Chapter 19
Chapter 19
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: I'll Become a Parrying Master! (5)
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Crunch-!
"What the hell am I supposed to do with this?"
I'd clenched my right fist tight around it for now, but it still felt awkward as hell.
It'd only been a week, but the gap between the wooden sword I'd swung every single day and this knuckle-dagger was massive.
Even after smacking it with my shield, I'd been the one sent flying.
So what the hell was I supposed to accomplish with a puny little dagger like this?
"Think... think..."
This was reality, sure, but I didn't need to think like it was.
There had to be some method only I—guardian of countless worlds as Commander, Teacher, Admiral, Master, Trainer, Doctor, Pioneer, Traveler, Rogue, Cult Leader, Wanderer—could come up with.
"Huff... huff...!"
"......"
The bastard was shaking its head in place, probably dizzy.
The wiki stayed silent as ever.
I had no idea if it hadn't anticipated the frenzy pattern or if it was still analyzing in real-time, but either way, I couldn't expect the kind of dramatic bailout I'd gotten in the Luck Tower.
"At least I've got the parrying method for the dagger memorized."
I couldn't replicate the technique manual perfectly, but I had it locked in memory.
Even if it was a stance I'd never practiced, all the live combat parries with this thing had given me confidence.
Boom-!
"Hu... man...!!"
"......"
I locked eyes with the beast glaring at me as it rolled on the ground.
"This time, I'll shatter you to pieces...!"
Honestly, the next attack might actually do it.
With the colosseum wall solid behind me, a body slam in this state would send me straight to the afterlife.
Just like that stone wall on the 11th floor—
"......A wall?"
There was definitely a wall behind me.
A sturdy one that hadn't even cracked when I'd smashed into it after flying several meters.
And right in front of my eyes... that dubious creature.
The wild boar from the 10th floor that I'd lured into the wall to knock it out.
"Rooooaaarrr!!"
"......Might just work?"
The thing was blinded by rage.
It'd charge at full power without any control.
Wall or no wall behind me, it wouldn't give a damn.
Recalling how it'd barreled in on all fours earlier, headfirst... yeah.
"Just gotta dodge once."
Even if I did nothing, it'd bash its own skull and self-destruct.
The question was whether I could dodge in my current condition.
"Gotta make it work somehow."
Ever since getting dragged here, I'd been tightrope-walking the whole time. No point chickening out now.
Crunch-!!
"Come at me, you fucker."
"Shut your trap—!!"
I gripped the knuckle-dagger tighter as it charged, raising my guard like those fighters I'd seen online and squinting at it.
Flash-!
"Hoo...!"
I took a short breath as the red light erupted from it.
Thud! Thud! Thud-!!
"Slower than before?! Come at me full throttle—!!"
"Squeeee—!!"
The beast's speed had slowed compared to just moments ago, even as it let out that monstrous screech.
Of course, it was exhausted, so slowing down was natural—but even accounting for that, something felt off.
"Is it hurting somewhere?"
The charging beast's face looked a bit grotesque.
It kept squinting one side and tilting its head as it barreled forward.
It wasn't just slower.
It was wobbling faintly. Its target was me, but its path wasn't straight.
"......Concussion."
Right below where I'd smacked its head with the shield earlier. Above where I'd struck with the wooden sword.
Not a huge issue, but apparently not nothing either.
"Dodge to the left."
Had to slip to the side where its reactions were even a bit slower.
But how?
I could flop sideways, sure, but that alone was risky.
Just dodging fast wouldn't lure its attack into the wall.
The timing from all those parries so far.
I had to evade in that split-second just before its attack hit me.
In this shittiest of body conditions, where even standing made sweat pour.
"Can I do it?"
I swallowed hard, watching the light dwindle.
I overlaid my left hand over my right, lifting slightly into a position easy to smash down.
Legs alone were too slow for a dodge. My waist was wrecked.
Arms were the most intact right now, and my only weapon was in my hand.
Thud! Thud! Thuuud—!!
The ground shook. My heart pounded like it might burst.
Vibrations climbed from my toes through my knees, making my teeth clatter.
My gripped hand, my braced leg—they trembled uncontrollably.
"Uwaaaaaah!!"
"Squeeee!!"
Pushing down fear with a roar, the instant the beast closed in and rammed toward me.
"Now—!!!"
At the precise parry timing the wiki had shown, I smashed down on the left side of its head.
My strike hit first, a split-second before its headbutt would've crushed me against the wall.
Using the dagger embedded in its skull as a pivot, I threw all my strength into my arms to hurl my body into the air.
Kabooooom-!!
Splat—!!
"Kuhuk...!"
The impact shot straight through my already aching waist.
But I'd dodged. The bristles of the boar that'd grazed past me by a hair felt vivid.
"Haa...! Haa...!!"
I caught my breath quick, grimaced, and whipped my head around—
"How'd it—"
Then I froze solid at the sight in my view.
"Stuck in the wall...?"
It was jammed in the wall. Just like those memes I'd seen online.
I didn't wanna know why it was in that pose, in that state, but...
Anyway, it was wedged in there, twitching feebly.
"Fuck..."
What the hell had I done to deserve this circus act nonstop?
At least I hadn't torn my clothes for this.
Swish.
I pushed off the ground and the colosseum wall to stand.
I toed aside the debris that'd flown my way and inched toward it.
"Still alive...?"
"Our clan... won't fall... to something... like......"
I squeezed my eyes shut then open at its fading mutter.
Even its faint twitching stopped completely.
"Hoo..."
It was over.
This had to be the end.
Thwack.
"From now on... don't store it in a place like that..."
I gave its back a light smack as I spoke.
No strength left. My body, which had taken a light hit on the 15th floor, felt totally wrecked from this exchange.
No visible wounds, but it felt like I'd need serious rest for a while.
"Maybe grab a rock or something."
I wanted to finish it clean, but I couldn't find the dagger—either lost when I threw myself or still in its head.
I pondered using a stone shard like on the 10th floor when—
Shimmer.
"......"
Like the hologram in the Luck Tower, the boar turned translucent, then dissolved into particles and vanished into the air.
Yeah, not a real lifeform after all.
I didn't know whose image it'd copied, but guilt or whatever eased up a bit.
I knew it was a choice for survival, but facing the result hit different.
"Haa."
Rumble...!!
I let out a sigh, and far off, the iron grate descended amid a cloud of dust.
20th floor cleared—time to head back, it seemed.
"......Wiki?"
And right then, the wiki pinged after staying quiet the whole chaos.
Somehow it'd stayed safe in my pocket through all that—I checked the notification—
"Okay...!"
I clenched my fist in cheer at the TP payout, just like I'd expected for 10-floor intervals.
"Rewards went up too."
1,000 TP for the 10th, 2,000 for the 20th.
Probably the same for 30th and 40th. Factoring in the other towers, the intake felt pretty solid.
Assuming I could climb them, of course...
"Can't climb, I die anyway. Whatever."
Basically a bonus event.
"Dagger vanished too, huh."
Not just the one jammed in the boar's head—the other one it'd thrown was gone too.
Like the revolver from Luck Tower 10th floor, it must've naturally despawned.
Swish.
"Shield might hold a bit longer."
I brushed the dirt off the shield that'd flown mid-fight.
Not great shape, but for scraps, it was A-grade.
The wooden sword... regrettable, but unrecognizable now.
Feeling a pang of loneliness, I picked up just the hilt, then carefully headed for the colosseum exit.
Click-!
"Fucking exhausting, for real."
Honestly, even walking right now felt like a miracle.
My waist hurt so bad I wondered if it was seriously injured.
"......Whatever, it's fine!"
Got TP, mastered parrying perfectly. Dozens of reps in that short time had piled up insane experience.
Found out the wiki applies Star Bang guidebooks like skillbooks too.
Honestly, gains outweighed losses.
One day's grind had extended the timer by 10 days, basically.
Plenty of time to rest and recover anyway.
Step.
"Kya..."
Back in the hideout, checking the timer drew an involuntary sigh of admiration.
How to describe this feeling?
Accomplishment? Pride in myself?
Like carving my name into a game leaderboard.
Each cleared floor bumped it up, lifting my mood.
Not a spec-up, but the numbers rising felt good.
I snapped a casual pic of the timer, then headed back to the hideout—
"!"
I smacked my forehead, deeply moved, at the wiki’s congratulatory pat on the back along with the bonus TP.
"As expected, you're the only one who loves me, Wiki!!"
Technically from Star Bang, but whatever.
I'd treat the whole internet as wiki-managed.
Lmao now I'm more impressed than suspicious?
Srsly, what the hell did you do in that pose??
[Pepperoni Pizza] - 300 TP
[1L Soda] - 30 TP
"Mmm~ yummy~."
I chomped a huge bite of pizza while eyeing the nonstop posts and comments.
If it'd just been the 20th floor clear reward, I wouldn't have splurged on something this pricey.
"Wiki sent it so I'd eat well—can't help it!"
With the bonus TP, one feast was fine.
"Not sure if I really defended all attacks, though."
First frenzy pattern, I'd gotten hit by the boar and flown far.
Though I'd nailed the parry timing. If my strength or gear were better, maybe I wouldn't have flown.
From that angle, it wasn't wrong.
I'd take the sweet deal without overthinking.
"Haa... society's flavors after a week..."
Bliss.
Like private first class on leave, devouring food.
Last week I'd feasted on chicken, beer, cola, fruit dessert—then a week of bread and water was hell.
"Gotta post one more."
I'd promised gifts to the gallery masters a week ago. Time to deliver and start the flip.
Turning haters to fans is the fun part.
"Kukuku..."
I wrote it in full troll mode on purpose, then laughed out loud at the reactions.
Posts and comments exploding. Pizza-knowers and clueless both going nuts.
"Whew..."
Laughing hard brought pain surging everywhere.
Adrenaline crash made it hurt worse than in the tower.
As I leaned on the wall, spectating the gallery amid the agony—
"Hm..."
A predictable post popped up, as expected.
"Nailed it."
I'll memo if you curse.
I think I'm awesome.
1st-run noob? Check.
Title to content, spot-on.
Totally expected.
I'd been clowning on Star Bang's power.
"Gotta gift this one first."
Turn crisis to opportunity.
That's the path for Han Seol!
[1L Cola] - 300 TP
With the bonus, this investment was fine.
Ex-enemies make the sturdiest allies.
"Timing's right..."
I refreshed the gallery, thinking it was time—
"......Huh?"
I blinked at the new post's title.
This was unexpected.