Slime Reincarnation

How did this happen?

I was now standing face to face with Gracia Spelcio, commander of the kingdom’s knight order, a blunted longsword in one hand. As for Commander Gracia, he was holding a bastard sword, also blunted, resting it on his shoulder as if it were light as nothing. A bastard sword had a hilt and blade length suited for use either one handed or two handed, making it an extremely versatile weapon. If my longsword was standard knight equipment, the bastard sword was a bit longer, giving him a slightly longer reach. A weapon that, if wielded well, gave a real advantage.

(The tenth opponent being Commander Gracia, what kind of impossible situation is this? Give me a moment’s peace already!)

I ran through a machine gun burst of complaints in my head.

"Fuoo! Mashter! Fight, fight!" "Do your best, my husband." "Yabe san, victory V for you!" "Yabe, don’t push yourself too hard." "Hey! Only one person acting like they totally get it, that’s cheating!"

Following the cheers from Rina, Fileontina, and Luciana, Irina’s cheer had been the one showing concern for me, which Luciana was now complaining about. Beside them, Sarina waved both hands enthusiastically, cheering me on as well.

And from the young knights, I was gathering nothing but envy and resentment. Some of them looked like they might cry tears of blood.

Let’s rewind a bit.

"We had basic training this morning, so we’re planning to increase practical, combat style training this afternoon. So today we’ll be centering training around mock battles."

The Coluna Frontier Count nodded at Commander Gracia’s explanation.

"Mock battles, huh, even just watching should be educational."

"Sir Yabe, would you mind loosening up your body a bit?"

"Eh... we’re doing the mock battle already? I haven’t even watched everyone else’s matches yet."

"My subordinates are ready, of course, so we’ll start their mock battles first. I’ll call for you once you’re ready."

Actually, I’d really appreciate it if you just quietly left me out of this altogether.

And so the knights’ mock battles began. The sound of hard sword strikes echoed out. This was fairly serious training. Swords getting knocked away, blows landing on armor. If handled carelessly, real damage was surely getting through.

"Yabe kun, come to think of it, you don’t seem to be carrying any weapon. What kind of weapon do you use? I’ll have a blunted version prepared close to whatever you normally use."

"A weapon, huh..."

Honestly, I barely ever used weapons at all. Up until now I’d mostly just absorbed attacks with my slime body, and in places where people could see me, I mostly relied on spirit magic. My close combat style was more martial arts based. Even Lightning Bolt involved closing in and making contact through a palm strike, so the whole thing leaned heavily on unarmed technique.

In other words, I basically had zero experience with weapon based close combat. Back on Earth, the extent of my experience was some kendo in a high school class, weapon combat experience, zero, absolutely zero! What, was I into martial arts then? Nope, not at all. But I did have a decent mental image of martial arts, body technique in general. I’d been a huge fan of kung fu movies. Jackie Chan and the like. Loved kung fu manga too. I had some image of karate and judo as well. And by circulating energy to activate and strengthen my slime cells, I could get a sensation almost like time slowing down. That let me move using that martial arts imagery and overwhelm an opponent. But I had almost no image at all for swordsmanship. Same with spear or staff techniques, I just couldn’t picture the flowing motion of those skills.

Just as I was thinking this was a problem, though,

"My husband, come to think of it, when you rescued me and fought the Demon King Garuard, didn’t the sword you struck him with shatter to pieces? Have you already gotten yourself a new weapon since then?"

Fileontina said this out of nowhere. I stared at her in disbelief. That was supposed to be a secret, thanks a lot!

"Oh my... did I say something I shouldn’t have?"

Fileontina said this with an utterly innocent look.

"You fought... the Demon King Garuard? Is that actually true?"

"Ah, well, how should I put it, that’s a story from the Earl of Tarbal’s territory, and it was some kind of bronze statue or stone golem thing, not entirely clear what it even was. Anyway, my usual weapon, was it? A longsword’s fine."

"...I see, then I’ll have a blunted longsword prepared."

Ugh, all sorts of information keeps leaking out. Fileontina, you’re in trouble!

"Torunmu, First Platoon, Third Army of the Royal Knight Order. I’d be honored to test myself against you."

"I’m Yabe, nice to meet you."

"Begin!"

I watched the trajectory of Torunmu’s swinging sword, and after dodging a few times, I aimed for the area just above the grip and delivered a strike that wrapped around and knocked it away. Torunmu’s blunted sword was sent flying, spinning through the air.

Clatter.

Torunmu’s knocked away sword landed at his feet.

"That’s enough! Winner, Sir Yabe!"

"You got me."

Torunmu bowed his head politely.

After that, several young knights volunteered for mock battles, but I dodged each of their attacks and countered in rhythm with their strikes, knocking their weapons away every time.

Doing this, I racked up nine straight wins in a row. And then the kingdom’s strongest knight stepped up to challenge me.

"Now then, Yabe kun, let’s enjoy this mock battle."

"I don’t think I’m at a level where this could be enjoyable."

"No need for modesty, here we go!"

His adjutant apparently served as referee, and called out, "Begin!" In that instant, Commander Gracia was already right in front of me, bastard sword raised.

Fast!

I twisted my body slightly to dodge the strike. I thrust my sword forward sharply in a counter, but Commander Gracia was already gone from that spot. In that instant, my presence sense caught an attack coming from my left blind side. I barely managed to crouch and dodge it, regaining my footing.

"Impressive, as expected!"

Commander Gracia wore a smile that had crossed from refreshing straight into unsettling.

"Next! Here we go! Hundred Strike Combo!"

A rapid series of slashes came at me one after another. I swung my blunted longsword with minimal movement, deflecting each strike just slightly. Like a storm bearing down on me, I shifted and knocked aside the tip of the bastard sword again and again.

"Well now, you’re weathering this one too. This is tough."

If it was tough, I really wished he’d just give up and call it here. I mean, winning against the kingdom’s strongest knight, even in a mock battle, definitely wasn’t something I was supposed to do. I needed to read the room.

"Ah, well, my arm’s gone a bit numb, I think I’m about done here..."

I tried to put on a defeated act, but Commander Gracia praised me with obvious delight instead.

"No, this is beyond what I imagined, truly. Holding back against you would be downright rude at this point!"

"No, no, it wouldn’t be rude at all. Please, hold back."

Ignoring my strained laugh, Commander Gracia readied his sword.

"Brace yourself if you’re going to block this... here I come! Sword Art: Dragon’s Jaw!"

Once again, the distance between us closed in an instant. The bastard sword came straight down from above. I’d already seen that overhead strike pattern once. I swung my longsword horizontally, shifting my body to the right, in front of Commander Gracia, aiming to slash across his torso.

But then.

CLANG!

"Wha!?"

It had definitely looked like an overhead strike. Reading the trajectory, I’d shifted sideways and swung horizontally to slash his torso, but I never imagined the strike would also come from below, striking my sword upward.

Having thought I could dodge it, I’d already committed to my own counterattack, so I failed to register the change in the strike’s trajectory. Completely caught off guard by the strike coming from below, my sword was knocked away, the impact tearing it from my grip and sending it flying. My longsword landed behind me, clattering with a dry sound.

"You got me, that’s a knight order commander for you."

I complimented him without any exaggeration, and Commander Gracia broke into a wide, childlike grin.