"Now, I'm not saying I'm mad or anything, but where have you been Emily! We have been entertaining your excuses, you should properly tell us so that we can help you if you have trouble coming back home late." (Dad)
"Hey Emily! Why are you level 19!"(mum)
"What!" (Father)
"Uhhh, I go to the forest to kill slimes."
"..." (both)
They're both clearly shocked, what the hell should I do to get out of this predicament? Pretending to reach for my back pocket, I take out a low quality dagger I picked from random bandit A.
" If you guys don't trust me enough, I will show you I can take care of myself! Because you aren't taking this one entertainment away from." Narrowing my eyes, I breathed out some air to focus. Slowly going into my battle stance, I continued to stare at my father.
" You could just read books or play with neighbours, but you had to do something as dangerous as going into the forest alone. If I could make you stop doing dangerous things, then I'll fight." (dad) My father makes a face that I've never seen before. He walks to his workshop and comes back out with a sword. With the stance of an experienced warrior, he holds his sword straight in front of him.
" Fine by me." Flicking my wrist, the dagger went into a reverse grip in my right hand. Judging from his manner, this wasn't his fight. Is he counting on his potions to heal me later? In a way, he had an advantage. My only experience fighting with another person was fighting those bandits. They were actually weakened by the monsters first, so even that was no good. I have to make rational decisions and do my best in this fight.
Lowering my stance, I rushed in and immediately spun around with my dagger. A *clang* sound rang out and nothing changed. Gerald completely anticipated and blocked my dagger. Tch, should I jump? No, if he could react to the spin, he could knock me out from the air. Maybe I should use my short height. Putting energy into my legs again, I put my target in sight before rushing for it. Seeing through my attack, gerald decided to put his sword down and push the blade with his shoe to block my attack. Heh- alarming gerald's senses was my smirk in his peripherals. Yes, I successfully pulled off a feint. Pressing my right leg into the ground once I pass by his body, I ejected my self with that leg to turn and face his back. His superior speed allowed him to turn his body in time, but the feint managed to distract him. I slash my original target, his right leg.
"Ah! Tch!" Gritting his teeth, it didn't seem like he would back down from a slash injury. What is driving him so hard? Was it really all just to stop me from going to the forest?! Sorry, but my resolve isn't so weak as well. That's it right here, I declare in my own mind and soul. No one could hear something like this in mind, but this wasn't for anyone else, this was for me. I declare, I will become the strongest! Gerald was as strong as random bandit C with all his stats enhanced, so he will be my toughest opponent yet. [ Speed enhancement-tier 1]! With that 10% boost, my speed was at 352.
This time, I decided to go head on, if my attack was not half-assed, I won't get countered easily. In the mean time I should think of a new strategy. Perhaps a random mix of attacks will pull his guard down. Jumping in, I slashed at his torso. At this moment I messed up. I didn't account if he used all his strength in rushing head on as well. As if waiting for this exact moment, he pushed his sword down from over head. Using my instinct, I placed the blade attacking me at the most convenient location, on the blade of my dagger. Since my dagger was short, it slipped right off. But he had already foreseen this attack. After his blade slid off mine, he pushed his right leg into the ground to gain balance and swung his sword at me horizontally. Both my hands were still in the air from when I tried to redirect his overhead blow earlier. Flicking both my wrist, I reversed my grip and blocked the incoming blade. The force pushed me to hit against the wall, but I immediately regained my balance.
***(Dad)
Hu~hu~hu~, Isn't she to strong for a 7 year old?! My stamina is almost out, but I need to pretend to be unfazed by the fight. Those attacks were so god damn close. Huh?! W..w..why is she smiling!? Has she not had enough!
***
He... Hehehe. This is it. What a challenge feels like. This excitement courses through my veins, energises me and fuels me. Challenging my limits will make me grow stronger!
[Dagger proficiency-tier 2] —> [Dagger proficiency-tier 4].
Gained [Enhanced physical movement].
I need to use everything I know! [Mana detection-tier 2]! Feel the mana around me. Can I use the it? Gradually pulling the mana towards me it slowly healed my fatique, though not as fast as my draining stamina. I couldn't do it while standing still after all, or I will lose the fight. Pouring all my energy into my legs, I slashed at his torso from the left and from the right, constantly without stopping, before retreating back to a few metres away.
Running at a low height, I used it as a feint and back flipped over Gerald before turning my whole body and swinging my dagger at his back. A small amount of blood poured out his mouth.
"Give up, this is my victory." The whole time, I pulled mana towards my body to relieve that small bit of fatique.
Gained [Minor auto heal-tier 1].
Gerald didn't have a combat class, regardless his stats were boosted and he was a fearsome foe. Pouring a healing potion over my dad, mum wiped his sweat off with a towel.
"Haha, guess we couldn't stop you even if we wanted. Just please don't fight any especially dangerous monsters, avoid and run from dangerous people. You can tell which people are dangerous right? You slashed me without hesitation, that shows you had some experience, but I need you to promise me to always run and don't fight. "(Dad)
" Alright. I promise. " Pretending to be remorseful, I looked down on the ground. I needed to hide my expression, if not... my parents would see an elated smile. Of course it was a lie, I needed to get to level 50 and gain a class quick. In this world, an S-rank hero can go above level 900 from what I heared from my parents. If the level system was this ridiculous, I needed to become stronger quick, I can't challenge people to duel if I can't casually defeat low levels, or even survive in my case. I continued to grind experience from skeletons and slimes in the following week, growing from level 19 - 21. That was when another challenge showed up...
.