Prelude To Farewell

It's been a month since my training had started. I've started to handle myself properly and fend against Ron's attack and even hit back.

Just as I was beginning to get the hang of his moves, he began to move much faster and stronger as if to raise the difficulty. It wasn't much of a bummer but training now had become an actual fun thing to do.

With Magic, I've learned how to surround my body with Ki, but executing it while in combat was hard. I had to have undivided attention when it comes to concentrating my energy.

It was the only wall that I began to face while training. It prohibited me from learning any skills as [Thrust] was supposedly the first skill needed to unlock a combat class which was the swordsman.

A beginner's A-type class that is supposedly easy to get, except that I had a faulty system.

I and Nara had somehow hit it off, and we did it at night when the rain had covered the skies. It was not just my skills in combat that had increased.

There were some occasions when we heard about the bombing of the Empire. They were getting nearer and nearer, but with Kyori's barrier up, we were protected and hidden from them.

We were getting worried, but as my training still bore no fruits, I had to rush my results.

I had to try and try that move again and again without magic. It was the only way.

Even if I had magic, without the skill to manipulate it, it was useless. It was like holding a fire extinguisher but not knowing how to open it.

"[Thrust] is not something you can just learn overnight... It involves something complex with magic. Even Ron had to be a normal swordsman for three years before he could even apply magic with it."

Kyori tried to comfort me as I sat on the ground, observing everyone as they were all starting to pack their things up.

We had to move the settlement as the Empire was getting close. We had to abandon everything we've built here.

"I wanted to be of some use. I just can't stay normal. I need to be someone who you can all rely on!"

I wanted to at least do something for them. I was sure that it was the sentiment of the other players that had sacrificed their lives for their sake, with the only difference that I didn't want to die.

"Ichiro. It doesn't matter if you can't do anything for now. What matters now is that we can get out of here safely."

Nara started to comfort me as well as she carried a large pack that held their necessities as a Blacksmith.

She gave me a bag where most of my essentials were as well, but I immediately went to insist on carrying the bag she had.

Now that we were together, I just had to be able to protect her.

"Everyone of you ready to go?"

I stood up as Thei walked up to us, carrying two times the large bag I had. Although I felt like this large bag felt light and I could add another but there was no use having my hands full of luggage.

I need my other hand to be vacant just in case I need it when we get attacked in our travel.

"We're good to go. But, where are we going exactly?"

I asked Thei as he handed swords to Ron and the others, seemingly those that had looked generic but had greater durability.

I was handed one too as a wooden sword will not cut anything.

"We're going northwest. Hoping that we don't meet anyone unwanted."

Thei answered it for me, but the sword that he handed me was a tad different than the normal sword.

"[Inspect]"

[Vanadium Sword]

A thick sword made out of pure vanadium. Although its durability is twice as greater as the average steel, the more attacks you make with this sword, the duller it becomes.

Manufactured by Thei Steelvreak.

Kill Count: 0

To think that I'll have to use inspect now and then to maintain a good grasp of my weapon is jarring. Not to mention, the Kill Count is rather disturbing.

I shouldn't even bother looking at Ron's...

"——?!"

[Vanadium Sword]

...

Kill Count: 120.

I accidentally inspected his weapon without even casting and holding it. I didn't think that it would be possible to inspect an object that is possessed by another. This must be because of this corrupted and faulty system.

Maybe it was because they weren't otherworlders who had special privileges with the system.

I'll learn more if I manage to even meet one.

"Hey, don't worry. You're a proper swordsman already."

I felt a tap on my right shoulder. It was Ron who had just snapped me back from my monologues.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

"Y-Yeah. I'm fine. Let's go."

I tried to shake away that nervous blood back out. I had to be reliable and strong. I repeated that in my head.

...

...

"Kyori. Do you still remember that time when we first met in Nora?"

As we walked along the sands of the post-apocalyptic remains of the cities that were once here.

We all were under a spell that made it harder for people from afar to even acknowledge us, and with Kyori's impeccable explanation, I'd rather summarize it as; we were practically invisible.

"What about it?"

She answered me with an irritated voice, it felt like she didn't want to talk about it.

"A-Ah. Nevermind. I just had a thought."

I drew back my words, but I could hear her sigh and walk at the same pace as me.

"Agh. I'm sorry. It's just reminding me of bad times."

I knew that I had stepped on a bad landmine but I had this one question that couldn't be satisfied by just a mere theory.

"When the players died... What happened to their bodies?"

I just had to ask her. I had to know what happens to players if they die.

"Are you stupid? Of course, they just die! They... bleed and get cut and a half—Why are you even asking that?"

She began to walk a few steps further away, shaking her head as Ron who was walking ahead of us hears our conversation.

I hoped that death here only meant game over and would bring us back to the world by chance, but as she described it... it seems lying dying here would mean death for real.

I could only observe Nara from the back as she distributed small circular buns for us to eat. It had only been two hours since we started walking and they estimated that reaching the utmost northwest of the continent.

This settlement had been warm for me. It wasn't just for me but Nara had loved to help them. I was able to see that in the past month.

It wasn't just me who was being taught how to fight. She was even able to learn magic ahead of me, but instead of being jealous, I was amazed by her passion.

She'd even love a guy like me who just came out of nowhere. A guy with strength or power.

"Aw—"

I hit myself with the sheathed sword I had as I tried to place it on my shoulder whilst looking at Nara, it was just my luck that she was looking.

"——."

She chuckled, walking towards me with a hand on her mouth.

"What are you doing?"

She was laughing as I rubbed the top of my head which I just hit. I carefully opened my HP bar in the corner of my eyes only to see that I just reduced my HP by one.

For that to be even possible.

"Ah, nothing. I was just... looking."

I was flustered and tied the sheathed sword back to my waist, trying to shake off that embarrassing moment.

"Ichiro. You promised me that, if you find a way to travel in your world, you'll bring me with you?"

She suddenly brings up the promise I made back then. It was when we officially became together.

If it was possible, I'd introduce her to my friend Chihiro, even to my parents, and then...

I almost forgot my sister.

Why was I even here to begin with?

It felt like I was beginning to forget the past world the longer I spend my time here.

"Of course. I'll—"

"A warship! Everyone take cover!"

Suddenly, Ron shouts as we get enveloped by a huge barrier cast by Kyori, and as Ron runs out of it, he performed hugely slashes that had chipped away on the wooden blade of the falling warship.

However, just as those two were occupied, some figures began to approach us. They were running and shouting, wielding swords.

"T-That's the Kingdom's troops! They found us!"

Nara shouted as she throws her hand back, wielding a bow.

It was the sign that we were about to engage in combat.