Kays Translations

Chapter 61: Skill Development

　——We moved to an area where there were no monsters for special training with the Demon King.

"For now, we'll engage in a sparring match. Barriers and weapons are prohibited. Other than that, you're free to use your skills."

N-No barriers... When was the last time I had a battle like that? I also want to test how much I can move now that my level has increased.

"Understood. I'll go first."

"What are you saying? We don't have time. Both of you come at me simultaneously."

Mia and I nodded and assumed a combat stance.

The Demon King signaled us to come at him with his finger.

Mia circled around behind the Demon King, positioning herself to launch a pincer attack together with me.

We synchronized our timing and attacked the Demon King simultaneously.

My body feels much lighter compared to before.

However, the Demon King easily dodged my thrusts and kicks.

I can't land a single hit... But there's no need to panic.

As time passed, my mental capacity started catching up with the improved physical abilities from leveling up.

　I can gradually feel myself getting in sync.

Our movements became sharper, and our attack speed continuously increased.

Still, we couldn't land a hit on the Demon King.

Even though my body moves much more than before... the difference between me and the Demon King is overwhelmingly vast.

　The moment I thought that, Mia and I were sent flying with a kick.

"Guh..."

We crashed into the wall, and my breath was taken away.

Just how much HP did I lose from that attack?

W-What... "HP 300/450"!

Just from a single strike...

"...That's enough. Are you two fooling around, or do you not understand the difference in power?"

"Haa, haa, haa... W-We understand. That's why we attacked with our full strength!"

"What about you, Takumi?"

"Gu, gug... I also gave it my all. But since I can't use barriers, I couldn't create a variety of attacks."

"Why aren't you using your skills? It's the height of stupidity to face an opponent with a highly different level head-on!"

　Damn it, I would use them if I could.

Most otherworlders can use magic, sword techniques, buffs, debuffs, and such, but our skills, Mia's and mine, are not useful in combat!

"...Is it not that you don't want to use them, but rather that you can't?"

"Our 'Skill Elements' are not meant for combat. They have high versatility, so we have confidence that they can be utilized in various ways with the right ideas. However, no matter how much we develop our skills, it takes one minute to activate them. They can't be used in the middle of a battle... That's why we rely on equipment."

"Hmm, I don't know what your 'skills' are, but if there was a way to reduce the activation time, you could use them in combat, right?"

I nodded.

"Long ago, when an otherworlder challenged me to a battle, I noticed something."

　The Demon King waved his right hand, revealing a bright red stone in his hand. He lightly tossed it to me.

"Try using your 'skill' on that stone. Well, it's more accurate to say, infuse your 'skill' into it."

I didn't understand the meaning of infusing skills into a stone, but I used my 'Analysis' skill on the stone.

Even after a minute passed, the status screen didn't appear. Instead, the center of the bright red stone started to glow dimly.

"Ohhh, as I expected! Kukukuku. Now, throw that stone with all your might at the wall."

　As I was told, I threw the stone at the wall with all my might.

　The moment the stone collided with the wall and shattered, the status screen appeared.

'Name: Wall of the Cave'

'Durability: 68'

"What?!"

It seemed like an optical illusion... Even the Demon King appeared surprised.

"Takumi, what 'skill' did you infuse into the stone? The wall is displaying information."

"I used that kind of 'skill' on the stone. Perhaps... the 'skill' activated because the stone broke?"

"That's right. It seems that was the effect of the skill! I thought the experiment had failed."

A-Amazing.

With this stone, the possibilities for using my skills expand!

I rushed over to the Demon King.

"Enzo-san, where can I obtain this red stone?"

"W-Wait, don't be in such a hurry. This stone is called the 'Garnet Stone,' and it can be found anywhere in the world."

"Huh? I've never seen it before."

"No, you just haven't noticed. This 'Garnet Stone' is the raw material for 'Magic Stones.' When this stone is infused with 'sin,' it becomes a 'Magic Stone.'"

That red stone is the raw material for Magic Stones!?

　But I've never come across a red stone at all.

Could it be... that in its natural state in the world, it's incredibly small?

"The stone you used in the experiment earlier, was it originally a magic stone from a monster?"

"As expected of you, Takumi. You noticed. That's right. It was a D-rank magic stone. Do you know how to turn a magic stone back into a 'Garnet Stone'?"

"Magical tools operate using sin energy. So when the 'sin' stored in the magic stone is depleted through the use of magical tools, it reverts to a Garnet stone. And it becomes the same size as the magic stone."

"...Correct. In that sense, it's easy to obtain, right? Simply breaking a magic stone will turn it into a 'Garnet Stone.' When it breaks, 'sin' is released, but in that case, the 'Garnet Stone' will also shatter and become smaller."

I see. So I just have to hunt monsters and collect them.

If I want larger ones, I have to defeat higher-ranked monsters.

It certainly seems easy to obtain.

"Wow, that's amazing! I've never seen anyone use a 'Garnet Stone' to activate their skills before! Is it perhaps... a secret only known to the demon race?" Mia was also excited..

"No, nobody knows. I just found out recently myself. In the past, there was a case where an otherworlder who challenged me failed to activate their skill. At that time, I was extracting a magic stone from a magic tool that had run out of 'sin' energy. I saw the stone shining back then. So, I had a hypothesis, but I didn't have any confirmation."

"Didn't you try it?"

"Demons can't learn skills due to the curse. When I cooperated with the Dwarf race, I couldn't infuse skills into the 'Garnet Stone.' I haven't tried it with people from other worlds. I don't know why, but they always attack me as soon as they see me."

　……I thought that demons were battle-mad, but from the perspective of demons, I guess people from other worlds are far more battle-mad.

"If we consider the impossibility with the Dwarf race's skills, it might be a phenomenon that only occurs with the skills of people from other worlds. 'Garnet Stones' have the ability to absorb 'sin' and 'miasma.' The skills of people from other worlds are composed of 'Skill Elements.' Perhaps there is some connection between 'Skill Elements' and 'sin' or 'miasma.'"

Dangerous, but interesting.

　There are many things I want to verify... but for now, I have to be patient.

If I infuse skills into 'Garnet Stones' in advance, I can use the skills from the stones whenever I want.

And it turns out that only one type of skill can be infused into a 'Garnet Stone.'

I decided to ask the Demon King for time to develop skills.

The skills we currently possess are not suitable for combat.

　We can't fully utilize the 'Garnet Stones' as we are now.

"Since you might want to try various things without worrying about your surroundings, you can use this place. No monsters will appear in this area, so you can feel safe. Now that I've finished what I needed to do, I'll return to Zoff. When you're done with skill development or whatever it is, call me."

The Demon King gave us a lot of 'Garnet Stones.'

—I set up a 'Portable Magic Circle' in this area and sent the Demon King back to Zoff.

"Now, Mia, what should we do?"

"Let's each work on skill development by ourselves. We understand our own 'occupations' and 'Skill Elements' the best, I think."

That's true.

"If we can't come up with any ideas and get stuck, let's help each other out."

And so, the skill development of both Mia and I began.

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