The monsters appeared one after another out of the darkness, but in front of this giant vending machine, they stopped, seemingly confused as to what to do.
If they’re going to go around me, then there’s the giant ice wall towering above.
If that’s the case, then wouldn’t it be fine if they go around to the other side of the Hunters Association, move onto the second story’s roof, and assault the terrace from there? I was thinking that the entire time, but now I understand that the height is comparable to a four-story building better than when I was looking down from above. Even if our opponents wanted to do so, they can’t.
There are giant eaves along the sides and back of the second-story roof, which would be a hindrance even if they climbed the walls, so they wouldn’t be able to go anywhere from there. Even if they reached the roof somehow, there are countless sharp spikes lined up over there.
The only future waiting for them if they climb up is becoming skewers. It’s quite the gruesome method.
In other words, there’s no way they can get onto the terrace by climbing along the wall. At the front is me and an ice wall restricting them, so the monsters must go by way of the terrace’s side, and when our defenders saw that they were limited to attack from that area, it was a matter of simplicity for them.
Although there are also monsters going from that side, the majority seem to be quite interested in me, who had suddenly appeared, probably thinking that there are hunters hidden within, and they sidled up to me with their weapons readied.
Since my Durability is higher than before, I have confidence that I’d be able to withstand the attacks of frogmen demons, but there’s something I want to try.
Like, now that my Dexterity is higher, I wonder if I can produce ice in the shape that I want.
Up until now it was impossible, but not only do I understand what the stat does, now that all my stats, except my unraised Magic Power and Durability, are raised up to 40, all the different things I can do have increased.
Bringing my consciousness together, I imagined the shape of the ice in my head. Concentrating on the ice, I drew a long diamond shape with a sharp, tapered point in my head. When I spit out the ice, the shape was what I was strongly wishing for-!
Alright, it’s complete. I fired off the pointed ice shards with all my might into the crowd of monsters in front of me, like it was a stream of sharp blades.
All the buildings that could have been a shield were destroyed by the monsters, so all of the ice shards impacted within the monster herd.
Hardening a mass of ice around the size of a rugby ball, I shot it at quite a high speed. It seems that it’s possible to pierce through the frogs’ skin and leather armor if it’s at that power.
The corpses of the frogman demons that I defeated were piling up in front of me. Just when I was thinking that they would wastefully exhaust their forces, the frogman demons easily stepped back.
And in exchange, crocodileman demons appeared. So the troublesome ones have come, huh? Crocodiles have scales on their skin, and the strength of that is a little better than leather armor. It’s harder than degraded metal armor and still has flexibility, so armor made from crocodileman demons’ leather is light and sturdy, and seems to be popular among hunters.
Even so, it was possible that the ice shards could pierce them, but when I tried it, I was unable to pierce that skin.
But it’s not like there was no damage, since they flinched. It’s fine like that; I’ll continue pile up the damage.
I fired off ice shards like they were machinegun bullets, not letting the crocodileman demons get close at all. There are also some guys that began to attack me from the side, but I’ve already begun deploying ice shards around me with <Telekinesis>.
I’m capable of checking all around me with my 360 degree field of vision, so its impossible to launch a surprise attack on me, who has no blind spot. I’ll wipe them all out-!
— At that time I, who had finally obtained a way to attack after all this time, got a little high. Ah, no, it wasn’t just a little, I really went overboard. Well, the words that descended were like pouring cold water on that me.
“Hakkon! Your abilities use money, right!? Are ya gonna be alright if ya use it continuously like that!?”
That voice is, Hyurumi? She’s holding a megaphone-like thing to her mouth; it seems to be a handmade magic tool with the same effect as a loudspeaker.
-tte, why’s she so worried? President Bear had given me a prepayment of ten gold coins; in other words, my points had increased by 10,000.
Even if I make a load of ice, it’s not like my points are going to decrease a lot, you know?
When I checked my points just to be safe, the amount of points I have left are – 60,000.
It dropped sharply … Eh, why-!? When I checked my points after President Bear had deposited the gold coins, I had about 100,000 points left. The consumption is way too high for the price of providing food and ice. How, why!?
While I was being surprised the opponents have drawn closer, and when I let loose a large amount of shards to restrain them, the points I was in the middle of checker were decreasing.
Eh-? Huh, this rate of decrease is incomparable to the 1 point per second expenditure to maintain <Barrier>.
I was so startled that I forgot to shoot the ice shards. At that time, the point expenditure lightened a little.
Huh, could this mean that it costs points to shoot something out of the <Barrier>!?
Recently I’ve been able to keep some 100,000 points so I haven’t been checking the fine details at all. So it also costs points to shoot things out of <Barrier>. Let’s remember that.
With this all the mysteries are solved … not. The points are continuing to decrease like before even now. Even though I’m not doing anything, my points are boiling away like hot water. Wh,what is going on?
I don’t really get it, but it’s time for a quick retreat, na. Let’s postpone the investigation. First, I should withdraw from the battlefield. I spit out a large amount of ice as my last move and immediately become the <Balloon Bending Machine>, making a large amount of balloons.
From there, I become the <Cardboard Vending Machine>, and rise up airily into the sky.
In order to slip into the night, the balloons and the cardboard body are made black. In this situation, where I’m floating, the point expenditure returned to the decrease from maintaining <Barrier>.
So, in other words… just being that giant vending machine will continue to consume points? Or is it that using the <Barrier> to cover that large build will cause an increase in points?
Whichever the case, it would be better to not carefreely use that giant vending machine for long periods of time.
“I’ m ho me.”
When I returned and gave a greeting like I was returning home, the hunters half-smiled as they tried to decide whether they were shocked or impressed, Mishael’s eyes sparkled as he was deeply impressed. And there was Ramis, who was glaring at me with half-open eyes.
Right, so how should I gloss over this?
“Hakkon, sit down right there.”
I’d really like to, but I’m a vending machine, so it’s impossible.
“Ah said ya can’t, didn’ ya gets mah words? Why’d ya not listen to me?”
For her accent to come out, it seems I made her seriously worried. Ramis is terrified that I’ll cease to exist while moving selfishly on my own.
I understand that she’s worried about me, but she was more stubborn than I expected when I tried to persuade her beforehand and wouldn’t agree, so, you know?
“Ah believe in ya, ‘kay, Hakkon? But ya know, when ah say ya can’t, it’s ‘cause ah think ya shouldn’t.”
What I should do in this situation is obvious. All I can do is to quietly, without refuting anything, show that I’m reflecting on my actions. And also wait for the storm to blow over.
“Did ya think I’d forgive ya if ya showed you were reflecting?”
Should I say her conjecture is good or bad…
The enemy was attacking even while she was getting mad at me, but the temperature around the Hunters Association had sharply fallen and the monsters’ movements had become dull, so the hunters were able to easily deal with them.
I had used a lot of points, but looks like it had paid off.
But I won’t be able to use this method tomorrow. I’ll have to let everyone know later.
“Are ya listening ta me?”
“Ye s.”
And now, my only wish is for this sermon to end quickly.
—
The main offensive power is unnecessary with this level of attack, so we rested inside.
The women are offered rooms on the second floor, and the rest are sleeping in a group in the first-floor hall or the second floor hallway, whichever place they’d like. I provided food and beverage as usual.
Each and every person who bought products from me was delighted that they would be able to pass the night comfortable after many sleepless nights, thanks to the effect of the ice wall nearby making the inside of the Association cool.
You can’t get rid of your fatigue if you don’t sleep, after all. I hope they came sleep properly today.
I think we’re safe for tonight, but the problem is from tomorrow on, huh? I think there’s a possibility of using the fact that the enemy goes outside the defensive wall through the giant hole before the late-night attack, but … when they come attacking, their numbers are just too big. And also, we don’t have enough members on our side.
The survivors number 100 in total, and the hunters who can be considered in our fighting force is around 40. The terrace can hold 15 to 20 people for defenses. We don’t have anyone left who can actively attack the enemy, no matter how we struggle.
I can’t think of any way but to send in a small group of mighty champions. It might be reckless, but currently we have some people assembled who can make the impossible possible.
If we can close up that big hole, we’d have it considerable easier. As for the method, we could fill it in with rubble and scrap wood, for example, and seal it off with a giant rock.
That said, even if I think and visualize all sorts of things, I can only switch over to execution tomorrow. Right now, everyone’s still exhausted, so even if I force them to move past their limits, it would just end in failure.
What I can do right now is to emit the scent of flower with the <Scent Diffuser> to let everyone sleep even a little more easily.
The monsters appeared one after another out of the darkness, but in front of this giant vending machine, they stopped, seemingly confused as to what to do.
If they’re going to go around me, then there’s the giant ice wall towering above.
If that’s the case, then wouldn’t it be fine if they go around to the other side of the Hunters Association, move onto the second story’s roof, and assault the terrace from there? I was thinking that the entire time, but now I understand that the height is comparable to a four-story building better than when I was looking down from above. Even if our opponents wanted to do so, they can’t.
There are giant eaves along the sides and back of the second-story roof, which would be a hindrance even if they climbed the walls, so they wouldn’t be able to go anywhere from there. Even if they reached the roof somehow, there are countless sharp spikes lined up over there.
The only future waiting for them if they climb up is becoming skewers. It’s quite the gruesome method.
In other words, there’s no way they can get onto the terrace by climbing along the wall. At the front is me and an ice wall restricting them, so the monsters must go by way of the terrace’s side, and when our defenders saw that they were limited to attack from that area, it was a matter of simplicity for them.
Although there are also monsters going from that side, the majority seem to be quite interested in me, who had suddenly appeared, probably thinking that there are hunters hidden within, and they sidled up to me with their weapons readied.
Since my Durability is higher than before, I have confidence that I’d be able to withstand the attacks of frogmen demons, but there’s something I want to try.
Like, now that my Dexterity is higher, I wonder if I can produce ice in the shape that I want.
Up until now it was impossible, but not only do I understand what the stat does, now that all my stats, except my unraised Magic Power and Durability, are raised up to 40, all the different things I can do have increased.
Bringing my consciousness together, I imagined the shape of the ice in my head. Concentrating on the ice, I drew a long diamond shape with a sharp, tapered point in my head. When I spit out the ice, the shape was what I was strongly wishing for-!
Alright, it’s complete. I fired off the pointed ice shards with all my might into the crowd of monsters in front of me, like it was a stream of sharp blades.
All the buildings that could have been a shield were destroyed by the monsters, so all of the ice shards impacted within the monster herd.
Hardening a mass of ice around the size of a rugby ball, I shot it at quite a high speed. It seems that it’s possible to pierce through the frogs’ skin and leather armor if it’s at that power.
The corpses of the frogman demons that I defeated were piling up in front of me. Just when I was thinking that they would wastefully exhaust their forces, the frogman demons easily stepped back.
And in exchange, crocodileman demons appeared. So the troublesome ones have come, huh? Crocodiles have scales on their skin, and the strength of that is a little better than leather armor. It’s harder than degraded metal armor and still has flexibility, so armor made from crocodileman demons’ leather is light and sturdy, and seems to be popular among hunters.
Even so, it was possible that the ice shards could pierce them, but when I tried it, I was unable to pierce that skin.
But it’s not like there was no damage, since they flinched. It’s fine like that; I’ll continue pile up the damage.
I fired off ice shards like they were machinegun bullets, not letting the crocodileman demons get close at all. There are also some guys that began to attack me from the side, but I’ve already begun deploying ice shards around me with <Telekinesis>.
I’m capable of checking all around me with my 360 degree field of vision, so its impossible to launch a surprise attack on me, who has no blind spot. I’ll wipe them all out-!
— At that time I, who had finally obtained a way to attack after all this time, got a little high. Ah, no, it wasn’t just a little, I really went overboard. Well, the words that descended were like pouring cold water on that me.
“Hakkon! Your abilities use money, right!? Are ya gonna be alright if ya use it continuously like that!?”
That voice is, Hyurumi? She’s holding a megaphone-like thing to her mouth; it seems to be a handmade magic tool with the same effect as a loudspeaker.
-tte, why’s she so worried? President Bear had given me a prepayment of ten gold coins; in other words, my points had increased by 10,000.
Even if I make a load of ice, it’s not like my points are going to decrease a lot, you know?
When I checked my points just to be safe, the amount of points I have left are – 60,000.
It dropped sharply … Eh, why-!? When I checked my points after President Bear had deposited the gold coins, I had about 100,000 points left. The consumption is way too high for the price of providing food and ice. How, why!?
While I was being surprised the opponents have drawn closer, and when I let loose a large amount of shards to restrain them, the points I was in the middle of checker were decreasing.
Eh-? Huh, this rate of decrease is incomparable to the 1 point per second expenditure to maintain <Barrier>.
I was so startled that I forgot to shoot the ice shards. At that time, the point expenditure lightened a little.
Huh, could this mean that it costs points to shoot something out of the <Barrier>!?
Recently I’ve been able to keep some 100,000 points so I haven’t been checking the fine details at all. So it also costs points to shoot things out of <Barrier>. Let’s remember that.
With this all the mysteries are solved … not. The points are continuing to decrease like before even now. Even though I’m not doing anything, my points are boiling away like hot water. Wh,what is going on?
I don’t really get it, but it’s time for a quick retreat, na. Let’s postpone the investigation. First, I should withdraw from the battlefield. I spit out a large amount of ice as my last move and immediately become the <Balloon Bending Machine>, making a large amount of balloons.
From there, I become the <Cardboard Vending Machine>, and rise up airily into the sky.
In order to slip into the night, the balloons and the cardboard body are made black. In this situation, where I’m floating, the point expenditure returned to the decrease from maintaining <Barrier>.
So, in other words… just being that giant vending machine will continue to consume points? Or is it that using the <Barrier> to cover that large build will cause an increase in points?
Whichever the case, it would be better to not carefreely use that giant vending machine for long periods of time.
“I’ m ho me.”
When I returned and gave a greeting like I was returning home, the hunters half-smiled as they tried to decide whether they were shocked or impressed, Mishael’s eyes sparkled as he was deeply impressed. And there was Ramis, who was glaring at me with half-open eyes.
Right, so how should I gloss over this?
“Hakkon, sit down right there.”
I’d really like to, but I’m a vending machine, so it’s impossible.
“Ah said ya can’t, didn’ ya gets mah words? Why’d ya not listen to me?”
For her accent to come out, it seems I made her seriously worried. Ramis is terrified that I’ll cease to exist while moving selfishly on my own.
I understand that she’s worried about me, but she was more stubborn than I expected when I tried to persuade her beforehand and wouldn’t agree, so, you know?
“Ah believe in ya, ‘kay, Hakkon? But ya know, when ah say ya can’t, it’s ‘cause ah think ya shouldn’t.”
What I should do in this situation is obvious. All I can do is to quietly, without refuting anything, show that I’m reflecting on my actions. And also wait for the storm to blow over.
“Did ya think I’d forgive ya if ya showed you were reflecting?”
Should I say her conjecture is good or bad…
The enemy was attacking even while she was getting mad at me, but the temperature around the Hunters Association had sharply fallen and the monsters’ movements had become dull, so the hunters were able to easily deal with them.
I had used a lot of points, but looks like it had paid off.
But I won’t be able to use this method tomorrow. I’ll have to let everyone know later.
“Are ya listening ta me?”
“Ye s.”
And now, my only wish is for this sermon to end quickly.
—
The main offensive power is unnecessary with this level of attack, so we rested inside.
The women are offered rooms on the second floor, and the rest are sleeping in a group in the first-floor hall or the second floor hallway, whichever place they’d like. I provided food and beverage as usual.
Each and every person who bought products from me was delighted that they would be able to pass the night comfortable after many sleepless nights, thanks to the effect of the ice wall nearby making the inside of the Association cool.
You can’t get rid of your fatigue if you don’t sleep, after all. I hope they came sleep properly today.
I think we’re safe for tonight, but the problem is from tomorrow on, huh? I think there’s a possibility of using the fact that the enemy goes outside the defensive wall through the giant hole before the late-night attack, but … when they come attacking, their numbers are just too big. And also, we don’t have enough members on our side.
The survivors number 100 in total, and the hunters who can be considered in our fighting force is around 40. The terrace can hold 15 to 20 people for defenses. We don’t have anyone left who can actively attack the enemy, no matter how we struggle.
I can’t think of any way but to send in a small group of mighty champions. It might be reckless, but currently we have some people assembled who can make the impossible possible.
If we can close up that big hole, we’d have it considerable easier. As for the method, we could fill it in with rubble and scrap wood, for example, and seal it off with a giant rock.
That said, even if I think and visualize all sorts of things, I can only switch over to execution tomorrow. Right now, everyone’s still exhausted, so even if I force them to move past their limits, it would just end in failure.
What I can do right now is to emit the scent of flower with the <Scent Diffuser> to let everyone sleep even a little more easily.
