Chapter 284. Country of Sakura, Cherin and the Seven Holy Swords [55]


    Only five minutes left until the girls would get out of the hot spring.


    For me, who had swung a sword for more than a billion years, it was such a short time that would pass in the blink of an eye.


    However,


    「HAAAAAA!」


    「NUOOOO!」


    Now that I was caught between two of the world’s best swordsmen, those five minutes felt like forever.


    「Damn…」


    My body was carved with a number of sword wounds and red-black bruises.


    (Endure, endure…)


    These wounds are only temporary, after all.


    When the battle is over, I can heal it with darkness immediately.


    (The only thing I have to do right now is to protect Ria from being peeped on! To achieve that, I just have to protect this mop from breaking!)


    For that purpose, I will attack with all my heart!


    「I won’t lose yet! Sixth Sword – Dark Roar!」


    The Dark Roar that I unleashed with all my strength bared its fangs.


    「Kuh, you still have this much power, huh…」


    「You just won’t fall, will ya?」


    Sebas-san and Bacchus-san interrupted their attacks temporarily and focused on cutting down the Dark Roar.


    I took advantage of the short moment when their attacks stopped.


    「Eighth Sword – Yatagarasu!」


    「Kuh!」


    「Nuu!」


    Sebas-san and Bacchus-san deflected the eight slashes, and took half a step back.


    (That’s exactly what I was aiming for!)


    The two are now hesitant.


    After deflecting Yatagarasu, instead of immediately counterattacking, they took half a step back.


    This is definitely because of my previous “brutal counter” called Hazy Moon.


    (Sebas-san and Bacchus-san don’t know if I have any more cards up my sleeve.)


    Actually, I had no more cards left up my sleeve.


    However, only I knew that fact.


    From their perspective, it would seem like I might still have some hidden cards.


    (The strongest tactic when playing cards – “Bluff”!)


    I went on the offensive in order to make them wary of the “non-existent trump card” and prevent them from realizing that I was “out of cards”.


    (Because there lies the threat of a “counter”, Sebas-san and Bacchus-san cannot launch a drastic attack!)


    Therefore, I must never go on the defensive.


    If I want to stall for time, I have to keep pressing forward with a fearless smile!


    (And I’m getting used to it little by little.)


    Sebas-san’s Absolute Sword and Bacchus-san’s Sakura-Blossom One-Sword Style.


    While watching their techniques and movements many times, I gradually became more efficient in responding to them.


    (I can understand. I can see it. Their breathing rhythm, the movement of their muscles!)


    Because we were all fighting half-naked, I was able to clearly observe the “muscle movements” of Sebas-san and Bacchus-san.


    The eyes speak more than the mouth.


    Similarly, the body speaks more than the sword.


    By looking at their muscle movements, I can see the “movement of the sword” which is a few seconds in the future.


    Thinking about it, this is like a “simulated battle” where I can learn a lot of lessons.


    (Anyway, keep to this pace! If I continue at this pace, I’ll be able to pass the remaining time!)


    In this way, I was steadily advancing to the path of victory step by step while grasping a certain feeling of growth.