Chapter 678

"Compared to verbal explanation, actually letting you experience it once is more direct."

Broly spoke and bent down to pick up two pebbles from the ground, handing them to Bell and Liliruca respectively.

"Now, you each use your full strength to throw the pebbles in your hands at the trunk of that tree over there."

Broly pointed at the big tree transplanted to the faction residence and said.

"Yes."

Bell and Lili responded, and threw the pebbles in their hands with force.

Only two *tap tap* sounds were heard, and the tree trunk was hit.

And due to the difference in their force, varying degrees of damage appeared on the bark.

"This is the pure difference in basic ability values."

Broly picked up a wooden stick and pointed at the parts of the tree trunk hit by the two people's pebbles.

"Bell, your strength is greater than Lili's, so the pebble you threw causes a greater destructive effect than the pebble Lili threw.

And now, you follow my guidance and throw the pebbles once more. Bell, you go first. First, swing your arm widely, imagine your arm is a whip.

Not only must the shoulder exert force, the waist and hips must also exert force accordingly. When throwing the pebble, condense your whole body's power into the fingertips throwing the pebble..."

Broly demonstrated the movements, Bell imitated them, and was corrected by Broly. After the movements were mostly corrected and the force exertion techniques mostly explained.

"Pfft—"

The pebble thrown again by the white-haired youth this time did not bounce off when hitting the tree trunk, but directly sank into the trunk.

The struck spot not only broke the bark, but also formed a dent. Whether penetrating power or destructive power, both increased a great deal.

"This was done by me?"

Bell was somewhat in disbelief.

"Although not perfect, it already counts as not bad. This is the simple strength increase brought by technique, the most direct way to get stronger.

Alright, Lili, you come over and feel the charm of technique too. Relax your body, follow my movements."

Broly stepped forward, pressed close to the Pallum girl from behind, and guided the Pallum girl through the force exertion movements.

"Broly-san, isn't this a bit biased?"

After the pebble was thrown out, causing a greater destructive effect than the pebble he himself had thrown, Bell also looked over with some regret.

"Why when you taught me, you only gave verbal instruction and corrected my movements with a wooden stick, but when you teach Miss Ede, it's hand-in-hand teaching?"

"Bell, if you could also become the same build and size as Lili, then I could also teach you hand-in-hand."

Bell looked at himself, then looked at the Pallum girl over there, compared their builds, and could only helplessly accept this result of differential treatment based on existence.

"Alright, now that you understand the function of force exertion technique, next I will teach you how to integrate these techniques into your daily combat behavior."

"Oh!"

Bell was very excited. Liliruca had some doubts, like an elementary student raising her hand: "But Broly-san, I use crossbow bolts. Learning these techniques seems useless. After all, loading the crossbow with bolts a few more times can't increase the crossbow's own power, right?"

"Yes, so Lili, you must change your combat style. For example, practice sword, or practice throwing-type combat skills."

Broly nodded, drew Fire Joy from his waist and handed it over. This sword was forged by Hephaestus according to his build, and he and Liliruca were about the same size, so when the Pallum girl took it in hand, it appeared very handy.

"But I've never fought with a sword."

Liliruca was a bit bewildered.

"No matter. I can teach you swordsmanship from the beginning, guaranteed to let you get started in a short time."

Broly has no lack of teaching experience. As long as someone knows how to swing a wooden stick, he has confidence to let them go from nothing to rapidly mastering some of the swordsmanship he knows.

"Miss Ede, Broly-san is amazing. My swordsmanship was also taught by him."

Bell testified from the side, increasing the Pallum girl's confidence in learning sword.

"Hmph-ha, ha-ya..."

In the front yard of the Hestia Familia headquarters, the sound of the Pallum girl and white-haired youth exhaling from their chests due to the movements naturally emerging from their throats soon rang out as they swung swords with full force using force exertion technique.

In one morning, the Saiyan used his own experience and judgment to guide the two in continuously swinging various angles of sword techniques that could exert power to the extreme.

By noon, Liliruca, as a swordsmanship newbie, could already perform the four basic attack sword technique movements — thrust, chop, point, and lift — with decent form.

If she also learns the defensive basic sword techniques — parry, cloud, and bind — and can use them proficiently, then she is a qualified Six-Faced World Beginner Swordsman.

Such progress speed is extremely rapid. One aspect is due to ability values providing sufficient basic ability numbers; the other aspect is having him, this swordsmanship teacher, teaching hand-in-hand.

However, the Pallum girl's progress speed compared to Bell can only be called barely satisfactory. The effect of single-minded admiration is terrifying. In just one morning of sword practice, Bell's swordsmanship level went from Beginner to Intermediate.

And not just ordinary Intermediate level, but developing toward Advanced Swordsman level. Although practicing attack sword techniques, defense may still not be too good, but calling the youth a Sword God Style Intermediate Swordsman already has no issue.

"Good, both practiced about enough. Can stop now."

Broly's words made the two, covered in sweat and somewhat tired, stop their sword swinging movements.

"I never thought just swinging a sword in the air would be this tiring."

Bell collapsed into a sitting position.

"Should get a Physical Recovery Potion."

Liliruca agreed.

"Broly-san, how do you think we practiced?"

The white-haired youth asked the boy.

"For Lili, attack swordsmanship counts as entry-level.

As for you, you went from Beginner to Intermediate, and are about to touch the threshold of Advanced Swordsmanship."

Broly gave his evaluation.

"Uh, meaning I've already become powerful?"

"Theoretically you can say that, but actually it depends on on-the-spot application of technique."

"Then shall we go to the Dungeon this afternoon to try out the sword?"

Bell was eager to try.

"Actual combat sparring is definitely necessary, but not this afternoon. You've only grasped the basics of some offensive swordsmanship; defensive swordsmanship and the like haven't improved at all.

And whether a Swordsman is powerful or not depends either on the strongest aspect of their swordsmanship, or on the weakest aspect of their swordsmanship."

"Uh, Broly-san, your words have me a bit confused. Does a Swordsman's power ultimately depend on the strongest aspect of their swordsmanship, or on the weakest aspect?"

A look of puzzlement appeared on Bell's face.

"Swordsmanship has strongest and weakest aspects too?"

Liliruca, on the other hand, looked somewhat blank.

"Swordsmanship can be broadly divided into offensive swordsmanship (Sword God Style) and defensive swordsmanship (Water God Style). Since each practitioner's focus differs, strongest and weakest aspects arise.

What I mean by taking the strongest aspect only requires satisfying one condition: that the strongest aspect can cover the weakest aspect, preventing the enemy from killing you because of your weakest aspect.

For example, if your strongest aspect is offensive swordsmanship, and you can achieve the extreme of offense, finishing the enemy's life a step ahead before they can harm you, Bell, do you think you would still need defense?"

Hearing the boy's question, Bell thought for a moment, then shook his head and answered: "Probably not."

"This is the strongest aspect of offense covering the weakest aspect of defense. But in actual battle, we cannot predict the strength of the opponents we encounter; they certainly won't all be enemies we can finish off a step ahead.

Perhaps, due to insufficient grasp of information on the opponent, a situation will arise where the enemy isn't killed by us and is able to counterattack us.

And at that time, whether we can preserve our own lives depends on whether the weakest aspect of our swordsmanship can resist the enemy's counterattack methods aimed at killing us."

Hearing this, Bell's eyes widened, he thought of something, and asked: "Broly-san, are you referring to that battle where you subjugated Goliath?!"

"Uh, that counts as a typical lesson too."

"What are you talking about?"

Liliruca was somewhat confused.

"Broly-san, can I tell Arde-san about this?"

"Of course."

"Arde-san, let me tell you, Broly-san he..."

After obtaining permission, Bell narrated the process of the boy's subjugation battle against the Floor Boss (Solo Kill) that he had witnessed with his own eyes on his first Dungeon dive.

"At that time, Broly-san forcibly used extreme offensive swordsmanship to beat that Floor Boss until it had no power to fight back..."

Listening to Bell's description, divine light of varying colors flashed continuously in Liliruca's eyes, as if she could imagine that scene.

"But due to insufficient information, the Floor Boss whose head was cut off could still move, and Broly-san took a punch..."

"Ah—"

The Pallum girl exclaimed.

"Of course, Broly-san was fine. He blocked the fatal blow and ultimately completed the subjugation of the Floor Boss."

After Bell finished narrating the story to Liliruca, he looked at the boy: "Broly-san, I understand your meaning. You're telling us that swordsmanship shouldn't only train offense; defense must be trained together too, right?"

"That's the meaning."

"Then when do we train defensive swordsmanship?"

"After eating lunch, in the afternoon.

However, in the afternoon I have to go out for a trip, so I can only teach you two hand-in-hand a few times.

And before I return, you two can only practice on your own."

"I suppose the people being taught hand-in-hand shouldn't include me, right."

Bell retorted/complained.

"Your aptitude is not bad; you don't need to be taught like that."

"Broly-san, can I take those words as praise for me?"

"It is praise originally; no need to 'take it as'."

"So I, who needs hand-in-hand teaching, actually have very poor swordsmanship aptitude?"

Liliruca asked.

"Uh, Lili, your swordsmanship talent is indeed a bit worse compared to Bell's, but as long as you work hard, there's still no problem. At least, reaching Upper Swordsman level is absolutely no problem; I can guarantee you that."

In the Six-Faced World, a Saint-ranked Swordsman is a hurdle, but an Upper Swordsman is not a hurdle. Even an Ordinary Person, as long as they are willing to put in hard effort and sweat, continuously stacking their swordsmanship experience, will eventually be able to say: 'My swordsmanship is merely a matter of practiced hand.'

Liliruca: "..."

A morning of sword practice went very smoothly, letting her mistakenly believe that she actually had talent in the aspect of swordsmanship.

But looking at it now, it seems it wasn't that she was powerful, but that Broly, who taught her, was powerful.

The Pallum girl sighed, as if the matter of her having no combat talent was something she should have realized long ago.

"Then Broly-san, if I master the Upper Swordsmanship you speak of, just how powerful can I become?"

However, Liliruca was still somewhat curious about the strength she could reach, so she asked.

"How powerful... I find it hard to give a specific answer, because actual combat often cannot be simply quantified and compared.

However, as long as you can fight normally, with a decent-looking sword in hand, opponents of the level of that Tanuki person who bullied you yesterday — a frontal one-versus-three should be no problem."

"Eh, me, a Lv. 1 Supporter with pitifully low Ability values, beating three Lv. 2 Adventurers with not-low Ability values, like Kanu — Broly-san, you're not joking with me, are you?"

The Pallum girl's eyes widened.

"What's there to be surprised about, Arde-san? When Broly-san was Lv. 1, fighting Dungeon Lv. 2 monsters, it was the same — casually fighting, one versus a whole herd, and even able to protect me, who wasn't a Familia member yet and was just an Ordinary Person at the time."

Bell felt this was very normal.

"Huh?!"

Liliruca showed a curious look wanting to hear the story, and Bell also had an expression of wanting to share the story.

"Stop. Bell, you want to flatter me, I have no objection, but right now we should go eat.

After eating, teaching you defensive swordsmanship, I still have to go out and meet up with Lady Hestia."

"Then Broly-san, are we going out to eat, or eating inside the Familia Residence?"

"Let's go eat out. I know a decent small restaurant nearby."

The three went outside and had a hearty meal. After returning, Broly taught Lili the basics of his modified Water God Style swordsmanship hand-in-hand several times.

Bell observed from the side a few times. Once he confirmed both could perform the basic Water God Style forms, Broly left.

At the fried potato ball shop, he met up with Hestia, who had taken the afternoon off. One goddess, one person — they went to the base of a certain Familia that ran an intelligence business and claimed absolute neutrality.

"Well, well, a rare visitor. Hestia, you actually came to visit me of your own accord."

A blond god who looked somewhat frivolous, upon seeing the Loli Goddess push the door and enter, let out a feigned surprised sound.

"If I had nothing to do, who would want to visit a guy like you who's always peeping on other goddesses bathing in Heaven?!"

"Hey now, Hestia. Peeping is a man's romance. And isn't a goddess who can be peeped on proof of her enormous charm?"

"Sophistry."

"Alright, but I recall I never peeped on you when I was in Heaven, right?!"

"Hey, Hermes, you looking for a fight?!"

This was the greeting of two old Heaven acquaintances. Hermes, dressed like Robin Hood, hurriedly raised his hands in surrender.

"Fine, I give. So, Hestia, what brings you here so suddenly?"

"Your Familia is the best information broker in Orario. We have some intelligence we want to commission your children to investigate."

Hestia stated her purpose directly, without beating around the bush.

"Eh, so it's business walking in the door."

"No, what's with that surprised expression of yours?"

"Ah, I thought you came to borrow money from me."

Hearing that, Hestia wore a face full of question marks.

"After all, ever since you came down to Orario, you've been eating and drinking freely at Hephaestus's place, living a shut-in god life just like in Heaven.

In the end, Hephaestus, unable to bear your laziness, kicked you out of her Familia. And for a long time after that, you couldn't find any children willing to join your (penniless) Familia. This was quite the talk at the last Divine Council."

Hermes talked on and on.

"Ah, was it that bastard Loki spreading bad rumors about me?"

Hestia got a bit red-hot with anger.

"Yeah, Loki was the most enthusiastic about it."

"Ah, that bastard Loki. Sooner or later I'll make her pay."

Hestia was somewhat furious, then pointed at the boy who had followed her in.

"My hardship is a thing of the past. Now I possess the most, most excellent child in Orario — no, in the whole world (Lower World). His name is Broly. Hermes, you remember that. You might need to help spread his name in the future."

Hermes glanced at the boy and nodded. "Got it. If your child truly becomes someone remarkable, I don't mind helping publicize his renown. Now then, let's talk about the actual business (commission)."

"We want to commission your Familia members to help investigate the situation regarding Soma Familia members."

"Eh, investigate another Familia's members? What do you want to investigate that for?"

Hermes was somewhat surprised.

"I took in a child from Soma Familia. She suffered long-term bullying and exploitation inside Soma Familia. We want to stand up for her."

Hestia explained concisely.

"Interfering in another Familia's affairs can trigger conflict and retaliation. Soma Familia aren't a bunch of pushovers."

"I know that, but you don't need to worry about it. Just give me the specific quote."

"Asfi..."

Hermes didn't quote directly, but shouted toward the outside.

"Lord Hermes, what are your orders?"

Soon, a woman with pale blue hair, wearing rimmed glasses, yet with visibly heavy dark circles underneath, walked in and asked.

"There's an intelligence job here. Need you to appraise it..."

Hermes explained the situation.

"Soma Familia, a production Familia. Highest member level doesn't exceed Lv. 2. But I don't know which aspect of intelligence Lady Hestia wants investigated?"

"Regarding member character, and what position in the food chain they occupy within Soma Familia."

To make a move on Soma Familia (non-destructive defeat), we need to know who inside needs dealing with and who can be won over.

Although Liliruca provided some internal member intelligence, Soma Familia's official members (those with Falna) and unofficial members (those without Falna) combined total nearly a thousand. The Pallum girl couldn't possibly grasp everyone's situation. That is why they came to issue an intelligence investigation commission.

(Chapter End)