Henceforth, I headed out.
"Analysis of the terrain's minor alterations..."
'— Tracks still visible... Seems like it's still there, looking for its next targets mayhap.'
Shortly... [Remote Transfer, Activated...] A few kilometers away... The Dullahan was atop multiple corpses of his prey, 'Befitting of the Title, Dullahan, indeed.' I had stood prepared... 'Conceal your Magia... Your presence... Focus...'
And so, I transported! Just before I even caught sight of it — Dong! It was already behind me! With a quick flash of its sword — FLAMES! 'Tsk. But I expected that! — It's all thanks to that Old man's lessons!' I quickly evaded!
Practically applying all that I have learned — Evading, attacking, intercepting. Nonetheless! 'Dammit!' I still felt cornered! 'It's still unfazed. If this was an ordinary animated boss, it would've been easy with Nature's provisions!'
Feeling frustrated, [Remote Transfer, Activated,] I was given a few seconds for formulation: 'Ruler of the Heavens, ye who cleansed the tainted, implore Shuma, thine authority. Bequeath myself with thy stellar grace...'
[Ultimate Skill: Heaven's Authority, Acquired]
A bit later... — Dong! Thunder landed in its arrival! Crackle! 'A new skill of his?! No matter! I've got my own!'
[Ultimate Skill: Heaven's Authority, Activated] Light particles embraced my body... "Kraaaah... Kraaaaah!" the Dullahan was weakened! Taking that as an opportunity to strike, Slash! 'Dammit! It's armor's too tough!'
[Extremity Enhancement]
With a solid "Slash" of my sword, 'That scratched its armor!' Relieved by that fact 'I can whittle its defenses slowly!' I repeated it!
Slash-Leap — Striking, evading, backing off, [Remote Transfer] recur. It was a battle so repetitive, warranting no rest!
Huff... Huff. I was running out of breath! 'The damage I've dealt?' — It was almost way too little... Yet, I was roughed up all over!
The Armor it wore... Still crystal-metallic. Grazed it might be, it remained fortified. 'Is this hopeless? Should I just bail? — No! I won't! I need to do this!' Countless hours, I resisted. I made use of Magia wisely making sure I was recovering proportionally, mind, body and Magic...
Countless hours of deadly exchanges have passed... [Requirements met... Taunt Resistance: Level 1, Acquired] From that point onward, my movements seemed to have turned a bit lighter. It wasn't much of a change but I was more nimble!
Crackle! Fwoosh! Slash!
Still on the defense yet I read its movements slightly better! 'I think I can manage now!' Regained a bit of my confidence, I initiated an attack!
[Attribute Application: Light... Attribute Applied...]
My Conjured sword, shone brightly... I "Slashed!" Clang! — It blocked! I kept on...
Slash-Clang... Clang... Clang... With the repetitive blows, I was exhausted whil the inanimate being remained as is!
I created thus, [Elements Manipulation... Magia Control... Synthesization complete] A blinding light was produced! It had weakened the Dullahan profoundly! I took advantage of that and with all my active skills combined in play, "Slash!"
'I damaged it!' Its left arm was dismembered! From there, his insides were visible. — "'Truly a lifeless being.' It had nothing within!
Consequently, Dark Magia gathered in the part I cut... 'He's regenerating' I was not a fool to let a chance as such slip by! "Slash!" — Dong! 'Tsk, Perception!'
"Inside the... Huff... Skill... Range... Huff... Nothing... Dammit!" I punched the ground "Thud!"
... I became... Dejected...
'It got away!'
Screaming from the top of my lungs "DAMMMMMMMMMMMNNNNNNNNNNNNNIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!"
"This was a loss... I didn't defeat it... It defeated me..."
I took a stand... 'This is frustrating...' My eyes' spirit, wilted 'Let's transfer to that cave...' [Remote Transfer, Activated...] — Whoosh. I arrived. From there, I sat, leaning my back on the wall... Scratching my head abruptly! "Arghhhhh! This is... This is so frustrating!"
"I want to hunt some mobs to vent out my anger! Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!"
Continuing my internal ranting, I ultimately fell asleep... Upon my wake,
'Guhhh...'
Boing...?
"Shuma-san! Can you... Speak?"
'Ahh, I'm already in Maia's place... Rimu's still here... Thank goodness...'
"— Maia, sorry to ask this of you arrogantly but... Can you... Please... Give me some space... Please take Rimu away, too..." Said, I frigidly.
Replied Maia, frowning, "Okay... Rimu-chan... Let's go." Click... Creak... Bang...
'Visualize everything that you did back there... Analyze...'
"The next time I cross-swords with that existence... I'll be sure, to become stronger... Strong enough, to slay it for good"
I was unresponsive... My surroundings felt empty. I was just disappointed in myself. 'Life... is a real jerk... Maybe sleep would help me calm down...' Thus, I slept again...
Then, I woke... I knocked at Maia's room... Click-Creaaak "Shuma-san?" She was in her Pajama wear!
Upon seeing her bed with Rimu on it... I deduced... '.....' Then concluded, 'So she was embracing Rimu like a pillow... That's kinda cute...'
"Oh, sorry... I just forgot it was night. Please sleep at ease. I'll be retrieving Rimu tomorrow..."
'— Also, nice pajamas!'
Scratching her eyes, she said, "Goodnight, Shuma-san" And I returned her reply with a "Sleep well with the cutest slime in the world!"
Hence I returned to my room. As I had already accepted equanimity, I performed Calisthenics! All to pass the time...
I did Pushups: Huff. Huff. Huff,
Handstand Pushups... Planches... [Conjurer, Active] Materialized a bar, I did advanced pulling moves... Until morning came...
Knock, knock...
"I'm coming in, Shuma-san..."
As she opened the door, I was still at it... Gave off a dumb, "Ah..."
Bang! 'Why shut the door hard?' Thud. Thud. Thud. Her steps were loud and clear. I quickly put on clothes and ran after her!
While she was dashing, I was swiftly approaching! 'Maia! Why run?'
It felt like she was panicking. 'I'M SORRY! PLEASE PUT CLOTHES ON!'
"I'm already clothed! So please halt!" Thus she stopped... "Huff... Huff.. Shuma-san... Why—"
My face, that of a lecturing teacher "— Maia... Why did you run? Weren't you going to return Rimu?"
Wobble
"I was, but you were doing some kind of weird ritual... I got scared..."
'Oh, right... Calisthenics probably don't exist here...'
Warmly, I smiled "That was... Exercise! You were way off the mark!"
Like a threatened animal, "Are you sure?" — 'That's cute...'
"I can assure you! Now, can I please have Rimu back? Ah wait... Let me... My sweat's still there... Rimu, could you follow?" She replied with an endearing bounce.
"Well then..."
Inside my room, I have returned! [Skill: Elements Manipulation, Activated] The sweat from my pores and dirt particles across my body were extracted. I gathered them and made the former — A spherical crystal-clear liquid. The latter, a compressed brown rock.
[Spatial Vault... Modifying... Spatial Bin, Acquired.]
There, I thrashed both Sweat and dirt...
"Shuma-san... isn't that... Taxing on your body? Those are fairly advanced Skills."
'Oh, Maia's still here...'
Blinking faster than normal, "—From what I know... It seems safe."
'—For now, I think I won't be dying. I depleted my Magia capacity, two times and I'm still fine...'
"You're amazing. Shuma-san... No wonder you beat that Dullahan..."
'— That's right... It irks me. Tch...'
Clenching my jaw, "About that..." I bowed "I'm sorry! All I did was scare it off. I'm sure it will return by a few more months... I wasn't able to do a thing! I'm pathetic..."
"That's not true at all! You're a wonderful person! I can tell!" She was very hyper! "If you drove it out, then that means I can explore!" Her joyous nature, then turned dull "I can finally... See grandfather from the other border..."
'So that was why she wanted me to...'
She disrupted my thoughts "— Sorry... Shuma-san. I will be off." Beaming a smile, "Goodbye, Rimu-chan" She ran off...
"I wonder what that was about... Got any idea? Rimu?"
Wobble?
"Guess not..."
'Speaking of which... From the other border... She probably means that village... It's all making sense...'
"I'd feel guilt if I don't tell her. When I depart... I'll confess everything... I guess for now, I'll rest here for a few more days. Recover the braincells I lost and leave..."
Henceforth, the Oh-so-celestial Shuma's daily Slice of Life will have shortly started!