第二十六話 決闘の準備
あまり人目に付いて見世物になるのもごめんだということで、決闘は鍛冶屋の前で行うことになった。
得にならない注目を無駄に集めるのも、手の内を不用意に広めるのも避けたいところだ。
その点では俺もヒルデも考えは一致していた。
ヒルデは決闘の立会人としてギルド職員を呼ぶため、意気揚々と冒険者ギルドへと向かっていった。
その間、俺は鍛冶屋の中で決闘の準備をしていた。
「〈ライフシールド〉!」
剣を突き上げて叫ぶ。
俺の生命力が光となり、そのまま壁となって俺の周囲に展開される。
〈ライフシールド〉【通常スキル】
HPを最大値の20%支払って発動する。
支払ったHPと同じ耐久値を持つシールドで全身を覆う。
お馴染みの重騎士のスキルである。
「小僧、さっきからちょくちょくと何をしておるのだ? 今無暗にスキルを使っても、MPの無駄になるとしか思えんのだが......」
ベルガが不安げに俺に問う。
「ふっ!」
俺が力を入れると、〈ライフシールド〉の光の壁に亀裂が入り、バラバラになって消えていった。
「またせっかく発動したスキルを解除するのか......。何がしたいのかさっぱりわからんわい」
「HP管理だ」
「余計にわからん。若い者の考えることは未知数じゃわい」
ベルガが諦めたように溜め息を吐く。
重騎士の素早さのなさは決闘ではネックになる。
開幕からHP20%以下で発動できる〈死線の暴竜〉を発動し、素早さの不利を埋めるのが一番だ。
また、〈ライフシールド〉は連続発動のためには少し時間をおかなければならず、HPを調整する際には余裕を以て行っておく必要があるのだ。
「......あ、あのう、勝てるんですか、エルマさん? 今回って正直、〈死線の暴竜〉頼みになるんですよね? 〈不惜身命〉は......さすがに使う利点がありませんし......」
「そうだな。魔剣士が剣聖より厄介なのは、大味なスキルが多い分、瞬間的な火力が桁外れに高いことだ。おまけに攻撃力と魔力が両方高いため、剣技に加えて実用的な魔法スキルも持っていることが多い」
〈死線の暴竜〉込みで、魔剣士と重騎士の素早さは同程度。
恐らくレベル差分で俺がやや遅れる。
ここに中距離で魔法攻撃が飛んでくるため、一瞬たりとも気の抜けない戦いになる。
そして普通の決闘において〈不惜身命〉は役に立たない。
〈不惜身命〉【通常スキル】
残りHPが50%以下の場合のみ発動できる。
防御力を【0】にし、減少させた値だけ攻撃力を上昇させる。
発動中はMPを継続的に消耗する。
そう、このスキル、決闘で使っても自身と相手の死亡リスクを引き上げるだけなのだ。
〈死線の暴竜〉と組み合わせて六倍攻撃力を引き出しても、完全にただの過剰ダメージにしかならない。
遠距離持ち相手にこっちの防御力もゼロになるので事故死しかねない。
「正直マリスを倒せたのは、まだ【Lv:40】程度で、本人も不完全な〈金剛連撃〉頼みの戦い方しか知らなかったところが大きいからな。どうしても機動力に欠く重騎士だと、魔法スキルを併せ持つ魔剣士の相手は相性的にかなり苦しい」
〈夢の主〉戦では、相方であるルーチェがトリッキー型であることもあり、戦術にかなり幅を持たせる余地があった。
「やっぱり無謀だったんじゃないのか、小僧? 今からでも謝るか、逃げちまった方が......」
「無論、勝算はある。なかったらあんな奴からの決闘なんて、わざわざ引き受けたりしないさ。スキル構成と戦術はだいたいわかっているからな。向こうが約束を守るかは不安だったが、この大都市のギルドが立会人を出してくれるって手筈なんだし、きっちり取り立ててくれるだろ。一応ギルド長とのコネもある」
「エ、エルマさんが悪い顔してる......」
「鍛冶屋にも今後迷惑掛けないように、あの悪ガキに灸を据えておいてやるとしよう」
「......あの人、小さかったけど一応年上ですよぅ?」
ただ、勝ち筋は既にいくつか想定しているとはいえ、B級の魔剣士は侮っていい相手ではない。
何より上級冒険者同士での戦いでは、躍起になりすぎれば死亡事故が起きることも充分有り得る。
「ちょっと卑怯っぽくて嫌だったんだが......やはり、あの手で行くか」
何度か考え直したが、
決闘が終わってから相手が文句を言って有耶無耶にしようとするのを牽制できる上に、もし失敗してもすぐに別の作戦へ切り替えることもできる。
「あの手ってなんですか? あ、あんまり危ないことはしないでくださいね......?」
「大したことじゃないんだが......魔剣士には隙というか、思考の偏りがあるんだよ。弱点ってわけじゃなくて、必要に駆られてって感じでな」
「思考の......偏り?」
ルーチェが瞬きをする。
俺は頷いた。
「全員が全員ってわけじゃないが、ヒルデの言動を見るに、あいつも抱えてるのはほぼ間違いない」
扉が開けられたのは、丁度そのときだった。
「連れてきてやったぜ、重騎士。オレ様の剣に余計な真似はしてないだろうな?」
ヒルデだった。
その背後には、引き攣った愛想笑いを浮かべるギルド職員の顔があった。
「生意気な重騎士がいるから付き合えと言われて引っ張って来られましたが、やっぱり貴方方でしたか......エルマさんに、ルーチェさん」
以前の受付嬢のマルチダであった。
彼女が決闘の立会人を担当してくれるらしい。
Volume 2 - Ch 26
To avoid making too much of a show of the duel, it was decided that it will be held in front of the blacksmith shop.
I would like to avoid drawing the attention of people and prevent information about my capabilities from getting out too.
Those points were something both Hilde and I agreed on.
Hilde went to the Guild in high spirits to get a Guild employee to serve as an observer for the duel.
During that time, I was preparing for the upcoming duel.
"[Life Shield]!"
I shouted with my sword raised.
My life force turned to light and covered me to serve as a shield.
<Life Shield> [(Normal Skill)] 
It takes 20% of your maximum HP to activate.
A shield with the same durability as the HP deducted covers the entire body.
It's my well known Heavy Knight Skill.
"Kid, why do you keep doing that? If you keep using a Skill before it's time, it will only be a waste of MP...."
Berga asked me anxiously.
"Fuh!"
With a strenuous effort from me, cracks appeared in the [Life Shield]'s membrane of light, which then shattered and disappeared.
"And there you go again, turning off the Skill you just activated.... I have no idea what you are hoping to accomplish with that."
"Managing my HP."
"That makes even less sense. The way young people think nowadays is a mystery."
Berga let out a sigh of resignation.
The Heavy Knight's lack of Agility is a huge obstacle in a duel.
It's best if I activate [Half-Dead Savage Dragon], for which my HP needs to be below 20%, right at the start to bridge that gap.
Also, since I have to activate [Life Shield] multiple times, I need to have some time to properly prepare.
"....uh, uhm, can you win this, Elma-san? You will need to rely on the [Half-Dead Savage Dragon] for this, right? As for the [Relentless Vigor]....there should be no need for that one, right....?"
"I guess so. A Magic Swordsman is more troublesome than a Sword Saint due to their ability to deal a lot of damage in a short time, despite their plain Skills. And since their Magic is also quite high, like their Attack, they often have useful magic Skills too."
With the [Half-Dead Savage Dragon] on, the Agility of a Magic Swordsman and a Heavy Knight is about the same.
Due to our level difference, I'm most likely a bit behind on that.
Since she can send out a magic attack from mid-range at any time, I can't let my guard down in this fight for even a moment.
And in a normal duel, [Relentless Vigor] is useless.
<Relentless Vigor> [(Normal Skill)] 
Can only be activated when the remaining HP is under 50%.
It lowers Defense to [(0)]  and increases the Attack by the same amount.
While it's activated, it continuously consumes MP.
Indeed, this Skill would only increase the risk of dying for both me and my opponent.
Even if I boost my Attack to six times its original value if I use it in conjunction with [Half-Dead Savage Dragon], it would only be a severe overkill.
Against opponents with a ranged attack, setting my Defense to zero could easily lead to an accidental death.
"To be honest, the main reason I managed to win against Mariss was because she was still around [(Lv:40)]  and she only knew how to fight by relying on an incomplete [Vajra Barrage]. The Heavy Knight's compatibility against a Magic Swordsman is very bad, due to the Heavy Knight's lack of mobility and the Magic Swordsman's magic Skills."
In the fights against the Dream Lords, the fact that my partner, Luce, is a tricky type Class, allowed us some leeway in our strategies.
"Wasn't this a reckless choice after all, kid? You can still try to apologize, or maybe run away...."
"I still have a winning chance of course. If I didn't, then I wouldn't have gone out of my way to accept her challenge like this. I'm aware of her most likely Skill point distribution and battle strategies. The problem was that I wasn't sure if she would keep her word at first, but with a witness sent by a large city's Guild like this one, she should hold to her word. We even have some pull with the Guild Leader, just in case."
"E-Elma-san's expression looks a bit evil right now...."
"Let's chastise that brat about making trouble for your smithy too, so she would lay off in the future."
"....although that girl was quite small, she is still older than us, you know?"
However, even if I have already thought of a few strategies that could let me win, a Magic Swordsman is not an opponent that I should be underestimating.
Most of all, if high level adventurers get too carried away when fighting each other, it might lead to someone dying on accident.
"It feels a bit too cowardly for my tastes, but.... let's go with that strategy after all."
I've thought it over a few times already, but this method should be the safest for both me and my opponent.
It should also limit the opportunity for my opponent to try and to complain about the outcome after the duel, and if it doesn't work to begin with, then I will be able to switch to a different strategy right away.
"And what is that strategy? P-please don't do something too dangerous, okay....?"
"It's not that big of a deal, but....a Magic Swordsman almost always has a weak spot, or rather an unbalance in their thought process, I guess. It's not really a weak point per se, but a habit borne out of necessity."
"An unbalance....in their thought process?"
Luce blinked in confusion.
I nodded.
"Certainly not all of them, but judging by Hilde's actions, she should be among them, I'm almost completely sure."
At that exact moment, the door was opened.
"I've brought the witness, Heavy Knight. You didn't do anything unwelcome to my sword, right?"
It was Hilde.
Behind her, there was a Guild employee with a cramped, fake smile on her face.
"I was dragged here with only 'there is this brazen Heavy Knight, so come with me' as an explanation, but it seems it really was you two....Elma-san, Luce-san."
It was Maltida, the receptionist girl from before.
It seems she will serve as the witness for our duel.
The Reincarnated Heavy Knight Who Was Exiled After A Supposed Big Miss Is Unparalleled With His Game Knowledge
大ハズレだと追放された転生重騎士はゲーム知識で無双する
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/the-reincarnated-heavy-knight-who-was-exiled-after-a-supposed-big-miss-is-unparalleled-with-his-game-knowledge/
Action Adventure Fantasy Romance Shounen
Abandoned Children Adapted to Manga Adventurers Alchemy Arrogant Characters Artifacts Blacksmith Calm Protagonist Clever Protagonist Determined Protagonist Dungeons Fallen Nobility Fantasy World Game Elements Guilds Hot-blooded Protagonist Level System Love Interest Falls in Love First Lucky Protagonist Male Protagonist Mystery Solving Naive Protagonist Nobles Poor to Rich Previous Life Talent Reincarnated in a Game World Romantic Subplot Skill Books Strategic Battles Strong Love Interests Strong to Stronger Sword Wielder Underestimated Protagonist Weak to Strong
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n8465gx/
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