Storage

The sky was gradually growing brighter.

Last night, Felicia and I took turns keeping watch.

I rested first, then we switched in the middle of the night.

After that, I sat by the fire and kept watch over the forest.

Fortunately, no monsters approached during the night.

Still, I was pretty sleepy.

I'd slept for a few hours, but it was clearly not enough compared to usual.

My body felt a little sluggish, too.

I looked at the tent.

Felicia still seemed to be asleep.

"...Maybe I'll try it."

I opened Membership.

【Balance: 4,925P】

I selected the recovery option.

【Half Recovery: 50P】

【Full Recovery: 100P】

I chose Full Recovery.

【Completely restores injuries and fatigue】

【Use Full Recovery?】

【Required Points: 100P】

"Use it."

【You spent 100P】

【You have fully recovered】

【Balance: 4,825P】

My body suddenly felt light.

"...Amazing."

My sleepiness was gone, and my body no longer felt heavy.

It was like waking up after a good night's sleep.

No, it might have been even better than that.

It didn't just heal injuries—it even took away the fatigue from lack of sleep.

This really is convenient.

But...

"A hundred P..."

It wasn't cheap.

That was worth five Thorn Plants.

It'd be a waste to use it every night instead of sleeping.

Unless it was an emergency, I was better off getting proper sleep.

"...Allen-san?"

A voice came from the tent.

"Good morning."

"Good morning."

Felicia came outside.

"Have you been awake this whole time?"

"Since we switched."

"Aren't you sleepy?"

"I used Full Recovery."

"So you can use it that way, too."

"It seems to get rid of fatigue, too."

"That's handy."

"It is, but it cost a hundred P."

"...I wouldn't want to use that every time."

"I thought the same thing."

The two of us rekindled the fire.

We had a simple breakfast of bread and the dried meat we had left.

Once we were done eating, it was time to pack up.

We folded the tent.

We rolled up the blankets.

The pot.

The waterskins.

The food.

And the materials we'd gathered from monsters yesterday, too.

"We really do have a lot."

Felicia looked down at our gear.

"We have more than we did yesterday."

The Tyrant Bear's claws and fangs alone weighed a fair bit.

Even though we'd split the load between us, we'd have to carry it all through the forest again today.

I checked Membership once more.

【Balance: 4,825P】

We were still 175P short of Storage.

That was a little farther away than it had been last night.

"Do you think we'll reach five thousand during today's survey?"

"It depends on the monsters, but I think we probably will."

"Storage, then."

"Yes. But let's continue the survey first."

"Let's do that."

We shouldered our packs.

We began the second day of our survey.

◇

We entered the forest from a slightly different spot than yesterday.

Even in the morning, the forest was dim.

The branches of the tall trees overlapped, blocking out the sunlight.

Thanks to walking through the forest all day yesterday, we were getting a little more used to moving around in it.

We avoided the roots underfoot.

We watched out for low branches.

We didn't approach bushes with poor visibility carelessly.

"It feels easier to walk than it did yesterday."

Felicia said.

"I feel the same way."

"Even one day makes quite a difference."

"Getting used to it makes a big difference."

As we talked, the grass to our right rustled.

"They're coming."

"Yes."

One.

Two.

Then three more from farther in.

Finally, two from the left.

"Five of them."

"I'll take three."

"Then I'll take two."

The Thorn Plants lashed out with their vines all at once.

I stepped in to the right.

Yesterday, I would have first looked for somewhere to dodge.

Today, I was already watching where the trees were around us.

I dodged the first one.

I cut the second with the Flamefang Sword.

Then I went straight for the first one.

I cut through its thick stem without making a wide swing.

【You acquired 20P】

The second one.

Vines came at me from both sides.

Instead of retreating, I stepped diagonally forward.

The two vines passed behind me.

I reversed the Flamefang Sword.

【You acquired 20P】

I knocked aside the third one's vine as it reached for me from behind.

Careful not to step on the tree roots, I moved closer to its body.

A short slash.

【You acquired 20P】

"Magic Bullet!"

Felicia took one of them down, too.

She was already aiming her staff at the other one.

A pale blue flash shot through a gap in the trees.

It hit.

The second Thorn Plant fell, too.

"That's all of them."

"Same here."

We'd taken down all five.

I checked the display.

【Balance: 4,885P】

【Total P Acquired: 41,895P】

"We're 115 P away."

"Just a little more."

We gathered parts that might be useful as materials and continued on.

Less than ten minutes later, the thicket ahead of us rustled violently.

"It's a Vine Walker."

A single plant monster shaped like a person, its thick vines twisted together.

"I'll handle it."

"I'll support you."

The Vine Walker reached out with a vine like an arm.

One.

Then a second.

I could see them both.

I dodged the first and cut the second with the Flamefang Sword.

After fighting one yesterday, I was starting to recognize the signs of its attacks.

Its body tilted at the center.

Next, it would attack from the right.

Just as I'd expected, a vine shot toward me.

I got my sword in its path first.

Slash!

The vine fell away halfway along.

"Magic Bullet!"

Felicia's spell struck its body.

The Vine Walker staggered.

I stepped in.

I drove the Flamefang Sword into its thick central stem.

【You acquired 120P】

【Balance: 5,005P】

【Total P Acquired: 42,015P】

"We're over five thousand."

"Then..."

"Yes."

I set down my pack.

I opened Membership.

The list of Unique Skills appeared.

【Body Enhancement: 5,000P】

【Presence Detection: 5,000P】

【Night Vision: 5,000P】

【Rapid Thought: 5,000P】

【Mana Control: 5,000P】

【Swordsman: 5,000P】

【Regeneration: 5,000P】

【Storage: 5,000P】

【Stealth: 5,000P】

【Mana Detection: 5,000P】

I selected Storage.

【Storage】

【A Unique Skill that lets you store and retrieve objects in a dedicated space】

【Living beings cannot be stored】

【Required Points: 5,000P】

"It looks like anything but living things can go inside."

"I wonder how much it can hold."

"Let's try it."

【Purchase Storage?】

【Required Points: 5,000P】

【Balance: 5,005P】

I confirmed without hesitation.

【You spent 5,000P】

【You acquired the Unique Skill Storage】

【Balance: 5P】

"I've learned it."

"Want to try it right away?"

"Yes."

First, I touched the blanket on the ground.

I focused on Storage.

The next moment, the blanket disappeared.

"...It vanished."

"It's inside."

When I focused on it, I could tell the blanket was inside.

Now I'd try taking it out.

I held out my hand, and the blanket appeared in front of me.

"It came back just fine."

"Looks like we can use it."

I stored it again.

Next, the tent.

The pot.

The food.

The waterskins.

The rope.

The surveying tools.

Everything went in without a problem.

I stored the Tyrant Bear's claws and fangs, too.

"There's still room, it seems."

"Could you put my things in, too?"

"Of course."

I put away the tent, blankets, food, and other things Felicia had been carrying, one by one.

Before long, most of the large packs we'd been carrying were gone.

"This is so much lighter."

Felicia rolled her shoulders.

"It's a huge difference."

"This will make expeditions much easier."

"And we can bring back materials, too."

"We won't have to pick and choose what we can carry like we did yesterday."

Until now, even valuable materials had to be left behind if they were too heavy.

With Storage, that would change.

It hadn't made me any stronger in a fight.

Even so, I felt like it had greatly expanded what I could do as an adventurer.

"Let's continue the survey."

"Yes."

Now that we were traveling light, we continued deeper into the forest.

◇

We decided to use the river we'd found yesterday as a landmark and investigate the area around it.

It was hard to tell which direction we were going in the forest.

If we followed the river, we were less likely to lose track of the way back.

I watched the ground as we walked.

It was a little drier than yesterday.

There were plenty of tree roots, but no particularly steep slopes.

"This area is surprisingly flat."

Felicia said.

"I was thinking the same thing."

It was hard to tell with so many trees, but the terrain itself wasn't that bad.

"It looks like there'd be a lot of space if we cleared all the trees."

"The problem is how hard it would be to clear those trees."

"Right."

I looked around.

Thick trees.

Shrubs.

Grass.

Roots running underground.

It wasn't enough to simply cut the trees down.

"There are monsters, too."

"They'd have to make a large area safe before they could start the work itself."

"Would they need adventurers or knights?"

"Yes. After that, they'd need lumberjacks, people to haul away the felled trees, and people to dig out the roots.

Then they'd need people to level the ground and build roads, too."

"That's a lot of people."

"And it would cost a lot of money, too."

Still, there was water.

The terrain wasn't too bad, either.

And it was close to Belgrant.

If they developed it, it would make for a large area of land.

"The count has probably thought that far ahead, too."

"Probably. Our job is to bring back the results of our survey."

"We should remember to report the number of monsters, too."

"Yes."

It was then.

I heard something trampling the grass to our left.

"Something's coming."

"It's big."

Thud, thud, thud, thud!

A large boar burst out from between the trees.

It was about twice the size of an ordinary boar.

A brown body.

Thick tusks.

"A Forest Boar!"

Felicia raised her staff.

The Forest Boar didn't stop.

It charged straight at us.

"I'll draw its attention!"

"Yes!"

I stepped forward.

Fast!

But its movements were straightforward.

I let it get as close as I dared.

There was a thick tree to my right.

The Forest Boar accelerated even further.

At the last moment, I slipped to the side.

Thud!

Its huge body slammed into the tree.

"Breee!"

It shook its head and tried to regain its balance.

"Now!"

Felicia had already moved between two trees.

"Magic Bullet!"

The first shot hit its shoulder.

The second struck its foreleg.

The Forest Boar turned toward Felicia.

A small Magic Bullet formed at the tip of her staff.

She was compressing it.

"Magic Bullet!"

A pale blue light struck it squarely in the forehead.

"Breee!"

The Forest Boar's legs stopped moving.

It toppled forward.

We waited a little.

It didn't move.

"We got it."

Felicia let out a breath.

"That was a good shot."

"It was easier to aim because you made it hit the tree, Allen-san."

"Then let's say we took it down together."

"Yes."

I looked at the fallen Forest Boar.

It was quite large.

Until yesterday, we would have taken only the valuable parts, like its tusks and hide.

"Want to try it?"

Felicia said.

"That's what I was planning."

I touched the Forest Boar.

I used Storage.

The next moment, its huge body disappeared.

"...It fit."

"The whole thing fit."

"Does it seem like there's still room?"

"I can't tell where the limit is yet."

At the very least, there was no problem storing all our expedition gear and one large monster.

That alone was more than enough.

"We don't have to choose which materials to take anymore."

"The guild can appraise the whole thing."

"Storage really is convenient."

"I'm glad I bought it."

We continued the survey.

◇

We kept running into monsters through the afternoon.

Thorn Plants.

Vine Walkers.

Many of them were the same monsters we'd seen yesterday.

But by the second day, our approach to fighting had changed, too.

"They're coming from the left!"

"I see them!"

Felicia moved to the side first, making a clear line of fire between the trees.

I went after the two Thorn Plants in front of me.

I dodged their vines.

The first one.

【You acquired 20P】

I reversed my sword.

The second one.

【You acquired 20P】

At another spot, two Vine Walkers appeared.

Felicia drew one of them away.

I charged at the other.

I cut through its vines.

With a short swing of my sword, I drove the blade into its body.

【You acquired 120P】

"I'm done over here!"

"I'm almost done, too!"

Felicia fired three Magic Bullets in quick succession.

The final shot pierced its body.

Farther on, we found two Thorn Plants.

I took them both out.

【You acquired 40P】

I checked Membership.

【Balance: 205P】

【Total P Acquired: 42,215P】

After buying Storage, I had almost no P left.

But I didn't regret it.

I'd gotten what I needed.

◇

Evening came.

We found a rocky area that rose a little above the ground.

"Should we take a look from up there?"

"Yes."

We climbed up onto the rocks.

It wasn't all that high.

Even so, the view was more open than it had been in the forest.

Through the trees, we could see the river we'd found yesterday.

The forest continued beyond it.

"It's vast..."

"It is."

Looking at it again, this area was quite flat.

There were no large valleys.

We couldn't see any steep slopes, either.

And there was a river.

"I think I understand now."

"Understand what?"

"Why the count chose this area as a candidate for development."

Felicia looked around, too.

"Because it's so large?"

"That's probably a big part of it."

It was close to Belgrant.

There was a broad stretch of flat land.

And there was water, too.

As a place to expand the city, it had the right conditions.

"But there are all the trees and monsters..."

"That's the problem."

They'd need a lot of people.

And, naturally, it would cost a lot of money.

Even so, if the land they could use after developing it was large enough, it might be worth the effort.

"Let's report this area, too, when we get back."

"Yes."

I looked at the sky.

It was about time to head back.

We made our way out of the forest.

◇

We returned to the same spot as yesterday.

Setting up camp was much easier today.

"I'll take out the tent."

I used Storage.

The folded tent appeared.

Then the blankets.

The pot.

The food.

The water.

I took out only what we needed.

"This is completely different from yesterday."

Felicia smiled.

"It's a lot easier when we don't have to carry our packs."

The two of us pitched the tent.

I secured the poles while Felicia pulled the fabric taut.

After that, we started a fire and prepared dinner together.

"This will make it easier to travel farther, too."

"It could come in handy when we go deeper into the dungeon."

"We'll need camping gear once we start spending several days in there, too."

"Yes. We can bring food and water, and carry materials back with us."

Until now, we'd had to choose what to bring and which materials to take back based on how much we could carry.

With Storage, that limitation would be greatly reduced.

"It should be ready to eat soon."

Felicia looked at the pot.

"Shall we eat?"

"Yes."

We sat beside the fire together.

After one more day of surveying tomorrow, we'd have plenty of information to bring back to the count.

The number of monsters.

The terrain.

The river.

The manpower needed for development.

And the size of the forest.

We'd also acquired Storage.

With this, it seemed like we'd be able to adventure even farther than before.

【Total P Acquired: 42,215P】