65-65 Thousand Swords (1/2)

────, let's go.

Yeah, please.

Three months had passed in the blink of an eye.

Every day since then, Gilbert has been training with me.

”Draggrave.

Gilbert's spear shot instantly arrived in front of me from a distance where I could barely hear his voice.

I saw the sharp edge of the spear and applied the black sword in my hand.

”Parry!

Instantly, there was a tremendous friction between the sword and spear, and golden sparks flew all around.

The golden spear in Gilbert's hand shifted its trajectory slightly as I hit the tip of the sword, and instead of reaching my throat, it grazed the side of my neck.

Please try again.

I'm not going to be as good as I was next time, okay?

Yeah, please.

All I'm doing is the same thing I've been doing every day, assessing and repelling Gilbert's attacks as he thrusts his spear at me with frightening speed. That's all I do.

He never misses a single day of such monotonous training, never complains, and just goes along with it.

Gilbert's attacks are sharp.

And with each repetition, each attack becomes faster and sharper than the one before.

It seems that he is adjusting his attacks according to my growth, but each attack is still deadly for me.

──── I can't relax at all.

It's almost like I'm dying, and I'm training under extreme conditions.

He was giving me such days.

”Draggrave”.

Gilbert's spear was getting sharper and sharper by the day.

Gilbert's spear is getting sharper and sharper every day, and I have to adjust my movements to match.

So, gradually, the way I used my sword to play the spear changed.

At first, I used to slam the Black Sword with all my might.

I didn't have time to think about anything else, I just had to play it with all my strength.

──── But now it's a little different.

Instead of slamming the sword into the spear as hard as you can, just hit the tip.

You don't go against the flow of power coming at you, you just stroke it away.

Since I have learned this, I think my ability to deal with a straight attack has improved dramatically.

I owe this to Gilbert, who always accompanies me in my training.

Gilbert's attacks are fast.

He closes the distance in less time than it takes to blink and aims for the throat.

In the past, I would not have been able to even catch sight of his spear and would have surely lost my life.

But ────

Parisi.

That's a thing of the past.

Now, I can somehow repel his terrifyingly fast spear.

Of course, it's because he's been so patient with me.

Sometimes I slammed my sword down so hard that it broke his golden spear.

I thought I had done something wrong, but he laughed and forgave me.

He told me that his spear has a mysterious power called ”enchantment”, and even if it breaks, it will be restored after a day.

This man is not only ──── terribly strong, but also has a generous and kind heart.

When I had a newfound respect for the man in front of me, Gilbert lowered his spear.

I'm sorry, but that's all for today. I have some business to attend to.

”Well. Thanks for your help today. Thanks.

Hey, ............, do you really think that's true?

...... Oh well.

By the way, I accidentally told a friend about this place the other day. ...... Master wants to come.

What's that?　Who is that?

You'll know him when you see him. You know him.

I see. I'm sorry about today. For hanging out with you.

Well, it's a mutual thing, I guess. If you're serious about that.

...... Well, that's nice of you to say.

I still don't feel like I'm having a conversation with you. ...... Well, I'm off.

...... Oh, my body hurts all over again today. ...... I need to get it fixed before I go to work.

Gilbert walked away with a spear on his shoulder.

Not long after that, I heard someone walking towards me.

As I waited patiently for the sound to come closer, I saw a familiar face walking towards me.

It was the swordsman instructor who had taken care of me when I was a child.

”Instructor, what brings you here?

”...... Gilbert told me about this place.

I'm not sure if this is a good idea or not, but it's a good idea.

It's a mithril sword. There are two of them.

Before you leave for Mithra, I thought we could try our hand at it.

”...... me as an instructor?

I wish I could, but I already have a sword, don't I?

Sorry, but that sword is too special. I want to use the same sword, on equal terms.

Okay.

I did as the instructor asked, put down the black sword and accepted the sword he offered me.

At that moment, a slash came from the ──── instructor.

I immediately drew the sword I had received from its sheath and flicked it with it.

The silver swords clashed with each other and small sparks flew.

──── It's so light, this sword.

I'll try to swing it a little more. You should try swinging it a little more.

Oh.

I took the scabbard of the sword and put it up against the base of a tree in the area. I kicked up a twig at my feet and slashed it with the silver sword that was given to me.

It was unexpectedly sharp, and the branch shredded without feeling any resistance.

I did not feel the weight of the ──── sword at all.

It was as if I was waving a bird's wing.

You can only feel the discomfort.

...... Maybe I've gotten too used to that heavy sword.

Have you gotten used to it?

No, it's still uncomfortable.

The sword is too light and uncomfortable.

You'll get used to it.

Another slash comes from the instructor.

This time from three directions at once, above my head and to my left and right.

You'll need to have a good idea of what you're doing.

──── It still feels too light and uncomfortable.

I even feel like my hand is fluffy.

But when we play together like this, I feel a response and I feel like I'm getting used to it.

Well, I feel like I'm getting a little more familiar with the feeling.

”I see. Let's continue for a while.

Please.

Before I could even set my sword down, dozens of slashes came at me from the left and right, almost simultaneously.

I focused on them and flicked them off one by one with the smallest of movements.

”Parry!

Sparks flew again.

Then, we shoot each other for a while.

The more I repeat this, the more I get used to this light sword.