big doll that outright attracts attention. This is probably a typical trick which shifts people¡¯s gaze.)


    Then,¡ºblood-painted hands¡»which would probably grip our ankles came from the floor.


    Perhaps this was the note¡ºrepresentation using maniption-type soul dress.¡»


    (As expected, it came from the floor after all. Even so, the¡ºhand¡»looks quite realistic. I wonder if it¡¯s made of y or something¡­)


    While thinking about that, I easily avoided the creeping hands.


    At that moment,


    The blood-stained hands gripped the ankles of the two who were distracted by the doll above.


    ¡¸¡¸KY-KYAAAAAAAAAAAAA?!!!¡¹¡¹


    The two, who had beenpletely fixated on the doll, shrieked like hell.


    ¡¸C-Calm down, calm down! It¡¯s okay! Because it is a prop hand!¡¹


    When I spoiled the trick,


    ¡¸R-R-R-Really¡­? Oh, it¡¯s true¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I-I was surprised as hell¡­¡¹


    They must have been terrified.


    Ria and Rose trembled with tears in their eyes.


    ¡¸Take a deep breath. Take your time to catch your breath.¡¹


    ¡¸U-Un¡­¡¹


    ¡¸A-Aa¡­ yeah¡­¡­¡¹


    They probably panicked a lot.


    ¡¸¡¸Hi-Hi-fuu¡­ hi-hi-fuu¡­¡¹¡¹


    They practiced the wrong breathing method simultaneously.


    (Well, as long as it helps them calm down.)


    When they gradually began to regain theirposure,


    ¡¸¡¸Hi-hi¡­ HIII!?¡¹¡¹


    A scroll fell from the ceiling.


    I picked it up as it rolled on the floor and checked the content.


    ¡¸¡­I see, it¡¯s a map.¡¹


    It was a rough sketch map of this haunted house.


    The curse dispelling amulet is probably at the location where it¡¯s marked with a red x-mark.


    (Even so, top, bottom, top, huh¡­)


    It¡¯s a clever trick to shift people¡¯s attention around.


    ¡¸Yoshi, let¡¯s hurry ahead.¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸U-Un¡­¡¹¡¹


    If we stay here for too long, the two will not be able to sleep all night.


    (¡­Perhaps, it¡¯s already toote even.)


    Thinking about that, we resumed searching for the curse dispelling amulet.


    (Kuh, as expected of Allen-kun. He easily saw through the trick!)


    (What should we do, Sie?! As expected, he¡¯s quite strong!)


    (T-The way things seem, I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll be able to scare him though¡­!)


    (I-It¡¯s okay. We still have a lot of set ups!)


    ¡ö


    After that, Ria and Rose braved through the haunted house despite falling for various tricks.


    Ria grabbed my right hand, and Rose, my left. Both of them firmly grasped it and didn¡¯t let go.


    The only problem was that it was difficult to walk.


    (And more importantly¡­)


    The ¡°soft¡± feeling on my arm from a while ago. I can¡¯t help but worry about it.


    I tried to distance myself indirectly several times, but¡­


    They never left.


    As I walked down a narrow passage in such an indescribable situation, we came out to a ce that was wide open.


    (This is definitely our destination.)


    Looking at the map, we are at the red x-mark on the map.


    (But man, they really put a lot of work into this¡­)


    The ce looked like a temple.


    There is a main temple in the center, andrge statues ced on either side of it.


    And right in front of the main temple was an offertory box and a pure white amulet adorning it.


    It was probably the curse dispelling amulet for the curse.


    ¡¸T-There it is! It¡¯s over there, Allen!¡¹


    ¡¸W-We did it¡­ With this we can finally¡­!¡¹


    When we finally found what we were looking for, the two ran towards it in high spirits.


    However, it was too obvious that there would be a trap there.


    ¡¸W-Wait both of you!¡¹


    I tried to stop them, but¡­


    My voice did not reach the ears of Ria and Rose, who were osciting between fear and joy.


    ¡¸We did it! We got the curse dispelling amulet!¡¹


    ¡¸Yoshi, if we find the keystone after this¡­!¡¹


    The moment the two of them got the curse dispelling amulet and smiled with joy,


    ¡¸Give it baaaaaaack!¡¹


    A bloodstained woman jumped out of the offertory box directly behind them.


    ¡¸¡¸¡­¡­N-NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!¡¹¡¹


    The two reached the critical point of fear, and ran to the back of the haunted house at full speed.


    ¡¸Hey, Ria!? Rose!?¡¹


    ¡­¡­They were gone.


    Well, this is a haunted house built by the president and senpais.


    I¡¯m sure there will be no danger to the both of them.


    ¡¸You both did well¡­¡¹


    Even though they¡¯re poor at scary things¡­ they did well to endure so far.


    While sending generous praise to their guts, I proceeded through the haunted house.


    I got the curse dispelling amulet that was dropped by Ria and Rose, and enjoyed the various set-ups prepared by the president.


    And finally,


    ¡¸Is this the end, I wonder?¡¹


    I ced the curse dispelling amulet on the keystone which was in the back of the building.


    Then, a tranquil music which is normally yed at churches sounded, and the door at the end of the keystone opened slowly.


    It looks like the exit is ahead.


    (This was a lot more fun than I expected¡­)


    After sessfullypleting the clear condition of the haunted house, I proceeded to the exit pointed to by the light.


    At that moment,


    ¡¸BOO!¡¹


    The president, dressed in a white ghost costume, jumped out of the shadows of the pirs.


    It was a development I expected, so¡­ I wasn¡¯t particrly surprised.


    ¡¸Thank you, president. There were a number of borate props that were aimed at the gaps of consciousness. It was a lot of fun.¡¹


    When I conveyed my honest impression,


    ¡¸¡­¡­Eh? T-Thank you¡­ No, that¡¯s not the point!¡¹


    She stared at me nkly for a moment, and soon pouted sullenly.


    ¡¸W-Why didn¡¯t you get surprised at all?! And the surprise just now¡­ Any human being would have definitely been surprised!¡¹


    The president said so in desperation, getting angry unreasonably.


    ¡¸A-Ahaha¡­ Sorry.¡¹


    I scratched my cheeks with a wry smile.


    Indeed, thest surprise attack was a wonderful fright that aimed at catching a psychological blind spot.


    It¡¯s a wonderful attack that precisely targets the moment when the curse dispelling amulet was ced on the keystone and everything was over ¨C the moment when the on-edge mind finally rxed.


    However,


    ¡¸I could smell your nice smell from behind the pirs, so, unfortunately, I knew you were hiding there, president.¡¹


    Man is surprised at the unexpected.


    Conversely, not surprised at the expected.


    And then,


    ¡¸N-Nice smell¡­¡¹


    She probably noticed her mistake, as she blushed red.


    ¡¸Yes. Well then, I have to find Ria and Rose¡­ So I will take my leave here.¡¹


    Thus, I cleared the president and senpais¡¯ special three ssroom haunted house.

 Chapter 89.1 - Top Secret and Thousand Blade Festival [6] – part 1

    89. Top Secret and Thousand de Festival [6] ¨C part 1


    I stretched my body greatly after enjoying the president¡¯s special haunted house.


    ¡¸Nn¡­¡¹


    I¡¯ve been in a dim room for a long time, so the sunlighting in through the window was a little dazzling.


    ¡¸Well then, I have to find Ria and Rose.¡¹


    For now, let¡¯s go to the ce where they are likely to go.


    (Ria would probably be the cafeteria, and Rose should be around the training area.)


    When I turned towards the cafeteria, roughly guessing where they might be ¨C I saw Ria and Rose walking out of the women¡¯s restroom from a little away.


    Apparently they gathered at the same ce instead of running around aimlessly.


    ¡¸-Ria, Rose, thank goodness!¡¹


    I waved my hand and ran up to them.


    And then,


    ¡¸¡¸¡­¡­I am not crying.¡¹¡¹


    They murmured something.


    ¡¸¡­Eh? My bad, I didn¡¯t hear you. Say it again.¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸Like I said, I¡¯m not crying!¡¹¡¹


    This time I heard it clearly.


    ¡¸A-Aa¡­ It¡¯s okay, I know.¡¹


    I now know that Ria and Rose were crying in the women¡¯s toilet.


    It¡¯s obvious, looking at their red, swollen eyes.


    ¡¸¡­That¡¯s right.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­That¡¯s good.¡¹


    They turned away and kept silent.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    An indescribable silence descended.


    (A-Anyway¡­ I have to cheer them up.)


    It¡¯s a festival after all.


    It¡¯s too wasteful to spend time with a depressed air.


    I know one way to change the mood quickly at times like this.


    ¡¸-Ah, that¡¯s right! Now that I think about it, I heard that there is delicious choco banana in Year 2 ss F.¡¹


    At that moment, Ria¡¯s eyebrows twitched.


    (Did I hook her?)


    Ria is a sucker for food.


    When the atmosphere is bad, just shoot this subject.


    ¡¸I¡¯m feeling a little hungry, so why don¡¯t we go out for a meal?¡¹


    I pressed one more time.


    ¡¸¡­¡­To eat.¡¹


    After a small silence, Ria nodded.


    ¡¸Yoshi, it¡¯s decided! What about Rose? I think it will be a good change of pace if you put something in your stomach.¡¹


    ¡¸I suppose¡­ I¡¯lle too.¡¹


    She agreed.


    Thus, we set our course towards Year 2 ss F.


    ¡ö


    We went the long way to avoid passing in front of the haunted house and walked down a long corridor for a while and arrived at our destination.


    ¡¸Oh, it¡¯s pretty crowded.¡¹


    There was a long line of more than ten people in front of the ssroom.


    As I stood on tiptoe, I could see that they were in the middle of making choco bananas.


    The banana was coated with melted hot choco, and red, yellow, green, white, ck, chocte were sprinkled over, andpleted.


    ¡¸Looks so delicious¡­!¡¹


    When Ria saw it, her face shone brightly.


    ¡¸Well then, let¡¯s queue up for the time being.¡¹


    ¡¸Un!¡¹


    We waited for a little at the end of the line, and our turn came around surprisingly fast.


    ¡¸-Sorry to have kept you waiting. Wee to¡ºChoco and Banana¡», a choco banana specialty store!¡¹


    The female student in charge of the reception greeted us pleasantly.


    ¡¸Um, I¡¯d like a choco banana, please.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯ll take one, too.¡¹


    While I and Rose ordered one each,


    ¡¸Umm¡­ I don¡¯t know what kind of food stores are left, so¡­ For the time being, I¡¯d like five.¡¹


    Ria raised her five fingers and ordered with dignity.


    ¡¸F,¡ºFive¡»¡­? Not one?¡¹


    The receptionist, who had an overwhelming quantity posed in front of her, rehearsed the order.


    Perhaps she thought it was her own mishearing or Ria¡¯s mistake.


    No wonder.


    She would¡¯ve never dreamed that Ria was such a glutton.


    ¡¸¡­? Yes, five, please.¡¹


    Ria repeated the same order, tilting her head.


    Ria has no awareness that she is a glutton, and didn¡¯t think it was weird to order¡ºfive choco bananas¡».


    ¡¸U-Understood!¡¹


    The receptionist, who understood that it was neither a mishearing nor a misstatement, hurriedly began to make the choco bananas.


    (However, five simply as a warm up huh¡­)


    It¡¯s Ria after all.


    Even after feeling down experiencing a haunted house, there is no such thing as having a small appetite.


    After that, we received a total of seven choco bananas and moved to a ce where there were fewer people.


    And the three of us bit into our choco banana at the same time.


    ¡¸-Un, this is delicious.¡¹


    ¡¸U-n¡­! Thebination of chocte and banana is too much!¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, sweet things is good for calming down after all.¡¹


    Ria and Rose happily filled their mouths with choco bananas.


    As I shot a sidelong nce at them, I took a breath of relief.


    (¡­It looks like they¡¯re okay now.)


    The scary memories carved in the haunted house seem to have been blown away by the sweetness of the choco banana.


    (But¡­ I have to stop them properly next year.)


    The president and senpais are still second year students ¨C that is, their Thousand de Festival still remains for another year.


    (Especially the president¡­ She is a hard-core sore loser.)


    I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be preparing a more powerful haunted house next year.


    If Ria and Rose put on a brave front saying¡ºI¡¯m not scared!¡», and try to enter the haunted house next year ¨C let¡¯s take this as an example and stop them.


    (¡­But you never really know how life will turn out.)


    Until just a few months ago, I was in a hellish ce.


    Disliked, despised, ignored ¨C not needed by anyone, not taken care of by anyone.


    A closed society called Gran Swordsmanship Academy.


    I once went to Goza vige to open up to my mother that I was being bullied.


    (But¡­ I couldn¡¯t.)


    With her hands covered in mud andrge beads of sweat trickling down her forehead ¨C I couldn¡¯t inconvenience my mother anymore. Not when she is working so hard to pay my academy fees. I turned back to the dorm and returned to the hellish academy again.


    (And right now¡­ It¡¯s all different.)


    A dropout swordsman like me goes to one of the famous¡ºFive Academy¡»- Thousand de Academy.


    And most of all, I¡¯ve made irreceable and precious friends, Ria and Rose.


    That¡¯s not all.


    Everyone in ss A, including Tessa.


    The members of the student council ¨C the president, Lilim-senpai, Ferris-senpai.


    And also many other seniors who cheered me on.


    Before I knew it, I was surrounded by a lot of friends.


    (It¡¯s fun.)


    I wish times like this would continue forever.


    Such old man-like thoughts have been crossing my mind as ofte.

 Chapter 89.2 - Top Secrets and Thousand Blade Festival [6] – part 2

    89. Top Secrets and Thousand de Festival [6] ¨C part 2


    When I snapped out of my thoughts,


    ¡¸What¡¯s up, Allen?¡¹


    Ria peered into my face with a worried expression.


    ¡¸Eh, ah, sorry¡­ I spaced out for a while.¡¹


    ¡¸Was it something painful? You had a very sad look¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Sad look?¡¹


    That¡¯s strange.


    I was thinking of the fun and happy¡ºnow¡»a while ago, though¡­


    ¡¸Do you want another one?¡¹


    RIa offered her choco banana.


    (It¡¯s rare for Ria to share her food.)


    Apparently, I had a very heartbroken expression on my face.


    ¡¸Thank you. But just your feelings are enough. More importantly¡­ It¡¯s the Thousand de Festival after all. Let¡¯s look around another ce!¡¹


    I tried to be cheerful to blow away the slightly gloomy air.


    ¡¸Un, that¡¯s right!¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, let¡¯s do it!¡¹


    Then we yed a lot of things, such as ring toss and lottery, stamp rallies, and so on.


    Meanwhile, candy apples, corn, hot dogs, crepes, and everything else that caught Ria¡¯s eyes, ended up in her stomach.


    It is very impressive that she can eat so much and still maintain such a beautiful figure.


    ¡¸Ahaha! This is fun, Allen!¡¹


    ¡¸Fuu, festivals are a very good thing.¡¹


    Ria and Rose were constantly smiling and enjoying the Thousand de festival from the bottom of their hearts.


    As we went around a variety of activities,


    ¡¸What is that?¡¹


    Ria saw a crowd in the middle of the schoolyard.


    ¡¸Right, what is that?¡¹


    There was a special stage which was set up in the center of the crowd, and two swordsmen were ring at each other on it.


    ¡¸Fumu, it seems to be the ss activity of Year 3 ss B called¡ºDojo Yaburi¡».¡¹ 1


    Rose said, looked at the pamphlet.


    ¡¸¡¸Do-Dojo Yaburi¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa. It says win a¡ºluxury prize¡»if you beat Year 3 ss B Jean Bael, the pride of Swordsmanship. In a nutshell, it¡¯s an activity where you can experience dojo yaburi.¡¹


    ¡¸I see¡­¡¹


    ¡ºDojo Yaburi¡»,huh¡­


    That phrase piqued my interest as a swordsman.


    ¡¸Fuu¡­ It sounds a little interesting, let¡¯s go!¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m a little curious about how skilled they are¡­¡¹


    As swordsmen, Ria and Rose¡¯s eyes became sharp.


    They seem to have been drawn in by¡ºpride of Swordsmanship¡»just like me.


    ¡¸Yoshi, let¡¯s go see the dojo yaburi!¡¹


    ¡¸Un!¡¹


    ¡¸Aa!¡¹


    We passed through the academy building of Thousand de Academy and arrived at the special stage in the center of the schoolyard.


    And then,


    ¡¸Gaha!¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s enough! Winner, Jean Bael!¡¹


    It looks like a match just ended.


    ¡¸Amazing¡­ Forty-nine battles, forty-nine wins.¡¹


    ¡¸Strong¡­ The title of¡ºHead of Swordsmanship Club¡»is not just for show.¡¹


    ¡¸Shit, you don¡¯t have any intention of giving away the prize at all.¡¹


    A fewints were mixed in with the cheers.


    The people whoined ¨C were all wounded.


    They probably tried their hand at dojo yaburi and lost to Jean Bael.


    (But, forty-nine battles forty-nine wins, huh¡­)


    Complete victory in all the fights.


    In addition, it was forty-nine consecutive battles.


    (¡­The pride of Swordsmanship part seems to be true.)


    When I was thinking about that,


    ¡¸¡­Ah! Look, Allen!¡¹


    Ria suddenly raised her voice and pointed to a transparent box that read¡ºLuxury Prize¡»behind the special stage.


    Among them, various items such as gift certificates and swords that gave off a sharp vibe were contained.


    (If I remember correctly¡­ The person who seeds in dojo yaburi gets to choose one of their favourites from among them.)


    As I looked through the luxury prize nkly, recalling that,


    ¡¸¡­Aa, that.¡¹


    I soon realized what Ria was excited about.


    ¡¸Hippo¡­! It¡¯s a stuffed hippo!¡¹


    She excitedly pulled the sleeve of my clothes.


    ¡¸Ahaha, that¡¯s right.¡¹


    Ria is a sucker for cute things.


    She especially loves stuffed animals. Her room is decorated with tons of them.


    Sometimes I encounter her talking to the stuffed bear which she loves the most.


    At such times, I silently leave the dorm pretending I didn¡¯t see a thing.


    And then,


    ¡¸Ne-Nee, Allen¡­ Can you get that stuffed animal for me?¡¹


    Ria requested with a downcast look.


    And,


    ¡¸Nn? Can¡¯t you win it yourself, Ria?¡¹


    Rose asked the right question.


    ¡¸I-I want Allen to win it for me¡­ a-and present it to me!¡¹


    Ria shouted, with her face blushing red.


    ¡¸A-Ahaha. Understood, Ria. I don¡¯t know if I can win or not, but I¡¯ll try my best.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­! U-Un, thank you!¡¹


    Then, I pushed through the crowd and went to the dojo yaburi reception desk.


    ¡¸Excuse me. I¡¯d like to try this dojo yaburi.¡¹


    When I called out to the male student at the reception desk,


    ¡¸Allen Rodore?!¡¹he sprang back with his eyes open wide.


    ¡¸Eh?¡¹


    When I was confused by the situation,


    ¡¸Chief! He came as expected. It¡¯s him, Allen Rodore!¡¹


    The receptionist shouted, and the eyes of the people in the surroundings concentrated on me all at once.


    And then,


    ¡¸Hou, so you dide after all. As rumored, you are a sucker for money.¡¹


    Jean Bael, the swordsman standing on the stage, said that while looking straight at me.


    (S-Sucker for money?)


    Another ridiculous rumour is circting now.


    My rumors were so exaggerated that they were all simply absurd.


    (In the beginning, I tried to correct them, but¡­)


    Lately they have been spiralling out of control, and I justpletely left them as is.


    ¡¸Now,e on to the stage, Allen Rodore. I¡¯ve been wanting to exchange swords with you at least once.¡¹


    Jean-san said, staring straight into my eyes.


    The moment I went up to the special stage, thementator woman raised a loud voice as though she had been waiting for it.


    ¡¸HE IS FINALLY HERE! The challenger, I¡¯m sure everyone here knows ¨C Allen Rodoreeeee! He is so powerful that he defeated the¡ºProdigy¡»Idol Luxmaria of White Lily Academy! Many are calling him the¡ºStrongest First Year¡», and he is the swordsman who represents Thousand de Academy now!¡¹


    And she went on to introduce Jean-san


    ¡¸On the other hand, Year 3 ss B, the Head of Swordsmanship Club ¨C Jean Bael! Forty-nine battles to forty-nine wins so far! A super-skilled swordsman who takes pride in his overwhelming swordsmanship!¡¹


    When both our introductions were finished, she began to exin the rules.


    ¡¸The rules are easy! One-on-one serious match using bamboo swords! However, the use of soul dress in consideration of safety is prohibited!¡¹


    The exnation was finished, and a bamboo sword was handed to me by the receptionist.


    ¡¸Are you both ready? Well then ¨C Begin!¡¹


    Thus, a serious match with Jean Bael-san, the Head of Swordsmanship Club, began.

 Chapter 90 - Top Secret and Thousand Blade Academy [7] – part 1

    90. Top Secret and Thousand de Academy [7] ¨C part 1


    At the same time as the signal to start the match , I ced the bamboo sword in front of my navel and assumed Seigan no Kamae.


    On the other hand, Jean-san assumed the exact same stance.


    Jean Bael.


    He is a tall swordsman donning the uniform of Thousand de Academy.


    He is probably 180 centimeters tall.


    Short ck hair.


    Well-featured face


    Perhaps he had bad eyesight as he was wearing silver-rimmed sses.


    (The¡ºHead¡» of the Swordsmanship Club huh¡­)


    To be honest, I was quite interested in what kind of sword he¡¯ll disy.


    ¡¸¡­Allen Rodore. I heard from the vice-head, Silty, that you refused our recruitment to join the swordsmanship club.¡¹


    ¡¸Err, yes, well¡­¡¹


    Silty Rosette, a second-year female swordsman who serves as vice-head of the swordsmanship club.


    Her forte was the¡ºdefensive sword¡»called Circle style.


    (But, can that really be called ¡°recruitment¡±?)


    I once had a mock battle with Silty-san during the new semester in May.


    (If I remember correctly, I was observing the swordsmanship club¡¯s activities with Ria and Rose.)


    When Silty-san suddenly blocked the entrance of the gymnasium and I was forced to ept a mock battle.


    (That¡¯s more of confinement than an invitation.)


    As I was thinking back to those old days, Jean-san continued on.


    ¡¸We were refused once, but¡­ I still want you to join the swordsmanship club by all means.¡¹


    ¡¸Eh?¡¹


    As my eyes widened at the sudden invitation, he began to exin the current state of the swordsmanship club.


    ¡¸Unfortunately, the swordsmanship club is now on a decline. The promising first-year swordsmen that I found and raised up painstakingly, were snatched from me.¡¹


    Jean-san said, gritting his teeth and clenching his fist hard.


    ¡¸That¡¯s terrible¡­¡¹


    The budget for club activities is determined by the¡ºClub Budget War¡».


    Large clubs, such as the swordsmanship club, are greatly limited in their activities if they don¡¯t procure a budget there.


    Therefore, the situation in which promising first-year students were snatched away can be said to be a crisis that shakes the survival of the club.


    ¡¸But, just who would do that?¡¹


    ¡¸The Witch of the Century ¨C Student Council President Sie Arcstria!¡¹


    ¡¸T-The president?¡¹


    She would never¡­ No, she actually might.


    (¡­Yeah. She would do it without any hesitation.)


    The poker game crossed my mind.


    The president used a¡ºgimmick card¡»with a gentle smile on her face.


    Even as innocent as she looks, she¡¯s a little wicked.


    ¡¸Student Council Secretary Lilim Tsuorine and ountant Ferris Magdalot ¨C Those talented two are both former swordsmanship club members.¡¹


    Jean-san said with distant eyes.


    ¡¸I see¡­¡¹


    It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve heard of it.


    ¡¸Aa, they were supposed to be the backbone of the swordsmanship club in the future. I don¡¯t know what kind of underhanded method she used, but that hateful Sie Arcstria snatched them away from me.¡¹


    ¡¸I-I see¡­¡¹


    Now that I think about it, I remember the president saying, I scouted them both.


    ¡¸And this year, it¡¯s you.¡¹Jean-san pointed his finger at me.


    (Certainly I joined the student council, but¡­)


    I didn¡¯t intend to join the swordsmanship club in the first ce, so this can¡¯t be called ¡°snatched away¡±.


    Then,


    ¡¸Let me be clear. You¡¯re going in the wrong direction!¡¹he affirmed in a strong tone.


    ¡¸Umm¡­ the wrong direction?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa. I investigated a little about you, Allen Rodore. A man who prefers blood and violence together with his daily three meals. The founder of a suspicious religious group called the practice-swing club. A mass of desire which is a sucker for money. To be honest, it was full of good-for-nothing information.¡¹


    Jean-san shook his head quietly.


    ¡¸A-Ahaha¡­ Certainly, it sounds a bit absurd.¡¹


    I never thought it would be this bad.


    Perhaps I would need to deal with this after all.


    ¡¸But now that we¡¯re standing face to face, I can see that you were originally an honest swordsman with a very beautiful heart.¡¹


    ¡¸Eh, uh¡­ Thank you.¡¹


    I thanked him for the time being, not knowing what else to say.


    ¡¸That beautiful Seigan no Kamae which seems to have jumped straight out of the textbook, those eyes which secure a wide view of the entire battlefield, and that standing posture which keeps the center of gravity firm. None of them are something you can master overnight. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve spent a lot of time on swordsmanship.¡¹


    I¡¯ve poured more than a billion years into it, I whispered so in my heart.


    ¡¸But your beautiful sword that was born of such tireless effort, is being soiled by the Witch of the Century!¡¹


    ¡­I clearly understood that Jean-san was hostile towards the president.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll beat you twisted guts back into shape for you!¡¹


    The next moment,


    ¡¸-KIEEEEEEEEEEEE!¡¹


    He ran straight at me with a vigorous war cry.


    ¡¸Consecutive Fang Style ¨C Ten Consecutive des!¡¹


    Consecutive attacks aimed precisely at my vitals ¨C neck, torso, abdomen ¨C drew closer.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    As I side-stepped the shes with minimal movements, I was reminded of my previous battle with Idol-san.


    (Jean-san¡¯s sword is by no means slow. On the contrary, it was so fast that you can even say, As expected of the head of the Swordsmanship Club.)


    Butpared to that¡ºProdigy¡»Idol-san¡­ It was a littlecking.


    ¡¸Kuh, not bad!¡¹


    I side-stepped all ten consecutive attacks and replied with a counterattack.


    ¡¸Eighth Sword ¨C Yatagarasu!¡¹


    One sharp swing branched into eight shes.


    ¡¸Fast?! Ga, ha!¡¹


    The eight shes assaulted Jean-san¡¯s whole body fiercely.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡­¡­¡¹¡¹¡¹


    The audience, who had been excited up until a while ago, dropped dead silent.


    ¡¸J-Jean Bael unable to continue! Winner, Allen Rodore! ¡­That was simply overwhelming! Even though he is still a first-year, the sight of him easily defeating a third-year is fear instilling!¡¹


    As I was about to get off the special stage after seeding in ¡°Dojo Yaburi¡±,


    ¡¸Not yet¡­¡¹


    Jean-san grabbed the hem of my pants.


    ¡¸T-The real Thousand de Festival¡­ is still toe.¡¹


    He said, and lost consciousness.


    (The¡ºReal Thousand de Festival¡»?)


    What does that mean?

 Chapter 90.2 - Top Secret and Thousand Blade Academy [7] – part 2

    90. Top Secret and Thousand de Academy [7] ¨C part 2


    When I got off the stage with that question in mind,


    ¡¸Allen, that was amazing!¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯d like to exchange swords with you again someday too.¡¹


    Ria and Rose said,ughing proudly.


    After that, I chose the big stuffed hippo from among the luxury prizes and gave it to Ria.


    ¡¸Ria, it¡¯s the stuffed hippo you wanted.¡¹


    I handed it to her with more emotion than I expected.


    ¡¸T-Thank you, Allen! I¡¯m so happy!¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, I see. That¡¯s good.¡¹


    ¡¸Un, I¡¯ll take care of it!¡¹


    Ria hugged the stuffed animal with a child-like smile.


    ¡¸Yoshi, I¡¯ve decided! Your name is Kabazou!¡¹ 1


    She immediately gave a unique name to the hippo.


    There was something off about her naming sense. But since she seemed happy about receiving the stuffed animal, I decided not to hamper it and held my tongue.


    After that, we went around the academy and enjoyed various activities. By the time we noticed, it was already 5pm, which was the closing time of the Thousand de Festival.


    The public visitors were already returning home, and the rest of the students were starting to clean up. I took down the decorations in the ssroom while chatting with my ssmates.


    ¡¸The hot dog at Year 3 was really good¡­ Damn, I should have eaten another one after all.¡¹


    ¡¸Did you try the choco banana at Year 2? That was exquisite!¡¹


    ¡¸The haunted house was super scary, wasn¡¯t it? I thought I wouldn¡¯t be able to stand anymore¡­¡¹


    Cleaning up while talking about all the memories we made today was quite fun.


    I even felt a little lonely at the thought of the festival ending so soon.


    After about an hour passed, the in-house broadcast rang when we were all gathered in Year 1 ss A as usual.


    ¡¸This is Director Leia Lasnode. Students, you¡¯ve all worked really hard today! I also had the time to visit the various activities, and all of them were wonderful! The evaluations from the visitor¡¯s questionnaire was quite high, so this year¡¯s Thousand de Festival can be considered a great sess! With this, I close the curtain on the Thousand de Festival! Now then, it¡¯s the opening of the long awaited ¡°Thousand de Shadow Festival¡±! The night is still young!¡¹


    The moment Leia-sensei announced that,


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸UOOOOOOHHHHHH!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    The screams of the second and third-year seniors could be heard from the upper floors


    ¡¸Thousand de Shadow Festival?¡¹


    ¡¸What the hell is that? I didn¡¯t hear about that¡­¡¹


    As the ss buzzed, I remembered something that was said to me a while ago.


    (I see¡­¡ºThe Real Thousand de Festival¡»that Jean-san mentioned was about this¡­)


    It seems that the festival is not over yet.


    No, the real festival seems to start from now on.


    ¡ö


    After that, the outline of the Thousand de Shadow Festival was exined through the in-house broadcast.


    Thousand de Shadow Festival is a scramble for ¡°gin¡°, a currency used only during the Thousand de Festival.


    Students in each ss must have at least one thousand gins earned from their activity.


    Participation is not individually, but as a ss unit.


    Victory belongs to the ss that collects the most ¡°gin¡± by the time the festival ends.


    Due to the absence of public visitors, the use of the soul dress was permitted.


    (In other words, this is a real battle with the entire academy being the battlefield¡­)


    A serious battle where anything goes; attacking under the cover of darkness, surprise strikes, one-vs-many.


    Arge prize money and the title of ¡°Thousand de Academy Strongest¡° will be presented to the ss which wins the Thousand de Shadow Festival.


    ¡¸Well, that¡¯s all there is to it! The starting time of the Thousand de Shadow Festival is 7pm! The end time is one hourter, 8pm! The start and end signal is the usual chime! I wish you all good luck!¡¹


    And the in-house broadcast was cut.


    After listening to the broadcast, everyone in my ss had fighting spirit burning in their eyes.


    ¡¸Hehehe! As expected, Thousand de Academy is the best!¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, I didn¡¯t think there would be such a hot event at the end of the festival!¡¹


    ¡¸I definitely want the prize money too, but our real aim is the title of ¡°Thousand de Academy Strongest¡±!¡¹


    Everyone was filled to the brim with fighting spirit.


    ¡¸Allen, we¡¯re definitely going to win!¡¹


    ¡¸I don¡¯t want to lose to the seniors!¡¹


    Ria and Rose seemed quite eager too.


    ¡¸Aa, let¡¯s do our best together!¡¹


    Then we divided the money we got from the Cosy Cafe ¨C ¡°gin¡± ¨C and quietly waited for the chime signaling the start of the festival.


    ¡¸Fuu¡­¡¹


    As I exhaled loudly and controlled my breathing, Tessa tapped on my shoulder.


    ¡¸Oi, Allen. Shall wepete and see who gets the most gin?¡¹


    ¡¸Sure, that sounds interesting.¡¹


    ¡¸Hehehe, I¡¯m gonna make you cry!¡¹


    At that moment, the chime rang.


    It¡¯s the start of the Thousand de Shadow Festival.


    ¡¸Yoshaa! Let¡¯s rampage!¡¹


    The moment Tessa opened the ssroom door, an icence pierced his abdomen.


    ¡¸Ga, ha!¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸Te, Tessa!? ¡¹¡¹¡¹


    He was struck by a powerful surprise attack and copsed with his eyes turned to the back of his head.


    Unfortunately, it will be difficult for him to continue the battle.


    ¡¸Damnit¡­ Who¡¯s there?!¡¹


    When I rushed out of the ssroom,


    ¡¸T-This is¡­!¡¹


    Arge number of seniors had surrounded Year 1 ss A.


    It was not ten or twenty either.


    More than a hundred ¨C a great coalition that amounted to more than four sses.


    ¡¸We have to take out ¡°The Strongest¡± first, after all!¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s right. We have no chance of winning unless we crush Allen-kun.¡¹


    ¡¸It might be immature to gang up on first-year students, but¡­ This is a serious battle!¡¹


    And they brought out each of their soul dress.


    (This number is crazy¡­ I didn¡¯t think they¡¯d band together to crush me¡­)


    As I was feeling flustered,


    ¡¸Conquer ¨C ¡´Fafnir¡µ!¡¹


    ¡¸Dye -¡´Winter Sakura¡µ!¡¹


    ck and white mes danced together with a vivid sakura blossom blizzard.


    ¡¸Wha!? Guaaa!¡¹


    The mes and sakura petals swallowed the seniors in front of me.


    ¡¸Fufu. You made the right decision to crush ss A from the beginning, but I wonder if one hundred people are going to be enough?¡¹


    ¡¸Of course, it¡¯s not enough. Come, I¡¯ll cut all of you down with Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style!¡¹


    Ria and Rose had a fearless smile with their soul dress in hand.


    And then,


    ¡¸Rampage -¡´Storm King¡µ!¡¹


    ¡¸Suck up -¡´Undead Worm¡µ!¡¹


    ¡¸Dissect -¡´Pleasure Doctor¡µ!¡¹


    Everyone from ss A followed their lead, and released their soul dress one after another.


    (That¡¯s right¡­ I¡¯m not fighting by myself!)


    Not alone, but with everyone.


    How reassuring!


    ¡¸Allen, let¡¯s go!¡¹


    ¡¸Let¡¯s go, Allen!¡¹


    I received reassuring nces from Ria and Rose.


    ¡¸Aa, let¡¯s get started!¡¹


    Jet-ck darkness gushed out, dding my whole body, and I rushed at the seniors who numbered more than a hundred.

 Chapter 91 - Top Secret and Thousand Blade Festival [8]

    Chapter 91. Top Secret and Thousand de Festival [8]


    I seeded in warding off the surprise attacks of the seniors, d in darkness.


    ¡¸Damn¡­ Are you a monster?¡¹


    The senior who was hit with Yatagarasu at the end, quietly lost consciousness.


    ¡¸Fuu¡­ It was really tough.¡¹


    I wiped away my sweat and surveyed the surroundings.


    Nearly fifty seniors were lying on the floor.


    The rest of the fifty were being handled by everyone else from ss A.


    (The seniors are all skilled, but¡­ Ria and Rose are with them. So I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be fine.)


    Those two are incredibly strong.


    They probably have won already.


    ¡¸Well, I¡¯ll take this then.¡¹


    I took the gin notes one after another from my seniors¡¯ wallets.


    (I¡¯m not stealing cash, nor am I doing something strange by the rules either¡­)


    But going through the wallets of unconscious people didn¡¯t sit right with me.


    (However, this is a serious battle called Thousand de Shadow Festival. It¡¯s also a challenge which involves the whole ss.)


    I can¡¯t stand in the way of our ss¡¯ sess.


    I quickly recovered the gins as I convinced myself so.


    ¡¸This is good¡­ I¡¯ve gathered quite a bit.¡¹


    Then I stashed therge amount of gin notes in the pockets of my uniform, and tried to join up with my ssmates.


    ¡¸Fufufu! How do you do, Allen-kun? How is your body holding up after fighting 50 people?¡¹


    ¡¸I know you¡¯re tired, but we¡¯d like to challenge you, though¡­¡¹


    The voices of Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai came down from the corridor.


    ¡¸Lilim-senpai, Ferris-senpai?!¡¹


    The two approached closer with their swords drawn, andughed as they looked at my body which was riddled with wounds.


    ¡¸This seems good! You seemed to be weakened!¡¹


    ¡¸We can¡¯t beat you in a head-on a match, so we¡¯re forced to use a bit of a cowardly method though¡­¡¹


    Apparently they were aiming for the timing when I was exhausted from the fight.


    However,


    ¡¸Sorry to disappoint, but I can still keep going¡­¡¹


    I concentrated darkness on my injuries, and just like that, I was healed.


    ¡¸Wha?!¡¹¡¹


    Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai widened their eyes at the sight.


    ¡¸I-I didn¡¯t know your darkness had the healing ability¡­ Allen-kun is so bad. Were you intentionally hiding it?¡¹


    ¡¸No, I just recently learned of it.¡¹


    The first time I discovered the healing ability of darkness was in the fight with Idol-san.


    ¡¸Well then, shall we get started?¡¹


    After recovering from all the injuries I suffered a while ago, I took a step forward towards them with a smile.


    ¡¸W-Wait, time out!¡¹


    ¡¸I-I would like you to wait, though!¡¹


    They hurriedly requested for me to wait, and began to consult with each other in whispers.


    ¡¸What should we do, Ferris? We can never win against an unscathed Allen-kun, right?!¡¹


    ¡¸Actually, it¡¯s too reckless, but¡­ if we pull back here, Sie will definitely nag us, though¡­¡¹


    ¡¸First and foremost, Allen¡¯s darkness is not infinite. Should we avoid closebat and use long range attacks to exhaust his spiritual power?¡¹


    ¡¸Sorry, but I have bad news. Allen-kun¡¯s spiritual power seems to be more than that of ck Fist Leia Lasnode, though¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Oi Oi, is that guy invincible? A superman?¡¹


    Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai asionally shot nces at me, as their faces turned pale blue.


    (I don¡¯t know what they are talking about, but¡­)


    If they want to go at it, I¡¯d like to get it done faster.


    If we keep dawdling in a ce like this, I will be caught in the eyes of another senior.


    ¡¸If you don¡¯te, I¡¯lle instead.¡¹


    I pulled out my sword and took a step forward.


    ¡¸Kuh, now that it hase down to this, we just have to do it! I will show you the willpower of a senpai!¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m going to attack too, though¡­ Restrict his movements, Lilim!¡¹


    At the same time, they released their soul dress and the curtain was raised on a fierce battle.


    ¡ö


    After that, the battle with Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai was fierce.


    The two of them never tried to cross swords head-on with me and kept to long-range attacks mainly.


    In addition to my weakness in long-range battle, they already knew all of my techniques. So I struggled considerably.


    And after a fierce battle,


    ¡¸Damnit¡­ You were splendid¡­¡¹


    ¡¸No, truly¡­ you were too strong, though¡­¡¹


    I managed to defeat Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai.


    ¡¸Haa haa¡­ As expected of Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai¡­¡¹


    I know it was a two-on-one, but it was still a narrow victory


    Theypensated for each other¡¯s gaps by coordinating perfectly, and continue to wage a long-distance battle that I am weak at.


    It¡¯s a great strategy.


    (Right now¡­ I have to rest my body somewhere.)


    A fierce battle with two student council members immediately after cutting down fifty people. As expected, I used a little too much darkness.


    I still have a lot of energy, but I don¡¯t know when the next battle wille up.


    I¡¯d better rest while I can.


    (Thinking of a hiding spot¡­ That ce would be the best.)


    As soon as I decided on the destination, I pulled out the gin notes from their purses and quietly left the ce.


    I slipped through a few seniors and went there ¨C to the student council room.


    This is a little far from the other ssrooms and no one will bother to visit in the middle of the heated Thousand de Shadow Festival.


    Just in case, I opened the door slowly so as not to make a loud noise, and entered the student council room.


    ¡¸Fuu¡­ I can finally catch my breath atst.¡¹


    And just when I exhaled,


    ¡¸Wee, Allen-kun.¡¹


    From the very back of the room, student council president, Sie Arcstria showed up.


    She slowly walked up to me, illuminated by the moonlight, with a mysterious smile on her face.


    ¡¸P-President?! Why are you here?!¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, are you surprised? After continuous battles with Lilim and Ferris and the grand union of the second and third-years, the exhausted Allen-kun, will surelye to this ce where no one else will bother toe.¡¹


    ¡¸I see¡­ Sending the seniors to face me was all your handiwork¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Well, I wonder about that?¡¹


    She tilted her head slightly with a soft smile, ying dumb.


    (Not denying means she is definitely behind it¡­)


    We¡¯re talking about the crafty president after all.


    I¡¯m sure she manipted the seniors with sweet words, inciting them to attack Year 1 ss A.


    (Well, that doesn¡¯t really matter.)


    Thousand de Shadow Festival is a¡ºreal battle¡»where anything goes. The art of conversation is also an ¡°ability¡±.


    However there was one thing that I was worried about.


    ¡¸President. Just one thing, okay?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, what is it?¡¹


    She nodded and quietly waited for the question.


    ¡¸Have you¡­ been waiting here all this time?¡¹


    Nearly fifty minutes has already passed since the start of the Thousand de Shadow Festival.


    And we¡¯re in the middle of September now.


    (Daytime is still warm due to the effect of lingering summer heat¡­)


    But when it gets around 8pm, just wearing the uniform alone is a little chilly.


    Without turning on the lights, and not moving her body ¨C by motionlessly lying in wait here ¨C she will definitely catch a cold.


    Right then,


    ¡¸Y-Yeah that¡¯s right! What about it¡­ A-A-Achoo!¡¹


    The president sneezed cutely at the perfect time.


    ¡¸President, please think things through a little more¡­¡¹I said, heaving a sigh.


    ¡¸Y-You¡¯re a hundred years too early to lecture onee-san!¡¹


    She flushed red and struck the desk.


    (There are some parts of her which are a little wicked, but¡­ the president is always somewhat cute¡­)


    I can¡¯t really bring myself to detest her. She¡¯s like a cute imp.


    ¡¸Haa¡­ You don¡¯t seem to be in good shape, so can you let me go this one time?¡¹


    I said modestly so as not to rub her the wrong way, but¡­


    ¡¸Absolutely not!¡¹she rejected me.


    ¡¸But, your health might get worse if we fight¡­¡¹


    When I gently refused to fight, the presidentughed with a smug expression for some reason.


    ¡¸Fufu, Allen-kun¡­ Haven¡¯t you misunderstood something?¡¹


    ¡¸Misunderstood?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. From now on, you and I will do battle, but¡­ I haven¡¯t said a word about a swordsmanship match, have I?¡¹


    ¡¸Haa¡­ Is it something other than swordsmanship?¡¹


    I have a bad feeling.


    It feels like an almost exact same situation urred a few months ago.


    ¡¸I don¡¯t think I can win a one-on-one swordsmanship match against Allen-kun in the first ce. So, we¡¯ll do battle with this today!¡¹


    The president ced a deck of cards on her desk.


    (As I expected¡­)


    Apparently this hardcore sore loser, was still hung up on the previous defeat.


    I nced at the deck of cards.


    ¡¸Is it a ¡±gimmick card¡± again?¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t underestimate me. I won¡¯t use the same hand twice!¡¹


    She foolishly handed me the deck.


    After checking the deck for a while, I inspected the back of the cards.


    ¡¸¡­It certainly seems to be a normal deck.¡¹


    There seems to be no gimmick asst time.


    It¡¯s definitely an ordinary deck of cards that can be bought anywhere.


    ¡¸Is poker okay with you?¡¹I asked.


    ¡¸Yes, of course. And I have one suggestion. Why don¡¯t we change the dealer after every round?¡¹


    ¡¸Hou.¡¹


    It is a deration of war with each other that this is a¡ºbattle of cheats¡».


    Perhaps the president has been practicing some new tricks since herst defeat.


    I could read a strong hint of confidence from her eyes.


    ¡¸Understood. Let¡¯s start.¡¹


    I put on a smile, as fighting spirit burned in my heart.


    Until now, I¡¯ve been taught mah-jong, roulette, chinchiro and lots of other games from bamboo geezer.


    It ranges from basic rules to applied tactics, as well as the technique of cheats, and how to break them.


    And of all the games, my forte is ¡°card games¡±.


    I became so good that bamboo geezer even said, ¡°I have nothing left to teach you.¡±


    Looking at the clock, the time was already 7.50pm.


    There¡¯s only ten minutes left till the closing time. Perhaps this will be myst match of the Thousand de Shadow Festival.


    ¡¸Fufu, shall we start?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, I ept your challenge.¡¹


    This is how the quiet one-on-one battle with the president began in the student council room at night.

 Chapter 92 - Top Secret and Thousand Blade Festival [9]

    92. Top Secret and Thousand de Festival [9]


    I fell into the president¡¯s ambush, and was about to y my first poker game in three months.


    The president and I ced a desk across and sat face to face.


    ¡¸The rules are the same as general poker. The winner of the match is the one who wins three times first. However, we change the dealer after each battle. Any questions?¡¹


    ¡¸No, it¡¯s okay.¡¹I nodded.


    ¡¸Fufu, you can have the first round.¡¹she said, offering me the deck.


    ¡¸Are you sure?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, you epted all my conditions after all. It¡¯s unfair if I don¡¯t do at least this much.¡¹


    ¡¸Is that so? Well, thank you.¡¹


    I received the deck, shuffled lightly two or three times, and dealt five cards each to both of us.


    ¡¸Hmm, I¡¯ll change one card.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, here you go.¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you.¡¹


    After changing one card, the corner of her lips rxed.


    She seems to have got a good hand.


    ¡¸I¡¯m good with this. Now¡­ I wonder how many cards Allen-kun will change¡­¡¹


    The president ced the five cards facing down on the desk andughed confidently.


    ¡¸No, I¡¯m okay as is.¡¹I said with a smile, without looking at my hand even once.


    ¡¸I-I see¡­ you seem pretty confident.¡¹


    She trembled slightly, but soon regained her confidence. And she unfolded her hand.


    ¡¸My hand is Flush¡­! Come on, Allen-kun. Show me your hand!¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, of course.¡¹


    And I turned over the cards on the desk one by one from the right.


    Ten of Spades.


    Jack of Spades.


    Queen of Spades.


    King of Spades.


    ¡¸N-No way!!¡¹


    And thest one, of course, Ace of Spades.


    ¡¸Oh my, what a surprise¡­ It¡¯s a Royal Straight Flush.¡¹


    My first win.


    I was able to get off to a good start.


    ¡¸Y-You¡¯ve started using your cheat right from the start. What kind of sleight of hand did you use?¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, I¡¯m just lucky is all.¡¹


    I feigned ignorance and quickly performed riffle shuffle three times.


    At that moment, the president¡¯s face turned ghastly pale.


    Well¡­ it¡¯s no surprise.


    Then I handed her the deck under a calm guise.


    ¡¸Here. Next, it¡¯s the president¡¯s turn to be the dealer.¡¹


    ¡¸A-Allen-kun¡­ You!¡¹she red at me, as she received the deck with trembling hands.


    ¡¸What¡¯s wrong?¡¹


    ¡¸No, it¡¯s nothing¡­¡¹


    After that, the president bit her lower lip and began to hand out the cards with a frustrated expression. Then the second game began.


    I looked at the five cards distributed to me. It was 2, 3, 4, 7, 7.


    (One pair of seven¡¯s¡­ I can¡¯t see a Straight, but it¡¯s safe to aim for Three of A Kind.)


    The president¡¯s cheat was destroyed.


    And I still had two rounds as the dealer.


    This was not the time to rush the game.


    ¡¸I¡¯d like to change three cards.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, here you are.¡¹


    I gave away the cards of two, three, and four, and received three new cards from the president.


    As a result, my hand was 7, 7, 7, 8, 10. I got a Three of A Kind.


    (All right, not bad.)


    The probability that five randomly selected cards be a¡ºThree of A Kind¡»is about two percent.


    This hand is quite strong in a poker game where you can only exchange cards once.


    In a normal poker game, you will almost never lose with this hand.


    Then the president changed one card, and we unfolded our hands.


    My Three of A Kind: Seven against the president¡¯s two pair of eight and two. My victory.


    ¡¸Luck seems to be on my side today.¡¹


    The president, whose n was greatly upset, had a pained expression on her face.


    ¡¸Then, shall we move on to the next game?¡¹


    ¡¸Hey, wait a minute!¡¹


    ¡¸What can I do for you?¡¹


    The president stopped me when I tried to reach for the deck.


    ¡¸The first Royal Straight Flush¡­ How did you do that?!¡¹


    She probably sensed that she would lose the game if it went on like this, so began to probe for my cheat.


    ¡¸No, I didn¡¯t do anything.¡¹I answered honestly.


    ¡¸Kuh¡­ You¡¯ve got some nerve to lie to onee-san!¡¹


    She stood up with a sullen expression and walked up to me.


    ¡¸Roll up.¡¹


    ¡¸What?¡¹


    ¡¸Roll up the sleeves of your uniform! You hid the cards there the other day!¡¹


    ¡¸Haa¡­¡¹I sighed.


    I had no choice but to roll up the sleeves of my uniform and expose my arms as she said.


    The president checked my arms and made sure there were no hidden cards.


    ¡¸You don¡¯t have anything¡­¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s what I said¡­ I really didn¡¯t do anything.¡¹


    ¡¸T-That can¡¯t be true! I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve got it hidden here somewhere. Oh right, it¡¯s around your chest!¡¹


    ¡¸No. How am I supposed to take out the cards which are hidden near the chest?¡¹


    Taking out cards from the chest area while deceiving the eyes of your opponent is next to impossible.


    ¡¸T-That¡¯s¡­ There¡¯s no point in arguing about it!¡¹


    And she thoroughly started searching if I had any hidden cards from my chest to my stomach, and both pockets at the end.


    But there was nothing.


    No matter how much she looks for it, it is impossible to find anything there.


    ¡¸Are you done?¡¹


    ¡¸No way¡­ Did he really hit it by chance? No, that¡¯s impossible! The probability of Royal Straight Flush aligning even once in your lifetime is astronomical¡­¡¹the president mumbled, as her face turned pale.


    ¡¸Excuse me¡­ I¡¯m feeling a little cold. Can I roll down my sleeves now?¡¹


    ¡¸N-No! If I take my eyes off of Allen-kun for even a second, I know you¡¯re going to cheat right away!¡¹


    ¡¸Haa¡­ But you didn¡¯t find anything like that at all.¡¹I sighed.


    ¡¸Urgh! Oh, now I understand! It wasn¡¯t on your body, but it was in this!¡¹the president eximed, turning toward the deck of cards on the desk.¡¸I don¡¯t know how you did it, but I¡¯ll do this!¡¹


    She performed a riffle shuffle and carefully cut the deck over and over again.


    ¡¸Fufufufu¡­ Now your set-up haspletely disappeared! Even If it¡¯s Allen-kun, there¡¯s nothing you can do anymore!¡¹


    The president pointed at me with a triumphant look.


    ¡¸Haa¡­ So, can I start?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, of course. The real game starts from here on!¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s right.¡¹


    I quickly shuffled the deck as I looked at her with warm eyes.


    After that, I dealt five cards each to both of us. The president changed two cards.


    And then,


    ¡¸YES!¡¹


    The president must have gotten a really good hand.


    She clenched her fist and cried out in delight.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s show our hands.¡¹


    The moment I said that, the president stiffened.


    ¡¸A-Allen-kun¡­ Are you not going to change cards?¡¹


    ¡¸No, I¡¯m going to y with this hand.¡¹


    ¡¸T-This hand? But you didn¡¯t check your cards again¡­¡¹she said. Her voice trembling.


    She must have recalled the unpleasant memory of the first battle.


    ¡¸Ahaha. I¡¯ve decided to entrust all the important games up to heaven.¡¹


    ¡¸I-I see¡­ Okay, let¡¯s do it! My hand is Full House! Now show me your hand!¡¹


    ¡¸Yes.¡¹


    Then I slowly turned over the cards in front of me, one by one from the right.


    The first one is, Ten of Spades.


    ¡¸You¡¯ve gotta be kidding me¡­¡¹


    The president being at a loss for words seemed like deja vu.


    And then, in the exact same order as before, the exact same cards appeared.


    Jack of Spades.


    Queen of Spades.


    King of Spades.


    And thest one, of course, Ace of Spades.


    ¡¸Wow! What are the chances! It¡¯s a Royal Straight Flush again.¡¹


    ¡¸M-My loss?¡¹


    This is my third straight win.


    The president¡¯s revenge match which carried over from three months ago, ended in my overwhelming victory.

 Chapter 93.1 - Top Secret and Thousand Blade Festival [10] – part 1

    93. Top Secret and Thousand de Festival [10] ¨C part 1


    I gained a huge victory over the president, and quickly cleaned up the cards on the desk.


    ¡¸But this is¡­ No way¡­¡¹


    She was trembling with an¡ºunbelievable¡»expression.


    I guess she never imagined that the match would end with such a result.


    (Well, it¡¯s no wonder¡­)


    The president had prepared three cheats for this fight.


    The first was ¡°stacking¡± the deck.


    Before the game started ¨C I checked the deck to see if it was a gimmick card.


    (Perhaps the president was confident that I wouldn¡¯t find out, but¡­)


    Just going through the deck for a little while makes it apparent. All the cards in the deck were lined up with¡ºThree Number Skips¡».


    It was precisely ¨C 1, 4, 7, 10, K.


    (Instead of allowing yourself to get a good hand, it¡¯s a ¡°disordering stack¡± which doesn¡¯t allow the other person to get a good hand.)


    It is difficult to even make One Pair, let alone a Straight, with a deck that is lined up with three number skips.


    And letting me have the first turn was part of the strategy.


    In the first game, some cards will be opened up.


    The cards which form a pair, she will casually slip into the bottom of the deck


    Then the president prepared two more different cheats.


    ¡ºFalse Shuffle¡»which does not change the order of the cards, but simply makes the deck look like it was shuffled.


    ¡ºBottom Deal¡»which pretends to give out the top card but distributes the bottom card.


    (I¡¯m sure she has been practicing a lot for this day.)


    She executed two very high level cheats.


    Normally, even one pair is difficult to get in a deck of¡ºstacking¡».


    But abo of¡ºFalse Shuffle¡»and¡ºBottom Deal¡»will guarantee the president a hand of more than one pair.


    (It¡¯s a great strategy that¡¯s in but carries less risk of failure¡­)


    If I had faced her squarely, 9 out of 10 times will end in the president¡¯s victory.


    But her strategy copsed easily with one move from me.


    Yes, it was the riffle shuffle.


    This type of stacking is strong against normal shuffles that do not change the order of cards greatly.


    However, it is powerless against the riffle shuffle that breaks the line of cards.


    The president tried to make full use of False Shuffle and Bottom Deal with the broken stacking, but it failed without the tactical foundation of stacking.


    ¡¸Well then, president. The victory belongs to me. So can I have your gin?¡¹


    After winning Poker of Cheats with the president, I made a request for her gin, the winner¡¯s right.


    However,


    ¡¸W-Wait a minute!¡¹


    Unexpectedly, or should I say as expected, the president didn¡¯t give it to me.


    ¡¸Allen-kun! What kind of cheat did you use?! Onee-chan won¡¯t get angry if you tell me now, so just be honest!¡¹


    ¡¸No, like I said, I haven¡¯t done anything that can be called a cheat.¡¹


    ¡¸Lies! It¡¯s not possible that a Royal Straight Flush will bee out twice in a row!¡¹


    She seemed to be convinced that I cheated.


    ¡¸A-Ahaha¡­ Well, let¡¯s put that aside for now.¡¹


    It¡¯s not a good idea to reveal your hand to the public.


    And the act I did is a little different from cheating.


    It is more appropriate to call it a ¡°skill¡±.


    ¡¸No! I¡¯ll never give you my gin until you confess!¡¹


    The president said something so childlike and turned away.


    ¡¸Haa¡­ Is that so¡­¡¹


    I stood up from the chair and observed her body, mainly around the pockets of her uniform.


    (There is no ¡°bulge¡±. I don¡¯t think she has that many gin¡­)


    It¡¯s no big deal even if I don¡¯t collect her gin.


    ¡¸W-What are you looking at?¡¹


    When she noticed my gaze, she crossed her hands in front of her chest, and took a step back.


    ¡¸No, please don¡¯t worry. Well then, excuse me.¡¹


    I spun on my heels and tried to leave the student council room.


    ¡¸W-Wait a minute! For God¡¯s sake, please tell me what kind of cheat it was! If you leave like this, I won¡¯t be able to sleep tonight!¡¹


    She grasped my hand and pleaded desperately.


    ¡¸Even if you say that¡­¡¹


    To be honest, there was not a single merit in exposing the modus operandi to the president.


    ¡¸I-If you don¡¯t tell me¡­¡¹


    ¡¸And if I don¡¯t tell?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯ll say Allen-kun did indecent things to me!¡¹


    The president uttered ridiculous nonsense, with her face flushing.


    ¡¸Please give me a break.¡¹


    Even under normal circumstances, the rumours already drive me crazy.


    He tried to misbehave with the daughter of House Arcstria, if such a bad reputation were to spread, at worst, even the Holy Knights could start to move.


    ¡¸Which will you choose?! Will you obediently confess to cheating? Or, will you let the rumours spread that you did lewd things to me? You can only choose one of the two!¡¹


    The president approached closer with her face bright red. Perhaps this situation was exciting for her or something.


    Her sweet smell filled my nostrils which caused my heart to start beating faster.


    ¡¸Haa¡­ I guess it can¡¯t be helped.¡¹


    I sighed, giving up to her persistence.


    ¡¸I did it! That¡¯s right, Allen-kun!¡¹


    The president pped, smiling like a child.


    ¡¸Well then, president. Give me a difficult hand to make. It can be anything.¡¹


    ¡¸A difficult hand to make?¡­Umm, a Straight?¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, that¡¯s too easy.¡¹


    I quickly shuffled the deck and dealt five cards from the top.


    ¡¸What is this?¡¹


    ¡¸Can you turn them over for me?¡¹


    ¡¸Oookay? Wha! A Straight?!!¡¹


    The president¡¯s eyes widened at the hand she just mentioned.


    ¡¸H-How did you do that?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s not all that difficult. Let¡¯s see¡­ Do you know¡ºcard counting¡»in ckjack?¡¹


    ¡¸Y-Yes¡­ You count how many¡º10¡»or higher cards remain in the deck, and calcte the chances of your hand exceeding 21. A tactic that reduces the chance of going bust. Is it the one?¡¹


    She answered with little confidence.


    ¡¸That¡¯s right, president. And what I¡¯m doing right now is an extension of that, ¡±Card Memorizing¡±.¡¹


    ¡¸Card Memorizing¡­ You mean memorization?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. You memorize the total order of the fifty-two cards in the deck. All the numbers from¡º1¡»to¡º13¡»and the four kinds of suits.¡¹


    ¡¸T-That¡¯s impossible, right!?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s easier than you might think when you get used to it. It takes about half the effort needed to memorize the¡ºmultiplication table¡».¡¹


    ¡¸No, no¡­ Even if you can memorize the order, if it¡¯s shuffled, then it¡¯s not going to be the same!¡¹


    ¡¸It won¡¯t be a problem if you observe closely. All you have to do is change the order of the cards in your head.¡¹


    Compared to the earnest fight between swordsmen, where life and death is determined within a fraction of a second, it is not so difficult to follow the movement of the shuffle.


    After that, every time the deck is shuffled, you just have to rebuild the order of the cards in your mind.


    ¡¸If you remember the order of the deck, the rest will fall into ce easily. When it¡¯s your turn, just shuffle with little care so that the cards you want wille up. And there you go.¡¹


    I shuffled the deck and dealt five cards in front of the president. She unfolded it and becamepletely speechless.


    It was the Royal Straight Flush that I showed many times a while ago.

 Chapter 93.2 - Top Secret and Thousand Blade Festival [10] – part 2

    93. Top Secret and Thousand de Festival [10] ¨C part 2


    ¡¸T-This means¡­! As long as Allen is the dealer no one can win!¡¹


    The president said while ring at me.


    ¡¸No, that¡¯s not always the case. I was able to use card memorization this time because of you, president.¡¹


    ¡¸M-Me?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. It is absolutely impossible to remember 52 cards in an instant. In order to use this, you need to take a good look at the deck.¡¹


    ¡¸A good look at the deck?! D-Did you perhaps? At that time?!¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. I pretended to check if it¡¯s a gimmick card and I actually memorized the cards in the deck instead.¡¹


    From my point of view, honestly, it didn¡¯t matter whether it was a gimmick card or not.


    As long as I memorize the card order in the deck, the game is pretty much decided.


    ¡¸T-That¡¯s just¡­ Which means this game was¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, the winner was already determined from the beginning.¡¹


    And when I finished the exnation,


    ¡¸¡­Nee, Allen-kun. Being able to control the cards of the deck freely means¡­ The thing you pulled at the end, that was a little cruel, wasn¡¯t it?¡¹


    The quick-witted president realized quickly.


    ¡¸¡­¡­I wonder what you¡¯re talking about?¡¹


    I knew exactly what she meant by ¡°the thing you pulled at the end¡±, but I feigned ignorance just to mess with her.


    ¡¸At the end, I was very happy to get a Full House¡­¡ºI did it! I can beat Allen-kun with this hand!¡»is what I thought, but now¡­ I clearly understand from your current exnation that you set it up to be that way, right?¡¹


    The president shot a re at me.


    There is no way I can talk myself out of this one.


    ¡¸A-Ahaha¡­ I¡¯m sorry, your reactions were quite interesting¡­ so I ended up doing something mean.¡¹


    It truly was on a sudden impulse.


    She¡¯s the one who keeps changing her expression so much. It was fun to watch her, so I got carried away at the end.


    And when I confessed,


    ¡¸As I expected! Since you were a mean child, don¡¯t me me for doing this!¡¹


    The president stood up from her chair and walked towards the window behind her.


    She opened the window and,


    ¡¸Everyone! Allen-kun is in here! He¡¯s riddled with wounds, so it¡¯s the perfect chance!¡¹


    She exposed my hiding ce in a loud voice.


    ¡¸P-President?!¡¹


    ¡¸Hehe! This is for being a mean child to onee-san! ¡­Achoo!¡¹


    ¡¸Good grief¡­ I¡¯m leaving already! And please warm yourself up before going to sleep today, so that you don¡¯t catch a cold!¡¹


    I said and quickly ran out of the student council room.


    However,


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸Found you, Allen-Rodore!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    I was found by a trio of seniors. Perhaps they were originally close to the student council room


    Furthermore, the number increased one by one, and by the time I realised, I was already surrounded.


    ¡¸Hehehe¡­ As the president said, he is riddled with wounds!¡¹


    ¡¸Sorry, but I can¡¯t let a first-year take away the victory!¡¹


    ¡¸This is a real battle. Don¡¯t say it¡¯s cowardly¡­¡¹


    They came at me with confident smiles and soul dress in hand.


    (Damn, there¡¯s nowhere to run¡­ But there should be only a few minutes left until the end of the Thousand de Shadow Festival¡­)


    If it¡¯s just a few more minutes, I can do it!


    ¡¸Can¡¯t be helped. Let¡¯s start the final battle!¡¹


    I poured all of my remaining spiritual power and swallowed the whole area in jet ck darkness.


    ¡¸What the hell is this?!¡¹


    ¡¸Idiot, didn¡¯t you watch the Sword King Festival!? His power is¡ºdarkness¡»!¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t let your guard down! This darkness is still an unknown ability!¡¹


    The seniors began to make a fuss when they saw the darkness covering the ground.


    ¡¸Then, here I go.¡¹


    After that, I kept fighting until the closing chime sounded.


    ¡ö


    After an hour-long battle, I returned to Year 1 ss A with a body full of fatigue.


    When I slowly opened the door of the ssroom,


    ¡¸Allen! I¡¯m d you were safe!¡¹


    ¡¸To be unbeaten even after being attacked by that number of seniors¡­ As expected, I guess.¡¹


    Ria and Rose, bandaged around their hands and feet, ran up to me.


    ¡¸Aa, I managed somehow. Are you two alright?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, this is nothing!¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s just scratches. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡¹


    ¡¸I see. That¡¯s good.¡¹


    When we were talking about that, everyone in the ss came over towards us.


    ¡¸Yoyo, Allen. How much gin did you rake up?¡¹


    ¡¸Hehe, we¡¯repeting to see who raked in the most!¡¹


    Everyone seemed to be interested in how much I collected.


    ¡¸Oh yeah¡­ I haven¡¯t counted it yet, but I think I collected a good amount.¡¹


    I took out therge amount of gin notes from my pants and chest pockets.


    ¡¸A-Are you for real?¡¹


    ¡¸This is much more than the entire ss. No, it¡¯s the top of the whole grade.¡¹


    Apparently this was a considerable amount. Dryughs leaked out of everyone¡¯s mouth.


    A littleter, the door opened vigorously, and Leia-sensei, holding arge box, walked in.


    ¡¸Everyone, thank you for the hard work today! Collect the gin of ss A into this box. Hou! There¡¯s a considerable amount of it! This probably stands a pretty good chance!¡¹


    She collected the gin that everyone had acquired into the box, and moved on to another ss.


    After that, as everyone was excitedly talking about who was tough and what kind of soul dress they used, an in-house broadcast began to sound.


    ¡¸Everyone did a great job today! The Thousand de Festival and the Thousand de Shadow Festival were at a high level which was rarely seen in recent years! Now, let¡¯s end the boring greetings here and move on to the results! The top of all sses in this year¡¯s festival is¡­ Year 1 ss A that demonstrated overwhelming earnings!¡¹


    At that moment,


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸YOSHAAAA!¡¹¡¹¡¹cries of joy broke out.


    ¡¸W-We did it! This means we are the¡ºThousand de Academy¡¯s Strongest¡»!¡¹


    ¡¸Yes! We are the strongest in both name and reality!¡¹


    ¡¸There¡¯s a lot of mary prizes, too! Oi Oi, how should we use it!?¡¹


    Everyone was so excited, and with that victory flow, they decided to hold a celebration party.


    ¡¸What will you do, Ria?¡¹


    ¡¸Um¡­ If Allen goes, I¡¯ll go.¡¹


    ¡¸I see, then¡­ Let¡¯s go together!¡¹


    ¡¸Un!¡¹


    Then I went to the celebration party together with Ria. On this day, everyone engaged in lively conversations and celebrated tillte at night.

 Chapter 94 - Five Great Powers and Thirteen Knights of the Oracle [1]

    94. Five Great Powers and Thirteen Knights of the Oracle [1]


    The day after the tumultuous Thousand de Festival.


    I was on the way to Year 1 ss A with Ria.


    On the way,


    ¡¸¡¸Fuwaa¡­¡¹¡¹


    We yawned almost simultaneously.


    ¡¸Ahaha, Ria, that was quite the yawn.¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, the same goes for Allen too.¡¹


    We were a little short of sleep because we were participating in the celebration party untilte at night yesterday.


    ¡¸Even so¡­ It¡¯s a little chilly today.¡¹


    Looking up at the sky, it was covered with clouds.


    Dark clouds which seemed like it would start raining at any moment.


    ¡¸Yeah¡­ we can wear winter clothes starting in October, right?¡¹


    We went to our ssroom while talking about that.


    When I opened the ssroom door, a slightly unusual scene spread out.


    Rose, who has a reputation for being a weak morning person, had already reached the academy before us.


    (It¡¯s rare for her toe this early in the morning.)


    I and Ria put our bags at our seats and greeted Rose.


    ¡¸Good morning, Rose.¡¹


    ¡¸Good morning, Rose. You¡¯re early today.¡¹


    ¡¸Aa¡­ Good morning, Allen, Ria¡­ Fuwaah ¡¹


    As usual, Rose, who had artistic bed hair, slowly turned her body towards us, and let out a deep yawn that almost made me yawn too.


    ¡¸Ahaha, you seem quite sleepy.¡¹


    ¡¸Looking at your appearance, I¡¯m guessing you didn¡¯t sleep much yesterday?¡¹


    ¡¸Nn, yeah¡­ Last night we had the celebration party, and most of all, I used¡´Winter Sakura¡µfor too long. My spiritual power waspletely¡­ Fuwaa¡­¡¹


    When she yawned again, the ssroom door slid open, and an elderly male teacher walked in.


    (Oh, who is this?)


    He stood on the podium, cleared his throat, and spoke.


    ¡¸Um¡­ There is a message for everyone of Year 1 ss A. Um¡­ Today, the director went to Ringard Pce due to an emergency summon from the government.¡¹


    Everyone in the ss began to buzz all at once.


    ¡¸Emergency summon from the government?¡¹


    ¡¸You know, considering the timing, it must be regarding the ck Organization.¡¹


    ¡¸Aa¡­ Must be like a countermeasure meeting.¡¹


    After that, the male teacher took out a piece of paper from his pocket and read out the lines written on it.


    ¡¸Um¡­ What is written here is from the director herself.¡ºEveryone, I¡¯m sorry, but due to a sudden appointment, today¡¯s ss will be self-study. The Soul Dress Area can still be used in the morning and afternoon, so make good use of it. However, soul dress training and the use of the spirit swords are prohibited. That¡¯s all.¡»¡­is what it seems to be. Then, I shall excuse myself here.¡¹


    After passing on the message, the teacher bowed deeply and exited the ssroom.


    ¡¸Self-study, huh¡­ It¡¯s my first time at Thousand de Academy.¡¹


    At Gran Swordsmanship Academy, every day was self-study for me, so I feel a little nostalgic.


    ¡¸Um¡­ If soul dress training is prohibited, then we should do strength training¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Fuwaa¡­ It¡¯s just the right thing to blow off the sleepiness¡­¡¹


    Then we went to the Soul Dress Area as the chime of the first period rang.


    Everyone from ss A arrived at the Soul Dress Area and began to self-study on their own.


    Ria read a swordsmanship book, sitting beside me. Rose reviewed the form of Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style, and Tessa was meditating in the corner of the room.


    In such a situation, I concentrated my mind and started swinging.


    ¡¸Fuh! Ha! Sei!¡¹


    Assume Seigan no Kamae, slowly raise the sword, and cut.


    It¡¯s a simple, in training, but in the end this is the most effective.


    ¡ºYour skill as a swordsman depends on how many times you swing the sword.¡»- so is written in the Swordsmanship Book.


    Then, for about three hours in the morning, I just kept swinging the sword without rest.


    ¡ö


    After morning ss, next is lunch break.


    I, Ria and Rose went to the student council room with our lunch boxes to attend the regr meeting.


    When I knocked on the door, the president¡¯s voice replied as usual.


    I slowly opened the door and entered with a greeting.


    ¡¸Good morning.¡¹


    And then,


    ¡¸Ria-san, Rose-san, good morning! And¡­¡­ Good morning, Allen-kun.¡¹


    While the president greeted Ria and Rose cheerfully, she took a slightly unfriendly attitude towards me.


    ¡­¡­Apparently, she¡¯s still holding a grudge against me for yesterday.


    (Haa¡­ How do I cheer her up?)


    And as I was wondering how to handle it,


    ¡¸¡­? What¡¯s going on?¡¹Ria asked.


    ¡¸Aa, actually, in the poker game yesterday¨C¡¹


    ¡¸-Allen-kun behaved indecently towards me.¡¹


    She cut into my exnation, and said something ridiculous.


    ¡¸P-President¡­! What kind of ridiculous things are you saying?!¡¹


    When I asked her to correct herself,


    ¡¸¡­Allen, is that true?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Depending on the situation, I won¡¯t forgive you¡­¡¹


    Light disappeared from the eyes of both Ria and Rose.


    There was no sign of their usual kind self.


    The two of them became¡ºempty¡»and simply stared at me.


    ¡¸T-That¡¯s not how it was¡­ It¡¯s a bad joke!¡¹


    I sensed danger and immediately approached the president.


    ¡¸President, please stop the vicious joke! Haven¡¯t we already solved yesterday¡¯s incident?!¡¹


    In response to my slight meanness, she exposed me to the seniors in return. We should have been even with that.


    However,


    ¡¸Because, Allen-kun¡­ you defeated all the students that I sent forward all on your own. You can¡¯t call that even!¡¹


    The president pointed out such childish things.


    ¡¸S-Such tyranny¡­¡¹


    Certainly, I defeated them all, but¡­


    That exhausted me quite a bit too, so that should be enough.


    ¡¸Um¡­ Well then, will you listen to a request from onee-san?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­I understand. However, I ask that it be within the bounds ofmon sense.¡¹


    I can¡¯t blindly abide by the president¡¯s¡ºrequest¡».


    The reason is that there was one case where the vice-president was requested to get Blood Diamond from the Holy Ronelia Empire.


    ¡¸Yes, of course. Now we can reconcile.¡¹the president said, andughed


    (What kind of ¡°request¡± will she shoot at me?)


    Just thinking about it, upsets my stomach.


    ¡¸Haa¡­ Well, I¡¯m going to clear up the misunderstanding now, so please be silent and eat your lunch or something.¡¹I said.


    ¡¸O-K!¡¹the president replied.


    Then I exined the incidentst night to Ria and Rose carefully.


    ¡¸Oh, so that¡¯s what it was¡­ Thank goodness¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Seriously, I was totally surprised¡­¡¹


    I heaved a sigh of relief as light returned to their eyes.


    Then the regr meeting and lunch party finally started.


    ¡¸Which reminds me¡­ What happened to Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai?¡¹Ria looked around the room while opening the lid of her lunch box.


    ¡¸They are recuperating because of yesterday¡¯s fatigue. It¡¯s seems that Allen-kun beat them up good, and they probably can¡¯t move properly for another couple of days¡­¡¹


    ¡¸A-Ahaha¡­ I feel a little bad¡­¡¹


    Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai stood up no matter how many times they got knocked down.


    In particr, Lilim-senpai, she said, ¡°I can¡¯t afford to lose to my junior!¡± and came at me again and again.


    Because of that, I had to consume a lot of darkness.


    As a result, I was forced to rest and fell into the president¡¯s ambush.


    ¡¸Both Lilim and Ferris are strong, so don¡¯t worry.¡¹


    When the president summed up the story as such,


    ¡¸-By the way, how was the haunted house?¡¹she asked.


    After that, the stories about the Thousand de Festival opened up.


    The story of the quality improvement for next year¡¯s haunted house.


    The story of Jean Bael, the Head of Swordsmanship Club.


    Talks about the strategy to win the Thousand de Shadow Festival.


    Then, when the topic of the Thousand de Festival was exhausted,


    ¡¸Now that I think about it, Leia-sensei was off today. I hear there was an urgent call from the government¡­ Do you know anything, president?¡¹


    I asked about the message in the morning that I was curious about.


    ¡¸Yes, I know. The Emergency Five Academy Directors¡¯ Meeting. I heard my father was participating too.¡¹


    She said and picked a fried egg from the corner of the lunch box to her mouth.


    ¡¸The agenda is¡ºck Organization¡»¡­Is it?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. The government is really at a loss as to how to deal with the ck Organization. They are doing as they please. Just when we received news that they cooked up problems in Vesteria Kingdom, the very next day, they invaded our country! Recently, there are rumors that they have dealings with the Polyesta Federation.¡¹


    As the daughter of House Arcstria, she probably harbours strong animosity towards the ck Organization.


    ¡¸And¡­ As I found out recently, the ck Organization is looking around for rare ¡°monsters¡± called ¡°phantom spirit¡±.¡¹the president continued.


    At that moment, Ria¡¯s hand, which was carrying rice, stopped all of a sudden.


    ¡¸¡­What¡¯s up, Ria? Did food get stuck in your throat?¡¹


    And when I held out a ss of water,


    ¡¸N-No¡­ It¡¯s okay, don¡¯t worry about it.¡¹


    She shook her head with an awkward smile on her face.


    ¡¸I see, that¡¯s good.¡¹


    ¡¸Un, thank you.¡¹


    When Ria and I were having such an exchange, Rose, who was not good at difficult exnations, interjected into it.


    ¡¸We heard that the directors of the Five Academy were gathering and holding an emergency meeting, but¡­ what about this city¡¯s defences?¡¹


    ¡­Certainly, Rose is right.


    Each director of Five Academy has tremendous authority and ¡°power¡±.


    All of them leaving the city at the same time, even an amateur could see that it was a dangerous thought.


    ¡¸Well, it¡¯s certainly stretched a little thin, but¡­ don¡¯t worry. The schedule of the emergency meeting is super top secret. There is no need to worry about information leakage. The ck Organization wouldn¡¯t be able to attack at such good timing.¡¹


    The moment the president said that, a huge explosion echoed.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸Wha?!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    When we hurriedly looked out the window, our gymnasium was up in mes.


    Moreover, it was not only that.


    A group dressed in ck cloaks climbed over the outer wall and invaded one after another.


    ¡¸The ck Organization?!¡¹


    Immediately after the president shouted so, an in-house broadcast sounded.


    ¡¸Emergency broadcast! Emergency broadcast! Our academy is under attack from a mysterious group which seems to be the ck Organization! Students should intercept as much as possible! I repeat! Our academy is¨C¡¹


    Thousand de Academy, which was hit by a surprise attack, fell into unprecedented chaos.


    ¡¸-Allen-kun, Ria-san, Rose-san, will you help me?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, of course!¡¹


    ¡¸Yes!¡¹


    ¡¸Leave it to me.¡¹


    And we began to move at once to intercept the ck Organization which had invaded Thousand de Academy.

 Chapter 95 - Five Great Powers and Thirteen Knights of the Oracle [2]

    95. Five Great Powers and Thirteen Knights of the Oracle [2]


    Following the surprise attack by the ck Organization, we went to the staff room to get a firm grasp on the current situation ¨C due to the calm judgment of the president and Rose who are used to being in the field. After all, making poor moves would cause further confusion.


    ¡¸-Excuse me.¡¹


    The president briefly said and opened the door of the staff room.


    And then,


    ¡¸Oh, Arcstria-sama! And¡­¡­ Allen-kun!¡¹


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    Mercenaries in Apocalypse Volume 1 Chapter 29


    ¡¸Thank goodness¡­ Our brains and brawn havee!¡¹


    The teachers patted their chest with relief.


    (As expected, of the president, Sie ¡°Arcstria¡±¡­)


    She seems to have earned a great amount of trust from the teachers.


    When I was thinking about that, the president went to the back of the staff room and called out to a male teacher.


    If I remember correctly, this person is supposed to be the vice-director of this academy.


    ¡¸-Excuse me, could you tell me the current situation?¡¹


    ¡¸Y-Yes! The enemy are swordsmen wearing ck cloaks, about three hundred of them. Most probably the ck Organization! They have surrounded the academy buildings. Public Morals Committee and the Swordsmanship Club have gone to intercept the enemy!¡¹


    ¡¸I see¡­ So, how¡¯s that progressing?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­ It¡¯s not very good. We are trying to stop them from invading into the academy building.¡¹


    The vice-director said with a grave expression. Heavy air began to flow in the staff room.


    ¡¸I understand. By the way, have you contacted the Holy Knights Association and the Director?¡¹


    ¡¸About that¡­ I¡¯ve been trying to call them since just now, but¡­ it doesn¡¯t connect at all.¡¹


    ¡¸What do you mean by ¡°doesn¡¯t connect¡°?¡¹


    ¡¸It seems that Thousand de Academy is cut off from the outside world by some kind of


    ¡°barrier¡±.¡¹the vice-director said, pointing out the window.


    By straining my eyes, certainly a thin, hemispherical, transparent membrane covering the Thousand de Academy can be seen.


    ¡¸A barrier¡­ That¡¯s quite troublesome, isn¡¯t it?¡¹


    The president grasped the severe situation in which Thousand de Academy was put into, and


    ¡¸¡­Allen-kun. I think you should be able to destroy the barrier.¡¹she said, looking me straight in the eye.


    ¡¸Me?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. As you know, there are two main ways to break a barrier. You either take down the user or erase the barrier itself with overwhelming output. Right now that the user¡¯s position is unknown, all we can do is destroy the barrier. And the highest output in this school is¡­ Allen-kun, it¡¯s you.¡¹


    She continued on with a serious look.


    ¡¸This barrier is powerful enough topletely block connection with the outside world. If so, it must also have the effect of inhibiting perception from the outside. In other words, we can¡¯t expect reinforcements from the outside. Only people involved with the ck Organization cane in here. If we don¡¯t destroy the barrier as soon as possible, we¡¯ll fall.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I see. It¡¯s quite a big responsibility.¡¹


    If I can¡¯t break the barrier, a ¡°hellish siege¡± without reinforcements will begin.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry, but you¡¯re the only one whom I can ask right now.¡¹


    When the president said that, the gaze in the staff room gathered on me.


    ¡¸Understood. I¡¯ll try to do everything I can.¡¹


    I was¡ºunsure¡». But I had¡ºconfidence¡».


    If I use World Judgement, an attack that cuts apart even the Prison of Time, then any barrier can be cut.


    ¡¸Thank you, Allen-kun. I thought you would say that. Ria and Rose, can you apany Allen-kun? The enemy is not stupid either. They wouldn¡¯t overlook him as he approaches the barrier.¡¹


    ¡¸U-Understand!¡¹


    ¡¸Roger!¡¹


    Ria and Rose nodded.


    ¡¸What are you going to do, president?¡¹I asked.


    ¡¸I¡¯m going to the frontline and hold the front. If we allow the academy building to be invaded, that¡¯s when things will really get out of hand.¡¹


    As soon as she said that, she gave the instructions to the teachers.


    ¡¸The teachers in charge of information remain here. Everyone else joins the battle line. The teachers remaining here, please contact the Holy Knights and the Director as soon as Allen destroys the barrier.¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸Yes!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    The teachers started to move quickly with the president¡¯s orders.


    ¡¸Allen-kun, I¡¯ll leave the barrier to you!¡¹the president said, and led the teachers out of the staff room.


    As expected of the daughter of House Arcstria, an authority of the government.


    The president, who is usually thoughtless, seemed very reliable at times like these.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s go, Allen!¡¹


    ¡¸This is the most important mission in this fight. Let¡¯s move without dy, Allen!¡¹


    ¡¸Yes!¡¹


    Thus, entrusted with an important task, I rushed out of the staff room with Ria and Rose.


    ¡ö


    After that, we moved quickly towards the barrier.


    Although the power of World Judgement is tremendous, the range is very short.


    I cannot destroy the barrier unless I get extremely close.


    ¡¸Yoshi. There is no sign of people on this road. We can go.¡¹


    Rose, who was used to ¡°battlefields¡±, whispered, and we started running at once.


    Our primary objective is to destroy the barrier. After that we will defeat the ck Organization.


    So right now, it is desirable to act in secret as much as possible to avoidbat.


    Then, as we ran through the shades cast by the buildings, a strong chill ran down my spine.


    ¡¸Watch out, Ria!¡¹


    ¡¸Eh¡­ Kyaa!?¡¹


    At a moment¡¯s judgment, I pushed Ria towards the¡ºsun¡». And the next moment,


    Seven shes suddenly shot out from the¡ºshadows¡».


    By pushing Ria, I lost my posture, and


    ¡¸Guh¡­¡¹


    Although I managed to dodge six of the shes, thest shnded directly on me.


    ¡¸A-Allen! I¡¯m sorry. Are you okay?!¡¹Ria ran up to me, colour drained from her face.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t worry about it. This much is no big deal.¡¹


    I concentrated darkness on the wounded area and healed it immediately.


    And then,


    ¡¸This ability to control the shadow¡­ Oi, you¡¯re there, aren¡¯t you? Come out! Dodriel!¡¹


    When I shouted out loud, a man appeared from the shadow as though a shimmer of heat haze.


    Damaged blue hair which was tied behind.


    Arge sword scar running on a well-formed face.


    Dodriel Barton ¨C a genius swordsman at the Gran Swordsmanship Academy, and now a dweller of the underground who has lost himself to the ck Organization.


    ¡¸AHAHAHAHAHA! You splendidly saw through my attack just now! ¡­No, I guess that¡¯s only natural, isn¡¯t it? Because you and I are mutually in love! Our hearts aremunicating with each other! Isn¡¯t that right¡­ Allen?¡¹he began tough like crazy, saying something incoherent.


    ¡¸Aren¡¯t you the guy at the Daido Commercial Festival?!¡¹


    ¡¸Aa. The swordsman who uses a strange soul dress!¡¹


    Remembering Dodriel, Ria and Rose immediately pulled out their sword.


    ¡¸Allen, leave this to us and go ahead¡­¡¹


    ¡¸As Ria says, the destruction of the barrier is top priority! Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll catch up soon!¡¹


    The two of them stepped forward saying so.


    But I was hesitant.


    (Damn¡­ Which one should I choose?!)


    Do I stay here and fight together with them?


    Or do I entrust this to them and give priority to the destruction of the barrier?


    (Ria and Rose were once defeated by Dodriel.)


    However, they have grown much stronger since that time.


    (¡­It¡¯s not just here that the fighting is going on.)


    Even now, there is a lot of blood flowing in Thousand de Academy.


    The longer I take to destroy the barrier, the greater the damage will be.


    If I make the tactical decision, as Ria and Rose say, I should prioritize the destruction of the barrier.


    ¡¸¡­Understood. As we¡¯ve talked about before, Dodriel enters the¡ºShadow World¡»! Even though it is two-on-one, be on your guard!¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, I know!¡¹


    ¡¸Fuu, don¡¯t worry too much¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯ll leave it to you!¡¹


    I entrusted it to them and started running towards the barrier.


    ¡¸E-Ehh!? Where are you going by leaving me alone?!!!¡¹Dodriel shriek.


    And then,


    ¡¸Your opponent is¡­¡¹


    ¡¸The two of us!¡¹


    The metallic sound of sword and sword colliding sounded.


    (Ria, Rose¡­ I¡¯lle back as soon as I destroy the barrier¡­)


    Then I d my leg with jet-ck darkness and made a beeline towards the barrier.


    After that, I arrived in front of the barrier without being intercepted by the ck Organization.


    ¡¸¡­Is this it?¡¹


    I gently reached out to the thin, hemispherical, transparent membrane that wrapped Thousand de Academy.


    It was kind of soft and hard at the same time. A strange feeling.


    (I can break this.)


    Somehow, I just had that feeling.


    I pulled out my sword and unleashed an attack with all my might.


    ¡¸Fifth Sword ¨C World Judgement!¡¹


    At that moment, a big crack ran through the space where I cut.


    It spread to the whole barrier in seconds, and with a high-pitched sound, the barrier broke.


    ¡¸Yoshi, it¡¯s a sess¡­¡¹


    Now we should be able to contact the outside world.


    If the Holy Knights Association and Leia-senseie to our aid, it won¡¯t be so difficult to intercept the ck Organization.


    (From here on out, it will be ¡°a siege with reinforcements¡±! The state of the battle has been reversed with this one move!)


    Having seeded in destroying the barrier, I hurried back to Ria and Rose.


    The moment I kicked the ground and turned the corner of the second academy building, I doubted my eyes.


    ¡¸¡­Ri, Ria? ¡­Rose?¡¹


    There was the figure of Ria and Rose suspended in mid-air by a ck shadow.


    A tentacle-like shadow restrained both hands and feet, and the two do not even twitch.


    ¡¸Ahaha¡­ You were a littlete¡­ Allen.¡¹


    When Dodriel noticed me, he put on a viinous smile on his face. At that moment, the blood in my body boiled in anger.


    ¡¸¡­Get out of the way!¡¹


    I closed the distance with Dodriel in one step,


    ¡¸Wha?!¡¹


    Andnded a strong kick to his side.


    ¡¸Fast?! Ga, ha¡­¡¹


    He was blown off at a tremendous speed and crashed into the wall of the academy building.


    Meanwhile, I cut his ck shadow with my sword and broke the restraints on Ria and Rose.


    Then I put my hand on their chest. A strong heartbeat came back.


    ¡¸Thank god.¡¹


    They suffered some external wounds, but none of them are deep.


    When I heaved a sigh of relief,


    ¡¸Ahaa, that¡¯s my Allen! It looks like you got even stronger again!¡¹


    Dodriel stood up, pushing away the rubble of the academy building with fresh blood trickling down his forehead.


    ¡¸Dodriel. This is the second time.¡¹


    This was the second time he hadid hands on Ria and Rose.


    ¡¸You¡¯ve crossed the line. Today, here and now¡­ I will cut you!¡¹


    I released the darkness from my whole body and d myself with¡ºjet-ck robe¡».


    It was cker than all previous instances of the darkness, and it firmly attached to my body.


    ¡¸Ahaha! Ni?ce, Allen! You¡¯re the best! Now, let¡¯s kill each other quickly!¡¹


    This is how the fated battle between me and Dodriel began.

 Chapter 96 - . Five Great Powers and Thirteen Knights of the Oracle [3]

    96. Five Great Powers and Thirteen Knights of the Oracle [3]


    I assumed Seigan no Kamae and looked straight at Dodriel.


    He pointed the tip of his sword towards me, and put on aplicated smile mixed with love and hate.


    (If I remember correctly, that sword is his soul dress¡­¡´Shadow Ruler¡µ?)


    Contrary to its in appearance, its ability is iparably powerful.


    While stepping on the target¡¯s shadow, it has the formidable power to disable all attacks from that opponent.


    (¡­But I¡¯m sure that¡¯s not all.)


    If that was everything, there¡¯s no way Ria and Rose would fall behind.


    He must have something more ¨C an unknown power hidden.


    (For the time being, avoid closebat, and examine his movement.)


    And as I was working out a strategy,


    ¡¸Ahaa¡­ It¡¯s nice to be staring at each other like this, but¡­ Let¡¯s sh with each other strongly and more and more and more violently!¡¹


    Dodriel closed the distance at once, saying something iprehensible.


    ¡¸Rain Style ¨C Summer Rain!¡¹


    Rain-like thrusts which doesn¡¯t allow the opponent to catch their breath.


    However,


    (I can see it!)


    Each thrust could be seen clearly as though time itself had stopped.


    I avoided the looming de perfectly with minimal movement, and


    ¡¸Eighth Sword ¨C Yatagarasu!¡¹


    I returned a counterattack with eight shes.


    ¡¸Ahaha¡­ That won¡¯t work!¡¹


    Dodriel cut off three of the shes and firmly stepped on my shadow in that gap.


    At that moment, the remaining five shes passed through Dodriel¡¯s body.


    ¡¸Kuh, the¡ºShadow World¡», huh¡­¡¹


    His body was now in a different world due to the ability of¡´Shadow Ruler¡µ.


    When ites to breaking this, I need to use World Judgement.


    (¡­I¡¯m sure even he is fully aware of that.)


    And then,


    ¡¸Ahaa! Of course, I¡¯ll avoid your¡ºWorld Judgement¡»!¡¹


    Dodriel, who read my thoughts, had an innocent smile stered on his face.


    ¡¸I suppose.¡¹


    He was a smart guy since the time at Gran Swordsmanship Academy.


    The same technique will not work twice.


    ¡¸Well then, I¡¯m going to go on and on! Rain Style ¨C Intense Rain!¡¹


    Diagonal sh, Bamboo Split, Upwards sh, Downwards sh, Thrust ¨C consecutive attacks overflowing with intent to kill was unleashed in session.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    I avoided those shes by dodging, parrying, and defending with my sword


    ¡¸Guh, don¡¯t stop, don¡¯t stop, go faster!¡¹


    With all his shes being defended, Dodriel raised a loud cry and began to cut even more violently.


    While defending his attacks, I felt a slightly uneasy feeling.


    (¡­Why does he keep unleashing attacks which have a high number of hits?)


    It somewhat¡­ bothered me.


    I went to the same swordsmanship academy as Dodriel for three years.


    That¡¯s why I know this guy to the basic level.


    (He was someone who sought¡ºbeauty¡»in battles¡­)


    It was unlike him to unleash consecutive attacks in session.


    And then,


    ¡¸UOOOOOHHHH!¡¹


    Dodriel got fired up and swung down his sword from an overhead position.


    ¡¸Naive!¡¹


    I sidestepped his overhead sh. His defenceless head was right before my reach.


    I got you!


    ¡¸Fifth Sword ¨C World Judg¨C?!¡¹


    Right when I stepped in to unleashed World Judgement.


    ¡¸¡­Ahaha.¡¹Dodrielughed.


    It wasn¡¯t a smile of madness. Rather a very intelligent smile.


    (This is bad!)


    I didn¡¯t know what was bad though.


    However, arge opening was being unted in front of me.


    My sixth sense shouted that it was dangerous to exploit this.


    When I decided to trust in my intuition and jumped back greatly, a maximum sh was fired from the shadow of my feet.


    ¡¸Wha?!¡¹


    In response to the sh that rose to the heavens, I tried to avoid it by pulling back greatly. Resulting in a few locks of my hair being cut off. I avoided it by a hair¡¯s breadth.


    (T-That was dangerous¡­)


    If I had unleashed World Judgement at that moment, I would be in two parts by now.


    ¡¸What a pity¡­ Only a little bit more! Ahahahahahahahahahaha!¡¹


    He opened his mouth wide and began tough holding his belly in his arms.


    It seems that theplete devotion to consecutive attacks and therge overhead sh just now, was in preparation for this attack.


    ¡¸Man, what a failure¡­ Imagining the moment when Allen¡¯s body bes two¡­ Mou, I can¡¯t contain my happiness!¡¹


    Saying that, Dodriel hugged his body with both hands and writhed.


    I ignored his provocations and entricities and asked a question.


    ¡¸That attack just now¡­ Did you unch¡± the sh?¡¹


    Dodriel¡¯s¡ºce where he swung the sword¡»and¡ºthe ce where the sh urred¡»werepletely different.


    In other words, heunched the sh to¡ºanother ce¡».


    ¡¸Correct, super correct answer¡­¡¡It¡¯s a remote sh ability of my¡´Shadow Ruler¡µ!¡¹


    ¡¸Remote sh?¡¹


    ¡¸Un! I canunch a sh from¡ºmy shadow¡»to adjoining¡ºother shadows¡»¡­Look, just like this¨C!¡¹


    And when Dodriel swung his sword ¨C a sharp sh flew out of my shadow at my feet.


    ¡¸Kuh!¡¹


    I immediately fired a side-sweep and countered the looming sh.


    ¡¸It¡¯s a good ability, isn¡¯t it? And look, it¡¯s cloudy today! Clouds have ¡°shadows¡± too! Right now, this entire ce is my domain! It¡¯s like God is supporting me¡­¡¹he opened his hands wide and said with a big smile.


    ¡¸¡­You managed to pull out this much power from your soul dress.¡¹


    As expected of a genius swordsman I suppose¡­


    As usual, his talent really is first ss.


    ¡¸¡­Thank you very much. But I¡¯m not happy to be praised by you¡­ By the way, did you know? The more you walk along the boundary between life and death, the stronger your soul dress bes-!¡¹Dodriel said, and unleashed a sharp thrust.


    ¡¸Walking the boundary between life and death¡­ You mean being close to death?¡¹


    I responded while dealing with his thrust


    ¡¸Aa, that¡¯s right! When you are seriously injured and are in a life and death situation, you experience the space between material and non-material! The body and the soul be more closely connected and the soul dress gives off more shine, see!¡¹


    ¡¸Hee, is that so?¡¹


    I kinda had a clue about it.


    During the fight with Sid-san and Idol-san, I suffered serious injuries and became strangely stronger after that.


    (I thought that the experience of¡ºwinning over the strong¡»and bing more confident, made my sword sharper¡­)


    There seems to be a theoretical proof of this phenomenon.


    ¡¸While you were ying around at Thousand de Academy¡­ Day after day after day, I¡­ I¡¯ve been running through battlefields for a long time! Grovelling on the ground! Drinking muddy water! Cutting people! All of it just to take revenge on you! The one who destroyed my life!¡¹


    Dodriel shouted, distorting his face with hatred.


    (This guy is broken¡­)


    His personality had already been irrevocably broken.


    It was the duel from a year ago that triggered this.


    Dodriel was defeated in front of arge crowd that he had gathered. By me, who he had been mocking for three years as the¡ºdropout swordsman¡»


    That¡¯s what hurt his delicate pride.


    (Objectively speaking, it¡¯s unjustified resentment, but¡­)


    This is certainly the seed that I sowed.


    That is why, to put an end to this ¨C I¡¯ll cut him.


    ¡¸You who were immersed in thecence called Swordsmanship Academy¡­ I wonder if you can cut me?!¡¹


    Dodriel widened his eyes, and


    ¡¸Rain Style Secret Technique ¨C Passing Shower!¡¹


    A one-point concentrated thrust.


    I gave a short answer to his question.


    ¡¸Aa, I can cut you!¡¹


    I swung down my¡ºpseudo-ck sword¡»that was covered with darkness.


    ¡¸Ka, ha!¡¹


    The swing cut through the¡ºshadow world¡»and carved a deep sword wound into his chest.


    ¡¸GA, AAAAAAAAAAAA!? M-My¡­ My world?!¡¹


    More than the wound on his chest, Dodriel was more shocked that his shadow world was destroyed with just one swing.


    ¡¸By looking at your sword, I can see that you¡¯ve gone through a lot of carnage. But even I was polishing my sword day after day.¡¹


    Ria, Rose, Sid-san, and Idol-san ¨C none of them were easy opponents.


    Every single battle was a struggle.


    The days I¡¯ve spent so far have never beencent¡».


    When I stared straight at Dodriel, he red back with bloodshot eyes.


    ¡¸This dropout swordsman¡¯s atmosphere¡­ It¡¯s an eyesore forever and¡­ EVERRRRR!¡¹


    Suddenly he coiled a tremendous¡ºshadow¡»around his sword.


    It was an aggregation of ck, dirty, repulsive power, and tremendous negative energy.


    Probably an attack containing all his strength. He is looking to settle the battle here.


    ¡¸Here Ie, Allen!¡¹


    ¡¸Aa,e!¡¹


    As we both cried out, Dodriel swung his sword.


    ¡¸Die ¨C Shadow Phantom!¡¹


    At that moment a¡ºwave of shadows¡»like a turbid stream surged forward at an astonishing speed.


    It¡¯s an overwhelming mass of violence that swallowed surrounding trees and rubble.


    On the other hand, I raised my sword overhead and swung down resolutely.


    ¡¸Sixth Sword ¨C Dark Roar!¡¹


    A huge sh d in darkness ran across while overturning the ground under.


    Jet-ck darkness and hollow shadows shed violently.


    A tremendous shock wave was produced, causing a huge crack to run across the main academy building.


    The moment when it seemed that the two sides were equal ¨C ¡ºDarkness¡»swallowed everything.


    ¡¸IMPOSIBLEEEE!¡¹


    The ck Dark Roar destroyed everything and swallowed Dodriel. A wail echoed throughout the academy.


    ¡¸¡­Did I do it?¡¹


    When the dust cleared, there was the figure of Dodriel standing on both legs, gasping for breath.


    ¡¸Quite a tough guy.¡¹


    At the same time as I murmured, Dodriel slowly fell forward.


    ¡¸Haa, haa¡­ Shit¡­¡¹


    There were a number of deep sword wounds on his body. He shouldn¡¯t be able to continue fighting anymore.


    ¡¸¡­It¡¯s over, Dodriel. The Holy Knights will soone. Be quiet until then.¡¹


    The moment I turned my back.


    ¡¸A, aha, ha¡­ After all, Allen is¡­ so kind¡­ showing pity towards garbage like me¡­ You see, I hate that naivet¨¦ about you to the point where I feel like vomiting!¡¹


    Dodriel¡¯s whole body was enveloped in an eerie shadow.


    ¡¸Wha?!¡¹


    I flusteredly jumped back and assumed Seigan no Kamae.


    ¡¸-Ku, Ahaha, Hahahahahahahahahaha!¡¹


    As heughed with an ear-bleeding voice, the ck shadows clung to his body almost like a tattoo.


    (His wounds are blocked.)


    The ck shadow connected the wounds and stopped the excessive bleeding.


    ¡¸Ahaha¡­ Right now, I could probably even tear up the¡ºThirteen Knights of the Oracle¡»!¡¹


    When he shed the academy building as though trying out his new power, the outer wall blew out and the ssroom inside was exposed.


    (With just one swing?!)


    There is no doubt that the shadow also has the effect of enhancing physical ability.


    ¡¸¡ºShadow¡»and¡ºDarkness¡»¡­Oddly, it¡¯s a battle between fellow¡ºck¡»! The fallen genius swordsman and the dropout swordsman ¨C I wonder if it¡¯s a well-matched power for fellow failures.¡¹


    I ignored Dodriel¡¯s rambling and observed his body.


    ¡¸¡­That power. You seem to be overdoing it crazily.¡¹


    Looking closer, his body was tightened by the shadows. Blood was oozing out of various ces.


    The shadows seem to force movement which exceeds the limit by tightening the cells.


    ¡¸That¡¯s not true¡­ This¡ºpain¡»is good! People grow up strong and indomitable by shouldering pain on their backs! Come now, Allen¡­ Let¡¯s¡ºgrow¡»together!¡¹


    With a heinous smile, Dodriel took an aggressive forward-leaning posture.


    ¡¸Sorry to disappoint you, but your¡ºgrowth¡»ends here today!¡¹


    I d my body with denser darkness than ever before and assumed Seigan no Kamae.


    This is how the battle between me and Dodriel plunged into the final phase.

 Chapter 97 - Five Kingdoms and Thirteen Knights of the Oracle [4]

    97. Five Kingdoms and Thirteen Knights of the Oracle [4]


    Me and Dodriel, who donned¡ºck¡»-¡ºDarkness¡»and¡ºShadow¡»- red at each other.


    ¡¸-Here Ie, Dodriel!¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha,e¡­ Allen!¡¹


    I gripped the pseudo-ck sword d in darkness, and zeroed the distance in one step.


    ¡¸Eighth Sword ¨C Yatagarasu!¡¹


    Eight shes aimed precisely at his vitals.


    However,


    ¡¸Naive! Rain Style ¨C Drizzle!¡¹


    In response to my attack, he released an antiphase sh.


    Yatagarasu and Drizzle cancelled each other and disappeared.


    (No way! It¡¯s a sh d with darkness though!)


    His strength, sword speed, and reaction speed all were on a different level.


    ¡¸Oi Oi¡­ Why are you looking so surprise?!¡¹


    Dodriel, who saw through my diposure, fired a strong side kick without any wasted movement.


    I held the sword vertically at a moment¡¯s judgement and defended the kick firmly.


    However,


    ¡¸??¡¹


    Despite my perfect defense, the impact of as though being hit with a blunt weapon ran through the palms of my hands.


    (This guy¡­ In terms of simple physical strength, it¡¯s more than Sid-san¡­)


    Despite being pushed backwards by the momentum of the kick, I held my head straight and kept Dodriel in the center of my sight.


    ¡¸Hey, there¡¯s still more toe!¡¹


    ¡¸Kuh,e¡­!¡¹


    After that, Dodriel attacked and I defended. Such an agonizing state continued.


    He kept unleashing a storm of shes.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    I kept my eyes open firmly and concentrated all my nerves on defense.


    (Damn¡­ I can somehow avoid fatal wounds, but things will get worse if this keeps up.)


    One by one wounds increased on my body each time our swords shed.


    (Kuh¡­)


    And the moment I clenched my teeth,


    ¡¸¡­Ga, fu¡¹


    Dodriel suddenly spat out blood.


    He jumped back and wiped his mouth with the sleeves of his clothes.


    ¡¸Ah, aha¡­ It¡¯s looks like, I¡¯m going to hit the limit soon¡­¡¹


    Looking closer, his muscles were torn and dark red blood was oozing from there.


    His¡ºshadow¡»moves autonomously and tightens the bloodied surfaces together, but¡­


    Dodriel¡¯s body has already gone beyond its limits.


    Recovery rate is unable to catch up with the copse rate of the body.


    This technique, which tightens the body with shadow and allows for superhuman movement, seems to force a tremendous load on the body.


    (This decides the battle¡­)


    I still have enough¡ºdarkness¡»left.


    If we continue to fight like this, Dodriel will surely bring himself to ruin.


    (Let¡¯s first take Ria and Rose to a safe ce, and then go support the president and the others¡­)


    When I was thinking about that,


    ¡¸Well, it¡¯s a little regretful, but let¡¯s start the finale!¡¹Dodriel cried, and raised his hands up.


    A huge¡ºmass of shadows¡»appeared behind him.


    The surface was moving around irregrly, looking like a bug cocoon or a mass of ck water.


    (What the hell is that?!)


    As I firmly maintained Seigan no Kamae, focusing on the mysterious mass which appeared suddenly,


    ¡¸Ahaa, don¡¯t look away!¡¹


    Dodriel was before my nose tip, unleashing an overhead swing.


    ¡¸Kuh!¡¹


    When I somehow managed to defend his overhead swing,


    ¡¸-ck Shadow!¡¹he cried.


    From behind, I felt a piecing bloodlust being emitted.


    (This is bad!)


    I could see it even without turning around.


    The mass of shadow was right behind me.


    ¡¸-HA!¡¹


    I erected a¡ºwall of darkness¡»behind me at a moment¡¯s judgment.


    Ten tentacles which were fired from the mass of shadows stopped just a few millimeters before prating through to the other side of the wall.


    It doesn¡¯t seem to be powerful enough to break through this darkness.


    (But¡­ just barely.)


    If my judgement had been a moment slower, I would have been riddled with holes.


    I jumped wide to the side and distanced myself from Dodriel and the mass of shadow.


    ¡¸Ahhaha! To defend that attack, as expected of Allen! Those weak female swordsmen were done in instantly by this attack!¡¹Dodrielughed at Ria and Rose.


    (I see. Were they both brought down by this technique?)


    Certainly, that pincer attack just now was a perfect¡ºkilling blow¡».


    If it had not been for this darkness, even I would have been in danger.


    (What a troublesome ability¡­)


    Apparently, this mass ¨C ck Shadow ¨C can beunched to another location in the same way as¡ºremote shing¡».


    ¡¸Ahaha¡­ I love your pale face very much! I¡¯m going to tear it up! Mess it up! Ahahahahahahaha!¡¹he started shouting iprehensible abuse.


    ¡¸Come dance with me¡­ Alleeeeeeeeen!¡¹


    He ran towards me. And in the following exchange, I was pushed even more onto the defensive.


    ¡¸-Hora hora hora! If you¡¯re just keep running around, you can¡¯t win!¡¹


    ¡¸Kuh¡­¡¹


    Dodriel skillfully controlled the ten tentacles at long range as he engaged in closebat with me, delivering effective damage.


    (Damn, what a guy¡­)


    Against my one sword, he wields a sword and ten tentacles ¨C which makes for¡ºeleven des¡».


    One vs eleven ¨C In terms of numbers, I am at an overwhelming disadvantage.


    (Should I do it?)


    If I d my remaining darkness, I can nullify his ck Shadow.


    Then the¡ºdisadvantage of numbers¡»disappears, and it will be an even match.


    After that, Dodriel¡¯s body will copse on its own.


    (But what about after that?)


    Will I be able to protect Ria and Rose, who have lost consciousness due to consuming significant spiritual power?


    Can I still assist the president and others who are still at the frontlines?


    When I was thinking about that,


    ¡¸Nee, Allen¡­ Aren¡¯t you misunderstanding something?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Misunderstanding?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah¡­ The match between swordsmen is a serious battle. You don¡¯t have to think about anything other than stopping your opponent¡¯s heartbeat, no?!¡¹


    Saying that, he unleashed a wave of attacks again.


    ¡¸Guh¡­¡¹


    One of the tentacles grazed my shoulder and fresh blood spurts in the air.


    At the same time, however, fresh blood spilled from Dodriel¡¯s skin, which had been torn into by his own shadow.


    ¡¸Naa¡­ Oi! Concentrate more on me! More! More! More!¡¹


    He swung his sword over and over again with a sorrowful expression.


    While dealing with his consecutive attacks, I reorganised my thoughts.


    (I had been thinking about the¡ºfuture¡».)


    Even though I was in the middle of a serious battle with Dodriel, I was thinking about the after.


    It¡¯s rude towards a swordsman seeking a serious battle.


    (This guy is literally standing here with his life on the line¡­)


    Then, I too, as a swordsman, should fight this battle with everything I¡¯ve got.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry, Dodriel. The swordsman¡¯s match is a serious battle. You¡¯re right.¡¹ I apologized. ¡¸I won¡¯t think about anything else. For this moment¡­ I¡¯m going to use everything I¡¯ve got!¡¹


    I unleashed all my darkness. Darkness dyed the surroundings ck and created a jet-ck stage. It was thicker than when I fought with Idol-san before. And it was deep enough to almost look like an abyss.


    ¡¸Amazing! You¡¯re amazing, Allen! Ahaha¡­you always surpass far beyond my expectations! It was the same at that time too! That¡¯s what I love the most about you!¡¹ he shouted, with a look of ecstasy on his face.


    And then,


    ¡¸HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!¡¹


    ¡¸-UOOOOOHHHHHHHH!¡¹


    We started running at the same time as though predetermined.


    ¡¸Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style Secret Technique ¨C Mirrored Sakura sh!¡¹


    ¡¸Rain Style Secret Technique ¨C Passing Shower!¡¹


    The shes shed fiercely with sparks flying and disappeared.


    At the same time, we both unleashed diagonal shes. Dull metallic sound of sword and sword colliding resounded.


    In a locked sword state, we red at each other.


    ¡¸You are strong, after all, Dodriel!¡¹


    ¡¸Of course! This dropout swordsman is getting carried away!¡¹


    By mobilising my full body weight, and physical strength, the locked sword state


    ¡¸HA!¡¹


    ¡¸Damnit!¡¹.


    Was won by me, d in darkness.


    And I had already inserted it in advance at the ce where Dodriel was blown away.


    ¡¸Second Sword ¨C Hazy Moon!¡¹


    ¡¸What?!¡¹


    The shes that I inserted during the height of the fight, dug deep into his thigh.


    ¡¸¡­¡­shit!¡¹


    As he crouched on the spot, I drove in another attack.


    ¡¸Eighth Sword ¨C Yatagarasu!¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t underestimate me! ck Shadow!¡¹


    He unleashed a counterattack at the perfect timing.


    However,


    ¡¸-HA!¡¹


    I emitted jet-ck darkness from my whole body and swallowed ck Shadow.


    ¡¸Impossible!¡¹


    Eight shes rained down on his body.


    ¡¸Gu, ga¡­!¡¹


    The heavily damaged Dodriel jumped back and used the shadows to seal his wounds.


    And our death match continued still.


    And now,


    ¡¸Haa haa¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, aha, ahaha¡­ As expected, you are strong, Allen¡­¡¹


    Soon, both our spiritual power will run out.


    (In terms of crossing swords, I¡¯m winning overwhelmingly¡­)


    But¡­ he doesn¡¯t fall.


    No matter how many times I cut, Dodriel does not fall.


    I¡¯m sure his mind is outdoing the body.


    ¡¸Haa haa¡­ It¡¯s time to settle this!¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, haa¡­ It¡¯s regretful, but it can¡¯t be avoided.¡¹


    The darkness that was covering my body was thin and the shadow running through his body was dim.


    We¡¯ve both reached our limits.


    I¡¯m sure the next attack will be thest.


    I resolved myself and returned my sword into the scabbard.


    ¡¸-Here Ie, Dodriel!¡¹


    ¡¸Aa,e¡­ Allen!¡¹


    Immediately after the short exchange of words, I ran straight towards him bare-handed.


    (¡­With this thin darkness, I can¡¯t defend his ck Shadow.)


    I can¡¯t win in terms of numbers.


    Then all I have to do is unleash the fastest ultimate attack that renders numbers useless!


    ¡¸DIEEEEEE! Rain Style Secret Technique ¨C Passing Shower! ck Shadow!¡¹


    A sharp one-point thrust filled with killing intent and deep-seated grudge, and twenty tentacles fired at tremendous speed.


    I ascertained that and drew out my fastest ultimate attack.


    ¡¸Seventh Sword ¨C Instant sh!¡¹


    My godspeed Iai-sh, surpassed the sound barrier, and cut Dodriel together with ck Shadow.


    As I looked back, he slowly fell where he stood.


    This match is my victory.


    ¡¸Fuu¡­ That was quite close¡­¡¹


    And the moment I took a deep breath,


    ¡¸Wha?!¡¹


    Eardrum crushing sound echoed throughout Thousand de Academy.


    ¡¸W-What was that sound?!¡¹


    The direction is the schoolyard ¨C the ce where the president and others are fighting.


    (I have a bad feeling¡­)


    But right now, I have to move Ria and Rose to a safer ce.


    Thus, I, who had won the death match with Dodriel, held the two who were unconscious in one hand each, and headed to the staff room.

 Chapter 98 - Five Kingdoms and Thirteen Knights of the Oracle [5]

    98. Five Kingdoms and Thirteen Knights of the Oracle [5]


    I quickly headed to the staff room, holding Ria and Rose under my arms.


    The vice-director noticed me as I walked through the ajar room.


    ¡¸Oh, Allen-kun! Thank god that you are safe¡­ Ri-Ria-san? Rose-san?!¡¹


    His eyes widened at the sight of the unconscious two.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t worry. They¡¯re just unconscious.¡¹


    ¡¸I-I see, that¡¯s good. But to think even you would be so deeply wounded¡­ The enemy must have been quite formidable.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, it was a pretty close fight. By the way, I seeded in destroying the barrier. How is the contact with the outsideing along?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, that was done perfectly! The director will probably arrive in another five minutes. I¡¯ve already contacted the Holy Knights Association, too. You¡¯ve done really well, Allen-kun!¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s reassuring.¡¹


    When Leia-sensei arrives, this fight will be ours.


    (Yoshi, the fight is going to be over soon!)


    In the meantime, I¡¯ll do what I can.


    ¡¸Well then, vice-director. I¡¯m going to the president¡¯s backup.¡¹ I said, and tried to leave the room.


    ¡¸No, Allen-kun. You should escape from here.¡¹ the vice director grabbed me by the shoulder and said with a serious look.


    ¡¸I received contact from one of the teachers who headed to the front lines. One of the¡ºThirteen Knights of the Oracle¡»was confirmed among the enemy. Even if it¡¯s you, there is no way for you to win in that battered state!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Thirteen Knights of the Oracle?¡¹


    Now that I think about it, I feel like Dodriel mentioned something like that in the middle of our fight.


    ¡¸They are the top executives of the ck Organization. Each of them is a super-skilled swordsman equivalent to the power of a national force. And each one of them is said to possess strength of ¡ºDirector ss¡».¡¹


    ¡¸S-Same rank as Leia-sensei?!¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. Fighting against the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle is like dealing with an entire nation. That¡¯s why you should escape quickly, Allen-kun.¡¹ the vice director said, putting his hand on my shoulder.


    However, there is no way I can back down after knowing that.


    ¡¸¡­In that case, I must definitely go.¡¹


    ¡¸Wha? Why!?¡¹


    ¡¸The president and others are still fighting against such a formidable enemy. And yet, I can¡¯t just run away with my tail between my legs.¡¹


    My power is small.


    However, ¡°difference in numbers¡± has a big significance in a fight.


    It¡¯s better to have as many people as possible, even if it¡¯s just one more.


    ¡¸Thank you for your concern.¡¹ I said and left the staff room.


    ¡¸W-Wait Allen-kun¡­ Dammit, Director¡­ Please hurry.¡¹


    ¡ö


    I ignored the vice-director¡¯s warning and went to the schoolyard. An unbelievable scene spread before me.


    ¡¸W-What¡­ the hell¡­?!¡¹


    The whole ce looked like a deste wastnd and the students of Thousand de Academyy defeated on the schoolyard.


    And in the middle of all that, a tall, slender man stood, with an air of calmness surrounding him.


    (This guy was the one¡­!)


    Blood rushed to my head boiling with anger, but I immediately shook my head and regainedposure.


    And while entering into his sight, I carefully approached the fallen president.


    ¡¸President, are you all right?¡¹ I gently shook her shoulders.


    ¡¸A-Allen-kun¡­ Run away¡­ You definitely can¡¯t win¡­ against that monster¡­¡¹ she said, and lost consciousness.


    (He¡¯s that formidable, huh¡­)


    A formidable swordsman to the extent where even the president, who absolutely hates to lose, said¡ºdefinitely can¡¯t win¡».


    Although it would be too much of a burden to take him on in my wounded state, I have no choice but to do it.


    I¡¯m the only swordsman who can still fight in Thousand de Academy.


    If I were to run away, everyone in this ce might be massacred.


    (I have to stall for time somehow¡­)


    I put together my thoughts, raised my guard to the maximum, and walked up to the perpetrator who caused this catastrophe.


    ¡¸Did you do this?¡¹


    ¡¸Indeed. There were a lot of bugs. So I shook them off a little.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Bugs, you say?¡¹


    The anger that I suppressed earlier has been reignited with my friends being called bugs.


    ¡¸If I¡¯m not mistaken¡­ you¡¯re Allen Rodore, right?¡¹


    ¡¸?!¡¹


    He knew my name for some reason.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t be surprised. I simply got information that there¡¯s a child who is slightly capable.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I see? It feels unpleasant to not know my opponent¡¯s name when they do mine. Why don¡¯t you name yourself?¡¹


    I managed to stretch the conversation and earn some time.


    ¡¸Hmm, you have a point. I am one of the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle, Fu Rudras. Pleased to make your acquaintance from now on.¡¹ he said, bowing slightly.


    He seems to be the type of man who can be reasoned with.


    Fu Rudras. He was about 190 centimeters tall. Long ck hair stretched to the back. For a swordsman, he has a very thin body. He appeared to be in his early thirties. I got an intellectual impression from his deep, well-formed face. If only he didn¡¯t have a sword, he¡¯d look like an actual schr. He wore a ck cloak on top of his white noble clothes.


    However, the outer cloak was engraved with a green pattern, which I think I have seen somewhere before. Perhaps this was a special garment allowed only to the executives.


    ¡¸Are you aiming for Ria?¡¹


    ¡¸Ria¡­? Aa,e to think of it¡­ that¡¯s the name of the current generation¡¯s Fafnir¡¯s host, isn¡¯t it?¡¹ he put his hand to his chin, as though recalling his memory.


    ¡¸Fafnir¡¯s¡ºhost¡»¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. We¡¯re collecting phantom spirits including Fafnir. We don¡¯t really care about the girl. All we need is the content inside.¡¹


    ¡¸¡±Phantom Spirit¡±? ¡°Content¡±? What do you mean?¡¹ I tilted my head to the series of unfamiliar words.


    ¡¸Hmm¡­ I don¡¯t mind talking about it and I quite like young people with intellectual curiosity. I¡¯d like to slowly talk over a cup of tea, but, unfortunately, I don¡¯t have the time right now. Let¡¯s do it when we get another opportunity.¡¹


    Then, Fu held up a rapier-like thin sword and exuded a dense bloodlust. It felt almost suffocating just standing in his presence.


    ¡¸Wha?!¡¹


    ¡¸What¡¯s the matter? Aren¡¯t you going to assume your stance, Allen Rodore?¡¹


    And when my opponent said that, I realized for the first time, that I was standing defenceless.


    ¡¸Kuh¡­ HAAAAAAAAAAA!¡¹


    I scraped up the remaining spiritual power in my body and d myself in dense darkness.


    I was able to restore my spiritual power slightly by resting my body for a short while


    (I can hold out¡­ for another couple minutes¡­)


    The moment I assumed Seigan no Kamae,


    ¡¸Where are you looking?¡¹


    ¡¸Wha?!¡¹


    Fu was behind me.


    ¡¸-Shi!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    He unleashed a merciless blow aimed towards the base of my neck.


    I kicked the ground sideways and dodged by a hair¡¯s breadth.


    ¡¸Hou, that was quite the reaction speed.¡¹


    Witnessing the attack without any hesitation in¡ºkilling¡», I felt the difference in the¡ºnumber of battles¡»and¡ºexperience¡»between us.


    (If I keep defending, I¡¯ll be killed¡­)


    Offense is the best defense.


    I dropped my center of gravity and closed the distance with my fastest speed.


    ¡¸Eighth Sword ¨C Yatagarasu!¡¹


    ¡¸-Wind Wall¡¹


    The Yatagarasu I unleashed with all my strength was stopped by an invisible wall.


    ¡¸What?!¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t show diposure during a battle ¨C Wind Cut¡¹


    At that moment, a dreadful¡ºgust¡»shot through my abdomen.


    ¡¸Ga, ha!¡¹


    I felt a tremendous shock as though my stomach had been gouged out.


    I was blown back by the unstoppable force, rolling on the ground without even being able to take a defensive posture.


    ¡¸¡­Hmm, it looks like you¡¯re plenty exhausted. However, you can pull off this kind of movement without even a soul dress. It¡¯s too good to kill an outstanding talent like you¡­¡¹ Fu said with a calm expression.


    (This is bad¡­ I might not be able to win¡­)


    As expected of a swordsman said to be equivalent to a national force.


    It¡¯s frustrating, but¡­ this stage is still too early for me who has yet to master soul dress.


    (But¡­ I can¡¯t back down here!)


    I have to buy a few more minutes no matter what! Until Leia-sensei arrives!


    I whipped my body which was screaming in pain and managed to stand up.


    ¡¸¡­You can still stand? The durability of your body is only as good as your mental strength.¡¹


    I sank everyst bit of my remaining darkness and unleashed an attack which contained everyst bit of my strength.


    ¡¸Sixth Sword ¨C Dark Roar!¡¹


    An enormous sh wrapped in jet-ck darkness rushed towards Fu.


    However,


    ¡¸-Supreme Wind de¡¹


    His enormous de of wind tore through my Dark Roar very easily.


    ¡¸No, way¡­?!¡¹


    Dark Roar, which had never been broken before, was destroyed.


    Looking at that hopeless scene, I stood petrified, speechless.


    Immediately after that, the Supreme Wind de, still boasting tremendous power,


    mangled my whole body.


    ¡¸Ga, ha¡­¡¹


    The wounds I suffered from the de of wind were¡­ deep. Too deep.


    To the extent where I can¡¯t even think of continuing the fight.


    (Shit¡­)


    As I crawled on the ground, gritting my teeth hard, Fu suddenly looked away from me and said something unbelievable.


    ¡¸Hmm, you¡¯ve been beaten up quite badly, Dodriel.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaa¡­ sorry, senpai¡­ However, I¡¯ve captured Fafnir!¡¹


    The bloodied Dodriel came down from the second floor of the academy building.


    A ck shadow floated behind him, and Ria, who was supposed to be in the staff room, was hung mid-air.


    ¡¸R-Ria?! Dodriel¡­!¡¹ I shouted, the fear in my voice apparent.


    ¡¸Ahaa. How are you doing, Allen?¡¹ Dodriel, whose wounds have been somehow healed, brought his face closer to me.


    ¡¸W-Why are you still¡­?!¡¹


    I cut him with Instant sh.


    He should not be able to move anymore.


    ¡¸Ahaa, the advancement of science is amazing¡­ Although this drug shaves off a little bit of your life span, it can instantly heal any injuries.¡¹ he said, taking a blue pill out of his pocket.


    (That¡¯s a spirit pill¡­!)


    Looking closer, the ¡´Shadow Ruler¡µ gripped in Dodriel¡¯s right hand was greatly distorted.


    (I see. So that¡¯s what it was¡­)


    Apparently, instead of rampaging after taking the spirit pill, it seems to have dramatically improved the self-healing ability.


    ¡¸Kuh¡­ Not yet!¡¹


    More than three minutes should have already passed.


    (One more minute¡­)


    If I run around with myst bit of consciousness, I should be able to buy that time.


    The moment I put power into both feet and slowly stood up,


    ¡¸¡­Eh?¡¹


    A strange shock that I had never experienced before struck the center of my body.


    ¡¸Ahaa¡­ The match between swordsmen is a serious battle! With this¡­ It¡¯s my victory, Allen!¡¹


    Dodriel¡¯s face distorted with joy.


    From there, as I slowly looked down ¨C his sword was pierced deep into my chest.


    ¡¸Shit¡­¡¹


    Hurts.


    Hot.


    Painful.


    Can¡¯t¡­ breath.


    The taste of iron filled my mouth and burning pain ran through my body.


    I leaned against Dodriel as is and fell forward.


    ¡¸Ahaha, ahaha, ahahahaha¡­ AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA¡­¡­!¡¹


    Augh which jarred the ears.


    What I saw at the end of my gradually blurring vision was the figure of Ria, restrained by the shadows.


    ¡¸Ri, a¡­¡¹


    The hand I stretched out towards her by mustering myst bit of power, fell on the ground in vain.


    And my consciousness sank into a deep, ck darkness.


    ¡ö


    Dodriel, who thrusted his sword through Allen¡¯s heart,


    ¡¸Ha-Happyyy¡­!¡¹


    Pleasure, excitement, sorrow ¨C he wasughing with aplex expression that was mixed with various emotions.


    ¡¸Haha¡­ Ahaha, ahahahaha, hahahahaha¡­!¡¹


    The man, who had fulfilled his revenge and achieved his purpose of living, wasmenting hollowly.


    ¡¸You did something a little wasteful¡­¡¹Fu said, and then gave out orders to his subordinate, Dodriel. ¡¸We have already captured Fafnir, so let¡¯s hurry and get out of here. I got information that ck Fist ising here. And the¡ºBloody Fox¡»is also in this country. We don¡¯t have to overstay.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaa¡­ I understand.¡¹


    The moment Fu and Dodriel turned on their heels, the entire Thousand de Academy was enveloped in murky darkness.


    ¡¸¡¸W-What the?!¡¹¡¹


    Darkness spread as far as the eye can see.


    Fu and Dodriel quickly pulled out their swords in that abnormal situation that they¡¯ve never experienced before.


    (This is¡­ No way¡­!)


    An impossible possibility crossed Fu¡¯s mind.


    There was only one swordsman who ruled darkness in this ce ¨C Allen Rodore ¨C who was just ended by Dodriel.


    (¡­But he should be dead!)


    When Fu slowly turned around, there was,


    ¡¸Kuku, Gyahahahahahahaha! After all, the outside air feels so good¡­ n¡±A?¡¹


    An unscathed¡ºAllen Rodore¡»stood,ughing in a good mood.


    Long white hair emerged gently.


    ck pattern appeared around the bottom of the left eye.


    Crimson eyes shone brightly.


    And above all, a ferocious look that did not bear the slightest resemnce to the normal Allen.


    Fu and Dodriel widened their eyes in response to Allen, who had transformed into apletely different person.


    ¡¸You have my thanks, insects! Thanks to you stupid bastards, I was able toe out to the¡ºsurface¡»¡­!¡¹


    Allen, who was d in¡ºdarkness¡»which was realms apart in both quality and quantity than previously, casually held a¡ºck Sword¡».


    ¡¸¡¸¡­¡­?!¡¹¡¹


    At that moment, Fu and Dodriel felt as though they were being squashed under the pure ¡°pressure¡± emitted by the sword.


    They both gulped at the same time. Finally recognizing the true power of the anomaly known as¡ºAllen¡».


    ¡¸¡­Dodriel, cover me.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Roger.¡¹


    Thus, the curtain raised on the death battle between¡ºAllen Rodore¡», and Fu & Dodriel.

 Chapter 99 - Five Kingdoms and Thirteen Knights of the Oracle [6]

    99. Five Kingdoms and Thirteen Knights of the Oracle [6]


    ¡ºAllen Rodore¡»vs. Fu and Dodriel.


    Fu took the initiative in this battle which isparable to a sh between nations.


    ¡¸-Supreme Wind Seal!¡¹


    The moment he swung down his thin sword, apressed gust was fired towards Allen from four directions.


    Four wind shes with terrifyingly shortunch time.


    If his target was an ordinary swordsman, it¡¯d spell instant death.


    (My fastest ultimate attack, Supreme Wind Seal! What will you do now?!)


    Fu assumed a follow-up stance, not letting down his guard, and waited for Allen¡¯s next move.


    However,


    ¡¸A¡±a¡­?¡¹


    For some reason, even while watching the looming wind shes, he didn¡¯t make any movement.


    A fraction of a secondter, the four shes which concealed fearsome power made direct hits.


    Cloud of dust rolled up together with an ear-crushing sound.


    ¡¸¡­It ¡­hit?¡¹


    Fu, who stared in amazement by the unexpected result, immediately staggered back in shock a momentter.


    ¡¸I-Impossible!¡¹


    When the dust cleared up, Allen was standing unscathed with a ferocious smile on his face.


    ¡¸-Pu, Gyahahahahaha! What¡¯s this breeze, y¡±O!? After ying with ¡°ice¡±, are we gonna y with ¡°wind¡± next?¡¹


    Recalling his fight with Sid, he shook his shoulders in a good mood.


    ¡¸Kukuku, seriously¡­ Bastard! Are you looking down on me, A¡±a?!!!¡¹


    Allen, who had been bursting withughter just a while ago, turned aplete 180 and emitted shuddering wrath.


    (H-He¡¯sing¡­!)


    Fu concentrated all his nerves and carefully observed Allen, not missing a single twitch. And the next moment,


    ¡¸¡­¡­HA?¡¹


    Just before his nose tip, the figure of Allen with his left fist pulled back.


    ¡¸O¡±RAA!¡¹


    A straight left that almost made Fu close his eyes out of fear.


    ¡¸W-Wind Wall!¡¹


    Fu deployed an invisible shield ofpressed wind.


    A powerful outward blowingpressed wind. Incredibly effective in defending against physical attacks.


    However,


    ¡¸Such a flimsy shield! Are you even trying, A¡±a?!¡¹


    Allen¡¯s fist easily smashed the wind wall and pierced deep into Fu¡¯s abdomen.


    ¡¸Ga, fu!¡¹


    The dull sound of bone breaking resounded, as he was blown away high and far like a ball.


    ¡¸HahaH¡±A! Look at you fly!¡¹


    Despite being in the middle of battle, Allenughed in good spirits watching it.


    Right then,


    ¡¸Die! ck Shadow!¡¹


    Twenty tentacles fired by Dodriel rushed in.


    Consecutive attacks of shadows that gouges out human flesh just by a slight graze,nded directly on Allen.


    ¡¸¡­Did I get him?¡¹


    When Dodriel¡¯s lips curled, he heardughter from behind.


    ¡¸-Kuku. Who got whom, E¡±e?¡¹


    ¡¸Wha?!¡¹


    He looked back in a hurry. And a strong kick sank into his side.


    ¡¸??!!¡¹


    A shock that he had never experienced before.


    Dodriel, unable to take a defensive posture, was blown away bouncing on the ground.


    ¡¸HaA¡±a¡­ Oi, Oi, it¡¯s over already?!¡¹


    Fu Rudras, one of the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle, who is even said to be a national force.


    Dodriel Barton, a swordsman reputed to be a candidate for the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle.


    Allen finished both of them with a single blow and sighed loudly.


    And then,


    ¡¸Well then¡­ Are you guys next?¡¹


    Allen zeroed in on the remnants of the ck Organization who could do nothing but watch the current brutality in horror, as his next ything.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡­¡­¡¹¡¹¡¹


    All of them were speechless due to extreme fear. Some copsed on the spot, some shed tears without being able to make a sound, some lost consciousness while foaming at the mouth, and various other reactions of pure dread.


    ¡¸Gyahahaha! Don¡¯t be so scared, nA¡±a? It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve been in the¡ºoutside world¡». You won¡¯t be punished even if you go along with my rehabilitation for a while, right?¡¹


    Allen, who called the current brutality a rehabilitation, was hit by a sudden gust of wind filled with bloodlust.


    ¡¸¡­A¡±a?¡¹


    He easily warded off the obvious artificial wind and turned to the direction it came from.


    ¡¸Yo, Monster. It¡¯s not over yet¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Alleeeeen¡­ I¡¯ll never lose to you!¡¹


    There was Fu and Dodriel, who recoveredpletely from the damage they received earlier, gripping an unstable soul dress.


    ¡¸O¡±o, you can still stand? So you¡¯re not entirely useless toys!¡¹


    Allen looked at the broken toys in front of him in a slightly better light.


    Fu and Dodriel began exchanging secret talks in whispers.


    ¡¸This will be your second one, right? Can you do it, Dodriel?¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaa¡­ To be honest, I don¡¯t want to do it¡­¡¹


    The two men, who suffered deadly injuries a while ago, took a special spirit pill.


    An item of the highest quality distributed only to executives and a few close to them.


    Due to a number of experiments, they sessfully developed a pill with reduced side effects and increased self-healing abilities.


    However, the maximum dosage is one per day.


    More than that, terrible pain assaults the body and it wouldn¡¯t even be possible to stand straight anymore.


    ¡¸Fuuu¡­ I agree. I just want to run away right now, but¡­ There¡¯s no way we can turn a blind eye to that monster.¡¹


    Fu resolved himself to fight and gave instructions to Dodriel.


    ¡¸That ridiculous physical ability¡­ we have no chance of winning in close quarters. We¡¯ll entomb him with our strongest long-range attack by pouring in all our spiritual power!¡¹


    ¡¸Roger¡­!¡¹


    Immediately after that, the two of them fired a single attack with all their might simultaneously.


    ¡¸-Supreme Wind de!¡¹


    ¡¸-Shadow Phantom!¡¹


    A turbid stream of ¡ºshadow¡» that swallowed everything.


    A de of ¡ºwind¡» that cuts everything.


    Allen carefreely stood in front of the looming attacks which can turn Thousand de Academy into a vacant lot.


    ¡¸A¡±a¡­ What did that shitty brat called it?¡¹


    And then,


    ¡¸O¡±u, that¡¯s right. It was¡­ First Sword ¨C Flying Shadow¡¹


    The moment he swung down the ck Sword,


    Jet-ck Darkness reduced everything on its path to nothing, swallowing the attacks of Fu and Dodriel which contained all their spiritual power.


    ¡¸T-To think it was to this extent¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Haha, it¡¯s over.¡¹


    Darkness swallowed the two of them in an instant. Silence descended on Thousand de Academy.


    ¡¸-Gyahahahahaha! Oi Oi, I just shook it lightly, ya know!? Are you dead so soon already, E¡±e?¡¹


    Behind Allen, whoughed greatly, the bloodstained Fu stood.


    At thest second, Fu had d himself in wind and jumped high into the sky, narrowly avoiding the looming darkness.


    ¡¸You¡¯re dead ¨C Supreme Wind Sword!¡¹


    Onest ultimate swing with all the spiritual power that was left ¨C Supreme Wind Sword.


    Perfect distance.


    Perfect timing.


    Perfect aim.


    To kill Allen.


    However, the supreme attack that was kneaded just for that purpose, was unable to prate the¡ºclothes of darkness¡» that Allen casually discharged.


    ¡¸Hard¡­ hahahaha¡­.¡¹


    Fu, with a broken fighting spirit, could no longer do anything butugh.


    ¡¸Tch¡­ this isn¡¯t a game of ying with swords, ya know? Do it properly, nA¡±a!¡¹


    Allen carefreely delivered a middle kick, which smashed Fu¡¯s chest.


    He recognized the difference in power while being blown far behind.


    (Haha¡­ What is this monster? Where the hell did ite from?)


    There was no chance of victory at all.


    Clearly understanding the overwhelming¡ºdifference¡», Fu swallowed a second spirit pill.


    Severe pain ran through his body as though the blood vessels in his body were splitting open.


    (The second one hits really hard¡­)


    Fu endured the pain which almost caused him to faint and shouted orders to his men.


    ¡¸Withdraw! The target¡ºAllen Rodore¡»is now ssified as ¡°Special ss Force¡±! A threat higher than phantom spirit! Everyone! Survive by any means and brings this information back to headquarters!¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸YES!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    The moment they answered from the background, the ck Sword flew up.


    ¡¸¡­Wha?!¡¹


    Immediately after that, a thunderous roar which could be heard throughout the city of Orest reverberated. The remnants of ck Organization, which numbered more than a hundred, were wiped out in a single attack.


    Towards Fu who simply stared at the bottomless pit in the schoolyard,


    ¡¸Oi, Oi¡­ Who were you talking to? It was a little too loud for a monologue ain¡¯t it¡­ E¡±e?¡¹


    Allen had a nasty smile, holding a second ck Sword in his hand


    ¡¸Allen Rodore, huh¡­ Fufu¡­ If I knew such a monster existed, I would¡¯ve never epted this job¡­ Gaha!¡¹


    A straight rightnded square on Fu¡¯s face, who had already thrown away his sword in eptance of defeat.


    Gruesome bone-breaking sound echoed and his consciousness sank to the bottom of darkness.


    Allen, who brutally beat down two people of national force ss at the same time without any trouble, felt a strong dissatisfaction.


    ¡¸A¡±a¡­ Seriously, this doesn¡¯t even serve as warm up dammit!¡¹


    The moment he stretched greatly while clicking his tongue,


    The Director of Thousand de Academy, Leia Lasnode, appeared in front of him.


    She arrived at this ce just a minute ago and had been waiting for an¡ºopportunity¡».


    The haughty and confident¡ºAllen Rodore¡»will surely disy a¡ºbig opening¡», she believed.


    ¡¸No Sword Style ¨C Sever!¡¹


    Her perfectly timed True Fist, pierced the air in vain.


    (My fist¡­ Was avoided at this distance?! At this timing?!)


    As colour drained from her face,


    ¡¸Yoho, ck Fist. How¡¯s your mood today? ¡­E¡±e?¡¹


    Leia felt hopelessness, hearing the voiceing from behind her.


    She missed the only weak point of a spirit core, initial stiffness, and never stood a chance of winning in the first ce.


    ¡¸Thanks to you, it¡¯s the worst¡­ How did you get out¡ºfrom inside that¡»?¡¹


    ¡¸Haha, course of events. I was lucky!¡¹


    Allen perfectly copied the True Fist that Leia unleashed moments ago.


    No Sword Style ¨C Sever.


    ¡¸Ka, ha!¡¹


    Allen¡¯s fist, which travelled faster than the speed of sound, broke Leia¡¯s ribs.


    After easily defeating Leia, Allen turned on his heel.


    ¡¸Kuh, w-wait¡­!¡¹


    Leia somehow managed to stand up, despite vomiting blood.


    ¡¸I don¡¯t have time to talk with you, woman. He will wake up soon¡­ No need to worry about the shitty brat. I¡¯ll return him sooner orter.¡¹


    Then, Allen disappeared from Thousand de Academy.


    ¡ö


    A remote location deep in the mountains.


    An old man was enjoying fishing while humming.


    ¡¸Hyohoho, big catch, big catch! It¡¯s a feast tonight!¡¹


    Allen, who went on a rampage earlier, appeared there.


    ¡¸Yo, shitty geezer. You did an extremely half-hearted job, didn¡¯t you? E¡±e?¡¹


    ¡¸Hyo, hyohoho¡­ Well, well, don¡¯t get so angry¡­ It was out of my calction that¡ºAllen Rodore¡» was a swordsman to that extent!¡¹


    ¡¸Tch, that doesn¡¯t matter. More importantly, I don¡¯t have much time. Let¡¯s start.¡¹


    ¡¸Hyohoho¡­! I know!¡¹


    Allen Rodore and the Hermit of Time -¡ºTimeless Strategy Meeting¡»began with only the two of them.

 Chapter 100 - Abnormality and White Lily Academy [1]

    100. Abnormality and White Lily Academy [1]


    I slowly awaken to the warm sunlight hitting my skin.


    ¡¸¡­¡­?¡¹


    As my head cleared up, the surrounding information rushed in.


    The smell of lush grass and leaves.


    A bird chirping.


    Pleasant breeze


    ¡¸Where am I¡­?¡¹


    I got up and looked around. Lush trees came into view. It would seem that I was sleeping in the woods.


    ¡¸E-Eh¡­?¡¹I was puzzled.¡¸Why am I sleeping in a ce like this?¡¹


    My body felt fresh, but for some reason my head felt heavy.


    (If I remember correctly¡­ The Thousand de Festival was held yesterday. I remember going to a haunted house with Ria and Rose. After that, I yed poker with the president at the Thousand de Shadow Festival. After that, Tessa made a fool of himself at the celebration party, and then¡­ eh?)


    I was able to remember well up to that point, but¡­ I couldn¡¯t recall anything else beyond that.


    ¡¸¡­Can¡¯t help it. Let¡¯s go for a short walk.¡¹


    I must still be half asleep, I thought. So, I brushed off the dirt on my clothes and took a stroll along the forest. As I walked around for a few minutes, I immediately understood where¡ºhere¡»was.


    (¡­It¡¯s been a long time.)


    I was in the small forest near Pa-san¡¯s dorm.


    Back when I attended the Gran Swordsmanship Academy, I trained here during my spare time, so I remember the geography perfectly.


    ¡¸Which means¡­ that should also be around here¡­¡¹


    I relied on the memories of the past, and searched around for a bit and ¨C found it.


    ¡¸Ha-haa¡­ I¡¯m feeling nostalgic for some reason¡­¡¹


    I picked up the¡º100 million years button¡»which was just lying out in the open.


    This is where everything started.


    ¡¸Seriously¡­ what was all that¡­¡¹


    As the memories of hellish time spent in the other world vaguely resurfaced, I pressed the button that gleamed a mysterious red ¨C nothing happened. Obviously.


    This button was already broken. Looking closely, arge sword wound was engraved on the pedestal part of the button. The mark left behind when I cut asunder the¡ºPrison of Time¡».


    ¡¸Hermit of time, huh. Where and what are you doing right now¡­?¡¹


    ording to Leia-sensei, he¡¯s travelling around the world and handing over the 100 million-year button to individuals who hold innate talent. It¡¯s uncertain what he hopes to aplish through doing so, but there is no doubt he has some sort of objective.


    ¡¸¡­Well, we won¡¯t see each other again.¡¹


    I ced the 100 million-year button back where it was lying.


    ¡¸Since I¡¯m already here, let¡¯s drop by Pa-san¡¯s.¡¹


    I¡¯m visiting her dorm for the first time in six months.


    ¡ö


    I arrived at Pa-san¡¯s dormitory as I trotted through the familiar forest like it was my own garden.


    ¡¸¡­It¡¯s a good smell.¡¹


    She seems to be in the middle of making lunch, as the aroma from inside filled my nostrils. This spicy feeling that stimtes my appetite is probably curry rice.


    ¡¸Man, I¡¯ve missed this ce¡­¡¹


    In front of me was a two-story wooden dormitory. It¡¯s only been six months yet I felt very nostalgic for some reason.


    I knocked on the huge door which was of Pa-san¡¯s size ¨C there was no answer.


    (Well, that¡¯s right¡­)


    She puts her everything in when doing something. I¡¯m sure she didn¡¯t hear the knock, being so concentrated in her cooking.


    ¡¸Excuse me.¡¹I said just in case, and entered.


    I took off my shoes at the front door and went to the kitchen ¨C as I guessed, Pa-san was in the middle of making lunch.


    Pa Garedzar.


    She¡¯s the dorm mother in this dorm where I used to live.


    She has a big frame of more than two meters tall.


    A face which vibed with strength.


    The white apron over the ck shirt was still the same as ever.


    And looking at her as usual rolled up sleeves¡­ her upper arms were about 3.5 times bulker than mine.


    (That¡¯s funny¡­ I have trained my body quite a bit, but¡­)


    The difference around the arm seems to be wider than six months ago.


    Perhaps¡­ Pa-san has also grown a little.


    ¡¸HmmmHmmHm!¡¹she hummed a unique song with greatness and astringency coexisting, as she stirred the pot in a good mood.


    Then I coughed and called out to her.


    ¡¸-Pa-san, it¡¯s been a long time.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Nn? Oh, it¡¯s Allen! How are you doing¡­ What¡¯s wrong with your head!?¡¹


    Just as she turned towards me with a smile which gave off a powerful vibe, her eyes fixated on my head.


    ¡¸I-Is there something on my head¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸You don¡¯t know!? Here! Look at this!¡¹Pa-san said, and held out a nearby hand mirror.


    ¡¸Oh, thank you¡­ Eh!?¡¹


    When I looked into the hand mirror I received, I saw a unique hair that was mixed with ck and white.


    ¡¸W-What is this!?¡¹I cried out involuntarily, and grabbed a fistful of my transformed hair.


    ¡¸What do you mean¡ºwhat¡¯s this?¡»¡­Didn¡¯t you dye it?¡¹


    ¡¸N-No!¡¹


    I¡¯m sure this kind of hair is called¡ºmesh¡»in the streets.


    Either way, this was not something I wanted.


    ¡¸Then, did someone y a prank on you?¡¹


    ¡¸Um¡­ I¡¯m not sure.¡¹


    Ria obviously wouldn¡¯t do this, and the same goes for Rose.


    (Then, the president¡­?)


    If it¡¯s that mischievous little devil, the chances are not zero.


    (But did she have the time to dye my hair?)


    After the celebration, I certainly went back to the dormitory of Thousand de Academy.


    My memory remains clear up until that point.


    (¡­The problem is after that.)


    I can¡¯t remember what happened after going to bed and waking up in the forest.


    (¡­So mysterious.)


    Pa-san pped me on the back as I was tilting my head.


    ¡¸Well, I was a little surprised, but the colour of your hair doesn¡¯t really matter! I¡¯m just so happy to see your cheerful face for the first time in a long time!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Pa-san.¡¹


    I¡¯m truly relieved to see this person who hasn¡¯t changed at all since I first met her.


    ¡¸Oh right, Allen. I¡¯m sure you still haven¡¯t had lunch, right? I¡¯m going to have you eat my cooking after a long time!¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha. I¡¯ll ept your offer.¡¹


    Then I washed my hands in the washroom and went to the dining table.


    ¡¸Go ahead, make sure to eat plenty!¡¹Pa-san said and poured the curry onto the te packed with rice.


    ¡¸Ahaha¡­ It¡¯s the same amount as ever.¡¹


    No matter how you look at it, this is enough servings for five people.


    ¡¸What are you talking about? If you don¡¯t eat well, you won¡¯t grow up, will you?¡¹


    ¡¸I-I¡¯ll do my best¡­!¡¹


    Growing as big as Pa-san is probably a little¡­ no, absolutely impossible I¡¯ve never seen a human bigger than her in the first ce.


    ¡¸Then- Itadakimasu.¡¹


    ¡¸Chew the food properly!¡¹


    ¡¸Yes!¡¹


    I scooped the white rice and curry on a big spoon ¨C and threw it into my mouth. A soft big potato. Chewy beef, cut into bite-size pieces. Curry mixed with hot, salty spices.


    (This is it¡­! It¡¯s Pa-san¡¯s exquisite taste!)


    The curry rice I had eaten every day for the past three years was so delicious that it soaked into my flesh and bones.


    ¡¸How is it? You¡¯re gushing with power, aren¡¯t you?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes! It¡¯s insanely delicious!¡¹


    ¡¸Hahaha! That¡¯s good! Bring your friends next time!¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, I¡¯d love to bring them on my next holiday!¡¹


    Leaving aside the light-eater Rose, the glutton Ria is sure to be very excited.


    As I was bolting down the curry rice ¨C suddenly the radio sounded an eerie siren that made me feel uneasy.


    ¡¸Allen, it¡¯s an emergency bulletin! That¡¯s quite rare, what the hell happened¡­?¡¹


    As we listened carefully, a tensioned voice of a woman sounded.


    ¡¸Emergency bulletin. Yesterday, Thousand de Academy in the heart of Orest was attacked by arge-scale raid by the ck Organization. No casualties. Many seriously injured. One missing person is reported. Allen Rodore, a 15-year-old male student. The Holy Knights Association is currently conducting arge-scale search operation, but we have not yet been able to find out his location. If you have any eyewitness information, please contact us¨C¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­!? *Cough* *Cough*¡­!? ¡¹


    When I heard the news report, I choked on the white rice sliding down my throat.


    ¡¸Calm down, Allen. Here, drink this water!¡¹


    ¡¸Phew¡­ T-Thank you.¡¹


    ¡¸Ah¡­ Still, it sounds ridiculous. You¡¯re being treated as a missing person, aren¡¯t you? Are you all right?¡¹


    ¡¸Ha, yes¡­ I think it¡¯s probably okay.¡¹


    Fortunately, there are zero deaths.


    And myself being the only missing person means ¨C Ria is safe.


    Currently, there is no big problem.


    (However, I¡¯m missing¡­? What the hell does this mean !?)


    At that moment, a violent¡ºstorm of information¡»swept up from the depths of my brain.


    ¡¸I¡¯ve¡­ remembered!¡¹


    I got it¡­¡­.


    That day, I fought against the ck Organization. I tore the solid barrier with World Judgement and defeated Dodriel. And then, I challenged one of the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle ¨C Fu Rudras ¨C and lost. After that, I was stabbed through the heart by Dodriel, who recovered by consuming a spirit pill¡­ Eh?


    At that time, his sword certainly pierced my heart.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    I flipped up my clothes in a hurry and checked my chest ¨C there was no scar or the like there.


    (¡­What even?)


    There was a big gap between memory and reality.


    (Maybe it was a dream that I was stabbed¡­?)


    No, it¡¯s not!


    I clearly remember the terrible burning pain of my chest being pierced.


    I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a dream at all.


    In fact, Thousand de Academy has been attacked by the ck Organization.


    (Then ¨C why don¡¯t I have a scar on my chest?)


    And why did I copse so far away from Thousand de Academy?


    (¡­No good, I can¡¯t remember.)


    I have no choice but to go to Thousand de and check with someone who knows the situation.


    ¡¸¡­Pa-san, I¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, return quickly and reassure everyone.¡¹


    Before I told her everything, she nodded powerfully.


    ¡¸Yes, thank you!¡¹


    And then, I gulped down the rest of the curry and rice immediately,


    ¡¸I¡¯ll take my leave!¡¹


    ¡¸Be careful!¡¹


    I ran out of Pa-san¡¯s dormitory and headed to Thousand de Academy.


    During the trip, something felt very strange.


    (My body feels super light¡­)


    My body was terrifyingly light to the point where it felt like I had grown a pair of wings.


    Just by kicking the ground once, I went forward by leaps and bounds.


    Thendscape changed with every step I took.


    And by the time I noticed ¨C I had arrived in Orest.


    (That¡¯s odd¡­ was it really this close?)


    As I went through the city thinking about that ¨C I arrived at Thousand de Academy.


    My eyes widened in shock.


    ¡¸What, the¡­ hell!?¡¹


    Thousand de Academy was in¡ºruins¡».


    For some reason, the main academy building was turned ck.


    A huge bottomless pit existed in the schoolyard.


    There was a terrible¡ºtrace of destruction¡»that looked as though a literal monster had gone on a rampage.

 Chapter 101 - Abnormality and White Lily Academy [2]

    101. Abnormality and White Lily Academy [2]


    When I saw Thousand de Academy, almostpletely destroyed, I was gaping, lost for words.


    ¡¸A-Allen!? It¡¯s really Allen!¡¹


    Leia-sensei rushed out of the cked-out academy building.


    She wore her usual ck suit and a yellow helmet that read¡ºsafety first¡».


    ¡¸Leia-sensei!¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m really d you¡¯re safe! Staying put in this ce just in case turned out to be the correct choice!¡¹she said, patting my back.


    ¡¸Eh, uh¡­ what is this situation?¡¹


    There were a lot of things I wanted to ask but this was what came out of my mouth first.


    Going by my memory, Thousand de Academy shouldn¡¯t have been so battered.


    ¡¸Well, a lot happened¡­ Let¡¯s go over the details inside the building¡¹ she said, and turned her gaze to the battered academy building.


    ¡¸W-Will we be alright going ¡°inside¡±?¡¹


    No matter how you look at it, it¡¯s about to copse.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t worry. The foundation of this academy building is solid. It appears to be in a terrible state, but there is no danger of copse. In addition, there might be ears around us in this ce.¡¹


    ¡¸I understand.¡¹


    I am slightly anxious, but if worstes to worst, I will be alright dding myself in clothes of darkness. I nodded as I decided that.


    ¡¸Yoshi, let¡¯s go then.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes.¡¹


    Then, I followed sensei and headed to the director¡¯s office.


    ¡ö


    Rubble was scattered everywhere in the main academy building and it was quite difficult to walk. However, as sensei said earlier, there was no major damage to the floor or pirs. The building foundation was solid.


    On the way to the director¡¯s office, I asked a question.


    ¡¸What about Ria and Rose?¡¹


    Last I remember, they were bound by Dodriel¡¯s¡ºShadow¡»and were unconscious.


    (Both of them still had strong heartbeats and were breathing, so I think they should be alright, but¡­)


    I was slightly¡­ No, I was very concerned.


    ¡¸Nn? Oh, they¡¯re hospitalised in a hospital nearby.¡¹


    ¡¸Hospitalized¡­!? Are they all right!?¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s just like a regr check-up. I went to check on them this morning and they were both lively. Even almost going on a rampage saying they want to go look for you.¡¹


    ¡¸I see. I¡¯m truly d to hear that.¡¹


    I patted my chest in relief, and we arrived at the director¡¯s office.


    ¡¸Come on in.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, excuse me.¡¹


    After that, sensei sat on the dedicated director¡¯s chair at the far end and faced me as I stood across the table.


    ¡¸Well, then, I¡¯d like to talk about yesterday¡¯s case, but before that¡­ how much do you remember?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­!¡¹


    Sensei seems to have known that some of my memories were missing.


    That makes exining easier.


    ¡¸I was pierced through the heart by a swordsman named Dodriel and I have no memory of afterwards. When I came to, I was in a forest quite a distance from here.¡¹


    ¡¸I see¡­ Alright, I roughly understand Allen¡¯s situation. So let¡¯s talk about what happened after you lost consciousness.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, please.¡¹


    And I heard a shocking fact. After I was stabbed through the chest, my spirit core ran wild. With overwhelming power, that guy defeated Dodriel and the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle, and then annihted more than a hundred members of ck Organization single-handedly. In the aftermath of the battle, Thousand de Academy suffered catastrophic damage.


    ¡¸Did that really¡­?!¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, it¡¯s all true¡¹sensei nodded, and silence fell in the director¡¯s office.


    ¡¸Sorry¡­ I seem to have caused a lot of trouble.¡¹


    And when I tried to bow my head,


    ¡¸Ah, don¡¯t misunderstand me. Allen did really well this time. If it weren¡¯t for you, things could¡¯ve gotten a lot worse.¡¹


    Sensei quickly stopped me.


    ¡¸A lot worse¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa. Worst case scenario would be something like¡­ our students being massacred, Ria being kidnapped, and ck Organization escaping¡¹she muttered with a bitter face, and continued to exin.


    ¡¸If that¡¯s the case, it wouldn¡¯t end with just me being sacked. The Thousand de Academy would be closed down, and this country would have been plunged into great chaos. It is all thanks to you that everyone is safe now. Thank you very much.¡¹


    Leia-sensei stood up and bowed her head deeply.


    ¡¸P-Please don¡¯t do that! I didn¡¯t do anything that significant. I only managed to destroy the barrier and everything else was done by that guy, my spirit core!¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t be so humble. I heard from the vice-director that Allen destroyed a very advanced barrier. And the strength of the swordsman directly trantes to the strength of the spirit core. You can be proud. It was you who saved this academy, no one else.¡¹


    ¡¸Ha, haa¡­¡¹


    Even if she says that¡­ To be honest, I don¡¯t really feel like I have saved the academy. As I was perplexed, sensei eyed me silently.


    (Due to his¡ºsuper regeneration¡»Allen¡¯s hair is mixed with that guy¡¯s white hair¡­ This is bad. The¡ºpath¡»is opening up much faster than expected¡­ If it keeps going like this, soon enough¨C)


    ¡¸Se-Sensei¡­ What¡¯s the matter?¡¹I called out to sensei, as her look became increasingly troubled.


    ¡¸¡­No, sorry. I was just thinking about something. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡¹


    ¡¸I see¡­ Thank you very much for your work.¡¹


    Perhaps she¡¯s extremely tired.


    The ck Organization attacked exactly during the emergency meeting convened by the government ¨C so it¡¯s no wonder.


    ¡¸Fufu. I¡¯m making full use of No. 18, so I don¡¯t have that much fatigue. Alright, before we conclude, I¡¯ll let you know about the people who were arrested.¡¹


    Sensei coughed once and spoke indifferently.


    ¡¸We were able to secure about 350 members of the ck organization. Unfortunately, we failed to capture Fu Rudras and Dodriel Barton¡­ Dodriel most likely escaped through the shadows. What a troublesome ability¡¹she said, annoyedly.


    ¡¸Eh, sensei knows about Dodriel?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, of course. The number one spear of the ck Organization who has been rampaging in various ces recently. He¡¯s terribly tough and stands up no matter how many times he¡¯s hit by a fatal wound. Especially his strange soul dress which controls shadow. Thanks to that, border security was as good as meaningless. The bunch who attacked this time, too, were probably sent through the shadows by Dodriel.¡¹


    ¡¸Is that so¡­¡¹


    It seems that Dodriel has be quite a wanted man.


    ¡¸Yoshi, this is the end of my story. Do you have any concerns?¡¹sensei said, and threw the ball of conversation towards me.


    (¡­There is something I have to know.)


    This is a very heavy question.


    (¡­But I can¡¯t turn away from it.)


    Even though I wasn¡¯t conscious, it doesn¡¯t change what I did. I can¡¯t turn my eyes away from the¡ºlife¡»I took.


    ¡¸Sensei¡­ how many members of the ck Organization defeated by that guy died?¡¹


    And I resolved myself for the answer.


    ¡¸-Zero. No one died. They¡¯re all alive.¡¹


    A shocking answer.


    ¡¸I-Is that true?!¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, they were all seriously wounded on the verge of death, but¡­ there has been no confirmation of any death.¡¹


    ¡¸Why? Did someone stop him?¡¹


    My spirit core is, to be blunt, reckless. Thest time he took over, he tried to kill Sid-san without hesitation. If someone doesn¡¯t stop him, he¡¯ll do his best at destruction and ughter.


    ¡¸Haha, there¡¯s no one who can stop your spirit core. It was¡­ probably on purpose.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­On purpose? What do you mean?¡¹


    ¡¸Unlike him, you have a strong sense of aversion towards¡ºkilling¡», don¡¯t you?¡¹


    ¡¸Well, yes, obviously!¡¹


    Obviously.


    I¡¯m not like him.


    I¡¯m not a battle fanatic that finds pleasure in blood and violence.


    ¡¸This is just my guess, but¡­ he was probably trying not to stimte your weakened consciousness.¡¹


    ¡¸Not trying to stimte my consciousness?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa. As long as that guy is a spirit core, he is strongly restricted by Allen. If hemited something too stimting such as murder, it might trigger your consciousness, which was in a state of deep sleep, to be awakened. If that happens, he won¡¯t be able to remain in the outside world for too long.¡¹


    ¡¸I see¡­¡¹


    Now that I think about it, once in the world of the soul, he said something simr¡­


    Something about not being able to take over my body easily when I¡¯m conscious¡­


    ¡¸Well, one thing is for sure. He must have achieved something while he took over your body. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have returned your body so readily.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­What on earth did he do?¡¹


    ¡¸Unfortunately, I don¡¯t know that either¡­ Though, I¡¯m pretty sure it wasn¡¯t anything good¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I guess.¡¹


    Then, as the discussion reached its conclusion, sensei pped her hands.


    ¡¸Well, that¡¯s the end of the story until this point. Let¡¯s talk about the hereafter¡¹she said, and brought up apletely different topic.


    ¡¸As you can see, Thousand de Academy haspletely lost its function as a swordsmanship academy. There¡¯s no way we can conduct sses in this environment.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­That¡¯s right.¡¹


    No matter how much she says that there is no risk of copse, it is impossible to teach in such conditions.


    ¡¸This afternoon, we are going to start rebuilding the main academy building. Large-scale construction that mobilizes the use of strengthening-type and manipting-type soul dress. The restoration should be done in around two weeks.¡¹


    ¡¸Only two weeks!?¡¹


    ¡¸Fufufu, it¡¯s amazing, isn¡¯t it? Though, it costs a ridiculous amount of money¡¹sensei said, her face turned pale for a slight moment.


    ¡¸That¡¯s why Thousand de Academy will be closed for about two weeks after tomorrow. But of course, it is not possible to let the students rest for all that time. Those who are swordsmen, must endeavour through training everyday after all !¡¹she nodded, and continued.


    ¡¸As such, until the reconstruction of Thousand de Academy ispleted, everyone will be given a special ss at the Ice King Academy!¡¹


    ¡¸Ice King Academy. Where Sid-san is!¡¹


    That¡¯s good.


    Another one of the Five Academy, Ice King Academy.


    Getting to train with Sid-san and the rest is the best I could ask for.


    ¡¸Aa, I¡¯m sure it will serve as a good experience for students of both academies! However, Allen. You¡¯re the only one who¡¯s a little different.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­What? I¡¯m the only one?¡¹


    For some reason, I had a bad feeling.


    ¡¸Aa, you¡¯re the only one who¡¯s going to White Lily Academy. You remember them, don¡¯t you? It is one of the Five Academy to which¡ºProdigy¡»Idol Luxmaria, whom you defeated at the Sword King Festival, belongs.¡¹


    ¡¸Eh, eh!?¡¹


    Sensei suddenly dered something absurd.

 Chapter 102 - Abnormality and White Lily Academy [3]

    102. Abnormality and White Lily Academy [3]


    Although two weeks is somewhat of a short period, hearing I will be transferring to White Lily Academy, made me refuse immediately.


    ¡¸No, no, no¡­ that¡¯s a joke, right? In the first ce, White Lily Academy is a girls¡¯ school, isn¡¯t it? ¡¹


    ¡¸I would never make such a boring joke. Sure, you¡¯re right. White Lily Academy is a girls¡¯ school. However, there¡¯s no problem with that.¡¹


    ¡¸No problem?¡¹


    A male student moving into a girls¡¯ school. There is nothing but problems no matter how you think about it.


    ¡¸It¡¯s not known to the general public yet, but White Lily Academy is aiming to co-ed in a few years. Well, in other words, you¡¯re the¡ºfirst model case¡».¡¹


    ¡¸I-Is that so?¡¹


    This is the first I¡¯m hearing of it.


    ¡¸But¡­ am I really suitable for such important model case?¡¹


    Honestly, I think there are more suitable people for the job.


    ¡¸Hmm, how do I say this? No one is more qualified than you in this matter. Seeing as how you¡¯re a¡ºmonster of reason¡», I can send you forth with peace of mind.¡¹


    ¡¸A monster of reason?¡¹I asked, puzzled.


    ¡¸Fufu, living under the same roof with the extremely beautiful girl, Ria Vesteria ¨C not to mention the master-ve rtionship, yet you haven¡¯t made a move on her. What else can someone call you, but a ¡°monster of reason¡±?¡¹


    ¡¸M-Make a move? O-Of course I wouldn¡¯t. That isn¡¯t normal!¡¹I raised my voice in protest, as my cheeks turned red.


    ¡¸Hahaha, well, even if it¡¯s a joke right now, all the students over there are so-called¡ºLadies¡»from high-profile families. They have little immunity to men. So, don¡¯t you think a gentleman like you is the right person for the model case?¡¹


    ¡¸Is that so?¡¹


    That still doesn¡¯t make it any less troubling.


    ¡¸Moreover, Idol seemed eager for your transfer. The director of the academy is also very weing to you.¡¹


    ¡¸Idol-san?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, yes. I am told she seems to be quite obsessed about you. Apparently, she had been reying the recordings of all your matches in the Sword King Festival and is burning with revenge.¡¹


    ¡¸Aha, ha. That¡¯s scary¡­¡¹


    The next time I fight her, it¡¯s going to be much more fierce.


    After finishing the general exnation, sensei exhaled greatly.


    ¡¸Well, that is why¡­ What do you think? If you really don¡¯t want to, I can call and refuse the model case proposal right away.¡¹


    Apparently, I still have a choice in this matter.


    ¡¸This is not an easy decision¡­¡¹


    Do I go to the Ice King Academy with everyone?


    Or do I go to White Lily Academy by myself?


    It¡¯s difficult to choose one.


    (Training with Sid-san is very attractive. But I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll ever get the opportunity to train with Idol-san¡­)


    However, White Lily Academy is a girls¡¯ school.


    It will be different from the co-ed Thousand de Academy and Ice King Academy.


    (¡­How troubling.)


    As I was in the middle of wracking my brain,


    ¡¸Well, if we were to talk about the practical profits without covering them up ¨C it would be most helpful for Thousand de Academy if you transferred there. Speaking of White Lily Academy, it is a famous powerhouse academy. If we can make connections with them, we will be able to raise the level of our students in the form of an exchange program in the future.¡¹Leia-sensei said.


    ¡¸¡­I see.¡¹


    There seems to be a practical profit for Thousand de Academy, too.


    ¡¸And this isn¡¯t a bad deal for you either, is it? It¡¯s apetitive society, the same as ours, or even more. In particr, I have heard that the¡ºability measurement¡»that is carried out every month is very exciting. Different sses, environments, and friends; gaining diverse experiences will lead to great growth as a swordsman.¡¹


    Certainly¡­ it¡¯s not a bad deal for me either.


    (There were many excellent swordsmen besides Idol-san at White Lily Academy¡­)


    The two female swordsmen who defeated Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai at the Sword King Festival.


    Although defeated by Sebas-san, Lily Gonzalez also emitted tremendous pressure.


    There will surely be a lot of things to learn from them.


    ¡¸Okay. It¡¯s a great opportunity, so I¡¯ve decided on transferring to White Lily Academy!¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, that¡¯s great! I¡¯ll get in touch with their director. You should take a quick look through this brochure by tomorrow.¡¹sensei said, and handed the enrollment guidebook of White Lily Academy.


    ¡¸Yes, I understand.¡¹


    Thus, I decided to attend White Lily Academy where¡ºProdigy¡»Idol Luxmaria-san belongs, for a short period of about two weeks.


    ¡ö


    The next day.


    I was standing at the main gate of White Lily Academy with Ria and Rose.


    ¡¸It was pretty close to Thousand de Academy¡¹I whispered to myself.


    ¡¸Un, has a very fresh feel to it!¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, it¡¯s not bad.¡¹


    The two were satisfied.


    (¡­Even so, I never thought I¡¯de with Ria and Rose.)


    Yesterday, after talking with Leia-sensei, I went to the hospital where they were hospitalized.


    As Ria and Rose confirmed my safety, they patted their chests with relief, and were very surprised to see my ck-and-white hair.


    Then, I told them about moving into White Lily Academy, but ¨C ¡°We can¡¯t let you go alone to a ce crawling with women!¡± they said, in unison.


    After that, Ria and Rose immediately negotiated with sensei and obtained permission to transfer.


    (¡­Nheless, this is amazing.)


    I looked up at the main academy building in front of me.


    The foundation was made of white stone.


    The roof, which was covered with light navy blue tiles, was as steep as a tower on all four sides. Atmosphere of dignity hung over it.


    Luxurious chairs and desks were ced on the terrace.


    (¡­It¡¯s almost like a castle.)


    As the three of us were looking up at the elegant academy building, the surroundings became noisy.


    ¡¸W-Why did theye to White Lily Academy..?¡¹


    ¡¸And that person is¡­ AllenRodore, who defeated onee-sama.¡¹


    ¡¸W-Why on earth did theye here?¡¹


    As we were dressed in the uniform of Thousand de Academy, it seems to have made us stand out a little.


    ¡¸Ria, Rose. Let¡¯s go say hello to the director.¡¹


    ¡¸Okay.¡¹


    ¡¸I agree.¡¹


    After that, I decided to step into White Lily Academy, relying on the enrollment guide that I had read in advance.


    As soon as I entered the main academy building in front of me,


    ¡¸Wee, Allen¡­ also Ria and Rose, I¡¯m guessing¡¹Idol-san weed us.


    Idol Luxmaria.


    Azure pupils which almost seemed transparent.


    Long, beautiful, pure white hair that was half-up.


    Noble facial features as though sculpted.


    Slender body.


    Snow white skin.


    Dressed in the White Lily Academy uniform which is a blue ent on a white fabric.


    ¡¸Good morning, Idol-san.¡¹


    ¡¸Nice to meet you. I am Ria-Vesteria. It¡¯s only a short time, but let¡¯s get along with each other.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m Rose Valencia. Hello.¡¹


    As the three of us greeted her,


    ¡¸¡­Ah. I am Idol Luxmaria. Regards.¡¹


    Idol-san was a secondte to realise and slowly began to introduce herself.


    (¡­As usual, she¡¯s a person who lives in her own world.)


    As I absentmindedly thought about that,


    ¡¸-Come. I¡¯ll show you around the academy building¡¹Idol-san said, and started walking down the hallways.


    ¡¸Ah, sorry. I¡¯m happy to hear that, but I¡¯m supposed to greet the director first.¡¹I gently turned her down.


    ¡¸It¡¯s okay, the director asked me to show you around. And that thing alwayses to academy only around lunch time¡¹she said, nodding


    ¡¸Oh, I see.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. That thing is simply a ¡°decoration¡±.¡¹


    ¡¸I-I see¡­¡¹


    Apparently, the directors of Five Academy have a tendency to ck off.


    ¡¸So, leave it to me.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, then, we¡¯ll be in your care.¡¹


    We epted the guidance of Idol-san and looked around the facilities of the academy buildings.


    Vast training grounds,plete training supplies, and an amazing number of spirit swords and practice-swing swords.


    (The quality of the facilities is the same as that of Thousand de Academy ¨C No, it¡¯s higher than that.)


    As expected, of one of the Five Academy, White Lily Academy.


    I was a little worried about the change of clothes and the toilets, but those seem to have already been prepared for the male teachers here, so there¡¯s no problem on that front.


    At the moment, there seems to be no inconvenience to academy life.


    ¡¸The rest of the facilities are all about the same¡­ Okay?¡¹


    Idol-san, who guided us through the main academy building from the first floor to the third floor, said while tilting her head.


    ¡¸Yes. Thanks to you, I¡¯ve got a general idea.¡¹


    ¡¸d to hear that. Then, I will show you the gymnasium and the arts building next.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, please.¡¹


    We left the main academy building, following after Idol-san.


    Just as we were leaving the main entrance of the academy building and moving to the gymnasium, there was somemotion at the main gate.


    ¡¸Tch¡­ Don¡¯t get in my way. I¡¯ll kill you!¡¹


    ¡¸Move out of the way! Or be prepared to receive divine punishment!¡¹


    Harsh voice belonging to two men.


    ¡¸Hey, you guys! Calm down!¡¹


    ¡¸People who don¡¯t have a school permit can¡¯t enter!¡¹


    Voices of two guards trying to pacify the situation.


    There was a considerable distance from here to the main gate, but the exchange was heated to the extent that the conversation could be heard all the way over to us.


    ¡¸Tch, so noisy¡­ I told you to get out of the way!¡¹


    ¡¸Gua?!¡¹


    Immediately after the loud yelling, the guards were blown away.


    At that moment, an unpleasant thought crossed my mind.


    ¡¸No way. Is it the ck Organization again?!¡¹


    They failed to kidnap Ria.


    It would not be surprising if they tried again.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s go, Allen!¡¹


    ¡¸This time, I will have my revenge!¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯ll go too!¡¹


    The four of us pulled out our sword and immediately headed to the main gate.


    And the person who was raging there ¡ª


    ¡¸You bastards. You¡¯ve got some nerve to rob Allen from the Ice King Academy¡­ Aa?!¡¹


    ¡¸Give me back Allen-sama! What kind of person do you think you are, snatching away God?!¡¹


    It was Sid Euclius and Cain Material. First-year students of Ice King Academy.


    ¡¸Sid-san?! Cain-san?!¡¹


    As I stared in wonder at the unexpected culprits,


    ¡¸Bastard, Allen! Quit this boring charade and return to Ice King Academy!¡¹


    ¡¸God! You are alright!¡¹


    The two noticed me and started hurling nonsense.


    ¡¸Eh, umm¡­¡¹


    I was confused as to how to respond.


    ¡¸We are the ones who acquired Allen first. I won¡¯t give him to you.¡¹


    Idol-san stood in front of me and dered.


    ¡¸Aa? I don¡¯t care whether you¡¯re called¡ºProdigy¡»or what not, but if you get carried away, I¡¯ll bloody kill you!¡¹


    ¡¸¡ºAcquired¡»!? God belongs to everyone! That is sphemous, Idol Luxmaria!¡¹


    Sid-san raised his eyebrows, and Cain-sanunched his own theory to attack Idol-san.


    (At this rate, it¡¯ll get worse¡­)


    Deciding that, I immediately jumped in between them.


    ¡¸L-Let¡¯s settle down for now! First of all, how about everyone calm down and talk this through?¡¹


    When I suggested as such, they both shot a nce at me, and faced each other again.


    ¡¸Give him to me.¡¹


    ¡¸No.¡¹


    The negotiations between Sid-san and Idol-san broke down in two seconds.


    Theirmunication skills were too poor.


    Then the next moment,


    ¡¸Eat away -¡´Vanargand¡µ!¡¹


    ¡¸Fill up -¡´Neba Glome¡µ!¡¹


    Sid-san, who is short-tempered, and Idol-san, who is surprisingly belligerent, brought out their soul dress at the same time.


    Extreme cold air and azure lightning surged out, as they stared down each other fiercely.


    (Oi, Oi, Oi¡­ this is no joking matter!)


    If these two went all out at this ce, White Lily Academy might copse.


    ¡¸¡­W-Wait a minute!¡¹


    The moment I tried to stop them, jet-ck darkness covered the whole of White Lily Academy.


    ¡¸What, the?! This absurd output!¡¹


    ¡¸Allen, just how far have you?¡¹


    Sid-san and Idol-san widened their eyes, and locked on me.


    ¡¸¡­E-Eh?¡¹


    I tried to calm them down, while trying to suppress the unexpected amount of darkness that gushed out from my body.


    ¡¸Well, umm¡­ Why don¡¯t we talk a little more calmly?¡¹

 Chapter 103 - Abnormality and White Lily Academy [4]

    103. Abnormality and White Lily Academy [4]


    The moment I caught their attention and proposed to settle it through talking,


    ¡¸H-Hey! What was that evil darkness just now?!¡¹


    From outside the main gate, a little girl rushed over to me in a hurry. There was a short sword, which looked like a wakizashi, fastened at her waist ¨C most likely a swordsman still in middle-school.


    ¡¸Umm¡­ You must havee to the wrong academy. This is a high-school, you know?¡¹ I said, gently.


    ¡¸P-Please don¡¯t treat me like a child! I am Chemy Fasta, the Director of White Lily Academy!¡¹


    She showed off her teacher¡¯s name tag, which read ¡°Chemy Fasta, Director of White Lily Academy¡±, with an offended expression.


    It was certainly her name and face on the name tag.


    ¡¸E-Eh?!¡¹I stared wide-eyed at Chemy-san.


    Chemy Fasta. She is roughly around 140 centimeters in height. A genuine childlike face; who could probably never buy sake on her own. Skin as fresh and vibrant as a child. Parched ck hair that extends to the back. A whiteb coat that doesn¡¯t fit her size. To be honest, no matter how I look at her, I can only see a child.


    However,


    ¡¸S-Sorry, excuse me¡­¡¹


    The fault definitely lies with me on this one. Pa-san always said it¡¯s rude to treat an adult woman like a child.


    ¡¸Hmm! If you understand, it¡¯s okay!¡¹she said, folding her arms.


    Each of her actions was very child-like, I couldn¡¯t help but look at her with warm eyes.


    ¡¸Oi, chibi! Are you the director of this academy?¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, y-you¡¯re the super-problem child, Sid-kun, aren¡¯t you? P-Please state what business you have at our academy¡­¡¹


    Overpowered by Sid-san¡¯s re, she casually hid behind Idol-san and spoke in funny honorifics. She¡¯s not good at handling people with a boorish attitude, it seems.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll get right to the point. Give me Allen.¡¹


    He simply threw out his demands without concealing them behind pretty words.


    ¡¸W-Well, that¡¯s¡­ actually a very difficult thing to do¡­ which also involves a promise with the Thousand de Academy, so¡­¡¹Chemy-san refused as politely as possible whilst cowering.


    ¡¸Tsk¡­ Then let me transfer here.¡¹


    ¡¸T-That is also pretty difficult, too¡­ We¡¯re an all girls¡¯ school, so¡­ How do I put this, a dangerou¨C I mean, a wild person like Sid-san is a little¡­¡¹


    With both of his requests turned down,


    ¡¸Tsk. I guess the Miss was right, after all.¡¹


    After a loud tongue clicking, he took out a beautiful letter from his chest pocket.


    ¡¸Take this. This is a letter I received from our Mis¨C our Director.¡¹


    ¡¸From Ferris-san?¡¹


    Chemy-san received the traditionally designed letter, and intently read the contents inside.


    ¡¸¡­I see, I understand. Sid Euclius-kun, Cain Material-kun¡­ I¡¯ll permit you to transfer here for a period of two-weeks.¡¹


    I don¡¯t know what kind of change of heart Chemy-san had, but she readily admitted to their transfer.


    ¡¸Sheesh!¡¹


    ¡¸Oh! We did it, Sid!¡¹


    While Sid-san and Cain-san were wrapped in joy,


    ¡¸¡­Director Chemy?¡¹


    Idol-san¡¯s cold nce pierced Chemy-san.


    ¡¸W-What is it, Idol-san?¡¹


    ¡¸What was written in that letter just now?¡¹


    ¡¸W-Well¡­ the contents were truly wonderful! I was so very touched, to the extent which made me permit their transfer!¡¹she said, in an excited voice, as though looking forward to something in the future.


    How do I put this¡­ It felt very suspicious.


    ¡¸Is that true?¡¹


    Idol-san took a step closer and stared directly into Chemy-san¡¯s eyes.


    ¡¸What?! Do you doubt your Director?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes¡¹Idol-san replied, almost immediately.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹Chemy-san became speechless.


    ¡¸Look me in the eye. Can you honestly say¡ºI don¡¯t feel guilty at all¡»?¡¹


    ¡¸E-Eh, uh¡­ W-Well, that¡¯s¡­¡¹


    The authority in her voice from a few moments ago disappeared, and she was starting to slur on her words.


    ¡¸As expected, you¡¯re hiding something, aren¡¯t you?¡¹


    ¡¸Eh, uh¡­ No! Well, it¡¯s not like I¡¯m hiding it or anything like that!¡¹


    As Chemy-san was in a disorderly state, the letter in question fell out of her pocket.


    Without missing the opportunity, Idol-san picked it up with a quick move.


    ¡¸Ah!? H-Hey, Idol-san?! Sensei has privacy, too!¡¹


    Chemy-san¡¯s resistance was futile, and the contents of the letter were read out indifferently.


    To Chemie.


    My Sid wants to go with Allen-kun, so let him join.


    Of course, I won¡¯t ask for free.


    Last month, you lost a big game on gambling and borrowed a great amount from¡ºFox Finance¡», right?


    I shall clear that debt for you.


    Not a bad deal for you either, is it?


    So, take care of my Sid, will ya?


    Goodbye.


    Ferris Dorahain


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡­¡­¡¹¡¹¡¹


    Indescribable awkward air loomed over.


    It would seem that Chemy-san is a useless adult.


    ¡¸S-S-S¡­Sorry!¡¹


    Unable to bear the piercing gaze of those around her, she bowed her head with a pitiful voice.


    ¡¸But, but¡­ The debt from Fox Finance is reallyrge! I can never prepare such arge sum of money!¡¹


    ¡¸Then don¡¯t go around gambling in that state.¡¹


    ¡¸Y-Yes!¡¹


    Idol-san¡¯s fair argument stabbed deeply into Chemy-san¡¯s chest.


    ¡¸A-Anyway, this is a great opportunity for me! The debt will be cleared by simply allowing these two to transfer here. Please¡­ Please overlook it this time!¡¹she said, and prostrated on the ground(dogeza).


    ¡¸Hey, you don¡¯t have to go that far!¡¹


    When I tried to stop her, Idol-san stopped me.


    ¡¸Director. Do you know how many times you have already performed dogeza this year?¡¹


    ¡¸Uh?!¡¹


    ¡¸At this year¡¯s art festival, there was a case where a few works made by students were lost. Later, I found out that they were apparently sold in the ck market. This was circted by you, wasn¡¯t it, director?¡¹


    ¡¸!!¡¹


    ¡¸Previously, there wereints about some of the enrollment fees being stolen¡­ you¡¯re not embezzling, are you?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    Chemy-san, who was cornered by Idol-san again and again,pletely hardened.


    The more we hear about her, the worse it gets.


    ¡¸S-Sorry, it was all brought about by myck of virtue. There are no words by which I can refute those.¡¹


    There was no shred of dignity as the director, as her forehead rubbed against the ground. The other students were probably tired of seeing Chemy-san¡¯s umpteenth dogeza. Everyone passed by her with an indifferent look.


    ¡¸Haa¡­ Regardless, the director is still our teacher. I¡¯ll leave it to you to decide what to do in the end.¡¹


    The moment Idol-san said that,


    ¡¸Yay! Wee to White Lily Academy! Sid-san, Cain-san, wee!¡¹


    Chemy-san immediately stood up and permitted their transfer.


    (Wow, amazing¡­ There¡¯s not even the slightest remorse!)


    I can finally understand the reactions and attitudes of Idol-san and the other students.


    ¡¸Oh, the chime will ring soon. Let¡¯s go now! The ssroom of the transfer students will be Year 1 ss A ¨C because I am the homeroom teacher. So, you can ask me anything!¡¹


    With the prospect of her debt being cleared away, Chemy-san walked to the main academy building in a good mood.


    ¡ö


    After that, we took time in the homeroom and gave a brief self-introduction in front of the ss. Ria and Rose were of the same sex, so they seemed to get used to the ss quickly. In addition, Cain-san, who has a rtively calm appearance, was warmly weed as well.


    (But, they seem to be a bit frightened of me and Sid-san.)


    Maybe because I have this ck-and-white mesh hairstyle, and Sid-san¡¯s badnguage and attitude is the cause.


    (This is going to take some time before they warm up to us¡­)


    While I was thinking about that,


    ¡¸Everyone, we¡¯re going to start the first-period ss. Take your towel and water bottle and move to the Soul Dress Area¡¹ Chemy-san said, and we promptly moved to the underground Soul Dress Area.


    It seems not all that different from Thousand de Academy when ites to soul dress ss. Face your spirit core by holding a spirit sword. I¡¯m sure the other three Five Academy¡¯s also take the same approach.


    ¡¸Then, everyone, please get started!¡¹


    When Chemy-san pped, everyone of ss A quietly closed their eyes, and sank into the world of souls. I followed suit and held up a spirit sword in front of my chest.


    (Come to think of it, it¡¯s been a while since I met that guy in person.)


    While thinking about that, my consciousness sunk deeper into the depths of my soul. When I came to realize, a deste world spread before me. As I turned towards the rock with a crack running on its surface, that guy was sitting there as usual.


    ¡¸Haa, you never learn¡­ Haven¡¯t you realized that we¡¯re realms apart by now? E¡±e?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, you might be right.¡¹


    I ignored the usual abusive words, and


    ¡¸Thank you. You saved me¡¹ I expressed my gratitude honestly.


    ¡¸¡­A¡±a?¡¹


    I guess he doesn¡¯t know what he was being thanked for seeing as he frowned in a puzzled manner.


    ¡¸Regarding the previous incident. If you hadn¡¯t gone on a rampage then, Ria would have been kidnapped by the ck Organization, and Rose and the president might have been killed. So, thank you.¡¹


    He¡¯s an outrageous fellow who¡¯s willing to enjoy blood and violence.


    (But that is that, and this is this.)


    I should properly express my gratitude where it¡¯s due.


    ¡¸Tch, don¡¯t say gross stuff. Why don¡¯t you go and quietly do your useless practice-swings, E¡±e!¡¹he said, in a displeased tone, and closed the distance with me in one step.


    He threw a powerful straight right.


    I sidestepped it.


    ¡¸H¡±A!?¡¹


    I guess he never dreamed that I would be able to avoid one of his strongest blows. He was so surprised that his eyes widened.


    ¡¸I¡¯ve also been getting a little stronger, too¡¹ I said, and created a¡ºpseudo-ck sword¡»that boasted unprecedented¡ºdensity¡»and¡ºoutputpared to previous instances.


    And then,


    ¡¸Seventh Sword ¨C Instant sh!¡¹


    I had already shed his chest with a god-speed Iai sh by the time the sound of the sh caught up.

 Chapter 104 - Abnormality and White Lily Academy [5]

    <h4>Chapter 104. Abnormality and White Lily Academy [5]</h4>


    I cut that guy in the chest with Seventh Sword ¨C Instant sh.


    ¡¸Kuh, shitty brat!¡¹he roared angrily, and leapt back greatly.


    The wound was shallow. His skin was as hard as steel.


    (Regardless, I cut him!)


    I was able to ¡ºinjure¡» him, who always seemed so invincible.


    (Yoshi, yoshi¡­ yoshi!)


    Realizing my growth as a swordsman, enveloped me in a tremendous sense of happiness.


    The next moment,


    ¡¸¡­I¡¯m gonna kill you!¡¹


    He was d in¡ºclothes of darkness¡»just like I was.


    Both quality and quantity were dimensions apart. The darkness, which squirmed about as though it were a living creature, stimted the primordial fear within men.


    ¡¸Ha, haha¡­ That¡¯s amazing.¡¹


    Seeing the overwhelming difference in rank, I could do nothing butugh. Continuing from that, he brought forth the genuine and authentic¡ºck Sword¡».


    ¡¸?!¡¹


    I¡¯ve only ever heard about it from Leia-sensei, but this is the first time I¡¯ve seen it with my own eyes.


    (¡­I want it.)


    The overwhelming presence that makes the¡ºpseudo ck sword¡»seem like nothing more than a stick.


    (I want that sword ¨C that power!)


    As I turned my envious gaze towards the true ck Sword,


    ¡¸Oi, Oi, aren¡¯t you gonna assume your stance? E¡±e?¡¹


    That guy was standing with the ck Sword raised overhead just before my nose tip.


    ¡¸?!¡¹


    I immediately held my sword horizontally and tried to defend his downswing.


    But his ¡ºTrue ck Sword¡» cut through my ¡ºpseudo-ck sword¡» as if slicing through tofu.


    ¡¸Ga, ha¡­¡¹


    A big sword wound ran across my chest, and my broken de rolled at my feet.


    ¡¸Ha¡±a, I get a little serious and this is how you end up. As usual, you¡¯re weak! Are you making sure to eat well, E¡±e?¡¹


    I slowly copsed as his provocations reached my ears. My blood spread across the dry earth.


    As pain and anguish enveloped my body,


    ¡¸Fufu, fu¡­¡¹


    Feeling of joy sprung up in my heart.


    ¡¸Bastard¡­ The hell is so funny after being cut?!¡¹


    ¡¸Nah, I was just thinking that¡­ I¡¯ve gotten stronger to the point where you have to pull out the ck Sword. Thinking that¡­ made me really happy.¡¹


    Four months have passed since I started undertaking soul dress training.


    Yes ¨C it¡¯s only been a mere four months.


    This is an amazing speed for me, who has been progressing at a turtle¡¯s pace for billions of years. Every day, the distance between me and this guy shrinks. I was very happy to see that feeling of growth.


    ¡¸Tch, don¡¯t get me wrong. I just showed off the real thing because you were so smug with yourself!¡¹


    In a bad mood, that guy fired onest shot.


    ¡¸Ga, ha!¡¹


    The ck Sword prated my abdomen.


    Unfortunately¡­ this seems to be the end for me this time.


    ¡¸Fu, fu¡­ I wille again.¡¹


    Just as I was about to lose consciousness ¨C curiously, he started talking to me.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll give you one piece of advice. For the time being, I can¡¯t go out to the ¡°surface¡±. Last time, I stayed for too long, so I am pretty exhausted. That body is important to me, too. Treat it as carefully as you can.¡¹


    Then my consciousness sank into darkness. When I came to, I was brought back to the original world.


    ¡ö


    The soul dress ss continued till the second period, and now was lunch time.


    I went to the cafeteria in arge group of six people in total; Ria, Rose, Idol-san, Sid-san, Cain-san, and I.


    ¡¸N-No way! All this is free?!¡¹


    As soon as we arrived at the cafeteria, Ria looked around with sparkling eyes.


    ¡¸Yes. Students and staff at White Lily Academy can use this cafeteria for free.¡¹ Idol-san said, and nodded.


    ¡¸Y-Yay! Then, I would like this¡ºDeluxe Bento¡»for three people, please!¡¹


    She got hungry due to the morning ss and made a great start. A slender girl like Ria ced an unbelievable order, so the man at the window stared gaping.


    ¡¸T-Three people¡­ Here, it is a considerable amount even for one person, though?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, it¡¯s okay!¡¹


    ¡¸U-Understood¡­¡¹


    When she finished her order,


    ¡¸¡­A¡±a? Well then, I want the same thing for four people.¡¹


    Sid-san, who has apetitive spirit, ced more orders than Ria.


    ¡¸Mu! Sorry, but I¡¯d like to order five people¡¯s portion instead.¡¹


    ¡¸My bad, I meant six people.¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, I¡¯m sorry. Actually, it was seven people.¡¹


    The two, who hate losing, started getting heated up fast.


    ¡¸Tch¡­ Eight people¡¯s!¡¹


    ¡¸Mu, nine people¡¯s!¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡­Ten people¡¯s! ¡¹¡¹


    When they both said that at the same time,


    ¡¸Are you trying to pick a fight, eh?!¡¹


    ¡¸You started it first, didn¡¯t you?¡¹


    They began arguing.


    (Oi, Oi, Oi¡­ Give me a break¡­)


    If you fight in a ce like this, you¡¯ll trouble the people at the back of the line.


    I have no choice but to enter the arbitration between Ria and Sid-san.


    ¡¸W-Well, calm down you two¡­ In the first ce, it¡¯s unreasonable to have a bento for ten people, isn¡¯t it?¡¹


    And then,


    ¡¸Eh? I can eat it though?¡¹Ria said, tilting her head with a confused expression.


    ¡¸¡­I guess.¡¹


    It is impossible to persuade Ria on this. Because she hasn¡¯t said anything unreasonable. Bento for ten people¡­ yeah, she can finish it single-handedly.


    In other words, the person I should persuade is you ¨C Sid-san.


    ¡¸Sid-san. I don¡¯t think the opponent is a good match for you this time.¡¹


    When I tried to politely convince him,


    ¡¸A¡±a!? Bastard¡­ Are you saying that I¡¯m going to lose?!¡¹


    I seemed to have added oil to his burning spirit, instead.


    (I¡¯m almost certain that Sid-san won¡¯t win¡­)


    But If I say that, I¡¯m sure themotion will grow and cause trouble to the students in the back of the line.


    ¡¸Haa¡­ I don¡¯t know anymore¡­¡¹


    I gave up the persuasion and sighed loudly.


    After that, they eventually asked for a deluxe bento for ten people each. On the other hand, I ordered nori bento. Rose ordered autumn bento. Idol-san ordered special beef bento. Cain-san ordered the same nori bento as me.


    (Actually, there are many other menus besides bento, but¡­)


    Ria and Sid-san being noisy about¡ºBento, bento!¡»dragged everyone into it. After we each received our orders, we moved to thergest ten-seat table.


    And then,


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸Itadakimasu!¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹


    We all put our hands together and start working on our bento.


    ¡¸Un, this tastes good!¡¹


    The thick, deep-fried, white-fleshed fish made my mouth water.


    Of all the many bento boxes, I like¡ºNori Bento¡»the best.


    The kelp, finely chopped with soy sauce, under the seaweed.


    Crispy, aromatic, fish-paste cake wrapped in seaweed.


    And above all ¨C cheap.


    When I was at Gran Swordsmanship Academy, I was very indebted to the ¡°Cheap Nori Bento¡± sold at food stands.


    And, as I was enjoying the nori bento of White Lily Academy,


    ¡¸The same table as God! The same lunch as God! ¡­Ah, I can¡¯t! This happiness is too much for me. I am already at my limit.¡¹ Cain-san was writhing, holding himself with both hands.


    As expected, this person is a little strange.


    ¡¸-Hmm, it tastes good.¡¹ Rose nodded in satisfaction, cing a bamboo sprout in her mouth.


    ¡¸Yes, the lunch here is delicious.¡¹ Idol-san said, and elegantly pecked at her bento.


    And, as opposed to us who were enjoying a peaceful lunch,


    ¡¸Munch Munch! Hmm, it¡¯s delicious!¡¹


    ¡¸Guh, Bastard¡­ So your¡ºspeed¡»is also as good as the¡ºamount¡»you can eat, huh.¡¹


    Ria and Sid-san were engaged in a fierce gluttony battle. Even if you say ¡±Gluttony Battle¡±- that doesn¡¯t seem to be the case with Ria. In front of the ten lunch boxes, she was just genuinely appeasing her appetite. Sid-san, on the other hand, was desperately eating, but¡­ to be honest, he looked pretty pitiful.


    Not long after,


    ¡¸Aa, it was delicious. Thank you for the feast!¡¹


    Ria, who subjugated the ten people bento, put her hands together with satisfaction.


    And next to her,


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    Sid-san, with dead eyes, was bringing rice to his mouth with trembling hands.


    In front of him were two, still untouched deluxe lunch boxes.


    This match is decided.


    ¡¸¡­Hah. I¡¯ll¡­ acknowledge you a little.¡¹ he said, and lost consciousness.


    ¡¸S-Sid-san¡­ Are you ok?¡¹


    I cautiously shook his shoulder, but¡­ there was no answer.


    He hadpletely fainted.


    ¡¸Haa¡­ That¡¯s why I warned him.¡¹ I sighed at the expected results


    And then,


    ¡¸¡­God. May I please say one thing for Sid¡¯s honor?¡¹


    Cain-san, who had a serious expression, asked for permission to speak.


    ¡¸Y-Yes. What is it?¡¹


    ¡¸Considering from the standpoint of ¡°Gluttony Battle¡±, it¡¯s certainly Sid¡¯splete defeat. But take a good look once again. He lost consciousness, but even now in that unconscious state, he continues to hold onto the chopsticks! In other words, his mind has not admitted defeat!¡¹


    ¡¸C-Certainly¡­?¡¹


    As expected of Sid-san, this is exactly what his unyielding fighting spirit is.


    ¡¸This strong heart should be emted.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, as expected of God! That insatiable desire to improve! I have failed to recognise you!¡¹


    As Cain-san and I were talking about it,


    ¡¸Perhaps¡­ Allen is a little bit of an idiot?¡¹


    ¡¸Hmm, he¡¯s not dumb, but¡­ he is a little airheaded.¡¹


    Idol-san and Rose were saying some somewhat rude things.


    After that, the unconscious Sid-san was left as is, and the five of us had a friendly chat.


    In the middle of it, Idol-san mentioned something which piqued my interest.


    ¡¸Now that I think about it, tomorrow is¡ºability measurement¡». Allen and others will join us this time, so I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡¹


    Ability measurement? I¡¯m sure Leia-sensei said something about that too.


    ¡¸Excuse me, what is ability measurement?¡¹I asked, to learn more details regarding it.


    ¡¸Uh¡­ The ability measurement, such as sword speed, arm strength, leg strength, short-range attack, long-range attack ¨C topete by scoring a total of ten events. It is held once a month, and the person who performs the best in each grade ismended.¡¹


    When Idol-san exined the outline of the ability measurement,


    ¡¸¡­¡ºTopete¡»?¡¹


    The unconscious Sid-san, sprung back to life.


    And,


    ¡¸Ha, interesting! With that ability measurement, I¡¯m going to knock you down all together!¡¹


    All of a sudden, he began to say something I didn¡¯t understand.


    (I don¡¯t think ability measurement includes knocking down someone like that¡­)


    When I was thinking of that,


    ¡¸Fufu, that¡¯s funny! I¡¯ll take on your challenge!¡¹


    ¡¸If it¡¯s a challenge, there¡¯s no way I can back down either!¡¹


    ¡¸Obviously, I¡¯ll take you on.¡¹


    The hot blooded girls, following Ria¡¯s lead, epted the challenge immediately.


    As I took a fleeting nce at Cain-san,


    ¡¸All of it is God¡¯smand.¡¹


    As usual, he was saying stuff that didn¡¯t make any sense.


    (Personally, I wanted to measure my ability quietly.)


    When I was thinking about that, I noticed that everyone¡¯s gaze was gathered on me.


    ¡¸Nee, Allen is joining the challenge too, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Allen, I will make up for my loss tomorrow!¡¹


    ¡¸It will leave a bad taste in my mouth, if I don¡¯t beat you, bastard!¡¹


    ¡¸Revenge Match¡­ Okay!¡¹


    ¡­It looks like there¡¯s no way out.


    ¡¸Hahaa¡­ Fine. I¡¯ll participate in that challenge too.¡¹


    Thus, I was going topete tomorrow with Ria, Rose, Sid-san, Idol-san, and Cain-san, byparing the results of the ability measurement.

 Chapter 105 - Abnormality and White Lily Academy [6] – part 1

    <h4>Chapter 105. Abnormality and White Lily Academy [6] ¨C part 1</h4>


    The next day.


    All the first years of White Lily Academy gathered in the vast schoolyard.


    The purpose is, of course, ability measurement.


    ¡¸It feels much more serious than I originally thought.¡¹ Ria muttered, overwhelmed by the strange air around us.


    ¡¸¡­Yeah.¡¹


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    Mercenaries in Apocalypse Volume 1 Chapter 29


    Looking around, the students of White Lily Academy have changed into a pure white gym suit.


    They all brought out their soul dress and quietly focused their minds.


    Apparently, this ability measurement seems to hold a big meaning for the students of White Lily Academy.


    We waited a few more minutes, being a little overwhelmed by the tense atmosphere.


    At the same time as the chime of the first period, a female student stood on the assembly stage.


    ¡¸We will now conduct the sixth ability measurement this year.¡¹


    On her right arm was an armband that read, ¡°Physical Education Committee¡±.


    It seems that the physical educationmittee is in charge of this ability measurement.


    ¡¸For some students, this is their first time taking part in the ability measurement. Thus, I¡¯d like to start by exining the basics. Students, please pay attention.¡¹


    A brief exnation of the ability measurement began.


    Ten kinds of events are conducted throughout the ability measurement. Each event is graded on a scale of 100, and studentspete by the total sum of points from all ten events.


    The use of soul dress is permitted in all events.


    Shield and certificate will be awarded to the best performers of each grade.


    It was almost the same as what I had heard from Idol-san yesterday.


    As the exnation from the physical educationmittee came to an end, a broadcast began to sound.


    ¡¸The progress of the event from here on will be conducted by us, the Broadcast Club, as usual!¡¹


    The announcer¡¯s voice ¨C which had a hint of northern ent like that of Ferris-san and Rize-san ¨C echoed in the schoolyard.


    The voice gave off the impression that it was someone who loved to talk.


    ¡¸Well,e now! Super famous special guests will be joining us in today¡¯s ability measurement!¡¹


    When the broadcaster said so, the gazes of all the students gathered on us.


    ¡¸First of all is this person ¨C The problem child of Ice King Academy! Sid Eucliuuuuuus! Within just six months of enrolling in the academy, he was suspended from academy twice! However, it is said that his ability is one of the best among first-year!¡¹


    And when the brief introduction of Sid-san was given,


    ¡¸Well, he does have a bad vibe around him!¡¹


    ¡¸I see. So that is the rumoured ¡°Yankee¡±¡­¡¹


    ¡¸How scary¡­¡¹


    The girls took a step away from Sid-san.


    (¡­Well, he¡¯s a little hard to approach from a men¡¯s point of view as well.)


    It can¡¯t really be helped.


    ¡¸And the next one is someone everyone here knows! The Super Problem Child of Thousand de Academy ¨C Allen Rodoreeeee! He is the enemy who defeated our academy¡¯s onee-sama,¡ºProdigy¡»Idol Luxmaria!¡¹


    When the slightly malicious introduction of me was given,


    ¡¸¡­Oh? Unlike the man from before, doesn¡¯t he look a little gentle?¡¹


    ¡¸But that hair¡­ It¡¯s ck and white, right? I¡¯m sure he¡¯s not a decent person.¡¹


    ¡¸And he¡¯s our nemesis who defeated onee-sama. We can never let our guard down.¡¹


    Sharp nces mixed with hostility were turned towards me.


    I am also not very weed, apparently.


    ¡¸Well then, let¡¯s start with the customary¡ºbetting¡»! Please fill in your name, year, ss, number, and bet amount, on the¡ºbetting paper¡»that was distributedst week and cast it in one of the boxed ced in front of the stage!¡¹


    Looking towards the assembly stage, there were threerge boxes.


    Yellow box read, Idol Luxmaria.


    Blue box read, Sid Euclius.


    ck box read, Allen Rodore.


    The three boxes were written with the names of us three.


    And then,


    ¡¸Of course, onee-sama is going to win!¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯ll put it in for onee-sama too!¡¹


    The students of White Lily Academy inserted a piece of white paper taken out of their pockets into Idol-san¡¯s box.


    While her box was being filled up with great excitement, mine and Sid-san¡¯s werepletely empty.


    ¡¸Betting paper?¡¹


    As I whispered to myself at the unknown word,


    ¡¸Yes, betting paper. You bet money on people whom you think is going to ce first in the ability measurement of that grade. Just small gambling. Come to think of it¡­ Allen and the others haven¡¯t had the betting paper distributed yet, right? If you ask the physical educationmittee, you can get it too.¡¹Idol-san exined, standing next to me.


    ¡¸I see.¡¹


    In other words, the students of White Lily Academy were convinced of Idol-san¡¯s victory.


    Which could also be interpreted as, they don¡¯t want neither Sid-san nor I to win.


    And then,


    ¡¸Muh¡­ I¡¯ll go put it in!¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu¡­ From an objective point of view, Allen is the only possible choice.¡¹


    Ria and Rose said, and got two betting papers from the physical educationmittee.


    And in the betting column, they wrote ¡°100, 000 Gold¡± and cast it in the ck box that read Allen Rodore.


    ¡¸100,000 Gold?!¡¹


    My eyes widened on the ridiculous amount of money they had invested.


    ¡¸Hey, is that really okay?!¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡­What about?¡¹¡¹


    Ria and Rose tilted their head as though they didn¡¯t understand my concerns.


    ¡¸No, no, no¡­ Why are you both acting so cool?! It¡¯s 100,000 Gold!¡¹


    One hundred thousand gold wager.


    It lightly trantes to the living expenses of an entire month.


    By Goza vige¡¯s standard, you can afford a few months of expenses with that amount.


    ¡¸Mou¡­ Allen is exaggerating. 100,000 Gold isn¡¯t that huge.¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, it¡¯s not enough to make a fuss over.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I-I see.¡¹


    Come to think of it, these two are super rich people.


    We¡¯re always together, so I tend to forget about it.


    Ria is the princess of Vesteria Kingdom, and I heard that Rose built tremendous assets during her bounty-hunting days.


    Their sense of money is very different from that of the poor me.


    ¡¸And, it¡¯s absolutely impossible for Allen to lose in the first ce!¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, that¡¯s right.¡¹


    The two of them said, and nodded with confidence.


    ¡¸¡­I¡¯ll do my best.¡¹


    Ria and Rose¡¯s trust made me very happy.


    A few momentster, the odds of this betting were announced.


    I am 50/1.


    Sid-san is 55/1.


    And Idol-san is 1/5.


    (Even so, what a great sight.)


    So, it is true that these sorts of gambling are not prohibited in this country, huh¡­


    In such broad daylight, and in the middle of a schoolyard no less, arge-scale bet where all the first-year students participate.


    (Legally, there is no problem, but is it really okay considering the academy regtions side of White Lily Academy?)

 Chapter 105.2 - Abnormality and White Lily Academy [6] – part 2

    105. Abnormality and White Lily Academy [6] ¨C part 2


    As I looked at the scene unfolding before me in a puzzled manner,


    ¡¸H-Hey! What are you doing?!¡¹


    Chemy-san, the director, rushed to the schoolyard in a big hurry.


    ¡¸What is this unusual upsurge? Please exin it in detail!¡¹


    She caught one of the physical educationmittee members and squeezed out information.


    ¡¸¡­I understand the situation. Well then¨C¡¹


    Chemy-san filled in ¡°One Million Gold¡± on the betting paper she received from the physical educationmittee and cast the paper into the box that read¡ºAllen Rodore¡».


    ¡­Apparently, even she seemed to take part in this sort of bet.


    Moreover, she was the only person from White Lily Academy who bet on me.


    How do I say this¡­ Is this person really fit to run this ce?


    The next moment.


    ¡¸D-Director?! Not nee-sama, but Allen Rodore?!¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re the worst! You traitor!¡¹


    Terrible booes rained down on Chemy-san.


    However,


    ¡¸Fuu¡­ You don¡¯t understand,dies. I¡¯ll teach you one good thing. ¡±Bet on the person with the highest chance of winning!¡± That¡¯s the basics of gambling, isn¡¯t it?¡¹she said, in a dignified manner, without any fear of bacsh


    That is¡­ she chose ¡°me¡± over her own student.


    ¡¸D-Do you mean to say that nee-sama is inferior to Allen Rodore!¡¹


    ¡¸T-This is a betrayal! This is betrayal to nee-sama ¨C No, it¡¯s a betrayal to the whole of White Lily Academy!¡¹


    There was much more intense booing than before.


    ¡¸Hmm, hmm! No matter what everyone says, my choice is Allen-kun! You all saw the Sword King Festival, right!? Idol-san can¡¯t possibly win, can she?!¡¹


    ¡­This person is the type who should not open her mouth often.


    After pouring oil to the burning fire, Chemy-san received continuous intense booing.


    Under such circumstances, the broadcast club forcibly progressed the ability measurement.


    ¡¸¡­C-Come on! Now that we¡¯re all excited, let¡¯s start the ability measuring right away! The first event is ¨C this!¡¹


    At the same time as the announcement, a big machine of two meters square was carried out.


    There were several visible scratches on the circr recess on the front.


    ¡¸The first event is a ¡°short-range attack¡±! Students will unleash their best short-range attack on this measuring equipment, and we will measure the height of its power! The higher its power, the higher the number of points which will be disyed on the lcd at the top of the measuring equipment! So, those who are ready pleasee forward!¡¹


    When the announcer finished with a brief exnation,


    ¡¸Ha, can such a tawdry machine really measure me? Aa?¡¹


    Sid-san, full of confidence, stood in front of the measuring instrument.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll smash this thing with one blow. Devour -¡´Vanargand¡µ!¡¹


    At the same time, extreme cold air flowed into the schoolyard.


    ¡¸-¡´Vanal Thrust¡µ!¡¹


    Cold air was jetted out, and a thrust which gained explosive propulsion was unleashed.


    However,


    ¡¸What¡­ the?!¡¹


    Even after taking on Sid-san¡¯s incredible thrust, the measuring instrument stood unyielding.


    ¡¸T-This is¡­?! 94 points! Over 90 points appeared right from the start! As expected of Sid Euclius, the swordsman representing the Ice King Academy!¡¹


    When the broadcast club read out the numbers disyed on the lcd, the students of White Lily Academy gasped all at once.


    Apparently, 94 points seems to be ridiculously high.


    ¡¸It¡¯s my turn next.¡¹


    Idol-san, who was clearly burning with determination, stood in front of the measuring instrument next.


    She has already brought out her soul dress ¨C ¡´Neba Glome¡µ.


    ¡¸Flying Thunder God ¨C Limit 100 Million Volts!¡¹


    Roaring azure thunder d her body as she quietly dropped her center of gravity.


    ¡¸Thunder Style ¨C Violet Thunder!¡¹


    An unstoppable thunder-like diagonal sh.


    The result was,


    ¡¸93 points! But what a shame! It is one point shy of the 94 points produced by Sid Euclius!¡¹


    Regrettably, she didn¡¯t reach Sid-san¡¯s record.


    ¡¸N-No way¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Haa, someone like you is no match for me!¡¹


    Idol-san¡¯s shoulders visibly drooped, whereas Sid-san had a heinous smile.


    After Sid-san and Idol-san, it was my turn next.


    I could feel everyone¡¯s gaze gathered on me.


    (Yoshi, let¡¯s do this.)


    As I stood in front of the measuring instrument and unsheathed my sword, an unpleasant possibility crossed my mind.


    (¡­I¡¯ll make sure, just in case.)


    I sheath my sword once again and headed to Chemy-san.


    ¡¸Excuse me, if I break that measuring instrument¡­ Do I have topensate or something?¡¹


    Right.


    I absolutely have to confirm this.


    Everyone here is super rich, but¡­ I am not.


    I must be vignt about financial situations more than the others.


    ¡¸Ahaha! Allen-kun is a worry wart, aren¡¯t you? But don¡¯t worry. That measuring instrument -¡ºAnti-Impact Mechanism No. 3¡»will never be broken. So far, many swordsmen have tried, but none has seeded in evening close¡¹ Chemy-san dered.


    ¡¸Uh¡­ So I don¡¯t have to pay for it, do I?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, of course. Now go, Allen-kun. Hurry up, and pull out the darkness that you showed at the Sword King Festival. Please exceed Sid-san¡¯s 94 points! Sensei¡¯s livelihood is at stake, so please take it seriously¡¹ she said, pushing me in front of the measuring instrument.


    (With this, I don¡¯t have to think about the risk ofpensation¡».)


    Then I unsheathed my sword once again and formed a¡ºpseudo-ck sword¡»by dding it with darkness.


    (Even so, my control of darkness has improved a little¡­)


    Until now, dding myself with clothes of darkness was the best I could do, but¡­


    Now I can focus the darkness specifically where I intend to, such as only my sword and toes.


    This will reduce the useless consumption of darkness and allow me to fight for a longer time.


    While I was thinking about that,


    ¡¸Allen! Do your best!¡¹


    ¡¸Show off the power of Thousand de Academy!¡¹


    Ria and Rose cheered me on.


    I raised one hand in response, and then faced the measuring instrument.


    (¡­For the time being, I¡¯ve got assurance from Chemy-san.)


    I might just be overthinking it, but on the off chance that I do break it, I don¡¯t have to pay for it.


    (¡­Sid-san has 94 points, and Idol-san has 93 points.)


    In order to exceed the record of those two, it is necessary for me to produce 95 points or more.


    (Ria and Rose are also cheering for me¡­ and I want to do it because I want to win!)


    The match between swordsmen is a serious battle.


    No matter how small of a match it is, you still have to do your best and win because you¡¯ve epted it.


    Gripping the pseudo-ck sword, I assumed Seigan no Kamae.


    And then,


    ¡¸Fifth Sword ¨C World Judgement!¡¹


    The ultimate attack which tears space asunder ¨C cut the measuring instrument in two.


    The right side of the measuring instrument, which was split in two, disyed¡º100 points.¡»


    ¡¸Ah¡­ as I expected¡­¡¹


    It seems that the machine which boasted durability, could not endure World Judgement which cuts space itself.


    I had a wry smile towards the result which I had somewhat expected.

 Chapter 106.1 - Abnormality and White Lily Academy [7] – part 1

    106. Abnormality and White Lily Academy [7] ¨C part 1


    As the measuring instrument was cut in two, I breathed a sigh of relief.


    (T-Thank goodness¡­)


    I¡¯m really d I got her word in advance.


    (That kind of¡ºmachine¡»is usually eye-poppingly expensive¡­ Anyway, I¡¯m just d¡­)


    I took in a deep breath, being able to avoidpensation.


    ¡¸Wh-Wh-Wh-What? The Anti-Impact Mechanism No. 3 which has never been destroyed to this day, has met the tragedy of being cut in two! In addition, the results are a miraculous 100 points! As expected of Allen Rodore! The man who was able to defeat nee-sama!¡¹


    From the broadcast club, the voice of an excited female student echoed. And I was glowered at by all the first-year students surrounding me.


    (¡­Ahaha. I guess they won¡¯t really be happy about that.)


    They strongly idolize Idol-san. There¡¯s no way they would be happy with me surpassing her record I guess.


    And then,


    ¡¸Teme, Allen¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Wow¡­ as expected, Allen!¡¹


    Sid-san and Idol-san, who had been burning withpetitive spirit against each other, suddenly stared at me with ring eyes.


    ¡¸Oh, it just happened¡­ by chance!¡¹


    We¡¯re talking about these two who have belligerent nature, after all.


    If I stir them up anymore, they might juste out and say,¡¸Let¡¯s fight. Right here, right now!¡¹.


    And as I was trying to navigate through the situation safely,


    ¡¸N-No way¡­ My¡­ My Anti-Impact Mechanism No. 3 is¡­?!¡¹


    Chemy-san, who was standing right next to me, dropped her shoulders dejectedly.


    ¡¸¡­Nn?¡ºMy¡»¡­?¡¹


    Her words caught my attention.


    ¡¸The instrument was handmade by the director. Despite her appearance, she¡¯s a genius scientist.¡¹ Idol-san exined, from the side.


    ¡¸G-Genius scientist¡­ That¡¯s amazing.¡¹


    I didn¡¯t expect such a gambling addict could be a genius scientist.


    You really can¡¯t judge a book by its cover.


    After that, the measurement of the short-range attack was continued using the Anti-Impact Mechanism No. 2 which was sleeping in the back of the warehouse.


    I was told that the programming of¡ºNo. 2¡»and¡ºNo. 3¡»are the same, so there will be no discrepancy in the measurement results.


    After that, the broadcast sounded again once the measurement of all the first-years had beenpleted.


    ¡¸-Now, then, let¡¯s go to the second event ¨C ¡ºlong-range attack¡»! Everyone will shoot a long-range attack towards the measuring instrument ced 30 meters away! The higher the power, the higher the number of points disyed on the lcd at the top of the measuring instrument. So please unleash your best attack!¡¹


    At the end of the broadcast, the physical educationmittee member measured the distance and drew a white line 30 meters away from the measuring instrument.


    ¡¸¡­Long range attack? I¡¯m not that good at it. Well whatever¡­¡¹


    Sid-san stood on the white line, scratching his head.


    ¡¸Eat this ¨C Freeze Lance!¡¹


    When he swung down ¡´Vanargand¡µ ¨C a huge icence hovering in mid-air, hit the center of the measuring instrument.


    ¡¸And the results are ¨C 83 points! Considering that long-range attacks are less likely to score highpared to short-range attacks, this is a pretty high score!¡¹


    It looks a little modestpared to the 90 points we saw earlier, but¡­ this is a long-range attack event, after all. As the broadcast club said, 83 points is not bad by any means.


    However,


    ¡¸Tch, not good¡­¡¹


    Sid-san didn¡¯t seem satisfied with the score, as he clicked his tongue loudly.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll go next.¡¹


    Idol-san, who had just lost by a narrow margin in the previous event, stood on the white line with a calm fighting spirit.


    Due to the Flying Thunder God being active, high voltage current was coursing through her body. And she raised onence over her head. The next moment, a huge lightning fell on the tip of thence from the cloudless blue sky.


    (This is¡­!)


    It was the ultimate attack that she unleashed at the Sword King Festival.


    ¡¸100 Million Volts -¡´Emperata Glome¡µ!¡¹


    The deafening spiral lightning strike urately punched through the measuring instrument.


    A cloud of dust rolled up and a burnt smell spread.


    ¡¸T-The result is ¡ª Nine, 95 points?! This is an unbelievably huge record! As expected of nee-sama! After all, the title of Ace of White Lily Academy is not just for show!¡¹


    At the same time as the broadcast, voices of joy sprang up from the surrounding first-years.


    (A-Amazing¡­! To establish a 12-point gap against Sid-san!)


    While I was astonished by that overwhelming record,


    ¡¸Fufu, my win.¡¹ Idol-san dered victory to Sid-san, with a triumphant look.


    ¡­It seems that she is also someone who hates losing.


    ¡¸Aa!? Teme, I won at short-range attack! I¡¯m gonna kill you!¡¹


    ¡¸When you add it up, I get 188 points and you get 177 points¡­ Aplete victory.¡¹


    ¡¸Hey, wait, only two events have been conducted!¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, then it¡¯s a temporary victory¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Te, Teme¡­¡¹


    ¡­Perhaps these two get along unexpectedly well.


    While I was thinking about that, I realized that everyone¡¯s eyes were focused on me.


    It seems that the order of ¨C Sid-san, Idol-san, and I ¨C was unspokenly decided.


    ¡¸¡­Yoshi, let¡¯s do it.¡¹


    Standing on the white line 30 meters away from the measuring instrument, I unleashed darkness from within.


    At that moment, dense darkness covered the entirety of White Lily Academy.


    ¡¸What¡­ is this?!¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s Allen Rodore¡¯s ¡ºDarkness¡» that he disyed at the Sword King Festival. But, at that time, the output wasn¡¯t to this extent, though!¡¹


    ¡¸What repulsive power!¡¹


    The girls were surprised seeing the jet-ck darkness running across the ground.


    In the middle of that situation, I acquired a certain conviction.


    (¡­As I expected. The output has gone up quite a bit.)


    If I¡¯m not mistaken, Dodriel said something along the lines of¡­


    The more you walk through the boundary between life and death, the stronger your soul dress is.


    A few days ago, I managed to recover from a near-fatal wound that pierced through my heart.


    As a result, my body and soul were more closely connected. That guy¡¯s darkness might have flowed into me.


    (¡­This is a good condition.)


    Darkness continues to adapt to my body.


    It responds perfectly to me, as though I was born together with this darkness.


    (If this is the case, I think I can get a good score!)


    And when I, dressed in darkness, held up my pseudo-ck sword overhead,


    ¡¸S-Stop!¡¹ Chemy-san stopped me.


    ¡¸Eh, err¡­ What is it?¡¹


    ¡¸No, please don¡¯t do it! If it receives an attack with such output, my precious¡ºAnti-Impact Mechanism No. 2¡»will be blown to bits. Allen-kun gets a 100 points already, so please lower that terrifying sword quickly!¡¹ she said, shaking her head side-to-side.


    ¡¸E-Even if you say that¡­¡¹


    As I took a look around,


    ¡¸Director! Such favouritism is not allowed!¡¹


    ¡¸Do you want to say that the 95 points that nee-sama produced will lose? You traitor!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Ha?! That¡¯s right! You¡¯re just trying to make Allen Rodore win and make a lot of money! You bet a million gold on him, after all!¡¹


    Arrow-like booes rained down on Chemy-san from the female students around her.

 Chapter 106.2 - Abnormality and White Lily Academy [7] – part 2

    106. Abnormality and White Lily Academy [7] ¨C part 2


    ¡­It would seem that she is not trusted by her students at all.


    ¡¸Well, uh¡­ I¡¯ll do it then?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Yes.¡¹


    Being ganged up on by arge number of students, Chemy-san nodded, brokenhearted.


    (I feel a bit sad for her, but¡­)


    As far as repairing the trust and rtionship between a teacher and her students goes¡­ she has no choice but to make an earnest effort.


    (¡­Oops. I mustn¡¯t. Just focus on what¡¯s in front of you.)


    I returned to my original mindset which was about to derail, exhaling greatly, I swung down my sword in one breath.


    ¡¸Sixth Sword ¨C Dark Roar!¡¹


    The moment I fired the enormous jet-ck sh, an unprecedented recoil struck both hands.


    (This is¡­ huge!)


    A super huge ck sh that was more than twice asrge than usual.


    The sh, which was turning over the ground underneath, easily crushed Anti-Impact Mechanism No. 2.


    ¡¸A-Aa¡­¡¹


    Apanied by Chemy-san¡¯s heartbroken voice, the measuring instrument which has be pieces of metal, rolled around.


    On the cracked lcd -¡º100 points¡»appeared.


    ¡¸Wh-Wh-Wh-What power!!! This is just overwhelming! I¡¯ve never seen¡º100 points perfect score¡»in the long-range attack event!¡¹


    The voice of the broadcaster sounded loudly.


    Looking around, many of the female students were gaping wide eyed.


    And then,


    ¡¸Teme¡­ It¡¯s much stronger than at the Sword King Festival.¡¹


    ¡¸Allen¡­Just what kind of training did you?!¡¹


    Sid-san and Idol-san grit their teeth and stared at me.


    When I was at a loss as to how to reply,


    ¡¸That¡¯s right, Allen! That¡¯s a stunning blow!¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯ve gotten even stronger again¡­ You really are an amazing guy.¡¹


    Ria and Rose came in at the right time.


    After that, Anti-Impact Mechanism No.1 that was sleeping deep in the warehouse was taken out, and the measurement of the long-range attack was carried out.


    Then, various events such as sword speed, leg strength, and reaction speed were conducted, and we finally reached the result announcement.


    Looking at the clock tower, the time was already 5pm, right about the time when the sun was slowly beginning to set.


    ¡¸Now, we will announce the overall scores of¡ºBet targets¡»Idol Luxmaria, Sid Euclius and Allen Rodore!¡¹


    When the broadcaster announced loudly, tense air began to drift.


    Now that I¡¯vepleted all ten events with all my might, I don¡¯t remember my total score.


    It was a moment of tension for me, too.


    ¡¸First of all, the representative of White Lily Academy! The result of our nee-sama, Idol Luxmaria ¨C 950 points! 900 points range! It is a wonderful record that piled up extra fifty points further!¡¹


    At that moment, the girls around me burst into cheers.


    ¡¸As expected of nee-sama! The dream-like 900 points range!¡¹


    ¡¸If this is the case, we can beat that ursed Allen Rodore!¡¹


    When I look at it from the perspective of out of a 1000 points, the score that Idol-san earned is certainly a tremendous high score.


    ¡¸Followed by the representative of Ice King Academy, Sid Euclius¡¯ result ¨C 947 points! We did it! Victory belongs to nee-sama!¡¹


    ¡¸Tch¡­¡¹


    Unfortunately, he lost to Idol-san, and clicked his tongue loudly.


    (Three points difference. So close¡­)


    After the ¡±long-range attack¡±, he surpassed Idol-san in many events.


    In terms of ¡°the number of events that was won¡±, Sid-san was definitely better.


    As expected, the ¡°12 point difference¡± produced in the long-range attack made all the difference.


    In the overall score, he lost by a narrow margin.


    ¡¸And the result of Thousand de Academy¡¯s representative, Allen Rodore ¨C 975 points! T-This is an incredible record! It¡¯s probably the highest score in the history of White Lily Academy!¡¹


    ¡¸Damnit¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I lost again¡­¡¹


    Sid-san kicked the Anti-Impact Mechanism No. 3 that was lying at his feet, and Idol-san dropped her shoulders.


    Right after that.


    ¡¸With a million gold wager¡­ And Allen-kun¡¯s odds being fifty times¡­ The final sum bes¡­ Fifty million gold¡­! Fufufu¡­Fuhahahahaha!¡¹


    Chemy-san, who won an unexpected sum of money, had a wicked smile on her face.


    ¡¸Alcohol, snacks, gambling¡­! This is going to be a great weekend! Fuhahaha!¡¹


    She was running around like a child with unusually high excitement.


    I don¡¯t know why, but¡­ I felt like she was going to be penniless once the weekend was over.


    ¡¸Allen Rodore, who achieved the best results in first-year, will receive a shield and a certificate at ater date! With this, we will end the sixth ability measurement of this year! Thank you very much!¡¹


    After finishing the ability measurement, we had a simple dinner in the cafeteria.


    After that, we utilized the vast schoolyard to train our respective swordsmanship.


    Ria and Rose were training in High King-style and Sakura Blossom One-Sword style respectively next to me.


    Sid-san trained in long-range attacks.


    Cain-san was happily doing practice-swings next to me.


    Idol-san was training in precise control of lightning.


    (¡­As expected, it¡¯s fun.)


    To polish swordsmanship with everyone.


    I loved this time of joy so much.


    To the extent where I thought ¨C I wish I could pause time in this moment.


    A few hourster, when the sun hadpletely sunk, we dispersed.


    ¡¸Ria, Rose, Idol-san ¨C see you tomorrow.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. Good night, Allen.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡¹


    ¡¸See youter.¡¹


    Because the men¡¯s dormitory and the women¡¯s dormitory were located in opposite directions, I parted ways with Ria and the others in the schoolyard.


    After that.


    ¡¸Sid-san, Cain-san. Well then, I¡¯ll take my leave here.¡¹


    ¡¸Ou.¡¹


    ¡¸God, I will see you again tomorrow!¡¹


    I broke up with them in the male teacher¡¯s dormitory, and entered the room assigned to me.


    ¡¸I¡¯m home.¡¹


    I greeted as usual, but of course there was no answer.


    (It is a little lonely without Ria.)


    Because this was not Thousand de, it was not possible to stay in the same room with her.


    ¡¸Even so, I¡¯m tired¡­¡¹I said to myself, stretching greatly.


    Practice-swings for hours, after giving my all during the ability measurement, my body was dead tired.


    (I¡¯ll take a bath today and go to bed a little early¡­)


    As I thought about that and just chilled, there was a knock on my front door.


    (¡­Who is it?)


    Looking at the clock, it¡¯s already around ten o¡¯clock in the middle of the night.


    (Perhaps¡­ it¡¯s Ria?)


    I opened the front door with a small guess in my mind.


    And the person standing there was,


    ¡¸Good evening, Allen.¡¹


    It was Idol-san with a small backpack.


    ¡¸I-Idol-san¡­ What¡¯s the matter? Why did youe at this time¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸I have a little something to talk about¡­ Can Ie inside?¡¹


    ¡¸Y-Yes, please¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you very much. I¡¯m sorry to bother you.¡¹


    In this way, I invited the unexpected guest, Idol-san, into my room, with a slightly unpleasant feeling.

 Chapter 107 - Abnormality and White Lily Academy [8]

    107. Abnormality and White Lily Academy [8]


    I invited Idol-san into my room, and poured her a cup of tea that had been chilled in the refrigerator.


    ¡¸Here you go¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you.¡¹


    She sat at the dining table, and took a sip of the tea in an elegant manner.


    And then,


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    There was silence between us.


    (What am I supposed to do now?)


    Should I say something witty?


    (¡­No, but Idol-san came all the way over to visit me.)


    I¡¯m sure there¡¯s something she wants to tell me.


    (It¡¯s a little awkward, but¡­ the correct answer would be to wait so as not to rush her!)


    I decided that, and stared straight into her face without bringing up any topic.


    Idol-san didn¡¯t seem particrly nervous. She had an expression which made her difficult to read as usual.


    About thirty seconds had passed since then.


    ¡¸Eh, uh¡­ Idol-san? Why did youe in the middle of the night like this?¡¹


    Unable to endure the awkward silence, I decided to just ask her.


    ¡¸Ah¡­ yes. I had a little something to talk about, but¡­ one thing before that, okay?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. What can I do for you?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s been bothering me for a long time, but¡­ why do you use honorific for me?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Eh?¡¹


    I let out a stupid voice at that unexpected question.


    ¡¸We¡¯re the same age, aren¡¯t we?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s¡­ That¡¯s right.¡¹


    The reason why I use honorifics for Idol-san¡­


    (¡­To be honest, that¡¯s not an easy question to answer.)


    ¡ºIt hasn¡¯t been long since we met¡»means we are still distant to each other.


    ¡ºJust cause¡»is too weak as a reason.


    ¡¸Well, uh¡­ I thought it would be better to treat girls politely¡­¡¹


    I gave a nd answer.


    ¡¸But you don¡¯t use honorifics for Ria and Rose, do you? If you don¡¯t mind, I want you to talk to me normally too¡¹Idol-san said.


    Personally, I¡¯m not concerned with honorifics.


    If she¡¯s good with it, then I¡¯ll just address her casually.


    ¡¸-Okay. Well then, nice to meet you¡­ I-Idol.¡¹


    I¡¯m still not used to addressing girls without honorifics, so¡­ I hesitated a little.


    But she smiled without any particr concern towards it.


    ¡¸Yes, nice to meet you too.¡¹Idol said, and stood up quickly. ¡¸Then, see youter.¡¹


    She went toward the front door.


    ¡¸Eh¡­? Ah, yes. See you tomorrow.¡¹


    Was this all she came here for? I felt a little disappointed.


    Idol-san slowly put on her shoes, and ced her hand on the door.


    ¡¸¡­Oh, I forgot.¡¹


    She took off her shoes again and sat on the table.


    ¡¸I forgot the real issue. Let¡¯s talk again.¡¹


    ¡¸A-Aa.¡¹


    (This person is seriously an airhead.)


    ¡¸Ahem, I¡¯m going to get down to business.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, please¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. Let¡¯s see¡­ I trained a lot after losing to Allen at the Sword King Festival. But today¡¯s ability measurement has made it clear to me that the difference between you and me is widening.¡¹


    She bit her lower lip in frustration.


    ¡¸There must be some secret¡­ I thought.¡¹


    ¡¸Secret?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. Allen¡¯s strength must have some secret behind it. So I want you to answer my questions honestly.¡¹Idol said, and took out a piece of printed paper from her small backpack.


    Questions were written on it in beautiful handwriting.


    Seems like she came fully prepared.


    ¡¸No good?¡¹


    ¡¸No, I don¡¯t mind.¡¹


    I have nothing to hide.


    If answering questions can help her, then I¡¯ll happily do so.


    ¡¸Well, thank you. Then, the first question ¨C Allen¡¯s swordsmanship is very unique. Who¡¯s your teacher?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    She shot a difficult question right from the start.


    ¡¸Ahaha¡­ I¡¯m ashamed to say that my swordsmanship is self-taught.¡¹


    All swordsmen belong to some school, where they learn the basics of swordsmanship.


    This is themon sense of a swordsman, and it is quite natural.


    But I¡¯m an outlier of thatmon sense ¨C the swordsman who was not allowed to enter any school, who had no other choice but¡ºself-taught¡».


    And, the world makes a fool of such an outlying person as¡ºthe dropout swordsman¡».


    ¡¸¡­Self taught? Why?¡¹


    Idol tilted her head in honest wonder, not knowing the circumstances of the people at the bottom like me.


    ¡¸I¡¯ve been told that I don¡¯t have talent. They didn¡¯t let me into any schools.¡¹


    There was nothing to gain from hiding it, so I answered honestly.


    ¡¸Even though you¡¯re so strong¡­ All those people didn¡¯t have the eye to judge true talent.¡¹


    Idol said, while shrugging her shoulders, and moved on to the next question.


    How many hours a day do you spend on swordsmanship?


    How many swordsmanship books have you read so far?


    How much rice do you eat every day?


    (I-It¡¯s almost like an interrogation¡­)


    I answered politely, one by one, to the barrage of questions which surpassed ten.


    ¡¸This is thest question. What training did you dedicate the most time to since the end of Sword King Festival?¡¹


    ¡¸Training that I dedicate the most time to?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah.¡¹Idol nodded.


    Judging from how this was thest question, I guess this is the one she wanted to know the most.


    (¡­Hmmm)


    Training of soul dress, maniption of darkness, strength training ¨C I do various training every day, but when ites to the one that I devoted the most time to¨C


    ¡¸Practice-swings.¡¹


    This was the one.


    No matter what happened, I have never missed swinging in my daily routine.


    This has not changed since my time at Gran Swordsmanship Academy.


    And then.


    ¡¸Muh¡­ Answer me properly.¡¹


    Was my answer not convincing enough?


    ¡¸Ah, aha¡­ I am answering honestly though.¡¹


    I wasn¡¯t lying about anything.


    The training I dedicated most of my day towards, is definitely practice-swings.


    ¡¸¡­Right. Your¡ºsecret of strength¡»is a secret.¡¹she grumbled, with a sullen angry expression.


    ¡¸T-That¡¯s not it¡­¡¹


    When she said the secret of my strength ¨C the first thing that came to mind was the¡º100 million year button¡».


    However, I can¡¯t talk about that because I promised Leia-sensei to¡ºnever say anything to anyone¡».


    (¡­It can¡¯t be helped.)


    As for the 100 million-year button, the ck Organization seems to be keeping a watchful eye for any information regarding it.


    If I exposed something poorly, I might endanger not only myself but also Idol.


    I feel sorry for her, but I can¡¯t tell her.


    When I was thinking about that,


    ¡¸¡­Understood. Then I¡¯ll¡ºmonitor¡»your daily life.¡¹Idol said something that didn¡¯t make sense.


    ¡¸Monitor?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, monitor. Watch and learn.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, that¡¯s what you meant¡­¡¹


    I was a little surprised by the word¡ºmonitor¡», but there¡¯s no need to get permission to¡ºwatch and learn¡»which is also the basics of swordsmanship.


    Even I watched and learned to copy Rose¡¯s Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style.


    ¡¸¡­No good?¡¹Idol asked, with her head tilted.


    ¡¸No, I don¡¯t mind if it¡¯s that. Though¡­ I¡¯m not sure if I would be helpful.¡¹


    ¡¸I see, I¡¯m d. Yes, that¡¯s all. Thank you for everything.¡¹she smiled happily.¡¸Then, I¡¯ll go have a bath.¡¹


    What an incredible power y.


    ¡¸Aa, go¡­ ahead?!¡¹


    Terrifyingly natural, quick change of topic ¨C if it were someone other than me, they would have totally missed it.


    I was about to inadvertently give permission to take a bath, due to her exceedingly natural performance.


    ¡¸Hey, wait a minute! What do you mean by a bath!?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­? The bath is a bath.¡¹


    ¡¸Ah¡­ Let me rify. I¡¯m not asking for the meaning of the word¡ºbath¡». Why are you taking a bath here ¨C in my room?¡¹


    When I exined it politely,


    ¡¸¡­? I said it earlier. I¡¯m going to monitor your daily life.¡¹she asserted her justification, indifferently.


    ¡¸Monitoring everyday life¡­ You mean you¡¯re going to monitor my life from right next to me?!¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s right.¡¹


    Idol nodded, with an expression which seemed to ask,¡¸What are you so surprised about¡­?¡¹


    (¡­Now that I think about it, I hadpletely forgotten.)


    That Idol¡¯smunication skills are devastatingly hopeless.


    ¡¸Does that mean¡­ you¡¯re staying overnight today?¡¹


    ¡¸Of course, the backpack is here for that.¡¹she said, taking out a lovely yellow pajamas from her backpack.


    It seems that she was going to stay in my room from the beginning.


    ¡¸That¡¯s a little¡­¡¹


    A man and a woman of age, staying under one roof¡­ there are a lot of problems with that.


    As for the case with Ria, there were strange circumstances such as the master-ve rtionship, which already puts it outside the norm.


    As I was greatly perplexed,


    ¡¸¡­By any chance, are you dating anyone?¡¹Idol leaned her head forward, with a slightly uneasy expression on her face.


    ¡¸N-No¡­ It¡¯s not like that, but¡­¡¹


    With Ria¡­ It¡¯s still not that kind of thing.


    ¡¸¡­Good then.¡¹she whispered something, with a relieved look.¡¸Well, then, I¡¯ll get in first.¡¹


    She closed the partition of the dressing room.


    ¡¸H-Hey, Idol¡­!¡¹


    The moment I grabbed the hem of the curtain,


    I heard the sound of clothes rustling.


    ¡¸¡­?!¡¹


    She has already started to strip.


    (Shit¡­ She got the jump on me¡­)


    With Idol undressed, this thin cloth curtain has evolved into an¡ºIron Curtain¡», which protects her.


    ¡¸Haa¡­ How did this happen?¡¹


    I heaved a sigh and heard her humming from the bathroom.


    A peerless beauty of the same age is taking a shower right next to me ¨C When I thought about it that way¡­ My heart started beating rapidly in a strange rhythm. I felt so uneasy.


    (¡­I feel so restless.)


    That restless period went on for a while, and then, I heard the sound of the bathroom door opening.


    (¡­Fuu, it¡¯s over.)


    At the same time, my tension loosened a little.


    I don¡¯t know why, but¡­ I got really nervous listening to the sound of Idol bathing.


    As I took a breath of relief,


    ¡¸Nee, Allen. Where is the bath towel?¡¹


    Idol opened the curtain, and stepped out stark naked without hesitation.


    ¡¸Wha¡­?!¡¹


    I saw things that should never be seen. Clearly.


    I immediately looked away from her and shouted.


    ¡¸Wha-Wha?! What are you doing?!¡¹


    ¡¸Uh¡­ Bath towel¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯ll get you one! So go back in, or at least close the curtains!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­? Okay.¡¹she replied, and quietly went back into the dressing room and closed the curtains.


    Then I hurriedly took out the bath towel from her backpack, and


    ¡¸H-Here¡­¡¹


    I handed it through the gap in the curtain.


    ¡¸Nn¡­ Thank you.¡¹


    After that, Idol said nothing, and wiped off the water on her body in a good mood.


    (Are all the so-calleddies in a girls¡¯ school like this?)


    There was a definiteck of awareness regarding the dangers of men.


    (¡­No, in the first ce, there are only a handful of people who can get the jump on¡ºProdigy¡», however¡­)


    This is too defenseless indeed.


    To be honest, I¡¯m very worried about whether I¡¯ll get involved in a strange scandal.


    After waiting for a while, Idol changed into the lovely yellow pajamas and stepped out.


    Her still moist hair sticking on the cheeks, gave off a somewhat grown-up, sexy vibe.


    ¡¸Fuu¡­ That was refreshing.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­That¡¯s good then.¡¹


    Then I went back to chilling, and Idol started drying her hair.


    After a brief while, she got onto the bed to sleep.


    ¡¸So fluffy¡­ Allen, good night¡­¡¹


    She fell onto my bed with a big yawn.


    ¡¸Good night.¡¹


    It seems that she is a weak night person.


    Then I quickly washed off in the bath, got ready for bed, and got onto the same bed Idol was sleeping on.


    She was curled up like a little child, taking short breaths.


    ¡¸¡­Aren¡¯t you too defenseless?¡¹


    Does she trust me or was she originally like this?


    Anyway¡­ Idol should have a little more awareness.


    ¡¸¡­I¡¯ll talk to her about it next time.¡¹


    Then, I closed my eyes and slowly dozed off.

 Chapter 108 - Abnormality and White Lily Academy [9]

    108. Abnormality and White Lily Academy [9]


    The next day. I woke up to the warm sunlighting in through the window.


    ¡¸Nmm, hmm¡­¡¹


    Stretching greatly, I slowly sat upright.


    ¡¸-Good morning, Allen.¡¹


    Idol, dressed in the uniform of White Lily Academy, had a soft smile on her face.


    ¡¸A-aa¡­ Good morning, Idol.¡¹


    My breath was taken away for a moment at her fresh sight. I pretended it didn¡¯t affect me and tried to greet her as I would naturally.


    When I went to the bathroom and tried to brush my teeth,


    ¡¸Hey, can I make something?¡¹she asked, pointing at the refrigerator.


    ¡¸I don¡¯t mind that, but¡­ are you sure?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. I can make something for both of us. Can I open it?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, use what¡¯s inside as you like¡­ Though there isn¡¯t much.¡¹


    There was only bean sprout, egg, and pork.


    ¡¸This much should be fine.¡¹


    With a quick look at the ingredients inside, Idol nodded and started cooking.


    While she was busy cooking, Ipleted my morning preparations.


    As I put my hand through the sleeves of the Thousand de uniform,


    ¡¸Allen, I¡¯m done.¡¹Idol called out to me.


    ¡¸Thank you, I¡¯ming now.¡¹


    After quickly checking my appearance in the mirror, I went to the dining table where she was waiting.


    ¡¸Oh, this looks delicious!¡¹


    There was white rice, fried egg, and stir-fried bean sprout and pork.


    In this short time, she prepared breakfast for the both of us.


    ¡¸Fufu, I hope it fits your taste. Are you fine with soy sauce?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, thank you.¡¹


    Then, I and Idol quietly put both hands together and,


    ¡¸¡¸Itadakimasu.¡¹¡¹


    I used the chopsticks to break the puffed up, swollen egg-yolk. Yellow yolk overflowed from within. I wrapped it in the fried white body, and brought it to my mouth.


    ¡¸How does it taste?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s delicious! Idol is a good cook!¡¹


    This was a little surprising because the girls at Thousand de Academy were not good at cooking.


    ¡¸Thank you. But I¡¯m not that good at cooking.¡¹


    ¡¸Is that right? I think this is good enough¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m good at this kind of ordinary side dish. But I can¡¯t make cakes or cookies at all. Unconsciously, I tend to insert a hidden vor, and by the time I notice, I would¡¯ve created something ridiculous. During my middle-school days, it even became an incident.¡¹


    ¡¸Is that so¡­?¡¹


    Apparently, there is a clear division between what she is good and bad at.


    ¡¸By the way, did you attend a girls¡¯ school in middle-school, too?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. My father is prone to worrying, so he never allowed co-ed.¡¹


    ¡¸I see¡­¡¹


    If her father sees us like this, it will surely boil into some kind of problem.


    ¡¸Well, Idol¡­¡¹


    ¡¸What?¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t tell anyone else that you¡¯re sleeping in my room, okay?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­? I don¡¯t really get you, but I understand.¡¹


    I¡¯m slightly worried if she really understands what I meant¡­


    All I can do is trust her.


    After breakfast was over, I decided to go to the academy much earlier than usual.


    This was, of course, to prevent being seen from leaving the room with Idol.


    The time was seven o¡¯clock in the morning, and there was still two hours until the start of the first period.


    (At this time of day, no one will see us.)


    That¡¯s what I had thought, but¡­ I was an idiot.


    When I opened the front door slowly, so as not to make a noise,


    ¡¸God! How do I express the joy of going to the same academy today!¡¹


    I don¡¯t know how long he has been on standby, but there was a figure of Cain-san kneeling with his head bowed.


    He looked up slowly, and confirmed the appearance of me and Idoling out together. He stared, gaping.


    ¡¸GGGGod! W-What on earth does this mean?! Why is Idoling from your room?!¡¹Cain-san raised a screaming voice, and looked between me and Idol alternatingly.


    ¡¸Q-Quiet! There¡¯s quite a lot going on, so she¡¯s just staying overnight temporarily¡­! There is nothing else going on!¡¹


    When I said, almost slurring,


    ¡¸I see. I fully understand.¡¹


    He listened to me surprisingly obediently.


    ¡¸E-Err¡­ are you convinced¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸I will not do anything stupid as to doubt the word of God. If God says ck, then even white is ck.¡¹Cain-san said, with a very nice smile on his face.


    I don¡¯t know why I am being worshiped so much, but¡­ it really saved me this time.


    ¡¸A-Anyway, I¡¯d like to keep this matter confidential, please?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes! Even if I have to ce my life on the line!¡¹he replied, bowing his head deeply.


    I seeded in sealing Cain-san¡¯s mouth and went to the ssroom of Year 1 ss A.


    ¡ö


    About a week had passed since I transferred to White Lily Academy.


    ¡¸Good morning, Allen-sama.¡¹


    ¡¸Good morning, Allen-san. It¡¯s nice weather today.¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, good morning. Shirley-san, Misha-san.¡¹


    And now, I was able to talk happily with my ssmates.


    At first, they were strongly vignt, but the exchanges gradually increased through Idol and now they have warmed up to the extent where we could have small talk.


    Then, the door of the ssroom opened as I exchanged greetings with other female students.


    ¡¸Good morning, Allen!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­Morning.¡¹


    It was the cheerful Ria and sleepy-eyed Rose.


    ¡¸Aa, good morning.¡¹


    Ria ced her bag in her seat and asked me a sharp question.


    ¡¸Even so, Allen. You¡¯ve beening quite early these days. What¡¯s going on?¡¹


    ¡¸N-No¡­! There¡¯s nothing¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Hmmm?¡¹


    She looked me in the eye while thinking about something deeply.


    Fortunately, no one has found out about my living together with Idol, except for Cain-san.


    (One more week left¡­)


    I can only hope ites to an end without any incident.


    When I was thinking about that, a certain girl came up to me timidly.


    ¡¸Uh¡­ Allen-sama. May I ask you something?¡¹


    If I remember correctly, her name was¡­ Yes, Reese-san.


    ¡¸Yes, what is it?¡¹


    ¡¸I-I¡¯ve been a little curious about it for a long time¡­ Your darkness¡­ does it perhaps have the effect of treating wounds?¡¹she asked, with a serious expression.


    ¡¸Yes, that¡¯s right. If it¡¯s just a little cut, it¡¯ll heal quickly¡¹I said, and brought forth a little bit of darkness from my fingertips.


    ¡¸¡­! Oh, so I was right!¡¹


    For some reason, Reese-san was overjoyed and pped her hands.


    ¡¸Actually, I have a request. If you don¡¯t mind, would you please listen to it?¡¹she said, her voice shaking, and bowed.


    ¡¸Request, is it¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Y-Yes¡­ Actually, I¡­ I am troubled by an old scar. It¡¯s a little unsightly, but please take a look here¡­¡¹


    Nervously, she rolled up her uniform sleeve.


    ¡¸¡­I see.¡¹


    There was a red-ck discolored bite mark on her arm.


    ¡¸This was from about five years ago ¨C a wound I had when I was still in elementary school. If I remember correctly¡­ It was when I was hunting for monsters as part of a ss activity¡­ and I was bitten by a werewolf when I dropped my guard for a brief moment.¡¹


    ¡¸Is that so¡­ I¡¯m sorry to ask this, but have you seen a doctor?¡¹


    The medicine of this country is constantly developing.


    A bite like this can be healed quickly.


    ¡¸Yes. I¡¯ve seen many doctors, but it was useless. It seems that the ¡°curse¡± of the werewolf is attached to this wound. I was told that it would stay like this forever.¡¹


    Reese-san told me with a sad look, where I thought she might start crying at any moment.


    (Curse, huh¡­ That¡¯s certainly troublesome¡­.)


    A curse is an unexined power exercised by a monster.


    Effects, invoke conditions, and curse dispelling methods ¨C little detail is known about them.


    ¡¸¡­I understand. I don¡¯t know if I can do it, but let¡¯s try it.¡¹


    This ¡°darkness¡± is, after all, the power of that monster.


    The chances are not so high, but¡­ a slight chance does exist.


    ¡¸T-Thank you¡­ !¡¹


    ¡¸Well, here I go.¡¹


    ¡¸Y-Yes¡­¡¹


    I focused my concentration and coiled the darkness around her discolored right arm.


    Gently, softly, trying to swallow only the bad.


    Then, the red-ck discolored skin quickly returned to its original beautiful skin.


    ¡¸A-Amazing¡­¡¹


    The voice of admiration leaked from the surrounding students as they saw such a magical scene.


    ¡¸Phew. Thank goodness, I managed it somehow.¡¹


    When I put out the darkness, Reese-san looked at her beautiful arm and teared up.


    ¡¸Th-Th¡­ Thank you!¡¹she eximed, shedding tears of joy.


    It¡¯s only natural.


    That kind of scar would be traumatic for a girl of her age.


    (But even so, this darkness¡­ It can even erase a ¡±curse¡±?)


    I thought it might just work, though I didn¡¯t think it would be so easy.


    (Just what is this spirit core that dwells in my soul¡­?)


    When I was thinking about that,


    ¡¸A-Allen-sama¡­! Actually, I have a small request too!¡¹


    ¡¸M-Me too¡­! There¡¯s something really bothering me right now!¡¹


    A lot of female students rushed to me at once.


    ¡¸Eh, ah¡­ please calm down a little!¡¹


    Then I wring out darkness until my spiritual power waspletely exhausted.


    As a result, I had a new understanding of this darkness for the first time.


    This darkness has an absolute effect on external wounds.


    Cuts, bruises, curse, rash, dry skin, muscle pain ¨C all heal in no time.


    On the other hand, it seemed to have no effect on¡ºdisease¡»such as a cold.


    After that, in the morning, we mainly trained in soul dress.


    During lunch break, I had lunch with a group of ten people including Ria and the others.


    And we did strength training in the afternoon.


    After sses were over, everyone gathered together, and did our respective training.


    Everyday was so tiring and fulfilling at the same time. And today was thest day we were to spend in White Lily Academy.


    ¡¸Yes, that¡¯s it for today¡¯s ss. Everyone, please be careful and go home.¡¹


    As soon as Chemy-san finished thest homeroom ¨C I ran out of the ssroom.


    And then,


    ¡¸Wait, you bastard!¡¹


    ¡¸Allen, wait a minute!¡¹


    At the same time, Sid-san and Idol came after me as expected.


    (As expected¡­ they won¡¯t let me escape that easily!)


    I ran down the spiral staircase and just as I was about to exit the main academy building¨C


    ¡¸I¡¯m not going to let you escape, Allen.¡¹


    Idol, who increased her speed of movement by using Flying Thunder God, stood in front of me.


    And,


    ¡¸Teme¡­ I¡¯m not going to let you go today¡­!¡¹


    Extreme cold air blew from behind.


    ¡¸Ah, aha¡­ It seems to be so¡­ ¡¹


    With a wry smile, I sighed loudly in my heart.


    ¡¸Nee, Allen¡­ Let¡¯s do it.¡¹


    ¡¸Today is thest day.¡ºNext time¡»won¡¯t work anymore¡­!¡¹


    The two who were burning with fighting spirit said so, and thrusted their soul dress towards me.


    (Just how much do they want to fight with me¡­?)


    The two weeks at White Lily Academy, Idol and Sid-san asked for a duel at every single opportunity.


    I gave a reason every time, and postponed it, but¡­


    It seems that I can¡¯t run away this time.


    (It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to fight against them¡­)


    If I fight with my full power against Sid-san and Idol, this academy will turn into a mess.


    (And above all ¨C I¡¯m sure my body won¡¯t listen to me for a few days after the fight.)


    It was too wasteful to waste the precious time in the infirmary when I can take the sses of White Lily Academy.


    For this reason, I¡¯ve been putting off their challenges.


    ¡¸Haa¡­ I understand. Then, if you agree to the condition of¡ºno soul dress¡», I will ept the challenge.¡¹


    And when I put forth the special condition,


    ¡¸Aa?¡¹


    ¡¸No soul dress?¡¹


    Sid-san and Idol frowned together.


    ¡¸Yes. If it¡¯s a battle with soul dress, I¡¯ll only be able to deal with either Sid-san or Idol today.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Tch.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Certainly.¡¹


    ¡¸So it¡¯s a duel without a soul dress. Competing with pure¡ºswordsmanship¡»as a swordsman is also a serious battle.¡¹


    A battle that lifted the ban on soul dress will surely be a death fight.


    When that happens, there¡¯s one person whom I can imagine posing a great trouble ¨C Sid-san.


    He won¡¯t stop once he catches fire.


    I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll recklessly release the power of the¡´Vanargand¡µand freeze the whole of White Lily Academy in ice.


    That¡¯s why I proposed a duel without a soul dress.


    And this was¡­ a good confirmation for me, too.


    ¡¸Haa, that might be interesting once in a while¡­ Fine, let¡¯s have it your way!¡¹


    ¡¸I don¡¯t mind that either!¡¹


    Thus, on thest day at White Lily Academy, I am to have a swordsmanship match with Sid Euclius and Idol Luxmaria without the use of soul dress.

 Chapter 109.1 - Abnormality and White Lily Academy [10] – part 1

    109. Abnormality and White Lily Academy [10] ¨C part 1


    Idol, Sid-san and I moved to the first exercise hall next to the gymnasium.


    There was arge square stone stage in the building, which was only slightly smaller than the gymnasium.


    The swordsmanship club was practicing there until just a while ago, but¡­


    When Idol exined the situation, they gave up the ce readily.


    And as the members of swordsmanship club watched from the sleeves of the stage,


    ¡¸Come, Allen. We can fight to our hearts content!¡¹


    Idol excitedly took my hand and tried to get up to the stage.


    However, Sid-san stopped her.


    ¡¸Oi, wait a minute, Idol. Why are you first?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m the one who got this ce. It¡¯s my natural right.¡¹


    ¡¸That doesn¡¯t have anything to do with anything. First of all, you lost at the Sword King Festival just recently! It¡¯s not like you¡¯re going to win, so stand back!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Kuh. Who was the one that got beaten to a ragged state at the Big Five Holy Festival¡­?¡¹


    One thing I¡¯ve learned in the past two weeks.


    The short tempered Sid-san and the belligerent Idol ¨C the chemistry between the two is the worst.


    And as I heaved a sigh loudly,


    ¡¸I¡¯m gonna kill you.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Let¡¯s see you try.¡¹


    The ground under Sid-san¡¯s feet began to freeze, whereas electricity began to flow through Idol¡¯s body.


    (Oi, Oi, give me a break¡­!)


    If these two fight in such a ce, this first exercise hall will surely be blown to bits.


    Then, the trouble I went through to prohibit soul dress will be for naught.


    ¡¸P-Please calm down. Uh¡­ I got it! Why don¡¯t you decide the order of battle with ¡°Rock, Paper, Scissors¡± fairly? ¡¹


    I forced my way in between them right away and managed to calm them.


    ¡¸Muh¡­ If Allen says so.¡¹


    ¡¸Tch, whatever.¡¹


    Idol agreed, followed by Sid-san¡¯s consent.


    ¡¸Then, let¡¯s start¡­ Rock, Paper¡­¡¹


    I took the lead, and the two shook down their right fist towards their open left palm.


    Looking closely at both of their hands¡­ Sid-san¡¯s hand was paper, and Idol¡¯s hand was rock.


    (The opponent for the first match is Sid-san.)


    The moment when Sid-sanughed, assured of his victory, Idol¡¯s face clouded and tremendous electricity ran through her whole body.


    (Flying Thunder God?! And that amount of output¡­)


    But why on earth¡­?


    When I was closely observing Idol¡¯s hand, something incredible happened.


    (This!)


    Her¡ºhand¡»slowly changed shape.


    ¡ºChange¡»that transcends human reaction rate.


    ¡ºChange¡»just before the right hand hit her open left palm.


    As a result.


    Sid-san¡¯s hand remains the same¡ºPaper¡».


    On the other hand, Idol¡¯s hand was¡ºScissors¡».


    Idol became the first one to cross swords with me.


    ¡¸Fufu, my victory¡­¡¹she said, and took my hand and went up to the stage.


    (That feels a little sly, but¡­)


    There was no rule that the use of soul dress is prohibited in this rock-paper-scissor.


    And Idol changed her hand in the middle of their hands being shaken down ¨C if we disregard ethics, then by rules it was her victory.


    ¡¸Te, Teme Idol¡­ That¡¯s cheating!¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, only the results matter.¡¹


    ¡¸Guh¡­¡¹Sid-sanined, but he seemed to be convinced for the time being.


    ¡¸Well, uh¡­ Let¡¯s decide the rules before we start the swordsmanship match!¡¹I said cheerfully, to change the stiff atmosphere.¡¸First of all, the use of soul dress is prohibited. Attacks that cause serious injury to the other party are also prohibited. The victory conditions are¡­ How about pushing your opponent off this stone stage?¡¹


    I proposed simple rules that borrowed from the rules of such as the Sword Festival, Big Five Festival, and Sword King Festival.


    ¡¸I have no objection¡­ Come on, let¡¯s do it now!¡¹


    She unsheathed both swords impatiently, assuming a unique stance.


    Her right leg was half a step forward, and the left foot was half a step behind.


    The right hand maintained a slightly higher position, and the left hand was pulled back ¨C a Two-Sword Style.


    (shing with the right hand, while thrusting with the left hand. As usual, it¡¯s a super-aggressive stance¡­)


    While raising my guard, I unsheathed my sword and assumed Seigan no Kamae.


    ¡¸Here Ie¡­ Allen!¡¹


    ¡¸Aa¡­ Come!¡¹


    The moment our gazes crossed, Idol broke into a run straight towards me.


    ¡¸Thunder Style ¨C Heavy Thunder!¡¹


    Both swords cut through the air at lightning speed, and ten shes were fired.


    I could see each of them ¨C very calmly.


    (It¡¯s exactly as I thought¡­)


    Regardless of the presence of darkness, my physical abilities have improved significantly.


    Perhaps, the in training I did every day finally bore fruit a little.


    I avoided the looming ten shes. With only footwork, without engaging with my sword.


    Not by dodging backwards, but by moving forward through the gaps in the shes, closing the distance with her.


    ¡¸No, way!¡¹


    Not using my sword to defend all the shes, surprised Idol quite a bit.


    I didn¡¯t miss that opportunity, and unleashed a diagonal sh containing my full body weight.


    ¡¸HA!¡¹


    ¡¸Kuh¡­!¡¹


    She crossed the two swords in front of her and readied a perfect defense.


    The moment when sword and sword collided, and sparks flew together with a dull metallic sound,


    ¡¸¡­Kyaa!¡¹


    Unable to withstand the impact, Idol was blown back, rolling straight out of the stage.


    Out of field ¨C my win.


    (What a strange feeling. This¡ºpower¡»feels very familiar to my body.)


    This is by no means that guy¡¯s ¨C power of¡ºdarkness¡».


    This felt much different¡­ A fundamental¡ºsomething¡»that belonged to the individual known as¡ºI¡».


    (There is a need for me to try a little more of everything¡­)


    As I was thinking about that, Idol slowly stood up and looked at me with an expression that screamed¡ºUnbelievable!¡».


    ¡¸Allen, what is¡­ that power¡­? It¡¯s impossible for a human being¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, ahaha¡­ Even if you say so¡­¡¹


    As I was at a loss for an answer,


    ¡¸That¡¯s pathetic, Idol. Quietly stand there and watch how a real fight goes.¡¹


    Sid-san came up to the stage, with a heinous smile.


    ¡¸You had better not let your guard down¡­ If it¡¯s a contest of strength, you can¡¯t win.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I already know that from watching just now.¡¹


    After a short exchange of words with Idol, he slowly pulled out his sword.

 Chapter 109.2 - Abnormality and White Lily Academy [10] – part 2

    109. Abnormality and White Lily Academy [10] ¨C part 2


    (This is the first time I¡¯m crossing swords with Sid-san since the Big Five Holy Festival¡­)


    Nostalgia flooded my mind as I observed his unique stance.


    Loosely dangling his sword in his right hand.


    The tip of the sword waspletely down, and at first nce he just seems to be unmotivated.


    But this stanceless, naturalness, andck of care is the stance of the genius swordsman, Sid Euclius.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s start!¡¹


    ¡¸Aa,e on!¡¹


    Both our cries echoed and we started running at the same time.


    ¡¸HA!¡¹


    ¡¸SEI!¡¹


    Both our swords collide violently and a definitive shock runs on both hands.


    Right when it was about to be a locked sword state.


    ¡¸Wha?!¡¹


    Sid-san slid his sword with exquisite force handling and circled to my right side.


    (C-Clever!)


    The timing of when to add force and when to shift it, movement of the center of gravity, footwork without wasted movement ¨C it was a perfect movement technique.


    With my defenceless right half exposed to Sid-san, I immediately jumped to the left.


    ¡¸Ha, I won¡¯t let you!¡¹


    But Sid-san even reacted to my evasion.


    The sh that he shot in ordance with my movement caught my right shoulder.


    ¡¸Guh¡­¡¹


    I bit down the sharp pain and performed ukemi.


    (The wound is¡­ not too deep.)


    At this level, there is no problem in continuing the battle.


    ¡¸¡­As expected of Sid-san.¡¹


    ¡¸Haa¡­ Are you half asleep? You don¡¯t have toment on every little thing.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry, ahaha.¡¹


    Exchanging such small talk, I was astonished by Sid-san¡¯s sense ofbat.


    (His entire body is like a spring and his superhuman reaction speed.)


    And above all, his terrifying¡ºability to respond to any situation¡».


    Just now, after observing the battle between me and Idol, he clearly changed the way he fought.


    At the Big Five Holy Festival, it was¡ºPower¡».


    But now,¡ºspeed¡»and¡ºfinesse¡»was at the forefront.


    (I must not get caught up in his pace.)


    The basis of swordsmanship is to fight in your area of expertise.


    Distance, Pace, Attack and Defense ¨C Don¡¯t let your opponent hold these things.


    (With the next move¡­ I¡¯ll break his pace!)


    I kicked the stone stage strongly and zeroed the distance in one step.


    ¡¸Eighth Sword ¨C Yatagarasu!¡¹


    Eight sharp shes rushed towards Sid-san.


    ¡¸Ha¡­! Naive!¡¹


    Some he parried, some he blocked, some he evaded ¨C handling all the shes deftly.


    However, even for Sid-san it was impossible to cut down eight high-speed shes without exposing any gap at all.


    Without overlooking the moment where he lost his bnce slightly, I unleashed another series of eight shes.


    ¡¸Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style Secret Technique ¨C Mirrored Sakura sh!¡¹


    A total of eight shes attacked Sid-san ¨C four each from left and right, like a mirror match.


    ¡¸Tch, don¡¯t underestimate me!¡¹


    But he intercepted all the shes with a frightening reaction speed and sword speed.


    (As expected. But it¡¯s over.)


    Sid-san, who managed to cut down all the shes, exposed his empty torso.


    I threw a middle kick containing my entire body weight there.


    ¡¸HA!¡¹


    The blow, which contained my body weight and enough centrifugal force,


    ¡¸Ka, ha!¡¹


    Pierced deep into his side.


    Sid-san flew horizontally with his body bent heavily, crashing into the walls of the building.


    Out of field ¨C my win.


    Thus, the swordsmanship match with Idol and Sid-san ended within a mere five minutes.


    ¡¸Fuu¡­ That¡¯s all.¡¹


    I used darkness to heal the wound in my shoulder, and quietly sheathed my sword into its scabbard.


    And then,


    ¡¸Geho, gaha¡­ W, Wait¡­!¡¡Don¡¯t run away¡­! I¡¯ll keep going¡­ until I win¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸Me, too¡­ I still want to do it!¡¹


    Sid-san, who managed to stand up while holding his abdomen, and Idol, who was watching the match with intense concentration ¨C both strongly wanted a rematch.


    I just somewhat¡­ understood.


    That I¡¯m probably gonna have to go at it until they¡¯re both satisfied.


    ¡¸No, even if you say that¡­¡¹


    When I was wondering how to deal with this, the door of the First Exercise Hall suddenly swung open.


    ¡¸Wait a minute!¡¹


    ¡¸I don¡¯t want you to monopolize Allen without permission!¡¹


    ¡¸God! Would you please exchange swords with me?¡¹


    There was Ria, Rose, Cain-san ¨C and behind them was everyone of Year 1 ss A of White Lily Academy.


    ¡¸Allen-sama¡­! Would you please exchange swords with us too?¡¹


    ¡¸Today is thest day we can spend together! Please!¡¹


    It was Shirley-san, Misha-san and Reese-san. At the request of many other ssmates to exchange swords with me¡­ I couldn¡¯t decline.


    ¡¸Okay. I¡¯ll ept everyone¡¯s request!¡¹


    I epted my fate and decided to fight everyone.


    And about an hour has passed since then.


    ¡¸First Sword ¨C Flying Shadow!¡¹


    When I fired a sh that flew through the air, my opponent, Reese-san, held her sword horizontally to defend herself.


    However,


    ¡¸KYAA!¡¹


    Her slender arms couldn¡¯t handle the impact and the sword was knocked out of her hands.


    That settles the match.


    ¡¸Are you all right, Reese-san?¡¹


    I picked up her sword that fell on the stone stage and handed it to her.


    ¡¸Y-Yes¡­ thank you.¡¹


    She climbed off the stage with a blush of her face.


    (Well, let¡¯s see¡­ she¡¯s the fiftieth¡­)


    I wiped off the beads of sweat that trickled down my forehead and looked at the¡ºwaiting row¡».


    (About, another seventy left?)


    It looks like there¡¯s still a long way to go.


    And as I was steadying my breathing, the next challenger took the stage.


    ¡¸I¡¯m a third-year, but¡­ may I participate?¡¹


    She looked like a smaller version of Pa-san ¨C a bear-like giant frame.


    Short trimmed blonde hair.


    A finely-chiseled, fearless look.


    I¡¯m sure this person was¡­ Lily Gonzalez, who served as the General at the Sword King Festival.


    ¡¸Ah, yes¡­ Please go easy on me.¡¹


    I was a little surprised by the sudden participation of a senior student¡­ No, actually I was very surprised, but¡­


    This could be a very good opportunity.


    ¡¸Well, Allen Rodore¡­ I¡¯ming!¡¹


    ¡¸Yes!¡¹


    Thus, thest day at White Lily Academy became a sword crossing festival with more than one hundred swordsmen.


    ¡ö


    Afterpleting the swordsmanship match of more than one hundred battles, I parted ways with everyone of White Lily Academy, Sid-san, and Cain-san.


    The time was already nine o¡¯clock at night.


    Because it was the end of September, the day had already fallenpletely.


    At present, I was heading to the dormitory of Thousand de Academy with Ria and Rose.


    ¡¸Fuu¡­ I¡¯m exhausted.¡¹


    I raised both hands and stretched wide.


    ¡¸Fufu, but it was really amazing¡­ I never thought you¡¯d achieve over¡ºOne Hundred Victories¡».¡¹


    ¡¸To be precise, a 123-wins and 0-loss. An amazing record.¡¹


    Ria and Rose muttered, with a serious expression.


    ¡¸Ahaha. Thanks to that my body is in tatters¡­¡¹


    To be honest, the 123 consecutive matches was indeed a little tough.


    However, that was also somewhat of a¡ºFarewell party¡»so there was no helping it.


    ¡¸Well¡­ Starting tomorrow, we¡¯ll resume training at Thousand de Academy!¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, Allen¡­ Why do you always feel better when it¡¯s about training?¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, I wonder why?¡¹


    Yes, from tomorrow onwards, it¡¯s back to everyday training at Thousand de Academy again.


    Everyone of Year 1 Group A who trained at the Ice King Academy would¡¯ve surely grown stronger than two weeks ago.


    (I too¡­ have to work even harder!)


    In this way, we returned to Thousand de Academy after enjoying¡ºthe life of a transfer student¡»at White Lily Academy,.

 Chapter 110.1 - Senior Holy Knight and Sunny Land [1] – part 1

    110. Senior Holy Knight and Sunny Land [1] ¨C part 1


    Next day.


    I woke up a littleter than usual.


    Looking at the clock, it¡¯s 7.30 in the morning.


    There is still time until the start of the first period, but¡­ I have to hurry up and get ready.


    ¡¸Fuwaa¡­¡¹


    I stretched greatly and got out of bed.


    (Hmm¡­ My body still feels a little heavy¡­)


    It seems that the exhaustion of crossing swords with more than a hundred swordsmen cannot be recovered with a single night¡¯s sleep.


    (Let¡¯s wash the face and change clothes.)


    And as I leave the bedroom,


    ¡¸Ah. Good morning, Allen!¡¹


    Ria, who seemed more pleasant than usual, greeted me with a cheerful smile.


    I felt a little refreshed seeing her in a good mood.


    ¡¸Good morning, Ria. Is that¡­ winter uniform?¡¹


    Taking a quick look at her, she was dressed in a different uniform than usual.


    (Speaking of¡­ It is about time to change the seasonal clothes.)


    Today was October 1st. The day we shift from summer uniform to winter uniform.


    ¡¸Y-Yes! What do you think¡­?¡¹


    She spun around on the spot and tilted her head, with slight nervousness showing on her face.


    A short white dress which emphasizes her figure . And a warm ck jacket on top of it. The chic outfit was well matched with Ria¡¯s beautiful blond hair.


    ¡¸Aa, it looks great.¡¹


    ¡¸T-Thank you¡­ Well, let¡¯s see how Allen looks in winter uniform, okay?¡¹


    ¡¸Sure.¡¹


    After that, Ipleted my morning preparations quickly and was urged by Ria to change into my winter uniform.


    ¡¸How is it?¡¹


    Honestly speaking¡­ The winter uniform for men was basically not much different from the summer uniform.


    The top is a jacket with a ck ent on white fabric. The bottom is simple pants with the same color scheme as the jacket.


    When I asked for Ria¡¯s impression,


    ¡¸It looks good! You look cool!¡¹Ria said, with a smile blooming on her face.


    ¡¸Ahaha, thank you.¡¹


    I didn¡¯t think it was going to be that big of a change, but¡­ If she says so, then I¡¯m sure it looks good.


    After we showed off each other¡¯s winter uniform,


    ¡¸Well then, let¡¯s go now.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes!¡¹


    We decided to head to Thousand de Academy together.


    When I opened the door, cool air that reminded me of theing of autumn kissed my cheeks.


    ¡¸It¡¯s a little chilly¡­ Are you cold?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m alright, thank you. Thete summer heat is over and it¡¯s going to be autumn soon.¡¹


    Looking around, the leaves of the lush trees were already a little yellowish.


    As we walked slowly, feeling the end of summer and the arrival of autumn, we arrived at Thousand de Academy that gave me a rush of nostalgia.


    ¡¸Oh, it has be beautiful again!¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, it feels good.¡¹


    The exterior walls that became darkened because of that guy¡¯s darkness, were now pure white and beautiful. The gymnasium which was blown up by the explosion waspletely restored. And the inside of the academy building was also beautiful.


    The hallways without a single bit of debri.


    Window ss without a speck of dust.


    Just looking at it feels good.


    Walking through the hallways which have be beautiful, we arrived at the ssroom of Year 1 ss A.


    I put my hand on the side-opening door and exhaled loudly.


    ¡¸¡­Feeling a little nervous?¡¹


    ¡¸Y-Yes¡­ It¡¯s been two weeks since I met everyone.¡¹


    ¡¸Fuu¡­ I¡¯m gonna open it.¡¹


    ¡¸O-Okay¡­!¡¹


    When I opened the door vigorously,


    ¡¸-Oh, it¡¯s been a while, Allen!¡¹


    ¡¸Good morning! How are you?¡¹


    ¡¸Hey, both of you! Tell us about your adventures in White Lily Academy!¡¹


    Everyone in the ss rushed up to us simultaneously.


    Immediately following that,


    ¡¸¡­Morning, Allen, Ria¡­¡­ and everyone.¡¹


    Rose, who was sleepy faced as usual, entered the ssroom. With this, everyone of Year 1 ss A was safely gathered again. Then, we had a good time talking about each other¡¯s transfer life until the morning homeroom started.


    A little whileter, the morning chime rang and the ssroom door opened vigorously.


    ¡¸Good morning, everyone!¡¹


    It was Leia-sensei, who was brimming with energy as usual.


    She took a good look at all of us and nodded with satisfaction.


    ¡¸Fufu, everyone seems to have gotten stronger in this small period of time! It¡¯s morning homeroom, but¡­ there is no special message! So, let¡¯s start the first period right away!¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸Yes!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    Thus, we returned to the daily life of Thousand de Academy.


    ¡ö


    After that, peaceful days flew by.


    In the morning, we usually had soul dress ss.


    During lunch break, we had regr meetings with the student council.


    In the afternoon, we had strength training and lectures.


    After sses were over, we conducted the activity of the practice-swing club in the corner of the schoolyard.


    I devoted all my time to swordsmanship. A very fulfilling routine.


    About one month passed by. And on a particr day in November, I, Ria, and Rose, were summoned to the director¡¯s office while having lunch during the regr meetings.


    I opened the ckcquered door which gave off a sense of intimidation. Inside, there was the figure of sensei, who had just finished reading Weekly Shounen Yaiba.


    ¡¸Ah, you¡¯re here. I¡¯m sorry to call you all of a sudden.¡¹


    She picked up three sheets of paper from her work desk and distributed it to the three of us.


    (Is this¡­ a resume?)


    As I was tilting my head in confusion,


    ¡¸Nothing much¡­ I am just thinking of rmending you three to the¡ºSpecial Trainee¡»program of the Senior Holy Knight.¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸Special trainee? ¡¹¡¹¡¹


    The three of us repeated the exact same word.


    ¡¸Aa, it¡¯s no wonder you don¡¯t know. After all, this is a new system that was newly established this year.¡¹


    Sensei began to exin.


    ¡¸To put it simply, this is a system in which the Holy Knights Association absorbs the high achievers of the Five Academy. As you know, the recent international situation has be more unstable than ever. So, the Holy Knights Association has established a system to secure better human resources ¨C that is the¡ºSpecial Trainee System¡».¡¹


    She drank a ss of water and continued exining.


    ¡¸Participants in this system will be assigned to several branches on weekends when the academy is closed. So you will undergo the same training as a Senior Holy Knight to raise the standards of your swordsmanship and cultivate a better understanding of Holy Knights.¡¹


    ¡¸I see¡­¡¹


    We students can hone our swordsmanship by training with Senior Holy Knights.


    Whereas, the Holy Knights Association is attempting to absorb promising students.


    It¡¯s certainly a good deal with benefits for both the students and the Holy Knights Association.


    ¡¸It¡¯s going to be a little hard since your weekdays will have to be sacrificed. Of course, this is notpulsory, but it¡¯s a beneficial offer for you. I want you to consider this with a positive outlook.¡¹sensei said, bringing the exnation to an end.


    At the same time, I shook my head quietly.


    ¡¸I¡¯m very grateful, but¡­ I am sorry. Unlike Ria and Rose, I haven¡¯t manifested my soul dress yet. So I can¡¯t ept this offer.¡¹


    To be a Senior Holy Knight, there is a condition called¡ºsoul dress must have been manifested¡».


    This is a documented rule, and so far, it is said that there has been only one exception.


    When I politely refused sensei¡¯s proposal,


    (Haa¡­ What a waste¡­)


    I sighed loudly in my heart.


    The chance of reaching out to the dream-like position of Senior Holy Knight¡­ I¡¯ve let it slip away.


    (¡ºSoul dress¡», huh ¡­)


    Just when will I attain it?


    Man¡­ I hate myck of talent¡­


    (Haa¡­)

 Chapter 110.2 - Senior Holy Knight and Sunny Land [1] – part 2

    110. Senior Holy Knight and Sunny Land [1] ¨C part 2


    As I was feeling downhearted,


    ¡¸Aa, you don¡¯t have to worry about that. I¡¯ll talk to the top brass of the Holy Knight Association.¡¹ sensei asserted.


    ¡¸R-Really!?¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, the position of¡ºDirector of Five Academy¡»is not just for show. I am sending out Allen Rodore, after all. A chance to absorb the¡ºbest talent of the current generation¡»- I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be happy to ept unconditionally.¡¹sensei said andughed gently, but¡­ I didn¡¯t hear what she said halfway through.


    Because¡­ A whirlpool of joy was swirling in my head.


    (I did it! I did it, mother!)


    If I be a Senior Holy Knight, I will receive a stable sry every month.


    If so¡­ I can finally let my mother, who has raised me up to this point by herself, and is still working hard in Goza Vige every day ¨C to finally live an easy life.


    As I thought that, something hot surged through my body.


    ¡¸Hmm, Allen seems to be eager, but¡­ what about Ria and Rose?¡¹


    ¡¸If Allen goes, of course I¡¯ll go too!¡¹


    ¡¸Same for me.¡¹


    It seems that Ria and Rose will also participate together.


    ¡¸All right! Then, I¡¯ll keep in touch with you. You should go to the Orest Branch Holy Knights Association with the resume I distributed at 9am tomorrow.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes!¡¹


    ¡¸I got it.¡¹


    ¡¸Understood.¡¹


    And we left the director¡¯s office.


    ¡ö


    Next day.


    We knocked at the gates of the Orest Branch Holy Knights Association.


    Then we entered a huge single story building and submitted our resume at the reception desk. After that, we were taken to the training hall of the Senior Holy Knights.


    The training hall was vast as our gymnasium. Swordsmen dressed in white padded undershirt, stood in a line.


    (Wow¡­ what a number.)


    Just with a quick scan, I count more than a hundred swordsmen.


    ording to the woman at the reception desk, all of the people here are the¡ºeggs¡»of Senior Holy Knights ¨C that is, Junior Holy Knights who have attained their soul dress.


    If they pass the practice test held today, they will be promoted to Senior Holy Knight.


    ¡¸I¡¯m kind of nervous¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, this is a strange atmosphere¡­¡¹


    Ria and Rose gulped at the peculiar atmosphere in the hall right before the test.


    ¡¸For the time being¡­ Let¡¯s line up too.¡¹


    ¡¸Y-Yes¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, that¡¯s right.¡¹


    We waited for thirty minutes after that.


    The scheduled start time of 9am has already passed long ago.


    ¡¸¡­No one¡¯sing.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s right. I wonder what¡¯s going on?¡¹


    ¡¸Did they fall sick?¡¹


    When the training hall suddenly became noisy, the door at the back of the dojo opened vigorously.


    ¡¸I am your instructor, Don Gorg. Hmm¡­ Each and everyone of you have a stupid look on your face!¡¹


    Don Gorg.


    A stern face, with wrinkles on the forehead.


    He seems to be in the middle of his fifties.


    About 180 centimeters tall.


    A body as huge as a rock.


    ck stubble and gray streaked hair.


    He was wearing a white padded undershirt, the same as the Junior Holy Knights.


    Somehow¡­ I felt that he was giving off the same air as the teachers of Gran Swordsmanship Academy.


    He showed up way past the scheduled time, and suddenly cursed at us.


    ¡¸First of all¡­ I have to look over you bastards¡¯ boring resume. In the meantime, go do some damn practice-swings!¡¹he spat and went back to the back room.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸YES! ¡¹¡¹¡¹


    The Junior Holy Knights gave a sharp reply, but¡­


    ¡¸What kind of attitude is that? Should I burn the hell out of him?¡¹


    ¡¸Feeding him as nourishment to¡´Winter Sakura¡µdoesn¡¯t sound bad either.¡¹


    Ria and Rose, who were more proud than others, had veins popping on their foreheads.


    ¡¸Well, well, calm down both of you¡­ Today is still the first day, so why don¡¯t we do as he says for now?¡¹


    We can¡¯t evade responsibilities right off the first day itself, let alone cause a problem.


    I managed to suppress their temper and persuaded them to do practice-swings.


    For about three hours after that, we just swung our swords single-mindedly.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸SEI! HA! YA!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    Raise the sword, swing it down, assume Seigan no Kamae.


    A repetition of the same movement.


    Two hours passed. One by one, people stopped swinging.


    Perhaps they¡¯re not feeling well today.


    (Even so¡­ fufu, swinging while raising a cry is also¡­ fun.)


    Practice-swing, in a manner of speaking, is the same as having¡ºmeals¡».


    Having meals together with everyone is more fun than having it alone.


    Simrly, it is more fun to swing with everyone than to swing the sword alone.


    And as I was swinging my sword in a good mood,


    ¡¸Enough!¡¹


    Suddenly, the back door opened vigorously, and the instructor appeared, clutching a sake bottle in one hand.


    ¡¸Well, it¡¯s only been three hours and yet, there are already those who have thrown in the towel!¡¹he said, kicking one of the Junior Holy Knights, who was resting in the corner of the training hall, in the stomach.


    ¡¸Ga, ha¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸Go home! A weakling like you will not be a Senor Holy Knight even if it takes a lifetime!¡¹


    ¡¸Y-Yes¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­¡¹


    The Junior Holy Knights, who stopped swinging halfway through, left the training hall with a mortified look.


    (It¡¯s not very pleasant to watch.)


    When I was thinking about that,


    ¡¸An¡ºUnusual¡»is mixed within one of you!¡¹the instructor suddenly raised a loud voice.


    ¡¸Allen Rodore! Get in front of me right now!¡¹


    ¡¸Eh, ah, yes¡­!¡¹


    I was suddenly called by my name.


    ¡¸Kisama¡­ Do you know what you¡¯ve done?¡¹


    ¡¸I-I think¡­ practice-swings?¡¹


    Speaking of what I¡¯ve done since I came here, that¡¯s all I can think of.


    ¡¸Fool! There is a limit to jesting!¡¹


    The instructor yelled and thrust a piece of paper in front of my face.


    ¡¸This is¡­ my resume?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, yes. Full Name: Allen Rodore. Final Education Background: still enrolled in Thousand de Academy. And ¨C soul dress¡ºunmanifested¡». Bastard¡­ What the hell is this all about?¡¹


    Apparently, he seems to be angry about the fact that someone who hasn¡¯t manifested soul dress was standing in this ce.


    But, he should have already known about it.


    ¡¸No, Leia-sensei has already talked about this matter-¡¹


    ¡¸Noisy! Don¡¯t make petty excuses! A third-rate swordsman who can¡¯t use soul dress! Who do you think you¡¯re talking back to?¡¹


    The instructor didn¡¯t listen to my words, and continued yelling at me.


    (This is¡­ a waste of time.)


    It would be better to step back for now and consult with sensei.


    ¡¸¡­Haa, I understand.¡¹


    When I stepped back, Ria opened her mouth as she had reached the limit of her patience.


    ¡¸Hey, aren¡¯t you a little too tyrannical?! Try to listen to Allen¨C¡¹


    The moment she stood in front of the instructor,


    ¡¸Who allowed you to speak?!¡¹


    ¡¸Kyaa!¡¹


    Of all things, he hit Ria!


    At that moment, dense murky darkness enveloped the entire training hall.


    ¡¸Hi-Hii!¡¹


    ¡¸W-What the hell is this¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸This power and the name¡ºAllen Rodore¡»¡­Is he possibly¡­!?¡¹


    Without paying attention to the voices of those around me, I broke in between Ria and the instructor in one step, thrusting the¡ºpseudo-ck sword¡»in front of him.


    ¡¸Bastard, what are you doing?¡¹


    The instructors face dyed red in anger. He pulled out the sword fastened at his waist.


    I desperately suppressed the anger that boiled up, and put forth a certain proposal with a smile on my face.


    ¡¸Instructor Don, why don¡¯t we have a match?¡¹


    ¡¸A match, you say¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, a one-on-one serious match. If I lose, I won¡¯t knock on the gates of the Holy Knights Association for the rest of my life. And leave this ce right away.¡¹


    ¡¸Hou¡­¡¹


    ¡¸But, if you lose, you will apologize to Ria right away.¡¹


    When I proposed the duel,


    ¡¸Hmm¡­ The moment you turned your sword towards me, the chance of bing a Holy Knight was gone. But¡­ how interesting, I ept!¡¹


    Taking off his padded undershirt, he exposed his muscr figure.


    And then,


    ¡¸KAAAAAAA!¡¹


    He released a dense bloodlust with a terrible roar.


    It seems that he is not all talk and no action.


    ¡¸Fuhaha, I¡¯ll let you know what gives me the greatest pleasure! It is punishing guys like you who don¡¯t realise your ce, and making you cry and beg for forgiveness!¡¹


    ¡¸Sorry, but¡­ I¡¯m not going to lose to a¡ºFallen Holy Knight¡»who would raise his hand against a girl.¡¹


    In this way, I was to duel Instructor Don Gorg of the Holy Knights Association.

 Chapter 111 - Senior Holy Knight and Sunny Land [2]

    111. Senior Holy Knight and Sunny Land [2]


    Instructor Don Gorg entered intobat position and nced around at the darkness that covered the training hall.


    ¡¸What¡¯s this strange¡ºdarkness¡»?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s something like a¡ºhalf soul dress¡».¡¹


    I answered, still maintaining Seigan no Kamae.


    ¡¸Fuu, I see¡­ A¡ºblockhead¡»like you does show up from time to time!¡¹the instructor said, and started running with a loud war cry.¡¸KAAAAAA! Mountain Breeze Style ¨C Mountain Cut!¡¹


    An overhead sh filled with spirit.


    I stopped it with my bare hands, d in darkness.


    ¡¸What¡­ the hell?!¡¹


    The instructor¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, but this was the natural oue.


    ¡¸Excuse me, can you please take it seriously?¡¹


    The attack was a¡ºfake blow¡».


    A blow which stuns, and doesn¡¯t seek to end the match right away ¨C a fake blow that was unleashed just to cause pain.


    It¡¯s not the same as a¡ºreal blow¡»that you unleash to cut down your opponent ¨C like those of Sid-san and Idol¡¯s attacks.


    ¡¸The match between swordsmen is a serious battle. I will cut you down without hesitation next time.¡¹I told him, and let go of his sword.


    ¡¸I-Impudent!¡¹


    The instructor¡¯s face dyed red and he jumped back.


    ¡¸Shitty brat¡­ You have some nerve to make a mockery of me!¡¹


    And the next moment,


    ¡¸Shave off -¡´Hilly Wind¡µ!¡¹


    A brown long sword appeared out of empty space.


    (¡­It¡¯s finally out.)


    Equipment that embodies a part of the spirit core ¨C soul dress.


    The power I am currently struggling to attain.


    ¡¸Fuhaha¡­! How do you like it? You¡¯re jealous, aren¡¯t you? Even if you make an effort all your life, this is a power that you will never attain!¡¹the instructor roared, and showed off his soul dress proudly.


    I observed the soul dress without responding to his cheap provocation.


    (Wind and¡­ is that¡ºsand¡»?)


    Looking closely by straining my eyes, I saw grains of sand and wind swirling around the long sword.


    It seems that the ability of his soul dress is to freely control two kinds of power ¨C wind and earth.


    (That is a good soul dress. As expected of an instructor of Senior Holy Knights.)


    As I held such impression in my heart,


    ¡¸Kukuku¡­ Oi, bastard! I will teach you the¡ºcore weakness¡»of a dropout swordsman who can¡¯t even use soul dress!¡¹the instructor said, with a sadistic smile, and held up his long sword high.


    ¡¸What would that be?¡¹


    ¡¸Fuu, that¡¯s¡­ long-range attack and the number of hits! Sand st!¡¹


    The moment he swung down his sword, more than twenty sand swords rushed at me.


    The eleration increased due to a sudden gust of wind, and each one cut through the air like an arrow which was released after being pulled back to the maximum.


    ¡¸Certainly¡­ you are right.¡¹


    Sid-san¡¯s Freeze Lance.


    ude-san¡¯s¡´Avio Troops¡µ.


    Dodriel¡¯s Dark Shadow.


    It¡¯s their long-range attacks and overwhelming number of hits which is most troubling for swordsmen like me who don¡¯t have a soul dress.


    However, I already thought up a countermeasure against those.


    ¡¸-Dark Shadow.¡¹


    The twenty impending sand swords ¨C were cut down by darkness as sharp as a de.


    ¡¸Wha?!¡¹


    ¡¸Yoshi, that was a good response.¡¹


    The three Dark Shadow moved exactly as I pictured.


    This is a new technique I devised inspired by Dodriel¡¯s dark shadow.


    With enough concentration, I can control up to four at a time.


    (The effective range is a little short of two meters, but¡­)


    It functions well as a defense against techniques with a lot of hits.


    As I nodded to myself, confirming the sess of the experiment of a new technique,


    ¡¸W-What is up with the crazy application range of your ability¡­!?¡¹the instructor said, pointing to my darkness, wide-eyed.


    ¡¸Ahaha. I like this darkness because it¡¯s very effective in its application.¡¹


    I cut the conversation short and assumed a forward-bent posture.


    ¡¸-Then, I¡¯ll go next?¡¹


    ¡¸I can cut down a bastard like you in a single stroke!¡¹


    As soon as I heard his answer, I invaded into the certain kill range in one step.


    ¡¸-HA!¡¹


    ¡¸Fast!?¡¹


    A diagonal sh aimed at his right chest ¨C he defended it by holding his sword horizontally


    However,


    ¡¸Nu-oh?!¡¹


    Unable to stop the impact of the swing, he was blown back a great distance.


    ¡¸Guh, this kind of power¡­ from that small frame!?¡¹the instructor grumbled, performing ukemi with a smooth movement which did not match hisrge frame.


    I identified the spot where he was about tond and shot a sh from a long distance.


    ¡¸First Sword ¨C Flying Shadow!¡¹


    ¡¸Fuh, an insignificant sh like that¡­ won¡¯t work!¡¹


    The instructor swung his sword powerfully and knocked down the Flying Shadow d in darkness.


    But that was within my calction.


    ¡¸Certainly.¡¹


    ¡¸Wha?!¡¹


    Hiding behind therge sh, I closed the distance without wasting any time.


    In the first ce, Flying Shadow is not a technique aimed at dealing damage.


    Camouge, Feint, Closing the distance ¨C it¡¯s an auxiliary-type technique.


    And just like that, I easily stepped into his certain kill range, and unleashed a decisive attack.


    ¡¸Eighth Sword ¨C Yatagarasu!¡¹


    When the sh which contained my body weight cut through the air, eight shes bared its fangs.


    ¡¸NUOOOOH¡­¡¹


    He somehow managed to deal with five shes, but¡­


    ¡¸Gah!¡¹


    Three shots slipped past and caught his right hand and both legs.


    The instructor, distorting his face in anguish, unleashed a crude,rge swing on the spot.


    I danced around it and avoided the attack with plenty of time to spare.


    (The wound is deep.)


    He can¡¯t keep fighting with that leg.


    Anymore than this won¡¯t even be a¡ºbattle¡».


    I decided that and,


    ¡¸-That decides the match. Please ept your loss.¡¹


    I thrusted the pseudo-ck sword to his chest and dered.


    And then,


    ¡¸Don¡¯t screw with me.¡¹


    The instructor, with his face down, trembled in small increments and muttered something.


    ¡¸What was that?¡¹


    ¡¸-Don¡¯t screw around! A shitty brat who hasn¡¯t even lived half as long as I have¡­ and you prattle around like a big-shot!¡¹he shouted, and thrusted his soul dress into the floor of the training hall and stood up.


    At that moment, a tornado-like storm blew, with the instructor at its core.


    It¡¯s not just a simple wind either.


    It is a storm mixed with grains of sand and has high-killing potential.


    (That¡¯s a troublesome technique.)


    I quietly observed the damage situation while repelling the whirling grains of sand with my sword.


    The grains of sand flew around with tremendous speed in all directions. The ss windows were smashed and the floorboards of the training hall were twisted out.


    That¡¯s not all.


    ¡¸It hurts¡­¡¹


    ¡¸H-Help me!¡¹


    Cries of pain went up one after another from the Junior Holy Knights who were intently watching this duel from the side.


    It doesn¡¯t seem possible for them to evade the grains of sand pouring down like rain.


    ¡¸Fuhahaha! If you have a grudge, then hold it against the dropout swordsman over there for making me get serious! Let¡¯s go then ¨C Sandstorm!¡¹


    When the instructor swung down his fist to the hilt of the long sword that was still stuck to the floor ¨C violent wind and sand filled the entire hall.


    An omnidirectional attack that has no room for evasion.


    The sand grains collide violently with each other, producing a terrible sound which stimtes fear.


    (Seriously¡­ what a troublesome thing he has done¡­)


    I had no choice but to raise the output of darkness right away. Ria, Rose, and all the junior holy knights in the hall, were d in¡ºclothes of darkness¡».


    As a result,


    ¡¸R-Ridiculous!¡¹


    Everyone in this ce weathered through the sandstorm unscathed.


    If the power is only to that degree, even a thin dark robe can defend against it.


    ¡¸Judging by that reaction¡­ Is that the strongest skill you have?¡¹


    Indiscriminate attack of storm and sand.


    Certainly, in a group battle it will be a frightening ability, but¡­ it is not an effective technique for an individual match.


    ¡¸I-Impossible¡­ Me, losing to a third-rate swordsman¡­¡¹


    He copsed as though having given up.


    ¡¸-That settles the match. Now, please apologize to Ria.¡¹


    And when I sheath my sword into it scabbard,


    ¡¸An opening! Mountain Breeze Style Secret Technique ¨C Copsed Mountain!¡¹


    Suddenly, he stood up with great momentum, and unleashed a diagonal sh filled with killing intent.


    I sighed involuntarily as I had seen the attacking from a mile away.


    (Haa¡­ Returning the sword to its scabbard is not an¡ºopening¡»by any means, though¡­)


    And then,


    ¡¸Seventh Sword ¨C Instant sh¡¹


    The sword elerated from within the scabbard, and there was only a gleam of light ¨C the instructor¡¯s soul dress was hacked in two.


    ¡¸Wha¡­!?¡¹


    This time he became speechless and silently fell on his knees.


    At that moment, apuse burst forth from the training hall.


    ¡¸That power, there is no doubt anymore! You¡¯re that Allen Rodore!¡¹


    ¡¸I saw you at the Sword King Festival! I-If you don¡¯t mind, will you teach me the sword!?¡¹


    The junior holy knights gathered around, with sparkles in their eyes.


    ¡¸A-Ahahaha¡­ let¡¯s talk about thatter, for now¡­¡¹


    I gently turned down their wishes, and looked down at Instructor Don, who was on his knees, gritting his teeth.


    ¡¸Instructor Don Gorg, will you ept the defeat?¡¹


    And when I asked again,


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡­.S-Shit¡­ I, I was wrong¡­ Please forgive me¡­¡¹


    After a long silence, he expressed an honest apology.


    Thus, I sessfully defeated Don Gorg, the instructor of Senior Holy Knights, and heaved a sigh loudly.


    (Haa¡­ What should I do after this?)


    Tattered training hall.


    The instructor riddled with wounds


    Myself unscathed.


    (I don¡¯t know how I¡¯m going to exin this to the people of the association.)


    I got involved in a big mess on the first day itself, and was worried about the¡ºexnation to the association¡»and¡ºconsequences¡».

 Chapter 112 - Senior Holy Knight and Sunny Land [3]

    112. Senior Holy Knight and Sunny Land [3]


    As I nced around at the tattered training hall and thought about how to exin this situation, I noticed footstepsing this way.


    Perhaps the staff of the Holy Knights Association heard the sound of broken windows and are heading towards us in a hurry.


    (For the time being¡­ I have no choice but to exin it as it is¡­)


    I don¡¯t know if they¡¯ll believe me, but let¡¯s just describe the in truth.


    When I made up my mind, a man walked into the training hall.


    ¡¸What was all that noise just¡­ now?¡¹


    He, who was dressed in a wacky outfit, gaped at the miserable state of the training hall.


    In the midst of the indescribably heavy air,


    ¡¸B-Branch chief¡­¡¹


    One of the junior holy knights called out.


    (The¡ºBranch Chief¡»means¡­ Is he¡ºClown Jester¡»-san?)


    Leia-sensei informed us that he had just taken up the position of branch chief of the Orest Branch Holy Knights Association about a week ago.


    Clown Jester.


    Judging by his outward appearance, he seemed to be in his early thirties.


    He is about 180 centimeters tall and has a thin body build.


    Dark red hair and gentle face.


    A red spade was painted on the right cheek and a ck heart on the left cheek.


    He wore a ck bartender vest on top and a whole body white monochrome clown costume.


    And he had a ck-and-white fedora low-over his eyes.


    It¡¯s not good to judge people by appearance, but¡­ he somewhat gave off a shady feeling.


    ¡¸Um¡­ Excuse me, can I ask someone to exin the situation?¡¹


    When Clown-san looked around with a wry smile,


    ¡¸T-The shitty brat there suddenly started going on a rampage!¡¹Instructor Don Gorg shouted, with an evil smile.


    ¡¸Him?¡¹


    Clown-san¡¯s gaze was directed to me.


    ¡¸Aa yes! Watch out, branch chief! Even with such a small body, he is strong like a demon!¡¹


    Then, Ria and Rose protested to the instructor who was talking nonsense.


    ¡¸Hey, don¡¯t screw around! You¡¯re the one who went on a rampage without permission and destroyed the training hall!¡¹


    ¡¸You were the one who got violent first!¡¹


    ¡¸Gu, Gununu¡­¡¹


    One-vs-two ¨C he was on the disadvantage in numbers.


    ¡¸W-What! You guys have been watching it too, right!? That shitty brat suddenly started to rampage! Oi, you were watching right !?¡¹he red at the junior holy knights as though threatening them.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡­¡­¡¹¡¹¡¹


    They shrank back and held their tongue in response to that clearly obvious threat.


    (¡­Well, no wonder.)


    For them, this instructor is their direct supervisor.


    There is no merit even if they stood up for us.


    (But that means¡­ We will be at a disadvantage¡­.)


    Don Gorg is an instructor here.


    It is our word against his.


    As the branch chief of the Orest branch, Clown-san will be more inclined to believe what his subordinate says.


    And then,


    ¡¸N-No! The person who broke this room was¡­ Instructor Don!¡¹a junior holy knight shouted.


    And with that as the start,


    ¡¸A-Aa! I saw it with my own eyes, too! The instructor went on a rampage and destroyed this training hall!¡¹


    ¡¸Branch chief! The fault lies entirely with the instructor!¡¹


    Everyone around me raised the voice of truth simultaneously.


    ¡¸B-Bastards¡­!¡¹


    To the instructor who furiously red at the junior holy knights,


    ¡¸¡­Don-san, is it true that you went on a rampage?¡¹


    Clown-san asked indifferently, with an unreadable expression.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡­¡­It¡¯s true. But! It was unavoidable! That kid spoke impudently to me!¡¹


    ¡¸I see. By the way¡­ that liquor bottle over there¡­ Is that yours?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, what¡¯s wrong with that?¡¹


    ¡¸¡ºThe Holy Knight Work Regtions¡»prohibits drinking while on duty. You know that much, don¡¯t you?¡¹


    Holy Knight Work Regtions ¨C The universal rules of the Holy Knights worldwide.


    ¡¸Hmm, I don¡¯t care about that stupid rule! I have been an instructor here for decades. My word is the rule here! Even during the previous branch chief and the branch chief before him, it has always been so!¡¹


    Clown-san simply shrugged his shoulders as the instructor shouted.


    ¡¸Fuu¡­ I understand. Well then, Instructor Don Gorg, I¡¯ll dismiss you today.¡¹


    ¡¸W-What?¡¹


    ¡¸We will send you a notice of dismissal to your home. Thank you for everything until today.¡¹


    Clown-san took off his hat and bowed, and as if to say¡ºThis matter is final!¡», he walked past the instructor.


    The next moment,


    ¡¸¡­Greenhorn, who just got appointedst week¡­ Don¡¯t talk like you understand anything! Sand st!¡¹


    The furious instructor wielded his broken soul dress and shot more than twenty sand swords towards Clown-san.


    ¡¸B-Branch chief, look out!¡¹


    A shriek flew,


    ¡¸Haa¡­ You can¡¯t even tell the¡ºdifference in power¡»?¡¹


    The sand swords broke as if it had hit an invisible wall.


    And that was not all.


    ¡¸Wha-What is this¡­!?¡¹


    The instructor slowly went down where he stood, as though being pinned down from above.


    ¡¸Nuohh!¡¹


    He seemed to be struggling to get up somehow, but¡­ he couldn¡¯t even twitch.


    Perhaps he was being held down by a tremendous force? Or perhaps something else?


    (Is this¡ºgravity¡»? ¡­No, it¡¯s not.)


    Looking closely, only the instructor¡¯s body was influenced by the mysterious power.


    If he was held down by gravity, the surrounding broken floorboards would also start creaking.


    This person¡­ although wearing a silly outfit, he is pretty strong.


    Clown-san, who made the difference in power between them clear, returned to his light tone from before.


    ¡¸Now, you¡¯re being a hindrance to the clean up. Please say¡ºgoodbye¡»already.¡¹


    Immediately after that, the instructor, who was freed from the mysterious power,


    ¡¸Tch, damn it¡­ I will remember this, Allen Rodore!¡¹


    At the end, he spat that out and ran out of the training hall.


    ¡¸Eh?¡¹


    For some reason, I alone seem to have incurred his enmity.


    No matter how you look at it, it¡¯s just him venting his anger andining, but¡­


    (I just hope it doesn¡¯t grow into something troublesome.)


    When I was thinking of that,


    ¡¸You are Allen Rodore-san, aren¡¯t you? Man, I¡¯ve heard a lot about you. Wee to the Orest Branch Holy Knights Association.¡¹


    Clown-san weed us with a soft smile.


    ¡¸Well, I have a lot of things to talk about with you, but¡­¡¹he said, and looked around the roughed up training room, lightly scratching his cheeks.


    ¡¸For the time being¡­ Can you help me with the clean up?¡¹


    And we cleaned the training hall with Clown-san using a broom and dustpan.


    ¡ö


    After that, I, Ria, and Rose, who had finished cleaning the training hall by working together with everyone, gathered in the branch chief¡¯s office.


    ¡¸Come now, everyone. Please have a seat.¡¹Clown-san said, pointing to a sofa in the center of the room.


    ¡¸Yes, excuse me.¡¹


    And as we slowly sat on the sofa,


    ¡¸-Here you go. This is a fruit juice made from Noel¡¯s fruit.¡¹


    A woman who was on standby in the branch chief¡¯s office from the beginning, ced four sses on the table in front of us.


    She is probably Clown-san¡¯s secretary.


    ¡¸Thank you.¡¹


    We, who were thirsty after the three hours of practice-swinging, epted it with thanks.


    ¡¸This is good!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­! It¡¯s just the right refreshing aftertaste!¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah¡­ It¡¯s a good drink after training.¡¹


    And as we enjoyed downing the fruit juice,


    Clown-san sat down on the sofa across from us.


    ¡¸I am really sorry. I seem to have caused a lot of trouble from the first day¡­ The Holy Knights Association is an old-fashioned organization, so such things happen sometimes.¡¹he apologized for the previous incident.


    He looked wacky like a clown, but he doesn¡¯t seem to be a bad person.


    ¡¸Well, this is long overdue, but self introductions are in order.¡¹Clown-saan said, and picked up his fedora and bowed lightly.


    ¡¸I am the branch chief of the Holy Knights Association Orest Brach: Clown Jester. Because I just moved here about a week ago, I do not know left from right in this ce!¡¹


    He cracked a joke at the end and cackled.


    ¡­It¡¯s hard to get a grip on this person.


    ¡¸I¡¯m from Thousand de Academy, Allen Rodore. Nice to meet you.¡¹


    ¡¸I am Ria Vesteria. Pleased to meet you.¡¹


    ¡¸Rose Valencia. Good to meet you.¡¹


    After the self-introductions, Clown-san exhaled greatly.


    ¡¸Man, I was surprised. I didn¡¯t think they were going to send forth a¡ºbig-shot¡». Thousand de Academy is really generous!¡¹


    ¡­Big-shot?


    As I tilted my head, confused by the word,


    ¡¸Oh, there you go¡­ Allen-san. I am talking about you, of course. You defeated that¡ºProdigy¡» Idol Luxmaria at the Sword King Festival.¡¹


    I don¡¯t know what on earth he was so happy about, but the corners of his lips curled up.


    ¡¸I¡¯ve also heard a lot about Ria-san and Rose-san.¡ºThe ck and White Princess¡»and¡ºBounty Hunter¡»- and¡ºAllen Rodore¡». Man, it¡¯s really a spectacr view when the three of you are together.¡¹


    Clown said¡ºWhat a magnificent sight¡», rubbing his hands together


    ¡­What a talkative person.


    ¡¸Well! Actually, I have a little suggestion for you. Would you be interested?¡¹


    ¡¸Y-Yes¡­ What would that be?¡¹


    ¡¸Straightaway¡­ Are you interested in an¡ºexpedition mission¡»?¡¹


    ¡¸Expedition mission?¡¹


    I asked back without thinking.


    ¡¸To put it simply, you will venture outside the country and perform the duties of a Senior Holy Knight.¡¹


    ¡¸O-Outside the country¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, I am not talking about going to a distant country, you know? I¡¯m thinking of a ce that takes about an hour to two by ne.¡¹


    ¡¸N-No, but¡­ we have sses at school, so¡­¡¹


    If I said I wasn¡¯t interested in foreign expeditions at all¡­ that would be a lie.


    But¡­ I can¡¯t ignore the sses of Thousand de Academy.


    ¡¸Aa, that¡¯s no problem. If I remember correctly, the students of Thousand de Academy will get a week off for¡ºAutumn Break¡». This is a¡ºSmall Expedition¡»during that period!¡¹


    ¡¸I see¡­¡¹


    As Clown-san said, then there¡¯s certainly no problem.


    But, there was only one thing that bothered me.


    ¡¸Excuse me, can I ask you a question?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, of course.¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you very much. So, why are you pushing for such an expedition?¡¹


    The moment I shot the question, his eyebrows twitched.


    ¡¸¡­That¡¯s a good question. To be frank¡­ As a ce where you can gain experience. There is simply ack of opportunities here.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­What does that mean?¡¹


    ¡¸Just between you and me¡­ the Senior Holy Knights of a¡ºBranch¡»are no big deal.¡¹


    ¡¸I-Is that so?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. All the best Senior Holy Knights are on missions outside the country. And the ones who are a rank above them, the ace ss, are on government officials escort duty.¡¹


    Clown-san took a sip of the fruit juice and continued.


    ¡¸This is the secret of this ce¡­ Or rather, it¡¯s like an¡ºopen secret¡»in the industry. Well, that¡¯s why I hope you guys will ept the expedition mission.¡¹


    ¡¸I, I see¡­¡¹


    ¡¸As for the destination of your expedition, it will be¡ºDagrio¡»which is called¡ºSunny Land¡». It¡¯s rtively calm there, and I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a bad idea for a first-time expedition destination.¡¹


    ¡¸Is that so?¡¹


    When I heard about the overseas expedition from Clown-san, I nced at Ria and Rose.


    And, the two of them nodded encouragingly.


    It seems that we are of the same mind


    ¡¸-Okay. It¡¯s a great opportunity, so we would like to go on this expedition!¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, you¡¯re epting it! Then, please study the duties of a Senior Holy Knight until the autumn break! First, please go to the reception desk. You will receive a lecture there. It¡¯s a short 30 minute exnation on the Holy Knight rules and main duties.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, I understand. Then, excuse us.¡¹


    In this way, we decided to go on a small expedition for about a week during the next autumn break.


    ¡ö


    After Allen and others left the branch chief¡¯s office, the woman who served as Clown¡¯s secretary asked, timidly.


    ¡¸Uh¡­ Clown branch chief, was that really a good idea?¡¹


    ¡¸Nn, what are you talking about?¡¹


    ¡¸¡ºSunny Land¡»is a conflict zone where the top secret¡ºExtermination Operation¡»is scheduled to be carried out in a few days, isn¡¯t it? To send students to such a dangerous ce¡­ I think it¡¯s too dangerous.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, those three will be fine. After all, there¡¯s a transcendent among them who broke the curse of the 100 Million-Year Button!¡¹

 Chapter 113 - Senior Holy Knight and Sunny Land [4]

    113. Senior Holy Knight and Sunny Land [4]


    After leaving the branch chief¡¯s office, we went to the reception desk, where we received a brief lecture of about 30 minutes.


    There were two main topics: The Holy Knight Work Regtion and The Duty of Holy Knights.


    The Holy Knight Work Regtion is the universal rules of duty of the Holy Knights worldwide.


    Ady receptionist exined roughly the ethics of duty that a Holy Knight should uphold and the articles which are prohibited on the service.


    After that, it was The Duty of Holy Knights.


    The Holy Knights Association is an international criminal-matter police organization whose purpose is the realization of permanent peace.


    In order to achieve this noble purpose, Holy Knights must strive to maintain security and prevent crime every day, and have a strong sense of responsibility for a wide range of duties.


    ¡¸We will conclude the basic lecture here. Thank you for your attention. More details are written in this¡ºHoly Knights Manual¡», so please read it after you return home again.¡¹she said, handing out a manual which looked like it could be used as a blunt weapon.


    ¡¸Thank you¡­¡¹


    After taking a simple lecture, we finished the first day of the special trainee by doing some simple training with the Senior Holy Knights and patrolled around Orest.


    The time is seven o¡¯clock at night.


    The three of us were heading to the dormitory of Thousand de Academy.


    ¡¸Hmm¡­ It was a little anticlimactic.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, the intensity of the training was also light. To be honest, I am still full of energy.¡¹


    Ria and Roseined.


    (Certainly¡­ It was a lot easier than I had expected¡­)


    Even the practice-swings were only for three hours, and the training afterwards was a little unsatisfactory, as Rose said.


    ¡¸¡­Choosing overseas expedition is probably the right answer.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s right. ording to Clown-san, all the senior holy knights outside the country are excellent. I am sure it will be a good experience.¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, I¡¯m looking forward to it, too.¡¹


    When they nodded, I brought up a new topic.


    ¡¸The destination of the expedition was¡ºDagrio, the Sunny Land¡», wasn¡¯t it? What kind of ce is it?¡¹


    ording to Clown-san, it¡¯s about two hours away by ne, but¡­


    To be honest, I¡¯ve never heard of a country with such a name.


    ¡¸Sorry, I don¡¯t recognize the country name Dagrio either¡­¡¹


    As Rose quietly shook her head, Ria spoke with her hand on her chin.


    ¡¸Well, if my memory serves right¡­ Sunny Land, Dagrio, is a very small country southwest of here. If I¡¯m not mistaken, it has been insisting on being neutral for a long time.¡¹


    ¡¸As expected, Ria, you¡¯re well-informed.¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, thank you. And after that¡­ oh right, the country was famed as a ce where agriculture is especially prosperous. The crops which were grown in intense sunlight were called¡ºBlessing of the Sun¡»and have a reputation for being very delicious.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡¹


    I was very enthusiastic about agriculture in Goza Vige¡­ or rather, there was nothing else in the remote ce where I grew up.


    As a farmer, I had¡ºpride¡»in the crops that we raised.


    The vegetables harvested in Goza vige are of the highest quality and nutritious, and the milk is richer and more delicious than any other farm.


    The meat from livestock grown freely on a vast grazingnd is hygienic and has a natural taste.


    (Crops from Goza Vige and¡ºBlessings of the Sun¡»- I have a need to make sure which is better¡­ once and for all.)


    As I was secretly burning withpetitive spirit,


    ¡¸Eh? Speaking of¡­ that¡¯s a little strange¡­¡¹


    Ria spoke of something worrisome.


    ¡¸What¡¯s wrong?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s a little strange. Now that I think about it, thest few years¡­ For some reason, I haven¡¯t heard of any news rted to¡ºDagrio¡». What I just talked about was written in a book I read when I was little.¡¹


    ¡¸Um¡­ Isn¡¯t that because Dagrio is a small country? Or because¡­ there has been a lot of big newstely, and it just got lost in it?¡¹


    As Leia-sensei had said before, the recent international situation is more unstable than ever.


    ck Organization showing disturbing movement.


    The Holy Ronelia Empire manipting things from the shadows.


    The five major powers that are strengthening rtions, mainly with the Kingdom of Vesteria.


    The topic of a small peaceful country will note up in the newspaper in the midst of all that news.


    ¡¸I see. You could say that¡­¡¹


    When Ria¡¯s anxiousness was eliminated,


    ¡¸-We have arrived. I¡¯ll take my leave here.¡¹


    We parted ways with Rose when we arrived at the dormitory.


    Then Ria and I went back to our dorm as usual ¨C sleeping soundly in the same bed.


    ¡ö


    A few dayster, the first day of the autumn break finally arrived.


    The three of us took a ne owned by the Orest branch and headed for an overseas expedition.


    The destination, which we left for about two hours ago ¨C Dagrio, the Sunny Land, was raining endlessly.


    ¡¸¡­It¡¯s raining, isn¡¯t it?¡¹


    I whispered to myself.


    ¡¸Aa, the sky ispletely covered by dark clouds.¡¹


    Rose nodded.


    Looking at the soil at our feet, it was muddy, almost feeling like y.


    This rain probably didn¡¯t start today


    I¡¯m sure it¡¯s been raining for at least a week or so.


    The way it is, it would be more appropriate to call it¡ºRainy Land¡»rather than Sunny Land.


    ¡¸E-Eh¡­ that¡¯s weird¡­?¡¹


    Ria said, with a troubled face, scratching her cheeks lightly.


    She was probably confused by the magnitude of difference between the Dagrio she remembered and the current Dagrio.


    After that, we were guided by the pilot and headed to the building where the Senior Holy Knights were stationed.


    Arge wooden bungalow towering over the seafront ¨C the active Senior Holy Knights seem to be based here.


    When I opened therge door in the front,


    ¡¸Nn? Ah, it¡¯s the uniform of Thousand de Academy¡­ which means! You guys are the super strong¡ºreinforcements¡»from the report!¡¹


    ¡¸I heard the story from Chief Clown! I am told, you three are the treasured pupils of that ck Fist!¡¹


    ¡¸Tomorrow is finally the scheduled day of¡ºExtermination Operation¡»¡­! I¡¯m counting on you guys!¡¹


    The Senior Holy Knights, dressed in pure white uniforms, stared at us with eyes filled with expectation.


    ¡¸R-Reinforcements? Extermination Operation?¡¹


    I was puzzled by a series of disturbing words. Arge man standing at the back of the room slowly approached me.


    ¡¸Wee to the temporary Holy Knights Association of Dagrio Branch! I¡¯m the temporary branch chief here ¨C Ben Trioc! Nice to meet you!¡¹


    Ben Trioc.


    He is in histe thirties.


    About 180 centimeters tall.


    Clean skinhead and tanned brown skin.


    A deep sword scar ran across the finely-chiseled face.


    You can see his well-trained body and swelling muscles bulging through the uniform.


    He gave his name in a quiet voice and had a charming smile.


    ¡¸I¡¯m Allen Rodore. Nice to meet you.¡¹


    ¡¸I am Ria Vesteria. Nice to meet you.¡¹


    ¡¸Rose Valencia. Good to meet you.¡¹


    After the brief self introductions, I asked about the dangerous sounding words I heard earlier.


    ¡¸Excuse me. What is Extermination Operation?¡¹


    ¡¸Eh? You haven¡¯t heard yet?¡¹


    ¡¸Y-Yes¡­ I heard from Clown-san that Dagrio is a rtively calm ce. ¡¹


    ¡ºI don¡¯t think it¡¯s a bad idea for a first-time expedition destination¡»is what he said.


    And then,


    ¡¸Seriously¡­ As usual, there¡¯s no helping that Clown.¡¹


    Ben scratched his hairless head and started talking, saying¡ºWell, that¡¯s fine¡».


    ¡¸Unfortunately,¡ºDagrio, the Sunny Land¡», is a conflict zone. A cepletely opposite to the word calm.¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡­¡­What?¡¹¡¹¡¹


    The three of us involuntarily stiffened at the unbelievable remark.


    ¡¸This country has been effectively controlled by ck Organization for several years. Since then, there have been conflicts every day.¡¹


    ¡¸I-Is that so!? But I¡¯ve never heard of such news!?¡¹


    Even though it was a small country, an entire country had fallen into the hands of the ck Organization.


    It surely would have been a huge incident, where newspapers would have started distributing extras.


    ¡¸Well, information is being regted. It¡¯s not surprising if you¡¯re hearing it for the first time.¡¹


    Ben-san continued talking, as he shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡¸I-Information regtion?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, it¡¯s a natural measure. It will bring shame to the Holy Knights Association¡¯s reputation if the news of a country falling is leaked. So, it couldn¡¯t be made public. This is confidential information known only to a handful of Senior Holy Knights and the superiors of nations.¡¹


    ¡¸I, I see¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Well, let¡¯s talk more about this country. Sunny Land of Dagrio is in a miserable situation.¡¹


    And we heard a lot of stories from Ben-san.


    Currently, Dagrio is effectively controlled by ck Organization.


    Twenty percent of Dagrio is the territory that the Holy Knights Association managed to recapture.


    Eighty percent is still dominated by the ck Organization.


    And one of the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle, with terrifying power, have taken up residence in the royal castle located at the northernmost point of the country.


    ording to the rescued Dagrio people, it has been raining every day since the day ck Organization took control.


    ¡¸Something like that¡­¡¹


    As we were speechless, Ben-san spoke of a brighter prospect.


    ¡¸Well, the hard years of the Dagrio people will be all settled by tomorrow¡¯s Extermination Operation. From what I¡¯ve heard, you three are pretty skilled, aren¡¯t you? That¡ºHentai Clown¡»gave you his stamp of approval, and you three are also the treasured pupils of ck Fist.. Fufu, I have high expectations of you!¡¹


    ¡¸E-Ermm¡­ We will be troubled if you expect that much¡­¡¹


    I think I can fight better whenpared to students, but¡­


    Compared to a swordsman like Ben-san who ys an active part in the world stage, I don¡¯t feel all that confident.


    ¡¸Hahaha, don¡¯t be crazy! Of course I have expectations for you! After all, that Clown and ck Fist acknowledged you!¡¹


    The moment Ben-san raised a loudugh, the rm sounded.


    ¡¸Nu!? Excuse me for a bit!¡¹


    He excused himself and began to walk to the back of the room.


    ¡¸-What happened, was there any movement?¡¹


    Shortly after Ben-san¡¯s loud voice rang, he immediately received a strained reply.


    ¡¸We confirmed a signal re at¡ºLao Vige¡»located in central Dagrio! The color is¡ºred¡»- an emergency!¡¹


    ¡¸Tsk¡­ How many enemies are there!? Is there any movement from the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle!?¡¹


    ¡¸The signal re that has been confirmed now is only five¡ºck¡»! The enemy is approximately fifty members of the ck Organization! Thirteen Knights of the Oracle still unconfirmed!¡¹


    ¡¸Alright, understood! Those damn bastards! All men, get ready for battle!¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸YES! ¡¹¡¹¡¹


    And the Senior Holy Knights got ready and formed into ranks.


    ¡¸Oh, Allen! It¡¯s a big job right away! Before tomorrow¡¯s Extermination Operation ¨C show me how good you are!¡¹


    Ben-san said, ¡°I have high expectations for you,¡± patting me on the back.


    ¡¸Y-Yes!¡¹


    In this way, I was sent to a violent conflict zone, and thrown into a battle right away.

 Chapter 114 - Senior Holy Knight and Sunny Land [5]

    114. Senior Holy Knight and Sunny Land [5]


    Lao vige.


    Located in the central part of the Sunny Land, Dagrio, it¡¯s a calm and peaceful vige with an idyllic atmosphere.


    But, that is a story from a long time ago.


    Now, it was suffering under the tyranny and heavy taxes of the ck Organization. Vigers were afflicted with poverty and famine, and just living hellish days of being exploited.


    Tax collection is once a month ¨C and today was that day.


    Under a simple tent in the center of Lao vige, the vige chief, who was approaching the age of 80 ¨C was prostrating, his forehead against the mud.


    ¡¸Please¡­ Please ept this and let us go.¡¹


    He offered the food scraped together from the entire vige.


    Potatoes, rice, and a small quantity of meat.


    The reality of the situation is, this was the maximum amount that can be offered by this vige.


    And then,


    ¡¸Haa¡­¡¹


    Zam Hashfeld sighed loudly ¨C a member of the ck Organization who was entrusted with tax collection in Lao vige.


    ¡¸Hey, vige chief. Aren¡¯t you underestimating us a little? You can tell with a nce¡­ that this amount is insufficient.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    The vige chief, who had hit a nerve, could only keep silent.


    The ck Organization¡¯s monthly tax is¡º300 kilograms of food¡».


    Crops, meat, and milk ¨C only 300 kilograms are collected each month, regardless of the type.


    At first, there was still no problem.


    300 kilograms of food ¨C in Dagrio, which was famous for its agriculture, that was a trifling amount.


    However, the situation has changed greatly since.


    Ever since the ck Organization took control of Dagrio, the downpour of rain never stopped.


    It was not a normal heavy rain whichsts about three to ten days.


    It has been raining for years now.


    The two young men, who were behind the vige chief, also bowed their heads while gritting their teeth.


    (Damn it¡­ cursed ck Organization¡­)


    (These guys¡­ They keep making it rain somehow¡­ To torment us¡­)


    The fertile soil flowed into the sea due to the endless rain.


    The thick clouds that covered the sky blocked the sun¡¯s rays.


    In such a poor condition, there is no way that crops can be produced as before.


    They¡¯ve managed to keep paying taxes by indoor cultivation utilizing indoor lighting, but¡­


    This month ¨C they¡¯ve finally reached the limit.


    The vige chief frantically pleaded with his forehead rubbing against the mud.


    ¡¸I am fully aware that we don¡¯t have enough food for 300 kilograms¡­ but!¡¹


    He raised his thin face, looked around at the vige, andined of it¡¯s plight.


    ¡¸In such a poor environment, we can¡¯t grow enough crops¡­! Food is already running out, and there is an epidemic in the vige¡­! 100 kilograms of food is the maximum we could bring together¡­ Wouldn¡¯t you please ept this?!¡¹the vige chief pleaded, bowing his head deeply.


    When Zam saw that, he put his hand on the vige chief¡¯s shoulder with a gentle smile on his face.


    ¡¸Hey, do you know? All we need is the spirit ores that can be mined on this ind. Do you understand what that means?¡¹


    ¡¸What do you mean¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Fuu, it¡¯s actually very simple. We don¡¯t care whether you die or not, whether you pay taxes or not¡­!¡¹


    Saying that, Zam quickly pulled out the sword fastened at his waist ¨C cutting down the vige chief in one stroke.


    ¡¸Ga, ha¡­¡¹


    ¡¸V-Vige chief!?¡¹


    ¡¸Y-You¡­! Why did you!?¡¹


    The two young men screamed in rage.


    Zam frowned, hearing the loud voices mixed with anger.


    ¡¸Tch, don¡¯t shout, it¡¯s annoying¡­ I have a bad headache because of a hangover¡­¡¹


    He was suffering from a headache due to downing the sake he had collected just yesterday.


    ¡¸Haa, it¡¯s too much trouble to collect tax from each and every vige¡­ And above all, I¡¯m sick of this soggy country dominated by that¡ºRain Man¡»¡­ Haa, I¡¯m just going to kill you all.¡¹


    When Zam uttered so, more than fifty swordsmen ¨C who had been standing behind him ¨C unsheathed their swords all at once.


    ¡¸Shit¡­!¡¹


    The young men, who had followed the vige chief to this ce, took a wooden whistle out of their pockets and blew it, alerting the vigers of danger.


    ¡¸Like. I. Said¡­ I have a bloody headache!¡¹Zam said, and quickly swung his sword twice.


    ¡¸Gua¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸Ga, ha¡­¡¹


    The two were cut down as they blew the loud whistle.


    This is how the tragedy of Lao vige began.


    ¡ö


    When the sound of danger sounded through the whole vige.


    At the Garish house at the southern end of Lao vige, Maria Garish, and Millie Garish, who had just celebrated her fifth birthday, turned pale.


    ¡¸The sound of this whistle!?¡¹


    ¡¸Mama¡­¡¹


    Maria hugged her daughter, who was looking up at her with a fearful expression.


    ¡¸I-It¡¯s okay, Millie! Mama is with you! No matter what happens, I will definitely protect you!¡¹


    I will protect Millie no matter what, that was thest promise she made to her husband, who died of an epidemic a few years ago.


    ¡¸O-Okay¡­¡¹


    After calming down her daughter, Maria opened a small window and checked the situation outside.


    What she saw was,


    ¡¸Wh-What is this¡­¡¹


    The figure of vigersying sprawled in the center of the vige.


    ¡¸Vige chief, Rama, Dresta¡­¡¹


    She immediately calmed herself down as blood rushed to her head, and grabbed Millie¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡¸Mi, Millie, let¡¯s escape!¡¹


    ¡¸Eh, uh, okay¡­¡¹


    Maria led Millie by the hand and tried to sneak out of the back door of the house.


    However,.


    ¡¸Oi, oi¡­ Where are you two going sneakily?¡¹


    They came across Zam Hashfeld, a member of the ck Organization who cut down the vige chief and the two men.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Ma, Mama¡­¡¹


    Tension ran on their faces.


    ¡¸Kukuku, that face¡­ It¡¯s so good! It¡¯s the best!¡¹


    Zam liked¡ºhunting¡».


    Rather than killing the strong who bravely faced him, he loved killing the weak who desperately ran for their lives.


    So he ran to the southern end of the vige soon after he cut down the vige chief.


    If you go south of Lao vige, you will reach the ce where the Holy Knights are stationed.


    He was sure that women and children will cling on to that small hope and try to escape.


    And now, Zam has discovered two prey as he had expected.


    ¡¸¡­¡­Millie, escape.¡¹


    ¡¸B-But¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Mama will be fine. So just run south. Don¡¯t look back no matter what.¡¹


    Maria pushed Millie¡¯s back.


    ¡¸No, no, I don¡¯t want to¡­ Let¡¯s go together mama¡­!¡¹


    Millie shook her head sideways, while dawdling.


    ¡¸It¡¯s okay, mama will catch up with you soon. And you promised to papa in heaven, didn¡¯t you? That you will be a strong girl?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­Okay, I understand.¡¹


    As soon as Millie nodded, there was a harshugh.


    ¡¸Kukuku, how sad¡­ My eyes are getting teary! Of course, I¡¯ll still kill you in the end, though¡­¡¹


    At the same time Zam pulled out his sword, with a heinous smile.


    ¡¸I am not going to let you through here even if it means my death!¡¹


    Maria pulled out a shabby sword that was dangling from her hips, with an awkward movement.


    ¡¸Ho¡­ You were a swordsman.¡¹


    Zam¡¯s face stiffened for a moment, but¡­ immediately returned to his original smile.


    The reason for it is that Maria¡¯s stance was too poor.


    Even Seigan no Kamae which is the most basic stance of swordsmanship was not assumed properly.


    An obviously inferior swordsman ¨C Zam decided as such about Maria. The corners of his lips curled into a smile.


    ¡¸¡­Millie, go now!¡¹


    ¡¸Y-Yes¡­!¡¹


    Millie immediately started running as her mother urged, yelling almost.


    Just a few secondster, she felt a bad feeling.


    It was quiet ¨C no, it was too quiet.


    She couldn¡¯t hear the sound of swords shing or any screams.


    The only thing that entered her ears was the sound of the rain pouring.


    When she slowly turned back, unable to suppress the suspicion in her heart,


    ¡¸Ma, ma¡­?¡¹


    There was the figure of her mother with a sword through her chest.


    ¡¸Kukukukuku, Hahahaha! Ah¡­ killing is the best after all¡­!¡¹


    Zam, stained red with blood,ughed sonorously.


    He violently pulled out the sword that pierced Maria¡¯s chest ¨C shifting his attention to his next target.


    ¡¸Kukuku! Hey, don¡¯t you have to run?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    In the face of that unbelievable sight, Millie was petrified with fear and despair.


    ¡¸N-No¡­ Mama¡­¡¹


    One after another, emotions overflowed within her, and her face became messy with tears rolling down her cheeks.


    ¡¸Ku, Kukuku! Aa- This feels so good! Oi, you don¡¯t have to cry that much, okay? I¡¯ll send you to your mom right away¡­ Come¡­!¡¹


    And when Zam took a big step forward,


    ¡¸W¡­ait¡­¡¹


    Maria, who should have been pierced through the heart, strangled him from behind.


    ¡¸What the hell is this woman?! You¡¯re not dead yet?!¡¹


    Zam was stifled for a moment by her ghastly spirit and the resolve of being prepared to die.


    ¡¸Run¡­ away¡­! Mill, ie¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    Millie, who heard her dying mother¡¯s wish ¨C still couldn¡¯t move.


    She can¡¯t be med.


    This cruel and gruesome¡ºreality¡»was too heavy for a five-year-old girl to ept.


    ¡¸Tsk, you¡¯re annoying¡­ Die already!¡¹


    After that, Zam regained his cool and pushed Maria away ¨C thrusting a dagger into her body, thrice.


    ¡¸Ka, ha¡­¡¹


    To protect her beloved daughter.


    To fulfill the promise to her deceased husband.


    Maria, who was moving with that resolve in her heart, slowly fell forward.


    ¡¸Damn it¡­ You went through that suffering just to earn a few seconds. Parents are crazy creatures.¡¹


    Zam shrugged his shoulders and washed away the blood on his sword in the rain.


    ¡¸Well, ojou-chan? Let¡¯s send you too. It would be a pity to send your mom alone, don¡¯t you think?¡¹


    ¡¸N-No¡­ don¡¯te near me¡­¡¹


    In front of Zam, who approached step by step, Millie could only crawl back with her butt on the ground.


    ¡¸Kukuku, I guess it¡¯s time to end the¡ºhunt¡»!¡¹


    With a big smile on his face, Zam raised his sword high.


    ¡¸Hyahhahah! Give me a good scream!¡¹


    The heinous de that took many lives was swung down ruthlessly.


    (Mom¡­ I am sorry¡­)


    Millie closed her eyes, prepared for death.


    The few seconds, the mere few seconds that Maria earned in exchange for the hellish suffering ¨C produced a miracle.


    ¡¸Tsk¡­ What is this?¡¹


    The sword, Zam swung down, was caught by a ck¡ºsomething¡».


    The next moment, a boy broke in between them with tremendous momentum.


    ¡¸It must have been scary¡­ But it¡¯s alright now.¡¹


    He had unique ck-and-white hair, andforted her with a gentle voice.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll finish this soon.¡¹


    He released gruesome darkness from his whole body that made hair stand on end ¨C dyeing the entire Lao vige¡ºck¡»like an abyss.


    ¡ö


    d in clothes of darkness, I asked the man wearing a ck coat.


    ¡¸Why do you guys do such terrible things?¡¹


    I questioned the man in front of me ¨C in order to buy time.


    (Not yet¡­ I can still make it¡­)


    This¡ºdarkness¡»is also effective against fatal wounds.


    As long as the person is alive, any wound can be cured in no time.


    I poured a lot of spiritual power into it, and stretched darkness throughout the vige.


    Then, I extended clothes of darkness to all the vigers whom I caught sight of.


    (¡­Yoshi!)


    After a few seconds, I was able to d all the vigers I could see in darkness.


    All that¡¯s left is¡­ as long as they¡¯re alive, darkness should heal everything.


    Then, when I took a breath, an answer came back from the man in front of me.


    ¡¸Why would we do this? That¡¯s obvious, isn¡¯t it? It¡¯s because I¡¯m having fun. I mean¡­ is there really any other reason?¡¹


    ¡¸Is that so¡­? It¡¯s a lot more stupid than I thought.¡¹


    Stalling for time was sessful and my purpose was achieved.


    I don¡¯t want to exchange words with such a fiend anymore.


    I swung the pseudo-ck sword and hacked his sword in one swing.


    ¡¸Nani!?¡¹


    The man leapt far back in the face of that unexpected situation.


    ¡¸Shit! Oi bastards, give me a hand! A tough guy has appeared!¡¹


    When he screamed so,


    ¡¸Heheh, what¡¯s this?¡¹


    ¡¸What the hell, it¡¯s just a kid¡­ You¡¯re getting sloppy.¡¹


    ¡¸Gufufu, what¡¯s up? You look a little cute, don¡¯t you?!¡¹


    Three men, covered crimson in blood, came forth.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t let your guard down¡­ This kid has incredible physical strength! Bring out your soul dress. Strike simultaneously from all sides!¡¹


    They¡¯ve probably had a lot of realbat ¨C as they put their strategy into motion harmoniously.


    And then,


    ¡¸Drown -¡´Twisted Love¡µ!¡¹


    ¡¸Pressure -¡´Thousand Vice¡µ!¡¹


    ¡¸Follow my lead -¡´Reckless Army¡µ!¡¹


    ¡¸Plunge into -¡´Gap Grand¡µ!¡¹


    The moment when the four brought out their soul dress and attacked simultaneously.


    ¡¸-Dark Shadow!¡¹


    Darkness as sharp as a sharpened sword swept violently like a storm.


    The darkness that moved freely in ordance to my will tore through the four soul dresses very easily and dealt a deep wound into each of them.


    ¡¸Gu, ha¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸Only a single person¡­¡¹


    ¡¸N-No way¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸What¡­ is this monster¡­!?¡¹


    The four men, who fell to the ground, red at me with anger and fear reflected in their eyes.


    ¡¸This is the end.¡¹


    I rendered them unconscious by hitting them on the back of their neck ¨C and also knocked out every single one of the remnants of the ck Organization who were overrunning Lao vige.


    ¡¸¡­Okay, I¡¯ve brought down everyone.¡¹


    I took down all the members of the ck Organization who attacked Lao vige, and sheathed my sword into its scabbard.

 Chapter 115 - Senior Holy Knight and Sunny Land [6]

    Chapter 115. Senior Holy Knight and Sunny Land [6]


    As I took a break after tying up the battle with the ck Organization, Ria and Rose arrived at Lao Vige.


    ¡¸A-Allen, are you all right!?¡¹


    ¡¸You were a little too fast¡­!¡¹


    Withrge beads of sweat trickling down their foreheads, the two unsheathed their swords, vignt of their surroundings.


    ¡¸Aa, sorry. But it¡¯s okay now. I¡¯ve taken care of everyone.¡¹


    When I saw the critical situation in Lao vige from afar, I got permission from Ben-san and was allowed to proceed forward alone.


    A little whileter, the senior Holy Knights arrived.


    ¡¸O, Oi, Allen¡­ Did you do all this alone?¡¹


    Ben-san stared in wonder, looking at the more than 50 unconscious members of the ck Organization.


    ¡¸Yes, I managed somehow.¡¹


    Fortunately, Fu Rudras, one of the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle, who attacked Thousand de Academy, and Dodriel-ss swordsmen were not present.


    ¡¸W-Way to go¡­ To think you could¡ºmassacre¡»them on your own.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Eh?¡¹


    I immediately refuted Ben-san, who said something unsettling.


    ¡¸N-No! None of them are dead!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­What?¡¹


    Ben-san looked at me with his mouth wide open ¨C and reached for the neck of a nearby ck organization member.


    ¡¸¡­There is a pulse. Are they all really alive?¡¹


    ¡¸O-Of course! I¡¯m not going to¡ºkill¡»that easily! ¡¹


    When I said that, Ben-san suddenly fell silent.


    (Is this guy¡­ a monster!?¡ºOne vs Fifty¡»is a hopeless difference in fighting power, and yet, everyone was captured alive?)


    He gulped and smiled dryly.


    ¡¸Ha, haha¡­¡­ As expected of the rmendation of¡ºClown¡»and¡ºck Fist¡»¡­ And you¡¯re still a student. It is likely you¡¯ll grow more frightening still¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, t-thank you¡­¡¹


    I was suddenly praised, for some reason. Thus, I absentmindedly replied.


    ¡¸A-Anyway, this is a big achievement, Allen! Oi, you guys! Detain the ck Organization guys! Don¡¯t let themmit suicide! Rough em¡¯ up and squeeze out information at all costs!¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸Ou!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    When the senior Holy Knights began to restrain the unconscious members of the ck Organization,


    ¡¸A, Allen¡­ Look over there!¡¹


    Ria¡¯s face turned pale, as she pointed in a certain direction.


    There ¨C the girl I helped a while ago, was holding up a sword towards an unconscious man.


    ¡¸We have to stop her!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­No, it¡¯s okay.¡¹I stopped Ria, as she tried to run towards the girl.


    It is true that, right now, there is a strong hatred in her eyes. But there is also a warm and tender light deep in them.


    ¡¸I have to avenge mama¡­!¡¹


    As she raised the sword high, she trembled in small increments ¨C finally copsing on the spot.


    ¡¸T-Thank goodness¡­¡¹Ria exhaled a breath of relief.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll go check on her.¡¹


    I approached the girl.


    ¡¸Ah¡­¡¹she noticed me.


    I deliberately produced loud footsteps so as not to surprise her, and sat down to match her line of sight.


    ¡¸¡­Are you alright?¡¹


    When I asked her in a gentle voice, she raised her face, which was mushy with tears.


    And then,


    ¡¸I couldn¡¯t¡­ Even though I have to avenge mama¡­ I¡¯m scared¡­ my hands won¡¯t stop shaking¡­!¡¹she said, snivelling and choking on her words.


    ¡¸-What is your name?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­ Mi, Millie.¡¹


    ¡¸I see. You are strong, Millie.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Eh?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s not that you couldn¡¯t do it. You chose not to do it by your own will. A path that differs from the¡ºevil path¡»of these guys. You made a decision with your own reason without being swept away by emotions. That is your strength. Moreover¡­¡¹


    I snapped my fingers a little exaggeratedly and removed the clothes of darkness that protected the vigers.


    ¡¸What did you do, onii-chan?¡¹


    ¡¸Take a good look over there.¡¹


    I pointed in a certain direction.


    And there was,


    ¡¸N-No way¡­!¡¹


    There was the appearance of Millie¡¯s mother, who was breathing regrly.


    ¡¸Ma, Mama¡­?!¡¹


    Her eyes widened, and she started running as fast as her legs could carry her.


    ¡¸Mama, wake up¡­! Please, I beg you¡­ Open your eyes!¡¹she said, desperately shaking her mother¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡¸¡­What? Am I¡­?¡¹


    Millie¡¯s mother slowly opened her eyes and raised her upper body as if nothing happened to her in the first ce.


    ¡¸Mama!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Millie? Oh, right! What about the ck Organization!?¡¹


    She hugged Millie and quickly nced around.


    ¡¸It¡¯s all right now! This onii-chan finished off all the bad guys! And he even cured your injury!¡¹


    ¡¸N-No way¡­ It was such a deep wound¡­ How on earth¡­?¡¹


    Millie¡¯s mother looked at me with a shocked expression.


    ¡¸Well, uh¡­¡¹


    To be honest, being asked how I treated the injury was very troubling.


    I cured it with a mysterious power which even I don¡¯t understand well ¨C this is the truth, but obviously I can¡¯t say that.


    (¡­It can¡¯t be helped.)


    Having trouble answering, I decided to spin a small lie instead.


    ¡¸Actually, I¡­ It¡¯s a recovery-type soul dress.¡¹


    Saying it was a¡ºrecovery-type soul dress¡»rather than a¡ºmysterious power¡»should provide a better peace of mind.


    ¡¸I-Is that so¡­? Thank you very much! You saved not only my daughter¡¯s life, but also mine! I don¡¯t know how to thank you anymore¡­!¡¹Millie¡¯s mother said, and bowed her head over and over again.


    ¡¸No, don¡¯t worry. Most importantly, I¡¯m just d everyone is safe.¡¹


    When I was talking with them,


    ¡¸Allen, I¡¯m sorry to interrupt. Can I have a moment?¡¹Ben-san said, patting me on the shoulder.


    ¡¸What is it?¡¹


    ¡¸Man, I really didn¡¯t think you had such a powerful soul dress¡­ I decided to revise the strategy a little bit. Sorry, but I need a bit of your time.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, I understand.¡¹


    ¡­Though, this power was not my soul dress.


    I suppose it¡¯s necessary that I exin from that first.


    ¡ö


    After that, I exined to Ben-san about the power of¡ºdarkness¡»in the lodge of Lao vige.


    ¡¸Fuu¡­ To think that wasn¡¯t even a soul dress¡­ Allen, you are a real piece of work¡­¡¹he whispered, in a state of astonishment.


    ¡¸Ahaha¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡¹


    ¡¸No, but it truly is an unusual power. I¡¯ve seen hundreds of soul dress, but this is the first time I¡¯ve seen such a strange ability¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Is that so¡­?¡¹


    When I asked him that question, Ben-san nodded


    ¡¸Aa, no doubt. You¡¯ve seen their reactions, haven¡¯t you? That¡¯s the answer.¡¹


    ¡¸I, I see¡­¡¹


    Ben-san said that the senior Holy Knights who saw my darkness for the first time were all equally astonished.


    ¡¸Anyway ¨C this darkness is quite an unusual and ridiculously amazing ability. In the end, even I am jealous of you!¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you, ahaha.¡¹


    As we ended the discussion, there was a loud knock on the door.


    ¡¸Ou, enter!¡¹


    When Ben-san replied, a scary-looking Holy Knight, with an unshaven face, stepped into the room.


    ¡¸Ha, Branch chief! All the residents of Lao vige have been confirmed to be safe!¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, that¡¯s good!¡¹


    Miraculously, no one seems to have lost their lives.


    The healing from the darkness made it at the veryst moment.


    (¡­Even so, this is an unbelievable healing ability.)


    To be honest¡­ I thought Millie¡¯s mother wouldn¡¯t be able to make it.


    I saw a sword pierce deep into her chest three times


    She was curedpletely in an instant from that state without any noticeable aftereffects.


    (¡­There is no doubt after all. Everything is rising¡­)


    The strength of the body, offensive power, defense power ¨C and healing ability.


    As the output of darkness goes up, these powers seem to skyrocket as well.


    It is certainly reliable, but also a little scary at the same time.


    (¡­Does it have anything to do with this?)


    I pinched my ck and white hair.


    Recently, there have been a number of abnormal incidents happening to my body.


    Great physical ability without being d in darkness.


    And this body being terrifyingly sturdy.


    Most of all ¨C this sudden ck-and-white hair.


    (Little by little, am I starting to look like that guy?)


    His physical ability is realms apart and the best I know of.


    And his body is so sturdy that a de doesn¡¯t cut through ¨C and above all, his hair is white.


    (It¡¯s going to be okay¡­ right?)


    I wake up one morning and find that my body is snatched away.


    I really don¡¯t want that to happen.


    When I was thinking of such things on my own, the scary-looking Holy Knight continued to report.


    ¡¸And we managed to squeeze out new information from the ck Organization guys! Their purpose is the spirit ore that can be mined in this country!¡¹


    Spirit ores ¨C a rare ore formed only in certain limited areas.


    In addition to the spirit sword that we use in ss, it is the foundation of the spirit pill that the ck Organization is developing.


    ¡¸Furthermore¡­ We found that one of the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle ¨C Rain d is controlling the royal castle ahead of this vige. He¡¯s a top-notch swordsman called¡ºRain Man¡»within the ck Organization.¡¹


    Rain d, one of the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle, huh¡­


    He is a swordsman of the same rank as the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle, Fu Rudras, who attacked Thousand de Academy.


    (There¡¯s no doubt that he¡¯s a far higher ranked opponent than us.)


    But with Ria, Rose, Ben-san and the senior Holy Knights, we can surely defeat him.


    After receiving the report from his subordinate, Ben-san issued an order, in a loud voice.


    ¡¸Yoshi, understood! Well then, gather all the senior Holy Knights in this lodge! I will exin the new extermination strategy that ces the special fighting-ss¡ºAllen Rodore¡»at the forefront!¡¹


    Then, we headed for the royal castle in the northern end of Dagrio, to defeat Rain d, the Thirteen Knight of the Oracle who rules this country ¨C drilling Ben-san¡¯s new extermination strategy into our heads.

 Chapter 116 - Senior Holy Knight and Sunny Land [7]

    <strong>116. Senior Holy Knight and Sunny Land [7]</strong>


    The royal castle towering over the northern end of Dagrio.


    Stacked with gray bricks, it looked more like a¡ºchurch¡»than a¡ºcastle¡».


    The man who took control of this royal castle as its lord was ¨C Rain d, one of the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle.


    He sat quietly on the throne, with his eyes shut.


    In the throne room which was devoid of any other life,


    All he could hear was the sound of the endless downpour of rain.


    One second, one minute, one hour ¨C as time passed silently, Rain suddenly hardened like a stone statue.


    Because, he heard flurried footsteps from outside the royal castle.


    ¡¸R-Rain-sama!¡¹


    The man, dressed in a ck cloak, was one of the underlings who was dispatched by the organization.


    ¡¸¡­What?¡¹


    Rain opened one eye, with a slight frustration at having his silence disturbed.


    ¡¸The Senior Holy Knights areing north all at once¡­! Their number is approximately¡ºone hundred¡»! They are serious this time! They are seriously trying to recapture Dagrio this time!¡¹


    Although the man reported the state of emergency in a panic,


    ¡¸¡­What of it?¡¹


    Rain¡¯s reaction was indifferent.


    ¡¸¡­W-We are utterly unable to stop them. They have already broken through Lao vige in central Dagrio. Rain-sama, please help us with your power¡­!¡¹


    The underling bowed his head and requested ¨C he had no other choice left.


    Dagrio was effectively controlled by Rain¡¯s power solely.


    It was impossible to intercept the highly skilled Senior Holy Knights without the great power of one of the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle.


    And the reply that greeted the man who bowed desperately was,


    ¡¸I refuse.¡¹


    A clear refusal with no chance to negotiate.


    ¡¸W-Why¡­?¡¹


    Rain sighed deeply at the man who was being persistent.


    ¡¸Haa¡­ Use your head to think a little. Thus far, what have you done to the people who cried for help?¡¹


    ¡¸T-That¡¯s¡­¡¹


    Rain answered, instead of the man who fell silent.


    ¡¸You hurt them, cut them, and torture them to death, didn¡¯t you? You have never lend an ear to the voices asking for help, have you?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t behave like a spoiled child, idiot. Believing you deserve to be helped is way too selfish.¡¹


    An angry voice echoed in the quiet throne room.


    ¡¸¡­S-So, what should we do?¡¹


    The man, who had been severely reprimanded, asked timidly


    ¡¸Don¡¯t know. Whatever happens to filthy¡ºbrutes¡»like you, it¡¯s none of my concern.¡¹


    ¡¸B-But¡­!¡¹


    Rain tly refused the persistent man.


    ¡¸I won¡¯t move from this royal castle. You can run away or whatever. Do as you please.¡¹


    Then, as if to say¡ºthere is nothing more to discuss¡», he quietly shut his eyes.


    The man¡¯s patience reached its limit, seeing Rain¡¯s approach of not wanting to discuss further.


    ¡¸¡­I-Is that right!? Then I¡¯ll run away as you say!¡¹


    ¡¸Do as you please.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Certainly, you¡¯re insanely strong. But this time the other party is also insane! The enemy is Allen Rodore! You got the report, didn¡¯t you? He is the¡ºSpecial ss Force¡»that defeated one of the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle, Fu Rudras! And there¡¯s another ¨C the host of phantom spirit, Fafnir ¨C Ria Vesteria is also present!¡¹


    The underling of the ck Organization left a sharp parting remark -¡ºYou¡¯re finally going to meet your end!¡»and ran away at full speed.


    In the throne room, which had returned to silence once again, Rain whispered.


    ¡¸Do I have to kill again¡­?¡¹


    Staring at the void with a sorrowful look, heughed with self-pity.


    ¡¸Just what am I hesitating for¡­¡¹


    He recalled what he was doing in Dagrio, and held his head with both hands.


    ¡¸What am I even saying¡­ I am even less of a human than those brutes of ck Organization. What¡¯s the point of feeling guilty now¡­!¡¹


    The wailing of an empty man echoed in the isted royal castle.


    ¡¸¡­Allen Rodore and Ria Vesteria. Capturing those two should bring everything to an end. A quiet Dagrio can be created.¡ºA paradise for just the two of us¡»!¡¹


    Even now ¨C Rain was fighting for his own justice.


    ¡ö


    We departed from Lao vige, and went due north.


    On the way, I saw a vige controlled by the ck Organization, but¡­


    For some reason, they ran away as fast as their legs could carry them the moment they saw me.


    Thanks to that, we arrived at the towering royal castle at the northern end of Dagrio ¨C without wasting time and strength.


    I opened therge door and went through the hallway illuminated by candlesticks ¨C into a vast room.


    There was a man sitting on a dusty throne.


    ¡¸-Thanks foring, uninvited guests.¡¹


    Ben-san, the temporary branch chief of the Holy Knights Association of Dagrio Branch, responded to the voice.


    ¡¸Sorry, but we came in without knocking. You¡¯re one of the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle, Rain d, aren¡¯t you?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, that¡¯s right.¡¹


    The man in front of me answered so.


    Rain d.


    Seems to be in histe thirties.


    With a giant frame of nearly two meters.


    Swept back, short dark blue hair


    He had high eyebrows, an intimidating eye and arge mouth with a beast-like wild face.


    A damaged grey scarf was wrapped around his neck. It looked awkward because it didn¡¯t fit his size.


    A ck cloak was worn on top of white noble clothes. And a pattern which I have seen somewhere before, was stitched in blue on his cloak.


    Rain nced around and for some reason, hardened when he saw me.


    ¡¸¡­I see. You¡¯re the ¡°special ss force¡± ssified by the organization ¨C Allen Rodore. Indeed, you solely are outstanding.¡¹


    He immediately guessed my name. Perhaps information about my appearance is circting within the organization.


    ¡¸¡­And next to you is Ria Vesteria, right?¡¹


    And it was the same with Ria.


    We gulped, understanding that an internationalrge-scale criminal organization that disturbs world peace ¨C have their sights on us.


    ¡¸¡ºPhantom Spirit¡»and¡ºSpecial ss Force¡»- This much should be enough.¡¹he said, not making any sense


    ¡¸Hey, you guys¡­ I¡¯ll let you escape, so ¨C why don¡¯t you give Allen and Ria to me?¡¹


    He offered a nonsensical deal.


    ¡¸¡­Hah. What a funny joke from a man with an unsociable face!¡¹Ben-sanughed scornfully.


    Rain simply shook his head.


    ¡¸This is not a joke. I¡¯m already¡­ I¡¯m really tired of this. I don¡¯t want to kill pointlessly.¡¹


    He sighed loudly, and went on talking further.


    ¡¸Hey, please just understand, okay¡­? No matter how many of you¡ºinsects¡»gather, you can¡¯t beat me.¡¹


    There was no lie or falsehood in his remark.


    (¡­That¡¯s quite the confidence.)


    A scale of one hundred senior Holy Knights, and yet ¨C he seemed to be confident of¡ºabsolutely victory¡»against this army.


    ¡¸Insects, huh¡­ Seems like we¡¯re being underestimated too much¡­¡¹


    As a vein popped on Ben-san¡¯s forehead, he quickly signalled me with his eyes.


    Seems like we¡¯re getting started.


    ¡¸Hammer-in¡´Tree Seed¡µ!¡¹


    Ben-san deployed his soul dress and drew Rain¡¯s attention single handedly ¨C we carried out a¡ºSurprise Tactic¡».


    ¡¸Invade -¡´Fafnir¡µ!¡¹


    ¡¸Dye -¡´Winter Sakura¡µ!¡¹


    ¡¸Melt -¡´Acid Staff¡µ!¡¹


    Ria, Rose ¨C and many other senior Holy Knights moved to surround Rain and deployed their soul dress.


    Following that,


    ¡¸-Dark Box!¡¹


    I unleashed a tremendous amount of darkness and confined Rain in a ck sphere.


    Immediately after that,


    ¡¸-Dragon Breath!¡¹


    ¡¸-Sakura Blizzard!¡¹


    ¡¸-Acid Ocean!¡¹


    All of them poured their spiritual power into their attacks and fired long-range attacks with all their might.


    (Yoshi, this decides it¡­!)


    My¡ºdarknesspletely blocks light and sound.


    Being on the receiving end of an all-out attack from a hundred people, while in a state of inhibited vision and hearing.


    Regardless of being one of the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle, even he would be helpless.


    That¡¯s when I felt a ¡°certain¡± reaction.


    ¡¸Wear -¡´Last Drop¡µ¡¹


    For some reason an intense chill ran down my spine.


    (What¡­ is this sensation¡­!?)


    I don¡¯t know what he did or what he¡¯s going to do.


    However, my sixth sense screamed a piercing warning.


    (¨CSomething ising! I must do something.)


    Thus, I cancelled the Dark Box of my own judgement.


    ¡¸Wha, Allen?!¡¹


    Ben-san widened his eyes due to my out-of-operation action. At that moment, our whole field of view was filled with arrows made of clear water.


    ¡¸-Fallen Drop¡¹


    Each shot of the water arrows easily overpowered, and bore through the all-out long-range attacks which everyone unleashed.


    ¡¸No, way¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸What¡­ the hell¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸Shit¡­¡¹


    Ria, Rose, and Ben-san ¨C their faces were dyed with fright.


    ¡¸-MAKE IT IN TIME!¡¹


    I poured all my spiritual power, and d everyone in clothes of darkness.


    As a result,


    ¡¸¡­Hou, that was a good decision.¡¹


    I was able to d everyone in clothes of darkness at the veryst minute.


    ¡¸We¡¯re saved¡­?¡¹


    Someone¡¯s whisper echoed loudly.


    ¡¸That was dangerous¡­¡¹


    ¡¸If it had not been for the¡ºclothes of darkness¡», we would have been done in.¡¹


    Ria and Rose turned pale


    ¡¸S-Sorry¡­ You saved us, Allen.¡¹


    Ben-san thanked me, cold sweat trickling down his forehead.


    ¡¸Haa¡­ haa¡­ No, I¡¯m just d everyone is save.¡¹


    Having exhausted arge amount of spiritual power at once, I kept to Seigan no Kamae.


    ¡¸Hmm¡­ Allen Rodore. You are the only one who seems to be different from the rest, after all.¡¹Rain said, a long-sword-like soul dress grasped in his right hand.


    This was how the curtain raised on the battle between us and one of the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle, Rain d.

 Chapter 117 - Senior Holy Knight and Sunny Land [8]

    117. Senior Holy Knight and Sunny Land [8]


    After the surprise operation failed ¨C we immediately moved on to the next operation.


    Ria, Rose, Ben-san and the rest surrounded Rain, and I faced him in the center of the encirclement.


    ¡¸Here Ie, Rain!¡¹


    ¡¸Aa,e.¡¹


    d in dense clothes of darkness, I dashed with my sword in its scabbard.


    The other party is one of the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle. I don¡¯t have the liberty to wait and see what he does.


    (Don¡¯t think about pacing! Go all-out right from the beginning¡­!)


    I stepped into the certain kill range and,


    ¡¸Seventh Sword ¨C Instant sh!¡¹


    Gaining enough eleration from within the scabbard, I unleashed my fastest sh.


    (¡­Yoshi, it¡¯s a sess!)


    Unable to react to the speed, Rain stared nkly at the Instant sh approaching his side.


    ¡¸-Hou, that¡¯s fast.¡¹


    He muttered and pulled back his waist.


    The horizontally unleashed Iai-sh, cut the air in vain.


    (No way! He dodged it?! At this timing?! At this distance?!)


    I was speechless. That agile movement did not match his big frame.


    ¡¸Next is my turn¡­!¡¹


    Rain raised the long sword overhead, and swung it down with all his strength.


    (Here ites!)


    I dropped my center of gravity and held my sword horizontally ¨C and I defended the blow straight from the front.


    ¡¸GUOOOOH¡­!¡¹


    From arm to shoulder, shoulder to foot ¨C a tremendous impact ran through my whole body.


    But I stopped his blow!


    The difference in physique is obvious, but I am notpletely defeated in a contest of strength.


    ¡¸Huh, aren¡¯t you quite strong? Or¡­ Is it the power of that strange darkness?¡¹


    Rain said, staring in wonder. He probably didn¡¯t think I¡¯d be able to stop it.


    ¡¸Well, I wonder which it is¡­!¡¹


    I sidestepped to the left and parried his sword to the side. And unleashed an attack with my full strength.


    ¡¸Eighth Sword ¨C Yatagarasu!¡¹


    A jet-ck sh, branching into eight shes, aimed at Rain¡¯s whole body.


    ¡¸Hou, that¡¯s a good technique!¡¹


    He had a heinous smile on his face. And disyed a defensive technique frighteningly faithful to basics.


    (This guy¡­ It¡¯s not just his soul dress and physical ability¡­)


    A defensive technique so beautiful that it was like a dance. I was almost fascinated by it.


    This is not something one can learn over a brief period of time.


    It¡¯s something you learn after repeating it endlessly day after day.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s continue.¡¹


    When Rain assumed a forward-bent posture, and took a big step forward,


    ¡¸High King Style ¨C Strong Strike!¡¹


    ¡¸Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style ¨C Evening Sakura!¡¹


    ¡¸Flower Blossom Style ¨C Turbulent Flowers!¡¹


    From the side, Ria, Rose, and three other swordsmen, attacked at the same time.


    ¡¸Tsk¡­¡¹


    Rain dodged, parried, and cut down the looming shes. It seemed like he cut through them perfectly.


    However,


    ¡¸Tsk¡­ Did it graze me?¡¹


    A drop of fresh blood trickled down Rain¡¯s cheek.


    It seems that even Rain could note out unscathed if it¡¯s a surprise attack from five swordsmen with remarkable ability.


    ¡¸¡­I see. Allen ties me down in one-vs-one, and when I show an opening, the surrounding¡ºinsects¡»will strike, huh¡­¡¹


    Understanding our strategy, he evaluated it as¡ºnot bad¡».


    ¡¸But still¡­ I¡¯m surprised, Allen. To think you can hold your own in a one-vs-one against me¡­¡¹


    I threw a question when Rain said that.


    ¡¸You seem to have a lot of confidence. Do you even understand this situation?¡¹


    ¡ºNumbers advantage¡»in battle creates a tremendous difference in power.


    At present, it can be said that the battle is leaning towards us.


    ¡¸Oh, of course. Surely, I am at a disadvantage as is¡­¡¹he said, shrugging his shoulders.¡¸It can¡¯t be helped. Let¡¯s increase the number a little ¨C Mimic Drop¡¹


    From the tip of his sword, two silver drops of liquid dropped to the floor.


    The next moment, it gave off a mercury-like luster and the water droplets changed shape greatly and transformed into two life-sized Rain.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸Wha!?¡¹¡¹¡¹


    Our eyes widened before the unexpected situation.


    (I never thought he¡¯d create a clone of himself¡­!)


    This ispletely beyond expectations


    Two Rains with an eerie silver body, stood side by side with the main body.


    ¡¸Now it is three-vs-one hundred -¡ºNumbers Advantage¡»still belongs to you. How troubling¡­¡¹


    The guy said so on purpose. Smugness stered on his face.


    It seems that those two clones have considerable power.


    ¡¸¡­You¡¯re using a lot of unusual abilities.¡¹


    ¡¸Huh, the same goes for you too, doesn¡¯t it? Even your darkness can be counted as a second body.¡¹


    The conversation was cut short. And then,


    ¡¸Do it.¡¹


    Rain snapped his fingers. With that as the start signal, the two clones rushed at Ria and the others.


    (¡­¡­)


    I focused on the Rain in front of me, suppressing my rash thoughts.


    (If I tried to cover them¡­ That would be a poor move.)


    If that happens, this guy will be free to rampage around as much as he likes, and there will be more damage.


    So there¡¯s only one thing I need to do, which is to hold down the main body by myself.


    (¡­It¡¯s okay. Ria and Rose are strong. Ben-san and his fellow highly-skilled Holy Knights were assigned to travel outside the country. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll kick down the clones soon enough.)


    And as I held onto my Seigan no Kamae,


    ¡¸Naa, Allen¡­ I¡¯m getting tired of this ordinary sword fight.¡¹


    Rain suddenly brought up something strange.


    ¡¸¡­What do you mean?¡¹


    ¡¸Nothing much. I¡¯m going to gear up by one. -Water Raiment¡¹


    At that moment, clear water thinly covered his de.


    ¡ºGear up¡»was aparatively smaller change than I anticipated.


    (But the other party is one of the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle¡­ Don¡¯t let your guard down.)


    As I braced myself,


    ¡¸I¡¯ll give you one piece of advice. No matter what, don¡¯t make a mistake.¡¹


    Rain gave a piece of advice I couldn¡¯t understand.


    ¡¸¡­¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Well, you¡¯ll know if you look at this.¡¹he said, and slowly ran the sword d in water on the surface of the floor.


    The long sword sliced through the floor as though cutting tofu.


    ¡¸¡­Wha!?¡¹


    ¡¸Do you understand now? The flow of water covering my de is an ultra-high pressure water currentpressed with spiritual power. Your cheap-looking sword won¡¯t be able to stop it.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Thank you for your kind consideration.¡¹


    After finishing the demonstration, Rain cracked his neck.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s start the second round.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Come!¡¹


    After that, I was forced to fight a one-sided defensive battle.


    In addition to the support from the surroundings Holy Knights being gone, his was a powerful sword which couldn¡¯t be defended against.


    I couldn¡¯t even put up a proper fight.


    ¡¸Haa, haa¡­¡¹


    I continued to dodge the imminent shes, and jumped back greatly to create some distance between us.


    (¡­Strong.)


    As expected, one of the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle, he is not at all inferior in ability to Fu Rudras whom I fought before.


    As I continued fighting the battle which could no longer even be called so, there was something that bothered me.


    ¡¸Naa¡­ Rain. Why do you seem to be in anguish?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­What?¡¹


    At that moment, his movement stopped.


    ¡¸No, it was simply on my mind. This is the first time I¡¯ve seen a guy swing his sword with so much pain.¡¹


    Yes. Rain seemed to be in anguish ever since the fight began.


    Whether the battle was favorable or unfavorable. He fought with an expression of anguish on his face at all times.


    (No doubt, this guy is suffering from¡ºsomething¡».)


    There is that anguished look, but¡­ Above all, there was a big¡ºhesitation¡»in his sword.


    ¡¸Naa, just what is so painful¨C?¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t pry into someone else¡¯s circumstances so easily¡­¡¹


    ¡¸!?¡¹


    Rain emitted a terrible bloodlust, and following that, a strong kick sank into my abdomen.


    ¡¸Ka, ha¡­!¡¹


    Air was knocked out of my lungs. I flew horizontally across the floor and crashed into the walls of the royal castle.


    (Fast¡­ No, it was too fast¡­!)


    From the start of the movement to the end, I couldn¡¯t see any of it at all.


    By the time I noticed, I felt a convulsive pain rising from my abdomen.


    ¡ºI was kicked¡»- I understood that fact only after my body was flying through the air.


    (T-This guy¡­ He was going easy on me till now¡­?!)


    The current series of moves is definitely faster than Fu Rudras.


    ¡¸N-Not yet¡­!¡¹


    I slowly stood up and assumed Seigan no Kamae.


    But the damage from before was so great that my blurred vision hadn¡¯t recovered.


    (Damn, pull yourself together¡­!)


    I bit my lower lip slightly and held onto my consciousness with that pain.


    As my five senses became clear, I noticed something.


    The sound of swords shing that had been ringing from a while ago was now almost impossible to hear.


    Keeping Rain at the edge of my vision, I fearfully looked around the surroundings and found ¨C hell.


    (T-This is a joke, right?)


    Many senior Holy Knights, including Ben-san, were wiped out.


    The only remaining swordsmen were Ria, Rose, and a few other senior Holy Knights.


    (Damn it¡­)


    It seems that those two clones had power far beyond my expectations.


    (¡­What should I do? Escape?!)


    If we continue to fight as it is, we have no chance of winning.


    The opponent is the one of the highest executives of the ck Organization, Rain d, Thirteen Knights of the Oracle.


    He is one of the best swordsmen in the world. A nation-ss fighting strength.


    (¡­Impossible. This is not an opponent who can be defeated by a student like me!)


    Even a child can understand such a thing.


    (But how do I escape¡­!?)


    A great number of senior Holy Knights, including Ben-san, are lying here.


    If I alone were to escape, I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll all be killed.


    In the first ce, it is difficult for me to escape even by myself.


    His physical abilities are far above mine.


    (Damn, what the hell am I supposed to do¡­?)


    As I wasmenting over the absolute worst situation,


    ¡¸-Kyaa!¡¹


    Ria¡¯s scream echoed throughout the throne room.

 Chapter 118 - Senior Holy Knight and Sunny Land [9]

    <h4>Chapter 118. Senior Holy Knight and Sunny Land [9]</h4>


    When I turned around, the soul dress ¨C Fafnir ¨C was flying across the air.


    ¡¸N-No¡­¡¹


    Rain¡¯s clone then turned towards Ria, and brought down its long sword on her, who was now unarmed.


    ¡¸RIA!!¡¹


    Rose rushed to cover Ria, but there was no way she could make it in time.


    (Shit¡­!)


    I poured in my diminishing spiritual power, and stretched the dense darkness.


    Darkness crawled the ground at a tremendous speed, and blocked Rain¡¯s downward sh by a hair¡¯s breadth.


    (¡­Thank goodness.)


    The moment when I felt relief,


    ¡¸Can you really afford to look away in the middle of a battle¡­?¡¹


    The cold voice made the hairs on my body stand on end.


    ¡¸¡­¡­!?¡¹


    Looking back reflexively, Rain had already raised his sword high.


    ¡¸¨DNun!¡¹


    I reflexively held my sword in a defensive position against the diagonal sh which was approaching at a frightening speed.


    (¡­Shit!)


    A defense technique that I had repeated for over a billion years.


    The movement which was ingrained into my body, came out on reflex.


    ¡¸-¡ºDon¡¯t take it head on¡». That¡¯s what I advised you.¡¹


    The moment Rain said so,


    ¡¸Ga, ha¡­¡¹


    The pseudo-ck sword snapped, and a powerful sh tore into my chest.


    ¡¸¡¸Allen!!¡¹¡¹


    I heard the cries of Ria and Rose from far away.


    (Shit¡­ I have to¡­ heal¡­!)


    I can¡¯t continue the battle with such a deep wound.


    I concentrated darkness to my chest and immediately started the healing.


    (¡­Shit, the wound is healing too slowly.)


    The wound in my chest was not closing up. Perhaps due to my spiritual power running out.


    I guess this isn¡¯t strange. Or rather, it was only natural.


    In Lao vige, I used darkness to fight over fifty members of the ck Organization.


    After that, I treated all the vigers using darkness.


    And earlier on in this battle, I d a hundred people in clothes of darkness to protect everyone from Rain¡¯s attack.


    ¡­Rather, it is more surprising that it held out this long.


    (However, I can¡¯t afford to fall here¡­)


    I whipped my trembling feet and stood up.


    While gasping for breath, I grasped my sword firmly with both hands and focused straight at Rain.


    And then,


    ¡¸ording to the report¡­ If you¡¯re injured to the verge of death, your spirit core will start to run wild¡­¡¹


    He whispered to himself, with his hand on his chin.


    ¡¸It¡¯s been about two months since the failure of Fu Rudras¡¯ mission, huh¡­ If it¡¯s only two months, then, even if it¡¯s a phantom-ss spirit core, no, especially because it is a phantom-ss spirit core, it should not be able to¡ºsurface¡»yet. There was not enough time to recover, but¡­ let¡¯s just be doubly careful.¡¹


    Then he stopped talking, held up the sword high, and thrust it to the floor with force.


    At the same time, a huge door appeared behind me.


    (¡­What is this?)


    About five meters tall.


    ck double door with eerie patterns etched on its surface.


    Suspended in mid-air, it emitted an indescribable wicked presence.


    The mysterious door and Rain¡¯s main body ¨C I maintained Seigan no Kamae while paying attention to both.


    ¡¸Door of Yaata.¡¹ 1


    As he whispered so, the door slowly opened ¨C from which, transparent water in the shape of¡ºhands¡»came through.


    The number was slightly over a hundred, filling the whole area.


    (Another sinister technique¡­)


    I swung my sword at the approaching hands.


    ¡¸Eighth Sword ¨C Yatagarasu!¡¹


    Eight shes branched out and lopped off the hands of water very easily.


    (¡­It¡¯s surprisingly weak.)


    Just when I formed that impression, the scattered water gathered together and took the form of¡ºhands¡»again.


    ¡¸Wha!?¡¹


    More than a hundred hands clung to my body and tried to drag me into the door.


    ¡¸Damn¡­! What is this technique¡­?¡¹


    As I swung my sword quickly to shake off the hands of water, Rain spoke.


    ¡¸¡­Well, it looks like it¡¯s over.¡¹


    At the end of his gaze, there was the figure of Ria and Rose carried under the clone¡¯s arm.


    ¡¸Ria, Rose?!¡¹


    ¡¸Alle, n¡­ sorry¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­sorry¡¹


    They were both in a battered state. Hands and legs bound by something that looked like mercury.


    ¡¸Rain!¡¹


    ¡¸Huh, rest assured. I won¡¯t kill them¡­ for now.¡¹


    ¡ºFor now¡»- that is to say, he¡¯ll kill them sooner orter.


    (Don¡¯t screw around¡­!)


    Blood rushed to my head, and I poured every ounce of my spiritual power into it.


    ¡¸UOOOOOOOOH, Dark Shadow!¡¹


    de-like darkness that boasted terrific sharpness, tore up the hands of water into pieces.


    However, it waspletely meaningless.


    Whether it was cut, sliced, or lopped, the transparent water quickly returned to the form of ¡ºhands¡».


    ¡¸¡­Give up, Allen. No one has ever broken through this sealing technique. It seals the target¡¯s consciousness. Without pain or suffering. You would already be in the other world before you realize it.¡¹


    ¡¸Like hell I¡¯m gonna give up¡­!¡¹


    After that, I continued to resist desperately, but¡­


    Slowly but surely, I was dragged into the door.


    (Damn¡­ Is there no other way!?)


    Ria and Rose were exhausted. Ben-san and others could no longer fight.


    Leia-sensei is not here.


    And above all, that guy said for the time being that he couldn¡¯t appear to the¡ºsurface¡».


    In other words, I have no choice but to ovee this difficult situation on my own.


    And as a result of racking my head more than ever before, I arrived at a single, small, faint ¡ºpossibility¡».


    (But this is an all or nothing gamble¡­)


    If I fail, everything will end at that moment.


    (But to get through this hopeless situation¡­ I have no other choice but to do it¡­!)


    I resolved myself and slowly shut my eyes.


    I sink my consciousness deep into my soul.


    And as I stepped into the world of the soul,


    ¡¸Y¡±o, I thought it was about time you came.¡¹


    That guy stood before me, with a ferocious smile on his face, and the¡ºTrue ck Sword¡»in his hand.


    He seems to have understood my situation to some extent.


    That should make this easier.


    ¡¸You came with your¡ºresolve¡»prepared, right¡­ E¡±e?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, in my own way.¡¹


    I nodded and unsheathed my sword.


    ¡¸¡­Heh, that¡¯s fine then. In order to not leave behind any regrets, die gracefully.¡¹he said, emitting intense bloodlust.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    Suffocatingly thick bloodlust which makes me want to tuck tail and run away.


    I withstood it, and quietly assumed Seigan no Kamae.


    (¡­I¡¯ve been swinging the sword for myself until now.)


    To improve my swordsmanship, to be stronger, to be a senior Holy Knight.


    But that¡¯s no good.


    That alone is not enough resolve.


    That level of spirit will not reach him.


    (Ria, Rose, Millie ¨C to protect everyone in this country¡­!)


    To create a world where everyone can live happily ¨C I will cut him down!


    I etched that resolve into my heart andposed my breathing.


    ¡¸Ha, I guess you¡¯ve got a good look now¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I don¡¯t have much time¡­ Here Ie.¡¹


    ¡¸A¡±a, I¡¯m going to kill you so beautifully¡­!¡¹


    I, the¡ºpseudo-ck sword¡».


    He, the¡ºTrue ck Sword¡».


    We held our special weapons and started sprinting at the same time.


    ¡¸¨DHAAAAAAA¡±A¡±A¡±A¡±A!¡¹


    ¡¸¨CO¡±RAAAAAAA¡±A¡±A¡±A¡±!¡¹


    Distance, Pace, Feint ¨C Such tricks are not necessary in a match against this guy.


    A simple sh of pure power.


    (I will¡­Cut¡­ this guy!)


    For myself, and above all ¨C For everyone!


    ¡¸¨CHA!¡¹


    ¡¸¨CRA¡±!¡¹


    We crossed each other with our shes. For a moment, there was silence.


    And then,


    ¡¸Ka, ha¡­¡¹


    There was a deep, long, sword wound in my chest.


    (Not¡­ yet¡­ Don¡¯t fall yet¡­!)


    I swallowed the blood rising from the bottom of my stomach. As I looked back slowly,


    ¡¸Well, it went about as I expected.¡¹


    That guy was standing unscathed, with a smug smile on his face.


    ¡¸Sh¡­ it¡­¡¹


    Apparently, the sh which carried every ounce of my being did not reach him.


    I struggled desperately.


    I struggled disgracefully.


    I pushed myself to the limit as I could.


    And yet I couldn¡¯t reach him.


    It was impossible for me, the¡ºDropout Swordsman¡», to save everyone after all.


    (Damn¡­ it¡­)


    My vision wavered greatly and strength slipped out of my body.


    (Ria, Rose¡­ sorry¡­ I guess this is the end for me¡­)


    And right when I was about to fall unconscious,


    ¡¸Shitty brat¡­ I guess you¡¯ve grown up a bit¡­¡¹


    The¡ºTrue ck Sword¡»in his hand ¨C snapped right in half.


    At that moment,


    (T-This is¡­)


    An immense torrent of power swallowed my body.


    (Amazing¡­ What power¡­!)


    The wound in my chest was plugged in an instant. And an unbelievable amount of darkness swept forth from my entire body.


    ¡¸¡­Is this okay?¡¹


    I haven¡¯t knocked him down.


    And yet¡­ Is it okay to borrow his power?


    ¡¸What the hell are you babbling about? A weakling like you, snapped My¡ºck Sword¡». Why don¡¯t you be a little happier¡­ E¡±e?¡¹


    ¡¸No, but I couldn¡¯t cut you¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Bastard¡­ Did you seriously think you were going to beat ME?¡¹


    ¡¸O-Of course!¡¹


    No one would challenge a match with the intention of losing.


    Even now, I really tried to cut down this guy.


    ¡¸Ku, Kuku¡­ Gyahahahahahahaha!¡¹


    After bursting intoughter for a while,


    ¡¸Don¡¯t get conceited, shitty brat! You can prattle that after training for another several hundred million years!¡¹he shouted, angrily.


    It seems that those words just now got on his nerves.


    ¡¸Well, at any rate¡­ Thank you.¡¹


    With this power I can fight.


    I can protect everyone.


    ¡¸¡­Well, do your best to struggle.¡¹he said, turning his back to me. And he went back to his usual spot ¨C on the rock with a crack running on its surface.


    ¡¸Aa, see youter.¡¹


    Thus, gaining a¡ºtremendous power¡», I gently closed my eyes and returned to the real world, back to the battle with the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle, Rain d.

 Chapter 119 - Senior Holy Knight and Sunny Land [10]

    119. Senior Holy Knight and Sunny Land [10]


    Allen was dragged deep into the Door of Yaata which Rain summoned.


    ¡¸¡­Allen?!¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s a lie, isn¡¯t it¡­?!¡¹


    The cries of Ria and Rose echoed in the silent throne room.


    ¡¸¡­Unfortunately, this is reality. Allen, whose consciousness has been sealed, will be trapped forever in darkness. You both will go down the same path.¡¹Rain said, indifferently.


    The two who heard the cold, emotionless words,


    ¡¸Allen¡­ I am sorry.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry¡­ I¡¯m really sorry¡­¡¹


    Kept apologizing.


    They always ended up being protected.


    They were never helpful.


    On the contrary, they simply held him back.


    Regret, guilt, remorse, emptiness, anguish ¨C such negative emotions dominated the hearts of Ria and Rose.


    Seeing their suffering looks and apologies, Rain¡¯s heart felt heavy with guilt.


    (¡­It can¡¯t be helped. This is something that can¡¯t be helped¡­)


    He clenched his teeth hard, and told himself that over and over.


    He tried to justify his deed, even if it was by force.


    In fact, Rain had never killed anyone with his own hands.


    The only evil deed he had evermitted was the endless downpour on Dagrio with the ability of his soul dress.


    The reckless heavy taxes imposed on the viges, the unjust violence against the vigers, and the murder of King Dagrio ¨C all of this wasmited by the underlings dispatched by the organization of their own ord.


    Every disgusting misdeed conducted by the low-lifes was overlooked by Rain.


    No, he had no other choice but to overlook it.


    If he openly stood up against the ck Organization, his wishes wouldn¡¯te true.


    If he did so, the reason for staying with the organization up until now will be lost.


    ¡¸Fuu¡­¡¹


    As he was about to be crushed by the guilt of his crime, Rain exhaled loudly and shook his head.


    (¡­Don¡¯t think about anything anymore.¡ºNorma¡»has been fulfilled. Now, Dagrio is all mine¡­!)


    He cut away his feelings, and shifted his attention to the restricted Ria and Rose.


    ¡¸All I need is Fafnir. It doesn¡¯t matter whether the host lives or not, is what I heard¡­¡¹


    As Rain recited the ¡°norma¡±,


    ¡¸Next is you guys. Door of Yaata¡­¡¹


    He poured spiritual power into the sword stuck to the floor, and two huge doors appeared.


    The double doors opened slowly, and the transparent hands of water grabbed Ria and Rose.


    ¡¸¡­I¡¯m sorry. At least don¡¯t suffer, and go in peace.¡¹


    This was his own¡ºkindness¡».


    Rain, one of the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle who served as the highest executive of the ck Organization, knew.


    At the heart of the organization, there are mad scientists, not caring an ounce about humans.


    Ria Vesteria is a precious¡ºhost of the phantom spirit¡».


    Those people who are filled with curiosity to the core, will not overlook such a fine research specimen.


    He was certain that her body will be fiddled with and that she will meet her end in a gruesome way.


    Rather than being treated like that, it would be a blessing to seal her consciousness here, he judged.


    The transparent hands of water dragged Ria and Rose into the door.


    ¡¸¡¸¡­¡­¡¹¡¹


    They didn¡¯t particrly resist.


    In the first ce, both their hands and feet were restrained. And now, they couldn¡¯t even find the will to resist.


    ¡¸¡­I¡¯m sorry, Allen.¡¹


    When Ria said that onest time ¨C a hideous darkness, something which couldn¡¯t have been born of this world, filled the entire throne room.


    ¡¸What the?!¡¹


    Rain¡¯s eyes widened in shock. He then felt something, and shivered.


    (This power is¡­! No, it¡¯s impossible¡­! His consciousness should have beenpletely sealed! The Door of Yaata has never been broken!)


    Cold shivers ran down his spine. He even heard his own gulping loudly.


    When he slowly turned around, there stood an unscathed Allen, d in stormy darkness.


    ¡¸¡¸A-Allen?!¡¹¡¹


    A ray of hope reflected in the eyes of Ria and Rose.


    ¡¸Sorry, I¡¯ve made you both worry.¡¹


    The moment Allen smiled gently as usual, a ferocious, predator-like darkness, swallowed the Door of Yaata and erased its existence.


    ¡¸I-Impossible!¡¹


    The sealing technique that has never been broken before was swallowed easily right before Rain¡¯s eyes.


    Rain fell speechless in the face of such an abnormal situation.


    In the meantime, Allen recovered Ria and Rose with light movements and shed the mercury that bound their hands and feet with sharpened darkness.


    ¡¸A-Allen, thank goodness¡­ truly, I am d!¡¹


    Ria jumped into his chest with tears of joy,


    ¡¸I¡¯m also really d that you are safe, Ria!¡¹


    Allen gently hugged her.


    ¡¸O-Oi, Allen¡­ Are you really okay?¡¹


    Rose asked, with a serious expression, as she touched Allen¡¯s body..


    ¡¸Yes. There were a couple of things, but¡­ I am all right now.¡¹he said, and stood up slowly.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry, but could you two step back a little? I probably can¡¯t control it perfectly yet.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­!! Allen, did you perhaps?!¡¹


    ¡¸U-Understood!¡¹


    The two quickly understood the situation and immediately jumped back.


    Allen confirmed that, and stood in front of Rain in an unarmed state.


    ¡¸Sorry I kept you waiting.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Allen. What the hell are you?¡¹


    Rain asked, while taking a defensive posture with his center of gravity lowered back.


    ¡¸Even if you ask¡ºWhat are you?¡»¡­I¡¯m just a¡ºDropout Swordsman¡»you can find anywhere.¡¹


    ¡¸I see¡­ Then, let me change the question. What on earth did you do inside the door? What changed you in such a short period of time!?¡¹


    Rain, a world-ss swordsman, perceived Allen¡¯s transformation more urately than anyone else in that ce.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s see¡­ As you say, just one thing has changed greatly.¡¹Allen said, and stretched out his right hand into the empty space.


    Immediately following that, monstrous¡ºpressure¡»bore down on the throne room.


    Rain opened his eyes firmly and gripped his sword tightly.


    As the monstrous pressure dominated the ce, Allen finally unleashed¡ºThat Power¡».


    ¡¸Destroy -¡´Zeon¡µ!¡¹


    The next moment, the True ck Sword manifested itself as though ripping through the empty space.


    de, Hilt and Guard were all jet-ck ¨C the Sword of Darkness.


    The name of this power -¡ºSoul dress¡».


    That which Allen gained by struggling to death ¨C a supreme sword.


    (So, this is soul dress, huh¡­)


    Then, when he slowly gripped the True ck Sword, darkness swept like tempest.


    ¡¸Muh!?¡¹


    ¡¸Kyah!¡¹


    ¡¸T-This is¡­!¡¹


    Rain, Ria, and Rose¡¯s eyes widened as darkness spread like shock waves.


    (So, this is the Allen Rodore ssified as¡ºspecial ss force¡»by the ck Organization, huh¡­)


    Extremely ck, hideous darkness, that doesn¡¯t match the slightest bit with his gentle face.


    A mass which was extremely evil, extremely otherworldly, and astronomical in power.


    (I can¡¯t see the bottom of this man¡¯s power¡­!)


    Rain was more vignt than ever before, gripping his sword even tighter.


    Allen assumed Seigan no Kamae and quietly adjusted his breathing.


    And then,


    ¡¸Now, let¡¯s start the third round, Rain!¡¹


    ¡¸Aa¡­ Come Allen!¡¹


    Allen Rodore, who manifested his soul dress, and Rain d, one of the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle ¨C the curtain finally rose on the climax of their match.

 Chapter 120 - Senior Holy Knight and Sunny Land [11]

    120. Senior Holy Knight and Sunny Land [11]


    I finally manifested my soul dress. Gripping the True ck Sword¡´Zeon¡µtightly, I confronted Rain.


    (Well¡­ What should I do?)


    I still have no control over this power.


    No, I have yet to even¡ºgrasp the power¡»in the first ce.


    (It would be better to go into battle after bing well-versed in the power of soul dress, but¡­)


    It can¡¯t be helped in this matter.


    Performing without rehearsal, I¡¯m going to have to learn it little by little.


    (First of all¡­ let¡¯s start with a low power, easy to handle technique!)


    Then I swung the ck Sword lightly just to test it.


    ¡¸First Sword ¨C Flying Shadow!¡¹


    A huge sh that filled the entire field of view flew towards Rain as it turned over the floor under.


    ¡¸¡¸What?!¡¹¡¹


    I and Rain widened our eyes in astonishment at the same time.


    (H-Huge! It¡¯s almost like Dark Roar¡­ No, it¡¯s bigger than that!)


    I was speechless looking at the enormous output far beyond my imagination.


    ¡¸So you¡¯re going all-out from the start, huh! Fallen Drop!¡¹


    Rain quickly swung his long sword and shot transparent arrows of water.


    Flying Shadow shed with more than a thousand arrows, swallowed all of them, and flew towards Rain still.


    ¡¸Kuh¡­ NUUUOOOOH!¡¹


    Rain somehow managed to cut off Flying Shadow by unleashing a horizontal sh.


    I was simply dumbfounded at the incredible scene.


    (Amazing! Flying Shadow, which was but a small technique, has evolved into a great technique rivalling certain kill techniques!)


    And then,


    ¡¸You¡¯re a pretty good¡ºactor¡», Allen¡­ I never thought you¡¯d be hiding this much power!¡¹Rain said, annoyedly, with beads of sweat trickling down his forehead.


    ¡¸No, it¡¯s not like I hid it. This power was manifested just now.¡¹


    ¡¸No way! You¡­ Are you saying that you manifested your soul dress inside the¡ºDoor of Yaata¡»which seals your consciousness?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, that¡¯s right.¡¹


    ¡¸That mental strength¡­ is already beyond the domain of human.¡¹


    With a wry smile, Rain took a forward bent posture, and raised the long-sword d with ultra-high pressure water current overhead.


    ¡¸Allen¡­ You are strong. It makes sense that the organization has ssified you as a¡ºspecial ss force¡»¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you for that.¡¹


    ¡¸But you see¡­ No matter how strong you are, you¡¯ll never beat me! The number of times I have survived through life and death situation, my resolve, the time I¡¯ve devoted to swordsmanship is different!¡¹Rain said, and closed the distance between us in one step.


    ¡¸Guardian Style ¨C Water Sword!¡¹


    And he fired a transparent sh of water.


    The sh, which branched into four, aimed at my neck, torso, and both legs.


    ¡¸If it¡¯s ¡°time¡±, then I¡¯ve devoted a lot of time too.¡¹


    About a billion years a lot.


    ¡¸Eighth Sword ¨C Yatagarasu!¡¹


    The¡ºeight dark shes¡»dyed the¡ºfour consecutive water shes¡»ck and,


    ¡¸Ka, ha¡­¡¹


    Carved a deep sword wound on Rain¡¯s body.


    ¡¸Shit¡­¡¹


    Suffering a great deal of damage, he jumped back greatly and re-organised his posture.


    ¡¸Haa, haa¡­ Even your basic swordsmanship¡­ is quitemendable¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Well¡­ That¡¯s all I¡¯ve ever had.¡¹


    I grew up being scorned as a dropout swordsman, and could only rely onmercially avable textbooks.


    The basic training method of swordsmanship that was written in there ¨C Seigan no Kamae, practice-swings, and defense techniques ¨C my self-taught swordsmanship, was acquired at the end of repeating those for billions of years as written in the book.


    While exchanging those experiences, I observed Rain¡¯s body.


    (¡­That¡¯s an¡ºincredible body¡».)


    His clothes were torn in the exchange just now, and his steel-like muscles could be seen.


    Apparently, my shes were blocked by the thick muscles, and the wound doesn¡¯t seem to be as deep as it looks.


    In the meantime, Rain calmed down his breathing, and assumed Seigan no Kamae. A blue pill dropped out of his pocket.


    (That peculiar blue is¡­¡ºSpirit Pill¡»!)


    I remember Dodriel saying¡­


    If you take that pill, you can recover from any injury instantaneously in exchange for your life span.


    (¡­That¡¯s troublesome.)


    To be honest, a long-term battle is undesirable.


    There is a thing called¡ºduration¡»for soul dress.


    I have no idea how long my¡´Zeon¡µwillst.


    (¡­I guess I¡¯ll attack the moment Rain tries to pick up the spirit pill.)


    As I quietly waited for that moment,


    ¡¸¡­Useless.¡¹


    He trampled the spirit pill that dropped to the floor.


    ¡¸Wha¡­?!¡¹


    I was surprised by the unexpected behavior.


    ¡¸¡­What are you surprised looking for? Did you think I¡¯d rely on drugs made by those fellows, those trash?¡¹


    Rain, distorting his face with difort, clearly asserted his organization as¡ºtrash¡».


    ¡¸Then why are you on their side?¡¹


    He belongs to the ck Organization, though hating the ck Organization.


    I didn¡¯t know what that meant.


    ¡¸¡­I have my own circumstances. If you¡¯re not in my shoes, then there are some things you just can¡¯t understand!¡¹Rain cried out, with a mixed expression of various emotions.


    ¡¸¡­I see.¡¹


    I remember Zack saying the same thing.


    Zack Bomber.


    A member of the ck Organization who once kidnapped Ria.


    He abandoned the Holy Knights Association for the ck Organization for some reason.


    And as I remembered the past,


    ¡¸Allen, you are radiant.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­What?¡¹


    ¡¸Your sword is straightforward, honest, and beautiful. I am sure that you are in the right and I in the wrong.¡¹


    Perhaps Rain was confused or something, as he suddenly spoke of things that didn¡¯t make sense.


    ¡¸However, just like how you have your justice, I have mine! I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t back down here. No matter how strong you are, I¡¯ll change Dagrio into a rainy country, I will not be stopped!¡¹He roared, and started attacking with bloodshot eyes.


    ¡¸Nuun!¡¹


    ¡¸HA!¡¹


    Our swords shed violently, and a fierce exchange began.


    After that, with each shing of our swords, one by one sword wounds umted on Rain¡¯s body.


    ¡¸Guh¡­ Not yet! It¡¯s not over yeeeeeeet!¡¹


    With a cry mixed with his spirit, he unleashed a diagonal sh. I met his attack with the same diagonal sh.


    Dazzling sparks rose, and a locked sword state ured.


    ¡¸-NUOOOOOOOOH!¡¹


    ¡¸HAAAAAAAA¡±A¡±A¡±A¡±!¡¹


    Our cries intertwined.


    ¡¸Nuoh!?¡¹


    Rain was overpowered and blown back.


    Right there, I had inserted it in advance.


    ¡¸Second Sword ¨C Hazy Moon¡¹


    ¡¸Gu¡­?!¡¹


    Darkness bit into his side like a predator.


    Being hit by a sh from his blind spot, Rain broke his posture.


    And right then,


    ¡¸Dark Shadow!¡¹


    Not letting him catch his breath, I pressed on with a barrage of attacks.


    ¡ºTen¡»de-like sharp shadows of darkness tried to swallow Rain, as though it were fangs on the mouth of a monster.


    ¡¸Kuh, Guardian Drop!¡¹


    He deployed a defense technique that wrapped his whole body in a transparent sphere of water.


    However,


    ¡¸I-Impossible!¡¹


    The darkness, the fangs, mped on the sphere of water, and slowly eroded the defense technique.


    (I-Impossible¡­ It¡¯s just simple darkness, and yet, what ridiculous output!)


    Rain hastily released his Guardian Drop and jumped far back.


    He, who narrowly escaped from my darkness,


    ¡¸Haa haa¡­ In close quarters, I¡¯m at a disadvantage, huh¡­¡¹


    Breathing heavily, he read the current battle progress calmly.


    Then, Rain exhaled loudly and suddenly raised his sword high in the sky.


    (¡­This is going to be huge)


    Looking at his long-sword, I understood he was pouring tremendous spiritual power into it.


    It seems that he is trying to unleash quite a huge technique.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll give you some advice first. If you evade, the results will be devastating.¡¹


    Rain, who hadpleted the preparation, nced at the senior Holy Knights copsed behind me.


    ¡¸Certainly, that¡¯s what it looks like.¡¹


    If I evade his technique, the senior Holy Knights behind me will not escape unscathed.


    I absolutely cannot dodge this next attack.


    I must meet his attack head on.


    ¡¸To think I would have to use such underhanded methods against a child¡­¡¹


    He muttered something and sheathed the long-sword held in the sky.


    ¡¸¡­Here Ie.¡¹


    ¡¸Aa,e!¡¹


    Tension strained air dominated the throne room.


    And then, Rain resolutely unsheathed his sword.


    ¡¸Eat this, Dragon Drop!¡¹


    A colossal body of water that took the appearance of a dragon, rushed at me with tremendous force.


    ¡¸¡¸Allen!!!¡¹¡¹


    The shrieks of Ria and Rose echoed in reaction to the attack which was different in scalepared to before.


    (¡­That¡¯s a tremendous mass.)


    If I took something like that head on, it would be instant death.


    I drew in the looming water dragon as close as possible, until the veryst second, and unleashed my ultimate short-range attack.


    ¡¸Fifth Sword ¨C World Judgement!¡¹


    At that moment, a fissure ran through the world, and the water dragon was cleaved right in two.


    An unbelievable shock wave urred, causing the ceiling and the outer walls of the royal castle to be blown away.


    As the endless rain started pouring on us through the destroyed ceiling, Rain and my gaze met.


    ¡¸Fuu, so you can even cut Dragon Drop too, huh¡­ You really can cut everything, can¡¯t you¡­¡¹


    He whispered so, with a slightly bright expression.


    ¡¸Magnificent, Allen. In a normal swordsmanship match, I don¡¯t have any chance to win. I¡¯ll admit, it¡¯s your victory.¡¹


    He admitted his defeat.


    When I heard those words, I raised my guard to the highest level.


    Rain¡¯s eyes were stronger and more resolute than ever before.


    ¡¸Allen, you¡¯re a really amazing guy. I didn¡¯t think I would have to use myst resort¡»in a ce like this!¡¹he said, and bit his thumb lightly. With the blood from his thumb, he drew a¡ºcross¡»on his chest.


    And the next moment,


    ¡¸Forbidden Technique, Last Drop¡¹


    Rain¡¯s body was wrapped in crimson water.


    ¡¸¡­What did you do?¡¹


    I understood clearly with a single nce.


    A new power of apletely different nature than before.


    And above all, it had a frightening amount of energy.


    ¡¸Fuu, it¡¯s not a big deal¡­ A forbidden technique where I gain immense power in exchange for my life span, that is Last Drop.¡¹


    It seems that Rain is genuinely¡ºstaking his life¡»on this match.


    He seems to be carrying¡ºsomething¡»which is worth putting his life on the line.


    ¡¸Now, let¡¯s settle this¡­ Allen!¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, let¡¯s finish this!¡¹


    This is how the final act between me and Rain began.

 Chapter 121 - Senior Holy Knight and Sunny Land [12]

    121. Senior Holy Knight and Sunny Land [12]


    I maintained Seigan no Kamae and fixed my gaze on Rain, d in a red¡ºwater robe¡».


    (¡­It¡¯s simr.)


    His Last Drop was very simr to Ria¡¯s Dragon Soul and Idol¡¯s Flying Thunder God.


    The effect is most likely elevating¡ºphysical ability¡»and¡ºsoul dress output¡».


    ¡¸I¡¯ll let you know in advance. I can¡¯t hold back when I¡¯m in this state.¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, of course.¡¹


    The match between swordsmen is a serious match.


    I don¡¯t want him to go easy on me, and neither will I.


    The next moment, Rain, whom I kept in the center of my field of view, disappeared.


    ¡¸Over here.¡¹


    I heard a cold voice from behind.


    (Fast¡­!)


    However,


    ¡¸I can see you.¡¹


    I was able to catch his movement with my eyes, and I avoided the looming downward sh by side stepping to the right.


    ¡¸Naive! Guardian Style ¨C Forest Sword!¡¹


    Rain moved in a flowing motion, shifting from downward sh to a thrust.


    (As expected, he went for that!)


    As Rain moved as I expected, I unleashed the upward sh that I was ready with beforehand.


    ¡¸HA!¡¹


    ¡¸What!?¡¹


    Meeting the perfectly timed counter, Rain¡¯s arms bounced straight up.


    Then, I shot a straight kick which contained my entire body weight at his defenseless torso.


    ¡¸SEI!¡¹


    ¡¸Kuh¡­!¡¹


    As he tried to avoid a direct hit by twisting his body,


    ¡¸Ka, ha¡­¡¹


    My foot sank deep into his side.


    A huge body of more than two meters flew across the air.


    (¡­I still managed to inflict substantial damage.)


    Rain¡¯s swordsmanship was true to the basics, that¡¯s why his next move was so easy to read.


    (I should take this opportunity and¡­ press forward!)


    And when I took forward bent posture,


    ¡¸Not yet!¡¹


    Hended on the ground, and immediately counterattacked without faltering from pain.


    ¡¸What!?¡¹


    An unexpected situation.


    My body stiffened for a moment. Because of that, my evasion waste by a fraction of a second.


    Rain exploited that slight opening with a thrust.


    ¡¸Sora!¡¹


    ¡¸Kuh!¡¹


    A sharp pain ran in my left shoulder as I jumped back.


    (What was that?)


    My kick definitelynded hard on him.


    (To stand up instantly after that¡­ much lessunching an immediate counter attack¡­ is impossible¡­)


    I observed Rain¡¯s body while healing my injured left shoulder with darkness.


    Then, I noticed a certain something.


    His water robe was thicker on the side where my kicknded.


    ¡¸I see¡­ So, you can even use it in that way¡­¡¹


    Rain seems to have circted the water towards one side and made a cushion to greatly reduce the damage.


    As expected, one of the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle.


    He seems to be perfectly using the power of soul dress.


    ¡¸It¡¯s a good¡ºrobe¡»that takes full advantage of the characteristics of water.¡¹


    ¡¸Fuu, it¡¯s not as versatile as your¡ºdarkness¡»though¡­¡¹


    After that, our death struggle continued fiercely.


    A sh between basics and basics.


    We both knew the other party¡¯s next move well.


    ¡¸HAAAAAAAAAA!¡¹


    ¡¸NUOOOOOOH!¡¹


    The shing of swords which contained all our might, scattered sparks even in the middle of a downpour.


    ¡¸A-Amazing¡­¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s too fast¡­ I can barely follow it with my eyes.¡¹


    After receiving nces of hope from Ria and Rose, I increased my speed even further.


    ¡¸Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style Secret Technique ¨C Mirrored Sakura sh!¡¹


    ¡¸Guardian Sword Secret Technique ¨C Torus Sword!¡¹


    Eight shes and an arc-like circr sh shed, and disappeared.


    ¡¸Kuh¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Nuu¡­¡¹


    Right now, our physical ability waspletely even.


    (Last Drop -¡ºAbility that reduces lifespan¡»huh ¡­)


    It¡¯s a really troublesome ability.


    Rain¡¯s arm strength, leg strength, and agility were all elevated greatly.


    (But¡­ I found one thing which seemed like a weak point.)


    Since invoking Last Drop¡­ For some reason, it¡¯s all about¡ºphysical shes¡».


    The ability of water he disyed until then, suddenly fell silent.


    So I drew up a hypothesis.


    (Perhaps¡­ the only thing Last Drop can strengthen is pure¡ºphysical ability¡»?)


    If every ability had been strengthened, like Idol¡¯s Flying Thunder God, he wouldunch a more versatile attack.


    In other words, if my inference is correct ¨C excluding physical ability, my¡ºsoul dress output¡» should still be superior!


    I immediately raised the output of darkness to test the hypothesis.


    ¡¸Dark Shadow!¡¹


    I shot ten thinly sharpened darkness des towards Rain.


    And then,


    ¡¸Tsk¡­!¡¹


    He immediately gave up on intercepting the attack, and jumped far back.


    (I was right!)


    His evasive action was the most obvious answer.


    (That overly quick movement means¡­ He did not consider countering or defending with water at all!)


    This made it certain.


    That red water robe seems to improve only¡ºphysical ability¡».


    Now that I have understood that, the advantage belongs to me!


    ¡¸HAAAAAAAAA!¡¹


    I spread darkness extensively and sent it towards Rain.


    ¡¸Kuh¡­ this guy!?¡¹


    He ran around desperately, but right now, my darkness can easily cover an entire city. It¡¯s not that easy to escape.


    Then Rain, who waspletely surrounded by darkness on all sides,


    ¡¸Fuu, so you can manipte it like an extension of your hand, huh¡­ It¡¯s truly a wonderful ability with high application power.¡¹he said, with a cold sweat.


    ¡¸This is the end, Dark Shadow!¡¹


    At the same time as I swung the ck Sword, de-like sharpened darkness rushed at Rain.


    However,


    ¡¸Guardian Style Secret Technique ¨C Broken de!¡¹


    Rain cut all of it down in one stroke.


    He circted all the water from his robe onto his sword and increased its sharpness to the maximum, a supreme-grade sword.


    That technique which threw away all semnce of defence, boasted a formidable sharpness.


    With my Dark Shadow broken, I stepped into the certain kill distance.


    ¡¸You broke my Dark Shadow as I expected, Rain.¡¹


    I recognized Rain¡¯s strength better than anyone else.


    If it¡¯s this guy, he¡¯d surely break through Dark Shadow. I believed so.


    That¡¯s why I had already prepared the¡ºnext sword¡».


    ¡¸Fuu, to think you even read that¡­ Magnificent, Allen Rodore.¡¹


    The conversation ended, and Rain quietly shut his eyes.


    ¡¸Seventh Sword ¨C Instant sh!¡¹


    The godspeed Iai-sh, cutting through the sound barrier, snapped Rain¡¯s soul dress and engraved a deep, sword wound on his abdomen.


    His body convulsed greatly as he slowly fell back.


    That decides the match.


    And with his back on the floor and looking up at the heavens, Rain began tough quietly.


    ¡¸Ku, Kukuku¡­! Even after going this far¡­ Even after cutting my life, I can¡¯t win, huh¡­!¡¹


    Theughter carried a hint of happiness, and at the same time, sorrow.


    ¡¸¡­It¡¯s over, Rain. Obediently surrender yourself to the senior Holy Knights.¡¹


    ¡¸Kukuku¡­ I¡¯m sorry, but¡­ it¡¯s over, Allen.¡¹


    With a heinous smile, he painted a strange pattern on the floor with his own blood.


    At that moment, rays of red light shot in all directions.


    Strange letters emerged everywhere, and it looked like a huge magic circle which appears in fairy tales.


    ¡¸W-What is this!?¡¹


    Looking around the surroundings ¨C the mysterious red light shone even at the end of the horizon.


    It seems that this magic circle was spread throughout Dagrio.


    ¡¸R-Rain! What the hell did you do!?¡¹


    ¡¸Fuu¡­ I released all the spiritual power that I amassed in thisnd since the day I took control of Dagrio several years ago.¡¹he said, with a refreshed look on his face.


    ¡¸W-What?!¡¹


    Spiritual power amassed by one of the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle throughout the span of several years ¨C to release all that at once, a great destruction on the scale of a¡ºnatural disaster¡»will ur.


    ¡¸Soon this whole area will be an emptynd. Allen, Fafnir¡¯s host, and all the senior Holy Knights lying there will die. And this matter, wille to an end with that.¡¹


    ¡¸D-Don¡¯t do something stupid! If you do that, even you wouldn¡¯t be able to escape¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸No problem. After all, that is all my spiritual power. It¡¯s going to do some damage, but¡­ I¡¯m not going to die.¡¹


    Rain continued to speak quietly.


    ¡¸Allen, you were too strong¡­ It¡¯s frustrating, but I¡¯m not strong enough to beat you.¡¹


    The guy admitted his loss and,


    ¡¸That¡¯s why I decided to erase everything.¡¹


    He started to say something absurd, as if he had given into despair.


    ¡¸Concerning Fafnir, it is certainly regrettable, but¡­ A few other phantom spirits have been confirmed. Norma will be achieved on another asion.¡¹


    To Rain, who seemed to be convinced of that,


    ¡¸I won¡¯t let you do that.¡¹I dered clearly.


    ¡¸What do you mean?¡¹


    ¡¸I don¡¯t know how you¡¯re trying to erase everything. But I will stop you at all costs! Ria, Rose, Ben-san and all the senior Holy Knights, I won¡¯t let you kill anyone!¡¹


    ¡¸Fuu, interesting¡­ It looks like it¡¯s about time. Do your best to struggle,¡´Red Drop¡µ¡¹


    The moment Rain said that, a¡ºgigantic red drop of water¡»dropped from the depth of thick ck clouds.


    ¡¸¡­¡­!¡¹


    At that moment, I understood.


    No, I was forced to understand what a reckless thing I¡¯ve just said.


    ¡¸T-This is a joke, right¡­?¡¹


    It was truly an¡ºincarnation of destruction¡».


    ¡ºPressure¡»that pierced the skin.


    Spiritual power realms apart from anything I¡¯ve experienced in the past.


    Explosive mass falling from a super high-altitude.


    Something like that will not only turn this whole area into a destend.


    The whole of Dagrio will be a destend.


    ¡¸Hahaha¡­ This is impossible¡­¡¹


    On one hand, the final ultimate attack that was kneaded throughout the span of several years by one of the most prominent swordsmen in the world.


    On the other, the mightiest attack that an exhausted, mere student can unleash.


    Even a child would know there¡¯s no way I can win.


    As I dumbfoundedly gazed at the impending Red Drop,


    ¡¸Invade -¡´Fafnir¡µ!¡¹


    ¡¸Dye -¡´Winter Sakura¡µ!¡¹


    Ria and Rose, who were riddled with wounds, stood on either side of me.

 Chapter 122 - . Senior Holy Knight and Sunny Land [13]

    122. Senior Holy Knight and Sunny Land [13]


    All of a sudden, Ria and Rose brought out their soul dress.


    ¡¸It¡¯s alright, Allen. Because we are together with you!¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯ll do my best to back you up!¡¹


    They said, taking a step forward.


    (I¡­ see¡­)


    Apparently, I was mistaken about it.


    ¡ºI¡»have to do something about it.


    ¡ºI¡»have to find one way or another.


    ¡ºI¡»have to do my best alone.


    I, who had no friends since I was little, tended to think of everything as¡ºI¡».


    But the lonely days are now gone.


    Ria Vesteria and Rose Valencia ¨C I have two such reliablerades now!


    Not alone, but together with my friends.


    It¡¯s not¡ºI¡»but¡ºWe¡».


    We¡¯re going to fight together from now on!


    ¡¸¡­Thank you, both of you.¡¹


    And when I gripped the ck Sword tightly,


    ¡¸Hey, don¡¯t forget us, Allen.¡¹


    Ben-san, dragging one leg, patted on my back.


    ¡¸B-Ben-san¡­!? Are you all right!?¡¹


    ¡¸Hehe¡­ Well, somewhat. Besides, the neers are being so gutsy. We old-timers can¡¯t afford to keep sleeping. Right, you guys!?¡¹


    When he shouted so,


    ¡¸Ou, obviously¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸Let me show you the pride of a senior Holy Knight!¡¹


    ¡¸I-I am still full of energy!¡¹


    The senior Holy Knights slowly stood up, saying so.


    Seeing them, Ben-san nodded with satisfaction.


    ¡¸We might be a little unreliable, but¡­ let us act cool sometimes too!¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you. It¡¯s very reassuring!¡¹


    I, who received everyone¡¯s courage and power, looked up and faced the Red Drop, the incarnation of destruction.


    And then,


    ¡¸Onii-chan! Good luck!¡¹


    A familiar voice of a child sounded from behind.


    ¡¸Mi, Millie!?¡¹


    Turning around, there was Millie, holding a small shovel, and Lao vigers carrying farm tools such as hoes and spades as weapons.


    ¡¸P-Please, Allen-dono! Save Lao vige. Save this country!¡¹


    When the vige chief said so, and bowed his head, the other vigers followed.


    ¡¸Yes, leave it to me!¡¹


    As our morale reached its climax,


    ¡¸Yoshi, now I will deliver the final operation! You guys, listen well!¡¹


    Ben-san raised a loud voice.


    ¡¸Our target is that huuuuuge Red Drop falling from the sky! The details of the strategy are very simple! Throw your long range attacks at it and smash it to bits, that¡¯s all!¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸OU!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    After takingmand of the unit, Ben-san finally tapped me on the shoulder.


    ¡¸We will keep attacking till thest second and try to whittle it down as much as possible. So, can I entrust thest strike to you?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes!¡¹


    When I nodded, full of confidence,


    ¡¸Alright! Well then, let¡¯s end this with a boom!¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸OUU!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    Ben-san and his colleagues deployed their soul dress simultaneously.


    ¡¸st Seed!¡¹


    ¡¸Dragon Breath!¡¹


    ¡¸Sakura Blizzard!¡¹


    Ben-san¡¯s seed, Ria¡¯s mes, and Rose¡¯s sakura blossoms.


    A number of long range attacks danced through the sky.


    Then, two minutes passed since the start of the all-out attack. One by one, they dropped to their knees.


    ¡¸Haa, haa¡­ Sorry, Allen. I¡¯ve already¡­ run out of spiritual power¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Allen¡­ the rest¡­ Can I leave it to you?¡¹


    ¡¸S-Sorry¡­ Actually, I wanted to cut it down more, but¡­ this is the limit¡­¡¹


    Ben-san, Ria, and Rose said, while gasping for air.


    ¡¸Aa, thank you.¡¹


    This was enough.


    I was given enough power from everyone.


    ¡¸Fuu¡­¡¹


    I exhaled deeply and took a step forward.


    Looking up at the sky, the Red Drop filled my entire field of view.


    (Enormous¡­)


    Due to the all-out attack from everyone, it surely has be smaller, but¡­


    The Red Drop seemed evenrger now, perhaps because the distance was getting closer.


    ¡¸¡­This is a grave responsibility.¡¹


    If that thing falls, this country will surely perish.


    Of course, we¡¯re not safe, too. Probably almost everyone will die instantly.


    Gripping the ck sword, I quietly closed my eyes and concentrated my mind.


    (¡­I haven¡¯tpletely taken control of the power of¡´Zeon¡µyet.)


    However, I have crossed swords over and over again with the ultimate¡ºrole model¡»ever.


    (¡­Recall)


    That darkness of his.


    That extraordinarily thick darkness which made every cell in my body tremble with fear.


    (¡­Imagine it.)


    An image where I wield that power.


    An image where I rule that absolute power.


    (And resolve yourself.)


    Everyone¡¯s life is now entrusted to me.


    Ria, Rose, Ben san, Millie and the lives of the people living in Dagrio.


    (I attained this power in order to protect everyone¡­!)


    Then, I opened my eyes and poured all my spiritual power into¡´Zeon¡µ.


    And the next moment, darkness at a scale of dimensions apart, wrapped all of Dagrio.


    Darkness, like a turbid stream, crawled across the earth as though having a will of its own.


    The¡ºRed¡»magic circle on the ground was dyed¡ºck¡»,


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡­¡­¡¹¡¹¡¹


    Everyone¡¯s breath was taken away by the surreal spectacle, and silence ruled the world.


    And then, I fired my strongest long-range attack.


    ¡¸Sixth Sword ¨C Dark Roar!¡¹


    A maximum ck sh soared towards the heavens, shing violently with the Red Drop.


    Thunderous shock waves hit the whole of Dagrio a secondter. Screams rose in various ces.


    In such a situation, I single-mindedly continued to send forth darkness to Dark Roar.


    (H-Heavy¡­)


    An immense shock that I have never experienced before was transmitted through both hands.


    (Damn it¡­ At this rate, I¡¯ll be pushed back¡­)


    The ultimate attack built up over several years by one of the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle.


    The colossal spiritual power, in addition to the energy from the free fall, contained an unprecedented destructive power.


    ¡¸Fuha, no use! Red Drop is the ultimate attack which will destroy everything! This country will be wrapped in rain forever! It will be troublesome for me if it doesn¡¯t!¡¹


    Rain¡¯s cry, who was convinced of victory,


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸GOOOOOOOOO, ALLEN! ¡¹¡¹¡¹


    Was drowned out by Ben-san¡¯s bold roar.


    ¡¸Onii-chan, do your best!¡¹


    Millie¡¯s loud voice added to Ben-san¡¯s voice.


    ¡¸Allen, you can definitely do it! I believe in you!¡¹


    Rose made a strong statement.


    And finally¨C


    ¡¸Allen¡­ Please! Don¡¯t lose!¡¹


    Ria¡¯s heartfelt push.


    (With this¡­ Even if I die, I can¡¯t lose¡­)


    As I received everyone¡¯s cheers, I recalled¡­


    About that time.


    About the feeling at that time.


    (That¡¯s right! A sword is, by nature, a thing that cuts!)


    That is why I can definitely cut this Red Drop!


    No! The notion that I can¡¯t cut it is more ridiculous!


    Yes! Just like that¡ºPrison of Time¡»!


    ¡¸HAAAAAAAAAA¡±A¡±A¡±A¡±A¡±!¡¹


    Further darkness was released from my body, which had already been driven to an extreme state.


    It was warm and gentle, unlike the cold and evil darkness until now. Darkness with a hint of nostalgia.


    (¡­I can cut it!)


    The two kinds of darkness merged with Dark Roar and began to push back the Red Drop.


    I found the first andst chance of winning, and roared.


    ¡¸CLEAR AWAAAAAAAY!¡¹


    At that moment, the maximum¡ºck¡»devoured the¡ºRed¡» Red Drop. The incarnation of destruction was sted away.


    The thick, ck clouds that hung over the sky cleared up, and bright, gentle sunshine poured down.


    ¡¸I¡­ I did it¡­¡¹


    The moment I whispered so,


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸YOSHAAAAAAAAAAAAA!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    From all throughout Dagrio, voices of joy broke out.


    ¡¸Amazing¡­! You are too amazing, Allen!¡¹


    ¡¸Fuu, you¡¯re truly an incredible guy!¡¹


    Ria jumped into my chest and Rose patted me on the shoulder.


    ¡¸Ahaha, thank you. It was all thanks to everyone¡¯s support.¡¹


    Immediately after that,


    ¡¸Teme, Allen! Are you really human like the rest of us!?¡¹


    ¡¸I-It was an unbelievable output! Even I was frightened for a second!¡¹


    ¡¸Anyway, this is a glorious achievement! Be more happy! In the end, you saved the entire country!¡¹


    I was swallowed up by the Senior Holy Knights.


    In any case, I was able to prevent the destruction of the Sunny Land, Dagrio, and saved everyone.

 Chapter 123 - Senior Holy Knight and Sunny Land [14]

    123. Senior Holy Knight and Sunny Land [14]


    When we destroyed the Red Drop and raised voices of joy, it began to rain again.


    However, the rain was too weak; it couldn¡¯t even be called a drizzle.


    Looking up at the sky, thin clouds covered only the area around the royal castle. The drizzle was contained in this area solely.


    No doubt that this rain was produced by Rain.


    When I slowly turned back,


    ¡¸Haa, haa¡­¡¹


    There was the figure of him gripping his broken soul dress.


    I sensed something ghastly, seeing him desperately making it rain by pouring in whatever tiny spiritual power he was left with.


    (Just what the hell is pushing Rain this far¡­?)


    When I was thinking about that,


    ¡¸Tsk, bastard! Cut it out! Stop the futile resistance!¡¹


    A senior Holy Knight swung up his sword, still in its scabbard.


    At that moment,


    ¡¸S-Stop!¡¹


    A little girl, who was probably no more than 10 years old, stood in the way and covered for Rain.


    ¡¸W-What the hell is this girl? Where did youe from?¡¹


    When the senior Holy Knight scratched his cheek in a puzzled manner,


    ¡¸Se-Serena! Why did youe out!?¡¹


    Rain, wide eyed, shook the shoulders of the girl who was called Serena.


    ¡¸B-Because¡­ Because foster-father was being bullied¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I, see¡­ You are a really kind girl¡­¡¹


    I listened to the conversation between the two and looked around.


    Then I found a part of the floor in the throne room that was opened up like a door.


    (¡­Is that a¡ºhidden door¡»?)


    It looks like Serena was hiding over there, no, she was hidden there.


    (From that reaction, there¡¯s no doubt about it¡­)


    It seems that she was the reason why Rain continued to make it rain.


    I stepped forward and called out to him.


    ¡¸Hey, Rain. If you don¡¯t mind, could you please tell me? There¡¯s something going on, isn¡¯t there?¡¹


    Why did this guy, who considered the ck Organization as ¡±trash¡±, be a member of the ck Organization?


    Why does he cling so persistently to make it rain?


    And the mysterious girl, Serena.


    (I can¡¯t see this man, Rain, as a bad guy¡­)


    I¡¯m sure there must be some deep circumstances.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    He grit his teeth, looked around, and finally looked at Serena.


    He was probably thinking about her¡ºhereafter¡».


    ¡¸You will be taken away to the Holy Knights Association after this. If you care for her, you¡¯d better exin the situation without hiding it.¡¹


    Will he speak the truth or remain silent?


    Depending on Rain¡¯s choice, the weight of his sins will vary greatly.


    There is no doubt that it will have an impact on how Serena will be handled.


    Rain, who understood that instantly,


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡­¡­Aa, I got it.¡¹


    Nodded, after a long silence.


    ¡¸Long ago, I opened an orphanage in a conflict zone of a small country and gathered war orphans who had no rtives. We all helped each other and kept on living. Though poor, we were happy.¡¹


    As he recalled the memories, Rain slowly began to speak.


    ¡¸But that happiness crumbled down overnight. It was a day five years ago that I will never forget. It was a truly peaceful day as usual. I plowed the field, ate lunch, and then I went to buy foodstuffs once a month as usual. When I bought a month¡¯s worth of ingredients in a distant ck market and returned home, everyone¡­ was eaten by monsters¡­ Right in front of me!¡¹


    It must have reminded him of that time.


    His voice was trembling.


    ¡¸I killed all the monsters right away. Then, when I tried to bury the deceased children, a girl came back to life. That is Serena.¡¹Rain said, embracing Serena with his trembling right hand.


    ¡¸I immediately rushed her to the hospital and had them treat her by scraping together what little money I had. Fortunately, they saved her life, but¡­ the monster left behind the worst parting gift. A curse.¡¹


    Curse. An unexined power exercised by monsters.


    Effects, activation conditions, and curse dispelling methods, little detail is known about them.


    ¡¸Serena was inflicted with the¡ºCurse of Rain¡». It¡¯s forever harmless where there is¡ºrain¡». However, once you go¡ºout of the rain¡», burning pain assaults your whole body bringing about eventual death. I was shocked when I heard so from the doctor. They said the death rate from this curse is 100%.¡¹


    100%¡­ which means certain death.


    ¡¸After that, I ran around with the weather forecast newspaper in one hand. Single-mindedly searching for¡ºrain¡». However, such a life cannotst long. The fickle rain clouds disappearedpletely one day. Sunshine poured down, and Serena suffered through hellish pain. Imented my own powerlessness. When I cried and screamed,¡ºGod¡»appeared before me.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­God?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, it was a mysterious old man who called himself the¡ºhermit of time¡».¡¹


    ¡¸!?¡¹


    Rain¡¯s answer made me gasp.


    (H-Hermit of time? Meaning¡­ Rain is a¡ºtranscendent¡»!?)


    I exhaled slowly and calmed my mind.


    ¡¸Then, through a fairy tale like event, I manifested my soul dress. A soul dress which can make it rain, Last Drop.¡¹Rain said, turning his eyes to the long sword that had broken from the middle.


    ¡¸I was able to control the rain at will. I trembled with joy thinking, ¡°This can nullify the curse of the rain. Serena can live a normal life.¡± But that joy was only momentary. We were kicked out of the vige before reaching even a month.¡¹


    He sighed loudly and continued.


    ¡¸This rain can only revolve around me. So if I move, the rain will move. Me, being the cause of the rain, was not something I can hide for too long.¡ºGet out, Rain Man!¡»I used to be driven out as such¡­¡¹


    Certainly, if the rain can only revolve around you at the center, you will eventually be noticed.


    ¡¸When I was kicked out of the vige, I went to another vige with Serena. But the rumor of the¡ºRain Man¡»spread quickly, and we were immediately driven out. As we went around wandering aimlessly, I epted the invitation from the ck Organization.¡ºWon¡¯t you be ourrade?¡»is what they said.¡¹


    ¡­Indeed, Leia-sensei said,¡¸The ck organization is gathering transcendents.¡¹


    Perhaps the ck Organization learned from its ownwork that¡ºRain is a transcendent¡».


    ¡¸At first, of course, I refused, but¡­ they brought up a deal, as though they had expected my refusal.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­A deal?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, they already thoroughly looked into me. ¡±If you achieve¡ºNorma¡», if you capture a monster called phantom spirit, we¡¯ll give you an entire country. Doesn¡¯t sound too bad to live there with Serena, right? You can let it rain and rain as much as you like,¡° were the details of the deal.¡¹


    The Curse of Rain that was inflicted on Serena.


    The position Rain was ced in.


    They seem to have brought up this deal after knowing everything about their circumstances.


    ¡¸It didn¡¯t take long for me to make a decision. It is impossible for an individual to rule an entire country. However, with the¡ºck Organization¡»at my back, it bes a different story! And I took a vow. To make Serena happy, including the portion of the children who died!¡¹


    After a long talk, Rain exhaled loudly.


    ¡¸After that, as you know, Dagrio was changed to¡ºRainy Country¡»¡­ This is all I have to say.¡¹


    Sympathy and pity, an indescribable atmosphere dominated the ce.


    I raised my voice to drown out that atmosphere.


    ¡¸If that¡¯s the case, I might be able to do something about it.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­What do you mean?¡¹


    ¡¸My darkness cures everything except diseases. Naturally, it can cure the curse of a monster.¡¹


    ¡¸D-Don¡¯t lie! There has never been a single case of a curse being dispelled in the world! Even the rare¡ºrecovery-type soul dress¡»couldn¡¯t do it!¡¹


    ¡¸E-Even if you say that¡­ I can still dispel it.¡¹


    To be honest, I think it would be better to just demonstrate it.


    As I scratched my cheeks, wondering what to do,


    ¡¸C-Can you really¡­? Can Serena¡¯s curse be dispelled?¡¹Rain asked me, with a tiny gleam of hope in his eyes.


    ¡¸Aa, if it¡¯s a curse, I¡¯m certain.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡­ see¡­¡¹


    Rain dragged his battered body and stood in front of me and deeply bowed his head.


    ¡¸¡­I am deeply aware that I am not in a position to ask for such a thing. But still, I cast away my shame and beg you. Will you please lift Serena¡¯s curse¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, of course!¡¹


    As I readily consented to Rain¡¯s request,


    ¡¸This part here¡­ This strange bruise.¡¹Serena opened her right palm and showed me the¡ºCurse of Rain¡».


    ¡¸¡­I see.¡¹


    A dark-red pattern was on her palm.


    (It¡¯s very simr to the curse that hung on Reese-san from White Lily Academy¡­)


    I can dispel this without any problem.


    ¡¸Then, don¡¯t move for a little bit.¡¹


    ¡¸O-Okay¡­¡¹


    I focused my mind and coiled the darkness around her right palm.


    Thinly, softly, with the intention of swallowing only the bad.


    Then, the dark-red discolored skin quickly returned to its original beautiful skin.


    ¡¸It¡­ disappeared?¡¹


    ¡¸Something¡­ like this!?¡¹


    Serena and Rain widened their eyes, as though having witnessed actual magic.


    ¡¸It should be alright now. Rain, stop the rain.¡¹


    ¡¸A-Aa¡­!¡¹


    He let go of his soul dress and stopped the rain.


    ¡¸H-How is it¡­ Serena? Does your body hurt?¡¹


    ¡¸No! It¡¯s okay. I don¡¯t feel any pain!¡¹


    The Curse of Rain that hung on Serena seems to have been dispelled safely.


    Immediately after that, Rain, trembling with joy, grasped my hand tightly, sheddingrge tears of joy.


    ¡¸Thank you! Thank you, Allen! I am indebted to you! I will never forget it for the rest of my life. I will definitely return this favour without fail.¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, that¡¯s good.¡¹


    Now that the big problem was resolved, Rain was taken away by the senior Holy Knights.


    I was very curious about what kind of punishment he would be sentenced with, so I asked Ben-san.


    ¡¸Rain is one of the top executives of the ck Organization. There will definitely be strong political arguments. But there will be no death penalty. We can¡¯t do such an unseemly thing.¡¹


    Was what he told me.


    When I heard that it was not the death penalty, I felt relieved for the time being.


    As long as you¡¯re alive, you can start over again.


    When everything finally settled down, I exhaled greatly.


    (Fuu¡­ There were a lot of things going on, but it all worked out in the end.)


    I liberated Dagrio from the rule of the ck Organization, stopped the endless rain, and lifted the Curse of Rain that tormented Rain and Serena.


    (There were so many things, but this case is finally settled.)


    Thus, we, who saved one of the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle, Rain d and the Sunny Land, Dagrio, got on a small ne and returned to the Orest branch Holy Knights Association.

 Chapter 124 - Transfer Student and Christmas [1]

    124. Transfer Student and Christmas [1]


    I, Ria, and Rose, left the Sunny Land, Dagrio, on a small ne, and arrived at the Orest branch Holy Knights Association after about 2 hours of flight.


    ¡¸¡­Somehow, it feels like it¡¯s been a long time.¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, yeah.¡¹


    ¡¸Well, it was a major incident, after all.¡¹


    In truth, we were only in Dagrio for a very short time, but¡­


    We had a very tense time there, soing back to Orest felt nostalgic.


    ¡¸Well, for the time being¡­ Shall we go meet Clown-san?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, we have to hear the details from him, after all.¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, that¡¯s right.¡¹


    We needed to have a small discussion with Clown-san regarding this overseas trip.


    He said Dagrio was a rtively calm ce and not bad as a first trip destination.


    (However, that was an outright lie¡­)


    Dagrio was a conflict zone, which was effectively controlled by the ck Organization.


    In addition to that, we were sent on the very day of the decisive battle against one of the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle, Rain d.


    Clown-san, the branch chief of the Orest branch, must have surely known about that.


    (He probably had his reasons, but¡­)


    At any rate, it is necessary to hear the details directly from him.


    When we got off the small ne, we went straight to the Orest branch, to the branch chief¡¯s office.


    ¡ö


    We arrived in front of the branch chief¡¯s office after announcing ourselves at the reception desk.


    When I coughed once and knocked on the door,


    ¡¸Please enter.¡¹Clown-san¡¯s short reply returned.


    ¡¸Excuse me.¡¹


    As I slowly opened the door, there was¨C


    ¡¸Good job, everyone!¡¹


    Clown san, with a gentle smile, and¡­


    ¡¸Ara, Allen. It¡¯s been a while.¡¹


    Rize Dorahain, Boss of Fox Finance.


    ¡¸Ri-Rize-san!?¡¹


    ¡¸Rize Dorahain¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸Tsk,¡ºBloody Fox¡»¡­!?¡¹


    Our eyes widened in response to the unexpected person.


    ¡¸Fufu, I hear you¡¯ve been doing a great job. As expected of my favoured child!¡¹Rize-san said, andughed with a very gentle expression.


    She seems to have already heard about the matter in Dagrio.


    ¡¸T-Thank you¡­ But why is Rize-san here?¡¹


    This is the Holy Knights Association.


    A ce that does not have much rtion to her, who is one of¡ºFive Wealthy Merchants¡».


    ¡¸Ah, Clown is an old friend. I drop by like this once in a while.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha. I am very indebted to Rize-san!¡¹Clown-san said.


    ¡¸I see¡­ Is that so?¡¹


    The world sure is small.


    There are connections in unexpected ces.


    And now that we¡¯ve finished the simple greetings,


    ¡¸By the way, Clown-san. I have something to talk about with you for a little bit.¡¹


    I decided to get down to business right away.


    ¡¸Ah, aah¡­ I suppose you do¡­¡¹he scratched his cheek, with a forced smile.


    As expected, he seems to have sent us after knowing about the current state of Dagrio.


    And then,


    ¡¸About that, I sincerely apologize.¡¹


    Clown-san took off his hat and bowed his head deeply.


    The usual silly attitude was nowhere to be seen.


    It was a sincere apology.


    ¡¸P-Please raise your head, Clown-san!¡¹


    ¡¸He suddenly became serious¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Did you have reasons for why you couldn¡¯t say?¡¹


    We were a little taken aback by the difference from his usual personality.


    ¡¸As Rose-san says, there were some difficult circumstances over here as well. It may sound like an excuse, but¡­ Would you mind listening to me for a bit?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, of course.¡¹


    Then, we listened to Clown-san¡¯s exnation.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s start with the why. The purpose I sent Allen-san to Dagrio on the day of the decisive battle was to help Ben and the Senior Holy Knights.¡¹


    ¡¸To help Ben-san and the others¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. The Holy Knights Association headquarters underestimated the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle, Rain d. He is fearsomely strong. Ben and the Senior Holy Knights are no match for him. If we really wanted to bring down Rain, we would have to move the Seven Holy Swords.¡¹


    Seven Holy Swords¡­ It is a generic term for¡ºThe Strongest Seven Swordsmen of Mankind¡», who are the pride of the Holy Knights.


    ¡¸At that time, Ben and I were in sync that¡ºwe can¡¯t kill him¡». After the date of the decisive battle was decided, I submitted written opinions to the top brass on many asions -¡ºLack of fighting strength¡»and such. But the head of the top brass was really stubborn. And unfortunately, all of it was rejected.¡¹Clown san said, shrugging his shoulders.


    ¡¸As I kept opposing the top brass in that manner¡­ I was demoted, just the other day. I was transferred from my duty at the headquarters to be branch chief here. And as I was at a loss after losing my position, authority, and power, Allen-san appeared.¡¹


    He took a sip from the ss on his desk and continued talking.


    ¡¸Actually, I¡¯ve known you for quite some time. After all, Rize-san spoke excitedly of you, saying ¡ºI found something amazing¡»! So, it left a deep impression in my memory.¡¹


    When I nced over at Rize-san, she waved her hand slightly, with a gentle smile on her face.


    ¡¸So, to take advantage of this miraculous opportunity, I sent Allen-san to Dagrio without telling you about the situation. If it was you, who beat¡ºProdigy¡»at the Sword King Festival and even won over the heart of Rize-san, then you can surely bring down Rain d ¨C I acted with that conviction.¡¹


    Listening to the exnation so far, Clown-san seems to have had variousplications, too.


    ¡¸As a result, thanks to Allen-san, Ben and the Senior Holy Knights were able to return alive without a single casualty. Combat and treatment of vigers in Lao vige, solo defeat of Rain, interception of Red Drop ¨C I have received many reports that you yed the greatest active part. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.¡¹


    Clown-san, who concluded the story as such,


    ¡¸I have no excuse for deceiving you three. I am sorry.¡¹


    He made an earnest apology onest time, with sincerity.


    ¡¸¡­I understand the situation.¡¹


    He trusted us to help Ben-san and others.


    If that¡¯s the case, I have no choice but to ept.


    When I turned a sidelong nce towards Ria and Rose, they nodded.


    We seem to be of the same mind.


    ¡¸Clown san. This time, let¡¯s forgive and forget. However, please consult us in advance from now on. ¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Thank you very much.¡¹he said, bowing deeply.


    And then,


    ¡¸And also¡­ I am very sorry, but could I ask you for a favor?¡¹


    Clown-san nervously brought up a new topic.


    ¡¸A favour¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes¡­ I would like to ask you not to speak a word of this overseas trip. That also includes the director, Leia-san, too.¡¹


    ¡¸Why¡­ is that?¡¹


    ¡¸Um, how to say this¡­? If a matter like this goes public, the¡ºsystem reception¡»will suffer greatly.¡¹


    ¡¸System reception? Aa, that¡¯s what it is¡­¡¹


    The only system he can mean here is the¡ºspecial trainee system¡».


    This system we used was newly established this year. Its purpose is to absorb excellent students.


    However, if rumors such as¡ºspecial trainees are flown to dangerous conflict zones¡»spread, the number of applicants will decrease significantly.


    If that happens, the system itself may copse, and the worst case, it could cause students to lose interest in bing a Holy Knight.


    Clown-san seems to fear that.


    ¡¸It¡¯s very hard to ask this, being the one who perpetrated it, but¡­ please don¡¯t speak a word regarding Dagrio to anyone.¡¹Clown san said, bowing his head again.


    ¡­Since he¡¯s going this far, there¡¯s no helping it.


    Also, I don¡¯t think there will be any major problem in keeping Dagrio a secret


    That case is an exception among exceptions.


    This surely won¡¯t happen again in the future.


    ¡¸Haa¡­ I understand.¡¹


    And when I agreed,


    ¡¸As expected. Allen san is such a reasonable man! I am truly thankful!¡¹


    Clown-san returned to his usual silly tone.


    ¡­Yeah, this person is quite fishy, after all.


    ¡¸Hey, Ria-san, and Rose-san! Since Allen-san epted, can I please also request the same of you two!?¡¹he asked, putting both hands together.


    ¡¸Mou¡­ Allen is too naive.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah¡­ I have to agree with you on that.¡¹


    Ria and Rose sighed in tandem and promised not to mention the case of Dagrio.


    After we had finished our discussion with Clown-san, we left the branch chief¡¯s office and headed to the dormitory of Thousand de Academy.

 Chapter 125 - Transfer Student and Christmas [2]

    Chapter 125. Transfer Student and Christmas [2]


    Shortly after Allen, Ria and Rose, left the branch chief¡¯s office.


    ¡¸Fuu¡­ I managed to get through it somehow.¡¹


    Clown, who was able to settle the matter peacefully, felt a wave of relief.


    ¡¸Because Allen-kun is a really kind child¡­ If it¡¯s not a big deal, he won¡¯t get angry.¡¹


    ¡¸Hmmm, I see¡­¡¹


    Having found great value in Allen¡¯s usefulness, he began to plot a sinister n.


    And then,


    ¡¸I¡¯ll give you a piece of advice, just in case¡­ If you take advantage of that child¡¯s kindness, and fooled around¡­ You know what will happen, don¡¯t you?¡¹


    Rize, who saw through his plotting, said, with a tender smile on her face.


    At that moment, the air became oppressive at an instant. Suffocating bloodlust filled the room.


    (R-Rather than¡ºadvice¡»¡­ This is aplete¡ºthreat¡»¡­)


    Rize was captivated with Allen Rodore far more than Clown had imagined.


    Instantly understanding that fact, Clown abandoned the sinister n of using Allen, shaking his head sideways exaggeratedly.


    ¡¸O-Of course! I won¡¯t every a hand on Rize-san¡¯s favoured child!¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s fine then.¡¹


    As the oppressive bloodlust vanished and the tense air rxed, he heaved a small sigh.


    (Haa¡­ it¡¯s quite unfortunate, but¡­ I should probably keep away from Allen-san.)


    Clown, who has known Rize for a long time, knew well.


    Her relentlessness, her desire to monopolize, and above all, her fearsome tenacity.


    (But this captivation¡­ It¡¯s a little abnormal.)


    In both a good and bad way, Rize was fickle-natured.


    What she had cherished so far, turned to junk the next day.


    The one and only thing she cherishes is her little sister, Ferris Dorahain.


    That is why, it was abnormal for Rize to be so attached to a particr individual for several months on end.


    (This¡­ seems like she is still¡ºhiding¡»something¡­)


    Allen Rodore has a¡ºhidden side¡».


    Clown, who was convinced of that, secretly decided to investigate everything about Allen.


    ¡¸Even so, Allen-kun has be so admirable and reliable. Apletely different person from the time I met him at the Daido Commercial Festival. Haa, if only I was slightly younger¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah¡­ It sure gets hard when you reach thirty¨C¡¹


    The moment Clown uttered those words, his fedora withered away like a flower, disappearing from existence.


    ¡¸I am still twenty nine. There won¡¯t be a second chance, Clown.¡¹


    Perfect standardnguage without a northern ent.


    It was extremely rare to see Rize get angry for real.


    ¡¸I-I am sorry¡­¡¹


    Having felt actual danger to his life, Clown sincerely apologized and immediately spun up another topic.


    ¡¸C-Come to think of it¡­ Atst, Allen-san manifested his soul dress! Isn¡¯t it about time we start preparing for an all out attack on the ck Organization?¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s right¡­ Allen kun has brought down two Thirteen Knights of the Oracle, Fu Rudras and Rain d in the past few months. It wouldn¡¯t be strange if they start sending assassins.¡¹


    Rize nodded several times, and said so as though it was someone else¡¯s problem.


    ¡¸¡­Is it alright for you to not intervene? By some chance, they might send an upper Thirteen Knights of the Oracle.¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu¡­ That child won¡¯t die. After all, Allen-kun¡¯s spirit core is Zeon!¡¹she said, her eyes sparkling like a little girl.


    ¡¸Can you even imagine, Clown? That a fifteen year old student, snatched away power from Zeon himself?¡¹


    ¡¸Man, that is a truly fearsome talent¡­¡¹Clown said, with his eyes partly closed.¡¸But, that¡¯s quite hard, isn¡¯t it?¡¹


    He had aplex expression on his face.


    ¡¸Nn, what do you mean?¡¹


    ¡¸No, I was just thinking that it was a great burden. To be honest, if I was in his position, I would just throw it all away and run!¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, that child¡¯s mental strength is no longer human. He most likely spent an absurd amount of time in the¡ºPrison of Time¡». Who knows, perhaps he was there for the whole of¡º100 million years¡»?¡¹


    When Rize jokingly said that,


    ¡¸Ahaha, that¡¯s impossible. The longest record currently confirmed is¡ºone thousand years¡»¡¹Clownughed, his shoulders shaking.


    ¡¸Fufu, you¡¯re right. That was just a joke.¡¹


    They wereughing, but¡­


    In truth, the time Allen spent in the Prison of Time was¡ºover a billion years¡».


    He continued to loop through the hellish 100 million years more than ten times.


    After exchanging that brief discussion, Rize stood up with an elegant movement.


    ¡¸Well then, I have another meeting, so I am returning to Drestia.¡¹


    ¡¸I understand! Then, as we talked earlier, I¡¯ll keep Ben¡¯s mouth shut.¡¹


    ¡¸Do it soon, okay? If you dy it¡­ Ben and the rest, might disappear without a trace, okay?¡¹


    ¡¸I-I understand¡­!¡¹


    This time, Rize was moving to erase all traces of Allen Rodore from the Dagrio case.


    That¡¯s how she was hiding him from the eyes of the¡ºworld¡».


    (Fufu, not yet¡­ That child will grow much stronger still!)


    She was waiting.


    For the supreme fruit that is Allen Rodore, to ripen.


    For the time when he will turn the world¡ºupside down¡».


    (Fufu, this is truly fun¡­)


    Then Rize, who had an evil smile on her face,


    ¡¸Till next time. Continue to favor Fox Finances from now on as well.¡¹


    She left the branch chief¡¯s office.


    Rize Dorahain and Clown Jester ¨C thus, the secret talks between the two, who were rooted in the underworld, quietly concluded.


    ¡ö


    Having finished my overseas trip to Dagrio, I devoted the rest of my long vacation to practice-swings.


    Then, December 1st came.


    I went to Thousand de Academy with Ria.


    We arrived at the ssroom, and greeted our ssmates who seemed to have grown slightly more muscr.


    It¡¯s been a week since I met everyone in my ss like this.


    Naturally, conversations bloomed and by the time we realized, the morning chime rang to signal the start of homeroom.


    At the same time, the door of the ssroom opened vigorously. Leia-sensei walked in, full of energy as usual, and stood on the podium.


    ¡¸Good morning, everyone! I am sure, everyone had a meaningful vacation for a week! Well, then, I¡¯d like to immediately start the first period ss, but¡­ Rejoice! Today is a big event in your student life ¨C a¡ºTransfer Student¡»hase!¡¹


    When she announced loudly,


    ¡¸Wow, a transfer student¡­ What kind of person are they?¡¹


    ¡¸Is it a boy? Or a girl?¡¹


    ¡¸However, transferring to one of the Five Academy, Thousand de Academy¡­ I¡¯m sure they would be very skilled.¡¹


    The ssroom began to buzz suddenly.


    ¡¸Fufufu, rejoice you guys! The transfer student is a super¡ºbeautiful swordswoman¡»! ¨C Come in!¡¹


    When sensei said so, in a loud voice, the door of the ssroom slowly opened.


    The transfer student who walked in from there ¨C was¡ºthat person¡»whom I knew very well.


    (Oi, Oi, Oi¡­ Are you kidding me?)


    Sharp, long slit eyes.


    Rather short, glossy hair for a girl.


    A beautiful female student wearing a men¡¯s Thousand de Academy uniform.


    That person is no doubt ude-san, captain of the Vesteria Kingdom Elite Guards.


    She stood on the podium with beautiful posture, cleared her throat, and began to introduce herself.


    ¡¸I am ude Stroganoff, transferring from Royal Vesteria Academy. Hello.¡¹


    As her short self introduction ended,


    ¡¸C-ude¡­!?¡¹


    Ria abruptly stood up from her seat with surprise.


    ¡¸It¡¯s been a long time, Ria-sama!¡¹


    ude-san turned to Ria, with a flower-like, lovely smile blooming on her face.


    ¡¸And¡­ It looks like you¡¯re still alive, worm.¡¹


    With an outright disgusted look, she red at me.


    ¡¸Ahaha¡­ It¡¯s been a while, ude-san¡­¡¹


    I was disappointed that my name had gone back to¡ºworm¡», but I replied for the time being.


    (Haa¡­ Things are going to get noisy again¡­)


    And, I heaved a sigh deeply, with a knot in my stomach, anticipating trouble in the future.

 Chapter 126 - Transfer Student and Christmas [3]

    Chapter 126. Transfer Student and Christmas [3]


    ude-san, who suddenly transferred to Thousand de Academy, called me¡ºworm¡»for the first time in about six months.


    It seems that the flow of time has increased her animosity towards me.


    As I smiled bitterly,


    ¡¸¡ºBeautiful Swordswoman¡»? But that is the men¡¯s uniform, right¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸S-So cool¡­!¡¹


    The boys seemed confused, whereas the girls cheered in a high pitch.


    It seems that ude-san is the type of person who is popr with the same sex.


    After that, Leia-sensei coughed once and gathered everyone¡¯s attention.


    ¡¸As I introduced earlier, ude is an elite swordsman from the famous Royal Vesteria Academy. Her sharpened swordsmanship will surely motivate all of you as well. Work with each other and make your student life more meaningful! ¡¹


    When sensei summed up the story as such,


    ¡¸As for your seat, ude¡­ I have prepared one behind Allen. For today, sit over there.¡¹


    She was designated a seat in a very unpleasant position.


    ¡¸Hou, it¡¯s not a bad position¡­¡¹ude-san smiled suggestively, and took the seat behind mine.


    (I feel an intense gaze¡­)


    Without even turning around, I could feel her staring at my back.


    And then,


    ¡¸H-Hey, ude! Why are you in Thousand de Academy!?¡¹Ria asked a good question.


    Why did ude-san go out of her way to transfer to Thousand de Academy?


    It was on my mind too.


    (Perhaps¡­ they found out about that¡ºincident¡»only now?)


    A few months ago, Ria was kidnapped by members of the ck Organization, Zack Bomber and Thor Sammons.


    I received information about their location from Rize-san, and managed to rescue Ria, but¡­


    A major incident in which a princess of a country was abducted, it was expected that there would be a big protest from Vesteria Kingdom.


    However, they were eerily quiet for some reason at that time.


    (¡­This is the only thing thates to mind.)


    His Majesty Gris Vesteria, who found out about the incident, is trying to forcefully bring Ria back.


    (It makes the most sense to think that way, but¡­)


    But if that was the case¡­ there is no reason for ude-san to transfer to Thousand de Academy.


    First of all, Vesteria Kingdom is a strong nation that is named as one of the¡ºFive Great Powers¡».


    It¡¯s hard to believe that they¡¯ve only recently heard of the incident from a few months ago.


    (The more I think about it, the less it makes sense¡­ Why on earth is she here?)


    And when I was racking my brain about that, ude-san spoke, slightly hesitantly.


    ¡¸¡­To check the state of Ria-sama, of course.¡¹


    ¡¸?! I-Is that so? That¡¯s fine then.¡¹


    Perhaps the answer was convincing enough for Ria, as she immediately cut the discussion.


    (¡­Ria¡¯s state?)


    I wonder what that is all about¡­


    And as I was tilting my head,


    ¡¸Yoshi. Let¡¯s start the first period ss right away! Today is basic strength training! We¡¯re going to focus on lower body and stamina, so be prepared!¡¹Leia-sensei said, in a clear loud voice.


    Then we, the students of ss A, moved to the schoolyard to undertake the first period ss.


    ¡ö


    About three hourster, the strength training ss was conducted continuously through the first and second period, and now it was lunch break.


    ¡¸Fuu¡­ After all, winter training is good.¡¹


    Cool wind hitting the heated up body feels great.


    And as I was rxing after training,


    ¡¸Fufu, Allen¡­ with you, it¡¯s not just winter, is it?¡¹Ria said, smiling happily.


    ¡¸Ahaha, I guess.¡¹


    I remember we were talking about something like that a while ago.


    And when I tried to return to the ssroom, reminiscing about those memories,


    ¡¸Worm. It¡¯s finally lunch break.¡¹ude-san grabbed me by the shoulder, with an evil smile on her face.


    ¡¸E-Eh¡­ Is there something about lunch break¡­?¡¹


    Somehow¡­ I had a bad feeling.


    ¡¸No, I was just thinking of discussing something.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­What about?¡¹


    ¡¸Fuu, as if I even have to say¡­. I will make up for the previous loss right now!¡¹ude-san said, and unsheathed her sword, the tip pointing towards me.


    ¡¸¡­That¡¯s too sudden.¡¹


    It¡¯s a development I was already expecting, but¡­


    (To think she woulde after me so soon, during lunch break itself¡­)


    And when I secretly sighed,


    ¡¸Hey, is that transfer student serious!? She suddenly picked a fight with Allen!¡¹


    ¡¸Does she have a death wish?! It¡¯s too reckless!¡¹


    ¡¸But ude-san went to the best swordsmanship academy in Vesteria, you know? Maybe, just maybe, she might stand a chance.¡¹


    Everyone in the ss seemed to be curious, as they expressed their thoughts.


    (¡­How troublesome.)


    To be frank, I¡¯m not on board with this at all.


    I have no problem crossing swords with ude-san, but¡­


    This time period is poor.


    Speaking of lunch break, there is the regr meeting in the student council room.


    (If by chance, I miss the meeting¡­)


    It is easy to imagine the president sulking like a child again. And that in turn, will surely cook up more trouble.


    ¡¸Umm, ude=san¡­ If you don¡¯t mind, what about after school¨C¡¹


    ¡¸No.¡¹


    ¡¸Is that so¡­¡¹


    She rejected me before I even finished the sentence.


    Seems that she is not going to let me go no matter what.


    ¡¸¡­I understand. Let¡¯s do it.¡¹


    And when I epted the challenge from ude san,


    ¡¸Allen, don¡¯t overdo it. Please hold back and don¡¯t injure her too much, okay?¡¹Ria said, worried about ude-san.


    ¡¸Even if you say that¡­¡¹


    ude-san is terrifyingly strong.


    She is not an opponent I can beat by going easy.


    ¡¸R-Ria-sama!? Me, falling behind for the second time against this worm!?¡¹


    ¡¸E-Err¡­ Ahaha, Allen is strong after all, so¡­¡¹


    Ria apologized cutely, saying ¡±I¡¯m sorry,¡± with a wry smile.


    ¡¸Kuh¡­ Ki-Kisama¡­ you seem to have sunk your fangs into Ria-sama quite a bit again.¡¹


    ¡¸N-No, no, I didn¡¯t sink anything¡­¡¹


    I am already troubled by baseless rumours as it is¡­.


    ¡°Allen sank his fangs into the princess of Vesteria Kingdom,¡± don¡¯t even joke about such an evil portrayal.


    ¡¸Fu, fufu, fu¡­! Alright then, in that case, I apply for a duel against you, worm!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­!?¡¹


    Not a mock battle or a match, but a¡ºduel¡».


    A serious match that stakes the pride of a swordsman. Fighting against each other with predetermined conditions.


    ¡¸If I lose, I¡¯ll abide by any one thing you say. But, if you lose, you have to listen to one of my orders. Whatever it might be!¡¹ude-san said, with a serious expression.


    (¡­The conditions are more or less fifty-fifty.)


    However, I have to state one thing firmly.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll tell you beforehand. I can¡¯t abide to a reckless order, like¡ºkill someone¡»or¡ºdon¡¯t get involved with Ria¡», okay?¡¹


    ¡¸Fu, don¡¯t fret. My order ismonsensical and non-problematic.¡¹


    It seems that she has already decided on her¡ºorder¡».


    ¡¸¡­Okay, that¡¯s fine.¡¹


    And the moment I epted her duel,


    ¡¸With this, the duel is established! Breathe ¨C Avio Troop!¡¹


    She deployed her soul dress straight away.


    I clearly grasped the scorching fighting spirit in her eyes from a distance.


    ¡¸Fuu¡­¡¹


    I slowly unsheathe my sword and assumed Seigan no Kamae.


    (It¡¯s been about half a year since I crossed swords with ude-san in Vesteria Kingdom.)


    Depending on how I look at it¡­ this might be a good opportunity.


    Let¡¯s see how strong I¡¯ve be in thest six months¡­


    ¡¸Well, here Ie, Allen Rodore!¡¹


    ¡¸Aa,e!¡¹


    That¡¯s how I and ude san began a¡ºduel¡»that staked each other¡¯s pride.

 Chapter 127 - Transfer Student and Christmas [4]

    Chapter 127. Transfer Student and Christmas [4]


    ude-san and I held up our swords and quietly stared at each other.


    (It¡¯s a little different fromst time¡­)


    When we exchanged swords at the arena in Vesteria Kingdom, she rushed at me with attacks as soon as the duel began.


    (Judging from the aggressive nature of ude-san, I thought she woulde at me right away¡­)


    Do you have some strategy in mind or have you changed your fighting style?


    At any rate, my prediction was a miss.


    When I was thinking about that, ude-san, with beads of sweat on her forehead, started to slowly circle around me while maintaining the same distance.


    ¡¸Ki, Kisama¡­ You seem to have improved quite a bit¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Is that so¡­? Thank you.¡¹


    I never imagined she would praise me¡­ How rare.


    ¡¸Exceeded far above my expectations, huh¡­ then I would be at a disadvantage in closebat.¡¹ude-san murmured something, and quickly swung her long sword thrice, shing the soil in the schoolyard.


    A crest appeared there, casting a pale light.


    Following that, the soil changed shape with every passing second.


    ¡¸CHI-CHICHICHICHICHICHI!¡¹


    ¡¸GUWA¨C!¡¹


    ¡¸FURORORORORORO¡­!¡¹


    It transformed into fist-sized swallow, raven, and a barrel-sized owl.


    The swallow and raven perched on ude san¡¯s shoulder, whereas the big owl flew overhead.


    (¡­It¡¯s out.)


    Inorganic material which is cut with her soul dress transforms into a bomb and is manipted at will.


    It¡¯s the fearsome ability boasted by ude san¡¯s soul dress -¡´Avio Troop¡µ.


    Six months ago, I was tormented by that ability.


    ¡¸Fuu, if you think it¡¯s going to be the same as before¡­ You¡¯re in for a world of pain.¡¹


    As she swung her long sword with a confident look,


    ¡¸CHICHICHICHICHICHICHI!¡¹


    The swallow cried out in a high pitched noise, and flew in thepletely wrong direction. It slowly dropped its altitude, and the moment its body came into contact with the schoolyard, arge explosion sounded, producing a huge crater.


    ¡¸!?¡¹


    Everyone who was watching the scene unfold suddenly began to buzz.


    ¡¸O-Oi, are you serious?¡¹


    ¡¸What a power in such a small swallow¡­¡¹


    ¡¸As expected of a person originating from the Royal Vesteria Academy¡­¡¹


    ude-san was not interested in the reactions of our ssmate at all, as she looked straight into my eyes, with a fearless smile on her face.


    ¡¸How was that? Are you surprised?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, that power can¡¯t bepared to before¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Fuu, of course. After losing to you that day¡­ I¡¯ve been doing hellish training every single day!¡¹she said, putting on a belligerent smile.


    (¡­No matter how you look at the explosion just now, it¡¯s the power of the old¡ºowl¡»ss.)


    It is necessary that I be cautious of it.


    While keeping ude-san at the edge of my sight, I nced at the big owl that was ring at me from the sky.


    (Even a small fist-sized swallow produced such a big explosion.)


    If that barrel-sized owl explodes, it will surely be an enormous explosion.


    As I analyzed ude-san¡¯s power,


    ¡¸Now, show me your power, worm!¡¹she eximed, quickly shing the soil in the schoolyard.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸CHICHICHICHI!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸GUWAAA, GUWAA! ¡¹¡¹¡¹


    Ten bombs made from swallows and ravens each were produced; a total of twenty.


    (¡­The number has also increased.)


    If I remember correctly, previously there were only ten or so of them in total.


    (It¡¯s twenty at a time now, huh¡­)


    That¡¯s a fearsome growth.


    ¡¸Fufu, are you so surprised that you became speechless? Then, get blown away where you stand! Now, dance!¡¹


    At the same time as ude san¡¯s orders, the twenty bombs rushed at me.


    (¡­They¡¯re kinda fast.)


    By the time I noticed, they were close to my nose tip.


    ¡¸Burst!¡¹


    The moment she cried out, dazzling light filled the whole area and an explosion of unprecedented scale urred.


    Clouds of dust rolled up, and momentary silence dominated the ce.


    ¡¸Fuu, I definitely caught you¡­!¡¹


    Together with ude-san¡¯s voice, who was convinced of victory,


    ¡¸Doesn¡¯t this look really bad¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸If you get hit with something like that directly, there won¡¯t even be a trace remaining¡­¡¹


    ¡¸O-Oi, Allen¡­ Are you alive?¡¹


    I heard the uneasy voices of my ssmates.


    ¡¸-Aa, of course.¡¹


    I answered briefly, and swept away the clouds of dust with darkness as proof.


    ¡¸That¡¯s ude-san for you. Power, quantity, speed, everything is remarkably different. But, I¡¯ve grown a little too, you know?¡¹


    The output of the dark robe seems to be much higher than her swallow and raven.


    ¡¸I-Impossible¡­! Unharmed after taking that current explosion? No, before that¡­ What is that sinister power!?¡¹she eximed, pointing to the dark robe that d my body.


    ¡¸Aa,e to think of it¡­ This is the first time I¡¯ve shown it to ude-san.¡¹


    It would not be appropriate for me to know of her ability, and her not knowing of mine in a fair duel.


    ¡¸As you can see, my power is¡ºdarkness¡». It can protect and also heal everyone. Unlike its appearance, it is a fairly gentle power.¡¹


    ¡¸No way, you¡­ attained soul dress!?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes¡­ But I manifested it just the other day, and I¡¯m still in the middle of learning how to use it.¡¹


    Then, I cut off the conversation and raised the output of darkness.


    The darkness gushing out from my body blocked the light and cast arge shadow on the schoolyard.


    ¡¸What an output! Is this guy a monster¡­!?¡¹ude-san muttered something, as she turned pale.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll go next. Dark Shadow.¡¹


    When I stretched out my right hand,


    ¡¸¡­¡­!?¡¹


    Abyss-like darkness crawled across the schoolyard and rushed towards ude-san.


    It showedplex and agile movement, as though having a will of its own.


    (¡­Strange.)


    Since the manifestation of soul dress, the nature of my darkness has changed a little.


    How do I put it¡­ It feels sinister, as ude-san stated earlier.


    (As expected, I am approaching that guy more and more¡­)


    At first¡­ it was this terrifyingly robust body.


    After that, the sudden ck-and-white hair.


    And now, this sinister, evil darkness.


    (There is no doubt about it anymore¡­)


    Little by little, I¡¯m definitely bing like that guy.


    I honestly have no idea if this is a good thing or a bad thing.


    (¡­I¡¯ll ask Leia-sensei next time.)


    When I was vaguely thinking about that,


    ¡¸Kuh, don¡¯t underestimate me¡­¡¹


    ude-san jumped up high, and the overhead owl flew down, as though changing positions.


    ¡¸FURORORORORORO¡­!¡¹


    The owl produced an enormous explosion downwards, and seeded in fending off Dark Shadow splendidly.


    (I see¡­ So she can even control the direction of the explosion now¡­ Even so, that is quite the firepower¡­)


    Even though I¡¯m d in a dark robe¡­ If I were to take that enormous explosion directly, I wouldn¡¯t walk out unharmed.


    ude-san, who broke through Dark Shadow,


    ¡¸¡­Kisama, why are you holding back your prided swordsmanship? Come at me seriously!¡¹


    She yelled at me, without trying to hide her displeasure.


    Apparently, she is irritated that I did not get into closebat, and targeted from far away.


    ¡¸All right. Then, here Ie.¡¹


    I sheathed my sword into its scabbard and dropped my center of gravity.


    (¡­The swallow and raven can be neutralized by the dark robe. The only thing that bothers me is the owl that protects her.)


    I had difficulty with that strategyst time too.


    (Feels slightly nostalgic¡­)


    I remember plunging into the heart of the explosion with the resolution of death at that time.


    (Well, followingmon sense¡­ The same move won¡¯t work twice¡­)


    The opponent is ude-san, a first-rate swordsman.


    (Even if I took advantage of my robust body and plunged into the explosion¡­ I wouldn¡¯t be able to surprise her like I didst time.)


    I will probably end up being dealt with calmly.


    If so¡­ All I have to do is close the distance at such a speed where she can¡¯t react.


    (I don¡¯t know if I can do it or not, but¡­ It¡¯s well worth a try.)


    And the moment I took a step firmly on the schoolyard, I had already stepped into the certain kill distance.


    ¡¸Wh, a¡­!?¡¹


    ude-san¡¯s eyes widened in shock.


    ¡¸Hi, High King Style ¨C Strong Strike!¡¹


    She unleashed a diagonal sh at a moment¡¯s judgement.


    I evaded the blow with just footwork, and circled around to ude-san¡¯s rear.


    ¡¸Guh, not yet¡­!¡¹


    Still, she desperately snapped back, twisting her body and kept me in her sight.


    (Indomitable fighting spirit¡­ I have to learn from her, too¡­)


    I unleashed the fastest sh to not be disrespectful towards ude-san.


    ¡¸Seventh Sword ¨C Instant sh!¡¹


    A godspeed Iai sh, which cut the sound barrier,


    (Fast! Defense¡­ Impossible! Evasion¡­ Impossible! Death!?)


    Stopped exactly at ude-san¡¯s neck.


    ¡¸That settles the match. You ept?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡­¡­Aa, it¡¯s my loss.¡¹


    ¡´Avio Troop¡µslipped out of her hand ¨C and the result was decided.


    Thus, I, who had won the duel with ude-san, felt relieved for the time being.

 Chapter 128 - Transfer Student and Christmas [5]

    128. Transfer Student and Christmas [5]


    When I won the duel against ude san and sheathed my sword into its scabbard,


    ¡¸Good job, Allen. Nevertheless, that¡ºdarkness¡»just now was amazing!¡¹


    ¡¸It was a really good duel, but¡­ did you get slightly faster again?¡¹


    Ria and Rose said, running up to me.


    It seems that they were both a little concerned about my power.


    ¡¸Perhaps so. Since I manifested my soul dress, I think?¡¹


    Since the manifestation of¡´Zeon¡µ, I feel that guy¡¯s presence is closer than ever before.


    The darkness that I could not control without concentration before, I can now move it like an extension of my limbs.


    (But that makes it difficult to determine¡­ What kind of¡ºtype¡»this power fall under?)


    Thus far, its foundation is simple strengthening-type, but it also has the ability of a maniption-type which maniptes darkness freely, and also the ability of a recovery-type, which is rare.


    Because of the high versatility, it is difficult to attach it to one type solely.


    When I was thinking about that,


    ¡¸Worm¡­ How did you acquire that much power!?¡¹


    ¡¸Even if you ask me that¡­ It can only be the same way as everyone else, right?¡¹


    I have done nothing special.


    The training I do every day is exactly the same as everyone else at Thousand de Academy.


    ¡¸D-Don¡¯t lie! That overwhelming physical ability and honed swordsmanship¡­ must surely have some¡ºsecret¡»behind them!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Let¡¯s see.¡¹


    If there was a secret¡­


    ¡¸I have done practice-swings longer than anyone else, I guess?¡¹


    ¡¸Practice-swings, you say? I see. So you don¡¯t intend to disclose your training method at any cost¡­¡¹ude-san said, ring at me.


    (But I just told you everything without concealing it¡­.)


    She doesn¡¯t seem to be convinced by that answer.


    ¡¸More importantly, ude. What were you nning to do with¡ºthat promise¡»agreed before the duel?¡¹Ria asked.


    The promise we agreed on before the duel; that the loser has to abide by any one thing.


    ¡¸I am sorry, Ria-sama.¡¹


    For some reason, ude-san bowed her head towards Ria.


    ¡¸W-Why are you apologizing to me?¡¹


    ¡¸I just didn¡¯t have enough power¡­ to destroy the¡ºevil contract¡»that binds you.¡¹ude-san said, bowing her head deeply.


    (Evil contract¡­? Oh, she¡¯s talking about that¡­)


    Apparently, she was trying to get rid of my and Ria¡¯s¡ºmaster-servant contract¡».


    (Come to think of it, there was that thing too¡­)


    Ipletely forgot, but¡­ that contract, which was established by our duel, is absolute.


    Even now, I am Ria¡¯s master, and she is my ve.


    ¡¸M-Mou¡­ You don¡¯t have to worry about that¡­¡¹


    Ria, blushing slightly, turned away.


    ¡¸Wha¡­!? Have you¡­pletely epted that rtionship!?¡¹


    ude-san, who misunderstood it greatly, dropped to her knees, and started turning pale.


    ¡¸No, not at all! It¡¯s not like that¡­ A-Anyway, forget about that matter! More importantly, worry about yourself!¡¹Ria said, and shoved me in front of ude-san.


    ¡¸E-Err¡­ What should I do?¡¹


    As I scratched my cheeks, and cast my gaze on ude-san,


    ¡¸Kuh, you animal¡­¡¹


    For some reason, she crossed her hands in front of her chest and took a step back.


    ¡¸I can ask any one thing¡­ right?¡¹


    ¡¸A-Aa, that¡¯s right! If it is within the bounds ofmon sense, I will listen to any order. If it¡¯s within the bounds ofmon sense!¡¹


    ude-san blushed, stressing the phrase¡ºwithinmon sense¡».


    (Do I really look like a man who would give a perverted order in her eyes?)


    Feeling slightly hurt inside, I confessed my honest feelings for the time being.


    ¡¸There is nothing in particr that I want of you¡­¡¹


    ¡¸What¡­!? Y-You can order me to do anything! And yet, a man like you who is a mass of lust¡­ What the hell are you nning!?¡¹


    ¡¸I am not a mass of lust and I am not nning anything.¡¹


    The purpose of the duel has already been aplished.


    I have be stronger than I was six months ago.


    Desperately doing practice-swings every single day was not a waste


    Simply knowing that was an achievement enough.


    I really have nothing to ask of her.


    (Haa¡­ how troubling.)


    If I ask of a worthless request, like telling her to forget about this promise¡­¡¸Kisama, I don¡¯t need your pity!¡¹is how she would react, I¡¯m sure.


    In that case, it is better to be frank.


    ¡¸Anyway, I don¡¯t have anything to ask of ude-san at the moment.¡¹


    ¡¸Guh¡­ I-I see¡­ Then, take great care of that precious right which is more than someone like you deserves!¡¹she said, and ordered the¡ºpreservation of right¡».


    ¡¸T-Thank you¡­?¡¹


    Though, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever need to use it for the rest of my life.


    It coulde in handyter¡­ So why not, I guess.


    (You never know how the world would turn out tomorrow¡­)


    Eat what you can eat.


    Get what you can get.


    That¡¯s how we grew up in Goza vige; a weed-like way of life.


    When my and ude-san¡¯s duel came to a conclusion,


    ¡¸The president and senpais should be waiting for us. Shall we get going?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, you¡¯re right.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, let¡¯s do that.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­President?¡¹


    We went back to our ssroom to get our lunch boxes.


    ¡ö


    After that, we headed to the student council room. Of course, we took ude-san with us.


    We can¡¯t possibly leave her alone in the ssroom on the first day of her transfer.


    (Well, even if it¡¯s a regr meeting, it¡¯s just a¡ºlunch party¡».)


    There will be no big problem even if there was a member other than the student council.


    After that, I knocked on the door of the student council room as usual, and entered after receiving permission from the president.


    And then,


    ¡¸You¡¯re LATE! What the hell were you doing!?¡¹


    The president stood up from her chair vigorously, and came up to me.


    ¡¸P-President¡­ Close, too close¡­!¡¹


    The scent of shampoo filled my nostrils, causing my heart to start beating faster.


    ¡¸Hey, be honest with onee-chan! What were you doing?¡¹she said, while pouting her cheeks a little.


    There was not one shred of¡ºonee-chan likeness¡»on that face. No matter how much I looked, I only saw that of a pouting child.


    ¡¸There was something a little unexpected.¡¹


    ¡¸Be more specific.¡¹the president said, looking me straight in the eye.


    ¡¸Well, umm¡­ I had to cross swords with ude-san over there.¡¹I answered honestly.


    ¡¸¡­Ara? If I am not mistaken¡­ you are ude Stroganoff-san, correct?¡¹


    The president mentioned ude-san¡¯s full name, blinking in surprise.


    ¡¸Yes, that¡¯s right. And you are¡­ Sie Arcstria-dono, aren¡¯t you? And they are Lilim Tsuorine-dono and Ferris Magdalot-dono, I suppose. I¡¯ve heard from Leia that all three of you are excellent swordsmen.¡¹


    Surprisingly, she was soft mannered. She used honorifics for each of them, and bowed courteously.


    ¡¸Wee to the student council, ude-san! We always wee excellent swordsmen to join the student council! If I remember correctly¡­ your position is¡ºgeneral affairs¡», right?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, that¡¯s what I heard from Leia.¡¹


    ude-san joined the student council surprisingly smoothly.


    It seems that-Leia sensei had already passed on the message that ude-san is joining the student council.


    ¡¸Well then, let¡¯s introduce ourselves!¡¹


    We all started to eat lunch after a simple self introduction.


    ude-san was very soft mannered and talked warmly with Rose, the president, Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai, whom she was meeting for the first time.


    At this rate, she¡¯s sure to adapt to the ss in no time.


    When I was thinking about that,


    ¡¸I heard you crossed swords earlier. Who won?¡¹


    The president asked, and threw an octopus-shaped sausage in her mouth.


    ¡¸¡­It¡¯s frustrating to admit, but I didn¡¯t stand a chance at all¡¹ude san-said, with a frustrated expression, and gritting her teeth.


    The president heaved a forced sigh.


    ¡¸Haa¡­ Allen-kun is teasing girls and ying with them again.¡¹


    ¡¸P-Please don¡¯t say such scandalous things!¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, sorry.¡¹


    She smiled like a mischievous child and immediately followed up on ude-san¡¯s reply.


    ¡¸It¡¯s alright. Don¡¯t feel depressed. To begin with, Allen-kun is no longer human, and normal swordsmanship doesn¡¯t work.¡¹


    ¡¸Ku, certainly¡­ It is as you say.¡¹


    ude-san clutched her chopsticks with frustration. Perhaps she recalled the previous duel.


    ¡¸A-Ahaha¡­¡¹


    I was at a loss as to how to talk to her, so I simply forced augh.


    While chatting and eating happily with everyone,


    ¡¸I see. Another year is almost over now.¡¹Ria whispered, with a distant look in her eyes.


    ¡¸Ri, Ria-sama¡­¡¹


    When ude-san heard those words, for some reason, she bit her lower lip and dropped her gaze.


    (¡­.What is going on?)


    I was worried about what was going on. So, when I tried to talk to them,


    ¡¸Nee, how was this year for you, Allen?¡¹Ria asked, with her usual cheerful expression.


    For just a moment, she seemed to have a gloomy expression on her face.


    Apparently, it was just my imagination.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s see¡­ There was a lot of trouble, but it has been a good year.¡¹


    Looking back, there have been so many things in thest year.


    (The beginning was of course¡­ the¡º100 Million Years Button¡».)


    That strange experience changed my life greatly.


    I have been really upied every day since I enrolled into Thousand de Academy. Every day was very fulfilling.


    Participating in the Big Five Holy Festival and volunteering as Magic Swordsman. And there was also a joint summer camp with Ice King Academy, and the First Year War.


    After that, there was the Sword King Festival, the Thousand de Festival, and going on an overseas expedition as a special trainee of Senior Holy Knights.


    And above all I met Ria, Rose, ude-san, and Sid san, Idol, and so many other people.


    (It feels like a really long year, but also short at the same time¡­)


    There is no doubt that it was a very very tense year.


    As I recalled the various events that happened this year,


    ¡¸Speaking of which¡­ Have you all prepared a¡ºpresent¡»?¡¹the president happily asked.


    ¡¸Present?¡¹


    ¡¸Eh¡­ You haven¡¯t heard yet?¡¹


    As we were all looking confused,


    ¡¸Sie, the general announcement is still a week away.¡¹


    ¡¸The first years wouldn¡¯t know about it yet, though¡­¡¹


    Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai added their exnation from the side.


    ¡¸Ah yes, that¡¯s right!¡¹


    The president pped her hands together and had a very bright smile on her face.


    ¡¸Fufu, Thousand de Academy holds a¡ºChristmas Party¡»on December 25th every year!¡¹


    ¡­Oh man, there is surely something more to this.


    There¡¯s no way that the president is looking forward to a¡ºnormal Christmas party¡»so much.


    (I¡¯m almost certain that it is an event which hides something troublesome¡­)


    Looking at her bright, wonderful smile, I am one hundred percent certain that it is going to be troublesome.

 Chapter 129 - Transfer Student and Christmas [6]

    129. Transfer Student and Christmas [6]


    ¡¸What do you do at the Christmas party?¡¹I asked the president, who was grinning.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s see¡­ We get together in the grand auditorium of Thousand de Academy and have a ceremonial dinner together. On the day of the event, we hold a¡ºGreat Exchange¡»of presents that everyone brings, listening to live music by famous musicians, and many other activities. Anyway, it¡¯s really exciting!¡¹


    ¡¸I see¡­ I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡¹


    As far as I can tell, it sounds like a slightlyrger scale Christmas party.


    ¡¸It¡¯s a good idea to leave your stomach empty on that day! After all, super famous restaurants will cook for you on an official tour!¡¹


    ¡¸A buffet-style all you can eat, though¡­¡¹


    When Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai added their exnations, Ria¡¯s eyes sparkled at the words ¡ºall you can eat¡».


    ¡¸It¡¯s quite extravagant, isn¡¯t it?¡¹


    As expected, one of the Five Academy.


    Even for a Christmas party, the money involved is extraordinary.


    ¡¸Fufu, that¡¯s right. And¡­ There¡¯s a little event at the end, so look forward to it, okay?¡¹


    The president winked with her left eye skillfully, together with the best smile she has ever put on so far.


    (Aa, this is the one¡­)


    The president¡¯s real target seems to be this.


    ¡¸Uh¡­ What kind of event is it?¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, you will find out on that day¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I see.¡¹


    I¡¯ve spent a lot of time with the president this past year.


    Thanks to that, I was able to understand her smile.


    The smile when she¡¯s plotting something.


    The smile when she¡¯s ying a prank.


    The smile when she¡¯s trying to tease.


    (¡­When I look back, I don¡¯t have very good memories of the president¡¯s smile.)


    Anyway, judging by the president¡¯s smile, it¡¯s very likely that she¡¯s trying to set me up for something.


    I¡¯ll have to brace myself before joining the party.


    ¡¸Well, that¡¯s about it. I hope everyone looks forward to it.¡¹


    ¡¸I think you¡¯ll hear from your homeroom teacher sooner orter. Don¡¯t forget to get a present!¡¹


    ¡¸We¡¯ll set up the party, so all of you can rx, though¡­¡¹


    The president and senpais said so, and concluded the discussion.


    ¡ö


    The following few weeks, my days were very fulfilling.


    During the day, I honed my swordsmanship at Thousand de Academy. And after sses, I engaged in the activities of the practice-swing club.


    The size of the practice-swing club has also increased recently, and the number of members has finally exceeded one hundred.


    It seems that this number is second only to the swordsmanship club.


    If everyone likes practice-swings this much, I¡¯m sure we will be able to hold a¡ºblue sky practice-swing ssroom¡»at next year¡¯s Thousand de Festival.


    On my asional days off, I went to the Orest branch Holy Knights Association and participated in the training.


    Clown-san said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to force yourself to participate at all. There¡¯s nothing I can teach you,¡± but¡­


    I¡¯m still a special trainee of the Senior Holy Knight.


    So, I should participate in the training whenever possible.


    As I lived such busy and fulfilling days, time went by in the blink of an eye.


    And finally the 25th of December, Christmas, hase.


    (Fuh¡­ It¡¯s finally here.)


    After the ss, I and Ria went back to the dorm to leave our bags.


    The time was 5pm.


    An hour before the start of the Christmas party.


    ¡¸Hmm hmm¡¹


    From the room at the back, I heard Ria humming in a good mood.


    Looking forward to this day from the bottom of her heart, she has not eaten anything since this morning.


    Perhaps she¡¯s nning to eat up every single food in the party hall.


    (Well, I should get ready soon¡­)


    I¡¯m a little worried because I don¡¯t know what the president is up to. But I can¡¯t afford to be absent just because of that.


    I inserted the present which I bought in the town of Orest beforehand in the bag, and changed outfits.


    And then,


    ¡¸Ta-da! What do you think?¡¹


    From the back room, Ria, wearing a Santa hat, asked for my impression.


    Wearing a red and white fluffy fabric, a Santa hat with a hairball at the tip, she was so cute, to say the least.


    ¡¸Yes, it looks very good on you.¡¹


    ¡¸O-Oh? ¡­Ehehe, thank you.¡¹


    She looked very happy.


    ¡¸Nee, nee, show me yours too, Allen!¡¹


    ¡¸A-Ah¡­¡¹


    Being urged by Ria, I reluctantly put it on.


    ¡¸W-What do you think¡­?¡¹


    It was a reindeer headgear with two horns.


    ¡¸Fufu, it¡¯s cute¡­¡¹


    ¡¸T-That so¡­?¡¹


    I looked at myself in the dresser.


    (No, this is¡­)


    Thousand de Academy¡¯s cool uniform and this pretty reindeer horn¡­


    To be honest, I have to say it¡¯s a mismatch.


    (I wish the boys could wear Santa hats like the girls. Why did they even bother to separate boys and girls in the first ce?)


    Reindeer headgear and Santa hats were distributed to all students by Thousand de Academy.


    Those who participate in the Christmas party are required to wear it, like a so-called dress code.


    (It¡¯s a little¡­ No, it¡¯s pretty embarrassing¡­)


    But to attend the Christmas party with Ria¡­ I have no choice but to persevere.


    After that, we finished checking if we had forgotten anything and,


    ¡¸Then, shall we?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes!¡¹


    We headed to the grand auditorium of Thousand de Academy together.


    ¡ö


    The entrance to the auditorium was filled with male students wearing reindeer horns and female students wearing Santa hats.


    ¡¸The reception is¡­ this way, Ria.¡¹


    ¡¸Ah¡­ yes!¡¹


    I led her by the hand, so as not to lose her in the crowd, and went to the simple tent reception.


    We lined up in one of the four lines, waited for about five minutes, and our turn came around.


    ¡¸Please present your student ID card and presents.¡¹


    When the receptionist said so, I and Ria ced our student ID card and the present we brought on the desk.


    ¡¸Thank you very much. Allen Rodore and Ria Vesteria. Then, I will attach this name tag.¡¹


    She affixed a small name tag on the reindeer horns on my head and on the Santa hat on Ria.


    The name tag was stylishly decorated with the pattern of a butterfly.


    ¡¸This is used for verification at the venue, so please be careful not to lose it. In addition, we will collect the present here. There is a¡ºGreat Exchange¡»in the middle of the party, so please look forward to that. Merry Christmas!¡¹


    Then, she rang the bell at hand when the procedure waspleted.


    ¡¸M-Merry Christmas¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Merry Christmas!¡¹


    After that, we went into therge auditorium.


    There was a gorgeous party hall.


    Therge room, which could fit slightly more than a thousand, was decorated with christmas trees, flowers, golden christmas bells, cotton floss which imitates snow, and various other ornaments.


    And all of them were warmly illuminated by grand chandeliers hanging from the ceiling.


    It was a venue that expressed the spirit of Thousand de Academy, which loves to be boisterous.


    ¡¸This is amazing¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Wow, beautiful¡­¡¹


    As we looked around the party hall,


    ¡¸Allen-kun, Ria-san, wee.¡¹


    The president, dressed in a lovely Santa costume, walked slowly toward us.


    ¡¸Wow¡­ That¡¯s a nice costume!¡¹


    ¡¸I think it looks great.¡¹


    In line with Ria¡¯s impression, I expressed my honest feelings.


    Her lovely red and white outfit looked really good, no ttery mixed in that statement.


    ¡¸Thank you very much. Allen-kun also looks good, doesn¡¯t he?¡¹


    She raised her gaze, and said so a little jokingly.


    ¡¸Ahaha, I have mixed feelings¡­¡¹


    I don¡¯t think there are many people who would feel happy from the bottom of their heart being told they look good in reindeer horns.


    ¡¸Fufu, of course it¡¯s a joke. Well then, I¡¯ve still got preparations to take care of, so let¡¯s talkter.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, sure.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m looking forward to it¡¹the president said, and disappeared to the back of the auditorium.


    (¡­That was surprisingly normal.)


    She was quite calm.


    Judging only by her present state, she doesn¡¯t seem to be nning anything.


    (¡­No, don¡¯t let your guard down.)


    The other party is that little devil, Sie Arcstria.


    The slightest bit of carelessness will lead to big trouble.


    When I refocused my mind,


    ¡¸Allen, Ria. Merry Christmas.¡¹


    Rose, wearing a Santa hat, patted me on the back.


    ¡¸Rose, you¡¯re early today.¡¹


    ¡¸Merry Christmas, Rose!¡¹


    And when we were exchanging light greetings,


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    Someone bumped into my back.


    Turning around, it was ude-san wearing a Santa hat.


    ¡¸Hmm, just when I was thinking that¡¯s an unpleasant looking deer¡­ It turned out to be the worm, after all.¡¹


    She bumped into me on purpose, and immediately started calling me names.


    Well, it¡¯s true that it doesn¡¯t look good, so it¡¯s no use rebutting.


    ¡¸A-Ahaha¡­ But ude-san¡¯s Santa hat looks cute and pretty on you.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­!? W-Worm, don¡¯t fool around saying, such as p-pretty! I will chop off your deer antlers!¡¹


    Slightly blushing, she red at me sharply.


    And then,


    ¡¸Cut it out, ude! That is not a deer antler, it¡¯s a reindeer antler!¡¹Ria said, as though having run out of patience, and warned ude-san.


    (¡­I appreciate the feeling, but that¡¯s not the point here.)


    It would be helpful if you paid attention to the¡ºworm¡»part, mainly.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry, Ria sama¡­¡¹


    When we were having such normal conversations, the lights in the hall dimmed.


    Immediately after that, bright lighting concentrated on the stage at the back of the auditorium.


    It was the president, dressed in a Santa outfit, who stood there.


    ¡¸Everyone, today is a fun Christmas! Forget everything and have a lot of fun, Merry Christmas! ¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸Merry Christmas!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    This is how the Christmas party of Thousand de Academy began.

 Chapter 130 - Transfer Student and Christmas [7]

    130. Transfer Student and Christmas [7]


    At the same time as the president announced the start of the Christmas party, a lot of dishes were brought in all at once.


    Meat dishes, assorted vegetables, seafood, soups, fruits, and chock full of other high ss feeling dishes I don¡¯t even know the name of.


    (¡­It smells good.)


    A smell which stimtes one¡¯s appetite flowed in from all around.


    (But if you bring in such delicious dishes all at once, people will flood to it¡­)


    I took a step back and looked around, all the students seemed to be calm.


    Those chatting with friends.


    Those asking for a drink.


    Those who arranged a modest amount of food on a te.


    A very calm and mild air, and themotion I had expected was nowhere to be seen.


    (¡­If I think about it, it¡¯s only natural.)


    Everyone here was born a noble or are from respectable families.


    They must be used to this kind of buffet style party.


    I felt the¡ºdifference in experience¡».


    In the middle of that situation,


    ¡¸I-It¡¯s here, Allen! Let¡¯s eat quickly before it goes away!¡¹


    The most prestigious¡ºPrincess¡»in this ce seemed to be unable to hide her excitement in front of the food before her.


    ¡¸Fufu. Aa, let¡¯s go.¡¹


    I followed her as she walked with quick steps, and picked up a te from the pile on a desk.


    (This is a very expensive te, isn¡¯t it¡­?)


    It was as shiny as a mirror, and a golden arabesque pattern was drawn around the edge.


    To be honest, I don¡¯t know the value of these things, but I¡¯m sure it¡¯s very high.


    (I mustn¡¯t drop it¡­ even by ident¡­)


    Slightly nervously, I arranged a well bnced serving of vegetables and meat on my te.


    While Ria¡¯s te was stacked with quite heavy-looking Ramzacs.


    Rose was focused on vegetables and her favourite sweet desserts.


    Whereas, ude-san simply piled up all kinds of meat.


    Each of our personalities emerged on our te.


    After that, we gathered in a ce with fewer people and started filling our stomachs.


    ¡¸This vegetable is pretty fresh! What a great taste!¡¹


    ¡¸Nn¡­! Ramzac is the best after all!¡¹


    ¡¸This ice cream has just the right sweetness!¡¹


    ¡¸Hou, this meat is not bad.¡¹


    Then, a ssy orchestra started ying while everyone was eating with relish.


    Looking at them, I saw many musicians ying a wide variety of musical instruments on the stage.


    ¡¸This is¡­ It¡¯s the fourth movement of the Reeveshive Symphony.¡¹Ria said, just from hearing the overture.


    ¡¸Oh, are you familiar with that?¡¹I asked.


    ¡¸Fuu, of course! Ria-sama is a talented woman who has acquired all kinds of education from all over the world!¡¹ude-san, cutting in from the side, said very proudly.


    She looked very happy, probably because her lord was praised.


    After that, there were many things, such as chatting while listening to a live performance by a famous band in Orest, the appearance of a huge Christmas cake, and the emergency order of dishes because Ria ate too much. We had all around a really good time.


    An hour passed since the start of the party.


    ¡¸Well, let¡¯s start the long awaited¡ºGreat Exchange¡»!¡¹


    The president, who went up to the stage in the far end of therge auditorium, loudly dered so.


    At the same time, the curtain of the stage went up slowly, and a lot of presents appeared.


    All of them were those brought by us.


    ¡¸That¡¯s quite the number¡­¡¹


    The first years brought in 180 presents, which equates to, 540 presents from all students.


    (It¡¯s called a great exchange, but are they nning to allocate it¡­?)


    It takes a considerable amount of time to distribute them one by one.


    ¡¸-First of all, everyone from Year 1 ss A, please gather in front of the stage.¡¹


    The president¡¯s beautiful voice echoed through the hall.


    ¡¸So, our ss is the first?¡¹


    ¡¸Hmm, I¡¯m looking forward to see what kind of presents we¡¯ll get!¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, yeah.¡¹


    I walked to the stage while talking with Ria.


    There were ten boxes in front of the stage that read¡ºlottery box¡».


    ¡¸Each lottery box contains a numbered lot. The present with the same number as that number will be yours.¡¹


    Looking closely, the presents on the stage were affixed with a numbered paper.


    ¡¸I see, it¡¯spletely random.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, it looks like it is.¡¹


    Then, we each drew a lot from the lottery box.


    The number I drew was 41.


    ¡¸ss A, you¡¯ve finished drawing lots, haven¡¯t you? Then, hold the lot above your head.¡¹


    As the president instructed, everyone in the ss raised the lottery above their head.


    And the next moment,


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸Wow!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    Thirty presents danced in midair.


    (This is¡­ a maniption-type soul dress.)


    Scanning around, there was a female student holding a thin sword on the stage sleeve.


    Apparently, this seems to be her ability. A wrapped box flew towards me.


    ¡¸¡­And this is mine.¡¹


    I picked up the present that was affixed with¡º41¡».


    (Eh, this wrapped box is¡­?)


    It seemed a little familiar.


    (¡­Let¡¯s just open it for the time being.)


    When I carefully removed the packaging and slowly opened the box, there was a hand-sized stuffed animal.


    (I don¡¯t know what to say¡­ It is exquisitely ugly.)


    Probably a stuffed tiger¡­ No, a fox?


    (I wonder if this is the thing that¡¯s called¡ºadorably ugly¡»in the streets¡­?)


    When I was looking at the stuffed animal, while holding such aplex thought,


    ¡¸Nee, perhaps this is¡­ Allen¡¯s present?¡¹Ria asked, tilting her head, a wooden sword in her hand


    ¡¸That¡¯s¡­ There¡¯s no doubt about it. It¡¯s the wooden sword I bought.¡¹


    The reason I was able to say that with confidence is because of the wrapping box ced at her feet.


    There is only one in the world ¨C it¡¯s the wrapping box I made.


    At the shop where I purchased the wooden sword,¡¸Can you please wrap the present?¡¹I asked the employee,¡¸Well, that¡¯s not possible¡­¡¹ he refused, so I had no choice but to handcraft it.


    ¡¸Fufu, as expected! Only Allen will choose a wooden sword as a present!¡¹


    ¡¸I-Is that so?¡¹


    Is she praising me, or¡­?


    ¡¸Thank you, I¡¯ll cherish it!¡¹she said, and looked at the wooden sword happily.


    She seems to like it.


    ¡¸Aa, I¡¯d be happy if you would¡­ And perhaps, this is Ria¡¯s?¡¹


    I showed her the strange stuffed animal I just got.


    A unique sense that is detached from the general public.


    It¡¯s the same wrapping box that Ria had.


    I¡¯m almost certain that it¡¯s Ria¡¯s present.


    ¡¸Ah, it¡¯s my bear!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Bear?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. While looking for a present, I found a stuffed bear. He is cute, isn¡¯t he?¡¹


    ¡¸A-Aa¡­¡¹


    This yellow ugly thing¡­ is a bear?


    When I was staring seriously at the stuffed animal at hand,


    ¡¸But, how did you know? That this was the present I chose.¡¹Ria asked, tilting her head.


    ¡¸Aa, this ugl-¡­ Ahem. The only person who would choose a distinctive stuffed animal like this is Ria.¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, it¡¯s a good present, isn¡¯t it?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, thank you. I¡¯ll take care of it.¡¹


    It¡¯s a present that clearly stands out poorly from the rest, but¡­ if it¡¯s a present from Ria, then it¡¯s a different story.


    I¡¯ll disy it at the most prominent spot of my room.


    ¡¸But what are the odds right¡­¡¹


    We exchanged presents with each other from a pool of 540 presents brought in by all students.


    ¡¸Fufu, truly¡­¡¹Ria said, with a delighted expression.


    Then, after the exchange, we showed the presents we got to each other and became even more excited.


    After that, the president, who was moving around here and there since the party began, climbed up to the stage again when the clock hand pointed to 8pm.


    ¡¸Ahem. Well then, everyone! The Great Exchange is over, and it is about time to start today¡¯s main event! Annual tradition¡ºDokidoki! Coupling Battle!¡»¡¹


    The moment she said so,


    ¡¸YOSHAAAAAA!! It is finally here!¡¹


    ¡¸A-Allen-kun is quite popr, isn¡¯t he?¡¹


    ¡¸What are you talking about? A Woman Is Courage! Don¡¯t be easy!¡¹


    ¡¸Uh, I am not easy¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Heh! I¡¯m going for Ria-sama! These feelings can¡¯t be stopped anymore!¡¹


    ¡¸Wow, that¡¯s probably the one with the highest mortality rate. Try your best not to get killed by Allen-kun.¡¹


    The second and third year students were suddenly excited.


    ¡¸Dokidoki? Coupling?¡¹


    ¡¸What¡¯s that?¡¹


    It seems that only us first years were unable to grasp the situation.


    (This feeling¡­ It¡¯s a lot like¡ºThousand de Shadow Festival¡»¡­)


    The president just said¡ºAnnual tradition¡».


    Therefore, this situation where second years and third years grasped the outline, and only we first years were confused, was created.


    (Even so¡­ What kind of event is it? )


    When I was thinking about such a thing, I happened to lock eyes with the president.


    She noticed me, and waved her hand slightly from side to side with a very sweet smile.


    (Aa, I see¡­ This is it.)


    Apparently,¡ºDokidoki!? Coupling Battle!¡»was her real target.


    (Now that I think about it¡­ The president was busy moving around all the time during this party¡­)


    I also haven¡¯t seen any of the other student council members, Lillim senpai and Ferris senpai.


    I¡¯m guessing¡­ While everyone was entertained, there was some kind of¡ºset up¡»being prepared behind the scenes of the Christmas party.


    (I need to be cautious¡­)


    The time was already 8 o¡¯clock at night.


    In terms of time, this should be thest big event of the Christmas party.


    (Fuu¡­ can¡¯t be helped, let¡¯s do it¡­)


    This was an academy event, and above all, the president and others have been carefully preparing this.


    If I refuse to participate, it will be very troublesometer on.

 Chapter 131 - Transfer Student and Christmas [8]

    131. Transfer Student and Christmas [8]


    With a fearless smile on her face, the president started to exin the rules of¡ºDokidoki! Coupling Battle!¡»


    ¡¸The rules are simple, boys aim for the girls¡¯ santa hat, and the girls aim for the boys¡¯ reindeer antlers! And men and women who exchanged each other¡¯s headgear, are forced to be a¡ºpair of lovers¡»!¡¹


    ¡¸Wha!?¡¹


    She said something preposterous without hesitation.


    ¡¸The time limit is one hour and the stage is the whole of Thousand de Academy! Use of soul dress, cooperation inrge numbers, sharing of information, a battle royale where anything goes! Naturally, this is a traditional event of the academy, so declining to participate is not allowed!¡¹


    ¡¸Oi, Oi, are you serious¡­!?¡¹


    As usual, all the events of Thousand de Academyckedmon sense.


    (Anyway, I have to protect at least Ria¡¯s santa hat till the very end¡­)


    When I took a step forward to cover for her,


    ¡¸And there¡¯s onest important announcement! The¡ºClub¡»that brings in the headgear of Allen Rodore will receive the entire club budget of the student council department!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­P-President!?¡¹


    The moment she announced that, a number of eyes turned towards me.


    Many of them were from the swordsmanship club.


    They were defeated by us early in the Club Budget War in May.


    Hence, I heard that they had to get by somehow with a painfully tight budget.


    ¡¸W-Wait a minute! That¡¯s too much of a disadvantage for me.¡¹


    ¡¸Then,¡ºDokidoki! Coupling Battle!¡»Start!¡¹


    The president¡¯s excited voice echoed throughout the auditorium.


    Right after that.


    ¡¸It¡¯s annoying to go along with that devil¡¯s proposal, but this is a once in a lifetime opportunity! For the swordsmanship club to survive, I will cut you down here!¡¹


    ¡¸Fu-fufu! Let¡¯s start the revenge match, Allen-kun!¡¹


    Jean Bael, the head of the swordsmanship club, and Silty Rosette, the deputy head, quickly surrounded me with the members of the swordsmanship club.


    (T-Too many¡­)


    The number was slightly over a hundred and continued to increase even now.


    I immediately unsheathed my sword and looked over to Ria and the rest, while being vignt of my surroundings.


    ¡¸Ri, Ria-san! I¡¯ll take your Santa hat!¡¹


    ¡¸N-No! I¡¯ll never give it to you!¡¹


    Many male students surrounded Ria.


    ¡¸Rose-san, please have a bout with me!¡¹


    ¡¸Hmm, interesting¡­ Try to take it if you can!¡¹


    The same amount of male students around Rose.


    ¡¸C-ude san! Please go out with me!¡¹


    ¡¸W-Wait a minute! I¡¯m a woman, you know!?¡¹


    And, a lot of female students crowded around ude-san for some reason.


    Ria, Rose, and ude-san, each of them had about 30 people surrounding them.


    And, there were about 150 people surrounding me.


    In addition, a number of sword fights had already begun elsewhere.


    (Where did the gentle Christmas party go?)


    By the time I noticed, it had be the usual noisy Thousand de Academy in no time.


    (Anyways, fighting here is disadvantageous¡­)


    In thisrge auditorium where there are lots of obstructions, you can¡¯t see the battlefield clearly, and there is a high risk of surprise attacks from blind spots.


    (Besides, the victory conditions this time are unique¡­)


    No matter how much the battle tips in my favour, if my reindeer antlers are taken, it will be my defeat.


    I should bring this fight outside, with open visibility, so that I don¡¯t get dragged into a free-for-all fight.


    ¡¸Ria, Rose, ude-san! I¡¯m going outside!¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, okay!¡¹


    ¡¸Understood.¡¹


    ¡¸Hmm, you seem to know the disadvantage of a confined space at least.¡¹


    When each of them replied,


    ¡¸And Ria, never let them take your Santa hat!¡¹


    I said those few words out loud.


    To be honest, I was a little embarrassed, but I just couldn¡¯t help saying it.


    ¡¸¡­! Yes, leave it to me!¡¹


    Receiving a reassuring reply from Ria, I rushed out of the auditorium.


    ¡¸Kuh, we¡¯re going after him!¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸YES!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    From behind, more than one hundred frenzied members of the swordsmanship club chased after me.


    I managed to take the fight from therge auditorium to the schoolyard, and calmly assumed Seigan no Kamae.


    (Alright¡­ If it¡¯s here, then 360 degrees view in all directions is secured.)


    There is no better ce to deal with arge number of people.


    (But what a great sight¡­)


    Surrounding me were more than a hundred swordsmen of the swordsmanship club.


    Gripped in their hands were each of their soul dresses, and they focused on me without dropping their guard.


    In that situation, Jean-san, the head, raised a loud voice.


    ¡¸Listen up! The enemy is Allen Rodore! Even if we¡¯re bunched up, we¡¯re not the ones who will win! Don¡¯t even make the mistake of thinking we can win! Our only aim is the reindeer antler on his head!¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸UNDERSTOOD!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    A strategy which abandoned direct confrontation, and targeted my headgear from the start.


    ¡­How troublesome.


    ¡¸I and Silty will suppress his darkness! In the meantime, you guys take the antlers at all costs!¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸Yes, sir!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    After quickly finished conveying the strategy,


    ¡¸Hmm, I hope you won¡¯t say it¡¯s cowardly¡¹he said, with a fearless smile, as though he were triumphant already.


    ¡¸Yes, of course.¡¹


    You can¡¯t me an act that is not against the rules.


    ¡¸There were talks that Allen Rodore can manipte¡ºfour¡»of his unparalleled darkness at once. Can I leave two to you, Silty?¡¹


    ¡¸Roger!¡¹


    Jean-san and Silty-san whispered something amongst themselves, and


    ¡¸Let¡¯s go, Allen! Fang style ¨C Ten Consecutive de!¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m not going to lose this time! Circle Style ¨C Fire Circle!¡¹


    They ran towards me simultaneously and fired sharp shes.


    Unstoppable ten consecutive shes and a congration-like sharp thrust.


    I focussed on both calmly,


    ¡¸Dark Shadow.¡¹


    And defended their attacks perfectly with jet ck darkness.


    One huge darkness branched into ¡°ten¡±, and they swayed around as if they were alive.


    ¡¸It¡¯s out!¡¹


    ¡¸Hey, hey¡­ Isn¡¯t there a lot of them!?¡¹


    The swordsmanship club members, including Jean-san and Silty-san, staggered back at the sight of the bizarre darkness.


    ¡¸It was just recently that the number of darkness I can manipte at a time increased from four to ten¡­ Please don¡¯t call me cowardly, will you?¡¹


    ¡¸Gu¡­ Our opponent is just a freshman! Hold your will and pride as upperssmen! All men, charge!¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸UOOOOOOHHH!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    At the same time as Jean-san¡¯s order, more than a hundred members of the swordsmanship clubsunched an all-out total attack.


    This was how the fierce battle between me and the swordsmanship club began.


    ¡ö


    A few minutester,


    ¡¸Kah, not even a scratch, huh¡­¡¹


    ¡¸M-Monster¡­¡¹


    In the schoolyard lit by moonlight, the members of the swordsmanship cluby sprawled, gasping for breath.


    ¡¸Fuu¡­ Dark Shadow is the best when dealing with arge number of people, after all.¡¹


    I controlled the ten darkness freely and won without even a swing of my sword.


    Then, just after breaking through the swordsmanship club, which can be called the ¡°first group¡±, arge number of female students of more than 50 approached me, as though they were the ¡°second group¡±.


    ¡¸I-I am Lina Hashwald from Year 3 ss D! A-Allen-kun!! I have loved you for a long time!¡¡Please go out with me!¡¹


    ¡¸Fara Salitia from Year 3 ss B! I love your overwhelming strength and cool darkness ability! Please be my lover!¡¹


    ¡¸I am Shadi Suit from Year 2 ss A. I fell in love with the figure of Allen-kun doing practice-swings earnestly. I would like to be in a sincere rtionship with you!¡¹


    Three female students confessed, with flushed cheeks.


    Their expressions were serious, this was not a joke.


    However,


    ¡¸¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡¹


    Even if they confessed suddenly¡­ I can only say I¡¯m sorry.


    I bowed my head slightly, feeling bad.


    ¡¸W-Why¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸At least, please tell the reason.¡¹


    ¡¸By all means, please let us hear the reason!¡¹


    They still clung on.


    (They conveyed their honest feelings without covering them up¡­)


    In that case, I also have to be honest as a man.


    ¡¸How do I say this¡­ B-Because there is someone that I like¡­¡¹


    I felt my face turn red, as I clearly stated the reason.


    ¡¸No way¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I-It¡¯s okay¡­ you¡¯re still not taken yet!¡¹


    ¡¸If so¡­ I will take you by force!¡¹


    Right after that.


    ¡¸Just give me the antlers!¡¹


    ¡¸I am not going to give up on you!¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m prepared!¡¹


    The three of them started running towards me with ghastly vigor.


    ¡¸In the end, this is what it alwayses down to, huh¡­¡¹


    The moment I reluctantly pulled out my sword and stopped them with a sh, I felt an incredible bloodlust from behind.


    ¡¸!?¡¹


    I pulled my head to the left at a moment¡¯s judgment. A ruthless thrust pierced the air in vain.


    ¡¸Urgh, missed¡­¡¹


    Slowly turning back,


    ¡¸¡­It is the president, after all.¡¹


    Sie Arcstria. The student council president who was a little frustrated not being able tond her attack.


    (Hmm, she seems to be cold¡­)


    In the cold weather of December, the body will quickly lose heat in that Santa costume.


    As I worried about her,


    ¡¸Fu-fufu! I don¡¯t want you to forget us, Allen-kun!¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m going to pay you back for the Thousand de Shadow Festival here, though!¡¹


    Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai, who didn¡¯t show up at the Christmas party, stood next to the president.


    ¡¸One-vs-three, huh? It doesn¡¯t seem like you n to go easy on me this time.¡¹


    During the Thousand de Shadow Festival, it really was hard to deal with just Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai.


    If the president joins them as well¡­ It¡¯s going to be quite tough.


    ¡¸Fufu, of course. Club Budget War, Poker match, fraud poker match, I¡¯ve never won against Allen-kun even once. No more defeat is permissible as a member of the proud Arcstria House.¡¹she said, with a serious expression, and puts her hand out towards the empty space.


    ¡¸Imitate -¡´Aqua Queen¡µ!¡¹


    At that moment, a beautiful sword appeared as though tearing through space.


    The president gripped the soul dress which was as blue as the sky and as transparent as the sea.


    ¡¸Fufu, Allen-kun¡¯s undefeated legend will end today.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯ll teach you the might of senpais today!¡¹


    ¡¸This time, I can¡¯t lose no matter what, though¡­!¡¹


    The three of them said, and shot a sharp nce at me, burning with fighting spirit.


    ¡¸Fuu¡­ I don¡¯t n to lose, even if it¡¯s one-vs-three!¡¹


    For the first time today, I created the¡ºpseudo-ck sword¡»and assumed Seigan no Kamae.

 Chapter 132 - Transfer Student and Christmas [9]

    132. Transfer Student and Christmas [9]


    I assumed Seigan no Kamae, and studied the president¡¯s soul dress,¡´Aqua Queen¡µ.


    (I saw it several times at the Sword King Festival, but it truly is a beautiful sword¡­)


    A cloudless, serene de.


    A bold and delicate de crest that makes you feel the strength of the core.


    The sword was so attractive to the point where I could forget myself looking at it.


    ¡¸Hey, don¡¯t forget us! -¡´Burst y¡µ!¡¹


    ¡¸I don¡¯t want you to look down on us just because you won once, though¡­-¡´Bind Psychic¡µ!¡¹


    Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai deployed their soul dress at the same time.


    (¡´Bind Psychic¡µand¡´Burst y¡µ)


    I¡¯ve seen their soul dress many times at the Sword King Festival, and most of all, I got a taste of it at the Thousand de Shadow Festival.


    ¡´Burst y¡µhas the ability to produce explosive y.


    It is a pretty dull ability, but the power of the explosion is incredible.


    I will need to be especially careful of Lilim-senpai¡¯s movement.


    Whereas,¡´Bind Psychic¡µ has a troublesome ability of being able to manipte objects within sight.


    It has a very high situational adaptability, but a weak output.


    (I don¡¯t have to worry about my body being manipted, but¡­)


    It will be troublesome if she interferes even slightly with my shes.


    I prioritize taking her down first.


    (¡´Burst y¡µand¡´Bind Psychic¡µtogether is already troublesome enough, but¡­)


    The president¡¯s¡´Aqua Queen¡µwill join them this time.


    (This is¡­ going to be a pretty tough fight.)


    Taking on three of the leading swordsmen in Thousand de Academy at once.


    To be honest, it¡¯s a pretty crazy battle.


    (I don¡¯t want to fight if possible, but¡­)


    It will not be easy to do so.


    (It would be easy to escape if I use Dark Shadow, but¡­)


    This ¡°special preparation¡± that the event-loving president, who sacrificed participating in the Christmas Party to prepare, will all amount to nothing.


    If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll sulk and wouldn¡¯t let go of it for a long time.


    (In other words, the condition for me to ¡°win¡± in the truest sense of the word is¡­)


    To ept this hopelessly disadvantageous match of one vs three, and fall into some kind of ¡°set-up¡± they¡¯ve prepared, and break through from the front.


    (Haa, how difficult¡­ That¡¯s a lot of work.)


    When I sighed slightly,


    ¡¸Fufu¡­ I wonder if it is too much even for Allen-kun this time?¡¹the president said, with a triumphant smile.


    ¡¸No, I was just thinking¡­ how difficult it is.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Difficult?¡¹


    She probably didn¡¯t understand the meaning, as she tilted her head curiously.


    ¡¸Sorry, I was just talking to myself. Leaving that aside, let¡¯s get started.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, that¡¯s what I want!¡¹


    ¡¸Fufufu, I am gonna roast you!¡¹


    ¡¸I am going to win no matter what this time, though¡­!¡¹


    Our gazes crossed.


    (¡­Currently, the advantage of numbers lies with them.)


    My sword is¡ºone¡», and the other side is¡ºthree¡».


    If I go on the defensive, the situation will gradually be poorer.


    (First one to strike wins! I should go on the offensive right away!)


    I d jet ck darkness on both legs and closed the distance with Ferris-senpai in one step.


    At that moment,


    ¡¸!?¡¹


    Her face turned pale.


    I had already stepped into the certain-kill distance with my sword raised overhead.


    (Lilim-senpai who is good at closebat, the president who can fight in both long-distance and short-distance range, leaving them for afterwards¡­ First of all, I should seize the initiative and strike Ferris-senpai whose core is long distance!)


    Put power into both hands and unleash a downwards sh.


    ¡¸Too fast!¡¹


    She instantly leaped to the left, rolling across the schoolyard. My downwards sh cut the air.


    (There!)


    I caught Ferris-senpai¡¯s movement with my eyes, and immediately circled around and captured her rear.


    ¡¸Your reaction speed is strange, though¡­!¡¹she eximed, as her face stiffened.


    ¡¸HA!¡¹I unleashed a diagonal sh.


    ¡¸N-Nooooo!¡¹


    The moment she crossed her hands in front and shut her eyes,


    ¡¸Over here!¡¹


    ¡¸Like hell I¡¯ll let you!¡¹


    The president and Lilim-senpai cut from behind at the same time.


    ¡¸¡­Kuh!¡¹


    I had no choice but to stop my attack, and defend with my sword horizontally.


    Sword and sword collided, producing red sparks.


    We fell into a locked-sword state, the president and Lilim-senpai cried, putting all their power into their sword.


    ¡¸HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!¡¹


    ¡¸ORYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!¡¹


    But still,


    ¡¸¡­HA!¡¹


    In terms of simple physical strength, I came out far on top.


    ¡¸Kya!¡¹


    ¡¸No, way!¡¹


    The two, who were sent flying back, managed to calmly perform ukemi andnded safely.


    While doing so, Ferris-senpai reorganized her posture, and joined with the president and Lilim-senpai.


    I guess the first act can be considered a¡ºdraw¡».


    ¡¸Ferris, are you all right?¡¹


    ¡¸That was really close.¡¹


    ¡¸To be honest, I thought I was done for, though¡­ I was saved thanks to you two.¡¹


    The girls, exchanging a few brief words, continued to talk while still focused on me.


    ¡¸But to think both Lilim and I were pushed back even when working together.¡¹


    ¡¸More and more it doesn¡¯t feel like fighting a human.¡¹


    ¡¸We definitely can¡¯t win with our physical ability in a contest of strength.¡¹


    I nned my strategy by taking advantage of the time the president and senpais were analyzing me.


    (First of all¡­ I have to take down¡ºone person¡»somehow.)


    As the current exchange made clear, the disadvantage of¡ºone-vs-three¡»is extraordinary.


    (If this was at least¡ºone-vs-two¡», I should be able to manage somehow¡­)


    It is not a good idea to prolong the match with a numbers disadvantage.


    If I don¡¯t defeat one person early on, it¡¯s going to get harder and harder.


    (For the time being¡­ let¡¯s raise one gear!)


    I exhaled loudly.


    ¡¸Dark Shadow!¡¹


    Jet ck darkness gushed forth from my whole body, and ten huge darkness were produced.


    ¡¸Atst, you brought it out!¡¹


    ¡¸I watched it in the fight with the swordsmanship club, but still, what a tremendous pressure!¡¹


    ¡¸A tremendously evil power, unbefitting that gentle face, though¡­!¡¹


    The president and senpais, who saw the slowly swaying jet ck darkness, gulped down their spit.


    And then,


    ¡¸Three vs one. We are overwhelmingly advantageous on numbers, but the other party is Allen-kun. Not an opponent we can beat easily! We¡¯re going all out, Lilim, Ferris!¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah! After all, we can¡¯t afford to lose even after teaming up as three!¡¹


    ¡¸Naturally! We also have our honour, though¡­!¡¹


    The three of them activated their soul dress ability at the same time.


    ¡¸Aqua Garden!¡¹


    A gigantic mass of water appeared above the president¡¯s head.


    Her ability to manipte any and all water that exists in this world.


    Havingplete control over that water, gives birth to infinite attack patterns.


    ¡¸Burst Sword!¡¹


    Gray-brown y covered Lilim-senpai¡¯s de.


    The slightest impact, creates a directional explosion towards the enemy.


    Her signature move.


    ¡¸Psychic Thread!¡¹


    When Ferris senpai swung her sword, extremely thin threads made of spiritual power webbed across the air.


    Therge number of threads adhered to the swords of the swordsmanship club scattered in the schoolyard. More than a hundred swords danced in midair.


    It¡¯s going to be pretty troublesome when it swoops down all at once.


    ¡¸Now, Allen-kun! The real battle starts from here on out!¡¹


    ¡¸If you take your senpais lightly, you¡¯re going to get hurt, ok?¡¹


    ¡¸Now is the time for vindication of honor, though¡­!¡¹


    The president and senpais, each with their own soul dress, turned their gaze, burning with fighting spirit, at me.


    ¡¸Yes, let¡¯s settle this!¡¹


    Thus, the fierce fight between me and the president, and senpais, entered the climax.

 Chapter 133 - Transfer Student and Christmas [10]

    Chapter 133. Transfer Student and Christmas [10]


    The president and senpais, who activated their soul dress abilities, took the distance where they excel.


    The short-distance Lilim-senpai, took a step forward to close the distance, the president who excels at both, assumed her stance on the spot, and long-distance Ferris-senpai, leapt to the back.


    ¡¸Hehe, here I go!¡¹


    Lilim-senpai closed the distance at once.


    ¡¸Sora!¡¹


    The sword covered in gray-brown y approached with tremendous force.


    (Burst Sword ¨C An indefensible blow that causes a directional explosion the moment contact is made.)


    In closebat, it is a troublesome technique that boasts an overwhelming superiority, but¡­


    (Regarding that¡­ I¡¯ve already made counter measures!)


    I unleashed a diagonal sh in response to the looming sh.


    The instant both our swords came into contact,


    ¡¸Burst!¡¹


    Burst Sword produced a huge explosion.


    The st was only directed towards me. A scorching heat wave surged in.


    However,


    ¡¸Dark Box.¡¹


    Spherical darkness wrapped Lilim-senpai¡¯s sword de, and forcibly suppressed the explosion.


    ¡¸What¡­!?¡¹


    I guess she never imagined that the burst sword could be incapacitated.


    Her eyes widened in shock.


    ¡¸It¡¯s dangerous to look away in a fight¡­¡¹


    I unleash a slightly strong upwards sh aimed at Lilim-senpai¡¯s sword.


    ¡¸Oh no!¡¹


    The soul dress¡ºBurst y¡»spun through the air, flicked out of her hand.


    ¡¸Shit¡­¡¹


    Lilim-senpai turned her back towards me and immediately moved to retrieve her sword.


    I can¡¯t overlook this opening.


    ¡¸Dark Shadow!¡¹


    I shot three darkness and tried to knock her unconscious.


    ¡¸Ferris!¡¹


    ¡¸I know, though¡­! Psychic Thread!¡¹


    The president¡¯s sharp voice echoed, and Ferris extended countless threads woven with spiritual power.


    ¡¸Kuh¡­¡¹


    The thread made of spiritual power twined around the darkness and slowed down the movement slightly.


    ¡¸It is too heavy¡­ though¡­!? Lilim, hurry up¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I know!¡¹


    Lilim=senpai ran at full speed and reached out to the sword stuck in the schoolyard.


    (I won¡¯t let you!)


    I have ten darkness that can be manipted at the same time.


    Even if three are interfered with, there are still seven left!


    I shot seven darkness toward Lilim-senpai who desperately extended her right hand.


    The next moment,


    ¡¸Aqua Trick!¡¹


    Swords, Axes, Spears, Shields, Sickles ¨C water that has changed into various weapons descended like rain.


    The water that the president maniptes is not simple water.


    It is¡ºsteel water¡»kneaded with dense spiritual power, which is harder than iron.


    ¡¸Kuh¡­¡¹


    I had no choice but to pull back the darkness that was stretched out to Lilim-senpai, and defended Aqua Trick.


    In the meantime, Lilim-senpai, who seeded in retrieving her sword, immediately joined the president.


    ¡¸My bad, I let my guard down for a moment.¡¹she said, with cold sweat beading on her forehead, and a bitter look on her face.¡¸But to think it can even suppress the huge explosion of my Burst Sword¡­ That darkness, every single one of them has a ridiculous output.¡¹


    ¡¸But I don¡¯t think he can maintain that strong output for that long, though¡­ Should we aim to exhaust his spiritual power?¡¹


    ¡¸I think that¡¯s impossible. Allen-kun¡¯s spiritual power seems to surpass ¡°ck Fist¡± Leia Lasnode¡¯s. I can¡¯t even imagine him getting exhausted in the first ce, though.¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡­Certainly.¡¹¡¹


    The president and senpais were discussing deep in whispers, with their eyes focused on me.


    ¡¸Next, we will attack simultaneously. And¡­ You remember your positions, don¡¯t you?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, of course!¡¹


    ¡¸Of course, it¡¯s perfect, though!¡¹


    ¡¸Yoshi, then¡­ Let¡¯s do it!¡¹


    ¡¸Ou!¡¹


    ¡¸Ok!¡¹


    At that moment, the look in their eyes changed.


    (It looks like they will make the first move this time¡­)


    I don¡¯t know what the president and senpais were doing behind the scenes of the Christmas party, but¡­


    That hardcore sore loser prepared a¡ºset up¡»¡­ I should assume it wouldn¡¯t be too simple.


    I have to be more focused than ever.


    ¡¸Here Ie¡­¡´Burst y¡µ!¡¹


    Lilim-senpai swung her sword with a side sweep, spreading muddy gray-brown y into the air.


    ¡¸Psychic Thread!¡¹


    Hundred swords manipted by Ferris-senpai rushed towards that semi-solid y.


    (This is¡­)


    One hundred swords were coated with the exploding y ¨C all of which transformed into Burst Swords.


    (¡­How troublesome.)


    A hundred burst swords floating in the air.


    That will not be easy to endure.


    As I be more cautious of Ferris-senpai,


    ¡¸Aqua de!¡¹


    The huge mass of water floating above the president¡¯s head was absorbed into her de.


    Looking really closely, there was something like water flow on her de.


    (Judging from appearance¡­ It looks simr to Rain¡¯s sword, the ultra high pressure water current.)


    Aa I was analyzing it,


    ¡¸Eat this! Aqua sh!¡¹


    The president unleashed a sharp sh of water.


    ¡¸A long-range sh, huh¡­ HA!¡¹


    I cut off the looming water sh.


    At that moment,


    ¡¸Fufu, spread!¡¹


    The sh of water diffused into the air, creating a thick fog which enveloped the surroundings.


    (I see, it¡¯s a smokescreen¡­)


    I don¡¯t know what their target is, but it¡¯s dangerous to stay in this spot.


    Just when I was about to move away, the Burst Swords in the air descended like rain.


    ¡¸Wha!¡¹


    Every time a burst sword came into contact with the ground, a huge explosion urred.


    ¡¸Damn¡­¡¹


    I immediately d myself in the dark robe and softened the impact a little.


    I took considerable damage from the hot wind and shock surging in from all directions.


    Carpet bombing in reduced visibility. This is bad¡­


    ¡¸HAAAAAAAAAAAAA!¡¹


    I stretched darkness in all directions and blew up the burst swords in the air.


    The moment when the dark robe dding my body was stretched thin,


    ¡¸There!¡¹


    From behind ¨C the blind spot ¨C the president lunged in, tearing through the thick fog.


    A honed, sharp thrust aimed at my torso.


    Perfect timing.


    Perfect stepping in.


    Perfect thrust.


    (But itcks decisive speed.)


    The moment the president¡¯s thrust touched my abdomen, I sidestepped and evaded the thrust.


    Sid-san¡¯s fearsome physical abilities and Idol¡¯s explosive speed from the Flying Thunder God¡­ Compared to their swords, the president¡¯s thrust was not fast enough.


    ¡¸No¡­ way¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸This is the end.¡¹


    The diagonal sh that I unleashed caught her in the chest.


    At that time, however, a strong sense of unease ran into both hands.


    ¡¸This is¡­ a water clone!?¡¹


    The president¡¯s body copsed and became water.


    ¡¸Fufu, over here.¡¹Her freezing voice came from directly behind me.


    ¡¸Kuh¡­¡¹


    I quickly turned my body and defended against the sh that was already right before my eyes.


    ¡¸Your reaction speed is as I expected!¡¹she said.


    The president¡¯s sharp middle kick pierced my side.


    ¡¸Ka, ha¡­¡¹


    And I was blown sideways.


    (Damn, I never thought she would create a clone!)


    As I bit down the pain and calmly performed ukemi, the president¡¯s sharp voice rang.


    ¡¸We got him! Now, Lilim!¡¹


    ¡¸Ou, leave it to me!¡¹


    The moment Lilim-senpai thrust her sword into the schoolyard, the surrounding soil suddenly exploded and a huge pitfall was created.


    ¡¸Wha!?¡¹


    Having lost my footing, I fell, pulled down by gravity.


    And at the bottom ¨C arge amount of burst y wasid.


    (Kuh, this set up¡­!?)


    It seems that the president and senpais were getting this prepared all this time during the Christmas party.


    ¡¸Fufu, the final blow!¡´Aqua Trick¡µ!¡¹


    A wide variety of weapons of water rained down like a lid over the pitfall.


    (T-This is noughing matter!)


    From the top, a rain of weapons, and the bottom, a nket of burst y.


    I doubt all my limbs would still be attached if I took that head on.


    ¡¸Kuh, Dark Shadow!¡¹


    I immediately extended ten darkness and tried to protect myself.


    ¡¸I won¡¯t let you, though. Psychic Chain!¡¹


    Ferris-senpai¡¯s sturdy chain interfered with the movement of darkness.


    (This is¡­!?)


    It is not a thin¡ºthread¡»like before, but a thick and sturdy¡ºchain¡».


    Perhaps she was pouring in her full spiritual power.


    For a fraction of a second, my darkness waspletely stopped.


    A fraction of a second does not mean anything under normal circumstances. However, it means everything in this desperate situation.


    (Damn, I can¡¯t defend in time!)


    The miniscule time where Ferris-senpai interfered was fatal.


    ¡¸This is the end!¡¹


    ¡¸It is our win!¡¹


    ¡¸We perfectly brought you down, though¡­!¡¹


    The voices of the three who were convinced of victory echoed in the dark pitfall.


    (¡­As expected of them.)


    A perfectbination which covered each other¡¯s weaknesses.


    A splendid strategy thatplements each other¡¯s ability.


    If I was still past me, I would have lost.


    Yes, if I was still the past me.


    (Can¡¯t help it. Let¡¯s do it¡­)


    I sheathed my sword and reach out my hand into the empty space.


    ¡¸Destroy -¡´Zeon¡µ!¡¹


    At that moment, a storm of darkness swept everything away.


    The rain of weapons, the tenacious chains, the burst y ¨C the trinity of attacks was swallowed by the darkness of abyss.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸Wha!?¡¹¡¹¡¹


    I, who crushed their set up from the front, escaped from the pitfall safely. Gripped in my hand was the¡ºTrue ck Sword¡».


    The embodiment of that monster¡¯s power, a supreme sword.


    ¡¸No, way¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸Oi, oi, oi.. I didn¡¯t hear about this¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­This is extremely bad, though¡­¡¹


    The president and senpais turned pale, and staggered back.


    ¡¸A-Allen-kun¡­ W-When did you get¡­ a soul dress?¡¹


    ¡¸Just a little while back. I was involved in a big incident, you see¡­ Well, there were a lot of things there, and I manifested my soul dress.¡¹


    Due to the promise with Clown-san, I referred to the case of Dagrio as a¡ºbig incident¡».


    ¡¸¡­Sie, Ferris. I know you already know, but that ck sword is no joke¡­¡¹


    ¡¸C-Completely of a different magnitude, though¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸But we can¡¯t admit defeat here¡­!¡¹


    They took a defensive stance that clearly lowered their center of gravity, but still held up their swords.


    ¡¸Well then¡­ Now, I¡¯ll begin the counterattack.¡¹


    With the True ck Sword in my hand, I faced the closing act of this battle with the president and senpais.

 Chapter 134 - Transfer Student and Christmas [11]

    Chapter 134. Transfer Student and Christmas [11]


    After a long time, I called out Zeon. The surge of power was overwhelming.


    (An enormous power as usual¡­)


    de, Hilt, Guard ¨C a sword which was dyed absolute jet ck.


    A tremendous amount of darkness was forciblypressed into the form of a sword. It was simply a colossal amount of power.


    (¡­My body feels light.)


    As though wings have grown on my back.


    (And from the depths of my body, more and more power is surging out!)


    Power seethes up in continuous session, to the point where it feels like, if I don¡¯t release the darkness, my body will explode.


    (Well then, let¡¯s begin!)


    The first person to aim for is Ferris-senpai.


    (It will be troublesome if she uses those threads and chains like before and interferes with my darkness.)


    After setting a target, I kicked the ground lightly to close the distance.


    In that instant, my view changed, and when I noticed, I was already standing behind Ferris-senpai.


    ¡¸He d-disappeared?!¡¹¡¹


    Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai were astonished.


    Judging by their reactions, they probably lost sight of me.


    In that situation,


    ¡¸Ferris, behind you!¡¹


    The president, the only one who reacted to my movement, quickly warned.


    But it was way toote.


    ¡¸First person down.¡¹


    I hit Ferris-senpai hard in the back of her head, with the hilt of the ck Sword.


    ¡¸Eh!?


    She simply lost consciousness, not understanding what happened.


    Then, I kicked the ground again, and stood on Lilim-senpai¡¯s side.


    ¡¸Eh, ah?!¡¹


    She stood in a shocked manner, as though unable to grasp what had just happened.


    ¡¸And second person down.¡¹


    ¡¸Lilim, dodge!¡¹


    A roundhouse kick containing my entire body weight caught her side, rendering the president¡¯s warning pointless.


    ¡¸Ka, ha!¡¹


    Lilim-senpai flew horizontally, like a ball, and crashed into the wall of the academy building.


    (D-Did I overdo it a little?)


    I kicked lightly with the intention to render her unconscious, but¡­


    The current roundhouse kick was several times more powerful than I expected.


    (I messed up. In this state, I can¡¯t control my power well, after all.)


    I¡¯ll treat Lilim-senpai¡¯s injury secretlyter.


    In this way, I rendered Ferris-senpai and Lilim-senpai unconscious within a few seconds.


    ¡¸Now, finally it¡¯s one vs one.¡¹


    I faced thest one, Sie Arcstria.


    ¡¸Allen-kun, you¡¯re a good actor, after all. I never thought you¡¯d be hiding that much power.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, I didn¡¯t particrly try to hide it. I just didn¡¯t find the right time to use it.¡¹


    ¡¸Hmm, I doubt that.¡¹the president said.


    (Yoshi, it¡¯s about time to finish this¡­)


    Quite a while has passed since this crazy event began.


    To be honest¡­ I¡¯ve been worried about Ria for a while now.


    (I can¡¯t tell this to Ria directly, but she is a bit of a scatterbrain.)


    She boasts overwhelming strength in direct swordsmanship matches, but she is very weak to attacks from blind spots and surprise attacks.


    (There is a chance it might happen.)


    I¡¯d better hurry back to her.


    I decided so, and held the ck Sword in front of my navel, assuming Seigan no Kamae.


    ¡¸Then, here Ie.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes,e. I¡¯ll settle this with you today!¡¹


    At the same time the president said so, I closed the distance in one step.


    ¡¸HA!¡¹


    When I unleashed a diagonal sh containing my body weight,


    ¡¸Kuh!¡¹


    The president caught the blow head on.


    (I see. That¡¯s an amazing skill.)


    When sword and sword collide, you should muster all the power you can, and push back, however, the president released the power from her body.


    From arms to shoulders, from shoulders to foot, from foot to the ground.


    With a fearsomely precise body control, she flowed the shock of the ck Sword to the ground.


    ¡¸Hmm, are you surprised?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, that was impressive. How about this, then?¡¹


    From the locked sword state,


    ¡¸First Sword ¨C Flying Shadow!¡¹


    I forcibly shot a long distance sh.


    ¡¸At zero distance!? Kyaa!!!¡¹


    A ck sh while our swords were locked.


    The president could not stop the shock and was blown far away.


    (Now is the time to attack!)


    I started sprinting towards her, in order to exploit the opening when shended.


    ¡¸Eighth Sword ¨C Yatagarasu!¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t underestimate an¡ºArcstria¡»!¡¹


    The president focused her eyes and warded off all eight shes.


    By flowing her sword de along the shes, she changed their direction. A fearsomely delicate skill.


    (¡­But it¡¯s strange.)


    Her movements were too precise.


    The reaction rate was higher than that of Sid-san, and Idol using Flying Thunder God.


    It was as if she knew in advance where my shes would fly.


    (There is some kind of a trick here.)


    Coming to that conclusion, I surveyed the surroundings carefully and soon found the answer.


    ¡¸I see, so that¡¯s what it was.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Whatever do you mean?¡¹


    The president stiffened for just a brief moment, and she immediately pretended not to know and looked away slightly.


    ¡¸I am really surprised. Only you can use water like this, president.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I-I don¡¯t understand w-whatever strange thing you¡¯re saying¡­¡¹


    To her, who was feigning ignorance to the very end,


    ¡¸It¡¯s¡ºwater vapor¡», isn¡¯t it?¡¹I put forth a solid point.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    With her secret being seen through, she pursed her lips frustratedly.


    Looking really closely, there was slight water vapour in the air around me.


    This water vapour was brought forth with her ability, thus it is something simr to a clone, so to speak.


    (The president must have learned the movement of my muscles, the location of my center of gravity, and the angle at which I swung the sword, through this water vapor.)


    From that information, she read my next move and perfectly defended my shes.


    It is a feat only possible due to the president¡¯s intellect and sharpened swordsmanship.


    However, you can easily ovee it if you understand the mechanism behind it.


    ¡¸Well then, how about this?¡¹


    I stretched out ten darkness high into the sky and pped them onto the schoolyard simultaneously.


    ¡¸Wha?!¡¹


    Clouds of dust rolled up together with a thunderous roar, and the fine grains of soil absorbed the water vapor.


    It will be impossible to read my movements after this.


    (It¡¯s about time to settle this!)


    I kicked the ground strongly, and closed in on the president within a single breath.


    ¡¸Sakura Blossom One Sword Style Secret Technique ¨C Mirrored Sakura sh!¡¹


    Like a mirror match, four shes from left and right each, eight unstoppable shes bared its fangs.


    ¡¸F-Fast!¡¹


    She warded off four shes with superb reaction speed and reading, and evaded three more shes, but¡­


    ¡¸Kyaa!¡¹


    Thest sh gouged deep into her left shoulder.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    The president, with an expression of anguish, jumped back greatly.


    (It is apparent even at a nce, that is not a shallow wound¡­)


    As proof, her left arm dangled loosely and she held her sword with only the right arm.


    Honestly, it would be tough for her to continue the fight.


    ¡¸¡­President, why don¡¯t we end it here?¡¹


    In the current situation where she can¡¯t use one arm, continuing the battle will only bring more pain.


    In that case, it is better to put an end to this already.


    ¡¸¡­I am Sie Arcstria, the student council president of Thousand de Academy! I absolutely can¡¯t lose to a student of the same academy and that too, an underssmen!¡¹


    The president shook her head sideways and rejected the proposal. And she raised her beautiful soul dress high in the sky.


    ¡¸Aqua Feast!¡¹


    When she roared, the¡ºsteel water¡»contained in¡´Aqua Queen¡µoverflowed, creating a huge greatsword.


    (¡­She¡¯s probably pouring all her spiritual power into it.)


    I felt a tremendous¡ºpressure¡»from that sword.


    It looks like she¡¯s nning to settle the match with the next attack.


    ¡¸¡­I¡¯ll admit. It¡¯s frustrating, but Allen-kun is far stronger.¡¹


    She continued to talk, with fighting spirit dwelling in her eyes.


    ¡¸But you see, no matter how strong you are, if you take the next attack, you won¡¯t walk out in one piece! Nee, Allen-kun, do you have the courage to take this head on?¡¹


    ¡­An obvious provocation.


    It seems that she has a lot of confidence in that attack.


    (Haa¡­ I have no choice but to go along with it.)


    However, if my goal is to simply¡ºwin the match¡», then I should dodge the president¡¯s attack.


    (But then, this selfish president will never ept that.)


    She will cook up a more borate and careful n, and request for a rematch again.


    In order to win in the ¡°truest sense of the word¡±, I have to break her all-out attack from the front and achieve wless victory.


    ¡¸¡­Sure. I ept.¡¹


    I reluctantly went along with the president¡¯s provocation.


    ¡¸Fufu, that¡¯s the spirit!¡¹


    With a belligerent smile, she gripped her soul dress tightly, which had transformed into a huge greatsword.


    ¡¸Here Ie, Allen-kun!¡¹


    ¡¸Come!¡¹


    This is how the final battle between me and the president began.

 Chapter 135 - Transfer Student and Christmas [12]

    135. Transfer Student and Christmas [12]


    The president¡¯s gaze and mine met, and we started moving at the same time.


    ¡¸Aqua Ark!¡¹


    She swung down her huge soul dress, unleashing a majestic ark of water in a straight line. An overwhelming torrent of water filled with tremendous spiritual power.


    If I took a direct hit from that, I won¡¯t walk out in one piece.


    ¡¸Sixth Sword ¨C Dark Roar!¡¹


    At the exact same time, I swung the ¡°True ck Sword¡±.


    A violent torrent of darkness bared its fangs as it ravaged the schoolyard.


    The ark of water and the sh of darkness ¨C the moment the two shed violently, the absolute darkness devoured everything.


    ¡¸No way!¡¹


    Extremely one-sided, extremely violent darkness emerged victorious.


    The president, whose ark of water was crushed easily, sat down t on the spot.


    ¡¸President! Run away!¡¹I screamed, but she simply shook her head.


    (Shit, she ran out of spiritual power at a time like this!?)


    Even now, the immensely powerful Dark Roar pushed forward to devour the president.


    (This is bad!)


    If she takes a direct hit from Dark Roar in that state of exhaustion, there¡¯s no chance of getting out unscathed.


    (Seriously, such a difficult person¡­)


    I kicked the ground strongly, and stood in front of her.


    And then,


    ¡¸Fifth Sword ¨C World Judgement!¡¹


    The strongest attack that tears the world asunder, cut down Dark Roar in a single stroke.


    (Fuu¡­ That settles that¡­)


    Anyway, I, who safely won that showdown with the president, sat down beside her and reached for her hand.


    ¡¸Are you all right, president?¡¹


    At that moment,


    ¡¸Fufu¡­ I believed that Allen-kun would definitely save me!¡¹


    With a very wicked smile on her face, she thrusted¡´Aqua Queen¡µinto the schoolyard. A huge magic circle covered the entire Thousand de Academy.


    ¡¸What on¡­?!¡¹


    ¡¸What do you think? It¡¯s a good view, right? The ce where you stand is the center of this magic circle!¡¹


    ¡¸!!¡¹


    I immediately jumped away from the center.


    ¡¸Unfortunately, you¡¯ve already been binded. No matter where you run, it¡¯ll follow you! Aqua Prison!¡¹


    The moment the president shouted, a magic circle of water appeared on my hands and feet.


    (T-This is¡­!)


    It felt like gravity had increased a hundredfold. My whole body became heavy, as if it had soaked up gallons of water.


    ¡¸Fufu, I caught you¡­¡¹


    The president stood up slowly, with a wicked smile.


    It seems that she was pretending to be unable to move.


    ¡¸What do you think, Allen-kun? This is my trump card, Aqua Prison. A sealing technique perfected over a month¡¯s time. Even if it is you, you can¡¯t move a finger, can you?¡¹she said, puffing out her chest with pride.


    It seems that she prepared two exaggerated ¡°set up¡° for this battle.


    One, is the pitfall I destroyed earlier.


    And the other, is this huge magic circle.


    She seems to have spent an entire month preparing for this.


    The president¡¯s dislike of losing, is really hardcore.


    ¡¸Certainly, this is pretty powerful.¡¹


    I tried to shoot Yatagarasu as an experiment, but only three shes branched out.


    ¡¸¡­N-No way!¡¹the president cried.


    I tried to activate Dark Shadow too, but its movements were too sluggish.


    ¡¸E-Even the darkness?!¡¹she eximed.


    ¡­I¡¯m beat.


    Due to this strange magic circle, my full ability seems to be reduced to less than half.


    ¡¸I-I¡¯m amazed¡­ To be able to move in that state, you truly are inhuman.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, I¡¯ll take that as apliment.¡¹


    And after the conversation paused for a moment,


    ¡¸Well, even so, it¡¯s obvious that Allen-kun¡¯s full ability has dropped significantly. If we keep fighting like this, my victory is guaranteed!¡¹the presidentughed in good spirits, convinced of victory.


    ¡¸But, president¡­ Wasn¡¯t that gamble just now a little too dangerous? If things went poorly, you could¡¯ve ended up dead, you know?¡¹


    The president used her own body as bait to make me stand at the center of the magic circle.


    That was literally putting her life on the line.


    If I hadn¡¯t rushed there to save her, she could have really died.


    ¡¸Fufu, it¡¯s okay. Because I know Allen-kun will save me no matter what.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m not that omnipotent.¡¹


    ¡¸But, in truth, you helped me a while ago, didn¡¯t you?¡¹the president grinned happily, for some reason.


    ¡¸Well, that¡¯s true, but¡­ Please limit that sort of thing to today only, okay?¡¹


    ¡¸Eh¡­ So you¡¯re not going to save onee-chan anymore?¡¹


    ¡¸No, if you call me, I¡¯ll alwayse to help you. But that¡¯s not the point¡­ Please don¡¯t ever expose yourself to danger on purpose like just now, okay?¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, thank you.¡¹the president said. And with a flower-like smile,¡¸Well then, surrender, Allen-kun! In that situation, no matter how much you struggle, you have no chance of winning. I believed in your kindness, so it¡¯s onee-chan¡¯s victory!¡¹she said, carelessly taking a step towards me.


    ¡¸S-Stop!¡¹


    I immediately called out to her.


    ¡¸W-What¡¯s wrong? You suddenly raised a loud voice. It surprised me.¡¹


    ¡¸Sorry, but it¡¯s better if you don¡¯t move from that spot.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­What do you mean?¡¹the president asked, tilting her head.


    ¡¸Please take a good look around you.¡¹


    ¡¸Around me?!¡¹


    Her expression turned ghastly pale as she checked her surroundings.


    ¡¸This is?!¡¹


    Second-Sword Hazy Moon was spread like a web around the president.


    ¡¸W-When did you?!¡¹


    ¡¸I inserted it while you were sitting t on the ground.¡¹


    ¡¸Y-You saw through my performance?!¡¹


    ¡¸Something didn¡¯t feel right at that time¡­ So, I thought, you might just be faking it, and prepared it in advance.¡¹


    The president is a strong-willed person.


    Even if her spiritual power truly ran out at that time, she would never sit down on the spot.


    I¡¯m sure she would try to avoid a direct hit from Dark Roar even if she had to crawl.


    ¡¸I see. But Allen-kun has a bad personality. You didn¡¯t really have to set up this ridiculous amount of shes.¡¹she grumbled annoyedly, ring at the hundreds of Hazy Moon.


    ¡¸But, you¡¯re too naive! If I break through this ¡°barrier of shes¡±, it is my win!¡¹


    ¡¸That may be true, but these are all shes inserted with the ¡°True ck Sword¡±. So, to be honest, I wouldn¡¯t rmend you do that.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    As the president ced her right hand on her left shoulder, which was gouged by the ck Sword, and her face turned pale.


    The ck sh crushed her shoulder with just one stroke.


    If hundreds of them caught her, it would be utterly impossible to get out in one piece. Sheprehended that in an instant.


    ¡¸If I use darkness, I can protect you, president. What would you like to do?¡¹


    I picked up a stone near me, and then gently asked her.


    Hazy Moon is an installed-type sh.


    The sh that was inserted into the space beforehand is fired in response to¡ºsomething¡»which passes through it.


    In other words, the sh that will be fired when I throw this stone. It will be the trigger for another sh. Then, that sh will trigger another sh, and a storm of shes will assail her.


    ¡¸W-Wait a minute!¡¹


    Understanding the meaning of the ¡°stone¡±, the president lost her cool and cried out.


    ¡¸Yes, what is it?¡¹


    ¡¸A-Allen-kun¡­ What is that stone?¡¹


    ¡¸Well, it¡¯s just a normal stone.¡¹


    There¡¯s nothing unusual about it. It¡¯s an ordinary stone you can find anywhere.


    ¡¸T-That¡¯s not what I meant! I am asking what you¡¯re going to do with that stone?!¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, I¡¯ll leave that up to your imagination.¡¹


    I was a little hesitant to say it out loud.


    ¡¸¡­A-Are you threatening onee chan?!¡¹


    ¡¸I don¡¯t want to do this, either. But I don¡¯t have much time.¡¹


    Taking a look at the clock, the time was 20:40.


    Forty minutes have already passed since this crazy event began.


    I¡¯d like to confirm Ria¡¯s safety right away and calm down my worried heart.


    ¡¸I-I didn¡¯t know that Allen-kun was such a mean child!¡¹


    ¡¸Sorry. I¡¯m worried about Ria. So, could you quickly decide what you want to do?¡¹


    I rolled the stone in my hand and left the decision to her.


    And then,


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡­¡­I surrender. Please, protect me.¡¹the president said, frustratedly, and lifted Aqua Prison.


    At that moment, the heaviness that was weighing down on my body disappeared.


    ¡¸Yes, I understand. Then, please do not move from the ce because it¡¯s a little dangerous, okay?¡¹


    I d the president in a solid dark robe and tossed the stone in my hand.


    The stone, which flew in a curve, got crushed by a ck sh. The sh that was fired triggered another sh, causing a chain reaction. A¡ºStorm of Destruction¡»devastated the schoolyard violently.


    ¡¸¡­?!¡¹


    The president, standing at the dead center, shrank back and stared at the storm of destruction.


    Several shes hit her directly, but the dark robepletely absorbed the shock.


    Then, the president, who got out safely from the barrier of shes,


    ¡¸I¡¯m saved¡­¡¹


    Took a breath of relief.


    ¡¸President. Is it alright to count this match as my victory?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    She bit her lower lip and nodded. Admitting her loss honestly.


    ¡¸Thank you very much. Then, I¡¯ll take my leave here.¡¹


    Thus, I, who won the battle against the president, Lilim-senpai, and Ferris-senpai, immediately went towards Ria.

 Chapter 136 - Transfer Student and Christmas [13]

    Chapter 136. Transfer Student and Christmas [13]


    Ria was forced into a hard fight while Allen was caught up in the fight against Sie, Lilim, and Ferris.


    ¡¸Mou¡­ No matter how many times I cut them down, there is no end to these guys!¡¹


    In front of her there were fifty swordsmen who had been shed numerous times, yet still stood.


    ¡¸Hehe, he¡­ We third year students will graduate this year¡­ So, this is ourst chance!¡¹


    ¡¸W-We can¡¯t give up that easily!¡¹


    They were all third year swordsmen.


    After falling in love with Ria at first sight during the entrance ceremony in April, about eight months earlier, they single mindedly waited for the¡ºDokidoki! Coupling Battle!¡»event to be held.


    ¡¸If you keep going any longer, you will really die!¡¹Ria said, pointing¡´Fafnir¡µ¡¯s tip at the third year students.


    ¡¸Fufu, fu¡­ you are as kind as ever¡­¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s what¡¯s good about you, and it¡¯s also your¡ºweakness¡»! Do it!¡¹


    When the man shouted, a swordsman jumped down from the third floor of the main academy building towering behind Ria.


    ¡¸Get ready, Ria-sama!¡¹


    ¡¸Wha, eh, no way!!¡¹


    Unlike Allen, Ria was thoroughly vulnerable to these unexpected urrences.


    However, that was only natural. Allen had lived a harsh life from an early age.


    Every day was a survival, and every day was full of the¡ºunexpected¡».


    On the other hand, Ria is the princess of a country.


    No matter where she went, strong knights were always guarding her. Even one¡ºunexpected¡»urrence per year was too many.


    Ria fell into a slight panic due to the surprise attack.


    ¡¸sh Shine!¡¹


    Dazzling light temporarily blurred her vision.


    ¡¸Kuh, Draconic Roar!¡¹


    She reflexively spread a wide range of mes, mixed in ck and white.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸GU, GUAAAAAAAA!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    The irregr-ranged attack burned a number of swordsmen.


    But even so, their spirits did not falter in the slightest.


    ¡¸Noise Bomb!¡¹


    Another swordsman shot three transparent spheres towards Ria.


    ¡¸W-White Scale!¡¹


    Her vision had still not cleared, so she immediately deployed a huge me shield in front of her.


    The moment Noise Bomb came into contact with White Scale, it burst. Producing ultrasonic waves which enveloped Ria entirely.


    ¡¸W-What is this!?¡¹


    The ultrasonic waves damaged Ria¡¯s semicircr canal, causing her to lose her sense of bnce.


    As she stumbled a few steps forward,


    ¡¸This is the end, Impact Wave!¡¹


    A huge hammer was swung down on the schoolyard, causing Ria to lose her bnce.


    ¡¸Eh, wah, kyaa!?¡¹


    With her vision still blurry, and her sense of bnce thrown off, she fell on her backside on the spot.


    The three third year students whounched the triple attacks,


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸We did it!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    They desperately charged at Ria¡¯s Santa hat.


    ¡¸¡­KYAAAAA!¡¹


    The moment her scream echoed,


    ¡¸Sorry, but I can never let you have that.¡¹


    Evil darkness fell from the skies and squashed the three swordsmen.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸Ka, ha!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    The third year students who received a strong blow from high in the sky lost consciousness instantly.


    ¡¸A-Allen!¡¹


    When Ria¡¯s vision finally cleared, she jumped to his back.


    ¡¸Ria, I¡¯m really d that you¡¯re safe..¡¹


    After confirming that her Santa hat was still safe, Allen breathed in relief.


    And then.


    ¡¸Senpai, I¡¯ll be your opponent from here on out.¡¹


    Allen gripped¡´Zeon¡µwith an ever so slight rage oozing out, which was very unusual for him.


    As many as fifty men ganged up against Ria.


    He was angry about that fact.


    ¡¸A, Allen Rodore¡­!? Oi Oi, that¡¯s a lie, right¡­!? You defeated that number of swordsmanship club members¡­ all alone!?¡¹


    ¡¸And what happened to the president and others!?¡ºI¡¯ll definitely win today!¡»is what they dered, didn¡¯t they!?¡¹


    ¡¸Are you saying, those three and the entire swordsmanship club were done in!?¡¹


    The third year students, who were overpowered by Allen¡¯s intense intimidation, retreated back, as colour drained from their faces.


    ¡¸Shit! Like hell I¡¯m gonna give up on Ria-sama at this point!¡¹


    ¡¸D-Don¡¯t be stupid¡­ He¡¯s a¡ºdevil¡»without a shred of mercy! You will be killed!¡¹


    Allen¡¯s atrocities have already long since spread throughout the whole of Thousand de Academy.


    In truth, it was all baseless rumours, but¡­


    His des that don¡¯t match a first year student. In addition to that, the¡ºdarkness¡»which can be discerned as evil at a single nce, enhanced the credibility of those rumors.


    ¡¸S-Shut up! I have also devoted myself to swordsmanship for three years! Like hell I¡¯m gonna lose to a first year boy!¡¹


    The swordsman shook off the warnings from the surrounding students, and ran towards Allen bravely.


    ¡¸Eighth Sword ¨C Yatagarasu¡¹


    ¡¸Ga, fu!¡¹


    Eight shes showered on his body and scattered into the ck of night.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸N-Not a shred of mercy!?¡¹¡¹¡¹


    Such murmurs sounded greatly underneath the wintry sky.


    ¡¸Well then, who¡¯s next?¡¹


    Allen, who made quick work of that swordsman, assumed Seigan no Kamae with a gentle smile on his face.


    ¡¸¡­There¡¯s no opening.¡¹


    Seigan no Kamae which was repeated over and over again for over a billion years.


    Its degree of perfection has long since transcended the dimension of¡ºmaster¡».


    ¡¸T-This is impossible¡­ No matter how much we struggle, we can¡¯t beat such a monster.¡¹


    ¡¸B-But¡­ If we miss this opportunity, then it¡¯s truly over, you know!?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­That¡¯s right. We third year students will graduate this year and can¡¯t participate in next year¡¯s event. This is thest chance to get Ria-sama as a lover!¡¹


    ¡¸I-If so, resolve yourself to death! We¡¯re gonna pierce through!¡¹


    The third year students aligned their minds, raised a war cry of desire, and they charged simultaneously.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸UOOOOOHHHH¡­!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    However,


    ¡¸Dark Shadow!¡¹


    Allen¡¯s unyielding darkness mowed them down effortlessly.


    Less than a minuteter, fifty third year studentsy unconscious on the ground.


    ¡¸As expected, Allen¡­¡¹


    Ria, who was hiding behind his back and watched the mowing unfold, let out such an impression.


    ¡¸Ahaha, thank you. Well then, shall we take this chance to hide somewhere? It will be troublesome if we are found again.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, that¡¯s right.¡¹


    Then, they disappeared under the cover of the night.


    ¡ö


    Trapping many of the senpais in Dark Box, I moved with Ria to the rooftop of the academy building.


    It won¡¯t be so easy to find us up here.


    ¡¸Even so, it¡¯s a really crazy event.¡¹


    ¡¸I agree with you. Thousand de Academy is a truly ridiculous academy.¡¹


    Taking a look at the clock tower, the time was 20:55 at night.


    The incredibly chaotic Christmas party of Thousand de Academy will finallye to an end in five minutes.


    (Well, it was quite stressful, but¡­ If we kill time here, we can get away¡­)


    As I stretched my body,


    ¡¸Allen, thank you.¡¹


    Riaughed happily, with her hands behind her back.


    ¡¸Err, why?¡¹


    ¡¸You know, because you helped me a while ago.¡¹


    ¡¸Aa¡­ You don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡¹


    I just did what I wanted to do, so there is no need for thanks.


    It¡¯s just that¡­ I didn¡¯t want Ria to be taken by some random senpai.


    Then, when about one minute passed since the brief conversation ended,


    ¡¸Hey¡­¡¹


    Ria pulled on the sleeve of my uniform


    ¡¸Do you¡­ want my hat?¡¹she asked something unbelievable, tilting her head.


    ¡¸Eh¡­ No, no, it¡¯s just that¡­¡¹


    I felt my face getting red.


    (I¡­ I want it!)


    I want it very, very much.


    I want it so much to the point of desperation.


    (But, is that really ok!?)


    Shouldn¡¯t I tell something important like that directly with my own mouth?


    As I was wracking my brain faster than ever before,


    ¡¸Fufu, I¡¯m kidding.¡¹


    Riaughed happily, with a slight sense of emptiness.


    (¡­Ria?)


    Lately, she has that empty expression like she did now, from time to time.


    (Maybe there¡¯s something causing her distress?)


    When I was wondering about what to do,


    ¡¸Nee, Allen¡­ Close your eyes.¡¹


    Ria requested something which didn¡¯t make sense.


    ¡¸Eh, why?¡¹


    ¡¸S-So you¡¯re not going to?¡¹Ria asked, with her puppy eyes.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    There¡¯s no way I can refuse.


    ¡¸U-Understood!¡¹


    I did as she said, and slowly closed my eyelids.


    ¡¸Y-You must never open it!¡¹


    ¡¸A-Aa! I promise!¡¹


    I made that promise, in that strange high tension situation.


    Ten seconds after that¡­ No, perhaps even a minute has passed.


    Her hands were ced on my right shoulder, and I felt the heat from her body on mine.


    And then, a warm, soft¡ºsomething¡»brushed on my right cheek.


    (This is!?)


    My heart started beating rapidly at that moment.


    ¡¸You can open your eyes now.¡¹


    With Ria¡¯s permission, I immediately opened my eyes.


    In front of me stood a flushed Ria.


    ¡¸Ri, Ri, Ri, Ria!? W-What¡­ was that?¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, secret¡­¡¹


    With a slightly mature smile, she turned around.


    The reason why her ears were a little red was probably not just because of the cold weather.


    (I¡¯m sure that was¡­ No, undoubtedly it was a¡­)


    When I was caught in a whirlpool of thoughts,


    ¡¸Ah¡­ Look, Allen! Snow! It¡¯s snowing!¡¹she said, pointing to the sky.


    ¡¸¡­It¡¯s beautiful.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes.¡¹


    White snow falling from the sky under the moonlight was truly beautiful.


    (¡­Let¡¯s keep this feeling in my heart for now.)


    When I be a more respectable swordsman and a man who can be a good match for a princess of a country, I will open my heart then.


    Instead of relying on these events, I will convey it directly with my own mouth. That¨C


    I love Ria.


    (And for that reason, I will swing my sword tomorrow as well¡­!)


    Thus, the slightly awkward, but warm Christmas came to an end for me and Ria.

 Chapter 137 - Invitation and Demonkind [1]

    137. Invitation and Demonkind [1]


    After the tumultuous Christmas party, Thousand de Academy entered a short winter holiday period.


    I immersed myself in training with Ria, Rose, and ude-san on the days leading up to the end of the year.


    And on December 31st, I spent time rxing with Ria in the dorm¡­ Or at least, I was supposed to.


    On New Year¡¯s Eve.


    When we went out shopping, Ria said something ridiculous.


    ¡¸If you eat as many New Year¡¯s soba noodles equal to your age, you¡¯ll be promised sound health next year!¡¹


    ¡­Fifteen bowls was impossible inmon sense.


    Even if it¡¯s a request from Ria, there are things I can and can¡¯t do.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s eat together, Allen!¡¹


    To refuse an invitation from Ria, as she smiled innocently, was very difficult


    After further repeated discussions, we somewhat settled on an idea which didn¡¯t make much sense, where I have to eat 8 bowls of New Year¡¯s soba noodles, and Ria 22 bowls.


    A total of 30 bowls for two people, which originally should have been 15 bowls per person.


    Does that really make sense? ¡­To be honest, I don¡¯t know.


    But Ria looked happy at that time.


    She said,¡¸I hope we can be together next year too!¡¹,ughing happily.


    Therefore, the eight bowls of soba noodles which I ate to the point of passing out was definitely not pointless.


    Which means, me majestically lying on my stomach and suffering from stomach pain, is also definitely not pointless¡­ I hope.


    And then, January 1st came.


    Early into the new year, I ended up taking a stomach medicine.


    Needless to say, the reason was the New Year¡¯s soba noodles I atest night.


    (Fuu¡­ Feels like the medicine has worked a little.)


    I took a deep breath, calmed my stomach and intestines, and put on my ceremonial outfit I bought just the other day.


    ck suit and striped pants. So-called¡ºDirector¡¯s Suit¡».


    I and Ria bought it in a big hurry before the end of the year.


    (Even so, I never imagined something like this would happen¡­)


    It all started with a¡ºwritten invitation¡».


    The day after the Christmas party, Ria and I received one copy each of a written invitation.


    It was an invitation to¡ºKeishinkai¡»held annually at Ringard Pce on January 1st every year. [1. TL Note:¡±Keishinkai¡± is ¡°New Year¡¯s Fortune Ceremony¡±.]


    The Keishinkai is arge ceremony to celebrate the nation¡¯s stepping into a new year, and the ruler of the Ringard Imperial Kingdom, Tenshi-sama will also be attending. [1. TL Note: ¡°Tenshi¡± means ¡°Heavenly Ruler¡±. ¡°Heavenly Ruler-sama¡± sounds off, so it will remain ¡°Tenshi-sama¡±.]


    (But¡­ Why am I invited to such arge ceremony?)


    I checked the invitation many times over, thinking that there might be some sort of mistake, but my name was clearly written on it.


    (¡­Ria is the princess of Vesteria Kingdom, so it¡¯s nothing strange for her to be invited to attend the Keishinkai.)


    But I¡¯m an everyday ordinary civilian.


    A ceremony which is attended by ambassadors from foreign countries and higher ups from the government, to put it bluntly, I am unsuitable to be there.


    (Aaa¡­ My stomach is getting sore again.)


    Apparently, mental distress can also add to the pain.


    (Haa¡­ Why is this happening?)


    As I sighed loudly, there was a knock on my door.


    ¡¸Allen, have you finished changing yet?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, just done.¡¹


    When I replied, the door slowly opened, and Ria, wearing a long-sleeved kimono, stepped in.


    ¡¸Yes, that¡¯s perfect. It looks great on you!¡¹sheughed, looking at my ceremonial suit from top to bottom.


    ¡¸¡­¡­A-Aa, thank you.¡¹


    I was enamoured by Ria¡¯s figure in the long-sleeved kimono, so I was a secondte to reply.


    An elegant red-kimono.


    Golden sash tied around her slender waist.


    Beautiful floral embroidery around the shoulders.


    An ornate hairpin of a wine red flower pinned onto her braided, lustrous hair.


    She was so captivating that my mind went nk.


    ¡¸¡­Fufu, are you enchanted perhaps?¡¹


    When she jokingly said so,


    ¡¸¡­Aa, you are very beautiful.¡¹


    I inadvertently put my thoughts into words.


    ¡¸I-I, I see¡­ T-Thank you.¡¹


    ¡¸W-Wee¡­?¡¹


    The conversation became awkward, and our faces were flushed.


    After that,


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    We fleetingly nced at each other, and whenever our eyes met, we immediately looked away. It was an indescribable atmosphere.


    Taking a look at the clock, the time was nine o¡¯clock in the morning.


    Because the start of the Keishinkai was at ten o¡¯clock, there was no longer any room to dally.


    ¡¸I-It¡¯s about time, let¡¯s go!¡¹


    ¡¸Y-Yes, let¡¯s do that!¡¹


    Then, we went to the Ringard Pce with some fleeting tension.


    ¡ö


    After leaving the dormitory of Thousand de Academy, we walked for a while, and arrived at our destination surprisingly soon.


    After a brief reception at the entrance, we stepped into Ringard Pce.


    And there,


    ¡¸A-Amazing!!¡¹


    A gorgeous ceremony hall spread before us. It almost looked like another world.


    The venue was farrger than the gymnasium of Thousand de Academy.


    A huge, state of the art LCD panel was attached to a pir.


    Huge statues that give off a remarkable presence in each of the four corners of the hall.


    Paintings which give off a magnum opus atmosphere, decorated all over.


    As if that weren¡¯t enough already, heaps of delicious-looking dishes were arranged on a table.


    (How do I put it¡­ it feels¡ºdisconnected¡»¡­)


    There was no unity among any of them. It was simply filled with¡ºextravagance¡».


    (It is exactly as Ria said¡­.)


    A ceremony led by a country, like the Keishinkai, which invites arge number of guests, would be considerably showy to demonstrate the national prestige, Ria said so on the way.


    As I was taking in the sight of the hall which felt like another world,


    ¡¸Ara, it¡¯s been a long time. Ria-san. Allen-san.¡¹


    I heard the president¡¯s voice from behind.


    (Nn?¡ºAllen-san¡»?)


    Feeling ufortable with the way she called me, I turned around, and found the president dressed in a morous long-sleeved kimono.


    ¡¸Happy New Year, president.¡¹


    ¡¸Happy New Year, president. That kimono is very beautiful!¡¹


    When I and Ria said our New Year¡¯s greetings together,


    ¡¸Happy New Year, Ria-san, Allen-san. Fufu, Ria-san¡¯s kimono is also very beautiful and matches you well.¡¹


    The president bowed her head politely, and smiled gently.


    (But to meet the president in a ce like this¡­ No, rather, this is natural.)


    She is from House¡ºArcstria¡».


    It is a distinguished family among distinguished families, which has produced the top executives of the Ringard Imperial Kingdom from generation to generation up to now.


    I dare say, they are invited to the Keishinkai almost every year.


    While I was thinking about that,


    ¡¸After the Christmas party, I understood something clearly.¡¹


    With a soft smile on her face, the president peered into my eyes.


    (Yeah¡­ she¡¯s angry.)


    It was in obvious that she was in a bad mood, putting a clear distance between us, and the formal tone.


    ¡¸Err, um¡­ What did you understood?¡¹


    I had a bad feeling, but I asked her just in case.


    ¡¸Allen-san is a¡ºhentai¡»who loves to bully girls.¡¹


    ¡¸I, I see¡­¡¹


    Another troublesome thing as soon as I stepped into the new year¡­


    I sighed a little and listened to the continuation of the story.


    ¡¸My goodness. Allen-san at that time, had a really mean look and was having so much fun.¡¹


    ¡ºThat time¡»is probably¡­ the time when I had a pebble and forced the president to make a choice.


    ¡¸S-Sorry¡­ But I honestly didn¡¯t intend to be mean.¡¹


    At that time, I was worried about Ria¡¯s Santa hat, so I had to act a little rough.


    It was really just that, and there was zero malice.


    ¡¸Hmm, I wonder. And this is the second, no, the third time.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­The third time?¡¹


    ¡¸Have you forgotten already? The first time was at Club Budget War, where you disgraced me. The second time was Ikasama Poker, where you cruelly handed out a Full House. Don¡¯t tell me that you forgot?¡¹


    ¡¸A, A¨C¡­¡¹


    Now that I think about it, there was that too.


    Recently, there have been so many things happening that Ipletely forgot about that.


    ¡¸Anyway, until you firmly reform, onee-san will keep using this tone.¡¹the president said, and turned away her face in a huff.


    (W-What a child¡­)


    For someone who self allegedly calls herself¡ºonee-san¡», that anger is that of a child¡¯s.


    (But, how troubling¡­)


    Once the president is in a bad mood¡­ It gets very troublesome.


    It¡¯s hard to get her back into a good mood, and that pompous attitude of hers after getting into a good mood¡­ is also difficult to handle.


    As I was smiling bitterly, thinking about how to handle the president,


    ¡¸Sie, what are you doing?¡¹


    A man called out, standing behind the president.


    ¡¸F-Father, go away!¡¹


    (F-Father, so that means¡­)


    It looks like he was the president¡¯s father, Rodis Arcstria.


    ¡¸¡­I see. So you are Allen Rodore.¡¹


    Rodis-san took a nce at me, slipped through the opposing president and stood in front of me.


    ¡¸I am Rodis Arcstria. My position is¡­ No, exaggerated titles are inconsequential on this asion. There is something I have to say to you no matter what.¡¹


    ¡¸W-What might it be?¡¹


    He looked at me for about three seconds, and slowly opened his heavy lips.


    ¡¸I won¡¯t give you my daughter.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Eh?¡¹


    ¡¸There¡¯s no use ying dumb. I¡¯ve known for a long time that you are in an unusually close rtionship with my daughter.¡¹


    ¡¸Eh, err¡­?¡¹


    ¡ºUnusually close rtionship¡»? What does that mean?


    When I was at a loss as to how to respond, Rodis-san grit his teeth and began to tremble.


    ¡¸My daughter¡­ talks about you every single day¡­ with a really happy look on her face, too!¡¹


    ¡¸H-Hey, father!? What the hell are you talking about!?¡¹


    The president blushed and strongly shook Rodis-san¡¯s shoulder.


    But his mouth showed no signs of stopping.


    ¡¸And the other day, ¡°I¡¯m going to invite him on a date¡± is¨C¡¹


    ¡¸-Waa-, waa-, waa-, waa-!¡¹


    The president shouted and blocked Rodis-san¡¯s mouth.


    Her face was dyed bright red up to her ears, where it seemed like she could start spitting fire any second now.


    ¡¸A, AAA, Allen-kun! That¡¯s not the case at all! Father is saying all these things on his own!¡¹


    ¡¸O-Okay¡­¡¹


    ¡¸A-Anyway, that is all! S-See you at the academy! Come, let¡¯s go, father!¡¹


    The president said, and pushed Rodis-san¡¯s back and disappeared into the back of the hall.

 Chapter 138 - Invitation and Demonkind [2]

    138. Invitation and Demonkind [2]


    When the president stormed away with Rodis-san, tranquility returned.


    ¡¸My goodness¡­ He was no less doting than my father.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, that¡¯s true.¡¹


    Ria¡¯s father, King Gris Vesteria, was also a considerably doting parent.


    The president¡¯s father is also quite the thing.


    (¡­No, perhaps all fathers who have a daughter are all that way.)


    After taking a deep breath, I slowly looked around.


    (¡­There are so many different people.)


    A person dressed as a samurai


    A person wearing an unusual tricoloured dress, obviously not of this country.


    A person wearing arge white hat that the hunters in the south prefer.


    The venue was overflowing with an exotic air.


    As I continued to look around at the surrounding people, a person in a clearly mboyant costume entered my view.


    ¡¸Is that¡­ Clown-san?¡¹


    It was Clown Jester, the branch chief of the Holy Knights Association Orest Branch.


    (O-Oh my¡­)


    Even if there was no dress code, to think he would wear his usual shy clown costume to the Keishinkai where Tenshi-sama is attending. A truly freewheeling person.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s go and say hello, shall we?¡¹


    When I was about to take a step forward,


    ¡¸¡­Wait a minute, look next to Clown-san.¡¹Ria said, with an incredibly serious expression.


    ¡¸Next to Clown-san?¡¹


    When I turned my gaze a little to the side, there was Rize-san, dressed in her usual red kimono.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry, but let¡¯s say hello another time. We shouldn¡¯t get involved with Bloody Fox.¡¹Ria said, shaking her head slightly.


    (O-Okay.)


    As Leia-sensei said some time ago, Rize-san¡¯s reputation doesn¡¯t seem to be very good.


    (But I think she¡¯s a very nice person, though¡­)


    When I was thinking of that,


    ¡¸Ara, if it isn¡¯t Allen-kun!¡¹


    Rize-san noticed me, and walked towards us together with Clown-san.


    ¡¸Yikes, we¡¯ve been found!¡¹Ria frowned.


    As usual, she has an abundant expression.


    ¡¸Rize-san, Clown-san. Happy New Year.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Happy New Year.¡¹


    When I and Ria greeted them, they also replied in the same way.


    ¡¸To see Allen-kun at the start of the year, I am sure that this year is going to be a good one.¡¹


    Rize-san, who was in a good mood, stared at me with her sharp fox-like eyes.


    ¡¸Ahaha. I¡¯m also very happy to see Rize-san.¡¹


    ¡¸R-Really? Y-You¡¯re making me blush.¡¹


    She hid her face behind the folding fan in her hand, and turned her gaze away.


    Clown-san inserted his usual silly remarks.


    ¡¸Ohe on, Rize-san. Why are you falling for that? That¡¯s obviously a ttery¨C kah!?¡¹


    At that moment, he suddenly clutched his chest, seeming to be in pain.


    ¡¸C-Clown-san!?¡¹


    His face turned pale, as he grabbed Rize-san¡¯s sleeve, shaking his head sideways.


    It seemed that he was unable to breathe.


    ¡¸Naa, Clown¡­ mouth is the source of disaster. So, be careful, okay?¡¹she said, with a terrifyingly cold tone that could even bring down the temperature of the room, and Clown-san nodded his head many times over.


    Immediately after that,


    ¡¸Pu-ha! Haa haa¡­ Aha, hahaha¡­ merciless as usual¡­¡¹


    Freed from some sort of¡ºability¡», he put on a strained smile, while breathing heavily.


    ¡¸Fufu, that is so, but the way you suffered on purpose¡­ I don¡¯t hate it either.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha¡­ Did you find out?¡¹


    ¡¸Obviously. There¡¯s no way you would suffer just because you couldn¡¯t breathe.¡¹


    Normally, I think people would suffer, though¡­


    Which means, simr to Rize-san, Clown-san is no ordinary person either.


    ¡¸What did you think about it? I think it was a pretty good performance, though¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Hmm, it¡¯s about three points.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, three out of five?¡¹


    ¡¸Fool, a thousand points.¡¹


    ¡¸T-That¡¯s quite harsh¡­¡¹


    And theyughed happily.


    How do I put this¡­ it was a very peculiar world view.


    Perhaps Rize-san and Clown-san have been together for a long time.


    (But¡­ I still don¡¯t understand.)


    There is no doubt that the phenomenon just now was due to Rize-san¡¯s¡ºpower¡».


    (This is the second time I¡¯ve seen her power following the Daido Commercial Festival, but¡­)


    I still have no idea what kind of ability it is.


    ¡¸Well then, I am going to take my leave here.¡¹


    Rize-san struck the folding fan on her hand, and turned her eyes towards the exit.


    ¡¸Oh, are you going home already?¡¹


    ¡¸I have already greeted Tenshi-sama, and there is still another meeting. So, I am leaving for today.¡¹she said, waving her hand slightly.


    ¡¸I also have a meeting at the Orest branch after this. So, I will also take my leave!¡¹Clown-san said, bowing slightly.


    ¡¸Is that so? Good luck with your work.¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, thanks a lot.¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you very much for your consideration!¡¹


    Then, they left the Ringard Pce.


    Then, Ria, who had been silent from a little while ago, opened her mouth.


    ¡¸To ditch a ceremony held by Tenshi-sama¡­ They must have some pretty thick nerves!¡¹[1. TL Note: ¡°Tenshi¡± means ¡°Heavenly Ruler¡±.]


    ¡¸Ahaha. That is so like them.¡¹


    After a while,


    ¡¸Is that¡­ Tenshi-sama?¡¹


    A peerless beauty escorted by a great number of guards slowly walked in our direction.


    (I¡¯ve seen that face in newspapers. That person is no doubt, Wendy Ringard-sama!)


    The Heavenly Ruler who governs the Ringard Imperial Kingdom ¨C Wendy Ringard.


    If I remember correctly¡­ she is 15 years old, the same age as me.


    Beautiful, light pink hair that stretches to the back.


    The height is about the same as Ria. About 165 centimeters.


    A wless style.


    A kind, angelic face.


    A pure white dress with exposed shoulders.


    At the age of ten, she inherited her position from her predecessor. She possessed superior intellect and formidable ingenuity ¨C the greatest talent in Ringard Imperial Kingdom.


    She slowly walked towards us, and¡­


    ¡¸Ara¡­ You are Allen Rodore-sama, aren¡¯t you?¡¹


    Stopped right in front of me.


    ¡¸Y-Yes¡­¡¹


    I could only return a stiff answer in that unexpected situation.


    ¡¸Fufu, please don¡¯t be so stiff. Today is the Keishinkai, after all.¡¹


    ¡¸T-Thank you very much.¡¹


    And when I addressed Tenshi-sama,


    ¡¸I am the first princess of Vesteria Kingdom, Ria Vesteria. Tenshi-sama, thank you very much for inviting me to Keishinkai today.¡¹


    Ria greeted Tenshi-sama gracefully, with her dignified manner.


    ¡¸I am the Tenshi of the Ringard Imperial Kingdom, Wendy Ringard. It is I who should thank you foring all this way.¡¹


    When the¡ºPrincess¡»and¡ºTenshi¡»exchanged greetings,


    ¡¸Hey, Allen-sama? If you don¡¯t mind, can we talk alone for a little while?¡¹


    She suddenly said something unbelievable.


    (T-This is a joke right?)


    What does the leader of a country have to talk about to an ordinary citizen like me!?


    However, the other party is the one who stands at the summit of this country, the Tenshi.


    I can¡¯t refuse her invitation so easily.


    ¡¸Y-Yes¡­ If you don¡¯t mind, I would love to.¡¹


    ¡¸Well, thank you!¡¹Tenshi-sama showed a flower-like smile.¡¸Excuse me, Ria-sama. May I borrow Allen-sama for a little while?¡¹she asked Ria, with an apologetic expression.


    ¡¸Y-Yes, that¡¯s fine.¡¹


    Ria is a princess, not yet a ¡°King.¡±


    There was no way she could refuse a request from Tenshi-sama, who is at a higher position.


    Thus, for some reason, I had to talk to Tenshi-sama alone.


    ¡¸Ria. I¡¯ll be back as soon as I¡¯m done. So, just wait a little while.¡¹


    ¡¸O-Ok.¡¹


    I parted with Ria, who had an uneasy expression, and was led by Tenshi-sama to the second floor of the Ringard Pce.


    Meanwhile, an astounding number of curious nces pierced my back.


    ¡¸O-Oi¡­ Tenshi-sama is walking alone together with a man without an escort!?¡¹


    ¡¸Wait a minute¡­ If I remember correctly, that guy is¡­¡ºAllen Rodore¡»!¡¹


    ¡¸Allen Rodore¡­ Rumor has it that he has been getting his hand involved in the¡ºunderworld¡»these days. They say he has a deep connection with that Bloody Fox.¡¹


    ¡¸A-Already a connection with that one!? That¡¯s so quick!¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s better not to get involved with him.¡¹


    I-I can hear you¡­


    It seems that the bad rumors have already gone beyond the small sphere of the¡ºSwordsmanship Academy¡».


    It might already be toote to put down these rumours.


    (Haa, why did things turn out like this¡­)


    When I sighed,


    ¡¸Well, Allen-sama. It¡¯s an empty room, but pleasee in.¡¹Tenshi-sama said, and opened the door in front of her.


    ¡¸T-Thank you.¡¹


    I entered the room. It was a very ordinary room.


    There were only the minimum necessary furnishings, such as a dresser and a bed.


    ¡¸Tenshi-sama, what are we doing in this¨C?¡¹


    Just when I was about to ask a question,


    ¨CCLINK


    The sound of a lock resounded.


    (Eh? Are we¡­ locked in?)


    Somehow, I had a very bad feeling.


    ¡¸Te-Tenshi-sama¡­¡¹


    When I nervously called out to her,


    ¡¸Fufu, we can finally talk alone, Allen Rodore.¡¹


    Tenshi-sama, who hadpletely changed from a while ago, gave off a sharp glint in her eyes, as the corners of her lips curled up.

 Chapter 139 - Invitation and Demonkind [3]

    139. Invitation and Demonkind [3]


    Tenshi-sama locked the door, calmly walked past me, and she sat down on the bed.


    ¡¸What are you doing? Don¡¯t keep standing there, hurry up ande sit here.¡¹Tensh-sama said, as she hit the bed with her palm.


    Apparently, she wants me to sit right beside her.


    ¡¸I-I understand.¡¹


    While looking around the room, I walked towards the bed.


    (One at the back of the hanging scroll. One inside the dresser. One inside the closet. One at the very end of the bedce. A total of four people, huh¡­)


    Listening carefully, I could hear a number of small breaths being exhaled.


    Surely, it must be the swordsmen who were entrusted with the escort of Tenshi-sama.


    (Creating a situation as if there are only the two of us and employing the minimum security.)


    A careful set-up prepared by Tenshi-sama, I guess.


    ¡¸Excuse me.¡¹I said, and sat down to her right, putting some distance between us.


    ¡¸Ara? You¡¯re living under one roof with the Princess of Vesteria, yet you¡¯re not used to socializing with a woman.¡¹


    Tenshi-sama moved closer to me, with a sadistic smile on her face.


    (T-Too close¡­ And soft!?)


    Her soft thighs were on my left hand, and at the same time, her pleasant smell filled my nostrils.


    (C-Calm down! In the first ce, how does Tenshi-sama know about me and Ria living together?)


    I took a deep breath to suppress my racing heart and scrambled mind


    Watching me in that state, Tenshi-sama let slip a chuckle.


    ¡¸Fufu¡­ Nee, what kind of person are you, Allen? Tell me about yourself.¡¹she said, poking me on the left cheek.


    ¡¸Let me answer your question with another question. But why do you wish to know about me?¡¹


    I don¡¯t understand the reason why a heavenly person like Tenshi-sama, would care about an ordinary citizen like me.


    ¡¸Hmm? Let¡¯s see¡­ At first, it was just a simple interest.¡¹


    ¡¸Interest?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. You¡¯re plenty famous, you know?¡ºThe Dark Swordsman Who Rules Thousand de Academy¡»¡ºThe Viin Who Conspired to Overthrow the State¡»¡ºFuture de Of The ck Organization!¡» Fufu, all those terrible rumors were so funny. Such an amusing swordsman, I thought. That is why I started to look into you a little bit.¡¹


    ¡¸I, I see¡­¡¹


    Apparently, my bad rumors were at the level where it reached Tenshi-sama¡¯s ear.


    ¡¸But the oue was, those rumors were all lies. Allen is a very ordinary swordsmanship student.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. That¡¯s right.¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s a high level information maniption to make you look like that.¡¹


    ¡¸Eh?¡¹


    Tenshi-sama seems to havee to an unusual conclusion.


    ¡¸Making you stand out in just the right amount, slipping in lies in just the right amount, and making you seem useless in just the right amount. I don¡¯t know who, but there is someone who is skillfully manipting information regarding you. It¡¯s delicate information maniption that makes Allen Rodore to be judged¡ºmediocre¡»when someone looks into you.¡¹


    Tenshi-sama confidently talked about her conspiracy theory-like reasoning.


    ¡¸This is probably because they are trying to keep Allen out of the eyes of the ¡°Upper Thirteen Knights of the Oracle¡° and the ¡°Seven Holy Swords¡±. I get the impression that they¡¯re helping you spread your wings into the world.¡¹


    ¡¸Eh, uh¡­¡¹


    ¡­How troubling.


    (Where on earth do I correct it from?)


    I understood for the first time today that it¡¯s really troublesome when a smart person misunderstands something.


    ¡¸For the time being, I have something I want to ask you right away. Do you mind?¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, no. Go ahead.¡¹


    ¡¸Where are you from?¡¹


    A surprisingly simple question.


    ¡¸Goza vige, which is situated far from Orest.¡¹


    ¡¸Goza vige? Born outside of the Ringard Imperial Kingdom, is that what you are saying?¡¹


    ¡¸No, it¡¯s certainly a very small vige, but Goza Vige is a province in Ringard.¡¹


    Perhaps the economic scale of the Goza vige was too small, as the Emperor didn¡¯t seem to know of its existence.


    ¡¸Hey¡­ I am the heavenly ruler, the Tenshi, of Ringard Imperial Kingdom. I know every single millimeter of my territory. Thus, I can assert that there¡¯s no province in this country called¡ºGoza Vige¡».¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Eh?¡¹


    Goza vige¡­ is not?


    What on earth is she talking about?


    ¡¸N-No¡­ It¡¯s a small vige far northwest of Gran Swordsmanship Academy.¡¹


    ¡¸What are you saying? Northwest of Gran Swordsmanship Academy is arge ¡°wastnd¡± where even nts don¡¯t grow. It¡¯s been like that for a few decades now.¡¹


    ¡¸HA!?¡¹


    No, no, no¡­ that¡¯s impossible.


    Goza vige is a thriving agricultural vige. Green fields spread in all directions as far as the eyes can see.


    Mother and bamboo geezer live there, and there is a brook where we can catch a lot of fish ¨C everyone helps each other out and lives together.


    (That Goza vige¡­ A wastnd?)


    It¡¯s impossible.


    I¡¯m sure Tenshi-sama is remembering wrongly or something.


    ¡¸In addition, another thing is strange. Even if you look up the family register, a person called¡ºAllen Rodore¡»does not exist anywhere. I wonder if you came from a foreign country?¡¹


    ¡¸Eh?¡¹


    I was shocked by the questions that were thrown in session.


    ¡¸What? Is that also a secret? Well, that¡¯s fine. I¡¯m going to ask you the next question.¡¹


    ¡¸Y-Yes¡­¡¹


    Then, I answered Tenshi-sama¡¯s question, holding an unsatisfied feeling inside me the whole time.


    Favorite food.


    Hobby.


    Hopes for the future.


    Full of simple questions that were usually asked during self introduction.


    She asked a question, I answered, and then she questioned again.


    When that wearisome exchange was repeated about ten times,


    ¡¸Yoshi, with this the conditions are cleared. It¡¯s time for you to be my¡ºmanservant¡»!¡¹


    Tenshi-sama suddenly pushed me down.


    ¡¸What!?¡¹


    And she quickly straddled onto my stomach in a fluid motion, and gave off a seductive smile.


    ¡¸Te-Tenshi-sama¡­ What are you?¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu. You know¡­ When I see a young, promising, pure man like you, I start wanting them!¡¹she said, tracing her cold, slender finger along my chest.¡¸Good looking toned muscles¡­ Fufu, all this is going to be mine.¡¹


    ¡¸P-Please stop joking!¡¹


    When I twisted my body, trying to get out of Tenshi-sama¡¯s restraint,


    ¡¸Engrave -¡´Love ve¡µ!¡¹


    Tenshi-sama brought out a long fingernail-like soul dress equipped on her index finger.


    (S-Soul dress!?)


    I don¡¯t know what she¡¯s going to do, but this is not a situation where I can let her do as she pleases, even if it¡¯s Tenshi-sama herself.


    ¡¸Fufu, it¡¯s okay. It won¡¯t hurt that much.¡¹she said, and ran her tongue along the pointy edge of the soul dress.


    ¡¸Do you mean to stab me?¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, pretending to be tough. It¡¯s cute. But unfortunately for you, even if I look like this, I have practiced swordsmanship!¡¹


    Tenshi-sama said, and thrust down her index finger, aimed at my chest.


    (Certainly, it¡¯s quite fast.)


    It seems to be true that she has practiced swordsmanship.


    But if it¡¯s just at this level, Dark Robe can handle it.


    ¡¸HA!¡¹


    I d myself in dense darkness, and defended her blow perfectly.


    ¡¸Ouch!?¡¹


    The moment her nail came into contact with the dark robe, her face distorted in pain.


    ¡¸S-Sorry. Are you oka¨C¡¹


    The brief moment when I retracted the darkness, worrying about Tenshi-sama¡¯s welfare,


    ¡¸Just kidding.¡¹


    Tenshi-sama stabbed her index finger onto my chest, aiming for that slight opening when the dark robe disappeared.


    ¡¸What!?¡¹


    A slight pain ran, and a little blood flowed out at the same time.


    ¡¸Fufu, with this you are my faithful manservant. It¡¯s okay. Soon you will only be able to think of me and nothing else.¡¹Tenshi-sama hugged me tightly, and whispered into my ear.


    (This is!?)


    It felt like her consciousness was prating deep into me.


    (This is bad! This sensation¡­ Is it a mental corruption type soul dress!?)


    I can¡¯t muster any strength into my body.


    Darkness, too¡­ I can¡¯t control it properly.


    (Shit!)


    As my consciousness started to fade,


    ¡ºTeme¡­ Who the hell gave you permission to step into my world!? Aa!?¡»

 Chapter 140 - Invitation and Demonkind [4]

    140. Invitation and Demonkind [4]


    That guy¡¯s bloodlust dominated the space in the blink of an eye. It was dreadfully dense, to the point where I almost couldn¡¯t breathe.


    ¡¸Kyaa!!!¡¹


    Tenshi-sama¡¯s soul dress shattered to pieces, as she fell off the bed.


    At the same time, the four guards who were hiding jumped out at once.


    ¡¸What a dreadful bloodlust!?¡¹


    ¡¸So the rumours appear to be true!¡¹


    ¡¸Causing dismay to Tenshi-sama¡­ This insolence cannot be forgiven!¡¹


    ¡¸Pay for your sins with death!¡¹


    They gripped their soul dress tightly, and rushed at me with tremendous speed. Most likely Senior Holy Knights appointed by the government ¨C elites who were entrusted with the escort of Tenshi-sama.


    (Shit!)


    I haven¡¯tpletely escaped Tenshi-sama¡¯s¡´Love ve¡µyet.


    Swaying vision.


    Hazy consciousness.


    Disadvantaged position of lying on my back.


    To put it bluntly, I couldn¡¯t be in a worse situation.


    Still, when I desperately raised my upper body,


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸DIEEEEEEEEEEE!¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹


    A total of four sharp shes were unleashed from all sides.


    (Evasion is¡­ impossible! I can¡¯t defend in time, either¡­ If that¡¯s the case, the dark robe!)


    When I tried to d myself in darkness, Dark Shadow activated on its own.


    (What!?)


    The jet ck darkness that started moving without my will, instantly crushed the soul dress of the guards.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸Wha!?¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹


    And in a sweeping motion, it prated the abdomens of the four very easily.


    ¡¸Ka, ha!¡¹


    ¡¸Shit!¡¹


    ¡¸A-Absurd¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Impossible¡­¡¹


    With their soul dress shattered to pieces and fatally wounded, all four copsed on the spot.


    (W-What power!?)


    My Dark Shadow couldn¡¯t even bepared to it. The destructive power was literally magnitudes apart.


    (It¡¯s definitely that guy¡¯s Dark Shadow!)


    When I gasped at the overwhelming violence, darkness began to move on its own again. Moving like a whip, it aimed at the neck of the four copsed on the floor.


    ¡¸Stop!¡¹


    I cut off his interference by concentrating on my consciousness.


    And the next moment, Dark Shadow disappeared, together with the dense bloodlust.


    (That was too close¡­)


    As Leia-sensei said, his actions seem to be strongly restricted while my consciousness is clear.


    (Anyway, I have to hurry up and heal them¡­)


    The four men, who were pierced through their abdomens by Dark Shadow,y unconscious in a critical state.


    If I leave them as is, they will most likely die in less than a minute.


    I concentrated my consciousness, which was still hazy, and stretched out darkness onto their abdomens.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸U-Uh¡­¡¹¡¹¡¹


    Their wounds were plugged up in no time, and their body quickly returned to a normal state.


    They¡¯ll probably wake up in a few minutes.


    (Fuu¡­ That¡¯s a relief for now¡­)


    As I exhaled loudly, my hazy consciousness gradually became clear.


    Then, I calmly looked around. Dusky darkness covered the whole room.


    At that time, I didn¡¯t realize that his darkness had leaked out over a vast range.


    The dresser, the bed, the ceiling, the wall, all of which were dyed in abyss ck darkness.


    (But, this is intense¡­)


    To think that guy couldn¡¯t stomach someone stepping into the¡ºworld of the soul¡»to this extent¡­


    I sensed a tremendous anger from the darkness that stuck to the walls like sludge.


    (If I remember correctly, even the ruined Thousand de Academy was dyed ck like this¡­)


    As I was recalling that incident,


    ¡¸W-Why won¡¯t this open!¡¹Tenshi-sama cried, frantically turning the doorknob.


    (That doesn¡¯t show any signs of opening¡­)


    The door was smeared with darkness,pletely assimting it with the surrounding walls.


    If that¡¯s the case, it¡¯s probably faster to cut the wall.


    ¡¸Please, someone! Somebody, help me!¡¹


    Perhaps Tenshi-sama was in a slight panic, as she frantically hit the jet ck door over and over again.


    Her hands were covered with cuts, and every time she hit the door, fresh blood oozed out.


    That guy¡¯s darkness still seems to be dangerous even after being separated from his body.


    (Anyway, I have to calm down Tenshi-sama.)


    ¡¸Tenshi-sama. There¡¯s nothing to be afraid of, so please calm down for the time being.¡¹I called out gently, and took a step forward.


    ¡¸N-No¡­ Don¡¯te closer¡­¡¹


    Colour drained from her face, as she froze in fear.


    I seem to have frightened her instead, apparently


    I stopped on the spot, so as not to frighten her further, and continued talking from a little distance away.


    ¡¸Alright. I won¡¯t move from this spot. Instead, at least let me heal you please. If you leave those cuts as it is, it will fester.¡¹


    I extended darkness towards her to cure the cuts on her hands.


    However, Tenshi-sama, seeing the darkness approach her,


    ¡¸N-No¡­ Stop it¡­ I am so-sorry¡­ I was wrong¡­¡¹


    She trembled, as she expressed her apologies, with tears in her eyes.


    Looking at her¡­ it seems that the darkness that rampaged earlier has caused a huge trauma.


    (W-What should I do?)


    As I was scratching my cheek,


    ¡¸Te-Tenshi-sama!? What was that scream!?¡¹


    ¡¸Are you all right? Please reply!¡¹


    I heard multiple male voicesing from outside the room.


    Most likely the Senior Holy Knights who heard themotion inside.


    And that¡¯s when I finally realised the hopeless situation I was in.


    (Isn¡¯t this¡­ pretty bad?)


    The room was dyed in jet ck and ruined.


    Four guards lying unconscious and their abdomen stained red with blood.


    And Tenshi-sama, who was begging for forgiveness with tears in her eyes.


    (No matter how you look at it, Ipletelye off as the bad guy!)


    The moment the guards outsidee in, it¡¯s over for me.


    In this state¡­ I can¡¯t imagine Tenshi-sama will tell the¡ºtruth¡».


    I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll instantly order the guards,¡¸Capture Allen Rodore!¡¹


    If that happens, I will be charged with treason and wouldn¡¯t be able to escape the death penalty.


    (S-Shit¡­)


    My whole body turned pale.


    Even if an ordinary citizen like me struggled and screamed, ¡°It¡¯s a false usation,¡± I¡¯m sure no one will believe me.


    On one hand, the farmers of Goza vige.


    On the other, the Ruler of Ringard Imperial Kingdom.


    Whom will the people of the country believe? Whose testimony will hold in court? You don¡¯t even need to waste energy thinking about that.


    (What on earth do I do!?)


    As I was greatly perplexed about that, the sound of an explosion came from outside the room, apanied by a great number of screams.

 Chapter 141 - Invitation and Demons [5]

    141. Invitation and Demons [5]


    Loud screams were raised along with the sound of explosion. And I heard a number of footsteps running up the stairs immediately after that.


    (What the hell is going on?)


    An explosion at the Ringard Pce would no doubt be an extreme state of emergency.


    (Is it perhaps the ck Organization!?)


    They¡¯ve been relentlessly targeting Ria for the phantom spirit dwelling within her. So, it would be a very likely scenario.


    (No, calm down. I am worried about the situation outside, but¡­ right now, I have to do something about the pressing situation in front of me.)


    I shifted my gaze to Tenshi-sama, who was frozen in fear.


    She paid no heed to the explosion outside, and just intently stared at me whilst trembling. Her confident attitude up until a while ago hadpletely quietened down.


    She seems to be the type that bes weak if you push back in return.


    (Well, what to do?)


    If she is this frightened, it will be difficult to hold a proper conversation.


    (Let¡¯s see¡­)


    For starters, it would be good to clear up the misunderstanding about the darkness.


    I decided that, and slowly unsheathed my sword, so as not to frighten Tenshi-sama, and cut my palm slightly. Slight pain ran, and blood oozed out from the cut.


    ¡¸W-What are you doing?¡¹she whispered, looking at the scene dumbfoundedly.


    ¡¸Tenshi-sama, please take a good look at this.¡¹


    I concentrate the darkness on my right index finger and slowly slide it onto the wound on my left palm.


    Then, the recovery effect of the darkness activated, healing the cut on my left palm in an instant.


    ¡¸N-No way¡­ Is your soul dress a recovery type? Even though it has such offensive power!?¡¹


    ¡¸Err¡­ Yes, that¡¯s right.¡¹


    Actually not, but I decided to lie to calm Tenshi-sama.


    In general, recovery-type soul dress is thought of to be low risk, so I relied on that reputation to reassure Tenshi-sama.


    ¡¸Tenshi-sama, if you don¡¯t mind, I would like to heal your wounds. May I?¡¹


    And she nervously held out her bruised up right hand. It seems that she hase to trust me a little.


    ¡¸Excuse me, then.¡¹


    With those brief words, I extended darkness to her right hand.


    The moment my darkness came into contact with her hand, Tenshi-sama shut her eyes for a brief moment. When she slowly opened her eyes, her hand was back to its beautiful state.


    ¡¸¡­Warm darkness. It ispletely different from just now.¡¹


    Her impression was probably inparison to that guy¡¯s darkness.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry about that ¡°embarrassing darkness¡± just now, haha¡­¡¹I jokingly said.


    ¡¸Fufu, it¡¯s your ability, isn¡¯t it?¡¹Tenshi-sama unintentionally chuckled.


    (Yoshi, this is going good.)


    Her breathing has calmed down, and she seems to be gradually regaining herposure.


    ¡¸Ahaha, unfortunately, it¡¯s a¡ºdropout swordsman¡»thing¡­ I¡¯m still struggling to control it.¡¹


    ¡¸Dropout Swordsman¡­ Come to think of it, there was such bogus information, too. If I remember correctly, you were too talentless, and as such, no school would ept you or something like that..¡¹


    ¡¸I-It¡¯s a painfully-true story.¡¹


    To be honest, I don¡¯t want her to mention that too much.


    (Well, it¡¯s about time to settle this.)


    Tenshi-sama¡¯s fear of darkness should have been somewhat cleared.


    If we dally too much, the guards outside will rush in soon. It¡¯s time to get down to the issue at hand.


    ¡¸By the way, Tenshi-sama, about that thing just now¡­ How about we both let bygones be bygones?¡¹


    When I brought up a humble proposal,


    ¡¸Y-You will forgive me? Even though I did such a horrible thing?¡¹she whispered, staring nkly at me.


    ¡¸Yes, I don¡¯t mind.¡¹


    What Tenshi-sama attempted to do was actually quite nasty. However, her attempt resulted in failure. And there was no real harm done, so I¡¯m not going to drag it out any longer.


    ¡¸W-Well, then¡­ You¡¯re fine with letting bygones be bygones, right? You won¡¯t do any more scary stuff, will you?¡¹


    ¡¸No, of course not.¡¹I gently answered.


    ¡¸T-Thank goodness.¡¹Tenshi-sama exhaled in relief.


    ¡¸Instead I¡¯d like you to forgive me for retaliating against your guards, please?¡¹


    ¡¸Fine. It couldn¡¯t be helped, so I¡¯ll forgive you.¡¹


    Tenshi-sama, who judged that I was not a dangerous man, slowly stood up, and said so in a pompous manner.


    ¡¸Ahaha. Thank you very much.¡¹I bowed, feeling relieved in my chest..


    (Thank goodness.)


    This incident is pretty much the¡ºbiggest crisis of my life¡»to date.


    To be honest, I¡¯m not that good at the art of conversation. If anything, I¡¯m a slightly poor talker.


    (It¡¯s a real miracle that I was able to settle the situation smoothly.)


    When the problem with Tenshi-sama was solved, the door blocked by darkness was cut down by a sh.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸Tenshi-sama, are you all right?¡¹¡¹¡¹


    At the same time, three swordsmen with their soul dress in hand rushed in.


    ¡¸What!?¡¹


    ¡¸Roddy, Ganso, Evans, Tris!?¡¹


    ¡¸Damn¡­ Were you the one who killed them, bastard!?¡¹


    When they saw the four copsed, bloodstained guards, they released a terrible bloodlust.


    And then,


    ¡¸Stand down. No matter how much you try, you can¡¯t beat him. And I have already resolved the problem.¡¹Tenshi-sama said, calming down the three guards who lost their temper.


    It seems that she will keep her promise.


    ¡¸More importantly, what¡¯s going on out there?¡¹she asked.


    ¡¸T-That¡¯s right. Actually, we received a message from the Holy Ronelia Empire! The video is projected on the LCD on the first floor, so pleasee this way!¡¹One of the guards said so in a panic.


    ¡¸A message from the Holy Ronelia Empire¡­ That doesn¡¯t sound good.¡¹


    The Holy Ronelia Empire is a ruthless superpower country thatpetes with the Five Great Powers and are also the backers of the ck Organization.


    ¡¸Allen-sama, will youe with me?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, of course!¡¹


    Thus, I went to the first floor of Ringard Pce with Tenshi-sama.

 Chapter 142 - Invitation and Demonkind [6]

    142. Invitation and Demonkind [6]


    Many senior Holy Knights had already gathered on the first floor of Ringard Pce.


    ¡¸Allen!¡¹Ria immediately ran up to me when she noticed meing down the stairs.


    ¡¸Ria, I¡¯m d you¡¯re safe!¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, I am also d that Allen is sa¨C¡¹she started saying with a smile on her face, but paused all of a sudden.


    ¡¸¡­Excuse me for a bit.¡¹she said, slowly approaching me, and she started to sniff me.


    ¡¸W-What¡¯s wrong?¡¹


    ¡¸Nee, Allen. I can smell Tenshi-sama¡¯s scent from your body¡­ What¡¯s going on?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­.!?¡¹


    When Tenshi-sama straddled on top me, her scent had rubbed onto me, apparently.


    ¡¸W-Well, about that, you see¡­¡¹


    ¡¸What is it?¡¹Ria tilted her head, with a very gentle smile.


    Her expression was very gentle, but her eyes were dead serious.


    (¡­What do I do!?)


    If I were to answer honestly, I would have to say¡ºI was attacked by Tenshi-sama¡»but¡­


    I can¡¯t say that in public, where anyone could be listening.


    And above all, I¡¯m sure that it will put Ria in a bad mood.


    ¡¸¡­Tenshi-sama was wearing perfume, I think that scent just stuck to me.¡¹


    I tried to deflect with an extremelyme excuse.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡­Hmm, is that so?¡¹she asked, looking me in the eyes.


    She didn¡¯t seem to be convinced at all, obviously.


    As we both were talking about that, the senior Holy Knights knelt in front of Tenshi-sama.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸Tenshi-sama, we are most d to see you safe!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you very much. I am also d that everyone is safe. Rodis, what¡¯s the situation?¡¹


    After Tenshi-sama gently addressed everyone, she immediately nced over to her trusted retainer, the president¡¯s father, Rodis Arcstria.


    ¡¸Yes! There were three bombs nted on the first floor of the pce that seems to have detonated. The fire has already been extinguished. Five people were injured in the explosion, but they have all been treated using recovery type soul dress. And, please take a look over there.¡¹


    After briefly reporting the current situation, Rodis-san pointed to a huge LCD panel on the wall. It disyed the g of the Holy Ronelia Empire and a timer with 58 seconds remaining.


    ¡¸That is a video message from the Holy Ronelia Empire. Right now, only the timer is disyed, but at the beginning, a mechanical audio was transmitted.¡¹


    ¡¸What was the content?¡¹


    ¡¸There were three main contents. First, this is a direct message from the Emperor of the Holy Ronelia Empire. Second, they have gifted a¡ºboring present¡». Third, they said that this transmission should be delivered to Tenshi-sama within five minutes. The¡ºboring present¡»most likely refers to the previous explosions.¡¹


    Rodis-san, who finished reporting everything,


    ¡¸Tenshi-sama, how should we proceed?¡¹


    He sought Tenshi-sama¡¯s instructions.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s see¡­ For now, let¡¯s listen to the message and then decide what kind of action to take.¡¹


    ¡¸Understood.¡¹


    Then, everyone followed as Tenshi-sama said and quietly waited for the message to be yed.


    After that, at the exact moment when the timer reaches zero, a mechanical audio ys on the LCD.


    ¡¸Five minutes have passed. Have the leaders of the Five Great Powers gathered? Let¡¯s see then¡­ I named myself at the beginning, but I shall name myself again. I am Emperor Barrel Ronelia of the Holy Ronelia Empire.¡¹


    Emperor Barrel Ronelia of the Holy Ronelia Empire.


    He really hates to be in the eyes of the public and has never exposed himself to the public.


    In addition, he is thoroughly secretive, and even hides his own voice, as it is now.


    Rumor has it that he has never even appeared in front of his own citizens.


    (Even so¡­the¡ºLeaders of the Five Great Powers¡», huh¡­)


    Apparently, this message is sent not only to Ringard Imperial Kingdom, but also to the rest of the Five Great Powers.


    ¡¸There are a lot of things I wish to say, but¡­ I am sure we are all busy. So, let¡¯s get straight down to business.¡¹


    Then, Barrel cleared his throat, and after a brief pause, stated his ¡°business¡±.


    ¡¸Our Holy Ronelia Empire has decided to conclude a friendship treaty with five¡ºDemons¡».¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸Wha¡­!?¡¹¡¹¡¹


    Ria, Tenshi-sama, the president, Rodis-san, and almost everyone in the pce turned white as a sheet.


    ¡¸¡­Demons?¡¹I murmured, not knowing what it meant.


    ¡¸Demons are the superior race of¡ºmonsters¡». They have highly developed intelligence and fearsome fighting power, and are also the enemies of humanity. Questions such as where theye from, why they are hostile towards humanity, are all shrouded in mystery. In all of history, only three demons were confirmed. The Seven Holy Swords of that era made a great sacrifice to subjugate them.¡¹Ria quickly exined from the side.


    (I see¡­)


    A fearsomely strong race called the Demons, have joined forces with the Holy Ronelia Empire, a superpower country. Certainly, this is indeed information which instills hopelessness.


    ¡­It¡¯s no wonder that Tenshi-sama¡¯s expression is clouded.


    ¡¸Kukuku¡­ Well, the¡ºFriendship Treaty¡»is not that big of a deal. After all, our cooperative rtionship is as thin as ice. The only reason it exists is because our interests coincided. Well then, I think it¡¯s about scheduled time, but¡­ What do you think?¡¹


    The moment Barrel said that, the upper floors of Ringard Pce were literally blown away.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸KYAAAAAAAAAA!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    High pitched screams of the guests echoed, as Ringard Pce was consumed by panic.


    (Damnit, what¡¯s going on!?)


    Piles of rubble raining down.


    A sudden violent gust of wind.


    Whirled up clouds of dust.


    I immediately unsheathed my sword and cut down the rubble that was falling.


    Ria, the president, and the senior Holy Knights were also quickly cutting down the falling objects with their swords.


    ¡¸Ria, stay close to me!¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, I know.¡¹


    A little whileter, when the dust cleared, I saw a man, with wings on his back, floating in the air.


    ¡¸Hou. So, there are individuals with decent spiritual power, for human beings who are an¡ºinferior race¡»!¡¹


    The man bluntly asserted that humans were an inferior race, as if he were praising a child.


    I sensed absolute confidence and mysterious power from his eyes.


    (¡­There is no doubt.)


    It¡¯s one of the¡ºDemons¡»that the Holy Ronelia Empire signed a friendship treaty with.

 Chapter 143 - Invitation and Demonkind [7]

    143. Invitation and Demonkind [7]


    The demon, who blew apart the upper floors of Ringard Pce, raised the corners of his lips, with open arms.


    ¡¸Nice to meet you, unenlightened inferior race. My name is Zerey Grazario. I came to your filthy den to find a¡ºcertain individual.¡»¡¹


    Zerey Grazario.


    His appearance is almost the same as that of a human being, and he is about 190 centimeters tall. He has long straight ck hair. And well defined facial features for a man. In his almond eyes, his pupils shone red with a mysterious charm. He was dressed in a tailcoat. Ominous purple wings protruding from his back.


    He looked down at us from the sky, in a haughty attitude and tone.


    As the sudden situation caused everyone to panic, Tenshi-sama calmly spoke on behalf of everyone.


    ¡¸Nice to meet you, Zerey Grazario-sama. I am called Wendy Ringard, the Tenshi who governs the Ringard Imperial Kingdom. If you don¡¯t mind, why don¡¯t we have a little talk?¡¹


    ¡¸Talk?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. Zerey-sama said you were looking for a certain individual. If you don¡¯t mind, could you tell me the name of the person? I am sure we can cooperate.¡¹


    She offered to cooperate, as though not intending to pick a fight with Zerey and the Demons.


    Then¨C


    ¡¸Ku, kukukuku¡­. fuhahahahaha!¡¹Zerey suddenly burst intoughter holding his belly in his arms.¡¸An inferior human, cooperating with this noble blood demon? Know your ce, trash!¡¹he shouted, angrily.


    Nevertheless, Tenshi-sama still continued to speak while his air of anger and bloodlust swept.


    ¡¸I heard that you have joined hands with Emperor Burrell of Holy Ronelia Empire, though?¡¹


    ¡¸Hmm¡­ That is an exception. That guy is the king of the inferior race, and also holds unworldly


    power.¡¹


    Burrell Ronelia seems to be a superior existence even acknowledged by the demons.


    ¡¸Well then, Zerey-sama, are you going to be looking all over Ringard by yourself? It sounds like a lot of trouble, though¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Ha! Don¡¯t underestimate the physical prowess of a demon. I can turn this small country upside down within a single day!¡¹


    In response to Tenshi-sama¡¯s repeated appeals, Zerey single mindedly cursed at her.


    The Senior Holy Knights, who were watching the scene silently, clenched their fists hard, to the point where it started bleeding. They were desperately trying to suppress the intolerable humiliation and anger.


    Zerey, who ridiculed us,


    ¡¸Well then¡­ Let¡¯s end the boring talk. It¡¯s time to get into¡ºscreening¡».¡¹


    He pulled out the sword fastened to his chest and put on a heinous smile.


    The moment when discussions clearly broke down, Tenshi-sama sighed loudly.


    ¡¸As expected, the likes of unenlightened demons can¡¯t even hold a proper discussion.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Kisama, what did you just say?¡¹


    ¡¸Sorry, but I don¡¯t want to continue this useless talk anymore. Everyone, do it.¡¹


    The moment she gave the order,


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¨C!¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹


    Transparent green boards, which were about the length of his body, suppressed Zerey¡¯s body from all four sides.


    ¡¸Guh¡­!?¡¹


    When I turned my eyes towards the voice, four senior Holy Knights, who had already moved in four different directions before I noticed, were holding soul dress in front of their chests.


    ¡¸I see. Gravity type soul dress, huh¡­ However, even with the four of you it doesn¡¯t amount to much!¡¹


    When Zerey tried to cut the four boards,


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¨CWater Jail!¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹


    His whole body was enveloped by a transparent sphere of water.


    ¡¸What the¡­!?¡¹


    Turning towards the voice again, another four senior Holy Knights thrust their blue soul dress onto the magic circle drawn on the floor.


    And behind Zerey, who waspletely restrained by special gravity boards and a water prison,


    ¡¸You¡¯re dead!¡¹


    Rodis-san appeared, with his sword already swung high.


    (A-Amazing¡­!)


    Perfectly coordinated movement.


    I¡¯m sure it¡¯s a strategy that they¡¯ve trained countless times.


    (As expected, the senior Holy Knight who was entrusted by the government with Tenshi-sama¡¯s escort¡­)


    With their perfect coordination, Zerey, who was driven into a corner, had cold eyes, as if he were watching flies buzz about.


    ¡¸Curse Method ¨C Fire Oppression¡¹


    The moment Zerey whispered something,


    ¡¸Nu, oh¡­!?¡¹


    Rodis-san, who had raised his sword high, suddenly raised a voice of anguish and started falling head first.


    ¡¸Ro, Rodis-san!?¡¹


    ¡¸Ka, ha!¡¹


    He crashed hard on the floor without performing ukemi.


    (W-What happened¡­!?)


    As I was baffled by that scene,


    ¡¸Help me¡­ Allen¡­¡­ ¡¹


    I heard Ria¡¯s pained voice.


    ¡¸¡­Ria?¡¹


    As I turned to the right side, she slowly copsed towards me, as though trying to hang on to my body.


    ¡¸W-What¡¯s wrong? Hold on, Ria!¡¹


    Withrge beads of sweat on her forehead, she desperately got the words out of her mouth.


    ¡¸Painful¡­ my bo-body¡­ is hot.¡¹


    ¡¸Your body is hot? ¡­Wha!?¡¹


    When I put my hand on her forehead, I noticed that she had an extremely high fever.


    (W-Why this sudden fever? No, this pattern is¡­!?)


    Looking closely at Ria, a dark red pattern appeared on her nape.


    (Is this a¡­¡ºcurse¡»!?)


    Curse ¨C An unknown power that monsters exercise.


    Effects, activation conditions, and curse dissolving methods, little is known.


    (Oh right, demons were a superior species of monsters¡­.)


    In that case, it is no wonder that Zerey could use curse.


    When I was thinking about that, the senior Holy Knights around me copsed one by one.


    ¡¸No way!¡¹


    When I looked around, no one was standing anymore.


    Everyone except me had copsed, and were breathing heavily.


    (This guy¡­ Did he cast a curse on everyone in this ce in that instant!?)


    Rodis-san had a dark red pattern engraved on his right hand, whereas Tenshi-sama¡¯s was on her chest, and the president¡¯s was on her left shoulder. Everyone had a dark red pattern engraved on their body.


    Everyone was beaten with only a single blow.


    Moreover, I don¡¯t even know the method he used to attack.


    As I was confused by that hopeless situation,


    ¡¸Kisama. Why doesn¡¯t¡ºCurse Method¡»work on you?¡¹


    Zerey appeared right in front of me, with his sword raised overhead.


    ¡¸!?¡¹


    I immediately pulled out my sword with my left hand, and defended his sh with a backhand grip.


    ¡¸Hou¡­ That¡¯s a good reaction speed. And your defensive technique wasn¡¯t bad either.¡¹


    The moment when sword and sword collided, I deliberately jumped back with Ria in one arm and opened a wide distance between myself and Zerey.


    (Anyway, I have to lift the curse on Ria¡­)


    I extended darkness towards the dark red pattern, as she continued to breathe heavily.


    As a result, the pattern that appeared around her neck quickly disappeared, and at the same time, Ria¡¯s breathing stabilized. Still unconscious, but the fever waspletely gone.


    She should wake up soon after resting for a while.


    (¡­Thank goodness.)


    As expected, that guy¡¯s darkness is absolute.


    Itpletely erases whatever curse, without distinction between monsters and demons.


    (Anyway, I can help everyone with this!)


    But first, I have to defeat Zerey!


    I held my sword in front of my navel and assumed Seigan no Kamae.


    Then¨C


    ¡¸I-Impossible! T-That¡ºDarkness¡»!? Kisama¡­ Are you a descendant of ¡°House Rodore¡±?¡¹Zerey asked, ring at me with extreme hatred.

 Chapter 144 - Invitation and Demonkind [8]

    144. Invitation and Demonkind [8]


    Somehow, Zerey seemed to know something about my family name.


    ¡¸Oi bastard, what the hell is your name?¡¹


    The man slowlynded on the ground, approached closer, and asked, while pointing the tip of the sword at me.


    (Since the other party has named himself, it would be rude to not name myself either.)


    Having decided that, I reluctantly gave my name.


    ¡¸¡­¡­Allen Rodore.¡¹


    ¡¸You are from House Rodore, after all! KuKuKu, I didn¡¯t think I would find you so easily!¡¹


    Zerey, with aplex smile mixed with various emotions, put forth a certain proposal


    ¡¸I have a lot of things to ask you. If you spit everything out, I¡¯ll spare your life at least.¡¹


    ¡­I don¡¯t understand what this guy is saying at all.


    ¡¸Hey, perhaps you¡¯re confusing me with some other¡ºHouse Rodore¡»¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Fuu¡­ It¡¯s no use ying dumb. That¡ºDarkness¡», which is the symbol of House Rodore, is the irrefutable proof!¡¹he eximed, raising his sword high.¡¸If you don¡¯t want to talk, then I¡¯ll beat it out of you! Curse Method ¨C Lightning Oppression!¡¹


    When Zerey swung down his sword, jet-ck lightning was shot from the tip.


    (Fast! But Idol is much faster!)


    In response to the looming lightning, I cut it off with a diagonal sh. At that moment, the jet-ck lightning entwined around my sword, like an ivy.


    From the de, to guard, to hilt, Zerey¡¯s lightning approached my body, flowing along the sword.


    ¡¸W-What is this!?¡¹


    ¡¸Ha, you fool! It¡¯s toote to d yourself in¡ºDarkness of Rodore¡»! Live through the hell of Lightning Oppression!¡¹the man, sure of his victory, raised a roar.


    ¡¸¡­Hmm?¡¹I tilted my head.


    The moment it touched my hand, the ivy-like lightning turned to dust and disappeared.


    ¡¸L-Lighting Oppression¡­ Disappeared!? Kisama¡­ Why does the curse method not work!? What kind of trick are you ying from a while ago?¡¹Zerey cried, pointing his finger at me.¡¸First of all, what the hell is that evil darkness!? What happened to the¡ºholy darkness¡»that House Rodore prides itself with!?¡¹


    ¡¸E-Even if you say that¡­¡¹


    That guy¡¯s darkness was evil from the beginning. I have no clue of any holy darkness.


    ¡¸¡­A strange body which the curse method doesn¡¯t work on, and a corrupted darkness far from being holy. Kisama, are you really from House Rodore?¡¹


    ¡¸Like I said¡­ You¡¯ve been confusing me for some other House Rodore.¡¹


    I looked around while saying that.


    (¡­This is bad. If the battle gets drawn out like this, everyone will be killed.)


    Tenshi-sama,id sprawled on the floor, breathing heavily.


    Large amount of sweat beading on her forehead, and her face was slightly red due to the extreme heat.


    Apparently, Zerey¡¯s curse is quite powerful.


    (It would be better to hurry up and settle this soon.)


    I gripped the pseudo-ck sword coated in darkness.


    ¡¸Next is my turn!¡¹


    And I closed the distance with Zerey in one step.


    ¡¸Tch¡­ Curse Method ¨C Water Oppression!¡¹


    When he snapped his fingers loudly, arge amount of ck water sprang out from empty space. But the moment it came into contact with my body, it turned into ck particles and disappeared.


    ¡¸No way, even Water Oppression¡­!?¡¹


    The moment he flinched back a step, I drove in eight shes.


    ¡¸Eighth Sword ¨C Yatagarasu!¡¹


    ¡¸Guh, don¡¯t look down on me¡­¡¹


    Despite being a secondte in reacting, Zerey perfectly defended the eight shes.


    (¡­Incredible reaction speed and sword speed.)


    As eight sparks danced in the air, I pushed further and unleashed a diagonal sh.


    ¡¸HA!¡¹


    To match it, Zerey alsounched a sh with the exact same trajectory. Sword and sword collide violently. A metallic sound rang out.


    A it became a locked sword state,


    ¡¸Even if curse method doesn¡¯t work¡­ a frail human can never stand up to me!¡¹


    Zerey overpowered me.


    ¡¸Guh!?¡¹


    As I was blown away greatly, I spun around in mid-air to kill the momentum and performed ukemi.


    (Damn, what absurd strength!)


    Looking down on humans as an¡ºinferior race¡»; there¡¯s truth in that at least in terms of physical strength.


    (¡­How troublesome.)


    Physical strength is the basis of all swordsmanship.


    The difference in physical strength will make the battle ahead more difficult.


    (The exhaustion rate is too much, but I have to do it!)


    If I waste too much time, Tenshi-sama and the others will be in danger.


    I brought out my soul dress to settle the match immediately.


    ¡¸Destroy -¡´Zeon¡µ!¡¹


    The ¡°True ck Sword¡± appeared as though tearing through the empty space.


    de, Hilt, Guard, were all dyed in jet ck ¨C A sword of darkness.


    When I gripped the hilt, a storm of darkness swept violently.


    (Yoshi, I can do this!)


    Immense power gushed out from the depths of my body.


    My body d in a jet ck robe, and I took a forward bent posture.


    Then¨C


    ¡¸I-Impossible, that ck Sword is¡­!?¡¹


    Zerey¡¯s eyes were fixed on the ck Sword, as he trembled in fear.


    ¡¸I see, that¡¯s what it was¡­ No wonder the curse method doesn¡¯t work¡­ No wonder you¡¯re d in that repulsive darkness¡­¡¹


    He nodded over and over as though finallyprehending things.


    ¡¸But from what I¡¯ve seen, you are still¡ºimmature¡»!¡¹


    As though having found a chance of victory, the corners of his lips curled up.


    ¡¸¡­What do you mean?¡¹


    ¡¸You have no control over that fearsome power. As evidence of that, my neck is still attached to my body.¡¹Zerey said, pping his neck.¡¸If you really had control over that power, I would have been killed three times by now, at least.¡¹


    For some reason, he seems to have an understanding of¡´Zeon¡µ¡¯s power.


    It seems that this power is fearsome to the point where that arrogant guy would honestly recognise his defeat.


    ¡¸Anyway, I¡¯m going to kill you here at all costs! Before you grow into a monster that no one can stop! It is exactly because you are immature that I must kill you no matter what!¡¹Zerey screamed, throwing the sword in his hand behind his back.


    It seems that even demons can use this power.


    ¡¸Deliver -¡´Morsa Vector¡µ!¡¹


    At that moment, his soul dress appeared, as though tearing out of the empty space.


    Zerey gripped it tightly and turned the tip towards me.


    ¡¸For the order and peace of the world, you will have to die here, Allen Rodore!¡¹


    ¡¸Now that you¡¯veid a hand on Ria, I¡¯ll make you pay, Zerey Grazario!¡¹


    This is how the death battle between me and Zerey Grazario began.

 Chapter 145 - Invitation and Demonkind [9]

    145. Invitation and Demonkind [9]


    I observed Zerey¡¯s soul dress,¡´Morsa Vector¡µ.


    A sword with a long de. Moreover, there were a number of small holes in the sword de. It was a strange form of soul dress that I had never seen before.


    (A demon¡¯s soul dress, huh¡­ I need to be more careful than ever.)


    The opponent is a fearsome race that used the mysterious power of curse method and defeated more than a hundred senior Holy Knights in an instant. A soul dress brought out by such a monster would definitely be dangerous.


    Even a small amount of carelessness will lead to instant fatal wounds.


    (When dealing with unknown ability, just attack relentlessly!)


    Attack, and attack, and force the ability to be used for¡ºdefense¡».


    Never let the unknown ability be used for¡ºoffense¡».


    I strongly gripped the ck Sword while keeping in mind about¡ºHow to Fight with Soul Dress Users¡»written in the Swordsmanship Guide Book.


    (I should aim for a short decisive battle! Close the distance and rain down waves of consecutive attacks!)


    Having quickly established a fighting strategy, I fired a sh to adjust the distance.


    ¡¸First Sword ¨C Flying Shadow!¡¹


    A jet ck sh turned over the floor under, as it rushed toward Zerey.


    ¡¸It¡¯s quite powerful, but¡­ Na?ve! If you have the physical strength of demons, the superior race, this degree of power can easily be cut down!¡¹


    He unleashed a powerful side sweep containing centrifugal force and cut down Flying Shadow easily.


    At that moment,


    ¡¸I got you!¡¹


    I approached closer by using Flying Shadow as a feint, and prated into the certain kill distance.


    ¡¸Wha¡­!?¡¹


    Zerey, taken aback by the unexpected situation, showed a slight opening.


    ¡¸Seventh Sword ¨C Instant sh!¡¹


    A godspeed Iai-sh, which cut the sound barrier, cleaved his chest.


    ¡¸Fuu, you missed.¡¹


    Zerey, who I had just cut down, disappeared like mist.


    ¡¸Wha!?¡¹


    At the same time, I heard the sound of wind being cut from behind.


    ¡¸¡­¡­!?¡¹


    As a result of instinctively twisting my body, I was able to dodge a sharp thrust by a hair¡¯s breadth.


    I immediately jumped back and put a great distance between us.


    (W-What happened¡­?)


    Looking at Zerey¡¯s body, there was no sword wound.


    (Instant sh¡­ was evaded?)


    No, that¡¯s impossible.


    At that distance, that timing, he couldn¡¯t have dodged that.


    And, in fact, I clearly saw Zerey cleaved through the chest.


    ¡¸Kukuku, what¡¯s up? You¡¯ve got a dumbfounded look on your face, you know?¡¹


    Zerey tried to provoke me, the corners of his lips curled.


    (Fuu, calm down. In such cases, I should think about it calmly.)


    I exhaled loudly and assessed the strange phenomenon that happened just a moment ago.


    (Instant shnded directly on ¡°that Zerey¡±, that is undoubtedly true.)


    ¡°That Zerey¡± was certainly cut down.


    And immediately after that, ¡°another Zerey¡± appeared.


    (A strange phenomenon that doesn¡¯t add up. There¡¯s no doubt about this, he used the ability of his soul dress.)


    Is it the ability to create illusion? The ability to create a clone? Or perhaps something else¡­?


    (I can¡¯t identify what kind of ability it is yet, but¡­)


    Zerey most likely used his ability at that moment.


    When I approached him while hiding behind Flying Shadow, my view was dyed ck, thus I couldn¡¯t see him. Perhaps, he activated some sort of ability at that time.


    (If that¡¯s the case, then put aside the tricks, and cut him from the front!)


    I will see through that strange phenomenon and reveal the power of¡´Morsa Vector¡µ.


    That¡¯s the best way to beat Zerey.


    ¡¸Here Ie!¡¹


    I dropped my center of gravity and took a forward bent posture.


    ¡¸Kuku, no matter how many times you try, it¡¯s useless!¡¹


    He shrugged his shoulders smugly.


    I took a big step forward and prated into the certain kill distance again.


    (Now¡­ How will you react!?)


    I opened my eyes firmly and observed Zerey¡¯s every minute movement.


    He held the long sword, with the tip pointing at me, and raised it up, exposing his abdomen full of openings.


    Not evasion or a counter, but that strange stance was the best movement for him to make.


    (This is¡­!?)


    I heard a very faint, bamboo flute-like sound.


    ¡¸Seventh Sword ¨C Instant sh!¡¹


    In that instant, the Godspeed Iai-sh cleaved Zerey and his figure disappeared.


    ¡¸Fuha, I told you it was useless!¡¹


    He appeared from behind me again and unleashed a triple thrust filled with murderous intent.


    ¡¸Guh!¡¹


    I managed to block off two shots, but one of them pierced my left shoulder.


    Sharp pain ran, but darkness quickly plugged up the wound.


    (I see, that¡¯s what it was¡­!)


    As I grasped Zerey¡¯s ability in this one exchange, I pointed to the strange soul dress that he held in his hand.


    ¡¸The ability of the soul is¡ºsound¡», isn¡¯t it?¡¹


    ¡¸Hou. You picked up that ultrasound in the height of the fight, huh¡­ You have good ears.¡¹he said, swinging the soul dress which had a number of holes in its de.


    Wind passes through the hole, and a bamboo flute-like sound that I heard earlier sounded.


    ¡¸The ability to y a specific pattern of sound and show an illusion to the person who hears it¡­ Is that about right? What a troublesome ability!¡¹


    Zerey, who was cut by Instant sh a little while ago, was probably something of an¡ºillusion¡».


    ¡¸Kukuku,¡ºYou¡¯re correct!¡»is what I¡¯d like to say, but¡­ that is not all the abilities of¡´Morsa Vector¡µ, ya know? Magic Flute ¨C Demon Chapter!¡¹


    He quickly swung his sword three times in a fluid movement, reminiscent of a¡ºdance¡».


    Immediately after the strange sound yed, Zerey¡¯s hands and feet were twined with something red, which looked like blood.


    Apparently, the effective target of¡´Morsa Vector¡µcan include the user himself.


    ¡¸Physical strengthening, huh..¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, even an unenlightened bastard like you can understand, huh¡­ This overwhelming arm and leg strength! It would be impertinent topare my current self to a second ago!¡¹


    When Zerey swung the long sword onto the floor, it created a massive crater.


    (Certainly, it¡¯s a tremendous physical strength¡­)


    That overwhelming strength was almost simr to a strengthening-type soul dress user.


    ¡¸It¡¯s not over yet! Magic Flute ¨C Phantom Chapter!¡¹


    As he held up his sword high in the sky, his figure was split into four.


    ¡¸Wha!?¡¹


    ¡¸Kukuku¡­ Are you surprised? This is an illusion created by your brain. But don¡¯t let your guard down! The pain of being cut and the impact of shes by the illusions, all hits as hard as the real thing! Dominating hearing, controlling the brain, and altering reality ¨C This is the formidable ability of¡´Morsa Vector¡µ!¡¹


    The four Zerey, prepared to attack,


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸Allen Rodore! Before you bring cataclysm to the world¡­ I will kill you!!!¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹


    They synchronized their breathing and fired four shes at the same time.


    Downwards sh, Diagonal sh, Thrust, Side Sweep ¨C Each one was a sharpened sh filled with murderous intent aimed at my vitals.


    ¡¸¡´Morsa Vector¡µcertainly has troublesome abilities, but is that all?¡¹


    I gathered a vast amount of darkness into the True ck Sword, and unleashed a horizontal sh. The¡ºck sh¡»painted the four Zerey ck.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸Ka-ha¡­!¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹


    The three illusions disappeared, and the remaining main body dropped down to one knee on the ground.


    ¡¸I-Impossible¡­! Such output!? Even in this immature state¡­!?¡¹


    The man, suffering a deep sword wound on his abdomen, stared at me as though a monster was reflected in his eyes.


    (Demon Chapter which strengthens muscle strength and Phantom Chapter which creates illusions, certainly, both are troublesome abilities.)


    However, in terms of simple output, my darkness wins by an overwhelming margin!


    When I finally found a chance of victory, I raised the output of darkness one level further.


    ¡¸The secret behind your ability has been broken. It¡¯s my turn to counterattack, Zerey!¡¹


    Having revealed the ability of¡´Morsa Vector¡µ, I faced the final battle with Zerey.

 Chapter 146 - Invitation and Demonkind [10]

    146. Invitation and Demonkind [10]


    Even after dealt a powerful blow to his abdomen, Zerey stood up, like a ghost.


    ¡¸¡­¡­I must kill you¡­ You must die no matter what!¡¹


    He held up¡´Morsa Vector¡µ, ring at me with bloodshot eyes.


    Why does he bear such enmity towards me?


    What is the¡ºHouse Rodore¡»that Zerey keeps mentioning?


    How does he know about¡´Zeon¡µ?


    (There is a lot I wish to ask him¡­)


    But that has to wait until I finish this fight.


    (It¡¯s not a good idea to spend time talking right now¡­)


    I saw Tenshi-sama and the president groaning in pain on the ground. They were suffering from the¡ºcurse¡».


    (First of all, bring down Zerey without dy, and then immediately lift the curse!)


    I can ask the particrs from him after that.


    ¡¸Here Ie.¡¹


    d in dark robe, I closed the distance with Zerey in one step.


    ¡¸Fast¡­!?¡¹


    My physical ability was drastically enhanced by¡´Zeon¡µ.


    Zerey couldn¡¯t react in time, and was full of openings.


    ¡¸Sakura Blossom One Sword Style ¨C Mirrored Sakura sh!¡¹


    Like a mirror match ¨C four shes from left and right each ¨C eight unstoppable ck shes bared their fangs.


    ¡¸¡­¡­!?¡¹


    It was impossible to pull through unscathed, thus Zerey jumped back, resolving himself to take some damage.


    ¡¸Guh¡­¡¹


    The ck shes caught his hands and feet. Fresh blood spurt out, dancing in the air.


    (One more push!)


    The moment I took a forward bent posture tounch a follow up attack,


    ¡¸Don¡¯t underestimate a noble demonnnn!!!¡¹Zerey suddenly roared a war cry.


    Immediately after that, the sword wound that was carved onto his body healed with every passing second.


    ¡¸This is a demon¡¯s recovery ability! It¡¯s on apletely different level from the inferior race of humans!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Certainly, it¡¯s amazing.¡¹


    The abdomen, which was cut open by Instant sh, and the sword wounds carved by Mirrored Sakura sh were all healed in no time.


    ¡¸Then, all I have to do is cut at a rate where your healing can¡¯t keep up!¡¹


    ¡¸D-Don¡¯t spout shit¡­!¡¹


    At the same time, Zerey and I started running towards each other, and a violent sword exchange unfolded. shes collided and collided, and sparks danced in the air. Every time our swords shed, sword wounds umted on Zerey¡¯s body. But they were all healed in an instant. As we crossed swords again and again, we fell into a locked sword state.


    ¡¸HAAAAAAAAAAA!¡¹


    ¡¸UOOOOOOOOO!¡¹


    It was a contest I lost once due to the difference in physical strength between races.


    ¡¸-RA!¡¹


    But, this time, I was strengthened by darkness, and gained an overwhelming victory.


    ¡¸Shiiit¡­¡¹


    Zerey, who was blown away greatly, spread his wings, dexterously maintaining his posture in mid-air.


    ¡¸Magic Flute ¨C sh Chapter!¡¹


    As he quickly swung his sword, hundreds of bare des that appeared suddenly were shot at me all at once. Continuous long distance attack has been my weakness so far. But now, I don¡¯t have any trouble dealing with it anymore.


    ¡¸Dark Shadow!¡¹


    A giant mass of darkness, like a monster opening its mouth, swallowed all the des that were shot at me.


    ¡¸Tsk, what a really nasty ability¡­¡¹


    Zerey, who cursed me by saying that, seems to have misunderstood something.


    ¡¸Oi, my attack isn¡¯t over yet, you know?¡¹


    The darkness which swallowed the des, now rushed to its next target ¨C Zerey.


    ¡¸Wha¡­!?¡¹


    Dark Shadow, boasting fearsome sharpness, rained down on Zerey. Huge clouds of dust rolled up.


    When the cloud of dust cleared up slightly,


    ¡¸Haa haa¡­¡¹


    Zerey was gasping for air as hey sprawled on the ground, his body bloodied and bleeding.


    Perhaps because the maximum damage he can take had been exceeded, his recovery was way too slow.


    (That settles the match, I suppose.)


    With those injuries, he shouldn¡¯t even be able to stand properly.


    (Well then¡­ I have to quickly lift the curse cast on Tenshi-sama.)


    The moment when my tension went down,


    ¡¸A-As expected, I guess¡­. Unfortunately, I will have to retreat this time¡­¡¹


    Zerey pped his battered wings and slowly rose into the sky.


    ¡¸D-Don¡¯t think you¡¯ve won with this¡­ Next time, I¡¯ll bring a hundred of my brethren and brutally murder you! At that time, of course, all of the inferior race in this country will be massacred!¡¹he yelled, with bloodshot eyes mixed with hatred and murderous rage.


    ¡¸Do you think you can escape in such a wounded state?¡¹


    I stretched Dark Shadow again, steadily observing Zerey¡¯s movement.


    (This much damage was caused by a single demon¡­)


    If a hundred of them were to invade¡­ at worst, the entire country could be destroyed.


    (Before it bes more troublesome, I have to bring down Zerey no matter the cost!)


    I poured my spiritual power into the True ck Sword and prepared to unleash Dark Roar.


    Then¨C


    ¡¸Fuu, that¡¯s a disgusting amount of output¡­ But are you really sure about that? Shoot it at me and everyone but you will die.¡¹he said, swinging¡´Morsa Vector¡µwith his battered hands.


    ¡¸Magic Flute ¨C Massacre Chapter!¡¹


    The next moment, thousands of naked des appeared, tearing through the space; all of which were directed at Ria and everyone else.


    ¡¸Wha!?¡¹


    Knowing he wouldn¡¯t be able to win in a one-on-one, Zerey took them all as hostages.


    (If I swallow all the des at the same time with Dark Shadow¡­ No, not possible¡­ With this many of them, I won¡¯t make it in time.)


    As I was gritting my teeth in frustration,


    ¡¸Kukuku¡­ What will you do now? Are you going to kill me and let the hostages die? Or do you let me go and save all your friends? Only one of the two.¡¹Zerey asked, with a smug look.


    I can¡¯t let him escape no matter what.


    If a hundred demons were to invade, this country would literally turn into hell.


    (However¡­)


    I nced around.


    Ria, president, Tenshi-sama¡­ and all the senior Holy Knights.


    There¡¯s no way I can let them die!


    ¡¸¡­Understood. You can escape as you want. Instead, don¡¯t hurt Ria and the others.¡¹


    ¡¸Kukuku¡­! That¡ºnaivety¡»is a great w that the inferior race of human beings have!¡¹


    The moment Zerey shouted so with a triumphant face,


    ¡ºShitty brat, I¡¯ll lend you my strength. Before he could bring back the information¡­ Make sure to finish off that demon!¡»


    Cold, evil darkness engulfed the entire Ringard Pce, destroying thousands of the naked des in a split second.

 Chapter 147 - Invitation and Demonkind [11]

    Chapter 147. Invitation and Demonkind [11]


    Unprecedented darkness swept through Ringard Pce. The thousands of naked des directed at Ria and the others disappeared.


    (¡­Thank you.)


    I don¡¯t know why that guy helped me, but¡­


    (Anyway, with this, I can bring down Zerey without any hesitation!)


    I focused my spiritual power into the True ck Sword and aimed at the guy who was floating in the sky.


    ¡¸Shit!¡­ So, you¡¯re going to stand in my way huh, Zeon!¡¹he roared hatefully, and immediately started to fly away.


    At the same time, I spread out all the darkness I had.


    It went beyond the Ringard Pce, and even encroached on the city of Orest.


    ¡¸I-Impossible¡­ What an output¡­!?¡¹


    Extremely cold, extremely dark, extremely evil darkness of his


    Zerey involuntarily gulped seeing it.


    ¡¸You crossed the line.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    He attacked Ria and everyone twice.


    I can never forgive that!


    ¡¸It¡¯s over¡­ Zerey!¡¹


    As I raised the ck Sword high in the sky, the darkness beaming from the sword dyed the blue sky jet-ck.


    ¡¸KUSOOOOOOO¡­!¡¹


    He desperately tried to escape ¨C even foaming at his mouth.


    As his battered wings pped, he flew further from Ringard Pce.


    I unleashed the ultimate attack, aimed at Zerey.


    ¡¸Sixth Sword ¨C Dark Roar!¡¹


    Swinging down the ck Sword, I fired a sh so enormous that it cast a huge shadow on the ground.


    The next moment,


    ¡¸You¡­ INFERIOR RACEEEEEEE!¡¹


    A hatred filled wail echoed, and the man, who turned into a ¡±ck lump¡±, fell into the forest on the outskirts of Orest.


    (¡­But, he¡¯s really strong.)


    Even after that attack, Zerey was still moving slightly.


    (As expected of a¡ºDemon¡», I guess¡­)


    A tenacious body, tremendous resilience, and fearsome endurance ¨C certainly his basic abilities were far beyond us humans.


    (But, with that damage, even if I ignore him a little, he wouldn¡¯t get far¡­)


    The safety of Tenshi-sama and everyone else is the top priority now.


    Thus, after splendidly defeating the demon, Zerey Grazario, I started to move to lift the¡ºcurse¡» cast on everyone.


    Then¨C


    ¡º¨COi, shitty brat. Go deliver the final blow right away! Even if it was a small fry, it¡¯s still a¡ºDemon¡». It¡¯s vitality cannot bepared to humans. If you dally around here, he¡¯ll escape, you fool¡­¡»


    That guy¡¯s displeased voice echoed in my head.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry, but wait a minute. I can only go after Zerey after the¡ºcurse¡»cast on everyone is lifted.¡¹


    Some senior Holy Knights have already begun to convulse, not being able to bear the pain of the curse.


    If I leave it as is, they might lose their life at any moment.


    ¡º¨CWho cares what happens to those scum! If that demon escapes, you will be in danger¡­ Don¡¯t you even get that¡­ Aa?¡»


    ¡¸I know. Even so¡­ I can worry about meter. First of all, I¡¯ll cure everyone.¡¹


    It doesn¡¯t take long to treat everyone.


    Ten minutes should be enough.


    (I don¡¯t have much time¡­ Let¡¯s hurry¡­)


    For the time being, I moved towards Tenshi-sama, who seemed to be in the weakest state.


    Then, a strange¡ºmonologue¡»echoed in my head.


    ¡ºYour damn naive, stubborness is exactly like that guy¡­¡»


    ¡¸¡­¡ºThat guy¡»?¡¹


    ¡º¡­Nothing, forget it.¡»


    What a rare, evasive answer.


    ¡ºAnyway, don¡¯t let that demon escape¡­ No matter what!¡»


    ¡¸Aa, I know.¡¹


    If I fail to capture Zerey, this country will literally turn into hell.


    That alone must be stopped at all cost.


    ¡¸Well then, for Tenshi-sama¡­ it was around her chest, right?¡¹


    Then, I erased the dark red pattern that had emerged on the bodies of Tenshi-sama and everyone else, lifting the curse of Zerey.


    A few minutester.


    ¡¸Fuu¡­ finally.¡¹


    Having lifted the curse cast on everyone, I finally took a breath of relief.


    (But, no one¡¯s waking up¡­)


    Perhaps the damage caused by the curse had been too great, seeing as how no one was waking up.


    (I hope everyone was healed properly¡­)


    As I was feeling a little anxious,


    ¡¸U-Ummm¡­?¡¹


    Ria, the first person whose curse was lifted, woke up slowly.


    It seems that the treatment was sessful.


    ¡¸Ria, thank goodness! Is your body all right?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Body? ¡­!? Oh, right! That demon!?¡¹


    She looked around in a hurry, just as she remembered everything.


    Looking at her moving around energetically, there seems to be no problem with the body.


    ¡¸It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ve already beaten Zerey.¡¹


    ¡¸N-No way¡­ A monster which uses such a fearsome ability¡­ on your own!?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa. I did have some trouble, though.¡¹


    ¡¸T-That¡¯s Allen for you¡­¡¹Ria whispered, with a hint of shock.¡¸So, where¡¯s Zerey? Did you perhaps¡­ erase him without a trace?¡¹she asked, while looking around unsettled.


    ¡¸Of course I wouldn¡¯t go that far. He tried to escape by flying, so I shot him down with Dark Roar.¡¹


    ¡¸I-I see¡­ So, that prideful demon was so overwhelmed that he ran away with his tail tucked between his legs¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Zerey fell into a nearby forest, so I am about to go capture him. Will you protect Tenshi-sama and everyone while I¡¯m away?¡¹


    Tenshi-sama is the ruler of the Ringard Imperial Kingdom.


    I can¡¯t leave her unprotected while she¡¯s unconscious.


    ¡¸Yes, of course, I don¡¯t mind. But, be careful, okay? The other party is the demon race which is shrouded in mystery. If you sense even a slight danger, don¡¯t be reckless ande back right away, okay?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, thank you.¡¹


    After lifting the curse of Tenshi-sama and everyone else, I headed to the nearby forest to capture Zerey, who was shot down.

 Chapter 148 - Invitation and Demonkind [12]

    Chapter 148. Invitation and Demonkind [12]


    In the forest located near Orest.


    Zerey Grazario, who was on the verge of death, was moving by pulling himself across the ground.


    ¡¸Haa haa¡­¡¹


    Having failed to eliminate Allen Rodore, he clenched his teeth in humiliation he had never experienced before.


    (Damn, I¡¯m in such a sorry state¡­)


    His recovery ability was unable to heal him even in the least bit. ming hatred red up within when he saw his body, which was almost simr to a ragged cloth.


    (I absolutely won¡¯t forgive you, Allen Rodore!)


    Holding onto the hatred in his heart, he moved little by little, using the grudge as fuel.


    (I have to survive at any cost and convey it to my brethren¡­ The information I got on¡­ Allen Rodore!)


    As Zerey crawled across the ground, desperately trying to escape from Allen,


    ¡¸Oh? I found him, Rize-san! I found a demon looking guy!¡¹


    A shady man in a suspicious clown costume ¨C Clown Jester, appeared from the forest.


    In addition,


    ¡¸Hmm¡­ Where? Araraa¡­. Seems like it got done in pretty badly¡­¡¹


    A woman dressed in a morous kimono, with fox slit eyes, Rize-Dorahain appeared.


    ¡¸¡­Just an inferior race, huh.¡¹


    Zerey, who saw the unidentified humans, breathed in relief inwardly.


    If it¡¯s¡ºjust a human being¡», he can kill them in an instant, as long as they¡¯re not an exception like Allen.


    ¡¸Right now, I don¡¯t have time to be concerned about trash like you. Curse Method ¨C Fire Oppression¡¹


    The moment the invisible curse flew,


    ¡¸Dessicate -¡´Withered Parasol¡µ¡¹


    Fire Oppression was erased by a mysterious power.


    ¡¸You¡¯re quite jumpy¡­ Let¡¯s talk for a little bit, shall we?¡¹Rize said, cackling.


    ¡¸What the¡­? Why doesn¡¯t the curse method work? Don¡¯t tell me you bastards are also!?¡¹


    All of a sudden, Zerey began to w at his throat.


    (C-Can¡¯t breathe¡­!? This inferior race¡­ Just what kind of ability¡­)


    Due to severeck of oxygen, Zerey lost consciousness.


    ¡¸Captureplete. Now then, Clown. Before Allen-kunes here, hurry up and carry him to my mansion.¡¹


    ¡¸Roger! Fufufu¡­ The body of a demon, I¡¯ve always wanted to y with it once!¡¹


    The moment Clown, with a smile of madness, carried Zerey under his arm,


    ¡¸¡­Eh?¡¹


    Zerey, whom Clown was holding firmly, disappeared without a trace.


    At the same time, the hoarse voice of an old man echoed.


    ¡¸Hyohoho, I¡¯m sorry, but I think I¡¯ll take care of him instead.¡¹


    As Rize and Clown looked back at the same time, a short, old man stood there.


    Hair, eyebrows, and eyelids were all pure white.


    With one hand on a cane, and his hips clearly bent.


    Zerey was lying at his feet.


    (¡­That¡¯s strange. When on earth did he snatch Zerey away from me?)


    It was too strange of a phenomenon.


    The moment he approached.


    The moment he snatched.


    The moment he left.


    Clown, a world-ss swordsman, was unable to sense any of it.


    It was such a strange phenomenon that it almost felt like time itself had stopped.


    (It would be reasonable to think that it was his soul dress ability¡­)


    As Clown was thinking about that in circles,


    ¡¸My my, another big shot makes his appearance¡­ I have wanted to see you, hermit of time.¡¹


    Rize called out to the old man, with a friendly smile.


    ¡¸Hyoho? To think such a beautiful woman would swoon over me at this age¡­ Living so long has its perks, after all¡­¡¹


    As the hermit of time was smiling happily, Rize threw a question.


    ¡¸What are you guys nning to do by catching Zerey?¡¹


    ¡¸Hyohoho¡­ This thing is of no use. Well, if I were to say¡­ It¡¯s kind of like ¡°information regtion¡±.¡¹


    ¡¸Information regtion, I see¡­ Zeon and the Hermit of Time. What the hell are you two nning to do?¡¹


    ¡¸Hou¡­ To think you even knew about that guy, I guess youngsters really do like to tread on thin ice¡­¡¹


    The hermit of time nodded several times in a state of admiration, and then¡­


    ¡¸It is a promise from a very, very long time ago. Not something you youngsters can butt your noses into.¡¹he said, with an unusually serious expression.


    It was a clear refusal that he was not going to talk anymore.


    The next moment, a radius of several meters of ground, centered on the hermit of time, sank in a split second.


    The trees were ttened, the rocks were crushed, the earth was hollowed out, a total destruction.


    ¡¸Hyohohoho! This is quite a powerful force!¡¹


    The hermit of time stood unscathed,ughing happily, despite the invisible attack Clown unleashed.


    At his feet, Zerey was still lying in the same unconscious state before the attack.


    ¡¸The rumored¡ºtransparency¡», huh¡­ What a convenient ability¡­¡¹


    When Clown tried tounch further attacks,


    ¡¸Stop!¡¹


    A sharp voice restrained him.


    ¡¸It¡¯s too bothersome to argue with that thing right now. Moreover¡­ It¡¯s about time for Allen to arrive.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I understand. Haa¡­ The experiment of a precious demon subject¡­¡¹


    He dropped his shoulders dejectedly and stopped attacking.


    ¡¸Hey, hermit of time. How about a cup of tea some other time?¡¹


    ¡¸Hyohoho! If it¡¯s an invitation from a beautiful woman like you, I¡¯ll even fly there!¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, how ttering. Well then, let¡¯s meet again next time.¡¹


    Then, Rize and Clown quietly left the ce.


    ¡¸Fuu, to drop by here just for caution¡¯s sake turned out to be the correct answer.¡¹the hermit of time whispered, dropping his gaze on Zerey, who was still lying at his feet.


    Then, he left a message in ancient letters so that only Zeon could read it.


    ¡¸Well, I guess I¡¯ll go back to fishing¡­¡¹


    And he disappeared into the forest, while dragging Zerey.

 Chapter 149 - Invitation and Demonkind [13]

    <h4>Chapter 149. Invitation and Demonkind [13]</h4>


    Having lifted the curse on Tenshi-sama and everyone, I headed to the forest to capture Zerey.


    The copse of Ringard Pcepletely plunged the city of Orest into panic; people who were trying to get away from the pce, people who were hurriedly closing up shop, people who stood paralyzed without knowing what to do.


    I ran through a street which had fallen into a state of confusion and arrived at the forest where Zerey fell.


    ¡¸Alright, he should be here.¡¹


    I pushed through the thick foliage and pressed forward quickly.


    (I¡¯m sure he fell around here¡­.)


    Zerey, who took a direct hit from Dark Roar, surely fell around here.


    (With that wound he shouldn¡¯t have gotten far, but¡­)


    Demons have a fearsome recovery ability.


    (It¡¯s been around 10 minutes since then. I don¡¯t have much time to waste.)


    If his wings are healed, he would be free to escape through the air.


    As I carefully went deeper into the forest, keeping a watchful eye for Zerey, I came upon an unbelievable view.


    ¡¸T-This is¡­!?¡¹


    It was a tremendous¡ºtrace of destruction¡»that spread out through the forest; ttened trees, crushed rocks, and a huge crater on the ground.


    The traces of destruction were strange, as though gravity had been increased a hundredfold in that particr space alone.


    ¡¸Is this¡­ Zerey¡¯s doing?¡¹


    While thinking about various possibilities, I gently touched the deep crater on the ground with my fingers.


    (¡­It¡¯s damp. It hasn¡¯t been too long yet.)


    The fact that the surface is not dry yet means this terrible destruction just happened a little while ago.


    (It¡¯s either Zerey or apletely different enemy.)


    I quietly pulled out my sword and looked around.


    Then¨C


    ¡º¨DOi, shitty brat.¡»


    That guy¡¯s voice echoed in my head.


    ¡¸¡­What?¡¹


    ¡ºUnder that tree¡­ There¡¯s something written there.¡»


    ¡¸¡°Under that tree¡±?¡¹


    ¡­Under which tree?


    I looked at the base of a few trees¡­ and found it.


    ¡¸¡­What¡¯s this?¡¹


    Underneath one of the trees, there were¡ºstrange lines¡»that I had never seen before.


    ¡¸Is this an¡ºalphabet¡»?¡¹


    There seems to be a pattern to these, but¡­


    I¡¯ve never seen alphabets like these before.


    (Is it a writing used by demons? Or is it some kind of code?)


    When I was thinking about that,


    ¡º¡­I see. Oi, that¡¯s enough.¡»


    He suddenly said, ¡°that¡¯s enough¡±.


    ¡¸What do you mean?¡¹


    ¡ºMeans you don¡¯t have to worry about that demon anymore. I¡¯m going back to sleep.¡»


    ¡¸Hey! Exin it so I can understand too!¡¹


    After that, no matter how many times I called out to him, that guy didn¡¯t respond.


    ¡¸Seriously, what a selfish guy¡­¡¹


    Still, well¡­ since he isn¡¯t talking anymore, I¡¯m sure it¡¯s fine now.


    (Honestly¡­ I wish he would tell me the reason why I don¡¯t have to worry anymore.)


    Unfortunately, that guy is not that friendly.


    ¡¸Haa¡­ Can¡¯t be helped. Guess I¡¯ll go back.¡¹


    So, I decided to return to Ringard Pce without anything to show for.


    ¡ö


    With a slight feeling of dissatisfaction, I turned back the way I came from.


    After a few minutes of walking, I arrived at the Ringard Pce ¨C where the upper floors werepletely blown off and it was only left with the first floor.


    (Looking at it from here, it¡¯s in a really tragic state¡­)


    Tenshi-sama¡¯s Imperial Pce looked almost like an abandoned building.


    (Demons, huh¡­)


    Looking back on it now, he was a really fearsome fellow.


    The powerful effect of the Curse Method, the astounding physical ability, and above all, not even the slightest hesitation to kill. Because he looked down on us as an inferior race, he mercilessly attacked us with the intention to kill.


    (If I remember correctly, the Holy Ronelia Empire is said to have concluded a friendship treaty with five demons.)


    So, there are four other demons excluding Zerey, huh ¡­.


    Just thinking about it hurts my brain.


    (And this incident is a clear¡ºact of war¡»¡­)


    The Holy Ronelia Empire shot an arrow at the Ringard Imperial Kingdom.


    (I don¡¯t know what decision Tenshi-sama will take to deal with this matter, but¡­)


    I¡¯m sure there will be a fierce sh between the Five Great Powers and the Holy Ronelia Empire.


    An all out war on a global scale might ur.


    (The situation looks quite grim¡­)


    Thinking about that, I stepped into the Ringard Pce.


    ¡¸Ah, Allen! Thank goodness, you were safe!¡¹


    Ria, who noticed me before the others, ran up to me with a relieved look.


    ¡¸Aa, thank you. Tenshi-sama and everyone seems to be alright now.¡¹


    Looking around, there was the figure of Tenshi-sama with an improvedplexion.


    ¡¸Yes. Thanks to Allen¡¯s help, everyone is feeling better.¡¹


    ¡¸I am very d to hear that.¡¹


    As I and Ria were talking about that, Tenshi-sama slowly walked over to us.


    ¡¸Allen-sama. I truly thank you for this asion. Repelling the demon and dispelling the curse, it is a most glorious achievement deserving of a medal. On behalf of the whole nation, I would like to express my gratitude.¡¹


    Tenshi-sama, ying the hypocrite, smiled like an angel andplimented me.


    ¡¸No, I simply did what was the right thing to do.¡¹


    When I replied as such, she approached closer and whispered into my ear.


    ¡¸Your humility and honesty is what I love so much. Let¡¯s y again some other time, okay, Allen?¡¹


    ¡¸A- Ahaha¡­ At that time, please don¡¯t be too hard on me.¡¹


    ¡¸Ufufu, I will think about it.¡¹Tenshi-sama said, with a bewitching smile on her face, and returned to the senior Holy Knights.


    (Haa¡­ I¡¯ve caught the eyes of yet another troublesome person.)


    As I was sighing, I was patted on the shoulder from behind.


    Turning back, there was the president¡¯s father, Rodis Arcstria.


    ¡¸¡­Allen Rodore, you have a backbone, at least.¡¹


    He said those few words and sank into silence, while continuing to stare at me.


    ¡¸Rodis-san¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­If it¡¯s just being friends, I¡¯ll acknowledge it.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Eh?¡¹


    ¡¸Hmmm, a guy who can¡¯t catch on, huh¡­ I¡¯m talking about your rtionship with Sie.¡¹


    ¡¸A-Ah, I see¡­¡¹


    Now that I think about it, there was such a thing going on.


    Because of the attack from a demon, I hadpletely forgotten.


    ¡¸Thanks to your actions, the downfall of the Ringard Imperial Kingdom has been averted. By that achievement, I will acknowledge you being one of Sie¡¯s countless ordinary friends.¡¹


    ¡¸A- Ahaha¡­ Thank you.¡¹


    You start from being a¡ºfriend¡»even after saving an entire country, huh¡­


    (To go out with her, it would seem that one would need to conquer the world or something.)


    When I was thinking about that, I saw a suspicious group gathering in a corner of the pce ¨C shooting fleeting nces at me and whispering among themselves.


    ¡¸W-What should we do¡­? Depending on how you think about it¡­ This is a¡ºbig chance¡»!¡¹


    ¡¸Allen Rodore¡­ Although there are many dark rumors surrounding him¡­ His abilities seems to be the real thing.¡¹


    ¡¸But isn¡¯t it dangerous? He also has a connection with the¡ºBloody Fox¡»and¡­¡¹


    ¡¸No, no! I¡¯m going! No matter what kind of connection he has, he is an overwhelming¡ºforce¡»that can repel a demon on his own! There is no disadvantage in making connections with him! ¡¹


    ¡¸O, Oi¡­ Wait! Don¡¯t try to steal a march on us!¡¹


    The suspicious group started raising their voice, and suddenly ran up to me with great force.


    ¡¸A-Allen-san¡­ Man, you aplished something huge this time! Ah, actually, I¡¯m doing this¡­¡¹


    ¡¸No, no, Allen-sama! Not with that sort of useless moneylender, but with me instea¨C¡¹


    ¡¸What the hell! In the city of Orest, those in the know, know very well about Garvest Real Estate! It¡¯s better to have a connection with me who is the manager¨C¡¹


    ¡¸No, no, no¨C¡¹


    ¡¸What the hell¨C¡¹


    With something like a business card in hand, they got heated up on their own and eventually started fighting amongst themselves for some reason.


    ¡¸Eh, err¡­?¡¹


    When I was puzzled by the iprehensible situation, Ria pulled on the sleeve of my clothes.


    ¡¸Hey, Allen. Before you get involved in something troublesome again¡­ Shall we just go home for today?¡¹


    ¡¸T-That¡¯s true too¡­¡¹


    Then, I refused the suspicious group with a few words, and returned to the dormitory of Thousand de Academy with Ria.

 Chapter 150 - Allen Cell and Political Marriage [1]

    Chapter 150. Allen Cell and Political Marriage [1]


    January 2nd.


    After sessfully oveing the turbulent Keishinkai, I was able to wake up refreshed for the first time in a long time.


    ¡¸Nnn¡­¡¹


    Looking at the clock, the time was seven o¡¯clock in the morning.


    Just the right time to wake up.


    When I got out of bed and stretched my body,


    ¡¸Good morning, Allen.¡¹


    Ria, who had already finished her morning preparations, walked in from the kitchen.


    Dressed in a white apron, she was as pretty as ever.


    ¡¸Fuwaa¡­ Good morning, Ria.¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, are you still sleepy?¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, a little.¡¹


    I used a fair amount of darkness yesterday. Because I consumed so much spiritual power, my body still feels a little heavy.


    ¡¸What do you want to do? Shall we dy breakfast a little?¡¹


    She tilted her neck, shaking the frying pan in her hand lightly.


    Apparently, she was right about to make breakfast.


    ¡¸No, it¡¯s okay. It would be helpful if you could make breakfast.¡¹


    I didn¡¯t want to throw off the rhythm of my daily routine too much, so I gently refused Ria¡¯s kind suggestion.


    ¡¸I see. Well then, wait a little while.¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, thank you as always.¡¹


    After that, I washed my face, brushed my teeth, and changed into my usual uniform.


    Thousand de Academy is on winter holiday period, so we don¡¯t have to wear a uniform. However, students of Five Academy are encouraged to go out in uniform. Above all, this outfit is designed forbat and has excellent sticity, de resistance, and durability.


    These days, things have been so unsettled in the world, so I don¡¯t know when or where we¡¯re going to get involved in a fight. That¡¯s why I try to wear this uniform almost every day, unless there are special circumstances.


    (Now I¡¯m done¡­)


    And now that I¡¯ve finished morning preparations,


    ¡¸Allen, I¡¯ve made breakfast!¡¹


    I heard Ria¡¯s voice from the kitchen.


    ¡¸Aa, I¡¯ming.¡¹


    I replied and went to her.


    The table was lined with miso soup, grilled fish, boiled vegetables in bonito voured soy sauce, white rice and a variety of other dishes.


    ¡¸Oh, it looks delicious today as well!¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, let¡¯s eat quickly.¡¹


    We sat facing each other and gently put our hands together.


    ¡¸¡¸Itadakimasu.¡¹¡¹


    I first reached for the miso soup nearby.


    ¡¸¡­Aa, it¡¯s quite warm.¡¹


    Health conscious, moderately salted dashi. (1. TL Note: ¡°dashi¡± is ¡°japanese soup stock made from fish and kelp¡±.)


    Diced tofu and seaweed.


    It¡¯s an irresistible bowl in the cold winter.


    As I was enjoying the grilled fish, vegetables, and the variety of dishes cooked by Ria,


    ¡¸How do you like it? Delicious?¡¹she asked, with a smile.


    ¡¸Aa, it¡¯s so delicious.¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, I¡¯m d.¡¹


    And we had a peaceful breakfast as usual.


    ¡ö


    ¡¸¡¸Gochisousamadeshita.¡¹¡¹


    After saying thanks for the meal, I carried our tes to the sink.


    Washing dishes after every meal is my job.


    Ria always says, ¡°Just let me do it,¡± but¡­


    She makes such delicious meals for me everyday, so I¡¯d like to at least help clean it up.


    And when I was washing,


    ¡¸Speaking of¡­ Yesterday¡¯s incident appeared in the newspaper.¡¹Ria said, as she sat down on a chair.


    ¡¸Oh, what does it say?¡¹


    ¡¸Umm¡­¡ºDemons Assault Ringard Pce! The swordsmen at the scene repelled the demon, and there is no injury to Tenshi-sama!¡»and such.¡¹


    ¡¸Hmm, it¡¯s pretty vague information.¡¹


    ¡¸Perhaps the government is regting the information. There¡¯s no mention of Zerey¡¯s name, the curse, or even Allen.¡¹she said, flipping over the pages of the newspaper.


    ¡¸Information regtion, huh¡­ Well, I don¡¯t really understandplicated things. I just want to spend some time with just the two of us.¡¹


    Early into the new year, a demon attacked the Keishinkai. It¡¯s quite a way to start the New Year.


    (Somehow¡­ I feel like this year is going to be more full of ups and downs thanst year.)


    When I sighed a little,


    ¡¸Oh right, Allen! Where are you going for New Year¡¯s shrine visit this year?¡¹


    Ria began to talk about the New Year¡¯s shrine visit.


    ¡¸New Year¡¯s shrine visit, huh¡­ I¡¯m not really familiar with the shrines around here. Do you have anywhere you want to visit, Ria?¡¹


    ¡¸You see¡­ my rmendation would be¨C¡¹


    When she began to talk happily, there came a knock on the door.


    ¡¸Who is it¡­ this early in the morning?¡¹


    ¡¸Um¡­ Maybe Rose, or ude¡­ otherwise Leia?¡¹


    Rose is a weak morning person, so the possibilities are quite low.


    ude-san¡­ she doesn¡¯t want to go anywhere near my and Ria¡¯s dorm in the first ce. She seems to have a strange misunderstanding, which I am a little troubled by.


    And Leia-sensei¡­ Eh?


    (Speaking of which¡­ Where is she right now?)


    Thinking back, I didn¡¯t see her at the Keishinkai.


    (The fact that she didn¡¯t show up even when things got that bad¡­)


    Perhaps she is out of Orest due to work or something else.


    ¡¸¡­I don¡¯t know who it is, but I¡¯ll go check it out.¡¹


    ¡¸Okay. Be careful just in case.¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, I know.¡¹


    I fastened the sword to my waist just in case and went to the entrance.


    ¡¸Who is it?¡¹


    When I slowly opened the door, there were more than a hundred Holy Knights kneeling.


    ¡¸Eh, uh¡­?¡¹


    When I was puzzled by the sudden situation, one Holy Knight came up to the front.


    ¡¸Allen-sama, would you pleasee with us to the Ringard Pce? Tenshi-sama is waiting for you.¡¹


    It would seem that¡­ I won¡¯t be able to spend my day peacefully today.

 Chapter 151 - Allen Cell and Political Marriage [2]

    151. Allen Cell and Political Marriage [2]


    ording to the Holy Knights here, I have apparently been summoned by Tenshi-sama.


    Following yesterday¡¯s Keishinkai, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to spend today peacefully either.


    (Even so, a summon from Tenshi-sama, huh¡­)


    I¡¯m not really enthusiastic about it because she attacked me once. But that said, the other party is the ruler of this country. As a citizen of this country, I will not be able to refuse.


    (I have no choice but to go¡­)


    When I sighed a little,


    ¡¸Allen, are you okay? W-What is this?¡¹


    Ria voiced her surprise, seeing more than a hundred Holy Knights kneeling at the doorstep.


    ¡¸I¡¯m not really sure, but it seems that Tenshi-sama has summoned me.¡¹


    ¡¸I-I see¡­ Even so, this is arge number.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, tell me about it.¡¹


    It is a waste of personnel to mobilize as many as one hundred Holy Knights to summon me alone.


    From the point of view of someone like me, who is ingrained in poverty, it somewhat feels¡ºwasteful¡»and makes me feel unsettled.


    (Or rather, how long are these people going to be in this posture?)


    The Holy Knights, still on their knees, kept silent, and gave off something like silent pressure.


    ¡¸Well, uh¡­ Anyway, could you all please stand normally?¡¹


    From a while ago, I could feel the eyes of the people in the surroundings poking me.


    The dormitory of Thousand de Academy was quite busy. Students who were going out for New Year¡¯s shrine visits, and the students going to their daily training, frequently passed by.


    After they saw the kneeling Holy Knights and me, they quickly left with a¡ºmakes sense¡»expression on their faces.


    Undoubtedly, it¡¯s another bad misunderstanding


    (My bad reputation has gone as far as it can, but¡­)


    Still, I have to start somewhere. The bud of misunderstanding which was sprouting before me, must be nipped off.


    (And little by little it will lead to the eradication of all bad rumors¡­ or at least it should!)


    When I was thinking about that,


    ¡¸¡­I am sorry. Tenshi-sama has ordered me to treat you as ¡°equivalent to a state guest¡±, so please forgive me.¡¹the Holy Knight said apologetically, still kneeling.


    ¡¸I, I see¡­¡¹


    If Tenshi-sama gave such an order, then they have to treat me as grandiose as such.


    ¡¸Allen-sama. Pleasee to Ringard Pce with us!¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸Please! Allen-sama!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    More than a hundred voices echoed throughout Thousand de Academy. At the same time, a number of gazes pierced me.


    ¡¸A-Allen is impressive, after all. Early into the new year, he has gotten the Holy Knights under his thumb.¡¹


    ¡¸ording to rumors, he seems to be in cohorts with the demons. He deliberately attacked the Ringard Pce and proposed a deal to Tenshi-sama or something like that.¡¹


    ¡¸A-Are you serious? I heard that he is also connected to the¡ºBloody Fox¡». I absolutely don¡¯t want to get involved with him.¡¹


    ¡­This is bad!


    From all my past experiences, I understood immediately. Even at this very moment, a new bad reputation wasing to life.


    ¡¸U-Understood. I will go meet Tenshi-sama with you, so please raise your head!¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, so you wille with us! Thank you very much!¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸Thank you very much!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    Thus, I decided to respond to Tenshi-sama¡¯s summon and went to Ringard Pce.


    ¡ö


    Ten minutester.


    I was heading to Ringard Pce with Ria.


    Thankfully, she said, ¡°I will go, too!¡±


    (Honestly, this is really helpful.)


    If Ria, the princess of Vesteria Kingdom, is beside me, Tenshi-sama can¡¯t do anything ridiculous.


    In other words, the danger of being attacked like yesterday haspletely disappeared.


    (But¡­ What does she want to talk about with me?)


    Considering that she sent a unit of one hundred Holy Knights this early in the morning¡­


    (It must be a very important topic with some pressing circumstances.)


    While I was thinking about that, we navigated through the city of Orest. Atst, we arrived at our destination after continuing to walk for a while.


    And somehow, there stood a Ringard Pce where the first floor and the second floor had already been restored.


    ¡¸T-This is¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸Even though it looked just like an abandoned building until yesterday, it¡¯s almost restored!?¡¹


    When Ria and I widened our eyes in surprise, a Holy Knight gave us an exnation from the side.


    ¡¸The best constructionpany in the country wasmissioned to rebuild it. All workers are excellent soul dress users. Thus, they are known for a fearsomely short construction period, and urate and sturdy construction. ording to the construction schedule, it is estimated to bepleted at 6pm today.¡¹


    ¡¸T-That¡¯s really amazing.¡¹


    When I looked up, there was the figure of brawny carpenters, gripping their soul dress, on the third floor of the building.


    (¡­They have a good body build.)


    Developed dorsal muscles, swelled pectoral muscles, and tight quadriceps. Their fine muscles, even when looking from a distance, had a considerable presence.


    When I was looking up at their bodies,


    ¡¸Allen-sama, Ria-sama. Pleasee in. Tenshi-sama is waiting for us on the second floor.¡¹


    A Holy Knight opened the door of Ringard Pce, and I and Ria walked straight to a room on the second floor.


    The room was equipped with the bare minimum necessary furnishings.


    Tenshi-sama was sitting on a grand chair at the very back of the room.


    ¡¸Allen-sama, Ria-sama. Wee.¡¹


    That¡¯s how I came to meet with Tenshi-sama very soon after yesterday.

 Chapter 152 - Allen Cell and Political Mariage [3]

    152. Allen Cell and Political Mariage [3]


    Tenshi-sama stood up in an elegant manner and moved to a four seat table set in the middle of the room.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s not talk while standing. Please take a seat.¡¹she said, and sat on an unadorned wooden chair.


    Two muscr Holy Knights stood quietly behind her.


    (I guess they are Tenshi-sama¡¯s guards, but¡­)


    For some reason, they were emitting strong hostility towards me.


    Their center of gravity was ced on their toe, and they were ready to attack at any moment.


    Even though they are Tenshi-sama¡¯s guards¡­ This vignce is clearly abnormal.)


    (D-Did I do something rude?)


    When I was thinking about that,


    ¡¸Ganso, Evans. That attitude is disrespectful towards our guest.¡¹Tenshi-sama warned the two guards in a sharp tone.


    ¡¸I-I apologize, Tenshi-sama.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I am sorry. I seem to have been too on edge.¡¹


    The two guards, Ganso-san and Evans-san apologized, but¡­


    They were still ring at me.


    ¡¸Haa¡­ I am sorry, Allen-sama. It seems that both of them are a little tense due to ¡°that incident.¡±¡¹


    ¡¸That incident? ¡­Aa, I see.¡¹


    That incident is probably the time when Tenshi-sama attacked me.


    Looking closely, Ganso-san and Evans-san were two of the people who were pierced through their abdomens by that guy¡¯s rampaging darkness.


    (From their point of view, the person who stabbed them and Tenshi-sama are having a talk together in a friendly manner, huh¡­)


    Of course, they would feel uneasy.


    This abnormal vignce and hostility also makes sense.


    ¡¸Nee, Allen. What¡¯s going on¡­?¡¹Ria, who did not know about that incident, tilted her head curiously.


    ¡¸Aa, just a little something. It¡¯s not a big deal, so don¡¯t worry too much.¡¹


    ¡¸Is that right? Well, if Allen says so¡­¡¹


    And now that the matter of abnormal vignce has been settled,


    ¡¸¡¸¨CExcuse me.¡¹¡¹


    Ria and I sat down in the chair in front of us and got into the discussion.


    And then,


    ¡¸Allen-sama. I am very grateful that you agreed to visit the pce in spite of my sudden summon. Also, thank you foring along, Ria-sama.¡¹


    Sitting across from us, Tenshi-sama bowed her head slightly.


    ¡¸I would have wanted to set up a more decent ce instead of this kind of guest room, but¡­ Because we¡¯re right on the heels of yesterday¡¯s attack, the restoration work has not beenpleted yet. I hope you will forgive me for that.¡¹


    ¡¸No, don¡¯t worry about it. Rather, I prefer to be in a normal room like this.¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, thank you for that.¡¹


    Now that we¡¯ve finished the simple greetings,


    ¡¸I summoned Allen-sama today because I had something to discuss about the case of the Demon Zerey Grazario as soon as possible. First of all, I would like to share information about the current international situation.¡¹


    Tenshi-sama started talking slowly.


    ¡¸You may have expected this from the broadcast of Emperor Burrell Ronelia yesterday, but¡­ The five demons seems to have been sent to the Five Great Powers at the same time, after all.¡¹


    The Five Great Powers ¨C Ringard Imperial Kingdom, Vesteria Kingdom, Polyesta Federation, Republic of Ronzo, Principality of Teresia, the general name for these five countries.


    These countries have signed friendship treaties with each other and regard the Holy Ronelia Empire, the¡ºevil superpower¡», as a potential enemy.


    (But things have taken a really bad turn¡­)


    This incident seems to be a serious incident in which the Holy Ronelia Empire opposed all five of the Five Great Powers.


    (If handled this poorly, we could end up with a war involving the Five Great Powers and the Holy Ronelia Empire; a great war involving the entire world.)


    When I was greatly concerned about such a horrible future,


    ¡¸¡­As a result, the Principality of Teresia has fallen.¡¹Tenshi-sama said something unbelievable.


    ¡¸¡¸Wha!?¡¹¡¹


    One of the Five Great Powers has fallen.


    This incident is iparable to when the small country, Sunny Land Dagrio, was taken over.


    ¡¸Apparently, Emperor Burrell Ronelia¡¯s real aim was the Principality of Teresia. In addition to the demon, three of the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle were dispatched, plus the shadow user Dodriel Barton.¡¹


    ¡¸Three¡­ Thirteen Knights of The Oracle?¡¹


    In addition to a demon which has fearsome power, three swordsmen of nation ss fighting strength were dispatched. Plus Dodriel who has the troublesome ability of¡ºshadow¡».


    It is a huge military strength which cannot be dealt with by Principality of Teresia which is said to be the mostcking in strength of the Five Great Powers.


    ¡¸Dodriel was promoted to the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle due to that aplishment. He was appointed as the recement for Rain d, who is missing.¡¹


    ¡¸Is¡­ that so?¡¹


    It was so shocking that I became speechless.


    And then,


    ¡¸W-What about Vesteria and the other countries?¡¹Ria asked, the colour draining from her face.


    Her father, His Majesty Gris Vesteria, is in Vesteria Kingdom.


    For Ria, who lost her mother at an early age, His Majesty Gris is the only blood rtive.


    I¡¯m sure her heart is filled with worry.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t worry, Ria-sama. Luckily, Vesteria Kingdom got through without any problems.¡¹


    ¡¸L-Luckily¡­?¡¹


    While Ria sighed a breath of relief, she repeated the strange expression of¡ºLuckily¡».


    ¡¸Yes. Apparently, it was not a very belligerent demon. ording to the information that we received, there was no direct fighting, and the problem was solved through dialogue.¡¹


    Apparently, all demons can¡¯t be lumped together as the same.


    Some like Zerey, look down on humans as an¡ºinferior race¡»and attack mercilessly, and there are some rational ones, like the demon who appeared at Vesteria Kingdom, apparently.


    ¡¸I-Is that so¡­¡¹Ria said, breathing a sigh of relief once again.


    ¡¸I am d for you, Ria.¡¹


    ¡¸Un. Thank you, Allen.¡¹


    After we confirmed the safety of Vesteria Kingdom, I decided to ask about the other countries.


    ¡¸By the way, Tenshi-sama, what happened to the other Five Great Powers ¨C Polyesta Federation and the Republic of Ronzo?¡¹


    ¡¸You can be reassured about them. Both countries were severely damaged, but¡­ the¡ºSeven Holy Swords¡»that rushed to the site seems to have annihted the demons safely.¡¹


    ¡¸I see¡­¡¹


    Seven Holy Swords ¨C The strongest seven swordsmen of humanity, and the pride of the Holy Knights.


    Inhuman physical abilities.


    Powerful soul dress specialized forbat.


    Overwhelming strength.


    And they also have a reputation for being an existence which even the ck Organization wouldn¡¯t easily pick a fight with.


    ¡¸At present, the demons siding with the Holy Ronelia Empire are Zerey Grazario, which Allen-sama repelled. The one thatid down arms through dialogue with Vesteria Kingdom. And the one which destroyed the Principality of Teresia. A total of three.¡¹


    Tenshi-sama, summarized the current plight as such, and¡­


    ¡¸The damage in the Ringard Imperial Kingdom was very small thanks to Allen-sama. But the situation in the other two countries, Polyesta Federation and Republic of Ronzo¡­ To be frank, it¡¯s a catastrophic situation.¡¹


    She started talking about the damage situation.


    ¡¸The demons used a terrible power called the ¡°Curse Method¡± to cast curses on arge number of people. An unknown power which we still don¡¯t know how to dispel. That¡¯s why the people of Polyesta and Ronzo, no, we humans are forced into this predicament.¡¹


    After finishing the general story, Tenshi-sama looked straight into my eyes.


    ¡¸So, I have a¡ºrequest¡»for Allen-sama.¡¹


    ¡¸Request¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. Would you please let us study your mysterious¡ºdarkness¡»that doesn¡¯t let curses near you?¡¹she requested, with a serious expression.

 Chapter 153 - Allen Cell and Political Marriage [4]

    153. Allen Cell and Political Marriage [4]


    ¡¸By studying darkness¡­ Do you mean this darkness¡­?¡¹


    I brought out darkness in the palm of my right hand.


    ¡¸Yes. The darkness which is Allen-sama¡¯s ability.¡¹


    She looked at the darkness with interest and proceeded with the talk.


    ¡¸Various institutions around the world have been researching curses. The result of enormous budget andrge scale personnel moved for that cause¡­ As you already know, we have nothing to show for it. The effects, activation condition, and dispelling method of the curse, we still haven¡¯t found anything.¡¹


    Tenshi-sama, who exined the current situation in regards to curse,


    ¡¸But Allen-sama¡¯s darkness, as though mocking all our past research, dispelled the curse instantly! It was the first time that mankind has ovee the curse of monsters and demons. This is definitely a historic achievement!¡¹she said passionately, with a hopeful expression.


    ¡¸And Allen-sama, the user of darkness, has absolute¡ºresistance¡»to curses as reported by Rodis!¡¹


    ¡¸Resistance, huh¡­¡¹


    The Curse Method which Zerey used, Fire Oppression, Lightning Oppression, Water Oppression, they all disappeared as soon as they came into contact with my body.


    (Certainly, looking at it from that perspective¡­ I may have something akin to resistance to curse¡­)


    When I was thinking about that,


    ¡¸The curse which originated from the demon attack that urred yesterday, is currently running rampant in Polyesta Federation and Republic of Gonzo. ording to the information, the number of victims is slightly over¡º100,000 people¡»¡­¡¹


    Tenshi-sama uttered an unbelievable piece of information.


    ¡¸100,000 people¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. ording to the doctor, they only have a few more days left¡­¡¹


    ¡¸N-No way¡­¡¹


    It seems that things are much more serious than I imagined.


    ¡¸Allen-sama, please¡­ Would you let us study your darkness to discover a cure for the curse?¡¹Tenshi-sama said, requesting earnestly with a serious expression.


    ¡¸I understand the situation. If that¡¯s the case, of course I don¡¯t mind. I will help as much as I can.¡¹


    If this power can save the lives of so many people, I couldn¡¯t be happier.


    I want them to study it to their heart¡¯s content and somehow find a way to treat the curse.


    ¡¸Thank you very much! I knew for sure that¡¯s what Allen-sama would say¡­!¡¹Tenshi-sama said, and held my hand tightly.


    At that moment, Ria¡¯s face turned sour for just a slight moment.


    ¡¸B-By the way, Tenshi-sama! How on earth do you n to study this darkness!?¡¹


    I immediately advanced the conversation, and at the same time casually escaping her hand.


    ¡¸For now, we¡¯re going to treat the cursed people and analyze them with precision equipment. How exactly does Allen-sama¡¯s darkness affect the curse? We will figure it out from there first.¡¹


    ¡¸I see¡­¡¹


    ¡¸The location is Ringard National Laboratory. There is a full array of thetest precision equipment, so you should be able to devote to the research without any inconvenience. This time, we have submitted a research request to a medical doctor who is noted as¡ºthe best in the world¡».¡¹


    ¡¸B-Best in the world¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. She is a fearsomely excellent individual who established a treatment for various incurable diseases at a young age. Moreover, she has a remarkable track record not only in medicine but also in science, mathematics, history, and various other fields. A remarkable individual whom the word¡ºgenius¡»fits perfectly.¡¹


    It seems that an incredible person will participate in this research.


    ¡¸Personality wise, she¡¯s a little¡­ No, she¡¯s quite problematic, but¡­ her abilities are the real deal.¡¹Tenshi-sama said, while scratching her cheeks.


    ¡¸I-Is that so¡­ Then we should try not to displease them¡­¡¹


    It may be a prejudice, but I have an image of geniuses usually being uncooperative in my head.


    (It will be troublesome if I say something strange, so¡­)


    I have to be careful when choosing my words.


    ¡¸ording to schedule, it¡¯s about time for her to arrive, but¡­¡¹


    At the same time when Tenshi-sama nced at the clock, there was a knock on the door.


    ¡¸Speak of the devil¡­ It looks like she just arrived.¡¹


    When Tenshi-sama issued permission to enter the room,


    ¡¸E-Excuse me¡­!¡¹


    The door slowly opened, and a little girl stepped into the room with a meek look on her face.


    Her height is roughly 140 centimeters.


    She has youthful skin and a face so childlike, she probably couldn¡¯t buy sake at stores.


    Parched, ck hair that extends to the back


    Wearing a white coat that doesn¡¯t fit her size, and a small sword that looked like a wakizashi was fastened to her waist.


    (T-That¡¯s¡­!?)


    No mistaking her.


    It is Chemy Fasta, the director of White Lily Academy.


    ¡¸The best doctor in the world¡­ It was about Chemy-san!?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. She is a very busy person who also concurrently serves as the director of White Lily Academy.¡¹


    ¡¸Ha, haa¡­¡¹


    Come to think of it¡­


    (During ability measurement, didn¡¯t Idol say that Chemy-san is a¡ºgenius scientist¡»?)


    When I was recalling that small incident,


    ¡¸T-Then, Tenshi-sama¡­! What you told me was true, right!? It¡¯s not a lie, right¡­!?¡¹Chemy-san asked, with a tense expression, while approaching Tenshi-sama.


    ¡¸Yes, of course. In the event that you discover a way to treat the curse, we will give you¡º100 Million Gold¡»as sess reward.¡¹


    ¡­It seems that Chemy-san was attracted by the hefty amount of sess reward.


    What can I say¡­ she is the same as ever.


    ¡¸Fu, fufu¡­ With that much, let alone paying off the debt¡­ I can indulge in a life of gambling¡­!¡¹


    As she gave an eerieugh,


    ¡¸Now then, Allen-kun! Time is money! Let¡¯s quickly solve the mystery of the curse! Specifically, within three days which is the due date for repayment of the debt¡­!¡¹


    She rushed out of the room and ran down the stairs.


    ¡¸Haa¡­ For the time being, shall we go too?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, that¡¯s right.¡¹


    And I and Ria,


    ¡¸Allen-sama, Ria-sama, Chemy-sama. Thank you very much.¡¹


    Were seen off by Tenshi-sama as we left for the Ringard National Laboratory.

 Chapter 154 - Allen Cell and Political Marriage [5]

    154. Allen Cell and Political Marriage [5]


    Ria and I were guided by Chemy-san to the Ringard National Laboratory.


    A five minute walk northeast of the pce, and we arrived at arge white building.


    ¡¸We¡¯ve arrived. This is Ringard National Laboratory!¡¹


    Chemy-san said, and inserted something which looked like a card into a machine installed in front of the gate.


    Immediately after that, a mechanical sound beeped¡ºPiPiPi¡», and the double door gate began to open slowly.


    ¡¸Wow, it¡¯s kind of very modern.¡¹


    ¡¸It looks a little cool, like a secret base.¡¹


    When I and Ria expressed that,


    ¡¸Fufu, of course! After all, this is the best research facility in this country!¡¹she proudly said, and quickly entered the huge cube of a white building.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s go in.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah.¡¹


    Then we entered the Ringard National Laboratory, and were guided by Chemy-san to the second floor.


    (A-Amazing¡­)


    In theboratory, a great number of people in white coats were moving around busily.


    A person with a dark eye bags under their eyes.


    A person with half-cracked spectacles


    A person with dishevelled hair who was talking to themself.


    (Somehow, their¡ºworld¡»feels different¡­)


    Just as how a swordsman has the world of swordsmen, researchers seem to have a world of researchers.


    Chemy-san casually walked through such an oppressive atmosphere, and stopped in front of a certain room.


    ¡¸This time, we will conduct the research on curses in this¡ºLaboratory No.3¡».¡¹


    She typed something like a PIN into the LCD panel attached to the middle of the door.


    Then, the heavy door began to move by itself, and the light of the room turned on automatically.


    ¡¸Now, pleasee on in.¡¹


    ¡¸Y-Yes.¡¹


    ¡¸Excuse me.¡¹


    Then, I and Ria stepped into Laboratory No.3 after Chemy-san.


    (Another room with oppressive pressure again¡­)


    The size was about the same as a ssroom of Thousand de Academy.


    In the middle of the room was a blue, bed-like examination table, surrounded by a number of imposing machines.


    From my point of view, as someone who is not very familiar with the machine, it was a pretty bizarre room.


    ¡¸Well then, I¡¯m going to quickly finish setting up the preparations!¡¹


    Chemy-san rolled up the sleeves of her oversized white coat and began to operate the machine in front of her.


    ¡¸For now, let me briefly exin the flow of the research.¡¹


    She cleared her throat while tinkering with the machine adeptly.


    ¡¸Well, let¡¯s see¡­ From now on, a number of people who were cast with curse will be brought to this room. Allen-kun, please treat them thoroughly. In the meantime, sensei will analyze how the darkness dispels the curse using these machines!¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, I understand.¡¹


    Apparently, I just have to just keep dispelling the curse.


    To be honest, it was a simple task where I didn¡¯t have to use my head, so I was a little relieved.


    And then,


    ¡¸Well, uh¡­ Is there anything I can do to help¡­?¡¹


    Ria, who had nothing to do, asked with a slightly troubled expression.


    ¡¸As for Ria-san¡­ Let¡¯s see. Please heal Allen-kun from his side.¡¹


    ¡¸H-Heal¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. This research will probably be a long stretch. Allen-kun,who continuously consumes spiritual power will be under tremendous stress for almost the entirety of this research. That¡¯s why I want Ria-san to relieve the mental stress from his side.¡¹


    It is an established theory that the mental state has a strong effect on spiritual power.


    When you are mentally weak or under great stress, it is said that the soul dress is affected by it and cannot manifest its usual power.


    Ria, who received the exnation from Chemy-san,


    ¡¸Yes, I understand! Allen, I¡¯ll heal you firmly, so don¡¯t worry.¡¹Ria replied reassuringly.


    ¡¸Aa, I¡¯m counting on you.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Eh? But what do I do to¡ºheal¡»¡­?¡¹


    As usual, Ria was a little scatterbrained.


    ¡¸Fufu, I wonder¡­¡¹


    Honestly speaking, my heart calms down when she is around. It¡¯s enough for her to simply be by my side.


    ¡¸By the way Chemy-san, how long does¡ºlong stretch¡»mean? ording to Tenshi-sama, the people of Polyesta Federation and Republic of Ronzo only have a few days left.¡¹


    The number of people who were cursed in those two countries seems to be as many as 100,000 people.


    It may be difficult, but I want to find a cure within a few days no matter what.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t worry. Even though I called it a long stretch, I will¡ºabsolutely¡»end it within three days! Because if not¡­ My house will be seized!¡¹


    ¡­It seems that Chemy-san is also in a perilous position.


    ¡¸I am more worried about Allen-kun¡¯s body. You will have to continuously consume spiritual power. An endurance battle over the span of a few days, it¡¯s going to be hard as hell, you know¡­?¡¹she warned, with a more serious expression than ever before.


    ¡¸I can¡¯t say for certain, but¡­ I think I will be okay. If it¡¯s an endurance battle, then I have some self confidence.¡¹


    Yes. I¡¯m confident enough, since I was able to single-mindedly swing the sword for over a billion years.


    ¡¸Fufu, how reliable. Well then¡­ We don¡¯t have much time, so let¡¯s get started!¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸Yes!¡¹¡¹


    Thus, we started our research to find a¡ºcure for curse¡»that no one has ever discovered before.

 Chapter 155 - Allen Cell and Political Marriage [6]

    <h4>Chapter 155. Allen Cell and Political Marriage [6]</h4>


    Having readied the machine, Chemy-san spoke into the microphone in her hand.


    ¡¸We¡¯re going to start the¡ºAnti-Curse Treatment Research¡». Please carry in¡ºNo.1¡».¡¹


    Immediately after that, the room door slowly opened and a duo of Holy Knights brought a patient in on a stretcher. They ced the patient on the examination table with the stretcher and immediately began to exin.


    ¡¸This is Guin Arnold-san. 65 years of age. He is a patient who was cast with the¡ºcurse of erosion¡»which slowly deprives the use of his limbs. He takes a powerful painkiller every day because of the burning pain which assails his whole body. Recently, however, the effects of the painkiller has weakened, and we are told that tomorrow might be hisst day.¡¹


    ¡¸The first symptoms appeared around the summer when he was 35 years of age. The cause was his right arm being bitten by a monster while working as a magic swordsman. After that, the usual dark red pattern spread from his right arm to the whole body. And now that thirty years have passed, he can¡¯t even lift his head, let alone walk on his own.¡¹


    The Holy Knight, who exined Guin-san¡¯s condition, took out a thick bundle of paper from his pocket and handed it to Chemy-san.


    ¡¸More detailed information is in these records. If you don¡¯t mind, please take a look at it.¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you very much.¡¹


    Chemy-san then scanned through the material at a frightening speed.


    ¡¸I see, I see¡­¡ºCurse of erosion¡»right from the start, huh¡­ This is a tough one.¡¹


    With a difficult expression on her face, Chemy-san alternatingly looked through the materials and Guin-san.


    The curse that was put on him seems to be considerably severe.


    ¡¸Well then, Allen-kun. The preparations are already perfect, so please start the treatment. I will warn you just in case. As I said earlier, this research is an endurance battle. Please keep the amount of darkness used to the bare minimum, okay?¡¹she said, and peered into a machine which looked like a giant microscope.


    ¡¸Yes, I understand. Then, excuse me, Guin-san.¡¹


    I then put my hand on his clothes.


    A dark red pattern usually emerges on the spot where the curse is cast.


    I don¡¯t really understand the logic behind it, but¡­ If I coil the darkness around that spot, the curse can be dispelled in an instant.


    When I rolled up his clothes, I became speechless.


    ¡¸T-This is¡­¡¹


    The whole surface was covered with dark red patterns.


    His right arm, which had been bitten by a monster, was dyedpletely dark red.


    Only the left foot and the left arm which was furthest from the bite mark barely retained the colour of skin.


    (To think it was this severe¡­)


    ¡¸H-Hey, doctor¡­ W-Will I¡­ really¡­ be cured?¡¹Guin-san asked, with repeated rough breathing, and hollow eyes.


    As if to cling to hope, he extended his left hand, which has yet to be eroded by the curse.


    I held his hand tightly.


    ¡¸Please rest assured. I will definitely cure it.¡¹


    This darkness dispelled even the curse of a¡ºDemon¡».


    If we are talking about the curse of a¡ºmonster¡», which is a subspecies of demons, then darkness should be able to cure it, no matter how critical the conditions are.


    ¡¸Then, we¡¯ll get started.¡¹


    I focused my mind and coiled darkness around Guin-san¡¯s whole body. Thinly, gently, as though devouring only the bad.


    Then, the dark red discolored skin quickly returned to its original, beautiful skin.


    ¡¸Ho, hou, hou¡­!¡¹


    Chemy-san, who was observing the process through the machine, let out a voice as thought it was extremely interesting


    I looked at her with a sidelong nce, and called out to Guin-san.


    ¡¸The curse was lifted safely¡­ How are you feeling?¡¹


    And then,


    ¡¸A, Aa¡­ it, it works¡­ It works!¡¹


    Stillying on the examination table, he moved his right arm.


    (¡­So, he can¡¯t stand up, after all?)


    Because he was bedridden for many years, his muscles seem to be severely weak.


    Now, all he has to do is rehabilitation and train his muscles.


    ¡¸Su-Sugoi¡­! My arms, my fingers, my legs¡­ my body¡­ I can move it all!¡¹


    But even if he couldn¡¯t stand up, it was clear to everyone that he was enveloped in tremendous joy.


    ¡¸Hmmm, I see I see¡­¡¹


    Chemy-san took her eyes off the microscope-like machine and began to ponder about something.


    ¡¸¡­How was it? Did you find anything?¡¹


    ¡¸No, I don¡¯t understand anything yet. But I was able to see something very interesting.¡¹


    ¡¸Interesting¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. The moment the curse was being lifted, the dark red pattern looked like it self-destructed itself, trying to avoid Allen-kun¡¯s darkness.¡¹


    ¡¸Avoid my darkness¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, it was a very interesting reaction. Next, I will use a different machine to find out more about what kind of reactions are taking ce on the surface cells of the skin.¡¹


    She called out to the duo of Holy Knights while operating another machine.


    ¡¸Excuse me, please bring in¡ºNo.2¡».¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸Yes!¡¹¡¹


    They immediately started to move, and tried to carry Guin-san out while he was lying on the stretcher.


    At that moment,


    ¡¸P-Please wait a minute!¡¹Guin-san suddenly raised a loud voice.


    ¡¸What¡¯s wrong? Do you still have any pain?¡¹


    ¡¸No, I¡¯m all right! That¡¯s not it. Doctor, could you please tell me your name?¡¹


    He asked for my name with great vigour.


    ¡¸Eh, umm¡­ Allen Rodore.¡¹


    ¡¸Allen Rodore-san, I see¡­ I¡¯ll never forget that name for the rest of my life. Thank you, you¡¯re an amazing person. Thank you so much. Truly, truly, thank you!¡¹


    Guin-san, who has been suffering from that curse for many years, expressed his sincere gratitude.


    ¡¸I¡¯m really d that you¡¯re feeling well. Please do your best in rehabilitation.¡¹


    When I said that, heughed happily.


    ¡¸I will surely repay this huge favor someday. Please look forward to it!¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, I¡¯m looking forward to that time.¡¹

 Chapter 156 - Allen Cell and Political Marriage [7]

    156. Allen Cell and Political Marriage [7]


    After Guin-san¡¯s treatment, the speed of our research elerated.


    I quickly treated the patients who were carried in one after another with the minimum amount of darkness necessary.


    During that time, Chemy-san used a variety of machines to analyze the darkness from all sorts of perspectives.


    At the end of the day, I lifted the curses on more than a thousand people with an ultra high speed treatment rate of¡ºone person per minute¡».


    The time it took was 18 hours, physically no problem at all, but I felt a little exhausted spiritual power wise.


    However, with this consumption rate, it canst for about a week.


    What we learned on the first day of research were two things:


    My darkness neveres into contact with the curses at all.


    The dark red skin infected with the curse automatically self-destructs when the distance from my darkness is within three centimeters.


    The hypothesis that Chemy-san came up with was -¡ºsome sort ofponent¡»that makes up darkness has an absolute effect on the curse.


    Then, on the second day¨C


    Arge number of patients flocked in from Polyesta Federation and Ronzo Republic.


    The reason for this was that Tenshi-sama had issued a notice saying that,¡¸Ringuard Empire has established a cure for the curse using its own technology.¡¹


    I continuously treated patients who flooded in, as Chemy-san observed the process in detail.


    But¡­ Unfortunately, there were no new findings on this day.


    Even after analyzing theponents of darkness all day long, we couldn¡¯t understand anything.


    Apparently, my darkness cannot be exined with today¡¯s science and technology.


    The research on the curse had hit a wall.


    Then,¡ºthe study of the anti-curse treatment¡»finally approached the third day.


    Today was the due date for Chemy-san¡¯s debt repayment.


    It is said that her house will be seized if even 0.1 second passed after midnight.


    Well, that¡¯s entirely on her, so it doesn¡¯t matter, but¡­.


    (If we don¡¯t find a cure soon, a lot of people will die.)


    With unbearable impatience in my heart, I just continued to dispel the curse in front of me.


    When the hand of the clock pointed at 8pm,


    ¡¸Uuu-, No, no, no! This is not it at [emailprotected]</a> That¡¯s not it! Why can¡¯t I find it?¡¹Chemy-san screamed, as she scratched her head.


    It seems that following yesterday, there will be no results today as well.


    (¡­It¡¯s still going to take some time it seems.)


    Thinking of that, I waited for the next patient to enter.


    A few secondster, the door of the room opened, and the duo of Holy Knights brought in a new patient.


    ¡¸This is Aulott Drasten-san, 71 years old. He was affected by the¡ºcurse of paralysis¡», in which a part of his body became numb and could no longer move.¡¹


    ¡¸It developed around the fall of 71 years old. The cause is being bitten by a monster on the right palm while travelling from Orest to Drestia. At present, he can only move no more than one finger on his right hand.¡¹


    When I received the report about Aulott-san¡¯s condition, I immediately started the treatment.


    ¡¸The part where it was bitten is the palm of the right hand, yes? Then, excuse me for a moment.¡¹I said, and took his right hand, which loosely hung down.


    At that moment,


    ¡¸Oh, oh! This is amazing! My right arm is moving!¡¹


    ¡¸Eh¡­?¡¹


    Aulott-san rotated his right arm casually, which didn¡¯t even twitch until a while ago.


    ¡¸Man, you¡¯re a really great doctor! To lift the curse in an instant, you truly are the hope of mankind!¡¹


    ¡¸Eh, ah¡­ No¡­¡¹


    I haven¡¯t done anything yet.


    I haven¡¯t brought out the darkness for treatment.


    And yet¡­ The curse was lifted on its own.


    ¡¸¡­Allen-kun. What did you just do¡­?¡¹


    As Chemy-san was observing the current situation, she asked with her eyes widened.


    ¡¸N-No¡­ I haven¡¯t done anything. I really just touched his hand.¡¹


    The moment I said that, she started monologuing.


    ¡¸I have had the¡ºwrong idea¡»all this time. ¡°Allen-kun¡¯s darkness cures the curse,¡± that preconception was in the way. The approach itself was wrong. The subject of analysis is neither the curse nor darkness¡­ It is Allen-kun¡¯s body!¡¹


    When she came to some sort of conclusion, Chemy-san raised her head with vigour.


    ¡¸Allen-kun! Don¡¯t use darkness for the next treatment, please try touching the dark red pattern! By chance, this could be a major breakthrough!¡¹


    ¡¸Y-Yes!¡¹


    Soon after, the next patient entered the room.


    ¡¸Excuse me.¡¹


    I reached my hand for the dark red pattern.


    And the next moment,


    ¡¸I-It disappeared¡­!?¡¹


    The dark red pattern, the symbol of the curse, quickly disappeared.


    ¡¸C-Chemy-san¡­ This is!?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, no doubt! The curse didn¡¯t dislike the darkness at all. It disliked the darkness which was in contact with Allen-kun, to be more precise, it disliked the existence known as Allen-kun!¡¹


    And then, she immediately stopped the machine that had been running till now.


    ¡¸Now that we know, the rest is easy! Please wait a minute!¡¹


    Chemy-san rushed out of the room, then came back with beakers, test tubes, and a lot of chemicals in her hand.


    ¡¸Come now, Allen-kun! That mysterious body¡­ Let me examine it for a moment!¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, of course!¡¹


    After that, Chemy-san collected a sample of my cell and continued her research silently.


    It seems that she was able to find a clue to lift the curse byplete ident.

 Chapter 157 - Allen Cell and Political Marriage [8]

    157. Allen Cell and Political Marriage [8]


    It¡¯s been an hour since Chemy-san started her research.


    ¡¸Fufufu¡­ Fufufufufu¡­ I found it¡­ I finally found it!¡¹she shouted, holding up a test tube high above.


    ¡¸Did you really¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸Find a cure for the curse¡­!?¡¹


    I and Ria immediately asked.


    ¡¸Yes! When I examined Allen¡¯s cells using a variety of reagents, I found¡ºspecial cells¡»that are not present in ordinary humans! Hmm¡­ Let¡¯s call it¡ºAllen cell¡»for convenience sake.¡¹


    Chemy-san began to talk about her great discovery, almost jumping in joy.


    ¡¸When I was convinced that¡ºthis is it!¡», I immediately started verifying it. I applied Allen cells to the cursed dark red skin tissue provided by a patient. And the result was¡­ a bullseye! The curse was dispelled in an instant!¡¹s


    She said proudly.


    ¡¸And this is the new medicine I created based on Allen cells!¡¹


    She pointed to a salve ced on the desk.


    ¡¸This is Prototype No.1 which contains Allen cells and an anti-inmmatoryponent! Let¡¯s use this for the next patient immediately!¡¹


    ¡¸Y-You suddenly going to test it on a human body!?¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, don¡¯t worry. Allen cells werepletely harmless to the skin tissue. There is zero adverse effect on the human body!¡¹she said, and turned her attention to arge number of ss slides with specimens ced on the desk.


    It seems that she had already done various tests using that prototype.


    ¡¸I see. Understood¡­¡¹


    ¡ºThe Best Medicine Doctor in the World¡»asserted strongly, so I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be alright.


    ¡¸Fufu, this is the turning point of history!¡¹Chemy-san said, and called in the next patient.


    Harold Larson, 85 years old.


    A man who was cursed with the¡ºcurse of exhaustion¡», where a strong mise assails the whole body around the clock.


    The cause seems to be from being bitten by a monster while doing farmwork two years ago.


    ¡¸Then, excuse me¡­¡¹


    I applied Prototype No.1 on his left leg, which was discolored dark red, with a long cotton swab.


    The next moment, the dark red pattern disappeared instantly and returned to the beautiful original skin.


    Judging from the appearance, the curse seems to be dispelled.


    The rest is actually whether Harold-san¡¯s body has lost its mise.


    ¡¸H-How do you feel¡­?¡¹


    When I asked nervously,


    ¡¸Oh, this is amazing¡­! Thenguid feeling was blown away all at once!¡¹he said, putting on a smile full of vitality.


    ¡¸I see, I am d to hear that!¡¹


    The research was sessful, Prototype No.1 of Allen cells seems to have been effective against the curse.


    After Harold-san left the room,


    ¡¸I did it! Atst, we have finally found a cure for curses! This is a super discovery that will remain in the history of mankind!¡¹


    Chemy-san raised her hands and spun around like a child.


    ¡¸You did it, Chemy-san!¡¹


    ¡¸Congrattions, Chemy-san!¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you very much! Thanks to Allen-kun and Ria-san¡¯s cooperation, medicine has taken a very big leap forward!¡¹


    As we shared our joy with each other,


    ¡¸For now, let¡¯s report to Tenshi-sama right away! If we have this, we can save a great number of lives!¡¹


    I immediately stood up and tried to rush out of Laboratory No.3.


    Right then,


    ¡¸W-Wait a minute!¡¹


    Chemy-san suddenly raised a loud voice.


    ¡¸W-What¡¯s wrong?¡¹


    As I stared in wonder at her sudden behaviour, she opened her mouth slowly, with a very serious expression.


    ¡¸Allen-kun, I have a little¡­ No, a very important thing to talk about¡­¡¹


    ¡¸W-What is it¡­?¡¹


    I had never seen Chemy-san put on such a serious expression before.


    (J-Just what on earth does she have to talk about¡­?)


    And a few seconds after I swallowed my spit,


    ¡¸This research¡­ Why don¡¯t we fail it?¡¹


    Chemy-san uttered something ridiculous.


    ¡¸E-Err¡­?¡¹


    Honestly, I didn¡¯t know what she was saying.


    The research was sessful.


    The human race overcame the curse.


    What does it mean¡­ to fail it?


    ¡¸The pharmaceutical market is¡­ to be frank, profitable.¡ºAllen cells¡», which has an absolute effect on curses, and a patent for a new medicine will generate a vast amount of money that will make¡º100 Million Gold¡»look like a joke!¡¹


    She continued to talk with a dark smile.


    ¡¸This¡ºAnti-Curse Treatment Research¡»is being carried out as a national policy of Ringuard Imperial Kingdom. If we discover Allen cells and a new medicine in this ce¡­ All of those rights will belong to Tenshi-sama. That¡¯s the kind of contract we¡¯re signed into.¡¹


    Chemy-san said, and took out¡ºWritten Oath Regarding Research of Anti-Curse Treatment¡».


    ¡¸At this rate, in spite of making the¡ºbreakthrough of the century¡», we will end up with ¡ºloose change¡»of a mere 100 Million Gold. If that¡¯s the case, why don¡¯t we fail this research? On another date, I and Allen will start another project, where I happen to discover¡ºAllen cells¡»! If so, then all the rights will be mine¨C ahem, excuse me! It will be ours, and vast amounts of money will continue rolling in! Let¡¯s see¡­ How about we split it¡ºseven to three¡»between me and Allen?¡¹


    (T-This bitch¡­!!!)


    An evil that nauseates me.


    A rotten opinion that only cares about her own gains and overlooks the lives of people around her.


    She is not satisfied with therge reward of¡º100 Million Gold¡»and seems to be trying to wrangle more money.


    Simply a mass of desire.


    I can also understand why Idol and the students of White Lily Academy have utterly ran out of patience with her.


    ¡¸¡­Chemy-san.¡¹


    ¡¸A-Allen-kun¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t spout bullshit. I¡¯ll report it to Tenshi-sama right away.¡¹


    For those who have suffered from curses for many years, this new medicine is hope itself.


    (If Chemy-san has a patent on Allen cells¡­)


    I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll raise the price of the new medicine at will and do whatever she wants for her own gains.


    I must never let that happen.


    ¡¸Guh¡­ U-Understood¡­ Certainly, Allen-kun has contributed a huge portion to this research¡­ As expected, 70 percent was a little too greedy of me. So, how about¡ºsix-to-four¡»between me and Allen-kun¡­!?¡¹


    ¡­Apparently this person really doesn¡¯t understand anything at all.


    ¡¸Yoshi. Shall we go to Tenshi-sama¡¯s ce, Ria?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah!¡¹


    ¡¸Eh, w-wait a minute!? ¡­I-I understand! Half! We¡¯ll spit it perfectly in half!¡¹


    After that, we dragged Chemy-san, who was trying to win me over with various means, and headed to meet Tenshi-sama.

 Chapter 158 - Allen Cell and Political Marriage [9]

    158. Allen Cell and Political Marriage [9]


    We arrived at Ringard Pce, dragging along Chemy-san, who was resisting to the bitter end, and reported about Allen cells and the new medicine to Tenshi-sama. She immediately ordered mass production of the new medicine and promised to export them to Polyesta Federation and Republic of Ronzo at low price.


    Chemy-san reluctantly epted the¡º100 Million Gold¡»and went to the debt-collector. Whereas, Ria and I returned to the dormitory of Thousand de Academy for the first time in a few days.


    After that, with only two days left of winter vacation, Ria and I spent it by going to the New Year¡¯s shrine visit, stocking up on food ingredients, and such.


    (Actually, I wanted to visit mother and Pa-san, but¡­)


    Perhaps because of staying up all night for about two days to find a cure for the curse, Ria wasn¡¯t in perfect health.


    (Leaving aside Pa-san¡¯s dormitory, there is a reasonable distance to Goza Vige.)


    I can¡¯t leave Ria and go alone when she is unwell, but that said, I can¡¯t take her with me either.


    It¡¯s a little unfortunate, but I decided to visit mother and everyone else during spring break.


    And then, January 7th arrived.


    The two weeks of winter vacation ended, and daily life at Thousand de Academy started again.


    ¡¸Hmm¡­ It¡¯s a nice day.¡¹


    Sunshine filtered in through the gaps in the curtains.


    The time was seven o¡¯clock in the morning, just the right time to get up.


    (Ria is¡­ over there, huh¡­)


    Delicious smell drifted from the kitchen.


    It seems that she is making breakfast.


    ¡¸Good morning, Ria. How are you feeling?¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, good morning Allen. Thanks to you, my body is fine. Thank you for caring about me.¡¹


    ¡¸I see, d to hear that.¡¹


    Then I quickly finished morning preparations and headed to Thousand de Academy with Ria.


    When I opened the door of Year 1 ss A, many of my ssmates, including Tessa, were already there.


    ¡¸Good morning, everyone.¡¹


    When I greeted my ssmates whom I saw for the first time in two weeks,


    ¡¸Oh, you¡¯re finally here!¡¹


    ¡¸I saw the newspaper, Allen! You achieved something amazing again!¡¹


    ¡¸Hey, Allen-kun¡­ Was the¡ºDemon¡»really that strong? There¡¯s a rumour going on that all the Holy Knights in the pce were beaten without putting up a fight.¡¹


    ¡¸Or rather, what is¡ºAllen Cell¡»? Tenshi-sama announced that it was a¡ºspecial medicine for the curse.¡»¡­Does this have something to do with you too?¡¹


    A number of questions were thrown towards me in rapid session.


    ¡¸Eh, uh¡­¡¹


    As I answered each question one by one, a chime rang to announce the morning homeroom.


    At the same time, the door of the ssroom opened vigorously, and Leia-sensei walked in.


    ¡¸Good morning, everyone! Without dy, let¡¯s start our morning homeroom!¡¹


    She was as lively as ever, and ryed a few pieces of information.


    ude-san returned to Vesteria Kingdom temporarily.


    As the Captain of the Elite Guards attached to Ria, she has to participate in an important meeting it seems. And that she will return to the Ringard Imperial Kingdom by the end of this week.


    ¡¸Well, that¡¯s about all. Then, let¡¯s start the first period right away¡­ is what I¡¯d like to say, but before that, there¡¯s one more thing I want to say.¡¹sensei said, and turned towards me.


    ¡¸Allen, Tenshi-sama was praising you highly. You seem to have contributed greatly in repelling Zerey Grazario!¡¹


    ¡¸Eh, uh¡­¡¹


    I was shaken by the sudden topic, and was at a loss for an answer.


    ¡¸It was an unprecedented state of emergency where Ringard Pce was attacked. I would¡¯ve liked to provide backup, but¡­ at that time, all the teachers of Thousand de Academy were on a holiday trip to¡ºCherin, the Land of Sakura¡». Thus, I was unable to move in any way whatsoever.¡¹


    Leia-sensei said,¡¸I¡¯m sorry¡¹with an apologetic expression.


    ¡¸No, please don¡¯t worry. Nobody could¡¯ve predicted that would happen.¡¹


    That was a really historic incident.


    Without any warning, Tenshi-sama¡¯s Imperial Pce was hit by a surprise attack. It was probably the first time even in the long history of the Ringard Imperial Kingdom.


    Being prepared for such an abnormal situation would be too absurd.


    Understandably, even the teachers need a vacation. And it is not strange to take advantage of the New Year holidays to go on a holiday trip.


    ¡¸Hearing that from you makes me feel a little better. But you did really well. As the Director of Thousand de Academy, I am very proud of you!¡¹


    She said, patting me on the shoulder.


    ¡¸Well, that¡¯s all there is to it. First and second period will be soul dress ss. The most important ss in the new year. Give it all you¡¯ve got!¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸YES!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    Then, we went to the Soul Dress Area following after sensei.


    ¡ö


    When we moved to the Soul Dress Area, each of us focused our minds and began a dialogue with our spirit core.


    At present, not one student was holding a spirit sword.


    Even without the assistance of a spirit sword, it was now possible to enter the world of the soul by oneself.


    (Well then¡­ It¡¯s about time to get started.)


    I slowly dropped my eyelids and sank my consciousness into the inner depths of my soul.


    When I opened my eyes, a deste world was before me.


    Withered trees, Withered soil, Withered air.


    A world without any moisture spread beyond the horizon.


    Looking up at the huge rock towering in front of me, that guy was sitting there with a ferocious expression.


    ¡¸Yo. It¡¯s been a while since we met in person.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Shitty brat. You never learn do you. Seems like you came here to get beaten to death again¡­ E¡±e?¡¹


    In this way, I finally faced that guy in the world of the soul after a long time.

 Chapter 159 - Allen Cell and Political Marriage [10]

    159. Allen Cell and Political Marriage [10]


    He slowly stood up, gripping his ck Sword.


    At the same time, he gave off a tremendous bloodlust which sent shivers down my spine.


    He seems to be full of motivation, but¡­ that¡¯s a little troublesome.


    ¡¸W-Wait, wait, I didn¡¯te here today for that! I just want to talk to you for a second!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Talk?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah. We don¡¯t have to fight every time we see each other, right?¡¹


    When I told him that I¡¯m not here to fight,


    ¡¸¡­Tsk. If it¡¯s boring talk, I¡¯ll beat you to death right away.¡¹


    He sat down on the huge rock, while clicking his tongue loudly.


    Surprisingly, he agreed to talk.


    ¡¸Then, I¡¯d like to confirm one thing. Your name is¡ºZeon¡», right?¡¹


    ¡¸Obviously. You call upon the name of the spirit core and borrow its power, that¡¯s what a soul dress is.¡¹Zeon said, ring at me.


    (A-As expected, we can¡¯t have a ¡°friendly talk¡±, after all¡­)


    Before his mood gets any worse, I¡¯ll ask what I want to know right away.


    ¡¸Hey, Zeon. That demon, Zerey Grazario, was saying something about ¡°the darkness of House Rodore¡±, wasn¡¯t he? So, is this not your darkness?¡¹


    I asked, bringing forth jet ck darkness on my right palm.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡­¡­That thing is my true, authentic darkness.¡¹


    He gave a half-hearted roundabout answer after a short pause.


    (He¡¯s¡­ hiding something.)


    An evasive answer, very unlike Zeon.


    He¡¯s not very good at lying, apparently.


    (But I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll give me a straight answer even if I pushed further.)


    There is some sort of secret to this darkness. Moreover, the secret is to the extent where even Zeon wants to hide it.


    That alone is an important piece of information.


    (It would be better to move on to the next question¡­)


    Then, I immediately asked another question.


    ¡¸I see. Then how did Zerey know you? Did you happen to know each other?¡¹


    ¡¸Who the hell knows¡­ I can¡¯t remember each and every single one of those weak demons¡­¡¹


    This time I got an immediate reply.


    ¡¸I see¡­¡¹


    Apparently, he really doesn¡¯t know anything about Zerey.


    (In other words, he was one-sidedly known by the other party. Is Zeon a famous spirit core among the demons¡­?)


    When I was thinking about that,


    ¡¸Oi¡­ I¡¯ve got something to ask you too.¡¹


    How unusual for that guy to bring up a subject.


    ¡¸Y-Yeah. Ask me anything.¡¹


    Albeit being slightly surprised by the unexpected development, I encouraged the question.


    ¡¸Hey, shitty brat¡­ How long are you going to swim at the¡ºsurface¡»?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Surface?¡¹


    I truly didn¡¯t understand what Zeon was trying to say.


    ¡¸You desperately fought and snatched¡ºjust a little¡»of my power away, but why aren¡¯t you using it properly¡­ Aa?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Eh? No, I am properly using your darkness and your ck Sword, right?¡¹


    Zeon sighed loudly when I answered.


    ¡¸Haa¡­ Are you stupid? Open your eyes and ascertain the¡ºtrue nature of that power¡». If you don¡¯t grow up, I¡¯m the one who¡¯ll be in a lot of trouble¡­ you hear me!!?¡¹


    ¡¸!?¡¹


    At the same time as he shouted, I reflexively kicked the ground and jumped far backwards.


    The next moment, a ck sh ran right before my nose tip.


    (Damn¡­!)


    If my reaction was dyed by even 0.1 seconds, I would¡¯ve reached Buddha.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s end the useless talk here. If you don¡¯t bring out your sword, it¡¯ll be over in an instant, ya know?¡¹Zeon said, and d himself in a terrifyingly cold darkness.


    Before I knew it, the ck Sword was in his hand.


    It seems that he has decided to kill me regardless of what I have to say.


    ¡¸Damn, so this is what it alwayses down to¡­¡¹


    I immediately stretched my hand into the empty space


    ¡¸Destroy -¡´Zeon¡µ!¡¹


    I gripped the exact same jet-ck sword as that guy.


    ¡¸¡­Here Ie, Zeon!¡¹


    ¡¸Come already, I¡¯ll beat you to death thoroughly¡­!¡¹


    In this way, a serious match between me and Zeon began for the first time in a long time.

 Chapter 160 - Allen Cell and Political Marriage [11]

    160. Allen Cell and Political Marriage [11]


    While I assumed Seigan no Kamae, Zeon held his sword loosely as usual.


    (At a nce, he¡¯s full of gaps, but¡­)


    Zeon¡¯s reaction rate is otherworldly.


    If I jump in poorly, I will get cut down in a split second.


    (Here, I have to close the distance in the usual way, after all¡­!)


    After deciding on the next move, I acted promptly.


    ¡¸First Sword ¨C Flying Shadow!¡¹


    I quickly swung the sword three times and shot three jet-ck shes in session.


    (Against this guy, testing him out with one sh ispletely useless¡­)


    At my present strength, I just have to unleash the most powerful shes I can and rain down First Sword on him.


    The three Flying Shadow tear up the dry earth underneath, moving in a straight line towards Zeon.


    I hid myself in one of them and closed the distance while not letting him grasp my position.


    ¡¸Ha, what the hell is that? That¡¯s a pretty weakass darkness¡­ Yo!¡¹


    Zeon stopped the approaching three shes with his left hand and easily crushed them.


    (As usual, a monstrous physical ability¡­)


    The smoke screen of Flying Shadow disappeared, and our gazes met.


    And this time, I made the first move.


    ¡¸Eighth Sword ¨C Yatagarasu!¡¹


    Eight ck shes bared its fangs with immense force.


    And among them, I shot two aimed at the ground.


    As a result a cloud of dry soil rolled up, clouding Zeon¡¯s view.


    ¡¸Tch, impertinent brat!¡¹


    He squinted his right eye and released a side sweep, erasing Yatagarasu and the cloud of dry soil.


    (Yoshi, right there!)


    Zeon squinting his right eye created a blind spot to his right.


    I took advantage of that slight opening and immediately slid my body to his right side, unleashing the ultimate fastest sh I had.


    ¡¸Seventh Sword ¨C Instant sh!¡¹


    The godspeed Iai sh, cut the sound barrier, and tear into Zeon¡¯s right shoulder.


    ¡¸Shitty braaat!!¡¹


    Without even flinching, he immediately counterattacked.


    I evaded the killing blow by leaping far back, creating a wide distance between us.


    From Zeon¡¯s right shoulder, thin red blood trickled down.


    (The wound is shallow¡­ But damage is still damage!)


    It doesn¡¯t change the fact that I cut Zeon with a frontal assault.


    ¡¸First strike done to begin with¡­!¡¹


    Confirming that, I assumed Seigan no Kamae again.


    ¡¸Haa, throwing sand into my eyes. The way you swing the sword is unrefined, like a mediocre bastard¡­¡¹


    He gathered darkness on his right shoulder and quickly treated the wound.


    ¡¸My sword is self-taught, after all. Unrefined is its core.¡¹


    A free sword that is not bound by any type or form, this might be one of the few strengths of being self-taught.


    ¡¸Well, I guess it¡¯s slightly better than a sword bound to a form, but with that level of swordsmanship, you can¡¯t make up for the overwhelming difference in power, ya know¡­?¡¹


    The moment Zeon cracked his neck, ten tentacles of darkness rose from his body.


    (Is this¡­ Dark Shadow?)


    When I saw it, I immediately developed my Dark Shadow of ten darkness.


    ¡¸Kukuku, it¡¯s the same¡ºten darkness¡», but I wonder how the results will turn out, naa!?¡¹


    Zeon, with a ferocious smile, attacked with explosive force.


    There was a clear hint of carelessness and self-conceit reflected in his eyes.


    It was in obvious that he was looking down on me as an inferior opponent.


    ¡¸Damn, don¡¯t underestimate meee!¡¹


    After that, I made full use of Dark Shadow and ck Sword, and fought back against Zeon with everything I had.


    As a result of using every tactic avable to me, swinging the sword with all the power I could muster, and desperately pursuing the slightest chance of victory, I was tragically defeated.


    ¡¸Haa, haa-¡¹


    The ck Sword was broken, and I was face down on the ground, breathing roughly.


    (Damn¡­ It¡¯s frustrating, but this guy is strong after all¡­)


    Zeon¡¯s darkness was ever changing.


    Darkness as sharp as a sword.


    Darkness as soft as a flower.


    Darkness as flexible as a whip.


    (I knew I couldn¡¯t match him in¡ºoutput¡», but¡­)


    I didn¡¯t think there was such a difference in the¡ºdexterity of darkness¡».


    ¡¸Haa¡­ so damn weak! Oi, can¡¯t you put up more of a fight¡­ Aa?¡¹


    That guy, who won an overwhelming victory, hurled those words at me with a smug smile.


    ¡­I am so sick and tired of this guy¡¯s provocations for some reason.


    (An irritating fellow, but I¡¯ll¡ºstudy¡»from him¡­)


    Zeon disyed the¡ºreshaping of darkness¡»on this asion.


    (I understand it clearly due to having experienced it first hand.)


    That¡¯s a very useful technique.


    It¡¯s a little annoying to copy Zeon¡¯s technique, but I¡¯ll practice it in secretter.


    Every time I fight with this guy, I feel that I¡¯m getting stronger little by little.


    The distance with Zeon, who is as strong as a monster, is shrinking little by little.


    (This is about as long¡­ as I can maintain consciousness¡­)


    In the fading consciousness, I mustered myst bit of strength and held up¡ºthree¡»fingers.


    ¡¸Aa¡­? What¡¯s that?¡¹


    ¡¸Three times¡­ This is the first time¡­ I¡¯ve cut you¡ºthree times¡»!¡¹


    ¡¸Haa, what the hell are you so proud of for simply scratching my skin.¡¹


    ¡¸Up until now¡­¡ºone time¡»was the limit, so¡­ What do you think¡­? I¡¯ve gotten a little stronger, haven¡¯t I?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa? Let¡¯s see¡­ you¡¯ve grown up to at least the level of a tiny bug.¡¹


    ¡¸Fuu, whatever¡­ Well, just wait and see. I¡¯ll definitely overtake you soon.¡¹


    Everything begins with each small step, after all.


    ¡¸Fuu, I¡¯ll give you a small hint in honor of that useless effort. This darkness is mine, and at the same time, it is not. Do your best to think about the meaning of these words!¡¹


    Zeon¡¯s ck Sword came down on me.


    ¡¸Ka, ha¡­¡¹


    And my vision went nk.


    Then my consciousness returned to the real world.

 Chapter 161 - Allen Cell and Political Marriage [12]

    161. Allen Cell and Political Marriage [12]


    After finishing the soul dress ss during the first and second period, I went to the student council room with Ria and Rose.


    The purpose is, of course, to attend the first regr meeting of this year, the¡ºlunch party¡».


    ¡¸It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen the president and senpais.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, I¡¯m looking forward to it a little.¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, that¡¯s right.¡¹


    After walking for a little while having such conversation, we arrived at the student council room.


    When I knocked on the door in front of me, feeling slightly nostalgic,


    ¡¸Is it A-A-Allen-kun!?¡¹


    Lilim-senpai jumped out while foaming.


    ¡¸Y-Yes¡­ What¡¯s the matter? Why are you so flustered, senpai?¡¹


    ¡¸D-D-D-Disaster! It¡¯s a disaster!¡¹


    She gripped my shoulders tightly and shook me back and forth violently.


    I don¡¯t know what happened, but this is obviously not normal.


    ¡¸Please calm down. Anyway, let¡¯s go inside for now.¡¹


    The talk won¡¯t advance if Lilim-senpai keeps shaking me as is.


    I took her hand and entered the student council room for the time being.


    In the room, Ferris-senpai was sitting on the sofa, looking all depressed.


    (Judging by that depressed state of hers¡­ It looks like some sort of¡ºdisaster¡»really is happening¡­)


    After that, I had Lilim-senpai sit on the sofa, and then I resumed the story.


    ¡¸So¡­ What happened?¡¹I asked.


    ¡¸Sie¡­ has left Thousand de Academy!¡¹she said something ridiculous.


    ¡¸¡­Ha!?¡¹


    For a moment, I couldn¡¯t understand what Lilim-senpai was saying.


    ¡¸N-No way¡­¡¹


    ¡¸W-What do you mean¡­?¡¹


    Ria and Rose also seemed unable to hide their diposure.


    ¡¸In the morning homeroom, our homeroom teacher clearly said that¡­ Sie Arcstria has left Thousand de Academy.¡¹


    Lilim-senpai spoke little by little with a look where she might burst out crying at any moment.


    ¡¸The president is leaving the academy¡­? Is there some kind of mistake?¡¹


    When I asked her, she quietly shook her head.


    ¡¸¡­Sie¡¯s room is alsopletely empty. She¡¯s already done with the procedure for leaving the dormitory.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s just¡­¡¹


    Heavy air permeated the student council room.


    (Thest time I saw the president was at the Keishinkai.)


    At that time, she was very normal as usual.


    (Which means,¡ºsomething¡»happened during the past week between January 1st and January 7th.)


    A¡ºsomething¡»to the extent where the president had to leave Thousand de Academy.


    ¡¸¡­For now, let¡¯s go over and ask the details.¡¹


    ¡¸Ask¡­? To whom?¡¹


    ¡¸Leia-sensei of course.¡¹


    The director of Thousand de Academy, Leia Lasnode.


    She must know something.


    No, it would be more suspicious if she didn¡¯t know.


    ¡¸She must definitely know something. Let¡¯s go!¡¹


    Then, I went to the director¡¯s office with Ria, Rose, Lilim-senpai, and Ferris-senpai.


    ¡ö


    When we arrived in front of the director¡¯s office, I quickly knocked on the ck door three times.


    ¡¸Enter.¡¹


    Leia-sensei¡¯s stiff voice replied, and we entered.


    ¡¸¡­It¡¯s you guys.¡¹


    At the back of the room, sensei who was sitting at her work desk, nced at us and replied.


    I asked on everyone¡¯s behalf.


    ¡¸Sensei. Is it true that the president has left Thousand de Academy?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Aa, she went through the process of leaving the academy about two days ago.¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡­¡­¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹


    All of us were at a loss for words, in the face of that too cruel a reality.


    Apparently¡­ the president really seems to have left this academy.


    Without saying goodbye to anyone, all on her own.


    And then,


    ¡¸W-Why? Please tell us the reason!¡¹


    ¡¸I just can¡¯t believe that Sie would quit of her own volition at all, though!¡¹


    Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai questioned in a desperate manner.


    This situation seems to be unbelievable because of their long rtionship with the president.


    (But¡­ Ferris-senpai is right.)


    The president always seemed to be cheery.


    She used her position as¡ºStudent Council President¡»to fully enjoy student life more than anyone else.


    I can¡¯t believe she left this academy of her own volition.


    ¡¸¡­Sorry, but due to my position I can¡¯t talk about this matter.¡¹


    ¡°My position¡±, that is, as one of the directors of the Five Academy, she can¡¯t speak about it.


    ¡¸So that means the government is involved in this matter, isn¡¯t it?¡¹


    When I stepped in and asked,


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    Sensei averted her gaze and fell silent.


    Silence, it was the most eloquent¡ºanswer¡».


    It seems that the president was forced to leave Thousand de Academy because of the circumstances of the Ringard Imperial Kingdom.


    ¡¸¡­I¡¯m sorry. I can¡¯t get involved in this case.¡¹sensei said, and walked towards the exit brushing past us.


    ¡¸W-Where are you going?¡¹


    ¡¸Leia, don¡¯t run away!¡¹


    When I and Ria red up at her,


    ¡¸¡­Oh, my! The¡ºimportant document¡»that was entrusted by Tenshi-sama is missing? This is a problem. If that leaks out, she will have my head. Can¡¯t be helped, I guess¡­ I¡¯ll eat lunch slowly and then search on my¡ºwork desk.¡»¡¹sensei said so unnaturally, and left her office.

 Chapter 162 - Allen Cell and Political Marriage [13]

    162. Allen Cell and Political Marriage [13]


    After Leia-sensei left the room, we exchanged nces with each other.


    An important document from Tenshi-sama, a slow lunch, and work desk ¨C This is a message from sensei saying, ¡°Look through my work desk while I¡¯m away.¡±


    (From the position of ¡°Director of the Five Academy¡±, it seems that she can¡¯t openly raise an objection to this matter, but she is not in approval of this. Sensei¡­ Thank you very much.)


    Then, we immediately started to look through the work desk.


    A few minutester, I found aplete mess of a drawer and a document printed with ¡°confidential¡±.


    ¡¸This is it!¡¹


    ¡¸Well done, Allen-kun!¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯d like to see the contents quickly, though¡­!¡¹


    I spread the document on the desk and everyone stared at it intently.


    And on that document, a ridiculous thing was written.


    ¡¸Political¡­ Marriage?¡¹


    The nning of a political marriage between Sie Arcstria, the eldest daughter of House Arcstria, and Numero Dn, a noble.


    The purpose of the marriage is to temporarily improve rtions with the Holy Ronelia Empire and dy the start of the war.


    In a nutshell, just a little bit of¡ºstalling¡».


    ¡¸Numero Dn, I¡¯ve heard this name before¡­¡¹


    ¡¸A rich guy from Ronelia who has been persistently asking for Sie¡¯s hand in marriage for a few years now, though¡­.¡¹


    When Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai said so with a grim look,


    ¡¸¡ºHouse Dn¡»huh¡­ We¡¯ve caught the eye of another nasty opponent.¡¹Ria whispered, with a bitter expression, oozing with disgust.


    ¡¸Ria, do you know something?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah¡­ He is a noble who manages the mining industry in the Holy Ronelia Empire. He sells¡ºSpirit Ore¡»and¡ºBlood Diamond¡»at ridiculously high prices, amassing an enormous fortune.¡¹


    Then, she spoke as though recalling her memory.


    ¡¸A few years ago, I saw him once in a conference between the Vesteria Kingdom and the Holy Ronelia Empire. He was a fat pig that was filled with greed in his eye. Iter heard that he treats women like ythings. The worst of the worst!¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡­¡­ ¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹


    The information added at the end, turned the atmosphere in the room heavy.


    ¡¸¡­In other words, the president was sold to Ronelia to buy a small amount of time.¡¹Rose said, briefly summarizing the story.


    And then,


    ¡¸Hey, this is absolutely weird! There¡¯s no way that¡ºdoting father¡»will allow Sie¡¯s marriage!¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯d like to go over to Rodis-san¡¯s ce and ask him about the situation. though¡­!¡¹


    Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai shouted kind of angrily.


    (¡­Certainly, it¡¯s as they say.)


    Rodis-san loves the president from the bottom of his heart.


    There is no way he will do nothing and overlook a political marriage.


    (Even though he can¡¯t go against an order from the¡ºtop¡»as part of House Arcstria¡­)


    I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll try to help the president by any means possible.


    ¡¸It¡¯s worth a try, let¡¯s go.¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, let¡¯s go!¡¹


    ¡¸sses don¡¯t matter in this situation, though¡­!¡¹


    So we went to meet the president¡¯s father, Rodis Arcstria.


    ¡ö


    We slipped out of ss for the third period and onwards, and headed to the president¡¯s home.


    (It¡¯s been six months since the summer camp that I¡¯ve been here.)


    I never thought I¡¯d be visiting again with such a dark feeling.


    I knocked on an imposing door and waited a little on the spot. And Rodis-san opened the door.


    Rodis Arcstria. Shortly trimmed ck hair streaked with grey and well-groomed goatee. Probably about 180 centimeters tall. A dark green kimono and a ck haori that suited quite well. A well-trained body can even be seen over his clothes. His left eye has an old scar that looks like a sh, and all-around has a tough look.


    ¡¸Rodis-san, it¡¯s been some time since the Keishinkai. Can I borrow some of your time?¡¹


    ¡¸Allen Rodore¡­ and friends of Sie, huh.¡¹


    He red at me as if staring at a sworn enemy, and then turned his eyes towards Ria and the others behind me.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t have time now. Come back another day.¡¹


    The moment Rodis-san said that and tried to close the door, Rose quickly inserted her foot between the door.


    The ability to take instant action, as expected of Rose.


    I immediately spoke of our business here, not wanting to waste the chance she has created.


    ¡¸I have an important talk about the president ¨C no, about Sie-san leaving Thousand de Academy.¡¹


    ¡¸Well, it¡¯s¡­ the thing called ¡°family circumstances¡±. Sie decided to study abroad to learn swordsmanship. It¡¯s not something you can interject into. Go home.¡¹


    A response which is the same as turning people away at the front door.


    I judged that things will not progress as they were, so¡­


    ¡¸-Political Marriage with Numero Dn.¡¹


    At that moment, his eyebrows twitched.


    ¡¸Kisama, why do you¡­¡¹


    Rodis-san looked furious.


    As expected, he does not seem to consent to the political marriage at all


    ¡¸Though slightly, I am aware of the situation. Rodis-san, could you please tell us a little more?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Enter.¡¹


    He said and opened the door.

 Chapter 163 - Allen Cell and Political Marriage [14]

    163. Allen Cell and Political Marriage [14]


    We visited Rodis-san¡¯s mansion, and followed him through a long corridor.


    (As expected, the House Arcstria is very rich, after all.)


    The floor was covered with a red carpet that looks very high ss, and the walls were hung with paintings that give off a masterpiece vibe.


    (But it¡¯s strange¡­)


    Even though it¡¯s such arge mansion, there¡¯s no sign of people at all.


    (It wouldn¡¯t be weird to have one or two servants around, but¡­)


    When I was thinking of that,


    ¡¸Here.¡¹Rodis-san said, opening the door to a room.


    It looked very simple like a reception room.


    There were only tworge ck sofas and one elegant long wooden desk in between.


    A simple room that only functions as a¡ºce of discussion¡».


    ¡¸Take a seat.¡¹


    He said and flumped on the sofa in the back.


    We said, ¡±Excuse me,¡± and sat across from him.


    ¡¸Well then, Allen Rodore. Where did you learn about the¡ºpolitical marriage¡»? This is a¡ºstate secret.¡»¡¹


    He turned a sharp gaze towards me and asked as though questioning.


    ¡¸I can¡¯t talk regarding my sources.¡¹


    If I carelessly gave away Leia-sensei¡¯s name, she might be forced out of the position of director.


    ¡¸Well, whatever. So why did youe?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. Actually, it¡¯s regarding Sie-san¡¯s¨C¡¹


    When I started speaking,


    ¡¸Oi, Rodis-san! At this rate, Sie is going to be taken by a suspicious guy called Numero! Is that really all right with you?!¡¹


    Lilim-senpai yelled, as though not being able to stand the thought of it.


    The next moment,


    ¡¸OF COURSE NOT!!!¡¹


    Rodis-san shouted and swung his fist down on the desk.


    His roar echoed, and the desk broke in two.


    ¡¸I will not give my dear daughter¡­ to such a low-life! I¡¯m going to go and destroy the wedding ceremony!¡¹he said, breathing heavily.


    It seems that he was only pretending to beposed all this while.


    As the atmosphere in the reception room calmed down, I asked a question.


    ¡¸Even if you say you¡¯re going in person, how do you n to go to the Holy Ronelia Empire? As I¡¯m sure you know, you can¡¯t use airnes or ships, can you?¡¹


    The Empire is one of this country¡¯s designated travel bans.


    It is not possible to use either the air routes or the waterways.


    ¡¸It¡¯s no problem. I¡¯m going to use Dodriel Barton¡¯s¡ºShadow Crossing.¡»¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸Wha!?¡¹¡¹¡¹


    As the unexpected name popped up, I, Ria and Rose, reflexively widened our eyes.


    ¡¸It¡¯s notmonly known, but there are many¡ºspots¡»scattered by Dodriel all over the world. This is an excellent way to move between two points in an instant using the¡ºshadow¡»made across ground and sea.¡¹


    ¡­It seems that Dodriel is secretly operating behind the scenes in a lot of ces I am not aware of.


    ¡¸The direct spot to the Empire has already been pinned down. So that problem has already been solved.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I see.¡¹


    It looks like Rodis-san is going to sneak into the Empire using that spot and return in the same way after he rescues the president.


    ¡¸But where on earth did you get that kind of information?¡¹


    ¡¸From a specialist. It¡¯s pretty obvious where one would get such illegal information from.¡¹


    ¡¸Is it perhaps¡­ Rize-san?¡¹


    Rodis-san nodded.


    ¡¸I went through a lot to get a face-to-face meeting with the¡ºBloody Fox¡». That woman really does know everything. 70% of all my property was taken in return for information, but thanks to that, my preparations are done.¡¹


    He made a fist, and said so with fighting spirit ring in his eyes.


    Then, Ria and Rose, who were listening to the story silently so far, continued to ask more questions.


    ¡¸But marching into the middle of the enemy¡¯s camp¡­ Isn¡¯t it too reckless?¡¹


    ¡¸And if the¡ºLord of House Arcstria¡»perpetrated such an attack, wouldn¡¯t the Empire bare its fangs at us?¡¹


    ¡¸I am fully aware it¡¯s reckless. Don¡¯t worry about that. There will be no evidence that I¡¯m the one who attacked the Empire. After all, on that day, I¡¯m going to wrap that around my belly¡¹


    Where his gazey, there was arge number of bombs connected in a circle.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸Wha!?¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹


    ¡¸If Sie¡¯s rescue fails, I¡¯m going to blow myself up immediately. I will be blown to pieces, making it impossible to identify me. And if I seed, then there¡¯s no problem. For nobles,¡ºface¡»is more important than life. ¡°A single intruder snatching away the bride¡± ¨C such a disgraceful matter would be buried in darkness by any means. So, one way or another, the rtionship between the Ringard and the Empire will remain friendly on the surface. It¡¯s a n that doesn¡¯t cause trouble for Tenshi-sama.¡¹


    Rodis-san said so with terrifyingly calm eyes, which were resolved for¡ºdeath¡».


    ¡¸W-Why¡­ Why are you devoted to Tenshi-sama so much!?¡¹


    I couldn¡¯t understand.


    There may have beenplicated circumstances such as politics and diplomacy, but ultimately¡­ Tenshi-sama sold the president to the Empire.


    From Rodis-san¡¯s point of view, his beloved daughter was sold.


    And yet¡­ the reason why he would cover for Tenshi-sama, is something I can¡¯tprehend at all.


    And then,


    ¡¸It¡¯s¡ºtradition¡». For hundreds of years, House Arcstria has protected Tenshi-sama from generation to generation. That long-standing¡ºsignificance of time¡»¡­ I can¡¯t afford to turn that all to dust.¡¹


    With his eyes closed, Rodis-san exined in a heavy tone.


    (¡­Hundreds of years, huh.)


    From my point of view, of swinging the sword for over a billion years¡­ It¡¯s a very short time.


    But in a normal sense, it would be a tremendously long time.


    That¡¯s exactly what binds Rodis-san.


    ¡¸I-If that¡¯s the case, then I¡¯ll join too! Whether it¡¯s the Empire or whoever, I¡¯ll even go to the ends of hell!¡¹


    ¡¸Sie has been my precious friend since childhood. Of course, I¡¯m going too, though!¡¹


    Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai stood up vigorously and offered to help Rodis-san.


    However,


    ¡¸No. This is the problem of House Arcstria. I can¡¯t involve outsiders.¡¹


    He refused bluntly and opened the door of the reception room.


    ¡¸Now then, the discussion is over. I need to prepare my spiritual power for the decisive battle. If you really care about Sie, pray for the sess of the operation and just go home quietly.¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡­¡­¡¹¡¹


    ¡ºIf you really care about Sie¡»- Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai who were told so, grit their teeth and nodded.


    ¡¸¡­Let¡¯s go home, everyone.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I don¡¯t think we will be of help, though.¡¹


    The visibly depressed two, left the reception room feebly.


    ¡¸Ah, wait senpai.¡¹


    I, Ria, and Rose followed after them in a hurry.


    From there, we passed through the hallway with heavy air surrounding us, and stepped out of the mansion.


    And just before the imposing door closed,


    ¡¸Thank you. Sie is really fortunate to have good friends like you.¡¹


    Rodis-san said that line at the end, and smiled ever so slightly.

 Chapter 164 - Allen Cell and Political Marriage [15]

    164. Allen Cell and Political Marriage [15]


    After leaving Rodis-san¡¯s mansion, we returned to the student council room.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡­¡­¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹


    The air in the room was heavier than ever. The sound of the second hand of the clock was awfully loud.


    In the midst of that atmosphere,


    ¡¸Sie¡­¡¹


    ¡¸This is too much, though¡­¡¹


    The faint whispers of Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai echoed in the student council room.


    The three of them, including the president, did not meet for the first time at Thousand de Academy, it seems.


    They seem to have been friends since childhood; the so-called childhood friends.


    The length of time they¡¯ve known each other weighed heavy in their hearts.


    We surely can¡¯t understand their pain.


    (Damn, what are we supposed to do?)


    I want to save the president, too.


    I absolutely won¡¯t ept not being able to see her ever again, without even saying goodbye.


    (But also¡­)


    Tenshi-sama¡¯s motive.


    The president¡¯s will who went to the Holy Ronelia Empire alone.


    Rodis-san¡¯s resolve.


    Various¡ºemotions¡»are intertwined in this case.


    If we make a poor move, that might only upset the situation.


    (If only we can know the president¡¯s will, her true feelings¡­)


    Does she want us to help her, or does she want us to let things stay as is?


    In this current situation, where we don¡¯t know that, we can¡¯t make any move.


    (President¡­)


    When I shifted my gaze to her now, empty desk,


    (¡­Eh?)


    I noticed that a certain drawer was pulled out unnaturally.


    It bothered me, so I pulled the handle. And there was a letter inside.


    ¡¸¡­This is?¡¹


    When I flipped it around, ¡°To everyone on the student council¡± was written in lovely cursive writing.


    ¡¸A note left behind by the president!¡¹I shouted involuntarily.


    ¡¸Wha!?¡¹


    ¡¸R-Really¡­!?¡¹


    Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai rushed over to me in a hurry.


    Following them, Ria and Rose ran up to me.


    ¡¸Allen, quickly read it!¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, got it.¡¹


    Urged on by Ria, I started reading the letter.


    ¡¸The fact that everyone is reading this letter means I am no longer at Thousand de Academy. I am sorry for quitting without saying anything. I had to leave this country right away due to unavoidable circumstances.¡¹


    Apparently, the president is not going to talk about the matter of political marriage.


    ¡¸Lilim, Ferris, thank you for always putting up with my selfishness and always being with me. Thanks to you, I was able to have a very exciting student life. I would be happy if you never forget about me.¡¹


    ¡¸S, Sie¡­¡¹


    ¡¸There¡¯s no way I can forget, though¡­¡¹


    Lilim-senpai started crying, and Ferris-senpai bit her lips.


    ¡¸Ria-san, Rose-san. Thanks to you, the student council has be very lively. Thank you for always attending the regr meeting. Because you two are very dependable, I can leave with peace of mind. Lilim and Ferris¡­ are a little helpless just like me, so I would be happy if you could support them.¡¹


    ¡¸P-President¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Kuh¡­¡¹


    Ria had tears in the corner of her eyes, and Rose clenched her fist in frustration.


    ¡¸And Allen-kun. I have noment to you who is always mean to onee-chan¡­ just kidding. Looking back, I have yed a lot of games with Allen-kun. I was never able to win at the Club Budget War, Ikasama Poker, Thousand de Shadow Festival, nor Christmas. You are very strong, so please protect everyone from here on, okay? This is thest request from onee-chan to you.¡¹


    The president was concerned about everyone until the very end.


    ¡¸I really enjoyed spending time in the student council with everyone. Well then, goodbye.¡¹


    The letter ended there.


    Looking closely, thest letter¡ºgoodbye¡»was blurred due to a teardrop.


    (President¡­)


    She is always so selfish.


    So very selfish and unable to be honest with herself¡­ an infinitely good-hearted soul.


    (She is the one who is suffering the most, and yet, doesn¡¯t ask for help.)


    She didn¡¯t ask for help until the very end so as not to bother us.


    But¡­ Even if she didn¡¯t put it into words, there are some things you can understand without.


    (I have properly grasped the president¡¯s will, her true feelings now¡­)


    This letter which was wet with her tears, as if it weren¡¯t already enough, was so full of her feelings.


    (That¡¯s right¡­ I promised the president on the day of Christmas.)


    That -¡ºIf you call me, I¡¯ll alwayse to help you.¡»


    And mother and Pa-san always said the same thing.


    ¡ºA swordsman must always keep his promise even in death.¡»


    ¡¸I¡¯ve decided. As for me¡­ I¡¯m going to rescue the president.¡¹


    The enemy, be it the Holy Ronelia Empire or the ck Organization¡­ I don¡¯t care about that anymore.


    If I choose not to act, the¡ºSwordsman Allen Rodore¡»will die.


    (Instead of dying peacefully without keeping my promise, I¡¯d much rather die following my convictions!)


    This is how I decided to march into the Holy Ronelia Empire to rescue the president.

 Chapter 165 - Allen Cell and Political Marriage [16]

    165. Allen Cell and Political Marriage [16]


    When I dered that I¡¯m going to march into Holy Ronelia Empire,


    ¡¸I-I¡¯m going too! I definitely don¡¯t want to part ways with Sie in this manner!¡¹


    ¡¸Of course, I am going with you, too!¡¹


    Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai immediately showed their approval.


    But on the other hand,


    ¡¸W-Wait a minute, Allen! Whatever the circumstances may be, it¡¯s still too dangerous!¡¹


    ¡¸Ria is right! If things go sideways, you¡¯ll endanger the entire Ringard Imperial Kingdom, let alone the president!¡¹


    Ria and Rose spoke out against it.


    ¡¸I¡¯m aware of the dangers. Besides ¡°for nobles, their face is more important than their lives¡±, right?¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡­¡­¡¹¡¹


    When I repeated Rodis-san¡¯s words, they fell silent.


    ¡¸If a wedding is crushed by¡ºstudents¡»like us, the nobles will lose face. Numero Dn will definitely try to cover it up.¡¹


    If we seed in rescuing the president, Numero is sure to bury that fact to protect his face.


    (Will he silence people from talking about it, or set up another bride? ¡­I don¡¯t know what kind of method he¡¯s going to employ, but¡­)


    The unfavourable fact that¡ºthe bride was taken away¡»would be erased by all means.


    And in the unlikely event that we fail, the wedding will be carried on without any problem, and they will pretend like the attack never happened.


    As a result, the friendly rtionship on the surface between the Empire and the Ringard will not be affected.


    In either case, it does not cause trouble to the country.


    ¡¸But¡­ How on earth are you going to sneak into the Empire? You can¡¯t travel throughnd or air, and you don¡¯t know where Dodriel created the¡ºspot¡», right?¡¹Ria pointed out sharply.


    ¡¸Well, that¡¯s¡­¡¹


    As she said, the travelling method is a big problem.


    (If I remember correctly, Rodis-san had pinned down a direct spot to the Empire. If I could go with him, that would be the most reliable method, but¡­).


    Rodis-san called it the¡ºproblem of House Arcstria.¡»


    Even if we offer to cooperate again, we will only get rejected.


    (Damn, isn¡¯t there any other way¡­)


    And when I was worrying about that,


    ¡¸Oh right! Better yet, why don¡¯t we go to the¡ºBloody Fox¡»? Even Rodis-san learned about the location of the spot from Rize Dorahain!¡¹


    Lilim-senpai came up with a good idea, while pping her hands.


    However, Ria, Rose, and Ferris-senpai, shook their head sideways on the spot.


    ¡¸¡­Senpai, you¡¯d better give up on that.¡¹


    ¡¸Ria is right. Nothing good everes out of getting involved with that woman.¡¹


    ¡¸In the first ce, you need to make an appointment a few months beforehand to meet the Bloody Fox.¡¹


    ¡¸I-I see. Yeah, that¡¯s right.¡¹


    Lilim-senpai, who had been denied head-on, dropped her shoulders.


    ¡¸No, but¡­ She met me right away when I went, right?¡¹


    When Ria was kidnapped by Zack Bomber and Thor Sammons, I got to meet Rize-san immediately.


    At that time, I was at my wit¡¯s end, so I didn¡¯t try to make an appointment like Ferris-senpai said.


    ¡¸That should be considered an exception among exceptions. Even Tenshi-sama needs to wait a long time to meet the Bloody Fox.¡¹Rose cut in from the side.


    ¡¸I-Is that so¡­?¡¹


    Everyone nodded.


    Realistically speaking, it seems to be quite difficult to meet Rize-san.


    After that, everyone thought hard toe up with something, but in the end, we couldn¡¯te up with a decent n.


    Time kept passing by heartlessly, while the feeling of impatience seethed within all of us.


    (Damnit¡­ Even now, as we waste time here, the president is in a terrible ce.)


    I clenched my fist tightly and wracked my brain desperately.


    (There is a considerable distance from the Imperial Kingdom to the Empire. Swimming there is impossible.)


    Having said that, airnes and ships cannot be used.


    In the first ce, there is no established travel route to a country which is prohibited from travel.


    (If that¡¯s the case, Dodriel¡¯s spot bes essential as a means of transportation.)


    Moreover, the problem doesn¡¯t stop there.


    Even If we¡¯re lucky enough to find a direct spot to the Empire, what do we do after that?


    We know nothing about the geography of the Holy Ronelia Empire. As such, it will be difficult to find Dn Numero¡¯s whereabouts.


    In other words, what we need to look for now is¡­ someone who knows the location of the spot, and also knowledgeable on the geography of the Empire.


    (That¡¯s¡­ obviously impossible.)


    Even a child can understand that.


    These are turbulent times.


    There is no way you can find such a convenient person.


    (Damn, is there nothing we can do this time¡­)


    And when I was clenching my teeth,


    ¡¸¡­It¡¯s raining, isn¡¯t it?¡¹Ria whispered, looking out the window.


    I heard the sound of raindrops hitting the window.


    Looking out the window, the sky was covered with clouds, as though implying our hopeless situation.


    (Rain, huh. Wait!¡ºRain¡»!?)


    At that moment, an electric current ran through my mind.


    (There is one. Yes, there is one person!)


    ¡ºOne person¡»who is an answer to all our problems.


    Knowledgeable in the geography of the Empire and also very informed on the ck Organization ¨C that person must surely know something about the spot!

 Chapter 166 - Allen Cell and Political Marriage [17]

    Chapter 166. Allen Cell and Political Marriage [17]


    I decided to propose the amazing idea that just crossed my mind.


    ¡¸Hey, why don¡¯t we rely on that man?¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸That man¡­?¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹


    ¡¸Thirteen Knights of The Oracle ¨C Rain d.¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡­!!¡¹¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸T-Thirteen Knights of Oracle¡­!?¡¹¡¹


    Ria and Rose widened their eyes, whereas Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai, who didn¡¯t know the circumstances, their mouths gaped open.


    ¡¸Rain was a top executive of the ck Organization; he might know something about the¡ºSpot¡»!¡¹


    The base of activities of the ck Organization is located in the Holy Ronelia Empire. In other words, he should also be familiar with the geography of the Empire.


    If everything goes smoothly, we might be able to discover the whereabouts of the noble Numero Dn without much trouble.


    And then,


    ¡¸N-No, no, wait a minute! Is Allen-kun connected to the ck Organization?¡¹


    ¡¸I-I have heard rumors like that, but I can¡¯t believe it was real, though¡­!?¡¹


    Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai¡¯s faces turned pale.


    Apparently¡­ I seem to have caused a terrible misunderstanding.


    ¡¸I-It¡¯s a misunderstanding! How do I put this¡­ Due to a number of reasons, I happened to cross swords with him once.¡¹


    ¡¸You fought one of the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle!? What the hell! Isn¡¯t that a huge incident!?¡¹


    ¡¸Just when did you¡­? Or rather, I¡¯d like you to exin more about it, though!¡¹


    As I gave a vague exnation, the senpai¡¯s eyes widened in surprise and threw questions at me.


    ¡¸¡­Sorry. I can¡¯t talk about the details at the moment. But I defeated Rain, so you don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡¹


    The promise I made with Clown-san has made me unable to talk about Dagrio.


    So I had no choice but to convey only a fragmented information that¡ºI defeated Rain.¡»


    ¡¸Y-You¡ºdefeated¡»one of the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸If I remember correctly¡­ A while ago, you also¡ºrepelled¡»the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle, Fu-Rudras, though¡­!?¡¹


    Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai eximed dumbfoundedly.


    On the other hand, Ria and Rose, who had met Rain before, were thinking about something else.


    ¡¸I see. He also hates the ck Organization, and he didn¡¯t seem to be a bad person at heart, so¡­ you might be right.¡¹Ria said.


    ¡¸But he was taken by the Holy Knights, right? He¡¯s probably in a prison somewhere. Do you have any idea how to get to him, Allen?¡¹Rose asked.


    ¡¸Clown-san was deeply involved in that incident. If we talk to him, we might learn something.¡¹


    In addition, Clown-san used to work for the Holy Knights Association¡¯s¡ºHeadquarters¡».


    I¡¯m certain he knows at least something about Rain¡¯s whereabouts.


    And as we agreed upon that,


    ¡¸I don¡¯t really understand, but¡­ Anyway, we should just go to the Holy Knights Association, right!?¡¹


    ¡¸If there is even the slightest possibility, we¡¯ll have to go, though¡­!¡¹


    Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai eximed and rushed out of the student council room.


    ¡¸Ria, Rose, let¡¯s go too!¡¹


    Thus, we grabbed onto that slight possibility and headed to the Orest branch of the Holy Knights Association.


    ¡ö


    After arriving at the Orest branch, we talked to the receptionist and headed to the branch-chief¡¯s office.


    Clown-san was in his office room, dressed in his usual clown attire.


    I briefly exined the current situation to him, who greeted us in a light tone.


    ¡¸So, for that reason we¡¯re tracking down the whereabouts of Rain d. Clown-san, do you know anything about that?¡¹


    And when I arrived at the issue at hand,


    ¡¸Oh¡­ He¡¯s in our dungeon right now.¡¹


    An unbelievable answer which I did not expect.


    ¡¸Is that true!?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes!¡¹


    ¡¸Please let me see him!¡¹


    ¡¸No!¡¹


    Clown-san stated his refusal bluntly.


    ¡¸W-Why not?¡¹


    ¡¸If you find out the location of the spot¡­ You¡¯re going to go, aren¡¯t you? To the Holy Ronelia Empire?¡¹


    Unusual for Clown-san, he asked me with a serious look.


    ¡¸¡­Yes.¡¹


    There¡¯s no use lying. So I answered honestly.


    ¡¸Then I can¡¯t let you see Rain. Let me be frank, it¡¯s too early for you to go to the Empire.¡¹


    Clown-san said, and continued with a heavy tone.


    ¡¸Allen-san, you are certainly strong. In the¡ºfuture¡», you will surely be a remarkable swordsman who will stand on the world stage. But¡ºnow¡», however, you are still a child. Your body, mental strength, and soul dress, are all immature and still in the developing stage.¡¹he said in a matter-of-fact manner, looking at my body.


    ¡¸To be honest¡­ It would be a waste.¡¹


    ¡¸A waste?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. It would be a waste to let an¡ºunequalled talent¡»which can turn the world¡ºupside down¡»to be extinguished at this juncture in time, that is what Rize-san said.¡¹


    ¡¸Rize-san¡­¡¹


    ¡¸There are a lot of monstrously strong swordsmen in this world; The Thirteen Knights of the Oracle under the Emperor¡¯s direct control, The Seven Strongest Swordsmen of Mankind and the pride of the Holy Knights Association ¨C the Seven Holy Swords. They overcame countless life and death battles and became genuine¡ºmonsters¡»who have reached the point¡ºbeyond soul dress¡». For Allen-san, in your current immature state, you can¡¯t even lift a finger against those kinds of opponents.¡¹


    It is all¡­ as Clown-san says.


    After all, I, the¡ºDropout Swordsman¡»cannot reach the¡ºGenius Swordsmen¡»who vie for supremacy on the world stage ¨C no, there isn¡¯t even a chance for me to reach them in the first ce.


    ¡¸But if I give up here¡­¡¹


    If we give up here¡­ What will be of the president?


    She, who was sold by the Ringard Imperial Kingdom to marry a nobleman who treats women like ythings¡­ would probably go through hell everyday.


    (That is¡­ uneptable!)


    And when I clenched my fist strongly,


    ¡¸¡­I am also aware of the matter of the political marriage. Sie Arcstria, what a poor child¡­ Because she was born into House Arcstria, because she was born with a very good appearance, the worst of the worst nobles, Numero set eyes upon her. She was just really unlucky.¡¹Clown-san said, with sympathy from the bottom of his heart.


    ¡¸Allen-san¡­ Won¡¯t you please make the¡ºadult¡»decision in this ce? If you do something reckless now, a huge number of people who could¡¯ve been saved, will be left to their fates in the future. I understand your feelings painfully well, but this time¡­ Won¡¯t you pleasey down your sword?¡¹


    He proposed with an extremely serious expression.

 Chapter 167 - Allen Cell and Political Marriage [18]

    167. Allen Cell and Political Marriage [18]


    Clown-san looked me straight in the eye and said¡ºGrow up¡».


    (¡­Perhaps what he¡¯s saying is right.)


    Realistically, even if we go to the Empire, the chances of rescuing the president is low.


    If you think about it normally, it¡¯s almost zero percent.


    After all, the enemy this time is the Holy Ronelia Empire.


    It is an evil superpower that joined forces with demons, defeated the Principality of Teresia, and dered war on the whole world.


    It will be extremely difficult for us students to rescue the president.


    (And if we fail¡­ we die.)


    Clown-san is right, I should just grit my teeth and let things be.


    We should build up our strength for the future and prepare for the chance of counterattack that will surely present itself someday.


    Yes, this is surely the correct and¡ºadult¡»decision.


    However¡­


    (I still want to save the president!)


    I want to act¡ºnow.¡»


    I want the uncertain¡ºnow¡»rather than a sure future.


    Not a¡ºtomorrow¡»without the president, but I want a¡ºtoday¡»where I canugh with the president.


    ¡¸Clown-san, please. Please let me see Rain!¡¹I said, bowing my head deeply.


    Silence falls in the branch chief¡¯s office, as the hand of the clock quietly ticks away the time.


    ¡¸Haa¡­ I wonder if this pure, simple honesty is the one that struck Rize-san¡¯s heart.¡¹


    Clown-san whispered.¡¸Nee, Allen-san. Why don¡¯t we y a¡ºgame¡»?¡¹


    He brought up a proposal.


    ¡¸¡­A game?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. If you win, I¡¯ll take you to the dungeon where Rain is. Of course, I won¡¯t stop you guys from going to the Empire.¡¹


    ¡¸Is that true!?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, I¡¯m not going to lie. However, if I win, you will have to give up going to the Empire. What do you say? Do you ept this game?¡¹he pressed for my choice, with a serious expression.


    (A match, huh¡­)


    Clown-san didn¡¯t try to exin what the game would be.


    There is no doubt that there would be some unfavourable rule towards me.


    (But still¡­ This is the chance of a lifetime!)


    At present, we have nothing to hold onto but¡ºRain¡¯s information.¡»


    If we let this opportunity slip, the path towards the Empire will be closed.


    But conversely, as long as I win the game with Clown-san, a straight path to the Empire will be opened up!


    ¡¸Understood. I ept that match.¡¹


    And the next moment I nodded,


    ¡¸Okay. So let¡¯s get started right away. Repulse¡´Lonely Crown¡µ!¡¹


    He suddenly developed his soul dress.


    ¡¸C-Clown-san!? What are you¡­!?¡¹


    A tremendous¡ºweight¡»began to press on my body.


    ¡¸Like I said. We¡¯re going to y a little game.¡¹


    He moved from the sofa and stood at the far end of the room.


    ¡¸The rules are simple. If you can move me one step from here, Allen-san wins. If you can¡¯t do that, it¡¯s my win. However, the use of¡ºdarkness¡»is prohibited. Well then, let¡¯s get started with the game.¡¹


    Clown-sanughed mysteriously and dered the start of the game.


    (I see¡­ Ovee his soul dress with just pure physical ability without the use of darkness.)


    As expected, it seems that he would not let me meet Rain easily.


    I slowly got up from the sofa and took a step forward.


    (This is quite tough¡­)


    It¡¯s as heavy as if my whole body had be metal. Even raising my leg was a struggle.


    ¡¸Allen, are you all right!?¡¹


    ¡¸This ability is¡­ You used it on¡ºDon Gorg¡»once before, right!?¡¹


    Ria ran up to me worriedly, while Rose approached Clown-san with a sharp look.


    Don Gorg ¨C A man who used to serve as an instructor in the Orest branch of the Holy Knights Association.


    I remember that when I, Ria and Rose, were attending as¡ºspecial trainee¡»Holy Knights, we had a small problem with him.


    ¡¸Now that you mention it, something like that did happen. Don-san, I wonder where and what he is doing right about now?¡¹


    Clown-san looked into the distance, acting as though affected by it.


    ¡¸Well, let¡¯s put that boring story aside for a moment. Let me exin my ability in simple terms.¡¹he said, and pointed the in ck and white sword forward.¡¸¡´Lonely Crown¡µis a soul dress that maniptes¡ºrepulsive force¡». Currently, there¡¯s a powerful repulsive force field acting on Allen-san. To put it simply, he¡¯s now exposed to ¡°ten times gravity¡±.¡¹


    And when Clown-san mentioned his ability,


    ¡¸T-Ten times more gravity¡­¡¹


    ¡¸In such a state, it¡¯s impossible to even stand straight, though¡­!?¡¹


    Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai turned pale.


    (Ten times, huh¡­ no wonder my body is so heavy.)


    I moved against the repulsive force acting on me and looked up. My and Clown-san¡¯s gazes intersected.


    ¡¸Allen-san, I am going to test your ¡ºresolve¡» and ¡ºpotential¡» a little.¡¹


    ¡¸I wouldn¡¯t want to have it any other way.¡¹


    This is how the serious match between me and Clown-san began.

 Chapter 168 - Allen Cell and Political Marriage [19]

    168. Allen Cell and Political Marriage [19]


    I put a little more strength into both feet and took another step towards Clown-san.


    (All right, I can do this.)


    Even with this much¡ºweight¡», I was able to forcefully move myself somehow.


    (Another, five meters!)


    As I dragged along my body and the distance shortened steadily, the weight which was acting on my body increased with every step I took.


    ¡¸Guh!?¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, I forgot to mention one thing. The closer you get to me, the stronger the repulsive force acting on your body will be. Now, three meters left.¡¹Clown-san said, with a nasty smile.


    (I see, he has a pretty interesting personality.)


    He waited to see what I would do before increasing the weight. It seems that he won¡¯t let me win that easily.


    (Damnit, like hell I¡¯m gonna lose!)


    I clenched my teeth and stepped towards Clown-san.


    When the distance between us was about one meter,


    ¡¸Hou, I didn¡¯t think you would get this far in the¡ºoriginal state¡». Far beyond surprised, I am utterly amazed.¡¹he muttered, and thrust¡´Lonely Crown¡µinto the floor.¡¸Lonely Crest!¡¹


    The next moment, a magic circle, casting a pale light, appeared at my feet.


    ¡¸Wha!?¡¹


    At the same time, super-powerful repulsive force weighed down on me.


    (H, Heavy!)


    My legs won¡¯t budge at all.


    Moving even a finger is too much.


    It took everything just to barely stand.


    (Damn, he didn¡¯t n on letting me win in the first ce.)


    When I red at Clown-san,


    ¡¸T-This is cowardly! Even though you can use your soul dress, Allen is forbidden to. There¡¯s no chance of winning from the beginning!¡¹


    ¡¸Ria is right. This is significantly unfair for a¡ºgame¡». No matter how you look at it, it¡¯s a little too unfair, right?¡¹


    Ria and Rose raised their voices in protest.


    ¡¸Cowardly? Unfair? What are you talking about¡­? The opponent you are going against is the Holy Ronelia Empire ¨C the head of the ck Organization. They¡¯re not opponents who fight fair and square. Cowardly and unfair is pretty much all there is. If you stay naive, no matter how many lives you have, you won¡¯t achieve anything.¡¹Clown-san said, indifferently, with extremely cold eyes that he had never shown before.


    ¡¸¡¸¡­¡­¡¹¡¹


    Ria and Rose kept silent, unable to answer.


    Clown-san then began to speak quietly.


    ¡¸I also have a lot of expectations for you. But it¡¯s still too early¡­ Way too early. Allen-san, you have grown at an incredible rate, surpassing¡ºmost expectations¡». However, as a result of skipping several steps, you have not been able to acquire power in the¡ºright order¡». You are in a very unbnced state right now. Going to the Empire in that immature state is nothing but suicide.¡¹he said, and pushed his soul dress that had been thrust to the floor.


    The de sank into the floor, and at the same time, the repulsive force acting on my body increased by manyfold.


    ¡¸Guh¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸Let me be extremely clear. I didn¡¯t have the slightest intention of letting you go to the Empire in the first ce.¡¹


    Clown-san held down his soul dress, with a clear smile on his face.


    ¡¸¡­!?¡¹


    At that moment, a tremendously massive weight pressed down on my entire body, causing me to finally fall to my knee.


    ¡¸¡­Are you still conscious? Please don¡¯t try to push yourself too much. Just give up. It¡¯s at an output which would crush a living person to death, after all. No matter how monstrous your mind and body might be, you will still die if you¡¯re a living person.¡¹


    After that, the power of the repulsive force gradually became stronger, as if tormenting me to death.


    My bones started creaking and my muscles started to tear.


    Pain slowly enveloped my whole body. It was literally hell.


    (But, that doesn¡¯t matter.)


    The president wrote that letter with tears in her eyes.


    She left for the Empire alone without even saying goodbye.


    How heartbreaking it must have been for her?


    How painful it must have been for her?


    How much she must have wanted to cry for help?


    She swallowed it all into that small body of hers.


    She chose to sacrifice herself for the country, for her family ¨C for us.


    (This amount of pain¡­ is nothingpared to the pain in her heart!)


    Still on my knees, I slowly moved towards Clown-san.


    And then,


    ¡¸Y-You can still move¡­!?¡¹


    He became flustered for the first time today; he panicked and put more weight onto his soul dress.


    The de sank into the floor, until only the hilt was left.


    ¡¸Wha¡­!?¡¹


    At the same time, the strength of the repulsive force increased again by several folds.


    (Shit¡­)


    My vision began to blur due to the excessive pain.


    (Damn¡­ I am so close¡­)


    The distance between us was only fifty centimeters, where it seemed I could reach him just by stretching my hand.


    If I move Clown-san just a little, it will be my win.


    (From here on out¡­ it¡¯s a battle of perseverance.)


    The only strength that I, who is without talent for swordsmanship, can take pride in is my perseverance.


    (My body is already at its limit, but my heart hasn¡¯t broken yet.)


    Recall that hell.


    That extreme state where I swung the sword single-mindedly for over a billion years.


    Remember the pain in the president¡¯s heart.


    The pain of her carrying everything on her back.


    (This level of¡ºweight¡»is no big deal topared to hers! Like hell I¡¯m gonna lose in this ce!!!)


    I mustered every bit of power and clenched my fist tight.


    ¡¸MOVE!!!¡¹


    As I desperately stretched my right hand forward,


    ¡¸¡ºThis power¡»!? ¡­Gaha!!¡¹


    Clown-san was blown away far back, as if he were pushed away by an¡ºinvisible force.¡»


    At the same time, the repulsive force that was acting on my body disappeared.


    ¡¸Haa haa¡­ I, I did it¡­ We won¡­!¡¹


    I don¡¯t know what happened at the end there, but¡­


    Anyway, I won the match against Clown-san.

 Chapter 169 - Allen Cell and Political Marriage [20]

    169. Allen Cell and Political Marriage [20]


    As soon as I blew Clown-san away, Ria came running up to me.


    ¡¸Are you alright, Allen!?¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, somehow¡­¡¹


    I d myself in a dark robe and healed my torn muscles in an instant.


    My body was light as a feather because the repulsive force acting on my body disappeared.


    ¡¸Nee, Allen. What on earth was thatst blow?¡¹Rose asked, with a serious expression.


    ¡¸¡­Sorry. I don¡¯t know either.¡¹


    The only thing I can say is that the power that blew Clown-san away is by no means mine.


    Having said that, Zeon didn¡¯t have anything to do with it either.


    It was like ¡°something foreign was mixed in¡±. A strange feeling.


    (What was that power¡­)


    As I looked at my right hand,


    ¡¸Ouuuuch¡­¡¹


    Clown-san, who crashed into the wall, slowly got up.


    ¡¸Man¡­ As expected of Allen-san, you easily exceeded my expectations!¡¹heughed in his usual light tone, and very happily for some reason.


    ¡¸Clown-san, it is my victory. Please let me see Rain.¡¹


    ¡¸I don¡¯t really like it, but a promise is a promise.¡¹he said, shrugging his shoulders.


    It looks like he¡¯ll keep his promise.


    ¡¸Thank you very much.¡¹


    A lot of things happened, but we finally took a step forward.


    (All that¡¯s left is whether Rain knows about the¡ºspot¡»or not.)


    But the odds are quite high that he does.


    He was one of the top executives of the ck Organization ¨C one of the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle.


    There is no way such a high executive is not informed about the spot arranged in each country.


    When I was thinking about that,


    ¡¸I still have a little paperwork left, so please wait at the reception first.¡¹Clown-san said, turning his eyes to his work desk.


    ¡¸¡­You¡¯re not trying to run away, are you?¡¹


    ¡¸Why must you do that paperwork now?¡¹


    Ria and Rose asked, turning a sharp eye towards him.


    Apparently, they¡¯ve lost faith in him because of the overly unfair game.


    ¡¸I-It¡¯s paperwork that I have to take care of as soon as possible!¡¹


    Clown-san made an excuse, with cold sweat appearing on his forehead, looking flustered.


    ¡¸¡­Something smells fishy. If it¡¯s just paperwork, wouldn¡¯t it be okay to do it here and now. Why do you have to send us away?¡¹


    ¡¸It is exactly as Lilim says, though¡­¡¹


    Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai pointed out a very reasonable sharp point.


    ¡¸¡­I-I¡¯m sorry. To tell the truth, the document is a¡ºconfidential document¡»which cannot be seen by anyone else!¡¹


    Clown-san kept giving flimsy reasons.


    (¡­Certainly, it¡¯s a little strange.)


    I feel a kind of impatience from him now.


    (And that¡¯s not all¡­)


    It felt as though he was desperately trying to hide something.


    (I don¡¯t know why, but it seems inconvenient for him if we remain in this room.)


    I don¡¯t really like forcing people to do something they¡¯re unwilling to.


    So I decided to get straight to the point.


    ¡¸Clown-san, you will keep your promise, won¡¯t you?¡¹


    ¡¸Eh, yes, of course! A swordsman doesn¡¯t go back on his word!¡¹he said clearly, looking me straight in the eye.


    ¡¸¡­I understand. Well then, we¡¯ll be waiting at the reception first.¡¹


    ¡¸T-Thank you! You are always reasonable, Allen-san!¡¹Clown-san said, a broad smile stered on his face.


    ¡¸H-Hey, Allen¡­¡¹


    ¡¸That decision is too dangerous!¡¹


    Ria and Rose stood in front of me with an expression of, ¡°You are so unbelievable.¡±


    ¡¸It¡¯s okay. He said he¡¯ll keep his promise, after all.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Haa, I understand.¡¹


    ¡¸As always, you let people get off the hook easily.¡¹


    And I took the dissatisfied Ria, Rose, and senpais, back to the reception desk.


    ¡ö


    Shortly after Allen and his friends left the room, Clown Jester immediately leaned against the wall.


    ¡¸Haa haa¡­ it worked¡­¡¹


    Large beads of sweat formed on his forehead as he took heavy, ragged breaths, with an anguished expression.


    ¡¸But¡­ fu, fufufu¡­ to think that¡ºthat power¡»would be the first one to blossom¡­ Allen Rodore is truly absurd!¡¹


    Clown, who witnessed an event that was the exact opposite of his expectations,ughed happily from the bottom of his heart.


    For him, who has the nature of a researcher,¡ºunexpected¡»is the best result.


    ¡¸Fu, fufufu¡­! Fufu¡­¡­ *cough* *cough*¡­¡¹


    As Clown coughed violently, crimson blood spilled on the floor cracked by his repulsive force.


    ¡¸Ah man¡­ what a mess¡­¡¹


    As he took off his clothes, a pitch-ck painful bruise can be seen on his abdomen.


    ¡¸Haha, if it was someone other than me, it would¡¯ve been instant death.¡¹


    Clown¡¯s abdomen was deeply caved in, and the broken ribs pierced into his internal organs causing internal bleeding.


    He was on the brink of death. It was a mortal injury that needed immediate emergency treatment.


    He staggered feebly to his work desk, and took a pale blue pill out of a hidden hole in the back of the drawer.


    ¡¸I can¡¯t let them see this, obviously.¡¹Clown whispered, and immediately swallowed the pill.¡¸Fuu, it feels likeing back to life.¡¹


    The bruise on his abdomen faded with every passing moment, and within seconds, it waspletely healed


    After confirming the recovery effect of the pill, he immediately looked to his soul dress¡´Lonely Crown¡µthrust into the floor.


    A in ck and white sword, in aplete stable form.


    ¡¸All right. Outward side effects seems to bepletely gone!¡¹


    Satisfied with his research, Clown nodded with a smile on his face.


    ¡¸Well then¡­ let¡¯s go meet Allen-san.¡¹


    Having recovered from his mortal injury, he went to the reception desk where Allen and others were waiting.

 Chapter 170 - Allen Cell and Political Marriage [21]

    <strong>170. Allen Cell and Political Marriage [21]</strong>


    We headed to the reception desk, and quietly waited for Clown-san.


    About five minutester,


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry to have kept you waiting.¡¹


    For some reason, Clown-san appeared dressed in a new outfit.


    Perhaps due to having finished his work, he had apletely refreshed expression.


    Top Articles


    ¡¸H-How surprising¡­ I didn¡¯t think he would reallye.¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, Allen was right.¡¹


    Ria and Rose, who had previously insisted that he wouldn¡¯t show up, seemed surprised by the unexpected oue.


    ¡¸Come on now, Ria-san, Rose-san¡­ Of course I¡¯ll keep my promise.¡¹Clown-san said, waving his right hand.


    ¡¸Well then, shall we go to the Orest Dungeon?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, please.¡¹


    Then, Clown-san guided us to the dungeon.


    We went straight through a long corridor and turned left at the end.


    After that, we turned left and right through very narrow passages.


    (It¡¯s like a maze¡­)


    When I thought of that,


    ¡¸Man, I¡¯m sorry that I keep turning left and right. It¡¯s kind of a measure against prison break, so I hope you¡¯ll understand.¡¹


    He gave a little exnation.


    ¡¸I see, so that was the reason.¡¹


    Thisplex structure seems to be constructed with a security aspect in mind.


    As we walked for a while, we came upon a huge, ck, solemn door.


    On both sides of the door stood two jailers. They saluted quietly.


    ¡¸Please wait a minute.¡¹Clown-san said, and unlocked the doors.


    A padlock, atch, a numbered cylinder lock, and a very ordinary lock; when all the locks were unlocked, the door opened slowly, with an eerie sound.


    ¡¸And that¡¯s that¡­ It¡¯s a little dark inside, so be careful where you step.¡¹


    He gave a word of caution and went down the spiral staircase behind the door.


    We followed after him.


    (¡­It¡¯s certainly dark.)


    The lighting embedded in the wall gave off a faint light. The brightness was just enough to see where you¡¯re walking.


    Moreover, the width of the stairways was narrow. Only two people could walk at the same time.


    While our footsteps echoed,


    ¡¸Hey, Allen-san¡­ Did you know? This is where they get out.¡¹


    Clown-san brought up a subject.


    ¡¸¡±Get out¡±?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah¡­ This ce being a dungeon, there are several suicides per year. Perhaps due to the despair of their long prison term.¡¹he muttered, with aplex expression.¡¸ording to a famous spiritualist, the ghosts of the prisoners whomitted suicide haunt this ce. In fact, many guards have heard voices of, ¡°I¡¯ll kill you¡­,¡° or, ¡°Hey, let¡¯s go to the other side together, shall we?¡± and such. Allen-san, if you hear a strange voice, you should never respond to it. You might be taken to the ¡°other side¡±.¡¹Clown-san said, making an eerie smile.


    ¡¸I see. So there are those kinds of things as well. I¡¯ll be careful.¡¹


    There are many things in the world that cannot be exined by science.


    It won¡¯t hurt to be cautious.


    ¡¸¡­Oh my. You seem to bepletely all right. By any chance, are you pretty good at listening to ghost stories?¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha. I¡¯m not particrly good at it, but it¡¯s just not my weak point either. It¡¯s just that¡­¡¹


    When I turned around to look back,


    ¡¸¡¸¡­¡­¡¹¡¹


    There was the figure of Ria and Rose, trembling in fear, and gripping onto my sleeves and arm.


    ¡¸¡­Ria, Rose. If you¡¯re scared, you can wait outside, you know?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m not particrly a-a-a-afraid! I-I-It¡¯s just¡­ my back feels a little cold¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸G-G-G-Ghosts don¡¯t scare me¡­ D-Don¡¯t insult a swordsman¡­!¡¹


    The two of them said so in a resolute manner. However, their hands were still grabbed onto me.


    It seems that the story just now scared them quite a bit.


    ¡¸Okay, okay. I¡¯m sorry.¡¹


    I apologized, with a wry smile, and went down the stairs.


    ¡¸Ah, h-hey¡­ Don¡¯t walk so fast¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸Y-You can tell some cheerful stories too¡­¡¹


    After that, we proceeded forward following Clown-san.


    ¡¸We¡¯ve arrived. This is the Orest Dungeon.¡¹


    There was a¡ºdungeon¡»exactly as one would imagine.


    There was a straight passageway which seemed to continue forever, and cramped prison cells of about four tatami mats on either side.


    Inside each was a simple toilet, a bed with a frame made of pipes, and a small wooden desk.


    Instead of the iron bars, a transparent ss partition was installed.


    It¡¯s probably a kind of tempered ss.


    And then,


    ¡¸¡¸Hiii¡­!?¡¹¡¹


    Ria and Rose screamed at the same time.


    At the end of their gazes, were the prisoners.


    An old man with a very likeable smile on his face.


    A middle-aged man who kept grumbling about something against the wall.


    A young woman who just silently kept hitting the ss.


    How do I put this¡­ It was a very eerie atmosphere.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t make too much eye contact. You¡¯ll get pulled in.¡¹


    Clown-san gave a single piece of advice, paying no heed to the prisoners¡¯ existence, and just went straight down the passage.


    Following his example, we tried not to look at the prisoners.


    After walking for a while, Clown-san stopped in front of a certain cell.


    ¡¸Well, we¡¯re here.¡¹


    There was a man being held there.


    He was probably in histe thirties.


    With a giant frame of nearly two meters.


    Swept back, short dark blue hair


    He had a high brow, an intimidating eye and arge mouth ¨C a scruffy beard on his beast-like wild face.


    Wearing a ck and white bordered prison uniform.


    A damaged grey scarf was wrapped around his neck. It looked awkward because it didn¡¯t fit his size.


    ¡¸Nn¡­ Oh!? It¡¯s been a while hasn¡¯t it, Allen Rodore?¡¹


    One of the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle ¨C Rain d was there.

 Chapter 171 - Allen Cell and Political Marriage [22]

    171. Allen Cell and Political Marriage [22]


    With only a piece of ss between us, I called out to Rain, who was sitting on a pipe bed.


    ¡¸It¡¯s been a while, Rain.¡¹


    He immediately stood up and walked towards me.


    ¡¸Aa, it¡¯s going to be two months now. I really appreciate what you did for me that time. Thanks to you lifting the¡ºCurse of Rain¡», Serena is once again able to live a normal life.¡¹


    Serena d.


    She is the sole survivor of an orphanage that Rain used to run, and also his adopted child.


    A few years ago, she suffered from the curse of rain after being attacked by a monster.


    It is a fearsome curse where you can only live in a ce where it is raining.


    Rain created endless rain in the Sunny Land of Dagrio to protect her.


    (It¡¯s not the right thing to do, but¡­)


    He was moving under his own justice, with pain in his heart.


    ¡¸Now that you mention it¡­ How¡¯s Serena doing?¡¹


    I¡¯ve been concerned about her ever since that incident.


    ¡¸She¡¯s now going to an orphanage in Orest under Clown¡¯s care. I also get to see her several times a month. Look, she brings me letters like this!¡¹


    Rain said, and took a number of letters out of the desk drawer.


    He looked genuinely happy, as though the evil possessing him was no more.


    ¡¸I see. That¡¯s good.¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s all thanks to Allen. I can never thank you enough. Truly, I thank you.¡¹he said, and bowed deeply.


    ¡¸Aa, don¡¯t worry about it.¡¹


    After receiving words of gratitude from Rain, I decided to get to the main point.


    ¡¸Actually, there¡¯s something I really want to ask you. Rain.¡¹


    ¡¸Me¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, it¡¯s about the ck Organization.¡¹


    ¡¸I see, that¡¯s what it¡¯s about. Of course, I don¡¯t mind. It¡¯s a request from Allen, after all. You can ask anything. I¡¯ll tell you everything I know.¡¹he said, encouragingly, with a serious expression.


    ¡¸Thank you, that would be helpful!¡¹


    Then I told him all about our current situation.


    A precious friend was forced into a political marriage to stall for a small amount of time.


    The other party is Numero Dn, a noble of the Holy Ronelia Empire.


    So, we decided to sneak into the Empire to stop the marriage. And now we¡¯re currently looking for a spot that Dodriel created.


    And when I was done with the exnation,


    ¡¸I see¡­ So you¡¯re trying to help people as always.¡¹


    Rain nodded many times over understandingly.


    ¡¸I understand the situation. But I¡¯m sorry. Even if I¡¯m one of the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle, I am not really informed on the location of spots in each country.¡¹


    He shook his head apologetically.


    ¡¸N-No way¡­¡¹


    My vision shook and my legs felt weak for a moment.


    And when my face started turning pale,


    ¡¸Well, calm down. I don¡¯t know exactly where it is, but I have an idea of a location where there¡¯s one¡ºcertain¡»spot.¡¹


    Rain dished out unbelievable information.


    ¡¸I-Is that true! Where is it!?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s at the¡ºRingard Branch of Phantom Spirit Laboratory¡».¡¹


    ¡¸Phantom Spirit Laboratory¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, yes. It¡¯s not known to the public, but the ck Organization is gathering special spirit cores called¡ºPhantom Spirit¡». Theb was designed to start research immediately after capturing the¡ºhosts¡»scattered around the world. Theb is equipped with arge number of precision equipment and excellent researchers are mobilised there. Shortly after Dodriel learned¡ºShadow Crossing¡», all thebs were installed with a spot which connects directly to the Empire.¡¹


    ¡¸And where is theboratory!?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry, but they didn¡¯t let me know about that. But I think Allen should know this better, no?¡¹Rain said, and for some reason turned his eyes towards Ria.


    ¡¸It was around Augustst year, I think. I received information from my men that both Zack Bomber and Thor Sammons seeded in capturing Ria Vesteria. I also heard that they took Ria to the Orest branch of Phantom Spirit Laboratory to start the research right away.¡¹


    At that moment, I, Ria, and Rose, nced at each other.


    ¡¸By Phantom Spirit Laboratory¡­ perhaps it¡¯s that ce?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, there¡¯s no mistaking it! There were a lot of strange machines in that ce where I was locked up. Above all, there were a lot of people who looked like researchers!¡¹


    ¡¸If I remember correctly, it was in a forest in the outskirts of Drestia, the¡ºMerchant City¡».¡¹


    Now that we¡¯ve finally grasped the location of the spot, we were one step closer to rescuing the president.

 Chapter 172 - Allen Cell and Political Marriage [23]

    172. Allen Cell and Political Marriage [23]


    Following the information on the location of the spot, we were able to get other important pieces of information from Rain.


    The traits of the noble, Numero Dn, and where his residence is located.


    Buildings which serve asndmarks and the rough geography of the Holy Ronelia Empire.


    A simple internal structure of Belios Castle, the headquarters of the ck Organization.


    As expected of one of the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle, he knew a lot of things.


    ¡¸Well, is there anything else you want to ask?¡¹


    ¡¸No, this is enough. Thank you, this really helps me!¡¹


    I never imagined that things would progress so well.


    ¡¸Fuu, don¡¯t worry about it. I couldn¡¯t be happier to be of help to Allen.¡¹Rain said, andughed with a hint of satisfaction.


    ¡¸I wonder why a Thirteen Knight of the Oracle is cooperating with Allen-kun, but¡­ Anyway, this has opened our path towards Sie!¡¹


    Since Lilim-senpai doesn¡¯t know about Rain, she said so excitedly and made a tight fist.


    ¡¸Now, if only we knew the time and location of the wedding ceremony, it would be perfect, though¡­?¡¹


    Following that, Ferris-senpai asked modestly.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t really know that much. After all, I¡¯ve been in this dungeon for the past few months.¡¹


    Rain shrugged his shoulders with a bitter face.


    ¡­Well, that can¡¯t be helped.


    There is no way he can know the movements of the ck Organization with absolutely no contact with the outside.


    (As Ferris-senpai said, the only thing left is the¡ºceremony hall¡»and¡ºtime¡»¡­)


    After getting into the Empire, we will have no choice but to gather that information locally.


    When I was thinking about that,


    ¡¸The wedding location is at the residence of Numero Dn. The wedding time is twelve o¡¯clock in the Empire¡¯s standard time. Considering the time difference, it¡¯s about ten hours from now.¡¹


    Unbelievable information rolled in from an unexpected person.


    ¡¸C-Clown-san¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸I have my own informationwork too. Well, it does notpare to Rize-san though.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s not it¡­ Are you going to help us?¡¹


    He was strongly opposed to us going to the Empire earlier.


    ¡¸That¡¯s right¡­ In a manner of speaking, this is a¡ºspecial victory bonus¡»for winning against me in the¡ºunexpected way¡»you did a little while ago!¡¹


    Clown-san¡¯s eyes were serious, even though he said something silly.


    ¡¸Allen-kun, you¡¯re in a much more¡ºimportant position¡»than you think. You must absolutely not die in a ce like that¨Cnot a single person wants that. So, no matter what, pleasee back safely, okay?¡¹


    ¡¸O-Okay¡­¡¹


    To be honest, I don¡¯t really understand what he¡¯s talking about, but¡­


    It seems that he is supporting me in his own way.


    Now that everything was ready,


    ¡¸If possible, I¡¯d like to go with you, too.¡¹


    Rain whispered so, and turned his eyes to Clown-san.


    ¡¸No, no, no, no¡­ That¡¯s impossible. To release a Thirteen Knight of the Oracle on my arbitrary judgement, even more so, sending them out to the Empire¡­ If such a thing is found out by the headquarters, I will be fired without trial. On the contrary, I, too, would be imprisoned as a notorious criminal who conspired with the ck Organization!¡¹


    He shook his head from side to side vigorously.


    Even if it is temporary, Rain¡¯s release seems to be unrealistic.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry, Allen. It seems that I can¡¯t be of any more help.¡¹


    ¡¸No, this was good enough. Thank you.¡¹


    Thanks to him, I¡¯m more ready than ever.


    (Everything else depends on us!)


    Then we parted with Rain and headed to the exit of the dungeon; to that spiral staircase in quick steps.


    (ording to Clown-san¡¯s information, about ten hours left until the start of the wedding.)


    From here to Drestia, it takes about three hours if we hurry.


    After that, we have to head to the Ringard branch of Phantom Spirit Laboratory, and find the hidden¡ºspot¡»there.


    (¡­We don¡¯t seem to have much time. Let¡¯s hurry up a little.)


    As we walked along the long passageway of the dungeon,


    ¡¸W-Wait a minute!¡¹


    Lilim-senpai stopped in front of a certain prison, and shouted so in a loud voice.


    Her face was dyed with shock. It wasn¡¯t normal.


    ¡¸What¡¯s wrong¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸L-Look at this guy!¡¹she said, pointing to the cell in front of her.


    Imprisoned within that cell was a young man wearing a ck-and-white border prison uniform.


    Sitting on the pipe bed, he waspletely still. Not even a twitch. Almost like a stone statue.


    In addition, I can¡¯t even see his face because of the overgrown brown hair.


    And yet¡­ I felt like I had seen him before.


    And then,


    ¡¸Oi, you! Aren¡¯t you¡­Sebas!?¡¹


    When Lilim-senpai called out that name, it rang a bell.

 Chapter 173 - Allen Cell and Political Marriage [24]

    173. Allen Cell and Political Marriage [24]


    When Lilim-senpai called out to the prisoner in front of her, the man called Sebas slowly raised his face.


    ¡¸Oya¡­ It¡¯s been a long time, Lilim. What are you doing here?¡¹


    The moment I heard his voice and name, I remembered everything.


    (If I remember correctly¡­ He is the vice-president of the student council, Sebas Chandler!)


    A formidable swordsman who sneaked into the Holy Ronelia Empire alone and brought back the Blood Diamond requested by the president.


    His strength is the real deal.


    At the Sword King Festival, he cut down Lily Gonzalez, the general of White Lily Academy, in one stroke.


    But immediately after that, he was taken away by the Holy Knights due to various circumstances, so Ipletely forgot about his existence until just now.


    When I remember what happened a few months ago,


    ¡¸Sebas, it¡¯s an emergency! We need your help!¡¹


    With a serious expression, Lilim-senpai asked Sebas-san, who was sitting in seiza. [1. TL Note: ¡°Seiza¡± is the Japanese term for the standard formal traditional way of sitting in Japan.]


    However,


    ¡¸No. I won¡¯t move from here. To be more precise, I can¡¯t move.¡¹


    Without even considering it, he immediately shook his head.


    ¡¸What? Why¡­? Is it such a heavy crime!?¡¹


    Sebas sneaked into the Empire, a country banned from travel, and stole a rare mine resource, the Blood Diamond.


    Perhaps being confined in this dungeon is the punishment for that crime.


    And as Lilim-senpai looked to Clown-san,


    ¡¸No, it would actually be helpful if you can take him away. He¡¯s actually sitting there of his own volition, which also causes trouble for me.¡¹


    He scratched his cheek lightly, and smiled bitterly.


    (¡­Sitting there of his own volition?)


    I didn¡¯t really understand what that meant, but¡­


    Apparently, the reason he can¡¯t move from here was not because of a¡ºpunishment¡».


    And then,


    ¡¸The president said at that time, ¡°I¡¯ll pick you upter, so behave until then¡±. So I wait. Until the time when she¡¯ll pick me up.¡¹Sebas-san said, and quietly closed his eyes.


    (¡­I see, that¡¯s what it is.)


    It seems that he stayed here of his own will.


    (Come to think of it¡­ When Sebas-san was taken by the Holy Knights, the president did say such a thing.)


    It¡¯s vague, but I remember.


    However, judging from this current situation¡­ She no doubt forgot about Sebas-san.


    What can I say¡­ I kind of felt sorry for him.


    ¡¸I don¡¯t care about such old stories! More than that, your dearest Sie is being used as a tool for political marriage!¡¹


    ¡¸In less than ten hours, she¡¯ll be married to a noble of the Empire, though¡­!¡¹


    Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai shouted as they hit the ss pane.


    ¡¸¡­HA!?¡¹


    Sebas-san¡¯s mouth gaped open.


    ¡¸¡­Lilim, Ferris. I think you know this, but I hate jokes. I¡¯ll seriously get angry if you screw around too much.¡¹


    With a gentle smile on his face, he began to emit bloodlust, which almost causes my body to shudder.


    ¡¸T-This is not a joke! Even right now, Sie is no longer in this country!¡¹


    ¡¸No one would make such a sick joke, though¡­¡¹


    ¡¸So you¡¯re not lying, are you?¡¹


    Sebas-san asked, with a sharp gaze, and the two of them nodded at the same time.


    ¡¸¡­I see. Understood.¡¹


    He stood up and slowly walked towards the ss.


    And the next moment,


    ¡¸¡­!¡¹


    He swung his right arm at an indiscernible speed, and tore through the tempered ss like tearing through a piece of paper.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸Wha!!!?¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹


    After escaping without any difficulty, he stretched his body greatly.


    (As I expected, this person is pretty strong.)


    I heard that No.18-san used disposable chopsticks as a makeshift sword to cut iron bars, but¡­


    Sebas-san smashed tempered ss with his bare hands.


    ¡¸T-This ss is crazy expensive, you know¡­¡¹


    Clown-san dropped his shoulders and looked at the broken pieces of ss on the floor with a pained expression.


    In that situation, Sebas-san turned towards me.


    ¡¸It¡¯s only been a few months, but, Allen, you seem to have pushed further through the ¡°inhuman path¡±. You are quite something to still remain sane even with that much power.¡¹he said, shrugging his shoulders, seeming astounded for some reason.


    (Now that I think about it, I feel like I¡¯ve been told the same thing before. Perhaps this person knows about Zeon?)


    When I was thinking about that,


    ¡¸Well nevermind, that is Allen¡¯s own problem. Now, how do we save the president? Give me instructions.¡¹Sebas-san said, looking me straight in the eye.


    ¡¸First, we¡¯ll head to the¡ºPhantom Spirit Laboratory¡»in the outskirts of Drestia and find the¡ºspot¡». You can think of the spot as a ce where you can travel back and forth between the Imperial Kingdom and the Empire. We will use it to invade the Empire and attack the residence of Numero Dn which is the ceremonial hall. Then, after we rescue the president, we use the spot to return in the same way.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I see, it¡¯s not bad.¡¹


    ¡¸ording to Clown-san, the ceremony will start in about ten hours. To be honest, we don¡¯t have much time anymore. I¡¯d like to leave as soon as possible. Are you all right to move right away?¡¹


    ¡¸Of course. Even while we¡¯re doing this, the president is having a hard time. We have to save her even if by one minute sooner!¡¹


    ¡¸Yes!¡¹


    Now that we were all gathered, we headed to the Ringard Branch of the Phantom Spirit Laboratory.

 Chapter 174 - Allen Cell and Political Marriage [25]

    174. Allen Cell and Political Marriage [25]


    We left the Orest branch of Holy Knights Association and headed to the Phantom Spirit Laboratory, located on the outskirts of Drestia.


    To save time, we did not use a carriage. Exactly because we were in a hurry, we ran on foot.


    After a couple hours of running, we arrived at Drestia, the Merchant City.


    We ran through ¡°God Street¡±, along the center of the town and proceeded to the forest that spread beyond that.


    We pushed our way through the rough forest terrain, and came before a half destroyedboratory.


    ¡¸Fuu, we¡¯ve finally arrived.¡¹


    Ringard Branch of Phantom Spirit Laboratory ¨C the ck Organization research facility where Ria was once abducted and confined.


    ¡¸It¡¯s pretty big looking at it again.¡¹


    ¡¸When ites to finding a single spot in this hugeboratory¡­ it¡¯s going to take some time.¡¹


    Ria and Rose muttered.


    ¡¸What does the spot even look like in the first ce?¡¹


    ¡¸To be precise, it seems to be a technique called¡ºShadow Crossing¡». I¡¯m guessing it might be something ckish.¡¹


    Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai said, while tilting their heads.


    (As Rose says, this may take longer than I expected.)


    Theboratory is vast, and its interior is intended like a maze as a countermeasure against intruders.


    As the atmosphere started to be tense, Sebas-san pped his hands together to draw everyone¡¯s attention.


    ¡¸We don¡¯t have much time right now. Let¡¯s start the search right away! Allen, you know the structure of theboratory, so you will lead!¡¹


    ¡¸Eh¡­? Ah, yes, I understand!¡¹


    Something with what Sebas-san said gave me an uneasy feeling, but I stepped into theboratory for the time being.


    At that moment,


    ¡¸This is¡­!?¡¹


    An indescribable¡ºunpleasant feeling¡»rose up from the ground.


    (This repulsive feeling which also feels a little nostalgic¡­)


    No doubt, it¡¯s him.


    ¡¸What¡¯s up, Allen?¡¹


    Ria tilted her head, looking at me just standing there.


    It seems that she cannot sense this feeling.


    ¡¸¡­I think I might¡¯ve found the spot.¡¹


    ¡¸R-Really!?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. I sense a very unpleasant presence. If we follow this presence, we should find the spot.¡¹


    ¡¸¡ºUnpleasant presence¡»¡­? ¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m not really sure, but I think it¡¯s probably Dodriel¡¯s spiritual power.¡¹


    When I and Ria were talking about it,


    ¡¸That unpleasant presence¡­ we have no idea what Dodriel¡¯s spiritual power is like, but if the inhuman Allen says so, I¡¯m sure he is correct!¡¹


    Sebas-san gave his stamp of approval.


    ¡¸T-Thank you.¡¹


    How do I put this¡­ the reason he trusted me didn¡¯t make me all that happy.


    Then, we went to the depths of theboratory following Dodriel¡¯s spiritual power; to the dungeon where Ria was once held.


    ¡¸Here¡­ No, it¡¯s beyond here!¡¹


    ¡¸E-Even if you say¡ºbeyond¡»¡­ There¡¯s nowhere to go.¡¹


    As Ria said, we were in a small room of about four tatami mats.


    But his spiritual power is definitelying from beyond this point.


    ¡¸Sorry, but step aside a little.¡¹


    I said, and cut towards the mud wall in front of me.


    ¡¸HA!!!¡¹


    As a result, the wall in front of me copsed very easily,


    (As I expected¡­)


    Beyond this point, there was arge space.


    ¡¸¡¸A hidden room¡­!?¡¹¡¹


    Ria and Rose widened their eyes.


    ¡¸O-Oi, look! In the center of the room, there is something that looks like a spot!¡¹


    ¡¸Or rather, I think this is definitely the spot, though¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸As expected of the inhuman¡­ It seems that even your intuition is monstrous.¡¹


    The senpais said, excitedly, and turned towards the ck shadow swirling in the center of the hidden room.


    ¡¸I feel Dodriel¡¯s strong spiritual power from this ck shadow. This is definitely the spot he created.¡¹


    I was the only one who could sense Dodriel¡¯s spiritual power.


    The fact that I seem to be connected with him is a little unpleasant.


    But this time it was helpful, so I don¡¯t mind it too much.


    ¡¸From here on out, we¡¯ll be at the notorious Holy Ronelia Empire. There is no guarantee that we will be able to return safely. Everyone, are you¡ºprepared¡»?¡¹


    As I confirmed with everyone onest time,


    ¡¸I still think it¡¯s too dangerous, but¡­ If Allen is going, I will follow you wherever you go!¡¹


    ¡¸Holy Ronelia Empire¡­ There is no better enemy as an opponent to enhance Sakura Blossom One-Sword style to the next level!¡¹


    ¡¸That idiot Sie who left on her own¡­ I¡¯ll drag her back if I have to!¡¹


    ¡¸Parting without even saying goodbye¡­ I definitely can¡¯t ept that, though¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸I am the president¡¯s knight. I¡¯ll even go to the depths of hell for her sake!¡¹


    Everyone dered their resolve.


    ¡¸All right then, let¡¯s go!¡¹


    And we jumped into Dodriel¡¯s spot.

 Chapter 175 - Allen Cell and Political Marriage [26]

    175. Allen Cell and Political Marriage [26]


    Holy Ronelia Empire. At the residence of the noble, Numero Dn.


    A five-story mansion, which could be mistaken for a castle or a pce, befitting of the richest man in the Empire.


    An elegant white exterior wall, a blue roof tile with ambient atmosphere, and a round tower towering in the center. The garden was full of multicolored flowers in full bloom, and in the center stood a world-famous statue.


    In a certain room of such a ptial residence, Sie Arcstria was feeling gloomy.


    ¡¸Haa¡­¡¹


    Lying on her back in bed, she sighed, not knowing how many times she has heaved a sigh now.


    ¡¸I never thought I¡¯d ever marry a man like that.¡¹


    Naturally, she has heard of Numero¡¯s infamy.


    He seems to always have ten wives. And he manages them by numbering from¡º1¡»to¡º10¡».


    Tonight would be Number 5, tomorrow is Number 7, and the day after tomorrow is Number 8.


    Sie is going to be assigned Number 10, which became vacant about a month ago.


    It is said that the number of wives that Numero has married exceeds a hundred, and the number of women he has broken is said to have exceeded a thousand.


    He is literally the worst man in the Empire.


    ¡¸Aaaa¡­ I always thought that a¡ºPrince Charming¡»woulde and take me away someday.¡¹


    Sie Arctria has a dream.


    She, who is surprisingly a romanticist, has always had this dream in her heart since she was a child; to be a¡ºbride¡».


    Someday, Prince Charming will show up and release her from the heavy responsibility of¡ºArcstria¡».


    He would make her forget about her position, her family standings, her duties, and make her his one and only bride.


    She has always dreamed of such an ideal man to appear someday.


    Once, when she talked about that to Lillim and Ferris, they burst outughing.


    ¡ºPu¡­ Hahahahaahah! My goodness¡­ Prince Charming!!¡»


    ¡ºS-Sie¡­ E-Even I think that¡¯s a little too much like a little girl, though¡­¡»


    ¡ºMuu¡­ Y-You don¡¯tugh so much!¡»


    Since then, Sie has not told anyone about Prince Charming, shutting it away in her heart.


    However, the pure and innocent girl still believed even after many years.


    That the man of her fate ¨C her Prince Charming ¨C will carry her away.


    But reality was cruel.


    She was sold by her home country, which feared the power of the mighty demons, and will be used by Numero as his ything and thrown away someday.


    There is no dream, no hope, no salvation. Only a gruesome future awaiting her.


    ¡¸Haa¡­¡¹


    In such a hopeless situation, Sie thought of her friends whom she left behind in Ringard, trying to escape from the harsh reality.


    ¡¸Everyone. What are you doing right now? Did you find the letter?¡¹


    The letter she had hidden in her desk in the student council room, the letter she wrote the day before leaving the Imperial Kingdom, was the best¡ºgoodbye¡»she could afford.


    Writing that letter pained her the most.


    The happy memories she spent with everyone overflowed, and her tears would not stop.


    ¡¸Should I have said good-bye directly after all?¡¹


    She asked the question which she has already asked herself many times.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡­No, I can¡¯t.¡¹


    She didn¡¯t have the confidence to go to the Empire with a smile after seeing Allen and the rest.


    She knew she would break into tears and leave the country unseemly.


    If she did that, it would only hurt everyone¡¯s heart for no reason.


    Because she knew that, she took the indirect method of leaving behind a letter.


    ¡¸What did everyone think after reading the letter?¡¹


    I wonder if you cried.


    I wonder if you¡¯re sad.


    I wonder if you got angry.


    And above all¡­ I wonder if you¡¯ll remember me.


    Thinking about that, she realised the corner of her eyes were getting wet.


    ¡¸Lilim, Ferris, Ria-san, Rose-san¡­ And Allen-kun. I want to see you all again.¡¹


    There was no one left to hear the cries of her heart.


    Only a few hours until the wedding with Numero.


    ¡ö


    When we found the¡ºspot¡»in the hidden room of the Phantom Spirit Laboratory, we jumped in simultaneously.


    The inside of the spot was ck as far as the eye can see.


    There was no sense of up, down, left and right. A very strange space stretched out.


    (This is¡­ Dodriel¡¯s¡ºShadow World¡», huh.)


    It was a cold, dark, closed, isted world.


    We left ourselves to the¡ºflow of shadows¡»and waited quietly.


    A little whileter, a dazzling light came into view.


    (Is that the exit¡­?)


    Immediately after that, the shadow world suddenly disappeared and we were spit out into a big white room.


    I have never seen it personally but I guess this is probably the Holy Ronelia Empire.


    The next moment,


    ¡¸This is quite rare¡­ You guys are intruders I guess!¡¹


    A giant standing behind me swung down therge sword in his hand.


    (This is a very rough wee.)


    I immediately d myself in the dark robe and caught the approaching sword with my bare hands.


    Following that, I crushed the de of the sword with my hands.


    ¡¸Hou! That¡¯s amazing! Your output has skyrocketed since that time!¡¹


    The man, who shouted happily for some reason, was an enemy whom I have faced off twice in the past.


    ¡¸Y-You are¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸Zahahahaha! It¡¯s been a long time¡ºExtraordinary Sparkle¡»- Allen Rodore!¡¹


    Zack Bomber, a member of the ck Organization, stood before me.

 Chapter 176 - Allen Cell and Political Marriage [27]

    176. Allen Cell and Political Marriage [27]


    Zack Bomber.


    Short crimson hair.


    Trained muscr body of about 2 meters.


    Age probably in the mid thirties.


    Deep masculine features.


    Low and deep voice emitted a strong confident vibe.


    He is a super-dangerous man who once kidnapped Ria. A first-rate swordsman with incredible power.


    (Shit, this is the worst.)


    To think we¡¯de across such a strong enemy all of a sudden¡­ Luck is not with us today.


    The moment we pulled out our swords quickly,


    ¡¸Stop being so noisy this early in the morning, you big oaf! What time do you think it is right now?¡¹


    The room door shook violently, and I heard a familiar angry voice from outside.


    If I remember correctly, this voice belongs to Thor Sammons, who works in a pair with Zack.


    (This is getting worse and worse.)


    Although it was for a brief moment, Thor managed to stop Leia-sensei.


    (Zack and Thor ¨C fighting the two of them at the same time will cause amotion.)


    We are already in the Holy Ronelia Empire.


    If such amotion urs, the members of ck Organization and Thirteen Knights of the Oracle will rush at us inrge numbers.


    Which obviously would mean we can¡¯t rescue the president.


    (Damn, what should we do?)


    A temporary retreat? No.


    If we do that, we will never be able to use that spot again.


    If that¡¯s the case, should I take them out of the fight in a single blow?


    No. Impossible.


    Those two are not such easy opponents.


    Aa I was biting my lips, frustrated at our bad luck,


    ¡¸Zahaha, sorry, sorry! My constipation was quite bad. So I just inadvertently screamed!¡¹Zack said, not reporting us for some reason.


    ¡¸Tch, what a nasty guy. If you make a noise again, I¡¯ll kill you!¡¹


    Thor left after cursing at Zack.


    After making sure her footsteps were far away,


    ¡¸¡­All right, she seems to have left.¡¹Zack whispered.


    ¡¸You¡­ What are you ying at?¡¹


    Why did he cover for us?


    Isn¡¯t this a betrayal to the organization?


    What on earth is he thinking?


    I couldn¡¯t grasp his intentions at all.


    ¡¸Zahaha, we¡¯re reuniting after a long time! If she came in, it would¡¯ve been ruined!¡¹


    Zack gave a reply that didn¡¯t answer my question, and took out a brown sake bottle from the refrigerator.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s cheer for our reunion. Come, you guys should drink too!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I¡¯m still a minor.¡¹


    ¡¸Nn? Was that so¡­ You look like a tough guy though!¡¹


    I don¡¯t know what was so fun, but he gulped down the sake in a very pleasant mood.


    ¡¸Puhaa¡­ Drinking sake with a dazzling¡ºsparkly¡»has its own special taste!¡¹Zack exhaled. His breath smelling of sake, as he stared at me.


    As usual¡­ He keeps saying sparkly and whatnot which doesn¡¯t make sense.


    (Haa¡­ I¡¯m feeling exhausted already.)


    Looking at his unserious attitude, it felt weird being the only one on edge.


    ¡¸Zack, where are we?¡¹


    As I took a look around calmy, we seemed to be in a room of about six tatami mats.


    A bed, a clothes rack, a refrigerator, an electric fan, open bottles of sake, and underwear flung around; a normal live-in room.


    ¡¸Nothing special, just my room.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Your room? It seemed that Thor is here too. Are you two perhaps living together?¡¹


    ¡¸Zahaha, well, I guess you could say we are living together! After all, this is the tenth floor of¡ºBelios Castle¡»- the living quarters of us normal members!¡¹he said, and drained the sake bottle.


    ¡¸I see, so that¡¯s what it is.¡¹


    It seems that the spot was connected to the inner circle of the enemy territory.


    (This is convenient.)


    ording to Rain¡¯s information, Numero Dn¡¯s residence is in the immediate vicinity of Belios Castle.


    (In that case¡­ The question now is how to escape from this castle.)


    Zack mentioned this room is located on the tenth floor.


    Given the fact that there would be a lot of members of the ck Organization in the castle, it will be quite difficult to escape from here.


    (So close to the president, yet so far. Now, what shall we do?)


    And when I was thinking about that,


    ¡¸Zahaha, you have a serious look on your face. Tell me what¡¯s going on. I might be of help, ya know?¡¹


    Zack, who was in a state of drunkenness, offered to cooperate all of a sudden.

 Chapter 177 - Allen Cell and Political Marriage [27]

    177. Allen Cell and Political Marriage [27]


    I turned a sharp re towards Zack, who proposed to cooperate.


    ¡¸You kidnapped Ria¡­ and you want me to believe you?¡¹


    Around August ofst year, he abducted Ria and confined her.


    He seems to be sheltering us for some reason now, but he¡¯s not someone you can trust so easily.


    ¡¸Zahaha! What an oppressive, cold, fearsome bloodlust! In the small time since west met, you seem to have gone through a lot of fierce battles!¡¹


    Zack put on a belligerent smile, and replied with his own sharp re.


    And then, just when the atmosphere between us was reaching critical point,


    ¡¸I think it will be okay.¡¹


    ¡¸Ri, Ria¡­!?¡¹


    An unexpected person defended Zack.


    ¡¸Listen, Allen. When I was confined in the Phantom Spirit Laboratory with both hands and feet restrained, there was a researcher who¡­ tried to do strange things to me.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­What?!¡¹


    This is the first I¡¯m hearing of it.


    (Strange things,¡± she says?)


    Judging from her hesitation to say it, I¡¯m sure he was trying to misbehave with her.


    (To humiliate Ria who was bound¡­ What nerve!!!)


    As blood rushed to my head, murky darkness began to creep out of my body.


    ¡¸W-Wait, Allen! Some kind of darkness I¡¯ve never seen before is pouring out of you! I appreciate your feelings, but calm down! At that time, his attempt was cut down at thest minute, so nothing happened to me!¡¹Ria flusteredly tried to calm me down.


    ¡¸Is that so¡­ I am d.¡¹


    As I heaved a sigh of relief, Ria continued her story.


    ¡¸W-Well, what I¡¯m trying to say is that¡­ Zack saved me from being attacked by that researcher.¡¹


    ¡¸Zahahaha, I guess something like that happened too. It feels so nostalgic now¡­ Puha!¡¹


    Zack opened a second bottle of sake and poured the bubbling sake down his throat.


    ¡¸I won¡¯t go so far as to say he is a good guy, but I don¡¯t think he¡¯s a bad guy by nature. Even now, he is hiding us, so¡­ Can¡¯t we rely on him now?¡¹Ria suggested, with a serious expression.


    ¡¸¡­Hmm, maybe.¡¹


    If what Ria said is true, it seems that this guy is just a surface viin.


    (Come to think of it, Zack was a¡ºformer Holy Knight¡», right?)


    He didn¡¯t tell me why he defected from Holy Knight to the ck Organization, but¡­ there must be no doubt that he used to be a man of justice.


    (As Ria says, epting his cooperation might be the best case here.)


    This room we are in now is the residential quarters for general members; the tenth floor of Belios Castle.


    It would be unrealistic to sneak out of the castle without the cooperation of someone on the¡ºinside¡».


    ¡¸Will you hear me out, Zack?¡¹


    ¡¸Zahaha, of course, I don¡¯t mind! I am very interested in what the¡ºExtraordinary Sparkle¡»came to the Empire for! Let me hear it!¡¹


    So I decided to briefly exin the current situation in order to get the cooperation of my former enemy, Zack Bomber.

 Chapter 178 - Allen Cell and Political Marriage [29]

    178. Allen Cell and Political Marriage [29]


    For the time being, I briefly exined the current situation.


    ¡¸So, we used the spot in the Phantom Spirit Laboratory to sneak into the Empire.¡¹


    Zack, who was listening quietly to the story, nodded with a serious face.


    ¡¸I see now. However, to catch the eye of Numero of all people¡­ that Sie Arcstria is a really unlucky woman.¡¹he muttered, with a strange look, and his arms folded.


    From his heavy tone, you can understand perfectly how terrible the man known as Numero was.


    ¡¸Okay. In this case, I see that justice is on Allen¡¯s side. I¡¯ll help you out!¡¹


    ¡¸That will help us a lot.¡¹


    ¡¸Zahaha, don¡¯t worry about it! In the end, I¡¯m doing this for myself as well!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­ For yourself?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, yes. If I let¡ºExtraordinary Sparkly¡»die in such a boring ce, I would probably drink myself to death due to regret!¡¹


    Zack uttered something ill-omened, and spread a piece of paper he took out from the closet on the desk.


    ¡¸This is a rough sketch of Belios Castle. As I said earlier, this is the Belios Castle towering in the centre of the Empire. The residential quarters of the general members are located in the middle. Outside this room, a lot of my friends are swarming around. It would be impossible to slip out of this castle without being noticed by anyone.¡¹


    He shook his head, pointing alternatingly between the tenth floor and the entrance on the first floor.


    ¡¸Well, that would be so, I guess.¡¹


    I wasn¡¯t under the assumption it would be easy to get out from the middle of the enemy camp in the first ce.


    ¡¸But don¡¯t worry. This time, I¡¯ll give you this special thing!¡¹Zack said, taking out six ck cloaks from the clothes shelf.


    ¡¸It¡¯s not something I can say out loud, but¡­ We, the members of the ck Organization, have a thin sense of camaraderie. Even if we live in the same residential quarters, nobody even knows each other¡¯s faces and names. Unless you¡¯re a big deal, nobody even cares who lives next door.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, is that so?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, there¡¯s a problem of high mortality rate on duty, so¨C No, that doesn¡¯t matter right now. Well, what I¡¯m trying to say is, even if there¡¯s an unfamiliar group, no one is going to be snooping around if you¡¯re wearing that ck cloak.¡¹he said, nodding with confidence.


    ¡¸No, I appreciate the thought, but this size doesn¡¯t fit at all.¡¹


    Zack was a giant of two meters, and this ck cloak which was made to fit his physique was toorge.


    Even if they don¡¯t know their friends¡¯ faces, if we walked around dressed in this oversized, loose clothing, it would definitely raise suspicions.


    ¡¸Zahaha, that won¡¯t be a problem. Just try wearing it once!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Like this?¡¹


    The moment I put it on,


    ¡¸T-This is¡­!?¡¹


    I don¡¯t know how exactly it works, but the cloak, which was more than twice as big, changed its size to fit my physique.


    ¡¸Zahahaha, are you surprised? After all, it¡¯s a special cloak made by Rod Garf, the¡ºMagician¡»!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Magician?¡¹


    Another suspicious name has appeared.


    ¡¸What, you don¡¯t know? He is a strange fellow who makes nothing but mysterious things such as a magic tool which develops an advanced barrier, and a magic tool which suppresses the power of soul dress. I thought he was pretty famous, but¡­ Well, it doesn¡¯t matter right now.¡¹Zack said, cutting the story short.¡¸Now¡­ it¡¯s time to talk about the escape route.¡¹

 Chapter 179 - Allen Cell and Political Marriage [30]

    179. Allen Cell and Political Marriage [30]


    Zack traced the outer circumference of Belios Castle on the sketch in circles with the pen.


    ¡¸This castle is a little special. There are no windows whatsoever. To prevent enemies from sneaking in. In other words, the method to get out of here is inevitably limited to three; Use a spot, exit through the front entrance on the first floor, or jump off the roof.¡¹


    ¡¸I see¡­¡¹


    When I nodded, he began to exin each of the three ways, putting up his fingers one by one.


    ¡¸First. To escape using a spot, but that¡¯s unrealistic. Leaving aside the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle¡­ General members like me don¡¯t even know where it is. It would be impossible to find the right spot in this huge Belios Castle.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s true.¡¹


    There¡¯s only a couple of hours remaining before the wedding starts.


    We can¡¯t afford to slowly look for the spot.


    ¡¸Second. To exit out of the front entrance on the first floor, but¡­ I have to say that this is also difficult. At the main entrance, there is a castle post which manages the members who enter and exit. If six unfamiliar faces try to exit at the same time, it would certainly raise suspicions. Even if one person exits at a time, if one of you is found out, the entire n will fall apart.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Yeah.¡¹


    Escape from Belios Castle seems to be a major challenge.


    ¡¸Thest one. To escape from the roof. This is the most realistic and safest method.¡¹Zack said, hitting the rooftop part of the sketch.


    ¡¸The higher you go up in Belios Castle, the less guarded it is. There is no post built there to manage exit and entering, and nobody even goes there just for the fun of it. You guys are swordsmen who managed to sneak into the Holy Ronelia Empire. You aren¡¯t fragile enough to break from jumping off the 20th floor, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, of course.¡¹


    I have darkness, and Ria and Rose have the ability to strengthen their body.


    Lilim-senpai¡¯s ability is making detonated y, so it may be a little tough, but she can make do with Ferris-senpai¡¯s maniption-type ability.


    Sebas-san is the only one whom I¡¯m not sure of, but¡­ well, he should be alright even in his base form.


    When I was thinking about that,


    ¡¸¡­ But isn¡¯t that a little dangerous?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, as Ria says. Emperor Barrel Ronelia should be at the top floor, right?¡¹


    When Ria and Rose asked as such, Zack shook his head.


    ¡¸You don¡¯t have to worry about that. The Emperor is not on the¡ºtop floor¡»but deep in the¡ºunderground¡»of this castle.¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸Deep underground¡­?¡¹¡¹


    The two tilted their heads to the unexpected response.


    ¡¸Yes. Rumor has it that they are using the captured phantom spirits and their hosts to perform¡ºrituals¡». They don¡¯t want to¡ºincur the wrath of god¡»even by mistake, is what I heard.¡¹


    I¡¯m a little worried about what kind of rituals are being performed, but the president¡¯s rescue is top priority at the moment.


    And when the course of action was decided, Zack whispered, with a difficult expression.


    ¡¸But¡­ Depending on how you look at it, you might be lucky that the political marriage was decided to be held at this time.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­What do you mean?¡¹


    ¡¸Right now, most of the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle are working outside the country to secure the phantom spirits. Especially the absence of the¡ºEmperor¡¯s Four Knights¡», you can even call that a godsend.¡¹


    ¡¸Is that so?¡¹


    If this information is correct, this might be a once in a lifetime chance.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t have much time. Go now!¡¹


    Zack said, ¡±I pray you get a good result!¡± and gave a thumbs up.


    ¡¸¡­I am not going to thank you though.¡¹


    ¡¸Zahaha, we¡¯re enemies! Of course, gratitude is unnecessary! But I sometimes think, Allen¡­ that someday we will swing our swords side by side.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry, but that¡¯s impossible.¡¹


    Even if Heaven and Earth were turned upside down, it is unthinkable for me to swing my sword with the ck Organization.


    ¡¸Zahaha, you never know how life will turn out! Not even in my wildest dream did I think I¡¯d join the ck Organization from being a Holy Knight!¡¹Zack said,ughing happily.


    ¡¸¡­Later then. You were a lot of help.¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, I¡¯ll see you some other time -¡ºSparkly Gem¡»!¡¹


    After that, we parted with Zack, put on the ck cloak, and aimed for the roof of Belios Castle.

 Chapter 180 - Allen Cell and Political Marriage [31]

    180. Allen Cell and Political Marriage [31]


    d in ck cloaks, we started to move toward the roof of Belios Castle.


    Right now, we were on the tenth floor. The residential area of general members.


    We left Zack¡¯s private room, pulled on the hood low over our eyes, and went on to the eleventh floor.


    ¡¸¡­ I can¡¯t seem to calm down.¡¹I mumbled.


    ¡¸Yes¡­ I¡¯m also a little nervous.¡¹Ria, walking to my right, nodded.


    Everywhere you looked, all the members were dressed in ck cloaks.


    It felt as if I had be a member of the ck Organization too. It wasn¡¯t a very pleasant feeling.


    (But, well, borrowing this cloak really came in handy.)


    As Zack said, as long as you¡¯re wearing this cloak, you won¡¯t look suspicious.


    (There are some guys who stare at us sometimes, but¡­)


    They just pass by without saying anything.


    (I guess one¡¯s personality shows up in situations like these.)


    Ria walked forward carefully, seeming to be feeling on edge.


    On the other hand, the courageous Rose, and Lilim-senpai who is always positive, walked confidently.


    And Ferris senpai, who is usually calm, was in the same condition as usual.


    (But the person who I¡¯m a little surprised about is Sebas-san.)


    He covered the hood deep enough to cover the tip of his nose, and walked at the end of the line with his face down so that he would never be seen.


    I thought he was bold and confident, but he actually seemed to be a pretty cautious type.


    After that, we managed to climb Belios Castle unexpectedly smoothly and arrived at the 20th floor which was the top most floor.


    The floor had apletely different atmosphere than the lower floors.


    (Is this¡­ a library?)


    Books as far as the eye can see.


    An innumerable number of books arranged tightly on the bookshelf, seemed to reflect the scrupulousness of the person who manages this ce.


    ¡¸This is a great number of books. Full of old books that I¡¯ve never seen before.¡¹


    ¡¸Are there archaeologists in the ck Organization?¡¹


    The moment Ria and Rose said that,


    ¡¸Shh, be quiet!¡¹


    I put my index finger to my mouth, and cautioned them with a whisper.


    Listening carefully, I heard someone¡¯s footstepsing towards us from the back of the library.


    (¡­This is bad. This guy¡¯s pretty strong.)


    It was a quiet and calm footstep that you can¡¯t hear unless you concentrate your senses.


    There is no doubt that the owner of this footstep is an extraordinarily skilled person.


    (Moving back to the 19th floor¡­ That would be a bad choice.)


    It is too unnatural behavior, and will raise more suspicions.


    (¡­We have no choice but to go forward.)


    We exchanged nces with each other and nodded.


    Apparently, we seem to be of one mind. We resolved ourselves and moved towards the footstep.


    Iy the hood deep over my eyes, looking down so that our eyes would never meet, and quietly tried to pass by him.


    (Please¡­ Just let us go through quietly.)


    If a problem breaks out in this ce, the chances of rescuing the president will be hopeless.


    That must be prevented at all cost.


    The moment I walked past him slowly while praying in my heart,


    ¡¸Wait.¡¹


    A cold voice that I have heard somewhere before, echoed loudly within the library.


    ¡¸Which group do you guys belong to? Why do you enter my library? What business does a group of six have in this ce where not a soul would dare enter?¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡­¡­¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹


    We were unable to answer the rapid questions.


    (Shit, we¡¯ve managed toe this far, and yet¡­ this is the worst development.)


    And when I was gritting my teeth,


    ¡¸¡­When you talk to people, it¡¯s manners to take off the hood, isn¡¯t it?¡¹


    Suddenly a fierce gust of wind broke out, and the hood that hid my face was blown off.


    ¡¸Oh my¡­ A very unusual guest.¡¹


    When I looked up slowly,


    ¡¸Fu Rudras¡­¡¹


    One of the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle, Fu Rudras. A formidable swordsman who once attacked Thousand de Academy and easily defeated everyone.

 Chapter 181 - Allen Cell and Political Marriage [32]

    Chapter 181. Allen Cell and Political Marriage [32]


    Fu Rudras.


    He is tall, about 190 centimeters tall.


    Long ck hair stretched to the back.


    For a swordsman, he has a very thin body.


    He appears to be in his early thirties.


    An intellectual impression is reflected from his deep, well-formed face.


    If only he didn¡¯t have a rapier-like thin sword dangling from his waist, he would look like a schr.


    Wearing a white noble outfit and a ck cloak on top of it ¨C engraved with a green pattern, which I think I have seen somewhere before.


    (Shit¡­ This is the worst possible situation.)


    On top of our infiltration being found out, the other party is a formidable enemy.


    Fu is a top-notch swordsman who controls¡ºwind¡».


    He once attacked Thousand de Academy and defeated the president, Lilim-senpai, Ferris-senpai, and a great number of other swordsmen without breaking a sweat.


    (Calm down and think. What is the best move I can make in this situation!?)


    And when I was wracking my head at high speed,


    ¡¸It¡¯s been a while, Allen Rodore. It is a little surprising that we would meet again in a ce like this.¡¹Fu said, expressionlessly with a blunt, monotonous tone.


    ¡¸That¡¯s my line. Toe across one of the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle in a ce like this¡­ It¡¯spletely beyond my expectations.¡¹


    ¡¸I see. You came to Belios Castle apanied by six friends¡­ Which means your purpose is to rescue Sie Arcstria¡­ is what I¡¯m guessing.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­!?¡¹


    I was shocked by how easily he saw through our objective.


    ¡¸¡­How do you know that?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s quite simple actually. Sie Arcstria was the student council president of Thousand de Academy. There is no way that you, who have a strong sense ofpanionship, will forsake the senpai who was basically bought by a¡ºlow-life noble¡».¡¹


    He said, and looked at our outfits.


    ¡¸You climbed all the way up here from the lower floor, meaning¡­ you used the spot at the Phantom Spirit Laboratory and jumped directly inside the castle. And then, you stole the ck cloak from Zack Bomber ¨C no, if I remember correctly, he was extremely interested in you, so¡­ It would be more urate to say he¡ºguided¡»you.¡¹


    Fu correctly guessed every step we had taken so far.


    (¡­How troublesome.)


    He¡¯s not just a talented swordsman. He¡¯s also really smart, true to his schrly appearance.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll ask this just in case. You¡¯re not going to overlook us¡­ are you?¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t ask dumb stuff like that. I¡¯m not stupid enough let this opportunity slip.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­It would seem so.¡¹


    Fighting with Fu cannot be avoided.


    (If that¡¯s the case, I just have to do the best I can right now¡­!)


    I immediately unsheathed my sword and stepped forward.


    ¡¸Ria, Rose, senpais! Leave this to me and go ahead!¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸Allen!?¡¹¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸Allen-kun!?¡¹¡¹


    I understood that everyone¡¯s eyes were focused on my back.


    ¡¸The worst case scenario would be if everyone is held back here! So, while I¡¯m holding back Fu, go to the rooftop quickly!¡¹I shouted.


    ¡¸Allen, make sure toe after us. It¡¯s a promise, okay?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I haven¡¯t won against you even once. I won¡¯t acknowledge it if you lose in this ce.¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, I got it.¡¹


    Ria and Rose ran, saying something that sounded very much like them.


    ¡¸¡­ Allen-kun, I am sorry to always impose a difficult role on you. But¡­ Thank you.¡¹


    ¡¸I always feel bad about it, but¡­ I have to ask you to do this again.¡¹


    ¡¸Something this trivial shouldn¡¯t be a problem for an inhuman like you, right? I¡¯m counting on you, Allen.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, I¡¯ll try my best. Please save the president.¡¹


    After exchanging words briefly, the senpais also started running.


    As everyone rushed to the rooftop, Fu surprisingly overlooked them.


    On the contrary, he turned his back to me and walked towards a cupboard nearby.


    He took out two pairs of fine quality cups and saucers, and ced them on a desk with a white tableclothid on top.


    After that, he put something like tea leaves in the cup and poured hot water from a pot.


    ¡¸¡­What are you doing?¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t you see? I¡¯m making tea.¡¹


    ¡¸No, I understand that, but¡­ Why tea?¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s a stupid question. Because I got my hands on some good tea leaves.¡¹.


    How do I say this¡­ we were engaged in a conversation that didn¡¯t sync together.


    After preparing the tea, Fu sat on a wooden chair.


    ¡¸¡­What? You should sit down, too. This is a great opportunity, so I¡¯ll answer some questions you had the other day.¡¹Fu said, and sipped on the freshly made tea.

 Chapter 182 - Allen Cell and Political Marriage [33]

    182. Allen Cell and Political Marriage [33]


    Fu urged me to take a seat amid the refreshing scent of tea.


    (I don¡¯t know what he¡¯s nning, but this is favourable for me.)


    If the other party wants to talk, I¡¯ll y along as much as he wants.


    As long as I keep him busy, the others will be free to move.


    (So what I should do now is¡­ Prolong the conversation and buy them as much time as possible!)


    I decided that and sat down on the chair from across Fu.


    ¡¸So¡­ What¡¯s this¡ºquestion from the other day¡»?¡¹


    ¡¸Hmm, you don¡¯t remember? Well, that¡¯s fine.¡¹


    He cleared his throat and began to talk slowly.


    ¡¸It was around September ofst year when I attacked Thousand de Academy with Dodriel. Allen Rodore, you asked me questions about the¡ºPhantom Spirit¡»and the¡ºcontent¡»of Ria Vesteria. But I was on duty at that time, so I said¡ºLet¡¯s talk slowly over a cup of tea on another asion.¡»¡­Do you remember now?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Yes.¡¹


    Now that I think about it, there was something like that too.


    (But to think he remembered such light talk even until now¡­)


    It seems that Fu has a fairly disciplined personality.


    ¡¸Being an archaeologist, I like to answer questions from young people brimming with curiosity. This is just my opinion, but the work of a schr is not strictly research. Spreading the right knowledge and passing on the baton of wisdom to the next generation ¨C I think that is the most important duty. What do you think?¡¹


    Fu kept talking without pause and asked a question at the end.


    ¡¸Eh, ah¡­ I don¡¯t think it¡¯s wrong.¡¹


    ¡¸Right?¡¹


    He smiled with satisfaction and took a sip from his cup.


    He is usually silent and expressionless, but when ites to his field of expertise, he seems to be quite talkative.


    ¡¸Well, let¡¯s get down to business right away. First of all, we, the ck Organization, are rushing to collect¡ºPhantom Spirits¡». This is a general term for the monsters which once plunged this world into the very depths of fear. Several countries seem to have captured them in secret and are hiding them as military assets, but most of them are still drawing breath in some corner of the world.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve heard of it.¡¹


    ¡¸Well, this is not known to the general public, after all. And¡ºinside¡»Ria Vesteria, the phantom spirit, Fafnir, is sealed. It most likely manifested itself as her soul dress.¡¹


    It is true that¡´Fafnir¡µis the name of Ria¡¯s soul dress.


    ¡¸Seven hundred years ago, Fafnir appeared out of nowhere, and attacked Vesteria Kingdom. The whole kingdom was reduced to scorched earth by its overwhelming power;¡ºThe ck me that burns all creation¡»and¡ºThe white me that heals all creation¡».¡¹


    ¡¸Something like that happened?¡¹


    I became speechless, hearing about the devastating past.


    ¡¸Well, it¡¯s natural that you don¡¯t know of it. The¡ºstudy of history¡»is strictly forbidden by internationalw, after all.¡¹


    Fu said, and continued further.


    ¡¸One of the Seven Holy Swords who protected Vesteria Kingdom at the time, embarked to subjugate it with the resolve to die ¨C and was tragically devoured. It is said that the defeat of the swordsman who carried the hope of the whole country, knocked Vesteria into depths of despair. However, one woman stood up at such a time. She was born in a distant foreign country, and she sealed Fafnir in her womb by the special power in her blood.¡¹


    I quietly listened to the gut-wrenching story that Fu talked about indifferently.


    ¡¸The¡ºfirst host¡»became the hero who saved the country and waster united in marriage with the king of Vesteria. Since then, Fafnir has been handed down to House Vesteria from generation to generation. The host of this generation is Ria Vesteria. I¡¯m sure the predecessor was¡­ that¡¯s right, Liz Vesteria. The girl¡¯s mother.¡¹


    After a long talk, Fu took a breather.


    ¡¸This is what I know about the¡ºPhantom Spirit¡»and the¡ºcontent¡»of Ria Vesteria. Do you have any questions?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­No, I¡¯m fine.¡¹


    I was desperately processing the sudden storm of information.


    (Phantom Spirit is the general term for monsters with tremendous power. Fafnir, which was handed down to Ria, was a Phantom Spirit that once attacked Vesteria¡­ And the ck Organization is rushing to gather it, huh¡­)


    I¡¯m rtively curious about why the ck Organization is collecting Phantom Spirit, but¡­


    (I don¡¯t want to ask the wrong question and start a fight with Fu. And it¡¯s perfectly obvious that it¡¯s going to be for a good-for-nothing purpose anyway¡­) [TL Note: But the readers want to know why, ma dude!]


    And so I decided to hold my tongue.


    ¡¸By the way, Allen Rodore. May I ask you a question?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, go ahead.¡¹


    ¡¸Have you ever thought about what lies at the¡ºend of the world¡»?¡¹


    Fu asked, with an extremely serious expression.

 Chapter 183 - Allen Cell and Political Marriage [34]

    183. Allen Cell and Political Marriage [34]


    Fu asked me about what lies at the¡ºend of the world¡», with a serious expression.


    ¡¸I¡¯ve never really thought about the end of the world to be honest. If I remember correctly, there¡¯s the¡ºWorld Waterfall¡», right?¡¹


    ording to the statement announced by the Holy Knights Association, this world is a huge square continent.


    The elevated part is thend where man lives, and the ocean upies most of the rest.


    The world is t, and at the end of it is a colossal waterfall ¨C World Waterfall.


    The sea water that flowed down from there will be rain before long and pour down back into this world.


    That¡¯s everything there is to it.


    Further investigation is strictly prohibited by internationalw.


    ¡¸Aa, it¡¯s as you say. That¡¯s what we have been taught so far. But I don¡¯t think that is true at all.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­ What do you mean?¡¹


    ¡¸I have studied through history books, memoirs, ssic literature, and all kinds of materials. However, there exists not a single material that describes anything remotely simr to the World Waterfall. Without any evidence, the only source we have to go by is the announcement from the Holy Knights Association. This is too unnatural and too strange. I can¡¯t help but feel that it is artificial.¡¹


    Unusual for Fu, he exined passionately while clenching his fist.


    ¡¸The Holy Knights Association most likely knows something significant. They are hiding monumental information in their headquarters which is protected by the strongest of mankind, the¡ºSeven Holy Swords¡»!¡¹


    There was an expression of resentment and envy on his face.


    ¡¸The end of the world is too far away, and the existing airnes can¡¯t reach there. At present, there is no way to get there. But I want to go beyond the World Waterfall someday! I can¡¯t help wanting to know what¡¯s beyond that! I joined the ck Organization for the sake of finding that out!¡¹


    ¡¸Is it to¡­¡ºprotect yourself¡»?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. Studying history and investigating what lies at the end of the world ¨C these are strictly forbidden by internationalw. With the abominable¡ºhistorian hunting¡», archaeologists like me have no ce to turn to. We¡¯re in a situation where we can¡¯t even concentrate on our research without joining an organization like the ck Organization which boasts overwhelming might.¡¹


    ¡¸I see¡­¡¹


    Zack Bomber joined to aplish something that he otherwise can¡¯t with the Holy Knights Association.


    Rain d joined to save Serena, who suffered from the Curse of Rain.


    Fu Rudras joined to learn what lies at the end of the world.


    Everyone seems to choose the ck Organization as a¡ºmeans¡»to fulfill their wishes.


    And when the exnation reached the end,


    ¡¸Fuu¡­¡¹


    Fu exhaled loudly.


    ¡¸Sorry. I got too fired up unbing of my age.¡¹


    And then he looked me straight in the eye, with a serious expression.


    ¡¸Allen Rodore, you have¡ºgood eyes¡».¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Good eyes?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s not clouded by any color. It¡¯s clear and straightforward. I wonder why¡­ When I look at those eyes, I get drawn in. Before I know it, I feel like wanting to lend a hand.¡¹


    Fu said, finishing the cup of tea, and stood up.


    ¡¸Now, that¡¯s all I wished to talk about. You can do what you want.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­You¡¯re not going to stop me?¡¹


    ¡¸Unfortunately, today I am going to devote myself to deciphering history books. I didn¡¯t get orders to¡ºstop Allen Rodore¡»either. And I can¡¯t hope to stop you with my power in the first ce.¡¹


    He slowly closed his eyes, speaking with such humility.


    ¡¸Yourpanions from just now ¨C they seem to have met with some unexpected difficulties with the tight security of Numero¡¯s residence. Five kilometers north of here, I hear them hiding in a storage shed in the¡ºNumero Grand Garden¡».¡¹


    ¡¸W-What do you mean!?¡¹


    ¡¸I can listen to the¡ºwhispers of the wind¡»and pick up on conversations within a ten-kilometer radius. Five people uttering the name¡ºAllen Rodore¡»is notmon in the Empire. It¡¯s undoubtedly the voice of yourpanions.¡¹


    Fu suddenly frowned, after saying in an indifferent manner.


    ¡¸¡­Hmm? This is¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Did something happen?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­You had better hurry. Apparently, the wedding has begun.¡¹


    ¡¸What!? That¡¯s way too early! There should be at least three more hours left!¡¹


    There was still ten hours left until the wedding when I parted with Clown-san.


    From then on, we went to the Phantom Spirit Laboratory and infiltrated the Empire through the spot.


    After that, we got the ck cloak from Zack, and now I¡¯m here.


    (¡­No matter how you look at it, it hasn¡¯t been ten hours.)


    It should only be around seven hours or so.


    ¡¸Schedule means nothing to that arrogant Numero. That garbage truly thinks he is the center of the world.¡¹


    ¡¸Damnit!¡¹


    I immediately stood up and started running toward the rooftop.


    ¡¸I¡¯m praying for the sess of the operation in secret.¡¹


    ¡¸Aa!¡¹


    After obtaining various information from Fu Rudras, I ran towards Numero¡¯s residence at full speed.

 Chapter 184 - Allen Cell and Political Marriage [35]

    184. Allen Cell and Political Marriage [35]


    Numero¡¯s residence could be easily mistaken for a castle or a pce.


    The marriage ceremony between Numero Dn and Sie Arcstria will be held before long in the cathedral on the first floor.


    ¡¸Those who have a written invitation, pleasee this way!¡¹


    ¡¸The ceremony is going to start soon! Please hurry up!¡¹


    Due to the schedule being brought forward by Numero selfishly, the ceremony hall was in a substantial state of confusion.


    Sie Arcstria sighed loudly as she heard the tter.


    (Haa¡­ What a selfish person. To speed up the wedding ceremony by three hours for his own convenience.)


    She was now waiting in the bride¡¯s room for Numero¡¯s arrangements.


    (I have always wanted to wear a wedding dress, but considering the marriage partner, it doesn¡¯t bring me any happiness at all.)


    Sie looked at herself in the wedding dress, which was reflected on the dresser, as though someone else was wearing it.


    Both shoulders and back were exposed greatly, and the skirt was long. A gorgeous dress with a soft volume.


    The so-called¡ºPrincess Line¡».


    (Ah¡­ Where did things go wrong¡­)


    She ced her index finger on her chin and nced absentmindedly at the empty space.


    Prince Charming will surelye to bring her away someday. Where she can forget her position, family standings, and responsibilities. And he will make her his only bride. That dream was shattered to pieces by the harsh, cruel reality.


    (I wonder if this is the fate of being born of¡ºArcstria¡».)


    Live for the country and die for the country ¨C that is the duty of Arcstria.


    Sie, who had been taught that since childhood, always knew that her life would not be the way she wanted it.


    She knew that she would be used as a tool for political marriage someday.


    But somewhere in her heart, she held onto that dream.


    Prince Charming who would appear gantly, and cut away all her ties of obligation.


    (But I can¡¯t change my fate after all. No matter where I go, it will always be Sie ¡±Arcstria¡±. Live for the country and die for the country¡­ No one can ever change that.)


    When she sighed heavily thinking about that, a knock echoed in the waiting room. And the door opened slowly.


    From there, an old gentleman wearing a ck suit entered the room with an elegant bow.


    ¡¸Sie Arcstria-sama. Numero-sama is calling for you.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Yes, I understand.¡¹


    Sie prepared herself for the worst and slowly headed to the wedding hall.


    ¡ö


    The schedule was moved forward three hours ahead of schedule, but the cathedral, which was the ceremony hall, was full of people. All the seats were filled by invitees.


    They were all nobles of the Holy Ronelia Empire.


    Not a single person who received the invitation dared to be absent. In order to curry favor, to build a rtionship in the future, not to incur his displeasure ¨C for various such reasons, they all urgently rushed here.


    And at the entrance of the cathedral, a man was peeking into the ceremony hall from the peephole of the door. The corners of his lips curled up with satisfaction.


    ¡¸Nufu. As expected of the great me. Despite the sudden wedding, all the seats are fully upied.¡¹


    Numero Dn.


    A rtively small stature of a hundred and sixty centimeters. Because of his fat body, the highest-grade frock coat he wore was almost bursting out. He was in histe thirties. Slick back styled gold hair. An ugly face with swollen, greedy eyes that instinctively causes disgust.


    The swordsman who was assigned as his guard, nodded in agreement.


    ¡¸Yes, as expected of Numero-sama. This is due to your personal virtue of excelling in all.¡¹


    ¡¸Nufufu¡­ So you think so too?¡¹


    ¡¸Not only me, but everyone here feels the same way.¡¹


    ¡¸Nufufu! So it is my personal virtue after all!¡¹


    Receiving the cheap ttery by the guard swordsman, Numeroughed, shaking his shoulder in joy.


    Then, Sie arrived, dressed in a wedding dress.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry to have kept you waiting, Numero-sama.¡¹


    ¡¸Nufufu! My, my¡­ What a beautiful bride! That¡¯s my¡ºNumber 10¡»!¡¹


    He, who calls all his wife by number, was taken in by the beauty of Number 10.


    ¡¸¡­A tool like me is undeserving of such words. I am immensely happy.¡¹


    Sie bowed her head gracefully, speaking empty words.


    Numero, who was pleased by her obedience, looked at her as though undressing her with his lustful eyes.


    ¡¸Nufufufufu! I¡¯m going to show you a lot of love tonight, so look forward to it!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Yes, thank you very much.¡¹


    Then, the guard cleared his throat when the exchange ended


    ¡¸Numero-sama. It¡¯s about time.¡¹


    ¡¸What? It¡¯s already time. All right, let¡¯s go!¡¹


    This is how the wedding of Sie Arcstria and Numero Dn began.

 Chapter 185 - Allen Cell and Political Marriage [36]

    185. Allen Cell and Political Marriage [36]


    The door of the cathedral opened slowly, and the bride and groom entered.


    Numero walked in the lead, and Sie followed three steps back, like an attendant.


    Breaths of admiration leaked from the guests who saw the bride¡¯s appearance.


    ¡¸Oh, is that¡ºNumber 10¡»!¡¹


    ¡¸Amazing! Worthy of being called a¡ºworld ss beauty¡»!¡¹


    ¡¸Dear me. It¡¯s really beautiful. I am almost jealous!¡¹


    Touched by Sie¡¯s beauty, they raised voices of praise.


    However, at the same time, there wasmon pance here and there.


    ¡¸Kuku¡­ Numero-dono has a pretty¡ºunique taste¡». Imagine that beautiful face distorted in pain. It will be most irresistible!¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, exactly. I wonder how much humiliation she can bear!¡¹


    ¡¸And Number 10 is the daughter of that House Arcstria! To degrade a high-ss woman like that¡­ Fuhihi, I can¡¯t help but to get excited whenever I see it!¡¹


    When Numero and Sie were in ce in front of the altar, a young priest who was offering prayers to God at the back of the cathedral, slowly stood up.


    With an extremely friendly smile, he moved straight to the front of the altar and cleared his throat.


    ¡¸Today we are going to conduct the wedding of Numero Dn and Sie Arcstria. First of all, I¡¯d like to open the ceremony with a few words¨C¡¹


    ¡¸Nufufu, long greetings are unnecessary! Let¡¯s start with the ceremony!¡¹


    The short-tempered and impatient Numero interrupted the priest¡¯s words and gave orders.


    ¡¸Is that so¡­ Then, let me add just one word as a priest. God says, today will be a holy day.¡¹


    After shortly summarizing his opening statement, he started the¡ºvow ceremony¡».


    ¡¸Groom Numero Dn. Do you swear to ept the love of bride Sie Arcstria with thy merciful heart, and to handle her with care as much as your heart would allow?¡¹


    ¡¸Nufufu. Of course, I swear!¡¹


    ¡¸Bride Sie Arcstria. Do you swear to offer all of your body and heart to groom Numero Dn, and pledge eternal servitude as his possession in health and in sickness?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Yes, I swear.¡¹


    Once the terrible one-sided vow was concluded, the priest smiled with satisfaction.


    ¡¸God! The lostmbs huddled together here have pledged their vows! Please bestow thy blessings upon them by thy merciful will! Groom Numero Dn, bride Sie Arcstria ¨C Now is the time to seal your vows with a kiss!¡¹


    Their eyes met and they each took a step forward.


    Numero quietly closed his eyes and waited for Sie¡¯s service.


    She exhaled with a tense look on her face ¨C and resolved herself.


    (The troublesome guards are far behind. Now is the time to do it!)


    The next moment, Sie pulled out a dagger that had been concealed in her dress at an indiscernible speed.


    ¡¸Numero Dn, prepare yourself!¡¹


    She lunged straight towards his heart.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸Wha!?¡¹¡¹¡¹


    The ceremony hall became uproarious, and Numero opened his eyes due to the sudden roar.


    At the same time, the guards who were on alert near the entrance ran towards the altar with their faces turning pale.


    The blessing mood of the ceremony hall crumbled down and broke into chaos.


    ¡¸Nu, oh¡­¡¹


    A sharp dagger was thrust deep into Numero¡¯s chest, and he fell to his knee on the spot.


    (I-I did it¡­)


    Sie, who seeded in the assassination of Numero Dn, the great noble of the Empire,


    ¡¸¡­Wha!?¡¹


    Involuntarily became speechless at the inexplicable scenario unfolding before her eyes.


    The dagger that stuck deep into his chest ¨C had no de.


    To be more precise, it was melting as if it had been burned by scorching mes.


    The coward Numero fainted in shock, but he was still unhurt.


    (This is¡­ the ability of soul dress!?)


    When Sie stared at the dagger without its de dumbfoundedly,


    ¡¸Kusu kusu kusu¡­¡¹


    An eerieughter echoed throughout the ceremony hall.


    ¡¸My My¡­! The vow to God cannot be altered, you know?¡¹


    The priest, who now had a heinous smile on his face ¨C aplete 180 turn around from his friendly smile ¨C flung off his vestment.


    Underneath the vestmen was a ck coat engraved with a¡ºcertain crest¡», which was allowed to be worn only by the top executives of the ck Organization.


    ¡¸¡­Just when I thought I got through Numero¡¯s guards.¡¹


    From the sudden change of outfit and expression, Sie instantly saw through the true identity of the priest.


    ¡¸Gregor Ash, one of the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle. I didn¡¯t think such a big shot would be assigned as a guard.¡¹


    Having failed to assassinate Numero, color began to drain from Sie¡¯s face in front of an unexpected formidable enemy.

 Chapter 186 - Allen Cell and Political Marriage [37]

    186. Allen Cell and Political Marriage [37]


    Gregor Ash.


    A genius swordsman who climbed up to the ranks of Thirteen Knights of the Oracle at the tender age of 20.


    He is about 170 centimeters tall.


    Straight ashen hair.


    A ferocious smile with the corners of his lips curled up. And well-formed facial features.


    A ck cloak is worn over a white noble suit, and a¡ºcertain crest¡»in grey is engraved on it.


    He believed in the existence of God from the bottom of his heart. Several crosses dangled on his cloak.


    ¡¸As expected of ¡°Arcstria¡±. You pretended to be obedient, and vigntly waited for an opportunity to assassinate him. Your approach of doing whatever it takes is genuinely apudable.¡¹


    Gregor sent dry apuse her way, while ring at her with hostility.


    ¡¸However, there is just one thing I can¡¯t forgive. What were you thinking?! Breaking the vow towards God!?¡¹


    As Gregor unleashed intense bloodlust towards Sie, the guests raised their voices.


    ¡¸That¡¯s right! Kisama,¡ºNumber Ten¡»! What the hell were you thinking raising your hand against Numero-dono!?¡¹


    ¡¸A tool baring its fangs at its owner is something that can never be forgiven!¡¹


    ¡¸A person of the Imperial Kingdom attempting assasination on Numero-dono¡­ This will develop into a major international problem! Do you not understand that!?¡¹


    In response to the violent jeers, Sie retorted with a nonchnt look.


    ¡¸I¡¯ve already discarded my Ringard nationality. I don¡¯t belong to any country now. Just Sie Arcstria. Is there a problem?¡¹


    If Arcstria, the leading authority of the Imperial Kingdom, raised their hand against the Empire¡¯s great noble, it would certainly develop into an international major problem.


    But she doesn¡¯t belong to any country now. The responsibility falls entirely on her.


    ¡¸Nuu¡­ Trying to act clever!¡¹


    Nobles ced great importance on this logic and formality, so they had no choice but to just grit their teeth.


    When Sie silenced the nobles, Gregor heaved a sigh loudly.


    ¡¸Appearances and saving face, logic and formality ¨C those useless things don¡¯t matter! This woman broke her vow to God! That¡¯s the problem here!!¡¹


    He pulled out the sword fastened to his waist and pointed the tip at Sie.


    ¡¸¡­As rumored, he¡¯s a crazy believer of God.¡¹


    What crossed Sie¡¯s mind was the¡ºGregor Massacre¡»which urred ten years ago.


    This was a tragedy in a small ind country called Rosas, located at the tip of Polyesta Federation.


    Gregor Ash, a quiet boy who was ten years old at the time, suddenly said,¡ºGod says, ughter everything that lives on this ind¡»and massacred 30,000 inders.


    The ck Organization, which zeroed in on his brutality and powerful soul dress, soon sent an agent to Gregor, and he then went on to be one of the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle.


    (In the current situation where I failed to assassinate Numero¡­ There¡¯s only one thing I can do.)


    Sie calmly used her brain and decided on her next move.


    (I will kill the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle, Gregor Ash, and decrease the power of the Empire!)


    In order to fulfill the duty of¡ºArcstria¡», she thrust her right hand into the empty space.


    ¡¸Imitate -¡´Aqua Queen¡µ!¡¹


    At that moment, a beautiful sword appeared, as though tearing through space ¨C a sword which was as blue as the sky and as transparent as the sea.


    Its ability is the maniption of all kinds of water.


    A soul dress with excellent situational adaptability and abundant means of attack.


    ¡¸Hou, as expected of Arcstria, the number one spear of the Imperial Kingdom. That¡¯s quite an output.¡¹


    Gregor cooed and assumed his stance.


    ¡¸Aren¡¯t you going to bring yours out? Don¡¯t tell me you haven¡¯t manifested your soul dress.¡¹


    Gregor shrugged his shoulders at the provocative remark.


    ¡¸If I use it, I¡¯ll kill you in no time. God wants blood and scream. That¡¯s why I can¡¯t finish it right away.¡¹


    He said, stroking his ashen de.


    ¡¸¡­I see. Hope that that carelessness doesn¡¯t cost you your life.¡¹


    Sie quietly dropped her center of gravity, while on maximum guard.


    (To produce enough heat to melt the dagger without deploying his soul dress¡­ He must have managed to tame his spirit core quite a bit.)


    A swordsman ustomed to handling the spirit core can exercise a certain amount of its ability without bringing out the soul dress.


    (Gregor¡¯s ability is probably a type that maniptes fire or heat. In terms ofpatibility, he¡¯s not a bad match for me!)


    When she concluded so, she moved her center of gravity slightly to the front.


    ¡¸Well then, let¡¯s get started. The Apostle of God will pass unteral divine punishment upon you!¡¹


    Gregor roared and ran in a straight line.


    ¡¸Let me hear your scream!!!¡¹


    ¡¸HA!¡¹


    At the same time, the two unleashed a diagonal sh containing their body weight.


    And at that moment when both swords collided,


    (What¡­!?)


    Gregor¡¯s sword went through Sie¡¯s sword.


    Her eyes widened and she jumped back at an instant¡¯s judgement.


    However,


    ¡¸Kuh¡­!?¡¹


    There was no way topletely avoid that attack in that posture, and a red line ran across her chest.


    Fresh blood dyed the pure white dress red, and Sie¡¯s expression turned into one of anguish.


    ¡¸Oh? I thought it would be decided by that single blow, but you have good reaction speed.¡¹


    Gregor, who shed her chest, sent dry apuse.


    ¡¸¡­That sh just now. The de seemed like it disappeared. What kind of ability is it?¡¹


    ¡¸Fuhaha! Oi Oi, are you seriously asking your enemy that¡­!?¡¹


    He said, andughed happily.


    ¡¸Kuku¡­ Normally, I wouldn¡¯t tell you, but¡­ God, who sucked your blood is extremely pleased! As a reward for offering that body, I can tell you a little bit.¡¹


    Gregor added,¡¸Be grateful to the benevolence of God¡¹and he held up the ashen sword before his chest.


    ¡¸This¡ºash sword¡»has no substance. No matter what kind of swordsman you are, you can¡¯t defend against my sh!¡¹


    ¡¸Undefendable sh, huh. It¡¯s certainly a threat, but the fact that it doesn¡¯t have any substance means you can¡¯t defend my attacks either, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Of course, that¡¯s right. But don¡¯t mistake that the¡ºposition is equal¡»for the both of us. Otherwise, it will end in an instant!¡¹


    With a heinous smile, he closed the distance at a tremendous speed.


    From that point onwards, the battle was terribly one-sided.


    Each time Gregor unleashed a sh, wounds umted on Sie¡¯s body one after another.


    Sie who has always defended with her sword in every battle.


    Gregor who has never once defended with his sword, and has always dodged attacks.


    The difference between the¡ºamount of experience¡»and¡ºperception of distance¡»had brought him an overwhelming advantage.


    (If it goes on like this, things will get bad.)


    She decided so and tried to attack using water many times, but the water produced by¡´Aqua Queen¡µdissipated due to the mysterious power used by Gregor.


    As a result,


    ¡¸Haa, haa¡­.¡¹


    In a blood-stained dress, Sie was cornered into a state where she had to use her soul dress as a cane to continue standing.


    ¡¸What¡¯s up? Yo, are you done already¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Kyaa¡­¡¹


    When the unscathed Gregor kicked¡´Aqua Queen¡µaway, it rolled to the edge of the cathedral. And Sie, having lost her support, copsed on the spot.


    Then, voices of restraint rose from the nobles when the match waspletely settled.


    ¡¸W-Wait, Gregor!¡ºNumber Ten¡»is the property of Numero-dono!¡¹


    ¡¸If you kill her without his permission, I don¡¯t know what will happen to you!¡¹


    Thirteen Knights of the Oracle and the Great Noble of the Empire ¨C their power rtionship is very difficult.


    If you look only at simplebat power¡», Gregor can be dered the winner.


    However, from the viewpoint of¡ºfinancial power¡», it is overwhelmingly Numero.


    If Gregor kills Sie here, the deterioration of his rtionship with Numero is inevitable.


    Then, there will definitely be chaos within the Empire.


    The nobles who were afraid of it simply tried to stop him for the good of the Empire.


    However, the reply they were given was intense bloodlust which made every hair on their body stand on end.


    ¡¸Shut up already. Perhaps you bastards can¡¯t hear the voice of God? God is now asking for¡ºblood¡»and¡ºscreams¡». Which is more important, Numero or God? You don¡¯t even have to answer that, right?!!¡¹


    Gregor is usually very gentle, but when ites to God, his personality takes aplete 180.


    The nobles who knew it full well had no choice but to shut their mouths.


    ¡¸Haa¡­ It¡¯s good that you understand, it¡¯s good. Of course, nothing takes priority over God. Yeah¡­¡¹


    He silenced the nobles with a nce, and lifted Sie¡¯s face by her chin.


    ¡¸If you listen carefully, you can hear it too, right? The words of God!¡¹


    ¡¸Sorry, but I¡¯ve never believed in God before, you see.¡¹Sir said, and bit Gregor¡¯s thumb.


    ¡¸¡­?! It hurts, you trash!¡¹


    ¡¸Kyaa!¡¹


    Gregor kicked Sie in the abdomen, and she was blown far back.


    ¡¸Tch, what a stubborn woman!¡¹


    Gregor walked in an irritated manner and stood in front of Sie as she slowly stood up.


    ¡¸If you really can¡¯t¡ºhear¡», I¡¯ll personally convey it to you. God is saying¡­ that you are fated to die here!¡¹


    He said, raising the ash sword high in the sky, and swung it down.


    Sie, who was riddled with wounds, could do nothing but watch.


    (Fate, huh¡­)


    Her life¡¯s memory shed before her.


    The ordinary daily life with her father and mother.


    The encounter with Lilim and Ferris.


    Picking up Sebas who was on the verge of death.


    Enrolling into Thousand de Academy.


    Fun routine in the student council.


    And thest thing she remembered was ¨C Christmas.


    The battle with a cheeky junior that she has never been able to beat.


    When sheunched an attack which put herself in danger, he sighed and said,


    ¡¾Please limit that sort of thing to today only, okay?¡¿


    ¡¾Eh¡­ So you¡¯re not going to save onee-chan anymore?¡¿


    ¡¾No, if you call me, I¡¯ll alwayse to help you¡­¡¿


    That short line which can¡¯t even be called a promise.


    However, for Sie, who has endured strict training since childhood and has never received help from a swordsman of her age before, those words touched her heart deeply.


    ¡¸Hahaha! Now let us hear a pleasant death wail!¡¹


    The ash sword approached right before her eyes.


    Her body does not even twitch.


    Inevitable death.


    In such a hopeless situation, she whispered in a voice that almost couldn¡¯t be heard.


    ¡¸Nee, help me¡­ Allen-kun¡­¡¹


    In that instant, a jet-ck sh ran across the ceremony hall.


    With a storm of evil darkness gushing forth, the ck Sword firmly stopped the insubstantial ash sword.


    ¡¸President, you are as reckless as ever.¡¹


    ¡¸No way¡­¡¹


    Prince Charming, the knight in shining armor, is an existence who only exists in fairy-tales.


    But the one who appeared in reality was ¨C the Prince of Darkness, d in jet-ck armor.

 Chapter 187 - . Allen Cell and Political Marriage [38]

    187. Allen Cell and Political Marriage [38]


    I saw the critical situation from quite a distance away, and immediately deployed the pseudo-ck sword and ran at full speed.


    And as I caught the killing blow that was swung down at the president,


    ¡¸¡­Allen-kun?¡¹


    She looked up at me with a shocked expression.


    ¡¸Yes. It¡¯s been a while, president.¡¹


    ¡¸W-Why are you here¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Well, a lot of things have happened. Before that¡­ please don¡¯t move for a while.¡¹


    ¡¸Eh, understo¨C¡­ kyaa!?¡¹


    I picked up the president and jumped back.


    After taking distance from the swordsman with a heinous look in front of me, I extended darkness to her body, which was full of wounds, and healed her wounds in an instant.


    ¡¸T-Thank you¡­¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re wee.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Wait, that¡¯s not it! Why are you in the middle of the Empire!?¡¹


    ¡¸Obviously I came to rescue you, president. I¡¯ve told you before, haven¡¯t I?¡ºIf you call me, I¡¯ll alwayse to help you¡­¡».¡¹


    When I mentioned the promise I made at Christmas,


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    The president flushed red and was at a loss for words.


    She didn¡¯t say¡ºhelp me¡»until the very end, but¡­


    The letter left behind in the student council room¡­ that letter which was wet by her tears, was a clear cry for help.


    ¡¸Y-You remembered such a trivial conversation?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, of course. And¡­ I¡¯m not the only one who came here, you know? Ria, Rose, Lilim-senpai, Ferris-senpai, and Sebas-san¡­ the whole student council members are present.¡¹


    ¡¸N-No way¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸Right now¡­ they¡¯re fighting with the swordsmen who are guarding the residence.¡¹


    Listening carefully, I can hear the voice of Ria and others, the sound of swords shing, and the screams of the guards.


    Judging from the sounds, they seem to be holding the upper hand right now.


    ¡¸Everyone, why¡­¡¹


    Perhaps the president felt really sorry for involving us in all this, as she said so apologetically.


    And then,


    ¡¸Fuhaa, I see¡­ So you are the¡ºSpecial ss¡»Allen Rodore! I heard that you were strong enough to cut down Fu and Rain. This is good! There is no better offering to God!¡¹


    The man wearing the ck cloakughed eerily, with a heinous smile.


    ¡¸¡­Allen-kun, be careful. That man is Gregor Ash, one of the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle. A dangerous, first-rate swordsman wielding an insubstantial ash sword.¡¹


    ¡¸Thirteen Knights of the Oracle, huh¡­?¡¹


    The guard of the No.1 Noble in the Empire seems not to be someone ordinary.


    ¡¸¡­Do you have any escape n?¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, I¡¯m sorry. Everything was sost minute. To be honest, I don¡¯t have anything at present.¡¹.


    If we can cut through this ce, we can jump to Ringard Imperial Kingdom with the¡ºspot¡»we used to get here, but¡­


    The biggest question is how to pull through this predicament where we have been surrounded by the enemy.


    ¡¸I see¡­ No, I¡¯m sorry. Thank you for saving me. I really appreciate it.¡¹


    The president, despite assuming a gloomy look due to the desperate situation, expressed her thanks sincerely.


    ¡¸The other party is the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle. I¡¯m sure it will not be so easy to escape, but¡­ don¡¯t worry.¡¹


    ¡¸What do you mean¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Right now I am ¨C just a little stronger.¡¹


    I smiled to reassure her and took a step forward.


    Then I ced the pseudo-ck sword in front of my navel and assumed Seigan no Kamae.


    ¡¸Gregor Ash. Sorry, but I don¡¯t have much time to dawdle here. I¡¯m going to get started right away.¡¹


    ¡¸Aa,e at me anytime you want! If I offer a lively man and woman¡­ Fuha, God will be very pleased, too!¡¹


    The corner of his lips curled up into a ferocious smile and he pointed the tip of the ashen sword towards me.


    And when our gazes met, I kicked the floor strongly.


    ¡¸G-Gone¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸Where are you looking?¡¹


    I appeared behind Gregor in one step.


    ¡¸¡­¡­!?¡¹


    And drove in a powerful strike at point-nk range.


    ¡¸First Sword ¨C Flying Shadow!¡¹


    Jet-ck sh gushed forth, and the cathedral was dyed totally¡ºck¡».


    ¡¸What the hell is this ridiculous power¡­!? K-Kindle -¡´Embers Cross¡µ!¡¹


    The guy, who received a direct hit from Flying Shadow, developed his soul dress without being able to endure it and managed to somehow deflect the trajectory of the sh.


    ¡¸Su-Sugoi¡­¡¹


    The president¡¯s whisper echoed throughout the cathedral. And when the dust cleared up,


    ¡¸Bastard¡­ Don¡¯t think you¡¯ll get an easy death!¡¹


    Gregor, bleeding from his forehead, red at me with murderous intent.


    ¡¸I¡¯m not going to die here. And sorry, but I¡¯m going to finish this quickly.¡¹


    Thus, the death battle with Gregor Ash, the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle, began.

 Chapter 188 - Allen Cell and Political Marriage [39]

    188. Allen Cell and Political Marriage [39]


    A gray substance gathered in front of Gregor who deployed his soul dress,¡´Embers Cross¡µ.


    ¡¸Is this¡­¡ºash¡»?¡¹


    It might be a heat-type or dry-type.


    (It¡¯s the first time I¡¯m fighting against this type. I need to brace myself.)


    At any rate, it¡¯s a big advantage to have revealed the opponent¡¯s ability from the beginning.


    And above all.


    (¡­It¡¯s as I thought. The output of darkness has increased quite a bit!)


    The moment I gripped the pseudo-ck sword for the first time in a long time, I understood clearly.


    The darkness swirling in me is stronger, denser, and darker ¨C approaching Zeon¡¯s darkness.


    (The trigger was most likely¡­ the match with Clown-san.)


    At that time, I felt¡ºa foreign power mixing in¡».


    Being able to perceive that power¡­ how do I say this¡­.


    I feel that a¡ºpath¡»that had been blocked until now has opened up a lot.


    (Perhaps¡­ Clown-san grasped the¡ºstrengthening of darkness¡»and that is why he overlooked us going to the Empire.)


    And when I thought back to the situation that happened a little while ago,


    ¡¸Allen¡­ You turned your sword at me, the¡ºApostle of God¡». That is treason to God! You¡¯re prepared for what¡¯sing right! I¡¯m going to continue to give you all kinds of torture and engrave hellish pain into your marrows!¡¹


    Gregor¡¯s roar echoed, and tremendous killing intent filled the cathedral.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸Hi-Hii¡­!?¡¹¡¹¡¹


    The nobles screamed and huddled together. Even the president involuntarily cowered.


    In such a situation, I didn¡¯t feel anything in particr.


    The feeling of hopelessness when crossing swords with Fu for the first time.


    The feeling of pressure when confronting Rain for the first time.


    I couldn¡¯t feel anything like that.


    All I felt was calmness.


    As though I was standing alone in a deste world.


    ¡¸Kuku¡­ What¡¯s the matter with you? Are you so shaken with fear that you can¡¯t even speak!?¡¹


    As Gregor swung his sword with a taunt in the mix, a tremendous amount of ash rolled up.


    The next moment,


    ¡¸Uoh¡­W-What is this¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Eh, ah¡­ Gu-GUAAAAA¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸AAAA!!! HOT HOT HOT¡­!¡¹


    Screams of agony broke out from all over the cathedral.


    As I turned my gaze towards the source of the sreams ¨C the nobles, whose body was enveloped in mes, writhed in agony.


    On the other hand, there was no sign of burning in the cathedral.


    Is he able to control what he burns, or is it a mechanism that only reacts to living things?


    Anyway, it would be better to avoid touching that ash as much as possible.


    ¡¸President, are you all right?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. I have water protection, so it¡¯s no problem. As for Allen-kun¡­ Yeah, you seem to be fine.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, it seems that the dark robe is preventing it.¡¹


    After confirming her safety, I immediately turned my eyes back to Gregor.


    ¡¸Hmmhmm! Ugly, fat pigs do cry in a good voice after all!¡¹


    The man, who suddenly killed the nobles, was humming in good spirits.


    ¡¸¡­Aren¡¯t yourades from the same country?¡¹


    ¡¸Ha¡­? Those nobles are not my friends. There¡¯s no point to them being alive anyways. I burned their life so they would sing that hymn for God¡¯s judgement that will begin now.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I see.¡¹


    It seems like this guy is much more of a low-life than I thought.


    ¡¸Kuku, but man¡­ to care about the nobles of the enemy nation, you¡¯re quite the naive swordsman, aren¡¯t you¡­ Eh!?¡¹


    Gregor said, and came towards me at a moderate speed.


    ¡¸Fuha!¡¹


    Unleashing a clumsy downswing.


    I held my sword horizontally and calmly caught the blow.


    At the moment when our swords collided, a puzzled expression formed on his face.


    ¡¸Hmm, that¡¯s odd¡­ Why can you defend against an insubstantial ash sword? What kind of ability is that darkness?¡¹


    ¡¸Nothing to think deeply about, just amon strengthening-type.¡¹


    This darkness has the power to improve physical ability, defense, and healing.


    I can manipte it like tentacles, but¡­ Basically, it can be ssified into a strengthening-type for the most part.


    ¡¸Hah, bullshit! Just a strengthening ability, won¡¯t be able to stop an insubstantial ash sword¡­ Yo!¡¹


    While saying so, he unleashed a variety of shes ¨C diagonal sh, bamboo sh, upwards sh, downwards sh, thrust ¨C from various angles.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    I evade, sidestep, parry, dealing with each one indifferently.


    A terribly dry and boring sword exchange was repeated.


    ¡¸Hyahahaha! What¡¯s the matter¡­? Does you vigour onlyst at the beginning?¡¹


    Gregor has been in this rhythm for a while now.


    He just swung his sword in a messy way, and threw repeated provocations.


    The president watched the exchanges anxiously.


    ¡¸¡­Hey, can I say something?¡¹I said.


    ¡¸Fuha, what¡­? If you want to beg for forgiveness, it¡¯s toote!¡¹


    I decided to make it clear to the guy who seemed to have a big misunderstanding.


    ¡¸If you don¡¯t want to get serious, I will end this.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Aa?¡¹


    I stepped into his range and unleashed a firm diagonal sh containing my body weight.


    At that moment,


    ¡¸Ga, ha¡­!?¡¹


    The jet-ck sh easily broke Gregor¡¯s ash sword, and carved arge, deep sword wound into his chest.

 Chapter 189 - Allen Cell and Political Marriage [40]

    189. Allen Cell and Political Marriage [40]


    Gregor, who sustained a deep wound on his chest, jumped far back.


    ¡¸Haa haa¡­ shithead! It¡¯s super painful!¡¹


    He took a blue pill out of his pocket, ring at me with hatred filled eyes.


    (A spirit pill, huh¡­)


    When Gregor swallowed it, the sword wound in the center of the chest healed with every passing moment.


    ¡¸Kuu¡­The power of science is great, ain¡¯t it¡­¡¹


    Afterpletely recovering, he dropped his gaze on the pseudo-ck sword.


    ¡¸Man, the ability to manipte¡ºdarkness¡»huh¡­ A stupidly rare type of soul dress I¡¯ve never heard of before. What¡¯s more, that ridiculous output. It¡¯s at the same level as the highest-ss strengthening-type soul dress.¡¹


    Perhaps calming down due to losing some blood¡­ Gregor began to state his view on the darkness in an indifferent manner.


    ¡¸I don¡¯t know how it is able to defend against a sword made of ashes which is insubstantial, but¡­ there¡¯s no mistaking that you have a pretty darn strong spirit core. There is truth to you beating Fu and Rain and the Organization ssifying you as a¡ºspecial ss force¡», at least.¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you.¡¹


    In actuality, I haven¡¯t even deployed my soul dress yet, but¡­


    I don¡¯t have to go out of my way to expose the cards up my sleeve.


    Deciding that, I simply gave a light answer.


    ¡¸Kuku¡­ But you¡¯re out of luck, Allen Rodore! Taking down¡ºstrengthening-type¡»opponents like you is my forte.¡¹


    ¡¸Is that so¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, that¡¯s right! The selling point of¡´Embers Cross¡µis it¡¯s ever-changing nature! Strengthening-types like yours which only have the ability to enhance physical ability¡­ are the quickest to kill!¡¹


    With a heinous smile, Gregor thrust his ashen soul dress into the floor.


    The next moment, four ash spears appeared out from where I stood.


    ¡¸HA!¡¹


    I quickly spun around and cut all four ash spears aimed at my abdomen.


    However,


    ¡¸Fuha, I got you now!¡¹


    ¡¸What¡­ !?¡¹


    The ash spear, seemingly behaved as sticky as mochi and clung to the pseudo-ck sword.


    (This is¡­ the¡ºever-changing form of soul dress¡»that Zeon used!)


    As my eyes widened to the unexpected development,


    ¡¸Burst open! Explode Embers!¡¹


    The sticky ash cast dazzling light, causing a huge explosion.


    ¡¸Guh!?¡¹


    Assailed by the bomb st and embers at almost point nk range, I was blown back.


    At the same time, arge amount of dust rolled up, and all I could see was gray.


    ¡¸A-Allen-kun¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Kuku¡­ There was a definite response, and I caught him perfectly! Well, well, I wonder if the corpse still has all its limbs attached?¡¹


    In the situation where I couldn¡¯t see anything due to all the ash, the president¡¯s uneasy cry and Gregor¡¯s delighted voice echoed.


    ¡¸Oi, Oi, don¡¯t just write me off on your own.¡¹


    I swung my sword lightly, and the sword pressure cleared away the cloud of dust.


    ¡¸Allen-kun¡­ T-Thank goodness.¡¹


    ¡¸Bastard¡­ What the hell? How are you still alive after such a big explosion!?¡¹


    The president breathed a sigh of relief, whereas Gregor was clearly irritated.


    ¡¸I¡¯ve been blown up so much to the point where my body is used to it.¡¹


    ude-san¡¯s¡´Avio Troop¡µand Lilim-senpai¡¯s¡´Burst y¡µ.


    I have fought rtively frequently with soul dress users with explosive-type up to now.


    As a result of repeatedly being exposed to bomb sts and mes over and over again, my body has adapted to the phenomenon of¡ºexplosion¡».


    (But if I get a direct hit from arge bomb like¡ºOwl¡»or¡ºBurst Sword¡», I will definitely sustain damage to a certain extent.)


    The true nature of Gregor¡¯s ability is not explosion, but a¡ºby-product¡»explosion, so to speak. Which can bepletely prevented by dding myself in a thin dark robe.


    ¡¸Is that so¡­ Now I¡¯ve got a good idea that you¡¯re an¡ºinhuman¡». Then, how about this one!?¡¹


    When he raised his left hand high in the sky, a vast amount of ash swords formed over his head.


    He seems to have switched from explosion to stabbing.


    (An¡ºever-changing¡»attack form, with a wide variety of techniques.)


    I won¡¯t be able to defend against that with just the dark robe.


    I held onto Seigan no Kamae and adjusted my breathing.


    ¡¸Haha, I¡¯m going to skewer you! Embers Swords!¡¹


    Gregor swung his left hand down, and more than a hundred ash swords were fired all at once.


    Certainly, the number is a little much, but¡­ this degree is still no problem.


    ¡¸HA!¡¹


    With movements that are true to the basics, I cut down all the impending ash swords.


    ¡¸Tch¡­ A gross swordsmanship that is faithful to the basics. You love boring¡ºin training¡», is it?!¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, that was all I had.¡¹


    I couldn¡¯t belong to any school, so in training was all I had.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t answer seriously to provocation, you trash! Stop the futile resistance, and just die quickly!¡¹


    Gregor roared and swung his left hand sideways. Ash swords appeared in the air encircling me.


    The number was iparable to the previous attack.


    Just looking at it, I counted slightly over a thousand.


    (¡­That¡¯s a lot.)


    It would be physically impossible to cut down this number with the pseudo-ck sword.


    ¡¸This is the end! Embers Siege!¡¹


    The moment he thrust down the ash sword in his hand, the thousand swords floating in the air were shot all at once.


    ¡­¡­It¡¯s about time.


    ¡¸Destroy -¡´Zeon¡µ!¡¹


    The moment I shouted, dusky darkness broke forth into the cathedral.


    Darkness dyed the approaching ash swords with jet-ck and devoured everything in an instant.


    Overwhelming destruction that doesn¡¯t care for consent or refusal.


    ck which stimtes primordial fear.


    Zeon¡¯s darkness devoured sound and light alike. Returning everything to nothing.


    Gregor, who witnessed it up close,


    ¡¸O-Oi Oi¡­ What the hell is that output?!! I-I didn¡¯t hear about this!? I-Isn¡¯t that thing just a straight up monster!?¡¹


    He slowly backed away, muttering something incoherent.


    ¡¸It¡¯s not like I hid it, but this is my soul dress. Gregor Ash. Sorry, but I¡¯m going to settle this match soon!¡¹


    Thus, the death fight between me and Gregor finally entered the final phase.

 Chapter 190 - Allen Cell and Political Marriage [41]

    190. Allen Cell and Political Marriage [41]


    With the True ck Sword in my hand, I started running in a straight line to close the distance with Gregor.


    ¡¸Shit¡­ Don¡¯te near me! Embers Forest!¡¹


    He judged that close-range battle is disadvantageous and jumped back while creating ash trees.


    ¡¸You¡¯re not escaping!¡¹


    I cut down the trees that blocked my course, making a beeline towards him.


    ¡¸You monster¡­ Stop cutting my¡ºash¡»like it¡¯s some kind of tofu!¡¹


    Gaining enough eleration, I stepped into the certain kill distance and unleashed a downsh with that momentum.


    ¡¸HA!¡¹


    ¡¸Tch, don¡¯t underestimate me ¨C Embers Shield!¡¹


    When Gregor thrust the ash sword forward, a gigantic ash shield appeared in front of him.


    The ck Sword collided with the roundish, bulky shield, and a high-pitched sound rang out.


    (¡­It¡¯s hard.)


    Despite the considerable force behind my cut, the ash shield did not crack.


    Perhaps he was pouring in a considerable amount of spiritual power.


    However, no matter how much spiritual power is poured in, it has no meaning before the sh which tears the world asunder.


    ¡¸Fifth Sword ¨C World Judgement!¡¹


    A single sh that cuts anything and everything, cleaved the bulky ash shield right in two.


    When Gregor appeared in my sight again, in between the cut shield, his mouth distorted greatly.


    ¡¸I knew you¡¯d cut it for sure¡­ Inhuman-san yo! Embers Maiden!¡¹


    At that moment, the bulky ash shield, which was cut in two, suddenly attacked from both sides.


    Looking closely, the cut cross-section of the shield was lined with sharp thorns.


    If you get caught between something like that, your body will be skewered with holes and die instantly.


    ¡¸Here, take this extra! Embers Sword!¡¹


    As though just to be doubly sure, he shot more than a hundred ash swords from the front.


    Shield with thorns from the left and right, and a rain of ash swords from the front ¨C simultaneous attacks from three directions.


    It¡¯s the kind of attack that used to be my weakness¡­ However, I already have a countermeasure against these.


    ¡¸Dark Shadow.¡¹


    When I whispered that, as though a monster opening its mouth, the dusky darkness swallowed all the ash swords.


    ¡¸What the bloody hell is that bullshit¡ºdarkness¡»!? A strengthening-type acting like a maniption-type is just in broken!!!¡¹


    Gregor, obviously irritated, screamed while pulling on his hair with his left hand.


    Not missing that slight opening, I zeroed the distance in one step.


    ¡¸Seventh Sword ¨C Instant sh!¡¹


    Godspeed Iai sh cuts through the sound barrier, and cleaved the soul dress in his hand in half.


    ¡¸Fast¡­!?¡¹


    I spun around on the spot without killing the momentum, and threw a roundhouse kick using centrifugal force.


    ¡¸Ka, ha¡­!?¡¹


    At the same time as the sensation of my kicknding on the core of his body was transmitted through my right foot, Gregor was blown away like a ball.


    He crashed into the walls of the cathedral. A huge cloud of dust rolled up.


    ¡¸T-Too strong¡­¡¹


    Just when the president¡¯s astonished whisper sounded, Gregor, gasping for breath, slowly emerged from the cloud of dust.


    ¡¸Haha¡­ Aa, I understand now¡­ I understand clearly that you are devilishly strong¡­ Just like what Fu and Zack said, you are a great talent that is closer to the Emperor¡¯s Four Knights and the Holy Knights Association¡¯s Seven Holy Swords. Damn bastard¡­¡¹


    He walked towards me with unsteady steps and a ghastly expression, while grumbling something.


    ¡¸It¡¯s frustrating, but it¡¯s myplete defeat, I can¡¯t even walk properly¡­ If it is a one-on-one showdown, I will be killed no matter how many hundreds of millions of times I challenge you¡­ But you see, at this moment alone¡­ I still have the chance to win! -¡´Ember Powder¡µ!¡¹


    Gregor shouted with bloodshot eyes and scattered a tremendous amount of ash.


    It covered the entire cathedral, and my field of view was dyed gray.


    (Using a smoke screen at this point? Is he trying to escape?)


    Thinking about that, I swung my sword horizontally with a sh and cleared the ash powder with the sword pressure.


    The next moment,


    ¡¸Kyaa¡­!¡¹


    The president¡¯s scream came from behind.


    ¡¸President!?¡¹


    When I looked back in a hurry,


    ¡¸Kukuku¡­ Oi, Oi, what are you gonna do now? Things have escted now¡­ Allen Rodore!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Allen-kun, I¡¯m sorry.¡¹


    Gregor, who was pointing the broken ash sword towards the president¡¯s nape, had a triumphant smile.

 Chapter 191 - Allen Cell and Political Marriage [42]

    191. Allen Cell and Political Marriage [42]


    The situation immediately took a turn for the worse because the president was taken hostage.


    ¡¸Gregor, you!¡¹


    ¡¸Ooh, scary scary¡­ Don¡¯t make such a scary face.¡¹


    I red at Gregor, who conducted the worst of the worst acts as a swordsman. He just smiled with an uncaring attitude.


    (Shit, what do I do?)


    From here to Gregor, it¡¯s about ten meters.


    (I can cut him down in one second, but¡­)


    The same is true for him.


    In a second, he will surely be able to kill the president.


    ¡¸¡­Let go of the president. This is a duel between me and you!¡¹


    ¡¸Hmm, aren¡¯t you misunderstanding something? This is a battle where I,¡ºone person¡», took on Allen Rodore and Sie Arcstria,¡ºtwo people¡», right? One-vs-Two ¨C It¡¯s an unfair battle from the start, and it¡¯s a standard tactic to aim for the weak one first.¡¹


    This is a one-vs-two match from the start, and this is by no means taking a hostage ¨C Hiding behind sophistry, Gregorughed with his ugliness spilling out.


    ¡¸I see. Did God say,¡ºTake a hostage¡»¡­?¡¹


    When I said that,


    ¡¸S-Shut up¡­ Shut up, shut up, shut up! Someone like you shouldn¡¯t speak about God! This is my own arbitrary decision ¨C God¡¯s will is not involved at all! God, who is sacred and holy and pure and perfect¡­ Will never direct such a cowardly means!¡¹he screamed, pulling on his hair.


    No matter how much sophism he brings up, even he understands that this is just taking a hostage.


    ¡¸Haha¡­ D-Don¡¯t get me wrong, you idiot¡­ I am in control of this situation!¡¹


    Gregor roared and pushed the tip of the broken ash sword towards the president¡¯s neck.


    ¡¸S-Stop!¡¹


    As I took a step forward without thinking,


    ¡¸D-Don¡¯t move! Don¡¯t you care about this woman¡¯s life?¡¹


    He took a step back with a frightened expression, while threatening.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Yes, that¡¯s right. Don¡¯t move from there, you inhuman monster. If you move even one step without my permission¡­ At that moment, I will kill this woman right away.¡¹


    While taking full advantage of the hostage, Gregor demanded, in an indifferent manner.


    ¡¸First of all, throw away that ck sword! While you¡¯re at it, put away the evil darkness, too. I don¡¯t wanna see even a little bit of that. If I see even a strange movement in your spiritual power, I¡¯ll cut this woman¡¯s neck right at that moment!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Aa, I got it.¡¹


    And when I tried to let go of the ck Sword,


    ¡¸Wait!¡¹


    A sharp voice flew.


    ¡¸P-President?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Allen-kun. Don¡¯t care about me, just defeat Gregor.¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸Wha!?¡¹¡¹


    Gregor and I both widened our eyes at the thing the president uttered.


    ¡¸W-What are you saying, president!?¡¹


    ¡¸Think this through calmly, okay? I broke Numero¡¯s spirit and took down one of the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle. If I could do this with my own life, isn¡¯t that enough of an achievement? And above all¡­ I don¡¯t want you to die.¡¹she said. smiling.


    ¡¸D-Don¡¯t be silly! I¡¯ll kill you, shitty woman!¡¹


    When Gregor swung his sword in a rage ¨C blood slightly oozed out of the president¡¯s white skin, trickling down her neck in a straight line.


    ¡¸¡­Ara, are you not going to kill me? No, you can¡¯t kill me, can you? The moment you stab me, you¡¯ll be instantly killed by Allen-kun.¡¹


    ¡¸Guh¡­¡¹


    She most likely hit the bullseye.


    He stiffened, his bloodshot eyes filled with hatred.


    ¡¸Allen-kun, this is myst selfish request. Defeat Gregor and return to the Ringard safely with everyone. Will you promise me?¡¹


    The president said, putting on her usual gentle and soft smile.


    Looking closer, her hands were slightly trembling.


    She suppressed the fear of death with her steel-like mental strength, barely putting on a brave front.


    It¡¯s all just to make sure I wouldn¡¯t worry.


    Truly¡­ such a strong and kind person.


    ¡¸¡­Understood. I promise.¡¹


    If she shows this much resolve, then I have no choice but to respond with an appropriate resolve of my own.


    I exhaled loudly, and slowly let go of the ck Sword.


    A ng sound resounded.


    ¡¸Allen-kun, why¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Fu, Fuha¡­ That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right, that¡¯s the correct decision!¡¹


    The two had contrasting reactions.


    ¡¸It¡¯s okay, president. I¡¯ll definitely keep my promise.¡¹


    Iughed gently to reassure her.


    I¡¯ll beat Gregor and go home together with everyone.


    Of course, the president is included in that¡ºeveryone¡».


    (The president¡¯sst request¡­ In order to grant it, I literally have to walk the line between life and death.)


    I resolved myself for death and adjusted my breathing.


    ¡¸Kukuku, Gyahaha¡­! The next attack will be the strongest sh with all my spiritual power! If a living person took it head on, not even ashes will remain! Are you prepared, Allen Rodore!?¡¹


    Convinced of victory, Gregor poured tremendous spiritual power into the broken ash sword.


    (¡­This is going to be huge)


    If a living person took it, it is definitely dangerous.


    I exhaled loudly and concentrated my mind.


    (¡­Recall.)


    Who on earth was I fighting every single day?


    That¡¯s right.


    The man I have acknowledged as the strongest ¨C Zeon.


    Until now, I¡¯ve been showered with his¡ºstrongest shes¡»to the point of getting tired of them.


    That¡¯s why ¨C there¡¯s no way I¡¯ll be defeated by the attack from Gregor.


    There¡¯s no way I¡¯m going to lose to such a cowardly guy who takes the president hostage.


    This mind and body that has trained for over a billion years and endured Zeon¡¯s shes ¨C can¡¯t be broken so easily.


    Resolve yourself.


    Grit your teeth.


    Live even if you die.


    ¡¸This is the end ¨C Embers Punish!¡¹


    As he swung his sword vigorously, a supermassive ash cross was unleashed with immense force.


    ¡¸ALLEN-KUN!!!¡¹


    The moment the president shrieked,


    ¡¸Ka, ha¡­¡¹


    My whole body was assailed by an unprecedented shock.


    The super-high temperature cross crushed me with its overwhelming mass, and in the end it caused a massive explosion.


    ¡¸Ku, Kukuku! Gyahahahaha! You idiot, big idiot! You¡¯re the biggest idiot in the world, Allen Rodore! You could¡¯ve won easily if you were smarter!¡¹


    ¡¸N-No¡­¡¹


    The massive mass broke my bones, the scorching heat wave burned my flesh, and the bomb st struck my entire body.


    Hellish pain engulfed my body, and my vision was stained with ashes and blood. Relying on Gregor¡¯s vulgarughter, I ran at him with all my power.


    And then,


    ¡¸Haa, haa¡­ I got you now.!¡¹


    While being on the verge of death, I firmly grabbed his right hand.


    ¡¸O-Oi, Oi¡­! T-That¡¯s impossible! There should be a line where a human being just can¡¯t survive, right?!!!¡¹


    ¡¸Can you hear what God is saying, Gregor? That it¡¯s your defeat!¡¹


    I gripped the newly formed ck Sword and poured all my spiritual power into it.


    ¡¸Sixth Sword ¨C Dark Roar!¡¹


    In that split second, a torrent of dusky darkness raged.


    ¡¸Ga, ha¡­!?¡¹


    A gigantic ck sh swallowed Gregor whole.


    Thus, I triumphed over the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle, Gregor Ash.

 Chapter 192 - Allen Cell and Political Marriage [43]

    192. Allen Cell and Political Marriage [43]


    After triumphing over Gregor, I fell to my knees on the spot, while breathing heavily.


    ¡¸Haa, haa¡­¡¹


    This time, I really thought I was going to die¡­


    I took a direct hit from the strongest attack of one of the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle, who are also known as a national force.


    It is a miracle to still have all my limbs attached.


    ¡¸Fuu¡­¡¹


    While adjusting my breathing, I heal my injuries with the healing effect of the darkness.


    (¡­The healing is quite slow.)


    The wounds are quite deep, but¡­


    Dark Roar, which I unleashed at the end, probably took most of my spiritual power with it


    As I temporarily performed emergency treatment for the time being,


    ¡¸Allen-kun!¡¹


    The president, who was released from Gregor¡¯s clutch, rushed up to me.


    ¡¸Those wounds¡­ Are you okay?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, I seem to be safe somehow.¡¹


    I forced a smile so as not to worry her unnecessarily.


    ¡¸T-Thank goodness¡­¡¹


    She breathed a sigh of relief and sat down on the spot.


    ¡¸I mean, that¡¯s not it! Why did you take on that attack without the dark robe!? There should be a limit to your recklessness! If things went south, you might have really died!¡¹


    The president came close to my face with an angry look. She seemed like she might burst out crying at any moment.


    When her sweet scent filled my nostrils, my heart started to beat faster.


    ¡¸Ahahah, I¡¯m sorry¡­ But you know, I made a promise, after all.¡¹


    ¡¸The promise is for you to defeat Gregor and return safely to the Imperial Kingdom with everyone, right? If that¡¯s the case, wouldn¡¯t it have been better if you didn¡¯t do that crazy thing and just cut down Gregor?¡¹


    ¡¸No, I can¡¯t do that.¡¹


    ¡¸Why¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Because for me,¡ºeveryone¡»includes you as well.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    When I said that, her cheeks flushed red and she looked down.


    ¡¸I-I see¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. So at that time, no matter how reckless it was, I had no choice but to do that.¡¹


    As I said that, I healed the cut on the president¡¯s neck with what remaining darkness I had left.


    ¡¸T-Thank you¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. You¡¯re wee.¡¹


    When the conversation was over, I took off my uniform jacket and checked its condition.


    (¡­All right, it looks okay.)


    Even though it is considerably torn up, the uniform is woven with ultra-reinforced fiber that the Imperial Kingdom is proud of. Thus it retained the original form of a jacket even after Gregor¡¯s attack.


    ¡¸President, please take this.¡¹


    I handed her the jacket.


    ¡¸Hmm, why¡­?¡¹


    As I thought, the president still hadn¡¯t noticed, and she tilted her head in a cute manner.


    ¡¸How do I say this¡­ Umm, I don¡¯t know where to look, so it would be helpful if you could wear this.¡¹


    There must have been a fierce fight between the president and Gregor before I came here.


    Her wedding dress was torn all over. She was in a severely exposed state.


    (It barely functions as a dress, but¡­)


    When she slouches in that state, her bountiful breasts are emphasized too much, and I am troubled as to where to look.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t know where to look¡­!? A-Allen-kun you pervert!¡¹


    The president, who understood my meaning, hurriedly put her hands through the sleeves of the jacket. Her face flushing red to her ears.


    ¡¸A-Ahaha¡­ that¡¯s harsh.¡¹


    After that slight joke, we stood up slowly.


    ¡¸President. Can I say something?¡¹


    I looked straight into her eyes, in a serious tone.


    ¡¸Y-Yes. What is it?¡¹


    She replied with a tense look on her face.


    ¡¸In the future, if you get involved in something like this again, instead of trying to shoulder everything by yourself, would you please discuss it with me? I might be a little unreliable, but still¡­ I might be able to help you. Will you promise me?¡¹


    And when I held out my pinky finger,


    ¡¸¡­Okay. I¡¯ll definitely do that next time.¡¹


    She whispered with a tone of happiness and thrust her pinky finger to the front.


    My boorish pinky finger and her soft, warm pinky fingers ovepped, and we sealed the promise.


    ¡¸¡­Fufu.¡¹


    Iughed without thinking.


    ¡¸W-What are youughing at¡­?¡¹


    She puffed her cheeks slightly and put on a sullen expression.


    ¡¸No. I just thought you are more like an¡ºimouto¡»than an¡ºonee-san¡».¡¹


    ¡¸M-Mou¡­ Allen-kun is always so cheeky!¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry, ahaha.¡¹.


    We exchanged conversation in a usual manner.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s go. Ria and everyone from the student council is waiting for us.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, let¡¯s go.¡¹


    Having seeded in rescuing the president safely, I left the half-destroyed cathedral and headed towards Ria and the others.

 Chapter 193 - Allen Cell and Political Marriage [44]

    193. Allen Cell and Political Marriage [44]


    When we rushed out of the cathedral from Numero¡¯s residence, a fierce battle had already unfolded there.


    The vast garden was filled with several hundred members of the Organization dressed in ck cloaks.


    On the other hand, our five reliablepanions; Ria, Rose, Lilim-senpai, Ferris-senpai, and Sebas-san.


    They were focused on the enemy in front of them, and didn¡¯t seem to notice us.


    (For the time being, I have to let them know the president has been rescued.)


    And also to break the enemies¡¯ morals, I shouted in a loud voice.


    ¡¸The president has been rescued safely! All we have to do now is return to the Imperial Kingdom!¡¹


    At that moment, a big shock ran among the members of the Organization.


    ¡¸No way¡­ The strongest guard¡­ The Thirteen Knights of the Oracle was defeated!?¡¹


    ¡¸I-It¡¯s that guy again¡­¡ºSpecial ss Force¡»Allen Rodore!¡¹


    ¡¸Kuso, we can¡¯t handle that guy with our numbers. Get in touch with Belios Castle as soon as possible, call for reinforcements!¡¹


    When their movement stopped, Ria and the rest ran up to us.


    ¡¸Allen! President! Thank goodness you are safe!¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m d nothing serious happened!¡¹


    Ria and Rose rejoiced for our safety from the bottom of their hearts


    ¡¸Baka Sie¡­ I thought I¡¯d never see you again.¡¹


    ¡¸If you do this again next time, I¡¯ll never forgive you though¡­!¡¹


    Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai hugged the president with tears in their eyes.


    ¡¸President, I am most d that you are safe! Your¡­ Your Sebas came to you in a hurry!¡¹


    Sebas-san dropped to his knees in front of the president, choked with tears.


    The president, who received a warm wee from everyone,


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry for all the trouble I¡¯ve caused. And thank you so much foring to rescue me.¡¹


    Apologetically and slightly happily, she bowed her head deeply


    And after finishing the reunion with the president,


    ¡¸Judging from your appearances, both of you seem to be pretty exhausted. Was there such a strong swordsman in there?¡¹


    Looking at my and the president¡¯s ragged states, Rose asked with a serious expression.


    ¡¸Yeah. Numero was guarded by one of the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle. Due to a couple of reasons, it took some time to defeat him.¡¹


    As I mentioned it lightly, Ria and the others widened their eyes.


    ¡¸A-As expected of Allen¡­ To easily bring down a¡ºnational force¡»ss swordsman.¡¹


    ¡¸As usual, you do the unthinkable.¡¹


    Ria and Rose swallowed their saliva loudly.


    ¡¸I see¡­ In other words, Allen-kun¡¯s subjugation record is now¡ºthree people¡»following Fu Rudras and Rain d. You are definitely going to be cklisted by the Empire¡­ no doubt.¡¹


    ¡¸Since you have defeated three of the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle alone¡­ It wouldn¡¯t be strange it there were to be assasination attempts on your life, though.¡¹


    Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai spoke of a dreadful prediction.


    ¡¸But man, to take down Gregor alone, you are amazing, after all. As expected, my eyes didn¡¯t deceive me. Allen, you¡¯re a magnificent inhuman who has nothing to be ashamed of.¡¹


    ¡¸Eh¡­? Ah, thank you.¡¹


    I nodded for the time being though feeling a little uneasy by Sebas-san¡¯s remark.


    And after the slight conversation, Ria took a step forward.


    ¡¸Allen and the president are back safely, so now is the time to do it!¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, I¡¯ll teach them the true horror of the Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style!¡¹


    ¡¸Our junior, Allen-kun, made a great aplishment! We seniors can¡¯t fall behind either!¡¹


    ¡¸From here on out, we¡¯ll go all out. though¡­!¡¹


    Everyone said, and developed their soul dress at the same time.


    ¡¸Invade -¡´Fafnir¡µ!¡¹


    ¡¸Dye -¡´Winter Sakura¡µ!¡¹


    ¡¸Explode -¡´Burst y¡µ!¡¹


    ¡¸Restrain -¡´Bind Psychic¡µ!¡¹


    Four first-rate swordsmen releasing their soul dress at the same time was stunning.


    Pressed by the overwhelming torrent of spiritual power, the members of the Organization retreated one step after another.


    (I see. So they have been fighting without soul dress up until now¡­)


    Apparently everyone was fighting only with pure swordsmanship to preserve their strength when going back home.


    ¡¸From here on out, we¡¯ll open a way!¡¹


    ¡¸Allen and president, just follow us!¡¹


    The belligerent Ria and Rose took the lead.


    ¡¸Ferris, we can¡¯t afford to lose either!¡¹


    ¡¸Of course! We will definitely go home with everyone aftering this far, though¡­¡¹


    Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai followed behind them.


    Thus, we aimed for the¡ºspot¡»on the tenth floor of Belios Castle.

 Chapter 194 - Allen Cell and Political Marriage [45]

    194. Allen Cell and Political Marriage [45]


    Ria and Rose, who took the lead with great force, released their spiritual power that they had suppressed so far.


    ¡¸Get out of the way ¨C ck Breath!¡¹


    ¡¸Dance, Sakura Blizzard!¡¹


    Wild ck me swept, and vivid sakura petals soared.


    The members of the Organization, who were under intense attack by the two, fell down one by one.


    ¡¸Damnit, the sessor of the Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style and the host of Fafnir!¡¹


    ¡¸Those long-range attacks are annoying¡­ We¡¯ll bring down those two first!¡¹


    The moment they quickly reassembled their formation and aimed at Ria and Rose,


    ¡¸I won¡¯t let you do that, though¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Take this!¡¹


    Ferris-senpai sealed their movement with psychic thread, and Lilim-senpai swung her burst sword.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸GUAAAAHH¡¹¡¹¡¹


    Arge explosion broke out, and more than a hundred members fell to the ground.


    We mowed down the enemies with unstoppable force, and moved forward without stopping.


    A littleter, when Belios Castle came within eye shot, Numero¡¯s residence behind me was suddenly engulfed in a huge me.


    ¡¸W-What¡­?¡¹


    When I looked back at the explosion,


    ¡¸ALLEN RODOREEEEE!¡¹


    There was the figure of Gregor who gripped an extremely unstable soul dress.


    ¡¸That guy is still able to move?¡¹


    ¡¸I won¡¯t let you escape¡­ *cough**cough*¡­¡­ !? Haa, Haa¡­. Taking¡ºthree¡»really messes up the body, after all¡­¡¹


    Perhaps he took a reckless amount of spirit pill to recover from those life threatening injuries.


    His body was¡ºassimted¡»with his soul dress, and he floated in the air, like¡ºash¡».


    (Damn, this is bad¡­)


    From the front, members of the Organization were constantly rushing in.


    From the rear, Gregor Ash, one of the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle.


    This is the worst pincer move we could¡¯ve got caught up in.


    (Ria and the rest are tied up with opening up a path, and the president is not ready to fight yet¡­ Which means I have to take care of this¡­)


    When I tried to squeeze out darkness by concentrating my somewhat slightly restored spiritual power,


    ¡¸¡­Can¡¯t be helped. I will stop Gregor.¡¹


    Sebas-san pulled his hood down more deeply and took the position of rearguard.


    Then, the president cuts in from the side, as if she had expected it already.


    ¡¸If it¡¯s you, I¡¯m sure you will be fine, but be careful. Gregor¡¯s sword is an ash sword ¨C a mysterious insubstantial soul dress.¡¹


    When she gave a slight advice,


    ¡¸P-President¡­ Exerting yourself to care about my wellbeing¡­ I am extremely and humbly delighted!¡¹


    Sebas-san, ovee with emotion, bowed his head deeply.


    ¡­Despite such a tense situation, he is a person who really has a lot of love for the president.


    When I was thinking about that,


    ¡¸Stop! Embers Sword!¡¹


    Gregor swung his left hand vigorously and shot more than a hundred ash swords.


    ¡¸¡­How sloppy.¡¹


    Sebas-san whispered, and shook his sword lightly, as if brushing off a bug.


    As a result, all the approaching ash swords turned into fine particles in an instant.


    (F-Fast!)


    As I strained my eyes and observed, he had already unleashed more than 10¡ºConsecutive Side Sweep.¡»


    (No way, to unleash that many shes with zero motion¡­)


    Sebas-san is no ordinary man, after all.


    His ability from whence he defeated the General of White Lily Academy at the Sword King Festival was still going strong.


    ¡¸Guh, you too, huh¡­ Why the hell can all of you suddenly defend against my ash sword!?¡¹


    Gregor, while scratching his head messily, skillfully handled his ash-like body and instantly closed the distance from the air.


    After that, while Sebas-san was dealing with Gregor, we pushed forward, but¡­


    Our initial momentum has greatly reduced, and right now we were moving at a snail¡¯s pace.


    That¡¯s because as we got closer to Belios Castle, the number of enemies shot up at once.


    ¡¸Haa haa¡­ these guys are so persistent!¡¹


    ¡¸Kuh, no matter how many times I cut, there is no end to them!¡¹


    Ria and Rose, who used the power of their soul dress extensively, were already running out of breath.


    If the battle continues like this, their spiritual power will run out before long.


    ¡¸A-As expected of the headquarters of the ck Organization, they won¡¯t let us go so easily.¡¹


    ¡¸If it goes on like this, it¡¯s going to get dangerous, though¡­¡¹


    Fatigue clearly appeared on the faces of Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai, as they seemed to be running out of stamina.


    (Damn, what should we do?)


    Sebas-san is holding back Gregor.


    Ria and the others can¡¯t keep this up forever.


    And, of course, the president is still not in a state to fight.


    (If this situation¡­ I have no choice but to do it¡­)


    The burden on my body will be enormous, but¡­


    With all the spiritual power remaining, let¡¯s unleash the sixth sword ¨C Dark Roar.


    If I do so, the enemy¡¯s formation will copse entirely, and a straight road to Belios Castle will open up.


    (It will drain my spiritual power, but it¡¯s much better than being annihted in this ce¡­)


    I have confidence in my body¡¯s robustness and fortitude.


    Even if it reaches critical condition, until the moment when everyone returns to the Imperial Kingdom, it can continue to move on pure willpower.


    (All right, let¡¯s do it!)


    The moment I solidified my resolve and created the pseudo-ck sword,


    ¡¸Zahahaha! I heard there was an enemy attack and rushed here!¡¹


    Zack Bomber, with his soul dress¡´ze Cross¡µin his hand, fell in front of us from high in the sky.


    ¡¸Z-Zack!?¡¹


    ¡¸Zahaha! It¡¯s been a long time,¡ºSpecial ss Force¡»Allen Rodore! I am going to take my revenge for the other day!¡¹


    The man, who was d in raging scorching me, turned the tip of his greatsword towards me with a heinous smile.

 Chapter 195 - Allen Cell and Political Marriage [46]

    195. Allen Cell and Political Marriage [46]


    Zack, who suddenly appeared in front of us, hadpletely changed from before and unleashed tremendous hostility.


    ¡¸Zack, you!¡¹


    ¡¸Zahaha! I found you atst!¡¹


    He held up his greatsword, which was as tall as him, and thrust it into the earth.


    ¡¸Eat this, ze Circle!¡¹


    At that moment, a circr scorching me, with Zack at the center, zed.


    ¡¸Wha!? GUAAAA!¡¹


    Due to the omnidirectional attack, screams came from all over the ce.


    ¡¸Damnit!¡¹


    I immediately stood in front of everyone and mustered the remaining spiritual power I had left and developed a shield of darkness.


    However,


    ¡¸What¡­?¡¹


    The me directed at us had no¡ºheat¡»in it.


    It was like a¡ºsuperficial me¡»merely for the sake of looking like a me.


    ¡¸Zahaha! That was quite shy even for me!¡¹


    Zack, who disorganised his allies¡¯ formation by burning the members of the Organization,ughed uncouthly.


    ¡¸Why did you¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Nothing much really. I just thought it would be a waste to lose sparkly in a ce like this. Now, cut me down and go. Just don¡¯t kill me, will you?¡¹


    Apparently, he¡¯s just putting on an act to help us.


    ¡¸¡­Thank you.¡¹


    ¡¸Zahaha, didn¡¯t you say¡ºI won¡¯t say thank you¡»?¡¹


    ¡¸See you then.¡¹I replied to Zack, with a light smile.


    ¡¸Aa, we¡¯ll meet again elsewhere,¡ºExtraordinary Sparkly¡»!¡¹


    After bidding farewell, I pulled out the sword fastened at my waist and shed his chest shallowly.


    ¡¸Kafu¡­¡¹


    A shallow sword wound ran across his chest, and Zack slowly fell face first.


    And then,


    ¡¸Z-Zack¡­ was done in with only one blow!?¡¹


    ¡¸Shit¡­ Wasn¡¯t Allen Rodore supposed to be extremely exhausted!?¡¹


    The members surrounding us at a distance were bewildered.


    ¡¸Now is our chance, let¡¯s go!¡¹


    We didn¡¯t miss the opportunity that Zack created, and pushed forward greatly.


    When the main entrance of Belios Castle came into sight,


    ¡¸Emergency announcement. Invasion of enemy forces led by¡ºSpecial ss Force¡»Allen Rodore has been confirmed. The location is in front of Belios Castle. All swordsmen living in the capital should immediately intercept him.¡¹


    An emergency broadcast rang with a loud warning sound.


    At the same time, a tremendous number of swordsmen rushed out of the houses in the city.


    ¡¸T-This is¡­!?¡¹


    They numbered several tens of thousands. Our entire field of view was filled with¡ºpeople¡»and¡ºswords¡».


    ¡¸A-Allen¡­ What should we do!?¡¹


    ¡¸No matter what we do, it¡¯s impossible to handle this number!¡¹


    In front of the overwhelming¡ºviolent numbers¡», Ria and Rose turned pale.


    ¡¸I-Is there anything we can do!?¡¹


    ¡¸It looks like this is the end, though¡­¡¹


    Lilim-senpai fell into a state of half-panic, and Ferris-senpai¡¯s shoulders drooped, half giving up.


    ¡¸A-Allen-kun¡­¡¹


    The president gripped the sleeves of my clothes with a mixture of hope and anxiousness.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    I wracked my brain like never before, and tried toe up with an answer to ovee this difficult situation.


    (From the rear, Gregor Ash, one of the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle. And tens of thousands of enemy forces surrounding us from all directions. In addition, we are all in a wounded and exhausted state.)


    ¡­¡­¡­It¡¯s impossible.


    If you look at the current situation, even a child could understand that.


    This was already¡­¡ºcheckmate¡».


    (Shit, is it gonna end in a ce like this?)


    While everyone¡¯s shoulders drooped, I still didn¡¯t give up and desperately kept thinking about a way to survive.


    At that moment,


    ¡¸Allen-san, your¡ºpotential¡»should not end in a ce like this. Repulse¡´Lonely Crown¡µ.¡¹


    A colossal spiritual power that I had never felt before.


    ¡¸What¡­ is this?¡¹


    ¡¸M-My body is heavy¡­ a gravity-type ability?¡¹


    Streets and houses over an extensive range were crushed by an¡ºinvisible force¡», and tens of thousands of swordsmen were engulfed by that¡ºwave of destruction¡».


    It was so overwhelming that it looked like an actual natural disaster. Such a sight that it took my breath away.


    (There is no mistaking this power¡­ It¡¯s Clown-san¡¯s¡ºRepulsive Force¡»!)


    I can¡¯t see him, but he seems to be secretly lending a hand from somewhere.


    ¡¸W-What a tremendous spiritual power! The output is on the same level as the Seven Holy Swords.¡¹


    ¡¸That shady-looking man¡­ I never thought he¡¯d be hiding this much power.¡¹


    Ria and Rose murmured so, astonished by Clown-san¡¯s power.


    Then we turned forward and just kept moving our feet.


    ¡¸Allen, look over there!¡¹


    Ria pointed to the main entrance of Belios Castle, where three swordsmen were lying in wait.


    (Are they possibly¡­!?)


    Looking closely, their outfits were the same as those worn by Fu Rudras and Rain d; the highest executives of the ck Organization.


    In other words, those three swordsmen are no doubt Thirteen Knights of the Oracle.


    (Damn, we¡¯re so close, and yet¡­)


    That¡ºso close¡»¡­ was terribly far away.


    ¡¸Aftering this far, there¡¯s no choice but to do it! Breakthrough right from the front!¡¹


    I created the pseudo-ck sword and leaped to the forefront.


    I am overwhelmingly outmatched, but there¡¯s no other way but to move forward!


    ¡¸HAAAAAAA!!!¡¹


    The moment I tried to attack,


    ¡¸-Supreme Wind de!¡¹


    ¡¸Wha!?¡¹


    A tremendous gust of wind arose from our feet, and we soared high into the sky.


    (This technique belongs to!)


    When wended on the rooftop of Belios Castle, there stood ¨C the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle, Fu Rudras.


    ¡¸Hmm¡­ There¡¯s a nice wind blowing today.¡¹


    Fu whispered unnaturally, and dropped his gaze to an old, thick book in his hand.


    ¡¸I don¡¯t know why you helped, but¡­ you saved us!¡¹


    Thus, we who managed to break into Belios Castle started running for the¡ºspot¡»on the tenth floor.

 Chapter 196 - Allen Cell and Political Marriage [47]

    196. Allen Cell and Political Marriage [47]


    We parted with Fu on the rooftop and ran down the stairs.


    We cut down the enemies we encountered on the way before they could call for backup.


    As a result, we were able to reach the tenth floor where the spot is located without stopping at all.


    And then we aimed for Zack¡¯s room, which was just around the corner.


    ¡¸T-There they are! Allen Rodore and his gang!¡¹


    One man noticed us and shouted. And as many as 30 members gathered in no time.


    ¡¸That¡¯s a lot¡­¡¹


    It¡¯s pretty tough to take on that number at the same time in such an exhausted state.


    (But fortunately¡­ This is a straight corridor!)


    If it is a straight corridor without anywhere to take cover, I can settle this in one attack.


    ¡¸Sixth Sword ¨C Dark Roar!¡¹


    I mustered what little spiritual power I had, and released a sh of darkness.


    ¡¸Wha, h-huge!¡¹


    ¡¸Gu, Guaaah¡­!?¡¹


    The ck Dark Roar mowed down the members one after another, and a straight path was opened up in front of us.


    ¡¸A-As expected of Allen-kun¡­ You can shoot such a sh in that battered state. It would be worthwhile topete with you as a senior!¡¹


    ¡¸He has alreadypletely quit being a human being, so we can¡¯t win even if wepete though¡­¡¹


    Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai looked at the jet-ck sh in nk amazement.


    ¡¸Haa haa¡­ Zack¡¯s room is just a stone¡¯s throw away! Let¡¯s hurry!¡¹


    When I shouted, everyone nodded and began to sprint.


    (T-This is really severe¡­)


    My vision shook greatly and intense exhaustion enveloped my whole body.


    My spiritual power most likely has run outpletely.


    (But it¡¯s just a little further¡­ If I endure a little bit more, we can all go home together!)


    I clenched my teeth and carried my heavy feet forward and forward and forward.


    The moment we somehow managed to get to Zack¡¯s room,


    ¡¸ALLEEEEEEN RODOREEEEEEEE!¡¹


    Gregor Ash, the Thirteenth Knights of the Oracle, appeared as he broke through the exterior walls of the room.


    ¡¸G-Gregor¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸Yo Yo, why are you trying to run away so desperately. After all, we¡¯re friends who can hear the¡ºvoice of God¡». Right, Allen Rodore¡­?¡¹


    With a heinous smile on his face, he stroked the unstable ash sword.


    ¡¸¡­You seem to be making good use of that body.¡¹


    Gregor¡¯s body, which assimted with his soul dress and became¡ºash¡», was still floating in the air.


    He most probably flew through the sky to this room, which is located on the 10th floor.


    ¡¸But it¡¯s strange. How did you know where we are¡­?¡¹


    It¡¯s hard to imagine that he happened to get into this room by chance in this vast Belios Castle.


    ¡¸It¡¯s of course, none other than a¡ºmiracle of God¡»! ¨C is what I¡¯d like to say, but it¡¯s nothing that grand. There, it¡¯s the¡ºash¡»stuck to your clothes. It tells me¡ºHere! The fool who rebelled against God are here!¡»¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡­¡­!?¡¹¡¹


    At the same time, the president and I lowered our sight to our clothes.


    Looking closely, I could see small ashes in the gap between the clothes.


    It seems that he relied on this to get our exact position.


    ¡¸Kuku¡­ I see it now. I was wondering why the hell you were desperately running towards the castle. So your n is to run and escape using Dodoriel¡¯s¡ºSpot¡», huh¡­¡¹


    Gregor turned to the spot behind him and held up his ash sword high.


    At that moment, a strong chill ran down my spine.


    (No way, is he¡­ trying to erase it!?)


    We don¡¯t know the particrs about¡ºSpot.¡»


    So we don¡¯t even know if a spot can be extinguished or not.


    But looking at Gregor¡¯s overjoyed expression, the answer was too obvious.


    It seems that the spot can be easily erased by external impact.


    ¡¸Damnit, I won¡¯t let you!¡¹


    Right when I pulled out my sword in a hurry, Sebas-san, who had been silent up until now, moved quickly.


    He took off the hood that was pulled deep over his eyes and walked towards Gregor in aposed manner


    ¡¸Aa? What the hell, were you hiding among them? Whatever, you came just at the right time. Give me a hand, Seba¡­ Ah?¡¹


    I didn¡¯t even realise when he unsheathed his sword. Sebas-san¡¯s sword was already lodged deep into Gregor¡¯s chest.


    ¡¸Se..bas!? Bastard¡­ Why did you betray us!?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s not like I betrayed. Unlike you, Gregor, I am one of the Emperor¡¯s Four Knights. Purging a subordinate who failed is also part of the work, isn¡¯t it?¡¹


    Sebas-san said an outrageous thing nonchntly.


    ¡¸Moreover, a low-life that raised his hand against the president¡­ is not someone I can call a friend anymore.¡¹


    And he pushed Gregor off the tenth floor.

 Chapter 197 - Allen Cell and Political Marriage [48]

    197. Allen Cell and Political Marriage [48]


    ¡°Hiding among them¡±, ¡±Betrayal¡±, ¡°Emperor¡¯s Four Knights¡±, ¡°Purging subordinate who failed¡±- those words struck us speechless.


    In the middle of all that,


    ¡¸Sebas, as I expected, you are after all¡­¡¹


    Only the president pulled out her sword quickly, as if she had foreseen this situation.


    ¡¸I am sorry, president. It looks like this is where we part ways.¡¹


    Sebas-san smiled painfully, as he shrugged his shoulder.


    ¡¸¡­Now, please go quickly. If you stay too long, it¡¯ll be troublesome due to my position.¡¹


    He said, and stepped away from the spot.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    Our gazes met. A heavy air permeated the ce.


    (No way, to think Sebas-san was one of the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle ¨C in addition to that, the¡ºEmperor¡¯s Four Knights¡», who reports directly to the Emperor.)


    Since when did he start serving in the ck Organization?


    Why did he cut down Gregor?


    Why is he trying to let us escape?


    A number of questions filled my mind.


    Then I heard three footsteps running up the stairs from a distance.


    It is most likely the three Thirteen Knights of the Oracle who were at the front entrance a while ago.


    ¡¸Anyway, escape is the maximum priority right now. Let¡¯s return to the Imperial Kingdom as soon as possible before the¡ºenemy¡»changes his mind.¡¹


    Rose, stillposed, whispered so that only we could hear it.


    The word¡ºenemy¡»referring to Sebas-san pierced deep into my chest.


    ¡¸I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on anymore, but¡­ anyway, let¡¯s go, Sie!¡¹


    ¡¸Let¡¯s postpone the details, though!¡¹


    ¡¸Eh, ah, wait¡­!?¡¹


    Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai pulled the president by the hand and jumped into the spot.


    The three student council members were swallowed by the ck shadow.


    Sebas-san stared at it sorrowfully.


    ¡¸¡­Sayonara, president. Lilim, Ferris¡­ It has been fun.¡¹


    He whispered, as though saying his final farewell.


    After the president and senpais, Ria and Rose also jumped into the spot.


    (All right, everyone has escaped safely¡­!)


    And when I tried to join them,


    ¡¸Allen, do you have a minute?¡¹


    Sebas-san said with a heavy tone, and with a serious look.


    ¡¸¡­What is it?¡¹


    I decided to respond for the time being while readying myself to jump into the spot at any time.


    ¡¸Ah, you don¡¯t have to be so on guard. I¡¯m not going to do anything to you guys for today.¡¹


    ¡¸¡ºToday¡», huh¡­¡¹


    If you look at it from another perspective, it means he¡¯ll start attacking us mercilessly from tomorrow onwards.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t re at me like that. We both have our¡ºpositions¡», don¡¯t we?¡¹


    Sebas-san scratched his cheeks with a troubled expression.


    ¡¸So¡­ what is it?¡¹


    If I stay here for too long, Ria and the others who jumped in first will start to worry.


    Deciding that, I urged him to get to the point.


    ¡¸Aa, about that¡­ Thanks to you, we were able to rescue the president safely. I truly thank you very much.¡¹


    He bowed his head deeply, with an extremely serious expression that he has never shown before.


    From the sincere attitude and the words that came from his heart, I understood that this was his true feelings, without a shred of a lie mixed in.


    ¡¸I received information about the political marriage from a ¡°certain source¡±, but¡­ Due to my position as one of the Emperor¡¯s Four Knights, I wasn¡¯t able to make a move openly. It is all thanks to you that we were able to save the president. Thank you very much.¡¹


    Sebas-san said, expressing his gratitude again.


    ¡¸I owe a huge debt to Allen now. I don¡¯t know if this will clear that debt, but I want to make you a promise.¡¹


    ¡¸A promise¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸As a¡ºfriend¡», no matter what the situation might be ¨C I will help you once.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Is that so? I appreciate your feelings, but I¡¯ll take it with a grain of salt.¡¹


    Understandably, I can¡¯t just ept without questioning the words of a top executive.


    ¡¸That¡¯s fine for now. The important thing is not words but actions. Well then, Allen, take care of that scatterbrained, dunce, and¡­ helplessly kind and gentle president, okay?¡¹


    Heughed sorrowfully, with an expression that seemed like he would break down at any moment.


    ¡¸Yes, leave it to me.¡¹


    ¡¸Right now we¡¯re enemies, but¡­ your words are very reassuring.¡¹


    And when the story came to a pause,


    ¡¸Oh, yeah. Since we¡¯re at it, I¡¯ll give you a piece of advice.¡¹


    Sebas-san said, as though he had just recalled it.


    ¡¸Your precious loved one, Ria Vesteria, keep a watchful eye on her physical condition.¡¹


    ¡¸Ria¡¯s physical condition¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m guessing not long before that¨C Oh, too bad. It looks like our time is up.¡¹


    He cut off the conversation and quickly headed outside Zack¡¯s room.


    ¡¸Wha, Sebas-sama!? Did youe back from your mission!?¡¹


    ¡¸Please be careful!¡ºSpecial ss Force¡»Allen Rodore is hiding inside the castle!¡¹


    ¡¸Ourrade, Gregor Ash, was defeated, and Numero Dn and hundreds of guards have been cut down.¡¹


    Three unfamiliar voices echoed.


    Most likely the three Thirteen of Knights of the Oracle whom I saw at the front entrance, have run up here.


    ¡¸Is that so¡­ Unfortunately, they slipped out of my hands just a second ago.¡¹


    After feeding them that lie, he turned his gaze towards the spot for just a moment.


    It was a message that evidently said,¡ºEscape now¡».


    (¡­Goodbye, Sebas-san.)


    I whispered in my heart, and jumped into the spot.


    Thus, we, who seeded in the rescue of the president, escaped from the Holy Ronelia Empire safely.

 Chapter 198 - Allen Cell and Political Marriage [49]

    198. Allen Cell and Political Marriage [49]


    After jumping into the spot, I passed through the¡ºShadow World¡»and arrived at the Phantom Spirit Laboratory in Ringard Imperial Kingdom.


    Ria, Rose, President, Lilim-senpai, Ferris-senpai ¨C After confirming everyone¡¯s safe arrival, I breathed a sigh of relief.


    (Thank goodness. We were all able toe back safely.)


    Although, there was the exception of Sebas-san.


    But he belonged to the¡ºOrganization¡»from the beginning, and he just returned to where he belonged.


    Looking at the results, we seeded in rescuing the president without losing anyone.


    This incident can be called aplete victory.


    When I exhaled a breath of relief,


    ¡¸Allen, I¡¯m d you¡¯re safe! You were a littlete, so I was worried if something happened over there.¡¹


    Ria rushed up to me, with a worried look.


    I seem to have caused her to worry.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry, Sebas-san stopped me for a moment.¡¹


    ¡¸By Sebas-san? What was it about?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s umm¡­ Well, it was something like a farewell.¡¹


    Thest piece of advice he gave¡­ I¡¯ll ask about Ria¡¯s physical condition when we¡¯re aler.


    ¡ºHealth condition¡»is a bit of a delicate topic.


    It¡¯s not something you should talk about in front of such arge group of people.


    And when the conversation with Ria was cut short,


    ¡¸Fuu¡­ But, everything went really well. Infiltrating the evil superpower, Holy Ronelia Empire, and attacking the great noble, Numero Dn. In addition, cutting down one of the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle standing guard, and rescuing the president, who was our objective. After that, without losing anyone in the middle of enemy territory, we returned safely to the Imperial Kingdom. This would make global headlines.¡¹


    Rose leaned against the wall and said so, exhaling loudly.


    ¡¸Fufufu. I was there after all. So our sess was pretty much guaranteed!¡¹


    ¡¸No, Lillim, you were only ¨C or rather, the both of us were only stalling for time, though¡­¡¹


    Lilim-senpai asserted full of confidence, whereas Ferris-senpai retorted.


    This is a scene that unfolds almost every day in the student council room.


    (¡­I guess it¡¯s because we¡¯ve all been too nervous until now.)


    Such an ordinary exchange felt really pleasant.


    After we took a short breather and calmed down, the president exhaled slightly.


    ¡¸The Empire, who was disgraced in this incident, may be aiming for everyone¡¯s life now. I¡¯m really sorry for causing trouble to all of you.¡¹


    She bowed her head deeply, with an apologetic expression on her face.


    And then,


    ¡¸Fuu, Sie is a worry wart as ever¡­ But be relieved. You don¡¯t have to worry about us being targeted by the Empire at all!¡¹


    Perhaps she had some basis for that, as Lilim-senpai dered strongly.


    ¡¸H-How can you be so sure?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s simple. In the emergency broadcast from Belios Castle, they said¡ºThe enemy forces, led by Allen Rodore.¡» And it was Allen-kun who crashed the wedding. Allen-kun was seen by the nobles who gathered there from all over the Empire, including Numero. And not to mention, it was also Allen-kun who shot down the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle! If anyone were to be targeted for their life, it would be¡ºSpecial ss Force¡»Allen Rodore instead of¡ºsmall fish¡»like us!¡¹


    When she said so as though it was someone else¡¯s problem,


    ¡¸Like-I-Said¡­ That¡¯s what I¡¯m most worried about!¡¹


    The president red at Lilim-senpai with a sullen expression.


    ¡¸A-Ahaha¡­ I¡¯ll try my best not to be killed.¡¹


    My life is being targeted by an internationalrge-scale criminal organization and the Empire.


    The scale was so huge, that it doesn¡¯t even feel real anymore.


    (Well, anyway¡­ If their target is limited to myself alone, that is more favourable.)


    I was the one who proposed to infiltrate the Empire to rescue the president.


    Actions are equally apanied by¡ºresponsibility¡».


    I was resolved from the very beginning to make an enemy out of the Empire and the ck Organization.


    (Everyone came along with me despite knowing the dangers. So I can¡¯t cause them anymore trouble.)


    This situation where I am the only one to be targeted is rather¡ºlucky¡».


    When I was thinking about that,


    ¡¸But to think that Sebas-san was a member of the ck Organization¡­¡¹


    With a serious expression on her face, Rose brought up the¡ºsubject¡»that we had to talk about without fail.

 Chapter 199 - Allen Cell and Political Mariage [50]

    199. Allen Cell and Political Mariage [50]


    The moment Rose brought up the topic regarding Sebas-san,


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡­¡­¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹


    An indescribable atmosphere and silence ruled the ce.


    (Looking back now, there were ¡°signs¡±.)


    The first time I felt ufortable was when we came to the Phantom Spirit Laboratory to find the spot.


    For some reason, Sebas-san knew that I was informed of this building¡¯s structure.


    Thinking about it calmly, that should¡¯ve been absolutely impossible.


    (Only a few people involved in Ria¡¯s kidnapping case knew that. Of course, Sebas-san was not part of that few.)


    Sebas-san should have been at the Holy Ronelia Empire to mine Blood Diamond at that time.


    Moreover, he was confined to the dungeon of the Holy Knights Association for a long time after returning to the Imperial Kingdom.


    (There was no opportunity for him to learn of Ria¡¯s kidnapping at all.)


    In other words, Sebas-san should have never known the information that I was familiar with the structure of the Phantom Spirit Laboratory.


    And the moment at which I was truly convinced that there was something strange going on was right after I defeated Gregor.


    (At that time, I only said¡ºI defeated one of the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle¡».)


    Nevertheless, Sebas-san mentioned the name¡ºGregor¡»clearly.


    (Two pieces of information he never should¡¯ve known. He spoke of it unconsciously.)


    The situation was pressing at the time, so I let it slide, but there were certainly suspicious signs.


    When I was thinking back to that,


    ¡¸Now that you mention it, the president seemed to know something, didn¡¯t you?¡¹Ria asked.


    (Yeah, there seemed to be something like that too.)


    At that moment when Sebas-san revealed his true identity, the rest of us were stunned speechless, however the president was the only one who quickly unsheathed her sword. That reaction means she obviously knew something.


    Then, the president spoke with a slightlyplicated expression on her face.


    ¡¸Actually¡­ I secretly looked into Sebas aroundst year.¡¹


    ¡¸Looked into Sebas-san¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, that¡¯s right. You know that the ck Organization has been involved in incidents all over the Imperial Kingdom in thest few years, right?¡¹


    In response to the president¡¯s question, everyone nodded.


    Almost all the citizens are informed about it because it is frequently reported in the newspapers and the radio.


    ¡¸Those days ¨C House Arcstria, which is in charge of national defense, was busy resolving the cases and taking precautionary measures for the future. I used to go around with my dad and the servants to look into the various cases. And I realised that there was a¡ºconstant¡»in all the cases while going through tons of investigation information. There was always, without fail, a¡ºThousand de Student¡»around the scene of the crime.¡¹


    The president paused before continuing.


    ¡¸I immediately gathered the records of attendance of the whole academy andpared it with the date of the cases. As a result, there was only one sole person who matched the profile. The student who was always absent from ss specifically on the day of the incidents ¨C Sebas Chandler.¡¹


    ¡¸I see¡­ So when you looked into him, there was a connection with the ck Organization.¡¹


    When Ria said so nodding,


    ¡¸Not at all. No matter how much I looked into it, the results werepletely clean. I couldn¡¯t find any connection between Sebas and the ck Organization. But instead, I found something else that was very strange.¡¹


    The president quietly shook her head and told us about the¡ºstrange thing¡».


    ¡¸His information registered in the country was full of lies. Address, family, ce of birth ¨C all of which were nonsense. In the first ce, there was no¡ºChandler¡»family in the Imperial Kingdom.¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡­¡­¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹


    We listened quietly to the pieces of information that came out of her mouth one after another.


    ¡¸I was suspicious, so I made up a¡ºpunishment game¡»and had Sebas go pick up a Blood Diamond. As a result, the urences of those incidents¡ºdropped sharply¡»right away. That¡¯s when it was clear that there¡¯s some kind of connection between him and the ck Organization. Hmmm, I think it was just a couple of months before Allen-kun and everyone enrolled into the academy.¡¹


    It seems that the rumoured silly punishment game had a significant meaning behind it.


    ¡¸The story from there on out is as everyone knows. Sebas, who returned home at the Sword King Festival, was confined to the dungeons of the Holy Knights Association. I didn¡¯t dare to pick him up and left him there.¡¹


    When the president had finished her exnation,


    ¡¸I never thought this much was going on behind the scenes. So that means, you didn¡¯t forget Sebas-san¡¯s existence.¡¹Ria muttered.


    She seemed astonished by the fact that the president had put more consideration into all this than we imagined.


    ¡¸Ahaha. Lilim, Ferris, Sebas, and I have been together for ten years, you see? Of course I wouldn¡¯t forget so easily.¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡­¡­¡¹¡¹


    Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai, who hadpletely forgotten their childhood friend of ten years, quickly diverted their nces and held their tongue.


    ¡¸Well, that¡¯s why I wasn¡¯t so surprised when Sebas turned out to be¡ºck¡». But I never dreamed that he would be a super big shot ¨C the Emperor¡¯s Four Knights.¡¹


    When the president concluded the exnation, we all exhaled a little.


    I was a little overwhelmed by all the information that far exceeded my expectations.


    ¡¸I¡¯m feeling pretty exhausted, so why don¡¯t we go home for today?¡¹


    When I brought up that proposal,


    ¡¸Wha!? Allen-kun is tired!?¡¹


    ¡¸H-How rare! He almost sounds like a human being, though¡­!¡¹


    Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai looked truly astonished.


    ¡¸No, just what do the two of you think of me¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸What do you mean¡­ A monster obviously.¡¹


    ¡¸An inhuman, though¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Is that so?¡¹


    I just didn¡¯t have the energy to clear up their misunderstanding in this state where I¡¯mpletely out of spiritual power.


    Thus, I didn¡¯t make any particr objections, and just replied with a strained smile.


    After that, when everyone started to move out of of the building,


    ¡¸Ah-¡¹


    ¡¸Wha!?¡¹


    I ran into Rodis-san, dressed in pure white, byplete chance.


    Looking at this¡­ It seems that he was going to take advantage of the spot here too.


    ¡¸You guys, why are you her¨C¡¹


    As Rodis-san red at us, he suddenly hardened like a statue.


    ¡¸S-Sie, is that you¡­?¡¹


    As he squeezed out the name of his precious daughter from the pit of his stomach, a lone tear trickled down his cheek.

 Chapter 200 - Allen Cell and Political Marriage [51]

    200. Allen Cell and Political Marriage [51]


    As the president and Rodis-san encountered each other by chance, their eyes widened.


    ¡¸F-Father!¡¹


    ¡¸Sie!¡¹


    He ran up to the president in great haste and hugged her tightly.


    ¡¸A-Aa¡­ It¡¯s really you, Sie. Thank goodness!¡¹


    Rodis-san was delighted from the bottom of his heart, crying tears of joy.


    ¡¸F-Father, stop it, everyone is watching! It¡¯s kind of stuffy, and it hurts.¡¹


    The president, embarrassedly, pushed Rodis-san away.


    From this amiable exchange, their family rtionship seems to be quite good.


    ¡¸Ah, I¡¯m sorry. Come to think of it, the bomb is still wrapped around me.¡¹


    He wiped away the tears and removed arge number of bombs strapped around his waist.


    ¡¸W-What were you going to do by wrapping that around your body?¡¹


    She must not have known Rodis-san¡¯s ¡°n¡±.


    The president pointed at the bombs, colour draining from her face.


    ¡¸It¡¯s a suicide bomb if things went south, of course.¡¹


    ¡¸S-Suicide bomb!?¡¹


    She staggered a step back, shock stered on her face.


    ¡¸Allen Rodore, can you tell me more about what happened?¡¹


    With a serious expression, Rodis-san asked me to exin the situation.


    ¡¸Yes, of course.¡¹


    Then I exined the summary of the incident.


    We got the location of the spot from a ¡°certain source¡±, and used it to infiltrate the Holy Ronelia Empire.


    The spot destination was the tenth floor of Belios Castle. And there was a member of the organization whom we had met before, Zack Bomber.


    For some reason, he cooperated with us, so we were able to get to the ceremony hall, which is Numero Dn¡¯s residence, without any major fighting.


    But Gregor Ash, one of the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle, was standing guard there.


    I encountered an unexpectedly strong enemy, and managed to defeat Gregor after a fierce battle.


    And after rescuing the president, we ran towards the spot which we used to sneak in while being chased by an innumerable number of enemies.


    At thest moment, we discovered Sebas Chandler¡¯s betrayal; fortunately there was no battle with him, and everyone jumped into the spot safely.


    ¡¸This is how we escaped the Holy Ronelia Empire and are now here.¡¹


    ¡¸So, all that happened.¡¹


    Rodis-san, who was listening quietly to the story,


    ¡¸Thank you so much for saving my daughter. I will definitely return this debt of gratitude someday.¡¹


    He looked us straight into the eyes and bowed his head deeply.


    ¡¸Please don¡¯t worry. We just helped our precious friend.¡¹


    Everyone nodded, agreeing with my words.


    ¡¸Y-You guys¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Sie has really good friends.¡¹


    The president wiped away her tears, whereas Rodis-san whispered happily.


    And when the conversation came to an end,


    ¡¸Allen Rodore¡­ No, from now on, let me call you ¡°Allen¡±!¡¹


    ¡¸Y-Yes.¡¹


    Rodis-san, with a strong resolve reflected on his face, called my name powerfully.


    There was an indescribable pressure which was different from hostility or bloodlust.


    ¡¸You protected the Imperial Kingdom from the demon Zerey Grazario and rescued Sie from the Empire. You have a soft face, but you are a true man with soul and spirit.¡¹


    ¡¸T-Thank you.¡¹


    I was praised for some reason, so I decided to bow slightly for the time being.


    Then he slowly closed his eyes and exhaled loudly.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    As an indescribable silence began to flow, Rodis-san opened his eyes and spoke with a strong tone.


    ¡¸There is no longer any reason to stop it. I¡¯ll acknowledge your rtionship with my daughter.¡¹


    ¡¸Eh, what¡­?¡¹


    I didn¡¯t understand what exactly he meant by that. My head went nk in an instant.

 Chapter 201 - Allen Cell and Political Marriage [52]

    201. Allen Cell and Political Marriage [52]


    Right after Rodis-san said something ridiculous,


    ¡¸F-Father!? What kind of stupid thing are you saying!?¡¹


    The president, whose face was beet red, flusteredly interrupted the conversation.


    ¡¸What, you don¡¯t like it?¡¹


    ¡¸I-It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t like, but¡­ T-That¡¯s not it! Think about the ce and time!¡¹


    She looked at me for a brief moment, and then voiced her protest to Rodis-san.


    ¡¸You say so, but there aren¡¯t many men as strong as Allen. If you dally too much, he¡¯ll be taken away in no time.¡¹


    ¡¸I-I know that¡­¡¹The president whispered something, blushing and looking angry at the same time.


    ¡¸Hmm, well fine. I¡¯ll just wait for the time when you both make your decision.¡¹


    Rodis-san summed up the story, and dropped his gaze to the wristwatch wrapped around his left hand.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll take my leave around here. I have to get in touch with all the people involved in this matter as soon as possible.¡¹


    He said and headed for the exit of the Phantom Spirit Laboratory.


    As the Lord of House Arcstria, which is the authority of the government, I¡¯m sure he will be forced into handling all of the aftermath from now on.


    However, looking at his back, he seemed like he was jumping with joy.


    (I¡¯m sure he¡¯s uncontrobly happy that the president returned safely.)


    When I was thinking of that,


    ¡¸A-Allen-kun¡­¡¹


    The president, whose cheeks are still slightly red and behaving somewhat suspiciously, called out to me.


    ¡¸Yes, what is it?¡¹


    ¡¸Please don¡¯t take what my father was talking about seriously. And I don¡¯t want you to misunderstand. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want it, but it¡¯s just that¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­It¡¯s what?¡¹


    I didn¡¯t understand what she¡¯s trying to say, so I encouraged her to continue.


    ¡¸Well, uh¡­ It¡¯s just that¡­W-Well, see you tomorrow at the academy!¡¹


    The president said quickly, and ran after Rodis-san as though escaping from the spot.


    ¡¸O-Okay¡­ See you tomorrow.¡¹


    I kept waving my right hand towards her who left like a storm.


    ¡¸She haspletely fallen.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, no doubt. This is the first time I¡¯ve seen Sie like that though.¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, it seems like we¡¯ve discovered something we can have a little¡ºfun¡»with!¡¹


    ¡¸Sie is a pure-hearted maiden with zero experience. We, her best friends, should give her some interesting¡ºlove advice¡», though!¡¹


    Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai exchanged a secret conversation between themselves with an evil smile on their faces.


    ¡¸Alright, we¡¯ll go home early and start the¡ºstrategy meeting¡»! I¡¯ll see you all at the academy tomorrow!¡¹


    ¡¸This has be something interesting, though!¡¹


    The two quickly left theboratory, saying something that didn¡¯t make sense.


    (The senpais are as cheerful as usual.)


    When I thought that with a wry smile,


    ¡¸Sorry, but Allen and Ria should go home first. I¡¯m going to see my family doctor due to extreme exhaustion of spiritual power.¡¹


    Rose said, exhaling loudly.


    It seems that she, like me, was exhausted of spiritual power.


    ¡¸Are you alright going alone? If you¡¯d like, why don¡¯t we go to the hospital together?¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you. However, you don¡¯t have to worry about that. I¡¯m just going to get a small treatment to not feel tired tomorrow.¡¹


    Rose said, smiling a little.


    ¡¸I¡¯m more worried about Allen, though. You¡¯re probably the most exhausted of us all, and what¡¯s more, you¡¯ve used a substantial amount of spiritual power, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Hmm. I¡¯ll try testing it.¡¹


    I was able to d myself with the dark robe and formed the pseudo-ck sword.


    (¡­It looks better than I thought.)


    With just a short rest, my spiritual power seems to have recovered considerably.


    (The output is more modest than usual, but¡­)


    If I can produce this much darkness, I can continue fighting to a certain extent.


    ¡¸To think your spiritual strength has already been restored to that extent. You are truly astonishing.¡¹


    With a wry smile, Rose waved us goodbye and headed for the exit.


    After that, Ria and I were left alone in the dimboratory.


    ¡¸Well then¡­ Shall we go home, too?¡¹


    When I proposed as such,


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    Ria kept staring hard into my eyes.


    ¡¸Uh¡­ Is there something on my face?¡¹


    ¡¸Not really. I¡¯m just jealous.¡¹


    She puffed her cheeks a little and turned away in a huff.


    For some reason, she seems to be in a bad mood.


    ¡¸Jealous¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s not Allen¡¯s fault, so you don¡¯t have to worry about it.¡¹


    And, I went back to the dorm with Ria, who was pouting for some reason.

 Chapter 202 - Allen Cell and Political Marriage [53]

    202. Allen Cell and Political Marriage [53]


    When we finally reached our dormitory, the time was already eleven o¡¯clock at night.


    (I want to get ready for bed and take a rest soon, but¡­)


    As I fleetingly looked next to me, Ria, with aplex expression, sighed a little.


    She has been like this since we parted with everyone.


    She trudged along with a long face while asionally whispering strange things like, ¡°What should I do if taken away?¡±, ¡°No, I still hold the advantage right now¡±, ¡°Should I make the first attack and seal the deal¡­ I wonder?¡± and so on.


    Taken, advantage, attack ¨C she seemed to be fighting something that was not visible.


    (Exactly as Sebas-san advised¡­ Ria seems to be unwell after all.)


    I¡¯m truly amazed by his fearsome observation. As expected of the¡ºEmperor¡¯s Four Knight¡», I guess.


    (Anyway, right now, I need to cheer her up.)


    My mother used to say,¡ºsickness and health start with the mind¡».


    (Can¡¯t help it. I should hold out a little longer before going to sleep.)


    I pulled myself together and coughed once.


    ¡¸Hey, Ria. Do you have anything you particrly would want to eat?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­Eh?¡¹


    ¡¸I feel like cooking something. So I thought I¡¯ll make something that you want to eat right now, if you¡¯d like¡­ Would you like anything?¡¹


    Ria pondered on it a little.


    ¡¸¡­¡­Curry rice.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, curry rice?¡¹


    ¡¸W-Why do youugh¡­?¡¹


    Ria stared at me, while puffing her cheeks.


    ¡¸Ah, sorry. I thought it sounds like something a boy would want.¡¹


    ¡¸I-It¡¯s fine right. I was just in the mood to eat curry.¡¹


    She turned away in a huff, her face slightly red.


    The gesture was so cute that my heart just felt warm.


    ¡¸Sorry, sorry. I¡¯m going to make a delicious curry as an apology, so just wait a minute.¡¹


    And I went into cooking right away.


    First, cut carrots, potatoes, onions, and beef into bite-size pieces and throw them into a thick pot. Then gently heat them.


    After cooking the ingredients well with just the right size of me, add an appropriate amount of water and cook for about 15 minutes while skimming the scum from the broth.


    After that, add the curry roux in it and boil it over low heat.The aroma of spices started to waft around the room.


    (This smells good. Now just wait for ten minutes.)


    Ria watched me from behind. With her ahoge protruding out, she stared at me with a hungry-looking face.


    (Fufu, she must really want to eat the curry.)


    Soon after that, I opened the pot lid. A well-thickened curry greeted me.


    (Now, let¡¯s taste it a little.)


    Transfer a small amount to a small te at hand and check the taste just to make sure.


    (Okay, not bad.)


    I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be happy with this oue.


    Then I put white rice on a regr te and on Ria¡¯srge dedicated te, and poured a lot of curry on top of it.


    ¡¸Sorry for keeping you waiting. Shall we dig in?¡¹


    ¡¸Un!¡¹


    We put our hands together, said ¡°itadakimasu¡±, and dug into the freshly prepared curry.


    ¡¸Hamu¡­ Yeap, it tastes good.¡¹


    ¡¸Nn? delicious! Allen is really a good cook!¡¹


    While putting her hands on her cheeks, Ria pped her legs and expressed her joy with her whole body.


    ¡¸Ahaha, that makes me happy.¡¹


    The depressed look from before had disappeared


    With a big smile on her face, she stuffed her cheeks with the curry.


    (¡­Thank goodness. She looks to be feeling better now.)


    Then, after supper, I decided to bring up a certain subject.


    ¡¸Naa, Ria. I¡¯d like to ask you something. Is that all right?¡¹


    ¡¸What¡¯s the matter, being so formal?¡¹


    She urged me to continue.


    ¡¸How do I say this¡­ Is your physical condition well?¡¹


    ¡¸Physical condition¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸I mean¡­ Sebas-san advised me when we parted that¡ºYou should keep a watchful eye on the physical condition of Ria Vesteria¡».¡¹


    The moment I briefly exined the situation,


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    For just the slightest moment, Ria¡¯s expression suddenly hardened.


    ¡¸¡­I-I¡¯m fine, I¡¯m fine! I¡¯m a little tired today, but I¡¯m perfectly fine as always!¡¹


    She said so with an awkward smile.


    ¡¸¡­I see, that¡¯s good then.¡¹


    And I decided to end this discussion here.


    Ria is hiding something¡­ No mistake.


    (But¡­ It¡¯s better not to pursue it.)


    I don¡¯t know why, but she didn¡¯t seem to want to talk about it right now.


    (¡­Let¡¯s wait.)


    I¡¯ll wait by her side until she decides to open up to me.


    I¡¯ll ask about it indirectly from time to time, and create an atmosphere where she can feel secure opening up to me.


    Having decided so, I carried the empty dishes to the sink.


    ¡¸Then I¡¯ll do the washing, You can use the bath first, Ria.¡¹


    Washing dishes after meals is my job.


    And then,


    ¡¸Ah, wait a minute. I¡¯ll wash it this time.¡¹


    Ria stood up and followed after me.


    ¡¸When I make the dishes, You always wash it, don¡¯t you? So it¡¯s the opposite today.¡¹


    ¡¸But you¡¯re tired today, aren¡¯t you?¡¹


    ¡¸No matter how you think about it, you, who fought the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle, should be more tired, no? Move aside!¡¹


    She said, and began to roll up the sleeves of her uniform.


    ¡¸Then, I¡¯ll take you up on that offer¡­ and I¡¯ll take a bath first.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, you do that. And thank you for the curry rice. It was very delicious.¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, you¡¯re wee.¡¹


    After that, I took a bath, followed by Ria.


    After that, we got ready for bed, andy down together on the same bed.


    When we started living together, we were sleeping at either edge of the bed, but now we were only about ten centimeters away from each other.


    ¡¸Good night, Ria.¡¹


    ¡¸Good night, Allen.¡¹


    Then, we both sank into a pleasant dream.

 Chapter 203 - Allen Cell and Political Marriage [54]

    203. Allen Cell and Political Marriage [54]


    After parting with Allen and the others, Sie returned to her dorm for the first time in a long time.


    ¡¸I never thought I would be back here.¡¹


    She literally headed to the Empire prepared to die. She took in a breath, seeing her normal life spreading before her.


    (Even so, it¡¯s a little messy.)


    Clothes thrown around, shoujo mangas everywhere, candy wrappers ¨C it can¡¯t be called¡ºclean¡»even for ttery¡¯s sake.


    She has alway been hopelessly bad at tidying up.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s see if there¡¯s anything to drink¡­¡¹


    She opened therge refrigerator in the corner of the room and quenched her thirst with the cold water inside.


    ¡¸Fuu¡­ Let¡¯s see¡­for now, let¡¯s take a bath.¡¹


    Then Sie went to the dressing room, closed the partition curtain, and touched Allen¡¯s jacket, which he lent to cover her torn dress.


    ¡¸¡­Come to think of it, Allen-kun was wearing this uniform, wasn¡¯t he?¡¹


    Despite being in her own dorm room, she looked around to check if there were people.


    After confirming there was no one, she slowly brought the jacket to her face.


    ¡¸¡­Fufu, it¡¯s Allen-kun¡¯s smell.¡¹


    For a little while, Sie simply enjoyed the smell that lingered on the jacket.


    ¡¸Alright, let¡¯s buy him a new uniform next time. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be more pleased with a new one.¡¹she said, as though justifying her choice.


    She then folded Allen¡¯s uniform with great care, and put it on¡ºtop¡»of the washing machine.


    After that, she slipped out of her tattered wedding dress and ck underwear, and entered the bathroom with a towel to wrap her hair.


    (Even so, Allen-kun¡¯s¡ºdarkness¡»is a really convenient ability.)


    She whispered in her heart, washing away the fatigue and sweat in the shower.


    The mirror attached to the bathroom reflected her naked body bearing nary a single scar.


    (I should have suffered numerous cuts in the fight against Gregor, but being wrapped in that mysterious darkness, I waspletely healed in no time. Even a recovery-type soul dress would struggle to performplete treatment in that short time.)


    While thinking about that, she washed her head and body neatly.


    After the soap bubbles were washed away, she wrapped her long ck hair up with the towel, and slowly soaked into the bathtub.


    ¡¸Aaah, the hot water feels good¡­¡¹


    Warmth soaked into the core of her body as her muscles rxed.


    Sie, who was submerged in hot water to her shoulders, stretched out her toes and sighed.


    ¡¸Tomorrow is going to be pretty hectic. Father said he had to get in touch with all who were rted, but I¡¯m sure the guys from the¡ºnobles faction¡»will make a fuss again.¡¹


    While various troubles of national politics crossed her mind, Sie breathed a sigh of admiration.


    ¡¸Even so, he was so cool¡­¡¹


    That scene was firmly etched into her memories.


    At that time when she was defeated by Gregor Ash and driven into a corner, the swordsman of darkness flew in dashingly to her rescue.


    He cut not only Gregor, a swordsman of national force ss, but also the fate of Arcstria to¡ºserve the country¡», and saved Sie from her fate of certain death.


    He was like a prince who jumped right out of a fairy tale.


    (But as my father said¡­ Allen-kun is popr.)


    She was absorbed into her thoughts with a difficult expression on her face.


    (Ria-san is no doubt in love with him, and maybe Rose-san is aiming for him, too. And ording to rumors, Idol Luxmaria of White Lily Academy also seems to be interested in him.)


    As she calmly grasped the current situation, she then entered the analysis of¡ºenemy¡¯s strengths¡».


    (Ria-san is a peerless beauty who makes all heads turn, and she has a shapely figure. Rose-san is not so much that she is¡ºcute¡», but has a¡ºlovely¡»face with an almost enviable slender body. Idol has a doll-like beautiful face, and her chest is a little modest, but if Allen-kun¡¯s taste is more towards smaller ones, she might be the strongest enemy.)


    The rivals were all strong enemies where ordinary methods won¡¯t work.


    And above all¡­ Ria, Rose and Idol had the advantage of being in the¡ºsame year¡»as Allen.


    (¡­Eh? Aren¡¯t I¡­ in a pretty bad situation?)


    The moment she came to that conclusion, Sie¡¯s chest ached.


    ¡¸I-It¡¯s okay¡­ I haven¡¯t lost that much. I think my face is quite pretty in its own right, and my body¡­ should be something that is liked by boys, I think. Above all, onee-san is older and has a mature appeal!¡¹


    Even if she says older, it was only a mere one year difference, and Allen even said¡ºyou¡¯re like a younger sister¡».


    Such a thing hadpletely slipped out of her head.


    (A-Anyway, it will be bad if I don¡¯t take any action. Why don¡¯t I try inviting him to tea next time?)


    Thinking about that, she got up from the bathtub to the dressing room.


    Wiped off the water on her body and changed into a sleepwear that she had prepared in advance.


    After that, she had a small dinner and got ready for bed right away.


    (Fuwaa¡­ It¡¯s already thiste. About time to go to bed.)


    The time was 00:00.


    The students of Swordsmanship Academy were already asleep after their vigorous daily training.


    Sie sat at the study desk rubbing her eyes and took out a bulky diary from the drawer.


    Before going to bed every night, she always writes down in her diary about everything that happened that whole day.


    ¡¸Hmm¡­¡¹


    With a pen in her hand, she looked back on today.


    Ten minutester.


    ¡¸I¡¯m finally done.¡¹


    Having finished writing her diary, Sie threw herself onto arge bed. In less than a minute, she was already sleeping soundly.


    At the beginning of the diary, she wrote about the ups and downs of the day, and ended it with¨C


    ¨CToday, for the first time in my life, I fell in love.

 Chapter 204 - . Entrance Exam and Valentines Day [1]

    204. Entrance Exam and Valentines Day [1]


    January 8th.


    After sessfully oveing a tumultuous day, I was heading to Thousand de Academy with Ria in the morning breeze of cold air.


    ¡¸It¡¯s pretty cold¡­ Today¡¯s lowest temperature is below zero degrees, right?¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s right. So Allen must eat a lot more and be careful not to catch a cold, okay?¡¹


    Ria said, peering closer to my face.


    ¡¸Ahaha¡­ I-I¡¯ll try my best.¡¹


    For some reason, she seems to think of me as a light eater.


    (But in reality, Ria is just a glutton.)


    But I can¡¯t say that to a teenage girl.


    I know those subjects are delicate.


    (For the time being, I¡¯ll try my best not to worry Ria.)


    We live together, so we can¡¯t worry our partners too much.


    Let¡¯s increase the amount I eat little by little from today, and gradually make the stomach bigger.


    After that, we entered the main academy building, went straight through the long hallway, and opened the door of Year 1 ss A.


    And then,


    ¡¸Oh, Allen, Ria-san! Are both of you all right?¡¹


    ¡¸I was surprised because you left so suddenly yesterday.¡¹


    ¡¸Well, at any rate, you seem to be doing good and that¡¯s what¡¯s most important. But don¡¯t overdo it, okay?¡¹


    Everyone in the ss asked about our health.


    (Hmm¡­ I see. That¡¯s what it is.)


    As far as I can understand from their worries, it seems they¡¯re under the impression that we left early yesterday because of poor health.


    Leia-sensei most probably spread it around.


    Ria and I understood it instantly, exchanged nces, and nodded to each other.


    ¡¸Well, uh¡­ I took a whole day to rest, so I¡¯m all right now. Sorry to worry everyone.¡¹


    ¡¸Allen and I are doing well now, so don¡¯t worry anymore. Thank you.¡¹


    We decided to lie just to reassure everyone, and rounded up the conversation.


    Then, we put our bags in our seats and ced the textbooks onto the desks.


    (But judging from everyone¡¯s reaction¡­ As expected, it seems that no one knows about yesterday¡¯s incident.)


    In spite of such a major incident, the newspaper and the radio reported nothing at all.


    (Perhaps Tenshi-sama and Rodis-san pulled strings to control the information.)


    After that, Rose, who had artistic bed hair as usual, finally came to ss. And as the three of us were having a chat as usual, the front door opened vigorously.


    ¡¸Good morning,dies and gentlemen! Let¡¯s start the morning homeroom!¡¹


    Leia-sensei, who appeared to be in high spirits, gave a brief announcement.


    Then, we started the morning ss and did a thorough muscle and stamina training using the schoolyard.


    Then, it was lunch break.


    When we were about to attend the¡ºLunch Party¡»¡­ No, I mean the student council regr meeting,


    ¡ºYear 1 ss A ¨C Allen Rodore-kun, Ria Vesteria-san. Rose Valencia-san, pleasee to the Director¡¯s office as soon as possible. I repeat. Year 1 ss A¨C¡»


    The in-house broadcast rang out, and we three were summoned.


    ¡¸The director¡¯s office means that¡­ Leia is calling. What is it about I wonder?¡¹


    ¡¸Yesterday¡¯s incident¡­? No, then, the president and the others should also be summoned¡­¡¹


    Ria and Rose tilted their heads and voiced their thoughts.


    (The fact that we three were summoned, especially right after yesterday¡­ It¡¯s most likely about that incident.)


    However, I do not understand why only the three of us were summoned as Rose said.


    ¡¸Well¡­ For now, let¡¯s go to the director¡¯s office.¡¹.


    When I said so,


    ¡¸Yes, that¡¯s right.¡¹


    ¡¸It won¡¯t help even if we think about it here. Let¡¯s go there right away.¡¹


    The two nodded, and we put our lunch boxes in the bag, and headed to the director¡¯s office.


    We navigated through the long hallways and came before the director¡¯s office.


    As usual, on behalf of us three, I knocked on the ckcquered door.


    ¡¸Please Enter.¡¹


    The beautiful voice of a woman replied.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡­¡­? ¡¹¡¹¡¹


    We looked at each other at the same time.


    It was obviously not Leia-sensei¡¯s voice right now.


    It seems that there are some other people in the director¡¯s office.


    ¡¸E-Excuse me.¡¹


    A little nervously, I pushed open the door slowly, and there sat¨C


    ¡¸Y-You are¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s been a while, Allen-sama.¡¹


    The sovereign of Ringuard Imperial Kingdom, Tenshi-sama.

 Chapter 205 - Entrance Exam and Valentines Day [2]

    205. Entrance Exam and Valentines Day [2]


    Tenshi of Ringard, Wendy Ringard.


    She is fifteen years old, the same as us.


    Beautiful, pale pink hair that stretches to the back.


    The height is almost the same as Ria, around 165 cm.


    She has an angelic look and a perfect shape.


    She was wearing a pure white dress with her shoulders exposed, the same as when I met her at the Keishinkai before.


    (Why on earth is the sovereign of this country in the director¡¯s office of Thousand de Academy?)


    Behind her was Rodis-san in an inconspicuous outfit, and Leia-sensei, who wore her usual ck suit.


    ¡¸¡­It¡¯s been a while, Tenshi-sama.¡¹


    I bow in a formal way while being strongly cautious of her.


    Ria and Rose followed suit. Oppressive atmosphere hung over the director¡¯s room.


    (¡­Tenshi-sama is the person who sold the president to the Empire. I can¡¯t let my guard down around her anymore.)


    And when the three of us kept silent with our guards up,


    ¡¸¡­Coming here was the correct answer, after all.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, it would seem so.¡¹


    Tenshi-sama muttered with a sad expression, and Rodis-san replied in an unsurprised manner.


    ¡¸Director Leia. I am sorry, but could you take on the role of mediator?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, of course.¡¹


    Sensei readily agreed to Tenshi-sama¡¯s request and stood in front of us.


    ¡¸Well then, I don¡¯t know where to start, but¡­ Anyway, you did really well yesterday. Thanks to you, we were able to postpone the copse of the Imperial Kingdom. Thank you.¡¹


    She said something that doesn¡¯t make much sense and expressed her gratitude.


    ¡¸Well, due to a number of reasons, I was chosen as the mediator, but¡­ As you know, I¡¯m not very good at the art of discussion. So don¡¯t expect me to make it easy to understand, okay?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, it¡¯s fine.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, I know.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m aware of that. Because everyone has their strengths and weaknesses, after all.¡¹


    It was during Aprilst year, following soon after the Big Five Holy Festival. There was an urgent meeting between the Directors of the Five Academy¡¯s.


    At the ce where punishment was being decided for Sid-san and I, sensei got riled up by the provocation from the other presidents and went on a rampage.


    As a result of that, not only me and Sid-san, but also Ria and Rose were suspended for a month.


    (She is a very reliable sensei, but¡­)


    Unfortunately, the art of discussion is beyond her.


    This was themon understanding between me, Ria and Rose.


    ¡¸Immediate answer, huh¡­ Ha, hahaha¡­ I can feel the confidence in you¡­¡¹


    Sensei smiled a little sadly.


    ¡¸¡­We don¡¯t have much time, so let¡¯s move on.¡¹


    With a discouraged look, she cleared her throat.


    ¡¸It¡¯s regarding the political marriage of Sie Arcstria, which you splendidly stopped yesterday. The execution of this top secret n ¨C Tenshi-sama¡ºopposed¡»to it until the very end.¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡­Eh?¡¹¡¹¡¹


    We were taken aback for a moment by the unexpected statement.


    ¡¸This is a confidential matter, but¡­ This country is now in a very unstable situation. The¡ºRoyal Faction¡»led by Rodis-san and Tenshi-sama and the¡ºNoble Faction¡»led by the great nobles ¨C these two factions are engaged in fierce political strife.¡¹


    Sensei said, and went on exining.


    ¡¸I¡¯d like to briefly exin the difference between the two. The royal faction puts the national interest first and wants the development of Ringuard Imperial Kingdom and the rest of the world. On the other hand, the noble faction wants to sell the Imperial Kingdom to the Holy Ronelia Empire and eventually fulfil world domination.¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸Wha!?¡¹¡¹¡¹


    We raised our voices involuntarily at the shocking remark.


    ¡¸W-Why is the noble faction pushing to join the Empire!?¡¹


    If the superpower of evil which leads the ck Organization were to control this world¡­ It will be Hell on Earth


    ¡¸The guys from the noble faction are connected to the nobles of the Empire behind the scenes.¡ºThe rich hang out with the rich¡»kind of thing¡­ They were apparently promised the ranks of nobles in the Empire in return for selling the Imperial Kingdom.¡¹


    Sensei shook her head with a sour face


    ¡¸¡­But why does the noble faction have so much power? There are many different factions in Vesteria too, but none of them have the power to go against father.¡¹


    Ria asked curiously, while tilting her head.


    ¡¸About that¡­ The noble faction has one of the seven strongest swordsmen of mankind, the pride of the Holy Knights Association ¨C one of the Seven Holy Swords in their hand. They use that overwhelming¡ºmilitary might¡»as their backing, and grow increasingly impudent every year.¡¹


    When sensei said that, Rose, who had been silent up until now, spoke.


    ¡¸The existence of the Seven Holy Swords is certainly astounding, but¡­ This side has¡ºck Fist¡»Leia Lasnode, right?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m happy you evaluate my military might as such, but¡­ Unfortunately, I have to say that the current situation is quite bad. The Directors of the Five Academy¡¯s except me and Ferris, and the Five Wealthy Merchants except Rize Dorahain ¨C all of them support the Noble Faction.¡¹


    Sensei exhaled loudly, and continued to exin.


    ¡¸Rize, who insists on staying neutral, is as easy going as ever. I never know what she¡¯s thinking. And on the other hand, Chemy Festa of White Lily Academy, is also a neutral party, but¡­ we¡¯re talking about the¡ºwoman of eternal debt¡»here. As soon as money is thrown, she will start wagging her tail for the noble faction. In other words, the royal faction is in a precarious situation.¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡­¡­¡¹¡¹¡¹


    When we heard the Imperial Kingdom¡¯s overly-suffering situation, we were simply speechless.


    ¡¸In the end, what I want to say is¡­ It is unquestionable that Tenshi-sama is the one who made the final decision in this case. But that was the result of pressure from the noble faction, and that she was rather strongly opposed to it.¡¹


    Sensei said, summarizing the current story in a short way.


    When I casually turned my eyes towards Rodis-san, he nodded with a serious expression.


    It seems that the story now is all true.


    When the director¡¯s office fellpletely silent, Tenshi-sama spoke.


    ¡¸My power is not going to be enough, and the Imperial Kingdom is in a more perilous situation than ever before. However, there is a¡ºreverse card¡»that can turn this whole situation upside down.¡¹


    As she looked straight into my eyes, a ray of hope was reflected in her eyes.


    ¡¸A reverse card¡­?¡¹


    I wonder if there really is such a convenient thing.


    ¡¸Yes, that¡¯s right¡­ Have you still not realised it yet?¡¹


    ¡¸Umm, what is it?¡¹


    ¡¸The reverse card that can turn everything upside down ¨C is you. The¡ºsingrity¡»known as Allen Rodore.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­Ha?¡¹


    I couldn¡¯tprehend what Tenshi-sama was trying to say at all, and replied with a stupid sound without thinking.

 Chapter 206 - Entrance Exam and Valentines Day [3]

    206. Entrance Exam and Valentines Day [3]


    Tenshi-sama said something that was too staggering.


    (The reverse card that turns everything upside down¡­ is me?)


    And, even if she calls me a¡ºsingrity¡»and whatnot, I am troubled as to how to respond.


    ¡¸S-Sorry, but I don¡¯t quite understand what you¡¯re saying¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I didn¡¯t think it was true, but¡­ You don¡¯t seem to be self-aware of it.¡¹


    She widened her eyes as if she was astonished for a moment, and then slowly began to exin.


    ¡¸¡ºPeople¡»gather around Allen-sama day by day.¡¹


    ¡¸People¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes.¡ºck and White Princess¡»Ria Vesteria, the next king of Vesteria. Rose Valencia, the legitimate sessor of Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style which was once hailed as the strongest in the world.¡ºBloody Fox¡»Rize Dorahain, the boss of¡ºFox Financial¡».¡ºJoker¡»Clown Jester, who refused the seat of Seven Holy Swords. Rain d, one of the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle. World-renowned swordsmen are attracted by your personality, future prospects, and mysterious charm, and areing together into the¡ºAllen Faction¡»one after the other.¡¹


    ¡¸A-Allen Faction?¡¹


    I smiled bitterly at the exaggerated expression.


    ¡¸This is not a joke. There are not many outstanding individuals like Allen-sama in the world. At just the age of fifteen years old, your sword cut down three Thirteen Knights of the Oracle, who are national war ss. In addition to that, you have a mysterious power that continuously attracts people. As you stand now, the¡ºposition¡»of the Allen faction can massively shift the power bnce of the Imperial Kingdom. Your existence has grown to that extent.¡¹


    ¡¸S-Such exaggeration¡­¡¹


    No matter what, it¡¯s too much of an exaggeration.


    I, who had been scorned as the¡ºDropout Swordsman¡»until only about a year ago, cannot possibly shift the power bnce of the Imperial Kingdom.


    ¡¸It¡¯s not an exaggeration. In fact, I and Rodis came to this ce today to show Allen-sama our¡ºgood faith¡».¡¹


    ¡¸Good faith¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸To put it simply, it¡¯s a deration that I don¡¯t wish to be hostile to you.¡¹


    Tenshi-sama looked serious from beginning to end, and spoke with sincerity.


    ¡¸In yesterday¡¯s incident, Allen-sama probably grew a distrust towards me and the Imperial Kingdom.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Yes, that¡¯s right.¡¹


    When I nodded honestly, fear was reflected for just a slight moment in her eyes.


    ¡¸¡­The noble faction would definitely take advantage of this opportunity to try to contact Allen-sama. And if by some chance, you side with the other faction¡­ We of the royal faction, who are already at a disadvantage even at the best of times, can no longer do anything about it.¡¹


    Tenshi-sama stepped forward with a gloomy expression, and grasped my right hand tightly with her small hands.


    ¡¸I won¡¯t go so far as to ask you to join the royal faction. You probably can¡¯t ept all of what I¡¯ve just said as truth. But please, don¡¯t be fooled by the sweet words of the noble faction. At the very least, please remain in the position of¡ºneutrality¡»!¡¹she said, looking me straight in the eyes.


    Her eyes were so clear that I don¡¯t think she¡¯s lying.


    ¡¸¡­I¡¯m sorry. This is too much information to process at once, and I couldn¡¯t keep up with it.¡¹


    The Royal Faction, the Noble Faction, the Allen Faction¡­.


    It is unreasonable to expect me to make the right decision directly after being told all this.


    And in the first ce, there is no confirmation that all of Tenshi-sama¡¯s stories are true.


    (In fact, she tried to stab me once at the Keishinkai.)


    I can¡¯t trust Tenshi-sama, unfortunately.


    ¡¸Is that¡­ so¡­¡¹


    She must have felt a negative nuance from my words.


    She whispered so without power. Her small hands trembled.


    ¡¸I can¡¯t make a decision right now, but¡­ There¡¯s one thing I can say with certainty.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­And that is?¡¹


    ¡¸There are a lot of important people to me in this country. That¡¯s why I want to protect everyone to the extent where my sword can reach, regardless of the royal or noble factions.¡¹


    Mother and bamboo geezer back at Goza vige.


    Pa-san who supported me kindly when I was suffering from bullying during those days at Gran Swordsmanship Academy.


    Ria, Rose, the president, Lilim-senpai, Ferris-senpai, and all my ssmates.


    Sid-san, with whom my rtionship has improved a little recently, and Cain-san, the enthusiastic believer.


    In addition, Idol-san, Rize-san, and Clown-san.


    There are a lot of important people to me in this country.


    (To be honest, I don¡¯t really understand difficult things like national politics and factions.)


    That¡¯s why I want to protect my precious friends to the extent where my sword can reach.


    This swordsmanship I acquired over a billion years of training must surely be for that purpose.


    ¡¸¡­I see. I feel relieved to hear those words.¡¹Tenshi-sama smiled with peace of mind.¡¸Director Leia. Thank you for your time in spite of our sudden visit. Thanks to you, I was able to sessfully solve the misunderstanding with Allen-sama, and I was able to have a fruitful conversation. Well, then. I still have government affairs to attend to, so I will take my leave here.¡¹


    She bowed gracefully, and turned on her heels.


    She passed by us and just when her hand touched the handle of the ck door, she stopped.


    ¡¸¡­Hey, Allen-sama.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, what is it?¡¹


    ¡¸Would you like to have tea with just the two of us again someday?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Yes, with pleasure. But please refrain from being violent like before.¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, of course.¡¹


    Tenshi-samaughed like a mischievous child, took along Rodis-san and left the director¡¯s office.

 Chapter 207 - Entrance Exam and Valentines Day [4]

    207. Entrance Exam and Valentines Day [4]


    Shortly after Tenshi-sama and Rodis-san left the director¡¯s office, Leia-sensei cleared her throat and addressed us.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry for calling you all of a sudden. Were you surprised?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, I was really surprised.¡¹


    We casually came here expecting to see our homeroom teacher, but it was the sovereign of our country who was waiting for us.


    Anyone would be surprised by something like this.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry. However, as Tenshi-sama said, this was literally a sudden visit. I got the call just a while ago and cleaned the room in a hurry.¡¹


    Sensei sat down in her work chair, saying so.


    ¡¸Well, let¡¯s get into some serious talk. Be careful of the Noble Faction. From their point of view, the moment Allen falls into their hands, it is the same as the Imperial Kingdom falling into their hands.¡¹she said strongly, looking straight at me.


    ¡¸I understand very well the plight of the royal faction. But why do the noble faction hold such strong power?¡¹


    ¡¸About that¡­ Well, I guess it doesn¡¯t matter if I tell you about it.¡¹


    Sensei took a quick look at Ria, and then said so.


    ¡¸Tenshi-sama¡¯s¡ºWendy family¡»has a national policy of frugality. Due to putting the people¡¯s interest first, this country¡¯s tax rate is the lowest among the Five Great Powers. The government¡¯s annual revenue is very small, but the lives of the people were enriched.¡¹


    She paused before going into more detail.


    ¡¸But at the same time, the noble faction gained too much power. They abused thew and measures for themon people, and fattened their pockets to the extent where one lifetime wouldn¡¯t be enough to spend it all. In addition, some nobles made illegal donations to various parties, increased their power, and became great nobles. And the result of the repeated corruption over the past few generations is the overwhelmingly advantageous position the noble faction is sitting in right now.¡¹


    ¡¸I see¡­¡¹


    Apparently, the crisis of the royal faction has been slowly built over the years.


    ¡¸Rodis Arcstria of the royal faction, who judged things will be worse if left as is, managed to persuade the previous Tenshi-sama to step down, and backed Tenshi Wendy Ringard, who was only ten years old at the time. The noble faction rejoiced¡ºthe surrender of Arcstria¡»and weed it unconditionally thinking it was the formation of a puppet government. However, Tenshi-sama, who possesses extraordinary ingenuity, made an¡ºunthinkable move¡»on the day she ascended the throne.¡¹.


    ¡¸An unthinkable move¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸She announced that she will enter into a¡ºpact¡»with that infamous Rize Dorahain.¡¹


    The three of us widened our eyes at the appearance of the unexpected name.


    ¡¸The connection between¡ºBloody Fox¡»and¡ºunderworld¡»was already famous since that time. It was unheard of for the sovereign of a country to enter into a pact with a person of the underworld. Of course, the noble faction opposed strongly and put strong pressure on Fox Finance. Rize¡¯s establishment was devastated, and they even set fire to her mansion in Drestia.¡¹


    ¡¸T-That¡¯s terrible!¡¹


    ¡¸Uwaa, they must not love their lives¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Unbelievable idiots¡­¡¹


    Ria and Rose¡¯s reaction was the exact opposite of mine.


    ¡¸And the next day, the subordinates of the noble faction who ransacked Rize¡¯s establishment -¡ºdisappeared¡».¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Disappeared?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, yes. I don¡¯t know how, but all of them disappeared without any trace. The Holy Knights who conducted an arduous investigation, were unable to find even a strand of hair, let alone the bodies. Rize uses an unidentified strange soul dress. In all probability, I¡¯m sure it¡¯s her doing.¡¹


    Sensei continued to talk with a serious expression.


    ¡¸This mysterious incident threw the noble faction into major chaos. Meanwhile, Rize, who had gained the country¡¯s backing, expanded Fox Financial right away, and Tenshi-sama went on to restrict the nobles. Five yearster, she¡¯s been trying so hard, but¡­ After the end of the agreement period with Rize, the noble faction gained one of the Seven Holy Swords into their hands, acquiring overwhelming military might. It was a little long, but this is the history between the royal and noble factions.¡¹


    And now that all the talks were concluded,


    ¡¸Nee, I know I¡¯m only saying this after hearing it all, but¡­ Wouldn¡¯t it be bad if I heard this story?¡¹


    Ria, the princess of Vesteria, asked so, scratching her cheeks slightly.


    It would surely be bad if the decay of internal affairs of the Imperial Kingdom was known to the princess of a foreign country.


    ¡¸No, it doesn¡¯t matter. Decay of the Imperial Kingdom is well known among the top brass of the country. Besides, Ria¡¯s father, Gris, also knows it all too well.¡¹


    Sensei said with a bitter expression.


    And when an indescribable heavy atmosphere loomed,


    ¡¸Well, let¡¯s end the serious talk there and¡­ Let¡¯s move on to the main issue at hand!¡¹


    Sensei pped and said with a cheerful voice.


    ¡¸You three, especially Allen, I have a little favor to ask.¡¹


    ¡¸Favor¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, yes. Allen, I want you to supervise this year¡¯s entrance exam.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Eh?¡¹


    Sensei took out the¡ºAdmission Application Guidelines¡»of Thousand de Academy while uttering such a ridiculous thing.

 Chapter 208 - Entrance Exam and Valentines Day [5]

    208. Entrance Exam and Valentines Day [5]


    Leia-sensei handed out the admission guidelines to each of us and briefly outlined it.


    ¡¸The entrance examination is held on February 1st, about three weeks from now. What I¡¯m thinking is having Allen as the chief examiner and Ria and Rose as the assistants. How about it? Won¡¯t you ept it?¡¹


    She looked at me with an unusually serious expression..


    ¡¸Well, uh¡­ Why would I be the chief examiner?¡¹


    ¡¸Well, it¡¯s a¡ºtradition¡». Basically, in the entrance examination of the¡ºFive Academy¡¯s¡», the highest achiever of the previous year is supposed to be the examiner. Most likely, the chief examiner for Ice King Academy will be Sid, and Idol for White Lily Academy.¡¹


    ¡¸Is that so¡­¡¹


    It is difficult to refuse when she says that it¡¯s a tradition.


    (But, leaving aside Idol as an examiner, Sid-san being an examiner, huh¡­)


    The students who are going to take the Ice King Academy entrance exam this year are going to have a hard time.


    ¡¸By the way,st year Sie was the chief examiner, Lilim and Ferris served as her assistants. How about it, Allen? Wouldn¡¯t you please ept it?¡¹


    Sensei came up to me and seeked an answer right at this moment.


    (She¡¯s originally a pretty pushy person, but isn¡¯t she a little more pushy than usual today?)


    When I sensed something was out of ce,


    ¡¸Nee, Leia¡­ What is this?¡¹


    Ria said, pointing to a certain page of the application guidelines.


    ¡¸Guh¡­¡¹


    ¡¸T-This is¡­!?¡¹


    There was a photograph of me holding a sword d in jet-ck robe.


    In addition, it was apanied by the sentence,¡ºThe examinee who cannd a hit on the Evil Swordsman Allen Rodore, will pass on the spot!¡»in bold letters.


    ¡¸Ha, hahaha¡­ Y-You know, it¡¯s just something to fire up the applicants! The expression may be a little too provocative, but¡­ That¡¯s what advertising is all about, isn¡¯t it?¡¹


    Sensei said while scratching her head. Her eyes moved every which way.


    ¡¸Hou, there is something else on this page, too.¡ºSave Thousand de Academy From the Evil Clutches of Allen Rodore!¡»- I think it¡¯s a little too much firing up, though.¡¹Rose said.


    ¡¸W-Well, it¡¯s¡­¡¹


    Sensei was unable to make any more excuses.


    (¡ºEvil Swordsman¡»and¡ºEvil Clutches¡», huh¡­)


    That¡¯s harsh writing.


    ¡¸Everything about this smells really suspicious¡­ I can¡¯t help but feel that there is something you aren¡¯t telling us.¡¹


    ¡¸It is certainly a famous story to some extent that the Five Academy¡¯s makes their excellent students an examiner, but¡­ I¡¯ve never heard of any exam which pushed one student so far to the front.¡¹


    When they both shoot a sharp gaze,


    ¡¸Fuu, okay okay¡­ I¡¯ll tell you everything.¡¹


    As though having resigned herself, sensei dropped her shoulders and slowly began to talk.


    ¡¸It¡¯s embarrassing, but our current financial situation is very tight. The reason is that, as you know, the academy building waspletely rebuiltst September. There were a lot of subsidies from the government, but¡­ Even so, the majority of the reserve will be cut off, and this fiscal year¡¯s finance is expected to be significantly going into deficit.¡¹


    ¡¸I-Is that so¡­?¡¹


    Rebuilding the academy building.


    The cause was the incident in which Fu Rudras and Dodriel Barton suddenly attacked Thousand de Academy.


    In front of the overwhelming power of Fu, I was driven into a corner, but¡­


    Zeon, who snatced my body, went on a rampage, and I managed to survive without any problems.


    The academy building, however, copsedpletely in the process.


    ¡¸The current international situation is very unstable. We don¡¯t know if Thousand de Academy will be a target again next year. In the sense of self-defense measures as well, we want to secure excellent human resources. We want to attract arge number of examinees and use the examination fees to restore our finances. All of us teachers at Thousand de Academy held a day-night meeting to achieve these two objectives. And you, Allen, were selected.¡¹


    ¡¸Uh¡­ What does that mean?¡¹


    I don¡¯t understand why my name appeared there.


    ¡¸It is no exaggeration to say that the name¡ºAllen Rodore¡»is now echoing throughout the Imperial Kingdom. By taking advantage of that fame and putting it into practical use, we aim to secure excellent examinees and acquire arge amount of exam fees!¡¹


    Sensei said, extolling a n which sounded very reckless.


    (My name is not so famous, and there is absolutely no publicity effect like that.)


    Then, sensei continued to just smile wryly.


    ¡¸With our basic strategy in ce, we started working right away. I went to the city of Orest and raked up your impressive tales and reputations. But that¡¯s where a big problem came up.¡¹


    ¡¸A big problem¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸For some reason, Allen¡¯s reputation was surprisingly bad. You repelled the ck Organization many times, protected Tenshi-sama from the attack of the demon, and even developed the first¡ºwonder cure for curse¡»in human history. You should be a hero ss character who has saved the Imperial Kingdom so far, but¡­ the rumours were, Allen Rodore is trying to overthrow the state by joining hands with Rize, he is connected to the demons behind the scenes¡­ On top of all that, people even asked if you weren¡¯t a Thirteen Knights of the Oracle?¡¹


    ¡¸I-It has gotten bad to that extent¡­?¡¹


    I knew that my reputation was extremely bad, but¡­


    I¡¯ve never heard of thatst rumor.


    ¡¸We were forced to make a major change to our n, and we decided to incorporate the idea of reversal. We decided to thoroughly make you y the part of a viin. But this is a desperate measure for us as well. There is not one teacher in Thousand de Academy who genuinely thinks you are evil!¡¹


    Sensei spoke passionately and grabbed my shoulders tightly.


    ¡¸I-I see¡­¡¹


    I understand what she is saying to some extent.


    (But this has be troublesome again¡­)


    My reputation, which was not good to begin with, will get even worse if those advertisements were spread around.


    And when I sighed a little,


    ¡¸You made a lot of excuses, but¡­ To sum it up, you¡¯re just using Allen as a bait, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Guh¡­ T-That¡¯s right.¡¹


    Sensei bit her lower lip in response to Ria¡¯s sharp point


    ¡¸B-But you see! As we aimed, the¡ºAllen effect¡»was tremendous! Here, look at this!¡¹


    She said, taking a piece of piece paper out of the drawer.


    ¡¸¡­This is?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s a record of the number of examinees at Thousand de Academy over the past decade. And the part which is worth noting is here, take a good look at the number of candidates this year!¡¹


    ¡¸This is a tremendous number.¡¹


    It was an astounding phenomenal figure of more than three times as much as an average year.


    (I can¡¯t really believe this is my effect, but¡­)


    Sensei¡¯s goal seems to have been achieved for the time being.


    As the talks calmed down a little, I asked a question.


    ¡¸What happens in the case that I don¡¯t supervise the exam?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Our academy will be¡ºdone¡»for scam.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I see.¡¹


    She seems to be acting without thinking as usual.


    ¡¸Haa¡­ Okay, I¡¯ll take it on.¡¹


    I am indebted to sensei in various ways so far, such as teaching the training method of soul dress and efficient strength training.


    And the financial situation of Thousand de Academy bing tight is also partly my responsibility for not being able to control Zeon.


    ¡¸I-Is that true!? You¡¯re really going to do it!?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. But please stop doing these kinds of selfish acts, okay? At least please consult with me firs¨C¡¹


    ¡¸Yoshi! Yoshi, Yoshi, Yoshi!¡¹


    Sensei made a fist and shouted with excitement.


    (Haa, she¡¯s not listening to me at all¡­)


    Looking at this situation, I¡¯m sure she will do the same thing again someday.


    ¡¸Nee, Allen¡­ I think I¡¯ve said it once before, but you should be a little more strict with people¡­ But, I don¡¯t think you¡¯re ever going to change though.¡¹


    ¡¸Tell me about it. This kindness is a virtue, but also a drawback. I don¡¯t think we can change it either.¡¹


    Ria and Rose seemed to have given up on changing me, and sighed.

 Chapter 209 - Entrance Exam and Valentines Day [9]

    209. Entrance Exam and Valentines Day [9]


    After epting the role of examiner for the entrance exam, the next few days were rtively peaceful.


    During the day, the sses were intense as usual, and after school, I participated in the activities of the Practice-Swing Club.


    After that, I went back to the dorm, ate dinner with Ria, and did practice-swings untilte at night.


    (At first nce, it¡¯s an ideal swordsmanship life with no inconveniences, but¡­)


    There was only one thing that bothered me.


    (How do I put this¡­ It¡¯s kind of awkward¡­)


    The president has been acting strange recently.


    When I make eye contact, she quickly turns away, and if I try to get close, she¡¯ll get far from me.


    But if I leave her as is for a while, she starts making a lonely face.


    Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai were grinning and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±, but¡­


    (It¡¯s almost three weeks now. I am a little worried.)


    Obvious suspicious behavior.


    Maybe there¡¯s¡ºsomething¡»that she wants to tell me.


    (Yoshi. The next time we¡¯re alone, let¡¯s indirectly ask her about it.)


    I kept swinging my sword today too, thinking about that.


    ¡ö


    February 1st. Today is the long awaited entrance examination of Thousand de Academy.


    The current time is 8:30 a.m., just thirty minutes before the start of the test.


    Ria, Rose, and I, who were appointed as the examiners, went to Thousand de Academy early and were in the middle of readying for it.


    (Fuu, I¡¯m really nervous.)


    The main office of the entrance examination executivemittee is the ssroom of Year 1 ss A.


    Taking an exam is one of the biggest events in life.


    (The examinees have been training hard for three years in middle-school for this day.)


    Now that I have been appointed as the examiner, with that awareness and strong sense of responsibility in mind, I must carry it out without any mistakes,


    (¡­It¡¯s okay, no problem.)


    I looked through every inch of the entrance examination guidelines many times.


    The route to the exam site, the emergency response, the trouble manual ¨C I crammed it all into my head so that I could be prepared no matter what may happen.


    I¡¯ve done everything I can in these past three weeks¡­ I think.


    (In addition, the examination method and grading basis are strictly determined by the academy.)


    What we should do today is not that difficult.


    Conducting the predetermined exam and recording the results of the examinees ¨C that is all.


    It seems that the aim of using our current students as exam supervisors is to disy the cool appearance of a senior and to make it a source of inspiration for the examinees after entering the academy.


    (Anyway, I just have to calm down, and I¡¯ll be fine.)


    Wearing an armband marked as the entrance examination executivemittee member, I inserted the small transceiver handed by Leia-sensei in my ear.


    ¡¸And I¡¯m all ready. Ria, Rose, how about you two?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s perfect. I can go at anytime!¡¹


    ¡¸Same here. Anytime is fine.¡¹


    The two of them said, and nodded energetically.


    After that, just 30 minutes before the start of the exam.


    ¡¸This is Leia. Are you ready?¡¹


    I heard sensei¡¯s voice from the transceiver.


    ¡¸This is Allen. We¡¯re all perfect.¡¹


    ¡¸Understood. Then, move to the exam site soon. And¡­ If you run into any trouble, please contact me immediately. That¡¯s it.¡¹


    Then the transmission was cut.


    ¡¸Okay then, let¡¯s go to the exam site.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah.¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, let¡¯s do it.¡¹


    Thus, the three of us began to move to the front of the main academy building which was the examination site.


    ¡ö


    When we arrived in front of the academy building, we quietly waited for¡ºit¡»with a moderate sense of tension.


    About ten minutester.


    I saw the vice directoring towards us with arge number of students following him.


    ¡¸T-That¡¯s a great number¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Three thousand people¡­ Looking at it in person, it¡¯s quite a lot.¡¹


    ¡¸Hmm, this is going to be a lot of work.¡¹


    When we were exchanging our thoughts,


    ¡¸O-Oi, look over there! It¡¯s Allen Rodore.¡¹


    ¡¸W-Wow, the real one himself¡­¡¹


    ¡¸The¡ºpower of darkness¡»that I heard from rumors¡­ I would like to see it live at least once.¡¹


    The examinees who saw me began to get excited for some reason.


    In the meantime, the vice director quickly arranged the examinees into lines.


    When everything was ready, I understood that everyone¡¯s eyes were focused on me.


    ¡¸Well, Allen. Everyone¡¯s waiting for your exnation.¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t be too nervous.¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, I¡¯ll do my best.¡¹


    With the support of Ria and Rose, I took a step forward.


    ¡¸Then, I would like to exin the outline of the entrance examination of Thousand de Academy from this point¨C¡¹


    And the moment I spoke,


    ¡¸Oi, coward!¡ºDropout Swordsman¡»!¡¹


    The abuse that I have heard a mountain of times echoed throughout the academy.


    Looking towards the voice, three swordsmen in the uniform of the Gran Swordsmanship Academy were ring at me with hostility.


    ¡¸There¡¯s no way a dropout like you could¡¯ve beat Dodriel-senpai!¡¹


    ¡¸I don¡¯t know what kind of cowardly hand you used, but¡­ I¡¯m certain you cheated!¡¹


    ¡¸Because of you, Dodriel-senpai went astray. I¡¯ll make you pay for it right here!¡¹


    They said and pulled out their swords vigorously.


    It seems like they¡¯re going to start it here.


    ¡¸Haa¡­¡­ Allen here. I¡¯m sorry, but it seems that there is a problem right away.¡¹


    I heaved a sigh deeply and used the transceiver in my ear to contact sensei.

 Chapter 210 - Entrance Exam and Valentines Day [7]

    210. Entrance Exam and Valentines Day [7]


    I contacted sensei through the transceiver in order to deal with the trouble that ured unexpectedly.


    ¡¸This is Leia. What happened?¡¹


    There was a quick response from sensei who was on standby in the director¡¯s office.


    ¡¸Excuse me. There seems to be a couple of juniors from Gran Swordsmanship Academy with personal grudge, so¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I see. Then, beat em¡¯ up. Over.¡¹


    Along with that short answer, themunication was cut off.


    ¡¸No, beating them up is¡­¡¹


    I dropped my shoulder in response to that overly reckless answer.


    (That sound, it¡¯s most likely that¡­)


    Just before themunication was cut off, I heard a sound of a piece of paper being turned over.


    I¡¯m sure she¡¯s simply absorbed in reading this week¡¯s issue of Weekly Shonen Yaiba.


    (It¡¯s an important entrance exam and yet, she¡¯s still the same as usual¡­)


    And when I was sighing alone,


    ¡¸What should we do, Allen?¡¹


    ¡¸After this, you have an important job of supervising the Special Exam. If you¡¯d like, shall we clean this up?¡¹


    Ria and Rose asked for instructions in whispers.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s see¡­ I¡¯ll take care of this.¡¹


    Their target now is¡ºAllen Rodore from Gran Swordsmanship Academy¡».


    If Ria and Rose drive that trio away here, they will stand in front of me again someday.


    I have to properly cut off the ties of my past in this ce.


    ¡¸Well then¡­ Shall we get started?¡¹


    I took a step forward and signified my intention to fight.


    (Sensei also said, ¡°Beat em¡¯ up¡±, so let¡¯s finish it early.)


    There¡¯s only about five minutes to 9 a.m, which is the start time of the exam.


    If I spend too much time on this, the schedule will be pushed back.


    I don¡¯t want to put any more burden on the examinees who are already nervous as is.


    When I was thinking about that,


    ¡¸Heh! I¡¯ll expose your true identity painted with lies in front of thisrge number of people here. Dropout Swordsman Allen Rodore!¡¹


    ¡¸You damn bottom feeder of Gran Swordsmanship Academy! Trying to act brave isn¡¯t going to save you!¡¹


    ¡¸Our dear Dodriel-senpai¡¯s revenge! We¡¯ll beat you up until you be a rag cloth, and expose you to everyone!¡¹


    They threw foul words one after another and created a nasty atmosphere.


    ¡¸We are fellow swordsmen. Why don¡¯t we talk with our¡ºsword¡»instead of¡ºmouth¡»?¡¹


    I slowly said, while giving off slight bloodlust.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡­¡­!?¡¹¡¹¡¹


    The three of them turned pale and staggered back.


    ¡¸T-That¡¯s just a bluff! Don¡¯t get caught in that swidler¡¯s words! We¡¯ll bring him down right away!¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸Y-Yeah!¡¹¡¹


    They raised their voices as though motivating themselves.


    ¡¸re -¡´me Axe¡µ!¡¹


    ¡¸Blow -¡´Wind Kid¡µ!¡¹


    ¡¸y -¡´Triple de¡µ!¡¹


    They deployed their soul dress all at once.


    ¡¸That¡¯s amazing.¡¹


    To think they manifested it of their own strength without taking soul dress sses.


    It seems that these three have talent which cannot bepared with me.


    ¡¸Hehe, are you surprised?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, I¡¯m surprised.¡¹


    When I gave my honest impression, anger was reflected in their eyes.


    ¡¸Guh, let¡¯s see how long you can keep up that confident act!!!¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t underestimate us, you dropout trash swordsman!!!¡¹


    ¡¸DIEEEE!¡¹


    The three of them raised a loud roar and attacked simultaneously.


    From the right side, sharp upwards wind sh.


    From the left side, three-ded diagonal sh.


    And, from the front, a downwards sh d in scorching red mes.


    Simultaneous attacks unleashed from three directions.


    (But not enough training¡­)


    First of all, their grip is soft.


    The step in is shallow.


    The shes don¡¯t contain their body weight.


    They seem to have neglected the most basic training in swordsmanship ¨C practice swings ¨C because they reached the enormous power of¡ºsoul dress¡».


    Thinking absentmindedly about that, I slowly reached out to my sword fastened on the right side of my waist.


    And the instant when the three sharp attacks approached before my nose tip,


    ¡¸Seventh Sword ¨C Instant sh¡¹


    Godspeed Iai-sh, which cut the sound barrier, ran through the world.


    ¡¸Wha!?¡¹


    ¡¸Ha?¡¹


    ¡¸What the hell¡­ is this¡­!?¡¹


    The sh easily snapped the three soul dresses, and the sword des slowly fell to the ground.


    They stood petrified with a shocked expression as the sound of the des hitting the ground echoed.


    ¡¸It would be helpful if you could surrender, what do you say?¡¹


    A match between swordsmen is a serious battle.


    However, it is not desirable tounch further attacks in the state where the match is clearly decided.


    If it is possible, I would rather they leave quietly as it is.


    ¡¸Shit¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s not a trick¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸Remember this¡­!¡¹


    They ran away at full speed, each in a different reaction.


    (Fuu, I somehow managed to settle that.)


    When I slowly turned around feeling relieved in my heart,


    ¡¸F-Fast¡­ I couldn¡¯t even see the sword being pulled out!¡¹


    ¡¸Being that confident with three soul dress users as the opponents¡­ He is on apletely different level.¡¹


    ¡¸Man, that was amazing¡­ ¡ºThe Strongest First-Year Swordsman¡»is not just for show.¡¹


    The examinees who were watching the current battle grew astir.


    ¡¸To grab the hearts of the examinees with just one strike¡­ That¡¯s Allen for you!¡¹


    ¡¸Fuu¡­ Those three seem to have been quite useful in that regard.¡¹


    Ria and Rose said, with a relieved expression on their faces.


    ¡¸Ahaha. Well, I¡¯m d it ended safely without any incident.¡¹


    In this way, I cut off the ties that continued from the Gran Swordsmanship Academy, and began to exin this year¡¯s¡ºspecial examination¡»that I will carry out from now on.

 Chapter 211 - Entrance Exam and Valentines Day [8]

    211. Entrance Exam and Valentines Day [8]


    I sessfully repelled the juniors of Gran Swordsmanship Academy and greeted the examinees cheerfully, trying not to make them uneasy.


    ¡¸Nice to meet you, everyone. I am Allen Rodore, and I serve as the chief examiner for today¡¯s entrance examination. And they are Ria Vesteria and Rose Valencia, who will be assisting me today.¡¹


    As I briefly introduced them, the two bowed lightly.


    The examinees realized that the exam was about to start, immediately stopped talking and looked at us with a serious expression.


    (The gaze of three thousand people is indeed quite much.)


    While being under a strong sense of pressure and tension, I tried to exin as calmly as possible.


    ¡¸As written in the application guidelines, we will conduct the¡ºGeneral Examination¡»and the¡ºSpecial Examination¡»this year. The general examination consists of three parts: physical ability, swordsmanship, and interview. This is exactly the same format as usual, and we¡¯ll give a brief exnation before the exam starts.¡¹


    After pausing for a brief moment, I continue to talk about the special exam that will be conducted only this year.


    ¡¸And as for the special exam, this is a one-on-one mock battle between me and the examinee. The examinees who are able tond a hit on me, will pass immediately. And unfortunately for those who lose, today¡¯s exam will be over on the spot.¡¹


    When I said that,


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡­¡­¡¹¡¹¡¹


    There was a big shock among the examinees.


    ¡¸Just because you didn¡¯t pass the special exam doesn¡¯t necessarily lead to failure. The vice-director over there will score your fight and if it reaches the passing criteria set by Thousand de Academy, of course, you will pass.¡¹


    When I added a supplementary exnation, they patted their chests with relief.


    ¡¸Also, this is not an¡ºactual battle¡»but an¡ºexam¡». Of course, I will be holding back moderately, and I won¡¯tunch any form of lethal attack from my side. Naturally, you would have to be prepared for injuries to a certain extent, but¡­ In that case, after the battle is over, I will treat you with this¡ºdarkness¡»immediately, so don¡¯t worry.¡¹


    I shed my left hand shallowly and immediately cured the cut with darkness.


    The next moment,


    ¡¸I-It¡¯s out! It¡¯s the darkness that defeated Idol Luxmaria at the Sword King Festival.¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s beautiful¡­ It was worthing here today.¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s amazing. Is it the healing ability of darkness? I heard it heals instant death wounds, the curse of monsters and demons, and every other thing. It has a reputation for being the highest level as a recovery-type soul dress.¡¹


    ¡¸And it seems that almost all attacks towards the user are automatically defended with a¡ºdark robe¡»?¡¹


    ¡¸Furthermore, a single attack seems to have the power to destroy Thousand de Academy, or so I¡¯ve heard!¡¹


    ¡¸It looks really cool and the performance is perfect. Man, I¡¯m so jealous.¡¹


    Their eyes were gleaming with enthusiasm.


    By demonstrating the effect of healing of darkness, I seem to have been able to reduce their anxiety a little.


    Afterpleting the exnation, I exchanged looks with Ria and Rose. They smiled gently and nodded in response.


    (Fuu, thank goodness¡­)


    It seems that there were no deficiencies in the current exnation.


    I secretly exhaled a sigh of relief and turned towards the clock tower.


    (All right, we¡¯re right on time.)


    Although there was unexpected trouble along the way, there is no disturbance in the schedule so far.


    It can be said that everything is going well so far.


    ¡¸Then, students who wish to take the general exam should follow the instructions of Ria and Rose. If you would like to take the special exam, please remain here.¡¹


    When I pped my hands, the majority of students gathered in front of Ria and Rose.


    ¡¸Then, Allen. We¡¯re heading to the general exam site.¡¹


    ¡¸Leave it to us.¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, good luck.¡¹


    The two of them said, and took along the majority of the examinees with them.


    (¡­Even so, a lot of them remained behind.)


    Spread before me were swordsmen filled with fighting spirit in their eyes.


    (But, I didn¡¯t think there would be over three hundred people.)


    Sensei said,¡¸There shouldn¡¯t be too many of them who would recklessly want to fight Allen. By my calction, only about ten would be left. The other students would be follow-the-crowd types who simply want to see the¡ºreal Allen Rodore¡»¡¹, but¡­


    As far as this situation is concerned, her predictions are far off the mark.


    (Sensei also said,¡¸As long as you don¡¯t use¡´Zeon¡µ, I don¡¯t mind how wild you go¡­¡¹, but¡­)


    I¡¯m not going to make that much of a mess.


    As a result of secretly consulting with No. 18-san, I settled on the conclusion to seal¡ºtechnique¡»such as Flying Shadow and Yatagarasu.


    ¡¸Well then, we¡¯re going to start the special exam. Whoever is ready, please tell me your exam number and name.¡¹


    When I said that, one swordsman immediately gave his name.


    ¡¸Examinee number 2521, Valen Semgard!¡¹


    ¡¸Let¡¯s get started.¡¹


    This is how the special exam between me and the examinees began.

 Chapter 212 - Entrance Exam and Valentines Day [9]

    212. Entrance Exam and Valentines Day [9]


    Two hours after the start of the special exam. The hundredth opponent was just over.


    ¡¸Haa, haa¡­ Shit¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Are you all right?¡¹


    When I reach out to the examinee who was on his knees in front of me,


    ¡¸Y-Yes¡­ Thank you very much for the match!¡¹


    He said happily and bowed deeply.


    Looking at this appearance, it seems that the healing of darkness is not necessary.


    Unfortunately, there were still no sessful applicants at this time.


    Not one swordsman has been able tond a hit on me so far.


    As I was thinking about what to do about it, I saw the remaining 200 students discussing amongst themselves.


    ¡¸No, no, no. Isn¡¯t he a little too strong?¡¹


    ¡¸¡ºFirst-Year Strongest¡»is not just for show. It¡¯s the same for simple swordsmanship, but above all, our physical abilities are levels apart.¡¹


    ¡¸And far from running out of breath, he has not even moved a step from there¡­ C-Could we still change over to the general exam?¡¹


    They were secretly talking amongst themselves in whispers, while repeatedly ncing at me.


    They¡¯re most likely sharing my weaknesses and movement tendencies.


    ¡¸Well then, the next one please.¡¹


    When I said that and encouraged the students, a female student stood in front of me.


    ¡¸Exam number 2710, Lou Lorenti. Please go easy on me, Allen-senpai?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, don¡¯t worry.¡¹


    After a short greeting, I assumed Seigan no Kamae, and she pulled out two swords with a short de.


    (Is that a short sword? Even so, it¡¯s rare to see a double-sword user.)


    Lou Lorenti.


    Light pink medium hair.


    Lovely facial features full of charm.


    She is a little short, about 155 centimeters tall.


    Lean body figure, with young, healthy skin.


    She is wearing a white uniform from some swordsmanship academy.


    (¡­This girl is strong.)


    She felt a little different from the rest of the examiness up to now.


    I felt something like a unique¡ºpressure¡»and¡ºexperience¡».


    ¡¸Then, here Ie?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa,e.¡¹


    The moment I nodded, Lou¡¯s small body leapt like a spring and closed the distance in one breath.


    ¡¸HA!¡¹


    With enough eleration, she thrusts out with her right short sword.


    A merciless, wonderful blow aimed at my chest.


    (¡­Her step in is really good.)


    While having that impression in mind, I intercepted it with an upwards sh at an angle.


    Our shes collided, and a metallic sound echoed.


    ¡¸Kuh¡­ Right there!¡¹


    Having decided that she couldn¡¯t win by force, she immediately spun her body and unleashed a diagonal sh with her left short sword.


    (A perfect reaction for when the first attack is defended.)


    I¡¯m sure it¡¯s a pattern she has practiced over and over again.


    A fluid movement without any wasted steps. Shifting quickly from a thrust to a sh.


    I took half a step back and avoided it with bare minimal movement.


    ¡¸I¡¯m going to kick you in the side.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­!?¡¹


    When Lou heard my warning, she instantly defended her abdomen with the double sword.


    I threw a middle kick containing my body weight right there


    ¡¸Guh, heavy!¡¹


    As she was blown away, she managed to reorganize her posture in mid-air and splendidly killed the impact.


    (Reaction speed and defensive movement are good.)


    Because of her small physique, her shes are a little¡ºlight¡», but¡­


    It shouldn¡¯t matter once her body grows.


    When I was doing that analysis,


    ¡¸As expected of Allen-senpai. I thought if it was just one hit, I could do it, but¡­ It seems that my calctions were a little naive.¡¹


    Lou bites her lower lip, with a gloomy look.


    (Things are looking grim at this rate. If I don¡¯t enter Thousand de Academy and create a¡ºrtionship¡»with Allen-senpai, nothing will start¡­)


    Then she exhaled loudly and let go of the two short swords.


    ¡¸Haa¡­ I didn¡¯t expect that I would have to bring it out in this ce.¡¹


    At that moment, the air surrounding Lou changed dramatically.


    (I see, so she had manifested it after all¡­)


    Such a talented individual.


    I just thought that she ¡°might have¡±, and it would seem that I was correct.


    ¡¸Fall -¡´Companion Partner¡µ!¡¹


    The next moment, as though tearing through the empty space, two red-brown short swords appeared.


    (Sharpened swordsmanship, high physical ability, in addition to those, soul dress is already manifested.)


    This will well meet the passing criteria.


    When I was thinking about that,


    ¡¸Nee, Allen-senpai. When this fight is over, the wounds will be cured properly, right?¡¹


    Lou suddenly asked, tilting her head.


    ¡¸Aa, of course.¡¹


    ¡¸Is that so? Well then, I really don¡¯t like pain, so please help me right away, okay?¡¹


    When she said that with a fleeting smile,


    ¡¸Fuu¡­ HA!¡¹


    All of a sudden, she thrust¡´Companion Partner¡µdeep into her left palm.

 Chapter 213 - Entrance Exam and Valentines Day [10]

    213. Entrance Exam and Valentines Day [10]


    With tears in her eyes, Lou tried to bite down the pain.


    The red-brown short sword pierced deeply into her left palm, and blood flowed out.


    (It hurts, it hurts, it hurts so much¡­ But if I do this much, even Allen-senpai will not be unscathed¡­ what!?)


    ¡¸W-What are you doing?¡¹


    I threw out the sword in my hand and rushed towards Lou.


    ¡¸No way, why are you¡­!?¡¹


    She was fixated on my left hand for some reason with a shocked expression.


    ¡¸Come on, show me your hand!¡¹


    ¡¸Y-Yes¡­¡¹


    As soon as I started high-speed treatment with high-output darkness, the wound on her palm was quickly healed.


    ¡¸That should do it¡­ Do you feel any pain?¡¹


    ¡¸T-Thank you¡­ Wait, that¡¯s not it. Why are you unharmed!?¡¹


    After Lou politely thanked me, she came closer and took a better look at my left hand.


    Taking in the sweet scent of a girl, my heart started to race slightly.


    ¡¸Well, I¡¯m not sure what your question means¡­¡¹


    I didn¡¯t receive any attack, so it¡¯s only natural that I¡¯m unharmed. I was troubled as to what her question entailed.


    And as I was tilting my head with a troubled look on my face,


    ¡¸Bitch, how dare you¡­ A¡±a?!¡¹


    All of a sudden, Zeon¡¯s ice cold angry voice echoed.


    And the next moment,


    ¡¸Wha!?¡¹


    My left arm moved without permission and grabbed Lou¡¯s thin neck.


    ¡¸Ack, A-!?¡¹


    Her feet left the ground. She desperately tried to escape as she started foaming at her mouth.


    However, my arm gradually put more power into it and strangled her tighter.


    ¡¸STOP! ZEON!¡¹


    And when I strongly rejected him with my mind,


    ¡¸Tch¡­¡¹


    A loud tongue-click resounded, and with that, his presence disappeared.


    At the same time, I regained control over my left arm.


    ¡¸I-I¡¯m sorry¡­ Are you all right, Lou?¡¹


    When I reached out my hand to her, who was breathing raggedly on the ground,


    ¡¸Hi-Hiiiiiii¡­¡¹


    Lou held her body with both hands and ran away from me.


    It seems that I have caused her a lot of fear.


    (Damnit, Zeon¡­ I thought he was being unduly quiettely, but it seems that he was concentrating on restoring his spiritual power.)


    Thest time he came out to the¡ºsurface¡»was in September ofst year.


    For about six months after that, he seems to have been concentrating on recovery.


    (¡­Even with my consciousness so clear, Zeon forcibly took control of me.)


    Right now it is still just one arm, but I don¡¯t know what will happen in the future.


    (If I don¡¯t control the spirit core more firmly, things will get more dangerous.)


    Zeon¡¯s power is truly overwhelming.


    Once he goes on a rampage, there is no doubt that it will cause devastating damage to the surroundings.


    (I¡¯m a little worried about Lou, but¡­ For now, shall I just continue the special exam?)


    I¡¯ve more or lesspletely recovered her wounds, and above all, I can¡¯t leave this ce at the moment.


    (I¡¯ll apologize to her the next time we meet again.)


    Lou was an excellent swordsman who had greatly exceeded the passing criteria of Thousand de Academy.


    The vice-director who was scoring the current battle will surely have made the decision for her to pass.


    If she doesn¡¯t decline admission, we¡¯ll probably see each other before long.


    When I was thinking about that, I noticed a faint trace of blood on my left palm.


    (Eh¡­?¡ºWhose¡»blood is this?)


    First and foremost, it is not my blood.


    I haven¡¯t had a single hitnd on me in the fights so far, I ampletely unscathed.


    And it¡¯s hard to think it¡¯s Lou¡¯s blood.


    The only time I came into contact with her was that moment when I strangled her neck.


    At that time, Lou¡¯s wound was alreadypletely healed, so that possibility is very low.


    (If that¡¯s the case¡­ No way¡­)


    One possibility crossed my mind.


    (Is it possible that¡´Companion Partner¡µhas the ability to link the conditions of Lou and her target?)


    If I look at it that way, everything fits together perfectly.


    Just before the start of the special exam, she made sure that I would heal her with darkness.


    During the battle, she suddenly harmed herself.


    And then, she asked me why I was unscathed with a shocked expression on her face.


    And all of a sudden, Zeon came out to the surface.


    (That bad mood and the faint trace of blood on my left hand¡­ Going by that, he probably suffered a¡ºsmall cut¡».)


    I don¡¯t know why the effects of¡´Companion Partner¡µbared its fangs towards Zeon, but¡­


    I¡¯m sure this is how things roughly came to this point.


    After solving most of the mysteries, I turned around to resume the examination, but¡­ The examinees who had been hit by Zeon¡¯s intense bloodlust were trembling all over.


    They huddled together with each other and looked up at me as though looking at a monster.


    (Ah man¡­ How should I exin this¡­)


    After oveing the major trouble of Zeon¡¯s appearance, I ran into the trouble of the¡ºaftermath¡»that followed.

 Chapter 214 - Entrance Exam and Valentines Day [11]

    214. Entrance Exam and Valentines Day [11]


    Anxiety, fear, and fretfulness ¨C the examinees eyes were mixed with such negative emotions.


    (T-This is bad. I need to exin the situation right away, or else¡­)


    From a bystander¡¯s perspective, the man known as¡ºAllen Rodore¡»would seem to be an emotionally unstable individual.


    Just when he seemed like treating Lou¡¯s hand, the next moment he strangled her neck.


    A few secondster, he releases and sincerely apologizes.


    (This could be seen as psychopathic to a certain extent¡­)


    It is very natural that the examinees who don¡¯t not know anything would be scared.


    I decided to exin the situation quickly to get rid of their fears.


    ¡¸Everyone, please calm down and listen. The thing just now was, how do I say this¡­ My spirit core seems to have gone a little wild. So, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡¹


    I apologized sincerely without trying to make excuses, but¡­


    ¡¸W-Went wild¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸N-No, no¡­ Isn¡¯t your emotional swings too violent?¡¹


    ¡¸The kind and gentle face on the¡ºfront¡», but ferocious and violent face on the¡ºback¡»¡­ Perhaps the rumours were true after all¡­¡¹


    I don¡¯t think it was very effective looking at their reactions.


    (I guess it is no use if the person in question makes excuses¡­ I have no choice but to seek the help of a third party¡­)


    And as I looked to the vice-director to ask for help,


    ¡¸A-Awawa¡­¡¹


    He was also unable to stand up due to Zeon¡¯s bloodlust.


    (This is¡­ an emergency.)


    I used the transceiver attached to my ear and hurriedly contacted Leia-sensei.


    ¡¸This is Allen. I¡¯m sorry, but Zeon took over my body for a moment¡­¡¹


    As I reported the problem concisely,


    ¡¸WHAT!?¡¹


    I heard a loud noise as though she had fallen from her work chair.


    ¡¸W-What do you mean!? What the hell happened!?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, actually-¡¹


    Then I briefly exined the trouble that had just urred.


    During the special exam, I crossed swords with a girl named Lou Lorenti.


    She developed her soul dress¡´Companion Partner¡µ, and it is presumed that her ability is to link herself to the target¡¯s condition.


    As a result of Lou thrusting the short sword into her hand, for some reason the effect befell Zeon and he suffered an almost insignificant cut.


    That is why he flipped, took control of my left hand, and tried to break Lou¡¯s neck.


    She was all right in the end, but ran away somewhere. And now the students are scared and it¡¯s difficult to continue the special exam.


    ¡¸I see¡­ However, the ability to link oneself and the target, huh¡­ It¡¯s an extremely rare ability that I¡¯ve never heard of before.¡¹


    Sensei whispered with great interest.


    ¡¸Okay, I¡¯ve got a grasp on the situation for now. So, what about Zeon¡¯s condition?¡¹


    ¡¸Let¡¯s see¡­ He seems to be very calm right now.¡¹


    As I concentrated my consciousness on the world of the soul, there wasplete silence.


    Perhaps he was sleeping on that rock with a crack running across its surface.


    ¡¸Hmm¡­ He¡¯s probably already saved up a lot of spiritual power. Be more vignt than ever before so that you don¡¯t lose control of your body in any circumstances.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I understand.¡¹


    We can¡¯t let Zeon out into the outside world.


    This is amon understanding between me and sensei.


    ¡¸By the way¡­ What should I do about the special exam?¡¹


    ¡¸All the students were afraid of Allen, weren¡¯t they?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, it feels so¡­¡¹


    When I looked at them, they all looked away at once.


    My heart ached a bit¡­


    ¡¸If that¡¯s the case, there¡¯s no choice. We¡¯ll give up the special exam there and let the students take the general exam as usual.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, I understand.¡¹


    After that, I interrupted the special exam and directed the examinees to the site of the general exam.


    From there on, there was no big problem, and the exam was conducted normally.


    Although there were various troubles along the way, this year¡¯s Thousand de Academy¡¯s entrance exam ended safely.

 Chapter 215 - Entrance Exam and Valentines Day [12]

    215. Entrance Exam and Valentines Day [12]


    February 7th.


    A week before Valentine¡¯s Day, Sie Arcstria was lying down on the desk in the student council room, and sighed loudly.


    ¡¸Haa¡­¡¹


    The time was 4 p.m.


    It was the end of the sses at Thousand de Academy, and all the students were undergoing their club activities.


    From the schoolyard, the voice of the practice-swing club echoed, and the warm evening glow of sunset poured filtering in through the window.


    (Uh, what should I do¡­? There¡¯s only a week left.)


    Sie¡¯s heart was burning with impatience as she messed with her beautiful ck hair with her fingers.


    In preparation for¡ºValentine¡¯s Day¡», she tried to get to know Allen Rodore¡¯s favorite chocte indirectly, but¡­


    The moment her eyes meet his, her head goes nk and she hasn¡¯t even been able to talk straighttely.


    ¡¸Haa¡­¡¹


    The moment she was feeling disappointed with her weak-mindedness, and heaved her umpteenth sigh,


    ¡¸Sia, what the hell are you doing!?¡¹


    ¡¸You can¡¯t move forward if you just keep worrying about your troubles though!¡¹


    Lilim and Ferris said passionately and tried to inspire the weak-kneed Sie.


    However,


    ¡¸I am not really worrying about anything¡­¡¹


    Their words couldn¡¯t reach her, whose mind was full of thoughts about Allen.


    ¡¸It¡¯s about time.¡¹- Lilim and Ferris, who decided so, exchanged nces with each other and nodded at the same time.


    ¡¸Fuu, It¡¯s no use hiding it. You like Allen-kun, right?¡¹


    ¡¸It was obvious since a long time ago though¡­¡¹


    The moment they said that grinningly,


    ¡¸W-W-W-What are you talking about?¡¹


    Sie stood up quickly, her face flushing deep red.


    ¡¸It¡¯s okay, we won¡¯t tell anyone¡­ Be honest and tell us your true feelings. Perhaps we can be of help to you, right?¡¹


    ¡¸We are¡ºlove pros¡»who have read up on tons of love books. I¡¯m sure we can help you in someway though¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Y-You will help me?¡¹


    Hearing the whispers of the devil, Sie¡¯s heart shook.


    (She took the bait!)


    (Only one more push though¡­!)


    Lilim and Ferris put on an exceedingly super friendly smile, in their minds thinking,¡¸We can¡¯t miss this opportunity.¡¹


    ¡¸Of course! We¡¯ll do anything for our best friend!¡¹


    ¡¸We¡¯ll do everything we can to help you though¡­!¡¹


    Sie, who received a reassuring hand from her childhood friends¨C


    (Currently, all the roads are closed off to me. Now I am in a situation where even talking to Allen-kun is difficult¡­. At this rate, things will only get worse¡­)


    After thinking enough about it, she firmly resolved herself.


    ¡¸As you two say, I like Allen-kun!¡¹


    She shouted loudly, her white skin flushing red all the way to her ears.


    ¡¸Fuu, you finally admitted it. All right then, from this point on, we¡¯ll start the¡ºCapture Allen-kun Strategy¡»!¡¹


    Lilim dered high-spiritedly, and Ferris sounded the crackers she had hidden.


    Then the three of them quickly sat down in their usual seats and started the strategy meeting.


    ¡¸Naa, Sie. I just want to ask you¡­ What¡¯s up with that suspicious behaviour recently?¡¹


    ¡¸When Allen-kun is in sight, you tantly avert your gaze, and if he gets close, you try to get away from him. Even if he tries to take control of the situation and calls out to you, you don¡¯t respond properly. If you keep doing this, the distance between the two of you will only keep increasing though¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Umm¡­ W-Well, that is¡­¡¹


    Sie, who received sharp points from the two, responded with a downcast look.


    ¡¸I-I am too conscious of it and so I can¡¯t speak well¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I see. As expected, this seems to be quite¡ºsevere¡»¡¹


    ¡¸Sie¡¯s love experience is totally zero. A maiden among maiden, so I guess it can¡¯t really be helped though¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡­¡­¡¹¡¹¡¹


    As an indescribable silence loomed, Lilim and Ferris stood up at the same time as though it was arranged beforehand.


    ¡¸It may be a little cruel, but¡­ Let me just say this one thing clearly. Although he doesn¡¯t seem to be aware of it, Allen-kun¡¯s poprity is very high. He has numerous charms. A kind face, a bright and gentle personality, and the overwhelming power of¡ºnational strength ss¡». No girl would let him slip away.¡¹


    ¡¸If Sie doesn¡¯t take any proactive action, and this keeps going on¡­ Allen-kun will definitely be taken by someone else.¡¹


    Sie, who was dropped with a ruthless verdict by Lilim and Ferris, the self-proimed¡ºlove pros¡»,


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    Gasped as her face turned white as a sheet.

 Chapter 216 - Entrance Exam and Valentines Day [13]

    216. Entrance Exam and Valentines Day [13]


    If this continues, her prince of fate will be connected to someone other than herself.


    Sie¡¯s heart, which received that cruel verdict, was about to break apart.


    ¡¸There are a lot of people aiming for Allen-kun and each one of them is a strong rival¡­ Ria Vesteria, maybe even Rose Valencia, Idol Luxmaria, and many others might be lurking around ready to ambush!¡¹


    ¡¸You don¡¯t have the time to absent-mindedly sit around and worry about things in such a crucial situation!¡¹


    Sie, who received such severe points from Lilim and Ferris,


    ¡¸Uuh¡­¡¹


    Had no counter argument, and all she could do was shut up and look down.


    (Fufu, fu¡­ This is getting kind of fun¡­ )


    (Ka-Kawaii¡­ After all, Sie is the cutest in the world when she is troubled though¡­)


    She was in so much dilemma that she couldn¡¯t afford to notice her friends¡¯ evil smiles.


    (W-What to do, what to do, what to do!?)


    Her eyes darted around and she fell into a state of panic.


    Towards Sie, who was panicking, Lilim and Ferris added a follow-up as if they had been aiming for this moment.


    ¡¸It¡¯s okay. At present, there¡¯s no doubt that Allen-kun likes you.¡¹


    ¡¸If you make the right moves, there¡¯s a chance that the two of you will be together though¡­¡¹


    Sweet words immediately after being harsh.


    Sie fell for the typical¡ºcarrot and stick¡».


    ¡¸R-Really?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, it¡¯s true! Think about it. Allen-kun invaded the Holy Ronelia Empire just to save you, didn¡¯t he? He must at the very least like you!¡¹


    ¡¸And even if you always selfishly do whatever you want, Allen-kun still goes along with it. You can only call this love though¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Eh, Ehehe¡­ I-Is that so?¡¹


    The pure and innocent Sie in regards to love, acted shy like a child.


    ¡¸And ording to my opinion, Allen-kun¡¯s love experience is exactly zero, the same as you! From the innocent reactions that he asionally shows, there is no doubt anymore!¡¹


    ¡¸Even though an inhuman, Allen-kun is a boy too. All boys of his age are animals. So if you use your body to seduce him a little, you can win easily!¡¹


    ¡¸U-Use my body!?¡¹


    Sie¡¯s eyes widened to the unexpected proposal.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t worry. Your figure is perfect from top to bottom!¡¹


    ¡¸If you push that big chest close together¡­ It¡¯s a certain-win!¡¹


    ¡¸M-My, chest?¡¹


    As she looked down, soft, well-developed, bulging assets asserted their presence.


    For about an hour after that, Sie greedily absorbed the knowledge of the contrived love books from Lilim and Ferris.


    As a result,


    ¡¸S-Somehow, I¡­ I¡¯m starting to feel like I might be able to do it!¡¹


    ¡¸All right. If you¡¯ve decided to do that, then strike while the iron is hot! Let¡¯s quickly call Allen-kun here!¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m going to go to the broadcasting club because I have some influence there!¡¹


    ¡¸O-Ok, I will leave it to you!¡¹


    Thus, Sie, who was riled up by the two, set out on¡ºCapture Allen Rodore Battle¡».


    ¡ö


    February 7th.


    I was swinging today as well when I started hearing the topic of Valentine¡¯s Day pop up here and there.


    The location of the practice-swing club in the academy has much improvedpared to the beginning of the club.


    (At that time, we were in the corner of the schoolyard, quietly swinging our swords, but¡­)


    Now, more than 150 swordsmen devote themselves to their everyday training using the entire schoolyard.


    ¡¸FU! HA! SEI!¡¹


    A person who swings the sword with cries full of vigour.


    A person who continues to meditate while assuming the stance ¨C Seigan no Kamae.


    A person who practices various shes with a swordsmanship book in one hand.


    Everyone here was facing swordsmanship with an honest heart.


    The sense of unity was irresistiblyfortable.


    ¡¸¡¸FU! HA! SEI!¡¹¡¹


    Ria to my right, and Rose to my left.


    On either side which seems to have be their fixed position, they continued swinging their sword while drenched in sweat.


    And as I was swinging with my soul put into each swing, being motivated by the two beside me, suddenly the in-house broadcast rang out.


    ¡ºYear 1 ss A Allen Rodore-kun, pleasee to the student council room alone. I repeat. Year 1 ss A¨C¡»


    ¡¸I alone, to the student council room?¡¹


    And when I was tilting my head,


    ¡¸This timing, a week before that day¡­ Allen, be careful, okay? If something happens, shout for help right away, okay?¡¹


    ¡¸Recently things have been a little strange, but to think the battle will start so soon¡­. Allen, the enemy is mighty. Don¡¯t let your guard down, okay?¡¹


    Having sensed something, Ria and Rose demanded the utmost vignce for some reason.


    ¡¸I-I don¡¯t really understand, but¡­ I¡¯m going.¡¹


    I suspended the activity of the practice-swing club temporarily and went to the main academy building.


    I went straight through the long corridor and arrived at the familiar student council room.


    When I lightly knocked on the door in front of me,


    ¡¸C-Come in¡­¡¹


    The president¡¯s high-pitched voice replied.


    ¡¸Excuse me.¡¹


    I opened the door slowly. There was the figure of the president who was blushing slightly.


    Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai were nowhere to be seen.


    Apparently, she¡¯s the only one in the room.


    (¡­There¡¯s no mistaking it anymore.)


    Connecting the fact that I alone was called here, and her tension filled face¡­ The answer is quite obvious.


    (After all, there seems to be¡ºsomething¡»that she wants to tell me alone.)


    The president¡¯s behaviour has been very strange recently.


    In all probability, just like during the time of political marriage, I¡¯m guessing she¡¯s having a big problem.


    (Either the conflict between the royal faction and the noble faction, or the problem of House Arcstria, or apletely different problem¡­)


    Anyway, there¡¯s no doubt she¡¯s facing a big problem that she can¡¯t handle alone.


    (¡­¡­But I¡¯m d.)


    I am simply so happy that she relied on me like this.


    (As a man¡­ No, as a swordsman, this is a crucial moment.)


    In order to respond to the trust of my precious friend, I need to give my absolute best.


    ¡¸What¡¯s wrong, president?¡¹


    I advanced towards her, while being conscious to use as gentle a tone as possible to make it easier for the president to bring up the subject.

 Chapter 217 - Entrance Exam and Valentines Day [14]

    217. Entrance Exam and Valentines Day [14]


    Seating in her usual seat, the president spoke with a tense look on her face.


    ¡¸A-Allen-kun¡­ Could you sit here today?¡¹


    She said, patting the seat next to her.


    ¡¸Yes, okay.¡¹


    I sat down there without asking why.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    For a few seconds after that, we simply looked at each other and kept silent.


    (Should I, as the man, broach the subject?)


    When I was thinking about that,


    ¡¸I-Isn¡¯t it kind of getting hot?¡¹


    She said in a high-pitched voice and for some reason loosened her uniform tie and unbuttoned her uniform around her chest.


    From the gap in the uniform, I caught a fleeting glimpse of her vibrant skin and the mounds on her chest.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    I try not to be conscious of it, and said the first words that came to mind.


    ¡¸Eh, uh¡­ It¡¯s winter now, though?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­!? A-Ah, I made a mistake there.¡¹


    ¡¸Y-Yeah¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    For a while after that, an indescribable atmosphere loomed.


    (Was that the president¡¯s joke right now?)


    (A-As expected of Allen-kun, he¡¯s a¡ºmonster of reason¡». He definitely saw it a little, but he still kept calm.)


    As the second hand of the clock slowly ticked the passage of time,


    ¡¸A-Actually, onee-san can do palm fortune-telling!¡¹


    She suddenly brought up an unrted topic.


    ¡¸Palm fortune-telling?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, that¡¯s right. I¡¯ll specially read Allen-kun¡¯s palm fortune today! C-Come on, show me your hand!¡¹


    ¡¸Y-Yes¡­¡¹


    When I held out my right hand as requested, for some reason, the president gulped and wrapped my hand in her slightly trembling hands.


    ¡¸Hmm, hmm, I see¡­¡¹


    She bends over a little and traces my life line with her fingers.


    Her smooth, slender finger ran across my palm. It tickled a little.


    But right now I don¡¯t care about such a small thing.


    There was a more serious problem that I could do nothing about.


    (T-This is not good, is it?)


    Currently, the president was in a state of having loosened her tie and unfastened some buttons around her chest. Because she bent forward in such a state, I could see her pretty pale pink bra.


    I mobilized all my reasoning power, and turned my eyes to the upper right corner.


    ¡¸N-Nee, Allen-kun¡­ Can I ask you a question to improve the uracy of the fortune-telling?¡¹


    Her voice quivered slightly as she asked.


    Asking questions during fortune-telling is a standard.


    ¡¸Yes, please.¡¹


    So I agreed without worrying about it.


    ¡¸O-Okay, I am gonna ask you now.¡¹


    The president said, and exhaled loudly.


    And then.


    ¡¸W-What is your favorite chocte vor?¡¹


    With the afterglow of the sunset reflected by the moist surface of her eyes, and her sun kissed face, she tilted her head.


    I lost my words seeing that cute gesture.


    ¡¸C-Chocte vor? Let¡¯s see¡­ If I were to say one, it would be slightly sweet milk chocte.¡¹


    It doesn¡¯t seem to have much to do with fortune-telling, but I decided to answer it honestly.


    And then,


    ¡¸M-Milk chocte, yes!?¡¹


    ¡¸Eh, yes.¡¹


    I don¡¯t know what on earth the president was so happy about, but she made a small guts pose with both hands with a gleam in her eyes.


    If she does that in a state of bending forward, naturally, her breasts will be emphasized more than ever.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    I was captivated by the overwhelming presence for a moment, but immediately shook my head and stared at the empty space.


    I felt my heart beating faster and my body temperature rising.


    (I-It¡¯s a bit difficult to continue the conversation in this state.)


    I decided that and cleared my throat.


    ¡¸Umm, president?¡¹


    ¡¸What is it?¡¹


    ¡¸I-It would be helpful if you could fasten the buttons around your chest.¡¹


    ¡¸Chest? ??!?¡¹


    The president has been doing strange things for a while, but apparently this was an ident.


    She hurriedly fastened the buttons, tied her tie tightly, and fell silent with her face flushed.

 Chapter 218 - Entrance Exam and Valentines Day [15]

    218. Entrance Exam and Valentines Day [15]


    The president hurriedly hid her unexpectedly exposed chest, and sank into silence.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    And once again, an indescribable silence dominates the ce.


    (Something is wrong after all. She doesn¡¯t tell me the results of fortune-telling, and has been talking and acting crazy since a little while ago.)


    (I just intended to emphasize my chest for a moment, but¡­ I-I never thought even my underwear would be seen. B-But I was able to ask him! Milk chocte! That¡¯s right, I am going to present milk chocte!)


    She looked embarrassed and happy at the same time.


    I decided to ask the president, who had such mixed expressions, directly.


    ¡¸President. In fact, isn¡¯t there¡ºsomething¡»you want to tell me?¡¹I asked, looking straight into her eyes.


    ¡¸Eh? N-No, it¡¯s, uhh¡­¡¹


    The president¡¯s eyes darted around in confusion.


    This reaction¡­ I guess I hit the bull¡¯s eye.


    ¡¸It¡¯s all right, please rest assured. I¡¯m prepared to ept anything. So, if you want, you can talk to me without keeping it to yourself.¡¹


    When I said with a serious expression,


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡­¡­O-Okay.¡¹


    She looked straight at me as if she had made up her mind.


    ¡¸I, actually¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Actually¡­¡¹


    ¡¸How do I say this, I¡­ L-Lo¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Lo¡­?¡¹


    And the president, whose face was flushed even to her ears,


    ¡¸S-Sorry. I will tell you some other time!.¡¹


    For some reason, she shouted that and ran out of the student council room.


    ¡¸Eh, uh¡­?¡¹


    When I was left alone dumbfounded, I sensed a slight presence leaking out from the closet.


    (¡­What?)


    When I opened the door suspiciously, there were Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai who were desperately trying to hold back theirughter.


    ¡¸¡¸¡­¡­Ah.¡¹¡¹


    It seems that they hid themselves there by hiding their presence.


    (I see¡­)


    It seems that the mischievous senpais are involved in this case.


    ¡¸Lilim-senpai, Ferris-senpai. Is it because of you two that the president¡¯s behaviour has been strange these days?¡¹


    When I asked them with a smile,


    ¡¸No, no, not at all¡­ That¡¯s a false usation! That¡¯s because of Sie¡¯sck of experience¡»!¡¹


    ¡¸Y-Your smile is scary, Allen-kun. A-Anyway, that evil darkness leaking out from your body is unsettling, so I want you to take it back in, though!¡¹


    They shook their heads and appealed for their innocence.


    ¡¸Haa¡­ So what does thisck of experience mean?¡¹


    ¡¸How do I say this¡­ It¡¯s that thing called the¡ºwall of youth¡»that every maiden hits once in her lifetime.¡¹


    ¡¸I can¡¯t go into details. But you don¡¯t have to worry so much though.¡¹


    ¡¸I see¡­¡¹


    To be honest, I don¡¯t really get it, but¡­.


    Anyway, the problem that the president has seems not to be dangerous.


    Just understanding that is a great harvest.


    ¡¸By the way, why were you two hiding in this ce?¡¹


    The closet is a ce to store student council documents and equipment. It is not a space for the senpais to hide secretly.


    ¡¸Uh¡­ About that¡­¡¹


    ¡¸D-Don¡¯t worry about the minor details. Anyway, I want you to look forward to the¡ºappointed day¡»though!¡¹


    The next moment, Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai rushed out of the student council room.


    ¡¸Ah, wait¡­!¡¹


    ¡¸Fuhaha, farewell!!!¡¹


    ¡¸We¡¯ll meet again tomorrow though!!!¡¹


    And they ran off down the corridor.


    It would be easy to catch up to them, but¡­


    Because it is dangerous to run in the corridor at such speeds, I decided to let it go.


    ¡¸Haa¡­ But what the hell was that?¡¹


    Why were Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai hiding in the closet?


    In the end, why was the president behaving so suspiciously?


    And that mysterious¡ºappointed day¡»mentioned by Ferris-senpai at the end.


    To be honest, there are so many things I don¡¯t understand.


    (But I¡¯m really d that the president isn¡¯t going through a big problem on her own again.)


    This amount of suspicious behavior¡­ I¡¯m sure that trio of good friends are nning a prank on me still not having learned their lesson.


    (Well, if that¡¯s all that¡¯s going on, I don¡¯t mind going along with it.)


    It will soon be a year since I entered Thousand de Academy. I¡¯m getting used to their pranks.


    And having confirmed that the thing that I¡¯ve been worrying about for the past month was nothing serious,


    ¡¸Well then, it¡¯s about time to resume swinging!¡¹


    After that, I kept swinging my sword till dark.

 Chapter 219 - Entrance Exam and Valentines Day [16]

    219. Entrance Exam and Valentines Day [16]


    Exactly a week has passed since I was called by the president.


    Today is February 14th. The so-called¡ºValentine¡¯s Day¡».


    As a man, I am a little conscious of this day.


    The time is 8:30 in the morning.


    Afterpleting morning preparations, Ria and I were heading to the main academy building of Thousand de Academy.


    ¡¸Fuu, it¡¯s still cold.¡¹


    Wrapped in a wine-red muffler, Ria whispered, blowing a breath into her hands.


    Her gestures, behavior, the atmosphere surrounding her, everything was¡ºnormal¡».


    (This doesn¡¯t seem like I can be hopeful.)


    To be honest, deep down in my heart, I was expecting that maybe I could get chocte from Ria.


    However, it seems that I was too hopeful.


    (Well, it¡¯s only natural I guess.)


    On one hand, a dropout swordsman from the countryside, on the other, the princess of Vesteria Kingdom. Our social positions are way too different.


    (But I¡¯m still worried.)


    Will Ria give choctes to someone?


    In the first ce, is there a custom of Valentine¡¯s Day in Vesteria Kingdom?


    With such distressed thoughts running through my mind,


    ¡¸Aa, today is cold too.¡¹


    I replied, trying to sound as natural as possible.


    ¡ö


    When we arrived at Year 1 ss A, we exchanged morning greetings with the whole ss as usual.


    Perhaps because it was Valentine¡¯s Day, there was an indescribable tingling atmosphere hanging over the ssroom.


    When I got to my seat, I moved the textbooks in my bag onto the desk.


    ¡¸Allen-kun. Here you go!¡¹


    ¡¸Rejoice. It¡¯s chocte!¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, don¡¯t expect too much of the taste though, okay?¡¹


    Unbelievably, three girls gave me choctes wrapped in lovely packages.


    ¡¸T-Thank you.¡¹


    Due to the unexpected development, I was a little choked for words.


    ¡¸I am afraid of what will happenter, so I will tell you now. This is just an obligatory-gift chocte, okay?¡¹[1. TL Note:¡±obligatory chocte¡± is ¡°chocte given by women to male acquaintances on Valentine¡¯s day¡±.]


    ¡¸If we were to give it due to sentiments in our hearts, things might get ridiculously rough for us.¡¹


    ¡¸You need to have that appropriate resolve to participate in the¡ºAllen-kun race¡»after all.¡¹


    They looked at Ria with a wry smile for some reason.


    ¡¸My race?¡¹


    As I tilted my head hearing those words that made little sense,


    ¡¸Aha, we¡¯re just talking amongst ourselves. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡¹


    ¡¸Please let me know what you think of the taste next time, okay?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m looking forward to White Day.¡¹


    They said, and quickly went back to their seats.


    ¡¸Ah, yes. Thank you, everyone.¡¹


    And when I put three pretty packages of chocte in my bag,


    ¡¸Fu-Fuun¡­ A-Aren¡¯t you d to get a lot?¡¹


    Ria said with a slightly trembling voice.


    ¡¸Aa. I never thought I¡¯d get three.¡¹


    ¡¸I-I see.¡¹


    With aplex expression on her face, she sank into silence.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    After that, a subtle air flowed between us.


    (W-What happened all of a sudden?)


    Until a while ago, it was the normal Ria, but¡­


    Now she was frowning with a mixture of anxiety and restlessness.


    (Did I say something that hurt her feelings?)


    When I was worrying about that, the back door opened up vigorously, and Rose came in.


    (That¡¯s rare¡­)


    She is extremely weak in the morning, and usuallyes to the academy in a half-sleepy state with artistic bed hair.


    But today, her appearance was very different.


    Her hair was well-prepared, her eyes were firmly open, and she had a dignified air.


    (Is Rose going to give chocte to someone?)


    As I was vaguely thinking about that, she walked straight here and stopped before me.


    ¡¸Allen, today is Valentine¡¯s Day. I¡¯d appreciate it if you could ept this.¡¹


    She took out a beautiful package with sakura blossom petals drawn on them.


    ¡¸T-This is¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸I don¡¯t know if it will suit your taste, but¡­ It¡¯s my homemade chocte cookie that I got up early in the morning and made.¡¹


    I never even imagined that Rose would give me chocte.


    ¡¸Thank you, I¡¯m truly happy!¡¹


    After I thanked her from the bottom of my heart and received the chocte,


    ¡¸¡­You¡¯re a little thick-skinned. So I¡¯ll say it clearly.¡¹


    She looked me straight in the eyes with a serious expression, and


    ¡¸I, as a woman, have considerable affection for the man named Allen Rodore. Remember that.¡¹


    While blushing slightly, Rose showed a pretty smile that she usually doesn¡¯t show much.

 Chapter 220 - Entrance Exam and Valentines Day [17]

    220. Entrance Exam and Valentines Day [17]


    I received a shocking confession from Rose.


    ¡¸This¡ºaffection¡»¡­ It¡¯s the affection between friends, isn¡¯t it?¡¹


    While falling into a state of half-panic, I somehow managed to speak the words.


    (C-Calm down and think calmly¡­ In this ce where all our ssmates are, there is no way she would confess!)


    As I wracked my brain more than ever before, and suppressed my worked up emotions,


    ¡¸No, that¡¯s not it. What I¡¯m talking about is the affection between a man and a woman. The so-called love feeling.¡¹


    Rose asserted with straightforward eyes. Her cheeks dyed scarlet.


    ¡¸I-Is that so¡­¡¹


    I had abdsolutely no experience of being favored by the opposite sex, so I didn¡¯t know how to respond.


    And then, Rose most likely noticed my perplexment, and¨C


    ¡¸I¡¯m not asking for a response here. I just wanted to convey my feelings.¡¹


    She exined that she gave the choctes with genuine sentiments in her heart.


    ¡¸I, I understand. Anyway, thank you.¡¹


    And when I thanked her again, Rose turned her eyes to my hand.


    ¡¸Naa Allen, it¡¯s fresh out of the oven. If you¡¯d like, could you eat it now?¡¹


    ¡¸Well, that¡¯s true, too.¡¹


    When I opened the beautiful package, which was decorated with sakura blossoms, there were eight heart-shaped lovely chocte cookies.


    ¡¸T-This looks really good.¡¹


    It¡¯s like a cookie sold at a confectionery store.


    ¡¸Fufu, of course. This is not ready-made goods after all. I¡¯m the one who baked this especially for Allen.¡¹


    Rose said, with her voice full of happiness. And then, she put on a warm, soft smile.


    ¡¸T-Thank you¡­ Itadakimasu!¡¹


    I took a bite of the cookie while suppressing my throbbing heart.


    Satisfying crispy texture.


    Just the right sweetness.


    Sprinkled in chocte chips.


    It¡¯s a perfect cookie with nothing toin about.


    ¡¸W-What do you think?¡¹


    Rose asked for my impressions nervously.


    ¡¸Umm yes, it¡¯s delicious. It¡¯s the first time in my life that I¡¯ve eaten such delicious cookies!¡¹


    ¡¸I-Is that so¡­ I¡¯m very happy to hear that. It was worth practicing every day.¡¹


    A lovely, girlish smile bloomed across her face like a flower.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    My heart skipped a beat looking at that cuteness.


    ¡¸H-How very bold¡­¡¹


    ¡¸So cool¡­ It¡¯s very Rose-san like!¡¹


    ¡¸Damn you! I am burning with hatred towards you today¡­ Allen.¡¹


    As the ssroom got noisy, a chime rang to signal the start of the homeroom.


    With that as our signal, we each take our seats.


    Just a few secondster, the door was opened vigorously, and the cheerful Leia-sensei walked in in high spirits.


    ¡¸Good morning,dies and gentlemen! Today is Valentine¡¯s Day which onlyes once a year, but¡­ Hmm, there seems to be pleasant vibes floating in the air.¡¹


    With a shady smile, her displeasure showed on her face. How very unusual for sensei.


    (Nn? She looks to be in somewhat of a bad mood today.)


    When I was vaguely thinking about that,


    ¡¸Hey, did you know? Apparently, due to sensei being too tomboy-ish, she has never been popr with guys since her student days.¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, I heard it from a senior in the swordsmanship club. She has a very good face and an outstanding figure, but.. I guess love is quite difficult to find.¡¹


    ¡¸If I remember correctly, she¡¯s entering her thirties this year, right? It¡¯s about time she started looking into marriage prospects.¡¹


    ¡¸Speaking of¡­ I noticed sensei dressed in a suspicious outfit a while ago entering a cooking ss. Maybe she¡¯s secretly training to be a bride.¡¹


    From here and there in the ssroom, information that I didn¡¯t want to know flew around wildly.


    Those whispers must have reached sensei¡¯s ear.


    She had aplex expression of anger and sadness as she frowned.


    ¡¸W-Well then, there are no announcements today. Let¡¯s move right away to the first period ss. I have prepared a¡ºspecial menu¡»for today, so some of you should be prepared.¡¹


    Sensei said that with a trembling voice, and for some reason she red at me.


    (Haa¡­ I don¡¯t really understand, but this is going to be a hassle again.)


    I know it because I¡¯ve been through a lot of trouble over thest year.


    In all probability, the next ss will be rough.


    ¡¸Okay then, everyone move to the schoolyard!¡¹


    Then, I moved to the schoolyard with the whole ss, while heaving a sigh deeply.

 Chapter 221 - Entrance Exam and Valentines Day [18]

    221. Entrance Exam and Valentines Day [18]


    When all the students of ss A moved to the schoolyard, Leia-sensei cleared her throat and got our attention.


    ¡¸Well then, today we¡¯re going to hold a special group exercise! A¡ºreal battle¡»where anything goes; soul dress, surprise attacks, one-vs-many! You can think of it as the same as¡ºThousand de Shadow Festival¡»that was heldst September.¡¹


    After taking a breath, she continued with more details.


    ¡¸The time limit is when the end of the first period chime rings and the area of activity is the whole schoolyard. I¡¯ll say this just in case, attacks that could kill your opponent are prohibited. And one other thing would be, let¡¯s see¡­ If I were to give you a piece of advice, it¡¯s that you should attack the guy you hate the most today.¡¹


    Sensei gave a strange advice at the end and finished the exnation of the group exercise.


    (I see, it¡¯s real battle type training.)


    I put my guard up because she said¡ºspecial menu¡»suggestively, but¡­


    The¡ºunpleasant premonition¡»that I felt a little while ago seems to have been my misunderstanding.


    When I was thinking about that, my ssmates developed each of their soul dress and prepared for battle.


    ¡¸Okay, are you ready? Let¡¯s start the group exercise!¡¹


    The moment sensei dered so,


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸DIEEEEEEEEE!!!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    Fourteen swordsmen ¨C that is, all the boys in the ss A, rushed at me as if it was arranged beforehand.


    A ck me burning in their eyes as they shot off extraordinary bloodlust.


    ¡¸Wha!?¡¹


    I managed to defend against the approaching fourteen shes and jumped back greatly.


    ¡¸Oi Oi, this is just training!¡¹


    The current shes were filled with tremendous hostility and murderous intent.


    It¡¯s not something you unleash during training, much less at your ssmate.


    And then,


    ¡¸Shut up! I don¡¯t care! You alone get to have all the fun!¡¹


    ¡¸In the first ce, an inhuman like you will not die with this degree of sh! Just obediently get cut down today!¡¹


    ¡¸You already have Ria-san, but you also want to have your way with Rose-san¡­ I Won¡¯t Forgive YOU!!!¡¹


    They pointed the tip of their swords towards me, shouting things that didn¡¯t make sense.


    In this situation, there seems to be no room for dialogue.


    ¡¸Haa¡­ I don¡¯t know anymore. -Dark Shadow¡¹


    The moment I whispered so, jet-ck darkness blew violently.


    It slowly encroached on the schoolyard and dyed the world¡ºck¡».


    ¡¸I-It¡¯s out¡­ A foul y ability that has attack, defence, and recovery!¡¹


    ¡¸As usual, it¡¯s ridiculous¡­ Even casually released darkness has such an output.¡¹


    ¡¸D-Don¡¯t falter! We are warriors of the light, so to speak! Destroy the¡ºGreat Demon King Allen¡»! ¡¹


    When they saw the darkness of the abyss, they took a forward-bent posture as the colour drained from their faces.


    Then, a serious battle between me and fourteen male students began.


    But, the battle became cruelly one-sided.


    ¡¸W-Way too strong¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Damn it, the output is on a whole other level¡­ The shes won¡¯t get through¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Isn¡¯t that foul y¡­ At the very least, prohibit the dark robe.¡¹


    Within five minutes , thirteen swordsmen fell down and thest one standing was, Tessa Burmond, the swordsman of Iron Cutting Style.


    ¡¸Haa haa¡­ You monster¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Naa Tessa, why don¡¯t we stop it here?¡¹


    His whole body was engraved with a number of sword wounds.


    On the other hand, I¡¯ve not suffered a single hit.


    The match was pretty much decided.


    ¡¸He, hehe, don¡¯t be so impatient¡­ I¡¯m just now starting to get into the mood. The real battle starts from here on out!¡¹


    Tessa shouted and thrust his hand into empty space.


    ¡¸Cut¡´Hurt de¡µ!¡¹


    At that moment, a sword appeared as though tearing through space.


    (That¡¯s Tessa¡¯s soul dress huh. This is the first time I¡¯m seeing it.)


    A straight de, a square guard, and a hilt that seems to be easy to grip.


    At first nce, it appears to be an ordinary sword that you can find anywhere.


    However, there was something remarkable about the spiritual power contained in it.


    ¡¸My soul dress¡´Hurt de¡µ, the more I get hurt, the more this guy¡¯s output will rise! How¡¯s that Allen¡­ It¡¯s cool, isn¡¯t it?¡¹


    ¡¸As expected of you, Tessa!¡¹


    It is a soul dress that boasts such an output.


    If I took a direct attack, I¡¯ll most likely suffer a deep wound.


    As I slowly assumed Seigan no Kamae, Tessa held up the sword high in the sky and stared at me.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    One second, two seconds, three seconds ¨C time passed silently, as only our gazes shed.


    (Tessa is a straightforward guy. Judging from that stance¡­ In all probability, he will unleash arge overhead sh.)


    (It¡¯s frustrating, but Allen is the superior swordsman. Tricks won¡¯t work on him, and it¡¯s too much trouble to think about it. A real man only has to unleash the strongest and fastest attack, putting all his might into it!)


    After a good few seconds of staring, we started running almost at the same time.


    ¡¸HAAAAAAAAAAAA!¡¹


    ¡¸ORAAAAAAAAAAA!¡¹


    And the moment I stepped into Tessa¡¯s¡ºrange¡»,


    ¡¸Iron Cutting Style Secret Technique ¨C Iron Execution!¡¹


    From overhead, a frighteningly straightforward sh came down.


    It was an extremely beautiful sh filled with the true desire of the Iron Cutting Style -¡ºCut Iron¡».


    The match between swordsmen is a serious battle.


    I must respond to his earnestness with my best.


    ¡¸Fifth Sword ¨C World Judgement!¡¹


    I responded with the ultimate swing which tears the world asunder.


    As a result of our shes shing, Tessa¡¯s soul dress was cut right in half, and a deep sword wound was engraved on his chest.


    ¡¸Damn, you¡¯re really strong¡­ It¡¯s myplete defeat.¡¹


    Tessa whispered, and copsed slowly.


    Thus, I achieved a splendid victory in the group exercise with 14 men of ss A.

 Chapter 222 - Entrance Exam and Valentines Day [19]

    222. Entrance Exam and Valentines Day [19]


    I exhaled loudly after sessfullypleting the group training.


    (Fuu, I¡¯m a little tired¡­)


    I never dreamed that I would have to fight all the men in ss A.


    (But it was a ¡°good experience¡±¡­)


    A swordsman is someone who goes through battles every single day.


    Magic swordsman fights against wild animals and monsters, and the Holy Knight fights criminals and criminal organizations such as the ck Organization.


    And a lot of thosebats ur suddenly due to some irregrity.


    The experience of oveing an unexpected group battle like just now will surely be of use in the future.


    As I slowly stretched out while thinking about that,


    ¡¸Wow, he is strong after all¡­¡¹


    ¡¸There¡¯s no way they could¡¯ve beaten Allen-kun, who is a ¡°national strength ss¡±. Boys are so stupid.¡¹


    ¡¸Even so, to think such a kind face can produce that evil darkness¡­ The disparity is ridiculous.¡¹


    The girls who were divided into three groups and underwent their own group training, repeatedly nced at me and whispered among themselves.


    (The girls aren¡¯t going to attack too¡­ are they?)


    It would be really hard to fight all the girls right after crossing swords with all the boys.


    Above all, if I take on the extraordinarily talented genius swordsmen, Ria and Rose, at the same time, it will be a hard battle.


    (Give me a break¡­ I don¡¯t want to do this right in the first period where my body hasn¡¯tpletely woken up yet.)


    And when I was making a sour face,


    ¡¸Tch, even if I make such a disadvantageous situation, he does not bear a single wound.¡¹


    Leia-sensei said so while clicking her tongue.


    (How strange¡­)


    Just like the male students, sensei too¡­ for some reason, they are all very hard on me on this day specifically.


    (I haven¡¯t done anything that would make everyone feel a grudge against me¡­ have I?)


    When I was worrying about that, sensei cleared her throat.


    ¡¸It was a great fight, Allen.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Thank you.¡¹


    What kind of meaning does her tongue clicking hold?


    (To be honest, it¡¯s bothering me quite a bit, but¡­)


    Not wanting to stir the ho¡¯s nest, I kept silent.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry to ask this right away, but please heal their wounds. In such a state, they will not be able to participate in the ss after this.¡¹


    She said and looked over at Tessa and the others, whoy sprawled on the ground.


    ¡¸Well, uh¡­ I¡¯m tired, too.¡¹


    I am human too.


    I have justpleted a very unfavorable battle, so I want a little break.


    ¡¸What are you saying after growing to this point¡­ Your stamina and spiritual power are far beyond the boundaries of man. Cutting down and healing 14 soul dress users is no big deal, right?¡¹


    Sensei said, and smiled as though implying it¡¯s a piece of cake.


    It would be a waste of time and strength to argue with her.


    ¡¸Haa, I understand¡­¡¹


    Then, I healed everyone¡¯s wounds while feeling a little dissatisfied.


    After that, the strength training conducted in the second period ended safely without any problems. And finally it was lunch break.


    I, Ria, and Rose, went to the student council room with our own lunch boxes to attend the regr meeting.


    When I knocked on the door as usual,


    ¡¸Come in.¡¹


    ¡¸Pleasee in though.¡¹


    The stiff voice of Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai replied.


    (That¡¯s rare. The president is the one who usually replies¡­ What¡¯s going on?)


    The moment I opened the door slowly, feeling a little ufortable,


    ¡¸Allen-kun, I¡¯ve always liked you since long ago!¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯d like you to ept my genuine chocte though¡­!¡¹


    The two people, whose faces were flushed, offered a lovely parcel each.


    (¡­It¡¯s a fake.)


    I was immediately convinced of that.


    (The possibility that this is genuine chocte ¨C is zero.)


    It is impossible even if heaven and the earth were turned over, for the mischievous Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai to do this.


    There is no doubt that there is an ulterior motive.


    When I judged that, I quickly looked around the entire student council room.


    Then, at the edge of the room¡­


    I found an unfamiliar ¡°box¡± on the desk that used to belong to Sebas-san.


    It¡¯s an elegant, small, white box.


    It looks like a music box, but also like a small jewelry box.


    But if my memory serves, it didn¡¯t exist in this student council room until yesterday.


    (¡­How suspicious)


    I thought it was suspicious and looked carefully. The box had a small hole the size of a grain of rice, and there was something which seemed to reflect light inside. Something almost like a lens.


    (I see, that¡¯s what it is.)


    I saw through the ¡°trap¡± that Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai had set-up within a split second, and¡­


    ¡¸Ah, thank you very much.¡¹


    I bowed slightly and epted their ¡°genuine chocte¡± as though it was a trifling matter.

 Chapter 223 - Entrance Exam and Valentines Day [20]

    223. Entrance Exam and Valentines Day [20]


    After receiving the chocte from Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai, I moved to my seat as if nothing had happened.


    The next moment,


    ¡¸¡¸W-Wait a minute!¡¹¡¹


    They shouted at the same time and grabbed me by the shoulder.


    ¡¸Yes, what is it?¡¹


    ¡¸Two pure maidens are giving you their genuine choctes with courage! Show more reaction! Something more than just this!¡¹


    ¡¸H-Has even your heart turned into a monster!? The reaction is too nd though!¡¹


    Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai who didn¡¯t get the reaction they expected from me, snapped.


    ¡¸Even if you say that¡­ In the first ce, this is just obligatory chocte, isn¡¯t it?¡¹


    ¡¸T-To call our ¡±genuine¡± a ¡±fake¡±¡­ I hope you have definitive ¡°evidence¡± to back up that im!¡¹


    ¡¸I-It is as Lilim says though!¡¹


    The two voiced their protests as they trembled.


    ¡¸If it¡¯s evidence that you want¡­¡¹


    I said, and walked towards Sebas-san¡¯s desk. And opened the white box ced there.


    ¡¸It¡¯s right here.¡¹


    As I thought, a small spy camera was set up.


    ¡¸I-Impossible?¡¹


    ¡¸How, how did you know that was there? I¡¯d like you to exin in detail though.¡¹


    ¡¸There¡¯s not much to exin. I just know a little about spy cameras.¡¹


    In card games such as poker and ckjack, being able to see one¡¯s hand means an immediate defeat.


    That¡¯s why I¡¯ve been taught a lot by bamboo geezer, such as where spy cameras are easy to set up and how to distinguish them.


    ¡¸Guh, as expected of Allen-kun¡­ As usual, you have an iron wall of defense.¡¹


    ¡¸The spy camera I ordered with great pain came to nothing.¡¹


    Then the two, who raised the white g, quietly copsed on the spot.


    (They were probably going to record my reaction to the genuine chocte and enjoy it, but¡­)


    Unfortunately, I¡¯m not going to get caught in such a cheap trap.


    (But this time their actions are a bit malicious, so¡­)


    I¡¯d better warn them a little bit to keep their pranks from getting out of hand any more.


    I decided that and attracted their attention with a cough.


    ¡¸But man, we caught some ¡°good stuff¡± on tape.¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡­Good stuff?¡¹¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. This is a recorded video in which Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai confessed while blushing. I think this is very ¡°valuable¡±.¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡­¡­!?¡¹¡¹


    At that moment, their faces turned pale.


    Lilim-senpai is a bright and cheerful, beautiful girl with short brown hair.


    Ferris-senpai is a downer-type beautiful girl with dark blue hair and right eyes hidden with bangs.


    Their lineage is different, but there is no doubt that they are ¡°beautiful women¡±.


    This is a rare recording that such two people offer their genuine chocte while blushing all red.


    I¡¯m sure there will be an amazing demand for such a recording.


    ¡¸A-Allen-kun¡­ What on earth are you thinking with such an evil face?¡¹


    ¡¸Please tell us though¡­¡¹


    Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai asked so timidly.


    ¡¸That¡¯s right. Such a rare video, whether to sell it at a high price to the person who desires it, or to put it on disy free of charge in the gymnasium and the audiovisual room. I¡¯m thinking about how to make effective use of it.¡¹


    I presented two possibilities with an expression and a tone which suggested I was troubled by which choice to make.


    Of course, I don¡¯t want to do such a terrible thing.


    This is a bit of a meanness to encourage them to reflect on their actions which has gone a little overboard.


    And then,


    ¡¸W-What a cruel thing to think about¡­ Are you still a human being?¡¹


    ¡¸You¡¯re a d-demon! A devil! An Allen!¡¹


    Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai pointed their index fingers at me with a pale face, and attacked me as such.


    (¡°Allen¡± isn¡¯t an abuse though¡­)


    While thinking that in my mind, I replied with a serious expression.


    ¡¸Hidden recordings like these can be exploited in many different ways. Do you finally understand that?¡¹


    ¡¸Uh¡­ Well, it¡¯s¡­ I¡¯m sorry. We have gone a little overboard with our pranks this time.¡¹


    ¡¸I-I¡¯ve reflected on it, so please show mercy though¡­¡¹


    Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai apologized with their shoulders dropped.


    ¡¸Haa¡­ There¡¯s no next time, okay?¡¹


    When I said that and returned the spy camera,


    ¡¸A-Allen-kun, you are a man!¡¹


    ¡¸I am grateful though!¡¹


    They patted their chests down with relief and expressed their gratitude.


    After pulling through the senpais¡¯ prank easily, the regr meeting ¡°Lunch party¡± finally began.


    However, the lunch party which was supposed to be fun, was enveloped in a heavy atmosphere today.


    First of all, the usual mood maker Ria was silent.


    (I wonder what¡¯s going on. When we came to the academy together this morning, she was as usual, but¡­)


    Right around morning homeroom, she suddenly lost her energy.


    And the president¡¯s behaviour was still strange.


    She continued to do strange things today as well, like repeatedly ncing at me and turning away the moment our eyes met.


    On the other hand, Rose was eating lunch as usual without any particr concern.


    Also, Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai seemed to be enjoying this indescribable subtle atmosphere.


    In such a situation, I tried to bring up a conversation to everyone to lighten the mood a little, but¡­


    Unfortunately, my poor social skills couldn¡¯t break the deadlock.


    After oveing the regr meeting somehow, afternoon ssmenced and ended safely.


    And after sses, I devoted myself to the activities of the practice-swing club as usual.


    ¡¸FUH! HA! SEI!¡¹


    As I was swinging my sword feeling good as usual,


    (¡­What?)


    I saw trouble urring at the main gate.


    (Should I go take a look?)


    There¡¯s been a lot of disturbancestely.


    Maybe the ck Organization hase to attack again.


    And when I turned up at the front gate, there was apletely unexpected person there.


    ¡¸Eh?¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, it¡¯s Allen.¡¹


    The person who was arguing with the guard was,


    ¡¸I-Idol?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, it¡¯s been a while.¡¹

 Chapter 224 - Entrance Exam and Valentines Day [21]

    224. Entrance Exam and Valentines Day [21]


    Idol Luxmaria.


    Azure pupils which almost seemed transparent.


    Long, beautiful, pure white hair that was half-up.


    Noble facial features as though sculpted. Snow white skin.


    Blue ent on white fabric ¨C she was dressed in the White Lily Academy uniform, giving off a vibe of¡ºdignity¡».


    ¡¸Why are you here¡­?¡¹I asked.


    ¡¸I wanted to give this to you.¡¹


    Idol took out a lovely parcel from the bag on her left shoulder.


    ¡¸And this is?¡¹


    ¡¸Valentine¡¯s chocte. I made it.¡¹


    ¡¸Err¡­ for me?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. Is it an inconvenience?¡¹


    She tilted her head with a sad expression.


    ¡¸No, that¡¯s not the case at all. Of course, I¡¯m really happy. It¡¯s just that, I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d get it from you. I was just a little surprised.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s good then. Nee, Allen. I worked hard to make this, so I¡¯d be happy if you could tell me what you think of it.¡¹


    Idol said and offered the choctes.


    It seems that she wants me to eat here now.


    (T-This is a problem¡­)


    I¡¯ve been swinging for a while now, so my throat was already dry.


    (To be honest, chocte would be tough on my dry mouth, but¡­)


    It¡¯s her homemade obligatory chocte. No, this is more of a ¡°friend chocte¡± I suppose.


    Anyway, she came all the way to Thousand de Academy to give me these homemade choctes.


    (It¡¯s too heartless to refuse Idol¡¯s request for a trivial reason as ¡°my throat is dry¡± ¡­)


    I decided as such, and¡­


    ¡¸Aa, of course. Thank you, I appreciate it.¡¹


    I nodded cheerfully to reassure her, and gently opened the lovely parcel.


    ¡¸Oh, it¡¯s a beautiful shape!¡¹


    There were beautiful spherical choctes, which were arranged in bite size.


    ¡¸Fufu, it¡¯s my prided work.¡¹


    ¡¸Well, I¡¯m looking forward to it. Itadakimasu!¡¹


    Then, the moment I took a bite of the spherical chocte,


    ¡¸Gah!?¡¹


    A mega shock that I have never experienced before ran through my body.


    (T-This is terrible¡­)


    Unpleasant slimy sensation running on the tip of the tongue, intense odour that slips through the nasal cavity, and the indescribable bitterness that spreads in my mouth; this is way worse than simply mistaking salt for sugar.


    (This slightly fragrant lemon smell is a¡­. dishwashing detergent!?)


    I have a lot of things to say about it, but¡­ There is one thing I can dere clearly.


    This is not something that can be called ¡°food¡±.


    Calling it ¡°hazardous substance¡± would be an understatement. The best way to truly describe it would be, ¡°poison¡±.


    (Does Idol have a grudge against me?)


    As I raised my face slowly with such doubts,


    ¡¸¡­What do you think? Is it delicious?¡¹


    She stared at me with a mixture of expectation and anxiety.


    There was not even a slight amount of malice in her eyes.


    (Aa, that¡¯s what it is¡­)


    I understood immediately.


    Idol made this chocte with all her heart.


    However, she is horribly poor at cooking.


    (No matter how bad it is, even if it tastes like a waste product¡­ If it was made with all her heart, then I have to be grateful.)


    Gratitude for the food and its creator. I think this is very important.


    So, I¡­


    ¡¸A-Aa¡­ It¡¯s delicious, it¡¯s very delicious!¡¹


    I ignored the warning sounds from my stomach, mobilized all my facial muscles and desperately put on a smile.


    ¡¸Really?! I¡¯m happy.¡¹


    She pped her hands together, and a flower-like smile bloomed across her face.


    (I-I did it. I survived! I survived it!)


    The moment I breathed a sigh of relief, feeling a sense of aplishment I had never experienced before,


    ¡¸I am really d. It¡¯s good that I made more!¡¹


    ¡¸More!?¡¹


    Idol uttered something unbelievable and took out five additional parcels.


    (I-Impossible¡­ I didn¡¯t think the concept of more than one valentine¡¯s chocte existed.)


    I became speechless due to the shock of it.


    ¡¸I heard that boys eat well. That¡¯s why I made a lot of them. Don¡¯t be shy!¡¹


    She showed me an innocent, child-like smile. A cruel smile.


    ¡¸¡­Thank you, I¡¯m happy.¡¹


    After going so far as to say,¡¸It¡¯s very delicious¡¹, there¡¯s no way I can refuse now.


    I just silently threw her choctes in my mouth.

 Chapter 225 - Entrance Exam and Valentines Day [22]

    225. Entrance Exam and Valentines Day [22]


    The poison created by Idol; Official name: chocte.


    I threw all five into my mouth at once.


    At that moment,


    ¡¸Gu¡­!?¡¹


    A terrible ¡°bitterness¡± ran through my mouth, and my esophagus started burning.


    (This is!?)


    Unbelievably, all her homemade choctes were ¡°seasoned¡± differently.


    The poisons, each of which boasted ¡°certain kill¡± power, induced an unknown reaction in my mouth and rampaged violently.


    A whole three minutester, I managed to survive through a ¡°violence¡± I had never experienced before.


    ¡¸Haa haa¡­ T-Thank you very much for the food.¡¹


    I slowly put my trembling hands together and thanked her.


    ¡¸W-Was it delicious?¡¹


    Idol tilted her head. Her eyes gleaming with anticipation.


    If she asks with such a pure and innocent expression, there is no way I could say¡¸This is poison, isn¡¯t it?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Aa, it¡¯s amazing. A heavenly taste indeed.¡¹


    And when I said that trying to sound as honest as possible,


    ¡¸I-I see. I am d!¡¹


    She smiled happily and made a small guts pose.


    (¡­Yes, it was worth the effort.)


    I¡¯ve never seen such a happy look on Idol¡¯s face before.


    Mustering up my courage and eating the choctes seems to be the right choice after all.


    After that, we had a little chat and then we parted ways.


    Idol looked back frequently and waved goodbye, seeming a bit reluctant to part.


    When I waved back, she smiled happily.


    Then I saw off Idol until I could not see her figure anymore.


    ¡ö


    After parting with Idol,


    ¡¸Fuu, that was really tough¡­¡¹


    I exhaled loudly while rubbing my abdomen.


    That¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve had a ¡°death battle¡± since I ate Ramzac with Ria and Rose around Aprilst year.


    (Last time, I managed to survive by handing Ria the amount that I couldn¡¯t finish eating, but¡­)


    This time, it was not possible to do so, and I was forced into an unimaginable hard battle.


    And as I was adjusting my breathing, Ria and Rose, immediately ran up to me with an anxious look on their faces.


    I guess they must have sneakily seen the current act with Idol.


    ¡¸Allen, are you okay? Your face is deathly pale.¡¹


    ¡¸You seem to have received chocte from Idol, but¡­ Was it really that bad?¡¹


    ¡¸No, I¡¯m fine. It was kinda ¡°unique¡±, but it was very good.¡¹


    I said with a smile to protect Idol¡¯s honor.


    Immediately after that, a chime rang to signal the end of the club activities.


    ¡¸Well, it¡¯s time to go back home.¡¹


    To put an end to this topic, I said that and went to pick up my luggage in the corner of the schoolyard.


    ¡¸¡­Hmm, what is this?¡¹


    There was a letter on my bag that read¡ºTo Allen-kun¡».


    (Letter to me¡­ I wonder who¡¯s it from?)


    Thinking about that, I quickly looked through the contents of the letter.


    ¡ºTo Allen-kun.


    I¡¯m waiting on the rooftop.


    I would be happy if you woulde alone.¡»


    It was a short letter of only two lines.


    The sender¡¯s name wasn¡¯t written anywhere, but this paper and cute girlish writing is familiar.


    (It¡¯s from the president, isn¡¯t it¡­?)


    Just the other day, she went to the Holy Ronelia Empire alone, and left a note in the student council room.


    The exact same type of paper was used, and the writing written in the letter was exactly the same.


    The anonymous sender is most certainly her.


    And then,


    ¡¸Allen, what is it?¡¹


    ¡¸Is it a letter¡­?¡¹


    After they finished packing their bags, Ria and Rose asked me.


    ¡¸Aa, it doesn¡¯t have the sender¡¯s name, but¡­ It¡¯s most likely from the president.¡¹


    The moment I muttered so without a care,


    ¡¸¡¸¡­¡­¡¹¡¹


    For some reason, their faces were dyed with tension.


    ¡¸A-Allen¡­ How do I say this¡­ If you don¡¯t mind, could you tell me what¡¯s written on it?¡¹


    ¡¸I-I would like to know too¡­¡¹


    Ria and Rose gulped and said with a quivering voice.


    ¡¸Nothing important is written really. ¡°I want you toe to the roof by yourself¡± is all.¡¹


    And as I told the contents of the letter indifferently,


    ¡¸¡±Rooftop¡± and ¡°alone¡±!?¡¹


    ¡¸I-I see¡­ So they¡¯ve decided to settle the match.¡¹


    They whispered so with a grim face, and fell silent.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    In the corner of the schoolyard, which has be dim, an indescribable heavy air began to flow.


    A few minutes passed as we kept silent, and my hands were getting colder little by little. Unable to endure the silence, I spoke up.


    ¡¸E-Err¡­ If I keep the president waiting for too long, it will be troublesome. So I¡¯ll go to the rooftop for a moment, okay?¡¹


    ¡¸Ye-Yeah¡­ okay.¡¹


    ¡¸We¡¯ll wait here.¡¹


    Ria and Rose, with gloomy looks, just nodded.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll be back as soon as I¡¯m done.¡¹


    Then, I left the two in the schoolyard and turned to the rooftop of the main academy building.

 Chapter 226 - Entrance Exam and Valentines Day [23]

    226. Entrance Exam and Valentines Day [23]


    When I opened the door to the rooftop, there was the figure of the president dressed in winter uniform.


    With one elbow on the railing, she gazed at the horizon with a mncholic expression.


    The figure illuminated by the sunset was so beautiful like a painting.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry to have kept you waiting, president.¡¹


    As I said so with the letter in my hand,


    ¡¸Ara, you¡¯re early. Good evening, Allen-kun.¡¹


    She smiled softly and walked straight towards me.


    If it isn¡¯t my imagination, there was strong ¡°resolve¡± reflected in her eyes.


    There was none of the anxiety and fear seen for the past month or so.


    It looks like she haspletely ovee it.


    ¡¸As written in the letter, I came alone, but¡­ What can I do for you?¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, about that¡­ Here, take this.¡¹


    The president held out a small box that she was holding in her right hand with great care.


    It was a small, white box with a pretty ribbon wrapped around it.


    ¡¸This is¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Valentine¡¯s chocte. A present from onee-san.¡¹


    ¡¸I see, thank you very much.¡¹


    It seems that she was waiting under this cold sky to give this.


    ¡¸This is a chocte cake I made wholeheartedly. I am sure you would find it delicious enough to want more.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, I look forward to it.¡¹


    ¡¸Can you tell me what you think of it next time?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, of course.¡¹


    In this way, the curtain closed on Valentine¡¯s Day between the president and I.


    After that,


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    Without anything else to talk about, we fell silent.


    From the schoolyard, you can hear the happy voices of the students who have finished club activities.


    The cold winter breeze stimted my ears, and at the same time the afterglow of the sunset shone on my body.


    We were both silent, but it didn¡¯t feel strange or unpleasant.


    It was a pleasant silence that the two of us simply enjoyed the ¡°taste of winter¡± together.


    After a few more minutes passed since then,


    ¡¸¡­Nee, Allen-kun.¡¹


    The president called my name in a charming voice.


    It was a very attractive whisper that seemed to enter straight into the depths of my heart.


    ¡¸Y-Yes. What can I do for you?¡¹


    While feeling my heart beating faster, I answer calmly so that my voice does not break.


    ¡¸That chocte¡­ Do you think it is obligatory or genuine?¡¹


    The president whispered so, looking me straight in the eye with her clear eyes.


    ¡¸W-Well¡­¡¹


    From an objective perspective, this is definitely ¡°obligatory.¡±


    The other party is Sie Arcstria. The eldest daughter of ¡°House Arcstria¡±, which is the authority of the Ringard Imperial Kingdom.


    A dropout swordsman from Goza vige like me could never match up to her.


    So, inmon sense, the possibility that this chocte is genuine is zero.


    (But the fact that she went out of her way to ask me that¡­ No, no, it can¡¯t be true, right?)


    And when I reached the height of confusion,


    ¡¸You haven¡¯t figured it out yet? Well then, I will tell you now.¡¹


    The president, her cheeks flushed, slowly approached me.


    ¡¸P-President?¡¹


    The moment her slender fingers touched my shoulders and she approached close enough to feel each other¡¯s breath,


    ¡¸The answer is¡­¡­ s-e-c-r-e-t.¡¹


    The president said, and poked me on the cheek with her index finger.


    ¡¸Nee, is your heart pounding?¡¹


    ¡¸W-Well¡­ Just a little¡­¡¹


    She is a peerless beauty no matter how you look at her.


    If she does something like that all of a sudden, your heart will jump out no matter who it is.


    ¡¸Fufu, then, does that mean onee-san wins this time?¡¹


    The president, with her index finger on her chin, smiled like a mischievous child.


    I can¡¯t help but admire that charming figure.


    ¡¸By the way, I¡¯ll tell you this¡­ By tradition, you have to give back ¡°triple¡± on White Day.¡¹


    ¡¸S-Sorry¡­ I¡¯m ashamed to say that I can¡¯t afford to spend too much money.¡¹


    As I said in a roundabout way that something expensive would be difficult,


    ¡¸Nn, let¡¯s see¡­ Well, could you take me somewhere next time? We can go anywhere, whether it¡¯s a coffee shop or a general store. However, the condition is ¡°just the two of us¡±, okay?¡¹


    After pondering a little, she immediately added a small request at the end.


    ¡¸If that¡¯s alright with you, I¡¯ll always go out with you.¡¹


    And as I epted the offer,


    ¡¸Un¡¹the president nodded, and quickly stuck her pinky finger forward.


    ¡¸¡­? Oh, a pinky promise?¡¹


    I quickly understood what it meant, and entangled my pinky finger with her thin, soft, slender finger.


    And then,


    ¡¸I love the promises I make with you. Because I can believe it the most in the world.¡¹


    The president had the most reassured expression she has ever had.


    (¡­That makes me happy.)


    I was indescribably happy that my precious friend thought of me that way.


    So in return, I


    ¡¸I also love your kindness, president.¡¹


    Expressed my honest feelings.


    ¡¸R-Really?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, it¡¯s true.¡¹


    ¡¸Hmm, hmm¡­ F-For example, which part..?¡¹


    The president nced around, and asked me, while ying with her beautiful ck hair with her finger.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s see¡­ After a small joke, you always worry about whether the other person felt hurt by it or not. At regr meetings, you always bring up conversations where everyone can have fun participating. You always pay attention to the people around you and call out to people who are not energetic to cheer them up. And besides that, you also¨C¡¹


    As I counted her kindness on my fingers,


    ¡¸S-Stop!¡¹


    Said the president, whose face has now turned red.


    ¡¸W-What¡¯s wrong?¡¹


    ¡¸F-For today, we¡¯ll settle it as a draw¡­¡¹


    ¡¸A draw¡­?¡¹


    She was red even to her ears, and said something that didn¡¯t make sense.


    ¡¸A-Anyway, see you tomorrow!¡¹


    She went back to the main academy building as though escaping.

 Chapter 227 - . Entrance Exam and Valentines Day [24]

    227. Entrance Exam and Valentines Day [24]


    After receiving Valentine¡¯s chocte from the president, I went to the schoolyard where Ria and Rose were waiting.


    ¡¸Sorry, I¡¯m a littlete.¡¹


    When I raised one hand and said so,


    ¡¸A-Allen! How did it go!?¡¹


    ¡¸I-If you don¡¯t mind¡­ Could you tell me what happened?¡¹


    The two asked for a detailed exnation with a serious expression.


    (This big reaction¡­. I see, that¡¯s what it is.)


    Apparently, Ria and Rose have been worrying about whether the president confided in me about her ¡°Political Marriage¡± ss problem.


    For the past month or so, the president has been acting strange.


    Before I knew it, she had left a letter on my bag.


    And the contents read¡¸I want you toe to the roof alone¡¹.


    There were so many ¡°elements¡±.


    So it is only natural that they would be feeling uneasy.


    ¡¸It¡¯s okay, it wasn¡¯t anything serious. I just got a chocte cake from her.¡¹


    And when I showed the the white box in my hand,


    ¡¸I-I see¡­ That¡¯s good.¡¹


    ¡¸Well, the ¡°match settle¡± has been postponed huh¡­¡¹


    Ria and Rose breathed a sigh of relief at the same time, and whispered something that didn¡¯t make sense to me.


    ¡¸Well¡­ It¡¯s already quitete, shall we go home?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, let¡¯s go.¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, I agree.¡¹


    Then we parted ways and returned to our respective dormitories.


    ¡¸¡¸Thank you for the food.¡¹¡¹


    After we finished dinner, Ria and I put our hands together and gave thanks for the food.


    ¡¸Then, let me take care of the cleanup.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, thank you.¡¹


    She cooked for me today, so cleaning up is my job.


    Wash the dishes and leave them on the draining board. Finally, wipe off the water around the sink, and I¡¯m all done.


    (Oh, it¡¯s already this time¡­)


    Looking at the clock, the time is seven o¡¯clock at night.


    It¡¯s about time to go to my daily routine.


    ¡¸Ria. Then I¡¯ll go do the ¡°usual¡±.¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, yes¡­ Take care.¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, thank you.¡¹


    Then I headed to the woods behind the dorm.


    ¡¸Fuu, it¡¯s still getting colder.¡¹


    I rubbed my hands together and quickly came out to an open space.


    Surrounded by lush trees and moonlight showering from above. This is a ¡°secret training ground¡± that only I and Ria know of.


    ¡¸Well, let¡¯s begin.¡¹


    And I started swinging my sword as usual.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡­Haa.¡¹


    After about thirty minutes had passed since I started , a small sigh escaped my mouth.


    (I am very happy to receive ¡°Friend choctes¡± from a lot of friends, but¡­)


    Ria¡¯s chocte is what always crosses my mind.


    (But as far as I¡¯ve seen from her reaction¡­ Vesteria Kingdom doesn¡¯t seem to have the custom of ¡°Valentine¡± in the first ce.)


    Every time I got a chocte from someone, Ria had a very puzzled look on her face.


    I¡¯m sure she wasn¡¯t able to understand what was going on, as she was just standing stunned everytime.


    (Next year. Yes, surely next year.)


    We¡¯re talking about the curious Ria after all.


    I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be wondering about today¡¯s incidents and find out about Valentine¡¯s Day in the near future.


    (For that to happen, I have to train more!)


    On this day next year, I¡¯ll be an even stronger and finer swordsman to get a chocte from her.


    With such ambition in my heart,


    ¡¸Fuh! Ha! Sei!¡¹


    Faster than usual.


    Stronger than usual.


    Sharper than usual.


    I put all my heart into it and swung my sword over and over again.


    About an hourter, all of a sudden, scorching ck mes came at me from the front.


    ¡¸Wha!?¡¹


    It was neither fast nor slow. There was no hostility, nor the intent to kill.


    It was a strange attack as though it was asking me to defend it.


    ¡¸HA!¡¹


    I cut off the approaching ck mes with a side sweep.


    (This is, no way?)


    I was all too familiar with the attack just now.


    And as I fearfully looked in the direction of the attack,


    ¡¸Ri, Ria!?¡¹


    She, who had developed¡´Fafnir¡µ, walked up to me slowly.


    ¡¸Allen, let¡¯s have a match.¡¹


    ¡¸A match?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, that¡¯s right. If you could beat me this, I will give you this!¡¹


    She said so and took out an unbelievable thing out of her pocket.


    ¡¸T-That is!?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. Valentine¡¯s Chocte! O-Of course, I handmade it too. And¡­ I also perhaps put in¡­ L-L-Love and stuff¡­!¡¹


    With her face flushed, Ria shouted with her voice trembling.


    ¡¸Fuu¡­¡¹


    An incredible big event urred suddenly. In front of it, I clenched my fist tightly and exhaled loudly.


    ¡¸O-Oh? ¡­Y-You don¡¯t want it?¡¹


    On the other hand, Ria spoke with a voice that seemed like she would start crying at any moment.


    And I,


    ¡¸Destroy -¡´Zeon¡µ!¡¹


    Replied an answer with all my might.


    The entire Thousand de Academy was covered in abyss-like darkness, and the world was dyed ¡°ck¡±.


    The darkness raged as though my desire materialized, and it kept surging out non-stop.


    ¡¸O-Oi-Oi what!? This ridiculous output?¡¹


    ¡¸This evil spiritual power unmistakably belongs to Allen Rodore! And the other party is¡­ Ria Vesteria!?¡¹


    ¡¸Are those two fighting!? What¡¯s the matter with you two? A lover¡¯s quarrel!?¡¹


    Noises broke out from various ces in Thousand de Academy.


    I am very sorry to cause a problem, but I wish they would overlook it this time.


    After all, Ria¡¯s handmade chocte is at stake in this match.


    I gripped the True ck Sword which I am materialising after a long time, and assumed Seigan no Kamae.


    ¡¸This time, I¡¯m going to win no matter what! I¡¯m going to give it my all, Ria!¡¹


    ¡¸Yes! Come, Allen!¡¹


    She gripped her sword with a very happy expression for some reason.


    This is how the fierce battle between me and Ria began.

 Chapter 228 - Entrance Exam and Valentines Day [25]

    228. Entrance Exam and Valentines Day [25]


    My and Ria¡¯s sword fight was fierce.


    ¡¸UOOOOOOHH!¡¹


    ¡¸HAAAAAAAAAA!¡¹


    Whenever¡´Fafnir¡µcollided with¡´Zeon¡µ, red-ck sparks danced in the air.


    ¡¸Eighth Sword ¨C Yatagarasu!¡¹


    ¡¸High King Style ¨C Consecutive Spears!¡¹


    In response to the eight shes I fired, Ria replied with a consecutive thrusts of ck mes.


    But there was too much of a difference between our physical abilities.


    ¡¸Wha, kyaa!?¡¹


    Pushed by the power of Yatagarasu, she was greatly blown back.


    (The winning chance!)


    I didn¡¯t overlook this opportunity and closed the distance right away.


    ¡¸D-Don¡¯te close¡­ Draconic Roar!¡¹


    When Ria swung her sword, mes mixed with ck and white were scattered extensively.


    An irregr ranged attack. I once struggled against this technique, but now¡­


    It is no longer a problem.


    ¡¸Naive!¡¹


    I didn¡¯t care about the attack and ran straight through it.


    (As I thought, an attack of this degree can be prevented by the dark robe!)


    A number of mes hit my shoulders and chest, but I didn¡¯t feel even the slightest heat.


    ¡¸I-Impossible!¡¹


    She must have not thought that Draconic Roar would be broken so easily.


    Ria¡¯s eyes widened and she looked dumbfounded.


    (Right there!)


    As I stepped into the ¡°certain kill distance¡±, I unleashed the ultimate fastest sh.


    ¡¸Seventh Sword ¨C Instant sh¡¹


    Ria, who stood before the godspeed Iai-sh,


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    Clenched her teeth and closed her eyes.


    As a result,¡´Fafnir¡µwas cut in half like a dead tree, and the True ck Sword stopped a millimeter away from her neck.


    ¡¸I¡­ give up¡­ It¡¯s my loss¡­¡¹


    Ria slowly opened her eyes and went down to her knees on the spot.


    In this way, I won a splendid victory over the fierce battle that staked Ria¡¯s Valentine¡¯s Chocte.


    ¡¸Fuu¡­ I¡¯m going to heal your wounds now. So don¡¯t move, will you?¡¹


    The darkness released from my right hand d her whole body, and the numerous cuts on her body were healed in an instant.


    ¡¸T-Thank you¡­ Allen is ridiculously strong after all.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, I feel happy to hear that.¡¹


    After that little chat, I finally decided to enter the main subject.


    ¡¸H-How do I say this¡­ Can I have that now?¡¹


    It was a little embarrassing to say¡¸I want Ria¡¯s chocte¡¹directly. So, I said it in an ambiguous way.


    ¡¸Y-Yeah. I promised you after all.¡¹


    She nodded as though having prepared her resolve. Her cheeks were dyed scarlet.


    ¡¸H-Here you go¡­¡¹


    While shyly averting her gaze, she offered out the square parcel with a lovely animal design.


    ¡¸T-Thank you!¡¹


    Ria¡¯s handmade chocte which I dreamed of.


    It was in my hands at this moment.


    ¡¸C-Can I eat it now?¡¹


    ¡¸Y-Yes, of course! I used plenty of the finest chocte of Vesteria, so I¡¯m sure it would be ridiculously delicious.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, I¡¯m looking forward to it!¡¹


    With anticipation swelling in my chest, I carefully peel off the packaging.


    And when I slowly opened the lid,


    ¡¸¡¸Ah¡­¡¹¡¹


    There were three choctes lined up in a very distorted shape.


    (I-Is this¡­ a heart-shaped chocte?)


    Perhaps, it melted due to the heat from¡´Fafnir¡µin the fight earlier.


    Now it was just a ck clump.


    ¡¸S-Sorry¡­¡¹


    Ria said and took away the package panickingly.


    ¡¸Eh, err¡­¡¹


    What should I say at these times?


    And when I was greatly perplexed,


    ¡¸Ah, man¡­ I¡­ am really stupid.¡¹


    She squeezed out her words with a face that seemed to burst out crying at any moment.


    ¡¸I¡¯m really sorry, Allen¡­ I felt too embarrassed to give it to you directly. And you got a lot of choctes as well, so I really wanted to make it something special that you can remember. And now it is¡­¡¹


    She was unable to finish her words, and started crying on the spot.


    (I see¡­ She tried to make it memorable and special by challenging me to a fight and making her handmade chocte the prize huh¡­)


    Certainly, if she gave it in that manner, I can¡¯t forget it.


    It will be clearly engraved in my memory.


    (I am so happy.)


    I was so happy that Ria thought of all this for me.


    She looked so lovely and adorable that I had the urge to hug her tightly and dearly right there and then.


    (But it¡¯s still too early¡­)


    We haven¡¯t advanced to that stage yet.


    So I restrained the passion in my heart with pure willpower, and spoke to her in a gentle voice to reassure her.


    ¡¸Hey, Ria.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­What?¡¹


    She looked up at me with her moist eyes and tilted her head slightly.


    ¡¸I am saying this as a man. I want the chocte that you made. So, if you don¡¯t mind¡­ Will you give me that handmade chocte?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡­¡­Eh?¡¹


    I discarded my feelings of shame and directly said,¡¸I want Ria¡¯s chocte.¡¹

 Chapter 229 - Entrance Exam and Valentines Day [26]

    229. Entrance Exam and Valentines Day [26]


    When I strongly asked for Ria¡¯s handmade chocte,


    ¡¸Do you¡­ r-really want this?¡¹


    She slowly looked up at me, her voice trembling.


    ¡¸O-Of course. Because that chocte contains Ria¡¯s ¡°love¡±, right?¡¹


    ¡¸W-Well t-that¡¯s¡­ H-How do I say it¡­¡¹


    She started blushing, her words became incoherent and eventually she nodded.


    ¡¸I see. Then I still want that chocte.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    It is true that the chocte may have a slightly distorted shape.


    But it contains Ria¡¯s love, her heart which thought of me, and the time we both crossed our swords.


    ¡¸Of course, if you don¡¯t want to, I won¡¯t force you, but¡­ I want the chocte you made for me.¡¹


    And when I expressed my true feelings,


    ¡¸B-But¡­ The shape is broken, and the color has changed a little¡­¡¹


    Ria said in a dispirited tone and dropped her gaze on the chocte at hand.


    ¡¸I don¡¯t mind at all.¡¹


    In my hometown, the poor Goza vige, there is only one criteria for evaluating food.


    Whether it can be eaten or not.


    From my viewpoint as someone who grew up there, the shape of chocte is no problem at all.


    ¡¸A-And¡­ It was burned by the mes of¡´Fafnir¡µ, so it might have a strange taste¡­¡¹


    ¡¸It was warmed by Ria¡¯s mes. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s gotten even more delicious.¡¹


    ¡¸B-But¡­¡¹


    ¡¸But what?¡¹


    ¡¸Uh, uh¡­ Well, if you¡¯re so insistent¡­ Just one only, okay?¡¹


    She said and held out the square box of choctes.


    ¡¸Thank you. Itadakimasu.¡¹


    I brought the distorted heart-shaped chocte into my mouth.


    It was sweet and rich. A very gentle taste.


    ¡¸H-How is it?¡¹


    Ria asked fearfully.


    ¡¸Un, delicious! Of all the choctes I¡¯ve ever eaten, this is the best!¡¹


    ¡¸R-Really!?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, it¡¯s true. Anyway¡­ Can I eat the rest?¡¹


    ¡¸O-Okay!¡¹


    After that, when I ate all the chocte in no time,


    ¡¸It wasn¡¯t burnt?¡¹


    She asked me with an anxious expression.


    ¡¸Yeah, it was all right.¡¹


    ¡¸It didn¡¯t taste weird?¡¹


    ¡¸It tasted like my favorite sweet chocte.¡¹


    ¡¸W-Was it really¡­ Delicious?¡¹


    ¡¸No doubt. It was the best in the world.¡¹


    As I said so in a gentle voice to reassure Ria,


    ¡¸I-I see¡­ That¡¯s good.¡¹


    She exhaled as though feeling relieved from the bottom of her heart.


    ¡¸Thank you, Ria. This is the best Valentine¡¯s Day.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, thank you so much for epting it too, Allen!¡¹


    Then we decided to go back to our dorm because it waste.


    On the way back,


    ¡¸But I was really happy.¡¹


    Ria, who was in a way better mood now, said so.


    ¡¸About what?¡¹


    ¡¸Because you know. You fought so seriously, Allen. I haven¡¯t seen you that serious in a long time. Nee, did you really want my chocte that much?¡¹


    She looked up at me while bending forward slightly, and smiled like a mischievous child.


    ¡¸Well, t-that¡­¡¹


    Of course, I wanted it.


    I wanted it so badly.


    But I feel a little embarrassed to say it again.


    And when I was having trouble answering,


    ¡¸I¡­ am so happy right now.¡¹


    Ria said so and reached out her hand to the starry sky.


    Standing under the moonlight with the darkness of the night spread all over, she looked like a princess who jumped straight out of a fairy tale.


    ¡¸Haa¡­ I wish this happiness wouldst forever and ever.¡¹


    She whispered towards the stars as though making a wish.


    For some reason, a deep hint of sorrow was reflected in her eyes.


    ¡¸Nee, Allen. This is just a what if, but¡­ what if my ¡°life¡± was set in stone by God, and I could never escape from that fate¡­ What will you do?¡¹


    Ria tilted her head with a fleeting smile that showed a hint of having resigned herself to fate.


    (As I expected, she seems to be shouldering a ¡°serious problem¡±.)


    It¡¯s not the first time Ria has shown such a face.


    (This is difficult.)


    What kind of problem is it? Is it even okay for me to stick my nose into it in the first ce?


    Unless Ria tells me, I can¡¯t understand.


    So I decided to answer her question head-on.


    ¡¸If there¡¯s something that is binding you, something that is hurting you¡­ I will cut it. May it be God, or Fate¡­ I wille for you and cut it away with this sword.¡¹


    My ¡°swordsmanship¡± is for the sake of protecting everyone. My family, my friends, and¡­ my special someone.


    ¡¸Fufu. If it were Allen, you might really just cut anything.¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, you can count on me.¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you¡­ I am very, very happy.¡¹


    Ria said and hugged me.


    In this way, the curtain quietly closed on the stormy ¡°Valentine¡¯s Day¡±.

 Chapter 230 - Cherin, the Land of Sakura, and Seven Holy Sword [1]

    230. Cherin, the Land of Sakura, and Seven Holy Sword [1]


    Today is the day after the very fulfilling Valentine¡¯s Day. ¡°Student Council Executives Election¡± will be held on this day.


    The current time is 15:25.


    Afterpleting the morning and afternoon sses, all the members of the student council, including myself, were standing on the stage in the gymnasium.


    There was the figure of about 540 students before us, and their gazes pierced my whole body relentlessly.


    (I do feel nervous after all.)


    I exhaled loudly to calm myself down.


    When I looked at my either side, Ria and Rose stood straight in a beautiful posture, giving off a dignified air.


    They had a sense of confidence and elegance, and looked like an ¡°adult woman¡±.


    (Now that I think about it, I think this has happened before.)


    That¡¯s right. If I remember correctly, it was during the time of the entrance ceremony.


    I, Ria, and Rose, the so-called ¡°Rmendation Group¡±, were made to introduce ourselves briefly in this ce where all the students watched.


    After the princess of Vesteria and the bounty-hunter of Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style finished their self-introduction, the baton was passed to me, a self-taught swordsman. Being exposed to the freezing gazes of all the students, I started crying internally.


    (It was really hard at that time¡­)


    I faced severe bullying at Gran Swordsmanship Academy, and all I wanted was an ¡°ordinary¡± student life.


    I wanted to learn a lot, train well, make friends, and have fun with my ssmates once in a while. A normal student life that you can find anywhere.


    (Even so, the favorability of all students towards me became negative on the very first day of admission¡­)


    Now I have a lot of fun everyday, but¡­


    At that time, I really thought it was all over.


    When I remembered back to those days, Leia-sensei, who stood in the middle of the stage, coughed and attracted everyone¡¯s attention.


    ¡¸Yoshi. Right now, we¡¯re going to hold a student council executives election!¡¹


    As she proudly dered so, a loud apuse broke out in the gym.


    ¡¸I think you have all heard from your homeroom teachers, but I will repeat it just in case. Because there were no new candidates this time, a regr election will not be held. Instead, we will hold a ¡°vote of confidence¡± ceremony to question the confidence and non-confidence in the student council staff of the previous year! Everyone, please ready the ¡°ballot paper¡± distributed to each of you during your homeroom!¡¹


    All the students began to move at the same time and took out a white ballot out of their pockets.


    ¡¸Then, please cast a ¡±clean vote¡± in the ballot box that is ced in front of the stage. We¡¯ll start in order from Year 1 ss A!¡¹


    All students from Year 1 ss A to Year 3 ss F voted in order while maintaining discipline.


    After that, ten election board members opened the ballot box, and the tally ended within 10 minutes.


    As a result, student council president Sie Arcstria, Secretary Lilim Tsuorine, and ountant Ferris Magdalot, were decided to hold their positions.


    By the way, the position of ¡°general affairs¡± is not eligible for a vote of confidence because the student council president can freely nominate students for it.


    In other words, I, Ria, and Rose were originally determined to continue to serve as general affairs.


    (Fuu, at any rate, I¡¯m relieved¡­)


    There is an exception called Sebas-san, but¡­


    This is the same line up of members as the entirety ofst year.


    The president, Lilim-senpai, and Ferris-senpai ¨C I don¡¯t want any of them to be missing.


    Right when I thought that the vote of confidence had ended safely, the president suddenly started walking towards sensei.


    They talk about something in whispers and smile refreshingly almost at the same time.


    At that moment.


    (¡­!?)


    An indescribable, unpleasant feeling ran down my spine.


    (What the? What was that spine chilling sensation!?)


    I immediately found out about it a few secondster.


    After the secret conversation with sensei, the president uttered something incredible to the whole academy.


    ¡¸Hello, I am the student council president Sie Arcstria. I have borrowed this opportunity to propose something to everyone. We don¡¯t have much time, so I will get straight to the point. I would like to rmend Allen Rodore, the current student council general affairs officer, for the vacant seat of ¡°vice president¡±.¡¹


    At that moment, the whole gymnasium began to buzz all at once.


    (I thought she had be slightly more maturetely, but this girl¡­)


    I clenched my fist tightly and heaved a sigh loudly.

 Chapter 231 - Cherin, the Land of Sakura and Seven Holy Swords [2]

    231. Cherin, the Land of Sakura and Seven Holy Swords [2]


    At the end of the student council executives election, the president suddenly rmended me for the position of Vice-President in front of the entire academy.


    Of course, I haven¡¯t been told of this at all.


    ¡¸P-President¡­ What are you saying!?¡¹


    As soon as I asked so,


    ¡¸Because, if I don¡¯t do it like this¡­ you will turn it down right, Allen-kun?¡¹


    She tilted her neck adorably, while not seeming to be sorry in the least.


    ¡¸I see that you understand that well¡­ But this time that¡¯s not going to work, you know? The ¡°Student Council President¡± does not have the authority to hold an election without permission after all.¡¹.


    Student council executives have a significant impact on the management of Thousand de Academy.


    Executive elections to determine the personnel will be held by the ¡°Staff Board¡± or by a higher body.


    In other words, there¡¯s nothing Sie Arcstria, the student council president, can do about it.


    ¡¸Fufu, there¡¯s no problem regarding that.¡¹


    ¡¸What do you mean?¡¹


    ¡¸Because I got Leia-sensei¡¯s permission just a moment ago.¡¹


    The president said and turned her gaze towards sensei.


    ¡¸Well, it sounded interesting. So I just gave the O-K!¡¹


    She said and showed a thumbs up.


    (I¡¯ve thought of this once before, but¡­)


    I should probably break that rather annoying little thumb after all.


    ¡¸Haa¡­¡¹


    Even if she is like this¡­


    Even if she is stuck in the director¡¯s office reading manga and not doing any work¡­


    (Unfortunately, she is still the ¡°Director¡± of Thousand de Academy.)


    The Director is a decision-making body that is higher than the staff board.


    Because she issued permission, an executive election can be held here and now.


    (Man¡­ she just does as she pleases as always.)


    As I dropped my shoulders dejectedly, sensei spoke with a slightly serious expression.


    ¡¸From an objective point of view, Sie¡¯s rmendation is exceedingly appropriate, isn¡¯t it? You have an overwhelming swordsmanship skill, as well as a high paperwork skill, and also a lot of consideration for others. Your reputation in the eyes of the world that does not know anything is extremely bad, but¡­ Our staff have a very high assessment of you, and it is probably the same for the students of this academy.¡¹


    She took a breath and continued.


    ¡¸This is a matter for the future, but¡­ Allen will most definitely be the student council president in the third year without a shred of doubt. In other words, it¡¯s not strange for you to be appointed as the vice-president in your second year. Rather, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any other better choice.¡¹


    ¡¸E-Even if you say that¡­ I think this kind of thing is something that should be acknowledged by everyone, and not something I alone should decide on.¡¹


    The moment I gently tried to turn it down,


    ¡¸Don¡¯t worry about that, Allen! If it¡¯s you, we have noins!¡¹


    ¡¸New Vice-President, Yoroshiku!¡¹


    ¡¸If you lead Thousand de, we¡¯ll be even stronger!¡¹


    The students who lined up under the stage pushed for my appointment as vice-president.


    It was not a matter of one or two students either.


    Almost everyone from the first year to the third year were cheering.


    ¡¸Hmm, there seem to be few voices against it, but¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Look at that, everyone wants Allen-kun to be the vice-president.¡¹


    ¡¸T-That¡¯s¡­¡¹


    From the top of the stage, sensei and the president, and from the bottom of the stage, the whole academy ¨C I, who was sandwiched between the two, no longer had a choice.


    ¡¸Haa, I understand. However, if it turns out to ¡°majority opposing¡±, please give up on this, okay?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, of course. From here on, we will decide whether or not to inaugurate Allen Rodore as the new Vice-President! Since there is no rival candidate, we will hold a vote of confidence as before!¡¹


    As a result of the primitive show of hands voting,


    ¡¸Five hundred forty in favor, zero against. By unanimous vote, next year¡¯s student council vice president will be Allen Rodore!¡¹


    Unbelievably, I gained confidence from the whole academy.


    It took about a minute from running for the position to inauguration. A ¡°super-speed election¡± that would normally be impossible.


    ¡¸But this is amazing¡­ Allen is the first person to win with one hundred percent approval rating in the long history of Thousand de Academy!¡¹


    Sensei happily pped me on the back.


    ¡¸Is that so¡­?¡¹


    Should I be happy?


    Should I cry?


    I sighed deeply, not even knowing what to feel anymore. At that time, Ria and Rose, who were watching the chain of sequences from a distance, ran up to me.


    ¡¸Vice President Allen¡­ I think it sounds cool!¡¹


    ¡¸Well, you were already doing the work of the vice president. So, isn¡¯t it more urate to say that your ¡°position caught up with you¡± rather than ¡°newly appointed¡±?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Thank you. I¡¯ll try to be as positive as possible.¡¹


    When we were talking about that, Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai came over.


    ¡¸With the responsible Allen-kun bing vice president, we won¡¯t have to do our work anymore!¡¹


    ¡¸Well, we haven¡¯t done any work since the beginning though¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I see, so you both are at least aware that you don¡¯t do any work¡­¡¹


    After Sebas-san, the vice-president, was gone, I was doing everything from office work, management, and misceneous work of the student council.


    (Thinking about it again, it might be exactly as Rose said.)


    Just because my position has changed from general affairs to vice-president, it doesn¡¯t seem like I have to do anything specific.


    When I was thinking to myself about that,


    ¡¸Fu, fufu. I look forward to working with you again, Vice President.¡¹


    Sie Arcstria, the student council¡¯s biggest problem child, smiled happily.


    (Well, whatever I suppose.)


    Being by her side, I can at least reduce her pranks a little.


    (If you leave her alone, she¡¯ll start doing whatever she wants.)


    Someone needs to stay by her and y the role of ¡°keeping her in check¡±.


    ¡¸From next year onwards, things will get a little tougher, so be prepared for it¡­President.¡¹


    ¡¸A-Ahaha¡­ D-Don¡¯t be too hard on me.¡¹


    At any rate, the student council member of the next school year was decided safely.

 Chapter 232 - Cherin, the Land of Sakura and Seven Holy Sword [3]

    232. Cherin, the Land of Sakura and Seven Holy Sword [3]


    I was able to enjoy peaceful days following the end of the student council election.


    During the day, I went for sses, and after that, concentrated on practice-swing club activities.


    I went out with Ria on my asional holidays. And I was able to take the end-of-semester exam together with my ssmates. Unlike the turbulent days of the past, I had very fulfilling days.


    After oveing the end-of-semester exam, it was finally February 28th.


    The graduation ceremony for the third years students will be held today. The entire academy was present.


    Seniors, including Jean Bael, the head of the Swordsmanship Club, graduate and will proceed on their chosen path from here on.


    Among them was of course the seniors who swung the sword together with me in the practice-swing club.


    (It¡¯s a happy day, but I still feel a little lonely.)


    I celebrated their departure with such feelings.


    After that, I sat in the st homeroom¡± of Year 1 ss A..


    As usual, Leia-sensei, dressed in a ck suit, spoke with a serious expression.


    ¡¸Ladies and Gentlemen. First of all, you¡¯ve endured relentless sses this year. To tell the truth, the sses that I conducted this school year were much stricter than the average sses. Nevertheless, every single one of you followed through contrary to my expectation. To be honest, this is a very happy miscalction. I can proudly dere, you are all fine swordsmen who can walk with your heads held high!¡¹


    As she dered powerfully, the atmosphere in the ssroom became heated.


    ¡¸Well, I¡¯m not going to bore you all with a long speech. So I¡¯ll just give you onest important point to take note of.¡¹


    She cleared her throat, and started talking in a calmer tone.


    ¡¸As you all know, the international situation in recent years has been more unstable than ever. The Holy Ronelia Empire, the ck Organization, the Demons ¨C you never know when and where these Axis of Evil will attack you. So keep your guard up at all times, and be careful when you go on trips. Then, I hope to see your cheerful faces again in a month from now. Disperse!¡¹


    Thus, thest homeroom of our first year ended. After that, we worked hard in the activities of the practice-swing club as usual.


    On our way back home.


    ¡¸The first year is already over¡­ It went by in the blink of an eye¡­¡¹


    ¡¸It feels long and short at the same time¡­ A strange feeling that I can¡¯t really describe.¡¹


    Ria and Rose, who were illuminated by the afterglow of sunset, whispered softly.


    ¡¸That¡¯s right¡­ A lot of things have happened, but it feels like just yesterday when everything started.¡¹


    So many things happened in thest one year.


    It all started with the ¡°100 Million-Years Button¡±.


    (That over a billion years of hell changed my life drastically.)


    I received a rmendation admission from Thousand de Academy, one of the Five Academy¡¯s, and crossed swords with Sid-san at the Big Five Holy Festival.


    After that, I worked as a magic swordsman, and shed with the ck Organization at the Daido Commercial Festival.


    During summer vacation, we held a joint summer camp with Ice King Academy, and I gained an audience with His Majesty Gris in Vesteria Kingdom.


    Shortly after the start of the new semester, I rescued Ria, who was kidnapped by Zack and Thor.


    At the Sword King Festival, I defeated Idol. And when the Thousand de Festival was over, I repelled Fu and Dodriel, whounched an assault on the academy.


    (Come to think of it¡­ I also took sses at White Lily Academy as a transfer student.)


    Then, I headed to Dagrio, the sunny country, as a Senior Holy Knight trainee, where I cut down one of the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle, Rain d.


    At the Keishinkai held on New Year¡¯s Day, I met Tenshi-sama for the first time and repelled the demon, Zerey Grazario, who attacked the imperial pce all of a sudden.


    After that, I coborated with Chemy Fasta, the president of White Lily Academy and the world¡¯s best medical doctor, and discovered ¡°Allen Cell¡±, the first cure for curse in human history.


    And just the other day¡­ I infiltrated the Holy Ronelia Empire to stop the president¡¯s political marriage.


    (¡­Looking back, it¡¯s been a really ridiculous year.)


    Each one of them was a mega incident.


    They were all on the scale where an ordinary swordsman might have never faced even once in the entirety of his life.


    (And all of that urred within the span of a year. Life has really been eventful.)


    As I sighed a little,


    (¡­Come to think of it, even this has be quite the habit too.)


    Perhaps because I was plunged into trouble after trouble non-stop, the number of times I sighed has increased over the past year.


    As I vaguely looked back on the past year,


    ¡¸Allen, let¡¯s get along in the second year too, okay?¡¹


    ¡¸I feel most fulfilled when I swing my sword with you. Yoroshiku for the second-year too.¡¹


    Ria and Rose said so and put on a warm smile.


    (¡­Aa, this has been a really good year.)


    It was certainly hard.


    There were a lot of tiresome things, and there were even times when I thought that it was all over.


    Still, I can dere that this is the best year I¡¯ve ever had in my life.


    (After all¡­ I am no longer alone.)


    The lone Allen Rodore who was bullied at Gran Swordsmanship Academy is no more.


    Ria, Rose, Tessa, and everyone from ss A.


    President, Lilim-senpai, Ferris-senpai.


    From other academies, Sid-san and Idol.


    In addition, Leia-sensei, Rize-san, and Clown-san.


    (There are so many important people around me.)


    As Leia-sensei said, the international situation in recent years has been chaotic.


    I¡¯m sure there will be more hardships ahead.


    However, I feel that I can ovee any hardships together with everyone.


    From the depths of my heart, from my soul, mysterious power sprang forth.


    ¡¸Ria, Rose. Let¡¯s get along from now on too.¡¹


    Then we went back to our respective dormitories.


    Thus, all the courses of the first year students of Thousand de Academy werepleted safely.

 Chapter 233 - Cherin, the Land of Sakura and Seven Holy Sword [4]

    233. Cherin, the Land of Sakura and Seven Holy Sword [4]


    One month from March 1st to 31st is the spring holiday period of Thousand de Academy.


    (Spring break, summer break, are precious long holidays that onlye around twice a year. I have to make good use of it¡­.)


    For the past one year.


    By chance, I¡¯ve crushed a number of schemes and operations of the ck Organization.


    Because of that, I am now in a position of my life being targeted by them.


    I¡¯m sure they will send more strong enemies in the future.


    (I have to be stronger to protect my loved ones¡­ Ria, Rose and everyone.)


    In order to do so, unsparing training is still necessary.


    (All right, let¡¯s do it!)


    March 1st.


    After firing up my spirit, I immediately started swinging my sword during the activity period of the practice-swing club.


    Even though it is spring break, club activities were carried out as usual.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸FU! HA! SEI!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    During the day, I swing my sword pleasantly with everyone.


    After finishing the activities in the evening, I have a mock battle with Ria and Rose.


    After that, I go to the vacant lot behind the dormitory and immerse myself in swinging alone under the moonlight.


    And by the time midnightes,


    ¡¸Goodnight, Ria.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. Goodnight, Allen.¡¹


    I go to sleep in a warm bed with Ria.


    Almost all my time was poured towards ¡°swordsmanship¡±, and the rigorous but fulfilling dayssted for about two weeks.


    After that, I managed to ovee the fierce White Day, which can only be expressed as ¡°tumultuous¡±¡­ and it was finally March 15th.


    The student council¡¯s ¡°Spring Camp¡± will be held for exactly one week from today.


    The time is seven o¡¯clock in the morning.


    Ria and I met up with Rose in front of the main gate of Thousand de Academy.


    ¡¸Good morning, Rose. The weather is nice today.¡¹


    ¡¸Morning, Rose. I am d you were able to get up early in the morning.¡¹


    ¡¸Fuwaa¡­¡­¡­¡­ Morning.¡¹


    She, who is especially weak in the morning, stretched her left hand slightly while yawning.


    ¡¸A-Ahaha, you look sleepy.¡¹


    ¡¸You got up two hours earlier than on normal school days, so it¡¯s no wonder¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡­¡­Yeah.¡¹


    Rose nodded like a little child.


    (One could never imagine that she is such a weak morning person judging from her usual dignified self, but¡­)


    Being together for a year now, I got used to this ¡°sleepy-state¡±.


    ¡¸Rose. Hold on a little longer. As soon as we get on the ne, you¡¯ll be able to sleep for a while.¡¹


    As I called out to cheer her up,


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­I¡¯ll do my best.¡¹


    Rose said so, rubbing her sleepy eyes.


    ¡¸Okay. Let¡¯s go right away, shall we?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, let¡¯s go!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡­¡­Let¡¯s go.¡¹


    Then we walked to the mansion of House Arcstria, the meeting point.


    On the way, the topic about the training camp destination naturally came up.


    ¡¸I¡¯m looking forward to seeing Cherin, the Land of Sakura¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, that¡¯s right. By the way, Cherin¡¯s specialty is ¡°Sakura mochi¡±! Let¡¯s eat to our stomach¡¯s fill, Allen.¡¹


    ¡¸A-Aa¡­ I-I¡¯ll do my best!¡¹


    Our spring training camp destination is Cherin, the Land of Sakura.


    It is a small country located on the edge of one of the Five Major Powers, Polyesta Federation.


    A beautiful solitary ind with sakura blossoms in full bloom all year round, making it one of the world¡¯s leading tourist destinations.


    In particr, ¡°Hundred Million Year Sakura Blossom¡± which is considered a national treasure, is so famous that it even appears in textbooks. It is apparently a super huge sakura tree that bloomed over ¡°billions of years¡± ago.


    (Billions of years huh¡­ That makes it the ¡°same age¡± as me¡­)


    As I was feeling something simr to ¡°camaraderie¡±,


    ¡¸¡­¡­That¡¯s¡­ a good ce. Really beautiful¡­ sakura blossoms bloom¡­¡¹


    Rose, who was hiding her eyes from the morning sun, said while pausing intermittently.


    ¡¸Oh, have you ever been there, Rose?¡¹


    Judging by her tone, it was as thought she had seen the actual sakura blossoms.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡­That¡¯s where I was born.¡¹


    ¡¸I-Is that so!?¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve heard of that!¡¹


    I always thought Rose was born in the Ringard Imperial Kingdom.


    ¡¸Nn, I haven¡¯t told you¡­? Let¡¯s see¡­ I left when I was ten years old, so it will be the first time in five years that I am returning there. But, I just want you to be careful¡­. Over there¡­ my¡­¡­ fuwaa¡­¡¹


    Rose broke off the story and fell silent.


    She seems to be desperately fighting with the assailing sleepiness.


    (¡°Over there, my¡± is what she said¡­)


    I am a little worried about what she was about to say after that, but I can¡¯t force her when she is in this state.


    Let¡¯s listen to the rest of the story after shepletely wakes up.


    ¡¸W-What should we do, Allen? At this rate, she might really fall asleep right here.¡¹


    ¡¸Let¡¯s see¡­ Rose, let¡¯s walk a little faster. Can you keep up?¡¹


    When I asked her that while gently shaking her shoulder,


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡­¡­Yeah.¡¹


    She nodded and increased her waking pace slightly.


    And we went straight towards Arcstria mansion, where the president and senpais were waiting.

 Chapter 234 - Cherin, the Country of Sakura and Seven Holy Swords [5]

    234. Cherin, the Country of Sakura and Seven Holy Swords [5]


    We navigated through the city of Orest, and finally arrived at the Arcstria mansion.


    (It¡¯s a magnificent mansion, after all.)


    A three-story wooden building with a vast garden.


    There was even some other structure such as private jet hangars and etc. away from the residence.


    Just how much money do you need to earn to build such a ptial mansion?


    (Although this level would be impossible for me, someday I want my own house too.)


    Ideally, there should be two living rooms of about six tatami mats.


    If there was a garden where I could do practice-swings, it would be the best.


    As I was thinking of a future like that,


    ¡¸Allen-kun, over here!¡¹


    I heard a voice calling me from a little distance away.


    Looking in the direction of the voice, I saw the president at the front door. She was waving her hand, while hopping slightly.


    Next to her were Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai.


    ¡¸Good morning, president, Lilim-senpai, Ferris-senpai.¡¹


    ¡¸Good morning, senpai.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡­¡­Morning.¡¹


    When we briefly said our morning greetings,


    ¡¸Good morning, everyone. Let¡¯s y as much as we can for the next one week!¡¹


    ¡¸Good morning! It¡¯s our first training camp in about six months. I¡¯m going to enjoy it to my heart¡¯s content!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡­¡­Good morning, though.¡¹


    The president, who was in high spirits for the trip after a long time.


    Lilim-senpai who was as energetic as usual.


    Ferris-senpai who seems to be dead sleepy from the look of it.


    Each of the three replied with different reactions.


    (If I remember correctly, Ferris-senpai is also a weak morning person.)


    She was like this during summer camp too.


    ¡¸Come to think of it, I can¡¯t see Leia-sensei anywhere, though.¡¹


    When I asked, the president shook her head sideways.


    ¡¸I am afraid sensei won¡¯t be apanying us this time. She has gone to attend a very important meeting at the headquarters of the Holy Knights Association.¡¹


    ¡¸A very important meeting?¡¹


    This is the first time I¡¯m hearing of it.


    ¡¸Yes, it¡¯s a top secret meeting that is not known to the public. If I remember correctly, the agenda was ¡°Response to the Holy Ronelia Empire¡±, I think? Moreover, it is arge-scale meeting where the leaders of each country, and four of the ¡°Seven Holy Swords¡± will be present. From Ringard Imperial Kingdom, Tenshi-sama and my father are going to attend. ¡°I requested ck Fist Leia Lasnode to be our bodyguard¡± is what my father told me¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I see, that¡¯s how it is¡­¡¹


    Apparently, there are big movements ¡°under the surface¡± as we speak.


    (But the Seven Holy Swords huh¡­)


    The Seven Holy Swords are the seven strongest swordsmen of mankind who are the pride of the Holy Knights Association, and also hold a strong heart of justice together with overwhelming power beyond the realms of man.


    (I am sure they are all far superior swordsmen than me. I wonder just how strong they are.)


    If I have the chance, I would love to cross swords with them once.


    When I was thinking about that to myself,


    ¡¸B-By the way¡­ Allen-kun. W-What do you think?¡¹


    The president looked straight at me with a downcast look, and tilted her head slightly.


    ¡¸Eh, umm¡­? ¡­Ah, I see.¡¹


    I understood the intention of her look, and observed her from head to toe.


    Pale blue skirt and ck inner which emphasizes her curves.


    On top of it, she was wearing a semi-transparent white haori.


    A beautiful ne gleamed on her chest. She was wearing a very well-dressed and attractive outfit.


    ¡¸Yes, I think it suits you very well.¡¹


    ¡¸R-Really¡­? T-Thank you.¡¹


    When I and the president were talking about that,


    ¡¸Un. Aren¡¯t you d to beplimented by Allen-kun, Sie?¡¹


    Lilim-senpai poked in from the side with a suggestive smile.


    Her face and words seemed to hold some sort of ¡°implication¡±. And the president became flustered.


    ¡¸Li-Lilim¡­? W-What are you trying to say?¡¹


    ¡¸Hmm, nothing really¡­ Just that, you dragged me all day long yesterday to ¡°choose a pretty outfit¡±¡­ So, I¡¯m just d you got the results.¡¹


    ¡¸Wha!? H-Hey¡­ You promised to keep it a secret!¡¹


    The blushing president red at Lilim-senpai.


    ¡¸Oh no, you look really scary! If you do that, Allen-kun¡¯s going to hate you.¡¹


    ¡¸Guh¡­ M-Mou! Come, Allen-kun! Let¡¯s ignore the stupid Lilim, and go quickly!¡¹


    ¡¸Eh, yes.¡¹


    Then we headed to the Arcstria¡¯s private jet hangar.


    It was the same airne that we got on during summer camp.


    As I climbed onto the entrance after the president,


    ¡¸Oh, that¡¯s right. For this training camp, I have prepared a ¡°fun n¡±, so look forward to it, okay?¡¹


    She said and went into the ne while humming unconcernedly.


    (F-Fun n?)


    Is it a fun n for the president, or is it a fun project for everyone?


    (At the very least, I don¡¯t think she¡¯s going to be feeling down during the spring training camp.)


    After getting on the ne, we took off for the Country of Sakura, Cherin.

 Chapter 235 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [6]

    235. Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [6]


    When the ne took off safely and reached cruising altitude, we unseated.


    At the same time,


    ¡¸Sorry, but I¡¯m going to sleep a little¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­Good night though.¡¹


    Rose and Ferris-senpai, gave into the sleepiness, and headed to the nap room at the back of the ne.


    After that, the rest of us had fun chatting.


    ¡¸Nee, you guys. Why don¡¯t we y this?¡¹


    The president took out a rectangr box and ced it on arge table in the center.


    ¡¸What is it?¡¹


    And when I asked her,


    ¡¸Dorururururu¡­ Ta-dah! ¡°Life, the board game!¡±.¡¹


    While making an adorable drum roll sound, she opened the box cheerfully.


    The next moment,


    ¡¸Oh, this! I yed it when I was little! It feels so nostalgic.¡¹


    Ria¡¯s eyes sparkled like a little child, as she took out the board game inside the box.


    ¡¸Oh, I haven¡¯t seen this in a long time! Ist yed this with everyone in middle-school!¡¹


    Lilim-senpai seemed to be quite excited, too. She stared at the square tiles on the board, together with Ria


    ¡¸Fufu, I found it by chance while I was preparing everything yesterday. I thought it would be fun if we all yed together, so I brought it just in case.¡¹


    ¡¸Nice decision, Sie!¡¹


    ¡¸I know right!¡¹


    As the atmosphere got heated up,


    ¡¸Nee, Allen. Let¡¯s y together!¡¹


    Ria brought her face closer to me with a very happy smile on her face.


    ¡¸Aa, of course.¡¹


    She looks so happy.


    Naturally, there is no reason to refuse.


    When everyone agreed, the president pped her hands.


    ¡¸All right, that¡¯s settled now! Next is regarding the rules. Lillim and I have always yed it during middle school, and Ria-san seems to have yed it too, is that right?¡¹


    When she asked, the two immediately nodded.


    ¡¸How about Allen-kun?¡¹


    ¡¸Let¡¯s see¡­ I¡¯ve yed Life games in Goza vige, but this seems to be quite different from what I know¡­¡¹


    The box of the Life game I yed with bamboo geezer and the others was more darkish. A mixture of ck and brown. It never looked so bright coloured and fun.


    ¡¸Ara, is that so? Speaking of Life games, this series is the standard, but¡­ Well, that¡¯s fine. I will exin the rules briefly just in case.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, please.¡¹


    Then the president exined the rules in an easy-to-understand manner.


    Each yer turns the roulette, which is numbered from 1 to 10, in order.


    Then, you advance to the tile ording to the number you got, aiming for the ¡°Goal¡± in the center of the board.


    The yer with the most ¡°cash valuation of their property¡± wins when they arrive at the goal by performing the various events written on the tiles that they stopped on.


    The rules themselves were not particrly unusual, and it was exactly the same as the Life game that I yed in Goza Vige.


    ¡¸By the way, I will warn you just in case¡­ Unfortunately, Allen and Ria have no chance of winning. After all, Lillim and I are the best when ites to this game!¡¹


    ¡¸Fufufu! We always stop on the winning tiles and evade every losing tile! The game has already been decided before it started!¡¹


    ¡¸Ara, you¡¯ll be in trouble if you underestimate me, you know? I¡¯ve also fought hundreds of battles against my father and ude, and I still remember all the tile events!¡¹


    The three of them said so, exuding fighting aura.


    It seems that they have extraordinary confidence in this Life game, and I felt somewhat left out.


    ¡¸A-Ahaha¡­ Please go easy on me.¡¹


    Thus we yed the Life game until we arrived at Cherin, the country of Sakura.


    About three hourster,


    ¡¸T-That¡¯s¡­ impossible.¡¹


    ¡¸N-No way¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Gu, Guh¡­¡¹


    The president, Ria, and Lilim, squeezed the game money in their hand as the colour drained from their faces.


    ¡¸Hmm, 300 million, 400 million, 500 million and 80 million gold¡­ A total of 580 million gold. It looks like I won this time too.¡¹


    The second ce is the president with 110 million gold.


    The third ce is Ria with 70 million gold.


    Andst ce is Lilim-senpai with negative 60 million gold.


    It was a ¡°perfect victory¡± with a huge difference of more than five timespared to the president in second ce.


    Moreover, I won three times in a row in all three battles.


    Not even once did I lose the first ce.


    And then,


    ¡¸C-Cheating! This is cheating! This is absolutely weird!¡¹


    ¡¸Allen, be honest. You¡¯re doing something wrong, aren¡¯t you?¡¹


    ¡¸Allen-kun¡­ you¡¯re a little too strong for someone who is ying this Life game for the first time, don¡¯t you think? Maybe, you¡¯re using one of your tricks again?¡¹


    Just as I expected¡­


    The president, Ria, and Lilim-senpai made such ims in unison.

 Chapter 236 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [7]

    236. Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [7]


    I immediately denied the president, Ria, and Lilim-senpai¡¯s ims.


    ¡¸No, I did not cheat. In the first ce, this Life game was prepared by the president, wasn¡¯t it?¡¡There was no time nor opportunity for me to do anything.¡¹


    As I honestly stated that,


    ¡¸W-Well, that¡¯s¡­¡¹


    ¡¸T-That¡¯s true, but¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Guh¡­ As expected, Allen-kun. You don¡¯t let people get dirt on you easily.¡¹


    The three of them stared at me as they trembled in frustration.


    ¡¸B-But¡­ I have never seen anyone get ¡°over 500 million gold¡± in this game! Something weird is definitely going on!¡¹


    ¡¸Moreover, Allen is the only person who did not stop on a tile with a ¡°bad event¡± even once in the entire three matches!¡¹


    ¡¸T-That¡¯s right! Please exin that by all means, Allen-kun.¡¹


    The president and Ria pointed out a suspicious point, and Lilim senior backed them up.


    ¡¸Ahaha, isn¡¯t that obvious. Why would I stop on a bad event tile by choice?¡¹


    The moment I gave an extremely obvious answer,


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡­¡­!¡¹¡¹¡¹


    The three looked at each other with a surprised expression.


    ¡¸C-Come to think of it, I have heard rumours of ¡°Professional dealers¡± who live in the ¡°shadows¡± and can manipte the roulette at their own will.¡¹


    ¡¸Nee, Allen¡­ Since you have physical ability that is out of human norms, I think you might actually be able to achieve such feats.¡¹


    ¡¸W-What about that!? Answer honestly!¡¹


    The president, Ria and Lilim-senpai asked a very ¡°obvious¡± question.


    ¡¸Yes, of course I can.¡¹


    I didn¡¯t feel the need to hide it, so I decided to answer honestly.


    I was taught all kinds of y from bamboo geezer, and of course I enjoy roulette as much as the next person.


    I¡¯m not as good at it as card games, but getting the number that I¡¯m aiming for is a piece of cake.


    I do not stop on tiles with bad events, take the upations with the best sry, and always stop on the few super lucky tiles.


    In this way, I won with an overwhelming difference.


    ¡¸For example, if I want a ¡°10¡±, then I do it like this¡­¡¹


    While saying that, I spun the roulette with force.


    It spun at high speed for about twenty times, and then gradually slowed down and eventually stopped exactly at the number I proimed ¨C ¡°10¡±.


    At that moment,


    ¡¸T-This is cheating¡­ Allen-kun is a natural ¡°Cheat master¡±! That¡¯s how you¡¯ve always been toying around with all your onee-san!¡¹


    ¡¸T-This is unfair! No one can beat Allen like this!¡¹


    ¡¸Allen-kun, you¡­!¡¹


    The three of them stood up vigorously and immediately approached closer.


    ¡¸H-Hey!?¡¹


    They pushed me back so far that, my back was cornered to the wall in no time.


    ¡¸Allen-kun, you¡¯re prepared for what¡¯sing, aren¡¯t you?¡¹


    ¡¸Allen, being unfair is not good.¡¹


    ¡¸The match between swordsmen is a serious battle. You¡¯re not going to say that you forgot, right?¡¹


    I made a proper rebuttal to the three who pushed even closer still.


    ¡¸It¡¯s a misunderstanding! This is ¡°technique¡± and is not a ¡°cheat¡± by any means!¡¹


    Technique and cheat, these two can be clearly distinguished.


    It is the technique that stops the roulette on the desired number.


    On the other hand, adjusting the ¡°slipperiness¡± of the roulette with your palm sweat and secretly preparing ¡°tricks¡± on the table is what you call a cheat.


    ¡¸After mastering all kinds of basic techniques, we will fight while employing a variety of cheats. This is the real thrill of the ¡°game¡±.¡¹- This is what I was taught by bamboo geezer a long time ago.


    However,


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡­¡­¡¹¡¹¡¹


    My rebuttal seems to have fallen on deaf ears, as they began a secret conversation amongst themselves.


    ¡¸Ria-san, Lilim. How should we deal with Allen?¡¹


    ¡¸Let¡¯s see¡­ I think it would be best to make him listen to our ¡°request¡±, after all.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, that¡¯s a good idea! Then I want Allen-kun to teach me his unique swordsmanship very closely! His skill is cool and above all, it¡¯s very practical!¡¹


    ¡¸I-If that¡¯s the case, I think I will ask for something that can remain with me like an essory.¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, I wonder if I could get a massage or something¡­ N-Not in a strange meaning¡­ L-Lately, my shoulder has been quite stiff is all.¡¹


    ¡¸Flying Shadow, Instant sh, and Yatagarasu ¨C Fufufufu! Next year is the era of Lilim Tsuorine!¡¹


    The president and Ria started blushing, whereas Lilim-senpai eyes were gleaming.


    (This is bad¡­)


    I don¡¯t know what they¡¯re talking about secretly, but¡­


    It was easy to imagine that I would get into another troublesome thing if I didn¡¯t interrupt that conversation somehow.


    (The president, Ria, and Lilim-senpai ¨C all three of them are very simple at their root.)


    For those three who are always curious and hate to lose, this ¡°bait¡± will surely be the most effective.


    ¡¸Umm¡­ Would you like to know how to ¡°control the roulette at will¡±?¡¹


    The moment I threw the ¡°groundbait¡±,


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸H-How to control roulette at will!?¡¹¡¹¡¹


    The three of them easily took the bait.


    (Fuu, thank goodness. I managed to perfectly ¡°hook¡± them.)


    Thus, I seeded in ¡°fishing¡± Ria and the rest and interrupted their suspicious secret conversation.

 Chapter 237 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [8]

    237. Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [8]


    I cleared my throat, and then dropped my gaze on the roulette ced on the desk.


    ¡¸In order to control the oue of the roulette, it is important to understand its ¡°shape¡±. For example, there¡¯s a little jaggedness in the handle, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, that seems to be so.¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s gaps to make it easier to hold.¡¹


    ¡¸Hmm, so what do we do with that?¡¹


    The three looked at me with hopeful eyes and encouraged me to continue.


    ¡¸To tell the truth, roulette with gaps in the handle is the type that is the easiest to manipte the oue. So just take it easy and listen to what I¡¯m about to say from now on.¡¹


    And then I went into the main subject.


    ¡¸There are thirty-six small gaps here. These evenly spaced gaps are the biggest ¡°hints¡±.¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸The gaps?¡¹¡¹¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. There are two points to notes. The power used when spinning the roulette must be constant and you have to slide the exact number of gaps by counting with your thumb. For example, in this case, if I slide ten gaps with my thumb, the wheel will spin for tenps and return to its original number. Just like this¡­¡¹


    I spun the roulette. And as I imed, after tenps, it returned to ¡°10¡±.


    ¡¸N-No way!¡¹


    ¡¸Su-Sugoi!¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s exactly as you said!¡¹


    The president, Ria, and Lilim-senpai widened their eyes as though witnessing sorcery.


    ¡¸Once you know the ¡°number of gaps to slide¡± and the ¡°influence on the oue¡±, all you have to do is fine-tune the millimeters. If you want to advance one tile after 10ps of the roulette, slide 11 gaps. If you want to go on with two tiles after tenps, slide 12 gaps. In this way, you can freely control the oue of the roulette.¡¹


    I concluded the exnation briefly, but¡­


    ¡¸E-Even if you make it sound so easy¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Allen, it¡¯s too early for us who are just ¡°human¡±.¡¹


    ¡¸My head aches just by thinking about fine tuning it to millimeters.¡¹


    The president shook her head quietly, with a sour expression.


    ¡¸It may seem difficult at first, but once you get used to it, you¡¯ll be fine. The basics are the same as swordsmanship. Repetitive practice until your muscles learn the movement.¡¹


    When you swing the sword, you can¡¯t afford to think aboutplicated things like when to rx your strength and when to include body weight in the middle of battle.


    Us,¡°swordsman¡±, train to unleash the sharpest shes anytime, anywhere.


    Thus, we repeatedly swing the sword every day and make our body learn those movements through muscle memory.


    In other words, the technique of manipting the oue of this roulette is the same as swordsmanship root.


    ¡¸I-I see¡­¡¹


    ¡¸When you put it that way¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Certainly when you swing the sword, you don¡¯t think about anything.¡¹


    The three, who are ustomed to the sword, seemed to be convinced with the analogy of ¡°swordsmanship¡±.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll support you as much as I can, so why don¡¯t you all practice a little bit?¡¹


    When I proposed as such,


    ¡¸Yes, okay¡­ When Allen-kun is next to me, I feel mysteriously motivated!¡¹


    ¡¸Allen, I will do my best!¡¹


    ¡¸All right, let¡¯s try it for the time being!¡¹


    The three of them nodded with a spirited expression.


    After practicing for about an hour.


    ¡¸I, I did it!¡¹


    ¡¸I was able to do it too!¡¹


    The dexterous president and Ria got the hang of it.


    ¡¸Gu, gununu¡­ This is hard after all.¡¹


    On the other hand, Lilim-senpai, who has a rough personality, seems to be having a little trouble.


    Even so, she was able to manipte the oue close to the number she aimed for.


    ¡¸Allen, this is really amazing! You¡¯re a genius!¡¹


    Ria looked at me with respect, frolicking like a child.


    ¡¸Ahaha, I¡¯m d you¡¯re happy.¡¹


    When I see her happy smile, I feel happy too.


    ¡¸I see. Something like this seems to be more of a technique.¡¹


    The president dropped her gaze on the roulette at hand and whispered with a smile.


    (Fuu, thank goodness. I managed to make the distinction between ¡°technique¡± and ¡°cheating¡±.)


    And the moment when I patted my chest with relief,


    ¡¸Now then, since our standings are equal with Allen-kun.¡¹


    ¡¸Let¡¯s start the game of Life again!¡¹


    ¡¸Fufufu, the real game start from now on!¡¹


    The three of them triumphantly set about preparing for the game.


    (A-Are you kidding me?)


    It¡¯s going to be the fourth time I y this Life game.


    ¡¸E-Errm¡­ A-Aren¡¯t you bored of it? It¡¯s about time we y something else.¡¹


    ¡¸No. I won¡¯t get bored until I win over Allen.¡¹


    ¡¸I am the Princess of Vesteria, I can¡¯t shamelessly back down while I¡¯m behind!¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, you can¡¯t quit while you¡¯re ahead!¡¹


    Their eyes werepletely determined, and it seemed like I would be stuck in this eternal loop.


    (Should I just lose on purpose?)


    No, but the match between swordsmen is a serious battle.


    Going easy leads to insulting them.


    (What am I supposed to do?)


    And when I was wracking my brain over that,


    ¡ºThis ne will arrive in Cherin, ten minutester. Please wear your seat belt whennding. I repeat. This ne will¨C¡»


    The in-flight broadcast came at the perfect timing.


    ¡¸Oh, yes! I¡¯m going to wake up Rose and Ferris-senpai!¡¹


    ¡¸H-Hey!? Wait, Allen-kun!¡¹


    ¡¸The game is not over yet!¡¹


    ¡¸One more fight! Just one more please!¡¹


    ¡¸A-Ahaha¡­ Let¡¯s do it another time, shall we?¡¹


    I escaped from the Infinite Loop of Life Game, and moved to the nap room at the back of the ne.

 Chapter 238 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [9]

    238. Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [9]


    I escaped from ¡°Infinite Loop of Life Game¡±, and I took a breath of relief in the aisle of the ne.


    (Fuu, those three are hardcore sore losers.)


    I advanced straight to the back while thinking about that, and arrived at the nap room.


    I knocked on the door just in case, but there was no answer.


    Maybe they¡¯re still fast asleep.


    ¡¸Rose, Ferris-senpai¡­ I¡¯ming in.¡¹


    After saying so in a loud voice, I opened the door slowly. There was the figure of those two who were sleeping pleasantly.


    (¡­They¡¯re fast asleep.)


    Rose had a very pleasant sleeping face with both hands in front of her face while lying on her side.


    Her beautiful pinkish silver hair and long eyshes had a charming effect. The bed sheet had almost no wrinkle, and she had a good sleeping posture.


    On the other hand, Ferris-senpai was sleeping with her face pressed against the pillow. The bed sheet was full of wrinkles, and her sleeping posture doesn¡¯t seem to be so good.


    ¡¸Rose, wake up. We¡¯re almost about tond in Cherin.¡¹


    And when I shook her shoulder gently,


    ¡¸Nmm, nmm¡­¡¹


    She slowly raised her upper body and sat up.


    ¡¸Fuwaa¡­¡­¡­ Morning, Allen.¡¹


    She slowly stretched her body adorably.


    ¡¸Y-Yeah¡­ morning.¡¹


    The way she woke up and stretched was so charming that my heart started beating faster.


    ¡¸Eh, uh¡­ Well, it¡¯s dangerous if you don¡¯t wear a seat belt whennding. It¡¯s time to get back to everyone, okay?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­ Yeah, I got it. Thank you.¡¹


    Rose said while rubbing her eyes, which were not yet fully open.


    ¡¸Ferris-san, please get up. We¡¯ll be at Cherin in less than ten minutes.¡¹


    ¡¸Nn¡­ fuwaa¡­ Okay though¡­¡¹


    Then I took the two of them, who hadn¡¯t woken uppletely yet, and went back to the room where Ria and the others were waiting.


    About ten minutester.


    The nended safely and we arrived at Cherin.


    We got off the ne with our luggages.


    When I opened my eyes slowly, being red at by the dazzling light, a ¡°world of Sakura¡± spread before me.


    ¡¸T-This is!¡¹


    Sakura blossoms fluttering about in the wind.


    Gentle and warm sunshine.


    The atmosphere of ¡°spring¡±.


    A kind of ¡°atmosphere¡± which gripped the at heart¡¯s of people.


    (Aa, this is a really good ce¡­)


    I understood why Cherin is a global tourist destination the moment Inded.


    When I was taking in the spring air to my heart¡¯s content,


    ¡¸Wow, beautiful!¡¹


    ¡¸It smells so nostalgic¡­¡¹


    Ria voiced excitedly at the beautiful scenery unfolding before her eyes, and Rose whispered with nostalgia in her voice.


    And,


    ¡¸Hmm¡­ This ce is warm and pleasant after all!¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah! Sort of like¡­ Wanting to just lie down and rx while taking in the atmosphere!¡¹


    ¡¸The smell of sakura blossoms is so good though¡­¡¹


    The president, Lilim-senpai, and Ferris-senpai, stretched greatly, and enjoyed Cherin¡¯s ¡°Spring¡± atmosphere.


    ¡¸Well then, shall we put away our luggage first? There¡¯s an Arcstria vi near here, so follow me.¡¹


    The president said that and began to walk while humming. And we followed her.


    (Country of Sakura, Cherin, huh¡­)


    The warm weather, the beautiful sakura blossoms, and the people walking down the road are all smiling.


    (A few yearster, if I be a Holy Knight or a Magic Swordsman and start earning properly¡­ I want to bring my mother with me to visit here too.)


    Thinking to myself about that, I headed to the Arcstria vi.

 Chapter 239 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [10]

    239. Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [10]


    We left our luggage at the Arcstria vi, and immediately started a tour of Cherin.


    ¡¸It¡¯s a very unique townscape unlike Vesteria Kingdom and Ringard! Fufu, I¡¯m kind of excited!¡¹


    Ria¡¯s eyes gleamed in excitement at the exotdscape.


    ¡¸¡­So nostalgic. That store still hasn¡¯t copsed yet?¡¹


    Rose, who haspletely woken now, looked around with a tender expression.


    ¡¸Our Orest town is good, but¡­ going to a country with apletely different culture like this is exciting too!¡¹


    ¡¸I know what you mean, Sie! This feeling as if I had stepped into another world is so thrilling!¡¹


    ¡¸The real pleasure of traveling abroad is getting in touch with other cultures, though!¡¹


    The president and senpais seemed to be enjoying the atmosphere of a foreign country. We walked around with a cheerful atmosphere.


    While walking around,


    (I see, so this is Cherin, huh¡­)


    I remembered an article in a travel magazine that I read before leaving for this spring training camp.


    Cherin is an isted ind surrounded by the sea on all sides, and is one of the small-scale nations that form one of the Five Great Powers, Polyesta Federation.


    Originally an unpopted ind that no one lived on, but people mesmerised by the beauty of the national treasure, ¡°100 Million Year Sakura¡± at the southern tip of the ind, moved in one after another, and eventually became a country.


    Because of this historical background, the closer you get to the Hundred Million Year Sakura, the more developed the city will be.


    (Even so, there is a ¡°mysterious charm¡± here.)


    Looking around, I see only old wooden buildings.


    There was not one stone-built house, let alone a steel frame one.


    (At first nce, it looks like a group of houses that are about to copse at any moment, but¡­)


    Looking closely, it was endowed with the strength and weight of the trees ¨C the power of nature.


    This is certainly the one that is creating a unique atmosphere.


    (But still, there are so many people here.)


    There should still be quite a distance from the 100 Million Year Sakura tree located at the southern tip of the ind, and yet¡­


    Everywhere I looked, it was full of tourists.


    Perhaps because it is a global tourist destination, there were different races and outfits.


    (It¡¯s a little different from Drestia, the merchant town.)


    Different from the brilliant liveliness that was there.


    Here it¡¯s more calm and gentle.


    As we walked through the crowd for about five minutes while enjoying the ¡°air of Cherin¡±,


    ¡¸Well then, it¡¯s about time we bought ¡°Sakuramono¡±!¡¹[TL Note: ¡°Sakura+Kimono= Sakuramono¡±.]


    The president, who was leading the way, looked back and proposed.


    ¡¸Sakuramono¡­ It¡¯s an outfit with sakura blossom patterns, isn¡¯t it?¡¹I asked.


    ¡¸Yes, you got it right. Here in Cherin, there is a custom to wear sakura blossom-patterned outfit, the Sakuramono. Well, it¡¯s notpulsory, but since we¡¯vee all the way, I thought it would make a good memory¡­ What do you think?¡¹she asked, tilting her head.


    ¡¸Yes, I think it will make a very good memory.¡¹


    ¡¸I agree too!¡¹Ria said.


    ¡¸It¡¯s a custom of my hometown. Of course, I have no objection.¡¹Rose said.


    ¡¸Same for me!¡¹


    ¡¸Of course, I agree though!¡¹


    We unanimously decided to buy sakuramono, so we headed to a shop called ¡°Sakura Store¡± which was just around the corner.

 Chapter 240 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [11]

    240. Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [11]


    When we entered the ¡°Sakura Store¡± which was just around the corner, a lively space spread before us.


    ¡¸T-This is amazing¡­¡¹


    Large ornaments resembling sakura trees were ced in various parts of the store.


    Colorful sakura blossom petals were studded all over the store.


    And that¡¯s not all.


    (Sakura rice cracker, sakura wine, sakura folding-fan, sakura sword, sakura towel, huh¡­ Seems like you can get just about everything sakura¡­)


    Sakura, sakura, and more sakura everywhere you look. All kinds of products were designed based on sakura.


    ¡¸E-Even so, there¡¯s a great number of people here.¡¹


    ¡¸It seems to have increased even more than when I used to live here.¡¹


    Ria and Rose seem to be overwhelmed by the number of people who filled the store.


    ¡¸Fufu, it¡¯s kind of fun like a festival!¡¹


    ¡¸T-That¡¯s true, but¡­ It¡¯s hard to move around as a group of six in this crowd.¡¹


    ¡¸To be honest, it¡¯s already pretty hard though¡­¡¹


    Hearing the remarks of Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai, the president said,


    ¡¸Let¡¯s see. So, why don¡¯t we all buy each of our favorite sakura product individually and then show them to each other outside?¡¹


    She came with that good idea.


    Then, we decided to do individual shopping in the Sakura Store.


    ¡¸Well, what shall I buy?¡¹


    After parting with everyone, I slowly walked down the narrow passage.


    Unlike everyone else, I had a ¡°limit¡±.


    It is, of course, my wallet.


    (Speaking of, how much did I bring¡­?)


    I took out the frog wallet from my pocket, and confirmed my fighting power just in case.


    (I only have 15 thousand gold on hand, huh¡­)


    This is all the cash that I can use in this spring training camp, and the remainder of the winning prize fromst year¡¯s regional Sword Festival.


    (¡­This is precious money. I have to be careful on how I spend it.)


    After confirming my own attack power, I finally moved on to inspecting the enemy¡¯s fighting power.


    (T-This is quite pricey¡­)


    Even a shirt or a handkerchief is slightly over 3,000 gold.


    This must be the so-called ¡°tourist price¡±.


    (I have to find something with a cheap enough price and decent design.)


    After looking around the store for some time, I finally found the one that matched the conditions.


    (¡­All right, I¡¯ve decided on this!)


    A light cherry-colored wristwatch, 2000 gold.


    The price is modest, and the appearance is stylish.


    Then I paid at the register and safely got a sakura product for myself.


    (And that¡¯s done with¡­ I think I¡¯ll look around the store a little until everyone is done shopping.)


    As I went down the aisle along the flow of people, I found everyone else.


    Rose was staring at a folding fan with a serious expression, and the president was trying on various hats happily.


    Lilim-senpai tried on a variety of sunsses in high spirits, whereas Ferris-senpai was looking at essory cases.


    And,


    (¡­Ria?)


    She stared at a ss case with a difficult expression on her face.


    (She seems to be quite focused¡­)


    Even as I approached her, she showed no signs of noticing me at all.


    (What on earth are you staring at?)


    As I followed Ria¡¯s line of sight, there was a beautiful sakura-coloured ring giving off a brilliant shine.

 Chapter 241 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [12]

    241. Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [12]


    The sakura product that was at the end of Ria¡¯s gaze was a beautiful essory.


    (Sakura ring¡­ 10 thousand gold, huh.)


    Expensive.


    ¡­No, considering that it¡¯s a ring, you can say it¡¯s rtively cheap.


    However, from my sense of money and wallet situation, the price of 10 thousand gold is extremely high.


    (But why is she making such a troubled face?)


    Ria is so rich that I could neverpare with her.


    (Something like 10 thousand gold, should be of no problem to her.)


    The moment I was thinking about that vaguely, a blitz across my mind.


    (Speaking of which, Pa-san said something a long time ago.)


    If I remember correctly, it was on her birthday.


    When I was twelve years old at the time, I nned to present an apron to Pa-san as thank you for taking care of me everyday.


    (I went out far to the next town to look for it, but¡­ I couldn¡¯t find a size of more than two meters at all. I just stood in the crowd not knowing what to do.)


    I still remember the anxiety I felt at that time very clearly.


    I searched around desperately, but I couldn¡¯t find the right apron.


    In the end, when the sun started to set, I bought the biggest apron at a nearby shop.


    But when youpare it to Pa-san¡¯s huge frame, it was undoubtedly ¡°small¡±.


    And that evening, when she received the non-fitting apron, she was so happy, almost jumping in joy.


    I asked¡¸It¡¯s not that expensive, and the size doesn¡¯t fit. So why are you so happy, Pa-san?¡¹. Pa-san then replied, with a powerful smile.


    ¡¾Listen well, Allen. Girls are extremely weak creatures for ¡°presents¡±. Let¡¯s see¡­ When you find a girl you like in the future, you should give a present which speaks of your feelings. It¡¯s not the appearance or the price that is important, it is the thought that counts!¡¿


    (Maybe this moment is the ¡°future¡± that Pa-san mentioned.)


    I remembered the advice from three years ago and decided to see if Ria really wanted it.


    ¡¸Naa, Ria.¡¹


    When I called out to her like that,


    ¡¸Uh-oh!? A-Allen¡­ When did you!?¡¹


    Ria raised a surprised voice and pulled her hands to her chest.


    I seem to have surprised her a little.


    ¡¸S-Sorry. You had a troubled expression on your face, so I was a little worried.¡¹


    ¡¸I, I see¡­ Thank you, it¡¯s nothing, so it¡¯s okay.¡¹


    She said, shooting a nce at the sakura-colored ring for just a slight instant.


    I didn¡¯t miss that nce, and brought up the topic casually.


    ¡¸That¡¯s a beautiful ring.¡¹


    ¡¸Eh, ah, ermm, yes¡­¡¹


    When I brought up the ring all of a sudden, Ria became disordered and simply nodded.


    ¡¸Beautiful, isn¡¯t it?¡¹


    ¡¸T-That¡¯s right¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    There was an indescribable subtle silence between us.


    (H-How do I handle this? What the hell am I supposed to do!?)


    Should I push or retreat?


    (What if she rejects my present?)


    Chills ran down my spine just thinking that.


    Even so,


    (I shouldn¡¯t run here!)


    Now is the time ¨C the time to muster my courage.


    I scolded myself, who was about to chicken out, and finally took a big step forward.


    ¡¸D-Do you want that ring?¡¹


    ¡¸Eh, uh¡­ t-that¡¯s¡­¡¹


    Ria¡¯s eyes widened as she started mumbling, but then, she finally looked up and directed her gaze towards mine.


    (This reaction, no doubt!)


    As I thought, this moment is simr to the ¡°decisive moment in battle¡±.


    (All right, let¡¯s do it.)


    I made up my mind, exhaled loudly, and told her clearly.


    ¡¸I-If you don¡¯t mind, Ria¡­ I would like to give this ring to you as a present.¡¹


    The next moment,


    ¡¸R-Really!?¡¹


    She brought her face closer, her eyes gleaming.

 Chapter 242 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [13]

    242. Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [13]


    When I mustered my courage and told her, ¡°I would like to give this ring to you as a present,¡± Ria leaned forward with her big gleaming eyes.


    ¡¸R-Really?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa. You always cook meals and take care of me. So, I just want to thank you for everything.¡¹


    As I immediately added that exnation,


    ¡¸Y-Yay¡­ Allen is going to¡­ for me!¡¹


    She held her hands tightly in front of her chest and burst into joy uncontrobly.


    (¡­Thank goodness.)


    I never thought she would be so happy.


    (I got to see Ria make such a happy face. I¡¯ve already got enough for the value of 10 thousand gold.)


    An indescribablerge sense of fulfillment welled up from the bottom of my stomach.


    Then I asked one of the employees to take the ring out of the ss case.


    It seems to be a pretty popr product.


    Luckily, one was left on disy, and the size was perfect.


    ¡¸We¡¯re lucky today, Ria.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes!¡¹


    After that, when we lined up together at the register to pay for it,


    ¡¸Ara, is it a present for your girlfriend?¡¹


    A female employee that¡¯s about 30 years old with calm air surrounding her, asked so with a gentle expression.


    ¡¸Eh, ah¡­ No, we¡¯re still¡­ umm¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    I was troubled as to how to answer, whereas Ria came closer to my side with her face flushed.


    The employee who witnessed that, whispered¡¸Oh, I see I see¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, I hope it works out.¡¹


    She said that and handed me the ring in a beautiful little box.


    ¡ö


    Then we stepped out of the store and moved to the back alley where there are fewer people.


    I was really embarrassed to give the present while being seen by people.


    (¨CAll right, there¡¯s no one here.)


    After making sure that we were out of the public eye, I exhaled loudly.


    (Well then, let¡¯s do it¡­)


    I want to give this present to Ria properly as a man.


    ¡¸Ria. Thank you for always helping me. If it¡¯s okay with you, would you ept this present?¡¹


    As I held out the white box with the ring in it,


    ¡¸T-Thank you¡­ I am so happy!¡¹


    She epted it with great care.


    ¡¸Nee¡­ Can I open it?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, of course.¡¹


    ¡¸T-Then, I¡¯ll do it right away.¡¹


    With her heart filled with anticipation, Ria slowly opened the box and found a beautiful sakura-coloured ring shining brilliantly.


    ¡¸Wow, it¡¯s beautiful¡­¡¹


    She picked up the ring with her thumb and index finger and exhaled.


    But immediately after that, Ria returned the ring to its original location and handed the box back to me.


    ¡¸W-What is it?¡¹


    Was there something she didn¡¯t like?


    When I was driven by such anxiety and uneasiness,


    ¡¸I-If you don¡¯t mind¡­ Would you please put it on?¡¹


    She held out her left hand towards me blushingly.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    Her blushing and wording elerated my heart beat like crazy.


    ¡¸A-Aa¡­ Of course.¡¹


    I gently picked the ring, being very careful not to drop it, and slid it through Ria¡¯s beautiful and slender index finger.


    ¡¸T-Thank you, Allen¡­ I will treasure it for the rest of my life!¡¹


    She looked the happiest I¡¯ve ever seen her, as she caressed the ring on her left hand preciously.


    ¡¸I-I see¡­ I am really happy to hear that.¡¹


    Thus, I was able to present a beautiful sakura-coloured ring to Ria.

 Chapter 243 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [14]

    243. Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [14]


    After giving the ring to Ria, we returned to the front of the Sakura Store.


    Rose, Ferris-senpai, and Lilim senior, were already gathered there. And the president is just right now stepping out of the store.


    ¡¸Sorry. Did I keep you all waiting?¡¹


    As she trotted up to us, Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai shook their heads.


    ¡¸No, we just finished as well.¡¹


    ¡¸You came at the right time though.¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, that¡¯s good. Well then, let¡¯s show each other the sakura products we bought!¡¹


    After that, the unveiling of the sakura product started.


    Rose¡¯s was a folding-fan drawn with elegant sakura petals.


    The president¡¯s was a lovely straw hat with sakura-coloured ribbon around it.


    Lilim-senpai¡¯s was a ck sunss with a flurry of sakura petals on the frame.


    Ferris-senpai¡¯s was a small essory case with arge cherry tree as the motif.


    Everyone had an outstanding taste and the sakura products suited them very well.


    And finally, it was my turn.


    ¡¸Allen¡¯s is a sakura-colored watch, huh. I think it looks cool!¡¹


    ¡¸Especially the sakura tinge of the strap is exquisite.¡¹


    Ria and Rose praised me without holding back.


    ¡¸Ara, that¡¯s really good. It looks good on you!¡¹


    ¡¸Certainly¡­ It¡¯s not too shy. Just the way Allen-kun likes it!¡¹


    ¡¸Feels casually stylish though!¡¹


    The president and senpais also praised it.


    ¡¸Ahaha, thank you.¡¹


    The price was a modest 2000 gold, but thepliments from everyone were quite good.


    (As I expected, this wristwatch was a good buy after all.)


    After that, everyone¡¯s eyes were directed to thest person, Ria.


    ¡¸Ria¡¯s sakura product is a ring, huh¡­ It¡¯s beautiful.¡¹


    Rose let out a breath of admiration.


    ¡¸It¡¯s a lovely ring. The light sakura color is very beautiful!¡¹


    ¡¸This is good! You¡¯re almost like a princess¡­ Wait, you are the actual princess of Vesteria!¡¹


    ¡¸It looks great on you though!¡¹


    The president and senpais alsoplimented.


    And Ria, who was praised a lot by everyone,


    ¡¸E-Ehehe¡­ Thank you very much.¡¹


    She couldn¡¯t hide her feelings of joy and had such an innocent, adorable smile.


    Rose and the president, who saw her enraptured expression, gasped for some reason.


    ¡¸R-Ria¡­ I-Is that ring?¡¹


    ¡¸I-I don¡¯t want to believe it, but¡­ Is it a present from Allen-kun?¡¹


    When she was asked so,


    ¡¸U-Un¡­¡¹


    With her cheeks blushed scarlet, she nodded happily.


    The next moment,


    ¡¸¡¸¡­¡­ !?¡¹¡¹


    Rose and the president were greatly taken aback.


    ¡¸O-Oo!?¡¹¡¹


    Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai leaned forward curiously.


    (W-What?)


    Tension, curiosity, and anxiety ¨C an indescribable and difficult atmosphere loomed, mixed with those various emotions.


    (W-What the hell is happening?)


    When I was puzzled by the mysterious situation that urred out of nowhere,


    ¡¸A-Allen¡­ It may be strange to demand something like this, but¡­ I, too.. want¡­ a present from you¡­¡¹


    ¡¸O-Onee-san would like one too¡­¡¹


    Rose and the president requested, with their faces flushed.


    ¡¸Eh, err¡­¡¹


    Rose has always helped me at every instance.


    When Ria was captured by the ck Organization, and the time when I went to the Holy Ronelia Empire to rescue the president, she has always lent her strength.


    The president brought me to Cherin for spring training camp and Veneria for summer training camp. And I am indebted to her for all the help in Thousand de Academy.


    I don¡¯t mind giving presents to the two of them at all ¨C No, rather, I would actually like to present them proactively.


    ¡¸S-Sorry¡­ I¡¯m a little low on cash right now, so can I do it at another time?¡¹


    Sad to say. I only have 3,000 gold on hand.


    It¡¯s not very realistic for me to buy two more presents at this time.


    When I told them about my tight situation at the moment,


    ¡¸S-So you will ¡°next time¡±?¡¹


    ¡¸R-Really!?¡¹


    Rose and the president tried to confirm it.


    (T-They¡¯re really into it now¡­)


    As Pa-san said, girls really love presents.


    ¡¸Yes, of course.¡¹


    ¡¸I, I see!¡¹


    ¡¸Y-Yay!¡¹


    The two of them smiled very happily when they got the ¡°promise of a present¡±.


    (But I¡¯m in trouble now¡­)


    To be honest, I have little money even back at the dorm.


    (When I get back, I think I¡¯ll have to start working part-time.)


    ¡­¡­No wait.


    (Just like before, I can participate in some regional Sword Festival and aim for the prize money.)


    As I was thinking that to myself, the now very cheerful president pped her hands.


    ¡¸Well, we¡¯ve all got our sakura products, so let¡¯s start our tour!¡¹


    Then, we decided to go sightseeing in the Country of Sakura in earnest.

 Chapter 244 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [15]

    244. Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [15]


    We walked along the flow of people, while wearing sakura products and taking in the air of the Country of Sakura.


    ¡¸By the way, president, what are the ns for after this?¡¹


    When I asked,


    ¡¸Umm, wait a minute.¡¹


    She said that and took out a lovely notebook out of her pocket.


    ¡¸For the time being, We will go to nearby tourist attractions while heading for the National Treasure ¡°Hundred Million Year Sakura¡±. After that, we could go for a food tour.¡¹


    ¡¸Food tour! Yes!¡¹


    The gluttonous Ria¡¯s eyes gleamed.


    On the other hand, Rose had a difficult expression on her face.


    ¡¸But if we¡¯re going sightseeing now, it will be noon by the time we arrive at the Hundred Million Year Sakura.¡¹


    ¡¸Is there anything wrong with going around noon?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, that whole area has sakura blossoms viewing all year round. It ismon to see people having fierce battles for spots from early in the morning. To be honest, even if we go now, we¡¯ll be super lucky just to get to sit at the very edge. If we reach around noon, we might have to view the sakura while standing around.¡¹


    ¡¸T-That many people?¡¹


    When we were talking about that, the president immediately calmed our unease.


    ¡¸It¡¯s okay, don¡¯t worry about that. The servants of the House Arcstria have already saved us a good spot there. And they have got all the food, beverages and everything ready!¡¹


    ¡¸I-I appreciate that, but¡­¡¹


    Everything from the venue to food, transportation, amodation and spot is being taken care of by House Arcstria.


    Instead of happiness, I¡¯m feeling somewhat sorry.


    ¡¸Fufu, don¡¯t worry. My father was really enthusiastic about it this time. He said¡ºThey are the benefactors who saved my daughter¡¯s life. We will provide the best hospitality with the Arcstria name on the line¡»and is working our servants hard for that. So everyone should just enjoy it to your heart¡¯s content.¡¹


    ¡¸I see, that¡¯s what it was.¡¹


    The super-doting Rodis-san is deeply grateful for the case in which we destroyed the political marriage. It seems that this spring training camp also includes the meaning of ¡°thank you¡± from him.


    (Let¡¯s just be grateful and ept his kindness this time.)


    When I was thinking about it,


    ¡¸Well then, let¡¯s go now!¡¹


    The president raised her voice cheerfully, and the tour of Cherin, the Country of Sakura, finally began.


    Then we went to the nearest tourist attraction from where we were. A temple called Sakura Moonshrine.


    Our objective is to light the sakura incense sticks that were enshrined in the temple.


    There seems to be a legend that if you put the smoke on your head, you¡¯ll get smarter.


    Lilim-senpai, who has the worst grades of us all, was enthusiastic to go there. When we got there, for some reason, she inhaled a lung full of the smoke instead, and coughed as a matter of course.


    When we asked why she did that,


    ¡¸I thought it wasn¡¯t enough just to cover it on my head. To feel the true effect of divine blessing, you have to take it into your body like this after all!¡¹


    She made a statement which could not be understood by an ordinary person.


    This is just my opinion, but I don¡¯t think the sakura incense sticks have a real effect on intelligence anymore.


    After that, the next one was ¡°Eternal Sakura¡± which is a pair of two enormous sakura trees huddled together.


    This seems to be a power spot with a mystical effect on ¡°marriage¡±, and so Ria, Rose, and the president didn¡¯t want to leave this ce for a while.


    The mischievous Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai were grinning about and making passes at those three. It was a lot of trouble.


    After that, we visited some more famous tourist spots and finally found a shop selling this country¡¯s specialty, ¡°Sakuramochi¡±.


    The name of the shop is ¡°Cherin¡¯s Mochi¡±.


    ording to Rose, it seems to be ¡°a long-established store among long-established stores¡± that has been running for more than 500 years since its founding.


    We ordered Sakuramochi, one for each of us in order, but surprisingly Ria¡­


    Ordered only ten.


    (Is she not feeling well?)


    As I asked her¡¸Why are you only ordering ten?¡¹worriedly,


    ¡¸I really want to eat more, but¡­ Now we are on a food tour, so I only ordered the amount I can carry around.¡¹


    She said and showed a cheerful smile as usual.


    In this way, we saw various things, experienced the culture of Cherin, ate a lot of different food and had a great time all around.


    And finally, we arrived at the southern end of Cherin. The Hundred Million Year Old Sakura tree that was in full bloom there.


    ¡¸This is¡­ amazing!¡¹


    A ¡°sakurandscape¡± was spread as far as the eyes could see.


    The brilliant flurry of falling sakura petals that I have never seen before, gripped my heart strongly.

 Chapter 245 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [16]

    245. Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [16]


    In front of me is the Hundred Million Year Sakura tree in full bloom.


    The ck-stained trunk is the thickest I¡¯ve ever seen.


    Even if a hundred adults hold hands, they won¡¯t be able to surround that colossal tree.


    Thick roots spread under the trunk, gripping the earth firmly.


    The height of the tree is so tall, it gives you the impression that it might even reach up to the heavens themself.


    And the falling petals of sakura blossoms under the sun¡¯s lumination were like colorful pink jewels.


    (Amazing¡­)


    The power and magnificence of nature and at the same time the weight of time was on disy.


    As written in the travel magazine, it is indeed ¡°the best sakura tree in the world¡±.


    And I wasn¡¯t the only one enchanted by its beauty.


    ¡¸Wow, it¡¯s beautiful.¡¹


    Ria was so moved, she lost her breath.


    ¡¸No matter how many times I look at it, it¡¯s amazing.¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, I can look at it forever and ever.¡¹


    ¡¸I could even forget the passage of time though.¡¹


    The president, Lilim-senpai, Ferris-senpai were also captivated by its powerful beauty.


    However, only one person in that situation had a sad expression ¨C Rose.


    ¡¸It has weakened again¡­¡¹


    She whispered in a very small, weak voice.


    (¡­Weakened?)


    It was directed towards the sakura tree.


    (She doesn¡¯t seem to be feeling well¡­ I wonder what¡¯s going on?)


    As I was wondering whether or not to call out to her, I saw a group in ck clothes with stiff looks on their faces, slowly approaching us from the front.


    (Who are they?)


    Their outfit seems to be different from that of the ck Organization, but¡­


    Judging by the way they walk, it¡¯s obvious that they¡¯re not ordinary people.


    They are a group of swordsmen who have trained more than the average person.


    With my right hand, I reached out for my sword fastened on my waist while being ready to bring out ¡°darkness¡± at any time.


    And then,


    ¡¸We have been waiting for you, ojou-sama.¡¹


    The group in ck clothes said, and bowed to the president respectfully.


    (I see¡­ that¡¯s what it is.)


    Apparently these people are servants of House Arcstria.


    ¡¸Ara, I haven¡¯t even given the ¡°signal¡± yet¡­ but you knew exactly where we were?¡¹the president asked.


    ¡¸I am sorry. We have been ordered by Rodis-sama to provide the best hospitality for Allen-sama andpany, so we were keeping a lookout on all directions.¡¹


    An old gentleman at the head of the group responded in a clear tone.


    ¡¸Another unit has already saved a spot. Please follow me.¡¹


    Guided by the servants, we advanced through the sakura blossom viewing location which was jammed packed with tourists.


    And as we kept walking for a while,


    (This is just the ideal spot!)


    There was a big pic sheetid out at a spot where it couldn¡¯t be more perfect to view the Hundred Million Year Sakura tree in front of us.

 Chapter 246 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [17]

    246. Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [17]


    Guided by the servants of the House Arcstria, we arrived at the perfect sakura blossom viewing spot that perfectly captured the Hundred Million Year Sakura tree in front of us.


    ¡¸In that case, Ojou-sama, we will excuse ourselves now. If you have anything you need, please contact me through this radio.¡¹


    The old gentleman at the head of the group said, and handed a ck radio to the president.


    ¡¸Yes, thank you very much.¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t mention it. Please have a good time.¡¹


    They bowed deeply and walked away.


    (Man, they prepared everything for us.)


    On the pic sheet, there were six big lunch boxes. Each one had threepartments stacked together and seemed quite tall.


    Next to it were hand wipes, disposable chopsticks, paper tes, paper cups, and even water, tea, fruit juice, and various other beverages.


    A perfect sakura blossom viewing arrangement that leaves nothing to be desired.


    ¡¸Well, let¡¯s start then!¡¹


    Under the president¡¯s cheerful decree, we started to move.


    First, we cleaned our hands with a wipe, then we poured drinks into a paper cup.


    Me, Rose, and the president poured warm tea from an insted bottle.


    Ria, Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai each had their favorite fruit juice.


    After that, we distributed disposable chopsticks and paper tes to each other, and finally opened the lunch boxes.


    There was onigiri, sandwiches, bite-sized fried chicken, rolled egg, sds filled with colorful fruits, and various other dishes.


    ¡¸Oh, this is wonderful!¡¹


    When I gave such an impression,


    ¡¸I-It looks delicious!¡¹


    ¡¸The colors look good, too!¡¹


    Ria and Rose muttered so excitedly.


    ¡¸Fufu, good workmanship, right!¡¹


    ¡¸UOOOOH! I can¡¯t wait anymore!¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m already hungry though!¡¹


    The president and senpais¡¯ eyes sparkled with anticipation.


    Then we put our hands together, and


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸Itadakimasu!¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹


    The sakura blossom viewing was so lively and enjoyable.


    The gluttons, Ria and Lilim-senpai,


    ¡¸Ah!? Hey, Lilim-senpai! That¡¯s my meat!¡¹


    ¡¸Fufufu, naive. Firste, first serve!¡¹


    ¡¸Kuh, I¡¯m not going to lose!¡¹


    The two of them startedpeting, and dug into the lined up food.


    Whereas Rose and Ferris-senpai ¨C the ¡°weak in the morning duo¡± ¨C were in something like a simr wavelength.


    ¡¸The sakura blossoms are beautiful.¡¹


    ¡¸I can keep watching it forever though¡­¡¹


    The two took a bite of their sandwiches while looking up at the sakura blossoms.


    I took a sip of my warm tea while watching such a pleasant scene.


    (Aa, it¡¯s so peaceful.)


    I wonder if it¡¯s a ¡°reward¡± for oveing a tumultuous year.


    For the past month or so, I have been spending very calm and quiet days.


    (But man, I¡¯m at my limit.)


    I haven¡¯t swung my sword today.


    (Considering the time difference from Ringard Imperial Kingdom to Cherin, it has been more than ten hours.)


    I have been holding back from swinging with my willpower.


    To put it bluntly, this is an abnormal situation.


    The ¡°desire to swing¡± pulsed through my veins, and I might unsheathe my sword unconsciously if I lost focus for even a moment.


    (But that would be bad¡­)


    If I was the only one who was swinging while everyone else was fully enjoying the sakura blossom viewing¡­ I will seem crazy.


    ¡°Not being able to read the mood¡± wouldn¡¯t excuse me from it.


    And it would even be a nuisance for other sakura blossom viewers.


    (But what should I do about this?)


    My body is seeking to swing.


    No, maybe swinging is seeking for me.


    (Fuu¡­ Calm down, calm down¡­ In times like this, think about something other than swinging¡­)


    As I exhaled greatly, my eyes naturally shifted to the Hundred Million Year Sakura that stood towering over all else in front of me.


    (¡­It¡¯s really beautiful.)


    When I looked at the bright sakura blossom petals fluttering down from the heavens, my desire to swing gradually subsided.


    And as I was enjoying the sakura blossoms and took a sip of the warm tea,


    ¡¸Nee, Allen-kun. Can I sit next to you?¡¹


    From my left, the president asked adorably with her head tilted.

 Chapter 247 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [18]

    247. Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [18]


    The president, who held a paper cup in her hand, asked¡¸Can I sit next to you?¡¹while tilting her head adorably.


    ¡¸Yeah, go ahead.¡¹


    I nodded, and brushed off the sakura petals scattered about on the pic sheet with my hand.


    ¡¸Fufu, thank you.¡¹


    She smiled happily and slowly sat down beside me.


    ¡¸Nn¡­ The sun feels really good. It is the perfect weather to view sakura blossoms.¡¹


    ¡¸ording to the weather forecast, it¡¯s going to be sunny all week from now on. We were able toe at a really good time.¡¹


    ¡¸I am sure everything is because Onee-san has been good recently.¡¹


    The president said, and nodded twice.


    ¡¸Ahaha, you could say that.¡¹


    ¡¸Muu, you took that as a joke, didn¡¯t you?¡¹


    ¡¸Haha, I wonder¡­¡¹


    After joking like that, we naturally looked up at the Hundred Million Years Sakura.


    ¡¸It¡¯s really beautiful, isn¡¯t it¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, it really is¡­¡¹


    After that,


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    Some time passed, and silence came between us.


    However, it is not a suffocating nor ufortable silence.


    We were looking up at the same sakura blossoms, feeling the same emotion, and sharing the same moment in time together.


    It was such a very happy silence.


    Then we both took a sip of the warm tea at the same time.


    ¡¸¡¸Fuu¡­¡¹¡¹


    And exhaled at the same time.


    ¡¸Fufu, stop imitating me, Allen-kun.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, that¡¯s my line.¡¹


    Weughed together happily.


    ¡¸¡­But it really is really peaceful here.¡¹


    She whispered, while looking around the surroundings at other people who came to view sakura blossoms.


    ¡¸Yes, it is. I just hope it¡¯s not the ¡°calm before the storm¡±.¡¹


    ¡¸Mou, don¡¯t you say that kind of scary things.¡¹


    The president said, and elbowed my side.


    ¡¸-Ouch, sorry.¡¹


    I smiled wryly and took another sip of the warm tea.


    (But still, I wonder how things will turn out from here on.)


    The international situation in recent years has never been more unstable.


    In the newspapers and radio, you can read and hear the news regarding the ck Organization every day. And I have actually crossed swords with them many times.


    (And above all, behind the scenes of this peaceful time there is a global-scale conference going on.)


    ording to the president, the leaders of each country such as Tenshi-sama and Rodis-san, as well as four of the ¡°Seven Holy Swords¡±, the seven strongest swordsmen of humanity, will be attending.


    And the agenda is ¡±Measures Against Holy Ronelia Empire¡±.


    (Will we start a war with the Empire immediately, or will we see how things develop for a while, or will we set up another n¡­)


    In any case.


    Right now, we¡¯re in a situation where an ¡°all-out war¡± between the Five Great Powers and the Holy Ronelia Empire could break out at any time.


    (I have to be even stronger.)


    Emperor Barrel Ronelia of the Holy Ronelia Empire who is shrouded in mystery.


    The Emperor¡¯s Four Knights, including Sebas-san.


    Demon who can manipte the fearsome power of ¡°Curse¡± who joined hands with the Empire.


    The enemy I am going to have to fight is much stronger than all I have faced before.


    (I need ¡°power¡± to protect Ria and everyone.)


    In order to do so, I have no choice but to continue swinging.


    When I was thinking of that to myself,


    ¡¸Allen-kun, would you like some tea?¡¹


    The president asked while holding the insted bottle.


    ¡¸Yes, thank you.¡¹


    I had her pour tea for me, and drank it while it was still warm.


    ¡¸Aa¡­¡¹


    And when I exhaled white vapour,


    ¡¸Fufu¡­¡¹


    The president, who was looking at me with a sidelong nce,ughed for some reason.


    ¡¸Umm, what¡¯s wrong?¡¹


    ¡¸No, sorry. I thought Allen-kun¡¯s behaviour was like an old man.¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, I see¡­ But maybe I really am an old man, you know?¡¹


    Although my real age is only 15 years old, my mental age is more than 1, 000, 000, 000 years old.


    Far from being an old man, I have already stepped into the domain of ¡°Hermit¡±.


    ¡¸Mou, what are you talking about when you¡¯re still younger than onee-san?¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha, just a joke.¡¹


    After chatting with the president for a while, Ria and Rose joined in, and we all enjoyed the sakura blossom viewing together.


    (Aa, if only this peaceful time would go on forever.)


    I slowly sipped the warm tea while absorbed in such a deep emotion.

 Chapter 248 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [19]

    248. Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [19]


    We emptied all six lunch boxes. The sakura blossom viewing ended in great sess.


    ¡¸That was a really good sakura viewing.¡¹


    When I brought up the topic,


    ¡¸Yes, it was very delicious!¡¹


    ¡¸The sakura blossoms in my hometown are the best after all.¡¹


    How Ria and Rose-like responses.


    ¡¸Fufu, I am really d everyone enjoyed it.¡¹


    The president, the organizer of this spring training camp, smiled softly as though feeling somewhat relieved.


    ¡¸Well, I ate my stomach¡¯s fill. So I felt thrice as good!¡¹


    ¡¸I would like toe here with everyone again next year though!¡¹


    Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpaiughed very happily.


    As we exchanged our impressions happily,


    ¡¸Well then, shall we start ying?¡¹


    The president opened the bag which was used as a stone weight at one corner of the pic sheet, and took out various ying equipment such as frisbee, badminton racquets, and volleyball.


    ¡¸W-Wouldn¡¯t it be a little difficult to y here?¡¹


    This area is filled with a lot of people viewing sakura blossoms, so there¡¯s no space to y.


    ¡¸About that¡­ There is a small ind on ¡°the other side of the Hundred Million Year Sakura¡±. So we can go there and y while watching the sakura blossoms in full bloom!¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, there is such a good ce?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, and moreover, it¡¯s a deserted ind! No matter how noisy we are, it won¡¯t bother anyone.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s great!¡¹


    I¡¯m not very good with crowds because I¡¯m from Goza vige, where there are far more livestock than people.


    (I¡¯ve been living in the city of Orest for a while, so I¡¯ve be a little more used to it, but¡­)


    The crowd at the world-ss tourist destination ¡°Country of Sakura, Cherin¡± is on a whole nother level.


    In fact, the symptoms of ¡°anthropophobia¡± began to appear a little while ago. [1. TL Note: ¡°Anthropophobia¡± is ¡°dizziness experienced in crowded ces¡±.]


    To be honest, I am very grateful to be able to go to a deserted ind at this time.


    ¡¸Deserted ind huh¡­ It¡¯s kind of exciting!¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s a very good idea, which is unusual for Sie, though¡­¡¹


    Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai agreed, but Ria groaned softly with a¡¸Hmmm¡­¡¹.


    ¡¸I think the other side of the Hundred Million Year Sakura should be a very good location¡­ So, why is it a deserted ind?¡¹


    And Rose answered her question.


    ¡¸There are a lot of special fast tides around that area. Normal ships or boats are unable to disembark on that ind. Once there was a n to build a runway and set up an air route, but the government scrapped it saying it does not have that much economical value.¡¹


    ¡¸I see, you¡¯re quite knowledgeable about it.¡¹


    ¡¸Well, I did grew up in this country until I was ten years old after all¡¹


    When one question was resolved, Rose brought up a new question.


    ¡¸But how are we going to move to that ind? Sea route, air route, andnd route, should not be possible at all, though¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, I have a ¡°secret weapon¡±, so it¡¯s okay. Then, I will get things ready, so just wait a minute!¡¹


    She said so in a good mood and booted up the small ck radio.


    ¡¸It¡¯s me. Sorry for being sudden, but can you bring ¡°that¡± to the east coast of the Hundred Million Year Sakura¡­ Yes, that¡¯s right. It is for six people.¡¹


    And after contacting the servants of the House Arcstria,


    ¡¸Well then, let¡¯s go!¡¹


    With a very nice smile, the president began walking forward while humming.

 Chapter 249 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [20]

    249. Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [20]


    We followed the president, and arrived at the beach on the east side of Hundred Million Year Sakura after a while.


    There was a very beautiful sea and pure white sandy beach, but not a single person was to be seen swimming.


    That¡¯s because¡­


    (Those waves are pretty violent.)


    As Rose said, the tides are pretty fast.


    With this, even sailing a ship would be difficult, let alone swimming.


    And when I was staring nkly at the violent surface of the sea,


    ¡¸Ah, look, Allen! This shellfish is very big!¡¹


    Ria pointed to arge spiral shell buried in the sand, her eyes sparkling.


    ¡¸Oh, this is amazing.¡¹


    It was as splendid as the ones sold in a shop.


    ¡¸It¡¯s a ¡°razur shellfish¡±. If you put butter around its mouth and steam it, it tastes excellent. I used to eat it with my grandfather at the end of our training session.¡¹


    Rose said, sounding nostalgic.


    And then,


    ¡¸Shellfish, butter¡­ steamed!¡¹


    Dominated by appetite, Ria quickly looked around with sparkling eyes.


    ¡¸L-Let¡¯s look for it! There must be a lot more!¡¹


    ¡¸W-We just ate it a little while ago¡­ And I don¡¯t think we can eat it even if we look for it now though¡­¡¹


    As we were making noise on the sandy beach, a group in ck clothes ¨C the servants of House Arcstria ¨C came towards us from the front.


    They were all pushing bogies, and there was a big object of about one meter square ced on each of them.


    Because a gray sheet was covered over them, it is not possible to know what¡¯s inside, but¡­ it seems to be quite heavy.


    ¡¸What is that, president?¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, the ¡°fun¡± I prepared in regards to this spring training camp.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh right¡­ You were certainly saying something like that before we left Ringard.¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, I am sure everyone¡¯s going to be surprised.¡¹


    She smiled like a mischievous child, and¨C


    ¡¸Heeey, over here!¡¹


    Waved towards the servants.


    ¡¸Thank you very much for your patience, Ojou-sama.¡¹


    The old gentleman who we saw a few times a little while ago, bowed deeply with elegant conduct.


    ¡¸Thank you, this is so helpful.¡¹


    ¡¸Please don¡¯t mention it. However, while this maye off as presumptuous, this is a product that haspleted all safety tests, but it is still dangerous. Please be careful while handling it.¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you. But it¡¯s alright. Everyone here doesn¡¯t have that kind of soft body.¡¹


    ¡¸Indeed so¡­ Please forgive this old man for over-speaking. Then, I wish you afortable ¡°air trip¡±.¡¹


    The old gentleman said so, and led the group in ck clothes away.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡­Air trip?¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹


    As we tilt our heads, the president stripped off the gray sheet covering the object.


    And there was,


    ¡¸Ta-dah! Ultra-small flying glider ¨Cmonly known as ¡°Glider¡±!¡¹


    A very modern machine shaped like a dragonfly without a tail.

 Chapter 250 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [21]

    250. Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [21]


    What the servants of House Arcstria carried over was a small flying glider ¨C a machinemonly known as a ¡°glider¡±.


    It was shaped like a dragonfly without a tail, and looking closer, it had something like wings folded on both sides.


    ¡¸Eh, ummm¡­ What is that strange machine?¡¹


    When I asked on behalf of everyone,


    ¡¸Simply put, it¡¯s a low-noise, super small airne for one person!¡¹


    The president then began to exin in more detail.


    ¡¸This is manufactured and mass-produced by the Holy Ronelia Empire as a means of ¡°transportation of swordsmen¡±. The developer is ¡°Magician¡± Rod Garf; Appearance, gender, age are all unknown. He¡¯s the Empire¡¯s super-genius scientist shrouded in mystery.¡¹


    ¡¸The Magician, huh.¡¹


    Come to think of it¡­


    (Zack said something simr when we invaded the Empire.)


    The president advanced the exnation as I thought back to events of about two months ago.


    ¡¸The first time this glider wasunched inbat was on January 1 of this year. That¡¯s the day the Empire joined hands with the Demons and attacked the Five Great Powers. They used this machine to send the members of the organization into the Principality of Teresia ¨C and took them by storm. The Holy Knights, who barely escaped with their lives, said, ¡°It was enough to fill the sky¡±.¡¹


    Ria twitched at those remarks.


    ¡¸It filled the sky? What was the border security of Teresia doing to have allowed so many of them to invade?¡¹


    ¡¸He said excellent soul dress users with long-range means of attack were stationed along the national borders of Teresia as an anti-aircraft force.¡¹


    ¡¸T-Then why?¡¹


    ¡¸What¡¯s good about this glider is its fearsome ¡°mobility¡±.¡¹


    The president turned her eyes to the total of four wings with two on each side.


    ¡¸The reason why ¡°airnes¡± have not been adopted as a means of transportation for swordsmen is due to their low mobility. It¡¯s just a big ¡°target¡± for a soul dress user with powerful long-range attacks.¡¹


    She continued with a difficult expression.


    ¡¸But this ¡°glider¡± is different. When you ride itter, you will see that you can fly it horizontally and vertically as you wish. Almost like flying through the sky with wings. An average long-range attack can¡¯t do anything about it.¡¹


    The president said so, and shook her head.


    ¡¸Tenshi-sama came to the conclusion that ¡°If they hold air superiority unterally, it would not even be a fight¡±, so she immediately contacted the ¡°genius scientist¡±.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Genius scientist?¡¹


    How do I put this¡­ that line felt like ¡°deja vu¡±.


    ¡¸Yes, the genius scientist that Ringard Imperial Kingdom brags to the world, Chemy Festa-san.¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, I see¡­¡¹


    Just as I expected¡­


    The name which I have heard several times before popped up.


    ¡¸Tenshi-sama sent a message to her, who was living under a bridge. ¡°If you seed in developing a glider within a week, I will take over your over-bloated debt¡±.¡¹


    ¡¸No doubt she must have been overjoyed about that.¡¹


    Her ¡°mad dance¡± suddenly came to mind.


    ¡¸Chemy-san responded to those expectations splendidly andpleted it in just three days.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s really amazing¡­¡¹


    She seems to be a lot of trouble as usual, but her brain seems to be undoubtedly super-first ss.


    (But man¡­ that¡¯s really wild.)


    She should have had an outrageous amount of money for the aplishment of discovering ¡°Allen cell¡± at that time.


    (Even so, to think she would go penniless in such a brief moment.)


    I¡¯m sure she blew it all on gambling again.


    Chemy-san¡¯s luck with money seems to be disastrous.


    ¡¸The Five Great Powers, including the Ringard Imperial Kingdom and Vesteria Kingdom, are now preparing a mass production system for gliders in preparation for the ¡°war against the Empire¡±. And so, this is a prototype.¡¹


    The president said, and tapped the glider lightly with her finger.


    ¡¸ording to Chemy-san, this mechanism is incorporated with a spirit stone and uses apletely different power source. In a nutshell, it¡¯s a machine that can fly freely in the sky with our spiritual power.¡¹


    And then,


    ¡¸This prototype has a problem with ¡°energy conversion efficiency¡± as it seems to have high fuel consumption, but¡­ I am sure everyone here will be fine.¡¹


    She added that information at the end and concluded the exnation on glider.


    And then,


    ¡¸From the looks of it, it¡¯s less than one tenth of a small ne, but¡­ I wonder if it can fly properly at this size?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s really hard to believe.¡¹


    Ria and Rose were skeptical of the performance of the glider.


    They seem to distrust this unfamiliar machine.


    On the other hand,


    ¡¸U-Ultra-small flying glider¡­ S-So cool!¡¹


    ¡¸Ultra-small flying glider sounds so cool though¡­!¡¹


    Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai were excited like teenage boys.


    (Glider, huh¡­)


    It¡¯s tempting to be able to fly freely in the sky, but I wonder if the safety side of things is really okay.


    When I was thinking about that,


    ¡¸Go on then, Allen-kun. Please give it a test drive.¡¹


    The president said, and pushed my back.


    ¡¸E-Errm¡­ Why am I¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Like I said just now, this flying ne is slightly less fuel efficient. To fly stably, you need a fair amount of spiritual power.¡¹


    ¡¸It would seem so.¡¹


    ¡¸Among us six¡­ No, Allen-kun¡¯s spiritual power is outstanding even if youpare it throughout the world! Which means, in theory, you are the person who could fly most stably in the world. And if Ria-san and Rose-san see you flying freely, that would take away their distrust too, right!?¡¹


    ¡¸I see. It would surely help with that.¡¹


    It¡¯s not possible for me to fly ¡°most stable¡± in the world, but¡­


    I understand where she¡¯sing from.


    ¡¸And¡­ Even if you fall by chance, you¡¯re going to walk out unscathed anyway, right?¡¹


    ¡¸That seems to be your real intention, huh.¡¹


    Apparently, that¡¯s the reason I¡¯ve been given the role of testing this not so reliable method.


    At any rate, this is how I decided to test drive the new mysterious ultra-small airne ¨C glider.

 Chapter 251 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [22]

    251. Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [22]


    I lifted the glider off the bogie and gently lowered it to the ground.


    (It¡¯s much lighter than it looks.)


    The total weight might not even reach 10kilograms.


    And when I was ready to test drive, the president began to exin.


    ¡¸First of all is how to start the glider. You hold the steering wheel in the middle of the glider and pour in your spiritual power. That way, the power system will start running and the glider will slowly hover.¡¹


    She continued on.


    ¡¸The basic operation is very easy. If you move your center of gravity to the right, it moves to the right, and if you move your center of gravity to the left, it moves to the left. When you want to raise the altitude, pull the steering wheel up, and when you want to lower it, push it down. When you want to elerate, pour in a lot more spiritual power, and when you want to slow down, just reduce your spiritual power.¡¹


    ¡¸I see¡­¡¹


    The operation method is very easy-to-understand in a bodily sense.


    ¡¸Well then, Allen-kun. Go ahead.¡¹


    ¡¸Okay.¡¹


    I got onto the glider, and gripped the steering wheel tightly.


    And then,


    ¡¸Allen, be careful.¡¹


    ¡¸If the machine behaves strangely, put on your dark robe and escape immediately!¡¹


    Ria and Rose said, worried about my wellbeing.


    ¡¸Yeah, thanks.¡¹


    I exhaled greatly and slowly poured in my spiritual power. The four wings that were folded on both sides stretched out, and they started pping at high speed.


    ¡¸W-Wow!¡¹


    As a result, the glider slowly rose on the spot.


    ¡¸I-It¡¯s really flying!¡¹


    ¡¸I-I¡¯m amazed!¡¹


    Ria and Rose widened their eyes in astonishment.


    ¡¸All right, you started it perfectly!¡¹


    ¡¸S-So cool!¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s insanely futuristic though!¡¹


    The president nodded with satisfaction, whereas Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai eximed excitedly.


    ¡¸Nee, Allen-kun. Go ahead and try flying around.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, I understand.¡¹


    In response to the president¡¯s words, I operated the glider as she described earlier.


    (T-This is amazing.)


    I can freely move it to the right, left, up, down, and even sharp turns as I wish.


    I freely flew around in the sky as though having grown an actual pair of wings on my back.


    (This thing¡¯s mobility is unbelievable.)


    After enjoying a journey through the sky to my heart¡¯s content, I gradually reduced the spiritual power supplied to the glider, and seeded innding safely.


    The next moment,


    ¡¸I-I want to fly too!¡¹


    ¡¸This is an amazing machine!¡¹


    Ria and Rose¡¯s eyes sparkled.


    ¡¸My glider¡­ is this one!¡¹


    ¡¸Firste, first serve though!¡¹


    Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai scrambled for the remaining gliders.


    The president, who saw them rushing, smiled happily.


    ¡¸Fufu. All of them have the same performance, and I have prepared one for everyone, so don¡¯t rush.¡¹


    Afterwards, everyone got onto a glider and took to the sky one after another.


    ¡¸A-Amazing¡­ The view is so great!¡¹


    ¡¸The Hundred Million Year Sakura seen from the sky is even more beautiful!¡¹


    While Ria and Rose were moved by the scenery from the sky,


    ¡¸It¡¯s a great invention, but¡­¡¹


    ¡¸The consumption rate of spiritual power is greater than I thought though¡­¡¹


    Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai appealed with a bitter expression.


    ¡¸Ah,e to think of it¡­ It¡¯s true that it has already drained a fair amount.¡¹


    ¡¸At this consumption rate, I¡¯d say we only have thirty minutes of flight time.¡¹


    Ria and Rose, who were excited just a second ago, now muttered with a difficult expression.


    ¡¸Yes, that ¡°poor fuel consumption¡± is the problem. The results of the Performance Test, which the Holy Knights participated in, shows an average flight time of 15 minutes. Even at the longest, it was only 20 minutes.¡¹


    The president said so and sighed loudly.


    (That¡¯s strange. My spiritual power doesn¡¯t feel drained at all though.)


    As everyone says, there¡¯s a feeling that my spiritual power is being sucked away, but¡­


    It¡¯s very, very miniscule to the point where it¡¯s negligible.


    In fact, I recover way more spiritual power from natural recovery than the amount that is being consumed.


    Perhaps this is why I can fly for a long time without taking a break.


    (Or maybe everyone else¡¯s glider is defective.)


    I thought so, and decided to ask.


    ¡¸You know, I don¡¯t feel like my spiritual power is being drained though.¡¹


    And then,


    ¡¸Well¡­ Allen-kun has a monstrous amount of spiritual power after all.¡¹


    ¡¸Simply in terms of spiritual power, you¡¯re superior to ¡°ck Fist¡± Leia Lasnode after all.¡¹


    ¡¸I don¡¯t think you can understand the problems of us ¡°humans¡± though.¡¹


    The president and senpais said so, and put on a wry smile.


    ¡ö


    After that, we practiced flying the glider for about three minutes.


    And then, the president raised her voice energetically when everyone was able to control their glider freely.


    ¡¸Well then, let¡¯s go to the destination before everyone run out of spiritual power!¡¹


    Thus, we who had obtained the means of transportation in the form of gliders, went to a small isted ind on the other side of Hundred Million Years Sakura.

 Chapter 252 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [23]

    252. Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [23]


    A small isted ind located behind the Hundred Million Year Old Sakura.


    It was a very beautiful ind with an abundance of nature.


    Lush trees.


    A vast meadow without a single soul.


    Moreover, there was a moderately empty space. You couldn¡¯t find a more perfect yground than this.


    We enjoyed ying badminton and hide-and-seek there for a while there.


    And at present, we were throwing four frisbees at each other.


    ¡¸Catch this, Allen!¡¹


    ¡¸Consecutive attacks!¡¹


    When Ria and Rose throw the frisbees towards me at the same time,


    ¡¸Fufu, in that case, I too!¡¹


    ¡¸Catch mine too, though!¡¹


    The president and Ferris-senpai smiled mischievously and threw the other two frisbees in tandem with Ria and Rose.


    ¡¸All four at the same time is a little too many though¡­¡¹


    I grumbled, and caught three of them one by one.


    (All right, this is thest one!)


    And when I stretched my right hand towards thest frisbee,


    ¡¸Uoo!?¡¹


    A sudden gust of wind blew, and the frisbee was blown to the distance.


    ¡¸Ahaha, that was a good wind. Thanks to that, I lost.¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, yes. But it was a pleasant breeze!¡¹


    I and Ria, who were hit by the weather of Cherin,ughed happily.


    ¡¸Well then¡­ I¡¯ll go pick it up, so please wait a little bit.¡¹


    Then I went to collect the frisbee that had been blown away.


    ¡ö


    I walked a little bit and found the pink frisbee just near the beach.


    And in the immediate vicinity, there was an angler.


    (That¡¯s strange¡­ The president and Rose said that this was an ¡°uninhabited ind¡±.)


    I felt a little suspicious.


    (¡­He¡¯s quite big.)


    I didn¡¯t know exactly how big he was from a distance, but the angler¡¯s body was incrediblyrge.


    A robust physique like a brown bear.


    For the first time in the world, I found a human that was the size of Pa-san.


    (Moreover, those muscles are incredible.)


    Those are not just swelled up muscles.


    I can understand even looking from far away, his muscle fibers were tightly packed together that it seemed like steel..


    Looking closer, a sword was fastened to his waist.


    He¡¯s not just an ordinary angler, he seems to be a hard-working swordsman.


    (¡­It looks like he¡¯s concentrating on fishing, so let¡¯s just collect the frisbee quietly.)


    I killed my presence, and sneaked behind him with stealthy steps.


    ¡¸Why can¡¯t I catch anything today¡­ kid?¡¹


    He asked, with his back towards me.


    He seems to have already noticed my presence.


    ¡¸Well, um¡­ Aren¡¯t there days like that too?¡¹


    I was taken aback by the sudden situation, and replied with a nd answer.


    ¡¸Well, that¡¯s true, too¡­¡¹


    Then, the angler gulped down arge bottle of sake which was on the ground.


    ¡¸Buhaa¡­ Have a drink, boy¡­¡¹


    He said so, and presented the sake bottle to me.


    ¡¸S-Sorry. I¡¯m still a minor¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Bararara¡­ So stiff at this young age!¡¹


    I don¡¯t know just what was so funny, but heughed heartily.


    His cheeks were already red, and his eyes were unsteady too.


    Looking down at his feet, there were a number of empty sake bottles.


    It seems that he was already pretty drunk.


    (I think it would be better to go back to everyone before it bes troublesome.)


    Somehow, I get the feeling that this person is a bad drunk.


    (¡°Let sleeping dogs lie¡± and not get involved with him.)


    I quickly recovered the frisbee and turned my back to him.


    The next moment,


    ¡¸Hey, kid.¡¹


    ¡¸Y-Yes¡­ What is¨C!!!¡¹


    A sh of fearsome speed ran through the sky.


    (What a sharp sh!)


    I squatted deeply and managed to avoid that side sweep.


    ¡¸Hou, that¡¯s a good reaction speed!¡¹


    The angler smiled and slowly stood up.


    ¡¸W-What are you doing all of a sudden?¡¹I asked.


    ¡¸Bararara! When I see a first-rate swordsman, it¡¯s my ¡°nature¡± to want topare swordsmanship.¡¹


    He pulled out the sword which was fastened to his waist and took a stance that was somewhat familiar.


    At that moment,


    ¡¸¡­¡­ !?¡¹


    He emitted an outrageous bloodlust which made my hairs stand on end.


    (W-Who is this person!?)


    An impable stance.


    A dense bloodlust that erodes the space.


    The fearsome sh he disyed earlier.


    Without a doubt, he is not amon swordsman.


    (I just came here to collect the frisbee, so why did ite to this¡­)


    I raised my guard and immediately pulled out my sword.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    Our gazes intersected, and heavy air flowed between us.


    A few minutester, the mysterious swordsman slowly opened his mouth.


    ¡¸Kid. You are keeping a monster inside you, huh¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­!?¡¹


    Despite this being our first meeting, he saw through Zeon¡¯s menace at a nce.


    He does not seem to be an ordinary person, after all.


    ¡¸Barabara! I see, I see¡­ that¡¯s splendid! I¡¯m lucky to encounter a ¡°big catch¡± today.¡¹


    Heughed in a good mood and thrust the tip of the swords towards me.


    ¡¸Young swordsman,e at me with all your might! Otherwise, you¡¯ll lose your head!¡¹


    ¡¸You don¡¯t have to tell me that!¡¹


    This is how I came to fight the mysterious swordsman I encountered, all of a sudden.

 Chapter 253 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [24]

    253. Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [24]


    The mysterious swordsman and I ran towards each other at the same time, as though it was prearranged.


    ¡¸HA!¡¹


    ¡¸Nuun!¡¹


    Our full-might shes shed against each other and red sparks soared.


    As a fierce battle unfolded,


    ¡¸HAAAAAAAAAAA!¡¹


    ¡¸NUOOOOOOH!¡¹


    Our war cries echoed on the quiet ind.


    (What insane power!)


    I am quite confident in my physical strength, but the result of our locked sword state was even.


    (No. In this state where I have not deployed darkness, I am being slightly pushed back.)


    This man is not your average swordsman, after all.


    ¡¸Bararara! Interesting! How interesting, kid! Topete with my herculean strength with that thin body!¡¹


    Heughed heartily and unleashed storm-like consecutive attacks.


    ¡¸¡­..!¡¹


    I dodged, parried, and defended and somehow prevented all the shes by a hair¡¯s breadth.


    (These are just normal shes, but¡­ there is tremendous power behind each of them.)


    My sword was about to be broken just by defending it.


    ¡¸What¡¯s the matter? You can¡¯t fight back if you just stick to defending!¡¹


    He took a big step forward for a follow-up attack.


    I matched him and stepped in forward.


    ¡¸I know that even if you don¡¯t tell me! First Sword ¨C Flying Shadow!¡¹


    I unleashed a counter at almost zero distance.


    ¡¸Hou, you use some strange techniques!¡¹


    But, he clutched it with his left arm and crushed it from the front.


    (What the!?)


    The power of the flying shadow is certainly modest, and is mainly used as a ¡°feint¡± or a ¡°counter¡± like I just did, but¡­


    I never imagined it could be crushed with bare hands.


    (How about this then!)


    I dropped my center of gravity and slid into his chest area.


    ¡¸Eighth Sword ¨C Yatagarasu!¡¹


    Eight sharp shes bared its fangs.


    ¡¸Eight in one swing¡­ Not bad!¡¹


    But, he avoided all of them with fluent body movements. It looked almost like a dance.


    (F-Fast!)


    It was a surprisingly agile movement for a huge body which exceeded two meters.


    ¡¸Sora-sora-soraa! Is that all you have, kid?!¡¹


    ¡¸Guh!?¡¹


    And we kept fighting violently with the sword while preserving ¡°Soul dress¡±.


    How long has it passed since we began?


    (All right, it¡¯s about time to counterattack.)


    After catching his blows again and again, I became ustomed to his insane physical strength.


    Right now, in terms of simple sword crossing, we werepletely even.


    From here on, it will be a battle between swordsmanship and soul dress.


    (¡­Let¡¯s begin.)


    I created a gap on my left side and lured him into the attack.


    ¡¸Right there!¡¹


    Exactly ording to n, he unleashed a diagonal sh to my left side.


    (I caught him!)


    The moment his sharp sword came into contact with my body,


    ¡¸HA!¡¹


    I d myself in dark robe instantaneously, and the de bounced back.


    ¡¸Nuh!? K-Kid¡­ This darkness!?¡¹


    Due to the sudden circumstance, he eyes widened and he staggered ever so slightly.


    I didn¡¯t miss that slight opening.


    ¡¸Seventh Sword ¨C Instant sh!¡¹


    I unleashed my fastest ultimate attack; a godspeed Iai-sh.


    The fastest sh unleashed at the perfect gap in defence.


    (Alright, it connected!)


    The moment my sh came into contact with his body,


    ¡¸Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style ¨C Lightning Sakura¡¹


    A thunderp-like sh ran, and erased Instant sh right away.


    (T-That¡¯s way too fast, isn¡¯t it!?)


    He matched my sh while being more than a breathte.


    That movement just nowpletely transcended the limits of man.


    No¡­ That¡¯s not the only thing to note.


    (That technique just now was!?)


    When my eyes widened in astonishment,


    ¡¸What on earth are you doing, grandfather?!¡¹


    The cry of a beautiful woman sounded.


    When I looked in the direction of the voice, there was a figure of Rose who was out of breath.


    Behind her were Ria, president, and the senpais.


    They seemed to have heard the sound of our sword crossing, and rushed here in a hurry.


    ¡¸Errr, ¡°grandfather¡±?¡¹


    As I was taken aback,


    ¡¸Oh, Rose, it¡¯s been a while! You got so big in the short time I didn¡¯t see you!¡¹


    The mysterious swordsman sheathed his sword into his scabbard and smiled very softly.


    Rose dropped her shoulder and sighed loudly.


    ¡¸Haa¡­ Why were you fighting with Allen?¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s because¡­ you can¡¯t find a swordsman with this kind of spirit core that easily! My blood just boiled in excitement.¡¹


    ¡¸You are already old, so please take things slow.¡¹


    ¡¸Bararara! Rose is a really kind-hearted child. You are always concerned about grandfather¡¯s well-being.¡¹


    ¡­In addition to this affable exchange, and the word ¡®grandfather¡¯ that she mentioned earlier.


    It seems that these two are rted.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry, Allen. This person is the 16th legitimate sessor of Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style, Bhus Valencia. He¡¯s a top-notch swordsman who was hailed as the ¡°strongest in the world¡± in the past.¡¹


    When Rose introduced him as such,


    ¡¸Bararara! Not just in the past, I am still the strongest swordsman in the world!¡¹


    Bhus-san corrected her whileughing heartily.


    ¡¸Kid, you seem to know my granddaughter. What is your name?¡¹


    I was asked that question.


    ¡¸Ah, yes¡­ I am Allen Rodore. I¡¯m getting along with Rose-san at Thousand de Academy.¡¹


    For the time being, I introduced myself politely.

 Chapter 254 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [25]

    254. Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [25]


    When I introduced myself politely,


    ¡¸I¡¯m Bhus Valencia. The 16th legitimate sessor of Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style and the ¡°World¡¯s Strongest Swordsman¡±. Yoroshiku, Allen¡­ yo.¡¹


    He said in a loud voice, and held out his rock-like right hand.


    ¡¸It is I who should say so, nice to meet you.¡¹


    I held his hand tightly and we shook hands.


    Bhus Valencia.


    He seems to be in his mid-fifties.


    Deep maculine facial features with a lot of wrinkles, and deep crimson eyes exactly like Rose¡¯s.


    A giant build of over two meters and steel-like muscles.


    Short white hair that is swept back.


    A beautifully kempt white beard asserts its presence around his mouth.


    What is particrly impressive is the ck ¡°sakura pattern¡± that stands out on the left side of his chest.


    His top is a long white haori drawn with a flurry of sakura petals, and his bottom is simple ck trousers.


    An immense pressure was emitted from therge sword fastened at his waist.


    (But man, what a strong hand.)


    It¡¯s bulkier and stronger than anybody I¡¯ve ever gripped.


    (I¡¯m sure he¡¯s devoted himself to swordsmanship for an incredibly long time.)


    When I was thinking of that,


    ¡¸I-Impossible¡­¡¹


    Bhus-san muttered with a grim expression.


    ¡¸W-What¡¯s the matter?¡¹


    ¡¸Kid, this hand¡­ How many years have you been wielding your sword?¡¹


    In response to the sharp question that he threw at me suddenly,


    ¡¸Well, um¡­ About ten years.¡¹


    I returned a vague answer.


    In fact, it¡¯s over a billion years plus a decade, but I have to conceal that.


    ¡¸Bararara, it¡¯s no use ying dumb. You can cheat many others with that, but it won¡¯t work on me. I can see it ¨C the weight of countless years that are umted in this hand of yours!¡¹


    Bhus-san came up with almost the same words Rose once said at the Sword Festival.


    (¡­I¡¯m in trouble.)


    Leia-sensei told me not to say a word about the 100 million-year button and the hermit of time.


    Even if I told him such an absurd story, he would surely not believe me in the first ce.


    (Now, how do I get through Bhus-san¡¯s questioning?)


    When I was wracking my head over that,


    ¡¸Kid, are you perhaps a ¡°transcendent¡± who broke the curse of the ¡°100 million years button¡±?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­!?¡¹


    He said something unbelievable while narrowing his crimson pupils.

 Chapter 255 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [26]

    255. Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [26]


    I gasped at the shocking words from Bhus-san.


    (W-What does this mean!?)


    ¡°100 Million Years Button¡± is a closely-guarded secret that only a handful of people should know of.


    And yet¡­ How on earth does he know that?


    (By any chance, is Bhus-san a transcendent?)


    Looking at his physical abilities beyond human domain, and swordsmanship which is sharpened to utmost limits, it is a very likely possibility.


    (The other party is Rose¡¯s grandfather, so I guess it¡¯s alright even if I talk about it. No, but Leia-sensei said not to say a thing about it.)


    When I was scratching my head over that,


    ¡¸I see. I understand very well from your reaction, kid. You are a transcendent who has ovee the curse of the ¡°100 Hundred Million Years Button¡±, and that somebody has forbidden you from speaking.¡¹


    He said in a small voice.


    Since he has guessed urately up to this point, it is not possible to deceive him any longer.


    ¡¸Yes, it is as you say.¡¹


    ¡¸Well, I guessed so. Your hand is far tooplete. You can¡¯t get this hand ¨C the hand of a fine swordsman ¨C just by training for ten or twenty years. Which means, there is only one other possibility. You must have used the ¡°100 Million Years Button¡± created by the hermit of time.¡¹


    After Bhus-san described his conclusion at length, he brought his powerful face closer.


    ¡¸Well then, kid. How long did you wield your sword in that hellish world? 500 years? 1000? Or did you perhaps exceed the barrier of ¡°10,000¡±?¡¹


    ¡¸Let¡¯s see¡­ I don¡¯t remember it very urately, but it¡¯s roughly about a billion years.¡¹


    I answered honestly.


    ¡¸B-Billion years¡­ you say? No way, did you push that button many times!?¡¹


    He shook his head, not being able to believe it. His eyes widened greatly.


    ¡¸Y-Yeah, I did¡­¡¹


    I almost lost my mind a few times along the way, but¡­


    Even still, I frantically continued to swing my sword and finally cut apart the ¡°Prison of Time¡±.


    ¡¸Ba-Barararara! To think that you spammed that 100 Million Years Button¡­ Unbelievable! That steel-like willpower to wield your sword earnestly for over a billion years ¨C truly, no word is enough to praise you! No wonder, you have still kept your reason while housing such a monster inside you!¡¹


    ¡¸T-Thank you?¡¹


    For some reason, I was praised.


    ¡¸But for wielding the sword for a billion years¡­ Your growth is rathercking¡­¡¹


    Bhus-san turned a sharp look at me as though assessing.


    ¡¸Ahahaha¡­ How do I say this¡­. I don¡¯t have any talent at all, so maybe that¡¯s the case.¡¹


    I don¡¯t have the talent for swordsmanship ¨C to the point where even I feel pity for myself.


    (¡­It¡¯s still the same even right now.)


    Even after devoting the preposterous time of billions of years all into training, I am only somewhat managing to stand on par with the ¡°Geniuses¡± around me.


    And when I dropped my shoulders,


    ¡¸No, that¡¯s not it. In fact, your sword muscles are not that bad. But in my eyes, it looks like there is ¡°something¡± which inhibits your growth ¨C something squirming around in the core of your body. I wonder if it¡¯s just my imagination?¡¹


    Bhus-san stared at my chest and muttered something.


    ¡¸¡­Well, nevermind. I¡¯ll also advise you just in case. You should not talk too much about the 100 million-year button. Because there are those who are looking for transcendents in a frenzy ¨C to get to the hermit of time.¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you for your advice.¡¹


    As expected, the 100 Million Years Button is not something which should be made public after all.


    ¡¸By the way, is Bhus-san a¨C¡¹


    And when I tried to ask a question this time,


    ¡¸Good grief, how long are you men going to hold hands with each other?¡¹


    Rose, who seemed a little astonished, muttered so with a sigh.


    Come to think of it, I¡¯ve certainly left everyone behind and indulged in talking to Bhus-san alone.


    ¡¸Barabara! My bad, my bad, the kid had a nice hand is all!¡¹


    Bhus-san raised a bigugh, and then¡­


    ¡¸So, are you all Rose¡¯s friends, too?¡¹


    To avoid unnecessary prying, he quickly turned to Ria and the others.


    ¡¸Y-Yes. My name is Ria Vesteria.¡¹


    ¡¸I am Sie Arcstria. I am getting along well with Rose-san at Thousand de Academy.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m Lilim Tsuorine. Nice to meet you!¡¹


    ¡¸I am Ferris Magdalot. Pleased to meet you though!¡¹


    Everyone introduced themselves politely.


    ¡¸Ria, Sie, Lilim, Ferris¡­ Alright, I¡¯ve remembered all your names. Well, if you¡¯re the friends of my precious granddaughter, then I have to make sure to wee you. I¡¯ll take you to my house! Come, follow me! Although, there¡¯s nothing really there! Barararara!¡¹


    Heughed heartily and began to walk with long strides.


    (I¡¯ll have to talk about this in detail with himter.)


    The hermit of time and the 100 Million Years Button which has been shrouded in mystery for a long time.


    Maybe Bhus-san knows ¡°something¡± that I don¡¯t.

 Chapter 256 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [27]

    256. Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [27]


    Bhus-san said,¡¸I¡¯ll guide you to my house¡¹and walked along the coast.


    (¡­Eh? I¡¯m sure this was supposed to be an ¡°isted ind¡±.)


    I am certain because we flew around in a glider just a little while ago.


    This ind is a very small isted ind surrounded by the sea.


    (As far as I observed from the sky, there was nothing like a house. So where is his house?)


    Having that question in my mind, I decided to ask openly.


    ¡¸Bhus-san, is your house near here?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, it¡¯s right there. My house was built in the southern part of the ¡°maind¡±. A wooden single-story house ¨C quite old, but it has the absolute best view. Right in front of it, you can see the Hundred Million Year Sakura in full bloom all year round! There is no better spot in all of Cherin!¡¹


    He said, and puffed his chest with pride


    Apparently, Bhus-san¡¯s house is on the maind of Cherin.


    ¡¸I see. But then¡­ How did you get to this ind?¡¹


    ¡¸Nn? You ask something odd again. That is, of course ¨C on foot. I walked to this ind. There is a ¡°secret ce¡± where fish gather on this ind. Ie here often to fish for both hobby and profit.¡¹


    He said, and showed off his fishing rod.


    ¡¸Walked here¡­? I heard that this is an isted ind surrounded by the sea.¡¹


    Is there a ¡°secret road¡± that only the people of Cherin know of?


    (¡­ No. But as far as I could see from the sky a little while ago, there wasn¡¯t any such road.)


    And Rose, who lived in this country in the past, clearly said that this is an isted ind.


    (What does this mean¡­?)


    Bhus-sanughed happily as I tilted my neck.


    ¡¸Barararara, this is an isted ind, you say? What on earth are you talking about? Look over there!¡¹


    Where he pointed towards, there was a wooden bridge over there.


    It was a huge jet-ck bridge. Looking like the root of a tree.


    ¡¸E-Eh¡­.? That¡­ is not supposed to¡­¡¹


    When I doubted my eyes,


    ¡¸What¡¯s the matter, kid? You look confused.¡¹


    Bhus-san twisted his deeply wrinkled face and asked me worriedly.


    (Oh, I see.)


    When I saw that face, it struck home immediately.


    ¡¸The power of soul dress, isn¡¯t it?¡¹


    ¡¸Bararara, indeed! That¡¯s a good guess¡¹


    He said, and pped me on the back.


    Apparently, this enormous bridge was built by Bhus-san¡¯s ability.


    (This bridge is a huge ck tree. That means the ¡°ability to manipte trees¡± huh¡­ No, there are no such huge trees around here¡­ Then, is it the ¡°ability to create new trees¡±?)


    When I was thinking over his unknown ability,


    ¡¸Well,e to think of it¡­ How on earth did you alle to this ind? This is not a ce where humans other than me can enter so easily¡­¡¹


    Bhus-san asked a question simr to the one I just had.


    ¡¸We came from the sky on a ultra-small ne called a ¡®glider¡¯.¡¹


    ¡¸G-Glider!? I see. The ¡°machine¡± from rumours.¡¹


    He groaned with a difficult expression.


    It seems that he is not so knowledgeable about machine rted things.


    ¡¸Well then¡­ I will return ahead and prepare for the wee. You guys go collect the glider thingy, and thene slowly. Rose, can you guide them there?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, I understand.¡¹


    Rose nodded and agreed to Bhus-san¡¯s request.


    ¡¸All right, I¡¯ll see youter!¡¹


    He said, and crossed the bridge built by his ability.


    Then we started moving to collect the gliders.

 Chapter 257 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [28]

    257. Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [28]


    After parting with Bhus-san,


    ¡¸I¡¯m very sorry, Allen. My grandfather has caused you trouble.¡¹


    Rose bowed her head, saying so.


    ¡¸I hope you don¡¯t misunderstand him. He is quite unreasonable, but he is not a bad person at all.¡¹


    She said, with a serious expression.


    (She cares a lot about her grandfather.)


    Apparently, their rtionship is very good.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t worry about it. I was a little surprised when he suddenly came at me, but¡­ it served as a good experience for me too.¡¹


    The 16th legitimate sessor of Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style, Bhus Valencia.


    I was able to get a bout with that great swordsman.


    On the contrary, I think I was quite lucky.


    ¡¸Thank you. I¡¯m happy to hear you say that.¡¹


    Rose took a breath and smiled softly.


    ¡¸Even so, Bhus-san seemed really healthy. How old is he now?¡¹


    His hair, eyebrows and beard were all pure white. Chiseled face with deep wrinkles.


    (Judging only by that, he seems to be quite old, but¡­)


    That vibrant skin and steel-like muscles full of vitality. To be honest, I can¡¯t get a grasp of his age from appearance alone.


    ¡¸Grandfather is my great great great great great grandfather, after all¡­ No, he is my great great great great great great grandfather, I think? Anyway, even if he looks young, he should be well over 200 years old now.¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸200 years old!?¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹


    We all simultaneously raised our voices.


    ¡¸Aa, my family has been blessed with longevity for generations.¡¹


    ¡¸L-Longevity, you say¡­¡¹


    I think that 200 years old is already stretching the limits of man.


    And when we were in mute amazement,


    ¡¸H-Hey, Rose. I¡¯ve been curious about this for a while now, but is it true that he¡¯s the ¡°strongest in the world¡±?¡¹


    Ria asked a very good question.


    That¡¯s just what I was curious about too.


    ¡¸It¡¯s a fact. My grandfather was certainly called so in the past. And, in fact, he was unbelievably strong. He boasted absolute power beyond the realm of humans. I can¡¯t ever imagine him losing to anyone.¡¹


    In Rose¡¯s eyes, a bright light of aspiration was reflected.


    She doesn¡¯t seem to doubt that Bhus-san is the strongest swordsman in the world.


    ¡¸But now, it¡¯s nothing more than an old story. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s not even half as strong as he was in his prime.¡¹


    ¡¸I-Is that really so?¡¹


    I just crossed swords with him, but it didn¡¯t seem like that was the case at all.


    ¡¸¡­My grandfather is suffering from an incurable disease. You can¡¯t see it on the surface, but his internal organs are already failing. His body should not even be standing straight because of the disease. Ten years ago, our family doctor pronounced that he had only ¡°six months to live¡±.¡¹


    ¡¸¡±Ten years ago¡±, and ¡°six months to live¡± ?¡¹


    Those two are clearly contradictory.


    ¡¸Sorry, that was a little bit misleading. If he was an ordinary man, he would only have half a year left. But my grandfather has tenacious willpower and, above all, an ¡°invincible soul dress¡± that brought him the title of strongest swordsman. These two have managed to keep him living.¡¹


    (¡­Invincible soul dress, huh.)


    Rose asserts it to this extent. Surely it must be a supreme-grade soul dress.


    (The ability to support a body affected by incurable diseases huh¡­ Maybe it¡¯s a strengthening-type? No, a recovery-type? ¡­But a little while ago, he built a bridge by creating a tree. Just what kind of ability is it really?)


    When I was thinking about that,


    ¡¸-Kyaa!?¡¹


    The president, who was walking next to me, tripped over the root of a tree.


    I pulled her hand who was falling forward and quickly embraced her body.


    ¡¸Are you all right, president?¡¹


    ¡¸T-Thanks¡­¡¹


    She muttered so on my chest, with her cheeks red.


    At that moment,


    (What is this!?)


    An extraordinary bloodlust, full of hatred and resentment, pierced at my whole body.

 Chapter 258 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [29]

    258. Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [29]


    I was suddenly engulfed by a strong bloodlust.


    ¡¸Who is it!?¡¹


    I developed dark robe instantaneously, and quickly surveyed the surroundings.


    However, there were no signs of anyone attacking.


    On the contrary, that hideous bloodlust disappeared as quickly as it came.


    (What the hell was that?)


    A mass of dark emotions smeared in hatred and resentment.


    It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve been touched by such strong ¡°negative emotions¡±.


    (No way! Is it Dodriel again? ¡­No, it¡¯s not.)


    The nature of his bloodlust is a little different.


    When I was thinking about that,


    ¡¸What is it all of a sudden, Allen?¡¹


    ¡¸What happened?¡¹


    Ria and Rose quickly pulled out their swords and became vignt of their surroundings.


    ¡¸By any chance, is it the ck Organization!?¡¹


    ¡¸Did you sense the presence of an enemy, Allen-kun?¡¹


    ¡¸But I can¡¯t see them anywhere though¡­!¡¹


    The president and sempai quickly watched out in all directions, with their backs to each other.


    Judging by their reactions, it seems that the bloodlust just now was directed only towards me.


    (I see, the target this time is ¡°only me¡±.)


    After getting an overall grasp of the situation,


    ¡¸Sorry to surprise everyone like that. I felt someone¡¯s strong bloodlust just now, so I went on guard a little.¡¹


    I slowly sheathed my sword into its scabbard and erased the dark robe.


    ¡¸¡­Bloodlust?¡¹


    ¡¸I didn¡¯t feel anything at all though¡­¡¹


    Ria and Rose tilted their heads.


    ¡¸The bloodlust was released only towards me for a split second. They must be considerably skilled.¡¹


    Someone other than us and Bhus-san is lurking on this isted ind ¨C lurking in the Country of Sakura, Cherin.


    (This is going to be a hassle again.)


    That spine freezing bloodlust.


    The movements which didn¡¯t allow us to perceive them even in the slightest.


    They are sure to be a considerably skilled swordsman.


    (Is it the ck Organization? Or the Demons? Or perhaps someone else entirely¡­?)


    I don¡¯t know who, but they seem to be aiming for my life.


    (I have to brace myself a little.)


    Needless to say, I can¡¯t afford to die in this ce.


    I still have a lot of things I must aplish.


    I want to get a job with a stable sry like bing a Holy Knight and provide afortable life for my mother.


    I also want to ascertain how far this swordsmanship, which has been honed for over a billion years, can take me.


    And one day in the future ¨C I want to confess these feelings in my heart to Ria.


    (In order to do that too, I must be more careful than ever.)


    As I was steeling myself for that,


    ¡¸If they went out of their way to aim for Allen, they must surely have the ¡°confidence to win¡±.¡¹


    ¡¸Logically thinking, that must be so, but¡­ You can¡¯t find a swordsman who can beat Allen that easily though¡­¡¹


    Ria and Rose were exchanging thoughts with a serious expression.


    And then,


    ¡¸Due to theck of information, it¡¯s difficult to estimate the enemy, but¡­ No matter what kind of enemy they might be, Allen-kun will never lose¡­ Right?¡¹


    The president said so, and tilted her head adorably.


    There was a strong hint of faith in her eyes, and¡­ It kinda made me feel shy.


    ¡¸A-Ahahaha¡­ I¡¯ll try my best.¡¹


    As I answered humbly with a wry smile,


    ¡¸Fufu, a very Allen-like response.¡¹


    She chuckled and smiled softly.


    And once the bright atmosphere returned,


    ¡¸Well then, we can¡¯t make Bhus-san wait too long, so let¡¯s go get the gliders!¡¹


    The president spoke brightly.


    Then we quickly recovered the gliders and flew toward Bhus-san¡¯s house.

 Chapter 259 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [30]

    259. Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [30]


    Under Rose¡¯s guidance, we flew through the sky and arrived at Bhus-san¡¯s home in less than ten minutes.


    ¡¸Oo, this is a great house.¡¹


    As I stated my impression,


    ¡¸You can¡¯t see a mansion with this powerful vibe in Vesteria!¡¹


    ¡¸C-Cool¡­ It¡¯s looks magnificent!¡¹


    Ria and Lilim-senpai followed.


    Towering in front of us is arge wooden bungalow.


    However, it¡¯s style, presence, and atmosphere is remarkably different from the ones we saw in the townscape of Cherin.


    Thick ck pirs which assert presence and exude the strength of nature.


    A huge, majestic gate of Bhus-san¡¯s size.


    Moreover, the Hundred Million-Year Sakura is in full bloom right in front of us.


    You couldn¡¯t hope for a better view than this.


    This house is sure to be the pride of Bhus-san.


    ¡¸Fuu, I¡¯m d everyone likes it. This is the house my family has been living in for generations. It¡¯s said that this house has been standing for slightly over a thousand years since construction.¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸T-Thousand years!? ¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹


    Hearing Rose¡¯s exnation, everyone gasped.


    ¡¸Aa, yes. But, it feels so nostalgic. It¡¯s been five years since I left this house.¡¹


    She gently patted the pir of the house with a hint of nostalgia in her eyes.


    ¡ö


    ¡¸Grandfather, I¡¯m back.¡¹


    Rose opened the front door, and called out.


    ¡¸Oh, I¡¯ve been waiting for you. Come to the living room!¡¹


    Bhus-san¡¯s loud voice replied from the back of the house.


    Then we walked down the long corridor following Rose, and she opened the horizontal door at the end.


    A spacious living room of more than 20 tatami mats spread out.


    ¡¸Barararara, you¡¯vee! You¡¯re the first friends Rose has brought home. I have to wee you all grandly!¡¹


    Sitting in a king-sized chair at the back of the room, Bhus-san cheerfully gulped down a sake bottle.


    (By wee, ¡°this¡± is what he means, isn¡¯t it?)


    Arge amount of sake bottles and side dishes were arranged on a long rectangr table in the centre of the room.


    ¡¸U-Umm¡­ This is¡­¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Sake and side dish.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Right.¡¹


    That much is obvious just by looking at it.


    ¡¸I¡¯ve eaten and drank all kinds of things in life. A meat which costs 100 thousand gold per gram. A sake which costs 1 million gold per cup. However, the best sake is undoubtedly the one thousand gold cheap sake from my hometown. Come on now, don¡¯t hesitate! Barararara!¡¹


    Bhus-san told his story in a good mood, andughed heartily.


    ¡¸Haa¡­ Grandfather, have you gone senile already? We¡¯re still underage, you know?¡¹


    ¡¸Nn? Don¡¯t be boring! I was just a little boy when I drank my firs¨C¡¹


    ¡¸No means no.¡¹


    Rose said, and quickly collected the sake bottles lined up on the table.


    ¡¸Ro-Rose¡­ Drinking sake is one of the few pleasures that grandpa has. Can¡¯t you please overlook it this time?¡¹


    ¡¸Haa¡­ You are already old, so please take good care of your body.¡¹


    She refused tly.


    ¡¸N-Noooo!¡¹


    Rose snatched the sake bottle in Bhus-san¡¯s hand.


    (Ahaha, they are really close.)


    That giant of a man looked like an ordinary grandfather at that moment.


    Looking at this scene, these two are surely connected by a strong bond.


    ¡¸Gununu, it¡¯s been a long time since we reunited, and yet¡­ she¡¯s harsh as usual.¡¹


    Bhus-sanined, and chomped on a thick smi which was on the desk.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry, everyone. I¡¯ll make some tea right away, so sit down and wait for a while.¡¹


    Rose said so, and left the living room holding arge number of sake bottles.


    A few secondster,


    ¡¸Alright, she¡¯s gone.¡¹


    Bhus-san smiled suspiciously as if ¡°just as nned¡±.


    ¡¸I want to show you all a special ¡°treasure¡±.¡¹


    He said, brimming with confidence. And took out a thick book from the cupboard.


    ¡¸What is that?¡¹


    ¡¸Let me tell you. This is the most precious thing in the world.¡¹


    Bhus-san patted the book gently while exhaling deeply.


    Apparently, that book is considerably precious.


    ¡¸Fuu¡­ All right, I¡¯ll open it.¡¹


    He took a few deep breaths and adjusted his emotions, and then slowly turned open the cover.


    ¡¸T-This is¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, are you surprised? This is a picture of Rose celebrating her third birthday. She¡¯s as cute as an angel, isn¡¯t she?¡¹


    There was a picture of an unbearably cute Rose smiling in front of her birthday cake.

 Chapter 260 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [31]

    260. Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [31]


    Looking at a picture of Rose when she was three years old,


    ¡¸Uwaa, so cute¡­ She looks like a doll!¡¹


    Ria¡¯s eyes sparkled.


    ¡¸Fufu, so she already had the dignified air since this age itself.¡¹


    ¡¸She¡¯s so cute and so cool.¡¹


    ¡¸She¡¯s an incredible beauty though¡­!¡¹


    The president and senpais also expressed their honest impressions.


    (She is certainly very cute.)


    The picture of Rose smiling in front of a birthday cake with three candles lit up was extremely cute


    ¡¸Barabara! That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right! Rose has been a really cute girl since she was little. She is the apple of my eye!¡¹


    Bhus-san looked extremely happy hearing his granddaughter being praised.


    Apparently, he also has a severe case of doting like His Majesty Gris and Rodis-san.


    ¡¸By the way, Bhus-san, do you have any other picture?¡¹


    Ria said, expectantly.


    ¡¸Oh, I see! You want to see it, huh! Since the guest is asking, I can¡¯t refuse. I¡¯ll make a special showing just for today!¡¹


    In good spirits, he slowly turned to the next page, being very careful not to tear it.


    There was a picture of Rose, dressed in a beautiful sakura-colored kimono and biting into a delicious-looking toffee apple.


    She looks to be eight years old in this picture. And looks more mature than in the previous picture.


    ¡¸This is the one from when we went to Ringard Imperial Kingdom a few years ago. I think it was called the¡­ ¡°Merchant Town¡± Drestia? There was a festival called ¡°Daido Commercial Festival¡± going on around the time we arrived, and it was very crowded.¡¹


    Bhus-san exined with a hint of nostalgia.


    Around Aprilst year, I went to the Daido Commercial Festival together with Ria and Rose.


    (Speaking of which, at that time¡­ I remember Rose saying, ¡°I¡¯ve been here with my grandfather a long time ago¡±.)


    When I recalled the conversation from about a year ago, Bhus-san turned the page again.


    ¡¸Next is¡­ Oh, how nostalgic! This is when Rose was four years old, and she was feeling down after wetting her bed!¡¹


    It was a picture of Rose¡¯s tiny back who looked at the children¡¯s futon hung on a clothesline.


    If you look closer, there was a small ¡°puddle¡± in the dried up futon.


    ¡¸She said ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of ghosts!¡±. So I read her my ¡°special ghost story¡±te at night. And the result is as you can see. I remember very well that she murmured ¡°I failed¡± frustratedly!¡¹


    Bhus-san happily spoke about Rose¡¯s childhood stories.


    Apparently, she has been weak to horror-rted things since she was a child.


    While we were looking at Rose¡¯s picture, the living room door rattled open and she came in holding a number of teacups on a tray.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry, everyone. I was a little¡­te!¡¹


    The old album in Bhus-san¡¯s hand, the photos on it, and us looking at it.


    One by one her mind processed the information, and her cheeks flushed in embarrassment.


    Turning red to her ears,


    ¡¸W-W-W-What are you doing?!!¡¹


    She shouted loudly.

 Chapter 261 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [32]

    261. Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [32]


    The flushed Rose approached Bhus-san while breathing heavily.


    ¡¸Grandfather! Why did you bring out my album?!¡¹


    ¡¸Let me ask you this instead. Do I really need a reason to be proud of my cute granddaughter?¡¹


    He spoke defiantly.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t try to dodge the question. Anyway, I¡¯m confiscating it!¡¹


    She said and reached out her hand, but¡­


    ¡¸Oops, I won¡¯t give it up so easily!¡¹


    Bhus-san raised his hand high and held up the album over his head.


    ¡¸Kuh¡­ Hurry up and give it back!¡¹


    Rose desperately tried to recapture the album with agile body movements.


    ¡¸Bararara! With those movements, even a hundred years wouldn¡¯t be enough to reach it!¡¹


    The difference in height between the two isrge. And above all, the difference in physical ability was apparent.


    ¡¸Damn, as quick as ever.¡¹


    ¡¸Come on, show grandpa how much you¡¯ve grown up.¡¹


    ¡¸Alright. If that¡¯s what you want.¡¹


    Getting riled up by Bhus-san¡¯s provocation, Rose popped a vein on her forehead and seriously tried to get the album back.


    However,


    ¡¸Barabara! You¡¯re still immature!¡¹


    ¡¸Damnit¡­¡¹


    He handled Rose easily as though humouring a child.


    ¡¸Fufu, they really are close.¡¹


    ¡¸But they¡¯re both so fast! As expected of the legitimate sessors of Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style!¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s extraordinary body movements, though¡­¡¹


    The president and senpais each expressed their own impressions


    A few minutester,


    ¡¸Fuu, it can¡¯t be helped. If my lovely granddaughter begs me this much, I have to give it back as a good grandfather.¡¹


    After being ousted by Rose¡¯s persistence, Bhus-san gave up and handed her the album.


    ¡¸Haa haa¡­ G-Good grief¡­ If you do this again, I¡¯ll never forgive you!¡¹


    Rose sealed the album deep in the cupboard, while breathing heavily.


    ¡¸So harsh¡­ In the old days, you used to call me¡ºGrandpa! Grandpa!¡»and followed me around everywhere like a duckling.¡¹


    ¡¸S-Shut up! That is then, this is now!¡¹


    With a new tidbit story of hers exposed, she became bright red and rebutted.


    (Ahaha¡­ Somehow, this atmosphere is really nice¡­)


    Joking around with family, arguing together, and in the end, working it out peacefully.


    This can only happen when there is firm trust between each other.


    It was a very gentle feeling.


    Besides, Rose got so angry that she forgot the honorifics, and acted cutely like a teenage girl appropriate for her age.


    When I was thinking of that,


    ¡¸Allen, was there¡­ Was there any strange pictures?¡¹


    She asked me with a downcast look.


    ¡¸Aa, you don¡¯t have to worry. All of the pictures were cute.¡¹


    ¡¸I-Is that¡¯s so!? Thank goodness¡­¡¹


    She breathed a sigh of relief and safely concluded this little exchange.


    After that, we feasted on the ¡°sake side dishes¡± lined up on the table.


    From the ssic ones such as green soybeans, grilled chicken, and deep-fried chicken, to the delicacies such as monkfish liver, dried mullet roe, and salted sea cucumber. We ate a wide variety of side dishes with relish.


    ¡¸I kinda feel like wanting to taste sake a litte.¡¹


    ¡¸R-Ria, let¡¯s do it when we¡¯re adults, okay?¡¹


    ¡¸Y-Yeah! O-Of course¡­¡¹


    Although her mouth was saying that, Ria had the expression which seemed to really want to do it.


    (Maybe Ria will be a drunkard in the future.)


    I took a sip of the warm tea that Rose brewed while feeling uneasy about that.


    And, Bhus-san told various stories while everyone was eating the snacks.


    A fierce battle with a giant wolf that maniptes ice which ended in a draw about 150 years ago.


    A funny story about an old friend whom he once traveled with.


    A hidden hot spring, Sakura Drop, which he often uses for hot-spring cure.


    He told all the stories with a hearty tone and a lot of gestures, so they were all really interesting and educational.


    Once we finished the side dishes and the stories came to a pause,


    ¡¸By the way, kid. You said your name is Allen Rodore, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Y-Yes.¡¹


    Bhus-san called out to me with a quiet expression


    ¡¸When we crossed swords a while ago, you used a lot of weird techniques. Who¡¯s your master? Which school do you belong to?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    I honestly don¡¯t want to talk much about that.


    To announce that I am self-taught feels like admitting to myself that I¡¯m a ¡°dropout swordsman.¡±


    However, if I tried to hide it, it would seem as though I am bothered by that fact. And that would make me look uncool.


    So I decided to state the truth as it is.


    ¡¸Well, um¡­ The truth is¡­ I requested the teachers of various schools to ept me, but¡­ I was so untalented at swordsmanship that I wasn¡¯t epted into any of them. So I am a ¡°self-taught swordsman¡±.¡¹


    ¡¸Hou¡­ untalented, huh¡­¡¹


    He murmured that one line and stared at me.


    (The hermit of time called out to an untalented swordsman, and on top of that, let the kid spam the scarce 100 Million Years Buttons? ¡­Impossible. It doesn¡¯t match his purpose. And the kid also has the ¡°Darkness¡± which he showed previously. It seems that there is something ¡°else¡° to this kid.)


    Bhus-san became silent for a while, and then¨C


    ¡¸I see. I somewhat understand your situation.¡¹


    He nodded several times in a way that doesn¡¯t seem to be the case.


    ¡¸Even though it¡¯s self-taught, you have already mastered swordsmanship enough to match my own. Even if you dabble in any other school at this point, it will be of no use.¡¹


    Bhus-san said so frankly, and then¨C


    ¡¸Would you be willing to learn my secret sword ¡°Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style¡±, which was hailed as the strongest sword in the world?¡¹


    He brought up an unexpected proposal.

 Chapter 262 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [33]

    262. Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [33]


    I became speechless momentarily after receiving an unbelievable offer from Bhus-san.


    ¡¸S-Someone like me¡­ learn the prestigious Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style? I-Is that really okay!?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, of course. I wouldn¡¯t want to teach some unknown third-rate swordsman either. I am also a little interested in your ¡°power¡±, kid. So it is kind of a special exception.¡¹


    He said, andughed with a grin.


    ¡¸T-Thank you very much! I would like to learn it by all means!¡¹


    Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style ¨C A prestigious school among prestigious schools that every swordsman has heard of.


    (Yes! I, who was not epted into any school, am getting to learn the prestigious Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style!)


    When I was shuddering at the good fortune that suddenly rained upon me,


    ¡¸Old man Bhus! Can you teach me the too!?¡¹


    ¡¸I-I would like to learn it too though!¡¹


    Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai pitched forward expectantly.


    It¡¯s understandable.


    Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style is a super prestigious school that is known throughout the world.


    Anyone would be desperate if the possibility of learning it was lying in front of them.


    ¡¸Hey, Lilim, Ferris. Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style is a ¡°secret sword that is passed down from parent to child¡±. Bhus-san just said that Allen-kun is a special exception, right?¡¹


    The president immediately rebuked them, but¨C


    ¡¸Bararara, all right! If you want to learn, I¡¯ll teach you!¡¹


    Heughed in a good mood and agreed to their requests.


    ¡¸Is that really all right?!¡¹


    ¡¸Hell yes! Old man Bhus is really big-hearted!¡¹


    ¡¸It is said that the size of one¡¯s heart is the size of one¡¯s body, though!¡¹


    The president widened her eyes in surprise, whereas Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai exchanged high-fives with Bhus-san.


    Ria and the president, who were watching the scene from the side¨C


    ¡¸Umm¡­ If it¡¯s all the same, could you teach it to me too?¡¹


    ¡¸I-I would also like to learn it.¡¹


    They timidly asked.


    And then,


    ¡¸Of course! You are all Rose¡¯s precious friends, so I can¡¯t possibly refuse those requests. And beyond all else¡­ As a man, I can¡¯t refuse when babes like you ask me! Baaararararara!¡¹


    Heughed heartily with a lewd look on his face.


    (A-Ahaha¡­ A drunkard and a womaniser¡­)


    Apparently, Bhus-san seems to be pretty loyal to natural desires.


    ¡¸Haa¡­ Good grief, you are still the same as ever, grandfather.¡¹


    Rose recovered from the ¡°album shock¡±, regained herposure, and heaved a sigh loudly.


    ¡¸Bararara! Don¡¯t sigh so heavily! Either way, you¡¯re the only one in the world who can ¡°touch¡± the ¡°real sakura¡±.¡¹


    Bhus-san said, and put his right hand on Rose¡¯s head.


    (The real sakura?)


    When I caught that slight interest piquing, unfamiliar word, Rose coughed and cleared her throat.


    ¡¸Sorry, but I don¡¯t think you should expect too much from him. The way grandfather teaches is devastating, to put it bluntly. And above all, the essence of Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style is not something you learn.¡¹


    ¡­Not something you learn?


    The moment she said that, Bhus-san pped his hand and got our attention.


    ¡¸Well, it¡¯s gettingte. So, it¡¯s about time to break up.¡¹


    He said, ncing at the clock.


    The time was 8pm, and the outside was already pitch ck.


    ¡¸By the way, does everyone have amodations? You can stay here if you want.¡¹


    Bhus-san voiced out considerately.


    ¡¸Thank you for your concern. But I already have a vi in this country, so we¡¯re going to rest there today.¡¹


    As the president refused politely,


    ¡¸I see, that¡¯s fine.¡¹


    He smiled gently. Relief reflected on his face.


    ¡¸Now then, let¡¯s conduct the training on the isted ind behind the Hundred Million Year Sakura. If it¡¯s there, no one will get in the way. Once the training is over, we can go straight to a hot spring and wash away the fatigue. So, it would be a good idea to bring along a change of clothes and a bath towel.¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸Yes!¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹


    ¡¸Bararara! I¡¯m looking forward to tomorrow.¡¹


    After the date and ce of the training was decided, we left Bhus-san¡¯s house.


    (Tomorrow¡­ I will finally acquire a school. The prestigious Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style!)


    I desperately held back the excitement that was springing up from the depths of my heart, got on the glider, and flew back to the Arcstria vi.

 Chapter 263 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [34]

    263. Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [34]


    After parting with Bhus-san, we rested up at the Arcstria vi.


    The next day, we had a light breakfast and did our respective training in the morning.


    Naturally, sightseeing in Cherin is temporarily stopped.


    No swordsman will overlook the opportunity to learn Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style.


    This was amon understanding between all of us.


    The time is 11:30 am. Only 30 minutes left until the scheduled time.


    ¡¸Are you all ready? Did you forget anything behind?¡¹


    The president asked, ncing over each of us who were gathered on the doorstep of the vi.


    ¡¸Of course, I am ready perfectly!¡¹


    ¡¸Change of clothes, a towel, beverages, and first aid kit¡­ all perfect though!¡¹


    Lilim-sensei and Ferris-sensei gave the okay sign.


    ¡¸Yes, I¡¯m fine too.¡¹


    ¡¸No problem here either.¡¹


    Ria and Rose nodded.


    Everyone¡¯s motivation was higher than ever, and there was a very good atmosphere flowing.


    ¡¸Allen-kun, are you ready?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, we can leave at any time.¡¹


    ¡¸Well then, let¡¯s head out.¡¹


    We got on the gliders, and headed out to the isted ind which is located on the other side of the Hundred Million Year Sakura.


    ¡ö


    We sighted Bhus-san from the sky andnded in his near vicinity.


    After that, we exchanged a little greeting,


    ¡¸I see, so that¡¯s the machine called the ¡°glider¡± huh. It has a mysterious shape. Times have changed so much that such a small chunk of iron can fly through the sky.¡¹


    He, who is not so bright to machine-rted things, muttered while fixed on the glider with a serious expression.


    ¡¸Well, that doesn¡¯t matter. Let¡¯s start the training immediately.¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸Yes!¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹


    Then we ced our baggage under the shade of a tree and gathered around Bhus-san.


    ¡¸All right. So first of all, I¡¯ll briefly exin what the Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style is.¡¹


    He massaged his white beard and slowly proceeded with the exnation.


    ¡¸Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style is not aplex nor mysterious swordsmanship. On the contrary, it is a in and simple sword for ¡°real battle¡±. A thorough foundation would be, optimised body movement and the transmission of power with zero waste ¨C these twoe together and establish the ¡°strongest sword in the world¡±.¡¹


    He spoke proudly, and cracked his neck.


    (I see,e to think of it.)


    Rose¡¯s swordsmanship has zero wasted movement.


    True to basics offense, defense, and evasion.


    Precise body movements to a remarkable extent.


    Her thoroughly optimized sword can generate ¡°weight¡± that you can¡¯t imagine from that slender body of hers.


    ¡¸Well, these things are learned by doing. I¡¯ll show you guys an example slowly. You should try to imitate that movement.¡¹


    Bhus-san then reached for the sword that was fastened to his left hip and dropped his center of gravity slightly.


    The next moment,


    ¡¸Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style ¨C Lightning Sakura!¡¹


    A thunder-p like sh ran through the sky.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡­!?¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹


    We were speechless witnessing the speed of the sword.


    Amongst us,


    ¡¸¡­As fast as ever.¡¹


    Only Rose, who knew Bhus-san¡¯s skill very well, muttered quietly.


    (I saw it in yesterday¡¯s fight, but it¡¯s still incredibly fast.)


    It¡¯s definitely the fastest sword drawing I¡¯ve ever seen.


    (But, I see now¡­ I have grasped the ¡°principle of Lightning Sakura¡±!)


    By holding the sheath horizontally, Bhus-san reduced the gravitational resistance when the sword was drawn.


    His arm bends almost like a whip, creating a fearsome eleration in the sheath. Furthermore, by ¡°snapping¡± his wrist, he adds a ¡°final eleration.¡±


    (So this is the technique of a school, huh.)


    Fearsomely precise body weight transfer and wasteless movement.


    And the breathtaking ingenuity and technique to aplish it.


    That¡¯s what makes that ¡°godspeed sword drawing¡± possible.


    (Amazing, it¡¯s really amazing! If I apply this principle, the seventh sword ¡°Instant sh¡± will be much faster.)


    As soon the training started, I acquired an incredibly vital ¡°clue¡±. I clenched my fist tight as the fire in my heart burned brightly.

 Chapter 264 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [35]

    264. Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [35]


    God speed¡¯s sword drawing, Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style ¨C Lightning Sakura.


    Bhus-san demonstrated the godspeed sword drawing of Lightning Sakura and returned the sword into the scabbard.


    (¡­Beautiful.)


    A gentle return to the scabbard like the flow of a clear stream after a sh of lightning.


    I was captivated by the beauty and sublimeness.


    ¡¸This is the basic sword-drawing technique of Sakura Blossom One-Sword style, Lightning Sakura. Go on, give it a try.¡¹


    He turned towards me.


    (All right, let¡¯s do it.)


    I exhaled a deep breath and concentrated my mind.


    (The points to focus on are the angle of the sword drawing, the bend of the arm, and the snap of the wrist.)


    A number of clues that I grasped a while ago.


    I carefully went over them one by one, and applied them to my own swordsmanship.


    When a clear image of the movement formed in my mind, I drew my sword at that moment.


    ¡¸Sakura Blossom One Sword Style ¨C Lightning Sakura¡¹


    At that moment, a thunderp-like sh ran from left to right.


    ¡¸I-I did it!¡¹


    It did not match Bhus-san¡¯s original Lightning Sakura.


    However, the ¡°pressure¡± of my Iai-sh was already approaching his.


    ¡¸Hou¡­ you saw it only once, and yet it¡¯s this close to the ¡°genuine¡±. The speed fell a little short, but¡­ Not bad at all! Way to go, kid!¡¹


    Heughed heartily and patted me on the back.


    ¡¸T-Thank you.¡¹


    I felt happy.


    I was simply happy that someone recognized my swordsmanship.


    The effort piled up over a billion years.


    I feel like I was finally rewarded for it. A hot fire burned in the depths of my heart.


    What¡¯s more, I was praised by Bhus Valencia, the 16th legitimate sessor, who was once hailed as the ¡°strongest swordsman in the world¡±.


    (Alright, alright, alright! I can still be much, much stronger.)


    As I ascertained the ¡°feeling of growth¡±, I felt indescribable gazes gathered on my back.


    (What?)


    When I slowly turned back suspiciously,


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡­¡­¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹


    I saw Ria and everyone else staring at me with a stunned expression.


    And I was not the only one who noticed those gazes.


    ¡¸Nuu, what¡¯s the matter? Why are you not practising? Did you identally miss it?¡¹


    When Bhus-san tilted his head asking that,


    ¡¸S-Sorry. Could you demonstrate it more slowly again?¡¹


    Ria said apologetically.


    ¡¸Very well. Peel your eyes open so you don¡¯t miss it this time, okay?¡¹


    He dropped his center of gravity again, without being particrly offended.


    The next moment,


    ¡¸Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style ¨C Lightning Sakura¡¹


    A slightly slower sh ran across the sky.


    ¡¸That¡¯s how you do it. Now try it.¡¹


    After the demonstration, Bhus-san encouraged them to do so. But the girls formed into a circle and started to discuss amongst themselves.


    ¡¸¡¸¡­¡­?¡¹¡¹


    Seeing the strange behavior, Bhus-san and I looked at each other and tilted our heads.


    About a minuteter.


    On everyone¡¯s behalf, Rose stepped forward.


    ¡¸Grandfather¡­¡°Normal humans¡± like us can¡¯t see your Lightning Sakura. And of course, it is impossible to learn what we can¡¯t see. Basing the training on ¡°inhumans¡± like you two is not going to work.¡¹


    When she said so somewhat astonishedly, everyone behind her nodded simultaneously.

 Chapter 265 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [36]

    265. Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [36]


    Bhus-san¡¯s sh was too fast, thus it was not useful as an example.


    In order to solve this problem, we improvised the training method slightly.


    First of all, he unleashes an example sh as before.


    ¡¸Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style ¨C Sakura sh¡¹


    The sh-like thrust runs in a straight line.


    And right after that,


    ¡¸Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style ¨C Sakura sh¡¹


    Rose unleashes the exact same technique.


    An ¡°ultra-high speed¡± sh and a ¡°high speed¡± sh.


    By looking at two different models of speed, all of us were able to learn the principle of the Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style.


    At the end of the demonstration, they exined the ¡°knack¡± of the technique to improve the training efficiency.


    ¡¸The trick to Sakura sh is¡­ you drop the center of gravity with a ¡°gui¡±, and then stab it like ¡°zuba¡±.¡¹


    Bhus-san¡¯s exnation was hell to say the least.


    (I understand that he is exining seriously using gestures, but¡­)


    All thates out of his mouth are sounds such as ¡°gui¡± and ¡°zuba¡±.


    Unfortunately, this was hardly helpful.


    And then it was Rose¡¯s turn to exin after Bhus-san¡¯s.


    ¡¸There are three points when you unleash Sakura sh. The angle of thrust, when to move the center of gravity, and the position of the pivot leg. First of all, the ¡°angle of thrust¡± of this technique is notpletely horizontal as it seems. The tip of the sword is slightly pointing downward. When you do it like that, gravity is¨C¡¹


    Her exnation was like heaven.


    A beautiful voice that is easy to hear and a concrete, logical exnation.


    Moreover, because she advances while confirming if everyone understood it, nobody gets left behind.


    (Maybe Rose is cut out to be a teacher.)


    Her exnations were that easy to understand.


    To back it up,


    ¡¸Hey, Rose. About when to move the center of gravity movement, is it good like this?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, that¡¯s really good. As expected of Ria.¡¹


    ¡¸Rose-san, should I position the pivot foot around here?¡¹


    ¡¸Let¡¯s see¡­ You¡¯d better shift it to the left just a little more. Yes, that¡¯s better.¡¹


    She quickly became a popr teacher. Ria and the president raised questions one after another.


    I¡¯m sure it was easy to ask her since they are the same sex.


    As a result,


    ¡¸U-Umm¡­ Bhus-san, may I ask you a question?¡¹


    ¡¸Sure, I don¡¯t mind.¡¹


    I had to study one-on-one with Bhus-san.


    ¡¸The timing of when to move the center of gravity is a little hard to grasp. Do you have any advise?¡¹


    ¡¸Let¡¯s see¡­ Move it back when you pull the sword like ¡°gui¡±, and move it forward when you push out your sword like ¡°zuba¡±.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Thank you very much.¡¹


    Unfortunately, it doesn¡¯t seem to be helpful after all.


    At any rate, it was very much like this that we devoted ourselves to the training of Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style.

 Chapter 266 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [37]

    266. Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [37]


    A few hours after the training began.


    I finally adapted to Bhus-san¡¯s, mysterious to man, hellishly difficult to understand teaching method.


    ¡¸Fuu¡­¡¹


    I put my sword in front of my navel and assumed Seigan no Kamae.


    Quietly close my eyes, breathe and calm my mind.


    And unleash the ¡°diagonal sh¡± which I just learnt.


    ¡¸Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style ¨C Evening Sakura¡¹


    A sharp sh cut through the darkness of the night and ran across the sky.


    (All right, I think that was satisfactory.)


    As I looked back at Bhus-san in a manner of seeking for his evaluation,


    ¡¸Almost, but not quite. One more step forward. Evening Sakura goes like ¡°Gui¡± and do it with ¡°Zuba¡±!¡¹


    Bhus gave me a hint to move ¡°one more step forward.¡±


    ¡¸I see. So you do it ¡°Gui¡± like this¡­ and then ¡°Zuba¡±!¡¹


    I did as told and unleashed Evening Sakura again.


    ¡¸Oh, that¡¯s it! You can do it if you try!¡¹


    He smiled satisfactorily and patted me on the shoulder.


    ¡¸Thank you very much.¡¹


    Bhus-san¡¯s way of teaching is certainly a littlecking, but¡­


    If you listen carefully, you will be able to understand what he means.


    Now I can clearly understand the ¡°Gui¡± and ¡°Zuba¡± he says.


    (That¡¯s right¡­ I need to do ¡°Gui¡± then ¡°Zuba¡± for Evening Sakura.)


    It will be quite difficult to find a more urate expression.


    ¡¸Hey, Rose. Why is Allen improving from Bhus-san¡¯s teaching method?¡¹


    ¡¸Maybe they, fellow inhumans, aremunicating with each other in something other than words. We humans can¡¯t possibly understand, and we don¡¯t need to understand them.¡¹


    I felt that Ria and Rose were looking at me and talking about something, but it¡¯s probably just my imagination.


    Then I kept swinging my sword for another couple of hours.


    ¡¸Well, it¡¯s about time to take a break!¡¹


    Bhus-san pped and signaled a short break.


    ¡¸Fuu, I¡¯ve sweated quite a lot.¡¹


    ¡¸Grandfather¡¯s training is quite hard after all.¡¹


    Ria and Rose wiped off the sweat with the towel they brought.


    ¡¸I wonder if I have slightly mastered Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, no doubt! I feel like I¡¯ve gotten stronger somehow!¡¹


    ¡¸I don¡¯t think it¡¯s something you can master in one day like that though. Lilim has always been a little too imaginative, though¡­¡¹


    The president and senpais rehydrated themselves from the water bottle they brought.


    And as everyone was resting,


    (All right, it¡¯s finally time for some free training.)


    I picked up my sword.


    (I learned the godspeed Iai-sh, Lightning Sakura a while ago.)


    In doing so, I firmly grasped the principle of sword drawing.


    If I applied it to the seventh sword, Instant sh, the speed would surely elevate further.


    (The point to note is the angle of the sword drawing, the bend of the arm, and the snap of the wrist.)


    And when I got ready to unleash Instant sh,


    ¡¸Kid, do you have a moment?¡¹


    Bhus-san called out to me.


    ¡¸Ah, yes.¡¹


    I took my hand off the hilt of the sword and headed towards him.


    Bhus-san was sitting on a stump, with a serious expression on his face for some reason.


    ¡¸What is it, Bhus-san?¡¹


    ¡¸No, it¡¯s nothing important. There¡¯s just one thing I¡¯d like to request you.¡¹


    ¡¸Request?¡¹


    What could it possibly be?


    ¡¸There is an incredibly strong spirit core slumbering in you¡­ Isn¡¯t that right?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, there is. As far as I know, there is no swordsman stronger than that guy. He is a literal ¡°monster¡±.¡¹


    He¡¯s savage, violent, and an unreasonable guy, but his power is immensely overwhelming.


    To be honest, I can¡¯t even imagine Zeon ever losing.


    ¡¸Hou, is that right? He¡¯s that strong huh.¡¹


    Bhus-san muttered with a grin, andughed happily for some reason.


    And the next moment,


    ¡¸Naa, Allen. Why don¡¯t you let me fight that monster?¡¹


    He uttered an unbelievable request.

 Chapter 267 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [38]

    267. Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [38]


    Bhus-san suddenly wanted to fight Zeon.


    ¡¸W-Why would you do such a dangerous thing?!¡¹


    Fighting that guy head-on sounds like nothing more than suicide.


    ¡¸Like I told you yesterday. My nature is topare swordsmanship with any first-rate swordsman that I encounter. It¡¯s as simple as that. Even a swordsman like you calls it a ¡°monster¡±. Hearing that just sends a rush of adrenaline through my body!¡¹


    ¡¸I, I see¡­¡¹


    Apparently, he is an unparalleled battle junky, following his love of alcohol and women.


    ¡¸But, how are you going to fight a spirit core in the first ce?¡¹


    Zeon is a spirit core, and has no real body in the real world.


    Is there even a way to fight such a guy?


    (No, there is one actually.)


    If I surrender my body to Zeon, Bhus-san¡¯s wish wille true.


    (But that¡¯s the one thing I absolutely can¡¯t do!)


    I¡¯m not sure how it works, but¡­


    The stronger I get, the stronger he grows in tandem.


    (Even during the time when I couldn¡¯t use darkness yet, he overpowered Sid-san. And even before I manifested my soul dress, he trampled over Fu and Dodriel easily.)


    Now that I have learned to freely control darkness, and have manifested my soul dress¡­ I wonder what will happen if he takes over my body?


    Most likely, Zeon can bring out more powerful darkness than ever before, and rain down destruction as he pleases.


    (In the worst case scenario, Cherin itself might copse. No, if that was all that happens, it might still be a good oue.)


    Chills ran down my spine as such terrifying thoughts crossed my mind.


    ¡¸Bararara! Since ancient times, there has only been one way to fight the spirit core safely. I will go into your world of the soul, kid!¡¹


    ¡¸Y-You can do that?¡¹


    Certainly, in that ce, although there is mental damage, there is no physical damage.


    (But can someone else step into another person¡¯s world of the soul?)


    Those worries ended being needless.


    ¡¸Barabara! For people like me who have reached the point ¡°beyond soul dress¡±, it is a mere child¡¯s y!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Beyond soul dress?¡¹


    Speaking of which.


    I think Clown-san said the same thing before.


    ¡¸You haven¡¯t learned about the ¡°true soul dress¡±, huh.¡¹


    ¡¸True soul dress?¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s right. A swordsman, who has innate talent in soul dress, eventually arrives at the true soul dress. Well, you¡¯re still very young. Right now, it¡¯s the time for you to strengthen the foundation which is soul dress first.¡¹


    ¡¸I-Is that so?¡¹


    I feel like I understand, but don¡¯t at the same time.


    Anyway, I understood that I was still at the basic stage of soul dress, and still had a lot of growth to go through.


    ¡¸Getting back to the topic at hand¡­ Just a little! Just a little bit! Won¡¯t you let me face off against your spirit core, kid?¡¹


    Bhus-san put his hands together and asked desperately.


    (How troubling.)


    Sentimentally, I felt it was very difficult to refuse because he had just taught me Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style.


    ¡¸Haa¡­ I understand.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, yes. Thank you, kid!¡¹


    His eyes gleamed like a child, as he smiled broadly.


    ¡¸But please be really careful, okay? My spirit core has a really rough temper. If you feel threatened, please don¡¯t push yourself, and step back immediately, okay?¡¹


    In the world of the soul, there is no physical damage.


    However if you die over there, you¡¯ll suffer pretty intense mental damage.


    (ording to Rose, Bhus-san is already over 200 years old, and his body is ravaged by an incurable disease.)


    If such a person suffered intense mental damage¡­


    I don¡¯t even want to think too much about it, but I have to warn him just in case.


    ¡¸Alright, I promise! If I feel danger, I¡¯ll return to the real world right away!¡¹


    Bhus-san said, nodding.


    ¡¸So¡­ How do you get into my world of soul?¡¹


    ¡¸We¡¯re going to thinly connect each other¡¯s spiritual power. Well, I¡¯ll take care of all the difficult things. You don¡¯t have to do anything in particr and just rx, kid.¡¹


    Then he put his hand on my right shoulder.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll intrude into your world for a bit.¡¹


    After that, Bhus-san closed his eyes and trespassed into the world of the soul ruled by Zeon.

 Chapter 268 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [39]

    Chapter 268 Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [39]


    After Bhus-san entered the world of the soul, a certain amount of time flowed by.


    (It¡¯s kind of a strange feeling.)


    Two massive spiritual powers collide violently in the depths of my chest.


    ck, angry, evil spiritual power ¨C this is unmistakably Zeon.


    And on the other hand, a pure, divine spiritual power a lot simr to Rose ¨C this is surely Bhus-san.


    (For heaven¡¯s sake, please finish safely without incident.)


    When I was wishing for that in my heart,


    ¡¸Ka, ha¡­¡¹


    Bhus-san¡¯s huge body shook violently, and copsed.


    ¡¸B-Bhus-san¡­ Are you okay!?¡¹


    ¡¸Ba-Bara, ra¡­ T-This much is, no prob¨C¡­ gaha¡­¡¹


    He vomited a lot of blood and stopped moving.


    (T-This is bad.)


    Perhaps Bhus-san was killed by Zeon in the world of the soul and suffered severe mental damage.


    That seems to have be a trigger, and the ¡°incurable disease¡± started deteriorating.


    (Let¡¯s just try and see if it works.)


    I covered his whole body with dense darkness as emergency first aid. However, there was no sign of his condition stabilizing.


    (Damn, it¡¯s no good after all.)


    Zeon¡¯s darkness has an absolute effect on external wounds and curses, but it has no effect on disease.


    In other words, this vomiting of blood is most likely due to Bhus-san¡¯s chronic disease.


    ¡¸Rose, over here! Come right away!¡¹


    I called out to Rose loudly.


    ¡¸What¡¯s the matter? What¡¯s going¨C?!¡¹


    She trotted up to me. When she found Bhus-san lying on the ground, she hardened on the spot.


    ¡¸¡­G-Grandfather!?¡¹


    Rose immediately turned around and looked somewhere. And then she breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡¸Haa, thank goodness¡­¡¹


    Ria and the president asked her as she breathed relievedly.


    ¡¸I-Is he okay?¡¹


    ¡¸I don¡¯t know the details, but wouldn¡¯t it be better to take him to the hospital right away?¡¹


    Rose then slowly shook her head.


    ¡¸No, there is no need for that. Grandfather used to be called ¡°Immortal Bhus¡±. As long as he ¡°doesn¡¯t exhaust his power¡± or ¡°die instantly¡±, he will never die. Sorry for worrying you and thank you for the consideration.¡¹


    She bowed her head slightly.


    ¡¸But Allen. What on earth happened? Did his condition suddenly deteriorate?¡¹


    She then asked while tilting her head.


    ¡¸No, actually¡­¡¹


    Then I told her everything from the start without omitting anything.


    ¡¸So he fought Allen¡¯s spirit core, huh.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry. If I had stopped him properly, this wouldn¡¯t have happened.¡¹


    Fighting Zeon one-on-one is just suicide.


    No matter what Bhus-san said, I should have stopped him.


    When I was regretting my decision,


    ¡¸No, I¡¯m the one who is sorry. It seems that grandfather has asked for something unreasonable from Allen again. He has always been a person who finds joy in fighting since forever, after all. If he sees a strong swordsman, he has a bad habit of persistently insisting on them for a fight. I¡¯ll be careful not to let this happen again in the future.¡¹


    Rose said apologetically while sighing.


    It seems that she has her own troubles too.


    And when things came to a pause,


    ¡¸Oi, Zeon. I expected things to end up this way since it¡¯s you, but this is a little overkill, isn¡¯t it?¡¹


    When I said so in a slightly scolding tone, his deep voice replied from the depths of my chest.


    ¡¸You damn shitty brat, that¡¯s my line! Don¡¯t send me that troublesome thing again, you got that? A¡±a!? And don¡¯t get involved with that senile old fool! I don¡¯t know where he got his information from, but he seems to know about my circumstances a little.¡¹


    ¡¸Your ¡°circumstances¡±?¡¹


    ¡¸Tsk. It¡¯s still too early for you to know that. Quietly go do practice-swings or something.¡¹


    Zeon said so and broke off the conversation on his own.


    As always, he¡¯s really selfish.


    (However, this is really rare.)


    He always speaks in a tone of looking down on others and doesn¡¯t pay respect to the opponent he crosses swords with.


    Rather, he calls them small fry and whatnot. and hurls abuses at them.


    (However, he called Bhus-san a ¡°troublesome thing¡±.)


    In other words, Bhus-san put up a good fight to the point where Zeon felt ¡°troublesome¡±.


    (Bhus Valencia. The man who was once hailed as the ¡°strongest swordsman in the world¡±.)


    He is no ordinary man after all.

 Chapter 269 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [40]

    Chapter 269 Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [40]


    About five minutes have passed since Bhus-san lost consciousness.


    ¡¸Uuh¡­¡¹


    He groaned painfully and slowly raised his upper body.


    ¡¸Bhus-san! Are you okay!?¡¹


    ¡¸Haa, haa, I¡¯m alright now¡­ Sorry for worrying you.¡¹


    He sat cross-legged and slowly adjusted his breath.


    (¡­His resilience is really amazing.)


    Colour returned to his face which was deathly pale just a little while ago.


    I had been worrying about his condition, but looking at this appearance, he seems to be doing alright.


    ¡¸Grandfather, please drink some water.¡¹


    Rose handed out Bhus-san¡¯s personal water bottle.


    ¡¸Oh, thanks!¡¹


    He gulped down the water so quickly that it spilled all over him.


    ¡¸Puha¡­ Man, I was truly surprised! Thest time I fought with my life on the line was half a century ago! Barararara!¡¹


    Bhus-sanughed heartily.


    ¡¸So¡­ about that¡­ How was it?¡¹


    I nervously asked about the fight with Zeon.


    ¡¸Yeah, I can¡¯t do it. I can never win.¡¹


    He shook his head slowly, and shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡¸In my prime it would be a different story, but¡­ with this body of mine, which is ravaged by incurable disease, getting killed is the best I can do.¡¹


    ¡¸If it¡¯s in your prime, would you have been able to beat Zeon?¡¹


    ¡¸Well, to be honest, I can¡¯t say for sure. Because both of us have something impeding us.¡¹


    Bhus-san rubbed his white beard with a difficult expression and continued to talk.


    ¡¸Just as I have this ¡°disease¡± shackling me, he seems to be carrying some sort of ¡°massive handicap¡± too.¡¹


    ¡¸M-Massive handicap?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, that¡¯s right. That monster, who rules over that evil darkness, seemed to be struggling at times. The attacks he tried to unleash misfired for no reason, and the darkness which he condensed with great pains scattered suddenly. I don¡¯t know the reason behind it, but he seems to have a lot of powerful constraints on him.¡¹


    ¡¸I-Is that so?¡¹


    I have crossed swords with Zeon many times before, but I have never seen him struggle.


    (In other words, I am not even at the level where he has to take me on seriously.)


    And Bhus-san is a swordsman at the level where Zeon is forced to get serious.


    As expected, he is at a much higher ¡°height¡± than me.


    (I¡¯m going to train more and more. And one day, I will ovee that guy and leave him speechless!)


    In order to do so, I must properly learn the principles of the Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style.


    (Alright, let¡¯s do it!)


    As the mes of motivation was burning in my heart,


    ¡¸But kid. I am surprised that you can retain your ego while housing such a monster. An ordinary man would¡¯ve had his body snatched before he even realised it.¡¹


    Bhus-san said a very frightening thing.


    ¡¸Eh¡­ I-Is that so?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah. Your aberrant mental strength is keeping that monster in check. That might also exin your ¡°One billion years of practice-swings¡±. That mental strength might just be your ¡°strongest weapon¡±.¡¹


    ¡¸T-Thank you very much!¡¹


    After that, I devoted myself to training with momentous vigour.


    A few hourster,


    ¡¸Well, that¡¯s it for today¡¯s training! You all did well today! After this, let¡¯s head to the bathhouse and wash away the sweat and fatigue!¡¹


    Bhus-san said, and sheathed his sword.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸Thank you very much!¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹


    We thanked him for the training and followed him to the bathhouse.

 Chapter 270 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [41]

    Chapter 270 Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [41]


    We follow Bhus-san down a steep forest trail.


    (It sure is located quite deep.)


    We are currently in a dense forest at the southern part of Cherin.


    ording to Bhus-san, there is a bathhouse called ¡°Sakura Drop¡± ahead of this path.


    ¡¸I wonder if there really is a bathhouse in a ce like this?¡¹


    ¡¸We¡¯re moving away from human settlements. You sure this is the right road, old man Bhus?¡¹


    ¡¸I can¡¯t believe there¡¯s a famous hot spring in here, though¡­¡¹


    The president and senpais questioned Bhus-san.


    ¡¸Barabara! Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m still not senile! Sakura Drop is right ahead.¡¹


    He said, and proceeded with long strides.


    (Bathhouse, Sakura Drop huh)


    I hear it is a very famous bathhouse with a ¡°secret hot spring¡± that has excellent efficiency. Apparently, the owner is reticent and difficult to do business with, so first-time customers usually don¡¯t get to enter the bathhouse


    However, Bhus-san and him are old drinking buddies, so he can always get his acquaintances to get in for free.


    After walking for a good ten minutes,


    ¡¸We¡¯re here!¡¹Bhus-san said.


    There was a slightly old-looking huge bathhouse


    ¡¸I alwayse here for a hot spring cure. I¡¯ve tried out various hot springs, but there¡¯s none that can beat this! The hot spring quality is mellow and calm. And it has outstanding efficacy. Not to mention the effect on fatigue recovery, revitalizing skin, stiff shoulders, sensitivity to cold, etc. Calling it the ¡°hot spring of life¡± wouldn¡¯t be an overstatement!¡¹


    When Bhus-san introduced it as such,


    ¡¸R-Revitalizing skin¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Stiff shoulders¡­¡¹


    Ria and the president showed strong interest with sparkling eyes.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s see¡­ It¡¯s 4pm right now, so let¡¯s meet in front of the bathhouse at about 5.30 pm.¡¹


    Bhus-san decided the regrouping time.


    ¡¸Ou, I¡¯ming in!¡¹


    He then lifted the huge sign curtain hung in front of the bathhouse, and entered vigorously.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡­¡­Aa.¡¹


    The man, who seemed to be the owner of the bathhouse, replied with a short mutter, and dropped his gaze back to the newspaper in hand.


    He seems to be a really reticent person after all.


    After that, Bhus-san and I went into the men¡¯s hot spring, whereas thedies went into the women¡¯s hot spring.


    When I passed through the male sign curtain, there was a very in dressing room.


    (It has a good feel!)


    Lockers were lined up in a row, and a basket was ced on top of each one. A simple fridge in the corner was stacked with mixed juices and coffee milk. It¡¯s a very traditional bathhouse.


    ¡¸It¡¯s kind of a calm atmosphere.¡¹


    The sole bathhouse in Goza vige certainly has such an atmosphere.


    ¡¸Bararara, you have a good eye. I also prefer this simple and quaint interior to the nowadays jumbled-up interior!¡¹


    We steadily prepared while talking about that.


    After I put my hand baggage in the locker, took off my clothes, and picked up a towel to wash my body, my eyes were glued to Bhus-san¡¯s naked body.


    (Wow, he has a really ¡°good body¡±.)


    Not to mention his steel-like muscles, there were also a lot of scars carved on his body.


    Sword wounds, stab wounds,cerations, bites, burns, explosive wounds, etc.


    Just by looking at them, I can imagine the fierce battles he has experienced.


    The naked body which reflected the way of life as a swordsman was like a work of art.


    (Beautiful.)


    The amount of experiences he has umted, the fights he has gone through, the number of times his life was on the line ¨C all of them were incredibly extraordinary.


    A body packed with heavy and rich, ¡°experience¡±.


    While I was fascinated by Bhus-san¡¯s bare body,


    ¡¸What¡¯s the matter, kid? Sorry, but I¡¯m not into guys.¡¹


    He said with a prankish smile.


    ¡¸D-Don¡¯t say strange things! I am straight, too!¡¹


    ¡¸Bararara, it¡¯s a relief, then! I was afraid for a moment there!¡¹


    His shoulders shook as heughed. And when he opened the door to the hot spring,


    ¡¸T-This is¡­!¡¹


    A beautiful, natural hot spring with sakura petals floating on the surface of the water spread out.

 Chapter 271 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [42]

    Chapter 271 Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [42]


    Beyond the bathhouse door, was a hot spring which perfectly suits what I would call a ¡°secret hot spring¡±.


    White steam rising from the clear water surface.


    Vivid flurry of falling sakura petals lit by the sunset.


    An open-air bath with a rock garden overflowing with natural atmosphere.


    A magical scenery spread as if I had set foot into a different world.


    ¡¸T-This is great!¡¹


    I never dreamed that there would be such a fine hot spring.


    ¡¸Barararara, I know right! This is the best bathhouse in the world!¡¹


    Bhus-sanughed in a good mood and sat down in the stool at the washing ce.


    ¡¸Come here, kid. Let¡¯s wash our bodies quickly and enjoy the pleasant hot spring to the fullest!¡¹


    ¡¸Yes!¡¹


    We washed our bodies in the shower and then washed our heads.


    A one-set shampoo and body soap were provided in the washing ce. Both were made of simple soap.


    (Come to think of it, this is a good chance.)


    I wanted to have a proper talk with Bhus-san.


    It isn¡¯t easy to get an opportunity to be alone with him.


    (Zeon said, ¡°Don¡¯t get involved¡± but¡­)


    He doesn¡¯t look like a bad person to me at all.


    (There is also the fact that he is Rose¡¯s super-great grandfather.)


    More than anything else, I didn¡¯t feel any kind of ¡°malice¡± when we crossed swords.


    Pure and genuine was all I felt.


    His desire to purelypare honest swordsmanship was transmitted through his shes.


    (All right, let¡¯s ask him.)


    I coughed and decided to bring up the subject.


    ¡¸Bhus-san. Umm¡­ I¡¯d like to ask you a few questions. Is that okay?¡¹


    ¡¸Why are you being so formal? You and I have already crossed swords once, so you can ask anything you want.¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you very much. Then, without dy, how much do you know about the 100 Million-Year button?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡­¡­Aa, you want to know about that.¡¹


    He stopped washing his body and slowly opened his mouth.


    ¡¸I don¡¯t know whether you were involved from the start or you got dragged into it, but you are now deeply involved, kid. That much is certain. Alright, I¡¯ll tell you everything I know.¡¹


    ¡¸T-Thank you!¡¹


    Bhus-san turned his body towards me and massaged his wet beard


    ¡¸As you know, kid, the 100 Million-Year button is a ¡°cursed button¡± created by the hermit of time. Those who push it will be trapped in a different world for 100 million years.¡¹


    He exined the basics.


    ¡¸The human mind is not strong enough to withstand ¡°100 million years of solitude¡±. At best, only 1,000 years. At worst, 1 year. And after that, you choose to suicide. Before that happens, before your mind breaks, you have to tear that world apart and return to the original world.¡¹


    ¡¸I-Is that so?¡¹


    This is the first I¡¯m hearing of it


    ¡¸Yeah. A case like you, who survived 100 million years ¨C much less, spamming that button, is unheard of. You are an ¡°exception among exceptions¡±.¡¹


    Come to think of it¡­


    Leia-sensei seemed truly surprised when I first told her that I had been swinging for over a billion years.


    ¡¸And the 100 Million Years button is not something that can be produced so many times so easily. You have to clear some extremely tough conditions and then finally create one in this world. That¡¯s why the hermit of time is ¡°selecting¡± the person who pushes the button.¡¹


    ¡¸Selecting?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, that¡¯s right. He wanders around the world looking for a swordsman with great talents above the rest. And then he suggests the existence of the 100 Million Years button to the swordsmen who matches his criteria.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­What is the purpose of the hermit of time?¡¹


    He wanders all around the world to hand out the rare 100 Million Years buttons. Just what is the benefit to him?


    ¡¸The hermit of time has only one purpose ¨C to find the ¡°Child of Destruction¡±.¡¹


    Bhus-san said with a serious tone, and turned a sharp nce towards me.

 Chapter 272 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [43]

    Chapter 272. Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [43]


    Bhus-san, who talked about the purpose of the hermit of time, turned a sharp nce towards me for some reason.


    I felt an indescribable pressure from him, and tried to move along the conversation.


    ¡¸Child of Destruction?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, yes. A child of fate with the terrible power to destroy the order and bnce of the world and turn the world ¡°upside down¡±. The hermit of time is searching for that child in a frenzy.¡¹


    ¡¸What is the hermit of time going to do when he finds the Child of Destruction?¡¹


    ¡¸Who knows, I wasn¡¯t told beyond that. Because it is something I heard a very long time ago.¡¹


    He said, scratching his head.


    ¡¸Which means, there is someone else who knows more details about the 100 Million Year button?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah. However, it feels so nostalgic now. He was a strange man who knew about all sorts of things.¡¹


    Bhus-san began to talk slowly with a hint of nostalgia in his eyes.


    ¡¸About 150 years ago, I went on a warrior¡¯s journey to find a swordsman stronger than myself. At that time, I was at my prime, possessing substantial physical strength and vitality. Those days, when I swung my sword, the seas parted in two, the skies tore apart, tens of thousands of swordsmen fell! I was the very definition of invincible and brute valour! Bararararara!¡¹


    Heughed heartily while speaking of his heroic tales.


    ¡¸Tens of thousands of people?¡¹


    Isn¡¯t that a little too exaggerated?


    ¡¸It is all true! In all my life, I have never lied!¡¹


    He patted me on the back and continued on.


    ¡¸While I was wandering around every corner of the world, I met a certain swordsman at the Principality of Teresia. He was a young man with a slender build, but his swordsmanship was terrifyingly sharp. Even after cutting at each other for three days and three nights without a rest, we never reached a conclusion. Even now when I close my eyes, I can remember it like it happened just yesterday. I really enjoyed that sword fight.¡¹


    On par with prime Bhus-san¡­ It seems that this swordsman was at an unbelievable ¡°height¡±.


    ¡¸After that, we became friends and traveled together for a while. He said he was looking for ¡°strongpanions¡± to aplish his ¡°ambition¡±. He was a strange man who knew about all sorts of things for his age. And I heard various stories from him during our travels such as the hermit of time, the 100 Million Year button, the transcendents, and also about phantom beasts and demons. Well, in other words, all the things I just told you were something that my friend told me about.¡¹


    Bhus-san concluded the conversation with that.


    ¡¸I see. Was that so? 150 years ago would mean that your friend has passed away, right?¡¹


    I thought this was the chance to learn about the hermit of time and the 100 Million Year button that have been shrouded in mystery up to now, but¡­


    (Logically speaking, there¡¯s no way humans can live up to 200 years like Bhus-san.)


    And when I dropped my shoulders dejectedly,


    ¡¸Nope, he¡¯s still alive. I haven¡¯t got to see himtely, but sometimes he sends me some ¡°unsettling news¡±.¡¹


    Bhus-san said those words nonchntly.


    ¡¸H-He is still alive? P-Please tell me that person¡¯s name!¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, I don¡¯t mind. His name is Ba-¡¹


    The moment Bhus-san started¨C


    ¡¸Excuse me, Allen. My body soap seems to bepletely dissolved. Can I borrow yours for a second?¡¹


    Sebas-san interrupted from the side with a troubled look.


    ¡¸Ah, yes. Please take¡­ mine!?¡¹


    It took a few good seconds to sink in.


    ¡¸S-Sebas-san!?¡¹


    ¡¸Yo, it¡¯s been a while.¡¹


    To my left was one of the Emperor¡¯s Four Knights, Sebas Chandler, who once served as vice president of the student council of Thousand de Academy.

 Chapter 273 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [44]

    Chapter 273. Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [44]


    I jumped far back due to the unexpected situation.


    ¡¸S-Sebas-san? Why are you here!?¡¹


    ¡¸Nn, just a short ¡°holiday¡±. Well, thank you for the body soap.¡¹he said nonchntly, and started scrubbing his body.


    ¡¸H-Holiday?¡¹


    I wonder if the highest military asset of the Holy Ronelia Empire can wander around casually for such trivial reasons.


    As I was looking dumbfounded,


    ¡¸Kid, who is this guy?¡¹


    Bhus-san looked at Sebas-san¡¯s naked body with great interest.


    ¡¸This person is Sebas Chandler. A member of the ck Organization who was undercover in Thousand de Academy. He is also a top tier swordsman called the ¡°Emperor¡¯s Four Knights¡±.¡¹


    ¡¸Hohou, a considerably skilled man as I expected!¡¹


    Bhus-san¡¯s mouth distorted as if a hunter had found his prey.


    ¡¸Yo, Sebas dude, shall we go for a round outside the bath?¡¹


    ¡¸No, I would like to decline please. I got out of an ¡°undercover mission spanning over a few years¡± just recently. So I intend to have a peaceful life for a while. And above all, to deal with the infamous ¡°Immortal Bhus¡± is quite a heavy task to take on.¡¹


    Sebas-san, who always has a smile of confidence on his face, had a tense look only while talking with Bus-san.


    Even from an Emperor¡¯s Four Knights¡¯ perspective, the swordsman known as Bhus Valencia seems to be a considerable threat.


    ¡¸Barabara! For a Four Knights acknowledged by that Burrell Ronelia, you¡¯re pretty fainthearted!¡¹


    ¡¸I don¡¯t have any confidence at all. When ites to dealing with you, I need to appropriately resolve myself, too. I am truly sorry, but let¡¯s do it at another time please.¡¹


    Sebas-san bowed slightly with a bitter smile.


    ¡¸Well, normally, I just pull out my sword right away instead of talking, but¡­ you¡¯re in luck today. Unfortunately, I can¡¯t make too much noise right now, either.¡¹


    Bhus-san muttered with regret, and let go of the topic.


    After we finished washing our bodies,


    ¡¸By the way, Sebas-san, what is your ¡°real purpose¡±?¡¹


    I took a step forward and threw that question at him.


    At present, the rtionship between the Five Great Powers and the Holy Ronelia Empire is at ¡°worst ever¡±. There is no reason why an Emperor¡¯s Four Knights would be wandering around Cherin without any purpose in this present situation where an ¡°all-out war¡± might break out at any moment.


    (Moreover, it¡¯s hard to believe that he ran into us by chance.)


    His aim is either Ria or the president. Or it might even be me.


    At any rate, I am almost certain that he has a ¡°purpose¡±.


    When I kept looking Sebas-san in the eye, he let out a sigh of resignation.


    ¡¸Haa¡­ Even if I say holiday, you don¡¯t seem to believe me. You¡¯re right. As you are probably thinking, I came out here today for a very ¡°big purpose¡±.¡¹


    ¡¸A very big purpose?¡¹


    ¡¸Well, before that¡­ Naked adult men standing around and talking in the open is kind of tasteless. And I¡¯m sure we have a lot to talk about. So, let¡¯s continue over there.¡¹


    Sebas-san pointed towards the sauna room.

 Chapter 274 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [45]

    Chapter 274. Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [45]


    Sebas-san, Bhus-san, and I entered the sauna room with only a white towel each.


    Three level sauna bench was installed to the walls of the room.


    Drainboard with beautiful wood texture on the floor.


    A clock and a thermometer hung on the wall.


    Arge amount of hot stones stacked at the corner of the room, and a tub with plenty of water by the side.


    (Heh¡­ It looks like an old log bathhouse, but the inside is pretty authentic.)


    It is almostparable to the quality of the sauna in Thousand de Academy¡¯s bathhouse.


    ¡¸Hmm, there is not enough steam.¡¹


    Bhus-san said, grabbed the tub of water, and dashed it on the hot stones.


    The sound of the water evaporating echoed. And arge amount of vapor filled the sauna room.


    The temperature quickly rose, and my body started sweating increasingly.


    (A-As lively as ever¡­)


    As I was smiling wryly,


    ¡¸I can¡¯t believe there¡¯s such a fine sauna. Sakura Drop¡¯s reputation for being the world¡¯s best bathhouse is not just for show it seems.¡¹Sebas-san nodded satisfiedly.


    ¡¸Bararararaa, I know right! Taking a cold bath after sweating a lot in here feels heavenly!¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, I am looking forward to it.¡¹


    Sebas-san and Bhus-san were chatting happily.


    It seems that these two get along just fine.


    Then we each sat down with moderate space between us.


    ¡¸So, let¡¯s start with a little information exchange.¡¹


    Sebas-san said, and put his index finger on his chin.


    ¡¸Hmm, let¡¯s see. On January 7, Allen went on a rampage in the Holy Ronelia Empire. Are you interested in knowing whom the top brass of the Empire ced the ¡°responsibility¡± on?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­!! Yes, please tell me!¡¹


    It has constantly been on my mind since that incident.


    ¡¸In conclusion, all the crimes were ced on you. Destroying the wedding between Sie Arcstria and Numero Dn, and cutting down the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle, Gregor Ash. When you escaped, you took down a majority of the members of the ck Organization, including Zack Bomber. The worst incident in the history of the Empire, and its mastermind is Allen Rodore. The other swordsmen around him are nothing more than just tag alongs. That is what I directly reported to His Majesty the Emperor. That wouldn¡¯t be a problem, is it?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, thank you very much.¡¹


    The one who wanted to rescue the president no matter the consequences, rejected Clown-san¡¯s strong opposition, and put the n into motion, was all me


    Naturally, all of that responsibility is something I should bear.


    (Thank goodness.)


    Ria, Rose, Lilim-senpai, and Ferris-senpai, who followed me to the middle of the enemy country, wouldn¡¯t have to face any more problems. I am truly relieved.


    (Right now we have be enemies, but¡­)


    I can only feel thankfulness towards Sebas-san for reporting that.


    ¡¸Fuu, I knew you would surely say that.¡¹


    Heughed as if somewhat astonished.


    ¡¸Bararara! Interesting! How interesting, kid! I thought you were a very timid guy because of your gentle and meek face. But to think you had that kind of balls! I never thought you could pull off such a bold thing! Barararararara!¡¹


    Bhus-sanughed greatly for some reason and kept patting me on the back.


    And, once the report on the political marriage waspleted,


    ¡¸Well, there is one more ¡°important¡± thing. Is that okay?¡¹


    Sebas-san looked at me with a strange expression.


    ¡¸What is it?¡¹


    ¡¸His Majesty the Emperor has a high assessment of Allen¡¯s skill as a swordsman. So what I am trying to say is I would like to invite you into the ck Organization. Into the seat of the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle. What do you say?¡¹


    Sebas-san brought up an unthinkable proposal.

 Chapter 275 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [46]

    Chapter 275. Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [46]


    Sebas-san asked me to join the ck Organization out of nowhere.


    ¡¸Emperor Burrell Ronelia¡­ wants me?¡¹


    ¡¸Aa, yes. The Emperor has a very high evaluation of Allen ¨C your honed swordsmanship, young age of fifteen, hidden potential, and, above all, the spirit core inside you that has disyed overwhelming strength ¡°beyond phantom spirits¡±. In fact, His Majesty directly said, ¡°He still seems to be undeveloped at the moment, but he is a man who can reach the seat of Four Knights in the future.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­That¡¯s quite a high praise.¡¹


    It is rather unpleasant when praised by your enemy¡¯s boss.


    ¡¸Fuu, that¡¯s natural, isn¡¯t it? After all, you took down three of the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle ¨C Fu Rudras, Rain d, and Gregor Ash ¨C all on your own. Moreover, you escaped from Belios Castle located in the centre of the Empire without suffering any casualty. Your name is now known all throughout the Empire.¡¹


    He continued further.


    ¡¸Joining the Holy Ronelia Empire wouldn¡¯t be a bad deal for Allen either, you know? In that country, power is justice. A swordsman of your caliber can umte wealth, fame, and power. So, won¡¯t you join us?¡¹


    Sebas extended his right hand for a handshake.


    (Joining the ck Organization, huh.)


    That¡¯s not even a funny joke.


    ¡¸I am very sorry, but I am going to have to refuse. There is no chance of me defecting to the Empire.¡¹


    ck Organization is the worst criminal organization that brings fear and chaos to this peaceful world.


    I will never swing this sword of mine for them even if heaven and earth were turned upside down.


    And when I rejected with resolve,


    ¡¸Yes, I guess so. I think that¡¯s better for Allen, too.¡¹


    Sebas-san pulled back his extended hand and smiled with no hint of disappointment.


    ¡¸You gave up quite easily.¡¹


    I thought it woulde down to crossing swords, but¡­


    Apparently, there is no worry about that.


    ¡¸Well, of course. I knew you wouldn¡¯t join us from the start. But I also have my ¡°position¡±. If His Majesty orders me, then I have toe all the way to Cherin and solicit Allen.¡¹


    Sebas-san shrugged his shoulders and muttered,¡¸Yare yare daze¡­¡¹


    It seems that he has his own troubles to take care of.


    ¡¸Well, that¡¯s the end of my story. Now it¡¯s Allen¡¯s turn.¡¹


    Sebas-san leaned forward slightly and took a more serious look.


    (Come to think of it¡­ Before we started, he said ¡°information exchange¡±)


    Perhaps there is information that he really wants to hear from me.


    ¡¸What is it that you would like to know?¡¹


    Is it regarding the 100 Million Years button? Or is it the hermit of time? Or something else entirely¡­?


    When I gulped with tension,


    ¡¸Fuu, that¡¯s obvious, isn¡¯t it?¡¹


    Sebas-san smiled boldy.


    ¡¸What I want to know is¡­ How did the president spend her days after I disappeared?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­Ah, I see.¡¹


    Which reminds me, this person was wholeheartedly devoted to the president.


    I exhaled a deep sigh.

 Chapter 276 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [47]

    Chapter 276. Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [47]


    Then I talked about the president¡¯s ¡°daily life¡± while keeping in mind her privacy.


    At the regr lunch meeting, everyone brings their own lunch boxes and engages in lively conversations.


    After sses, she happily spends time with Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai.


    Recently, she has been dropping by the practice-swing club from time to time, and practices her swordsmanship seriously.


    ¡¸Well, that¡¯s about how the president spends her time.¡¹


    ¡¸I see. I am most d to hear that.¡¹


    Sebas-san nodded with satisfaction, nostalgia in his eyes.


    He seemed happy, yet sad at the same time.


    He must be happy to learn that his former friends are doing well as they¡¯ve been doing so far. But alsoment that he can¡¯t return to that warm circle anymore.


    It is aplicated expression with various feelings mixed in.


    (Why on earth did Sebas-san join the ck Organization?)


    If he cares so much about the president, then he should just wield the sword for her.


    He is powerful enough to climb to the position of Emperor¡¯s Four Knights.


    (I¡¯m sure there must be ¡°circumstances beyond his control¡±.)


    Thirteen Knights of the Oracle seem to have a ¡°wish¡± that they want to fulfill even at the cost of joining the ck Organization.


    Fu Rudras wants to know what lies at the end of the world, beyond the ¡°World Waterfall¡±.


    Rain d wished to help Serena, who was afflicted by the curse of the rain.


    Sebas Chandler¡­ I wonder what his wish is.


    When I was thinking about that,


    ¡¸Naa, Allen¡­ Is there anything else? A time when the president cried, orughed, or maybe got angry over something. Anything at all is fine. It doesn¡¯t matter how trivial it may be.¡¹


    Sebas-san asked desperately.


    ¡¸Hmm¡­ Oh,e to think of it, something like this happened¡­¡¹


    If I remember correctly, it was during a certain lunch break when the graduation ceremony was right around the corner.


    As usual, we were all gathered at the regr lunch party, and suddenly the student council room door swung open and a male student entered.


    He told out loud that the third-year students are about to graduate soon, and he fell for the president at first sight, and that he wanted to go out with her on the assumption of marriage.


    In summary, it was a confession of love to the president.


    The result was an utter rejection, with the president saying¡¸I am sorry. I have someone else I like.¡¹


    ¡¸At that time, I was really surprised. It was the first time I¡¯ve seen a love confession.¡¹


    The moment I told that story,


    ¡¸Who in the hell was that scum?!¡¹


    His handsome face distorted, and the ¡°pressure¡± he gave off made the hair on my body stand on end.


    An extraordinary killing intent full of hatred and resentment.


    (This is?!)


    I was exposed to the exact same ¡°negative emotions¡± just the other day.

 Chapter 277 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [48]

    Chapter 277 Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [48]


    ¡¸Hou, this guy is quite the thing.¡¹


    Even Bhus-san himself went on guard due to the strong killing intent emanating from Sebas-san.


    (As expected, the Emperor¡¯s Four Knights are on a whole different level.)


    The ¡°pressure¡± was several times heavier than any of the 13 Knights of the Oracle I have faced.


    (For now, shall I make sure?)


    I cleared my throat and called out timidly.


    ¡¸Excuse me¡­ Sebas-san, did you perhaps direct your killing intent towards me at the uninhabited ind behind the Hundred Million Year Sakura Blossom?¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, you mean at that time. You hugged the president when she identally tripped over a pebble.¡¹


    He muttered, and held his head with his trembling hands.


    ¡¸I was so jealous and envious when you were touching the president and I just couldn¡¯t forgive you! Despite being on a tailing mission, my killing intent identally leaked out!¡¹


    Sebas-san scratched his head violently and raised his voice almost like a scream.


    ¡¸I-Is that right¡­¡¹


    It seems that the killing intent which I felt at that time was indeed his.


    (But well, it¡¯s a relief for the time being.)


    The unknown figure lurking in Cherin was Sebas-san. And his purposes were to talk about recruiting me into the ck Organization and to exchange information.


    In other words, there is no immediate danger at present.


    (Of course, I can¡¯tpletely let down my guard, but¡­)


    It would be alright even if I am not at full guard at all times


    When Sebas-san calmed down, we left the sauna room.


    After that, we took a quick shower in the washing ce, and finally soaked in a cold bath.


    (Ahhh¡­ This is it¡­ This is amazing!)


    The cold sensation spread through my hot body.


    The open pores of my skin tightened, and an intense sense of exhration ran throughout my whole body.


    (Sauna and cold bath, huh. This is the first time I¡¯ve experienced it as a set, but I think this is going to be a habit.)


    When we return to Ringard, let¡¯s try it at the Thousand de Academy¡¯s public bath.


    After enjoying the cold bath, it was time for the main hot spring.


    An open-air bath with a rock garden filled with the atmosphere of nature.


    A clear and transparent hot spring sprang up in that ce.


    I slowly dipped my foot into the bathtub while taking in the sight of sakura blossom petals floating in the bathtub.


    ¡¸Aah, yes¡­.¡¹


    My voice naturally leaked out when I submerged upto my shoulder.


    (The temperature is just perfect.)


    From toe to thigh, from thighs to torso, from torso to every end of the body.


    A soft, powerful ¡°warmth¡± spread. It warmed even the core of my body.


    ¡¸Indeed, this is out of this world.¡¹


    Sebas-san muttered, with a captivated expression.


    ¡¸Bararararara¡­ Indeed, the hot spring here is the best.¡¹


    Bhus-san stretched out his big body and closed his eyes partially.


    Sitting around in a very pleasant atmosphere, we naturally started talking about our life stories.


    I shared about the hard but fulfilling peasant life in Goza Vige.


    Sebas-san shared the culture and customs of the Holy Ronelia Empire, as well as the system of the ck Organization and the authority given to the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle and the Four Knights directly under the Emperor.


    Bhus-san shared about the delicacies and famous sake that he found on his travels during his warrior path, as well as rare soul dress abilities that he had seen so far.


    Our stories, each of which were quite different to each other, were very exciting.

 Chapter 278 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [49]

    Chapter 278. Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [49]


    About 30 minutes have passed since we dipped into the hot spring. The skin of my hands became a little pruney.


    ¡¸Well then, it¡¯s about time I got out¡¹.


    Sebas-san said, and stood up slowly so as not to make waves in the bathtub.


    ¡¸Thank you for sharing a lot of stuff.¡¹I said.


    Sebas-san called it ¡°small talk¡±, and shared various confidential information with me.


    The Emperor¡¯s Four Knights are upied with the mission assigned by Barrel Roneria, which is the capture of Phantom Spirits, and cannot afford to interfere in other matters for a while.


    On the other hand, there are many Thirteen Knights of the Oracle who are without missions, and were seen making some suspicious movements, so I was advised to be careful.


    And also Dodriel, who is paranoid about me, is currently striving to learn the ¡°True Soul Dress¡±.


    I obtained a lot of useful information.


    ¡¸Hmm, don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s just a small thank you for looking after the president.¡¹Sebas-san said, and smiled gently.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s cross swords next time, Sebas yo!¡¹Bhus-san thrust his right hand out of the bathtub and grinned fiercely.


    ¡¸Ah, ahaha¡­ I pray we won¡¯t have that opportunity.¡¹


    Sebas-san waved his hand with a bitter smile, and for some reason, he turned to the opposite side of the dressing room.


    (Hmm?)


    There is only a tall wooden fence over there. The cliff wall which separates the men¡¯s bath and the women¡¯s bath.


    (No way¡­)


    Although I had a bad feeling, I decided to see what he would do.


    The next moment, Sebas-san started climbing the cliff quickly.


    ¡¸H-Hey¡­ What on earth are you doing!?¡¹I hurriedly called out.


    ¡¸What¡­ isn¡¯t it obvious? Sneak a peek at the president¡¯s beautiful naked body.¡¹


    He said the worst thing with a cool face.


    ¡¸P-Peep? If the president finds out about this, it won¡¯t end with a simple scolding, you know!?¡¹


    I¡¯m sure she won¡¯t ever speak with him again.


    ¡¸You don¡¯t have to worry about that. Concealing presence is my forte, you see. I¡¯ll never get caught.¡¹Sebas-san replied with something irrelevant and resumed climbing the wall.


    ¡¸Wait.¡¹Bhus-san¡¯s low and deep voice echoed.¡¸My cute granddaughter is beyond that wall. I can¡¯t overlook such tomfoolery.¡¹He stood up slowly, sharpening his big eyes like a de.


    ¡¸¡¸¡­¡¹¡¹


    Unusual anger and killing intent encroached the space. Sebas-san and I involuntarily gulped.


    And the next moment,


    ¡¸And above all, I will be the one who gets to peep on those beautiful babes!¡¹Bhus-san, the lustful man, said those unbelievable words.


    ¡¸Even if you are the ¡°Immortal Bhus¡±, I can¡¯t let you see the president naked.¡¹


    ¡¸Hou¡­ If you¡¯re going to bare your fangs at me, then this won¡¯t end without blood, you know?¡¹


    ¡¸Unfortunately, there are some things I can never overlook.¡¹


    The two were about to start a serious fight over the worst thing, ¡°Who gets to look into the women¡¯s bath?¡±


    (Incredible killing intent¡­ these two are serious.)


    sh of two of the best swordsmen in the world.


    Normally, I should evacuate to a safe ce.


    (But this time, I also have to fight.)


    Beyond that wall is not only the president and Rose, but also Ria.


    (Whether Sebas-san wins or Bhus-san wins¡­ the result is the same. Either one will definitely look into the women¡¯s bath.)


    The only way to prevent the worst result is to ovee both of them!


    ¡¸Wait a minute! I can¡¯t let you two see Ria naked!¡¹


    While the spine freezing killing intents were dominating the whole ce, I stood up as a ¡°third force¡±.

 Chapter 279 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [50]

    Chapter 279. Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [50]


    I rose up as a third force to prevent the criminal acts of Sebas-san and Bhus-san.


    ¡¸Oh, I¡¯m a little surprised that Allen wants to join the peeping¡­ Are you aiming for Ria Vesteria?¡¹


    ¡¸Hou, kid, you have eyes for that blonde beauty, huh! You still have a pure innocent face¡­ but I guess you are also a ¡°man¡± now!¡¹


    The two of them turned their eyes towards me with curiosity.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t get me wrong. I don¡¯t want to look into the girls¡¯ bath. I just.. I just don¡¯t want other guys to see Ria naked.¡¹


    ¡¸Hmm, I see¡­ A very straightforward answer as expected from Allen.¡¹


    ¡¸Bararara! You seem to be quite in love, don¡¯t you!¡¹


    Then Bhus-san and I got up from the bathtub, and Sebas-san jumped off the wooden fence.


    ¡¸If we went all out, this whole area would be turned into an emptynd. Then it will no longer be a problem of peeping or not peeping. So, why not do it this way?¡¹


    Sebas-san took out three mops from the cleaning tool box and threw one to each of us.


    ¡¸The field range is only within the men¡¯s baths. The use of soul dress is prohibited. If your mop breaks, it is an immediate defeat. Any objection on the rules?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, I don¡¯t mind.¡¹


    ¡¸I have no objection. Whether it¡¯s a sword, a mop, or a tree branch, I¡¯m not gonna lose to greenhorns like you two!¡¹Bhus-san said.


    When the rules were decided, we each readied our stance.


    Three men with just a white towel wrapped around their waist ring at each other with a mop in hand.


    (This may look strange from an outsider¡¯s perspective.)


    But this is an unmistakable serious match.


    Losing focus for even for a moment will lead to immediate defeat.


    The stare off continued for 10 seconds, 20 seconds, and the moment when a sakura blossom petal fell through our center, we started moving at the same time.


    ¡¸Eighth Sword ¨C Yatagarasu!¡¹


    ¡¸Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style ¨C Evening Sakura!¡¹


    ¡¸Absolute Sword ¨C Purple Thrust!¡¹


    Eight consecutive attacks, a sh, and a thrust collided violently.


    A tremendous impact ran through my body with a stupidlyrge sound.


    ¡¸Kuh!¡¹


    From mop to arm, from arm to foot, from foot to ground.


    I let the impact flow down and managed to prevent the mop from being damaged.


    ¡¸As expected of the ¡°Inhuman¡± and the ¡°Immortal¡±¡­ It seems that I¡¯m at a slight disadvantage in regards to raw strength without my soul dress.¡¹


    Sebas-san had a pained look on his face and desperately flowed the shock to the ground.


    ¡¸Bararara! I intended to break both your mops with that attack, but you survived!¡¹


    Bhus-san swung his scratchless mop, carefreely.


    (Bhus-san is skillful, after all!)


    Hepletely saw through Yatagarasu and Purple Thrust and released Evening Sakura in a diagonal direction as if to disperse the two other techniques¡¯ power.


    The result of the first move can be said to be Bhus-san¡¯s one-man win.


    (The 16th sessor of Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style, Bhus Valencia.)


    As expected, in terms of pure swordsmanship, Bhus-san is a cut about the both of us.

 Chapter 280 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [51]

    Chapter 280. Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [51]


    After that, our battle was fierce.


    ¡¸Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style ¨C Consecutive Sakura sh!¡¹


    Bhus-san, who excels in both strength and skill, continued to deliver fierce shes without mercy.


    On the other hand, Sebas-san, who was inferior in strength, and I, who was inferior in skill, while somehow oveing Bhus-san¡¯s onught,unched counterattacks whenever opportunity presented itself.


    ¡¸Kuh¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Seventh Sword ¨C Instant sh!¡¹


    Defend the attack, and then counterattack.


    Although the offense and defense were jumbled up, no one was able tond the ¡°decisive hit¡±.


    (The reason why none of us cannd the decisive blow¡­ is because of the mops.)


    Perhaps because having been used for many years, or because it has sucked too much water, the mops were terribly fragile. Even the slightest mishandling will break it immediately.


    (And this scaffolding is slippery due to water¡­)


    Because of that, I couldn¡¯t make full use of my weight in my attacks.


    In such a state, failure tond the decisive hit is inevitable.


    And every time we crossed swords, Sebas-san and Bhus-san¡¯splexion got worse and worse.


    (Shit, I have to settle this match quickly.) (Sebas)


    (Gununu, things will get bad at this rate.) (Bhus)


    Meanwhile,


    (Alright, this is a good pace!)


    I was steadily heading towards victory step by step.


    There is a ¡°special victory condition¡±, which is a ¡°time limit¡± in this battle.


    When we arrived at Sakura Drop Spring, Bhus-san said:


    ¡¾It¡¯s 4pm right now, so¡­ let¡¯s meet in front of the store around 5:30pm.¡¿


    In other words, the time we would be spending in Sakura Drop Spring is an hour and a half at best.


    (We washed our bodies, took a sauna, cold bath, and enjoyed talking about our stories while taking a bath in the hot spring.)


    By my estimate, one hour has already passed.


    Considering the time to change clothes and dry the hair, the time left for Ria and the others to spend in the hot spring is about fifteen or so minutes.


    (If I can draw out this match till the time limit, the girls would have already left the women¡¯s bath!)


    Sebas-san and Bhus-san¡¯s evil plot wille to nothing.


    (This pace should be fine.)


    Don¡¯t attack deeply, but don¡¯t go too much into the defensive.


    If I maintain this well-bnced offense and defense situation, I will win!


    Then I continued that pace and stalled for ¡°three minutes¡±.


    ¡¸Damnit! Absolute Sword ¨C Red Light sh!¡¹


    ¡¸Gununu, Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style ¨C Evening Sakura!¡¹


    Impatience appeared in the eyes of the two, and their attacks gave off a bitter vibe.


    I quickly cut down the two approaching diagonal shes and jumped back greatly.


    When the victory was just around the corner,


    ¡¸¡­Bhus-san, why don¡¯t we join forces?¡¹


    Sebas said something ridiculous.

 Chapter 281 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [52]

    Chapter 281. Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [52]


    ¡¸What?¡¹


    Bhus-san raised his eyebrows and frowned at Sebas-san¡¯s proposal.


    It was obviously a strong rejection.


    ¡¸Please think calmly. If I or you win, both our wishes will be fulfilled. However, if this ¡°Monster of Reason¡± Allen wins, no one will benefit! No one will get to peep! This whole fight bes pointless! In that case, why don¡¯t we both join hands and crush him!?¡¹Sebas-san enthusiastically said, gesturing with his hands.


    (T-This guy¡­ Just how much does he want to see the president naked¡­)


    To satisfy his desires, he even abandoned his pride as a swordsman.


    His single-minded honest motives made me even feel awe.


    (But it¡¯s useless.)


    The fight between swordsmen is a serious match. Two-on-one and such is just absurd.


    It is probably best known to Bhus-san, who has been at the forefront as a swordsman for over 200 years.


    No matter how strongly he is persuaded, his pride as a swordsman won¡¯t allow such cowardly means.


    ¡¸Hmm, maybe there is some truth to what you say.¡¹


    ¡¸Ba, Bhus-san!?¡¹


    I overestimated his pride too much.


    ¡¸T-The fight between swordsmen is a serious match¡­ you know that right!?¡¹


    I desperately appealed to the conscience of those two as fellow swordsmen.


    However,


    ¡¸Of course, I know that. But think about it. What we¡¯re holding right now is not a de, just a mop. As long as we don¡¯t have swords, it does not count as a ¡°fight between swordsmen¡±.¡¹Bhus-san said.


    ¡¸Yes. This is a ¡°fight between men¡±, so to speak. There is no cowardice and such here. Only winners and losers. That¡¯s all!¡¹


    My voice did not reach them.


    Sebas-san and Bhus-san did not suffer from a guilty conscience, but, rather, challenged it.


    ¡¸T-That¡¯s just chop logic!¡¹I eximed.


    No matter how much you justify it, this is just absurd.


    ¡¸No more questions! Let¡¯s go, Allen!¡¹


    ¡¸Bararara! How the tables have turned!¡¹


    The two of them, driven by their vulgar desires, closed the distance in one step.

 Chapter 282 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [53]

    Chapter 282. Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [53]


    Sebas Chandler, one of the Emperor¡¯s Four Knights.


    Bhus Valencia, once hailed as the strongest swordsman in the world.


    Two of the world¡¯s leading swordsmen joined hands just to peep into the women¡¯s bath.


    ¡¸HAAAAAA!¡¹


    ¡¸NUUOOO!¡¹


    They aligned their movements andunched fierce attacks.


    ¡¸Guh!¡¹


    I somehow endured the violent storm of attacks by dodging, parrying, and sidestepping.


    ¡¸As expected of an inhuman, what unbelievable tenacity¡­ But how about this?!¡¹


    Sebas-san swung his mop vigorously, and shot seven shes into the air.


    ¡¸Kuh! First Sword ¨C Flying Shadow x7!¡¹


    At an instant¡¯s judgement, I fired seven consecutive flying shes.


    Within a fraction of a second, the 7 Flying Shadow and the 7 Rainbow shes collided violently, and a strong shock wave flowed.


    (It seems that I managed to offset it safely.)


    The moment I was feeling relieved,


    ¡¸Absolute Sword ¨C Purple Thrust!¡¹


    ¡¸Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style ¨C Sakura sh!¡¹


    Sebas-san and Bhus-san, without a moment¡¯s dy, unleashed the fastest attack thus far. The speed of those attacks was exactly what you would call ¡°Godly Speed¡±.


    (Too fast! Defending will break my mop¡­ Dodging, impossible.)


    Undefendable, unavoidable. A critical situation with no escape.


    ¡¸It¡¯s our win!¡¹


    ¡¸You held out this long against the both of us! I truly apud your sharpened swordsmanship!¡¹Bhus-san said.


    The two were convinced of the victory.


    (I really wanted to ¡°prepare¡± a little more, but in this situation it can¡¯t be helped.)


    I sighed in my heart and decided to unleash my ¡°trump card¡±.


    ¡¸Second Sword ¨C Hazy Moon.¡¹


    As I swiftly scythed down the mop to my side, the sh that I had installed in that space in advance was released.


    That sh triggered another sh, which triggered another. Resulting in a chain reaction of shes.


    ¡¸W-Wha!¡¹


    ¡¸This¡­!¡¹


    An omnidirectional ¡°barrier of shes¡± bared its fangs at Sebas-san and Bhus-san.

 Chapter 283 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [54]

    Chapter 283. Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [54]


    The Second Sword, Hazy Moon, which I had been carefully preparing so far, swallowed Sebas-san and Bhus-san.


    (Okay, it worked!)


    In the space where Hazy Moon was installed, a slight deviation ¨C an ¡°air gap¡± will be created.


    Normally, two top-notch swordsmen would not miss them.


    (However, this battle is in a very special environment.)


    The floor is wet with water and provides little friction.


    Differing from an iron sword, we are using a light and long wooden stick.


    Our bodies were soaked in the sauna, cold bath, and spring bath.


    In such an environment, it is difficult to exert the usual keen sense.


    (And the best part is the steam which constantly rises from the hot spring.)


    This obscures the air gap, which allowed me to prepare a considerable number of shes.


    (Did that get them?)


    My ¡°storm of shes¡± was suddenly torn apart from the inside by the maximum number of shes.


    ¡¸Fuu, that really scared me. You pretended to stall for time, and were preparing this hidden attack, huh¡­ You¡¯re a really alert man, aren¡¯t you, Allen?¡¹Sebas-san said.


    ¡¸You hid shes in the space, huh¡­ It was a splendid attack that made full use of the special environment of the bathhouse! If there had been ¡°thirty¡± more shes, it might have been my defeat. What a cunning way of fighting for a young blood!¡¹Bhus-san said.


    Both their bodies were engraved with a number of shallow wounds.


    However, the two mops held in their hands were still intact.


    (Damn, I failed to finish them off.)


    Unfortunately, Hazy Moon was broken just before it could defeat them.


    (I don¡¯t have any more hidden cards.)


    After this, I have no choice but to endure both of their onught and pursue the ¡°time out¡± winning condition.


    (Ah¡­ I wonder why this happened¡­)


    I calmed myself down and nced to the right.


    The wall that separates the men¡¯s and women¡¯s baths.


    Beyond that wall, Ria, Rose, President, Lilim-senpai, and Ferris-senpai must be soaking in the warm hot spring.


    (Ria, are you having fun?)


    The men¡¯s bath is hell.


    I came here to heal the tiredness of my training, but for some reason I ended up in a match against one of the Emperor¡¯s Four Knights and the former strongest swordsman in the world.


    Honestly, this is much tougher than my training.


    (But I can¡¯t whine¡­)


    I only have to hold on for a short while longer.


    A little bit longer and Ria and the others will leave the hot spring.


    And then Sebas-san and Bhus-san¡¯s evil plot will be thwarted.


    I took a deep breath and assumed the Seigan no Kamae stance.


    ¡¸Now then, only about five minutes still left¡­ It¡¯s now the final act.¡¹


    ¡¸Kid, it¡¯s about time to finish this.¡¹Bhus-san said.


    The two readied their stances with an extremely serious expression.


    ¡¸Bring it on!¡¹


    In this way, I faced the final battle to protect Ria.

 Chapter 284 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [55]

    Chapter 284. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [55]


    Only five minutes left until the girls would get out of the hot spring.


    For me, who had swung a sword for more than a billion years, it was such a short time that would pass in the blink of an eye.


    However,


    ¡¸HAAAAAA!¡¹


    ¡¸NUOOOO!¡¹


    Now that I was caught between two of the world¡¯s best swordsmen, those five minutes felt like forever.


    ¡¸Damn¡­¡¹


    My body was carved with a number of sword wounds and red-ck bruises.


    (Endure, endure¡­)


    These wounds are only temporary, after all.


    When the battle is over, I can heal it with darkness immediately.


    (The only thing I have to do right now is to protect Ria from being peeped on! To achieve that, I just have to protect this mop from breaking!)


    For that purpose, I will attack with all my heart!


    ¡¸I won¡¯t lose yet! Sixth Sword ¨C Dark Roar!¡¹


    The Dark Roar that I unleashed with all my strength bared its fangs.


    ¡¸Kuh, you still have this much power, huh¡­¡¹


    ¡¸You just won¡¯t fall, will ya?¡¹


    Sebas-san and Bhus-san interrupted their attacks temporarily and focused on cutting down the Dark Roar.


    I took advantage of the short moment when their attacks stopped.


    ¡¸Eighth Sword ¨C Yatagarasu!¡¹


    ¡¸Kuh!¡¹


    ¡¸Nuu!¡¹


    Sebas-san and Bhus-san deflected the eight shes, and took half a step back.


    (That¡¯s exactly what I was aiming for!)


    The two are now hesitant.


    After deflecting Yatagarasu, instead of immediately counterattacking, they took half a step back.


    This is definitely because of my previous ¡°brutal counter¡± called Hazy Moon.


    (Sebas-san and Bhus-san don¡¯t know if I have any more cards up my sleeve.)


    Actually, I had no more cards left up my sleeve.


    However, only I knew that fact.


    From their perspective, it would seem like I might still have some hidden cards.


    (The strongest tactic when ying cards ¨C ¡°Bluff¡±!)


    I went on the offensive in order to make them wary of the ¡°non-existent trump card¡± and prevent them from realizing that I was ¡°out of cards¡±.


    (Because there lies the threat of a ¡°counter¡±, Sebas-san and Bhus-san cannotunch a drastic attack!)


    Therefore, I must never go on the defensive.


    If I want to stall for time, I have to keep pressing forward with a fearless smile!


    (And I¡¯m getting used to it little by little.)


    Sebas-san¡¯s Absolute Sword and Bhus-san¡¯s Sakura-Blossom One-Sword Style.


    While watching their techniques and movements many times, I gradually became more efficient in responding to them.


    (I can understand. I can see it. Their breathing rhythm, the movement of their muscles!)


    Because we were all fighting half-naked, I was able to clearly observe the ¡°muscle movements¡± of Sebas-san and Bhus-san.


    The eyes speak more than the mouth.


    Simrly, the body speaks more than the sword.


    By looking at their muscle movements, I can see the ¡°movement of the sword¡± which is a few seconds in the future.


    Thinking about it, this is like a ¡°simted battle¡± where I can learn a lot of lessons.


    (Anyway, keep to this pace! If I continue at this pace, I¡¯ll be able to pass the remaining time!)


    In this way, I was steadily advancing to the path of victory step by step while grasping a certain feeling of growth.

 Chapter 285 - . Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [56]

    Chapter 285. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [56]


    Sebas-san sighed loudly when the remaining time was less than three minutes.


    ¡¸I didn¡¯t imagine that you would be able to respond to our swordsmanship in this short amount of time¡­ I¡¯m totally astounded by your ¡®adaptive ability¡¯, Allen.¡¹


    He released his stance and shrugged his shoulders with a troubled look.


    ¡¸Did you give up on peeping into the women¡¯s bath?¡¹


    ¡¸No way! I will never ¡°give up¡± on the president! I¡¯ll be with her forever and ever until this life of mine is exhausted!¡¹


    ¡¸Is that so¡­¡¹


    That is quite an incredible resolve, but from the president¡¯s point of view, this would be nothing but an annoyance.


    ¡¸That said¡­ I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to bring you down in such a short time with just frontal attacks. It¡¯s about time I reveal the ace up my sleeve.¡¹


    There was a sharp glint in Sebas-san¡¯s eyes as he cracked his neck.


    (I¡¯m guessing he is going to use the ¡°Secret Technique¡± of Absolute Sword.)


    I swallowed my spit, and raised my guard to the maximum.


    ¡¸Secret Technique ¨C Big Tubs!¡¹


    He grabbed a number of wooden tubs ced in the washroom and threw them at me at high speed.


    No matter how you look at it, it¡¯s a technique that he just came up with.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t make secret techniques out of improvisations!¡¹


    The wooden tubs approached while rotating at high speed. I tried to cut them down in one sh. But¨C


    ¡¸Th-This is?!¡¹


    One of the ten wooden tubs which were flung at me contained soapy water.


    (Creating soapy water in that short instance of a moment¡­ What unbelievable craftiness!)


    The soapy water scattered in all directions, sshing on my face.


    ¡¸Shit, my eyes¡­¡¹


    My view became blurry.


    ¡¸Well done, Sebas! Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style ¨C Sakura sh!¡¹


    Bhus-san unleashed the final blow to avoid missing this opportunity.


    ¡¸What the!¡¹Bhus-san eximed.


    I relied on the sound of the mop shing the air to determine the exact position of the thrust, and took a big backstep to avoid it.


    ¡¸Is this guy a wild beast!?¡¹


    ¡¸But his posture is now broken!¡¹Sebas-san shouted.


    I managed to avoid the Sakura sh, but in that short moment when I jumped back into the air, Sebas-san quickly threw two soap bars.


    The soap bars rushed across the wet floor at high speed and slipped exactly under mynding point.


    ¡¸Oh shit!!!¡¹


    Inded on the slippery soap bars. Unable to kill the momentum of the backstep, I slid across the room and crashed hard into the wall behind me.


    ¡¸O-Ouch¡­ that hurts¡­¡¹


    While removing the blocks of wood that were on me, I slowly raised my face.


    ¡¸A-Allen¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸W-W-Wha?!¡¹


    ¡¸~~!?¡¹


    I saw Ria, Rose, and the president, who were stark naked.

 Chapter 286 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [57]

    Chapter 286. Country of Sakura, Cherin and Seven Holy Swords [57]


    Ria hid her chest with the towel she had, Rose, who had nothing to cover herself with, crouched while hugging her body with her hands, and the president, who was taking a footbath, immediately jumped into the bathtub.


    (I can¡¯t believe this¡­)


    I mmed into the wooden wall due to the soap bars. And due to the impact, I seem to have been propelled into the women¡¯s bath.


    The three were so embarrassed that their cheeks were dyed bright red, as they red at me.


    (Crap!)


    Myplexion turned pale, as if all the blood in my body was drawn out.


    (This is¡­¡­¡­dangerous.)


    In my head, I was seeing something like a light in the sky which was calling to me.


    (My life has never been easy.)


    I was not blessed with talent, and even if I made an effort, there was no reward for it. At the Gran Swordsmanship Academy, I desperately endured three years of hell.


    And I was almost killed more than once.


    I have experienced more frustrations and hardships than an average person, and have run into various dangers.


    (But one thing I can affirm is¡­)


    Of the billion and fifteen years of my life, this moment is arguably the biggest crisis of my life.


    If I fail to persuade Ria and the other two, I will bebeled a ¡°Peeping Tom¡± and it will be the end of my social life forever.


    (At the same time, a dark and cold life will begin.)


    After several years have passed and I have sessfullypleted my prison sentence, the harsh reality of ¡°unemployed with a criminal record¡± will await me.


    And obviously, a criminal cannot be a Holy Knight.


    Instead of providing afortable life for my mother, I would just make her sad.


    (Keep calm and think calmly.)


    I mobilized the full capacity of my brain toe up with an excuse.


    ¡¸T-This¡­ is a misunderstanding! It¡¯s not what it looks like! Believe me¡­ I¡¯m not a peeping tom!¡¹


    The first thing to do is to deny it.


    It is necessary to dere clearly that my intention was not to see them naked.


    ¡¸This is an unexpected ident! Sebas-san and Bhus-san tried to peep into the women¡¯s bath, so I was fighting to prevent that! Look over there! You will find them holding a mop and bleeding!¡¹


    When I looked back, no one was in the men¡¯s bath.


    ¡¸Eh¡­¡­?¡¹


    There were no mops, no blood stains on the floor, and no broken wooden tubs.


    The men¡¯s bath was clean and serene.


    (T-Those guys¡­)


    Sebas-san and Bhus-san sensed the situation early, and abandoned me.


    Their unbelievable danger sensing ability and speed of escape¡­ that would usually amaze me, but at this moment, I was seething with fury.

 Chapter 287 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [58]

    Chapter 287. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [58]


    Sebas-san and Bhus-san dumped all responsibility and fault on me.


    (T-Those two are the worst¡­ This is unforgivable.)


    I was trembling with anger at having been abandoned by those two.


    ¡¸Hey, Allen¡­ this is the ¡°second time¡±, you know?¡¹


    Ria red at me, citing the ¡°first¡± incident that happened on the entrance ceremony day where I happened to see her naked by chance.


    ¡¸I-Indeed I conveyed that I liked you on Valentine¡¯s Day¡­ but this is a little too embarrassing. I¡¯m not mentally prepared for it¡­¡¹Rose muttered while crouching, slightly panicked.


    ¡¸I understand that you would be interested in things like these since you¡¯re a boy¡­ But peeping is wrong. I-If you ask p-properly, then I-I would¡­ y-you know¡­¡¹


    Submerged in the bathtub, the president repeatedly nced at me, blushing so red even to her ears.


    Apparently, my excuses were ineffective.


    (I guess it is only natural.)


    After all, there is only one ¡°evidence¡± here.


    Not only is there no physical evidence such as mops, blood stains, and shed wooden tubs, there is no circumstantial evidence, that is, Sebas-san or Bhus-san either.


    The only thing left is the ¡°distorted fact¡± which is, Allen Rodore suddenly jumped into the women¡¯s bath.


    (Eh? Isn¡¯t this checkmate?)


    The offender is Allen Rodore.


    The victims are Ria, Rose, and the president.


    As long as there is no evidence, there is no way to turn this situation around.


    The only way this is going to end is, I have to enter prison.


    (But I¡¯m innocent! I didn¡¯t do anything!)


    I fought desperately against one of the Emperor¡¯s Four Knights and the former world¡¯s strongest swordsman at the same time.


    It was all to protect Ria from those lechers.


    (And the result I got was the stigma of ¡°Peeping Tom¡±.)


    No. I have to try. I have to sit down with them and have a heart-to-heart talk.


    Ria, Rose, and the president. I have crossed swords with them over and over again.


    (These three might actually recognize the truth of my heart.)


    I decided to bet on that small possibility and tried to persuade them again.

 Chapter 288 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [59]

    Chapter 288. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [59]


    After that, we temporarily returned to the dressing room, got dressed, and then had a proper talk.


    We couldn¡¯t have had a proper discussion in that situation.


    If three beautiful girls were standing naked, even if it¡¯s me, I can¡¯t keep calm. I am also a man, after all.


    And even the girls would feel deeply embarrassed if seen naked by someone of the opposite sex.


    That¡¯s why we temporarily parted, and gathered again at the entrance of Sakura Drop at 5.30pm.


    The girls, wearing loose yukatas, seemed angry, embarrassed, and troubled all at once.


    Their slightly red cheeks is probably not because they just got out of the bath.


    (Well then, how do I start this conversation¡­)


    As I was thinking about that,


    ¡¸Damn, such an interesting incident happened while we were in the sauna¡­ Missing such an event of the spring training camp will forever leave a stain on the name Lilim Tsuorine!¡¹


    ¡¸I really want to see how embarrassed Sie looked at that moment, though¡­¡¹


    Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai shoulders¡¯ dropped disappointedly.


    It seems that the two of them were in the sauna room at the time.


    (I suppose this would be called a small fortune¡­)


    If these prankful senpais were there¡­ the situation probably would have be moreplicated.


    (Anyway, this is the crucial moment.)


    As Iposed my breathing and tried to broach the subject,


    ¡¸Puhaa! A bottle of sake right after a bath is the best!¡¹


    The main culprit, Bhus-san, was leaning on the trunk of a sakura tree in a tipsy state with a bottle of sake in hand.


    His ¡°not my problem¡± attitude made me quite angry.


    (No. Right now, I have to focus on solving this problem.)


    I resolved myself and looked straight into the women¡¯s eyes.


    ¡¸Ria, Rose, president¡­ I apologize for seeing you naked. I don¡¯t think apologizing fixes everything, but I do regret it. But, please believe me. It was an unexpected ident. I never intended to peek into the women¡¯s bath.¡¹


    Then I told them the full particrs of that incident.

 Chapter 289 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [60]

    Chapter 289. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [60]


    Then I told everyone what happened.


    Sebas-san suddenly appeared in the men¡¯s bath and started climbing the wooden wall to see the president naked. Bhus-san stopped him ¨C saying he can¡¯t allow Sebas-san to see Rose bathing naked, so he would be the one to look into the women¡¯s bath instead.


    Then, the two of them were arguing about ¡°who one would get to look into the women¡¯s bath¡± and it reached a critical situation.


    Obviously, I couldn¡¯t overlook a peep crime, so I immediately stood up as a third force.


    After that, a battle started with the rule that the use of soul dress is prohibited and if the mop breaks, it would mean that person¡¯s loss.


    Halfway through, the battle was in my advantage as the time was running out.


    But Sebas-san and Bhus-san joined hands, and I was immediately forced into a corner.


    I was hit by theirbined fierce attack, and I was blown away to the back; where I crashed into the wooden wall and unintentionally plunged into the women¡¯s bath.


    ¡¸I never had any ulterior motives or evil thoughts! Please believe me! It was truly an unexpected ident!¡¹I said, almost pleading.


    ¡¸Grandfather, are you still peeping even at that age?¡¹Rose asked, ring at Bhus-san.


    ¡¸¡­Huh? I wonder¡­ I¡¯ve been forgetting things a lottely, probably because of my age¡­ I don¡¯t remember it very well.¡¹


    Probably because he didn¡¯t want to lie to his precious granddaughter, Bhus-san yed dumb, using age as an excuse.


    ¡¸Haa¡­ I understand the situation. Allen, I totally believe what you say. And¡­ I¡¯m sorry. My grandfather has caused you a lot of trouble again.¡¹


    ¡¸R-Rose!¡¹


    Bing too emotional, I grabbed both her hands.


    ¡¸Thank you! Thank you for believing me¡­ Thank you so much!¡¹


    ¡¸O-Ok, I understand, but¡­ you¡¯re a little too close¡­¡¹


    I don¡¯t know why, but Rose¡¯s face turned red every passing second.


    (Anyway, I did it!)


    There are only two people left. If Ria and the president believe me, all the suspicions will clear up.

 Chapter 290 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [61]

    Chapter 290. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [61]


    Immediately after persuading Rose,


    ¡¸Allen, can youe here for a bit?¡¹


    Ria asked, looking straight into my eyes. Her clear azure eyes were very beautiful and contained a ¡°charm¡± that cannot be expressed in words.


    ¡¸Yes, what is it?¡¹


    ¡¸I just want to make sure¡­ Everything you said is the truth, right?¡¹she asked, tilting her neck.


    ¡¸Of course. As a swordsman ¨C no, as a man, I will never peep!¡¹


    I dered, looking straight into Ria¡¯s eyes.


    After a few moments passed,


    ¡¸I see. I believe you, Allen.¡¹


    She smiled gently, and let out a breath of relief.


    ¡¸Huh, really!?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, of course. Don¡¯t tell this to anyone else, but I ¨C the ¡°Vesteria royal family¡± has a certain ¡°power¡±.¡¹Ria whispered in a very quiet voice so that only I could hear it.


    ¡¸A certain ¡°power¡±?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. That is¡­ ¡°the power to spot lies¡±. If I focus my attention and look at the other person¡¯s eyes, I can intuitively know if that person is lying.¡¹


    She said, revealing her secret to me.

 Chapter 291 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [62]

    Chapter 291. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [62]


    I unconsciously held my breath when I heard Ria¡¯s secret.


    ¡¸The power to detect lies!?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, that¡¯s right. You can¡¯t tell anyone else, okay?¡¹she said, and smiled cutely.


    (If she really has that kind of power, I need to reconsider a few things.)


    The most pressing matter is April 1st, Ria¡¯s birthday. Which is in about a month.


    I am nning to give her a birthday present as a surprise.


    (If Ria can really see through lies, I need to be very careful.)


    If she suddenly asks ¡°Are you hiding something?¡±, I won¡¯t be able to deny it.


    If she does find out that I¡¯m hiding something, then she¡¯s going to start asking more questions, and eventually find out about my surprise present for her birthday.


    (I have to be very careful not to make any suspicious movements.)


    As I was thinking about that,


    ¡¸By the way¡­ ording to my father, this power is one of the ¡°special powers¡± that belonged to the woman who sealed Fafnir, that is, my distant ancestor. All the women in the Vesteria lineage are born with some mysterious power, it seems.¡¹


    Ria exined more about it.


    ¡¸I see, is that so¡­¡¹


    I once heard a story simr to that. I think it was in early January.


    It was when we invaded the Bel¨ªos Castle in the Holy Ronelia Empire and encountered one of the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle, Fu Rudras.


    Fu and I, unexpectedly, sat around at the same table and had a cup of tea together.


    (But, having a cup of tea in the enemy headquarters with one of the top executives¡­)


    Thinking back on it now, that was a very strange experience.


    At that time, he talked about the history of the Vesteria Kingdom.


    700 years ago, the primordial dragon king, Fafnir, suddenly appeared and burned the whole of Vesteria with its overwhelming power.


    At that time, Ria¡¯s ancestor, who was born in a distant foreign country, stood up against the dragon.


    She used the special power of her blood to seal Fafnir into her own womb.


    It has been handed down to the Vesteria royal family to this day, and is now the spirit core of Ria Vesteria.


    Comparing Ria and Fu¡¯s stories, it seems that there is no doubt that ¡°Vesteria family¡¯s female line¡± has a mysterious power.


    In other words, it must be true that Ria can ¡°see through lies¡±.

 Chapter 292 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [63

    <h4>292. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [63]</h4>


    Anyway, I managed to win Ria¡¯s trust, and now I turn to the ¡°final barrier¡±, Sie Arcstria.


    (The president is a strong opponent.)


    Rose knew that Bhus-san is a kind of a lecher and he has a criminal record for peeping.


    Ria was able to use her power to detect lies to determine the authenticity of my story.


    Both of them have ¡°grounds for believing in me¡±.


    (But the president doesn¡¯t have that.)


    How on earth do I capture this impregnable older sister?


    An indescribable air flowed between the two of us.


    (First, let¡¯s start with a conversation.)


    If we both remain silent, the situation will not improve.


    I should take the first step from here and break this stalemate.


    ¡¸Um¡­ president?¡¹


    As I mustered my courage and called out,


    ¡¸Yes. What is it, Allen-san?¡¹


    She adorably titled her neck, with a gentle smile on her face.


    (A, Allen-san?)


    She always called me Allen-kun, though¡­¡­.


    Apparently, due to this case, my favorability has plummeted to the ground.


    ¡¸Well, um¡­ as I said, it was not my intention to peep¨C¡¹


    ¡¸But you saw me naked, didn¡¯t you?¡¹


    The president made a sharp point while smiling softly.


    ¡¸T-That¡¯s¡­¡¹


    Certainly, as she says, I saw everything without leaving anything to imagination.


    (Since then, I desperately shook my head to try and forget that memory, but¡­)


    It is impossible to forget such a strong memory.


    ¡¸Onee-san does not think such perverted acts should be forgiven. Allen-san, for the reason of disgracing three maidens, you should atone for your sins in the dungeon of the Holy Knights Association.¡¹she said, and turned away from me.


    (T-This is bad¡­)


    The president is the daughter of the government¡¯s heavyweight, ¡°House Arcstria¡±.


    She has a surprisingly wide and deep connection with the Holy Knight Society.


    If she reports this case to the association¡­ I would be detained without any questions.


    ¡¸President, I feel extremely bad for seeing you naked. But it was not intentional at all! So, can you please forgive me this one time? I will do anything in my power¡­¡¹


    When I put my hands together in front of my face and desperately pleaded,


    ¡¸¡­Anything? You just said ¡°anything¡±, right?¡¹


    As if she was aiming for this very oue from the start, the corners of her lips curled up into a meaningful grin.

 Chapter 293 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [64]

    Chapter 293. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [64]


    Yes, I said ¡°anything¡±, but¡­


    ¡¸Well¡­ like I told everyone earlier, I don¡¯t have any money.¡¹


    Things that cost a lot are beyond my power.


    This may not be immediately apparent, but I¡¯m actually incredibly poor.


    If the president asks for jewelry or branded bags, that might be difficult to fulfil.


    ¡¸Fufu, you don¡¯t have to worry. That¡¯s not what I want.¡¹


    The president, who reverted to her usual way of speaking, raised her index finger in a very good mood.


    ¡¸Then what should I do?¡¹


    ¡¸About that¡­ Can you give me a ¡°pinky swear¡±?¡¹


    She stuck out the pinky of her right hand, while blushing.


    ¡¸Pinky swear?¡¹


    ¡¸T-That¡¯s right. I want you to make me a firm promise. That you will never lie to me, ever. Then I shall believe everything that Allen-kun says.¡¹


    ¡¸R-Really!?¡¹


    In the first ce, I do not lie to important people such as Ria, Rose, and the president.


    (Basically, the president wants assurance that she can trust me at all times no matter what!)


    I immediately entwined my pinky with her thin and soft pinky.


    ¡¸I promise. I will never lie to you for the rest of my life.¡¹


    I dered, looking straight into the president¡¯s eyes.


    ¡¸You promise, right? You can¡¯t lie to me for the rest of your life, right?¡¹


    Her face turned bright red as she emphasized the ¡°rest of your life¡± part.


    ¡¸Of course.¡¹


    ¡¸Onee-san might lie sometimes, so¡­ are you still okay with that?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, no problem.¡¹


    The president is a very kind person. She sometimes tells white lies, but never hurtful ones.


    ¡¸I-If you ever lie¡­ then you will have to swallow a thousand needles, okay?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, you can trust me.¡¹


    If I ever break this promise, I would swallow 2,000 needles if needed.


    ¡¸O-Okay, then. I will believe that everything Allen-kun said is true. And I¡¯ll forgive you this time for¡­ seeing me naked.¡¹


    ¡¸T-Thank you very much!¡¹


    In this way, I won the trust of the three girls, and finally was able to take a breath of relief.

 Chapter 294 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [65]

    Chapter 294. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [65]


    After clearing the false charges, we decided to return to the Arcstria vi, as it was gettingte.


    ¡¸The secret hot spring, Sakura Drop, was a really good experience¡­ The stiffness in my shoulders haspletely disappeared.¡¹


    The president said on the way back, lightly stretching her shoulders.


    ¡¸Yeah, it was really pleasant!¡¹


    ¡¸My whole body feels rxed, though!¡¹


    Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai immediately showed their support.


    ¡¸There are many hot springs in Vesteria as well, but not many can warm up the core of your body¡­ And even my skin feels smooth!¡¹


    ¡¸Fuu, I¡¯m d that everyone enjoyed it!¡¹


    Ria and Rose also seemed to be in a good mood.


    ¡¸Hey, Allen-kun. How about you? Was it good?¡¹


    The president asked, looking at me.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s see¡­¡¹


    The hot spring itself was definitely the best I¡¯ve ever had.


    (However, the incidents that ured in between were quite intense¡­)


    Crossing swords with two of the best swordsmen in the world, Bhus-san and Sebas-san, caused great physical fatigue. And mental exhaustion caused by walking a tightrope which could have resulted in having a ¡°peeping tom¡± criminal record.


    (In terms of plus and minus, honestly, this experience was an overwhelming minus.)


    It would not be pleasant if one personined while everyone else was having fun talking about the hot spring.


    ¡¸The open-air bath in a garden setting was incredible. The sauna and cold bath were especially the best.¡¹


    I said only that so as not to ruin the good atmosphere.


    (But I still don¡¯t understand¡­)


    I used Zeon¡¯s darkness topletely heal the wounds I suffered in the previous battle.


    (But how did Bhus-san heal?)


    He fell for my trap, Hazy Moon, and suffered sword wounds in various parts of his body.


    Even so¡­ when I met him at the dressing room, all his wounds were closed.


    (It seems that Bhus-san¡¯s soul dress is definitely a recovery-type, after all.)


    He has a body that has been affected by an incurable disease, but has persisted for over 200 years.


    Nevertheless, his appearance is in his mid-fifties, and his pure physical strength surpasses that of the one of the Emperor¡¯s Four Knights.


    The healing power to instantly heal any inflicted wound, and his nickname, ¡°Immortal Bhus¡±.


    Considering all of the above, there is no doubt that his ability is the power of a recovery-type.


    (The only thing I don¡¯t understand is his ability to create that tree¡­)


    He created a tree and built a bridge to go to and from the isted ind behind the Hundred Million Year Sakura.


    (His soul dress is probably not just a simple recovery-type. It must have something special.)


    An ability so powerful that Rose even called it an ¡°invincible soul dress¡±.


    I¡¯m sure it must be something extraordinary.


    I followed behind the group while thinking about Bhus-san¡¯s ability. And before I knew it, we had arrived at the Arcstria vi.

 Chapter 295 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [66]

    Chapter 295. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [66]


    After arriving at the Arcstria vi, we all enjoyed a delicious dinner together, gathered in one room to y cards and board games, and chatted on the terrace on the second floor as a cool breeze blew. I had a very calm and enjoyable time.


    Looking at the clock, the time was already 11:30pm. Since I will be learning Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style from Bhus-san tomorrow, it is necessary to get some rest.


    ¡¸Ara, it¡¯s already thiste¡­ I think we have to call it a night.¡¹


    The president said, as she looked at the clock at the same time as me.


    ¡¸What!? It¡¯s already past 11pm!?¡¹


    ¡¸W-We still haven¡¯t talked enough, though!?¡¹


    Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai eximed.


    Apparently, the three girls were absorbed in talking.


    ¡¸Ahaha. Time flies when you¡¯re having fun.¡¹


    ¡¸Exactly. When you¡¯re doing something boring, it feels like forever¡­¡¹


    Ria and Rose said, shrugging their shoulders a little.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s end today¡¯s fun here and continue tomorrow. I¡¯ll show everyone to their guest room. It¡¯s on the third floor. Please follow me.¡¹


    Then we followed the president and were assigned a very luxurious room each.


    ¡¸Wow, this is amazing.¡¹


    The walls were decorated with paintings, which you could tell are expensive at a nce.


    The room was furnished with a number of luxurious furnishings; a sofa that seems to be very expensive, a king-sized bed with borate decoration, and a beautiful dresser with solemn wood grain.


    A room which is more than something I deserve.


    ¡¸Fufu, I¡¯m d you¡¯re happy. Good night then, Allen-kun.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. Good night, president.¡¹


    We waved goodbye and parted in front of the room.


    After that, I quickly got ready to go to bed and sat on the bed.


    ¡¸Oh, this is good!¡¹


    The bed was soft and moderately bouncy.


    It reflexively reminded me of the bed in the world of the 100 Million Year Button.


    ¡¸*Yawn*¡­Time to sleep.¡¹


    I switched to indirect lighting and slowly closed my eyelid.


    Approximately ten minutes after that,


    ¡¸¡­Can¡¯t sleep.¡¹


    I tried sleeping in various positions such as lying on my side, lying on my back, lying on my belly, but I couldn¡¯t fall asleep at all.


    My heart just won¡¯t calm down.


    (Man, that was really amazing.)


    Even now, when I drop my eyelids, I remember the memory of that time vividly.

 Chapter 296 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [67]

    Chapter 296. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [67]


    [Seventh Sword ¨C Instant sh!] [Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style ¨C Consecutive Sakura sh!] [Absolute Sword ¨C Seven Rainbows shes!]


    Beautiful technique exchanges within fractions of a second, executed in a few millimeters of space, where even blinking would be a fatal mistake.


    (It was so fun ¡­)


    Fighting with both Sebas-san and Bhus-san was truly fun.


    (I feel a little unpleasant that I seem simr to Zeon who enjoys fighting, but¡­)


    The battle was so exciting that it didn¡¯t matter.


    ¡¸Haa, it¡¯s impossible¡­¡¹


    I don¡¯t think I can fall asleep in this state.


    As I took a nce at the clock, the time was just around midnight.


    ¡¸¡­I wonder if I can swing lightly.¡¹


    If I swing the sword lightly for about a couple of minutes, the excited state of my mind will surely calm down.


    I have to get up early tomorrow, but I can¡¯t fall asleep even if I roll around on the bed.


    In that case, shouldn¡¯t I swing to refresh my mind and body?


    ¡¸Alright, let¡¯s go!¡¹


    I opened my eyes and jumped out of bed.


    ¡¸As for the clothes¡­ I don¡¯t really need to change, do I?¡¹


    I¡¯m not nning to swing my sword for four or five hours as I usually do.


    There is no need to change into my uniform.


    ¡¸Everyone will be sleeping, so I have to move quietly.¡¹


    I grasped the sword leaning against the wall and quietly left the room.


    I went straight down the long corridor and went down the stairs stealthily so as not to make loud footsteps.


    Then,


    (¡­Eh?)


    I found Rose, in a yukata, on the terrace at the north end of the second floor.


    (What are you doing herete at night?)


    Illuminated by the moonlight, she was looking at the Hundred Million Years Sakura with a hint of sadness.

 Chapter 297 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [68]

    Chapter 297. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [68]


    I cleared my throat so as not to surprise Rose.


    ¡¸It¡¯s a pleasant night, isn¡¯t it? Can I join you?¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, it¡¯s you, Allen. Sure.¡¹


    Rose¡¯s eyes widened for a moment, and then she immediately smiled softly.


    While enjoying the cool night breeze, Rose and I gazed at the Hundred Million Year Sakura.


    ¡¸It¡¯s really beautiful, isn¡¯t it? I could keep watching it forever just like this.¡¹


    There was a considerable distance from where we were to the Hundred Million Year Sakura, but it was illuminated by artificial light, so I was able to see it sufficiently.


    The base of the tree was probably crowded with many nighttime sakura blossom viewing visitors.


    ¡¸Yes. That¡¯s my most favorite flower in the whole world.¡¹Rose nodded.


    For a while, we simply stood side by side and enjoyed gazing at the Hundred Million Year Sakura.


    After a few minutes, Rose turned to me.


    ¡¸By the way, why are you here, Allen? Can¡¯t sleep?¡¹


    ¡¸Hmm? I couldn¡¯t fall asleep because my mind just wouldn¡¯t calm down. So I thought about swinging for a change of mood, and I happened to see you standing on the terrace.¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, swinging at this time¡­ You¡¯re still the same as ever.¡¹


    With an amazed expression, Rose chuckled.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    Rose¡¯s smile ¨C illuminated by the moonlight ¨C was indescribably beautiful. Snow-white skin. Silver hair which reflects the light of the moon, seeming to shine in the darkness. And the Hundred Million Year Sakura in full bloom behind her in that situation, made me feel like I wanted to immortalize that perfect beautiful sight into a picture frame.


    As I was staring at Rose in fascination,


    ¡¸What¡¯s wrong? Is there something on my face?¡¹


    She adorably tilted her neck and put her hand on her cheek.


    ¡¸N-No, nothing¡­ O-Oh right! I had something to ask¡­ Is that okay!?¡¹


    I immediately brought up another topic so that she wouldn¡¯t realize I was charmed by her.


    ¡¸Of course. You can ask me anything.¡¹


    ¡¸W-Well then, yesterday you said that Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style isn¡¯t something that is learned. What does that mean?¡¹

 Chapter 298 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [69]

    Chapter 298. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [69]


    Almost all swordsmen belong to some school, where they are taught various techniques.


    That is themon sense of this world.


    However, Rose says that thatmon sense does not apply to the Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style.


    ¡¸Hmm, where should I start from¡­¡¹


    She turned her body towards me, sounding troubled.


    ¡¸First of all, we, the Valencia family, are the ¡°n loved by sakura¡±.¡¹


    Then Rose began to talk about the Valencia family.


    ¡¸The founder of Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style, Rocks Valencia, my distant ancestor, seems to have been born in a foreign country far away. It is written in detail in the death register that he was a man who drowned in alcohol every single day and constantly chased after women. ¡¹


    ¡¸I-I see¡­¡¹


    Apparently, the men of Valencia family seem to like alcohol and women at the gic level.


    ¡¸He is such a hopeless man, but¡­ once he holds the sword, he is a mighty warrior that none could hope to match. It is said that he¡¯s been defeated only once in his long life.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s amazing¡­ By the way, who did he lose to at that time?¡¹


    ¡¸We don¡¯t know. The name of the opponent wasn¡¯t written down. But it was written ¡ª ¡°The one who toppled my ¡°Sakura¡± to the ground was a true monster who seemed like the incarnation of the demonic god himself.¡± And¡­ after the battle was over, it seems that they both had a drink under a Sakura tree for one night.¡¹


    ¡¸Hou¡­ that sounds like a nice rtionship.¡¹


    Drinking alcohol with your opponent after crossing swords.


    Somehow, it sounded a little cool.


    (But anyway¡­ Rocks-san and Bhus-san sound like pretty simr people.)


    Maybe the blood of the ancestor is passed down the family line.


    When I was thinking about that, Rose cleared her throat.


    ¡¸Now, on to the main subject. Rocks Valencia loved sakura more than anything else ¨C more than even women and alcohol. At one point, he traveled around the world to find the most beautiful sakura blossom in the world. His journeysted for two thousand years. Finally, he met a ¡°living sakura¡± with a devilish beauty, and Rocks seems to have made a ¡°vow of session¡± with that sakura.¡¹

 Chapter 299 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [70]

    Chapter 299. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [70]


    ording to Rose¡¯s story, Rocks Valencia, the founder of Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style, has been traveling around the world for more than 2,000 years. And at the end of his long journey, he met a ¡°living sakura¡±, and it seems that he made a ¡°vow of session¡± there.


    (T-That¡¯s a lot of information to digest at once¡­)


    Although the Valencia family are known for their longevity, how can human beings live for 2,000 years?


    What is a ¡°living sakura¡± in the first ce? And what exactly is a ¡°vow of session¡±?


    Questions arose in my mind one after another.


    (I¡¯m not even sure which question to ask first.)


    As I was scratching my head in confusion,


    ¡¸Sorry. I¡¯m sure it wouldn¡¯t be easy to believe such a ridiculous sounding story if told all of a sudden. After all, even I, the next head of the n, have doubts about the description in the n¡¯s death registry.¡¹


    Rose then continued talking, with a bitter smile on her face.


    ¡¸I don¡¯t think humans can live for 2,000 years, and I can¡¯t believe a ¡°living sakura¡± exists until I see it with my own eyes. However, the one thing I do believe in is the ¡°vow of session¡±.¡¹


    She said, and suddenly began to loosen her yukata sash.


    Her chest gradually became more exposed.


    ¡¸R-Rose¡­ what are you!?¡¹


    While directing my eyes away from Rose, I tried to suppress my heartbeat that was elerating contrary to my will.


    Rose then shook her head from side to side.


    ¡¸D-Don¡¯t misunderstand me! L-Look here! There is a sakura blossom pattern emerging here, right!?¡¹


    Her cheeks flushed, Rose pointed to her slightly exposed left chest.

 Chapter 300 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [71]

    Chapter 300. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [71]


    There was a glossy light pink sakura blossom pattern on Rose¡¯s chest.


    (¡­¡­Beautiful.)


    A four-petalled sakura on a snow-white skin.


    I was captivated by its beauty.


    (Come to think of it¡­ Bhus-san had something simr to this, didn¡¯t he?)


    It was a ck sakura pattern on his left chest, if I¡¯m not mistaken.


    (I¡¯m sure this holds some important meaning.)


    I was still staring at Rose¡¯s chest while thinking about that.


    ¡¸I-It¡¯s a little embarrassing if you stare so intensely¡­¡¹


    Rose turned away while blushing.


    ¡¸M-My bad¡­¡¹


    Even if it¡¯s Rose herself who showed it first, staring at a woman¡¯s chest is not a very praiseworthy act.


    I immediately turned around.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll re-tighten my sash¡­ so stay that way for a while.¡¹


    ¡¸O-Okay¡­ let me know when you¡¯re done.¡¹


    ¡¸I-I will¡­¡¹


    I heard the sound of clothes rustling from behind.


    (I can¡¯t calm down whenever I hear this sound.)


    The sound of clothes rustling when a girl is changing clothes.


    Whenever I hear this, an indescribable feeling of tension runs through my body.


    Approximately 30 secondster, I felt a tug on the sleeve of my yukata.


    ¡¸Y-You can turn around now.¡¹


    ¡¸O-Okay¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    Awkward silence flowed between us.


    (As the man, I should say something first.)


    When I started wracking my head toe with a sensible topic, Rose cleared her throat.


    ¡¸S-So! The sakura pattern I just showed you ¨C ¡°seal of the vow¡±, is the proof that the ¡°vow of session¡± actually existed!¡¹


    She tried to blow away this heavy atmosphere with a loud voice and fast-talking.

 Chapter 301 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [72]

    Chapter 301. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [72]


    ¡¸The ¡°seal¡± and ¡°vow¡± of session, huh. If it¡¯s alright, can you tell me more about it?¡¹


    I decided to continue the story so as not to trivialise Rose¡¯s decision to share it with me.


    ¡¸Yes, of course.¡¹


    Rose nodded, and continued.


    ¡¸It seems that the living sakura that Rocks met in the past was blooming on an uninhabited ind in the sea. And that ind was eroded slowly by the waves and was fated to sink into the sea within a hundred years.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s unfortunate.¡¹


    A sakura unseen by anyone, valued by none, and buried in the sea without anyone knowing. That is an unfortunate fate.


    ¡¸Rocks, who loved sakuras, couldn¡¯t ept that fate, of course. He said to the living sakura, ¡°I¡¯ll move you to a safe ce.¡±¡¹


    ¡¸A safe ce, huh¡­ Wouldn¡¯t that be a little difficult?¡¹


    I¡¯m not very familiar with the trees, but I¡¯ve heard from bamboo geezer several times that transntation is difficult. It seems that there are many ¡°conditions¡± that must be met, such as the geology, climate, and hours of sunlight which must be simr after rentation.


    (In addition, a living sakura on an uninhabited ind surrounded by the sea.)


    It sounds impossible with simple human power.


    ¡¸As you say, it¡¯s just not possible by any normal method. But Rocks did this by offering his own body as a safe ce.¡¹


    ¡¸H-His own body!?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. He took the living sakura into his body and made it his own ¡°spirit core¡±.¡¹

 Chapter 302 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [73]

    Chapter 302. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [73]


    ¡¸H-He took in the sakura and made it into a spirit core? ¡­Is that really possible?¡¹


    Spirit core. It is a mass of power that resides in the human soul.


    A wide variety of existences have been confirmed as sources of power, such as ancestral spirits, phantom beasts, and other spirits, but¡­ I still don¡¯t know anything in detail.


    ¡¸Well, who knows. It¡¯s a note written over 2,000 years ago, after all. It¡¯s hard to believe everything that is written.¡¹


    Rose shrugged her shoulders.


    ¡¸I don¡¯t know if there was an actual living sakura, but¡­ there is no doubt that Rocks made a vow with a ¡°something¡± that wasn¡¯t human.¡¹


    Rose stated, with a serious expression.


    ¡¸ording to the note, the living sakura expressed deep gratitude to Rocks, who provided a safe haven. At the same time, it promised to ¡°pass over his memory¡± as rent payment.¡¹


    ¡¸Pass over his memory?¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s right. The living sakura promised to pass on the memories that Rocks wanted to hand down to his offspring and descendants.¡¹


    ¡¸Wait¡­ is that perhaps!?¡¹


    If it¡¯s a memory that a ¡°swordsman¡± wants to hand down¡­ then it can¡¯t be anything else but that thing.


    ¡¸You guessed it. The ¡°memory¡± chosen by Rocks, the secret sword inherited by the legitimate sessor ¨C Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style.¡¹

 Chapter 303 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [74]

    Chapter 303. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [74]


    ¡¸The vow of session is basically, Rocks promised a safe haven to the living sakura for the session of life, and the living sakura promised to pass down Rocks¡¯ memories to his descendants for the session of swordsmanship.¡¹


    Rose summarized the story as such.


    ¡¸As I showed you earlier, we, the Valencia n, are born with a sakura blossom pattern on the left chest ¨C a seal of the vow, which is proof that the vow is still valid. And in truth, I already had the ¡°memory of Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style¡± since infancy.¡¹


    ¡¸I see¡­¡¹


    ¡¸In other words, Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style is not something that someone learns. We, the Valencia n, rely on Rocks¡¯ memory to ¡°recreate¡± it.¡¹


    She said, answering the question I asked at the start.


    ¡¸I understand now¡­¡¹


    Rocks Valencia, the founder of Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style.


    He lived for 2,000 years and met a rare living sakura on an uninhabited ind in the sea.


    The ind was destined to sink to the bottom of the sea with the living sakura due to the erosion of the waves.


    Rocks-san couldn¡¯t ept that fate, and took in the living sakura as his own spirit core, and the sakura transferred over the memory of Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style to his descendants as a rent for lending his body.


    It seems that the Valencia n is ¡°recreating¡± the Sakura Blossom Style by relying on the memory of the founder.


    I simply intended to go out for light swinging practice, but I ended up hearing a magnificent story instead.

 Chapter 304 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [75]

    Chapter 304. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [75]


    After digesting everything I heard from Rose, I asked about something which interested me.


    ¡¸By the way¡­ what happened to Rocks-san and the sakura he took in?¡¹


    After all, he is the founder of the Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style who lived for 2,000 years.


    Perhaps, he is still alive.


    (And the vow of session¡­)


    If it is still valid, the living sakura must still exist somewhere.


    ¡¸Who knows. There is no record of hisst moments. However, my grandfather said, ¡°The living sakura is still blooming.¡± Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t tell me where exactly the location is.¡¹


    Rose said, and shook her head slightly.


    ¡¸By the way, Rocks¡¯ thick notes were written like this at the end ¨C¡ºTo my descendants who have yet toe, I hope that you will develop Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style to greater heights and someday ovee my demonic god-like friend. -Rocks Valencia¡». How I interpret that line is, he seems to be very disappointed in his one and only defeat in his entire life.¡¹


    ¡¸Ahaha. That sore loser aspect is exactly the same as Rose.¡¹


    I joked as such.


    ¡¸Hmm, is that apliment?¡¹


    She frowned a little exaggeratedly and stared at me


    ¡°A beautiful woman is beautiful no matter what face she makes¡± ¨C in ordance with that saying, Rose, who was making a sullen face, was extremely cute.


    ¡¸Of course.¡¹


    ¡¸Then it¡¯s okay.¡¹


    ¡¸Haha¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Fufufu¡­¡¹


    Then we giggled for a few seconds.


    ¡¸By the way, this story is a secret of the Valencia n. So please don¡¯t say anything to anyone else, okay?¡¹


    Rose put a finger on her lips and gestured ¡°shhh¡±.


    ¡¸I understand. But why did you tell me such an important thing?¡¹


    I asked a very natural question.


    ¡¸Allen, women, you see, want the man they like to know everything about them.¡¹


    She said, putting on a mature smile that I had never seen from her before.


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    The smile, lit by the moonlight, was so beautiful that I forgot the world around me.

 Chapter 305 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [76]

    Chapter 305. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [76]


    After that, I parted ways with Rose and conducted my original purpose for going outside, to swing.


    ¡¸Fuh, Ha, Sei!¡¹


    Raise the sword, and swing it down.


    The movement I have repeated for a billion years.


    For me, these movements are as natural as breathing.


    My thoughts cleared up and my feelings calmed down with each swing.


    (A friend who boasts a demonic god-like strength, huh¡­)


    A monster even Rocks Valencia, the founder of the famed Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style, couldn¡¯t defeat.


    (Compared to the monster residing in my soul, I wonder which one of them is stronger¡­)


    This is a matter of great interest for a swordsman like me.


    Zeon¡¯s ¡°forte¡± can be roughly divided into two. Overwhelming output and physical ability that transcends human boundaries.


    (He ds himself in extremely thick darkness, but is always flexible¡­)


    A half-hearted sh can¡¯t so much as leave a graze on his skin. Rather, it is the sword that will break apart.


    (And above all, his physical ability transcends what a human can perceive.)


    If I let my mind wander for even a nanosecond, he will be able to close the distance in the blink of an eye andnd a devastating blow.


    (Yeah¡­ I can¡¯t imagine a scenario where Zeon would lose at all¡­)


    That guy is crude, violent, ferocious, and has various problems, but¡­


    Honestly, I yearn for his overwhelming ¡°strength¡±.


    (Let¡¯s train more and more and be a swordsman who can beat Zeon someday!)


    That way, I can protect Ria, Rose, president, my mother, Pa-san, and everyone I love.


    While thinking about that, I kept swinging for about an hour.

 Chapter 306 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [77]

    Chapter 306. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [77]


    I returned to my room after an hour of swinging, and I was able to sleep soundly.


    For the next few days, we received Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style training from Bhus-san and Rose.


    The spring training camp period was only for one week, so we thoroughly refined the three basic techniques: Sakura sh, which is a thrust, Evening Sakura, which is a diagonal sh, and Lightning Sakura, which is an Iai-sh.


    (This is amazing!)


    By incorporating the basic principles of Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style techniques, my shes have be sharper day by day.


    I refined it by watching Bhus-san, who is the best role model one can ask for.


    The feeling of rapid growth that I have never experienced before.


    My swordsmanship became more polished every day.


    (I can do it! I can be even stronger still!)


    In this way, I had an incredibly fulfilling time.


    And today, the training for ¡°Sixth Day¡± was finally over.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸Thank you very much!¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹


    We expressed our gratitude to Bhus-san and Rose for the training.


    ¡¸Barararara! You guys did your best today as well! Every one of you have grown beyond recognitionpared to the first day!¡¹


    Heughed out loud and nodded with satisfaction.

 Chapter 307 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [78]

    Chapter 307. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [78]


    ¡¸By the way, is tomorrow the st day¡±?¡¹


    Bhus-san nced at me, while massaging his long beard.


    ¡¸Yes, thank you so much for everything.¡¹


    I said, and bowed slightly.


    ¡¸Muu¡­ I¡¯m already feeling a little lonely¡­¡¹


    He muttered while looking into the distance.


    The spring training camp in Cherin will end tomorrow.


    (If possible, I would like to learn more Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style from Bhus-san.)


    However, there was a situation that didn¡¯t allow for that.


    ording to the president, the top secret conference of the leaders of the Five Great Powers will end this afternoon.


    Based on the discussions and resolutions of that conference, Tenshi-sama and Rodis-san ¡ª and the next head of House Arcstria, the president, will hold a meeting to determine the ¡°national policy of the Royal Faction.¡±


    And for some reason¡­ I was also invited to that important meeting.


    (Honestly, I have a lot to consider regarding Tenshi-sama¡­ And I don¡¯t know why I am called to a political meeting when I have zero knowledge of politics, but¡­)


    The president, who I am very much indebted to, pleaded ¡°Please, Allen-kun¡­¡±, so I didn¡¯t have the heart to refuse her.


    That¡¯s why it would be difficult to extend the spring training camp, and tomorrow will be thest day I learn swordsmanship from Bhus-san.

 Chapter 308 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [79]

    Chapter 308. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [79]


    ¡¸Originally, you should learn this technique after building more foundations, but¡­ it can¡¯t be helped since tomorrow will be the final day¡­¡¹


    Bhus-san muttered, with a troubled expression.


    ¡¸Tomorrow, I will teach you the Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style Secret ¨C Mirrored Sakura sh!¡¹


    He tapped his knees and a smile shed across his stern face.


    ¡¸R-Really?!¡¹


    The Secret Technique, Mirrored Sakura sh.


    Four shes from the left and right each like a mirror match. Rose¡¯s signature move.


    The only word to describe the sharpness and the speed of that technique is ¡°masterpiece¡± .


    An average swordsman wouldn¡¯t even notice that he was shed.


    (Bhus-san¡¯s Mirrored Sakura sh¡­ I¡¯m sure it would be a ridiculous sh!)


    As I was having high hopes for the technique,


    ¡¸G-Grandfather¡­ your Mirrored Sakura sh is too burdensome for your body¡­ Will you really be okay!?¡¹Rose asked, looking worried.


    (¡°Your¡± Mirrored Sakura sh??)


    From that remark, it seems that Bhus-san¡¯s Mirrored Sakura sh is something special.


    ¡¸Bararara! That¡¯s nothing to worry about! Even with this incurable disease, I¡¯ve decided to live for more than ¡°2,000 years¡±!¡¹

 Chapter 309 - . Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [80]

    309. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [80]


    ¡°Live for more than 2,000 years¡± ¨C Rose sighed loudly when Bhus-san dered so.


    Speaking of 2,000 years, it is the number of years that the founder of Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style lived.


    (Is he ying a longevity game with his ancestor?)


    Apparently, he wants to live longer than Rocks-san even if it¡¯s by one second longer.


    (Rose, Bhus-san, Rocks-san¡­ the Valencia n as a whole seem to really hate losing.)


    I had a bitter smile while thinking about that.


    ¡¸Well then, let¡¯s decide when to meet.¡¹


    Bhus-san cleared his throat and started talking about tomorrow¡¯s ns.


    ¡¸As usual, we will use this uninhabited ind. As for the time¡­ hmm¡­ let¡¯s make it around 2pm.¡¹


    He stared at the position of the sun and specified ater time than usual.


    ¡¸Mirrored Sakura sh training will be even more intense than everything you¡¯ve gone through so far. Tonight, we nourish our body with food, then rx our body with warm water, and then sleep soundly. Basically, we will try to rest our bodies, okay?¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸Yes, thank you.¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹


    After that, we parted ways with Bhus-san and returned to the Arcstria mansion on our gliders.

 Chapter 310 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [81]

    Chapter 310. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [81]


    After arriving at the mansion, we immediately entered thergemunal bath to wash away the fatigue of the day. After that, all of us gathered in the dining room and had dinner.


    The skillful chef brought us freshly cooked rice, well-grilled meat, fresh vegetable sd, and warm consomme soup. All of which were simple and nutritious, taking advantage of the goodness of the ingredients.


    After nourishing our bodies, we returned to our own room.


    (Usually we would gather in the same room to chat and enjoy the evening, but¡­)


    That was not the case today.


    After all, tomorrow, we will be learning the secret technique, Mirrored Sakura sh.


    As Bhus-san said, we have to rest our bodies properly.


    ¡¸Time to go to bed.¡¹


    I returned to my room on the 3rd floor, and took a nce at the clock. The time was 10pm.


    It¡¯s a little earlier than usual, but that¡¯s okay.


    ¡¸Well, I have to go to the bathroom before that.¡¹


    It¡¯s not really urgent, but I don¡¯t want to get up in the middle of the nightter.


    ¡¸The toilet is¡­ on the south side.¡¹


    I opened my room door slowly and moved stealthily so as not to wake everyone up.


    Right then,


    ¡¸¡­Yes¡­¡­¡­ Yes, I understand.¡¹


    A woman¡¯s beautiful voice could be heard from the front.


    (This voice belongs to¡­ the president?)


    There doesn¡¯t seem to be any energy in her voice. Just who is she talking to?

 Chapter 311 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [82]

    311. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [82]


    As I continued south to where the toilet is located,


    ¡¸It didn¡¯t turn out well, I see.¡¹


    The president¡¯s voice became more and more clear.


    Apparently, she is talking right around where the toilet is.


    (Now then, what should I do?)


    Whether to go straight there, or to take a detour and go to the toilet on the second floor.


    (Well, I suppose I don¡¯t necessarily have to avoid her, do I?)


    If she doesn¡¯t want to run into someone, she wouldn¡¯t do it in such an open corridor, right?


    Thinking that, I went straight ahead and turned right at the corner.


    The president¡¯s back was turned towards me, with a ck receiver in her ear.


    ¡¸Hmm¡­ yes. Everything is okay over here. We¡¯re having fun. And also, Allen-kun agreed toe. I guess we can call it a ¡°small mercy¡±.¡¹


    She sighed a little as she messed with her beautiful ck hair with her left hand.


    She seems to be on the phone with someone, but it doesn¡¯t seem to be a very pleasant conversation.


    (Also, I think I heard my name if I¡¯m not mistaken.)


    I¡¯m a little interested in what she¡¯s talking about.


    When I was wondering about that,


    ¡¸¨COkay. Good night, father.¡¹


    The president said, and quietly lowered the receiver.

 Chapter 312 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [83]

    Chapter 312. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [83]


    ¡¸Good evening, president.¡¹


    I cleared my throat lightly and then called out after she finished her phone call.


    ¡¸Ara, Allen-kun. What are you doing here?¡¹


    The president¡¯s eyes widened for a moment and then she immediately returned to her usual gentle expression.


    ¡¸I wasn¡¯t able to fall asleep, so I thought I¡¯d take a light walk.¡¹


    Actually, I just wanted to empty my dder before going to bed.


    But I felt shy to say that to her.


    ¡¸I see¡­ that might be a good idea.¡¹


    She folded her arms in an adorable manner, and nodded to herself.


    ¡¸But don¡¯t stay upte, okay? Tomorrow is an important day, after all.¡¹


    She said with an ¡°older sister¡± tone, raising her index finger.


    ¡¸Ahaha, I understand. I¡¯ll just get some fresh air and return to my room right away.¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, I¡¯m relieved then.¡¹


    After having such a light chat, I finally got into the main subject.


    ¡¸By the way, president, were you on a phone call?¡¹


    ¡¸Ah¡­ yeah, it was from my father.¡¹


    ¡¸From Rodis-san?¡¹


    Rodis Arcstria, the current head of House Arcstria, who has held important positions in the government for many years. I was told he attended the top secret conference together with Tenshi-sama and Leia-sensei.

 Chapter 313 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [84]

    313. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [84]


    ¡¸If I¡¯m not mistaken¡­ the secret conference was supposed to have ended this afternoon, right?¡¹I asked.


    ¡¸Yes, originally that was the n¡­ but it was prolonged for reasons, and it seems to have ended just a short while ago.¡¹


    The president shrugged her shoulders and nced at the clock. It was 10pm.


    The conference has continued up until 10pm, it seems.


    ¡¸Hmm¡­ Was there perhaps some kind of problem?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, the phone call was regarding that matter. A problem that was expected to some extent and apletely unexpected trouble urred. It seems to have be quite a stormy conference.¡¹she said, sighing deeply.


    Apparently, the president seems to have a lot on her te.


    ¡¸Hey, Allen-kun. If you don¡¯t mind, could we talk for a moment? Onee-san is feeling somewhat lonely at the moment.¡¹


    ¡¸Of course. We can talk anytime you want.¡¹


    ¡¸Fufu, thank you. You¡¯re always so kind.¡¹


    The president smiled softly.


    ¡¸I haven¡¯t heard everything that happened in detail yet, so I¡¯ll just share what I have heard so far¡­¡¹


    She began to speak slowly, leaning back on the wall.

 Chapter 314 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [85]

    Chapter 314. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [85]


    ¡¸Let¡¯s start with the problem that was already expected in advance¡­ Ringard Imperial Kingdom, Vesteria Kingdom, Polyesta Federation, Ronzo Republic ¨C the disagreement between the great powers who participated in the conference.¡±


    The president raised her fingers one by one and listed the names of the countries that once formed the ¡°Five Great Powers.¡±


    (Originally, the Principality of Teresia would have participated too, but¡­)


    It was attacked by the demons and the ck Organization, and is currently under the control of the Holy Roneria Empire. They are not in a state to attend such a meeting, to say the least.


    ¡¸The agenda that sparked disagreement was on ¡°Response to the Holy Ronelia Empire¡±. Ringard and Polyesta Federation insisted on keeping an eye on the situation and try to find a solution through dialogue. Vesteria Kingdom and Ronzo Republic insisted that they should embark on a full-scale war.¡¹


    The president shrugged her shoulders, with a troubled look on her face.


    ¡¸I see.¡¹


    A moderate faction and a radical faction. If the two factions are separated clearly in half, the talks will not reach an agreed upon response.


    (Vesteria Kingdom wants a full-scale war, huh¡­)


    The reason why His Majesty Gris has taken on such a strong stance is probably because his beloved daughter, Ria, was kidnapped by the ck Organization around Augustst year.

 Chapter 315 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [86]

    315. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [86]


    ¡¸But¡­ It¡¯s not such a big problem that the opinions of the four great powers are divided. It was originally expected to some extent before the conference began.¡¹


    The president said, and began to exin briefly.


    ¡¸The Holy Ronelia Empire boasts an overwhelming force in the name of ¡°ck Organization¡±. To counter this, the four great powers must stand together as a single mind. The leaders of each of the four great powers fully recognise this.¡¹


    ¡¸That means¡­ unless all four of them are in agreement, there won¡¯t be a full-scale war?¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s right. No matter how hard Vesteria Kingdom and Ronzo Republic advocate for it, there won¡¯t be a full-scale war unless Ringard and Polyesta Federation agree. Only after gathering the scattered Seven Strongest Swordsmen of mankind and assembling war supplies of each nation, can the four great powers finally stand head-to-head against the Empire.¡¹


    ¡¸They¡¯re equal only after gathering that much force, huh¡­¡¹


    Unfortunately, the Holy Ronelia Empire seems to be the ¡°strongest country in the world¡±.


    Rich soil, huge poption, highly developed medical care with advanced science and technology, and above all-the terrifying force of the ck Organization.


    How did theye to attain such power?


    What kind of person is Emperor Barrel Ronelia, who has ruled such a superpower for many years?


    It is still a country full of mysteries.

 Chapter 316 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [87]

    Chapter 316. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [87]


    ¡¸Well, they¡¯ve discussed ¡°Response to the Holy Roneria Empire¡± many times over, after all¡­ So I feel like it will carry over to the next meeting as usual.¡¹


    The president summarized as such.


    ¡¸But the problem came after that. This afternoon, as the conference wasing to an end, a situation that no one ever imagined ured.¡¹


    With a serious expression, the president started to talk about the ¡°main subject¡±.


    ¡¸As you know, Allen, the Principality of Teresia, once one of the five great powers, was invaded by the Holy Ronelia Empire.¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s the New Year¡¯s Day case.¡¹


    The Empire announced the alliance with the demons and suddenlyunched a mass attack on the Five Great Powers.


    It was a hellish day with a lot of casualties all over the world.


    ¡¸Yes. And this is information that hasn¡¯t been made public yet¡­ Actually, at that time, one of the ¡°Seven Holy Swords¡± happened to be stationed at the Principality of Theresia.¡¹


    This information waspletely new to me.


    ¡¸The man¡¯s name is Von Mustang. A terrifyingly strong swordsman with a ¡°heart of justice¡±. His whereabouts were unknown after engaging the demons and the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle. Everyone thought he died after a deadly battle.¡¹


    The president took a pause there.


    ¡¸But today, Von, who was thought to be dead, showed up at the secret conference ¨C wearing the ck cloak.¡¹


    She said something unbelievable.

 Chapter 317 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [88]

    Chapter 317. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [88]


    ¡¸The ck cloak?!¡­Does that mean that one of the Seven Holy Swords has entered the ck Organization?!¡¹


    I don¡¯t know what kind of man the swordsman named Von Mustang is, but¡­


    He turned away from the Holy Knights of Justice to the ck Organization of Evil.


    It is the worst of the worst kind of betrayal. It can never be forgiven.


    ¡¸Yes, that seems to be the case¡­ He clearly said in his own words, ¡±Gregor Ash, the former Thirteen Knight who was killed by Allen Rodore, I have joined the organization as his recement¡±.¡¹


    ¡¸Gregor, huh¡­¡¹


    The extremely dangerous swordsman I faced in Numero Dn¡¯s residence.


    (Actually, it was Sebas-san who ¡°disposed¡± of him.)


    By his skillful maniption of information, that crime was pinned on me.


    ¡¸Von¡¯s betrayal seems to have caused various problems. I haven¡¯t heard the details yet, though. Father only told me that the conference was over.¡¹


    ¡¸I see¡­¡¹


    One of the Seven Holy Swords, Von Mustang.


    Why did he betray the Holy Knights and join the ck Organization?


    Why did he show up at the conference?


    And what kind of problems were caused there?


    All those questions circted in my mind.


    As I was organizing the information with a difficult expression,


    ¡¸Onest thing, Allen-kun. I have a ¡°request¡±¡­. Will you hear me out?¡¹


    She said timidly for some reason.

 Chapter 318 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [89]

    Chapter 318. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [89]


    ¡¸A request?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. It seems that my father and Tenshi-sama have something to ask you.¡¹


    ¡¸What do they want to ask me?¡¹


    Honestly, I don¡¯t have the slightest idea what it could be about.


    ¡¸Well, you see¡­ What they want to ask is about a ¡°certain person¡± who has a close rtionship with you¡­ I mean, this isn¡¯t finalized yet and it is simply a guess¡­ so please listen without getting angry, okay?¡¹


    ¡¸O-Okay¡­ I understand.¡¹


    It was unusual for the president to speak in a roundabout way.


    (But who is the person who has a close rtionship with me?)


    The ones that immediatelye to mind are Ria, Rose, mother, Pa-san, and¡­ everyone at Thousand de Academy.


    As I was vaguely thinking about that, the president cleared her throat.


    ¡¸For the time being¡­ I¡¯ll exin the ¡°situation¡± so that it would be easy to understand. Various problems urred at the conference, but the biggest problem, the meeting was a ¡°top secret conference¡±. So how did information on the ¡°venue¡± leak?¡¹


    ¡¸Indeed.¡¹


    A secret ce where the leaders of each country meet together.


    This situation where it was leaked to the enemy country cannot be overlooked.


    It is absolutely necessary to identify the source of the information leak and take prompt action immediately.


    ¡¸So there were talks of ¡°finding the criminal¡± at the end of the conference.¡¹


    ¡¸I-I see¡­¡¹


    The president¡¯s voice became even more strained.

 Chapter 319 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [90]

    319. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [90]


    ¡¸The venue of the conference was decided by the Leader of the Holy Knights, the pinnacle of the Holy Knight Association. It was he who conveyed the venue to each head of the four great powers.¡¹


    The president began to speak slowly, folding her arms.


    ¡¸On a side note¡­ all possible measures against information leak were taken. The method of delivery was ¡°postal delivery¡± so as not to leave a record on any electronic terminal. In addition, four of the Seven Holy Swords, who were also supposed to attend the conference, were appointed as the carriers.¡¹


    ¡¸W-Wow, that¡¯s almost overkill.¡¹


    ¡¸Well, they¡¯re the safest and most reliable postman in the world. So no information should have been leaked, but¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Information was still leaked to the enemy.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes¡­ It would seem that there is a ¡°traitor¡± among the four great powers.¡¹


    ¡¸A traitor, huh.¡¹


    When I heard that word, the person who came to my mind was Sebas Chandler. Sebas-san is said to have been hiding his identity in Ringard for many years and has been involved in a number of incidents.


    (But he returned to the Empire earlier this year and has since operated as one of the Emperor¡¯s Four Knights.)


    Thinking in chronological order, he would not be the ¡°traitor¡± in this case.


    ¡¸Going bymon sense, there are only nine suspects. The four heads of the four great powers, the four holy swords who were in charge of delivery, and the leader of the Holy Knights who decided the venue.¡¹


    The president raised her fingers one by one and listed the suspects.

 Chapter 320 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [91]

    Chapter 320. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [91]


    ¡¸Only nine potential suspects, huh¡­ In terms of numbers, it¡¯s pretty narrow.¡¹I said.


    The president nodded and proceeded with the story.


    ¡¸First, let¡¯s start with the heads of the four great powers. ¡­To be honest, I don¡¯t think their side leaked the information.¡¹


    ¡¸You mean, in terms of selling themselves out, huh.¡¹


    I don¡¯t think it would be strange if any head of state decides to surrender their sovereignty to the Holy Ronelia Empire in exchange to be weed into the Empire.


    ¡¸Untilst year, that possibility wasn¡¯t zero, but it¡¯s not valid anymore. Because, during this year¡¯s New Year, the leader of the Principality of Teresia and their subordinates were all killed¡­ despite raising the white g and offering submission.¡¹


    ¡¸Everyone was killed?¡¹


    Normally, you wouldn¡¯t do that to a non-resisting opponent.


    No, you won¡¯t be able to do it.


    In the first ce, the massacre of the ¡°general public¡± who are not swordsmen is a vition of international treaties.


    ¡¸Barrel Ronelia is like an extreme ¡°secretist¡± and at the same time a thorough ¡°perfectionist¡±. Anyone who he thinks has the slightest potential for betrayal is immediately ordered to be killed. The massacre in the Principality of Theresia was probably in fear of a coup d¡¯etat.¡¹

 Chapter 321 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [92]

    321. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [92]


    ¡¸Just in case¡­ All of this isn¡¯t public knowledge, so keep this confidential, okay?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, I understand.¡¹


    A massacre urred in one of the former Five Great Powers.


    If such news was released to the public, it would cause global panic.


    Regting information is a very natural decision.


    ¡¸But then, president¡­ Why did Barrel Ronelia wee one of the Seven Holy Swords, Von Mustang, into the ck Organization?¡¹


    If you were really afraid of a coup d¡¯etat, the Seven Holy Swords would be the first thing you want to erase.


    ¡¸Hmm, I don¡¯t really understand that either. He is a perfectionist, but perhaps he values meritocracy even more than that?¡¹


    ¡¸Meritocracy, huh¡­¡¹


    It doesn¡¯t really make sense, but thinking about it isn¡¯t going to provide any answer.


    ¡¸Well, anyway, no one can trust Barrel unless they have information on him that can be exploited as weakness. That¡¯s why the heads of the four great powers didn¡¯t leak the information.¡¹


    ¡¸I see¡­¡¹


    Weakness, huh.


    ¡¸Next suspects would be the Seven Holy Swords, but¡­ they¡¯re even more unlikely to have been the traitors.¡¹


    The president shrugged with a bitter smile.


    ¡¸The Seven Holy Swords that were selected as the ¡°postman¡± this time¡­ How do I say this¡­ In many ways, they are all people with problematic personalities.¡¹

 Chapter 322 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [93]

    Chapter 322. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [93]


    ¡¸Problematic personalities?¡¹


    ¡¸Well, the Seven Holy Swords were originally a group of weirdos and entrics, but¡­ the four people selected this time stand out among them.¡¹


    The president said, with a bitter smile.


    ¡¸One is terrifyingly stiff andpletely inflexible. Another one is a super simple-minded person who cannot do anything except what he is told. Anyway, the Holy Knight Leader chose such troubled people who can¡¯t go against the order ¡°Don¡¯t leak the information¡± to be the postman.¡¹


    ¡¸I, I see¡­¡¹


    (So the Seven Strongest Swordsmen of Mankind, the pride of the Holy Knights Association who stand at the pinnacle of justice and swordsmanship, were a group with such problems, huh¡­)


    It is quite different from the ¡°cool¡± image I had of them.


    ¡¸Well, that¡¯s why I think the four of the Seven Holy Swords aren¡¯t involved in the information leak. Rather, if we don¡¯t think that way, our future will be even more bleak.¡¹


    ¡¸I agree¡­¡¹


    Due to Von Mustang¡¯s defection, the strength of the four great powers has fallen sharply.


    If more traitors emerge from the Seven Holy Swords, it will be practically difficult to stop the evil deeds of the Empire.

 Chapter 323 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [94]

    323. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [94]


    ¡¸Thest suspect is the Holy Knight Leader, but¡­ it is impossible that he is the traitor.¡¹


    The president clearly dered so.


    ¡¸If the Holy Knight Leader is supporting the Empire, he would have abused his ¡°special status¡± and ¡°powerful authority¡± to take more direct steps. He wouldn¡¯t have to take a ¡°detour¡± for something small like an information leak.¡¹


    ¡¸Indeed, as you say¡­¡¹


    Considering the extent of the damage, the Holy Knight Leader is probably not the traitor.


    ¡¸In other words, if we sort out the current situation, we can conclude that there is no suspicious person among the nine suspects.¡¹


    ¡¸But, as a matter of fact, the conference venue was indeed leaked to the Empire, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, that¡¯s right. So the participants of the conference changed their perspectives a bit, and as a result, a new suspect emerged. Don¡¯t be too offended, but¡­ Unfortunately, it¡¯s a person who has a close rtionship with you.¡¹


    The president said, looking straight at me.

 Chapter 324 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [95]

    324. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [95]


    ¡¸W-Who are you talking about!?¡¹


    A person closely rted to me divulged information to the Empire. There is no way I can keep calm after hearing that.


    Then the president said the person¡¯s name.


    ¡¸One of the Five Wealthy Merchants and the boss of Fox Finance, the infamous ¡°Bloody Fox¡± Rize Dorahain. The leaders of the four great powers, except Tenshi-sama, unanimously named her.¡¹


    ¡¸What?!¡¹


    That kind-hearted person¡­ is the traitor?


    (That¡¯s definitely not possible.)


    Around Augustst year. When Ria was kidnapped by Zack Bomber and Thor Sammons, Rize-san was willing to give us the location information of theirboratory.


    (Not only that¡­ She saved us the first time we met at the Daido Comercial Festival in Orest.)


    When the bomb set by the ck Organization was triggered, it was none other than Rize-san who used the power of her soul dress to extinguish the big explosion.


    If she hadn¡¯t used her abilities¡­ I, Ria, and Rose would have been seriously injured and the city of Drestia would have suffered tremendous damage.


    (And you¡¯re telling me that Rize-san is a traitor?)


    It¡¯s too bad even for a joke.


    As I was gritting my teeth hard,


    ¡¸H-Hey, stop! Calm down, Allen-kun! Ridiculously evil-natured darkness is leaking out from your body. You¡¯re scaring me a little¡­¡¹


    The president stepped a few steps back with a tense smile.

 Chapter 325 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [96]

    325. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [96]


    ¡¸Fuu¡­¡¹


    I exhaled deeply and withdrew the darkness that slowly leaked out from my body.


    ¡¸H-Have you calmed down?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. I¡¯m sorry about that.¡¹


    I shook my head slightly to calm my feelings.


    ¡¸So¡­ why did Rize-san¡¯s namee up?¡¹


    There should be no connection between her and the secret conference.


    ¡¸I haven¡¯t heard the details yet, but it seems that Rize Dorahain appeared at the headquarters of the Holy Knights Association the day when the four of the Seven Holy Swords were given the ¡°postal delivery¡± task.¡¹


    ¡¸Rize-san was at the headquarters?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, that¡¯s right. It seems that the four Seven Holy Swords testified in unison, so there¡¯s no doubt about it. The fact that she, who is always extremely busy, showed up at that ce¡­ I¡¯m sure she came to meet the Holy Knight Leader.¡¹


    ¡¸That may be the case.¡¹


    It seemed that even Tenshi-sama had difficulties getting an appointment with Rize-san.


    The fact that she personally went to the headquarters must mean a ¡°big matter¡± in its own way.

 Chapter 326 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [97]

    Chapter 326. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [97]


    ¡¸Rize Dorahain visited the Holy Knight Leader immediately after the venue for the conference was decided. It is an open secret that she has a deep connection with the underground society and has an amazing informationwork. ¡°That stinking fox must have intercepted the information with a mind-type soul dress and sold it to the Empire.¡±- A number of state heads voiced that opinion.¡¹


    The president exined how Rize-san became the suspect.


    (The state heads hold her in contempt just because of public perception, and don¡¯t even try to get to know the real Rize-san.)


    I don¡¯t know what to think about the state heads anymore.


    (There¡¯s no point in getting frustrated.)


    I calmed down for the time being and decided to continue the story.


    ¡¸So, what about Tenshi-sama?¡¹


    The president said earlier that only Tenshi-sama did not treat Rize-san as a criminal.


    ¡¸Tenshi-sama put her decision on hold, saying ¡°At this point, we don¡¯t have all the information, so I¡¯ll refrain from speaking¡±. Well, that¡¯s only because she didn¡¯t want to upset Allen-kun.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Eh?¡¹

 Chapter 327 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [98]

    327. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [98]


    Why did my name appear?


    What does it mean that Tenshi-sama didn¡¯t want to upset me?


    A number of questions popped up in my head.


    ¡¸As I said before, we the ¡°Royal Faction¡± are trying to win you over, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, the problem regarding the ¡°Noble Faction¡±, isn¡¯t it?¡¹


    The Royal Faction and the Noble Faction are in fierce conflict.


    I heard that from the president in the past.


    ¡¸Yes, that¡¯s right. As long as the Noble Faction has the support of one of the Seven Holy Swords, the Royal Faction also needs the appropriate ¡°armed force¡±.¡¹


    While saying so, the president poked my shoulder with her index finger.


    (A normal academy student versus one of the Seven Strongest Swordsmen of Mankind. Anyone who hears that would surely raise an eyebrow.)


    Apparently, Tenshi-sama and Rodis-san have overestimated me.


    ¡¸And so¡­ Allen-kun and the Bloody Fox¡¯s ¡°intimate rtionship¡± is alreadymon knowledge in the underground society. Everyone knows about it.¡¹


    ¡¸I-Intimate rtionship is a bit of an overstatement.¡¹


    It is true that I am indebted to Rize-san in various ways.


    However, I don¡¯t think we have that close of a rtionship with each other.

 Chapter 328 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [99]

    328. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [99]


    ¡¸There¡¯s no point in hiding it, so I¡¯ll say it openly¡­ Like the other state heads, Tenshi-sama and father are most likely strongly suspicious of the Bloody Fox. However, if they were open about it, there is a good chance they might displease Allen-kun. Worst case scenario, you may be taken in by the Noble Faction. That would bring the Royal Faction to their knees.¡¹


    The president spoke openly, shrugging her shoulders slightly.


    ¡¸In order to avoid a scenario like that, Tenshi-sama and father put a hold on ¡°Rize Dorahain¡¯s Judgment¡±. For that reason, they really want to ask you if it is okay to list the Bloody Fox as a suspect at the next secret conference?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡­ understand the situation.¡¹


    I organized the details in my head and drew a conclusion for the time being.


    ¡¸A student like me can¡¯t meddle in Tenshi-sama and Rodis-san¡¯s opinions. If they both suspect Rize-san as a suspect in the information leak¡­ that¡¯s unavoidable.¡¹


    I am not in a position to disagree with the two people who stand at the top of Ringard.


    ¡¸But, I¡¯ll say this one thing clearly. Rize-san did not leak the information to the Empire.¡¹


    Although there seems to be a lot of misunderstanding, she is a really kind person.


    She will never turn traitor.


    ¡¸Fufu, that¡¯s a very you-like answer. Then I¡¯ll ry that to my father.¡¹

 Chapter 329 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [100]

    329. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [100]


    Once the story came to an end, the president exhaled a little.


    ¡¸Thanks for listening, Allen-kun. I feel a little refreshed.¡¹


    ¡¸No, I¡¯m d to help.¡¹


    The particrs of the story were quite heavy, so it seems to have weighed a lot on her mind.


    After talking about it all, it seems to have made her feel better.


    I¡¯m d the president seems to be at ease now.


    (I need to go to the bathroom now.)


    The talk got unexpectedly long. Let¡¯s take care of that business, and go to sleep early today.


    When I was thinking about that,


    ¡¸U-Umm¡­ you aren¡¯t angry?¡¹


    The president asked in a timid manner.


    ¡¸No, I¡¯m not angry.¡¹


    (Rize-san being suspected as the traitor¡­ Sure, I have some thoughts about that, but¡­)


    Getting angry at the president for that would be akin to barking up the wrong tree.


    ¡¸R-Really?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s true. And you know, I promised not to lie to you for the rest of my life, right?¡¹


    ¡¸!! R-Right! You made that promise¡­¡¹


    She smiled happily as her cheeks turned red.


    ¡¸W-Well then¡­ Onee-chan is going to sleep, okay? Good night, Allen-kun.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes. Good night, president.¡¹


    Then we parted ways while waving goodbye.

 Chapter 330 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [101]

    330. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [101]


    Thest day of the spring training camp.


    This day is a very important day since Bhus-san decided to teach us the Mirrored Sakura sh, after all.


    ¡¸Okay, I¡¯m in good shape.¡¹


    My body was in good shape after having done light stretching, jogging, and swinging early in the morning. I felt energy coursing through my body in anticipation.


    (I¡¯m really looking forward to it¡­)


    Bhus Valencia, once said to be the strongest swordsman in the world.


    I wonder just how powerful his secret technique would be.


    Anticipation filled my heart, causing it to race.


    (Anyway, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I can¡¯t waste it!)


    I took a deep breath and tried to calm my mind.


    ¡¸Fuu¡­ It¡¯s already afternoon?¡¹


    The clock showed that it was now 12pm.


    It¡¯s about time for everyone to have lunch.


    ¡¸Alright, let¡¯s go.¡¹


    After wiping away the sweat with a towel, I headed to the Arcstria mansion¡¯s dining room.


    Then I had thest lunch of the spring training camp together with Ria, Rose, the president, Lilim-senpai, and Ferris-senpai.

 Chapter 331 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [102]

    331. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [102]


    After a light lunch, we gathered at the front entrance of the mansion with the bare minimum baggage.


    ¡¸Alright, it¡¯s time to leave¡­ Are you all ready?¡¹the president, carrying a small shoulder bag, asked.


    ¡¸Yeah! I¡¯m in the best condition!¡¹


    ¡¸I got a lot of sleep, so I¡¯m in the best condition too, though!¡¹


    Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai said cheerfully.


    ¡¸Towels, water bottles, and a first aid kit are all here! I¡¯m ready!¡¹


    Ria carefully checked her cute handbag.


    ¡¸I have no problem too.¡¹


    Rose, who had no baggage in particr, nodded.


    ¡¸How about you, Allen?¡¹the president asked.


    ¡¸Yes, we can depart anytime.¡¹


    I worked out lightly and got proper nutrition.


    On a side note, the weather was great.


    Thanks to the warm sunshine, I was in a good mood overall.


    You can call it a ¡°perfect training day¡±.


    ¡¸All right! Let¡¯s depart!¡¹


    Then we boarded our gliders and took off to the uninhabited ind where Bhus-san was waiting.

 Chapter 332 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [103]

    Chapter 332. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [103]


    It took about 10 minutes to reach the uninhabited ind.


    (Oh, he¡¯s right there.)


    We found Bhus-san from the sky and slowly lowered our altitude andnded right next to him.


    ¡¸Nn? Oh, you¡¯re here, kid!¡¹


    When he noticed us, he stopped fishing, which is his hobby and side-profit, and stood up.


    ¡¸We look forward to the training today.¡¹I said.


    ¡¸This time it will be fairly high-intensity training. So how are you feeling? Did you sleep well yesterday?¡¹


    We nodded deeply in response to Bhus-san¡¯s question.


    ¡¸I see, it looks like you¡¯re all well prepared¡­ Okay. I will now teach you on the Secret Technique ¨C Mirrored Sakura sh! First, as usual, I will demonstrate the technique and you guys will copy¨C¡¹


    For some reason, Bhus-san cut his words midway, and returned his sword back into its scabbard.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡­?¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹


    All of us were confused.


    ¡¸That machine¡­ Is that one of your friends?¡¹


    Bhus-san asked, looking up at the sky.

 Chapter 333 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [104]

    333. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [104]


    There was a big ck shadow at the end of Bhus-san¡¯s line of sight.


    (I can¡¯t see it clearly since its position oveps with the sun, but¡­)


    There were indeed two silhouettes that looked like gliders, and they were heading straight toward us.


    (Since they know this location, is it a servant of House Arcstria?)


    When I was vaguely thinking about that, a yellow sphere fell from the sky.


    (What¡­¡­?)


    A palm-sized sphere that looked like a beautiful ball of mud.


    Looking closely, it was a collection of extremely small grains of sand.


    However, one thing was strange. For some reason, the sphere was floating in the air.


    ¡¸Hmm, what¡¯s this? It¡¯s not a ball of mud, is it?¡¹


    At the moment when Lilim-senpai leaned forward in a curious manner, the president¡¯s scream echoed.


    ¡¸Allen-kun, deploy your defenses right away!¡¹


    ¡¸What?¡¹


    At the same moment I asked, the yellow sphere gave rise to an enormous explosion.

 Chapter 334 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [105]

    334. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [105]


    ¡¸I thought I was d-dead¡­¡¹


    Lilim-san, who was enveloped by the explosion, fell down on her butt.


    ¡¸M-My lifespan is shortened by three years, though¡­¡¹


    Ferris-senpai murmured, with a dumbfounded expression.


    ¡¸Fuu¡­ as expected of Allen-kun. Only you canpletely prevent that enormous explosion. But thanks to you, we were all saved. Thank you.¡¹


    The president exhaled in relief, seeming to have an idea of what just happened.


    ¡¸Thanks to your warning, I managed to deploy it in time.¡¹


    The instant when the explosion urred, I deployed darkness and wrapped everyone in dark robes.


    As a result, everyone came out of the explosion without a scratch.


    ¡¸Thank you, Allen. But are you okay? Are you injured anywhere?¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry, Allen. You had to protect me again¡­ By the way, are you safe?¡¹


    Ria and Rose asked, worried looks on their faces.


    ¡¸I¡¯m alright. More importantly, Bhus-san¡­?¡¹


    Since there was a considerable distance between us, the dark robe did not make it to him in time.


    (If he took that enormous explosion head-on¡­)


    He must have suffered considerable damage.

 Chapter 335 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [106]

    335. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [106]


    When I was concerned about Bhus-san,


    ¡¸Ah, so annoying. What is up with this sand?!¡¹


    With a frustrated look, Bhus-san swung his sword and blew away the cloud of sand.


    (A-As expected¡­)


    He walked out of that explosionpletely unharmed.


    (Perhaps his ¡°bodyposition¡± is different from that of a normal human being.)


    Then, the two gliders slowlynded in front of us.


    ¡¸Everyone, don¡¯t let your guard down even for a second. These will probably be the strongest enemies we have faced thus far¡­¡¹


    Immediately after the president¡¯s tense voice echoed, two swordsmen climbed down from the gliders.


    ¡¸¨CBro, you¡¯re as crazy as always. You are now a member of the ck Organization, so you have to be quiet and stealthy, okay?¡¹


    The first person was a frivolous man dressed in a ck cloak.


    (He seems like a suspicious carefree guy, but¡­)


    There was not a single gap in his defenses.


    There is no doubt that he is quite capable.


    ¡¸Shut up. Don¡¯t tell me how to do things. And I don¡¯t remember being a member of the organization in the first ce. I just formed a temporary partnership.¡¹


    The second person was a slender man with sharp eyes.


    The attire he wore was¡­ very simr to that of a Holy Knight.

 Chapter 336 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [107]

    336. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [107]


    ¡¸You are the traitorous Seven Holy Sword, Von Mustang, correct?¡¹


    As the president confirmed that, the slender man responded with a twitch.


    ¡¸I remember seeing your face several times¡­ If I¡¯m not mistaken, you are Rodis¡¯ daughter, Sie Arcstria. I was surprised that the information had spread so quickly, but I see now, you heard from your father, huh.¡¹


    Von Mustang.


    Fresh golden hair that stretched to the back. About 170 centimeters tall and seemed to be in his mid-twenties. He has a handsome face that gives a cold impression. He has a slightly slender body for a swordsman, and wore a ck cloak over the pure white Holy Knight attire.


    (This person is Von Mustang, huh¡­)


    The traitor that the president was talking abouttest night.


    ¡¸P-President!? What do you mean ¡°Traitorous Seven Holy Sword¡±!?¡¹


    ¡¸A Seven Holy Sword has turned traitor?!¡¹


    Ria and Rose sounded astonished, not privy to the circumstances.


    ¡¸N-N-No¡­ We have to fight with one of the Seven Holy Swords? S-Seriously?!¡¹


    ¡¸M-My legs are starting to feel jelly, though¡­¡¹


    Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai were already backing away.

 Chapter 337 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [108]

    337. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [108]


    ¡¸I¡¯ll exin the detailster. For now, prepare for battle with that traitor!¡¹


    When the president said so and pulled out her sword, Von deeply grimaced.


    ¡¸Sie Arcstria. You ¨C no, all of you seem to have misunderstood greatly. It can¡¯t be helped¡­ I¡¯ll correct that misunderstanding right here and now.¡¹


    ¡¸What are you talking about?¡¹


    ¡¸I am by no means a filthy ¡°traitor¡±. I simply left the Seven Holy Swords and formed a partnership with the Holy Ronelia Empire.¡¹


    ¡¸ ¡­???¡¹


    Everyone was puzzled at Von¡¯s mysterious theory.


    ¡¸Von bro, that¡¯s what we typically call ¡°betrayal¡±.¡¹


    The man who seemed to be hispanion inserted a very legitimate retort.


    Von snorted scornfully in response.


    ¡¸Fool, you should update your definition of betrayal. ¡°Betrayal¡± means that the good fall on the wrong path. I simply transferred to a different organization to fulfill ¡°my justice¡±. A transition from justice to justice, so to speak. It is not betrayal.¡¹


    ¡¸I-I see¡­¡¹


    This Von Mustang character seems to be a fastidious man.

 Chapter 338 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [109]

    338. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [109]


    ¡¸Von bro, let¡¯s set aside the trivial things for the time being. Shouldn¡¯t we prioritize ¡°work¡± for now?¡¹


    The man, who also seems to be a member of the organization, scratched his cheeks with a troubled look.


    Upon hearing that, Von came to aplete stop, as if he was frozen in time.


    ¡¸¡±Trivial¡±, you say? No. No. No. I¡¯m not a fastidious person. It is you guys who are too broad. Listen well. Correcting small mistakes as I did a second ago is the right thing to do. Basically, it¡¯s a ¡°small justice¡±. By umting it on a regr basis, the ¡°great justice¡± of world peace will eventuallye to fruition. ¡­Hmm, this is a good opportunity. So I¡¯ll tell you again. In the first ce, what is ¡°justice¡±?¡¹


    He continued to talk endlessly, seeming to be obsessed with justice.


    ¡¸Aah¡­. It¡¯s started again, bro¡¯s ¡°Maximum Happiness Justice Theory¡±. Your Majesty Barrel, won¡¯t you please change my partner? Ourpatibility is the worst¡­¡¹


    The man who acted carefreely, had a serious expression this time around.


    ¡¸You are¡­ Deal Reinstadt, correct?¡¹


    The president called out to that man, not letting down her guard.


    ¡¸Oh, you know of me?¡¹

 Chapter 339 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [110]

    339. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [110]


    ¡¸Yes, I received information from the Holy Knights Association. If I¡¯m not mistaken¡­ You are a former Emperor¡¯s Four Knights, correct?¡¹the president said.


    ¡¸Ararara¡­ Information on the ¡°former¡± part has already leaked, huh. How embarrassing¡­¡¹


    He shrugged his shoulders exaggeratedly and shook his head from side to side.


    Deal Reinstadt.


    A man with purple middle part hairstyle and light sunsses.


    He is 180 cm tall and seems to be in histe twenties.


    He has a gentle expression and looks kind at first nce, but his every movement seems theatrical. Overall, just a very suspicious man.


    His ck cloak was engraved with a purple crest ¨C a crest I had seen somewhere before.


    (A former Emperor¡¯s Four Knights, huh.)


    Judging by the rank, he must be on par with Sebas-san.


    He is by no means an opponent we can take on easily.


    ¡¸Well, then¡­ a former Seven Holy Sword and a former Emperor¡¯s Four Knight. Why did such extremely dangerous peoplee to visit this ce? Don¡¯t tell me you just came for sakura watching?¡¹the president asked.


    ¡¸Of course not. We came here for only one purpose. To recover the phantom spirit ¡°100 Million Year Sakura¡± that you have hidden for many years, Bhus Valencia.¡¹


    Von responded with an unbelievable statement.

 Chapter 340 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [111]

    340. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [111]


    (¡°Phantom spirit¡± is the general term used for monsters that rampaged in this world long ago, right?)


    About two months ago, I had a conversation with one of the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle, Fu Rudras, in the library of the Holy Ronelia Empire.


    ording to him, some countries secretly captured phantom beasts and hid them to be used as military force.


    And now, the ck Organization seems to be enthusiastic about recovering the phantom spirits. They have been sent their underlings many times so far to recapture Fafnir which is sealed within Ria.


    (But what does he mean by the 100 Million Year Sakura is a phantom spirit? Is it possible that¡­the huge sakura tree that reaches the sky is Bhus-san¡¯s soul dress itself!?)


    ¡¸Bararara! You found out about it, huh!¡¹


    Bhus-sanughed without particrly denying it.


    ¡¸But even if you say ¡°recover¡±, just how do you intend to do that? Are you perhaps thinking of¡­ going head-to-head with the ¡°strongest swordsman in the world¡±?¡¹


    With a ferocious smile, Bhus-san released a spine chilling killing intent.

 Chapter 341 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [112]

    341. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [112]


    As the surrounding air became heavy and oppressive, Von calmly shook his head.


    ¡¸¡±The strongest swordsman in the world¡± Bhus Valencia, that was a long time ago. Now that you¡¯re suffering from an incurable disease, you can¡¯t even properly manifest your soul dress, let alone your ¡°true soul dress¡±. You¡¯re basically at death¡¯s door, am I wrong?¡¹


    ¡¸Seems like you did your research.¡¹Bhus-san said, seeming amazed.


    ¡¸You¡¯re not denying it¡­ so the information seems to be true. How unfortunate. You can never beat Barrel Ronelia in your weakened state. Not just that, you won¡¯t be able to stand against even a Seven Holy Sword or an Emperor¡¯s Four Knight.¡¹


    ¡¸Bararara! This greenhorn brat sure loves running his mouth!¡¹


    ¡¸Bhus Valencia. Stop the futile resistance and follow us to the Empire obediently.¡¹


    Von stated his request simply as such.


    ¡¸You understand that, right? In order to achieve true justice, you need ¡°absolute power¡±. The 100 Million Year Sakura that even Barrel himself admitted to be ¡°invincible¡± is too much power for an old man at death¡¯s door to handle. ¡­You should feel honored. Because we will make good use of it.¡¹

 Chapter 342 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [113]

    342. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [113]


    ¡¸¡­Put it to good use?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah. Tear off the spirit core from your body and give it to a stronger swordsman.¡¹


    Von kept cool as he uttered those absurd words.


    (Tear off the spirit core!?)


    I heard that the Empire was advancing in scientific research, but is something like that truly possible?


    What happens to the ¡°host¡± whose spirit core has been removed?


    What does it mean to ¡°give to a stronger swordsman¡±?


    As such questions crossed my mind,


    ¡¸Anyway, this is your final warning, Bhus Valencia. Don¡¯t resist and follow us to the Empire.¡¹Von stated in a strong tone.


    ¡¸Um, I don¡¯t really understand the difficult things¡­ Well, no matter. Go tell that idiot Barrel this. No matter how many small fries he sends, he won¡¯t be able to take my head.¡¹


    Bhus-san did not even consider the warning and waved Von away as if shooing away a bug.


    ¡¸I see. I wanted to solve this peacefully, but it can¡¯t be helped. In the name of ¡°justice¡±, I shall take your head.¡¹


    As Von sighed, a sword of sand-make was already gripped in his hand before I noticed.

 Chapter 343 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [114]

    343. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [114]


    ¡¸¡¸¡­¡¹¡¹


    Bhus-san and Von stood still, ring at each other.


    Dense killing intent swirled between the two. Heavy silence dominated the ce.


    Just as they both were about to make their move,


    ¡¸Von bro, I¡¯d like to discuss something real quick, do you have some free time?¡¹


    Deal¡¯s dumb-sounding voice echoed unpleasantly.


    ¡¸Fool, go clean your eye sockets. Do I look like I¡¯m free?¡¹


    ¡¸There you go, saying that again. But with your ability, it¡¯s possible, right? Because our patibility¡± with each other is outstanding.¡¹


    ¡¸Just tell me what you want. If you waste anymore of my time, I¡¯ll get rid of you first.¡¹


    ¡¸S-Sorryyyy. I get it, so please don¡¯t re at me with those scary eyes¡­ Thing is, the six people you tried to get rid of with your Sandst seem to be quite outstanding, you see.¡¹


    He said, and gazed at me as if he was ¡°assessing¡± me.

 Chapter 344 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [115]

    344. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [115]


    ¡¸¡±Special Force¡± Allen Rodore and the host of the phantom spirit Fafnir, Ria Vesteria. If we bring these two as souvenirs, His Majesty Barrel will surely be pleased. Why don¡¯t we collect them as well while we¡¯re here? You don¡¯t have to worry, of course. I won¡¯t bother you, bro. I¡¯ll take care of it all.¡¹


    Deal said, his mouth distorting in an ugly manner.


    At that moment, chills ran through my whole body.


    (This is dangerous!)


    I felt a kind of spiritual power I had never felt before. It was absolutely ¡°ugly¡±.


    Spiritual power is like a ¡°mirror¡± that reflects the person¡¯s temperament.


    (Ria¡¯s spiritual power is as warm as the sun, and Rose¡¯s is pure and clear.)


    In contrast, the spiritual power of the man called Deal Reinstadt was¡­ dirty and corrupted.


    ¡¸Do as you like. But if you¡¯re nning on it being a souvenir, don¡¯t overdo it. Your ability is too specialized in ¡°killing¡±.¡¹


    ¡¸You don¡¯t have to worry. I know that. I¡¯ll try to keep to the ¡°base form¡±.¡¹


    Deal smiled brightly and stood in front of us.

 Chapter 345 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [116]

    345. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [116]


    ¡¸And so¡­ I will serve as your opponent today. Former Emperor¡¯s Four Knights Deal Reinstadt. Pleased to make your acquaintance.¡¹


    With a friendly, yet eerie smile, he raised his sunsses with his middle finger.


    On the other hand, we quickly got into ourbat stances.


    Lower our center of gravity so that we can respond to any attack, and concentrate the spirit core so that we can bring out our soul dress at any time.


    ¡¸Oh my? I thought you guys would introduce yourselves back¡­ but that doesn¡¯t look to be the case.¡¹


    Deal scratched his head, shrugged his shoulders and smiled bitterly.


    ¡¸It¡¯s one-vs-six, but you won¡¯t think it¡¯s unfair, would you?¡¹I said.


    What¡¯s going to happen next is not a training or a game.


    It is literally a battle for ¡°survival¡±.


    Numerical advantage is a big advantage for our side. I will make full use of it.


    ¡¸Well, of course. You can do whatever you want. ¡­Well, from my point of view, it is still ¡°one-on-one¡±. Kukukuku¡­¡¹


    He gazed at me alone, whileughing.


    ¡¸Alright, alright, alright¡­ Let¡¯s begin, shall we? Vite -¡´Deadly Venom¡µ!¡¹


    The moment he spread his hands wide, a purple sword appeared as if tearing through space.

 Chapter 346 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [117]

    346. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [117]


    Deal¡¯s soul dress,¡´Deadly Venom¡µ.


    It had a terribly distorted shape. The sharp edge of the de was jagged like a saw. Three sickle-likerge des protrude at the tip of the sword, and a pincushion-like pommel.


    It was a horrifying and terrifying soul dress, born only to hurt people.


    Moreover, looking closely, a mysterious liquid can be seen coating the de.


    ¡¸That unique shape and the liquid coating on the de¡­ there is almost no doubt that it¡¯s ¡°poison¡±.¡¹


    The knowledgeable president whispered in a small voice so that only we could hear it.


    Then,


    ¡¸As expected of the daughter of House Arcstria, how very knowledgeable. To think you can see through my abilities just by the shape of my soul dress¡­ I¡¯m in big trouble.¡¹


    Deal put on a forced embarrassed face, shrugging his shoulders.


    ¡¸What a pervert. Eavesdropping on a woman.¡¹the president said.


    ¡¸Ahaha, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ve always had unusually good hearing and can pick up any sound.¡¹

 Chapter 347 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [118]

    347. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [118]


    ¡¸Haa, what a troublesome man¡­¡¹


    The president sighed, and tied up her long hair.


    At that moment, she quickly raised three fingers, out of Deal¡¯s view. And then made a circle with her thumb and index finger.


    (A hand sign?)


    When I quickly looked to the left and right, Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai nodded at the same time.


    Apparently, it seems to be a hand sign that only the trio can understand.


    ¡¸Ah, shit¡­ There¡¯s no other choice! I don¡¯t care if it¡¯s the former Emperor¡¯s Four Knights or whatnot, but the great Lilim Tsuorine will take him down!¡¹


    ¡¸In the first ce, it¡¯s six-vs-one, and we also have Allen-kun to boot¡­ The possibilities aren¡¯t zero, though!¡¹


    Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai eximed.


    ¡¸Allen-kun, Ria-san, Rose-san, wait for an opportunity and then strike.¡¹the president said.


    ¡¸Okay.¡¹


    ¡¸Understood.¡¹


    ¡¸I understand.¡¹


    When the strategy was decided,


    ¡¸Invade -¡´Fafnir¡µ!¡¹


    ¡¸Dye -¡´Winter Sakura¡µ!¡¹


    ¡¸Imitate -¡´Aqua Queen¡µ!¡¹


    ¡¸Explode -¡´Burst y¡µ!¡¹


    ¡¸Restrict -¡´Bind Psychic¡µ!¡¹


    Everyone brought out their soul dress at the same time.

 Chapter 348 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [119]

    348. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [119]


    ¡¸Wow, what a tremendous outburst of spiritual power!¡¹


    Deal gave a crackling and exaggerated apuse after thrusting his fiendish soul dress into the ground.


    ¡¸Fufu, I wonder how long that carefree attitude willst? ¨CAqua Trick!¡¹


    When the president held her sword high in the sky, various shapes of water weapons ¨C a sword, an axe, a spear, a shield, a sickle ¨C surrounded Deal in a circle.


    ¡¸Lilim!¡¹


    ¡¸Leave it to me! Scatter, Burst y!¡¹


    As Lilim-senpai unleashed a horizontal sh, arge amount of burst y scattered into the air and coated Aqua Trick.


    As a result, the water weapons which boasted iron-like hardness had be ¡°bombs¡± that boasted tremendous power.


    Even a former Emperor¡¯s Four Knight would not walk away unscathed if he took it head-on.


    ¡¸Eat this!¡¹


    Thebined technique of the president and Lilim-senpai flooded towards Deal.


    ¡¸This sure is arge-scale attack, but itcks ¡±speed¡°, you see.¡¹Deal said.


    He pulled out Deadly Venom from the ground, and tried to intercept the attack.


    ¡¸¡­!?¡¹


    But his movement stopped unnaturally.


    No, it was stopped.


    ¡¸Fufu, you¡¯ve been paying too much attention ¡°above¡±, though.¡¹


    Looking closely, Ferris-senpai¡¯s Bind Psychic threads crept through the ground and restrained Deal¡¯s legs.


    ¡¸Arara, I¡¯m in trouble¡­¡¹


    The moment Deal said that, a tremendous explosion swallowed him.

 Chapter 349 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [120]

    349. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [120]


    The deafening explosion sound of the detonating y and the crushing sound of steel water piercing the ground echoed throughout the ind.


    ¡¸Kuh!?¡¹


    A tremendous shock wave swept across. My entire field of view was filled with clouds of sand.


    I couldn¡¯t see Deal, but he probably suffered a lot of damage.


    ¡¸Fufu, the attacknded!¡¹


    ¡¸D-Did we do it!?¡¹


    ¡¸That was a good start, though!¡¹


    The president and senpais were still on full-guard, but with a smile on their faces.


    (Amazing!)


    They were able to coordinate so perfectly with just one hand sign.


    Theirpatibility is excellent, but this time, their ¡°preparation¡± for any situation yed the biggest part.


    (As expected of the seniors.)


    As I was feeling impressed,


    ¡¸Something ising!¡¹


    Rose¡¯s sharp cry echoed.


    The next moment,


    ¡¸Venom Diffusion!¡¹


    Poison balls of tremendous speed wereunched in all directions.

 Chapter 350 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [121]

    350. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [121]


    Marble-sized balls of poisonous purple color.


    Deal¡¯s poison attack targeted all of us simultaneously.


    (Damnit! An immediate counterattack right after receiving thebined skills of the senpais, huh¡­)


    The total number of poison balls approaching me was ¡°ten¡±.


    If it¡¯s just the number, it doesn¡¯t matter, but the problem was its speed.


    (Too fast!)


    It was like a sharp thrust from a first-ss swordsman.


    I was caught by surprise, so it was slightly difficult to think about optimal defense.


    I instantly d myself in dark robe andpletely defended all ten poison balls.


    ¡¸White Scale!¡¹


    ¡¸Scarlet Sakura Gather!¡¹


    ¡¸Aqua Mirror!¡¹


    Ria¡¯s white me shield, Rose¡¯s gathering of thick sakura petals, and the president¡¯srge water mirror calmly prevented Deal¡¯s counterattack.


    On the other hand,


    ¡¸T-This is too much!¡¹


    ¡¸I-I can¡¯tpletely defend it, though!¡¹


    Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai, who do not have a wide-range defense techniques, couldn¡¯t defend Venom Diffusion and were hit on the left shoulder and right foot, respectively.

 Chapter 351 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [122]

    351. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [122]


    ¡¸Lilim, Ferris¡­Are you okay!?¡¹


    The president immediately rushed to the two as they crouched on the spot.


    ¡¸Ahhhhh¡­ ohhhhh!¡¹


    ¡¸Hahhh¡­ it hurts like hell, though!!!¡¹


    Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai cried in agony while holding down the part of the body hit by the poison ball.


    Beads of sweat appeared on their forehead, and their faces turned deep blue.


    ¡¸Oh yeah¡­ That¡¯s the sound I like to hear. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever get bored of it.¡¹


    Deal appeared out of the cloud of sand unscathed, and said so in a joyful tone.


    (This guy¡­)


    I want to start attacking him immediately, but that is not what¡¯s important at the moment.


    ¡¸Allen-kun, please¡­ heal them!¡¹


    ¡¸Okay!¡¹


    I was called by the president, and immediately rushed towards Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai to confirm their conditions.


    (This is terrible¡­)


    The uniform was melted by the poison ball. The skin underneath was dyed with a purple pattern.


    ¡¸A-Allen-kun¡­ Please help me¡­¡¹


    ¡¸P-Please, take this pain away, though¡­¡¹


    The two pleaded with tears in their eyes.

 Chapter 352 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [123]

    352. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [123]


    ¡¸Yes, of course!¡¹


    I created a dense darkness and concentrated it on the poisoned area.


    But the purple pattern on their bodies did not disappear.


    On the contrary, the poison spread and eroded the healthy tissue.


    (W-What is this!?)


    When I became flustered and raised the output of darkness,


    ¡¸Kukuku, it won¡¯t work!¡¹


    Dealughed happily, an ugly smile stered on his face.


    ¡¸The poison produced by Deadly Venom are all of ¡°virus¡± nature¡­ No matter how good your ¡°healing¡± is, it will never heal!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    Zeon¡¯s darkness is absolute on all things, save for illnesses.


    ¡¸Ahh¡­ kuh¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I can¡¯t stand this¡­ pain, though¡­¡¹


    Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai desperately endured the pain, while starting to gasp for breath.


    (Shit! How do I help them!?)


    As I was clenching my fist in frustration,


    ¡¸-You sure seem to be having fun, don¡¯t you?¡¹


    Bhus-san appeared behind Deal, giving off a tremendous killing intent.

 Chapter 353 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [124]

    353. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [124]


    ¡¸NUH!¡¹


    Bhus-san unleashed a fierce side sweep with a wide swing.


    ¡¸!!¡¹


    Even as Deal¡¯s face turned pale, he turned around and defended the attack firmly with his soul dress.


    (As expected, he truly is skillful.)


    Together with fluid footwork with no wasted motion, his eyes saw through Bhus-san¡¯s sh within an instant.


    As a former Emperor¡¯s Four Knight, his basic swordsmanship skill was very high, and was able to recover his posture despite being caught off guard.


    However, Bhus-san¡¯s attack is not something that can bepletely defended with an instant¡¯s defense.


    ¡¸Bararara! Too soft!¡¹


    Deal could not stop the impact of that attack.


    ¡¸T-This might be a little dangerous¡­¡¹


    He was sent flying into the air and crashed into arge tree far away.


    ¡¸It¡¯s not over yet!¡¹


    The moment Bhus-san tried to pursue Deal with a follow-up attack, Von, who was bleeding from his forehead, jumped high into the sky.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t underestimate a ¡°Seven Holy Sword¡±! ¨CSand Swords!¡¹


    In response to his cry, more than 20 sand swords were released at a speed indiscernible by the human eye.

 Chapter 354 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [125]

    354. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [125]


    ¡¸Too slow! Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style ¨C Consecutive Sakura sh!¡¹


    Bhus-san immediately turned around and unleashed a series of sh-like thrusts.


    The delicate and powerful thrusts broke through all the sand swords.


    ¡¸Guh!?¡¹


    A number of wounds were carved into Von¡¯s body.


    After receiving a painful counterattack, Von jumped far back and quietly regained his breath.


    (A-Amazing¡­)


    Not a mop, but a real sword. Not a match, but a death battle.


    Bhus-san¡¯s presence, who was now standing in a real battlefield, was overwhelming.


    ¡¸Hey, Von bro! You are supposed to hold down that monster! I almost died!¡¹


    Deal, who received a smiting blow to the body, protested with a serious expression unusual for him.


    I don¡¯t know if he has a robust body, or some sort of hidden ability, but¡­ he was still unharmed.


    Not paying a slight attention to Deal¡¯s protest, Von waspletely focussed on Bhus-san.


    ¡¸¡­I¡¯m surprised. To think you still possess that kind of strength at this age, even while riddled with a disease¡­ As expected of the swordsman who was once hailed as the strongest in the world, I suppose.¡¹


    ¡¸If I was at my prime, you two would be corpses by now, but¡­ dear me, getting old sucks.¡¹


    The two held their swords at the ready while expressing their thoughts.

 Chapter 355 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [126]

    355. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [126]


    While facing Von, Bhus-san nced at me.


    ¡¸Listen, kid. Poison-users like Deal can be divided into 2 categories. They either produce poison that already exists in this world or apletely unknown poison. Almost all poison-users belong to the former, but very rarely there are those who belong to thetter.¡¹


    He then continued further.


    ¡¸There is one way to distinguish between the two ¨C ¡°whether a recovery-type soul dress can nullify the poison¡±. The enemy¡¯s ability is the troublesome ¡°unknown poison¡±, as it could not be treated with your darkness.¡¹


    ¡¸Is there any way to get rid of the poison!?¡¹


    ¡¸Unknown poison is a substance that originally does not exist in this world. It is only temporarily materialized by using the spiritual power of the user. In short, you have to cut off the supply of spiritual power ¨C by rendering the user unconscious!¡¹


    ¡¸In other words, as long as I defeat Deal¡­ Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai can be saved!¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s right. If you don¡¯t want to lose your friends, cut down the enemy before you as soon as possible!¡¹


    Bhus-san, who has more experience inbat than anyone else, gave me valuable advice as he devoted himself to a fierce battle with Von.

 Chapter 356 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [127]

    356. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [127]


    ¡¸Oh no, I¡¯m in trouble now. It ispletely beyond my expectations that you would so easily find a detoxification method¡­¡¹


    Deal scratched his head, with a forced troubled look.


    ¡¸There are less than five people in the world who have a simr ability to mine, but¡­ it is to be expected of a monster that has lived for 200 years to know that information, I guess. It seems that you have fought an ¡°unknown poison-user¡± in the past¡­¡¹


    Deal shrugged his shoulders, with a deep sigh.


    Each of those actions seemed to be intentional, and somehow felt like I was being ridiculed.


    ¡¸Allen-kun, Ria-san, Rose-san. Will you help me out?¡¹


    The president, whose precious childhood friends have been hurt, tightly gripped her sword as intense anger burned in her eyes.


    ¡¸Yes!¡¹


    ¡¸Of course!¡¹


    ¡¸Naturally!¡¹


    We responded immediately with the tip of our swords facing Deal.


    (Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai were incapacitated with just one move.)


    Still, it is still four-to-one.


    We absolutely have to take advantage of our numerical advantage in this situation.

 Chapter 357 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [128]

    357. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [128]


    ¡¸The enemy¡¯s ability is ¡°one-shot one-kill deadly poison¡±. We will give increased priority to defense while attacking using the advantage in numbers!¡¹


    ¡¸Comparing the shape of the weapon to the ¡°poison ball¡± we saw before, the enemy seems to be specialised in wide-area attack rather than single-point attack.¡¹


    Rose and the president, who have a wealth of knowledge andbat experience, shared the information they inferred about the enemy to everyone.


    ¡¸Okay!¡¹


    ¡¸I understand!¡¹


    We quickly prepared for battle, and finally confronted Deal. The guy was still smiling.


    (Lilim-senpai, Ferris-senpai. Please wait a little longer¡­)


    The two of them were desperately enduring the pain with an expression of agony. Both of them are very ¡°strong¡±, but¡­ no one knows how long their physical and mental strength willst.


    (At any rate, we have no time to spare.)


    In order to avoid the worst case scenario, Deal must be cut down as soon as possible.


    Our aim is a short-term decisive battle.

 Chapter 358 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [129]

    358. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [129]


    (Time to start.)


    I concentrated dense darkness on my sword to create a pseudo ck sword and took a step forward.


    ¡¸Hmm, I think it¡¯s about time for it toe into effect¡­ How are you feeling?¡¹Deal asked, in a concerned tone.


    The next moment,


    ¡¸Wha!?¡¹


    ¡¸Eh?¡¹


    Rose and the president began to convulse and dropped down to the ground slowly.


    ¡¸R-Rose? President!?¡¹


    ¡¸Are you okay!?¡¹


    Ria and I hurriedly caught them. For some reason, the same purple pattern as on Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai emerged on their necks.


    ¡¸Uh, gu¡­ why¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Hahhh¡­ it hurts¡­¡¹


    Rose and the president¡¯s breathing became heavier and arge amount of sweat formed on their foreheads. Tears emerged at the corners of their eyes, and the temperature of their body increased.


    (W-What is going on!?)


    As far as I could see, there is no doubt that this is Deal¡¯s poison.


    However, the two of them definitely defended against the Venom Diffusion.

 Chapter 359 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [130]

    359. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [130]


    ¡¸My poison is highly vtile. It vaporizes quickly under normal temperature and pressure. In short, those youngdies inhaled poisonous gas.¡¹


    ¡¸¡¸ ¡­!?¡¹¡¹


    I immediately closed my mouth with my left hand, whereas Ria did so with a handkerchief.


    I know it¡¯s toote, but I couldn¡¯t help it anyway.


    Deal amusedly shook his hand when he saw us.


    ¡¸Kukuku, isn¡¯t it useless to do that now? Because Allen bro and Miss Ria have already inhaled a lot.¡¹


    Immediately after, he scanned our whole body from top to bottom, shrugging his shoulders in disappointment.


    ¡¸Just¡­ it¡¯s less effective in vaporized form, and it doesn¡¯t seem to work on the both of you. Leaving aside Allen bro, Miss Ria also seems to have a tough body. It may be that Fafnir¡¯s self-defense ability has been activated.¡¹

 Chapter 360 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [131]

    360. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [131]


    Ria and I were relieved at not being annihted.


    (But now it¡¯s down to two-on-one.)


    Despite not crossing swords properly yet, four of us have been rendered unable to fight in no time.


    (Rose and the others who fell victim to the poison cannot be left undefended.)


    Either Ria or I need to protect them from the shockwaves of the battle.


    (Which means, this is substantially one-on-one.)


    The numerical advantage that was in our favor disappeared, and the current situation was as Deal described before the start of the battle.


    In the ever-worsening battle situation, as I nced sideways,


    ¡¸Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style ¨C Evening Sakura!¡¹


    ¡¸¨CSandbreak!¡¹


    Bhus-san and Von were engaged in a breathtaking sword fight.


    The battle between the two is equal¡­ No, Bhus-san has a slight upper hand.


    However, it doesn¡¯t seem like we can expect help from him.


    (I have no choice but to do it.)


    I exhaled a little and decided to take on a former Emperor¡¯s Four Knight in a one-on-one battle.

 Chapter 361 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [132]

    361. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [132]


    ¡¸Man, everyone¡¯s cries are so pleasant to hear¡­¡¹


    Deal¡¯s cheeks became flushed as he listened to everyone¡¯s agonized cries.


    ¡¸Hey, Allen bro¡­ Do you want to know what kind of poison is coursing through those youngdies?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    As I remained silent, he started talking happily.


    ¡¸It is a deadly poison that kills cells. It is the most painful poison I can produce. Just imagine for a moment, bro¡­ Even as we are speaking, those youngdies are convulsing in pain. Kukuku, this! This never gets dull!¡¹


    Deal hugged his own body with an unsightly look on his face.


    ¡¸This is the first time in my life I have seen a low-life like you!¡¹


    Ria readied Fafnir, while exposing her hostility.


    I took a step forward and held her back.


    ¡¸Sorry, Ria. Please protect the others.¡¹


    Ria had a startled look for a moment, and immediately shook her head.

 Chapter 362 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [133]

    362. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [133]


    ¡¸N-No! The opponent is a former Emperor¡¯s Four Knight. Moreover, he took down everyone with just one attack! Even if it¡¯s you, fighting alone is too dangerous!¡¹


    ¡¸But someone has to protect the others. From the shockwaves of the battle, and above all, from Deal and Von.¡¹


    Those two are a criminal and a traitor.


    We can¡¯t expect such people to fight ¡°fair and square¡±. If the situation seems to get bad for them even a little, they will aim for the defenseless people without any hesitation.


    ¡¸T-That may be the case, but¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Moreover¡­ I don¡¯t think I can control my power right now. I might identally get you involved in my attacks. So, please?¡¹


    I kept my anger under control and quietly said so.


    (I can¡¯t take it anymore¡­)


    Hearing the painful cries of my precious friends, hearing Deal ridiculing them in a perverted manner¡­ I can¡¯t stand it anymore!


    ¡¸I understand. But please don¡¯t force yourself, okay?¡¹


    Ria said, and jumped back. Taking on a defensive stance to protect our friends.


    ¡¸Yeah, thank you.¡¹


    I said, and walked towards Deal.

 Chapter 363 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [134]

    363. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [134]


    ¡¸Deal, undo your ability.¡¹I said.


    ¡¸Arara, what kind of joke is that? Why would I get rid of such pleasant cries? ¨DMore importantly, this is a great opportunity for us to have some fun.¡¹


    He said. with an ugly smile.


    ¡¸¡­¡­Enough.¡¹


    Any more talking would just be a waste of time.


    I reached my right hand to the empty space.


    ¡¸Destroy -¡´Zeon¡µ.¡¹


    In response to my call, the true ck sword appeared as if tearing through space.


    My soul dress appeared more quietly than it has ever before. I gently grasped the condensed darkness in sword-form and slowly moved it in front of my navel.


    ¡¸Hoh, hohoho! So this is the rumored ¡°ck Sword¡±! Despite being so far away, I can feel the tremendous ¡°pressure¡±. Seems like I need to get a little serious¡­¡¹


    Deal held his sword properly for the first time and took a clear fighting stance.


    ¡¸Here Ie.¡¹


    ¡¸Sure, I am ready.¡¹


    After Deal¡¯s short response, I kicked the ground powerfully.


    At that moment, an explosive sound reverberated through the air.


    ¡¸Wha, he disappeared!?¡¹


    I stepped deep into Deal¡¯s nk ¨C into the certain kill distance.


    ¡¸Crap!¡¹


    Deal hurriedly moved into a defensive position, but it was toote.


    ¡¸Sixth Sword ¨C Dark Roar!¡¹


    I unleashed a huge sh d in jet-ck darkness at point-nk range.

 Chapter 364 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [135]

    364. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [135]


    ¡¸Bararara! Quite a shy move, kid!¡¹


    ¡¸So this is ¡°Special Force¡± Allen Rodore, huh.¡¹


    I heard Bhus-san and Von¡¯s mutters carried by the wind, but I cut off that information and focused on the enemy in front of me.


    ¡¸Haa haa¡­ Ha, hahaha¡­ Allen bro, that was quite a sh. I can see now how you managed to cut down Rain. To think you can bring out this much output with just your ¡°normal¡± soul dress, how scary¡­¡¹


    Having eaten Dark Roar from point-nk range, Deal stood up slowly, while bringing up a very nostalgic name.


    His body was deeply carved with a dark red sword wound. Anyone could see that it was a fatal injury.


    ¡¸You managed to put up your defense at thest second.¡¹


    ¡¸Well, I was standing on the verge of life and death¡­ so I poured a considerable amount of spiritual power and d myself in a thick Venom Coat¡­¡¹


    Right before my attacknded, he d himself in a purple Venom Coat at the veryst second and managed to avoid a direct hit.

 Chapter 365 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [136]

    365. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [136]


    ¡¸Fufufu¡­ man, that was really dangerous¡­ Had I been a fraction of a secondte, I would¡¯ve turned to ashes.¡¹


    Deal said, cing his hand over the wound on his chest, breathing raggedly.


    ¡¸It would be a great help to everyone if you turned to ashes right away.¡¹


    ¡¸Kuku¡­ Allen bro is surprisingly aggressive¡­ We might get along just fine, perhaps.¡¹


    He put on an eerie smile while saying something unpleasant.


    ¡¸You look carefree for someone on the verge of death.¡¹I said.


    ¡¸Well, I have confidence in my recovery ability ¨C Venom Reverse.¡¹


    At that moment, purple liquid concentrated around his chest. Immediately, the deep sword wound closed up.


    ¡¸¡­¡­I see.¡¹


    ¡¸It turns poison into medicine. It¡¯s impossible to kill me with most attacks.¡¹


    As I expected, he did not walk out of the president¡¯sbined technique and Bhus-san¡¯s sh unharmed. He most likely immediately recovered from the damage using his ability.


    (In addition to the deadly poison that can render you unable to fight, he has a recovery ability suitable for endurance battles¡­)


    The soul dress, Deadly Venom, seems to be much more troublesome than I expected.

 Chapter 366 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [137]

    366. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [137]


    ¡¸If you can immediately recover from any cut, then I just have to cut you faster than you can recover!¡¹


    I gripped the true ck sword and kicked the ground powerfully.


    ¡¸I have already gotten used to your speed!¡¹


    Deal quickly turned around and responded as I tried to get behind him.


    ¡¸¨CVenom Lance!¡¹


    The moment he spread his hands wide, twelvences of poison were fired at a tremendous speed from his exposed abdomen..


    ¡¸Bro, I¡¯m sure you won¡¯t be ¡°skewered¡± by this attack, but if even one hits you, it¡¯ll spell your end!¡¹


    He unleashed a counter at the perfect timing.


    It will be difficult to dodge all of them, and darkness will not make it in time.


    (And above all, the most troublesome thing is the number ¡°12¡±.)


    Yatagarasu, which has a smaller number, cannot intercept it. World Judgement and Dark Roar are not techniques that can be unleashed in this short time.


    Aplete ¡°checkmate situation¡± that cannot be dodged, defended, or intercepted¡­ if I hadn¡¯t trained with Bhus-san, that is.


    ¡¸Eighth Sword ¨C Consecutive Yatagarasu!¡¹


    16 shes ran through the sky.


    ¡¸W-Wha¡­!?¡¹


    The twelve poisonnces were shed in one breath.

 Chapter 367 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [138]

    367. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [138]


    Having suffered damage to his limbs, Deal jumped far back, furrowing his eyebrows. At the same time, purple liquid covered his wound.


    (That is¡­ Venom Reverse!)


    It is the quick recovery ability of Deadly Venom.


    ¡¸I won¡¯t let you!¡¹


    Iunched an incessant onught to prevent him from recovering.


    ¡¸HA!¡¹


    I aimed an overhead sh at Deal.


    ¡¸Guh!¡¹


    He held his sword horizontally to defend it.


    At such a close range where we can hear each other breathing, our eyes met.


    (I see now.)


    I observed Deal¡¯s limbs. There were stillcerations due to my previous attack.


    He interrupted the recovery ability to focus on defense ¨C no, he had to interrupt it.


    ¡¸Deadly Venom ¨C a powerful ability with a wide range of application, but it seems to be quite difficult to handle.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    I probably hit the mark.


    Deal gritted his teeth for only a moment.


    (Thinking about it, I suppose it¡¯s only natural.)


    While unleashing attacks within fractions of a second, generating various poisons that do not exist in the world to allocate to attack, defense, and recovery at appropriate timings is not as easy as it would seem.

 Chapter 368 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [139]

    Chapter 368. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [139]


    ¡¸The fact that you haven¡¯t started recovery even in this locked sword state¡­ Does that mean you need to concentrate to use Venom Reverse?¡¹


    That means, as long as I seize the initiative, he can¡¯t recover.


    Obtaining this information at an early stage is a great advantage.


    ¡¸Allen bro, you are a really difficult opponent.¡¹


    Deal said, with a bitter look.


    Behind his light-colored sunsses, big gray eyes were ring at me.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll take that as apliment!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    I pushed Deal back with raw physical strength so as not to give him a chance to recover.


    ¡¸HAAAA!¡¹


    Iunched all kinds of shes from various angles while weaving in feints in between topletely control the flow of battle.

 Chapter 370 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [141]

    370. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [141]


    I waspletely unharmed and kept to my Seigan no Kamae stance.


    On the other hand, Deal was breathing roughly with an expression of agony.


    His body was marked with a number of vivid wounds, includingcerations in his limbs, puncture wound on his left shoulder, and a blue-ck bruise in his abdomen.


    ¡¸Oh man, I¡¯m in trouble now¡­ Unfortunately, it seems that I don¡¯t stand a chance at close-rangebat¡­ you see!¡¹


    As Deal raised his soul dress to the sky, a sinister spiritual power started gathering at the tip.


    (Something big ising!)


    A feeling of piercing oppression. An output that makes the atmosphere tremble.


    There is no doubt that his next move will be a technique with considerable spiritual power.


    Understanding that he doesn¡¯t stand a chance at pure swordsmanship, Deal wants to end this fight with his deadly poison, it seems.


    (Deal¡­ you deliberately chose this position¡­)


    Right behind me were Ria and the others.


    If I try to avoid the attack he is about to unleash, they will fall prey to the deadly poison instead.


    In other words, I absolutely have to take the next attack head-on.

 Chapter 371 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [142]

    371. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [142]


    (If the opponent is going to shoot a long-distance attack, then I¡¯ll intercept it with my Dark Roar!)


    I lowered my center of gravity and quietly adjusted my breathing.


    ¡¸¡­Oh, you¡¯re not going to avoid it? Bro, with your speed you can easily dodge my attack¡­¡¹


    Deal tilted his neck as I readied myself to intercept his attack.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t y the fool. Your aim is too obvious.¡¹


    ¡¸Arara, as expected of Allen bro. You have a wide field of view on the battlefield¡­¡¹


    Deal said, and intentionally turned his gaze toward Ria and the others.


    ¡¸Kuku, then here ites. You are too kindhearted to dodge, right!? ¨CVenom Jaw!¡¹


    The moment Deal swung down his sinister soul dress, a huge dragon of poison was unleashed at a tremendous speed.


    My field of view was dyed in an eerie ¡°purple¡± color, and a ridiculous ¡°pressure¡± assailed my whole body.


    (It is certainly big. And the output is also pretty good, but¡­)


    I can offset it with Dark Roar without a problem.


    (How strange¡­)


    The attack that Deal purposely adjusted to target Ria and the others¡­ is this?


    (No, it can¡¯t be that simple.)


    From the sword exchange and conversations we have had thus far, I truly believe that he has a twisted personality. So I interrupted my Dark Roar and carefully observed the approaching poison dragon.

 Chapter 372 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [143]

    372. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [143]


    (I see.. so that¡¯s what it is.)


    As I expected, Deal truly is the twisted man I believe him to be.


    (Anyway, I just have to break the core!)


    I undid the Dark Roar stance and immediately raised my sword into an overhead position.


    ¡¸Fifth Sword ¨C World Judgement!¡¹


    Within the span of a second, the strongest sh that tears the world asunder shed the poison dragon together with Deal¡¯s expectation.


    Venom Jaw was swallowed into the distortion of space. My field of view which was dyed purple was cleared up at once.


    ¡¸W-Why!?¡¹


    With an astonished look, Deal fell into a slight panic.


    I did not miss that opportunity, and with one step, I closed the distance between us.


    ¡¸This is the end.¡¹


    ¡¸Ka, ha!¡¹


    The true ck sword pierced deep into Deal¡¯s chest.


    ¡¸Ah, guh¡­ kaa¡­!¡¹


    Deal choked on his own blood as it gushed out from the corners of his mouth. He clenched the ck sword piercing his chest and red at me.


    ¡¸B-Bro¡­ Why didn¡¯t you unleash the Dark Roar¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸When I looked closely, I found an ¡°unnatural sphere¡± inside Venom Jaw. I¡¯m sure the moment it receives impact, it will scatter a deadly poison within. Am I right?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    I probably hit the mark, seeing as how Deal vexedly clenched his teeth.

 Chapter 373 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [144]

    373. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [144]


    ¡¸Ha, haha¡­ I¡¯m beaten¡­ This is the first time I¡¯ve had so much difficulty with an opponent¡­ bro¡­¡¹


    Deal took a step forward while breathing heavily.


    The ck sword dug deeper into his chest.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t move. I¡¯ve avoided the vital points, but it is still a serious injury. If you move too much, you¡¯ll die¡­¡¹


    I warned Deal.


    ¡¸Hehehehe¡­Worrying about the enemy during battle¨C¡¹


    ¡¸¨CYou¡¯re really softhearted, aren¡¯t you?¡¹


    Deal¡¯s voice came from two ces.


    ¡¸What!?¡¹


    As I looked in the direction of the second voice, Deal, who had fully healed, stood at the far back.


    At the same time, the Deal in front of me turned into a muddy purple liquid and clung to my limbs.


    It was too sticky to free myself of it.


    ¡¸A clone¡­!? I see now¡­¡¹


    Deal aimed to achieve ¡°two¡± things with Venom Jaw.


    One was the poison ball inside the dragon which was aimed at Ria and the others.


    And the other is to temporarily blind my view and buy time to rece himself with a clone. This was probably his main aim.


    This created time for him to recover with Venom Reverse.


    In addition, he reused the poison for the clone to restrain my movements.


    (I thought he was acting too carefree, but he seems to have read everything ahead.)


    Deal Reinstadt, what a tricky opponent.

 Chapter 374 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [145]

    374. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [145]


    ¡¸Aa¡­ It¡¯s a bit sad, but it is time to say goodbye, Allen bro¡­¡¹


    Deal deliberately wiped a tear from the corner of his eye.


    And then¨C.


    ¡¸I quite like optimistic people like you, bro.¡¹


    After making an unpleasant confession, he thrust his ominous soul dress into the ground.


    ¡¸¨CVenom Tail!¡¹


    Nine huge tails thrust up from the ground as if piercing the heavens.


    The tail had a distorted shape as if it was an embodiment of Deal¡¯s ugly personality, and gave off a poisonous color that made everyone who beheld it feel disgusted.


    ¡¸This is the end for you!¡¹


    Deal, convinced of victory, swung his right hand vigorously. The nine poison tails bared its fangs at me simultaneously.


    ¡¸A-Allen!¡¹


    Ria rushed towards me in a hurry, but¡­


    She would not make it in time.


    ¡¸Limit your opponent¡¯s movement and deal the killing blow with a simultaneous attack. It¡¯s a textbook strategy, but¡­ your output is a littlecking.¡¹


    I exhaled a little and unleashed all the anger I felt towards Deal.


    ¡¸¨CDark Shadow!¡¹


    In that moment, jet-ck darkness, reminiscent of the abyss, burst forth from within my body and devoured Venom Tail all too easily.

 Chapter 375 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [146]

    375. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [146]


    ¡¸Hmm, you managed to repel that?¡­This is a little unexpected I must admit.¡¹


    Deal shrugged his shoulders exaggeratedly and sighed loudly.


    ¡¸My ability also has a wide range of applications, but yours is just beyond the norm. Offense, defense, physical strength enhancement, and on top of all that, you even have a recovery ability. Seriously, you¡¯re a tricky opponent¡­¡¹


    Deal said, shaking his head.


    He seems to be misunderstanding something.


    ¡¸Hey, Deal¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, what?¡¹


    ¡¸Can you really be so carefree¡­ My attack isn¡¯t over yet, you know?¡¹


    I didn¡¯t unleash Dark Shadow to simply offset Venom Tail. My darkness engulfed his poison.


    ¡¸What!?¡¹


    Immediately understanding the situation, Deal quickly took a defensive stance.


    ¡¸Venom Coat!¡¹


    ¡¸Too slow!¡¹


    Ten sharpened darknesses bit into his whole body.

 Chapter 376 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [147]

    376. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [147]


    Tremendous explosive sound echoed, and clouds of sand filled my field of view.


    (I got him!)


    Deal¡¯s Venom Coat did not make it in time.


    Taking a direct hit from Dark Shadow should have caused considerable damage.


    (How will he respond¡­?)


    As I concentrated on the clouds of sand for a while, I sensed an unnatural fluctuation of spiritual power.


    (This feeling is¡­ that attack!)


    I saw through his intention instantly and immediately concentrated darkness on the ck sword.


    ¡¸First Sword ¨C Flying Shadow!¡¹


    A jet-ck sh flew while parting the clouds of sand and cut Deal¡¯s body in half.


    At the same time, the body turned into a purple liquid. And the ¡°body¡± full of wounds appeared from behind it.


    ¡¸You were thinking of making a poison clone to buy time to recover¡­ but the same move won¡¯t work twice.¡¹


    ¡¸B-Bro¡­¡¹


    He red at me hatefully, gritting his teeth.


    A number of deep wounds were carved onto his body. Dark red blood was constantly oozing out.


    He shouldn¡¯t be able to continue the battle anymore.


    In other words, this is the end.


    ¡¸Undo your poison of my friends right now and surrender quietly¡­ If you do that, I will spare your life.¡¹


    I gave an ¡°ultimatum¡± to Deal Reinstadt, a former Emperor¡¯s Four Knight.

 Chapter 377 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [148]

    377. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [148]


    ¡¸Ku, Kuku Kuku¡­ Ahahahahahahaha!¡¹


    For some reason, Deal suddenly burst intoughter.


    ¡¸Man, you¡¯re too strong¡­ Even with all this power, you¡¯re still a ¡°soul dress-user¡±. That just makes you scarier¡­ No wonder His Majesty Barrel specifically ordered to be wary of you.¡¹


    While sighing loudly, Deal let go of his soul dress¡´Deadly Venom¡µ.


    Pulled down by gravity, it pierced into the ground, eventually disappearing into particles of light.


    (Is he¡­ giving up?)


    While I was thinking that,


    ¡¸Allen bro, you are likely to be even stronger in the future. You will continue to grow steadily, and within ten to twenty years, you will surely be on par with the Emperor¡¯s Four Knights and the Seven Holy Swords. Actually, you might be even more troublesome than that¡­¡¹


    Deal whispered ¡°It¡¯s a shame, really,¡± and shook his head slightly.


    And immediately after that¨C.


    ¡¸So before that happens, I¡¯m going to nip you in the bud while I still can.¡¹


    ¡¸!?¡¹


    A tremendous chill ran through my whole body.

 Chapter 378 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [149]

    378. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [149]


    (What¡­ is this!?)


    Deal should barely be able to stand after taking a direct hit from Dark Shadow.


    (But¡­ why is he giving off such a powerful ¡°pressure¡±!?)


    I raised my guard more than ever and gripped the ck sword tightly.


    The next moment,


    ¡¸Rise -¡´Hydra¡µ!¡¹


    Sludge-like purple substance emerged from Deal¡¯s whole body, which eventually turned into a giant dragon with nine heads.


    ¡¸Wha¡­¡¹


    Evil spiritual power that caused nausea just by looking at it.


    I have crossed swords with many formidable enemies so far.


    Dodriel, Zack, Fu, Rain, Gregor ¨C Every single one of them had a terrifying ability.


    (But the one in front of me right now is¡­ different¡­)


    Deal¡¯s power was clearly different in nature from any I¡¯ve faced in the past.


    ¡¸N-No way, is this¨C¡¹


    Before I could finish my words,


    ¡¸¨C¡±True soul dress¡±. Only those who have mastered their soul dress to the absolute limit can reach it. The true soul dress is the pinnacle of a swordsman.¡¹


    Before I realised, Deal was standing right next to me.

 Chapter 379 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [150]

    379. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [150]


    I reflexively kicked the ground and jumped far back.


    ¡¸How terrible! Please don¡¯t run away from me!¡¹


    Deal closed the distance with just one step, a terrifying smile spread across his face.


    (F-Fast¡­!)


    Deal disyed an unimaginable eleration right after manifesting his true soul dress.


    ¡¸¨CHAA!¡¹


    As Deal swung his right hand, therge amount of deadly poison dding his body scattered. It instantly transformed into ten swords and bared its fangs at me with tremendous force.


    ¡¸Kuh¡­ Eighth Sword ¨C Yatagarasu!¡¹


    I opened my eyes wide and cut down the poison sword right at my nose tip.


    (¡­5, 6, 7, 8!)


    I cut down eight poison swords within a fraction of a second, and forcibly twisted my body to avoid another one.


    However,


    ¡¸Guh¡­!?¡¹


    Thest one cut deep into my nk.


    As fresh blood dripped, I jumped back a couple steps back and took a distance from Deal for the time being.


    ¡¸Arara, you got hit by the poison sh!¡¹


    Dealughed happily, pping his hands.

 Chapter 380 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [151]

    380. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [151]


    A few seconds after I got cut,


    ¡¸Gah¡­!?¡¹


    The wound suddenly started to feel hot like it was on fire, causing severe pain that was hard to describe.


    When I immediately looked at it, a poisonous purple pattern clearly emerged.


    (Crap, he got me¡­)


    Just like Rose and the others, I too seem to have been poisoned by Deal.


    (Even so¡­ it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts¡­ What the hell is this?! It hurts like hell!!!)


    The excruciating pain went far beyond imagination.


    I reflexively focused darkness on that spot and immediately began healing.


    (Is it no good, after all?)


    The result was the same as before. Even with Zeon¡¯s darkness, the poison could not be erased.


    As I was having trouble dealing with the poison,


    ¡¸Hey, bro, how do you like Hydra¡¯s poison? If you don¡¯t mind, could you please share your thoughts with me?¡¹


    Deal patted Hydra¡¯s head on top of his shoulder and asked a rather unpleasant question.


    ¡¸¡­It¡¯s not as impressive as I imagined it to be.¡¹


    ¡¸Pu, kukuku! Your face has turned pale and you are sweating buckets. It¡¯s obvious you¡¯re just acting strong¡­¡¹


    He shook his hand and continued to talk in his usual irritating tone.

 Chapter 381 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [152]

    381. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [152]


    ¡¸The toxicity of Hydra¡¯s poison is realms beyond Deadly Venom¡­ No matter how strong you are, bro, you¡¯re not going tost too much longer.¡¹


    ¡¸I see. Then I have to hurry.¡¹


    I bit down the excruciating pain and kicked the ground powerfully ¨C with one step, I closed the distance between us.


    ¡¸¡­Wha?!¡¹


    ¡¸Seventh Sword ¨C Instant sh!¡¹


    After training with Bhus-san, my godspeed Iai-sh has evolved further.


    ¡¸¨CHoly Shit!!¡¹


    Deal took a big backstep, sucked his stomach in as humanly possible, and just narrowly avoided it.


    (Damnit, I failed¡­)


    Just as his ridiculous eleration as before, his reaction speed was also superhuman.


    It seems that his basic physical abilities have skyrocketed after manifesting the ¡°true soul dress¡±.


    ¡¸W-W-W-Wait¡­ Instant counterattack after being inflicted with Hydra¡¯s poison?! Are you even human?!!¡¹


    Unusually for Deal, he had an extremely serious look.

 Chapter 382 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [153]

    382. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [153]


    ¡¸Unfortunately, perseverance is my only strong suit.¡¹


    I have confidence in the mental strength that I had cultivated through my billion years of training.


    (But, practically speaking, Deal¡¯s poison is incredibly potent.)


    My side was still hurting like hell, ravaged by the poison.


    (I can barely continue the battle by stifling my body¡¯s senses and bing mindless for a little while.)


    To be honest, I have no idea how much longer my body can carry on.


    ¡¸Fuu¡­ haa¡­¡¹


    I took a deep breath and cleared my thoughts, quickly assessing the battle situation.


    Ria, still unharmed, was diagonally behind me.


    She was guarding Rose and the others who were unable to move, making it difficult for her to participate in the front lines.


    And Rose, president, Lilim-senpai, and Ferris-senpai were lying on the ground.


    They were suffering from Deadly Venom¡¯s poison and were not in a state where they could fight.


    Bhus-san was engaged in a fierce fight with Von at a fair distance away. He was still unharmed and had the upper hand¡­ but the earlier momentum had visibly diminished.


    A stream of fresh blood dripped from the corners of his mouth. His sword hand was quivering slightly, and he held his chest with a pained expression. Perhaps because of the ¡°incurable illness¡±, his body does not move as ordered.


    On the other hand, Von never goes on the offensive, and just devoted himself to defense.


    Apparently, he is aiming to draw out the fight until Bhus-san strains his body too much.


    (It¡¯s not something I want to consider, but¡­)


    If the battle continues as is, Bhus-san will be killed in the not too distant future.


    And we are currently on an uninhabited ind in the sea.


    Unfortunately, we cannot expect external reinforcements.


    In other words, I need to defeat Deal, a true soul dress-user, all on my own before the poison consumes my body.


    In addition, I have to go to Bhus-san¡¯s support right after that and beat one of the Seven Holy Swords, Von Mustang.


    (¡­Bluntly, this is the ¡°worst¡± situation.)


    It would be difficult to think of a worse situation.


    However, worrying about it will not improve this situation.


    I put strength into the hand holding the ck sword and ced weight on my toes.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s go, Deal!¡¹


    ¡¸Kuku,e then. I shall care for you at yourst moment.¡¹


    Then I threw myself into a cruel battle.


    ¡ö


    The battle after that was terribly one-sided.


    ¡¸Oh my, are you reaching your limit? It looks like you¡¯ve gotten slower!¡¹


    Deal gripped a purple sword spit out from Hydra¡¯s mouth, and attacked incessantly.


    ¡¸I can do this¡­ all day¡­¡¹I said.


    With each of his innumerable quick shes, highly poisonous droplets scattered from Deal¡¯s body.


    I was trying my best to dodge them and couldn¡¯t even unleash a slight counterattack.


    ¡¸Dance for me ¨C Hydra Whorl!¡¹


    Hydra¡¯s heads grewrger from on top of Deal¡¯s shoulder, and simultaneously attacked me.


    A total of nine heads.


    There were many, but their individual speeds were not that fast.


    ¡¸Eighth Sword ¨C Consecutive Yatagarasu!¡¹


    I shot 16 shes and cut off all nine heads.


    However, his attacks did not stop.


    ¡¸Wha!?¡¹


    Hydra¡¯s heads regenerated from its necks, and bared its fangs once again.


    ¡¸Damnit¡­¡¹


    I continued to dodge and cut off the heads which were approaching from all directions, but¡­


    ¡¸-HA! This is the third spot!¡¹


    One of the heads sneaked up to my feet without me noticing and bit my right foot.


    ¡¸AHH!¡¹


    The sharp fangs cut into my flesh, and deadly poison permeated into my cells.


    ¡¸Get lost!¡¹


    I cut the head biting me and jumped back greatly.


    On the other hand, Deal was staring at me without pursuing.


    ¡¸Haa¡­haa¡­¡¹


    Terrible, throbbing pain assailed my right leg.


    (I¡­ I should still be able to move¡­)


    I clenched my teeth and readied the Seigan no Kamae stance.


    As I did,


    ¡¸¡­Can you please give it a rest already? You were hit in the side, left shoulder, and the right foot just a moment ago¡­ Anyone who was injected with this much poison from Hydra would have died five times over by now¡­ No, if you were human, you should have died already¡­¡¹


    He said, with a fed up look on his face.


    ¡¸Bro, you might not know this, but ¡°true soul dress¡± consumes a tremendous amount of energy¡­ Just by activating this ability, it is gobbling up my spiritual power. I¡¯m also getting a little tired, so let¡¯s finish it here.¡¹


    As Deal loosely raised his right arm up,


    ¡¸I-Impossible¡­¡¹


    A tremendous amount of spiritual power concentrated on his arm.


    (This is impossible!)


    It was in apletely different league.


    Even World Judgement would not be able to offset it.


    It was an unbelievably overwhelming output.


    ¡¸Well then, sleep peacefully. Venom¨C¡¹


    When Deal took a big step forward,


    ¡¸¨CDon¡¯t get cocky, damn trash!!¡¹


    My left hand suddenly pushed forward, moving against my own will.


    At the same time, the space became greatly distorted. Ten ck swords surrounded Deal in a spherical formation.


    ¡¸T-This is¡­!?¡¹


    Deal¡¯s face turned deathly pale. He immediately cancelled his attack and¨C


    ¡¸¨CHydra Asylum!¡¹


    He coiled Hydra around his body and developed a thick poison barrier.


    ¡¸¨CDrop dead.¡¹


    The moment when my left hand sped tightly, the ten ck swords were shot at a tremendous speed. A deafening explosive sound reverberated. Tremendous shock wave blew, shaking the entire ind.


    ¡¸Ka, ha!¡¹


    The jet-ck des prated the Hydra barrier and pierced deep into Deal¡¯s body.


    Deal suffered an injury for the first time after manifesting his true soul dress. It was also quite deep.


    ¡¸Z-Zeon¡­?¡¹I whispered.


    ¡¸Tsk, what was that piss poor power of an attack¡­ it¡¯s pathetic even for me¡­¡¹


    A frustrated voice echoed from the depths of my chest.


    (From my point of view, it was an unbelievably powerful attack, though¡­)


    Apparently, it was a disappointment for the user himself.

 Chapter 383 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [154]

    Chapter 383. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [154]


    ¡¸Oi, shitty brat. Don¡¯t expect any more support from me. A spirit core ¨C especially I, can hardly interfere with the outside world. Even the piss poor attack just now consumed a considerable amount of my power.¡¹


    ¡¸I see¡­ That was helpful.¡¹


    If Zeon hadn¡¯t interfered, I definitely would have died.


    ¡¸I wanna take over your body and crush that trash¡­ But annoyingly, the other trash is constantly keeping tabs on me¡­ The moment Ie out, he will surely aim for the ¡°initial stiffness¡±.¡¹


    ¡¸The other trash?¡¹


    As I turned my gaze towards Von, for just a brief moment, our line of sight met.


    Even while dealing with a mighty swordsman such as Bhus Valencia, he was constantly being conscious of me for some reason.


    ¡¸It¡¯s annoying, but I have to step back temporarily. That poison thrash shouldn¡¯t be able to move for a while. Make a ¡°scaffold of darkness¡± and quickly cross the sea.¡¹


    Zeon urged me to escape with a strong tone.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t do that.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­A¡±a?¡¹


    ¡¸I can¡¯t leave Ria and the others behind. I will stay here and defeat the enemy.¡¹


    ¡¸Oi, oi¡­. You got thrashed around and still don¡¯t understand the difference in ability between you and them?! You¡¯re a greenhorn who can¡¯t even use your soul dress properly and you want to fight two fully matured true soul dress users?!! Even a babe sucking on its mother¡¯s teats will know how bullshit that is!!!¡¹


    Zoen¡¯s angry voice echoed from the depths of my chest.


    ¡¸Even if you stay here, the ¡°oue¡± will not change. It will be ¡°total annihtion¡±!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I know.¡¹


    Zeon said nothing wrong.


    If we continue like this, we will surely be killed.


    ¡¸If you understand that, then forsake those burdens behind you and leave this ce right away¨C¡¹


    ¡¸¨CBut the ¡°possibility¡± is not zero.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡­¡­Ah?¡¹


    ¡¸I can¡¯t beat Deal with my abilities, but I can do something like ¡°buying time¡±. Then¡­ maybe someone wille to our rescue? Like Leia-sensei or the other Seven Holy Swords¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Were you born an idiot!? Reinforcements wouldn¡¯te to this isted ind in the sea!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­I know.¡¹


    I realise how unrealistic I sound..


    ¡¸But if the possibility isn¡¯t zero¡­ If there is a way for Ria and others to survive, even if it¡¯s only a one percent chance¡­ I will swing my sword to make that futuree true.¡¹


    This swordsmanship, which I have refined for more than a billion years, is to protect people precious to me.


    If I turn tail and run away in this situation, even if I¡¯m able to survive somehow, the ¡°swordsman Allen Rodore¡± in me will surely die.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t screw around¡­ how much¡­ time¡­ I and¡­ your¡­ who¡­ that geezer¡¯s, button¡­¡¹


    Zeon¡¯s rage filled voice sounded choppy and disconnected in my head.


    ¡¸¡­Sorry, Zeon. But I can¡¯t understand you¡­¡¹


    My consciousness¡­ is growing thin.


    My sight began to flicker and I gradually became unable to hear sound.


    Is it due tock of spiritual power, or is it from bleeding too much?


    No, I¡¯m sure it¡¯s both.


    ¡¸YOU, SHITTY BRAT! ¨DLISTEN! IF PUSH COMES TO SHOVE, DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO CONNECT THE ¡±PATH¡±! TAP INTO YOUR OWN ¡°ROOT¡±¨C¡¹


    Zeon¡¯s tremendous yelling was cut off mid-sentence.

 Chapter 384 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [155]

    384. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [155]


    ¡¸Man¡­ I was scared to death just now. As expected, bro, you¡¯ve got a nasty spirit core within.¡¹


    Deal muttered, pulling out the ck swords piercing his body one by one.


    (¡­Fast.)


    The deep stab wounds everywhere on his body healed in the blink of an eye.


    It seems that even his recovery ability has greatly skyrocketed by bringing out his true soul dress.


    ¡¸That thing earlier¡­ is it some kind of ¡°Unknown Phantom Beast¡±?¡¹


    ¡¸Who knows.¡¹


    I have never really thought about what Zeon was.


    ¡¸Kukuku¡­ You and I are friends, aren¡¯t we, bro? So you can tell me.¡¹


    Deal made a shitty joke and shrugged his shoulders slightly.


    ¡¸Well¡­ no matter how powerful the spirit core is, after all, it¡¯s an empty existence that doesn¡¯t have ¡°substance¡±. To interfere with the real world, it consumes a ridiculous amount of power. Judging from the fact that there are no follow-up attacks, isn¡¯t that ¡°monster¡± already out of gas?¡¹


    Apparently, this guy also has a deep knowledge about spirit cores.


    ¡¸Well¡­ I wonder.¡¹


    I desperately put on a big smile so that he wouldn¡¯t realize that Zeon can¡¯t interfere any longer.


    ¡¸It sounds like an ¡°obvious bluff¡±¡­ but, in your case, I can¡¯t bepletely certain. That spirit core could interfere. Well, it can¡¯t be helped. I¡¯ll just have to put you through a slow hell.¡¹


    Deal disyed a sadistic smile which sent chills down my spine, and readied his poison sword.


    From that point onward¡­ it wasn¡¯t something that could be called a ¡°battle¡±.


    ¡¸HA! HA! HA! ¡­What¡¯s wrong? You¡¯repletely on the defensive!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡¹


    Deal unleashed only small attacks without giving me a chance to catch my breath, and gradually shed at my body.


    (If he uses a big move, that will be the end for me.)


    But my ¡°Zeon bluff¡± seems to be working, as Deal was only making basic shes.


    Thanks to that, I can still stand on my two legs.


    However, I am about to reach my limit.


    (How long has it been since he brought out his true soul dress¡­)


    Five minutes?


    Ten minutes?


    No, maybe it has been only a minute or so.


    (Anyway, this body of mine¡­ is impossible to recover.)


    Hydra¡¯s deadly poison has adversely eroded my cells.


    No matter what I do, it won¡¯t help.


    (I will no doubt die here today.)


    If that is to be the case, I decided to utilize it effectively.


    Swing the sword and buy as much time as possible until my life runs out. Even if it¡¯s only a second longer.


    Betting on the possibility that someone woulde to help, which is tinier than a grain of rice, I will ¡°use up¡± this body.


    ¡¸Allen, stop it¡­ That¡¯s enough¡­¡¹


    I heard Ria¡¯s crying voice from behind.


    But I didn¡¯t know what she was saying.


    My ears can no longer clearly identify the sound.


    On the contrary, it was impossible to even stand properly.


    Currently, I was relying on only a small amount of visual information and something like the sixth sense to prevent fatal injuries.


    (Not yet¡­)


    My body was poisoned, bloodied, and battered, but I was still holding the ck Sword with both hands and managed to maintain the Seigan no Kamae stance.


    ¡¸Most of your body is dead, but you still refuse to fall¡­ Truly, you have a monsterous mental power¡­ No, at this point, it would be urate to outright call you a ¡°monster¡±.¡¹


    Deal muttered something, shrugging his shoulders.


    ¡¸But still, it just makes me curious¡­ I wonder what kind of tone will y out when your strong mind breaks? I¡¯m getting goosebumps just by imagining it.¡¹


    He disyed a repulsive smile which instinctively aroused physical disgust in me, and slowly walked towards Ria.

 Chapter 385 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [156]

    385. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [156]


    ¡¸Stop!¡¹


    I forcibly moved my almost unresponsive legs, and shed at Deal.


    ¡¸HA!¡¹


    I unleashed a sh with all the strength I could muster, but Deal easily dodged it.


    ¡¸The fun will begin from now on, so please watch quietly¡­ bro!¡¹


    ¡¸Gah!¡¹


    A strong kick pierced my abdomen, sending me rolling across the ground ungracefully.


    During that time, Deal walked forward carefreely and stood directly in front of Ria.


    ¡¸Ku¡­ High King Style ¨C Strong sh!¡¹


    Ria¡¯s attack, d in scorching me, shed the air in vain.


    ¡¸Haa, Miss Ria¡­ Didn¡¯t you watch the fight between bro and I? Your slow attack will never reach me¨C Hydra!¡¹


    Deal said, in a disinterested manner, andmanded Hydra. Four heads of the poison dragon stretched out from his shoulders and bared their fangs at Ria simultaneously.


    ¡¸N-No¡­ g-go away¡­¡¹


    In the face of Deal¡¯s extraordinary output, Ria became frozen in fear.


    ¡¸Kuh! ¡­AAAAAAAAA!!!¡¹


    As a result, Ria was pinned down to the ground by the four heads. And she screamed out in agony.


    Her hands and feet were engraved with a sinister purple pattern.


    She had been injected with Hydra¡¯s deadly poison.


    ¡¸Damnit¡­¡¹


    I desperately tried to stand up, dragging my body across the ground.


    However, no matter how desperately I tried, my body refused to listen to me.


    (Move, move, move, move¡­ Move!!)


    ¡¸Bro, I¡¯m going to destroy your ¡°precious people¡± one by one, so please watch closely, okay?¡¹


    With a malicious smile, Deal raised his sinister poison sword.


    At his feet, Ria was pinned down by the four heads of Hydra.


    It was obvious what he was going to do next.


    ¡¸S-Stop! Please, I¡¯m begging you¡­ Don¡¯t do it¡­ She is¡­ very important to me¡­¡¹


    I cast away my shame, and begged.


    That was the only thing I could do.


    ¡¸Ku, Kukuku¡­¡¹


    The corners of Deal¡¯s mouth curled up as he heard my desperate plea.


    ¡¸Ahahahaha! How wonderful! You finally gave me a good voice!¡¹


    Afterughing a bit ¡ª he thrust the purple sword deep into Ria¡¯s heart.


    Her body convulsed. Fresh blood spilled out of her chest.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡­¡­No¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Ah¡­ this feeling is irresistible¡­ The feeling of reaping a life, the sound of hope turning into despair¡­¡¹


    Deal closed his eyes quietly, a look of ecstasy etched on his face.


    ¡¸Al, len¡­ run¡­¡¹


    Ria, her heart pierced, desperately reached out her hand to me. And then she stopped moving.


    Her healthy, vibrant skin quickly turned deathly pale. The light disappeared from her beautiful azure eyes.


    Her overflowing brilliance of life was extinguished.


    ¡¸Ri, a¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Ku, Kukukuku¡­ Ahahahahahaha! How does it feel, bro? Failing to protect someone you love! Watching their life extinguish right in front of your eyes! Hey, hey, don¡¯t just be quiet¡­ Please say something, yeah!¡¹


    For the very first time in my life, I wanted to kill someone.


    This guy doesn¡¯t deserve to live.


    I have to kill him no matter what.


    ¡¸¡­I don¡¯t care anymore.¡¹


    I don¡¯t care if I will never stand again¡­¡­.


    I don¡¯t care if I will never hold a sword again¡­¡­.


    I don¡¯t care about any of that anymore¡­


    That¡¯s why¨C.


    ¡¸Give me all your power to kill Deal¡­ Zeon!¡¹


    I shouted powerfully, dominated by pure rage and hatred. A kind of ¡°path¡± that had been closed until now broke open.


    Murky darkness overflowed out of me.


    It was darker than ever.


    Colder than ever.


    An evil beyond saving.


    Darkness wrapped up the entire ind. It dyed the ocean ck and stretched out to the horizon. Darkness filled the world in every direction.


    ¡¸Kid, this power¡­ It was you, after all¡­¡¹


    ¡¸T-This is the ¡°Darkness of House Rodore¡±? No, something is wrong!¡¹


    Bhus-san and Von turned their eyes towards me.


    ¡¸Ha, haha¡­ this is amazing! As expected of you, bro¡­. You were still hiding this kind of power!¡¹


    Deal pped his hands excitedly.


    ¡¸Deal, get ready.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Wha?¡¹


    I closed the gap between us in one step and gathered darkness in my right fist which was pulled far back.


    ¡¸Shit! Shield, Hydra!¡¹


    Hydra wound around Deal¡¯s body and erected a thick ¡°poison armor¡±.


    ¡¸ORA!¡¹


    ¡¸Impossible¡­ gah!¡¹


    But the straight right I unleashed pulverised Hydra without any resistance andnded square on Deal¡¯s face.

 Chapter 388 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [159]

    388. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [159]


    ¡¸It¡¯s a little regrettable, but let¡¯s settle this match.¡¹


    As Deal reached out his left hand, ominous-coloured poison concentrated in his hand and took the shape of a solemn giant bow.


    He nocked Poison Sword Hydra like an ¡°arrow¡± into the bow and aimed it at me.


    ¡¸I¡¯m about to release a blow which contains my entire life and my love for you, Allen bro. Please ept it.¡¹


    ¡¸H¡±aa¡­. I guess that bullshitin¡¯ outta your mouth is to be your st words¡±, huh¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Kuku¡­ You are someone I can¡¯t get along with until the very end!¡¹


    Deal¡¯s mouth stretched into a broad smile as he drew the bow to the limit.


    And then,


    ¡¸Hero Killing Poison Dragon!¡¹


    The Poison Sword Hydra was shot with tremendous momentum.


    The blow, which carried a vast amount of deadly venom, was the poison dragon itself.


    Grass, stones, soil ¨C literally everything touched by the poison died.


    ¡¸H¡±ee¡­¡¹


    As expected of a former Emperor¡¯s Four Knight who has reached the highest level of true soul dress.


    The blow approaching me boasted quite an amount of power.


    ¡¸For a thrash like you¡­ it¡¯s a decent technique.¡¹


    I slowly dropped my center of gravity and pulled back the ck Sword.


    ¡¸Fourth Sword ¨C ck Spear!¡¹


    In a split second, the darkness condensed at the tip of the sword was released at an explosive speed.


    Unlike Dark Roar, ck Spear is a concentrated single-point thrust.


    It pierced through the Poison Dragon, continued on and pierced Deal. There was arge gaping hole in Deal¡¯s abdomen.


    ¡¸Ha, haha¡­ magni¡­ficent¡­¡¹


    The true soul dress Hydra turned into particles of light and disappeared. And Deal copsed on his back.


    ¡¸Gafu¡­¡¹


    Blood was constantly spouting out of the gaping hole.


    Hisst attack exhausted all his spiritual power, and his prided recovery ability waspletely stifled.


    ¡¸By all means, finish this¡­¡¹


    Deal¡¯s skin turned blue-ck every passing moment. He was at death¡¯s door.


    ¡¸Hahaha, aren¡¯t you in a pitiful and miserable state! How are you feeling, E¡±h?¡¹


    ¡¸He, hehehe¡­ Thanks to you, I¡¯m having the time of my life¡­¡¹he said, with his usual dubious smile.


    ¡¸That frivolous talk even at your deathbed, huh¡­¡¹I was utterly amazed.


    ¡¸N-Now¡­nd the killing blow! That way, I will be an ¡°eternal existence¡± in you, bro! I can live with you forever and ever!¡¹


    Deal stretched out his bloody right hand towards me and desperately begged for it.


    ¡¸Tsk! Such a revolting bastard¡­ If you wanna die that badly, I¡¯ll make your wishe true!¡¹


    As I swung my ck Sword, aimed at Deal¡¯s neck¨C


    ¡¸I think that¡¯s far enough.¡¹


    The Seven Holy Sword, Von Mustang, stood before me.


    (What¡¯s this ¡°sand¡± ? It¡¯s pretty hard¡­)


    My ck Sword was blocked by a spherical sand that enveloped Von.


    ¡¸Certainly, Deal is an irredeemable low-life. He has discarded his humanity and is also a man with a broken personality. However, his strength is necessary to achieve ¡°true peace¡±. I can¡¯t let him die here.¡¹


    ¡¸Which means¡­ you¡¯re gonna get in my way?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, that¡¯s right.¡¹


    ¡¸If so, you die too!¡¹


    I increased the output of darkness by a few folds and shed the sand sphere.

 Chapter 389 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [160]

    389. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [160]


    ¡¸To think you could destroy my sand sphere with just one swing¡­ That¡¯s truly a ridiculous output.¡¹


    Von avoided my jet-ck sh by a hair¡¯s breadth, quickly recovered Deal, and jumped far back.


    ¡¸So this is the ¡°Darkness of House Rodore¡±¡­ It¡¯s very different from the information received, but it¡¯s an absurd power all the same. No wonder Barrel Ronelia is wary.¡¹


    Von readied his stance on high alert, evaluating me with his gaze.


    Right then, Deal began to squirm under Von¡¯s armpit.


    ¡¸I-I¡­ must be with¡­Allen bro¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Deal, I don¡¯t give a damn about your suicidal desires. Go to sleep over there until Hydra¡¯s power recovers.¡¹


    Von said, and threw Deal to the side casually.


    (¡­That damn trash has started healing again.)


    Blood has already stopped spurting out of the gaping air hole in his torso.


    That resilience is probably a special trait of the spirit core called¡´Hydra¡µ.


    Like a damn cockroach.


    (Anyway, what the hell happened to that Bhus fellow?)


    Looking back, I saw Bhus breathing wildly, sping the ground with his right hand.


    His veiny left hand was grasping his left chest tightly, fresh blood dripping from the edge of his mouth.


    (¡­Seizures, huh.)


    It would be impossible to continue fighting in that state.


    As I turned around after checking the situation,


    ¡¸Allen Rodore. Why don¡¯t you join us?¡¹


    Von extended a ridiculous proposal.


    ¡¸The power you have disyed ismendable. It would be a shame for you to die here¡­ It wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to call it a loss for the entire world.¡¹


    He started talking as he pleased without waiting for my reply.


    ¡¸I am strong, if I do say so myself. Far stronger than Deal over there.¡¹


    Von kept speaking with a fearless smile.


    ¡¸You can¡¯t beat me in your immature state. Crossing sword with me at this juncture would be no more that suicide. If so, why don¡¯t you choose the smarter choice? Join us and help establish ¡°Justice¡±¨C¡¹


    ¡¸¨C¡­. Just shut up!¡¹


    ¡¸¡­¡­What?¡¹


    ¡¸I will kill Deal. If you get in my way, I¡¯ll kill you too, bastard. That¡¯s the end of the story.¡¹


    I said, and pointed the tip of the ck Sword at him.


    ¡¸Haa¡­ I have no other choice if you decide to stand against justice. By my true soul dress, I will make you the cornerstone of peace.¡¹


    In the blink of an eye, Von¡¯s spiritual power swelled up tremendously.


    ¡¸H¡±ou, it looks like you were not just runnin¡¯ your mouth¡­¡¹


    The tranquil killing intent shooting off of him was reminiscent of a sharpened de, apanied by a pressure which pierces the skin and freezes the spine.


    Although the true soul dress had not been brought out yet, it was releasing more pressure than¡´Hydra¡µ.


    As expected of one of the Seven Holy Swords hailed as the seven strongest swordsman of humanity, it wasn¡¯t just an exaggeration, it seems.


    With a sharp glint in his eyes, Von slowly spread both hands.


    And then,


    ¡¸Swim in the Void -¡´Sand Whale of Purification¡µ.¡¹


    Small palm-sized whales appeared in the air.


    (Tsk, another strange ability¡­)


    The outer skin of the whale was brown. A splendid horn on its head.


    But the most important detail, the number was slightly over 100.


    I caught one which was floating near me, but it instantly turned into golden sand. The golden sand was scattered away by the wind, and formed into a new whale.


    (I see¡­¡­)


    Apparently, this whale ispletely abiotic.


    Von¡¯s ability is no doubt manipting sand freely.


    ¡¸Now, let¡¯s get started.¡¹


    His right hand gripped a small sand sword, and his left hand carried a sand shield that covered half his body.


    The word ¡°knight¡± was more suitable than ¡°swordsman¡± for him.


    ¡¸It¡¯s my first time facing off against a shield user.¡¹


    ¡¸Well, it¡¯s going to be your first andst experience. Enjoy it.¡¹


    ¡¸Ha¡±h, we¡¯ll see about that!¡¹


    In this way, the battle between me and Von Mustang began.

 Chapter 390 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [161]

    390. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [161]


    ¡¸Let¡¯s test just how strong the mighty ¡°Seven Holy Swords¡± are! E¡±e!¡¹


    I kicked the ground powerfully and started to move to close the distance with Von.


    ¡¸Rushing straight at me¡­ You are the epitome of stupidity. ¨CWhale Mochi.¡¹


    The sand whales swimming in the sky blocked my path.


    ¡¸This garbage sand can¡¯t stop me!¡¹


    I swung the ck sword lightly and mowed down the 20 whales in front of me.


    ¡¸Did you think it was normal sand?¡¹


    ¡¸What!?¡¹


    The sand whales turned into golden quicksand with strong stickiness and clung to my whole body.


    (This is¡­ heavy¡­)


    The sand clinging to my body would only fill half of a pail.


    Nevertheless, my whole body felt heavy, as if I had been turned into metal.


    Each grain of sand boasted an unthinkable mass.


    (It¡¯s that kind of ability, huh¡­)


    Sand Whale of Purification ¨C its true essence is not ¡°maniption of sand¡± but ¡°changing the nature of sand¡±.


    Whale Mochi is sand with added ¡°weight¡± and ¡°viscosity¡±.


    There is no doubt that Von¡¯s sand can be changed to hold various other properties.


    ¡¸It¡¯s quite heavy, isn¡¯t it? It¡¯s a special sand that I created with plenty of spiritual power. Now, then. Herees the next attack ¡ª Whale Bullets.¡¹


    As Von swung down his short sword, an army of over 100 sand whales rushed at me with tremendous speed.


    ¡¸How annoying!¡¹


    I immediately intercepted the approaching sand whales with ck Sword.


    However, just as before, the whales turned into quicksand when it was cut and clung to my limbs.


    (This number is too many¡­)


    When my movement slowed down and grew dull,


    ¡¸Shall I increase the number of bullets a little more?¡¹


    Von created more new sand whales and shot them like bullets once again.


    ¡¸HAAAAA¡±A¡±A¡±A!¡¹


    I desperately swung the ck Sword, but this wasn¡¯t an attack that can be repelled with fighting spirit alone.


    A horde of sand whales swallowed my entire body, like a torrential rain.


    The sharp horns on the whales¡¯ head prated the thick dark robe dding my body and inflicted considerable damage.


    ¡¸Bastard¡­ For a guy who prattles on about justice this, justice that, your attacks are irritatingly malicious, aren¡¯t they?¡¹


    Although I sufferedcerations all over my body, there was no problem in continuing the battle. Zeon¡¯s darkness has a powerful recovery ability. Wounds of this size will heal in less than ten seconds.


    ¡¸Tsk, you are ridiculously robust. My whales can easily open a gaping hole in a thick iron te, you know?¡¹


    He shook his head quietly, sighing a little.


    ¡¸It can¡¯t be helped. Let¡¯s take it one step further. -Sand Explosion.¡¹


    Immediately after, Von hid himself behind the shield in his left hand


    ¡¸Oi, Oi, you¡¯re kidding me, right!?¡¹


    The sand clinging to my body cast off a dazzling light.


    And then, it burst simultaneously. A chain reaction of powerful explosions which caused an even more powerful,rger explosion.


    My field of vision was dyed white. My eardrums felt like they were going to tear due to the splitting sound. Strong shock waves assaulted my body.


    (Shit¡­ that was a powerful attack¡­)


    Being swallowed by that explosion caused considerable damage.


    I concentrated on healing my wounds while hiding in the sand smoke that was kicked up by the explosion.


    ¡¸This is my theory, but¡­ I thinkbat is like chess. You read the opponent¡¯s moves, and respond with a precise counter. You make small moves on the board until it leads to checkmate. Much like justice. By achieving small justice steadily every day, it will one day lead to a great justice.¡¹Von spouted bullshit, in a matter-of-fact tone.


    This guy, too, has a few screws loose in his head like Deal, apparently.


    ¡¸Fuh, that attack was quite a workout¡­¡¹


    Ipletely recovered from the damage of the big explosion, and stood in front of Von again.


    ¡¸To think you are still in perfect health after receiving that attack¡­ It would seem that I need to increase the output a little.¡¹


    Von lifted his eyebrows, and sharpened his gaze.


    His eyes were looking straight at me. There was no carelessness at all.


    (Sand Whale of Purification is certainly a troublesome ability, but the way he fights is more troublesome than that¡­)


    From defense to restricting movement, from restriction to counterattack, from counterattack to a big skill.


    Each of Von¡¯s actions led to the ¡°next move¡±.


    ¡¸Kukuku, I found a toy worth breaking after a long time! Dark Shadow!¡¹


    I developed ten sharp darknesses and prepared for his attacks.


    This number would be enough to handle the Whale Mochi.


    ¡¸Hou, remotely controlled dark shes¡­ It¡¯s a lot like Dodriel¡¯s Dark Shadow.¡¹


    ¡¸Aa¡±H? Do you know that trash bastard?¡¹


    ¡¸There was a time when I was working together with him for a while in the past. He was a really unpleasant man. But having to deal with Deal right after Dodriel¡­ I just have no luck with ¡°partners¡±.¡¹


    Von sighed with a rather serious expression.


    ¡¸Let¡¯s cut the boring small talk . I still have a ¡°next job¡± to get to.¡¹


    He said, and produced arge number of sand whales.

 Chapter 391 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [162]

    391. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [162]


    ¡¸HaHa¡±Ha, I¡¯m gonna kill you!¡¹


    I tore through the herd of whales with Dark Shadow and closed the distance with Von.


    The troublesome Whale Mochi and Whale Bullets no longer posed a problem.


    ¡¸Eighth Sword ¨C Yatagarasu!¡¹


    My ck sh branched into eight and bared its fangs at Von¡¯s flesh.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t think you¡¯ve got the upper hand just because you defended ¡°Mochi¡± and ¡°Bullets¡±.¡¹


    ¡¸What the hell!?¡¹


    My attack, which broke the sound barrier, was perfectly defended by Von¡¯s short sword and shield.


    Unleashing Yatagarasu causes a very small gap in my defense which doesn¡¯tst for more than even a fraction of a second, but Von was able to capitalize on it.


    ¡¸True Heart Style ¨C Consecutive True shes!¡¹


    A series of unparalleled attacks with machine-like uracy targeted parts of my body which were difficult to defend and to dodge.


    ¡¸Guh¡­¡¹


    A storm of shes that I couldn¡¯t even follow with my eyes cut away at my body.


    The core of Von¡¯s swordsmanship was simply ¡°precision¡±. His swordsmanship was thoroughly ¡°basic swordsmanship¡±, without any originality or trying to be shy.


    If the ¡°Holy Knight¡¯s Swordsmanship¡± textbook was a person, it would be Von. He hadpletely mastered it.


    (I need to get out of this¡­)


    I jumped far back and prioritized recovery with darkness.


    ¡¸Hmm, what¡¯s wrong? Weren¡¯t you confident in your closebat abilities? Is this the extent of the rumoured darkness of House Rodore?¡¹


    ¡¸Kuku, don¡¯t worry¡­ I¡¯m still here!¡¹


    I released the spiritual power hidden inside me and closed the distance with Von again.


    The intensity of our battle continued to rise.


    ¡¸HAAAAAAA¡±A¡±A¡±A¡±A!¡¹


    ¡¸¨CNaive!¡¹


    The battle waspletely tipped in his favour. I was being pushed back.


    Von Mustang boasted unimaginable strength.


    What was even more amazing was his defense.


    A true soul dress that can be used in any and all situations. Swordsmanship with a short sword and a shield which doesn¡¯t allow any gap in defense. An iron wallbination.


    ck Sword, dark shes, bare hands ¨C none of my attacks had any effect on him at all. Only the wounds on my body increased every time I attacked him.


    But still¡­ It was fun!


    ¡¸Gyahahahaha! You¡¯re amazing! This is the first time I¡¯m dancing with such a strong guy!¡¹


    Crossing swords with him was exciting.


    ¡¸True Heart Style ¨C Truest Thrust!¡¹


    Von¡¯s thrust pierced my left shoulder, inflicting burning pain.


    ¡¸Aa¡±h! That feels good! What a sharp thrust!¡¹


    I took a big step towards him while his short sword was still lodged in my shoulder, and swung down my ck sword.


    However, he blocked my blow with his shield.


    ¡¸Get away from me!¡¹


    A strong kick pierced my side, and I was blown back greatly.


    ¡¸Kuku, as expected of a Seven Holy Sword. In addition to your swordsmanship and true soul dress, even your physical strength is perfect!¡¹


    I was being pushed back, shed, and being kicked away like a rag doll.


    (But I wonder why¡­ I don¡¯t feel like I¡¯m losing at all!)


    (Strange¡­ I am certainly the one who is in control of this battle right now¡­ and yet, why¡­ Why am I¡­ so scared of the swordsman Allen Rodore!?)


    Confidence gradually faded from Von¡¯s expresion.

 Chapter 392 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [163]

    392. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [163]


    ¡¸Just before I left for Cherin, Barrel Ronelia, very unusually for him, gave a warning.¡ºWhen you encounter ¡°that¡±, exercise utmost caution¡».¡¹


    ¡¸A¡±a? What are you babbling about?¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s why I was wary of you ever since the battle began. But¡­ I was wrong in my judgement of you. Just a child, an immature soul dress user, ignorant of the real world ¨C such foolish assumptions had formed in my mind somewhere.¡¹


    He muttered, in a confessing tone.


    ¡¸Allen Rodore, I won¡¯t look down on you anymore. As a swordsman who stands at the top of the world stage, I shall crush you with everything I have.¡¹


    And he pointed the tip of the short sword at me.


    ¡¸Ha¡±a¡­ this is boring me. Let¡¯s continue already.¡¹


    ¡¸Right, let¡¯s get started. And let¡¯s finish this.¡¹


    Von held the short sword in his right hand in a backhand grip and thrust it powerfully into the ground.


    ¡¸Sand Whale of Purification, Second Form ¨C Thousand Nature Sand.¡¹


    Immediately after that, the sand whales swimming in the air spouted ¡°silver sand¡± simultaneously. And all that sand transformed into ¡°silver sand swords¡± in the blink of an eye.


    ¡¸Ho¡±u, what a spectacr view¡­¡¹


    The total number of silver sand swords that surrounded me in a semicircle was about 3,000.


    ¡¸The first form, Whale Cloud, is an ¡°observation form¡± that analyses the opponent¡¯s ability and moves. And this second form, Thousand Nature Sand, is an ¡°offensive form¡± that exterminates the enemy.¡¹


    Von raised his right hand high in the air and swung it down vigorously.


    ¡¸Prelude ¨C Silver Dance.¡¹


    In an instant, a sword located in my blind spot was fired at tremendous speed.


    I urately determined the position of the sword from the sound of air being cut, and immediately intercepted it with the ck sword.


    The moment when the silver sand sword and the ck sword of darkness collided,


    ¡¸Hellfire Sand!¡¹


    The silver sand sword exploded and turned into scorching quicksand.


    ¡¸Oi, Oi, are all of these¨C¡¹


    It was difficult to avoid all of the sand grains flying at me at super high speed.


    ¡¸Guh, GA¡±A¡±A¡±A¡±A¡±A!!!¡¹


    I waspletely enveloped in Hellfire Sand.


    It felt like I was burning in ¡°purgatory¡±. The high heat melted my skin and scorched my bones.


    ¡¸Damnitttt¡­¡¹


    I d myself with even thicker darkness and tried to heal the burnt skin.


    ¡¸I won¡¯t let you!¡¹


    As soon as Von swung his right hand, a sharp sound of wind being cut came from behind me.


    It was two of them this time.


    ¡¸Uhhh!¡¹


    I turned around and fired a horizontal sh, intercepting the two silver sand swords.


    Resulting in¨C


    ¡¸Ice Crystal Sand, Lightning Sand!¡¹


    The same phenomenon as before urred. Frigid ice and a sh of lightning struck my whole body.


    ¡¸Kuh!¡¹


    The sand that Von maniptes truly seemed 1000 different in nature.


    It was too dangerous to defend at close range.


    ¡¸If that¡¯s the case¡­ I¡¯ll shoot them all down before they get close to me! Dark Shadow!¡¹


    I barely stretched out 20 sharp darknesses and targeted the silver sand swords floating around.


    At that moment,


    ¡¸Seal Song ¨C Golden Dance.¡¹


    ¡¸This¡­¡­!?¡¹


    A huge sand whale jumped out from under my feet and swallowed me entirely.

 Chapter 393 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [164]

    393. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [164]


    The inside of the whale was dark, narrow and hard. It was the absolute worst.


    (Anyway, it¡¯s gonna get dangerous if I don¡¯t get out of here soon¡­)


    I put my strength into the ck Sword and shoot a sh that cuts the world asunder.


    ¡¸Fifth Sword¨C¡¹


    ¡¸Final song ¨C Whale Dance.¡¹


    ¡¸!?¡¹


    Just before I couldunch World Judgement, thousands of sand swords pierced through the whale¡¯s belly.


    ¡¸Ka, ha¡­¡¹


    Sand swords with a wide variety of attributes vited my body further.


    I was shed, stabbed, gouged, burned, melted, frozen, suffering all sorts of tortures¡­ I trembled in excitement.


    (This is a Seven Holy Sword. This is one of the strongest swordsmen of humanity¡­)


    A calctedbination of techniques. Precise swordsmanship with excellent physical strength. An insatiable ambition to reach the true soul dress.


    A power that exceeds the limits of human, reached at the end of a long path of devotion to swordsmanship.


    (Haha, this is amazing¡­)


    After being stabbed numerous times, I slowly slid out from the inside of the whale.


    A number of my vital organs were damaged. I could no longer feel any of my limbs.


    However, the darkness that sprang out from the depths of my body did not allow me to break.


    ¡¸Hahahaha¡­ Gyahahahaha! That was an amazing technique, Von Mustang! I thought I was about to die!¡¹


    My tattered body recoveredpletely in an instant. Inexhaustible amount of spiritual power coursed through my whole body.


    The more I waspletely absorbed into the battle, the more I sought power, and the more the seemingly infinite darkness overflowed.


    ¡¸If you are a human being, just die already (this recovery speed has exceeded Hydra¡¯s by bounds. No, it¡¯s much more than that. It is almost rivalling a phantom beast¡¯s ¡°regeneration¡±.)


    The sludge-like darkness that constantly oozed out of my body transformed into ¡°armour¡± which protected my body, and a second ck Sword took form in my left hand.


    ¡¸Now, then. Let¡¯s continue! Let¡¯s cut each other more, and more, and more!¡¹


    ¡¸You are a human-shaped ¡°phantom beast¡± itself.¡¹


    As soon as our line of sight intersected, I gripped the two ck swords and rushed to close the distance with Von.


    ¡¸Whale Mochi, Whale Shield, Whale Swamp, Whale Thorn, Whale Bubble!¡¹


    Von released a flock of sand whales of various attributes.


    ¡¸Oi, Oi, what¡¯s wrong? Are you out of spiritual power already!? Your attacks¡¯ momentum is slower than before!¡¹


    I shed his attacks apart like tofu with my two ck Swords.


    ¡¸Ku, ridiculous! (Bastard, I didn¡¯t get slower, you got faster!)¡¹


    With a sour expression, Von shed his left hand with the short sword in his right hand.


    ¡¸Secret song ¨C Blood Sand Dance!¡¹


    The sand whales that were bathed in Von¡¯s blood had a crimson pattern emerge on them, and were shot with tremendous force.


    However, I understood something instinctively.


    This was no longer an attack I had to defend against.


    ¡¸These attacks aren¡¯t even worth my time!¡¹


    With a swing of the ck Sword in my left hand, the blood-soaked sand whales instantly turned into quicksand.


    ¡¸N-Not yet! Hellfire Sand, Lightning Sand, Ice Crystal Sand!¡¹


    ¡¸It ain¡¯t gonna work on me!¡¹


    I didn¡¯t feel any heat, shock, ice, or pain now.


    ¡¸Is this¡­¡±acquisition of resistance¡±!? I understand now! Your true identity is¨C¡¹


    ¡¸The heck are you babbling on about?!¡¹


    I unleashed a diagonal sh from the bottom left and deflected his sand shield up.


    ¡¸Crap!!!¡¹


    Von, whose posture was broken, immediately tried to dodge away, but¡­ it was toote now.


    ¡¸I¡¯ll have one of your arms.¡¹


    A ck sh drew an arc toward Von¡­ His severed left arm danced in the air while spurting blood.


    Von managed to jump back, his face distorted in pain.


    (Sand Whale of Purification has no recovery ability.)


    This is the best moment to settle this fight.


    ¡¸Fourth Sword ¨C ck Spear!¡¹


    I took a big step forward and released a dark thrust that concentrated all its destructive power into a single point.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t underestimate the power of sand. Ultimate Absolute Defence ¨C Belly of Moby Dick!¡¹


    As Von stretched out his right arm, a giant shield engraved with a pure white whale appeared.


    The strongest spear versus the hardest shield.


    The sh between the two shook the atmosphere and caused a thunderous roar.


    ¡¸HAAAAAAAA¡±A¡±A¡±A!¡¹


    ¡¸UOOOOOO¡±O¡±O¡±O!¡¹


    As a result, my ck sword shattered.


    ¡¸That shield is quite hard¡­¡¹


    The whale shield boasted otherworldly hardness that even my ck spear couldn¡¯t pierce it.


    ¡¸Haa¡­haa ¡­ obviously. Because I stand at the top of the Seven Holy Swords in terms of ¡°defence¡±.¡¹


    ¡¸Hee, is that right? Then let me increase the output!¡¹


    ¡¸What!?¡¹


    As I desired more power,


    ¡¸Kukukukukukukuku! Here ites!¡¹


    Muddy, murky, sludgy, ck power seethed up from the depths of my body.


    ¡¸This is just¡­ (This output has already exceeded a phantom beast¡­. Did Barrel know about this? No, that doesn¡¯t matter. ¡°The true identity of Allen Rodore¡±, I have to bring back this information no matter what¡­).¡¹


    I extended out the second ck Sword left in my left hand to the front, and unleashed a wide area annihtion sh.


    ¡¸Tenth Sword ¨C Dark Heaven sh!¡¹

 Chapter 394 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [165]

    394. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [165]


    Infinitely overflowing darkness condensed into the ck Sword and was unleashed all at once.


    The destructive energy was off the charts.


    ¡¸D-Damn monster!¡¹


    ck shes bursted in all directions, painting everything around ck.


    Space itself was distorted in the face of the unparalleled destructive energy. Huge cracks ran across both the ground and the atmosphere.


    A blow which called forth a ¡°natural cmity¡±.


    ¡¸¨CBelly of Moby Dick!¡¹


    Von manifested three huge shields simultaneously, hisst attempt at defense.


    ¡¸Ho¡±u, how interesting. You still had that much spare power, huh!¡¹


    ¡¸Please! Hold on, my shield¡­ I can¡¯t die in this ce yet¡­¡¹


    Von poured a huge amount of spiritual power and desperately continued to strengthen his shields.


    But the difference between ¡°infinite darkness¡± and ¡°finite spiritual power¡± was too obvious.


    ¡¸Oi, Oi, what happened to the defense you were so proud of? Don¡¯t tell me you ran out of gas already?¡¹


    ¡¸Damnit¡­¡¹


    The pure white shields were dyed murky ck and copsed one after another. Only one more left.


    (Ah¡­ this is the end.)


    Once this blownds, Von and Deal will disappear from this world.


    It will be aplete and perfect ¡°extermination¡±.


    Not a cell will be left of their existence.


    This unreasonable power which I exercised to take revenge, will cost my life in exchange.


    This is it¡­ This is the end for me.


    ¡¸Gyahahahaha! Go to hell together with Deal!!!!!¡¹


    I condensed all the darkness into the ck Sword and unleashed the most powerful sh in my life.


    ¡¸I guess¡­ this is as far as I go¡­¡¹Von muttered.


    When thest shield started to crack,


    ¡¸¡­A¡±a?¡¹


    All of a sudden, the holy darkness which overflowed from the depths of my soul, for some reason, restricted my body.


    ¡¸What the hell¡­ is this!?¡¹


    The ¡°path¡± which connected me to Zeon felt like it was blocked by a huge boulder.


    The ck Sword and the armor which d my body turned into particles of light and scattered in the air. The seemingly infinite darkness disappeared.


    ¡¸What on earth¡­?¡¹I waspletely stunned.


    ¡¸Haa, haa¡­ The ¡°Seal of House Rodore¡± finally activated, huh¡­¡¹


    Von rposed his breathing, with a know-it-all look.


    ¡¸You were magnificent, Allen Rodore. Though it vexes me to admit it, you are far stronger than me. To think that you could single handedly overwhelm a former Emperor¡¯s Four Knight and a Seven Holy Sword¡­ Go to your afterlife with pride.¡¹


    Convinced of victory, Von created a sand sword on his remaining right arm and raised it up to the sky.


    ¡¸Shit¡­¡¹


    I sentmands to every part of my body to avoid that blow.


    However, both my legs felt incredibly heavy and were unresponsive.


    ¡¸-Farewell.¡¹


    The moment when Von¡¯s cold voice and a sharp wind noise resounded,


    ¡¸Sakura Blossom One Sword Style ¨C Sakura sh!¡¹


    A sh-like thrust rushed out from behind me.


    ¡¸!? Whale Shield!¡¹


    Von manifested a small shield at an instant¡¯s judgement and blocked the sudden attack by a hair¡¯s breadth.


    ¡¸Bhus¡­ You can still move with one foot in the grave?¡¹


    ¡¸Greenhorn, don¡¯t underestimate an old swordsman!¡¹


    Bhus-san moved quickly and drove a strong kick to Von¡¯s nk, sending him flying far back.


    ¡¸Hahhh¡­ uuh!?¡¹


    Bhus-san vomited arge blood clot and copsed to his knee.


    There was no light in his eyes. Shadow of death loomed over his deathly pale face.


    He doesn¡¯t seem to be in a state where he can even hold the sword properly.


    ¡¸B-Bhus-san¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Haa¡­ kid, you managed to buy a lot of time. Thanks to you, I was able to make it in time¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Make it in time?¡¹


    For a moment, I couldn¡¯t understand what he was saying.


    ¡¸Barara, rarara! What are you looking astonished for? ¡­Don¡¯t tell me you forgot my nickname?¡¹


    Bhus Valencia, the man who was once hailed as the strongest swordsman in the world.


    And his nickname was¡­ Immortal Bhus.


    ¡¸N-No way¡­!?¡¹


    If his nickname is a symbolization of his ¡°invincible soul dress¡±, then¨C.


    Maybe it can be given to others¨C.


    At the hope of a certain possibility, small warmth permeated my heart which had been invaded by despair.


    ¡¸My soul dress -¡´100 Million Year Sakura¡µis endowed with the ability of ¡°perfect regeneration¡±. Well, seeing is believing, isn¡¯t it?¡¹


    Bhus-san put on a lifeless smile, and gestured with his chin to look behind.

 Chapter 395 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [166]

    395. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [166]


    At the end of Bhus-san¡¯s line of sight was Ria on her back.


    Her appearance, stained with blood, was so painful to look at that I instinctively wanted to look away.


    But I strengthened my heart and looked at Ria closely.


    I saw ¡°tree roots¡± wrapped around her ankles. And her abdomen slowly moving up and down.


    ¡¸Ria¡­?¡¹


    I dragged my heavy body and slowly moved my legs.


    Her smooth skin had regained tension andplexion. As I listened closely, I heard a small breathing sound.


    ¡¸Ha, haha¡­ Is this¡­ a dream?¡¹


    I put my hand on her chest to check for a heartbeat. I felt a rhythmic, strong heartbeat.


    ¡¸No way¡­ Is this¡­ real?¡¹


    I trembled before the unexpected miracle. Her eyelids opened up slightly, revealing her beautiful azure eyes.


    ¡¸Nhmm¡­? A, llen¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Ria!¡¹


    ¡¸W-Whoa, hey!?¡¹


    I impulsively hugged Ria tightly.


    ¡¸Thank goodness¡­. Thank goodness¡­¡¹


    Various emotions swelled in my heart endlessly. Large beads of tears rolled down my cheeks.


    ¡¸H-Hey, Allen!? There are people around us. Things like this should only be done when we are alone¡­ Eh, wait? ¡­Why am I alive?¡¹


    After Ria¡¯s face turned bright red, she tilted her neck in confusion.


    She probably hasn¡¯t grasped the situation as she just woke up.


    ¡¸Oh, about that¨C¡¹


    As I tried to exin the situation briefly,


    ¡¸Huh? I¡­ eh¡­ Where are the enemies!?¡¹


    ¡¸We were hit by an unknown poison, and then¡­ Oh right, Deal and Von!¡¹


    Rose and the president quickly jumped to their feet.


    ¡¸¡­Oh my? What was that just now? Was that a dream?¡¹


    ¡¸It felt like I was woken up by the 100 Million Year Sakura¡­ My head feels all fuzzy, though.¡¹


    Following that, Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai also slowly sat upright.


    ¡¸Rose, president, Lilim-senpai, Ferris-senpai!¡¹


    The purple pattern on their bodies had disappearedpletely. And their ankles were wrapped with the same tree roots as Ria.


    ¡¸Barara, ra¡­ Gahagaha¡­. You finally woke up¡­ Everyone looks to be fine.¡¹


    Bhus-san coughed some more blood, but there was relief in his expression.


    Rose, who has an urate grasp of his ability, showed a strong reaction to his voice.


    ¡¸This ¡°root¡±¡­ Grandfather, did you use¡´100 Million Year Sakura¡µ!?¡¹


    As soon as Rose understood the situation, her face started turning pale.

 Chapter 396 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [167]

    396. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [167]


    ¡¸Barara, don¡¯t be so worried. I am the Immortal Bhus, remember? Something like this won¡¯t faze me.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s a story from decades ago! If you used ¡°Perfect Regeneration¡± for five of us with that sick body¡­ That¡¯s just¡­¡¹


    Rose clenched her fist tightly, and trembled.


    ¡¸That said¡­ I can¡¯t let my precious granddaughter and her friends die, now can I?¡¹


    Bhus-san scratched his cheeks, as dark red blood flowed from the corners of his mouth.


    ¡¸I am sorry, Bhus-san. Thank you!¡­Thank you very much!¡¹


    I bowed down and showed my heartfelt gratitude.


    ¡¸I just did what was obvious. Gratitude is not needed. Instead, get ready to escape. That sand user is still alive.¡¹


    The moment Bhus-san said that,


    ¡¸Sand Whale of Purification, Third Form ¨C Sin Eating ck Whale.¡¹


    ¡¸Arise -¡´Hydra¡µ.¡¹


    A giant sand whale and an evil poisonous dragon rose from far ahead.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸Wha!?¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹


    Everyone gasped.


    ¡¸Has the poison user also recovered? These guys are really persistent.¡¹


    Bhus-san said, heaving a heavy sigh.


    ¡¸Allen Rodore. I must kill you even if it costs me my life. You must die before the ¡°Darkness of House Rodore¡± awakens, before the ¡°Seal of House Rodore¡± breaks!¡¹


    ¡¸Where are you going, bro? I will be too sad if you leave without me!¡¹


    A one-armed Von Mustang and a bloodied Deal Reinstadt.


    Two true soul dress users, giving off a tremendous killing intent, slowly appeared from the depths of the trees.


    ¡¸I-Impossible¡­¡¹


    ¡¸W-We are not even on the same level¡­¡¹


    Ria and Rose stood up petrified.


    ¡¸So this is the true power of a true soul dress user¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Ha, haha¡­ Even the great Lilim-sama can¡¯t win this one¡­¡¹


    ¡¸No matter how you think about it, it¡¯s over for us though¡­¡¹


    The president, Lilim-senpai, and Ferris-senpai were prepared to die this time.


    (Dammit¡­ what do I do!?)


    The situation has taken a turn for the worst again.


    Bhus-san is at death¡¯s doorstep after using the power of 100 Million Year Sakura.


    And I, for some reason, can¡¯t seem to use darkness at all from a while ago.


    (What happened, Zeon!? What happened to you!?)


    With that infinite darkness, I would not lose even if I have to take on Von and Deal at the same time.


    But no matter how much I called, Zeon didn¡¯t reply.


    Maybe it was an influence on the thing Von called, ¡°Seal of House Rodore¡±.


    (¡­No, No, No! No! Don¡¯t give up! There must be some way¡­ some way to survive through this situation. There must be a way¡­)


    As I was desperately wracking my brain,


    ¡¸It¡¯s been more than 200 years. I have lived for a long time, indeed.¡¹


    Bhus-san muttered in a tone of resignation.


    ¡¸Kid, take Rose and the others and escape. I will take on both of these fools.¡¹


    And he stood in front of Von and Deal alone.

 Chapter 397 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [168]

    397. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [168]


    ¡¸B-Bhus-san¡­?¡¹


    I doubted my ears for a moment.


    Taking on two true soul dress users in such a weakened state is nothing short of suicide.


    ¡¸That¡¯s unreasonable!¡¹Ria immediately opposed.


    ¡¸Grandfather¡­¡¹Rose shook her head with a sad look.


    ¡¸Do you have a n?¡¹the president asked, with a serious expression.


    ¡¸Bhus-ossan, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re nning to die!?¡¹Lilim-senpai raised her voice.


    ¡¸I don¡¯t think there is any merit in fighting alone, though¡­¡¹Ferris-senpai said, with a downcast look.


    In response, Bhus-san did not give a clear answer, but he justughed as usual.


    ¡¸Bararara! Come on, just get on that strange flying machine and get out of here. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll have everyone escape from here safely in the name of the strongest swordsman in the world!¡¹


    He said, pointing to the gliders parked far behind.


    We were speechless before his unwavering resolve.


    While everyone was silent, only Rose started to move towards him slowly.


    ¡¸¡­Grandfather.¡¹


    ¡¸What¡¯s wrong?¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you¡­ for everything up until now.¡¹


    She bowed her head deeply, her voice quivering.


    ¡¸Un, take care of yourself.¡¹


    Bhus-san gently stroked Rose¡¯s head with love.


    ¡¸Yes¡­ Goodbye¡­¡¹


    Rose said, asrge beads of tears streamed down her cheeks.


    ¡¸Everyone, let¡¯s go.¡¹


    She muttered briefly and ran towards the gliders.


    ¡¸Bhus-san, please teach me swordsmanship again someday.¡¹


    I selfishly included a ¡°next meeting¡± to the goodbye.


    ¡¸Next time¡­ next time¡­ let¡¯s have a drink together, okay?¡¹


    Ria said, desperately holding back her tears.


    ¡¸I will never forget this grace.¡¹


    The president bowed respectfully.


    ¡¸Ossan¡­ I¡¯ll see you again someday! It¡¯s a promise!¡¹


    Lilim-senpai shouted, with a runny nose.


    ¡¸Thank you very much, though¡­¡¹


    Ferris-senpai said, biting her lower lip.


    We each said goodbye to Bhus-san in our own way, and started running towards the gliders.


    ¡¸Barara, Rose has really good friends, doesn¡¯t she?¡­That means I can die without worries.¡¹


    Heughed happily from the bottom of his heart, forcing his bloodless muscles to swell and threw himself into a hopeless battle.

 Chapter 398 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [169]

    398. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [169]


    The moment Allen and the others rushed to their gliders,


    ¡¸Who said you can escape?-tten them, ck Whale!¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t ignore me, bro! ¨CVenom Waltz!¡¹


    A huge sand whale fell from the sky and nine poison dragons bared their fangs.


    ¡¸Kuh¨C White Scales!¡¹


    ¡¸Please stop it¨C Aqua Mirror!¡¹


    Ria and Sie immediately brought out their soul dress and activated their respective defense techniques.


    The two shields were created at an angle to deflect the attacks, not to stop them head-on. However¡­the difference in their abilities were too clear.


    ¡¸HOOOOOOO!¡¹


    ¡¸KAAAAAAAAA!¡¹


    The giant sand whale wrapped around the white me shield, and the poison dragons brought down their fangs on the water shield.


    ¡¸T-The¡­ output is too big¡­¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s not going to hold¡­¡¹


    Half a secondter, the two shields shattered in vain. But at the same time, Bhus stomped his right foot powerfully.


    ¡¸Thousand Root Kannon!¡¹


    Seven huge roots shot up from the ground and easily crushed the giant sand whale and the poison dragons.


    ¡¸Phantom Spirit¡´100 Million Year Sakura¡µ, huh¡­¡¹


    ¡¸To be able to brandish this much power even with that almost dead body¡­ His Majesty Barrel¡¯s wariness was right¡­¡¹


    Von and Deal muttered with scorn, and shifted their sights to him.


    ¡¸Bararara, it was just a light attack!¡¹


    Bhus desperately disyed a confident smile while throwing provocations.


    This was simply to attract the attention of the two enemies onto himself and to secure time for Allen and the others to escape. In fact, Bhus was almost at his limit.


    (Hahaha¡­ I¡¯m in a miserable state¡­)


    Thousand Root Kannon was originally a technique which skewers an enemy with ¡°Thousand¡± roots.


    In his dying state, Bhus could only manipte ¡°seven¡± roots.


    ¡¸We can¡¯t have you interrupting us anymore. We¡¯ll get rid of you first.¡¹


    ¡¸We don¡¯t have much time. Let¡¯s finish this in an instant!¡¹


    Von and Deal kicked the ground and closed the gap in one step.


    On the other hand, Bhus raised his beloved sword that he has been with for many long years over his head.


    However,


    ¡¸Sakura Blossom One-Sword Sty¨C Gofu, gaha¡­¡¹


    The recoil from using Thousand Root Kannon assailed his body.


    Two swords approached him as he fell to his knees and coughed uncontrobly.


    ¡¸Hmm, seems like you just uselessly shortened your own life. True Soul Style ¨C True Thrust!¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯ll aim straight for your heart! ¨CVenom Bite!¡¹


    ¡¸Ka,ha¡­¡¹


    Von and Deal¡¯s sharp thrusts urately pierced Bhus¡¯ heart.

 Chapter 399 - . Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [169]

    399. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [169]


    ¡¸¡¸Bhus-san!¡¹¡¹


    Allen and Ria shouted at the same time.


    ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹


    ¡¸T-Tell me it¡¯s a lie¡­ Bhus-ossan¡­¡¹


    ¡¸No way¡­¡¹


    Sie, Lilim, and Ferris¡¯ faces turned pale.


    All of them stopped dead in their tracks.


    However, it makes sense that they would do so.


    Although they were excellent swordfighters, Allen and the others were still teenage students.


    An acquaintance was murdered right in front of their eyes. They were still a little too young to ept the harsh reality.


    (Damn, shit, shit¡­)


    As a dark me of hatred lit up in Allen¡¯s heart,


    ¡¸Keep running! Don¡¯t waste this precious time that grandfather has earned!¡¹


    Rose¡¯s sharpmand echoed.


    She squeezed her fists to the point where it was bleeding, and kept running towards their only means of escape, the gliders.


    Allen and the others, seeing the determination of Rose¡¯s heart, clenched their teeth and started running.


    The evil hands of Von and Deal loomed closed.


    ¡¸Too bad for you, but this is your end.¡¹


    ¡¸Bro, you can¡¯t escape me anymore!¡¹


    A sand sword and a poison sword containing tremendous spiritual power¨C.


    ¡¸Bastard, how¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸No, no, that¡¯s impossible!¡¹


    Had to be swung in the opposite direction to Allen and the others.


    ¡¸Sakura Blossom One Sword Style ¨C Evening Sakura!¡¹


    A white-haired giant, with devilish fury on his face, suddenly appeared from behind and shot a diagonal sh


    ¡¸Kuh!¡¹


    ¡¸This is heavy, isn¡¯t it¡­¡¹


    Von and Deal managed to defend Bhus¡¯ shing, and jumped back to kill the impact.


    ¡¸Bhus-san!¡¹


    In response to Allen¡¯s delighted voice, Bhus replied with a small move of his chin, gesturing to ¡°Hurry up¡±.


    ¡¸Haa, Haa¡­ Barararara! Did you think piercing my heart would be enough to kill me?¡¹


    Even with his heart pierced and a look of exhaustion, Bhus gave off an air of might.


    ¡¸I see. That otherworldly resilience is the essence of the phantom spirit, 100 Million Year Sakura.¡¹


    ¡¸Surviving a fatal blow like that¡­ It seems the ¡°Immortal Bhus¡± nickname was not a lie.¡¹


    Von and Deal slowly readied their swords while being highly vignt.

 Chapter 400 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [170]

    400. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [170]


    Ability of the soul dress, 100 Million Year Sakura ¨D ¡°Perfect Regeneration¡±.


    This is to give the enormous life energy of the 100 Million Year Sakura to the designated target andpletely regenerate the wounds of that person.


    Bhus used this power to regenerate Ria¡¯s heart, erase the deadly poison that eroded Rose and the other girls¡¯ bodies, and healed his own injuries just now.


    It is thanks to this power that he, who suffers from an incurable disease, is able to live life as a normal person.


    The only drawback is that it consumes tremendous spiritual power.


    The power to restore even a shredded heart in a matter of a few seconds has already gone beyond the limit of ¡°recovery¡± and stepped into the realm of ¡°regeneration¡±, and was once feared as an ¡°invincible soul dress¡±.


    Now that Bhus has unleashed the 100 Million Year Sakura, until his spiritual power ispletely exhausted, he will not die in battle.


    ¡¸NUOOOOOOOOO!¡¹


    Bhusunched a fierce onught.


    ¡¸You monster, your era ended long ago! ept it like a true man and die already!¡¹


    ¡¸You sure can move with such a tattered body!¡¹


    Von and Deal responded head-on to Bhus¡¯ onught.


    (Not yet¡­ I can¡¯t copse until the kids fly away from here¡­)


    Bhus bit his lips and forcibly kept a strong reign on his fading consciousness.


    Under the unfavourable conditions of one-vs-two,


    ¡¸Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style ¨C Consecutive Sakura sh!¡¹


    ¡¸Kuh, Shield Whale!¡¹


    ¡¸Shit¡­ Venom Strike!¡¹


    ¡¸Bararara¡­ Too soft!¡¹


    The old swordsman disyed magnificent swordsmanship, not bringing shame to the title of former world¡¯s strongest.


    However, every time heunched a sh, beautiful sakura petals dropped and scattered from the 100 Million Year Sakura.


    Those were literally petals of life.


    Every time a petal fell, ¡°death¡± was steadily approaching.


    Time passed steadily. About when three minutes had passed,


    ¡¸Ba-Barararara! At this distance, you won¡¯t be able to get your hands on them anymore!¡¹


    The corners of Bhus¡¯ lips curled, having achieved his strategic goal.


    Allen and the others had boarded the gliders and had flown far away over the sea.


    They were out of the range of¡´Sand Whale of Purification¡µand¡´Hydra¡µ.


    It can be said that their safety waspletely secured.


    ¡¸Indeed, you¡¯re right. Deal and I can¡¯t use our abilities to get to them anymore, but the same is also true for you.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­What do you mean?¡¹


    ¡¸Hmm, exactly what it sounds like. At this distance, even you can¡¯t interfere, right?¡¹


    Von said, smiling fearlessly. He then took out a small radio from his pocket.


    ¡¸Von Mustang here. The target has been changed from Bhus Valencia to Allen Rodore. His group is currently flying over the high-skies. All members, deploy your soul dress and eliminate the target with maximum output!¡¹


    The moment he gave such an order,


    ¡¸W-What the hell is this!?¡¹


    A tremendous number of gliders appeared from the thick clouds above, surrounding Allen and the others in a pincer move.

 Chapter 401 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [171]

    401. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [171]


    ¡¸Damnit! Bhus-san cleared a path of escape by risking his life¡­¡¹


    ¡¸But this number¡­ is too much¡­¡¹


    Allen and Ria clenched their fists with regret.


    ¡¸¡­This is¡­the end.¡¹


    ¡¸We can¡¯t win against such arge army¡­¡¹


    ¡¸We had such a short life¡­¡¹


    Sie, Lilim, and Ferris squeezed out those words from their mouths.


    Arge army of gliders, rode by swordsmen dressed in ck cloak, surrounded them from both left and right. They numbered about 10,000.


    Moreover, all of them were soul dress users. And three of them donned the cloak of the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle.


    The difference in strength was clear.


    While Allen and the others were fearing the worst case scenario,


    ¡¸No problem. We¡¯ll just cut through them.¡¹


    Only Rose alone was not afraid in the slightest, keeping her eyes forward the whole while.


    ¡¸R-Rose¡­ that¡¯s just¡­¡¹


    ¡¸No matter how you think about it, it¡¯s impossible¡­¡¹


    Allen and Ria shook their heads slightly and spoke out simultaneously.


    However, Rose did not change her stance.


    ¡¸My grandfather ¨C the ¡°World¡¯s Strongest Swordsman¡± said that he would help everyone escape safely. There is no doubt about that!¡¹


    The moment she asserted that, the 100 Million Year Sakura began to shine like never before.


    ¡ö


    When Allen and the others were sinking to the bottom of despair,


    ¡¸A total of 10,000 reinforcements led by three Thirteen Knights of the Oracle¡­ It is checkmate.¡¹


    Von spoke cheerfully with a fearless smile.


    ¡¸W-When did you gather such arge army!?¡¹Bhus asked.


    ¡¸Don¡¯t get me wrong. Originally, they were ambush soldiers prepared to make sure that Bhus Valencia is killed no matter what. The first team was me and Deal, and the second team was 10,000 soul dress users. We intended to whittle down your strength in continuous waves, but¡­ it came in handy in an unexpected situation.¡¹


    ¡¸Nuu¡­¡¹


    Bhus groaned at the disy of the organization¡¯s strength.


    ¡¸Anyway, this confirms the death of Allen Rodore¡¯s group. You¡¯re the only one left now, Bhus. Just die a noble death, ghost of a previous era!¡¹


    ¡¸You whipped your old body and tried your best, but¡­ Kuku, you couldn¡¯t save anyone in the end! What a pity, Bhus old boy!¡¹


    Von and Deal readied their respective weapons, a sand sword and a poison sword, convinced of their victory.


    Bhus, on the other hand, looked up at the sky and sighed.


    ¡¸Haa¡­ Do you guys know¡­I have never told a single lie since the day I was born¡­¡¹


    ¡¸¡­What about it?¡¹


    ¡¸Hmm, what are you trying to say?¡¹


    In response to the sudden confession, the two tilted their necks.


    ¡¸Well, like I told them¡­ I will help them escape. Then that is exactly what I shall do!!!¡¹


    The moment Bhus roared, a tremendous amount of spiritual power swept in the atmosphere.


    ¡¸This absurd spiritual power¡­ you, no way!¡¹


    ¡¸No, no, no¡­ Isn¡¯t this overkill!?¡¹


    Von and Deal involuntarily doubted their eyes.


    A phantom spirit is not just a simple spirit core.


    It is a genuine monster that possesses a strong ego and power beyond humanprehension.


    In order to pull power from such a thing and manifest it as a ¡°soul dress¡±, extraordinary training and enormous spiritual power is required.


    And one would have had to walk the path of carnage and blood if one wishes to unleash the phantom spirit and wield it as a ¡°true soul dress¡±.


    The ¡°True Soul Dress of Phantom Spirit¡± means whether or not a first-rate swordsman with innate talent can finally reach the power level of the phantom spirit by investing every ounce of his spiritual power during his prime days¡­ It is such a paranormal power.


    It is by no means something that a swordsman over 250 years old like Bhus can wield.


    (But how¡­ how are you releasing such ¡°pressure¡±!?)


    Von stared at the man named Bhus Valencia while clenching his teeth.


    His prime days have long since passed. Suffering from an incurable disease, he should only possess a meager amount of spiritual power¡­ there should be no way for a dying swordfighter to wield ¡°that power¡±.


    (I-Impossible¡­ This is absolutely impossible. This defies logic¡­)


    The old swordsman eerily calmed down¨D.


    And then shouted out loud, as if ridiculing the conventional logic of the world.


    ¡¸Graft ¨C Sephirot!¡¹

 Chapter 402 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [172]

    402. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [172]


    As though answering Bhus¡¯ call, the 100 Million Year Sakura blossomed in full glory exceeding past eternity.


    Thick branches grew, numerous flower buds budded, and pale cherry-colored blossoms bore fruit.


    It was the manifestation of life itself.


    The scream of flourishing life roared across all over Cherin.


    ¡¸This is¡­ apletely released phantom spirit!?¡¹


    ¡¸This is the first time I¡¯m seeing something like this. But it sure is spectacr, isn¡¯t it¡­?¡¹


    Von and Deal involuntarily swallowed.


    ¡¸Bararara! It¡¯s beautiful, isn¡¯t it? This is the ¡°true form¡± of the 100 Million Year Sakura which has been handed down the Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style!¡¹


    Bhusughed loudly, full of violent vitality.


    His muscles swelled like Hercules, eyesight sharp like a hawk, and overflowing vigour. His form was at its absolute peak.


    He drew enormous life energy from the 100 Million Year Sakura in exchange for all his spiritual power.


    With this, the ¡°Perfect Regeneration¡± that continued to support Bhus¡¯ life can no longer be used. When the battle is over, he will die without living a second longer.


    However, this short moment which he bought in exchange for the rest of his life, this short moment is the seconding of the swordsman who was once hailed as the ¡°Strongest in the World¡± in his ¡°prime¡±.


    ¡¸¡¸¡­¡­¡¹¡¹


    Von and Deal reflexively stepped back before Bhus¡¯ majestic form.


    While the beautiful petals, which can be mistaken for jewels, dyed the world with sakura blossom,


    (Hmm, how nostalgic¡­)


    An old memory from long ago crossed Bhus¡¯s mind ¨C a memory of when he was on his training journey with his ¡°old friend¡±.


    ¡¾-Yo, Barrel. Is this ¡°Child of Destruction¡± really that strong?¡¿


    ¡¾Why are you asking that all of a sudden?¡¿


    ¡¾A swordsman of your caliber is looking for a child in such a frenzy¡­ So, I¡¯m just a teeny bit really interested in that story.¡¿


    ¡¾¡­It is an abomination who will destroy the order and reason of this world and bring about a disastrous ¡°revolution¡±. Its existence, which houses ¡°Holy Darkness¡± and the ¡°Evil Demon¡±, can be said to be ¡°the negative legacy of the world¡±. No matter what, I have to find it before the hermit of time does, and erase it promptly. Before the seal is removed by that horrifying ¡°100 Million Year Button¡±.¡¿

 Chapter 403 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [173]

    403. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [173]


    ¡¾Hou, ¡°a disastrous revolution¡±? I mean¡­that sounds interesting!¡¿


    ¡¾¡­Hey, you aren¡¯t thinking about something strange, are you?¡¿


    ¡¾Alright! I¡¯ve decided, Barrel! I will find the child before you do and teach it the Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style!¡¿


    ¡¾Bhus¡­ Did you listen to my story properly? ¡°Child of Destruction¡± is an incarnation of evil. It¡¯s very existence itself is a sin. Why would you make such a thing even stronger? Do you want to destroy this world?¡¿


    ¡¾Fool! It is not a sin to live. Besides, children grow to be good or bad depending on the environment in which they grow up.¡¿


    ¡¾Did you know that the saying ¡°birds of a feather flock together¡± has existed for a long time? Which is to say, evil always gathers around more evil. By the time you meet the Child of Destruction, it would¡¯ve be a viin with no hope for salvation.¡¿.


    ¡¾Haa¡­ Barrel, my guy¡­ You¡¯re really a negative thinker who always looks at the bad side of things¡­ Even if the child grows up to be a helpless bad kid, once he understands the fun of swinging a sword ¨C once he understands the true essence of swordsmanship, he¡¯ll quickly be a good human being! If that happens, he will surely bring about a ¡°good revolution¡±!¡¿


    ¡¾¡­As expected, from our way of thinking and our way of life, you and I just don¡¯t mesh well at all.¡¿


    ¡¾Barararara! Will you kill the Child of Destruction and bring peace to the world? Or will I teach the child swordsmanship and bring about a revolution to the world? Let¡¯s see which of us will win first!¡¿


    Bhus smiled, feeling satisfaction in his heart as he remembered the interaction between him and his old friend ¨C the Emperor of Holy Ronelia Empire, Barrel Ronelia.


    ¡¸Barrel, it seems that I won that bet! With this ¡°one move¡±, the era, the world, the history ¨C will all be turned upside down!¡¹


    As Bhus dered his victory and stretched out his right hand, petals from the 100 Million Year Sakura gathered at his hand, and gave form to a vivid sakura sword.


    ¡¸Boy! This is your st lesson¡±! Take a close look!¡¹


    Bhus yelled from the bottom of his belly and slowly swung his beloved sword which had apanied him throughout his life as a swordsman.


    ¡¸Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style Secret Technique¨C¡¹


    As Bhus aimed at the great sky far above and readied to unleash the st sh of one¡¯s life¡±,


    ¡¸I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re going to do, but I won¡¯t let you!¡¹


    ¡¸Don¡¯t ignore us please!¡¹


    Von and Deal kicked the ground and immediately tried to interfere.


    ¡¸Ultimate Absolute Defense ¨C Circr Sand Whal¨C¡­!?¡¹


    As soon as Von started manifesting a pure white shield, he immediately cancelled it.


    (I-It¡¯s impossible¡­)


    He realized how reckless and stupid it was to even try preventing Bhus¡¯ sh.


    ¡¸Hehe¡­ Even if it¡¯s a ¡°Phantom Spirit¡±, we still outnumber you! Hydra¨C¡¹


    ¡¸Deal, you idiot! Can¡¯t you sense the difference in power?!¡¹


    Von quickly kicked Deal far away and he too instantly jumped away from the spot.


    Immediately after that,


    ¡¸¨CMirrored Sakura sh!¡¹


    Like a mirror match, hundreds of millions of sakura des shed the great sky apart.

 Chapter 404 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [174]

    404. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [174]


    ¡¸W-What is this¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸Sakura¡­ des!?¡¹


    ¡¸All members, emergency retrea¨C GUAAH!!!¡¹


    Bhus¡¯ sakura sh was exactly like that depicted in legends and myths.


    The skies ripping, the seas splitting, and tens of thousands of swordsmen felled with a single sh.


    Arge army of 10,000, including the Thirteen Knights of the Oracle, was defeated with just one swing.


    ¡¸P-Preposterous¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Am I perhaps stuck in a nightmare¡­¡¹


    Von and Deal looked stunned in the face of an unrealistic scene.


    On the other hand,


    ¡¸W-Wow, amazing¡­¡¹


    The heroic story that Allen heard at the ¡°Sakura Drop¡± bathhouse crossed Allen¡¯s mind.


    ¡¾Those days, when I swung my sword, the seas parted in two, the skies tore apart, tens of thousands of swordsmen fell! I was the very definition of invincible and brute valour! Bararararara!¡¿


    (Bhus-san¡¯s story was all true!)


    While the world was dyed in sakura blossoms,


    (But this ¡°scene¡±¡­ I think I¡¯ve seen it somewhere¡­)


    A memory of a time long past was revived in Allen¡¯s mind.


    ¡¾Haa, haa¡­ Y-You¡­ are as strong as a demon¡­ This is the first time I have ever tasted defeat in my life¡­¡¿


    ¡¾Ha¡±H! You¡¯re just at the level of ¡°good enough¡±, bastard¨D By the way, I am the real ¡°undefeated since birth¡±. It has been so until now, and it will be so from now on till forever¡­ Na¡±A!¡¿


    ¡¾Ba-Barorororo¡­! That arrogance, that courage that fears none, and the strength of a demonic god¡­¡­ I like it all! I am the founder of Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style, Rocks Valencia! What are you called?¡¿


    ¡¾A¡±a? Why do I have to give my name to a trash like you? Use your undeveloped brain and realize that you and I are not equals.¡¿


    ¡¾Barororo! A foulmouth that goes hand-in-hand with that infernal strength! I don¡¯t mind if you don¡¯t wish to give your name. More importantly, I have sake here. It¡¯s sake from my hometown! Let¡¯s drink together!¡¿


    ¡¾¡­Sake, huh? Right, I haven¡¯t drunk some in a long time¡­¡¿


    ¡¾Oh, finally something not foul. Now, let¡¯s drink! Having a cup with¡´Sephirot¡µas a side dish is truly exceptional, I tell you!¡¿


    ¡¾Geez¡­¡­. If it¡¯s bad sake, I¡¯ll kill you.¡¿


    The young Rocks had drank together with a haughty man all night long.


    (Is this¡­ Zeon¡¯s memory? If he is a spirit core, how did he meet with Rocks-san in this world?)


    A big question arose in Allen¡¯s mind.


    Only Zeon himself ¨C or other ¡°involved people¡± know the answer.


    ¡¸Now! Let¡¯s escape at maximum output!¡¹


    Allen and the others receivedmand from Rose, and poured all their spiritual power into the glider to fly at maximum speed.


    At the same time, there was a tremendous amount ofughter, reaching even beyond the horizon.


    ¡¸Barararara! My era ends here! Allen Rodore ¨C ¡°Child of Destruction¡±! It is your turn to shape the new era!¡¹


    Having literally exhausted all his power, Bhus¡¯ body broke into particles of light as he smiled with satisfaction ¨C he kept his promise to let Allen and the others escape safely from Cherin.

 Chapter 405 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [175]

    405. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [175]


    ¡¸Damnit, he got us¡­ Bhus Valencia, though he was an enemy, what a man he was¡­¡¹


    Von quivered in anger and clenched his teeth.


    ¡¸¡­Bro, what should we do now¡­ We won¡¯t be able to catch up to them at this distance.¡¹


    ¡¸Allen Rodore alone must absolutely be killed as soon as possible by any means necessary¡­ He was deeply hurt in this battle and walked the border between life and death. There is no doubt that his connection to Zeon has been strengthened and the seal of House Rodore has weakened. The next time we meet, I will no longer be a match for him alone. ¨CFor now, anyway, I will return to the Imperial City. There are a few questions I have to ask Barrel.¡¹


    When Von stated his next choice of action,


    ¡¸¨COh my, what a scary face you have there. You¡¯re ruining your handsome face¡­ Von.¡¹


    A cool female voice echoed from behind.


    ¡¸¡±Bloody Fox¡± Rize Dorahain¡­ And that man beside you, if I¡¯m not mistaken, the ¡°Joker¡± Clown Jester?¡¹Von said.


    ¡¸Un, un, I¡¯m d that you¡¯re doing so well. Thest time we met was when I had a meeting with Barrel at Belios Castle, so¡­ it¡¯s been just about a year, right?¡¹


    ¡¸This is our first meeting. ¡­Man, I¡¯m very happy right now! I feel so honored that you know my name!¡¹


    Rize and Clown spoke in their usualid-back tone.


    ¡¸What business do you have with me? Sorry, but I¡¯m very busy right now. If you have something to say, make it brief.¡¹


    ¡¸Hmm, let¡¯s see¡­ I came here to ¡°seal your mouth¡±, is that short enough?¡¹


    ¡¸You!? As expected, you know Allen Rodore¡¯s true identity¨C¡¹


    The moment Von quickly took a fighting posture, the poison sword Hydra pierced out of his abdomen.


    ¡¸Deal¡­? You, why¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸Sorry, Von bro¡­ I belonged to Rize onee-san¡¯s faction from the start.¡¹


    Cell killing deadly poison circted through Von¡¯s body and began destroying it.


    ¡¸Guh, White Whale of Purifi, ca, tion¡­¡¹


    Contrary to Von¡¯s intention, the sand whale crumbled into pieces. In less than ten seconds, he was reduced to a silent lump of meat.


    This was how Deal¡¯s poison was supposed to work originally.


    Allen Rodore, who was able to move around freely even after being injected with arge amount of deadly poison from the true soul dress Hydra, was the abnormal one.

 Chapter 406 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [176]

    406. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [176]


    ¡¸With this, the purging of the ¡°traitor¡± has beenpleted. If I present Von¡¯s corpse as a souvenir, neither the Five Great Power which doubts me nor the Hold Knight¡¯s Association will say a word ofint. And peace will be restored back to the world.¡¹


    Rize pped her hands and put on her usual soft smile.


    ¡¸Are you in any position to call him a traitor, though?¡¹


    Clown said, smiling bitterly.


    ¡¸Any fool who opposes Rize onee-san is a traitor.¡¹


    Deal, the loyal vassal, just nodded.


    ¡¸Bhus, you were truly strong¡­ If only it weren¡¯t for that disease¡­¡¹


    While looking at the now lifeless 100 Million Year Sakura, Rize spoke quite emotionally, which was unusual for her.


    ¡¸Kuh, Clown bro, Clown bro¡­¡¹


    Seeing that scene, Deal pulled the hem of Clown¡¯s clothes and whispered into his ears.


    ¡¸Rize onee-san looks quite sad¡­ Did she have some kind of rtionship with Bhus?¡¹


    ¡¸Hmm¡­ I don¡¯t know much about that, either. That person hardly talks about her past, after all.¡¹


    ¡¸I-Is that so¡­?¡¹


    If there was some kind of rtionship between Rize and Bhus, if they had been old friends¡­ Deal¡¯s face turned deeply pale thinking that he might have done something outrageous.


    ¡¸Ah, umm¡­ onee-san? ¡­D-Did I do something I wasn¡¯t supposed to?¡¹


    ¡¸No, don¡¯t worry about it. I simply had an inseparable rtionship with that idiot.¡¹


    As Rize smiled tenderly, Deal felt fully relieved.


    ¡¸Besides¡­ Bhus was the only person in the battle who noticed my presence. But that man was a total idiot through and through¡­ He told me he didn¡¯t need my assistance.¡¹


    During the fierce battle, Rize and Bhus¡¯ eyes met for less than a fraction of a second. At that moment, he shook his head slightly with a ferocious smile.


    ¨D¨DThis is my fight, interference is not needed.


    Receiving the silent message, Rize decided to withdraw her soul dress¡´Withered Parasol¡µthat was on the verge of activation, and decided to stand witness to Bhus¡¯ final moment.


    ¡¸More importantly, that body¡­ wasn¡¯t going to hold anymore. Even with the power of the phantom spirit¡´Sephirot¡µ, it didn¡¯t seem to support him at all. Even if there wasn¡¯t a battle today, his life would have onlysted a few more days¡­ Well, Bhus himself seemed to have known that the best. That¡¯s why he chose his own final moments and entrusted everything to Allen Rodore.¡¹

 Chapter 407 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [177]

    407. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [177]


    Rize picked up Bhus¡¯s sword lying at her feet, and thrust it atop a hill overlooking a splendid view.


    ¡¸Good grief¡­ He rampaged around as he liked, acted on his will until the very end, and departed to the afterlife with a greatughter. What a troublesome old man.¡¹


    Rize took out a bottle of sake from the pocket of her kimono. It was a local sake from Cherin, the one that Bhus liked to drink.


    ¡¸Mmm¡­fuh¡­¡¹


    She drank about half of it and poured the other half onto Bhus¡¯s sword.


    ¡¸Unlike myself, you always liked to do things straightforward and honestly¡­ And I am truly, truly grateful for that time when you saved my little sister¡­ Thank you.¡¹


    She ced the empty sake bottle on the ground and thanked from the bottom of her heart.


    ¡¸Clown, buy this uninhabited ind for meter, and don¡¯t forget to erect a magnificent gravestone that matches Bhus¡¯ legacy.¡¹


    ¡¸Understood. By the way¡­ what about Von¡¯s corpse?¡¹


    ¡¸I don¡¯t want it to rot, so it¡¯ll have to be processed quickly.¨CHey,e carry it!¡¹


    As Rize pped her hands, a group of ck suits rushed in promptly and collected Von¡¯s body skillfully. After a deep bow, the group disappeared somewhere.


    ¡¸Alright then, Bhus. I¡¯lle visit you next time when I have something toin about or to get something off my chest. ¡­Fufu, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll make sure to bring sake and side dishes for you.¡¹


    Rize waved goodbye and turned her back to Bhus¡¯ sword.


    ¡¸Well, then¡­ We¡¯vee all the way to Cherin, so let¡¯s all go sightseeing!¡¹Rize said.


    ¡¸Oh, that¡¯s a good idea! Let¡¯s buy ¡°Sakuramono¡± first!¡¹Clown said.


    ¡¸Oh, we should. Let¡¯s release our inner child and have fun to our hearts content!¡¹Rize said.


    While Rize and Clown were acting excited, Deal had a dejected look on his face.


    ¡¸Umm, Rize onee-san¡­? I was about to be killed by Allen bro just a short while ago, so¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, you don¡¯t have to worry about that. Clown, bring that thing out.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes!¡¹


    Clown took out a pale pill from his pocket and handed it to Deal.


    ¡¸This is my newly developed ¡°Third Generation Spirit Pill¡±! In addition to the conventional immediate recovery effect, it now moderately recovers spiritual power, and the stability of the soul dress, which was a problem, has been greatly improved! It¡¯s a super-excellent drug if I do say so myself! Now, go ahead, Deal-san.¡¹


    ¡¸Umm¡­ I want to ask just in case, but what are the side effects?¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, that¡­ well¡­ sometimes you could die.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s quite an improvement on that spectrum as well¡­¡¹


    Deal rolled the pill in his hand with a bitter smile.


    ¡¸W-Well, it should work most of the time! Even if something should happen, Deal-san can somehow survive it with Hydra¡¯s ability, right?¡¹


    ¡¸Well, I suppose you¡¯re right.¡¹


    If there happen to be strong side effects, then Deal should be able to neutralize theponents of the spirit pill by producing specific poison in his body.


    Judging that, Deal threw the pill into his mouth and chewed it.


    ¡¸¡­Oh, this is certainly working!¡¹


    Due to all the punishment caused by Allen, Deal¡¯s spiritual power was pretty much empty, but after taking the 3rd generation spirit pill, his spiritual power was able to recover to the extent that it could withstand normal battles.


    ¡¸It¡¯s effective, isn¡¯t it? It¡¯s amazing, isn¡¯t it? It¡¯s tremendous progress, isn¡¯t it!? I tell you, it was really hard to make this thing. I had to directly appeal to His Majesty Barrel to procure high quality spirit ores mined in Dagrio, and negotiating with every side to receive a supply of bodies for live experiment¨C¡¹


    As Clown started speaking like a mad scientist who was showing off histest work, Rize, who was unable to just watch, stopped him.


    ¡¸Hey, hey, that¡¯s enough. That¡¯s a little too passionate. You¡¯re just troubling Deal.¡¹


    ¡¸Oops, sorry¡­ I was absorbed into my own world unconsciously¡­¡¹


    ¡¸No, it¡¯s not a problem for me. Clown bro¡¯s invention has helped me out a lot. I¡¯m always willing to listen if you wish to talk about anything.¡¹


    As the story was over, Rize pped her hands together.


    ¡¸¨CAlrighty, let¡¯s get going! Let¡¯s go buy sakuramono first!¡¹


    ¡¸Understood!¡¹


    ¡¸To be able to go sightseeing with Rize onee-san, I¡¯m a really lucky fellow.¡¹


    After that, Rize bought for herself a fashionable folding fan with a sakura pattern, Deal bought a sake bottle painted with a blizzard of falling sakura petals, and Clown bought a hat with a sakura blossom design.


    ¡¸So, then¡­ What was your impression of crossing swords directly with him? ¨CAh, uncle, please give me a te of ¡°Sakura Takoyaki!¡¹Rize said.


    ¡¸Oh, he was really strong¡­ I am no match for him anymore. It seems that his body is getting closer, and the seal is also pretty loose. ¨CBoss, I would like the same thing onee-san ordered.¡¹


    ¡¸Once he learns to control the ¡°Darkness of House Rodore¡±, he will be a fine match for the ¡°Seven Holy Swords¡±!¡± ¨CBy the way, I dislike hot stuff, so I¡¯m gonna go get yakisoba over there.¡¹Clown said.


    ¡¸For now, things are going well, but¡­ hafu hafu¡­ don¡¯t let your guard down. The ¡°Head House¡± ¨C Dahlia Rodore seems to be making some suspicious movements. I don¡¯t think she¡¯ll make it in time, but their n has a mysterious power. ¨COh, this is so delicious! I can¡¯t get enough of this strong sauce! And¡­ we still have to keep a close eye on the hermit of time¡¯s movement. We can¡¯t afford to bex at the moment. ¨COkay, let¡¯s go to ¡°Sakura Drop¡± next! I heard that the hot spring over there is in the top three hot springs in the world!¡¹


    The three yers of the underworld enjoyed their time walking around Cherin like a tourist.

 Chapter 408 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [178]

    408. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [178]


    We escaped from Cherin and contacted Tenshi-sama and Rodis-san using themunication terminal installed on the glider.


    Protected by a joint unit of escorts under the direct control of Tenshi-sama and private soldiers of House Arcstria, we managed to return to the Ringuard Imperial Kingdom safely.


    After returning, all of us were immediately taken to arge hospital and urgently hospitalized.


    Since there was an ¡°unknown poison user¡± among the enemy, we received a thorough examination with incredibly advanced-looking medical equipment, treatment from an excellent recovery-type soul dress user, and a medical interview with a renowned doctor.


    We were assigned arge room with six beds.


    At first, the n was to assign private rooms to each of us, but¡­


    ¡°Rose-san is a very strong-hearted person, but we can¡¯t leave her to mourn her loss alone,¡± the president said, and talked it over with the hospital to assign us to arge room instead.


    The time was about 9pm.


    I received special permission to go out. I went to a store near the hospital to buy apples, juice, candies and such that would distract everyone.


    ¡¸This and this¡­ and that¡­ well, maybe I should buy this too.¡¹


    Since I had little money on hand, I couldn¡¯t buy anything extravagant, but¡­ I¡¯m sure it¡¯s still better than nothing.


    ¡¸This should be enough.¡¹


    I quickly paid the bill for the items and returned to the hospital room where Ria and the others were waiting.


    ¡¸I¡¯m back. I bought a lot of fruits and so on.¡¹


    Ria and the others were talking while sitting on the bed, wearing their blue hospital gown.


    ¡¸Thank you, Allen.¡¹


    ¡¸Sorry to bother you.¡¹


    Ria and Rose smile softly.


    ¡¸Thank you, Allen-kun. It should help us.¡¹


    ¡¸The hospital meals are very nd¡­ I miss the junk taste of candy!¡¹


    ¡¸I am deeply grateful, though¡­!¡¹


    The president expressed her gratitude, while Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai¡¯s eyes gleamed brilliantly.


    ¡¸It¡¯s nothing. I¡¯m really d that everyone seems to be doing fine.¡¹


    When we first arrived in Ringuard, Ria and the others were in a state of severe exhaustion that they could not stand on their own.


    Mental fatigue seems to have been quite great too, but the biggest problem was significant exhaustion of spiritual power.


    For several hours after leaving Cherin, we continued to fly the gliders at maximum output in order to escape from Von and Deal with certainty.


    (Those machines originally have bad fuel consumption, and simply flying normally consumes a lot of spiritual power, after all¡­)


    By continuing to operate such a ¡°big eater¡± at the maximum speed, Ria and the others experienced a case of serious ¡°spiritual power deficiency¡±.


    On the other hand, I was so energetic that I myself was surprised.


    My spiritual power was recovering steadily at a speed far exceeding the spiritual power consumed by the glider.


    (I wonder what it means¡­)


    I feel two huge ¡°forces¡± wriggling in the depths of my chest.


    One is Zeon¡¯s evil power.


    The other is a mysterious holy power.


    The two seemed to be in a fierce battle with each other inside me.


    I decided to think about this power after everything else had settled down.

 Chapter 409 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [179]

    409. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [179]


    ¡¸I¡¯m done peeling the apples, everyone.¡¹


    I ced the apples cut into the shape of rabbits into small tes, and carried them over to each of the girls¡¯ beds.


    ¡¸Mmm¡­ It¡¯s so fresh and delicious!¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, it¡¯s a calming sweetness. I somehow feel relieved.¡¹


    Ria and Rose smiled happily, chewing the apples.


    ¡¸¡­Why are we the ones being nursed by Allen-kun?¡¹


    The president elegantly bit an apple with aplicated expression.


    ¡¸Oh yeah! This is good! Well, don¡¯t be discouraged, Sie. You already know about Allen-kun¡¯s abnormal strength, right?¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s better for your mental health if you don¡¯t think of him as a normal human like us, though¡­ Mmm, this is delicious.¡¹


    Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai replied indifferently.


    After that, Ria, Rose, President, Lilim-senpai, and Ferris-senpai were called to the examination room one by one.


    Since the test results are personal information, it seems that the doctor will ry it to each of us personally.


    ¡¸Fuh, I am d¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I have no problem too.¡¹


    ¡¸Onee-san is okay too.¡¹


    ¡¸Lilim Tsuorine, no abnormalities!¡¹


    ¡¸I am healthy too, though.¡¹


    The results of their detailed examinations were all normal.


    Deal¡¯s ¡°cell-killing poison¡± seems to have beenpletely detoxified thanks to Bhus-san¡¯s ¡°perfect regeneration¡±.


    ¡¸Allen-kun is the only one left. I hope nothing happens¡­¡¹the president muttered worriedly.


    ¡¸No matter how you think about it, this thing wouldn¡¯t even have a problem¡­¡¹


    ¡¸I can absolutely say this thing is going to be okay, though¡­¡¹


    Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai were very optimistic.


    ¡¸You two¡­ what do you mean ¡°this thing¡±?¡¹I asked.


    The two of the yfully turned away as I stared at them.


    When we were joking around like that, there was a knock on the door and a nurse entered.


    ¡¸Allen Rodore-san, pleasee to the examination room.¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, yes.¡¹


    When I was about to leave the room, I felt a tug at the hem of my clothes.


    ¡¸Allen¡­ you¡¯re okay, right?¡¹


    ¡¸At that time, you were using an unreasonable power that was not human¡­. I¡¯m very worried.¡¹


    Ria and Rose said, uneasy looks on their faces.


    ¡¸I will be fine. And I¡¯lle back soon, so wait for me.¡¹


    I said in a gentle voice in order to reassure them and headed to the examination room.

 Chapter 410 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [180]

    410. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [180]


    Guided by the nurse, I entered the examination room. There was a doctor sitting inside, looking through the medical record at hand.


    ¡¸Excuse me.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, you¡¯re Allen-kun, right?! Umu, Umu¡­ Umu! Man, the ¡°real thing¡± is truly exceptional as expected! I somehow feel ¡°truly alive¡±!¡¹


    He stood up vigorously with gleaming eyes and held both my hands firmly.


    ¡¸Well, uhmm¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Oops, sorry! I haven¡¯t introduced myself yet. I¡¯m Hap Torne. Feel free to call me Dr. Hap!¡¹


    ¡¸Nice to meet you, I¡¯m Allen Rodore.¡¹


    Hap Torne.


    He had no hair on the top of his head, and only white hair remained on both sides.


    He was quite small, about 130 centimeters tall. And probably over eighty years old.


    He was wearing thick-lens sses, under which were big goggling eyes, and a trimmed white mustache. A face you cannot forget once you see it.


    He wore a tight white coat over a ck shirt that seemed a bit too tight in size, and a shy pink tie. A man with quite a unique fashion sense.


    (This person is Dr. Hap Torne, huh¡­)


    I remember the president saying, ¡°He¡¯s an excellent doctor, but is a person with a slightly bad habit¡±.


    ¡¸Please take a seat. ¡°Time is money, and the walls have ears.¡±¡¹


    ¡¸I-I see¡­¡¹


    While half-heartedly replying to the mysterious proverb, I took a seat on a round chair as told.


    Dr. Hap, who seemed to be in a very good mood, vigorously sat on a legless tatami chair.


    ¡¸Oh, I am so happy! I never thought that the day woulde when I could examine Allen-kun so soon!¡¹


    ¡¸Do you know me?¡¹


    ¡¸Of course. There¡¯s no doctor in the medical world who doesn¡¯t know of you. If there¡¯s such a fool, it¡¯s definitely someone who lives in a cave.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸That reaction of yours¡­ Apparently, you don¡¯t seem to be aware of it. Here, read this article carefully.¡¹


    He took out a paperminated on both sides from a drawer of his desk.


    ¡¸¡­¡±Medical newspaper¡±? What¡¯s this!?¡¹


    There was a photo of me and Chemy-san, the director of White Lily Academy, covering the whole page.


    ¡¸This newspaper article is an extra that was specially distributed to doctors of medicine all over the world! It is a reminder of the sess of the ¡°Anti-curse treatment research¡± conducted by Allen Rodore and Ms. Chemy Festa in secret!¡¹


    Dr. Hap closed his eyes partly after talking excitedly.


    ¡¸Approximately two months ago, I and other doctors around the world and recovery-type soul dress users were desperate to find an effective cure for the ¡°Curse¡±. The demonkin that appeared suddenly spread their curse on a tremendous number of people¡­¡¹


    On New Year¡¯s Day, the demons assaulted the Five Great Powers.


    I drove off one of them, Zerey Grazario.


    ¡¸Under the guidance of the Holy Knights Society, huge capital and the best minds were gathered from all over the world. At that time, I waspletely absorbed in research, day and night. I had heated discussions with the young minds who disagreed with this old man, but¡­ the research was too slow, and I couldn¡¯t find even the slightest clue. That was when ¡°this¡± appeared.¡¹


    Dr. Hap said, pointing to the headline of the newspaper article.


    ¡ºA research team of the Ringuard Imperial Kingdom seeds in developing a silver bullet for curse ¨C The Allen Cell! Chief Researcher: Chemy Festa! Cooperator: Evil Emperor Allen Rodore!¡»


    I felt somewhat a strong bad vibes from the title of the article, but¡­ well, it¡¯s fine for now.


    ¡¸All of our eyes widened in astonishment, studied deep into the papers published by Ms. Chemy, thanked the advancement of science¨C and also felt deep jealousy. Everyone had strong ambitions of wanting to be the one who saves humanity from curses, you see¡­¡¹


    He had aplicated expression while speaking in a self-deprecating tone.


    ¡¸Anyway, humanity has ovee the curse through research on anti-curse treatment by Allen-kun and Ms. Chemy! Ms. Chemy, who was originally known as ¡°the world¡¯s best doctor of medicine¡±, gained further fame and honor ¡ª and Allen Rodore, who is said to have provided a valuable sample in the development of the drug! This name, which was also adopted for the new medicine ¡°Allen Cell¡±, sent great waves through the medical world!¡¹


    ¡¸I-I see¡­¡¹


    ¡¸All the doctors in the world are hungering for a chance to thoroughly examine Allen-kun¡¯s body carefully! Of course, I am one of them too! In fact, in the ranking conducted by the Medical Association on the most desired ¡°Dissection Specimens¡±, you rank first ce in the world! The difference in score between the second rank, Demons, is almost triple digits!¡¹


    The doctor¡¯s eyes were shining almost dazzlingly.


    ¡¸I-Is that so¡­?¡¹


    I want to abolish such a dangerous sounding ranking right away.


    (¡­Is it really okay to consult this doctor?)


    A bit of anxiety rushed in like waves.


    ¡¸Oops, the introduction has taken a bit too long. Well, ahem. As a result of examining Allen-kun¡¯s body using thetest precision machine, there is no problem with your body.¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, that¡¯s good¨C¡¹


    ¡¸Well, let¡¯s set aside such a trivial matter and get into the ¡°main subject¡±!¡¹


    ¡¸H-Huh¡­?¡¹


    For me, this is the main subject, though.


    Apparently, Dr. Hap has something more to talk about.

 Chapter 411 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [181]

    411. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [181]


    ¡¸Please take a look at this chart!¡¹


    The doctor handed me a thick sheet of documents, filled with rows of sentences with medical terms that was too difficult for me to understand.


    ¡¸Kukuku, what do you think? It¡¯s amazing, right!?¡¹


    ¡¸S-Sorry, I¡¯m not sure what¡¯s so amazing about it¡­¡¹


    Unfortunately, I don¡¯t have deep knowledge of medicine.


    All I know is applying first aid forcerations and puncture wounds which I learned during the lessons at Thousand de Academy. And the general knowledge for dealing with colds, headaches, and abdominal pain.


    ¡¸Oops, sorry about that! Looks like I was a little too eager!¡¹


    Dr. Hap facepalmed himself, and approached closer to me.


    ¡¸This chart pertains to the records of a ¡°certain experiment¡± and its results!¡¹


    ¡¸A certain experiment?¡¹


    ¡¸Indeed so! Please don¡¯t tell anyone else about this¡­ Actually, I secretly cultivated Allen-kun¡¯s cells behind the scenes, added various stimuli to them, and investigated their reaction!¡¹


    ¡¸I-I see¡­?¡¹


    Why were my cells secretly cultivated behind the scenes?


    Why did he decide to add various stimuli to it?


    That sounds like an ethical and legal problem to do such a thing without the person¡¯s permission.


    But I decided to listen to the continuation of the story for the time being.


    ¡¸I confirmed something unbelievable through the experiment! Allen¡¯s cells have an ¡°abnormal adaptability¡± that a normal human being simply cannot acquire ¨C a special power that can be called ¡°acquisition of resistance¡±!¡¹


    ¡¸Acquisition of Resistance?¡¹


    As I tilted my head to those mysterious words, Dr. Hap powerfully nodded.


    ¡¸If you drop the cells in poison, it will produce antibodies, if you burn it with high heat, it will gain heat resistance, and if you cut it into pieces, it will adhere to each other even stronger! To put it simply, the more damage you take, the stronger you be!¡¹


    Dr. Hap said something ridiculous.


    ¡¸For example, have you ever had an experience where the second attack you received during a battle wasn¡¯t as big as the first time.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Ah,e to think of it¡­¡¹


    Ria¡¯s mes, ude-san¡¯s bombing, and more recently, Von¡¯s sand whale, and etc¡­


    The pain was much more bearable the second timepared to the first attack.


    Apparently, I wasn¡¯t just imagining things. It seems that the damage was actually reduced.

 Chapter 412 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [182]

    412. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [182]


    ¡¸And there is one more thing I¡¯m curious about. Can you hold this for a moment?¡¹


    Dr. Hap said, and took out a somewhat rugged grip strength meter.


    ¡¸Now, don¡¯t hesitate, just grip it as hard as you can!¡¹


    ¡¸O-Okay¡­¡¹


    I don¡¯t know what it was about, but I decided to do as told for the moment being. As I squeezed the grip strength meter, a ¡°MEGI¡± sound was clearly heard.


    ¡¸¡­Oh¡­¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Hou!¡¹


    When I looked down at my hand, the grip strength meter¡¯s handle part was crushed.


    I don¡¯t think it will be useful anymore.


    ¡¸I¡¯m sorry. I seem to have broken it¡­¡¹


    Since I spent quite some money during sightseeing in Cherin, I am very unsure about the amount in my possession.


    (How much does a grip strength meter cost!? If it¡¯s one used in a hospital, wouldn¡¯t it be really expensive!?)


    While I calcted the cost and debt in my head,


    ¡¸Unmeasurable!?¡­How wonderful! A ridiculous power that far exceeds my expectations which can easily crush an ultra-durable design!¡¹


    Dr. Hap¡¯s eyes sparkled as he spoke excitedly.


    Judging from his tone, he seemed to have predicted this situation to some extent.


    ¡¸Umm, Dr. Hap¡­?¡¹


    When I opened my mouth to ask for an exnation, heughed and said, ¡°Oops, sorry.¡±


    ¡¸Actually, while inspecting Allen-kun¡¯s body, I found something very interesting! Can you believe it¡­ your muscle fiber density is more than 100 times that of a normal person! The so-called ¡°idiosyncrasy¡±!¡¹


    ¡¸Idiosyncrasy¡­¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, indeed! It means that you have a ¡°body with a special structure¡± that is different from ordinary humans. For example¡­ Sid Euclius, who once fought in a fierce battle with you, he also has an idiosyncrasy!¡¹


    Sid Euclius, a super genius swordsman belonging to Ice King Academy.


    ¡¸In the case of Sid-kun¡­ he was too ¡°soft¡±! The muscles of his whole body were terrifyingly flexible! When I examined him after he received fatal injuries at the Great Five Holy Festival, I was shocked at the flexibility. When I said, ¡°The skin is so soft like a girl¡¯s!¡± he punched me in the face¡­ That was a good punch, though¡­¡­¡¹


    For some reason, Dr. Hap¡¯s cheeks turned red with an ecstatic expression on his face.

 Chapter 413 - . Country of Sakura Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [183]

    413. Country of Sakura Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [183]


    ¡¸Allen-kun is the exact opposite of Sid-kun. If he is ¡°soft¡±, then you are¡± rigid ¡± ¨C tremendously rigid muscles! It¡¯s not easy toe by someone with as dense a muscle fiber as you. As far as I remember, there is only one swordsman who has a muscle quality close to yours!¡¹


    He opened his eyes wide and started talking about this person.


    ¡¸That person was a peerless beauty who supported the ¡°Golden Generation of Thousand de Academy¡± together with ck Fist Leia Lasnode! Her name is¡­ uhhh¡­? Sorry. It was more than a decade ago, so I seem to have forgotten it. Getting old sucks, after all¡­¡¹


    ¡¸A peerless beauty?¡­That person is a woman?¡¹


    When I heard that that person was tremendously rigid, I thought it would be a man.


    ¡¸Yes, she was a pretty maiden with a petite body. Her nickname was ¡°Iron Blood¡±! A mysterious swordsman who suddenly disappeared from the front stage after winning the Sword King Festival!¡¹


    Dr. Hap began to speak passionately, snorting his nose.


    ¡¸However, the Thousand de Academy at that time was somewhat ¡°abnormal¡±! The three female swordsmen who supported the golden generation all fought with their bare hands! Since they didn¡¯t use swords despite being a part of a swordsmanship academy, there was a slight ¡°swordless style boom¡± at that time!¡¹


    Then he talked about a lot of things, such as the history of the rtionship between Thousand de Academy and Ice King Academy, the history of absurd events such as the Shadow Thousand de Academy Festival, and the anecdote of the golden generation.


    Dr. Hap seems to be an alumnus of Thousand de Academy. After graduating about 70 years ago, he saw the limits of his own talent for swordsmanship, and he turned to the medical path.


    When the story settled down naturally, he calmed down with ¡°Fuh¡±.


    ¡¸Originally, I wanted to request to apany Allen-kun for 24 hours so that I can take a closer look at that special body of yours, but¡­ I¡¯ll restrain myself this time.¡¹


    ¡¸Um¡­ why?¡¹


    I was a little surprised. It wouldn¡¯t be surprising if this person, who was brimming with curiosity, wanted to stick by my side all year long and not just 24 hours. ¡­I wonder what he meant by that?


    ¡¸Actually, I have a certain circumstance. It is not something which deeply involves you. Hmm¡­ I suppose I¡¯ll just show you. See through -¡´Nirvana Crystal¡µ.¡¹


    Dr. Hap suddenly manifested his soul dress.

 Chapter 414 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [184]

    414. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [184]


    ¡¸Dr. Hap, what are you¡­!?¡¹


    ¡¸Huh, you don¡¯t need to be wary. Nirvana Crystal is not forbat-use, but aplete assistance-type; a soul dress which predicts the ¡°good and bad of the future¡±.¡¹


    ¡¸A soul dress that predicts the good and bad of the future?¡¹


    ¡¸Umu. It¡¯s rare, isn¡¯t it?¡¹


    ¡¸Y-Yes.¡¹


    I have never heard of such an ability.


    There is no doubt that it must be a fairly rare soul dress.


    ¡¸I aimed to be the ¡°strongest swordsman¡± in the past, but when my soul dress turned out to be unsuitable forbat at all, I waspletely dejected. But now, I am really happy with this soul dress. Thanks to this power, I have ovee many crises.¡¹


    Dr. Hap readied the Nirvana Crystal, reminiscent of a transparent crystal, in the Seigan no Kamae stance.


    (¡­¡­Beautiful.)


    As expected of an alumnus of Thousand de Academy, his stance was very natural and beautiful.


    ¡¸A picture is worth a thousand words. It will go by quickly, so don¡¯t miss it, okay?¡¹


    The moment when Dr. Hap poured his spiritual power into Nirvana Crystal, the transparent de turned ck and muddy, and a big crack ran across it.


    ¡¸!?¡¹


    When Dr. Hap saw that, his eyes widened instantly, and then he breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡¸Fuu, I¡¯m walking very close to danger. As expected, this seems to be the absolute limit.¡¹


    ¡¸Umm, what do you mean by that?¡¹I asked.


    ¡¸The fortune-telling says ¨C if I investigate Allen-kun any further, I will be killed by someone.¡¹


    ¡¸Killed by someone!?¡¹


    This conversation suddenly shifted into a dangerous tone.


    ¡¸I¡¯m a little surprised this time, too. Apparently, I¡¯m truly standing on the absolute edge of the line.¡¹


    Dr. Hap muttered, staring at the cracked de.


    The result of fortune-telling seems to be partial damage to the de.

 Chapter 415 - . Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [185]

    415. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [185]


    ¡¸I always use the power of Nirvana Crystal when making any ¡°choice¡±. After seeing the good and bad of the future, I decide whether to actually make that choice.¡¹


    ording to the interpretation of Nirvana Crystal, the future will continuously change depending on Dr. Hap¡¯s choice.


    ¡¸The first unusual event urred three days ago, when I chose Orest as my business trip destination. A dark shadow was reflected on the de of my soul dress ¨C an omen of a ¡°small misfortune¡±. Well, I¡¯ve had this omen many times in the past, so I decided to go to Orest while being cautious and awaited the misfortune.¡¹


    ¡¸I see.¡¹


    ¡¸I¡¯ve made a lot of choices since I arrived at Orest, but nothing has changed. Nirvana Crystal has been showing a ¡°small misfortune¡± all the while. But a few hours ago, immediately after I undertook Allen-kun¡¯s medical examination, the de suddenly turned ck ¨C an omen of a ¡°big misfortune¡±. That¡¯s when I realized that you were thendmine waiting for me in Orest.¡¹


    After Dr. Hap said so, he picked up the coffee cup on his examination desk and took a sip.


    ¡¸But¡­ as I said, I really wanted to examine your body. I couldn¡¯t ignore the finest carrot dangling in front of me¡­ even if it meant danger. I couldn¡¯t help but jump at the chance. By the time I noticed, for some reason, I had an Allen Rodore cell sample at hand. I probably secretly collected it during the detailed examination.¡¹


    ¡¸Eh, umm¡­¡¹


    No matter how you put it, that¡¯s too faithful to your own desire.


    ¡¸After that, I secretly investigated Allen-kun¡¯s cell structure and discovered the unique properties of ¡°Acquisition of Resistance¡± and ¡°abnormal rigid muscle¡±. And this was the result.¡¹


    He looked at the de that was about to break, with a serious expression.


    ¡¸A big crack in the Nirvana crystal¡­ means that an ¡°omen of death¡± has appeared.¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s why you ended up with the conclusion that if you look into me anymore, you¡¯ll be killed by someone, right?¡¹


    ¡¸That¡¯s right. It helps that you¡¯re quick to understand.¡¹


    Dr. Hap nodded with a satisfied look.


    ¡¸To be honest¡­ I wanted to investigate Allen-kun¡¯s body from the top of your head to the tip of your toe nails! But it¡¯s too dangerous as expected¡­ I¡¯m sorry, but I will be withdrawing myself from you. I value my life too¡­¡¹


    He dropped his shoulders and stared at my body with a mixture of desire and regret.


    ¡¸Y-Yes! I think that¡¯s a good idea too!¡¹


    This person is scary in many aspects, after all.


    Perhaps he has a few screws loose in his head.


    When the story reached a stopping point, Dr. Hap pped his hands.


    ¡¸Oh right. Since you¡¯re here, I¡¯ll tell you about your future!¡¹


    He said something unexpected.

 Chapter 416 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [186]

    416. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [186]


    ¡¸Umm¡­ I appreciate the thought, but wouldn¡¯t it be better not to get too involved with me?¡¹


    ¡¸Oh, don¡¯t worry. The main point is most likely ¡°Allen-kun¡¯s body¡±. I¡¯m sure there¡¯s still some ¡°big secret¡± hidden there. As long as I don¡¯t touch that point, I shouldn¡¯t be killed.¡¹


    ¡¸I see¡­¡¹


    Since the user of Nirvana Crystal himself has asserted so far, it must be true.


    ¡¸Moreover, I myself have a very strong interest in your future. So let¡¯s do it without hesitation!¡¹


    ¡¸O-Okay¡­¡¹


    Dr. Hap handed the Nirvana Crystal to me as his eyes gleamed like a child.


    The cracks in the de had disappeared before I realized. It had returned to a beautiful and transparent sword.


    ¡¸I think you should be able to use it with just intuition, but I¡¯ll exin it just in case. Hold the handle of Nirvana Crystal and pour your spiritual power into it, and it will be able to fortune-tell the good and bad of your future. If the de shines brightly, the future of that person is bright. On the contrary, if the de darkens or cracks, a dark future awaits. And unfortunately, if the de breaks¡­¡¹


    ¡¸If it breaks¡­?¡¹


    ¡¸In the not so far future¡­ you will die.¡¹


    Dr. Hap said, with an extremely serious expression.


    ¡¸By the way, what is the uracy rate?¡¹


    ¡¸100 percent. It has never had a miss.¡¹


    ¡¸100 percent!?¡¹


    I didn¡¯t really believe in fortune-telling, so I approached the idea casually, but¡­I became a little nervous when I heard the doctor himself say that.


    ¡¸Hahaha, you don¡¯t have to overthink it. The ¡°de breaking¡± isn¡¯t thatmon. Just think of it as satisfying your curiosity.¡¹


    ¡¸R-Right! If you think about it normally, it won¡¯t break!¡¹


    I pulled myself together and exhaled a lot.


    ¡¸Fuu¡­ Alright, I am going to start.¡¹


    ¡¸Anytime you¡¯re ready.¡¹


    The moment when I poured my spiritual power into Nirvana Crystal ¨C it shattered into pieces.


    ¡¸¡­¡­Eh?¡¹


    ¡¸N-No way¡­¡¹


    The de, the guard, the hilt¡­ not even a single piece was left. The thing waspletely destroyed into fine dust.

 Chapter 417 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [187]

    417. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [187]


    ¡¸D-Dr. Hap? What is this¡­?¡¹


    If the de of Nirvana Crystal breaks, it will reveal ¡°death in the not too distant future.¡±


    Then, if the sword itself shatters into fine dust¡­ what will happen?


    ¡¸Nirvana Crystal has fortune-told tens of thousands of people¡¯s futures, but I¡¯ve never seen a case like this¡­¡¹


    Dr. Hap shook his head, with his eyes wide open.


    ¡¸The only thing I can say for sure is¡­ ¡°great danger¡±. In the near future, perhaps within a year, pain and despair greater than ¡°death¡± will be waiting for Allen-kun.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Is that so?¡¹


    The result of fortune-telling with an uracy of 100% is pain and despair greater than death is awaiting me.


    The result was not so good.


    ¡¸¡¸¡­¡­¡¹¡¹


    The air in the hospital room became excruciatingly heavy.


    ¡¸Eh, ah, well! I said that the uracy rate was 100%, but that¡¯s only thus far! Perhaps you¡¯ll be the first person to overturn the result of fortune-telling. Yeah, I¡¯m sure that will be the case!¡¹


    The result seemed to indicate a future so dark that even the entric Dr. Hap desperately tried to deny it.


    ¡¸¡­¡­Thank you for your concern.¡¹


    I said, and exhaled greatly.


    (Fuu¡­ Calm down, it¡¯s going to be okay. This is just fortune-telling.)


    My future is something that I have to carve out with my own hand.


    That is how I have lived so far.


    ¡¸Well then, this is the end of the examination. Allen-kun can be discharged from the hospital. Your physical and spiritual strength are in perfect condition.¡¹


    ¡¸Thank you very much.¡¹


    The time spent with Dr. Hap was very intense.


    ¡¸My thanks to you too. It was a very interesting experience interacting with you. Let¡¯s meet again someday. Not as a doctor and patient, but perhaps as friends.¡¹Dr. Hap said.


    ¡¸Ahaha, I¡¯m looking forward to it. At that time, please do share a lot of stories again.¡¹


    ¡¸Sure, of course.¡¹


    I then left Dr. Hap¡¯s room.


    (Dr. Hap Torne, huh¡­)


    As the president said, he was certainly entric, but¡­ he doesn¡¯t seem to be a bad person.

 Chapter 418 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [188]

    418. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [188]


    I returned to the hospital room where everyone was waiting.


    ¡¸Allen, are you okay!?¡¹


    ¡¸It seemed a little long¡­ Was something wrong?¡¹


    ¡¸Allen-kun, what¡¯s the result of the test?¡¹


    Ria, Rose, and the president rushed up to me immediately.


    ¡¸It¡¯s okay, nothing happened.¡¹I said.


    ¡¸I am d¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Thank goodness.¡¹


    ¡¸At any rate, everyone seems to be healthy.¡¹


    The three girls sighed a breath of relief.


    ¡¸Like I said, Allen-kun would be absolutely fine.¡¹


    ¡¸It¡¯s exactly as Lilim says, though.¡¹


    Lilim-senpai and Ferris-senpai said confidently while munching on candies.


    ¡¸Speaking of which¡­ It seems that I can leave the hospital. What about everyone else?¡¹I asked.


    ¡¸I was told they would keep me in observation for about three more days.¡¹Ria said.


    ¡¸It is the same for me.¡¹Rose said.


    ¡¸I also have to stay in the hospital until my spiritual power recovers properly.¡¹the president said.


    ¡¸Even with the resilience of the great Lilim Tsuorine, it seems like it will take a few more days¡­¡¹


    ¡¸It looks like I still need to rest, though.¡¹


    Everyone¡¯s discharge was still a little dyed, apparently.


    After that, we enjoyed a little chat while rejoicing everyone¡¯s health.


    The topics were all really trivial, such as the hospital food taste and the fabric of the hospital clothes, etc.


    However, this was perfectly fine.


    This chat was kind of like a ritual to return to a calm daily life after a battlefield of carnage.


    ¡¸Well, then¡­ I will be leaving now.¡¹


    The time was 10:30pm.


    As I was no longer a patient, I had to go back home.


    ¡¸Allen,e see us tomorrow, okay?¡¹


    ¡¸It feels reassuring with you around¡­ so I hope you¡¯lle tomorrow.¡¹


    ¡¸Of course.¡¹


    I promised Ria and Rose.


    ¡¸Good night, Allen-kun.¡¹


    ¡¸Good night, president.¡¹


    I said goodbye to the president.


    ¡¸Hey, Allen-kun, bring more fast food and junk food for me tomorrow!¡¹


    ¡¸Please bring me some magazines to pass the time, though¡­¡¹


    ¡¸Alright, alright, I¡¯ll try to get something appropriate.¡¹


    I reluctantly epted the requests of Lilim-senpai and senior Ferris-senpai.


    Then I left Orest National Hospital alone.


    By the way¡­ I didn¡¯t tell anyone about the ominous fortune-telling result of Nirvana Crystal.


    I decided that there was no need to worry everyone with that news when they were already physically and mentally exhausted.

 Chapter 419 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [189]

    419. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [189]


    Three dayster.


    Ria and the others were safely discharged without incident.


    After everyone returned to their dormitories, I, Ria, the president, Lilim-senpai, Ferris-senpai gathered in a room at Thousand de Academy without Rose.


    ¡¸Rose is certainly putting on a brave face for us¡­¡¹I muttered.


    Everyone nodded silently.


    After returning to Ringuard, Rose did not cry at all.


    She should be heartbroken after losing her beloved grandfather.


    She was doing her best not to worry us.


    ¡¸Rose is the type to bottle up her feelings¡­ How can we help her?¡¹Ria said, with a troubled expression on her face.


    ¡¸How do we cheer up Rose-san without wasting her consideration for us, huh¡­¡¹


    The president thought out loud with a serious expression.


    ¡¸Hmm¡­ What about we just directly cheer her up?¡¹


    Lilim-senpai stated a n that sounded very much like her.


    ¡¸That¡¯s a little too drastic. It only works for single-minded people like you, Lilim.¡¹


    She was immediately rejected by Ferris-senpai.


    As a result of mixed discussions with everyone, we decided to ¡°act as usual¡±.


    We should act as usual as much as possible so as not to waste Rose¡¯s concern.


    However, if Rose seems to be constantly worried or troubled, then we will try to talk to her about it indirectly. That was what we decided for the time being.


    After that, another idea came up. We wanted to build Bhus-san¡¯s grave.


    (His body disappeared as glowing particles of light, though¡­)


    I wanted to leave a proof that the strongest swordsman in the world lived in this world.


    And above all, I wanted to thank him for saving our lives.


    However, I cannot simply build a grave without permission.


    In this case, it is necessary to respect Rose¡¯s wish the most.


    (The question is how to talk to her regarding this¡­)


    When I was thinking about that,


    ¡¸If we want to know Rose-san¡¯s feelings, we should be quick about it.¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, I think so too.¡¹


    The president and Ria expressed the same opinion.


    ¡¸A field survey by the Holy Knights Association would be conducted soon in Cherin, where four of the world¡¯s most prominent swordsmen ¨C Allen-kun, Bhus-san, former Emperor¡¯s Four Knights Deal, a Seven Holy Sword Von ¨C crossed swords. That battlefield, which was devastated by spiritual power equaling war between small countries, will not be overlooked by the association which aims for permanent world peace. At that time, some kind of immigration restrictions will certainly be imposed.¡¹the president said.


    ¡¸Since the traitor, Von, was present there, the association will surely rush to investigate the remnants of the spiritual power. As far as the uninhabited ind that became the battlefield is concerned, it may be off limits for a few years.¡¹Ria said.


    ¡¸I see¡­ then it would be better if we hurried.¡¹


    It wouldn¡¯t be a problem if it was a short-term immigration restriction, but a few years would be a problem.


    Due to these circumstances, we all headed to Rose¡¯s dormitory.

 Chapter 420 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [190]

    420. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [190]


    We arrived at the dormitory where Rose lives.


    I knocked on the door.


    ¡¸Rose. It¡¯s me, Allen.¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Allen? What happened¨C oh, everyone is here too.¡¹


    Rose opened the door in her casual clothes.


    Her eyes were slightly red and swollen.


    Perhaps she was crying alone.


    I instinctively wanted to scream ¡°Are you okay?¡±, but I forcibly swallowed those words.


    ¡¸What is everyone doing here?¡¹she asked.


    I then told her about building Bhus-san¡¯s grave.


    ¡¸¨CThat¡¯s why we¡¯re here. What do you think?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Thank you. That makes me happy. But isn¡¯t it a little too dangerous? What if people like Deal and Von are still hiding in Cherin.¡¹


    ¡¸You don¡¯t have to worry about that. This time, Leia-sensei will apany us.¡¹


    Just before we left Thousand de Academy earlier, we happened to run into Leia-sensei.


    When we briefly exined the situation, she immediately replied that she would apany us


    ¡°ck Fist¡± Leia Lasnode, the national force of Ringuard Imperial Kingdom.


    There is no one more reliable than her when ites to ¡°battle¡±.


    With her presence, we can safely travel to Cherin.


    ¡¸I see¡­ Thank you, everyone. Since my grandfather just loves shy things, I want to build a big, conspicuous, magnificent grave. And I am sure he will be happy if Allen and everyone else visits him.¡¹


    In this way, we were heading to Cherin once again.


    ¡ö


    The next day.


    I, Ria, Rose, the president, Lilim-senpai, Ferris-senpai, Leia-sensei, and No.18-san traveled to Cherin on a private jet owned by House Arcstria.


    ¡¸¡­Hmm, there seems to be a lot of confusion.¡¹


    Leia-sensei murmured, while walking along the hustle and bustle of the main street.


    ¡¸Their national treasure, the ¡°100 Million Year Sakura¡± vanished, after all.¡¹No.18-san added.


    (We can¡¯t see that beautiful sakura blossom again¡­)


    Perhaps because Bhus-san died, the 100 Million Year Sakura that had been in full bloom until just a few days ago hadpletely disappeared.


    ¡¸¡­Grandfather.¡¹


    Rose puts her right hand on her chest, with a sad look on her face.


    After that, while paying attention to our surroundings, we proceeded through the crowded road.


    ¡¸Is that it?¡¹


    Leia-sensei, who was at the forefront of the group, asked, looking back at us. We nodded.


    The ind where we fought two true soul dress users, Von Mustang and Deal Reinstadt, was right in front of us.


    Since that ind is surrounded by a special ocean current, it cannot be reached by sea.


    Also since there are no established air routes, it was literally an ¡°isted ind¡±.


    Last time, we used gliders to move there.


    This time, however, in order to avoid conspicuous actions as much as possible, I built a simple bridge using Zeon¡¯s darkness.


    ¡¸Hou, a foothold with darkness, huh¡­ As usual, it¡¯s an ability with various application usage.¡¹


    I thanked Leia-sensei for that admiration-filled statement.


    By the way, I had the idea for this technique when I saw Bhus-san building a bridge with a root of the 100 Million Year Sakura.


    When we arrived at the ind safely, Leia-sensei turned to No.18-san.


    ¡¸No. 18. Keep an eye on the perimeter of this ind, just in case. If a suspicious person approaches the ind, contact me immediately.¡¹


    ¡¸What should I do if a battle breaks out immediately?¡¹


    ¡¸Only if the enemy is a true soul dress user, I grant you special permission to bring out your true soul dress. However, create ¡°portals¡± in two prominent locations, and temporarily withdraw if the battle seems to be prolonged. And most important of all ¨C don¡¯t get carried away and ¡°don¡¯t lose control¡±. Follow these three conditions even if it means death. Do you understand?¡¹


    ¡¸Yes, understood.¡¹


    ¡¸Alright, let¡¯s go.¡¹


    No.18-san bowed reverently and immediately started working.


    As far as I understood from the current conversation, it seems that Leia-sensei and No.18-san are also ¡°true soul dress users¡±.


    As expected, it is very reassuring to have them with us.

 Chapter 421 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [191]

    421. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [191]


    We separated from No.18-san and proceeded to the depths of the uninhabited ind.


    After walking silently for a while, we could see the traces of a battle between the trees.


    The earth dyed in Zeon¡¯s darkness, the forest infested by Deal¡¯s deadly poison, and rocks shaved off by Von¡¯s sand. Leia-sensei was taken aback by the glimpse of the traces of a fierce battle


    (This horrifying remnant of spiritual power! Did Zeone out into this world!? ¡­No, I can feel Allen¡¯s strong anger from this darkness¡­)


    With a grim expression, she pinched the jet-ck soil with her fingers.


    (It doesn¡¯t make sense for Allen to draw out this much power while maintaining his ego¡­ Is it possible that the ¡°path¡± was connected!? No, that doesn¡¯t make sense. If that was the case¡­ Allen wouldn¡¯t have chosen to ¡°escape¡±. Without a doubt, Deal and Von would have been killed on the spot.)


    Leia-sensei kept silent and did not move, perhaps because she was analyzing the remnants of the spiritual power.


    (But what does this mean!? How did Allen remain safe while pulling out so much power from Zeon himself? ¡­¡­Dahlia. Are you ¡°hiding¡± something from me?)


    ¡¸Umm, sensei¡­? Is there something wrong?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­Sorry. I was caught in my thoughts. Let¡¯s move on.¡¹


    Sensei gave a somewhat evasive answer, and went deeper into the uninhabited ind without saying much else.


    And we finally arrived at ¡°that ce¡±.


    Bhus-san unleashed his final attack, Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style Secret Technique ¨C Mirrored Sakura sh, and disappeared as particles of light in that ce.


    And there was a magnificent tomb that I had never seen before in that spot.


    ¡ºThe 16th Sessor of Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style, Bhus Valencia, lies here.¡»


    Bhus-san¡¯s name was engraved on the tombstone.


    ¡¸Who¡­ did this¡­?¡¹


    As soon as Rose muttered so,


    ¡¸¨CRaise your hands ande out within three seconds. If you make any suspicious movements, I will kill you.¡¹


    Leia-sensei released a ¡°serious killing intent¡± I had never felt from her before.


    ¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡¸¡­¡­¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹¡¹


    The weight was ¡°immense¡±.


    A pressure you wouldn¡¯t imagine from a young woman who usually cackles while reading shounen manga.

 Chapter 422 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [192]

    422. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [192]


    While Leia-sensei¡¯s terrific killing intent dominated the space,


    ¡¸My¡´Jewel Beetle Head¡µis a soul dress which specializes in ¡°invisibility¡±, but¡­ as expected of Leia-sama, I didn¡¯t think to be so easily detected.¡¹


    A man in ck suddenly appeared from the gap between the dense trees far behind.


    (A soul dress which specializes in invisibility, huh¡­ It¡¯s the first time I¡¯m seeing one.)


    I didn¡¯t feel any presence until the moment he released his soul dress and showed himself.


    Although it is not suitable for frontalbat, it is a good ability that can be used for a wide range of purposes such as assassination, scouting, and hit-and-run attacks.


    (Even so, it¡¯s still amazing¡­)


    The invisibility of the man in the ck suit was amazing, but Leia-sensei who saw through it in an instant is even more amazing.


    Usually, she is a person who doesn¡¯t take paperwork seriously and has somewhat of a twisted personality. When ites to ¡°battle¡±, however, she is truly reliable.


    ¡¸That uniform¡­ you¡¯re from ¡°Fox Finance¡±, right? What business do you have here?¡¹


    ¡¸I have been waiting for Rose Valencia at the behest of my employer, Rize Dorahain.¡¹


    The ck suit man raised both hands up, slowly advanced towards Rose without any hostility ¨C and bowed deeply.


    ¡¸Silver hair and crimson eyes¡­ You are Rose-sama, yes?¡¹


    ¡¸¡­What business does a messenger of the ¡°Bloody Fox¡± have with me?¡¹


    In contrast to Rose who was very cautious, the ck suit man stated his business in an indifferent tone.


    ¡¸My employer is greatly indebted to Bhus-sama, and has taken this asion to repay it. She prepared a tombstone suitable for ¡°the strongest swordsman in the world¡±, pushed for the purchase of this ind from the state, and decided to hand it over to Rose-sama, the legitimate sessor of the Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style. With this, my duty will be fulfilled. This is the title deed to the ind. Please ept this.¡¹


    The ck suit took out an envelope. It contained the ind¡¯s title deed, and the owner¡¯s column read Rose Valencia.


    ¡¸W-Wait a minute¡­ Was my grandfather and the Bloody Fox acquainted with each other!? More importantly, what do you mean ¡°indebted¡±?¡¹


    ¡¸I apologize. I am just a messenger, I am not informed of any details.¡¹


    The man in ck suit said, in a monotonous tone.


    ¡¸I have another duty ahead, so I shall take my leave here.¡¹


    After offering a reverent bow, he quietly left the ce.


    ¡¸I see, it¡¯s a repayment of Ferris¡¯s case.¡¹Leia-sensei muttered.


    ¡¸¡±Ferris¡¯s case¡±¡­ Do you know something?¡¹Rose asked.


    ¡¸Yeah. Rize¡¯s sister, the current director of Ice King Academy, Ferris Dorahain. When that idiot was still a student, she got involved in a big incident, and was abducted. The person who saved her was old man Bhus. ¡°There was a swordsman who seemed to be strong, so I approached him for a match¡­ but surprisingly, that wasn¡¯t the case.¡± he said in a disappointed tone.¡¹


    ¡­¡­Well, that does sound like Bhus-san.


    ¡¸I don¡¯t really like Rize, but¡­ she¡¯s a woman who wouldn¡¯t lie about this. This magnificent grave andnd title deed is most likely her way of repaying the debt.¡¹


    ¡¸I see¡­ Then I have to thank her.¡¹Rose said.


    Rize-san is a kind person, after all.


    It is unthinkable that she betrayed the Five Great Powers and the Holy Knights Association, and diverted information to the Holy Ronelia Empire.

 Chapter 423 - Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [End]

    423. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [End]


    After the ck suits of Fox Finance left, we faced Bhus-san¡¯s grave once again.


    (It¡¯s truly magnificent.)


    In the vicinity of therge tombstone carved with a flurry of falling sakura petals, stood the long sword that Bhus-san swung during his lifetime, his only good haori, and the local sake of Cherin in a barrel.


    A magnificent grave that suited Bhus-san¡¯s hearty temperament.


    ¡¸Grandfather, we have alle to visit you.¡¹


    Rose smiled softly, and spoke gently.


    We offered flowers, liquor, side dishes, and other items in front of the grave and said our prayers to the soul of the deceased.


    ¡¸Bhus-san¡­ Thank you so much for saving my life. The week I spent with you is an irreceable treasure to me.¡¹I bowed in front of the grave.


    ¡¸Old man, I am grateful to you for protecting my dear student. A lot of things have happened between us¡­ but all of those seem like good memories now. Let¡¯s drink together again someday.¡¹Leia-sensei said, smiling very sadly.


    ¡¸Bhus-san, I will never forget your grace.¡¹the president bowed down, tears in her eyes.


    ¡¸Uhooooh¡­ old man Bhus¡­ I¡¯m going to get stronger¡­. I¡¯m going to be the strongest swordsman in the world just like you¡­ so¡­ watch over me from heaven!¡¹Lilim-senpai cried, sheddingrge beads of tears.


    ¡¸I am grateful to you from the bottom of my heart, though¡­ Thank you¡­¡¹Ferris-senpai bowed deeply, biting her lips.


    ¡¸I heard that you saved my life with the power of your soul dress, Bhus-san. Thank you so, so much. When I can drink sake legally, let¡¯s drink together at that time.¡¹Ria offered her gratitude, and made a future promise.


    ¡¸Grandfather¡­ Your final Mirrored Sakura sh was truly beautiful. From now on, I will seed your sword as the 17th legitimate sessor to the Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style.¡¹Rose held her hand over the sakura pattern on her chest and quietly closed her eyes.


    While everyone was offering a moment of silence to Bhus-san, Rose turned towards me.


    ¡¸Hey, Allen. Was my grandfather strong?¡¹


    ¡¸Yeah, he was really strong. Especially that sh ¨C the Mirrored Sakura sh was ¡°the strongest sh in the world¡±.¡¹


    I will never forget that amazing sight that rumbled and shook the earth. That majestic and brave figure, and that powerful sh that branched into hundreds of millions.


    ¡¸Fufu, is that so? I¡¯m sure my grandfather in heaven will be happy to hear that.¡¹Rose said, smiling happily.


    She then asked¨C


    ¡¸Shall we alle to visit my grandfather¡¯s grave again someday? This person just loves a lively atmosphere.¡¹


    ¡¸Ah, of course!¡¹


    At the same time as I said so, everyone nodded powerfully.


    (Bhus-san. See you next year.)


    In this way, we returned to the Ringuard Empire and returned to our daily lives.


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