LGHTNOVELBOOK Volume 1 Chapter 117
I was being beaten up mercilessly by Yoshino-san in order to acquire a skill.
Even so, I kept at it, periodically refreshing my strength with several Enhancement Potions (Defense).
At times, we had to stop our training to deal with monsters that appeared, and I sometimes wondered if I was already capable of “presence detection,” considering Nanapon was with us.
But the reason I persisted was because Yoshino-san and Lin-san had acquired it so quickly. My pride wouldn’t allow me to give up here.
Thanks to that persistence, I gradually began to sense Yoshino-san’s location. She’s skilled at erasing her presence, but I could somewhat detect her when she attacked.
And just now, after being hit again, I could completely sense where Yoshino-san was.
“Are you going to keep going? Honestly, I’m getting a bit tired.”
Yoshino-san said that, but I wasn’t going to let her get away with a win.
“Then, let’s make the next one the last.”
I had figured it out already.
Hehe.
I’ll channel all the anger from being hit into my sword (bamboo sword).
“You’re so predictable… You’re all set for attack, and you’re even laughing… That’s enough, right? You must have the ‘presence detection’ skill by now, so check your status card.”
Hold on there.
“No, I don’t think I’ve got it yet.”
“Your provocation skill will increase, you know? You’ll just brag about hitting me.”
With that said, I opened my eyes. In front of me stood Yoshino-san, looking exasperated.
“I was thinking of getting back at you for hitting me so much.”
“I thought so,” Yoshino-san said with a wry smile. I took out my status card from my bag to check it.
——————————————-
Name: Hajime Okita
Level: 9
Job: Swordsman
Skills:
≪Swordsmanship lv6≫
≪Eloquence lv1≫
≪Provocation lv1≫
≪Presence Detection lv1≫
☆≪Alchemy≫
——————————————-
Level 9
Healing Potion lv1, Gender Change Potion
Sleeping Drug, Pure Water
Translation Potion, Item Bag
Invisibility Potion, Appraisal Glasses, Appraisal Contact
Healing Potion lv2, Enhancement Potion (Strength)
Enhancement Potion (Speed), Enhancement Potion (Defense)
Auto-Map, Healing Potion lv3
——————————————-
So, I’ve learned ‘presence detection’ after all…
But my provocation skill is still at level 1.
“Is it there?”
Yoshino-san asked.
“Yeah, it’s there. Thanks.”
“No, it’s good that you learned it. I feel a bit guilty hitting someone’s head so much. When it was done to me, I didn’t mind, but it hurt when I did it to Lin.”
This person is a masochist.
A busty masochist.
“What level is your ‘presence detection’ skill, Yoshino-san?”
“It’s level 1. I think that’s sufficient for when it’s needed.”
“Then, I guess this is good enough.”
“I think so too. At least you have Nanapon with you, so no problem there. Look, it seems like Nanapon is done too.”
Yoshino-san pointed towards Nanapon and Lin-san, and I saw Nanapon sitting on the ground.
“Shall we have lunch then?”
I’m starting to feel hungry.
“Yeah.”
I returned the bamboo swords to Yoshino-san and headed over to where Nanapon and the others were.
We spread a sheet near the highway and began eating lunch. I had onigiri made by Kaede-chan, Nanapon was eating bread, Yoshino-san had a convenience store bento, and Lin-san had a homemade bento.
“Hajime-san, did you learn that ‘presence detection’ thing?”
Nanapon asked while eating her bread.
“I did.”
“Wow. So, would you know if I tried to hit you from behind?”
“I’d know that from the start.”
Even without skills, I could sense an amateur’s movements.
“Why would you know?”
“More importantly, how about you?”
I asked Nanapon about her progress.
“Perfect! I’ll show you my Ice Needle.”
Ice Needle? That’s what Lin-san used before. It created ice spears that impaled the Great Eagle.
“Good for you. So, shall we level up this afternoon?”
I want to reach level 10 too.
“Sounds good.”
“I’d like to move around a bit too.”
Yoshino-san and Lin-san also seemed okay with it.
“Then that’s the plan. Let’s see Nanapon’s Ice Needle.”
“You can trust me. No need to see your ‘presence detection,’ right?”
Not like it’s something I can show off, but still, show some interest in
me, won’t you? If it were Eleanora-san, she’d be all impressed.
While I was inwardly exasperated at Nanapon, I ate the onigiri Kaede-chan had made, and everyone else also enjoyed their meals.
After lunch and a short rest, we packed up the sheet and went looking for monsters. Straying off the highway and walking through the plains, we spotted a black mass in the sky.
“Nanapon, there’s a Great Eagle.”
I pointed it out to Nanapon.
“Oh, really? Watch this!”
Nanapon aimed her staff at the Great Eagle in the sky.
“You’re going to attack right away?”
Normally, you’d wait for the Great Eagle to descend to attack it on the ground and then hit it with magic when it tries to flee.
“I think I can do it. If I fail, please help.”
Well, if Nanapon says so, let’s see how it goes.
I drew my sword, ready to assist, and Nanapon stood by my side. Yoshino-san and Lin-san also drew their swords.
As we waited, the Great Eagle circled lower and lower but didn’t seem to be attacking.
“Is it not coming because we’re ready?”
I asked Yoshino-san.
“If we’re waiting, it gets cautious. But it will come.”
As Yoshino-san said this, the Great Eagle suddenly dived down. Its target was… Nanapon. The smallest and seemingly weakest among us.
The Great Eagle was speeding towards Nanapon, but she calmly aimed her staff. Then, the tip of her staff lit up slightly.
“Ice Needle!”
As Nanapon shouted the magic name, an ice spear appeared from the tip of her staff and flew towards the Great Eagle. I was impressed, but with the distance, I thought it could be dodged. As expected, the Great Eagle sidestepped the ice spear.
That’s not going to work…
I readied my sword, thinking I’d have to step in. But then, the ice spear impaled the Great Eagle.
“Huh?”
As I tilted my head in confusion, the Great Eagle fell to the ground, impaled by the ice spear, and vanished in a puff of smoke.
“How’s that?”
Nanapon looked smugly at me.
“I was watching the Great Eagle, so I’m not sure, but did you do that?”
“Yes. It’s my deadly, continuous magic.”
Hmm, that’s kind of cool.
“Can you cast magic consecutively?”
I asked Lin-san, who had taught Nanapon the magic.
“A specialized magician can do it. Not me or Yoshino, though.”
It must be a job perk. What’s the perk of a swordsman?
“Huh. Magicians are amazing. Nanapon, go ahead and use your magic to take them down.”
That’s convenient for me.
“Is that okay? My level will increase, though…”
That’s not good.
“Let’s look for High Wolves. I want to level up too.”
“You won’t find them by searching. Rather, be happy that your companion is getting stronger.”
Yoshino-san seemed exasperated at my petty pride.
“Well, well. Hajime-kun is older and should strive to be stronger than a woman.”
Lin-san seemed adept at boosting a man’s ego.
Impressive.
…No, she’s just trying to raise my provocation level.
“Then, I’ll leave the rest to Hajime-kun. You can handle the Great Eagles, right?”
I feel like I’m being treated like a child…
“No, I’ll leave it to Nanapon.”
“Huh… I’ll hand it over, then. Hope you reach level 10 soon.”
Nanapon laughed through her nose.
It’s been a while since I saw this side of Black Nanapon.