つまり、良くも悪くもレベルの上げ方は様々であり、また上がる能力値も偏るのだ。
そんな中、全体的なステータスを向上させることが出来るレベルの上げ方がある。
それが、『戦闘によるレベル上げ』だ。
魔獣や魔族、人間等、あらゆる生物との命を賭けた戦いを経てレベルを上げた場合、その生物にとって適性の高い能力値を中心に、全体ステータスが大きく上昇する。時には筋力を、時には魔力を、時には耐性を、適性に沿ってだが、それでも全体ステータスが他のレベルの上げ方と比べて桁違いに上昇するのだ。
もっと言えば、レベルを上げる為に掛かる時間もぐっと短い。命を賭けるという高いリスクの代わりに、その分得られる経験値も高いのだ。
それが分かってからというもの、人間という種族は古来より、自分たちよりも強力で、強い種族である魔獣や魔族達に対抗するべく、必死にレベルを上げる為戦ってきた。
最初は集団で魔獣を倒し、レベルを上げ、策を弄する様になり、武器という概念を生み出し、そしてスキルや魔法といった新たな力に気が付いて、いつしか人間は魔獣達や魔族達と同等に戦える程の強さを手に入れた。
すると、強くなった人間達は生き延びるためにレベルを上げるのではなく、より強くなるためにレベルを上げるようになった。
生きようと必死でやってきた戦いには、自分を磨くことの楽しさを見出し、好んで戦うようにもなった。
そうして出来上がったのか今の世の中。冒険者という職も、騎士という職も、根源的には好戦的になった人間達の作りあげた『戦う為の職業』だ。
無論、戦わねば魔獣や魔族達に殺されてしまうという理由もあるが、強くなった故の余裕が人間達に戦う事を楽しいと思わせてしまったのだろう。
とはいえ、それは悪いことではない。戦い、己を磨くことに喜びを感じるのもいいだろう、誰かがそうすることで得する人間もいれば、迫りくる危機にも対処出来るのだから。
さておき、そういった強さをシンプルに表せるのが『レベル』という訳だ。才能や素質でステータスの上昇率は各々格差が出てしまうが、今ではレベルの数値はそっくりそのまま戦ってきた時間を示す。
―――では、それが急に1へと戻ってしまった者はどうなるのか?
ステータスはそのままに、レベルだけが1に戻ってしまった場合、その者は一体どうなってしまっているのか?
桔音は、それを考えていた。
「うーん......」
自分のステータスを閲覧しながら、桔音はレイラとリーシェを連れて舗装された道を歩いていた。
グランディール王国を飛び出して、近くにある次の街へと向かう最中だ。ルークスハイド王国へと向かう為にはそれなりの準備と足が必要だ。グランディール王国で準備を整えられなかった故に、次の街で色々と準備を整えようと考えているのだ。
名前:薙刀桔音
性別:男 Lv1
筋力:40
体力:1050
耐性:1420
敏捷:1000
魔力:950
『初心渡り』
◇
レベル1となった今、このステータスが初期ステータスになるというのだろうかと考えているのだ。
桔音がこの世界にやってきた一番最初の初期ステータスは、耐性以外全て2桁という凄惨なものだった。
だが、レベルを上げたことで筋力は元の世界の4倍にも上昇し、他のステータスだって元の世界であれば人外認定をされそうな勢いにまで成長した。今のステータスならば弱い部類の魔獣を一人で倒す事も出来るだろう。
であれば、レベル1となってしまったこのステータス。筋力や魔力以外は4桁という、恐らく過去類を見ない最強のレベル1となってしまったであろうこの初期ステータス。最初の例を鑑みれば、筋力は今の4倍に成長する余地が生まれたということにならないだろうか?
確認するにはまず早々にレベルを上げる必要があるが、魔獣は周囲に見当たらない。舗装された道故に、魔獣もあまり近寄って来ないようだ。
「なにブツブツ言ってるの? きつね君」
「んー......まぁいいか。なんでもないよ、レイラちゃん......なんかこうしてのんびりとした時間を過ごすのは久しぶりな気がして」
「まぁレイラと会って、護衛依頼をこなして、勇者と戦って、謎の襲撃に遭った......かなり連続して色々と騒動に巻き込まれてたからな......確かにちょっと久しぶりの平和な時間な気がするな」
思い返せば腹立たしいこともあるけれど、少しばかり慌ただしい日々を送っていた故に、こうしてゆっくりと時間が流れて行くというのを感じるのが、かなり久々なように思えた桔音。
リーシェも、流れ行く雲や、肌を吹き抜ける風を感じる余裕などなかったように思えて、少し可笑しかった。
「ふーん......確かにそうかもね♪ きつね君と一緒だと退屈しないから良いんだけどねっ♡」
レイラはそう言って桔音に抱きつこうとして、出来なかった。少し焦った様にわたわたと手を振った後、また歩き出した。少しだけ肩を落としているのを怪訝に思う桔音だが、レイラが抱き付いて来ないなら来ないで自分にとって良いことだし、放っておこう、と考え視線を切った。
「うぅ......」
若干頬を赤く染めながら桔音の斜め半歩後ろを歩くレイラ。
まだ自分の心の変化に戸惑っているようで、会話程度なら通常通りに出来るのだが、触れ合おうとすると躊躇ってしまうようになっていた。今までの自分がどうやって桔音と触れ合っていたのか、今の彼女にとっては最大の謎である。
(私どうやってきつね君と触れ合ってたっけ? ちょっと前の私案外凄い子だったよ......)
そんなことを思いながら、レイラは桔音の横顔を見る。左側から見ているからか、取り戻した赤い瞳が見えた。自分と同じ色の、赤い瞳。
(......そういえばきつね君の左眼って私の身体で出来てるんだよね......色もお揃いだし......な、なんかドキドキしてきた......ッッ......むずむずするぅ......!)
くねくねと自分の身体を抱きしめながら身体を揺するレイラ。もう治っているが、自分のお腹の肉を使って作りあげた眼球が、今桔音の眼になっていると考えると、なんとなく込み上げてくるものがあった。嬉しいのか、それとも恥ずかしいのかは分からないが、じれったい様な感覚が彼女の心を掻き回していた。
「あ、そうだレイラちゃん」
「ひゃい!?」
「どうしたの?」
「な、なんでもないっ......なぁに?」
そんな心境で、桔音に話しかけられたことで、慌てた様な変な声を上げてしまった。首を傾げる桔音に、レイラは両手をぶんぶんと振ってなんでもないと誤魔化した。
「あ、うん。瘴気の使い方なんだけど......索敵と物質化以外で何かないかなーって思って」
「え? んーと......どうだろう? 私もまだ分かんないや、使える様になったのきつね君に会ってからだし......出来るかなーって思ったことをやってるだけだから」
「へぇ......そうなんだ」
瘴気を操って出来ること。そう問われて少し考えたが、結局レイラは何も思い付かなかった。
元々彼女が『瘴気操作』を会得したのは、桔音とギルド裏の訓練場で戦った時だ。欲求が満たされ、瘴気によって身体が完全に魔族と化したあの夜からなのだ。
彼女もこのスキルで出来る事をまだ全て把握している訳ではないのだ。故に、これから経験を積んでいかねばならないだろう。
「あ、でも感染出来るよ♡」
「はーい」
索敵、物質化、そして桔音以外の人間を『赤い夜』へと感染させ、変貌させることが出来るこの瘴気を操る力。
そして桔音は気付く、今はその力を自分も持っていることを。つまり、桔音もその気になれば『赤い夜』量産が可能ということだ。便利ではあるけれど恐ろしい力を手に入れてしまったと思った。とりあえずこの先物質化による武器化にしか使わないことにしようと心に決めた。
「きつね、まさかレイラの力を使える様になったのか?」
「うん、まぁレイラちゃんほど上手くは使えないけど」
「というか、それってどういう力なんだ? 魔法なのか? 見たことない力だが......」
「え?」
桔音の言葉に、リーシェは足を止めた。
「固有スキル......魔族?」
「......え?」
「あ......きつね君! もしかしてこの子私の正体知らないんじゃないの?」
固有スキルと魔族というワードに唖然としているらしく、桔音も首を傾げたが、レイラはその理由にすぐ気が付いた。そして、桔音に耳打ちでそれを伝える。
桔音も耳打ちされて初めて理解した。
―――そういえばリーシェちゃんにレイラちゃんのこと言ってないや。
レイラ・ヴァーミリオン。桔音にとっては因縁の敵であり、Sランク魔族の『赤い夜』だった。しかし、リーシェにとっては今までずっと、Cランクの冒険者だったのだ。
「......どう説明したものかな」
桔音は頬を掻きながら、そう呟いた。
That meant, for better or worse, there were various way to rise one's level, and the increase of the status value would be greatly depending on it.
And among all, there was a way to increase the whole status in a level up.
That was, "Leveling up through battle".
Magical beast, demon, and human, should one leveled up through battle against other living being; depending on one's aptitude; one's whole status values would greatly increase. Sometime it was the strength, sometime it was the magic power, sometime it was the resistance, depending on one's aptitude, this stat would increase way greater compared to the other stats.
Also, it took only short amount of time to level up this way. In exchange of risking one's life, one would receive tremendous amount of experience points.
Understanding that, from ancient times, human rose and desperately fought to level up so that they could face the threat of magical beasts and demons; who were more powerful than them.
In the beginning they'd form a group to hunt magical beasts to rise their level, utilizing plans and tactics, manufacturing weapons, and then realizing new power such as skills and magics, before one knew, human had already acquired power enough to stand against magical beasts and demons.
Thus, those human who had become powerful, they didn't keep on leveling up stay alive, but kept on leveling up to become stronger.
When they were struggling to stay alive, they found honing one's self as something enjoyable, so they decided to keep on fighting.
And so, the society turned the way right now. Either it adventurer or knight, fundamentally they were "Occupation to fight" that were founded by those who'd come to love to fight.
Of course, there was a possibility that they might die when they fought against magical beasts or demons, but the composure that; came from how powerful they had become; gave them the chance to find battle as something enjoyable.
Nonetheless, that wasn't something bad. It was okay to find honing one's self through battle as something fun, as long as there were capable people around, they'd be able to deal with any impending crisis, after all.
Leaving that aside, the simple representation of one's self's power was through "Level". The extent of the rise of status values were variant depending on one's talent and aptitude, but those status values were the exact representation of one's capability when fighting.
...then, how about someone who suddenly returned to level 1?
When one's status values stayed as it was, but the level returned to level 1, what happened to that person?
Kitsune was, currently pondering about it.
"Hmm...."
While inspecting his own status, Kitsune was walking on a road together with Leila and Trisha.
Leaving Grandile Kingdom, they were in the middle of going to the next town. They needed some preparations and also transportation to go to Rookshade Kingdom. They couldn't make any preparations at Grandile Kingdom, so they decided to prepare it at the next town.
Name                        : Naginata Kitsune
Gender                     : Male Lv. 1
Strength                   : 40
Stamina                    : 1050
Resistance               : 1420
Agility                       : 1000
Magic Power          : 950
Innate skill              : {Demon eye of foresight} {Miasma Manipulation} {Re: Origin} 
*
After returning to level 1, he was pondering whether the current status became his initial status or not.
Kitsune's initial status when he first came to this world was, except for his resistance, everything else was ghastly only on two digits values.
However, through leveling up he obtained strength four times he had in his former world, even his other status also had increased to the point he could be refered as superhuman in his former world. With his current status, perhaps he'd even be able to defeat small fry magical beasts by himself.
However, this status had turned into his level 1 status. Aside from his strength and magic power, everything was on four digits value, perhaps this initial status was enough to make him the strongest level 1 ever. Compared to his former initial status, perhaps it could be said that his strength had been reborn with four times power?
If he wanted to ascertain it, he needed to level up as soon as possible, but he couldn't see any magical beast around. They were walking on a paved road, so magical beasts rarely appeared there.
"What are you mumbling about, Kitsune-kun?"
"Mmm... well, whatever. It's nothing, Leila-chan... it's just, I'm just thinking it's been a while since the last time we had some leisure times like this."
"Well, encountering Leila, participating in a guarding request, fighting the hero, and then that mysterious attack... we sure have been rolled up into such events one after another, huh... I also do feel it's been quite a while since we had such peaceful time like this."
Having been experiencing many irritating moments and eventful time these past few day, to be able to easely feel the flowing time like this, Kitsune did think that it really had been quite a while.
Even Trisha, thinking back that she had never have such times to watch the moving clouds or sensing the blowing wind to her skin, she found it a bit funny.
"Hmm... perhaps you're right~, together with Kitsune-kun is fun because you won't ever get bored, after all."
Saying so, Leila intended to hug Kitsune but, she couldn't. After slightly flusteredly waving her hands, she started walking again. Looking at Leila who slightly dropped her shoulders, Kitsune felt dubious, but she wasn't coming to hug him was something good for him, he decided to just leave her be and turned his gaze from her.
"Uu...."
With her face slightly red, Leila walked diagonally half-step behind Kitsune.
Seemingly still bewildered with the change of her heart, she could still hold conversation with him as usual, but when it came to make a contact with him, she ended up hesitating. How did she touch Kitsune up until now? For the current her, that was her biggest mystery.
'How did I touch Kitsune-kun before, I wonder? The past me was unexpectedly quite an amazing girl, huh....'
Thinking so, Leila took a glance at Kitsune's face. She was looking from his left side, so she could see his just got fixed red left eye. Red eye, similarly like hers.
'...come to think of it, Kitsune-kun's left eye was made with my flesh, wasn't it? ... even the color is matching with mine... s, somehow it makes my heart throbbing faster... it's unbearable...!'
Leila held and shook her swaying body. It had recovered, but thinking that Kitsune's left eye was made from the flesh of her own abdomen, she felt somewhat nauseated. She didn't know whether she was happy of shy, but her heart was stirred up by a revolving feeling.
"Ah right, Leila-chan."
"Hyai!?"
"What's the matter?"
"No, it's nothing... what is it?"
Toward Kitsune who inclined his head, Leila brushed it off by waving her hands and told him that there was nothing wrong.
"Ah, okay. Well, it's about way to manipulate the miasma... I'm just wondering is there any other use than using it so detect enemies or materializing it?"
"Eh? Umm... is there, I wonder? I haven't fully understood it myself, here you even have been able to use it as well... I simply do anything that comes up to my mind, after all."
"Hee... I see."
A way to manipulate the miasma. Being asked so, Leila thought of it a bit, but in the end she couldn't come up with anything.
In the first place, the first time she understood "Miasma Manipulation" was when she battled Kitsune at the guild's underground training ground. Having her desire been satisfied, that was the moment when her body completely turned into that of demon.
So even she still hadn't perfectly grasped what this skill was capable of. That was why, there was no other way but to experience it first hand.
"Ah, but we can infect other with it."
"Ye~s."
Detection, materialization, infecting other human into becoming "Red Night", and transformation, that was all the currently known use of this skill.
And then, Kitsune realized, that currently he also possessed that very skill. That meant, it was possible for him to mass produce "Red Night" if he felt like it. He thought that he had obtained a convenient yet terrifying skill. He quietly decided that he'd only use it to make him some weapons.
"Kitsune, could it be now you're able to use the same skill as Leila?"
"Yup, well, I couldn't use it as good as Leila-chan, though."
"Or rather, what kind of power is that? Is that a magic? I haven't seen anything like that...."
"Eh?"
Toward Kitsune's word, Trisha stopped her legs. Noticing that, Kitsune and Leila also stopped, and looked at her. Her eyes were wide open, and blinked two or three times.
"Innate skill? ... demon?"
"...eh?"
"Ah... Kitsune-kun! Could it be she doesn't know who I am, yet?"
Seeing that innate skill and demon words were news to Trisha, Kitsune also inclined his head in wonder, but Leila immediately realized the reason why. And then, she immediately whispered it to Kitsune.
After hearing her whisper, he finally understood it.
...come to think of it, I haven't told Rishe-chan about Leila-chan, have I?
Leila Vermillion, she was an S rank demon "Red Night" and was also Kitsune's fated enemy.
"...how should I explain it, I wonder?"
While scratching his cheek, Kitsune mumbled so.
I Kinda Came to Another World, but Where’s the Way Home?
【書籍化】異世界来ちゃったけど帰り道何処？
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/i-kinda-came-to-another-world-but-wheres-the-way-home/
Action Adventure Comedy Drama Fantasy Harem Shounen Slice of Life
Apathetic Protagonist Bullying Calm Protagonist Demi-Humans Demon Lord Demons Dense Protagonist Fairies Game Elements Ghosts Heterochromia Knights Level System Male Protagonist Murders Naive Protagonist R-15 Royalty R*pe S*aves Sword And Magic Transported to Another World Weak Protagonist Yandere
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n2650bx/
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