Chapter 76

The moment I sensed the killing intent, my body immediately shifted into a combat stance.

Reacting to the sharp presence heading towards me, I instantly unleashed a quick draw with my kodachi.

The direction was from the side, aimed at my head, and I countered with a swift upward slash from below.

That one strike knocked the short barrel upwards, sending it flying towards the ceiling.

(Gun!?)

I had never heard that such weapons existed in this world.

However, my body did not show any signs of disturbance and immediately moved into the most optimal action.

Namely, closing in on the opponent with a gun.

"Shh!"

"Nu—!"

Cutting technique—soft form, flowing water, no sword.

I deflected the knee that had risen to intercept me, disrupting the opponent's balance while swinging the tip of my kodachi at their side.

However, the opponent avoided it with a ridiculous body rotation and countered with a kick from below.

With a grunt, I deflected that strike with my left hand—then, in that instant, a hand stretched out to grab my left arm.

If caught, my arm would be broken. I instinctively pulled back, letting go of the kodachi and reaching for my katana—glaring at the man with a half-closed eye.

"I was wondering who the person Altrius mentioned from the unit was... I didn't expect it to be you, 'Sergeant'."

"Hahaha! You've improved, 'Shelato'!"

"Stop using that nickname, I told you."

I straightened my stance and turned to face the man, a tall, blonde man.

His thick, log-like arms and legs, and his well-toned muscular body, truly exuded the presence of a seasoned soldier.

He was supposed to be over 60, but he still looked energetic.

The sparring match that served as a greeting seemed to be over, and the Sergeant no longer showed any signs of combat intent.

It seemed he intended to end this impromptu test here. I sighed and relaxed my stance, picking up the kodachi I had dropped.

"Father, is he an enemy!?"

"Do you know this person?"

Despite the sudden attack, Hizuru and the others were still on high alert.

The girls, with their hands on their swords, directed hostile glances at the Sergeant, who laughed and showed his hands in a gesture of surrender.

Given his composed nature, he wouldn't be rattled by this.

"Oops, sorry, little girls! I'm a friend of our Samurai Boy here."

"Who's a boy, who's a boy? And why are you—why is the captain of the 23rd United Nations Frontline Squad playing a Japanese game? You were always kicking promotions to stay on the front lines."

"Hehe, I retired! I can spend my retirement wherever I want, right?"

At those words, I widened my eyes slightly and then sighed.

Focusing on his character name, it was Sergeant, indeed the Sergeant.

It seemed he hadn't fully let go of his old ways even after retiring.

He was the squad leader of a certain unit in the United Nations Army—once the unit that my old man and I had worked with.

His command, judgment, and combat skills were all top-notch, but he was a difficult person to get along with the higher-ups.

Despite his numerous achievements and merits, he would pick fights with his superiors and skip promotion exams, staying at the rank of Sergeant and remaining on the front lines.

Looking at his record, he was a troublesome problem child, but his skills were undoubtedly genuine, and he was highly trusted by his subordinates.

Thanks to his leadership, I was able to execute operations efficiently.

We finished that war in just four years, largely due to his presence.

But—

"…Was your retirement due to the injuries from that time?"

"Yeah, I couldn't walk without a cane anymore, so I couldn't stay on the front lines."

"If that's the case, why didn't you accept a promotion? Why did you leave the military?"

"Hahaha! Work under the people who made me their enemy? No way, Shelato!"

"Stop using that nickname."

I tried to have a serious conversation, but to this old man, it was just a laughing matter.

I sighed and glared at him.

The final operation two years ago.

During that mission, the Sergeant was severely injured to allow my old man and me to infiltrate.

When we returned home, we couldn't visit him, and we left a message instead—never expecting to meet him again like this.

"…Well, anyway. I'm glad to see you again, Sergeant."

"Same here. But, this isn't the place for a chat. Let's go somewhere and have a meal while we talk."

My hunger was slightly reduced, and I wanted to eat something other than portable rations.

I had no objections to the Sergeant's suggestion.

"What about you guys? If you have something you want to do, you can go."

"Well… Mr. Teacher's old acquaintance, right? I'd like to hear the story."

"Me too. I'd like to hear about Father."

"Sure, sure! I'll tell you anything about this guy!"

"…Don't say anything strange, Sergeant."

Probably futile, but I sighed and followed the laughing Sergeant.

* * * * *

"Alright, cheers! As a thank you for the past, I'll treat you today."

"Alright. Then I won't hold back."

This old man probably intended to settle old debts with this.

I didn't feel good about dwelling on the past forever.

If this could settle things, that would be fine.

"Still, this is quite a hidden place for a restaurant."

"But it's surprisingly popular, isn't it? It feels like a hidden gem."

"Sure does. It was worth the effort to find it."

"Did you go on a food tour or something?"

I didn't think he was a foodie before, but maybe it became a hobby after retiring and having free time.

Or perhaps—due to the aftereffects of that time, he had to follow a diet.

In any case, in this game, drinking and eating wouldn't affect the real world.

In a way, it was a good hobby.

"Still, this is the first time I've had alcohol in the game…"

"It's not as strong as the real thing, but it's decent. Don't pass out, Shelato?"

"I won't go that far."

"Really? Hey, little girls, this guy passed out the first time he drank. Hahaha! The cool Samurai Boy turned bright red and fell off his chair!"

"I'll punch you, you bastard! Who sent tequila to someone who had never drunk before?"

Getting drunk without being cautious was a mistake, even in the festive atmosphere.

I never expected that to become a joke among the squad for years… I tried to punch him a few times to erase his memory, but it didn't work.

Sighing, I took a sip of the ordered drink. It seemed to be a fruit wine that could be made at home.

With white liquor, it was easy to make, and it seemed this world had that level of technology.

"…So, Sergeant. I can understand why you retired, but why did you come to Japan and start playing this game? And why did you reveal that story to Altrius?"

"The reason I came here is simple. My daughter and her family live here. I heard about you and decided to spend my retirement in Japan."

"Ah, I remember you mentioning you had a daughter."

It took some guts to marry this massive old man's daughter.

But he didn't seem to have any bad feelings, so their relationship must be good.

"Hahaha, actually, I have a granddaughter too! She's adorable!"

"You were still running around the front lines even at an age when you should have grandchildren?"

"Hey, don't talk about my enthusiasm, Shelato. Besides, you're wearing clothes made by my adorable granddaughter… You must be jealous, huh?"

"…What!? You mean… Aizawa is your granddaughter!?"

I was taken aback by the unexpected connection.

But the Sergeant's expression was serious, and it didn't seem like a lie.

Hizuru was also surprised, her eyes wide as she looked at the Sergeant.

"Right, that's correct. I started playing the game because of her influence. She got so into the stories about you and the Samurai Master that she became a big fan of samurais and has been making kimonos ever since… We haven't played together, though."

"…Is that why she's so into Japanese culture?"

I glared at the Sergeant, who muttered that it didn't suit him.

It was an unexpected connection, but it made sense.

Life is full of unexpected connections.

"Um… Can I ask a question?"

"Sure, Shelato's disciple, the disciple of the Kyuugen Shintou-ryu master. Ask anything!"

"…I hope that old man didn't tell you the meaning of that title."

Looking at me with a tense expression, the Sergeant grinned and gave a thumbs up.

Alright, I'll kill that old man the next time I see him. How dare he reveal that tradition to the Sergeant!

Hizuru, understanding her position, blushed and looked down but continued speaking.

"Um… You've been calling Mr. Teacher 'Shelato.' What does that mean?"

"Oh, that's the callsign we used in our unit. The Samurai Master—his old man—decided it."

"Instead of a normal callsign, that old man, for fun, called himself 'Shura 1.' Naturally, I became 'Shura 2'—"

"Back then, we had trouble pronouncing Japanese, so 'Shurato,' 'Shelato'… it became 'Shelato.'"

"I see… Then, what about the previous generation?"

"…That old man stuck with 'Samurai Master.' I ended up with a strange nickname."

There were others like Little Samurai, Samurai Boy, Blade Ninja… Why were foreigners so into samurais and ninjas?

Actually, I don't think there were any ninja elements, but where did they come from?

Anyway, the unit was full of people with a good sense of humor.

I had to knock out those who kept teasing me with 'I'll treat you to gelato.'

Reflecting on the past, I sighed deeply, and Hizuru looked at me with a puzzled expression.

"…What is it, Hizuru?"

"Ah, no… It's just that it's refreshing to see Mr. Teacher talking so freely…"

"Is it?"

"Yes. The two of you… are friends, right?"

I sipped my drink and pondered Hizuru's words.

Friends, friends. Indeed, that word wasn't far off.

But, just calling us friends felt different.

The relationship between me and the Sergeant was probably—

"…More like comrades-in-arms."

"Yeah, that fits better."

We exchanged glances—both of us smiling wryly.

Those comrades who ran through the hellish battlefield together. It wasn't a relationship that could be summed up in a few words—but perhaps that was the most accurate description.

* * * * *

■Avatar Name: Kuon

■Gender: Male

■Race: Human

■Level: 27

■Status (Remaining Status Points: 0)

STR: 24

VIT: 18

INT: 24

MND: 18

AGI: 14

DEX: 14

■Skills

Weapon Skill: 《Sword: Lv.27》

Magic Skill: 《Enhancement Magic: Lv.19》

Set Skill: 《Dead Point Strike: Lv.17》

《MP Auto Recovery: Lv.15》

《Plundering Sword: Lv.14》

《Identification: Lv.15》

《Life Sword: Lv.16》

《Demon Slaying Sword: Lv.7》

《Tame: Lv.12》

《HP Auto Recovery: Lv.12》

《Life Force Manipulation: Lv.9》

Sub Skill: 《Mining: Lv.8》

Title Skill: 《Fairy's Blessing》

■Current SP: 30

■Avatar Name: Hizuru

■Gender: Female

■Race: Human

■Level: 27

■Status (Remaining Status Points: 0)

STR: 24

VIT: 17

INT: 21

MND: 18

AGI: 16

DEX: 16

■Skills

Weapon Skill: 《Sword: Lv.27》

Magic Skill: 《Fire Magic: Lv.23》

Set Skill: 《Fighting Spirit: Lv.17》

《Spell Charge: Lv.16》

《Fire Attribute Enhancement: Lv.15》

《Healing Proficiency: Lv.10》

《Identification: Lv.15》

《Dead Point Strike: Lv.17》

《Hand-to-Hand Combat: Lv.16》

《Combat Skills: Lv.16》

《Endurance: Lv.16》

Sub Skill: 《Gathering: Lv.7》

《Mining: Lv.10》

Title Skill: 《Scarlet Sword Maiden》

■Current SP: 30

■Monster Name: Lumina

■Gender: Female

■Race: Valkyrie

■Level: 1

■Status (Remaining Status Points: 0)

STR: 25

VIT: 18

INT: 32

MND: 19

AGI: 21

DEX: 19

■Skills

Weapon Skill: 《Sword》

Magic Skill: 《Light Magic》

Skill: 《Light Attribute Enhancement》

《Light Wings》

《High Magic Resistance》

《Medium Physical Resistance》

《MP Auto Recovery (High)》

《Wind Magic》

《Magic Circle》

《Boost》

Title Skill: 《Servant of the Spirit King》