Prodigy

[Skin Strengthen][Iron Wall][Pain Inhibition]. And then [Hardening].

I instantly activated all my defensive skills, and readied myself to withstand the attack at my back but——–even after the gap of a moment, the attack never came.

I wondered if Milworc simply found my reaction funny and intentionally didn’t attack but, surely even he wouldn’t have the time to play around in a battle to the death like this.

I didn’t know what was happening behind me but, before anything, I needed to get out of this spot and recollect myself.

I made a front roll, and while on the ground I activated——[leg strength enhancement] to kick the floor and create distance between us.

Even within the few seconds that I initiated my escape, no further attack came, and once I confirmed that I was far away, I turned around to see Milworc on his knees holding down on the back of his head.

Even after seeing him like this, I didn’t understand what had happened but, I quickly looked around to check and……..

While still completely pale faced, I saw Mielle pointing both of her arms towards Milworc.

From the scene in front of me, I could infer that Mielle had used magic to stop Milworc.

I was ready to take the one hit but, I ended up getting saved by Mielle who I had removed from my calculations.

“………Oi oi, that ain’t fair, is it!? Don’t pour cold water on our one on one duel dammit!! You just ruined my chance to kill him there!!”

Milworc’s eyes were bloodshot, and his courteous personality from before seemed to have changed out again.

From the feel, it seemed like he had returned to his first personality but, this one still wasn’t as completely deranged like the first one which made it all the more confusing and mysterious.

……….ah but, now’s not the time to be hyperanalyzing Milworc’s personality. Milworc’s focus was now completely moved towards Mielle so I needed to move to protect her first.

Right now, Milworc is right between me and Mielle so, I quickly moved to get between him and Mielle instead.

“I apologize for thinking you were too scared to even move. You really saved me there.”

“……….I don’t need your apologies. Honestly, till the very last moment, I didn’t plan on attacking either.”

Is she saying that her body moved on her own then?

Regardless, she saved me and that’s a fact. Whatever the reason may have been, my apology remains sincere.

“Still, you have my thanks……….Can I count on you for support from here on?”

“NO WAY! It’s one thing if it’s to take out the members coming from below, but fighting Milworc is definitely not happening. I don’t even need your apology so just please, beat that disgusting guy already!”

“Yeah, got it. I don’t make the same mistake twice.”

Boldly proclaiming that to Mielle, I once again took my stance with Vendettatein.

In contrast, Milworc was still not looking at me and was instead glaring at Mielle behind me.

His attitude of showing me that I wasn’t even worth looking at for him certainly got on my nerves but, it’s true that just now he had completely outplayed me and so I didn’t really have the authority to feel irritated towards his actions.

In the first place, I need to cool myself down and not get swallowed into his pace.

I took a deep breath, and while Milworc hadn’t picked up his weapon again, I used my brain to its fullest and ran the previous battle inside my head once again.

Having gone face to face with him directly, I was very clearly made aware that Milworc was most certainly a true fighting prodigy.

His movements to dodge my ambush inside the [Black Mist] was no fluke, and even in our battle of patience during his counter stance, he completely defeated me.

Every single move he made came with the realization of just how much of a prodigy this guy was but, amongst it all, the thing that stood out the most was his almost inhuman mentality.

The way he reacted inside the black mist was a revelation itself but, his ability to make these moves without and lack of composure or a single shred of hesitation was utterly strange.

Of course that made him the perfect counter to someone like me but, seriously, the way he lunged in during the counter was also not something a sane person would do. I can’t help but assume that he doesn’t even feel any emotions when making these moves.

He was a madman that didn’t feel fear of pain or even death. That was the conclusion I came to after our short skirmish.

Common sense wouldn’t work on him, because he’s a battle prodigy with a few screws loose in his head.

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On the other hand, I was just a mediocre [farmer] that only got this strong thanks to a bunch of plants.

It wouldn’t be strange to feel like there’s no way of winning against him but, depending on how I fight, I can pull of crazy results.——after all, it’s precisely to take down guys like him that I had been building up strength for all this time.

From here on, I will treat him like he was Klaus himself, and use my absolute full strength to take down Milworc.

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