17 Using baseless tactics head-on, with no shame
[Proficiency has reached threshold. Skill 'Inspection LV2' has upgraded to 'Inspection LV3'.]
Skill level increased effortlessly.
Haven't been inspecting for that long, though.
Wouldn't have gone up so easily if I hadn't been faking it.
Strange feeling.
Well, better to go up than stay put.
Now then, what does LV3 look like?
Immediately test it on myself.
'Small Lassaractect LV5 Name: None'
Level indicator increased.
Woo.
Huh.
Well, it's a gain, I suppose.
When will this actually become useful, though?
Hmm.
Still, just how strong is my race, the Small Lassaractect, within this dungeon?
Just thinking that, something unexpected happened.
[Small Lassaractect: Juvenile Form of Degraded Lassaractect Species]
What… is this?
Wait—could this be me undergoing a second鉴定 on the species name revealed by my initial鉴定?
Double鉴定?
Oh.
This might be a significant hidden technique I’ve just discovered.
That means—let’s test it. Perform another鉴定 on it.
[Taratekt: A type of arachnid-like monster]
Done!
Isn’t this incredible!?
If a new unknown term appears after a鉴定, it can be鉴定 again.
Hah!
The description is still brief, and the information yield is minimal, but once the skill level increases, this could become extraordinary.
Each鉴定 might unlock a chain of knowledge, like pulling one root from a vine.
Fuhoyi!
Sorry,鉴定 skill—don’t say you’re useless anymore!
From now on, I’m going to max out this skill level.
Now, charging ahead with鉴定 skill is fine—but two issues have emerged.
Namely: hungry. Tired.
That’s the situation.
Of course. Since the assault on my home, I’ve been fleeing at full speed, then wandering through the dungeon. Naturally, hunger sets in. Fatigue follows.
I can endure it for now. But eventually, food must be consumed. Sleep must be taken.
Both present problems.
To eat, a monster must be located, defeated, and consumed.
To sleep, one must avoid detection by monsters.
One cannot be solved without sacrificing the other.
Mm.
Still, a solution exists for both.
When sleeping, construct a makeshift shelter. Sleep within it.
Sleeping here would be safe. If a monster triggers the trap, it can be harvested as food. Double benefit.
Still.
Since I’ve decided to fight earlier, I’d prefer to take down prey with my own hands, as much as possible.
When sleeping, building a makeshift shelter is unavoidable. But even so, I’d rather engage in combat while awake.
The shelter is not for hunting. It is solely for securing safety during rest.
If a monster does get caught, I’ll take it without hesitation.
For now, continue searching for a suitable target.
There it is.
『Elrofrogs LV3』
On the corridor ahead, the familiar form of a long-standing foe.
It faces away from me.
It has not detected my presence yet.
Should I strike from ambush?
Before I can act, it notices.
Tch.
Kishaaah!
For now, intimidation.
Pfft!
Eh!?
You don’t have to spit saliva at me without warning, do you!
I almost got hit!
Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!
Don’t spit consecutively like that!!
Ugh, ugh, ouch!?
I can’t dodge all of them!
Painful. Painful!
It’s less painful than the first time, thanks to resistance—but it still hurts!
And you, are you really this energetic even without being bound by threads?
Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!
Wait, wait!
Pigyaa!?
I missed one again!
Bad. If this continues, I’ll be overwhelmed.
No choice. I must go in with a suicide strike.
Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!
You can’t keep using the same tactic over and over!
After getting hit this much, you should know your saliva output is limited to three per attack!
Do not underestimate the observational skill of the gamer known as Vedanta, nor the evasion technique!
Avoid the saliva!
Slash downward with claws toward the frog!
Crap— I should have expected it, he jumped and slammed his tongue at me!
Bltan!
I-tter!
Crushed by the tongue.
And the tongue is coated in acid— not just impact, but a burning sensation.
Oh.
This is a severe injury.
If there were a stamina gauge, it would be deep in the red danger zone.
One more hit, and it would be bad.
But it won't happen.
The outcome is already decided.
Ahead of the frog’s leap, my thread is stretched across the ground.
The setup is simple.
Just avoid the saliva attacks and let the thread fall to the ground.
I seem to have a habit— unconsciously dropping threads onto the ground while moving.
This time, I utilized it.
I imbued the thread I had been unconsciously drooping with adhesive properties.
All that remained was to guide the frog to that location.
I adjusted the angle and velocity of the claw attack so the frog would fly directly toward the thread.
I did not anticipate being counterattacked from midair... however.
The frog was ensnared the moment it landed.
I wrapped additional threads around it without mercy.
The rest was predetermined.
Gulp!
The first actual combat was a narrow victory.