Chapter 10: Yuki's Serendipity
"This isn't just a simple spar, is it?" Rovel's voice cut through the tension. "If you're looking for a formal rank challenge, I accept."
A quick glance at his opponent's level was all Rovel needed. There was no reason to be afraid. Besides, while he still wasn't sure what Prestige was used for, he figured having more was always better than having none.
Sugi Mikado's eyes lit up. He'd been hesitant to propose a formal challenge himself, worried it would seem too aggressive. After all, offending Raiden Mei would be a disastrous mistake. He never expected Rovel to call him out so directly—and even accept!
This was perfect. Since Rovel had proposed it, Mei would have no grounds to object, even if Sugi Mikado won decisively. It was Rovel, after all, who had initiated it.
"No take-backs!" Sugi Mikado roared, snatching a wooden sword and planting himself in front of Rovel, his stance wide and confident.
He'd seen Rovel's fight against Sato. The boy's movements were fast, yes, but not incomprehensibly so. As for the duel with Raiden Mei? That was hardly a fight. Rovel had been defeated in a single, overwhelming strike. In his mind, they were both equally outclassed by her. So between the two of them, who was really stronger?
He'd dedicated years to Kendo. There was no way he would lose to some rookie who'd just picked up a sword, right?
Rovel was oblivious to the complex rationalizations running through his opponent's head. All he knew was that his phone was buzzing again—it was Yuki. He needed to end this, and fast.
"Begin!" the Kendo Club member acting as referee called out.
In that same instant, both Rovel and Sugi Mikado moved.
"Witness the true gap between us!" Sugi Mikado bellowed, the muscles in his arms bulging as he brought the wooden sword down in a powerful overhead strike.
He expected the blow to shatter Rovel's guard. To his utter shock, Rovel caught the strike with ease, holding his own wooden sword with just one hand. Worse, his expression was one of complete, almost bored, relaxation.
Stunned, Sugi Mikado refused to accept it. He launched into a furious barrage of attacks—wide, sweeping arcs designed to overwhelm, each strike carrying enough force to stagger a normal opponent. Yet the storm of blows did nothing. Rovel didn't so much as take a single step back, parrying each attack with minimal effort.
"This... how is this possible?" Sugi Mikado's voice was laced with disbelief.
Finally, Rovel moved to counterattack. It was a simple, almost lazy-looking slash that connected with Sugi Mikado's blade.
The moment they made contact, an immense force traveled up Sugi Mikado's arms. It felt less like a parry and more like being struck by a battering ram. His balance shattered, and he found himself stumbling backward.
Rovel pressed the advantage in a flash, his blade becoming a blur as he landed two precise strikes on Sugi Mikado's torso.
[-71]
[-49]
Two damage indicators flared into existence above Sugi Mikado's head as a health bar materialized, instantly plummeting to a mere 20%.
[New Skill Learned: Basic Kendo - Multi-Slash.]
[Basic Kendo - Multi-Slash: Allows the user to unleash a rapid series of slashes. The power of each subsequent slash is reduced. The maximum number of slashes is determined by Basic Kendo proficiency and the user's Agility.]
'An unexpected bonus?' Rovel thought, a flicker of amusement in his eyes.
[Defeated Kendo Club Third Seat — Sugi Mikado (Level 11). Gained 180 Experience Points.]
[Defeated an opponent using Basic Kendo (White). Proficiency +50. As the Kendo Club Second Seat, you gain an additional +25 Skill Proficiency.]
[Experience bar full. Level up! You are now Level 2.]
[EXP: 100/200]
[All four primary attributes +1. You have gained 2 Free Attribute Points.]
[D-rank Quest: Defend the Seat, Completed.]
[Quest Reward: Prestige within Chiba Academy +100.]
The entire exchange was over in seconds. Sugi Mikado was left sprawled on the dojo floor, his gaze fixed blankly on the ceiling, his mind struggling to process the humiliatingly swift defeat.
'Beaten in an instant... by a complete beginner? That strength was monstrous... And that double slash... that was a technique he hadn't even mastered himself!'
The other club members could only stare, their faces a mixture of shock and disbelief.
As for Rovel, the cause of all the commotion, he had already stepped to the side of the dojo, finally answering Yuki's call.
"Big brother, what took you so long? Were you ignoring me on purpose? Hehe... hehehe..."
As soon as the call connected, Yuki's teasing voice came through, laced with a strange sort of playful dissatisfaction.
"Sorry, I was in the middle of a quest," Rovel replied, his tone warm. "What's up, Yuki?"
"I wanted to ask for your opinion on something..." Yuki began, before launching into her story.
A short while ago, right after she'd first logged into Canghai City, she'd been exploring the streets when a man sprinted out of an alleyway, his face a mask of panic.
"Get out of my way!" the man had yelled rudely when he saw her.
But Yuki, ever curious, stood her ground.
Seeing that she wasn't moving, the man's face twisted into an ugly snarl. He clearly intended to just shove her aside. But as he lunged forward, Yuki moved with surprising speed. A quick leg sweep knocked him off balance, and in the next motion, she had his arm, pivoting her body to execute a flawless shoulder throw. The man landed hard and was out cold.
Before she could even process what she'd done, figures dropped from the rooftops above. With cold efficiency, one of them dispatched the unconscious man and then unceremoniously dragged his body back into the shadows of the alley.
Yuki froze, a cold knot of fear tightening in her stomach. She had only meant to stop him, not... not get him killed.
The figure who had dealt the final blow was cloaked and hooded, their face hidden in shadow, but their build was distinctly feminine. A large, stylized eye was emblazoned on the hood, seeming to stare right through her.
"Thanks, little one," the woman's voice, tinged with a hint of laziness, drifted over to her. "If he'd gotten away, this job would have been a lot more troublesome."
"Y-You're welcome," Yuki stammered, her face pale. The shock of the sudden violence hadn't faded yet.
"Don't let it weigh on you," the mysterious woman said, her voice calm and reassuring. "He was a gang member, scum of the earth. I was hired to clean house."
"Oh... that's good, then," Yuki breathed, a wave of relief washing over her.
"The name's Raven," the woman introduced herself. "You've got some good moves. You're a... Descender, aren't you? Ever thought about joining an organization? I represent World Serpent."
...
Yuki relayed the entire encounter to Rovel, though she conveniently left out the part about her executing a perfect shoulder throw. She didn't want her big brother thinking she was some kind of violent tomboy!
"So, that's what happened. What do you think, big brother? Should I accept her offer?"
Rovel blinked, processing the story. Was his sister some kind of luck magnet? A goddess of good fortune? She'd barely been in the game for an hour and she'd already run into Raven—the Raven from World Serpent—and gotten a personal invitation to join!
'Even at this point in the timeline, before Kevin's return from the Sea of Quanta, World Serpent is a force to be reckoned with!' he thought.
"But..." Yuki's voice was hesitant. "World Serpent isn't one of the big, well-known organizations, is it? What if I join and it's just some small-time group? I won't be able to get strong enough to protect you, big brother!"
"You should join, Yuki," Rovel said, his tone certain. "You've always had incredible luck, and I doubt this time is any different. Who knows? Maybe it's a hidden powerhouse organization."
"Besides," he added gently, "even if the organization is just average, you still have me. I'll work hard to get strong enough to protect you."
"Okay!" Yuki's voice was filled with renewed determination. "I'll join World Serpent!" She never hesitated when Rovel spoke with such confidence; her trust in him was absolute.
"By the way," she said, her tone shifting, "you said you were doing a quest. Does that mean you've already joined an academy or an organization too?"
"Yeah, I found a training academy that suits me," Rovel confirmed.
"If it's you, big brother... it must be a Special-Grade academy, right?" In Yuki's mind, her brother was the best, so naturally, he would join the best institution.
"It's a Primary-Grade one, actually."
"Eh?!!" Yuki's voice shot up in alarm. "You have to be joking, right? Did you not read any of the guides on the forums...?" Her anxiety was evident even through the phone.
"You don't need to worry about me, Yuki," Rovel said, his voice calm and steady. "Just trust me, okay?"
There was a brief pause on the other end.
"...Mhm," she finally said, her voice firm and serious. "I always trust you, big brother."
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