Chapter 58: Convincing Them to Train
Blake showed up during breakfast, and we filled her in on what she missed. I knew Ren was out grinding, but I was curious as to why Motoyasu and Itsuki hadn't come to eat. It turned out that they had both requested that their parties' meals be brought to their rooms. Somehow I get the feeling it is because of Harlot wanting to still be treated like a princess and Mald worshiping Itsuki.
We were finally going to start training, since most of the early morning had been spent hearing about Hengen Muso Style and recovering from our matches with the old lady, or maybe I should refer to her as elder sensei, either way I had no idea what her name was. But until Ren returned and the others came out of their rooms it was decided to hold off on the Hengen Muso Style and focus on weapon or magic training. Motoyasu and his girls came down first. Knowing him, the girls wouldn't be doing much physical training and just cheering him on. Freon, however, asked Blake to keep training her, to both Blake and Motoyasu's surprise. Motoyasu was worried due to how long they were gone on the islands, but Freon was uncharacteristically insistent. So they went off with Keel and one of my clones to the area of the forest we had stopped at the day before using my [Portal Shield]. Afterwards Motoyasu openly admitted that the only reason he was even bothering to go along with training was because Freon wanted to and that he would rather try finding better weapons.
"The castle blacksmiths would be more than happy to craft any weapons you desire." (Queen)
"No offense, but the best blacksmiths are in Zeltoble. I seriously doubt anyone in Melromarc could come close to matching them."
Next Itsuki and his party showed up. Well most of them, Rishia wasn't with them. "So, what sort of ridiculous training exercises is it that you think we should do?"
"Is it really so strange to think that knowing proper techniques could be useful?"
"We are already able to fight well. I don't see much point in learning to do the same thing differently."
"Learning more ways to fight is always helpful, especially if they can improve your existing fighting style."
"You dare insinuate that Master Itsuki isn't good enough?!" (Mald)
"It doesn't matter how good you are, there is always room for improvement." Mald tried to think of a good comeback to my rebuttal and failed, so he just grumbled annoyed. "And it isn't just us heroes who will be training; our parties can improve as well."
"My party is plenty strong. It's yours that's strange with how overpowered they all are."
"No one is beyond improvement. Not me, not you, no one. We all have a lot to learn."
Itsuki seemed to be trying to think of a way to respond when Rishia came running out of the castle in her squirrel kigurumi. "Fehhhhh! Sorry I took so long."
"Rishia! Don't interrupt Master Itsuki." (Mald)
"Fehh! I'm sorry!" She started bowing to Itsuki.
What happened next was a surprise to all of us. Elder Sensei rushed Rishia and started examining her. She more or less pulled down the kigurumi and started touching Rishia all over.
"FEEEEHHHHH!"
"Well, well! This girl is one in a million!" Elder Sensei was now rubbing Rishia's shoulders.
"What are you trying to do to Rishia?" Itsuki sounded more confused than worried.
"Don't you know? Within this girl a very unordinary power sleeps. I believe she has the potential to be the heir to my school of martial arts."
"Fehh! Master Itsuki, please save me!"
"Rishia? The same girl who at level 68 is weaker than most level 20s and can barely handle combat?" Now he was almost laughing, which didn't do well for Rishia's self-esteem.
"Yes, the girl has an innate skill for energy manipulation!"
"Fehhh!"
"She learns very quickly. Surface! She will understand the system. Depths! She will master those techniques. That is my plan."
Itsuki first looked at the elder sensei as if she was crazy, but then he seemed to fall into a deep thought before a hint of a smile appeared. "You really think Rishia will be able to master your fighting style?"
"I know she will."
"Ok, Rishia do your best to learn from her and become a capable fighter."
"Feehhhh?!"
"Umm… what's this about surface and depths?" I don't think she's referring to the same depths as those of the abyss.
"It is a way to express the different capacities we all have. On the surface, anyone can grasp the concepts. But to master them requires a depth of understanding and innate talent."
So she was just saying that anyone could learn the basics, but only people with special talent for it like Rishia could truly master it. I have to wonder though, is Rishia really as weak as Itsuki said? Elder Sensei said that Hengen Muso Style was made for the weak to be able to defeat the strong; maybe naturally weak people are better able to sense energy. Or it could be the reverse and people with a natural talent for energy tend to have low stats. I'm probably overthinking things again.
Rishia wanted to stay be Itsuki's side, but he was adamant that she learn Hengen Muso Style, even going so far as to say that she should stay with Elder Sensei until she fully masters it. I seriously doubt he cares about having her learn, especially after what he said about training before. But now that he is making a show of putting value in training it will be harder for him to back out. Rishia eventually relented and agreed to study under Elder Sensei, promising to do her best to learn so she could be of use to Itsuki. Something was definitely off about the way the rest of his party was smiling about the situation.
It seemed Ren used his sword to return to the castle with his party as they came out to catch the end of Itsuki convincing Rishia to master Hengen Muso Style. I could tell by the look on his face that he didn't want to be here. Knowing him he probably just wanted to go out fighting monsters and thought that would be enough. Now that he was here the queen explain how she expected the training schedule to go. The others weren't very enthusiastic. Ren in particular as he wasn't present when I pointed out the usefulness to Itsuki.
"We are already leveled up, and we know how to hold our own in a battle. We don't have enough time to spend training with you."
"First of all, there is more to fighting than just level. Second, you may know how to use the skills and high stats your sword gives you to kill things, but I've seen you fight enough to know that your swordsmanship is closer to a child playing pretend than anything else. And third, what's more important than improving so we can beat the waves and go home?"
"You're going to insult my ability to fight? Don't think your ninja cheats will save you if I decide to go all out."
"How about a bet then? You against one of my clones, I won't use any magic or skills, just pure physical combat. If you win I'll apologize for what I said about your fighting prowess, but if I win you agree to train as the queen suggested."
"To afraid to fight me yourself so you have a clone do it?"
"As you know, my shield won't let me hold any other weapons, but my clones are not under its affects, meaning they don't get any stat adjustments from it but are not limited by it either. I'm not really sure how your stats compare to those of one of my clones, so I am willing to cast Aura on you to even things out if you wish."
"I don't need your charity or your insults. Let's go."
I created a clone and it started walking towards the middle of the courtyard, followed by Ren.
"The Sword Hero will have a sparring match with a clone of the Shield Hero. Is that what you both desire?" The queen stepped in to maintain order and we both nodded. "Very well. The duel shall end when one of you has the opportunity to deliver a fatal blow. The opportunity for the fatal blow is the deciding factor."
"I'll be sure not to hurt him." My clone lowered its stance and drew one of its swords.
"As if you could. You're not even holding your sword right." (Ren)
"Very well then… Begin!" The queen used a one of her fans to signal the start.
Ren charged, but my clone simple deflected the blade while sidestepping the attack. Ren then jumped back as the clone's blade approached his neck. He then started a series of slashes that were easy to avoid and had no flow to them.
"You should really think about how your sword moves at the end of your strike and use that to transition into your next attack rather than just jerking it around."
"Why don't you shut up and try attacking for a change, or is that too much for the cheating shielder?"
"I was just giving you the opportunity to prove me wrong."
My clone deflected Ren's latest swords strike then quickly moved around him, used its freehand to lock Ren's wrist and once again had its blade near his throat.
"[Air Strike Bash]!"
There was a flash of light and Ren's sword moved with enough force to break free of my clone's hold on him and knock it's sword to the side.
"Well. You got me to use a skill. I guess your clones really do have high stats, but that won't be enough to beat me. [Meteor Sword]!" Ren's sword swelled with magical energy before releasing it at my clone, which then jumped to avoid it. "Now I've got you. [Hundred Swords]!" Ren's skill created dozens of swords which then launched themselves at my clone. The problem with that sort of attack is that there is enough room in-between the blades for someone like me to weave their way through, granted being in midair does make it a bit more difficult. My clone used its sword to deflect the first, also moving it just enough that it could contort to avoid the next nine before having to block. In the end my clone only had to block or deflect four of the swords Ren launched. Ren of course saw this and was dumbstruck as my clone landed unharmed.
"Remember, this isn't the first time I've been summoned to save a world. I spent a year doing little other than training to increase my skills and abilities as much as I could. That is why you need to train."
"[Flashing Sword]! [Crimson Sword]!" There was a massive flash of light and none of us were able to see what happened next. I remember that Ren's second skill involved energy slashes, so my clone moved to the side in an attempt to evade them. He rushed to intercept and even though I couldn't see him, I could hear his footsteps and the sound his sword made as it swept through the air. My clone was able to block his strike using its sword. "What? How? You shouldn't be able to see."
"You're loud and I have pretty good hearing." My clone spun to knock his legs out from under him before pouncing and holding the sword to his throat. "That is three times that I have made it clear that I could have landed a killing blow."
"You only won because of your ninja cheats."
"Are you referring to it being a clone that you fought or to the difference in stats? Because you yourself said you didn't want me to give you support magic. And just so you know, other than speed, my clones' stats are similar to those of Seb and Talia."
"Fine I'll train. So let's just get it over with."
Elder Sensei then explained to the other heroes that we would need to train in the mountains to learn how to utilize energy.
"That's not going to do us any good." (Motoyasu)
"What makes you say that?"
"Only boxers can use energy attacks. I'm a spear fighter, so learning would be pointless."
"What are you talking about? You mean monks, right? The class that can't use weapons?" (Ren)
"You mean ascetics! It's not that they can't use weapons. It's that they don't specialize in any of them." Itsuki's assumption was actually the closest to how Elder Sensei described her style.
"And once again the info from your different games is saying different things. Have the three of you ever thought that maybe the games you played were simply inspired by this world and were then altered for balance, to be easier to program, or to suit the target audience? You yourselves said that you've seen things that didn't exist in them and that some events went differently than they would have in-game."
"Possible, but that doesn't mean we can use skills from different classes." (Motoyasu)
"We aren't talking about using different skills. We are talking about learning techniques to use energy to enhance attacks. Though on that subject, she did say that there were legends of past heroes being able to use the techniques to enhance skills as well."
"And you really think these techniques will be worth our time?" (Ren)
"Considering she used a tree branch to take me down in one blow, which I blocked… yeah, I think they're worth learning."
"If we have to be mountain hermits, where are we supposed to go?" (Itsuki)
"There is a place in the mountains where you can train, in private, to work with energy. It is a few days' walk from here, or one day by horse or filolial. Now then, heroes, it is time we departed." (Queen)
AN: So, Itsuki tried pawning Rishia off to the old lady, and Endou dueled Ren instead of Eclair. Edit: Unfortunately he doesn't know that becoming the Lord would be a good way to get Ren to cooperate.
