Chapter 10
A/N: Updates becoming more frequent, my project is coming along nicely and now waiting is most of the work. And it's holidays! Yay...
"Miss me!?" I waved in front of his face as his response was to swing his blade at me. "Trying to use my tricks against me?"
Norimune appeared as I jabbed his legs thrice within an instant. The back of the legs were hit as he caved in and kneeled. "Eh!? Are you okay?" I gave him a few pats on the back as he glared at me with the biggest glare he could give.
[One hour and thirty minutes until the next scenario]
"Hmmm... Noodles or curry?" I held the two as I had to make a choice that would decide the fate of my life.
Curry then, save the best for last.
"Oi! Master, spar with me." Yoo Jonghyuk... That brat. He dare interrupt me from my meal? One of my few proper meals since gaining flesh and blood? "Sure!" I gave the best smile I could muster. The light behind me only further heightened his weird look.
"Why are you smiling that way?" His face didn't move much but his eyes told the truth.
"Five minutes, I'll spar with you for five minutes."
Norimune appeared in a shimmer of light as I threw the saya away. The blade gleamed as I could finally have a training dummy to vent on.
~~~~
10 Minutes Later:
Dokja came to ask me "What did you do to him?" He pointed at the bruised face and swollen lips of Yoo Jonghyuk. "Oh that?!"
"EH?! You think I did that to him? Never would I harm an ally!"
Dokja gave a blank look as I held my hands in the air. "He tripped on the stairs! He just happened to fall down the stairs on his face multiple times! Trust me!"
[The constellation "Secretive Plotter" is impressed by your act of innocence.]
[100 Coins have been sponsored]
[2300 Coins Total]
[Now no, shall we start the third day of the main scenario? New faces have arrived today so won't it be fun? Hahaha!]
I stared at my still cooking instant curry as I sat within my small green room. [1/1] It was occupied by me, but then I didn't have much use of it as I was going to hunt when the waves of monsters came.
[Main Scenario #3 – Green Zone (Day 3)
Category: Main
Difficulty: C
Clear Conditions: Occupy the "green zone" in the station and survive the monsters that emerge every night at midnight. This scenario will last 7 days.
Duration: 8 hours.
Compensation: 1,000 coins
Failure: -
"Well you guys carry on... I've got business to attend to." I stared at the bowl of steaming curry waiting on the bench.
The group retreated and I would guess went along with whatever plans Dokja had cooked up. The curry called as I let it fill my stomach. "Delicious! Now..." I stood up as I searched for the most likely place the waves of monsters were going to spawn.
It seems like it started. The rumbling through the station increased in intensity as the glass burst only for the beast to find itself looking at a headless body. "A good exercise after a meal is truly the best."
"Disgusting and barbaric creatures."
The swarm charged at me only to become a puddle of blood and fleshy portions falling onto the floor. It was more of a mundane chore than anything else. They didn't have anything new apart form charging at me like mindless dolts.
[The constellation "Demon-like Judge of Fire" is whining at the boring process.]
"Eh!? I guess you would be bored from this constant killing without any progress."
"I guess I could do some training? I did always want to try imitate Hajime's Formless Combo."
[The constellation "Demon-like Judge of Fire" is burning with excitement.]
I pulled up my memory from Hajime's clash with me. Hajime's usual style was something I could not copy easily, but if it was his finishing formless combo then it was perhaps doable. The footwork would be first.
A single bear charged at me as I tried imitating the steps with irregular rhythm and various size steps and speed. I had speed but this rhythm was frustrating me. The bear only seemed to slightly falter in its perception of time and space. It still managed to react as it charged.
Passing the bear with the continuing irregular rhythm was a failure as the bear had roared in pain the moment the seven cut combo had started. A failure.
Hajime was able to finish all seven before the enemy realised that they had been cut or he was even close to them. Time and spacial perception were altered greatly. "Again." I had a challenge and I feel that If I were to succeed then the shabbygumi would not be impressed.
I had something to do while cutting down these monsters for the night.
Irregular footsteps of varying distances and steps where enough, the bear seemed to have had its spacial and time perception altered. Good, first step complet-
The bear roared as I continued as the speed increased. Its paw came crashing down on me. Seven cuts had been performed. Yet the bear had long noticed it had been cut into pieces.
"Again!"
I remembered Hajime's exact steps and posture, perfect control was needed as I tried once again to match a perfect imitation. My speed would make up for the lack of a second sword.
Forward, forward, change the rhythm, slow down.
Lunge!
My body tilted forward as the bear had simply stood confused and still. Seven cuts were performed inverted, diagonally and straight. On the seventh cut the bear roared only for the previous seamless cuts to drip blood as it fell into pieces.
[Skill: Formless Imitation [B] has been created]
[The constellation "Demon-like Judge of Fire" is fired up and cheering for you.]
[The constellation "Prisoner of the Golden Headband" is tearing his hair out at the stunts you pull.]
[300 Coins have been sponsored]
[2600 Coins Total]
[Formless Imitation]
The skill came more naturally as I imitated Hajime's finishing combo. The beasts simply stood there unable to process when I was going to come and If they had even been cut until they were already diced into pieces.
The cuts were so fine that the pieces only dropped and broke apart after the beasts had twitched.
I had done it. Goal achieved, shabbygumi has lost against my genius.
"Okita-san Daishouri!"
A/N: If you haven't noticed there is a current status for Okita.