Chapter 10 - I Held A Sword for the First Time

I Held A Sword for the First Time
“Next, Yuji!”
The Instructor called my name, and so I held the sword I had just made and stepped out in front of him.
Of course, I didn’t even know how to properly hold a sword, and so I just copied the three people who had gone before me.
“…You hold the sword very strangely. Is that just your personal style?”
…Well, it looked like I wasn’t imitating them very well.
“No, it’s not really a style. I’ve never actually learned how to use a sword. I don’t know what I’m doing.”
Among the books that the slimes had helped me read, there was one book about fighting with swords… But surely swordsmanship was not the kind of thing you could learn by reading a book?
It seemed that I would just have to rely on ‘Swordsmanship Strengthening’ and the status skill, ‘Ultra Combat Art.’
“…While Tamers aren’t really fit for sword fighting, it is good to be able to do it in certain situations. Especially, if you want to become an Adventurer…it is almost necessary…but then again, you can use magic. Oh, well, come and attack me.”
Instructor Regin said as he held his sword ready.
Now that I looked closely, I could see that the edge of his blade was dulled…while mine looked pretty sharp.
…He could get badly hurt if I accidentally hit him.
If there was only some magic I could use to ensure safety…I wondered. And then I realized that I had something called ‘Sword Safety.’
And so I decided to use that.
“Alright, let’s go!”
“Ahh!”
I activated ‘Sword Safety,’ raised the sword above my head, and charged towards Instructor Regin.
My thinking was probably typical of a novice, the higher I held my sword, the harder it would hit when I swung down.
On the other hand, Inspector Regin stood his ground as if he was ready to parry me.
And then my sword hit his sword…and my sword was swept to the side.
Without a moment’s delay, he started to point his sword at me as I lost my balance.
–The next instant.
I swung my sword without thinking, it tore the instructor’s sword from his grip—and then my own sword was pointing at his neck.
I hadn’t even been thinking about wanting to do that.
My body had just moved on its own.
“…Huh?”
The instructor looked at the sword on the ground and then the sword at his neck with confusion.
He looked like he had no idea what had happened.
I was just as confused.
I had never had proper sword training in my life until today.
Not only that, but I had never even held a sword since that time I bought a wooden sword during a school field trip.
So why had I been able to win? And without even thinking?
“Uhhh…is that the end of the test?”
The instructor was still in shock but managed to nod.
And after a short silence…he opened his mouth again.
“…I suppose you were just pretending to be a novice, so I would let my guard down?”
“No, I really am an amateur. This is my first time holding a real sword made of metal.”
“That’s impossible! Only an expert would have been able to move like you did just now!”
He argued against my words.
But what could I say? I really had not been thinking when my body started to move…
Maybe it was because I used the Ultra Combat Arts thing.
“Well, should we do it again then? Then you won’t let your guard down, right?”
It hadn’t been my intention to trick him like that.
Besides, if he judged my abilities incorrectly, then I might be handed jobs later, that were harder than I could take.
I wanted to have a proper battle so he could assess my abilities correctly.
That’s what I meant when I spoke…
“No, there’s no need for that. I can tell just by watching you move. Even if I tried my hardest, I would have no hope of beating you. …If it is your first time picking up a sword, then Yuji, you must be the god of swordsmanship reborn. Though, I am sure you are just lying. I am willing to bet on it.”
…It really was just an accident of sorts. I don’t know why he was going so far…
If someone tried to hire me now based off that fight, I would politely decline.
“…In any case, the swordsmanship test is over… Uh, Yuji. You can go home now.”
“Huh?”
Hey, he suddenly told me to leave.
I didn’t think I did that bad… Or was there something I had missed?
I wondered about it with an expression of despair, but then Instructor Regin opened his mouth again.
“Oh, you didn’t fail or anything. It’s just that you already passed based off this point in the test. So I don’t think it’s necessary for you to continue. …Unless of course, you are aiming for the Special Bracket?”
…Special Bracket?
I hadn’t heard anything about that before the test…interesting.
I decided to ask, as I wasn’t sure what it was.
“What happens if get in the Special Bracket?”
“It means that your Adventurer rank can start at H-Rank, where as it would usually start at I-Rank.”
I see.
So it meant you can skip a rank. That sounded nice.
I didn’t know much about the rank system for Adventurers, but it probably took a long time to raise your rank.
“Alright, then I would like to continue in the test. So I can aim for this Special Bracket.”
“Oh…yes. Very well.”
Instructor Regin gave his permission, but he looked a little bewildered.
As for the other applicants, they were looking at me with expressions that said, ‘Is this guy for real…?’
Had I just done something really strange?