There were only eighty centimeters left—eighty centimetres in this world's units—and the trunk was partially built to withstand the sheer weight of the tree, crushed and scattered with coal-like fragments. The last scream of the giant tree was even more powerful than the continuous slashing of ten heavenly thunderbolts, and it is said that the sound of destruction even passed through the square in the center of the village and reached the guard box at the northernmost point.

Lin Yiyan and Yougeo screamed at the same time, fleeing to the left and right respectively. The pitch-black Kigas Sida cut through the increasingly orange sky and fell slowly, slowly, slowly, its huge body to the ground. It was blown into the sky by a huge impact, and when it fell, its butt hit the ground, and the destiny of heaven was reduced by about fifty.

"I was shocked...... There are so many people in this village. Lin Yiyan took the large shot glass full of cider handed by Ugeo and muttered.

Several blazing bonfires are now lit in the central square of the village of Lulid, illuminating the faces of the villagers gathered there. The orchestra around the fountain is improvised a cheerful waltz with organ-like instruments, a very long transverse flute, and drums made of animal skins, and the villagers are dancing under the night sky with their feet and hands to the beat.

Lin Yiyan sat at the slightly noisy table, with the beat of the melody at his feet, and suddenly had the urge to join the circle of villagers and dance together, which was incredible.

"It seems like the first time I've seen so many villagers get together. More than the year-end Great Holy Day prayer, absolutely. Yugeo laughed as he spoke, and Lin Yiyan stretched out the wine glass in his right hand to him, and he didn't know how many times he toasted. The sparkling wine, which tastes like apple soda, seems to be the lightest in the village, but when you drink it in one gulp, your face suddenly heats up.

Upon learning of the felling of Kigascida, the village chief and other prominent people had to hold a village meeting on the Sabbath the following week. During this period, there seemed to be a heated discussion on how to deal with "The Carved Hand of the Giant Tree" Ugeo - with Lin Yiyan.

The terrible thing is that some people even feel that it is a little earlier than scheduled, to be specific, about 900 years earlier, and that it is a fault to complete the task and should be punished. In the end, it was the village chief Gashut who decided to hold a celebration with the whole village no matter what, and the Ugeo was dealt with in accordance with the law.

As for what the law is, Lin Yiyan didn't know, so he went to ask Yougeo, but he just smiled and said You will know immediately. However, judging by his expression, at least he will not be criticized. Lin Yiyan drank the wine in the cup, grabbed a huge string of dripping meat juice from the plate next to him, and took a big bite.

Thinking about it carefully, after coming to this world, Lin Yiyan's picky tongue has not changed in the slightest, and the food he eats can be said to be quite boring, only the round bread and the vegetable-centric dishes in the church, this is the first time he has eaten something with the word meat. The soft beef coated in a thick sauce is full of aroma and flavor that makes it hard to believe that this is a virtual world. Just for the sake of this taste, it is worth fighting hard with Kigascida.

However, of course, this is not all a happy end, but it should be considered that we have finally stood at the starting point. Lin Yiyan moved his gaze to look at the Green Rose Sword that Yugeo proudly hung from his waist.

During these five days, he fully practiced the initial basic technique of one-handed straight sword, the one-shot horizontal slash, Horizontal, with Kigas Sida as the goal.

As the name Ayn Grant suggests, this is the sword skill set in the system in the VRMMO game 'Sord Art Online' that existed in the past.

It's understandable that you can reproduce the action. When he visited the world of Gun Gale Online, a VR game based on gunfights, Lin Yiyan used several sword skills to break through the bitter battles. But after all, it just makes the actions of the virtual body follow the cat, and does not produce the light effect that accompanies the skill and the system assistance of accelerating the sword. These weren't written into the game system, so it was a no-brainer.

After eating up the meat and vegetables on the iron skewers, Lin Yiyan turned to the table and said to his partner who was staring at the circle of villagers, "I said, Yugio ......."

"Hmm...... What's up? ”

"You ...... in the future" However, before Lin Yiyan could continue, a sharp voice fell from his head, "Ah, it's in this kind of place!" What are you doing, protagonists of the celebration. ”

It took Lin Yiyan a moment to notice that the girl in front of her who was standing with her hands crossed and her chest up was Serka. She untied her usual braids, put on a headband, and wore a red vest and a grass-colored skirt instead of a black monastic robe.

"Oh, no...... I'm not good at dancing......" Yugeo made excuses while eating, Lin Yiyan also shook his head and his right hand, "Oh, me too, I lost my memory......"

"It's just dancing, just dancing and dancing!" She took Lin Yiyan and Yugeo's hands at the same time, and pulled them up from their chairs. Without saying a word, Serka dragged the two of them to the middle of the square and pushed them out. There were immediately shouts of wow, and the two were immediately overwhelmed by the circle of dancing.

Luckily, they danced very simply, similar to the one they had at the school sports festival, and they were able to dance like a cat when they changed their dance partners three times. Gradually, with the simple melody, the body movements became pleasant, and the steps became lighter and lighter.

Girls who looked neither Oriental nor Westerner smiled happily with a healthy flush on their faces. Holding hands and dancing with them, I felt like I was really a wanderer with no memory, which was incredible.

The music gets higher and higher, the tempo picks up, and then it ends abruptly. Looking in the direction of the orchestra, a burly man with a beautiful beard was on the podium set up next to the various instruments. He is the head of the village of Lulid, who is also Serka's father, Gashut.

The village chief clapped his hands twice and said loudly in a penetrating baritone, "Ladies and gentlemen, the banquet has also entered a climax, but listen to me a little bit about one thing!" ”

The villagers raised the ales and ciders that had been prepared to cool down their bodies that had been heated by the dance, and greeted the village chief with joy, and then they all fell silent. The village chief looked around for a week and spoke again, "The great wish of the ancestors who pioneered the village of Lulid has finally come true!" The Demon Tree that took the favor of Teraria and Thors, from the fertile lands of the South, has been cut down! We will have new wheat fields, bean fields and grazing land for cattle and sheep! ”

Gashut's bel canto was once again overshadowed by cheers. The village chief raised his hands and waited for everyone to be quiet again, then continued, "The young man who has accomplished this feat, Eugio, the son of Orik, come here! ”

The village chief beckoned to a corner of the square, and Eugeo stood up nervously. The short, middle-aged man next to him must have been his father, Mr. Ollick. He and Yougeo didn't look like each other at all except for the color of their hair, and instead of pride, they looked a little overwhelmed.

Yugeo was urged to step forward not by his father, but by the surrounding villagers. When he stepped up to the podium and came to the village chief, facing the square, the third and greatest cheer was heard. I also applaud with the momentum of not losing to them.

"According to the rules—" The village chief's voice rang out, and the villagers all closed their mouths and pricked up their ears, "Yugeo, who has completely completed his vocation, will receive the right to choose his next vocation!" You can continue to cut wood in the forest, you can follow your father in the fields, you can herd cattle, make wine, or do business, you can choose any kind of path! ”

———— what?!

Lin Yiyan felt that the afterglow of the dance quickly cooled down. Now is not the time to hold a girl's hand. Sure enough, you have to push Eugeo early and last. If he says something now, "I want to plant wheat," it will be over.

Lin Yiyan held his breath and stared at Yugeo on the stage, only to see him bow his head in distress, scratch his hair with his right hand, and keep holding it with his left hand. simply rushed to the stage by himself, hugged his shoulders and shouted that we should go to Yangdu - just as Lin Yiyan was thinking this, a small voice next to him said, "Yugeo...... I'm going to leave the village......"

It was Serka who stood beside me at some point. The corners of her mouth curled into a smile mixed with loneliness and joy.

"Yes, yes?"

"Well, absolutely. What else is there to hesitate about. As if hearing her voice, Yugeo gripped the hilt of the Green Rose Sword hanging from his waist with his left hand. He lifted his face, looked first at the village chief, then at the villagers, and said in a loud, clear voice, "I'm going to—become a swordsman." I'm going to join the guards in Zakaria Town, hone my skills, and one day I'm going to go to Yangdu. ”

After a moment of silence, there was a stir among the villagers. But this wave does not seem to be well-intentioned. The adults were all frowning and gathering in twos and threes to talk about something secretly. The expressions of his father and the two young men around him, presumably Yugeo's brothers, were also very unhappy.

This time, it was also the village chief of Gashut who took the scene. He raised a hand to silence the villagers, and said with the same stern expression, "Yugeo, are you—"

He paused at this point, touched his beard and continued, "...... No, the reason can't be saved. Choosing your next vocation is a right given to you by the rules of the Church. Well, as the elder of Zakaria, I recognize Oryk's son Yugeo's new vocation as a swordsman. If you wish, you can leave the village to hone your swordsmanship. ”

Whew, Lin Yiyan let out a sigh of relief.

In this way, you will finally be able to confirm the core of this world with your own eyes. If Yougeo becomes a farmer, Lin Yiyan naturally plans to go to the central capital alone, but he has neither knowledge nor travel expenses, and if he walks aimlessly, he doesn't know if it will take a few months or years. Thinking that the hard work of the past few days has been rewarded, my shoulders suddenly lightened a lot.

The villagers also seemed to accept the chief's decision, and although they hesitated, they began to applaud. But before the applause could erupt, a shrill shout pierced the night sky.

"Wait a minute!" I saw a big young man jumping in front of the stage through the human wall. With his short hair and stern countenance, he was impressed by the simple sword that hung from his waist on his left side. This person is the one who has been guarding the southern sentry box, the guard of this village.

The young man puffed out his chest as if he were confronting Eugeo on the stage, and shouted in a rough voice, "It should be my right to target Zakaria's guards first and foremost!" It stands to reason that Yugeo should not be able to leave the village until after me! ”

"That's right, that's it!" As he shouted, a middle-aged man with a hair color and face similar to the young man's, but with a fat belly.

“…… Who's that? Lin Yiyan asked, leaning his face closer to Serka. Serka replied with a sad face, "It's the former Captain of the Guard, Doc, and his son, the current Chief of the Guard, Jingu. They were the best, but most annoying, family in the village. ”

"I see, that's ......" When Lin Yiyan was thinking about what to do next, the village chief of Gashut listened to Jin Gu and his father's proposal, and raised his hand as if persuading, "But Jin Gu, you have only been a guardian for six years." According to the rules, it would take another four years to participate in Zakaria's sword fighting tournament. ”

"Then Eugeo should wait another four years! How can you put me aside and let Eugeo, who is not as good as me, go to the convention! ”

"Hmm. But how do you prove it? Prove you're better than Giorgeon? ”

"What......" Jin Gu and his father's Lian suddenly turned red. This time, his father approached Gashut in a rage.

"Even if you're the village chief of Lulid, I can't pretend I didn't hear such a violent rumor! Since you said that my son's sword is not as good as a mere woodcutter, let's try it now! Hearing this, the villagers immediately coaxed "yes, yes, yes". They were all eager to watch this unexpected after-show, raising their glasses, stomping their feet, and shouting, "Try! Competition! ”

Just when Lin Yiyan was in a daze, Jin Gu challenged Ugeo, and Ugeo was worthy of acceptance, and as a result, the two confronted each other in the open space in front of the stage. It's really fake, Lin Yiyan thought to herself, and whispered to Serka, "I'll leave for a while." ”

"Y-What do you want to do?" Lin Yiyan didn't answer, but separated the crowd and came to the fountain and ran to Yougeo's side. Compared to an opponent who was menacing like a Humvee, Yugeo had an expression like this for some reason, and when he saw Lin Yiyan, he immediately breathed a sigh of relief, and whispered, "How, what to do, Yi Yan, things seem to be getting bigger." ”

"At this point, it's useless to apologize. Let's not mention this first, is this competition really going to cut each other? ”

"How is it possible, although the sword is used, it is all pointed."

"Hmm...... However, if this sword hadn't stopped and cut down the other party, it might have killed someone. Listen, don't aim at Jin Gu himself, but at his sword. A Horizontal shot at the belly of the sword was over. ”

"Really, really?"

"Absolutely, I promise." Lin Yiyan patted Yugeo on the back, nodded at Jin Gu and his father, who were staring at me suspiciously not far away, and retreated into the queue of spectators.

The village chief of Gashut on the stage clapped his hands and shouted, "Silence! ”

"So- although there is no reservation, there will now be a Captain Guard Jingu and a Nicked Hand...... No, the Swordsman Yogio Tournament! The two sides point to the end, and must not damage the other party's destiny, understand!! Before his words fell, Jin Gu pulled out the sword at his waist with a bang, and a little later, Yugeo slowly drew his sword as well. The villagers exclaimed in admiration at the sight of the Green Rose Sword shining beautifully under the campfire.

Jin Gu also seemed to be overwhelmed by the momentum emanating from his opponent's sword. His head tilted back slightly, but immediately returned to his original position. The young guard's face grew a little more hateful, and he pointed his left hand at Eugeo and said an unexpected line.

"Yugeo, is that sword really yours?! If it's a borrowed thing, then I have the right to prevent you from ......using it," and before he could finish shouting, Yugeo replied with a resolute attitude, "This sword - I got it in the caves of the north, and now I have the right to do it!" ”

The villagers suddenly whispered, and Jin Gu was speechless. He was expected to ask Yugeo to prove his ownership, but Jingu didn't seem to mean that. I am afraid that in a world where there is no theft, the claim of ownership proves that it is 'his or her property', and that the question itself may be some kind of violation.

- I don't know if this guess is right, but Jin Gu didn't say more, but spat at his hands twice, and raised his straight sword high. On the other hand, Yugeo holds the sword in one hand with his right hand, pointing the tip of the sword straight into the opponent's eyes, and his left hand and left foot step back, lowering his center of gravity.

As hundreds of villagers watched with bated breath, Gashut raised his right hand and shouted "Go!" At the same time, he waved down.

"Oooo

As expected, Jingu immediately rushed over. He shouted in a rough voice, slashing straight in front of him with a momentum that made him wonder if he would really get there—

“…………！！” What about that, Lin Yiyan let out a slight inhalation. Jingu's sword drastically changed its trajectory in the air. He makes the appearance of slashing down from above, which is actually a horizontal slash from the right. It's just a rudimentary feint, but it's bad right now. As I suggested, Yugeo was ready to use Horizontal to target Jingu's sword attack, but it was very difficult to meet the horizontal slash with a horizontal slash. It is likely to cause an airswing to be hit by an opponent......

"Hey...... Ahhh Compared with Jin Gu, the shout that was a little lacking in urgency ended Lin Yiyan's thinking in a blink of an eye.

The sword skill used by Yugeo is not Horizontal.

Carrying the sword on his right shoulder as if he were preparing for it. The blade glows a slightly thicker blue light. He took a step as if he were about to shake the earth, and then sharply drew an arc of 45 degrees in the air. This is...... It's a diagonal slant that I haven't taught him.