Taking a Step Back

Walking down the dark cavern walls, I think about my next move.

First, the bird species that I saw earlier is much stronger than I thought. They were extremely proficient in using 「Conjuration」 to manipulate the air and fly despite the lack of wind. If I was going to face them I would need to be more proficient in using mana and learn to use 「Conjuration」. 「Conjuration」 involves using mana to produce miracles on the surroundings, like manipulating the earth or changing the flow of water. This seemed to be the magic that the goblin mage specialized in, using the surrounding stones as bullets and flying spears. 「Reinforcement」, meanwhile, is the opposite. The magic involves manipulating mana from outside and inside your body to enhance the performance of the desired target. In my case, my most successful use of this is my only spell. I open up my status.

「Name: Nameless

       Race: Unknown

       Level: 17

   Strength: E-

        Agility: E+

Endurance: E++

         Mana: D--

 Attributes: Absorption, Assimilation

Titles: Night Crawler, Lady Killer, Survivor, Executioner

Skills: Instinct Lv.2, Night Vision Lv.3, Light Weakness Lv.3, Cold Resistance Lv.2, Charm Resistance Lv.2

Magic: Conjuration, Reinforcement, Horizon Oath」

There it was. My one and only spell. It was this very spell that let me use my abilities to the fullest extent. The spell cleared my head – though not entirely – and enhanced my senses to it's fullest extent. Though it had a fatal flaw. With every nerve in my body being activated at an extremely higher rate than usual, my pain receptors were also overworking itself to better enhance my senses. Though I didn't have the best understanding when it came to stuff such as this, nevertheless, this was the conclusion I came to.

I knew that pain and reward were something very close to each other. Sacrificing things in order to better raise your chances at getting the desired result was not unfamiliar to me.

In the past, I would often use those around me. Provoking and manipulating those that I deemed useful. Though I was nowhere near the level of those stuck-up novel officials and nobles who always though of themselves as better than everybody else. I still thought that I was at least competent enough to know what is a scheme and what wasn't.

Going back on topic, I considered my second conundrum. The runaway knight and the magic staff.

No matter how I thought about it, this was nothing but trouble. While the knight didn't pose any particular danger now that I had awakened to magic, the thought of somebody holding such a heavy grudge against me did.

Nothing is scarier than a man with a grudge

The thought echoed in my head. I knew many people from my past life who succumbed and embodied their grudges. The hatred and humiliation that they felt served as fuel to their motivation. This – along with a lot of luck – was one of the situations that I feared the most.

I knew that letting him go was a mistake

I was distracted and fatigued, so I didn't bother chasing after him. The thought infuriated me. Not at the knight who run away, no, but rather myself. To think that I would let such things cloud my mind from making the correct decisions. How very careless of me.

Lastly, there was the orcs. I didn't know much about them other than their huge frame and a glimpse of their societal structure. This meant I was going to have to do some more recon.

Without stupidly exposing myself this time

Looking back at my previous blunder really made me think about some things. Ever since killing that Night Beast, I couldn't help but consider the change I had gone through since arriving in this world. The more I won  and absorbed other's skills, the more I got full of myself. My previous mistake is a precedent of this. Being overconfident in my ability to hide and tail from a distance despite my past experiences disproving this was nothing short of embarrassing.

I was overconfident and suffered for it, is really the only way I can describe it

I let out a long sigh. I still had a long way to go if I was going to be any match to anybody here. Still, there was no other way.

「Skill 'Instinct' is warning you」

Unsheathing the silver sword from my back, I place it in-front of myself. At the same time, a loud screech resounded from the general vicinity of where I pointed my sword.

I guess I'll just have to make do with you guys first