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TL: ALT
Chapter 106 – What Is a Skill?
“Huh, is that impossible…?”
I want a skill that integrates skills.
I asked for it, and God replied that it was impossible.
“But… I’m sorry to get your hopes up, but it’s hard to fulfill that request.”
“Why… may I ask you?”
“Well, I must first explain what a skill is.”
“I would like to hear that very much.”
I’d like to hear that before we start talking about skill integration.
God lifts her chin a bit, snorts a little, and begins to explain.
“First of all, what caused this strange thing called skills to appear in this world? That, of course, is…”
“It’s a dungeon, isn’t it? The dungeon, which should not have existed in this world in the first place, suddenly appeared in this world. But the existence of dungeons and the original rules of this world were too different. So the current status system was created by adapting the concepts of video games to this world.”
This is the phenomenon that Kudave called “translation.”
“Well, you know all about that, don’t you?”
God was a little unhappy at the beginning of the explanation.
“I’m sorry, please continue.”
“Then the dungeon that appeared in this world. In the world where it was originally supposed to be, did such things as status and skills exist? What do you think about that?”
“According to Haruka-san, there were no such things there.”
The world Haruka-san (and Clovis) used to be in was a fantasy world of swords and magic.
Recently, some of these (imaginary) fantasy worlds that are set in other worlds have game-like elements incorporated into them.
However, Haruka’s former world had no such digital elements; rather, it was an analog fantasy in the style of medieval Europe (?).
Magic was not an instant thing that could be used as soon as one acquired skills, as it is in this world.
It seems that to learn magic, in addition to rigorous training and years of practice, you had to be born with the right qualities.
…That’s kind of fascinating, isn’t it?
The skill system in this world is instant and convenient, but there is something romantic about training to learn magic.
Come to think of it, I wonder if Honoka-chan did that.
The fact that she “awakened” her unique skills by training as a mountain priest in this world is a great discovery that defies the common knowledge of this crazy modern world.
Well, I won’t tell anyone about it.
“This world where magic is impossible, and the other world where magic exists as a matter of course―it was a stage set that had to be twisted to deal with the contradictions between the two worlds. That’s how I understood it.”
“Huh. That understanding is correct. However, it must be a tremendously difficult task to ‘implement’ such an elaborate and unusual set in this world, isn’t it?”
“Of course it is.”
Even though the dungeon first appeared in this world, the implementation of the skill is a different task.
“Well, let’s take the Sword Technique skill as an example. Actually, this skill called “Sword Technique” is not a direct description and compilation of the system’s sword-fighting techniques.”
“What does that mean?”
“The skill does not directly describe the setup for sword-fighting. For example, ���Grip the hilt of the sword as lightly as if you were holding a raw egg in your hand, but with enough force to prevent it from falling out, looking neither far nor near, keeping the entire area in a blurred view, then raise your sword to shoulder height and slash down while kicking out with your front foot.” …There is no specific description of this technique anywhere in the Sword Techniques manual.”
“Well, it’s impossible to describe how to use a sword for every situation you face in battle, isn’t it? No matter how ‘heavenly’ it might be.”
“Even if it were possible to write a comprehensive description, it would be impossible for a human to master it. In the case of A, do it this way, in the case of B, do it this way, and in the case of C, branch out into the seven paths, and so on. It would be impossible for the human mind to handle such arrangements, wouldn’t it?”
“…It’s just like me right now.”
The fact that it takes so long to find the best solution because there are so many skills is a weakness I’m trying to overcome.
“If it were a super advanced artificial intelligence… no, I doubt it.”
There is artificial intelligence that can beat human professionals at Go*. [T/n: It’s a popular board game in Japan].
But it would be impossible to instantly select the optimal solution from endlessly diverging options on an ever-changing battlefield.
Even in games like Go and Shogi, where the number of possible moves is finite, it takes time to find the optimal move.
Well, for starters, it is said that a robot equipped with artificial intelligence cannot gain status even if it enters a dungeon.
“But think about it. A skilled swordsman is able to take the most appropriate action for the situation without being aware of such arrangements. Why is that?”
“Is it… experience?”
“Then what is the difference between that experience and a finished arrangement?”
“…Even if you say so.”
I’m not a computer scientist or anything.
“Algorithms are like recipes in cooking, right? Experience means that a cook who has made countless dishes can make a reasonable dish even if he makes it by feel without looking at the recipe. Something like that… I guess.”
“Hmm. That’s a good metaphor. In that case, we could say that the cook has Cooking skill.”
“It’s not a specific procedure, but rather the essence of the process.”
“Yes. In this way, the essence of various skills is extracted and made available to anyone who pays a fee…”
“I see. So that’s the skill?”
“That’s right. The skills cannot be described in concrete terms. They are the essence of something that only a master can understand. The essence is not a mere connection of neural circuits. It is a system of exquisite techniques connected to the soul of the person who has developed the skill.”
“Connected to the soul?”
“To put it simply and without fear of misunderstanding, Sword Technique is a system of techniques built up in the souls of nameless sword masters of the past and processed into a form that can be used by anyone. More specifically, it is not something that relies on a single master swordsman, but rather a generalized version of the state of affairs reached by countless swordsmen who risked their souls to master the way of the sword, with the differences between individuals balanced out. If we look at it only as a result, we can say that the Sword Technique is a generalized optimal solution that everyone who aspires to the sword will reach.”
“What about Swordsmanship, or any other sword-related skill?”
“That is a generalization of the various sword skills that can be lumped together. You know the specific differences between each skill better than I do.”
“Ah, they are certainly different in their own way.”
Sword Technique is the most straightforward and simple sword skill.
It can be used in any situation but is especially suitable for fighting monsters.
Swordsmanship, on the other hand, is a bit more complex.
Its true value is in human combat, especially sword-to-sword combat.
If a Sword Technique master and a Swordsmanship master were to fight, all things being equal, the Swordsmanship master would have the advantage.
However, when fighting a monster with low intelligence, Swordsmanship is useless.
Sword Technique is more effective against monsters because it is simpler and less likely to get lost.
In my fights against monsters… such as the Rock Golem in the Water Park Dungeon, it is probably more advantageous to use the Sword Technique to push them around.
Of course, some monsters have high intelligence or high weapon skills.
For example, the Karakuri Soldiers I fought in the Kururi Castle Dungeon would be better suited to Swordsmanship.
So, it is hard to say that Sword Technique is better for dungeon dives.
The Wiki’s Beginner’s FAQ says that when in doubt, it is safe to choose Sword Technique.
“Although there are many similarities between Sword Technique and Swordsmanship, the ideal situation is different. They are both generalized optimal solutions based on a certain chosen direction. And an optimal solution is called an optimal solution because it cannot be further optimized.”
“…Oh, I see.”
I finally understood what God was trying to say.
“If Sword Technique and Swordsmanship are two different optimal solutions, then putting two optimal solutions together does not make them more optimal.”
Rather, by being a “solution” that deviates from either optimal solution, it could mean that the new skill “Sword Technique + Spearmanship” (temporary) is weaker than either Sword Technique or Swordsmanship.
Not only might it be weaker, it might not even be a skill at all.
“Umu. Besides, as I mentioned before, a skill is not just a network of neural circuits. It is only when it penetrates the soul of the user and reaches a level worthy of being called exquisite that it acquires a universality that can withstand extraction from the system. It is possible to unite different souls that aspire to the same state of being. However, it is extremely difficult to unite souls that aspire to different states of being. To put it simply, it is like trying to forcibly merge two people who have nothing in common.”
“Even something as close as Sword Technique and Swordsmanship is impossible?”
“The two are at the level of separate masters when it comes to skill level 5. Even the differences that may seem trivial to the casual observer can cause great contradictions and conflicts because they are both striving for a higher level.”
“…Like a rock band breaking up because of differences in musicality.”
“Hohoho… That’s a crude but accurate metaphor.”
God laughs amusingly, covering her mouth with her sleeve.
My problem is that I’m trying to make an orchestra out of a bunch of talented but bitter band members who are sensitive to musical differences.
There is a good reason why rock bands have three to six members at the most.
No matter how good the individual vocalists, guitarists, bassists, and drummers are, if you put a hundred of them together, you’re not going to make music that’s a hundred times better.
“It is true that it is difficult to create the “ability to integrate abilities” that you envision. Even if I force myself to create such a skill, it would not produce the results you expect. Even if you integrate Sword Technique and Swordsmanship, it will be weaker than both Sword Technique and Swordsmanship, and it will only allow you to handle a sword in a certain way, which is not good enough. Or worse, it will be nothing but useless chaos.”
���I see…”
I nodded, groaning at God as she concluded the conversation.
…When God says so much, I guess it’s impossible.
There is a way to focus on the core skills of combat and specialize in them, but that is a little different from what other explorers do.
The efficiency of earning SP and the overwhelming number of skills that can be acquired from it.
In order to take advantage of this strength that I’m sure only I have, I can’t do it the same way as others.
However, there is nothing I can do if I am told that such skills are not actually available.
I was on the verge of depression,
“But… that doesn’t mean there aren’t other ways.”
God smiled at me and said so.