Sorry, this is a little late, I got caught up in other things. Anyways here's the next chapter, I hope you all enjoy.
(BREAK)
Yang cleared her throat and read the chapter title.
1-4. Abandoned Village, Skill, and Lost Child
Pausing she frowned in thought. "Seriously…more information when are we getting to the fun stuff?" she asked looking at Fox who merely shrugged his shoulders as he popped a Cream Puff into his mouth.
"I know as much about this story as you do Yang." He explained as he handed Nora another Cream Puff while Ren eyed her warily.
"Hello, Suzuki's here. It's so lonely, I may die of loneliness."
I truly, genuinely want a companion.
After reaching the highway, I got lost on the route; it's been 7 days since then and I still haven't reached a human habitat.
Blake shivered. "Can you imagine going more than a week without a single person to talk to?" she asked causing the others in the room to shiver. "I think I'd be close to going insane in his position."
Jaune rubbed his arms with another shiver. "Yeah…no scroll, no people, not even a sign so Far." He muttered quietly.
Speaking of which, somehow I got these skills: [Sprint], [3 Dimensional Maneuver], [Jump], [Sing], [Camping] and [Washing].
However, those skills remain grey because I haven't allocated any points to them.
I seemed to have learned [Sprint] [3D Maneuver] and [Jump] after the second meteor shower but overlooked it due to the confusion.
Weiss raised an eyebrow. "3D Maneuver?" she muttered aloud. "I suppose it means something along the lines of movement outside horizontal and vertical lines."
Ruby grinned "It really does seem like he gets a new skill whenever he does something new!" she laughed as she considered if that applied to real life. "Can you imagine what kinds of skills we'd all have if we were in his place?"
Ren smiled softly "I'd imagine I'd have: Jump, 3D Maneuver, sprint, martial arts, dagger, gun, forging and cooking."
Nora grinned "don't forget dancing!" she added in causing Ren to blush. "I bet I'd have: hammer, explosives, forging, sprint, jump, 3D Maneuver, and hair styling!"
"Hairstyling?" Jaune asked curiously.
"How do you think Ren has such gorgeous locks?" Nora asked with a conspiring whisper. "What about you Jaune? What skills would you have if you were in Satou's place?"
Jaune blinked at the question before thinking on it. "Well I guess I'd have: Sword, Shield, jumping, sprinting, tactical thinking, cultivation, weeding, cooking, sewing, knitting, painting, woodcraft, bribery, and dancing."
Yang snickered "Well he is a farm boy after all." She stage whispered.
"I also have seven sisters, five older two younger." Jaune supplied with a deadpan expression.
Pyrrha just looked concerned. "Why would you have bribery?"
Jaune blushed "Sometimes I get my sisters to do things for me." He mumbled embarrassedly. "Like eating the liver cause they all know I hate liver."
Ruby nodded her head in agreement "Have totally done something similar with Yang." She admitted easily. "What'd you do for your sisters though?"
Jaune turned red in the face. "I'd…rather not talk about It." He muttered while looking away from everyone. "Anyways what about you Pyrrha? What skills would you have?"
The Spartan blinked before placing a hand on her chin in thought. "I believe I would have: Spear, Sword, Shield, rifle, throwing, hand to hand, jumping, sprinting, 3D Maneuver, acting, dancing, and polarity." The others all smacked their foreheads realizing they had forgotten to consider their semblances for possible skills they'd have.
Ruby grinned as she waved her arms through the air "Me next, me next!" she cried causing Weiss to palm her face while Yang grinned and Blake smiled softly. "I bet I'd have: jumping, sprinting, 3D maneuver, sniping, scythe, baking, forging, leadership, and quickstep!"
"Quickstep?" Weiss questioned, "Ruby just because your semblance is speed related doesn't mean you'd have two speed-related skills." She tried to reason with the younger girl.
"But my semblance is more than mere speed boost Weiss!" Ruby whined as she tried to explain things to the others. "If I go fast enough I actually turn my body into rose petals that can move according to my will!"
"Then why haven't you?" Blake asked curiously.
"I can't control it yet…" Ruby muttered as she poked her fingers together. "And sometimes when I try my body reforms without my clothes…"
Blake blushed but nodded her head in understanding. "I see, that makes sense." She muttered while filing that information for later. "What about you Weiss? What would your skills be?"
Weiss huffed but considered the question nonetheless. "I suppose it would be: fencing, jumping, 3D Maneuver, glyphs, summoning, embroidery, singing, dancing, ice skating, and I guess piano."
"You can sing?" Ruby asked looking at Weiss intently. "Why haven't been informed of this?"
"You never asked you dolt," Weiss muttered while looking away from the young reaper.
"Tsun, tsun." Yang declared while making kissing noises behind Weiss causing the white-haired girl to growl "What about you Xiao Long?" she questioned pointing a finger at Yang's face.
Yang grinned as she thought about the question. "Well, I'd definitely have hand to hand, jump, sprint, 3D maneuver, forging, hair styling, interrogation, distraction, and kinetic absorption."
Before anyone could ask Yang about interrogation Blake spoke up "I guess it's my turn then." She muttered, "I'd likely have: stealth, cloning, sprint, jump, 3D maneuver, assassination, abduction, interrogation, pickpocket, sword, gun, and whip, poker face, forging, and cooking." Everyone stared at her silently "I already said I was trained in stuff I didn't actually have to use it."
"Right…let's go back to the story." Yang declared while everyone else nodded their heads.
When I was playing around with the gun, the map got in the way so I changed it and the log to icon view, then I noticed something. From the log it's written as a place with bed and canopy but...
Isn't that a camping ground? I retorted myself.
Onto 8th day, I finally found a village-like place on the wide area map.
I sprinted to the village. However, there's no presence of people according to the map. I wonder if they're taking refuge or got destroyed. No, they should've gone back if they were taking refuge since it's been one week.
"So his little rest area is now a campground." Pyrrha muttered observantly "does that mean it's a safe area from enemies?"
Yang nodded her head. "Well if it was a game that followed those types of rules." She explained for Pyrrha. "Some games don't have safe zones." The Spartan warrior nodded her head in understanding before gesturing for Yang to continue.
"Before you begin, how long do you think this village like place has been there?" Blake asked pointing out the area displayed.
"My guess is a long time since it seems like it has been abandoned for a while," Ren replied while watching the proceedings seriously. "Yang, please continue."
Before long I reached the junction road heading to the village.There stood a crude guidepost on the roadside. A 1.5 meter commonly made stick nailed to the ground. The destination is written with something like ink."I can't read it..."
"I can't read it either," Ruby muttered as she tried to read the sign. "All I see are squares and circles."
"It must mean that the language of the world is different from his own," Nora shouted exuberantly. "I wonder if they have pancakes too!" the orange-haired girl drooled a little at the thought. Ren palmed his face while motioning for Yang to proceed.
Something is written there, but I can't read it at all. At least, it's different from all the languages I recognize from the real world. In fact, it looks like some sort of fictional writing from a game.I keep the map on maximum magnification, showing wide area.
While feeling slightly irritated for not being able to read the long-awaited clue, I hit the junction on the map. There's no actual meaning to this action, but this time it seems to be a bull's eye.
"Well, it seems like Nora was right," Fox muttered as he stood up once more. "Is anyone still hungry? Also, does anyone want something to drink?" he questioned while looking around.
"Some tea would be nice." Ren requested mirrored by Weiss and Blake.
"You have strawberry sunrise?" Yang asked looking excited.
"No alcohol."
"Damn it…" Yang scratched her head trying to think of something. "Then…how about a soda? You got cherry?" Fox nodded his head while turning towards the others.
"I'll have a soda as well." Jaune requested "Grape please."
"Hot chocolate!" Ruby waved energetically while Nora nodded her head rapidly in agreement.
"Just water for me," Pyrrha asked politely with a small smile as Fox stepped out of the room.
"'Welcome to Enikei Village', 'Seryuu City 32Km','Until Kazo Kingdom 105Km'; I can read it! ...Or rather, it's in Japanese!"Pop up displays pile up above the map, each written in Japanese. Is this an effect of All Map Exploration? Cheers for opportunism.
"That's convenient," Blake muttered in jealousy. "It would be so nice to have a translator like that." She muttered thinking about how many conflicts could've been avoided if everyone could just talk.
"What is a KM?" Ruby asked looking completely lost.
"It means a Kilometer," Blake explained getting another lost look form the girl. "Basically a thousand meters is one Kilometer."
"Oh, that's cool." Ruby nodded her head in understanding.
For the time being, Seryuu City seems to be the closest from here, but it's too plain.After all this time, let's go to the village first. I know that there's no one there, but I feel like I'm losing if I head straight on!
There might be some hidden quests there! If this is my dream, there must be one!
"Secret quests have the best rewards!" Yang declared suddenly getting an odd look from Weiss who had never played such games before while Blake rolled her eyes.
The village comes into view on the other side of the field in just about 5 minutes. Between the narrow streets extends fields that looks like they have been abandoned for about a year. It's a world of weeds.Even from a distance, I can distinguish that many houses look burnt down. Every house has one thing in common; the roof is completely burned down.
"Looks like it was attacked," Weiss noted simply as she offered a simple prayer for the former residents.
Judging from the position it seems to be a "Village Abandoned by the Attack of the Dragons".There are no bones lying around, but many things like harvest baskets, wooden shoes, and various farming tools are scattered around as if they were left behind in a hurry.
"It must be because they were near Dragon Valley." Blake surmised as she rubbed her chin thoughtfully.
As I stared at the tools lying around, though it's too exaggerated to call it a revelation, I got a little idea."If I got washing skill from doing laundry. Maybe I'll get something if I dig some farmland?"
"Even Satou is starting to realize he gets things out of doing normal things," Pyrrha muttered in relief. "For a second I thought he was like a standard dumb as brick protagonist."
I took the hoe and dug the farmland with it. [Cultivation Skill Acquired]
[Farming Skill Acquired]
Jaune blinked "Oh so I'd have the farming skill as well." He noted seeing the pop-up. "Then I guess I'd also have harvesting skill."
It appeared on the log as expected. Though I didn't expect cultivation to pop up.
In order to get better, I'll try many other things.Suddenly, I pluck what appears to be a vegetable peeping out between the weeds. [Harvest Skill Acquired]
"Wow, Jaune you predicted it!" Ruby giggled while Jaune scratched his cheek with a blush adorning his cheeks.
It's a bit fun.
Even so, it's easy mode, eh?
Come to think of it, what is this vegetable? Is it spinach, komatsuna?
I stared at it and AR message saying "Hisaya Grass, leafy vegetables. It's seldom eaten raw, usually processed as condiment or pickles." popped up on over the vegetables.
"It does seem a little easy for him to get skills and the like." Ren acknowledged as he folded his arms. "At the same time, I wouldn't complain since it makes surviving a lot easier."
"Yeah, imagine if we were all super high levels in real life!" Nora cheered happily as Fox came back with their drinks in hand. Taking her hot chocolate Nora took a deep gulp before sighing happily. "If we were all level 310 or whatever it is the Grimm would all be wiped out and we'd be out of a job!"
"That…is a very good point," Weiss muttered in surprise.
Yep, it's convenient alright. Seems like this is a different function than the map search.
Incidentally, I tried pulling out weeds. [Weeding Skill Acquired]
"Well, I guess weeding is a skill in itself," Yang muttered while scratching her head. "But what would you use it for unless you're a farmer?"
I didn't cut it, I just pulled it.I went into something that looks like a windbreak, I take out an ax and chop down a suitable tree. [Lumbering Skill Acquired]
"Oh yeah, lumber!" Ruby shouted in surprise "I totally forgot that you need to chop your own wood in some games to get crafting items!"
I wonder what next? I feel like trying some ideas.
I write a mathematical formula on the ground with the hoe.
『1+1=2』, there. [Arithmetic Skill Acquired]
"Wait arithmetic is a skill?" Weiss muttered in surprise. "It's not like…a basic component of living?"
"I guess not…" Pyrrha muttered feeling sympathy for the citizens of a world where learning how to add numbers together was a learned skill and not a taught skill in something like school or by parents.
Fumu, if this is OK then 『E=mc²』 [Lost Knowledge Skill Acquired] The famous theory of relativity is lost knowledge?
I'd rather get a flying skill or some such...
"So things like physics and science is lost knowledge?" Blake muttered curiously. "I wonder what else is considered lost knowledge."
This time I'm writing some random characters in Japanese.
[Painting Skill Acquired]
"Literally he does anything with intent in mind and it gives him a skill…" Jaune muttered enviously. "That would be so nice to have." The others all nodded in agreement.
Painter-san would be mad.
Next, I wrote ○× alternatively which made it looks like a children's play.
[Game Skill Acquired]
"Oh, games are a skill too!" Ruby cheered
is anything fine?I begin trying one thing after another.
I tried shaving the burned wood on the back of a house with a knife in the shape of a stick. [Carpenter Skill Acquired]
[Weapon Creation Skill Acquired]
"I don't even know why I'm surprised anymore," Blake muttered as she palmed her face while shaking her head.
"Can you imagine a level ten weapon creation skill?" Ruby whispered with wide star-filled eyes. "What could I make my baby into with something like that?" she muttered in an awestruck voice.
In addition, I wrap the stick with leather I took out of the storage. [Leather Craft Skill Acquired]
"Does that even count as leather crafting?" Jaune asked Pyrrha while pointing at the screen. Pyrrha sweat dropped and shrugged her shoulders.
Making a makeshift broom I sweep it under my foot.
[Cleaning Skill Acquired]
Weiss felt her eye twitching as she rubbed her forehead. "Even cleaning is a skill." She muttered in shock. "I don't know why this is so surprising to me."
I'm running out of material. When I tried to find more I discovered a cemetery with a native god shrine.
Since I grew up in the countryside, I inadvertently join hands as if praying for my grandmother.
I offered some jerky and poured some sake cup.
[Prayer Skill Acquired]
[Title: Devout Believer Acquired]
"OOOOOHHH new title!" Nora shouted joyfully. "Do they do anything though?" she asked looking up in thought while she crossed her arms.
"Wait praying is a skill?" Pyrrha asked in disbelief. Her statement went largely ignored as Yang continued reading.
Umu, I didn't intend to get a skill but...
The material is dry already, I began to get tired of the skill-acquiring, let's get out of the village.
It's sunset just as I depart on the highway.
I'm walking toward Seryuu City, according to the guidepost. After accustoming my eyes under the moonlight, in the dark, I sprint down the highway.
"Finally some interaction with other people!" Yang shouted suddenly scaring Ruby who had been leaning forward to see the screen better.
"Yang don't suddenly shout like that!" Ruby shouted as she held her chest above her heart. "You scared me!" Yang grinned playfully and stuck her tongue out at Ruby who responded in kind causing Weiss to roll her eyes while Blake smiled despite herself.
When it's near dawn, the wide area map showed the whole Seryuu City. Of course, unlike Enikei Village it has a lot of people."Finally, finally civilization~~~"I cry while trembling with the expectation of finally talking with people....This is such a long dream. Don't you think so?
"IT'S NOT A DREAM SATOU!" everyone in the room groaned out as Yang placed a marker in the book and held it up.
"Well, who's next?" She asked while looking around. She saw Nora pointing at Ren so she dropped the book onto his lap getting an annoyed look from the quiet male.
TO BE CONTINUED
As usual, feel free to ask questions or leave reviews, and I will see you all next time.
