It was the first time I hadn’t been able to do anything against someone.
It was as if all of my actions were foreseen.
It felt like I was slashing into a lump of steel all the time. I slashed, slashed, slashed… and the moment I was out of breath or disturbed, he kicked off my belly.
What was that, “I have to be a little more serious”. He wasn’t serious at all.
Pearl was without a doubt strong. I couldn’t imagine I could hurt him.
I tried over and over again until the sun went down, but in the end, only me the one who got scratches.
When I dropped the sword in my hand for the hundred times, the training on the first day was over.
Was that really a training? I felt like I just swinging a sword to my best, nothing more.
The second day of training…
I could see Pearl’s movement a little.
However, I hadn’t reached the level yet. I could block and parry more often than before, but I couldn’t reach anything other than the sword. However, I felt that my Mana was steadily increasing.
The third day of training…
I had learned the basics of sword art, such as how to hold a sword and how to make a gap.
By the way, nothing was taught by Pearl. That man was silent, he just slashing his sword on me.
He had a similar educational policy as the Old Man, “Only teach me the basic training method and leave the rest to me”.
But, this method was quite suitable for me. Rather than forcing something to me, it was better for me to think and come up with an answer myself.
I had never learned any swordsmanship.
Therefore, the way of holding the sword, I imitated Pearl… Hold the sword with your right hand and point its blade at the opponent’s throat. A One-handed sword style.
For these three days, I finally understood the initial movement of human beings and the magnitude of motion after I became one with the sword… The breathing, gaze, muscle movement… How much your knees sunk and how much your hips twisted.
All of that information processed instantly to predict the movement of the opponent.
If you could understand this, it would be possible to make movements that would be difficult for the opponent to read.
On that day, the sword in my hand was dropped by Pearl only three times.
And the morning of the fourth day comes.
I wake up in a room surrounded by bookshelves.
By the way, the room where I’m sleeping is the room of Pearl and Akane’s child, Dia.
In the room, Bookshelves are lined up along the wall. Even the windows are hidden by the bookshelves. A bed and a blanket with a cat mark on top of it are placed in the middle of the room.
“… as ever, this room still makes me dizzy.”
When I first came to this room, I thought it was a study room for a moment.
Pearl had a bitter smile when he guided me to the room.
『”My daughter is an alchemist! She is crazy about alchemy research and has no interest in anything else! All the books here are alchemy books! The room is also undecorated! But now, she has her own store and sleep in that store!” 』
I asked, “Is the store at <Mother Punk>?”
『”Yeah! If you are interested, please try to visit once!”』
Well, I’m curious about the appearance of their child, and about the alchemy stone too… Alright, Let’s go when the duel with Leila is over.
Today, is the last day of the training since the day after tomorrow will be the day of my duel with Leila. So, I want to be in good shape tomorrow.
I haven’t been able to hurt Pearl yet.
Today is the only chance to meet the conditions for receiving his sword.
Anyway, I wake up and go to the washroom.
While brushing my teeth in the washroom, I’m thinking about how to land one hit on Pearl.
“…..”
Peral is really strong.
The stronger I become and the more I know about sword, the more I realize that there is no chance.
I’m sure my sword talent is decent. But, no matter how much I master the sword, I don’t think it will reach that man. That’s if only about the sword.
For the time being, I have one trick.
There is only chance, I’ll be able to land a hit when Pearl is not careful enough.
“The success rate is fifty percent, but I have no choice but to do it …”