‘However, I have heard not heard of suchjob as Poison Earth.’
Is that right?
I mean, I’veplayed a few videogames before, but that’s a job t.i.tle I’m not familiar with.
‘Aye. To my knowledge, “Earth” is a firstjob for humans. Once a certain level and conditions are fulfilled, you willadvance to a second job.’
So, Earths arefirst jobs.
Might be pretty similarto the jobs that frequently appear in MMOs.
Like how you’dgo from novice to warrior, mage, priest, or ranger.
But the stupid “Poison” bit has really caught my attention.
“Poison” is just poison, right?
Besides SpiritLink, other usable skills that I have are Poison Absorption (Weak) and PoisonRelease.
If “Earth” means“human” in this world, then what am I? A poisonous person?
Why the h.e.l.lpoison? What, am I toxic or something? I’ve never even trolled or griefed before.
‘Aye… perhaps it is due to my influence.’
“What do youmean?”
I inquired Veno.
He replied ina slightly troubled tone.
‘It is because I was born apoison-type dragon.’
There are lotsof different types of dragons too, huh?
It’s not exactlyrare to find dragons described as red, blue, white, or black either.
In this case,would he be green? It would be quite kinda tricky to put him in a game.
Because I’mlinked with him, I’m a poison human… a Poison Earth.
Is this aneffect of Forced Possession Summoning?
Hmm? Hey, didn’tI see you breathe fire and cast lightning?
‘If I had used my most powerful magic,there would be nothing but death for my opponents. It would be more troublesomethat way. Rarely do I use poison now.’
Ah. He had beenholding back in the fight so that he wouldn’t kill anyone.
He would ratherlet them go rather than to deal them serious damage.
‘The swamp that you fell into was a poisonousswamp. That would be the reason why the girl gave you an antidote, is it not?’
That’s right,isn’t it?
It must’ve beenbecause I was in the poison that I was feeling great.
Maybe it wasactually dangerous though. Who knows.
I don’t know,but it doesn’t seem like a pleasant job cla.s.s.
How do you putit? It just doesn’t seem like it’s very strong and it doesn’t seem like it’llget stronger either.
From what I’veexperienced in JRPGs, poison is never useful in a big battle.
Most bosses areresistant or immune to poison, so it never does anything.
‘That is not true. Do not make light ofpoison.’
That’s onlybecause you’re on the boss monster’s side.
In a JRPG, it’snot very effective on your opponent but super effective on you. That kind of bulls.h.i.thappens all the time.
‘Aye, then you are wondering what youshould do?’
… in a placewithout computers, there’s not much an SE can do.
No, there’spractically nothing I can do.
Like I saidearly, the life I lived was far removed from things like combat or exercise.
If you thinkabout it normally, you can’t level up your job unless you actually use itspowers.
“Well, not muchof a choice but to use my job, huh?”
The problem ishow much power does a Poison Earth have.
They had toresort to Forced Possession Summoning—an outrageous measure, might I add—todefeat Veno. What if I had picked up some of his powers too? Maybe I could use itto my favour as well.
But honestly speaking, in JRPGs,abnormal statuses are usually bad news for the player. But in Western games,that’s not always the case.
It depends on the game too, but I’ve completely shutout a last boss before with poison and paralysis.
But who knowswhich one it is in this alternate world. Might be possible too that neither istrue.
Whichever it isthough, I’ve got to know what a Poison Earth can do in order to survive fromnow on.
To go down thelist, Spirit Link is probably a skill related to Veno.
‘Yes, that is perhaps correct. It is mostlikely that you were forced to learn the skill because of your link withme.’
Can skills beactivated by focusing on the desired outcome?
‘Ah, there too exists skills that have tobe acquired through proper training.’
Seems like thereare learned skills as well.
While thinking about nothing in particular, I focused on Spirit Link to try to activate the skill.
… nothing especially seemed to happen.
‘I believe the ability to communicate through ourthoughts while linked together is the desired effect of Spirit Link.’
So that meansit’s a pa.s.sive skill.
Alright, next upis Poison Absorption (Weak).
I try to focuson it, but there weren’t any changes.
‘Certainly, you realize that I waswatching when this skill activated.’
What? When wasthat?
‘It was when you fell into the poisonousswamp and was floating on your back. You seemed to be in great comfort if I amnot mistaken.’
… must’ve beenright before Arleaf saved me, when I was still half-asleep.
It was becauseof this skill that I felt fantastic, like I was soaking in an onsen.
That justdoesn’t sit well with me though.
I guess itdoes exactly what it says on thetin and absorbs poison…
Next up isPoison Release.
I focus on itand then get the feeling that words lit up.
Swamp Toxin
Some other iconappeared.
… guess I’lljust select “confirm”.
Two lumps ofpurple liquid were created in my palms as soon as I did that.
‘Hmm… you are able to attack with thetoxins you had absorbed. It would appear that you are able to castbeginner-level poison magic.’
Do I sling thisat my opponent? Hmm… might have lucked out getting magical abilities.
But I’m not really excited or anything about being able to use magic so easily.
‘Oh, but it is not magic. You will need learnquite difficult spells to cast magic. I shall offer you the chance to learn.First, you have to—’
Veno conveniently draws these charts and formulas inmy field of vision, but it doesn’t get through to me.
Ugh, it hurts to f.u.c.kin’ look at. Show it to me later!
‘Hmm… as onewould expect, the translation skill does not activate for matters like this. Ata later time, then, I shall simplify it for you so that even you can understandit.’
Though it’s so that I can survive, to so kindly andthoroughly teach me would be a great help… but that’s not the problem.
‘I have time tospare for I am currently merely watching. Would it not be fine for me to killtime this way?’
He has the nerve to be so carefree…
I thought it’d be cool to ride a dragon into battle,but right now, it seems like it’s the other way around. Feels like he’s a dragonriding on my shoulders, ordering me what to do.
‘Is there somereason that you should be making fun me?’
I’m having a conversation with dragon in my head who’snothing but talk.
‘Scoundrel! Howdare you ridicule me?’
And that’s why I’m not scared. He gets all thirsty forblood but I don’t see him making a single attack at me.
But still, it’d be a pain if he keeps getting p.i.s.sedoff like this. Literally and figuratively.
‘It seems like wehave been sidetracked. You were wanting to begin with confirming of what youare capable, correct?’
We’ve pretty much wrapped up with this confirmation,haven’t we?
To be frank, I don’t think I have what’s needed to dowhat Veno wants—defeating a monster and levelling up.
Firstly, I don’t have any weapons or armor. Secondly,food.
Moreover, I’m feeling kinda hungry but I don’t haveany of this world’s currency.
How the h.e.l.l am I supposed to live like this?
… speaking of money, Arleaf told me to go to the townhall.
There might be a way to earn money there.
‘Aye. If it islike how it is in the past, there is a chance that something like a bulletinboard with methods of acquiring money existing. You should try going there.Perhaps it is that building.’
With that said, we left the square and headed towardsthe rather large building that looks different than the houses around it.
The building is deserted, but there’s a bulletin board bythe entrance.
I’ll just check it out first.
Though I’ve never seen this writing before, it’stranslated in a way so that even I understand.
No, maybe it would be more accurate to say the meaninggets transmitted into my head.
However the translation may work, I can a.s.sume it’sthanks to Veno that it does.
It would be absolutely tragic if I came to this worldand didn’t understand anything said or written.
It’s easy to see if you think of the situation when Iwas saved by Arleaf.
After being spoken to in a language I’ve never heardbefore, I was fed some mysterious medicine.
Then she was pointing and gesturing, somehow trying tofigure out my condition. Even with all that said and done, I get to the villageand kept hearing a dragon’s voice in my head.
… yup. If you think of it like that, you could sayI’ve been blessed.
‘You brood uponstrange thoughts. Well, at least you are giving me thanks.’
Oh, think about it the other way.
Imagine if the Forced Possession Summoning transferredyour magic to me too.
‘What?! To havemy feats and prowess stolen by humans?! Take your words back at once!’
Right?! It’s more convenient for me this way!
‘To dare steal mypowers is but villainy! Remember that!’
I go to take a gander at the bulletin board while Ibrush off Veno’s rage.
Generally, most of the posts are calls for a.s.sistanceand trade requests.
I wonder if there’s a specific time to post. Itdoesn’t seem like you can just stick a note up whenever you want.
Oh, there’s a request with a recommended level foradventurers.
Defeat tiger plants growing in the plains
Recommended: four or more party members; basic job lv 20 or higher
There are a few posts like that printed on the board.
However, for a lv 1 novice like me, it’s not a jobthat I can handle.
‘About thatcommission you are currently reading, it seems like the reason why no one hasaccepted it is because the reward is not befitting the work.’
Half of this stuff is pretty simple to understand, butit’s mixed in with requests that seem closer to scams
It’s not too much different than back home, huh?
h.e.l.l, this town hall is less of an adventurers’ guildand more of a public employment service center.
Like, this is all day labor work postings.
Guildhalls in tabletop RPGs and videogames are alwaysso grand and full of adventurous spirit, but right now, the romance is witheringaway in front of me.
Is it really like this in reality?
Or is it only because this village is so dead thatthis place looks shabby?
… I feel like this’ll have do since I’m pressed fortime.
But usually I’ll need to present a license orsomething for this.
‘Are you perhapsspeaking of adventurer registration? That is performed at the church. You willalso need to be put through something called a baptism.’
At the church?
‘If possible, Isuggest you to avoid using the church. They pose quite a danger.’
Yeah, I hear religions can be dangerous sometimes.
Is it because the guys who tried to kill you were fromthe church?
‘They werecrusaders of a chivalric order sent by the kingdom. They’re related to thechurch, I suppose.’
I see. That’s what he means by dangerous.
‘About the jobson the bulletin board… I suggest the request that is by your right-hand.’
I read the writing on the request that Veno suggested.
Harvest marphina
Recommended: poison-curing magic; lv 25 or higher
It seems like I would be rewarded for each gram ofmarphina collected.
The requester is this village’s tool dealer andapothecary.
It says harvest, so it’s a plant, right?
But since I’m not at the recommended level yet, wouldn’tthis be really tough for me?
‘What are you saying?If my memory serves me right, this plant grows in the poisonous swamp that—as iffalling in were not enough already—you were swimming in? You are able to absorb poison, correct?’
Ah. I just have to go back the way Arleaf showed me,eh?
What’s more, I don’t even need any purification magic,thanks to my Poison Absorption (Weak).
Normally one would need an antidote, but it might notbe worth it to use one just to do this request.
This request would only be worth it for those who can castmagic that cures poison—that way, it would cost nothing.
The recommended level of 25 might indicate howdifficult it is.
Maybe you can only cure the poison at that level.
In any case, Poison Absorption (Weak) can likelyhandle it somehow.
This might just turn out to be an easy job.
I wonder if Arleaf harvests like this too.
Previously: /ch004/