Hazure Skill ‘Mapping’ wo Te ni Shita Ore wa, Saikyou Party to Tomo ni Dungeon ni Idomu

Chapter 23

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Chapter 23
Chapter 23 – Duel?!

Translator: Mana

After arriving at the seventh floor of the Dungeon of Puriff, we immediately located the teleport crystal and started on our way back to the party house.

Images of the battle just now kept coming to mind. The battle between Force and the Skull King Gigand. The boss monster of the sixth floor was on a completely different scale compared to the previous floors. The threat level from ‘Enemy Search’ was a given, but its size and abilities too.

However, it was no match for Force.

Force was strong. Exceptionally so, even. Many times more than I could imagine.

Roslia Minkgot. She used swords as a weapon just like him, and there was no doubt that she was the strongest paladin. But if they were ever to fight each other seriously, Force would probably come out on top.

His sword technique completely exceeded that of Roslia’s. The fact she held the Holy Sword didn’t matter, and nor did the capability of the sword itself—the battle would be decided by the difference in sword technique. It wasn’t as if Roslia’s sword technique. In terms of strength, her abilities were top cla.s.s amongst the dungeon-challenging powerhouses in the town of Puriff. Force’s sword technique was just that much of an outlier.

I glanced at Force. The figure that had swung the sword with such refinement was nowhere to be seen, having returned to his usual unreliable self.

I wondered which was the real Force…

Although I was inclined to believe that the answer to that was ‘both’, as I was looking at him a voice suddenly called out from beside me.

“Note, I’m sorry… Could we cancel today’s evasion practice…?” Jin said with his head lowered in apology. I was surprised by the remorse he was showing.

Since I was the one receiving his guidance here, I reached out to stop him.

“Please don’t lower your head. I’m the one asking you to teach me as a favour… I don’t mind if you cancel on me if there’s something you need to do.”

“Thanks. Since we’ve been dungeon diving every day these days, I need to buy more supplies for dungeon exploring…”

Jin averted his eyes while scratching his cheek.

“No no, I should be thanking you. For preparing things like that.”

Jin was the only one in the party who took the initiative to do these simple yet crucial things. Force and Neme were no use with such things, and the most Erin would buy was the groceries. Such a role should have been left to me, the ‘Arrivers’ member with the least battle capability, but since I hadn’t been in Puriff for very long and was still unfamiliar with the state of the town, I left everything to Jin.

Since that was the case… what was I to do about evasion practice…

As I was thinking about my plans for the day, an unexpected voice called out to me. It was Force.

“Then shall I help you today? With Note’s evasion practice?”

“Eh?” If this is not Binbogami WordPress then it is stolen!

The suggestion was so out of the blue, I unintentionally raised my voice in surprise. Force looked rather unhappy at my reaction.

“What… Is it so out of character for me to say such a thing…?”

“Well, yes…”

“Have a little more tact! Your reactions are too honest!”

“No, I just can’t help but feel like you’re plotting something…”

“I’m not plotting anything! This is 100% out of my own good faith!”

“How come I can only feel malice when Force uses the words ‘100% good faith’?”

“I dunno! You

r heart is just warped like that! If you say such things I’ll retract my offer to train with you.”

“Everything I said until now was a lie. Please look after me.” I said as I earnestly lowered my head towards Force.

“I haven’t felt any respect from Note lately…”

Well, that was true. After everything that happened…

I snuck a glance diagonally behind myself. Roslia stood there with her head tilted to one side.

It was exactly as Force said. Ever since he was tricked by Roslia into leaving the party, I have been acting a little too indifferent towards him. He was still an experienced adventurer with superior abilities.

Perhaps I should reflect a little and change my att.i.tude… perhaps.

“You fell for it, Note! I’ve been waiting for a chance to get you alone like this! I challenge you! Let’s have a one on one match over Roslia!”

Force smugly brandished his sheathed silver blade, Kouhaku, this way. Meanwhile, I held my head in my hands after seeing his figure.

“I was a fool for taking Force’s words at face value…”

How could I fall for such an obvious trap? Was I stupid?! There was no way Force had any good faith within himself, so there was no way he would have offered such a sincere act without expecting something!

“Hey, are you thinking something extremely rude right now?”

Force looked this way coldly.

Why was he only perceptive at times like this?

“You want to fight over Roslia… but Roslia isn’t mine to begin with…”

“Guh… playing the fool…”

Force bit his lip and glared. I took one step back from the pressure of his gaze.

“It’s vexing, but I admit it… Roslia has fallen for you… However! I’m not some pushover who would give up the woman he loves so easily! I’ll defeat you and win Roslia over fair and square!”

Force faced me and raised his sword to the sky. His figure looked impressive if nothing else.

“What do you even like about Roslia, Force? I can only think of her as a landmine of trouble…”

It was true that Roslia’s face and style were good. Top cla.s.s. However, once you take into consideration her man-eating personality and terrible reputation, any man should know not to fall in love with her…

I sighed as I questioned Force. In response to my half-exasperated question, Force only had one thing to say—

“Her face and chest.”

What the h.e.l.l? He was the worst!

But the fact I could sympathise with what he was saying was also a little frustrating!

Banishing the sensation of Roslia’s chest from my thoughts, I cleared my mind.

“Whatever… I’ll give her up… to Force. You can have Roslia. In the first place, I’m not even dating her, and as long as Force stays a member of the ‘Arrivers’ I don’t mind if you and Roslia become lovers… So let’s not fight…”

It was a complete lie. If Force and Roslia became lovers, I’d probably be p.i.s.sed off. Even if it was an act, if a girl who liked me went and dated another man, I’d be unhappy about it—like any man would. Perhaps it would be the same for women too.

I might have accepted it if the other person had been Jin instead, but not Force. I wouldn’t be able to forgive seeing such a careless man get a girlfriend… I’d rather date Roslia myself than see her go out with Force.

But even so, there was a reason why I was lying about my feelings. It was simply because I didn’t have a chance of winning against Force. In terms of fighting.

No no, it wasn’t happening! I could never win against Force!

After being shown such a fight, there was no way I wasn’t going to be depressed. I couldn’t even dodge a single hit from Jin. There was no hope of me ever winning against Force.

“Are you sure you’re not just running away cause you think you’ll lose?”

He really was only perceptive at times like this! How did he know?!

Could it be showing on my face…?

“T-That’s right! I wouldn’t be able to win against Force! It’s a strategic retreat!”

“How can you say something so cowardly with such confidence… Whatever… then let’s fight as evasion practice… I’ll hold back enough so that I won’t hurt you…”

“If that’s the case, then please do!”

“You sure changed your mind quick! Well, whatever. Let’s fight…”

Force wound a string around the scabbard so that he wouldn’t hurt me with the blade of the sword. I took out my dagger from its case at my waist as well.

Lowering my centre of gravity, I braced myself to take an attack at any moment. In response, Force took the scabbard in his left hand and took a stance as if to draw his sword.

We glared at each other…

The young man with the sword ready moved first.

“‘Flash Draw’.”

The impact reverberated through the air.

The source was from my solar plexus. I belatedly noticed his scabbard stabbing me in the abdomen.

I couldn’t evade it. I couldn’t follow it with my eyes.

With this reality in mind and pain in my stomach, I sank to my knees.

“You… Really are weak, Note…” Force said as he looked down at me, collapsed facing up.

“Be quiet…”

I responded as if I was throwing out my sulking feelings.

It was a battle that emphasised just how helpless I was. You couldn’t even call it a battle without sounding absurd. Since I was wiped away in a single blow.

“What do I have to do to evade an attack… Jin and Force’s attacks are just… There’s been no sign of me even coming close to evading them…”

Surprisingly, I voiced my complaints out loud. I was enduring it without realising it myself. I couldn’t lay a finger on Jin’s ‘Absolute Shadow’, and I couldn’t even follow Force’s swordwork with my eyes. In these past few days, I’ve been made more than aware of my lack of progress.

It wasn’t that I was slacking off. I was working desperately. But I couldn’t grasp anything. I was sick of this situation where I couldn’t move forward no matter how much I tried.

Instead of his usual scornful laughter, Force responded differently to my depression today for some reason.

“I don’t think it’s possible to evade me and Jin’s attacks without using an art, Note…”

I knew that already.

That was probably why I responded a little more harshly.

“You don’t have to tell me… something like that… I’m facing you guys in order to learn the arts, but because I can’t evade even a single attack, I can’t grasp the feeling of evading, so I don’t feel like I can do the art, and I’m stuck…”

“I see… so that’s how it is…”

Force closed his eyes in thought. He tilted his head and opened his eyes after a moment.

“Note, did you know that there are two ways to learn arts?”

“Two ways?”

“That’s right. The first is the method Note is trying now. By honing your techniques in a certain direction, you’ll naturally acquire the a.s.sociated arts after a while.”

He added a finger to the index finger he was holding up.

“The second is the same method as what Note’s using for ‘Stealth’.” It’s the method to learn arts directly. Even if you don’t know what it feels like, you can just imitate someone else. That way, you’ll suddenly obtain the art. After watching you until now, I think this is the method that’s more suited to you. That’s why if you observe Jin’s techniques closely, you might just find yourself easily learning the evasion arts…”

I was surprised that the advice coming from Force out of the blue was so precise.

“What’s wrong? Suddenly saying something so decent… did you hit your head?”

“How rude! I’m trying to teach you seriously here!”

Force lowered his gaze before continuing.

“I am thankful, after all… To Note… You were the one working really hard while everyone was panicking when I said I’d leave the party, right? That’s why. This is just me returning the favour. I’m not plotting anything…”

I almost burst at the sight of him.

“What are you embarra.s.sed for, Force? Well, it’s true you caused a lot of trouble, but I don’t really care about that. If anything, I’m the one that owed you a favour for inviting me to this party.”

“What? That’s… aah, geez! There’s no end to how embarra.s.sing this is! I’m done, no more! No more of this stuffy atmosphere! I’ve said what I needed to say, for now!”

Force pointed his finger towards me. He had a somewhat satisfied expression on his face.

“Also, what I said about handing Roslia over doesn’t count either. That was basically a joke. There’s no need for you to back down just because you lost miserably. Because I’ll win Roslia’s feelings over with my own hands.”

Uh… I didn’t want to interrupt you when you’re trying to act cool, but I’m not actually in love with Roslia. I could back off as much as you’d like.

“Is that so…”

It was too bothersome to correct his words.

I grabbed the hand Force offered and pulled my horizontal body up.

It was the moment when I felt like I understood a little of what Jin meant when he said Force was the leader of the ‘Arrivers’. For some unfathomable reason, he looked kind of cool.

“And I’ll fulfil my dreams of groping Roslia’s voluptuous chest!”

I take it back. He wasn’t cool at all.

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