arc5 · 081-ch81

Arc 5: The Immortal's Coup d'État

Episode 81: Magic

On the last Thursday of January, Suzuka was holding his head in his room in frustration.

"(I can't win. Just can't win, pyo...)"

It had already been a full seven days of fighting the ape monkey since starting manga image training, but far from recreating manga scenes, he still hadn't landed a single effective blow on the ape monkey.

"(There's absolutely no way manga could be wrong, pyo... I learned everything important from manga, pyo)"

He might as well be broken, but after getting beaten to a pulp by the ape monkey again and again, with his brains getting scrambled every time, it's only natural his mind went strange. Even his Unique Skill 『Holy God's Creed』 doesn't seem to cure lunacy.

"(Aaaaaaah, I wanna beat the living crap out of that monkey baaaaaaastard)"

He chanted curses like a groan, but no effect manifested. Naturally. If the ape monkey died from something like that, even Suzuka would be devastated.

He hadn't landed effective blows on the ape monkey, but his skills were growing steadily. Already, his Body Arts skill level had risen from 7 to 8, and his movements were incomparably more refined.

Status Abnormality Resistance had also risen to 7, so unless the ape monkey spit poison in earnest, nothing worked on him anymore. Additionally, by using Presence Concealment to proceed cautiously so as not to encounter District 4 and 5 monsters, the Presence Concealment skill level was also rising.

In terms of skill growth, he was achieving results, and as Suzuka predicted, fighting a level 120 ape monkey at level 52 seemed to be recognized as taking considerable risk. Or rather, unless he grew his skills this much, he couldn't overturn the level difference of more than double—it was reckless skill leveling only possible because he couldn't die.

He was growing. He was certainly getting stronger. But Suzuka had a feeling that at this rate, he'd hit a ceiling.

The atmosphere was thick with the sense that eventually skills would stop growing, and he'd have to raise his level to boost his stats to defeat it—or else it would be impossible.

"(That's the one thing I won't accept, pyo. I'm absolutely going to beat it in this state. I'll win by trolling it as a shit weakling monchichi who defeated it at level 52, pyo)"

Suzuka, raising such a petty ambition, considered once more whether there was any strategy to defeat it.

"(I think using my immortality for zombie attacks would definitely be strong, but... since the zombies are weak right now, there's nothing to be done about it)"

Like at year's end, even fighting continuously for nearly a week, the ape monkey didn't get exhausted. Trying to exhaust it via gas shortage through continuous zombie attacks would be difficult.

"(Which means in the end I have no choice but to get stronger myself... I guess that's obvious)"

His thinking went in circles, and no good ideas came up.

"(If Body Arts reaches 9, maybe I can do it? I have a feeling my attacks would land)"

If Body Arts reached 10, there'd be nothing to say, but even at 9, he had a hunch he could deal damage. At 8, he could already dodge the ape monkey's attacks considerably, and though he wasn't dealing damage, he could at least add attacks.

Just a little more.

But that little bit was far away.

"(I could use 『Holy God's Creed』 to strengthen my fists, but... that seems like it would hinder the growth of other skills, and I don't really want to go there)"

『Holy God's Creed』 was not only a skill to obtain immortality but also allowed mastering the essence of holy magic. If he exercised the marvelous holy magic techniques built by the Holy God Renoa, the current Suzuka could probably defeat the ape monkey.

But doing that wouldn't lead to the growth of other skills. The desire to defeat the ape monkey and the desire not to let go of a precious opportunity to grow were clashing.

"(The problem is my fists are soft. Not being able to hold weapons is too harsh)"

Some explorers, having mastered the Body Arts skill, challenge dungeons using their own bodies. They wore weapons that reinforced their entire arm, like gauntlets or knuckles. Suzuka wanted to follow their example, but due to 『Holy God's Creed』's drawback of not being able to hold weapons, he couldn't equip them. If his level rose and his body itself became sturdy, the story would change, but Suzuka, who hasn't even achieved existence evolution yet, still has too soft a body to challenge a superior opponent.

"(If I were a mage, not holding weapons wouldn't be a big deal, but as a melee class, this drawback is harsh)"

Even for mages, not being able to hold weapons is severe. In reality, even explorers who mainly use magic hold weapons while exploring dungeons. This isn't for self-defense—they properly use them as weapons to fight monsters.

Even the zoo members who attend Hachioji Explorer High: Kirin can use water magic but uses a spear, and Nekoyashika, who can use recovery and poison magic, equips a one-handed sword and shield. Unless it's a large-scale party, even mages need to be able to protect themselves to some extent.

Moreover, since stats generally rise even for mages, they're sometimes considerably stronger than low-level melee classes.

Though being unarmed is harsh even for magic classes, if they can use powerful magic, they should be able to deal more damage than an unarmed melee class. That would be precious attack power for Suzuka.

"(Right, if only I could use magic... huh? I can use magic, right?)"

He bolted upright and checked his own status. There, at skill level 1, it said Poison Magic.

"(Completely forgot. Since I wanted to beat it by punching directly, I'd eliminated it as an option...)"

For the muscle-brained Suzuka, rather than "can't hold weapons!? then let's try hard with magic!", "fight barehanded!? let's do thiiiis!" resonated more.

Additionally, the fact that the only magic Suzuka could use was poison magic was also a factor that didn't bring it up as an option. The poison magic Suzuka could use, with its low skill level, could only apply poison effects to weapons. Even using the 『Ring of Twin Poisons』 that raises the poison magic skill level, he could only generate poison fog.

Defeating a superior monster with magic of this level is difficult, and Suzuka had unconsciously eliminated it from options and fought. But that's because his skill level is low. If his skill level rises, he should be able to create poison effective against the ape monkey even with poison magic, and certainly be able to inflict damage.

In fact, if he had found a path to victory in poison magic from the start, he might have been able to defeat it with poison by now. If he could have raised the poison magic skill level to 8 like Body Arts, it feels like that would be possible.

"(No, no, no, no. I absolutely can't abandon the option of fighting barehanded now. The main thing is barehanded combat, barehanded combat)"

What did he raise the Body Arts skill level to 8 for? He's just one step away. This is the one thing he won't compromise on.

"(That's right. It's okay, calm down. I'm not wrong. If you stick to a lie, it becomes truth. Fighting barehanded isn't wrong)"

Suzuka, telling himself it's okay, it's okay.

"(But you know, gradually wearing down the monkey who uses poison with poison... that sounds fun too)"

Suzuka, holder of warped preferences. He reconsiders that poison magic might be fun in its own way.

"(Should I try using it tomorrow? Or rather, there's no reason not to use it. Since it's a skill I took the trouble to learn. Actually, why haven't I used it until now? Am I an idiot?)"

Suzuka, whose head was full of punching. Forgetting his only magic that he took the trouble to learn is quite a blunder.

If it were attack magic that could emit water blades like the 『Calm Short Sword』 he'd used until now, he wouldn't have forgotten because it's flashy, but poison magic—even though he'd been actively using it until now, perhaps because its role was mostly supportive and he didn't really feel its power. Even when he inflicted poison status, he'd defeat them immediately so there wasn't much meaning, and even when he inflicted paralysis, he'd defeat them immediately so being paralyzed wasn't that joyful.

With skill level 1, there isn't that much he can do, so it can't be helped that he couldn't feel its effects and forgot it. Yeah. It can't be helped.

"(Now that that's settled, I'll read manga that brings up poison imagery! Just you wait, ape monkey. While you're suffering from poison and crawling on the ground wheezing and hacking, I'll watch over you elegantly while tending a campfire and drinking tea, making sure you slowly die!!)"

With eyes completely rolled back in his head, psychopath Suzuka did image training to prepare for tomorrow's ape monkey battle.