Chapter 178

Chapter 178

Swoosh-!!

The diagonally thrust wooden sword advanced, tearing through the air.

It's a sound that gives me goosebumps just hearing it.

Schlüssel.

Daike's third original secret technique that I mimicked with [Divine Imitation] after asking him a little while ago.

Firmly grasping the sword handle with both hands and thrusting forward from chest height.

'The fastest thrusting technique.'

Schlüssel also has the meaning of 'key', so you can roughly infer what kind of motion it is.

The reason I chose thrusting as my secret weapon.

It's because I realized something while dueling Lucia.

'Thrusting attacks are the most difficult to deal with.'

Slashing or smashing attacks are relatively easy to block.

Not only are the motions large, but just by placing the sword on the path, you can block the opponent's attack to some extent.

But thrusting is different.

The acceleration that comes with rushing in is scary, but also.

'It's a point-shaped attack that aims at a single point.'

It's extremely difficult to block the sharp and thin tip of a sword.

It's even more so if what you're holding is a weapon with a thin width like a 'sword'.

Blocking an attack that comes in with the sole intention of putting a hole in my body with a sword?

It's impossible. Before you can block, somewhere on your body will be pierced.

'Even if you luckily position well and block it, it will bounce off and put a hole in one part of your body.'

Of course, someone with Lucia's skill level might be able to do it.

In fact, there were a few times she blocked my thrusts during the duel.

But the situation is quite different from then.

Currently, Lucia is in a situation where she's charging in anger after being tricked.

And my thrust is not an ordinary thrust, but a secret technique that boasts the highest attack power among Daike's techniques.

'In this situation, it will be impossible to block a thrust!'

Lucia has two choices left.

Thrusting against it or dodging it.

But what I'm using now is a secret technique that even Lucia is seeing for the first time.

She won't think to recklessly thrust against it.

In other words, Lucia will choose to dodge.

'I'll follow in the direction she ran away and finish it off with One Flash!'

The collapsed posture from forcibly dodging the thrust.

If she faces [One Flash] head-on from that posture?

It will be difficult to block with the power of a 6-star knight level.

I can see Lucia's wavering eyes.

It means everything is going according to plan.

'Left or right. Please choose quickly.'

The closer the distance, the more destructive [One Flash] will become.

It was when I was concentrating all my attention on Lucia's movements.

But then.

Clang!!

"...!!"

I couldn't help but widen my eyes.

Not because of the sparks that flew in an instant.

'She blocked this!?'

That's right. My secret thrust was blocked.

Lucia is currently holding the wooden sword horizontally and firmly supporting the blade with her left hand.

And the tip of my wooden sword is trembling as it touches the center of Lucia's wooden sword.

Blocking a thrust aiming at a single point with a sword.

Lucia achieved that impossible feat.

'This damn monster...!'

Lucia's wooden sword with the steel core slightly exposed due to the impact. Behind it, Lucia's eyes glowed vividly.

The reason people don't often use such a powerful and difficult to block thrust despite its fearsome nature.

It's because of the critical weakness of thrusting, which is that there are many openings after a failed attack.

Bang!

Lucia lightly struck my wooden sword and thrust her sword in a straight line.

A motion so clean that it feels beautiful.

I quickly rolled on the ground to dodge that attack.

Roll roll-.

An evasion as clean as Lucia's motion.

Perhaps acknowledging that, Lucia lightly whistled.

"Hmm~ Anyway, you're nimbler than anyone in a moment of crisis. Oh, of course it's a compliment. A very high praise at that."

Lucia raised both hands above her head and lightly rested the wooden sword with the exposed steel core behind her neck.

"Too bad. The sword was light. If it were a greatsword, I don't think I could have blocked it."

"......"

That's right. Daike's weapon is a greatsword, while my weapon is a typical double-edged sword.

Swinging, blocking, using secret techniques, using tricks.

Lucia blocks my attacks way too easily.

Bam!

Lucia's wooden sword hit my body.

It hurts. I want to lie down right now and say 'the teacher is hitting a person'.

But I can't collapse like this.

"Want to do more? I can't go easy on you anymore either."

"...Keke, that's what I want."

"Don't regret it."

The wooden sword kept pounding on my body.

I tried my best to avoid fatal injuries.

Because if I get hit properly somewhere, Caron will stop the test, saying it's instant death.

Bam!

She's a monster.

Secret techniques, artifacts, psychological warfare, tricks, and even the veteran knowledge I was so proud of.

None of it works.

Efforts are denied.

It's as if the world is whispering that all the time I've spent, everything I've built up until now.

Was meaningless.

-Yes, efforts don't always lead to good results. Rather, they more often betray me by mocking me.

Is it because my stamina is low, because my mental strength is exhausted, or because Lucia is beating me up.

I hear a voice.

-The world doesn't revolve around you. But someone is watching you closely. Isn't that enough reason to live in this world?

It's a voice I'm hearing for the first time, but I could immediately tell who it was.

It's 'their' lines.

I've seen it so many times that I can tell the ending line just from the first sentence.

-Opportunities don't end with just this one time. Repetition of failure and success. Isn't that what life is all about?

Those who were called heroes in the game.

And those who met their end without becoming heroes.

The outcry of the heroes I only know, who sacrificed in places no one knows.

It swirls around my ears, becoming pieces and fragments.

Creak-.

I straightened my sword and stood upright.

Yeah, what's wrong with failing? In the first place, it's not a quest where you die even if you fail.

A Hidden Piece and quest I saw for the first time from the beginning.

It might be my greed to try to clear it from the start.

'I've experienced failure dozens, hundreds, thousands of times!'

Yes, I know.

Everything I thought was a failure.

They are pieces that lead to success.

This game.

This damn world.

You guys.

'You're the ones who taught me that!'

So to me.

Don't dare urge me to give up!

"Haaaaaah!!"

Clang-!!

A sound so clear that it feels futile.

My vertically swung wooden sword was touching Lucia's wooden sword.

A simple swing.

It was a blow that wasn't even worth blocking.

But for some reason, Lucia was smiling faintly behind the wooden sword.

Soon, Lucia and Caron's mouths opened at the same time.

"Pass."

"...You pass."

Words I can't make sense of.

At the same time, several information windows popped up in front of my eyes.

[Congratulations! You have achieved a special condition. A special reward will be given.]

[Calculating a reward suitable for the current situation. Please wait a moment.]

[.....]

[.....]

[Congratulations! Your exclusive skill is blooming.]

[Zero Original F]

First original secret technique - Sincere Downward Strike

--TL Notes--

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