Act 2-21 - Training With Edda

Chapter 21 : Training With Edda

「Hou, you want to make a request to me?」

「Yeah, I’m critically lacking in interpersonal combat experience… that’s why I want to ask you to train me a bit.」

《Demon Eater Sword; Beelzera》’s 《Gluttony’s Edge》 was an extremely powerful ability that could plunder my opponent’s battle arts, magic, or trait too easily.

That ability enabled me to snatch my opponent’s ability, and use it as my own.

If I played it right, it was a devilish power, which ironically is true, that allows me to pull off giant killing, defeating opponents whose level far above mine.

But, I need to land a strike on my enemy to use that ability.

I would use 《Moon Reflection》 to dodge attacks, or protect my vitals with 《Transcendent Toughness》.

Though I had other auxiliary magics, skills, and battle arts, those two battle arts were definitely the key element to use my snatch ability.

Since I couldn’t use Gluttony’s Edge unless my opponent showed an opening, using restriction type tulpe, 《Crucifix》 would drain my stamina at a rapid pace, and the difficulties became even higher against higher level opponents.

But, I felt that my close quarter combat was far from enough.

I was fatally lacking in terms of combat capability and experience when facing seasoned high ranking adventurers or fighters such as Fedor for the first case, Gaza and Vlad for the second case.

Moreover… the timing to activate 《Moon Reflection》 or 《Transcendence Toughness》 was purely relying on last minute intuition, definitely something that I was lacking.

I had yet to find an effective way to make the full use of them.

Especially in 《Moon Reflection》’s case, since its odo consumption was so huge, the duration of its effect was unstable, it was still too dangerous to overly rely on it during a battle.

That’s why I wanted to master its use with training.

That’s why I would make full use of this rehabilitation time to master that battle art.

「Mock combat huh.」

「Training to be exact. Can you do that for me?」

「… Humph, your swordcraft is worse than amateur. Doing sword dance is even more challenging than having a match with someone as unskilled as you.」

Edda spoke with a rather haughty tone.

Though her words stung… I couldn’t help but agree that she was right.

Even Fedor himself praised Edda’s swordcraft as the strongest swordsman he ever met.

The difference between my combat capabilities and Edda’s, who received gifted training since a tender age in her tribe was simply too big.

I could actually ask Mani to accompany my training but, even without diving into the labyrinth, she was already busy enough with her smithing job.

She happily told me on one occasion that she got more orders ever since she raised her level.

I wanted her to take a rest during a free period like this though.

Moreover… Mani who used a strike type weapon wasn’t the appropriate opponent to practice my 《Moon Reflection》.

Though it was possible to reduce 《Moon Reflection》’s odo consumption by turning the part of my body that was about to be slashed into liquid, such a feat was nearly impossible against a strike type weapon.

Even if for example I could pull that off, the odo consumption was simply too terrifying.

Though such problems could be avoided by making Mani use a sword during mock combat, it was literally putting the cart before the horse since Mani wasn’t specialized in sword fighting on top of that-, her personality was the main reason why she never trained her swordcraft.

「Unfortunately, I’m not as free as you think just because I’m swinging my sword during my spare time. This daily training is part of a majority of my daily life.」

Ugh… as expected, she rejected huh.

It was harsher than I thought.

Even though I started to think that we’re starting to get along, maybe I was getting ahead of myself.

「I see, I guess I’m unlucky. Anyway, it’s good to hear that you’ve recovered. Let’s meet at the adventurer’s guild tomorrow to check on the next suitable hunting ground.」

So I gave up trying to ask for her help, and turned around to leave after I told her tomorrow’s plan.

「… Wait.」

「WOAAAAAAAAH!」

Edda’s sheated enchanted sword poked the side of my head.

「T-That surprised me!」

「I-I know that that you want to leave as soon as possible but, it’s such a kill-joy seeing you easily giving up like that.」

「Does that mean… you agree to help me?」

「I don’t mind helping your training if you’re insisting on it. Uhm… I’ll at least accompany you for a few minutes.」

… so you actually itching to train me huh

「… Do you actually have a disease that is going to kill you unless you refused a request at least one time?」

「What’s the matter, do you not need my guidance?」

Edda’s forehead wrinkled as she brought her face closer to mine

「N-No, thank you very much for your willingness!!」

What a dishonest girl…

She was still grumbling about not being fully adapted to the people outside of her tribe yet but… I guess let’s leave that matter for now.

The subject of my training was to know the best timing to use 《Moon Reflection》, 《Transcendent Toughness》 and then, 《Blade Sink》.

《Blade Sink》 that skill used by Fedor was his original martial arts that made the full use of 《Transcendent Toughness》.

It used one’s own hand which has been reinforced with 《Transcendent Toughness》 to let the opponent’s sword blade glide on the surface of the reinforced hand letting it hit the ground instead of cutting the hand.

Since 《Blade Sink》 was martial arts, the kind of ability that didn’t belong to magic, battle arts, or traits, it didn’t show up in status when I used 《Imu》 on Fedor.

I’ve managed to execute that martial art during the battle against Vlad but… since my execution was imperfect, the skin of my arm was torn as a result.

Moreover, I could only execute it because my opponent was in an enraged state, and the distance between us was really close.

If he was in the right mind, his normal attack might have lopped my reinforced arm off.

Though there was no one around us, just to be safe since we’re using battle art, we moved to a more desolate place, surrounded by crumbled buildings.

Though it was a little bit smaller than the previous place, it was safer.

After consulting with Edda, we decided to start with the training to get used to 《Moon Reflection》

The method of the training was to adjust the timing of letting Edda’s incoming strike, which used the blunt edge of her sword, with 《Moon Reflection》 to pass through my arm.

… Surely, this method of training might allow me to be able to use 《Gluttony’s Edge》 on higher level opponents far more easily.

It seems that moving while considering my battle art matched the Narc tribe’s swordcraft, that’s why it would be a huge benefit for me in the future if I could copy that swordcraft.

I followed Edda’s instruction as I brandished 《Demon Eater Sword; Beelzera》, from the way I move even to the smallest details.

「You’re full of opening when raising your sword too high.」

「Y-Yeah, understood.」

「The tip of your sword is raised too high. Your movement is as slow as a turtle too.」

「I-I’ll try to move faster next time.」

「Are you joking right now? what in the hell is with that uselessly messy movement?」

In contrast to her seemingly unwilling attitude from before, Edda was fully motivated right now.

…. It was more than three hours later that she finally let me go from the basics with 「I guess it’s enough for today」.

Before I realized, the training seems to have gone from one day to many with that.

『D… Dean, it’s about the time to go to the market….』

「We can shop on the way back, right? right?」

I persuaded Beelzebub.

It seems my words piqued Edda’s attention.

My retreat was blocked.

『Uhm… my roast craw(pork charsiu)…』

Beelzebub could only groan in sorrow.