15. Thousand Blade Academy and the Big Five Holy Festival [5] – part 2

I shuddered at the sword speed. Sid-san’s sword speed was much faster than that of Ria – much more than that of even Rose. At the level where the tip of the sword can barely be seen at the last second in a full state of concentration… an overwhelming speed.

And as I caught my breath, Sid-san glared at me.

「Oi… I came here for a『fight』. If you’re going to play a boring『shooting game』, I’ll crush you!」

Tremendous bloodlust was released from his whole body.

(He is coming…!)

I held on to Seigan no Kamae, and waited with a perfect posture. And the next moment, Sid-san was right before my eyes.

(F-Fast!)

I held my sword horizontally at once, and defended against his downwards swing. Both our swords collided, and a metallic sound rang out.

(What ridiculous strength…!?)

While enduring the blow with both hands, I saw smugness on Sid-san’s face.

「Hmm… your reaction is so-so.」

He immediately spun around and landed a strong kick into my abdomen.

「Ga-ha…!」

The air in my lungs was knocked out and I was blown back.

(Damn… Just the kick is so powerful…)

I immediately performed ukemi and returned to Seigan no Kamae. 1

However, there was no follow-up attack from Sid-san. He loosely dangled his sword, and stretched his body. It’s frustrating, but he doesn’t seem to have recognized me as a proper opponent yet. I’ll take that as an opportunity to analyse the series of attacks we exchanged.

(Sid-san’s high-speed approach was completely different from Rose’s…)

Rose’s is a『soft movement method』 that matches the breathing and blinking of the opponent.

On the other hand, Sid-san just left it to his ridiculous leg strength『Strong movement method』.

(Most of all, the thing that bothered me the most was… his swing)

To put it bluntly, the swing was too lousy. The grip was half-baked, and his flank was not closed properly. A lousy blow that was just swung down with all his strength.

(Speaking of which… It was the same for the current kick.)

It’s just a random spinning kick that he left to his excellent leg strength.

(Although it had an astounding force… it was just as rough)

If he was able to drop his center of gravity firmly and transmit power from the ground properly, I would have suffered more damage by now.

That’s right. He’s just bulldozing through with his innate natural physical abilities.

(Sid-san is undoubtedly a genius who is born only once every decade.)

It’s frustrating, but… I can never match up to him.

Extraordinary arm strength.

Excellent leg strength.

Flexible body like a spring.

All of them are first-class qualities, and all of those… is something I don’t have.

(But that doesn’t mean I can’t win…)

He desperately lacks effort, training, and above all – an earnest heart to face swordsmanship.

(And the chance of victory lies right there…!)

As I finished analyzing him, he clicked his tongue loudly.

「Tch. What are you looking at me up and down for… Anyhow, a talentless bastard like you can never win against me in your lifetime. Stop resisting and just surrender already.」

He laughed mockingly at me.

「Certainly, Sid-san is a genius. You’re in a different class from me. But – I will be the one to win this match.」

「Aaa?」

A vein popped on his forehead.

「I see I see… Aa-Aa, that’s troublesome… If you really want to die so badly… won’t you tell me sooner!?」

The next moment, with an explosive acceleration, he zeroed the distance in an instant.

「ORAORAORAAAAAA!」

And then, he swung his sword frantically. His ridiculous physical ability make even such an amateurish attack into a terrifyingly sharp, four consecutive strikes.

(Kuh, launching Yatagarasu would not stop his slashes in time…)

In this situation, it’s time for that technique to make a debut.

「Cloud Style – Cirrocumulus!」

Four simultaneous slashes, although its number is fewer, the launch speed is a cut above the rest. This allowed me to deal with all four of his slashes.

「Tch, don’t get ahead of yourself! Worthless trash!」

As all four of his slashes were cut down, Sid-san jumped high on the spot – and brought down a full swing with his whole body weight. In addition to his extraordinary arm strength, a powerful swing with his whole body weight – cutting it down with my own strength would be difficult. However, his teaching comes into play in times like these.

「Iron Cutting Style – Iron Break!」

The moment the two swords collided, I put all my strength into my body. The body and the sword are integrated as if they were one iron – and the impact flows to the earth.

『If mind and body can become iron, then iron can also become soft』 – the essence of the Iron Cutting Style.

「Guh…damnit!」

As even his full swing was defended against, he leapt back far behind and sheathed his sword into the scabbard. Immediately after that, he charged straight at me. It is plain obvious that he’s going for a super-fast Iai slash – he is not even trying to hide it in the first place.

「DIEEEEEEEEEEE!」

Sid-san closed in on me at an unstoppable speed. In this case, her fastest sword is most effective.

「Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style – Lightning Sakura!」

A thunderclap-like flash met his Iai slash. Almost even – no, mine was slightly faster.

「Guh!? Changing your style again and again… such a creepy guy!」

As all his attacks were defended against, Sid-san took a distance from me. With this, his turn has ended. From here on out – it is my turn.

For the first time in this fight, I closed the distance. And unleashed a killing blow.

「Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style Secret Technique – Mirrored Sakura Slash!」

Four mirror slashes from left and right each – eight simultaneous slashes at unstoppable speed.

「Something like this… I can shoot dowwwnnn!」

He made full use of his extraordinary physical ability and shot down all the slashes.

(As expected of his reaction speed and sword speed)

I was dumbfounded by his talent at this point.

(However… my true aim comes after this!)

Sid-san, who prevented Mirrored Sakura Slash from attacking his left and right, was left open in the center of his body – the middle was defenseless.

I aimed there and,

「Eighth Sword – Yatagarasu!」

I unleashed eight simultaneous slashes.

「Guh-nuOOOOOOO!」

However, he cut down even that. Sid-san shot slashes one after another at an amazing reaction rate.

However,

「Guh…gaha!」

Two consecutive Yatagarasu – he was unable to cut down all sixteen slashes, and one slash reached him. Although it was only one shot, the slash caught him on the head. Dark red blood trickled down from his forehead.

「Bastard!」

He glared at me with bloodshot eyes, holding his injured head with his right hand. I matched his gaze firmly and declared clearly.

「Sid-san is truly strong. Arm strength, Leg strength, Sword Speed, Reaction Speed – I can’t win in any one of those. However there is one, in regards to earnestly swinging the sword – in regards to『Swordsmanship』, I am superior to you.」

「Guh…」

Then he slowly looked up to the heavens – and hardened.

And then,

「Kukuku, kakakaka…kugyahahahahahahahahaha…!」

Suddenly he started laughing like crazy.

「Aa…shut up. shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up! You’re a truly creepy bastard!」

He glared at me with his big eyes.

「That! Those eyes! Those bastard eyes are the ones that creep me out… Those eyes that believes in effort… and swordsmanship and such…!」

He paused for a moment, and then cried out.

「No matter how much a trash swings the sword, trash is trash — trash trash trash! It will not change, no matter how much it swings the sword, no matter how much effort it puts in, trash is trash! Just get that in your head already!」

After fussing as such, he suddenly stuck out his hand to the empty space.

「I’ll show you… the absolute talent that makes『effort and swordsmanship』seem 『miserable』」

At that moment, tremendous pressure was emitted from his whole body.

This sensation… is the third time following Ria and Cain-san.

(As expected… Sid-san can use it too)

I went on guard and grasped my sword tightly. And he yelled out with a heinous smile.

「Devour – 〈Vanargand〉!」2

At that moment, a huge fissure ran through the empty space, from which a sword appeared. The blade is white like snow, and the hilt is black like the dead of night.

(It’s finally out, soul dress…)

I raised my guard to the maximum level and assumed Seigan no Kamae again.

「This… is the end for you…!」

「…Come!」

From here on out – it’s the decisive battle.