My body’s doing really well today, probably because I kept fighting yesterday.
I thought I’d be feeling tired and unwell, but it’s actually the opposite.
Maybe it’s because I copied the weapon store owner’s breathing technique.
I learned his moves yesterday too, but also a unique breathing technique.
I realized during the fight that my handling of my weapons isn’t even close to his, so I used Parallel Thinking to trace it, and noticed he kept taking short deep breaths.
I copied it and swung my sword, and noticed each attack was sharper with more power behind it. Not that they hit anyway, but it was shocking how much of a difference breathing can make.
Will I become stronger if I learn how to breathe that way in my daily life?
I get ready to go to the dungeon, and get on the train.
My breathing is still constantly on my mind.
“Mommy, that guy keeps going ahh ahh.”
“Don’t look at him!”
There’s someone weird like that on the train? It might be a pervert. I’ll say something.
I look around, but there are only women and old men here. I’m the only one the kid could be calling a guy.
So the kid’s misunderstanding?
I stay quiet, change trains, and breathe normally.
◇ ◇ ◇
The thirty-first floor.
I put on the guardian beast armor, say ‘equip’, and it fits itself to my body.
After moving around a bit, I don’t feel there’s anything off, and it doesn’t hinder my moves. I liked the design of the magic mirror armor more, but this one’s cool too. It’s like something a European knight would wear.
It’d be perfect if I had a horse.
So let’s try summoning it.
That armored hobgoblin was riding a horse, but normally there aren’t any in the dungeon. The closest are horse type monsters.
So was the hobgoblin riding a monster? No. That horse was summoned through the guardian beast armor.
“Summon.”
I say as I raise my hand, and feel magic energy leaving me.
So it needs magic energy to use its ability like the magic mirror armor.
A magic circle activates, shines, and a horse appears.
Will it ask me if I’m its master? That’d be exciting, but I wouldn’t ask for that much.
So please, can you change it?
A horse is summoned.
It’s certainly a horse, but it’s small. One of those they call miniature horses.
And it looks a bit round too.
Is it fat? Is it not eating healthy despite being a horse?
It said the summoned horse would suit the one who summoned it, but then should it be a thoroughbred army horse.
That would suit a manly man like me. One like the armored hobgoblin was riding.
Should I send it back?
I ask myself, infuse magic energy to send it away, but feel resistance.
Hn? Hnn? I do it again, and it doesn’t leave.
I look at the horse, and it looks like it’s trying its best to resist.
No no, why are you doing that?
I’m the summoner, I told you to go back, so go back.
I infuse even more, like I’m forcibly telling it to obey me, but it still resists.
How stubborn are you? I’m getting annoyed.
This battle continues until it neighs and charges at me.
It’s too sudden for me to deal with it, so it hits me in the stomach, I bend over, and I’m thrown far back.
That was a bigger impact than I expected. I fall and throw up.
I’m on all fours, and when I look at the horse, it snorts and kicks the ground to charge at me again.
Wait wait! Wait!
I’m not sending you back! You can stay!
Just calm down!
I try my best to pacify it, and it stops like it’s calmer.
What’s with you?
Aren’t summoned beasts supposed to obey the summoner?
The one the armored hobgoblin rode was an army horse, but it obeyed. Why are you all rebellious, nag?
I stagger to my feet, take the helmet out of the Storage Space, put it on, and walk away from the nag.
I’m staying the night here, so this will be my last exploration of the year. I don’t have time to waste here.
The horse? It can do what it wants. There’s plenty of grass here, so it won’t starve. Do summoned beasts even get hungry?
Geez, my plans are ruined.
I thought I’d get on the horse and make my way through the dungeon faster, but this is what I get.
I use magic energy to see if I can summon another one, but there’s no response. I guess it’s limited to one.
I trudge through the dungeon with low morale, and hear hooves behind me.
I turn around, and see the horse is following me. It then turns away.
What?
I ask, but it’s still looking away.
I start walking again, and hear hooves again.
I turn around again, and it turns away again.
I keep staring, but it doesn’t look at me.
I start walking again, and hear hooves again.
I turn around again, and it turns away again.
I run to try and shake it off, but even after using Physical Strengthening, I just hear the hoof sounds get faster.
I’m not losing!!
All of a sudden this is a race, and I run fast. But my human legs can’t beat four horse legs, so it passes me and keeps running.
I curse to myself, compose my breathing, but then I hear hooves next to me and feel something tapping my leg.
I look to the side, and see it looking at me like it’s praising me. Like it’s saying it was a good effort.
I think this is where we might finally see eye-to-eye.
I laugh, praise the horse, and infuse magic energy to send it back.
It tackles me again, and I’m sent flying again.
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