As the early morning sun rose, I went out alone searching for prey that I have never eaten before in places that I have not yet visited, I'm walking in the blank area of my mental map that I decided to call the Unexplored Zone.
There's no need for me to take charge of the morning training anymore, because recently even if I'm not present Gobukichi-kun can competently supervise the morning training.
In other words, I now have free time in the mornings. The other reason is that I don't have anyone to spar with anymore.
Although, several days ago it would be problematic if something were to happen, like someone getting hurt for instance, now there's no need to worry about that as they have potions crafted by Alchemist-san.
So I tried to think of a good alternative to spend time after finishing my basic training, like making sleeping bags, clothes and armor. However, unfortunately, both the clothes and armors as well as the sleeping bags have already been distributed, so my ingenious plan was now gone.
Which led me to decide that for now, getting new abilities would be a worthwhile endeavor.
My first prey for today was a 2 meter-class spider with a distinctive shiny golden carapace, [ Argiope ].
Making a rustling sound when moving, the spider was capable of quick movement and the thread it shot out was both strong and abundant in volume. Its golden carapace was so much tougher that it couldn't be compared to that of the Demon Spider.
I somehow managed to kill it in three minutes, I retaliated with threads of my own, burned it with my fire and finally succeeded in bringing it down by piercing through the Argiope's carapace with my silver arm.
When the spider finally died, I stripped the expensive looking carapace that seemed like it could sell for a high price outside the forest, then ate the rest.
It was more delicious than a Demon spider, so I searched for and ate 8 of them in total.
Ability [Golden Thread Creation] learned
Ability [Adamant Spider's Carapace] learned
The abilities that I learned increased my personal defense and the strength of my threads.
[Golden Thread Creation] ability allows me to create extremely beautiful threads — does Golden in the ability's name means that the threads are made from pure gold? It's quite flashy — , I thought about making presents for Gobumi-chan, Redhead and the others using these threads.
Still, I doubt that making golden clothes would be a good taste, so it's probably better if I make some accessories like the one I made for Gobumi-chan before.
My next prey was a Four-Eyed and Four-Eared [ Red Deer ], sporting a pair of antlers that looked like they were made of Rose Quartz.
It seems like the Red deers have a wild temperament, the instant it saw me it started charging in my direction. The two sharp and beautiful antlers on its head thrusted into the trees in its way, shredding them like a drill, I pinned its head down using the indestructible silver arm and injected it with poison from my fingertips.
The Red deer began foaming at its mouth and died within four seconds.
Apart from the antlers that looked like they would sell at a high price because of their beauty, its fine pelt that was undamaged seemed like it would be useful, so I quickly skinned it and threw the pelt together with the antlers into my [Item Box], after that I ate its flesh.
Unfortunately, I could not secure any abilities, but after eating two or three I should be able to get a new ability, because I was able to strengthen my body I was satisfied.
In this world there is a species called [ Dryad ]. They are one of the many kinds of [Nymphs], born from long-lived trees that are hundreds of years old they lodge inside theses trees, they have a disadvantageous characteristic which is when the tree they're lodging in dies they'll also die.
Therefore, in order to protect the tree they're lodging in, they use their abilities to inflict deadly curses upon anyone that tries to harm the tree, consequently, lumbers who make a living by cutting trees think of them as pests.
Moreover, if a male of a humanoid species such as a human or a werebeast appears before a dryad, they will be charmed and seduced by her beauty - dryads have female bodies only - , if the Dryad likes the male then after seducing the male she'll lock him up in a dream that he'll never be able wake up from again and turns him into nourishment for the tree, if it doesn't like him then she'll just lock him up and eventually he'll be turned into nutrients for the tree.
And while wandering in the forest I met a dryad, she was a nearly-naked woman with a Greek-like appearance and extraordinary proportions.
After chatting for some time, she started seducing me, I know what will happen to me if I were to give in and do it. However, because I managed to get some information about the plants in this forest from her and because she isn't showing me any hostility but only following her instinct, I didn't want kill her. That's why to solve this problem, I used an ability that I didn't use before.
About what happened, let's just say that I have experienced some things after reincarnating for the first time, my [Libido] finally flourished. With the stamina of an [ Ogre - Rare Species ] , it might have been okay even if I didn't Activate [Libido], but there's no harm in being more prudent.
It was a very sweet time.
She leaned on my bosom me and sweetly whispered "Come again~" near my ear, she seemed sexy when she directed her coy expression at me as she sent me off.
[ Goburou obtained [ [The Mistletoe's Dryad]'s Blessing and Love ] !!]
I heard something like this in my head when I left.
After I parted with Dryad-san, I continued wandering through the forest again, then I found a medium sized river. When, for no particular reason, I followed the river upstream, I discovered a large waterfall. I decided to wash my body in the small lake underneath it, my body was drenched with sweat and emitting a unique odor from doing the deed.
I took off my clothes to swim in the decent sized lake, where I was suddenly surrounded by green scaled [ Lizardmen ] who approached me while staying underwater.
That I was too negligent was also a factor, but with the current level of [Sense Presence], apparently if the enemy is underwater the reaction will be slower and weaker.
Becoming aware of their presence now was pure luck.
I thought about what would have happened to me if a strong enemy that I can't defeat head-on approached me like this instead of these lizardmen. I got chills in my spine.
Well, leaving that aside, I immediately refocused my thoughts. Based on their appearance, I decided to call the lizardmen in front of me [ Green Lizards ]s.
The Green lizards held refurbished falchions — a sword that had a curved edge and a straight back — in their hands. Also, they held bucklers which were damaged a little but seemed to be still usable.
Unlike orcs and kobolds, they were not wearing any leather or metal armor, they were only wearing light clothes made of thick cloth to cover their groins. They didn't wear any armor, but the green scales packed together covering their whole bodies may be no different from armor or perhaps they are even more effective than a regular armor, in addition, I cannot make light of their attacks from my blind spot using their long and thick tails.
I should consider the tails like a third arm, and since the tails were underwater, they represent a higher danger since it's hard to spot them.
There were eight Green Lizards and they seemed to be used to hunting in groups.
Moreover, they were pointlessly flashing their long tongues and falchions making incomprehensible noises like "hyacchahecchizo~ go~gyakutterowigya~ janbettenbachurua~", I don't understand what they were saying, but I can at least detect their killing intent in the atmosphere.
In addition to getting new abilities, I wanted to get used to my silver arm and confirm its abilities today, that's why I didn't bring anyone with me. They also had an environmental advantage which is the fact that my lower body is restrained by being underwater.
Perhaps they were thinking "Even if he's an [ Ogre - Variant ], with these advantages in our favor we'll be able to kill him" — which reminds me, although it's a little late, Gobujii never mentioned anything about [ Rare Species ]. I'll ask him about it when I have the chance — , yeah, there's no doubt about it.
I overlapped several of my abilities and made my move.
With the bottom half of my body still in the water, I can propel myself easily by using [Hydro Hand], in the first place, my leg strength which was strengthened by overlapping my abilities allowed me to move quickly in the water despite receiving heavy water resistance.
I gained an explosive burst of speed by controlling the water and along with the help of the current I was able to stomp the enemy deeply in the chest in an instant. I made a fist with both arms and with more force than usual attacked one of the Green lizards with my silver arm.
The Green lizard reacted well, using its buckler to guard against the strike of my silver arm at the last moment, but the buckler shattered uselessly in the blink of an eye and a life was crushed.
The blow from my silver arm sent the Green lizard's arm along with its buckler flying in pieces, without losing momentum I struck its body. The body fared no better than the arm, the scales got crushed, the flesh got torn and the bones smashed, all of which are results of the silver arm having penetrated through them in its path.
Then I struck a Green lizard who was approaching me from the side with my flesh and blood fist which was stopped after crushing the scales, bruising the flesh and breaking the bones. It was a magnificent blow, but it was still a lot weaker than the silver arm.
Well, I'd say it's to be expected.
Repeatedly striking and occasionally kicking, it didn't take me even 30 seconds to kill the Green lizards. I caught the ones trying to escape with my threads and lightning, so none of them managed to escape.
After killing the Green lizards, I put their armaments in my [Item Box] and since their bodies are difficult to cut apart, I ate them whole.
Ability [Aquatic] learned
Ability [Lizardman Language] learned
The Green lizard's flesh and bones had an unusual taste and consistency, it was rather delicious.
Wanting to eat some more, but unable to find any more Green lizards nearby, I gave up and left.
I walked in the direction of the Unexplored Zone of my mental map that got automatically expanded as I walked by my [Mental Mapping] ability.
After walking for some time in the Unexplored Zone I came out from the forest, there I found a large expanse of grasslands.
It was the first time since my reincarnation that I saw something other than forests, mountains and rivers. The blowing wind was pleasant.
As I was having such light thoughts, I found a bull charging towards me. I decided to name the human-faced bull with two sharp horns [ Bicorn ].
Against the bicorn charging head on at me, I'd use nothing other than the Jolt Counter!! I hit it head-on with my silver arm and, then sank all the way to the elbow and left the bicorn as a splattered corpse.
[T/N: Jolt Counter reference to Hajime no Ippo.]
From today's experiences, I confirmed how strong my silver arm is. No matter how many times I thank Velvet who I got the silver arm from, it wouldn't be enough.
"Namu". I offered a prayer for him again.
There was only one bicorn and although I ate it till my stomach bulged slightly, I didn't gain any abilities, but I was satisfied with having some barbecue by myself on top of having my body strengthened. Furthermore, the bicorn's entire body tasted delicious.
I decided to hold a barbecue party with everyone when I find other bicorns. After that, since it was just the right time, so I hunted some Night Vipers as a souvenir, came back home, ate and then slept.