"...What do you mean?"
"In a standard RPG, there are three types of hits: miss, hit, and critical hit. But in this game, it can't be strictly categorized. It's just like a real fight."
In other words, the concepts of minor wounds, serious injuries, cuts, and grazes exist here. Of course, this is a game. Even if there are different types of damage, they all affect only HP.
"If you take a hit from a high-level opponent, it's usually instant death. However, a glancing blow—meaning a brush against your body—can limit the damage to a certain amount, even if your opponent is high-level."
So, just because an opponent is stronger doesn't mean a mere graze will lead to instant death. This makes it clear that the most crucial aspect of this game is avoiding attacks altogether. Always be aware of your opponent's strikes...
Just then, Ivy's large needle jabbed into my arm.
"Ouch! What was that for?!"
"That was a glancing blow."
"You really have no limits, do you? Hey!"
In short, I had to remain completely vigilant during practice. At that moment, I realized Ivy was not just intimidating; she was genuinely frightening.
She ignored my complaints and continued explaining. "Next is the attack on vital points. It's a critical hit, but..."
Oh no, this is going to hurt. Especially since I'll probably get hit in the most painful place. I really don't want that...
However, my expectations were easily shattered. Ivy's unpredictability far surpassed my imagination. "It's better if you do it yourself. Lenny, please hit me on the head as hard as you can."
"...What?"
Is this some kind of sadism turning into masochism? No way, I can't do that.
Hitting such a cute girl on the head with a huge wrench would be too bizarre. My conscience is screaming at me. It's impossible.
"I can't do that! She's completely defenseless!"
Ivy shot me an annoyed glance as if to say, "Don't hold back just because I'm a girl." Her gaze pierced through me, unyielding.
"Fine... I'll do it then!"
Reluctantly, I raised the wrench high over my head and swung it down hard at Ivy's head.
The impact sent her flying, crashing down to the ground. It was a clean critical hit. That must have hurt a lot. But she quickly rolled with the fall and stood up, brushing off the dust from her clothes, completely unfazed as she faced me.
"This is a critical hit. Do you understand the feeling now?"
"Do you even have pain receptors?"
"That's rude! Of course I do!"
She retorted cutely, puffing out her cheeks. Yes, stay just like this. I want you to remain this adorable. It's a heartfelt wish...
With practice incorporating glancing blows and critical hits, we continued our combat training. The more I fought with Ivy, the better I became at Just Guarding. I parried her relentless attacks again and again.
Now, even her kicks and feints, which used to catch me off guard, were easy to evade. I wasn't certain how this would hold up in real combat, but at the very least, I could keep pace with Ivy's movements.
"Lenny, you're really good at Just Guarding."
"Really?"
"Yes, you must have some kind of danger foresight instinct."
Thinking back, I did have a sensitivity to troublesome situations. I felt a sense of foreboding before the Elb incident, and I could instinctively sense the presence of strong opponents. Reflecting on my fight with Huxley, I had a bad feeling just before activating my Resolve. I also noticed the sudden shift in Spring and Baldy at a glance. So, it's because I'm weak and cowardly that I can intuitively detect danger.
"I've realized something. Lenny, you're allowed to run away. You can be afraid. Because there are things that only you can do!"
As the battle raged on, Ivy suddenly spoke up. Her smile, as dazzling as ever, shone brightly even under the moonlight of midnight.
We continued our training, but then something changed. Ivy's expression stiffened, her gaze darting toward a nearby thicket. Was it a monster? She pretended not to notice, keeping up the fight. I had no choice but to follow her lead.
I disregarded her focus and launched an attack toward her with my wrench. In that instant, her large needle was knocked away, soaring through the air.
"Oh…"
"Whoa!"
The needle tumbled into the bushes, and in that same moment, a scream echoed across the grassy expanse. We rushed over to investigate, peering into the thicket. There, a large needle was lodged in the ground, and a younger child sat trembling, having fallen backward.
"Hey… that's dangerous! I'm going to report this!"
"I'm sorry! My hand just slipped!"
But I knew it was deliberate. Ivy had clearly been aware of the thicket. Just a moment more, and that needle would have struck directly, causing serious injury. Poor kid…
I looked at the child on the ground. At first, I thought it was a girl because of the long hair tied in a single braid, but upon closer inspection, I realized it was a boy. His features were remarkably refined, hinting at a maturity beyond his years. Rather than cute or handsome, "beautiful" seemed the more accurate description.
Dressed in a kimono and armed with a katana, he appeared to be a samurai. He avoided making eye contact with us, turning his head away haughtily. I glared at the boy, questioning him with an intimidating tone.
"Why were you watching us?"
"I-I wasn't watching! I was just passing by!"
He stammered, clearly too suspicious… Could he really be a spy for such a weak guild? What was going on? Ivy, like me, seemed to be lost in thought. At last, she arrived at a conclusion.
"Wait! Did you want to practice with us?"
"W-What?! That's not it at all! What are you talking about?"
His fluster only grew stronger at her direct accusation. He was rather easy to read. Seeing his reaction, Ivy clasped her hands together, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she encouraged him.
"This is perfect! I want to try partnering with someone else for Lenny's practice!"
"That's not my concern. I'm not interested."
"Please! We really need you!"
It was true that training only with Ivy put a limit on my development. No matter how skilled she was, her fighting style had its patterns. Sticking to those patterns wouldn't help me in real combat.
That's why she takes the boy's persuasion seriously. It seems she's determined to get his cooperation at any cost. Perhaps influenced by her enthusiasm, the boy's feelings begin to shift.
"Do you really need me?" he asks.
"Yes, we do," she replies.
"Is it absolutely necessary?"
"Yes, it is absolutely necessary."
Feeling a bit flattered by the attention, a hint of blush creeps onto his cheeks as he shyly responds, "W-Well, if you insist that much, I suppose I can oblige. I'll join you."
His tone carries a hint of a sigh, but he doesn't seem displeased. He's somewhat charming, in an unexpected way. No, not in that sense.
"I'm Ryuu, the samurai. Nice to meet you."
"I'm Lenny, the mechanical engineer. Nice to meet you as well."
"I'm Ivy, the tailor. Nice to meet everyone!"
As the three introduce themselves, they prepare to continue training. Honestly, I've been reaching my limit with how many female guild members there are besides me. If possible, I'd like to invite Ryuu to the guild, but I still don't know if he's a solo player. I need to subtly probe to find out.
Under Ivy's instruction, Ryuu and I face off for a light spar. We bow to each other and ready our weapons. Our opponent is a middle school student, with a level nearly matching mine. I shouldn't unleash an overly serious fight.
As the combat begins, it's Ryuu who makes the first move. He charges at me, launching a flurry of strikes with his katana. Naturally, I awkwardly dodge them, backpedaling to avoid his attacks.
I couldn't read his patterns effectively. Unlike Ivy's long reach or Huxley's powerful fists, his attacks came in slashes that were difficult to predict. It was hard to find the right moment for a Just Guard, making it impossible to set up my own attacks.
Most concerning of all, he was strong. While he might not match Ivy's prowess, he skillfully included feints in his attacks, making them hard to block. It seemed like Rui was quite experienced with this game.
"Now, what to do?"
I couldn't resort to dirty tactics. The only way to break through this relentless assault and land a hit was to successfully execute a Just Guard. I focused on dodging while studying his moves. He attacked from all angles—right, left, high, and low—all at high speed. Yet, there was one opening.
The only moment I could anticipate was when he swung back to strike; if I timed it right, I could pull off a Just Guard. Gathering my courage, I moved into Rui's range just as he raised his katana and attempted the Just Guard.
"Wait… a Just Guard?"
With a satisfying sound, I succeeded. Riding on the momentum, I swung my wrench at him. Although his katana helped defend against my attack, the damage still came through.
"How about that? You can't block everything!"
"Indeed, I can't block it all. But taking a hit doesn't always mean you're at a disadvantage!"
The attack landed, but an uneasy feeling gnawed at me.
I quickly raised my wrench and assumed a defensive stance.
"Skill: [Tiger's Step]!"
A flash of movement shot out from Rui.
It was fast—too fast! There's no way I could Just Guard that. Without thinking, I braced myself to receive the blow with a standard guard. But the force was immense; I took quite a bit of damage even through my guard. What a high-performance technique this is.
Fast and powerful. There seems to be a trick to this overwhelming skill.
"Guarding, deflecting, counter-attacking—it's a samurai job that utilizes the opponent's strength. Thank goodness your attack power is low."
"Oh, so there are jobs like that..."
So, I ended up taking a counter hit. Unlike me, who deflects attacks with a Just Guard, this technique involved receiving blows and then retaliating. It looks like a challenging job to master. Well, it suits the genius Rui perfectly.
"Don't get too cocky just because you succeeded with Just Guard against Huxley. Attacks with familiar bare hands can be predictable, but with other weapons and skills, the situation changes."
"Don't be so intimidating; Rui looks like she's about to faint..."
I glanced at Rui, whose expression was stiff as she watched Ivy's adorable antics. The mismatch between her face and demeanor was genuinely frightening.
In the end, our training concludes without resolution. Time runs out, and Violet joins us, so there's nothing we can do about it.
Rui introduces himself to her and recounts what happened earlier.
"Wow, to have a good relationship in such a short time—how youthful!"
"It's not like it's a good relationship. I was just tolerating it."
"Right, right."
Violet waves off Rui's cheeky remark with ease, clearly accustomed to handling younger folks. I wonder if she has a younger brother?
She turns to the boy and throws out a question, seemingly aiming to invite him to her guild.
"Hey, you. Are you not in a guild?"
"I was until recently, but now I'm a solo player."
He left a guild despite being at a low level. This definitely suggests he's got a story to tell.
"Did you have some kind of trouble?"
"No… I just left that guild. None of them appreciated my worth. It was unbearable."
He's got quite the high opinion of himself. I can understand why he might feel arrogant if he can fight as well as he does at his age. But at this rate, he's only going to isolate himself…
Ah, so he's playing solo because he's isolated? Perhaps this is how solo playing begins.