Chapter 76 : 4th Weapon

Rei didn't meet with anyone else after getting his promotion, choosing to go to the Inn and stayed inside his room.

While he was in his room, he was holding a book. He took off his helmet and you can see the excitement on his face.

Today was his promotion day, so it's obvious why he was very happy but his excitement was coming from something else.

The book he's holding right now...is the reason why he is very happy and excited, since it would lead him to greater strength.

To [Protect].

"I never thought I could get my hand on this." Rei spoke while looking at the book with brown hard cover and a silver shield symbol in the middle of it.

A book that could help him learn...

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[Shieldmanship].

'Indeed, especially his skill book and the condition on how to obtain that skill.' Ray commented.

""It was pretty hard to convince him."

'Yeah...it was, but what's more shocking is...I never imagine that man to have that kind of job.'

******

Going back to 20 minutes ago, when Rei was still discussing about his favor on the bet he made with Hughes.

"About what now?" Hughes asked him to make sure he was hearing that correctly.

"You want to learn how to use [Shieldmanship]?" Miranda asked him.

"Yes." Rei answered her right away.

Miranda and Hughes were confused at his favor, out of all things he could ask...he asked them if he could learn [Shieldmanship] skill.

A skill that belonged to Guardian type job that was focused on the defense and protecting their teammates.

Miranda looked a bit concerned, "This is...quite suprising, I never thought someone would ask to learn a skill, especially something from different job."

'Is it that suprising?' Rei thought.

"Are you aware that you already have 3 type of skills from 3 different types of weapon."

"I know."

"....and you want to add another?" Hughes spoke.

Suddenly...

*BAM*

Hughes slammed his fist on the table as he looks a bit furious, "Idiot! Do you not know the consequences of having different type of skills?!"

Rei looked at him straight in the eyes and nodded, "I know."

He knew of the consequences of learning other type of skill. When someone learned a skill from different job, they will feel rejection that would result in pain from all over their body.

When someone use their skills, their brain was trying to process different moves according to the description of the skill, and then the muscles would learn from it and memorize it. That's what you can call as Muscle Memory.

So when they tried to force the body to learn other kinds of skill that doesn't suit their muscle, they would put strain on the muscle which could result in painful sensations throughout their body.

That's why most people didn't have the guts to do this kind of thing.

But...of course, there's only two person in the entire world who's crazy enough to try and learn such ability.

And that is Rei himself.

'With [Pain Resistance] we could withstand the pain...and that is the reason why we managed to endure it in order to use those other skills.' Ray explained.

'Though it's not like we could say that to him.' Ray spoke while watching Rei standing still before Hughes who looked somewhat furious yet concerned that he was trying to learn another skill.

"And you still want to learn it?" Hughes asked.

"I do." Rei answered without hesitation.

Hughes sighed along with Miranda as they both share the same thought and worries about this man before them.

Rei appreciated that they were worried for him because not many people would go out of their way to do something like that for someone... they made him smile happily.

But that doesn't mean he's gonna back out from it. He already decided it for himself the moment he was brought to this world.

And Hughes saw that resolve when their eyes met.

"Fine, I understood...I'll accept that resolve." Hughes suddenly opened his table locker underneath him and took out a book from there.

Rei saw that book with the brown hard cover and quickly recognized it, 'Is that?'

"Indeed...this is an instruction book about [Shieldmanship] and..."

"One of my original skills."

=======================================

[Shieldmanship Mastery Book]

Grade: Epic

Type: Book

A book that was written by none other than [The Fortress, Hughes Farhill] himself. The book contained basic of the shield arts and how to managed to use shield in battle. Its also included one of his original skill.

=======================================

Rei realized something about the original skill he mentioned along with the description from the appraisal and Hughes knew that from his small reaction.

"Yes...it is skill [Shield Art : Reflection], my very own skill that I created myself, just like Nel." Hughes spoke and placed the book on the table in front of him.

"Now I am giving it to you."

Rei gulped a bit after hearing that, of course original skill is the hardest of all skill to imitate.

"Is it that skill...?"

Hughes raised his brow, "You already can guess it, right?"

Rei nodded.

"Of all my skills I showed you...and the original skills I used on you was the first skill...[Shield Art : Reflection]."

'I knew it.' Rei thought.

"It's a skill that required guts and endurance towards enemy attacks, of course simply enduring it won't show any effect to the enemy, that's why this skill existed...and I am the creator."

"A skill that allows you to save up energy from all kinds of attack, whether its physical or magic. You will absorb their energy by receiving those attacks and released it back to them." Hughes explained.

"It's similar with [Mirror], a magic skill that allows you to reflect enemy attacks, but if we are talking about the principles of the skills both of them are different things."

"That magic, like its name [Mirror], it reflect attacks the moment they touched it, just like when you directed a light towards it."

"But my skill is more like absorbing energies and releases them...it means that everytime the enemy damages me, the energy will be restored bit by bit and when it reached its limit...you can release those energy back to them." Hughes explained.

Rei listened to what he was talking about and understood the principles of it. But...

"It doesn't sound that simple, isn't it." Rei mumbled.

Hughes smiled, "Correct...like i said before, this skill required guts and enough endurance to withstand all types of attack, facing it without fear and endure it."

"Until you release them all within a single moment." Hughes spoke.

Rei gulped. The way he was speaking...he made it sounds so cool. It's a perfect skill to protect his allies in the future as a knight he aspired to be.

"So? Can you imitate this one? This will be very different than Roger and Nel, because it requires defense instead of attacking." Hughes spoke while looking at him.

Rei met his gaze full of his own confidence and smiled from behind that helmet.

"Of course...I will make that skill mine." Rei spoke confidently.

Hughes nodded with a smile after hearing those words.

"Then I'll look forward to have a spar with you in the near future...Crimson."

"Thank you very much." Rei thanked him.

"Is there anything else you want to ask before you go?" Hughes asked.

"Hmmmm...well I am more curious about your actual job."

"My actual job?"

"Yeah, I mean you could cast three defense skill at the same time. Most people cannot do that kind of control to be able to cast those skills at the same time." Rei explained, though it was based on what Ray was saying before.

Hughes widened his eyes and laughed, "Hahaha! Of course, no one could ever cast that many skill...but well...except for one job that is."

"What kind of Job?" Rei asked.

Hughes curved his lips into a big smile and then...

.

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"[Paladin]." He answered.

"Eh?"

"Hmm casting three wasn't actually my full strength, if I used my all then I can probably cast up to 12 to 16 skills~" Hughes boasted while rubbing his beard.

"You're joking right..." Rei couldn't help but shifted his eyes towards Miranda who stood beside him.

As she answered him with a nod.

"W...what kind of [Paladin] would attack at the front line!?" Rei shouted out loud.

Just like he said...[Paladin] is a guardian type job that also belonged to [Cleric] or [Priest] type of job that have supportive buff to defend their teammates.

But...this guy...

'He uses a shield as a weapon and charges at the enemy without fear. I know their defense are great but their damage shouldn't pack that much until 1/3 of our health decreased!' Ray explained.

Hughes laughed loudly while Miranda sighed.

"Well of course you would be suprised but well...he is the first [Paladin] who would charge at his enemy to take it down instead of aggroing them." Miranda spoke.

'Well Tanks are good at aggroing the enemies to keep them from targeting Support and Attacker.' Ray explained.

"But with his strength it's quite reliable cause we don't have to face that enemy if they got defeated first." Miranda explained.

'True.' Ray commented.

Rei couldn't help but sigh, "Are you some sort of irregular or something Guild Master?"

Hughes took offense to that, "Hey! I don't want to hear it someone who could use different skills like you!" Miranda nodded as he said this.

"Ugh."

Rei couldn't retaliate against him since it was the truth. His existence itself already breaking the rule of this world, an irregular that went on different path than others.

******

Ray laughed after remembering that, 'Hahaha! That was hilarious when you couldn't talk back at him!'

"Could you stop laughing!" Rei shouted.

Ray's laughter slowly died down as he smiled, 'Well it was pretty funny, I never thought there was a [Paladin] like him who would use a Shield as their weapon.'

'Not only that, he recognized that you are as weird as him.'

"Ughhh...don't remind me about that."

'But now since we got what we wanted, let's try practicing it.'

"Yeah."

Without further ado, Rei quickly took off his armor and rested his body on the bed. He closed his eyes and soon went into his mind state where he arrived at the vast white space.

Ray was waiting for him and of course there was a shield hand before he threw it at Rei.

Rei caught the shield and began to wear it. The shield was triangle in shape, a bit round on its sides though and the size was a bit bigger than the shield that Hughes used before.

As Rei observed his shield, he remembered something about his fight up until now...he realized that he always defended himself with his weapon and it resulted in having their durability going down.

'It feels weird...but...I need to get used to this.' Rei thought while facing against Ray who stood in front of him.

"From the book we read, [Shieldmanship] requires talent or effort. Talent is what you have since you were born, as for the effort...you need to defend yourself as much as you can." Ray explained.

"How many times do I need to defend myself?"

"Well you already know how you managed to get your [Swords Mastery] and [Spear Art] right?"

Rei nodded as he already expected that.

"But the difference is...you need to defend yourself."

*SHUUSTH* *CLINK*

Ray spoke while summoning a sword from thin air.

"I know." Rei spoke while looking serious as he get into his stance.

"Well since you know my rule already...

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*SWOOSH*

Without making any sound, Ray disappeared from thin air.

Then...

He reappeared right behind him.

...don't die on me." Ray mumbled.

Rei expected that already as he reacted much quicker and turned around then lifted his shield up.

Ray performed [Vertical Slash] towards him, swinging his sword down at him.

*THUNG*

The sword clashed against his shield.

'Ugh!–'

And the rejection began, his muscle that wasn't used to the shield ached and it spread out all over his body.

Rei could feel the painful sensations from both his arms and legs just from defending that one strike.

[Notice!]

[Skill "Pain Resistance" had reduced the pain]

His skill activated and the pain was reduced a bit.

Ray who saw him struggling didn't gave him any chance.

*SWOOSH* *THUNG*

He swung his leg and kicked him on his shield.

Rei was thrown back a bit, feeling his body was forcefully moved back.

'Ugh!' But he managed to stand after that, and he could see that Ray used a bit of his aura to strengthen that kick.

"Hey! Using aura is unfair!" Rei shouted in anger.

Ray smirked, "You think the enemy will hear your complaint from something petty like that."

"Grrrr..." Rei growled, unable to retaliate.

Since it's like that, he began to envelop his body with aura, but sadly he couldn't cover his shield with it.

Ray chuckled then rushed at him with high speed this time.

Rei quickly lifted his shield to be ready for another impact.

*SWOOSH*

Rei widened his eyes when suddenly a tip of sword appeared right before his eyes when he was still lifting his shield.

'Wha–'

*THUNG*

With his reaction speed now, Rei managed to slip his shield up and protected himself before the tip of the sword could hit him.

When he peek through the side of his shield, he could see that Ray was holding the tip of his handle to extend the sword length to strike his head.

He never experienced this before and the way he strikes and the way he moves was completely different than 2 years ago.

"Kiritsuka...let me tell you, from now on, since you managed to come up here...I shall show you, the experience I got in the war."

"So make sure...you remember this." Ray let out his bloodlust from his eyes, it was heavy and much more stronger than the last time he sparred with him.

But Rei managed to withstand that powerful bloodlust since he stayed still on his spot, unwavering.

Ray pulled his sword back and swinging his sword from all kinds of direction.

*SWOOSH* *SWOOSH* *SWOOSH*

'[Omni Slash].' When he swung his sword, it was beautiful from the looks of it.

His golden aura that covered his sword, creating a golden line whenever he swung his sword. It was beautiful and well-coordinated, despite it might look slow, the speed of those swings are surprisingly much faster than he thought.

Then...

*THUNG* *THUNG* *THUNG*

His sword hit the shield with enormous strength. Rei who was holding up his shield couldn't managed to stay sane from those sound whenever his sword clashed against his shield.

'What the hell is this strength!!...this is so strong!' Rei thought as he endured both pain from the shockwave coming from the wave of slashes and the pain from his muscle.

[Notice!]

[Skill "Pain Resistance" had reduced the pain]

His skill activated again but despite that, the strikes didn't stop and it got even faster and faster.

*SWOOSH* *SWOOSH* *SWOOSH*

.

.

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.

*THUNG* *THUNG* *THUNG*

'What–?! Ughh–!!'

Then...

*THUNG*

After that his shield was flung up from his hand, since he couldn't handle those relentless strike.

'Dammit–!!'

Rei noticed that Ray didn't stop on just that and took his chance...

*SLASH*

to cut him down...

******

Rei woke up from his bed with a jolt, he panted heavily with cold sweat covering his face.

"Haaaa...haaa...haaaa..."

'Okay~ you died~' Ray jeered playfully.

"Ughhh...no matter how long I have been facing your sword...I don't feel so good when dying like this." Rei mumbled.

'Hahaha! You need to get used to it more." Ray replied.

"And the intensity is much stronger than the last time...and what's with that [Omni Slash]! It's much stronger than I used on Banzana and Nel!" Rei half-accused him.

'Well indeed, I guess you can call that strong.'

"Huh? What do you mean by that."

'Well since this is the proper time, i need to teach you more about how to handle your sword since you have been changing your weapon into Spear and Bow so take this as a new lesson.' Ray explained.

"Hmmm...I understand." Rei accepted but he knew already that he has been using Spear and Bow a lot lately, since his opponent always been strong on the defensive so he changed into spear.

And he forgot just how hard he has worked on training his sword in the past couple of years.

'Good, and now then...what I just show is what they would call...a [Flowing Strike].'

"Huh? A [Flowing Strike]?"

'Yeah a skill from [Swordsman] job, but for me it's still [Omni Slash] with a bit of tweaks on my part. Just like the [Imitation Fire Sword], it wasn't close to the original and it's much stronger than that.' Ray explained.

"And what's the difference between the two of them?" Rei asked.

'Let's say, when you use [Omni Slash], it's more like you swing your sword randomly at every direction, but it's crude yet recklessly strong.'

"Crude yet recklessly strong?" Rei mumbled when he remembered his movement.

'While mine is more like...I don't know how to describe it but...it's well-coordinated and has that elegant yet strong vibe to it, yeah! Like a flowing water.'

Rei noticed that too of course but he still doesn't understand the difference.

'So do you get it now?'

Rei shook his head, "No."

"The difference on each of them is simple, it's on the efficiency during battle."

"Efficiency?"

'Yeah see-when you swing a sword in random direction, don't you feel odd that every strike you make remain the same and useless?'

"Mhm." Rei nodded.

'The reason why you felt like that is because everytime you swing your sword...the flow has already fallen apart.'

"The flow?"

'You can see how was my sword was a bit slow when I swung it first right? Aftter some time, it gets even faster and faster...as the sword move with the right direction until the point of overpowering the enemy.'

'For example when you go down, where did you went after that?'

"Hmmm...obviously, go up?"

'Correct...and when you go to the left, where did you went after that?'

"To the...right? Huh–?! You mean all those fast and random movement was according to which right direction we should went?"

'Correct...when I swing my sword down, I swing it up and when I swing it to the right then I went left...to make it look like it was random, I slowly shifted the line flow of my sword without breaking its direction.'

'And that's why...when you were gets hit...it felt like a stream of a fast river crashing against on you, right?' Ray described

Rei now understood what he meant, "yeah."

'So when you use it randomly your flow became hazy and broken since the strength you use on each swings are different.' Ray explained.

"I see...no wonder my sword breaks after that."

'Yeah, because you stopped the flow and the durability of the sword tend to get much lower from it.'

'So what you need is a sense of direction on where you need to put on a strength and keep it that way.' Ray explained.

"But...I don't know how." Rei mumbled.

'Huh?? What do you mean you don't know how? You'v already done it before.'

'Huh??'

'The way you use your spear is already a flowing strike you know...just like you struck your spear at Banzana's chest repeatedly on the same spot.'

"So you mean those strikes I did was the same?"

'Correct, so remember not only spear but a sword can penetrate a shield like that, of course their durability is much lower than a spear but that depends on the user.'

"Yeah, that's true." Rei mumbled as he looked down.

'Then why do you look so gloomy?'

"I was thinking...that time when I fought Banzana, it was just pure luck when I thought about it, like at how I strike on the same spot many times."

"Sometimes I wonder if I can do it with a sword just like you...because everytime I did something unbelievable, I didn't even notice it until you point it out."

'Hmmmm...is that all?'

"Hey! This is pretty serious for me! I couldn't even notice something like this. If I didn't notice up until now, I might stay weak." Rei huffed, glaring a bit in frustration.

Ray sighed, 'I have trained with a sword by many years.'

"...Huh?"

'It's rather an unfair comparison because you have only been holding that sword for 2 years and yet you already reached that level.'

"I am just lucky."

'Luck is also a talent...' Ray spoke.

But Rei remained silent this time, "...."

'You know that you don't have any talent to handle a weapon properly...but you have the talent for not stopping and not giving up to become strong. You forced yourself into something impossible that I couldn't even do it alone.'

'Remember that...I'll always be here with you and support you, so...don't even think that talent is useless because I am right here to point the way.' Ray encouraged him.

Rei listened to what he's talking about, despite his uselessness, he couldn't help but feel grateful to this man who reside within this body.

"Thanks..." Rei thanked him while nodding.

'Heh, I guess you're still a kid despite 2 years have passed.' Ray thought.

'So from now on, don't fret over useless thoughts like that, we will start to train again with your shield and I will also teach you more about how to handle a sword and its tricks.'

"Understood." Rei replied with a smile.

"Good."

*KNOCK* *KNOCK*

The moment they finished their conversation, a knock could be heard from the door.

"Who is it?" Rei asked.

"It's me! Fang!"

"Fang?" Rei quickly wore his armor before opening the door.

*CLICK* *CREAK*

"Yo!" Fang greeted him with his bright smile.

"What do you need me for, Fang." Rei asked.

"Ugh, don't be so cold, I was just checking on you since I was told by Rebecca that you met the Guild Master today." Fang explained.

"Indeed, I did meet him."

"So! How's the promotion going?" Fang immediately asked him about that.

"About that–"

When Rei was about to speak, Fang used his index finger to shut him up.

"Shhh, you don't have to tell me."

"What?"

"I know from the way you went to the room without a single word, it didn't go well right?"

"Uhhhh..."

"Don't worry, I heard it from Hilda-san! I heard you went to your room and locked yourself inside for almost 2 hours without coming out."

'Did I go away for that long?"

"I know how you feel, sometimes you can't get promoted right away with a small achievement."

"Huh?"

"But don't worry! as your Senpai in this line of work I shall help you!" Fang spoke, giving him a thumbs up and his most confident "you-can-count-on-me" proud look on his face.

'What is he talking about.' Rei asked to no one in particular.

"So cheer up!! I will be paying your dinner tonight!" Fang spoke while pointing at himself.

Rei couldn't help but stare at him unimpressedly, but knowing he would do that made him think of a little something.

A smile bloomed across his face behind his helmet, "I see...are you serious?"

"Well...yeah! I mean you wouldn't get such a kind senpai anywhere else!" Fang laughed.

"No taking back?"

"Of course!"

"Promise me even If I have been promoted as D-class?"

"I promise even if you're already got promo–! Wait–huh??" Fang blinked and then his eyes grew wide in realization.

"Thank you very much Fang, for buying me dinner." Rei spoke while tapping his shoulder as he walked past him, "Now then shall we go eat~"

"W-wait wait!! WHATTT?!!"

Afterwards, Fang chased after Rei from behind after being deceived into paying for his dinner.

"My money!!"

******

In the Guilld Master office, Hughes was having a cup of coffee on his desk with Miranda preparing for him.

"I never thought in my life I could encounter such an interesting person like that." Hughes spoke out while sighing and smiling.

"Indeed, he was pretty interesting...despite having that kind of achievement, he still remained humble and even hiding the fact that he killed one of the worst wanted man in the Kingdom." Miranda spoke as well.

"Yeah...and when I look at him, it makes me wonder."

"About what?"

"if [he] is still alive...he's probably at the same age as him." Hughes reminded of someone through Rei's image in his mind.

When Miranda heard that, she looked grim gri and somewhat sad as she looked out through the window.

They were reminded....

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.

.

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of their [son] who died in the war several years ago.

Miranda then shifted her eyes at him and gently embrace him with her arms wrapping around his neck.

"When i gave him the book...I feel like seeing that boy in him" Hughes spoke with a smile and gently rubbed her arms wrapped around his neck.

"Yes..."

"We don't have anything to be worried about now...because I can see he is thriving to be strong to achieve his dream." Hughes spoke out as he suddenly reminded of the last words he said before he leave.

******

"Hey!"

"Hm?"

Hughes called Rei when he was about to reach the doorknob.

"Could you tell me...what kind of dream you are trying to achieve?" Hughes asked out of curiosity.

Rei blinked through the slit of his helmet and smiled from behind it,

"My dream is...[to be the Strongest Knight]."

"The Strongest Knight? You mean a title of Knight and the strongest?" Hughes asked.

But Rei immediately shook his head,

"Not just an ordinary knight title...I want to become a Knight that could protect the people and the one that I cherish."

"I will keep thriving and thriving until I achieve that dream."

"So...no one would feel sad from losing someone important to them anymore." Rei explained as he suddenly flashed back to that time...

When he saw a helpless girl cried over her friend who died in that dark place...

Before finally leaving the room.

Hughes and Miranda looked at his retreating back with big surprise written on their face, because what he meant wasn't just a title but he want to prove that he would be the knight who could protect all.

******

"Not a Hero....but a Knight, quite an interesting way to say that." Hughes commented.

'But those last words...it seems that guy had seen something rather unpleasant.'

"Well isn't he similar to you? You are a Paladin yet you love to fight." Miranda spoke while poking his nose. "I still remember that you said...[I don't want to stay on defense and watched my friends fought and died, I will become the strongest shield that could destroy all enemy!] Like that~"

Hughes laughed from hearing it, "Hahaha! That is true...it was frustrating for me that I could only watch after tanking those attack, I rather want to fight for them and protect them at the same time."

"Well...that's also part of your charm that I love." Miranda mumbled softly as she closed her eyes while resting her head against his shoulder.

Afterwards...the day was finally over. Rei got his promotion and a new skill as well for him to take on another step forwards on his journey to become the Strongest Knight.

To be continue...