We stormed the magistrate's mansion to rescue Master Yasushi.

When we reached the room where the magistrate, Chester, was, we found my master imprisoned in a cage.

—I will not forgive this outrage against Master Yasushi.

However, Chester's skill level was perfect.

"Can you do it, Ellen?"

When I called out to her, Ellen answered quietly.

"I can."

Ellen stepped forward to face Chester.

She's tense, but she seems focused, which is a relief to me, her master.

Chester's eyes darted back and forth, watching us as we made no move to attack.

He was extremely wary of Ellen, a child who had stepped out in front of him.

"Wh-what is the meaning of this?"

Since Ellen didn't answer, I decided to speak for her.

"My disciple has never cut a person down before. She's still a novice swordswoman, so I thought I'd let her gain some experience with you as her opponent. We've already rescued my master, after all. You have no more value to us."

I called out to Rinho and Fuuka, who were giving Chester cold stares, and asked them to witness the duel.

"I'm going to show off my disciple to Master Yasushi. Rinho, Fuuka—you two will act as witnesses."

Rinho shrugged.

"Sure thing~"

Fuuka looked on with interest, curious to see how Ellen would fight.

"Ellen, don't you bring shame upon your master or your senior disciples."

When I glanced at Master Yasushi, he closed his eyes once, then slowly opened them.

His gaze was fixed on Ellen and Chester.

To Master Yasushi, Ellen is his grand-disciple.

I've trained her strictly, but I wonder how she appears in Master Yasushi's eyes?

Even I was starting to get nervous.

"Ellen, you are still inexperienced. Do not use the One-Flash."

I was sending her into a fight to the death with her One-Flash sealed, but Ellen remained calm.

She showed no sign of even drawing her sword.

"Understood."

Her concentration seems to have heightened.

She's waiting for my signal to begin.

Chester, on the other hand, was not ready.

"Don't mess with me! When did I ever say I'd fight this brat to the death?! Guards! Guards, get in here!"

He called for the subordinates he had waiting outside the room, but Kukuri, appearing from my shadow, let out a low, throaty chuckle.

"If you're looking for them, they've already departed on their journey and are waiting for you, Lord Magistrate."

Having competent subordinates is great.

Also, it's good that Kukuri doesn't go berserk like Tia or Marie.

"You saved me some trouble. Thanks, Kukuri."

"I am honored by your praise."

Seeing Kukuri bow respectfully, Chester collapsed to the floor, for whatever reason.

He then placed both hands on the floor and began to grovel before me.

"Count Banfield! L-let's make a deal."

When I didn't answer Chester, he must have thought I was willing to listen, as he started blabbering on.

"My family and the neighboring lords have gathered a fleet of over sixty thousand ships on this planet. I-if you let me go, I might even help you."

Watching Chester tremble as he tried to bargain, I let out a small sigh.

"Marie."

As soon as I called her name, a small window appeared in mid-air, showing Marie's slightly flustered face.

"Lord Liam, it is true that a large-scale fleet is heading for this planet—wait! Lord Liam, you're covered in wounds! W-we must treat you at once!"

"Shut up, you're noisy."

Chester, thinking he could negotiate, stood up and pointed at me.

This guy and his subordinates sure love to make deals.

"Well, what will it be, Count Banfield! Will you make a deal with me or not!"

He's just talking on his own.

The answer was decided from the very beginning.

"—Who do you think you're talking to? There is no possibility of a deal between you and me. You will silently become nourishment for my disciple. You should be honored to be a stepping stone for the true One-Flash Style, shouldn't you?"

"Huh?"

As Chester let out a dumbfounded sound, I shook my head and enlightened him.

"A fleet of sixty thousand ships? So what?"

Marie, watching us from the small window, interrupted me.

"Lord Liam, you must escape at once!"

"Do not interrupt me."

"!"

"—Marie, bring Avid down to the planet."

"B-but!"

"Don't be difficult."

"M-my apologies."

"If you want, you all can escape ahead of me. I can catch up later with Avid. It would be a waste to lose my subordinates over something like this, after all."

When I told her to escape first, Marie's expression hardened.

"I have not fallen so low as to abandon my lord and flee."

After the communication cut off, I looked at Chester.

He was giving me a look that said, 'I can't believe it.'

In the first place, I don't think this petty villain could even let us escape.

"—How long do you plan on sitting there? Get up."

When I glared at him, Chester's mouth gaped open and closed.

Ellen, who had been silent, spoke up.

"Even if you are a villain, I am reluctant to kill you while you are defenseless. At the very least, please show some pride as a swordsman."

Having been told such a thing by a younger girl, Chester picked up his sword and stood up.

"Don't underestimate me! I may not be able to handle Liam, but I can kill a single brat anytime!"

—For a mere magistrate to address me so informally is unforgivable.

I almost killed him myself, but I held back for Ellen's sake.

Chester really is the perfect opponent for Ellen.

I looked at Chester and voiced my assessment.

"I can't forgive you for addressing me so casually, but I'll let it slide just this once. You're perfect fodder for Ellen. You abuse your position, torment your people, and hold ambitions far beyond your station. Though your greatest sin was kidnapping Master Yasushi."

Chester looked at me and gave a defiant smile.

"You can't forgive me for tormenting the people? I heard you were a softie, and it seems to be true! That's what it means to rule over people! No matter how many pretty words you spout, how are you any different from me? You're just putting on a friendly act, aren't you?"

Me and this guy, the same? It makes me want to puke.

"Don't lump me in with you. To begin with, you and I are on completely different levels. It's presumptuous of you to even compare us. —Now, we don't have time to stand around chatting. Get on with it."

For a petty villain to compare himself to a great villain like me... there's a limit to conceit.

"Go on, act tough while you can. You're all finished. I'll kill this brat, and at least I'll—!"

Before I could give the signal to start, Chester unleashed a One-Flash.

The One-Flash aimed at Ellen's neck was shattered by a single stroke from her sword.

"Y-you! You!"

Chester unleashed the One-Flash again and again, but Ellen, with her sword drawn, parried every single one.

Rinho spoke with an exasperated look.

"He calls that a One-Flash? He's got to be kidding."

Fuuka seemed to have lost interest.

"He's just flinging slashes around. How unsightly."

I watched Ellen's performance with my arms crossed.

Chester really is a wonderful opponent.

He torments the people of his domain, a textbook example of a corrupt magistrate.

Facing the out-of-breath Chester, Ellen sheathed her sword.

Seeing this, Chester seemed to think he would be spared.

"Y-you're going to spare me? Thank—did you really think I'd say thank you, you fool!"

He must have intended to unleash a One-Flash in that opening, but Ellen crouched, launched herself forward, closed the distance to Chester, and drew her sword.

The moment she passed by Chester, she drew her blade like an iai strike—and cut him down.

Flicking the blood from her blade, Ellen looked down at the fallen Chester.

"I will not forgive your insults towards my master."

Watching this, Rinho and Fuuka gave a half-hearted round of applause.

"With this, Ellen's a full-fledged swordswoman."

"In another few decades, she might be able to have a match with us."

I approached Ellen.

She was tightly gripping her sword, staring down at Chester, whom she had just cut down.

Her breathing was ragged, and her legs were trembling.

Just as Amagi had done for me when I was a child, I gently took Ellen's clenched hand in mine.

As I pried her fingers open one by one, Ellen looked up at me, as if about to say something.

Her face was pale.

"If you've decided to become a swordswoman, this is a path you cannot avoid. You should have been prepared."

If you're not going to cut people down, there's no point in aiming to be a swordswoman.

For a swordsman of the One-Flash Style to be unable to kill is out of the question.

Ellen looked down.

"I'm sorry for being so pathetic."

However, I couldn't be cold to a disciple who had accomplished her task.

"No, you were more splendid than I was at my first time."

Ellen looked up in surprise, but without going into detail, I headed towards Master Yasushi's cell.

Kukuri thoughtfully destroyed the cell, and Master Yasushi stood up.

"You've grown so much."

"It is thanks to your teachings, Master."

When I knelt and bowed my head, my master spoke in a cheerful voice, belying the fact he had just been a prisoner.

"Stand up. Lord Liam, you are already a fine swordsman of the One-Flash Style. Now that you have a disciple of your own, you must carry yourself with dignity."

I stood up and turned my gaze to Ellen.

"Master, this is my disciple, Ellen. What do you think of her?"

Master Yasushi stroked his stubbled chin.

"A fine swordswoman with talent, I'd say."

Hearing my prized disciple praised, I felt both relieved and proud.

"Thank you. She is my number one disciple."

◇

Facing Liam, Yasushi was panicking.

(He has more disciples?!)

A grand-disciple named Ellen had appeared out of nowhere, and Yasushi was terrified.

Liam was frightening, but from Yasushi's perspective, Ellen was also a superior swordswoman.

Realizing that he would surely be killed if they fought, he was scared out of his wits.

And then—the problem was Ellen's eyes.

(Th-that brat, she's suspicious of me?!)

The three of them—Liam, Rinho, and Fuuka—looked at him with shining eyes, not a hint of suspicion.

That was scary in its own way, but the scariest of all was Ellen, who doubted him.

"Ahem!"

Giving a deliberately theatrical cough, Yasushi pondered how to escape from this situation.

If he stayed here, his lies would eventually be exposed.

He imagined a future where, once that happened, he would be cut down just like Chester and the others.

"I am pleased to see you all have grown so strong. Now then, it is about time for this humble one to move on to the next—"

It was at that moment.

Liam looked up at the ceiling.

"Some unrefined folks have arrived."

As Yasushi wondered what he meant, several holographic images appeared in the air next to Liam.

The planet's security forces' weapons were gathering, surrounding the magistrate's mansion.

"Capture the culprits who killed the Lord Magistrate! If you can't, it's fine to kill them!"

The figures of battleships could also be seen outside.

Sirens blared, and the surrounding residents were being forcibly evacuated.

(A-are they planning to blow up this whole mansion?!)

The armed group that the magistrate, Chester, had maintained was also among them, and their killing intent towards Yasushi and the others was high.

However, Liam just let out a small sigh.

"—Avid, do it."

Immediately after those words.

The magistrate's mansion shook as if from an earthquake, and on the screens, the security forces and armed groups were pierced by lasers, swept away by beams, and vanished into flames from missiles.

A single mobile knight, illuminated by the light of the flames in the video feed, its twin eyes glowing eerily.

(Heh?!)

Yasushi, who somehow managed to stifle a stupid-sounding yelp, was shocked to see a single mobile knight appear on the screen.

(Eh? Is this the mobile knight from back then? Why is a second-hand mobile knight this strong?!)

As the ceiling of the magistrate's mansion shook, Rinho and Fuuka demonstrated their One-Flash.

The ceiling, sliced to pieces by their two One-Flashes, was blown away, and from the opening, Avid slowly descended.

Liam said.

"We're boarding Avid. We're evacuating this planet."

Fuuka had her hands clasped behind her head.

"Aww, we're running away?"

"Don't be stupid. Once we go back and gather our forces, we'll come back and crush them."

Hearing Liam's reply, Yasushi fought the urge to tremble.

(A fleet of sixty thousand ships is coming, so why would you come back and fight?! Normally, you'd run away, you idiot!)

Even if he thought he was an idiot, he couldn't say it out loud.

After all, Yasushi was a man of little courage.

He wanted to avoid talking back to Liam, who was stronger than him, if at all possible.

Yasushi was a small-livered man.

But then, a being that might be Yasushi's salvation appeared.

It had a very sinister appearance.

It had the body of a man wearing a suit, but its head was an octopus with legs.

It was dyed red, as if trembling with rage, and its eight legs writhed and squirmed.

"—I cannot forgive your existence. I will not allow it."

For a moment, Yasushi thought help had arrived, but he realized the creature's sinister killing intent was directed at him as well.

(Eh? What is this?! What in the world is this?!)

The octopus was spewing steam from its mouth like the spout of a kettle.

He could even hear a sound like a whistle.

"The One-Flash Style is not needed. It must not exist in this world—today, right here, I will erase your very existence!"

The man's head swelled up, swallowing the human body from the neck down and transforming into a giant octopus.

The steam it spewed from its mouth turned black, obscuring the surrounding view.

Rinho and Fuuka took stances, wary of their opponent's strangeness.

"What is this thing?!"

"I can't stop shaking."

The two were shaken.

As for Ellen, she had collapsed to the floor in sheer terror.

Yasushi's instincts were screaming at him.

(--Ah, I'm dead.)

Faced with the overwhelming presence before him, he'd come full circle and was now just staring blankly, as if calm.

Only Liam raised an eyebrow, looking suspicious.