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 141: The White Weasel 2

Episode 152: The White Weasel 2

“([Compact Thrust], [Compact Whip]!)”

I swung two red whips and two serpent spears, a total of four weapons, simultaneously. The icy ground was still shaking, and the White Weasel had no room to dodge. It was partly due to the tremors.

“Kikiki…!”

However, the White Weasel enlarged its ice scythe, standing on two legs to block my [Weapon Skills]. At the same time, magic bullets rained down from the sky. While their power had significantly diminished, my Calamity Beast defense skill could easily block them. But the White Weasel was too preoccupied fending off my weapons to deal with the magic attack.

Guided by [Lock-On Aim], a cascade of light engulfed the White Weasel.

“Kikiiii!?”

“([Cursed Bindings]!)”

Despite having its fur ripped away by the magic bullets, the White Weasel desperately held its massive ice scythe. I extended my body, now transformed into a whip-like shape, and wrapped around it. As I coiled, the [Cursed Bindings] activated.

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~Skill Details~

[Cursed Bindings] 

• • • • • • • • Boosts restraining power during capture. Lowers the target’s |Stats| when captured.

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This enhanced version of the [Strangle] skill. It weakens the enemy once they’re ensnared. Though it’s usually nullified by |Resist|, it’s more than enough as an added bonus while restraining them.

As the White Weasel began to defend itself against the magic bullets by summoning an ice shield, it was clear that I had the advantage now.

“([Lightning Strike]!)”

“Gigiigiii!”

Electricity surged through the White Weasel’s body. The attack didn’t end there; flashes of lightning illuminated the area repeatedly. Even a Calamity Beast couldn’t handle the continuous shocks, and its muscles began to spasm, slightly loosening the grip on its ice scythe.

“Kiiieee!”

I pushed aside the ice scythe and wrapped my red whips and serpent spears around the White Weasel. Then, I released my imitation form. The two weapons returned to my invincible body, eliminating almost any chance of escape.

“(Sorry, but you’ll be staying a little longer. [Thunderstorm Rich Harvest – Minori no Jingi]!)”

I struck the White Weasel, now unable to flee, with deadly lightning again and again. Of course, it fought back by spewing blizzards, firing wind blades, and even sending avalanches from the sky. However, it succumbed to the restraints before it could break free.

―――Non-Notification Information Recording Zone―――――――――――――

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>> The Far-Off Radiance of the Luminous Sapphire Ring (?), Fuwa Katsu’s Soul Accumulation Level has increased to 448.

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With a final tremble, the White Weasel’s body went limp. The surface of its massive ice scythe shattered, revealing its original, smaller form. It seemed that rather than enlarging the scythe, it had been covering it by generating additional ice. The broken ice might still be useful, so I decided to take it.

Soon after, an unprecedented surge of power flowed through me.

“(Whoa, my <Level> just shot up by more than a hundred! I feel like I could do anything right now!)”

Although, it’s just a feeling. I probably still wouldn’t stand a chance against the highest beings like Karkinos or the Beast Kings. There’s no time to bask in this moment of omnipotence. I need to eat, craft weapons, and aim towards the “Polar King”.

“([Intensified Warfare]… Hmm, nothing too special except for the ice scythe.)”

After analyzing the White Weasel’s remains, that was my conclusion. The fur’s insulation properties were top-notch, so I could make a broad shield out of it.

“(Now, the real question is, what kind of weapon should I make from this scythe?)”

Since the White Weasel was small, its materials were pretty modest in size. Its combat style was likely focused on speed and agility.

“(I could extend the blade using the shattered ice, but that would compromise its quality…)”

The extra ice blades, likely created by a skill, were inferior to the original ice scythe in every way. That’s probably why the White Weasel primarily used the original scythe for its attacks.

“(Even though freezing attacks aren’t too effective against the beasts around here, the scythe still has high performance. I want to make it into something practical… Oh, I got it!)”

As my mind whirled with ideas, an inspiration hit me. I immediately started modifying the White Weasel’s ice scythes using [Weapon Crafter].

“(I’ll do this here… weave it in like this… and done!)”

The result was an ice chain scythe. I hadn’t used one in a while. But back in my [Grand Beast] days, I frequently wielded chain scythes. That’s where I got the idea. The chain part was made from the extra ice.

To enhance durability and allow the chain to extend, I incorporated some extremely tough metal I had obtained from a mine.

The blade was slightly larger than the original because I combined the two scythe blades into one. Although the blade’s width increased more near the base, it didn’t exactly double the length. Still, it was far better than leaving it as it was.

As for the final touches, I didn’t enhance the freezing effect, instead focusing all the weapon’s resources on improving its base performance. I’ll probably be able to find similar freezing-effect materials in this Great Magical Wilderness later on, so it made more sense to make this weapon capable of taking down the next Calamity Beast a bit faster.

“(Phew, that was satisfying… Oh, right. I can’t forget to collect this either. [Yin and Yang Wisdom].)”

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~Skill Details~

[Yin and Yang Wisdom] 

• • • • • • • • Permanently boosts the effect of analysis-related [Skills]. When |Life| is below its maximum, boosts thought speed according to the reduction amount. Can store nearby artifacts or Mana Crystals in an alternate space.

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Simply put, [Yin and Yang Wisdom] is like a Mana Crystal version of the [Weapon Storage] skill. Using it, I gathered the necrotic cells generated during the battle. While these cells had lost their Mana Crystal properties, when exposed to the power of [Glittering Factory], they transformed into top-grade Mana Crystals. 

Even decayed remnants of a Calamity Beast still had their worth. And since they originated from my own body, the power of my [Glittering Factory] penetrated them quickly, which was a nice bonus. This process wouldn’t go as smoothly with other Calamity Beasts.

“(Alright, time to set off!)”

And with that, I took to the skies. There’s no time for long breaks if I want to continue hunting Calamity Beasts—and ultimately, the Beast King. As the White Weasel’s [Dominion] faded and the blizzard weakened, I soared over the snowy plains, ready for the next challenge.