Chapter 579 - That Morning
"—…Alright, not bad."
Early the next morning, on the second day of the latter half of the Four Pillar selection tournament.
After an exemplary, diligent start to my day—waking up early and heading straight for the training room—I spent just under an hour warming up. Having moved my body this way and that, I gave my own condition a stamp of approval: 'Good.'
My adjusted armaments feel fine, my avatar's controls are smooth, and my mind is sharp. I could even say I'm in peak form without any issue.
The only lingering concern is the bracelet on my right arm—the [Nine Tail]. Even now, two months after obtaining it, my control over it hasn't progressed beyond 'crude'… but well, maybe it's better to just give up and accept that this is just how it is.
True to its name, it's a wide bangle with a design of nine overlapping shades of 'black.' It's a delicate piece, accented with a single bluish-purple gem, but its hidden abilities are just as delicate—or rather, absurdly difficult to control.
On top of that, its status buffs shatter Arcadia's conventional wisdom, boosting not stats like STR or AGI, but my level itself.
In other words, right now, my avatar is…
――――――――――――――――――
◇Status◇
Title: Acrobat
Name: Haru
Lv: 110
STR (Strength): 300
AGI (Agility): 300
DEX (Dexterity): 0
VIT (Vitality): 0 (+200)
MID (Mind): 350 (+330)
LUC (Luck): 300
――――――――――――――――――
…in a state of being over the level cap, one of only two such people in this virtual world.
Considering the concept of that dungeon was to 'surpass one's own limits,' this equipment's properties are perfectly in line with it. Therefore, I believe the level increase is part of its base performance, not something exclusive to the first-clear reward.
Of course, the 100 status points from the level-up can be freely distributed, making it unrivaled in terms of stat-boosting versatility.
Incidentally, if the bonus points aren't available in an unallocated state, the equipment cannot be removed. If you hit the level cap and allocate all your points, one of your accessory slots will be locked until you use a stat reset. Something to keep in mind.
At any rate, with equipment bonuses, my stats are equivalent to a total level of 178, a truly monstrous level. When I activate [Desperate Crimson], my stats will naturally soar past 200, an outrageous state of affairs. It might be more accurate to say I'm not just in good shape, but one step short of cheating.
And as for my skills… I've reconciled with them, including «Rega-Lielta», and I'm more polished than ever. There's no doubt I'm at an all-time high.
After all, for the past two months, I've spent nearly all my time training at my master's dojo.
Mind, technique, and body are all in perfect condition. In my current state, I could probably three-minute-cook (to the death) even that [Angalta] in its 'Acrobat Edition'—the small, high-speed form… and yet…
"……………All in all, what's my win-loss record against him… I wonder…"
If things go as planned, I'll face him in the sixth match today—that guy I met in the fourth round back then. And the problem is, I just can't see a clear path to victory.
I'm sure my subconscious aversion from being thoroughly beaten during the special training for the White Throne extermination battle plays a large part in this. But even setting that aside…
"He's just so strong…"
That guy—Irori is strong.
My speed, the number of attacks I can land—I can think of areas where I currently have the upper hand. However, the gap in 'skill,' backed by his overwhelming talent and effort, is immense.
It's not just him, but Ui-san too—how do they return such precise responses when their physical reaction speed and thought processing shouldn't be able to keep up? Their predictive abilities in battle are just too high.
It's not a rare occurrence for him to turn my own speed against me and cut me down with a counter. He's completely unmanageable.
And, to be honest—
When it comes to battle, I think he surpasses the [Sword Saint].
In terms of pure sword technique, I believe Ui-san is superior, setting aside my bias as her student. The gap is likely large enough to be called vast.
However, according to her, she's not suited for fighting. It's hard to believe, but after spending several months with her, I'm starting to understand what she means.
That person is fundamentally not suited for conflict or competition—or rather, she has no fundamental interest in such things. Her passion is focused solely on 'swinging her sword,' and she doesn't seek an 'opponent' in that endeavor.
What Ui-san seeks is 'learning,' not 'victory.'
Therefore, the [Sword Saint] lacks passion for 'battle.' And in that respect, the blade of the [Peerless] far surpasses the ultimate sword.
This world, Arcadia, is a world of dreams where the feelings you pour in become power. It goes without saying how much of a difference in output the gap in their mindsets will create during a fight.
In terms of simple 'strength,' I think Ui-san is stronger. But in terms of the 'fear' they inspire as an opponent… I'm far more afraid of Irori.
—So much so that the whisper of I might not be able to win clings to me and won't fade.
"……………I don't want to lose."
I've been looking forward to this day for a while now.
I'm in a strange state of mind, one I don't think I've experienced since coming to this world.
No matter how you slice it, Arcadia is ultimately just entertainment—a game—and that guy is now… embarrassingly enough, a close friend.
And yet, for the first time, I think I'm—
"…Nnngh, what's with this weakness? Am I okay…?"
—feeling a sense of dread about heading to the battlefield.
Because he's a close friend.
before
――――――――――――――――――
◇Status◇
Title: Acrobat
Name: Haru
Lv: 100
STR (Strength): 100
AGI (Agility): 200
DEX (Dexterity): 0
VIT (Vitality): 0 (+150)
MID (Mind): 550 (+400)
LUC (Luck): 300
――――――――――――――――――
after
――――――――――――――――――
◇Status◇
Title: Acrobat
Name: Haru
Lv: 110
STR (Strength): 300
AGI (Agility): 300
DEX (Dexterity): 0
VIT (Vitality): 0 (+200)
MID (Mind): 350 (+330)
LUC (Luck): 300
――――――――――――――――――
A comparison of his stats from before. Much more balanced now, huh? (???)
The weird number for the MID equipment bonus is because the El-Gran set was broken when he equipped the [Nine Tail] (Left Ring +30, Right Bracelet +30, Two-piece Set Bonus +40).
He's still using the ring since he hasn't found a notable replacement. For reference, a single piece with +30 is considered top-tier by normal standards. A set bonus of +40 would make any jewel crafter sulk themselves to sleep.