Chapter 16: Hell Disguised as Training

“Geez, my bad!! When I see a rare magic tool, I get so hyped I lose sight of everything else. That aside—can I rub my cheek against that holy sword?”

“No. No matter how beautiful you are, I don’t want to see someone rubbing their cheek on a sword. And more importantly, I’d feel weird carrying a sword that’s been treated like that.”

A beautiful elf had suddenly appeared, putting us all on guard. Apparently, she was supposed to be waiting at the summit, but she sensed the presence of the holy sword I carried and came all the way down here. Truly a being driven by pure desire—I can respect that.

By the way, I vaguely remember the name Carol Maximilian. She was an elf girl who helped train the protagonist, Hikaru, during the “Forest of Magical Mist” event in a game from my previous life.

I don’t remember anything else about her, so it’s not much of a lead—but I do recall that thanks to her, the protagonist became significantly stronger.

She’s definitely eccentric, but if I can borrow her strength, I’ll surely become stronger too.

“So, the three of them over there are the ones training, right? And Richard’s just tagging along?”

“We need someone to oversee the training. I’ll be participating as well.”

“You’ve already got no magical aptitude left to grow, so there’s no point in you being here—but if you insist, do whatever you want.”

Still… these two seem oddly close. Could it be—just maybe—is this a new ship forming right before my eyes!?

“So… are you two dating? Please answer carefully—my motivation will rise or fall depending on your response.”

“How many times do I have to tell you not to ask that the moment you meet someone!?”

But you can’t blame me for being curious!! A combination of a blunt, nearly two-meter-tall man and a petite woman who doesn’t even look 160 cm tall is just peak perfection!!!

That height difference alone is enough spice to keep me going for multiple servings!!!!!

“Me? With him? No way, absolutely not!! I need someone who understands my hobbies. …Or what, are you saying you fell for me at first sight?”

The elf laughed loudly as she said that. I, who had been secretly hoping otherwise, collapsed to my knees.

What cruel fate… Even if it was my own delusion, having that faint hope snatched away right in front of me feels devastating.

“Huh!? Why are you collapsing!? If a beautiful elf like me is single, you should be happy!”

“His Majesty is not normal. And this isn’t really my place to say, but you should stop staying single forever. Living in a forest like this isn’t helping your eccentricity at all.”

“Calling a cute elf girl like me eccentric is rude, don’t you think? It’s only natural to give your all to what you love.”

“That much, I understand.”

I had fallen to my knees, but those words—“always give your all to what you love”—helped me stand back up again.

That’s right. I can’t stay down here.

Now that I’ve left my narrow hometown and become the Sword King, I need to enjoy life. To travel to many places, witness many couples, and indulge in my passions—I need to grow stronger.

There’s no time to stay on my knees. No time to wallow in disappointment.

“Besides, even for an eccentric elf like Miss Carol, someone who understands you will definitely appear someday. And when that happens… I’ll enjoy watching that moment. I’m a man who can work hard while keeping his eyes on the future.”

“Yeah… if this kid is what I look like from the outside, I might actually try to fix myself a little. Maybe I should reflect.”

“Good for you. Being able to see yourself objectively is important.”

…What’s that supposed to mean? What do you mean by that?? Why did you decide to use me as a bad example???

“This is bad… my motivation is plummeting… Someone needs to comfort me…”

“Here, I’ll pat your head, so hang in there. Coming all this way and turning back without doing anything would be beyond pointless.”

“Even I think that’s a bit…”

Yeah, I know. Going back now would accomplish nothing. I’ll train.

My motivation and what I have to do are two completely separate things.

Even if I hate it, I’ll do what needs to be done. I can’t stand people who abandon their obligations but still insist on their rights. If I want the right to chase my favorite ships, I have to fulfill my duty as the Sword King.

With Hikaru’s hand still resting on my head, I stood up. The way he had to look up at me due to our height difference was adorable, but for now, I focused on the elf girl in front of me.

“So, I’m motivated. Please begin the training.”

“Hmm, plenty of motivation, I see. Trying to look cool in front of a cute girl?”

“Any man has at least that much pride. I’m no exception.”

“Saying that while getting your head patted doesn’t make you convincing at all.”

It’s something I need right now, so it can’t be helped. Either way, I’m fully motivated for this training. I’ll endure whatever comes.

“Hmm… I see. Then let’s get started.”

As Carol stood up, a scythe had somehow appeared in her hand. It was larger than her own height, yet she handled it as if it weighed nothing at all.

And the moment I thought her arm—and the scythe—had vanished—

“Huh?”

My head was severed from my body. In the brief moment before my consciousness faded to black, I couldn’t even comprehend what had happened.

“Alright, that’s one. Next.”

“Huh?”

Before I knew it, my head was reattached to my body. I couldn’t understand what had been done. My thoughts wouldn’t organize themselves.

And in that confusion, my head fell from my body once again.

“Next.”

“—!!!!!”

My awareness returned again. I didn’t know what was happening—but I had no time to think.

The instant my mind came back, I pushed off the ground and leapt backward.

“That was quicker than I expected—starting to react on the third try. Still too slow, though.”

Even my full-force retreat was instantly closed in on. I couldn’t even see when she moved. Realizing the gap between us, my head was severed again.

“Next.”

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!”

I didn’t have the strength in my legs to escape. Then that meant I had to strike before being struck.

I lunged forward, focusing only on moving ahead as fast as possible. No matter how clumsy I looked, I refused to die without putting up any resistance.

“Gah!?”

“So you’re trying to get inside the range of my scythe. Not a bad idea—but did you really think I wouldn’t have a sub-weapon?”

The moment I slipped into her reach, she drew a dagger with one hand and drove it into my chest.

A surge of pain and heat flooded through me. Something inside must have been damaged—I coughed up blood and staggered.

As I forced my gaze upward, I saw Carol raising her scythe overhead.

After that, I died dozens of times.

“Next.”

Advancing or retreating both led to death, so I tried to block. I couldn’t withstand the impact of the scythe, was blown away, slammed into a tree—

—and then had my head cut off.

“Next.”

Since I couldn’t block it, I lowered my body to just above the ground, narrowly avoiding the horizontal sweep of the scythe before lunging forward. Without thinking about what would happen to my opponent, I swung my sword wildly in desperation—but it was effortlessly dodged, and my throat was pierced by a dagger.

I died.

“Next.”

After being killed more than ten times, I finally realized I had to deal with both the scythe and the dagger. I had at least managed to avoid the first strike, so this time I tried throwing my sword to break her posture.

Just as planned, Carol lost her balance, and I rushed in to punch her—but she easily grabbed me and crushed my fist.

It wasn’t that the scythe was light—her physical enhancement was simply strong enough to ignore its weight.

“Next.”

On the twentieth attempt, I managed to block the scythe with the holy sword. I had begun to understand how to redirect the force, so I tried applying it. I succeeded in stopping one strike—but it required so much strength in my legs and core that I couldn’t move afterward.

In that opening, she threw a dagger, piercing my throat.

I died.

“Next.”

On the thirtieth attempt, instead of blocking, I deflected the scythe and slipped into her range. Even from an unbalanced position, she effortlessly drew her dagger.

I stepped back and avoided it.

Dodging both the scythe and the dagger, I saw my chance and tried to bring the holy sword down—

—but my hand was gone.

From the wrist down, it had been blown away.

When I looked, Carol had already discarded the dagger and was pointing her hand toward me—smoke rising from it.

Magic.

Before I could react, the scythe came down.

I died.

"Next."

On the fortieth attempt, I finally grasped just how many options she had.

Mid-range combat with the scythe. Close-range combat with a concealed dagger. Long-range combat with magic.

There was no opening.

I couldn’t even begin to imagine how many years it took her to reach that level. The path must have been harsh and unforgiving.

Even as I felt an out-of-place sense of admiration—

I died.

"Next."

On the fiftieth attempt, I deflected her opening scythe strike and grabbed a stone from the ground, throwing it at her.

She knocked it aside barehanded and immediately pointed her hand at me, firing off a burst of flame magic.

I blocked it with the holy sword and, the moment the spell detonated, threw myself backward with all my strength.

The momentum sent me crashing into a tree. The air was knocked from my lungs, and I struggled to breathe—

Unable to move, I was finished off by a follow-up spell.

"Next."

I was cut down diagonally by the scythe.

I died.

"Next."

I was burned to ashes by flame magic.

I died.

"Next."

I was engulfed by water magic and suffocated.

I died.

"Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next."

"Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next." "Next."

I died and died and died and died and died and died and died and died and died and died and died and died and died and died and died—

Died and died and died and died and died and died and died and died and died and died and died and died and died and died and died and died and died and died and died and died and died and died and died and died and died and died and died and died and died and died and died and died and died and died and died and died and died and died and died and died and died and died and died and died and died and died and died and died and died and died and died and died and died and died and died and died and died and died and died and died and died and died—

I kept dying.

No matter what I tried, nothing worked. With the tools I had, I couldn’t turn the situation around. Even resisting the pain only prolonged the time until death. There was no path to survival.

I kept dying without being able to do anything. The weight of those deaths began to crush me. Death was starting to feel normal.

And then—

I saw her.

My childhood friend, who had always been by my side.

Her face was filled with shock and despair.

It was the expression I hated most.

I had always wanted her to smile. That’s why I kept smiling myself.

That was my origin.

I hate unhappiness.

I hate becoming unhappy myself, and I hate seeing others suffer.

That’s why I got into anime and games. Watching people laugh happily with someone precious to them—I thought that was so much better.

Seeing happiness… living while watching it—that became my purpose.

That’s right.

I can’t die here.

If I die, Hikaru will cry. Kind Alicia will be hurt too. My mother back home… she’d probably cry as well.

I will never accept that ending.

I want the people I care about to smile.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

The scream that tore from my throat wasn’t even words anymore.

It was a beast’s cry—a cry that cast aside everything except the will to live.

And as if responding to that scream, my mind suddenly filled with what would happen next—and how to deal with it.

First, before the scythe swings, close the distance. Swing the holy sword wildly—it doesn’t matter how. Stay just outside the effective range of the scythe while keeping the perfect distance to avoid the dagger.

"So you’ve thought it through. But what about this?"

An explosive fire spell came flying at me.

Through repeated deaths, I had begun to perceive magic. I poured my magic into the holy sword and instinctively activated dark magic.

Drawn by the pull of darkness, the explosive spell was sucked into the holy sword. Before it could detonate against it, I hurled the sword skyward.

"Throwing your weapon? That’s just stupid—"

"It’s not, though—AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!"

The explosion spell, drawn in by the dark magic, became unusable. The distance was too close for her to effectively use the scythe.

That left only one optimal move—

The hidden dagger.

Just like the vision in my mind, Carol drew it and lunged forward in the fastest, shortest path to pierce me.

"Wha—!?"

At that moment—

The holy sword came falling back down at incredible speed, perfectly landing in my raised palm.

Even after leaving my hand, the dark magic continued as long as the infused mana remained, drawing the explosive spell upward where it detonated.

Accelerated by the explosion, the holy sword returned to me.

Just like before—no matter how many times I tried to abandon it, the holy sword would never leave me.

Normally, the speed at which it returned wasn’t that fast.

But now, with the added acceleration from the explosion—

That was a different story.

Gripping the holy sword as it returned faster than Carol could anticipate, I swung it down with all that momentum.

Perhaps she realized the same—she had no better option than to thrust with her dagger.

She cast aside all hesitation and charged straight at me.

And as my blade came down—

My vision was dyed red once more.