Chapter 30: Axe’s Worst Day (4)
Explorer’s Guild. Training Grounds. Training Hall No.18.
Of course, since it’s a training hall, what we’re doing here is training.
But things have developed so far beyond my expectations that I can barely keep up.
And honestly, the only reason I can keep up is because I’m not the one actually fighting.
Ens-san holds a wooden sword. I have a wooden knife.
I wonder — if this knife breaks, does that count as one of my training attempts?
“Now then, where should I start? I’m not good at this kind of talk. Swinging a sword is easier for me.”
“That’s exactly the sort of thing Axe-san would say.”
“Oh? Is that so? Ah, right — Axe uses a sword too, doesn’t he? I’d already decided that if I had a son, I’d name him Axe… and he ended up using the same weapon as me.”
Ah, that’s right. Axe’s name comes from Emi-san, who uses an axe as her main weapon.
“So, the witch asked you to teach me?”
“I’ve heard quite a bit about you from her. You want to defeat Alweld — that First-Class Explorer.”
“Yes.”
“Good answer. To think, twenty years later, the witch would have a disciple… and a male one at that. I never saw that coming.”
“Haha… yeah, I get that a lot.”
“That’s a very good thing. Now, about Alweld — I don’t know him personally, but I’ve heard he uses relics with high technical efficiency. I don’t have a relic myself, but from what I know, he understands their true nature. That makes him a very troublesome opponent. As you are now, it’ll be hard to win. No — probably impossible.”
“Y-yes, I know.”
He said it bluntly, but I was already aware.
Even if I can use the same techniques now, that alone isn’t enough to win.
“To fight someone like that on equal terms, there are two paths. Either you master relics to his level… or you learn techniques strong enough to fight without them.”
“Techniques…”
“Yes. What you’ll be learning from now on is a technique. A fundamental skill — the very basis of everything passed down from the ‘Sword of Swords.’”
“The ‘Sword of Swords’… that dog, right? That’s really true?”
“It is. Surprised?”
“Well… yeah, kind of.”
“And he’s one of the oldest, you know.”
“Wait, even though he’s a dog?”
“I don’t know why he’s lived so long, but he might even be older than Abramirin.”
“At that point, isn’t he basically a monster?”
“Maybe so. But he’s always been a strict yet kind and noble being. Anyway, shall we begin?”
“Um… am I really allowed to learn this technique?”
“You are. I’ve got permission. You already qualify — you’re the witch’s disciple.
Though in your case, that seems to be more than just a title. And you seem to get along well with Axe too.”
“…I’m sorry.”
“No need to apologize. It’s not my place to say much, but… keep being good to Axe, alright?”
“Yes.”
He raised his sword in a stance. In that posture and aura — I could see Axe in him.
No doubt about it. Complicated as things may be… they really are parent and child.
“Let’s begin. This is the technique you’ll learn—”
In the next moment, Ens-san vanished from sight — and reappeared right in front of me.
The wooden sword came down.
“!?”
I barely managed to block it by pure luck — and even then, my wooden knife flew from my hand.
“One Step.”
Because he’s a dog? I thought that for a moment but stayed quiet.
“One Step.” — he disappeared in an instant and reappeared up close.
That entire motion must have been the “One Step.”
He said it wasn’t a relic, but a technique.
“One Step. One… Wan…”
Oh.
“Is it a leap attack?”
A dog’s “One Step” — and that motion. No doubt. A pounce.
Ens-san laughed.
“Heh, already figured it out? As expected of the witch’s apprentice — sharp insight.”
A pounce. My dog back home used to do it all the time.
Even Juicy-san sometimes does it — though lately she’s managed to restrain himself.
“So you turned a dog’s leap into a sword technique?”
“Since the ‘Sword of Swords’ is a dog, it makes sense, doesn’t it?
With a single step, you close the distance in an instant. Once you learn it, it’s an incredible surprise attack.”
“So it’s an ambush move?”
“It can be used that way, yes. But there are plenty of other applications. When you master it, you can link it, or repeat it consecutively in place. Now, I’ll demonstrate again — watch from the side this time.”
“Okay.”
Watching Ens-san’s demonstration, I was convinced.
“One Step”— this was a technique I had to learn.
It’s incredibly useful. I need to master it.
And then I wondered — if Axe was sparring with the real Sword of Swords,
would he also be learning “One Step”?
Yeah, probably. And knowing Axe, he’d learn it faster than me.
I didn’t even understand what had happened.
By the time I realized, I was already on the ground.
The wooden sword in my hand had been cleanly cut in two.
Split perfectly — with another wooden sword.
With a wooden sword!
“Wh… what the heck was that?”
“I didn’t even see it. Not a thing…”
“That was ‘One Step.’ The fundamental sword technique of the ‘Sword of Swords’ — the basis of everything.”
“…‘One’…”
“‘Step’?”
“I get what you’re thinking, but the name was given by Celeste.”
“One Step…”
Coming from my mother, it sounds kind of silly, but somehow it also fits perfectly.
“One Step.” Yeah — that’s a good name.
I laughed faintly and stood up. No injuries — just a rough fall.
I had a feeling even that had been accounted for by the Sword of Swords himself.
A blue dog with a greatsword on his back.
Hard to believe, but this was apparently the real “Sword of Swords.”
He has no relic like me, yet his power makes such things seem irrelevant.
To the eye, he just looks like a large, blue-white dog.
Because he’s a dog, he holds his sword in his mouth — by the hilt.
Logically, a dog’s range of motion with just its neck should be limited.
It shouldn’t even be possible for a dog to swing a sword.
But after crossing blades with him several times, I understood —
He was letting me cross blades with him.
In truth, my current level wasn’t anywhere near enough to even parry one strike.
He was intentionally adjusting to me.
It’s no wonder he’s called the strongest of the First-Class Explorers.
But what just happened…?
“…It happened in an instant.”
The Sword of Swords — who had been sitting politely like a dog — suddenly stood up.
In this case, “stood up” meant getting down on all fours. Then he angled his sword sideways and leaned forward.
And then—he vanished.
I reacted on instinct, trying to block, but my wooden sword was cut clean in half, and I went flying.
“What the hell—how does a wooden sword cut another wooden sword?”
That shouldn’t even be possible. Unreal.
As expected of the Sword of Swords.
“One Step, huh. So if I can learn that, maybe I’ll actually be able to punch that guy next time.”
First thing’s first—I’ll need a replacement sword.
As I thought that, the Sword of Swords tossed a new wooden sword my way.
“Uh, th-thanks.”
I caught it and took my stance again.
“Mm. Axe will probably be able to master One Step after one or two more tries.”
“Seriously?”
“Well, it’s Axe we’re talking about.”
“Hey, um, Axe? Rell-chan? Hoss-chan?”
“Huh?”
“What?”
“What’s up?”
“It’s about Mineha. That girl—she’s changed so much since I last saw her. She’s only ten, but she’s so glossy and grown-up now. Did something happen?”
What the hell is my mom asking? Mineha?
Now that she mentioned it, yeah… she has been looking older lately.
Probably because of that new piece of OOPArts gear she’s been using.
“How should I know?”
“Same here.”
“No clue.”
“She was always cute, but now she’s definitely more beautiful. In just a few months, she’s gone from cute to stunning.
Oh, and I remember reading in a letter that you’re living together… hmm, well, that’s Ruriha’s department.”
“What does that even mean?”
“What does that mean?”
“What does that mean?”
Good grief, Mom…
I took my stance again with the wooden sword. Might as well give it a try.
“Sorry to keep you waiting.”
I apologized to the Sword of Swords. He didn’t say anything, just stood there silently.
Alright then—One Step.
I remembered the movement: lean forward, close the gap all at once—
Ah, I see now.
It’s a dog’s pounce.
Of course it is. He is a dog, after all.
“Okay. Let’s do this.”
Somehow, I had a good feeling about it.
Later that day…
Ens-san’s lesson ended, and I parted ways with Axe and the others before heading home.
“Phew. I’m exhausted.”
I think I’ll be able to get the hang of One Step pretty soon.
Also, wow—so that’s Emi-san. She’s… quite something.
I was sweaty, so I decided to grab a change of clothes and take a bath.
“…Huh?”
There, on my bed, was Mineha—lying asleep.
Well… yeah. That’s been happening sometimes lately.
But this time was different.
She was still in her adult form, but… completely naked.
Not a single thing covering her.
And the room was a mess—rumpled sheets, a wet towel on the floor,
and a thick, sweet scent in the air—like honey.
Mineha was lying on her side, hugging my blanket like a body pillow.
Her upper body was half-exposed—smaller than the witch’s, but still full and round.
A narrow waist. Perfectly shaped hips.
Soft, plump thighs and long, smooth legs.
Her body was far too mature for someone supposedly ten years old—
a woman’s body, beautiful and sensual.
To be honest, her looks were already well above average—she was dangerously attractive as a woman.
“…?”
She was always an unusually mature-looking kid.
But lately, it wasn’t just “cute”—she was becoming beautiful.
Probably started around when she began cooking breakfast for us.
“…”
If… if she’s actually not ten, and she’s older than she says—
“…well, even if that were true, Mineha-san is still Mineha-san.”
I smiled faintly, sat down with my back against the wall, and let out a sigh.
Man, what a day.
Tomorrow, I’ve got more training with Ens-san.
He said I’d probably master One Step by then.
On the way home, I heard Axe already learned it. Figures.
The day after tomorrow is the Knight Attendant Evaluation, and next week is finally the Great of Rounds.
The rematch with Alweld is coming up too… but for now, I really need to take a bath…
guuuh (yawn).