Chapter 8: To the Elf Village 01
Soushi Okuno
D-Rank
Adventurer Level 18
Weapon Proficiencies
– Mace: Level 23
– Longsword: Level 8
– Dagger: Level 4
– Martial Arts: Level 13
Armor Proficiencies
– Buckler: Level 15
– Large Shield: Level 8
Physical Abilities
– Stamina: Level 22
– Strength: Level 27
– Running Speed: Level 17
– Explosive Power: Level 17
– Reflexes: Level 16
– Body Control: Level 7
Sensory Abilities
– Enhanced Vision: Level 13
– Hearing: Level 11
– Smell: Level 7
– Touch: Level 7
– Dynamic Vision: Level 16
– Presence Detection: Level 12
Mental Abilities
– Composure: Level 11
– Thought Acceleration: Level 7
– Excitement: Level 2
Special Abilities
– Regeneration: Level 5
– Stability: Level 12
– Herculean Strength: Level 15
– Steel Body: Level 9
– Honshin: Level 7
– Heavy Impact: Level 11
– Grasp: Level 6
– Shockwave: Level 2 (new)
– Poison Resistance: Level 2
– Hallucination Resistance: Level 4
– Paralysis Resistance: Level 1
– Item Box: Level 2 (new)
Unique Abilities
– Bad Luck: Level 10
Freinir
E-Rank
Adventurer Level 13
Weapon Proficiencies
– Staff: Level 9
– Spear: Level 3
– Martial Arts: Level 4
Armor Proficiencies
– Buckler: Level 4
Physical Abilities
– Stamina: Level 10
– Strength: Level 6
– Running Speed: Level 10
– Explosive Power: Level 6
– Reflexes: Level 6
– Body Control: Level 3
Sensory Abilities
– Enhanced Vision: Level 8
– Hearing: Level 7
– Smell: Level 4
– Touch: Level 5
– Dynamic Vision: Level 5
– Presence Detection: Level 7
Mental Abilities
– Bravery → Dependency (?): Level 6 (new)
– Mental Concentration: Level 9
Special Abilities
– Holy Attribute Magic: Level 10
– Divine Attribute Magic: Level 6
– Life Attribute Magic: Level 4
– Barrier Magic: Level 1 (new)
– Dual Magic: Level 1 (new)
– Consumption Reduction: Level 6
– Charge: Level 3
– Poison Resistance: Level 1
Unique Abilities
– Saint’s Eye: Level 3
Special Equipment
– Staff of the Dead (C-Rank Weapon)
Larni
E-Rank
Adventurer Level 14
Weapon Proficiencies
– Longsword: Level 16
– Dagger: Level 4
– Martial Arts: Level 7
Armor Proficiencies
– Buckler: Level 6
Physical Abilities
– Stamina: Level 12
– Strength: Level 11
– Running Speed: Level 17
– Explosive Power: Level 16
– Reflexes: Level 18
– Body Control: Level 9
Sensory Abilities
– Enhanced Vision: Level 8
– Hearing: Level 12
– Smell: Level 16
– Touch: Level 7
– Dynamic Vision: Level 11
– Presence Detection: Level 13
Mental Abilities
– Bravery: Level 6
– Thought Acceleration: Level 3
Special Abilities
– Enchantment Magic: Level 5
– Swift Run: Level 5
– Steel Body: Level 5
– Herculean Strength: Level 4
– Vital Strike: Level 4
– Slash: Level 2 (new)
– Jump: Level 4
– Space Kick: Level 2 (new)
– Paralysis Resistance: Level 1
– Cold Resistance: Level 1
Unique Abilities
– God of Plague: Level 3
Estimated Skills Only
“Soushi-san, you have received a request for a designated mission. Please check the details and let me know if you will accept it,” Mariane said with her usual expressionless demeanor when I arrived at the guild the next day.
“A designated mission? Who is the client?” I inquired.
“It is from the apothecary, Ms. Hofena. The request is to secure the horns of Unicorn Rabbits and Bicorn Rabbits.”
I see, so she has decided to request again after the last incident. This is a good opportunity to test my ‘Bad Luck’ and Larni’s ‘God of Plague’ skills, so it would be wise to accept it. After all, it is a rare designated mission.
“So, the request is for us to secure the horns ourselves?”
“That is correct. However, please keep in mind that if you do not obtain the desired items, there will be no reward for the gathering request. It would be prudent to consider whether to accept it, especially since the rabbits are not monsters that appear frequently.”
“Thank you. What do you both think? Should we accept it?”
“As you wish, Soushi-sama.”
“I’ll find them with my nose, so it will be fine!” Larni chimed in confidently.
Thus, we decided to change our plans and head to the Horned Rabbit Forest for the second time.
“Why did you accept this request, Soushi? Is it because you’re interested in Ms. Hofena?” Larni asked as we walked through the forest, taking the lead.
Freinir, following behind, flinched at her words. I had clearly stated that I held no feelings for Ms. Hofena.
“One reason is that it’s a designated request. The other is that I wanted to verify the effectiveness of my and Larni’s skills.”
“Our skills?” Larni asked, intrigued.
“Your ‘God of Plague’ and my ‘Bad Luck’… If such skills truly exist, then it stands to reason that we might encounter rare monsters again, right?”
“Just as Freinir said. If rare monsters appear again, it would indicate that the skills are indeed quite powerful.”
“Oh, I see. That sounds interesting. If a lot of Unicorn Rabbits show up, it would be a testament to my skill, and if Bicorn Rabbits appear, it would reflect the effectiveness of Soushi’s skill.”
“That seems to be the case.”
After wandering through the forest for about an hour, Larni suddenly perked up her ears.
“It seems we hit the jackpot. There’s a group ahead.”
I see, so Larni’s ‘God of Plague’ is indeed powerful. But could it be that the mere appearance of the rabbits, which are typically rare, is a result of my ‘Bad Luck’? It’s possible that we are encountering them due to a synergistic effect.
We spent the entire day wandering the forest, managing to take down 37 Unicorn Rabbits and 1 Bicorn Rabbit.
Indeed, a rare monster did appear after all. While we didn’t obtain any Skill Orbs, the encounter rate was undeniably abnormal. The question now is how much of this to disclose… Honestly, if it were to be known, it would undoubtedly lead to troublesome situations.
For now, it might be wise to meet with Ms. Hofena again and ask her to keep this under wraps.
Upon arriving at the guild in the evening, I requested Mariane to handle the delivery in a private room.
As I was led into the private chamber, Mariane prepared the ledger while looking at me with a puzzled expression.
“It seems there’s something unusual about this. May I ask why you requested this arrangement?”
“Please take a look at this.”
I opened my Item Box and laid out the day’s haul on the table.
Mariane’s eyebrows raised slightly as she noticed my Item Box skill, and her eyes widened as she saw the 37 horns laid out before her. Finally, when she laid eyes on the Bicorn Rabbit’s horn, her mouth fell open in shock. It was clear that she was genuinely astonished, given her usual stoic demeanor.
“These are the items obtained today. Please verify them.”
“…Hmm, yes, please wait a moment.”
Snapping back to reality at my words, Mariane began her usual inspection. Fortunately, everything was in order, so it didn’t take long.
“I can confirm that there are indeed 37 horns from Unicorn Rabbits and 1 pair from a Bicorn Rabbit. However, to gather this much in a single day…”
“This is the reason I requested a private delivery. This is indeed an abnormal occurrence, isn’t it?”
“Yes, I believe this is quite unusual. If it were just the last time, it could be dismissed as coincidence, but two times in a row… Considering your previous activities, it’s safe to conclude that you possess some sort of special skill.”
“I understand. However, I would prefer that this information not be widely known. That is why I made this request.”
Upon hearing this, Mariane placed her hand on her mouth, contemplating for a moment before nodding.
“I understand your concerns. If it were known that you possess a skill that allows you to encounter rare monsters, it would certainly lead to significant trouble. The guild must manage this information with utmost care.”
“I would appreciate that. However, I am still only D-Rank, and even if I do possess such a skill, I have no idea how effective it is against monsters of higher ranks. If it only works on D-Rank monsters, it wouldn’t hold much value.”
“That’s not true. The horns of Bicorn Rabbits are valuable ingredients for potions, so even that alone is quite useful. In any case, I will process this designated request as completed… Also, it might be wise to subtly ask Ms. Hofena to keep this quiet.”
Her attention to detail was impressive; it was clear that Mariane was a competent staff member. I had no doubt that meeting her was a stroke of luck brought about by my ‘Bad Luck’ skill.
“Yes, I would like to do that. May I ask where she is located?”
“If that’s the case, I will be delivering these items to Ms. Hofena tomorrow, so it would be best if you accompany me.”
I appreciated how quickly the conversation progressed.
Afterward, we received our rewards, completed our usual training, and returned to the inn.