Equivalent of

Even in swordsmanship, skills-imbued attack can increase speed, accuracy, and strength, as well as many other additional effects that can enhance effectiveness and overall damage over that of a normal attack.

To do this, one must pay a certain number of MP. In other cases, other factors are required, namely meeting the criteria and requirements of the unique skill itself. But as a whole, MP or mana is the source of almost everything.

Nevertheless, mastery of a skill and someone's abilities—in martial art or magic in general—play a crucial role in the application of skills in a real fight.

For example, 「Quick Slash!」 is essentially a passive-type one-handed sword skill, with an effect of shortening the attack intervals of one/two-handed swords. This single slash almost hit Anubis, if not for him realizing a mana materialization of such forms in a mere second, he might have been hit by the attack.

Then, 「Trigger Slash!」 puts power while slashing, enhances Attack MP Recovery for a short period, and quickens motion speeds by the skill. As a result, Anubis does notice the significant increase in Kiritwo's speed and maneuverability, forcing him to be more serious about evading the attacks.

While it's still unclear how much damage Kiritwo can inflict on him, it's safer not to take unnecessary steps. For now, Anubis prioritizes securing a level up above all else.

Anubis is quite certain he heard Kiritwo shout, is it some kind of unique skill or maybe a secret technique? He himself couldn't answer it, but thanks to that, his wariness and anticipation would increase.

However…

"Urhyaa... hyah... hyah!" With dramatic flair, Kiritwo executed a mid-level slash with his right sword, followed by a momentary thrust with the left—right, left, and right again. "Ughyaah!"

Impressive, really, to see how Kiritwo is putting up a different kind of resistance. He attacks while maintaining enough distance for his sword swings to reach Anubis. His agility proves how one's stats plays a significant role in excelling in a specific aspect.

Kiritwo's growth is undeniable. However, Anubis wonders if there's more to it than meets the eye. While some of Kiritwo's attacks have displayed increased power and speed, they seem to be temporary, lasting only for brief moments.

"Your strikes are all over the place. Were you intentionally shouting to disrupt my focus?" Curious, Anubis decides to ask directly, even though he knows he won't get an answer.

True enough, Anubis was met with two successive strikes from unexpected angles. Although he can still dodge them. Anubis not only leaps but also propels his body using the wings still present on his back.

"Or do you plan any hidden intentions?" Anubis continues, considering some other possibilities.

"I simply got carried away in the moment." There was no way Kiritwo would admit it just like that. Besides, even if he did reveal it, would this vampire truly comprehend their predicament? Regardless—"Hmp, like hell I'll tell you," he sneered even more.

That one was quite embarrassing, but it doesn't mean he came all this way without any plan at hand.

Approaching the momentum he had been building from the beginning, the bitter smile on his face changed.

His sword's hissing sound and green gleam, once again—"「Quick Slash!」," he proudly shouted. It failed. Anubis still managed to dodge his super-fast slash. "Ck, but that's not a problem," he thought in silence.

The next move would be decisive. Kiritwo mustn't botch it, or the opportunity he had prepared would go to waste. With that in mind, Kiritwo began to string together a rapid series of motions.

Utilizing the after-effect of 「Quick Slash!」, Kiritwo seamlessly transitioned it to 「Astute!」. His other sword descended from above in a swift vertical slash, successfully—not in terms of dealing damage—but leading Anubis to his own demise.

As soon as Anubis recognized that Kiritwo was about to use skills, he instinctively leaped backward. Close-range combat, particularly martial arts, proved to be a weakness for the now low-level Anubis, leaving him with a handful of options.

Anubis managed to evade Kiritwo's maneuver, retreating just as he typically would. However, this time, he unintentionally backed himself into a tree. As he attempted to regain his focus, he realized that Kiritwo had already initiated the next attack.

With a graceful leap and a mid-air twist, Kiritwo left behind a trail of swirling orange sparks. "「Hard Hit!」," he declared. A powerful horizontal slash swiftly aimed to sever Anubis' motionless neck.

With a crisp sound, orange sparks scattered as the blade made contact with a surface. The gleaming blade trembled as Kiritwo tried to retrieve it, but it was lodged quite deep into the tree's trunk.

Meanwhile, just a few inches away, the delicate neck of the vampire remained untouched.

Still unsure of what was happening, Kiritwo could only gape.

Anubis was still standing in the same spot, tilting his head calmly to avoid decapitation. "You humans are too easily satisfied," he muttered, his gaze locked firmly.

"U-ugh, you think you've won, HUH?!" Giving up on reclaiming the sword in his right hand, Kiritwo still had one in his other hand. He pushed it far back, ready to thrust it straight.

Thanks to the earlier combo, Kiritwo still had a buff that increased his instant damage and Critical Rate. With this distance, maybe… A gust of wind blew, emanating from his left-handed sword, now glowing blue. With a grim expression, he shouted, "「Spiral Air!」"—or that's the skill he was about to unleash.

Was it because he didn't take his stares off the vampire's crimson eyes, why did this thrust miss? Moreover... upon realizing it, he couldn't even penetrate the wooden trunk that served as Anubis' support. His attack was incredibly weak, devoid of any substantial strength.

"Have you realized it, human?"

Anubis acknowledged Kiritwo's abilities: his speed, agility, and fighting style—all giving the impression of a refreshing fight after all. It was easy for him to read the enemy's plan, in fact, he intentionally played the role until now.

Stamina and mana management, one important thing that Kiritwo didn't factor in. Doing dozens of slashes and different one-handed sword skills in close succession was wasteful.

Yes, it certainly could be a deadly combo if done correctly, but the fight earlier looked downright silly.

"You didn't pay attention to your own status," Anubis calmly stated, his form indicating he was ready to make a move. "Or perhaps, this situation was part of your completely different plan?"

Starburst Stream—that was still lingering on Anubis' mind. He was curious about the meaning of the earlier shout and tried to reassure it. And, of course, he didn't get an answer.

It didn't matter at all.

One second later, Anubis' clenched fist had landed on Kiritwo's stomach, lifting both of his legs off the ground. The two swords he held were released, the pain seemed to force him to vomit, but nothing came out except for a suffocation in his throat.

In retaliation for successfully "cornering" him, Anubis kicked Kiritwo hard, sending his body flying and dragged across the ground far behind. "Oh, my damage has increased," he said in a still straight legs style, not yet back to the ground.

Well, Anubis had leveled up, and with it came a natural increase in his personal stats

After being forcefully pushed far back, leaving a mark on the ground, Kiritwo tries hard to stand on his feet. "Cough... cough." He already suspected that mimicking moves he had read in novels wouldn't work well on the first attempt. "But... to think that he's using my own plan to stop what is mine," he grumbled.

The outcome might have been different if he had someone who could be a distraction. Looking to the side, not far from him, BokuNoPic is still sitting there helplessly, with scattered potion bottles starting to disappear into pixelated light.

He was about to ask, "What in the hell are you doing?" but upon seeing the tears on his comrade's face, he refrains from doing so. The cause is evident—BokuNoPic's health bar cannot be saved. When Kiritwo looks at it, it's already on the brink of emptiness, one more tick and—

"Hm, it took longer than expected," Anubis remarks.

[Base Exp+480%]

[!] Base Level-UP: 8 » 13

<Attribute Stats Adjusted>

[Class Exp+240%]

[!] Class Level-UP: 4 » 6

<Skill Point+2>

_

"Bleed+ can only be cured using Antidote+, or you can cast protection spell for negative effect beforehand. That's basic knowledge in full raid, you know?"

Simultaneously with the disappearance of his comrade's avatar, Anubis's remarks reached his ears. His face was forced to turn towards the direction from which Anubis was calmly approaching. At the same time, various other meanings began to creep into his consciousness. "You... d-don't tell me..."