Aiming for a Cozy Life in a Dangerous Forest in Another World! - Chapter 22
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- Chapter 22 - Let's Try Out My New Skill
Chapter 22: Let’s Try Out My New Skill
Back in the cave, I put the meat, hide, and other materials we had obtained from the Greymlad Viper in our storage area. We had been using a sectioned-off area at the edge of our living space in the back of the cave as storage, but it was starting to get full.
I was keeping the magic stones, fangs, and other materials besides meat because they were apparently useful, and I wanted to experiment with them, but their numbers only grew. I might need to reassess our living situation, including the cave, soon.
As for the acid and venom sacs, just in case, I used 『Earth Magic』 to create a large box at the bottom of the cliff and stored them there. It would be disastrous if the venom leaked while we were sleeping.
Kaito and Pola fell asleep as soon as we finished cleaning up. They were exhausted.
Rin was lying motionless on its bed.
…It was probably sleeping.
I wanted to sleep too, but there was a pressing issue I needed to take care of first.
My arms and legs that had transformed during the battle, the scales, the horns… I couldn’t sleep like this.
First, I would investigate 『Dragon Transformation』, the suspected cause.
♢ ♢ ♢
『Dragon Transformation』
Manifests the characteristics of a dragon – scales, horns, fangs, claws, wings, and a tail – based on the body’s mana adaptability.
The hardness and sharpness of the scales increase based on the body’s mana adaptability.
♢ ♢ ♢
……Is that… so?
I didn’t know about this “mana adaptability” thing, but it seemed to be a skill that allowed me to manifest dragon characteristics.
Well, that was to be expected.
But wings and a tail? I didn’t have those…?
I tried to see if I could make them appear, but it didn’t seem to work that way. I tried concentrating, focusing my will, and even shouting things like, “Wings, appear!” and “Tail, manifest!” But nothing happened.
…Objectively speaking, I must have looked insane. I was glad Kaito and Pola didn’t see me…
On the other hand, I willed the scales covering my body, the elongated fingers, and the sharp claws to return to their original state, and they did. That was a relief.
I didn’t fully understand 『Dragon Transformation』, but I knew it changed my appearance and enhanced my physical abilities. And it seemed to improve my physical combat ability too.
I would have to investigate it further tomorrow.
Today’s incident had reinforced the need to be properly prepared for battle. But rushing things wouldn’t do any good.
The next day, I told Kaito and Pola to take it easy in the cave since they were probably still tired from yesterday. I went into the forest alone. It was probably safer for them to be away from me while I was experimenting with a power I couldn’t control.
Today’s objective was, of course, to test and train with 『Dragon Transformation』.
First, I tried to see if I could manifest the dragon parts individually.
I concentrated on covering my body in scales, and scales appeared in the same places they had been yesterday.
Come to think of it, it didn’t seem like I needed to chant a spell or shout, “『Dragon Transformation』!”, to activate the skill.
……I was a little embarrassed by the thought of shouting, “『Dragon Transformation』!”, so I was glad that wasn’t necessary.
I then tried various things: transforming only my hands, only my feet, only growing horns.
I also tested how I could move with 『Dragon Transformation』 activated.
As I had experienced yesterday, activating 『Dragon Transformation』 on my legs made them incredibly powerful.
With a light jump, I could easily leap several meters vertically or horizontally.
And with a light kick, I shattered a thick tree.
Next, I tried activating 『Dragon Transformation』 on my arms.
My punches were just as powerful, easily shattering thick trees, and the claws that had slashed the snake were just as sharp and deadly.
But what surprised me the most was that the power of my magic had increased.
…By about 50%, or so it felt.
I activated 『Dragon Transformation』 on my arms and fired a 『Stone Bullet』 as usual. The size and speed of the bullet were significantly greater.
……If I hit a Fangrabbit with this, there wouldn’t be anything left.
I experimented with activating different parts, and it seemed that the power of my magic increased when my body, especially the arm I used to cast magic, was covered in scales. And also when I had horns.
So casting magic with my arm covered in scales and horns would result in the greatest increase in power. I would save that as a last resort…
I tried many times, but I still couldn’t manifest wings or a tail.
I could live without a tail, but if I had wings, I might be able to fly…
Or was a tail necessary for balance control when flying?
According to the skill description I saw with 『Appraisal』, I would be able to manifest wings and a tail if my mana adaptability increased.
But I didn’t know how to increase my mana adaptability…
And so, my experiments were over.
Initially, I was going to look for a Fangrabbit or a Forest Tiger and try fighting it in hand-to-hand combat instead of using magic, but I knew I would be able to defeat them with a single blow, so I decided against it.
But until now, I had only been casting magic from afar. I had never fought a magical beast up close, dodging attacks and landing hits.
Considering that, maybe I did need to train…
But either way, Fangrabbits and Forest Tigers wouldn’t be a challenge for me anymore.
Then, there were the scales. Their main function was probably defense.
But I didn’t want to get hit by something just to test them, and besides, 『Automatic Defense』 automatically blocked most attacks.
From my experience so far, I knew it blocked both physical and magical attacks.
I could only test the defensive capabilities of the scales against an opponent that could break through 『Automatic Defense』, but I couldn’t find such an opponent, and I didn’t want to.
……But did I need to test them and see how much they could withstand? Well, I couldn’t do it now, anyway.
Having finished my experiments, I decided to head back to the cave.
Today I would relax with Kaito and the others, chat, and think about what to do next…
♢ ♢ ♢
He stood there, enveloped in a thick fog.
He existed in another dimension, a space between spaces, separate from the world where Kotoha and the others lived.
“…………This presence… Could it be?!
I’ve felt some small presences lately, but this is the first time I’ve felt something this powerful…
Could there be a surviving member of the Dragon Tribe? No, this presence feels similar to a dragon, but also… different. What is it…?
……This is interesting. I haven’t visited the surface world in a long time.
Time to search for my new “Master”……… ”
He slowly began to move.
He had been summoned a few times out of boredom.
But this time was different.
This was the first time since the extinction of the Dragon Tribe that he would be visiting the surface world of his own volition.