009 My Greatest Enemy is Myself
I’m getting stronger.
Higaki Ao, while swinging her sword with intense emotion, was also observing the man before her—Sakurai Tooru—with the rationality she had left in her mind.
Originally, in terms of raw power, he was undoubtedly superior to her. This was surely the result of his efforts, which had been accumulated for longer than hers, and every time she saw the traces of battle left in the dungeon, she could imagine the battles he had fought.
That’s why she suspected that he had little experience in ‘one-on-one combat’. And when she actually faced him, she was convinced. So, she decided on the spot to take his sword.
Thus, Higaki Ao took the Sword Saint’s sword, became enraged by his retaliation, and now it has escalated into a fight to the death.
“Tch!”
“Oraa!!”
Her feint-filled slashes were met with perfect counters. Blades clashed, scraped, and sparked.
Thrusts, slashes, strikes. Every single attack, filled with killing intent, was deflected by the man before her.
“What’s wrong, what’s wrong! Your skill level isn’t high enough!!”
“What are you talking about?!”
Even when she tried to strike at an exposed opening, he would respond as if they had rehearsed it. It was a strange sensation, as if her sword was being drawn into his defense, and unless she could unravel that trick, she wouldn’t be able to inflict a fatal wound, or even a scratch.
“You bastard!!”
On the other hand, his attacks were rather sloppy. He still fell for obvious openings, just as he did during the entrance ceremony.
If anything, what he had improved in this short period was his defensive technique to ‘not lose’.
“(He’s aiming for a war of attrition. How annoying, how annoying, how annoying, how annoying!!”
While guessing Sakurai’s aim, the process of how he acquired that technique—the image of the Sword Saint and him—flashed in her mind, and her discomfort index skyrocketed to the point of making her hair stand on end.
The weight of each strike increased, and the scattering sparks and clashing swords grew more intense.
If it turned into a war of attrition, her stamina, which was inferior in raw power, would run out first, and she would be killed when she was exposed. Above all, she wanted to kill the pest in front of her as quickly as possible.
Therefore, Higaki decided to give it her all at this very moment, without holding back.
What she should do, and what she wanted to do.
When these two aligned, Higaki’s sword tore through the air, enveloped in flames.
The swordsmanship she learned from the Sword Saint, the ‘Fire Sword’, had appeared.
“(Here it comes, Fire Sword…!)”
In the original story, ‘Fire Sword’ is the fire-attribute swordsmanship skill that Higaki learns.
By adding fire attribute to a normal slash, it becomes a skill that can inflict damage and the status ailment ‘Burn’ on the opponent.
The burn effect is not based on whether damage was dealt, but on whether it hit.
Taking into account whether the enemy was in a guard state, when the accumulated burn gauge exceeds a certain level, the status ailment ‘Burn’ is activated. This is a mechanism that inflicts continuous damage on the target.
In addition, the ‘Burn’ status has the effect of lowering defense against fire-attribute attacks, so it is best to avoid the successive slashes.
“(But there’s no way I can avoid them!!)”
From Higaki’s preparatory movements, her stance, and the movement of her limbs, he predicted the ‘technique’ that would be unleashed next. He would counter it with a ‘technique’ that could nullify it.
I, who had been obsessed with leveling up and had not gained experience in one-on-one combat, was inferior to anyone in that regard, and the fact that my sword was stolen proves it.
However, that experience cannot be gained overnight, so if the opponent wasn’t her, there would be nothing I could do.
But I can compete with Higaki Ao.
Because she is under the same master, I can compete with her in a short period of time.
The techniques and movements that we learned were taught to us by Bonus Uncle, and not by any other human. If that’s the case, then I understand the stances and habits when unleashing techniques, and I can sense them.
To improve that accuracy, we faced the Sword Saint, who is the ‘origin’ of our styles, and watched and memorized his many techniques. There is no reason why I can’t apply what I learned from the pinnacle to her.
“(Aaaaaaaah! The fire effect is in the wayyyyyy!!)”
“Take this!”
“Dangerous!? Are you trying to kill me!”
“That’s right!!”
In short, I’m just playing a game of rock-paper-scissors, always reacting after she moves.
One misstep could lead to death, but if I’m only using rock, paper, or scissors, I can handle it.
However, conversely, it means that I have to keep using techniques against her attacks, and I cannot take the best option, which is to evade.
“(I have fire resistance equipment, but that’s not absolute. I have no experience with status ailments in this world, and I don’t know how it will feel! If ‘Burn’ is activated, I might be broken from there!)”
One strike. If I could land just one strike, I could end it.
But that one strike won’t land. I’ve grasped the timing to strike at the opening after she unleashes a technique, but there’s a delay of one tempo. The cause is clear, but resolving it is extremely difficult, and it could even lead to a denial of my own existence.
“(Damn it… Damn it…!)”
The flames approach.
Every time our blades clash, the heat of the flames that brush against my skin makes me want to close my eyes.
But that is not allowed.
Missing the opponent’s movements is fatal, and more than anything—
—Because I would miss the log of ‘Fire Resistance +1’…!!
That didn’t come up when I got burned before, did it!? Why is it coming up nowwwwww!!!
Damn it, don’t laugh, me! I’m in the middle of a fight!! But I’m dealing with it, and it says fire resistance, and it’s a chance to acquire a new skill, and I can use it for leveling up, but still!!
Aaaaaaaahhhhhh, moooooooore!!!
Hang in there, my reason! Don’t lose!
If it comes to this, I have no choice but to force my trump card, even if it means a mutual kill!!
Can you please postpone the “my greatest enemy is myself” event for a bit laterrrrrr!!!