Book 4: Chapter 3: part4

After watching up to there, “Un”, Junpei nodded.

「It looks like there’s no need, to hold back on my target huh……」

「JP? And so, what are you planning to do? I don’t have a melee job but I can supportーー」

「I’ll do it alone」

And just like that, from the shadowsーーJunpei went out of the blind spot and started to walk towards the middle-aged man,

「Eh?!」

Ami cannot be blamed that she would let out a voice of surprise.

After all, it only looked like he had no plans at all. No matter who looks at it, it is a head-on fight without a doubt.

「You’re, my pair……? No……target, huh? Why did you not launch a surprise attack?」

Towards the man who asked dubiously, Junpei answered with a shrug of his shoulders.

「Well, starting now, I’m going to steal your important think. I just thought, as courtesy for that……I’ll fight you head on」

「I don’t know what you’re talking about, but well……I’ll think of it that I don’t need to waste time searching for you」

Raising the large axe with both his hands, the plump middle-aged man lowers his stance and prepared for battle.

However, Junpei stopped him with his hand.

「Before fighting, I have a suggestion」

「Suggestion?」

“Yeah”, Junpei nodded and pointed to the right direction.

「There’s an open space just right there. Ossan is completely a melee power fighter right?」

Did he feel funny about something, receiving Junpei’s words, the middle-aged man answered with a light scoff of amusement.

「Where the hell in this world do you think would a magician or a thief or a ranger will carry a large axe?」

「As you can see, I’m lightly armored……completely the speedy type. Are you planning on swinging around your large shield in this place full of trees and bushes? If we’re fighting here……I’m at an overwhelming advantage you know?」

The middle-aged man dubiously narrowed his eyebrows.

「You don’t launch a surprise attack, and do not take advantage of the terrain……what the heck are you planning?」

There was no way that he was going to use the Skill Hunt ability in front of Ami.

The Skill Hunt is basically a skill out of common sense in this world. There was no need to uselessly stand out.

「I’m telling you I’ll fight you head on. I don’t like bullying the weak after all. I thought that I’ll at least, make you show all your strength」

「Fight head-on? You brat……don’t get too cheeky? Do you know? Those arrogant with their power are the first ones to die in battlefields」

「It’s not arrogance but confidence……no, I could say, conviction?」

Towards Junpei who said it casually, the middle-aged man popped a vein in his temples.

「According to the rules, I can’t kill, but……you’re quite lucky huh, it looks like losing all limbs is fine?」

「Don’t worry. I’m nicer than you……I’ll let you off half-dead」

It was really an exchange of words.

Junpei gestured the middle-aged man to follow him using his jaw. And at the same time, he said while waving his hand towards Ami inside the bush.

「I’ll return after 30 minutes. Ami……don’t move there and wait」

That battle axe, how much weight does it have.

Inside the woodlands full of trees and bushes, *Bassa, Bassa*, the sound of cutting trees echoed.

The axe that gained destructive powers with weight and speed, it destroyed the woodlands, easily cutting the hard trees.

And to that scene, Junpei rolled his eyes.

「We even came to an open place……you didn’t need to cut trees more than this too. And so……what demonstration is this?」

The middle-aged man grinned.

「You would hate it right?」

「Hate? What?」

「There’s no difference since you’re going to be defeated with one blow, but……getting defeated without knowing the skills of the man who you lost to……you would hate it right?」

“Haa〜……”. Junpei made a wry laugh.

「Well, do what you want」

「Hmph!」

The thick blades of the axe were swung around. As if to create a barrier, the axe created a half circle with two-meter radius.

It is a skillful war axe techniquesーーthat would be the honest opinion of common people.

However, unfortunately, the middle-aged man’s opponent is Junpei who survived in a far harsher place.

ーーit’s like a fly have stopped.

Towards Junpei who had such reaction, the man opened his mouth with a proud face.

「Fufu! Making such dumbfounded expressionーーI can see that you’re surprised by my axe skills! What, don’t worry, I won’t take your lifeーー」

And there, the man stopped swinging his axe.

「You……you should be thinking this……why does such a skilled man like me, is partners with John Burg?」

「Eh……?」

Towards the man’s sudden question, a question mark was pasted on Junpei’s expression.

「Well, it cannot be helped that you’ll be dubious about it. In fact……my skills are at the high level of B-Ranks too. No, I might have even reached the territory of A-Rank. I am a man who originally should’ve passed this test a few years ago」

「……?」

Towards Junpei’s confused expression, the man who seemed to have mistaken something nodded several times.

「I can really understand your doubt. In fact, I can easily pass this test. However, why did I, without passing the exam……do such thing for many yearsーーI have a reason for that」

「……」

“I’m not fucking asking you……”, Junpei tried to say that, but the man stopped him with his hand.

「For once……I have fought John」

“Oh, is that so〜……”, Junpei tried to say that, but the man stopped him with his hand after all.

「That was twenty years ago……it was when I was 15, and John was 16. John and I were childhood friends. And from back then, John was already a pervert」

「Well……that’s without a doubt a pervert」

「We have a common female childhood friend. She was very beautiful……she was a famous beauty in the village that we were born in. She was a prize beyond everyone’s reach……」

The middle-aged man looked far away to the sky.

「And, John……he laid his hands on that girl. On the day of the summer festival……John attacked that girl in front of me」

「And then, you fought John to save that girl?」

「That’s right」

With a deprecating smile, the man looked down.

「ーーinstantaneous defeat……it was」

After being silent for a while, he shook his head.

「From then on, I could not raise my head against him, and followed him like a retainer」

“No, I don’t really care about that……”, when Junpei was thinking of that, the middle-aged man asked.

「Hey, you……why are you aiming for B-Rank?」

After thinking for a while, Junpei said.

「For strength……I think」

「Strength?」

「I don’t have a suitable job. If I become B-Rank……I can have a job right? My status would simply be more than doubled」

「You……you don’t have a job? And this exam……you were able to reach up to here. It looks like you were quite lucky. Jobless guys who are normally worst than small fries……they won’t get lucky enough to reach this place」

“Ahh, he understood it differently……”, Junpei thought, but he didn’t correct him.

It is a waste of time to explain from one to ten to guys like this. For Junpei, this middle-aged man is just a prey. He will defeat him and stealーーthat’s all about it.

「However, why are you asking me why I’m aiming for B-Rank?」

The man was thinking of something deeply.

「Iーーam not asking for power」

It looks like, he was not planning on making a conversation after all.

ーーwell, this bastard can’t be saved at all. He’s just good enough to be with that pervert.

Junpei decided to reply at the minimum.

「Power? You……you don’t want it?」

“Yeah”, the man nodded with satisfaction and opened his mouth.

「Fighting against John 20 years ago, I saw the true power fighter for the first time. not relying on proficiency skills like swordsmanship or close quarter combat techniquesーーthe pure power fighter……」

「He don’t have any skills?」

「No, more specifically, he was born with the skill【Limit Cut】at the Super level. Although there is a time limit on activation, it’s an absurd skill that increases attack powers and defense powers by 750」

“I see, that sounds delicious”

Junpei raised the corner of his lips. “On top of that, I won’t have any worries about feeling guilt against that bastard”, Junpei thought.

「From then onーーI gained powers」

「You got……powers?」

「No, more specifically, I gained a skill」

Junpei made a sun-bright smile towards the man.

「Skill?」

「Yeah, it’s a skill. Combined with the Master-class Battle Axe Techniques……with the me right now……even if I fought against Johnーー」

「In short, you are following that John while searching for a chance to get revenge? While sharpening your fangs……you were aiming for an opportunity to stab him in the back」

「That’s right. Hoping that someday, I’ll catch him off guard……well, as byproduct of that, the women that he was done for……I was able to get a taste of them」

「Then, so, show me your powers alright?」

「My……powers?」

「The result of the fight against that pervert 20 years ago, the result of 20 years of admiring a power fighter. You already showed me that battle axe techniques of yours. What kind of skill did you get other than that?」

Towards Junpei’s question, the man answered with a delighted expression.

「This is that power! MY power!」

And then, the muscles that could be seen from his light armorーーthey exploded……or seemed like that.

There are the physiological phenomena that when one continuously add heavy burdens on muscles, blood will gather and make it pumped.

It’s the phenomena called pump up, but the change that happened to the middle-aged man’s bodyーーit was an exaggerated version of that.

「This is the【Explosive Strong Body】ーーits Master-class!」

After saying that out loud, the man once again started to swing his axe.

「Listen and be amazed!! This adds 350 attack power and defense powers to the status! Adding the Battle Axe Techniques that I trained with to thatーー」

Once again, in the forest full of trees and bushes, *Bassa, Bassa*, he cuts of trees.

However, those sounds were far smoother than earlier, and faster as well.

「……hee〜. That’s really a useful skill」

「On top of that, my base status has 150 attack powers, and 150 defense powers too……!! Adding the +50 weapon’s bonus to that! And, AND, additionally, with the bonus of the Battle Axe Techniques, my attack has surpassed the limits of a human!」

The man shouted out while swinging his battle axe.

「Take this!! Take this attack that only top class battle axe users can use, this is my GREAT AXEーー!!!」

The battle axe was swung.

From what the man planned, he was going to cut Junpei……just a little bit, he swung his axe so that blood would come out just a little bit. It is to plant fear on Junpei. He planned on making Junpei know that he was holding back, make him understand the difference with their skills. That was the man’s plan.

「Yoishotto」

A few millimeters.

Junpei moved his body just a little bit, and dodged the battle axe with a distance smaller than a rice.

「n?」

The battle axe, unfortunately, cuts the air.

“How strange……”, while tilting his head, the man once againーーswings his axe.

「Hmph!」

「Hoitto」

Repeat. The attack that grazes one’s skin and the dodge distance smaller than rice.

「Hmph!!」

「Yokkoishotto」

Repeated once again.

And finally, the man’s expression started to have the color of confusion.

「You……」

「What?」

Towards Junpei’s expression that is full of confidence, the man shook his head.

「No, it should be just my imagination……really, what a lucky guy. However, I won’t miss the next time. Don’t blame meーーeven if I take your life」

The man said with a proud face, and swung his axe once again.

And this time, he swung it down straight towards the middle of Junpei’s head.

「Oishotto」

Making light steps, Junpei dodged casually.

The man lost his words.

After losing himself for a while, the man opened his huge mouth with a dumbfounded expression and said the following.

「Y-You, dodged……? You, you’re jobless right? Why can you dodge my attack?」

「Even if you ask me why……isn’t it just, my status is far higher than yours?」

「No, but, however……but!」

When the man was about to say that, Junpei released a palm attack towards the man’s jaw.

He lost consciousness in an instant showing the white of his eyes, and the man fell down to his knees.

「The skill……thank you for the meal」

After saying just that, Junpei took out a rope from his item box.

That was not the orihalcon rope that he got from the torture man in the labyrinth, but a cheap one that he bought in the town’s general store.

However, if he ties him up carefully, it is impossible for his guy who doesn’t have any skill to escape.

Junpei carefully tied up the man’s limbs.

「+350 to both attack powers and defense powers……really, I’m really thankful. If I strengthen my status in this pace……I might be able to fight those monsters in the labyrinth head on」

There is the【Explosive Strong Body】gripped within Junpei’s hand.

Name : Takeda Junpei Thesaurus Points : 100

Level Up : 1160 → 1161

Bonus Points Gained : 5

Status

Job : Skill Hunter Level : 1161

HP : 1840 MP : 180

Attack Power : 300 (Junpei's basic stat : 5) Defense Power : 425 (Junpei's basic stat : 5)

Evasion Efficiency : 4405 (Junpei's basic stat : 3855)

Equipments

Main : Magic Beast's Canine (Mythological Class)

※Infused with God Killer attribute

Sub : S&W M57 Forty-one caliber Magnum (National Treasure Class)

※Bullets replenished using magic powers. No strengthening

Armor : Sword Saint's Light Armor (Rare : Rank S)

※Defense Power +145 / Attack Power +45

Shield : Aegis' Shield (Legendary Class)

※Defense Power +250 / Evasion Efficiency + 300

Mantle : Cloak of Evasion (Rare : Rank A)

※Passive that increases the basic Evasion Efficiency to 1.5 times

Shoes : Tenma no Tabi (National Treasure Class)

※Defense Power + 30 / Evasion Efficiency + 245

Skill (Skill Slot: 6 Remaining)

———————————————————————————————-

Attributes

Undead King

※Changing Body Composition. Just like an undead, its body fluid, blood, and, meat would become a very strong neurotoxin.

Tamed Monsters