Survive the labyrinth with EX-grade traits

“Faster!”

Clang! Clang—!

A relentless barrage of sword strikes targeted Derrick behind his kite shield with unyielding precision.

“Ugh!”

The abilities I possessed were those that required extraordinary conditions to even utilize, let alone master.

The blue lightning—a power so volatile that without immense resistance or immunity to lightning, the user would burn to death upon activation.
Frozen Frost —a skill requiring the infusion of transcendent energy into the body to stabilize.
And techniques like “Accumulated Killing Intent”—which demanded an internal reservoir of murderous will to execute.

Stripped of such characteristics, what remained were the swordsmanship and movement honed through my experiences.

Unless I could create an entirely new technique from scratch, like Schperts Ibein, I didn’t have a transferable skillset to offer Derrick. Everything I had was for me alone.

Thus, I focused on basic fundamentals, using them to press Derrick relentlessly.

Like how my master, Evelyn, adjusted her monstrous training regimen to match my level, I tried my best to hold back my stats.

Though it’s still far from perfect.

Swish!

My blade slithered like a viper, exploiting openings to draw elegant arcs.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Derrick’s attempts to counter were thwarted as I intercepted the core of his attacks—where power transmitted through the trajectory.

“A vanguard’s job isn’t just to block every attack!”

I seamlessly transitioned from a diagonal slash into a shield shove.

Reacting instantly, Derrick turned the failed strike into a thrust, staying in motion without pause.

“If you can’t read your opponent’s moves like I can…”

I deliberately dodged every attack by a hair’s breadth, making it obvious.

“You have to always use your footwork, predict their intent, and adjust accordingly. Understand?”

Could a defense-focused vanguard really adopt evasion tactics? If the individual had the capacity, they’d be a nightmare for their opponent.

Traditional tanking was Derrick’s forte, given his specialized traits. Even if I offered advice on that front, it wouldn’t be particularly meaningful.

“Phew… Yes, that’s it! That movement of yours—the way you dodged and countered the goblins when we first met—it’s burned into my memory!”

Derrick, panting heavily, maintained the exchange of attacks.

Following a feint with a horizontal slash, he brought down the edge of his shield, targeting my wrist.

No chance.

Gr-gr-grk! BANG!!

My upward slash came a split second later, striking his shield with a precise and powerful arc.

The force caused his upper body to stagger and his stance to falter. Barely regaining balance, Derrick dragged his foot to avoid being sent flying, gritting his teeth.

“Damn it, I’ve been working hard too, you know!”

A green aura began to coil around his sword.

[Derrick activates “Gale Thrust.”]

Wind spiraled around Derrick as he dashed toward me, reminiscent of Isaac’s deadly gust techniques.

This wasn’t in his trait window.

Was this a skill he painstakingly acquired through sheer effort under the limits of his mimicry trait?

It was fast, but nothing more.

“Lose your composure, and you lose the fight.”

I twisted my body left to evade, gliding past Derrick. As I passed him, I struck the exposed side of his ribs with the pommel of my sword.

Thwack!

“Argh!”

“Big, high-commitment moves like that are useless if they miss.”

“Then how about this?!”

[Derrick activates “Heavy Step.”]

Boom—

Derrick unveiled another new skill.

[Derrick activates “Bash.”]

Perfectly timing his movement, Derrick executed a Bash from the beginner shield technique repertoire, stepping forward with power.

Brown mana enveloped his blade as it descended diagonally in a silver arc.

Impressive combination.

Ka-ga-gak.

Raising Barak with both hands, I tilted it to deflect the strike’s momentum and counter the chain of attacks.

“Click… Was that too much?”

Seizing the opportunity, I pushed forward with renewed aggression toward Derrick, who was visibly disappointed by his missed chance.

Clang! Clang!!

His movements… they’re subtly different. Is he improving?

The habit of instinctively raising his shield to block had been ingrained in Derrick.

Yet now, his evasive maneuvers were becoming more concise, free of unnecessary flourishes.

Likewise, his swordsmanship, previously reliant on brute strength and linear strikes, began to shift.

His arcs were more efficient and faster, with occasional feints and deceptive curves mixed into his attacks.

Strange… His learning speed contradicts the lack of innate talent in mimicry described in his trait.

Even with direct sparring, this progress felt unusually fast. Could it be some psychological effect amplifying his growth?

Who knows? I’d better wrap this up with some advice on mana control before the drinks go untouched for too long.

In less than an hour, Derrick had absorbed the fundamentals of swordsmanship, evasion, mana affinity, and a portion of mana manipulation from me.

This would likely be a significant opportunity for him, a small stepping stone that might one day help him overcome his limits and move forward.

Some might criticize me, saying I gave away the fruits of my hard-earned efforts too easily, but honestly, I didn’t regret it at all.

Just as a glass of water in the desert can save a life, Derrick’s goodwill had already saved me once before.

I had carried the weight of that unpaid debt in my heart, and now I finally felt lighter, as if I had repaid him.

I live by a saying: “Repay kindness twice over, and repay grudges tenfold.”

I like that philosophy very much.

.

.

.

After finishing the training and sparring session to help Derrick grow, I returned to the inn.

“You’re late,” said Veronica, who looked unmistakably like a minor with her youthful appearance, sipping a drink instead of beer.

“…You may have tried to erase the signs of battle, but you can’t fool my eyes.”

Placing her glass on the table with a sharp clink, she asked,

“You said you had something to do and went out. What on earth were you two doing? You didn’t get involved in anything strange again, did you?”

“It’s nothing to worry about. Derrick and I just had a little sparring match to stretch our muscles.”

There was no need to make excuses, so I laughed it off casually.

“Haha, it’s been half a year since we last saw each other. Can’t two men exchange blows and cross swords a bit? Don’t you agree?”

“Derrick, is that true?”

“Ahem, yes. Actually, I was the one who suggested going to an empty field for a duel.”

“Goodness… Sparring because you’re happy to meet again? That’s such a muscle-brained thing to do, especially interrupting your drinks. Ahren, you’re not hurt, are you?”

“Of course not. I’m perfectly fine.”

After that brief conversation, I checked on Linea and Gary.

Like Veronica, who was worried about me, Linea was fussing over Derrick, who was sweaty and dusty, asking why he had been fighting.

Meanwhile, Gary was on the verge of passing out, seemingly having erased the concept of restraint from his mind. It looked like he needed to be put to bed before he completely lost it.

Linea and Derrick… seems like it’s not just one-sided affection. I hope it works out for them.

As Derrick was in the middle of being scolded, I addressed him.

“Haha, this turned out a bit funny. Well, we’ll head out now. Later, let Gary and Bernard know we said hi when they’re back and sober.”

“Of course. Thank you so much for coming today and even humoring my unreasonable request!”

Derrick gave a thumbs-up and gestured to the table.

“Oh, don’t worry about this. I’ll cover all the food and drink costs. Take care on your way back! Let’s meet again soon!”

Nodding in acknowledgment, I waved back as Derrick bid us farewell, and we left the Ashwood Inn.

Since walking to the Minotaur Inn was a bit far, we headed straight for the station.

“Mm, come on,” Veronica said, spreading her arms and leaning in for a hug, claiming this might be the last time she could do this.

“Ahren, if there’s ever somewhere you want to go later… will you go with me?”

“If that’s what you want.”

“No, I mean not in this younger version of me, throwing tantrums and being clingy. I mean with my true self.”

“Of course. As long as I have the time, I’ll go with you anytime. And…”

I gently patted her frail shoulders.

“Don’t put yourself down for being clingy or whatever. Even if I was surprised by how different you are now, I’ve never once thought you were a bother.”

“…”

“If anything, I’ll miss this. Right now, your feelings come through clearly in your words and actions, don’t they?”

Perhaps because of her younger body and unstable halo, the trait that dulled her emotional expressions wasn’t functioning properly.

“When you go back to your original self in a month, you’ll probably be stoic again. Not that it’s a bad thing—it’s part of your charm. But I might feel a little wistful for a while.”

As I chuckled awkwardly, wondering if I had soured the mood, Veronica shook her head.

“You’re wrong.”

“Hm?”

“Even if I seem cold and distant in front of others, I’ll try to smile naturally when I’m with you.”

She buried her face into my shoulder and whispered softly.

“So don’t feel wistful. Just stay by my side forever and make me smile.”