Chapter 40: Green

“Earth… abandoned……? Certainly…… he was hesitant about becoming an Imperial Knight, but… he also stopped aiming for me and Mamu.”

“That girl… she was so determined…. I…… left it to Sadiz, what is this…”

After hearing my words my father and mother were murmuring while casting their eyes down.

“Little man… I…… all this time…… what have….”

Sadiz, who had seen me more than anyone else, was so shocked she stopped cheering.

But don’t make that face.

You don’t think I’m doing this to have these three people make that face.

Finally, I’ll have you say ‘well done’, so watch me!

“Let’s go… Earth…… This time, I’m moving… Can you follow?”

To do that, I have to beat this guy in front of me.

And at that moment, Rebal, who had been upset and trembling until now, suddenly fell silent.

At the same time, the air has apparently changed.

Rather than being quiet, it’s as if he jumped into a deep sea of thought….

『Ho… That Second Sword Saint……he accessed it…』

At that time, Tre’ainar, who was watching from up high muttered, somewhat impressed by Rebal.

「……accessed?」

『Have I not mentioned this before? Humans usually only exert about 30% of their full capabilities. However, tis possible to draw out the upmost limit of one’s ability when in extreme danger, such as being at the verge of death in the scene of a fire. However, there are some individuals in the world who intentionally access that state. By frequently experiencing crisis situations and scenes of carnage, the body and spirit can imprint the sensation of that time and enter the situation.』

Oh, speaking of which, I’ve heard of that.

And by drawing out such hidden power of their own volition, they can draw out power several times more potent than usual.

『Tis referred as entering the ‘Zone’.』

Zone. In other words, that’s what Rebal learned during his period of study abroad…. No, the state he finally arrived at.

『I see. Tis about 1.3% stronger than I assumed.』

Tre’ainar also seems to have admitted to making a slight miscalculation.

Then, it’ll have a little influence on the calculation that I can win…

“Imperial Sword… 【Gale Fang】!”

Fast! The moment I thought about it, a shock came over my shoulder.

“Ah, tch ch!?”

“I’ve finally got you, Earth.”

I only knew the moment I jumped out.

The moment my body reacted to avoid it, his sword had already hit me in the shoulder.

This guy! Beyond my dynamic vision and prediction!?

“What the!”

It’s dangerous. I need to keep a distance.

However, I got hit so easily.

In training with Tre’ainar, I don’t react after seeing it, but I trained to look ahead to the other person’s shoulders, muscles, eyes, legs, and everything, but I didn’t realize Rival started moving.

『Even with the child’s pre-reading, there is a slight delay in the reaction… A thrust which has eliminated all useless power and habits…… It must have been gained through much harsh training and many bloody battles.』

「But if it’s training, I’ve done as much…」

『Two months… and most of all, the child has never truly experienced ‘actual battle’. No matter how much you continue to spar, the actual battle is still different. For the child who has yet to experience an exchange with life on the line in the truest sense of the word…… is an opponent who has entered the zone not a little arduous?』

It’s a heavy load for me. Tre’ainar’s words weigh heavily on me, but Rebal chases after me unaware of my situation.

I tried to keep my distance in the backstep, and I immediately gained some room.

“Imperial Sword, 【Flash Meteor Blade】!!”

A series of attacks. A high-speed slash attack that gives the illusion of multiple swords being drawn out at the same time.

This is clearly faster than the previous technique!

In the peripheral field of view, the angle of the hand, the handle, the movement of the arm, somehow evade…. evade…… I can’t!

“So, it’s out, high level skill, meteor sword! Rebal’s real power at last! I can’t see it!”

“So fast! Is that really an academy student?”

“Earth is somehow avoiding… No, he’s not! Agh, more and more…… Blood.”

“Come on, Earth! Don’t run around, fight like a man!”

“Mr. Rebal!”

“Wow, Rebal is so cool…”

Let’s go! My cheeks are cut… got my arms and legs, I can’t dodge!

At this rate…

『There is no winning… for the child in his current state…』

I can’t win now.

The moment Tre’ainar finally declared that, all of Rebal’s slashes struck my whole body.

“U, oh, oh, oooooooooooh!?”

If this was not a sword with a blunt blade for the mock battle, but seriously done, my whole body would have been chopped into pieces.

This is Rebal’s resolve.

The power of a genius who strives.

I can’t win.

『「There is no winning… yes, not as it is now!!」』

At that moment, the voice in my heart matched Tre’ainar.

“Eh? What…? What are you laughing at, Earth! Have you given up the match?”

Am I laughing? In this situation, am I?

Maybe that’s the case.

Or maybe, but I’m not the only one.

I’m sure that’s probably because Tre’ainar is laughing now.

He looked like he was in a good mood as he spoke.

『Child. I shall ask once again. Who were you before?』

As the pain was being engraved all over my body, Tre’ainar cheerfully asked me.

“I used to be… the Hero, Hiro’s ……just his Son…”

“Earth?”

Rebal felt something in my sudden solitude. However, we continue.

『Then, who are you now?』

“I’m your disciple….”

『Tis so, but as a disciple, have you no notion of your standing? The first and last disciple of the Great Demon King Tre’ainar…』

“I know…”

『And what will you be from this day forth?』

“It’s decided!”

I’m the son of a hero. Not wrong.

“You’ve been mumbling for a while now! Are you serious about this fight, Earth?”

I am the Demon King’s disciple. That’s not wrong either.

But from now on, I’m going to be a new me, all that way.

“New, and true me!”

『Yes! Show it to everyone! Go, Earth!!』

It was the first time Tre’ainar has ever mentioned my name since we met.

I don’t know if there was a deep meaning there.

He just called my name.

But for the first time, Tre’ainar, who had only called me ‘child’ and had only seen me as ‘the son of hero Hiro’, called my name.

That made me so happy.

“Oh!”

What? This uplifting feeling.

It’s just that I got this hot urge just to be called by my name.

I don’t feel like losing!

Even if it’s still incomplete…

“Let’s go, this is me, Rebal!”

In exchange for severe pain, the magic holes of my whole body which I intentionally pried open.

From the magic tank of the body, pull out a large amount of magic power, and keep it cloaked to the whole body.

Breakthrough Mode.

“Heh!? This wave of magical power… What? What does this mean!?”

“What? What’s wrong with you, Fu?”

“From Earth’s body… No way? The amount of magical power being released…. Is it going to be!? Why? I should be able to do it, but…”

Apparently, Fu noticed.

Even if there is magical power, it is not possible to release it without corresponding magic holes.

And, the ‘original’ number of the magic holes which were open in me was below Fu’s.

Therefore, it is not possible to do so. But I can.

Because I forced the number of open magic holes to increase.

“This… Power! Why is Earth…? What the hell is that? How did he do that?”

“That light… The Great Demon King… the color is different…. but it’s similar!”

“Oh… The Great Demon King Tre’ainar’s light was red in color. But…… certainly there’s a resemblance.”

Overflowing…… Magical Power itself…… Aura of magic…… a shining ‘green’ aura!

As expected, both father and mother, and His Majesty lean forward.

『Yes… The color of the magic differs from mine. As you mentioned at the beginning, you were proficient with the Terran Attribute. The green light of the Gaia, full of life. Hiro and other heroes fought against me, but do not know the name or principle of the mode, so tis ‘similar’…… stay in place. Then you will have nothing to worry about, would you not?』

The only concern was whether my parents would think ‘I could use the power of the Great Demon King’, but it was unnecessary.

In addition, Tre’ainar’s says his own ‘actual fighting style’ is completely different from what I exhibited today, so I don’t think they’ll realize the connection between us.

“This power is… Little man.”

“Earth… How warm and beautiful… Light…”

All I have to do is show it to you. To Sadiz and the Princess… And……

“To you too, Rebal!”

“Heh!?”

The body is lighter than before, full of power, it’s hot, buzzing and even thoughts are faster.

『Do not forget? Ninety seconds, right?』

“10 seconds!!”

And I don’t think I’m going to stop anymore!

“Soraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa”

Left! Left! Left! Left! Left! Left! Left!

“Oh, oh!?”

It is different from the flicker from before, that just frustrates the opponent.

Resonate to the opponent’s core. A method to hit without dispersing the impact, by sustainably hitting a single spot again and again.

“What, what!? Now, Earth started hitting again!”

“That’s, just a left punch, Rebal can’t escape!”

“What, what is it? When I thought that a weird light had wrapped Earth…”

“He’s much faster than before… I mean, the attack is too fast to see!”

It’s not the left to punch.

“Gu, can’t avoid it… impossible! …… I’m in the God Concentration…. me!?”

If anything, I’ll beat you with this one left!

Thoroughly.

“Th-This is Earth? Earth had this power….”

“It’s fast… and the left fist is penetrating! In that case, Rebal can’t prevent damage even if he guards.”

“It’s like a hammer with the sharpness of a spear… This is…… Earth’s real power?”

Yes, look more, Dad, Mom!

“I don’t know… the Earth that I’ve fought so far…. what’s going on? What the hell is going on?”

“It’s too strong… I thought we were strong and came back…. I can’t believe that Earth was so strong.”

The princess, Fu…

“Little… man…”

Sadiz, watch me more!

“Ruaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!”

“Gu, u, guu!?”

The sensation that remains in the fist. The sound of the bones as they are broken.

My heart is slightly shaken while continuing to beat my childhood friend’s face as he cannot react to anything. But Rebal, also…

“Ku, gu, u… Uoooooooooooooooh!!!!”

Yes, Rebal’s eyes aren’t dead yet.

Verve. Yell. Swordsmanship. Fighting spirit. With all his mind, Rival howls.

That’s not for show.

The more he tries to blow me away, the more the air ripples, and cracks run into the walls of the arena.

“Hey, you’re still good!”

“Haa, ha… Strong…… no way….. I didn’t think you would be this strong…. But I won’t lose! You’re going to lose! In this first round… I will draw on all my strength, I won’t lose!”

Rebal is also trying to do everything.

『…… Hey, child… tis a blow of a sword that spreads widely. Even if you avoid the blade, will you not be blown away by the shockwave that follows? If that is the theory… best to keep a certain distance and avoid it….』

Tre’ainar muttered, but I knew without being told.

“Can you handle this? Earth! It brought down a fire dragon, earned me the title of Dragon Slayer, my strongest sword!”

Rebal denies me with all his might. It’s the power for that.

Then……

“It doesn’t matter. I’m not here to lose, either. In any form, no matter what anyone says… This is who I am now! So I’ll respond too!”

To break through from the front

To do so, even in this breakthrough mode, it may be a little touchy with the 【Fang of Heavenly Light • Meteor Flash Screw Attack】.

If that is the case…… I can only use ‘That’!