Mushoku Tensei: The Fool Magician

The path led through a mountain pass, and at its midpoint lay the domain of the man-eating plants.

Roy couldn't help but recall this location vividly, mostly because Asuna had begrudgingly complained about his antics here before.

For beginners, man-eating plants were a formidable challenge. Especially for Roy, whose level was merely five.

The strategy was simple: pull one monster at a time. Drawing too much aggro meant retreat was the only option.

Sword Art Online allowed players to defeat monsters above their level, which came with a significant boost in experience points. However, there was a catch—a special debuff triggered during these encounters.

This debuff reduced the damage monsters took based on the difference in levels, making it crucial to gauge one's strength before attempting such fights.

By the time Roy reached the central valley, he'd encountered plenty of minor enemies but still hadn't seen the elusive hooded rat.

He sighed, a flicker of disappointment crossing his face.

Pushing the thought aside, he scanned the terrain and soon spotted a solitary man-eating plant.

Calculating its aggro range in his head, Roy stepped back to a safer distance. With a smooth motion, he picked up a stone, gripping it firmly in his right hand.

The stone began to glow with a faint blue light—the telltale sign of a successfully activated Sword Skill.

With a sharp whistle, the stone hurtled through the air, striking the man-eating plant squarely.

The plant roared in anger and turned toward Roy, its movement triggered by the game's auto-targeting mechanic.

Roy had expected only one plant to approach. However, two came barreling down the path.

When it came to small mobs, numbers mattered.

The old adage "Two fists can't fend off four hands" was apt here. As the number of enemies increased, so did the difficulty, often exponentially.

The pressure mounted.

Despite the challenge, handling two man-eating plants wasn't impossible.

Roy's current equipment ensured he could still pierce their defenses.

The man-eating plants had simple attack patterns, devoid of any unique mechanics, which made them less threatening.

However, he remained wary of a specific variant—the ones with vibrant red fruit. Anyone unfamiliar with their properties wouldn't live to tell the tale.

The plants rushed down the mountain trail toward him, their vine-like appendages thrashing wildly.

Roy took a deep breath, his chest rising as oxygen filled his lungs. His heart pounded like a war drum, sending adrenaline surging through his veins.

He didn't immediately charge to meet them.

Instead, he held his sword low, poised at his hip—a signature draw stance.

This time, however, he intended to gather momentum.

The energy built up, an intense aura condensing around his blade.

Roy practiced the Kenjutsu style, a combat art that emphasized decisive, lethal strikes. While he couldn't instantly slay the plants due to the level gap, the damage from a single blow would undoubtedly be significant.

The blue glow of his Sword Skill grew brighter as Roy shifted his stance, his right foot sliding back while his left foot stepped forward.

As the first plant came within striking range, Roy launched himself forward.

The energy he'd gathered surged to its peak, and even his sword arm trembled slightly under the sheer force.

In the blink of an eye, he closed the gap between himself and the plant.

Its massive vines lashed out, and its gaping maw revealed rows of jagged teeth.

The sight made his stomach churn. It was a grotesque reminder that this world was no longer just a game.

One wrong move, and the consequences would be painfully real.

Roy's speed spiked again as he neared the plant. The blue glow of his blade shifted to a deep black.

Black Slash.

In an instant, his blade cut through the air, severing one of the plant's thick vines in a single, clean stroke.

The momentum carried forward, the sword plunging into the plant's swollen torso.

To Roy's surprise, the blade pierced through with little resistance, a testament to its sharpness and his strength.

A spray of green liquid erupted from the wound as the plant's health bar plummeted, its vibrant green fading into a dangerous red.

Yet, before Roy could finish the first plant, the second one closed in.

Gritting his teeth, he decided to go all in.

Ignoring the encroaching threat, Roy transitioned into another Sword Skill. His hands gripped the hilt tightly, channeling every ounce of strength into his next swing.

Two Consecutive Strikes.

The first slash was brutal, tearing through the already wounded plant. But the follow-up lacked the same intensity, and the creature managed to hold on—just barely.

The man-eating plant's vines lashed out, coiling tightly around Roy. He twisted his body and wrenched himself free, stumbling back to gain distance.

Exhaling a deep breath, he steadied himself. His right arm trembled slightly, and his stamina bar—represented by the blue gauge above his head—had already dropped by more than half.

Retreat wasn't an option. Roy raised his sword once more. It was just two mobs. Back during the beta test, he could dispatch dozens of these with ease. Now, he was struggling to hold his ground.

Forgoing the draw stance he typically favored, Roy shifted his posture, lifting the blade in front of him. His mind raced through the techniques of the Kenjutsu style he had honed so diligently.

Lift the sword.

Thrust.

Speed was key.

As he charged, the blue gauge ticked down further. This time, it wasn't just the blade glowing. A faint blue aura enveloped his entire body, radiating an unmistakable surge of power.

It was a sensation Roy knew all too well—the same energy that existed in the world of Mushoku Tensei.

He had tapped into mana to enhance his physical abilities, amplifying his strength, speed, and reflexes to extraordinary levels.

Back during the beta test, he had toyed with this idea, trying to channel his stamina bar to enhance his own body. But Sword Art Online's rigid game mechanics had made such an approach impossible.

In Sword Art Online, only Sword Skills allowed for dramatic stat boosts.

Yet now, in this altered reality, it was different.

Roy had a hunch about the shift. The game's rules seemed to have blurred with reality, creating opportunities that hadn't existed before.

His eyes darted to the rapidly depleting stamina bar. The numbers were dropping at an alarming rate.

Without hesitation, Roy surged forward, his sword gleaming as he thrust it into the wounded plant.

It wasn't a Sword Skill. Just an ordinary stab.

But the sheer speed and force of his strike were anything but ordinary. The blade sliced through the air with a sharp whistle, piercing the weakened plant's massive body.

The creature convulsed violently before collapsing, its form disintegrating into a cascade of blue light.

Roy didn't pause to celebrate. Pivoting smoothly, he kicked the second plant with a ferocious blow. The impact sent it hurtling three meters away, crashing into the ground.

Before the plant could recover, Roy charged again, sword poised for another strike. His muscles tensed, and his right hand gripped the hilt tightly, veins bulging as he drove the blade forward.

He slammed his foot down hard as he neared, the force kicking up dirt. The momentum carried him the final stretch, and he landed a crushing stomp on the plant's central body.

The creature's thick torso caved under the impact, spraying green fluid in every direction. Its health bar plummeted, dipping dangerously close to empty.

***

Bonus Chapter:

100 Power Stones = 1 BC

300 Power Stones = 2 BC

500 Power Stones = 3 BC

700 Power Stones = 4 BC

1000 Power Stones = 5 BC

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