Author: TA☆KA | Original Source: Kakuyomu / Syosetu |
Translator: Jiro | English Source: Re:Library |
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“Anyone can produce Chi. I mean, everyone uses it daily either way.”
“I don’t remember ever using it though.”
“Being considerate, reading the room, atmosphere, presence, feeling good, feeling bad, like, dislike, be passionate. All of those have your Chi in them1.”
“I can see what you’re trying to get at, but I just don’t get it, you know?”
“Whether you are aware of it or not doesn’t matter. Athletes all use it in their daily lives. Take baseball players, for example. If you put Chi behind your throws, the ball will become heavier, and if you put Chi behind the swing, you’ll hit harder. Basketball players, for example, use Chi whenever they stick the ball to their hands, pass, or shoot the ball. Understand?”
“They don’t have suction cups for hands, you know.”
“Well, I’m just trying to say even that is possible. Look at my thumb. There’s a pressure point here at the base of it. They use it to suck in and release the ball.”
“Are they androids now?”
“You could say that. Blood flow and breathing impact it a lot as well.”
“Blood flow?”
“If your blood isn’t flowing optimally, it will be harder for Chi to pass through the body. If the carpal bones are closed, Chi will find it hard to come out properly. It’s impossible for someone like you with a stiff body to do it.”
“Why’d you have to shade me like that? I know that my body is stiff, but still!”
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After spending the morning by the lake, letting my voice echo repeatedly in the refreshing early morning air, I finally packed up and left the plateau lake. It really felt endless. Even so, I wouldn’t elaborate on exactly what felt endless.
That day I pushed straight through the plateau in one go. Soon, the greenery began to fade, and the landscape transformed into a snowy expanse.
When snowflakes started appearing, I equipped the Yeti Coat Quest Item. It was a warm white winter coat made from Yeti fur. I only had this coat with me, but it was enough. Despite the altitude, which had likely already surpassed 7,000 meters, I did not need an oxygen mask.
“Now that’s one realistic dream,” I muttered while pressing on across the vast, snow-covered plateau with just a single coat.
I passed through a forest where snow had piled up in large spikes along the slopes, creating trees made entirely of ice.
Eventually, after making my way through the icy woods, I came upon a slightly open space, about the size of two tennis courts. Ahead of me, towering snow-covered cliffs stretched endlessly in both directions, like massive white walls.
But in this seemingly unbroken wall of ice, there was a large tear. A gap that opened up, as if to guide me toward the mountain’s summit, creating a single clear path. And there, at the entrance of the path, stood a man-made object. The first I’d seen since coming here.
It was a giant arch formed from stacked rocks on either side, with a wedge-shaped rock placed on its top. The gate measured about 2 meters wide and around 4 meters high.
The stacked stones on either side resembled ancient pillars due to their carvings, and the top of the arch had some sort of sculpture, although it was damaged by time and looked more like a wreck.
And there, standing before it, was the gatekeeper, clad in a full set of shining silver armor.
“Strange. It doesn’t appear on my Radar. Is it an object?” I mused, puzzled. It was right in front of me, yet I felt no reaction from it, unlike the other Mobs I had encountered so far.
It was as if the gatekeeper was a marionette made to resemble a person.
I decided to observe him for a little while. He stood at the entrance proudly, a massive halberd’s stone shaft resting on the ground in his right hand while his left hand rested confidently on his hip.
Upon closer inspection, I noticed two pairs of outstretched wing-like designs on the front of his helmet, across the chest of his armor, and along the blade of the halberd.
(Are these all part of a set?)
The gatekeeper hadn’t moved an inch. The more I looked at it, the more it resembled an inanimate object.
I stepped closer, getting about 10 meters away to get a better look, when suddenly, a voice echoed around me.
“You must show me your proof if you wish to pass!” Startled, I jumped backward about five meters.
(Huh? I don’t know this language. Yet oddly enough, I know what it means.)
I scanned the area again, searching for any signs of life, but it still didn’t appear as a Mob.
“You must show me your proof if you wish to pass!!” The voice rang out again, more insistent this time.
(Is it waiting for a response? Is it an automated object of sorts? Something like an Electronic Toll Collection2?)
“I… want… to… pass!”
(Is that how I pronounce it? For starters, why can I even understand it? These dream cheats are next level!)
I was surprised that I was able to speak words from a language I’d never heard before.
“Those without proof are not qualified to pass! Only those seeking death would attempt to force their way through! If you value your life, turn back now!”
With a powerful shout, the armored man readied his halberd, thrusting its spear point directly at me.
“Huh?”
Sensing something, I instantly swayed to the side and moved from my spot. At that exact moment, a deafening explosion echoed, and a violent bolt of purple lightning struck the spot I’d just been in.
Losing its target, the lightning tore through the atmosphere, gouging the earth where I had just stood and evaporating the snow in an instant.
The air was filled with the sharp smell of ozone.
(A thunderbolt? He didn’t even hesitate! Huh?!!)
I didn’t relax for a moment; instead, I kept my distance from the armored gatekeeper and circled, refocusing my attention on him. That was when the Mob signal finally appeared on my Radar.
Its color was Bright Red?! This is bad?! Can I even escape from this?!
The Mob was red. This meant that it was at least 25 levels higher than me.
For starters, it would be impossible for me to escape from such an enemy. And if it hit me, it’d probably take at most 2 hits to kill me. It was also possible for it to one-shot me.
I felt the blood drain from my body.
Without wasting any time, I put on my G0 Rank gear.
(God… I’m such an idiot! That gear didn’t even have a single enchantment on it! I must’ve been really stupid to go into battle unprotected!)
Another thunderclap erupted in my direction. With my right hand still clutching the blade, I leaped back and struck a stone that was sticking out of the snow. I successfully avoided the thunderclap by rolling sideways with the momentum I gained from striking the rock.
(Huh? That guard is not a single entity! Nameless Helmet, Nameless Armor, Nameless Gloves, Nameless Halberd. These b̲a̲s̲t̲a̲r̲d̲s̲ are all in a party!)
I began to focus my strength on my swords as I constantly dodged the series of thunderclaps.
(Damn it! Even if I try to escape, I’ll only be hit in the back! Can I subdue it with a single strike? Can I really escape by doing that?)
I jumped and twisted in mid-air, trying to avoid the thunderclaps. While being upside down, I thrust out my sword and cast a skill.
“Burn my heart!”
Skill Name | Impact Storm |
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Type | Duel Barbarian Skill |
Range | Long-ranged |
Description | Releases a sword energy strike to damage enemies in an area. |
A shining white sword energy flew forward, and in an instant, the light reached the armored figure. A shockwave, accompanied by a blinding flash, spread out in a circular pattern.
The armor, helmet, gloves, and halberd were all consumed by the shockwave, emitting a creaking, horrific metallic sound as they were swept away by the wave of destruction.
A deafening roar shook the atmosphere, and a violent blast swept through the area. As the storm raged, the remnants of the once-mighty armor and weapons crumpled, ripped apart, bent, and shattered, flying through the air like bits of paper.
“Huh? Wait what? What the heck?”
My hands fell lifelessly by my side, and I stared in disbelief at the spot where the armor had stood. The snow had been blown away, revealing a large crater over 20 meters in diameter.
The center of the crater was charred and produced endless amounts of smoke.
“Weren’t they all red? Huh? How did this end so quickly? Were they really just objects? Were they merely there to stop me from going in? Should I not have attacked them? Were those thunderclaps really that powerful? Should I not have destroyed them? What is going on?”
I could feel cold sweat running down my back. In my mind, I imagined the scene as a runaway car smashing right through an Electronic Toll Collection boom barrier on the highway and entering at full speed.
“Let’s just pretend nothing happened here.” I said, scurrying around nervously. “No, no, no. Wait. First of all, there aren’t any surveillance cameras here! Besides, this is a dream! A dream! It’s all fine!!!”
Although I said that, I still found myself searching for imaginary surveillance cameras.
“Good god…”
After shouting into the wind, I stowed my gear and swapped my equipment to the A-Rank ones. I brought my lightly clenched fist to my mouth and cleared my throat with a soft sound.
“Now then, the way has opened! Let’s go!” I said, feeling a surge of determination.
I took the white coat from inside my Inventory and put it on grandiosely. I then proceeded through the gate and made my way to the top of the mountain. It was as if I were fleeing from the scene of a crime.
Just like a hare, I ran and leaped as far as I could.
Footnotes:
- TL/N: The person uses the kanji 氣 to convey the meaning of Chi. Each of the words listed above uses the kanji 氣 to form the word in one way or another, hence why I’ve used them. It will come off as odd in English, but all you need to know is that the words above contain the kanji for Chi.
- Robinxen: Literally never heard these ever be called this, Japan is an interesting place, such is the wisdom of foreign lands.