Chapter 18

〈 Chapter 19 〉 Wind’s Power

*

The Chaos Realm was completely covered in dark red chaotic particles.

Amidst it, a sword emitting a faint light sliced through the air.

It plunged into the Chaos Beast, colloquially known as ‘Furball,’ with a feeling more of smashing than slicing.

A scream, reminiscent of a sheep, echoed from it.

Baaa!

‘Not yet.’

I definitely needed to end it.

Despite its unassuming appearance, this guy was still a Chaos Beast.

It had at least one defensive measure.

Baaa!

The Furball’s body started to swell.

Of course, I wasn’t about to let that happen.

‘Activate.’

The relic, Relic Gravitas Replicant, in my hand shone brighter in an instant.

Its weight increased tremendously, to the point where even a decent hero would struggle to lift it.

I brought it down upon the creature without hesitation.

Boom!

It sounded as if something had exploded.

The creature’s bodily fluids splattered everywhere.

I hurriedly used my robe to shield against it.

I learned that touching the bodily fluids of a Chaos Beast was not a good idea.

“Huff…”

I took a breath, confirming that the creature’s bodily fluids had dispersed into chaotic particles around me.

Taking down each one was no easy feat.

Just how high did they want to crank up the difficulty of Allen’s training? The Chaos Beasts around this town were quite strong.

They were at least on par with the level of monsters you’d face after officially becoming a hero.

‘Good thing I got a useful relic.’

Even so, it was thanks to the Relic Gravitas Replicant that I could take these guys down.

This was quite a decent relic for a 2-star item. If it weren’t a replica, it could’ve even been rated as a 3-star.

‘It fits me pretty well right now too.’

A sword that was too heavy would be a challenge for someone with low strength status like me to wield, but this one allowed me to easily adjust its weight, so I could swing it freely.

Additionally, the lack of a finishing blow due to low strength could also be solved in the same way. I could simply release the weight when swinging.

Of course, honing the timing required some practice, but if it was just a matter of practice, then it was no issue at all.

‘I’m not even high enough in magical potency to wield magic, so this sword might just be the best fit for me at the moment.’

In other words, it was a top-tier sword for the current Allen Pleuk.

Everything was going according to plan, or even better than expected.

‘I need to keep hunting Chaos Beasts like this to raise my SP and stats as quickly as possible.’

Receiving an unexpected relic from Gwen gave me a new goal.

What was once impossible now had a glimmer of possibility.

‘I’m going to take down the 71st Demon King here.’

In a month’s time, the Chaos Beasts would breach the barrier.

I intended to capture the 71st Demon King, who led those beasts, right here.

He expanded from invading Allen’s village to a point where even high-ranking heroes would struggle against him later on.

If I could take him down here, I could snuff out that sprout entirely.

Not to mention, the SP gained from defeating the Demon King would be a bonus.

And…

‘I also need to protect the village.’

Watching Gwen made me ponder about the place I could return to.

Sure, getting stronger and reaching high-ranking hero status was more urgent for the moment, but it wouldn’t hurt to think ahead.

‘The Mister said he wouldn’t leave the inn to me.’

But all it would take is seizing it with the power of a hero.

Of course, that’s just a joke.

‘By the way…’

Although I said everything was going according to plan, there was one thing that was different from what I had envisioned.

I checked my status screen.

[Wind’s Power (C)]

Assuming no obstructions, it can accelerate all materials within a certain radius. The range of materials is influenced by skill proficiency and does not consume mana.

What on earth could this be?

I still couldn’t get a grasp on it.

The vague text that merely stated it accelerates all materials within a certain range.

Moreover, unlike swordsmanship, I had no knowledge or sensation of how to use it in my head. It might have been a difference from inherited skills, I suppose.

‘Wind, wind…’

I closed my eyes.

‘Which character uses wind again?’

There was definitely a hero who did.

Wasn’t his name Gust?

Let’s think about how he used the wind.

‘…’

That won’t do.

It felt like trying too hard to do something completely impossible.

Like a child trying to imitate a cartoon character.

‘What skill is this anyway?’

It didn’t feel like a simple acceleration effect, whether I was swinging a sword or running.

If it truly had a wind-related effect as it claimed, I had no idea how to use it.

‘It was a purple reward, so it shouldn’t be worthless.’

Perhaps whether or not I could use this skill could slightly alter my future plans.

If only I could use it.

Just as I was persevering in this confusion,

Something suddenly fell in front of me.

‘A straw?’

It was a straw that had been tainted by chaos, turning into a murky color.

It was descending slowly, almost daintily because of its light weight.

At that moment, a phrase from the skill text popped into my mind.

‘The range of materials is influenced by skill proficiency.’

If this range isn’t a spatial limitation but pertains to the materials themselves?

My proficiency with the skill could be considered at rock bottom at the moment. So perhaps my sword and body didn’t yet qualify as targets for the skill.

If so, maybe this little straw could be feasible.

‘Please…’

I focused all my mental energy on the falling straw.

Yet, the straw continued to drop, seemingly oblivious to my effort. Its gentle sway was infuriating.

‘Just move a bit…’

At that moment.

Just before it was about to touch the ground, the just-in-time straw twirled around once.

To an uninformed onlooker, it might have seemed like a breeze was blowing, but for me, it was different.

< Trait [Absolute Obedience] is activated. >

Well, I’ve gotten used to notifications popping up in front of me by now.

What mattered was the sensation I had just felt.

I attempted to recreate that sensation.

Tap.

The straw that had been resting on the ground gently lifted before sinking back down.

‘I did it.’

Even if it seems ridiculous to make just one straw levitate, it was definitely a significant result.

I prevented a hard-earned skill from becoming utterly useless.

‘Then this range is evidently related to weight?’

Even if my sword and body were out, it could still apply to something as light as a straw.

If that’s the case, I needed to consider weight.

‘To confirm, I’ll have to test it.’

I focused my senses on the tip of my robe.

The sensation from moving the straw lingered.

And just like that, the end of the robe fluttered lightly.

‘So that’s it.’

Like with the robe, I could use it on anything light, such as hair.

It seemed that due to my low proficiency, I could only use it for light items for now.

‘There was definitely a reason it was wind.’

It felt entirely different from something like telekinesis.

Obstacles needed to be removed, and there was a limitation based on weight.

The sensation during use felt less about moving the object directly and more like manipulating the air enveloping the object.

‘Then I need to prioritize raising my proficiency?’

Handling only light items poses limitations to my ability.

If I can use it on heavier things, it would be useful.

My body, as well as my sword, could be accelerated.

‘Speaking of proficiency…’

I shifted my gaze to the stigma section of my status screen.

[Precocious (Small)] – 250SP

This was a premier trait that enhances a skill’s proficiency.

Though its effect was weaker compared to the original held by Gwen, it had no penalty of halting physical growth, so it wasn’t completely inferior.

‘I’ve gathered 180SP so far.’

It was the result of diligently completing quests while waiting for Gwen.

And after she left, I kept hunting the Chaos Beasts.

It might seem small compared to the effort put in, but considering the time I spent maxing out my swordsmanship (B), I felt like I had recovered quite a bit.

‘Then let’s go ahead and fill in the remaining 70SP.’

Feeling sufficiently rested, I started diligently searching for the next Chaos Beast.

For the next month, or at least within 2 weeks, I had to acquire [Precocious] and maximize [Wind’s Power] during the remainder of the time.

‘If all goes well, Wind’s Power should synergize perfectly with Gravitas.’

Truthfully, looking at my current status, taking down the Demon King seemed insane.

But with the combination of Wind’s Power, Relic Gravitas Replicant, and Swordsmanship (B+), it seemed entirely possible.

‘Let’s prepare as thoroughly as possible.’

I gazed far into the Chaos Realm, eyeing the likely location of the Demon King.

*

Deep within the Chaos Realm.

In a crumbling ruin, a man sat, worn out and graying from the chaos. His left arm was cut off, tainted from the chaos, making quite the impression.

‘I’m short on funds…’

No matter how much I calculated, my balance never matched.

‘These guys must have pocketed something.’

A variety of precious items and relics looted through theft.

It seemed there were issues in the process of disposing of them within the barrier.

Even though I sent someone to supervise those guys because I didn’t trust them, things went awry.

‘I can’t just go myself.’

He was in a state of wanted for arrest within the barrier, so he couldn’t enter.

The only remaining option was one.

‘I need to choose a few and take them down.’

He spun the dagger in his right hand.

It was a relic that had protected him from chaos for a long time.

Not to mention, it was a magnificent 3-star relic that no other subordinate could possess.

A 3-star item was a level that even respectable heroes wouldn’t typically have. Thanks to it, he had been able to survive while facing heroes outside the barrier.

‘Unless it’s a freak of nature.’

He shuddered at the thought of a small-bodied red-haired girl he had seen not long ago.

When two kids roamed outside the barrier, he intended to lure the golem and wipe them out, but ended up losing a valuable subordinate instead.

‘Thinking about it makes me feel even worse.’

Originally, he planned to make an example out of two but it seemed now he would need three.

Just as he was pondering that—

His hand trembled, and the dagger slipped from his grasp.

While he barely managed to catch the falling dagger, it cut into his palm, causing blood to flow.

The blood was a color reminiscent of chaos, dark and murky.

‘Have I been exposed to chaos too long?’

Regardless of the protection from the relic, being exposed to chaos for too long with an ordinary body took its toll.

‘I’ll have to sever connections with this bastard once I have enough to buy the ID for Sakh.’

At that moment—

“Captain!”

A man burst into the room.

‘Well, what a timely arrival. You’re the first.’

“I usually knock before entering…”

“Captain! That’s not important!”

For a moment, I was about to ask what would be if that wasn’t important, but I halted.

The urgency was evident on the subordinate’s face.

“What’s going on?”

“Those two kids I saw the other day!”

The man’s eyebrows furrowed.

He didn’t want any more entanglements with that girl.

“I told you. Just leave them be…”

But as soon as he heard the next words from his subordinate, he couldn’t help but smile.

“The boy behind that girl has been wandering outside the barrier alone lately! And he’s carrying what seems to be a 2-star relic.”

The man jumped up from his chair.

“Now that’s good news.”

He said to his bewildered subordinate.

“What are you waiting for? Get the kids ready.”

*

“Huff…”

No matter how many Chaos Beasts I killed, the end wasn’t in sight.

At this rate, reaching 250SP in two weeks appeared impossible.

‘Slow as molasses.’

This was the downside of acquiring SP by hunting Chaos Beasts.

While it provided a consistent influx of SP and simultaneously collected pieces of the barrier for trade, amassing a large amount of SP at once was tough.

‘I wish a decent quest would show up.’

To gain a large amount of SP at once, high-difficulty quests would be quickest.

But those hardly appeared…

< An unexpected quest has occurred. >

[Bandit Group Subjugation]

A group of bandits residing outside the barrier is attacking you. Repel them all.

Danger level: B

Reward: 35SP

That’s the stuff.
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