Chapter 26: Transparent World
The entire arena roared, chanting the new title the commentator had bestowed.
"Sword God! Sword God! Sword God!"
The number of people cheering for Clay was negligible, their voices completely drowned out by the thunderous, unified wave of shouts for the "Sword God."
In the contestant lounge, Clay, who had just returned from the arena, slammed his fist against the stone wall. "Hey! You bastard, don't just give people nicknames!"
Originally, he thought his epithet, 'Thunder Sword', was quite cool and imposing. But compared to the opponent's 'Sword God', it seemed petty and childish. Comparing himself to others only made him angry. He usually loved to be in the spotlight, to be the center of attention, but this... this nobody named Yoriichi Tsugikuni had stolen all his thunder with a single, flashy move.
Unforgivable!
He had to teach this guy a good lesson. He had to let these fickle crowds know who was the strongest 9-Star Swordsman here. Arthur was one thing, but this... this was an insult.
"Now, please welcome both contestants!"
Ren, still in his Yoriichi Take Over, and Clay both stepped out of their respective lounges and onto the arena floor.
Boom—!
After Ren appeared, the venue erupted in cheers once again. "Sword God! Sword God!"
Watching everyone cheer for him, a special, warm feeling welled up in Ren's heart. 'Is this what it feels like to be a star?' he thought, a small, uncharacteristic smile touching the face of Yoriichi. 'No wonder those people fight tooth and nail to become stars; it really does feel good!'
He maintained his serene expression, his hands resting on the hilt of his blade, his long ponytail and hanafuda earrings swaying in the breeze.
"Hey! Your name is Yoriichi Tsugikuni, right?" Clay called out, his voice tight with irritation. "Your swordsmanship is impressive, I'll give you that. But victory isn't just about swordsmanship. If you don't want to lose too badly, surrender early. Once I start, it's very difficult for me to hold back."
Ren looked at Clay, his gaze placid, yet seeming to see right through him. When he spoke, his voice was calm and soft, yet every person in the arena heard it clearly. "Your talent is good. Your Lightning Magic can greatly enhance your basic abilities. But you can't control yourself."
Clay's smirk faltered.
"Your speed is a facade," Ren continued, his voice never rising. "It's an uncontrolled burst of power, not true speed. You are lost in the powerful strength that magic gives you. You have neglected to hone your swordsmanship properly. Your foundation is weak."
Being lectured by Ren in front of tens of thousands of people made Clay's old face flush a deep, furious red. "Don't be so nosy! If you want to lecture me, do it after you've defeated me!"
The commentator's voice cut in. "Semifinal Match Two!"
"The pride of our kingdom, 9-Star Swordsman 'Thunder Sword' Clay!"
"VS! The man who shocked us all, the 'Sword God' Yoriichi Tsugikuni!"
"Now~~~!"
"Begin—!!!"
Clang—!
The gong sounded, officially starting the match.
"I'll show you... I'll show you what real power is!" Clay roared.
Crackling—!
In an instant, Clay's body exploded with yellow lightning. He didn't just run; he shot across the arena, moving so fast that he began to circle Ren, creating streaks of afterimages around Ren's body.
"So fast—!"
The audience gasped, seeing Clay's speed. So many afterimages appeared, making it impossible to distinguish his true body.
"It's here!"
"Clay's Thunder Clones!"
"Clay's speed is so fast that it creates clones, making it indistinguishable! It's unknown from where Clay will launch his attack!"
From the center of the ring of lightning, Clay's mocking voice echoed. "Did you see that? This is my speed! Speed is power! You can't hit what you can't see, 'Sword God'!"
Ren, however, simply stood there, his hand resting on his sword. He took a single, deep breath.
"Transparent World."
In an instant, the entire world changed. The roar of the crowd, the crackling of Clay's lightning, the announcer's shouting—it all faded into a distant, muffled hum. The world's colors desaturated, and the arena around him became a muted, unimportant backdrop.
Clay's extremely fast speed, the dozens of afterimages... they all became incredibly clear. The afterimages vanished, and Ren could see the one true Clay, his movements slowed as if he were moving through water.
But Ren saw more than that. He saw through Clay.
He could clearly see Clay's blood vessels, the rapid, panicked thump-thump-thump of his heart. He saw the muscles in his legs tensing, the flow of his blood, the expansion of his lungs. He could see the Ethernano in Clay's body, crackling like a chaotic storm, building in his right arm for a decisive strike.
Ren saw Clay's heart beating rapidly and his body's muscles beginning to change. Ren knew that the opponent was about to launch an attack, so he tightened his grip on his sword.
At this moment, Clay's true body appeared behind Ren, preparing to attack from his blind spot. 'Even if he reacts quickly,' Clay thought, 'he'll never have time to strike!'
"It's over!!!"
Clay rushed towards Ren, his blade aimed at the back of his neck. But just as he was about to approach Ren, just as he was about to land his unblockable attack, he felt a great, primal terror.
It was not a thought. It was an instinct.
All the hairs on his body trembled, and his body instinctively stopped dead in its tracks. His lightning-fast charge screeched to a halt, his boots carving grooves in the stone. Like a startled rabbit that had just seen a hawk, he leapt backward, rapidly retreating, his magic flaring in panic. He didn't stop until his entire body slammed against the inner wall of the arena, as far from Ren as he could possibly get.
"Huh? Why did Clay retreat?"
"Yeah! Wasn't that a good time to attack? He had him!"
"Was he scared away by just a glance from the opponent?!"
The audience was utterly bewildered by this scene.
In the contestant lounge, Erza and Arthur also didn't understand what had happened.
Clay, however, was covered in a cold sweat, his chest heaving, his eyes wide with terror. The moment he was about to make his move, he had felt it. A cold, sharp, absolute killing intent. If he had acted then, he might have died.
That's right! He would have died!
In fact, he even felt as if he had already died once. In that split second, he had seen a clear, incredibly real image: his own neck being severed by that simple red blade. He still felt a lingering, phantom sensation of pain at his neck.
"What... What kind of monster are you!!!" Clay frantically shouted at Ren, his voice cracking.
This left everyone present a bit confused, not knowing what madness had seized Clay. Ren was clearly standing there, doing nothing.
But the panic-stricken expression on Clay's face didn't seem fake at all. Could it be that something they didn't know about had really happened just now?
"Such keen intuition."
Ren praised him, his voice still calm. The moment Clay was about to attack, several ways to deal with it had flashed through Ren's mind. The simplest and most habitual, the one Yoriichi's body instinctively chose, was to cut off the opponent's neck.
Because besides being exposed to sunlight, the only way to kill a demon is to cut off its neck. As a member of the Demon Slayer Corps, Yoriichi Tsugikuni's swordsmanship was almost entirely related to slaying demons.
The killing intent generated by that single, instinctive thought was so pure and so absolute that it had almost terrified Clay out of his wits.
However, Clay was a 9-Star Swordsman after all, having experienced countless battles, and he quickly regained his composure.
But the calmer he became, the more he felt the terror of the man in front of him.
He was merely standing there, seemingly full of openings. But when Clay imagined how to attack in his mind, when he planned a feint, a lunge, a thrust... a glance from Ren once again made him experience the illusion of his neck being severed.
Once, twice, thrice... Clay tried several times in his mind, but each time, he saw his neck being severed by a single, effortless move.
This constant, imagined beheading made Clay want to go crazy. Was this bastard a pervert with some special fetish? Why did he always cut his neck? Couldn't he cut his arms or legs or something?
At this moment, everyone in the audience was utterly bewildered.
They couldn't understand what was happening in the arena. Weren't these two supposed to decide the victor? Why was one standing still while the other was scurrying around the edges of the arena, looking terrified?
And Clay's gaze at Ren was as if he had seen some terrifying monster.
Soon, the commentator, the 8-Star Swordsman, provided an explanation.
"Perhaps everyone doesn't quite understand the current situation. Swordsman Clay was just about to attack, but he was stopped by Mr. Yoriichi Tsugikuni's gaze."
"Swordsman Clay wanted to find a weakness in Mr. Yoriichi Tsugikuni. Every time he was about to strike, he was seen through by Mr. Yoriichi, who prepared to counterattack. Mr. Yoriichi is... impeccable. In the ideological confrontation, Mr. Clay was defeated every time, which is why Mr. Clay is scurrying around like a startled little rabbit. In a clash between masters, a single glance often determines victory."
Hearing the commentator's words, everyone suddenly understood. So that's what happened.
"You bastard! I don't need you to explain!" Clay shouted at the commentator, his face red with exasperation.
[Akarin Note:
Your Support Keeps This Story Alive!
If you're enjoying this novel, your support means the world to me. Simple actions like leaving a review, power stone, comment, or sharing the story let me know you're out there. It's the greatest motivation for me to keep updating until the very end and ensures this project continues.
For those who wish to support me more directly, you can join my Patreon at [patreon.com/AkarinTL]. As a thank-you, you'll receive access to 50 advanced chapters.
As a special offer, I've opened a few limited-time tiers at a discounted price! You will get all the benefits of "The Founding Pillars" (normally $20), but at a much cheaper rate.
These slots are extremely limited:
"The Plot Uncoverer": $4.99 (Save 75% / $15.01) - Only 3 slots
"The Dedicated Fan": $9.99 (Save 50% / $10.01) - Only 7 slots
"The Lore Diver": $14.99 (Save 25% / $5.01) - Only 15 slots
I hope I am still worthy of your support. My life truly depends on this... haha, I know I'm so shameless.]