I Will Be Unrivaled With The Skill [Sewing]! They Said It Was A Bad Skill, But With Effort, I will Make It A Hit~ - Chapter 11

Episode 11: I’ll Snipe

At dawn, Seneca and Maior left through the city gates and began walking.

Sharing a room made starting the journey together effortless, or so Seneca thought.

Today, they planned to hunt near the edges of the Baet Forest.
Seneca wanted to see the extent of Maior’s 【 Detection】 skill and hoped Maior would evaluate her own swordsmanship and skill set.

Though they chatted as they walked, neither let down their guard.
Even on the main roads, monsters, beasts, or even humans could attack without warning.
While Maior’s 【 Detection】 skill could identify monsters, it didn’t yet work on other threats.

Maior observed Seneca.
Her movements were relaxed yet vigilant.
The balance between composure and alertness was perfect.
Even compared to mid-level adventurers, she wasn’t lacking.

Though Maior intended to help Seneca as her senior, she began to wonder if it might end up being the other way around.
Maior’s sharp perception and adaptability were, after all, her greatest strengths.

Since Maior had a favorite hunting ground nearby, Seneca decided to follow her lead.
Having asked Trulia about Maior’s reputation yesterday, Seneca was cautious but not overly suspicious.

When they emerged from a narrow path, the Baet Forest came into view.

Maior used her 【 Detection】 skill.

“This way. Looks like there’s an Ant-Eater.”

Seneca realized that Maior’s skill could identify the type of monster as well.
Deciding to trust Maior, she followed her.

After walking for a while, Seneca began to sense the presence of a creature too.
It seemed that Maior had taken a detour to avoid some threat along the way.

“How do you usually fight, Maior?” Seneca asked in a low voice that wouldn’t carry far.

“I usually observe my target, wait for an opening, and then charge when I see a chance.”

“Got it. So, you don’t attack from a distance.”

“That’s right. I can use a bow, but I didn’t bring it today.”
Indeed, Maior was carrying only a sword and a small shield on her back.

“Alright, I’ll snipe. It’ll immobilize the target, so once I fire, let’s close in and fight.”

With that, Seneca’s demeanor shifted sharply.
Though Maior wasn’t entirely sure what Seneca meant, she could tell that Seneca was focused and remained silent.

Seneca moved quietly, approaching close enough to get a visual on the Ant-Eater.

Her steps were sure but almost completely silent.
Maior was inwardly astonished by Seneca’s practiced movements.

“I see it. I’m going to shoot,” Seneca said.

She clenched her fist, then extended her index finger and raised her thumb, pointing at the Ant-Eater’s heart.
In an instant, Seneca’s magic power gathered at her fingertip, condensing.

With a light pop, a high-speed needle shot out from Seneca’s finger. The needle was large, threaded with magical strings.

The needle pierced the Ant-Eater’s abdomen, exited through its back, and embedded itself in the ground.
Seneca then altered the properties of the thread, causing it to stick to the creature’s body before cutting the thread loose.

“Missed the mark a bit,” Seneca muttered.

The Ant-Eater tried to move immediately after being hit, but the magical thread held it back like a leashed dog.

“What just happened?” Maior’s eyes went wide in disbelief.

Something completely out of the ordinary had just occurred before her.

“Maior, don’t just stand there! Let’s go!”

With that, Seneca closed the distance to the Ant-Eater with incredible speed and decapitated it from its blind spot.
Her swordsmanship was exceptional.

Maior instinctively began to move but couldn’t keep up with Seneca’s burst of speed.
All she could do was watch from a distance as the Ant-Eater’s head fell to the ground.

After moving the Ant-Eater to a relatively safe spot, Seneca and Maior began to dismantle it.

As they worked, Maior couldn’t stop asking Seneca questions.

“There are so many things I want to ask, but first, what was that thing you fired earlier?”

Maior, still shaken, fumbled her movements, splashing some blood onto her face.

“A needle,” Seneca replied.

“A… needle?”

“Yep. I figured out that if I compress my magic and make it go pop, I can shoot it.”

“W-wait a second! Isn’t your skill called [Sew]?”

“It is. That’s why I stitched the Ant-Eater to the ground. It slowed down, didn’t it?”

Maior was baffled. She had never heard of anything like this before.

“Okay, hold on. I understand the explanation, but I can’t process it.”

Seneca channeled her magic, producing a [Magic Needle] in her hand.

“Look, Maior. This is the needle I fired earlier. It’s made from my magic.”

“I’ve never heard of such a skill!”

“The priest who appraised me said [Sew] is a rare skill.”

“That’s true, but not in this sense.”

Maior began to sweat nervously.

“Seneca, I get that your skill lets you produce magic needles. But why are you shooting them?”

Seneca pondered for a moment before answering.

“I experimented to see if there was a way to fight effectively with my skill. After a lot of trial and error, I tried compressing my magic to create a long, sharp needle. When I did, it shot out with force. I thought, ‘This could work for targeting enemies,’ and practiced it a lot.”

“You practiced? Since when?”

“Hmm, about six months ago.”

“Your accuracy is way too good for just six months of practice!”

They had been at a range only reachable by skilled archers. For Seneca, relatively inexperienced, to land such an attack was astonishing.

“When I aim with the intent to stitch, the needle moves slightly toward the target. It uses extra magic, though.”

“I… see…”

With so many incomprehensible elements, Maior finally fell silent.

Soon after, they finished dismantling the Ant-Eater.

Its hide sold for a good price, making today’s hunt a solid success in Maior’s eyes.

After confirming no monsters were nearby with her 【 Detection】 , Maior took Seneca by the hand and led her to a large tree.

Although puzzled, Seneca followed willingly, sensing no hostility from Maior.

Under the tree, Maior double-checked for threats using her skill, then turned to Seneca.

“Hey, Seneca. Could it be… you’re Level 2 already?”

Maior’s voice was low and slightly trembling.

“I’ve been thinking about it. There’s no way you’re still Level 1 with what I’ve seen. If you don’t mind, could you tell me your level?”

Maior’s tone was almost pleading.

Seneca hesitated.

She had come to realize through her research that discussing one’s level carelessly was unwise.
The only people who knew her level were Kito, Yuria, and Sister Claire.

Seneca studied Maior carefully.
She seemed trustworthy, but Seneca wasn’t entirely confident in her own judgment.

Still, hiding her abilities was becoming increasingly difficult.
If rumors spread now, perhaps she could manage.

Deciding to trust her instincts, Seneca nodded.

“Alright, but in exchange, tell me about the adventurer academy.”

Maior likely knew things most people didn’t.

“Agreed. But if you’re asking, then…”

“I’ve leveled up. I’m Level 2.”

“I thought so…! Wait, you said you’ve been practicing for six months. When exactly did you level up?”

Seneca knew where this was going. Maior had pieced things together.

“…Just over two months ago.”

“Huh?”

“It took just over two months after I gained my skill to level up.”

“Whaaaaat!?”

Maior’s shout startled Seneca, who quickly placed a finger to her lips to shush her.

“Seneca, do you know what the record for fastest level-up is?”

“I do,” Seneca admitted, averting her gaze and sweating.

“Go on, tell me.”

Maior’s voice now carried a mischievous edge.

“…Eleven months.”

“You’re by far the fastest. You’re the fastest person in history to reach Level 2! I couldn’t believe six months was possible, but two months? How?!”

Seneca broke into a cold sweat, just like when Kitoo had said the same thing.

“Maior, calm down. There must be people who’ve kept it secret, so it’s not in the records.”

“Maybe, but two months? I doubt anyone else has done that.”

“There must be someone!”

“No way.”

“There is!”

Their argument devolved into a silly back-and-forth until Maior calmed herself.

“Sorry, I got carried away. But honestly, it’s incredible.”

Seneca was still slightly sulking.

“I’ll tell you about the royal capital’s academy later. If you’re comfortable, I’d love to hear how you gained experience so quickly. Only when you’re ready, of course.”

Seneca, having already resolved herself, planned to share her story in the next day or two. She nodded firmly.