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 17

Episode 17: “It Went Well”

Naeus remained composed.

Every decision he had made so far was precise, and he had done his best in every aspect.

Honestly, luck had played its part.

If it were just the Oak Branch party, they might not have even fought.

A pack of a hundred was a formidable force.

While a single Dark Kobold could be defeated even by bronze-ranked adventurers, dealing with a hundred of them was a completely different challenge.

The sheer force of numbers was overwhelming, and this time, there was a Dark Kobold Leader among them.

The Dark Kobold Leader was roughly equivalent to a single copper-ranked adventurer. Naeus, being among the stronger copper ranks, could confidently say he wouldn’t lose in a one-on-one fight.

However, battling the leader while being swarmed by a hundred Kobolds would be a daunting task.

This is why it was fortunate to have Verdant Prayer here.

Annia’s offensive prowess and Metella’s defensive capabilities were well-regarded among Baetica’s adventurers, making their party known for its reliability.

With those four present, Naeus could focus on fighting the leader.

Additionally, Seneca and Maior were formidable in their own right.

The two moved with precision and showed no signs of faltering, even against small groups of Dark Kobolds.

Most reassuringly, they understood the plan clearly. Many rookie adventurers, despite their skills, often failed to grasp the situation properly.

Those two, however, acted with a clear understanding of the strategy. Sometimes, they exceeded expectations by acting on their own initiative.

Ordinary rookies often made overly eager mistakes, causing more harm than good. While such behavior could be endearing and something to teach over time, having those two around now was a great relief.

Naeus, while maintaining his composure, was confident this battle would go well.

After walking quietly for a while, they began sensing the presence of Dark Kobolds.

According to Maior, the leader was likely at the center of the pack.

Naeus planned to use the confusion caused by magical attacks to eliminate the Dark Kobold Leader.

If this succeeded, the mission would be about 80% complete. After that, they could focus on reducing the Kobolds while maintaining a solid defense.

Even if a few escaped, they would no longer pose a significant threat.

Naeus signaled Akars and Annia with his eyes.

The two immediately began preparing their spells.

Concentrated magical energy quickly gathered in their hands.

The Dark Kobolds, sensing their presence, began charging toward them—but too late.

Annia’s spell activated first.

Countless icicles materialized from her hands, impaling the advancing Dark Kobolds.

From Akars, a boulder roughly the size of Seneca’s waist shot forth. The massive rock hurtled forward with tremendous force.

Some Kobolds were crushed, while most managed to dodge it.

A path opened.

Naeus, having timed his movement perfectly, darted forward, following the boulder into the fray.

Ahead, the Dark Kobold Leader came into view.

The leader, caught off guard, frantically scanned its surroundings.

“Got you!”

As Naeus accelerated and prepared to strike the leader, a radiant, high-speed object pierced the Kobold Leader’s abdomen. It wasn’t an arrow.

The object, brimming with an extraordinary amount of magical energy, was embedded in the ground, trailing threads of magical force that yanked the leader backward, causing it to stumble.

” 【Great Sword】 “

Naeus activated a subskill. A secondary ability granted to nearly all individuals with the [Swordsmanship] skill upon reaching Level 2, it significantly enhanced his control over his sword and physical capabilities.

With a powerful step forward, Naeus swung his greatsword with both hands.

In one swift motion, the Dark Kobold Leader’s head flew through the air.

The battle ended almost anticlimactically.

Though Naeus felt the urge to relax and exhale deeply, there was still work to be done.

Gripping his sword anew, he resolved to keep fighting while the effects of Great Sword lasted.

“Phew… It went well, Maior.”

Perched in a tree, Seneca wiped her brow in a gesture of relief.

Maior, sitting beside her, thought, There it is again—something completely extraordinary.

Though she had understood Seneca’s intentions when she asked the question earlier, Maior hadn’t expected her attack to hit from such a distance.

“That was… quite a shot,” Maior remarked.

“Got lucky. I used about 80% of my mana, so I can’t do that often.”

“Is that so…”

Knowing the vast extent of Seneca’s mana reserves, Maior was stunned that she had expended most of it in that single attack.

That attack had been crucial to the battle’s success, making Seneca’s contribution invaluable. However, using that much mana for a temporary advantage felt inefficient to Maior.

But Maior reconsidered.

It was precisely because of such feats that Seneca had reached Level 2 so quickly.

It might seem inefficient or wasteful now, but repeated efforts like these could lead to success in the future.

Seneca leapt lightly from the tree, with Maior following close behind.

“I’ll stay back to guard the wagon. Let me know if any Kobolds slip past—it’s your time to shine now, Maior.”

The battle ended swiftly.

Maior used her Detection skill to monitor the movements of monsters and their magical energy.

Naeus’s magical presence dashed through the battlefield like a gale, snuffing out the signals of monsters one after another.

The magic unleashed by Akars and Annia was equally devastating, wiping out groups of Dark Kobolds with each strike.

The rest of the group seemed to focus on supporting the trio, mainly handling the rear and providing backup.

Maior, becoming more adept, noticed she could now distinguish the “quality” of magical energy. While the fluctuating magical energy of spellcasters like Akars and Annia was still difficult to pinpoint, identifying others’ signatures was becoming second nature.

Activating Detection again, she confirmed the absence of any remaining monster presences and noted a rapidly approaching signal—it was Menon.

After a short wait, Menon returned, looking unruffled.

“What? It’s already over? That was way too fast!”

Upon hearing the details from Naeus, Menon was taken aback.

The swift defeat of the Dark Kobold Leader had been pivotal. Naeus suspected that Seneca’s attack had been instrumental but had yet to discuss it with her.

“What about the village?” Naeus asked, his voice taut with concern.

“It’s safe. They were so focused on preparing for the Moonlit Day Festival that they hadn’t noticed the monsters nearby. Good thing we stopped them here.”

“That’s a relief. By the way, is the Orc we detected earlier still around?”

Menon activated his skill.

“Yeah, it’s still in the area. Are we taking it on?”

“We’ve got some energy left. Let’s show our promising rookies how to take down an Orc.”

“Trying to look cool, huh? Not bad, though.”

The two exchanged a handshake, for no particular reason.

From a distance, Seneca and Maior watched as Naeus’s group, the Oak Branch, battled the Orc.

It was said that a single Orc was equivalent in strength to an entire copper-ranked party, yet the Oak Branch clearly had the upper hand.

Naeus had previously mentioned that he could handle up to four Orcs at once with some confidence.

The entire Oak Branch party demonstrated exceptional coordination, but Menon’s performance stood out.

Using his agility, Menon engaged the Orc on the front lines, keeping it distracted.

With the Orc fixated on Menon, the rest of the party bombarded it with attacks—both swords and spells.

Watching intently, Metella murmured, “That’s what you call an evasion tank.”

“Evasion tank?” Maior asked, curiosity lighting up her eyes.

“Yeah, it’s a decoy role. I draw attention with defense and durability, but he does it with agility. It’s an incredibly advanced technique.”

“So, that’s another way to fight…”

Maior, newly fascinated by strategy, focused intently on the battle.

“It’s not something just anyone can do. Menon’s surprisingly tough too, you know. While Naeus is the strongest in Oak Branch, Menon likes to say he’s the most indispensable member. Honestly, it’s hard to argue with that.”

Metella also watched the fight with admiration.

“It’s about to end,” Seneca remarked.

At that moment, Naeus’s sword pierced the Orc’s chest, concluding the battle.

Afterward, the group visited the village to explain the situation in detail.

The Orc’s meat and other materials were too cumbersome to carry, so they were gifted to the village, earning the Oak Branch party widespread praise.

That night, they stayed in the village, departing early the next morning with the children. Though only a year younger than Seneca and two years younger than Maior, the children looked significantly more innocent and uncertain.

Seneca, who had once been an older sister figure at the orphanage, tirelessly encouraged the nervous children as they ventured into the wider world.

Maior thought to herself that Seneca must have been incredibly caring and dependable back then.

Having encountered monsters on the journey there, the group remained vigilant on the return trip. Their discipline resulted in a flawless formation that inspired confidence.

Although they took extra precautions during their single night of camping, the children endured without complaint.

By the next day, everyone arrived safely in Baetica without incident.