Chapter 7
No matter what I want to repay him for entrusting me with the Storage Bag ahead of time.
Orcs live fairly deep into the forest but there are some which wander around like the one from before.
It’s good that I can hunt rabbits, sheep, etc. while I’m at it since I have the large Storage Bag.
I returned home first, chewed on dried meat left over from yesterday and went towards the forest again.
The gatekeeper must have changed shifts in the morning, since it’s a different person.
Since he’s also an acquaintance, he said 「Take care」when showing me out. I was happy for that.
Such a small thing became my motivation and brightened my mood as I entered the forest. (JiN: I somehow pity Myne, since the smallest things make him happy and stuff, he must have had a hard life... I’ll be cheering for you Myne~~~ (╥_╥))
I advanced deep into the forest just as I did in the morning, rabbits appeared several times and I must have gotten the hang of it when I was fighting the orc.
I quickly defeated them and tossed them into the Storage Bag.
After catching about three rabbits, I discovered a new monster.
Forest・Crawler, a caterpillar.
Name: Forest・Crawler
Race: Crawler Family
Gender: None
【Skill】
Support Magic・Speed Reduction
Oh? This guy has magic.
Let’s steal it at once. (JiN: Ok, now you’re just a thief ミ(ノ_ _)ノ)
And then, let’s defeat it immediately.
I must’ve been careless, no, conceited.
There’s no way I, who defeated an orc, lost to such a caterpillar....
Standing in front of the crawler, I readied my dagger.
And then I used 【Leg Strength Enhancement・Small】, and reduced our distance in one go.
Raising my dagger, all’s left is to stab it, and as I thought that, that bastard spitted out something from its mouth.
It was too late when I thought that it was dangerous, and that something struck near my right knee.
「Uwa!」
There wasn’t any pain. Though there wasn’t any pain, entwined around my right foot was something which looked like a pure white thread.
Thus, I was stuck to the ground because that string-like thing had a strong adhesiveness. (JiN: (・ωー)~☆)
「Ah, I can’t move my leg!」
I tried to move my leg in a hurry but it did not even move an inch.
At the moment my awareness was concentrated on my foot, that bastard rammed into me.
「Ouch!」
Unexpectedly, sharp teeth bit into my arm.
「GYAAAAAA」
Crap, crap, crap, I need to do something!
Even though I was wielding a dagger, because my legs couldn’t move as I wish, I couldn’t brace my legs and perfectly hit.
The bastard spits out another thread-like thing at me who was struggling.
This time it was aimed at my body.
My mobility was remarkably decreased.
Oh yeah...... with【Magic・Wind】!
I recklessly fired wind magic rapidly, some of them were aimed at it and green blood was gushing out from the crawler.
While I was bathed in the blood, I invoked 【Strong Arm】 and thrusted the dagger with all my strength.
The thrusted dagger was aimed at the middle of its brows and the whole dagger pierced it.
It slowly collapsed onto the ground. It seems like I defeated it one way or another.
「......I, I was saved.」
I was wrong.
Certainly it doesn’t matter how many skills I have, I probably have to become stronger first.
However, I was after all an apprentice hunter before I came of age.
When I defeated the orc, it was only because I fought carefully that I somehow won.
There’s no way I can also win if I was conceited and fought carelessly.
Since it’s a caterpillar, I can still deal with it, but if it was an orc.......
I reflected a lot, and etched into my heart that I am unexperienced.
If not, I would lose my life early.
The fight against the crawler became a good lesson.
While reflecting in my heart, I assessed the situation.
I was bathed in the green bodily fluids of the crawler, and as expected, it feels gross.
The white string-like thing spit out by the crawler was twined around my right leg and body. (JiN: (・ωー)~☆)
First of all, I need to do something about the thread.
I used 【Cut】and steadily cut the thread off from my body and foot.
「This thread can probably be sold, so let’s bring it back.」
As I said that, I put it into the storage bag my father left me.
I’ve decided to put small things inside this and bigger things inside the new bag.
At the same time, I took out a potion and sprinkled it on the arm bitten by the crawler.
As smoke sizzled out, the wound steadily healed.
「Phew, it’s good that I brought the potion I prepared for emergency cases.」
The potion I brought was of the cheapest rank, but it fits the occasion.
The me who was just barely leading my life only had one of them.
If I have some leeway financially, I need to buy some from the alchemy shop, huh.......
Hmm? Alchemy? I have it, don’t I?
【Alchemy】: A skill to produce new materials by mixing all sorts of raw materials.
The higher the skill level, the higher the price of material produced.
Oh, it really is alchemy!
By any chance, isn’t this what they use to make potions!?
【Low Grade Potion】: A potion with low efficacy.
It is possible to make one by mixing medicinal plants and clean water.
Since it said clean water, it seems like I can’t just use normal water.......
For the time being, let’s collect medicinal plants if I see them.
It might be good to get the onii-san at the alchemy shop to show me where he makes his items.
Yosh, after this is dismantling the crawler.
Since I don’t know what people would buy, let’s just bring everything back.
If it’s just this, I can still put this into the small Storage Bag.
Stowing away the crawler, once again, I advanced into the depths of the forest.
After walking for a while, some rabbits appeared and I defeated them without being careless.
After advancing a little more, I found the sheep which was my aim from this morning.
Name: Forest・Mutton
Race: Large Sheep Family
Gender: ♀
【Skill】
Support Magic・Sleep
【Ability】
Charge
It has the skills as expected, of course I will also steal this.
I also cut off its ability and threw it away.
Yosh, let’s fight it carefully.
I went around to its back and with the certain win pattern, I threw【Magic・Wind】at it.
Of course, it hit and the sheep was stained in blood in a moment, but for some reason it raged and turned, so I closed our distance, used 【Strong Arm】 and cut it off with the dagger in one go.
The sheep collapsed instantly and the outcome was decided.
Perhaps, the sheep’s life dispersed without knowing its cause.
Before monsters approach I finished dismantling and stowed it in the small bag.
Before long, it’s almost full.
This morning I stopped when it’s about this much, but since I can still put some in I can still go on.
Since I still haven’t defeated my main objective, the orc, of course I can only advance.
Of course, cautiously and without carelessness!
After that, while defeating a few sheep and rabbits, I advanced into the forest and finally found orcs.
Moreover, it’s three at once.
If it’s one at a time there probably wouldn’t be a problem, I only need to surprise attack one of them.
To break the deadlock, I need the two support magic which I obtained earlier.
【Support Magic・Speed Reduction】and 【Support Magic・Sleep】.
First of all, I need to put one to sleep, and if I’m not noticed then another one.
If they don’t fall asleep, I’ll use 【Support Magic・Speed Reduction】while there is still some distance and throw 【Magic・Wind】at them.
After that I’ll just go with the flow.
If I can put two to sleep from the beginning, then I’ll be fairly at ease.
First of all, I’ll use 【Strong Arm】, 【Leg Strength Enhancement・Small】and 【Sight Enhancement・Moderate】beforehand.
Of course, I didn’t forget to steal their skills and abilities beforehand.
I went as near as possible, and estimated the timing...... Now! 【Support Magic・Sleep】!!
Yosh, it seems like its asleep.
Once more 【Support Magic・Sleep】!
......Tch, it’s no use, it realised and resisted.
I proceeded with the plan, casted 【Support Magic・Speed Reduction】and rushed towards the orcs.
I avoided the orcs whose movements became dull, and thrusted my dagger with all my strength.
It seems like I managed to cut off its right arm.
It yelled out loudly.
Then, I aimed at its face and threw 【Magic・Wind】at the orc with dulled movements.
The orc must have not expected the magic to come at that time, and it was directly hit at the face according to plan.
With this, both orcs are wounded, its movements became monotonous due to its anger and its movement worsen due to the damage taken.
The orc whose face has been pummelled should not be a problem and can be put off until later, and I decided to defeat the orc whose arm was cut off.
As I was thinking that, suddenly I received a great impact from the back.
「Guo!」
It seems like the orc I was aiming at directly hit me earlier at the back.
While my feet were wobbling, I stood up and took some distance.
I once again shot 【Magic・Wind】at its feet, aimed at it when it flinched and closed our distance again.
Then I swung my dagger at full strength, and cut off its windpipe.
It let out a cry at its deathbed, and the orc whose face was smashed recklessly swung its stone axe around.
Because there wasn’t a need to get near an enemy which couldn’t see, I distanced myself and fired 【Magic・Wind】rapidly and killed it.
All that’s left is the sleeping one.
It wouldn’t be good if it suddenly woke up, so I took some distance and overlapped the 【Support Magic・Sleep】
I confirmed that it can’t move, and stabbed with all my strength at its heart from the back.
It was a hard fight but I was somehow alive and the me who defeated three orcs fell to my back then and there.