I Became The Rabbit Swordsman In A Novel

I got another goal. To confirm that if it’s the guy I know at the finals.

“We are nearing the finals. Who will be able to get the blessing of the emperor?”

The announcer brought the tension in the atmosphere to the next level. I tried to find Cream or Pucci among the audience, but they did not show up until the end.

It was then.

“Ahhh!”

I jumped up when I felt a sudden coldness on my cheeks.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.”

There was the girl with the wooden sign standing, holding a  yellow drink with ice.

“Did you come to keep the promise?”

I took a sip and smiled at the girl who came readily as soon as I made it to the finals.

“That, too and to explain a change of rules.” 

“A change in rules?”

“Yes. Until now you have used your own weapons, but in the finals you must use the weapons that are handed out.”

“Really?”

I tilted my head. A sudden change. Was it to put me in a disadvantage?

“They say so. The higher-ups may think that you make it too easy to guess the winner since you are so strong.”

“Such tedious work. I will win anyways, they don’t have to trouble themselves.”

I complained, but there was a great chance that Pucci was one of the ‘higher-ups’ she mentioned.

“So what weapon can I use?”

“One or two of these.”

In the cart that the guide brought, there was nothing that appeared feasible. All were various tools or rusted weapons. Maybe it would be a good choice to contaminate the opponent with rust?

“This one is the most….or least rusted.”

There was nothing that appeared as a rapier, so I picked up a metal rod that seemed like it would be used to flip through logs in the fireplace.

“Would that be all? Nothing else?”

“It’s fine. This is good enough.”

If the opponent cannot use a rapier or daggers, they would be of no threat to me.

“We will introduce you to the finalists. This is Miss Arix, who is the vice captain of the pirate crew ‘Wink Pirates.’”

As the announcer introduced me as I told them to, I waved to the audience. There were countless talks about how surprised they were and others about my looks. Of them were Mary and her crew waving their flags. I didn’t know if they could be so open being pirates and all.

“Up next is a dual specimen.”

The announcer’s voice changed into a pitiful voice.

“Honestly, it’s great that they even made it this far. The opponent of Arix is…”

The bunny who appeared slowly on the opposite side pulled off his hood.

“I am Jarrod, from the home of the Rabbit Man.”

“Booooooo!”

When people saw Jarrod, who really looked like an actual bunny who could walk, people started to mock.  On the other hand, I was welcomed because I looked like a female human if I covered up my ears. Would people react the same if I were to reveal my ears?

“It’s good to see you.”

I acted friendly, since I still met one of my kind all the way out here.

“Arix, you are actually Aris, right?”

Jarrod’s tone was not that friendly. At least during graduation, although he was cocky, his voice was clear and confident. Now it was all broken up and unpleasant to hear.  

“You already know.”

I didn’t have to lie to him, so I nodded.

“Finally. I can kill you at last.”

Jarrod got into the fight position as before. Instead of the sword that broke from our last battle, it was a similar shape as that of Cream.

“Wait, why is your weapon fine?”

I was holding a weapon that was all rusted, not even a real weapon but more like a stick, but Jarrod was holding a regular sword.

“I got it from him. To kill you.”

“Him who?”

“He saved my life.”

Was it Pucci?

“But why are you trying to kill me?”

I tilted my head, thinking that I heard it wrong. Did I do something so bad to make him want to kill me?

“It’s because of that ignorant attitude of yours.”

Even though we were distanced apart, I could feel his bitterness towards me.

“Is it because I ruined your graduation exam? Hey! You could have just graduated without it! You are the one who got embarrassed and ran!”

“No! Everything got messed up because of you!”

“Messed up? Because of me?”

What was he saying?

“After finishing up the exam, I left the village. But no matter how far I walked, I did not see the human village.”

Was he talking about Peter’s village?

“I managed to get out of the forest and reached a human town, the human soldiers not only chased me calling me a criminal, but some female elf tried to kill me.”

“An elf lady?”

“I was caught by her and managed to escape. When I ran to the beachside, luckily she stopped chasing me.”

So that’s how the elf found us. She was chasing Jarrod then saw me.

“And I reached a human city that was less bitter to dual specimens and heard about the god of the Sun and when I finally met him, he went back saying that he had already given the weapon to a different bunny.”

Oh, that bunny god.

“And even here, I was captured because of the fact that I am a bunny. And so in the prison, I heard when any news went around, it all involved you. You were up there gaining fame, while I had to live like a beggar. This was all since you appeared!”

I listened to him vent and then shrugged.

“So do you feel better after venting now?”

Then Jarrod made a strange smile.

“Then I met him. He said that he will make up for all the trouble I went through by rewarding me for killing you.”

“It’s not Pucci you are talking about, right?”

“I do not know his name. But with this dagger that he gave me, I will end this all.”

He should have known who he was dealing with. Was he that desperate?

“Then hold on a moment. Because we are only talking, the audience is now getting impatient.”

And as before, I threw hand kisses to stir up the air.

“Watch out!”

Then I heard Arje shoute. When I turned to the side, Jarrod was rudely swinging his dagger.

Clank!

“You really don’t have manners, do you?”

“Till when did you think that I would let you show off?”

And so once again Jarrod and I clashed our swords.

Clank!

And the rod that I was holding was cut in half.

“To think that you want to fight using that kind of a weapon. Where’s yours?”

Jarrod got angry, thinking that I was underestimating him.

“What do you mean? The board prepared this.”

“What are you talking about?”

Jarrod seemed to hear this for the first time, but then he immediately shook his head and made a rotten smile.

“It does not matter. You will pay for your pride with your death here!”

Jarrod ran over towards my direction. It seemed that Pucci had made some moves. No wonder it was weird. To suddenly change my weapon. But without my weapons, it was a big chance that Jarrod would win. I would not surrender due to my pride, and could die just as he wanted.

“Pride? No. Pride is forcing something that you cannot do.”

I held onto the rod, now into two. I made the longer one like a rapier and held the shorter one as I would a dagger.

“I am enough with these kinds of weapons, so I call this confidence.”

It was a greater chance that Jarrod would win, but not a definite fact. Even if my chances are 0.001%, it’s still a possibility.

“Blind spot!”

I used the shorter rod to block Jarrod’s attack. It broke, but there was no next time. I leaned forward to dodge Jarrod’s second attack, and used my longer stick to poke into Jarrod’s stomach area. 

“You…”

Jarrod held onto his stomach and kneeled. 

“If this were a real rapier, you wouldn’t be able to be lasting till here.”

I smiled brightly.

“How come that I cannot win against you, who is not even using a real weapon? We went to the same academy!”

Jarrod looked up at me. Looking at how low his ears had dropped, his bitterness now had turned into fear.

“That’s just the difference between our talents.”

Jarrod dropped his head from my last comment.

“End it quickly.”

“End what? It’s already over.”

I threw over my metal rod onto the ground. I had no hobbies to make someone miserable even more miserable.

“You will regret letting me go like this, Aris.”

Even while on the ground, Jarrod bluffed.

“Well, I don’t really have regrets in my life.”

Then, I saw Jarrod’s ears slowly rise again.

“No, you will regret this!”

Jarrod rose from the ground then ran towards me. I had nothing I could use as a weapon, but had something I could use as a shield.

“What the?!”

It was nice to see Jarrod flustered.

“A true master can use anything as a weapon.”

I dodged Jarros’ attack, then spun around my cape to use as a shield. Although Jarrod’s daggers aimed at my throat, it could not go past the cape.

“Hiya.”

I threw the cape onto Jarrod’s face, and 

“Mmph!”

As soon as Jarrod tried to dodge my throw, he lost his form.

Pow!

And for the first time in a while, I punched someone with my fists.

Rumble!

I didn’t know that my fists as a bunny were this strong, but Jarrod rolled on the ground.

“Cough.”

Jarrod coughed, but could not get up again.

“Told you. I have nothing to regret.”

Jarrod raised his hands from my provocation, but he had to drop it without energy.

“Wooooohooo!”

And seeing that as surrender, I heard the crow cheer.

“The winner, Arix! You showed the power of humans in front of the dual specimen! Please come up to the podium. We will soon have the award ceremony by the emperor.”

Yes. The awards. This would mean that Pucci would be there too. It was my chance.