Hellmode ~A Hardcore Gamer Becomes Peerless in Another World with Retro Game Settings~

Chapter 564: Fight with Murai

Kurena lost to Murai, so Allen stepped forward.

"Sorry…Allen…"

"No, you did well. It was really close."

"Okay…"

Kurena looked really depressed, having failed at showing her progress.

(She just took the match as a game like when we played knights. She got lured in, and when she was locked onto a Skill she could not avoid the other hits. I'm sure she would've won with Limit Break though. But I see, that's Divine Swordsmanship, it looked like a better version of Swordsmanship.)

Allen used to play knights with Kurena while growing up. She had raised her Swordsmanship Skill Level a lot since then, but Murai was still better than her.

Allen felt like Kurena held back too much thinking this was still like those games.

Divine Swordsmanship was a lot more strategic, too.

Either way Allen knew Kurena could do a lot more, so he did not blame her.

'You want to challenge me next, Allen?'

"Yes. As the party leader it's my responsibility, since I distracted them from their training."

Allen claimed he was doing that out of responsibility.

'I know you're just putting up airs…but alright. I don't believe you're much of a swordsman though?'

After looking at him for a while, Murai felt like Allen was not much of a swordsman.

"I'm not, but I have Skills to aid with my swordmanship."

'Aid?'

"Graham, use Possession Combination."

'Yes, Allen. Possession Combination!!'

The Wraith S summon Graham appeared, looking like an enormous skeleton wearing chinese armor and a red cloak, and used its Awakened Skill [Possession Combination].

That increased Allen's Swordsmanship Skill Level by 3.

'...I'm in charge of this dojo. Next time you want to pull a stunt like that ask for permission first.'

"Understood. I believe this still won't be a fair match though, could I start a bit further away?"

After seeing Kurena's fight, Allen knew that Possession Combination would not be enough to win against Murai's swift swings. Kurena still won when sparring with Allen after all.

Helmios and Doberg were also there, but not even they had much of a chance against Murai.

(Since Kurena lost, I'm the only one who can do this.)

He had to win if he wanted Kurena to get stronger.

None of them had fought an enemy with less power but more skill before.

Allen had to be careful and make sure he would win.

'That's fine. But I hope you realize that the moment you try to pull some trick my blade won't miss its mark.'

"I'm fully aware of that after watching the previous match."

(That's why I have to win before you get close to me.)

Allen turned around and walked back. Kurena had been 20 meters away from Murai in her match, and he went 5 times that distance, stopping at 100 meters.

He changed his cards to Attack and Agility ones, and held his orichalcum sword up.

Meanwhile Murai just looked at him with a clear gaze, with his sword ready.

He had been training for many thousands of years, so Allen's overwhelming stats did not bother him.

Since Allen had gotten really far away, Helmios and the other onlookers also stepped back.

The angel that gave the signal for the previous match held his hand up.

'Start!!'

(This was the reason why I trained Throwing! Eat this!!)

"Hmph!!"

Allen moved the instant the angel gave the signal to start.

He grit his teeth and groaned slightly as he tensed his muscles as much as he could before slinging away his sword at Murai.

The sword flew straight towards Murai's heart, impulsed by Allen's Swordsmanship and Throwing Skill Level.

'Wha-?! Gngh!!'

Murai instantly took a well balanced stance to defend, and there was a loud cling as Allen's sword hit his blade, cracking it. While that did not stop it, it still let him dodge.

"Hm, so that didn't work. Kurena! Give me your sword!!"

"Huh? Ah, here!!"

Kurena hurried to throw her sword at Allen. But Murai would not let that happen, dashing the 100 meters between them in an instant and arriving there faster than the sword.

'Foolish brat! You threw your sword which is more important than your life! Uryaa!!'

Murai made sure to stand in the way between Kurena's sword and Allen as he swung.

"You're right. Only an idiot would get deceived."

Allen's hand was stretched out towards Kurena's sword, but that was not his goal.

Allen and Kurena could see something Murai did not, the Grimoire.

He took an orichalcum sword out from the Inventory in mid-air.

Murai had only thought of Kurena's sword, so he was unable to react to the sword that suddenly appeared in the air.

(The distance is just right too. Hmph!)

Allen understood his Skills better than anyone. He knew exactly how long it took to take out a sword from his Inventory. He also knew Murai's speed from his fight with Kurena.

Thanks to that, he lured Murai to the exact spot he wanted to strike with his second sword.

Murai quickly took a defensive stance, but Allen's target was his cracked blade, which shattered and Allen's sword reached Murai's neck.

'Wha-?! That is not behavior suitable for a swordsman!!'

Murai did not want to admit defeat yet, and his face reddened with anger like when they first met. He understood that everything Allen had done was to trick him.

"Please forgive my ignorance as I haven't walked the path of the swordsman. That's why I want you to teach me Divine Swordsmanship."

'Wh-who would want to take you as a student..!!'

Murai was more angered than Allen expected.

Allen began to think of a way to calm him down and accept the situation when someone took hold of Allen's shoulder.

'Querubin just told me you arrived, and you're already having so much fun before I can get here.'

A woman's voice came from behind Allen at the same time.

"Wha-?! When did you…"

(Was that teleportation? When did she even get behind me?)

Hearing that unknown voice right next to his ear made Allen's heart drop with fear.

'There's no wrong way to walk the path of the sword. Murai, you were careless and you lost.'

'Wha-?! B-b-but… My apologies, God of Swords! That was an unsightly display…'

(Woah, this is the God of Swords. She got here really fast.)

Murai quickly cooled down, seeing the woman behind Allen.

All the angels present also knelt down.

Allen was also paralyzed with fear, and could not even turn around to look at her.

The moment her hand left his shoulder he seemed to be released, and he quickly turned around and jumped away from her.

"G-God of Swords Sestavinus, it's good to meet you."

'Heya! So you're Allen, huh. You seem to be in good spirits.'

Allen hurried to lower his head, but then carefully raised it.

She wore a hakama with a sword on her belt, and her chest was covered with a breastplate.

Her hair was red, and tied back to improve her mobility.

Shortly after her arrival, Querubin also came.

"Thank you very much for letting Kurena and the rest train here."

'Say, where are you even looking at right now?'

"Is it safe to assume that Kurena and the rest will be able to learn Divine Swordsmanship now?"

Those were the conditions of winning, but Murai had gotten really enraged.

'Hmm…what did dad say again… Well, usually only the challenger who won gets to move to the next step, but just sitting around doing nothing is boring, yeah?'

(Dad? Huh, her dad.)

"Yeah!!"

Kurena had spent a boring month sitting doing nothing, so she gave an energetic reply.

She had no hesitation or discretion.

'Wha-?! You call that boring… Anyway, I'll explain further as the instructor.'

The First Angel Querubin seemed offended by that remark, but quickly moved on to the next topic.

(Oh, so Murai is the assistant instructor, and Querubin is the actual instructor.)

According to Querubin, striking a hit on the instructor or assistant instructor changed the training curriculum.

[Rewards and training changes]

-Striking a hit on Murai: ability to learn Divine Swordsmanship

-Striking a hit on Querubin: student enters Extra Mode

-Defeating Querubin: ability to learn a Divine Technique

-If the God of Swords approves of one's Divine Swordsmanship: reception of the God of Swords' Blessing

-Striking a hit on the God of Swords: ability to become an Angel Knight

-Defeating the God of Swords: the God of Swords grants one wish

(I wish I knew this from the start. I guess the hero and Doberg were too engrossed to even ask though. Our goal should be for Kurena, the hero and Doberg to become Angel Knights. What I want isn't here though.)

Allen glared at Helmios for a moment, blaming him for not saying anything, but now was not the time for that. The God of Swords, a Higher God, was right in front of them.

By defeating Murai, it seemed like everyone would get to learn Divine Swordsmanship.

"Lord Querubin, I believe the reward I want isn't mentioned there."

Allen spoke with a dejected voice.

'What? I believe you aren't even a proper swordsman yourself though?'

"No, but I wish to excel at everything. The path of the sword is just one of the many I walk on."

'That's not something you can do so easily… But what is the reward you want, Summoner Allen? What do you wish to gain from the Divine Arena?'

Allen pointed at the sword dangling from the God of Swords' waist.

"I want the God of Swords' sword."

'Y-you can't be serious?! What kind of joke is that…'

"Huh? What did you just say?"

Querubin shouted in shock hearing that, but the God of Swords' confused voice was even louder.