100 - Adventurers
One of the rooms within the guild facility was used for training.
Inside the room, surrounded by clean stone walls, the air felt somewhat heavy. There were small windows installed, but they likely didn't provide enough ventilation.
After being handed a wooden sword shaped like a saber, a young man named Krate, whose hair was slicked back, stood between me and my opponent, Airhalt.
My companions were around me, as were Airhalt's companions, who had been given greatswords.
And, perhaps out of curiosity, other adventurers had begun to gather in droves.
Along with the adventurers who had returned in the morning, those who had simply come to the guild were looking at us with smirks on their faces.
Listening closely, I could hear their voices.
"Want to bet on who wins?"
"Still, a duel is something you hear about often but rarely see."
"Youth is great. So reckless."
"So, what's the reason for the duel?"
"One side is clearly a harem, right? Isn't that why?"
"It's enviable to watch, but in reality, it's probably different."
"So young~, but it's entertaining, so that's fine."
"I'm betting on the blue-haired one!"
"I heard the kid with the green hair has a skill."
...They seemed to be having fun.
There were no senior adventurers of the type who are harsh to rookies or pick fights with people when they go to register at the guild.
However, I was being picked on by an adventurer of my own generation.
(How did it come to this? I was certainly leading Novem and the others, but I should have been able to avoid this...)
Looking back, Clara's eyes were sparkling. Eva was the same, but why were they holding notebooks?
And in this sweat-smelling place, Shannon was drinking from a water bottle with a look of disgust on her face.
Novem was preparing magic to try and ventilate the room, and Aria and Miranda waved when I turned around.
Monica waved both arms, her twin-tails swaying.
Looking ahead, Airhalt's companions standing on the opposite side were glaring at me.
Looking to the side, Krate was talking to a staff member in a guild uniform who had stepped out from the circle of adventurers.
"...I understand the circumstances of the match. A dispute between young adventurers. Still, I'd prefer it if you didn't do things like this too often."
The guild staff member, who had a black bob cut, sharp eyes, and red pupils, looked back and forth between me and Airhalt with an exasperated expression.
And then—.
"I am aware of the circumstances. You will promise to hold the match and not complain about the result afterward. Also, you are only to determine a winner and loser, betting anything between the two of you is forbidden."
The staff member looked at the surrounding adventurers.
"And as for you, don't get too heated with your gambling."
The veteran adventurers laughed and spoke to her.
"Tanya-chan, give us a break if it's just for fun."
Apparently, the female staff member who was exasperated with us was named Tanya.
Krate-san beat his chest with his right hand.
"No worries. I'll be overseeing this! Both of you, make sure you're satisfied with the result of the match!"
Airhalt laughed and took a stance with a wooden sword modeled after a greatsword.
From my perspective, it was an unreasonable match, but even if I stopped it here, those around us wouldn't be satisfied. Besides, the opponent certainly had a skill.
(I certainly don't have much experience fighting skill-users.)
Tanya blended back into the circle of adventurers, and Krate stepped back slightly, preparing to give the signal. Since he was looking at me, he would likely make the declaration once I took my stance.
As I took a stance with the saber-shaped wooden sword, Krate shouted.
"Begin!"
As the loud voice echoed through the room, cheers of excitement rose.
"This is different from the Beim guild I imagined."
As I grumbled, my opponent swung the greatsword up and brought it down toward me.
(Has he studied the sword?)
Looking at Airhalt using the greatsword, it seemed he had studied it somewhere. Since he had given his family name, he might be the son of some noble.
Or perhaps he had simply been in an environment where he could learn the sword—.
While shifting my body halfway, I unleashed a thrust, and the tip of the wooden sword hit the opponent's arm.
However, the sensation was hard.
Furthermore, although I had held back, the opponent's arm didn't turn red.
From within the Jewel Orb, the Sixth spoke with amusement.
'Physical Reinforcement types come in both vanguard and support varieties... to manifest and master a skill at such a young age. I see, so that's why he's so full of vigor.'
I stepped back to avoid Airhalt's attack as he swung the greatsword horizontally, and I felt the wind pressure. He seemed to have acquired a certain level of technique, but the movement itself wasn't that fast.
He was using a skill, but he wasn't a threat.
"Stop running away! Take this!"
I deflected the greatsword that he swung down diagonally, then immediately knocked it upward. After blocking the counterattack with my wooden sword, the opponent immediately tried to kick me away.
As I leaped backward, I became close to the spectators.
"Is this it? Adventurers aren't all that impressive. He's only used the first stage."
The Third was delighted.
'He's giving away information on his own... what a good boy! I wonder if he can use the second stage, or even the final stage? Let's ask him, Liel.'
He sounded truly amused—or rather, I felt like he was making fun of the situation.
While exasperated, I spoke.
"A second stage, huh? That certainly sounds scary. But if that's all there is, I can handle it."
An annoyed Airhalt shouldered his greatsword and bragged.
"Who said there were only two? I can use up to the third!"
"Thanks for being so thorough!"
I closed the distance, stepping right into the range of the greatsword. Airhalt thrust his fist forward, but I grabbed his arm, twisted it, and moved behind him.
From the surroundings.
"What? Is that it?"
"He let his guard down to show off! My one silver coin!"
"Hmph, looks like I'll be drinking good liquor today."
As voices rose over the abrupt end, the atmosphere of Airhalt, whose arm I had twisted and pressed against the ground, changed.
"You're making fun of meeeee!"
The muscles in his arm swelled, and because I felt the illusion of magic power erupting, I immediately released Airhalt and leaped away.
Physical Reinforcement.
I had thought it was the same system as Aria's, and it seemed I was correct. Even though it was a wooden sword, the one shaped like a greatsword was heavy. Yet, he held it with one hand and swung it down at me.
Was this the second stage, or the final stage?
The Fourth spoke.
'It'll break if you try to block it. It's better to keep dodging, but simple skills have simple effects... though, being simply strong is a pain.'
The First's skill—even the support-type skills—were simple but truly effective. While a skill that simply reinforces the body is one thing, the First's skill was the type that improved the ability itself.
I wondered if I should use it, but I decided not to use the First's skill.
"Oraaaa!"
As Airhalt swung the greatsword and chased me, I ran toward him, dove into his personal space, and slid right under the legs of the wide-stanced Airhalt.
Airhalt slammed the wooden sword into the ground, shattering it in the process.
"Stop scurrying around! Hey, lend me my Gram!"
Airhalt, who had thrown away the broken wooden sword, told his companions to hand over the sword with the grand name.
Just as one of Airhalt's companions threw the greatsword, a stone flew through the air, and the greatsword fell where the adventurers were standing.
When Airhalt's companion pressed the adventurer who picked it up to return the sword...
"Whoa now, if he uses this, neither of you will be able to back down. You guys, look at the girls in front of you."
I also glanced toward my companions and immediately looked back.
Miranda had dropped a stone from her palm and was drawing the short sword from her waist. Furthermore, Aria and the others were glaring.
(...I-I'm not scared. I'm not scared at all.)
Airhalt and his companions had pale expressions as they looked at Novem and the others. I didn't even want to know what they were thinking when they picked a fight.
However, perhaps it was different from what he imagined, as Airhalt seemed bewildered.
"D-Damn it! Then, I'll just use my fists!"
As Airhalt lunged at me with his fists, I unleashed a thrust with my saber. This time, I targeted the joints, striking accurately.
Since he had a skill, I figured it wouldn't be a problem even if it hurt a bit, so I just kept hitting and hitting him with the saber...
"T-That's cowardly! If you're a man, fight with your fists!"
"Who was the one who tried to use a real sword!"
Even though it was a wooden sword, Airhalt, who couldn't get into range, screamed, and when I talked back, the surroundings were enveloped in laughter.
"He's a big-shot rookie!"
"Boomerang!"
"Now, let's see how much that shameless guy can endure."
Airhalt was enduring my attacks with his Physical Reinforcement skill. He charged in, prepared for the pain, but since his movements were completely obvious, I could easily dodge and strike him with the wooden sword.
Avoiding the charging Airhalt, I struck, thrust, and sometimes tripped him with my foot.
Battered and bruised, Airhalt still tried to face me.
The Fifth's exasperated voice sounded.
'I understand he's tough, but this is enough. Liel, aim for the jaw.'
As told, I faced the charging Airhalt head-on, and the opponent spread both arms to try and grab me.
I ran and dove into Airhalt, kicked off the ground, and slammed my knee into Airhalt's jaw.
Because it landed perfectly, Airhalt's eyes rolled, and his legs wobbled before he collapsed.
He tried desperately to stand, but his body wouldn't obey, and he couldn't move properly. The swollen muscles returned to normal, and Airhalt lost consciousness.
Seeing that, Krate-san made the declaration.
"The winner is Liel! With this, the match is over!"
The ones who came running were Airhalt's companions. It seemed they had gotten the greatsword back, as one of them was carrying it.
The greatsword called Gram seemed to be an ordinary greatsword, not a magic tool. After looking at the greatsword with the grand name, I looked at Airhalt.
"Swinging a greatsword with Physical Reinforcement. I see, that is troublesome."
I could understand why he had become overconfident. Because he was simply strong.
If he had more experience and had mastered his skill, I might have struggled.
Krate-san approached, so I spoke with him.
"Well, since you're the winner, Liel-kun, this is the end of it. Let's just let this matter slide."
He said it with a great smile, but in the first place, if Krate-san hadn't stepped in, I wouldn't have even had a match with the opponent.
While my face twitched, Novem and the others approached.
"Liel-sama, that was splendid."
"Eh? Ah, was it?"
Clara looked satisfied.
"An adventurer picks a fight, and you show your strength in a match. Reading about it in books is fine, but seeing it in person is even more exciting."
Eva seemed unsatisfied.
"...If you had used a real sword then, it would have been more exciting."
I replied.
"Hey, that would be dangerous. And before 'exciting,' I think there are things you should be more concerned about."
As I said that and looked down at Airhalt, one of his companions was glaring at me.
"Don't screw with me. Remember this, I'll definitely rev—"
He probably wanted to say "revenge," but because a spear was thrust in front of his eyes, he was unable to say anything more.
The one holding the spear was Krate-san.
"The match was held on the condition that no grudges would remain. If you intend to lay a hand on him, I, as the overseer, will be your opponent."
As the opponent backed away in surprise, Krate-san withdrew the spear and relaxed his stance. Shouldering the spear, he spoke to me.
"You're used to fighting. You're an excellent adventurer. And the quality of your companions is high as well."
Krate-san looked at Novem and the others, putting a hand to his chin.
"There will likely be an opportunity to work together someday, so let's get along. Anyway, welcome to the East Branch."
As he said that, laughter was heard.
Krate-san's expression changed instantly as he glared at the other person.
"Albano!"
The adventurer called Albano was a young man with short blond hair and drooping blue eyes. He had a characteristic sword with a slightly long hilt hanging at his waist.
In his right hand, he gripped several silver coins and looked this way.
"I made a profit, blue-haired kid. Be careful with the stiff Krate. He's noisy about things like punctuality when you work with him, and he's inflexible. I'm Albano. If we have a chance to work together, nice to meet you."
With that, he left the room just like the other adventurers, and looking at his retreating figure, Krate-san spoke.
"...Be careful. He's skilled, but he's cunning. I've been burned by him many times."
Looking at Krate-san's frustrated expression, I nodded vaguely.
(Somehow, the members of the Beim guild are quite eccentric.)
I felt anxious about whether I could get along in the Beim Adventurers' Guild, which was different from the guilds I'd known until now.