Chapter 1029 - Master, Disciple, and Partner
Once the first three days of the new year are past, that strange atmosphere—a curious coexistence of solemnity and leisure unique to the season—gradually fades. That much never changes.
It’s the same even for me, though everything… absolutely everything has changed since this time last year.
While I was enjoying the calm, bustling peace, time flew by in the blink of an eye. An entire week passed in what felt like a moment—
And so, the days turned, bringing us to January seventh.
"""——————————!"""
Here I was, at the castle of my master, the Sword Saint, betting my life alongside my partner.
Within the temple grounds, surrounded by a bamboo forest, the symphony of clashing swords echoed on as if it would never end. How many hundreds of times had we heard it? There was no room in my mind to even consider the passage of time. All I could do was single-mindedly—
Cast aside all worldly thoughts and challenge the supreme blade.
In my hand was a single jade blade. In my partner Sora's, a single sand sword. And facing us was the Sword Saint… Ui-san, wielding a single, unremarkable mass-produced greatsword.
Yet, there was no disparity in our weapons. The bamboo fence encircling us created the rules that governed our every move, officiating this spar.
All status values and equipment specs were equalized, and all durability values—that is, player HP and weapon durability—were fixed. Furthermore, all special abilities, including skills, were nullified.
This was the ‘usual’ for the three of us, a routine that had become standard as of late.
"Hk…! ————, …Hh!"
"—, ————hk…!? Hh—!"
"…—hk, ——————, …!"
A two-on-one training session we had repeated countless times.
We had reached a point where we no longer even exchanged words during the fight.
I charged in, and Ui-san parried my attack as lightly as if she were brushing a leaf. The Sword Saint never stopped moving; her greatsword became a blur that was impossible to follow with the naked eye.
Her target was Sora, who was following up behind me. The merciless flash of her blade shot toward Sora’s neck as if drawn by a magnet—but those large amber orbs remained wide open, unflinching.
The clang of steel rang out for the thousandth time. As expected, the girl caught the Sword Saint's strike with her own sword, but she couldn't nullify all the force. Her body was sent flying backward—
""————Gah!""
Instinctively, in a moment of coordination as natural as breathing, we moved.
I had already begun my pursuit the moment I was dodged. My follow-up struck the greatsword from the side as it pressed against Sora's sand sword. At the same time, I reached out to my partner, and a small hand firmly grasped my own.
In that instant, we countered.
Using my leg, planted firmly on the ground, as a pivot, I converted the force. My partner’s body, which should have been sent flying backward—I spun her in an arc, swinging her around, and slammed her into that supreme back.
And yet, another clash of swords.
Again, she read the move with utter certainty. She used the momentum from her deflected greatsword to turn the tables, intercepting the sand sword from behind. Simultaneously, the jade blade that rushed in from the front—
—the tip aimed at her neck—
"Hk."
With a slight tilt of her head, my master dodged it without even looking.
Neither I nor Ui-san were using any Kesshiki techniques. No Shukuchi, no Matoi. But it wasn’t out of consideration for Sora, who was sparring with us.
The reason was quite simple.
This training was dedicated solely to honing the foundational strength upon which our supernatural abilities were built.
As I said, this training has become a staple for us, and there's no set end to it. How long it lasts… well, that’s also a classic Sword Saint thing.
"————… Hehe. Not yet, I see."
"Of course!"
"Not yet…!"
It continues until one of us reaches their limit and collapses.
◇◆◇◆◇
And so, the result was just as one would expect.
"————Auu, ugh…"
"Whoa there."
When it comes to a battle of endless stamina between me, Sora, and Ui-san, it's the law of the universe that the girl caught between a master and disciple—both of whom are stamina freaks of the virtual world—will be the first to go down. It's a regular occurrence.
I can't stand anymore. I'm done for. How many times now have I caught my partner's body as she collapsed, letting out a faint, near-death whimper?
"…That's enough for today. You did very well, Sora-chan."
"I'm sowwy…"
She then smoothly transitioned into a lap pillow—or rather, a Haru-pillow… no, more like a Haru-bed.
With my partner completely overcome by sensory fatigue and left without a shred of energy, being a good partner meant kicking all thoughts of ‘boy,’ ‘girl,’ ‘cute,’ or ‘super cute’ over to the rational side of my brain for the time being.
And of course, my master isn't the type to tease us about something like this.
Ui-san joining me in doting on Sora as she whimpered limply against me… well, that too has become part of our usual routine.
And while that’s how Ui-san and I typically handle it—
"Uuugh…"
Following her ultra-cute 'I'm sowwy' from a moment ago, the exhausted Sora was filled with a single emotion. And that was, of course, the embarrassment of being the first to collapse…
…is not it at all. See, this girl is, well, like that.
"Sora-san, I've told you so many times."
"You're more than skilled enough as you are."
She’s just as competitive as I am, if not more so.
When it comes to stamina in the virtual world, it's clear that my master and I, who are constantly immersed in Kesshiki training methods, are the ones who've gone too far. I've recently become aware—or maybe not—that I’ve finally surpassed that Irori bastard to claim the number two spot in stamina. That's the level we're at.
And besides, the fact that Sora-san can keep up for several tens of minutes—and on good days, for an entire hour—means she has, without any bias, soared far above the average player.
She’s at a level where she could hold her own against any of the rankers—that’s what both Ui-san and I have been praising her for at every opportunity… but this beautiful girl.
"Uuuu…!"
She won't accept it. Or rather, she won't give up. She is seriously competitive and incredibly stubborn.
So incredibly cute. She truly is my partner.
"Hehe… Really, Sora-chan is just adorable."
"She's not for you. She's mine."
Thus, it's also 'the usual' for the two of us to start doting on this angel. Taking advantage of the fact that Sora is too exhausted, both physically and mentally, to put up much of a fight…
"Haru-kun."
"Yes?"
"It's about time you let me take a turn, don't you think?"
"Even if it’s a request from my master, there are some things a disciple cannot—using a real Shukuchi is cheating! Hey, come on! Give me back my partner!"
"Fufufu."
"Don't you 'fufufu' me! Fine, you asked for it! Witness the growth of your disciple…!"
While treating her with the utmost care, we shamelessly put our physical skills to full use.
"E-every time… every single time… what is this…?"
It’s a package deal that includes a squabble over our all-too-adorable object of affection.
This has become our daily life as of late.