Chapter 621 - Helping Out
After that, the information-sharing session about Kanata continued for the better part of an hour.
We started with his Anima, moved on to the details of his skills, and even covered his strengths, weaknesses, and combat habits. He said it was the first time he'd ever explained himself to someone in such detail, so it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that I was now the player in this virtual world who knew the most about Kanata.
In a competitive game, one's personal build should be a closely guarded secret. But Arcadia is primarily a cooperative PvE game where players face off against powerful monsters.
Because of that, my basic style is to answer without hesitation if asked. Still, I went into it with a minimum of restraint, figuring I shouldn't pry too much... but he'd answer ten or twenty things for every one I asked, and before I knew it, I had become a regular Dr. Kanata.
Was this friendliness reserved exclusively for the [Acrobat] he respected so much, or was this just his default stance with everyone? Well, that's beside the point.
Now that we'd finished our pre-training meeting...
"Alright then, shall we get started with the training?"
"Yes, please!"
The next step, naturally, was practice.
However, this wasn't some thoughtless "let's just punch each other and get stronger" kind of deal. What we were about to do was a form of measurement.
We faced each other in a vast, pure white training room, each holding two short swords.
"Just to recap, I won't be attacking. I'm going to focus solely on defense and evasion. You, Kanata, will attack relentlessly—no time limit, until you can't move anymore."
"At about eighty percent power, not my absolute max, right?"
"Yeah. Don't get carried away. Stay calm, and don't forget to keep thinking."
In essence, it was the same thing I did when I first met the [Sword Saint], but unfortunately, I couldn't gauge an opponent's skill and talent in a brief exchange like she could.
So, following our verbal meeting, this was Part Two of our mutual understanding sequence.
"Alright, come at me."
"Yes, sir!"
Time to see for myself and get a more accurate measure of Kanata's current limits.
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And so, thirty minutes later...
"—Hnngh... cough, khh... S-so this is a ranker..."
"Nah, it's less about being a ranker and more the gift of my master's spartan training, really."
Kanata was sprawled on the floor, gasping for breath. Beside him, I unsummoned my Bullets and checked on my collapsed junior. The difference between us was plain to see, but I had a firm confidence that my stamina now surpassed that of most veterans, so this was to be expected.
It would be a different story if it were an all-out battle where we pushed past our limits, but for a light workout like this... well, I probably wouldn't even get winded after several straight hours.
"I'm, sorry... for you to see me in such a pathetic state... ugh..."
"That's not true, so just lie there and rest easy. If anything, I was genuinely surprised. You were way tougher than I expected."
But when measured against the standard I'd learned from interacting with regular players during the [Starry Paradise] event, maintaining combat action at eighty percent power against a superior opponent for thirty minutes was, in all seriousness, the work of an exceptional player.
In other words, comparing him to me—someone who'd walked, or rather, sprinted down the hellish path of the [Sword Saint]'s special course—was the real mistake. A pure evaluation of the current Kanata could only be described as 'exceeding expectations.'
...Right, I should probably tell him that in no uncertain terms.
Ever since my days as a part-time warrior, I've always been the type to nurture my juniors through praise.
"No flattery, you're better than I expected. Your stamina, guts, and sustained concentration are all flawless for now. You'll be a fine runner in half a month, I guarantee it."
True to my word, I gave him an honest thumbs-up. Kanata, still lying on the floor trying to catch his breath, had his fatigue-clouded eyes light up with a noticeable sparkle.
They sparkled, and he probably tried to say something in return, but ended up choking spectacularly. Whoa, calm down. Don't push yourself while you're cooling down.
"The Four Pillar War is... well, it's embarrassing for me to talk about it since I've only participated once, but stamina is essential. Especially for us light warriors, who burn through mental and physical energy so quickly. Even more so for a runner—ah, it's fine, just stay down."
I stopped Kanata as he tried to sit up and continued my explanation during our break. Again, I'm still a Four Pillars newbie myself, so this is a little awkward...
"You might get a pass for looking a little uncool, but a runner who can't run is a serious problem. So for the time being, I want you to focus on building up your stamina."
For now, he was flawless. But just as Goldow had feared, it wouldn't be enough for the main event. I'm not saying he needs an endless supply, but the toughness—both physical and mental—to not break even while being chased by powerful players from other factions would be crucial.
We can worry about fine-tuning combat techniques later.
"You'll get breaks during the real thing, so it's not like you have to run from start to finish. Still, I want you to have enough stamina to keep this up for about an hour."
"An... an hour...?"
I said it casually, but I understood it was a tall order.
I was being honest when I said I was surprised; Kanata's current stamina was already on par with, if not better than, that of the Four Pillar War veterans. That's precisely why asking him to 'double it' was nothing short of unreasonable.
However, in my opinion...
After talking, sparring, and fighting with him, and considering the potential I'd gauged...
"I think I've said it a few times, but I'm here to help with your training. I can't be a master or a teacher, so I won't tell you 'do this.' But if you're serious about wanting to get stronger, then I'll get serious and help you without holding anything back."
Because it felt like it was unreasonable, but not necessarily impossible.
It wasn't just about his potential; I was also banking on the overflowing enthusiasm he showed me. This was the final confirmation. My gaze asked him what he wanted to do—
"...I came all this way because I look up to you, the Acrobat."
Kanata, still lying on the floor with his unmoving body, said something a little embarrassing.
"So, there's really no question about it."
Still looking like he was in pain, he managed a smile as my junior declared without a hint of hesitation,
"Unreasonable or impossible, I'll make it happen. Please—train me."
"...Okay. I accept your resolve."
In that case, I'll cast aside all my reservations as well. I'm still an immature student myself, so I can't make grand pronouncements about teaching him... but still.
"Then, to kick things off, how about I share some words from a person I respect?"
"Yes...? Uhm..."
If I can't at least help out a junior who looks up to me as his senior, my missing master is sure to scold me when she gets back.
"'What can be done can be done, so believe you can do it and strive on.'"
"..................Yes?"
Brace yourself, Kanata-kun. I may not be as strict as the [Sword Saint], but I'm not as kind as her either. I'll praise you endlessly until you succeed, so be prepared.
Now that that's settled, let's start with a little game of 'tag.'
The protagonist has a strong image of always being exhausted because he's constantly doing crazy things and pushing past his limits. When compared to a player who remains a more realistic kind of exceptional, this is the reality.
What's a realistic kind of exceptional, anyway...?