Ads

The Paper User: Exiled for a ‘Trash Skill,’ Awakens True Power and Rises with Two Unique Skills - Chapter 25

on

Dangerous Monster

Five hours later, after passing through a narrow corridor, my field of vision suddenly opened up.

The place had a high ceiling, and white glowing stones were embedded in the walls, casting a faint light all around.

I lowered my gaze and searched for any traces of the investigation team.

Footprints of humans... none. If that’s the case, this route might be a dead end.

At that moment—

I heard the sound of small stones rolling, and something fell from above.

It was about a meter tall, with a red-black body and eight legs. Its eight eyes glowed red, and its black fangs were sharp and pointed.

"A magic-steel spider!" Kinako shouted.

"These guys move in packs. And there are more—"

Before Kinako finished speaking, dozens of magic-steel spiders appeared from behind the rocks.

"Kishaaa!"

A magic-steel spider leapt at Almine, who was standing next to me.

"Thunder Shield!"

I layered several sheets of paper imbued with lightning magic from my magic pocket, forming a shield.

The spider collided with the thunder shield, and its body convulsed with electric shock. It fell to the ground, its eight legs twitching uncontrollably.

The knowledge from the magic book I bought the other day came in handy. Thanks to it, I could apply lightning effects to paper that has metallic properties.

"Thanks, Yakumo-kun!"

Almine moved behind me.

"I want to conserve materials as much as possible. Can the three of us handle this?"

"Leave it to us!"

Pilun answered on my behalf.

Pilun struck a magic-steel spider on the right with his magical hammer. The sound of metal clashing rang out, and the spider flew sideways.

Even when not in berserker mode, Pilun's attack power exceeds that of an average warrior. With this, I can also go on the offensive.

I charged at the spider in front of me. It bent its eight legs and jumped up, shooting out white silk from its lower body. The thread wrapped around my shoulder and arm.

I infused magic into my Demon-Eating Dagger. Its pale blue blade extended longer, cutting through the silk. Then, I rushed closer and swung the dagger down.

There was a sharp metallic clang as the blade struck, leaving a scratch on the spider’s forehead.

Huh? It’s harder than I expected. Then, I’ll increase the magic power...

The blade of the Demon-Eating Dagger developed serrated notches like a saw.

I knelt on one knee and swung the dagger horizontally. The spider’s leg was cut off at the joint.

Alright! If I target the joints with this blade, I can cut easily.

I shifted my gaze and saw Kinako had taken down three magic-steel spiders.

As expected of Kinako, an A-rank. She could easily defeat even these hard magic-steel spiders.

I don’t have Kinako’s power or speed. But there’s a way of fighting only I can do!

I twisted sticky paper into a string...

I imagined the magic formula in my mind.

"Sticky Net!"

A sticky paper net materialized in front of the magic-steel spiders approaching from the left.

They got caught in the net, their movements restricted.

The net lasts for about one minute, but that’s enough. During that time, we can take down the other spiders!

I swung my Demon-Eating Dagger at the spider lunging at me.

Several minutes later, no moving magic-steel spiders remained.

Looks like we defeated them all.

I caught my breath and shifted my gaze.

As planned, we conserved Almine’s magic. I still have over 7 million mana of base magic left. Thanks to training with Kinako, my level in close combat seems to have increased.

"A new technique again, huh."

Kinako tapped my waist with her paw.

"A shield with a lightning effect and a sticky net? That’s quite a handy combo."

"Yeah. I researched the paper and stocked it in my magic pocket. Glad it worked out."

I looked around the corpses of the magic-steel spiders.

Both of those techniques seem more useful in battle than I expected. I should stock up on more.

Suddenly, I heard a sound behind me, like pebbles being kicked.

I turned around, and there stood four men.

Those people are...

Translator’s Notes:

  • 魔鋼蜘蛛 (Magic-Steel Spider): A fantasy creature combining the traits of a spider with magical metallic properties, hence “magic-steel.” Its tough body is implied by the need for serrated blades and special tactics.

  • 魔喰いの短剣 (Demon-Eating Dagger): The protagonist’s weapon, which can be magically enhanced and adapted mid-battle. The name implies it’s designed to consume or nullify magical or demonic forces.

  • 魔法のポケット (Magic Pocket): A common fantasy trope referring to a magical storage space where items, like magical paper, can be stored and quickly retrieved.

  • 粘着網 (Sticky Net): A binding magic using paper imbued with adhesive properties. The net's short duration reflects a tactical, temporary immobilization method.

  • 魔力 (Magic Power / Mana): The energy resource used for casting spells. 7 million mana remaining implies the protagonist is quite skilled and powerful.

  • A-rank: A classification indicating Kinako’s relatively high combat strength compared to others.

  • The interplay between physical fighting (cutting joints) and magical tactics (lightning-infused shield, sticky net) highlights the blend of martial skill and magic in this world.

Comments

Post a Comment