Chapter 34
Following Summoning, Ethan passed Geoyang and Emission as well. In total, he had earned 4 points so far in the Standard Magic Practice.
Ethan lay on his dormitory bed and thought.
'The only one I have a chance with now is probably Destruction.'
Despite Bien's criticism of it being stupid, Ethan judged the Gespenst V to be a competent familiar. It was similar to having a bird as a familiar, but it was valuable in that it could record 'video' and its functions could be changed by attaching various accessories. However, it was difficult to find any more Standard Magic Practice points he could earn through the Gespenst V.
With a loading capacity of 14kg, it was far from enough to support Ethan's weight, so Levitation was out. Interpreting the Gespenst V's video as an illusion was ambiguous, and the moment it revealed itself, he would have to be suspected of black magic, which was a burden.
'I'm short by 1 point.'
A window appeared before Ethan's eyes.
[Broker Quest Generated!]
[Broker Quest: Discover n copies of 'Ankarucia of the Unreachable End' in the Great Library Labyrinth (D)!]
Ethan thought.
'What's this useless thing?'
As if sensing Ethan's thoughts, Zirra added an explanation.
<This is a quest regarding delivery. You will be rewarded each time you discover a book with the title 'Ankarucia of the Unreachable End'.>
<Each time I do it?>
<Yes.>
<How many copies are there?>
<The exact number is unknown, but it is believed there are several dozen copies in the Great Library Labyrinth.>
If that was the case, it was a different story. Even if they were just D-rank Lottery Coupons, several dozen of them would be a great help.
Demi advised.
<However, with the Standard Magic Practice ahead, you will not have much time to delve into the Great Library Labyrinth.>
<That's true.>
Fortunately, the Broker Quest did not seem to have a specific time limit. The conditions and limits of each quest varied depending on the quest, or more precisely, the quest's client, so there was no real standard. In this case, it seemed the client would be satisfied once a certain number of books were recovered.
<I cannot reveal detailed information about the client, but the client is the author of said book and feels great shame at the fact that it can be read in a public place. Thus, as a legitimate exercise of rights, I, Broker Zirra, am asking Sir Ethan.>
<...I feel like I've learned an unnecessarily large amount of information.>
For now, Ethan decided to either get the last 1 point through the Broker Quest later or try another method, and for the time being, to focus on how to pass the immediate problem, the Standard Magic Practice 'Destruction' test.
And the only one who could tell him that was Rebilton.
∞
"I knew you'd think that."
When Ethan told Rebilton, Rebilton nodded and said.
"And that thought is not wrong. It is possible to pass the Destruction test using the Hunter's Sword. I would recommend it, too."
From Ethan's perspective, to pass the Destruction test, he had to learn 'Tusk Breaker', which had the most outstanding destructive power among the nine stances of the Hunter's Sword. But so far, Ethan had only mastered the basic stance of the Hunter's Sword and had not yet properly learned the nine stances, which were techniques for catching real colossal beasts. So he needed to talk to Rebilton and change the learning order.
"But there's a problem. The Hunter's Sword training method wasn't created by me. It's a learning method that has been passed down by the Ruure Hunters for countless generations, from parent to child, from the strong to the weak, from the previous generation to the next. There's no basis to say that you can learn it just by skipping a certain part."
Ethan acknowledged its validity, and rebuttals simultaneously came to mind. But there was no need for that.
"Well, of course, I'm not a Ruure Hunter, and you're not trying to become one either, Ethan. You're not even required to have a perfect stance on a hunting ground where life and death hang in the balance, so you should be able to pass the test even with some flaws."
Rebilton drew his sword.
"But there is a 'minimum'. I also have a responsibility to teach the Ruure Hunter's Sword, you know."
"...Yes?"
"Draw your sword, Ethan. I will check if you have that minimum qualification."
Ethan drew his sword in a flurry. Ethan had seen Rebilton fight for real and knew his true speed, so he knew the movement rushing towards him was for a spar, not to kill him. Nevertheless, the power of a bear-sized man charging with a real sword was overwhelming.
'...I'm going to die!'
What saved Ethan was the basic confrontational stance of the Hunter's Sword that had gradually become ingrained in his body during the thousands of times he had exchanged blows with the Mazok.
What should one do if the opponent strikes down with their full strength? If you retreat to avoid it, your stomach will be sliced by the sword's tip, and if you stand your ground and raise your sword to block, your head will be split. There is only one answer. You must confront it head-on.
If the point of force of the enemy's swung sword is on the inside rather than the outside, the impact is dramatically reduced. Of course, it shouldn't end there.
'Entangle the swords...'
When facing blade against blade, the one blocking is at a disadvantage. If you decide to meet the blade, you must grip your sword tighter than your opponent's force and, in the brief opening provided by the sword guard, press the flat of your blade against the flat of your opponent's.
'...and transition to the offensive.'
It's easy to think that since you made a strong attack, the opportunity will come back to you. But if you're too focused on defense, you're likely to die without being able to block the opponent's relentless assault. Giving the opponent the next opportunity is suicide. So the only way is to use the opponent's attack as your own opportunity and counter it.
'The weak point is the wrist.'
Now Ethan understood Rebilton's words that all fights were like wrestling. To attack the opponent's point of force with my stronger point of force. A fight where the opponent's weakness becomes my strength. The entanglement that's hard to follow with the eyes and the movements that are incomprehensible to the mind that are created in between. The charm of a fight where you gradually come to understand it.
Just before Ethan's attack landed, Rebilton regained his advantage simply by taking a single step through his footwork. Ethan couldn't hide his surprise but once again realized the things he had forgotten. Ethan endured the embarrassment, followed Rebilton's footwork to switch offense and defense again, changed his stance, swung and stabbed his sword, got beaten up, hit, dodged, and was hit again.
Rebilton assumed a single stance towards Ethan, who was so exhausted he could barely stand. He bent his right leg and extended his left leg long, ducking his body low. It was a stance Ethan already remembered, but his perspective on it had changed.
'Tusk Breaker.'
In the past, he didn't know what meaning Rebilton's stance held, but now he could see where the tip of his foot was pointing, how the blade was extended, the angle of his bent back, where his gaze was directed, the curve of his fingertips, and even how he should be breathing. Ethan became so engrossed in the fight that he even forgot this was Rebilton's test.
'Can I escape? I can't. I'll definitely die if this continues. How do I counter that technique?'
Before Ethan's question could end, he mimicked Rebilton's stance exactly. Because Ethan had realized through 'observation' why Rebilton had taken such a stance, he could properly imitate Rebilton's form.
'It's the same. I have no choice but to confront it.'
Ethan released the natural movement of magical power brought on by Ruure's breathing, along with the stance, into his body. His breathing quickened, and magical power condensed in both legs, then exploded in an instant. That magical power surged up, climbing the latissimus dorsi to swing the sword, gripping the deltoids, and clutching the forearms. The target was the opponent's tusk. The two blades clashed.
∞
With an explosion that made everyone flinch, the test site was filled with smoke. Fortunately, the test site was outdoors, so the smoke itself cleared quickly.
The examiner, Rydel Remus, waited until all the smoke had cleared. At the center of the explosion was a scarecrow, which was just straw dressed in armor. The scarecrow was intact despite the explosion.
"Yezhov Asgasil, Standard Magic Practice 'Destruction' division, disqualified."
Yezhov scratched the back of his neck with a somewhat disappointed expression, and his friends cheered that it was cool. The reason Yezhov could afford to be relaxed was that he had already earned more than 7 points in the Standard Magic Practice exam. With his passing confirmed, even his failure was a target of encouragement as he had voluntarily taken an additional test.
"What's with that guy's state?"
"Yezhov, did you beat him up?"
"No way. He probably ran into a mugger on his way downtown."
Appearing among the jeering students was Ethan.
Ethan had a bandage on one eye and his head, and upon closer inspection, there were bruises on his neck. He also walked with a slight limp. He looked sick to anyone who saw him.
Rydel stared at Ethan for a moment before speaking.
"Ethan."
"Yes."
"Your voice is hoarse too. Are you okay?"
"I have some body aches."
"You look it. I want to let you know that there is an opportunity for a retest."
"I know. But I plan to pass today."
Rydel nodded.
When Ethan assumed the Tusk Breaker stance, the students began to chatter.
"Didn't you see? Yezhov just failed too."
"Give it up. You can only open one eye right now."
"I heard only two people succeeded in the 'Destruction' division this year."
"What can you do? It's one of the few practice tests you can challenge with that body magic."
The students giggled again, and Yezhov also looked at Ethan with indifference. It seemed no student seriously thought Ethan could pass the test.
-Kang!
A crisp metallic sound of breaking iron, one that no one there had ever heard before, rang out, and then Ethan was rolling on the ground. Yezhov's group was about to laugh at the sight when Yezhov unconsciously stood up from his seat.
"...Uh."
Rydel said.
"Ethan Dora Charasen, Standard Magic Practice 'Destruction' division, pass."
With those words, the prone Ethan wiped the sweat from his forehead, and next to him, the scarecrow's armor, split in half, belatedly fell to the ground with a dull thud.