Manuke FPS - Chapter 77

Chapter 77

As I was visiting the Western Barga Knights’ training facility while escorting Laptiricia-sama during her scheduled magic training, the instructor had proposed a mock battle . With me as a participant… Although it was a sudden request with the unlikely event I would fight against a team of knights and mages during this escort mission…

“Shaft, are you sure about this?”

Ashley-san asked me with a worried expression . Behind her, Laptiricia-sama and three who looked like mages, who appeared to be mages, stood .

“Is this sir truly the Black Mask Shaft?”

One of the three mages, a mostly bald man with gray hair and a beard that reached down to his chest, walked forward . He didn’t seem to be just any random mage, as he carried himself with a dignified air .

“That’s right . ”

“I am the Mage Guild’s Deputy Chief of the Barga branch, Garathmos Themis . ”

A noble… Maybe? Thankfully, Ashley-san quickly whispered “He’s Count Themis” to me .

“I would like to demonstrate to Laptiricia-sama on what a mage should, and be capable, of doing on the battlefield . Would you assist me, please?”

“But I’m here as Laptiricia-sama’s escort . ”

“The mock battle will be enacted between you and the knights . The knights, in particular, wish to know whether you have the necessary strength to be entrusted with protecting Laptiricia-sama . ”

“The Duke himself has personally chosen me to be her escort . Is that not convincing enough?”

“The Duke’s decision was based on rumors and hearsay . Please take into consideration of their feelings . They’re worried sick that they’d have to leave the princess’s protection to a mercenary . ”

I guess I don’t have a choice . I did want to try fighting a team of knights and mages . So, let’s just take this situation as an opportunity .

“Alright . However, I won’t pull my punches . ”

“As long as no one dies instantly, we’ll be able to heal them . ”

The other participants and I moved to the training area . Among us, there were two young mages that’d been with Count Themis . So it’d be 1 against 4 .

Laptiricia-sama and Ashley-san would be spectating from a small tent that’d been specially prepared for them . Count Themis sat next to Laptiricia-sama, talking to her about something . The Western Barga Knights also gathered in the training area . Somehow, I felt like the mock battle had become some sort of attraction .

Count Themis explained to Laptiricia-sama regarding what I would probably do, and how the mages should counteract . The atmosphere still felt like training to this point . But she’s been with Sasanqua for a while, couldn’t she judge something like this by herself by now?

Well, whatever . right now, I needed to focus on the four people in front of me . Of the two knights, one was the standard type – sword and shield – while the other wielded a spear without a shield . Two mages stood behind them also carried the standard staff and were robed .

Seeing both sides ready, the knight that acted as the referee shouted, signaling the start of the mock battle .

“Begin!”

As the same time, I ran forward . The opponent was in two rows, two deep . Knights at the front with the mages at the back . Their movements were clear in my eyes .

In the FPS Game, one technical difference that separated regular players from the advanced players was the order of killing . For example, suppose a player encountered two enemies around a corner . The regular player would just kill anyone who entered their crosshairs first and not consider which of the enemies would be detrimental to winning or losing, that encounter .

However, an advanced player would quickly weigh their own position, whether they’ve been seen or not . If they had, then they proceed to kill the one with the highest possiblity of killing the player .

To avoid this, one must be able to decide at a moment’s notice which enemy posed the greatest danger . The ability to do so was a strict requirement for the higher-ranked players .

Then, what about the four in front of me? There was still distance between us . As I’m running towards them, they’re most likely on high alert . The last two mages at the back begun to cast spells . I didn’t know what magic they were casting, but it must have been offensive magic – so I had to eliminate them first .

I quickly changed directions, heading right, but a knight readily stood between me and his mage . I’ve been fighting against skeleton mages in the Wolves’ Fang Labyrinth . Those monsters would cast their magic even as their allies were in front of them . However, people wouldn’t be able to do the same thing .

Seeing as it was the sword and shield knight, I used the speed boost from the power suit to dash forward .

“What!?”

As I dashed forward, I heard through my earpads that the mage was flustered . The person in question had charged a 50 cm diameter fireball in front of him . I suppose it was ready to launch, but as the knight stood between me and the mage, he couldn’t afford to hurt his ally just to get me .

I covertly pulled out a pair of S&W Tomahawks, hiding the act with the flourish of my overcoat as I flipped into the air . I aimed for the mage’s right shoulder as he held his staff with his right hand . The lens on my mash showed me when to throw, showing a line .

“Giyaaa!”

I heard a cry as I landed in front of the knight . I didn’t bother to look, as I knew I hit the target .

“Ba-Bastard!!”

Since I was bending down on my knee when I landed, the knight opted to swing his sword vertically down on me .

I activated the CQC System . I held up the tomahawk to block the sword and diverted it to the left as I struck out with my right hand . The hit was strengthened with the power suit, and landed in the knight’s abdominal area .

The knight was stunned by the blow . I took that opportunity to strick at his neck with my left hand . His head leaned to the right due to that blow and so I made use of that momentum to hit his jaw with my right elbow .

With him taking a hit to the head, the knight fell to his knee . I rotated my body to follow the momentum and threw my second tomahawk at the other mage in the corner of my eyes .

I’d racked up countless kills with these tomahawks while I played VMB, so I was very familiar with their usage .

The thrown tomahawk cut into the mage’s leg before he could unleash his ball of water . He collapsed to the ground . At that point, the knight approached at an alarming speed . He literally dashed to me from the other end of the arena . Was that a skill of his? While I thought that, I jumped backward to avoid his spear thrust .

With the other knight still out, that left only the spear knight to fight me . I took out my last pair of tomahawks from under my coat . With Laptiricia-sama in the spectator seat, I couldn’t afford to fire the Welrod . I had to Either use it as a tonfa, or sing it like a baton .

I focused on the last knight, avoiding his left and right spear thrusts, switching positions .

What if I tried that out- – I stopped turning, deciding to try the idea that had crossed my mind . The first downed knight was still between me and him . I used the poor knight as a springboard and jumped up in time to avoid another spear thrust . I threw down a tomahawk while midair .

The knight was skilled enough to deflect it with his spear . Well, considering its speed, someone like him should’ve been able to block it so long as he could see it coming, I guess? In any case, I could use the power suit to greatly improve its speed and impact; I still had to find an opening .

Landing behind him, I didn’t miss the fact that he’d already extended his spear on the attack . Deflecting the spear to the right with my other tomahawk, I moved in and tapped him hard on the ear with my left palm . His body spun midair before landing on the ground . I picked up the spear he had dropped .

“Stay down . ”

Then I stabbed the spear on the ground next to his head . That should be the end .

“It’s done . I suppose that was convincing enough, yes?”

I directed the question to Count Themis, who was still sitting inside the tent .

“— Wonderfully done . ”

But the answer didn’t come from the Count . Instead, it was from among the crowd of knights . Apparently, some time ago, Viscount Caymon had joined the crowd .

“Are you not going to stand up now, fools! You’re the Knights of Barga! And here you are, being taken down by a single mercenary . You’d be dead if this was a real battlefield!”

Responding to the Viscount’s shout, the two knights quickly stood up . Each of them muttering “That was a good lesson” despite losing to me . The mages who’d been hit by tomahawks had already been treated by someone who could use healing magic . Once had a tomahawk lodged in his shoulder, and the other had his leg cut off . Could healing reconnect severed limbs?

Looking at the process, it turned out to be possible . Although, it looked like a painful experience nonetheless .

Apparently worried about me, Ashley-ran to me .

“Good work, Shaft . Are you hurt anywhere?”

“Ah, nothing’s hurt . What comes after this?”

“It’s training for the practical use of magic in the first place, so they’d go back to the training room to review the mock battle . ”

By training room, she probably meant the one-story building near the training ground .

“I guess the fight continues on, but its just one mock battle after all . ”

Why of course . Well, you’d better firmly explain everything to Lary . ”

In the tent, I could sense that a different kind of battle was awaiting me . Sitting inside, Laptiricia-sama looked to me with a smile . Meanwhile, I couldn’t see the meaning behind Count Themis’s expression . But if I had to guess, it’s likely he’d found something interesting .

For the time being, I picked up the thrown tomahawks before I headed into the tent .

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