Tik-Tik- Tikididik-
The tiny cracks in space began to mend in an instant.
From within.
[How is it?]
Cartia, with a face more confident than anyone in the world, slammed Frey into the ground with a thud.
How is it, you ask?
“… It’s amazing. Uh, it’s amazing and incredible… really cool, and also… um…”
I want to say something even more impressive, but my mind is blank because I’m just too shocked.
After stammering for a while, Cartia snickered and ruffled my hair.
[Did you feel the vision I just contained?]
“V… Victory.”
[That’s right. It’s the same vision as my unique ability. You understand why I contained that, right?]
“Because it’s the… most familiar and desperate…?”
[Exactly.]
From Cartia’s decisive strike.
From the vision contained in Frey.
From the center of the soul.
A yearning for victory was felt.
Beyond yearning, madness was sensed.
A completely different, disturbing, and frightening feeling from the usually light-hearted Cartia.
[That was just 10%.]
“J-just 10%…?”
[Yes. 10%. The strongest power I could wield at my prime was 50%. You can probably reach that level too. No, I believe you can surpass me.]
“R-really?”
Nodding her head, Cartia extended her finger and said.
[What was the first warning I gave you?]
“Only use it once a week…!”
[Correct. Until you can handle your full power. For now, just once a week. And there are 3 weeks left until Brunhilde is summoned. So, you need to complete that within the next 2 weeks.]
“Two weeks…”
[Can you do it?]
If I really had to think about it… I don’t know.
Honestly, I think it’s impossible.
However… thinking about the upcoming battles, even if it’s a finishing move or an ultimate technique, I must become stronger.
So I said,
“I can do it.”
[Good. Then, I’ll teach you step by step, so let’s start with Frey.]
With a warm smile, Cartia stepped back and pulled Frey out of the ground.
I too summoned Frey and readied my stance.
[The first step to completing the ultimate technique. Sword and Body Integration.]
“S-Sword and Body Integration…!”
[Oh. You know what that is, right?]
“… Not really?”
[…I didn’t expect you to. Sword and Body Integration literally means reaching a state where body and sword become one. A person becomes the sword, and the sword becomes the person. That’s Sword and Body Integration.]
“Oooh… Huh? Ah? Then earlier…”
Earlier.
When I felt Cartia’s presence while using the ultimate technique, it felt as if she and Frey were one.
Cartia felt like Frey, and Frey felt like Cartia… such an oddly profound feeling…
[That’s right. You observed well. That’s what perfect Sword and Body Integration looks like.]
“Wow… How do you do that?”
Cartia tilted her head in confusion.
[What are you talking about? You’ve already reached that state!]
I tilted my head as she had done.
“Me?”
[Yeah. You know, that feeling of swinging your body instead of the great sword?]
Swinging my body…?
“Uh, I think… maybe…?”
[Hmm, you haven’t been aware of it. That’s why it was occasionally breaking up. I see.]
Muttering to herself while dragging Frey through the ground with a squeak-squeak, Cartia seemed to have recalled something necessary.
With a mischievous grin, she said.
[It’s okay. You’ll feel it soon.]
“How…?”
[Before that, wait a moment.]
Cartia, who had just reverse-summoned Frey, shouted with a startled expression.
[This! This did it!!]
“Eh?”
Tap-tap-
Step-step-
Thump-thump-
“Noah, what was that just now? Are you crazy? Are you trying to summon monsters? Or what, signaling to the masters to prepare?”
“Ah, no…”
“Noah, that was a seriously dangerous move. If not for the barrier set by Ser and Rubia, and the fact that Delia is currently unconscious, we’d be in big trouble…”
“Ugh… No, I didn’t…”
[Whoa… Even fainting. That really would’ve been a disaster. Ugh, Noah. How can you swing that power around so carelessly? Huh? Did I teach you to act like that?]
“It wasn’t me… I wasn’t…”
*
[Wow… But seriously, is it for real? How did you catch onto that?]
…As Cartia said.
The truth of the incident was revealed by Rubia.
While Ser and Hermila were shouting nonsense, only Rubia came to my defense and found the culprit.
Just as expected, only Rubia could be trusted!!
“Hmph… Rubia is amazing, right…?”
[…Oh. In many ways, yes.]
“That aside… Why did Ser and Hermila confuse my power with Cartia’s…?”
I kept pondering while being scolded by them, but I couldn’t figure it out no matter how hard I tried.
For someone like Ser and Hermila, they should be able to tell whose power it is.
I mean, even I could feel it a little… it’s strange that they’d be confused.
[You and I have similar natures.]
“Similar…?”
[It’s not particularly important now, just keep in mind that it exists. Anyway, shall we start again?]
As if to signal ‘don’t ask any more’, Cartia lightly interrupted my words and summoned Frey while stepping back.
I too summoned Frey once more and adjusted my stance.
[Your body has surpassed the realm of Sword and Body Integration. It’s way ahead. But your mind isn’t keeping up with that. It means you’re not aware of it. So, we’ll start training to help you recognize it. That’s what I mean.]
“Oh, oh…!”
[First… Hey, come here, you teddy bear.]
Following Cartia’s words, an ice fragment formed in the air and floated towards her.
[Cover this with ice as thick as you can.]
The ice fragment, swirling around Frey while examining it, created a layer of ice covering all of Frey’s blade.
[Is this sturdy enough?]
With a nod-nod, the ice fragment moved confidently and then dispersed into the air.
“What are you doing…?”
[Huh? Oh. Just in case.]
Woooosh- Woooosh- As Cartia swung Frey back and forth, sweeping the ice-covered blade, she nodded.
[This should be fine.]
Then, she gave me a mysterious smile and said,
[Now we’re starting, but it’s not meant with any malice. It’s just the training method that suits you best, so don’t think too badly of it.]
“What, what are you planning to do…?”
[Not much. Just—]
In an instant.
Without any warning.
Without any hints of danger.
Cartia approached me in a flash.
She said,
[You just have to keep getting hit until you get it.]
And then, WHOMP-
The incredibly heavy attack from Cartia slammed into my abdomen.
*
[Hey. You can’t just swing around like that and expect to succeed. Think, think! No, you little brat. Don’t think about the battle now, think… what? You want to talk back?]
[Does it hurt? Of course, it should hurt. I hit you for that reason. What? Did you think you were a genius until now? Of course, you’re a genius. But what of it? I’m more outstanding and stronger than you. Does it frustrate you? Then think. Think about the movement of your body, not about this battle. What? You can’t? Then keep getting hit until you can.]
[You have way too many useless movements. Cut them out. What? All movements are necessary? So you’re here, getting hit by me? Kiddin’. I have no idea where you picked up such bad habits… oh, a game? Hey, that was made for style, completely useless stuff. The ones who lost to you? They’re all idiots. Sirin? She wasn’t even at 5% of her real strength. That’s why you won. How long are you going to keep living off that? Hah, no way… you need to get hit more.]
[One, two, three, four, five, si… ergh! You’re stopping at five! That’s why your brain can’t keep up! Stop being stubborn and just get hit! Wait, why am I enjoying hitting you? Name one master who enjoys hitting their student! Every time you’re hurt, I feel like my heart is being torn apart. But what can I do? The only way for you to get stronger is this way. My lips? Nuh-uh. I’m just like this.]
[Wow. How did you dodge that? You should block. You didn’t break because you dodged awkwardly. If you’re going to dodge, dodge perfectly; if you’re going to block, block perfectly. Just make up your mind! Huh? You can’t breathe? Where’s the potion? Wait a minute. Oh, found it. Here it… Huh? Wait a second! Is this an awakening drug? Oh no, this is bad. Rubia!! Hey, you little brat. Take a breath!! Hey! Shinn Noa!! Oh, you’re not dead. It’s okay, it’s okay. You’ll feel better soon… uh, oh no… Damn it. Rubiaaaaaaa!!!!!!!]
[Oh, oh. Nice counterattack. Wow, this actually works. Huh? No, I must have misheard. Ahem, see? Didn’t I tell you? If you keep getting hit, you’ll improve! And after almost dying once, look at how you’ve progressed! Now stage one is done. You’ve worked hard. You can feel the difference, right? Yes, it’s such a huge difference between feeling and not feeling. Right, let’s proceed to stage two. Stage two is a training for improving precision; this is also a super easy… um, well, it might be hard for you. Anyway, it’s a precision improvement training. See that scrap of fabric? Use your blade to swipe it like this, and ta-da! Noah’s extremely foolish expression is created. Simple, right? Now it’s your turn. Go ahead. For each failure, you get hit once.]
