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 61

Episode 61: Integration

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Before returning to Path of Carnage, Lucius stopped by the guild in Arankna and found a letter waiting for him from the headmaster of the magic academy.

The letter contained a lot of details, but the message was simple:

“Since you have the opportunity, train thoroughly in Path of Carnage. You are not permitted to return until you have conquered it.”

Lucius had no idea why he was being given such an order. However, since the decision had already been made, he had no choice but to accept it. Resigning himself to the situation, he decided to make the most of it for his own benefit.

After briefly testing the waters on the fifth layer, Lucius chose to restart from the first layer and progress through Path of Carnage more meticulously. Although he felt capable of handling the fifth layer, the monsters were undeniably stronger, and if he were surrounded, the outcome was uncertain.

Up until now, Lucius had avoided battle when outnumbered, meaning he still had room for improvement. Having come this far, he resolved to immerse himself completely in Path of Carnage’s trials—even if it was out of a slight sense of defiance.

Lucius had been eager to test out a particular technique. Since this was the perfect opportunity, he decided to practice it against multiple enemies and refine it into a finishing move. Path of Carnage’s variety of monsters made it an ideal place to optimize the technique against different characteristics.

Drawing his greatsword from his back, Lucius infused it with magic. His control over the magic and blade became seamless, allowing him to wield the weapon with absolute freedom.

He increased the flow of magic into the sword, concentrating it at the tip. As he accumulated the energy, he extended it forward, causing a faint projection of the blade to emerge beyond the physical edge.

When he waved the sword over a nearby plant, a sharp “Zzzt” sound rang out, and the stalk was neatly severed.

If he could extend this energy further, he might be able to strike multiple enemies in a single swing. With that goal in mind, Lucius continued refining the technique against the monsters of the first layer.

After a week of continuous battle, the monsters of the first layer were no longer a threat. Moving on to the second layer, Lucius found that, since there were no fast-moving creatures, he was not at risk of being surrounded and was able to advance with ease.

The real challenge came in the third layer. Here, enemies were both fast and attacked in groups. Even when Lucius found a smaller pack, he lacked the means to strike from afar and was forced to close the distance for a surprise attack.

Thanks to his extending blade, his reach had tripled, making it easier to defeat enemies. However, it still wasn’t quite enough.

Lucius pondered his next step.

As a magic user, he could have simply fired light projectiles from a distance. However, at that moment, he was completely fixated on swordsmanship, and the thought never even crossed his mind.

This led him to discover a new technique.

Beyond the trees, five Speed Rabbits stood unaware of his presence.

Lucius raised his readied sword and channeled magic into it.

With a wide backswing, he unleashed a horizontal slash.

In an instant, a blade of pure energy formed along the sword’s arc and shot forward at incredible speed, slicing clean through the Speed Rabbits.

What remained were five neatly bisected bodies.

Lucius resisted the urge to cheer out loud and quickly made his way back down the mountain.

“I did it! I really did it! I sent a sword slash flying!”

Seeing Lucius’s uncharacteristic excitement, Mof couldn’t help but laugh. However, upon hearing the details, Mof could only give a wry smile at the sheer destructive power of the new technique.

Using both his extending blade and flying sword slash, Lucius cleared the fourth layer with relative ease.

By this point, a month and a half had passed.

He knew that any gaps in his general education would later be filled in at the church, and part of him wished to return and focus on his studies. However, he wasn’t about to let this opportunity to grow stronger go to waste.

The enemies in the fifth layer were formidable.

With monsters possessing multiple distinct traits attacking in numbers, the difficulty had risen significantly.

Yet, as he fought, Lucius felt his accumulated techniques fusing into a cohesive whole.

Deflections, magic-infused strikes, group combat maneuvers, the extending blade, the flying sword slash, secondary skills, defensive barriers, and foothold formations—all had to be applied correctly.

Before he realized it, Lucius was smiling.

For the first time, he truly felt himself growing stronger.

Now that he possessed mid- and long-range attacks, all his previous skills had become even more valuable.

Lucius felt the gears of his combat style clicking into place.

“Lucius, Skill are merely a single facet of the whole. Use them to forge the sword within yourself. One day, you will find your path.”

A memory of his father’s words resurfaced.

Now, he finally understood their meaning.

Though his sword had become intertwined with magic, he could feel that it had been tempered to an entirely new level.

The boy hailed as a sword prodigy had once again overcome a towering obstacle before him.

In just a few days, Lucius had stopped struggling against the monsters of the fifth layer.

He continued pushing deeper and deeper along the path of the fifth layer.

From the first layer to midway through the fifth, there had been a proper road—grass cleared away, and the earth firmly packed down.

However, at some point, the road suddenly narrowed into a small trail, which then turned into a beast path, and finally, it disappeared altogether.

It was likely meant as an obstruction.

His progress slowed, and ambushes by monsters became more frequent.

But it hardly mattered to Lucius. He felt energized and stable within himself. He could precisely drive his blade into the attacking monsters, cutting them down one after another.

After walking for some time, the forest opened up to reveal a pond.

It matched the description he had heard beforehand—this was the deepest part of the land.

The water of the pond was eerily clear, allowing the bottom to be seen.

It was tempting to drink, but since he had been warned that it wasn’t good for the body, he refrained from touching it.

As he walked slowly along the pond’s edge, he came across a shrine—an ancient structure made of stacked stones.

Following the instructions he had received beforehand, Lucius placed his palm against the shrine’s stone and circulated his magical energy through his body.

At that moment, a magic circle appeared beneath his feet, glowing brilliantly.

【Metal Liger】

The words surfaced in his mind.

A shhh sound came from the shrine, and thick smoke billowed out.

This was the Phantasmal Resonance, and it was likely in the process of forming the monster known as the Metal Liger.

Knowing that there was a clearing behind the shrine, Lucius made his way toward it.

The final opponent in Path of Carnage was “the most suitable monster for the challenger.”

By placing one’s hand on the shrine and circulating magical energy, some form of information was read, and a trial was given accordingly.

Lucius had heard that it took about half an hour for the monster to fully take shape, so he waited, remaining relaxed yet focused.

“GAGAAAA!!”

A roar echoed from a distance. It seemed the monster had finished forming.

Lucius steadied his stance and fixed his gaze on the shrine’s direction.

The sound of rustling leaves and shifting underbrush reached his ears.

Judging from the footfalls, the creature wasn’t particularly large.

Then, it revealed itself.

A beast with a metallic sheen—

The moment Lucius registered what it was, he felt an impending danger and leapt to the side without hesitation.

BAAAAM!!

It had been a hair’s breadth away.

The Metal Liger had charged like lightning, aiming precisely for where Lucius had just stood.

The creature’s entire body gleamed like polished metal. It stood about waist-high to Lucius, its claws and fangs well-developed.

Despite its metallic body, it had fur. It looked fluffy, but there was a chance it was bristly and sharp.

The Metal Liger shifted its weight onto its hind legs, preparing to unleash another attack.

Here it comes again.

Keeping his eyes locked on his opponent, Lucius dodged to the side once more.

BAM!

The charge had been less powerful this time due to a shorter preparation period.

At that level, it would likely break bones, but survival was possible.

Lucius steadied his sword at close range.

This time, the Metal Liger didn’t prepare a charge. Instead, it leaped forward and slashed at Lucius with its claws.

Fast!

A sharp whoosh sound cut through the air, ringing in Lucius’s ears.

He didn’t know how best to counter yet, but it wasn’t so fast that he couldn’t evade.

If those claws hit, he’d be torn to shreds.

However, compared to its initial charge, this attack seemed more manageable.

Lucius maintained the same distance as before, preparing for a counterattack.

The Metal Liger kept its gaze locked on Lucius, carefully watching for an opening.

Against monsters like this, there were certain movements that could bait out their attacks.

Lucius swiftly took a half-step forward.

As if responding to that motion, the Metal Liger lunged forward, slashing with its claws. Lucius leaped diagonally backward to the left to evade and prepared to counter—

However, something felt off.

The way the enemy swung its claws was slower than before, and its step-in was weak.

Lucius was about to strike with force when he noticed the Metal Liger twisting its body. That’s when he realized—

“A follow-up attack!”

The Metal Liger swung at Lucius again with its opposite foreleg.

Lucius jumped further back to the left, gripping his greatsword tightly, carefully observing.

The second strike was sharper and had more weight behind it than the first, but it missed.

Lucius had already adjusted his stance and entered a motion to strike.

He was prepared for a third attack, but it seemed the sequence ended with just two.

Infusing his sword with magic, he unleashed a strike powerful enough to cut down even the hardened monsters of the second layer.

Sensing danger, the Metal Liger slammed its paws into the ground, propelling itself slightly backward.

Lucius immediately noticed the large amount of magic concentrated in the creature’s legs.

“Take this!”

Because the enemy had moved, he couldn’t land his strike on the exact spot he had aimed for.

However, the attack was still likely to connect, so Lucius swung his sword down with full force.

Clang!

A dull, heavy sound rang out. The impact vibrated through Lucius’ hands, leaving them numb.

“Whoa!”

The Metal Liger was unbelievably hard.

Lucius let out an involuntary shout as the recoil pushed him backward.

Looking at the enemy’s shoulder where his attack had landed, he saw only a shallow wound.

The strike had been strong, but it lacked sufficient magical energy.

Realizing he needed to pour in much more magic to deal a fatal wound, Lucius let out a small sigh.

The battle between Lucius and the Metal Liger continued in a back-and-forth struggle.

The Metal Liger used its agility to weave together attacks and evasions.

Since only Lucius’ strongest attacks could deal serious damage, the monster had grown more aggressive.

Lucius managed to dodge nearly all of the Metal Liger’s strikes. The creature’s claws and fangs were devastating, making avoidance absolutely necessary.

Its close-range body slams and kicks could be blocked if they came one at a time, but even then, he would need to use healing magic immediately, or his body wouldn’t hold up.

As the stalemate dragged on, the Metal Liger changed its approach.

Rather than attacking relentlessly, it now studied Lucius’ movements. The moment it sensed he wouldn’t strike, it began gathering power.

If it unleashed that lightning-fast charge again, he wouldn’t stand a chance. Lucius had no choice but to stay on the offensive.

The image of that first, thunderous charge flashed through his mind, and he realized he couldn’t afford to retreat.

He couldn’t afford to take his eyes off the enemy either. The battle’s pace was in the Metal Liger’s favor.

He was at a disadvantage.

But there was a path to victory.

I just have to stay calm.

Hesitation was dangerous. If he was going to attack, he needed to commit fully—half-hearted strikes would be useless against such a tough opponent.

Lucius tightened his grip on his sword once more.

At this point, the only option was to provoke the enemy’s actions and exploit an opening.

Lucius slightly increased the flow of magic circulating through his body.

His target—the very start of the Metal Liger’s ultra-fast attack.

That attack required the beast to concentrate magic in its legs during the charge-up phase. If he struck at that moment, his attack would likely penetrate its defenses more easily.

He would only get one chance.

Lucius maintained the illusion that nothing had changed, pretending to be forced into a defensive battle.

At the very edge of his reach, he kept unleashing non-lethal slashes, waiting for the right moment. The Metal Liger showed no signs of breaking.

After several exchanges, Lucius finally spotted it—

A brief hesitation.

Now!

Infusing his sword with magic, Lucius added a deliberate, exaggerated feint—one that wouldn’t reach at this distance.

The Metal Liger responded immediately, pouring magic into its legs.

It took the bait!

With the enemy’s actions successfully guided, Lucius unleashed his trump card—the Extending Sword.

“Uooooh!”

With a roar, he swung his blade downward.

With its power focused in its legs, the Metal Liger should have had no way to counter the attack—

But it did.

At the last moment, the metallic beast redirected some of the stored magic from its legs to its back.

CLANG!!

A deafening crash echoed as Lucius’ magically extended blade struck the Metal Liger’s reinforced back.

“I lost the read.”

Muttering to himself, Lucius immediately attempted to retreat.

At this range, even if he were hit, it wouldn’t be fatal.

That much was true.

Even if the Metal Liger used the little magic left in its legs to leap, it wouldn’t be able to deal a serious blow—

If its target had been Lucius himself.

But it wasn’t.

The metallic beast lunged forward without hesitation, swinging its deadly claws—not at Lucius, but at his greatsword.

CRACK!

The blade shattered.

“WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!”

The ever-composed prodigy of the sword let out an uncharacteristic scream, consumed by rage.

Still reeling from the shock, Lucius instinctively drew the knife from his waist and slashed at the beast before him.

But his magic was lacking. His stance was weak.

The Metal Liger absorbed the attack with its body before imbuing its claws with magic once more—

And shattered Lucius’ knife.

“WAAAAAOOOOOOON!!”

The Metal Liger leapt back and, as if declaring its victory, let out a triumphant, resounding howl toward the sky.