We returned to the house that had been lent to us, and we decided to prepare ourselves. Iris and I had a lot on our plate, with replenishing the consumed potions and repairing our weapons and armor.
As we started our tasks, it wasn’t long before Jigoro suddenly emitted a bright light! Oh, it must be the time for his evolution. Considering my level was 29, it was only natural for Jigoro to be at level 30.
“Ahh~! I can see everything from a higher position~”
The evolved Jigoro grew even taller, reaching almost three meters, and became even more muscular. I couldn’t help but sympathize with any enemy on the receiving end of those fists and kicks.
Furthermore, a solid golden mane had sprouted on his once bald head, and two rugged black horns now protruded proudly from both sides of his forehead. His skin turned a deep red, and the tattoos running across his body took on a color close to whitish gold.
Indeed. Aside from the tattoos, he looked like a ‘Red Ogre’ I’d say. Or rather, his race was undoubtedly something like that.
“Just curious, what did you evolve into?” I asked.
“Yeah, I turned into the Blazebolt Berserker Ogre or something like that. The name got unexpectedly long, it surprised me.” Jigoro replied.
…That’s all he had to say about becoming such a clearly powerful race? I expected him to have more to share!
“Why does it have ‘Blaze’ in it?”
“I don’t know. Maybe it’s the effect of that reward I got from the event? The one I swallowed,” Jigoro mused.
Well, that’s probably the only explanation. The weapon Jigoro obtained from the event had some serious physical attack power.
“I don’t care if it’s a King Toad something or whatever, I’ll crush it to death!” Jigoro said.
“I appreciate your enthusiasm, but don’t go overboard.”
“I get it. I won’t repeat the failure from the Rat bastard’s time.”
Jigoro’s face contorted with bitterness. As long as he doesn’t let his guard down, that’s fine. So you should stop making that angry face! It’s quite intimidating, you know!?
――――――――――
The level of [Alchemy] skill has increased.
――――――――――
That being said, I didn’t rest my hands from potion-making even as I chatted away. I proceeded with alchemy, intending to use up all the herbs I had gathered during our explorations.
Though I failed a few times, probably due to insufficient level, I managed to replenish our potion stock. Ah, it would be great to have another companion who could handle production on their own. And if not that, then someone skilled in healing magic would be invaluable. Was I asking for too much?
Now, let’s begin confirming my newly acquired spells and strengthening myself. The spells I gained were “Summoning Evil Spirits” from the [Spirit Channeling] skill and “Necrosis” from the [Witchcraft] skill.
The former was an upgrade to my current ability, “Summoning Lesser Spirits”. The evil spirits were stronger than the lesser ones and possessed some intelligence. They only targeted the living, which worked out well for me, being undead and all.
However, I must be careful because my companions, unlike me, will be relentlessly targeted by these spirits. I certainly won’t entertain the idea of sacrificing my allies to defeat my enemies.
There was another spell called “Necrosis”, which forcibly caused the destruction of one randomly selected limb of the target three minutes after being cast. The effect sounded powerful, but battles rarely lasted long enough for three minutes to pass.
I briefly considered using it on a boss, but the description mentioned that it had limited effectiveness against bosses. To increase the success rate, I would once again have to raise the skill level.
Ugh! While I understand that nothing comes without conditions, it’s disheartening that these new spells are difficult to test in different situations.
Refocusing my thoughts, I moved on to the next matter—strengthening myself. The better option is to evolve the [Magic Control] into [Advanced Mana Control]. I had already confirmed its upgrade. It required a hefty 20 SP, but luckily, I was currently rich in SP. I wouldn’t hesitate to acquire it.
――――――――――
[Magic Control] evolved into [Advanced Magic Control] by consuming 20 SP.
Newly learned “spell adjustment” spell.
――――――――――
Spell adjustment? What’s that? Let me see… Ah, I see! This is fascinating!
Spell adjustment was a technique that allowed the manipulation of magic, which was previously limited to a predetermined size and form set by the system. For instance, you can change the appearance of the Dark Ball spell to make it look like a flying black skull.
However, if someone were to claim that this skill was only for playful purposes, that would be far from the truth. When using magic, you could adjust the amount of magic power consumed, thereby altering the spell’s potency. For example, you can create a ridiculously large fireball or even a needle-sized Stone Lance.
The idea of altering the appearance was alluring, but I’ll ignore that for now! What I need right now was the ability to enhance the power of my magic. Though there are limitations to how much it can be boosted, it will undoubtedly be useful for delivering a heavy blow when needed.
However, I couldn’t help but notice that I had spent nearly 50 SP just today. I should save up for a while. There might be other skills that are useful but require a massive SP investment.
Now then, I’ve completed all the preparations possible. So, I’ll take a break until the others finish theirs. There’s no doubt that even more intense battles await us from now on.
◆◇◆◇◆◇
Right now, I was flying through the sky, conducting reconnaissance from a bird’s-eye view. For the time being, there was no sign of the enemy.
The in-game time had passed midnight; it was the late hours of the night. The sun had long set, leaving only the light of the moon and stars to illuminate the darkness. If this were not a part of our march but an actual moment in reality, it would resemble a scene for moon viewing and merriment.
We were currently advancing to launch a night ambush. It took longer than expected for the lizardmen to get ready, so we had some time to log out, have dinner, take a bath, or shower, and then return. This break allowed us to refresh both mentally and physically and replenish our energy in the real world. As a result, we were in the best possible condition.
――――――――――
Isam: All clear up here in the sky.
Ruby: No abnormalities underwater on my end!
――――――――――
It’s been a while now since my companions below and I were communicating through the party chat. When was the last time we used it? Perhaps before everyone’s [Linguistics] level reached a certain point? It feels like it’s been ages.
――――――――――
Jigoro: We’ve got a problem here. Iris is feeling seasick.
Ruby: What? Σ(Д゜;/) It’s a boat she made herself!
Genjuro: Well, it seems like she’s always been prone to motion sickness.
――――――――――
From this conversation, it’s evident that, apart from me, who could fly through the air, and Ruby, who could swim underwater, the other three were on the raft that Iris hastily constructed. It seems she didn’t consider anything other than transporting the three of them to the Toadman’s nest, so the raft was rocking heavily. No wonder she’s getting seasick.
But she had no choice but to endure it. Just a little more to go. Hang in there!
――――――――――
Iris: I-I promise, someday I’ll build a ship that won’t sway at all!
――――――――――
I-I see. It’s a game after all, so I think you can make it, right…?
◆◇◆◇◆◇
“Gekogekko!”
“Gerogero!”
The vicinity of the room where the Toadman Grandmother resided in the Toadman’s Nest was now bustling with activity, resembling a disturbed beehive. The cause of this frenzy was not just the fact that the Toadman Grandmother had been killed by someone.
Of course, that was a significant problem, but right now, the most crucial matter was preparing offerings to be presented to a certain revered figure.
“Geroro!”
“Geckoo!”
A robust male Toadman came rushing in, carrying a box stacked high with large insects in his arms. Another male Toadman standing in front of the room gestured urgently.
“Geck, Gero…!”
Crunch… Munch… Slurp…
The moment the male Toadman tried to place the box into the room, something unseen snatched it away at high speed. Within seconds, the sound of sloppy chewing emanated from inside the room.
“Geckoo…”
It should have been a scene that left him dumbfounded, but instead, the male Toadman let out a sigh of relief. It’s settled for now.
However, they were still far from having enough offerings. They hadn’t even reached half of their target. How many more times would they have to repeat this task? The thought was overwhelming.
“Gerro! Geroroo!”
“Geck!?”
As he pondered these things, a cry from outside signaled an enemy attack. Most likely, it was those detestable lizardmen. Did they also kill the Toadman Grandmother?
The thought churned the Toadman’s insides with anger. We would surely retaliate and make them pay for their actions!
Goaaaaaaa! ! !
“Ge, geroro!?”
What on earth was that terrifying roar!? They had never heard a lizardman capable of producing such a sound. Could the enemy be something other than the lizardmen?
The veteran Toadmen were bewildered, and for a while, they stood there in a daze.
◆◇◆◇◆◇
“Gero! Geroro!”
“Tch, did they notice us?”
As we got somewhat closer, it seemed that the Toadman’s sentry had noticed us. The lizardmen, who moved through the water, were one thing, but a raft floating on the water would undoubtedly stand out.
However, now that we had been spotted, there was no need to hold back. We could go all out!
“Alright, let’s make a grand entrance!”
“You got it! Goaaaaaaa!!!”
With a fierce battle cry, Jigoro leaped from the raft and launched a brave attack on the Toadman’s nest. It might seem reckless to charge in alone, but at this moment, it didn’t pose any problems at all.
“G-gege…!”
“G-ge…ko…!”
Jogoro possessed a skill called [Roar], an evolved version of his previous [Intimidate] skill. Human players apparently had a similar skill called [Threaten], but that didn’t matter right now.
Anyway, his [Roar] was a skill that had a chance of stunning opponents who heard its sound. It seemed to have limited impact against beings of equal or higher level, but it almost guaranteed a successful stun against weaker opponents, especially those with a level below half his.
Remember how the Toadman’s common soldiers were mostly around level 12 to 15? Well, that just highlighted the immense power of [Roar].
“Hahahaha! Pathetic grunts!”
Jigoro laughed heartily as he sent the stunned Toadmen flying with his powerful strikes. Each swing of his arm sent multiple Toadmen flying.
He seemed to be enjoying himself. Well, I’ll join in on the attack too.
“Flying Slash, Thunder Arrow, Flying Slash, Thunder Arrow.”
“Gee!?”
“Gego…!”
I rapidly unleashed my [Scythe Mastery] martial technique and the [Lightning Magic] spell, which was the Toadmen’s weakness, in succession. I already knew this combination could take down up to level 18 Toadmen monsters. I wonder how many Toadmen I’ve taken down until now.
“Woooooooo! Follow Sir Dragon Bone!”
“””Uoooooooo!!!”””
The lizardmen, following us, joined the battle, and we pushed back the weaker Toadmen that swarmed out from the depths. It was definitely easier when we had the numerical advantage!
“Geroh! Gerogeroo!”
“Gegoo!”
Ah, is that the burly Toadmen Ruby mentioned? And there’s one with a staff, a mage perhaps? They do look strong indeed. Let me use [Appraisal] on them to find out.
――――――――――
Race: Wartoadman Lv21～26
Job: Warrior Lv1～6
Skills:
- [Sharp Tongue]
- [Spear Mastery] or [Axe Mastery]
- [Throwing Technique]
- [Strength Enhancement]
- [Agility Enhancement]
- [Aquatic]
- [Night Vision]
- [Mucus]
- [Lightning Weakness]
Race: Toadman Mage Lv25
Job: Water Mage Lv5
Skills:
- [Sharp Tongue]
- [Staff Mastery]
- [Earthen Magic]
- [Water and Ice Magic]
- [Storm Magic]
- [Intelligence Enhancement]
- [Aquatic]
- [Night Vision]
- [Mucus]
- [Lightning Weakness]
――――――――――
Oh? Wartoadmen and Toadman Mage, huh? Wartoadmen were stronger than ordinary Lizardmen but weaker than Warlizardmen.
And as for the Toadman Mage, it possessed evolved and enhanced skills for a monster. Not bad, I must say. However, they were not my opponents!
“Spell Adjustment, Star Magic Circle, Thunder Arrow!”
“Gegagaga!?”
Using my newly acquired spell, Spell Adjustment, I poured all my strength into five Thunder Arrows. The five Thunder Arrows converged, forming a single powerful beam that pierced through the Toadman Mage, instantly killing it.
“Hmph, nothing special.”
“Hoho! I won’t fall behind!”
Genjuro unsheathed all three of his weapons—the field sword (odachi), the large sword (Uchigatana), and the short sword (Wakizashi). This was the evolved form of the [Dualsword Style] skill, the [Multisword Style], which only races with more than two arms could acquire.
This skill granted a bonus to attack power when using two or more weapons. Genjuro had mastered the Triple Sword Style, wielding the large sword and the short sword in one of his four arms, while grasping a large field sword with the remaining two.
“Geckoa!”
“Gegyu!?”
“Gerogee!?”
With each swing of the three swords, Genjuro cut down the Wartoadmen in succession. It was an extraordinary feat made possible by precisely targeting vital points with almost every slash.
The tide of the battle was in our favor. Well, it would be terribly disheartening to be at a disadvantage from the beginning in a surprise night attack.
“Geegea-roo-aaaah!”
Huh!? That was a [Roar] as powerful as Jigoro’s, if not more! We were alright, but a few Lizardmen were stunned. With the roar, it felt like the ceiling of the distant building exploded from within. There was indeed a formidable foe inside! But we would definitely defeat it!
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