It was another new day! And after finishing my daily self-heal abuse. I answered a knock coming from the door after dressing myself up in grey robes and wearing my boots.
"I hate you.." Ray appeared at my doorstep. Eyebrows scrunched up together, arms crossed as he... Uh... She furiously tapped her foot. Each tap making me uneasy.
Ah darn... She's mad. Well, everything was unexpected last night... Nah nevermind. No need to remember that hectic night.
"Quickly... Let's sneak out into the forest while we still can. I already ate lunch. You?"
"Yes I did. But Ray... The forest is unsafe. Didn't you see the snapped trees last night?" Oops... Forgot that I wasn't supposed to mention that.
I think I screwed up...
Ray grabbed my arm. Clenched it tight before pulling me into a dash as we crossed through the busy streets of Cain village. Soon, we managed to jump over a fence... A fence that separated helpless humans from monsters that could possibly swarm into town.
Cain village really needs to up their defenses. Not only do us villagers not know the arts of combat. But the defensive structures were only houses and that stupid fence.
After reaching the forest. I dug my legs into the ground and managed to stop Ray who glared at me again."Just for the record. Last night didn't happen!"
Her hair was cut short today... But no matter how much she changes her hair. It feels awkward now when I look at Ray.
"Yes mam!" I saluted. I saw that glowing sword last night. Even tested it's might firsthand. I do not want to get cut up by an angry Ray. Ray is nice... But that's a different story when she's angry.
"But Ray... The forest."
She frowned. Crossed her arms again and leaned in further to scrutinize my face it seems. Her lips parted to utter out some words that managed to send a chill down my spine.
"Stop being a worrywart Dominic! That's so not you!"
It... Was true... Before awakening my memories. The past Dominic was an innocent child who doesn't worry about much. Doing his best to heal the injured and helping out at times.
I'm... Dominic... But the same time... I'm not.
Spreading out my arms. I tried to reason with her.
"Ray! The trees! They're big and to snap them like twigs, a strong monster could only be the culprit! I doubt the two Lizardmen chiefs have the time to do that! They can do it but they're busy!"
Seemingly fed up with me. Ray stomped on the ground before grabbing my arm and forcefully dragging me into the forest against my will. This... I'm doing my best to resist being dragged by my friend but I'm still being pulled! And Ray's just using one arm!
How high is your strength attribute?
"Trees! Trees! Trees! Dominic that's all you say! And even if a strong monster pops out, I'll protect you! Don't you remember?" She stood up tall and rested a palm over her chest. Smiled at me as her previous angry expression melted.
I know that! But damn! Would it kill you to actually think about the possible dangers?
"We could go to the plains instead if you really want to train. The forest is too dangerous for now Ray." Twin forest is dangerous for now... That danger that managed to cause destruction. If we leave it be and wait. Sooner or later the Lizardmen would deal with it.
Lizardmen are the reason the village is safe! Whatever or whoever who wants to attack us has to pass through them first! And the Lizardmen are battle-hardened warriors.
"Someone would see me! And my mom would get mad after finding out that I'm training my swordsmanship. Much less using father's sword!" She stubbornly refused and dragged me even faster with more strength.
Father's sword huh... Damn... Who really is your father Ray?
That sword's a divine weapon! I just know it! For him to possess it and for it to have fallen into his daughter's hands... That just spells trouble. The person in question is bound to have made a lot of enemies and allies. Preferably more allies but it's obvious that there would be more enemies!
One day... That sword would bring disaster onto Ray... Without the strength to protect yourself. How could you even protect a powerful weapon of possibly mass destruction?
"Ray... That sword of yours... Please don't use it so casually nor show it to other people."
Ray stopped. Scratched the back of her head before laughing a little."I know! Good thing it's a soul bound weapon that could be stored inside my soul! No one would be able to see it unless I really pull it out!"
"Good... Now let's get out of this forest, shall we? I quickly changed the topic cheekily.
Ray nodded. "Yeah su- Hey!" Before freezing up and noticing what I was trying to do.
Damn it!
Ah... I remember now... There was a question that I wanted to ask Ray.
"Ray... Why are you bringing me with you to train in the forest? And what happened to Pillow?" The last time I saw Pillow was when he was silently sitting beside Ray after I hurried back home to rest while being stressed.
It's a slime... A monster... And I have tamed it.
Don't tell me Ray turned Pillow into exp?
"Why? Cause you're my friend! And training with someone would be more fun and less boring than doing it alone. The slime..."
"Stupid slime..." Ray gnashed her teeth. Kicked a rock and sent that rock flying into the air and being embedded into a tree. Dark, menacing aura seemed to ooze out of her as her eyes became dull.
Uhhh... Pillow should be fine...
Burble! Burble~ I glanced to the side and from the earth came a blue slime. A slime without a core.
"Pillow!" I rushed to hug the slime and rubbed my face on it. Ah... It's so flipping smooth, soft, and cool like a fluffy pillow.
"Dominic! Get away from the slime! It's dangerous!" Ray cried out grabbed my arm and tried to separate me from my pet. I frowned at her.
Really... A slime... Hah. The only dangerous one here is you!
"I'm not having any of you crap Ray..." Snorting. Pillow soon found his spot atop my head as my hat. Ray, on the other hand. Clenched her teeth further as the dragon sword appeared from thin air again.
"This is the day I strike you down!"
"Ray! Pillow's on my head! My head! Don't slash me!"
"Do not fret! I got this! I can control my strength!" Ray countered while slashing. Panicking, I barely dodge a wave of scintillating light and turned around to see a tree that was starting to fall over.
Goddamnit Ray!
-----
"Heads up!" A green slime flew my way and I maneuvered my staff to strike it clean. Hitting it towards the ground where it wobbled and grew weaker.
Sweat dripped off my forehead. I stood there, slowly catching my breath before Ray tossed another slime at me and I hit it away.
[Stamina: 78/120]
En... My stamina is still plenty. And we're just past lunch now. As for what I and my friend was doing. We were training. Moreso, Ray was helping me train by punting slimes my way. It was up to me to react and dodge or hit the slime away.
[Dexterity rose by 1]
In a simpler explanation. We're playing dodgeball. But with green slimes as the ball. And Ray's arm as a powerful launcher.
Yawning. Ray observed me with an expression that seemed to want to leave or stop this slime throwing session.
Not only am I training my body to grow stronger by repeatedly tearing it down. Forcing it to the brink of collapse before healing myself. Agility and accuracy training completed everything.
"You know... We could just fight... I'll hold back and use a wooden sword. This is too boring Dominic." Ray yawned again while complaining.
Ha... Fight you? Even if you held back I would still be beaten up.
"I'll fight you once I feel like I am ready enough! Now throw more slimes!" To my sentence. Ray only rolled her eyes before starting to unleash a storm of slimes. Pillow was sitting idly on the ground. Eating up the poor shmucks suffering under my hits.
If my class was not a support type then I would've opted to have grinded their core attributes. Focusing on MI and Spirit for spellcasting types and such. Unfortunately, I am a support type.
Instead of having more strengths than weaknesses. I have way more weaknesses than I should have.
Enablers... Even other support types fare better than them.
It was tragic...
Unable to fight by themselves. Always needing a person or a creature to fight for them.
Weak physiques.
No lifesaving skills. Not even a flash skill to get distance from an attacker.
An enabler's life is doomed once besieged. It's either find some "willing to put up with your burden" type party members to leech from or get hardstuck at a low level.
Get carried or sink into hell...
My path of being stronger does not lay in simply leveling up. It lays in a wonderful term called min-maxing. Minimizing weaknesses and maxing my strengths.
By training the physique to become stronger. I would at least be able to fend for myself if isolated or targeted. As for maxing my supporter abilities...
My buffs... Enablers are monsters at buffing. Increasing attributes are their fort.
And who said those buffs can only be used on allies?
I can use my buffs on myself. Enablers usually do not do that as it was nothing more than a waste of mana due to how weak their physical stats are. And it's not like they have any offensive magic spells either.
By training my physique and strengthening it along with mastering my buffs when I finally level up.
I can become a nightmare dressed like a daydream.
It's either gonna be forever until I reach a strong state.
Or everything would go down in flames.
But why do my thoughts sound awfully familiar to a certain song?