Chapter 11 – Just a Commoner Who Enrolled in an Era Without Him

The friendly match had stretched to 4:0. But, upon regaining my senses, it had become a tie.

And in just four minutes. One minute per person. Accounting for arena resets, that’s an average of ten seconds per person.

It was only natural that the kendo club would desperately shout this:

“Wait! Wait just a minute! Time! Time-out for strategy!!—”

Is this even real?! Huh? Is it?!

How can someone shatter a sword with their bare fist!

Even for an ability user, this is too much!

Having barely managed to call a time-out, the members huddled together, frantically strategizing.

“A, at this rate, we’ll suffer a total defeat, seniors.”

“With the personnel we have here, it’s absolutely impossible. The last match will undoubtedly end in just one minute!”

“I think so too. As of now, we can’t possibly face *that*.”

*That*. Yes. That’s the right word. Not that person, not that student, but *that*.

Where in the world does someone smash a weapon-grade implement with their bare hands!

…Alright. Let’s assume it’s possible. Concede, for the sake of argument, that it can be done.

Then the fist that struck the sword should be cleanly cleaved in half, too!

Even if they’re martial arts types, their whole bodies aren’t forged of steel.

That’s the specialty of the defense branch, absolutely not a strength of the martial arts group.

In other words… that freshman’s display of power just now wasn’t simply leaning on his ability.

He possessed a transcendent durability that dwarfed other ability users. An overwhelming physique.

One could almost say he received another ability on top of his own.

“Hey! Sword Arts Club folks? Your strategy huddle time’s about up, isn’t it?”

Those cowardly b*stards! Bringing a monster to a place where people are fighting!

This is a blatant violation of the war convention! Or something like that!

“For now, let’s postpone the match a bit. We need to deploy our trump card as well.”

“If we’re talking trump card…?”

“Doesn’t our club have ‘that person’?”

At the 3rd year’s words, the 4th year, the apparent leader, gasped.

“Are you saying that seriously, junior?”

“Yes, senior. Right now, I’m being completely serious, deeply earnest.”

“No, it’s not that I don’t understand you, junior. This senior really wants to win too. But still…calling ‘that person’ for a club friendly seems a bit excessive, don’t you think?”

At those words, all the other members nodded their heads in agreement.

The Sword Arts Club has a president, and also an officially recognized club ace.

But unofficially, the club’s center and its veritable ace are separate.

It’s just that they aren’t a being you can call upon lightly, so they remain silent.

“I’ll put everything I have into pleading. Luckily, I’m close with that person.”

“That’s… true enough.”

“We can’t just surrender this friendly match powerlessly. For the glory of our Sword Arts Club! For a comfortable clubroom! We absolutely must win!”

Glory, I don’t know about that. Honestly, that word feels a bit strong for a club activity.

But the clubroom? A comfortable, cozy, and above all, spacious clubroom?

‘I can’t let that slide.’

‘The clubroom is a matter of utmost importance!’

The conclusion was reached. And the strategy huddle was over.

“We, the Sword Arts Club!”

The Sword Arts Club?

“Request that the friendly match with the Martial Arts Club be postponed for the time being!”

“…Huh?”

What is he saying? The Martial Arts Club members wear bewildered expressions.

What is he saying? Deus also grumbled, ‘I’m a temporary member here, you know?’

“Those little scoundrels! Saying weird stuff again, are they?!”

“Weird stuff? You’re one to talk, suddenly dragging in some mercenary from somewhere!”

“I’m not a mercenary! I’m a temporary club member!”

“That’s the same thing! And since when did the club have a one-day pass system?!”

Argument piled upon argument. It started with you, so we’re fine, they claimed.

Oh, what’s this? A fight? This might actually be a bit interesting. Deus crossed his arms.

“I’ll acknowledge the score as it stands today: 4:4, a tie. But since the Martial Arts Club has been unreasonable, I think it’s fair for you to listen to our request to postpone today’s friendly match.”

“That’s all just forcing it! You think they’re listening to all that?!”

“…Well, come to think of it, it’s not entirely wrong, either.”

“Our junior is right. We can’t refuse the Kendo club’s request outright.”

They put him in a friendly match before he even formally joined the club.

If the Kendo club had objected to that, we wouldn’t have even gotten this far.

So, we have no choice but to heed their opinions at least once.

“Alright. Kendo club members. When are you planning to reschedule the friendly match we postponed today?”

“Just a moment. Junior. When do you think you’ll be available? …Okay. Two days from now! How about Friday afternoon?”

Friday afternoon in two days. Deus. Will that work for you?

Deus groaned, a sound of troubled contemplation, at the Martial Arts club members’ question.

It’d be a lie to say it wasn’t a bother. But wasn’t this something already set in motion?

He didn’t think it was right to leave something unfinished after getting involved.

More than anything, he liked that he could briefly feel that sensation he had during the hellish training.

Sweating blood, facing that killing intent that made you feel like you could die any second.

Back when he thought this was an apocalyptic world and he was desperately trying to survive!

‘Postponing the friendly match like that probably means they have some kind of hidden ace up their sleeve, right?’

Maybe, they’re bringing in someone strong enough to handle him.

If that were the case, he wouldn’t have to hold back and conserve his strength.

He even felt like there might be a more thrilling fight than today!

Something to satisfy the ki he’d been accumulating in his body, preparing for a struggle for survival, for who knows how long.

The thought of it coming made him nod naturally.

“I’m available.”

“Ah! Thank you, Junior! Thank you so much!!”

No need for thanks. I was secretly enjoying it, too.

Just remember to give me plenty of exercise equipment later.

After giving them a thumbs-up, Deus headed back to the rooftop.

He initially considered leaping up there, but that didn’t feel right.

He didn’t want to get chewed out for making a crater, so he quietly took the stairs.

*

“AHAHAHA! Hunter Teacher. You seem to be in a great mood?!”

“Ahem. Hmm. Nonsense. Tiamat Teacher. Not at all.”

“Heeheehee! Nonsense, my foot! Lower that grin that’s reaching your ears before you say things like that!!”

Hunter Teacher cleared his throat again at Tiamat Teacher’s shout.

Of course, his soaring smile didn’t seem to have any intention of coming down.

Hunter Teacher, who was in charge of literature class at Yggdrasil.

At the same time, he was the faculty advisor for the Martial Arts club.

He’d heard that the Martial Arts club had been harassed by the Kendo club for a while now.

Something about them wanting the clubroom, or so he’d heard.

As the faculty advisor, he was itching to help.

But a teacher must maintain neutrality, and so he couldn’t.

He desperately wanted to transfuse Deus with blood called Deus, but even that was shrouded in mist.

‘I worried what would happen if the children lost their clubroom… Deus student…! I’m truly grateful!!’

He wanted to find Deus right away, grab both hands, and hold them tight.

And then, he also wanted to offer to buy him dinner every night for a week.

He had put the kendo club in its place, so that was a small price to pay, a very small price!

“Heehee! Look, Hunter teacher. I can see it all even through your sunglasses! Heeheehee!”

“A, no! Tiamat teacher! I really don’t mind at all!”

“If you feel wronged, why don’t you take off your sunglasses and show us your eyes?!”

Hidden by the sunglasses, unseen by others.

Right now, Hunter teacher’s eyes were sparkling like the surface of a lake shattered by sunlight.

Truly, the eyes of a deer. Those sunglasses were the result of trying to conceal those gentle eyes.

“The look on the kendo club advisor’s face must be quite the sight!”

“Just thinking about that is enough to guarantee me a week of sweet dreams. Hehehe.”

“You must have suffered a lot at their hands!”

Tiamat skipped around Hunter teacher like a little puppy.

“But, Hunter teacher?”

Then, as if nothing had happened, her face suddenly changed, becoming serious.

“With this, the kendo club will be very anxious.”

“…Perhaps. No, with high probability, they will be.”

The martial arts club had broken precedent, even resorting to bringing in a one-day member – an extreme measure.

They were the first to cross the line, so the kendo club would feel like they had nothing to lose.

“They might even ask ‘that student’ for help.”

That student. At Tiamat’s mention, Hunter teacher’s face hardened.

A tradition always observed with the arrival of new students. The Cradle Initiation.

Those recognized as promising at that time almost all became aces of their year.

Among them, some would later show a genius rivaling even professors.

‘Deus student was like that with this year’s freshmen. And that student, who was a freshman three years ago, was too.’

The student that both Tiamat and Hunter teacher were thinking of.

The top prospect from the Cradle three years ago. Current head of the graduating class. Current leader of the dispatch squad.

Above all, he was also the protégé of Shabel, said to be the empire’s greatest esper.

Even the teachers shook their heads at the student’s sword.

So much so that this assessment was openly circulating.

“It’s very difficult to gauge his depths.”

Not said by students. Said by the teachers of Cradle.

All of whom were former Cradle prospects. Currently, the most skilled espers.

That was what Cradle’s teachers were. And those types of individuals had given that evaluation to a student, not even a graduate.

“I’m starting to worry if Deus student helping the club was really a good thing.”

Even Hunter teacher, who had been happy just moments before, was reacting that way.

Then, Tiamat thought about something for a moment before bursting into a heehee! laugh.

“I wouldn’t worry too much about it! Hunter-sensei!”

“Eh? What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Just what I said. Hee hee hee!”

Of course. A student who didn’t even try to go all-out against a teacher, just testing the waters.

Recalling the sparring match with Deus a few days prior, Tiamat smiled.