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[Combat Function Tech Tree]
– Monday, 3rd and 4th period, 14:00~18:00
– Professor: Armstrong
– Knight Department, General Studies
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The combat function tech tree is a class that teaches how to link multiple functions to a single action, enabling more efficient and successful execution. If you don’t properly think through and acquire what functions help which actions, your tech tree will end up looking like a skinny tree with branches spreading uselessly in all directions.
On the other hand, if you can select the necessary functions with the help of seniors or mentors, you can unleash all linked functionalities with minimal effort for maximum efficiency.
“This midterm exam will be a tech tree battle where the more you establish linked functions on a single topic against your opponent, the higher your score will be. First years, step forward when I call your name.”
As the burly Armstrong, who rivals Plato, sat in the judging seat, the instructor opened the attendance sheet and began calling students one by one.
“The first challenger is [Grand Combo]. Oknodie, don’t you think their skills are impressive?”
“There’s always a grade-hunting student hiding in every class!”
Typically, regular NPCs can be said to have overused one judgment by connecting two or three linked functions. For instance, with stabbing, the honest beginner swordsman’s combo is remarkably simple.
[Stab]
[Strong Hit]
Combine for a strong jab!
Anyhow, the person who hits harder wins. An evolved street swordsman’s combo looks like this:
[Stab]
[Rush]
[Trick]
You rush in quickly, throw a feint to bait the enemy’s actions, and stab another body part simultaneously. The one who gains the psychological upper hand with clever trickery wins.
Taking it further, the Named Mercenary Swordsman’s combo is like this.
[Rush]
[Throwing Sand]
[Trick]
[Prediction]
[Stab]
You dash in, brake before swinging your sword, kick up a lot of sand, and predict the enemy’s flustered movement to land a decisive hit.
The person with superior details in the same trick wins.
To become a student in the Academy’s lower class, you need to add a special move even among these Named characters.
[Repeated Stab]
[Breathing]
[Bravery]
Use the upper function of stabbing, elongate the combat time with special breathing, and get ready to jab back while visibly avoiding enemy attacks.
Clumsy trickery is overcome by the power of advanced functions trained through effort and hardship. With an ongoing class, even the three-link combos increase further.
[Advanced Swordsmanship]
[Dash]
[Repeated Stab]
[Distance Adjustment]
[Joint Flexibility]
[Pain Resistance]
[Mana Flow Technique]
If the first semester’s range weapon mastery includes [Descendant of the Archery Hero Skola], the second semester’s combat function tech tree class includes [Grand Combo].
By extending your arms to increase the distance between sword strikes while maintaining the momentary dip in strength with the Mana Flow Technique, it encompasses aggressive charges, precise calculation of sword strikes, surprise variable techniques deceiving the enemy’s sensory perception, and countermeasures against diminished impact.
“Uaaaargh!!”
The five-link function executed by the swordsman from the Blue Wolf Swordsmen Organization left only scratches on Grando’s body, resulting in a devastating defeat.
“Impressive! The Blue Wolf Swordsmen Organization is a mercenary group made up of veterans over twenty years old, and to defeat such experienced and skilled opponents head-on is no small feat!”
Hestia was as happy as it could be.
Maybe it’s better to endure together with peers who’ve struggled together than the partners she used to despise as Berserkers.
“My pride is wounded. To establish the swordsmen’s prestige here, I will step up.”
The deputy head of the swordsmen stepped forward.
The students felt their spirits drop at the imposing stature of the deputy wielding an unusually long sword.
Crack!
The students competing in the actual match suffered an even more humiliating defeat.
Some students could at least grasp what function they were hit by. Most could hardly understand what they just faced or what tactics were employed at all.
“Hestia. Did you see that?”
“Yeah. Unbelievable.”
The deputy’s stabbing linked techniques were remarkably simple.
[Mana Flow Technique for Maids]
[High-Speed Charge]
[Quick Stab]
Strengthening the body reinforcement specs more than others, rushing faster, and striking faster than anyone else.
The overwhelming offense solely through speed demonstrated the essence of a swordsman whose life relies on the blade, leaving no room for trickery or petty moves.
Just enduring or dodging this strike was enough for Professor Armstrong to grant points.
“Surviving against a strong opponent is commendable. If you think you can defeat them, feel free to challenge them. However, be prepared to lose points if you fail.”
Although it wasn’t truly life-threatening, many students hesitated to face the Blue Wolf Swordsmen deputy because their precious grades were at stake.
After several students, emboldened by bravado, got bloodied and lost points from the deputy’s single strike, the tendency to avoid confrontation grew even stronger.
“Next, Hestia.”
Among the students stepping onto the battleground with sorrow like livestock heading to the slaughterhouse, only Hestia proudly lifted her head instead of shuffling her feet.
“I’ll be back, Oknodie.”
“Hestia. Don’t forget what you learned during homeroom time!”
“I just broke through that with strength.”
“…”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Standing in the dueling grounds, Hestia found herself in deep thought.
The sense of oppression when facing directly compared to watching from outside was different.
The pressure was such that it wouldn’t be strange for a linked function called [Intimidation] to be included!
‘This is not a place for charm or cuteness to work.’
However, upon reflection, Professor Mahabharata’s criteria for charm weren’t about cuteness or tricks either.
-Professor… Can the calluses on my fists be considered charming?
-Of course. There’s nothing more charming than blood and sweat, so Lotto is also qualified.
Not as much as Hestia, but Lotto, the Empire fighter who never stopped working hard, had a rather sad reason for her training,—she was dumped by the aristocrats after getting humiliated right after enrolling, leaving her with nowhere to go but training…
In any case, Lotto, the loner, trained diligently every single day!
‘Yes, the power from my unwavering training and technique is the charm.’
While gripping a large axe and assuming a stance, Hestia swung it horizontally like she was cutting wood towards the deputy’s stab.
[Mana Flow Technique for Maids]
[Great Power]
[Strong Hit]
[Full Charge]
[Fierce Cut]
It doesn’t matter if it’s not fast enough.
It doesn’t matter if you can’t take the stab.
Thud!
“Dual suicide?!”
“That crazy first year!”
With a body conditioned through training, she wouldn’t fall from a single strike.
She could surely endure it.
So she continued on her own trajectory until the end.
‘This must be the charm you mentioned, Professor Mahabharata!’
Believing in her earnest charm (muscle strength) as she took the stab, the cut was unleashed.
The impact tore through Professor Armstrong’s protective barrier and affected both of them.
“What a foolish girl. Were you planning to die together?”
“I believed. My body would hold on.”
“Real combat would have been far more painful and agonizing. Thanks to the professor’s barrier, the pain didn’t drain my strength.”
“You were lucky, deputy. Without the protective barrier, you would have lost your waist.”
Hestia’s school uniform tore around her side, revealing a 20cm bruise that was dark purple.
Meanwhile, the deputy, who was certain of his upper hand, had his waist garment split open, with blood pouring out.
The length was only about 10cm.
However, the depth was substantial.
Hestia’s immense strength was fierce enough to pierce through the barrier and wound him.
“By combining the intricacies of cutting with stabbing, you infiltrated the contest like a surprise attack. Impressive technique. Hestia, you are exempt from the final exam of the second semester.”
“!!”
“Wow!”
“Unbelievable. The Berserker was that strong?”
“Isn’t [Grand Combo] unable to achieve this much?”
“Great job, Hestia!”
“Thank you for avenging us!”
Receiving praises and being exempt from the final exam, Hestia returned.
Overflowing with joy, her gaze was directed not at the other students who had doubted and guarded against her, but at Oknodie, who had always believed in and supported her.
“Oknodie. Your advice really helped.”
“Really?”
“I’m sure. Believe in your own charm that you’ve been continuously honing, and you won’t lose, Oknodie.”
“!”
A strong realization flickered across Oknodie’s face like a glowing exclamation mark.
“I never expected a strong challenger to defeat the deputy. I joined to evaluate the talents of future recruits for later proposals, but now I can’t just sit back and watch.”
The deputy, who showcased unparalleled strength among powerful swordsmen and students, was overshadowed by the extraordinary pressure as a one-armed swordsman stepped forward.
“I am the swordsman who lost to Reinhardt, the Sword Saint, in a duel. Even after losing my right arm, I reclaimed my position at the top of the swordsmen’s organization. I am the leader of the Blue Wolf Swordsmen Organization.”
With just a glance from the leader across the still-unfeatured students, they all shrank back in fear.
Professor Armstrong, visibly uncomfortable, pointedly remarked to the leader.
“Don’t you think you’re taking this children’s game too seriously?”
“It doesn’t matter. Among them, one possesses the aura of a sword demon.”
The leader’s left hand pointed at someone without drawing his sword.
At the end of that gaze stood the smallest female student in the classroom.
“Me?”
“Step forward. I’ll teach you a thing or two.”
It was Oknodie, who was practicing angles with a cute expression.
