Chapter 43: Raras.h.i.+k’s Ability

“That aside, what did you really want to talk to me about?” (Raras.h.i.+k)

Raras.h.i.+k said as she tilted her head and looked at the three of them while she settled into a chair.

“You guys came here hear about the war. However, that’s not all you’re here for, right?” (Raras.h.i.+k)

“Aa. Actually, I have favor to ask.” (Arnold)

“Favor? What is it?” (Raras.h.i.+k)

“It’s about this girl here…” (Arnold)

Arnold placed his hand on top of Muir’s head.

“Her name is Muir, right? What’s on your mind?” (Raras.h.i.+k)

“I want you to be her mentor.” (Arnold)

“Eh-?” (Muir)

Muir exclaimed her surprise. This was not because she was opposed to the idea, but because she never even dreamed that she would be taught by Arnold’s master.

“Nah, it looks like a pain.” (Raras.h.i.+)

Muir’s shoulders drooped the moment Raras.h.i.+k rejected it.

“How could you, master!? I’m begging you! We struggled so much to get you the honey. The honey that you love. The honey to make your alcohol…”

“Well. This and that are completely unrelated. First of all, you ignored my orders and left. Then you suddenly come back with a child in tow. And now, you want me to take care of that child!? You’ve gotta be kidding me!?” (Raras.h.i.+k)

Arnorld was unable to refute her argument. Everything she said was undeniably true. Nonetheless, with her ability and guidance, it was clear that Muir would grow up to be strong under her care.

“I was young and adventurous then… I mainly wanted to test my strength.” (Arnold)

“That’s what I expected you to say. You’re still a greenhorn, afterall.” (Raras.h.i.+k)

“E-even if I look like this, I’ve become a bit stronger, you know! Go ahead and see for yourself!” (Arnold)

“Hou~?” (Raras.h.i.+k)

Raras.h.i.+k’s eyes lit up instantly. Feeling an uncomfortable atmosphere coming from her, Arnold started panicking.

“I’ll accept under one condition.” (Raras.h.i.+k)

“C-condition…you say?” (Arnold)

“Aa. Spar with me. If you can touch me during the spar, even if it’s just a graze, then I’ll take up your request.”

“Just…a gaze?” (Arnold)

“Aa, of course, it goes without saying that I’ll be given a handicap.” (Raras.h.i.+k)

Hearing that, Arnold thought that if he tried his best, he believed that he could honestly touch her. However, his hopes were betrayed when Raras.h.i.+k continued her explanation.

“However, the one who’ll be partic.i.p.ating will only be Muir.” (Raras.h.i.+k)

“…pardon?” (Muir)

“You got it? She gets 3 days. I’ll give the little miss the right to spar against me for 3 days. I don’t care about the method. If her fingertips can even graze me, she will be declared the victor.” (Raras.h.i.+k)

“Y-yes!” Muir

At the moment, they were currently in a room within the bas.e.m.e.nt. A bas.e.m.e.nt where monsters and creatures of all kinds were brought in for experimentation. It clearly had more than enough s.p.a.ce and durability to withstand a simple spar.

(The s.p.a.ce closely resembles that of a small gym, huh…To top it off, it’s a bas.e.m.e.nt. To be able to make something like this, that chibi-usagi really has a lot of free time on her hands…)

Hiiro folded his arms as he examined the room with admiration. He determined that it must have taken a very long time to build something like this.

“Uu,Do you think Muir’s gonna be ok…?” (Arnold)

It seemed that Arnold was the most worried about the situation. When Raras.h.i.+k presented her condition, Arnold was puzzled and unsure what to do. The person who responded immediately to the challenge, however, was Muir.

It went without saying that Muir’s response was “Please let me do it!” Obviously, Arnold was surprised, but Raras.h.i.+k seemed to also be taken aback. Seeing the weak and frail Muir displaying such bold determination would surprise anybody.

Raras.h.i.+k, however, simply smirked at her response as she motioned everyone to follow her.

Raras.h.i.+k’s strength was overwhelmingly clear. Even with a handicap, it seemed unfathomable for Muir, who just became a novice fighter, to be able to even scratch an SSS ranker.

Imagining a tattered Muir breaking down and bawling her eyes out, Arnold could not help but be concerned.

In contrast to Arnold, Hiiro thought that such a turn of events was quite interesting. Even though he had just been screwed around with by Raras.h.i.+k, he was now able to slowly and carefully observe her movements. Objectively speaking, this would be a great opportunity observe her ability see just what she is truly capable of.

“Well, little miss. In regards to the handicap, I will be deprived of any means of attacking. This means that I won’t be using my hands and my > skill will be restricted. Feel free to attack me all you want.” (Raras.h.i.+k)

With this kind of a handicap, Arnold or Hiiro might have been able to do something. However, for Muir, the level gap was despairingly large. And even without taking level into consideration, the difference in their combat experience would be like the measuring the distance between the ground and the sky.

“Muir…” (Arnold)

“Well, all we can do is just see how this plays out.” (Hiiro)

As the two were watching, the game known as sparring had begun between Muir and Raras.h.i.+k.

“Eei!” (Muir)

Muir honestly rushed towards Raras.h.i.+k. However, as expected, she had missed. The moment Muir drew close enough to hit, Raras.h.i.+k immediately vanished. Reappearing behind her without anyone noticing, she laughed.

“Ha ha ha, little miss, you’re gonna make me sweat at least a little bit, right?” (Raras.h.i.+k)

Those words seemed to flip a switch within Muir. She also had the blood of the Gabranth running through her veins. She was not one who would simply accept being made fun of on the battlefield.

“I’ll definitely get you!” (Muir)

However, no matter how much Muir dived towards Raras.h.i.+k, it seemed pointless. Raras.h.i.+k seemed to purposely wait until Muir drew close, waiting for the point where she would almost touch her. Immediately following, before that moment would cla.s.sify as a ‘touch’, Raras.h.i.+k would vanish and reappear in a completely different place.

This spectacle continued itself over and over. Muir rushed in countless number of time but each time Raras.h.i.+k would do the same thing as if she was just playing with her. Eventually, Muir’s shoulders drooped.

“Hah, hah, hah…” (Muir) (E: Panting.)

“What, you done already?” (Raras.h.i.+k)

Muir continued intently, as if she was trying to grab onto a cloud. Muir was sweating profusely, her entire body being drenched in sweat, The climate of the bas.e.m.e.nt may have partly contributed to her unfortunate state.

“Poor Muir…” (Arnold)

Arnold stared anxiously.

(As expected of the chibi-usagi. Even while moving around to such an extent, she’s not even breaking a sweat. On the contrary, her smile has never faltered even once.”

The fact that Raras.h.i.+k was enjoying herself so thoroughly that she was grinning wholeheartedly meant that she had a substantial margin for error. Being unable to even wipe that smile off of her face, it seemed that Muir’s chance of winning was nonexistent.

(Hn? Actually, this is great timing. Now would be the perfect opportunity to investigate her stats…)

Thinking this, Hiiro wrote the word > and activated it. He didn’t have a chance to try it before, however, now he was free to do so.

Thus, Hiiro opened Raras.h.i.+k’s > screen. The moment it appeared, he was startled by what he saw.

Raras.h.i.+k Fan’naru

Lv 123

HP: 7065/7065

MP: 696/696

EXP: 1884421

Next: 74980

ATK: 1211 ()

DEF: 1178 ()

AGL: 1119 ()

HIT (DEX?): 989 ()

INT: 800 ()

> Ice

(TL: I’ll need help here to come up with viable names)

> Ice Fanga.s.sault of the Absolute Ice BeastRoar of the Ice BeastAbsolute-ZeroIce PrisonFinal Fang

(E: Here’s my interpretation on the list of the techniques with their corresponding j.a.panese.

(氷の牙) – Frozen Fang

(絶氷獣撃 – ぜっひょうじゅうげき) – a.s.sault of the Absolute Ice Beast

(氷結転化 – ひゅうけつてんか) – Ice Transformation

(天世の凍波 – てんぜのとうは) – Divine Freezing

(現象の儀) – The Ritual of Phenomenon

(終の牙 – ついのきば) – Final Fang

If anyone has any better suggestions, they’re welcome to say them. Frankly, I’ve almost given up.)

> Companion of IceLittle GirlBinge DrinkerBlade of the WildResearcherDemon SlayerA Weirdo born from a WeirdoThe Creator of the > techniqueA Gabranth FighterOne who can influence PhenomenonA Determined Person

(E: The last t.i.tle can also be interpreted as an arrogant or unusual person. If anyone has any suggestions, feel free to make them. j.a.p: 極めた者)

Hiiro was dumbfounded. The level difference was clearly overwhelming. Lining up all of the numbers of her stats, it was easy to see that she had optimized her stats to be fairly balanced.

(Her stats exceed mine by over 100, huh…so these are the stats of an SSS ranker…it certainly is one heck of a surprise.)

He wasn’t expecting her level to be this high. However, looking at those numbers, Hiiro took comfort in the fact that he was overwhelmed by her earlier.

(However…I kind of expected her to have it, the t.i.tle of “Little Girl”…)

Although he was aware that Raras.h.i.+k hated being called that, no matter how he looked at her, the t.i.tle of “Little Girl” was the one that seemed the most fitting.

(But looking at these numbers, isn’t this a bit too harsh for the chibi…)

(E: Hiiro’s referring to Muir. He uses chibi when referring to her. If you don’t know what chibi means, go google it?)

Contemplating such thoughts in his mind, Hiiro continued to watch the two sparring. With this difference of ability, unless something unexpected occurred, Muir had no chance of winning.

Muir herself had started to take notice of the lack of progress. Needless to say, it was taking its toll on her spirit.

(S-she’s fast…compared to Ojisan or Hiiro, she’s faster…)

Muir could somehow follow her movements, however, her body was unable to react quickly enough. Even though she had suddenly levelled up substantially, she felt that she was unable to grasp to what extent her physical ability had grown.

(She’ll keep avoiding me if I just rush in blindly..if I could just use the > skill from that time…)

After seeing the images from Hiiro’s > she was able to see what had occured at that time. She saw herself using that skill. She was sure that she would be able to do something if she could freely use that skill. However, after looking at the > of herself using the ability, she still didn’t believe that she was that triggered the skill. This prevented her from activating that ability.

(Ojisan told me about it before. That > is actually the power of belief…however, do I really have that kind of power inside of me?)

She tried to use > skill several times before, yet, each time was devoid of any response. In the first place, since Muir had not been told how in any great detail how to invoke the skill, she had absolutely no idea how to apply it, let alone use it.

“C’mon, hurry up and catch me. Or what, are you giving up?” (Raras.h.i.+k)

At those words, Muir forced strength into her gaze.

“I-I won’t give up!” (Muir)

Placing strength into her legs once more, she rushed towards Raras.h.i.+k.

“That’s the way! Come at me! If you don’t even reach out your hands, you’ll never be able to grasp at what you’re trying to catch!” (Raras.h.i.+k)

“Taaaaaaaa~” (Muir)