Chapter 5

Issei backed up into the passage, limiting the Clanrats to come at him two at a time. It wasn't easy, as he had to parry and block more than attack, but he cut through them nonetheless. In about ten minutes, five ratman corpses lay at his feet as he stood panting above them.

You have slain X5 Clanrats! You earn 300 EXP!

Ratman Minions Defeated: 22/30

Do you wish to loot the bodies? Y/N

Hitting the 'Y' button, Issei grinned as the list grew.

Dirty Hemp Smock X5

Copper Short Sword X5

Copper Spaulders X5

Copper Vambraces X5

Leather Brigandine X5

2000

Skill Book (Unknown Skill)

Marking everything but the smocks to be kept, he sold the hemp clothing for ¥60. Then he wondered where the items he'd chosen to keep had gone, prompting a window popping up informing him of his inventory. Opening it, he pulled out the skill book, which opened yet another window.

[You have acquired the [Basic Swordsmanship] Skill Book!]

Do you wish to learn this Skill?

Y/N

"Looks like a good skill." Issei commented, "Meh. Why not?"

After hitting the 'Y' button, Issei was shocked when the book dissolved into shards of blue light. He was even more shocked to see them fly and disappear into his chest.

You have learned the skill [Basic Swordsmanship]!

[Basic Swordsmanship] (Passive) [LV1, 00.00]

Throughout the entirety of the world, the one weapon that is used the most often, barring the human body itself, is the sword. No matter what kind of sword it is, from Rapiers to Broadswords, from Dao to Katana, the sword has rightly earned its name as the Queen of Weapons throughout humanity's long and bloody history. Basic Swordsmanship is, as the title suggests, very basic thrusts and cuts.

- Grants the user the ability to carry a sword with ease.

- Passively grants the user +1 to [Slashing] Attacks.

- Passively grants the user +1 to [Piercing] Attacks.

"OK…this is cool." Issei said and hefted his bronze sword in his hand. It had felt somewhat awkward up until a moment ago, but it now felt…right…in his hand, for lack of a better term.

Shrugging, the Sekiryūtei wandered out of the room after searching it for anything useful. Seriously, he was beginning to think he'd get nothing out of this place. The ratmen were the epitome of low-level trash mobs, with sub-par drops to top it off. Yeah, he needed the experience points, but he also needed better equipment.

The next couple of rooms he searched were empty of both enemies and anything useful, which actually wasn't much of a surprise to him. There were only eight enemies left, not counting the boss. They'd be near the other lever, if he guessed correctly. The only problem was finding it.

"Ah, there you are." Issei smirked as he entered the second-from-last room and saw the eight remaining enemies. Six of them were Clanrats, armed in the same way as the last lot, but it was the other two that gave him pause.

They were half-again as big as the Clanrats and looked twice as mean. Black fur covered them and long sinuous tails lashed behind them. The armour they wore was made of what looked like iron and covered the same areas protected by the Clanrats' armour. Clasped in their hands were, for them, halberds. For a human, they'd be axes.

Stormvermin LV5

[Black Rat]

This…wasn't going to be easy. Those two were the same level as he was and had better equipment than he did. Those halberds were made of iron as well. Issei may not be the best student at history, but he had read a manga called Red River, which showed exactly what happened when bronze tried to compete with iron.

Bronze lost in the long run.

"Kill-kill!" one Stormvermin squeaked as it spotted him. Much to Issei's surprise, only the Clanrats attacked. The larger ratmen stayed back, guarding the lever.

Issei hacked and slashed his way through the Clanrats with greater ease than before. His height and reach advantage were complimented by his new [Basic Swordsmanship] skill. The Clanrats, despite their numbers, couldn't even touch him. Although they did cut his shirt and trousers more than once.

Only once the last Clanrat expired did the Stormvermin move. Wielding their iron halberds, they stalked towards Issei with slow deliberate steps designed to intimidate.

Issei noticed that they were angling to catch him in a pincer move, which was not something he was eager to let happen. He whispered, "{Inventory}" and readied himself.

"Die, Man-thing!" the one to his right squealed and charged, as the one to his left charged as well, albeit silently.

Quickly, Issei reached into the Inventory screen and pulled out a [Copper Short Sword] that he had taken from a defeated Clanrat. He then parried both attacking weapons with his own. The Copper sword bent from the impact, as expected, but it was enough to throw the Stormvermin off-guard.

He kicked the left-side one in the face before turning back to the right-hand ratman and shoving his bronze sword into its throat. The Stormvermin choked and died.

Returning his attention to the last remaining ratman minion, Issei was surprised to see it running at him, a crazed look in its eyes. He blocked another swipe of its iron halberd with the copper sword. This proved too much for the blade, as it snapped in two. Issei didn't hesitate to throw the handle and what little remained of the blade still attached to it in the face of the Stormvermin, making it flinch long enough for him to repeat the death of its companion.

You have slain X6 Clanrats! You earn 360 EXP!

You have slain X2 Stormvermin! You earn 240 EXP!

Do you wish to loot the bodies? Y/N

Hitting the 'Y' button, Issei grinned as the loot piled up.

Dirty Hemp Smock X6

Copper Short Sword X6

Copper Spaulders X6

Copper Vambraces X6

Leather Brigandine X6

Dirty Leather Tunic X2

Pig Iron Spaulders X2

Pig Iron Vambraces X2

Crude Pig Iron Cuirass X2

Stormvermin Pig Iron Halberd X2

¥4000

Selling the Hemp Smocks and Leather Tunics for a profit of ¥102, the rest went to his inventory. Issei then strode up to the lever and pulled it down.

Ratman Minions Dispatched: 30/30

"Right." he muttered as the lever clicked and was then retracted into the wall, "Now to find the boss' room."

It wasn't that hard at all; the pair of stupidly-large doors open at the end of the corridor that had swung open were a dead give away. Issei cautiously entered the room. It was full of straw dummies, human in shape, but with extra additions. Some had black bat-like wings on the back, while others had feathered wings of the feathered variety, coloured both black and white.

"Devil…Fallen Angel…Angel…" a snickering voice came from a shadowed area at the far side of the room. Issei peered forwards and managed to make out a figure sitting in a throne-like seat.

"These things?" Issei jerked his head at the dummies, "Are you telling me these guys exist?"

"Yes-yes, Man-thing…" the figure replied with another snicker, "Devil-things troublesome. Saving them for last. Fallen-things immoral and hide well. They'll be second last. Angel-things weakest of all. Destroy the Church-things and they're helpless."

"While hearing your plans is nice and all, we'd better get to the part where I kick your ass." Issei said challengingly.

The figure roared in laughter. "Kekekekekekekeke…foolish man-thing. You cannot defeat me, defeat Byral Warfang! Yes-yes…I shall enjoy your cries of pain…"