Early Release!!!
=================
Chapter 6 Part 14
Translator : PolterGlast
The
murmur of people echoed in the martial arts garden.
All
eyes were directed at the two men facing each other in the middle of the Martial Arts Garden.
Their
weapons, their physiques, and their reputations were completely opposite.
Jihad
Roundel and Nozomu Bountis.
Both
were standing there, keeping an eye on the other.
The
third-year students were watching them from outside the arena. They, too,
couldn't hide their turmoil at the unexpected matchup.
"What
the hell is going on here?"
It
was Kevin who reacted to the first-class students who tilted their heads. He
made no effort to hide his displeasure.
"Heck,
this is a waste of time. Jihad will defeat him with a single blow."
"Yeah,
that's right. Why him? I was hoping that Jihad-sensei would have sparred with
me..."
"Well,
it's alright, isn't it? As Kevin says, he will be defeated in a few seconds
anyway."
The
third-year students around him nodded and agreed with Kevin's words.
From
their point of view, this moment when they can have sparring with Jihad was a
rare opportunity to improve themselves.
There
was no way they could be favorable to someone who had snatched such a chance
away from them. Even more so if they thought that the person was much weaker
than them and the one who would abandon his lover.
In
the midst of all this, it was Mars, the tenth-class student of the same class
as Nozomu, who interrupted their words.
"We
can't be sure about it yet. It seems that Jihad guy doesn't use his specialized
sword..."
He
didn't like the ridicule he had just heard. Mars' expression was severe and
angry as if he was ready to explode at any moment.
In
fact, he looked as if he was about to lose his temper. His tightly clenched
fists were trembling slightly.
"You
mean it's some kind of handicap? You don't seem to know this, but Jihad always
uses those weapons when he was dealing with us."
Kevin
replied to Mars' words in a mocking tone.
Mars
frowned at his words.
"...
Is that true, Irisdina?"
"Yeah.
I hate to say this, but I've never seen him use that Jaw Drop against us."
Mars
asked to confirm with Irisdina, who was next to him, but apparently, Jihad had
never really used that giant sword on them.
Well,
it was certainly a giant sword that exceeded the height of its owner. It might
be difficult for him to go easy on them with such a sword.
However,
Mars shook his head as he thought about it.
"So,
that's how much of a monster he is..."
What
resurfaced in Mars' mind was the S-rank vampire he had once faced.
He
could do crazy things like controlling 10 magic at the same time by himself,
and he also had the unique ability of a vampire.
Given
the fact that Irisdina, Tima, and Mars were only able to buy themselves some
time by taking on him at the same time, it was not surprising that Jihad was
trying to avoid using his specialized weapon.
When
he thought about it, Mars felt that it was only natural that the troublesome
guy next to him would be thinking like that.
"Even
Irisdina and I can't get Jihad to take us seriously. I don't think that bottom
of the barrel would even be able to clash swords with him."
As
he looked sideways at Kevin, who was ridiculing Nozomu, Mars noticed that the
anger he had felt earlier, which had made his bowels boiled, had subsided.
He
knew a lot more about Nozomu than Kevin did, so perhaps he was able to keep his
cool.
While
thinking about this, Mars turned his attention to Irisdina, Shīna, and Tima,
who were on the opposite side.
Irisdina
and Shīna didn't seem to be paying much attention to what Kevin and the others
were saying, and their eyes were fixed on the two people in the middle of the
arena.
Tima's
expression was somewhat stiff as if she was worried about Mars, who had almost
exploded earlier, but now she was relieved and relaxed her shoulders.
Mars
once again meditated to calm himself, and then slowly opened his mouth.
"...
Well, we'll see."
While
shrugging his shoulders, Mars spoke his thoughts.
Certainly,
Nozomu's opponent was powerful. It was unlikely that Nozomu, who could only
find a way to fight in close quarters combat due to his Ability Suppression,
would be able to defeat Jihad without using "that" power.
But
even so, Mars had a hunch that he might be able to pull something off.
He
was talking about Nozomu, who was completely oblivious to the extent to which
his own skills were out of step from his surroundings. At the very least, he
would be able to surprise those who still underestimate him as the bottom of
the barrel. When Mars thought about it, his cheeks unconsciously lifted up.
Kevin
frowned when he was looking at the expression on Mars' face.
When
Kevin was about to open his mouth to say something again, dignified voices
echoed around.
"Either
way, we'll find out soon enough... Though I can't imagine Nozomu losing easily
in a pure sword fight."
"We
never know what's going to happen in a battle. I'm sure you're aware of that
from the previous special training."
The
owners of the voices were a dark-haired girl and an elf girl who were right
beside them. They let out dignified voices that silenced the people around them
who had been buzzing.
Kevin
was also at a loss for words when Irisdina and Shīna spoke.
Certainly,
the existence of an Undead Dragon that suddenly appeared in the middle of the
training ground at that time was still fresh in the memory.
It
had an overwhelming physique and a body that felt no pain because it was
already dead. It was an incarnation of violence that was driven by a sense of
hunger.
For
the students of the third year, that presence was the first time in a long time
that they had felt the presence of death itself.
If Jihad hadn't rushed to the rescue, it wouldn't have been strange if there
were deaths.
Knowing
this fact, no one in that place snickered at Irisdina's words, and a heavy
silence fell over the place.
Irisdina
and Shīna took a glance at their silent surroundings and glanced sideways at
the red-haired girl nearby.
She
was now simply staring silently at him standing in the middle of the arena.
Her
face was seemingly expressionless. But Irisdina and Shīna didn't miss the
flicker in the depths of her eyes the moment Nozomu stood in the middle of the
arena after Jihad called his name.
Was
it a feeling of concern for Nozomu's safety, or was it for some other reason?
Camilla,
who was standing next to her, seemed to be talking to her, but unfortunately,
the distance between them made it impossible for Irisdina and Shīna to
understand what she was saying.
However,
when they looked closely, they saw that her shoulders were shaking slightly.
====================================
Unaware
that such a heavy conversation was taking place, Nozomu was desperately
searching for an opportunity to step into Jihad that stood in front of him.
There
was no problem with his body. The katana on his waist, his Qi, and his physical
condition were all in perfect condition.
But
he couldn't step in.
While
Nozomu was hunched over, Jihad was standing still, not even taking a stance.
The
greatsword that Jihad held with his right hand pointed sloppily at the ground,
while the tower shield in his left hand didn't point its overwhelming majesty
at Nozomu, but was dismissed aside just like the greatsword.
His
gaze, his expression, his weapon, his posture, the position of his center of
gravity.
All
of them were full of gaps at first glance, but Nozomu could tell that his body
kept the right amount of tension and could move immediately.
"If
I step in poorly, I'll be defeated immediately!"
Such
an unpleasant premonition would not leave Nozomu's head. He felt a tingling
pain in his nape.
The
same intimidating feeling he felt when he confronted his master and Rugato at
Irisdina's mansion.
In
the face of such intimidating feeling, Nozomu did not think it would be easy to
step into his opponent's attack range.
"Hmm,
you won't step in that easily, will yout? Then..."
"~!"
In
the next instant, the ground beneath Jihad's feet was blown away with a roaring
sound.
A
huge man of nearly two meters accelerated at once and rushed toward Nozomu at a
speed that could not be imagined from his physique.
"He's
fast ...!"
"Hmph!"
Jihad's
greatsword swung down at Nozomu. The sword was swung at a speed that was out of
the ordinary. However, Nozomu's eyes could clearly see the trajectory.
"Fuh~!"
Nozomu
saw through Jihad's sword line in an instant and took a half step backward.
Jihad's
sword approached Nozomu with a roaring sound. However, it passed right past
Nozomu's nose at a paper-thin distance. And compared to Nozomu's katana,
Jihad's greatsword was much less maneuverable.
Nozomu
can step in now. The moment the greatsword passed through, Nozomu tried to step
into Jihad at once, but at that moment, Nozomu's eyes saw the muscles of
Jihad's arms bulging.
"~!
This is bad...!"
"Hmph!"
Nozom
hurriedly twisted his body and turned away.
In
the next moment, Jihad's greatsword that should have been swung down turned
into a thrust, changing its trajectory as it closed in on Nozomu.
"Guh...!"
Jihad's
greatsword passed through Nozomu's chest. The buttons on his clothes popped
off, and a single tear appeared on his shirt.
A
cold sweat broke out on Nozomu's cheek. To be honest, he didn't think Jihad
would be able to change the trajectory of an accelerated greatsword with only
one hand.
"However……!"
Nozomu
swung the scabbard that still held his katana up from under Jihad's greatsword.
Jihad's
outstretched arms could not withstand Nozomu's blows.
Nozomu
strengthened his body with all his strength, deflecting his opponent's
greatsword upward and rotating his body based on the scabbard he had struck.
"Sei~!"
Nozomu
stepped forward and drew his katana. He tried to swing his katana towards
Jihad's empty side.
But
Nozomu's slash was deflected with a high-pitched sound.
It
was Jihad's tower shield that repelled Nozomu's sword.
Jihad's
thrust was deflected by Nozomu, but he used the momentum of his greatsword
being lifted upward to twist his body around and use the tower shield in his
left hand to repel Nozomu's katana from below.
"~..."
He
was hit with so much force that Nozomu's upper body was lifted off the ground.
When
Nozomu's posture was broken, he saw Jihad repositioning the greatsword he had
thrust and held it in his waistline. it was Jihad's turn now.
"H-hmph!"
Jihad
pointed the blade of his greatsword and swept it away in a horizontal strike.
By the time Nozomu regained his posture, he was no longer able to avoid Jihad's
sword strike.
"Kuh~...!"
Nozomu
tried to deflect Jihad's sword strike by raising his katana.
With
both feet firmly planted on the ground, he tried to keep his katana in line
with the trajectory of his opponent's sword.
At
the moment when the approaching greatsword was about to touch Nozomu's katana,
Nozomu strengthened his arms and prepared for the oncoming impact.
"Gah~!!"
However,
the impact on Nozomu's arm was far greater than he expected.
The
impact on his arm was equal to that of the Cyclops he had faced in the past.
Unable
to absorb the impact, Nozomu's body was blown into the air and he stepped on
the ground staggered. However, Jihad's attack did not end there.
A
huge shadow was approaching.
In
the next moment, Nozomu was struck by Jihad's shield with all his might.
"Gugah~...!"
Nozomu's
body was blown away and rolled on the ground.
While
his vision was distorted by the impact of being slammed into the ground, Nozomu
desperately moved his body and jumped away from the spot.
A
moment later, Jihad's greatsword pierced the ground where Nozomu had fallen.
Jihad
had immediately given chase to Nozomu, who was blown away, but Nozomu, in the
nick of time, had succeeded in evading Jihad before he could pursue further.
Nozomu
once again distanced himself from Jihad. Jihad did not pursue either but he
just stood there again.
"So
you could avoid that."
"Haa,
haa... I've been blown away many times before."
Jihad's
tone was nonchalant, but Nozomu's breathing was still ragged.
His
heart was beating fast due to the tension, but Nozomu felt somewhat nostalgic.
The
days of training with his master came back to Nozomu's mind.
He
had been beaten up, thrown around, slashed, and he was constantly injured, but
those days were firmly ingrained in his body's flesh and blood.
The
reason why Nozomu immediately turned to evasion when he was blown away earlier
was that he had learned from his hand-to-hand combat with his master. He would
be instantly knocked out if he did not do so.
Both
of them glared at each other at a distance.
Nozomu's
whole body was covered in dirt, but he was looking straight at Jihad.
At
that moment, Jihad suddenly loosened his cheeks.
"You
have good eyes, and your sense of the flow of the battle is not bad. I see so
that's why Ms. Anri has her eyes on you and it's no coincidence that you
escaped from that black demon beast."
"Thanks……"
Nozomu
was confused and a little embarrassed by the sudden praise.
Perhaps
because of the tension, his reply was somehow unusual.
"But
that's still not enough. Let's see what you can do a little more."
Nozomu
was caught off guard by the strange words that were suddenly spoken to him. The
next moment, however, he regained a sense of urgency in the face of the will to
fight that surged from Jihad's body.
"Let's
go"
"~!!"
As
if those words were a signal, Jihad's Qi rose at once. Then, an unbelievably
huge amount of Qi was concentrated at Jihad's feet.
A
resounding burst of sound. Jihad, who had activated his Instant Move, rushed towards
Nozomu again.
"Zei~!"
The
greatsword was swung overhead. Nozomu twisted his body to divert himself from
the sword's trajectory.
But
Jihad immediately changed the trajectory of his sword and connected with a
sideways cleave.
Nozomu
crouched down to avoid Jihad's attack, but Jihad's sword dance continued to
attack Nozomu without interruption.
A
reverse slash from the right side, an upward strike from the ground, and a
combination between a thrust and an overhead strike.
This
was based on his accumulated experience and solid technique.
The
harmonious combination between the physical strength of his blessed physique
and the swordsmanship that the Triclops did not possess drove Nozomu over the
edge.
"Damn!"
Nozomu
desperately focused his attention on Jihad and the blade he was wielding.
Predicting
his opponent's movements based on his eyes and every muscle movement in his
body, he shifted his body away from his attacker and concentrated on evading.
However,
in such a storm of Jihad's continuous attacks, it was impossible to avoid it
without receiving a single blow
Nozomu
had no choice but to leap backward to get out of his opponent's attack range.
He aimed to restart the battle.
But
even that was Jihad's trap.
Something
hit Nozomu's back and sent a shock through it.
"Wha~!?"
As
Nozomu looked behind him while letting out a surprised voice, a glowing magic
barrier popped into his field of vision. Before he knew it, he had been driven
to the edge of the arena.
"Oh
no~...!"
Nozomu
hurriedly tried to leave that place.
However,
the next moment, what jumped into his field of vision was Jihad's tower shield,
which was closing in on him.
"Gah~...!"
Jihad
rushed towards Nozomu with his shield raised and slammed Nozomu's body straight
into the barrier.
Sandwiched
between the tower shield and the magic barrier, a voice of anguish leaked from
Nozomu's mouth.
The
impact and pressure ran through his whole body. Jihad grabbed Nozomu by the
collar and threw his body vigorously.
Nozomu's
body was thrown away like a piece of wood.
As
he hit the ground and rolled away, Nozomu finally stopped his movement near the
center of the arena.
"Gah~,
Guu ...!"
While
breathing roughly, Nozomu managed to raise his upper body with all the strength
he could muster in his arms.
Probably
he was thrown to the ground and hit his head, he could see his hands on the
ground hazily.
"D-damn
it..."
As
if to tell himself to pull himself together, Nozomu shook his head and looked
ahead.
Out
of the corner of his blurry vision, he saw a middle-aged swordsman approaching
him with slow steps.
Jihad,
with his back to the spectators of the martial arts garden, walked towards
Nozomu.
The
moment Nozomu saw the figure, a flash of light flashed across Nozomu's vision.
"What
is this...?"
What
he saw in the blink of an eye was not the martial arts garden, but a woman in a
dense forest, carrying a katana just like his own.
A
woman who he would never be able to see again. She, who had taught him many
important things.
It
was the woman that Nozomu knew better than anyone else, the woman he cared
about.
"Shishō...?"
The
figures of his master and Jihad kept overlapping and switching like blinking
stars.
Due
to that sight, Nozomu couldn't help but let out a voice.
"Hmm?"
Jihad
tilted his head at Nozomu's words. But more than anyone else, it was Nozomu
himself who had just said those words, who was the most surprised.
(Why
did I say such words?)
When
Nozomu was confused without knowing the reason, the voice of his close friend
echoed throughout the arena.
"Hey~!
Nozomu, why don't you get serious!"
"Ma-Mars
!?"
Nozomu
was startled by the sudden voice of Mars. He hurriedly turned his attention to
the direction of the voice, he saw Mars, who was at the edge of the arena,
leaning forward.
"You,
quickly use your techniques already! The white-haired dog next to me has been
barking at me for a while now. If you want to silence this dog, you've got to
get serious!"
(White-haired
dog ....... Could it be Kevin next to him?)
When
he took a closer look, he could see a young man from the beastman tribe who had
just been treated like a dog and was angry with Mars.
It
was now Irisdina and Shīna who leaned forward to take Mars' place.
"Don't
worry, Nozomu, it's Jihad-dono you're dealing with! Remember who the person in
front of you is!"
"The
person in front of me?"
Prompted
by Irisdina's words, Nozomu turned his attention to the swordsman in front of
him.
Before
he knew it, Jihad had stopped in his tracks and was standing about ten meters
in front of Nozomu.
Jihad
Raundel.
During
the great invasion ten years ago, he was one of the swordsmen who became the
spiritual pillar of the soldiers, slicing through the rushing demon beasts with
the giant sword in his hand.
And,
a talented person of the same rank as Nozomu's master, Shino.
"The
same... as Shishō."
The
moment he said those words, the days of training with his master came back to
his mind.
The
Qi and katana techniques he had learned. Even though he had put everything he
had into it, he had never been able to reach her except in that last fight.
"I
see, so it's okay. Even if I use it ..."
If
the swordsman in front of him was in the same class as his master, it was
highly doubtful that he, who had not yet released the Ability Suppression,
would be able to defeat him even if he try to kill him with his techniques.
It
reminded him of his master, who had done such monstrous things as canceling out
[Phantom] with another [Phantom] without difficulty. After that, he remembered
being slashed with [Phantom -Recurrence-].
Even
if he tried to do the exact same thing, it was something he couldn't even
imagine achieving……
"Actually...
Is my life in danger if I don't use it?"
Nozomu
was wondering if he was actually involved in something very dangerous right
now.
Such
an unpleasant thought began to appear into Nozomu's head.
Of
course, he was just overthinking things, but Nozomu didn't notice that his
thoughts went in a strange direction when it came to his training with his
master.
He
was sweating profusely on his own, but Somia's voice suddenly brought him back
to himself.
"Nozomu-sa~n!
Do your best~~!"
Suddenly,
he looked up and saw Somia leaning out from the audience seats and waving
widely at him.
"Somia-chan?"
The
angel, who was always cheerful and bright like the sun, was cheering Nozomu on.
If
he looked closely, he can also see Eldor and the others who were waving their
hands just like her.
"Nozomu!
You've got to be serious! You don't have to go easy on him!"
"Nozomu,
listen! Do not be intimidated by Jihad-sensei's attacks! If you do, you'll be
crushed at once!"
"Your
skill is by no means inferior to Jihad-sensei! Have confidence!"
"Nozomu-kun!
Do it with all your might!"
Mars,
Irisdina, shīna, and the rest of the classmates from the 10th class were
cheering loudly for Nozomu.
A
cheer that had never been directed at him before. It was the first time he'd
ever felt this kind of passion when he was alone, and it came from deep inside
his chest.
"Everyone……"
His
body was slowly heating up. It was as if everyone was sharing their power with
him.
"Fuh~
..."
Nozomu
closed his eyes and relaxed his entire body.
The
combat training was still going on. Normally, this would be nothing more than a
reckless act, but now Nozomu felt that closing his eyes or even lying down
might be okay.
With
a light heart, he swung his katana.
*Swish~!*
A
small sound echoed in Nozomu's ears.
It
was not a fast sword slash. However, now he felt as if he could cut through
steel with it.
He
squeezed his hand lightly to check his condition.
"Yeah.
I'm alright."
His
body was no longer numb. The power swirling in his body was strong, and he felt
like he could run wherever he wanted.
And
his energy has never been better.
"Shall we continue?"
"Yes."
Jihad,
who was standing still, called out to Nozomu.
Nozomu
nodded at Jihad's words. It was not a loud voice, but it was a voice that
strangely resonated in the ears of people all over the arena.
"I
see. Well then, let's continue."
Jihad
raised his tower shield, and Nozomu lowered his posture.
Standing
in front of Nozomu was one or two of the fiercest human he had ever seen in his
life. Even so, the current Nozomu was not in the slightest bit intimidated.
"Fuh~!"
He
instantly boosted his Qi and released it into both of his legs.
Nozomu
accelerated by the Qi technique [Instant Move] and rushed toward Jihad in a
straight line.
Jihad
swung his greatsword with his right hand in time with Nozomu's lunge.
Jihad
swung the greatsword with only one hand as if it was light, which was supposed
to be with both hands. He swung it at Nozomu's shoulder.
Due
to the speed of his own rush, Jihad's greatsword reached Nozomu's eyes in an
instant.
If
it were normal, Nozomu, who was accelerating at full speed, would no longer be
able to stop and would be cut down by Jihad.
"Shi~!"
In
reality, however, this was not to be.
Nozomu
immediately activates his [Instant Move -Curve Dance-]. While diverting himself
from the trajectory of the approaching greatsword, he swung out his katana as
he ran past it.
The
next moment, a deafening sound echoed in Nozomu's ears.
The
sound of metal clashing with metal and grinding away. The katana swung by
Nozomu was firmly blocked by Jihad's tower shield.
Nozomu's
sword did not reach Jihad's body but only sent sparks flying.
However,
Nozomu did not stop moving. He was convinced that such an attack was bound to
be blocked.
At
the very least, such a simple attack had never gotten through to his master. He
knew firsthand that if he were to get shaken and stop moving, he would be
instantly crushed.
Nozomu
moved around behind Jihad with his [Instant Move -Curve Dance-] and tried to
swing his katana at Jihad's back while turning around.
The
next moment, however, Jihad turned and swung his greatsword at him, just as
Nozomu had done earlier.
"Tch~!"
Nozomu
immediately changed the trajectory of his katana and tried to intercept the
greatsword.
Looking
at the results of the previous clash, anyone would think that Nozomu was
incapable of receiving Jihad's attack.
In
fact, there was too much of a difference in the two men's physical strength.
The
difference in strength between the two men was due to the difference in their
physiques, and the Ability Suppression that reduced the effectiveness of Nozomu
Qi techniques. In a head-on fight, Nozomu would be at a disadvantage.
The
students who were watching the fight from a distance could only predict that
Nozomu would be blown away.
"Hmm~!?"
However,
the reality did not turn out as they had expected.
Contrary
to the expectations of the surroundings, Jihad's greatsword had cut through the
empty air without catching Nozomu's body.
For
the first time, Jihad's expression changed.
In
his eyes, he saw Nozomu pulling back the katana he had swung and was about to
swing it out three times.
"Hmph!"
But
Jihad, who had been through many battles, was calm. He did not stop moving just
because his opponent had dealt him a blow.
He
immediately overturned his greatsword in the same manner and swung a reverse
slash.
"Haa!!"
However,
that blow was also deflected by Nozomu.
Each
time Jihad swung his greatsword three or four times, Nozomu also intercepted
Jihad's attacks five or six times. In all of them, Jihad's greatsword failed to
reach Nozomu's body.
Jihad
knew this was no coincidence when he saw his greatsword being deflected at
every turn.
Nozomu's
eyes were firmly focused on the trajectory of the greatsword,
and
the katana that was swung out without hesitation accurately caught the
equilibrium point where the slashes of both sides were balanced.
In
the midst of the storm of repeated sword slashes, the two eyes of the
middle-aged swordsman began to see why Nozomu, who was overwhelmingly inferior
in physical strength, was able to block his attacks.
(I
see, the principle is the same as that strange instant movement that I saw
earlier...)
What
his eyes caught was the sight of the earth beneath Nozomu's feet being gouged
out every time Nozomu swung his katana. It was proof that the twists and turns
of his entire body were being transmitted to his toes.
(Also,
every time we collide against each other, his body would move away from my
attack trajectory. I see, even the momentum of my sword strike is being used
for evasion...)
[Instant
Move -Curve Dance-] is a technique that allows complex curve movements by
linking rotational movements by twisting the waist and shoulders with instant
movement that can only move in a straight line.
In
the same way, Nozomu's entire body, from his toes to his wrists, is in a
rotational movement as he swings his katana with each strike.
In
addition, when Nozomu realized that his own strength was not enough to fend off
his opponent's blows, he even used his opponent's strength to deflect the
attack.
If
he can't block it, then deflect it aggressively.
That
was the means Nozomu had come up with to confront Jihad.
"Zei!!"
At
the moment when his own katana and Jihad's greatsword collided, he shifted his
body according to the incoming attack, and at the same time, he used his
katana's characteristic and the flexibility of his entire body muscles to
deflect the attack, even if only slightly.
By
simultaneously evading and deflecting, Nozomu was able to confront Jihad
head-on.
It
was his well-balanced muscles and sense of balance that allowed him to pull off
this feat that would normally seem impossible. And it was his concentration
that allowed him to not miss the slightest change at the moment when the
greatsword struck and the slightest change in the force applied to it.
In
addition, the weapon that Nozomu possessed also had a great impact on the fight.
No matter how hard the greatsword struck the katana, it would not break or
bend. If an ordinary sword were to receive Jihad's attacks, it would be snapped
with a single blow.
However,
Nozomu's katana was a work of art that he inherited from his master. The katana
was made by a master craftsman, and it was able to meet Nozomu's reckless
demands.
A
superior weapon and the skill to make the most of it. With those two things,
Nozomu was able to go head-to-head with Jihad.
"Haa~!"
"Shi~!"
They
slashed at each other without taking a step back. Before one knew it, more than
twenty slashes clashed between them.
===================================
Everyone was
speechless as the two clashed in the middle of the arena.
"What the hell
....... is this ......."
Someone
unintentionally let out a voice that melted into the surrounding air.
But that was also what
everyone was thinking. If one looked closely, one could see that even Inda was
speechless.
“…………”
"N-no way .......
That's impossible! What is this?"
Camilla was also
stunned and speechless, and Ken was staring at the battle unfolding in front of
him as if he were looking at something impossible.
In the midst of all
this, Lisa was also shaken by the sight of Nozomu in front of her.
"Nozomu ..."
His name
unintentionally came out of Lisa's mouth. At the same time, something
indescribable rose from deep within her chest.
"~...!"
Lisa reflexively put
her hand on her chest.
Her heart was stirred.
The promise between her and Nozomu echoed in her head. And the feeling of
emptiness when she lost everything.
She remembered the
back of the man who saved her when she was a child. As if in a flashback, the
flashes of light and dark covered Nozomu as he fought with Jihad as if they
were overlapped.
"But Nozomu is...
Ugh!?"
Lisa frowned at the
headache that was pounding in her head.
(Why do I feel such a
cracking pain in my head and such a tightness in my chest? He's supposed to be
the one who betrayed me...)
Such thoughts welled
up in her mind, but at the same time, she felt a warm feeling seeping out from
deep in her chest.
It was a heat similar
to the one she had once felt when she had made that promise. The one thing that
once made her feel incredibly happy and joyful.
The confusion of
conflicting thoughts just keeps Lisa confused.
Whether or not Nozomu
knew how shaken Lisa was, the man at the other end of her field of vision was
just looking straight ahead at the powerful enemy in front of him.
The look in his eyes
reminded her of the scene from long ago, which only added to her confusion.
The heat welling up
from deep within her heart and the ice arrow that froze her heart. It would
only confuse her further.
Irisdina and the
others were cheering for Nozomu.
Lisa did her best to
ignore their voices. All she could do was keep quiet and watch the battle in
front of her.
================================
While everyone around
them was fascinated by the battle unfolding in front of them, Nozomu and Jihad
continued to cross their blades.
"Certainly, your abilities
are extraordinary. But... it's only a matter of time."
"Kuh~!"
Nozomu's face was
distorted due to Jihad's words.
Certainly that Nozomu
was now facing Jihad head-on. However, he had not been able to break through
the storm of Jihad's sword blows.
No, rather, Nozomu had
his hands full deflecting Jihad's blows. He wanted to launch an attack somehow,
but there was no opportunity to do so.
This equilibrium would
not last long. In that case, it would be Nozomu, with his inferior endurance,
who would be the first to break. Nozomu himself was well aware of this.
"But you've shown
me enough. There is no doubt about your ability. There are not many people in
this school who can compete with me to this extent."
A low and calm voice.
However, there was pure praise for Nozomu in his tone. When Nozomu heard that
praise, he felt joy welling up from the bottom of his heart.
He has persisted to
continue to be enrolled in this school. It wasn't that he wanted to be praised
by anyone. It wasn't that he wanted to be appreciated by anyone.
He was just trying to
keep his promise, and then he turned his back on that promise and just ran
away.
The reason why he was
able to endure Shino's absurd training was at the core of it all, it was just
about running away.
He was well aware that
this was not something worthy of praise.
Even so, the honest
praise from the most dignified and respected person in this school struck
Nozomu's heart.
A feeling of
satisfaction filled his heart. But Nozomu shook his head as if to say,
"It's not over yet."
"... No, it's not
over yet."
Yes, it's not over
yet. More importantly, he hadn't used all the techniques he could use yet. And
as long as that was the case, it couldn't be over yet.
Nozomu swung his
katana with all his might and intercepted the approaching greatsword.
As Jihad was about to
swing his greatsword again, a black shadow was approaching his eyes.
"Mmm!?"
Jihad raised his
shield to block the approaching shadow. It was the scabbard that Nozomu had on
his waist.
The butt of the scabbard
that was thrust into the air made a high-pitched sound and was easily blocked
by Jihad's tower shield.
But that was to be
expected. It was a move that was originally intended to be blocked.
Nozomu raised his
katana and sent his Qi into it, then thrust the blade in with all his might.
His target was the scabbard he just slammed.
Qi technique [Breaking
Strike]
The impact of the
inserted katana combined with the explosion of Qi spread to Jihad's tower
shield.
"Hmm!?"
Jihad's eyes widened
at the shock that ran through his shield. Not only his shield but also the
numbness that seemed to reverberate from the core of his arm.
Classified as a
penetrating strike, the [Breaking Strike] originally would cause serious
internal destruction to the opponent, even if it was blocked. However, Jihad
had quickly channeled his Qi into his shield to cancel out most of the impact.
Even so, the numbness
that remained in his arm slowed him down for a few seconds. That was enough for
Nozomu.
"Haaa!"
Nozomu used the
momentum of the strike to rotate his body while keeping his katana in its
sheath.
After sending his Qi
into the blade again and sharpening it to the extreme, Nozomu took a step
forward without killing the momentum of the rotation while wielding his
sheathed katana.
With his shield
raised, Jihad sent more Qi into the tower shield than before. The figure of
Jihad with his shield raised speaks eloquently of his intentions. It was as if
he spoke, "Come!".
Nozomu's blade was
pulled out. He sprinted in a straight line towards Jihad, accompanied by a
trail of light.
Qi technique [Phantom]
Nozomu's most reliable
technique was released.
The extremely
compressed blade of Qi carved a line of scratch on the tower shield.
"Mm~!?"
Jihad frowned.
He glanced at the
impact that ran on his arm earlier. Certainly, he had sent more than enough Qi
into his shield to prevent even an A-rank attack. However, the shield had been
scratched.
That fact was enough
to amaze Jihad.
"Seei!"
Furthermore, Nozomu
overturned the blade. The extremely compressed blade of Qi that was swung
diagonally scratched the shield again.
Jihad raised the
greatsword in his right hand as he watched the tower shield make a high-pitched
sound along with dancing sparks.
If this goes on,
Nozomu's attack would cut through Jihad's shield. But it would take a few more
blows. And for Jihad, that much was enough to defeat the powerful enemy in
front of him.
The advantage of a
shield was that it allowed him to switch between offense and defense in an
instant.
Jihad's aim was to
withstand the next blow and swung his greatsword the moment his opponent swung
the blade at him.
No matter how well
Nozomu swung his katana, he would be defenseless right after he launched an attack,
so there was no way for him to dodge the next attack.
Jihad raised his tower
shield and prepared for the approaching Nozomu's slash. The next moment,
however, Jihad let out a surprised voice at the raising Qi he felt behind the
shield.
“What the heck is this?”
What Jihad saw from
behind the shield was Nozomu, who was pointing the tip of his katana at him. It
was as if he was wielding a crossbow.
Nozomu's sharp eyes
caught Jihad's figure behind the tower shield, and he sent his deadly intent
into his Qi and slammed it into the katana.
A chill ran down
Jihad's back. It was a feeling that he hadn't felt since he came to this
school, but he had felt that on a daily basis ten years ago.
It was the defensive
instinct of living beings that was sensed when they were in danger.
"Kuh~!"
The Qi blade, drawn like
a siege bow, was unleashed.
It came towards the
tower shield in a straight line.
Jihad immediately
threw his shield at Nozomu and raised his greatsword to interrupt the
trajectory of Nozomu's blade.
Nozomu perceived the
center of the shield and pointed the Qi blade at it, and at the same time, the
Qi blade, sharpened to the limit, was released.
Qi technique [Core
Piercing]
The released Qi blade
pierced the shield in an instant, and at the same time, it exploded into
countless blades.
A large hole was
drilled in the shield that was floating in the air while sending countless
pieces of metal flying around, and the exploding countless blades struck
straight towards Jihad.
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