[6] : Adventurer and Poison Lizards
World of Elicia.
Kingdom of Belfast.
In X Village – Adventurers' Guild.
[***]
"It's a relief that Yog-Sothoth gave me dominion over this world's language… otherwise, I'd be pretty screwed not knowing how to read or speak," Aiden murmured as he examined the requests on the bulletin board.
At that moment, he was in the adventurers' guild of a small village in the Kingdom of Belfast, located on the western European continent of this world.
Aiden took a request for exterminating magical beasts and headed toward the receptionist.
After officially accepting the request, he left the guild building and began walking through the streets. The buildings, with their ancient and medieval design, stood tall on either side as Aiden strolled, lost in thought.
"Exterminate a pack of venomous lizards… they need their materials to craft armor and weapons," he murmured under his breath.
It had been a month since his arrival in this fantasy world, and the first thing he did was look for work as an adventurer, as it was the most convenient option. He could earn money by completing requests and fighting magical beasts to obtain excelia and level up.
Two birds with one stone.
He needed to build his life in this world since, although he planned to leave once he fulfilled his deal with Yog-Sothoth, he knew he'd have to stay here for a hundred years.
He had no intention of living like a vagabond; if he could earn money and live well, all the better.
Though his main goal in becoming an adventurer was to fight magical beasts and level up, he had already made significant progress in just a month.
He had also taken advantage of his [Eiyū] ability, which accelerated his growth while protecting something, and thanks to this, he had gained some fame as a hero among people who had faced trouble with magical beasts.
"Let's finish this request, and with the money I collect, I'll commission several weapons: swords, spears, whatever," Aiden murmured as he headed toward the western forest, where the venomous lizards resided.
The purpose of acquiring so many weapons was to enhance his magic, [Gate of Babylon], which became devastating with an abundant arsenal in its treasury.
When invoked, golden portals would open, firing the weapons at high speed and sweeping away any threats in their path.
The ability was perfect for facing large numbers of monsters, in addition to allowing him to improve his 'Dexterity' stats while practicing his magic control, and 'Magic' when activating it.
[*]
—Step, step, step.
"Here I am," Aiden murmured as he looked at the forest entrance.
He stepped forward cautiously, eyes scanning the surroundings, ready for any surprises.
His golden eyes scrutinized the area, but all he found was the whisper of the trees, birds perched on the branches, and the occasional frog hopping in the shadows of the foliage.
As he ventured deeper into the forest, his senses caught a disturbance; the snapping of branches confirmed that something was approaching.
—Snap… snap… snap…
"They finally showed up," Aiden murmured, his sharp gaze locking onto the intruder.
His senses, enhanced by the [Falna], warned him of the presence: a venomous lizard nearly three meters long, watching him intently while licking its lips, patiently stalking before attacking.
Aiden exhaled disdainfully, his gaze fixed on the dense forest.
"Hmph." He crouched, picked up a stone, and threw it with calculated force.
—Whoosh… thunk!
The stone cut through the air, striking the lizard hidden in the underbrush.
With a deep, furious growl, the beast emerged, its vibrant scales shimmering under the light.
"So, you finally showed yourself. I thought I'd have to walk further in," Aiden murmured with a half-smile.
"What do you say? If you have more friends, call them. The more challenging this adventure, the more excelia I can gain."
With an agile motion, a golden portal appeared in his right hand, and from it emerged the hilt of a short iron sword.
He drew it with a flash of steel, preparing in a firm stance.
"Graaaarrgh!" The venomous lizard wasted no time, launching itself at Aiden with its jaws wide open, its sharp fangs glinting menacingly.
—Tap, tap, tap.
Aiden advanced with nimble steps, the echo of his footsteps resonating in the forest.
In a swift move, he slid beneath the beast's jaw, dodging its fangs, and with a precise slash, tore through the flesh and bone of its mouth.
—Swish! Slash!
The sword carved a precise line, and blood spurted in a gush, staining the ground dark red.
The lizard let out a sharp, pained screech that echoed among the trees.
"I warned you," Aiden said with a defiant smile, showing no trace of fear.
"You can bring all your friends. Alone, you're no match for me."
His golden gaze scanned the forest, searching for movement among the shadows, but the response was an empty silence.
The wounded lizard growled again, opening its jaws as a thick purple liquid bubbled in its mouth.
"Poison?" Aiden arched an eyebrow, observing the viscous drool. "Ah, that's why they call you the venomous lizard."
Quick as lightning, he moved among the trees surrounding the lizard, its venom sizzling as it spilled onto the ground.
—Schlup… splish!
The creature spat its venom in all directions.
The acid melted the wood, leaving steaming holes, but Aiden skillfully slid behind a trunk, shielding himself from the corrosive substance.
—Crrr… ssshh…
The forest was filled with the sound of trees dissolving, but Aiden was already prepared for a counterattack.
With a precise leap, he positioned himself in the blind spot of the lizard and, with a series of quick and lethal slashes, attacked the creature's least protected areas.
—Slash… crunch!
The sword cut through scales, flesh, and bone, and the lizard shrieked as it lost a limb.
Aiden didn't stop.
He jumped into the air and spun, his sword glowing as it concentrated his reiryoku.
—Swoosh!
The blade sliced through the air in a flash.
A thin line appeared on the lizard's neck, and before the beast could react, its head detached from its body, falling heavily to the ground.
Aiden lowered his sword, shaking the blade to clean the blood before it hit the ground.
Then, the sound of multiple footsteps echoed through the forest.
—Crack… crack…
His eyes glimmered with excitement as he saw the horde of lizards approaching, their hungry gazes fixed on him.
"They're late," he murmured, smiling in defiance.
Several golden gates appeared behind him, and a rain of swords and spears shot forth, striking the enemy lizards with overwhelming force.
"Kreeeeek…!"
Shrill and furious cries filled the air, but Aiden moved with lethal precision, facing the lizards one by one.
With every slash, every leap, and every strike, he maintained the intensity, letting the risk and difficulty of the battle heighten his excitement.
'I could summon [Michael] and end this quickly,' he thought as he pierced another lizard's skull. 'But where's the fun in that? The harder it is, the better the reward.'
As if it were a personal challenge, Aiden pressed forward into the horde, each movement calculated, each blow precise.
Despite the fatigue beginning to show, he displayed no signs of giving in.
Finally, after an exhausting series of attacks, he stopped, panting and with a faint smile on his lips.
"Whew… that was intense."
Aiden dropped to the ground, leaning against a tree after storing all the swords, spears, and lizard corpses in the King's Treasury.
He closed his eyes and began to rest for a while.
Although his body was at rest, his senses remained alert, always ready for anything.
After a few moments, he stood up, stretching the muscles that had been tense during the battle.
"That was a pretty exciting fight… after a month of hunting magical beasts, I've gotten somewhat used to battles, though I can still improve," Aiden reflected, scratching his white hair, which fell messily over his forehead.
"Also, now that I remember, I need to look for information about this world's magic; let's see if I can learn it. The stronger I get, the more worthwhile it will be."
He looked at the palm of his right hand and murmured:
"[Michael]."
Suddenly, a giant key appeared in his hands. He pointed it in a specific direction, as if unlocking an invisible lock.
"[Lataib]."
At that moment, the space opened, revealing a dimensional rift resembling a purple wormhole, flickering with mystical energy.
"This power is so convenient… I love you, my <Divine Authority>."
With determination, Aiden stepped through the portal and emerged outside the village where he had been living for the past month.
"Well, let's deliver the materials and complete the guild request."
As he headed to the guild to claim his reward, he glanced at his status.
[*]
[Name]: Aiden Avalon
[Race]: Human/???
[Level]: 1
[Basic Abilities]:
-Strength: (D) 586→ (SSS) 1345
-Endurance: (D) 544→ (SSS) 1244
-Dexterity: (G) 202→ (SSS) 1764
-Agility: (G) 278→ (SS) 1178
-Magic: (E) 533→ (SSS) 2044
-Reiryoku: (B) 702→ (SSS) 2488
[Development Ability]:
-
[Magic]:
[]1[][Tree of Life/Death Sephira/Qlipha]
<Divine Authority Spirit Armor>
[Astral Armor]: ???
<Divine Authority No.6>
{Lord Who Removes Seals}
[Angel]: Michael
[Demon King]: Belphegor (Sealed)
[Weapon]: Key
[Released Form]: Spear/Staff [Ego]: ???
<Divine 10 Authority No.1,2,3,4,5,7,8,9, and>
{???}
[]2[][Gate of Babylon]
[]3[][Kaleidoscope]
[Skills]:
-[Eiyū (Hero)]: A unique skill that allows the user to accelerate personal growth impressively while protecting everything around them: from people and villages to cities, kingdoms, and even entire worlds. It also has the power to break the limits of basic stats, pushing the user to an unprecedented level of evolution.
-[Inverse Spirit] (Sealed): A dark skill that grants the user the ability to access an inverted version of themselves, forsaking part of their emotions and humanity in exchange for formidable power. Upon activation, the Demon Kings are unsealed, while the Angels are inverted in essence.
[*]
"I suppose that's good progress for a whole month… Not sure if it's exceptional since I have no one to compare it to," Aiden murmured as he reflected on his performance.
Yog-Sothoth had mentioned that the power of [Falna] came from a parallel universe, which made him wonder if the people using this power system experienced similar progress.
'Well… I won't level up until I max out all the basic stats. That was one of Yog-Sothoth's tips before sending me here,' he thought to himself.
After arriving at the guild and completing the request by handing over the poisonous lizard corpses, Aiden claimed his reward in the form of shining coins.
Satisfied with a job well done, he headed to the inn where he was staying.
[***]
End of chapter.
(•_•)
A/N:
All that progress in his status represents the excelia he's gathered throughout the month, okay?
The first harem member will probably appear in the next chapter.
If you've watched the anime or read the Date A Live novel, I think it's pretty obvious who it will be.
Thanks for reading~!
*
[You can add lizard images here if you want] ←
*