Day 221-230/Day 223

Day 223
In the end, we all got together and decided to challenge【Flames of Fire Dragon Mountain】. It’s the most useful one that I scouted, and it seems to yield the most profit, while still being located relatively close. Thinking about the future and considering the Lumen Holy Kingdom, there’s also the fact that it could prove rather convenient to establish a base in the Atarakua Demon Empire.
Nevertheless, there were some problems before actually heading out. While these things can be solved relatively easily, they were slightly troublesome from time to time. One of the problems, was the fact that Kugime-chan didn’t want to go. It would have been inconvenient if she became a hindrance in the labyrinth. So in order to solve it, I tried to motivate her.
Looks like I got nowhere with subtle persuasion. I first thought persuading her wouldn’t be difficult. But it isn’t like that at all. But seeing as I didn’t think it would be a good idea to be idle and waste time, it had gotten to the point where I needed to use force to get her to come.
That’s why, during this chilly morning, while it was slowly snowing, we were facing each in the middle of the training area at the mansion. Kugime-chan had a Japanese umbrella as an organic weapon and wielded a black, silver fan-type magic item 【Tayu of Night Wind】, made out of jade. I just wielded 2 sticks of around 2 meters long that I cut out of a tree.
We both were equipped with our living armor. I wore a training poncho because else my upper body would be naked. Aside from my armor, the fact that my only offensive power are 2 tree sticks, while she has her Japanese umbrella that’s her organic weapon and her fan that’s magic item, it should overcome any difference that there is.
It’s not only that this tree branch cannot parry an attack because it is easily broken through a direct hit, but it’s also that it can’t endure any strong attack I attempt. It will disintegrate before I even land it.
Normally, an overwhelming superiority in weapon quality like this would give someone some margin. However, with this she opens all of her nine eyes to the limit, most of which are normally closed, and opens them wide. Kugime-chan still held a tense expression as she still seemed scared of everything.
Based on the quality of our weapons, I would lose overwhelmingly when facing each other. Nevertheless, I took up a relaxed posture.
There were no particular problems with a handicap to this degree, as it didn’t cause any useless strain on me. I was able to freely wield the two sticks that I obtained by only using my wrists and fingers and still be overbearing. I started to gradually approach Kugime-chan.
However, Kugime-chan took 2 steps back for every step I took forward. The distance between just kept on increasing as Kugime-chan fell back 6 steps when I took 2 steps forward. She accurately determined my range of my attack at the last moment. While I kept on pressing the attack, she stayed just outside of my range.
Kugime-chan also immediately reacted when I tried to throw a feint, as if she was able to see through it. She used the minimum of movements while giving me no chance at all. After that I followed up with a real attack instead of a feint.
I flicked a small pebble on the ground with my tree branch, and aimed it at Kugime-chan’s face that was holding a serious expression. I shot a second stone in the first’s shadow. She understood it accurately and evaded it. Apparently when she became a【Kugimeki・Subspecies】, her ability to gather and process information were pushed to the maximum. Kugime-Chan seems to be able to predict my actions.
Even if it’s a special technique, as long as it’s up to a certain speed, Kugime-chan can recognize and deal with it. She can beat me to a punch as she already starts to move before I do. It looks like I am not able to approach her. While I can do the same thing, it looks like Kugime-chan is faster than me.
However, even if she can predict everything, Kugime-chan’s actual combat ability is still low. Her physical ability is weaker than an【Ogre】’s, and her mobility, endurance and battle sense are embarrassing. Because of this, it’s difficult to display the full ability of her special foresight. When I put a bit more serious effort into it, Kugime-chan’s body wasn’t able to react in time, even though she was able to predict it.
Despite that fact that I was going easy this time around, the shock of my hit took all the air out of her body and made her roll over the ground. She stopped rolling after a few times, but it was still impossible for Kugime-chan to get up. Bearing the pain, she curled up like an embryo and started slightly trembling.
Becoming like this after a hit, there’s no way Kugime-chan will get motivated to challenge the labyrinth. While Kugime-chan does have a strong sense of responsibility, her anxiety will become a burden to the others. However, if you ask me, I don’t see an issue with her low combat capabilities.
Any defensive problems can be overcome with strengthened protective gear. On top, we should protect the ones around us. I decide she can go together with Sei, who has to ability to shield herself as well as her companion. Even then, she doesn’t need to be directly involved in combat. Because Kugime-chan can sense her surroundings more precisely than I can, there are a lot of scenarios where she can function as a living radar, in order to detect enemies and traps early on.
Therefore, I find that her becoming a burden due to the lack of her combat abilities, is only an imaginary fear of Kugime-chan. Kugime-chan won’t actively participate in combat and her combat prowess is more than enough to protect herself on her own for a few seconds.
As such, the minimum requirement is fulfilled. Because of this, her anxiety will disappear if she tries once. Because suffering such a loss will have hit her mental state, there was certainly a need to improve it.
Since Kugime-chan is still showing some anxiety to challenge a【God】rank dungeon, it cannot be said that I succeeded in persuading her smoothly. I made her reluctantly go through a strict training regime today. I will force her to become more confident and ready.
-- Ok, ok, I can immediately cure it if I break an arm or two, and even if internal organs would burst, I have some effective medicine to cure it.
-- So for your peace of mind, let’s give you some personal training for as long as you need to settle your anxiety.
Kugime-chan’s expression was dyed in despair when I casually mentioned it, as if it’s something that she couldn’t imagine. Half a day has passed since our training started. Since then, Kugime-chan has rolled over the ground hundreds of times. And while she suffered a few comminuted fractures and organ bursts, our training session ended safely.
I had to forcefully end it because Kugime-chan entered a state where she was not able to move anymore for the rest of the day, no matter what I did. While I do think it’s still possible to go on, I decided to let it go. I don’t want to agitate her any further after all the things she’s been through.
Bleeding from her entire body, having half the bones in her body crushed; injuries of all sizes were healed at high speed. I forced Kugime-chan to keep on fighting, to show her she has nothing to be afraid of. It tried to motivate her in the beginning, but seeing as it didn’t have an effect, I decided to keep my thoughts for myself.
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Category:Novel
Category:Re:Monster Volume 6