Riot Grasper Vol 2 Chapter 2

2nd Volume, 2nd Chapter 【The Experiment】

「——Gyapia!」

Inside a certain forest to the south of Merville Town, the deathly wail of a Smagob echoed.
Going to this forest has become a daily routine for me. It’s my home ground now.

「……It does give a sense of accomplishment when the Lv of a skill rises.」

With a swing of my darling sword, Noir (※it would be better if no one but I knew the official name of the sword), the blood of the Smagobs sticking to the sword blade flung in an arc, bestrewing the gra.s.s beneath my feet.
With merely that, the clouded sword blade regained its s.h.i.+ne, making me gawk in admiration.

It has been five days since I resumed my activity after receiving the sword——it’s fifth month, third week, the day of the Dark.

Everyday, I train inside the South Forest in the morning while undertaking Rank D jobs in the afternoon.
Occasionally, when I chance upon the Neville Gra.s.s, I play with the Caterpillars, too; however, my priority is the Smagobs.

Today, it yielded the results as my Sword Arts skill finally reached Lv3. That was the reason for my merrily trying the new sword out.

————————
Name: Seiji・Agatsuma
Race : Human
Age: 18 years old
Job: Adventurer (Rank D-)
Unique: Scholar’s Knowledge
Skill(s)
・Thief’s G.o.dly Skill (Riot Grasper) Lv2 (18/50)
・Physical Abilities Enhancement Lv3 (5/150)
・Sword Arts Lv3 (3/150)
・Abnormal Status Resistance Lv2 (6/50)
・Vitality Enhancement Lv2 (32/50)
————————

The subjugation of Smagobs and Caterpillars falls into the scope of Rank E quests. That being the case, it won’t be eligible for my, who is a Rank D adventurer, quest completion count.
However, I can receive the quest and reward without any issue, so it isn’t wasteful.

Exiting the forest, I returned to the highway. In relation to a Rank D quest, which I plan on completing in the afternoon, I set out toward Blossom Village.
Going by its name, it seems to be a village surrounded by flower beds. Honey collected from the honeybees is the specialty of this village, or so I have heard.

However, a swarm of monster wasps 《Military・Wasp》 has infested a hive of the honeybees which the guild has been commissioned for.
An aerial enemy will be a nuisance. Also, it’s a Rank D+ quest. However, the Lv of my Sword Arts skill has increased.

While traversing the highway, I noshed on the delicious, as always, food and emptied the water canteen.
By the way……Arnold-san and Lim have become regulars at Feeder Pops’.
Exceedingly pleased with the cooking, Arnold-san gets along well with the fellow old man, Dario-san.
As for Lim, whenever Dario-san is free, he teaches her cooking.
Is she perhaps scheming revenge……?
I earnestly support her, though. I mean, who would say no to delicious food?

That said, the beastkin family are, of course, carrying on as adventurers, too.
Although we don’t act together frequently, whenever we get to have a meal together, we receive a joint quest.
Thus far, we have had such a relations.h.i.+p.

Above all, unless I were alone while ‘improving’ my ability, it would be inconvenient for me.
During the battle against a Smagob, an excuse could be made for unnatural movement. However, murdering a Caterpillar no sooner than gifting it the Neville Gra.s.s with a smile (※requirement); I don’t think such a crime scene could be overlooked once witnessed.

Moreover……with everything settled down, there was nothing disquieting anymore, so I decided to conduct an experiment which had been on my mind for a while now.
I received a Rank D quest the other day and subjugated the Orcs that infested a village in the outskirts of Merville Town.

Because I wanted to test something, I deferred the training with the Smagobs and invoked Thief’s G.o.dly Skill. I *guruguru* bound the one, whose Stick Arts skill I had successfully stolen, with a tree vine.

After s.n.a.t.c.hing its club and ensuring that it couldn’t move, I tried to return the skill.
I can return a skill, of course.
However, I can fully return, too, not just partly.
Why call it full return, not transfer? Well, a skill cannot be returned to someone who didn’t originally possess the skill. Return has its limitation.

After the battle with the Blood Ogres, while I was returning Arnold-san’s skill, I wasn’t able to fully return Sword Arts Lv3……I would say Thief’s G.o.dly Skill being Lv2 was most likely the reason if you asked me.
It can explain as to why I can distribute only up to Lv2.
Oh well. When Thief’s G.o.dly Skill reaches Lv3, I’ll be able to prove it.

There was one more thing I wanted to know. In case of full return, what would happen to the skill I possessed? As in-
Would its current status be Lv1 and skill points (0/10) while the skill itself remained?
Or, would it disappear?

It’s the latter.
When I fully returned Stick Arts skill to the Orc, my own Stick Arts skill disappeared completely.

About this, I feel a little relieved.
The reason being, my skill box is already filled more than half.
It’s not like Stick Arts skill was totally useless; however, its only role was to increase the total success rate upon the invocation of Thief’s G.o.dly Skill.

As per system, if I stole another skill while I already possessed 10 skills, although I conjectured that I would be able to discard an unneeded skill, there was no guarantee.
What if the result were the former, not the latter? This thought made me a little impatient.

With this, however, I can steal skills without any hesitation.
Later on, after hitting the maximum number of skills, if I feel the need to replace a skill, I can fully return the skill to someone who possesses the skill.
That said, simply discarding a skill may be possible, nonetheless.

Just that for merely the sake of a little experimentation, I returned Stick Arts skill to the Orc.

However you look at it, that’s equivalent to two monsters——it’s Lv2 Stick Arts skill. Also, it can increase the success rate by 2%.

But the result was a failure.
It’s not like a returned skill cannot be stolen again; however, I failed.
What the slightly indignant me did to the tied up Orc……I’d better not tell, I think.
Nah. Oh well. Can’t a little strengthened Orc be set free in the fields?

——Finally, I managed to reach Blossom Village and learnt of the location, where the Military・Wasps were sighted, from the villagers.

Pa.s.sing through a lovely flower bed, I proceeded to a grove.
Scattered beneath my feet was a destroyed beehive.
Here’s the information I received priorly: a humongous wasp; carnivorous; beware of the stinger and poison jet.

Having sensed the buzz in the sky, when I looked up——

——There it is.

It has a yellow and black striped body, the size of a human fist. On its left and right are tough mandibles, gaping and shutting.
As for its skill……none?
Is its rank high due to it containing poison?

Although it was slightly scary……Its flying speed wasn’t much.
Having clearly perceived the nosediving silhouette, I calmly sprang to the side in order to dodge it.

At the instant of stab, a sharp needle protruded out of its abdomen, aiming at my eye.

Having realized that its kamikaze attack had been dodged, it hurled itself at me with its menacingly clacking *kachikachi* mandibles ready to tear my flesh.
In order to avoid the mandibles, I lightly stuck my sword into the enemy’s body.
Noir’s sharpness is terrific. With almost no feeling of resistance, I cut the the Military・Wasp into three parts: head, chest and abdomen.

Within a beat, I stabbed the sword into one of the three parts: the tumbling head.
Now……then.
According to the villagers, the venom of these guys has an effect of summoning their fellows. If they were lured here, wouldn’t it be bad?
I kicked the rolling abdomen, disseminating the venom into the area.

……Consequently, in a short while——multiple buzzing sounds could be heard.

One, two————……all five monsters, huh? The number matches with the report.
There’s a conspicuously large individual, too……is that the boss?

「There’s just one thing I want to ask you. That you guys have destroyed the hive of the honeybees……if, resultantly, Dario-san weren’t able to make the honey dipped fruits pie, would you take the responsibility? Aaaah!」

While screaming those words out loud, I mowed the unhinderedly flying enemy down.

「——Ooh, Seiji……n? Where did you get that jar of honey from?」
「Eeh, today, I visited Blossom Village in relation to a quest. As an expression of grat.i.tude, they gifted me this honey……do you need this?」
「Would it be fine? The quality of Blossom’s honey is top, so I’m glad on behalf of the inn. Alright then, at tonight’s dinner, I’ll treat everyone with honey made confectionery.」

「——Fuu, after a delicious meal, sweets are simply irresistible.」

Patting my stuffed stomach, I muttered to myself atop bed.

Well, well. From tomorrow onward, the main focus of my activity will be learning (stealing) magic.
It would be better if there were a monster, however……

Although I intend to plunder monsters, if I found real thieves, I would punish them by stealing their skills, too.
Oh well. If there were a human who could conveniently use magic, would they be a thief? To steal a skill from an old retired mage with one foot in their grave is a bit……isn’t it?

——For now, I will ask around the guild and see.