Chapter 55

"Are you okay?"

"Uh... I'm fine..."

"You don't have to push yourself. Even though it was a 'Peak Strike,' the power should have been enough to shatter the barrier here."

The mock battle in the mini arena ended with my complete defeat, and I was laid on a bed in the rest area.

Amber's attack was indeed a 'Peak Strike' as she claimed, a master technique that can't be learned without a considerable level of proficiency in the 'Unarmed Combat' skill.

As a result, I had only 1 HP left, but the impact was far stronger than being hit by a car, and I ended up lying on the ground again.

It felt like my whole body had been shaken. It was very painful.

Still, there was no pain, so it was more like an extremely bad case of car sickness.

I don't think it will take long to recover.

"Scuna, I think your fighting style and the 'Unarmed Combat' skill are not well-suited."

"Huh?"

While I was trying to shake off the dizziness, Amber started talking.

When I tilted my head at what she said, she continued in a relaxed tone.

"I watched your battle with the human girl the day before yesterday, and I noticed that you tend to pile up attacks when you attack a superior opponent. That's not necessarily wrong, but it's significantly less effective against opponents like me, who have regeneration skills or abilities, and against those who are simply hard and slow."

She gave an example, reminding me of how the damage I worked hard to inflict was continuously regenerated.

It's quite disheartening to realize that your efforts are in vain, especially when you've put in a lot of effort.

"It's true that you had a tough opponent. Red Wolf, the girl, the True Dragon, and me. All of them are far too strong for you at the moment. ...But you defeated the Red Wolf and inherited its power. Do you know why you were able to win?"

"Hmm... Because I didn't attack, maybe."

When asked about the reason for my victory against the Red Wolf, I mentioned the reason that came to mind.

A thorough counter strategy. Except for the final throw, I didn't initiate any attacks during that battle.

"That's right. I didn't see your battle with the Red Wolf, but I thought that might be the case after today's fight. ...Scuna, you have too good eyesight."

"Eyesight?"

"You see, Scuna. Because you can see so clearly, you tend to focus on avoiding attacks whenever there's even a slight possibility of being hit. This tendency is especially noticeable in battles against other players."

I hadn't thought about it deeply, but there was nothing in Amber's words that I could deny.

Even in my battle with Rau, I struggled to attack. Although Rau was at a much higher level than me, there might have been opportunities to push through if I hadn't feared the damage.

There were differences in level, agility, strength, skills, and experience.

In my battle with Rau, I relied too easily on the 'Hungry Wolf' skill to make up for these differences.

"The essence of 'Unarmed Combat' is to deliver continuous strikes, even if it means cutting flesh. If you want to do hit-and-run tactics, you should use a weapon. The single-strike power would definitely be higher with a weapon."

"Umm..."

"Well, fundamentally, I think you are a counter-type fighter, so even hit-and-run tactics might not suit you."

Thinking about my battle with Aria, where I scored a major victory, I could nod in agreement with being called a counter-type fighter.

In my battle with Rau, I might have been able to win with counters alone if I had concentrated fully. If I hadn't greedily tried to counter, I might have seen through Amber's aim for a shockwave or taken countermeasures in time.

Even if I had taken my time and let the regeneration work, I didn't really want to defeat Amber.

Ultimately, my judgment was clouded by impatience.

Although I had been using the 'Unarmed Combat' skill for a couple of days, I didn't have any particular attachment to it.

"You have excellent eyesight, intuition, and reflexes, and a body that can move freely as you imagine. Once you gain experience and develop the ability to predict and respond to any situation, there will be only a handful of beings who can land an attack on you."

"A handful, like what?"

"Someone who can use ultra-wide-area destruction magic, for example."

"Yikes..."

Sure enough, such things exist.

Shuten had said that the truth magic used by Apocalyps was in a league of its own, but even a fraction of its power, with a wide area of effect, would be fatal for us Oni.

I don't fully understand the damage calculation, but magic like ultra-fast light spears and other powerful spells will likely be part of future battles.

"For magic, you can either come up with countermeasures like I do, or you can stop it before it's cast. The three forms of the Dance of Oni can also be used as countermeasures against magic. Regardless of whether you have countermeasures, it's always best to be cautious about magic."

"The Dance of Water Mirror... right. How much more strength do I need to learn it?"

"Hehe, I wonder."

Amber only smiled, not revealing when I would learn it or what its effects would be.

The names of the remaining three forms—Dance of Water Mirror, Dance of Oni Cry, and Dance of Child—are known, but their contents are a mystery.

They are said to be self-enhancement skills, similar to the Dance of Raksasa and the Dance of Many Blades.

"By continuing to fight, you'll gain more options, and by gaining experience, you'll develop better judgment. As you might have guessed, I was able to use strength in place of other stats because of decades of experience and training."

Amber placed her hand on my head, looking at me with a caring expression.

It felt a bit ticklish, but the warmth from her large hand was comforting.

"Don't get impatient just because you have promises with me and the God of Oni. I'm still young, and the God of Oni has been sealed for hundreds of years, so a little wait won't bring any bad luck."

Ironically, this was the same thing Shuten had said.

Shuten had mentioned that "Amber should know this," but the two Oni's opinions were so aligned that it made me wonder if they were secretly connected.

I don't know how long it will take to reach their level, but it seems they don't intend to rush me.

If that's the case, I can enjoy the journey in my own way.

"Besides, it won't mean anything if only you become stronger. To fulfill our wishes, we need many companions. That's why I'm going back to the Oni village. Some of your fellow Oni have already arrived, and I plan to ask them for their cooperation again."

"Yep, they were all nice people."

The players I interacted with on the Oni village bulletin board yesterday. They shared a lot of information that I regret not investigating earlier.

Well, it felt more like a chat than a bulletin board, but it's probably because it wasn't anonymous.

"Ah... by the way, what is Amber's final form technique?"

After the conversation paused, I suddenly remembered the topic of Amber's ultimate technique that I had discussed with Shuten.

"You surprised me. Where did you hear that... Oh, from the God of Oni, I guess."

Amber seemed surprised to be asked about her final form, but then she relaxed and nodded in understanding.

"Before I came here, I had a little chat with the God of Oni."

"...Really, it's as if you're mocking the goal I've dedicated my life to."

"Hehe..."

Amber's words were so true that I could only laugh and try to cover it up.

"The final form of the Dance of Oni is an advanced technique that appears simultaneously with the fifth form. The name of the dance always includes the name of the dancer, and the content of the technique is unknown until it appears. However, it is said to be a mirror reflecting the dancer's life."

"So, in your case, it would be the 'Dance of Amber'?"

"Yes. By the way, my final form is roughly a one-hit kill."

"Ah... That makes sense."

Given Amber's all-strength build, it's the most suitable advanced technique for her.

It's probably the origin of her nickname, 'City Breaker.'

"I'll show it to you another time. I don't know what would happen if I used it now."

"Sure. I think that's a good idea."

Having experienced Amber's attacks firsthand, the idea of a super-strong ultimate technique that could destroy everything with a single punch only made me shiver.

At the very least, the mini arena would be obliterated, and if things went badly, Trillia could be in danger. How many people would be caught in the crossfire... Oh, scary.

"Oh, right. The God of Oni has a message for you."

"Huh?"

I remembered the message from Shuten, which had been overshadowed by the sudden mock battle.

I couldn't call Shuten by name in front of Amber, so I referred to him as the God of Oni.

"'I look forward to meeting you.'"

After relaying this message, Amber's thoughts seemed to completely stop.

Amber, who is surprisingly weak against unexpected situations, must have been overwhelmed with joy.

☆

After being thawed, Amber patted my head one last time and left the mini arena without saying anything more.

Her face was incredibly red, and her expression was completely slack... She must have been incredibly happy.

I secretly saved a screenshot, wondering if this was the reaction of a fan meeting their idol, and sat on the edge of the bed to steady my still slightly wobbly vision.

The term "one-hit kill" first appeared in Pokémon.