Chapter 3
First steps
-Kakuto-
Ugh...
My head...
I feel like I just had a hangover...
How long has it been since I was unconscious?
Is this the effect of using my humanoid form for an hour straight? I should remember to not use it for too long.
With that said, where was I?
Oh yeah, the [Clairvoyance] skill. I wanted to try using it, but...it looks like I have reverted back into my original form, since I can't see anything.
Sigh, just when I decided that I want to try out my new skill...
Eh? Wouldn't this be the perfect opportunity to do so, since I am unable to see anything in my current form?
I tried to invoke [Clairvoyance] with my mind.
Ooh, suddenly the view of my surroundings had appeared.
Looks like the way I see things is from a bird's eye view.
I can see in all directions, it was a bit weird though.
At least I can now finally see what I look like when I am in my 'Tree' form.
...
TINY!
Was what I want to retort, but speaking logically, I was just reincarnated not too long ago, so it would make sense that my form was small. Does this have any relation to my human size, I do not know.
Anyway, shouldn't I be a sapling? I'm way too small to be one. Even a normal sized tree's sapling is larger than this by twofold.
My leaves were golden for some reason, but with this I don't think I can be classified as a normal tree would I?
Well, enough of my looks. There are more pressing matters at hand, like how the lake has been dried up.
The water level of the lake somehow vanished, and I have a feeling that it is because of me.
By using [Clairvoyance], I can see that half of my roots have reached out into the lake. I don't think that's a good sign. Oh well, I leave it to the weather to fill it up again, sorry lake-san.
But, what is cause of this? I know that it's my fault, but what did I even do? You can't justify a criminal when he does not know what he has done right? Right?
Maybe it has to do with the consequence of using up the humanoid form for an hour straight.
I'm going to have serious consequences if I stay humanoid for an hour. Since this is another world, would levelling up make me stronger? I don't even know if I can level up.
Back to the topic at hand, I think that using the humanoid form for too long would cause that to happen.
It's scary if I think about it.
I will die if I use up the time in my humanoid form and if I'm not close to a large water source.
I could have died if I did not come into proximity of this large lake. Looks like luck was on my side during that time.
Now, since my time as a humanoid has been used up, let's just rest for today~
Not. I should use my time wisely. First I'll take a look at how I can use my skills.
I will never know when an enemy will appear, thus I will have to prepare myself when the time comes.
Kagumina Kakuto
Race: Yggdrasil (Sapling 79/100)
Skills: [Soul Seeker] | [Sea of Knowledge] | [Warlord King] | [Speed Breaker] | [Clairvoyance] | [Underwater] | [Bite] | [Poison Fang] | [Barrier]
Titles: {Reincarnated} {Future Saviour of Ayashi} {Destroyer of Gumashi Lake}
Ooh, looks like there are new words?
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
...
Teh, Destroyer of Gumashi Lake!?
What the hell is this!?
And what's with the new skills!?
Did I kill a lot of fishes by sucking the lake dry? Poor fishies. Oh wait, by the looks of it, those fishes might not be ordinary, since I received new skills. Thank god.
But, how did I even get those skills? It is not like I have a skill that steals other skills right?
Looks like I need to investigate myself further.
I appraised my race, Yggdrasil again.
Yggdrasil
The most powerful and holy tree in Ayashi. Only one exists in every millennium.
Race skills have been unlocked due to the increase in experience points.
Race skills: [Assimilation]
Ooh, more words appeared. Is it because I am level 79? Wait, was that level thing there in the first place?
Race skills? It must be because I killed a ton of those monsters. Let's see what does this skill do.
[Assimilation] Absorbs any living thing that has become deceased, as long as the body is not decayed. Skills from the deceased are absorbed into one of your own.
Gomenasai, common sense. Don't die on me.
This skill is actually overpowered.
What have you done Aria? You had created a monster.
Moving on, I am now level 79. If my gaming sense is still working, by killing those fishe...erm fish-like monsters, I would receive experience points which allows me to level up.
Would I rank up from a sapling if I killed more monsters until my level reaches 100?
In that case, I should migrate away from this place, as there are no signs of life in this place anymore.
However, I don't think I will be able to move far from here considering my time limit.
It looks like I will have to slowly get out of this place bit by bit and hunt for other monsters.
With the current skills at hand, I can apparently use [Sea of Knowledge] to gather and store information on any monster I see, something similar to a monster glossary.
When I killed the fish-like monsters, my glossary was updated for unknown reasons.
Is [Assimilation] connected with [Sea of Knowledge]? It probably is, otherwise there is no explanation for receiving data on the monsters I killed.
This is the glossary currently.
Barrier Fish
A fish which generates a barrier around it to protect itself.
Skills: [Underwater] | [Barrier]
Kremlin
A small sea creature the size of a pebble, mostly harmless unless provoked.
Skills: [Underwater] | [Bite]
Poison Puffer
A blowfish which attacks and defends with its poison fangs, which can grow on any part of its body.
Skills: [Underwater] | [Poison Fang]
Yabai. If I were attacked by any of these, I'm sure I'll be dead in an instant.
Why? Because I hate pain.
My immunity to pain is near to zero.
I remembered the time when I stubbed my toe on the dining table and I had stayed in bed because I almost fainted from the pain.
*Ahem*, moving on.
I realised that [Warlord King] and [Speed Breaker] can be used together in combat.
With [Speed Breaker], I can move behind the enemy's blind spot. At the same time, with [Warlord King], I can punch or kick them away. Although I have not tested this method of fighting yet, I am confident with my skills. It may be because of my athletical body.
When I was young, I loved to move about. Since I loved nature from young, going outdoors to play with other people was the meta. Although I only ever played with one person, as the town I lived in was quite rural. However, I moved away with my parents because we can't afford the expensive rent anymore, at least the me at that time thought so. It was the last time I saw that person. Maybe that was their intention, so that I would not be distracted from 'studying' so that I can 'become a doctor'.
That person always played with me whenever I was in the playground. Although that person was stronger in brain power, that person still enjoyed the time with me. Such good memories.
Putting my life story aside, I can't seem to find a good use for [Soul Seeker].
What am I supposed to do with this? It's not like I can find a soul or spirit to talk to right?
Hang on, what about the monsters which I killed? Maybe I can talk to one of them.
I invoked [Soul Seeker] in my mind.
Suddenly, many white balls appeared floating above the lake.
Wow, so this is what [Soul Seeker] does.
I guess that those white balls are the souls of the monsters I killed.
On second thought, I do not feel like talking to them, since I'm the one responsible for their deaths.
Hmm? There is a blue one among them.
Looks like it's different from the rest. Let's try talking to it.
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"Can you hear me, Kakuto?"
In the 82nd ward of Koumai Hospital, Professor Kugarashi is currently attending to Kagumina Kakuto.
After a week has passed since the incident in Kakuto's home, he was hospitalized and received therapy from multiple doctors, as his current mental condition was labelled as unstable.
Doctors had diagnosed him to be in a state of shock due to the sudden intruders and the fact that he had killed them, causing mental trauma.
Of course, because they have no idea that a tree would kill the men, he was a criminal suspect and the police had been on standby until he recovers from his illness for trial, as they had thought he was the one who had killed them.
However, Professor Kugarashi had other opinions.
What if there was a foreign entity which had caused this to happen? The killer should not have been him, as he did not have any tools he could have used to kill the men in the first place.
The doctors were annoyed at her attitude towards Kakuto. Thus, it was decided that she would take care of Kakuto until he was able to communicate properly.
Kakuto's parents were not worried about him, but rather they were shocked that the money tree has somehow disappeared from the garden.
They suspected Kakuto had something to do with it, and wanted to demand it's whereabouts from him.
However, Professor Kugarashi had kept declining their request to see Kakuto, as he was not in a good condition for interrogation.
"As usual, no reaction huh."
It has been a month since the incident, and Kakuto's condition has only improved minutely.
The things she noticed about Kakuto was that he only drank water and ate food with sugar.
Anything other than that was looking at the sun directly and sleeping whenever the sun was not exposed on his body
The only thing that changed was Kakuto glancing a few times at Professor Kugarashi.
She thought it was sign that Kakuto was starting to return to normal, thus it had motivated her to do her best in bringing Kakuto back from his current state.
Besides, it is what a childhood friend would do for someone she had loved.
"Kakuto, please come back."