Kingdom of Avangarde – Training Grounds
Today, as Kirkton said yesterday, we are immersed in training from the morning. It seems they alternate between training and their usual duties, so these people are much tougher than they appear. Ritta, who just a moment ago was complaining about the night watch being tough on her skin, is now on the verge of her third consecutive victory in the mock battles.
“That’s enough!”
“No way! I can’t believe I lost to Ritta…”
“Hehe, I won!”
Ritta bounces around, expressing her joy in victory. In front of her stands a female soldier, gripping her spear tightly with a look of disbelief, as if to say this must be some mistake.
“Ritta, you’re doing great!”
“Thanks!”
Ritta shares her joy with two girls who seem to be her friends. It’s not that her opponents are weak; in fact, the one she faced yesterday, a girl named Anje, was stronger than the current opponent. Ritta easily deflects the opponent’s spear and swiftly points her own spear at their throat. Perhaps yesterday, she was too distracted by thoughts of Nikka to perform at her best.
Kirkton remains expressionless, but unlike yesterday, he doesn’t shout. He asked for critiques on the movements of the two who fought, but Ritta stumbled over her words. Given the skill gap, it would be cruel to criticize the other fighter.
“Hmm, you’re doing well. However, you seem like a different person.”
“That’s just the result of my daily efforts!”
Ritta winks at Kirkton, looking like a completely different person. Kirkton, perhaps taken aback, refrains from shouting like he did yesterday.
“Is Ritta cheating somehow?”
“Maybe she let her opponent get a few hits in?”
“Pfft, I doubt she’d go that far. But then again, she might…”
Some soldiers whisper among themselves. Those who are saying such things have never won a single mock battle. They swing their weapons wildly, their movements clumsy, and their battle cries far too loud. Their speed is lacking, to the point that even monsters would yawn. When I pointed this out as gently as I could, I received a small click of the tongue in response. With that attitude, I might as well leave.
“Did you see that, Rua? Do you have any advice?”
“Uh, well…”
I was startled when Ritta suddenly appeared in front of me, swaying her body side to side, eagerly awaiting my reaction. Advice? I have plenty, but if I say it, Ritta might get upset. Given her current good mood, I don’t want to see her like that.
“Sometimes you charge in recklessly, so it might be better to pull back and change your approach occasionally.”
“Got it! Thank you so much! Hehe.”
“Uh, right. This afternoon, we’ll have outdoor combat training. Until then, we’ll take an hour break.”
I was certain Ritta didn’t understand. After all, even Kirkton seemed a bit exasperated with her. Ritta is so focused on attacking that she often leaves herself vulnerable. If someone were to exploit that, she could lose her life in an instant. Yet, somehow, she manages, thanks to her incredible physical abilities. It’s hard to believe just how amazing Ritta is, considering how she performed in yesterday’s mock battle.
“This afternoon, we’ll be facing monsters in real combat. I’m so excited, Rua!”
Ritta clings to my arm. More than Ritta’s unexpected side, I find myself more concerned about Roel, who is puffing up her cheeks and glaring at me. She then clings to my other arm, making me feel overwhelmed on both sides. I really don’t want to have lunch in this state.
Lunchtime
“I’ve heard that the Avangarde Restaurant is delicious! It’s so good that even regular folks come to eat there!”
The place Ritta calls a restaurant is actually a cafeteria with sterile tables and chairs arranged at regular intervals. I had imagined something like Pablo’s shop, but it was completely different. The food options were limited to either A or B; there was no menu.
“Um, may we join you?”
The ones who spoke up were Ritta’s two friends. They seemed to be around Ritta’s age, and while I had the image of soldiers being tough, it was surprising to see girls like them. Irene and Shuri, I learned, are both Ritta’s contemporaries. It seems that Ritta’s progress is thanks to these two. Indeed, Ritta laughs a lot more when she’s with them. Though, she seemed to be having fun even before that.
“I watched your fight, Rua! I can’t believe you fought evenly with Tiferia, who is the same age as us!”
“My analysis suggests that neither of you was fighting at full strength. To conclude it was an even match is premature.”
Irene, with her loud voice and round, pink hair, seems to be the one who analyzes things, while Shuri, with her green hair and glasses, appears to be the serious one. The more I look at them, the more I wonder why they became soldiers. Well, the analytical one is a bit unusual, but still.
“I heard you were quite active when the Demon Lord’s army attacked. We were told by Captain Kirkton to stay back, and we really had to.”
“Irene, my analysis indicates that discussing that in front of Ritta is strictly forbidden.”
“Oh… Sorry.”
Ritta, sitting next to us, looked slightly gloomy for a moment. But that was short-lived, as she exaggeratedly burst into laughter, drawing the attention of everyone in the cafeteria.
“Oh, come on! I’m not worried about that anymore! In the end, I survived, so it doesn’t count! It doesn’t count!”
Seeing Ritta laugh so heartily, her two friends looked as if they were witnessing something extraordinary. Even I could tell that Ritta seemed a bit off.
“Come on, let’s eat! Let’s devour four servings like Roel!”
“Huh?!”
In front of Roel, there were four plates stacked high, and I suddenly felt embarrassed. She seemed to be struggling to swallow what was in her mouth, letting out strange noises. There was nothing left to do but back away; Ritta’s two friends were left speechless. They hadn’t even noticed as they were chatting, and in that time, Roel had silently polished off four servings.
“W-Wow, I guess that’s why Rua forms a party with her…”
“My analysis suggests that this is a disrespectful statement towards Rua.”
You don’t need to analyze that to know it’s rude, but I couldn’t say that.
Mithril Mine
The Mithril Mine is a dungeon located not far from the town of Avangarde. It was once used for mining mithril, but now it has been abandoned and is a derelict site. It seems that weapons and armor made of mithril are now reliant on imports. Danger Level 21. The monsters here are not only strong but the complex and winding tunnels make it easy to get lost, so only adventurers of B rank or higher are permitted to enter.
We stepped into this dangerous place for combat training. Among the soldiers, some clearly looked unsettled. There was a palpable sense of danger here, far greater than in Kizel Valley. I wondered why Kirkton chose such a place for training. He had said that there was no worry of getting lost near the entrance, but considering the soldiers’ abilities, it seemed a bit too dangerous.
“Is there anyone afraid? If so, you may leave right now. Only those who truly wish to become stronger should remain. I will not hold it against anyone who chooses to leave.”
In a stern tone, Kirkton addressed the soldiers he leads. The abandoned mine fell silent, and so did the soldiers. It was a clear indication that no one intended to flee.
“Alright, then let’s begin. The monsters that attacked the kingdom recently were all powerful creatures. Most of those monsters correspond to Floor Monsters of Danger Level 20. Many of our seasoned soldiers fell in battle against them. You who remain will carry on their will. Of course, I do not expect you to be able to face them head-on immediately. However, I do expect you to be able to defeat the monsters around here with ease.”
“Thank goodness. I was worried we might have to face the Floor Monsters here…”
Kirkton’s sharp gaze scanned the murmuring soldiers. It was a cold stare that seemed to say that weakness would not be tolerated. I thought it was a bit too harsh, but there was no way I could voice that to Kirkton now.
“The Floor Monsters here would be a tough match for you even without considering your skills. But—”
He paused, glaring at the soldiers once more. They held their breath.
“It is our duty to protect the kingdom.”
Everyone seemed to understand the weight of those words. No one voiced any complaints. In essence, it meant we had to give it our all.
“In this narrow passage, you won’t be surrounded by monsters. In other words, you can fight one-on-one relatively safely.”
“Looks like they’ve arrived already.”
【Two Goblins have appeared! HP 153】
The monsters stood at about the height of a human child. They wielded clubs and rusty swords, sprinting towards us from the depths of the mine.
“Ah, Goblins. Just the right opponents. In this corridor, they won’t be able to attack us all at once.
So, who’s going to take them on?”
“I’ll do it!”
One of the soldiers who had been whispering behind Ritta stepped forward. My instincts told me that this soldier wouldn’t be able to keep up with the Goblins’ swift movements. The Goblins danced around, moving in ways that were distinctly different from humans. The soldier’s wide swing missed completely, and a rusty sword from a Goblin struck him. It wasn’t a deep wound, but it was enough to splatter blood.
“Ugh, no way!”
The soldier, unable to react to the counterattack, swung his sword wildly in a panic, trying to endure the pain. Suddenly, Irene leaped in from behind and accurately thrust her spear into the Goblin’s head.
【Irene’s attack! Dealt 170 damage to the Goblin! Goblin defeated! HP 0/153】
“In my analysis, their quick movements can be misleading, but if you look closely, they’re quite predictable and full of openings.”
“Why are you explaining this, Shuri…”
The soldiers gasped in awe. I could see why Kirkton was worried; the soldiers’ abilities varied so much. During the recent ambush, some had been able to fight back against those monsters, while others had not. Even though they were supposed to be on par with Ritta, that last strike was nothing short of impressive.
“Depending on where you aim, you can deal significant damage even without much strength.”
“Eh? Oh, yeah! Hehe, I got praised by Rua!”
Irene blushed, feeling shy all by herself. But there was no time for that; another Goblin was leaping towards her, closing the distance in no time. But that was as far as it got. Kirkton grabbed the Goblin by the head and slammed it against the wall, then swiftly delivered a finishing blow to its abdomen.
“Whoa… that surprised me.”
“Don’t let your guard down! You could have died from that one hit!”
“I-I’m sorry…”
Kirkton’s angry voice echoed even more in the narrow cave. It was a valid point, but I felt responsible too. I never expected her to let her guard down so easily in her excitement.
“Don’t think this doesn’t concern you! They are always aiming for your lives!
Just like this!”
Kirkton faced the soldiers while effortlessly slicing another Goblin in half with a single sword. The other sword remained sheathed. Apparently, another Goblin had snuck up on us after the first two. Still, why were there so many Goblins in this cave?
“It seems the Goblins have made this place their home. There might be a leader deeper inside.”
“Roel, heal that soldier over there.”
“Ah, um, okay.”
Roel’s Heal closed the soldier’s wound. The groaning soldier seemed either frustrated or ashamed, but he didn’t say a word of thanks.
“Is anyone feeling scared? If so, you can leave right now!”
“Yes, yes! I’ll do it!”
With a cheerful wave of her hand, Ritta volunteered. The previously quiet soldiers began to murmur among themselves. For a brief moment, neither Kirkton nor the two friends could respond.
“Ritta, are you sure you’re okay?”
“If I stumble over something like this, it would tarnish the name of the Kingdom of Avangarde!”
Ritta smiled brightly at the worried Irene. Kirkton silently nodded and stepped back, allowing Ritta to take the lead. In the relatively spacious area at the entrance of the mine, we watched Ritta prepare for battle. However, the monster that approached was beyond our expectations.
A rocky creature hunched over as it advanced through the narrow tunnel, causing the ground to tremble with each step. The startled soldiers took a step back, weapons at the ready. Kirkton grabbed Ritta by the shoulder and pulled her back, throwing her behind him. “Kya!” she squeaked, rolling onto the ground.
I quickly understood why he had to act so decisively.
【Mighty Cave King has appeared! HP 2850】
“F-Floor Monster!”
As someone shouted, everyone raised their weapons in unison. The creature resembled a rock humanoid. It didn’t snort like a wild beast; it simply moved through the narrow tunnel with an eerie, mechanical grace.
“Get outside! I’ll handle this one!”
“Alright, Kirkton. I can—”
“You don’t need my help!”
“Captain, I’ll do it!”
“Can’t you hear me telling you to stay back, Ritta?!”
Ignoring Kirkton’s command, Ritta wobbled forward with her spear towards the rocky monster. Just as Kirkton tried to pull her back again, Ritta had already charged at the creature.
【Ritta’s attack! Dealt 588 damage to the Mighty Cave King! HP 2262/2850】
Ritta’s thrust easily shattered the monster’s shoulder, severing one of its arms. Without giving the creature a chance to counterattack, Ritta unleashed a flurry of thrusts.
“Dieeeeeee!”
【Ritta’s attack! Dealt 421 damage to the Mighty Cave King! HP 1841/2850】
【Ritta’s attack! Dealt 579 damage to the Mighty Cave King! HP 1262/2850】
【Ritta’s attack! Dealt 390 damage to the Mighty Cave King! HP 872/2850】
【Ritta’s attack! Dealt 488 damage to the Mighty Cave King! HP 384/2850】
The creature was being whittled down by Ritta’s relentless assault, barely able to stand on its two feet. I wasn’t the only one left speechless; everyone present was at a loss for words at her display of skill.
“Uh-oh? Is it already time to finish this? Captain, watch me!”
With the nearly defeated creature behind her, Ritta flashed a peace sign at Kirkton, who could only stare in shock, still holding both swords. As she turned back to face the monster, she smashed its head apart, bringing the battle to an end.
【Ritta’s attack! Dealt 401 damage to the Mighty Cave King!
Mighty Cave King defeated! HP 0/2850】
The remnants of its body crumbled away, turning to dust without a trace.
“I did it! I’m super strong! Hehehehe!”
As Ritta twirled around on one foot with her spear, no one offered her words of praise. Instead, she continued to spin and strike various poses, basking in the afterglow of her victory for a while.