“Poison Hand!!”
gon!!
The second day ended with me just endlessly punching trees the entire time.
Strangely enough, my fists weren’t taking much damage.
Have they gotten tougher?
I’d used over 10 recovery potions yesterday, but I’ve only needed 2 today.
~~~~~~
Skill Experience Points: +4950
~~~~~~
Night.
I filled my stomach with some tasteless fruit and water, then settled into a light sleep at the base of a tree with Tabo.
After quitting my job, I’d spent a year wandering, so I can sleep pretty well outdoors now.
“Hey, good evening, Papa. You worked hard today too.”
The moment I fell asleep, I found myself back in that botanical garden.
Standing before me was the suspicious individual who called herself family.
“I’m glad you went ahead and used the recipe book right away.”
So Elma knows I used that book.
Good thing I didn’t throw it away.
You never know what might happen.
Now that I think about it… if I just asked Elma how to make the taste medicine, wouldn’t that mean I wouldn’t have to risk storming that dangerous group’s campsite?
“Ah, Papa. Let me just say this—don’t ask me about recipes. I’m the type who writes things down on paper, so I don’t remember them. And besides—”
Elma took a sip of tea and smiled sweetly.
“I believe the Papa of that child wouldn’t stoop to such dull tricks. After all, you’re part of our family.”
This woman is terrifying in so many ways.
Asking her for the taste medicine recipe seems impossible.
I was about to just relax and drink some tea when—
“Oh, right, Papa. How much have you trained your Poison Hand skill?”
“Huh? What do you mean, how much—”
“Ah, it’s fine, no need to explain. I can tell just by looking… Yep, you’ve already ‘awakened’ it.”
“Awakened?”
“That’s right. Unique skills can evolve through sufficient training, shaped by your own interpretation and choices. It’s called a Skill Tree, and it seems you already know about it.”
“…Yeah, well, sure.”
“Excellent. And it seems you also have the Poison Eater skill. Well then, as promised last time, I’ll teach you the true way to use the Poison Hand skill.”
“eh?”
“This is something I’d love for you to master too.”
Elma raised her arm.
Instantly, a green aura and venom coated her right arm.
It looked almost like a Gauntlet…
“This is a realm beyond the Skill Tree. I call it ‘Poison Arts’—a combat style that applies the nature of magic exclusively to the Poison Hand skill.”
“You came up with this?”
“Of course. There are many enemies in this land. Hehe, I’m excited for you, Papa.”
“ah?”
“Power is nothing more than a permit for freedom. I want you to enjoy this world freely.”
“…Why? You just met me yesterday.”
“Because we’re family.”
“……”
After that, Elma taught me combat techniques based on the Poison Hand skill.
“Armament (sou)”—wrapping poison around parts of the body other than the hands for defense or offense.
“Concentration (shiu)”—gathering poison freely, whether inside or outside the body, into a single point.
“Transformation (hen)”—changing the form of the poison.
There seemed to be more, but these three were the basics.
I tried following Elma’s instructions, but it wasn’t going well.
Magic power?
I couldn’t quite grasp that sensation—something I never had to begin with.
“Ah, don’t worry about it. It took me 30 years to master this. Let’s practice here every night from now on.”
And so it was decided.
There’s no telling when another fight might break out.
The more means of self-defense I have, the better.
And as luck would have it…
~~~~~~
Skill Experience Points: +2000
~~~~~~
Training in these techniques also earned me skill experience.
I must have accumulated quite a few points at this rate, right?
“Hehe, seems like you’re steadily training your Poison Hand skill. Well, you’re the type to drink that medicine without hesitation, so I suppose it’s only natural.”
“You knew about that?”
“There’s a skill for that too. Maybe you’ll be able to choose it in your Skill Tree someday.”
“I see.”
I’ve stockpiled a fair amount of skill experience—maybe tomorrow, I’ll learn a new skill…
From now on, my routine could be: farming skill experience during the day, combat training here at night. Sounds solid, right?
“Such wonderful ambition, Papa. Oh, that’s right. Make sure to let Para-chan fight with you sometimes, okay? That kid’s incredibly strong and loves to fight.”
“Huh? Didn’t seem that way to me…”
“…Ah, you mean when those stinking necromancers had captured them? —Ugh, just thinking about it again makes my blood boil…”
A purple light began radiating from Elma’s body.
My enemy detection skill was going haywire, making me tremble violently.
“Sigh, sorry about that. The thing is… Para-chan…”
Elma took a calm sip of tea.
“…might’ve actually been hoping those trash would pet them.”
“ha..”
“…Para-chan is a phantom beast that adores people. Even if humans mistreat them, they’d think, ‘Maybe it’s not their fault—maybe I did something wrong.’ That’s how full of lovely compassion they are…”
“…Dude, that’s beyond cute. That’s dangerous. I need to leave now and pet them until I’m satisfied.”
“—!! Ah, as I thought, You truly are my family…! Sniff… Please pet Para-chan for me too…”
Elma whimpered, dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief.
Though she’s a self-proclaimed family member and a bit of a weirdo, I don’t think she’s a bad person.
Someone who cries over a dog can’t possibly be evil.
“…Can you not leave this place?”
“…I’ll tell you when you get a little stronger. My story, that is.”
Elma smiled softly.
Moonlight bathed the botanical garden in a pale blue glow.
Illuminated by it, Elma radiated an otherworldly, bewitching beauty.
If goddesses existed, maybe they’d look like this.
Well, she is a weirdo who calls me family and started with an unsolicited kiss…
…So maybe she’s just pretty.
But someday, when I have more time to spare…
I’d love to describe a beauty like this in writing…
My time in the botanical garden passed like that.
◇Day 3◇
“wafu!! fugo! bofutt!”
First thing after waking up, I went absolutely wild petting my matcha-colored, fluffy, lovely friend.
Their tail wagged so hard it might’ve flown off, and their ears flopped adorably.
Human hands exist to pet dogs.
Never to hurt them.
Alright, day three.
After basking in the morning sun and drinking from the stream…
“Today, I’ll plan out my Skill Tree.”
~~~~~~
Skill Experience Points: 207,910
Hehehe, time to go wild with my hard-saved experience points!