Chapter 85 - Top Secret and Thousand Blade Festival [2]

85. Top Secret and Thousand Blade Festival [2]

100 Million Years Button – A cursed button.

The moment I pressed it, I was confined for 100 million years in the『Prison of Time』.

Where I continued to swing my sword mindlessly for 100 million years.

And after repeating『100 million years』over and over again – I escaped from that hellish loop by 『cutting the world』.

(I have never told anyone about the 100 million-year button.)

I thought no one would believe such a fairy tale-like story.

And yet,

「Sensei, how do you know about the 100 Million-Year Button?!」

When I asked her,

「Of course I know. I have experienced it, too.」

She said something outrageous.

「B-By experienced… you mean?!」

「Aa, that’s right. I spent a very long time in the『Prison of Time』, too.」

Sensei whispered with a distant look in her eyes.

「Which means, you know about the hermit of time too?」

「Of course I know. That rather annoying geezer with a really long, white beard, right?」

「……」

There is no more doubt.

Just like me, sensei received the 100 Million Year Button from the hermit of time and – accidentally pushed it.

「S-So, what do you mean by『talk about the 100 Million Year Button』?」

When I asked her directly,

「Hmm, that’s right. Let me start with this first – Don’t ever tell anyone about the 100 Million Year Button in the future.」

Sensei said, looking me straight in the eye.

「Y-Yes, that’s fine, but… Why not?」

In the first place, I had zero intention of talking to anyone about the 100 Million Year Button.

However, as I am『prohibited from revealing』, I want to know the reason.

「Well, where should I start…」

Sensei began to speak slowly, with her arms folded.

「Well, let me share the information I’ve got first. The principle of the 100 Million Years Button is a cursed button which the hermit of time carries around. Its origin is old, and the existence of the hermit of time and the 100 Million Year Button has been dated back to a few hundred years ago.」

「F-Few hundred years ago!?」

「Aa, it’s far beyond the lifespan of a human being. Since he himself calls himself the『hermit of time』, he probably has no life span. He’s more of a『spectre』than a human being.」

A spectre, huh…

Certainly, now that I think about it, I felt that the hermit of time was emitting otherworldly vibes.

「I don’t know what his purpose is, but he wanders around from place to place, handing out the 100 Million Year Button to especially outstanding『swordsman with innate talent』.」

Since the hermit of time appeared in front of me, that’s probably not the case.

「But such people seldom surface – no, they are extremely rare. Because most swordsmen can’t stand the hell of 100 million years and they commit suicide.」

「……」

I remembered something unpleasant.

「The swordsman who break the curse of the 100 Million Year Button and were able to escape from the prison of time are called『Transcendent』.」

「…Transcendent?」

「Aa, yes. And the problem begins from here. There is a large organization that has recently been gathering transcendents and is operating in the shadows of the world.」

「Is it perhaps… the Black Organization?」

「Good guess. It is exactly as you say.」

Sensei nodded, and drank from the glass placed on the desk.

「You’ve left a very big impression at this year’s Sword King Festival. The unthinkable impression of – The『Nameless Swordsman』who defeated『Prodigy』Idol Luxmaria. The degree of attention on the Sword King Festival is high. I’m sure this information has already reached those guys’ ears.」

She continued further.

「In addition, even though it wasn’t made public, you defeated the infamous『Conflagration Zack Bomber』by yourself. And Zack is a member of the Black Organization. Naturally, this information will be well known within the organization. In other words, what I’m trying to say is that there’s a good chance that the Black Organization will try to contact you in the future. To scout you, of course」

「T-To scout me?!」

「Aa, it’s very plausible. Be careful, alright? They are horribly persistent. If it’s for the sake of achieving their purpose, they’ll use any dirty method without hesitation.」

「I understand. I will be careful.」

「Umu, please do.」

It’s absolutely unthinkable for me to join the organization that kidnapped Ria.

However, it won’t hurt to be cautious.

「Well, to summarize everything, the Black Organization is gathering『Transcendents』. And due to your successes so far, they are likely to come and scout you. So, if someone asks about the『100 Million Year Button』in the future, do not tell the truth and feign ignorance. He’s definitely a member of the Black Organization.」

「Yes…」

When I nodded,

「Well, that’s all. Sorry for drawing it out.」

Sensei said, and drank up the glass of water.

「No, it had been weighing down on my mind, so thank you very much.」

「You don’t have to worry about it. I am the Director, and also your homeroom teacher, after all.」

She smiled gently and touched on a small subject at the end.

「From here on out, it’s a question of pure curiosity, but… Allen, how many years were you trapped in the『Prison of Time』?」

「Err, sorry. I don’t remember exactly how many years.」

「Just a rough estimate is good enough.」

「Let’s see… About a billion years, I think?」

As a result of continuing to loop through 100 million years over and over again, I didn’t keep count after the tenth loop.

At that time, I was not in the state of mind to keep count.

And then,

「HA?!」

Sensei petrified like a stone statue, hearing my reply.

「…S-Sorry, if it wasn’t my mishearing, I heard『a billion years』just now.」

「Yes. I was in that world for at least that much.」

But it most likely didn’t surpass 20 loops, I think.

「A-Absurd…」

She murmured something, with her mouth hanging wide-open.

「W-What on earth did you do for such an astronomical amount of time?」

「Let’s see… Mainly just practice-swings.」

There were times when I was developing various techniques – Flying Shadow, Hazy Moon, Dark Roar, Yatagarasu, and so on – but primarily I was always swinging.

「F-For more than a billion years, just continuously swinging!?」

「Y-Yeah…」

「I… see… You are a truly fearsome guy.」

Sensei said, as though astonished and exhaled loudly.

「Fuu… No, it’s nothing. Forget about that just now.」

「O-Okay…」

When I gave a half-hearted reply,

「Just in case – What I told you today is a top secret that is only known to a handful of people. Don’t speak a word of it to anyone, alright?」

「Yes, I understand.」

「All right, that’s all for now. I’m sorry it took so long.」

「No, I’m sorry too. Thank you very much.」

Then, I said「excuse me」and left the director’s office.

(Fuu… Anyway, to think even Leia-sensei pushed the 100 Million Years Button…)

The world is small.

I never imagined there would be someone else who had experienced that hell so close to me.

(However, the Black Organization might come to scout, huh…)

It is impossible for me to join the organization which kidnapped Ria.

(But they’re a large-scale criminal organization.)

The moment I turn down their invitation, it is conceivable enough that they will come at me in a frenzy.

In that sense, I should be cautious.

「Well… It’s time to go to where Ria and Rose are.」

Then, I went to the schoolyard which was the activity ground of the Practice-Swing Club.

■

Shortly after Allen left the director’s office,

「I-Impossible…」

Leia was greatly perplexed. Her face was completely pale.

「More than a billion years in that lonely, isolated world?! Even I was at my limit at 500 years! Just what kind of mental strength does he have?!」

Her voice echoed greatly in the spacious director’s office.

The name 100 Million Years Button, is only what the hermit of time calls it.

A person who actually spent 100 million years and returned alive to the real world does not exist – except for Allen.

If you can’t destroy that world – the prison of time – before that, you will become broken and fall towards the path of suicide.

In fact, even Leia, at the time of her 500th year, had she not smashed that world with her fists, she surely would have become broken and met a miserable end.

On record, the longest time someone was imprisoned in the Prison of Time is – 1000 years.

Of course, the number of digits exceeding『10,000』, much less『1, 000, 000, 000』, has never existed.

Therefore, she was frightened.

After spending over a billion years of hell, Allen’s normalness – was more frightening than anything else.

「Allen Rodore… Even after taking into consideration the mega-class spirit core that dwells in his soul – there is something strange about him as an individual.」

She was finally beginning to recognize the『Anomaly』that is Allen Rodore.

「Anyway, this is completely beyond expectations. I have to report it to Dahlia right away.」

Leia moved to get in touch with Allen’s mother, Dahlia Rodore.