Paladin of the End

The wind blows through, the grass shakes.

It's a cool breeze with strong grass and earthy smells in the summer morning.

Recently, it became known as the Village of Lightning (Torch Village), west of that village.

For workouts, carefully picked up stones and removed the field.

Immediately beyond, you can see the trees of the Beast Forest (Beastwoods), and further beyond, the reddish mountains of the Iron Rust Mountains (Last Mountains).

…………

That's where I confronted Mr. Leistoff.

Age-unknown beard surface with sharp eyes. A forged body.

The thick cloak of Warcraft leather is still dirty on them with an indelible return blood and grass stain.

There is one thin, soft branch of wood in his hand, which is unmade.... No, does it just look unmade?

…………

…………

Attach the gripped right fist to your left chest, then stretch out and meet each other to take a distance.

This is an old-fashioned pre-game greeting from the Great Federation Age (Union Age).

The symbolic meaning of motion is one.... I can't compare the power of this warrior's soul to yours directly across the street.

Measure the distance silently by both sides.

Me and Mr. Leistoff, it's the tree branches that are in our hands. This is the only option when it comes to mock warfare.

- Because if we care about each other, even if it's a wooden sword, a blow with high cutting and killing power will be released.

"I'll go."

When the tree branches are placed on the lower level, they step in between one step at a time.

Moment after moment, a flashing thunderbolt poke arrived.

As he opens his body and becomes half-body, he pulls his hand holding the branch up to his chest, rubbing up a pounding blow from the side with a twist of his wrist.

Release a sword of return as it is.

Bounced.

The return is unusually fast.

"…………!

From there, the branches of the trees stagger with the sound of wind cuts.

Torso.

Backstep.

Feint of sight.

Feint of shoulder movement.

False weave, flip it up and cut it down while showing it as an upper hanging.

Diagonal stepping.

Mr. Leistoff responds.

The tip of the sword flips.

Intertwined.

"……… Ah."

"Mm."

- Soon, the tree branches on both sides broke and flew.

Well, it's not natural for this to happen, and I'm careful not to poorly rely on you.

If it still breaks in a good place, it is unfortunate.

"That's a draw."

"That's a draw."

Bamboo knives and protective equipment from previous life are truly great inventions.

Being able to blur or meet without hesitation is also a cause of strange habits, but at the same time improves various skills.

I'm not that interested in reproducing the technology of my previous life, but I definitely want to reproduce only the kind of safe training equipment one day.

With that in mind, I take out two more bottles from a bunch of pre-prepared tree branches and throw one over to Mr. Leistoff.

"Another bottle, please."

"Yeah, please."

And again…… both sides silently, measure the distance.

◆

"………………… no special trick"

When I offered to work out my promise and asked Mr. Leistoff for tips on poking, it was those words that came back.

"At best, to pull it out quickly, to the extent that I'm doing some work on the sword"

"Are you creative?"

"Regardless, preparedness does not always help. Rather, many are useless.

… but the fact that you are ready leads to room in your mind "

Speaking of which, his seemingly sturdy sheath was modified.

The hardware for hanging on the belt was unique, and the sheath had something like gripping leather wrapped around it to make it easier to pull.

Though I thought there would be a lot of adjustment to the pattern, apparently it's all for premature pull-out.

"How is your usual workout going?

"Find free time, sword extraction workouts. and gripping the thick branches, poking even the trees, slapping them"

Simple.

"Pull it out quickly. Poke in the shortest path. If I can't poke him and knock him down, I'll pull him out quickly and slay him. That's all you have to do."

I wish I could do that thoughtfully, he said.

"We don't need so many moves in action. If you train two or three of the key moves you rely on, that'll be enough."

I see, and I nod.

There is a great battlefield swordsmanship that is simple and martial arts, but has been forged in action and scraped down waste.

It weighs heavily on sword extraction, presumably because it is not realistic to always move in the state of extraction during an adventure.

"These days I prefer the first hand, although the blow of a poke often determines everything"

Mr. Leistov mumbles and says with his usual expression.

Apparently, this was the reason why Leistov was given the alias "Uncomfortable".

In fact, the carcasses of his tailored warcraft, which I see, have always mostly been pierced through the steeple with a thrust from the sword extraction.

Is the exception like Cocatrice who cut off the tail of a snake after piercing the head of a strange bird?

"To poke, there is not so much restraint. Any other way to shake it, if necessary."

In other words, his main command is in a series of attacks that quickly react to sudden battles and make it impossible to say whether or not he is on the brink of a thrust.

The Battle of Cocatrice and others, I guess, is the form it unfortunately played out.

… I wanted to experience it.

Brad was a muscle supremacist, but there was something clever about it.

My opponent was a good player, and during games, he played several types of swordsmen as virtual enemies.

Mr. Leistoff is a different type from that.

"Why don't you play the mock opponent?

"Never mind."

That's how the first mock fight started.

I suddenly got punched in the stomach and looked into my painful eyes without seeing through his flashing thrust.

That means he was stabbed to death once.

Afterwards, while we were in a mock fight together several times, my eyes got used to it, and to some extent I could see through it, and my chances of winning increased, though...

It would be quite risky if Mr. Leistoff, or a swordsman of the same type with the same degree of proficiency, developed into a killing at first sight.

Somehow, it's a sword muscle with what's called a first sight.

When it comes to mock warfare, some people sometimes mistake me for asking about my reputation because I stand in his favor...

Basically killing each other is more often started without a clear signal with the unknown opponent.

In other words, the state in which we first saw each other was neutral, and I was stabbed to death by this person once in that neutral state.

Repeat the simulation with the same opponent over and over again and you'll see the sword muscle. I also know the habit.

Naturally, I can't get through because I'm going to be able to see through, it only worked when I first saw it, and more moves like that.

As they repeat the game, they become more and more deactivated and inevitable.

However, it is often the case that what works in real action is only the moves that work at the first sight.

If the first simulation was in action, I had no life. [M] His sword, that's what it is.

That's why Mr. Leistoff doesn't throw away his usual moves, even if the rate of victory begins to tilt towards me.

I keep using it foolishly and keep polishing it with little ingenuity. "Training is like fighting in action" is the style of going to the ground.

Rates get worse. But I understand that doesn't mean he's weak.

... and I'm the only one who can spot his thrust somewhat.

I would add, in his honor, that for everyone else his sword is an indisputable special move that is neither a first sight nor a thing, which can't be helped more than once.

◆

"William."

After finishing one morning workout.

Second, Mr. Leistoff asked me.

"What if,"

"Yes."

It is unusual for Mr. Leistoff to talk about what is happening.

"Kill me and I for real, if that's the case. What do we do?"

"I'll throw stones and magically kill them from outside of time."

I answered instantly.

"Never."

"Yeah, absolutely. Sure."

I assured you.

If you listen normally, it could be a terrible word.

However,

"Is that so?"

When I said so, I nodded.

Mr. Leistoff's eyes glistened a little happily.

That's right.

If it's a kill with everything at stake, I'll avoid Mr. Leistoff's time.

Probably not a bad minute.

Assuming you confront me in between swords and call me Yoidon, I will win first, either by dealing with the highly destructive rush that follows from the first blow, or by controlling the vanguard.

Probably if I did it ten times, maybe seven times, it will.

Grant it and it will be even better. Maybe eight or nine out of ten can win.

... but not without the danger of being turned upside down.

At least once every ten times, I die instantly in the opening rush, even if I try everything.

Once every ten times. 10%. … at least, not at all.

To risk your life, it's an uncomfortable number.

What is more, it can also be said that the assumption itself is completely unrealistic, which can be started in a state of completeness.

The eye of his sword lies in his instantaneous responsiveness to sudden combat. If so, you won't have time to spend on magic such as swallowing.

So I don't want to do it.

If I were to do it, from outside in time.

Only from the outside of the arm of the sword, there is only one option to decide the battle.

No matter how much effort or time I have to pay to do that, I'm sure I will.

... If you're going to kill me, I'll kill you from the outside of time.

This answer is my greatest tribute to Mr. Leistoff's sword.