A year went by....
　I was growing every day.
　My poorly built chest plate had grown 1.5 times thicker.
　Even my arms, which used to look like dead wood, were gaining muscle and visibly thicker.
　He was also taller and weighed more.

　Lacer Singh Stark had changed so much that just by walking through the village, the lords would look at him and say, "Whoa.

　It was a form of daily strength training that paid off.
　These days, he could even do farm work without using magic.

　It's not just about muscle strength and physique.
　The amount of magic power that can be stored in the body and vice versa has also increased.
　I can only feel this area by feel, but it should probably be at the level of a D-class [Mage (Wizard)].

　As usual, I try to go to the farmland.
　The conversations of the lords made my earbuds shake.

''Last year was so easy to spend last year.''

''Oh.... We didn't see any demonic beasts either. It's a good thing there were no deaths.

　It's no wonder there are no magical beasts in the woods.
　That's because I've been taking out every single hexenbiest that comes into the forest.
　Thanks to this, I've been steadily gaining experience in battle.

　It seems that the population of magical beasts has been declining for the past 300 years.
　In the past, if you entered the forest, it was full of goblins and slimes.
　However, nowadays, it's difficult to find even those.

　The reason why the number of magical beasts is decreasing is probably the lack of magic element (mana), the source of magical power.

　Compared to the old Galveer, the amount of magical elements in the atmosphere is a little less.
　To a hexenbiest, magical elements are what humans call "air".
　The fact that it is on the decline is a matter of life and death for them.
　This is probably the reason why Ikak Tiger's physique is smaller than I know, and the amount of magic in the ground is low.

　Whether this has something to do with the demise of the demon race is unknown.
　However, those guys were skilled in magic techniques that used magick.
　It's not unrelated.

　It's also a problem for me.
　I can't accumulate any skill points at all.
　The only way to do this is to earn them is by defeating magical beasts.
　However, the points I can get from low grade monsters are a drop in the bucket.
　A lot of things had happened in the past year, and the 10,000 skill points I had left were empty.

　As it is now, it's hard to call it a universal job.
　If he couldn't gain the skills, it would be a treasure.

　Gaining points was the most recent issue.
　But..........
　I had already found the optimal solution.

　Farming is over.
　I immediately went into the forest.
　I ran deeper and deeper into the forest.
　When I got so deep into the woods that even the local hunters wouldn't step in, I stopped.

　What appeared in front of him was a cave.
　Probably not even the territorial residents know about it.

　It's pitch black inside.
　Visibility is poor, and it's quiet.
　I couldn't even hear a bat's voice.
　Just the smell of animals and a chilly coldness licked my skin.

　I activate the magic of 【Searcher(Seeker)】 【Might Light】.
　The magic light immediately illuminated the surroundings.
　I proceeded on the slippery foothold with familiar movements.
　Eventually, a ward appeared.

　I put up a warding.

　After passing through it.....
　The thing that appeared was a magical beast.
　A tiger with sharp horns on its head.
　It's the same species as the narwhal tiger I slaughtered a year ago.

　Three of them........

　They were lying in the dark cave, breathing low and asleep.

　I deliberately make a noise.
　One narwhal tiger rises.
　It bellowed sharply.
　Then the other two animals also got up, looked at me and threatened.

　I do some light preparatory exercises in front of the demonic beasts.

　[Strengthen Muscle Mass], and also activate the magic of [Blacksmith (Blacksmith)] - [Hardening].
　My clenched fist became as hard as steel.

　I've already graduated to bow and arrow.
　My fist is enough to deal with these guys.

''Now, let's start today's actual battle training, Potty 68, 67, 69.

　I call the narwhal tigers by number.

　Illuminated by the [Bright Light] light, me and the three narwhal tigers confronted each other.

　The demonic beasts are gradually closing in on us.
　I guess it's called wild intuition.
　No matter how you look at them, they look like children.
　And yet, the narwhal tiger was clearly wary of them.

　The monster beast recognizes my strength.
　That's a welcome thing, but it's a bit stubborn.

　I'll let you go first........

　I activate 【Mage (Wizard)】's 【Gust of Wind】 with the sole of my foot.
　With an explosive propulsion force, I jumped out.
　In addition, 【Warrior (Warrior)】 【Strengthen Body Core】 to stabilize my stance.

　In one fell swoop, I dove into the bosom of the demonic beast.

''Gawd...!

　The narwhal tiger was surprised.
　No wonder.
　It must not have been in sight at all.
　To the demon beast, it must have looked like I had disappeared.

''Gaaaaaaaaaah!

　He raised his claws in a panic.

　I reacted, but it was too late.
　By the time I sneak into the Ikak Tiger's bosom, it's ready to attack.
　I activate my Kyuukku magic.
　I activated 【Gust of Wind】 as best I could with the sole of my foot.
　As if to match it, I unleash my right fist, drawn out like a bow, towards the ceiling.

　Gufu!

　There was a dull sound.
　It was the sound of a child's small hand cracking the skull of a demonic beast.
　Blood gushed from his mouth and nose.
　A cracked jawbone pierced the brain's marrow.
　White-eyed, the narcissistic tiger fell down with a thud.

　A blow.........

　He had beaten an opponent who had once been able to win only in long-distance battles, in close quarters and with his bare hands.

　I'm not letting up.
　There are still two of them.
　My eyes were not on the fallen monsters, but on the remaining monsters.

　The two bodies were clearly fierce.
　They howled as if they were spitting out their resentment of having their friends killed.
　Their tiger-patterned fur stood upside down like a needle.

　One of them pounced on him with its claws.

　I was sure to spot its trajectory.
　I just barely ducked the tip of the claw.
　I lured it in and turned to the side.

　I pressed my hand against its body hair.

　I put my magic power into it.

''GGOGOGOGOGOGOGOGOGO!

　The narwhal tiger is in agony.
　Suddenly, he spits out flames from his eyes, nose and mouth.
　All at once, he's driven to his death.

　【Mage (Wizard)】 【First Flame】.
　It's a beginner's magic, so weak that it can't even burn the hair of a narwhal tiger originally.
　But I activated the magic in the body of the magical beast by approaching it.

　遠距離戦を主とする【魔導士(ウィザード)】では、一生かかっても思いつかない戦法だ。

　残りは１体……。
　ポチ６７号だ。

　６７号は怯むかと思ったが、魔獣の戦意は落ちていない。
　爪を立て、牙を剥きだし、俺に飛びかかってきた。

「良い子だ……」

　にやりと笑う。
　魔獣の爪、あるいは牙、角の攻撃をかわす。
　俺は魔獣と交錯するたびに、拳を突き入れた。
　サンドバッグ状態だ。
　灰色の毛が、血に濡れ、真っ青に染まっていく。
　それでも、最後までイッカクタイガーは倒れなかった。

　虫の息になっても、俺の方に鋭い眼光を浴びせてくる。

　頃合いだろう。

　俺は手を掲げた。
　【聖職者(クレリック)】の魔法――【安眠】を起動する。
　文字通り、相手を眠らせる魔法。
　ただ【睡眠】と違って、この魔法には自動回復が付与されている。

　ポチ６７号の瞼が閉じていく。
　ドスッと凄い音を立てて、眠りについた。
　借りて来た猫のように大人しくなる。

　スキルポイントが付与される。
　２体合わせて、１２０ｐｔ。
　少ないように見えるかもしれないが、スライムやゴブリンが持つおよそ１００倍の量だ。

　２匹のイッカクタイガーを倒し、１匹を戦意喪失させた。
　実戦訓練はこれで終わるかといえば、そうではない。

　俺は眠ったイッカクタイガーの背中に手を置く。
　【安眠】によって、すでに完全回復していた。

　魔法を起動する。
　【鍛冶師(ブラックスミス)】の【複製】。
　手を置いた対象を複製するための高等魔法だ。
　この魔法を覚えるだけで、１万ｐｔあったスキルポイントの大半を失ってしまった。

　だが、その恩恵はデカい。

　本来、武具などを複製する魔法だ。
　が、この魔法が魔獣を複製できることを知らない者は多い。
　まあ、好き好んで魔獣を複製する人間など、俺ぐらいなものだろうがな。

　俺は２体のイッカクタイガーを複製し、今日の訓練は終えた。

　【複製】は対象が大きい程、魔力を使う。
　現状で、イッカクタイガーの大きさがギリギリだ。

　甲斐はあった。
　この方法で俺は、取り逃していた初級魔法をすべて獲得した。
　たかが初級魔法というが、俺の年齢でそのすべてを修めることは、ほぼ不可能だ。

　そもそも７才児が、イッカクタイガーを素手で倒していることが異常だろう。

　だが、この後の中級、上級はさらにポイントがいる。
　イッカクタイガーでは、かなり効率が悪い。

　その問題を解決する最適解が必要だ。
　そして、すでに俺はその問題も(ヽ)クリアしていた。