CHAPTER 56: AGAINST A WEREWOLF

“Who are you?”

“…………Ah” (Luka Impostor)

　In response to my question, the person pretending to be Luka-san uttered dumbly at me.

“It’s fine. I just made a mistake in picking my main weapon. What I did was just a small mistake.” (Luka Impostor)

　Unlike the tone of a frivolous young lady from before, the current tone of this person is nervous and suspicious.

　Not only the tone but also the atmosphere around her has changed.

　If you listen only to her voice, you’re only going to hear a bubbly young woman.

　However, I felt the pressure and my body stiffened.

“Well, Toru-san. I have a question. Why did you come back to Finlis so quickly-? The Flare Light Dungeon capture-should have taken more time-. There are many traps. Did you turn back without capturing it?” (Luka Impostor)

“No, if it’s those traps, I proceeded while destroying it using wind magic.”

“… hahaha. You’ve performed beyond and above expectations.” (Luka Impostor)

　Luka-san’s expression was extremely serious.

“I wasn’t expecting you to rush here so quickly, and I wasn’t expecting you to have a lot of holy water. No, I thought you had something, but no way did I think you could do the things you’ve done.” (Luka Impostor)

“So who are you? What happened to the real Luka-san?”

“If it’s the real Luka, she’s here!” (Luka Impostor)

　Luka put her hand on her chest and smiled eerily.

　She, like Philip, she’s probably been “possessed by someone or something”.

　I became more alert and summoned the [Magic Sword].

“Oops, that sword is scary. I’m scared, so I’ll be leaving now.” (Luka Impostor)

“Do you think I will let you?”

“No, I’ll leave even if I have to go through you.” (Luka Impostor)

　From her muttering, I felt strong killing intent and then something flew past me.

　Suddenly.

　–Gat!! [T/N: Sound effect of something hitting a wall.]

　Claw marks were deeply carved in the place where I stood before.

　The thing that made those claw marks was a monster that was taller than me.

　It was a bipedal monster with ears on its head, a dog-like mouth, and silver hair all over its body.

“Then Werewolf-san, thank you for the rest.” (Luka Impostor)

“Ah, hey !!”

　A monster that Luka-san’s impostor called was a werewolf that is now standing in front of me.

(This monster is strong …!)

　The werewolf is the most unbelievable opponent I’ve faced so far.

　I applied some [Lighting] on the ceiling and devoted all my focus to battling the werewolf in front of me.

　As I get ready for battle and held the [Magic Sword], the werewolf grinned.

　And the next moment

　Werewolf claws were swung down from overhead.

　I reacted to the attack that can barely be seen.

I used the [Magic Sword] counter the blow.

　But there is an immediate follow-up.

　The werewolf was quick and relentless

　I avoided the werewolf’s roundhouse kick by taking a step back.

　I made a somersault.

I slashed the [Magic Sword] from below.

~3rd Person Perspective~

[T/N: It is in the 3rd person but it seems to be from a monster/creature’s perspective.]

　The werewolf calmly responded to Toru’s counterattack.

　It was quite fast, but it’s slow enough to be followed by its eyes.

　The battle experience accumulated by the king of wolf-type demons drives the werewolf in battle.

　This swordsman is quite strong. It can be said that the werewolf sees this person strongest human being ever encountered.

　Perhaps it has higher physical performance than the previous “little girl”. [T/N: The little girl pertains to Lily because she looks like one.]

　Still, the werewolf didn’t feel like losing.

　The swordsman is swayed by its power.

　It is a “forced movement” peculiar to those who have a tough body by nature and are unaware of it.

　No matter how strongly they move, the werewolf won’t lose, the swordsman won’t hone its skills without working on it.

　The werewolf, on the other hand, was a creature who clawed its way to the top.

　After being born as a Silver Wolf, I just continued to aim for the top.

　There are countless times when humans were about to kill it.

　However, each time it devised a plan and performed at its peak performance, it survived the near-death battles.

　Even after gaining power and evolving, its thirst for power never stopped.

　For it, a human being who is just strong is not just scary.

　Its claws become tense in anticipation of the incoming attacks while sending continuous attacks back.

“Gut !!”

　An attack that had never hit before caught the swordsman easily.

　If it is hit with the swordsman’s attack, it will die.

　But if it doesn’t get hit, those attacks are nothing.

　The werewolf continued to laugh and evade the deadly attacks.

　The swordsman was also laughing.

　(Well, are you the same kind of warrior as me?) (Werewolf)

　(The finale of every battle, the burning excitement of your heart, it is so much fun. It can’t be helped.) (Werewolf)

　Werewolf and swordsman laughed and continued to attack each other as if they were dancing with each other.

“–Ugh!”

　In the swordsman’s thirtieth attack, the werewolf’s fist made a clean hit with the swordsman.

　The swordsman was blown into the darkness where light couldn’t reach.

　Is this the end?

　Will he continue to attack with the same attacks again?

　It was a time when the werewolf is excited about the swordsman’s next attack.

　Feeling something wrong and it shifts its center of gravity.

　The next moment, a black arrow is stuck on its shoulder.

“… !?” (Werewolf)

　The werewolf didn’t notice that an arrow was fired.

　The color of the arrow was hidden by the darkness of the passage.

　But in normal well-lit places, it was not an unavoidable attack.

　The reason why the werewolf couldn’t avoid it is that he thought his opponent was a “swordsman”.

　The werewolf grabbed the arrow then pulled it out in anger.

　There was pain, but its anger prevailed.

(――A werewolf can’t deal with this kind of attack!!) (Werewolf)

　It was completely caught off guard.

　The pain disappeared from its consciousness, and the werewolf regained its calmness.

　It will never be hit by a bow and arrow again!

　The boy, reappeared from the darkness, was holding that terrifying sword instead of a bow.

(Are you going to fight using a sword again?) (Werewolf)

　That boy’s sword technique is not made for fighting werewolves.

　It has been proven in their exchange from before.

　Shooting an arrow from a distance would increase the swordsman’s chances to win.

　However, the werewolf was confident that it could avoid all the arrows that could be fired towards it…

　The boy held his sword.

　He is just repeating his mistakes.

　However, for some reason, the werewolf’s fur stood from its spine until the ends of its tail.

　The boy hasn’t changed since a while ago.

　However, his presence is different.

　The werewolf, who was struck by the swordsman’s gaze, jumped forward to attack, lacking its calm from the previous attacks.

　The werewolf’s first move does not reach.

　That was similar to before.

　So it kept on attacking without rushing.

　With the last move, it aimed to stab the boy’s chest.

　The attack, however…

“I’ve already seen that attack.”

　The boy reacted to the attack.

>> [Mimicry Lv5] activated

　No, it wasn’t just an instinctive reaction.

　The boy cut off its right wrist using the sword.

　The werewolf never had the chance to evade.

　Because the boy’s counterattack was faster than it anticipated.

　As if the boy knew how the werewolf would attack.

　(――How beautiful…) (Werewolf)

　Werewolf saw the skill of the swordsman’s attack.

　The werewolf was surprised by the “attack mirroring its own”.

　The window for the counterattack was so short, but that was enough for the boy.

“Is it over? Goodbye”

　At the same time as that word hit the werewolf, the werewolf’s consciousness disappeared.

>> Skill points 61 → 71

>>Rank Ⅱ→Ⅲ

When he was about to perform a secret technique in the guild, Luka’s “inside” blurted out a different tone of voice.

It’s amazing how people can realize that “inside” might be a different person.