Even with storage space, you can’t keep all your equipment inside it. What if you don’t have time to draw your sword?
Better to carry a blade on your back in reality, just in case.
What a clever Cow.
“You use your sword, and only one. No dual-wielding, no knives, and no storage space. That’s way too cheap,” Veronica started coaxing Niubao.
“Oh.”
Simple-minded Niubao nodded and genuinely complied. She put away the two Demon Knives and summoned the Snake Abyss Sword.
“Wait, not that one. The other one.” Veronica kept directing.
Niubao dismissed the Snake Abyss Sword and swapped it for the Paladin Sword.
“And no using storage space during the fight.”
Veronica kept piling on restrictions, nearly at the point of tying Niubao’s hands and feet.
Niubao nodded to show she understood.
Now Veronica couldn’t think of anything else to restrict. She threw Martial Virtue out the window, activated Fake Step Mirage Step, and closed in for a surprise attack.
Niubao responded with a Sliding Step Slash, simple and direct.
But the effect was outstanding.
Veronica had no choice but to handle that strike cautiously.
Even though it was just a basic sword technique, there were almost no openings.
Niubao pushed her strength and speed to the limit. Her slash was like lightning, her steps intensely aggressive, like a rampaging bull.
Being hit by the charge might leave you alive, but being struck by the slash was practically a death sentence.
Veronica decisively dodged. She executed a perfect sliding tackle through Niubao’s blind spot, her movements incredibly smooth.
She had long seen through the flaw in that move.
A massive gap below.
If it were a dual-sword sliding slash, that flaw wouldn’t exist.
That’s why she deliberately restricted Niubao to one sword.
“Ha!”
Veronica followed up with a Sliding Tackle Sweeping Blade, the edge aimed straight at Niubao’s ankle.
This move was extremely insidious.
But Niubao reacted fast. She kicked off the ground and leaped up, easily dodging.
“What?!”
Veronica was shocked.
The timing of that attack was nearly perfect. It should have hit.
She had even prepared to switch to the blunt side of the blade to control Niubao if it landed.
That wasn’t something normal reflexes could handle.
That was prediction. Even instinct.
Niubao possessed an incredibly powerful battle instinct.
She didn’t need to think. She fought purely on instinct.
As an Assassin, Veronica knew Half-Beasts well.
Most Half-Beasts relied on “Beast Instinct” and lacked thinking ability.
That was why Assassins had the advantage over them.
But Niubao was different.
She still relied on instinct to fight, but her instinct was stronger and more precise than any other Half-Beast.
It was like powerful hardware paired with top-tier software.
Regular Half-Beasts were just “high specs running Minesweeper,” while Niubao actually brought out full performance.
“Whew!”
Veronica wasn’t satisfied. She tossed her twin daggers behind her, sending them flying straight at Niubao’s back.
Just then—
A Mysterious Black Wind swept through the dark forest.
The flying daggers were deflected by an invisible force.
Niubao landed steadily, ready to counterattack.
“This…”
Veronica was utterly stunned.
“If you have a move like that, why didn’t you say so earlier?! How am I supposed to fight?!”
She immediately gave up continuing the fight.
Niubao opened her mouth but couldn’t say anything.
She didn’t know what had happened either.
“Forget it, we’ll fight tomorrow. It’s too dark now. My Crow Eye can’t see clearly. It’s unfair.”
Veronica grumbled as she stopped, leading Niubao back to camp.
Even though she thought she was “leading,” Niubao wouldn’t have gotten lost anyway.
She could find Samimi’s location by scent.
This fight also made Veronica realize something.
She wasn’t weak, but in the current environment, strength alone wasn’t enough.
She had to have a unique ability.
Like Selina’s dual Shield Axes, or the special abilities of others.
Her only skills were daggers and Crow Eye.
Seemed a bit ordinary.
The next morning, the group of four continued on.
Niubao was lost in thought along the way.
She was pondering last night’s events.
“What are you spacing out about?” Veronica asked.
“Miss Assassin, what happened at the very end last night?” Niubao asked.
“You don’t even know your own move?”
Niubao shook her head.
Veronica turned to Samimi. “Is she always like this?”
“Otherwise, why would we call her Cow?” Samimi shrugged.
“She knows Battle Aura, you know that?” Veronica pressed.
“That impressive?” Fabiana was surprised.
“I don’t know,” Samimi replied calmly.
“You don’t know, so why are you so calm?”
“Because I knew she’d realize it eventually.”
Samimi looked confident.
“She’s been sparring with experts in The South for so long. To grasp it only now, I think she’s slow.”
“Sorry to disappoint you,” Niubao apologized earnestly.
“You don’t know crap!” Veronica couldn’t help but retort. “Don’t listen to her nonsense. Battle Aura isn’t that easy to comprehend!”
That was true.
The difficulty of awakening Battle Aura far exceeded that of awakening Magic.
For someone Niubao’s age to already touch upon this level was incredibly impressive.
“But she’s not skilled yet. She needs time to master it,” Samimi added.
“We martial types don’t call it ‘control.’ We call it ‘circulating Qi,'” Veronica corrected.
She couldn’t be bothered to argue with Samimi anymore.
During the noon break.
Fabiana also couldn’t resist proposing a spar.
“Let me see your strength.”
She drew her Golden Sword and crossed blades with Niubao.
Samimi was napping on the side.
Veronica watched from the sidelines.
Soon, she noticed.
Fabiana’s strength was no slouch either.
The two fought for a while, evenly matched.
Both were balanced in power and endurance.
This showed that Fabiana was also constantly growing.
“So this is the Knight Swordsmanship of the Dilmud Family…” Veronica evaluated inwardly.
And Fabiana’s heart was also shaken.
Niubao, whom she had once easily defeated, could now face her head-on.
So how could she confront the even stronger Samimi?