Chapter 657: Even If They Are Gods, They Are Still Human; The Traces Where They Took Root Remain
The Eighth Layer. I'll dare to say it, the folks in Library... did something incredibly stupid.
The seventh layer is an upgraded version of the second... I certainly thought so when we reached it. But in reality, the correct understanding is that it's an upgraded version of the second layer specifically regarding 'information about monsters'. So what is the eighth layer? The answer is simple: a place where 'information about the civilization and culture of Divine Age humanity' is gathered... that's what it means.
『This is the wisdom of the Divine Age... the Behemoth's largest archival facility, storing the very footsteps of the humanity of the past who created you and entrusted the future to you.』
"For all that, it looks like there's a field clearly meant for combat right in the center, though?"
『Yes, because that is related to the exam content of this layer.』
I opened a file to test it out. Wow, it's a summary of the dietary habits of Divine Age humanity. Huh, they were actually eating better stuff towards the end... I see. As the total population decreases, the rations per person become more luxurious. Given the subject matter, ShanFro's aesthetic when it comes to ruin is truly on another level.
It's not just food culture. This one is a file about agricultural technology of the time... As expected of a game, each individual entry can be read in a minute or two, but the sheer number of them is overwhelming.
"So? I already told you that going to the ninth layer isn't our goal, right?"
『Yes, yes. I remember perfectly well. Andrew Jitterdoll's laboratory is indeed on this eighth layer. However, I will not show you the way. The information to reach the lab... Elma=317, surely you know it?』
"........."
『Let us return to the topic at hand. The condition to overcome this layer is to 'defeat the combat doll that appears in the central combat area using only the skills acquired from the flash memories present on this layer'. Which flash memory you choose to use is entirely up to your own free will... Sunraku, it seems you have already used a flash memory before.』
"Flash...? Ah, the Seiten Style."
So it literally means that thing that flashes to make you learn.
...
.........
............
"What is this place? It's a paradise."
"Ah, Bansai-shi, you came over here."
"Yeah, well... I felt like information regarding 'humans' was being intentionally omitted, so I decided to proceed forward... but man, seriously? If I don't let the others know about this, for some reason I feel like I'm going to end up being resented for it down the line. So if you'll excuse me, I'm logging out for a bit."
Seeing off Bansai-shi, who logged out almost immediately after arriving, I opened the next file. It seems this area has items somewhere that allow you to learn skills without leveling up, much like the Seiten Style secret manuals... but this is quite the formidable opponent.
Part of it is simply that there are too many items to browse, but it also seems like just looking up combat-related topics isn't enough.
Apparently, starting sometime during the Divine Age, the technique of utilizing the magic power of early-model devices to enhance one's own physical body became somewhat widespread among the general public.
Perhaps because of that, skill sets that are like boxing or like wrestling are at least decent, but among them are cooking skill sets or pseudo-yoga... Skills that are clearly dud pulls pop up every so often.
It would be a lie to say I'm not interested, but skills leaning towards existing sports are mostly designed for anti-human combat. In the world of ShanFro, the equation of 'strong enemy = huge enemy' applies to the vast majority of monsters. Even the Demon of Slaughter, which barely fit into the humanoid category, ended up turning into something absurd by the end, so aiming for the jaw or the liver is pointless.
If that's the case, the ideal setup is definitely mobility—a skill set that places heavy emphasis on mobility.
I felt an irresistible appeal towards the 'Gerald-Style Modified Tai Chi' that Rei-shi selected, but from what I read in the materials, it doesn't have great synergy with an AGI warrior. That's exactly the kind of style that shines when a frontline DPS class like Rei-shi fights bare-handed. The damage multiplier seemed low, but wasn't the armor penetration insane?
"Mobility, mobility... what kind of search terms would be related to mobility...?"
Gerald-Style Modified Tai Chi was filed under recreation for some reason, so I can't let my guard down. To put it mildly, I'm wishing I could just unleash about a hundred Library members here to organize the information for me, but about fifty of them would probably permanently settle down on the seventh layer anyway...
"Sunraku-san! Look at this, Sunraku-san! I found a flash memory meant for ninjas!!"
"Seriously? Whoa, you really did."
Ninja Arts: Scroll of Swift Thunder... T-This smells incredibly sketchy.
"Where was it?"
"It was in the entertainment section!"
I-Incredibly sketchy!!
When I looked into it, it turned out to be a mobility-based skill set predicated on throwing items. It pisses me off that it actually meets my needs fairly well despite being so sketchy.
I'll look into it a bit more, but if I don't find anything good, I'll have no choice but to pick Ninja Arts too. Feeling an odd sense of tension for some reason, I repeated the process of opening files and skimming through them.
Hmm, I searched through the medical section but didn't find anything good. No, wait. The skill sets registered in the flash memories, despite having different purposes, all share the premise of 'being used within that specific category'. If that's the case, I should think about 'where would the mobility I'm looking for be used' as an analogy.
It's not in the combat section. The styles there are mostly focused on how to efficiently deal damage to Genesis Beast forces... So how about dodging? A category predicated on evading?
"...Like dodgeball?"
No way there'd actually be something like... Oh, there is.
Seriously? A martial art focused primarily on evasion, inspired by dodgeball? Assuming a situation where one is sandwiched from the front and back, it incorporates evasion, catching, and even threat attenuation at the cost of sacrificing oneself... This is good. This is really good! The best part is that the skills you can learn are mainly mobility-based! This is leagues better than Ninja Arts!!
"This is it. I'll go with this. Let's see, the name is... Maxell Dodge Arts, huh."
Nice. Right up my alley.
Things moved quickly from there. I inserted the martial arts style I brought into the flash memory equipment located in the central combat area and burned it into my brain through my retinas.
"You can learn four right from the start...? I bet some people would try to spam-learn skills here."
『I do not highly recommend it, but that is certainly one of the options.』
"And the reason you don't recommend it?"
『The skill system of the Second Humanity species has a limit, depending on one's level. While installing skills via flash memory is a quick method, they lack expandability, and there is the demerit that it obstructs the growth of experience-acquisition-type skills.』
"So there are pros and cons to it."
『Flash memory skills that possess expandability, like the Seiten Style, are surprisingly valuable.』
"Hmm."
Opening my status window to check the four skills I had just learned, I watched Rei-shi send the combat doll flying with a palm strike inside the colosseum.
Anyway, the ones I learned are...
・Multiple Circular Motion
・Spiral Securing Behavior
・Secondary Defense Behavior
・Relative Three-Dimensional Motion
These four, huh.
They're a bit quirky, but they have potential. The rest is just figuring out how to utilize that potential... I guess having no attack skills is just part of its charm.
"The restriction is only on skills, right?"
Which means there's no problem at all if I just punch it without using skills. After confirming that Rei-shi had landed the finishing blow on her combat doll and exited the colosseum, and verifying that the other person on this layer—Akitsu Akane—
didn't intend to challenge the colosseum yet, I stepped inside.
"Now then... Hm? Hey, can I ask you one thing, 'Ivory'?"
『As long as it is within the bounds of what I can answer.』
"That combat doll..."
Compared directly it's a completely dissimilar mannequin knock-off, but its oddly feminine silhouette and ball joints... No, could it be? Actually, it definitely has to be...
『Yes. It utilizes the Conquering Doll system from the prototype phase, prior to formal mass production. Adequately strong, adequately weak; it was just right for conducting this exam.』
"You really... if you don't fix that side of yourself, you're going to end up being treated as the final boss someday."
Ah, what the hell are we supposed to do now? Our Saina's expression has clouded over completely.
Author's Afterword
・Maxell Dodge Arts
A type of martial art devised by the Divine Age human Maxell Portman that places a heavy emphasis on survivability. Inspired by dodgeball, it pursues the ultimate form of evasive maneuvers assuming a situation where one is sandwiched by enemies from the front and back, as well as a passive approach to enemy attacks.
Since it is fundamentally a skill set predicated on forming a team with "multiple people", solo application is not impossible, but it is not its original intended use.
・Ninja Arts: Scroll of Swift Thunder
An entertainment motion instruction manual authored by Mr. Ninjaman (pen name). It is strictly predicated on being used for things like hero shows for entertainment purposes, but if the theatrical props are swapped out for real weapons, it is possible to repurpose it as a combat technique.
Its greatest characteristic is not its flashy appearance... but rather its comprehensive recovery techniques, such as breakfalls, in the event of unforeseen circumstances. If you want the masses to enjoy themselves with peace of mind, the performer themselves must prioritize their own safety above all else.
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