Chapter 180

The High Elf was in an excellent mood.

This was rare.

It was the perfect time to get what I wanted.

“As I said earlier, I want to become a strong man.”

“Strong men are nice. But then, wouldn’t it take away the fun of me protecting you?”

Hiresia even made an unusual joke.

She must be in a really good mood.

“No, no. It’s impossible for me to become as strong as you anyway, Senior. You can keep protecting me all you want.”

“Heh, you cute thing.”

“Ugh…”

I’m pretty sure my face just turned red.

Isn’t it cheating for an elf to call me cute with that expression?

Hiresia reached out and playfully stroked my cheek.

H-Hey now.

If this keeps up, I might get swept up in the mood and do something…

…This isn’t the time for me to enjoy that kind of life, you know?

I barely managed to suppress the urge to grab her delicate hand stroking my cheek and kiss it.

Fortunately, she withdrew her hand.

I inwardly sighed in relief.

“Well, I understand very well that you want to become stronger.”

She knew better than anyone about my desire to become stronger, as I had honestly confided in her about it at Lake Ariala.

“Yes, you would.”

“So I’ve been trying to help you in my own way, but if you’re still bringing this up, it must mean you need even more power, right?”

“Exactly. And I feel like I don’t have much time.”

“Being impatient isn’t good, but if you’re saying this, you must have a reason.”

Hiresia agreed readily.

It’s great to be understood.

I expressed my gratitude with my expression.

Hiresia smiled gently.

“Alright. I’ll teach you my secret techniques.”

“Thank you so much, Senior.”

“Heh, that’s enough. Stand up.”

I stood up.

Hiresia took out her bow.

Just that alone changed the atmosphere.

That must be the aura that only true strong ones can possess.

“Of course, we’ll go step by step. Even mastering one properly won’t be easy at all.”

“Of course, Senior.”

“Hmm, then let’s start with this one.”

Hiresia slowly nocked an arrow.

Then she released the bowstring in one swift motion.

Ping!

At that fleeting moment when the arrow left,

I saw it.

The arrow glowing with a faint light.

Whoosh!

The light-enveloped arrow flew precisely towards the center of the wooden target.

And then.

Boom!

It exploded.

The miserable fragments of the shattered wooden target rolled on the ground.

My eyes widened.

This was a technique I had never seen before.

It’s not strange since I didn’t know that much about her until this playthrough.

Anyway.

I could immediately tell that it was an incredibly powerful technique just by looking at it.

The power of an arrow comes from its penetration.

That penetration is concentrated at the arrowhead.

In other words, the power of a single point.

Because it’s the power of a single point, it’s natural that one arrow can only inflict damage on one target.

But that arrow exploded.

Meaning it’s no longer at the level of a single point.

If such an arrow were shot at a group of enemies…

“That is…?”

“The Explosive Arrow.”

Hiresia answered, shrugging her shoulders.

A technique of that level is certainly worth shrugging about.

“It’s a technique that makes the arrowhead explode upon impact, sweeping the surroundings. What do you think? Isn’t it magnificent?”

Hiresia smiled proudly.

“Of course it’s magnificent. As expected, you’re amazing, Senior.”

I wasn’t just playing along, I was sincere.

There’s probably no one else in the world who can shoot arrows like that.

“Hehe, praise me all you want.”

“Yes, yes, I’m doing that in my heart.”

I skillfully responded like someone used to her, and continued.

“But if it explodes when the arrowhead impacts, does that mean it doesn’t need to actually penetrate?”

“That’s right. It just needs to collide.”

“Ah, that has a lot of potential uses.”

The fact that it only needs to collide means it would explode even if blocked by a shield or deflected by a weapon.

Enough to surprise the opponent.

No, it might even inflict direct damage depending on the situation.

A wooden shield would be shattered, and if deflected by a weapon at close range, they’d be caught in the explosion.

It’s a useful technique the more you think about it, with power as a given.

I’m getting more and more interested.

‘This is what you call a high-level skill.’

Those hard-to-obtain high-level skills.

Thanks to getting close to the unobtainable elf senior, I was able to fill two slots in my skill window with high-level skills.

If Concentrated Shot is the extreme of accuracy, this is the extreme of power.

The balance was just right.

But…

“It seems you used mana…”

“Hehe, you have a good eye. Indeed, I used mana.”

No, that’s obvious, isn’t it?

A normal arrow wouldn’t explode.

The problem is…

“Hmm, it’ll be difficult for now.”

I shook my head.

My current archery grade is C+.

Like my swordsmanship grade which is also C+, it’s a level where I could be considered skilled with a bow anywhere.

Of course, thanks to Concentrated Shot, my actual archery level appeared higher.

Anyway, that’s not the important part.

Mana emission, like sword energy, is only possible at B- grade or higher.

That’s why the difference between C and B is like a wall separating the merely strong from the truly strong.

Being able to emit mana is what makes you considered a true strong one.

But my archery grade is C+.

Meaning mana emission is impossible.

That’s why I spoke negatively.

But.

“How can you say it’s difficult without even trying? I’m disappointed.”

Hiresia said, frowning.

Her words pierced my heart like a needle.

It felt like I was suddenly waking up.

Right, you need to actually try things to find even a clue.

I judged too calculatingly and denied it without even trying.

“You’re not that kind of person, are you? Come here quickly. I’ll spoon-feed you specially.”

“…Thank you, Senior.”

I felt touched by her sincere care.

I pulled myself together, put strength in my eyes, and walked towards her.

* * *

Ping!

Thwack!

Another failure.

A normal arrow stuck in the target.

The mana didn’t move.

I couldn’t tell if I hadn’t yet realized how to move it, or if I simply lacked the ability to move it.

The sensation itself was different from the game, after all.

Feeling and implementing it with your own body was incomparably more difficult.

“Hmm.”

Hiresia seemed to be thinking about something.

Then she said,

“It seems you don’t know the path yet.”

“The path?”

“Yes, the path to move mana.”

This was an explanation I’d never heard before.

Of course, such detailed explanations weren’t necessary in the game.

“Mana moves through paths. So finding that path is the priority. The problem is that everyone’s path is different. That’s why explaining it verbally is meaningless. You have to find it yourself.”

“Ah, I see.”

I nodded in understanding.

“Then in the end, I have to somehow…”

“Well… there is one way I could help, but…”

Hiresia spoke with a hesitant face.

I tilted my head and asked.

“What kind of method is it?”

“I could inject mana into you to help you realize the path.”

“Oh, there’s such a method.”

My expression brightened.

But then I remembered her hesitant face.

“But is there some problem? Is it dangerous or difficult?”

“It is dangerous. And difficult too.”

“Oh no, then I’ll decline. I can’t trouble you unnecessarily.”

I waved my hands.

“No, that’s not a problem for me. It’s just…”

“Just?”

“Y-You need to take off your clothes…”

Hiresia blushed, embarrassed.

I finally understood why she had hesitated.

“Oh, you mean my clothes?”

“Y-Yes.”

“Just the top?”

“U-Um, yes.”

“Well, that shouldn’t be a problem, right? A man’s bare upper body is no big deal.”

Whoosh.

I started taking off my top without hesitation.

When I first possessed this body, it was just a pathetic physique, but with constant training, it had become quite muscular.

Yeah, this should look pretty goo-

“Eek!”

I saw Hiresia quickly shut her eyes tight and turn her head away.

Her face was completely flushed.

Come to think of it, this was the first time I’d shown her my bare body.

…Well, there shouldn’t have been any occasion to show it in the first place.

By the way, the standards of what’s acceptable in human society and High Elf standards seem quite different.

Seeing how embarrassed she is.

I felt somewhat sorry.

“Oh… I’m sorry, Senior. I guess I did something quite rude.”

“N-No… it’s not… I-I know that much isn’t a big deal…”

Your voice is trembling, Senior.

“No, it seems I’ve caused you trouble… I’ll put it back on, Senior.”

“Wait, wait, stop! If you do that, there’s no point in taking it off!”

Hiresia quickly stopped me.

I stopped moving and stared at her.

“Wait. Let me prepare my heart for a moment…”

Hiresia took a deep breath and turned her head back towards me.

Her eyes were wavering.

Her cheeks were flushed.

But this time, she didn’t turn her gaze away.

“S-Sit down.”

“Okay.”

I sat down.

She sat down facing me.

“I-It will take some time.”

“I’ll be in your care, Senior.”

“E-Excuse me.”

She kept stuttering, seemingly emotionally shaken.

…Not because of the difficulty of the task, but because of my bare body.

I felt embarrassed too.

Her trembling hand approached my abdomen.

The place where the dantian is located.

Tap.

Her palm rested there.

White and soft… No, I shouldn’t be thinking about this now!

“Cl-Close your eyes and concentrate.”

“Yes, Senior.”

I immediately closed my eyes and focused my mind, as if relieved.

It’s much more comfortable this way.

“…I’m starting.”

Hiresia seemed to have calmed down as she was about to begin the task.

Of course, it would be a delicate task, so she couldn’t afford to be flustered.

And soon.

Her mana entered me, as if seeping in.

* * *

How much time had passed?

I had no idea.

I was only focused on my inner self.

A warm and soft energy.

That energy slowly spread from my dantian throughout my entire body.

The inner path I was feeling for the first time.

I realized that this was the path of mana.

I concentrated all my mental energy on remembering that path.

That was the only way to make Hiresia’s efforts in helping me worthwhile.

‘Just a little more.’

The energy had now reached my arms and legs.

The channel to emit externally would be right there.

I focused my mind even more.

And then.

‘I found it!’

I finally discovered it.

The path to strength that would allow me to take a leap forward.

* * *

Creak.

I carefully nocked an arrow.

And then.

‘Emit mana.’

I could clearly feel the mana being emitted from my fingertips.

Ping!

Whoosh!

I shot the arrow without delay.

An arrow wrapped in a faint light.

It was clearly an arrow imbued with mana, although it was quite lacking.

Thwack!

Thud!

The arrow stuck much more forcefully than usual.

But there was no explosion.

That’s because it wasn’t an Explosive Arrow, but simply an arrow imbued with mana, nothing more, nothing less.

But there was no disappointment on my face.

Because I knew I had just earned the right to stand at the starting line.

[You have succeeded in emitting mana through an arrow.]

[Your archery proficiency has increased significantly.]

[Your archery grade has risen to B-.]

A message window appeared, as if to congratulate me.

I finally stepped into the B realm, even if it’s just the beginning.

It means the level of strength has changed.

“Well done.”

Hiresia praised me.

Her expression was smiling, as if proud.

I responded with a smile too.

“It’s all thanks to you, Senior. Thank you so much, Senior.”

I extended my hand.

Although she made a face as if to say “Why are you making such a big deal?”, she eventually accepted.

We held hands warmly.

The beautiful blue couple rings caught my eye.

‘Love that transcends race…’

I don’t know why the words of that employee suddenly came to mind.

Anyway, one thing was undeniable.

I was falling more and more for this High Elf senior.

“…Shall we end it here for today? It looks like it’s going to get dark soon.”

“Alright. And remember, this is just the beginning. You’ll need to work hard continuously.”

“Don’t worry. I’m nothing without effort.”

I smiled.

* * *

Old man Baker’s swordsmanship and Hiresia’s secret archery techniques.

I devoted myself intensely to these two things that would help me reach a new level.

Of course, while still doing what I needed to do.

And so, time passed.