Chapter 7 Part 11
Translator : PolterGlast
The
infirmary after school.
In
this room, filled with the pungent smell of disinfectant, Norn, the doctor, was
checking and adding the inventory of medicines used to treat students.
A
number of crates filled with medicines had been brought into the room, so many
that they filled an entire corner of the infirmary.
Norn
checked the crates and put them on the shelves one after another.
However,
two girls who were not usually in this room were seen beside her.
"Norn-sensei,
where should I put these medicines?"
"Oh,
put them on the shelf. I'll need to check them later."
For
some reason, Lisa and Camilla were helping Norn in the infirmary.
It
was an unusual sight, but they were strangely familiar with what they did.
It
all started right after Nozomu was discharged from the hospital.
Lisa
watched him from afar with lonely eyes as he was welcomed and jostled by his
classmates.
It
was Norn who spotted Lisa, and that was the beginning.
"Hey,
a student over there, if you're not busy, can you help me out a bit? Frankly, I could even use a cat to
help me."
"Eh?"
Norn
suddenly took Lisa's hand, who was taken aback by the sudden call, and pulled
her into the infirmary.
Camilla
also followed Lisa to help in the infirmary, and the three of them had been
working in the infirmary for the past week or so.
Aside
from Camilla, when Lisa first started helping out, she kept a stiff expression
on her face and did not want to say anything.
However,
as they worked in a casual manner, they were able to carry on a conversation,
albeit only slightly, since Norn had previously treated Lisa when she fainted
in combat training with Irisdina.
"But
why are there so many bottles of medicine?"
Lisa
blurted out as she looked at the crates that still occupy a section of the
infirmary.
To
be honest, the current number of crates was on the low side. Until a week ago,
the crates completely filled half of the infirmary.
"I
heard that there was some kind of mistake in the ordering process. It seems
there was some kind of mix-up when they ordered the medicines used for
treatment and those for the experiment. I wish ...... they would at least check
their products carefully ..."
"I-,
Is that so..."
Norn
spoke to her in an easygoing manner, but Lisa's voice still had some stiffness
to it.
The
three of them returned to work and silently sorted through the bottles of
medicines. Norn, however, had noticed that Lisa occasionally glanced at her as
if she wanted to ask her something.
"So,
what you want to ask me is the usual thing?"
"U-,
umm ..."
Lisa
was puzzled by the sudden question. Norn hid the smile on her face so that Lisa
didn't see it.
She
knew exactly what she wanted to ask. It's about Nozomu, who had been bedridden
until just a week ago.
"If
it's him, he'll be fine. I don't see any particular effect on his body."
Norn
was in charge of the physical check-up of the students at the school.
Especially
regarding Nozomu, Norn frequently checked on his physical condition, partly due
to the importance of the power he carried in his body and the fact that she
knew his circumstances.
Perhaps
that was why. When Lisa came to the infirmary every day to help out, Norn knew
that Lisa was implicitly trying to ask about him.
Lisa
was still not ready to face Nozomu head-on. However, she couldn't help but
worry about him.
"If
you're so worried, why don't you just talk to him?"
“…………”
Hearing
Norn's words, Lisa's expression darkened and she looked down.
She
had yet to step forward out of guilt over him.
Considering
her past conflict with Nozomu, Lisa was originally a girl who was prone to
making assumptions. She was not good at changing her mind. There was a small
chance that she wouldn't be able to do anything and would be stuck in a state
of remorse.
Besides,
her position at the school right now was very delicate.
The
fewer people who know about Nozomu Bountis's secret, the better, but Lisa's
presence occupied an important position for Nozomu as well.
She
couldn't tell her about Nozomu's secret, but she couldn't leave her in the dark
either.
And
there was also the recently attempted assault by the daughter of the Tardo
Household.
She
had Starlight by her side, but it was only meant to observe her. It was not an
existence that could support her heart.
"At
the very least, Nozomu would want to talk to you."
Then,
she would have no choice but to support her as much as possible.
Lisa
also had a close friend named Camilla, but she was originally from Lisa's side.
She was also on Nozomu's side, so she would need someone else to pull Lisa's
hand.
(I
was originally going to check on Lisa, and it would be better for Nozomu as
well.)
With
this in mind, Norn continued her words in as gentle a tone as possible.
"There
is no doubt that Nozomu is quite busy right now. But I'm sure things will calm
down over time, so there will come a chance for you to talk to him at that
time."
“…………”
Camilla
stopped her work for a moment and watched the conversation between the two. As
Lisa's best friend, she wanted her to get back on her feet somehow.
In
fact, Camilla's help was a big part of the reason why Lisa was still able to
stay at the school.
Now
that many of the students at the school were turning a cold shoulder toward
Lisa, she might not have been able to leave her room without Camilla's help.
Camilla
also sincerely hoped that the relationship between Nozomu and Lisa would
improve.
However,
Lisa's expression was still not good.
"It's
true that your apology won't be able to erase those two years of Nozomu's life.
But to be honest, if things continue as they are, your contact with him will
continue to fade away. He has Irisdina and the others by his side now."
She
dared to emphasize the presence of Irisdina and the others, and gave Lisa a bit
of a shock.
Of
course, there was no way that Nozomu would disrespect Lisa, but Norn thought that
it would be better to stimulate Lisa's inner impatience a little so that she
would be able to move on.
Finally,
Norn decided to talk to Camilla as the final push she needed.
"Camilla-kun,
what did Nozomu look like when you talked to him before?"
"What
he looked like ... He looked so desperate. He wanted ...... to help Lisa."
Yes.
After all, that was what matters most.
Nozomu
wished for Lisa well being beyond his own hatred and resentment.
"I
can arrange it if you don’t mind. But I'll leave the location to you..."
"……I
understand"
"Hmm?"
"Please
... can you do it?"
Norn
was inwardly surprised by the somewhat unexpected words.
She
had expected it to take a little longer.
"Lisa,
are you sure?"
Toward
Camilla, who asked worriedly, Lisa gave a small nod.
If
one looked closely, one could see that Lisa's fingertips were trembling
slightly. The fear had not disappeared.
(What
kind of face should I make in front of Nozomu? In the first place, am I even
qualified to do so?)
The
cold wind that blew in her heart was still eroding her.
"I'm
not ready yet, but I don't want to waste Nozomu's feelings."
However,
a small fire was certainly alive deep inside Lisa's chest.
A
small light that was about to go out at any moment. But that fire was still
encouraging her.
Such
a weak but powerful flame. It was definitely him who lit it for her.
Nozomu's
will, who risked his own life to save hers. And what he wished for Lisa,
suppressing even his own hatred by turning his eyes away and pretending it
never happened.
But
the small spark that Nozomu lit in Lisa's heart would not be extinguished in
the midst of the storm raging in her heart.
"Alright.
I'm sure Nozomu-kun will settle down in a week or so, so I'll set up an
opportunity to meet with him around that time. I'll let you know about the
details later."
"Please
take care of me"
Lisa
bowed her head with a small bow.
When
she raised her head up, there was a definite light in her eyes.
================================
A
local storm raged in the sunset-tinted forest.
A
torrent of power that no human body could handle. At the center of it, Nozomu
gritted his teeth.
The
overflowing Qi became a whirlpool of wind that whipped up the leaves of the
surrounding trees.
The
power of Tiamat overflowed the moment he tore off the chains that bound him.
An
unprecedented amount of pressure assaulted his body and soul, chipping away at
Nozomu's consciousness along with the pain.
"Gu~u
!?"
(Gugigigiggiigi
!)
With
clattering teeth, Tiamat rampaged as if to devour Nozomu's body.
At
the same time, Tiamat's fierce rage began to erode Nozomu's spirit.
To
use an analogy, it was as if his entire body was being burned by magma.
As
if inspired by Tiamat's unfathomable hatred, Nozomu felt anger welling up from
his gut.
"Kuh~
!? Uuu ..."
As
he calmed his breathing and closed his eyes tightly, Nozomu could picture the
faces of his friends as they watched him.
At
that moment, Nozomu's mind, which had been on the verge of synchronizing with
Tiamat's hatred, was suddenly detached from it.
Tiamat
was still rampaging. But unlike before, Nozomu's spirit was surprisingly clear.
"Haa,
haa ... haa"
He
took a deep breath once and turned his attention to Jihad, Inda, and Anri in
front of him.
Jihad
held up his giant sword and Anri raised her whip. Inda was once again creating
a huge mass of flames.
Nozomu's
body was fine. His mind, too, was calming down now.
Perhaps
due to the enormous amount of Qi that pervaded his entire body,
Nozomu
could clearly hear not only his own heartbeat but also the rustle of leaves as
they fluttered in the wind.
"Here
I go"
Nozomu
stepped forward vigorously with his [Instantanous Movement]. At the same time,
Inda released a mass of flame.
Combined
with his own drastic increase in speed, the approaching mass of flames quickly
filled Nozomu's field of vision.
However,
the mass of flames did not catch Nozomu's body.
Nozomu
passed by the mass of flames with [Instantanous Movement -Curve Dance-].
Without slowing down at all, he rushed toward Inda.
"~
!?"
The
difference in speed from the usual Nozomu was disorienting, and Inda's magic
deployment was delayed for a moment.
However,
as if to follow up on this gap, a huge shadow stood in front of Nozomu.
"Nnn
!"
A
giant sword like a block of rock was swung down toward Nozomu.
Jaw
Drop approached, slicing through the atmosphere. Nozomu once again tried to
escape from the trajectory of the sword by using [Instantanous Movement -Curve
Dance-].
However,
Jihad also knew what Nozomu was going to do.
He
read in advance where Nozomu was going and swung his giant sword 90 degrees to
knock Nozomu off.
It
was a reckless move that could have twisted the user's body. However, Jihad's
natural physique and his enormous Qi made this reckless move possible.
"Shoot~!"
Jihad's
blow would definitely catch Nozomu's body. However, the giant sword did not
catch Nozomu's body.
With
the momentum of his [Instantanous Movement], Nozomu launched an upward strike
with his katana toward the belly of the giant sword and deflected its
trajectory.
"Haaa~!"
In
return, Nozomu released a diagonal slash towards Jihad's shoulder.
Jihad
pulled back the giant sword he had drawn and held it like a shield to block
Nozomu's slash.
With
all his might, Jihad strengthened his body and his weapon to prepare for the
impact.
"Nnn~!"
However,
its power was much stronger than expected. The pressure was more than he
expected, and Jihad involuntarily groaned.
It
was a blow that could not be compared to the previous time they had crossed
blades in the martial arts garden. Tremendous pressure was applied to both of
Jihad's arms.
"Fuh~!
Haa~!"
Nozomu
struck the giant sword raised in front of him with two, then three slashes, one
after the other.
The
shimmering blades cut away the Qi enveloping the Jaw Drop, and the dancing Qi
scattered into the twilight sky.
"Kuh~!
Zeaa~!"
At
this rate, he would be overwhelmed. Judging this, Jihad poured more than the
maximum amount of Qi into both of his arms that were supporting the Jaw Drop
and pushed in at once, cutting through the gap between Nozomu's slashes.
The
weight of his weapons and the weight of his body. Jihad had the advantage in
both.
Nozomu's
body was repelled by Jihad's huge body, and the gap between the two opened up
slightly.
A
momentary pause. And then, Jihad swung the jaw drop with all his might.
"Nnnn~!"
A
giant sword approached Nozomu along with a roaring sound. Nozomu was still
floating in the air from the impact of being repelled. He couldn't avoid it
with [Instantanous Movement -Curve Dance-] as he did before.
Jihad's
sword strike would definitely catch Nozomu at the moment he was about to land.
"Fuh
!"
However,
Jihad's slash couldn't reach Nozomu's body again.
At
the moment of landing, Nozomu relaxed both of his legs while putting his katana
into the path of Jihad's sword strike.
Nozomu's
lowered his stance and his raised katana softly grazed Jihad's giant sword.
His
stance was so low that his face almost touched the ground. He was about to
launch a counterattack. However, by that time, a follow-up attack had already
been fired at him.
"~
!?"
A
small black shadow appeared at the edge of his vision. The moment he saw it,
Nozomu instinctively put strength into both legs and leaped back from the
place.
A
moment after Nozomu jumped away, the ground where Nozomu was standing exploded
with a high-pitched sound.
"Fua~!
I've been evaded!"
Nozomu's
eyes caught sight of Anri, who was flanking him from the shadow of Jihad.
Contrary
to her laid-back tone, she was very determined to get into a position where she
could attack.
However,
that was not the only pursuit. This time, a crimson magic formation was formed
at Nozomu's feet.
"Tch~!"
Sensing
danger, Nozomu leaped from the place again. The moment Nozomu leaped, a
volcanic flame rose from the magic formation.
Behind
Jihad, Inda opened her grimoire again and was preparing for another attack.
"Not
ready yet. Anri-sensei, give chase!"
"Yes~!
Please leave it to me~"
A
fierce pursuit from two teachers attacked Nozomu.
Inda's
specialty was the continuous use of magic using the formation method.
The
grimoire she carried had numerous magic formations drawn on it, and by pouring
magic power into the magic formations, she could quickly switch between a wide
variety of magic.
However,
the most surprising thing was Inda's skill in controlling such a wide variety
of magic spells.
A
student could never have done it. Even a court magician would have difficulty
performing a barrage of magic attacks.
And
to fill the gap, Anri's air bullets and whip attacked Nozomu.
A
coordinated attack by A ranks. However, Nozomu was able to completely shrug off
the attacks.
He
dodged Inda's magic with his outstanding physical ability and concentration,
and while repelling Anri's whips and bullets with the katana he carried, he cut
a straight line through the storm of onslaught toward the two of them.
"Kuh~!
What nonsense!"
"Inda-sensei~!
Don't loosen your attack~!"
"I
know!"
In
this short time, Inda also understood Nozomu's nonsensical power. If she were
to take even half a step back, she would be swallowed up in the blink of an eye
by her opponent's momentum.
However,
it was no easy task for Inda and Anri to stop Nozomu's attack.
"Oooo!"
Along
with his raised fighting spirit, Nozomu accelerated even more.
A
roaring sound echoed, and the ground under Nozomu's feet exploded. With such a
tremendous acceleration, he closed the gap at once.
Ahead
of him was Anri, who was raising her whip with her right hand and generating Qi
bullets with her left.
"Ue~
!?"
Nozomu
closed the gap with a tremendous amount of momentum and launched a kick at
Anri's torso.
Anri
tried to block Nozomu's kick with her left hand by pulling out the iron rod
from her thigh, but there was no way she could block Nozomu's current blow with
that level of force.
"Fu-
kyaa~!"
Anri's
body was blown away like a leaf and disappeared behind a bush.
Nozomu
wondered, "Is she going to be okay?" and while worrying about Anri's
safety, he immediately turned his attention to his next target.
Naturally,
his gaze fell on Inda, whose continuous magic was troublesome.
He
again activated his [Instantanous Movement]. Like a gust of wind, he attacked
Inda.
Inda
tried to keep Nozomu away from her by firing a wide variety of magic, but all
of them were evaded by Nozomu's [Instantanous Movement -Curve Dance-].
"I
got you!"
"I
won't let you."
However,
Jihad stood in front of Nozomu again.
He
interrupted Nozomu's direction of movement by reading the trajectory of
Nozomu's [Instantanous Movement -Curve Dance-], and swung his Jaw Drop.
"Kuh!"
"Mmm!"
Along
with a high-pitched collision sound, Nozomu and Jihad's blades lock tightly
against each other.
Jihad's
muscles bulged, and Nozomu's body released more Qi than ever before.
Both
of them didn't move as their blades interlocked together. [Mumei] and [Jaw
Drop] scattering sparks as they pushed against each other, and the atmosphere
was tense as if it were going to explode.
"~
!"
"Haa!"
Eventually,
both of them were swept slightly backward as if repelled by the atmosphere that
had reached its limit.
Nozomu
and Jihad quickly regained their stance and swung their weapons once again.
A
giant sword and a katana were swung at the same time. The two clashing weapons
flow in opposite directions, deflecting each other's trajectories.
Jihad
made a full turn without killing the momentum. He changed the trajectory of the
giant sword without wasting any time and swung it down toward Nozomu.
Nozomu
gripped the ground with his toes and in an instant, he turned his katana and
swung it at Jihad.
With
another high-pitched collision sound, the two weapons deflected each other's
trajectory, and their blades slightly grazed each other's hair.
"Zeyaa!"
"Haaa!"
Their
blades cut back and forth, and the sound of a continuous clash echoed through
the air.
The
two blades collided and sent out violent sparks.
"I
haven't felt this sensation in a long time."
How
long had it been since he had wielded his sword with all his might? Jihad's
mouth relaxes slightly as his fighting spirit rose.
Jihad
even used his own body as a part of the giant sword.
Nozomu
released slashes comparable to a dragon's strike one after another to fend off
Jihad's continuous attack.
Powerful
sword strikes and soft sword strikes. The best sword dance on the continent.
The
battle, like something out of a heroic tale, was unfolding near an abandoned
hut in the middle of nowhere.
Inda,
who was supposed to be supporting Jihad, forgot to support him before she knew
it, and was fascinated by the exchange of skills in front of her eyes.
"Kuh~!"
Nozomu's
face contorted slightly due to the pain. The excessive force running through
his entire body was beginning to feel hurt.
Jihad's
sword strikes boasted extraordinary weight. Based on this factor, Jihad had
achieved a power that was unparalleled on the continent.
Even
Nozomu, who had unleashed his power, had great difficulty in parrying Jihad's
blow.
However,
it was Nozomu who began to break the balance.
Little
by little, he managed to move through the tornado created by the giant sword
with his feet.
"Nnn!"
Jihad's
eyes widened.
He
wasn't even holding back. The beloved sword that he wielded with all his might
could surely make even an Undead Dragon lie down on the ground with a single
blow.
But
even so, he could not stop this student.
At
the same time, he was amazed, the old man's words came back to Jihad's mind.
(If
push comes to shove, I'm willing to burn this city to ashes.)
Even
if Nozomu Bountis himself had no intention of doing so, the boy in front of him
contained that degree of danger within him.
With
each blow, he was reminded of those words.
When
the time comes, he is the only one who can stop him.
In
order to do so, he had come to believe that he would have to go beyond his own
limits and face the power of this student.
"~
!"
Blood
danced from Nozomu's arm. The number of wounds running down Nozomu's body was
slowly beginning to increase.
However,
at the cost of that, Nozomu was finally able to narrow the distance
"~
!"
A
blow. Not to parry the opponent's sword, but to go for a direct attack.
And
the moment Nozomu swung his katana, he stretched his other hand into the
sheath, which was still on his waist.
"Haa!"
Nozomu
suddenly went on the offensive.
Katana
and its sheath. He poured a huge amount of Qi into both of his weapons and
began attacking Jihad.
Slashes
and blows were launched continuously from both arms without interruption. The
Qi-enveloped weapons attacked Jihad like a meteor shower.
Jihad
raised his giant sword and sent his Qi into it with all his might.
Through
the giant sword, the impact and pressure that could even numb his arm came one
after the other.
"Nnn
!"
Jihad's
huge body was gradually pushed as his feet scraped the ground.
Jihad,
which had been on the offensive until a moment ago, now had to turn to the
defensive.
If
he did not do so, he would be pushed out. Jihad, judging this to be the case,
raised all the Qi in his body and released it at once.
"Haa~!"
Jihad's
extraordinary Qi was released in all directions, and the impact slightly
weakened Nozomu's attack.
Furthermore,
Jihad's fist launched into that gap and thrust into Nozomu's cheek.
"Gah~!"
*Thud*,
a sound that one would not expect to hear from a person hitting another person,
echoed through the air.
Nozomu's
body, which was hit in the cheek with such a powerful impact, was blown several
meters and rolled on the ground.
Nozomu
reflexively rolled on the ground in his momentarily blank consciousness and
stood up as if bouncing.
However,
Inda had resumed her attack, taking advantage of that slight gap.
"There!"
She
poured magic power into the grimoire in her hand and activated the spell. A
wooden vine appeared from under Nozomu's feet and bound his limbs entirely.
"I'm
not done yet"
Inda
further activated a follow-up spell. She created a huge mass of flame and shot
it towards Nozomu.
"Haa!"
Nozomu
released the Qi in his katana and scabbard.
Qi
technique [One Billion Severance].
Countless
blades of Qi blew away all of Inda's restraints.
Furthermore,
Nozomu drew a circle in the air with his katana, forming a film of Qi.
Qi
technique [Fan Shaped Sail].
Nozomu's
film of Qi gently caught the fireball released by Inda, just like the sails of
a ship receiving the wind.
As
a counterattack, Nozomu struck the bent film of Qi with the sheath in his left
hand, knocking the fireball back toward Inda.
"Wha~
!?"
A
huge fireball reversed its direction of travel 180 degrees and returned.
A
voice of agitation escaped from Inda's mouth as if she didn't expect her magic
to be returned.
Even
so, she was still able to deal with it. She quickly activated the defensive
magic engraved on her clothes and prevented the fireball from rebounding back
at her.
"Kuh~,
I can't see ..."
However,
her vision was blocked by the bursting flames.
This
was not good. Judging so, she tried to cast another spell, but it was already
too late .......
"Fuh~!"
"Wha~!"
Cutting
through the bursting flames, Nozomu appeared before Inda's eyes. The katana in
his hand already had an extremely compressed Qi-blade attached to it.
Inda
quickly poured magic power into the defensive barrier to increase its strength,
but Nozomu sliced through Inda's defensive magic like paper with a single
strike.
Furthermore,
Nozomu then struck Inda's abdomen with a Qi technique [Cannon].
Inda
was blown away by the powerful shockwave and slammed to the ground without
being able to use a defensive stance.
Inda
managed to stand up, but the impact left her unable to breathe properly and she
could only cough.
Now
there were two left.
Nozomu
turned to the last remaining opponent.
"I
can't do this half-heartedly...'
After
he said so, Jihad suddenly unclasped the armor he was wearing.
With
a rattling sound, Jihad's armor fell apart and rolled on the ground.
Jihad's
bare physique. Although he should have become smaller with the armor removed,
Jihad's body looked bigger to Nozomu than before.
"He
is definitely in a state of constant strengthening beyond his limits. If I were
to face you, I would have to push myself beyond my limits as well."
Jihad
prepared his stance as he carried the giant sword.
Both
of his log-like legs were firmly planted on the ground. Using his uniquely huge
physique, he raised his giant sword as if piercing the sky.
It
was like a volcano on the verge of erupting.
"This
will be the final blow. Be careful. Don't die ..."
More
Qi than ever was released from Jihad's entire body.
The
leaked Qi spiraled around Jihad, rolling up the leaves and scraping the ground.
"Nnn
..."
Tremendous
pressure made his blood boil. The skin of his whole body was foaming, and his
heart was pounding wildly.
The
muscles bulging and the handle of the Jaw Drop in his grip began to creak and
scream.
The
appearance of him gritting his teeth looked like a demon. There was not the
slightest hint of any kind of restraint.
"~
!"
Nozomu,
feeling intensely intimidated, pulled back the katana he had drawn and sheathed
it back.
Perhaps
the blow Jihad was about to launch now was stronger than anything Nozomu had
ever experienced.
However,
it was easy to predict what kind of blow it will be.
"~
!"
Along
with the pain, lacerations ran through Nozomu's body again.
The
pain caused by the excessive force which was destroying his body was slowly
spreading throughout his body.
It's
not good to prolong it any longer.
Nozomu
also decided to end it with this one blow.
"Fuh~
..."
He
exhaled once and relaxed his whole body.
Excessive
force dulled the precision of the technique.
Until
the moment he drew his blade, Nozomu removed as much unnecessary strength from
his entire body as possible.
From
the shoulders supporting the neck to the arms, and from the waist to the lower
half of the body.
He
relaxed the muscles, opened the blood vessels, and sent fresh blood to every
corner of the body.
In
connection with this, the Qi of the whole body was also loosened as much as
possible.
Excessive
Qi that became bloated. Nozomu focused all his concentration on this power and
brought it under control as much as possible.
Still,
such uncontrollable Qi continued to damage his whole body.
"Haa,
Haa……"
"Nnnn
..."
Nozomu
leaked a rough breath, and Jihad continued to send more Qi than ever into the
giant sword he had raised.
The
Qi released by both of them collided at the midpoint, causing the atmosphere to
scream.
However,
the storm abruptly ended.
“…………”
“…………”
Sudden
silence. The storm that had been roaring just a few moments ago vanished, and
only silence reigned.
Nozomu
stood with his left hand holding the sheathed katana [Mumei] and his right hand
holding the hilt.
Jihad,
holding up the giant sword that shone like the sun, was frozen in place like a
statue.
A
few seconds, what seemed like an eternity, flowed between them.
"……
Let's go"
Jihad
moved.
The
giant sword he raised was swung down like a comet falling from the sky, and at
the same time, a huge Qi-blade appeared.
Qi
technique [Single Stroke].
The
huge blade of Qi split the earth as it moved. Furthermore, the vacuum blades
surrounding the Qi-blade smashed the broken pieces of earth into tiny pieces.
To
Nozomu's eyes, it looked like a gigantic wall that was closing in on him.
A
wall born from a single blade of light running vertically. It was a blow that
could not be compared to the [Single Stroke] that he had shown at the previous
combat training.
It
was no longer a "slash" to defeat an individual, but a
"weapon" to annihilate an army.
At
that moment, Nozomu's consciousness switched.
Sound
and color disappeared from his senses.
In
slow motion, all the muscles in Nozomu's body awakened at once, and he poured
all his Qi into his right leg, strengthening it to the utmost.
He
strengthen his muscles from his right leg to his waist and arms without wasting
any movement, and at the same time, he transferred his Qi to all the
interlocking muscles one after another.
His
target was the huge Qi-blade approaching in front of him.
"Haaa
!"
He
opened the scabbard's mouth and pulled out his katana.
A
flash.
The
next moment, Jihad's [Single Stroke] cut the forest in the direction of travel.
"Uwaaa!"
"Kyaaa!"
The
flash, roar, and gusts of wind that pummeled the area caused Irisdina and the
others to scream.
White
light burned their eyes and the wind blew sand and stone.
Soon,
there was silence again.
Fearfully,
Irisdina and the others opened their eyes and saw an unbelievable scene.
"......"
Everyone
was speechless at the sight before them.
A
single line of slash was carved into the earth. On either side of the deeply
gouged ground like a trench, the ground, crumbling and surging, continued in a
straight line through the forest.
And
in the middle of it stood Nozomu with his drawn katana hanging down.
A
single line of slash on the ground split in two in front of Nozomu and flowed
behind him.
Nozomu's
[Phantom -Flash-] had indeed cut through Jihad's [Single Stroke].
However,
the aftermath of the [Single Stroke] could not be prevented, and Nozomu was
also unable to pursue further.
Jihad
did not change his expression, but inwardly he wanted to let out a sigh.
Nozomu,
turned around while putting his shackles back on, and was surprised at the
sight behind him.
"Uwa
... there's a trench forming in the forest."
Nozomu
cut through Jihad's attack that had destroyed all kinds of demon beasts 10
years ago.
And
Jihad fought head-on with Nozomu, who had unleashed his power.
As
if it was planned, both opened their mouths at the same time.
"What
nonsense..."
"What
a mess..."
Oddly
enough, it was the moment when Nozomu and Jihad's dismayed voices overlapped.