Standing behind the bushes, Yuu's step forward halts, his eyes widening in shock. Even with his dynamic vision, he can barely catch the girl drawing her sword.
*CHIIING—*
Almost simultaneously with the Orc's step, the rapier hanging at the girl's waist, also priced at 300 Cor, slides out of its sheath, accompanied by a clear, melodious shout:
"Haaaaah—!"
Then, an arc of light flashes, and the silver blade dances. The girl doesn't retreat but advances, like an arrow shot from a bow, charging at the five Orcs with a flurry of sword strikes.
*PLOP!* *PLOP!* *PLOP!* *PLOP!* *PLOP!*
Like a meteor splitting into five streaks of light in midair, the lead Orc barely raises its massive club when five glowing wounds appear on its chest, freezing its movements.
The girl doesn't waste the opportunity. She spins and moves nimbly, unleashing a storm of attacks on the other four Orcs. Her rapier is swift and precise, her petite frame agile. The clumsy Orcs can't keep up with her speed. Every time they try to swing at her, she either interrupts their movements with repeated thrusts or uses their bulky bodies as cover, constantly spinning, leaping, and even deliberately baiting them to attack each other.
Like a fighter facing five thugs in a narrow alley, she takes on five enemies alone without taking any significant damage, her HP barely dropping. The dazzling dance is so captivating that Yuu, watching, can't stop exclaiming in awe, nearly clapping his hands.
Unfortunately, this advantageous situation lasts for over ten minutes before shifting to the side with more numbers.
Not because the girl is tired. In this imaginary space, the factors affecting a player's leveling are only equipment durability, potions, hunger, and mental strength. Without considering these, a player could fight in the wild for hours until they can't hold out and need sleep.
The shift in battle comes from the low-level AI of the humanoid monsters.
"Hhh…"
Exhaling slowly, the rapier-wielding girl unconsciously grits her teeth, her expression sour as she glares at the five ferocious Orcs surrounding her.
Since the battle began, she must have swung her sword hundreds of times, right? But it's no use. The five Orcs seem merely tickled. Not only are they still energetic, but the wounds on their bodies are slowly fading.
"Annoying, what's going on here—" She can't help but whine in frustration.
Ordinary Orcs can be killed with a few slashes, so why do these middle-aged, pot-bellied uncles with weapons have such high survivability? It makes no sense!
And this isn't even the worst part.
The worst is that they seem to realize their previous attacks won't hurt her and can even hit each other. So, they casually toss their clubs to the ground, using their sturdy bodies to block all escape routes. The girl is still searching for a weak point to strike, but by the time she realizes, she's trapped in the encirclement of five ugly Orcs, like a mosquito caught in a net. No matter how small her frame, there's no chance of escaping safely.
"This world is so real it doesn't feel like a game… The euphoria of fighting and the fear of being surrounded by burly men—it's like stepping into another world…"
Despite the dire situation, the girl mutters softly, licking her dry lips. She steadies her breathing, gripping her sword hilt tightly with slightly sweaty palms, and glares at the Orc in front of her with eyes as sharp as her blade.
There's no trace of fear or trembling. She flashes a forced, defiant smile, raising her sword tip and shouting challengingly:
"Come on if you dare! With those stiff bodies, lose a hundred kilos first before you can touch me!"
"Hohou—!!"
As if truly enraged, the Orcs let out an unpleasant roar, their five overlapping bellows sweeping through the forest, sending birds and leaves scattering. Then, a massive black shadow presses heavily toward the petite girl, five pairs of fan-sized hands swinging down swiftly. The girl holds her breath, channeling strength into her toes, preparing for a life-or-death fight.
At that moment, Yuu, who has been watching the show, finally steps in to help. He doesn't do much—just throws five glowing throwing knives at the Orcs preparing to overwhelm the girl.
A derivative skill of Sword Throwing.
This sword skill only guarantees power, not accuracy. In the hands of an average person, it might be like scattering flowers, but with Yuu wielding it… it's like locking onto a target with radar, each shot hitting an Orc's neck precisely.
*SWISH!* *SWISH!* *SWISH!*
As their HP drops drastically, their aggro naturally shifts. They no longer focus on the petite, beautiful chestnut-haired girl, instead glaring fiercely at the young man near the tree, snorting heavily through their noses.
"Hohou—!!"
The roar surges toward him, but Yuu ignores it. He waves at the girl peeking from behind the Orcs, looking confused and surprised to see him:
"Hey, why didn't you use a sword skill earlier?"
"Sword skill?" The girl blinks her beautiful eyes, tilting her head slightly. "What's that… No, watch out!"
The Orcs have no manners to wait for their conversation to finish before acting. Her high-pitched warning barely ends when the five Orcs pick up their clubs from the ground and, like Saber finding an open cafeteria, charge at him with heavy steps and immense force.
In her panic, the girl doesn't think much. She quickly darts out, raising her rapier and stabbing the Orcs' butts and backs several times, but since the damage isn't enough to shift aggro, the five burly Orcs ignore her completely, their red eyes fixed on the young man who moves away from the tree and steps forward.
"Sword skills are…"
*CHIIING—*
Yuu slowly draws his one-handed sword. As the blade points downward, a water-blue light rapidly ignites.
"Doing the system-designated movements, adding a few small details, and preparing your body…"
A sudden gust blows his bangs, revealing a relaxed, nonchalant smile.
"At this moment, remember to observe your opponent's movements closely, because there's a delay after activating a sword skill…"
He sidesteps the first massive club swinging down, then steps back, precisely dodging a sneak attack from the side.
"Find an opportunity to attack while also defending, don't hesitate. Aim for the moment the enemy shows a brief opening…"
Yuu narrows his eyes, his casual tone suddenly turning heavy. He crouches, his black leather boots stomping the ground, sending grass flying.
"And then, swing your sword!"
One-Handed Sword Skill!
A clear, sharp wind sounds among the five Orcs, a blinding light instantly illuminating their massive shadows.
The water-blue blade slashes forward into the first Orc's chest, then rips through the second Orc's throat in the opposite direction. His body spins once, slicing into the third Orc's body as positioned, the blade cutting and rebounding like a spring, directly hitting the fourth Orc's weak point. Four seamless, connected single strikes draw a water-blue square of light around the young man's body.
The next second, it spreads dazzlingly.
"Hou—"
With coarse groans, the four Orcs collapse backward simultaneously, their HP plummeting to the minimum. All that remains on the ground are scattered polygon fragments like shattered glass.
Yuu swings his one-handed sword, staying alert for the fifth Orc's attack, and turns, flashing a relaxed smile at the girl:
"That's how it's done, pretty easy, right—"
Before he can finish, the girl's petite figure charges forward, a pink effect light like a meteor trailing beautifully before his eyes. It streaks past his ear, piercing something. Then, the sound of a heavy object falling and shattering rings out together. The girl withdraws her rapier with a thoughtful expression, completely ignoring Yuu facing her.
"Oh, so that's how you kill those boar-headed uncles, no wonder…" she mutters, her lips curving slightly, nodding in satisfaction.
"Hm, it's actually pretty easy!"
"…"
Feeling like he's lost a few strands of hair, Yuu's smile freezes, the corner of his mouth twitching. His half-raised one-handed sword hesitates, unsure whether to swing.
"Hey, you…"
He grits his back teeth, letting out a suppressed, angry sound. Just as he's about to say something, Yuu suddenly pauses, frowning slightly, and studies the beautiful face before him.
A delicate oval face, light brown eyes shimmering brightly, a refined nose, and cherry-colored lips that look soft and warm.
She's a beautiful girl, no less stunning than his own sister.
And for some reason, Yuu feels like he's seen this face somewhere before, vaguely familiar…