You know what they say about pride: it's okay to be prideful of your talents, but never to the point that you think that you're the center of the universe. I have pride in my character. It was made with Kazu's help and with the [Masteries] he has chosen for me to use, I’ve managed to survive every monster we encounter along with some unruly NPCs and players coming our way. Yet with all the hubris I’ve gained a bit from our adventures, there are some things that remind me of two things: that I am still human even in the game, and I’ve forgotten that this former General isn't kidding about his skills as a swordsman.
While I'm relieved that his large claymore isn't as heavy as I thought during a weapon lock, it does quite pack a punch when I got hit by it. I can see the scratches I endured from the grazes, but I'm surprised it's enough to chip off some of my [HP] I just healed from my potions and food I made earlier.
[Wind]
[Stats]
[Race: Human]
[Total Mastery Level: 14]
[HP: 593/630]
[MP: 240/240]
[SP: 310/310]
Geez... He's not only a real monster, he's a metaphorically a monster with his claymore! It's even more frustrating with the restricted [Masteries] in place during our fight. While I still have my food buffs, most of my passives from my [Physical Enhancement Mastery] are utterly useless and I can't rely on them if I want to get a jump on this general. Plus, there is a chance he might do something if I rely on my potions to recover my [HP]. I’d rather keep this handicap than get my foot shot by my attempts to make this battle in my favor. Eventually, we break our lock and I quickly run a few feet backward from General Veritates trying to catch my breath. Even if I can't use [Investigate], at least I can check hi-
[Hey, don't tell me that you’re giving up already, kid!]
Huh?
[We're supposed to be having a serious battle here. If you keep being distracted, you will lose your head by my blade.]
> [NOTICE]
>
> [Due to the nature of this battle, you cannot check the [HP] on both combatants, including the current stats on yourself.]
>
> [As a result of this, the [Stat] window is now disabled for this battle.]
What?! Does that mean I can’t know how much [HP] or [SP] I have from this battle?! Guess this is what he meant by not getting too distracted. He wants me to treat this seriously, yet I'm surprised the game did so by disabling the features I’ve relied on for most of my playthrough. Either way, this is getting way too realistic as a battle in a VRMMO. But I have no choice but to focus on it and stop relying on game mechanics for now. I take a deep breath and glared at the general.
"Don't worry, it's not like I'm goofing around in a battle to the death." I quickly charge on Veritate as I raise my sword for my first skill. "[Cross Slash]!"
I swing my [Sapphire Sword] twice in an X-shaped slash to the general. For some reason, he takes the attack, but I see him raise his head as I hear him cackle. [Amazing! Looks like the sages didn't call me back from the grave for nothing! You really are strong underneath your weak hunter facade.]
Is that supposed to be a compliment or an insult against me?! Still, I sigh as I keep my focus on the battle. "What's the matter? Are you getting all soft because I'm still a kid?" I taunt.
[Hahahaha! Unlikely. I'm just giving you a free hit because I want to see if the rumors are true.] My eyes widened to see Veritate raise his claymore as high as his arms could. [Now let's see if you are durable that are on par with your strength. [Aftershock]!]
What the?! It's been a while since I’ve heard that [Sword] skill. The last time I’d heard it was my first PVP against a rude warrior player. So I’m forced to jump away from the ground just as the general released a large energy wave from his claymore. As I watch, I gasp to see the wave quickly cut through one of the concrete pillars below me. What's worse is that the recoil causes me to fly off and crash onto a nearby wall. I can't see my [HP] right now, but I’m guessing I took a lot of damage from the recoil. It didn't even help that I haven't dodged the attack completely since my [Super Jump] is disabled as well. Yeah, this isn't like my first PVP battle. General Veritates isn't a real player, but he can certainly fight like one with his [Swordsmanship Mastery]. That's why I can't let my guard down no matter what!
"Nice trick, General. But what about this?" I quickly get up and assume my position for my counterattack. "[Flurry of Blades]!"
With a burst of my speed (well, from my current strength since one of my passive skills that increases it more is disabled, too), I release several slashes and swipes to General Veritate. But to my shock, he somehow blocks most of my attacks with his claymore, which, if you look at it from the front, looks like a large iron shield. While I can see scratches on his armor, it’s not that many compared to his claymore. Guess I know what he meant by giving me a "free hit" earlier.
[Hahahaha! Looks like my armor is still tough despite a few scratches I got during my time in the war against the demons!]
"Few scratches"?! I’d thought he was durable because him currently being in the form of an animated armor, but he was able to endure all of that even when he was alive?! Forget him being a literal monster. He was even a monster when he was alive!
[Is that all you got, kid? I was excited that you have the potential to become a great warrior, but I'm surprised that your attacks are too weak to penetrate my armor!]
I groan at his insult. "That's because you're currently possessing your old armor! What is that thing made of?! Oricalm or something?!"
[If you mean those [Orichalcum Armor] those high-ranking sword mages used, I don't need them. When it comes to my equipment, I can always trust my ol' [Mithril Armor] to do the job right!]
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Mithril?! Does he mean the ones those animated armor leaders were using? I barely survived those mages thanks to my [Archery] skills. But now that they are gone for this battle, how can I even get through his armor to survive this mess?! I don't know if I could win this duel at all. At this point, I...
[Thinking of running away and turning to death to try again?] I flinched at his words. How did he know what I'm thinking?! [I know what you're thinking. Most of the kids I took in used the same strategy whenever they were driven to a corner.]
"Since when?! You're also affected by the battle's restrictions, so you couldn't use your other spells to read my mind!" At least that's what I'm assuming.
[You don't need a [Mind Reader] spell to know what's going on in your head. Many apprentices tend to hesitate not only because they are afraid of losing against me. Most of them have problems when it comes to their family and friends and some just have issues when it comes to their future aspirations.]
"...Huh?"
Wait, where does that come from?
[You're no different from them. I can sense your lack of ambition and aspirations for your future. You had your eyes set on something else, but there is a day when you can't protect them any longer. You have to let them stand up on their own and start finding your own path.]
What the hell?! What is this battle turning into?! I can't let his speech distract me from my goal. "Stop acting as if you know me!" I quickly start charging at Veritates again as I prepare my next attack. "I already have my future with my little brother and there's no way I can change from that! [Cross Slash]!"
Thank goodness he talks a lot or my cooldown for that skill wouldn't disappear in time! I may not be able to penetrate his armor, but at least I can chip off more of his H-
CLANK!!!
What the?! How did he block it with his claymore?! I didn't even see him raise it right in front of me.
[As always, you kids keep rushing things in life. [Counter Slash]!]
Just as I hear that familiar skill, he pushes me away with his tremendous strength and quickly swings his blade like a bat. I can hear my bones breaking and data blood spewing out from my mouth as soon as I crash to the ground from that attack. I can't see my stats, but I can tell from my aching pain that I got so much damage from that counterattack. He is seriously strong with his claymore and it doesn't help with his strength alone. I can't stand up at this rate, so I'm expecting him to attack me while I'm down, but instead, he laid down his claymore next to him and sat down next to me.
[This is what I meant when I said you have no ambition. You spent your life protecting your little brother like a pet, fearing what could happen in his future and never in yours. I suspect that a hunter wasn't your first choice when you become an [Adventurer].]
I flinch again. He is seriously reading my mind right now!
[Think what you want about me, kid. But that's not going to change things on your end. Whether you like it or not, you need to think about your own future if you want to succeed in life. It's time you start living in the present, kid.]
I groan. Damn, he sounds like my Dad in one of his speeches. And yet, most of his attacks are no joke. He can counter them with his [Counter Slash] and shrug off my skills. If I can raise my sword... If I can use that one skill to take advantage, then...
[I have to ask one more thing, kid.]
One more thing? What is this? A therapy session or something in between? Cause I need to survive and...
[Do you even know what the true purpose of your test really is?]
...Huh?
[I feel like one of the sages already explained it to you, but it seems that your mind was somewhere else when you accepted it. If this is a real battle to the death, you would lose your life over your arrogance and issues that may distract your true focus in life.]
I remember what Specta said to me! I think she said... Uh... She said...
["Your mind is the limit for this test."]
"...Eh?"
["If you are unable to endure the horrors, then you will fail the test." That's the true purpose of the [Test of Courage].]
My eyes widen. I...I can't believe I could forget that one important detail! I groan as I raise my head. "B-But I don't understand. I thought horrors mean I have to endure any monsters that scare me. Like vampires, zombies, or even small spaces!"
The general sighs. [It's not just limited to your surface fears alone.] He hasn’t sounded so serious ever since the start of the battle. [This test lets you face the fears of your uncertainties. Your concerns for your family, your future, and yourself. If you want to pass the test, then you must be ready to face yourself for the future road ahead.]
So that's it. All this time, I'm trying to beat this guy, thinking I would be able to pass the test if I face my fears of fighting a boss monster alone. But to think this [Hidden Quest] has suddenly turned into a therapy session, where I have to face my fears of choosing what I should do after high school.
Just as I make that realization, I notice General Veritates standing up and picking up his claymore. [Normally, I would give you a do-over so you can try again. However, this is the [Test of Courage] and I have to consider your first fight a loss on your end.] My eyes widen to see him raising the claymore right above me just as I try to stand up. [You can try to block it, but I know you're not well enough to continue. Don't worry. I won't consider your test a failure just yet. You're starting to realize the truth of it and I can't have you giving up on your first try. So I’ll give you a tip to help you move forward.]
He's right. I can barely raise my sword in time to block his last attack for this bout. So I sigh in defeat and ask, "And what is this tip then?"
[...You should find strength, not through your training and talents alone. If you want to conquer your opponent, you must show me your true convictions, kid.]
My...true convictions... Honestly, I'm too exhausted at this point to know what he meant. I didn't even bother taking out my [HP Potions] to heal. Instead, I chuckled in response to this. So yeah, it is truly my loss then.
"I'll keep that in mind, pops. And the name's Wind. D-Don't forget that."
I don't know why, but I feel like Veritate is smiling behind his helmet. [I can say the same to you, Wind.]
So I make my last desperate attempt to turn things around using my last skill. However, I wasn't fast enough to activate it as one swing of his claymore cut me down in half immediately with my world literally split in half right in front of me.
And before I know it, everything goes dark.
> [YOU ARE DEAD]
>
> [Due to the [Hidden Quest's] special conditions, you are not inflicted with the [Death Penalty]. Your [Mastery EXP] remains the same. Your [HP], [MP], and [SP] will be fully healed the next time you wake up back at the spawn point.]
----------------------------------------
> Current Quest: Test of Courage ***
>
> Type: [Hidden]
>
> Status: In Progress
>
> Party Members:
>
> [Wind]
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Wind's Masteries
[Archery] Level 19 (Restricted)
[Woodcrafting] Level 10 (Restricted)
[Swordsmanship] Level 19
[Cooking] Level 9 (Restricted)
[Wind] Level 16 (Restricted)
[Physical Enhancement] Level 17 (Restricted)
[Hunting] Level 15 (Restricted)
[Blacksmithing] Level 18 (Restricted)
[Dagger] Level 6 (Restricted)