Chapter 68

"Changing to another character's perspective naturally makes me get into a passionate mood."

Maybe I'm better suited to writing passionate stories?

"…The last skill was unnecessary."

With that, Rex, who had fallen just short of the [Final Trial], said with a somewhat relieved expression.

"I forgot that skills, unlike arts, have a cooldown period even after they finish."

Sitting on the ground where he had been teleported, he said, "Changing the chart on a whim never ends well," and laughed lightly.

For some reason, his carefree attitude made my chest feel heavy.

"…Aren't you upset?"

Without thinking, I called out to him, and Rex looked at me with a surprised expression.

His foolish attitude made my frustration grow.

"With your skills, you were definitely strong enough! Yet, to end like that, aren't you upset, old man?!"

Rex's eyes widened at my outburst, and he opened his mouth as if to say something, but then closed it and shook his head.

"I'd like to redo it if I could, but—"

"Then—!"

Rex shook his head again at my enthusiastic response.

"Unfortunately, I have a meeting at the guild from now on. So, either way, time's up."

"Even if—"

I couldn't say that he should continue even if it meant skipping the meeting.

Rex is an important person at the guild, unlike me.

If his knowledge spreads among the adventurers, the world will change significantly.

That's probably more important than my personal activities as an adventurer.

I understand that much.

I understand, but…!

"So, I'm heading back to town. What about you two?"

"I'll go back, of course. The <Treasure Hunter> class is unnecessary for me."

Rechilia answered immediately, and her silent question pierced me.

"I… I…"

The trials can be done anytime, tomorrow or the day after, or whenever.

There's no point in stubbornly staying here.

But…

"…How about you, Rad, stay for a while?"

"Eh?"

As I hesitated, Rex made this suggestion.

I was taken aback, feeling as if I had been seen through, but Rex's eyes were gentle.

"If you're curious, go ahead and do it until you're satisfied. And if you completely clear the [Final Trial] for me, I'd be happy."

"Doing what you couldn't…?"

I hadn't even considered that.

But…

The moment I heard his suggestion, I unconsciously clenched my fist tightly.

"…It seems I've made up my mind."

I think Rex saw right through my thoughts.

But it didn't feel bad at all.

Rex looked at me as if seeing something bright and smiled wryly.

Then, Rechilia and he quickly finished their preparations to leave,

"Take breaks and don't overdo it. And… yeah."

Just before leaving the temple, he turned to me as if remembering something and said,

"If—"

※ ※ ※

"Damn it!"

Another failure, I don't know how many times.

Sitting on the floor where I was teleported, I glared at the ceiling and cursed for what felt like the hundredth time.

"Why! Why can't I escape!"

Since I started using <Barrier Ring> after seeing Rex's strategy, I no longer fail the first and second trials.

But no matter how many times I try, I can't dodge the final stone knight and reach the altar at the back.

"It's too difficult, no matter what."

I almost said it's impossible to clear, but I bit my lip hard to stop myself.

If I said that, it would feel like everything was over.

(Did Master Rex know from the beginning that I would end up like this?)

Rex's last words before we parted echoed in my head.

"If you get stuck, remember this."

At the time, I hadn't fully realized how difficult it was to overcome this trial, even though Rex had failed it. I listened to his words absentmindedly.

Rex smiled wryly at my expression and said,

"Remember why you came here and what your purpose was."

…That's what he said.

"What purpose, you say?"

I just followed Rex because he told me to.

If I had to force a reason, it might be because "I didn't feel comfortable in town."

Or a more direct purpose might be "to obtain the <Treasure Hunter> class."

"Hmm?"

For some reason, it didn't feel quite right.

(Maybe I should think more simply?)

If I ignore all the details and other people's intentions, why did I come here?

When I stripped away the unnecessary things, the answer was simple.

"…To become stronger."

I was shocked by the words I spoke myself.

I jumped up as if waking from a dream.

That's right.

Why did I forget?

I came here to become stronger.

But what have I been doing so far?

In the [First Trial], I avoided fighting the strong stone knight to clear the immediate trial.

In the [Second Trial], I gave up on creativity and relied on luck to clear the trial.

And what about me now?

I copied Rex's strategy, took the easy way out, and got frustrated and complained after just a dozen failures.

"No! This isn't right!"

When did I become such a weak, rotten person?

Now I understand.

The reason I felt frustrated seeing Rex not being upset about his failures was that I wanted him to always be cool and never give up, no matter what obstacles he faced.

"Making such demands of others and being like this myself, I deserve this."

I didn't want to be someone who admires heroes.

I wanted to be a hero myself…!

I stood up and slapped my cheeks with both hands.

The sharp pain cleared my head a little.

"It's not over! It's just beginning!"

I can regret later as much as I want.

Right now, I just need to push forward recklessly.

And the path to do so has already been shown to me.

(Rex, Master, understood everything…)

Driven by the rising heat in my back, I picked up the magatama, firmly held my sword and shield, and stepped into the [First Trial].

※ ※ ※

(One, two, three… One, two, three…)

Counting the rhythm, I danced with the stone knight.

It's a dangerous dance, responding to the halberd with my sword and shield.

(Finally, I'm getting it!)

After removing the <Barrier Ring> and stopping my attempts to escape, I lost countless times.

Even the [Second Trial], which I used to breeze through with the ring, and the first stone knight in the [First Trial] defeated me repeatedly, breaking the magatama over and over.

I felt ridiculous.

I felt pathetic and frustrated many times.

But I never ran away.

This is my true strength now.

I realized this is the "right path" Rex showed me.

Now I understand.

The true purpose of this trial and Rex.

(This is a 'textbook' to defeat the knight in the final trial.)

The final knight was too strong to fight head-on.

But after falling many times, I realized something.

—Indeed, the knight is strong, but his strength is an extension of the stone knights in the previous trials.

I was being lazy and, when I faced the final knight, I thought, "I can't win against such a strong opponent."

But it was the opposite.

I was the one who neglected the preparation and made the trial impossible.

The knight was a strong opponent, and I thought I couldn't defeat him.

But imagine this.

If Rex hadn't rushed into the battle and had proceeded along the dragon path, stopping near the central platform to face the knight?

It might be a meaningless question now.

But if that had happened, I think Rex would have definitely defeated the knight.

Looking back, Rex had always "stopped" to fight the knights in the [First Trial].

He only closed the distance when he knocked them back, but during the fight, he never moved his feet.

The inscription near the door of the [Final Trial] said, "Show your courage and offer me the complete key."

I had misunderstood from the beginning.

—This trial is not about "escaping from the knight."

—It's about "defeating the knight" and honing your strength.

After realizing this, I faced the trials in order, carefully and methodically.

The key is not to rely on luck or chance.

To focus on improving my skills rather than just clearing the trials.

Strangely, as soon as I decided to fight this way, I started to understand the knight's battle, even if only vaguely.

The important thing is not to be bound by a fixed pattern.

To flow smoothly from one move to the next.

To keep fighting, no matter how clumsy.

Time had lost its meaning, and the temple was dark, so I couldn't tell the time.

But following Rex's advice, I took breaks, ate, and spent all other time fighting the knights.

As a result, I finally managed to land a hit on a single knight.

Of course, I'm still far from Rex's level.

Fighting two knights at once is out of the question, and even one is a challenge.

The arts I use are aimed at canceling out the knight's moves, ignoring their power.

The only techniques I can use to knock them back are the <Spear Shockwave> I learned in advance and another I copied.

I can't use the <Flash Palm Break> that Rex used as a finishing move because I haven't learned the Fighter class.

But still…

I felt I had finally reached the starting line.

"—<Spear Shockwave>!"

I blew the knight in front of me away with a shout.

Watching the stone statue stop moving after being