arc3 · 137-ch137

Chapter 137: I Tried Taking Combat Training

"Ah-right, we got a new guy today. You, come over here. I'll teach you the basics. The rest of you, same as always — fundamentals drills first, then sparring."

At the instructor's single word, everyone sprang into motion. This lecture has been run plenty of times, so I guess everyone knows the drill.

Following the instructor's direction, I took my wooden sword and went over to him. His language was rough, but he'd known I was coming for the first time, and he was saying he'd look after me himself, so maybe he's a decent guy underneath it all.

"Hm. If I remember right, you didn't awaken to a combat-type job. In that case, I'll teach you the basics first. Swing that wooden sword exactly like I tell you."

Following the instructor's words, I pictured the swings from earlier and brought the wooden sword down —

"Gaaah! That's completely wrong! Come on, raise your arms more! Grip looser! Don't swing with just your arms!"

He was strict. Insanely strict. The kind of person who'd beautifully shatter my little fantasy that maybe I was doing okay. That said, he was a good teacher, and combined with my high physical abilities, I could actually feel myself getting genuinely better at handling the wooden sword.

"You sure you haven't actually awakened to a Swordsman job? You pick this up way too fast. Have you already been diving into dungeons and leveling up?"

Wow, he could read all that just from how I moved? As expected of a university instructor. But I can't let him find out I'm over Level 20. I'd better deflect this smoothly.

"It's not a combat job, but maybe it's because a childhood friend taught me a while back? Hahaha!"

Himehana, I just borrowed your name! That's okay, right?

"Ah, you're that guy. The one who's supposedly childhood friends with Hyakka Ryouran's Himehana-sama. Tch, lucky you... ahh, whatever. You've really gotten the hang of it, so head on over there and join the sparring."

Uh, what's this instructor's deal? Why is he sticking '-sama' on Himehana? Wait, is he a fan of hers? Is that why he was cold to me, her childhood friend? Is he a child?

"Um, would you like to spar together?"

Oh. I'd figured that in a lecture where everyone already knew each other like this, I'd be a loner for a while — but it turns out there's a rare, kind soul willing to call out to me.

"Thank you. I'm a beginner, so I might get in your way, but I'd appreciate it."

She's a good person, reaching out to a loner like me, so I made sure to thank her politely.

Her face is a little red — is she okay? Hope she hasn't caught a cold or something.

The woman who'd invited me was holding a spear. Apparently most of the people taking this lecture don't have combat jobs. The only one who'd had a combat job was someone like Ohsaki, who's since disappeared.

Honestly, once you get a combat job, becoming an explorer isn't that hard. The practical exam is easy to pass, so you just need to clear a simple written test.

"Then here I come! Yah!"

A cute female student thrust her spear at me. But maybe because it's my first time, her movements were really slow. Appreciate her going easy on me.

I dodged the thrust with room to spare, swept my wooden sword horizontally, and stopped it just short of her neck. She'd even gone out of her way to pretend she hadn't noticed — was she really being that considerate of me?

"Huh? Wait? I yield?"

What a woman, surrendering so naturally. She must have let me win on purpose because it was my first time, so I wouldn't end up hating it. And she made it not feel like that at all — she's pretty good.

To think she cared enough to go out of her way to act like she hadn't even noticed. She was really looking out for me.

"Next up, me!"

Right after my sparring with the spear woman ended, this time a woman with a short sword invited me. Are the women just more proactive here?

"I'm ready when you are."

"Ufufu, if I win, you have to give me your contact info!"

Hmm, is it common sense around here to ask for someone's contact info when you win? But that would mean even if I won, I'd have to ask for hers. A rule where you get the same result no matter who wins seems kind of pointless... yeah, if I win, I just won't ask for anything.

"Here I go!"

The short-sword student was a little quicker than the spear student earlier. But the short sword's reach is short, so she has to step in deeper to close the distance, which means...

"Ugh, I yield."

When I held the blade out in front of her forehead, she couldn't get any closer and gave up. The students here are pretty good at losing.

"Next, it shall be me."

Right after the bout with the short-sword student ended, without a moment's breather another female student — this one with a one-handed sword and shield — stepped in front of me. I'm starting to feel like some dojo-busting challenger.

"Please go easy on me."

Now then, this opponent didn't just recklessly charge in. She's got a shield, so she's probably planning to take my attack and then counter.

After thinking for a moment, I thrust at her face. Maybe because I'd cut my windup down as much as possible, she hurriedly raised her shield and just barely caught the tip.

But thanks to that shield, she'd lost sight of me. I quickly crouched and swept the legs she'd left wide open.

"Kyah!?"

It landed perfectly, and she landed right on her butt. I pressed the wooden sword against her...

"I yield. You're quite strong."

I offered the surrendering student my hand and helped her up. Oh, she's already standing — so why won't she let go of my hand?

"Hey, let go of his hand already! I'm next!"

The one who forcibly peeled her hand off turned out to be my next opponent. She was holding a long naginata that didn't suit her small frame. This one feels like someone with experience. Can't let my guard down.

"Please go easy on me."

The female student waved the tip of her naginata low, watching for my move. This one's definitely experienced. If I remember right, the naginata's fighting style uses the opponent's force against them and turns it into an attack. Alright, let me put that to work.

I deliberately didn't attack, and approached her like I was out for a stroll.

"Huh? What's that about?"

The female student was bewildered by my action. I was just walking, after all. She probably had no idea how to respond. But at this rate, I'd slip inside the naginata's range. Once I did, I — with the shorter weapon — would have the advantage, so she'd have no choice but to attack first.

"Yah! ...Wait, huh?"

I caught the naginata that came scooping up from below barehanded and yanked it sharply toward me. Combined with the momentum of her own attack, she lost her balance forward. And right there, my wooden sword came to rest against her neck...

"Ah, I lost."

Nice, that worked out. Thinking about how to fight based on the weapon your opponent carries is good practice.

"Hey, you're gonna fight me next! I'll say it upfront: I've got a Spear skill. If you don't like that, you can turn me down."

Oho, a combat-job holder finally shows up. I'd been wanting to know what an explorer with a combat job was capable of, so the timing's perfect. Besides, having a combat-job holder here is a real bonus. Most of those guys quit university and become explorers, so I'd figured the only one was that Ohsaki — but apparently there was one here too.

"No, I'd definitely like a match."

This was a good chance to gauge my current strength. I'll have him test me even if I lose.

The spear-wielding male student nodded, satisfied with my answer. Right from his stance, the vibe was different from the female student I'd fought first. So this is what a combat job skill holder looks like.

"I'll give you the first move. Come at me!"

Whether out of the confidence of a skill holder, he was giving me the opening move. But man, for someone in the middle of sparring, he sure pays a lot of attention to his surroundings. His eyes kept darting over to the female students watching our fight.

Well, he's better than me at combat, so I guess he can afford that confidence. I don't have that luxury, so I'll just do the absolute best I can right now.

Reading where his gaze was going, I waited for the instant his eyes flicked toward the female students, quickly stepped in, and swung the wooden sword down from overhead.

WHAM

The wooden sword I'd swung down, absolutely certain it'd be blocked, somehow connected clean with the spear guy's head.