The Kicked Out S-Rank Appraiser Creates The Strongest Guild

Chapter 153 Hate Control

“Behind Jill…?”

Karla repeated.

“Yes. You’ve seen how Jill fights up until now — she can handle everything on her own. She has the power to finish off enemies in one strike, the defense to withstand any attack, the agility to chase down fleeing enemies, and the stamina to clear an entire dungeon by herself. Because of this, she doesn’t need to coordinate with allies. In fact, any half-hearted attempt at teamwork could end up diminishing her strength. However, there’s only one adventurer who might be able to keep up with her and form a true partnership. That adventurer is you, Karla.”

“…”

“Your strength and toughness are at best C-class, but you have the potential to reach S-class in agility. By staying behind Jill, you could add even more depth to her offensive power. Of course, this won’t be easy. Not only will you need to keep up with Jill’s already incredible speed, but you’ll need to move even faster.”

Laurent brought Karla to Jill.

“Jill, can I have a moment?”

“Yes, what is it?”

Despite the intense battles and forced marches of the day before, Jill responded with a calm expression. Her stamina seemed limitless.

“From today, I’d like you to explore together with her — with Karla.”

At this, Jill gave a slightly troubled smile.

“Um, Laurent… With all due respect, my style is rather unique… I’m not sure if she can adjust to it without losing her own ability.”

“Don’t worry. All you need to do is explore as you normally would. Karla will be the one adjusting to you.”

“Alright.”

After a brief explanation of Karla’s style, Laurent left the rest to the two of them.

The ‘Spirit Alliance’ advanced into the ‘Barren Zone,’ where A-class monsters lurked.

The strategy remained largely unchanged, even after entering the “Barren Zone.”

Jill continued to lead the charge, taking down enemies, while the rest of the group followed.

The only difference was that Karla was now right behind Jill.

Jill glanced back at Karla.

(Hmm. She’s keeping up. It seems there are no issues with her agility or stamina. As expected of someone trained by Laurent.)

Jill felt a bit relieved.

It didn’t seem like Karla would become a burden.

From here on, where A-class monsters appeared in droves, even someone as skilled as Jill wouldn’t have the leeway to support her allies.

Recently, Jill had grown accustomed to fighting alone and lacked confidence in her ability to coordinate with others.

(Laurent said it would be fine, but… I’m not sure. Karla, huh? She seems like a capable thief, but I wonder if we can work together effectively.)

Leon, meanwhile, was directing the unit while keeping close contact with Laurent.

“Laurent, I see Karla has taken her place behind Jill. But should we keep Elio and Hans in their current positions?”

“Yes. Keep all the other A-class members with the main group. Karla is the only one who can keep up with Jill’s movements.”

Eventually, the time came to test the duo’s coordination.

As Jill advanced through the dungeon, the ground suddenly shook, and a cliff seemed to move.

“!”

Jill stopped in her tracks, ready for battle.

What had appeared to be a cliff was actually a “Mountain Ogre, a Giant Ogre Like a Mountain.”

The Mountain Ogre stood up and swung its long, rugged arm.

Jill quickly leaped back to avoid the blow.

She immediately counterattacked, but before her blade could pierce its rocky torso, the Mountain Ogre stepped back to dodge.

(Its agility isn’t particularly fast… but it has long reach.)

She would need to dodge its attacks by a hair’s breadth and close the distance quickly to strike.

Jill decided to wait for the Mountain Ogre’s next attack.

The “Mountain Ogre, a Giant Ogre Like a Mountain” launched a punch.

(Here it comes!)

This time, instead of jumping back, Jill stepped forward.

She dodged the outstretched arm of the Mountain Ogre, attempting to slip into its guard.

However, the Mountain Ogre seemed to anticipate this move and swung its other hand to swat her away.

(Tsk.)

Jill stopped advancing and tried to leap backward.

If she could dodge this, the Mountain Ogre would lose its balance.

That would create a perfect opportunity.

But then, she felt something hit her back.

“Ugh!”

“Huh? Karla?”

While Jill collided with Karla, the Mountain Ogre’s fist closed in on them.

With no other choice, Jill went on the defensive.

She managed to block the blow, skillfully shielding Karla behind her as they were sent flying.

The two of them landed after being thrown back a fair distance.

(I’m surprised. She’s been sticking right behind me this whole time.)

Instead of being angry about her ruined chance, Jill was impressed that Karla had been clinging so closely to her back.

She had assumed Karla would hide in a corner to avoid the danger.

(I thought I was making some pretty erratic moves, but she’s keeping up well. Not only is her agility high, but she has sharp instincts too?)

Meanwhile, Karla was doing her utmost to keep up with the most challenging opponent she had ever faced.

(Damn it. This person retreats ridiculously fast. Fast and unpredictable. Laurent just says, “Coordinate with Jill,” like it’s easy!)

“I’m sorry, Karla. Are you okay?”

“No, it was my fault. I’ll be more careful next time.”

Jill glanced briefly at Laurent.

Laurent gestured for them to continue fighting.

(It seems Karla is fine. Understood.)

Jill put Karla out of her mind and charged at the “Mountain Ogre” once again.

Karla hurriedly followed close behind Jill.

(She’s far quicker and more unpredictable than Elio. To follow her without getting in the way…)

Karla decided to maintain a bit more distance than usual behind Jill.

(Here, this is the right distance.)

(…That’s quite far.)

Leon, as another rear-guard swordsman, watched Karla’s positioning with interest (he had received word that Jill had begun the fight and had just managed to lead his team to their designated position).

For a rear-guard thief like Karla, the distance she kept seemed excessively far.

(If I were positioning myself behind a shield-bearer, I’d feel uneasy if I wasn’t much closer… But she determined that this distance was appropriate to follow behind Jill.)

“She’s fine, Leon.”

“Laurent?”

“Karla chose that distance by instinct. It’s probably the right distance.”

“Heh, well, I suppose that’s true.”

Leon, after all, acknowledged Karla’s instincts.

When it came to working from behind a shield-bearer and looking for opportunities, there was no one better than her.

[Karla Grazia’s Status]

Power: 40 (↗︎10) – 50

Toughness: 30 (↗︎10) – 40

Agility: 90 (↗︎30) – 100

Stamina: 110 (↗︎30) -–130

(Karla’s status is improving. Focusing on her original role has cleared her mind of distractions. As expected, her true calling is that of a rear-guard thief.)

Jill accelerated.

She closed the distance while weaving through the attacks of the “Mountain Ogre.”

Karla carefully followed behind Jill, maintaining a consistent distance while avoiding the attacks and shockwaves from the “Mountain Ogre.”

(I’m in its range now. Last time, Jill made a sudden backstep from this point…)

Karla focused intently on Jill’s feet and the position of her center of gravity.

By doing so, she could also gauge the movements of the “Mountain Ogre.”

Jill’s body leaned slightly forward.

But it was a feint.

The sound of the “Mountain Ogre’s” arm slicing through the air could be heard.

Jill’s body axis swayed slightly.

(Now!)

Both Jill and Karla leapt backward simultaneously.

Their speed, distance, and timing were identical, moving like a single, seamless shadow.

Leon was astonished.

(Wow. She can jump backward from that stance?! What kind of movement is that? Both Jill and… Karla.)

The “Mountain Ogre’s” stance faltered.

Seeing this, Jill lunged toward the “Mountain Ogre’s” chest.

Her silver sword pierced through to the heart of the “Mountain Ogre.”

But the penetration was slightly shallow.

(Damn. My aim wavered?)

It had been a long time since Jill moved with her agility fully unleashed.

Thus, with gear not yet fully adapted to her, it was understandable that her aim would be slightly off.

However, as the sword was specialized for thrusting, she couldn’t simply slash with force; she had to pull it back.

Just as she was thinking this, Jill felt something pass by her body.

(Huh?)

Instinctively, she looked back.

Karla had thrust her sword into Jill’s back.

(The sensation just now… “Shadow Strike.”)

Karla’s “Shadow Strike” aligned with Jill’s embedded blade, piercing through the thick chest of the “Mountain Ogre.”

With its heart impaled, the “Mountain Ogre” began to collapse from the legs up.

[Karla Grazia’s Skill Status]

“Shadow Strike”: A (↑1)

Agility: 100 (↑10) – 110 (↑10)

[Jill Irwin’s Status]

Agility: 100 – 105

(At this point, Karla’s agility has surpassed Jill’s. Has she been learning by watching Jill’s movements? “Shadow Strike” has also reached A-class with added speed. The remaining challenge is…)

[Karla Grazia’s Skill Status]

“Spinning Sword Dance”: B → S

Agility: 100 – 105 → 120 – 130

(The remaining challenge is “Spinning Sword Dance” and agility of 120-130. Can she independently achieve movements that surpass Jill’s?)

As Jill and Karla continued on, they encountered a bipedal dragon lumbering toward them.

It carried a large shield on its back.

It was the “Shield Dragon.”

The moment the “Shield Dragon” spotted Jill, it grabbed the shield from its back and charged.

“Bring it on!”

Jill also raised her shield and charged head-on toward the “Shield Dragon.”

The heavily armored knight and the “Shield Dragon” collided like two bulls locking horns, pressing against each other, shield to shield.

Jill tried to pierce the enemy’s shield with her sword.

Her sword penetrated the shield, but it failed to reach the “Shield Dragon.”

Hitting the dragon hiding behind the massive shield with her sword proved to be a formidable challenge.

(Missed… But if that’s the case, Karla’s “Shadow Strike” should—ugh.)

Jill felt something strike her in the side.

It was the tail of the “Shield Dragon.”

At the tip of the “Shield Dragon’s” tail was a spear.

Jill quickly withdrew her sword, but was knocked sideways, missing the chance for a “Shadow Strike.”

Karla quickly maneuvered to Jill’s rear.

“Jill, are you alright?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

(A large shield that forces you to miss your target, and a long, flexible tail that can attack around that shield. In that case…)

“I’ll just use my agility to circle around to the side without the shield.”

Jill feinted, making some side-to-side movements to try and maneuver around.

But the “Shield Dragon” read her movements and positioned its shield accordingly.

(Can’t get around it!? This thing seems slow, but it’s surprisingly clever.)

The “Shield Dragon” cautiously measured the distance between them, then charged again.

Jill had no choice but to block the charge.

She immediately stepped back to avoid the tail.

(I can dodge, but I can’t get close enough. At this rate, it’ll turn into a war of attrition. What should I do? Use Karla?)

As Jill contemplated her next move, the “Shield Dragon” let out an ear-piercing roar.

Suddenly, the rocks around them started to stir, and various dragon-type creatures like “Fire Dragon” and “Lizardman Warriors” began to emerge one after another.

(Damn, it’s calling reinforcements.)

If Jill couldn’t break through the “Shield Dragon’s” defense, being surrounded by its allies could make the fight even harder, with attacks coming from multiple sides.

(What should I do? What do we do, Laurent?)

Jill glanced over at Laurent.

“Jill, increase your agility to respond. Karla, close the distance between you and Jill.”

(What?!)

(What!?)

Both Jill and Karla were shocked.

“L-Laurent, with the ‘Shield Dragon’s’ shield unbroken and more enemies gathering, isn’t that a bit too much…”

“Yes, that’s why the ‘Shield Dragon’ can wait. Just circle around it and apply some pressure. Start by taking out the smaller enemies around it first.”

“I see… In that case…”

“Wait, hold on a second!”

Karla raised her voice in protest.

“What about me? Jill’s agility is at S-rank. If I get any closer…”

“Karla, your agility has now surpassed Jill’s.”

“What?”

(My agility… has surpassed Jill’s?)

“At this point, you should be able to keep up with Jill even if you close the distance further.”

“But the enemies are swarming in. Unlike Jill, I don’t have the endurance to withstand attacks from all around!”

“That’s why you need to stay close behind Jill and use your agility to confuse the surrounding enemies.”

(Stay behind Jill and confuse the enemies?)

“Remember Jill’s backstep. If you apply that same technique to lateral movements, the answer will come to you.”

Meanwhile, the dragon-type creatures closed in, and the ‘Shield Dragon’ continued to press forward.

A ‘Lizardman Warrior’ approached from the side of the shield, and a ‘Fire Dragon’ came from above it.

“Karla, let’s go!”

“Gah… Guess I have no choice.”

The two of them started running.

Against the ‘Shield Dragon’s’ charge, they moved to the side.

Immediately, the ‘Shield Dragon’ stopped and turned its shield towards them.

Its legs came to a halt.

In that brief moment…

A swift slash.

Jill decapitated the ‘Lizardman Warrior’ approaching from the side of the shield.

With a god-like speed, Jill’s thrust sliced through, ending the ‘Lizardman Warrior’s’ life before it even knew what had happened.

But the dragons were not to be outdone.

The ‘Shield Dragon’s’ tail swung from the opposite side of the ‘Lizardman Warrior,’ while the ‘Fire Dragon’ circled behind and began preparing to unleash a ‘Fire Breath.’

Both the tail and the ‘Fire Dragon’s’ snout were aimed squarely at Karla.

(Their target… is me!)

Karla found herself needing to respond to three directions simultaneously: Jill, the ‘Shield Dragon,’ and the ‘Fire Dragon.’

But this cornered situation awakened a new power within Karla, guiding her to the optimal solution.

Instinctively, Karla made a feint to move in the opposite direction of Jill.

The dragons were drawn to her movement.

Then, just as their attacks were launched, Karla accelerated sharply in the opposite direction, vanishing from the dragons’ line of sight and repositioning herself behind Jill.

The monsters froze momentarily, unsure of what had just happened.

In that moment, Jill managed to take down another ‘Lizardman Warrior.’

The monsters, regaining their focus, attempted to attack Karla again, but once more, the ‘Fire Breath’ and the tail-spear missed their mark.

Leon furrowed his brow at the sudden shift in the battle.

“What’s going on? It looks like the monsters are attacking the wrong way over and over again. What are they doing?”

“It’s hate control.”

“Hate control?”

“Watch Karla’s movements closely. She deliberately steps into the focus of multiple monsters, then, just as they prepare to attack, she subtly shifts her stance to guide their attacks. By adjusting her gaze, her center of gravity, and the orientation of her body, she triggers their attacks and swiftly dodges. This is an advanced technique only someone with agility over 100 can pull off.”

“What? Is that even possible?”

Leon squinted and watched carefully. Sure enough, he could see Karla making slight pauses and faint sways, aligning perfectly with the monsters’ pre-attack motions.

Her movements were so subtle, almost imperceptible, that they lured the enemies into attacking, mistaking them for real openings.

“Whoa… You’re right.”

“Jill often makes similar moves, getting inside an enemy’s guard before suddenly backstepping to throw them off balance. Karla is using a variation of that technique—baiting the enemy’s attack with small, lateral movements.”

“No way… Keeping up with Jill’s movements while managing hate control from monsters attacking from all directions… that’s insane…”

(Watching Jill’s S-rank moves up close must have sparked something in her. Karla is expanding her combat style right here and now. At this rate, just a little more, and…)

Jill was beginning to sense that something was off.

(What is it? The pressure from the monsters seems to have suddenly lessened. Is Karla doing something? Well, whatever it is…)

“This is the end!”

Jill leaped into the air and skewered the last ‘Fire Dragon.’

“Now, it’s just… you.”

After confirming the ‘Fire Dragon’ was dead, Jill didn’t wait for the body to crash to the ground. Using the dragon’s corpse as a stepping stone, she launched herself towards the ‘Shield Dragon.’

But the ‘Shield Dragon’ wasn’t giving in easily. It refused to let Jill get behind it, keeping its shield up while facing her head-on.

Karla, staying behind Jill, also kept her focus on the ‘Shield Dragon’s’ movements. She noticed that its attention, which had been partially on her, was now shifting more towards Jill.

By now, Karla had already learned the nuances of Jill’s movements.

Jill’s body axis shifted slightly.

In the next moment, she would accelerate to the right.

(If I move the opposite way…!)

As Karla predicted, Jill accelerated to the right.

The ‘Shield Dragon,’ following Jill’s movement, overlooked Karla, who accelerated in the opposite direction.

Karla slipped inside the shield’s range.

The ‘Shield Dragon’ was startled to find Karla suddenly in its blind spot and hastily dropped its shield to dodge her slash.

(Damn, missed. But…)

Jill closed in from the opposite side.

“Ooohhh!”

The ‘Shield Dragon’ blocked Jill’s slash with its tail.

Then, using a move like a lizard shedding its tail, it pressed its tail against Jill and tried to escape.

“Ugh, damn it.”

Taking advantage of Jill’s stumble after hitting the tail, the ‘Shield Dragon’ attempted to leap from the cliff behind it to escape.

(It can get away. No, just a little more…)

Karla dug into the ground harder than ever before.

(With speed!)

In an instant, Karla closed in on the ‘Shield Dragon’s’ back and unleashed her ‘Heavenly Rotating Sword Dance’ with full agility!

The slashes from the ‘Heavenly Spinning Sword Dance’ ravaged the ‘Shield Dragon’s’ back.

Compared to before, the attack’s range had clearly increased, and the wide-reaching slashes awakened memories buried deep within Karla.

(This is… what Dad used to do…)

Ignoring her father’s warning to “never enter,” Karla had once sneaked into the training ground where he performed his secret rituals, watching him secretly.

What she saw was a mysterious sight where the candle’s range of motion far surpassed the usual.

Karla was captivated by her father’s mystical sword dance.

The image of that dance now overlapped with the slashes she had just executed.

Jill was also astonished by Karla’s agility.

(What speed. If it’s just agility, it might even rival Yugan’s…)

Karla Grazia’s Status

Agility: 120 (↑20) – 130 (↑20)

‘Heavenly Spinning Sword Dance’: S (↑2)

(Karla has finally attained agility surpassing Jill’s. And ‘Heavenly Spinning Sword Dance’ too… Hm?)

Laurent reviewed the explanation for ‘Heavenly Spinning Sword Dance’ and noticed a change.

‘Heavenly Rotating Sword Dance’ S Description

By spinning while performing sword techniques, it extends the range and power.

Upgrading the class allows for a wider range of slashes.

(NEW) Grants ‘Dragon’s Burial Dance,’ which weakens dragon-type enemies.