Introduction of the Enhancement Training Instructors
“Today’s payment is good. I haven’t used any aphrodisiacs or anything like that. Instead, I’ll give you this key, so will you come back again?”
With those words, I was sent out from Ronaria’s room, handed a key, and after shaking off the lingering scent of incense from my body, I returned to the mansion. Three days later, after being grilled by Rio and Fana for coming home late, I managed to convince them it was part of my information-gathering efforts.
All the replies to the letters I sent had arrived, and all the instructors who agreed to train with us were gathered. It was time to begin the enhancement training for Stella, Rio, and Fon. I had wanted to train Lulu as well, but according to Will, who had arrived earlier, she didn’t need any further training considering her innate abilities. So, I decided to leave Lulu to support the three who would likely be beaten up.
As for what Fana and I would do, I pondered for a moment but ultimately decided to join in as participants in the training. I didn’t really need it; at this point, I wouldn’t become stronger just from this. However, standing at the same level might reveal things I wouldn’t see otherwise. Well, I wouldn’t die; no one here was that brutal. Although, it was strange that not a single person with a reasonable mindset had shown up.
“Starting today, for a month… Actually, that’s unnecessary; we don’t have that much time. Just half a month of training should be enough to prepare you for the front lines. There’s no need to show them any respect; take everything you can from them, steal their techniques, and if possible, show them what it means to be defeated.”
I gestured toward the three lined up behind me, standing as if they were being led by me in the garden where one of the instructors had set up a barrier with various effects. Their expressions were a bit tense compared to the relaxed demeanor they had shown in the past few days, but I figured they’d get used to it soon enough, so I left them be.
“First up, we have Will Karos, a former noble lady and now a martial artist. Her specialties are kicks, jiu-jitsu, and deflections. Ignore her occasional talk about ‘maiden theory’ and focus on stealing her techniques. Right now, you wouldn’t even be able to scratch her without exhausting yourselves. Also, build up your resistance to her charm. Hey, don’t look away; I’m talking about you, Fon.”
“She’s not suited for teaching, so it will mainly be one-on-one sparring,” I added.
That was Will, the martial artist who had arrived first. You wouldn’t guess she was a former noble lady from her fighting prowess. There was a time when Fana fought her barehanded and was utterly defeated. Will had thrown her effortlessly and locked her in joint locks, leaving Fana unable to do anything but lose.
As for the so-called ‘maiden theory,’ it was incomprehensible, but she had an abnormality where she wouldn’t take damage that seemed uncharacteristic for a maiden. I still couldn’t wrap my head around it. She had once withstood a dragon’s breath attack without a scratch.
“Second, we have Crew Antel, a peculiar individual who loves to perform. You can tell from his clown-like outfit that he enjoys pretending to be someone else.”
“Hehehe! Nice to meet you!” Crew exclaimed.
“Lower your voice; you’re too loud. You might think his flashy outfit means he’s weak, but as far as pure hidden weapon handling goes, I’ve never met anyone better than him. So, Rio and Fon will mainly be sparring with him, while Stella will observe from the outside to understand the weaknesses of hidden weapon users.”
Crew was dressed like a crown clown. About two years ago, an assassination organization had come after my life, and he was one of their members, referred to as their greatest creation. After I wiped out that organization and killed everyone who sought revenge, he was the only survivor. He had been a follower, unable to do anything without orders, but when I told him to find himself among the living, he inexplicably became a weirdo who constantly performed various acts inspired by different people.
When I asked him if he was lost, he replied that he wanted to make others smile through his performances, which was a surprisingly reasonable answer, so I didn’t correct him. By the way, he asked to be called a weirdo. Every time he hears it, he feels a sense of fulfillment, realizing he is not a tool that steals smiles but someone who can give them.
“Third, we have Zem Highlance, who is, as you can see, just a muscle-bound gorilla.”
“Umu!” Zem grunted.
“He’ll mainly help you all increase your endurance. You can probably guess that if you try to take his hits carelessly, you’ll be knocked out. You’ll be practicing how to either endure or deflect unavoidable strikes.”
“Don’t worry! I’m used to adjusting my strength so I don’t kill!” Zem assured.
“I also want you to develop the judgment to decide whether to evade, deflect, or endure the incoming pressure, but you’ll figure that out through practice. I’ll make sure to hold back, and I’ll keep an eye out to prevent any injuries.”
Zem was a man whose muscles were evident even under thick clothing. I couldn’t recall when or where, but during a large-scale invasion by the Demon Race, he was one of the villagers dragged into battle by the noble who governed the area. With both numbers and quality against him, he had no chance to resist, and when things were looking dire, he charged in and wiped out the Demon Race, later expressing a desire to become stronger. So, I lightly trained him, forming a sort of mentor-student relationship.
For some reason, he developed an extreme fighting style focused solely on muscles and began to idolize them. The last time I looked away, a mercenary group dedicated to muscles had formed, and strangely enough, they also expressed gratitude toward me.
“Fourth, we have Jero, the notorious lolicon.”
“Master!?” Jero exclaimed.
“What? Is there a more fitting term to describe you than ‘lolicon’? How many times have I had to rescue you from being detained for hanging around children?”
“Ugh!”
“Though he’s a perverted lolicon, his weapon handling is as diverse as mine, and he can use magic too. He’ll mainly be sparring with Stella, as it suits her fighting style better. I doubt Rio and Fon can handle him.”
Jero was dressed in fancy clothing that gave off a somewhat expensive and extravagant vibe. He became a lolicon after receiving a bouquet of flowers from a girl who expressed her gratitude while he was lost in a world of battle. He had been a newcomer among my acquaintances for about a year, having first interacted with me when I helped him rescue a lost child in the woods. Now, he half-regrets that encounter.
However, his skills were undeniable. Given the right conditions and appropriate companions, he had the strength to take down an executive of the Demon Lord’s Army. In terms of weapon handling, he was better than Fana and me, but outside of protecting young girls (under specific conditions), his endurance was lacking, and he could easily be taken down with a simple punch to the gut.
“Finally, we have Filo Norstork, who set up the barrier for our training and will help identify the areas where you lack.”
“Nice to meet you. I might focus on theoretical aspects, but since it seems you lack experience, we might do some sparring using golems?” Filo suggested.
“That’s what she said. Depending on your progress, she might even use magic.”
“…Is that so?”
“I thought I mentioned it?”
“…I wasn’t listening. Well, it seems that way, so nice to meet you.”
Filo was a suspicious-looking woman dressed in multiple layers of robes. She had left the Magic Association because its research-oriented atmosphere didn’t suit her and had been teaching various things, primarily magic, while honing her skills in her own way. Considering that everyone she taught had become capable of using magic effectively in battle, she was undoubtedly more talented as an educator than a researcher.
My relationship with her began eight years ago when she was on the verge of dying near my home. I took care of her for about a year, so while I could objectively respect her as an older person, I couldn’t help but see her as a lazy woman who almost died because she couldn’t manage herself. No matter how profound her advice was, I couldn’t shake the image of her clinging to me like an undead child begging for water.
“So, these are your instructors.”
Of course, we don’t just repeat the same routine of sparring and lectures every day for half a month. We alternate every other day, with the sixth day dedicated to a chaotic free-for-all sparring session, followed by a full day of rest.
If anyone has any objections or questions, now’s the time to speak up. Once we start, the only one likely to listen is Lulu.
…Doesn’t seem like anyone has anything to say, huh?
Then let’s get started.
“Alright, let’s kick things off. We’ll go in the order of introductions. Will, it’s your turn.”
“I’ve got this, my friend.”