269 Lesson 128: The Curse

The Pope said my name.

Those eyes just don't move in front of me. Like before, it's not the first time I've seen someone who's not here through me. It was a gaze that recognized the individual, the Sword Sky.

In a way, I was confronted for the first time with Pope Sophia Azurite.

Stared at by the papal eyes with their deep darkness, their hearts naturally lengthened.

Fortunately, the numbness caused by the sword had almost disappeared. It was possible to resume the battle at any time.

Carefully distancing himself from his opponent, the Pope flashes his mouth as if to make fun of him.

"However, it's impossible for the dragon not to notice you." You're the only one who doesn't realize what you're capable of. ”

"... what have you been talking about?"

I raise my eyebrows unknowingly. Until just now, I suddenly felt that I could not understand the words of the other person who had been able to talk to me.

To be precise, I don't have a good understanding of words. I know what the Pope is saying. I don't know what you're talking about.

I don't mind ignoring it, but something in me denies that choice. As a result, I could only be vigilant.

The Pope narrows his eyes at me like that.

"As I mentioned earlier about the harmony between the sword and the sword, as well as, no, there are things that are more important than that in order to control the flow of illusion burial. It is the harmony between the mind and the body, that is, between the mind and the technology and the body. It's strange to be human, and if you think you can win with your heart, you can find a chance to win against a superior opponent. You're always the one who believes in you.”

Conversely, a human who can't believe himself is sometimes defeated by a lower rank opponent without being able to produce half of his strength.

In order to fully demonstrate your trained body and skillful technique, a steady spirit is indispensable -- a mind that believes in itself. The pope, who spoke that way, put his index finger up here.

"Let me clear up one misunderstanding." From what I've seen, you seem to recognize me as a superior opponent, but that's not true. What do you think it is that drives your mouth, not your sickle? It is to recover the sky (from the sky) by releasing the three-shaped elephant skill. In short, I'm buying time. ”

"What!?"

"You can't unleash a shape without reconciling the sword and the cage." Of course, this is the same for me. In order for this body, which does not have an anima, to use the sword of illusion, it had to squeeze out its own power, the power of the Immortal King, the power of the Fantasy Seed (Azrail), all of them. "

On the evidence, the pope pointed to his body. Myriad of eyes, ears, and nose groaning anomalous bodies have not changed before.

However, if I looked closely, it seemed that I didn't have the same power as Rikikan when it appeared in the eyes of the fantasy species that looked towards me. If you think about it, Azrail hasn't spoken since his first call. That's how much it's worn out, isn't it?

The Pope further says:

“I could use Azrail's mouth to chant multiple magic simultaneously and hit a fishing bottle. However, your opponent is only wasting his energy. That's how I poured everything into my skill.”

"... what do you want to say?"

“That means I played my last trump card first. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to fight you properly. You have reached that point now. You didn't seem to notice it at all.”

The Pope said so with a look of seriousness.

When I heard that, I accidentally frowned.

Indeed, the Pope said, and I thought they were fighting quite sparingly. More to the point, I even felt that I was wearing it without giving out half of my strength.

After all, in my eyes, the Pope did not use the power of the King of Immortality (Undead) or the power of the Seed of Fantasy (Azrail), but seemed to be fighting only with his own skill (Kegi).

But in fact, the Pope fought far more seriously and with all his might than I expected.

That in itself is appreciated. Honestly, I didn't think I'd see the winning eye at all.

The question is why did the Pope reveal it in this situation? Or is it just an invitation to be on the lookout for us? I keep thinking and talking. [M]

Even so, it seemed like he was fighting with a lot of leisure.

"It's called years of merit."

The pope responds with a clear face. The words of the immortal king, who lived three hundred years. I might have laughed if I hadn't been in this situation.

Of course, under the current circumstances, I can't do anything to tickle it. Looking at the Pope with a rugged face, the Pope began to say:

“People refer to a heart that believes in itself as confidence. No matter how much strength one admits around him, he who cannot believe in himself is not confident. Always underestimates oneself and overestimates others because one does not gain confidence. This is exactly what you are now. If you were right in your mind and body, you would not have misjudged my power."

When I heard that, I frowned in a different way.

If you don't remember, just cut off the other person's words as bullshit and throw them away. But the Pope's point was certainly deep in my chest.

I feel like my hand has been inserted into the depths of my unconscious mind, and I say it reflexively.

"I think I have the confidence to be worthy of my strength right now, even after I've gotten my guitar."

The Pope replied lightly, thinking that Ursula had not seen me before.

“A confident swordsman is a man of nature and style, but yours belongs at best to the Hirakata-san. If you want, those who can reach the Swordsman won't laugh at the Flag Bearer's confidence.”

……

“You've fought and won many enemies. If you're a normal person, you'll have the confidence you deserve. But you're not. Those who do not believe in themselves cannot admit their enemies. No matter how many strong enemies you win, it becomes meaningless the moment you win. That's why I think that the opponent I thought was a strong opponent was only the [opponent I can beat], because I unconsciously think that it was only the [opponent I can beat]."

I am the result of the unparalleled victory as the triumph of all, and the loss of many things that should have been obtained. That is what the Pope said.

--The point is surprisingly disturbing.

I tried to throw up my mouth like I knew it, but I couldn't do it either. Somewhere in your heart, you admit that the other person's words are correct.

With his mouth shut, the pope asked him to whisper.

“But it's hard to imagine that would be the case without any reason. The sword sky, what kind of curse are you encroaching on?"

Curse. Curse. Curse that you cannot believe in yourself.

I also wondered if the soul eaters were too powerful. No matter how strong the opponent, it is only due to the power of Soul Eater. That's because it was definitely in my chest.

However, the power of the same source (anima) is the power of the user. I understood that, and without the Soul Eater in the first place, I would have been devoured and killed without being able to beat the mere monster, the king of the wolves, not to mention the fantasies of Hydra and Behemoth. All I feel for Soul Eater is gratitude. It can't be a curse.

There's another reason I don't feel confident. Memories that are dark enough to cry and cold enough to freeze.

What runs through the mind is a dry eye that looks at the rocky side of the road. And there was a voice as dry as his eyes.

Oh, yes. If this is a curse, it is.

"-You 'd better leave the island. There is no need for the weak in this land."

You weren't worth anything but that voice.