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Laijutsu.

Most people understand this common knowledge, but the act of drawing a sword is originally suited for assassination or surprise attacks.

It's about taking advantage of the opponent's carelessness and psychological gap created by the sword being sheathed, and cutting them down at the same moment the sword is drawn.

Drawing a sword doesn't make you faster or stronger. In most cases, it makes you weaker.

Swordsmanship that utilizes drawing is a technique that acknowledges the inherent weakness of drawing compared to simply swinging a sword, and aims to minimize that gap. It's unreasonable to expect it to be more powerful than fighting with a sword already drawn.

I thought the perception of drawing a sword being cool was only prevalent in the world I came from.

To think there's someone obsessed with drawing swords here too... I guess human emotions are similar everywhere.

So that's how Dier figured it out. Because he didn't sheathe his sword.

During the proficiency test, Dier knew Pielott would ruin the plan. Even if he predicted it beforehand, it would have been difficult to be certain, but it turns out there was this secret hidden within.

Anyway, there's only one thing I can say to Pielott right now.

Then show me.

Yes, yes?

You can use simultaneous attacks with your swordsmanship, right? I won't interfere, so show me.

Going through the steps of drawing a sword in the middle of a fight is overly dangerous. Pielott knows this, so he didn't use it during our sparring.

However, the ability to simultaneously unleash sword strikes with different trajectories is a huge advantage. It's a shame not to be able to use it for this reason.

Ah, I understand.

Pielott took a light breath and stepped back.

He slowly sheathed his sword, lowered his stance, and pulled his shoulders back.

Honestly, it is cool. The entire motion of sheathing the sword is clean, and it's not a posture he's only done once or twice.

His toes lightly tensed, and the aura that gradually rose up wrapped around Pielott and seeped between the scabbard and the blade. At that moment,

Swoosh!

The blade that Pielott drew upwards from below, and the vertical aura that struck downwards from above in the exact opposite direction. The two met and crossed in midair, splitting the air.

!

The moment I saw it, I envisioned it in my head. Could I have dealt with that attack if I hadn't known about it?

No, the timing is in my favor when he sheathes the sword, so it's a meaningless assumption.

But if I somehow offset that timing and Pielott managed to unleash that technique on me, his sword might have reached me, as I wouldn't have expected the different trajectory.

I can't guarantee that Obsidian's reaction would be faster than that.

H-how was it?

I nodded at Pielott, who was looking at me with an anxious face.

It's a good technique.

R-right?!

If you didn't need to draw your sword, that is.

Right.

Pielott's face became downcast.

I smiled inwardly, a mixture of amusement and pity.

Pielott used to be spoiled.

The tendency to overestimate himself, the belief that his surroundings would support him. When I first met Pielott, he had a certain childishness.

Simply put, it's the expectation that the world will subtly conform to his liking.

This tendency is the complete opposite of Dier. Dier is more self-deprecating than he appears.

Both have a desire to improve, but Dier, who always assumes the worst in actual combat, is more stable. That's why Elodie and I rate Dier higher than Pielott.

But if you think about it, that childishness led to the creation of this technique, so it's not just something to criticize.

There are still many areas for improvement, but the technique itself is excellent. The concept of the technique is simple, so there are many ways to apply it.

The process of sheathing the sword has probably become a routine for Pielott by now. It's solidified as an action he must do first in order to use that technique.

The fact that a routine is needed itself suggests the difficulty of the technique.

To achieve this level of results just because it looked cool... Dier would have despaired if he saw this.

This pure talent alone would be one of the best in the entire Constel.

Can't you use that technique with your sword drawn?

No. It feels like the act of sheathing the sword has become the beginning of the technique.

Hmm. As expected, a routine has been established. The act of sheathing the sword is a serious drawback.

But at the same time, there was something strange.

Several of the usual drawbacks of drawing a sword were not present.

First, I have a few questions.

Yes, yes.

Are the sword and scabbard alright?

Drawing a sword is a technique that begins with pulling the blade out of the scabbard.

Naturally, the blade and scabbard generate enormous friction. So usually, either the blade or the scabbard is easily damaged.

Ah, they're fine.

Pielott held up his sword.

When I sheathe the sword, I protect the blade and scabbard with aura, so both are fine.

Including that, the act of sheathing is the beginning of the technique.

That's right.

Then why isn't the speed reduced?

To draw a sword, you have to wear the scabbard at your waist. This means the trajectory of the draw must be an upward slash from below. Naturally, it lacks the speed and power of a downward slash.

But just now, the downward strike with the aura and the upward slash with the blade intersected exactly in the center. The power also seemed almost identical.

That's I don't know.

You don't know?

At first, the timing wasn't right, but somehow it became like this as I practiced.

I tilted my head at Pielott's words.

Could it be that the aura stored when the sword is sheathed is helping with acceleration?

Pielott wanted to make drawing a sword a technique for head-on confrontation, not a surprise attack. It started from the simple reason of looking cool, but Pielott isn't stupid.

He must have already noticed or known from the beginning the drawbacks that arise in the process of practicing the technique.

Did the purity of the technique increase in the process of improving it? Did it transform into a technique that absolutely requires a scabbard?

He started with the desire to catch two rabbits, but he missed one and accidentally caught a sparrow as well.

After thinking it over, I said,

Let's develop that technique. I think it's worth trying.

I-I thought so too, so I practiced without the scabbard, but I couldn't

No. Let's perfect it as a drawing technique.

Pielott's mouth dropped open at my words.

I continued,

From what I see, the scabbard is significant in your technique. Even if the act of sheathing the sword is unnecessary, it's worth doing.

The effect of the aura generated within the scabbard, which even Pielott himself is probably unaware of.

If that can truly produce power exceeding a normal downward strike, I have no reason to stop it.

Pielott, who heard my words, blinked and then furrowed his brows as if he didn't understand.

I-is that okay?

Isn't that what you want?

T-that's right, but.

Pielott's voice grew quieter, his eyes looking elsewhere, and he said,

Everyone told me never to do this

Huh?

They said everything else was fine, but to give up on this

I listened to those words and stayed silent, thinking for a moment about what that meant.

Pfft.

I burst out laughing.

Pfft, pffft, hahaha.