chapter_0258

Mesugaki Tank Enters the Academy –
258

Mesugaki Tank Enters the Academy –
258

“How long are you just going to stand there? This isn’t much
different from hitting a scarecrow.”

The malice in the skeleton’s voice suggested my taunting had worked.

From my position, fending off blow after relentless blow, it was
frustrating, but I couldn’t argue back.

Because it was true.

Even though the battle had gone on for quite some time now, I was
still just on the defensive.

There were two major problems.

“Where did all that bravado from the trial go? Was it just a
miracle given by the gods?”

One issue was that fighting the skeleton now, after the trial, was
entirely different than breaking through the trial itself.

In the trial, the landscape didn’t differ much from what I had seen
beyond the monitor.

The screen had simply become reality.

The enemy’s moves, habits, the type of attacks it launched, its
schemes—everything was exactly as I remembered.

With my current abilities, I could recreate my past fervor. All I had
to do was exhibit my honed, veteran skills.

But now, things are not as they used to be.

I had fought this skeleton several times after the trial. I memorized
its patterns down to the last detail.

For the first few rounds, my knowledge held true. If it weren’t for
the skeleton’s astonishing maneuvers, I might have ended the fight
then and there.

But, at some point, things changed.

The skeleton began responding differently.

From what I knew to what I didn’t.

The knowledge I’d cultivated, the pride of being a veteran became
useless.

“What’s wrong? Pushed against the wall, your once lively tongue
seems to have stilled. Just like a child.”

The next issue arose as my knowledge failed, and I found myself on
the back foot.

There were no gaps to exploit.

My fundamental strategy when facing an opponent equal or stronger was
to endure until I could create an opening.

It was true that my skills were advancing rapidly, but it had only
been a year.

Naturally, I lacked absolute experience, so seeking a fair fight
against a stronger opponent would only put me at a disadvantage.

Thus, I preferred to hide behind my shield, waiting for the decisive
moment to strike and end things quickly.

Besides, the [Mesugaki] skill—both a blessing and a curse—was
perfectly tailored for creating openings in the opponent’s defense.
And the fighting style my master taught me, wielding the shield, also
emphasized this approach. So, I had stuck to this strategy all this
time.

And, in fact, it had never failed me before.

If I could withstand the opponent’s attacks and use them to create
an opening, I always found a way to victory.

But this battle was different.

Was it impossible to endure the opponent’s attacks?

No, it wasn’t.

The skeleton who believed itself to be Garad was originally being
powered by Karon’s magic, like the other skeletons.

However, after the trial ended, Karon’s magic vanished. Now, it was
no longer Karon’s magic moving the skeleton, but the power of an
evil god.

Yet the evil god had not been properly resurrected. Compared to
Karon’s magic, this power was lacking. The strength the skeleton
held now was nowhere near the level it had during the trial.

Not only that.

The skeleton was resisting the influence of the evil god. The fact
that it could speak rationally and avoid lethal moves was clear
evidence.

With these two limitations, it was clear that the skeleton was much
weaker now than when it had loomed at the end of the dungeon.

So I could endure it.

My shield—Ankir—could easily block the skeleton’s sword.

Was the taunting not working?

No, that wasn’t the case.

The [Mesugaki] skill was absolute.

Every time I spoke my taunts, the skeleton’s jaw clicked angrily.

The strikes grew more fierce.

The bony hands, even without muscles, visibly trembled with tension.

The euphoria that filled me.

It was proof my taunting was working.

My strategy, which had brought me so many victories in the past, was
clearly effective.

Yet, with every exchanged blow, the frustration in my heart only
grew.

“…Ugh♡ Enduring this disgusting stench, and you still make me
speak?♡ You must really want to see me throw up, huh?♡ I knew you
were a pervert, but you’re a truly vile one.♡ Don’t tell me you
plan to lick the floor later?♡”

“…Tsk.”

Responding to his taunt, I wondered.

What’s the issue?

Why can’t I find an opening?

Why am I not being given a chance?

Am I just playing it too safe?

If the opponent is stronger than me, should I be taking more risks?

As my head filled with questions, the path of Garad’s sword
suddenly became clear in my mind.

This one.

That sword.

I could definitely parry it.

Before I could even process the thought, my body reacted. My shield
moved, almost as if something had possessed me.

Clang! The sensation of a perfect parry resonated through my
shield.

This is it.

An opening.

Finally, the moment had come.

Without thinking, I thrust my left foot forward, evaluating the
situation.

The sword that had been deflected was already being readied.

His stance, too, was unchanged. Ready for anything, just as before.

The excitement that had welled up cooled instantly.

He wasn’t trying to deal with a crisis.

He was getting ready to devour the prey crawling into his mouth.

No sooner had I realized it than my instinct screamed danger.

Following that instinct, I hastily raised my shield.

However, stopping mid-attack to hurriedly lift the shield made it
slow and inadequate.

Blocking the attack like this would upset my balance and leave me
exposed to the next blow.

I would have to defend from an unstable position.

…If this continued, I would definitely fall and then be struck.

What should I do?

As my brain raced, a memory from my training days with the Allen
family came to mind.

Sometimes, it’s better to take the hit cleanly than to awkwardly
block it.

I deliberately leaped backward, letting the skeleton’s blow land.

My lightweight body was effortlessly pushed back by the skeleton’s
strength. Twisting mid-air, I adjusted my stance, and by the time I
landed, a considerable distance separated me and the skeleton.

I had successfully reset what could have been a disadvantageous
situation.

“I thought you were only good at hiding, but it seems you’re also
good at running away. Are you a rat from the sewers?”

“Sorry~♡ I was trying to come closer because poor Mr. Bonehead
seemed lonely, but the stench was unbearable~♡ Try to understand♡
I’m just a small, cute noble girl.♡ I’m not like you, living in
the sewers.♡”

“…That slippery tongue of yours.”

While irritating him further, I reassessed the situation.

The first thing I could tell was that his skills far exceeded mine.

The skills honed over countless years. The tactics refined through
countless battles. They completely overwhelmed me.

Had the evil god’s influence not weakened him after taking over the
dungeon…

Had the skeleton not resisted the evil god and tried to conserve
energy…

Would I have been able to hold out against him at all?

The answer came quickly.

No.

I wouldn’t have lasted a minute before being shattered.

Soon after, fear would crawl up my spine and seize my mind.

All I would have been able to do was clutch my head and weep, begging
for my life.

That’s the kind of gap there was.

It was that vast.

Reaffirming that in my mind, a small laugh escaped me.

If a weakened fake is this strong, just how powerful must a true hero
be?

I had felt the same when Grandpa had performed a miracle before—the
path ahead was still long. Far too long.

With that in mind, I gripped my shield handle once again.

Suddenly, Grandpa, who had been silent until now, spoke.

‘That’s true, but…’

Right now, my objective wasn’t to defeat the skeleton. It was to
endure.

If I could just hold out until Luca was subdued and Karl returned to
join me, then the weakened skeleton could be dealt with by Karl.

<Then why are you advancing? Do you really think you can win??

‘No. I’m not so delusional.’

‘I want to land just one hit with my own hands.’

Grandpa, you don’t know this, but I wasted an entire month because
of that skeleton.

Do you know how much stress I endured during that time?

I’m telling you, it was so bad I almost got a bald spot from it!

Sure, after countless efforts, I finally managed to overcome the
trial, and my hair grew back, but the sense of helplessness from that
time remains vividly etched in my memory.

And now, since the duel with the skeleton started, I’ve felt the
same emotions.

Helplessness. Frustration. Anxiety. Irritation. Anger.

If I merely held out until Karl arrived, these feelings wouldn’t
disappear.

With the score stuck at 0-1.

I would forever be haunted by that defeat, without ever having a
chance to turn the score around.

I don’t want that.

I absolutely do not want that.

If that skeleton won and disappeared smugly, I’d be so mad I’d
probably pass out!

So, I need to land at least one blow.

To achieve a moral victory.

To shout, ‘See, you’re not all that!’

After a moment of silence, Grandpa let out a hearty laugh, louder
than ever before.

What’s with you, Grandpa? I’m being serious here, it’s really
not the time for laughing.

>Good! Excellent! Utterly fitting for you, child. It’s
splendid!>

‘What in the world are you talking about?’

Um, changing your mind is fine and all, but…

Isn’t there something strange about what you just said?

Are you saying the reason I’ve managed to hold out so far wasn’t
because of my skills, but because that bonehead, whom you deemed
suitable as a fox toy, was going easy on me?

Hearing Grandpa’s words, I adjusted my stance.

Even though the fight had gone on for a while, my body was still in
perfect condition.

I’d thought that, if the opportunity arose, I could land a blow
because I was still unscathed, but hearing that my current state was
because he had been holding back…

Haah. Damn it. That’s just embarrassing.

And.

Honestly.

It really.

Really pisses me off.

‘Huh? But…’

That’s right.

It was frustrating.

I felt powerless.

As time went by, my mind grew cluttered with doubts.

As if he had read my thoughts, Grandpa spoke confidently.

‘…Then what’s the problem?’

Despite countless attempts, every attack had failed.

Back when my game knowledge worked, it was fine, but since then, I
couldn’t even make him flinch.

‘I’m always ready.’

With a hint of a smile, Grandpa praised me before speaking once more.

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