Ishidori

How big was the town before the Monster Parade? The presence of the main temple meant that it must have been a capital-like city of a country. Many roofs and other structures had been destroyed, perhaps to search for people hiding.

As the sun was rising, we slowly made our way through the streets, terrified at the slightest sound. I felt our strength dwindling more than necessary.

"Are you okay? Do you need some rest?"

Kimishima shook her head when I called out to her. I knew she wanted to get out of this town as soon as possible, but ... I was a little more concerned about the fact that there would be no more shelters after we left the city.

Still, I was about to move on. My eyes met with a pair of eyes looking down at me from the top of a half-destroyed building.

... Hmm? What the ...!

If examined closely, it was not on top of a building. It was a giant face, one eye peeking out from behind the building. Could it be ... Giant ...?

I didn't know what to do, and without telling Kimishima, I continued on ahead. I thought maybe it was a statue or something. I clung to the slightest bit of hope.

... But its eye follows us as we walked.

Damn. It's a monster... We had been totally found.

...

"Kimishima..."

"... What?"

"... It's a monster."

"Eh?"

At my whisper, Kimishima looked around in surprise. Then she looked at the giant and froze.

Seeing Kimishima's fear-stained face, the giant smiled. Then he started walking toward us avoiding the building.

Dung… Dung….

...W-What the…?

Judging from the comparison with the building, the giant must have been nearly three meters tall. The unrealistic appearance instantly broke my heart.

…Impossible. How …can I …cut down something like that???

"Let's get out of here!"

I desperately took Kimishima's hand and pulled her along. From behind came an earth-shaking sound like a thud.

Ha! Ha!

I somehow managed to wind the giant into a narrow alleyway. I glanced behind us and saw that the giant was walking with a smile on its face, like it had found a fun toy and was taking its time to walk. The difference in stride was hopeless.

"Sensei! It hurts!"

I was panicking, feeling so unreal. It seemed I was gripping Kimishima's hand with considerable force and pulling. But I couldn't afford to talk about that now.

"Don't give up! Run!"

I ran frantically without loosening my grip. Kimishima was also desperately following me.

Horrified.

Suddenly, I had a bad premonition. I couldn't hear the sound of footsteps chasing after us. I turned around as I ran and saw the giant lifting a chunk of debris above his head with both hands. Oh no!!!

Boom.

It was just a split second of timing. If I had turned around a second too late, I would have missed it. I held Kimishima in my arms, grunting as I frantically avoided the flying debris.

Ghuuunnn!!!

With a roar, the debris pierced the spot where we had been just before. As I felt the flying debris hit my back, I became aware of my despair.

"Ugh."

I fell down, covering Kimishima, and tried to get up quickly, but ... it was already too late.

In front of us was a giant with delicious-looking prey in front of him, tongue tingling as he looked down at us.

… Damn … We couldn't do anything.

It must have realized that there was nothing more we could do. The giant, approaching at a leisurely pace, opened its mouth.

"Ohaahhhoohh."

I wondered if it was speaking some kind of language. I could not understand it at all, but it seemed to me as if it was saying, "Which shall I eat first?" I slowly backpedaled, but soon bumped into Kimishima behind me. Perhaps Kimishima was also overcome by the monster.

I felt the giant, whether it knew we didn't understand the words or not, was pointing toward Kimishima, who was behind me, saying something along the lines of, "Ohhahhahhohh".

I involuntarily moved my body to hide Kimishima. It seemed that even such a futile act only pleased it. I despaired as the giant smiled happily, "Gyaggya."

"Ah... Ah... Ki-Kimishima... I'm sorry..."

I managed to squeeze out a few words in desperation.

There was no reply from Kimishima behind me.

I stared idly at the giant, clutching his right hand and swinging it. I was the one in the center of his gaze.

Ah...is this the end?

…

…

"Ahhhhh!"

From behind, Kimishima shouted, and the ivy that decorated the ruins suddenly stretched out toward the giant. The ivy tangled itself around his fist as it headed toward me. As I stared dumbfounded, Kimishima shouted at me.

"No. It won't hold!"

As I looked, I saw that the tangled ivy was snapping and tearing. Kimishima's ivy was just enough to stop the giant for a moment.

…Damn it!

…Damn it!

Damn! What am I doing? Just coming on my own. Giving up on myself. Kimishima was able to move at the last moment, but I ...

I suddenly touched my sword with my left hand.

…That's it.

It was all I had.

That was the reason I was here.

The giant swung his ivy-tangled fist around and brushed away the ivy that clung to it. And then he focuses on me again. Just do it ... I go down on one knee and touched the scabbard. I ran my right hand along the hilt, catching the giant's movements exactly as they happened.

After entering university, I never touched a sword until my grandfather died. After that, I occasionally practiced Iaido as a way of remembering my grandfather, but once I became a teacher, I was so busy with my daily life that I had no time to practice.

However, the techniques that my grandfather had me practice every day for nearly 15 years since I was a child were ingrained in the core of my body.

…Grandpa.

...

One swing.

With my current magic power, I couldn't swing it more than once.

In extreme concentration, the giant's movements proceed slowly.

...

After all. The concentration during Iado is exceptional. I was able to calmly and accurately discern the giant's punch. With the fist's trajectory, even if I avoided it, it wouldn't hit Kimishima. Then...

In preparation for this single sword strike, I gathered up everything I had. The left foot gripped the asphalt. I sank my center of gravity down low and waited for that moment like a beast in both body and mind.

--Patience. The approaching fist was pulled back to its limit. The center of gravity lowered even further, so as not to let go of the power stored up. Flowing under the fist, I released my body. Condensed magic power. The point after ... exceeded sound, and was taken away.

There were no tricks of the trade, nothing of falsehood or deceit. It was a rigid technique that focused on power rather than speed, and was designed to cut down the opponent's entire defense.

Kikusui Kai Style Iaido. Ishidori.

"There is nothing to block the path of this blade.", my grandfather said, and he was not lying.

The fist, which had been swung down with a growl, lost its connection and rolled on the ground.

The cut went from his right side to the left side of his neck.

Without knowing what happened, the Giant's face rolled away with his arm, following the inertia of the arm.

Don!

After a short pause, the remaining body also fell

…I could cut it.

Hahaha ... I can cut it.

"Amazing…"

I turned and smiled at the stunned Kimishima.

"It's all thanks to you, Kimishima. Thank you."

If I could cut it. It meant we had a chance to survive.

A little bit at a time, we weaved hope.

You can get access to 10 Chapters ahead of the Novelupdates release on my Patreon. <3