We live at the foothills of Dragon Peak.
A dance to welcome spring.
I’m getting nervous.
The instructor, who was acting as the judge, called my name.
I pricked up my ears, wondering who my opponent would be, and then Kijilum’s name was called.
What, by all the fates, my opponent is Kijilum?
Kijilum was blessed with a large build from the start, and under the instruction of Listea and the teacher, he had become very strong over the past year.
And recently, he joined the Adventurer’s Guild with his fellow students and has already completed several adventures.
And that person is my opponent?
Kijilum, in contrast to me, looked a little dejected when he learned his opponent was me.
Well, that’s understandable. After all, I’m still known as the idiot, the perverted fantasist Elnea around school.
“Hey, Kijilum.”
Listea called out to Kijilum as he was about to head to the arena.
“What?”
Oh, Kijilum seems a bit grumpy.
Is he perhaps frustrated because he thinks he can’t show his true strength with me as his opponent, even though this is supposed to be his debut?
He has the ambition to make a name for himself as an adventurer, so this is the perfect place to showcase his abilities.
Not only my parents but also many people from the school district have gathered here.
If he shows his strength here, his parents will be relieved and can brag about their child.
Besides, if news of this day spreads through town, it will eventually reach his adventurer friends, and he’ll be recognized for his abilities.
And yet, his opponent is me.
I can understand Kijilum’s feelings perfectly well.
But you know. Today, both my parents and Ruiseine’s parents are here to watch.
So, I will give it my all here.
I don’t want to make my parents anxious by doing something foolish, and if I appear weak, it will reflect badly on Ruiseine’s parents.
“Kijilum, no matter who your opponent is, don’t let your guard down. If it were me, I’d go all out in this match.”
“I won’t let my guard down. But you see…”
Kijilum said, looking at me.
“Ah, please go all out. I’m going to fight with all my might too.”
When I said that, I heard giggles from the people around me.
However, not a single one of Listea or the Hero’s party laughed.
“If my opponent were Elnea, I’d go all out too.”
Slaton said.
“If Elnea-kun is my opponent, I might just blow him away from the start.”
Cerise-sama said.
“I think you shouldn’t underestimate him!”
Naimi said.
“I don’t want to fight him with sorcery.”
“Elnea-kun just goes out on errands with Ruiseine.”
“Unreliable people don’t get chosen!”
Said Creacio, Kiiri, and Inea.
It was because the people closest to me said the same thing that Kijilum raised an eyebrow in surprise.
“My, my, Elnea-kun, you are quite loved.”
Then Ruiseine offered me a straight sword.
Ah, this is the straight sword I always borrow from Jiludo-san.
When did she manage to borrow it?
“Thank you. I’ll do my best.”
Saying that, I took the straight sword from Ruiseine and sheathed it at my left hip.
Now I can wield both the Spirit Tree Wooden Sword and this sword.
“Is that your weapon?”
Kijilum looked at the borrowed straight sword.
“No, I’m using two swords. So I’ll use this wooden sword too.”
“Two swords?”
Kijilum was even more surprised.
It can’t be helped. I’ve never shown anyone me wielding two swords before, and one of them looks like a crude wooden sword.
“Hey, hurry up!”
The instructor on the arena yelled.
I can’t afford to waste any more time. We shouldn’t be leisurely chatting in the waiting area.
Let’s go, I urged Kijilum, and we moved together.
Then we moved to the designated spot and began our declarations.
Kijilum was the first to speak with a spirited voice.
“I will succeed as an adventurer! And eventually, I will surpass the Hero Listea!”
Kijilum declared, pointing the tip of his drawn single-handed straight sword at Listea.
The venue erupted.
Just becoming a successful adventurer is a great declaration, but for Kijilum to even say he will surpass Listea, the large crowd gathered in the training ground roared with cheers.
Now it’s my turn.
I waited for the cheers to subside.
Then, after waiting for them to calm down, I quietly declared.
“I aim for Dragon Peak.”
A murmur spread through the venue.
“Y-you…”
Kijilum, facing me, widened his eyes in astonishment.
Aiming for Dragon Peak. Such a reckless endeavor is something that not even adventurers, nor likely even the current Listea, would attempt.
Dragon Peak stretches as far as the eye can see to the west. Although it is nearby, it is a harsh world that does not accept the intrusion of humans.
The rugged mountains where dragons roam and the dragon race rules are not entered by humans unless absolutely necessary.
Even if they enter, death awaits them.
“Elnea…”
Mother called my name with a trembling voice.
Beside her, Father’s mouth was wide open in surprise.
“Father, Mother.”
I smiled.
“I have to go to Dragon Peak. But don’t worry. I will definitely come back.”
Perhaps it sounded like mere reassurance to my parents. No, maybe it wasn’t even that.
So, I will prove it here. That I have the strength to head to Dragon Peak.
I drew the swords from both my hips.
In my right hand, the straight sword borrowed from Jiludo-san. In my left hand, the Spirit Tree Wooden Sword.
Then, I refined my Dragon Energy and let it permeate my entire body.
“No way!”
Cerise-sama exclaimed.
She noticed my Dragon Energy.
Since I’ve been noticed, I won’t hold back anymore. I released all my Dragon Energy at once.
The Dragon Jewel residing within me sent its raging power throughout my body.
Ruiseine can probably see it.
I was enveloped in intense Dragon Energy.
This time, there was no fusion with Ares, the Spirit Tree Spirit.
Even so, I was confident that I could defeat Kijilum with my current strength.
Kijilum sensed that my presence had changed.
His ambition to make a name for himself as an adventurer was not for show.
Clad in the filled Dragon Energy, I readied my swords.
The instructor serving as the judge was also surprised by my demeanor, which was unlike anything he had ever seen, or rather, that I had ever shown him.
When I glanced at the instructor, he seemed to remember and gave the signal to begin.
Kijilum was no longer letting his guard down.
He faced me with a serious expression.
I made the first move.
With flowing movements, I entered Kijilum’s range and unleashed a flurry of sword strikes.
However, Kijilum was also a skilled fighter. He precisely blocked my sword and attempted to counterattack.
I’m sorry.
I apologized to Kijilum in my heart.
I believe today’s match was a place for Kijilum to flaunt his abilities.
But it’s the same for me.
I have to show my strength here. After defeating Kijilum, who declared he would succeed as an adventurer and even surpass Listea, I must put my parents at ease even a little.
The first attack was just a trigger.
From there, I guided Kijilum into the flow of the Dragon Sword Dance.
With the chaotic swordplay and my fluid movements, Kijilum was forced into a defensive battle.
I didn’t give him a moment to counterattack.
Continuous slashes with flowing movements, the number of strikes is the essence of the Dragon Sword Dance.
Kijilum was, in essence, a co-star in my dance.
Kijilum continued to be overwhelmed by my dance.
He desperately tried to counterattack, but I wouldn’t allow it.
I felt a solid sense of accomplishment.
Until now, I have only sparred with opponents of higher rank like Jiludo-san, Ruiseine, and Mistral.
Of course, I was no match for them, but there was much to be gained from losing.
What was the wrong move? Which reaction was too slow? How should I have responded?
Every time I lost, I received guidance from everyone.
And most importantly, everyone treated me as if I were a worthy opponent without holding back, even though I was outmatched. That’s why I was always forced to fight at my limit and was trained.
I’m sorry, but Kijilum was far beneath the people gathered in the Moss Garden.
I could read Kijilum’s every move.
I could predict his movements.
Everything about me, enhanced by Dragon Energy, captured all of Kijilum’s movements.
No, perhaps I might have been able to defeat Kijilum even with the Dragon Sword Dance without Dragon Energy. I seemed to have grown to that extent.
Finally, I thrust Kijilum’s single-handed straight sword high into the sky.
Then, with a Spatial Jump, I leaped behind Kijilum, who had lost his balance, and pressed my sword against his back.
It’s over, isn’t it?
The spectators probably didn’t see my final move. After all, it wasn’t high-speed movement, but instantaneous teleportation.
Acknowledging his defeat, Kijilum slumped to the ground, breathing heavily.
I, on the other hand, didn’t even break a sweat.
At some point, the training ground had fallen silent. I didn’t notice because I was focused on the match.
However, now that the match was decided, cheers erupted all at once.
Mother covered her mouth with both hands, her eyes brimming with tears, astonished.
Father’s mouth and eyes were even wider open than before in utter disbelief.
“Are you alright?”
I extended my hand to Kijilum, who was sitting on the ground.
“Ah, yeah.”
Kijilum took my hand and stood up.
Then, a thunderous applause broke out from the crowd gathered in the training ground.
Kijilum and I were dumbfounded.
“Amazing, Elnea!”
“No way! What was that at the end!?”
Listea and Slaton rushed over.
Then the other students followed, surrounding us.
“Waaah!”
I let out a scream as I was jostled by everyone.
“My, my, Elnea-kun, you really went all out, didn’t you?”
“Did Ruiseine know about this?”
“Yes, of course.”
“What was that fighting style?”
“It looked like a beautiful dance.”
While I was being overwhelmingly praised, Kijilum didn’t seem sulky about it.
Rather, he joined everyone in praising me.
“I underestimated you. I never thought you were this strong. I can’t call you the perverted fantasist Elnea anymore. From now on, you’re the dancer Elnea-chan.”
Kijilum’s words made everyone burst into laughter.
“Hey, you lot. There are more matches to come. Clear out.”
The instructor, acting as the judge, impatiently chased us away.
After returning to the waiting area, as the matches continued one after another, I was bombarded with questions.
Where did you learn swordsmanship? Who is your master? What were you doing with your daily meditation?
And why do you aim for Dragon Peak?
These were all questions I couldn’t answer properly, and I was at a complete loss.
However, as the last match of the day, Listea vs. Slaton, began, everyone’s attention finally shifted away from me.
This particular match, the grand finale of the day, was decided beforehand through a method other than a lottery, due to the fervent desire of everyone.
Not only us, but everyone gathered in the training ground wanted to see it. The Hero Listea’s serious match against her partner Slaton.
“I will thwart the machinations of the Demon Race! And also, I’ll do my best so Kijilum doesn’t overtake me.”
Listea’s declaration was met with both cheers and laughter.
The secret activities of the Demon Race within the kingdom were already rumored among those with keen ears.
And everyone placed their hopes on the Hero who declared she would stop them.
The latter remark was a characteristic sarcastic jab from Listea.
Kijilum, after his defeat, blushed and was embarrassed.
“I…!”
Slaton raised his voice.
“I will have five children with Creacio!”
“Are you an idiot?!”
Creacio threw her staff with all her might at Slaton’s foolish declaration.
The training ground was filled with an overwhelming wave of laughter.
“Wh-what an idiot.”
Creacio was so embarrassed that her face turned red up to her neck.
However, unlike their comedic declarations, the match between Listea and Slaton was fierce.
Listea, sealing away her sorcery and holy sword powers, fought Slaton with swordsmanship alone.
In terms of swordsmanship alone, Listea and Slaton were evenly matched.
We cheered them on as they engaged in dozens of intense exchanges.
Of course, we were cheering for Listea!
And then, each unleashing a one-hit-kill technique, Listea emerged victorious in the end.
The greatest cheers of the day erupted.
We then rushed to Listea and Slaton, lauded their match, and the unveiling and declaration ceremony concluded without incident.
