Level Eater-Chapter 220

While Tatsuro and others were discussing new equipment, the next match card was announced, interrupting their conversation.

[Now announcing the tenth match. Drum roll please─────ta-da! The objective is to destroy two of your opponent's cubes. From Team Tatsuro, we have Ai-san. And from Team Fornacis, it will be a martial arts battle against Codelros-san!]

"It's my turn! Hey, hey, Tatsuro. What kind of person is this Codelros-dero?"

"That name sounds like some kind of amorphous substance... Well, the only martial art left is staff techniques. Actually, you got exactly what you wanted."

"Hehe. Now I can see the beast spirit technique with the staff!"

While Ai was delighted about being matched against a staff user,

The Fornacis side had the complete opposite atmosphere despite winning the previous match.

This was because they couldn't afford to lose even one more match, yet they had to face an opponent with overwhelming combat ability.

Even looking at the battle with Nicolas, it was at a level where Mirowsz of the giant tribe could barely keep up even in maximum compression mode.

They somewhat resented the dungeon for matching them against such a person...

"But Codelros has [Crisis Detection], right? That allows you to move on instinct, so there might be a chance of winning?"

"No, Orhanse. I think that would be difficult. My [Crisis Detection] increases in accuracy the more danger approaches my body, but this time we're just destroying cubes—it's basically a game. It's not completely useless, but I won't be able to achieve the precision needed to keep up with that speed of combat."

"Ah... Our treasure..."

"Come on, Dija-chan. Who cares about treasure anymore? We got to safely experience fighting against strong opponents! That's worth more than any gold or silver!"

"Well, maybe that's fine for Nicolas since he's the only one who awakened to power..."

Among them, only Nicolas, who had gained something worth more than money, was cheerfully encouraging them with a 'losing isn't so bad' aura in full force.

However, for the other members who really only gained experience and nothing else, it was natural for complaints to arise.

Sensing this atmosphere, Nicolas thought that perhaps it wasn't good for only him to benefit from this.

So he approached someone who might be able to be drawn in as another companion.

"Hey, Codelros. Can I have a word?"

"Hm? What's this suddenly—hey, what are you doing!"

"Just come on, come on!"

Nicolas pulled Codelros's arm to a corner and began whispering in a small voice like sharing a secret.

"Listen. If that girl asks you to show her the beast spirit technique or to teach it to her, it's better to honestly teach her."

"I don't understand. Why should I do such a thing?"

"I can't tell you why. I can't explain, but I'm just telling you it's better to do so."

"...—Don't tell me you—mmph!"

Nicolas covered Codelros's mouth with his hand, forcibly cutting off any further words.

"Don't say anything more than that, and please don't investigate further."

"...I understand. I'll keep it in mind."

While the other members were wondering what those two were doing, Codelros noticed that Ai was being kept waiting on stage and hurriedly left the waiting room.

"Sorry for keeping you waiting."

"Hm, it's fine. I understand being cautious since your side can't afford to lose anymore."

"I see. Thank you."

Once both of their preparations were complete, the dungeon's announcement began.

[Alright. Now, I'll give each of you two cubes~]

Two cubes each began floating around Ai and Codelros.

[Now then, let's begin right away. 3, 2, 1───Start!]

With that signal, Ai took out her dragon bone staff, and Codelros pulled out what appeared to be a fine brown staff made from some high-quality wood.

"Hey hey. In staff techniques, the monkey is the spirit beast, right?"

"...Yes."

"Show me, show me! What kind of thing is it?"

While Ai approached with innocent curiosity, Codelros recalled what Nicolas had said earlier, though slightly bewildered.

In Codelros's opinion, Nicolas was able to awaken to new power because something happened when he taught her how to use power, which allowed him to obtain the power of both twin dragons.

Furthermore, speaking about this to others would cause something bad to happen.

He suspected that some kind of contract had probably been formed.

And he was quite confident that this assumption wasn't far from the truth.

Even if it meant being bound by a contract or some kind of restriction, this was exactly what Codelros wanted.

Nicolas might seem frivolous, but he's a good person who cares about his companions.

Such a man wouldn't recommend something harmful.

After carefully considering this, Codelros decided to teach Ai.

"...The most common basic beast spirit technique in staff arts is borrowing a monkey's tail. And with that tail, you can do this."

To demonstrate, Codelros gathered his spirit energy and manifested the monkey's beast spirit technique, causing light brown visible spirit energy to burst from the staff's tip, making the entire length grow longer and longer.

"It's the Nyoi-bō (Ruyi Jingu Bang)!" ((Nyoi-bō): Refers to the "Ruyi Jingu Bang," a legendary staff from Chinese mythology often featured in "Journey to the West." It is known for its ability to extend and shrink at will. )

"Nyoi-bō what? Well, I don't really get it, but this doesn't just extend. Like this—haah!"

"—Whoop!"

The light brown extended staff section suddenly flicked like a finger flick, swinging horizontally at Ai.

But Ai easily avoided it with a light jump.

Since Codelros had been showing the entire sequence of movements, he hadn't expected to hit her, so he continued his explanation without concern.

"Next is something unique to staff techniques that can't be copied by other beast spirit techniques, borrowing another part."

As he said this, Codelros's staff returned to its original length, and instead, light brown spirit energy in the shape of a giant monkey's left hand emerged from the tip.

"Um... Magic Hand?"

"Magic what? I don't know about that either, but with this, you can do this—ha!"

He placed the monkey's palm flat on the stage floor, then made it close into a fist.

The fingers dug into the hard floor one by one, creating small holes.

"Like this, it has strong gripping power, and once you learn to control it well, you can even do detailed work. And furthermore, if you combine it with the tail from earlier—"

"—Hup!"

He extended the staff like the Ruyi Jingu Bang straight at Ai, with the monkey's left hand shooting out from the tip to destroy the cube.

However, Ai easily deflected that as well with the staff in her hand.

"Well, that's roughly what I can do with the beast spirit technique."

"Hmm. It seems useful for grabbing things from far away or opening mysterious treasure chests. Since it's spirit energy, you can remake it as many times as you want even if it breaks."

"Yes. You can use it like that too."

"Hmm. Maybe like this—"

Ai focused on the staff technique skill while imagining the monkey hand she had just seen.

(Hmm. The color is light brown, so should I call it Usucha-chan?)

If Tatsuro had heard this, he would have said it was too simple, as there was absolutely no creativity in the naming, but even so, the monkey spirit conveyed feelings of joy to Ai and responded immediately.

"Here we go!"

"...While I'm no longer surprised, to think you'd even use staff spirit techniques."

"Oh, how cute! Usucha-chan."

Since Ai had suppressed her spirit energy to a level that wouldn't break the dragon bone staff, a small monkey hand appeared with a pop at the staff's tip.

And it repeatedly opened and closed according to Ai's will.

Meanwhile, Codelros, watching this display head-on, had moved past surprise to amazement.

Being able to use beast spirit techniques meant that her staff technique skill level must be 10 or higher.

And since she had also used martial arts spirit techniques during the Nicolas battle, that skill must be level 10 or higher as well.

At this rate, the bow that had been constantly attached to her armor's waist probably had a skill level of 10 or higher too, and he gave up trying to comprehend this absurdity.

They probably wouldn't tell him even if he asked, and there was no point in trying to understand it himself.

"Well then, do you have any other questions?"

"Nope. That was very easy to understand. Thank you!"

"Then, let the match begin!"

"Alright!"

Ai decided to try challenging with the staff since she had the chance, instantly raising [Body Strengthening] to level 10. (T/N: Author's mistake here as Body strengthening has been raised to lv.10 before. Check chapter 188b)

Then she manifested a monkey's foot from the opposite end of where the monkey's hand was, using it like a spring to rush at Codelros.

Though momentarily shocked at seeing her use a foot that hadn't been granted to her, Codelros quickly recovered, thinking that no matter how fast it was, he could handle a straight-line trajectory as he readied his staff.

However, Ai extended the small hand from the staff's tip to repeatedly tap the floor in quick succession, changing her trajectory into a zigzag pattern.

Although she was just moving irregularly left and right, at such high speeds it became unpredictable.

Right or left? Or perhaps straight on? When thinking like this, [Crisis Detection] reacted to all possibilities, rendering it useless.

(Damn it. In that case!)

If left, right, and front were all no good, then only back remained, so in desperation, he turned around and swung down his staff, randomly extended with beast spirit technique.

"—Whoa!?"

"—What!?"

That choice was correct.

Ai had been moving using only the staff's monkey hand at the absolute limit, but when she got within one meter, she kicked the ground with enough force to gouge it, instantly moving behind Codelros.

It was such a perfect feint that Ai was proud of herself.

But that overconfidence led to one of her cubes being destroyed.

From Codelros's perspective, Ai was certain he only had three options in mind, and even he had just swung desperately at random.

Because the staff suddenly came down in a place where neither of them thought it would come, Ai was so surprised that her evasion was delayed.

"I never thought I'd lose one point like that. You're amazing, muscular elf-san."

"...W-well, yes. I-I-I knew you would come from behind!"

Though it was pathetic not to be able to win with pure skill, Codelros could tell from Ai's reaction that she was the type who wasn't good at psychological warfare.

So he appealed to Ai with a strained smug face, saying "Eh? But I knew all along!"

(If this misleads her about my true abilities, she might become more hesitant to attack. She doesn't seem very experienced in combat, so I should be able to manage somehow with clever tactics.)

If he could snatch a victory here, it would be quite significant.

If such a powerful fighter were to lose, it would likely deal a psychological blow to the enemy team.

With such thoughts in mind, he was desperately formulating strategies, but this time that choice seemed to be wrong.

"Yes, really... Trying to challenge a staff technique senior with just staff techniques was quite disrespectful. Well then───I'll go all out!"

"—Eh, wait, hol—"

In that instant, Ai created ten scale clones using martial arts spirit technique.

And by the time Codelros saw them, they had all disappeared.

"Huh?"

[That's it! The match is over! The winner is────Ai-san. With this, "Team Tatsuro" has earned their 7th victory point! And since they've reached 7 victory points first, this competition has been decided! The overall victory goes to────"Team Tatsuro"! Woo-hoo! *confetti and fireworks*]

"Bwah!"

"Huh?"

And so Codelros never understood what had happened before the match was decided.