It changed.
The scenery that the perception had painted flickered out for a moment and transformed into an entirely new landscape.
A vast plain.
A plain where no living creature or object could be seen—absolutely nothing.
“There’s nothing to be surprised about.”
Sirin was looking at us with the same smile from earlier.
“I merely relocated for the duel; this is not something meant to harm you. I swear it on my name.”
I don’t know what swearing on a name means, but it doesn’t seem like a lie.
If it were a lie, that person Sirin would be a real… bad person.
After treating Rubia and me to so many delicious things, would she really stab us in the back right after?
Then she’d really… not be human…
“Umm… w-where are we…?”
“If I were to explain in your words, it would be something like a room of mind and time.”
A room of mind and time…?
But isn’t that a term only used on Earth?
Did it even exist in the game…?
So, does that mean time flows differently here compared to reality…?
If I can play here all day and only a little time passes in reality, then it’s perfect for hanging out with Ru… Rubia…
“You are correct in what you’re thinking.”
“D-do you know what I’m thinking…?”
“This place’s time flows differently from the outside. Even if you play and eat all day, only about 30 minutes passes in the outside world.”
“Wow…”
Does that mean I can hang out with Rubia?
If possible, I want to get Yuria, Hephaestus, and Charlotte to join and have a big feast…
“Well, enough explanation. How long do you plan to stay like that? Do you intend to duel or not?”
“Eep… I was surprised!”
Unconsciously, I had held Rubia tightly, thinking I should protect her, and I gently let her go.
“Ru… Rubia? Are you okay…?”
“…Y-yes… but where exactly are we?”
Rubia still looked like she was in shock.
Was there that big a difference between what the perception drew and what I saw with my eyes…?
I patted Rubia’s trembling waist a few times and looked at Sirin.
“Are you ready?”
“Yes!”
“Good. Then… first, we need to set conditions.”
“…Conditions?”
“Mhm, I will not use magic or magical power at all. And.”
Sirin, grinning mischievously, began to draw a circle around herself.
The size was approximately… 4 Noas.
“I also won’t step outside this. If you push me out or I step out myself, you will win.”
Nodding, I drew my Great Sword.
“Furthermore, if you manage to cut even the end of my sleeve with your Great Sword, that too will count as your victory.”
“…R-really?”
How annoying.
Setting aside magic or magical power, she claims she’ll fight me without stepping outside that tiny circle…?
“I do not lie. Now that I have set the conditions for my defeat, you must also set conditions for your defeat.”
Not understanding what that meant, I tilted my head for a moment.
“W-well then, do you mean you intend to beat me all day long?”
Beat me all day?
Why would I do that?
“If you keep rushing at me all day, the duel won’t end, right?”
“…Ah ha…! Th-that’s true… u-umm… right? My defeat… hmmmm…”
“If your body touches the ground three times, you lose. How does that sound?”
Touching the ground three times…
Wouldn’t it just mean not falling?
“D-do you really feel confident doing this?”
“Of course.”
“Please don’t say anything else later…”
“I will say no more.”
Nodding, I turned to Rubia.
“Ru, Rubia… you heard the duel conditions, right…?”
“Yes, I heard… why?”
“I’m just glad you did.”
So focused on winning, I’d forgotten all the other conditions…
I just need to push her out of the circle.
All it takes is two steps and I win…!!
“Come at me whenever. I don’t mind.”
With one hand, Sirin drew her Great Sword and waved it nonchalantly.
“…You’re really annoying.”
“Hahaha! Yes, I am indeed annoying. That’s not something I hear often anymore.”
I sharpened my perception.
Sirin’s body still wasn’t drawn.
No magical power, no muscles, no veins—nothing at all.
It doesn’t matter.
I only need to push her out.
Shaking off my distractions, I focused solely on the opponent in front of me.
“If you win the duel, I will grant you a wish.”
Rubia swallowed hard.
I took up a stance solely for the strike without thinking about what came next.
“However, if you lose.”
She held her Great Sword horizontally.
Putting strength into her legs.
“Rubia and Noah, the two of you must kiss. Deeply. If you’re embarrassed, you can do it in a room.”
“Gulp… Noah! No matter the wish, don’t push yourself too hard!”
Ignoring Rubia’s worried voice, I charged forward.
My rotation from pushing off added strength.
The momentum from the rotation tightened the muscles in my shoulder and arm.
And then,
Like letting go of a rubber band stretched to its limit,
The Great Sword was launched.
With a strike like this, even someone skilled like Kalt would surely sidestep with a click of the tongue.
Without a doubt.
But Sirin did not do that.
“Watch closely.”
She lightly twisted the Great Sword upward.
The path of the twisted Great Sword drew a flowing river.
The technique I often used and was confident in.
Stream.
But the result was nothing like mine.
Clang-!
With a clear sound, the Great Sword bounced back.
The rebound brought with it horrifying pain.
My fingers shattered, and the bones in my arm cracked loudly.
The teeth I’d clenched tight broke and scattered in my mouth.
The shock coursing through my arm and spine whitened my mind.
Not even a scream could escape my lips.
I couldn’t even swallow.
My body didn’t get pushed back.
I simply fell to the ground, powerless.
“One time.”
“Noah!”
Rubia rushed over, urgently pouring Divine Power into my body.
How much did she put in—Divine Power oozed out of me, bursting at the seams.
“Still, you didn’t drop the Great Sword from your hands, so I must commend you. Well done.”
Whether it was sarcasm or praise, her words stirred my body.
Already, I had bitten down on the newly grown teeth.
It had definitely been the same Stream.
But… the outcome was completely different.
The force I had exerted came back to me completely.
No… a power different from my own had returned.
Had it been Sirin’s power that added to it?
“You look quite curious. Hoohoohaha!”
Still so annoying.
So infuriating.
I wanted to run over and whack her on the head.
I wanted to grab that annoying face and pinch it hard.
“Noah, are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine. Rubia is… behind me. Just to be safe…”
I gently pushed Rubia away and distanced myself from Sirin.
If I didn’t think of the next move, the result would be the same.
So… maybe I should throw in some feints?
I could, but it wouldn’t be easy to do that with a Great Sword.
Plus… it felt like not only my height but my weight had decreased.
I couldn’t control the Great Sword like I used to.
It wasn’t hard, but I hadn’t adapted well.
Stretching out my stiff muscles, I swung the Great Sword.
I felt grateful for fully maximizing my strength stat.
If I had been even one point short, I would have been taken out by my own weapon.
“Noah… you don’t have to push yourself too hard. If this is what happens…”
“Ah, I can’t. I will win for sure… I can’t let them underestimate the Great Sword…”
“No… it’s okay to lose.”
How dare… How dare they underestimate the Great Sword?
Underestimating me is one thing.
But underestimating the Great Sword is off-limits.
It’s… my identity!
My weapon, infused with all my romance.
The weapon I chose after giving up everything.
So this… must not be undermined!!
“I’ll definitely win, Rubia…”
“Huh? No… you don’t have to force yourself to win… um, well… winning would be good, but… um, yeah. Do your best.”
Perhaps it was because Rubia hadn’t fully adapted to the suddenly changed scenery, she began rambling.
I patted Rubia’s waist gently, then looked at Sirin.
Having adjusted to my shrunken body, it was time to go for multiple strikes.
I visualized in my mind.
I kept picturing the way to break through that Stream from earlier.
But.
No matter how many dozens, hundreds, or thousands of times I imagined it, it was impossible.
So I decided to charge in.
I’d understand it better by taking a hit.
“Whew…”
I steadied my breath and dashed forward.
*
A warm energy woke my senses.
A moment after my mind awakened, the scenery around me drew itself out.
The Great Sword in my hand.
Rubia, with a worried expression, supporting my head.
The wilderness, scratched, torn, and turned into a wreck.
And.
Sirin still grinning annoyingly within the circle.
“Are you back to your senses?”
“…Yes.”
“Forty-two times. Superb.”
Did I really swing it that many times?
I forced my stiff body to stand up.
“I did what you wanted, but did you get a grasp of it?”
Sirin took a step closer from where she stood.
She had come the distance I had pushed her.
Though I hadn’t completely broken through her, I could at least probe a tiny bit.
“J-just a little…”
“Then I’m glad. If you said you still didn’t understand after all this, I would have given up on being your master.”
“I never said I was going to be your disciple…”
“Of course, I won’t tell you to come right away now. You can enjoy the festival and decide once you reach your destination.”
What good is learning about the Great Sword from someone who underestimates it?
“And now that there’s only one left… I owe you an apology.”
“…W-what for?”
“In truth, I think the Great Sword is… quite a romantic weapon. I had to provoke your arrogance with my insults, so I couldn’t help it.”
“W-what are you talking about now…”
“Of course, I won’t defend the weaknesses I mentioned, but even taking all those weaknesses into account, I think the Great Sword is a good weapon.”
Whether she meant those words sincerely or not, with a nostalgic expression devoid of any previous annoyance, she gazed longingly at the Great Sword.
“It taught me so much. It was a truly… wild and passionate night. A night I will never forget… the day when it left a scar on my body that I could never erase… when that heavy thing stirred within me—”
“No, Noah! Come here!”
Suddenly, Rubia came dashing from behind and clamped down on my ears.
Using Divine Power, she blocked all sound.
“E-eh… ah…?”
Sirin was still gazing at the Great Sword, babbling on.
Her body twisted out as she exhaled heavily…
Rubia was… glaring at Sirin with a crumpled face.
After a while, Rubia’s hand was taken away, and Sirin’s breathing calmed down.
“Since that’s settled, I apologize for insulting the Great Sword.”
I didn’t understand what she said, but Sirin smiled with a lighter expression.
I was curious.
Very curious.
But I didn’t want to lose this ticklish sensation.
I didn’t want to delay any longer.
I just wanted to swing the sword as soon as possible and make this feeling clear.
“I understand, so… let’s continue the duel…”
“Sounds good!”
Following my instincts.
Following my senses.
Following the impulses of my muscles.
I slowly walked forward.
I didn’t feel the need to create distance to gather more strength.
Standing where I could hit if swung like that,
I pulled the Great Sword back.
Lightly with my body.
My legs ready to dash at any moment.
My muscles loose.
“Hmm…?”
Thus, following what popped into my head.
I held my breath and stepped forward.
Swish- My left foot kicked up dirt as it struck the ground.
In tandem, my hips twisted.
My abdomen and shoulders weren’t overly tense.
But I gripped the hilt as if I could break it.
My body.
My Great Sword swung.
Simultaneously, an incredible sense of powerlessness weighed down on me, and everything went black.
And then.
A familiar but unfamiliar voice flowed into my mind.
You understand, right?
This is how you use the Great Sword.
