Chapter 81

The Kugenshinryu Battoujutsu is, fundamentally, a martial art designed to fight with a single sword.

Considering its origins, it would be natural to assume that fighting with a double-edged tachi is the original method, but it can be said that it has diversified over a long period of time.

In any case, it is a technique that should be handled with a single sword, but it is not strictly enforced.

With six hundred years of time, there have been plenty of oddities. The development of the naginata as an independent art is also a result of such a process—

"Kugenshinryu Kodachi Nito—though it's a mimicry of the assistant instructor, I have no intention of being inferior."

The Kodachi Nito style, which the assistant instructor of the soft form likes to use.

I am not a specialist, but I have enough confidence to fight on equal terms even in the same form.

The Kodachi, which is difficult to generate power with, and the fact that it is wielded with one hand, make it impossible to use the powerful hard forms—

"Oo—!"

Footwork—Retsushin.

Crushing the ground underfoot, I dashed towards the demon who was turning his back in a clumsy attempt to escape.

He seemed to be trying to turn around in response to my voice, but his movement was completely off due to hesitation from fear.

I pierced his heart with my blade before his body could move.

As I pulled out the blade, I slashed his neck with the left blade, and before the blood could even hit the ground, I kicked him to the ground and moved forward.

Footwork—Kanpitsu.

I widened my eyes and grasped the movements of the entire group.

The pathless path that exists in the gaps. I slid my body into the gaps of the chaotic battlefield.

A large number of enemies would brush past me, but there was no way I could miss any of them.

Cutting technique—Soft form, Sanjin.

Sliding my feet forward—while maintaining my balance, which was about to collapse, by taking a large step with the other foot, I continued to move forward.

While moving my body in this way, I was quickly running my blades through the demons around me.

I destroyed every part necessary for standing and moving—the tendons of the feet, the roots of the thighs, the backs of the knees—

By the time I had passed through the group, a cluster of demons writhing on the ground marked the path I had taken.

"Father, is it alright to leave these demons as they are?"

"Leave them be; Altrius will crush them later. More importantly—look, they're coming soon."

No matter how much they are under the influence of the Gikoku, their effect weakens if they cannot see me directly.

Naturally, the further the distance, the more difficult it becomes to constrain them with killing intent.

The demons in front of me are still in a state of confusion, but those in the distance are not.

As if to demonstrate this situation—while enveloping the demons in front, dark magic was approaching me.

Catching it, I threw the two kodachi in my hands into the air.

Cutting technique—Soft form, Reiroku.

"—*Zanma no Ken*"

With a *shin*—the koi-guchi rang like a bell.

By the time the sound reached me, my blade had already returned to the scabbard.

Without moving my body, and with almost no preparatory movements, the god-speed iai, Reiroku.

With a katana, I could sheath the blade without even showing the draw, but it is difficult with a tachi.

With a small self-mocking smile, I leaped forward from where I was.

"To attack allies as well—what a good nerve. Then, I'll save you the trouble!"

The demons are inherently of the dark attribute.

While the magic may work on the slave beasts, it doesn't seem to be very effective on the lesser demons.

I approached the demons who had been knocked down by the magic.

The lesser demons slowly got up—and I pressed my fist against their backs.

Striking technique—Sunko.

The burst of impact transmitted only destructive power into the body, destroying it from within.

The demon collapsed to his knees and was about to fall—when I placed my foot on his shoulder and leaped.

I grabbed the two kodachi that had been thrown into the air and spotted the figure of the one who had cast the magic at me.

It was a demon different in appearance from the lesser demons. Its somewhat human-like form was familiar to me.

"Demon Knight…!"

It was slightly different from the two I had cut down before, but it was undoubtedly a vassal of a noble demon.

If so, I will kill it. There will be no mercy. I will carve it until it explodes, just like the fallen parent and child.

Reacting to my killing intent, the Demon Knight trembled slightly and turned his hand towards me.

In the next moment, another dark blast was fired. I twisted my body and swung my blade at the approaching magic.

"*Zanma no Ken*!"

As if cutting through the darkness, I rotated and fell.

At the moment of the fall, I brought both blades down on the lesser demon at my feet.

Cutting technique—Soft form, Shuga.

The tip of the blade pierced the gap between the demon's collarbones, destroying his lungs and heart in a straight line.

I don't know if he really had lungs and a heart, but since he died, it doesn't matter.

I pulled out the blade by kicking the dead demon's shoulder and brought my heel down on the face of the demon in front.

The blow was blocked, but the lesser demon was knocked over by the momentum.

Taking advantage of this, I stepped on the demon's head with my full weight, crushing it.

Stepping over the head that died without even a scream, I moved forward.

"Shaaaaa—!"

"Human—!"

In front of me was a Demon Knight.

It, which resembled a human, drew a black sword from its waist and swung it at me.

In response to the single strike, I swung my two blades with a slight delay.

Cutting technique—Reiden—Soft form, Ryusui-Shizunami.

The first strike with the right blade deflected the Demon Knight's sword, and the second strike cut off his wrist.

I then returned the right blade and slashed the Demon Knight's shoulder, but with a single-handed kodachi, it only left a shallow wound.

However—by the time our arms crossed, I was already in the killing range.

Cutting technique—Reiden—Soft form, Dancha.

At that moment, I simultaneously drew both blades and slashed the Demon Knight's neck in a cross.

A cool sound like a pair of scissors closing echoed, and the Demon Knight's head was severed.

Green blood rained down, and before it reached me, I had already slipped past and moved forward.

"Oooooo—!!"

Footwork—Toushu.

Roaring, I leaped towards the demons who were frozen in place after the Demon Knight fell.

I thrust the blade into the eye socket of one, ripped open its neck, and landed behind it.

I pulled out the blade from the severed neck and threw it, impaling it into the forehead of a slave beast behind.

Kicking the jaw of the collapsing slave beast, I pulled out the blade from the head and slashed the neck of a lesser demon hiding behind.

I left the demon, who was panicking and trying to stop the bleeding, and moved deeper.

There, a lesser demon with a large body was standing, unable to suppress its fear of my approach.

"Gooooo—"

"Shaaaaa—!"

Drowning out the warning cry with a roar of killing intent, I closed in on the lesser demon.

The large demon swung a crude halberd, trying to sweep me with the axe blade.

Rough as it was, the speed was sufficient due to the strength of its large body. I kicked off the ground and approached it.

Cutting technique—Soft form, Ryusui-Uhabu.

I rode the momentum of the strike near the base of the handle.

While rotating and killing the momentum by scraping the ground, I thrust the left blade into the lesser demon's back.

Cutting technique—Soft form, Shizunuki.

I struck the hilt of the thrust kodachi with the hilt of the other blade.

The blade, which had penetrated the body, surely pierced the lesser demon's heart.

I pulled out the kodachi from the collapsing lesser demon's back, shook off the blood, and surveyed the path ahead—towards the front of the demon army.

"—Not yet."

Cutting technique—Soft form, Suzukane.

While jumping to avoid two spears thrust from the side, I rotated my body and slashed the neck.

It seems that some of them are getting used to my killing intent and are starting to move.

—That's fine, it wouldn't be fun otherwise.

I twisted my lips into a smile and, upon landing, kicked off the ground and leaped further into the army.

I threw the kodachi at the lesser demon who was about to give orders to the slave beasts, piercing its chest.

I closed in on the slave beasts, which had stopped moving in shock, and pressed my shoulder blades against them.

Striking technique—Hassan.

With a shock like an explosion, the body of the horse-like slave beast was blown away.

Blood spurted from its mouth and eyes, and it was clear that it was already dead.

I kicked the hilt of the blade that had pierced the lesser demon's chest, sending it flying.

I watched the lesser demon, who was writhing on the blade as it flew, and crouched down.

"Shii—!"

A monster in the form of a lion leaped at me.

I slipped under its claws and fangs and raised the other blade.

The thrust pierced the underside of its jaw, sewing through the inside of the skull and destroying the brain.

I left the beast, which collapsed upon landing, and reached for the tachi I had used earlier.

"*Sword of Life*—Lumina, retrieve the kodachi."

"Yes, sir!"

I twisted my body while placing my hand on the scabbard that leaked a golden phosphorescence, creating the distance needed for the shot.

Approaching were a lesser demon and two slave beasts.

Lumina had come, and perhaps the fear had subsided, or they had gotten used to it—either way, it didn't matter.

If they were going to attack, it would save me the trouble.

"Shaaaaa—!"

Cutting technique—Hard form, Jinrai.

With a golden glow, the powerful iai strike was released, carrying the momentum of the rotational movement.

The single strike carved a horizontal path of golden light, slicing the three enemies in its path in half.

Amid the rain of blood that splattered like an explosion, I wiped the blood from my cheek and laughed.

If they all attacked together, there might still be a chance of winning.

I have two hands, and the blade I wield is a single one. If my hands are overwhelmed, I might be overpowered.

However, these demons, who should have the advantage in numbers, are not able to press their numerical superiority.

This is probably because they have seen what has happened so far. If they are cut down as soon as they get close, they would not want to get close.

Kihama said it was "thanks to the abnormal quality of the AI," but it doesn't matter either way.

The enemies are stopping in fear of me. If so, I will take full advantage of this opportunity.

"Father... The people from 'Camelot' are approaching."

"Yes, I noticed. Well, finally."

I muttered and smiled wryly.

I cannot blame them. It's not that they were late, but that I had moved too far ahead.

Still, I am confident that I have done enough to confuse the enemy.

Thanks to the confusion, the people from 'Camelot' seem to be taking control of the battlefield effectively.

Altrius personally led the charge through the gap I had opened in the enemy ranks, expanding the hole. Then, he sent in our troops, maintaining and supporting the front lines, thereby expanding our control.

Normally, they would be overwhelmed by the difference in numbers, but the demons are still in a state of confusion, and we have a situation where we can send in as many troops as we need.

Altrius will decide the outcome before they regain their senses.

If so—

"Alright, Lumina. This is where the real show begins."

"...What do you intend to do?"

"It's obvious, isn't it?"

I had already stepped into the heart of the enemy ranks.

During the large leap earlier, I had a good grasp of the battlefield's layout.

The path I should take is already clear.

"—The general's head is mine. I will split this enemy formation completely in two."

■Avatar Name: Kuen

■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: *Katana: Lv.27*

Magic Skill: *Enhancement Magic: Lv.19*

Set Skills: *Dead Point Strike: Lv.17*

*MP Auto Recovery: Lv.15*

*Seizure Sword: Lv.14*

*Identification: Lv.15*

*Sword of Life: Lv.16*

*Sword of Demon Slaying: Lv.7*

*Tame: Lv.12*

*HP Auto Recovery: Lv.12*

*Life Force Manipulation: Lv.9*

Sub Skills: *Mining: Lv.8*

Title Skills: *Blessing of the Fairy*

■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: *Katana*

Magic Skill: *Light Magic*

Skills: *Light Attribute Enhancement*

*Light Wings*

*High Magic Resistance*

*Medium Physical Resistance*

*MP Auto Recovery (High)*

*Wind Magic*

*Magic Circle*

*Boost*

Title Skills: *Servant of the Spirit King*