13 Chapter 1.12
With an outburst on my right foot— I sprinted forward, closing our distance at least 40m in less than a second.
However, I know this speed is still not enough. She`s faster. There`s more than enough time for Kuroyuki to summon her spears and attack— like now.
“…Pierce.”
Although she summoned thirty spears, she shot three first.
Before the first spear hit, I took a side step to move away from its trajectory. After taking another two steps, I parried the second spear to the left with the sheath on my left and deflected the third spear upwards with the sword.
I continued to run forth.
Huh, it's getting easier than I thought. I suppose I`m getting used to this. Now then, perhaps I should prepare to block the rest of her spears…
As I was expecting her to shoot her spears, Kuroyuki gently tapped her right foot on the ground.
A huge wall of snow suddenly rises up— nearly seven meters tall, hurling forward.
What!? This is nearly double the size of the first time…!
It completely blocked my sight on Kuroyuki, of course— her as well.
Damn, I don`t think I could use the same move like the first time. Perhaps she was expecting me to destroy it. If I did, she could just shoot her spear knowing I couldn't react in time after I swung too hard.
Let's escape from the sides.
As I approach to the right side of the incoming snow—
“Guh…!”
I quickly kicked myself backwards from the barrages of spears that forced me back to the effective area of her snow tsunami.
Shit…! How many were there!? A hundred!? How could I even escape!?
The left side… is probably the same as well. The centre is a no go and jumping over it would`be given her a good opportunity to freeze me.
Curse it, she trapped me just like that…! Isn't this just a mock battle!? She's taking it so seriously!
Shit…! I need to stop thinking! I will let my battle instincts guide me…!
“One Handed Sword Arts— Swing!”
Clenching on the sword on my right, I swung it downwards— slicing off the right quarter of the snow, forcing an opening to let me pass through.
I leaped through the opening, and as what I predicted— her countless spears are already on their way and it's about to hit me.
Instinctively, I threw the sheath as hard as I could— aiming for Kuroyuki, just as if her spears were aiming me.
THUNK! CLANK! THUNK! THUNK!...
The shockwave from the sheath knocked off many of her spears from their trajectory, and was more than enough to hit Kuroyuki.
It seems she wasn't expecting this. But she looks calm enough to deal with this.
Before the sheath is going to hit— she took one of her floating spears around her and managed to guide the sword`s trajectory upwards.
Her body was left unbalanced.
I already reached her.
“One Handed Sword Arts— Swing!”
I swung my sword horizontally. Of course, I held off most of my strength— but yet...
THUNK!
She blocked my swing with another spear easily.
I then realize her unbalanced posture is just a feint.
I was half expecting her to kick my body afterwards so I instinctively contracted my abs. But Kuroyuki did not.
“…Don't hold back.” She said with a smirk.
Am I underestimating her a little too much…? She's giving me a chance on purpose.
She leaps backwards, for 10m or so.
I caught back the scabbard that she directed upwards too.
PAK!
“!”
The moment I heard her fingers snapped, I instinctively closed my eyes and raised both of my hands in a defensive posture to protect my body.
BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!...
All of her spears before exploded— forming a scene akin to a snow storm.
“Hah… Hah…”
I panted from the sudden surprise as I opened my eyes. Some of her ice and snow are on my hair and clothes.
As expected, I was surrounded by white mists. It's blurry, but I can still tell Kuroyuki is still in front of me.
I need to get rid of this stupid mist.
“One Handed Sword Arts— Swing!”
I swung the sheath upwards as hard as I could. The power from it blew off the mists in an instant.
As soon as the mists uncloaked, I was stunned by the view in front of me.
Kuroyuki, with her right hand extended with her special three-finger gesture— and nearly a thousand of her spears are shooting towards me.
There's so much of it that it completely disrupted my field of vision.
Shit…! How could I even win against her…!?
I immediately adjusted myself and stood in a defensive posture as I wielded the sword and sheath on my hands, letting my instincts take over as I took a deep breath.
For the first four spears, I deflected them aside. For the next seven spears, I guided them away from their trajectory. For the next twelve spears, I parried them away. For the next thirty-two spears, I blocked them. As for the rest—
“Dual Wielding Sword Arts— Double Swing!”
WHAAM!!!
I forcefully swung my weapons horizontally. It's strong enough to create a force to blast away the spears.
Her spears scattered and flew everywhere. When I looked around— Kuroyuki was nowhere to be found.
Instinctively, I turned backwards as I diagonally swung my scabbard backhandedly around the height of my shoulder— it pinned a spear down stabbing to the ground. Her attack felt extremely light.
“…Not bad.”
Kuroyuki, who was holding onto the spear, looked amused.
That said, the sword on her left followed and came slicing from my right.
CLANG— BAM!!!
“G-Gah!!?”
I was expecting it to be a weightless attack. But it's not. Even though I blocked her attack with the sword— the impact from her sword transferred from my sword to my arm to my shoulder and to my body, pushing and sending my body flying to the left.
Her superhuman strength— it was so powerful. It was so powerful enough to send me flying.
I quickly adjusted my mid-air posture and landed with both of my feet sliding on her snow.
“Hah… hah…”
I was totally and completely surprised and freaked out— catching my breath as hard as I could.
What's with this ridiculous strength…!? She's not even using any body strengthening magic nor strengthening devices…!
Did she go through the same training as I am…!?
“……!”
I don't know how she did it, but she closed our distance in an instant. It was close enough for even her blade to reach me.
“…Like I said, don`t hold back.” Kuroyuki recalled once more.
With that, she swung her blade downwards.
THUNK!!!
Although I blocked her blade with my sword, the ground crumbled and sunken downward— creating a crater.
But instead of getting myself crushed…
“…Oh…? You look fine now.” Kuroyuki murmured.
“Sorry. I hesitated a little just now.”
Her normal swing should be around one tonne. If she'd go all out, it`d be around three tonnes. I adjusted my arm strength to her level now.
Kuroyuki, now glares at me as she raises the spear on her right.
“…Pierce.”
BAM!
I pinned her piercing attack down to the ground with my scabbard— the power of both of our forces are now directed downwards— it sunken the ground even deeper.
However, the shockwave blew us away— I was sent flying, now outside the area of the crater. I balanced myself for a landing posture and landed safely.
As I looked up, Kuroyuki was in front of me— it seems our landing time is just about the same.
I was the first to pick up on my feet first and ran to her. However, judging from her look and posture— she intends to take on my sword attack directly.
Is she trying to test my strength!? No, don`t do it…!
“A-Ah, ah! Be careful…!” I shouted.
It's too late, I can`t stop my scabbard now.
Though Kuroyuki heard my serious warning, she still decided to accept my blow nevertheless with a half-bent knee.
Fine then, I will just let you have a taste of my ‘normal’ swing…!
“One Handed Sword Arts – Swing!!!”
WHAM—
Kuroyuki blocked my backhanded horizontal upwards swing with her ice sword and spear as she softens the impact by skilfully transferring it to the ground, making another crater below us.
However, that's not the extent of my strength.
CRIK— CRAK!!!!!
The after impact that came afterwards broke her ice sword and her spear.
I landed a hit on her body.
It sends her flying and spinning for a few times.
However, she managed to adjust herself and land safely on the ground. She looks completely fine, without even a need to catch her breath.
“Geez…! Don't just take it head on that recklessly…!” I yelled to her.
A part of me is thinking that her body is insanely tough, though.
For some reason, the impact I feel from that hit through my scabbard isn`t that of a body. It's rather hard.
“…Sorry.”
Kuroyuki made an innocent look as she lowered her head…
“……!”
…and looks up with a bloodcurdling gaze.
What a gaze… it's so terrifying.
“…I will take you on seriously.” She uttered.
“WHOA!?”
THUNK!!!
She appeared in front of me all of the sudden. I don`t know how she`s able to move that fast, but reluctantly— I managed to parry her spear thrust upwards with my scabbard.
She was pushed back unbalanced.
It's my chance...!
“One Handed—”
“…pierce.” She whispered.
Three spears almost grazing the blazer at the sides of her waist, thrusts straight to me.
“—the same thing won't work twice on me!”
I was expecting this. I rammed two spears at the left into the ground with the scabbard, and deflected one at the right to the side with the blade.
By the time I wanted to press my attacks on her, Kuroyuki already had her sword coming from above, as she swung downwards.
At that moment, I was going to block. But— I felt a cold chill on my spine that made me shiver.
My instincts are telling me to move…!
“Tch…!”
I reluctantly stepped aside to avoid her blade.
SHING!
The edge of Kuroyuki`s sword cuts out cold air in the shape of a crescent moon— it freezes anything along its trajectory, in this case, the grass— and gouges out a block of dirt as it hits the ground.
Damn. If this hits me, I would probably be dead…! Luckily my instincts kicked in just in time…! What is she even trying to do!? To kill me!?
Of course, Kuroyuki herself was surprised that I avoided her attack. Her movements are frozen.
Using this chance, I immediately countered by ramming a thrust on Kuroyuki`s abdomen with the scabbard. Yet—
THUNK!
My scabbard stopped when it came in contact with Kuroyuki`s clothes. I could feel the shockwaves from the scabbard being spread to the sides. I know it was just a light thrust, but I was quite certain that it would`ve made her fly backwards. But she did not. And…
It's so hard and heavy…! What on earth did I hit!?
“Gargh…!”
I poured more strength into it.
CRIC—CR—CRACK!
…I heard something cracking.
“Graph!!!”
WHAM!
I sent Kuroyuki flying backwards.
Kuroyuki immediately adjusted herself and landed safely with her feet sliding backwards on the snow.
She was about 20m far.
But as my eyes blinked— it was a big shock when she`s suddenly in front of me, with her sword swinging down.
Not good…! My instincts are telling me to defend…!
How on earth is she moving so fast…!?
“One Handed Sword Arts— Swing!”
CLANG!!!
“Kuh…!?”
BAM!!!!!!
Her attack this time is so heavy that even a three tonne arm strength is not enough to take it head on. I quickly added my sword on it to prevent her from pressuring me down.
The ground sunken even larger and deeper than last time.
What on earth happened…!? Her attacks are getting faster and stronger…! Is she even human…!?
Large waves of shock spread out, it's so powerful that it's even blowing off those bystanders that were watching from the sides.
“L-Let`s get out of here…! This is not a fight anymore…!”
With that, everyone else except for the <Sword Saint> who fainted fled from us.
Regardless of how, Kuroyuki made no motion that she was bothered by it. She then made a spear on her right hand and thrusts straight at me with full throttle.
Instinctively, I drew out another portion of my strength and reluctantly deflected it to the left with my scabbard.
A cold air of wind bursts out from her spear— towards the direction I deflected to. It leaves traces of icicles behind as it hurls— hitting a tree on it`s trunk. The tree then froze up like an ice sculpture.
“……!”
So scary…!
“…Don't look away…”
Being too distracted as I am, by the time I look back at her— her sword is nearly cutting my body.
At that time… that moment…
It's as if my body was taken over for a moment.
“One Handed Sword Arts— Full Swing!”
WHAM!!!!!!!!!
When I realized it, Kuroyuki was sent blasting away like a cannonball. Both of her weapons broke, but her body was hard— like a diamond.
I was expecting her to be taking some damage, and I was expecting her to be losing consciousness by now. But the duel did not end. This means— she's still conscious.
Could she land safely…!?
I quickly ran after her.
But then, several large piles of snow suddenly appeared around where she was going to land. Kuroyuki then flew to the centre of one of the piles of snow and blasted a hole on it, spreading the snow all over. She then made the snow disappear, with her standing perfectly without a single scratch on her— not even on her clothes.
“…You are still holding back.” Kuroyuki glared at me again.
“Holding back!? You were sent flying and you were still able to tell I'm holding back!? Such nonsense!” I protested.
Obviously, I was lying. Just how serious do you want me to go!?
“…Reflexive Nerve Sensitivity.” She murmured.
Reflexive nerve sensitivity is something very different from the reflex speed of ordinary people. It`s the process of perception to comprehension to response. The total time of this for a human is 0.3 seconds on average. If the human was a top-class sprinter, it's common sense that crossing the barrier from 0.15 seconds to 0.1 seconds is impossible no matter the training.
“Huh…?”
I was dumbfounded.
I understood what that is, but I have no idea why she said that.
Wait… Could it be… she realized…?
Seeing my expression, Kuroyuki heaved a sigh.
“…See for yourself.”
With that, Kuroyuki pointed her forefinger upwards.
“?”
Instinctively, I look up…
…and was stunned for a moment because I nearly couldn`t believe what I saw.
Countless of her ice spears are raining down on me. More than thousands. It's amount is probably like the droplets of rain.
I didn't think much at that moment. My body moved on. I only knew how fast the spears were falling, as the weapons on my hands knocked them away with random swings on my weapons.
…I don`t know how many of it I had already knocked away. At this rate, the spears that are falling would`ve hit me eventually. I stomped my foot on the ground, transferring the power and force from my leg to my arm and to the scabbard.
“One Handed Sword Art– Full thrust!”
Like a rocket launching upwards, the power itself blew a hole— scattering the falling spears all over.
“Phew...”
I finally am able to catch my breath after dealing with her series of attacks.
“…you defended against my attack, and escaped completely unscathed.” Kuroyuki said to me.
“I`m merely fighting with my instinct. Reflexive nerve sensitivity or whatever, I don`t have such a thing.”
“…Really?”
She murmured with a gaze full of doubt.
Sensing something, I quickly raised the scabbard on my left hand above my head while maintaining as much strength in my arm as hard as I could…
THUNK!!!
…and blocked an ice Excalibur that slashed downwards from behind my blind-spot.
“…I see.” Kuroyuki murmured.
She seemed convinced.
This girl… so she could’ve controlled her ice even without a need to move her hands.
PAK!
Hearing that snapping sound, I quickly put up on my defences.
Up until now, Kuroyuki`s spears have been scattered all over. With so many of them loitering around, this would end up…!
By the time I open my eyes, the mists are so thick that I couldn't even see my own five fingers. I can barely even keep my eyes open because of the cold. My hair, clothes, even the moisture on my skin were ‘iced’. If it's not for the clothes` warming function, I would`ve been freezing to death from the cold.
“…pierce.”
“!”
The moment I heard Kuroyuki`s voice, I quickly took up my guard as I endured the cold pain on my body. That said, I instinctively deflected her spear sideways.
This attack is different. It's five times more powerful and faster than her normal spear attack, but there's only one. The only possibility of this power I could come up with is that she threw it herself. I was nearly unable to deflect it.
But how could she even locate me…? This stupid mist is so freakishly thick…! Could it be, she could tell where am I from her snow…?
I felt another cold chill.
CLANK!!!
Shit…! Another one…!
I blocked it. But it isn't falling down to the ground, and instead— it keeps on pushing me backwards because of the snow.
Is she controlling her spear to push me backwards…!?
Damnit. At this rate, I would definitely lose my footing.
“Gargh!!!”
I mustered my strength and managed to parry her spear upwards.
Yet at the same time— I slipped because of her snow.
Shit...!
THUNK!
Without revealing what's underneath her skirt— Kuroyuki landed a strong right-crossing kick onto my abdomen. Though I blocked it with the scabbard, because I'm slipping, her kick is able to push my body back.
“Ow…!”
I flew out from the pool of mists and landed with my butt sliding on the snow, eventually crashing on the frozen tree.
“Ugh…”
I quickly looked up as I reached for my sword nearby.
With perfect timing, Kuroyuki caught the dropping spear that I parried upwards and knocked my sword away when I tried to pick it up.
“…That was fun.” She said with a smile.
She then placed her spear on my throat.
“…surrender? I could knock you out painlessly.” She asks.
Her expression… are those that can only be used when one has confidence in victory.
Somehow seeing her expression, I decided to look around. And when I realized, the sun had already set— and after not long, it will be night time, where the sky is completely black.
The reason why I'm able to see it's because of my clothes. They are glowing like a flashlight.
Somehow, I remembered that I hated to lose.
Perhaps she might already think that the stage is in order…
“Hehe… hahaha…” I inadvertently laughed.
“………why are you laughing?”
Seeing my expression, obviously, Kuroyuki was surprised.
“…round two is about to start.”
But in life, there is always something unexpected that is bound to happen. And who knows what will happen in the end?
