Chapter 4

Chapter 4 – Excited Body and Spirit

Hoho, this skill…

After enjoying his fill of wyvern meat, the behemoth checked up on the «Status» displayed in his vision.

His information is as follows.

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Name: None

Race: Behemoth (Infant)

Inherent Skills: «Elemental Howl», «Skill Predation», «Elemental Tailblade»

Predated Skills: «Storage», «Poison Fang», «Flight»

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«Elemental Tailblade» in the inherent skills, and «Flight» under the predated skills.

I can guess «Flight» is probably the skill I absorbed from the wyvern, but… what the hell is this «Elemental Tailblade»?

So far, the skills he got from other monsters were all classified as predated, but he acquired a new inherent skill with it.

The behemoth’s tail curled up into a question mark.

The question was natural. Humans and monsters have different ecologies, after all. So what just happened? That’ll take a bit of explaining regarding the differences between monsters and humans.

Human race skills are divided into two categories. The first is inherent, or inborn skills. The second is learned from a magic item that contains the knowledge of a skill, called a “scroll”. Exceptions exist, but they’re exceptions for a reason.

Following that, monster skills are also divided into two categories. First, like humans, they have inherent skills. The other is learned by collecting experience. Unlike humans, monsters are always flirting with death, so they can raise their abilities and learn new skills without the need for magical items.

However, a monster’s skills have rules and limitations depending on the monster. If there are any exceptions, probably the only one is the behemoth and its inherent «Skill Predation».

Eh, whatever. Let’s just try this stuff out. I’ll start with «Flight»…

「Nyan («Flight»)!」

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The behemoth gave off a cute cry to cast the new skill. With it, a pair of jet black reptilian wings appeared from the orange patterns on his back.

I get it! I know how to use these babies!

When the wings popped out of his back, something clicked in the behemoth’s mind. His instincts already knew exactly how to fly. A loud “BWOOSH” accompanied the spread of his wings. He shifted forward, and kicked off the hard stone floor.

It worked.

A vague floating sensation dominated his tiny form, he felt a rush like never before. He was flying with a splendid glee.

How refreshing…! And it’s faint, but I can feel mana circulating around my body, too.

The behemoth noticed it when he took his first turn. It was wind element magic he was passively producing in flight.

It appeared his newly-gained «Flight» skill didn’t necessarily require the wings to fly. «Flight» also regulated the air around him, giving him some temperature and wind resistance in addition to mobility.

The behemoth was still an infant. Maybe if he were an adult his wings would be bigger and tougher, but as he was now they weren’t much to write home about. They were really just for show at this point.

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Nevertheless, this skill is pretty great. With this I could probably even take on that golem with «Elemental Howl»…

He couldn’t help thinking about it. As long as he had a mobility skill like this, he could increase the range of «Elemental Howl», and fire it from the skies without needing to take a risky approach.

At least, that’s what he wanted to think. Unfortunately, «Elemental Howl» is a mid-range skill, and drops off in effectiveness at longer distances. No staying safe for this kitty.

Can’t be helped. Let’s try out the other new one.

Be they human or monster, it’s important to know when to give up. Resigned, the behemoth slowly descended to the ground. As he cancelled out his «Flight» skill, his jet black wings vanished as well.

It’s called «Elemental Tailblade». Does it work the same way as «Elemental Howl»…? Yep, seems like I’m right.

The instant the behemoth invoked his new skill, the display confirmed his suspicions.

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«Elemental Tailblade»: «Flame Edge», «Water Edge», «Aether Edge», «Rock Edge»

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It showed a list of derivative skills in his status menu, proving how similar its function was to «Elemental Howl».

Jackpot!

「Nyan («Flame Edge»)!」

The behemoth let off a lively cry, and the next moment his tail was set on fire. Or, to be more accurate, it was wrapped in fire. And as he pictured it, the flames converged into the shape of a brilliant red sword.

This is… This reminds me of “Magic Sword”! And it looks about… two meters long.

Magic Sword—aptly named, by the way—is a skill that can create swords of each element, much like the one the behemoth just made.

Strictly speaking, though, Magic Sword is a 100% magic skill. The «Elemental Tailblade» the behemoth used isn’t purely magic, so they’re not exactly the same.

He shook his tail around a bit to test the sword.

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How about this?

From a single swing, the searing red blade cleaved the air and left a blazing heat in its wake. The behemoth blinked a few times to make sure he wasn’t going crazy.

This kind of speed—and all I did was swipe my tail around a little…

When he was a knight, his sword skill was excellent even among his peers. The way he felt swinging his tail now was so much like his old self.

Okay, it was slightly different, using his butt and all instead of arms. Overall it wasn’t surprising that he found it so easy to pick up. He was able to use his new skill like a sword from his previous life.

In fact, maybe it was even better. «Elemental Tailblade» made a weapon out of his actual body, and his tail could be manipulated into all different kinds of angles. A really user-friendly skill, he thought.

And that’s not all. This skill isn’t like «Elemental Howl», which needs charging, and the gap in casting speed is huge. Not only that, but it’s not a projectile. I can keep it active as long as I want; I can even use other skills without cancelling it.

Keheh… This is the perfect skill for a former swordsman like me to show his full potential!

A sword to which he can entrust his life— Even if his body was that of a monster’s… No. It’s because he was in this body.

The knight blood coursing through the behemoth’s veins was boiling with excitement.