“Guruuu.”
Set let out a low purr as it gazed at the meat Rei pulled from the Misty Ring—not magic stones this time, but cuts from the Orcs and their higher-ranking kin.
Rei had stashed the corpses directly into the Misty Ring immediately after the battle, but later, while Elk was assisting with harvesting materials and extracting magic stones, the older adventurer had noticed Set’s longing looks. As a bonus, Elk had taken the time to butcher the meat into manageable portions for the Gryphon.
At the time, they had been far too busy for a feast, so Set’s meal had been postponed until now.
Though Orcs were technically classified as demi-humans, such distinctions meant little in this world—or rather, as Elk had explained, the meat of Rank D Orcs and their evolutions contained far more magic power than typical low-rank monsters. It was a delicacy, sought after even in city butcher shops for its rich flavor.
“Here!”
Two days had passed since their return from the Orc settlement. Apparently, the meals provided by the inn and the snacks from doting citizens and adventurers weren't enough to satisfy the Gryphon. Set deftly caught the hunk of meat Rei tossed and swallowed it in one go.
I’ll start the magic stone absorption once Set has had its fill, Rei thought. Watching the Gryphon eat with such gusto made his own stomach growl, despite having recently finished lunch at the Dusk Wheat Inn. He cut a branch from a nearby tree, skewered a slab of Orc meat, and propped it over the ground.
He gathered some fallen wood, ignited a fire with magic, and let the meat sizzle. A light dusting of salt from the Misty Ring was all it needed.
“It really is good,” he muttered.
The high magic density of a Rank D monster translated into a deep, savory richness. The simple seasoning was more than enough to highlight the flavor.
“Guruu...”
Set, who had been devouring raw meat until now, let out a plaintive trill. It had tasted cooked Water Bear meat during their trek from the Forest of Magic and often enjoyed skewers in the city. Rei chuckled at the envious sound and set about preparing a few more for his partner.
“Guruu.”
Eventually, having consumed several Orcs’ worth of meat, Set let out a contented cry. Rei rested for a moment, stroking the Gryphon’s head while listening to the wind rustle through the grove. The air smelled of fresh greenery, punctuated by the distant calls of birds, insects, and hidden monsters. Rei finally reached into the Misty Ring and retrieved the magic stones. He had sold the bulk of the haul to the guild but had set aside two of each type for himself and his familiar.
“Alright, break’s over. Set, let’s begin the absorption.”
“Guruu!”
Set chirped happily, fully aware that this process meant more power.
“First, the standard Orc magic stones. We got a skill from a Rank E Rare Species of Goblin, so there’s a chance... Set!”
He tossed the stone. The Gryphon caught it deftly in its beak and gulped it down, but no announcement followed. There was no change.
“Nothing, huh?”
“Guruu.”
Set trilled dejectedly. Rei checked the Gryphon’s skill list in his mind, but it still only showed Water Ball and Fire Breath.
What exactly are the requirements? he wondered as he tossed the remaining Orc magic stone and cleaved it with the Death Scythe. The stone split and dissolved into smoke, but the weapon failed to acquire a skill as well.
“Two stones down the drain. Well, at least they were just the common ones.”
Sighing, he next took the Orc Archer magic stones from the Misty Ring.
“Set.”
He tossed the Orc Archer magic stone just as before, and Set caught it and swallowed it.
【Set has acquired the skill: Wind Arrow Lv.1】
An announcement message echoed in his mind.
So that worked, Rei noted. But why Wind Arrow? Given Set’s skills are Water Ball and Fire Breath, I expected something like Wind Bolt... Takumu’s naming sense again, probably.
He also found it curious that a yellow Earth-attribute stone granted a Wind skill. Perhaps it was due to the nature of the Orc Archer itself.
“Set, try it on that tree over there.”
“Guruu!”
Set glared at the target and let out a sharp cry. Multiple invisible projectiles lashed out, carving deep furrows into the bark. At level one, the damage was only a few centimeters deep—nothing that would split a trunk—but it was significantly faster than Water Ball.
“The power is lower than your other skills, but an invisible, high-speed attack is going to be useful.”
“Gururuu.”
Set let out a happy cry. While watching Set, Rei tossed the remaining Orc Archer magic stone into the air and sliced it in two. At that moment, the magic stone vanished like smoke.
【Death Scythe has acquired the skill: Flying Slash Lv.1】
“Flying Slash, huh? Well, the name is pretty self-explanatory.”
He readied the Death Scythe and aimed at the tree Set had just targeted.
“Flying Slash!”
When he activated the skill and swung the scythe, a blade of force carved into the tree, deeper than Set’s arrows but limited to a single strike.
“I see. Wind Arrow has more volume, while Flying Slash has more power per hit. Now then, next is the Orc Mage magic stone.”
Satisfied, Rei moved on to the Orc Mage stones. He had Set absorb the first one.
【Set has acquired the skill: Fire Breath Lv.2】
“Oh, an upgrade. Set.”
“Gurururu!”
Realizing what Rei wanted, Set opened its beak toward the sky and exhaled. The plume of fire was visibly thicker, reaching further and radiating much higher heat than before.
“Guruu?”
Set nuzzled Rei, seeking approval.
“Good job, Set. That’s a hell of a flame.”
When he praised Set while scratching its head, Set purred happily.
“Alright, next is the Death Scythe.”
Moving away from Set, he tossed the Orc Mage magic stone and slashed it.
【Death Scythe has acquired the skill: Magic Shield Lv.1】
Rei frowned. “Is this a dud?”
He willed the skill to activate. A shimmering plane of light appeared. It drifted automatically, staying out of the way as he swung the scythe. He initially doubted its utility—his Dragon Robe was already an incredible defense made of dragon hide and scales. However, he decided to test it.
“Set, hit this shield.”
“Guruu!”
Set’s claws struck the light, which held firm before vanishing like mist. A Water Ball produced the same result. Finally, a Wind Arrow test showed that it blocked the first projectile perfectly but vanished immediately after, allowing the subsequent arrows to pass.
“I see. It’s a one-hit absolute defense. And it has auto, semi-auto, and manual modes. I take back what I said; this is actually great.”
Combined with the Dragon Robe, his defenses were now nearly impenetrable. With his massive magic pool, he could simply recast it every time it broke.
“Next, the Orc General. Set.”
He tossed the magic stone to Set. He expected great things from a Rank C monster, but Set swallowed the stone and... nothing. No announcement.
“How? This came from a Rank C.”
“Guruu...”
Set trilled sadly. Rei began to theorize. Perhaps rank and strength weren't the only factors. Compatibility mattered. He tried the second stone on the Death Scythe, but it was another failure.
It seems if Set can’t learn it, neither can the scythe. I guess that makes sense since they both share the same origin in my Beast Magic.
“It's a shame about the Orc General... but anyway, the last one. The Orc King’s magic stone.”
He pulled a massive magic stone from the Misty Ring, larger even than the Water Bear's stone. Holding the golden-yellow stone, he looked at the Death Scythe, then at Set.
“You take this one, Set. The scythe already has Corrosion, Flying Slash, and Magic Shield. You need more utility.”
Set swallowed the stone.
【Set has acquired the skill: King's Intimidation Lv.1】
Rei breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn't sure what 'Intimidation' did until they flew over a flock of Horned Rabbits. As Set landed and unleashed a roar, the rabbits visibly slowed down, as if burdened by a heavy weight. Set easily picked them off with its beak and claws.
“I see. It slows enemies. That’s a keeper.”
Having verified the new abilities, the pair headed back to the city of Gilm.
【Set】 『Water Ball Lv.1』『Fire Breath Lv.2』『Wind Arrow Lv.1』new『King's Intimidation Lv.1』new
【Death Scythe】 『Corrosion Lv.1』『Flying Slash Lv.1』new『Magic Shield Lv.1』new
Wind Arrow: Fires 3 to 5 arrows of wind. The power itself is not very high, but because the arrows are made of wind, they are difficult for enemies to see, and they fly at high speed.
Flying Slash: A skill that fires a flying slash. The power is reasonably high, but it can only fire one slash at a time.
Magic Shield: Creates a shield of light that blocks an enemy's attack exactly once. After blocking an attack, it vanishes like mist. Normally, the shield moves automatically so as not to get in the way, but it can also be controlled manually.
King's Intimidation: Can reduce the speed of enemies weaker than oneself by about 10%. It has no effect on opponents equal to or stronger than oneself.