Chapter 226: Dashing Through Seven Bouts From 6th Kyu to 1st Dan

Author's Preface
This is functionally one chapter's worth of content, but I really wanted to split the titles, so it's a double update today.

There is a mannequin in front of me.

"..............."

Equipped with only the bare minimum AI, it is an incredibly cheap mannequin compared to the ones in ShanFro. Permitted to move and fight exclusively within this cyber world, it holds a bamboo sword in a middle guard stance.

"...Alley-oop."

I lightly evaded its charge, hooked its leg as we passed each other, and tripped it. And then, a solid whack to the head.

"...Well, I guess according to the rules, that's a D Rank evaluation..."

There is a mannequin in front of me.

"..............."

Equipped with only the bare minimum AI, it is an incredibly cheap mannequin compared to the ones in ShanFro. Permitted to move and fight exclusively within this cyber world, it holds a bamboo sword in a high guard stance.

"...Alley-oop."

I lightly evaded its charge, hooked its leg as we passed each other, and tripped it. It didn't fall, so I slammed a roundhouse kick into it, and then, a solid whack to the head.

"...Well, I guess according to the rules, that's an E Rank evaluation..."

There is a mannequin in front of me.

"..............."

Equipped with only the bare minimum AI, it is an incredibly cheap mannequin compared to the ones in ShanFro. Permitted to move and fight exclusively within this cyber world, it holds a bamboo sword in a low guard stance.

"...Hah!"

I launched a thrust faster than its charge. It seemed the system judged it as an ongoing bout, so I hooked its leg while it was flinching to trip it, and then, a solid whack to the head.

"...F Rank is actually a thing, huh..."

There is a mannequin in front of me.

"..............."

Equipped with only the bare minimum AI, it is an incredibly cheap mannequin compared to the ones in ShanFro. Permitted to move and fight exclusively within this cyber world, it holds a bamboo sword in a middle guard stance.

"...Alley-oop."

I lightly evaded its charge, hooked its leg as we passed each other, and tripped it. Faster than the mannequin could fall, I swung the bamboo sword down onto the back of its head. The system apparently didn't like that, so I followed up with a solid whack to the head.

"I get it, I get it, I'll stop sweeping the legs! What the hell is a G Rank..."

There is a strong mannequin in front of me.

"..............."

Equipped with an AI that's slightly better than the bare minimum, it is still an incredibly cheap mannequin compared to the ones in ShanFro. Permitted to move and fight exclusively within this cyber world, it holds a bamboo sword in a high guard stance.

"...Oh."

I locked swords with its charge, kicked the mannequin in the stomach, and delivered a flashing strike to its torso while it flinched.

"So leg techniques are prohibited... Even still, an E Rank, huh."

There is a strong mannequin in front of me.

"..............."

Equipped with an AI that's slightly better than the bare minimum, it is still an incredibly cheap mannequin compared to the ones in ShanFro. Permitted to move and fight exclusively within this cyber world, it holds a bamboo sword in a high guard stance.

"...Oh."

I locked swords with its charge, kicked the mannequin in the stomach, and delivered a flashing strike to its torso while it flinched.

"So leg techniques are prohibited... Even still, an E Rank, huh."

There is a strong swordsman in front of me.

"So this is where the borderline is, as expected... However!"

The only thing I'm aiming for is the head of the secret boss. If that's the case, even this is just a passing point.

It was an E Rank.

Author's Afterword
How incredibly fun it is to climb the unknown.

Drop the gun, drop the gun.