2-21 Power Strike

I woke up to the morning dew on my face.

Last night, we'd pulled back from near the nest and camped out close to the highway. While shoving down dinner, we held a debrief on the Ferregen fight...

As for me, I got called out with, "Yoyo, I told you to say the spell ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠name properly," and all I could do was mumble, "Ah... sorry." I'd totally forgotten.

The rest—like noticing the ambush from behind and rushing in to stop it because just yelling a warning wouldn't cut it—got praised as solid situational judgment. Sure, there were plenty of nitpicky mistakes if you wanted to get technical.

Don, who sensed the danger first, got MVP treatment with all sorts of dried fruits offered up, and the little beast looked plenty satisfied. Spotting him now, he was sprawled out belly-up by the fire, surrounded by the leftover food. Yeah, no way he'd been pulling lookout duty like that.

"Don, anything you can't eat, I'll stash in the backpack."

"Gii—"

He waved his short front legs a bit. Do what you think best, I guess.

A little later, the squad members started stirring. We had a simple breakfast of dried meat, nuts, and fruit gathered nearby.

Then came the briefing for today's plans.

We'd stick near the highway and wait for the relief unit. Once they arrived, we'd hand over our dead comrades' bodies and some of the severely wounded. The two small support squads that had come to help would take the rest of the injured back to base.

The mission would continue with the remaining crew.

It was a laid-back stretch for a while.

Sarsa was eagerly learning archery from Tsuburaka, another bow user.

The debrief ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠had given Sarsa a clean bill—no issues—but she seemed a bit bummed about it anyway.

I hadn't watched closely, but apparently she'd kept peppering the Ferregen with arrows alongside Tsuburaka.

But while Tsuburaka's shots made it react and dodge, Sarsa's went ignored, and even hits didn't seem to faze it.

"Against a monster that tough, I just can't contribute..."

She was moping a little.

If I were enslaved, I'd probably slack off, but Sarsa was seriously dedicated. Impressive.

She couldn't bulk up overnight, but she was getting tips from Tsuburaka on ways to boost her shots' power even a bit.

Watching that, I set Vigilant and kept Aura Detection active. Around noon, I picked up approaching presences.

They spotted us and raised a hand from horseback. Cavalry.

Not the speedy ones, but the stocky horses I'd practiced on—about ten of them.

Our precious cavalry reserves, apparently pressed into service this time not for combat, but to haul the wounded. They joined us for lunch since it was that time anyway, then headed back down the highway.

"Alright, we'll head south toward the Teba region for now."

"Captain, we takin' the highway?"

"Yeah, at least to the original turnaround point. Another squad's covering the river route anyway."

So we pushed south that day, trudging along the packed highway.

It really drove home the difference from off-road travel.

Nothing like modern Japan's roads, but having a proper path was a big deal—I got that now.

We reached camp around sunset.

Hardly any monster attacks—a peaceful day.

The next morning, the captain announced he'd split the unit into two.

Seemed the ripple effects from our screwed-up mission were hitting other squads.

"One group: Senka and Firo's team, plus Yoyo here and one scout. No losses from the recent fight, and with a mage, perfect for subjugation. The rest stick with me for local surveys."

"Subjugation? Where we headed?"

Firo shot the captain a puzzled look as he explained matter-of-factly.

"Near the river—our original patrol and subjugation zone. The support squads handled it, but they were understaffed and didn't clear enough. Surveys are done, though, so full squad subjugation would be overkill."

"Got it..."

"Think subjugation-focused team and survey-focused team. Mage group suits subjugation."

"Yeah, makes sense."

"Senka, you're leading that one."

"Leave it to me."

Senka as leader—reliable as ever.

That huge frame and steady demeanor just inspired confidence. Different flavor of charisma from the captain.

"Map's with Senka—do it right. Now, my team needs some reorganizing. Gather 'round!"

With the captain starting on his survey team's prep, our magic squad—er, subjugation team—rallied under Senka.

"Gear check, then we move. Basic plan: follow the river downstream."

Senka eyed the handed-over map as he briefed us.

"Senka, any intel on targets?"

Tsuburaka asked.

"Walking Trees right nearby. Thin 'em out as needed."

The warriors nodded.

"Walking Trees?"

"Monsters like trees that move on root-legs, Master."

Only one head-tilted: Sarsa-pedia to the rescue. Excellent.

"Strong?"

"No, on the weak side mid-river."

"Right."

Weak? No complaints here.

"Fireball!"

A fireball spawned from my raised sword-tip and shot straight at the monster... then burst and fizzled.

"Yoyo! No fire magic on Walking Trees!"

"Ehh? Aren't tree monsters weak to fire usually?"

"Like hell I know!"

Torabutosu snapped back, his whole body wrapped in some aura-like energy—a total musclehead.

Lightning cracked from beside me, slamming the tree I'd scorched and dealing big damage.

"..."

"Heh heh."

His smug grin irked me a tad. Whatever.

Minus fire magic, my high-damage attack spells were... slim pickings.

Wind was underpowered, water decent but not for non-weak foes. Earth... maybe?

"Sand Needle."

The earthen needles I fired scratched the monster's bark but barely. It didn't seem bothered.

No choice—channeled magic into my magic sword and joined the front line.

Not as tough as real trees; it sliced nicely. But no pain response—they kept shambling unless fully felled. Slow attacks, low threat, just annoying.

Torabutosu the muscle shone: aura-punches toppled them efficiently. Raw power only he could pull off in this group.

I played support, poking to keep the woodcutters—Torabutosu and Kerusumeme—from getting swarmed.

Once we'd culled enough, a black tentacled thingy hopped from the woods.

"Oh, Black Orb."

That weird monster whose chewy tentacles we used in salads.

Used to these: fire wall to stall the tentacles, chase and slice the core.

Done, the squad stared.

"Fire magic makes 'em easy..."

"Without it, pinning and trimming tentacles is a pain."

"Mm."

Take that. I returned hoisting the corpse like a trophy.

Stock dipped on trees, rose on orbs. Net zero, yeah.

"Pfft, bragging over a Black Orb?"

Shut it!

Point two: Pickle Water Bug, insect-type.

Not athlete's foot—lives by water, horseshoe crab look-alike. Big, quick.

Firo's lightning wrecked 'em; encircled and wiped.

I herded to the spot with fire harassment. Like sheepdog. Woof woof.

Three: Fire Rats. Not lizards.

"Fire" in name, but not always fire users. Huh.

Big fast rats using one of fire/water/earth magic.

Low aggression, sneaky—slip into towns unnoticed.

Fire-users then spark blazes, hence infamous.

Tricky if alerted and fleeing, but ambush success led to melee.

Water Wall blocked their spells; slashed escapees.

Some got away, but over half down—goal met.

Subjugation team, not survey—no chasing scatters. Couldn't anyway.

Day five ended at riverside camp.

Night watch with Tsuburaka.

Right after handover, she spoke up.

"Y'know, you were awfully polite to the captain. He seemed suspicious."

"Huh? Wasn't I from the start?"

"Nah, you were casual at first."

"Was I? Well, he's nobility—gotta be polite."

"You read the room, switch it up, huh."

"Yeah. Flaunting cheap pride to power? All downside."

"Fair point."

No nobles where I'm from, so normal manners? Dunno.

Captain's some notable house's branch heir candidate, per Firo—bigwig.

He might not care, but his circle might.

Society runs on that; no rowdy isekai excuses here.

Overly formal could backfire too—tricky balance.

Current rule: nobles get keigo. Simple. Wait, used it on guild heads too. Power gets keigo. Normal.

"No other nobles besides captain, right?"

"Think so..."

"Think" huh.

"Firo ex-noble? Shocker. You solid commoner?"

"Hah, Firo's a riot—still can't believe it. Me? Pure common birth, common raised. Worry-free."

"Good, relaxed vibe."

We chuckled lightly.

Probed her background: fourth daughter of hunters from Saasutira, the gateway town outside.

"Hunters target normal animals, yeah?"

"Yup, various gigs. Forest hunters, pest control, specialists."

"Decent pay?"

"Okay? Eight sibs—nine now? Never strapped for cash, but Dad griped a lot."

"Gripes?"

"Pest control needed but low/no pay, cheap subsidies—basically volunteer."

"Ah... no magic stones like monster hunts."

"Right. Monster parts sell best. But someone's gotta—forests and fields ruin otherwise. 'That's why I do it.' His catchphrase."

"Huh."

"Lots of hunters side-gig monster hunts—easy finds, quick cash. Risky though."

"Bow main weapon for monsters too?"

"Yeah... traps? Weapon-ish... work on monsters."

Traps... Elliott's party used 'em on goblins. Useful.

"My starter job was Trapper."

"Dropped it?"

"Wanted outdoors. Bow more versatile."

"Makes sense."

Limited spots in warrior squads.

"How's the girl behind ya? Progress?"

"Yes, still practicing but..."

Tsuburaka looped in Sarsa hovering nearby.

Today's breaks: archery lessons. Or Sarsa glommed on.

"Power aside, accuracy's solid. Talent."

"Thank you."

"Maybe aim for Sniper line. Got Long-Range Shot too."

"You think?"

Yeah, figured. Level up first, but one worry.

"But Long-Range vanishes on job change, right? It's Archer skill."

"...Huh? You didn't know?"

Tsuburaka quirked a brow.

"Derivatives usually carry over related skills."

"Eh?"

"Master... sorry, forgot to mention."

Sarsa knew. Damn.

"Not guaranteed which, but Sniper likely keeps Long-Range."

"Huh..."

"Otherwise, who'd derivative at higher levels? Back to 1."

"True..."

Never set derivatives before.

Derivative-ish: Earth Mage maybe?

Check later.

Shift change uneventful. Before bed, leisurely status check—been a while.

MP dipped from Vigilant's Aura Detection.

Not heavy drain, but steady trickle while active.

Mage leveled, overall stats up.

Low attack/defense—not ideal for my style.

Swap to fave Mage + Swordsman...

Swordsman hit double digits!

Level 10 skill: Power Strike.

Skill Explain I check...

Test on trash mobs tomorrow...

Tinkering stats got me sleepy.

Oh, derivative jobs before bed.

...Hmm?

Swapped Mage and Earth Mage a few times—same result. Lost only Body Enhance Magic from Mage skills.

Earth Magic position shifted—minor.

So Earth Mage carries Fire/Water/Wind/Magic Bullet.

Earth default for it.

Tested fire/water: power clearly down.

Lower magic stat partly, but way clunkier—more than that.

Specialized mage jobs nerf others. Confirmed.

That old high-level water mage guy said it?

Checked what I needed. Bedtime.

Nighty-night.