Chapter 116
By the way, I should review the new weapon skills and spells I learned during that battle. There were so many things going on that I haven't even had time to read their descriptions properly.
There are Fivefold Slash from 【Scythe Arts】, Break Object from 【Void Magic】, Three-Stage Evolution and Tamed Monster Summoning from 【Summoning】, Overboost from 【Enchantment】, and Grand Magic Circle from 【Magic Circle】. Let's go through them in order.
As the name suggests, Fivefold Slash is a weapon skill that attacks five times in succession. Frankly, it's an upgraded version of Triple Slash. Just like with Triple Slash, I can change the direction of each slash within reason. It seems like a straightforward and easy-to-use technique.
Break Object from 【Void Magic】 is a spell that limits the effect of Disassembly. Whereas Disassembly makes all things disappear, this spell tears apart every item other than player avatars, weapons, armor, and accessories.
Unlike Disassembly, there's no need to worry about damaging the caster's staff or limbs, so it is easy to use. However, I have no idea what to use it for. I probably won't use it until I find a suitable purpose.
Both Three-Stage Evolution and Tamed Monster Summoning from 【Summoning】 should prove useful. First, Three-Stage Evolution means exactly what it says. I can now summon monsters that have reached the third stage of evolution—in other words, servants at level 30 or higher. This means I can now use an even sturdier wall. Nothing is more convenient than disposable pawns that obey orders absolutely. They can also serve as a rearguard when fleeing or as canaries in a mine.
The other technique, Tamed Monster Summoning, allows me to summon my tamed monster—in my case, Kal—whenever I want. In other words, I can instantly call Kal here even though we're currently acting separately. ...This is a trump card. At least during the event, I should keep it in reserve unless I'm truly cornered.
Overboost from 【Enchantment】 allows me to apply more powerful stat enhancements, but when the effect wears off, the enhanced stats temporarily decrease. It seems best used for short decisive battles or the final phase of an area boss fight... maybe? At the very least, it would be wise not to use it when I expect to fight a series of battles.
And then there's Grand Magic Circle from 【Magic Circle】. This may be the highlight of the bunch. It is simply an enhanced version of Magic Circle. I can only deploy one, and there is a delay between deploying it and activating it, but its power is tremendous in exchange. Apparently, its power is ten times greater.
I honestly thought my eyes were deceiving me. It's like using Astral Magic Circle twice. Spell Adjustment can increase its power even further, too. Considering that, the delay is a small price to pay. As long as I don't misuse it, I should be able to overwhelm most enemies with sheer firepower.
"...Looks like we've cleared out most of the monsters around here."
I muttered that after using Magic Echo to scout the surroundings. After rejoining Eiji and the others, we formed a Union between our two parties and have been working together to hunt the monsters in the area. Naturally, we are grinding experience in preparation for the battle to come.
A Union is a system that combines multiple parties into one large group. The amount of experience each person receives decreases, but increasing the number of people also increases our strength and safety. Incidentally, a Union can consist of up to five parties and thirty people. If that number is exceeded, the designation changes to a Legion.
Because of when we started the game, it is admittedly a problem that everyone except me is still below level 20. We have been hunting stronger monsters so that everyone can evolve at least once. We have formed a Union, but their levels are still slightly below the appropriate level for this area, so it is a pleasant surprise that they are gaining so much experience anyway.
For the sake of experience efficiency, I have only been providing the minimum necessary support. I am merely assisting the front line with Skeleton Shielders created through 【Summoning】. They have since evolved into Skeleton Guardians. Even so, their shields remain impenetrable walls that surpass Eiji's in terms of level. Our hunting efficiency has improved considerably, so it seems we can defeat stronger enemies much more smoothly than before we joined up.
"I'm gaining a level after every battle...!"
"We'd never be able to beat any of these opponents on our own."
Just now, we finished off three Blade Reindeer. They are monsters with antlers as sharp as blades. We defeated them by taking advantage of our numbers, and there was nothing particularly noteworthy about the fight. Judging from the shape and size of the antlers we obtained from harvesting them, I thought they might make a good axe for Eiji.
Shifune was trembling at how quickly their levels were rising, while Wool continued speaking in his usual laid-back manner. The two of them had already evolved once: Shifune had become a Big Killer Spider, while Wool had become a Sleep Sheep.
A Big Killer Spider is about the same size as a Big Spider, but all of its stats have improved evenly. It should become an excellent physical attacker with both speed and power.
A Sleep Sheep is a monster specialized in putting enemies to sleep. Its cries and horn attacks can inflict the Sleep status ailment. Its fluffy wool also gives it high resistance to both physical and magical attacks. However, its physical attack power is low, so its primary strategy is to put enemies to sleep with its cries and attack them with magic.
"Phil and Tess are evolving smoothly, too."
Sei's tamed monsters, Phil the wolf and Tess the fairy, had evolved into a Gray Wolf and a Light Pixie, respectively. The former is a monster that serves as a field boss in the grasslands near Fars, while the latter is a fairy exceptionally skilled with the Light element.
"Oh! I can evolve, too!"
"Me too. Having back-line support really speeds things up."
Among us, Eiji and Toji had the highest levels after me, and they had also leveled up, finally reaching level 20. Their bodies began to change as they shone white. Now, what kind of Race would they become?
"I became an Orc Warrior!"
"A Gula Saif...? Does saif mean sword, I wonder?"
Orc Warrior and Gula Saif. It seemed they had both climbed the evolution ladder in a perfectly natural manner. An Orc Warrior was essentially an Orc optimized for combat. His arms, which had already been thick enough, had grown even more massive, and his entire body looked larger. Eiji said that his strength and defense had increased considerably.
However, his Skills related to magic seemed to receive negative modifiers. A familiar example would be Genzuro.
"Now I can catch up to the Skeletons you summon, at least a little!"
Oh, it seemed Eiji had been bothered by the fact that his defense was lower than that of the monsters created through magic. He had a level disadvantage, and they were monsters specialized entirely in defense, so of course they were tougher... But perhaps this wasn't something that could be explained by logic.
"Ooh~. I feel so light~."
If anyone resembles Genzuro, though, it's Toji's Gula Saif. This Race appeared to be what a Gula specializing in swords evolved into. Apparently, there had been other choices, but she had chosen this one because she wanted to learn magic in the future.
The Gula Saif is a front-line class that receives no modifiers for weapons other than swords, but in exchange suffers no penalty to magic. Watching her practice her sword swings as though dancing, I look forward to seeing what kind of magical warrior she becomes.
"Next up is us, Moss-san!"
"Yes. Let's keep leveling up."
Nanako and Moss-san were fired up, since they were almost there, too. Leveling up and evolving really did serve as a form of motivation. Unlike human players, the change for monsters was visible and physical, which was nice. If we went to a monster settlement like Birdie Perch or the Orc city-state where Eiji and Toji were staying, we could even obtain equipment, so the difference between monsters and humans was not all that great.
Of course, none of that would matter unless we could reach such a place, and the clear differences in aptitude between Races might not appeal to everyone. It was also unfortunate that weapons and armor were useless for some Races. Getting new equipment was exciting, after all.
"If we've hunted most of them, we should move on~. Where are we going next?"
Shiitake asked me that, so I began to speak while organizing my thoughts.
"The people from 'Persona' are probably hunting to the north, so let's avoid going there. There should be a fort to the south, so we should avoid that for now as well. That leaves... west. There's no need to wear down our pawns any further."
So far, we had fought insect- and beast-type monsters a little above level 20, as well as oni-type monsters organized into squads. The oni-type monsters were probably part of a group moving south from the north.
We intended to use these monsters as part of our strategy. They were an excellent source of experience, but wearing them down too much would be a problem. That was why we were going to put some distance between us and them for the time being. Nanako, Moss-san, and I had already confirmed through aerial reconnaissance that the forces here were at the western edge of the army moving south.
"Got it. Then we'll scout a little ahead."
"That would help."
After saying that, Sei and his tamed monsters disappeared toward the western side of the forest. Their ability to search for enemies from the treetops and the ground was excellent. An animal's sense of smell and eyesight were not to be underestimated. It was also reassuring that, even if one of the tamed monsters on the ground were ambushed, Sei in the trees could immediately launch a counterattack with an ambush of his own.
At least, there had been no problems so far. That was probably why we had let our guard down. We should have known that this forest was a harsh place for Sei and his companions.
"Huh? Whoaaaaaa!?"
However, immediately after seeing them off, we heard Sei's scream. At the same time, we heard his tamed monsters barking. We looked at one another, then immediately ran toward the voice.
"I'm here to help!"
"Oraaah!"
The fastest movers among us in the forest were Nanako and Moss-san, since they could fly. I could fly as well, but I was slower than the two of them, whose Races had let them fly from the beginning. Next came Shifune, who could run over uneven terrain without slowing down, followed by Toji. Eiji and Wool were competing for last place.
"Tough!? What is this thing!?"
"Our fangs and claws can't get through it...!"
What could be here? Following the two of them, I arrived at the scene and saw a longhorn beetle roughly the size of a human. It had pinned Sei down with its forelegs and weight, and was trying to bite through his neck with its mandibles.
"Remote Magic Circle Activation, Spell Adjustment, Dark Arm!"
"Screeeech!?"
The monster had been blocking Nanako and Moss-san's attacks with its hard beetle-like exoskeleton, but my enormous Dark Arm grabbed it from behind and lifted it into the air. Now it couldn't do anything!
As expected, it flailed all six of its jointed legs like an ordinary bug caught by a boy, but all it could do was flail uselessly in midair. The fact that it became completely helpless like this suggested that its level was not particularly high.
"You did that to me! Here's payback!"
"Shishaaa!?"
Sei had nearly been killed, and in his anger, he snatched up the stick he had dropped, reequipped it, and brought it down with all his strength on the longhorn beetle's head. The beetle let out a wordless scream, but Sei ignored it and continued pounding its head.
Each blow did not seem to inflict much damage, but as long as I kept it restrained, he could continue hitting it forever. By striking it again and again, he gradually reduced its health gauge, and we managed to finish it off after about a minute.
"Hah, hah... Man, that scared me!"
"I'm glad you're safe, but I want to apologize. It was my mistake for failing to consider this possibility."
I sincerely apologized for making the wrong decision. With only one death available to him, I had nearly made him waste it for nothing. I thought I deserved at least a reproach, but Sei merely shook his head.
"It's fine. I was just being an idiot for letting myself get ambushed. More importantly, does this mean this area is a den of giant bugs?"
Sei said that while poking the dead longhorn beetle with his stick. When I found Eiji and the others, they had been fighting a giant mantis, if I remembered correctly.
"We've only found one, so isn't it too early to decide that?"
"That's true. Then from here on, let's be even more careful."
We lacked enough evidence to make a judgment, so Shiitake was right. In any case, it was enough if they were just strong enough for us to train against. And if they happened to drop an interesting item, I would have no complaints.
Thinking such carefree thoughts, we continued deeper into the coniferous forest.