92 91. Kensei.txt (1/2)

After receiving the scarf, I'm forcibly brought to the labyrinth by Rowen.

It seems that the purpose is to level up, but I'm sure he has other plans for me.

Incidentally, the Reaper wanted to play on the ground, so I left him in charge of Snow. Perhaps Snow decided that it was easier than exploring the labyrinth, and he agreed to take care of it.

At the time of our parting, she seemed to be quite enthusiastic about it, as she happily took out her knitting tools from her room.

''--That's why I'm here in the labyrinth with my best friend Kanami.

”Hey, when did you tell your best friend: ......

As we walked through the 21 layers, me and Rowen chatted.

'On second thought, I realized I've never had a friend my age before in my life: ....... Please take care of my 'unfinished business', Kanami.

'Wow, okay, ....... Even if you don't ask, I consider Rowen a friend .......

Rowen has a serious look on her face and says something very sad.

I nodded at that sadness.

'I was waving my sword every day that came and went ....... There was no way I was going to make friends .......

Rowen mumbles, thinking back to the past. I feel my eyes slowly grow empty and I move on to another topic.

'Well, is Rowen good with a sword?'

...... Yeah. Probably the strongest in the world.

What, the best in the world?

Yeah, best in the world.

As soon as Rowen mentions the sword, he looks confident and proud.

Then, she suddenly runs out of the labyrinth and begins to scurry around and look for monsters.

There's no indication that Rowen is using her magic power. However, she seems to be detecting the enemy by a different means than I am. I find the one monster, Fury, and snap my knuckles in a popping motion.

”Let's find out. Bring me a suitable sword.

Then, he reaches out to me and extends his hand.

I took out a suitable mass-produced sword from my 'belongings' and tossed it to Rowen.

Rowen takes the sword and walks up to Fury without holding it in place.

Fury extends his arms, which are so powerful that veins rise to the surface, with a bullhorn, with great vigor.

Just as those strange four arms were about to touch Rowen, there was a crisp, light sound, and a thin line rushed down Fury's arm.

In the next moment, all of Fury's arms fell to the ground without touching Rowen (...).

Yes.

The arms didn't fall into the air.

I am in awe of that unusual sword technique because I can grasp all of its techniques in the Dimension.

There was no other way to call it a divine feat.

Even in the face of the grasping ability of the 《Dimension》, I couldn't sense any preliminary movements in Rowen. Right before she moved, Rowen certainly hadn't put any effort anywhere on her body.

And the moment the monster's attack reached him, Rowen paid off his sword with the maximum efficiency that a human body could move.

Just that much.

In words, that was all there was to it, but the shock of seeing it was indescribable.

Even if one were to be surrounded by all the artifacts of the world, it is doubtful that they would be able to match this shock. Indeed, Rowen's sword had reached a realm beyond even art.

Swinging the sword.

To do it with maximum efficiency means to make a completely lean movement without any difference in the slightest degree.

In other words, in a time span that is less than 1/100 millionth of a second, the weight is shifted by no more than 1/100 millionth of a gram, the trajectory of the sword is followed by no more than 1/100 millionth of a meter, and the sword is swung.

Such an astronomically difficult flash of the sword was easily accomplished by Rowen.

Because I can see that difficulty in the Dimension, I can't help but be in awe.

It's no longer a matter of how to relax, move your feet, swing your arms, or move your sword.

It is the ultimate operation of the human body, beyond the theory of swordsmanship.

As I froze in awe, more lines rushed by, and Fury crumbled into shreds.

It probably looked to Fury like Rowen had just been standing there the whole time.

In that state, he slashed and chopped the Fury, killing all the momentum, breaking it into pieces and dropping it to the ground to expose it.

On top of the fading Fury, which turned into light, Rowen looked back at the fading Fury.

If you look at it, not only is there no return blood, but there's no gore on the sword, not even on the sword.

The sword, which was too fast, left everything behind.

''--I'd say that's about 30% of what it was in its prime.

Rowen turns back to me with a disgruntled look on her face.

'Is that ......?'

I return the question.

It's suddenly unbelievable that I'm not even half as good as I am after showing so much divine work.

''Oh, it's still too late. But it can't be helped, since you were called as a guardian of the 30th layer (Guardian), I guess you're locked into a strength that matches the rank of the 30th layer.

The strength is fixed: ......?

''Yeah, the humans would be in trouble if the thirty-layered boss wasn't strong enough to be worthy of the thirty layers, right?''

...... That's a very sweet story.

'Yeah, the labyrinth is friendly to humans. I heard a nice guy built it.

Rowen talks about the roots of the labyrinth like it's nothing.

Probably information that no one on earth would know.

'So you're saying that this labyrinth was created by 'someone' ......?'

'Yeah, I can't say who made the 'rules' but ....... I'm sure 'someone' made it up: ......

With a grin, Rowen laughs meaningfully.

Apparently, there is a limit to what information a guardian (Guardian) can provide to the searchers. He described it as a 'rule'.

But it's important information.

We can't pull it off easily.

''How much do you know about this labyrinth, Rowen?

'No, I don't know much about it. All I know is that I'm on a mission to invite humans to the 100th layer in exchange for the opportunity to get rid of the 'unfinished business'.

I'll invite you to ......?

Rowen pondered for a bit and answered simply, shaking her head.

I don't know if that's a lie or not, I don't know.

Maybe it's just a 'rule' that I'm supposed to answer that way.

I try to find the truth in Rowen's complexion, but he smiles thinly and shakes his head again.

'It's true. I swear to you, my friend, it's not a lie. ...... My guardian (guardian)ization is more messy (...) than anyone else's, so I haven't been given a good explanation. I was staring at the Reaper that day, and he suddenly swallowed me up. They didn't tell me anything.

Did you get swallowed up?

Yeah, swallowed by a continent. That's the kind of magic - no, there's a magic circle. So the Reaper and I were sent to the labyrinth before we knew it.

'...... okay. If you're ......, can you tell me about that 'that day' thing next?　I want to know about Rowen and the Reaper's past.

'I don't have much of a story in our past. I was one knight in a war, and the Reaper was one magician who was put into that war. That's it. Yeah, that's really all there was to it: ......

Rowen smiles as she thinks back.

The smile on his face tells me that he's remembering his former encounters with the Reaper.

I want a bit of information and still bite down.

'How far in the past is that past?　I was amazed at the sky in the morning, but has the world changed that much?

'Hmm. As I recall, they said it was going to be called in a thousand years, so ......, probably a thousand years ago. After a thousand years, the world has changed. I was really surprised to see the sky change in color.

A thousand years ago. ......?

It was a boring time, with all the wars. I'm the knight who fell in the middle of a fight to make a name for myself.

Rowen talks about her end as if it was nothing.

There was a range of emotions in it. I sense not only regret and grief, but also nostalgia.

I am silent, not knowing what to say to the dead person.

However, Rowen looks at me and laughs.

'Haha, so don't worry about it. Life is like that, it's rare that someone dies without 'regrets'.

'Maybe so, but ....... Still, I can't laugh in front of a dead person .......

You're so serious, Kanami. Let's take it easy, shall we?

Easygoing ......?

Rowen moves her shoulders up and down as if to tell me to relax.

'Yeah, you better enjoy yourself more. Enjoy this labyrinth.

What do you mean by enjoyment: ......?

'The more you dive into the labyrinth, the stronger you become. Isn't it fun to get stronger?

The words of the Guardian of the Labyrinth (Guardian) were meaningful.

He spoke as if the labyrinth was prepared to make humans stronger. Although he doesn't make a definitive statement, every word conveys the image of the labyrinth that Rowen has in mind.

'Yes, I suppose. Sure, it's fun to be strong: ......

There's no doubt that my game-loving sensibilities make the task of leveling up enjoyable.

Without lying, I honestly answer that I enjoy it.

'Yeah, get stronger. That's why I brought you to the labyrinth.

Um, does that mean ......?

'You want to be strong to protect your life. As a Guardian, I want to make the promising Kanami stronger. Our interests are aligned. And the labyrinth is the perfect training ground.

Apparently, Rowen brought her to the labyrinth for a good reason.

''Let's see, the guardians (guardians) are responsible for luring humans to the 100th layer, so you're saying they make humans stronger for that purpose?''

Yeah.

It's hard to believe.

I've heard that 100 layers have the power to make any wish come true.

Then wouldn't it be natural for them to interfere with the search to protect it?

''There's an amazing treasure, or something like power, in the 100th layer, right?　That would mean that the Guardians are there to cede that power to the humans, right?　Really?

Hmm, you know what?　I'm not sure about that part.

I asked the obvious question. But Rowen's response was appropriate.

'Come on,' she said, '.......'

'I'm sure there's an unusual accumulation of 'power' in the 100 layers. But I didn't ask you to protect it or give it up. I'm just doing it because you asked me to.

The role of a guardian (guardian) is quite appropriate: ......

I agree with you on that. It's just not made up in many ways. --unlike (・・・・・)

Agreeing with my words, Rowen falls silent.

By ”unlike,” I wonder if he means ”someone” who created the labyrinth.

Rowen will not speak about that ”someone”. That's the rule.

So I'm going to shift the subject to what Rowen can talk about, not what she can't talk about.

'You're welcome to make me stronger, but is that what Rowen is all about?　As I get stronger, I think it's going to be harder for Rowen to win the 'Dancing Tournament' that she wants, don't you think?

'Don't worry about that. The stronger the opponent is, the greater the glory I'll get, so it's not a bad thing for me either. Besides, the 'dance tournament' isn't all the glory I'll get. If it doesn't work, I'll figure out my next move.

......, okay.

For me, it doesn't matter either way.

Rowen has a lot of difficult requirements to meet to achieve her goals, but not me.

It all comes down to me being strong.