006 In other words, I just need to level up.
My level is 57.
Moreover, the level cap has been raised to 80… Do you understand what this means?
I want you to understand that level 57 is around the halfway point of the original game’s mid-game character levels.
In the original story, Higaki Ao, who officially joins in August, is level 40, so at least in terms of level, I’m definitely not losing to her at this point in time.
So, if I’m not losing in terms of level, why did I lose so easily to her?
“If I was losing in stats, I wouldn’t have even been able to react, so that’s not it…”
I was able to react, and I could clearly perceive her movements. In terms of raw power, I was definitely equal, or even stronger.
If that’s the case, wouldn’t it be natural to think that the cause of my defeat lies in ‘experience’?
I tried to draw my sword normally against the person who attacked me. I was caught off guard and tried to brush her away with my hand.
What if I had moved my feet and jumped back at that moment? Whether there was a wall or a window, if I had tried, I wouldn’t have lost so miserably, would I? If I had been able to make those judgments, I could have either escaped or resisted, right?
Unlike monsters with fixed motion patterns in games, people are not like that.
It seems that this world doesn’t use turn-based battles like in the original game, but rather action battles, so it seems like it has transformed from a simple RPG into an action RPG. If that’s the case, they should have told me sooner… I won’t forgive you, world.
But the core is still an RPG. Even if some action elements have been added, in the end, stats and information are what matter.
So, what I can do hasn’t changed. I’ll just keep using all the information I have and continue to level up with all my might. It just so happens that it might lead to some revenge-like actions.
If you think that a low-character, ordinary citizen like me will just accept this and cry, then you’re wrong. I’ll show you that.
I’ve angered many people, but you’re the first person to anger me… You’ll take full responsibility for this!!
After planning in my head for a few days, and then a week after being discharged from the hospital, I went to the Adventurer’s Guild and entered the lounge, which is only allowed for some high-ranking adventurers. Ignoring the gazes around me, and brushing off the adventurers who tried to ask what my business was, I stood in front of my target.
The person sitting on the extravagant, glossy leather sofa took a swig of his drink after seeing my mass-produced iron sword at my waist, and let out a bitter, alcohol-tinged breath. While feeling a sense of novelty at his appearance, which I had never seen or paid attention to before, I stuck to my own convenience and business.
“I found you, Bonus Uncle. I’m going to do some leveling, so will you stick with me until I die?”
The man known as the ‘Sword Saint,’ Sanuki Shoichiro, stood up with a smile. Without hesitation, I kicked the table in front of me to obstruct his vision and swung my sword.
For some reason, the ‘Sword Saint’ slipped under the kicked table and got close, flicked the blade away with his fist, grabbed my neck with one hand, and threw me out the window.
“Gah!?”
I was thrown diagonally upwards out of the window, and when I crossed my arms in a hurry, I felt an impact that made me think I had collided with a car.
It was a flying kick from the uncle who had jumped out of the window after me, and I received it over my defense, was kicked away, and tumbled across the ground for hundreds of meters.
It was the familiar riverbed. The place where I met Bonus Uncle, and I slowly got up from the dust, using my sword as support.
“Ugh, guh… cough!”
“You came barging in here quite rudely, but well, I’ll let it slide for now. It seems wrong to ask that of a kid, and it seems like you should be free to do as you please.”
My vision flickered. The pain was dulling my thoughts.
Even so, I didn’t avert my gaze from the enemy I was seeking, and I stared at the ‘Sword Saint’ in front of me.
“So? What kind of interesting thing have you come up with this time, kid?”
“Guh, cough cough… Ah? No, it’s about leveling up the parts that I neglected because I was prioritizing my character level.”
“You’re using some strange terms again.”
“Don’t worry about it, there’s only one thing I want Bonus Uncle to do.”
“And that is?”
My character level is sufficient. What I lack is combat experience.
To have a safety margin, what I need are ‘additional skills’ and ‘skill levels’.
The message for ‘Impact Resistance’ that I acquired after being slammed into the ground earlier, and the string of characters ‘Endurance +1’ that swayed in my vision like bubbles along with the pain, gave me energy.
I felt like I could dance at the sound of the fanfare, and the joy that leaked out formed a smile.
With a pure smile painted with self-interest and pleasure, I pointed my sword at Bonus Uncle and demanded.
“I’m going to keep attacking you until I’m satisfied, so fight me like always.”
“What if you die?”
“It’s okay, it’s okay, don’t worry about it. I’ve prepared a lot of things.”
Bonus Uncle smiled back at my increasingly deep smile, and pulled out a large greatsword that was about his height from his back with one hand, and lowered it loosely without putting any strength into it.
Looking at the uncle who seemed to be looking at something truly amusing, I once again realized, albeit rudely, that this person was not a Sword Saint to me, but rather a ‘convenient person (Bonus Uncle)’.
I wanted to share the joy that was welling up inside me with Bonus Uncle, but it was a shame that my cheeks couldn’t rise any higher.
In my right hand, I held a mass-produced iron sword, and in my left hand, I held a large number of HP full recovery potions that I had bought with all my savings.
On my head, I wore the Unbending Headband.
This equipment item has the effect of ‘enduring with 1 HP remaining when receiving damage that greatly exceeds your maximum HP’.
Uncle’s strength is unknown, but he is a ‘Sword Saint’. Even though he dies in the main game, if he is a legendary figure, then the difference in strength between us is like heaven and earth.
Therefore, I prepared items on the premise that even a single blow would be fatal, and I would have him continue to use me as a punching bag until I gained some combat experience.
A dead race where I continue to fight against a serious ‘Sword Saint’ while using the Unbending Headband and recovery items. If I overcome this, I will surely gain even more strength!
“Dying is a player’s privilege. Super strong bosses are the flower of the game!!”
Hee hee haa haa!! Leveling today and tomorrow!! I’m going all out with the intention of maxing out my skill levels!!
Whether I get tired of it, or it’s tough, or I get tired, or my back hurts, you’re going to stick with me until I’m satisfied, Uncleeeeee!!
“Weeheeheehee, Hyahhaaa!!!”
While my body was being slashed, while my arms and legs were about to be cut off. I continued to use recovery items without hesitation, and swung my sword so that I could receive as many of the twenty slashes that passed through my body as possible.
When sword met sword, ‘Experience Points’ scattered in my vision along with sparks. Seeing that, I couldn’t help but deepen my smile, and finally burst out laughing.
Ah, this is fun. Ah! This is fun! I felt vitality welling up from the depths of my soul, so much so that I didn’t even care about the splattering blood!
“Uhi, cough, uhyooo! My level, my level is going up!”
“Hah hah hah. You seem to be having fun, kid.”
“That’s right!!”
Me, who was laughing with a completely insane voice, and Bonus Uncle, who was swinging his sword with amusement.
That one-sided storm of violence, which couldn’t even be called a fight, continued even after the sun went down.