Day 4 of training. Normally, I'd be working, but right now, training takes priority because of the war game tournament.
I've gotten somewhat used to group battles, and Raul and the others have improved their teamwork. There are still moments when I can't keep up and end up intercepting from the shadows, it's at times like these I realize just how much I've come to rely on this skill.
Right now, I'm making full use of that skill, intercepting the opponent right in front of me.
A pair of slender, tanned legs rush toward me. I react just in time as they nearly hit my face, dodging while blocking with shadows.
"Tch."
My opponent clicks their tongue in frustration, but they don't have time to waste on that, a fist is coming fast. If it lands, it's guaranteed death. I dodge using every muscle in my body.
"…Impressive."
"Yeah, I didn't expect this much either."
"That movement… Looks like his skill temporarily boosts his abilities. Otherwise, there's no way he could hold his own against Tione."
"Hmm. Finn, may I have a sumo match with that kid next?"
"…Yeah, I'm curious to see what he's really capable of, too."
I get the feeling some uneasy conversation is happening over there, but I don't have time to care.
A murderous intent that doesn't even try to hide itself comes from the side. I arch my body backward as if to fall, and a second later, a powerful kick lands exactly where my head was moments before.
"Hey, Bete! Get out of the way!"
"Shut up, you damn Amazon! Don't you dare interfere!"
The only reason I'm still alive is because these two aren't coordinating. If they did, I'd be dead at least thirteen times over by now.
Sweat pours from my body, and my mind is soaked in it, too, as I watch the two argue. How did it come to this? To answer that, we have to go back a few hours.
𓂀═════════════𓂀
Day 4 of training, according to the folks who went shopping for supplies, the details for the war game between the Apollo Familia and the Hestia Familia have been decided.
It'll be a siege battle on the ruins of the Shreme Castle, southeast of Orario. ...I almost read it as"cream puff" for a second, don't tell anyone.
I remember the Shreme Castle ruins used to be a thieves' hideout. Did some Familia come and clear them out?
Considering travel time, today will be the final day of training. When Wolf Bete heard this, he finally blew his top.
"Hey, snake bastard. Fight me seriously today."
Before I could respond, Tione snapped back first.
"Bete, if you do that, it won't be training!"
But Bete's next words were a mistake.
"Heh, you'd be useless if he actually went all out."
That set Tione off. She suddenly challenged me to a sparring match. I caught her controlled punches with hands wrapped in shadows.
Tione is the best match for my skill, Infinite Abyss. Amazons like her wear little armor, rarely covering their arms or legs.
Thanks to my skill-boosted abilities, I managed to block her punches… but it still hurt.
Even though I'm cloaked in shadows, her technique doesn't disappear. Her punches, even when controlled, bypass my status effects and, though softened by shadows, still pack a painful punch.
The first-class adventurer she is.
Then...
"Hmm, looks like what Bete said wasn't entirely wrong after all."
Her "switch" flipped after I blocked one punch. Then came a relentless barrage.
I couldn't block head-on anymore, so I dodged and deflected with shadows, only to have Bete jump in.
"Bete, don't interfere!"
"Bullshit! I'm the one fighting her!"
And so, unwillingly, a three-way battle began.
𓂀═════════════𓂀
"Relax your shoulders. Don't lead with your arms alone."
"…That's tough."
"Dance has a rhythm, but unless you're a noble, watch your opponent's eyes."
"...Their eyes?"
"Yes. Dancing is like a battle of wits. Observe and predict your opponent's next move."
"...I think I can do that."
"Good. Let's continue."
𓂀═════════════𓂀
"Ha!"
I redirect two simultaneous attacks, causing them to clash and cancel out. Taking advantage of the moment both opponents freeze in pain, I put some distance between us.
That was from about five years ago. Around the time I started warming up to Asfi, Hermes had me practice dancing.
So this is what they call a life flashback... not funny at all. How badly am I cornered to be seeing this right now?
"Finn! Please stop them already!"
"Hm? Oh, right. That's enough. You two, cut it out."
At Finn's words, Tione obediently backs off. As expected of the one she admires, her voice is decisive.
"N-no way!"
Of course, this person didn't listen. Ignoring Finn, she lunged at me again. Just as I prepared to intercept, Bete charged in, and Gareth cut between us.
"What!?"
Bete's momentum carried him forward as Gareth swung his arm. The next instant, a loud crash echoed as Bete was thrown back. He tumbled and finally stopped after hitting the room's wall.
"Th-thanks, Gareth."
"Don't mention it."
Raul and the others appeared behind Gareth, forming a circle around us.
"Um, Gareth, what's this?"
"Do you know sumo wrestling?"
"…Yeah, it's a grappling sport from the Far East, originally performed during festivals or rituals."
"Is that so? I only heard about it from Loki."
Even as we talked, the circle was being completed, like a sumo ring.
"Gareth?"
"We're about to have a sumo match."
"…Who's fighting who?"
"You and I."
My bad feeling was right. I wanted to run away right now. Seriously.
"Gareth, don't be too hard on him."
Finn's rebuke from the side saved me.
"After you're done, I'll face him."
That was just a death sentence.
𓂀═════════════𓂀
Afterwards, I lost quickly to Gareth in sumo, then got beaten badly by Finn in a sparring match. As if to finish me off, I even fought Riveira in a magic duel, an experience many adventurers dream of: playing with the top executives of the Loki Familia.
By the end, completely beaten both in body and spirit, I ran straight to Lefiya crying. The executives got scolded by Lefiya, a rare sight indeed.
That night, all members of the Loki Familia updated their status at once.
The mid-tier members showed decent growth, and some lower-rank adventurers even leveled up.
But poor Loki had no choice but to keep updating his own stats nonstop, cursing Toki for the first time that day.
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