Chapter 24

I wake up before the bell rings.

It’s been three days since I entered this academy. Thanks to that, I’ve managed to bring my blessing and magic power back to a safe level. It seems the threat worked, as the seniors haven’t made any moves, and they even run away when I get close.

Recently, I’ve been sleeping alone, but before entering the academy, I used to sleep with Kuna and Anne, so I feel a bit lonely.

I want to go explore the underground labyrinth soon.

If I do, I can legally sleep in a small tent with them and enjoy their warmth and scent.

While thinking about this, I quickly head outside.

“Ah, Soji-kun, you’re late.”

As soon as I step out of the dormitory, Kuna, who has changed into the school-issued sports uniform, calls out to me.

“Sorry, sorry. You could have gone ahead without me.”

“Isn’t running alone boring?”

Kuna puffs out her cheeks cutely, making me want to hug her.

“Kuna, you’re just saying that because you want revenge, right?”

“You could say that.”

Anne, who had been doing warm-up exercises a bit away, also runs over.

The three of us have a habit of training our bodies regularly, so we do light training before breakfast.

Even if absorbing magic stones raises your rank and makes you stronger, physical abilities are only amplified by your blessing. If you don’t train, you won’t get stronger.

“Let’s go jogging then.”

As I say this, I take a full crouch start position.

“Hehehe, today I’ll show the pride of a fire fox.”

Kuna takes a unique stance, sinking her body deeply and shifting her center of gravity forward.

“Do you both understand that you shouldn’t run at full speed during jogging?”

Anne says this with a sigh.

However, Kuna and I perform a full-speed sprint under the guise of jogging.

The perimeter of the academy is well-paved and easy to run on, with a distance of exactly 12 km, making it perfect for a race.

“Can’t help it. Let’s go. Ready... Start!!”

At Anne’s command, we start running at full speed.

◇

“Haa, haa, haa, I win... Victory!”

Kuna, panting and looking smug, makes a V sign.

Her sweat-soaked sports uniform, flushed cheeks, and chest that bounces with each heartbeat... everything is just so erotic.

“Kuna, let’s go to the shade of the field for a bit?”

“Eh?”

Kuna looks confused. She probably doesn’t understand what I mean.

“Nah, never mind. Still, Kuna, you’re incredible.”

Despite being a mid-rank 1, I lost to Kuna, who hasn’t raised her rank at all yet.

“Hehehe, don’t underestimate a golden fire fox!”

Her tail is wagging happily, showing how good she feels.

“Honestly, I think you’re amazing.”

Not only does she have innate flexibility and explosive power, but she also makes almost no sound when she runs. Her form is incredibly efficient.

Moreover, when taking corners, she uses her long tail as a stabilizer to make aggressive weight shifts and turn sharply, demonstrating her mastery of her body.

“But, I won’t lose next time.”

“I’ll make sure to beat you back.”

Kuna and I clash in the air, sparks flying.

Meanwhile, Anne, who had been running at her own pace, arrives.

“Anne, why don’t you join our race?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. If I kept up with you two, I’d collapse before reaching class. Besides... the real challenge for me comes after this. Master, I’m counting on you today.”

Anne, catching her breath, bows to me.

◇

Anne started calling me Master the day after the opening ceremony.

I remember that day’s conversation clearly.

“Hey, Soji. I fell in love with your spear. That final strike in the match. It’s stuck in my head. I want to perform that divine technique with my own hands. Will you be my master?”

I was taken aback for a moment.

She looked so serious.

“Sure, but what will you offer in return?”

It’s not that I was unwilling to teach her. I just wanted to know her resolve.

“I’ll offer everything. Whatever you ask for. If it means reaching that peak, I won’t hold back.”

“Alright, then let’s do it.”

“Sure, I don’t mind.”

“Whoa, just kidding. Anne, you should value yourself more.”

“I do. I wouldn’t have said this to anyone but you, Soji.”

I was intimidated.

Teasing a blushing girl is one thing, but when she’s this forward, I want to run away.

“Alright, let’s train. I said that, but I don’t really ask for anything in return... well, except for your service to our party as the [Silver Tail].”

“That’s not really a condition. It’s something I want to do.”

Though she didn’t say it, that’s why I decided to train her seriously.

◇

“[Silver Alchemy: Form 2 - Sword Slash]”

I visualize the magical formula in my mind, start the computational process, and the world’s rules are rewritten, activating the magic.

The mithril ring wrapped around my forearm transforms into a one-handed sword with a 60 cm blade, designed to be wielded with both hands if needed.

“Anne, let’s start the sword training. Though, there’s not much I can teach you.”

As the daughter of a family tasked with teaching swordsmanship to the royal family, Anne’s skills are quite high.

“I’ll focus on improving the precision of each strike. You said my [Divine Spear] was beautiful. It’s beautiful because it’s the pinnacle of eliminating all waste. I’ll thoroughly polish each of your strikes to bring them closer to the beauty of my [Divine Spear].”

“That’s wonderful. I know how to use a sword, but I want to improve its quality.”

“Alright, let’s go with that. Fundamentally, there are only nine types of strikes. Mastering these nine types means mastering the sword.”

While there are many other elements like footwork, defense, and sword combinations, these are the basics.

“I agree. Mastering the nine types of strikes makes you invincible... but I have a question. You used to use a spear. Can you teach swordsmanship? I thought you’d teach general principles rather than specific techniques.”

She had been looking at the sword in my hand for a while, which is why she asked this.

“I can use a sword too. I use a spear more often because it’s more useful. In combat, it allows me to control the distance. Against monsters, it concentrates kinetic energy to break through tough opponents.”

Distance control, ease of use, attack range, and kinetic energy concentration.

A spear is an excellent weapon. When fighting with a spear and a sword, it’s said that a sword needs three times the skill to defeat a spear.

While swords have their advantages, overall, spears are superior. I use a spear for various reasons, except for the initial decades when I used Anne’s magic sword.

“Even if I say I can use a sword, you might doubt my skills. I want you to judge my ability by watching my strikes. First, [Vertical Slash].”

I stand in front of Anne and raise my sword, performing a vertical slash from top to bottom.

It’s a perfect, efficient strike, though it’s just a regular strike without the removal of limits or magical enhancement, unlike my [Divine Spear].

I pass the sword 1 mm in front of Anne.

“Next, [Diagonal Slash].”

A diagonal strike from the left shoulder to the right side.

“Then, [Reverse Diagonal Slash].”

A diagonal strike from the right shoulder to the left side.

“[Right Horizontal Slash].”

A horizontal strike from right to left.

“[Left Horizontal Slash].”

A horizontal strike from left to right.

“[Left Rising Slash], [Right Rising Slash].”

The reverse of the diagonal and reverse diagonal strikes, performed in succession.

“[Upward Slash].”

A straight upward strike from below the legs.

“And, [Thrust].”

A thrust, as the name suggests, with the tip of the sword precisely at her throat.

“Anne, what do you think? Is my skill enough to teach you?”

I smile at her.

“What clear sword strikes. Each one is beautiful. Soji, I beg you. I want to make this sword my own.”

Anne repeats how amazing it is, excitedly.

I feel a bit guilty.

After all, this is the result of a magical technique that calculates the optimal movements based on the human body’s structure, not my actual skill.

In the game era, basic forms for almost all weapons existed as magical techniques.

The purpose is more for training than for actual combat.

By using magic to perform perfect forms repeatedly, you can internalize them and learn to handle weapons. Various combination techniques have also been developed.

In fact, I can use all the forms of the spear except for the [Divine Spear] without magic, and with the sword, I can manage most techniques except for combinations.

“I’m glad you like it. Since it’s your first day, I’ll show you my special sword technique.”

The magical techniques developed by players, the pinnacle of which is allowed to bear the word [Divine].

[Divine Spear], [Divine Sword], [Divine Bow], [Divine Hammer]. For players in the game era, having the word [Divine] in their magic was a status symbol.

I aimed to achieve this and succeeded only with the spear, which I was most familiar with. That’s why I have a strong attachment to the spear.

“What I’m about to show you is the pinnacle of sword strikes, a combination of the nine types of strikes, [Divine Sword]. Don’t move. If you do, you’ll die.”

I activate the magic.

It’s a sequence of the nine basic strikes, performed at a speed so fast they seem simultaneous.

The developer of this technique was inspired by an old shonen manga.

Efficiently connecting the nine types of strikes. It’s said that a top-tier master would take two seconds to perform this in reality.

However, [Divine Sword] removes both the physical and magical limits, and combines kinetic energy manipulation with the strikes. The sword accelerates with each swing. Even when it hits a target, which would normally slow it down, the rebound is used to further accelerate. In theory, the sword will continue to accelerate as long as it doesn’t break. This is made possible by a precise magical formula that can control the sword at a speed invisible to the eye.

[Divine Sword] is considered the pinnacle of art among all magical techniques, not just swords. In fact, even I couldn’t find any room for improvement. It’s a perfect magical technique.

As a result, the time needed to complete the nine strikes is 0.12 seconds.

It’s more like simultaneous strikes than a sequence.

Even though I’m holding back, the sword pressure alone cuts her clothes.

The final strike, a thrust at the speed of light, pierces her throat.

“This is what you aim for, Anne. No, what you must surpass.”

“Hey, Soji.”

“What is it, Anne?”

“Hold me. I want to be held by this sword.”

Anne, in a dangerous state where important parts might be exposed, clings to me.

“No, Anne, that’s not appropriate.”

“Why not? I don’t understand why Kuna doesn’t feel this excitement.”

“Excitement and being a pervert are different! Snap out of it, Anne.”

“I’m fine. Soji, you’re the best!”

“This is why sword enthusiasts are... Ugh, Soji-kun is a magic enthusiast... This party only has me as a normal person.”

“I think Kuna is the least normal.”

She thinks it’s normal to believe she can enter the city for free as a slave merchant’s cargo.

“Rude, to say such things about Kuna, who is so normal she’s called abnormal.”

“Do you realize that your statement itself is not normal?”

“Anyway, let go, Anne.”

“Kuna, why are you so desperate? Are you jealous of Soji being taken?”

“No, it’s not that. I can’t stand the idea of a couple and me alone in a three-person party. I can’t bear the thought of setting up a tent in the underground labyrinth with that combination. As a child, I had a trauma from my parents making noise next to me... I have good hearing, so I wake up.”

She didn’t even try to hide her embarrassment. Kuna thinks I and Anne getting close is the only reason she’s jealous.

“Kuna, it’s simple. Just get along with us. Look, I have two arms. Two is fine.”

“No, I really don’t want to. I decided to marry someone who loves only me after seeing my father.”

Kuna turns away, even her tail facing the other direction.

“Just kidding. Anne, let go too. It’s time to head back to the dorm.”

I pull Anne away.

While I want to hold her a bit longer, Kuna’s mood is deteriorating exponentially.

I want to get closer to Anne, but I don’t want Kuna to dislike me.

“Surprisingly, Soji-kun is a coward.”

“Yeah, you’re always talking about perverted things but run away when it comes to this. I’m disappointed.”

Kuna and Anne look at each other and laugh.

These two really get along well.

“Just wait. One day, I’ll show you I’m a beast.”

“Soji-kun, did you know?”

Kuna grins.

“Foxes are carnivores and predators. Don’t think you can do whatever you want with this Kuna.”

Kuna sniffs and starts walking towards the dormitory.

But Kuna doesn’t know. In nature, foxes are both predators and prey, especially young foxes, which are easy prey for hawks.

“Soji-kun, you’re slow. The seniors will eat all the good food.”

“Ah, I’m coming, Hawk.”

“Hawk?”

“Never mind. Let’s go, Anne.”

I couldn’t help but think like a hawk targeting a young fox.

“Yes, Master, I’ll go with you wherever you go.”

And so, the three of us walked to the cafeteria together.