*A week has passed since I arrived in Astera.*
During the day, I would gather healing herbs in the forest and exchange them for money at the guild. At night, I would eat at the inn and either return to my room or stroll through the lively nighttime town. I repeated this routine every day.
*The steady gathering of medicinal herbs provided a stable income. He accumulated enough money to possess several gold coins, and he had no financial worries whatsoever. And, more importantly, his appraisal skills improved day by day.*
*The monsters in the forest, the townspeople, the goods in the shops, the buildings. By continuously appraising everything he saw, his skills steadily improved.*
*That day, after finishing dinner, I was watching the bustling street from the window of my room at the inn. I focused my attention on each person passing by, conducting my assessment. It had become as natural a habit as breathing.*
*Guards, merchants, drunkards, prostitutes, noble carriages... Information about various people flows into and disappears from my mind.*
It was the moment I finished one of those appraisals.
Shirou: "Oh, I leveled up..."
*This wasn't the usual skill-leveling; I felt a more fundamental change, something welling up from the core of my being.*
[Condition met. Skill [Appraisal Lv.9] has evolved to [Appraisal Lv.10].]
Upon evolving to Appraisal Lv.10, the skill will evolve into the higher-level skill [Divine Eye Lv.1].
[The effect of [Divine Eye Lv.1] will now display the skill details of the item being appraised.]
"The effect of [Divine Eye Lv.1] makes the new ability [Skill Steal/Duplicate] available."
*An announcement echoed in my mind. It was something entirely different from any level-up I had experienced before. The skill of appraisal, which involved scouting and gathering information, had finally transformed into an aggressive power that interfered with the abilities of others.*
Shirou: "(Skill... steal...? duplication...?)"
*I swallowed hard. This was an incredibly powerful force. If misused, it could distort the very laws of the universe.*
*I tried using [Divine Eye] on a seemingly powerful-looking adventurer in armor walking outside the window.*
```
[Divine Eye Appraisal Results]
- Name: Dario
- Race: Human
- Level: 25
- Occupation: Heavy Warrior
- Rank: C
- HP: 850/850
- MP: 120/120
- Skills:
- Swordsmanship Lv.5: Proficient in handling swords. Increases attack accuracy and power.
- Heavy Armor Proficiency Lv.4: Reduces the penalty for equipping heavy armor and increases defensive capabilities.
- Provocation Lv.3: Attracts the enemy's attention to yourself.
- Iron Wall Lv.2: Greatly increases physical defense for a certain period of time.
- Condition: Slightly intoxicated
```
Shirou: "(...I can even see the details of the skill. And, I can... copy... this skill...?)"
*Beforehand, a door to a new, and extremely dangerous, possibility had opened.*
```
Status display
- Name: Shirou Nishiki
- Level: 1
- HP: 100/100
- MP: 50/50
- Skill: Divine Eye Lv.1 (Hidden)
- Title: Appraiser (hidden)
- Money held: 4 gold coins, 2 silver coins, 8 copper coins, 1 iron coin
- Equipment: None
- Item: None
```
*Shirou focused his attention on Dario, the heavy warrior walking outside the window, and decided to try out his newly acquired power, [Skill Duplication].*
Shirou: "([Divine Eye]...Target: Dario. Skill [Swordsmanship Lv.5]...duplicate.)"
The moment I thought that in my mind, the skill "Swordsmanship Lv5" from Dario's skill information faintly glowed, and an image of a thread of light extending from it and connecting to me came to mind. Immediately afterward, information began to flow into my head.
*It's the way he holds and swings his sword, his footwork, how he maintains distance from his opponent, the trajectory of his slashes, his defensive stances...the countless hours of training and real combat that Dario must have cultivated by the time he reached level 25. And yet, it replicates...copies it with ease.*
*Eventually, the threads of light disappeared, and when it was all over, the skill of "swordsmanship" was deeply imprinted on my brain.*
"Skill [Swordsmanship Lv.5] successfully duplicated."
"You consumed 100 MP."
My MP (Master Points) suddenly ran out, and a wave of exhaustion washed over me. I barely managed to keep my knees from collapsing by leaning on the desk.
Shirou: "(So this is... skill duplication... it consumes an insane amount of MP... but I got it...!)"
*I gazed at my hands. Outwardly, nothing had changed. But within them, the swordsmanship of a seasoned warrior was undeniably present. It hadn't yet become ingrained in my body, but the knowledge and sensations were perfectly there.*
*With this power, I can master any master's technique, any high-level magic, as long as I have enough MP. It's an incredibly simplistic, yet incredibly powerful, path to becoming strong. I've once again come to realize the true terror of the power I possess.*
```
Status display
- Name: Shirou Nishiki
- Level: 1
- HP: 100/100
- MP: 0/50 (100 consumed, now depleted)
- Skills: Divine Eye Lv.1 (Hidden), Swordsmanship Lv.5 (New!)
- Title: Appraiser (hidden)
- Money held: 4 gold coins, 2 silver coins, 8 copper coins, 1 iron coin
- Equipment: None
- Item: None
```
The depletion of MP felt almost like having all of one's mental strength completely drained. Thoughts became dull, and vision blurred. I slumped over my desk, swallowed by an irresistible wave of sleepiness.
Shirou: "MP consumption... way too high... zzz"
*As if the power had been cut off, my consciousness suddenly faded away. The excitement of gaining new powers, and the immense cost of it, sank into the depths of a deep sleep.*
--
*next morning.*
*The sound of the city bells ringing brought me vaguely back to consciousness. My neck and shoulders ached terribly from falling asleep slumped over my desk.*
Shirou: "(...He fell asleep...)"
*I slowly sat up, loosening my stiff muscles. My MP had fully recovered after a night's sleep. And I could feel the skill I had acquired last night, [Swordsmanship Lv.5], much more vividly and ingrained in me than before. It was as if I had been training with a sword for many years; I had a definite sense of control.*
*From a young man who simply gathered medicinal herbs, he transformed overnight into a being with swordsmanship skills equivalent to a C-rank warrior. His inner self had undergone a dramatic transformation.*
*As Shirou headed to the dining hall for breakfast, he found Garou and Risha having just taken their seats. Garou noticed Shirou and waved cheerfully.*
Garou: "Hey, Shirou! Good morning! You're as hardworking as ever! Gathering herbs again today?"
*Garou's casual question. Now that he has acquired swordsmanship, what should he do next? Should he return to the tedious task of gathering medicinal herbs? Or should he use the power he has gained to take a new step forward?*
```
Status display
- Name: Shirou Nishiki
- Level: 1
- HP: 100/100
- MP: 50/50
- Skills: Divine Eye Lv.1 (Hidden), Swordsmanship Lv.5
- Title: Appraiser (hidden)
- Money held: 4 gold coins, 2 silver coins, 8 copper coins, 1 iron coin
- Equipment: None
- Item: None
```
Shirou: "Ah, Garou-san. We're collecting again today."
*I feigned composure and answered as usual. It wouldn't be wise to immediately change my behavior just because I'd gained immense power. At least not until I could fully control it.*
Garou: "I see! So your method is to work steadily! That's admirable!"
Garou nodded in admiration and shoveled a heaping plate of bacon and eggs into his mouth. Beside him, Lisha quietly sipped her tea, glancing sideways. She didn't possess divine eyesight, but her keen observational skills might have allowed her to sense a subtle change in the atmosphere surrounding him.
Lisha: "...You seem a little different? Or am I imagining things?"
*I feel startled. But I don't show it on my face, I just shrug my shoulders.*
Shirou: "Really? I thought it was the same as usual."
Lisha: "...I see. That's good then."
*Lisha did not press the matter further and took another sip of her tea.*
*I finished my meal. As usual, I headed to the guild and accepted a request for healing herbs. However, today's objective is different from yesterday's.*
Shirou: "(First, I'll try out this swordsmanship skill. For that, I need a suitable opponent...)"
*Heading towards the eastern forest, he used his divine eyes to search for a suitable opponent. While pretending to gather healing herbs, his mind was focused on a single goblin.*
---
[Divine Eye Appraisal Results]
- Name: Goblin
- Level: 3
- Occupation: None
- Rank: G
- HP: 80/80
- MP: 10/10
- Skills:
- Club Fighting Lv.1: Somewhat familiar with handling a club.
- Status: Wandering around
---
After confirming that there were no other monsters around, I gripped the suitable twig I had picked up. It was nothing more than a crude wooden stick. But in my hands now, it was no longer just a twig.*
*The goblin notices us, and charges at us, raising its filthy club and letting out a threatening squeal.*
*The experience of [Swordsmanship Lv.5] etched into his brain allows him to perfectly predict the goblin's movements. The attacks are far too slow, far too simple.*
*With minimal movement, he nimbly dodged the club, and as he passed by, he precisely struck the goblin in the neck with the wooden branch he was holding.*
A dull thud. The goblin collapsed to the ground without a sound, motionless. One hit. A perfect counter.
Shirou: "(...So this is Swordsmanship Level 5...)"
*The fact that I had so easily defeated the monster with just a single tree branch made me realize once again how extraordinary my own strength is. At the same time, I felt like I was gaining experience points by defeating the enemy in battle.*
You gained 15 experience points.
Your level has increased to 2.
Your maximum HP and MP have increased due to leveling up.
*The first battle, the first level up. The adventure was about to move to a new stage.*
Shirou: "Huh, that's... so easy??"
*The ending was so anticlimactic that I was left feeling disappointed. The goblins I had been so wary of and avoided until then were defeated with a single blow from a mere tree branch. I realized that the power residing within me was far greater than I had ever imagined.*
Shirou: "(This should work!)"
*Something changed inside me after experiencing combat. Fear vanished, replaced by a sense of curiosity and exhilaration to test my own strength.*
Using his [Divine Eye] to survey his surroundings, he found his next prey. Another goblin was nearby, and a slime was camouflaged in the ground. With a tree branch in one hand, he approached them with the casualness of someone taking a stroll.
*The branch pierced his vital spot faster than the goblin could raise his club.*
*Predict the trajectory of the attacking slime and accurately stab the core.*
*His movements were refined and efficient. He wielded tree branches as if they were legendary swords, and the weaker monsters of the forest were defeated one after another before they could even put up a fight.*
*key!*
*Snap!*
*Death cries echoed through the forest, but my heart remained calm. This felt less like a battle and more like a chore.*
You gained 15 experience points.
You gained 5 experience points.
You gained 15 experience points.
Your level has increased to 3.
...
Your level has increased to 4.
*Every time I defeat an enemy, an announcement that I've leveled up resonates in my mind. The feeling of power filling my body is very satisfying.*
*After hunting monsters in the forest for a while, I suddenly came to my senses. I realized that a corner of the forest was covered in the corpses of goblins and slimes.*
Shirou: "(Did I go too far...? No, but this is what it means to become stronger...)"
He discarded the branch and checked his status again. He was growing at an incomparable rate compared to when he was only gathering medicinal herbs. He was certain that this was the right path.
```
Status display
- Name: Shirou Nishiki
- Level: 4
- HP: 180/180
- MP: 90/90
- Skills: Divine Eye Lv.1 (Hidden), Swordsmanship Lv.5
- Title: Appraiser (hidden)
- Money held: 4 gold coins, 2 silver coins, 8 copper coins, 1 iron coin
- Equipment: None
- Item: None
```
Shirou: "From today, you're my partner."
*Shirou picked up the branch that had slain countless monsters. It was just an ordinary branch he'd found lying around, but it was a memorable weapon that had made him truly feel his own strength for the first time. It was stained with blood and slime, but strangely, he felt an attachment to it.*
*Use your [Divine Eye] to examine that branch of the tree.*
---
[Divine Eye Appraisal Results]
- Name: Just a tree branch
- Type: Weapon?
- Attack Power: 1
- Durability: 3/10
- Special effects: None
- Description: A very ordinary tree branch lying in the forest. It looks like it's about to break.
Shirou: "(...As expected, it's just a tree branch. Its durability has decreased considerably.)"
*The appraisal results were as expected, but he nodded with satisfaction and tucked the branch into his belt, like a seasoned swordsman picking up his beloved sword.*
Having acquired a companion, I ventured further into the forest in high spirits. My goal was to level up even more and find prey worthy of acquiring new skills. Goblins and slimes were no longer providing enough experience points.
*After walking for a while, we came to a slightly open area. There, we encountered a monster that was clearly different from the ones we had seen before.*
*It was nearly two meters long, its green skin was darker than a goblin's, and it was muscular. Instead of a crude club, it held a rusty but clearly handcrafted one-handed sword. It was a hobgoblin.*
---
[Divine Eye Appraisal Results]
- Name: Hobgoblin
- Level: 8
- Occupation: Warrior
- Rank: F
- HP: 250/250
- MP: 20/20
- Skills:
- Swordsmanship Lv.2: Proficient in handling swords.
- Roar Lv.1: Intimidates opponents with a roar and slows them down.
- Status: On alert
---
Shirou: "(A hobgoblin... it has swordsmanship skills. Its level is different from the ones we saw earlier.)"
*A smile spread across his face. He had a premonition of a real "battle," unlike the goblins he'd faced. His twig companion was certainly not enough. However, with his [Swordsmanship Lv5], he should be able to manage.*
*Approach the hobgoblin cautiously, yet boldly.*
Hobgoblin: "Grrrrrrrrr!!"
*[Roar Lv.1]. The air vibrated violently, and an overwhelming sense of intimidation that would make an ordinary person's legs tremble enveloped them. But he didn't even flinch.*
Shirou: "(...So this is what a roar sounds like.)"
*His experience at [Swordsmanship Lv.5] not only provided him with technical skill, but also a mental composure in combat. Intimidation from weaker opponents was like a gentle breeze. He drew his sword from his waist and slowly assumed a fighting stance.*
Shirou: "(No, let's retreat.)"
*My exhilarated mood was suddenly dampened. It was true I had acquired a powerful skill. However, my level was still only 4. The hobgoblin, on the other hand, was level 8. There was almost a double difference in our base stats.*
*And most importantly, the weapon is "just a tree branch." Its durability is running low. After blocking just one or two hits, his partner will shatter into pieces. Without a weapon, no matter how skilled he is at swordsmanship, there's no way he can block a hobgoblin's sword with his bare hands.*
*I distanced myself from the dangerous opponent and switched back to my original purpose: gathering healing herbs. I silently picked the herbs, realizing that both the experience gained from today's battle and my calm judgment were helping me grow.*
*By the time the bag was full of healing herbs, the sun was beginning to set in the west.*
*I returned to town and headed straight for the Adventurer's Guild. Minya was there at the counter again today.*
Minya: "Oh, Shirou! Welcome back! ...Wow, that's a huge amount again today! And...you seem to have gotten a little stronger...?"
*Minya blinked her eyes and accepted the bag of healing herbs. She, too, seemed to have noticed the change in the atmosphere surrounding her.*
*With a light laugh, I brushed it off and exchanged the medicinal herbs I had collected for cash.*
I delivered 200 healing herbs. I received 8 copper coins as a reward.
He didn't head to his usual inn after leaving the guild. His feet led him to a place where many adventurers gathered—the weapons shop.
Shirou: "(A tree branch won't do. I need a proper weapon.)"
*Today's battle made me acutely aware of this necessity. To make the most of your skills, you absolutely need the right tools.*
*I rang the doorbell and entered the weapons shop, where I was greeted by a stifling smell of iron and intense heat. Various kinds of swords, spears, and axes hung on the walls, and rows of armor and shields lined the shelves. In the back, a burly dwarf man, his face glistening with sweat, was swinging a hammer.*
Shirou: "I'd like a sword suitable for beginners..."
*When I hesitantly called out to him, the dwarf who had been swinging his hammer stopped moving and glared at me. He had a red face and a magnificent beard. He looked like a stubborn craftsman.*
Shopkeeper: "What? A sword for beginners? There's no such thing! Even the finest sword is useless if the wielder is inexperienced! Choose something that suits your skill level!"
*I was startled by the roaring voice and flinched. However, the shopkeeper's words were valid.*
Shopkeeper: "...Hmph. Fine. Do you have any money? It's free to just look, but if you're just window shopping, you're out."
*With that, the shopkeeper picked up his hammer again and began rhythmically hammering the iron, clang, clang. It seemed he was the type of shopkeeper who was selective about his customers.*