Chapter 38

7/18 This is my first post of the day.

In the middle of the fourth day of hunting on the Locker Plains,

Leaning against a small rock to protect my back, I surveyed the wide area in front of me while munching on the sandwich made by the innkeeper.

Right after the first day, I quickly negotiated with the innkeeper about the bento box, and she agreed to make it for 1000 Beke per meal, which I accepted immediately.

Of course, it was more expensive than the portable food, but with such meals, it was too difficult to maintain motivation, so getting it for 1000 Beke was a bargain.

Between the two round breads, slightly larger than a Coppa bread, were lettuce-like leaves, scrambled eggs, and ham.

It was clear that it was just the morning breakfast set condensed into one, so the innkeeper must have been secretly happy to make money without much effort.

(Ah, I wish I could have some coffee... I wonder if there are coffee beans in this world?)

While thinking about such things, I glanced sideways at the basket.

Yesterday and today, by around 11:00 to 12:00 by my watch, the basket was about half full of monster materials.

Today, I ventured deep into the area where other parties couldn't be seen, but the scenery didn't change, and I didn't see any tall trees.

At this point, even with the fatigue recovery pills, moving around the hunting ground while carrying the basket was becoming too tiring, and hunting while carrying the basket was risky due to the weight causing my body to wobble.

On the other hand, if I returned to the town of Bezart, it would be a two-hour round trip.

Even if I could save some time by running back, the second trip from 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM would be too hard.

Most of all, it was frustrating to return to town with the basket only half full.

(If I go this deep, no one will steal from me... but monsters do eat each other...)

A fact I noticed yesterday.

On my way back, I saw a Poison Mouse eating the corpse of a fellow Poison Mouse.

At the time, I thought it was lucky and hunted one more, but knowing that they eat their own kind made it unrealistic to place the basket on a small rock and hunt from a fixed point.

If the materials were eaten when I returned, I would probably stab that rat 20 times in anger.

(A place where neither people nor monsters can reach... should I pile up a lot of soil myself? If I make it once, I can reuse it...)

Do they even sell shovels?

It's not easy to make a steep hill that even rats can't climb.

While thinking about this, I tapped my foot on the ground and muttered my wish.

"Rise, earth... or something."

*Puff*

"..."

I almost dropped my half-eaten sandwich.

Looking down, the ground where I had tapped my foot had risen by about 30 centimeters.

It definitely wasn't there before.

When I tapped my foot, a faint blue-purple mist appeared, and the ground rose up.

...I quietly opened the status screen and checked my magic power.

Magic Power: 106/108 (+6)

"Magic power is decreasing..."

However, I had used the [Charge] skill twice before lunch.

So, just to be sure...

*Tap tap*

"Rise, earth..."

*Puff*

"......Are you serious?!"

When I opened the system screen again, it showed 104/108 (+6), clearly indicating that magic power had decreased.

This meant I had cast a spell.

And the memory I wanted to forget.

The unpleasant scene after obtaining [Fire Magic] came to mind.

At that time, no matter how much I tried, it didn't work. Why...

What I didn't do then and did now... Could it be!?

"The trigger is not the 'hand' but the 'foot'!?"

It seemed absurd, but since the spell had indeed been cast, I couldn't deny it.

I wanted to complain about how awkward this world's method of casting spells was, but I stuffed the sandwich into my mouth and washed it down with water from my canteen, thinking there was no time to eat.

(Oh no, oh no, oh no... What? What should I do? What should I try first? First...)

Amidst the various thoughts racing through my head, the first thing I tried was to increase my magic power.

*Tap tap tap!*

"Rise, earth... a lot!"

*Thud thud thud...*

"......What the heck?!"

In front of me stood a small hill about twice my height.

"Magic consumption... 19. So, 19 for this..."

I trembled at the unexpected activation of my first spell.

"Amazing... amazing, amazing, amazing! Amazing, magic!"

When I touched it lightly, it felt like just piled-up earth, but it was shaped like a hill, so it should be able to block frontal attacks.

However, a Poison Mouse might still be able to climb it.

Thinking about this, I tried the next step.

I imagined a stone pillar like those in temples.

*Tap tap tap*

"Generate a stone pillar!"

*Thud thud thud...*

"Oh... this is smaller than I thought... Is it because I made it hard?"

Indeed, a stone pillar had formed at my feet, but it was only about 50 centimeters tall and 30 centimeters in diameter, a rather awkward size.

"Magic consumption is 9... so this is a level 1 spell. And the 19 from before was a level 2 spell."

From the magic consumption, I could tell the degree of the spell, but I wasn't sure how to cast level 2 or level 3 spells.

(The difference is... saying 'a lot'? Is it that simple?)

I had many questions, but I still had magic power.

The Short Sword's 'Magic Boost' was shining brightly.

Then...

*Tap tap tap!*

"Generate a lot of stone pillars!"

*Thud thud thud!*

(That's it...)

The magic consumption of 19 resulted in a lot of stone pillars.

In front of me, three more stone pillars of the same size as before had appeared.

It was far from what I wanted.

(Then, is this the right way...?)

*Tap tap tap*

"Generate a long and thick stone pillar!"

*Hmm...*

There was no reaction, and no magic power was consumed.

(No good. Then...)

*Tap tap tap*

"Generate a long stone pillar!"

*Thud thud thud thud...*

"Oh!!"

Finally, the magic consumption was 19.

A stone pillar slightly taller than me was generated.

And I got a sense of the key points in casting spells.

It was the number of key words used.

If I used "stone pillar" and "generate," I was using two key words to materialize the desired phenomenon, which was a level 1 spell.

This meant that the maximum magic consumption would be 9, resulting in a weak spell.

From there, adding more elements like "long," "thick," or "a lot" made it a level 2 spell, using three key words.

So, the last thing I could try was this.

I placed the basket on a 1.5-meter-tall stone pillar.

Then, looking at the base of the stone pillar, I cast the spell.

*Tap tap tap*

"Generate a long stone pillar!"

*Thud thud thud thud...*

"Ooh! I did it! Success!!!"

A new stone pillar was generated under the one with the basket, forming a single pillar about 3 meters tall.

Exactly what I wanted.

Even if I kicked it, it was stable and wouldn't budge, and it would be difficult for monsters or people to reach the basket on top.

Additionally, standing alone in a vast, open field, it would be a good landmark.

With this, the fixed-point hunting spot was complete.

All I had to do was hunt the surrounding area, move to the next location, and generate more stone pillars to create new bases.

The downside was that someone with a long history as a hunter in Palmera and who had properly obtained [Earth Magic] from the Furi Mole could do the same.

But the area was so vast.

If I went deep enough, I wouldn't see anyone, and if I saw someone suspicious, I could quickly change locations.

To some extent, I had to accept the risks to enjoy the benefits of fixed-point hunting.

Hehehe... Hahahaha!!!

Now I can have a mountain of materials!!!

(Okay, let me take it down... Wait, can I make this stone pillar disappear?)

I realized something terrible at the very end, when my magic power was almost depleted.

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