Book 4: Chapter 9

Competition Drill with the Treasure Sword

There are only two weeks left till my wedding reception with Tina and Leaffa.

At Ifrus Academy of Magic, it is mandatory for us students to join the monthly competition against the other classes.

Our opponent for this month has been decided.

It’s the best class among the Year 4 students.

As for the specifics of this match, it seems that we have to fight without using magic.

Isn’t this an academy of magic?

Is it really alright to employ such a battle method?

Apparently, they thought they wouldn’t stand a chance against our class if magic is involved since we already defeated the student president. Thus, they suggested this battle method.

“It’s alright if it’s Halt-sama, then victory is sure!”

As usual, Tina’s faith in me is immense.

By the way, our match this time will be a 3-vs-3 battle royale, and the class that annihilates the opponent wins.

Merdie, Ryuushin, and I will be the ones to join this match.

Members with excellent physique and swordsmanship were selected in our class.

Ryuushin and Merdie are proficient enough in martial arts that they can defeat C-ranked demons without using magic.

I received guidance from Tina, one of the best swordsmen in this world, so I can wield swords pretty well.

Besides, I also have Hakoku, Elf Kingdom Alheim’s treasure sword I received from the Elf King, so I’m confident I’ll be able to fight.

In order to test my coordination with Ryuushin and Merdie, I asked Tina to create three gargoyles so we can execute a simulation battle with them.

I summoned Hakoku from its storage place in the Spirit Realm.

On the day of our battle, a magic-sealing bracelet will be placed on our arms, forcing us to become unable to use magic.

If I plan to use Hakoku, then I need to have it on hand before the match begins.

I mustn’t forget it on the day of the competition.

As a simulation of the actual battle, we also wore magic-sealing bracelets as we confronted Tina’s deluxe gargoyles at the center of the training hall.

I’m the vanguard since I’m wielding something long.

Ryuushin and Merdie are the rear guards; it’ll be a lineup supporting me.

“Are you ready?”

“Yeah.”

“Anytime.”

“Let’s go, meow!”

Looks like everyone’s prepared.

By the way, Merdie’s ending word is fixed at “meow”.

Apparently, that’s the most comfortable way for her.

“Then, let us begin!”

At Tina’s signal, one of the gargoyles headed straight for us. The remaining two split left and right, aiming to be outside my field of vision.

Ryuushin and Merdie will deal with those two for me.

Seems like it’ll be alright to leave it to them.

I focused on the one before my eyes.

I raised Hakoku overhead, and I slashed diagonally.

Hakoku became as light as a feather in my grasp. Because of this, I was able to bring it down at breakneck speed.

However, as expected of Tina’s deluxe gargoyles, it read my movements and its arm was on guard, intending to stop Hakoku.

Tina’s gargoyle can alter the hardness of its part that’s on guard. 

Oops, this is bad!

The gargoyle’s arm shone with bluish-tinged gold. When the parts of the gargoyles made by Tina exhibit this color, it means that that portion will become as hard as Orichalcum**.

Hakoku will break if I slash it as it is! Or so I thought, but I wasn’t able to stop swinging Hakoku.

Thud!

Hakoku passed through the gargoyle as if it didn’t hit anything, and then it pierced the floor.

“Eh?”

No way, did it dodge?

So thinking, I tried to put distance between us, but the upper half of the gargoyle suddenly slipped off diagonally right before my eyes.

Even the golden arm that was on guard split into two.

The gargoyle wasn’t able to evade, and even its arm that’s as hard as Orichalcum was sliced through like butter.

Creak

Growl

The two gargoyles that were fighting against Ryuushin and Merdie faced me.

They seem fuming coz their comrade’s been defeated.

Ryuushin and the rest stood dumbstruck in shock since I beat the gargoyle effortlessly.

“S, sorry, Halt.”

“They went there, meow!”

I know.

It’s alright.

I was also surprised, but now I had a grasp of Hakoku’s sharpness.

First, I deal with the gargoyle on the right by removing Hakoku from being stuck on the floor and slashing it up in reverse.

However, the gargoyle pulled back just in time, so I wasn’t able to inflict enough damage to make it stop on its track.

I twisted my body as I held Hakoku with both hands—it had swung up my left side—then I brought it straight down.

The gargoyle from the left was sliced into half right from the crown of its head. Unfortunately for me, the power source of the gargoyles made by Tina are situated slightly off-center.

If I don’t destroy its power source, it’ll just recover right away, no matter how broken up it might have been.

So I held the lowered Hakoku and aimed at the left side—

From there, I hacked it horizontally.

The gargoyle has been split into two from the top of its head, then its front was also hacked, so both sides, from top to bottom, were lopped off.

Thank goodness I managed to destroy the power source, so all three collapsed and were rendered immobile with nary a twitch.

Yeah, even without magic, I can fight plenty.

But, it left me somewhat unsatisfied.

It was too easy.

Ryuushin and Merdie weren’t able to fight properly, too. 

“Tina, can’t you make a stronger one? We’ll be fine.”

I requested Tina to create gargoyles of a higher caliber. 

“A, ahm, Halt-sama. Pardon me, but the gargoyles that you defeated so easily… are the best that I can create.”

Ah, is that so.

I felt like I did something wrong.

“Those are synthetic demons that can effortlessly defeat B-ranked demons, though…”

“So Master’s swordsmanship was also beyond normal people.”

“You were so cool!” (Mai and Mei)

Youko and the others praised me.

“Ryuushin, look at this cut. There’s no hesitation whatsoever, right? You must also be able to do that with your dragon claw, alright?

“Nope, orichalcum’s impossible.”

Ryuushin and the rest were talking while inspecting the shattered gargoyles. 

“Excuse me, Halt-sama. Using Hakoku is fine, but please do not hack the students into half.”

“Ah, no worries. My strength’s enough, so I’ll just strike them with the back of the sword.”

“It’s a double-edged sword, so how do you plan to do that?”

Youko retorted.

If you want to make your opponents faint, then I thought ‘striking them with the sword’s back’ will be perfect.

I said it nonchalantly, but apparently, I can’t execute that if it’s not a single-edged sword like the Japanese katana. 

“Then I’ll just blast them off with the sword’s pressure.”

“Will that sword release a slash attack?”

Even if I don’t incorporate magic in Hakoku, if I swing it with all my might, Hakoku will launch a slash attack.

I haven’t figured out how to control Hakoku perfectly.

Hmmm, what to do?

If I don’t have Hakoku, I’ll just be as good as an ordinary swordsman.

Anyway, let’s just train not to kill the challengers with Hakoku.

“Fire Lance!”

Since Tina’s gargoyles won’t do as our opponents, I summoned three fire knights instead.

“These guys’ mobility is not at par with the gargoyles, but they have great sword skills. Let’s practice with these guys.”

“Eh!?”

“N, no way!! I’ll die meow!”

Merdie rejected it vigorously.

“It’ll be fine. If things get out of hand, then I’ll just make them vanish. Besides, those guys proposed non-magical combat. I think their martial arts are powerful.”

We’ll be facing off that kind of competitor, so as much as possible, I want to make sure that we perfect the coordination among the three of us.

“Let’s do this!!”

“Impossible meow!!”

“Dang… will I die here?”

I shot a sidelong glance at Merdie, who was shrieking, and Ryuushin, who looked as if he gave up the soul, and then I signaled the fire knights to attack us.

—————— 

T/N: Orichalcum’s a popular ore in games; it is also the rumored lost metal of Atlantis, something like gold/bronze. It fits in right with Percy Jackson’s Celestial Bronze. Ctto: google/ Archeology World.