New Game Plus! ~The Struggles of a Popular VRMMO Livestreamer~ Chapter 25

Chapter 25: The Truth Behind Moon Step

 

 

As the Clan Master of「Grave Carpenters」, Chrono formed his clan by gathering players who had absolute confident in their own abilities.

After meeting those requirements, you would then have a PvP match versus a clan member, and based on the results you would be accepted or rejected from the clan.

 

The clan member who Aran fought against was none other than the Clan Master Chrono.
The reason for this was because Chrono himself desired to have a match against Aran who, at the time, had made a name for himself at PvP.

 

Chrono had picked the all-rounder class of Fighter, and his balanced playstyle of using a one-handed sword together with a small shield made his strong in both offense and defense. Despite his muscular build, he was able to perform unbelievable delicate and precise movements. With these weapons in his arsenal he was a proud warrior who was undefeated even after 100 matches.

However, after his PvP match with Aran, he suddenly quit livestreaming.
Aran with his Moon Step, he was easily able to break Chrono’s undefeated win-streak.

 

「Chrono…… san?」

「That Chrono-san is going to assist us?」(Suzu)

 

Edgar gave a slight nod.

 

「I left that clan quite some time ago, and my character’s name is different from the one I used in the past, so I wasn’t sure he would respond. But, it looks like he will provide us with the ingredients」
「Really!? Oh, thank goodness……」

 

A look of relief spread across Suzu’s face.

Because when Edgar sent Chrono that message, he was 100% sure Chrono would lend them his strength. The reason why was because Edgar had cast his bait.
The thing that caused Chrono to taste defeat; the bait known as「Moon Step」.

 

「Considering the portion that Usa will bring us, I think we should have enough to clear the Clan Quest. Suzu-san, can you tell that to Megu-san and the others when they arrive in front of the Auction House? I have to go meet Chrono」
「Okay, got it!」

 

As if saying ‘strike while the iron is hot’, Suzu turned and quickly ran out of the Auction House.

Chrono said he would arrive in 20.
It shouldn’t take long to craft the items as we have the Recipe and ingredients but still, we’ll clear the quest just in the nick of time.

 

「…… Time to go」

 

While watching Suzu leave, Edgar whispered to himself.

That is why, I will clean up this mess on my own.
Suzu-san, Megu-san, Andou and Yamabuki, it’s fine that they don’t know the「Whole Truth」.

 

Edgar gently opened the Auction House door.

The place he was headed, was at the entrance of Crescendo.
Out in the Field Area where PvP was permitted.

 

 

After receiving his first message from Chrono, Edgar waited 10 minutes before the 2nd message came.

That was the entire message.

Soon after, a Player fully clad in black arrived at his location.

 

「Are you the bastard called Edgar?」
「It’s been a while, Chrono. As usual you are quite…… “dark”, huh」

 

Chrono looked the same way he did in the past.

If the sword on his waist is the same one from before, then it was of the 2nd highest rarity. The Legendary weapon:「Black Widow」.[1]
The sword’s name came from the English word for a black widow spider, and it also possessed a strong toxin just like its namesake. The toxin from this blade caused an abnormal status much stronger than「Poison」. If you were struck by this blade’s「Deadly Poison」then you will surely end up in a dangerous situation due to the extremely high constant damage.

 

「I’m not here for some friendly chit-chat. I brought the ingredients you need. And how about you?」

「…… Watch your mouth, Aran. I can take off whenever I want’a you know?」

 

His sharp gaze was followed by an even sharper tongue.
Just like his Black Widow that was covered in poison, his eyes were dyed in a dangerous color.

 

「The name’s Edgar. I’m not Aran right now. I’ll be sure to give you the information you want. But before that, can you hand over the ingredients?」

「I have to send those ingredients off as soon as possible. So I would like to have them first」

 

There’s less than 10 minutes until the deadline that Yoshii set.
If I went back on foot then I might not make it in time, but if I sent the ingredients to Suzu-san through the mail then there should be no problem.

 

「Hmph, fine then. You’ll have to take your sweet time telling me about Moon Step though」
「…… Sorry about that」

 

Edgar opened his Item Inventory.

20 Lizard Skins, 20 Crab Claws, 20 Animal Hair, and 20 Leather Straps.

Operating the menu, Edgar quickly sent them through the mail to Suzu.

 

「…… The exact number I requested. Good job getting these considering the current situation」
「We are the『Grave Carpenters』. Like hell we’d have a hard time gathering this shitty ass ingredients」

 

Chrono indifferently spat out those words.

It will only give me headaches.

 

「Hey, who cares about that shit, hurry up and tell me. I went out of my way just to come here you know?」

 

Chrono’s impatience oozed from his gaze.
It seems that he cares about nothing other than the Moon Step’s secret.

 

「Fine then. I’ll tell you the secret behind Moon Step」

 

Edgar slowly opened his mouth.

He said those words every so quietly,

 

「The Moon Step is… a simple technique that connects【Ground Rush】 with【Tsubame-Gaeshi】and finishes with【All or Nothing】」

 

 

On his journey to found out the truth, the person who arrived at this place is left with only 2 options.

If the truth exceeded one’s imagination, then that truth will become nourishment to help foster one’s knowledge in the future.

Then instead of accepting that truth, humans tend to will fall into a state of utter despair.

 

「…… What, You think I’m stupid or some shit?」

 

In a low murmur, Edgar could hear Chrono’s voice rattled with rage.

 

「That information, It’s the same fucking info that’s written on the Wiki 」

 

On the Dragon’s Krone Wiki, there was a page created by volunteers containing their collective data about Moon Step.

What Edgar had just told Chrono, was the exact same information that was written on the Wiki after analyzing his livestream videos.

 

「…… So you think I’m hiding some extra information, right?」

「Then~, How about I show you?」

 

Edgar smoothly drew his katana.
Chrono instinctively grabbed the hilt of that blade.

 

「What kind of shit are you trying to pull」
「You don’t believe a word I say. So the only way is to show you firsthand, right?」

 

Edgar gracefully placed his katana by his side. Relaxing his wrist, he changed into the【Lower Stance】.

Edgar’s body glided across the dirt floor.
And, while blowing up a cloud of sand, he fearlessly charged right before Chrono’s eyes. And, in that moment──

 

「……ッ!?」

 

In the next instant, Edgar’s body suddenly shined with pale blue light. The air trembled, and Edgar’s figure disappeared within a fraction of a second.

Where that ring of light disappeared to, was behind him.
That was proof that the skill【Tsubame-Gaeshi】 from the【Middle Stance】 was activated.

 

「I did it a bit slower than usual. With that you should be able to understand, right?」
「…… Are you… fucking serious」

 

Chrono stood dumbfounded on the spot.

It was a feat that should have been impossible: Connecting two skills from different Skill Trees──

 

「If I had to say that the secret was, I would say it is the【Combination Cancel Window】 that each individual skill has. This Cancellation Window, it only happens for an instant…… It’s only a few milliseconds, but during that short amount of time you can cancel any skill」

「Well, whether you believe it or not is up to you」

 

Saying that, Edgar wore a wry smile as he once again ran at Chrono using Moon Step.

Being chased by that light, Edgar glance over at Chrono with a look of composure.

 

「…… So this is the secret to Moon Step huh」

(TL Note: Next part is Chrono’s POV)

*Crunch*, Chrono vigorously ground his teeth as he spat out those words.

But, this bastard is able to do it in rapid succession. To top it off, he’s doing it while in actual combat.

Even if they pulled it off out of sheer luck, there’s no way they’d be able to do it consistently.

 

「I’ll let you know about one more thing. This is not all there is to Moon Step. There are 2 more components that bring forth Moon Step’s true form. The skill that brings your speed and dexterity stats up to the Counter Stop, all the way up to the highest limits; there’s still the activation of the skill【Perseverance】」
「ッ!!」

 

【Perserverance】, one of the Samurai Class’s iconic skills, a Passive Skill that enhances your own abilities. It was a skill with the effect:「When you are on the brink of death, All of your stats will be boosted」.
In other words, when you are in a near-death state your speed and dexterity would be capped at their maximum. Yet, Aran was able to activate Moon Step while traveling at such frighteningly fast speeds.

 

「…… Are you some goddamn monster」

 

Skill Cancelling required impeccable timing, like trying to slip through the eye of a needle.

And above all, you were constantly living on the edge where a single blunder could cost you everything. It required a steel resolve to pull it all off.

 

The more Chrono knew of the truth, the more he came to understand Aran’s boundless potential.
The “truth” that Moon Step is a technique that no ordinary man can obtain.

 

「I’ve heard what you have to say. About Moon Step’s secret; about Aran’s secret」

 

Chrono spoke softly.

The Truth Behind Moon Step… and the insurmountable wall that lay before him.

 

 

 

Footnotes:
1.

TL side note: With this note we now know the 5 different rarities.
From lowest to highest they are: Common, Uncommon, Rare, Legendary, and Artifact

Chapter end