Leaving the forest, Ray and Vihela, and Seto and one land not far away.
　Originally, it was necessary to evacuate monsters and carnivores gathered in the blood of Warwolf and Cyclops, so if you keep a certain distance from the forest, you don't need to leave anymore.
　Rather than that, learning skills by absorbing magical stones was now paramount.
　Arriving on the scenic meadow, Ray and his colleagues immediately remove the magical stone from the mystery ring when they see no monsters around them.
　There are two magical stones of Warwolf and two magical stones of Warwolf Leader. There are four magical stones in total.
　This was my first encounter with Warwolf, and I have yet to absorb either of them.

(Well, my face is a wolf and my body is a man. If you think about it that way, it's not impossible to think of it as a superior kind of covolt.)

　Not like the goblin leader, goblin maige, goblin general, goblin king... but like the monsters that change the species itself: the hobgoblin, the auger.
　However, Ray understands in his life as an adventurer that it is dangerous to judge everything only by the appearance of a monster.

"Well, then, shall we finish absorbing the magic stone.
"Grull!"

　Seto sings happily at Ray's words, and Vihela looks at him with interest, though not in words.
　Acquisition of skills by absorbing magical stones, which can be said to be the true culmination of the art of the beast.
　While you can't hear the message that resonates with your mind, the sight of Takum learning new skills still stimulates Vihela's curiosity.
　With Viehra's gaze on him, Ray first pulls out the Wahulf magic stone.
　Rather than Worf Leader's magic stone, which can be said to be the main dish of magic stone this time, it seems to be an appetizer.
　...it's not a mistake, in fact, as Ray feels the same way.

"Well, first of all... well," Let's take a look at it from a set. Set!"

　With the words, Warwolf's magical stones are thrown into the air.
　Seto catches it beautifully and swallows it.

[Seto learned the skill of 'Rising sense of smell Lv.3']

　an announcement message running through one's mind

"... isn't that strange, considering the word Warwolf?"

　Ray is a little disappointed because he always thinks he's going to learn offensive skills in the offensive line.
　But, if you think about it, Warwolf had a wolf's head, so it was only natural that he had a keen sense of smell.

"Ray, what skills did you learn?"
"It's an increased sense of smell. ... After all, it's a good skill to use. It was a different skill than I expected."

　Seto's increased sense of smell has helped Ray many times.
　With that in mind, it's not a skill you can never use.
　Still, it was disappointing for Ray that his skills were different from what he had expected.

"Guru..."

　Seto also chants regretfully, perhaps because he is different from what he expected.
　Ley opens his mouth, patting lightly to encourage his depressed set.

"Come on, don't be depressed," Luck is always an important factor in mastering skills."

　I didn't know exactly whether luck really had anything to do with it, but to Ray's eyes, which has absorbed many magical stones, luck still seems to have a major element.
　At Ray's words, Seto says in an attitude, "Do you think so?"
　Rey nods back at Seto's appearance and throws a magical stone into the air with Death Size in her hand, saying it's her turn.
　A huge blade of death size flashed, and the next moment the magical stone was cut in half...

【Death Size: Acquired Penetrate Lv.

　Such an announcement message passes through my mind.

"...penetrate?"

　The skill is to wind up a death-size stonemate to increase the force of the thrust.
　There's no problem in itself.
　No, it's a satisfactory skill in terms of usability.
　However, it is also true that the skills of Warwolf and Penetrate are not linked.
　Explaining the effectiveness of the penetrate, Vihela nods convincingly.

"Maybe Ray didn't use Wahulf, who was fighting against me, but there was an individual who used his fingernails to thrust, right?"
"... oh, I think I should have said that."

　Vihela's words remind me of the battle, and when I think of it, I think of it.
　When the thrust was used, he struck a blow and killed Warwolf a little over the counter before it hit him.
　If you think about it that way, it doesn't have to be very impressive.

"Why don't you give it a try?" -- just a little further away."

　Tell them so, and when they confirm that Seto and Vihela are separated, they activate their skills while holding their own death sizes.

"Penetrate!"

　A thrust using a death-size stonemate released with skill is released in the wind.
　As Ray had expected, the wind around the death size had clearly increased compared to before the sorcerer was absorbed.
　That's probably the effect of getting to the next level.

"Oh, now that you look at it, you can see the effect with your eyes."

　Vichela's mouth sheds an admiring voice when she sees a death-size figure.
　Besides being impressed at the same time, there are also some colors that I envy.
　It was envious to Vihela that she could easily strengthen her skills by absorbing magical stones.
　It is impossible to absorb the magical stones received from people, and there is a limitation that you have to fight with monsters with magical stones, but the conditions are met just by delivering a final blow, just like you did to Warwolf Leader.
　If you think so, it's definitely not a strict restriction.

(The art of the beast...) You can only do it once in a lifetime. if anything, this is the strictest restriction.)

　I'd like to try it myself some day. In front of Vihela, who feels this way, Ray sets about his next preparation.
　Yes, the main dish this time is Warwolf Leader's absorption of magical stones.
　With the magical stone in hand, which is clearly bigger than Warwolf's, Ray calls out to Seto as usual.

"Set!"

　The castaway Worwolf Leader's magical stone enters Sett's mouth as easily as before.

[Seto learned the skill of Poison Claw Lv.5]

　And the announcement message that plays in my mind.
　What surprised Ray when he heard it was that his poisonous nails had reached level five.

"All right!"

　Knowing from his experience that level five will transform his skills, Ray says, without thinking.
　There was a question as to whether they were poisonous nails, but there was also the feeling that a Warwolf leader could attack them with poisonous nails.

"You seem to have acquired a very strong skill, haven't you?"
"Oh, they're poisonous nails. No, it wasn't that powerful if it was just skills, but it was Set's first skill over Level 5. And if you get to level five..."

　It's much more powerful.
　Vishela, who was briefed about flying, understands why Ray was happy.
　At the same time, however, there was a question as to whether Sett's skill as a poisonous nail would fit him.
　そんなヴィヘラの様子を見ていたレイだったが、似合わないスキルを習得するといった行為は今までにも幾つもある.
　それこそ、光学迷彩や王の威圧といったスキルはセトの性格を考えるとあまり似合ってはいないだろう.

（セトの性格じゃなくてグリフォンという風に考えれば、そんなに不思議じゃないんだけどな）

「グルゥ？」

　レイとヴィヘラのやり取りを不安に思ったのか、セトが喉を鳴らす.
　どうしたの？　といったことを感じさせるセトの鳴き声は、とてもではないが王の威圧のようなスキルを使うように見えない.

「いや、何でもない. それより、ちょっと毒の爪を使ってくれるか？」
「グルゥ……」

　レイの言葉に、セトは少し離れていく.
　その姿が多少なりとも寂しそうに見えるのは、レイやヴィヘラの気のせいだけではないだろう.

（この件が終わったら、しっかりとセトを愛でる必要があるだろうな）

　セトの様子を見ながらレイがそう考えていると、レイやヴィヘラに被害が及ばないと思われる場所まで移動すると、気分を切り替えるように高く鳴く.

「グルルルルルルゥ！」

　その声と共に毒の爪のスキルが発動したのだろう. セトの前足から出ている爪が毒々しい紫へと変わる.
　液体になって地面に滴り落ちたりしないのは、せめてもの救いだろうか.

「……グルゥ？」

　そうして毒の爪を発動してから、攻撃するべき対象がいないことに気が付いたのだろう. セトが困惑したように周囲を見回し……やがて円らな瞳をレイへと向けてくる.
　どうすればいいの？　と、そう視線で問い掛けてくるセトに、レイもまたしまったといった表情を浮かべていた.
　毒の爪がレベル五になったことを喜んだのはいいのだが、そのせいで少し舞い上がっていたというのも間違いのない事実だった為だ.

「あ－、そうだな……ほら、あそこに岩があるだろ？　あの岩にちょっと攻撃してみてくれるか？」

　少し……セトが走れば一分も掛からない場所に存在している、高さ二m程の岩を示してレイが告げる.
　セトは若干戸惑った様子だったが、自分でも毒の爪の効果を見る必要はあると判断したのだろう. そのまま地面を走って移動し……その速度を活かしたまま跳躍すると、一気に岩へと向かって紫色に染まった爪を振り下ろす.
　セトの膂力によるものなのか、岩はひとたまりもなく砕け散る.

「ねぇ、レイ. ……ふと思ったんだけど、毒ってくらいだから生き物に対してじゃなきゃ効果がないんじゃない？」
「……そうだな」

　岩を攻撃するようにセトに言ったレイだったが、よく考えれば無機物に対して毒で攻撃しても、効果があるのかないのかははっきりと理解出来なくて当然だろう.
　これが何らかのモンスターであれば、毒によって苦しんだりする様子から効果が発揮されているというのを確認出来るのだが.

「グルゥ……」

　残念そうな表情を浮かべながら戻ってきたセトに、レイは謝罪の意味も込めてそっと頭を撫でる.
　そんな行為だけであっさりと気分がよくなったセトは、上機嫌に喉を鳴らしながらもっともっととレイに頭を擦りつけてきた.

「ほら、あまりじゃれつくなって. それより、最後は俺の分か」

　レイが真面目な様子になったのを理解したのだろう. セトはそっとレイから離れていく.
　ヴィヘラも、毒の爪の件はひとまず置いておき、レイが……正確にはデスサイズがどのようなスキルを習得出来るのか、期待の視線を浮かべていた.
　そんな一人と一匹の視線を向けられたまま、レイはワーウルフリーダーの魔石を空中へと放り投げ……次の瞬間、デスサイズを振るう.
　一閃されて魔石が切断され……

【デスサイズは『多連斬　Lv.一』のスキルを習得した】

　そんなアナウンスメッセージが流れる.

「多連斬？　……新しいスキルだし、スキル名から考えると恐らく連続攻撃系のスキルか？」
「何？　その多連斬というのは新しいスキルなの？」

　鋭くレイの呟きを聞き取ったヴィヘラの言葉に、レイは頷きを返す.

「ああ. 久しぶりに新しいスキルを習得出来た. ……その名前から大体の効果は予想出来るけど、取りあえず試してみるか. 少し離れてくれ」

　レイの言葉に、ヴィヘラとセトはそれぞれ距離を取る.
　全く新しいスキルだけに、どんな効果のスキルなのか全く分からない.
　それだけに、レイが多少なりとも慎重になってもおかしくはなかった.
　そうして周囲が安全だと確認したところで、レイはデスサイズを振るう.

「多連斬!」

　その言葉と共に振るわれた一撃は……傍目に見る限りでは、特に何かがあったかのようにも見えない.

「……うん？　どうなってるんだ？」

　今までスキルを習得しても、そのスキルが全く効果を発揮しなかったということはなかった.
　いやあっても、それは何らかの条件が整っていないということであり、習得したスキルが無意味だということは一切ない.
　だとすれば……と、レイは周囲を見回し、特に標的になるようなゴブリンのようなモンスターや、少し前まで戦っていたワーウルフといったモンスターがどこにもおらず、岩もセトの一撃で壊れて仕舞っている.
　いっそ林に戻って木に対して攻撃するかとも思ったが、ふと地面を見て思いつく.
　別にスキルをするだけなら、地面に対して行ってもいいのではないか、と.

「……やってみるか. 多連斬！」

　地面へと向かって振るわれたデスサイズの一撃.
　デスサイズの刃が地面を一m程斬り裂くと……デスサイズの刃のすぐ隣に、全く同じような傷痕が残っていたのだった.