It’s been a week since the drinking party with the instructors, and time has flown by.
December has arrived, and the world is buzzing with the excitement of Christmas and New Year’s Eve events.
Amidst all this, I’ve been dedicating my free time to training, training, and more training. After all, my schedule doesn’t allow for such frivolous events.
“Phew, that really took it out of me.”
I take a moment to calm my ragged breaths in the heart of the wilderness, a place far removed from the sound of Christmas bells and Christmas songs. I had scaled a sheer cliff face, landing on precarious footing that I managed to tread upon without breaking it, dispersing my weight to maintain my balance.
The competition is only a week away. While I felt I had achieved a passing grade in terms of attack power, I was harboring anxieties about my physical abilities, specifically my speed and overall mobility. This had become evident in my recent dungeon explorations, prompting me to engage in this voluntary training. My challenge was to quicken and shorten the process leading up to the final lunge for an attack. However, there was no point in merely training for raw speed without purpose.
“…Phew.”
Therefore, the enemy composition was naturally set to be specialized. I configured my training with high-mobility monsters such as flying creatures, like birds and wyverns, or insects, which inhabit such sheer cliffs. This made escaping significantly more difficult, naturally inclining my choices towards outright annihilation. It was only recently that I finished moving around and was finally able to catch my breath, having expended more stamina than usual.
“Well, that’s one phase done, at least.”
Once the combat subsided, I used the short break to reflect on the recent battle. Unstable footing, insufficient posture, opponents moving at high speeds, and obstacles in hit-and-run tactics. To further conserve stamina, I needed to minimize the damage taken by evading the opponent’s attacks as much as possible. Then, I had to refine the technique of advancing on the shortest path from evasion to attack. However, mastering all these challenges would not happen overnight. Wiping the sweat from my brow, I expressed my gratitude for the existence of a space that could help me overcome my lack of time. The “Dimensional Special Training Room” was a space where the indoor time flowed faster than the outside, allowing me to spend more time than usual. Furthermore, if I were to spend time in my magic body, there was no worry of aging, which was quite beneficial. However, for me, that was not particularly relevant at the moment.
“You’re really pushing yourself.”
“Is that Valse-san?”
“Oh, don’t be so cold. I’m here keeping an eye on you in place of your wives. Here, drink this beverage that a cute fallen angel prepared for you.”
Valse, the Spirit of Time and Space. I call her Valse-san, and thanks to her existence, my current body is ageless. This allows me to train my physical body without having to resort to my magic body.
“Ah, thank you.”
Well, even if I became ageless, it only meant that my lifespan has no limits; I still get hungry and thirsty. Energy is consumed as I move my body, so replenishment is necessary. Valse-san produced a thermos from another dimension, which Himik had prepared, and I received it, gulping it down.
“Phew, I knew there would be a difference in feel compared to swinging a sword, but I didn’t realize it was this insufficient. Broadening my vision is also more difficult than I thought.”
Since entering this space, two days have passed in simulated time, while only two hours have passed in reality. During that time, I had been fighting and training my body relentlessly in real combat. My primary objective for this session was to focus on my legs and lower body, followed by my eyesight. And as I experienced it firsthand, I spoke about what I felt.
“Of course. What you’re seeking now is a way to move your body quickly. Swinging a sword and moving are quite different in feel, and it’s difficult for humans to change familiar sensations.”
“You’re absolutely right. I truly underestimated it.”
I agreed with Valse-san’s observation, realizing she was completely correct. This kind of training would normally be part of a long-term regimen. It would be a process that should be repeated many times to become ingrained in the body. Facing the instructors felt like a hurdle. When I first joined, I thought that without attack power, nothing else mattered, and my training had been heavily skewed towards offensive techniques. Now, I was experiencing the consequences of that. The more I trained, the more I exposed what I lacked, and even with this space, time felt insufficient. The space Valse-san used during trials would be unavailable for a while due to her magic. Furthermore, I would need to adjust my training to avoid fatigue in the days leading up to the competition, meaning the usable days would be even fewer. While the results of this training would likely exceed being a makeshift measure, it would be difficult to fully master. However, even knowing it was like trying to scoop water with a sieve, I started the training, thinking it was better than nothing, and surprisingly, it was yielding results. First, by strengthening my lower body, the stability of my attacks increased. This, in turn, gave me more options in my movements leading up to swinging my Ore Tree. I had trained while considering how to approach the opponent, and thanks to that, my usage of my legs and lower body had changed considerably. I was no longer just running; I was thinking about how to distribute my weight to transition into the next action, and how to switch between low and high stances. I was conscious of these things, but there were still aspects I had overlooked. This was a good opportunity to re-evaluate them. To not waste even a moment of this opportunity, I quietly looked up at the sky, spotted a suitable enemy flying by, wiped the sweat from my brow, and once my breathing had stabilized, I resumed my training.
“Alright, let’s do a bit more.”
“Don’t overdo it.”
“Roger.”
Doing what I could, I began to run again, gripping the handle of the Ore Tree and traversing the rocky mountains.
***
Another Side
“So, Evia, how are the preparations coming along?”
“Yes, the participants are gathering sequentially. If things continue as they are, we should be able to proceed as planned.”
While Jiro was hard at work training, the preparations for the competition were steadily progressing. The venue was within the company premises. No, it was an arena created within the dungeon managed by Evia. While glancing at the report, the Demon Lord’s expression seemed somewhat discontented, as if bored.
“Are there any problems?”
“No, there are no problems.”
Even though she knew there were no issues, Evia, after confirming, sensed that the person before her, while stating there were no problems, was indeed concerned about something.
“Are you concerned about the disturbance that occurred in the dungeon?”
“That, and more.”
“And more?”
What immediately came to her mind was the recent magic sword incident. Although the perpetrators were apprehended, the mastermind remained at large. It was foreseen that they might attempt something during the competition. This was something she herself had been considering. Naturally, to ensure the competition was held under optimal conditions, security had been increased, and a reliable chain of command had been established with trusted subordinates. She believed she had taken all possible countermeasures. Even with such a plan, her superior before her showed signs of unease. It was as if he foresaw something that could overturn the current situation.
“No, your judgment is sound. However, you know, I feel it. My blood is stirring.”
She narrowed her eyes for a moment, as if her emotions had been revealed, but denying it, the Demon Lord turned his gaze out the window. There, the cityscape, with its proliferation of high-rise buildings, had become a familiar sight. He looked intently at the city, but without saying a word, he spoke after a while.
“Evia.”
“Yes?”
Without turning around, he quietly called her name. “Something will happen at this competition,” he declared. His words were firm and powerful, not a premonition, but a certainty. These were not conditional statements about what might happen. The Demon Lord stated it with conviction, as if he had seen the future. Evia could not ignore his words.
“Security is fine as it is, but could you ask the Generals to be mentally prepared?”
“As you command.”
The Demon Lord, implicitly suggesting that the highest combat power be ready, averted his gaze from the cityscape after watching Evia, who bowed and left the room. He then reached for a sword displayed on the wall of the president’s office.
“Heh, my blood is stirring. That’s exactly right.”
He echoed the words he had said to Evia, confirming his own restless spirit, and a smile flickered across his lips. Trying to soothe this restless blood, he touched the sword, which felt ancient, imbued with history. It was not particularly ornate, nor did it possess overwhelming magical power. It was simply a pragmatic sword that had aged, carrying a profound presence. Slowly and carefully, he stroked the burly sword through its scabbard, savoring its feel. The Demon Lord felt a joy akin to pleasure from his blood stirring over the past few days.
“Well, I thought I had things in order, but perhaps they were too perfectly in order? Really, an organization is quite troublesome to manage.”
Tapping gently on the sword’s fitting with his finger, he reconsidered his methods of governance. The Demon Lord’s Army was composed of individuals from races prone to aggressive tendencies. As the Demon Lord, he had skillfully guided this aggression to avoid pointless conflicts. However, someone was now attempting to disrupt that order. He had sensed this from Evia’s report, but he had sensed it even before that. “A pressure release, or rather, let’s call it rust removal,” he mused. Despite foreseeing an event that might cause ripples, or perhaps a great tidal wave, to wash over this organization, the Demon Lord smiled joyfully. It was the absolute confidence of a ruler, the belief that the upcoming turmoil would not shake his organization. On the contrary, he was plotting to use it as a catalyst for vitality in an organization that had begun to stagnate.
“It’s distant and hidden, but I can certainly feel it. Among the participants of the competition, there is someone with the same blood as me. Well, this is going to be fun.”
Convinced that this sensation was not mistaken, the Demon Lord chuckled contentedly, looking up at a moon different from the one visible from the land he ruled.
“Now, will your scheme amuse me, surprise me, or anger me?”
He chose not to intervene for now. He anticipated the actions of an existence that, if he were to interfere, would likely warp and vanish like the reflection of the moon on a still lake. The Demon Lord spent the entire day gazing at the moonlit night of the otherworld.
***
Another Side End
During my training, I suddenly stopped and looked up at the illusory moon shining in the sky.
“Is something wrong?”
“No, it’s nothing. Just my imagination.”
“Really? Are you tired and losing concentration?”
The competition is still a week away. The words “calm before the storm” crossed my mind.
“Perhaps, but time is precious now. I need to push myself as far as I can.”
“Yes, yes, my contractor is a hard worker. But don’t overdo it.”
“Ah, I will.”
Those who plot the storm. Those who foresee and observe the coming storm. Those who consider the possibility of a storm. Each with their own thoughts, I cast aside extraneous worries and started running again, determined to do what I could.
Today’s word: Among things that can be done is self-reflection, and through reflection, one can gain insight.
This concludes today’s update. If you found it interesting, please consider leaving comments, ratings, or bookmarks.
*The first volume of the novel has been decided to be published by Hayakawa Bunko JA. It was released on October 18, 2018. Additionally, an e-book version is scheduled for release on October 31st of the same year. The content includes revisions and additions to the text posted on Shosetsuka ni Narou, along with an unpublished interlude chapter. We appreciate your continued support.*
