But why did Master Ronin decide to participate in a martial arts tournament?　I've always thought of myself as the type of person who wanted to watch Mr. Will grow up.

Well, what's that, that's just a whim.

　Ronin scratched his cheek, but I knew why. Then my father told me why he was coming down the mountain with me.

Probably because at Arkham's martial arts tournament, the hyphen shows up. To kill my son.

　I don't know how my father got this information, but there was a clear indication that he was willing to clean up his own mess with the hyphen.

　How would he do it?
　Will he turn Hikune back at the martial arts tournament?

　Or, he could be intentionally killed in the middle of a martial arts tournament, so that he could defeat his enemy. Aside from the former, the latter was not a very nice vision of the future.

(...... If that's the case, I'll have to do everything in my power to stop it.

　I still didn't believe that my father had maliciously killed Hifune's master, Tohshiro. I thought there must have been some compelling reason, but no matter how much I questioned him, he never gave me any details.

　This will only come out when she faces Hifune. I thought so, but that opportunity would come sooner rather than later when I went to Arkham. So I hurried on my way, but the basics of my journey were not going well. Along the way, I came across a group of ogres.

Not goblins or kobolds, but ogres, of all things!

　I was disappointed, but my father was a strong man.

"It's better than dealing with the small fry. Here's a test run of that wooden ashlar sword the Vandals gave me.

You can't help me with that tone of voice, can you?

Don't spoil it. If I get serious, you'll kill me instantly.

Yes, but you'd be putting your beautiful son in a bind.

That's impossible. I don't work out that soft.

It's true, though.

　Oh dear, and draws the sword of Toneriko. Lunamaria offers to help you, but I refuse.
You may come up against Miss hyphenated at the tournament. And with unknown and powerful opponents. I need to develop a sense of victory.

That's what I'm talking about, Master Will.

　Take a step back and put your short sword away. But I'm a little concerned, and I ask Dad Ronin if he's okay.

"I'm not in the least bit concerned about Master Will's sword skills, but I'm not sure that wooden stick is going to do him any good.

"You're worried about your daughter, too. But don't worry. Those sticks are a work of art.

"It just looks like a wooden stick.

It's not just a stick of wood. It's a sacred tree that grows at the far end of Table Mountain. It's an old tree, hundreds of years old.

"Well, wow.

"It's actually awesome. Vandals are overprotective. You have the best weapons available.

It's a wooden sword, but it's easy to put magic into it, right?

That's right. The wooden sword will multiply Will's magic many times over. It's the perfect weapon for Will, who is also a great sorcerer.

　Ronin declares, and my wooden sword begins to glow. It begins to glow blue-white.

See how blue the aura is, young lady? It's also an ashtray.

"All the way to the blue?

"Not so. It depends on its owner's characteristics. Blue or blue is a holy aura. Evil can be red or purple.

I see, that's why Master Will is so blue.

　I'm impressed because I didn't know, but I didn't have time for that. A swarm of ogres was attacking me. They must have thought that a battle with me was inevitable, so they focused on me as if it were a reckoning.

　A hand-made club and stone axe attack is thrown down, but I calmly dodge them and unleash a slash of my wooden sword.

　--An "impulse".

　An ogre that blows away with a single blow. The "impulse" attribute of the strike is so well-defined that it feels good.

That's a hell of a blow, my son.

That's what I'm talking about, Master Will.
"But I'm not going to use 'Slash'. The ogre has a high life force, so 'urge' is not a good choice.

　I knew that, but I didn't want to take away your life for no reason, even if you are an ogre.

　Because I'm a soft touch, but my father Ronin was the mastermind behind my personality, and it's gotten me this far. I wasn't going to change that easily.

　So, I attacked them with my body armor, but the ogre's numbers were dwindling. You are a creature of violence, but that is why you are vulnerable to violence. It is likely that the DNA is built in to avoid defying creatures much stronger than you. They retreat like a spider's spawn.



You can call yourself a Spider-Ogre from tomorrow.

　Dad Ronin spat it out and turned to me. Ruffling my hair, he said.

Well done. That's my girl. Well, I thought I might as well take a few of them down.

"That's for next time.

You'll do the same next time. But, well, you can play your cards right against the ogre, but not at a martial arts tournament. The most famous swordsmen gather.

I know. I'm the son of the god of swords, too. I won't fall behind by pretending to be an immortal.

"So you're going to slay the participants in some cases?

　Ronin listening to the reminder.

　He's convinced, but he doesn't believe it. He doesn't think I can kill people. But he's right. In fact, I have yet to cut a man down. It's partly because I've never had to, but also because I've inherited the gods' kindness. It worked for me until now, but I'm not sure if it will work for me in the future.

　The other day we met up with Toushiro's apprentice, Hifune. You've only faced a few of them, but their abilities are beyond belief. He was an unkillable opponent and no guarantee of victory. Since such an opponent was seriously attempting to kill me, I would lose unless I was prepared to do so.

　If that happens, I'm going to die. .......

　I'm sure you'll be able to see the profile of Luna Maria and she's looking at me with concern.

(...... Don't.)

　You've made her worry. A man should never let a woman worry at any time. The gods taught me that, so I smiled and moved forward.

　My father was looking at me meaningfully. Maybe he came with me on this trip to help me be a spoiled brat. I thought so.