To the Mountains: Stats at 98 – Unbelievable Growth!

Let's head to the mountains. Comprehensive stats at 98. Can you believe it? This insane growth?

It seemed this skill had played a huge role, given how I'd fought while taking wounds. I never imagined I'd gain so much from risking my life, steeling myself for death. Sure, there were the mint choco ice creams and the Constellation Tickets boosting my stats in between, plus all my hard training... but even rethinking it carefully, I figured this skill accounted for about 90% of it.

This skill needed to rank up to MAX level... Sighing, I rummaged through my bag.

This was my current light loadout. No need for water or food, so the bag was naturally lighter. For a simple survey quest, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠traveling light was best anyway. I'd brought a compass, but Po'runga would handle navigation and map-reading. Essentially, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠this was a return to mentoring time—getting schooled by a senior adventurer.

Po'runga griped that she'd wasted too much time before and was now fired up to close the gap properly in the time left.

"Radamu, just gimme two fruits!"

"Not all of them, huh?"

"Gotta take care of Kirke's health, no choice."

...Really? Tilting my head, I handed over the two fruits I'd made. I planned to make one more later and share bits with Leona. For now, they were elixirs, and with my Forest skill at MAX, I was curious just how effective they'd be. I had this unshakable certainty they were made purely of beneficial components—no poison whatsoever.

"It's a survey quest—sure the team member's okay tagging along? I'm A-grade, y'know."

"...Auntie, hot springs after 120 years...?"

Thwack—Noksu lightly tapped Nex's shin, and her form crumpled with a heavy thud as she dropped to her knees. Leaning down with a gentle smile to meet the teary head's eyes, Noksu whispered something. Nex shuddered violently and straightened her back ramrod-straight.

"......"

Thwack—

"1... 120 days."

Nod—Already meaningless affirmations and corrections aside, she declared it was just a simple collection quest, so even the receptionist could join. There was a scenic hot spring inn at the mountain peak, and she was looking forward to a good soak after ages. Apparently, they even had family mixed baths—she flashed a meaningful smile with narrowed eyes.

Anyway, Dplrus Forest again... Fighting monsters in the woods might give me various bonuses? Last time against the Evil God, the World Tree guardian spirit became summonable at my will once it hit MAX. A whopping red bamboo spear, summonable from anywhere on my body.

...Not sure where to stick a bamboo spear, but it was sturdy enough to be better than nothing. I'd seen it extend roots to bind foes before, so it'd definitely come in handy someday.

"Me too! I wanna go to the hot springs!!"

Larirure Larirarion, declaring she'd ditch her C-grade promotion exam. Noksu warned of penalties for submitting papers but skipping, but she snapped that she'd come no matter what. Being apart meant just getting letters in Trust Union, pacing anxiously—hated the thought of me vanishing far away again.

"Won't let you go without a kiss on the lips!"

So I kissed her lips, and she went quiet. Froze like stone, nosebleeding, hiccuping, face exploding red like a bomb, shuddering as she curled up. Her forehead slammed the ground with a thunk, trembling all over.

"...You've ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠done a lot of kissing? So bold."

"First kiss."

"For real?"

Her face lit up, sparkling eyes lifting as she grabbed my clothes, puppy-dog eyes asking if it was really ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠her first kiss.

"You're my first girlfriend to begin with."

Not sure if "girlfriend" fit after her marriage proposal confession. She beamed like heaven-bound, throat visible, grin ear-to-ear, blissed-out half-lidded eyes murmuring "really, really?" while clutching my hand tight. Couldn't keep her feet still, fidgeting every which way—I nodded.

"...My life's finally getting its reward..."

Grinning, then suddenly bawling that dating had been her dream since childhood, finally happening at 27. Her mood swings were worrisome. Soothed her that we'd go together next time—this was work. She smirked, warning not to underestimate an older sis, muttering something about even at 40...

"Normally, ahem, while hubby works, wife handles the home. Yeah, lizard-girl."

"Whaddya mean? Deynous walk right after hatching! Easier childcare than other races!"

"You gotta incubate eggs all day! Deynous can't co-parent!"

...In typical harem novels, don't they fight over similar stuff but different topics? Why childcare? No hierarchy or order?

Recalling the goddess's repeated "toss ethics aside," I stepped out from the party base for the quest. Needed a proper party name too... Would brainstorm while relaxing in the hot springs.

"...Good morning."

"It's lunchtime."

Still sleepy-eyed and dazed, Nex's body was wiping her head's eye boogers. Headless from the waist up, but her torso was bustling morning prep, bag already packed. Guess the head had kept sleeping. How do dullahans even work?

"I'll gather intel on the [Hands Collector] here, Radamu. Gotta contact Kirke too."

Riko... Don't add "-chan," snapped Larirure. Riko wanted the reaction, so back to normal. Anyway, she'd keep tracking Kirke's arm, so relax till the tail's stepped on—then etched protective runes all over my clothes. If life-threatening, runes would alert her; she'd fly right over. Extra assurance she'd ignore protests and come anyway, brimming with zeal.

"Big bro... Head's gonna explode..."

"Hang in there."

People often call C-grade promo exams jinxed; even Larirure had bad luck. Tough difficulty—slim odds for Lemon Hyacinth, honestly. Glancing at his studies, I inwardly fretted over the hellish questions and my future. Then Leona scampered down the stairs. She was F-grade adventurer starting today. Po'runga'd self-registered as her mentor too, so over a month together. If not, she'd steel herself for F-grade! Burning with weird resolve there.

"Hmmm."

Feeling the breeze, we rode the carriage across the plains. Leona engrossed in Po'runga's adventurer notes on my lap; Noksu beside her, verbally drilling info. Nex eyes closed, but torso silently reading. Just a sleep habit, ignore it. How's a body reading a "sleep habit"?

Po'runga'd booked the inn already—just handle the survey carefully. In the carriage to the valley, she re-explained the quest. Deep in Dplrus Forest lay a rocky mountain area with a massive valley. Survey monster ecology along the paths. Weekly simple quest, popular with adventurers heading to the mid-mountain Dplrus hot spring inn. Often others finish it first; you just lounge at the inn. Ridiculously easy money. Perks of C-grade tenure?

How long rattling along? A grand valley welcomed us. Cliffs to underground caves, peaks shrouded in clouds. Stupidly vast, as rumored. Wyverns screeching overhead, dinosaur herds charging woods, goats scaling mountains. Pure nature vista—I figured no incidents, popping mint choco ice cream in my mouth.

"Oh, a sky whale."

Noksu pointed skyward. Leona and I turned—eight-eyed colossal whale swimming fins-first, heaven-shaking cry echoing. Rare sight; she snapped photos. Leona and I, faces drained, stared slack-jawed at the city-sized sky-swimmer.

"Wha—why's a whale flying...?"

This fantasy world—makes sense till it doesn't.