Chapter 26. Wood Revenge VII
Episode 26.
Wood Revenge VII
Anyway, why is this thing's level hidden again?
[The target's current Trust toward you is 0.]
[Taming success chance: 10%]
One look at that probability made me sigh.
'Fucking dice....'
To begin with, I wasn't particularly fond of the dice system in <FoS>.
In any game, once luck-based elements get involved, the strategic elements start to blur.
'The infuriating part is that roguelikes and RNG are inseparable.'
Of course, in <FoS>, strategy still carries more weight.
So I set my own playstyle accordingly.
'Seventy percent.'
If the success probability was under seventy percent, I decided not to even look at it, no matter how sweet the reward.
'But ten percent?'
Thanks to my Trait, I had two attempts, but even accounting for that, the first attempt needed at least a forty-five percent chance of success.
"You useless-as-firewood branch bastard—!"
At that moment, a shriek erupted from below.
I realized somewhat belatedly that it was Seigrena's voice. The things she was shouting were vicious.
Had I underestimated a noble young lady?
The girl I'd doubted could even fight properly was now waging a fierce battle, her disheveled hair flying.
"Die! Die, I said! Kyahahaha!"
Hearing that completely unhinged laughter, a Trait suddenly came to mind.
'<Battle Maniac>?'
It's a rare Trait, and fairly practical at that.
In <FoS>, when the level gap exceeds a certain threshold, you get hit with the <Intimidation> debuff and your stats drop—but with that Trait, you don't have to worry about it.
On top of that, the stronger the opponent, the more you gain the <Fighting Spirit> buff, which actually improves your combat ability.
'The problem is, if you get hit with the low-probability <Berserk>, you won't even listen to orders.'
I observed Seigrena.
Her eyes were half-rolled back. It looked like I was already too late.
Thinking she probably wouldn't last much longer, I looked back at the lizard.
'Ten percent....'
With two attempts, the chance of success was about twenty percent.
......More precisely, nineteen percent.
'Damn.'
No matter how I looked at it, that wasn't a probability worth risking my life on.
I felt I needed to raise it somehow, but the problem was how.
What naturally crossed my mind was the bloody battle on the train.
Back then, there was a common enemy in the shadows, so I could form a joint front even with Magical Beasts.
'The situation now is similar.'
No, actually, it was better.
The grudge between the Woodmen and this lizard species seemed far deeper and older than I'd thought.
But only the situation was similar.
'......The problem is this bastard's current state.'
The lizard was either asleep or in a state of suspended animation. Either way, it couldn't even come to its senses, much less fight.
In other words, there was only one option.
'Analysis.'
Thoroughly deconstruct and analyze everything about this Ember Lizard to raise the taming chance. That was my only option.
'First, organize the information.'
According to the records, this lizard's species or pack was once the natural predator of the Woodmen, but was defeated.
In other words, this lizard was probably the sole survivor of its clan, or something along those lines.
'The reason it's clinging on like this is obviously to destroy the Black Tree.'
The moment I finished organizing my thoughts—
[With outstanding intuition, you have deduced the Magical Beast's origin and purpose.]
[Cold-blooded-type hostility decreases.]
[Information on 'Ember Lizard' is added.]
Ember Lizard Lv.▓▓
Survivor of the Ash Moon clan. Currently trembling from extreme cold.
Good. One step forward, at least. Then, as if on cue, more information appeared.
Whether it was the Ash Moon clan or whatever didn't matter, so I set that aside. What mattered was the lizard's current condition.
'Trembling from extreme cold?'
Was that why its growth rate was so damn slow?
Of course, the temperature was fairly low right now.
The start of <FoS> is midwinter, and <Woodman Habitat> is an especially cold place.
'Thinking simply, I could just raise its body temperature.'
At that, I saw another message saying my deduction had succeeded.
Time to check the taming chance.
[Taming success chance: 23%]
It had gone up a bit as the information kept updating, but it was still low.
Somehow, I got the feeling there was a limit to raising the probability through analysis alone.
'In that case.......'
The hesitation was very brief. The moment I finished deciding, I shouted.
"Kria!"
"Huh......?"
"Fire! Can you still use it?"
Kria, who had been staring blankly at me, replied.
"A big pillar of flame like before is too much, but a moderate size, I can manage somehow......."
"Shoot it now! Right here!"
When I pointed at the Ember Lizard, Kria flinched.
Only for a brief moment.
Immediately, her gaze turned to the Pyromancer...... the Skeleton Mage.
Soon, a blue flame bloomed above the hand of the Skeleton Mage, which had been clattering its jaw with an eerie air.
Whoosh!
The fireball clung to the Ember Lizard.
For an instant, I felt as though a sheen returned to scales that had been faded, as if drained of color.
......So it worked. I looked at the lizard expectantly, but.......
"What the."
The flames died down in an instant.
Why did it go out so fast?
I immediately requested the next fireball from Kria.
Whoosh!
The second and third fireballs slammed into the lizard.
But the flames, which seemed about to surge, only flared for a brief moment before going out in an instant, as if doused with cold water.
I realized the reason.
'It's because of the <Black Tree>.'
This damn tree had fire resistance despite being a tree.
In fact, even when <Wildfire> turned the whole area into a sea of flames, the Black Tree didn't even show scorch marks.
"Kaindel! I can only do it one more time......."
Kria forced the words out with a strained voice, then broke off coughing. She wasn't exaggerating.
Looking closely, blood was streaming from her nose—a classic symptom of <Mana Depletion>.
'Damn.'
And that debuff was a pain to manage, too. The problems weren't getting solved—they just kept piling up.
"Aaaagh—!"
Then, a feeble scream. It was Seigrena. Her left arm hung limp, as if she'd taken a solid hit to the shoulder.
The tide was about to turn.
The moment that certainty hit me, I shouted to Kria.
"Shoot!"
"Huh? But......."
"Forget it, just shoot! I'll figure something out!"
"......Fine!"
Clenching her teeth, Kria released the final fireball.
At the same time, the Skeleton Mage's body rapidly collapsed and crumpled to the ground.
Whoosh!
Once again, the Ember Lizard caught fire and the flames surged—but only for an instant. The moment they began to flicker precariously, as if about to go out any second.......
I wrapped the tattered cloak from my shoulders around my hand and enclosed the flames.
"Fuck......"
A curse slipped out before I could stop it, and soon I didn't even have the luxury for that.
A terrible heat pressed through the cloak.
"Kaindel!"
Stop calling my name every single time. It's hard enough just to answer.
Even if it looked insane, this was the right answer.
If the fire wouldn't catch because there wasn't enough fuel, the answer was simple.
'I'll give it something to burn.'
Before long, the dying flames swallowed the cloak and surged again. Maybe because they were magical flames, they burned far hotter than an ordinary wood fire.
Whoosh!
......Naturally, the pain I felt was beyond imagination too.
With bloodshot eyes, I stared into the flames.
Fwoosh—
The Ember Lizard's mouth opened halfway, and a faint flame began to trickle out. Like its name, it was ash-gray.
'Shit......!'
But it still didn't seem like enough.
Even while reeling from the pain, that thought occurred to me, so I pulled out everything burnable I had stashed in my chest pocket, grabbing whatever I could.
Things like a frayed handkerchief and old bandages.
Whoosh!
It definitely had an effect.
Maybe it worked a little too well. Eventually, the flames began to swallow even my hand.
Ssssss!
"Grrrr......!"
Saliva streamed from between my clenched lips.
Pain so intense my eyes nearly rolled back. I wanted to abandon the lizard and everything else and run.
'It hurts......!'
It's hot. It's agonizing. I want to pull my hand away.......
Should I just run? Why did it have to be me—wasn't there another way?
'.......'
But still, I know. This has the highest probability of success. That's why I made this choice.
'......If it's a choice I made.'
No matter how painful, no matter how agonizing—
I ought to see it through......!
[You maintained clear reason even amid extreme pain.]
[Mental stat permanently increases.]
The system voice seemed to be saying something, but it didn't properly reach my ears.
"—! ——— ——!"
Likewise, Kria seemed to be shouting something from afar, but I couldn't hear that either.
I simply endured.
In truth, that was all I could do. Even amid the pain that felt like my arm would fall off, the agony from the heat never dulled in the slightest. If I could, I'd cut off my whole arm. Wouldn't that hurt less?
"......."
At that moment, the lizard opened its eyes.
Its reptilian eyes, with long vertical slit pupils, turned toward me.
['Ember Lizard' becomes aware of your existence.]
⁝
[It admires your mental fortitude, indifferent even to the flames.]
['Ember Lizard' feels a faint sense of trust toward you.]
Forget trust—when the hell are you going to get up, you little lizard bastard.
In my gradually fading consciousness, I suddenly tried taming it once more.
[Taming success chance: 51%]
Finally, fifty percent. So now the probability of succeeding in two attempts is roughly over seventy percent?
A hollow laugh escaped me. Somehow, I'd cleared the threshold I'd set for myself.
[Attempt taming?]
[Y / N]
I raised my trembling hand and tapped the Y button.
[<Dice of Fate> is rolling.......]
[Die result: 13]
⁝
[You have successfully tamed Lv.41 'Ember Lizard'.]
[You have tamed a Spirit Beast for the first time.]
[You have achieved an astonishing feat.]
[Achievement Points: 5,000 awarded.]
[Achievement, 「Master of Spirit Beasts」, completed.]
⁝
[The fallen <Ash Moon> now becomes aware of your existence.]
⁝
[You learn the skill, <Blessing of the Ash Moon>.]
Ah, right.
So at times like this, it succeeds on the first try.