Battle Harem of the Heavenly Sword

Hiro learned how skills worked in his month of grinding against goblins. They followed what became known as an evolutionary path. This was extremely similar to skill trees or tech trees in most RPGs or MMOs.

Only Main and Secondary Limit skills showed the evolution paths, however. The Secondary actives and passives did not. Hiro surmised that it probably stemmed from the latter needing different requirements and not just familiarity with the skill.

For example, one of Hiro's first skills Toughness [D] required one to experienced being beaten to the point of fainting to learn the skill. Most would think if you get beaten more and more it would evolve right?

Wrong, unlike Main and Limit skills, getting beaten even further would never increase [Toughness]. What allowed Hiro to evolve the skill came from mental resilience. Witnessing gruesome deaths, inhuman sights of battle, and cruelty gave him what he lacked.

While being "tough" would allow one to shrug off blows, a mindset that never faltered allowed greater punishment. Fortitude [C] was granted to those that could endure both being beaten and mentally tortured.

Without knowing ahead of time, people aiming for the evolution of skills became like blind men grasping in the dark. Most skills would only evolve due to luck, chance, or a combination of the two.

Knowledge of such requirements quickly became among the highest commodities from information brokers in Valorious. One looking for a skill can ask a skill broker what the requirements were.

If available, upon purchasing the information the system user can perform the requirement and shorten the time it took to get it naturally. Skills directly contributed to the survival of adventurers, mercenaries, and the military, thus their importance could never be overstated.

Hiro, who knew how big a gift Rilu just gave him couldn't help but be touched. He thanked her in earnest with a wide smile. "Thank you for sharing such valuable information Rilu. I am in your debt."

The man appreciated the young devoted teaching him the higher forms of his skill. With him knowing the differences, he would shift how he used [Tactics.] From her explanation, the transmigrator now had a map to evolve it.

Using it with emphasis on gear would evolve it to [C] rank. Afterward using it with environmental conditions would get it to [B] while including other people allowed it to go beyond to [A]. If an [S],[SS], or even [SSS] rank version of the skill exists, they must all be tightly guarded secrets or no one discovered them yet.

The skills simplified how one leveraged their abilities. It made combat and actions easier, but one still needed to know how to perform the ability before the skill would be granted.

In this regard, Skills had their own rules. One of the most well-known rules came in the form of a famous saying. "A barber can never learn the [Hunting] skill unless he hunts, nor the [Fishing] skill without ever actually fishing. Yet even without the skills, he would never forget how to cut hair."

Thus it could be said that like life, the skills one possesses became the legacy and proof of how one lived. People who enjoyed peace and experienced war would have different status pages from the get-go. Knowing this full well from his month in Valorious, Hiro felt nothing but gratitude for Rilu who shared information so freely.

The young devoted noticed how she got more out of this one conversation than her harassing Hiro for over an hour. The smile just now felt genuine and his voice indicated his gratitude for her help.

Rilu felt her mood improve by leaps. Prior to this, she started to think she lacked sex appeal or charm due to the frigid response of the transmigrator.

'Indeed, Hiro-sama responds like a knight, courteous and upright. It would be better to share more info than press myself against him. Alright, let's do it!'

With renewed vigor, the pair continued to discuss skills, spells, and monsters for the remainder of the journey. Rilu found Hiroyuki's curiosity adorable but quickly grew impressed at his ability to digest information and connect dots together.

She also noticed herself smitten by the man's studious side. On top of being kind, he showed a drive to get stronger that burned like the sun. It charmed her into dreaming up fantasies of their future together.

After a few hours, the magic stones around the carriage all lit up and the voice from earlier again spoke in a voice devoid of any energy. "We arrive at the peak. I sent team Alpha to scout. When you two arrive we will be hunting for the beast. How far out are you?"

Rilu awoke from her short fantasies, the latest one had Hiro caressing her pregnant belly. She then found Hiro staring into space. She surmised the man must be dueling the manticore in his mind. "Such a hard-working person. I find myself wanting you more, Hiro-sama."

The voice then asked again. "Commander Rilu, are you there? Awaiting your orders." Rilu suddenly pressed the com button and spoke hurriedly. "Haven't I told you not to call me that in public? I am officially undercover Frank. Do not mistake calling me that when Hiro-sama is around do I make myself clear?"

"… Understood Rilu. Do you have anything else to suggest with our current arrangements?" asked her subordinate called Frank. The young woman replied in annoyance. "No, carry as you have just described. As planned, the rest of the devoted will isolate me and Hiro-sama.

"Take care to comb the area around the suspected territory of the manticore for traps. It may have enlisted the help of other monsters. We should arrive there in under an hour. Treat me like a newbie Frank, the next time you make a mistake will be your last."

With such a grave penalty for a single mistake, Frank quickly replied. "I will keep it in mind." Afterward, the magic stones lost their light and the voice was heard no more. Rilu then destroyed the small sensory shroud she wrapped around Hiro.

With over 900 points in AGI, when she wanted, Rilu could move nine times faster than normal. This allowed her to quickly set up the shroud without her travel buddy noticing. The artifact effectively turned the transmigrator blind and deaf, and was invisible if he didn't pay attention. The man effectively didn't hear a word about the conversation between Rilu and Frank.

Due to his carelessness, Hiro failed to learn about the plans to isolate him from Rilu, or the fact that she was the commander of the devoted. They avoided her not out of spite but fear. This was also the reason she could kill anyone of them without reprisal.

As they proceeded to the peak or the meeting area. The transmigrator continued to duel the beast in his mind. Using [Blade of Mitsurugi] he tweaked his realities bit by bit to formulate a good combination to exterminate the beast.

[Lonely is the sword] effectively became useless due to Rilu's presence. But it was not like he could tell her to suddenly leave him. Not when he learned of her sad background. Despite not being able to answer her feelings right now, he didn't want to push the woman away either.

After about forty minutes, Rilu and Hiro arrived at the peak and got off the sky carriage. The scene in front of them quickly became a memory the transmigrator would never want to see ever again.