Chapter 20: Teaching Swordsmanship for Dropouts 1
Since the hero candidates began to realize the disparity in talent, interactions between classes have largely ceased. In fact, in some cases, close friends from before they were summoned have continued to interact with each other, but this was done behind the scenes out of concern for the eyes of those around them.
The eye of a hero candidate who has a sense of superiority and privilege because of his or her superior talent.
It is, of course, the students in Class A. And it is the hero candidates in Class C who feel inferior in talent and have a narrow view of themselves.
The two classes no longer interact with each other behind the scenes, and have become almost disconnected. Except for the one-sided interaction of one hero candidate.
"Hey, can you teach us how to use swords?"
Kazuki is asking a male student in Class A to teach her how to use the sword.
"Ha? You've got to be kidding me. Why would I do that?"
On the other hand, the boy makes a blatantly disgusted face in response.
"It's fine. Just a little bit."
"I don't want to."
"It doesn't look like you have free time for practical skills. You can use your free time."
She had already been turned down several times. Kazuki has no intention of withdrawing easily.
"I told you I don't want to do it."
"Don't say that. I'm begging you."
"Even if you beg me ......come to think of it, you're that kind, right?"
Suddenly, a sneer appeared on the face of the male student.
"……What."
Kazuki's expression clouded as she realized the meaning of that smile.
"I can teach you if it's up to you."
"......I don't want to. I'm going to ask another person."
She went to Class A many times, and Kazuki asked them to teach her how to use the sword. Not many students would take her up on that.
The reasons for this vary from person to person, some think Class C students are stupid and don't want to deal with them, others think only of their own training and can't think of anything else.
Those who accept them are not entirely absent. However, such people will always demand compensation from Kazuki. A compensation that Kazuki cannot accept.
"Harumoto."
As Kazuki was about to give up for the day and leave, Jin called out to her.
"Takamiya-kun. What's wrong?"
"Do you want me to teach you?"
"Really!?"
Kazuki is surprised that Jin, who has top-class ability in Class A, asked to teach her.
"If it's okay with you..."
"This is what I'm begging others to do. So... ah, you don't mind?"
"That's, well."
What Jin was concerned about was the words that came out of Kazuki's own mouth. Class C students have a grudge against Class A students who let their classmates die.
These words have remained in his heart. This is the reason why he wants to teach her how to use the sword.
"It's fine. You can't do what you can't do, right?"
"That's……"
"Just kidding. I'm so happy! Takamiya-kun, thank you!"
"No, you don't have to be that happy."
Seeing Kazuki holding Jin's hand tightly and smiling happily, Jin felt a little embarrassed.
"Hey, Jin."
A cold voice cuts in. It was Shizuru's voice.
"……What?"
“Does Jin have the leeway to care about other people?”
"It's only for practical skills at the academy."
"That time is precious, too. If you waste it, Yuya will only grow higher than Jin."
"That's……"
The difference in ability between Yuya and Jin is what worries him more than anything else. He was poked by Shizuru, and he couldn't say anything.
"Hey, Harumoto-san."
After silencing Jin, Shizuru spoke to Kazuki.
"What?"
“Will you stop trying to take advantage of Jin's good intentions?”
"I didn't mean to do that."
"Even if that's the case, it would be as a result. It's time for Jin to work hard on his own training. I am sorry, but he doesn't have time for you."
Although she is speaking as if she is thinking of Jin, her words express her disdain for the Class C students.
Shizuru also looks down on the Class C students. Before she knew it, she was influenced by the same thoughts that she was complaining about to Yuya.
"Shizuru! Don't be so selfish!"
Jin complained about Shizuru's way of speaking.
"I'm saying this for Jin's sake! We have been chosen and have to work for the country! We have to improve ourselves for that day!"
Shizuru, on the other hand, also raised her voice and retorted.
"I know that!"
"We don't have time to waste!"
“Even so, Shizuru has no right to say that!”
The argument between the two only grew more heated. This had never happened before they came to the other world. The two of them are unaware of this fact.
"I'm worried about Jin!"
"That's unnecessary!"
"Wait, okay! Calm down, both of you! This is a classroom!"
In an attempt to stop the two from arguing, Kazuki hurriedly intervenes between them.
"It was my fault. That's right. People in Class A are doing their best to take care of themselves. It would be wrong to ask them to teach us how to use the sword."
She was the cause of the argument. Even Kazuki knows that. If she wants to settle an argument, she has no choice but to give up.
"Yes. There are people in Class C who can use swords. I think you should ask them."
"...That's right. I will."
That's not good enough, which is why Kazuki came to Class A. The sword-type students in Class C do not hate teaching. They were depressed by their own weakness in not being able to protect their friends and were training themselves desperately to become as strong as possible. Kazuki could not ask them to cut back on their training time.
"Did you go to Class B?"
Jin, who knows that, asked if she had tried asking the Class B students.
“Of course. But the Class B students take their practical classes very seriously. They don't have time to teach others."
"Oh. For them, classes at the academy are a place of training."
There is also a difference between Class B and Class C. Unlike Class A, where their homestay host is an excellent teacher, the teacher of the academy is the best teacher for the hero candidates of Class B.
Class B hero candidates don't have the luxury of spending class time with others.
"I'll do it, after all."
"It's fine. If you force yourself to teach me, I'll be concerned. I'll think about something else."
"Do you have any idea?"
"One. I asked him first, but I haven't seen him since... huh?"
"What's up?"
"There he is!"
Ahead of Kazuki's gaze was Ren, who seemed to have heard the commotion and was looking into the Class A classroom with great interest. Finding him, Kazuki rushed over.
“Ren-kun!”
"……Hmm?"
"You're here."
"What do you mean by, you're here?"
Ren had no recollection of being called this by Kazuki.
"You didn't come to school at all."
"Work."
"……Work?"
"I work for the church."
"Ah, that's right."
Kazuki knows that Ren is already working. Ren had been absent from school several times because of that. Just. It was the first time he had taken such a long absence, so Kazuki thought it was another reason.
"So what's the fuss about? Isn't it rare for Takamiya-san to yell?"
"Did you come all the way out here to see it?"
"No, I just happened to be passing by and heard him yelling"
Ren wouldn't go out of his way to visit Class A. There are a number of people with whom he doesn't want to see their faces.
"I was thinking of asking them to teach us how to use the sword."
"You said something like that. So?"
"It was no good."
"I bet. The hero candidates are all people who only think about themselves. They don't work for others."
“You are also a hero candidate, though.”
And Kazuki is also a hero candidate. Ren's way of denying the hero candidate was hard to accept, so she said this.
"I'm not a hero candidate."
"……I see."
Ren simply denied it. Even so, Kazuki was not about to give up on talking with Ren. On the contrary, she was secretly pleased that she had found a starting point.
"Then you act for the sake of others, right?"
"Hmm?"
"Teach me the sword."
"Oh, I see."
"It's fine, right? Ren-kun, who isn't a hero candidate, will accept it, right?"
Kazuki thought she had found a good excuse to get him to accept.
"I don't want to."
However, Ren refused.
"Why? Can't you think of anyone but yourself, too, Ren-kun?"
"There is that, but the most important thing is that I can't take responsibility."
"Responsibility?"
"There must be a purpose for you to learn the sword. I'm not confident that I can achieve that purpose."
"...Are you thinking about that?"
On the other hand, Kazuki, who was taught that, didn't think too deeply about it. She just wanted to be stronger than she was now.
"If you can't achieve your goals, you will try to push the responsibility on me. It just makes me feel bad."
"I won't."
“That's what everyone says at first. But when the time comes, they will betray you."
This is the human nature that he has heard from many of his friends. It did not reflect well on Ren, as a normal person.
"Are we that untrustworthy?"
It's not about who you can and cannot trust.
"It's a little different. It's not that I don't trust Harumoto-san and the others, it's just that people are like that."
"So you don't trust people?"
It's not about trusting people or not.
"It's a little different, but good enough."
Ren, who thinks that's how the living are, has no idea of trust in the first place.
"...To what extent can you take responsibility?"
Kazuki doesn't give up after hearing Ren's words. She came to find a compromise that Ren would accept.
"Hmm?"
"Which goals can you achieve?"
"I'm not the one who sets goals"
"...I want to be able to defeat magical beasts."
Kazuki tells Ren about her specific goals.
"Unreasonable."
However, Ren simply refused.
"Why?"
"Even I can't defeat magical beasts."
"That's a lie. Ren-kun is..."
Kazuki knows part of the truth about the [Forest of No Entry]. She knew that all of the blood that stained Ren's clothes and body wasn't Ren's own. If she thinks what blood it is, she knows what Ren was doing.
"There are many kinds of magical beasts."
"...That's right. What about the magical beasts we saw in the forest?"
"Killing war wolves and murder bears?"
"Yes."
"Unreasonable."
This is no good either. It wasn't a condition for Ren to accept.
"...What case is possible?"
Somehow Kazuki understood how to have a conversation with Ren. It's not that he is unapproachable. It's just that the way he takes the words is troublesome.
"If it's one-on-one."
"I see. Then, I want to be able to defeat a war wolf one-on-one. Teach me about the sword."
"......If that's the case."
"Yay!"
Kazuki was pleased that Ren had finally agreed.
"Because it will be done in a day."
"Eh?"
She was surprised by his unexpected words.
“It's until you can defeat a war wolf one-on-one, right?”
"Yes."
"......You've never even held a sword, by any chance?"
"I have, but..."
"...Then, especially twice. That's fine."
"Yes... well then, please."
With this exchange, Class C's practical skill class suddenly attracted attention. Of course, those who have been interested in Ren from before, but also from other students.
It only takes a day of instruction to defeat the war wolf. Many of them were against the words.
◇◇◇
Practical lessons are held in three classes at the same time. The content of each class is different. However, currently, only Class B is being taught as a class.
The hero candidates of Class A are training individually. The same is true for the other students. On the other hand, in Class C, only a few students are taking classes because many of them are general admission and many of their specialties are in the literary field.
There, yet another group has formed. They are the Class C candidates who want to learn swordsmanship from Ren.
The five were gathered in a corner of the training ground.
"Four people?"
"Originally, it was planned for five people. But one said he wanted to prioritize magic training."
"I see. Well then, let's get started."
"Would you like us to introduce ourselves?"
"I know your names."
"…………"
"It's true. From left to right, Hasegawa Minami-san, Harumoto Kazuki-san, Kanda Satoko-san, Iguchi Kotaro-san."
"...It's right."
"Of course. Now, the goal of this class is to be able to defeat a war wolf one on one. Is that correct?"
Ren's gaze turned to each and every hero candidate lined up in front of him. With a nod, the hero candidates replied.
"Yes. Confirmation of goals is over. We will begin the actual practice. But first, I have prepared a sword for practice."
"I already have one, don't I?"
"That's not good enough."
"Why?"
"It doesn't fit you."
"It doesn't?"
"......Let me explain what I'm going to teach you first."
Ren is a little taken aback by Kazuki's insensitivity to her weapon.
"Yes."
"The goal is to beat the war wolf one-on-one, but maybe you can all beat them already."
"Really?"
"It's true. The war wolves look strong because of their size, but in reality, they are weak. People are beaten because of their numbers and because they don't know how to fight them. I'm going to give you a two-part lesson on how to fight them."
"……Okay."
"The first of these is the sword. Whatever tool you use must be the one that suits you. Right now, the sword that everyone has is probably too heavy."
"Hey, aren't we training to be able to use it?"
Kotaro, the only boy, entered the conversation.
"No. Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses. Not everyone can become strong by being able to use a heavy sword."
"......That might be true."
“Once you decide to do it, it doesn't mean you have to do it all the time. You just have to use the tools that suit you at the time."
"I understand."
“So, let’s exchange swords. I prepared a lightweight one. The blade is also thin. I think everyone can swing this well now."
Ren lays out the prepared swords in front of him.
"Where did you get these swords?"
"I borrowed them."
"From where?"
"From the guild."
"How could they lend it to you?"
"......No need to pry. It'll only make the time pass. Now, change your sword quickly."
"Yes."
Ren told everyone to exchange the sword that was in front of them with the sword they were holding. When that was over, Ren opened his mouth again.
"Does anyone feel that the sword they are holding is heavy?"
No one raises their hand to this question.
"Then, it's a pass."
"Pass?"
"If you can't wield the sword, there's no point in teaching you. First of all, you need to build up your physical strength."
"Yes."
"Then, I'll teach you one by one...... Iguchi-san, stand in front of the wall there."
"Me?"
"Yes."
"Okay."
Kotaro, who was nominated by Ren, did as he was told and went to the front of the wall. In the meantime, Ren began to take out a stone from the bag he had brought.
"From now on, I will throw this at you."
When Kotaro stood in front of the wall, Ren began to explain what he was going to do.
"Eh?"
"Avoid it. However, avoid it with as little movement as possible. At most, you can move one step."
"……Okay."
"Then let's begin."
"Come!"
Kotaro was lightly fired up in his reply, but when it started, all the stones Ren threw were all things that he could easily dodge.
"Wait a minute!"
"What?"
“Are you making fun of me? This isn't going to help me train."
"Too slow?"
"Too slow."
“Yes. By the way, I'm matching the speed with the speed of the war wolves when they jump."
"……Eh?"
Kotaro is stunned after hearing Ren's explanation.
"It's slow, isn't it? War wolves are big. But their muscular strength doesn't match their body size. They sink their bodies before they leap, because otherwise they would not be able to leap."
"But that time."
"You couldn't move?"
"Yes."
"Then why couldn't you move? The answer is fear, nervousness, something like that."
If you don't feel calm, your body won't move as usual. That's all.
"That's……"
“Right now, you have no fear or nervousness. That’s why your body moves normally. If you move normally, you can see easily that it seems slow."
"I mean, what about us?"
"I said it at the beginning. You can already beat them. What everyone lacks is knowledge and experience. It's not physical strength or skill. That's why two lessons are enough."
Actually, once is enough. All they need is to know that they can do it.
"Then what are you going to teach us?"
"That's all there is to teach. The rest of the time will be used to convince everyone that you can definitely defeat it."
"...Believe."
"Because it's not mental. If you can believe it, your body won't get stiff."
"Oh, I see."
"Okay, next person."
"Ah, then me."
The next female student stands in front of the wall in place of Kotaro. Satoko also easily dodges the stones that Ren throws at her.
The same goes for the next student. All of them finished without being hit by a single stone.
"Alright. Let's try again."
"Eh, are we still doing it?"
"Yes. Next time, in addition to moving within a single step, avoid the stones while also being aware of using the sword in your hand to clear them away."
"......Awareness only?"
It was another practice without using a sword. That was what Kotaro was dissatisfied with.
"Only awareness, not actual sword swinging."
"Why?"
"People can't wield swords as well as they thought they could."
"No, I can swing it."
"The way to avoid them is not in a position to swing a sword. Not all of them, but one out of every few times they swing their swords, they'll just fall down."
"Why?"
An idea popped into Kotaro's head as to who Ren could be.
"Experience. I only know because I have it."
"……I understand."
And then the same thing happened again. The only difference is that now and then Ren stops throwing stones and gives some advice to the other person.
Listening to Ren's words, it would be fine, but those watching from afar don't even know the meaning of what they're doing.
"What do you think?"
One of the people watching from a distance. Hyde asked. The person who asked the question was Heinz. Yuya and the others were stunned at how easy the training was. They decided it was useless to ask.
"...First of all, avoiding attacks. I can understand that, but with that level of content."
"I agree."
Hyde is relieved at Heinz's answer. This will only show him the difference between the two if he gave him an answer he didn't expect.
"It's just……"
"What is it?"
“That student named Ren might keep what he says.”
"You think he's trustworthy?"
"He may be trustworthy, but I don't mean that in a positive way."
"What do you mean?"
“To be able to defeat a war wolf one on one. I think he only intends to teach them that much."
"...I see. Is that what you mean?"
He will only teach them the bare minimum. But it still means that he kept his promise. And Hyde thought it was a very Ren-like way of doing things.
"Dodge and cut. That's actually how you defeat a war wolf."
"But what's the point of fighting a war wolf one-on-one?"
"It's a promise to teach it. He keeps his word."
"I see."
"It's going to be a lot of work just to teach that."
Ren is stopping his hand more often on behalf of some students. He guesses they were not able to avoid them properly. After repeating the hand gesture for a while and explaining the situation, Ren turned his face to the air as if he had given up.
"...Is it that bad when it comes to Class C?"
"They have no sword talent. It can't be helped."
“…Is he going to show them an example?”
"Apparently so."
Before they knew it, Ren was standing in the position where the student who was being taught was standing. In front of it, there are two hero candidates, Kotaro and Satoko holding a stone.
"Let's see what he can do."
"Well, how much can he do?"
The two were watching leisurely like that, but soon came to regret it.
The stones that had been thrown all at once at Ren had all fallen at his feet after only a few moments.
"What was that?"
"…………"
"I took my eyes off him for a second. What did he do?"
"I don't know."
"Did Ruben-dono not see it too? Did anyone see him?"
"…………"
No one answered.
"I must have missed it. But at least he doesn't seem to be like the other students."
"...How did I miss it?"
"Eh?"
"I never took my eyes off him, but I couldn't see what he did."
"No way?"
"...One more time. I want to see him move again."
"I agree."
But that hope was never fulfilled. Ren returned to his original position and began to explain something to the hero candidates.
◇◇◇
"Now, have you got the hang of the moves?"
"How could I possibly understand? What did you do?"
Heinz and the others were not the only ones who could not see. Even Kazuki and the others, who were watching it up close, couldn't see it.
"What? You didn't see it?"
"I didn't see it."
"……You're kidding, right?"
It was intended as an example. Ren was working with the intention of showing it to Kazuki and the others. However, the ability of Kazuki and the others were much lower than Ren had thought.
"It's true."
"...Jeez. Then there's no point in showing an example."
"That's right, but."
"It can't be helped, so I'll explain it again with my mouth. I say minimum avoidance movement because you have to keep your body balanced in order to move on to the attack."
"I understand."
If they can't figure this out, Ren can't help them either.
"And just because a stone is flying at you from the front, don't get caught up in it. The sword targets what flies at it, not the direction it comes from."
"I don't understand."
"That's why I showed you."
"Like I said, I didn't see any movement."
"...Then I'll explain it to you. One was very much inclined to cut the stone in front of them because it flew from in front. That's not what I did. What I did was to avoid the stone that flew slightly left in front of me by pulling my left shoulder and twisting my upper body. Move your body like I just told you.”
As Ren had told them, everyone twisted their bodies.
"The target will pass by the side. Now, how do you attack it with the least amount of movement?"
"...Continue to rotate and follow the stone."
It was Kazuki who answered Ren's question.
"Huh? I didn't expect Harumoto-san to answer."
And Ren was a little surprised.
"What do you mean?"
“I mean that you don't seem to be very athletic. But you are right. Twist your body and swing the sword in your right hand. Now what do you do with your feet?"
"Pull back?"
"...Not behind, but put it in the place where the lower body is most stable according to the rotation of the body."
Sometimes it ends up being behind. What Ren wants to say is don't get caught up in one form.
"Even if you say so."
"This is different for everyone, so find a place that works for you. Most of the time, it's the same place."
"So?"
“By kicking the ground with your right foot, you accelerate the rotation and cut the stone.
"And if not?"
"Don't stop moving and face the next enemy. This time the next stone came from the same direction, so I didn't stop spinning and faced the next stone."
Contrary to Heinz's idea, Ren also teaches fighting multiple magical beasts. It's nothing special. War wolves are not the kind of magical beasts that attack in groups or in coordination. You just have to keep fighting them one-on-one.
"Otherwise what?"
"Using inertia and repulsion, turn your body toward the stone you have to face, the enemy, or swing your sword."
“I understand inertia, but what about repulsion?”
"If you stop your movement abruptly, you will not be able to move smoothly. But that's because you stop completely. If you change direction well, you can keep the same force without losing so much speed."
"Repulsion, that's what it is."
Kazuki seemed to be satisfied with Ren's explanation, which could never be said to be easy to understand.
"Can you understand this?"
Ren wonders about Kazuki. She didn't know what he was talking about, so Ren showed her example.
“Hey, are you making fun of us? You might not be able to say that we were excellent in high school, but we were called a genius, a genius until middle school.”
"Ah, that's why you entered that school."
The high school that Ren and the others attended has a fairly high standard. The students who were able to enter it can't be stupid. But what makes them smart is a bit tricky.
"So, rather than keeping the movement moving, you are guiding it in the direction you want it to go. How do you do that?"
"The stability of the lower body is important. The lower body must not give in to the movement. That will create a backlash in the opposite direction."
"That's not going to happen anytime soon."
"That's right. Train hard enough until it makes you think you'll die..."
Ren stopped speaking halfway through. But this was a little late.
“Is that what Ren-kun is doing?”
"I'm talking in general."
"Even though you swung your sword so fast that I couldn't even see it."
"It's normal. It's strange that you can't see it."
This is how the first day of Ren's class went.
thanks for the chapter
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