4-46: Training and Blunder (1/5)

4-46: Training and Blunder (1/5)

Great swords as big as an adult or even bigger, especially the ones made by Garesto, have limited application because of their weight and size.

At most, their application would be limited to one of two things: slashing or sweeping.

Such great swords could be swung upward instead of downward with the help of an exoskeleton, but the ways in which they could be used were narrow compared to one-handed swords.

Moreover, their unwieldy size made it difficult to execute fine movements. Of course, it was not impossible to do so, but forcing the issue could only result in slow movements.

Thats why combat against great swords was mainly a question of how to take advantage of the openings left by their lack of agility and how to get up close.

Whats the matter!? Is running all you can do!?

KU!

Ryou understood that, and in fact, all the students of the academy knew that.

The usual method was to dodge the first attack and then rush up.

But Shinichi wasnt doing that.

Of course, it wasnt as though he didnt have any openings.

After all, this was training. If the teacher didnt leave any openings, then the student wouldnt be able to do anything.

Ryou also wasnt slow, as his Rank A in Agility was more than enough to be called fast.

The problem was that Shinichi could nimbly handle that Rock Great Sword with one hand

Quit being scared and come fight already, you coward!

As Shinichi hurled abuses at Ryou, the Rock Great Sword smashed into the earth.

Ryou managed to dodge that by stepping back a little, but the sight of that sword cracking the earth was clearly reflected on his eyes.

Lumps of earth were sent flying toward him by the impact, but he didnt spare those a glance.

As someone with an AAA+ in resistance, there was no need to dodge or defend himself against something on that level.

More importantly, the great sword remained stuck in the ground.

That was the textbook definition of an opening.

But Ryou, who wielded a one-handed sword(blade) in each of his hands, hesitated.

A hesitation that lasted only for an instant before he finally took that step.

Raising up the sword in his right hand, Ryou rushed toward Shinichi.

Even if this sword were to miss or be blocked, there would still be his left sword.

Ryou was by no means at the pinnacle of the two-sword-style, but it took him no less than an instant from that moment he hesitated to get close enough to unleash his blades.

At that distance, the speed of the consecutive attacks unleashed by two swords could not possibly be handled by a great sword.

But if its this guy, he might be able to do something.

Despite the supposedly unbeatable position of the two swords, that thought flashed through Ryous mind.

Sparks rose from the blades that stopped the great sword as they slid along its body.

Once again, Ryou was about to draw a stroke with his blades, but the moment he closed in, something hit him.

What!?!?

Unable to understand what had happened and unable to keep up with the attack that had landed on his forehead, Ryou found himself spinning vertically into the trees.

Umu, I hit a good spot So it turns out people can fly while rolling backwards.

Shinichi said as he watched that scene unfold like it had nothing to do with him.

Meanwhile, Ryou, who had begun to sink into what were now just blocks of woods, jumped up and yelled.

Owwww!! W-What was that just now!?

Ryou asked while rubbing his forehead and healing it with a skill.

With teary eyes, he used his other hand to rub his neck, making sure that it was still there.

He was seriously worried that it might have bent or torn off.

But then

Did you forget already, my dear bird brain? I told you not to look away, didnt I?

a cheerful, apathetic voice resounded from above.

A crescent moon smile greeted him, but it was so cold(terrifying), Ryou thought hed caught a glimpse of Niflheim.

Later he would tell his childhood friend that he wanted to praise himself just for not screaming.

The black-clothed(school-uniformed) death god smiled at him with the sea of stars as his backdrop.

D-Damn it!!

It was curious who Ryou was cursing, but regardless, he raised his voice to encourage himself, and crossed his blades, knowing full well that the time to dodge had already passed.

The death gods scythe(Rock Great Sword) was about to crush him. Fortunately, he had not dropped his blades earlier.

A thunderous sound akin to that of a meteor descending cried out throughout the whole area as his blades met that great sword.

Thanks to Ryous physical abilities, Shinichi holding back, and the difference in the durability of the weapons, Ryous arms did not break, and the Rock Great Sword even chipped a little.

Yet despite that, Ryous heels still sank halfway into the ground.

When Ryou looked at Shinichi, he saw that even after all of this, he was still using that great sword with one hand, while his other hand played with several throwing stones like they were beanbags.

Thats what hit me earlier!?

I never hid them, though.

Ryous attention had just been too focused on the great sword that he had completely neglected Shinichis other movements.

Ryou was furious at his own ineptitude, but at the same time, he couldnt believe that a stone was actually able to blow him away.

Ryou did not know this, but if a throwing stone were to be strengthened inside and out with mana, and then shot with a gun-barrel formed with mana and similarly strengthened fingers, the resulting power would actually surpass that of a bullet.

After all, the same attack could smash the strengthened stones themselves.