14. Thousand Blade Academy and the Big Five Holy Festival [4] – part 2

When I came to realise, I was standing in an unfamiliar place.

「Eh…? Where am I…?」

Surely, I was fighting with Cain-san at the Big Five Holy Festival… and then…

「…Oh right. The moment I was cut by his soul dress, I lost consciousness.」

Looking around, I saw a small, dirty house.

And one more thing – numbers were listed in the air.

99Year 12Month 31Day 23Hour 59Minute 42Second.

It’s probably like a time limit of this world, with the numbers decreasing second by second.

「No way… is this a prison of time?」

I feel that the air and atmosphere are a little like that of the other world.

(This… should be the ability of his soul dress〈Hell Hundred〉)

Guessing from this situation now – until the clock reaches 00Year 01Month 01Day 00Minute 00Seconds, the target that was cut by the soul dress – that is, the ability to seal the target in this world for a hundred years.

「For now… shall I try it lightly?」

If this is a world with the same or similar structure to that other world… it can be cut.

I moderately concentrated,

「-HA!」

I swung down the sword while holding back considerably.

Then the space through which the sword passed through, greatly wavered.

(Yoshi… there is a reaction)

If this is the case, I will be able to escape from here at anytime.

(But, wouldn’t it be a waste…?)

I obtained a hundred years after all.

There is no other way to make effective use of this.

「Well then, first of all, check the surrounding environment…」

This was my second experience, and this time there was a way to escape, so I was able to act very calmly.

Then I spent an hour investigating the world.

From the conclusion, this world was also a small sphere.

If I walk out of the worn-out house and walk a little in a straight line, I get to the back door of the house.

Fortunately, the house had everything needed for life, although the quality was poor.

Bare minimum food.

A bath where I can somewhat stretch my feet.

Tattered mattress and comforters.

「Un, this is plenty.」

Although it’s not as gorgeous as that other world, the necessities were present.

After getting a grasp on the situation,

「Yoshi, let’s swing the sword!」

I decided to fully enjoy this world.

Unlike that hell loop, it’s really easy to get out anytime.

Fear, frustration, anxiety – I can face my swordsmanship purely without being trapped by those negative feelings.

Ten years later.

I was just swinging every single day.

Control the breathing, raise the sword – swing it down.

This movement has been repeated thousands and hundreds of millions of trillions of times.

My heart seems to be purified with every stroke.

(Aa, I’m happy…)

Swing the sword silently without anyone getting in the way.

It couldn’t be replaced by anything else, my heart was content.

Eat.

Sleep.

Swing the sword.

While living such a wonderful life – there was only one thing that burns my heart.

(There is only a mere 90years left…!)

Yes, it’s the remaining time.

The clock in the air pointed to 89Year 07Month 10Day 19Hour 15Minute, and the remaining time was less than ninety years.

(And there are still many more things I want to do…! A-Anyways, I should hurry up…!)

Twenty, thirty, forty years later… time progressed at the speed of light.

And after fifty years, the results of the training began to sprout little by little.

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

「Iron Cutting Style – Rust-Off!」

「Cloud Style – Cirrocumulus!」

I succeeded in recreating the techniques with reference to the basic philosophy, type, and the essence of the school that I asked my friends from Class A before.

Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style was the only technique I learned by imitation… Surprisingly, I was able to learn it immediately.

However, soul dress was the one thing I couldn’t manifest.

In the first place, I still don’t know how to develop a soul-dress – I didn’t know the training method for it.

(I hope they will start teaching it soon in class…)

Thinking about that, I kept swinging my sword today as well.

Finally, it became 00Year 01Month 01Day 00Hour 00Minute 01Seconds.

A second later – the white world will collapse with a sound.

「No way…? It’s over already…?」

Honestly, it passed by in an instant.

(Even though I was thinking of cutting the world after training moderately and returning to the original world…)

I didn’t have enough time to train moderately.

The time of 100 years was too short for me, as the time sensation of『one loop of 100 million years』 had permeated into my marrow.

(I haven’t even done 10% of what I wanted to do yet…)

It had completely caused indigestion.

(Although it was appeased by『desire for swinging』… Damn, I wanted to train more and more…)

I wonder if there is any way to stop the collapse of this world.

But … I couldn’t find the answer no matter how much I thought about it.

A sword is originally something that『cuts』and never『puts together』something.

(I guess I have to give up…)

As I shot a sidelong glance to the crumbling world, and the moment I sighed – an electric shock ran through my mind.

(…No, not yet. This isn’t the end yet!)

Perhaps this world may continue to loop a hundred years forever.

Yes, like the 100 million year button repeated 100 million years forever!

It’s still too early to give up.

There is still hope.

(P-Please, Please…)

Then as I slowly opened my eyes – Cain-san was storing away the soul dress.

(No matter how I look at this, this is the real world…)

Unfortunately, the 100-year bonus time stopped at one time… no loop occurred.

(Haa… No way I would get so lucky…)

As I dropped my shoulders, the audience seats on the side of Ice King Academy suddenly began to get excited.

「As expected, so amazing! It was a one-shot certain kill!」

「Cain-sama! Defeat the next opponent in the same style!」

「Hehe, the guys at Thousand Blade Academy might withdraw from the match, right? They might even be cowering in fear after witnessing the match just now!」

Somehow, it seems like Cain-san has already won.

When I was doubtful of this situation, the referee approached me with a pitiful look.

「〈Hell Hundred〉… is a truly terrifying soul dress. Allen-kun… how pitiful for such a young swordsman… Shall I count you as not being able to continue?」

For some reason he looked at me with sorrowful eyes and encouraged me to gently withdraw from the match.

「N-No no, I can still continue! Or more precisely, I’m about to get serious from now on!」

To withdraw without even doing anything… this is not a joke.

Although it was a little unsatisfactory, I’ve been training for a hundred years.

From now on, the results of the training must be fully tested.

And as I did,

「…Ha?」

The referee opened his eyes wide for some reason.

「Y-You can understand me…!? C-Can you really continue!? Rather, is your mental state alright!?」

「…? I don’t really understand, but I can still continue the match.」

「U-Understood…!」

Then the referee got off the stage quickly.

The only ones left on the stage was me, who was full of eagerness, and Cain-san, who for some reason thought he had already won.

Putting away the sword and turning his back towards the opponent – it is a foolish behavior that is nothing less than disqualification as a swordsman.

(I can’t bear to attack an opponent full of openings, but… this is a serious match.)

It is disrespectful to the other party, if I don’t take the chance when I see one.

(There’s only one thing I should do right now – just do my best!)

I gripped my sword tightly and immediately expressed the results of my training.

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

Four strikes from the left and right each like mirror match – eight slashes that could not be discerned by the eyes.

The first time I met Rose-san at the Sword Festival, she unleashed this special technique on the final stage.

Moreover, this version has its own modifications.

Instead of the traditional eight-consecutive strikes, it has evolved to produce eight slashes『simultaneously』with a single swing like the Eighth Sword – Yatagarasu.

「…Ha?」

Cain-san, who noticed eight slashes approaching from behind,

「Ga-haa…!?」

While his eyes widened in shock, he received those eight slashes all over his body.

「Aa…gu-ha…!?」

After that, he somehow tried to get up… but only to the point of squirming on the ground.

He probably received a mild concussion.

With his eyes out of focus, he pointed his trembling finger towards me.

「H-How?! You must have been sealed in that empty-hell-like world for a hundred years…?! Why are you still conscious !? Why isn’t your heart broken!?」

Then I parted only a single request to him who started to say a lot of incoherent things.

「Cain-san, 100 years is a bit too short… If there is an opportunity next time, I would like to ask you to at least add a loop function.」

As I requested so, he slightly banged his head.

「Absurd…!」

After that, the referee who confirmed that Cain-san lost consciousness, announced the results loudly.

「Cain Material, unable to continue! The winner, Allen Rodore!」

At that moment, the Thousand Blade Academy audience seating was filled with joy.

「Hell Yeaaaah! WE WONNNN!」

「Way to go, Allen! You were really amazing!」

「That’s our vanguard! Ride this wave and, defeat the general too!」

As I received warm and kind admiration from everyone, I raised my right hand and responded.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep