Shadow Farms

“Fighting Lessons, ale ‘Strength Behind the Screens’

“I'm lost.”

That's the thing I told myself in an underground facility where no one was in sight.

Everything was fine when we gathered together and destroyed this hideout. But then I got tired of fighting the subordinates, so I thought to go ahead and find the boss first. But here's the result. Sighs, and I even rehearsed my dialogue when I met the boss.

But still, this facility is huge. Looks like this time it was the bandits who occupied the abandoned military facility?

“Nn?”

At that moment.

I sensed the presence of someone approaching from the other side of the underground passageway.

After a while, the other party also realized my whereabouts. They stopped at a certain distance from me.

“To think I was prevented ..”

It was a man with protruding muscles. And for some reason, his eyes glowed red. What the fuck, that's so cool! Can he shoot out the light from his eyes?

“But he's alone. It will be easy.”

The red-eyed man made a mocking smile, then disappeared. Or maybe that's what it would look like for a normal person, but he's just moving fast.

But, okay.

I stopped the red-eyed man's sword with one hand.

Since I knew the direction from which he would come, that speed was not really a threat. Moreover, strength is about how it is used.

“What-!”

Lightly pushing the surprised red-eyed man's shoulder, I took some distance.

He has more magic than Alpha. But unfortunately, he did not know how to control it at all. He's just a person***** who has a lot of magic.

Coincidentally, I really disliked the rough fighting style that only relied on doping on magic to increase one's strength and speed. Of course, I don't underestimate the importance of physical specifications. If I am really forced to choose between strength or technique, then I will choose strength without hesitation. There is no meaningful technique if there is no power. But an imperfect and misleading way of fighting by relying only on physical specifications such as simple strength, simple speed, and, and that simple reaction time of completely ignoring and giving up on the details of – such fighting styles is something I really hate.

Physical specification is genetics, but technique is effort. That's why I, and the behind-the-scenes power I want to achieve, will never lose out in engineering. I applied the technique to strength, applied the scheme to the use of speed, and looked for possibilities with my reaction time. Physical specifications matter, of course, but I would never fight back foolishly just by relying on them. You can say that that's my aesthetic in terms of combat.

That's why I'm a little annoyed with this guy.

So I'm gonna teach him a little lesson.

About the right way to use magic.

“Lesson 1.”

I raised my slime sword, and walked towards it.

One step. Two steps. Then step three.

As I took the third step, the red-eyed man swung his sword. That's his maai.

At that moment, I accelerated my movements.

I only use a little magic – I concentrate only on my legs, collect magic, then release it at once.

That'sthat's all.

With just that much, a blast of compressed magic pushed me forward excitedly.

The red-eyed man's sword swung through the air.

But I've entered my ‘maai’ distance.

I no longer need speed. No need for power either. No need for magic anymore.

I stroked the red-eyed man's neck with my pitch-black sword.

There were only small scratches on the skin on his neck.

After leaving the red line on the neck of the red-eyed man, I left my ‘maai’.

At the same time, the red-eyed man's sword almost touched my cheek.

“Lesson 2.”

I ran forward again along with the red-eyed man who drew his sword.

This time, I did not use any magic.

That was why the red-eyed man was much faster.

But regardless of how high his speed was, he was unable to attack at the same time.

That's why he's approaching.

Just a half step.

The distance is almost insignificant. A long distance to me, close to him.

When silent.

The red-eyed man was worried.

I can see it.

In the end, the red-eyed man chose to retreat.

I know it.

I've read from her magic move that that's what she'll be choosing.

I closed the distance faster than he was when he was about to retreat, and the tip of my sword caressed his leg.

A little deeper than before.

“Kuh ..!”

The red-eyed man let out a voice of pain, then retreated even further.

I chose to pursue him.

“Lesson 3.”

This tutorial session has just begun.

 

⊕⊗⊕

 

Has he ever felt such a difference in strength? That was what Olba had in mind as his body was slashed again and again by that pitch-black sword.

Even when he fought with an elf who called himself Alpha, even when he fought and lost to that Princess at the ‘War of God’ Festival, he did not feel a difference of this magnitude.

If he really had to describe the comparison .. it would be like his childhood, when he had just started using the sword and faced off against his master. Child versus master. Beginners versus experts. Word ‘fight’ does not even apply.

What he felt right now was exactly the same as back then.

His opponent was a youngster who never looked strong. At the very least, Olba did not feel any pressure from when he fought Alpha. If he really had to summarize it into one word, it would be ‘alami’. His attitude, his magic, his sword skills, every single thing about his opponent was natural. Nothing is known of his strength or speed or anything else. No, it's just that he doesn't need it. His sword was pure and refined with sheer skill.

Olba's remarkable superiority in magic capacity was reversed by skill alone.

That was why he felt an absolute sense of defeat.

The fact that Olba was still standing, that he was still alive, was solely because his opponent had decided so. If he ever changes his mind, Olba's life can be wiped out in a matter of seconds.

Olba in his current condition can heal all non-fatal wounds. Of course, there are limits, and there are also negative side effects.

However, after losing a lot of blood, after his flesh was sliced open and his bones were broken, even he also needed some time for recovery.

Despite being in such danger, Olba was still alive.

No, he's allowed to live.

So, Olba asked.

“Why...?”

Why did you leave me to live?

Why are you antagonizing me?

Why are you so strong?

So why.

The black-clothed boy just stared at Olba.

“Hide in the shadows, hunt those hidden behind the scenes. That's the only reason why we exist.”

It was a deep voice somehow tinged with sadness.

From that alone, Olba managed to determine the identity of the boy.

“You, you plan to decline ... ‘hal it’?”

In this world, there were things they could not judge by law. Olba knew this, and considered himself a part of them.

Ascendancy. Prerogative right. And hidden faces.

The light of the law cannot reach the end of the world.

Even while enjoying those benefits, Olba himself was stepped on by the people above him, broken by them.

So, Olba looked for greater strength.

“Even if it is you, and even with all of you .. No matter how strong you are, you cannot win. The darkness of this world .. there is deeper than you can imagine.”

That's why Olba said such a thing.

It is not a warning, but a wish. A hope that this boy, too, would be crushed, would lose everything, would fall into despair. But at the same time, he was afraid that his wish would not materialize. Simple jealousy and envy.

“Then I'll dive. No matter how deep it is. ”

There was no fighting spirit in his voice, nor any searing power. Only complete confidence in himself, and unwavering determination.

“You said it so easily, boy.”

Olba could not accept this.

He really can't accept this.

Because that's what Olba wanted before, but broke.

At this moment, Olba decided to cross that last line. He took something out of his pocket, then swallowed it.

Olba had resigned himself to the fact that he would not be able to leave this place alive. Therefore he would use his own life to teach this brat.

About the darkness of this world.

⊕⊗⊕