Day 44 (continued):
As soon as my feet touched the floor, I whirled around back towards the swampy forest, only to see that the distance I had fallen was just a bit out of reach from my hands.
"Crap," I muttered once more as I turned back, projecting two shortswords into my grasp.
The bullywug villagers had quickly gone back and gotten their weapons, which was surprisingly fast in my opinion. They were advancing on both me and the basilisk.
'[Observe].'
I looked over the bullywugs who were cautiously approaching me for a moment, taking in all of their stats.
Their average HP was around 110, which was not much. Their STR was around 30, which was once again not that much.
...
Hell, there was nothing too significant about them aside from their number; there were about thirty or so bullywugs here.
Scoffing, I straightened my back and unleashed the [Intimidation].
I let out a thundering roar for three seconds before stopping. I could hear the birds flying away, and the basilisk seemed to be hesitating in moving too. Huh, did I scare that thing too?
I crouched down and readied myself to jump. Strategically, I was in a bad position with -
Since when did I think in terms of strategy and tactics? Perhaps the high WIS and INT combined allowed me to start strategizing better?
Regardless, I was outnumbered in this three-sided fight with a wall to my back. I had four-fifths of my mana reserve, and my HP was at near max.
Range was the better option for me.
Without thinking further, I jumped backward, pushing as much as I could into the legs with the 80+ strength I had.
My muscles strained just a millisecond before the jump, but I jumped over and onto the ledge where I had fallen from. I dispelled the projected shortswords in favor of the bow and arrow.
I began firing without stopping.
The bullywugs moved at the same time I had, and they charged the basilisk, which they had considered to be the bigger threat. In response, the basilisk roared and tore up the first bullywug that got into the range of its snapping jaws.
My arrows struck at the bullywugs who were coming for me. They flew and pierced the flimsy linen shirts and worn leather jackets they wore with ease, and blood flew from where the arrowheads pierced the skin. Worse was that once they struck, my arrows would disappear, leaving behind a hole where blood could freely flow out.
New Quest!
Wipe out the Bullywugs of Thorn-Tree Tribe!
The Thron-Tree Tribe has long been known as one of the most vigorous raiders on human settlements and trading caravans. Hated by many, loved by none, no one will miss them.
Requirement:
*Kill all Bullywugs in the clearing.
*Do not let any escape to warn the main tribe's population.
Reward:
*Title: Bullywug Slayer
*+10 Reputation with local human population
*+5 skill points.
*+Loot
Failure:
*Increased Bullywug patrol in Thron-Tree territory
*Increased detection rate
*-100 Reputation with Thron-Tree Bullywug Tribe
*-50 Reputation with all Bullywug tribes
*+75 Reputation with Red-Painted-Head Bullywug Tribe
I grinned. Not bad. Failure sounded like something I couldn't afford, though. Such a low reputation might cause all of the bullywugs to start a hunt for me. If it got serious enough, they might even invade the mountain when we weren't ready for them.
That means each of my arrows had to kill without missing.
Instead of projecting regular arrows, I imagined a ticking time bomb of mana -prana, Shirou called it- inside the arrow.
-5 MP
Huh, that took five times as much mana as a regular arrow.
I nocked the arrow, which looked no different without closer observation, and let it loose.
It was heavier but flew like any regular arrow, and struck a bullywug in the back, one that looked like it wanted to run away.
Its torso promptly exploded.
Everything paused and blinked.
Hell, I paused too.
-30 Ether Damage
-80 Explosive Damage
Well damn.
I snapped out of the shock faster than anyone else and made ten more.
"You aren't leaving here alive!" I roared as I let loose another explosive arrow.
The bullywugs finished the basilisk by the time the arrow had exploded, and now they were all coming for me. They climbed the ridge from the sides while those in the middle used the dead bodies of their comrades as shields.
I looked left and right, noticing the bullywugs get up pretty fast to the same ground level as me.
They wanted to flank me.
Without looking further, I let loose another four arrows at those in the middle, taking out six total thanks to proximity.
But a few had started to run away.
Couldn't let that happen, now could I?
I whirled around with a projected longsword just as a bullywug to my left reached me, and before it could strike me with its makeshift hatchet, I sliced its stomach apart. Then, without pausing, I spun back around, having noticed the bullywug to my back, and made another slice. The bullywug cried as its chest was sliced open, and it fell over to the side. There was a crunch as its neck snapped as it hit the ground.
Then I did something else Shirou had taught me.
Flashback
It was immediately after I had done my tenth projection perfectly that Shirou stopped me.
"What is it?"
Shirou remained silent for a minute before he nodded. "I don't know whether or not this skill will work for you, but I want to teach you this anyway."
I frowned. I had already been taught Structural Analysis. Actually, this was great! I would have a skill I could use! I smiled. "Sure. What is it?"
"It's called Reinforcement."
Flashback End
"[Reinforcement]!" I growled as I felt my mana reserve take a dip.
Flashback
I gasped as I tried to stand up.
Shirou was looking at me in surprise.
"What the hell was that?" I groaned.
Flashback End
I learned that Reinforcement was not a compatible magecraft with me. In fact, it was so incompatible with me that it actually took ten times more mana to use it.
-100 MP
But this was too powerful for me not to use.
Jagged lines appeared on my skin with a single whirlpool on my stomach, lighting up like a lamp. The lines ran through the entirety of my limbs and body.
"[Full Body: Speed]!" I growled as I felt my body burn up.
I jumped forward like a bullet. My eyes could barely keep up with the speed at which I was moving. I guess that was the price I paid for using a technique I was unfamiliar with.
I dismissed the longsword mid-flight and projected two daggers.
I stabbed and slashed anything that got within my range as I raced through their numbers.
They were too slow for me. All of their attempt to stop me only got them killed.
By the time there were only fifteen left, they had begun to run.
I dropped the daggers and projected the arrows. Then my speed kicked in, and I fired off arrow after arrow.
I imagine it would look like a hail of arrows from any bystander's point of view, or even that of the bullywugs.
I saw the arrows pierce through the bodies of the bullywugs, and the last one died with an arrow through its neck.
Quest Complete!
Reward:
*Title: Bullywug Slayer
*+10 Reputation with local human population
*+5 skill points.
*+25 Bullywug Bone Collar (turn it in to human authorities for a reward)
LvL Up!
+2 END
+2 DEX
+2 AGI
LvL Up!
+2 END
+2 DEX
+2 AGI
I laughed. This was ridiculously easy...
Perhaps I should go for more?
I looked up and frowned as I saw the sun tilt to the side heavily.
Guess not.
I grabbed the dead basilisk, slung it over my shoulder, and walked back to the colony.
When I returned to the camp, I found Yan and Shirou discussing something. They had a roughly sketched ... something between them on the ground with a stick that I guessed was used to draw it, sticking up.
Other imps were watching them, and the atmosphere was somewhat tense. Not overly, but just enough to give me a sense of warning.
"What's up?" I asked them as I tossed the basilisk down.
Everyone jumped when there was a mini-tremor from the drop of the basilisk, and they stared at the seven-foot-long creature.
It was Yan who turned to me first. "Your right-hand man here has no idea how to build a fort," he growled.
I could only blink. This was a first. Yan had been overly cheerful and obedient with me, and this was a new side of him that I had not seen before. I cocked my head to the side and sat down.
Shirou turned to me as well. "What Yan suggests we do is too standard, and makes no use of the mountainous advantage that we have."
I gestured for them to sit down, and they did so. "Okay then," I began. "Explain to me what's going on."
"Shirou here wants us to build a fort on the side of a cliff."
"Yan recommended that we build a fort on a mountain peak."
Okay, so both of them wanted to help me build the fort, but wanted to convince everyone that their idea was the better one -or at least convince me, if their openness to discuss their plans with me; I didn't see either of them trying to convince the imps, but I could've missed out on that.
Well, both of their plans were ... not mine, but I could at least hear them out, right? If I don't, I might hurt their pride.
Ping!
Your logical thinking process and action have increased your WIS by 1.
Cool.
"Alright, explain," I said.
Yan was the first to speak. "I think building on top of a small peak would do us better than here or the side of a cliff. Not only will we be able to see the enemy coming at us from all directions, but we can also observe the region without an issue. Building on the side of a cliff is asking to be cornered. Out here, we're too exposed, and we can't see everything that comes at us thanks to the trees."
I nodded. It did make sense.
"We can always dig tunnels if we build to the side of a cliff," Shirou began. "We can even make escape tunnels that way, and we won't have to look elsewhere for mining because we have our own tunnels. Not only that, we won't have to worry about having to defend all sides of the fort like the hill fort needs to. We only need to defend 3/4 of the walls, because the other 1/4 is the cliff behind us." Building on top of the mountain is too reckless. Sure, we can see the enemy coming, but they can clearly see us too."
That also made sense.
"Yeah, and your cliff fort won't have any supplies or forests to hunt around," Yan criticized. "And what if they throw rocks down at us?"
"And your hill fort is too visible. We aren't strong enough for that kind of attention."
"And both of you are forgetting about logistics," I commented.
They paused and looked at me.
"Building on top of a small peak would mean cold. I don't know about you, but have you been in the cold for a long time?" I told Yan and then turned to Shirou. "The fort you are mentioning has great defense, but it would limit us in terms of food supply. This applies a little to you, too, Yan. Both of your forts would force the hunters to go far and wide, and being next to a cliff or on top of a mountain is an invitation for natural hazards."
Thank you, WIS and INT!
"But I'm sure we'll be able to build something that could give us both visibility and defense. How about this? We look for a place that has both a small cliff and is higher up in elevation. If the area has good soil, that'll be good too."
The two of them seemed to think about it before reluctantly nodding.
I just grinned back at their resigned expression. You don't get everything you want, ya know?
"And I'm sure our friends can help us with that," I said to the rest of the imps as I went over to the basilisk. "Of course, search comes after food and sleep. So we won't be doing anything but lazing and eating until tomorrow."
There were lots of happy grins.
Character Status by the end of Day 44
Naruto [Imp Ruto] [Troll Ruto]
LvL 39
The Gamer
HP: 168.5 (+1.5 HP per hour regen)
Mana: 590 (+5.9 per minute regen)
STR: 81
DEX: 42
AGI: 39
END: 42
INT: 59
WIS: 60
CHA: 20
Unused Points: 178
Spirit: 35
Magic: 24
Power: 24
Traits Taken + Earned:
Ambitious, Quick, Genius, Weak, Cynical, Stressed, Content, Teacher[Neutral] (Unavailable), Power Overwhelming
Focus:
Growing
Racial Traits:
Beast Slaying (max)
Troll Blood (max)
Skills:
Archery (LvL 1)
Ambush (LvL 7)
Baiting (LvL 21)
Blade Mastery (LvL 4)
Charging (LvL 7)
Clairvoyance (LvL 1)
Crafting (LvL 2)
Fishing (LvL 6)
Intimidation (LvL 7)
Leadership (LvL 7)
Listening (LvL 12)
Observe (LvL 40) + Structural Analysis
Physical Durability (LvL 1)
Projection (LvL 2)
Running (LvL 14)
Sonar (LvL 2)
Throwing (LvL 10)
Trapping (LvL 19)
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