Banished from the herd, I was actually a member of a very rare species. ~With the unique skills that only I can use, I can grow and evolve quickly. I will become an unrivaled monster~ - Episode 75: [Conduction]/[Lightning Strike]

Episode 75: [Conduction]/[Lightning Strike]

“([Conduction], [Charged Slash]!)”

“““…Gii!?”””

I kicked off the slope using forest chains, darting forward at a speed that wasn’t just a gust of wind, but more like purple lightning. With a single slash as I passed by, the beasts along my path were sliced clean in half, top to bottom.

Grinding to a halt on the rocky slope, I reverted the mimicked poison sword back to my original body and absorbed the corpses behind me.

“(Phew, that’s about it for now.)”

It’s been about a month since I realized the true power of my [Unique Skill]. While continuing my mining work, I’ve been studying and figuring out its properties. I’ve mostly grasped the basics.

First, the duration of the effect. When used on living things, it lasts about five minutes. On weapons, it lasts a bit longer. However, this doesn’t explain why the orchard had such an abnormal harvest. I can’t imagine that reinforcing the ground for just five or ten minutes would result in such a drastic increase in yield. 

Maybe the effect lasts longer on the ground, or perhaps the ‘maximize harvest yield’ ability was applied. Or maybe there’s a completely different reason… no point overthinking it now.

“(Oh, the effect wore off.)”

While climbing the mine, I noticed the effect had ended. My body felt heavier—my |Power| had dropped. When using [Conduction], all of my [Stats], including |Resist|, get a boost. Though I can’t tell exactly, it seems to be about a 10–20% increase.

When applied to objects, it not only boosts durability and sharpness but also strengthens special effects.

“(—And here we go again, more Steel Ants.)”

I grumbled inwardly as I spotted new enemies. This time, it was steel-armored ants. Ever since I entered the Grand Beast Region, I’d been encountering them frequently. I had just taken down some earlier.

Unlike regular ants that tend to move in large groups, these beasts travel in smaller packs of about five and roam the mines, searching for rocks rich in |Mana|.

“(Is there a nest nearby or something…?)”

Pondering this, I shifted my focus to the battle. Despite the size difference, the Ants charged at me without hesitation. For Grand Beasts, they were surprisingly fast. 

After a brief consideration, I decided to fight them using [Lightning Strike]. Their numbers and speed would make them good practice for hitting moving targets.

“(Alright, focus, focus… Time to narrow it down—)”

Speaking of [Conduction], there’s one thing that disappointed me: I realized there’s a restriction when using it against earth-based beasts. While I had avoided using it on them due to its lack of power, not being able to use it at all feels different. In battle, anything can happen, and having an additional offensive option is always an advantage.

That’s why I searched for a way around this, and the solution I found was “narrowing”. The hint came from how I manipulate [Dominion]. Just as I can narrow the area of effect of [Dominion], I can focus the target of [Conduction]. Instead of lightning that strengthens earth types, I concentrated the effect into pure lightning without any reinforcement properties.

“(—[Lightning Strike], Sixfold!)”

I unleashed six lightning bolts simultaneously. Each bolt targeted a different Steel Ant, hitting them with precision. After using the [Skill] daily for some time now, the speed of my lightning strikes has improved significantly. No Grand Beast could dodge at this velocity.

“““Gigi…”””

The steel exoskeleton of the Ants had properties similar to iron, making them highly conductive. However, that didn’t matter—the lightning tore through their bodies regardless. 

Though the strike resembled natural lightning, it wasn’t exactly the same. If it were, it would go straight to the ground instead of forward. My lightning possesses strong directional control and enough physical force to penetrate the armor of a Grand Beast.

““Gachikachi…””

“(Ah, I messed up the control.)”

Four of the six Steel Ants were brought to the brink of death, but two remained standing, their speed surpassing what they had before. It was clear that [Conduction] had taken effect on them.

“(As expected, controlling the effect on multiple targets lowers the success rate. The power seemed slightly weaker too.)”

The steel exoskeleton may have reduced the damage somewhat. But no matter how focused the lightning is, it’s hard to completely negate the impact. There’s still room for improvement in my lightning manipulation.

““Gadji!””

The Ants charged toward me, deploying floating iron shields. I’d seen this [Skill] before; it’s decently sturdy. Though the user’s vision gets obstructed, it also cuts off the enemy’s line of sight, which could be a tactical advantage depending on how it’s used.

“(Well, in this case, they’re out of luck. [Lightning Strike], Curved Path.)”

I fired two bolts of lightning upward, curving them in an arc to strike the ants from above. I’ve practiced altering the trajectory since my days in the forest, so there’s no chance of messing this up. And with [Clairvoyance], I can see right through their shields and won’t miss my mark.

The shields disappeared, and the two Ants collapsed to the ground.

“(Narrow it down. [Lightning Strike], Sixfold.)”

I finished them off with another six-strike attack, ensuring the entire group was completely wiped out.

By the way, the enhancement from [Conduction] doesn’t stack. That’s why I didn’t use the narrowing effect during the curved trajectory strike. It’s partly because managing both at the same time is pretty tricky.

“(Ants aren’t really useful for weapons…)”

Since it felt wasteful to just discard them, I absorbed the ants using [Decomposition Liquid]. They had a slightly sour taste, but since they contained a lot of |Mana|, they actually tasted pretty good.

“(Time to get back to mining.)”

I had used up the |Mana| from [Storage], so I resumed mining without relying on it. Mimicking a chain shovel, I drove it into a nearby spot. 

Over the past month, my mining skills had improved drastically. I could now dig through the mountain with perfect efficiency, wasting no movement. Sharpening my senses to detect any trace of |Mana|, I made sure not to miss any magical minerals as I dug, dug, dug, dug, dug—

“(Huh?)”

—then came a sensation of floating. 

I had broken through a thin rock wall and, with too much momentum, plunged into a hollow space.