I'm the Evil Lord of an Intergalactic Empire!

Rinho, who was fighting the prime disciple, had been driven to a wall.

Some of her long, beautiful hair had been cut, and her clothes were stained with blood.

The prime disciple, who saw this, appeared bored.

“Is this the One-Flash that’s said to be invincible? Weak, too weak. It turns out it wasn’t you guys that were strong, but the techniques of One-Flash that were incredible.”

Rinho silently intercepted a One-Flash that the prime disciple had unleashed.

And thus, the prime disciple came to a decision.

“I alone am enough to spread the fame of this strongest school of swordsmanship. After killing you and Liam, I’ll proceed to eliminate everyone who’s learned the One-Flash and make it my own!”

This declaration was akin to saying that he would even kill the governor to make this invincible sword technique his and his alone.

He was thinking of putting his plan into action starting with Rinho, and took a big step forward to unleash a One-Flash.

But at that very moment, Rinho also moved forward and went past where the prime disciple stood.

Surprised that his One-Flash missed her, the prime disciple looked back in a hurry.

Rinho let out a small sigh.

“I’ve been observing your movement, and to be honest, it’s a letdown. What’s more, the fact that you wish to hammer down the nails that stick out just shows that you’re a petty man.”

“Someone who’s struggling to deal with my One-Flash has no right to say that!”

Hearing this, Rinho unleashed a One-Flash of her own, and a light scratch appeared on the prime disciple’s cheek.

The prime disciple touched it with his hand, and realized that he’s been grazed.

With that, he came to a horrible realization, and started to shake in terror.

Disappointed by the prime disciple, Rinho carried on.

“I wanted to observe and learn how the Original One-Flash had developed, but there’s nothing noteworthy aside from your One-Flash. You’re lacking in every other aspect, so you can’t even bring out the true potential of One-Flash.”

Rinho came to the conclusion that the Original One-Flash was a school that cast everything aside, and focused solely on learning the One-Flash.

Turning to face the prime disciple, Rinho readied her iai.

The prime disciple hurriedly readied his sword as well, but before he knew it, his body had fallen to the grown, bisected vertically in half.

As blood splashed on the floor, Rinho stared down at him with cold eyes.

“A One-Flash that has fallen is better off gone.”

Rinho started walking as she muttered.

◇

Fighting against seven people in the courtyard, Fuuka’s clothes were tattered, and she herself was riddled with wounds.

Despite being surrounded by seven people simultaneously unleashing their One-Flash, she laughed as she fought.

The senior disciple at the scene was taken aback.

“Why can’t we hit her?! Why isn’t she falling?!”

It was inconceivable to him how Fuuka could remain standing even with their numerical advantage.

However, Fuuka had noticed something during their fight.

Rinho was the type of person who calmly analyzed her fights, whereas Fuuka was the type that learned with her instincts.

“Yer nothing without the One-Flash.”

Fuuka belittled them out of nowhere, which enraged the disciples.

They put more force behind their attacks, making their One-Flash more destructive than ever before, but Fuuka simply avoided them all.

“It’s no use. All yer doing is putting more strength. This— is One-Flash.”

With that, she swung her twin swords, killing three of the regular disciples.

While everyone was stunned, Fuuka put her swords on her shoulder.

“Yer One-Flash is fake.”

Fuuka said this with such confidence, while the senior disciple pulled out his sword in denial.

“It’s not fake. It’s the real One-Flash! The strongest swordsmanship in the Empire!”

“No, it’s fake. You’ve left out everything that’s important, so even your One-Flash seems dull. Looking at you, I can finally appreciate how scary Master and Senior Brother are.”

Although she felt disappointed by the Original One-Flash, she was grateful to be reminded once more about how terrifying Yasushi and Liam were.

And that was all there was to them.

They were tough opponents, and they taught her what she was lacking in.

“Seeing you guys have taught me a lot. Unleashing the One-Flash isn’t enough. It’s no wonder Senior Brother attaches such great importance to the basics.”

Growing impatient, the senior disciple rushed in to attack while Fuuka was muttering to herself.

His instincts were screaming in terror.

Fuuka narrowed her eyes without moving, chopping the senior disciple into fine pieces.

The other disciples, who were watching, tried to escape with their backs exposed to her.

Fuuka opened her mouth wide and grinned.

“Now, now, that ain’t the answer, is it? For members of One-Flash to flee in battle— aren’t ya’ll just better off dead?”

Fuuka closed the distance between her and the scattered disciples, then she unleashed her One-Flash.

She only used the bare minimum amount of force to finish them off in a single blow by targeting their vitals, and by the time Fuuka landed on the ground, all the disciples had collapsed.

Returning her swords to their scabbard, Fuuka took a deep breath before taking a look at herself.

“—Welp, it’s better than when we fought with Senior Brother.”

Fuuka, who had won against members of the same school, moved once more in search of her next enemy.

◇

“Reality is cruel.”

The kimono that I’m wearing is in tatters, and the training suit that I’m wearing underneath has been forcefully shut down.

I take off what I’m wearing above the waist, leaving myself half naked with only a hakama.

Blood is flowing down from my wounds, but none of them are fatal, so I leave them be.

I sheathe my sword that’s in my right hand, and hold it in my left before looking up at the ceiling.

The light is dazzling.

I’m embarrassed by all the misunderstandings I’ve had until now.

“From the beginning, Master never unsheathed his sword…”

Not appreciating the profound realization that I’ve just had; the disciples of the Original One-Flash unleash their One-Flashes at me.

I slightly raise the guard of my sword with my thumb and give it a light snap.

And what do you know?

The bodies of seventeen disciples including the senior members collapse into pieces, blood flowing out of them after hitting the ground.

Not a single drop of blood has been splashed.

—And what’s more, I haven’t unsheathed my sword.

All I did was make a sound.

Just by doing that, 17 people were cut down and several sword marks were left in the room.

After all that rigorous training, I’ve come to know the secrets.

One-Flash exists beyond the realm of simple strength, killing, or even magic.

All this time, I’ve only been imitating the One-Flash.

“No wonder Master doesn’t carry a sword with him. —He doesn’t need one in the first place.”

I think back to the time when we met at the territory of Viscount Razel, who’s now a Baron.

Master wasn’t carrying a sword back then.

It’s not that he didn’t have one—it’s that he didn’t have to have one with him.

That’s probably beyond me for the time being.

Without carrying a sword with me, I’ll probably fail in unleashing the One-Flash, and even if I could, it’ll surely miss.

“So, this is the true One-Flash.”

I say this under my breath as I turn my gaze toward the sole surviving member.

He’s the only one who survived, but it doesn’t look like he understands what’s happened.

I approach him slowly.

With a look of terror on his face, he shoots a One-Flash at me.

He’s not even aiming, so there’s no need for me to even dodge the attack.

“D-don’t come towards me! Don’t come!!!”

Looking at his pitiful figure, it makes me sad that we’re both members of One-Flash.

When I arrive before him, he falls on his butt, and the smell of ammonia soon follows.

Without minding the smell, I start asking him questions.

“Where’s your Master?”

“Eh?”

“I’m talking about the instructor of the Original One-Flash. What’s his name? Where is he? Is our Master safe?”

It’s frustrating to know that one person managed to survive from the One-Flash, the true One-Flash, because of my immaturity.

However, it’s precisely because he managed to survive that I can interrogate him.

“Answer me. Where’s your Master? Where’s our Master?”

“H-he’s with Lord Governor—”

I don’t sense anyone powerful next to the governor, but this should be enough.

I decapitate the disciple before sheathing my sword and making a clicking sound.

The thick door blocking the room shatters into pieces and collapses.

It seems I’ve been wrong from the very beginning.

The secret to One-Flash is to slash without pulling out the sword.

“Now, time to call Ellen back.”

I’ve managed to overcome a wall.

All that’s left is to rescue Master Yasushi.

◇

“Cutting down enemies without pulling out the sword?!”

The Guide, who was watching Liam, couldn’t process what was happening before his eyes.

The secret to the sword technique was to keep the sword sheathed.

He couldn’t believe what Liam was suggesting, and neither could Gudwar.

“Sure, there are schools out there that say it’s best to defeat one’s enemies without needing to pull out their sword, but this—this is different! Those are two different things! He’s actually not pulling out his sword!”

A slash produced by neither swordsmanship, nor magic.

The Guide and Gudwar were flabbergasted by the answer Liam arrived at.

They had mass produced people who could use the One-Flash to defeat Liam, but their attempts only made him stronger.

It was the Guide’s worst nightmare.

“Gudwar, since things have come to this—hiii?!”

The Guide was about to share their next course of action, but Gudwar’s face was bright red, and steam was coming out of it.

It appeared Liam really wasn’t to his liking.

“I was hoping for an exciting battle filled with bloodshed! This is unforgivable! I’ll crush him. I’ll make sure to crush him here and now!”

Gudwar, who no longer deemed Liam’s One-Flash a form of swordsmanship, grabbed the Guide with one of his octopi legs.

“N-no, stop. That hurts!”

Seeing the Guide whom he grabbed suffering, Gudwar tightened his grasp to release his pent-up anger.

“This is all because of the unnecessary things that you’ve done!”

“You’re being unreasonable!”

Although he said this, it was true that Liam had grown to this extent thanks to the Guide’s interference, so Gudwar’s anger was not uncalled for.

“Since things have come to this, I’ll make sure that Liam dies by hook or by crook! He’s bad news, I tell you. If we leave him alone—he’ll eventually become our enemy, and when the time comes, he’ll direct his blades at us!”

A black steam rose from Gudwar and spread out in all directions, penetrating into space and calling forth Liam’s enemies.

The Guide watched as this happened while he remained restrained.

(W-with this, it’s game over for Liam.)

Although he was suffering under Gudwar, the Guide was willing to put up with it if it meant defeating Liam.

◇

Two malicious beings were trying to take Liam’s life.

The black steam which was being dispersed throughout the universe was invisible to the human eyes, but at the bow of a black battleship, a light in the shape of a dog was watching as it spread.

In outer space where there was no air for sound to travel, the dog howled, and its howl traveled through space until it reached its intended target.

◇

“Huh? Was that a dog’s howl I just heard? Whatever, that’s not what’s important right now.”

Chester was inside a room waiting for someone to enter, and beside him was Yasushi, who had been locked up inside a cage like a product being displayed.

“They all lost? All thirty of them?”

Chester was quite flustered when he heard the report from his subordinate.

Seeing him so unsettled, Yasushi laughed through his nose.

(Oh? Have hostile forces entered the mansion? Good, now defeat them all and help me out of here. It seems my prayers have worked.)

After being captured, he had prayed to God every day for ‘someone to come and help’.

He wasn’t capable enough to do anything by himself, so whenever he was troubled, he went straight to praying.

Knowing that his prayers had been answered, Yasushi felt pleased and was optimistic about his situation.

Since an enemy of Chester’s was rushing over; they might help him after seeing him being held captive.

While holding onto this faint hope, Yasushi suddenly felt a strange chill course through his body.

A shiver went down his spine.

(Have I caught a cold?)

‘I should sleep tight tonight,’ he thought with his escapist mindset.

The door to the room was cut down just as he was having these thoughts.

(Here comes my hel—eh?)

Yasushi was excited to see who his saviors were, but after the door was cut down, he saw two people behind it—and one of them was Liam.

Liam, who’d experienced so much growth, looked much more powerful and mature than Yasushi remembered him to be.

Liam also saw Yasushi, and corrected his posture.

“Master, I’m sorry for being late.”

Liam made his appearance, his body still full of wounds.

Yasushi also corrected his posture, and sat upright.

He tried his best to act calm and composed, but alarms were ringing inside of him.

(Dear God, you got the wrong person!!! Literally anyone but him!!! Take him back!!!)

The person who arrived was the last person he wanted to see.

A red-haired girl stood behind Liam, and she was addressing Liam as her master.

“Master, I don’t see the instructor of the Original One-Flash anywhere.”

“We just have to ask Chester then. —So, are you the one who kidnapped Master? You’re ready to face the consequences, right?”

Liam threatened Chester with a terribly cold voice, wrapping the room in a heavy atmosphere.

It was almost suffocating, and cold sweat constantly ran down Yasushi’s back.

However, things didn’t end there.

“Arara? Senior Brother got here first?”

Rinho, who was also in tatters, showed up.

When she entered the room and found Yasushi in it, a big smile blossomed on her face.

“It’s Master! Masteeer!!!”

Rinho waved her hand at him, and from behind her, Fuuka made her appearance by jumping into the room.

She was also covered in wounds, but she was so happy to see Yasushi that there were tears in her eyes.

“Finally. We’ve finally reunited! Master, I’ve come to help!”

Yasushi desperately tried to maintain his smile as he nodded at the four who came to save him.

(I didn’t want to see you guys ever again! Also, I sent you two to kill Liam. Why are you moving together with him?!)

Yasushi was at his wits’ end trying to figure out what was going on.

As such, he couldn’t bother listening to what Chester said next.

There was a switch in Chester’s hand.

“Don’t come any closer! If you do, your Master would be blown to smithereens— Wha—?!”

Chester showed the switch to them, but the moment he did, it shattered to pieces.

Not only that, various figures appeared from the walls and floor near Yasushi.

They were wearing masks, and appeared to be Liam’s subordinates.

“Lord Liam, we’ve dealt with all the explosives. All the traps have been removed as well.”

“That so,” Liam muttered.

Then, he turned his attention to Chester, who was shaking in fear.

Chester, who couldn’t stand the pressure from Liam any longer, pulled out his sword.

“Y-you monsters!”

Though still immature, he unleashed a One-Flash, which was blocked by Liam.

Sparks scattered between the two as Chester continued to fire his One-Flash, only to be intercepted by Liam.

Liam then put his hand on his chin before looking over at Ellen.

“It’s just about right. Ellen, you’ll be his opponent.”

“—Understood.”

Ellen stepped forward to confront Chester.

———————————————————————————————————–

Brian (´；ω；｀): “…What does it even mean to slash without pulling out one’s sword?”

Wakagi-chan (；゜Д゜): “Eh? Hmm, I don’t understand either.”

Brian (´；ω；｀): “….”

Wakagi-chan (；゜Д゜): “….”

Brian (｀・ω・´): “Anyway, today’s the day that Volume 2 of ‘I’m the Evil Lord of an Intergalactic Empire’ goes on sale! Did anyone manage to read about Lord Liam’s glorious feats already?”

Wakagi-chan ( ゜∀゜): “Please also look forward to the collaborative SS with ‘The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs’! Volume 7 will be released on January 30th, so don’t forget to check it out! I’ll be playing an active role. Maybe!”