Chapter 111 - Senior Holy Knight and Sunny Land [2] (1/2)

111. Senior Holy Knight and Sunny Land [2]

Instructor Don Gorg entered into combat position and glanced around at the darkness that covered the training hall.

「What’s this strange『darkness』?」

「It’s something like a『half soul dress』.」

I answered, still maintaining Seigan no Kamae.

「Fuu, I see… A『blockhead』like you does show up from time to time!」the instructor said, and started running with a loud war cry.「KAAAAAA! Mountain Breeze Style – Mountain Cut!」

An overhead slash filled with spirit.

I stopped it with my bare hands, clad in darkness.

「What… the hell?!」

The instructor’s eyes widened in surprise, but this was the natural outcome.

「Excuse me, can you please take it seriously?」

The attack was a『fake blow』.

A blow which stuns, and doesn’t seek to end the match right away – a fake blow that was unleashed just to cause pain.

It’s not the same as a『real blow』that you unleash to cut down your opponent – like those of Sid-san and Idol’s attacks.

「The match between swordsmen is a serious battle. I will cut you down without hesitation next time.」I told him, and let go of his sword.

「I-Impudent!」

The instructor’s face dyed red and he jumped back.

「Shitty brat… You have some nerve to make a mockery of me!」

And the next moment,

「Shave off -〈Hilly Wind〉!」

A brown long sword appeared out of empty space.

(…It’s finally out.)

Equipment that embodies a part of the spirit core – soul dress.

The power I am currently struggling to attain.

「Fuhaha…! How do you like it? You’re jealous, aren’t you? Even if you make an effort all your life, this is a power that you will never attain!」the instructor roared, and showed off his soul dress proudly.

I observed the soul dress without responding to his cheap provocation.

(Wind and… is that『sand』?)

Looking closely by straining my eyes, I saw grains of sand and wind swirling around the long sword.

It seems that the ability of his soul dress is to freely control two kinds of power – wind and earth.

(That is a good soul dress. As expected of an instructor of Senior Holy Knights.)

As I held such impression in my heart,

「Kukuku… Oi, bastard! I will teach you the『core weakness』of a dropout swordsman who can’t even use soul dress!」the instructor said, with a sadistic smile, and held up his long sword high.

「What would that be?」

「Fuu, that’s… long-range attack and the number of hits! Sand Blast!」

The moment he swung down his sword, more than twenty sand swords rushed at me.

The acceleration increased due to a sudden gust of wind, and each one cut through the air like an arrow which was released after being pulled back to the maximum.

「Certainly… you are right.」

Sid-san’s Freeze Lance.

Claude-san’s〈Avio Troops〉.

Dodriel’s Dark Shadow.

It’s their long-range attacks and overwhelming number of hits which is most troubling for swordsmen like me who don’t have a soul dress.

However, I already thought up a countermeasure against those.

「-Dark Shadow.」

The twenty impending sand swords – were cut down by darkness as sharp as a blade.

「Wha?!」

「Yoshi, that was a good response.」

The three Dark Shadow moved exactly as I pictured.

This is a new technique I devised inspired by Dodriel’s dark shadow.

With enough concentration, I can control up to four at a time.

(The effective range is a little short of two meters, but…)

It functions well as a defense against techniques with a lot of hits.

As I nodded to myself, confirming the success of the experiment of a new technique,

「W-What is up with the crazy application range of your ability…!?」the instructor said, pointing to my darkness, wide-eyed.

「Ahaha. I like this darkness because it’s very effective in its application.」

I cut the conversation short and assumed a forward-bent posture.

「-Then, I’ll go next?」

「I can cut down a bastard like you in a single stroke!」

As soon as I heard his answer, I invaded into the certain kill range in one step.

「-HA!」

「Fast!?」

A diagonal slash aimed at his right chest – he defended it by holding his sword horizontally

However,

「Nu-oh?!」

Unable to stop the impact of the swing, he was blown back a great distance.

「Guh, this kind of power… from that small frame!?」the instructor grumbled, performing ukemi with a smooth movement which did not match his large frame.

I identified the spot where he was about to land and shot a slash from a long distance.

「First Sword – Flying Shadow!」

「Fuh, an insignificant slash like that… won’t work!」

The instructor swung his sword powerfully and knocked down the Flying Shadow clad in darkness.

But that was within my calculation.

「Certainly.」

「Wha?!」

Hiding behind the large slash, I closed the distance without wasting any time.

In the first place, Flying Shadow is not a technique aimed at dealing damage.

Camouflage, Feint, Closing the distance – it’s an auxiliary-type technique.