Led by Nana-san, who said she had acquired a new skill art, I followed her to the training grounds on the outskirts of the village.
「Since we came all the way to the training grounds, is it a 『Bow』 skill art?」
「『Woodworking』」
「Huh? Really?」
If that was the case, my room or the yard should have worked just fine.
「The workshop in the yard would have been fine, but there were various reasons」
「I see?」
There is a workshop in our yard. A woodworking space I built myself a long time ago.
I do most large-scale woodworking there.
And yet, a 『Woodworking』 skill art that cannot be used there. What could it be?
「Now then, I will announce it. The 『Woodworking』 skill art I acquired is――」
「Gulp」
「『Circular Saw』!」
「『Circular Saw』!」
……Hmm?
A circular saw is that thing, right? The one with a round blade, kind of like a smaller version of a chainsaw?
「Seeing is believing. Shall I show you?」
「Ah, sure」
「I would like to try cutting some wood. Could you take out some lumber at random?」
「Okay. Give me a moment」
I took a piece of wood to use as a workbench out of my magic bag and placed it on the ground.
Then I set a thin square timber on top of it.
「Let us use this piece」
「It is quite thin」
「……I just thought it would be good to see it with something like this」
Since I had no idea what Nana-san’s 『Circular Saw』 would be like, I chose a very thin piece of wood.
With this, it should at least cut.
The grand unveiling of 『Circular Saw』 should not end in a disappointing result……
「Here I go. ――『Circular Saw』」
「O, ooh……」
Nana-san thrust her arm forward, and at the tip of her open palm――a circular blade appeared.
「This is 『Circular Saw』……」
「Yes. 『Circular Saw』」
「The blade is completely exposed. It is a bit scary」
Exposed, or rather, it is only the blade.
What appeared was just a circular blade.
A circular blade about fifteen centimeters in diameter floated in midair, spinning at high speed.
「Please be careful. A finger would be easily severed」
「Eek……」
I instinctively clenched my hand into a fist and took a step back from the 『Circular Saw』.
「……Sorry. I just wanted to try saying it」
「Eh……」
What was that supposed to mean…… She just wanted to say something that sounded like it……?
「I have never pressed a 『Circular Saw』 against a person’s finger, so I would not know. In any case, it is dangerous, so please do not come close」
「Yeah. ……By the way」
「Yes?」
「This has been bothering me a bit…… What is that sound?」
「Sound?」
From the rapidly spinning 『Circular Saw』 came a motor-like whirring sound, a 『viiiin』.
……Isn’t that strange? Why would it make a sound like that when only the blade is spinning?
「Is that not how a circular saw works?」
「Well, sure, a circular saw might work like that, but……」
A circular saw in my previous life would, because it had a motor.
But Nana-san’s 『Circular Saw』 is just a blade, right? Why is it making that 『viiiin』 sound? Where is that sound even coming from?
「Then I will turn it down a bit」
「Turn it down?」
When Nana-san held her hand over the spinning 『Circular Saw』, the rotation speed stayed the same, but only the motor sound became quieter.
「You can adjust the volume……」
「It seems so. I actually tried it just now for the first time」
「I see……」
Skill arts really do allow for a strange amount of freedom……
「Now then, I will actually cut the wood」
「Ah, okay. Do your best」
「Thank you. Well then, first I will hold the wood steady……」
Nana-san pressed down on the thin square timber I had prepared with both hands from above.
「If you do not hold it firmly, the rotation of the 『Circular Saw』 will push it and send the wood flying」
「Ah, I see」
「The first time I cut wood with a 『Circular Saw』, the flying lumber struck my shin painfully」
「I see……」
That is definitely something to be careful about……
……I should be careful, but a small part of me thinks I might have wanted to see that happen.
「Now then, here I go」
「Yeah」
While Nana-san held the square timber down with her hand, she shifted only her gaze toward the 『Circular Saw』, and the 『Circular Saw』 slowly began to move forward toward the timber.
Then, just like that, it passed through while cutting the wood.
「Oooh」
「Fufufu. Well, what do you think of my 『Circular Saw』?」
I picked up the cut-off end of the timber that had dropped to the ground and checked the cross section. It had been cut very cleanly and perfectly straight.
「Wow, that’s amazing. Really impressive」
「It is, it is」
「It’s fast, clean, and precise」
It looks faster and easier than sawing back and forth by hand. A very enviable skill art.
「By the way, it can also be used in combat」
「In combat too?」
「I tried it against monsters, and things like walking mushrooms and giant rats can be sliced cleanly」
「I see……」
Mushrooms aside, rats would probably make for a pretty splattery sight……
「What’s the range like? From what I just saw, it seems like you have to get pretty close」
「Huh? Ah, I can launch it, you know?」
「Launch it?」
「Let’s try it. Here you go」
「Huh?」
Nana-san handed me a thin square timber, then jogged away from the spot.
……Huh, what is she planning?
「All right, launching it now. Please get ready」
From about thirty meters away, Nana-san said that to me.
That is when it clicked.
By 『get ready』, she probably meant the timber. It seems Nana-san intends to launch the 『Circular Saw』 from thirty meters away and cut the timber I am holding.
「I feel like William Tell’s son……」
Even though Nana-san is more like a daughter figure……
With no choice, I grabbed the end of the timber and held it as far away from my body as I could.
「Are you readyー?」
「I’m readyー」
……Not really. I am pretty scared.
next chapter: 『Circular Saw』 VS the World Tree
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