章 13: Let's unleash our 'true intentions'
Skill: 'Billy's Horn'.
This is my most versatile skill.
It's an extraordinary skill that can even enable flight for a snake that can only bite, let alone anything else.
Of course, if any other snake were to acquire this skill, its use would be limited.
That's because there were restrictions on the skills that could be borrowed with Billy's Horn.
Only skills that a snake can use can be borrowed.
Things like quick crawling or hardening scales, for example.
However, I had an unfair advantage, namely the 'Perseverance' trait I gained thanks to having 20 Potential stat.
「Due to the 'Perseverance' trait, you are not constrained in your development.」
The opportunity to become the worst magician - snake - in history has arrived.
I could probably learn any skill.
To be honest, there was a different skill I wanted to take from the interception golem.
Why borrow basic magic when there's such a tempting skill available?
「Billy's Horn lv2 borrows Destruction Beam lv6.」
It's the Destruction Beam, of all things.
It was a technique I've been coveting since playing Pokémon games.
To think that I would be using the Destruction Beam that only Gyarados could use.
My heart races at the thought of turning other magical beasts to dust.
Ah, but then there might not be anything left to eat.
But it was an unnecessary worry.
「Billy's Horn lv2 lacks proficiency to borrow Destruction Beam lv6.」
Ugh.
The reason I was held back was that the level of the borrowed skill was too low.
It's only at lv2, so it can't be helped.
The criteria for skills that can and cannot be borrowed didn't seem to be simply due to the level of the target skill.
「Billy's Horn lv2 borrows Basic Elemental Magic: Earth lv10.」
「Success. Temporarily gained Basic Elemental Magic: Earth lv1.」
At least I could learn basic elemental magic.
However, there's a point to note here as well.
I borrowed a level 10 skill, but what I can actually use is only at lv1 level.
Recalling that even when borrowing a level 6 Leap, it came in as Leap lv2, I wonder if the level of skill for basic magic is quite high.
Well, it's ridiculous to compare magic to a skill for jumping.
So what can I do with that earth magic?
Hap!
I could make the ground a bit softer.
Because the golems had been stomping around so much, the stone floor was cracked and bare earth was exposed.
That earth has softened.
A snake like me could crawl over it without any problem, but if a golem steps on it.
It slips and falls.
Kuung!
Even though it falls comically, that sound is no joke.
The one that fell was the earth golem with legs.
I decided to call the one using fire magic the fire golem, and the one using earth magic the earth golem.
This moment when the earth golem fell was my chance.
I crawled up onto the earth golem's head.
Using acceleration, that speed was quite fast.
The fallen earth golem swung its remaining hand as if swatting a fly, but.
Tung!
It only hit its own head.
I finally reached the crown of the earth golem's head.
There was a glowing magic stone attached here.
This must surely be its weak point. I opened my mouth wide and sank my venomous fangs into it.
Crack!
It doesn't pierce!
I almost broke my teeth.
And in that brief moment of hesitation, the fire golem did what it always does.
Flames spewed from its mouth.
Whoosh!
Hot wind sweeps through the corridor.
It didn't seem to care whether its companion was engulfed in flames or not.
In fact, the earth golem didn't mind being hit by the flames.
I'm not sure if it's thanks to Heat Resistance lv10 or because it's a golem and not a living creature.
Then what about me with my Heat Resistance lv2?
Ow ow ow ow.
I had no choice but to flee, convulsing like an eel on a hot plate.
Retreat, retreat.
The fortunate thing is that once I get out of the corridor's boundary, the golems return to their original positions.
"Interception confirmed."
I finally let out a sigh of relief after seeing the golems return.
My back feels hot and stinging.
Judging by the rough, raised scales, it seems I've been burned.
Well, can't be helped. Still, I came back alive quite steadily this time.
I almost died on the fourth attempt.
Yes, this is the fifth time I've tangled with the golems.
I wonder if about a day has passed.
I'm not hungry yet because I ate a lot of cockatrice meat before.
My throat is a bit dry, but there's a solution for that too.
Perhaps due to the earthquake, parts of the ceiling were torn apart.
Among them was a stalactite dripping water.
I can drink the falling water beneath it.
Ah, refreshing.
The burn on my back slowly healed. I guess I really am a magical beast after all.
I couldn't defeat the golems this time either.
But I did learn something.
First, give up on biting off the magic stone on the head.
I thought it might be a weak point, but it was protected by something like crystal.
I couldn't break it with my Biting skill.
Still, using earth magic to make them slip is excellent.
The golems had no learning ability.
A strategy that worked once could be used again.
'An effective attack.'
That's what I need.
More than 90% of my attack power actually comes from the Venomous Fang skill.
One bite and even fairly strong magical beasts get poisoned.
The remaining 10% is Biting.
But I couldn't use either of them on the golems.
Biting a rock would only break my teeth.
And I can't strangle them to death either. It's a frustrating situation.
...But for some reason, it was enjoyable.
This was a situation pursuing something beyond mere survival.
'Practicing how to fight against golems stronger than me', that sort of thing.
Plus, I could gain interesting abilities like magic.
If I use earth magic a bit more, I think I might be able to fully acquire it.
Then I could use strategies other than just making them slip.
I want to challenge the golems again right now.
But I have to wait until my magical power is recharged.
There was something I could do here besides sleeping and resting.
I entered the vault room.
Besides rare treasures, there was a bookshelf with books here.
There weren't many books, but there were a lot of interesting ones.
What should I read this time?
Ah, this one.
[Named Magical Beasts of the Great Forest]
I'm not sure if this script is in fairy language or some other language.
But one thing is certain, I can read it.
I could understand not only people's speech but even Pelerian's fairy language, so it seems I've gained a reincarnation perk.
I bit the book to pull it out.
Being a book from at least several hundred years ago, the moldy smell was no joke.
Still, the books inside the vault were in better condition.
The ones on the shelves outside were so decayed they were unreadable.
I brought the book to read in front of the crystal ball that was still faintly glowing.
Although I used to only read web novels every day, reading itself was my hobby when I was young.
It feels like that hobby has been revived.
I flipped the pages with my tail and read the parts that interested me.
Named magical beasts, I wonder what kind of creatures they are.
Are they on the level of Mama Medusa?
──────────────
[Shuemura]
Land turtle-type magical beast.
Estimated age, over 1200 years.
Based on observations 7 years ago, its size is comparable to a small castle.
Spends most of the year sleeping, but there's a record of it moving 10km in one night.
Has a relatively gentle temperament.
──────────────
Haha, there should be a limit to lying.
If a 1200-year-old is still alive now, wouldn't it be at least 1500 years old?
...Hmm, if this is true, it seems there are many incredible monsters in the world.
Was my mom actually just an insignificant mob?
There were many other interesting contents as well.
However, about half of it seemed to be collected legends. Even the book had many descriptions saying the existence was uncertain.
...Ah.
I dozed off while reading the book.
It reminds me of my exam preparation days.
When I opened my eyes, I felt my magical power had been replenished again.
Alright, then let's go hunt golems again.
Now, it's hunting time.
==
Whack!
Ugh.
I was hit by the golem's arm and sent flying.
That's still fortunate. If I had been crushed, I would have become fish jerky right there.
Or rather, snake jerky, haha.
I rolled over once more with the momentum of being flung.
Survival Instinct advised me to do so.
Whoosh!
Flames swept through where I had been.
I thought I had neutralized the fire golem just before, but I was wrong.
This was the seventh challenge.
I tried to knock the golem backwards and break the magic stone, but it's so sturdy.
"Interception confirmed."
I retreated past the corridor's boundary again.
I gulped down the water dripping from the stalactite.
Tired of drinking drop by drop, I brought a helmet from the vault room to use as a water bowl.
I'm starting to get hungry.
I need to escape quickly.
Then I'll have to knock those guys down.
==
Ah! Failed to just pass by!
I tried to ignore the golems and just walk past.
And I realized that was impossible.
The earth golem blocked my path in front.
And the fire golem summoned a fireball and threw it.
Fortunately, I avoided it with Leap, otherwise I would have been roasted.
To think close combat would have been better.
It's not that I ran away because I couldn't beat them, I was just testing if this was possible.
Of course, that's right.
"Interception confirmed."
I barely made it back to the crystal ball room.
I have to challenge them again.
==
Ah, this time I really almost died.
My tail was almost cut off.
The earth golem stepped on my tail, so it was certainly destined to be flattened.
There was only one reason I didn't lose my tail.
I believed in you, magic ring!
The ring was really damn sturdy.
The ring on my tail didn't even bend despite being stepped on by the golem.
Thanks to that, it ended with just my tail throbbing.
I went to the water bowl I made with earth magic and gulped down water.
I stopped using the helmet as a water bowl.
Hmm, should I make the water bowl a bit deeper?
It was the moment I used earth magic.
「Basic Elemental Magic: Earth lv1 has become Basic Elemental Magic: Earth lv2.」
「You have fully acquired the skill 'Basic Elemental Magic: Earth'.」
Ah.
It finally happened.
I've been waiting for this moment.
After waiting for my magical power to recharge, I slowly got up.
Well then, shall we now give it our all for real?
Until now, it wasn't real.
No joke, for real.
If you don't believe me, I'll show you.
I slowly advanced into the corridor.
How many attempts is this?
I stopped counting after it exceeded twenty.
Now I really feel like I'm going to die of hunger.
"Detected intrusion of a magical beast. Activating interception golems."
Not tired of it, the golems that were turned to both sides stood up.
Ah, I'm tired of this now.
I moved forward.
Boldly, as if not caring about the golems.
Then the earth golem on the right steps forward first.
I pause here for a moment.
Wham!
The ground in front of me folds and strikes the space right in front of me.
Ignoring that shockwave, I turn slightly to the right and hide.
It's the fire golem's turn.
Whoosh!
Flames sweep the ground.
It's hot, but bearable if I hide behind the rock face created with earth magic.
「Heat Resistance proficiency has increased.」
「Heat Resistance lv7 has become Heat Resistance lv8.」
Oh brother, now I can withstand heat well too.
The golems weren't going to let me stay still.
The earth golem with intact legs tries to kick me.
Here I used the earth magic I've become familiar with.
I soften the earth under its stepping foot.
The earth golem falls backwards.
This is where my physical abilities were needed.
Using acceleration, I quickly climbed over its body.
It swung one arm like swatting a fly, but I wasn't one to be caught so easily.
Arriving on the shoulder of the golem trying to get up, I swung my tail.
Ring oh ring, give this golem friend a gift.
And the water bowl, no, the helmet stored in subspace dropped from thin air.
A helmet that perfectly covers the golem's head.
The helmet fell upside down, completely covering its eyes.
At that moment, the earth golem's movements stopped.
I confirmed this in the twentieth challenge.
I leapt up without delay.
Flames were shot towards the earth golem's head.
The fire golem has no sense of camaraderie, after all.
And after it shoots out flames, there's a brief opening.
It was much easier to climb onto the head of the fire golem without legs.
I swing the ring on my tail once more.
It was a tattered robe from inside the vault room.
That moldy clothes wrapped around the fire golem's head.
It's much easier to put a robe on its head than a helmet.
But if I had carelessly put the robe on the earth golem's head first, there was a high chance it would have been burned by the fire golem.
A strategy successful after much hardship.
And my hypothesis was exactly right.
"Interception confirmed."
The two golems completely stopped.
With helmets and robes draped over their heads.
Yes!
There are no CCTVs here.
Well, there might be some magical devices, but it seems the two golems' vision acted as CCTV.
And when I covered both their eyes, it was treated as if I had disappeared from the corridor.
Now, shall we deal with the neutralized golems?
Oops.
Gotta grab what I need
「Billy's Horn lv2 borrows Basic Elemental Magic: Fire lv10.」
「Success. Temporarily gained Basic Elemental Magic: Fire lv1.」
I've fully acquired earth magic, so now I'll become a fire-breathing snake.
「Billy's Horn proficiency has increased.」
「Billy's Horn lv2 has become Billy's Horn lv3.」
Oh, a bonus too!
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