kscans

Chapter 422 - First PvP Battle

An intimidating face, a height that made him two heads taller, and a massive, muscular frame that looked to have more than double her own mass. The man looked down at Parfait as if to overwhelm her.

He seemed to understand the effect he was having, and a faint smile played on his lips.

The surrounding players who noticed this took a small step back. But they didn't ignore it either. They watched Parfait and the man's exchange, holding their breath.

"Hey, little lady, didn't you hear me? I want to buy that katana."

If he spoke to such a small child with that kind of intimidation, there was a chance she wouldn't just sell it, she might even just hand it over. Words like "Hey, knock it off," "That's just pitiful," and "Someone report him," came from the surrounding players, but the man silenced them by glaring around and saying, "Shut up."

But Parfait was calm.

No matter how huge or intimidating the man in front of her was, after seeing Captain Gil and his comrades who guarded Director Lunaria on a daily basis, he wasn't scary at all. He was no different from an ordinary man. In fact, you could say he was lacking in muscle.

"So, how about it? I'll buy that katana for ten times the market price. How about it, say, 100,000 G?"

At those words, voices from the surrounding players came out again, saying things like, "That's too cheap," "You've got to be kidding," and "Just put him on your blacklist," but the man said nothing and just looked at Parfait.

"It's not for sale."

"Ah, is that so. So you do understand its value. Then how about ten times that, 1,000,000 G?"

"I won't sell it, no matter how much you offer."

Parfait said this and turned her back to the man, starting to walk away. But the man came to walk beside her.

"Hey, hold on. That katana is too much for you, little lady. Guys like me are going to keep pestering you, you know? You don't want that, do you?"

She didn't want that, but it wasn't like he could just steal it from her. Besides, just as that woman with the dazzling abs had said, she could just add anyone like that to her blacklist, one after another.

Parfait didn't react to the man's words and instead summoned the holographic system menu, searching for the blacklist.

The man who saw that clicked his tongue.

"A beginner shouldn't be carrying around a weapon like that. Who was it, the idiot who gave it to you?"

Parfait's finger stopped dead.

The man must have felt something was off about her frozen movement, as he leaned in to look at her face. But in the next moment, he jumped back.

The players who were watching from the sidelines had puzzled looks on their faces, wondering what on earth had just happened.

Parfait dismissed the system menu and turned her body to face the man.

"I won't sell it, but I'm willing to accept a PvP match where we bet our weapons. What will you do?"

At those words, everyone present was at a loss for words.

A girl who was clearly a beginner had just challenged an intimidating player to a duel.

Because she was a beginner, she didn't understand the difference in their abilities. The surrounding players thought this and spoke to Parfait.

"Hey, you can't do that. That guy's a ranker. There's no way you can win!"

"You don't have to fight him, just put him on your blacklist right away."

"Some staff will be here soon, so don't do anything rash."

"No, it's alright. Thank you."

Parfait said this and then looked at the man.

"So, what will it be? You don't have to accept, but you might become famous for refusing a beginner's challenge."

At the clear provocation, the man's face twisted in anger, but for some reason, he was hesitating.

Only he knew the reason why. In the first place, it was the man who had backed away from the girl. Everyone once again felt a sense of wonder about what had happened.

After observing Parfait for a moment, the man let out a deep breath.

"Alright. Fine. Giving it to me for free, that's a nice gesture."

"And thank you for giving your weapon to a beginner like me. I'll sell it and make some money."

Parfait didn't flinch at all in front of a man who would intimidate even an ordinary man. The people around them had no idea what was going on, but that, in turn, drew more people in.

Everyone expected the man to win and take the katana, but there was also a sense of anticipation, a faint possibility that the girl might win.

"The match type is a Betting Match. The wager is each other's weapons. This axe I'm holding, and the katana you have, little lady. Is that correct?"

"That is correct. However, since I'm a beginner, I can't set the detailed options. Please send the request from your end."

The man frowned for a moment, but he configured the match from his system menu.

And then, the duel request was sent to Parfait.

First, a window for setting the wagered item was displayed. She set her own katana, the Beelzebub. Then she confirmed the axe that was the man's wager and accepted.

The man, seeing that the katana had been wagered, also accepted.

Two options appeared in Parfait's settings window.

They were "Virtual" and "Real."

Without hesitation, Parfait chose "Real."

"What!?"

This action surprised not only the man but also the surrounding players.

If she were a beginner, she should have hesitated with that choice, but Parfait chose 'Real' without a moment's pause. It wasn't the wrong choice. If a beginner was to beat a veteran, that was the only way.

But in practice, 'Real' combat was difficult. 'Virtual' mode was used for normal gameplay like defeating monsters, and it was by far easier to fight in that mode.

A girl who looked like she had never even fought a monster was choosing 'Real' as the combat mode. And without a moment's thought. So, it seemed like she might have pressed it by mistake without understanding, but a small bit of anticipation also started to swell.

An invisible, dome-shaped barrier was erected around Parfait and the man. The match would take place only within this dome, and no one else could enter until the battle was over. The one minute until the start of the battle was a preparation period, so Parfait used that time to put distance between herself and the man.

The man, who had been surprised at first, now thought that this was actually more advantageous for him, and he smiled again as he readied his axe.

After putting some distance between them, Parfait thought about various things.

(I've only ever sparred with Master Benny and Teacher Simon, but if that player I saw earlier was a ranker, this should be fine, right? Besides, he made fun of my father. I absolutely can't forgive him.)

Even though the man in front of her didn't know it, he had indirectly insulted the person who had given Parfait the katana, Hayato. That alone was reason enough for Parfait to be angry.

She hated it when people made fun of her acquaintances. If it was a close friend, she would know it was a joke, and she could even tolerate it to some extent from a stranger. But if someone uttered a direct insult, she would get furious and fight back.

But Parfait calmed her own anger. It was not good to be caught up in emotions before a fight. That was the teaching of her master, Benitsuru.

Parfait held the sheathed katana in her left hand.

She was being taught Azuma-ryu sword style by Benitsuru, but this sword style didn't really have a stance. However, it was a counter-based style, and the version that incorporated iaijutsu was called the Stance of the Wind God.

To evade like the elusive wind and finish off an opponent who has lost their balance with a single blow. That was supposedly the true form of it, but Benitsuru had told her many times that only she could do that.

As she was thinking about such things, the PvP match began.

Parfait just stood there, without taking any particular stance.

It was a stance-less stance that made her look wide open, inviting the opponent's attack, a way to counterattack. The name "Wind God" was something Benitsuru had come up with on her own, Parfait recalled, wondering if that was really okay.

(He's not attacking. What's he doing?)

The man was holding his axe at the ready, but he wasn't coming towards her.

Since it was a counter-based stance, she wouldn't attack from her side, but she didn't want to wait too long either.

Just as she was thinking about attacking, the man charged towards her.

And he swung his giant axe.

(With a swing that big, Master Benny would cut him five times. Even Teacher Simon would get at least three, for sure.)

She thought she could land a blow herself, but first she wanted to confirm if her body would move smoothly, so she didn't push it and dodged to the side.

It was virtual reality, but there was no time lag at all. She had thought that might be the case in a battle, if not normally, but since it wasn't, she drew her katana further.

The man, who had swung his axe with great force into the ground, had lost his balance, so she swung her katana towards his neck. After confirming that she had hit him successfully, she returned the katana to its sheath.

Parfait didn't even look at the man she had cut and took some distance.

After that series of movements, a delayed cheer erupted.

And Parfait was satisfied with her own movements.

(There's a slight sense of discomfort, but I guess this is it. Ah, maybe it feels strange because I don't feel any physical fatigue. Then it should be fine, I'm moving as usual. By the way, didn't she say I shouldn't aim for the neck against ordinary people? I'm sorry, Master.)

As she was muttering such things, the man who had stood up came towards Parfait with a furious expression. And he swung his axe around recklessly.

(He's just asking me to hit him like that, but is he really a ranker?)

He was swinging a giant axe around. It was a dangerous attack, but to Parfait, it was nothing but full of openings. What was truly scary were attacks like her master's, where each and every blow aimed for a vital point, she thought deeply.

Without panicking, Parfait countered the attack and cut him about three times.

(Oh no. It doesn't hurt, so there's no point in aiming for vital points or the hand holding the weapon. This area is a bit different from reality... But, I guess this is enough. I have to go back to reality and do my homework soon... Teacher Simon is scary if I forget.)

Parfait lowered her hips slightly and switched to an offensive style. This one also had no definite stance, but it had the name Raijin. Benitsuru had said proudly, "Isn't it cool?" but Parfait had hurt her feelings by saying, "It's ordinary."

Remembering that, Parfait went on the attack.

Continuous slashes from the draw. She had asked before if there was any effect to sheathing the katana each time, but the only answer she got was, "Isn't it cool?"

But it certainly was cool. And she remembered Xenobia saying, with sparkling eyes, that it was like an attack you'd see in a fighting game.

And then Parfait noticed something strange. As was to be expected, she wasn't getting tired at all.

"Ahaha, amazing, amazing!"

In reality, she couldn't keep up the continuous drawing for even thirty seconds, but here she could do it over and over without getting tired. Parfait got carried away and increased her speed.

The man had a pained expression, but his eyes were filled with strength. Seeing that, Parfait realized he was aiming for something.

Just as she expected, the man ignored his defense and pulled his axe back.

Since he was holding the axe sideways, she predicted a horizontal slash was coming, and Parfait lowered her hips and stepped in.

And with her left hand on the sheath and her right on the hilt, she performed a two-handed upward swing. According to Benitsuru, it was a technique named Seiryu.

A powerful upward attack from a low stance, it hit the man's axe from below.

With that momentum, the man let go of the axe, and it flew into the air.

(This is a chance to do that one!)

The secret technique of the Azuma-ryu sword style, which she was taught but told not to use, had a certain romance to it. A technique that could render an opponent unable to fight with a single draw.

Its name was "Shuten." Apparently, Benitsuru had named it that because when you were hit by this attack, you would fall flat on your back like someone who had drunk too much sake and was sleeping. But she also said she got the inspiration for the name from this very AFO.

However, since she was told this was a secret, she wouldn't say the name of the technique. But she was also told, with some difficulty, that she wanted her to spread the Azuma-ryu style. The Azuma-ryu dojo was said to be impossible for ordinary people, and it wasn't popular.

"Azuma-ryu Battoujutsu Secret Art—!"

With a single draw, she fluidly cut both his arms and legs, and then delivered another blow to his neck.

In reality, he would have fallen on his back, but this was virtual reality, so that didn't happen, and the man rolled on the ground to get some distance.

Parfait was about to pursue him to land the tenth attack, but then she remembered something.

She had heard that the katana she was holding, the Beelzebub, would change its form according to the will of the person fighting with it. So, she decided to defeat him with the sniping she had learned from her mother and stared at the Beelzebub.

(I don't really get it, but turn into a rifle.)

As she was thinking that in her mind, she heard the man's voice say, "Y-you...!" but immediately after, the katana changed into the shape of a rifle.

She thought the transformation was romantic, but first she decided to end it and aimed the rifle at the man.

She sat down, propping her left knee up, and secured the gun with her arm and knee so it wouldn't move. Then she looked through the scope, aimed at the man's stomach, and pulled the trigger.

A gunshot that resonated in her stomach rang out, and the bullet hit the man in an instant. The man fell with a surprised expression on his face.

(Hmm, that felt good. Now, back to a katana.)

Parfait stood up while thinking that. And the Beelzebub, which had returned to its katana form, she sheathed at her waist.

Immediately after, the PvP dome shattered, and sparkling particles rained down on Parfait.

And a voice echoed in Parfait's head.

"Congratulations. You have ranked in at 100th on the PvP rankings."

Parfait's only thought was that the man must have been 100th, but she was happy that she would now receive in-game currency on a regular basis.

The voice continued.

"You have won the Betting Match. The wagered item has been acquired. Please check your item bag."

Parfait confirmed that the axe the man had been using was in her item bag, and then, without looking at the man, she started to walk away.

And then she was surprised.

It seemed that quite a large gallery had been watching the fight just now, and they were standing in a circle around Parfait.

However, unlike the PvP she had been watching earlier, there was no applause. Wondering if she had done something wrong, Parfait started to walk.

The players who were in the direction Parfait was heading quickly cleared a path.

Parfait bowed her head and then started to walk in that direction.

(I'm not going to use the axe, so I'll sell it. It'll be good funding for the base purchase.)

While thinking such things, Parfait called up the system menu and added the man to her blacklist.

And then she entered a weapon specialty shop that had just come into view.