Chapter: 387
[Are you really going to spar with Benedict?]
The night before I was set to duel Benedict, Grandpa suddenly asked me that.
“Why? Is sparring not allowed?”
[It seemed odd to me. There’s still a huge gap between you and Benedict, and there wouldn’t be much to gain from it.]
Grandpa was right. Learning through actual combat usually only works when there’s a smaller difference in skill.
Thinking about the gap between Benedict and me, all I could gain was an awareness of just how monstrous he truly was.
Even if I knew this, my reasons for asking to spar with Benedict were twofold.
One was to feel just how high up in the ranks this monster called Benedict was. The other was to show him just how much stronger I’d become.
Once the second year of Soul Academy starts, the main story will resume.
Right now, I’ve already taken down the Evil God of Darkness and shattered the Evil God of Menestel, so the forces aligned with the Evil Gods are lying low… but they’re just waiting for the right moment. There’s no way they’d give up on the Academy.
After all, there’s a precious item hidden in Soul Academy that they absolutely need.
In the process of trying to prevent them from getting it, I’ll likely throw myself into even more danger than before. I might even face death a few more times.
To an outsider, it might look like I was engaging in increasingly reckless suicide attempts.
But each time I plunged into danger, Benedict would be suffering inside. He’d be writhing in worry every time I tossed myself into a risky situation.
To him, I’m just a fragile daughter that needs protecting.
So, I plan on changing that perception in this spar. I want to show him that I’m strong enough to face the dangers without being overwhelmed by worry.
Plus, I want to make him worry a little less about his “teasing” tendencies.
[Right. Such an untruthful daughter you are.]
Hearing this from Grandpa made him chuckle. His fondness was evident in his tone.
“Then let’s keep discussing. I still can’t see a solution.”
[Alright, alright.]
What I asked Benedict for was just a casual spar, but given who I was up against, I didn’t slack off on preparation.
If I didn’t put in the effort, I’d only fuel Benedict’s worries further, so I searched for ways to land a hit on him.
I recalled the movements I had seen from him during our last encounter in Menestel while discussing strategies with Grandpa.
I even sought advice from the knights, including Possell.
I practiced continuously to raise my combat sense as much as possible.
However, the more I prepared for the spar, the more I realized just how high up Benedict stood.
Right now, I could barely hold my ground against the knights of Alrn. Even imagining beating these guys made Benedict chuckle dryly at my arrogance.
“In the end, the biggest problem is the overwhelming lack of specs.”
[You can’t help it. Your father is a monster more suited for the mythic age than the current era.]
At that moment, while pondering how I wouldn’t be able to land a hit, a notification chimed in my ear.
[Quest Completed!]
Looks like Heyshan met up with the Second Queen and sorted things out.
Well, it was pretty obvious that Heyshan didn’t harbor bad feelings toward her, and the Second Queen was practically begging for forgiveness.
I’d have to ask Karia later how everything unfolded.
[Rewards will be distributed!]
[Choose which stat to increase!]
Seeing the blue screen pop up again, I couldn’t help but smile, thinking that my reward had come at just the right moment.
This 10 stats being offered weren’t just about slightly better physical ability.
The moment any four of my character’s stats exceed 100, I’d unlock a new skill.
The skill called [Superhuman Physique] offers multiple positive effects to the character.
Increases to health, damage inflicted, and reduced damage taken. Plus, there might be even more benefits tied to it, making acquiring this skill essential, whether you’re fast or slow—especially since a quest is tied to it in the game.
I had no clue how this would play out in reality. But it was clear that it would help me immensely in facing Benedict.
So, I knew I had to get this skill now and adapt to the changes overnight.
[Are you sure you want to raise agility?]
I hesitated to make my choice.
Why?
My pathetic intellect kept nagging at me!
If I didn’t raise my intelligence this time, I’d be stuck as a fool for life!
Should I cling to a glimmer of hope in this impossibility? Or should I seize the chance to be a little less of an idiot? While debating in that tilted balance, I ultimately raised my agility.
Goodbye, my foolish intellect! I swear I’ll bring you to a proper level someday! Someday!
The moment I chose to raise my agility, an excruciating pain surged through my body at a level I couldn’t compare to when I consumed the elixir.
That’s when I realized this reward felt no different from consuming the elixir. It was bound to be painful since it forcibly raises my stats and alters my body! How foolish of me not to realize that!?
As I clutched the desk, trying to bear the pain, a blue window appeared before me.
[The skill Superhuman Physique has been granted!]
That was the last fragment of memory I had.
I lost consciousness right then and there.
A while later, in the morning, I woke up, but I couldn’t tell if any changes had occurred.
Outwardly, nothing had changed, and I didn’t feel anything telling me my body had shifted like when I’d powered up.
When I asked Grandpa and the Clumsy Fox what happened while I was out, all I got back was that I was lying there, dead to the world.
Now that this was the case, I had to test the skill’s effectiveness—yet when I woke up, the sparring time with Benedict was right around the corner, so I couldn’t do that.
In the end, I finished my basic warm-up and found myself standing right across from Benedict.
“Are you both ready?”
In the middle of the training grounds, I confidently nodded at Possell’s question while Benedict cautiously nodded, eying me.
“Well then, let’s begin the spar.”
[Let’s start slowly, assessing how my body has changed…]
But the moment Possell stepped back, I dashed forward.
Ignoring Grandpa’s advice, he nagged at me endlessly, but I disregarded it.
I couldn’t tolerate the delays in Benedict’s actions as he hesitated.
It’s true that I was weaker than him, but that was only in comparison to that monster! I shouldn’t be so timid as to care about a little push!
Benedict didn’t even attempt to respond to my charge. He just watched me closely, as though he was studying what I would do.
Annoyed by what felt like neglect, I went all out with my first attack.
The divine energy that had spread through my body concentrated at the tip of my mace, glowing like a sun.
This was the ultimate enhancement through divinity. The deadly strike taught to me by Grandpa who invented the Sacred Martial Arts.
As I released the attack I had practiced countless times with Grandpa in dreams, I understood how the skill [Superhuman Physique] worked in reality.
The function of this skill was simple. It allowed my body to move more efficiently.
It eliminated the inefficiencies embedded in my original form and guided me into efficient movement. This was a familiar type of skill for me.
It felt similar to the protective shout that had been aiding me all along.
So I was able to apply the skill’s assistance instantly.
“Die, damn it!♡”
Benedict, who had been staring blankly at the powerful strike, finally started to raise the corners of his mouth when my mace descended toward his head.
He then slowly pulled back his shoulder and punched toward my mace.
Though it seemed like a lazy jab, the power contained within was anything but trivial.
The punch of a monster that had transcended humanity was equivalent to a human’s ultimate technique.
BOOM!
A shockwave exploded from the clash of his fist and my strike, scattering snow around us.
“You’ve gotten stronger, Lucy.”
Amidst the snow, I noticed blood oozing from Benedict’s hand.
I watched as Benedict, unable to withstand the impact, got pushed back.
I saw with my own eyes that my improved strike had connected with him.
“You’re also of Alrn blood, huh?”
But my joy was short-lived. As soon as Benedict’s face lit up with a smile, his demeanor shifted completely.
“Indeed, Lucy. I acknowledge it. I’ve not properly faced you until now.”
“…Uh. Papa? You do realize your eyes are looking totally beast-like, right? It’s terrifying to think you might pounce on me!”
“But now it’s different. I’ve learned from you, and I must change, just like your friends.”
Seeing Benedict drawing power into his body, I fortified myself with divine energy to survive.
‘Grandpa! Help me out! You gotta tell me how to deal with this monster!’
[Nope.]
‘Why not?!’
[Whatever I say, you’ll disregard it anyway. Endure on your own.]
‘Grandpa, you’re really being petty!’
“I’m coming, Lucy.”
*
“Such a monster.”
Outside the training grounds, Arthur let out a dry laugh as he watched the duel between Benedict and Lucy, prompting Joy next to him to ask nonchalantly.
“Which side?”
“Both.”
It was an apt description of both parties—Benedict dominating with his overwhelming physical prowess without armor or weapons, and Lucy, though relentlessly knocked down amidst the explosive barrage of blows, continuing to rise again and again.
From Arthur’s viewpoint, neither fell short of being called monsters.
“Is the Young Lady really that incredible? I’m struggling just to keep up with what I’m seeing.”
“I guarantee it, Joy. If you had been in Lucy Alrn’s position, you wouldn’t have even lasted a second before being broken.”
“What about you, Prince?”
“I’d probably…”
Arthur trailed off. How could he express confidence in the sight of his own stone wall, Lucy Alrn, shattered into pieces with each of her opponent’s swings?
“…Maybe two seconds.”
“That’s not really different, is it?”
After Joy had effortlessly crushed Arthur’s confidence with a single line, she turned and asked Frey, who was leaning forward as if ready to jump into the fray.
“How about Kent? How long do you think she could last?”
“….”
“Hey, Kent?”
“…I don’t know. But I’d like to fight her at least once.”
“Me too. Even if I get crushed, I want to be in front of her.”
“Do you think Lucy could help us out with that?”
“Hmm. It seems possible. Alrn wouldn’t dare ignore Lucy Alrn’s words.”
As Arthur and Frey discussed how to convince Lucy, Joy looked at them with disbelief.
How could they still think about fighting after witnessing such might with their own eyes? It was beyond her comprehension.
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