Chapter 1.2 - 100 Million Years Button and Prison of Time [1] – part 2 (2/2)

It was too good to be true…

This is not a fairy-tale, there is no way such a dream-like solution exists.

「Haa…. Is the story over? I don’t have time to go along with such stupid stories」

「Oya…? You don’t believe me?」

「I think it is amazing… If it was real」

「I’m not lying! I’ve never told a single lie in all my life!」

「I see, I think that is a good thing.」

And then, I picked up my sword again and began swinging.

I already know I can’t win… but at the very least, I want to do what I can.

「Kuh…. just once, won’t you press it at least once? It is the request of an old man with not long to live…!」

At that time, the hermit appealed by rubbing both hands.

I didn’t expect to him to request so desperately.

「Aa… I understand already」

He should be satisfied if I just push it once.

I thought so and when I tried to reach for the button, the hermit of time suddenly spoke with a serious face.

「Young swordsman… let me give you a piece of advice.」

「Huh… is there still something else?」

「Never–never commit suicide! Although, beyond this point is a different world, your body is only one. If you die, that’s the end.」

「Yeah yeah. I got it.」

Thus I pushed the button that the hermit of time was holding.

But, as expected or something… there was no particular change.

「Ho ho, how about it? How did you feel about waving your sword earnestly for 100 million years?」

The hermit of time asked me happily from the bottom of his heart.

「Nothing has changed. That was an outright lie.」

I wasn’t particularly dejected.

The story of the 100 million years button was too good to be true.

「Ho ho ho! It’s too big a change, so you don’t notice it! Seeing is believing— so why don’t you swing your sword once?」

How persistent…

Slightly frustrated, I swung the sword lightly once.

「Fuun!」

At the moment, a violent wind swept over.

「……….Eh?」

If my eyes weren’t deceiving me, my sword just branched out into three images.

The space itself was curved – the sword was that fast.

「Ho ho ho! That’s amazing! I hardly recognize you, young swordsman!」

The hermit of time laughed while clapping.

(Is this… for real?)

I tried cross-cutting this time.

「Ha!」

Three seconds after swinging the sword horizontally -「Zaaan!」the sound of cutting the wind resounded after a delay.

My sword has surpassed the speed of sound.

「Wh-What the… hell…!?」

It is not just at the level where my body is accustomed to the sword.

I was surrounded by a ridiculous omnipotent feeling that I and my sword were one and the same.

「How is it? Doesn’t it feel like being reborn?」

The hermit of time laughed happily, as I looked and marvelled at the abilities of my hands.

「A-Ah! Truly, I feel like having been reborn…!」

I lowered my line of sight to the 100 million years button that was held in the hand of the hermit.

「O-One more time… Please let me press it once more…!」

I have certainly become stronger.

I have become strongerーbut I’m still unsure if I can win against Dodriel.

There was a big wall between me and him, so much so that I couldn’t understand the strength difference between us two.

「Sure sure! You can push it as many times as you’d like!」

「Re-Really!? Thank you, thank you…!」

After that, I pushed the button many times over.

No- I had accidentally pushed it.

This cursed 100 million years button…