Chapter 165: Learning to Fight

Ten minutes later, all the girls were back on their feet.

Most of them had to recover by pouring normal Lv. 3 Greater Recovery Potions down their throats. Among them, the five who received the two types of ultimate potions from Axel were…

“Haaap!”

“Take this! Curse of Paralysis!”

“Kuh…! Don’t dodge…!”

They were back to fighting against Fenrir, as if it were their destiny to confront her. The others, despite their eagerness to join in, were forced to hold back, witnessing the “extreme” change in the battle’s pace.

Ultimately, Axel found it impossible to stop the girls from fighting, so he could only watch them brawl to their hearts’ content.

“Hooh…”

As he observed, he realized the girls were growing stronger.

This was not just due to the +200 boost to their stats; their demeanor had shifted as well. Only Arianne remained the same, acting like an expert on the battlefield and directing the flow of battle.

The most significant improvements were evident in Eve and Teruria. Eve wielded her sniper rifle (with rubber bullets) so effortlessly, while Teruria showcased remarkable speed and accuracy with her curses.

Influenced by them, even Maria joined the fray, brandishing a small knife.

All the swords, knives, and spears they used to fight were real and sharp, not blunted or wooden. They were unforgiving, cold, deadly weapons!

However, Fenrir didn’t perceive any difference.

Whether wood or metal, it mattered little if it couldn’t even touch her.

Axel knew that even with their enhanced stats, it would be impossible for them to reach Fenrir’s level. She could easily dodge a rubber bullet fired from Eve’s blind spot without even looking.

Eventually, growing bored, Fenrir knocked them all to the ground, repeating the same scene as before.

It was another flawless victory.

The girls were down and would likely remain so for a while as they recovered. At this point, Axel approached the strongest female knight present and crouched before her.

“Arianne…” he called. “I want you to teach me how to fight.”

“…”

Arianne, hearing his request, stared at him in confusion. The “Axel” she knew was one who typically avoided fighting whenever possible.

’Did something change while he was away?’ she wondered as Axel forced a potion down her throat.

Soon, she was back on her feet.

Arianne sheathed her blade and turned to face Axel, asking, “Sir Axel, are you sure? I mean, we are here to fight for you and the princesses right now. There’s no need for—”

“I’m weak,” Axel interrupted her.

The silence that followed was deafening.

Everyone present stared at Axel in disbelief—after all, the Axel they knew was far from weak. While he might have lacked fighting techniques, he had many other strengths to make up for it, particularly his system.

However, after encountering strange and powerful monsters everywhere, he couldn’t accept his current state. Relying on others for his safety? What if those “others” fell? Who would save him but himself?

“Although I’m weak right now, I don’t plan to stay weak,” he continued, his voice resonating across the training grounds, audible to everyone around.

“Thus, Arianne… I ask you to teach me your swordsmanship.”

“Sir Axel…” Arianne studied his eyes, pure and resolute, and realized that convincing him otherwise would be futile. “…My instructions aren’t easy. Even if you cry later, I won’t stop. Are you sure?”

“Yeah.”

Understanding what lay ahead, Axel knew he needed to grow stronger.

Even though he had the highest stats around, excluding Fenrir, he lacked the proper techniques to utilize even a fraction of them. That’s why he decided to learn swordsmanship.

“Then, let’s strike while the iron’s hot!” Arianne exclaimed, grinning with excitement. “You, and you lot too! Give me 50 laps around the training ground! Now!”

“EEEH~?”

The girls, who had just finished their training that morning, couldn’t help but grumble.

They hadn’t expected to train again in the afternoon—close to evening, no less. What about their defense at night? Who would handle it if they were all exhausted? Such questions briefly crossed their minds until they glanced at Fenrir.

With her around, they figured that a few zombies wouldn’t pose much of a threat.

The reason Axel didn’t seek instructions from Fenrir, despite her being the strongest among them, was simply that her fighting style was beast-like, even in her human form. He realized that there was no way he could imitate her fighting style, if at all.

Magic might be another story, but Axel chose to focus on mastering his physical abilities first. After all, a healthy body fosters a healthy mind.

“What’s wrong?! Your pace is dropping! Keep moving! Chop chop!”

Arianne’s commands echoed loudly across the training grounds. Axel, along with the other members of the Valkyrie Knight Order, pushed themselves to run at top speed, completing their laps.

Seeing him work hard, Teruria and Eve decided to join in on the training, followed by Beatrix and even Maria. Soon, all but Arianne and Fenrir were running laps.

“Phew… Phew…” Axel exhaled steadily, keeping his gaze fixed ahead.

The most exercise he typically got was in the gym, running on treadmills once or twice a month. This experience felt quite nostalgic to him.

In a few minutes, he had already completed 50 laps, overtaking the others by more than 40 laps without breaking a sweat. Though it seemed pointless for him, given his high stats.

“Running is meant to build stamina.” Arianne’s voice broke into his thoughts as she approached him. “But first and foremost, it’s an exercise to learn how to move your body. Each step, each breath, there’s always a pattern.”

Axel nodded, grasping her insight.

He was already counting his breaths, maintaining a specific rhythm. Even his steps had a tempo, guided by his breathing pattern.

So while it might not contribute to increasing his stamina, it still helped him become more familiar with his body’s movements.

“Now that you’ve warmed up, let’s start with the basics.”

Recognizing that allowing him to run would be counterproductive, she tossed a wooden sword to Axel—one she had carved from the now rarely used wooden spears, repurposed for training.

“First, the basic swings! Hold it like this, and keep the blade’s center of balance in mind…”

Arianne provided personal instruction, tailored specifically for Axel.

And so, until the sun set and the girls completed their 50 laps, Arianne dedicated herself to teaching Axel how to use the sword.

But still… he had a long way to go.

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