Chapter 677 - Seiza Underwater
"—Alright, let's begin the impromptu debriefing."
"Y-Yes…"
After a scene that must have looked like a magnificent, instantaneous slaughter to any outside observer, we were still, as always, underwater.
While the younger (?) members swam about leisurely, getting their bodies accustomed to the environment, my master and I sat facing each other in perfect seiza.
It was a surreal and somewhat intimidating scene, but it was all to respect her wishes. She had asked me beforehand to 'not hesitate if there's anything I'm lacking.' As her unworthy disciple, I had to steel myself for this… lecture.
Incidentally,
"What an absurd, brute-force way to break a gimmick…"
"Tetra-kun, are you okay?"
"I'm fine. I don't need to release it as long as we're in contact."
As for the continuous MP drain, which seemed to be part of a time attack, we were currently nullifying it with what Kanata called 'brute force.' It was an utterly broken, no-risk MP regeneration achieved through a combination of my [Nine Tail] and Tetra's Narrator's Armament, [Per-Fe Grim (True Theory: The Shadow Cloth that Adores the Black Wings)].
In other words, there was no need to worry about time. We could talk things over slowly and carefully.
"Now then, to begin… I'm not here to point out what you're lacking so much as what you're overdoing, so I don't intend to just list off your faults. Please don't look so dejected. Your adorable partner over there has been glaring daggers at me for a while now."
"Eh? I-I'm not glaring!"
Yeah, that's a lie. Sora-san was staring at me with the most intense, narrowed eyes—but there was no need to worry. A disciple could never truly fault their master.
"With that out of the way, Master."
"Yes."
"Could you please explain your reasoning for stepping out of your designated role as 'Sora's bodyguard' to carry out that godlike massacre?"
"Well, that is… I thought that simply performing the job I was assigned would not be a sufficient contribution to the party…"
"Why did you suddenly adopt the mindset of an overeager office worker? It's fine, really. You're a beginner at party play, so you don't need to try so hard right from the start."
"But…"
"No buts about it."
"Haru-kun, the expression is 'cats and dogs,' not 'buts and dogs.'"
I know that. I'm just flustered because I'm in the supremely awkward situation of lecturing my revered master—no, I won't be drawn into her invincible world of fluffiness.
Besides, the other three, who don't know the full story, are giving me looks that say, 'Was there really anything worth having a debriefing over?' If I don't get to the point quickly, I'm going to be falsely accused of being a nitpicker.
"Ui-san. That technique from before… that `Uminari`—you've never used it in a real battle before, have you?"
"…"
As expected of my master, her calm expression didn't waver, and she didn't look away.
However, I didn't miss the unnatural way she blinked her eyes—it wasn't quite a habit, but it was a little gesture she made when she was slightly troubled.
On top of that, as a disciple of the Kesshiki style, I have perfectly 'memorized' all thirty-odd techniques she has demonstrated for me, including the unnumbered ones.
I remember every single one, down to her own explanations, annotations, and every other detail, flawlessly and without missing a single word. That's why I can say it with conviction.
"At the very least, you've never used it with allies nearby, have you???"
"…………W-Well, that is true, but I am, for better or worse, known as the [Sword Saint]. I have confidence and pride in the precision of my techniques—"
"Ah, so that's why… I mean, it grazed my cheek and I wondered what was going on, but to pull that off on your first try is a testament to your skill… yes."
"…,…"
Kanata's first mumble was likely an unintentional thought spoken aloud. The words that followed after our eyes met were probably half-truth and half-follow-up… but the result was that the [Sword Saint] froze solid, a blush slowly creeping across her cheeks.
"…I, too, am still immature. How embarrassing."
And so, I was merely trying to advise her not to overdo it and get reckless.
In the end, she showed off an incredibly adorable side that the public has likely never seen, which probably sent her relatability and popularity skyrocketing. So, all's well that ends well, I suppose.
Not that I didn't already know she could be like this…
Meanwhile, nearby, one particular individual was present.
As her partner, her senior, and a gentleman, I shall pretend not to see the sight of a certain die-hard Sword Saint fan squirming elegantly as she floated in the water.
- Kesshiki Ittoryu, Thirteenth Strike: `Uminari (Ocean's Roar)`. The principle is a water-based version of the Sixth Strike, `Juko`, which 'catches the air on the blade's edge to extend it.' Since 'water' is easier to perceive as a tangible substance than 'air,' it's easier to reinforce with mental imagery. Furthermore, because it uses water with a clear mass as a medium for the blade, the weight of a single slash is on a completely different level from `Juko`. The [Sword Saint] also uses 'Outer Force' control to chain the attacks—from the physical blade to a water blade, then to another water blade—which allows her to multiply the blades and unleash countless slashes with a single swing.
I'm sure you have no idea what any of that means, but I wrote it with a head full of question marks myself, so don't complain to me. Any gripes should be directed at the world of Arcadia, where the laws of physics are different from reality, and at my master.