After leaving the forest, I decided to spend the night in an inn in the nearby town. I cleansed myself with water from the well, had a meal, and then laid down on the bed.
Staying still for a while, I suddenly became aware of the tension in my shoulders that had persisted.
"I almost died–no, I guess it didn't go up to that point."
My physical capabilities far exceeded those of any monster I encountered. Ultimately, I never suffered any injuries, and even if struck by a final blow, it wouldn't be fatal.
Today, apart from the last encounter, I avoided battles with multiple monsters. With a bit more experience, I was confident I could handle a one-on-many situation.
However, continuing like this every day was dangerous. I had a feeling that a series of unfortunate events could lead to a sudden and unremarkable death.
I yearned for a safe and reliable way to defeat enemies.
Status
Name: Tachibana Haruki
Job: Traveler
Level: 27
Skill Points: 11
Skills Acquired:
- Body Strengthening Lvl. 15
- Black Magic Lvl. 1
Skills that Can Be Acquired:
- Swordsmanship
- Spear Mastery
- Shield Mastery
- Archery
- Body Strengthening
- Black Magic
- Holy Magic
- Summoning Magic
- Alchemy
- Blacksmith
etc...
I decided against pursuing Swordsmanship. If my sword reached the enemy, their attacks would reach me too.
To safely defeat enemies, long-range attacks were the way to go. Throughout human history, from throwing stones to bows, guns, and missiles, those who could attack from a distance held a significant advantage.
The same principle applied in this world. All the monsters I encountered today didn't use any long-range attacks. Goblins might throw stones, but compared to close-range attacks, dodging those was far easier. If I had a means of long-range attack, I could have defeated them more safely.
Considering the possibility of encountering monsters with long-range attacks, it was even more crucial for me to possess long-range attack capabilities.
I allocated just one skill point to Black Magic. If I found Black Magic's performance lacking, I intended to give the Archery skill a try.
Upon acquiring a skill, I intuitively understood how to wield magic. I imagined igniting flames at my fingertips, manipulating what seemed like magical energy within my body, and it truly resulted in fire.
"Whoa?!"
I couldn't help but exclaim in amazement. My gaze remained fixed on the flames dancing at my fingertips, and absentmindedly, I opened my mouth, staring at them for a while.
This phenomenon surpassed the extension of physical laws governing the ability of body strengthening; it was a phenomenon that transcended the realm of common sense, unfolding right before my eyes.
I refocused my concentration on the flames. They flickered like a campfire. I attempted to stabilize them into a steady flame like that of a lighter, but the magical energy itself fluctuated, causing the flames to waver.
Next, I tried to manipulate magical energy to recreate a high-temperature flame similar to that of a gas stove, but even this attempt wasn't very successful. Instead of the temperature rising, the flames grew larger, and a surge of energy drained from my body.
Upon realization, my internal magical energy was nearing depletion.
However, given the current circumstances, while still somewhat equivalent to throwing stones, it seemed like a satisfactory outcome for a level 1 skill.
I added more skill points to level Black Magic to 5.
Next, I conjured a water ball roughly the size of a volleyball. Although it didn't form a perfect sphere, it exhibited significantly less wavering compared to before.
Attempting to mold the water ball into an ice blade, I managed to succeed in shaping it, albeit roughly.
Moreover, I still had some magical energy to spare.
It appeared that with each increase in the level of the Black Magic skill, the amount of magical energy and precision in manipulation improved. Filled with a sense of accomplishment, I resolved to wholeheartedly acquire the Black Magic skill.
I allocated all the remaining skill points to the Black Magic skill and once again formed an ice blade.
This time, I managed to create a sharp blade rather than a crude one. While I couldn't wield it indoors at present, I had a sense that I could make the blade fly.
This would be a very powerful weapon to kill Goblins.
Unintentionally smiling to myself, I thought.
While the prospect of safer combat was appealing, what was truly enjoyable was the ability to use magic. Casting magic from my hands, for someone who was a chuunibyou like me, it was an immensely satisfying feeling.
With a grin on my face, I experimented with various elemental attributes, molding them into different shapes. Despite the night growing progressively late, my excitement showed no sign of waning.
Ultimately, on this day, I continued experimenting until my magical energy was depleted, and as dawn broke, I finally succumbed to sleep.
