Chapter 11

After successfully repelling the trio, I turned to the classmates who had quietly watched the battle.

"Wow, Allen, that was amazing!"

"How did you do that last invisible slash? Teach me next time!"

"I actually want to know more about those first eight rapid strikes! They were so fast, I couldn't even see the sword moving!"

"Whatever, this guy is an incredible swordsman!"

"Considering he defeated those three without a scratch... it was impressive. Congratulations!"

Applause and praise rained down.

"Umm, ah... thank you..."

Having never been warmly welcomed by my peers like this before, I stammered and bowed slightly.

Then,

"Good job, Allen!"

"How did you do that last move...!?"

Reia and Rose approached me.

"Thanks, Reia. Uh... you mean Tsukimizuki, right?"

I asked to confirm, and Rose nodded vigorously.

"I see, you haven't seen it before, huh?"

Then I explained the mechanism of Tsukimizuki in simple terms.

Rose listened intently, nodding with interest.

"---So, Tsukimizuki is a setup-type slash."

"Got it... very interesting. Thanks."

She smiled, looking a bit relieved.

"Hmm, but I still think that move is unfair..."

Reia, who had been listening silently, crossed her arms and muttered, seemingly remembering the incident from yesterday.

"Is that so?"

Personally, I think the move has many flaws. The setup points can be seen with a keen eye, and it's difficult to set it up during a battle without the opponent noticing.

But, everyone has different opinions, so I didn't say anything more.

As we chatted happily,

"Ugh..."

"Ow, ow, ow..."

"It hurts..."

The trio I had defeated earlier had woken up.

(They can move already? They have good constitutions...)

They are indeed students of the Senrin Academy, where they not only hone their sword skills but also train their bodies rigorously.

"Hey... are you okay?"

I thought it would be rude to just stand there, so I offered a hand to one of them.

He glared at me for a moment,

"...Sorry."

He firmly took my hand and stood up, swaying slightly.

The other two managed to stand up on their own, and the three of them stood in front of me.

(...Oh, oh, no more fighting, please...)

Feeling a bit uneasy, I braced myself for what they might do.

"---We're sorry. Please forgive our rude comments earlier."

He bowed deeply.

"...Huh?"

Surprised by the unexpected turn of events, I stared at him, and the other two also bowed.

"...We were blind. Allen, you are the one who deserves to represent us."

"Please forgive our earlier... numerous insults..."

I gladly forgave their sincere apologies.

"Don't worry about it. I understand how you feel, and I'm not holding a grudge."

Indeed, it was only natural for them to object to my selection as a representative for the Daigo Seisai, given that I graduated from a third-rate academy and was a self-taught swordsman.

(I heard that the classes at the prestigious Senrin Academy are divided based on academic performance...)

These three had overcome incredible challenges to finally enroll in Senrin Academy. However, they were not selected for the Daigo Seisai, which showcases the achievements of the middle school students. Instead, I, a complete unknown, was chosen.

(I can't blame them for being angry...)

It would be strange if they weren't upset.

(But, in terms of actual training time, I have far more experience...)

They might have trained with their swords for three years, but I have been swinging my sword for billions of years, almost like a recluse.

In terms of the number of times and the duration of sword swings, I am confident I am not inferior.

The trio sighed deeply.

"To lose not only in sword skills but also in character... it's a disgrace as men..."

"Yeah, that's true..."

"Allen... if you don't mind, can we be friends from now on?"

They extended their hands to me.

"Sure, I look forward to it."

I firmly shook their hands, sealing our friendship.

At that moment, Ms. Reia cleared her throat.

"---Now, has everyone accepted Allen's participation in the Daigo Seisai?"

She looked around at the students, and everyone nodded.

I had one concern, so I asked,

"But... won't the students from other classes object?"

It seemed odd to decide the representative based solely on the decision of Class A.

One of the trio responded,

"Don't worry, Allen. All of us in Class A agree. The other classes won't say anything."

"Yeah, the classes at Senrin Academy are divided based on academic performance."

"Since all of us in the top-tier Class A agree, no one will complain. You should hold your head high!"

I see... that's how it works.

Seeing my understanding, Ms. Reia clapped her hands.

"Alright, let me announce it again! This year's Daigo Seisai participants are Reia Vestaria, Rose Valencia, and Allen Roadel!"

As she announced it, thunderous applause and cheers erupted.

■

The next morning, the male students of Class 1-A gathered in the gym for the practical exam.

"Phew... This uniform is really cold in the morning."

The boys wore white gym shirts and black shorts, which were a bit chilly in the early morning.

As we waited for the girls to change, the door to the girls' changing room finally opened.

"It's so cold..."

"Of course, my legs are freezing..."

"Why do we have to do practical exams so early in the morning..."

The girls grumbled, but indeed, it must be cold.

The girls wore white gym shirts and black bloomers, which exposed much more of their legs to the cool morning air.

Apparently, the five prestigious academies value tradition, so the girls' gym uniforms are fixed as bloomers. The girls don't seem to like it, but the tradition remains unchanged.

While I was pondering this, Reia ran over to me.

"Good morning, Allen."

"Ah, good morning, Reia."

I wondered what she needed, so I waited for her to speak.

"Um... how do I look?"

Reia blushed slightly and looked down at her uniform.

(...I don't know what to say...)

I carefully examined her from head to toe.

(...Yeah, it's just a regular gym uniform...)

There was nothing special about it. It was the same uniform sold in the school store.

The only thing that stood out was the noticeable bulge in her chest, which was hard to ignore.

(But I know... or rather, I was taught...)

Exactly a year ago, Pola told me,

"Listen, Allen? When a girl asks for your opinion on her clothes, accessories, or hair, you must always say 'It's good!'"

She said that giving a straightforward opinion is a bad move, and that it's a man's job to always give a positive response.

This situation was exactly that.

So, I smiled and said,

"Sure, I think it looks good."

"Really...? Ah, ahaha..."

She said "thank you" softly and happily returned to the girls.

...I honestly didn't understand what she wanted, but her happy reaction confirmed that my response was correct.

Pola was right.

(But, where is Ms. Reia...?)

While I rubbed my hands together to keep warm, another girl, Rose, ran over to me.

"Hey, Allen."

"What is it?"

"How about mine?"

She pinched the ends of her white gym shirt with both hands, apparently for the same reason as Reia.

"Sure, I think it looks very good."

I said kindly, as I had before.

"Okay..."

She blushed slightly, smiled contentedly, and returned to the girls.

(...What kind of ritual is this?)

As I tilted my head in confusion, a sharp whistle sounded.

Looking in the direction of the sound, I saw Ms. Reia standing in the center of the gym, dressed in her usual black suit.

"Class 1-A, gather!"

Her voice was louder than the whistle.

(I don't think that's necessary...)

While I thought this, I jogged over to Ms. Reia.

After everyone gathered, she began speaking.

"Alright, some of you might be thinking, 'The whistle is unnecessary...' but that's not the case! The atmosphere is important! Gym and whistle, whistle and gym... you get it, right!?"

...I can understand what she means.

At the Gran Swordsmanship Academy, the whistle was always blowing during basic physical training, such as sword swinging and running.

But, she's really energetic in the morning...

"Alright, let's get started with the practical exam today!"

Ms. Reia began explaining the practical exam.

"First, the use of soul equipment is prohibited. This is to measure your pure swordsmanship! Next, all techniques from your schools are allowed. I want to see the swordsmanship you have honed!"

After her explanation,

"Everyone, go to the equipment room and borrow a suitable sword for your size!"

She blew the whistle again, looking a bit excited.

(I think she just likes blowing the whistle...)

Ms. Reia has a bit of a childish side.

We then went to the equipment room to find a suitable sword. Using our own swords is prohibited to avoid inequality among students.

For example, my usual dull sword versus a razor-sharp one. The better sword would obviously yield better results.

Using a better sword would skew the results, which is against the purpose of the practical exam. Therefore, we have to borrow swords from the school.

(...This one should be fine.)

I found a sword of similar size to my usual one and returned to the gym.

There, I saw Ms. Reia and three other men.

The two younger men were probably assistants, and the older man with glasses was likely the measurer.

After a while, when all the students had borrowed their swords, Ms. Reia resumed her explanation.

"Alright, as you all know, the practical exam consists of three events: Iaijutsu, Tenbin, and Rengeki. It's the same as what you did in middle school. Let's start with Iaijutsu. ---Hey, get ready!"

"Understood!"

The two younger men quickly set up a bamboo pole on a stand.

Ms. Reia then explained,

"Most of you already know this, but I'll go over it briefly. You stand in front of the bamboo pole with your sword sheathed. At any time, you draw your sword and cut the bamboo in half. The time from drawing to cutting is your score."

This was exactly the same as what I did in middle school at the Gran Swordsmanship Academy.

"Also, the measurer will record your scores. He has over fifty years of experience, so be respectful."

As she finished speaking, the kind-looking measurer bowed.

The measurer is a crucial role in all practical exams, from elementary to high school. Their job is to accurately measure the results.

To become a measurer, one needs 3.0 vision or better, reflexes of 0.2 seconds or less, and a time perception difference of 0.01 seconds or less. There is a high demand for them, but a shortage nationwide.

"For reference, the average score for first-year students is around 0.8 seconds. Keep that in mind."

Ms. Reia took out a notebook and pen from her chest pocket to record the results.

"Let's start. First up—Reia Vestaria!"

"Got it!"

Reia stood in front of the bamboo pole and closed her eyes.

The gym fell silent for a few seconds,

"---Hiss!"

A sharp slash, and the bamboo was cut in half.

Everyone's eyes turned to the measurer.

"---0.5 seconds. Well done."

The score was