Sword Saint Ios Vs. Hero Filardo (Part 2)

A slash like thunder cut me down.

“Urgh!”

Unable to endure it, I was blown away and rolled across the ground.

Filardo let out a small breath and looked up at the sky.

“The sun’s starting to set. Let’s end it here.”

“……Sorry, Filardo-san.”

“Hm?”

“For taking up your time.”

“Hahahahaha! Don’t worry about it. I was the one who invited you. I had fun too. I said it was to examine you, but that was half a lie. Crossing swords with lively young guys is my hobby!”

“Is that so?”

“I like it when young guys come at me with desperate eyes, trying to cling to me.”

“……Did my eyes look desperate?”

“Desperate, very desperate. You were desperate enough to rank in my top five.”

Filardo said that and burst out laughing with an ahahahaha!

“But, you know, tenacity is important for an adventurer. Just like the strength of heart not to throw things away even when the match is already decided. A chance is always lying around somewhere.”

“……There wasn’t one lying around this time, though.”

“That’s true. There wasn’t!”

Filardo laughed loudly again with a hahahahahaha!

“But, well, I really am looking forward to what comes next. Among those I’ve fought, your potential is about second from the top.”

“……Thank you very much.”

Those words sank into my chest.

At the very least, it seemed what I had built up had reached the edge of a hero’s evaluation.

“Well then…… We should head back soon.”

Filardo looked at me as I lay collapsed.

“Can you stand?”

“……I can stand, but my body still feels heavy……”

“Then rest a little longer. I’ll walk around nearby. If anything happens, call out loudly.”

After saying that, Filardo retrieved the Flying Dragon Bastard Sword and started walking.

As I listened to his footsteps fading away, I let out a sigh.

The festival was over.

If there were footsteps growing distant, there were also footsteps drawing closer.

Misha crouched down beside me where I lay, still holding Nyankoromochi.

“Heeheehee! Good work!”

“Really, I’m exhausted……”

“Was it fun?”

“It was like a dream.”

There was no lie in those words. Since our student days, “Twilight Lightblade” had been famous. Their exploits had set the hearts of us adventurer fledglings ablaze.

They all thought this.

It would be the best if we could meet Filardo and the others somewhere someday!

Of course, I had been one of those students too.

Just meeting him was already the best.

And yet, to think I could even cross swords with him like this!

“……It feels like a dream from my student days came true.”

“That’s great!”

“Yeah, it really was great.”

“Do you think you can beat him someday?”

“……You’re asking that now?”

“Heeheehee! I want to ask!”

I had been beaten down this badly. It was as complete a defeat as could be. In such a state, it was not as if I could say that I would be able to win someday. I had no right to say it either.

But—

Together with a breath, I forced the words out.

“I’ll win.”

That was what I said.

Because surely, that person was hoping to hear those words.

“Well, someday, someday…… really, someday……”

……Please let me add a little weakness in secret…….

Misha looked at me with a grinning face.

“Will someday be enough, I wonder?”

“What do you mean?”

“There’s the Largorin battle, right?”

“……Ah.”

I thought I would not have to compete for a while, but I see, there was that. I had to fight for prey against the current highest-ranked active party, “Twilight Lightblade,” and win.

After glimpsing that strength, it was the height of not knowing my place, though…….

“Hey, hey, the Sword Saint is scared, he’s scared!”

“Well, yeah, after being beaten up this badly, of course……”

“Don’t panic so much. Fighting over prey isn’t a contest of strength. We might have a chance to win too, you know?”

True.

……We had also outwitted that dual-sword-wielding woman and hunted the Brennen Tiger. If we worked hard, we might somehow manage.

Backstab and the flame dagger.

We had the spear to kill Largorin.

And no one knew that fact—

“We can’t win with strength! But, you know, let’s make them swallow a big one!”

“……Yeah.”

There, I looked at Misha’s face and grinned.

“I’ll expect great strategy from Strategist Misha.”

“Hee!?”

Misha froze as if to say, Ugh, I got work thrown at me!?

“Ahahaha, well, I’ll do my best!”

“Yeah…… I’m counting on you. Work me as hard as you need. I think I at least have guts.”

I looked away from Misha and gazed up at the sky.

Soon, snow would fall on this summer mountain.

—At last, the competition was beginning.