Chapter 195: Defeating the Fishman and Reaching Intermediate Level

Fishman. That's what I decided to call this monster.

It's blue in color, has a face that looks like a deep-sea fish, walking with two legs and have two hands with webbed fingers.

I hate its face. He looks like it is mocking me. Must be that fish lips.

The Fishman is wielding a spear like weapon with three pointy blades instead of just one. What was it again?

"Victoria, what is that weapon?" I asked Victoria who has wide-knowledge about weapons.

"It's called Trident. A weapon I expected humanoid sea monsters would wield. It's the first time I ever see one though." Victoria answered.

"What is the difference between trident and normal spear?"

"…as you can see, trident has three blades instead of just one."

"Oh, wow! Thank you for explaining! I didn't know about that!" I said sarcastically.

While chatting with Victoria, the Fishman stopped its magic and attacked me with its three-headed spear. I mean trident.

Looking for melee fight, eh? That's better than using magic. Come at me!

I transformed Victoria into a spear and clash against the trident wielding Fishman. I didn't bring my own spear since I wanted to gain Experience by using Victoria so I can improve my summoning level.

The shaft of our weapons hit each other. But I'm stronger than the Fishman, so I can push it back. Then I pushed it away and aimed my spear at his chest. I can see where his heart is with my Divine Vision, and that's where I'm aiming at.

But the Fishman is quite fast and it is able to block my attack with the trident. He's parrying my attack so my spear missed its target.

But I haven't done yet.

With the momentum from being pushed, I spin around and raise my spear high to swung it down in vertical slash. But the Fishman stopped my spear by the gap between the two blades on the trident.

That! That is the difference between a spear and a trident! What I want to know is the use, not the visual differences! Why is Victoria answered with something obvious?

Well, this is also obvious as well, and I expected it to block it anyway. I just wanted to see if trident is more useful than a spear.

From what I can tell, trident's range of attack is wider since it has three blades. Making it easier to hit the target. And it also has another means of defense by stopping an attack in between its blades. Other than that, everything is about the same as spear.

From my perspective, it has more advantage than a spear, but I still prefer spear since I have one. If the one I have is a trident, of course I will choose trident.

I have a lot of disadvantages here. First, although I'm stronger physically, the Fishman has more experience in handling its weapon. That also mean I can learn something from the Fishman.

Then, it can use magic. I don't know if the Fishman can only use water magic or has other element as well, but I have to make sure it won't use magic on me again. That's why during our battle, I don't always push it back and make sure to let it thinks that I am a bit weaker than it. By doing that, the Fishman will be confident in defeating me without using magic. I'm doing it so I can learn to use spear or similar weapon better.

Victoria is better in swordsmanship, and she doesn't know much about using spear other than what she had seen in the past from other Aura users. As for in her previous world, there are no more real weapon fighting in her time. And although they are still existing in her world, they are very rare. She only ever seen from fictions about wielding spear. That's why I have no teacher to teach me how to use a spear.

As for Sonia, she's also a swordswoman. Both Sonia and Victoria learn from the same master after all.

That's why, although the weapons are different, fighting this Fishman makes me learn a lot about wielding long weapon.

I'm not learning technique of just one certain type of weapon. Although Sonia says that it's better to master just one weapon than learning everything, I'm not aiming to be a master of one. Especially since I have a monster that can shapeshift.

Of course I will have a main weapon Victoria or Blobby will transform into, but I will change my weapon according to the situation. For example, using a spear in narrow space is just a stupid thing to do. Using a sword when the opponent can attack me from distance is stupid as well.

And against this Fishman, I'm using a Victospear while pretending to be pushed back while knowing that I'm stronger than this Fishman. I'm lacking in technique, but I'm faster and stronger, which makes it easy for me to dodge and block its attack while learning its technique.

After thinking that I have learned enough, I no longer holding back and try to kill the Fishman right away. 

I pulled back my Victospear and prepare to trust its heart. This time, I used my full power so I can kill the Fishman in one shot.

…eh?

When I trusted my Victospear, I know with my Divine Vision that it won't be able to dodge or block my attack. That's why I felt confident. But I miscalculate one thing.

We are standing on the sea surface!

The Fishman used magic to stand on the water, and my Divine Vision is unable to see its magic.

When I trusted my spear, I didn't see any muscles movement telling me that he's trying to dodge, and I can't see that it's actually stopped using magic that let it stand on water and let its body sink into the sea.

…well, I'm doomed.

The sea is its territory. On the sea surface I can still dodge its water magic, but in the sea… water is everywhere. I won't know when he's using his magic.

The only thing left to do is either to kill it before it used magic, or to run away. But as Victoria said, I can't run away knowing that it might come back for revenge. That mean I have to kill it.

Then I also stopped letting myself stand on the water and sink into the sea. I see it getting further and further away from me.

its swimming speed is slightly faster than me. If it's like this, he will be able to escape. I have to improve my swimming speed right away!

But how do I increase my speed?

Then Victoria moved to my ear as I am still chasing after the Fishman and whisper to me something.

"Roy. Remember that Fishman's hands and feet. His fingers and toes, or whatever they are called, are webbed. Try to use Aura to make similar things on your feet. You should be able to swim faster then."

Making similar things, huh? I haven't been able to materialize Aura, but I should be able to just make sure that there won't be any water slipping through in between my toes. Let's try that.

After I did what Victoria suggested, my swimming speed got faster and I should be able to catch up to that Fishman.

I should have realized it from seeing how fishes can swim fast. They don't have spot where water slipping through on their fins and tails. Well, it just meant that I learned one more thing.

I chased after the Fishman from his blind spot. But it's difficult since that monster is a water mage as well. It can notice me from the movement of the water. And it even tries to crush me with water pressure.

But little by little, I managed to catch up with him. Although it was a bit difficult to escape from the water pressure, once I got out of there, it was quite easy to dodge its next attack since my Divine Vision can see where the water moves.

Knowing that he can no longer escape, the Fishman turns to face me with its trident. But I'm faster than that monster now. And trying to stop me when I'm stronger, faster, and can predict its moves by seeing his muscles movement is futile.

I easily pierced Victospear into his chest. I missed its heart slightly, but that's okay. With a hole in his chest, it's impossible to fight back.

With the monster stuck in my Victospear, I pushed it out of the water. I jumped high to the sky with it and attacked it mid-air while there are several water snakes from its magic that's chasing after me from below.

The Fishman died quickly and at the same time, the water snakes returned into water again.

I can feel magic dwelling inside me. Looks like I'm about to breakthrough my summoning level. I think it's best if I find some place to cultivate.

I go to the empty island where I store my loots and cultivate for a while. I let Victoria down on the ground. She's been quiet for a while.

In just a few minutes, I finally managed to enter Intermediate level! I feel so happy I want to dance.

"Victoria! I finally did it! I'm an intermediate level now!"

But Victoria didn't say anything. Is something wrong with her?

"Victoria?"

I approached Victoria with worry. What if it's the side effect of leveling up for her? I never heard about this though?

Then the black blob suddenly moves again. I think she's okay now.

"Victoria, you made me so worried. What happened?"

Then… a macho voice coming out of my black slime.

"Hola Amigo!"

"…whuh?"