Death March kara Hajimaru Isekai Kyusoukyoku (WN) - Volume 6 - Chapter 2

Chapter 2: 2

6-2 . Let's Train

I think that's a big fat lie, I think people who make confectionery have had good tastes from the beginning .

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Now then, for several days in this trip, let's activate numerous skills . I wouldn't use up half of my points even if I maximize out all the skills that I've obtained, but since skill like [Appraisal] encompass several other skills in function, I'll exclude skills with questionable or redundant effect .

First, I had wanted to level up Weapon skills, but I already acquired enough skills needed for close combat, so I'll put the other weapon skills to reserve . For once, since I've read useful appliance for Dagger skill from many history and tales, I activate it .

I enable almost all Physical combat-related skills . Since the demerit from [Reckless Courage] skill seems to be high, I leave it inactive . I don't know the usability of Shield Bash so I only level it up to 5 . If it's useful then I'll maximize it .

Tactic skills are another ones where I don't feel the actual effects, but I activate them all following Arisa's advise .

I'm told that if I combine commands and cooperations together, the party members could then use combo techniques . Seems that this is an information from the hero yet Arisa herself doesn't know how to concretely do it, oioi you have to verify that .

Although she says, "When we level up in the labyrinth, we'll learn it . ", when I consult to her, it doesn't seem like they'll be able to do it right away .

I've already activated most physical-related skills already so I just activate the remaining, Herculean Strength skill .

Although I'm already strong enough to play with a lump of iron like it's clay, so I don't feel stronger . Let's just believe that it'll make a difference when I fight a solid enemy .

The Magic skills branch underwent no change at all . There's no meaning to it until I can successfully chant .

I also think that Resistance skills have subtle effects, but I activate them just to be safe . However, I only level up [Fear Resistance] skill to level 3 . This is only a hunch, but I feel that I shouldn't maximize it . It has the same kind of smell as [Reckless Courage] skill .

I level up Production skills, [Carpenter], [Leather Craft],[Weapon Creation], and [Blacksmith] to level 4 . Leaving me better than the averages, but not quite an expert . Since I'm scared if I was to drink half-finished medicines, I raise the related skill to the maximum . With these levels of skills, it should be enough for repairing or making things in daily life .

I level up Science skills, [Experiment], [Appraisal] and [Education] to the max,、and [Demon Language], [Ash Rat Tribe Language] and [Green Scales Tribe Language] to level 1, beside those I don't make any other change since they look subtle .

I don't do anything with art-related skills . Confirming it with Arisa, singing skill doesn't have anything to do with rhythm . It seems to be a skill that would make people deeply moved with the thing you're conveying with your singing . I can't understand that at all, but even if I argue I can't refute it .

I can't succeed with the chanting anyway, since I have nothing to lose, maybe I should try raising it?

I level up Commerce-related skills, [Poker Face], [Persuasion], [Bribing], and [Lip Service] to level 5-- expert levels .

I didn't have the chance to use [Bribing] skill in Seryuu city, but according to the travel journal I've bought, there are a lot of people who need bribes for smoothening things up at the towns ahead . That's troubling .

Labor skills are mostly unchanged .   I maximize [Surveillance] and [Capture] skills, but only leave [Marshalling] skill to level 5 .

For labyrinth skills, [Item Box] is unchanged, while [Trap Usage] get to level 5, but I raise all other skill to the maximum .

In this world, I don't think that I'd be unrelated to labyrinth after all .

The most troubling ones are Specialty skills . Skills that are certain to be useful like [Lip Reading] and [Straining One's Ear] are raised to the maximum, but I'm wondering whether to activate stuffs that are too dark like [Behind the Scene], or [Assassination], and decide to activate the ones that looks usable for scouting and fighting . I was at loss for a moment, but I decided to put aside, [Conspiracy], [Condemnation] and [False Charge] .

Of course I leave the Night Time skills alone . It's no good to cheat there right?

Even after allocating this many, I haven't even use 30% of my skill points .

Since I'll need considerably more points when I can use magic, it's fine not to force myself to use skills like [Mowing] or [Transporting] .

I also try to appraise the two unusable unique skills, but they're unknown like always . I'd like to have tutorial or help functions . Even though it was available in the original menu screen .

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After I've completed my skill activation work, what I should think next is how to learn skills that my companions have .

The skills they have that I don't are [Etiquette], [Thrusting], [Dismantling], [Heavy Blow], [Enemy Search], [Cooking], [Collecting], [Nature Art], and [Spirit Vision] .

Among them, the [Nature Art] seems to be the same thing as Arisa's unique skill so even if I'm attacked by that technique, I won't learn it . According to the books left behind by Trazayuya-shi, Homonculus have organs that enable them to use nature arts . It's probably something like a race-specific skill .

Mia's [Spirit Vision] seems to allow her to see spirit, but I can't even imagine how to acquire it so I give up on it . Of course, I asked Mia about it, but I only got these, "I can see it you know?", "You can't?", "Why?", kinds of answers . Let's ask from some adult elves on Bornean forest .

The skill that I need to learn most is probably [Enemy Search] . The map and radar are excellent for searching vast area and specific enemies, but they're not good for fuzzy ones . Even after setting it to look for the familiar like the other day, that kind of threat was still easily escaped from it .

The runner-up should be [Thrusting], and Heavy Blow] . Seems they would increase my attack power in combat .

The remaining ones are [Collecting], [Dismantling], [Cooking], but I don't need them with Liza and the others here . I feel that I don't have particular need for [Etiquette] skill, but looks like it could be used together with [Education] skill so let's plan to acquire it for now .

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I decide to learn [Dismantling] and [Cooking] from Liza on the next rest .

I've wanted to learn [Thrusting] and [Heavy Blow] first, but there's no enemy to fight . If I was to practice with Liza, I'm afraid that I would hurt her . Although she could be healed with medicine and Mia's magic, I still feel reluctant . I am also not able to learn the skill that I want most, [Enemy Search], since there is no enemy .

By the way, the wagon is about to leave Seryuu's earl territory and entering the neighboring earl's territory since yesterday .   There are a lot of basins in this territory . Right now, the wagon is advancing on one such basin .

There are monsters in this territory, but there is absolutely none along the road, they only occasionally appear deep in the mountain . On the other hand, there are a lot of wolves' packs and hibernating bears . Since there seems to be a lot of beasts in the vicinity we are going tomorrow, I decide to have the combat training there .

Now then, let's put aside the planning for now and begin the dismantling .

Of course there's a reason why I want to learn dismantling now . It's because we've bought fish from the children on a village located near a river we've crossed earlier .

The hurdle of doing it with mammals are too high so when we got the fish I thought that it was a good chance to learn it . Since I've dissected fish before, it's probably going to be alright .

Sharp is better than dull . Thinking so, I take out a magic tool from the storage to use . [Troll Slayer], beside the attached property, it's a dagger without anything special except that it cuts well . Of course it cannot be compared to normal dagger although not to the degree of holy  swords . It's carved with [RAZ] signature, I wonder if it's an inscription?

Following Liza's instruction, I cut through the fish without any resistance . I was able to cut it into 3 pieces in an instant .

After that, when I throw away the fish's intestines and head, the quite serious Liza scolds me .

>[Cooking Skill Acquired]

>[Dismantling Skill Acquired]

>[Dissection Skill Acquired]

I allocate points to maximum for dismantling and cooking skills and activate them . Since it's fish, let's grill them with salt and miso .

Since I don't have grill mesh or something alike in my Storage, I reluctantly use skewers made from trees and grill them with bonfire .   When they begin to change color, I spread miso on it .

Everyone beside Mia and Nana are staring at me intently, so right when the grilled fish are done I distribute it to them .

"Yummy~""Delicious, nodesu . "

"Delicious . . . It's been awhile since I've had fish, but this is more delicious than the one from my hometown by far . "

"It's really delicious desu . "

"DE-LI-SH~!　rather, what's this, what's this, way too tasty . "

They're quite popular .

Mia looks curious with them so I offer her a bite, but she says, " . . . don't want . " with a slightly frustrated voice . Nana looks at me while looking like she really want to eat it, but I can't let her do that, so I endure it . Since her eyes have become teary, I'll fix her mood by dripping several drops of fruit juice for her cooled water .

I also eat it, but it's really too delicious .

I don't actually like river fish, but the flavor is the best . The savoriness overflows or rather, the oil enhances the taste of the white meat just right . I didn't think that the effect of level 10 cooking would be this much . I lament at the fact that there's no cooked rice . I do have 3 liters of rice, but I'm not sure how to heat it . I feel like I could make the best rice porridge, but I feel like I couldn't heat it right at all to make it fluffy .

Next I try sampling the taste of the fish with miso .

. . . It's tasty, but there's something different . It feels like there's something missing .

The miso fish is well received by everyone, but Arisa has the same impression as me .

"It's really delicious, but unlike the salted fish, there's something not right . "

Even if your cooking skill level is high, it's no good if you don't know the recipe huh . I know somehow that the amount and method are perfect, and the miso usage is probably not wrong . I had wanted to make Sawara Miso Grill, but since I wasn't cooking much in the previous world, it might had been reckless of me .

I ask Arisa what I should do, but she says, "I know the taste isn't right, but I completely don't know how to do it right . " with her hands on her hips while acting bossy in despair, is she feeling guilty or something?

Among the books that I've bought from the bookstore, there's no cooking books . I've completely overlooked it . Let's look for it in the next town .

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After dinner at the same day, I have Liza demonstrates [Thrusting] and [Heavy Blow] . I forwarded the plan because I saw a large beast approaching our camp site not so far away .

"Then, I will do a normal stab, a thrust, and a heavy blow in turns . "

Liza says so, sets up a black spear and stabs three times with it . With beautiful stance, she's stabbing the spear more powerfully compared to some average territorial soldiers . I hear the sound of tearing air accompanying each stab . I don't quite understand the difference between the first two stabs, but the last one is clearly different .

Like a bowstring pulled to the limit, she twists her body back and then strongly lunge the spear forward . A single blow that reverberates with the whole body . It's similar to her single blow that pierced through the rhinoceros beetle monster in the labyrinth back then, but it's more polished by far .

Hmm? What was that just now .

"Liza, I'm sorry, but please do the last blow once again . "

"Yes!"

She puts the stance like earlier and does the blow that shakes the ground . There really is a red trace-line coming out from her spear for an instant . Checking Liza's stat, not only her stamina has decreased, but her magic power too . It might be an additional effect of [Heavy Blow] .

I decide to borrow Liza's spear and try to test it myself .

First let's warm up while using it normally .

Unfortunately, I don't produce powerful sounds like Liza does . It's probably because I'm being careful as not to gouge the ground, but it's lonely to not even make "Gou" or "Shun" sounds .

"Truly splendid stabs . "

Liza is praising me, but since they're just stabs without power, I'm embarrassed with the excessive praise .

Next, I try to imitate thrusting . Something's not right .

"Master, please excuse me for a bit . "

Is she unable to watch me twisting my wrist several times, Liza hugs me from behind and grasps the spear while explaining .

"To do thrusting, when master stab the spear, master has to half-rotate your wrist for an instant . Loosen master's hand for a moment and then grasp it tightly when master stabs . I will show it slowly, please feel the movement of my fingers and wrist . "

Liza puts her hand on top of my hand and demonstrates the timing .

I see, this is something that's hard to transmit with just words .

Liza separates from me and I begin to do as demonstrated .

Yes, this is it .

"As expected of master for mastering the secret just by doing it once . "

"It's because Liza is good at teaching . "

The fact that Liza's teaching is good is the truth, but I could learn it just by doing once is unmistakably because of the spear skill level 10 .

I do it several times until I memorize the feeling .

Still, even though I've become able to use it, I don't seem to get the skill . So it's true that in order to learn weapon skills I have to use it against an enemy .

The same thing happens with heavy blow . It goes without saying that I am not able to get the skill .

I wonder if it's because I don't have the skill, even though I can imitate heavy blow, my magic power isn't decreasing .

I want to quickly learn the skill and let out that red shines .

The blue light from holy swords is good, but I think that the red light really suits Liza .