The Banished Villainous Noble Son Who Was Used as a Stepping Stone in the Original Work Awakens to Combat and Destroys the Laws of the World - Episode 22: Onward

Episode 22: Onward

The next day, early morning――the guild training grounds were silent.

Today, I hadn’t even drawn my sword yet.

(…At this point, there’s little meaning in continuing to swing through forms.)

The form training I had repeated countless times until now.

The stepping in, shifting of center of gravity, follow-through of the arms――the movements had seeped into my body and settled smoothly.

The minute corrections of errors were almost done.

The more I swung the sword, the more I realized that the technical “perfection” I could gain now was just a thin surface layer.

Yet even so, my “Swordsmanship” skill remained at Lv.1.

(So, the completion of forms wasn’t the endpoint of Lv.1 after all.)

The “Swordsmanship” skill doesn’t increase just by repetition.

From experience up to this point, I understood that the act of “learning with awareness” is necessary.

And now, the “next stage” of that was gradually starting to come into view.

I clearly recalled the scene from the guild’s training grounds during the day yesterday.

――Beginners doing sparring.

――Swords clashing, dry sounds echoing.

――A veteran adventurer shouting instructions.

And――rather than forms, the way techniques were corrected through “exchanges” with moving opponents.

(This is it, after all.)

Quietly, my conviction deepened.

The “timing” and “distance” that can’t be acquired through just correcting forms――to learn those, training against an actual moving opponent is necessary.

The act of cutting itself was already refined.

But in real combat, the enemy moves, shifts their center of gravity, disrupts the distance.

Only by responding to that does swordsmanship get polished.

(A sword is, by nature, refined through having an “opponent”.)

My current training was still just self-contained repetition.

But in real combat, the enemy’s movements constantly change.

Distance, timing, shifts in weight――everything fluctuates from moment to moment.

Only within those ever-changing situations are sword techniques honed.

That, more than anything, is likely the true condition for the “Swordsmanship” skill to grow.

(…Actual combat, huh.)

“If I can fight, anywhere is fine”――is what people say. But if I think rationally, I want an optimal opponent.

The Twin Fang Wolves from before were good too… but then, a certain person’s face suddenly floated into my mind.

The one who handled adventurer training and did the mock battle――Gilius.

If I wanted to do a “battle for learning” against a moving opponent, there’s no one more suitable among my acquaintances than that man.

(…I’ll ask him.)

I exhaled quietly and sheathed my sword.

To surpass Lv.2――a new step toward that wall was beginning to faintly appear.

◆

When I returned to the hall, the morning bustle was already starting to fill the place.

In front of the counter, adventurers were looking through today’s missions.

A seasoned, heavily-armored man was holding a request form and checking it with his comrades. While young rookies were consulting each other a bit further away.

“This monster’s still around, huh… what do we do?”

“Hmm, let’s hold off. Let’s take something lighter today.”

Lively exchanges flew back and forth, as the daily life of adventurers continued.

It had been about a week since I first came here. But I still felt a strange sense of impression.

It really made me wonder why scenes like this were never depicted in games.

Thinking that, I walked up to the counter.

There, the usual receptionist greeted me with a gentle smile.

“Good morning, Alphonse-san. You’re early again today.”

“Good morning. Well, I did a bit of training.”

After our usual set exchange, I paused briefly before opening my mouth.

“Is Gilius-san here right now?”

For a moment, it seemed like the receptionist’s expression stiffened slightly.

But she quickly returned to her usual soft smile.

“Um… Gilius-san should be out today doing training with the new recruits… Did something happen?”

“I just want to consult with him a little.”

Giving only a vague answer, the receptionist tilted her head slightly and showed a hint of hesitation.

“A consultation, huh… I understand. I’ll let Gilius-san know when he’s free. Let’s see, he’s scheduled to be in training until the afternoon… so I think he should be available around evening.”

“Got it. Thank you.”

Behind the smile the receptionist wore, I could still sense her lingering confusion――but I didn’t particularly mind that.

With the free time I had, I accepted a request as usual and left the counter.

Walking quietly, I began organizing my thoughts.

(The completion of forms is merely the refinement of “static movements”. In actual combat, there’s an opponent. There’s breathing, there’s a battle of reading each other.)

Reading the slight collapse of their balance, sensing the distance, connecting smoothly to the next movement.

That’s something you can’t learn through mere training.

Not through stationary drills.

(Only through “exchanges” against a moving opponent can that domain be refined.)

The mock battle in the adventurer training.

My exchange with Gilius back then came to mind once more.

His control of distance, leading gaze, subtle feints――it was all true combat.

(I’ll make use of that environment.)

If it’s for growth, I’ll choose any means.

That’s how I’ve continued to adapt to this world.

(…Another mock battle, then.)

Gilius might have his own schedule. So nothing’s certain yet.

But quietly, steadily, I was starting to feel that a new phase of growth was coming into view.

Original Author’s Comment:

――――――――――――

Thank you very much for reading this far!

If you’ve enjoyed the story even a little, that makes me happy!!

I hope you’ll continue to support it!!

(Here’s the link if you want to support the Author: https://kakuyomu.jp/works/16818622176303375188.)