Chapter 51 - . New semester and First-Year War [3] (1/2)

51. New semester and First-Year War [3]

After Leia-sensei declared the start of the First-Year War, a female student who served as the commentator began explaining the rules.

The First-Year War takes place in a tournament format, and the winner is given the first-year student participation right for the Sword King Festival.

Only swords can be brought into the match, and no armor is allowed.

In order to be fair, the match card was decided by lottery just before the start of the match.

All of them were very ordinary rules, and there was nothing unusual about it.

「-Well, then! Now that we’ve finished explaining the rules, let the commemoration of the first match begin!」

The female student, sitting in the front row of the audience seat, inserted her hand in a transparent box with a lot of small balls.

Looking closer, each ball had a name on it.

Surely it plays the role of a lottery.

「The first contestant is – this person!」

When she took out the ball vigorously – my name was written on it.

「Ohhh What A Great Start! He came out in the very first match! Everyone knows Year 1 Class A Allen-Rodore! The Head of the mysterious group, the practice-swing club, and the shadow boss of the student council! In the Big Five Holy Festival, his opponent was beaten to a half-dead state, and during the new recruitment period, the Deputy Head of the Swordsmanship Club was defeated by underhanded means. And in the Club Budget War, he was the scoundrel who trifled with President Sie! To what extent will this man’s rapid advances continue?」

It’s not exactly wrong, but… it was a very malicious introduction.

Immediately after the live announcement was heard.

「Oh! So he’s the rumoured problem child. This is the first time I’m seeing him!」

「Hehe, what are you going to do this time?」

「I’m here to see you! Alleeeennn!」

Some of the seniors cheered me on.

(This feeling… I wonder if what I’m feeling is happiness…)

It was a bag of mixed feelings…

「Now, as for Allen’s opponent – Year 1 Class B Raise-Volgan! There’s a rumor that Raise-Volgan, during his middle-school years, sent 10 students from another academy to the hospital! I wonder if there are any people who are familiar with the moniker『Raise the song-sword user』!」

When the commentator announced, Raise-san got up to the stage.

「Oh, that song-sword user!」

「Come to think of it, I’ve heard of him before… He was rumoured to be a mad dog, though…」

「Now, will it be the atrocious Allen-Rodore, or Raise-Volgan, the song-sword user? Isn’t it an amazing card from the very first match!」

While the audience was excited, I stared at Raise-san.

Raise Volgan.

Dark red hair which was a little long for a man.

Silver piercings on the left ear.

He was about 170 centimeters tall.

(This is the second time I’m crossing swords with him…)

If I remember correctly, the first time was…

When he suddenly marched into the Soul Dress Area as soon as I was lifted off suspension…

When I recalled back to those days,

「Yo, it’s been a while. Allen Rodore-san yo?」

He greeted me with a smile on his face.

「…It’s been a while, Raise-san.」

「My, to get to fight you from the very beginning… luck sure is with me today! Today’s flow is quite good…!」

With his eyes bloodshot, he yelled at me.

(Apparently, he has a grudge against me…)

As I and Raise-san continued to glare at each other,

「Are both participants ready? Well then – Match Start!」

The commentator declared the start of the match.

I immediately drew my sword and assumed Seigan no Kamae.

Raise-san, on the other hand, manifested his soul dress in the opening act just like the last time.

「Well up -〈Three Skeletons〉!」

At that moment – three fleshless bone dragons suddenly appeared.

Red light floated in their eye sockets.

「This is…」

Huge.

It’s one or two sizes bigger than when we fought before.

「Haha, did you notice!? But you know, size isn’t the only thing that has changed! – Skeleton Dance!」

At the same time as he cried out – the three dragons bared their fangs all at once.

「「「KORORORORORORO!」」」

Large pointed fangs.

Sharp bone fragments protruding out of the whole body.

Literally, the whole body is a weapon.

(……It’s the first time I’m seeing this technique.)

However, if they’re going to come at me – Just pulverize it the same way as last time!

「Eight Sword – Yata–!?」

The moment I tried to destroy the three dragons with eight slashes.

「-Naive, too naive!」

As if he had foreseen it, Raise-san attacked me.

「Guh!?」

I was forced to abandon my technique and lock swords with Raise-san.

And right there,

「「「KORORORORO!」」」

The three dragons rushed towards my limbs.

「……」

I tried to avoid it somehow by twisting myself,

「Guh…!?」

A sharp bone fragment, which protruded out of one of the bone dragons, cut my shoulder shallowly.

「Fuha! That’s a nice expression, Allen-Rodore…!」

Raise-san curled the corners of his lips and expressed a crooked smile while holding back my sword firmly.

「…I see, so you intend to seal my techniques by engaging me at super-close combat.」

If the distance was closed to this point, it is not possible to unleash techniques freely – neither Flying Shadow, Hazy Moon, World Judgement, nor Yatagarasu.

(The same goes for Raise-san, but… he has〈Three Skeletons〉…)