Chapter 2: [Storage] Skill, Proficiency: 9999/9999 Part 1
I arrived early this morning to gather medicinal herbs for my quest in the hills behind town.
The birds’ chirps and the fresh air made me happy.
“Haaa~ It’s a beautiful day once more.”
This old man squints as he gathers herbs and places them in his item box using his [storage] skill. He’s been doing it for years.
So much time has passed that I’m no longer myself.
The [Storage] skill’s limits aren’t quite in the blue yet.
Tina has been fantastic since then. She went to the royal capital to take up an office and achieved a lot of success.
She rose up in the ranks and was eventually adopted by the king, who didn’t have any children because of her accomplishment.
So here in the kingdom of Lasia, Queen Martina was born.
Queen Tina has won many battles against the demon armies, which are getting more and more active, and she has kept her kingdom and people safe.
She has been dubbed the greatest king in the Kingdom of Lacia’s history.
She recently abdicated the throne to an adopted prince for health reasons.
Adopted, indeed. Tina is still unmarried.
Even now, quests with this old man’s name and the name of an unknown client come to the Adventurers’ Guild all the time.
They are simple jobs like carrying loads and gathering herbs for medicine, so they don’t need to be anonymous.
This old man is treated as such so that he does not lose his job (quest) and does not go hungry.
for the sake of the development of [storage] skill.
Tina has probably been giving me work in secret.
If Tina would do that much for this old man, he could not give up.
We’ve come this far, and we’re not going back.
Now, it is a contest of whether this old man dies first or his [storage] skill proficiency reaches its limit.
“This stone is out of the way.”
and to move the stones out of the way so that the medicinal herbs could be picked.
[Stone]
Storage Status Bonus:
Arm Strength +1 (Max: 150)
“Huh? What the hell…?!”
Suddenly, information that I’ve never seen before enters my mind.
Tilting my head, I call up the list of item boxes.
“Inspect the item box’s contents.”
[Item box usage]
Percentage: 1/100%.
List of Items:
Stone: 1
Medicinal plants: 10
Status Bonus:
Arm Strength +1
Strength +１０
“Status Bonus?!”
Until now, no information about status bonuses was available.
Is this…?! Is it possible that something has changed in the [storage] skill?!
Is it possible that I’ve finally reached the blue limit?!
“Take out the herb!”
My hand now contains the herb I just picked.
[Herb]
Storage Status Bonus:
Strength +1 (Upper limit: 100)
I see that the medicinal herb status bonus is Strength +1.
I got physical strength +10 because there were ten of them…?
There is a cap. Does this mean the status bonus goes up to 100?
“Y-Yes―!”
I gather up all the herbs and stones I can find.
And―
Percentage: 1/100%
List of Items:
Stones: 160
Herbs: 122
Status Bonus:
Arm strength: 150
Physical strength: 100
It appears that no matter how many items are collected, the maximum value of an item is never exceeded.
But it’s sufficient. 150 of ‘arm strength’ should be many times that of an average person.
“Let’s give it a shot!”
Clench your fists―and punch the trunk of a nearby tree.
Goh!
Fists roar in the wind. And then―.
Bakiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!
The tree snaps with a loud crack and falls, leaving a massive cloud of dust and smoke in its wake.
“O-OoooHH?!”
This is not possible. This is something I could never have done before.
It’s like I really have +150 arm strength.
The information regarding the status bonus is true!
“This old man is?! Is this possible?!”
To put it another way. I mean―.
For 60 years, I struggled with my [storage] skill.
Finally, I felt as if I could see the light ahead of me.
It’s shining.
“Hmm? Did I just see something shining?”
It’s not all in my head. There was, in fact, a shine.
“…?!”
A skeletonized figure lies beside the downed tree.
The pendant around his neck glittered.
“I’ve never seen anything like this before… It must have gotten stuck in the tree.”
This old man looks down at the pendant, which stands out.
[Martial artist’s pendant]
When stored, it can use the special “Ki-bullet” function.
“You can use that skill?!?”
Only those with [Martial Arts] or [Martial Artist] skills can learn the special skill ‘Ki-bullet.’
It’s an excellent technique for converting life energy into destructive power and then firing it.
And now this old man is able to use it…?!
I bowed to the skeleton and tucked the pendant away.
“Now I can use Ki-bullet,’ Hmm? Are these bird feathers?”
There are numerous bird feathers all over the corpse.
[Deathcocktrice’s Feathers]
Storage Status Bonus:
Agility +3 (upper limit: 180)
“Deathcocktrice…?!
They are a superior species of cockatrice, a human-eating bird demon.
It’s such a dangerous demon that even S-rank adventurers can’t afford to relax their guard.
Even in the guild to which this old man has always belonged, it is only defeated once every few years or so, and the corpse is undoubtedly that of a poor man who fell victim to the Deathcocktrice.
It’s been nesting here…?!
The sooner you get away before it comes back, the better!
But it was too late; a dark shadow appeared over this old man’s head.
GyaaGyaaGyaaGyaa!
When I look up, I see a vicious Deathcocktrice staring at this old man.
It is very upset because its nest has been destroyed.
Deathcocktrices are the type of foe that any ordinary adventurer would have to flee from if they ever encountered them.
This old man is not even average; he has been a humble adventurer for the past 60 years.
“Uh … No, but! “
“There’s ‘Ki-bullet’ technique!”
GyaaGyaaGyaaGyaaaaaaaaa!
The Deathcocktrice, on the other hand, is far more agile than this old man.
It spins around at the back and flaps its wings furiously.
Then, like an arrow, a slew of feathers shoots from its body.
Deathcocktrice’s feather blizzard!
These feathers contain a powerful poison that, if grazed, can kill a person in minutes.
That’s how Deathcocktrice got its name.
“Oh my god! Sorry Tina, this old man is finished…!”
However… Then something odd happened.
The deathcocktrice’s special feather blizzard distorted and vanished just before it touched this old man.
It’s like when you put an item in the [Storage] ―?
Percentage: 1/100%.
Item list :
Stones: 160
Herbs: 122
Deathcocktrice Feathers: 62
Status Bonus :
Arm Strength: 150
Physical strength: 100
Agility: 180
Information flowing through my head.
“Huh …?! I ‘stored’ the attack?!”
Moreover, my status has been improved!
GyaaGyaaGyaa!
The Feather Blizzard was released once more.
“!”
This time I can see it clearly!
It appears to be much slower than before.
All of the feathers’ trajectories are clearly visible to me.
“Huh!”
Sha-sha-sha!
I avoid the attack by taking small steps and eventually slipping past it.
Gagya?!
The Deathcocktrice comes to a halt and turns its head, as if startled.
This old man was taken aback. Is this the power of increased agility?!
“What the hell is this movement? Is this the old man?!”
My arm hurts! I guess I can’t beat old age.
“But… I have a fighting chance!”
Fighting through the pain, this old man fights back.
I’ve seen people shoot this many times.
You concentrate on the image of extending outward from the Deathcocktrice in the air as you point your palm toward it.
You will begin to feel warm, and a light will appear.
―I’m ready!
“Ki-bullet!”
Gyaaaaaaaaaa!
A golden ki-bullet rushes toward the Deathcocktrice, striking it square in the face!
Gaaaaaaaahn?!
The Deathcocktrice crashed to the ground, spewing smoke from its entire body.
It twitches and spasms before stopping.
It does not appear to rise.
“I-I did it?! This old man beat the Deathcocktrice…?!?”
I still can’t believe it.
As unbelievable as it may appear, this is an undeniable reality.
because my back continues to throb.
“Anyway, I’ll bring it back and have my skills appraised…!”
60 years of dedication
This old man felt something beginning to change.
And I’m excited beyond my years.
I haven’t felt this way since I was 15, before I discovered my skills.
