I cut down a tree, and make a long box like a coffin.
In it, I put a gray staff, grab the flower vase from Hinata, infuse it with magic energy, and pour light water.
Once the box is full, I wait a bit, and the water turns pure black.
I overturn the box to empty it, and fill it with water again.
What am I doing? Making it so the staff used by the oni is usable.
I don’t know if the oni was using it or if the staff was the main body, but I really want to use this staff that’s tough enough to clash against the longsword that I lost.
Nanashi disappeared, and took the longsword with him. My weapon.
That guy ripped me off!
My fighting power has halved because of it, and my plans to escape the forest are at a standstill.
The monsters that normally appear in the forest aren’t a problem, but the ones that appear when the world becomes monochrome are a different story.
It’s not like I can’t fight them, but I need Amadachi to put them down. If I don’t use it, there’s a high chance they’ll recover.
And so, I need a weapon that can withstand Amadachi, and lost the only one that could.
That will put me in battles that go on forever because I can’t win or lose.
That’s why I’m trying to use the staff, the only weapon that could go against the longsword. It might withstand Amadachi too.
You could say I should look for Nanashi if I need it that badly, but of course I did.
Fuuma and I split up to look for him right after he disappeared, but sadly, there’s no sign of him.
I thought monsters might have gotten him, but I trained him.
Even if he didn’t win, he should be able to run and survive. So he’s alive for sure.
I say that with confidence, but the reality is that I haven’t found him.
I decided to return to the mansion because it would be a waste of time to keep looking, and Hinata was pretty depressed, because they got along.
It shouldn’t be lonely because it has Totaro, but it came running when it saw us. It was probably pretty worried. Maybe thinking we were gone too.
This kid’s spirit is still young.
It makes sense for a kid, but it’s too weak to survive The Abyss.
I’ve decided to take it to the surface with me.
It has wings and can’t talk like people, but let’s think about that when we get there. If it gets down to it, I’ll ask Ai.
If I form a contract with Honto, they should at least do something about Hinata.
If that doesn’t work out, I’ll live in the dungeon.
I’m doing that now anyway. There’s an abandoned village on the thirty-first floor. And the monsters are way weaker, so they’re not a threat.
No problem, it should be fine.
And yet, I can’t help but worry for some reason.
◇ ◇ ◇
I’m still filling the box.
It gets painted black every time, and I feel like something evil is washing away.
As if to prove it, the color of the gray staff is getting closer to wooden brown.
This staff has a will of its own.
Is it the staff, is it the oni? I don’t know, but when I grab it, it’s like thoughts trying to take over me are sent here.
Uwa, I threw it in the Storage Space, but Totaro said it would be fine if I soaked it in light water, so I decided to test it.
I’ve done it over a hundred times, but I still feel those thoughts rushing in. It’s not close to over yet.
And so, I’ve been practicing while it soaks. Not swinging my sword, but making one.
Not with Earth Magic either. I tried that quite a while back, and I don’t feel like I can make something on the level of what I already have.
The shape is there, but they don’t work as well as the real thing.
So what am I making? Amadachi.
That sounds like nonsense, but the silver-haired guy created a short sword by focusing magic energy.
The power focused in it was immense, on a whole other level compared to my Amadachi. Maybe that’s the peak of Amadachi.
I might be able to take down something crazy like a kaiju with that.
That would make it so there was nothing scary left in The Abyss. I need to work hard to learn it.
With that in mind, I focus magic energy on my palm.
I picture a sword, close my eyes, and use Magic Energy Control.
It can be something small if it’s concentrated. That’s easy to picture, and I can compress magic energy.
I keep spending magic energy, and make a shapeless lump. It changes into a sword, but I don’t have enough magic energy. Even with Magic Energy Circulation.
Just how much does that silver-haired guy have to make this?
I open my eyes and look at the magic energy in my hand.
It’s faint, but it’s magic energy in the shape of a greatsword.
…Hn?
Hey, I pictured a short sword, why did it take the form of a greatsword?
Do I have to compress it here?
In any case, I don’t have enough magic energy, so I’ll have to try after I recover.
I take a break, resting while using Magic Energy Circulation.
Hinata has its hand stretched, gathering magic energy like me.
“Kyumu~.”
But it soon runs out of it and collapses.
Fuuma floats it with wind and puts it on its back. Rest there, is what it’s saying.
Hinata is limp without magic energy, but it’s been growing like crazy recently. It might be Nanashi’s influence too, but its skill with the short sword and magic energy control reached a different level.
If it keeps going like this, Hinata will be able to use Amadachi too.
That might mean it can survive in The Abyss.
Not that it will matter unless it can get food and other basic necessities, so I need to teach it about that.
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