The Failed Swordsman Who Became the Strongest After Spamming the 100 Million Years Button-Novel

Thousand Blade Academy and The Big Five Holy Festival [1] – part 2

The next morning.

The male students of class A were gathered at the gymnasium to take a practical test.

「Fuuu… early morning in these clothes, is too cold.」

We wore white gym uniform and black shorts.

This light clothing is a little too cold in the morning.

While we boys were waiting for the girls to finish changing clothes – the girls’ changing room door finally opened.

「C-Cold-…」

「Mou, I am shivering…」

「Why are we having a practical test so early in the morning…」

The girls unanimously complained… then, it surely must be cold.

Because the girls were wearing a white gym uniform and black bloomers.

Unlike the boys, the clothing area of the lower half of the body is unusually short, so cold air assaulted their bare legs.

At the Five Academy, everyone respects tradition and formality, due to that, women’s gym clothes have always been bloomers.

The feedback from the girls is not very good, but there seems to be no sign of change at all with the single point of「tradition」.

While I was standing at the end of the gymnasium doing nothing, a female student – Ria, ran up to me.

「G-Good morning, Allen.」

「Aa, good morning, Ria.」

Why did she come all the way to this end of the gymnasium?

As I waited for her to speak first,

「Um… how is it?」

Ria, while bushing slightly, looked down at her gym suit.

(…No, even if you ask me「how is it?」…)

I glanced at her body from top to bottom.

(…Yeah, it looks like a normal gym suit no matter how I look at it)

There is nothing unusual.

It’s the one sold at the Thousand Blade Academy store.

The most I could say is, it was hard to keep my eyes from being captivated by the large breast bulges that can be seen through the gym clothes.

(But I know better – no, is it more accurate to say that I was taught better)

About a year before, Paula-san told me this.

『Remember, Allen… When a girl asks for an impression about clothes, accessories, haircuts, and such – you must definitely affirm「that’s really nice!」, ok!?』

And she also said「No matter what it is, a man’s job is to always give a positive impression.」

Yes, this is that situation right now.

So, I smiled and answered, as Paula-san taught.

「Yeah, I think it’s nice.」

「R-Really…? Eheheh…」

She said「thank you」in a small voice and happily returned back to the other girls.

……To be honest, I really don’t understand what she wanted.

But anyway, the answer just now was definitely correct as affirmed by Ria’s happy response.

As expected of Paula-san.

(Even so, why isn’t Leia-sensei here yet…?)

While rubbing my hands together, breathing into them and warming myself slightly, another female student ran up here – Rose-san.

「Hey, Allen」

「What is it?」

「How is… mine?」

She picked at the edges of the white gym clothes with both hands.

Apparently, she came here for the same thing as Ria.

「Yes, I think it’s very nice.」

As I said that gently as before,

「I see…」

She laughed in satisfaction while blushing and returned to the girls.

(…I wonder just what kind of ritual is this?)

When I was puzzled about that on my own, a high-pitched sound of a whistle invaded my ear.

Looking towards the direction of the sound, Leia-sensei, who was dressed in a black suit as usual, was already standing at the center of the gymnasium.

「Students of Year 1 Class A – Gather!」

Sensei’s voice was much louder than the whistle.

(You don’t need that whistle at all…)

While thinking about that, I trotted up to Leia-sensei.

Then, when all the boys and girls were gathered in the center of the gymnasium, she opened her mouth.

「Now then, students with impure hearts who thought『you don’t need the whistle…』」! That’s not good, not good at all! Setting the atmosphere is important! A whistle is very important in the gym… Well, isn’t that so!?」

Well… I kind of understand what she wants to say.

Even at the Gran Swordsmanship Academy, during basic physical education – a whistle was ringing all the time during swinging and running.

But still, she is so energetic this early in the morning…

「Well, that’s all for now… today, we’re going to do a practical test!」

Then Leia-sensei started to explain the practical test.

「First of all, the use of soul dress is prohibited. The purpose is to measure the proficiency of pure swordsmanship! Next, regarding school techniques, all of them can be used. Show me the swordsmanship you have polished!」

After completing the explanation,

「Now then, everyone should borrow an appropriate sword for your own size from the gymnasium preparation room!」

Finally, after giving the instructions, she lightly blew the whistle happily.

(I’m pretty sure she just likes whistle blowing…)

Ah, so Leia-sensei is a little childish.

Then we looked for the one sword that suits us in the large quantity of swords in the gymnasium preparation room.

It is forbidden to use your own sword in the practical test.

This is a measure to avoid inequality among students.

For example, let’s take the proficiency of the cheap sword that I usually use, and the proficiency of highest-grade sword.

It is obvious which would provide better results.

The fact that the result depends on the superiority or inferiority of the sword is contrary to the purpose of the practical test that measures the proficiency of the swordsman. Therefore, although it is a little troublesome, the sword is borrowed from the academy in the practical test.

(…Yoshi, let’s go with this sword)

I returned to the gymnasium after finding a sword that was about the same size as the one I use everyday.

There were three other men in the gymnasium besides Leia-sensei.

Perhaps the two young men are assisting with the practical test, and the old aged man with glasses is the measurer.

After a while, all the students had borrowed a sword and returned, and then sensei resumed the explanation.

「Now, as everyone knows, the practical test is composed of three events – Iai Slash, Ten Slash, and Consecutive Slashes. Well, it’s the same thing you did in middle-school. Let’s start with Iai Slash first. -Oiii, start the preparations.」1

「「Yes!」」

The young men asked by Leia-sensei, immediately set up a dedicated pedestal and set a bamboo of an appropriate length on it.

When the test preparation was complete, Leia-sensei started speaking.

「Well… I think everyone already knows, but let’s briefly explain the flow. -First, the student must stand in front of the bamboo set here and assume the Iai-stance. After that, draw the sword at any timing and bisect the bamboo. The time taken from drawing the sword and to cut the bamboo will be recorded in this test.」

The explanation was exactly what I received in middle-school in the Gran Swordsmanship Academy.

「And this time, this measurer will measure everyone’s records. This man is a 50-year veteran. Make sure to be polite.」

At the same time as sensei finished speaking, the measurer, who had a likeable face, quickly bowed.

Measurers — This is an important job that is indispensable for all practical tests in elementary, middle and high school. Their job is to do just one thing — measuring test results accurately.

In order to qualify as a measurer, high specs are required, such as a visual acuity of 3.0 or more, reflexes within 0.2 seconds, and the difference between sensory time and real time within 0.01 seconds. Therefore, the number seems to be insufficient nationwide despite high demand.

「I shall tell you this as a reference record, the average of the first year students is around 0.8 seconds annually. Well, put it in one corner of your head.」

Leia-sensei then took out a notebook and pen from her inner chest pocket.

She is probably going to record the results in the notebook.

「Well, let’s begin immediately. First – Ria Vesteria!」

「Yes!」

When her name was called, she stood in front of the bamboo and quietly closed her eyes.

A few seconds after the gymnasium fell silent,

「-Ha!」

A sharp flash ran through and the bamboo before her, became two equal parts.

Everyone’s gaze gathered at the measurer.

「- 0.5seconds. Hoho, well done!」

It’s a stunning record that was 0.3 seconds less than the average for first-year students.

「Yoshi!」

She happily did the guts pose and returned to the place that she was standing before.

「A good record right from the start, this is a good sign! Well then, next – Rose-Valencia!」

「Yes」

Rose-san briskly moved to the front of the bamboo – and suddenly dropped her center of gravity.

「Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style – Lightning Sakura! 」

Then the next moment – a thunderclap-like flash ran through our sight, and the bamboo was bisected magnificently.

From the fact that splits ran across the two divided bamboo, you can imagine how powerful that move was.

「-0.3seconds. Magnificent!」

The students around us were very worried about the new record, which was 0.2 seconds less than Ria’s record.

「Fufu… it’s my win.」

「Gu-gununu…!」

Rose-san with a triumphant look, and Ria with a frustrated look.

Apparently, they seem to get along really well with each other.

「As expected of the secret art, Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style, it was a tremendous strike! Yoshi, next – Allen-Rodore!」

「Yes.」