Chapter 70

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Everyone, it's been a while!

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Congratulations!! The serial hiatus has surpassed 100 days!!

So, for that (??),

"Hero's Not the Main Character!" is becoming a book!

The dazzling illustration of Mana smiling on the cover, and the other illustrations, are by Ei Amano!

It will be published by the same place as the cat-eared cat, with a release date of December 5th!

It's already available for pre-order on Amazon and Kadokawa Store, they say!

Also, a manga adaptation is coming out!

The manga is by Meiji, and it will start serialization in the February issue of Comp Ace, on December 26th!

They say!

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For those who have forgotten the story, here's a preview of "Hero's Not the Main Character!" this time!

Lex, who was reincarnated into a world identical to the game "Brave & Blade" as a "rescue character" in the early stages, managed to survive the opening event that was certain death and sought refuge in the city of Freelea.

To survive as "not the main character," he can't afford to take normal means.

Determined, he searches for the "main character" in this world, trains the people around him, and resolves to "reallocate" his own abilities, which have no future potential.

Two months later. Using his game knowledge, Lex successfully trained the new party members, including Rad, and defeated the Sword Saint Nilva, achieving his long-desired class change to "Sword Saint." He had become so famous in Freelea that there was no one who didn't know him.

On the surface, it seemed to be a smooth and enviable adventurer's life.

However, there were also those who did not view it favorably...

The adventurer industry is now in turmoil.

This is due to the information released one after another by the Freelea adventurer guild branch, such as the "numericalization of ability values," "aptitude appraisal," "public disclosure of class correction values," and "clarification of the conditions for changing to various jobs."

Among these, the technique of manually releasing sword skills, "Manual Arts," which was brought to light in the world championship, is said to have given a significant shock to adventurers around the world.

Why was the Freelea adventurer guild branch able to release such a large amount of information in quick succession?

Surprisingly, it is widely believed among the people of the city that a single adventurer played a significant role in this.

But, can it really be that a single adventurer could cause such a great shock to the world?

Rumors often grow larger as they pass from mouth to mouth.

Or perhaps this is just a mere illusion created by the unconscious desire of people seeking a "hero."

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To verify the truth, the special correspondent flew to the Freelea adventurer guild.

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The Pioneers of Manual Arts

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Thank you all for gathering here today amidst your busy schedules. First, let me introduce our guests. The first person for today's dialogue is the very center of the rumors, Mr. Veteran, the branch manager of the Freelea guild.

Veteran: Huh. I'm really busy, you know. I would have turned you down if it wasn't for your request.

--- Haha, that's harsh. But the Freelea adventurer guild is now the focus of public attention. To spread the truth, I would like to ask for just a little of your time.

Veteran: Truth, huh. Just make sure it's not a biased report.

--- Of course! This is for the purpose of audio recording crystal, and as a neutral observer, Ms. Elina, a guild staff member, is also present. With this well-prepared setup, we aim to approach the "truth" of Manual Arts from a fair standpoint.

Veteran: ...Your way of speaking is already suspicious.

--- And today, we also have another guest, the Cinderella Boy who achieved second place in his first appearance at the world championship, Mr. Rad!

Rad: S, Cinderella...? Ah, no, yes. I'm Rad! I'm an adventurer!

--- Mr. Rad, before the world championship, you were already drawing attention as a promising new adventurer who cleared a mid-level dungeon in just one month.

Rad: Yes! But, it's all thanks to my master, ah, by "master," I mean...

--- Ah, sorry! That's a very interesting story, but it's not directly related to today's topic, so perhaps we can discuss it another time!

Rad: But, um...

--- Alright! With the presence of these two distinguished guests, we can say that all the people worthy of being called pioneers of Manual Arts are gathered here. From here on, we will delve deeply into the extent of the impact of Manual Arts and who the true pioneer behind the spread of Manual Arts is, together with both of you!

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Manual Arts are "in a different dimension" from other skills

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--- Let's get straight to the point. Regarding the rumored Manual Arts, I've heard some rather exaggerated claims, such as "changing the history of adventurers." What's the real deal? Please give us your objective and calm opinion from the perspective of a guild master.

Veteran: Huh? Oh, yeah. Well, it will change history, for sure.

--- You say that so easily (laughs). But, isn't Manual Arts just about being able to use skills that were previously automatic? Is it really that useful?

Veteran: I thought so at first, too. I tried it a bit myself, and this Manual Arts is something entirely different from the existing skills, which we might call "Auto Arts" here.

--- Could you explain what you mean by "entirely different" in more detail?

Veteran: In the past, there were people who were obsessed with learning powerful skills. Honestly, I used to look down on them. After all, when using Auto Arts, you can't do anything else while using them, and most skills stop you in your tracks. Even a simple <V Slash> will usually get you hit once or twice before the skill ends if you use it without thinking.

--- So, there are benefits, but also significant risks.

Veteran: Significant, indeed. Even for basic skills, the time it takes to perform the skill increases as the skill level goes up. There were people who were happy to learn a five-hit combo, but no matter how powerful it was, it was practically suicide.

--- I see, that makes sense. But what about skills like <Wind Blade> that involve movement? What about those?

Veteran: Those are indeed convenient because they allow you to move faster than you can on your own, but in terms of control, there's not much difference. When using <Wind Blade> on Auto, most people experience a common mistake. Do you know what it is?

--- No, I'm not very familiar with that...

Veteran: You can't stop and end up headbutting the enemy.

--- Oh... That's pretty bad.

Veteran: Yeah. But, that's where Manual Arts are different. You can move freely while swinging your sword, so you can control the distance and timing as you please. Even with <V Slash>, you don't need to stop and perform a two-hit combo. You can intentionally perform the first hit close up, then close the distance and land the second hit, or you can cut down the enemy in front of you with the first hit and move forward to take out the enemy behind with the second hit.

--- So, the range of actions during a skill is much wider.

Veteran: Exactly. And, to add, with Manual Arts, you can also interrupt a skill mid-way, so you can retreat if the first hit seems dangerous. This is a big advantage.

--- Ugh. I see. That does sound useful.

Veteran: To put it in a more sophisticated way, Auto Arts were basically two-dimensional skills, where you drew on a flat surface in front of the enemy. But Manual Arts added a new dimension of depth to these skills. So, in a sense, Manual Arts are truly "in a different dimension" from Auto Arts.

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Manual Arts are technical! It's not just a simple task!

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--- It seems that Mr. Veteran has a deep affection for Manual Arts. From the perspective of a guild master, new elements that bring in fresh air are indeed attractive. Now, let's hear from Mr. Rad, who represents active adventurers.

Rad: Yes!

--- You don't have to be so nervous. Mr. Rad, as an active adventurer, you have actually used Manual Arts. Could you share your honest thoughts on what you feel is superior about Manual Arts compared to Auto Arts, and what you find difficult, inconvenient, or inferior?

Rad: Well, the most inconvenient thing about Manual Arts is that it's hard to activate them as intended.

--- I see, I see!! That's great!! Could you please elaborate?

Rad: Ah... Well, I don't think I'm saying anything new, but Auto Arts will activate automatically as long as the conditions are met... but Manual Arts are different. You have to memorize the movements and reproduce them correctly, or it will "fail."

--- Wow, that sounds tough!! So, if a "failure" happens during a battle...

Rad: Well, it will certainly put you in a pinch. But, even if it fails, it just becomes a normal attack, so you won't be left standing still.

--- Even if you're not standing still, it will certainly put you at a disadvantage in battle!!

Rad: Well, that... It can happen. But, of course, if you master it completely, such things will almost never happen.

--- I see. But, I've heard that mastering Manual Arts is difficult?

Rad: Yes, it's difficult. I can only use a few skills so far, and, well, with Manual Arts, you can apply techniques to change the trajectory as you like, but I can't do that at all...

--- Are you referring to techniques like "Break" and "Deflect" mentioned in the guild's manual?

Rad: Yes! That's it! And then, there are techniques like chaining skills and changing direction between skills...

--- "Double Arts" and "Switch Turn," perhaps.

*Editor's Note

"Break" is a technique of "adjusting the length of the skill's trajectory by cleverly manipulating the way the sword is swung while maintaining the skill's effect."

"Deflect" is a technique of "extending the last swing of a skill beyond its normal trajectory by taking advantage of the skill's correction effect for a short period."

"Double Arts" is a technique of "activating the effects of a skill twice by using the <Over Arts> skill."

"Switch Turn" is a technique of "making micro adjustments to the direction and position of the sword during a combo by utilizing the brief interval when inputting <Over Arts>."

For more detailed information on these techniques, refer to the guild's manual "Manual Arts for Goblins" (by Lex Toren, no removal allowed).

Rad: I've been practicing these techniques, but I still can't do them...

--- The difficulty level of Manual Arts seems quite high! So, for those who haven't learned Manual Arts yet...

Rad: Yes! I think it's best to start training as soon as possible, even a minute or a second sooner!

--- Huh?

Rad: Eh?

--- Ah, no, sorry. I thought you were going to say that it would be better to give up on learning Manual Arts because of the high difficulty.

Rad: Hahaha, no way! Once you start using Manual Arts, you can't go back to Auto Arts!

--- Is that so?

Rad: Yes! So, I think it's best to learn it as soon as possible while it's still not very popular. The manuals in the library are already being fought over, and it's only going to get worse!

--- Hmm. I see. I've heard that many adventurers enjoy training, so there are people with that mindset among active adventurers. Thank you for your insights.

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Will Manual Arts eliminate old adventurers?

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--- So far, both of you have passionately discussed the advantages of Manual Arts. Now, let's change the perspective and delve into the disadvantages and issues of Manual Arts.

Rad: Issues... Well, basically, Manual Arts are a superior version of Auto Arts...

--- Is there anything at all? Even minor issues are fine.

Rad: Well, when you put it that way...

Veteran: