I’ve Got This! (Total Certainty)

ANNEROSE

The second the match started, I lunged straight into Jimina’s range.

I’d already called his bluff. I knew the secret behind his strength: it was all about that overwhelming speed. Even as a former member of the Vegalta Seven Swords, I could barely track him. He just brute-forced his way to victory by moving faster than anyone could react. That was Jimina’s whole deal.

But I’d also realized that, despite that speed, his actual sword skills were bottom-tier.

Up until now, Jimina had won his matches without ever really clashing blades. Why? Sure, maybe his opponents just couldn't keep up. But looking at his posture, the guy was basically an amateur. What if Jimina was the one avoiding the clash? What if he was terrified that a prolonged exchange would expose how mediocre he actually was?

Basically, he was using his speed to end things quickly and hide his lack of skill.

My conclusion: as long as I didn’t let his speed psych me out, I’d win.

The only wildcard was the Weights Jimina had ditched. If shedding that extra baggage meant he could move faster than I could even perceive... well, then even I might lose. I had to crush that possibility immediately. If an opponent is faster than you, you just have to stop them in their tracks. Do that, and you stop losing.

"Haaaaah!"

I closed the gap in a heartbeat, putting all my Ki into a shout as I swung my blade. It was a perfect surprise attack.

And yet, Jimina blocked it.

He really is fast. He’d managed to defend himself at a timing where a normal person wouldn't have even seen the strike coming. However, by blocking, his feet were now firmly planted.

Exactly what I wanted.

"Shiiii!"

I didn't give him a chance to move. I went for him again. He kept defending, but my surging barrage of strikes didn't give him a second to utilize his speed. My sword hammered against his guard—a third, a 4th, then a fifth time—until finally, his posture broke.

I’ve won!

The conviction washed over me as I lunged straight for his chest. I felt the blade hit home... or so I thought.

"Eh...?"

There was no resistance. My sword passed through thin air. Worse, Jimina had completely vanished from my sight.

"...That was an Afterimage."

His voice came from right behind me. My shoulders drifted into a shiver.

Stay calm, I told myself. I deliberately took my time turning around. I’m rattled. I can’t let him see it.

"You’re faster than I thought..."

My voice sounded normal enough. At least, I hoped it did. I kept Jimina in my sights and tried to process the situation. What was the play here? His speed was way beyond my reaction time. How was I supposed to close a gap like that?

Think. Think...! THINK...!!

"Wha—!?"

Before I could even come up with a plan, Jimina vanished again. I moved before my brain could catch up. It wasn't technique or experience that allowed me to react to the slight shiver in the air—it was pure, dumb luck.

CLANG!

The impact was massive. I was sent flying backward. I fought to stay conscious as the world threatened to go black, desperately gripping my sword to keep it from spinning away. I forced myself back onto my feet.

"Kh...!"

A pained groan escaped my lips. Across the arena, Jimina was just... standing there. His sword was lowered, hanging loosely at his side. No stance, no follow-up.

I didn't take it as arrogance. He simply had the skills to back it up.

"I’ll admit it. You're strong."

I steadied my ragged breathing and steeled my resolve. Jimina was simply, purely, and overwhelmingly fast. I didn't find it unfair; speed is just another form of strength. And I didn't think I was out of the running yet. The odds were low, sure, but they weren't zero.

If he was just going to be fast, I just had to time him. A Counter. That was the only winning move I had left.

The real question was whether I could actually react to him. Blocking that last hit was nothing but a fluke, and I didn't count on lightning striking twice. If I couldn't rely on luck, I’d rely on my own merit. If I couldn't react with my eyes, I’d use experience. If experience failed, I’d use raw intuition. I didn't care what it took.

If I could just get the timing right, the years I’d spent honing my technique would do the rest. I focused everything I had, waiting for the moment to strike.

Then—without a single hint of warning—he moved.

The instant Jimina vanished—no, a split second before—I swung. I swung at empty air.

But a moment later...

I’ve won!

Jimina appeared right in front of me. I was certain of my victory. I’d placed my sword directly in his path. At that speed, there was no way for him to dodge. Or so I thought.

"Eh...?"

I stared, dazed, at his movement.

He’d stopped.

As if he’d planned it from the very beginning, he came to a dead halt just inches outside my range. My sword grazed the bridge of his nose, cutting nothing but air.

It wasn't a fluke. It was perfect Distance Management. A terrifying display of Foresight.

I thought I’d timed his attack, but I was wrong. It was the other way around. He was the one who had timed me.

"I see..."

In that single moment of clashing wills, everything became clear. My conviction shifted. Jimina Seinen... his skills were on a level far beyond anything I could imagine.

As I stood there, completely open, Jimina’s sword finally approached.

It was the slowest strike he’d thrown all day. And yet, the technique was so perfect it had been sublimated into a work of art.

"Ah..."

It’s beautiful.

That thought was the last thing I remembered before my world faded to black.