Chapter 341 - Enhancement Methods [End]

Naofumi: “Next!”

Is Taniko…

When I look over at Taniko, she turns her head away and shows an expression indicating that she doesn’t want to speak.

I’ll bet it’s because she didn’t want to be a Hero.

What’s more, she’s that Tact’s successor.

“…”

Naofumi: “Say something.”

Gaelion: “Kyua?”

Taniko: “Um, according to the Help screen, it’s Growth Elevation.”

Naofumi: “You mean something like the Slave User Series and the Monster User Series?”

Taniko: “Yes. You can set a specific parameter you want to improve when leveling, it seems. Also, it isn’t limited to its user. As long as you have their permission, its effect extends to your comrades as well.”

Naofumi: “Hmm…”

That’s a useful one.

It further increases the stats gained during a level up.

Taniko: “But when you activate it, your level will drop proportional to the extent of the growth elevations you want, so you have to use it with planning in mind.”

It’s still kind useful.

It sacrifices level to increase potential, and when you level up again, you can use it once more for even greater elevation.

And now that the world’s monsters are running rampant and distributing monstrous sums of EXP, leveling up is relatively easy.

The Whip has a strong image of being used alongside monsters.

When I concentrate on bringing up the screen for it, it appears easily enough.

Let’s try increasing Vitality for now.

How many levels will you use up?

An icon pops up.

… I’ll put it on hold for now.

If my level falls too far to fight these monsters, there would be no point.

Naofumi: “And… last is…”

“Gua?”

There’s no consistency in her cries; the current Queen of the Filo Rials…

Naofumi: “Midori.”

Melty’s eyes are sparkling as she celebrates her reunion. While that’s happening, I call Midori to translate.

It appears that this bird really likes to talk.

But it’s more of a pain to persuade her to start talking.

She’s the same as a certain bird I know! But I can’t really voice my complaints.

Fitoria: “Gua, gua.”

Midori: “Um, Fitoria-sama says-”

“NUOOOOOOH!”

“GUAAAAAAA!?”

“Firo!”

“Yeah!”

“Hau! I’m so happy to have received Firo-tan’s kick!”

For the love of all things holy, this damn spear needs to get his sh*t together.

Having received the kick of the Hero of the Claw, Motoyasu squirms on the ground in ecstasy and agony, but let’s get back on track.

Naofumi: “Continue.”

Midori: “Motoyasu-san… Um, if the amount of a certain type of item stored in your weapon crosses a certain point, you can get various status bonuses and abilities, she says.”

Naofumi: “Regardless of the weapon you have equipped, right?”

Midori: “Yes. It’s called Item Book, it seems.”

Having heard the information, I confirm it on my weapon.

It definitely appeared.

I do make a habit of diligently putting materials in, so many entries in the encyclopedia-like window are filled in.

The bonuses are quite moderate, and there are some things like a % damage resistance against a specific monster, or like raising the effectiveness of healing magic. There are many abilities apart from status bonuses.

It even registers items obtained by dismantling larger items. How convenient.

The problem is that you can no longer sell monster items if you use it.

And it doesn’t look like you can freely choose the bonuses you get.

It’s really plain and simple.

But it can’t be underestimated, this system.

Portal Skill Scope Up, Monster Drop Chance Up, Money Acquired Up, there are many skill bonuses I’ve never seen before.

But I guess the Carriage’s power is… useful in itself?

Whenever Fitoria opens her carriage, it links to another location… it seems.

It’s like a magnified version of the portal. There doesn’t seem to be many restrictions, and she says she’s recorded the locations of multiple Dragon Hourglasses world-wide.

What’s more, inside the carriage, your Vitality, MP, SP, and Stamina recover faster. She says that even Healing Magic is more effective.

It’s like the Tent from a game of the past.

Through Midori, she explained that inside, your body requires lower amounts of sleep. And let me say it.

What sort of Delivery Service is this!?

(Note: this seems to be a reference that I do not get.)

Like that, the Vassal Enhancement Methods were spread.

The so-called Seven Star Weapon Enhancement Methods can be summed up as follows.

Axe: Body Modification

Hammer: Weapon Synthesis

Gauntlet: Skill Enhancement

Cane: Magic Enhancement

Claw: Magic and Skill Proficiency Level

Whip: Growth Elevation

Projectile: Strengthening by Money

Carriage: Item Encyclopedia Bonus

First is the Axe’s Body Modification.

Using an energy stored up besides EXP, you can additional points to your Stats.

It’s like doping. Like in some RPGs, how certain seeds and other items can permanently raise a stat.

It seems plain at first, but the amount of points you can distribute is high.

Its main advantage is that you can get an additional bonus on top of those for the weapon you have equipped.

Next is the Hammer. This one allows you to transfer special abilities from one weapon to another.

To put it simply, if Ren had a Sword that was highly effective against Dragons, he could transfer that ability to one with higher stats.

Ren seems to have developed an interest in the system, and his curiosity has proven that new weapons can be unlocked using it as well.

Like, gathering all Dragon-Based skills on a single weapon will unlock something.

By the way, the amount of syntheses that can be performed depends on the weapon.

The Cane and Gauntlet need no further explanation.

You can distribute skill points onto Magic and Skills to increase their output.

The Claw is the growing form of that.

By using the same skill again and again, a point value separate from the Gauntlet’s skill points are stored up, and the output and ease of use increases.

The one that’s really easy to understand, but hard to use, is the Projectile. Strengthening by Money is, as it sounds, using money to break the limitations of the Enhancement Methods we already know, apparently.

If the item you’re modifying is of low ability, the amount you need is low, but it costs a fortune to modify high level stuff. Before awakening an item, you can even pay to unlock their hidden abilities.

The Whip is troublesome in another way.

Increasing Growth Potential may seem convenient at first, but it’s a little different.

While it may increase the innate amount of stats gained during a level without affecting weapons, it decreases the level of the person it’s used on in proportion.

That person will have to level up all over again.

But by the time they’ve reached the same level, their stats will have become much different than they were before.

The projectile’s cost is too high.

By expending your wealth, you increase the bonuses brought by other weapons.

I’ve tried it on the Axe and Hammer, but based on the sum I spent, I can also increase the rate of proficiency gain for the Claw, and the amount of growth gain from the Whip.

Is the fact that it’s practically useless if its user doesn’t know the other strengthening methods based on the personality of the current user?

No, perhaps the fact that it cost money is based on the fact that projectiles were originally expendable items.

Whatever the case, now that I know all the strengthening methods, I can have grand expectations for the results.

Finally, the Carriage’s Item Encyclopedia increases stats based on how much of a certain type of item has been placed into the weapon. It’s quite a pain.

But as I’ve already put in quite a bit, I think I can expect something of it.

Putting together our conversations…

Just what sort of RPG is this?

Well, enhancement methods were just like that from the start.

“Mu… this is hard.”

Firo is holding her head in her hands as she desperately tries to memorize the Enhancement Methods.

Raphtalia: “Let’s go over it again.”

On the other side, Raphtalia was quick to pick it up.

Now that I think about it, Raphtalia’s memory is quite something. It must be a sort of talent for her to have been able to recite Imya’s whole name after hearing it once.

Midori: “Firo-san, as I was saying…”

Even though he’s also a Filo Rial, Midori has the capacity to remember it.

For him to remain in Human form while swinging an axe around, Midori is a bit…

“Kue?”

Fitoria is… yeah. Is she smarter than Firo?

I’d like to believe that she’s at least trying out the Enhancement Methods.

Itsuki: “In the time we have until the wave, let’s raise our levels as high as possible. It’s important that we work to the best of our abilities.”

Rishia: “Yes, Itsuki-sama. And about that, where do you think would be a nice place to go to level?”

Itsuki: “Let’s see. Ren-san, Motoyasu-san-”

Rishia’s been quite quiet lately, but she happily discussed the new methods with Itsuki.

As one of the Four Heroes, I need to find out just how high I can raise my level in the few days left. I participate in the conversation of where to find easy-to-beat monsters.

We have Fitoria’s large-scale Portal Carriage, so we can go anywhere in the world to find easy prey. We need to concentrate on leveling.

Ah, right. From the forest Fitoria used as her base of operations, she brought back some armor made by a Hero of the past.

Well, as they’re quite old, I get the feeling that there are plenty of modern ones out there with better abilities.

Magic Armor is definitely useful, but it’s strange that there isn’t much of a difference between it and the armor made out of the Four Beasts’ materials.

I can’t offer enough thanks to the Old Man and Imya’s Uncle’s skill with metal.

I usually just copy whatever shield I come across and have everyone use whatever defensive gear they can find.

I’d like to have those two take our armors apart and modify them soon.

I’ll have to give something to the more powerful ones of my village.

Trash, Fohl, and Taniko were listening to our conversations, and they manage to implement the methods successfully.

The problem is Trash, I guess.

It’s not that he can’t fight, but his long hiatus may have lowered his senses.

Another thing I was able to determine was that, while it’s true that the Four Heroes repel one another, and they don’t get EXP when fighting together, the same does not apply to vassals.

But if it’s only Vassals alone, some problems may crop up.

It may have something to do with the system on which the weapons were made, but a party of a single Holy Hero and two vassals gains EXP as normal. The law works like that.

So we go and distribute the vassals among the Heroes.

I’m with Raphtalia and Firo.

This was already set in stone, or everyone just kinda went along with it. It’s the same formation as always.

Raphtalia’s gained a giant weapon in the form of the Hammer, so I’m a little worried, but she’ll probably be fine. Occasionally, Raph-chan stands on top of the Hammer and makes various poses. I wonder why.

Next is Motoyasu. He’s bringing along Midori and Trash.

He has a habit of charging the enemy. Midori is similar, so it’s ideal if Trash were there to offer as much support magic as possible.

Next is Itsuki with Rishia and Fohl.

Both Itsuki and Rishia are long ranged, so I thought the close-ranged Fohl would be nice.

In truth, Trash seems to have an affinity with Fohl, so I thought about putting them in the same formation, but Fohl declined.

What’s left is Ren with Taniko and… I guess he’s in charge of Fitoria as well.

Well, this is just the initial result.

Since Gaelion comes as a set with Taniko, it looks like there’ll be some infighting there.

Ren seems to pay special attention to Taniko.

I think he’s still trying to take responsibility for his actions.

But Taniko herself has an extremely sullen expression on her face whenever he tries to do so.

There’s no helping it now that she’s become the Hero of the Whip.

The Whip’s ability is to raise the ability of monsters, so having more monsters in the formation is beneficial.

Despite how he looks, the current Gaelion is a Dragon Emperor. In a different Time Period, he may have even been called a Demon Lord.

It’s a formation incorporating the Sword, which carries the strongest image of a Hero, and a Dragon, who carries the strongest form of a Demon.

The bad part of this party is that they don’t seem to get along too well.

True Gaelion seems to hate Ren, but child Gaelion doesn’t seem to be affected by that.

Naofumi: “Well, I guess that just about does it. Everyone set out to maintain public order and raise your levels in order to defeat the wave.”