"If you can't dodge, then you must defend, Lenny."
"But at this rate, I'll just keep getting hit..."
Feeling completely defeated, I was flooded with memories of the trauma from my sister's violent outbursts. I was terrified of Ivy; it was pathetic, even to myself.
She looked at me with disappointment. I'm sorry, Ivy; I am a cowardly failure...
But after a moment of thought, she stiffened her expression again. She wasn't giving up, and she offered me another piece of advice.
"Lenny, it'll come just before the attack. In that brief moment, shake off the strike. The next attack will be slower. You'll see it coming, just right before it lands."
There's no going back now. I have to respond to Ivy's expectations with this advice...
I mustered my will and tried to do as she suggested. But I couldn't find the right timing, and I took the full brunt of the next attack.
"Ugh..."
"That was terrible! Again!"
Are you the coach now? Ivy felt different somehow; she radiated an aura that was entirely new. It made me want to engage with her seriously for once.
We repeated this action over and over until, at last, the moment arrived.
With a satisfying *clang*, I sent Ivy's massive weapon flying, untouched. It was clear that this guard was on a different level.
"Did you... deflect the attack?"
"We did it, Lenny! This is what's called a Just Guard!"
Just Guard... With its success, a smile finally returned to Ivy's face. I want you to stay just as you are, truly...
She began explaining the essence of Just Guard to me.
"It's about the split second before you get hit. If you swipe your weapon at the right moment, you can perform a Just Guard, deflecting the attack without taking damage. The opponent will be left vulnerable, making it easier for us to counter-attack."
"Huh? No one can react that quickly multiple times! That's ridiculous!"
"Oh, but dedicated players can Just Guard as naturally as breathing. If you don't master this, you won't survive in this world!"
"Yikes, that sounds terrifying..."
No way, that's not a joke. It's impossible. I'm just an ordinary player; there's no way I can move that quickly. This is something only the hardcore players can do.
But Ivy clearly didn't share my doubts.
"If you can't do it, then you just have to keep fighting until you can. Now, let's go!"
We just kept fighting. Two hours, three hours... Time slipped away as we continued our battle.
Having repeated this many times, I came to appreciate Ivy's teaching methods. She skillfully introduced variations in her attacks, making it easier for me to grasp the timing.
She was no ordinary girl. Her knowledge of this kind of game was deep, and she was surprisingly strong. Her words were not just bravado—there was a clear display of expertise and technique in her attacks.
Because of this, I found myself improving rapidly. Before I knew it, I could execute consecutive Just Guards against her strikes.
"That wasn't so hard..."
Just as this thought crossed my mind, Ivy's fierce middle kick landed squarely in my abdomen.
Guh...! With a gasp, I was slammed against the edge of the fountain, utterly bewildered by what had just happened.
As I crumpled to the ground, Ivy unleashed a merciless rebuttal.
"This isn't a command-based game. This is a real fight. Just because I'm equipped with a weapon doesn't mean I won't use other attacks."
"Y-You could at least warn me...!"
How cruel, how totally unfair! This was an outrageous ambush...
Yet, she spoke to me with a determined demeanor.
"Lenny, while defending against attacks with the large needle, stay vigilant for kicks and headbutts. Use feints to break through my Just Guards and strike."
"That's completely ridiculous!"
Just trying to defend myself is hard enough, and this guy wants more? It's impossible. I'm just a regular guy!
"Is that really okay? If you don't strike back, you'll just be taken down one-sidedly. The one who will feel the pain is you, Lenny."
"Ugh..."
She placed her finger on her lips and said it cutely. Is she a sadist or something? This is no joke.
I feel bad for Ivy, but I'm not into masochism. My patience is running thin.
"Fine, if that's how you want to play it, I have my own plans..."
I'm just trying to protect myself. I'll use whatever dirty tactics necessary.
My specialty is cunning strategies. Honestly, I'm not a fan of straightforward sword-fighting or magic duels. The key is to leverage the environment, not just my skills.
Feigning an escape, I moved in front of the fountain. The moment she launched her attack, I scooped water from the fountain and splashed it right in her face.
"Whoa...!"
"This is a real fight! I can use water to blind you!"
I've already taken so much damage. No more complacency or sympathy.
I raised the wrench high and brought it down mercilessly on Ivy's stomach. Hitting a woman feels wrong, but this is just a game. It won't leave any lasting wounds, and women aren't inherently weaker than men. Logically, we're both on equal footing.
After being attacked, Ivy quickly took a defensive stance and retreated, standing there for a moment in a daze. Her expression was one of disbelief.
This is bad; she's really angry. I can't believe I resorted to such underhanded tactics. It's no wonder she feels this way. But then Ivy surprised me with her next words.
"Keeep it up, Lenny! Break through my guard and keep attacking!"
Far from being angry, her eyes sparkled with excitement. She looked thrilled, despite being doused with water and smacked with a wrench. What on earth is going on?
I thought she was just sadistic, but it turns out she's a bit of both. I can't keep up with her; she's on another level. Energized, Ivy readied herself to fight again.
"Alright, let's continue! I want to become even stronger!"
"W-wait! I'm not ready yet...!"
"What do you need to prepare for?"
Unlike her, I'm not resilient enough for continuous combat. I need some kind of interval, something to calm my nerves…
"Right! Before we fight again, let's bow! That's only proper etiquette, isn't it?"
I desperately bowed and called out to Ivy. She paused, putting her finger to her lips as she considered my suggestion. After a moment, it seemed she decided to accept it.
"You're right... Etiquette is important! Understood. Let's do that from now on!"
Ivy and I faced each other and bowed. Then we clashed our wrenches and needles together, starting our practice once more, like a scene from a sword fight.
A good atmosphere between just the two of us... But wait, that's not it. This clearly felt like something else!
In the end, we spent all the time before our promise practicing. I felt a sense of progress; I knew I was getting stronger. However, I couldn't understand Ivy's sudden change in demeanor.
"Hey, Ivy. Why the sudden push for this...?"
"We're going to meet Eldon, right? Even if we try to level up now, we can never catch up to the upper-tier players. Plus, we have high school to consider."
She hit a sore spot. That was undeniably true. It was questionable whether I could reach Eldon through mundane leveling alone. I had a feeling something absolute was necessary.
"You mentioned earlier that top players can Just Guard as easily as breathing, but that's a lie. Pulling it off in real combat is incredibly difficult," she said.
"Yeah, I had an inkling..."
"So from now on, let's practice combat every day! Don't worry, Lenny! I'll be right there with you!"
In short, she seemed to be suggesting that we could compensate for our lacking levels with skill. Even so, it felt like a considerable stretch...
"Do we really have to practice like this every day? It's clear this will make us stronger. I'm so happy to be getting stronger, damn it!" I could only tell myself this with tears in my eyes.
At 8 a.m. in Deepguard, Ivy and I met up with Violet and left the town of Epinal. Emerging from the gate, Violet pointed towards the horizon across the Ceradon Plains.
"Alright, let's head towards the village of Elb!"
"You're quite fired up…" I replied, feeling drained after four hours of intense battles. I couldn't find the energy to match her enthusiasm. Though, in this world, the concepts of fatigue and sleep deprivation didn't quite apply.
We strolled leisurely across the plains for a while, but soon found ourselves in a situation where we had to stop.
A group of four—two men and two women—blocked our path. They stepped forward as we approached, and one of them called out.
"Hey, isn't that Violet? What a coincidence to see you here!"
"Ugh… Ville," Violet groaned.
It seemed Ville was one of her acquaintances. She'd been playing this game for over a month, so it wasn't surprising that she knew some people.
In front of us stood a tall man with long hair and a well-defined face. He wore a large-brimmed hat adorned with feathers and held a guitar in his hands. There was only one job that used instruments, and it was clear—he was a bard.
Behind him, three men and women were following closely. The four of them seemed to be a party, set to embark on some mission.
The man called Will provocatively taunted Violet.
"Are you still running that guild with no members? You never learn, do you?"
"Hmph, are your eyes deceiving you? If we were guild members, we'd be right here."
She boasted, gesturing towards us.
However, Will wore a blank expression, avoiding eye contact.
"Huh? Where?"
"Right here! Over here! There are two of us!"
As Violet pointed us out, he finally made eye contact, and in that moment, he burst into loud laughter.
"Ah, sorry about that! Your guild is just too small for me to see! A-ha-ha-ha!"
"W-What did you say!"
This guy was a classic example of a sarcastic character...
Ignoring him would be best, but Violet was clearly lured into his trap. She was now seen as an ideal target for his teasing, which was a troublesome situation.
She pointed at the trio standing behind Will.
"By the way, who are those three behind you?"
"Ah, good question! I, the brilliant bard Will, have finally been recognized for my talents and appointed as the party leader of the Great Beast Hunt guild, **Enterprise**! I tell you, my own abilities frighten me!"
Ranked third in the guild rankings is the Beastslayer Guild, "Enterprise." Will is taking on the role of party leader there and seems dedicated to training the newcomers.
"Oh, I see you've ended up with a bunch of fresh recruits from the second wave. Tough break!"
"Hmph, and what about you? Where did you find those two in the back?"
"That's classified!"
Ignoring the bickering between the two veterans, Ivy and I introduce ourselves to the three newcomers. If we have time to squabble, we might as well use it to build camaraderie. The more allies, the better.
"I'm Lenny, a mechanic. Nice to meet you!"
"I'm Ivy, a tailor! Nice to meet you!"
When they hear our introductions, the three respond cheerfully. Just because the leader has a sarcastic streak doesn't mean the rest of the team does.
There's one man and two women, each with distinct personalities that make for an entertaining mix.
"I'm Hakusa, a fighter. Great to meet you!"
"I'm Ishura, a blacksmith. Nice to meet you!"
"I'm Shutora, Ishura's sister, and a spellcaster. Pleased to meet you!"
Huxley, the muscular Chinese man with fierce, arched eyebrows, immediately gives off a passionate vibe— my first impression is that he resembles Jackie Chan.
Ishura stands out with animal ears and a tail, wielding a large hammer slung over her back, making quite the impression with her generous curves.