Chapter 106 – Training (3)

I died.

Why? I have no idea…

I charged in prepared to die, but I never actually thought I’d die…

I didn’t even feel the sensation of dying. To be honest, I didn’t even realize I was dead.

Witnessing this, Cartia mocked and laughed at me, while Sirin offered advice with a bitter smile.

My exploded head still throbs… Ugh.

But, hmm… Perhaps because my head burst, my mind feels oddly clear.

I think I can calm down a bit and fight properly now.

[“You rushed in all fired up and died right away. Pathetic brat.”]

Be quiet… I’m already embarrassed enough.

This time, my torso was pulverized, and I died again.

Still no clue why.

Seriously, how does getting hit by a greatsword result in your body being crushed…?

Well… When I think about the monsters I’ve killed with this thing, I suppose it makes some sense…

Does this mean… I’m that weak?

[“Did you really think you were strong?”]

Well… no, but… hey, I did beat a Master, you know…

[“Hah, I could beat that loser with one hand, idiot.”]

…You haven’t even seen him.

I managed to block Sirin’s sword once!

I died right after, though…

Now my stomach feels like it’s being stretched taut… It hurts…

Cartia keeps mocking me as usual, while Sirin keeps advising me on why I died.

The main point is: stay focused and dodge at the right moment.

But I can’t see.

Sirin’s an idiot.

[“You think she literally means ‘see’? Use your perception or whatever it is you’re good at. That’s what ‘seeing’ means here, dummy.”]

Ca-Cartia, you’re just an old hag.

I swung Cartia’s greatsword, which I could only swing twice before, thirteen times!

And then, I collapsed and died slowly.

For the first time, I felt what it was like to die gradually…

It wasn’t a pleasant feeling.

Lonely, cold, and painful.

I wonder what Rubia is doing right now…

I miss-

[“Oh, are you crying? Crying? Hah! What a loser!”]

Ugh, so annoying…

I finally learned the name of the greatsword I’m wielding.

Frey.

Apparently, it’s named after her family name. She said the spelling is different, though.

The sword’s meaning is said to be a prayer.

A prayer for victory.

…She’s surprisingly sentimental for an old lady.

[“You’re seriously asking for it, aren’t you?”]

Hehe… Must be nice being so old, Granny.

The energy I expend while swinging the greatsword has decreased.

Now I can swing it a hundred times without issue!

Compared to when I died after swinging it a dozen or so times, this is major progress!

But I still couldn’t even nick Sirin’s sleeve.

[“Think while you fight! Do you plan to trade your brain for candy? Look at where the sword is coming from, where it’s aimed, and how it’s swung. Then decide what to do. Pay attention to every little detail, even with your pathetic excuse of a body!”]

You’re not the one doing this, so stop backseat fighting…

[“Shut your mouth before I shut it for you.”]

Muffled sounds Ack!

I recalled the sensation when I finally nicked Sirin’s sleeve.

The feeling of becoming one with the sword.

As if my soul, not my body, was swinging it.

As if I was carving my path into the fabric of space itself.

[“Hah, looks like you finally listened after getting chewed out. That was a decent strike, for a loser like you. Missed the mark, though. Keep at it, you miserable weakling.”]

Can’t you just compliment me properly? Why do you always have to mix in insults?

[“Then swing your sword properly. I hate mixing insults into praise, too, you know.”]

…You’re so infuriating.

Ah!! So frustrating!!

If the greatsword were just a little longer, I could’ve cut her sleeve!!

Damn it… I was so close.

So, so close…

[“She let you get that close, you moron. Do you really not get that?”]

…Hey, no, I got that close because I’m good, okay?

[“Sure. Try doing it again, then.”]

Cartia was right.

I haven’t gotten that close since.

She really did let me get close on purpose.

…That’s so unfair!

[“What’s unfair about it? You’re the one who fell for it, dumbass.”]

Ah, seriously! Can’t you take my side for once? Why do you always just insult me? Can’t you see I’m struggling enough as it is!!

[“Geez… Fine. Good effort, I guess.”]

…Just insult me instead. That’s even weirder.

[“You’re never satisfied, are you? You little brat.”]

I finally nicked her sleeve.

It took forever.

Or… did it?

I don’t know.

“You’ve grown to a certain degree. I’ll now increase the time ratio. Do you wish to stop here and leave?”

I grabbed the greatsword lying on the ground and stood up.

“From now on, I’ll not only use the sword but also magic. So, feel free to stop if you wish-“

I leaped forward without hesitation.

[…]

The sound of steel clashing.

The sound of blood droplets scattering.

The sound of those droplets being sliced once more by a sword.

The sound of magic being cleaved by a blade.

And again.

The sound of steel clashing.

Sirin’s killing intent crushed my body.

The sound of her greatsword slicing through the air carved lines into my perception as if splitting my skull.

A jarring sensation scratched at my brain, pointing upward.

I trusted that sensation and moved to raise the greatsword overhead.

But I didn’t.

If I blocked it, the sword would break. If I dodged, I’d be swept away. There was no avoiding it.

So. Let’s die.

Together.

I channeled all the remaining energy in my body into the greatsword.

I forced my trembling legs to twist and threw myself into the diagonal path of the blade.

And unleashed everything.

Thud!

From my right shoulder to my left hip, Sirin’s greatsword carved through me.

The sound of skin tearing. The sound of bones shattering. The sound of my liver splitting, my lungs tearing, my guts bursting.

The weight in my hand grew lighter. My perception dimmed as my body turned cold. Cartia’s nagging voice faded into the darkness.

And then.

Sirin’s head fell onto the ground beside my battered body.

For the first time, Sirin died before I did.

A smile crept onto my lips.

***

“…Ugh.”

As soon as I came to, I reached into the air and grabbed Frey.

[“Good morning.”]

There stood Cartia, leaning casually, and Sirin, smiling with satisfaction.

[“Wipe your drool, disgusting.”]

“Ssk… How many times… did I kill Sirin?”

I wiped the drool from my chin and stood up.

[“One hundred and twenty-two times.”]

“Haha… that’s… quite a lot.”

A hollow laugh dispersed into the wind.

[“You happy?”]

“Of course…”

[“But why do you keep talking informally?”]

“You said we’re partners… Doesn’t that mean I can talk casually? Right…?”

This time, Cartia’s laughter echoed across the wasteland.

[“Still, brat. I’ve lived ten years longer than you. And as a ghost, about a thousand more. Tsk, a kid who doesn’t even have dried blood on their forehead is talking-“]

“If I called you Granny, you’d just get mad again…”

Ignoring Cartia’s grumbling, I stretched my body thoroughly.

“We’ve reached the limit now. You know that, don’t you?”

“Limit…?”

How many times have I died?

[“Roughly eight thousand.”]

Cartia’s exasperated voice rang out.

“You’ve cut my sleeve. My arms. My legs. My magic. My words. You’ve cut the earth. And even the sky.”

Sirin laid her greatsword on the ground.

“And in the end, you killed me.”

She reached her empty hand into the air.

“I acknowledge you.”

The space tore, collapsed, and twisted.

“Yet still, you have not freed yourself from what binds you.”

The hand at the center of chaos slowly clenched.

“It’s the arrangement that serves as the key to everything, so there’s no helping it. Still, it leaves me feeling a bit regretful.”

As her hand fully clenched…

“This is the last time.”

In her hand appeared a greatsword identical to Frey.

“Noah. Show me your path.”

***

I couldn’t discard my stats. I couldn’t abandon my traits.

My body broke. My mind broke. I got frustrated. I got angry. I resented. I despaired. I regretted.

But I stood back up.

I didn’t fully understand what my sword was. I didn’t fully grasp what my path was.

Even so, I moved forward.

Why?

I have no sense of duty to save the world.

What do I want? What am I doing this for?

“Rubia.”

I don’t want Rubia to die. I want Rubia to dream of a future. I want Rubia to hurt no more. I want Rubia to smile with peace of mind.

I want Rubia to be happy.

[“Now that’s something worth watching, brat.”]

With a faint smile, I raised Frey.

It was heavy.

Even more so than before.

Yet.

“It feels light.”

The weight of the sword felt light.

***

“Whew… Finally, it’s over.”

“My body… feels noticeably lighter.”

Serr abruptly sat up in bed and inspected herself.

“Thank you, Rubia.”

“Yes… But… um, since it’s all over, may I ask something? Serr, isn’t it hard for you to die, just like me?”

“That’s correct.”

“Then why… were you dying?”

No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t understand.

If she’s like me, she should regenerate even if her limbs are cut off and her body crushed.

“To be precise, it’s not an ordinary curse. Well, it’s not even quite right to call it a curse-“

Thud-

“…Huh?”

Thud-

“It seems they’ve finally arrived. A week… We took a while, but it seems they took quite some time as well.”

“W-Wait… Wait a moment, Serr!”

“Yes?”

Thud-!

“Quickly… Quickly put on some clothes! Hurry!”

“Ah, now that you mention it.”

“No…! Stop being so casual and hurry!”

“Why are you so frantic? This was all part of the healing process, wasn’t it? I deemed it essential to better sense the flow of divine energy.”

Boom-

“No! Shut up and put something on already!”

“Oh my? Rubia, did you just speak informally to me?”

“Please… I’m begging you!”

“Oh, I see. So we’ve gotten close enough for you to drop formalities. Hmm, but I prefer polite speech. Also, aren’t you also undressed, Rubia? I think it would be better if you dressed first-“

Crack- Crack-

Crash-!

“Well, since the healing is done… Oh… uh… Cartia! Quickly, cover Noah’s eyes!”

“…Huh? W-Why so suddenly?!”

[“What? What the hell?! Hey! Hey, it’s pointless, she’s blind! Just take the greatsword from her already!”]

“That’s impossible! I’m still sore all over! Noah! Let go of the greatsword… Ah.”

Step- Step-

“Rubia?”

“…Y-Yes?”

“What are you doing?”

“…H-Healing.”

“While undressed?”

“No, Noah. This is… It’s all… unavoidable. You trust me, right? Nothing, absolutely-“

Crack- Crack-

“Wow… Noah, you’ve really grown strong. Just by radiating mana, you’ve already cracked Sirin’s carefully crafted barrier. You’ve definitely become stronger. Though, I still think you’re weaker than me. Hehe.”

[“Oh, crap… We’re doomed.”]