Chapter 73

73. Changing Daily Life (2)

Luna's sword pointed at me.

Looking at her, I said cheerfully,

"I don't like it."

"......"

"Luna?"

"Ah, why! Here, I should be saying 'Hehe, then I'll teach you a thing or two' at this moment!"

Luna shouted and approached me.

I can understand her thoughts to some extent.

'She wants to get stronger.'

That's why she wanted to spar with me.

Effort in the form of experience.

There's nothing better for growth.

I would like to help her if I could. After all, it's good for me too if Luna gets stronger.

But even if I want to, I can't.

If I were to fight Luna,

'I would lose 100% of the time.'

100 losses out of 100 matches.

It would definitely end in a one-sided beating.

'If I use my skills, Luna would die, and if we only use swordsmanship, I would lose miserably.'

Strong against the strong, weak against the weak.

A being that, if in society, would be called a freak.

That's exactly who I am.

"Why can't it be done!"

"Hehe, because a sparring match with me is murder."

"What the hell!!"

Luna, I'm not joking. A sparring match with me is murder.

'Even if I die, it would still be murder, right?'

So, a sparring match with me is murder.

I wiggled my fingers at the fuming Luna.

"But I can give you an evaluation."

"Evaluation?"

"Yes. Can you show me your skills once?"

"Sure, why not."

Luna demonstrated her swordsmanship.

From basic sword techniques to the secret techniques of the Lester family.

"How was it?"

Luna panted and asked.

Hmm, the situation is more serious than I thought.

'I can't understand anything.'

My situation was serious.

Just because my level has increased doesn't mean my insight into swordsmanship has improved.

But I'm not completely at a loss for what to say to Luna.

I have an idea.

A method that might greatly help Luna grow.

"Excellent. With effort as your driving force, you can become even stronger. However,"

"However?"

"It's a shame you didn't learn properly. Especially the secret sword techniques."

It's only natural.

Your family disappeared before you could receive proper instruction.

It's impressive that you've come this far on your own.

"......There's nothing we can do. No one knows the sword techniques of our family anymore."

"You can learn, can't you?"

"Didn't you hear me? Everyone who knew the family's sword techniques is gone......"

Luna stopped mid-sentence.

That's right. There is someone.

Someone who knows the Lester family's sword techniques and can perform them better than her.

"Hehe, isn't it right in front of you?"

It's me.

* * *

Training with Luna began.

The first secret technique of the Lester family.

One Flash (一閃).

Flash!

Boom!

The training ground didn't break.

It was designed to withstand up to 7th Circle magic.

'My One Flash is weaker than 7th Circle magic.'

And my stats are pitiful for my level.

It couldn't be any weaker.

Well, if it were stronger than 7th Circle magic, that would be even stranger.

Clang!

"Damn it!"

Luna, who used One Flash, cursed.

It was clearly different from the One Flash I used.

Just in size, it was like the difference between a dragon and a worm.

"Ugh, what's the difference?"

"Hehe, finding that out is your job, Luna."

"Can't you teach me slowly and kindly?"

"No. You won't get stronger unless you figure it out on your own."

"Haa... What is that supposed to mean?"

Luna flopped down.

I wanted to teach her properly, but I couldn't.

'God's Imitation is a skill that activates automatically the moment you think of the technique name.'

The only things you can control are the angle and direction.

You lose control of your body the moment you think of the technique name.

Even now, I used [One Flash], but I don't know exactly what movements I went through.

That's why this situation happened.

Learn by watching and imitating.

"Can I ask one question?"

"Hehe, go ahead."

"How can you imitate a technique after seeing it just once?"

I can't answer that it's because of the [God's Imitation] skill.

"Maybe it's because I can see it clearly?"

"See what?"

"The preparation stance, the execution stance, and the finishing stance, every part of the body is clearly visible."

"Your eyes are so small, can you really see all that? Hmm, is it like a magnifying glass or something?"

Now you're casually insulting my appearance.

If you stay a little longer, you might be able to rival that Raymond.

"Hold on, you imitated my stance for One Flash, right?"

"Hehe, yes."

"Then shouldn't it have the same power? Why is it more powerful?"

Oh, that's a pretty sharp observation for Luna.

But I have an excuse prepared for this.

"It's because of insight."

"Insight?"

"Yes, I can use a considerable number of secret techniques. And there are insights gained from using various secret techniques."

Analyzing the issues and thinking about how to increase the power, then applying it.

That's why the [One Flash] Luna used is weaker.

I thought it was a very good excuse.

"You really can use secret techniques from other families."

"For your information, I'm not perfect. Because it's just imitation, I can't perfectly replicate them."

"Really?"

"Yes, about 50% of the maximum power."

"That's 50%?!"

Luna was shocked.

Well, what I said isn't wrong.

The power of an S-rank skill is generally considered to be twice that of an A-rank skill.

"Yes, the true One Flash wouldn't be like this. It would be bigger, stronger, and more beautiful."

Just like me.

"And that's why I don't tell you the answer, Luna. You need to develop your insight and figure it out on your own......"

To reach the true One Flash.

Well, the main reason I can't teach her is what I mentioned earlier.

"Hmm... I feel like I've learned more about you than I expected."

"Hehe, I told you everything because you're special, Luna."

"Special?"

"Yes, you're special, Luna."

"Hmm......"

Luna suddenly leaned in close.

"Then just teach me."

"No. Didn't you hear me? You need to develop your insight to reach the true One Flash......"

"Then just get me to your level first, and then we can work on insight or whatever!"

Insight or whatever!

You didn't understand a thing I said!?

"AAAAH!! Teach me! Teach me! Just tell me everything you know!!"

Luna started rolling around.

I should just let her go.

As I pushed the rolling Luna with my hand and reached the entrance of the training ground, she said,

"Don't be like that! We're friends, right? Right? Right?"

"I'm doing this because we're friends. You can't become a great adult by just taking what's given to you."

"Then I won't be an adult and just take it!"

What a miraculous logic.

Just as I was about to open the entrance to the training ground,

Luna grabbed my hair and pulled hard.

Hmm, I feel like I'm about to see something new.

"Teach me! Teach me!"

"Luna, let go of that!"

A fierce struggle began.

With my hair pulled, I couldn't help but fall to the ground.

"I got you."

Lying on my back, looking up at the sky.

Luna climbed on top of me and firmly grabbed my wrists.

Only then did I realize something was wrong.

"Luna, can we have a ceasefire?"

"Now? I won't let go until you surrender."

Luna sat on my stomach.

Ah, this is really dangerous.

Physically, morally, socially, and even in terms of censorship!

"Hehe, I won't let go. Surrender quickly."

Luna leaned in.

As I started to resist, she leaned in to apply more force.

As she got closer, I could see Luna's face clearly.

Cat-like eyes. A round, cute face that doesn't match them.

Her hair was a mess from rolling on the ground.

Her body was drenched in sweat from swinging the sword for two hours.

Her school uniform was disheveled from the rough training.

'Yeah, this is the end if it goes any further.'

I instinctively felt that.

Of course, I mean socially.

I lifted my hips to escape.

"Huh? You're getting a bit frisky these days?"

Luna, who was sitting on my stomach, slightly lowered herself to maintain her balance.

Ah, I'm going crazy.

"Huh? What's behind you......"

No, this is a social disaster.

Last chance.

Just as I was using all my strength to lift my hips,

Click.

"Excuse me, our reservation time is over. It's our turn now......"

A group of girls entered the training ground.

Just as I was using all my strength to lift my hips, our eyes met.

"Whoa!"

Luna fell to the side.

Luna, drenched in sweat, was panting.

And next to her, me, awkwardly lifting my hips.

"......"

"......"

An awkward silence filled the training ground.

The girls who entered.

We knew each other well.

Classmates. Even members of the Yuridia faction.

It's okay. I can explain.

There's still a chance.

"Hey! Be gentle! It hurts!"

Luna's shout.

How can she choose her words like that?

It's so frustrating, it's making my nose and mouth stuffy.

The girls' faces turned bright red.

"Sorry, have a good time."

"We'll give you our reservation time! We suddenly have something to do!"

The girls left.

With a tremendous misunderstanding.

"Huh? What? They're giving us their reservation time? They're nice kids."

"......"

"Hehe, I don't know what's going on, but it's good. Zero, let's train more."

Yeah, Luna.

A tear streamed down my face.

* * *

Galleta Region.

A shadow dropped from the darkness and took the form of a person.

'Dead.'

A corpse with eyes wide open.

Caron gently closed the dead man's eyelids.

A rat released in the Galleta Region.

One of Caron's subordinates.

'Alzarin, I hope you don't eat filth there.'

There was nothing he could do.

Wishing for a different life in the next reincarnation, a life different from that of a rat digging through filth.

'Zero, the information he gave was accurate. I can't believe it.'

Rats spread systematically throughout the Galleta Region.

Thirteen rats disappeared.

Not now.

On the first day. Only on the first day, thirteen rats disappeared.

It meant that something unknown was living in this region.

Two rats disappeared on the second day.

The number of disappearing rats decreased sharply.

Not because they were being careful, but because the unknown entity had noticed them.

'The moment it realized we were hunting it, it tried to hide.'

But the rats were persistent.

They searched for filth without sparing their lives.

And finally, they found the filth they were looking for.

A body that was disassembled and reassembled, a hybrid of human and demon.

A corpse of something in between.