Volume 1
Finale Part 2
Blood spurted from the slashed wound.
"Ugh...
guh!"
The sheer pain and the
feeling of blood draining away made my legs lose strength, and I dropped to my
knees on the ground.
What Master did was extremely
simple. She had countered my Phantom Void with her own Phantom Void.
But... was that even
possible?
Due to its nature,
Phantom Void is extremely difficult to see.
To counter it with the
same Phantom Void, one must release it along the exact same trajectory as mine,
without the slightest deviation.
Master had
effortlessly accomplished something far more difficult than threading a needle.
The difference in our
abilities was clear. Skill, power, experience—she was superior in everything.
There was not a single element where I could win.
"I can't
win." As I was seized by that thought, Master's voice echoed.
"Nozomu, release
your Ability Suppression."
(Eh?)
"You should know.
The only way to defeat me is to release your Ability Suppression."
(Certainly, if I used
that, I might be able to defeat Master.)
That was the only way
to defeat Master. I immediately understood that it was my only possibility.
But that dream flashed
through my mind.
Tiamat in the lake and
the faint unease I felt at that time. The eyes of that thing I saw in the dream
definitely had will and were alive.
Was it a
characteristic of the Spirit race? Perhaps even if their bodies died, their
souls remained.
And Ability
Suppression might coincidentally be suppressing its power, even its soul.
(If I release Ability
Suppression like this, that thing might be released too...)
"………………"
…………I can't decide. I
can't do it. Master is coming at me with the intent to kill, and to win against
her, I need to release Tiamat. Either way, I'll die!
"Are you still
hesitating?"
Master attacked again.
I instinctively raised my katana to defend, but my movements were clearly
dulled because of the wound I had just received.
I barely managed to
block the direct strikes, but in those openings, Master relentlessly struck my
body with blows from her scabbard and kicks.
"I-I, guh,
guaaaaah!"
Pain ran through my
entire body from Master's attacks, and coupled with the unstoppable bleeding, I
felt my consciousness growing hazy.
Am I going to die here?
Was it because my
opponent was Master? The intense desire to "live" that had always
welled up within me during battles didn't appear. Instead, a sense of
resignation, "If it's Master, then it's okay," began to dominate me.
At that moment,
Master's face suddenly entered my vision. For some reason, her face was
contorted in agony.
Why are you making
such a face?
As that question came
to mind, she spoke with a face that looked like she was about to cry.
"Nozomu, I'm
going to die soon. I don't have much time left."
While feeling
apologetic, I continued to strike Nozomu.
I'm sorry for doing
this so suddenly. I'm sorry for hurting you so much.
But this is the last
time, my last selfish request.
While desperately
hiding those feelings, I continued to strike Nozomu, but then his face suddenly
caught my eye.
In Nozomu's eyes,
there was no intense will to "live" like when he had been in danger
before. Instead, his eyes accepted the death that was approaching.
No! That's not right!
I have something I want to tell him, something I want him to accept... I don't
want him to have that look in his eyes!!
I felt like crying at
my own feelings that wouldn't reach him.
I have to tell him...
there's something I want to tell him, something I want him to accept.
For that reason...
"Nozomu, I'm
going to die soon. I don't have much time left."
***
My thoughts stopped at
those words. Die? Master? Why?
"It's the
Sleeping Death Disease. Ki gradually drains from the body, and in the end, you
die having used up all your Ki."
"Wh-what! Then we
need to treat it immediately—" "The treatment method hasn't been
discovered. Besides, I only have enough Ki left for one more night."
"No way..."
"If I had
controlled my body's Ki a little more, I would have lasted a little longer."
"Then! Why didn't
you do that!! If there's even a little time, we might be able to do
something—" "You see, I—" "Master!!!!"
Ignoring my question,
Master continued her own story. But the next words she uttered completely
sealed the question I was about to continue.
"I came here
after being betrayed by my family..."
"Eh…………"
"Framed by my own
sister, abandoned by my parents, spat on by those around me, I fled to this
continent."
What Master then told
me was her life story, something I had never heard before. I had heard about
her family, but Master had never mentioned such things, and I had never
imagined it.
When Master talked
about her family, she looked very happy, and I understood that she loved her
family very much.
"You and I are surprisingly
similar. We were both betrayed, ridiculed by those around us, and ran
away."
Master might be right.
I had escaped into training after being dumped by Lisa, and she had actually
fled her country.
"I didn't care if
I died. That's why I secluded myself in a place like this."
Master poured out her
feelings. I just listened to her words in silence.
"I had nothing
left. But then, I met you. At first, I was irritated as if I were seeing a
reflection of myself, but unlike me, you didn't give up on living. And I felt
something in you that I didn't have."
"Nozomu, this is
my last selfish wish... Because you are the one I want to leave my final wish
to, because there's something I want to tell you."
She pleaded with a
face that looked like she was about to cry.
"Please, won't
you grant my final wish?"
………………Master's words woke me
up.
She seemed to have
already decided on her own path, facing her own end.
…………It would be easy to
say something to Master here, to persuade her to live. But wouldn't that be
twisting her will? She said there was something she wanted to convey even if it
meant shortening her final moments.
……………………I acknowledge it. I
have been running away all along. From everything surrounding me in that
academy.
Running, running, running
away even from the fact that I had "run away"…………
But…………
When I looked at
Master's face, it looked like she was about to burst into tears, like a lost
child.
If I ran away from
Master's wish here, I would never be able to face her again. More than
anything, I didn't want to see Master make such a face!!!
I placed my hand on
the chain that bound me. If I released Ability Suppression, I might be devoured
by that jet-black dragon.
But if I ran away
here, I would regret it for the rest of my life!!
I tore the chain apart
and released my true self for the first time.
The next moment. My
vision went dark.
***
I was on the shore of
the lake I had seen in my dream. A black giant stood before me.
Dragon King of
Destruction, Tiamat
When it saw me, it
raised its front leg and tried to crush me.
I instinctively jumped
backward and, upon landing, lay flat on the ground to let the shockwave pass.
But the next moment, its tail, swung horizontally, approached right before my
eyes.
It was clearly faster
than in the previous battle!!!
Before I could dodge,
the tail struck me directly.
"Gehaaaah!!!"
I was thrown into the
air, all the bones in my body breaking, and I lost consciousness from the
intense pain.
I regained
consciousness from the impact of being slammed into the ground without even
being able to break my fall properly, but my brain couldn't process the pain,
and I couldn't feel anything.
My whole body was so
damaged that I didn't even know if I still had a body, but I strained every
muscle to somehow stand up. It opened its mouth, about to unleash its breath at
me. Unlike before, it was trying to kill me from the start!
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!"
I roared and charged
at Tiamat!
Considering the
difference in our abilities, I couldn't waste time. More than anything...
"You're not who
I'm looking for! You're not my opponent!!"
My eyes weren't even
on you right now!!
Tiamat's breath was
released. I tried to twist my body to dodge the giant flames approaching before
my eyes, but with my tattered body, there was no way I could dodge completely,
and my right half vanished as the flames touched it.
Even so, I jumped with
my left leg. With the roar and shockwave echoing behind me, I charged at
Tiamat, but there was its open mouth.
The moment I jumped
in, its mouth closed, and its fangs tore me apart.
My lower body was
severed, and half of my head was gouged out. Pierced all over, my body had
already become a bloodied mass of flesh.
But perhaps because it
was the spiritual world, even with injuries that should have killed me, my
consciousness remained. Even if it was as ephemeral as a heat haze.
Even as my whole body
was being mangled, I looked ahead and saw a light shining in my bloodied
vision.
That light was colored
in five hues—black, red, blue, green, and yellow—and even though it was small,
I could sense immense power. That was probably its power.
I reached out my hand
to touch that light. My lower body was already gone, and my internal organs
were spilling out.
My right arm was gone,
and my left arm was also gouged by fangs, half-torn off. My consciousness was
almost gone, and only groans escaped my mouth.
Still, I reached out.
When my fingerless hand touched the light, the light overflowed, and my vision
went dark again.
***
When I came to, I was
back in the original place.
"Guuuu!!!"
Power overflowed from
my entire body. That immense power was scraping away at my spirit.
There was no time. If
it dragged on, I would either be devoured by this power, or at worst, die from
being unable to control it!
When I looked at
Master, she was looking at me with a happy expression.
I readied my katana.
Blood still flowed from the wound Master had inflicted, but I didn't care.
"Here I
come!!!"
"Come at me!! You
idiot disciple!!!"
Master released even
more Ki than before and readied her katana.
I would accept
everything from her. With that resolve, I faced Master once again.
***
The two of them once
again activated Flash Step - Curving Dance - and clashed. Complex curves were drawn
in the dark night, and the moonlight glittered on the flashing katana.
Their speed had
already reached a realm that even top-tier warriors couldn't follow with their
eyes.
Their figures,
intertwined as they struck at each other, were the same as before, but the
superiority was clearly different.
Nozomu's strikes
numbed Shino's arm, and Shino's attacks were blocked by Nozomu, who almost sent
her flying backward.
Although Shino had the
advantage in skill, with the release of his Ability Suppression, Nozomu's
physical abilities, now unbound, clearly surpassed hers.
Shino was gradually
being pushed to a disadvantage. A grumble involuntarily escaped her lips.
"Tch! Can't you
be a little gentler with a woman! You idiot disciple!!"
"What are you
saying!? At least, there's no weak girl in front of me who needs to be treated
gently!! Please consider your age already!!!"
"What are you
talking about!? A woman is a woman no matter how old she gets!! You fool who
doesn't understand a woman's heart, that's why your lover abandoned you, you
loser!!!"
"Wh-what did you
just say!! I don't want to be told that by a shut-in who's been cooped up in a
place like this!! Your loser-ness is probably just as bad! You ignorant old
hag!!!"
"Y-you dare say
such a thing to your master! Stand right there! I'll beat that insolence out of
you!!!"
"Bring it on! I
was sick of your temper anyway! You keep blasting me with Ki techniques over
the slightest jokes!! How many times do you think I almost died!!!"
"I made sure you
wouldn't actually die! Just enough to barely come back from the Sanzu
River!"
"That's not the
pointーーーーー! Why do I have to
almost die just from a retort!!!!"
"Don't worry
about every little thing! You came back, didn't you, so it's fine!!"
"It's not fineーーーーーーー!"
They fought while
spouting nonsense at each other. It was an exchange of extremely advanced
techniques and extremely trivial verbal abuse.
In the high-speed
battle using Flash Step - Curving Dance -, Nozomu, who had the advantage in
physical ability, had the upper hand, and sensing danger, Shino changed her
tactics.
"Tch! At this
rate, I won't be able to purge this brat!!"
"Whoa! Did you
just say purge!! Are you trying to kill me, you old hag!!!"
"Of course! I
said that at the beginning, didn't I!! You'll regret in hell for the sin of
digging into a maiden's wounded heart!"
Shino put both hands
on her hips and compressed Ki. When she thrust both hands forward, the
compressed Ki was released.
Ki Technique:
"Vibration Cannon"
A Ki technique that
releases compressed Ki in one direction to blow away the opponent.
Shino pursued Nozomu,
who had been blown away by the Vibration Cannon.
"Die! Enemy of
maidens!!!"
With a statement far
from maidenly, Shino unleashed the technique she had prepared.
Ki Technique:
"Phantom Void."
The extremely
compressed Ki was released, but Nozomu had already prepared his counterattack.
"That's my line,
you scammer!! Age fraud and violence are crimes!!!"
What was released was
the same Ki Technique, "Phantom Void." The two techniques collided in
the middle, mutually canceling each other out.
The reason Nozomu was
able to counter Phantom Void with Phantom Void, just as Shino had done earlier,
was his extreme concentration.
When he fought Tiamat
before and was on the verge of death, he exhibited a concentration so intense
that time around him seemed to slow down. It was thanks to this extreme
concentration that he could completely read the sword flashes of Shino, a
top-tier swordsman.
The two of them cut
through the lingering Ki that danced in the surroundings and connected to their
next techniques.
"Know the
greatness of your master!!!"
"Rebellion!! You
natural-born criminal!!!"
Ki Technique:
"Phantom Void - Return -"
The returning blade,
imbued with extremely compressed Ki, clashed, once again blooming a flower of
Ki and sparks in the surroundings.
The two of them
connected to their next techniques.
Using the momentum of
the returning blade, they rotated their bodies. While sheathing their katanas,
they aimed the scabbard butt at the opponent and struck simultaneously with the
sheathing motion.
Ki Technique:
"Vibration Strike"
An internal
destruction technique that simultaneously strikes the opponent's body with Ki
and a shockwave, destroying their insides. If it landed directly, their
internal organs would be mangled.
A deep thud resonated
in their stomachs as their techniques canceled each other out.
The impact of the
techniques colliding caused a slight separation between them, but they
immediately connected to their next techniques.
The two of them turned
their bodies while channeling Ki into their non-sword hands.
The amount was
incomparable to any Ki technique used so far. An enormous amount of Ki was
concentrated.
They slammed their
Ki-infused fists into the ground simultaneously. Then, the ground in the center
between them exploded, and a pillar of light erupted.
Ki Technique:
"Annihilation Light Impact"
A Ki technique that
releases Ki slammed into the ground at the enemy's feet, launching them into
the air and annihilating them with a torrent of Ki-based light.
Among their
techniques, it had the largest effective range and high destructive power.
The two Annihilation
Light Impacts shot through the ground and collided directly, then were pushed out
onto the surface.
"Not yet!!!"
"Obviously!!!"
The two continued to
connect their techniques. They charged at each other while their katanas were
still sheathed, engaging in unarmed combat using their limbs.
Using their fists,
legs, elbows, and every part of their bodies, they struck as if dancing. Their
forms were completely identical.
Soon, a change
occurred around the two of them. Particles of light appeared and began to
gather around them in a spiral.
In fact, they had
already activated a certain technique.
Ritual Body Art:
"Wheel of Reincarnation"
There exists a type of
magic called ritual magic. As the name suggests, it is magic activated by
performing a ritual and interfering with the mana of the outside world.
As Norn Alteina had
said in her magic class, the origin of ritual magic lies in Shinto rituals that
offer prayers and offerings to gods and spirits.
Originally,
"dance" was also offered in the same way during those Shinto rituals.
Utilizing this, the
Ritual Body Art was created by fusing "dance" and "martial
arts."
While attacking the
opponent with a certain form, it is offered as a "dance,"
establishing the ritual and interfering with the surrounding mana to deploy
ritual magic.
This "Wheel of
Reincarnation" absorbs the surrounding mana and repeatedly layers body
enhancements. The more one dances, the more its power skyrockets.
However, because
Ritual Body Art is inevitably bound by fixed forms, if the forms are
deciphered, one can suddenly fall into a disadvantage.
The clash of the two,
whose bodies had been repeatedly enhanced, eventually shook the surrounding
trees with shockwaves.
Their dance continued
without interruption, and the light of mana gathered around them as if to
praise their dance.
***
My Ki rapidly drained,
and my vision darkened.
To contend with my
disciple, who had become extraordinarily strong, I had to use all my Ki and
magic, pushing past my limits by employing every technique I knew.
Even then, barely
managing to hold my ground was all I could do.
The loss of Ki beyond
my limits rapidly advanced the Sleeping Death Disease. The rate of Ki recovery
and loss reversed, and there would be no more recovery.
That meant my death
was certain.
(Well... I guess it
can't be helped.)
While thinking of such
a fact as if it were someone else's problem, I looked at my last beloved
disciple.
…………He's gotten stronger.
This child has truly gotten stronger. Now that he has released his chains,
there are probably only a handful of people on the entire continent who could
defeat him.
Even those individuals
might be defeated by him in some circumstances.
This child has now
faced the immense power hidden within himself with his own will.
A power so great that
it could easily crush such a small child. An ordinary person would probably go
mad with terror. Or be swallowed by that power.
For the sake of this
old woman's last wish, he faced that power and fought for me.
This will be the last
time, but………………………………thank you. Nozomu.
***
I gritted my teeth and
endured the power that felt like it would burst at any moment. I couldn't keep
it released for much longer. My reason was being eroded, and my body was
creaking under the strain of the overwhelming power.
Even though my power
was overwhelmingly superior, I couldn't press the attack decisively. The
repeated blows were balanced, and only time flowed by.
The movement of the
surrounding mana accelerated further, and the dance approached its climax.
Sensing the
approaching end, past events since meeting Master flashed through my mind.
The chance encounter
in the forest.
The hellish training.
The way she confronted
me about the things I had been avoiding.
The fact that she
said, "Welcome back."
The place where Master
was, was undoubtedly a "place to return to."
That would soon be
gone.
I was so sad... my
chest felt like it would burst with sorrow... but this was Master's last wish!
I couldn't show her an
unsightly appearance.
The end is drawing
near………………………………thank you. Master.
***
The dance finally came
to an end. The kicks of the two, enhanced to their limits, collided.
The surrounding ground
was torn up and blown away by the shockwave. The trees swayed violently,
creaking and groaning.
Reusing the impact of
the collision, the two spun their bodies like tops.
At the same time, they
poured all their Ki into their sheathed katanas and compressed it to the limit.
Ki Technique:
"Phantom Void - Flash -"
A technique that
simply unleashes one's fastest quick-draw. A technique that simply contains
one's feelings.
The swords carrying
the two's feelings crossed.
**
Silence returned to
the forest.
Only the hilt of
Nozomu's katana remained.
The released swords
had collided in the center of the two, and at that moment, Nozomu's katana
shattered.
Immediately after,
Shino collapsed on the spot.
"Master!!!"
Nozomu rushed to Shino
and held her up, but her face was pale, completely devoid of life.
"………………Nozomu.
You've become strong………… It seems I have nothing more to teach you with the
sword…………."
"Master…………."
Even Nozomu, who had
no medical knowledge, understood. She would die here.
"I was happy.
That you accepted this old woman's last wish.…………That you understood my
feelings."
His eyes grew hot.
Facing an inevitable farewell, Nozomu could no longer hold back his tears.
"Nozomu, remember
this one thing."
"It's okay to
run. It's okay to stop. But don't turn a blind eye to the fact that you 'ran'
or 'stopped.' If you forget that, you'll end up like me, unable to move
forward."
Perhaps she could no
longer see. Her gaze drifted in the air, and her body grew colder and colder.
"Even if you run,
even if you stop, if you don't forget that, you should be able to move forward
someday…………"
"………………Yes,
Master…………."
Hearing Nozomu's
words, she smiled with relief.
"Good………… I'm
satisfied now."
She looked up at the
moon. It was a quiet, gentle moon that seemed to watch over them.
"Nozomu………… I'm
tired, so I'll sleep for a bit………… Until we meet again someday."
"…………Yes,
Master.……Good night."
She closed her eyes slowly,
content, and fell into a deep, deep sleep.
A deep sleep from
which she would never awaken.
All that remained was
the sound of someone suppressing their sobs.
***
A week had passed
since then. Nozomu had advanced to the third grade.
The promotion exams
were, as always, a close call…………
Nozomu thought about
his current self.
Right now, he was
still standing still. About Lisa, about the academy, about himself.
He might run away
again. He might remain stopped.
But he knew that the
time to avert his eyes from that fact was over.
With his master's
teachings and the budding of a new resolve in his heart, he walked towards the
gates of Solminati Academy.
-----
Thank you for my Patrons !!
[Platinum]
MaxKne
Swagaraga
[Gold]
B random
DavidA
Nepheos
[Silver]
Creris
Fred A.
Frédéric Bertrand-Hudon
Matthew Fraser
Anton Lim
Ctdela
Curious Panda
Read Advanced Chapters only on my Patreon
-----
