Chapter 11

"Hey, you. What's your name?"

"It's Homura."

"I see, I'm Ruba. So, Homura, you're a magician, right?"

It was said with a slight hint of disappointment, as if asking, "Is it physics or brain muscles you like?" I'm far from being athletic.

At first, he seemed moody and gloomy, but now he's a cheerful old man. What happened in such a short time?

"I want to become a magic swordsman someday, but it's still a long way off."

"Hmm, if you want a sword, come to me. I can make even better ones."

"That's sudden. Are you a swordsmith? But I understand, thank you."

No, it wasn't about muscles. The old man, with a good build, had a tuft of hair about ten centimeters long tied back, the rest being short and white. He turned out to be a blacksmith.

Since he doesn't seem to be in business, when I asked Kikuhime if I could tell others, she stopped me. After talking for a while, I was recommended to a good cane workshop and parted ways.

And finally, I arrived at the cane shop!

And it turned out to be the workshop of the cane maker I saw at the weapon shop. The family runs it, and the son is an apprentice. It seems the cane I saw was the first one he ever sold. What a roundabout way.

"Well, should I go back to the weapon shop and buy it? My budget is tight, you know."

"Did you like it?"

"Yeah, I was looking for a cane based on that one. If I find something better in the Craftsmen's District, I'll buy it, but if not, I planned to go back to the weapon shop and buy that one."

The boy, who is sixteen but looks younger due to his small build and light blonde hair, smiled shyly and looked away. He looks so much like a young girl with the high male ratio here!

"Wait a moment!"

He disappeared into the back and returned with a cane.

"Would you like to use this one?"

The cane he offered had the same performance as the one I saw at the weapon shop, but it was a bit thinner and lighter in color.

"I made it too thin for my hands, but it was the first cane my father said was good enough to sell. I wanted to keep it as a memento..."

"I'm happy, but I can't promise not to break it if I use it."

"The cane would probably be happier being used! It was made for that purpose."

I was about to say I'd hesitate, but he cut me off.

This is a typical craftsman's response! If I were reading a story, I'd breeze through this cliché, but when it's said seriously in front of me, I want to respect this young craftsman's feelings.

"Alright, thank you. I'll take good care of it."

I handed over 7,500 silver, which hurt my wallet, but I had to pay to be a man.

"I suggested it, so please take it."

"Materials and craftsmanship cost money, so it can't be free."

"Then, 5,000 silver. In return, let me make another one for you!"

"Alright."

I received a cane and a partner card from the boy! It's inconvenient that I can't give my own partner card. I hope they improve this.

After that, I almost missed the meeting time and rushed to the robe shop Kikuhime recommended, bought a 4,000 silver robe, and met up with everyone, returning to the square by carriage. The carriage runs on fixed routes and costs 100 silver each trip.

While everyone was happy about the speed and convenience, I was quietly feeling dizzy. I didn't expect to get motion sickness even in a game world.

Everyone was also buying shoes and accessories, showing off their loot. We agreed to go shopping again when our schedules match for solo play.

Julius' workshop deals with canes, books, and all kinds of magical weapons, and even at regular prices, they are good. I told Kikuhime via email, but she had already bought from a specialized short cane shop, as she was running out of time.

And my skills [Weapon and Armor Appraisal] and [Tool and Medicine Appraisal] reached level 2, but everyone else was at level 3. Maybe it's the result of my blatant slacking. If there were a skill like [Back Door Appraisal], I'm confident it would be higher.

Petro had sent a lost child to a clothing store and received a partner card, a young girl's.

"Are you a lolicon?"

"Are you a lolicon?"

"Are you a lolicon?"

"LOLICON!!"

"I feel threatened."

"Hold it! You guys!!"

Leo seemed to be liked by the workshop owner and, for some reason, became an apprentice blacksmith.

His actions are way off the mark.

The restaurant was less crowded than last night, but still busy. We sat on the benches in the square and bought and ate from the outdoor food stand, where oval bread served as a lid for a wide-mouthed clay pot. The pot contained stewed mutton, which tasted like beef. We scooped the contents with the torn bread and ate it, which was quite delicious, though it was hard to get the right amount of bread.

EP only decreases during battles.

"Alright, now that we have new equipment, shall we go for a wolf rematch?"

That's how it was decided.

"Slash!"

The gray wolf disappeared in a flash of light.

*You have obtained the gray wolf's fur.*

*You have obtained the gray wolf's fangs.*

"I stopped it from howling, but what kind of attack would it have been?"

From his experience with slime, Petro took the skill [Intercept] to prevent enemy skill activation and is currently practicing. He managed to stop the [Howl], but he failed to stop all the skills the wolf used before that.

The timing is quite critical and varies depending on the skill the enemy uses. Moreover, the success rate is not 100%, and it's much lower against enemies stronger than himself. If it fails to activate, it deals 1 or 2 points of damage, which can be seen from the outside.

"Would it paralyze us?"

"Wolf multiplication, wolf bonus service."

"Would I be okay with a wolf bonus campaign?"

Yesterday, we barely escaped from the wolves. Now, with higher levels and better equipment, it's to be expected.

"Then, I'll join the attack. Let's call the wolves."

"Ha ha! It might be the paralyzing one!"

It turned out to be the wolf bonus.

Thanks to that, I reached level 10. Three wolves at once were easy, but with five, Kikuhime's healing transferred the target to Ochazuke, making it dangerous. However, if we reduced the number before it reached five, it was fine. If we failed and a fifth wolf was called, Petro's [Intercept] was very effective in stopping the [Howl].

The skills [Intelligence Boost], [Water Magic], [Wood Magic], [Aura Detection], [Aura Dilution] leveled up.

I took [Wood Magic] at level 8, but instead of dealing immediate damage like previous spells, I learned [Vine] to immobilize enemies and [Leaf] to deal minor damage over ten seconds. At level 2, I only know these two, but it might be support magic. This makes [Earth Magic] intriguing.

I also took [Skill Appraisal] with 7 SP. The first spell of [Earth Magic] is [Mud], which creates darkness.

After learning [Earth Magic] and finishing a battle, [Wind Magic] was added to my skill list. It costs 2 SP, and I naturally learned it.

"By the way, isn't it a bit quiet here?"

During a break, Shin, munching on meat, suspiciously asked, where did he get it?

"Ah, others are fighting goblins at the west gate. Goblins have a low chance of dropping magic stones for equipment enhancement."

Ochazuke, who often checks the bulletin board, answered.

"Really?"

"By the way, the E-rank regular quests are also about goblins."

While eating a skewer, he added, but the EP recovery from skewers is insufficient.

"You can fail, but you can train up to +10 at the repair shop."

"What kind of failures?"

"The base durability decreases, and it breaks after ten failures."

Even if it doesn't break, if the durability drops from 100/100 to 10/10, you'd have to repair it after each battle. Or it might break in one go. Equipment enhancement is scary.

"That sounds like something Leo and Shin would like."

"Like gambling! Ha ha ha!"

"Well, it might get crowded with everyone fighting for enemies, so it might be better to go during the inn bonus time."

"True."

We resumed wolf hunting. After a while, we found a completely black wolf. Unlike the gray wolves, it was accompanied by gray wolves and was noticeably larger.

"There's a strong one."

"Maybe it's Shin's senior. Say hello to the junior."

"It's so big, it's intimidating!"

"Kikuhime is the smallest."

The black wolf is nearly four times my size, the largest among the males.

"Let's do it."

Did the nuance just change a bit?

Our strategy was for Kikuhime to take the target, then I would taunt the black wolf and attack the others one by one while casting [Mud] to create darkness. The wolves, unable to see, would miss their attacks, reducing the damage Kikuhime took.

[Mud] didn't work well on the black wolf, so I cast [Leaf] and left it alone.

I joined the attack on the gray wolf Kikuhime was hitting. After defeating one, I recast [Mud] as its effect was about to wear off. When one was defeated, the remaining three wolves howled, each calling a new one. Petro stopped one with [Intercept], but the numbers didn't decrease. It was better than when the gray wolves called two each. When we tried to defeat the black wolf first, it used [Howl] after a certain time, even if it wasn't defeated.

The [Roar] caused fear, hindering everyone's movements. We quickly recovered, but our attacks and skills were canceled. As a result, the attack that was on Kikuhime shifted to me, reducing my HP by half and causing [Bleeding], a status effect that gradually reduced my HP.

I panicked, realizing I didn't have much defense, but the black wolf's next attack was random, and everyone's HP was reduced by half. It seems to be that kind of attack. [Roar] also strengthened the gray wolves.

When the [Roar] hit Kikuhime, it was particularly troublesome. After her HP was halved, the strengthened gray wolves concentrated their attacks, and a critical hit would be dangerous.

We could win if we fought until the gray wolves stopped calling for help, but it would be a tough battle.

Ochazuke was busy healing Kikuhime and everyone else, whose HP and [Bleeding] were decreasing. If everyone's HP wasn't kept above half, they would die when [Roar] came.

If [Howl] was stopped, an additional wolf would be called. It was risky to use [Intercept] on two wolves.

"If our attack power was a bit higher and we could defeat one in one turn, it would be easier."

"It's tough if we don't defeat them quickly, especially the ones that call for help."

Ochazuke and Petro analyzed the battle, though it might not have been a thorough analysis. They always approach battles logically, which I noticed while watching the gray wolves. Incidentally, Leo often disrupts this logic.

"Hmm, does it scratch the ground with its hind legs before [Howl]?"

Its fluffy tail made it hard to see.

"OK! Leave it to me!"

*You have obtained 20 gray wolf furs.*

*You have obtained 18 gray wolf fangs.*

*You have obtained 6 gray wolf blood.*

*You have obtained a black wolf fur.*

*You have obtained a black wolf fang.*

*You have obtained a black wolf magic stone.*

*Earth Magic has reached level 2.*

*The skills [Fear Resistance] and [Hemostasis] have been added to your skill list.*

The black wolf disappeared in a flash of light from Shin's four-hit combo. After defeating all the gray wolves, it was quick.

A powerful boxer is cool, but a thief who works hard is also cool.

"It was tough, but less stressful than slimes."

"I might take [Intercept]."

"Is there an EP recovery potion? It was hard to eat during battles."

"I'd like one if there is."

"Same here."

After a break, we found a mining point and split up. I was fine with [Aura Detection] and [Aura Dilution] cast, but I helped Kikuhime when she was attacked nearby, then we gathered at the same spot.

When the berries we picked earlier disappeared, we realized that other players could still gather from the same spot, so we gathered side by side. There was a difference in the food gathered by non-[Gather] users. When non-[Gather] users picked, they got one at a time, but [Gather] users could get one to three at once, making it more efficient.

Here, we gathered herbs, hemostatic herbs, and heart-strengthening fruits, which seemed to be for black wolf countermeasures.

Incidentally, the gray wolf that attacked was defeated by Kikuhime drinking an HP potion before it could [Howl]. [Fire Magic] being at level 4 was fortunate.

Night fell.

We are currently in battle again.

The location is the shallow forest where the horned rabbits were. We are fighting bats. They stay in a low position where basic attacks can hit, but sometimes they fly high and use the [Suction] skill, which deals damage to us and heals them.

My magic, Ochazuke's, and the two thieves' throwing attacks can reach the bats when they are high. During this time, Shin and Kikuhime use potions to recover.

After one battle, Kikuhime also took [Throwing]. Shin, lacking SP, remains a healer when the bats fly high. I gave him a potion before the second battle started.

I was thinking physical attacks were tough, but it was discovered that [Wind Magic]'s [Gale] can knock them down, though not always. With [Intercept] and [Gale], having various jobs makes battles easier.

"Hmm, maybe we need to take skills for flying enemies now."

Shin stroked his unkempt beard with his large hand, pondering.

"Comparing damage with Kikuhime, I think [Throwing] depends on both STR and DEX."

"Of course, it's a thief's initial skill."

Ochazuke's analysis was echoed by Petro.

"I want to improve my physical attacks before enemies with magic resistance appear."

Would [Gold Magic] work? No, it might have spell disruption or silence.

"Bats are inefficient. It's about time to go back to the inn."

"Agreed."

We agreed with Ochazuke. It was 2:00 AM in real time, and we needed to sleep to avoid affecting our work the next day.

Thus, my first day ended.

□ □ □ □ □

・Increase・

Lv +3

Skills

[Wood Magic][Earth Magic][Wind Magic]

[Skill Appraisal]

□ □ □ □ □

Homura Lv.10

Rank E

Job Magician, Alchemist

HP 214

MP 347

STR 10

VIT 11

INT 40 (+6)

MID 14

DEX 9

AGI 10

LUK 10

NPCP [Galahad][－]

Title [Communicator]

Skills (2SP)

■Magic

[Wood Magic Lv.2][Fire Magic Lv.4][Earth Magic Lv.2]

[Gold Magic Lv.3][Water Magic Lv.3][Wind Magic Lv.1]

■Production

[Alchemy Lv.1][Alchemy Synthesis Lv.1][Cooking Lv.1]

■Gathering

[Gathering]

■Appraisal & Concealment

[Tool and Medicine Appraisal Lv.2][Plant and Food Appraisal Lv.2]

[Animal and Monster Appraisal Lv.3][Skill Appraisal Lv.1]

[Weapon and Armor Appraisal Lv.2]

[Aura Detection Lv.2][Aura Dilution Lv.2]

■Enhancement

[Intelligence Boost Lv.2]

■Others

[MP Natural Recovery][Night Vision][Map]