With the guidance of Index, Alleus and I used the demons as a form of training.
"You can use martial arts, can't you? Use it if your opponent is unarmed."
Nodding, I swung diagonally downward and side kicked the demon. Of course, my attacks didn't do much because they had been enhanced by the blood of the demon general.
Next to me was Alleus, swiftly and slowly accumulating damage on the demon she was fighting. Lieur was watching from behind, cuddling Kraken.
Attack after attack, I couldn't manage to land a dent on it. Intensifying my focus, I felt my veins pumping blood, the dirt moving with my steps.
Swinging diagonally, a surge of mana escaped from my fingertips and transferred to the blade of my sword.
A wound. Although it was small, I had formed a wound on the demon!
[You acquired skill: Blade Aura]
But it wasn't enough. The demon's skin was too tough to cut through. Thinking about Index's advice on swinging from side to side, I twisted my body to face behind me and swung with full force at the demon's side.
Grabbing my blade mid-strike, I murmured:
"ExcaliBurn!" Exploding the demon's hand off, I immediately changed the direction of my swing by spinning and slashing at its neck. The blade aura dissipated.
I needed to settle this before mana fatigue set in. Desperately swinging my sword, I could feel my muscles beginning to cramp and strain.
"Urgh."
Focusing my perception, I dodged a pierce from the demon's fingernails, the top skin above my eye being nicked.
With blood slowly trickling down my face, my right eye was out of commission. I couldn't waste precious time. I had to get stronger now before this chapter was over!
My hands—I couldn't feel them anymore. The calluses that had formed were ripped off because of the constant impact of ExcaliBurn.
Faster, swifter. I could win this…!
Damn it, my sword wouldn't penetrate. It was all too shallow.
Thrusting at the demon's eye, it dodged. Seeing that the demon was going to punch me in the chest, I smirked.
"Scales, strengthen me!" But nothing happened.
Taking the blow, I was sent rolling back.
"Is there a limit on this form? I've only used it twice so far."
Dodging a kick to the face, I swung at the demon's Achilles. But to no one's surprise, it didn't work.
Blocking a downward kick, my shoulders arched.
"Argh…"
Sweeping the demon's other leg, I made it trip and fall to the ground. I stood up and began wildly swinging downward.
"Die! Die! Die!" I said maniacally.
"Eeerk!" The demon cried.
The dragon scales armor would listen to any of my commands, right? If so, then it should listen to this...!
"Scales, reinforce and sharpen my blade!" My sleeves grew shorter as the scales began wrapping around the Fire Hero's sword. I noticed that my attacks were working.
Stabbing the demon through the chest, I forced it down.
"Please, don't kill me…! I have a sick sister—"
Not listening to the crudely made up story, I grabbed the sword by the guard and slowly made it sink deeper. The demon must have realized that I saw through its fake story and started digging its claws into my legs.
"You damn bastard, you think this can take me down? You're nothing but a side character… no, a background character!"
The screams then stopped. Pulling the claws out of my legs, I fell to my knees.
[Swordsmanship has improved.]
[Perception has improved.]
[Your physical has risen.]
[Your stamina has risen.]
[Your mana has risen.]
Passing out, I felt my head growing weak—not because I was far away from Incus but due to mana fatigue and my brain being worked overtime.
[You acquired skill: pain tolerance.]
***
Waking up, I found myself covered in bandages.
"Looks like you're awake. So, how are you?" Index gave me a stem with twelve grapes on it.
Accepting the gesture, I picked myself up.
"Thanks, I'm alright. Where are the other two?"
"Oh, they're right outside, watching Incus." He pointed me toward a direction outside the tent that I had been laid in.
Stepping out, I saw Alleus covered in bandages as well, just not as many as I had.
"Hey, Alleus—"
Seeing me, she immediately ran up to me and gave me a sudden hug.
"Urf—you're squeezing me too tightly…"
Seeing that she wasn't going to let go anytime soon, I patted her on the back.
"I was so worried. I thought that you were going to die! Why did you have to push yourself so much!"
***
Standing around a campfire, Incus was patrolling the front lines.
"System open."
====[Status Window]====
「Information」
[Name: Ring Euclid]
[Class: Warrior]
[Equipment]
◈ Dragon Scales Armor (+1 Phys.)
[Command the scales, and it will listen.]
◈ Light steel armor (+0.5 Phys.)
◈ Leather pouch (book of war tactics/Flask)
◈ Chainmail
[Weapons]
◈ Fire Hero's Sword
[ExcaliBurn: Shoots out an arc of flame]
[Description]
「Attributes」
[Physical | lvl: 3 (+1.5)]
[Stamina | lvl: 3]
[Intelligence | lvl: 4.5]
[Mana | lvl: 1.5]
「Skills」
[Advanced Sword Technique]
[Adept Practical Martial Arts]
[Basic Blade Aura]
[Adept Perception]
[Basic Pain Tolerance]
[Unique Skill: Kraken]
-Can absorb and release mana-based attacks three times. -
=========
Whoa, I had gotten so much stronger now.
But if the battles were going to be much more difficult than what they were now, then I needed to work even harder.
Since I had achieved advanced swordsmanship, I should work on raising my other skills, especially my mana attribute. Since equipment could increase stats, I should try getting something that could raise it.
Glancing at Index, I asked:
"Hey Index—?"
Cutting me off, Index asked a question of his own:
"Ring, is there an arbitrary writing for Incus right now? It seems that she's doing nothing."
Looking up at the window screen in the sky, I nodded.
With a smile, he mumbled something to the group.
"Remember, my disciples, a blade cannot complain about its wielder." Taking off his glove, he threw it at Alleus.
"Take this. Consider it a gift from me. I'm sorry I don't have anything for the rest of you guys." Index gave a smile.
In the next moment, he walked toward Incus.
"…What does that even mean?" Alleus scratched the back of her head.
"It means that we can choose our weapons, but our weapons cannot choose us," Lieur answered her question, squeezing Kraken tightly.
Poking at the fire so that it wouldn't go out, I couldn't help but notice the ground beginning to shake.
A thundering explosion boomed, making my ears ring.
All three of us looked toward the direction of the noise.
"W-what does he think he's doing!"
Index was clashing blades with Incus.