Chapter 11.2 - Thousand Blade Academy and The Big Five Holy Festival [1] – part 2 (2/2)

Well… I kind of understand what she wants to say.

Even at the Gran Swordsmanship Academy, during basic physical education – a whistle was ringing all the time during swinging and running.

But still, she is so energetic this early in the morning…

「Well, that’s all for now… today, we’re going to do a practical test!」

Then Leia-sensei started to explain the practical test.

「First of all, the use of soul dress is prohibited. The purpose is to measure the proficiency of pure swordsmanship! Next, regarding school techniques, all of them can be used. Show me the swordsmanship you have polished!」

After completing the explanation,

「Now then, everyone should borrow an appropriate sword for your own size from the gymnasium preparation room!」

Finally, after giving the instructions, she lightly blew the whistle happily.

(I’m pretty sure she just likes whistle blowing…)

Ah, so Leia-sensei is a little childish.

Then we looked for the one sword that suits us in the large quantity of swords in the gymnasium preparation room.

It is forbidden to use your own sword in the practical test.

This is a measure to avoid inequality among students.

For example, let’s take the proficiency of the cheap sword that I usually use, and the proficiency of highest-grade sword.

It is obvious which would provide better results.

The fact that the result depends on the superiority or inferiority of the sword is contrary to the purpose of the practical test that measures the proficiency of the swordsman. Therefore, although it is a little troublesome, the sword is borrowed from the academy in the practical test.

(…Yoshi, let’s go with this sword)

I returned to the gymnasium after finding a sword that was about the same size as the one I use everyday.

There were three other men in the gymnasium besides Leia-sensei.

Perhaps the two young men are assisting with the practical test, and the old aged man with glasses is the measurer.

After a while, all the students had borrowed a sword and returned, and then sensei resumed the explanation.

「Now, as everyone knows, the practical test is composed of three events – Iai Slash, Ten Slash, and Consecutive Slashes. Well, it’s the same thing you did in middle-school. Let’s start with Iai Slash first. -Oiii, start the preparations.」1

「「Yes!」」

The young men asked by Leia-sensei, immediately set up a dedicated pedestal and set a bamboo of an appropriate length on it.

When the test preparation was complete, Leia-sensei started speaking.

「Well… I think everyone already knows, but let’s briefly explain the flow. -First, the student must stand in front of the bamboo set here and assume the Iai-stance. After that, draw the sword at any timing and bisect the bamboo. The time taken from drawing the sword and to cut the bamboo will be recorded in this test.」

The explanation was exactly what I received in middle-school in the Gran Swordsmanship Academy.

「And this time, this measurer will measure everyone’s records. This man is a 50-year veteran. Make sure to be polite.」

At the same time as sensei finished speaking, the measurer, who had a likeable face, quickly bowed.

Measurers — This is an important job that is indispensable for all practical tests in elementary, middle and high school. Their job is to do just one thing — measuring test results accurately.

In order to qualify as a measurer, high specs are required, such as a visual acuity of 3.0 or more, reflexes within 0.2 seconds, and the difference between sensory time and real time within 0.01 seconds. Therefore, the number seems to be insufficient nationwide despite high demand.

「I shall tell you this as a reference record, the average of the first year students is around 0.8 seconds annually. Well, put it in one corner of your head.」

Leia-sensei then took out a notebook and pen from her inner chest pocket.

She is probably going to record the results in the notebook.

「Well, let’s begin immediately. First – Ria Vesteria!」

「Yes!」

When her name was called, she stood in front of the bamboo and quietly closed her eyes.

A few seconds after the gymnasium fell silent,

「-Ha!」

A sharp flash ran through and the bamboo before her, became two equal parts.

Everyone’s gaze gathered at the measurer.

「- 0.5seconds. Hoho, well done!」

It’s a stunning record that was 0.3 seconds less than the average for first-year students.

「Yoshi!」

She happily did the guts pose and returned to the place that she was standing before.

「A good record right from the start, this is a good sign! Well then, next – Rose-Valencia!」

「Yes」

Rose-san briskly moved to the front of the bamboo – and suddenly dropped her center of gravity.

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

Then the next moment – a thunderclap-like flash ran through our sight, and the bamboo was bisected magnificently.

From the fact that splits ran across the two divided bamboo, you can imagine how powerful that move was.

「-0.3seconds. Magnificent!」

The students around us were very worried about the new record, which was 0.2 seconds less than Ria’s record.

「Fufu… it’s my win.」

「Gu-gununu…!」

Rose-san with a triumphant look, and Ria with a frustrated look.

Apparently, they seem to get along really well with each other.

「As expected of the secret art, Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style, it was a tremendous strike! Yoshi, next – Allen-Rodore!」

「Yes.」