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Volume 4 Chapter 71

Duel Training Using the Imperial Sword

Only two weeks remained until Tina and Rifa’s wedding reception.
At Ifrus Magic Academy, it is mandatory for us students to engage in monthly battles with students from other classes.
Our opponent for this month’s battle had been decided.
And it is said to be the highest-ranking class among the fourth-year students.
As for the rules of engagement, it seemed we were to fight without using magic.
…… This is a magic academy, right?
Is this kind of battle method even allowed?
It seems that they proposed this method because they thought there was no chance of winning against our class, which had defeated the student council president, using magic.
「Don’t worry, Haruto-sama can win!」
Tina’s trust in me remained unwavering.
Well, of course, I’ll give it my all.
By the way, this battle was to be a three-on-three battle royale format, and the class that completely defeated the other would be the victor.
The participants from our class were me, Meldie, and Ryuushin.
Members with excellent martial arts and swordsmanship skills were selected from our class.
Ryuushin and Meldie were both skilled in martial arts to the extent that they could hunt C-rank magical beasts even without using magic.
While I had received guidance in swordsmanship from Tina, who was one of the world’s top swordsmen, I could handle a sword decently.
Moreover, I had the Imperial Sword from the Alheim Elf Kingdom that I received from the Elf King, so I believed I could fight well enough.
To check our coordination with Ryuushin and Meldie, Tina created three gargoyles for us to practice mock battles with.
I summoned the Imperial Sword, which had been stored in the Spirit Realm, to have it at hand.
On the day of the battle, we, the participants, would have anti-magic bracelets attached to us, forcibly preventing us from using magic.
So, if I planned to use the Imperial Sword, I needed to have it ready before the battle started.
I mustn’t forget that on the day of the battle.
Just like in the real battle, we wore anti-magic bracelets and faced Tina’s specially-made gargoyles in the training room.
I, armed with a long weapon, was in the front.
Ryuushin and Meldie were in the rear, providing support to me.
「Are you ready?」
「Yeah」
「Ready」
「Good to go, nya!」
It seemed everyone was ready.
By the way, Meldie always ends her sentences with「nya」.
It seemed to be a habit of hers.
「Then, let’s begin!」
At Tina’s signal, one of the gargoyles came straight toward me.
The other two split to the left and right, trying to move out of my field of vision.
Ryuushin and Meldie were holding off those two.
I focused on the one in front of me.
I raised the Imperial Sword and swung it down in a diagonal slash.
The Imperial Sword felt as light as a feather in my hands, allowing me to attack at an incredible speed.
However, this was a Tina-special gargoyle I was facing.
It anticipated my movements and used its arm to guard against the strike.
Tina’s gargoyles could change the hardness of the parts that needed guarding.
Uh-oh!
The gargoyle’s arm was glowing with a bluish-gold color.
When parts of Tina’s gargoyle glowed with this color, they reached the hardness of orichalcum.
If I continued with my strike like this, the Imperial Sword would break!
—-I thought that, but I couldn’t stop the momentum of the Imperial Sword.
Thud!
It passed through the gargoyle as if it had hit nothing and pierced the floor of the training room.
「Huh?」
Could it be that it dodged my attack!?
Thinking that, I tried to step back, but the upper half of the gargoyle in front of me slid diagonally off.
Even the gold-glowing arm that had been guarding was split in two.
It’s not that they avoided it, but the Imperial Sword sliced through even the arm with the hardness of orichalcum without any trouble.
「Gigigigi」
「Gugah」
Two gargoyles that Ryuushin and Meldi were dealing with were now onto me.
Seems like they’re angry that their comrade was defeated.
Ryuushin and the others were surprised that I easily defeated the gargoyle and stood frozen.
「So,orry, Haruto」
「They’re coming your way!」
I understand.
It’s okay.
I was a little surprised, but I grasped the Imperial Sword tightly.
First, I thrust the Imperial Sword that was stuck in the floor into the gargoyle that came from the right, slicing it upwards diagonally.
However, the gargoyle moved back at the last moment, so I didn’t inflict enough damage to stop its movement.
I twisted my body while holding the Imperial Sword’s hilt with both hands, then swung it down directly below.
The gargoyle coming from the left was sliced into two from the crown of its head.
However, the power source of Tina’s-made gargoyles is slightly off-center from the centerline.
If the power source isn’t destroyed, they will recover immediately no matter how much they are cut apart.
So, I held the Imperial Sword, which I swung down, to the left side of the gargoyle—
And I made a straight left swing from there.
Both the gargoyle that was sliced in half from the head and the one that was cut down in front fell down, in one go.
I was able to destroy the power sources completely, and the three gargoyles were all down on the ground, motionless.
Yeah, I can fight just fine without magic.
But it feels a bit unsatisfying.
I defeated them too easily.
Ryuushin and Meldi weren’t able to get enough practice as well.
「Tina, can you make something stronger for us? We’ll be fine」
I asked Tina to make higher level gargoyles.
「Oh, Haruto-sama. I apologise, but those gargoyles you defeated so easily just now…….. those are the strongest I can make」
Oh, is that so.
I felt awkward.
「Even though they are created monsters, they can defeat B-rank monsters individually……」
「Lord Haruto’s swordsmanship is incredible」
「That was really cool!」
Yoko and the others praised me.
「Ryuushin, take a look at this cut. There’s no hesitation, right? You should learn to do this with Dragon Claw too」
「No, it’s impossible with orichalcum」
Ryuushin and the others were talking while looking at the dismembered gargoyles.
「Um, Haruto-sama. It’s fine to use the Imperial Sword, but please don’t cut the other student in half」
「Oh, of course. The strength should be enough, and I’ll use the flat side」
「How are you going to use a double-edged sword to do that?」
Yoko pointed that out.
I thought that saying 『using the flat side』meant knocking the opponent out.
I tried saying it somehow, but it seems like using the flat side can only be done with single-edged swords like Japanese swords.
「……. Then, I’ll knock the opponent away with sword pressure」
「With a sword that shoots slashes?」
Even without pouring in magic, if I swing it with all my strength, a slash shoots out from the Imperial Sword.
I still haven’t fully mastered the Imperial Sword.
Hmm, what should I do?
Without the Imperial Sword, I’m only as strong as an average swordsman.
Anyway, I decided to practice neutralising the opponent without killing them using the Imperial Sword.
「Fire Lance!」
Since Tina’s gargoyles won’t do, I created three flame knights.
「These guys don’t have the mobility of gargoyles, but their spear skills are quite strong. Let’s practice with them」
「 —-Eh?」
「No way! I’ll die!」
Meldi refused with all her might.
「It’s okay. I’ll erase them if things get dangerous. Besides, our opponents are looking for combat without magic. They might be quite skilled in martial arts」
Knowing the kind of opponents we were going to face, I want our trio to have perfect coordination.
「Let’s do it!」
「It’s impossible!!」
「Oh man……. am I going to die here?」
Ignoring Meldi’s shout and Ryuushin’s despairing face, I gave orders to the flame knights to attack.