“Do you understand? It’s not a life-and-death match, but a light sparring session. We’re not fighting to kill, but to gauge your strength.”
Sirin, enveloped in layers of barriers surrounding ‘me’, exchanged skeptical glances between us.
“That’s right. Noah. This is a spar. Please think twice before swinging that Great Sword.”
Ser, who had erected another barrier above, looked at me with suspicion.
Behind them, Primavera, Cartia, and everyone who followed them said in unison:
“Our house can be broken multiple times, but please leave this place intact.”
I nodded cheerfully.
‘Me’ also nodded happily.
“Are you confident?”
“…I’ve already won once, so… I’m confident…?”
“Do you really think I’d be the same as back then?”
What’s this?
Has something changed?
Hmm, but… since then, hasn’t the world been too peaceful for any training or strengthening?
Sure, there are reasons for leaving monsters for various needs, but can’t we just take down those weak monsters to grow stronger?
Has ‘Rubia’ trained in secret?
Or did I grow stronger and make ‘me’ stronger too?
That cannot be it.
“Think whatever you want.”
Eventually, ‘me’, looking at me as if in disbelief, sighed and planted the Great Sword into the ground.
I, too, placed my hand on my chest, feeling somewhat uneasy.
Boom—
A massive tremor. A thunderous roar shaking the earth.
Feeling it completely, I gripped tight.
I pulled it out.
Ca-cah— With the Great Sword drawn, a crimson boundary broke forth, painting the world red. Swoosh. The sound of gentle waves rolling in. A black sun rose in the sky.
‘Me’, facing it, muttered softly.
Simultaneously, the world turned blood-red around ‘me’, revealing a chilling scene of bloodshed. Another black sun rose.
Then, a boundary was drawn in the sky.
A crimson sky and a blood-red horizon.
Confronting black suns.
From just this sight… we look like villains.
‘Me’, too, seemed to think so, gazing up at the sky with a sullen expression.
“The count is—”
“Oh, let the main character handle that.”
Sirin, standing outside the barrier and still wearing a dubious expression, raised her arm. A small orb appeared in her palm, floating towards the heavens.
A golden orb.
It began to descend.
Although she didn’t say when to start, I had a rough idea. It should start the moment it touches the ground.
Huff, exhaling a short breath, I lowered the Great Sword behind me. Likewise, ‘me’ exhaled shortly, lowering the Great Sword.
There is no need to clash swords now to check each other’s skills. No need for useless mental battles.
The skills we can evaluate from such a clash are not worthwhile, and our physical abilities have surpassed that of humans.
So.
Once.
Just once, I’ll swing and be done with it.
Three seconds.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—
A chilling cry. The divine entities aligned with my will intertwined, creating a hellish scream resonating.
Without needing to speak of my intentions or desires…
Crack- Crack—
‘Me’, too, unleashed all divine entities within.
Ancient dragon armor encased me. A red cloak fluttered on my shoulders. Under the blazing black sun, the sea of blood surged forth. It soaked the mountain of corpses.
Two seconds.
A bloody wind blew.
I.
Stepped forward. Loosening my waist. Clenching my fist tightly. The crimson waves ceased. From the tranquil black sun, ominous light stretched forth.
‘Me’ also.
Stepped forward. Loosening the waist. Clenching the fist tightly. Drip— drip— The droplets of blood falling from the mountain of corpses echoed in the sea of blood. Ominous light stretched forth from the blazing black sun.
One second.
The sounds in the world disappeared.
My foot fell.
‘Me’s foot fell.
After passing the advanced foot, Thud. It landed heavily.
After passing the advanced foot, Thud. It landed heavily.
Gathering that recoil, I twisted my waist.
That recoil collected, twisting my waist.
Sturdy legs. The waist adding strength.
From a lower body firmly set like the roots of the world tree, the gathered force flowed up my arm toward the Great Sword.
Finally, the golden orb touched the ground.
Simultaneously.
Both Great Swords swung.
*
In truth.
From the moment ‘me’ unleashed the strike, I felt something was off.
The finesse and ferocity felt different from when we faced each other before.
I didn’t think about the reason behind that. If I entertained such distractions in my head, even for a moment’s hesitation, the sword swung by ‘me’ would mow me down immediately.
So, I simply focused on my task.
Not surprisingly, ‘me’ had evidently grown stronger.
I didn’t need to ponder why.
The limits had vanished.
Regulations, foundations, concepts, and laws—everything from that world had disappeared, and just like anyone else, ‘me’ too had shed all limits.
Thus, it had grown stronger.
Strong growth time? That was unnecessary to begin with.
‘Me’s power must have been suppressed for a long time. It simply manifested through natural thoughts and actions, akin to wolfing down long-unattainable jelly.
Yeah.
‘Me’ had grown stronger.
To a degree where comparison to our previous clashes is impossible.
What that means is.
I. ‘Me’.
We… caused a stir.
The mansion crumbled to pieces without a trace.
Grass, flowers, and trees that were widely spread around all evaporated, and the sky and earth were skewed and misaligned.
“Y, you… foolish things! Did I not tell you? It’s not a life-and-death match! Yet, yet! What is this mess!? Did you hate us that much? Huh? Was demolishing our home the only way to vent your frustrations? Answer me!!”
“I-I’m sorry…”
“S-Sorry… Hic… I’m so sorry…”
“Well, at least it was a good show. Why are you being so harsh? It’s okay, it’s okay. Kids grow while fighting. Hey, Sirin. Let’s clean up from there. Follow me.”
“Let go! You fools; a smack on the head is what will clear my anger! Let go! You brat!!”
“Hey, just shut up and follow me.”
Sirin, slowly fixing the misaligned scenery, yelled at us angrily.
Kartia, helping her clean up, giggled and took her away.
“You are all fools.”
Sitting on our knees, covered in dust, Ser chuckled at us.
“Fortunately, this world hasn’t completely crumbled. Did you at least hold back your strength at the end?”
“…Yeah.”
“…A little bit.”
“Hm, I don’t see any agreement here, but maybe since they’re both Noah, your minds seem to align well. If one had slipped, it could’ve led to a big disaster. Anyway, it’s good you’re all unhurt. Afterward, well… do some reflecting, then help out.”
With a wave of his hand, Ser cleared the dust clinging to us as he opened up a massive magic circle, walking along with Kartia and Sirin.
Now, the only ones left here are…
Rubia and ‘Rubia’.
“What were you planning to do if you got hurt?”
‘Rubia’ asked.
“No… we… were sure we wouldn’t get hurt—”
“Ugh. ‘Noah’, is that what you have to say? So, suppose you weren’t hurt. And then what? If we got hurt, what was ‘Noah’ planning to do?”
“…I’m sorry…”
“Now that you’ve just started to get along, you want to hate each other again? Huh? Do you want to be separated from ‘Noah’ once more?”
“N-no…! ‘Rubia’! Th-that means—”
“Shush! Be quiet. Right now, ‘Noah’ doesn’t have anything to say even with ten mouths.”
At ‘Rubia’s rapid-fire remarks, ‘me’ nodded helplessly.
“Shut your mouth.”
“…Okay.”
My lips sealed themselves.
Then came a sigh from ‘Rubia.’
“Noah.”
…Now it was Rubia’s turn.
Not in the same angry voice as before.
But in a voice that sounded rather upset.
“Y-yes…?”
“Do you know you’ve changed a bit from before?”
“Ch-changed…?”
“Yes. You didn’t care about ‘your’ body before, but now it seems even worse. Why? Do you even know how scary it is for me when you do that? When you get hurt, how upset I get…? Why don’t you know this?”
“Uh, um… I’m sorry…”
Haa… ‘Rubia’ took a deep breath.
Then, after a moment of choosing her words, she slowly opened her mouth.
“Why do something you need to apologize for?”
“…Uh.”
This… sounds like something couples say just before a fight…?
Not knowing how to respond, I gaped at Rubia.
She looked truly upset.
Finding it hard to meet her eyes, I slowly lowered my head. And I peeked sideways to ‘me’ with my eyes.
She, too, wore a similar expression, saying, ‘You’re in deep trouble.’
That ‘me’ spoke with her eyes.
‘Apologize quickly, you idiot. You’re screwed!’
I, too, replied through my eyes.
‘H-how…? What should I say to apologize?’
‘No clue! That’s up to you!’
‘C-could you help me…? We got into this mess together!’
‘Not really. ‘Rubia’ has already forgiven—‘
“…‘Noah,’ what are you thinking about?”
“Um?! Ah, no. I was just… thinking about my mistakes…!”
“Really?”
Nodding vigorously—‘me’ earnestly nodded.
Seeing that, ‘Rubia’ cautiously shifted her gaze to me.
…I shook my head ever so slightly.
‘Rubia’s mouth closed tightly.
“Huff… ‘Noah.’”
“Uh-huh?”
“You said you were thinking about your mistakes, right?”
“Yup!”
“Then, tell me.”
A tense atmosphere filled the air.
I… laughed silently in my mind while staring at ‘me’s face.
“What did I do wrong?”
“Uuuh…?”
The expression on her face is quite priceless.
Come on, help me out here, you jerk.
“What could be so funny to our Noah in this situation?”
“Y-yeah…?”
“Do you think I wouldn’t know? Just from seeing you breathe, I can tell what you’re thinking.”
…Is she serious?
“U-uh… Well, hehe, it’s just that… um… ‘Rubia’ is pretty…”
But I couldn’t say that ‘me’ was sneering at my flustered state, so I just smiled sheepishly.
Usually… when I do that, Rubia lets out a sigh and lets it go…
But saying ‘Rubia’ is pretty isn’t a lie. She really is pretty. Always.
“…Enough. Noah, you’re always like this.”
“Eh…”
But today was different.
…Why?
“Do you think just saying that would make me brush it aside again? That I’d let it go this time too?”
“Ah, no… I mean, that’s… Ah, no, I’m sorry…”
“Right, now. Just say it clearly.”
Uh… something feels off.
“Noah. What are you apologizing for?”
“Hic…”
The hiccups that had barely stopped started again.
Beside me.
‘Me’ was grinning like it was the funniest thing in the world.
“Answer before I get even angrier. What did ‘Noah’ do wrong?”
“Ugh… Well, that…”
Wow… this feels… satisfying.
