CHAPTER 5

Ice King Academy & a Battle to the Death

A large sheet displaying the participants from each academy was posted on the bulletin board. The Ice King Academy column said the following:

First: N/A      Second: Cain Material      Captain: Shido Jukurius

Without even having to ask, I knew the chairwoman was angry with the N/A. Having one less person than the other team in a three-on-three knockout competition was a huge handicap. If you intended to take the match seriously, leaving a position empty was not an option.

Filling out the lineup is a must, no matter how unskilled your candidates for your first may be.

Even if the first stood no chance of winning, it was still important to have one so they could collect information about the opposing team. Despite that, Ice King Academy was intentionally gifting the first match to us. It was a clear taunt, a boast that they could handle us with just two swordfighters.

“Wh-what the hell?! Is this some kind of joke?!” yelled Lia.

“I don’t like it,” said Rose.

It wasn’t just the chairwoman who was infuriated; Lia and Rose were visibly frustrated as well.

Even I’m feeling a little peeved…

Swordsmen always took their matches seriously. They never took it easy on their opponent, no matter the difference in skill.

As we all trembled with anger, Chairwoman Reia hounded a female committee member.

“If that’s how they’re going to play this, I have a counter… I’m making a change to our lineup! We’ll go without a first or a second and make Allen our captain! We don’t need three or even two people to take down the likes of Ice King Academy! Allen alone is enough!” she proclaimed.

Withering under the glare of the head of one of the Elite Five Academies, not to mention one of the most powerful people in the nation, the committee member responded timidly.

“M-my deepest apologies, but the deadline to make changes to your participants passed two days ago…”

“Why should that matter?! I’m not adding any new participants! This doesn’t disadvantage Ice King Academy at all!”

“I—I am sorry, but the rules are the rules…”

The woman’s voice faded to nearly a squeak in the face of the chairwoman’s wrath.

She shouldn’t lose her temper right here…

I was about to try to calm her down, but got interrupted.

“What a sad sight. It’s always people who know they have no chance of winning who take out their anger on others.”

A woman waltzed up to us, snickering at Reia.

“What was that?! …I-is that you, Ferris?!”

“Long time no see, dear Reia.”

This woman was apparently Ferris Dorhein, the chairwoman of Ice King Academy.

She wore a white and blue kimono that was as beautiful as snow. Her long, light-blue hair was tied into an elegant side bun and accented with an ornate hairpin modeled after a snowflake. Her skin was as clear as ice. Slanted, foxlike eyes completed her gorgeous face.

She must be in her late twenties… She looks a little older than Chairwoman Reia.

Two male students stood behind her. They were most likely our opponents today.

Veins bulged on Chairwoman Reia’s head. She turned to Ferris and cracked her knuckles.

“You’ve really outdone yourself this time, vixen. I never would have dreamed you would pull such an underhanded trick.”

“Oh, Reia, my dear, ‘underhanded’ is surely an exaggeration… We simply chose the number of participants we believed most appropriate… Got that, musclehead?”

They exchanged cutting insults for quite some time, their false smiles never leaving their faces.

“What’s with all that makeup? Joining the circus?” spat Reia.

“Shut up, peabrain!” Ferris shouted in return.

They sounded like elementary school girls in a shouting match.

To think they’re in positions of power in this country…

I feared Liengard’s future had dark clouds on the horizon.

“Take note, vixen! Today will mark our return to the glory days of Thousand Blade Academy!”

“Talk all you want! You’ll be in tears when we’re done with you!”

They both spun away from the other with a hmph. It seemed their elementary school standoff had reached a momentary conclusion.

“Shido, Cain, let’s go!”

“Okay.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Ferris walked toward the Ice King Academy waiting room with the two boys in tow.

“We should get moving, too, Allen, Lia, Rose!” announced the chairwoman.

We then headed for the Thousand Blade Academy waiting room. With about thirty minutes to go before the beginning of the first match, we started on our final preparations.

As soon as we entered the waiting room, the chairwoman began to speak with a grim expression lining her face.

“Ferris has a number of reasons for submitting that insulting lineup.”

“She did it to provoke us, right?” asked Lia.

“Yeah, that has to be it,” agreed Rose.

The chairwoman nodded.

“That’s surely one of the reasons. But it’s more likely that her true intention is to use this as a show of strength.”

“You mean…a show of strength for us?” Lia asked.

Reia shook her head.

“No, I don’t think it’s for us. She’s probably issuing a challenge to the three higher-ranking Elite Five Academies. We’re strong enough to defeat Thousand Blade Academy using only two swordsmen. We’re different this year. That’s the message she wants to send.”

“Wh-what the hell?! She’s not even thinking about us?!” exclaimed Lia.

“She really isn’t taking us seriously…,” muttered Rose.

The chairwoman continued to elaborate.

“Ferris is cunning and treacherous, and she hates losing just as much as I do. She wouldn’t use just those two unless she had full confidence they would win. That vixen’s trust is not easy to earn, so they must be no ordinary swordsmen,” she scowled.

“Anyway, get yourself ready, Allen. Today’s opponents will be talented duelists the likes of whom you’ve never faced before.”

“Yes, ma’am,” I answered.

We heard the announcer begin to speak right after we finished talking.

“The moment you’ve all been waiting for has finally arrived! The first match between Thousand Blade Academy and Ice King Academy is beginning!”

The Elite Five Holy Festival was about to start.

This isn’t just my battle anymore.

I was representing all the students in Thousand Blade Academy with this fight.

My heart began to throb, and the palms of my hands started to sweat.

…A certain amount of tension is good. I feel ready.

I did my best to pump myself up and get in the right state of mind.

“Good luck, Allen! I know you can do it!” exclaimed Lia, gripping my hands tight.

“Thanks. I’ll give it my best shot.”

I gently squeezed her hands back and started to walk toward the stage.

“You better not lose, okay, Allen?” warned Rose, staring at me intently with her deep-crimson eyes.

“You got it, Rose.”

Finally, the chairwoman slapped me on the back.

“It’s time! Go kick his ass, Allen!”

“Yes, ma’am!”

Then I heard the announcer begin to call the names of the participants.

“From the west gate, we have the first for Thousand Blade Academy—Allen Rodol!”

After being cheered on by my team, I walked onto the stage, confident I would win.

Nothing could have prepared me for what happened next.

“THERE HE IS!!! YOU CAN DO IT, ALLEN!!!”

“SHOW ICE KING ACADEMY WHAT YOU’RE MADE OF!!!”

“WIN THIS FOR US!!!”

Thousand Blade Academy’s spectator seating on the west side was packed. It looked like Class 1-A, the other first-year classes, and my upperclassmen from years two and three had all come to watch.

Wow… This is nothing like the last time I faced a crowd of this size.

The atmosphere here could not have been more different from when I’d dueled Dodriel at Grand Swordcraft Academy. Each person in that gymnasium had been hoping for my unsightly defeat.

But this time is different!

Everyone was cheering me on. Everyone was supporting me. Everyone was praying for my victory.

I…I’m no longer alone!

My painful, lonely battle was over. From now on, I had people fighting by my side, and people to fight for.

…I’m gonna win this thing.

As I waited calmly for my opponent, my thirst for victory grew ever stronger.

“Now, from the east gate, we have the second for Ice King Academy—Cain Material!”

Deafening cheers erupted from Ice King Academy’s spectator seating on the east side.

“AAAH, I LOVE YOU, CAIN! LOOK OVER HERE!”

“HE’S SO HANDSOME! YOU CAN DO IT, CAIN!”

“TAKE DOWN THOUSAND BLADE ACADEMY BY YOURSELF!”

Cain Material emerged to thunderous cheer.

He was a handsome boy, clad in the blue Ice King Academy uniform, with black-rimmed glasses and a silver pendant shaped like a cross hanging from his neck.

…He looks used to the limelight.

Cain waved his right hand in response to the squeals of adoration resounding from the crowd, betraying not a hint of anxiety on the big stage as he took one firm step after another. It was obvious he was a truly dangerous opponent.

He joined me at the center of the arena.

“Are you both ready? On my mark—begin!”

The announcer declared the start of the match.

I quickly drew my sword and held it in front of my navel, taking the versatile middle stance—a fundamental posture that would allow me to immediately defend, evade, or counter in response to whatever action he took.

Cain clenched his hands together and kneeled as if praying. Suddenly, I got a very bad feeling.

D-don’t tell me…?!

“Ensnare—Hundred Hellblade!”

A large rift opened in midair and released a sword.

The blade was twisted to look like a clock hand, and it emanated some kind of repulsive pressure.

“S-Soul Attire…?!”

I was stunned. The captain being able to produce Soul Attire wouldn’t have been surprising, but I never would’ve expected their second to also be capable of the feat.

Cain stroked his sword lovingly and gave me a sharp look.

“The time of judgment has arrived. You’re finished!”

Not giving me any time to collect myself, he charged at me immediately.

H-he’s fast!

Cain was every bit as skilled as you’d expect of someone representing one of the Elite Five Academies. It wasn’t just that he could produce Soul Attire; his physical ability was at a high level as well. His speed was greater than Lia’s, albeit inferior to Rose’s.

“Face divine judgment!”

Rushing toward me as fast as he could, he thrust his sword straight ahead.

He’s definitely fast, but…he’s leaving himself open to attack…!

On his current course, his sword would only graze my shoulder. My weapon, however, would gouge his chest.

The reward is worth the risk!

I would lose the battle but win the war. Steeling myself for a certain amount of pain, I took one step forward.

“No, Allen! Dodge!”

I heard Chairwoman Reia cry out.

“Too slow!” yelled Cain.

The tip of his sword lightly pierced my skin.

“Heh-heh—farewell, you sorry fool.”

My consciousness faded to black.

When I came to, I found myself standing in an unfamiliar setting.

“Huh…? Where am I…?”

I was fighting Cain in the Holy Festival…and then…

“…Right. I fainted after being cut by his Soul Attire.”

I looked around and found a small, slightly dingy house.

One more thing caught my eye—there were numbers in the sky.

Year 99 Month 12 Day 31 23:59:42.

The seconds were ticking down one by one. It was probably a clock displaying the amount of time this world had left.

“This couldn’t be the World of Time…could it?”

The atmosphere of the place slightly resembled it.

…I assume this happened because of an ability of his Soul Attire—Hundred Hellblade.

From what I could gather, that ability trapped any person slashed by the sword in this place for one hundred years, only letting them out when the clock hit Year 0 Month 1 Day 1 00:00:00.

Welp…might as well give it a try.

If this was indeed the same as the World of Time, or at least similar in structure, I expected I would be able to cut through it. Concentrating only moderately, I brought my sword down without using anywhere close to my full strength.

“Hah!”

The air my blade passed through swayed massively.

All right…it worked!

That meant I could break out of here whenever I wanted.

But that would feel like a waste, though…

I’d just been gifted one hundred years. There was no way I would let it go to waste.

I should explore the surrounding area first.

Since this was both my second time dealing with this kind of experience, and because I had already confirmed I had a way out, I was able to remain calm. I spent an hour investigating things.

I concluded that this realm was also a small sphere. Leaving the run-down house and walking in a straight line quickly brought me to the house’s back door. Fortunately, I was relieved to find that the house provided me with everything I would need to live, even if it was all poor-quality stuff.

I had the bare minimum of food, a bathtub just barely large enough for me to stretch my legs in, and an old futon and blanket.

“That works for me.”

It wasn’t as luxurious as the World of Time, but it was more than plenty to live on.

I now had a handle on my current situation.

“All right, time to practice!”

You didn’t get this chance every day, so I decided to make full use of this world. Knowing that I could leave whenever I pleased put my mind at ease. Since I didn’t feel trapped by fear, impatience, distress, or any other negative emotions, I could focus on my swordcraft without distraction.

I swung my sword every single day for the next ten years. Before every slash, I would calm my breathing, raise my blade, and swing it back down. I’d repeated that movement trillions of times in my life. Each swing seemed to cleanse my heart.

Ahhh, this is bliss…

With no one to interfere, I trained in absolute peace. Nothing else satisfied me like this. I ate, slept, and waved my blade. I was truly living the life…but there was one thing that never stopped stressing me out.

I only have ninety more years?!

I couldn’t stop worrying about my remaining time. The clock in the sky read Year 89 Month 7 Day 10 19:15:00, so I already had less than ninety years left in this world.

There are still so many things I want to do… I need to hurry!

I reached twenty, thirty, and then forty years in this world at what felt like lightning speed. Shortly after I surpassed fifty years, the fruits of my training began to show.

“Cherry Blossom Blade Style—Sakura Flash!”

“Slice Iron Style—Rust Remover!”

“Cloudy Sky Style—Cirrocumulus Cloud!”

I thought back on the basic principles, forms, and essences of the schools of swordcraft my classmates in Class 1-A told me about and succeeded at recreating their techniques. Though I had to rely on my memory of watching Rose to teach myself the Cherry Blossom Blade Style, I was able to pick up on it surprisingly quickly.

However, I was still hopeless when it came to producing Soul Attire. I just didn’t know the method to call it forth, nor did I understand how I should train to enable myself to create it.

I wonder if we’ll get to it in class soon…

I spent that day, too, swinging my sword in silence.

At last, the clock eventually reached Year 0 Month 1 Day 1 00:00:01.

One second later, the world began to noisily crumble around me.

“No way…? It’s already over…?”

My time here really passed by in a flash. The first one-hundred-million-year loop had irrevocably altered my sense of time; a century now felt way too short.

I haven’t done a tenth of what I wanted to do yet…

I couldn’t wrap my mind around it.

I satisfied my desire to swing my sword, but…I want to train so much more…

I tried to think of a way to stop the world from dissipating, yet no matter how much I racked my brains, I couldn’t find an answer. That shouldn’t have been surprising—after all, swords were made for cutting, not putting things back together.

Guess I have no choice but to give up…

I sighed as the realm around me continued to fall apart. Then an idea suddenly flashed through my mind.

No, there’s still a chance. I don’t know for sure that this is over!

Maybe this world looped every hundred years, just like how pushing the 100-Million-Year Button allowed me to repeat the experience!

It was too early to abandon hope.

Please, please…

I closed my eyes in prayer, then slowly opened them again…and saw Cain expelling his Soul Attire.

I’m clearly back in the real world…

Unfortunately, the hundred years of bonus time had not looped.

Sigh, that would have been way too good to be true…

I slumped my shoulders in disappointment while Ice King Academy’s section of the venue burst into applause.

“HE’S AMAZING! HE BEAT HIM IN ONE HIT!”

“I LOVE YOU, CAIN! KEEP IT UP!”

“Ha-ha, Thousand Blade Academy is surely going to withdraw. They have to be shaking in their boots after that match!”

They were all as jazzed as if Cain had already won.

Wh-what’s going on…?

As I was trying to wrap my mind around the situation, the referee approached me with a look of pity.

“Hundred Hellblade is a truly dreadful Soul Attire. It’s a real shame to see it used on someone so young… Should I declare you incapable of continuing?”

I couldn’t fathom why, but he looked at me sympathetically as he gently recommended that I withdraw.

“Wh-why would I want that? We’re just getting started!”

I hadn’t done anything yet. Withdrawing now would be a joke.

“…Huh?”

The referee’s eyes widened in shock.

“Y-you can talk…?! Can you actually do this?! Are you in a sound mental state?!”

“Huh…? I don’t really know what you mean, but I’m gonna keep fighting, okay?”

“U-understood…,” he acknowledged and quickly trotted off the stage.

I gazed at Cain, who seemed to already think he had won. Inexplicably, he had sheathed his sword and turned his back on me.

Attacking an opponent while their guard is down isn’t exactly honorable, but we are in the middle of a match…

Choosing not to take advantage of such a clear opening was an insult to your opponent.

There’s only one thing for me to do—give him everything I’ve got!

“Cherry Blossom Blade Style Secret Technique—Mirror Sakura Slash!”

I unleashed four identical slices from each side, each of them faster than the eye could see. This was the secret technique that Rose had used on me in the Sword Fighting Festival, where we first met.

But it wasn’t a total copy of her maneuver—I also put my own twist on it. It was no longer a chain of eight slashes like before, but instead eight concurrent cuts like Eight-Span Crow.

“…Huh?”

Cain noticed the eight slashes closing in on him from behind.

“GAH!!!”

He opened his eyes wide in astonishment as they all hit home.

“Argh…”

Although he tried to get up, he could do no more than writhe on the ground. He’d probably suffered a slight concussion.

Cain pointed at me with a trembling hand and unfocused eyes.

“H-how did you…?! You should have been imprisoned in that empty hell for a hundred years… How are you conscious?! How is your mind not broken?!”

I ignored his incoherent babbling and lodged a complaint.

“Cain, one hundred years is a little short…”

If I ever got another chance to go to that world, he should at least add a loop function.

I made my request and patted him lightly on the head.

“Wh-what nonsense…”

The referee then confirmed that Cain had fainted before loudly declaring the result of the match.

“Cain Material is defeated! Allen Rodol is the victor!”

The Thousand Blade Academy section of the crowd burst into cheers.

“WHOOOOO! HE WON!”

“WAY TO GO, ALLEN! YOU’RE AMAZING!”

“THAT’S OUR FIRST! TAKE DOWN THEIR CAPTAIN!”

I raised my right hand high in response to everyone’s applause.

After defeating Cain, I returned to the Thousand Blade Academy waiting room.

“That was so amazing, Allen!” exclaimed Lia.

“You did a great job overcoming his mental-manipulation Soul Attire! Your force of will is something else!” said Chairwoman Reia.

Lia and the chairwoman praised me profusely.

“Thank you… I’m surprised you were able to realize what kind of Soul Attire he had, Chairwoman,” I responded.

“Ha, as you can surely tell, I’m an experienced gal. All I need is a simple glance to guess what type an opponent’s Soul Attire is.”

“Wow… That’s impressive.”

It didn’t surprise me in the slightest to hear that she was a veteran fighter.

There’s no doubt that she’s strong…

During the practical exam, Reia had witnessed my draw strike that not even a veteran measurer had been able to perceive. Eighteen—an incredibly powerful, perverted swordsman who could destroy iron bars with his bare hands and cut through walls with wooden chopsticks—showed no hint of defiance toward her. She’d also won every single tournament when she’d been a student, establishing the Golden Age of Thousand Blade Academy.

I wonder just how strong she actually is.

As a swordsman, I was quite intrigued.

I might ask her for a match after the Holy Festival is over.

Rose jerked me out of my thoughts by tugging on my uniform.

“…Allen, care to tell me when you started mimicking my swordcraft?” she grumbled indignantly.

“Uh, well…”

I detailed everything that happened during the fight.

I told them that Cain’s Hundred Hellblade had imprisoned me in another world for one hundred years; that I’d had the bare minimum I’d needed to survive, and that I hadn’t wanted for anything; that I’d thought back on the fundamentals, forms, and essences of the schools of swordcraft our classmates had told me about and had learned everyone’s techniques; and finally, that I’d had to learn the Cherry Blossom Blade Style from my memories of watching Rose because she’d never taught it to me herself.

“I-it took me long years of study to learn the Cherry Blossom Blade Style…and you learned it through imitation…?!”

At a loss for words, she bit her bottom lip in frustration.

Though I didn’t really do anything wrong, I felt kind of bad.

“U-um, well…the move I used was a little different from your Mirror Sakura Slash. I combined it with Eight-Span Crow, so it’s not like I completely copied you—”

“So you did change it… That’s why it was so much more effective than mine…,” Rose interrupted.

I was trying to make her feel better, but I ended up sending her into an even worse spiral.

“…”

“…”

An uncomfortable silence grew between us. I had no idea what to say. Lia and the charwoman were flashing me dirty looks, clearly demanding that I do something to fix this.

Wh-what can I do…?

I racked my brain for an idea that would lift Rose’s spirit.

“…O-oh yeah! If you want, I’ll teach you the Mirror Sakura Slash I just used,” I proposed.

“Really?!” Rose asked, lifting her head immediately. That clearly worked.

“Yeah. It was your move originally, so it’s only fair.”

“Th-thank you…!”

She broke into a joyful smile.

Thank goodness. Looks like that cheered her up.

Shortly after I somehow managed to make amends, we heard the announcer’s voice ring out.

“Thank you for your patience, everyone. The second match between Thousand Blade Academy and Ice King Academy is about to begin!”

“Good luck, Allen. We’ll be rooting for you!” said Lia.

“Keep it up, Allen,” added Rose.

“You’re really strong. Go out there with your head held high!” urged the chairwoman.

“Thank you, I will!” I responded.

With support from Lia, Rose, and Chairwoman Reia, I once again headed for the stage.

“From the west gate, we have the first for Thousand Blade Academy—Allen Rodol!”

I heard a roar the moment I stepped onto the stage.

“IT’S ALLENNNNNN!”

“YOU HAVE TO BEAT HIM! FOR ALL OF US!”

“WE CAN REALLY DO IT THIS TIME! LET’S GOOOOOOO!”

Raucous cheers rose from the Thousand Blade Academy seating. My last win had probably given them real hope that I could do this.

“And now from the east gate, we have the captain for Ice King Academy—Shido Jukurius!”

Shido Jukurius slowly emerged from the other side of the venue after the announcer called his name.

He was wearing the long blue overcoat of the Ice King Academy uniform and stood slightly taller than me at about 168 centimeters tall. His snow-white hair was cut at a moderate length, and his skin was tan. He had sharp, piercing eyes, and a ferocious face that foretold violence.

Ice King Academy’s section of the crowd went dead silent the moment he appeared. Oddly, there was no cheering or applause whatsoever. It was uncomfortably quiet.

Shido paid it no heed as he advanced to the center of the stage.

He’s incredibly powerful. Far more so than anyone I’ve fought so far.

I wasn’t sure how I knew that. I just felt some kind of…aura around him. The sort unique to people of great might.

Shortly after my eyes met Shido’s, the announcer did his best to pump up the crowd again.

“Ice King Academy did not register a first, making Shido their captain. That means if Allen wins this match, Thousand Blade Academy will finally escape from its decade-long streak of last-place finishes!”

The Thousand Blade Academy spectators cheered even more loudly than before.

“According to my information, both duelists are self-taught! Neither one has ever had a teacher instruct them in the ways of the sword! This will surely be a wild match like no other!” proclaimed the announcer.

A section of the crowd began to ridicule us upon hearing that.

“Self-taught swordsmen? In modern times? Pfft, this is going to be a brutal one…,” I heard a man say.

The people mocking us were likely those general spectators who had no connection to either academy. It hurt to hear, but I couldn’t blame them for reacting this way. They had surely been itching to see one of the captains fight, which made it all the more disappointing to learn that we were both autodidacts. That was how lowly society regarded people who taught themselves swordcraft.

As I was reflecting on that, Shido suddenly reached a hand inside his coat. Grabbing one of the many survival knives lined inside his uniform, he threw it into the crowd without hesitation. It flew with incredible speed toward the man I’d just heard mock us.

“H-huh?!”

As luck would have it, the man had leaned over by coincidence, avoiding the knife. The entire blade lodged into the wall behind him; Shido had released it as hard as he could. If it had beaned the man in the head, he certainly would have died.

“Shit, I missed.”

Shido was legitimately peeved that his sudden act of murderous violence had missed. He hadn’t intended that throw as a threat; he’d actually meant to hit him.

What’s with this guy?!

As a panicked uproar rose from the crowd, Shido spoke calmly.

“You, over there… Were you laughing at me?”

He was glaring directly at the man who had mocked us. Shido must have had really sharp ears. His low, chill-inducing voice reverberated throughout the entire venue.

“N-n-no, of course not! I—I would never!” the man shrieked, shaking his head fervently as his teeth chattered from fear.

“I’ve burned your face into my memory. Best watch yourself on your way home tonight. Got it?”

“Eek?!?!”

The man fearfully sprinted from his seat, and the arena fell dead silent.

So this is who I’m up against…

He was as deadly as he looked.

I don’t want to compliment him for what he just did, but that was an incredible throw…

The stands were about ninety meters from the stage, and there was wind to account for as well. Despite that, the knife had passed through the exact point that he’d aimed for.

Shido had excellent hearing, superhuman vision, robust arm strength, and a competitive spirit—everything a person needed to be skilled with the blade, and at a high level no less. That one action made all that clear as day.

He’s no ordinary swordsman…

The oppressive aura I felt when he looked at me was far greater than what I felt from Lia and Rose.

The announcer raised his voice a little to try to move things along and liven the silent venue.

“W-well…that was an unfortunate incident, but let’s get things back on track! The second match of the Elite Five Holy Festival is about to begin!”

We were finally getting started. While maintaining a healthy level of tension, my hand reached for the hilt of my blade.

“Are you both ready? On my mark—begin!”

I unsheathed my sword and assumed the usual middle stance as soon as we were given the signal.

Shido, on the other hand, drew his blade from his hip lazily, as if the very action annoyed him. He let his right arm hang limp and stood upright without assuming any stance.

I’ve seen all kinds of forms from many different schools of swordcraft, but I’ve definitely never seen anything like this…

Even for a self-taught swordsman, his stance was peculiar. He was holding his weapon straight down as if drunk. Calling it a “stance” was being generous.

…Is he tempting me to attack? Or is he not taking me seriously?

Feeling irritation simmer inside me, I took a deep breath to regain my composure.

Chairwoman Reia was confident that Ferris had something up her sleeve. She must have picked Shido as her captain for a reason.

There had to be something special to his stance that I didn’t understand.

It would be very risky to charge at him without knowing how he might counter…

Most swordsmen in this situation would continue to stare each other down and enter a deadlock. I, however, had a useful move that could speed things along.

“First Style—Flying Shadow!”

Using a long-distance slash attack would allow me to see him in action without the need to approach him.

All right, how will he deal with this…? Wait, what?

The slash attack I sent at him suddenly disappeared.

“Huh?!”

I was astonished.

Wh-what just happened…?!

Shido didn’t move an inch, but Flying Shadow somehow vanished. There wasn’t a single thing about his behavior that suggested he’d done anything special.

Is he already using some kind of Soul Attire…?

That would explain it. As I’d just witnessed with Hundred Hellblade, Soul Attire enabled extraordinary abilities. A type with the power to nullify long-distance attacks had to exist.

Well, I’ll try it again…

Raising my sword above my head a second time, I brought it down with extra speed and strength.

“First Style—Flying Shadow!”

This time, a significantly sharper slash attack raced toward him.

Okay, how is he going to defend against this?!

I watched carefully so I wouldn’t miss a single action—