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 77

Episode 77: Plautia’s Battle

Having savored the relief of her first-round victory, Plautia watched the next match. The winner would become her second-round opponent.

The contenders were Pulcher from First-Year S-Class and a senior from Third-Year A-Class.

Although the senior was on the offensive, Pulcher maintained control of the fight from start to finish, securing a smooth victory.

And so, Plautia’s next opponent was decided—Pulcher Cluris, the rising star of the Royal Capital’s Adventurer’s Guild.

Letting out a long breath, Plautia exhaled. She had heard plenty about Pulcher’s troublesome nature from Seneca and Maior.

Seneca had never lost to him in practice matches, but Maior had never won against him either.

Could she really defeat such an opponent?

She asked herself.

She had prepared.

She had devised a strategy.

Now, all that was left was to execute it.

Plautia tightened her grip on her wooden sword.

After a leisurely lunch, the time for battle arrived.

As she waited beside the match venue, a flashy blond-haired man approached. It was Pulcher.

“Ah, Plautia-san, good day to you. This will be our first time fighting, won’t it? I’ve been looking forward to this.”

Pulcher greeted her in his usual overly familiar manner. Though he had an air of refinement, which made his casual attitude seem oddly refreshing, Plautia found that fact somewhat irritating.

“If we’re talking purely about combat power, I might have the upper hand. But you and your comrades are always unpredictable. I have no idea how this match will play out.”

By “your comrades,” he was referring to the members of Moonlight Oath. Plautia understood that much.

After exchanging a few words, Pulcher stepped away to focus his mind.

Plautia once again tightened her grip on her wooden sword.

She might not be able to win.

But even so, she would give it everything she had.

“First-Year A-Class, Plautia-san. First-Year S-Class, Pulcher-san. The match is about to begin.”

It was time to fight.

Pulcher’s fighting style was straightforward.

At his optimal range, he wielded his magic spear. Outside of that range—whether near or far—he used magic. Even if one knew his tactics, that didn’t make him any easier to defeat. His methods seemed simple, yet his techniques were highly versatile.

Over the past six months, he had been trained by Seneca and Nina, both of whom excelled in unorthodox attacks. Thanks to that, his adaptability had greatly improved. Being in S-Class carried significant weight.

Faced with such an opponent, Plautia’s strategy was equally straightforward.

In simple terms—“Victory through first strike.”

“Begin!”

The moment the signal was given, Plautia charged straight at Pulcher.

Pulcher attempted to intercept her with magic, but seeing her unwavering advance, he opted to engage her with his spear instead.

Plautia had confidence in her ability to handle ranged magic. She wouldn’t be able to dodge a full-power spell, but she trusted that Pulcher, being the cautious type, wouldn’t recklessly unleash one at full force.

Pulcher steadied his stance as he watched Plautia rush toward him. He had swapped his spear for a metal one, ensuring there were no wooden components that could be neutralized.

Plautia had chosen a direct confrontation. She would keep up her offensive, ensuring she never left herself open.

When Pulcher had spoken to her earlier, she had quickly assessed his equipment. Though certain details had been unclear from a distance, seeing them up close confirmed her suspicions.

Pulcher readied his spear, preparing to sweep it across. His eyes remained locked on Plautia, refusing to miss even the slightest movement.

Just as she entered his attack range, Plautia discreetly activated her skill.

In an instant, Pulcher’s leather armor began to deteriorate.

Using 【Plant Gathering】, Plautia stripped away the plant-based adhesives and cords used in his armor. Even its surface sheen had vanished.

Pulcher remained mostly unfazed, but Plautia had successfully seized the initiative and pressed forward with relentless attacks.

Pulcher only realized something was wrong when he had fully withstood Plautia’s assault and attempted to counterattack.

Though he had been briefly shaken when his armor was tampered with, it hadn’t been a major problem. Had she possessed a one-hit-kill technique, he would have been in real danger, but as far as he could tell, Plautia lacked such a move.

So, Pulcher had quickly regained his composure and continued parrying her strikes calmly.

He gripped his spear tightly and stepped forward—but something felt off.

The usual strength in his movements was missing.

He couldn’t put his full power into his actions.

His mind felt sluggish.

Something was attacking him.

That’s what Pulcher sensed.

Meanwhile, Plautia continued her relentless assault.

It was a movement with the confidence of someone who knew they had a path to victory.

Pulcher forced his foggy mind to function, calmly observing Plautia’s movements.

My mana is decreasing…?

Pulcher had little ability to sense magic, but he could tell that Plautia’s mana reserves had shrunk considerably.

Is she using a skill? On what?

A tingling sensation spread through his limbs.

Now that he thought about it, a faintly bitter scent had been lingering in the air for a while.

Looking closely, the color of Plautia’s wooden sword seemed slightly faded.

“No way!”

Pulcher immediately activated his sub-skill, 【Enwreathed Thunder】. The lightning mana coursed through his body, enhancing his physical abilities.

This was Pulcher’s trump card. It drained his mana rapidly, so he had avoided using it if possible. His rivals were also watching. However, had he reacted any later, it might have been too late.

This skill also increased his body’s resistances. Weak poisons and curses would be purified by the lightning’s magic.

Pulcher felt a sensation returning to his body. However, he wouldn’t be at full strength. His mana continued to drain.

His opponent was worthy.

He would fight with everything he had.

Pulcher sharpened his gaze at Plautia.

Up until this point, the battle had proceeded just as Plautia had planned.

By targeting Pulcher’s armor, she had taken the initiative and maintained an aggressive stance. Using 【Selection】, she had extracted poisonous components from her specially prepared wooden sword, releasing them into the air around Pulcher.

Plautia had taken an antidote beforehand, so the poison had little effect on her. She intended to wait until the poison weakened him enough to strike the finishing blow.

But Pulcher had noticed.

Seneca and Maior had said they had rarely seen Pulcher use his sub-skills. This was likely his trump card. The crackling sound of lightning echoed as magic coursed through his entire body. His overwhelming presence was undeniable.

Plautia realized that her resolve was wavering.

It was over.

She couldn’t win anymore.

That thought almost took root in her heart.

But she tightened her grip on her sword and steadied her stance.

Tricks wouldn’t work anymore.

She could only believe in herself and fight.

Plautia took a bold step forward toward Pulcher.

Compared to other adventurers her age, Plautia was considerably strong. The fact that she could hold her own against Seneca and Pulcher placed her among the upper ranks.

She had trained relentlessly.

Her growth since enrolling in the Royal Adventurer Academy had been remarkable.

She had fought countless battles against real opponents—winning many, losing many.

But never had she fought with everything on the line.

Perhaps because she was smart. Avoiding powerful enemies was common sense for an adventurer.

Perhaps because she was afraid. If she gave it her all and still lost, she might not be able to recover from the failure. And if she won, she might feel compelled to stake everything every time she was pushed into a corner.

Perhaps because she lacked confidence. She was still inexperienced—what if she fought recklessly and ended up humiliating herself in front of everyone?

But despite all of that—

Plautia wanted to win.

She had sworn to fight for Seneca’s sake as well.

Pulcher was staggering. If there was ever a chance to bring him down, it was now.

“I want to see for myself.”

Plautia decided to test her own strength.

In that moment, she knew—

She had taken a step forward on her path.