A/N - Back again with a new chapter and with a few things to cover. First and foremost, I did promise a list of Bows this chapter, and it will come this Sunday. The thing is, it has been a tiring week, and I just wanted to get the chapter out on schedule, I will add the list Sunday since it's my only day off this week, but I will be able to sit down and get everything straight.
Second thing, I did mention that this arc will be larger than the previous ones, but it can be separated into three mini-arcs, with the first taking place in Northern village, and this chapter arguably marks the halfway point of this particular mini-arc.
Third thing is, I don't address guest reviews on A/N, that being said, if you really want to talk or discuss ideas, then the only option is really creating an account, and reviewing from there, or just sending me a PM. I try to answer all the reviews, and PMs, though sometimes it might take a day or so, and once again I'm open to ideas/ criticism, or even answering some doubts or confusion, as long as it's not direct spoilers.
Also, I know I have said this a couple of times, but I will say once more, especially since it will become a more prominent thing going forward, and to avoid some confusion. This story is categorized as an Alternate Universe, but that isn't just based on Ryou's existence and the butterflies that come from it. Some events are inherently different from canon, and cannot be attributed to Ryou's presence, like the three months to the wave instead of the one, and a half. This was also not done on a whim, it as a reason why it is so.
Finally, let's get on with the show… Where Ryou, and party finally try different avenues, Rishia as doubts, and Quartz as her first encounter with her species nemesis.
Edit - 12/01/2020 - Added the Bow List
Chapter 25. Braving into a New World: Leaving no Stone Unturned
"Fuuee… Ryou somehow this feels like cheating…" Rishia said, her tone almost disappointed.
Now three hours after the party had returned from their failure in the Mithril Mines, Ryou had come up with a couple of ideas that needed testing. One of those ideas led him to have Rishia bring out her college days alchemist set out of the storage.
Shaking a beaker like glass container, Ryou eyed the bluish solution, before replying, "Put a sock in it, Rish. You know that I can only translate simple stuff, so it would take me all week just to get the process of making Magic-Recovery Potions down."
The girl bit her lip, returning her gaze to the book, "Still it doesn't feel right…" she murmured.
Ryou pored the liquid into three smaller flasks, covering them with the lid."Damn honor students and their ethics," He whispered in annoyance.
"What?" She questioned.
"Nothing. For now, I'm taking a short cut until I can read, and it's not like we have all the time in the world to do this the right and proper way." Ryou explained.
Grabbing the two flasks from two different groups he eyed them both. One had blue clear liquid, the other very much the same besides the small leaves that could be seen floating within.
[Magic-Recovery Potion]
"You said that if we filter them, and then add the leaves it would boost the potency right?" Ryou asked.
The girl clapped her hands and nodded, "Yes, it says so in the book."
Taking another look at the other potion, Ryou focused on it.
[Magic-Recovery Potion]
Its the same thing, yet I can appraise the quality of the herbs, and I know that Naofumi could somehow see the difference in quality in different things, that's why he knew he was getting scammed by the church of the three heroes… Its the same with monsters levels, I kind of remember that he could also see their levels, but for some reason I can't… I'm missing something here, Ryou realized annoyed.
"Onii-shama I'm back." Quartz greeted taking a seat on a chair at the table.
"So, how did it go?" Ryou asked, expectantly.
"Quartz sneezed these many times," she replied opening both hands, eight fingers raised. " Then everything was spinning, so she stopped."
Ryou let out a small laugh, "Quartz your suppose to breathe, between shots or you'll pass out from lack of air." He replied.
Opening his party menu he took in his smallest member MP bar, which was down to a little more than halfway.
She can arguably fire fifteen breaths at full MP if I take into consideration passive MP regeneration. That's more than I was expecting… Ryou considered.
Grabbing a flask, he handled it to Quartz, "Here drink this." Ryou said.
The small girl eyed the potion, shaking it slightly, before gulping it down, her MP Bar rising back to full.
"Fuee, you want to set them on fire?" Rishia questioned, finally understanding the need for the potions.
Ryou inclined his head slightly, "It's a possibility, as long as it doesn't outright explode, and we avoid getting surrounded we're good. But before that, I want to visit Gentlewood's Blacksmith, might as well look for an apothecary while we are at it." Ryou proposed, shoving another vial into his inventory.
"There is one if I remember correctly..." Rishia added, closing the book.
"Good. I want to figure out a way to assess the quality of my potions. I know for a fact Naofumi can do it, so it's an ability from the legendary weapons, but maybe there are other ways." Ryou explained, finally finished with his task.
Going around the table he patted Quartz on the head and motioned her to follow him with Rishia catching up a second later.
"You could have asked Naofumi-sama…"
Ryou shrugged, opening the main door, and letting Quartz pass. "Never came up, so I forgot about it."
Rishia fell in silence after that, content in just following the Bow Hero and the small dragon girl who had a light spring in her steps, as she crossed the dirt roads of Northern Village.
When they reach the gates a thought crossed her mind, one she vocalized, "Ryou… Are we walking all the way to Gentlewood?" She asked. The Bow Hero could probably run all the way there, but she couldn't.
"Of course not," Ryou replied amused.
That only served to add to the girl's confusion, "Then how?"
Ryou's eyes settle on the small dragon girl, a small smile on his face.
Quartz tilted her head to the side, her eyes meeting his. "Hmm?"
"Fuueeeeeee!" Rishia screamed in panic.
"Now this is traveling in style! Who the hell needs overweight Chocobos when you have a dragon!" Ryou announced in glee.
"Please Quartz-chan slow down!" The green varied begged from her place behind Ryou, her grip tightening around his waist.
Ryou glanced behind him, enjoying the dust cloud Quartz was leaving behind, as she dashed forward, the trees zooming by.
"Ohh come on Rish, live a little will you," Ryou said with a smile, turning to the front and patting the dragon on the back.
Feeling the go-ahead, Quartz appeared to shift gears, lowering her head and folding her wings.
"Fuueeee! I'm more worried about living too little!" Rishia screamed back, before she blinked, raising her hand, one finger pointing to the front. "Quartz-chan look out!"
The dragon in question released a breath like a scoff before she lashed with her hind legs. A moment later she was sailing through the air, ignoring the two screams on top, one of fear, another of excitement.
Touching down, the dragon turned her head around to look at the carriage behind her. However, it was the creatures pulling the vehicle that made her come to a stop, her yellow slitted eyes narrowing.
"Kweh!" Almost in a choir, the filorials started squeaking, pulling on their reins, their feathers rufling in a sign that screamed aggression.
Quartz flapped her wings in agitation, rearing her head back. A roar came the next instant, and the Bow Hero had a feeling that Quartz had infused it with magic, his eyes widening when both filorials toppled over, and the poor traveler, was pushed inside the carriage by an unseen force.
"Stupid birds…"
Quartz's voice echoed inside the Bow Hero's mind, his fist flying to cover his mouth, head lowering to hide the silent laugh that threatened to escape.
"Quartz-chan!" Rishia rebuked, jumping out of the dragons back.
Crouching down near the Filorials she placed a shaky hand on top of one, releasing a sigh a moment later, "They are just passed out from shock…" She then turned her head towards the dragon, eyes filled with disapproval. "... Quartz-chan why did you do this?"
"They were annoying," The dragon answered her voice mostly bland.
Rishia mouth dropped slightly, before she shook her head and went to check on the traveler who was still sprawled on the floor of the carriage.
"Quartz we have to go apologize to that man," Ryou whispered to the dragon, still trying to suppress the smile on his face.
"Why? Quartz doesn't feel sorry, and neither does Onii-shama…"
Ryou's hand once again went to cover his mouth, even when his other chopped the dragon lightly on the head, "Quite you! Don't say anything or your sister will be nagging us for the rest of the trip." He admonished in a hushed tone.
On one side I'm dreading the moment she meets with Filo... On the other I'm curious to witness the chaos that will be unleashed upon this world…Ryou admitted, his eyes moving from the downed filorials that were breathing heavily to Quartz who was still looking at them with half lid eyes.
After they had thoroughly apologized to the traveling merchant, although only one particular member in the party truly meant it. The trio made their way to Gentlewood village, making their first stop at the apothecary, a run down shop that had seen better days with withered wood shelves that almost threatened to collapse under the weight of their merchandise.
Now Ryou watched as the owner, inspected every potion the Bow Hero had produced and separated them into groups.
"This is quite the varied assortment you have brought me, Yuusha-sama." The man commented, inspecting a bottle of Soul-Healing Water with a serious expression. Releasing a sigh, he placed it down near three others.
Arms crossed over the counter, the Bow Hero's eyes moved from the bottles to the man's face. "I have been meaning to dip my hand into potion brewing, not just healing ones." Eyes once again moving down to the different groups, Ryou straightened himself, rolling a shoulder. "I take it you have been separating them in order of quality, right?"
The man nodded absently, picking another bottle and bringing it to eye level for closer inspection. "Indeed... Like I said, a very varied assortment you brought me… Some of them are definitely worth a good coin."
Ryou hummed in thought. He had no doubt they were worth something, but he also had to take into consideration that his, and the man's notion of value were different.
"Can I ask, how is it that you can differentiate from them… In quality I mean?" Ryou asked in an offhand manner.
The apothecary, lowered the bottle blinking at the Bow Hero a couple of times, "You just develop an eye for it. It would be pretty bad if I couldn't tell the quality of a potion. What merchant doesn't know the value of the merchandise he is supposed to be selling?"
The owner's tone had come out slightly condescending, but Ryou ignored it.
Quality..? Value..? Ryou wondered, staring blankly at the wall behind the man. Then with a side look, he opened his inventory. In an almost mechanical fashion, the Hero delved into it, bringing out a single copper coin, before placing it gently against the yellow jewel on his wrist. There was a familiar soft yellow glow.
Pling…
[Copper Coin Bow - Common - Sealed - Equipment Bonus - + 1 to Appraisal Skill - Special Effect - + 1 to Appraisal Skill]
I can't help but to find a trace of irony, in the fact that just a few hours ago I was thinking about how you should try everything… Well better late than never… Ryou released an almost exasperated sigh. This would be another thing he needed to work on, the small stuff, it had always been the small stuff that tripped him.
Reaching for a random Healing Potion, the Bow Hero brought it up close to his face, opening the Status Window.
[Generic Healing Potion - Quality - Good]
Reaching with another hand, Ryou proceeded to grab a brownish solution, before also inspecting it.
[Soul-Healing Water - Quality - Medium]
Well, that neatly solved my problem, worth the trip at least… Ryou concluded, placing the potions back on the counter, before repeating the latest process with a silver coin.
[Silver Coin Bow - Common - Sealed - Equipment Bonus - + 2 to Appraisal Skill]
He decided to stop there. A gold coin would be a pretty big hit on their current finances, especially since the resulting bow would probably follow the same theme.
Grasping another potion from a random group, Ryou shook it lightly, watching the liquid swirl inside, "What quality would you say this one is?"
The apothecary didn't even raise his head, too busy asserting the quality of another concoction, as he replied, "That would be a normal quality Magic-Recovery potion…" He replied in a tired tone.
Ryou brought the flask closer to analyze it.
[Magic-Recovery Potion - Quality - Medium]
It checks. Taking into consideration how the village was a few weeks ago one can never take things like this at face value… Ryou considered, taking a look behind him.
Rishia appeared to be reading some dusty old tome in the corner, her eyebrows furrowed, has she tried to decipher the content. Eyes moving to the next section, he found their smallest member, eyeing what seemed to be remnants of monsters preserved in flasks, her face one of curiosity.
Probably wondering if she can eat them… Ryou snorted at the thought. The sound of glass hitting the counter had the bow hero turning around, as the older man finished his assessment.
"For someone who is just beginning, this is far above what I would expect. A lot of them are of good quality…" The owner trailed off, eyes moving to the ceiling, as he scratched his chin, "...I would say, you are already ready to delve further if you wish."
"What would the next step be?" Ryou questioned. He had the three primary if arguably most useful potions down, so the only thing he could think off would be anti-poisons, or weed killers like Naofumi.
"Well, antidotes for mild poisons would be the next step, along with other more conditional if less used formulas. However…" The man trailed off, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"What?" Ryou questioned confused.
Releasing another breath, the man eyed him for a moment. "Word has it, that the Yumi-no Yuusha-sama as acquired himself a dragon, or so our new lord says."
Ryou, turned to look at the side, watching as Quartz's head perked up, before he returned to look at the older man.
Almond knows no discretion it appears,"I have… Why?"
The apothecary shifted under the Bow Hero's neutral stare, before nodding to himself, "I never touched such a thing, but every apothecary worth it's salt knows that dragon fluids are quite amazing in the production of potions, to varied effects, so maybe…"
Ryou's face contorted up in slight disgust. Dragon Fluids..? His gaze moved down to look at Quartz that had made her way next to him. "Quartz do you know anything about this? Like if your spit as healing properties or something."
The small girl shook her head slightly her white long hair waving with the movement," Quartz doesn't know..."
She was just born a few days ago… Ryou concluded, his thoughts broken by an awkward cough.
"Errr… Yuusha-sama?" The apothecary questioned confused, eyes moving from Quartz to him, and then back to the small girl.
Right… "This is Quartz. She's the dragon Lord Almond mentioned…" Ryou explained patting the girl on the head.
The man blinked slowly, "...Yuusha-sama, no matter how you put it, I can only see a little gi…" The man trailed off, eyes widening, as Quartz pointed to the side, her tail waving lightly near the tip of her finger.
"Quartz is Quartz, and Quartz is a Dragon?" The small girl half announced, half questioned.
Why does she keep stating it like a question? Shaking his head the Bow Hero continued, "Well it's like she said. It would be kind of awkward to walk around town with a nine-meter-long reptile trailing behind right?"
The man blinked a couple more times, before regaining his composure with another awkward cough, " Yes well, as I was saying, dragon fluids are very good ingredients in potion brewing and are even used in alchemy, so maybe you could move in that particular direction."
"Dragons are very sought after by adventurers, since the materials are very valuable, even in making weapons or armor…" Rishia added joining the conversation from the side.
Hi, I'm Ren, the Sword Hero, and I will be slaying your dragon as you sit back and sip some tea for the remainder of the afternoon, never mind the fact that, I will leave the body behind, something that will contaminate the entirety of the surrounding areas, but have no fear, my fellow Hero will be here in a few weeks to clean up after me, also… Naofumi you bastard how dare you steal my reward! An ugly snort escaped Ryou's mouth as he remembered those particular events.
Reaching with his hand, he grabbed a green-tinted potion.
[Generic Healing Potion - Quality - Good]
Prying the bottle open he lowered it to the small girl's level, who took a couple of sniffs at it
"Quartz, spit in here please," Ryou ordered.
"Yuusha-sama! You know that is not the correct proce..!"
Pthew…
Raising the bottle, Ryou closed it back before shaking it vigorously for a few seconds. After he stopped, he brought it up to closer inspection. The liquid inside remained green but now seemed to emit a soft pale glow.
[Dragon Blessed Healing Potion - Quality - Medium]
It probably went down in quality because I made it in such a half-assed manner… Ryou concluded, handling the potion to the apothecary, who's eyes widened in surprise.
"This..! Even if the quality lowered, this is a superb healing potion, among the strongest I have seen!" The man exclaimed in awe.
Ryou doubled over the counter moving closer to the man," Superb you say? How much do you think I can sell it for?"
"This one, probably worth five to ten silver, but if you used the correct procedure and increased the quality, you could probably sell it to upwards of thirty silver." The man explained, admiring the glowing flask.
"Thirty silver you say…" Ryou contemplated, rising to full height, as a small grin appeared in his face. Even if he were to low-ball it, he would still be able to make quite a good amount of profit with little to no investment besides some time, and patience. Not only that but he could keep stock of potions that possessed amazing quality.
Turning to the small girl he patted her on the head once more, "Good job Quartz."
"Quartz doesn't understand, but she was praised… Yay." Quartz cheered, and even if it came out rather monotonous, Ryou knew she meant it.
Holding out his hand, the owner placed the potion back in Ryou's grasp. A moment later the Bow Hero brought the potion to his jewel.
[Dragon Healing Bow - Common - Sealed - Equipment Bonus - Health Bonus(Small) - Health Recovery Bonus(Small), Dragon Healing Bonus(Small) - Dragon Healing Items Crafting Recipes Unlocked - Special Effect - Dragon Healing Items Efficiency Bonus(Small), Dragon Healing Items Range Effect(Small)]
The stats aren't particularly amazing, but that's a lot of bonuses… Ryou admitted mentally.
The Bow Hero then proceeded to repeat the process, with the other potions, and the action resulted in two similar themed bows, along with a third one called Dragon Blessed Bow, that while unlocked, had a higher-level requirement to use then he currently possessed.
Now to increased our stock… Grabbing most of the high-quality potions Ryou proceed to pry them open one, by one, lowering them so Quartz could spit on them. It wasn't until the third one, that his partner's voice reached him.
"Fueee! I'm not d-drinking those potions!" Rishia exclaimed, backing away until her back hit a shelf.
"Ohh yes you are," Ryou stated seriously, shaking the concoctions, as they gained a soft glow.
"Fueee! No! That's like an i-i-indirect kiss!"
Ryou's face twitched, and very slowly he returned the potions to their place on the counter, as he turned to face Rishia, with an expression that seemed like a mixture of confusion, disbelief, and exasperation. "That's… what you're worried about..?"
The green-haired girl shrunk, face lowering, but Ryou still caught the small blush on her cheeks, before it was hidden by her hair, as she nodded.
Blinking a couple of times, Ryou asked slowly, "Rishia… How old are you again?"
If anything the girl looked even smaller, her hands clapping in front of her. "S-S-Seventeen?" She answered hesitantly.
Ryou blinked a couple more times." Okay then…" Then he returned to shaking the potions, with a blank look on his face.
Indirect kissing? Not the fact that its spit, nor the fact that it comes from technically a week and a few days old Dragon slash little girl, but Indirect kissing? Ryou knew that such notions had mostly died a long time ago in his old world, and the few mentions you would find of such a thing would be in anime, so he never considered the fact that his partner no matter how shy, would be bothered by it.
She as a problem with indirect kissing, but doesn't have one when her imagination pictures what I do, or don't do with a whore? Riiiiiight…
Finally done with the half-baked alchemy process, Ryou grabbed three Dragon Blessed Magic-Recovery Potions and threw them had Rishia. The girl clumsily grabbing them out of the air.
"Fueee! No! I refuse!" She stretched her arms, holding the potions at arm's length as she feverish shook her head.
Ryou's face showed exactly how unimpressed he was with the situation, "Rishia your going to drink those potions when you need to or so help me, I'll make you…" He let the threat hang in the air.
"Fueee…" Her expression still looked rebellious, even as she brought the potions closer to her.
"…and about that indirect kiss stuff, well… You joined a Yuusha's party, of your own volition I might add sooo…" Ryou straightened his shoulders, his face looking into the distance beyond the display window, "...sacrifices have to be made for the world's sake, and this is yours, live with it."
Rishia looked stunned as the realization hit her, and Ryou continued to look out the window, trying to suppress the smile that threatened to come out, even when light laughter reached him, courtesy of the owner who found the entire situation hilarious.
Quartz tilted her head, confused, looking from one person to the next, finally resting on Rishia.
"Onee-shama… What's an indirect kiss?"
"You could have mention that you were interested in blacksmith… I have a few books about it…" Rishia said from her place behind him, as the trio made their way back to Northern Village at a more mild pace.
I wonder if there is a topic she doesn't have books about… Ryou wondered, clicking his tongue. "You seemed to be proposedly forgetting about the fact that I still can't read." He replied annoyed.
"All the more reason to learn quickly!" Rishia interjected excitedly.
"You really are a nerd aren't you Rish?"
"I-I'm a what?" The girl asked.
Holding in a sigh, Ryou shook his head as he recalled his the visit to the blacksmith.
The first thing Ryou had done, had been something he should have done in Castle Town, and that had been copying every bow in stock, even when Rishia complained that it felt like they were stealing. As fate would have it, Ryou's intervention in dealing with the later corrupt noble had prevented the shop from closing, being borderline bankrupt at the time due to not having any costumers, Gentlewood applying insane taxes to donate towards the church of the three heroes being the main cause. As a thank you token the owner had allowed Ryou to copy every bow he had in stock with a smile.
Unfortunately, the selection had been less than stellar as expected from a village out in the middle of nowhere. Pretty much every bow he had unlocked had been nothing but a stat booster, with the small bonus here and there, though some of them gave a small increase in damage against some fauna or another, something that while mildly surprising should have been expected since most of the bows he had copied were for hunting purposes. Among them however was one that caught his attention and brought a familiar skill to the table, that he would try out the moment they returned to the village.
Besides that, he had also questioned the blacksmith in his art. Sure they could always rely on Erhard for weapons and armor, but Ryou had a feeling that thanks to his legendary weapon he could master blacksmithing to an even higher level.
Not only that, but if I work with Naofumi in the future he should have accessory crafting down to an art form, so this will compliment it... Nothing wrong with covering all our bases…
He had also liked to play games where one could go down into the depths of the earth to gather materials and ores to make better equipment, something that also applied to his new reality, far more then he realized if the blacksmith and Rishia's words were to be taken into account.
According to the Blacksmith, one staple of this world were magic metals - metals that due to having been naturally infused with magic, were far more resistant than their normal counterparts, and were able to not only hold magic better but could be enhanced to an even higher degree. Mithril was one such metal, stronger then steal and could hold a lot more enhancements than other more common magic metals. Above Mithril, stood Adamantium, another mythical metal that Ryou recognized. There were also others, mentioned in old tomes, and legends, though their existence was doubtful to some.
The way the man had explained it, was simple. The deeper one went, the denser ambient magic was, therefore the more it would engrave itself into the surrounding minerals. That also went along with a theory that Rishia had heard about in her college days, called Energy Convergence Theory. Scholars around the world of Melromarc had a consensus that while magic could be used to influence gravity, it still obeyed it in some ways, as did other unseen energies. As such, the deeper you went, the more condensed those energies were, and the materials you would find would be of higher quality. On the other hand, those very same energies also tended to mutate, and empower any monster in those depths, sometimes to such a degree that even the most intrepid of adventurers would not dare to explore them.
Who would have thought there would be a scientific reason behind why monsters on deeper levels of a dungeon were always higher level, and more dangerous… Ryou wondered. If such cave systems were unexplored, then they would probably make for amazing grinding spots if incredibly dangerous.
It also explained why the Marble Mimicks had been able to take more punishment than anything on the surface. While Ryou had been able to easily one-shot the monstrous creatures with skills, he still remembered that one of his normal shots had hit the monster in the torso, and it still remained standing, the same with Rishia's stab. While such a difference might not be very noticeable, taking into consideration that since he had began to work on the other strengthening methods he had been able to obliterate everything he had come across on the surface with ease, it probably served as a good indicator that the monsters in the Northern Cavern were far stronger, even just a couple of hundred meters under the surface.
Back home there were cave systems that extended ten times that depth and those were the explored ones… While I have my hands full with everything going on, going cave delving in other places might be a good thing to consider somewhere down the line… Filing those thoughts for later, Ryou's mind changed to another line of thinking.
Specialized Gear...
While he wanted the ability to be able to make specialized gear for his party, it hadn't been until Rishia had commented about dragon materials that a particular question appeared in his mind.
Why had Ren gone there in the first place?
While the answer could have simply been a mission from the adventurers guild, Ryou remembered Naofumi mentioning Ren and his minions had harvested materials from the dragon.
That led to another question. Why did the Sword Hero needed materials in the first place? Not only that but from what information he had been able to acquire, the Sword Hero had a habit of deploying his party members to certain zones to farm even more materials.
It couldn't have been to sell, he also doubted it was to absorb them in order to unlock new weapons and somehow Ryou didn't think the Sword Hero had been using them to produce equipment for his entire guild, or at least not entirely.
After some thought, he had concluded that the Sword Hero was more than likely using the materials to create Weapons… Swords for himself to be exact.
And since it was him that gave away the information about the automatic crafting system, then it's likely he is using it… There was another line between reality, and games there. More then likely the Sword Hero had not unlocked the recipes to create such weapons, but on the other hand, there was no line of coding that stopped him from just placing the materials for a weapon from the game he played, into the crafting menu and create it.
Maybe because he believes it, even if something was stopping him from creating said weapon without the recipe, he might be able to bypass it by the belief that it will work regardless…
Once again Ryou realized how linear the two heroes thought. Initially, he had the notion that the heroes had disregard Naofumi's way of doing things entirely, but that wasn't the case. Motoyasu and Ren did use it, but they were only scratching the surface of what could be done, focusing only on absorbing the very best materials. The same went for the copy system, they had been only focusing on copying the best weapons, ignoring every other more mundane one.
Well that being said, it's not like I am using them to their full potential either...
"The same applies to this third method of acquiring weapons for sure…" Ryou mumbled in an inaudible tone, the corner of his mouth twitching.
It would be easy to just throw the materials into the crafting system based on recipes from their memories, but that was a mostly static system that hardly allowed for variation. While if one were to take those materials, and try crafting something by hand, there would be a lot of possible outcomes, and even if nine out of ten weapons ended up being sub-par variations of the one he wanted to create, they would still have equipment bonuses worth mastering.
"This world gives you a lot of ways to strengthen yourself, but to truly become strong you have to delve into it and try everything that you can…" Ryou wondered out loud.
"That way you will be able to figure the one that fits you the best…" Rishia continued from the back.
Ryou chuckled lightly, "Not exactly what I was talking about Rish, but your not completely wrong either… One should try everything he can, but without forgetting about his strengths."
"I wonder if I should also try other things?" She pondered looking upwards.
"I think your calling is magic though. Aren't you working on that mysterious spell too?" Ryou asked with a raised eyebrow.
The girl looked at him with a wishful expression, and nodded slightly, "I am, it's just…" She paused."...I also thought magic was the way to go, but maybe that is not so…"
Ryou hummed looking towards the dirt road, "What brought this sudden bout of doubt so suddenly?"
"It wasn't sudden… I am always thinking about it, and watching you try so many different things got me thinking that maybe there's something that I might be even better at then magic…"
"Well if you want to try something, your free to do so of course, just don't waste away your potential on something that might set you back". Ryou advised.
Yes Itsuki you ass, I'm looking at you…
" I won't!" She promised from the back.
"That being said, I did saw that stunt you pulled at the mine, where you used your rapier as a focus for your magic, so there's that." Ryou shot her a grin.
"It doesn't work with every magic, but I can do it with some of them, it makes them more concentrated… I think…"
"Still it's good that you're branching out."Ryou paused, his eye watching the orange hues that were slowly taking over the sky."Something that might be better suited for you then magic huh?" Ryou pondered out loud.
You only see this kind of talent this girl possesses once every hundred years…
A small smile broke in Ryou's face as the memory hit him, "Well it's a long shot, but I might have an idea…"
"Fueee! Really! What is it?" She questioned excitedly, pressing herself against his back.
"Calm down Rish… It's just an idea, besides it's something it will probably take a while to learn, and it's not like your moving in a bad direction so it can take a back seat for now…"
"I still want to know!" She replied with a hint of impatience.
"Too bad I don't feel like sharing right now," Ryou explained with a small smile.
"Fuee! Your being mean!" Rishia accused.
"Onii-shama is being mean to Onee-shama..." Quartz voiced in their heads.
"When was it, that I ever said I was a nice person? It's your own fault for thinking otherwise…"
"Air Strike Arrow!" A shout herald the release of the skill. A green shining arrow, coated in a mantle of wind hit a tree, tearing it apart, and continued forward unpaused, disappearing into the forest followed by a loud booming sound, and a wind wave that threatened to rip the remaining trees off the ground.
The wave finally subsided, along with the sound of trunks falling unto the forest floor as Ryou surveyed the damage that his new skill had unleashed.
"It's official, I'm now part of the Air Strike Squad it seems…" Ryou murmured slightly annoyed.
Once more the Bow Hero felt he was being bullied by the spirits above. The Air Strike Shield had been a staple of Naofumi's arsenal, so Ryou had decided after the wave to absorb a piece of rope just like the Shield Hero had done in hopes to unlock a similar themed skill. The endeavor resulted in failure. He had indeed unlocked a rope themed bow, but it was just a stat booster, providing a measly plus two to agility, and no skills or special effects to speak of.
He couldn't help but feel a little angry, that he had to come all the way to Northern Village, and copy a Bow to unlock the skill.
[Gryphon's Feathered Bow - Common - Sealed - Equipment Bonus - + 5 to attack, + 5 to agility, Air Strike Arrow Skill]
Not only that, but compared to Naofumi's version, this one seems a lot less versatile…
Flicking his wrist, Ryou willed the bow back in bangle form, and dusted his hands," Well that's, that… Since my new skill hardly adds anything new, guess our plan remains the same".
"You're going to have Quartz-chan flood the tunnel with fire then?" Rishia questioned with a tilt of her head.
Ryou nodded, eyes going for the small girl seated beside Rishia, "You heard that Quartz, you're on barbecue duty, so I expect you to roast those…" Ryou trailed off eyes still on the small girl.
Versatile..? Thinking Linearly..?
"Quartz, come over here," Ryou ordered with a motion of his hand.
The small girl hopped on her feet and made her way next to him, "Yes Onii-shama?"
"Just give me a second…" Once more the Gryphon's Feathered Bow materialized itself in his grip.
Pointing completely upwards, Ryou lowered himself on one knee, "Air Strike Arrow." With the command Ryou's new skill came into existence, the arrow held back by his fingers.
Turning his head slightly Ryou addressed the girl, "Quartz I need you to listen to me seriously or this might end up very badly for me," Ryou paused letting his warning sink."I want you to gently, and I do mean gently release your fire breath into my arrow okay?"
The girl blinked twice curiously, then puff out a soft stream of flames aimed at the arrowhead. The flames circled the front of the arrow before melding with the entire projectile, releasing small streams that licked the Bow Hero's face, producing an almost uncomfortable amount of heat but not damaging him in any way.
[Combination Skill Unlocked - Dragon Flame Strike Arrow]
"Well cringy name aside, it works."Letting go of the arrow, the new flaming projectile flew into the sky leaving a trail of fire until it burst into flames far above the tree line.
Pulling once more, another Air Strike Arrow materialized.
"Quartz do it again, but at full power now," Ryou ordered. Ignoring the worried exclamation from their third member, Quartz puffed her cheeks before releasing a raging torrent of fire.
Fire surrounded the Bow Hero, yet once again there was no damage besides the uncomfortable sensation of heat. The torrent swirled around, melting into the arrow that nearly quadrupled in length.
"Dragon Flame Strike Arrow!" Ryou shouted. The over-sized arrow flew into the sky like a firework, before detonating similarly to his flame shot, only creating a far bigger sphere of fire that illuminated the entire area.
Wonder why all my fire-based skills do that sphere of condensed flames thing instead of straight-up exploding…
Small embers rained down on the party as Ryou smiled at the prospect of destruction that they could now unleashed."Well, that's another weapon to our arsenal."
"It was amazing, but…" Rishia commented coming to a stop near him, eyes upwards watching the last of the embers falling.
"Yup, this one would collapse the tunnel one hundred percent guaranteed…" Ryou allowed.
"What if you don't add fire to it, but something else?" Rishia proposed.
"Like what?" Ryou asked.
Biting her lip lightly, Rishia's eyes moved to the ground for a couple of seconds, before she raised her head, "Can...Can I try something?"
"Sure knock yourself out," Ryou replied with a shrug. A moment later his new skill came for the fourth time into existence.
Turning his head slightly to the side he watched his partner expectantly.
Rishia eyed him worriedly, "Please don't move." She paused taking a deep breath and pointed her rapier at the arrowhead, eyes closing in concentration, "As source of thy power I order thy. Decipher the laws of Nature, and cut the air in front of me. Faust Wind Cutter!"
From the tip of Rishia's rapier, a thin white stream like beam shot forward, hitting the arrowhead, making the projectile shine brighter, and a soft humming sound began to emanate from it, as the wind around the Bow Hero picked up.
[Combination Skill Unlocked - Gale Cutting Strike Arrow]
"Urgh, once more, not even going to comment on the name…" Ryou murmured, wondering why his legendary weapon had the naming sense of a twelve-year-old.
Lining his bow with the forest in front of him, Ryou released the new projectile, almost losing his footing courtesy of the gust of wind the action released. The arrow flew forward engulfed in a miniature tornado. tearing the ground under it, the next instant the project hit a tree like a flying wood chipper, tearing, and grinding at anything in its proximity before it disappeared out of sight.
"Well, that one might be usable against those bastards since it doesn't explode," Ryou commented dusting his shoulder of the splinters.
"Fuee it worked, but… It's still dangerous to shoot in the tunnel…" His partner countered shedding her rapier.
"We'll see. We still have one day until my teleport cool-down resets so let's keep trying to come up with strategies and trying out new combinations. Next time we're going to get that Mithril for sure." The Bow Hero concluded, making his way back towards the village gates, the two girls falling in step with him.
Next Chapter: Horrors in the Depths
Bow List
The following list of bows includes only the new bows that Ryou as unlocked since the begining of this arc to avoid confusion.
[Giant Sloth Bow - Common - Sealed Equipment Bonus - + 4 Attack, Stamina Bonus(Small) - Special Effect - Attack bonus (Small), Agility penalty (Small)]
Bow from the Giant Sloth, Side Note, Stamina is not the same as SP, its literally a bonus to physical conditioning.
[Dragon Tamer Bow I - Common - Awakened- Equipment Bonus - Dragon Growth Correction (Small), Dragon Maturation Correction(Small)]
Acquired from Quartz Egg Shards
[Dragon Tamer Bow II - Common - Awakened- Equipment Bonus - Dragon Growth Correction (Medium), Dragon Maturation Correction(Medium)]
Acquired From Quartz Feathers
[Dragon Tamer Bow III - Common - Awakened- Equipment Bonus - Dragon Growth Correction (Large), Dragon Maturation Correction(Large)]
Acquired with some of Quartz's Blood, following Ryou trying it out with Rishia's Blood.
[Comrade Bow - Common - Awakened - Equipment Effect- Comrade Growth Correction (Small)]
Acquired From Rishia's Hair
[Comrade Bow II - Common - Awakened - Equipment Effect- Comrade Growth Correction (Medium)]
Acquired From Rishia's Blood
[Bio-luminescent Beetle Bow- Common - Sealed - Equipment Bonus - Night Vision Bonus (Small) - Special Effect - Bio-luminescent Light Emission]
Acquired from The Bio-Luminescent Beetle, Besides improving Night vision, its special effect works like a spot light.
[Mascgite Bow - Common- Sealed - Equipment Bonus + 3 Magic, Magic Defense Bonus(Small), Magic Effectiveness Bonus (Small), Special Effect - MP Bonus(Small), MP Cost Reduction Bonus(Small)]
Acquired from the Mascgite Crystal found in the Northern Cavern, its a pure Magic based Bow
[Marble Horror Mimick Bow - Common - Sealed - Equipment Bonus - + 6 Attack, Hiding Bonus(Small)- Special Effect - Monster Lure(Small), Monster Attraction Range Bonus(Medium)]
Acquired From the Marble Mimicks, its special effect attracts monsters in the area.
[Generic Medicine Bow - Common - Sealed - Equipment Bonus - Medicine Efficiency Bonus(Small)]
Acquired by Absorbing a Generic Healing Potion, gives a small boost to healing items in general.
[Magic-Recovery Bow - Common - Sealed - Equipment Bonus - Magic Regeneration Bonus(Small)]
Acquired by Absorbing a Magic-Recovery Potion, gives a small boost to healing items in general.
[Soul-Healing Bow - Common - Sealed - Equipment Bonus - SP Bonus(Small)]
Acquired by Absorbing a Soul-Healing Potion, gives a small boost to Ryou's SP pool.
[Copper Coin Bow - Common - Sealed - Equipment Bonus - + 1 Appraisal Skill - Special Effect - + 1 Appraisal Skill]
Acquired by Absorbing a Copper Coin, gives a level to the Generic appraisal Skill, this stacks with more specific appraisal skills.
[Silver Coin Bow - Common - Sealed - Equipment Bonus - + 2 Appraisal Skill]
Acquired by Absorbing a Silver Coin, like the last it increases the appraisal Skill, but by a factor of two levels.
[Dragon Healing Bow - Common - Sealed - Equipment Bonus - Health Bonus(Small) - Health Recovery Bonus(Small), Dragon Healing Bonus(Small), Dragon Healing Items Crafting Recipes Unlocked - Special Effect - Dragon Healing Items Efficiency Bonus(Small), Dragon Healing Items Range Effect(Small)]
Acquired by Absorbing a Dragon Blessed Healing Potion, It boosts the effectiveness of dragon based healing items, along with their range, also unlocks the recipes to be used on the automatic-Crafting System.
[Dragon Magic-Recovery Bow - Common - Sealed - Equipment Bonus - + 5 Magic - Magic Regeneration Bonus(Small), Dragon Magic Bonus(Small), Dragon Magic Recovery Items Crafting Recipes Unlocked - Special Effect - Dragon Magic Recovery Items Efficiency Bonus(Small)]
Acquired by Absorbing a Dragon Blessed Magic Recover Potion, It boosts the effectiveness of dragon based magic recovery items items, and gives a small boost to MP regeneration, also unlocks the recipes to be used on the automatic-Crafting System.
[Dragon Soul Healing Bow - Common - Sealed - Equipment Bonus - SP Bonus(Small) - SP Regeneration Bonus(Small) - Dragon Sp Recovery Items Crafting Recipes Unlocked - Special Effect - Dragon SP Recovery Items Efficiency Bonus(Small)]
Acquired by Absorbing a Dragon Blessed Soul-Healing Potion, It boosts the effectiveness of dragon based SP recovery items items, and gives a small boost to SP regeneration, also unlocks the recipes to be used on the automatic-Crafting System.
[Dragon Blessed Bow - Status Unlocked - Requirements - Not Met]
Unlocked after absorbing all three primary dragon based potions, it as an higher level requirement than what Ryou current possesses, though it still falls under the category of Dragon Healing Items for most part.
Bows Copied From The Blacksmith
[Maple Bow - Common - Sealed - Equipment Bonus - + 3 Attack]
[Oak Bow - Common - Sealed - Equipment Bonus - + 2 Attack]
[Fir Bow - Common - Sealed - Equipment Bonus - 3 Attack]
[Long Bow - Common - Sealed - Equipment Bonus - + 4 Attack, Long Range Precision Bonus(Small)]
[Composite Bow - Common - Sealed - Equipment Bonus - + 3 Agility, + 3 Attack, Attack Speed Bonus(Small)]
[Yew Hunting Bow - Common - Sealed - Equipment Bonus - + 4 Agility, Small-Sized Animals Damage Bonus(Small)]
[Steel Hunting Bow - Common - Sealed - Equipment Bonus - + 4 Attack, Medium-Sized Animals Damage Bonus (Small)]
[Feathered Hunting Bow - Common - Sealed - Equipment Bonus - +3 Agility, Damage against Flying Enemies (Increased by 5%)]
[Short Bow - Common - Sealed - Equipment Bonus - + 4 Agility - Special Effect- Attack Speed Bonus(Great)]
[Gryphon's Feathered Bow - Common - Sealed - Equipment Bonus - + 5 Attack, + 5 Agility, Air Strike Arrow Skill]
The only one truly worth mentioning, It comes with the Bow Hero's Air Strike variant. Ryou's Air Strike Arrow, boost both piecing capabilities, and the ability to tear things around it, and it detonates in an Air Explosion. As shown it can be used in conjunction with Quartz's Fire Breath, for a change in element and additional destructive capabilities, or with Rishia's Wind Cuter Spell to greatly enhance, both the damage, and the area of effect, it does lose the ability to detonate in a shock-wave.
S/N - It's worth mentioning that Quartz is double dipping on the Grow Correction, falling under the category of both dragon, and comrade, not only that but as mentioned she already had an amazing stats base to begin with, henceforth the reason why Ryou mentioned that her own growth completely eclipsed Rishia's, and even made is own seem mild in comparison even as a hero.