Yukari. I need you to do something for me.

　During our return from the Metio dungeon, when Yukari and I were the only ones left waiting for Anko's transition, I spoke to Yukari upfront, saying that it was a big job.

　Yukari pauses for a beat with a surprising look on her face and opens her mouth.

'If your master is that serious, it must be an extraordinarily big job for you.

　It's just that I've known him for a long time. You get the idea.


I want you to see this guy.
This is .......

　I took out a sword from my inventory.

The Nanayureikan - 0k4NN (Okan)'s alter ego.

　It's not just a matter of time before you're on the verge of decay, but also an eerie red-black glow.


"I need you to repair it. Do what you can. I'll spare you the expense.
...... It's a very strange material. I've never heard of it, let alone seen it. To be honest, I have no idea how to fix it.
The materials are probably tama-hagane and scarlet gold. If you have the materials, it will take some time, but you can repair them with your blacksmithing skills.

''Scarlet Gold can be obtained at the far end of the cave with an entrance in the cliffs on the east side of Sword Eight Island. If you can't get it at the market, I'll go and mine it for you, no problem.
...... After all this time, how could your master know such information that could upset common sense as a matter of course?
'Maybe if someone else knew about it, it would be too difficult to capture,'

　As I recall, all the demons in there are at the A grade level. The guys on that island wouldn't be able to handle it ...... unless you're a player like 0k4NN (・・・・・).

'That's not the point, but ...... well, hush now. What are your priorities, sir?
First place. The time limit is until the Summer Vaisnava Tournament.

　At the end of the meeting, Yukari nodded with a scowl as I held up one finger and said.

''Then let's fix it up and take a look at it in the meantime. In the name of the world's number one blacksmith.





　The next morning.
　As planned, Silvia and Eco's training starts today.

　There are only about five months left until the summer title game begins. It's a good thing that you're able to get a good idea of what you're doing.

It's a nice day!
Duh!

　The two of them seem to be in high spirits. Sylvia has mastered the 【Body Technique】 and Eco has mastered the 【Ax Technique】, her skill ranks have all been raised to a higher level using the experience that she has accumulated up to now, and her status has been raised to a high level. The only thing left to do is to train in interpersonal combat, and finally, the next time is to capture the Kisenshou and Kongo. It's truly a promising prospect.


　However, the title fight is not so easy.

　If things continue as they are, they will lose for sure. I can assure you that we will lose. Even that old trashy bastard will beat me.

　The huge wall of experience gap still rises and falls.


"Sylvia. If you were to use infantry archery to aim a rock thrown up in the sky, how many shots out of a hundred would you miss?
Mmm. I do basic training every day. I don't think I'll miss a shot.
'It's a matter of course (...), it's not. It's about the numbers.
Figures?
''Infantry archery's hit rate is 99% at the ninth level, and with the DEX correction, the current Sylvia would have a hit rate of about 99.67%.
...... umm. Well, yeah. Regardless of what I'm aiming for, I might miss at least one shot out of a hundred.
'Yes. And there's a chance of pulling 0.33% in a shot here and there. Be sure to keep that in mind.
Yes, sir.

　Eliminating technical errors is a given. The basics are a given; PvP is not a game where you can get by on the basics alone.

　You have to constantly think about how to deal with the numbers. Mainly about when things go from bad to worse. That countermeasure is the basis (...). Fulfilling all the determinants, worrying about all the uncertainties, and filling in the gaps of our own gaps beforehand. This is the basic idea that is built on a solid foundation.

Never underestimate your opponent. Never underestimate your opponent. If you fall into it before you get into it, it's over in a flash.
Yes.
'I'm sure the Rock 'n' Chair will be better equipped. We can assume that he's many times stronger than before. We'll make as many plans for that as we can.
'Strategies?　Is that an operation!
Yeah, yeah, I've got a plan.
'Oh!'

　Ecology is "making it hard! He's enthusiastic about it. He's in a very good mood, if he thinks the measures are a relative of the operation or something.


　Now, when I've finished giving them both a heads-up, it's good to go.

"Well, let's get on with it and learn the rules.

　The real story.

　Over the next few months, the two of them will be carving the "definite mark" into their bodies in a way that is almost unbearable.

It may sound simple enough to say "memorize the mark", but it's a hell of a lot simpler to say .......

　I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to make your life easier and more enjoyable. You must be tempted to throw it all away along the way, seriously thinking, "I'd rather not learn a fixed trail. Even so, it is a thorny path that we must move forward one step at a time.

　The two of them, unaware of this fact yet, were listening to me with motivated faces.

'First of all, Sylvia. Before we can learn the set marks, we have a problem.
"Mm.
"My initial move, an infantry archery move, is met with something by my opponent. How many different patterns do you see when we respond with something?
Hm?　Let's see, ...... infantry to Dragon King, and then nine different ones, and then I'll return it in nine different ones, so ...... nine by nine, which is eighty-one ways.
'Correct. Then how many ways can they respond to that with something?
Eighty-one times nine, seven hundred and twenty-nine ways.

　Simple multiplication. Sylvia seems to wonder why she was given such a simple question.


'With some exaggeration, a fixed trail is one that overcomes these choices.

............ no way.


　With my words, Sylvia realizes something.


"If the exchange lasted eleven moves, the largest possible pattern is ...... about 340 million ways.

What...?


　In reality, this kind of number wouldn't be possible.

　Responding to the 《Infantry Archery》 with the 《Long King Archery》 was impossible since they couldn't prepare in time to begin with.

　There are at most three possible (・・・・) options. In the case of the opponent, there are at most three ways.

　But even so, ...... eleven moves, three to the tenth power, that's about 59,000 moves.

　And if you're a twenty-one move, there are ...... exactly three hundred and forty-four billion ways to play the game.


Do you remember all of them at ......?

　Sylvia said with a shiver. 'This guy's a bit misunderstood.


'It's the other way around. It's impossible to remember. That's why we use a definite trail.'
Reverse?
'Oh yeah. You can think of a fixed point of reference in combat as a way of not having to think about (・・・・・・・) the billions and billions of options that you can't think about every single time.
Well, wait. I'm not sure.
You know. Remember. What do you think about during a match?
'What are you thinking about ......?　Hmmm, maybe anticipating the other person's response, or how to respond to that to get them in trouble.
Well, I suppose most of them do. In fact, there are times when that kind of thinking is necessary. Especially at the end of the day.
What the hell does that have to do with a fixed point?

'If we don't have to think about every single thing, we can move that much quicker, right?　A fixed trail is a strategy to get all those huge thoughts done before the matchup starts.

!
Operation!


　Yes, a fixed trail is a fine operation.

　Thinking during combat is certainly a necessary part of it. However, the more you try to anticipate the future, the more time you will inevitably spend thinking because, as I said earlier, the patterns will spread out in large numbers like a tree diagram.

　So why not know some of the patterns before the match starts, instead of in the middle of the match already?　This is a set of rules.

　Study and learn the best of every case beforehand. It's no exaggeration to say that there is no faster way to do things.

"Hey, wait a minute, Mister Second!　Now, the gain has gone, but at the end of the day, doesn't that mean we have to remember all those billions of options!
'No, no. A fixed trail is a series of best (・・・・・・). It's a series of demanding the best from your opponent. When your opponent goes off the beaten path, that's where the split ends. So it's not a number in the hundreds of millions. Roughly, yes, there are probably thousands or tens of thousands of ways.
'Mm, well, thousands to tens of thousands, that's a lot of ......!　It's still a lot!

　It'll feel that way at first.

That's okay. You can think of it in ten ways. It's just that there are so many of them.
Still, we have to learn, don't we?　Can I remember: ......
It's surprisingly easy to remember, these. As long as you know exactly what each one means.

　Although the two of them are now advanced in status, they are still beginners at fighting against others. Hence, you can slowly learn from dozens of high road patterns at first.


　...... Well, if that's all you do, it's just a matter of memory. With these two, there's nothing to worry about.

"Mmm ...... Compared to memorizing a few hundred million different ways, it's a little more realistic.
'Pow!　I can't remember how to do it!

　Just don't get one thing wrong--


Don't worry, a**h*le. You're not done with me.

What?
"Huh?


　-- whether or not you remember it and whether or not you can actually use it are two separate issues.


'A fixed trail is just one way to cut down on your thinking time. The most important part of it is whether you can make it your own (...) as if you were breathing. When it comes to the real game, it's no good if you're thinking, "Well, I'm pretty sure that's how the fixed trajectory is, so here's this and here's ....... This is how it should be done!　And if you can't move instantly, unconsciously, reflexively, I can't talk about it.


　In other words, you have to rebuild your entire fighting style. That's what it means to learn a set trail.

　You have to forget everything you've learned, and learn a higher skill from scratch that you can't do well at all.

　It's a task that can be described as killing oneself.


　That's why it's hard work. You will struggle. Literally, to the point of death.

　Still, those who persevere, persevere, persevere, and persevere until the very end of ...... are the ones who will receive the benefits of the Greatest Settlers.


Is that what you mean by ......?

I told you. Training for hell.


　Here we go.

　Are you looking forward to it?　The summer title game.