Chương 4: 1.1.04 - Pikachu Use Body Slam

I could taste the fur on the boar in my mouth as it was bucking around, trying to throw me off its back while I clung on for dear life. I held on as I waited for my opportunity to let go of the grip in my right hand to cast Spark. No, this was not the beginning of another Hangover sequel. To explain A Series of Unfortunate Events that had landed me in this situation, we would have to go back a little earlier to this morning.

- Earlier that morning- I could feel the heat of the late-spring sun on my face, something I could still appreciate despite the two years I had spent since coming to this world. At least I could not complain about the weather as the seasons were pretty similar to Earth in terms of cycle and duration. I supposed that orbital mechanics and the conditions to support life would not vary too greatly no matter which multiverse you were in. I opened my status window as I made my way to the toolshed in the backyard.

Status Core: Lightning Affinity (Perfect) Core Stage: Red Stage Level: 17 Mana Core Capacity (MCC) Progress to Next Level: 0/100 Core Mutations: (None) Spells: - Electro Perception (Tier 1) - Level 4 - Spark (Tier 1) - Level 3 Soul Mutations: - Adaptive Soul Status Core: Lightning Affinity (Perfect) Core Stage: Red Stage Level: 17 Mana Core Capacity (MCC) Progress to Next Level: 0/100 Core Mutations: (None) Spells: - Electro Perception (Tier 1) - Level 4 - Spark (Tier 1) - Level 3 Soul Mutations: - Adaptive Soul If there was an award for speed running stage levels I would probably hold the record as most people in this world had not awakened their core yet at seven years of age.

I dismissed the Weave and looked up at the late-spring sun up above the sky. There were a few things I had managed to confirm over the last two years when it came to leveling spells. While spamming a spell multiple times did progress the spell level, it was definitely much slower than intentional use of the spell. What I meant by that was either stretching the spell capacity to the limit, or using it tangentially for something it can barely do.

I was able to progress my Electro Perception a lot faster when I tried to stretch the range of my perception during each cast, rather than just holding the spell for a long time or repeatedly casting it. It was the same for Spark when I tried to increase the damage I could inflict with my very limited range on tree barks. The second thing I noticed as my spells progressed was that the corresponding mana coils thickened with each level up, although it was quite minute.

My theory was that as the skill levels up, the coil thickens and as part of the system connected to your mana core, your core capacity increases which pushes you to the next stage level. Although it was closer to a hypothesis rather than a theory as I only had two spells to base it on. Another side benefit that came from leveling up my core so early on was that there was some nourishing effect on my body. I was visibly taller and stronger than other kids my age, standing at around four and a half feet now.

A person would probably get stronger as their core progresses though the average person only ever progresses to high orange or low yellow, which could still fall within the normal strength distribution. This could also explain the lack of general diseases despite the lack of vaccines in this world. Being taller and stronger did not come without downsides though, it dramatically increased my food intake beyond a normal seven year old.

While it would not have been a problem back on Earth, the orphanage was only barely getting by before this. The crown had gradually reduced its stipend since two years back as apparently the war with Ironhold had increased in intensity. There was probably a good reason but the fact that it coincided with the time I came into this world made me think that my reincarnation was not random. The orphanage barely had enough to buy meat anymore.

Even with Branwen leaving for her apprenticeship last year, it had been tight for us to get by. She barely made enough to support herself but she sent back what she could even though Marta had told her several times she had no obligation to. I made a mental note to myself to visit her at the smithy if I ever had the chance to visit town. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Marta had also reduced her own portion of food and simply said "Growing kids need more food" every time one of us asked her if she had enough. She would always make sure to give us the roots and vegetables in the stew and barely had any, often only soaking her bread in stew to make up the volume. The only saving grace was that there weren't any new orphans that we had to care for in the last two years.

At first I tried to catch some small rabbit like creatures with my Spark but they were too quick and my range with the spell was too short. I then had the genius idea to use Spark to fry some fish in the river, thinking that the water would help carry my electricity and I did not need to be quick or accurate in that case. I learnt the hard way that while I had increased resistance to electrical shocks, I was not immune to it. I learnt that by shocking myself standing in the middle of the stream and casting Spark.

My knees went out before I registered what had happened. Luckily the part I was standing in was shallow or I would have drowned in the most pathetic way. Face down in two feet of water. Those Isekai novels that said you were immune to your own magic sold me a lie. Now I was relegated to occasionally shocking fishes that wandered too close to the river banks. Besides the food problem, I had also run into another problem with progressing my magic in the last two years.

I was not able to learn any new spells, which made me think my first two spells were a fluke. I had also already fully learnt to read the local language. Two years was the fastest I could fake it without arousing any suspicions. My early progress with learning the language raised several eyebrows and I had no choice but to slow down my progress and keep pace with the other kids. While I doubt Marta would do anything, I didn't want her to be more concerned than she already was.

Despite already learning how to read, there weren't any useful books for me to read on the subject of learning magic. All the books we had were old history books donated by the local noble or the occasional merchant passing by. Books that were of no value any longer and could not be resold. Marta also could not teach me magic as she had a life affinity with very different spell purposes.

She also actively discouraged me from practicing magic for fear of my unusual awakening being discovered by the military recruiters. Considering the current financial situation of the orphanage, there was no way I could ask Marta to buy books on the subject of magic regardless of how much they cost. Which was exactly the reason I was walking to the tool shed. Over the last few weeks, I came up with the genius idea of hunting larger beasts that were slower if rabbits were too fast.

If I could limit the damage to the beast, the pelt and other body parts could potentially be sold for profit whereas the meat could be kept for the orphanage's own consumption. This would kill two birds with one stone. Branwen would probably comment that people killed birds with arrows if she heard that idiom. I had managed to narrow down the list of potential beasts to only one, the Bramble-Hide Boar. I was lucky to find an old hunting journal from the days when the orphanage was used as a hunting lodge.

The boar was a prime target for several reasons. The first, while it can be fast if it works up the speed to a charge, it generally had slower reaction speed and it also needed time to build up the speed for a charge. Second, this beast in particular is generally a solitary animal and is territorial, meaning the chance of running into a second boar while I was hunting the first is minimal. I doubt I could handle more than one despite my above average height.

Third, they are known to follow specific foraging routes, and I had spotted a few near the edges of Greywood near the orphanage. It makes stalking and preparing traps more feasible, though my trap making skills are probably quite limited currently. The journal was a lucky find as it also detailed out the kind of food that the boar typically likes, tubers which I was able to dig up and keep aside for this plan of mine.

I reached the tool shed in the backyard and was able to find the tools that I needed to "borrow" to execute my plan, a length of rope and an old hunting knife. Neither in the best condition but it is what I had to work with. I tested the knife to make sure that it was still sharp enough. Definitely the worst starter kit I had among all the D&D campaigns I played. I needed to submit a ticket to the GM if there was one. I coiled the rope across my chest like a bandolier and tucked the knife in my pants.

I made sure to grab the tubers I dug out yesterday and stuff them in my pocket. The plan would not work without bait. I slipped out the back gate before Marta could find out what I was trying to do and talk me out of it. As I reached the edge of the Greywood, I could see the ash and grey-bark elder canopy of trees, which was what gave the woods its name. The faint mineral smell from the late-spring undergrowth hung in the air. I worked my way towards the route that I mapped last week.

I had observed over a period of time and picked the smallest boar I could find of the lot. I found the tree I marked and began digging a hole near the roots, I placed the tubers I dug out yesterday in the hole before covering them with a patch of soil. I began to climb up the tree and waited. I picked this spot as this was the only tree that was not too high on the route of the boar. I made sure that I was high enough that I would not be spotted easily by the boar but low enough that the drop would not kill me.

While I waited, I began tying the rope into a long noose on one end and securing the other end to my left arm. Now one might wonder what I was trying to do with all this preparation.

My genius plan can be broken down into three parts: Attract said boar with tubers to the target location Jump on boar and secure myself with rope Use Spark to paralyse the boar before using the knife for the finishing blow As I was going through the plan one more time in my head, my dinner tonight appeared and sniffed its way towards the target location. Little did it suspect that after this last meal, it'll become somebody else's meal.

While the boar was shorter than me, its bulk was way bigger considering my current malnourishment. The picture of a small Pikachu using body slam on an Oinkologne went through my head as I jumped off where I was and aimed for the boar, hoping my plan would work out. Author Note: This is the work of Josh Shoniix. This work of fiction will only be published on Royal Road and Space Battle for free. If you're reading this on another site or paid through Google Books, this work has been stolen.