Chapter 11
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: About My Disciple Being a Genius (2)
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I was taken aback by the kid's sudden request.
But I soon understood the reason. The kid just wanted to play with me. Well, she'd lost her parents at such a young age, and I was the only person around she could trust. It must have been tough for her.
And since I'd been gone for so long, it wasn't unreasonable for her to react like this. So I decided to play with her for real. I had plenty of free time anyway.
I'd match her pace as best I could. And exercising together would be good for both of us. Just in case a situation ever came up where we had to run for our lives with everything we had.
"Okay, I'll teach you swordsmanship."
"Yay! Thank you so much!"
"But there's a condition."
"Yes? A condition?"
"Absolutely, you must never wield this power recklessly."
I had no intention of just playing around casually. Since I was going to play, I'd commit fully and match her fantasy. Fortunately, I had perfect role models: the masters from wuxia novels.
"The sword itself is blameless. It's only the one who wields it who can be at fault."
"...So, any power depends on how it's used."
"Power without responsibility leads only to self-destruction."
"I'll engrave that deeply in my heart."
"Good. Then, your first task."
The masters in the wuxia novels I'd read never just handed over knowledge. They made the protagonist complete their tasks first, then revealed the secret manual. And the task I'd chosen was running.
"A simple task. Beat me in a race."
"You mean just run faster?"
"No, the first one to give up loses."
Stamina matters in everything. Swordsmanship, abilities, even paperwork. So building endurance steadily through running had to be the top priority.
Of course, it was more intense than your average playtime. But if this were real, I couldn't actually be a teacher anyway. Strictly speaking, I was little more than a total beginner myself.
But this was just a game. She'd get bored or tired soon enough and quit. So I'd just play along until then.
Besides, I wasn't planning to go easy on her. I'd trained diligently up to now, and I was confident in my stamina at least. But that confidence evaporated in no time.
"Huff... huff...!!!"
The moment we started running, the kid bolted at full speed. I figured she'd tire out fast. But even after twenty laps around the clearing, she showed no sign of stopping.
In fact, I was the one chasing her who wore out first. No way—she was still sprinting full tilt without a hint of fatigue? Was she even human? A machine?
"Stop! That's enough."
"Did I pass the task?"
"An unyielding spirit that never gives up. Perfectly passed."
"Then praise me!"
I was dying to keep up the poker face. After all, I was role-playing as a wuxia master right now. What good is a master inferior to their disciple? I'd be disqualified.
Meanwhile, she wasn't tired at all after that run and was bouncing around like a puppy frolicking in the snow. I barely managed to squeeze out some praise.
"Good job."
"Hehe..."
I stroked her head, and she finally stopped. Her inexhaustible stamina reminded me of a beagle. Thanks to her, I was the only one suffering, desperately hiding my exhaustion. Damn it!
"Then, that's it for today."
"Ah... Teacher!"
"Hm?"
"I... I can do the next one even better!"
"N-next?"
Ah, right. Come to think of it, this was that kind of game. I'd planned to wrap up with just running today. But her bottomless stamina ruined that.
Now what? I racked my brain desperately. Teach her real swordsmanship? No way—if she tried imitating me and got hurt? What would I do then?
Besides, I didn't have the skill to teach anyone. I could barely keep up with the basic swordsmanship I'd learned at the training ground. Who was I to instruct others?
"Actually..."
"Yes! Teacher!"
"..."
I tried to come clean. But I just couldn't ignore those pure, sparkling eyes gazing up at me. Protecting a child's innocent dreams is an adult's duty, after all.
"Actually, I possess a legendary secret sword art."
"A legendary secret sword art...?!"
"Its name is... Thunder Dragon Swordsmanship!!"
Screw it. Whatever happens, happens. No one was around to hear anyway. For the record, it was total nonsense, of course. I'd just borrowed a cool name from a wuxia novel I'd read.
"Thunder Dragon Swordsmanship...?!"
"A sword art imbued with the power of the thunder dragon that rules the heavens."
"An incredible sword art!!"
At this point, even she should realize it was BS. But our pure little kid seemed to buy it completely—her eyes were shining brighter than ever. Then she spoke up.
"I want to see it, just once!"
"Uh...?"
"Is that not possible...?"
I hadn't seen that coming. She'd actually ask to see it. I panicked a little, and she looked all dejected, peering up at me. Ugh, no choice now...!
"If you really want to see it."
"Thank you so much, Teacher!"
"Wait just a moment."
I'd marched out all full of bravado. But now what? I'd bought a little time with the excuse of preparing, but it was a shallow ploy at best.
Prepare Thunder Dragon Swordsmanship in that short window? Yeah, right. But I couldn't back out now. After agonizing over it, I finally came up with a trick.
As long as it looked like Thunder Dragon Swordsmanship, that was fine, right? No way did this kid know what the real thing was like. I grabbed a nearby straw bale.
I'd first thought to use a wooden post for the demo. But I gave up on that quick. No way could I cut wood with a sword anyway. When I brought the straw bale over, the kid asked.
"Are you showing it now?"
"Yes. Watch closely with both eyes wide open."
"Yes! Teacher!"
Wasn't a lie after all—her eyes locked onto my sword. It felt like they were boring straight through my hand. Tongue-tied, I placed my hand on the hilt.
And at the same time, I stopped time.
Everything around me turned gray. The tree branches swaying in the wind, the snowballs tumbling from them—all of it froze in place.
Confirming time had stopped, I walked over to the prepared straw bale. I drew my sword and swung with all my might. Luckily, my current skill was enough to slice through it.
I cut the bale clean on the diagonal, then sheathed my sword. And struck a pose behind the severed bale. Key point: don't sheath it fully.
Leave about a third sticking out. Perfect. Time resumed flowing. That's when the cut bale finally hit the ground. I glanced sideways.
I could feel her gaze shifting to me. Matching the timing perfectly, I fully sheathed the remaining third of the blade. A sharp click of metal rang out.
"What... was that just now...?!"
"What did you see?"
"...Nothing."
Damn, I got too into it and slipped into full wuxia master mode. And her reaction was more serious than expected. So I improvised on the spot.
"This is your second task."
"...!!!"
"Behold the Thunder Dragon."
I'd gotten way too immersed without realizing it. She stared in shock, then bolted off without even looking back. Left all alone, I felt like a total idiot.
Damn... was that too chuunibyou?
Still, I'd played with her plenty by now.
The girl's red eyes missed nothing.
The people diligently swinging swords in the training ground. The fist swung at her. She hadn't missed a single thing. But for the first time, she missed. And it was her teacher's sword, no less.
It was a shock. Not someone else's—her own teacher's sword. She'd sworn she'd never miss even a single one of her teacher's moves. Yet she'd broken that vow.
But what shocked her even more was her teacher's reaction. It was as if he'd known all along. Of course he had—he was her teacher, after all.
[This is your second task.]
The second task her teacher had spoken of—what could it be? The girl already knew the answer. To see that sword she'd absolutely failed to catch—a blade that seemed to belong to another world entirely.
[Behold the Thunder Dragon.]
There had to be a reason her teacher showed it to her directly. Recall it. Over and over. That scene she'd glimpsed. Replay it relentlessly. And somehow burn it into her eyes.
Fortunately, there was still time. The girl picked up her sword. It was little more than a flimsy wooden stick unworthy of the name. But to her, it was undoubtedly a true blade.
She positioned it at her waist and drew it as if unsheathing for a strike. The motion was eerily similar to her master's demonstration. No... it wasn't. This wasn't it.
What her master had shown her.
To reach that sword...!!!