The Unfortunate Girl Wants an Easy Mode in Her Second Life – Chapter 19

Chapter 19: Bearnoff the Adventurer Killer
ㅤ”Bearrrraaargh!”
ㅤ
ㅤWith a spirited shout, Bearnov swings his forearm down.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Ahahahaha!”
ㅤ
ㅤI dodge the attack while laughing.
ㅤ
ㅤ……That being said, it’s not like I have it easy.
ㅤRather the opposite.
ㅤIt’s precisely because I don’t have it easy that I laugh.
ㅤ
ㅤ”You……laugh at me!”
ㅤ
ㅤBearnov, a side sweep fueled by anger.
ㅤI jump back a step and avoid it.
ㅤAs a result, the distance between us widens, and I can’t counterattack.
ㅤ
ㅤ”It’s not a fight if you only dodge!”
ㅤ
ㅤBearnov says, and pursues me further.
ㅤ
ㅤ（This is bad. I might be at a disadvantage.）
ㅤ
ㅤBearnov’s forearms are long.
ㅤWhen he swings his arms around, I can’t get within sword range.
ㅤ
ㅤ（Then……）
ㅤ
ㅤWhile dodging Bearnov’s arms, I place my sword in its trajectory.
ㅤ
ㅤThe sword slashes Bearnov’s arm.
ㅤ
ㅤEven though it was just a graze, the impact is enough to almost take the sword from my hand.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Guh!?”
ㅤ
ㅤBearnov holds his wounded arm and takes distance.
ㅤ
ㅤ（The damage is……）
ㅤ
ㅤI look at the bar above Bearnov’s head.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Around 10, I guess.”
ㅤ
ㅤA shallow wound, but it’s enough if it stopped Bearnov’s charge.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Not bad……to land a counter on me, the one called Bearnov of the Gale!”
ㅤ
ㅤYes, I received a nickname.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Ahaha, then I’ll go next.”
ㅤ
ㅤIt’s not like I particularly want to do this.
ㅤIt’s just that it’s dangerous if I don’t.
ㅤEven though the Difficulty Change is giving me a boost, I’m still a sadly unathletic person at my core. I can’t imagine being able to keep dodging Bearnov’s attacks forever.
ㅤAs planned, I have no choice but to aim for a preemptive strike.
ㅤ
ㅤI lower my stance and step forward, unleashing an upward sweeping slash.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Nwoah!?”
ㅤ
ㅤMy sword grazes Bearnov’s chest shallowly.
ㅤ
ㅤI continue to attack from below.
ㅤ
ㅤSomehow, it feels like attacking from below is more effective than from above.
ㅤ
ㅤ（It’s like I know how I should attack……）
ㅤ
ㅤThinking about it logically, attacking from below is rational.
ㅤ
ㅤBearnov is almost a meter taller than me.
ㅤAttacks from above are easy for him to see.
ㅤ
ㅤHowever, because of his large body, Bearnov is neglecting his footwork.
ㅤSince Bearnov’s weapons are his forearms, he doesn’t have the concept of using his legs in battle. Moreover, judging from his bear-like physique, his footwork seems difficult.
ㅤ
ㅤ（Move in and out of range, attack from below.
ㅤJust doing that will make him used to it, so occasionally attack from above as well.
ㅤFor his attacks, time it right and place the sword.）
ㅤ
ㅤLike a skilled swordsman, a grand design for the battle takes shape.
ㅤ
ㅤ（Am I, by any chance, amazing?）
ㅤ
ㅤI thought so for a moment, but
ㅤ
ㅤ（Ah, no. It must be the Difficulty Change correction, the Grandmaster’s Blessing, or maybe both……right?）
ㅤ
ㅤI’m supposed to be a Thief right now.
ㅤNo, maybe Thieves use swords in this world too. Equipment restrictions based on jobs are only a thing in game worlds.
ㅤSince it’s a short sword that even I can handle, it might be treated as a dagger, which is commonly used by Thieves.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Nuuoooh! Insolent! For me, to be pushed back by a human inferior in strength and physique!”
ㅤ
ㅤBearnov groans, blood flowing from various wounds on his forearms.
ㅤ
ㅤI say,
ㅤ
ㅤ”Ahaha! Give up! I don’t intend to take your life!”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Nuuuh! To laugh in the midst of battle……such terrifying composure! You, you’re a renowned swordsman!”
ㅤ
ㅤBearnov, his red hawk eyes filled with fighting spirit, rushes towards me.
ㅤMy persuasion seems to have had the opposite effect.
ㅤ
ㅤ（Yeah……well, if someone said that while laughing, I’d think I was being provoked too.）
ㅤ
ㅤIf this happened in an online match, I’d probably throw my controller.
ㅤ
ㅤ”In that case! Bearrrraaargh!”
ㅤ
ㅤThe cornered Bearnov lets out a spirited shout.
ㅤ
ㅤHe holds his wounded forearms up like a shield and charges at me.
ㅤ
ㅤThe difference from before is that he’s not swinging his arms at all.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Ahahaha! A tackle!?”
ㅤ
ㅤIt seems Bearnov is aiming for a shoulder charge.
ㅤWith this much difference in weight, combined with Bearnov’s power, a direct hit could deal damage comparable to being hit by a car.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Ahahaha! You!”
ㅤ
ㅤI jump back while swinging my sword.
ㅤBearnov’s arms become even more tattered, but his charge doesn’t stop.
ㅤ
ㅤ（It’s a speed I can barely escape from!）
ㅤ
ㅤBearnov is completely keeping up with me as I jump back.
ㅤ
ㅤMoreover,
ㅤ
ㅤ”Ahahahaha! He’s catching up!”
ㅤ
ㅤBearnov’s charge is slightly faster.
ㅤ
ㅤWhether my sword will deplete Bearnov’s HP first, or whether Bearnov will catch up to me first.
ㅤ
ㅤ（The HP bar……only a little bit of yellow left!）
ㅤ
ㅤThe bar’s color has changed from purple → light blue → yellow, and all that remains is a third of the yellow and the single red bar behind it.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Ahahaha! I’ll finish it!”
ㅤ
ㅤI swing my sword while landing—
ㅤ
ㅤ”I did it!”
ㅤ
ㅤBearnov’s HP is almost gone!
ㅤ
ㅤI try to jump to deliver the finishing blow—
ㅤ
ㅤThud!
ㅤ
ㅤ
ㅤ”Guh……!”
ㅤ
ㅤAn impact on my back.
ㅤ
ㅤI look back with just my eyes.
ㅤ
ㅤWhat was behind me was—the dungeon wall.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Ahahahaha!”
ㅤ
ㅤD*mn it!
ㅤ
ㅤI was so distracted by Bearnov’s imposing figure and the HP bar that I didn’t check behind me!
ㅤ
ㅤ”I win! Bearrrraaargh!”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Ugh!”
ㅤ
ㅤBearnov looms before my eyes—