How To Suck Honey With Extras [EN]: Chapter 197

219. Ashilla Krelbelt (2)

After working tirelessly for two full days, I finally managed to create the medicine.

The elixir, ‘Pixie’s Blessing,’ is complete.

“It looks perfect.”

I gazed at the finished product on the table, offering my leisurely assessment.

A round, red pill rested on a clean piece of paper.

This is exactly the medicine I wanted.

“The efficacy will be certain. It’s been a while since I made one, but it turned out well. I guess this old man’s skills haven’t rusted yet.”

Elmerot looked visibly tired from the all-nighter, but his tone held a hint of pride.

“A masterpiece after all this time.”

“Thank you so much, Elder Elmerot.”

“Hmph, it doesn’t matter. I’ve already received my payment.”

He chuckled, shaking the red liquid remaining in the bottle, about a third full.

“I’ll take this as promised.”

“Yes. As promised, I will give you that blood as payment.”

He wouldn’t have any reason to covet gold coins now.

If he needed money, he could easily coax and swindle foolish nobles. There are plenty of fools in the world.

That’s why I decided to hand over the remaining dragon blood as payment.

It’s a reasonable price to pay if it means I can get this medicine.

“Then I’ll take a little rest… It’s too much for me to stay up all night after all this time.”

“What are you saying? You’re only young in body.”

Even after taking an elixir that makes you young.

“…You don’t understand. It’s only the appearance. The inside is no different from anyone else’s.”

With that, he went to rest, seemingly unconcerned about whether I took the completed medicine or not.

It’s an attitude that shows trust and pride in the medicine he made.

He’s confident that there won’t be any side effects, even if there were only a one-in-a-million chance.

I don’t have the luxury of just admiring the medicine either.

I swallowed hard once and immediately picked up the pill and put it in my mouth.

“…But should I chew this? Or can I just swallow it whole?”

I thought I should break it up a bit, so I chewed it with my molars [back teeth].

“Ugh… So bitter…”

The bitterness, enough to chase away sleep, spread to the back of my throat and stung.

It’s enough to bring tears to my eyes.

It’s a waste, so I’ll be careful not to throw up, even if it’s just in case.

After I barely swallowed all the medicine.

A few minutes later.

“Oh!”

As expected, the mental resistance effect occurred.

It’s not just a resistance level, but a characteristic in itself.

It’s an effect that literally changes my constitution.

‘With this, I won’t be fooled by troublesome illusions, even when fighting next time…’

Not just that executive.

It will be helpful in the battles that will take place later.

Ailen will not be deceived anymore.

In addition, I decided to acquire an ability that would exert excellent power in battle with wizards by consuming points.

It is an ability with a slightly unique use.

For now, it is a power belonging to the bloodline ability category.

However, it is not an intuitive and highly applicable ability like space control or gravity control.

It is also an ability that ranks low among bloodline abilities.

However, depending on how it is used, it can have advantages in battle with wizards.

Well, let’s explain the details after I get it.

After checking the message, I activated the ability to confirm acquisition.

Then a semi-transparent chest appeared in the air.

“…I got it properly.”

I nodded in satisfaction.

However, all I’ve done now is summon that chest.

It has no meaning as it is. There is no attack power.

When I tried throwing a stone, it just passed through.

‘Well… this is a conditional activation ability.’

Its power could be immense depending on how it’s used, or it might have no effect at all.

That’s why learning it wasn’t a priority among the abilities.

‘……Is there no place to test this out?’

I want to test it as soon as possible.

‘Ah, come to think of it, there *was* that place, wasn’t there?’

It’s not like there’s nowhere at all.

I looked up.

* * *

To test the acquired ability, I went up to the upper levels of the ruin tower.

[You know, Aileon? No matter how I think about it, I want to stop you. It’s dangerous up here.]

As I ascended to the upper levels, Ashilla appeared, hovering around the back of my head and trying to dissuade me.

Is that ghost bored?

I don’t know what she usually does. Sometimes she doesn’t show her face at all, and other times she follows me around all day.

[I don’t know what you want to do, but it’s dangerous to wander around recklessly.]

“I know. That’s what I’m hoping for.”

[Are you a pervert?]

“No, I’m not!”

Apparently, the upper levels of the ruin tower have traps and annoying weapons that Ashilla genuinely set up to guard this place when she was alive.

[There are guardians that I set up half as a joke when I was alive. The ones on the lower levels are broken and hardly work, but most of the ones on the upper levels are intact.]

“No, don’t set up things like that as a joke. It’s a nuisance to your descendants.”

[I didn’t think my descendants would enter someone else’s house without permission!]

In particular, the few that she made with sincerity were especially dangerous.

They apparently have considerable physical and magical resistance and can even use magic attacks.

Hearing that, I thought they were perfect targets.

Good for testing the new ability I got.

“I’ll just test it out and leave right away.”

[Don’t blame me if something goes wrong?]

As I waited in a suitable place, perhaps it recognized me, a heavy sound echoed.

A giant suit of armor with six arms is approaching this way.

It doesn’t speak, but its purpose is conveyed.

It’s telling me to get lost.

Ashilla shook her head and stepped back as if she really didn’t know me.

“Now…… try attacking, tin can.”

I lightly fired a water arrow to test it out, and it hit the guardian’s body.

However, it doesn’t dent.

Its durability is quite something.

And as if to repay the attack just now, the guardian’s eyes flashed.

The six arms twitched and stretched towards me.

Kugugugung!

A feeling of rapidly rising mana pressure resonated intensely, and it emitted a beam of compressed mana.

Almost a beam cannon?

‘If I get hit by that properly, even *I* would be in trouble.’

Of course, I can block it or avoid it.

But my purpose now is to test the newly acquired ability.

I stood still and activated the ability.

“Lamassu’s Chest.”

To consciously activate the ability intensely, I muttered in as clear words as possible and drew up the power.

“Chest, come forth.”

A semi-transparent chest was summoned before my eyes.

The chest opens its lid as if it were opening its mouth to match the incoming barrage.

Soon, the mana barrage is sucked into the chest without a break.

‘Hmm…… it’s harder to use than I thought…….’

The chest creaks, and a strange pain is felt.

I have to endure.

It’s meaningless if I lose focus and fail to receive it.

As the chest absorbed all the attacks, the lid closed.

Then a change occurred.

The color of the chest changed as if it were burning bright red.

“Oh…… it’s charged all at once.”

Then I can activate it right away.

Pajijit!

The chest, which had swallowed a lot of mana, scattered as if it were breaking.

And the fragments flew towards me as they were.

It’s okay. It doesn’t hurt.

I repeated this in my mind and accepted the fragments.

I’m overflowing with power.

The absorbed mana—I made it all my power.

This is the first way to use the ability.

Although temporary, all stats except Spirit Power have increased dramatically.

Among conditional activation abilities, it is a top-tier buff.

That is the purpose of this chest.

The first stage is simple activation, summoning a box with no abilities.

The second stage allows the box to contain all kinds of magic attacks.

However, physical attacks are meaningless; it only contains attacks originating from mana, including magic, spirit magic, and the like.

And the third stage.

It absorbs and converts the contained mana, using it as power to strengthen myself.

There is one more way to use it, but usually, people just activate it to this point and use it as a buff.

[I feel like I’ve seen that somewhere before… Isn’t that an ability for hunting mages?]

“Oh? Did you know about it?”

I heard Ashilla, who was watching from behind, muttering blankly.

[Back in the day, someone who picked a fight with me had a few abilities like that.]

Come to think of it, there was a setting that most bloodline abilities were developed during her lifetime.

It’s not strange that she’s seen it before.

[If my memory serves me right, that was originally made as a countermeasure against mages… probably.]

Judging by her frowning, she doesn’t have good memories of it.

Anyway, if it remains in her memory, it must be a good ability.

‘It’s tricky to use, but if activation is successful, it becomes a great power.’

However, to use it, you have to be clever.

Against monsters, you can just hold this out, and they’ll pour attacks on it.

But in a battle against humans, they won’t be fooled if you openly say, ‘Please put your attacks in here!’

‘Let’s think about how to use it later.’

Should I test the enhanced power first?

I summon Undine again to spout water.

“Undine! Spit it out as sharply as possible!”

At my signal, Undine creates and shoots out water.

A stream of water as thick as my head instantly pierces through the Guardian’s armor plate and extends far beyond.

Powerful.

It felt like it penetrated to the end of the relic tower.

This is the power exerted through the enhanced magic power alone.

Furthermore, I can unleash even stronger destructive power if I’m determined.

‘Then how much have my physical abilities improved?’

I lightly jumped as a test.

“…Huh?”

The view suddenly soared forward.

I jumped faster than I thought.

I grazed the target as it was and crashed into the wrong wall.

It doesn’t hurt, but it’s strangely embarrassing.

“Oops… I made a mistake.”

[What are you doing?]

“My stats were too excessively enhanced, so I couldn’t control it.”

I realized that my physical abilities had increased too much, and I misjudged my senses.

As expected, I still lack the knack for moving my body.

‘This time, carefully…’

I consciously control all the characteristics I have that help me move my body smoothly, and I meticulously adjust the use of my body.

I have to pay attention to each one.

Like when controlling mana, I mobilize every muscle to quickly and consciously control it in a short time.

Ppat!

Once again, I kicked off the ground and jumped.

This time, I don’t miss.

The rapidly accelerating sensation and distance quickly narrow, giving the illusion that the enemy is expanding.

Don’t be afraid.

I muttered that and drew my sword, swinging it down.

Rather than cutting, it felt like I was putting all my strength and acceleration into smashing it.

Pakang!

The sound of metal breaking rang out, and the upper body of the armor, torn off as if ripped, flew through the air and tumbled as it was.

[Wow… that’s really barbaric.]

“Wow!”

My hand hurts a little, but the feeling isn’t bad at all.

‘At this rate, even if I lack skill, I can overwhelm most opponents with power…’

It’s true that I lack skill and don’t have time to hone it.

So, the right answer is to keep increasing my power and overwhelm them.

I lack skill? Just increase the power.

‘I’ve confirmed enough for now…’

I’ve made the preparations I can, so let’s move on to the next action.

Now it’s time to get the magic book in earnest.

I glanced at the back.

I pretended not to notice Ashilla’s gaze, which was sending a meaningful look from behind.