Chapter 18: Post town

2 DAYS AGO 1 COMMENT

Translator: Soafp

Happy 1 year anniversary!

[Skill level of [Sword of Life] has been increased.]

[Skill level of [Sword of Deprivation] has been increased.

　The day after I received the request from Eleanor, I was immediately working to fulfill her request.

　If I had wanted to, I could have done it right after that, but because I needed time to adjust Eleanor’s schedule and Iori working on my armor, it had been postponed until today.

　Certainly, I had accepted Iori’s request with the goal of completing her quest.

　If I had left it unattended and moved on, there would have been no point in defeating the spider.

　Anyway, after completing the new equipment, I went to the northern plains with the production workers.

“Fumu, things are looking good.”

“Uhm, Quon-san. If you kill them with a single blow, I can’t check the performance of your armor, you know?”

“There’s no element that can take the damage from these guys.”

　I shrug my shoulders and reply to Iori’s voice echoing from diagonally behind me.

　It seems that she, too, had become somewhat accustomed to handling the naginata, and had somehow managed to kill one wolf.

　Apparently, the more people in a party, the more enemies tend to appear.

　It would be difficult to take on all five of them at once.

　Fortunately, Eleanor and the other members of the team were able to fight well, so as long as I took on three of them, they seemed to be able to handle the rest on their own.

“But you are even more reckless than you sound, Quon-san. Even top players have a hard time when they are surrounded by five wolves, you know?”

“If Hisana is like that, I’m going to have to beat her back from the ground up.”

“Ah, no, except for her, Altorius and the people around him.”

　I shrug lightly at Kanbei’s words.

　I don’t know the name Altorius, but if Hisana doesn’t seem to be losing her guts, that’s good.

　Well, the fact is that I don’t know as much as I’d like about the performance of the armor, and it might be better to take some of the attack – but it’s against my principles to take the attack with a heavy hand.

　The point is, all I have to do is get an opponent with enough strength and skill to make it impossible for me to deal with it.

　Until then, I will handle the situation well.

　Well, I can understand the feeling of wanting to check the performance when seeing this new armor.

■[Armor:Body] Omori Spider Thread Kimono (black)

　Defense: 19(+3)

　Magic defense: 6(+1)

　Weight: 3

　Durability: 100%.

　Granted effect: Increased defense (small), increased magic defense (slight)

　Creator: Iori

■[Armor:Body] Hakama of Omori Spider Threads (black)

　Defense: 14(+3)

　Magic defense: 3(+1)

　Weight: 1

　Durability: 100%.

　Granted effect: Increased defense (small), increased magic defense (slight)

　Creator: Iori

■[Armor: ornament] Omori Spider Thread Cloak (white)

　Defense: 10(+3)

　Magic defense: 4(+1)

　Weight: 2

　Durability: 100%.

　Granted effect: Increased defense (small), increased magic defense (slight)

　Creator: Iori

■ [Armor:helmet] Bowl of steel

　Defense: 9(+3)

　Magic defense: 2(+1)

　Weight: 2

　Durability: 100%.

　Granted effect: Increased defense (small), increased magic defense (slight)

　Creator: Iori

■ [Armor: Arms] Steel gauntlet

　Defense: 11(+3)

　Magic defense: 0(+1)

　Weight: 5

　Durability: 100%.

　Granted effect: Increased defense (small), increased magic defense (slight)

　Creator: Fino

■[Armor: pants] Shin pads of steel

　Defense: 10(+3)

　Magic defense: 2(+1)

　Weight: 6

　Durability: 100%.

　Granted effect: Increased defense (small), increased magic defense (slight)

　Creator: Fino

　Later, I also bought a new gauntlet and shin guards, so I was spending money until I was almost broke, including the money from selling the materials I got in the forest.

　After all, it was just a few bucks. It was not hard-earned money, and I have no regrets about spending it.

　However, I am still wondering how I will earn the money for the next time I buy a new one.

　At any rate, it is true that the new equipment I have acquired is incomparably better than my old one.

　The design is also much more subdued, and perhaps by Iori’s arrangement, the back of the white haori has a diamond-shaped crest with the single character “久” on it, like a family crest.

　Well, I didn’t tell her the actual family crest, and I guess it was a single kanji character taken from the Chinese character for my name, Kuon. This gives it a custom-made look, which I like.

　Incidentally, for some reason, Kanbei was half-smiling when he saw me in all of this, and he was busy with Iori – unfortunately, he didn’t tell me the reason why.

“……I honestly thought the rumors about this guy were eyebrow-raising, but when I saw …… him in person, I couldn’t say otherwise.”

“Yakumo, I told you to watch the video, didn’t I?　Didn’t you see it?”

“No, I saw it……but I had to see it with my own eyes to believe it, that thing.”

　It was a boy called Yakumo who was stunned for a while when he saw me fight.

　No, he looks like a boy because his race is Halfling, but I do not know how old he actually is.

　After all, this race has the appearance of a child at any age. It is difficult to determine their age from their appearance.

　Well, in real life, he seems to be Eleanor’s younger brother, and I suspect he is in his early twenties at the most.

　Yakumo is a woodworker and one of the top production workers in Eleanor’s pre-clan.

　Since I am unlikely to ever use a bow or staff, I may have little chance of being taken care of, but there is no harm in getting to know the faces of these people.

“I think even Hisana did something similar.”

“No, what you did is considerably more difficult than what the sword princess did…… Even hers can’t be copied by ordinary people, so what you’re doing is in another dimension.”

“I do use difficult techniques, but what I’m doing today shouldn’t be that difficult.”

　Even Hisana, who has stepped into the master class, has not been able to use karma of a high degree of difficulty.

　Well, this is also because she prioritizes easy-to-use kata in actual practice.

　These guys, I think, could move on to more efficient forms of kendo for cutting opponents if they gained a little more experience. …… I guess they’ll need to practice for a while now.

“…… Well, don’t worry too much about what I’m doing. After all, I’m only good at cutting them down. It’s more like–“

　With a chin tuck, I point forward.

　Ahead of me, a line of stone pillars was already in sight.

　Our destination was beyond these stone pillars, the second town of Ribrum.

“What are you going to do about the boss fight now?　Watch my back?”

“I’m not going to lie down and let you take care of everything. I’d like to at least take care of the small fry……”

“Fumu. Those wolves.”

　A few regular wolves that the big wolf brings with him.

　Well, Eleanor and the others will have no problem dealing with that one.

　Eleanor is a bow user, Yakumo is a two-sword dagger user, Fino is a hammer user, Iori is a naginata user, and Kanbei is a spear user.

　Although I have not heard the detailed skill composition of the quintet, they are capable of fighting stably in this field.

　If that is the case, it would be no problem to entrust them with the task of dealing with the small fry.

“First, Yakumo and Kanbei will seize the Wolves. Then Fino and Iori will charge in. Quon will head toward the boss just as Fino and the others move.”

“Fumu. Well, I’ll follow your lead then.”

　Surely, if I jump in at the first opportunity, the wolves will gather on me.

　If I let Eleanor and the others deal with the wolves, that would be a little inconvenient.

　Well, it’s not that I don’t have a way if I wanted to, but it would be a bit of a waste to use it against a small fish like this.

　Let’s just sit back and observe Eleanor’s skill.

　With a slightly nervous but relaxed look on her face, Eleanor slowly moves toward the other side of the stone pillar.

　And then–

“Ooooooo — N!”

　The howl of a huge wolf, the same one heard before, echoed across the meadow.

■Greater Step Wolf

　Type：Animal, Demon

　Level: 8

　State: Active

　Attributes: None

　Combat Location: On the ground

　The identification results are the same as before. It would naturally mean that the strength is also the same as before.

　In other words, I can easily verify the difference in the power by using the new sword.

　Lifting the tip of the sword slightly and smiling, Eleanor was issuing instructions to the party members, oblivious to my condition.

“Yakumo, Kanbei, Concentrate!”

“[Taunt attack], here I come!”

“Ora wolves, [look at me]!”

　First, Yakumo, who is light on his feet, charges in and lightly attacks the steppe wolves with his dagger.

　The skill he is using, I think, is an attack skill that makes the attacks of damaged enemies turn on him.

　Kanbei, who is wearing a full suit of armor, is using a skill called “Loud Voice” or something like that.

　The effect itself is similar to the skill used by Yakumo, but it does no damage to the target and instead should be effective in a wide area.

　He didn’t declare the name of the skill …… a short incantation?

Hisana explained it, but I didn’t pay much attention.

　While thinking about this, I continued to wait for my turn to be ready while activating [Sharp Edge].

　And then the voice I had been waiting for rose.

“Taget focus confirmed!”

“Same here, Nee-san!”

“Fino, Iori, go!　Quon!”

“Yeah, got it!”

　As if waiting for me, I run to my side with my sword at the ready.

　Bypassing the step wolves, I run to the boss behind them.

　The wolves don’t care that I’m passing by them. I guess they already know what they’re after.

　If that’s the case – I’ll take my chances and go after the boss.

“Oooooo—-n!”

　The big wolf reacts to me coming toward it and moves forward to bite me.

　But it is sweet. If he thinks I’m just going to head straight for him, he’s mistaken.

Way of walking—Haze

　Sudden braking from a sprint. Controlling the movement of every muscle in my body, killing inertia, I slow down to the speed of a short run in an instant.

　When looking at the movement of an object, my brain complements the information by reading beyond it.

　If I could get behind him, I could easily put my figure outside of his perception.

　With a clang, the fangs that were about to bite me are clashed. The wolf’s vision probably caught my image, which was still coming toward it.

　In that brief moment of confusion, I accelerated again to the speed I had just reached.

“……!”

Way of decapitation – Hard form, belfry, lost and found.

　The divine speed of the slash, which is released by using my knees to kick up the gauntlet, is followed by a continuous flash of the strike down.

　The right eye of the wolf was gouged out at the time of the swing, and when the head moved reflexively from the pain, a flash of the strike down to the shoulder.

　The flash of the sword sliced through the Greater Stepwolf’s flesh without using the Sword of Life.

“Hahahaha!”

　It’s probably because I’ve leveled up.

　But more than that, this sword’s slashing power is amazing!

　Ah, after all, if I am going to slay, it must be like this!

“Gruaaaah!”

　I guess he wants to get rid of me. The big wolf swings as if to reap with its left arm.

　But it’s sweet. Such a move is quickly lost in the movement of his shoulder muscles.

　I took a half-step back and readied myself for the upper stance, saw off a paw that passed just in front of me, and swung my sword down at the head that came in front of me.

Way of decapitation–Hard form, Helmet penetration.

　It is not the art of decapitation, but the art of breaking.

　Instead of pulling to cut, strike to break. That would be an evil way to use a sword.

　This is the art of smashing an opponent’s helmet from above and destroying the inside of the helmet with the impact of the smash.

　Therefore, the attacker must use the peak of the helmet to prevent the blade from collapsing.

　It is very risky to cut the skull from above.

　Let’s make sure it get through.

“Go, gah…..tsu!?”

If it had been a human opponent, the current blow would have crushed his brain, but as it turns out, he is a boss monster. But as they say, boss monsters don’t die from a blow like this.

　However, perhaps dazed by the impact, it had completely stopped moving.

　It was a bit disappointing – well, it was the perfect condition to test the sharpness of using the skill.

“[Sword of Life].”

　The sword is clothed in light. I held it up high and stood next to the wolf, who was lying on the ground.

　The big wolf, which was probably half out cold and didn’t even catch sight of me, just grunted as if it was struggling.

　I could have enjoyed it a little more then, but – well, let’s just think of it as a growth experience.

“Shhh!”

　Then I swing down with a flash.

　The single sword was sucked into the wolf’s neck unobstructed – and its head was cut clean off.

[Levels have increased. Please allocate status points.]

[Sword skill level has increased.]

[Enhancement Magic skill level increased.]

[The skill level of ” Death Point Shot” has been increased.]

　It was a little unsatisfying as a battle, but I could see the full effect of the sword’s sharpness.

　Well, now I can be satisfied with this.