6. Return to Academy and Civil War [2] – part 1
I stood in the middle of a withered wilderness.
Withered tree.
Withered soil.
Withered air.
That guy was the only one in this desolate world.
「…So, you were my spirit core after all.」
「A”a? Aaー… I see. Well, for now, we can stick to that perception.」 that guy sat on a huge rock with a cracked surface, and muttered something under his breath.
「So then, why did you come here, Allen? Did you finally decide to hand over your body to me, E”e?」
「Obviously not. If I hand it over to you, you’d simply go on a rampage again.」
「Gyahahahaha! Well that’s… because it’s funny that you wouldn’t use the power you have, right? Going on a rampage, and destroying, and having fun… you should live in the moment… nA”a?」
I don’t like that way of life – living only for the moment.
「I don’t agree with you. I want to live a modest and long life.」
「Long, huh… What a boring way to live…」he grumbled, while shrugging his shoulders.
「Anyway – Never in this lifetime am I going to hand over my body to you. It’s only obvious, looking back on what you did the last time.」
He drove Sid-san to a half-dead state.
No, not just that. If Ria hadn’t stopped me then, I’m sure I would’ve killed him without any hesitation.
「Last time…? A”a, didn’t I save your life both times?」
「…『Both times』? You speak as though there were two instances.」
Certainly, during the fight with Sid-san… this guy saved my life.
At that time – I honestly didn’t have the power to avoid the〈Vanal Thrust〉that threaten to pierce my throat.
If he hadn’t come out, I definitely would have died.
But that was the only time I was saved by him.
「Oo, that time when you were playing with that shitty ice brat… and that other time. When you pushed that shitty geezer’s button. If I remember correctly… Was it around the five thousand years mark on the first loop? Allen… You tried to die once, didn’t you?」
「……!?」
I remembered something… very disgusting.
(That’s right, this guy is my spirit core… That means he has the memories of that billion years…)
……I was going really crazy at that time.
For 5,000 years, I didn’t meet or talk to anyone – I went insane because I had to live the same life day after day after day.
That was when I had the urge to die.
「Oh, you remember now, don’t you? I’m the one who stopped that stupid act, you know? It was really hard… The『path』hadn’t opened and yet, I had to forcibly control your body. Because of that enormous use of power, I had to sleep for the next several hundred million years…. Well, anyway – be grateful. There is no reason for you to resent me… right?」
「…Were you really the one who stopped me?」
I thought that the fear of death had exceeded the pain of that time.
「Huh, who else is there besides me? First of all, human beings are not that strong. A guy who is determined to『die』will die more easily than he thinks.」
「I see, understood… Thank you.」
I can’t help but thank him in this matter.
「A”aah? I don’t want your『feelings』. Show your gratitude with actions…… Hand over your body.」 he asked for my body again.
I felt a little uncomfortable with this repeated dialogue.
「…You sure are asking for my consent a lot… If I was as strong as you were, l would’ve taken it by force.」
「Are you some kind of stupid? With your consent – that is, borrowing your body with you in a zero resistance state, and snatching it away by forcibly twisting your mind – the degree of wear and tear is remarkably different between those two! In the end – I am a spirit body after all…」
He looked at his right hand as though yearning for something.
「Hee, so that’s how it is…」
That’s very good information.
As Leia-sensei said previously, when he takes over my body, he seems to be tremendously draining『something』.
(In other words, it’s not so easy to take my body over and over again……!)
When I was thinking about that,
「Tch…… Oi, if you have no intention to hand over your body, get lost already… you’re an eyesore.」
He shook his hand as though driving away a fly.
He’s a very self-centered guy.
「I can’t do that. I came here today, to borrow your power. -You understand, right? I want to acquire soul dress.」
First, I decided to dialogue with him.
He’s a crazy guy, but he’s not stupid.
He can communicate with words properly, and above all, he has a rational ability to think.
Dialogue…… Or, if I negotiate, I might be able to borrow a part of his power.
And then,
「A”A? A greenhorn like you… wants my power? …Puuh, Gyahahahahahahahahaah! Hi-Hi-Hiii! How funny…!」
Just what was so funny, I don’t know… but he struck his knees again and again and kept laughed.
「O-Oi! This is not a joke-」
「Even if it’s a joke, it ain’t funny!」
And the next second, he was already standing right before my nose tip.
His right arm had already swung back, and the impact in the next fraction of a second was inevitable.
「Oraa…!」
It wasn’t a faint or anything of the kind – it was a direct straight right.
「〜〜!?」
At a moment’s judgement, I slid my sword between my face and his arm.
It was a perfect defense.
I dropped my center of gravity firmly in preparation for the impact.
But still – my body was blown away horizontally like a ball.
(What is this… ridiculous strength…?!)
Defense did not function as a defense…
I spun in mid-air to reduce the impact, and somehow performed ukemi. 1
At the same time, I placed my sword in front of my navel, and assumed Seigan no Kamae.
「Oi Oi… you’re too light, you know!? Are you eating properly… A”a!?」
「…I am eating properly.」
Defense is useless against this guy.
If so – attack attack attack!
I must not give him the chance to attack…!
I closed the long distance between us in three steps, and unleashed my specialty, eight slash attack.
「Eighth Sword – Yatagarasu!」
In the face of the eight slashes that had become much sharper and more powerful after the fight with Sid-san – that guy yawned.
Immediately after that, both hands, both legs, neck, head, torso, and chest – the eight slashes struck his whole body thoroughly.
Unlike during the fight with Dodriel, every slash was a direct hit.
There was a solid response.
However, none of them dealt any damage.
Far from ripping through the skin, there was not even a scratch.
Rather… my sword was the one which seemed to break.
(No, way…!?)
As I was stunned and staring at my sword,
「Oi Oi, how do you plan to cut my body… with such childish slash? A”a?」
He shook his head wide from side to side as if to provoke me.
(As expected, we are realms apart…)
Arm strength, Leg strength, Stamina – Everything was on a whole different level.
After that, I tried to cut him over and over again…
He massaged his right arm, without a care in the world.
(It’s futile… Face, Neck, Solar Plexus – Even when it hits vital spots, normal slashes doesn’t cut through…)
But, it’s not like I have lost all options,
I have a non-normal slash – a special slash.
(If it’s that slash that cuts through the space, the world… even this guy wouldn’t escape unscathed…)
I aimed at the moment when that guy lazily stretched his body – and unleashed.
「Fifth Sword – World Judgement!」
However,
「Oi Oi Oi… If you swing it so slowly… I’m gonna fall asleep.」
Before I realised it, he was already pinching the sword which I had raised overhead.
「……!?」
Monster.
That single word flashed through my mind.
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