When raising a game character, it’s best to decide on a direction and stick to it.
Will you develop them as a swordsman, a magician, or something else entirely?
If it’s a swordsman, what type of sword will they primarily use? If it’s a magician, what attributes and types of magic will they focus on?
Of course, it’s fine if you don’t decide. How you play is entirely up to you.
Personally, I preferred deciding and following through.
As a result, my mind became filled with countless methods for character development.
I sometimes thought it would have been better to use that mental space for studying, but now that this has become both my specialty and my job, it’s actually worked out for the best.
So, I didn’t feel much pressure teaching Lilith.
Although I’d never played as the Saintess class, I had plenty of experience with light-attribute-focused play.
Not only with common roles like paladins and clerics but also with unconventional classes like assassins. Even when the class seemed mismatched, specializing in light attributes never hindered the story progression.
When it comes to dealing with demons, there’s nothing better than light attributes.
The important thing is that, among those experiences, I had encountered a light-attribute martial artist similar to Lilith.
While I might not be able to teach her real combat techniques, I could certainly share development tips for a concept I’d already explored.
As my thoughts wrapped up, we finally arrived at our destination.
Earlier, with a dozen or so people bustling around, it was hard to gauge, but the training ground was surprisingly spacious.
But… that’s about it—spacious, but nothing special.
This made sense because, for first-years still learning the basics, advanced equipment or environmental elements weren’t necessary.
Perhaps by the time they advance to second year, magical engineering elements might be introduced, but for now, it was just a plain field.
“I didn’t notice before, but it feels huge with just the two of us here,” Lilith said, echoing my own thoughts as she followed me inside.
The size of the training ground didn’t matter, so I decided to get straight to the point.
“Well, let’s get started. You won’t be using any weapons, right?”
“Oh, yeah. I’m not good at enchanting weapons with magic.”
…Wait. So, fighting barehanded wasn’t just a concept but had an actual reason?
This was never explained in the lore. I thought there wasn’t any particular reason because no one told me.
Sorry for misunderstanding. I’ll do better for you.
“That must be your natural disposition. Well, in the end, whether you imbue magic into a weapon or your body, it’ll become similar, so don’t worry too much about it.”
“Really? I wasn’t too worried, but if you say so…”
Isn’t she trusting me a bit too easily? Maybe my perfect theoretical knowledge is boosting my credibility.
Not that I mind. It’s not a bad thing to have her believe in me so completely.
“…Alright, let’s get to it.”
I led Lilith to the center of the training ground. She looked slightly nervous.
“Why so tense? There’s not much I need to teach you, anyway.”
Combat is all about practice. Her combat instincts will grow naturally.
All I needed to do was teach her a few basic tricks and keep some material to brag about later.
Still, I didn’t plan to teach her carelessly.
“List all the magic you can use.”
“All of it?”
“Yeah, I need to figure out how to apply it in combat.”
Lilith nodded, as if convinced, and began listing her skills one by one. But there were far more than I expected.
Honestly, I thought there’d be at most ten. When I counted them all, the number was in an entirely different league.
Thirty-one. Is this the Saintess class privilege? Of course, having more skills isn’t always better, but it’s a hundred times better than having none.
“That’s a lot. If you can use them appropriately for the situation, you won’t feel outclassed even with low stats.”
“What’s the point? I can’t even use them properly.”
Lilith grumbled, recalling her recent defeats in combat. But if you look at it another way, despite not knowing how to utilize her skills properly, she still made it to the advanced class because of her stats.
If the lower or intermediate class students heard this, they’d probably call her a cheater. I decided to pretend I didn’t hear anything.
Whether you have diverse skills or high stats, to me, all first-years look like fledglings.
“So, what should we start with?” Lilith asked.
After a brief consideration, I decided to have her demonstrate her skills.
Watching all thirty-plus skills she could use would take a long time, but it was a necessary step.
“Huh. This is a bit different from what I know.”
“What do you mean? Isn’t this how the skill works?”
“That’s right. But… hmm. Never mind. I think I just got a little confused for a moment.”
Now that the skills I only saw in the game have become reality, I need to understand how they actually work before I can do anything with them.
In the game, allied units couldn’t take damage, so I could use skills recklessly. Here, however, I need to be careful, or my companions could get caught in the crossfire.
That’s why I reviewed all the skills, and while there were a few details to keep in mind, it was a relief that my existing knowledge was still applicable.
“That was the last one.”
“Good work.”
“I’m already feeling a bit tired. Is this normal?”
“I’ll only teach you the basics today, so it shouldn’t be a problem.”
Since we’d already spent quite some time going through the skill demonstrations, I decided to stick to the fundamentals for now.
“Close-range combat is something you have to approach as if a single mistake could be fatal.
You know that, right? When you’re charging in to punch someone, the first thing you should figure out is what weapon they have.”
“…Stop teasing me.”
Lilith shot me a glare, probably remembering how she tried to go for Harold’s back earlier, only to get sent flying by his hammer.
What are you going to do with that glare? If you don’t like it, then fight better next time.
“So, what should I do?”
“Nothing extraordinary. The weaknesses of close-range combat can also be its strengths.”
I told Lilith to try using a specific spell again.
It was a simple signature skill for light-attribute magic users: Light.
Usually used to illuminate dark places, this spell could be surprisingly effective against opponents who rely on vision.
“Cast it right in front of their eyes.”
“What?”
A “flashbang” move. It’s the pinnacle of unsportsmanlike tactics, but the results always earn rave reviews.
That’s how effective this skill could be.
“Although Light has a small range and almost no casting time, if you use it close to someone’s face, they’ll temporarily lose their sight.”
“That’s so unfair.”
“What’s unfair about it? Besides, this is only useful for someone like you who fights up close.”
In the game, Light was a brief flash around the character, brightening the area nearby. But upon testing it here, it wasn’t a constant light source like a lamp.
I don’t know the exact mechanism, but it felt like the spell emitted a burst of light magic in a pulse-like fashion from the cast point, briefly illuminating the area.
As a result, even a small distance rendered it ineffective as a “flashbang,” and it would be hard to even notice the light.
“Just keep using it regularly. Proficiency with Light will likely influence your mastery of other light-attribute spells as well.”
“…Got it.”
Her tone suggested she wasn’t entirely convinced, but she seemed willing to follow the advice.
Good. A newbie following the advice of a veteran is never a bad thing. Just do as I say for now.
“So, is that all for today?”
“No. You can’t even use it properly yet.”
“Ugh… I told you to stop teasing me.”
But I couldn’t just leave it at that.
In her current state, it was nearly impossible for Lilith to approach advanced-class students in close combat.
In truth, the “flashbang” was just a foundation for what I really wanted to teach her.
Hmm. Maybe I should demonstrate first.
“Stand there and try to stop me from getting to you.”
I recalled the motions used by fighter-type characters in the game—how they moved, how they dashed in.
Having memorized the dodge timings for all those animations, the movements themselves were also etched into my memory to some extent.
While I couldn’t replicate them as smoothly as seasoned players, with this physically capable body, mimicking them should be more than doable.
“I’m coming.”
Swish!
I kicked off the ground and charged toward Lilith.
She reacted quickly, activating a spell almost instinctively.
Noticing it, I veered out of her line of sight.
“Wait, hold on…!”
The spell fired—Holy Arrow?! She just launched it without thinking? If I’d charged straight ahead, it would’ve pierced me right between the eyes.
But I dodged, didn’t I? That menacing attack sliced through the air, leaving nothing but a gaping hole in the ground.
Before she realized, I had reached her side. My fist stopped just short of her ribs, and Lilith looked at me with a stunned expression.
“Even without fancy techniques, I can’t even hold a candle to you.”
She started brooding to herself, but really, there was no need for that.
The difference in agility stats between us was astronomical—it was only natural she couldn’t dodge.
What mattered was whether she learned something from that situation.
“You get the gist now, right?”
Lilith pondered for a moment before nodding.
“Yeah. I can’t just focus on what I see.”
Realizing the perspective of the one being attacked—something she hadn’t noticed while recklessly charging in during the brawl—was a significant step forward. It’s the foundation of PvP combat, and acknowledging it was already a sign of growth.
“That’s right. Now, what do you need to do next?”
“…Get into their blind spot and close the distance. Then use the Light spell to disrupt their vision.”
Exactly. If she could learn that so quickly, why had she been so clueless during the earlier brawl?
“For now, keep that in mind and review today’s battle.”
“Okay. Thanks.”
Lilith thanked me and started casting Light repeatedly.
Seeing her already grinding proficiency… It’s so touching I could almost cry.
“Let’s wrap up for today… By the way, do you have any specific goals?”
“Goals?”
“Yeah. Having a goal will give you more motivation.”
“Hmm… In that case…”
After a moment of thought, Lilith pointed to the small sword hanging at my waist.
“My goal will be to make you draw that sword.”
“Oh…”
What does she think of me, setting a goal to make me draw my sword instead of defeating me?
Not that it matters—I have no intention of ever using that sword as a weapon…
Fine, whatever. I might as well brush up on my swordsmanship.
“Do your best. I think you’ve got talent.”
“Stop flattering me.”
Lilith still seemed doubtful of herself, but she’d realize her potential in time. There was no need for me to correct her perspective right now.
As we left the training ground and headed toward the dorms, I had an unsettling feeling I’d forgotten something.
Oh, right. The student council!
I abruptly turned and started sprinting back.
“Huh? Where are you suddenly going?!”
“Sorry! I just remembered something I have to do! You go on ahead!”
Leaving Lilith behind, I dashed off like my life depended on it.