Meeting (6)

Kkiiik-.

The sound of iron crumbling from the sword skewered on the fork ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠began to echo. The adventurer gripping his sword froze in panic upon hearing it.

However, Dojin showed no mercy regardless of whether the opponent stopped or not. Monsters don't show mercy. Therefore, adventurers must never let their guard down.

Peureok-!

Dojin caught the adventurer who had passed out from the punch so he wouldn't fall and gently laid him on the floor.

The downed adventurer was carried out by other adventurers... and Dojin immediately scanned the surroundings for his next victim.

"Next."

The adventurers exchanged glances, hesitating. In truth, with dozens already knocked out after watching, only those thinking they'd get no real lesson and just faint remained.

Just as Dojin thought it was about over and set down the fork while straightening his clothes—

"If there aren't any, we'll wrap it up..."

"I'm here."

At the arrival of a new challenger, the adventurers turned their heads with excited expressions.

"Uh, uh...?"

"Platinum Hero..."

"It's Emilia."

They fell into simultaneous shock. Standing before Dojin was Emilia, famous for her active exploits.

Her face was flushed red from alcohol, hiccuping nonstop, yet her hands gripping the greatsword didn't tremble in the slightest.

"You okay?"

"Hic- ...I'm fine."

"You don't look fine... Well, if you say so."

Dojin tossed the fork aside and snatched the weapon from the fainted adventurer. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠To face her, he needed a proper sword.

'This one's cheap too, though.'

Picking up the ordinary iron sword, Dojin lightly raised it and aimed at Emilia. She lowered her stance as usual, crumpling her body like she was about to charge any second.

"Come at me."

He'd yield the first strike—before Dojin could even finish, Emilia shot forward like a coiled spring.

An agility unbelievable for a greatsword user. The adventurers present shouted in shock at the fact that someone could move at that speed wielding such a massive blade.

"Monster..."

"Isn't she the real monster?"

Gift, Skill, God's Blessing.

Born with talent under various names, she grew stronger at speeds incomparable to others, her potential vast beyond measure.

She swung along the shortest path her power guided her to. Not optimal, but near-instant. A brute-force slash powered by raw strength.

Yet with her overwhelming might added, it formed a swift strike worthy of a master swordsman.

Ssaeaeeaek-!

A sound like a fighter jet roaring through swept the party hall. Dojin realized it was a sonic boom, the noise exceeding sound itself.

'Crazy.'

Of course, the entire sword wasn't supersonic—just a tiny portion at the tip piercing the sound barrier.

But each time that supersonic greatsword grazed past him, the shockwaves battered Dojin's entire body.

The generated wind pressure crushed down on him with physical force every time.

Buuwoong-!

"Just, get hit already-!"

Emilia vented her frustration at Dojin, who evaded no matter how much she swung. It was infuriating. She was swinging so hard—couldn't he take just one hit?!

In the heat of the moment, she burst forward at a speed she'd never shown before and swung.

The Dragon Power from the Hero's Gift instinctively perfected the sword path.

A flawless strike that even Emilia herself was startled by as she thrust it out.

Dojin, trying to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠parry, felt the excessive Dragon Power loaded into the greatsword and began retreating bit by bit.

'Heavy.'

He'd planned to simply block and deflect, but her raw strength shattered that notion.

An overwhelming rigidity overpowering softness, unlike with Rakan where technique alone could dominate.

A supreme conqueror's advance that crushed any half-baked skill effortlessly.

'Against an enemy, I'd just deflect...'

But she wasn't an enemy, and deflecting a drunk girl's strike like that would shatter not just the party hall but her herself.

Dojin gave a wry smile. This was why alcohol was trouble. Couldn't even control your own body, right?

'It's fine. I can do this.'

Simple. Deflect it without harming anyone. Mess up, and his arms might snap—but a broken arm heals with some spit.

'The theory's the same.'

Tuk.

He bound his sword to her greatsword. Blocking the lightning-like downward strike fueled by her strength and gravity with brute force would snap the cheap iron sword, so he had to redirect her power into empty air.

'Tough.'

But challenges were always thrilling. Even in a situation where carelessness could sever his arms, or a mistake injure and kill most here.

Ssiik, a grin crept up involuntarily.

'Ihwajeopmok—no, Hwicheon.'

The iron sword clinging to the greatsword created the flow. Twisting the angle, it elegantly altered the greatsword's path upward toward the ceiling—

Hwiric-!

Kwaaaang!

"Woooah!?"

Her redirected strike shot toward the ceiling, smashing it apart, and the collapsing debris sent people scrambling to evacuate.

Dojin realized his technique had succeeded. Creating new techniques like this anytime was an indescribable rush.

Electricity tingled from his toes, fingertips, even his dick.

"...This."

Even as her attack was perfectly deflected without a scratch on her, Emilia looked down at her hands in confusion.

Her palms were pristine, not a tear. How? A technique that disarmed without her noticing.

'This man...'

She snapped her head up to look at Dojin. She finally understood why she'd met him in the dungeon.

Heroes are born to lead humanity, and fate makes her stronger.

So Dojin was her fateful encounter to make her even stronger.

"...You—."

Jji iiiik-!

"Huh...?"

As she tried to speak to Dojin, a belated tearing sound reached her ears.

From her chest. Tilting her head and looking down, she realized her clothes were shredded to rags.

"—!!"

She clutched her chest in panic and dropped to the floor, but realizing it was too late, she looked up at Dojin with teary eyes.

"-Hic, did you, see...?"

"Yeah."

In that brief moment, Dojin clearly remembered the pale pink glimpse that caught his eye.

"U, uuu... I'm all washed up...... What do I do......?"

"I-it's okay! Emilia-nim, no one else saw......"

Her dedicated guild staff did their best to comfort the depressed Emilia, who had draped a coat brought by the waitress over herself.

From their perspective, flashing some skin was no big deal... but to country girl Emilia, nudity was purity reserved solely for her husband.

To boldly expose it before all these adventurers?

'Maybe I should just die......'

Of course, her clothes tearing was her own fault, and only Dojin had seen her naked.

Still, the thought of the air touching her bare skin entering other men's noses here disgusted her.

She wanted to die or kill them all.

"You okay?"

Then Dojin approached and offered her something. Glancing up, it was water.

She buried her face between her knees and shook her head, rejecting him. She didn't even want anything from him right now.

She just wanted to shut out the world.

"Don't look so down. It was pretty."

"You, fucking bastard-."

Hearing Dojin, Emilia jerked her head up to glare, fists clenching.

But he looked at her raised face and chuckled.

"Feeling better?"

"What..."

"No, why? It's not wrong, is it?"

Indeed, the gloom dominating her body just moments ago was swept away by anger. But that didn't mean the depression was gone.

It was just temporarily pushed aside by rage. She knew it'd rear its head again soon.

So, to completely erase this gloom, she needed something else to cover it.

"...Teach, me."

"Huh?"

"Teach me."

Dojin pondered what Emilia suddenly meant.

Not like she fell for him at first sight and wanted sex lessons.

'Swordsmanship?'

Most likely. Her sword skills weren't exceptional compared to her physical prowess.

She just had great strength and reflexes, so wild swings still packed power.

"Won't work."

"What? Why!"

"Swordsmanship isn't something you master in a day or two..."

"Three days is enough!"

"...And doing it for free feels off."

"You, you saw mine-! That evens it out!"

"Nah, that's not enough."

Dojin sat before Emilia, meeting her eyes.

Brute-force swordplay relying solely on strength, yet with real talent—her paths traced decent trajectories.

Put differently, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠she was already a completed swordswoman through instinct and talent alone.

Reworking that on his whim while preserving her strengths wasn't easy.

"...What, what do I gotta do?"

"Hmm, dunno."

Nothing she could offer seemed useful to him. He wanted to brush her off... but Emilia didn't give up easily.

"...I'll give."

"Huh?"

"H-hold hands......"

"...What?"

But that sparked interest in Dojin, who was about to ignore her. Thinking he hadn't heard, Emilia turned her head shyly and extended her hand.

"H-hands... Holding hands in the same bed makes babies... so lying down is no, but just hands should be fine... right?"

Her expression, teary with worry, was indescribably stimulating.

Dojin finally took her offered hand.

Probably no one in this world could refuse that hand.