Chapter 9 - I Needed A Sword Too

I Needed A Sword Too
“You mean, like shouting ‘Fireball!’?”
“Yes. That’s what I mean. It didn’t look like you did that just now…”
“I didn’t. Do people usually do it?”
“Yes. Casting spells without chanting is a very advanced technique. And it usually weakens the spell. At least, unless you are a fairly seasoned sorcerer… So most people chant.”
I see.
The instructor had said that there was something off about the power of my magic, so that was why.
I was too busy thinking and hadn’t seen the other two perform. But they had probably done it better than me.
So that meant my magic was weak because I hadn’t chanted.
“…Thank you for telling me. Could I try it again?”
“Alright. You are allowed three attempts for the magic test. Of course, I don’t really believe it is necessary in your case…”
I didn’t need to?
…I didn’t understand what he meant. But regardless, it seemed that I would be allowed another chance.
I would ask him about it after I tried again.
“Fireball!”
I said. This time, a fireball that was slightly larger than the previous one, shot out and hit the boulder with an explosion.
As the Instructor had said, it was more powerful now.
However…it wasn’t as much as I had expected.
Maybe there was a trick to this chanting part.
I hoped he was not too disappointed by the fact that the difference was minimal.
I would not be remotely amused if I somehow failed this test.
If it seemed like that would happen, I would just use Hellfire of Death on my next try.
I thought this as I looked towards the instructor.
But…his reaction was very different than what I had anticipated.
“Wh-what power…are you some kind of monster…”
…Huh?
But it wasn’t that different than the previous one. And he had sounded exasperated as he said there was something wrong with the power.
Or maybe…
“Hey. When you said that there was something strange about my magic, did you mean that it was too weak?”
“I meant it was too strong!!”
He replied quickly and ferociously.
…So Fireball was a strong spell.
It was the first spell I had learned after coming to this world, and so I had assumed that it was weak.
Well, it was probably only considered to be strong for a beginner spell, and was likely nothing special once you were a pro. Probably.
“…In any case, does that mean that I pass?”
“Aye. …You definitely did not fail. But Yuji, how were you even living up until now?”
“I lived quite normally.”
“Normally. You don’t become capable of using this kind of magic by living normally…”
–He said. And then we moved on to the next part of the test.
◇
“The next test is swordsmanship! Tamers and Swordsmen take this test… Did you bring a sword?”
Instructor Regin asked as he looked at me.
The others had all brought swords.
While I could use magic without a staff, I could not fight without a sword…
Maybe there was something I could use instead…
I wondered as I looked through my spells.
And then I found a skilled called ‘Sword Summon.’
“Sword Summon.”
I said out loud, as I had just been taught that it was better to do so.
And then…a sword appeared in my hand.
It wasn’t too heavy or too light. It was the perfect weight.
Still, I had never learned how to swing a sword, and so I decided to use ‘Swordsmanship Strengthening’ that had been in the book.
This one would be a little embarrassing if others knew about it, and so I cast it without chanting, well aware that it would be weakened a little.
They hadn’t said anything about not using magic, so I didn’t think I was breaking the rules.
Instructor Regin looked at me with wide eyes.
“…What did you do just now?”
“I made a sword with magic.”
I said with a swing of the blade.
It seemed quite durable.
“A sword with magic? I-I don’t understand… Well, never mind. So you will be using that then?”
“I intend to, yes.”
I hadn’t been able to create a sheath as well, so I wouldn’t be able to put it away, but it could still be used during the test.
That’s what I thought as I watched the others fight and waited for my turn.
As I was a Tamer, my turn would come at the end.
“Alright, you’re first. Come!”
“Aye!”
So saying, the first of the swordsmen unsheathed his sword and walked towards the instructor.
It was a real sword, not a practice one. That seemed kind of dangerous…
I had wondered about this, but it turned out to be a groundless fear.
The instructor easily parried the attack and thrust his sword towards the swordsman’s neck.
There was too big a gap in their ability for there to be any danger.
“…You have decent power but inadequate control… Next!”
The next swordsman had a shorter sword.
Unlike the first guy, he was able to trade several blows before finding the instructor’s sword pointed at his neck.
However, he was praised after the fight, and it was clear that you did not have to win in order to pass.
The third one also lost much like the first two…
And then it was finally my turn.