Level Eater
Chapter 153

Tatsuro had theorized that Leah's strange constitution was due to unnecessary skills mixing in.

He decided to execute a plan to kill two birds with one stone: remove those skills with [Level Eater] to hopefully fix her, and potentially gain SP in the process.

His biggest worry was if it turned out to be a skill without a level, as [Level Eater] would be completely useless against that.

However, it seems that worry was unfounded this time.

As predicted, Tatsuro found the skill causing Leah's disadvantage, and it indeed had a level attached to it.

But─────.

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Level: 1

Skills: [All-Seeing Eye], [Healthy Body Lv.-5], [Dexterity - Extra Large Lv.-10]

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(Minus levels?! Damn, so that's how it is. The skills themselves are positive, but they're subtracting from there. Reminds me of that boss frog from before.)

{Hey Aiii~} (Tatsuro)

{What's up, Tatsurooo~} (Ai)

{Can I consult with you for a bit~?} (Tatsuro)

{Sure thing~} (Ai)

Feeling suddenly exhausted, Tatsuro sent a telepathic message to Ai in an oddly elderly-sounding voice, informing her of the current situation.

{Minus, huh... If we take that, I guess...} (Ai)

{Yeah, the SP probably won't turn positive.} (Tatsuro)

{If it does work negatively, how much do you think it'll be?} (Ai)

{If it's a normal calculation like with positives, I think it'll be SP (-70).} (Tatsuro)

{Huh, is that all? In that case, couldn't we quickly earn that back by going to intermediate or advanced dungeons from now on?} (Ai)

{True, but it's just a guess, so I'm not sure exactly how it'll turn out. Plus, that [Dexterity - Extra Large] sounds ominous. That's why I wanted to consult with you first, Ai.} (Tatsuro)

{Hmm. Even if the minus fluctuates a bit from there, it should be fine. We'll manage somehow.} (Ai)

{You're so casual about this. Well, it probably won't turn out to be too unreasonable. If we can save Leah with this and she becomes an excellent blacksmith, we might not even need to go to Holmes to look for a blacksmith. Overall, there's a good chance it'll be a net positive. ...Alright then, shall we go ahead with it?} (Tatsuro)

{Sure. Whatever happens, I'll be by your side, so no worries.} (Ai)

{Thanks. Alright, let's do this!} (Tatsuro)

{Yeah! Go for it!} (Ai)

With Ai's encouragement echoing in his mind, Tatsuro boldly reached for the minus skills.

As expected, the minus skills were also absorbed, resulting in:

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Level: 1

Skills: [All-Seeing Eye], [Healthy Body Lv.0], [Dexterity - Extra Large Lv.0]

[Earth Spirit's Blessing +8]

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The seeds of calamity were successfully removed. After confirming this, Tatsuro swallowed the black ball that had formed in his mouth.

Usually, his chest would feel warm, but this time he felt a cool sensation. With a bad premonition, Tatsuro immediately checked the SP part of his status.

(Ugh, my SP has become (-153). I'm sure I had (27) left before, so this time's minus value is (180). As expected, it wasn't just [Dexterity] but [Dexterity - Extra Large], so the conversion points were high...)

{Ai-chaaaan. My SP, my SP...}

{Don't tell me, it decreased more than expected?} (Ai)

{That's right. Currently, my SP has become (-153). It's a debt. It's a loan.} (Tatsuro)

{Oh my, so young yet... Well, this isn't the time for jokes. But (-153) might still be within an acceptable range. We could probably clear it with one run through a level 3 dungeon, and if it is in a level 7 dungeon, we'd repay it before even getting halfway through, right?} (Ai)

{Probably. If Leah can move around on her own now, we might be able to have a fun power-leveling party in a level 7 dungeon with everyone. Let's just turn a blind eye and say nothing about this for now.} (Tatsuro)

{Well, it's not like you to make a big deal out of it and act all high and mighty anyway.} (Ai)

While they were finishing up their telepathic conference, Leah, who had been standing still, suddenly felt her body become incredibly light, as if she had always been carrying lead before. Her body, which used to scream in pain just from walking, was now filled with energy as if it had all been a lie.

Unable to get used to this sensation her body had completely forgotten, she looked more confused about what to do rather than joyful.

"Leah, how is it? I should have reduced the unnecessary skills you had to zero." (Tatsuro)

"─Yes. I feel so light, it's as if I might float away..." (Leah)

"Let's take a look. I'll use Dispel magic." (Tatsuro)

"Y-Yes. Please do." (Leah)

After giving a brief warning, Tatsuro examined Leah's condition with Dispel magic. Her previously weak constitution, which had felt like muddy water when analyzed, had now changed into a perfectly clear, healthy body.

"Leah. According to the analysis with magic, you're now in perfect health. Also, your clumsiness should be cured. Hmm... Is there something we can test?" (Tatsuro)

"How about origami?" (Ai)

Saying this, Ai took out square pieces of paper from her [Item Box] and handed one each to Tatsuro, Leah, Nana, and herself.

"Origami, huh. Indeed, it's a clear test of dexterity. Shall we make cranes?" (Tatsuro)

"Yeah, that's all I know anyway." (Ai)

"What's origami?" (Leah)

"Origami is a game where you fold this paper to make various things. You probably don't know how at first, so try copying what Tatsuro and I do." (Ai)

"I understand!" (Leah)

"Understood." (Nana)

So Nana watched Tatsuro's hands, while Leah watched Ai's hands as they folded origami cranes.

First, Tatsuro neatly folded a normal crane. Nana folded a slightly crumpled crane with a crooked face.

Ai, who had suggested the idea, created a strange-looking crane with wildly misaligned folds and differently shaped wings.

And Leah, who was the main focus, folded the paper straighter than anyone else there, creating a beautiful, dignified crane.

"To make this on your first try. There's no way we can call you clumsy anymore. In fact, considering you were referencing Ai's, it's amazing you managed to—ahem, ahem." (Tatsuro)

"Hm? What were you about to say about me—" (Ai)

"Hahaha, looks like Leah is all better now!! That's great, that's a relief!" (Tatsuro)

"Yes. I don't think my hands have ever moved so well before..." (Leah)

"I envy how you can remain so composed in this atmosphere..." (Nana)

While Leah was simply amazed at the crane she had made for the first time, Nana was bewildered, not quite understanding the subtleties of the situation.

Meanwhile, Tatsuro was pulled aside by Ai to have some kind of discussion.

Afterward, Tatsuro managed to dodge Ai's accusations and successfully turned them into flirting. He returned with a kiss mark on his neck and Ai clinging to his arm.

By this time, Leah had finally begun to realize that she had returned to a normal state, and was quietly suppressing her urge to run around immediately.

"I hate to say this when you look like you want to move right away, but please don't go wild here." (Tatsuro)

"I won't do anything like that. Besides, it seems I'll be moving plenty in the near future anyway." (Leah)

"That's right. A level 7 dungeon seems to be quite difficult." (Tatsuro)

"But they probably won't expect someone like Leah, who used to have a weak constitution, to be there. Once we're inside, it's hard for other parties to deliberately run into us. It should make a good hiding place." (Ai)

"If we use that time to worsen Mo-suke's position, there won't be anything to worry about." (Nana)

"Indeed." (Tatsuro)

Tatsuro agreed with Nana's words, but realistically, it's unlikely that someone with high authority like Moritz would fall so drastically in just a few weeks.

He'll probably use his position to struggle and fight back, and there might be products that haven't been revealed yet.

However, the longer they remain unfound, especially if there are no witnesses, the more likely it becomes that people might mistakenly think Leah actually died due to her previous constitution.

If that happens, Moritz might become more desperate and make reckless moves, potentially making mistakes. Tatsuro held onto this hopeful outlook, wishing things would work out that way.

"Well then, we'll head to the dungeon tomorrow, so let's register as a party before that. That way, we'll get SP rewards when we clear it." (Tatsuro)

"Yes. Then, I'll submit the application from here." (Leah)

"Oh, if that's the case, let's have Jeanne come out too."  (Ai)

"Neigh!" (Jeanne)

Jeanne appeared in her small form and clung to Tatsuro. As he tried to catch her firmly, he almost fell backward, but Ai, who was beside him, supported him and prevented the fall. (T/N: Just how heavy is that rhino baby…?)

After successfully forming the party, they decided to look at Leah's status to plan for her future development.

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Name: Leah Schleiermacher

Class: -

Level: 1

Ki: 50

Mana: 50

Strength: 10

Durability: 10

Agility: 5

Magic: 10

Magic Resistance: 10

Magic Control: 5

|Acquired Skills|

[All-Seeing Eye], [Earth Spirit's Blessing +8]

Skill Points: 3

|Titles|

None

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"We already know about the [All-Seeing Eye], but what kind of skill is this [Earth Spirit's Blessing +8]?" (Tatsuro)

"Oh, that? It's like proof of having Dwarf blood. The purer the bloodline, the higher the + value tends to be, and vice versa. By the way, my family is of pure Dwarf lineage, so it should be at least +4." (Leah)

"I didn't know such a skill existed. I assume it does more than just prove lineage, right?" (Tatsuro)

"Yes. The Earth Spirit is like the ancestor of blacksmiths. Its blessing provides more skill points for blacksmithing skills the higher the + value, makes them easier to learn and even increases the number of specializations you can choose when you acquire blacksmith skills." (Leah)

"Specializations? What are those?" (Tatsuro)

"Well, specializations are—" (Leah)

Blacksmiths are unrivaled in crafting all kinds of equipment and armor.

However, when their blacksmithing skill reaches Lv.5, they can choose to specialize in what they most want to create.

By selecting a specific type, they gain superior crafting abilities for that chosen item compared to others.

For example, if one chooses swords, the quality of swords they craft will be higher than spears made by the same person.

"So, does that mean Leah can choose 8 specializations instead of the usual one?" (Tatsuro)

"No, it's 9. The first one is a right given to everyone." (Leah)

"That's... I had no idea there could be such a big difference just based on race. If I were in that position, I definitely wouldn't choose to become a blacksmith." (Tatsuro)

"Yes, if you have even a little Dwarf blood, you can choose at least two specializations. Unless you have a skill that replaces [Earth Spirit's Blessing], it's difficult to become a renowned blacksmith." (Leah)

"Indeed, it does sound challenging." (Tatsuro)

"However, there are quite a few blacksmiths who have dedicated themselves solely to crafting one type of item, abandoning everything else, and becoming unbeatable in that area. I believe anyone with passion can take on this challenge." (Leah)

"So people with strong determination can reach that level! Hearing that actually makes me fired up!" (Tatsuro)

Ai's eyes sparkled as she excitedly imagined stories of unknown human blacksmiths who had reached the level of masters.

As for Tatsuro, he was reminded of the old blacksmith in Obsul.

He wondered if that seemingly ordinary human had become so unmotivated due to frustration with such barriers.

If so, perhaps it is understandable that some people end up like that. Thinking this way, Tatsuro felt he could be a little kinder to the old man now.

Well, that was just a feeling, though...