After being discarded in the dungeon by that wretched goddess, I, Saiga Matsushiro, was determined to escape with my skill [None] and the cursed blade Shichifukujin by my side.
With the help of my skill [Invisibility], I had just stealthily assassinated a Cockatrice.
"Time to move on," I muttered, starting to walk, but the sword interrupted me.
"Wait, my wielder. You should devour the monster."
"Devour it?"
"Yes, like you did with the Hydra."
It was true. I had eaten the Hydra back then, but—
"That was only because I had no other choice. It's not like I have a habit of eating monsters," I replied.
"But listen. There are great benefits to be gained from consuming them."
"Benefits?"
"Indeed. Eating monsters not only restores your fatigue but also allows you to acquire their skills."
Fatigue restoration I understood—it was straightforward. But skill acquisition?
"Try it, and you'll see," the blade urged.
Given that Shichifukujin was bound by our contract not to lie or act against my interest, I decided to give it a shot. As much as I distrusted the cursed sword, I knew it couldn't deceive me under the terms of our agreement.
"Alright, I'll try it."
"Good. Oh, and be aware that most monsters are highly poisonous, and eating them would usually be fatal."
"You could've mentioned that before."
"But with your [Poison Immunity], it doesn't matter. I assumed it went without saying."
I groaned. This sword really can't be fully trusted.
Keeping that in mind, I knelt in front of the Cockatrice's corpse.
"I have to eat this raw, don't I?"
As someone born in modern Japan, eating raw meat wasn't exactly appealing. But I had no way to cook it, so raw it would be.
Eating raw meat always came with risks—salmonella, campylobacter, and other foodborne bacteria. Even though I could neutralize poison, I wasn't sure if my skill worked against those kinds of pathogens.
"Hey, will [Poison Immunity] protect me from food poisoning too?"
"Of course," the sword replied, contractually bound to tell the truth.
Relieved, I took a bite of the Cockatrice's flesh.
Immediately, I was struck by how... delicious it was.
"This is amazing!"
I couldn't help but exclaim. The meat was surprisingly flavorful and tender, with a satisfying bite and an explosion of savory juices. It reminded me of what I'd heard about a regional delicacy in Kyushu, Japan, called torisashi, where chicken is eaten raw. Even with the risk of food poisoning, people did it because raw chicken was apparently that good.
It wasn't long before I devoured the entire thing.
"So, monster meat is delicious, huh...?"
Of course, the reason no one ate it was likely because of the poison. For those without [Poison Immunity], eating a monster was a death sentence.
But for me? It was a feast.
Without realizing it, I had eaten every last bite of the Cockatrice's meat.
"You certainly enjoyed that, didn't you? I was watching your back the entire time. No monsters approached, so you can thank me for that."
I grumbled. I hadn't meant to rely on the sword, but the truth was, I had let my guard down while eating. I owed it for that.
"Alright, I've eaten it. So what's this great benefit you mentioned?"
"Check your status."
――――――
Saiga Matsushiro
Level: 172
HP: 1720 / 1720
MP: 2220 / 1720 (+500)
Attack: 172 (+1000)
Defense: 172 (+1000)
Intelligence: 172
Speed: 172
――――――
"My level increased...?"
Before eating the Cockatrice, I'd been around level 140. Now, I was at 172.
My health had fully recovered too, though I wasn't sure if that was from the level-up or the meal.
"One of the benefits of devouring monsters is that you gain far more experience than you would just by killing them. Your level skyrockets as a result."
"So that's why my level shot up after eating the Hydra too?"
"Exactly. And as you may have noticed, eating monsters also fully restores your health, regardless of whether you gain levels."
"I see..."
Eating monsters to restore health—that alone made it worth doing. It explained why I felt so energized after consuming the Cockatrice.
"But that's not all," the sword added. "Slide to the skills page of your status menu."
I followed its instructions and scrolled over.
――――――
Skills
[None] (Skills: [Poison Immunity], [Void])
Skill Slot +1
Poison Breath
――――――
"Three skills?!"
Besides my original [None] skill, I had acquired two more.
"Can it be... I gain skills by eating monsters?"
"Correct. By consuming their soul, you absorb their abilities."
The concept made sense in this world. Eating the soul allowed me to take on new powers.
"So just eating the meat isn't enough?"
"Right. You must eat them while their soul still lingers in their body. The longer a monster's corpse lies around, the more its soul dissipates. You have to eat them fresh."
"So if someone else kills the monster and it's left for a while, I won't get any skills from it?"
"Exactly. You must eat them quickly to capture their soul and gain their abilities."
"It's strange how easily I've been able to acquire new skills."
At this, Shichifukujin suddenly burst into laughter.
"What's so funny? Are you mocking me?"
"I'm sorry if I offended you. I was merely amused by how little you know of this world's rules. You truly are from another realm."
"You are mocking me." I glared at the blade.
"No, no, I swear it wasn't my intention! I merely meant that the concept of skill acquisition is far more complex than you realize."
I considered leaving the sword behind for its snide remarks.
"Wait! Please don't abandon me!"
The cursed blade grew panicked, clearly not fond of the idea of being left alone in the dungeon.
"Then stop mocking me."
"Understood. Now, to answer your question—skills are extremely difficult to acquire through normal means."
"Difficult to acquire?"
"Indeed. Most people are born with a few innate skills, but gaining new ones is incredibly rare. It often requires decades of training and only the most gifted individuals can even hope to learn a new skill."
"But I just picked up two new ones without breaking a sweat."
"That's because you're devouring monsters and absorbing their souls. But ordinary people can't do that—they'd die from the poison."
"Because they don't have [Poison Immunity]?"
"Exactly! You're the only one capable of this. You can eat monsters, gain their powers, and grow stronger at a rate no one else in this world could match."
So... I'm the only one who can devour monsters and gain their skills. All thanks to my [None] skill and its ability to evolve into [Poison Immunity].
"Hah... They called me an F-rank hero, but this skill is overpowered."
Not only could I unlock limitless potential through [None], but I could also absorb the powers of any monster I ate.
"That goddess... She's a fool for discarding me."
"Indeed. She underestimated you to a comical degree."
For once, I agreed with the sword.
I wouldn't trust it completely, but I would acknowledge it as an ally—for now.
"Alright. I've eaten my fill. What's next?"
"We've got company."
Perfect. I'd gained new skills. It was time to test them.