The black-bladed knife broke. Or rather, Kaede cut through it.
I hastily pulled out another… a knife with a saw-like blade, and took my stance.
I deflected her slash. The serrated part of the saw-like knife chipped.
Then it snapped clean off. Anti-climactic.
"What seems to be the matter?"
"Tch."
As expected, katanas were powerful. The cutting edge was on a whole different level.
In that case — I caught Kaede's katana with the Banish.
This was the Hydrangea Grand Hall… or what was left of the arena.
After what Arveld and I had done, repairs hadn't even been started yet.
So the scars of destruction and collapse still lingered raw across the inside of the arena.
A somewhat lonely wind blew through.
"Oh my, now that is most interesting."
The katana was caught snugly in the comb-like blade of the Banish.
How did it come to this. Why did it come to this.
I flashback.
Kaede had asked if I was free, and since I was, I tagged along.
We'd been chatting about all sorts of things as we walked, and that's how we ended up at this ruined arena.
When I wondered aloud why someone would come to a place like this, Kaede drew her katana, smiled, and said:
"I'm bored out of my mind too, you know."
"I-I see."
She was sizing up the distance between us. I had a bad feeling about this.
"I've been thinking of setting out soon. So before I do, I was hoping to have a bit of harmless fun with you, Master Wof — the one who defeated that man."
"Huh? Fun?"
And then she drew her katana, closed the distance in a single step, and struck.
"A game of swordplay, if you will."
"—!?"
My knife, which I'd raised to block on reflex, was sliced clean through — that's more or less what happened.
Still, between Riv and Narcissus...
Why was it always the women who went straight to attacking?
"That peculiar shape. I recognize it. If I'm not mistaken, it's called a Sword Breaker?"
"Spot on...!"
"Hm."
Her katana had gotten completely tangled in the comb of the Sword Breaker.
One more twist and her blade would snap. That was the idea, anyway.
"Can we call it quits here? It's going to break."
Cheap intimidation. I wasn't really cut out for this.
Come to think of it, she was blindfolded — how was she reading my movements so precisely?
"N-No, not yet, not yet, Master Wof. I haven't had my fill of this game. Besides, Oni Ichi Hogen isn't the sort of blade that would break from something like—
"Not
some
demon-
forged weapon, you know."
Kaede grinned, the corners of her mouth curling up with amusement, and drew her blade.
An obvious act of suicide. But what shattered at the same moment she drew her sword was the Swordbreaker.
"—!"
The comb-shaped blade crumbled to pieces.
Every single knife snapped.
The most that had broken since Arveld.
I stepped back. Kaede kept her distance as well.
She gave the Oni Ichi Hogen a light flick and sheathed it.
"Lord Wof. I'm one of those women they call 'the Impregnable,' you know."
"Right."
I know. So what.
"Then I suppose you conquering me would be the natural next step. 'The King of Conquest over the Impregnable.'"
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
Seriously, what was she even saying all of a sudden.
The moment my disbelief showed, the atmosphere shifted.
"——Don't be so cold, would you?"
Ms. Kaede cheerfully picked up the white cloth she'd been using to tie back her hair.
Her glossy black hair cascaded down, the color shifting from cherry blossom pink starting at the tips and reaching about halfway up.
In the center of her forehead, something swelled and burst through the skin — a long, sharp horn.
The way she was transforming.
"A Pseudo-Apotheosis Relic—?!"
Instinctively, reflexively, I activated Generous.
Ms. Kaede's lips, stained deep red, curved into a smile.
"You've figured it out."
As she spoke, she pulled off a red blindfold stitched with lines.
"..."
Her deep, dark violet eyes locked onto me.
"A Pseudo-Apotheosis Relic, Kishindouji... Now then, go ahead and conquer me. Darling."
She held her stance with the sword still in its sheath. I recognized it from my past life memories.
That was iai. I could tell instinctively. That was bad news.
"Phantasmagoria."
I unleashed countless Banish at Kaede all at once, with everything I had.
She wouldn't die from it.
"———Oni Ichimonji."
The drawn blade traced a single line and severed every last Phantasmagoria.
The instant I saw that, I nearly activated Reivform.
If I used it, I could win. I probably could. But the cooldown was a full week.
For the journey ahead—there might be some one-in-a-ten-thousand chance I'd need it.
I clenched my teeth and held back. Besides, I had to win this using Generous as it was.
And if I kept leaning on that thing alone, I'd never truly get stronger—I was sure of it.
I wanted to become stronger. Me, myself.
Kaede closed the distance in an instant and swung her blade.
Counter with the spear's "Timber Flash"... No, no good.
"[
Arm
of the
Universe
]"
Oni Ichimonji slipped clean through my cosmic arm.
"Hm. What a peculiar sensation."
Kaede pulled away in an instant. Fast judgment.
"That's not all I've got!"
This time, I was the one attacking.
With One Step, I closed the gap to zero and [
Arm
of the
Universe
]. I punched.
The blade of "Kiichi Hōgan" — when I reflected the same sharpness back at it, the blade snapped clean in half.
"What!?"
[
Arm
of the
Universe
]. It wraps itself in the universe and pushes through an opponent's attack.
Furthermore, by punching that attack back at the opponent, it can return it.
So I simply reflected "Kiichi Hōgan's" sharpness right back at it.
"How's that?"
I don't know if it's a masterwork blade or a demon-grade sword, but if the power's the same, it'll break.
"To think there'd be such a technique — fuhah, hahahahahaha!"
Kaede burst out laughing.
"Huh...?"
I was underwhelmed.
"Indeed. I concede this round."
Kaede laughed heartily and readily admitted defeat.
He stored away his proof and sword, and dismissed the pseudo-divine Relic as well.
I untied mine too. Kaede took off the blindfold with the red lines on it.
"You lost."
"I concede. A complete and thorough defeat. Magnificently beaten."
"............"
"It's been a while, but that was a blast. Fighting a strong opponent really gets the heart pumping, body and soul."
"I-I see..."
"Lord Wof enjoyed it more than he let on, I suspect."
"I was just desperately trying to survive..."
Kaede is strong.
He definitely still has trump cards, secret techniques, and hidden aces.
That's why I never expected him to concede so casually.
"Hmm. But I must apologize about the knife. If I had a good short blade I'd give it to you, but I'm afraid these two are all I have."
"No, well, it can't be helped. I broke your sword too, Kaede."
"That's true, but still. Oh, right—there was something!"
Kaede clapped his hands, reached inside his outfit, and rummaged around before pulling something out.
Wouldn't he normally take that out of his pouch?
The moment I saw it, my eyes went from exasperated to wide open.
Because Kaede was holding a familiar black plate.
"That's..."
"This is a Relic Plate. Use it, and you'll receive a Relic."
"You're giving this to me?"
"When we crossed blades, I noticed your offensive options are rather limited. You must have realized that yourself."
"Y-Yes."
My bout with Arveld had made that painfully clear. I had very few offensive options.
I had obtained the spear technique "Wood Flash" and was studying the
Sky-Breaking Style,
but I had only just begun.
Without Level Move, I could barely use any techniques properly.
Besides, my talent with the spear was the kind that might improve eventually — given enough years.
In other words, average.
My talent was the same type as Arveld's — the talent to wield Relics.
But even so, I couldn't compare to him. He was a genius, and I was merely talented.
"Normally, the Relics granted by Relic Plates are random, but this plate is an attack type. It will give you an attack-exclusive Relic."
"Attack-exclusive?"
So those actually existed? Now that it was pointed out, it was a bit different from the Relic Plates I knew.
The ones I was familiar with had red lines, but this plate had white lines.
"Whatever attack Relic it may be, I'm sure it will be of help to you, Wof."
With those words, the Relic Plate was handed to me.
"...Thank you."
"It is I who should express my gratitude. I have grown plenty, and I no longer have any lingering attachment to this place. I shall take my leave soon. I look forward to the day we can cross blades again... Ah, that's right. I nearly forgot about that."
"?"
Kaede smiled wryly and lightly pressed her lips to mine.
"---Next time we cross blades, if I lose again... that shall complete my conquest of you."
"...What's that supposed to mean?"
"Well then, I look forward to meeting you again. Allow me to take my leave!"
With a buoyant, thoroughly satisfied air, Kaede pulled her black umbrella over herself and walked off.
I watched her walk away, not sure how I felt about any of it. The faint scent of cherry blossoms lingered on my lips.
I used the Relic Plate I'd been given right then and there.