𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲 𝟏
“Uh. . . . . .?”
“I don’t know what’s bothering you, but getting some physical exercise might help you clear your mind.”
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No sooner had I said that, I dashed forward and thrust my wooden sword at Rest.
I didn’t use the power of my Storm Leg Armor.
This is purely for training purposes.
Besides, the quickest way I know to understand someone I don’t know well is through body language.
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“!”
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Rest dodged the thrust aimed at his face without much effort, looking somewhat perplexed.
Good reflexes.
As I thought, a straightforward attack won’t work on someone with divine protection.
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Immediately after, Rest counterattacked by slashing at my torso.
In response, I interrupted my thrust, which I hadn’t put much power into, by anticipating Rest’s movement.
I smoothly moved my wooden sword in front of my body and used the handle to block Rest’s counterattack.
However, although I am older and physically larger, Rest, who possesses divine protection, is far stronger.
Naturally, simply blocking wasn’t enough to stop the force, and my body was almost sent flying backward.
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However, overpowering opponents with brute force is my specialty.
I used the technique 『Flowing Blade』 to turn the force of being blown away into my own strength.
I rotated to the left, deflecting the force of the body blow, and immediately used that momentum to deliver a spinning slash at Rest’s neck.
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“Hmph!”
“Not bad.”
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Rest quickly withdrew his wooden sword and held it diagonally to firmly block my attack.
Our wooden swords crossed.
I didn’t get into a clinch but used the recoil from the blocked attack to leap backward and create distance.
There was no follow-up attack.
Instead, Rest, still holding his wooden sword, opened his mouth.
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“. . . . . .What are you trying to accomplish by attacking me out of the blue?”
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A skeptical voice.
Well, it’s a natural reaction.
But when asked what I’m trying to accomplish, my thoughts are incredibly simple.
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“I don’t have any particular reason. As I said at the beginning, I thought it might help clear your mind. Besides, crossing swords can give some insight into each other.”
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We just met yesterday.
I still know almost nothing about Rest.
However, he is related to Blade and Ruberto-san, and is treated like a younger brother by Stella and others.
He’s not a stranger to me.
If someone like that looks distressed, human nature compels me to do something, even if he’s a love rival.
First and foremost, I need to know more about Rest.
Crossing swords is a means to that end.
Call me a muscle-brain if you want.
I’ve spent most of my life in training; I am a muscle-brain.
And as such a muscle-brain, let me say,
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“You move well. You’re far more talented than I am.”
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Fundamentally sound and beautiful movements.
And yet, the flexibility to adapt to unexpected attacks.
Strength and speed of the sword go without saying.
The power that does justice to his divine protection was evident.
All in all, Rest Valkyrias is a true swordsman, one who has correctly honed his innate talent through hard work.
He gives off an impression of inexperience, but that will naturally be resolved as he accumulates real-life experience.
Rest is undoubtedly a future hero.
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“However, there were parts in your sword techniques where you slightly deviated from the basics and put in too much power, or were overly aggressive.
I initially thought this was due to your inexperience, but it’s not.”
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Dodging a thrust, when he tried to counter with a strike to my torso.
I took advantage of that, attempting to regain my footing.
In Rest’s swordplay, there was unnecessary force as a result of trying to move the blade even slightly faster.
It was just a minor wobble in his sword.
But for me, who values finesse in swordsmanship above all else, it was evident.
Additionally, I’ve made similar mistakes in the past, and that’s why I noticed it.
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“Is this the result of trying to beat someone stronger through trial and error?”
“Huh?!”
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Hit the nail on the head, Rest was taken aback, his eyes widening in surprise.
Just as I thought.
At the same time, memories of my failures in the previous world resurface.
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This was before I encountered the Ultimate Killing Sword.
Just after I left the village, swearing to avenge Stella, I had just started undergoing rigorous training.
Back then, I was training and training, aspiring to become stronger than anyone else.
To swing my sword a bit more powerfully.
To swing my sword a bit more quickly.
I genuinely believed that I would become the strongest swordsman and avenge her in the end.
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But it was an overly reckless challenge.
My body was too weak.
Lacking in strength, speed, everything.
Against demons and heroes, not only in talent but even in biological makeup, I was different.
It took quite a while for my hate-filled mind to accept such a straightforward fact, but let’s set that aside for now.
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Anyway, because I’ve had such experiences, I understood what Rest was striving for in honing his sword.
Rest had been striving to defeat those who were faster and stronger than himself.
And it’s not something he just started recently, even the way his sword fits in his hand tells that.
Additionally, the recklessness of challenging demons, coupled with a complex family background.
With all that, I had a sense of what Rest had been struggling with.
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“I won’t ask who you’re aiming to be.
But let me offer some advice as someone who has overcome a talent gap.
What’s needed is to think about how you can win with your own strength, and how to acquire that strength. Keep searching for that method.
Learn what you need, consume it, develop it, and turn it into power.
If you keep struggling without giving up, you will definitely become strong.”
“. . . . . .Is that true?”
“Of course. You’re looking at a living example who has overturned talent gaps.
In the end, the most necessary thing to become strong is just one thing. . . . . .”
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At that point, I paused, and filled my next words with strong resolve.
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“『Don’t break.』”
“!”
“Don’t give up. Don’t stop moving.
Clearly visualize what you want to become strong for, and charge toward that.
That’s what becoming strong means.”
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That’s all I can say.
I don’t know whether this advice will be of any use to Rest, or maybe Rest’s troubles are about something completely different, and what I’ve said is entirely off the mark.
But I’ve said what needed to be said.
What Rest does with it is up to him.
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After listening, Rest seemed a bit relieved.
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“Was it at all helpful?”
“. . . . . .Yes. Thank you.”
“I see.”
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Rest was smiling just a little.
Seeing that face, I thought:
This guy will probably become a great hero in the future.
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“Well, do your best. You’ll probably find a different path to strength than I did.”
“Yes. And someday, I’ll become a man who can make Stella-san turn her head.”
“That’d be problematic. Then I’ll become the coolest guy that she falls head over heels for, so you’ll never catch up.”
“What’s a wimp who’s well-liked but can’t even confess saying?”
“Ouch! Don’t say it. . . . . .! You’re on! Bring it!”
“As you wish!”
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And so, we crossed swords again.
The hesitation disappeared from Rest’s blade, and it seemed he began experimenting to defeat me first.
If you think you can do it, then try.
I haven’t trained in a way that would let you defeat me overnight!
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“Sorry to keep you waiting. Wow, you two have really become close.”
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Stella, who returned shortly after, declared such a thing.
We haven’t become close.
This is a man-to-man duel.
It’s a heated battle where we express that I am the one worthy of the woman we both like!
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However, Stella, the ignorant woman, casually intruded, and the man-to-man duel transformed back into our usual training.
In the end, we continued to swing our swords until the sun set.
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◆◆◆
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“He was really something. . . . . .”
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As Rest walks back to the barracks where he’s currently staying after parting ways with the two people, he reflects on Allan, the person he had a meaningful conversation with for the first time today.
In a word, Allan was simply incredible.
What came through their clashing swords was a trail of extraordinary effort.
Although Rest didn’t realize it when he was effortlessly defeated before, upon carefully studying his opponent, the essence of Allan’s swordsmanship becomes apparent.
His sword is weak and slow.
If it were a straightforward contest of physical ability, Rest would win every time out of a million tries.
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However, to make up for that lack of power, Allan’s swordsmanship is incredibly delicate.
He fills the insurmountable gap in strength with skill.
His attacks slide off as if sliding on a highly polished floor, and before you know it, he delivers a powerful counter-attack.
The angle of the force, the position of holding the sword, the timing of launching an attack— if any of these factors are even slightly off, the miraculous swordsmanship could not be achieved.
Such extraordinarily refined swordsmanship, surpassing even Holy Warriors and heroes, was built on relentless effort.
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You would understand if you crossed swords with him.
The countless refinements and innovations in Allan’s swordsmanship.
Rest could feel the enormity of what Allan has built up, and is overwhelmed by it.
Divine protection holders, Holy Warriors, heroes, demons.
To catch up to those who were at a high place from the beginning, he climbed the stairs step by step from far below.
No, it’s not something so simple.
There were no stairs in front of Allan that would certainly make him stronger as he climbed.
It’s a monumental task, as if he crafted each step of a non-existent staircase, stacking them up to ascend from the abyss to the heavens.
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Once shown the traces of such extraordinary effort, feelings of jealousy wither away.
Because he accepted it.
Because he acknowledged it.
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It is only natural that this person is above him.
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True geniuses like Holy Warriors.
Those who were born into heights that seemed unreachable from the beginning.
Rest can no longer harbor the same jealousy he feels toward Allan.
He couldn’t accept that the Holy Warriors were above him.
There’s no way he could accept the irrational gap in born status.
Especially since Rest grew up being compared to them.
He couldn’t help but think that if he had the divine protection of a Holy Warrior, he could be like them.
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But Allan is different.
He’s accumulated enough to convincingly show that he deserves to be above.
At the very least, unless Rest piles up as much effort as Allan has, he has no right to be jealous.
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“I’ll do my best.”
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The days of not moving forward just by being jealous of others should come to an end.
Those who have overturned the gap in talent with effort have given him advice.
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『Don’t give up』
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Don’t surrender.
Don’t stop your steps.
Clearly envision why you want to become strong and aim for it.
That’s what Allan said.
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The motive for Rest seeking strength was jealousy.
He was tired of being compared to Holy Warriors and being called a failure.
It’s sad that he can’t overturn that fact.
He’s jealous of real geniuses.
He hates his own powerlessness.
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That’s why he wants to become strong.
He wants to change his powerless self.
He wants to become a strong man that he can be proud of himself.
Although he had given up once, he will aim to become his ideal self one more time.
He’s been told the way.
He will keep considering how to win against his opponents with his own strength, how to acquire the power for that, learn what he needs, consume it, invent it, and transform it into power.
Easier said than done.
If the gap could be easily overturned, there would be no struggle.
However, there is someone who has actually become stronger by doing that.
Then, there’s no reason he can’t do it too.
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“First, I’ll take that deflection technique from you. It’s proven to work against stronger opponents.”
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With that, the future hero Rest looked forward.
He started to experiment with what he could do, taking the first step on the path to becoming stronger.
While at the end of this path, he was possibly contemplating stealing the one he loved from that adorably awkward guy he so respected.
As it stands, he’s still far behind both as a swordsman and a romantic rival.
But he vowed to catch up someday.
When that time comes, it’d be good if you regretted offering salt to your enemy and grind your teeth in frustration.
So. . . . . .
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『You can’t do it. You’re incapable of doing anything.』
“Get out. . . . . .don’t come!”
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Rest forcefully suppressed the dark emotions surging up from within him through sheer willpower.
However, even after pushing them down repeatedly, these dark emotions attempted to corrode his heart along with an unpleasant voice.
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『You are inferior. He is special. No matter how hard you try, you’ll never reach him.』
“Shut up!”
『Your efforts are worthless. It’s futile, futile, utterly futile. Give up and accept my blood. Then, you will. . . . . .』
“Shut up!”
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Shaking his head, he shrugged off the dark emotions.
This is a curse.
After a mental crushing defeat to Allan during the hero’s departure ceremony, Rest had become reckless. He had wanted to prove that he too could be strong and that all his efforts weren’t in vain. He had challenged a demon without any plan, and as if punished by the heavens, he was cursed with dark blue blood.
This curse had been gnawing at Rest’s heart every day.
He couldn’t even discuss it with anyone; he had no choice but to keep resisting alone.
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But today, he has changed.
He looked forward once again.
He was determined to shake off the curse.
He felt that resolve, that mental strength, within him.
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However, as if mocking him, the filthy bat took its next move.
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『. . . . . .I thought you’d fall by now, but you’re more tenacious than expected. The divine protection is getting in the way, isn’t it?』
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Suddenly, the tone of the voice changed.
It was no longer methodically trying to break his spirit but had become emotionally irritated.
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『If we take any more time, the hero might go too far away. Ultimately, we weren’t prepared either. . . . . .No choice, let’s expedite this.』
“What?!”
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The moment the voice said those words, Rest was struck with excruciating pain throughout his body.
At the same time, he felt as if his mind was being taken over by something.
No, not just something.
It was an emotion he recognized.
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(Painful, sad, envious, resentful, why am I, I hate being weak, if only I had the divine protection of the Holy Warrior, I could be stronger than my grandfather, worthy of Stella-san, why is that guy stronger than me, this is ridiculous, I can’t forgive, why why why why why why why why. . . . . .)
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These were the negative emotions he had bottled up deep within him.
In other words, it was his other self that had been wailing.
That other self mixed with something unknown, aiming to overwhelm his current self and take over his body.
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“What is this. . . . . .?!”
『If only you’d willingly fall, you would’ve been a much more obedient servant.
Well, it can’t be helped. Let’s hope you make a grand spectacle of chaos.』
“Aaaaaaaaah?!”
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A young man named Rest was being twisted by malice.
His will to overcome the pain as well.
His resolution to take the next step forward too.
All were exploited and trampled upon.
The future hero was turning into a pawn of the demons.
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『Well, it’s showtime. Please enjoy the prelude to the main event to your heart’s content, hero.』
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Far away in the Demon King’s castle, a demon sneers.
In this town, which is closest to the front lines of the battle with the Demon King’s Army, a tragedy was about to unfold.
Translator’s Blog
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