Chapter 69 - Vol. 2 - 34

Keiko

Finally, after a few more fights that led to Keiko reaching level 19, Haruna decided that she was ready. 

Level 19

MP: 100/100

---

STR: 24

DEX: 33

CON: 10

INT: 10

WIS: 10

L: 5

Keiko didn't know if that was true, but she was desperate to find out. 

"Whenever you're ready," Haruna said, sitting next to her. In her lap, Keiko had her sword, looking down at it as though it would give her strategies to use. 

"Any tips?" Keiko asked. 

"Hm... The creature seems to be fond of slow, but powerful strikes. In moments like these, you can dodge or go for a parry, but be wary if you try the latter. It hits far harder than you might think. Aside from that, remember your fundamentals and make sure you dodge those wind blast techniques." Haruna said. "Although they can be blocked with a blade, like regular attacks, the force behind them could leave you open for other attacks. Better not to take any chances." 

Keiko nodded and tried to go over the different expert-level techniques she'd learned before she was sent to help Ash. However, admittedly, some of these had faded into the recesses of her memories given how little she practiced them nowadays. 

Especially when taking into account Keiko's own personal philosophy, that fundamentals would always be more important than anything flashy. Although in the face of these magical attacks Haruna and the creature were trading, such an outlook was slightly harder to maintain. 

Still, Keiko stood up and took a deep breath. 

"Well, no sense in delaying things further. I'm ready." 

"Very well then, good luck. Anything happens, I'll be right behind you." 

So, Keiko walked into the first floor of the building. The armor was laying there, its pieces scattered after the result of the last fight with Haruna. Suddenly, the air felt so much colder. Her hands were hard to keep steady. 

Begin?

[Yes] [No]

As Keiko stared at the words above, she imagined a couple of voices speaking to her at this moment. 

Go ahead,  Ash's voice said.  I don't really give a shit if you fuck this up. It's fine. 

You've got this! She smiled, thinking Kaori would say something like this if she were here.  Beat him up! 

Keiko shook her head, laughing lowly. Then, she looked back up at those two words and nodded. 

Yes. 

And with that, the scattered pieces of armor began putting themselves back together. Keiko narrowed her eyes, focusing. She placed her sword between them and watched as the ghostly warrior's figure was slowly built, from his feet to his torso, to his head. Its sword, a far longer version of her own, made Keiko think for a moment. 

His reach surpasses mine,  she thought. That means that the only way I'll reach him is by putting myself in harm's way, lunging into him. However, like Haruna said, although he probably has a size and strength advantage, I should be faster. Ultimately,  there's no way to approach this fight safely given the matchup. But, I can do this. I just need to find the right time to strike. 

With her strategizing concluding, Keiko saw that the Zayama Warrior was just about fully resurrected. 

It took its blade and held it out, pointing its tip at Keiko. 

And, with a long-range swing, Keiko saw slashes in the air being sent her way. She ducked under them and ran forwards. The Zayama Warrior was quick to react to her closing the distance, hopping backward to put more distance between them. 

Ah.  Keiko thought as she realized what it was doing.  I'm not sure what its capabilities are in terms of strategizing, but it clearly knows what I want to do. I'll need to be faster, then. 

The Zayama Warrior then slashed the air three times, sending three waves towards Keiko. She sidestepped, dodging all three with that move, and then sprinted. The Zayama Warrior turned around as Keiko chased after it, this time running up the wooden wall, leaping off of it, and landing behind Keiko. 

I was too slow, I could have cut it as it landed!  Keiko scolded herself as the creature raised his blade and stabbed forwards with it. Keiko deflected the attack, moving the enemy's blade to the right and sliding her own sword up to reach its handle. However, before she could get an attack off, the creature hopped back, once again keeping some meters between them. 

For a moment, the action paused. 

Keiko stared at it, taking a few slow breaths. 

It was only then that she realized her arms were shaking.  It's so strong.  She thought.  Our blades only locked a handful of times, and it's had this effect on me already. I... I feel like my arms might break. 

The Zayama Warrior then casually aimed its blade at her again, waiting for her to move. 

It knows that the pressure is on me to close the gap and slash through it.  Keiko understood.  It doesn't have to move unless prompted to. It can remain in the same place for as long as it wants, and secure its victory that way. 

Keiko separated her feet, putting them at shoulder length as she gritted her teeth.  I need to be faster then. I need to push myself. But... Not just with my own speed this time, with the Spirit Eye. 

"Iridos!" 

As she spoke the incantation, suddenly, she saw two wind slashes aimed at her head. The Zayama Warrior then carried out both slashes and Keiko ducked under them. 

With a battle cry, she ran forwards. 

More wind slashes followed, but dodging them became easier now thanks to her ability. Just as she reached the Zayama Warrior though, it raised its blade up. Keiko tried to impale it, but when her Spirit Eye showed her the future, it showed Keiko's own body, with a sword in her neck. 

What? 

And then, the creature lowered its blade onto her with a vertical slash so quick, Keiko nearly couldn't block it. She managed to raise her own blade just a millisecond before the attack would have reached the spot it had in the vision, and Keiko was pushed to one knee as she collapsed under the force. 

They remained like this with their blades locked until Keiko activated her Spirit Eye again. This time, she saw a slash from the creature decapitating her. As her vision ended, the Zayama Warrior went for a horizontal slash, and Keiko fell back rolling out of the way. 

Standing up as quickly as she could, she breathed heavily. 

What was that!?  She wondered.  The visions... they...  And then, she understood.  Oh. The visions take place 2 seconds into the future, but some of these attacks are so fast, they would kill me in under that amount of time. So, what comes up in the vision is me, dying.  She breathed heavily and the Zayama Warrior casually got back in a fighting stance. 

Terrifying.  She thought.  But it's a reminder of why I need to push myself. Remember, Keiko. The fundamentals... Just, remember the... 

She tried to remember what she'd been taught, but instead, what came up in her mind were the lessons she'd given to Ash, what felt like ages ago. 

It was after Ash's fight with the goblin, the result of which could have been devastating. She remembered the shame she'd felt as she tried to teach the half-demon after that, vowing she wouldn't be so careless. She hadn't liked the fact that they'd made her a half-demon's teacher, but she would do the best job that she could. 

"Parries, blocks, deflections. Each has a time and a place." She had let Ash know. "Knowing when to use them is what separates the experts from the amateurs." 

Now, in the present time, Keiko calmed her nerves down, tightening her grip on her sword. 

She saw Haruna standing behind the creature, her arms crossed as she watched Keiko. 

Momentum blocking, stopping his force entirely using my own strength, won't do anything good for me here, Keiko thought. This thing is far too strong for that. My arms will eventually break, maybe not even eventually, maybe soon, and I'll end up with a sword in my chest. Deflecting and parrying are my only options, though, if I'm off in terms of my angles by even a little bit, it'll mean my death.

Keiko got ready.

But that won't happen. It can't. I've trained way too hard for that! 

"AAH!"

And then, Keiko charged. 

Wind slashes erupted from her opponent's sword, and this time, Keiko was running far too quickly to dodge. So, she swung her blade at them. The slashes bounced off her weapon, flying into the wooden walls around them and sending splinters into the air. She had her eyes fixed on the enemy's weak points, knowing she needed just one opening to end this fight. 

She activated her Spirit Eye, and what she saw was the creature, two feet back from where it stood, launching another wind slash. 

Then, the Zayama Warrior stepped back and prepared to do that. Keiko closed the gap before it could finish and went for a horizontal slash at its waist. Activating her Spirit Eye, she saw herself, armless, her opponent having cut her limbs off. 

How...? Wait, it's going to try to parry!

It was an unusual angle, as her attack was coming from below, but it could do it. Keiko wouldn't let that happen though. As she saw her opponent's sword coming for her, she slid her blade up the Zayama Warrior's weapon, rendering the technique useless.

Now! 

She raised her blade and slashed through what would have been a living opponent's neck. 

YES! 

It took a moment, but then, the creature's arms went limp, and its armor fell to the ground, reduced to mere objects once again. 

EXP Gained: 70

EXP: 70/220

"I-I did it!"  Keiko realized this as her teacher walked forwards, clapping. "I DID IT!" 

Haruna laughed. 

"Good work. You adapted to the challenge well, and that last little move you pulled was great. I'd expect nothing less from one of my own."

Keiko was still in disbelief. Though she'd been helped reach this point by her master, she faced this creature and defeated it on her own. No Ash, no Kaori, no one there to help her but her own skills.

She was so happy, she could almost cry.

"Now, ready to do it again?" Haruna asked and Keiko remembered, this was but one victory of many she'd need. 

Just because she'd proven she could win here did not mean she could beat the next floor. So, she'd have to do this again, at least a few more times before she could consider herself ready for the challenges ahead. 

Yes! She thought.