VRMMO no Shien Shokunin ～Top Player no Shikakenin～

Anyway, here’s another chapter for today, enjoy.

I don’t have any other options than this one at this point!

When Tobi started retreating I had already assumed the worst and started casting the spell, so I should probably make it in time…!

Or rather, please let me make it in time, if I don’t, it’ll be over for us!

Yumir started shouting while flustered.

「Hind!」 (Yumir)

「Cover your head that is treated as a vital part of the body with your arms, then don’t take a single step! The arrows will rain down randomly, so it’s more dangerous if you move!」 (Hind)

「Isn’t there any other option!?」 (Yumir)

「None! Pray!」 (Hind)

The gem on the staff increased in brightness.

When the crimson arrow that Mitsuyoshi-san nocked reached the heavens…countless arrows rained down on us.

Then, just before the first arrow hit, the light from the staff was released and dropped towards the ground.

「Nuaaaaaaaaaah!!」 (Yumir)

「Adadadada!!? It huuuuuuuuuurts!!」 (Hind)

My vision kept flickering.

The arrow effects were relentless and the sound effects buzzed incessantly in my earlobes.

I can’t get used to this no matter how many times I’ve taken it!

A few people from the audience that were cheering for us covering their faces entered my field of view, but that’s understandable.

With the current game balance, other than a heavy warrior with good equipment would usually get incapacitated by Arrow Rain.

…However, we still hadn’t died.

Seems like I made it somehow…

From under our feet, a soft white light was being released upwards, in the opposite direction of the Arrow Rain.

This light that came from 『Area Heal』 had made it so that we narrowly escaped death right now.

If I were to say that the timing in which I released was barely in time, the amount of MP needed to release it was also barely enough.

When it comes to the damage and healing, our HP had kept going up and down repeatedly, but it seems like the amount of HP healed was higher.

Though each time my HP turned red which meant that I was barely alive, I lost a couple years of my life span.

「――――、――――!　――――――!!」

Then, in the few seconds until Arrow Rain was over, I quickly gave Yumir some instructions.

I’m not sure if she got what I told her right with all the sound effects of the arrows, but Yumir’s eyes were filled with fighting spirit and she nodded.

Just when there were only a few moments left on 『Area Heal』, 『Arrow Rain』 ended up finishing first.

The next moment-

「I saw it coming!」 (Yumir)

Yumir sent the incoming arrow flying with her gauntlet.

This 『Area Heal』 shouldn’t have been within their calculations, but Mitsuyoshi-san nocked another arrow without showing signs of agitation.

As expected, he’s calm.

However, within their duo, Tobi who saw us survive the 『Arrow Rain』 was left speechless.

Sorry but…I don’t plan to let this chance get away.

「Run!」 (Hind)

「Oooooooooooooh!!」 (Yumir)

The moment after 『Area Heal』 was gone, Yumir started running while releasing sparks from her aura.

After being bombarded by 『Arrow Rain』, Yumir’s MP was now full and her HP was recovered to around 60% due to 『Area Heal』.

The moment she reached the place they were at, it wasn’t Tobi…but Mitsuyoshi-san who she released a 『Slash』 at.

Unfortunately he dodged it, but having his expression warped, Mitsuyoshi-san took a big back step and she followed after him.

I had followed after Yumir and hit Tobi, who tried to follow up in a panic, with all my strength on the side of his face with my staff.

「-Kh!?」 (Tobi)

His slender body fell over sideways, using the momentum created by him rolling over, he placed a hand on top of the stage and stood up.

He’s like an acrobat…

However, I kept blocking his path and wielded my staff.

「Well then, take up your weapons Tobi. I’m your opponent.」 (Hind)

「H-Hind-dono…!」 (Tobi)

Even though he was still agitated, Tobi gave up on providing assistance to Mitsuyoshi-san and took up his dual blades.

The physical attack of Shinto priests other than the vanguard type is low.

In terms of rankings, they are second from below right after mages. Realistically speaking, it’s not something you’d make use of.

However, at the same time, among the vanguards’ physical defense, light warriors are the worst.

Their endurance is just slightly above that of archers which are rear guards.

Therefore, I can deal some damage even with attacks from my staff.

However, that’s if I manage to land a hit.

「Kuh! Why, why am I unable to dodge!? Even though my attacks are not finding their mark!?」 (Tobi)

「You don’t get it?」 (Hind)

I took down Tobi’s HP, which was full to around 60%

It’s not like I used a special skill and it’s not like I actually awakened to some godly reaction speeds either.

This is…

「Ouch! My lower leg! My lower leg!!」 (Tobi)

「This…is just reading your opponent!」 (Hind)

That’s why in this scenario, there’s no need for superior reflexes.

If you know how your opponent is going to move next, no matter how fast Tobi is going to move, there’s no need for instant reactions and it’s possible to keep up with him.

The habits I saw Tobi have from behind, his choice of skills, the direction he dodges, the timing at which he switches from offense to defense…I wielded my staff while remembering those things.

The right one is a feint, immediately after that, he’ll go for the kill with his left, while dodging those dual blades, I thrust my staff through a small gap!

「Nuah!? Wait, now that I think about it, I never managed to win against you during Kendo lessons! Why didn’t I remember that since we are inside a VR game!」 (Tobi)

「It’s too late even if you remember that now, you idiot!」 (Hind)

This is a strategy that only works because my opponent is Tobi, someone I know really well.

If that wasn’t the case, I would have become incapacitated already.

「…Kuh, I have no other choice in that case! I’ll make this the last bout!」 (Tobi)

His body started shining and Tobi’s HP decreased in an instant.

At the same time it split into two, one of them headed towards Yumir, who was chasing Mitsuyoshi-san.

「That idiot…」 (Hind)

While confirming that this was our victory, I felt a tinge of loneliness because of Tobi’s actions.

This is like going towards his own defeat.

Besides, this is the first time I’ve seen him fight with eyes so devoid of life, no matter how well he controls it, I know without a doubt that the 「Thing」 in front of me, is nothing more than a fake.

While dodging its attack, I hit the body with my staff and it vanished easily.

Once he saw that happen, Tobi took a glance bitterly, shook his head and switched to running with all his might.

「He went your way, Yumir!」 (Hind)

Immediately after, the main body went after Yumir, but since I called it out, the surprise attack ended up in failure.

Yumir’s sword, who turned around, and Tobi’s blade clashed and sparks scattered.

「Nuoh!? Don’t get in my way, Tobi!」 (Yumir)

「I won’t let you defeat Mitsuyoshi-dono! Not yet, it’s not over yet!」 (Tobi)

「Tobi-kun, why did you come!? Go back, I’m fine over here!」 (Mitsuyoshi)

I have around 40% HP remaining and since rear guards don’t obtain MP while being attacked I didn’t have any other choice but to regenerate it naturally, so my current MP was really low.

Luckily, I didn’t get hit by Tobi even once, but that was the result of frantically dodging while cold sweat ran down my body.

That’s just how much of a disadvantage Shinto priests have in a direct confrontation.

If Tobi had attacked me more persistently or I somehow ended up getting hit by a skill…there’s the possibility that I would have been unable to deal with it and end up getting defeated.

The best chance might have been if he had attacked along with the copy from both sides at the same time?

If I were to be attacked like that, I can say with confidence that I’d had ended up flustered.

However, even if it didn’t end up like that because he became flustered, Tobi’s error of judgement proved to be fatal.

Whether to ignore me from the beginning and join up with his partner or believe in Mitsuyoshi-san and try to defeat me as soon as possible…I believe that he should have focused on any of those.

Doing things half bakedly and having his and his partner’s HP decrease for nothing meant that there was no way for Tobi to win anymore.

No longer being targeted, I charged up just the minimum amount of MP needed and cast 『Healing・Plus』 on Yumir.

「Ohh, my HP! Alriiiiight! This is the end!」 (Yumir)

「Ah, as I though, we should have aimed for the 「True Self」…since that point where we failed to kill Hind-kun, we were already…gahah!」 (Mitsuyoshi)

「D-Damn it! Mitsuyoshi-dono!!」 (Tobi)

Having replenished plenty of her HP, Yumir forcefully broke through Tobi and finished up Mitsuyoshi-san with a 『Heavy Slash』.

I think he did well to last that long, but there is no way for an archer to win against a knight in close combat.

The audience heated up and Tobi’s dual blades fell powerlessly from the stage.