NOVEL WEB Chapter 40: RUN!
On the next day after Eliza-san and I shared our stories together.
Kyuki and I woke up to the face of Eliza-san, looking down at us smiling.
"Rise and shine, you two~! It's time for hel— I mean, training!"
Did she just tried to say hell?
"Good morning... Eliza-san."
"Kyuu. Kyuu."
"Good morning, you two. Now, we got two weeks left before you both leave. So let's begin your training already."
"Got it."
"Kyuu."
Kyuki and I got up from the bed and washed our face with the water provided by Eliza-san. Then, after changing my clothes, we both stood before Eliza-san as she starts explaining what we will be doing for our training.
"Well then, from now until the end of our one month agreement, we will be focusing on training both of your stats."
Our stats?
"Is that... it?"
"Kyuu?"
"Fufufu. My oh my~ Is that really your reaction to the training, my dear?" Eliza-san smiled deviously, looking at me, as she then elaborate further.
"As you know, every living being has five types of stats in their status: Physical Offense, Magical Offense, Physical Defense, Magical Defense, and Speed. Each are pretty self-explanatory, so I won't go into them. But basically, I'll have you two undergo five different courses, each with the goal of improving those five stats individually to a certain point for the next two weeks without rest. Are you two really prepared for it?"
"Yes."
If it's to get stronger and increase my chances of getting out of this dungeon, then of course I'm prepared!
"Kyuu! Kyuu!"
Even Kyuki is with me on this one. So bring it!
"Great. Then without further ado, we shall begin with the Speed course."
As soon as she said that, Eliza-san snapped her fingers, causing the ground to shake.
"Nature Magic: The Devouring One."
A giant tree monster, conjured by Eliza-san, grew from the ground. Kyuki and I stared at it in shock at its terrifying appearance as it stares right back at us.
Also, why is my Danger Sense skill going off?
«Proficiency Threshold Reached... Skill has Levelled Up: [Danger Sense LV 5] -> [Danger Sense LV 6]»
It levelled up!? Wait, that's not the point.
"Umm, Eliza-san...?"
"Fufufu~ This is the Speed course, my dear. Basically, try not to get eaten by my friend here. Oh, by the way, no sitting on your Master's shoulder, okay, little fox? You will need to run on your own four feet or there is no meaning to this course, alright?"
"K-Kyuu...."
"Are you... trying to kill us?" I asked her before the training begins.
"Why of course." Eliza-san answered so casually with a smile. "If I don't have the intent to kill you two, you will not run for real, will you?"
Ah... I see.
She's being serious here....
"Now. Let us begin, shall we?"
Signalling the start of our training, Eliza-san clapped her hands together which caused to the tree monster to move.
Run, Kyuki! RUUUUUNNNN!
Super Speed!
"KYUUUUUU!!"
And thus, the deadly game of tag has begun.
The tree monster is fast. Really fast! And not only does it moves fast, it also threw various stuffs at us while chasing after us.
Wood spears, giant vine tentacles, light beam attacks and spitting out smaller versions of itself. These were some of the listed stuffs it attacked us with. Forcing me to not only focus on continuously using Super Speed, but also dodge those attacks narrowly. If not for my prior evasion training with Eliza-san, I would probably be skewered by those wood spears or captured by its tentacles already.
"Kyuu! Kyuu! Kyuu!"
Kyuki is in a tighter spot. Since its Speed stat is lower than mine, it had to continuously use Short Range Teleportation to barely keep up with me. Sometimes even using Spirit Return to catch up if its too far behind.
But in any case, we ran like madmen. Not wanting to be eaten by the tree monster created by Eliza-san.
What's more, this is only the Speed course. I do not want to imagine what the other courses will be like.
Super Speed!
So for now, I just continued running.
«Proficiency Threshold Reached... Skill has Levelled Up: [Super Speed LV 4] -> [Super Speed LV 5]»
«Proficiency Threshold Reached... Skill has Levelled Up: [Athletics LV 3] -> [Athletics LV 4]»
«Proficiency Threshold Reached... Skill has Levelled Up: [Athletics LV 4] -> [Athletics LV 5]»
«Proficiency Threshold Reached... Skill has Levelled Up: [Intuition LV 4] -> [Intuition LV 5]»
«Proficiency Threshold Reached... Skill has Levelled Up: [Super Speed LV 5] -> [Super Speed LV 6]»
«Proficiency Threshold Reached... Skill has Levelled Up: [Thought Acceleration LV 5] -> [Thought Acceleration LV 6]»
«Proficiency Threshold Reached... Skill has Levelled Up: [Perseverance LV 3] -> [Perseverance LV 4]»
«Proficiency Threshold Reached... Skill has Levelled Up: [Super Speed LV 6] -> [Super Speed LV 7]»
«Proficiency Threshold Reached... Skill has Levelled Up: [Super Speed LV 7] -> [Super Speed LV 8]»
«Proficiency Threshold Reached... Skill has Levelled Up: [Athletics LV 5] -> [Athletics LV 6]»
«Proficiency Threshold Reached... Skill has Levelled Up: [Intuition LV 5] -> [Intuition LV 6]»
«Proficiency Threshold Reached... Skill has Levelled Up: [Evasion LV 8] -> [Evasion LV 9]»
«Proficiency Threshold Reached... Skill has Levelled Up: [Perseverance LV 4] -> [Perseverance LV 5]»
After who knows how long later, I can feel myself naturally becoming faster. My base Speed stat has increased greatly and a lot of my skills have improved as well, to the point where I couldn't be bothered to keep track of them.
Kyuki has gotten a bit faster as well. But because it does not have the Reincarnation from Another World title like I do, the growth rate of its Speed stat was much slower than mine.
On the other hand, Kyuki seemed to have gotten better at evasion. It doesn't even look behind to dodge the tree monster's attacks, as it instead uses its ears to listen for any incoming attacks. Smart. Sometimes, even using Astral Form to dodge; one of the new skills Kyuki had acquired after evolving into a Twin-Tailed Fox Spirit.
But putting that aside, my legs are getting pretty tired now after running for so long.
Kyuki, how are you doing?
Kyuu! Kyuu!
Kyuki sounds fine. Probably because it has the Stamina Restoration skill while I don't. Which is why I'll have to think of some other way to conserve my stamina while maintaining this speed. And I got just the thing.
Demonic Wings!
My wings sprouted from my back as I took flight in the air.
And while I'm at it...
Super Speed! Again!
The tree monster, seeing me in the air, started shooting more wood spears at me, as I manoeuvred around with my wings, evading each one shot that came at me. Then, it also tried reaching for me with its tentacles while tossing its miniature clones at me.
I avoided the tentacles, not wanting to be caught by them. As for the mini tree monsters...
Dark Domain: Tenta-Whip!
I utilise my unique skill to smack them back at their creator. Which ended up agitating it as a result.
Hey now. Shouldn't you be focusing on Kyuki as well?
Thanks to my actions, however, Kyuki was able to get the tree monster off its tails as it solely focused on me.
"No no, little fox. You cannot take a break, you know."
"Kyuu!?"
Suddenly, Eliza-san spawned another of the tree monster as it started chasing Kyuki around the room, while I have my own monster to run from.
Oh great. Now there are two of them!
"Kyuuuuuuuuu!!!"
Save your breath, Kyuki! Just focus on running!
And so, we ran like hell for almost an entire day. Only stopping because of Eliza-san feeling sorry for us.
That.... That was hell indeed.
But as a result of that, my Speed stat went all the way up to two thousand one hundred-ish Whereas Kyuki's reached around six hundred ninety something; about double of what it started out with.
Certain skills of ours have also improved like crazy in this one day. Much so than when we were taking our time to improve our magic-related skills. One notable improvement was my Evasion skill, which had been maxed out. As a result, the skill became known as Greater Evasion after advancing into the next stage.
The training was most certainly effective. But still, that was too much!
Kyuki... how are you...?
K-Kyuu....
While we were in the middle of our meal which we had not eaten anything since the start of the training, Eliza-san clapped her hands together, calling for our attention.
"Now now, you two. The both of you did well for the Speed course. So hurry up and finish your meal already and we can start the next course right away!"
Uh, what?
"K-Kyuu...?"
"You mean... we're not going to sleep... after this?"
My voice shuddered with fear, realising that the training has not ended yet.
"Fufufu~ You'll get your sleep once we're done with the next two courses. After all, the training will only be over, once I say it's over."
Ah. I see....
We are so fucked, Kyuki.
Kyuuuu....
