Ios Vs. Grail

Grail, who was in front of me, said this.

—Come back to me, Ios!

Too late!

I thought about saying that back to him, but I decided those words weren’t appropriate, so I didn’t say them.

“Too late” meant there had been a possibility before.

There had never been any possibility to begin with.

From the day Grail abandoned me, the future where I stood side by side with Grail had disappeared.

Since I had never had any intention of doing so in the first place, “too late” wasn’t correct.

“No, thank you.”

I said that while removing all emotion from my voice.

The instant I said it—Grail’s face turned bright red. He probably hadn’t thought I would flatly refuse him.

“Don’t screw with me, you trash skill holder! Just because I’m being humble, you’re getting full of yourself! Do you think you have a choice!?”

“…If you’re done with your business, is that all? I’m going home.”

“Wait!”

As I tried to leave, Grail reached out and grabbed my arm.

“I’m saying I’ll pick you up after Misha threw you away! She’s a terrible woman too, isn’t she! Even though she chased after you!”

Those words—

Precisely touched my reverse scale.

Of all things, he dared to speak badly of Misha…!

“Let go.”

I shook off Grail’s hand.

“Don’t misunderstand. Misha is with me. I just came here by myself today.”

I glared at Grail and continued.

“What about you? Where are those two?”

“T-those two are—”

After faltering, Grail spoke these words.

“I-I-I expelled them! They were dead weight!”

“…I see…”

I was starting to no longer understand the definition of the word “expel.” Expelling two people and being the only one left behind—could that really be called expelling them?

It also felt like they had simply parted ways after a fight…

Well, it didn’t matter.

“Goodbye, Grail. I’m not dissatisfied with my life now. I’m happy. Don’t bother me anymore. You should go and do well in your own way. Take care.”

“Don’t you talk back to me! Damn Ios!”

Grail glared at me with eyes like flames burning bright red.

I answered in a cold voice.

“…There’s no way I could work together with someone who says things like that.”

“I don’t give a damn about that anymore! You trampled on my kindness when I was going to pick up an abandoned dog like you! I won’t forgive you! Fight me!”

Grail took his broadsword in hand while it was still in its sheath.

“I’ll show you which of us is above the other!”

“Don’t.”

I had worn B-rank equipment and leveled up quite a bit in a short time. I had obtained the Sword Saint skill and powered up by a large margin.

Grail’s situation was unclear, but—I had no way to lose.

“It won’t even be a contest between you and me.”

“Iiiiiooooooos! Hahahahaha! You do understand, don’t you! That’s right! That’s right! It won’t even be a contest between you and me! You understand, don’t you! Yes, that’s the difference in power between you and me! The difference in our skills! Right, Ios-kun the trash skill holder!? Are you trembling because you’re scared? Are you scared of my Swordsmanship skill? You are, aren’t you? Are you going to say you’re sorry? If you do, I might forgive you, you know? Try saying, I’m sowwyyyyy, Gwail-shamaaaa!”

…It was a cheap provocation. I knew that.

But I wasn’t so mature that I could stay silent after being told that much.

I also took my sheathed broadsword in hand.

“…Fine. If you’re going to say that much, I’ll accept.”

“Kukukuku! Did your manliness at least improve? Back then, you were all flustered and trembling, Ios-kun!”

Grail and I brought our retrievers close and declared a duel.

Now—there was no stopping our fight.

Let’s settle this, Grail.

This destiny between you and me that had continued since childhood.

“Come at me anytime, Grail.”

“Hahahahaha! Why are you acting like some big shot? Do you think you’ve become a Sword Saint or something?”

As soon as he said that, Grail attacked me.

He swung his sword around wildly.

I dodged it effortlessly with only the minimum footwork.

Grail laughed.

“What’s this, did you get a little better?”

It was a voice that believed in his own superiority.

“That much makes the fight more worthwhile!”

I watched his sword path with a slightly sad feeling.

It was far too slow. Far too clumsy. Far too weak.

Was this Grail’s sword?

Until we had parted ways about half a year ago, I had held admiration for Grail’s sword. Or perhaps fear. Slashes that roared like thunder. Power that cut down everything. I had felt a strength I could never reach.

And yet—

What was this?

Where had that powerful sword that had once had so much force, enough to even cut through the air, disappeared to?

I felt sad.

The brilliance like a flash of light, and the strength to smash everything apart too.

Not even a fragment of them dwelled in that sword.

How miserable.

Kiiiiin!

A clear sound echoed. My sword had knocked Grail’s sword away. With the difference in our attack power spread so wide, Grail staggered greatly.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!”

“Stop, Grail… That’s enough.”

I shook my head.

“I don’t want to see you like that. Let’s stop.”

“Kuhahahahaha! You’ve learned to talk big, haven’t you, Ios! But you know, you shouldn’t get full of yourself just because you happened to knock my sword away by chance! I’ve seen through your plan to land one lucky hit and run!”

Grail readied his sword.

“My body’s warmed up too! I’ll raise the gear another level! Can you endure it, Iiiiiiooooooos!”

As soon as he said that, Grail came toward me.

“I’ll make you understand! The fact that you’ll be beneath me for all eternity!”

…I see. I understand.

No matter what I said to you, it would be useless.

Then I’ll show you a glimpse of the Sword Saint’s power.

“Ground Shrink.”

I murmured quietly and kicked the ground with a tap.

In an instant, I closed the distance to Grail. I flashed my sword toward Grail’s stomach as he failed to notice my sudden approach at all.

Thud!

A dull sound rang out. Grail’s body flew like a scrap of wood. After spinning around in the air, he crashed headfirst into the ground.

“Hebuu!?”

Grail’s body trembled, and then he lost consciousness as he was.

“…It’s over, Grail. I said this earlier too, but right now, I’m happy. You may be struggling, but—that doesn’t matter to me. Do your best in your own way. See you.”

After saying that, I left the dungeon behind.

“U-ugh…”

Grail woke up. Even when he looked around, Ios was already nowhere to be seen.

“What happened…?”

He was sure he had been fighting Ios, but—

Just when he thought Ios had suddenly disappeared, in the next instant, his own body had been flying through the air.

Grail had no understanding at all of what had happened.

That was why Grail thought about it.

Every single possibility of what had happened to him.

Before long—Grail reached a conclusion.

“Damn it!”

Together with simmering anger, Grail struck the ground and shouted in a voice filled with resentment.

“What the hell! I slipped!”

To think that opening had been taken advantage of!