Growth
Draw-Sword Technique.
Translating the name literally gives something like “the technique of drawing out the blade.”
More naturally, it’s a martial art that draws the sword, strikes, and returns it to the sheath in one fluid motion.
In my former world, and even here in this other realm, Draw-Sword Technique was used only for ambushes. It had no practical value otherwise.
On Earth, friction slowed you down, unnecessary movements damaged your body, and the sword itself could break. The same risks existed here.
In short, it was pointless unless you had a reason to use it.
That changed the moment a man appeared.
Clang.
The sword slid back into its sheath with a final, ringing note, shattering the silence.
The day I decided to capture a Cyclops.
Draw-Sword Master: Draw-Sword Technique is an excellent sword, but beginners reveal every flaw. Think of it as ending the fight in one strike.
Outside the submarine, I was receiving training from the Draw-Sword Master.
Stance. Draw. Strike. Sheath. Repeat.
Without mana flowing through me, even this simple sequence left me gasping for breath.
Only about four people were typing in the chat, but viewers had already passed the thousands.
How was swinging a sword and sweating on live broadcast supposed to be entertaining?
Truth-Seeker: …Did you do a lot of exercise?
TreatMeLikeAMafia: Shut up, I’m watching.
Truth-Seeker: …I only said one thing.
TreatMeLikeAMafia: Now you’ve said two.
Chat after chat flooded in, but my mind had no room to read them.
Huff… ugh.
Draw-Sword Technique was harder than I expected.
It looked like I just needed to yank the blade out fast and swing, but that wasn’t how it worked at all.
Every stance had to be drawn, and the power had to be fine-tuned.
Following the flow was easy; I had already sensed the sword’s path.
The hard part was making my body obey it.
It felt like trying to draw a picture with hands while the master told you it was easy.
After a hundred repetitions, Draw-Sword Master finally posted a simple comment.
Ah…
The sand floor was cold and uncomfortable, but I had no energy left to care. I collapsed right there.
I was still breathing the pure joy of oxygen when the comments started to register.
Truth-Seeker: No sleeve? You’ll get cut if you’re not careful…
TreatMeLikeAMafia: It’s hot, just roll up your sleeves a little…
Draw-Sword Master: Now I see it clearly. No fluff.
What did “no fluff” even mean?
The comment from Draw-Sword Master stood out among the gibberish.
Draw-Sword Master continued, as if it were nothing.
Draw-Sword Master: Doesn’t food give you that mana-charged feeling?
“Eh… yes, that’s right.”
I answered in surprise. The first time I had ever felt mana had been after eating dried meat.
Draw-Sword Master posted another comment instantly.
Draw-Sword Master: Your body absorbs mana energy far too greedily. Look around right now—mana looks a bit thinner.
Summarizing the rest of the Draw-Sword Master’s words: you’ll get stronger just by staying still.
To me, that was good news.
Survival here demanded strength, so I had given up on the impossible aerial flip.
Draw-Sword Master: But lose control and mana will ruin your body and kill you.
Ah…
Why was everything here either too good or too bad?
The thrill of gaining something only to lose it cooled off.
But the message meant you could grow quietly if you controlled it properly.
I decided to take it at face value.
Feeling I had rested enough, I picked the sword back up.
No time to linger.
The Draw-Sword Master confirmed my intent and moved straight to the next step.
Draw-Sword Master: This time, use mana. If you go straight, you can cut everything in one swing.
I moved my body like a submarine’s periscope, letting the mana from the Draw-Sword Master’s words guide every step.
I couldn’t touch the light, yet it led me.
My feet became one with the floor.
Draw-Sword Technique was like an explosion; lose control and I might fly.
I brought the hilt close so I could draw instantly.
The sheath was a launcher, the blade a beam of light.
I faced the dark rock ahead.
The target was set. Now all that remained was to advance.
The first advance was a Draw-Sword strike.
Heizen Style, Form One.
Flashlight Two Cuts.
A sword meant to cut even light. It unfurled in my hand.
The blade moved like unbroken light, straight toward a certain target.
When the black sword’s tip reached its destination, the rock split vertically as the blade willed it.
It was a split-second action.
The same speed as a Cyclops.
But here was the problem.
“…Is that shoulder swaying a bit?”
Draw-Sword Master: You didn’t miss, but it looks a little painful.
Truth-Seeker: …Did you even use mana properly?
Kukuk: This feels like something beyond deception. I’m still not scared.
Mana was good. It had strengthened me enough to fell trees and rocks.
The only issue was that my body was falling apart whenever I used it.
Just when I wondered if I needed to learn control, a sharp, unpleasant sound came from the city.
Beneath the streetlight, a red blood-stained patch was unmistakable.
A Cyclops. My target for the week.
But I didn’t have to fight it now.
From everything I had seen, Cyclops couldn’t hear.
It made sense with only eyes.
I didn’t need to hide in the submarine shaking in fear.
I walked into a blind spot where its gaze couldn’t reach and continued training.
The results came immediately.
I learned exactly how much mana my body could handle without injury.
And with every swing, Draw-Sword Technique began to feel natural.
My feet planted themselves naturally. The sensation of drawing the sword was like an extra limb.
Everything felt as familiar as it had long ago.
I split more rocks and started walking back toward the submarine.
I had been walking with my head down, avoiding the sky.
Squish.
The feeling of stepping on jelly bad under my foot.
The moment I registered the creepy sensation, I stepped back to check.
Squelch, squish.
Blue light was multiplying. Tentacles the size of twice, four times, eight times my body were expanding rapidly.
If it kept going, I would meet the same fate as a Cyclops.
Before I could even finish that thought, my sword shot out emerald mana and sliced the tentacles in half.
What…
In the chaos, the tentacles suddenly sprang up from below.
They were hit directly by my attack and stopped multiplying.
I exhaled in relief.
Chiric.
…The Cyclops was staring straight at me from the city.
My eyes found the scabbard mark aimed exactly at it.
The sword that had cut the tentacles kept advancing straight toward the Cyclops.
That meant…
Chiric.
The Cyclops was attacking me.
I rolled across the uneven floor.
Sharp claw marks appeared exactly where I had stood, sending a chill down my spine.
My hand holding the sword trembled with pressure.
If the Cyclops died to the tentacles like last time, that would be perfect.
But it couldn’t happen.
If I kept waiting for luck, I would eventually settle old karma.
And I couldn’t even reach the submarine right now.
Slash.
Another strike aimed right at my spot.
I dodged frantically, looking for any opening.
But…
Damn it, how can its eyes be that precise…
Whoosh!
A strike swept just over my head.
Even with such a narrow escape, the Cyclops showed no opening.
My heart thundered. My vision narrowed.
Weak point. Weak point. Weak point. Every part of me moved toward it.
Time slowed. A path appeared.
Slash!
I twisted my right shoulder to dodge the strike.
My shoulder was grazed.
Fear lingered faintly, but I ran forward.
The Cyclops seemed to realize one hand wasn’t enough and swung both.
An unavoidable attack blocking my escape route.
I immediately reversed the sword’s grip and held it like a shield in front of me.
Thud!
“Huff…!”
My left arm and side were sliced badly, but I kept running.
The Cyclops raised its hands again.
“Release!!”
My attack came first.
Mana poured from my hand, and a sun-like bright light struck the Cyclops’s eyes.
The excruciating burn was felt through nerves, but this was my chance.
Click.
The sword returned to its sheath.
A path had opened.
I poured vast mana through the sword.
Mana following the flow soon shone brightly and took the form of a mana sword.
I saw a Cyclops bleeding heavily.
A target had appeared.
Now.
The sword pulled from the quiet depths of the sea.
Thud.
It cut the deep-sea creature in two.
The sight was exactly what Flashlight Two Cuts meant.