ch61-ch80 · 065-ch65

Chapter 65: The Instant Activation Strategy

For now, I'll head toward the Forest Ogre detected by [Scouting].

I'm keeping [Presence Blocking] active.

Found it.

It's in the same place I saw with [Scouting].

I move to the closest tree behind the Forest Ogre and hide.

This is the moment of tension.

My own breathing sounds loud, but with [Presence Blocking], the Forest Ogre probably only hears it as grass swaying.

("[Status].")

MP: 302/360

I check my MP.

I'll leave the status display visible.

Timing my approach, I slowly move toward the Forest Ogre.

The Forest Ogre is still facing away.

One more step and I'm in range.

This is it.

("[Charge・Spear], [Charge・Spear・Weapon Enhancement・Spear], [Charge・Spear・Strength Up], [Charge・Spear・Endurance Up], [Charge・Spear・Agility Up].")

I step in and slash with my nagamaki.

Same as before, diagonally from the right shoulder to the left waist on the ogre's back.

The feedback feels light.

Was it shallower than before?

No, deactivate first.

("[Charge・Spear] deactivate.")

I jump back to create distance while deactivating [Charge・Spear].

The Forest Ogre collapses.

One hit?

Maybe the lack of resistance was because a critical hit tore through the ogre's skin effortlessly.

I check the fallen Forest Ogre.

It's dead.

The wound is deep.

It severed the spine completely.

Did [Charge・Spear・Weapon Enhancement・Spear] improve the cutting power?

Or was it the effect of increased Strength from [Charge・Spear・Strength Up]?

Or maybe the increased swing speed from [Charge・Spear・Agility Up]?

No, it's probably the result of all of them.

Good thing it worked.

This is the instant activation strategy for [Charge・Spear].

With a wound this deep, the magic stone will be easy to extract too.

The previous Forest Ogre, I had to make a new hole near the heart to extract it, and that was a struggle.

I was worried my nagamaki tip might get damaged.

After all, their skin—or hide—is like iron.

I reach into the wound and pull out the magic stone.

There. This single stone is a whopping 10,000 yen.

Equivalent to 100 goblin magic stones.

If this is on Floor 21, the Floor 29 Forest Ogre magic stones must be worth even more.

I'm earning way too much.

No, if you come normally, you'd need to spend a day each way, so if you're hunting magic stones here, it takes 3 days and 2 nights.

Camping is involved and nights are more dangerous, so if you're risking your life, this might even be cheap...

"Well then, how about the stats I was curious about?"

MP: 302→298

This is the most important part of the instant activation strategy for [Charge・Spear].

Activate for just an instant to suppress MP consumption.

In other words, the point is how short you can make the activation time to minimize MP consumption.

This time's MP consumption is 4.

That means it took about 4 seconds from starting to use [Charge・Spear] to deactivating it.

4 seconds is too long.

I think it took nearly 2 seconds just to activate the remaining skills after activating [Charge・Spear].

This is the cause.

I'm reciting them super fast in my head, but even that takes 2 seconds.

Let me try changing the order.

This time I used [Charge・Spear・Agility Up] last, but let me move it right after [Charge・Spear].

I'll use [Charge・Spear・Agility Up] to increase my recitation speed.

[Charge・Spear・Weapon Enhancement・Spear]... can be last.

[Charge・Spear]

↓

[Charge・Spear・Agility Up]

↓

[Charge・Spear・Endurance Up]

↓

[Charge・Spear・Strength Up]

↓

[Charge・Spear・Weapon Enhancement・Spear]

This seems good.

Practicing by reciting in my head... I'd better not.

It might activate and reduce my MP.

Even with the current MP consumption of 4, it's still less than half of a normal attack skill.

[Slash], which is the basic skill for slashing types, should consume 10 MP.

But as far as instant power goes, [Slash] might be stronger.

Apparently there's something like proficiency, so depending on the person, they might be able to slice something like a Forest Ogre clean in half.

In my case, proficiency is how much I can suppress consumption by speaking fast.

Next one, let's go.

"Rather than targeting the Forest Ogre detected by [Scouting], maybe it's better to search for the 'Gate to Floor 22' at the same time."

I desperately try to recall the previous [Scouting] result.

It's blurry because I moved, but there should be Forest Ogres on both sides.

I avoid them and head deeper.

[Presence Blocking] stays active.

Just as I left the range of the [Scouting] I activated earlier, I found a new Forest Ogre.

All right, this time I'll shorten the activation time even more.

I carefully approach from behind...

("[Charge・Spear], [Charge・Spear・Agility Up], [Charge・Spear・Endurance Up], [Charge・Spear・Strength Up], [Charge・Spear・Weapon Enhancement・Spear].")

Then jump.

To swing my nagamaki horizontally.

Targeting the neck.

("Jumping insanely high.")

I'm surprised too.

My physical abilities, boosted by stats, are further enhanced by super mode.

The nagamaki held at my waist reaches the neck position of the over-2-meter-tall Forest Ogre.

One flash.

The Forest Ogre's head flies.

Deactivate. Hurry.

("[Charge・Spear] deactivate.")

I deactivated before landing.

No need to check the Forest Ogre.

It's definitely dead.

More importantly, checking MP.

MP: 298→295

The record is 3.

3 MP consumed.

("Damn. I don't think it was 3 seconds, but consumption didn't become 2.")

Unless it gets infinitely close to 2 seconds or goes under 2 seconds, MP consumption doesn't seem to become 2.

Finally, I check the Forest Ogre.

The neck is completely severed, I see.

Ah, with this I can't extract the magic stone.

Hmm.

If I'm going to use [Charge・Spear], I should do a diagonal slash instead.

Thinking that, I stab my nagamaki forcefully into the ogre's right chest.

The magic stone is in the center of the chest, so I widen the hole from the heart side without damaging it.

"This really isn't good for the weapon."

If I took [Scout]'s [Weapon Enhancement・Short Sword], I could probably easily dismantle without MP consumption, but skill points are more important than weapons or MP.

Now that I think about it, it would be better to use a disposable knife as a consumable for dismantling.

Really, it's a bit late for that, but a dismantling knife is a basic for adventurers.

"But still, since becoming an adventurer... how many days has it been?"

I got my adventurer license on June 1st, and today is June 11th.

...It's only the 11th day.

With all the crazy events, it feels like 2 months have passed...

Reaching Floor 20 in 11 days isn't some amazing feat.

Rich foreigners can reach Floor 30 in 10 days and get advanced jobs.

I've been hearing that a lot lately.

In Japan too, there are often TV shows where celebrities get their adventurer license and become Single-Rank the same day.

That kind of content is popular on video streaming sites too.

Like, a complete beginner getting a job in one day.

Watanabe-san said it too—if you have money, you can put out requests for escorts up to Floor 30.

That's right, Floor 30... Floor 30.

'Calling you to my home is a no-no, right? But if you can get past Floor 30, I'd like to celebrate with home cooking.'

This means if I get past Floor 30, I can go to her home?

I have to go...

To Watanabe-san's home (Floor 30).

Ah, nosebleed...