Chapter 58: Zone Control
~Skill Details~
Territory: Expands and manipulates the 〖Zone Control〗.
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The explanation for the 〖Skill: Territory〗 was just that, but there was a separate explanation for 〖Zone Control〗.
~Zone Control Details~
Your 〖Zone Control〗 is an 〖Armory〗.
Within the 〖Armory〗, all things are transformed into weapons.
Additional Effects: ‘(Blank)’ ‘(Blank)’
Candidate List
Master Craftsman: Enhances the performance of crafted weapons.
Mass Production: Enhances the ease of weapon creation.
Sharp: Enhances the sharpness of weapons.
Blunt: Negatively affects the sharpness of weapons.
Sturdy: Enhances the durability of weapons.
Fragile: Negatively affects the durability of weapons.
Lightweight: Reduces the weight of weapons.
Heavy: Increases the weight of weapons.
Bellicose: Enhances the wielder’s fighting spirit.
Tranquil: Negatively affects the wielder’s fighting spirit.
Skillful: Enhances the performance of 〖Weapon Skills〗.
Clumsy: Negatively affects the performance of 〖Weapon Skills〗.
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It seems my 〖Zone Control〗 is called an 〖Armory〗.
Its effect is the weaponization of objects. Various things can be transformed into weapons.
“(It’s kinda hard to imagine.)”
Well, I guess I’ll understand once I try it out.
Also, there was an additional effects section for 〖Zone Control〗.
As the name suggests, it seems I can add new effects to my 〖Zone Control〗.
“(Only two slots at first… I’m not sure which ones to choose.)”
Currently, there are two slots that can be added.
There are twelve candidate effects.
Since these effects also apply to me, I’ll exclude the negative ones. I don’t particularly need to enhance my fighting spirit either, so I’ll exclude that too. That leaves seven candidates.
They all seem useful in their own way, so it’s hard to choose.
“(Well, it seems I can change them later, so for now, ‘Master Craftsman’ and ‘Mass Production’ should be fine.)”
Once I decided that, I tried to add them, but then I paused the 〖Zone Control〗 operation.
“(Huh, it seems increasing the effects increases 〖Mana〗 consumption.)”
Come to think of it, that’s only natural.
If the number of functions increases, it’s only logical that more fuel is needed.
“(Even without increasing them, the weaponization effect is still there, so let’s try the plain version first.)”
After that, I finished eating the Hydra meat—I was full before the 〖Evolution〗, but after the 〖Evolution〗, my volume increased, and I had more room in my stomach, so I resumed eating—and the preparations were complete.
I gathered all the 〖Mana〗 in my body to one point and compressed it with all my might.
Perhaps it was the instinct of a Demon Beast, but I was able to do it smoothly, even though it was my first time.
The 〖Mana〗, which had exceeded the threshold, became hot at my core, and I felt a sensation like a beating heart.
That was the sign that I could now use 〖Territory〗.
“(—〖Territory〗, activate.)”
In an instant, the air changed.
The force field overflowing and swirling from me enveloped, repainted, and dominated the surrounding world.
The commotion that arose around me was the sound of transformation.
The logic rooted in the world warped, and all objects creaked as they changed into forms suitable for killing. Slowly, but surely.
For example, trees. The tips of the branches sharpened, unnecessary leaves and branches were shaved off, and the knots and bumps were smoothed out, turning each trunk into a straight spear.
Apart from that, there were trees that hardened and sharpened their leaves like blades, and trees that thickened their trunks and hardened their bark, turning them into clubs.
Other plants were also transforming in their own ways to gain killing power.
Even the moist ground was coated with a shimmering surface that resembled a file.
“(This is 〖Zone Control〗, the power of the 〖Armory〗…!)”
What escaped my lips as I watched the transformation of the plants was a voice of admiration.
The range was limited to the maximum, so the change was only about ten meters, but even so, I fully understood the awesomeness of 〖Zone Control〗.
With this power, even if hundreds of 〖Lesser Beasts〗 attacked, I might be able to kill them all just by standing there.
At the very least, if a Goblin were to step foot here now, it would be pierced and fall by the countless caltrops that the plants had become.
“(If I narrow the range this much, the 〖Mana〗 consumption is quite light. As expected of the power of a 〖Feral Beast〗.)”
Then, I released the 〖Zone Control〗 and stored the weaponized plants.
Of course, I didn’t forget to analyze the information before storing them.
The analysis ability of 〖Escalating Warfare〗 seems to be more powerful than that of the 〖Replicant Form〗, and the analysis proceeded quite smoothly.
By the way, the analysis information is synchronized between 〖Skills〗, and the weapons analyzed with 〖Escalating Warfare〗 can also be imitated with the 〖Replicant Form〗.
“(Okay, that’s all the plant-based stuff. What’s left is this, but… is this even a weapon?)”
What was there was the corpse of the Hydra… or rather, what was left of it.
Since my 〖Decomposition Liquid〗 couldn’t melt the fangs, scales, or bones, those parts were left behind.
And those parts were affected by the 〖Zone Control〗 and had changed into weapons.
No, were they in the process of changing?
They had separated into pieces for each head, and each had become a lump that looked like a failed weapon.
“(It seems that the transformation is slower with high-grade materials.)”
This area is what humans call the Ferocious Beast Zone, and the plants have grown strong due to the influence of a large amount of 〖Mana〗, but even so, plants are still plants.
They didn’t have enough power to repel the interference of the 〖Armory〗.
But what about the Hydra’s corpse?
Being a 〖Feral Beast〗, my newly learned 〖Zone Control〗 couldn’t transform it so easily.
“(It’s an amazing material… I’m looking forward to making it into a weapon.)”
I stored the Hydra, which had been divided into five lumps.
Even in this state, it was barely recognized as a weapon.
And so, I left this place, a cleared area with a radius of about ten meters.
There were still many things I wanted to try, but I had moved quite a bit during the battle with the Hydra.
It was in the shallower part of the Ferocious Beast Zone.
Before I’m found by adventurers, I should return to my base in the depths of the Ferocious Beast Zone.