Real Combat (1)
Half a year had already passed since I began training under Libero. Six months was a short time to some, but a long time to others. During that period, the only thing I had done was hone my swordsmanship under Libero's tutelage. Yet, the sheer density of that training was higher than anything else I could have done. And eventually, such high-density training bore fruit. By the third month, I had finally succeeded in raising my Swordsmanship (B+) to Swordsmanship (A-).
Honestly, with an environment like this, it would have been stranger if I hadn't. I had Precocious, which, excluding the original, was the best growth trait in the game. I also had the Blessing of the God of Regret, which increased the experience gained from failure. On top of that, I had Libero, the ultimate instructor. It was highly unlikely a better training environment could ever be created. This supreme environment had ultimately allowed even a notoriously trash-tier character like Alan Flake to reach Swordsmanship (A-).
However, my immediate growth stopped there.
Is this my limit?
No, I had surpassed my limits long ago. It was only thanks to this absurdly broken environment that I had managed to force my way up to Swordsmanship (A-). As if to prove it, my swordsmanship proficiency hadn't budged a single inch during the subsequent three months of training.
"Are you finally starting to understand?"
I ignored Libero's words and swung my sword.
"Don't you think it's about time you accepted the proof?"
The man who called himself my master was doing nothing to help, offering only discouraging remarks. I could easily ignore him, though.
"You should utilize the snap of your wrist more."
Still, it wasn't as if he was entirely useless.
So that's what I was missing.
I swung the sword a few more times. Sure enough, following his advice increased the power behind my strikes. But that was all. It wasn't enough to completely fill the lingering sense of emptiness.
Damn it. Is just swinging a sword like this really going to change anything?
It was frustrating. While swinging my sword under Libero's guidance was undoubtedly an excellent training method, it felt as though this approach, too, had reached its absolute limit.
"We'll call it a day, then."
Libero also seemed to have lost interest in my swordplay. He threw on his overcoat, as he always did, and prepared to leave the basement. Clutching my sword, I stared at his back and spoke.
"I admit it."
Libero stopped in his tracks and turned to look at me.
"Admit what?"
"That I've hit a wall. In my current state, this is my limit."
Libero fully turned around, his expression thick with suspicion.
"Why the sudden, meek admission of your limits?"
As expected of Libero. He immediately realized I had an ulterior motive. After all, this was the first time I had ever admitted to having a limit, so it was only natural for him to be skeptical.
"I'm admitting that this method has reached its limit. Even if it isn't my absolute limit, taking the next step this way would take an eternity."
"And I suppose you have another method in mind?"
I nodded.
"Yes. Instead of staying cooped up in this basement, I want to gain real combat experience."
It wasn't a method I could guarantee would work. But compared to rotting away in this basement without any progress, it was a venture well worth trying.
"And what exactly do you mean by 'real combat'?"
In response to his question, I replied:
"Today, I'm coming with you."
His face contorted slightly, a flicker of genuine bewilderment crossing his features.
"Do you even know what it is I do?"
Of course I did.
"You punish those who bring chaos to Sak."
Libero's expression hardened, and he shook his head.
"No. It's just filthy murder."
But I had no intention of backing down.
"But it also helps people, doesn't it?"
Recognizing my stubbornness, he let out a heavy sigh.
"If you're that set on it, I won't stop you from tagging along. Under a few conditions, that is."
Libero laid out three main conditions.
First, I had to cover my hair with a hood or bandana. Most blondes in this world hailed from the Reim Kingdom, and Sak's current relationship with Reim was strained, to say the least. Walking around the lawless back alleys of Sak with bright blonde hair was practically begging to become the victim of a hate crime. On my first day in Sak, it had been raining, so I had worn a raincoat. I realized now just how lucky I had been.
Second, I had to keep my distance from him. Hardly anyone paid attention to Libero because of his scruffy, unkempt appearance, but that was only when he traveled alone. Unlike him, my clothes were relatively clean and neat. If we walked side by side, we would inevitably draw unwanted attention.
Third, I was not to interfere until he gave the word. This was a condition I readily agreed to. Someone of Libero's caliber could easily gauge an opponent's strength. He would be the best judge of whether a fight was something I could handle on my own. And so, cutting my training time in half, I began shadowing Libero.
"Hey there, pal."
I followed Libero into his regular tavern—the very first place I had visited when I was searching for him. The tavern keeper set down a glass and eyed me curiously.
"Who's the kid?"
Libero replied in a low, indifferent drawl.
"My nephew."
"Well, I'll be. I didn't think a guy like you had any family. Doesn't look much like you, though."
Libero didn't bother to reply. He merely raised his glass and took a slow, quiet sip.
Once, finding his behavior strange, I had asked him about it.
"Why do you drink when you don't even get drunk?"
To which he had replied:
"When you drink, you can't do anything. It gives me an excuse."
It was an answer that made me doubt my own ears. After a brief silence, he had added:
"As a side benefit... hanging around taverns lets you gather rumors. And heavy drinking makes for a perfect alibi."
He seemed to view those as mere side benefits, but to me, they sounded like the actual reasons. For some reason, though, he stubbornly denied it.
Just then, the voices of another group chatting nearby drifted over.
"You know that new merchant who arrived recently? Apparently, he crossed the wrong guy, and his shop got completely trashed."
"If he was setting up shop there, that's White Tiger Clan territory, isn't it?"
"Yeah, so everyone's assuming it was the White Tigers, but something about it feels off..."
Their voices grew hushed, as if they were afraid of being overheard talking about something dangerous. Then, one of them spoke up to wrap up the conversation.
"Well, whatever it is, it's none of our business."
They chose to look the other way. But Libero was different. He stood up from his seat.
He's making his move.
Leaving the tavern, he headed straight toward the eastern district of Sak, which was under the control of the White Tiger Clan. I followed a short distance behind and asked:
"Do you know who the new merchant is?"
"No. But everything in Sak is mapped out in my head. I just need to find the spot that doesn't match my memory."
He was right. It didn't take him long to locate the newly established shop. In fact, I recognized it too. The owner of the shop was someone I knew.
"You're... from back then..."
So it was him. Inside the ruined shop, a middle-aged man sweeping up the debris froze when he saw me.
"What happened here?"
"As you can see, I'm ruined. It's not just the shop that's destroyed—they took every last coin of my savings."
That much was obvious just by looking. The important question was who had done it.
"Did you not see who did this?"
"No. By the time I arrived, it was already like this. I reported it to the police, but they haven't done a thing. Well, I suppose that's to be expected. It's my fault for getting on the bad side of the White Tiger Clan."
He was right. The police likely assumed the White Tiger Clan was behind this. With the White Tigers currently colluding with the ruling class, there was no one who would stand up for a helpless merchant.
Except for this guy, that is.
Libero, who seemed to have spotted something in the merchant's shop, stepped back outside and began walking with purpose.
"Are we going to crush the White Tiger Clan?"
"No. I have no desire to cause such a massive scene."
"I heard you already wiped out the Azure Dragon Clan, though."
"Those bastards crossed the line."
It seemed he had his own set of standards. That aside, I was curious as to where we were actually heading.
"Besides, the culprit behind this isn't the White Tiger Clan."
"What?"
"If it were the White Tigers, they wouldn't have bothered doing this in secret. They would have just smashed the place up in broad daylight. Furthermore, the traces left behind in the shop belong to only one person."
The traces of a single culprit left in the shop. He was currently tracking those very footprints.
"Catching that one person is all it takes to resolve this."