Arc 1 Chapter 10: Stereotyped Then Maimed (Internally)
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"Is it you?! Answer me!!"

People were staring more now. How come I didn't notice this before? I am quite shell shocked.

"Do you have me mistaken for somebody else by chance? Why would I be a bad omen?"

"Don't be stupid!! You intend to become an Adventurer, when your appearance in the forest plains is not only the reason people are trapped in the city, but also the reason dark monsters have appeared more frequently?! Don't make me laugh!!"

"I assure you, I am not the cause."

I don't know if that's the case. The former owner of this body could have done such a thing. It's quite depressing to be accused of something I had no part of though. Whether it was me or the guy who was formerly me, I'm quite unimpressed by Fabrications in this world.

"How could you?! I will stop you here!!" The man points his great sword in my direction with two hands.

I like that he is straight to the point though. I hate being the object of attention for extended periods of time.

"Oh? So it's a fight you want?"

"Of course!! If you are eliminated, I may be charged for murder, but the people will respect me!! This Grant will be your end!!" The fool's name is Grant. Wonderful.

Besides the obvious blatant fact that there's no way to tie me to the swirling Death Plateau, the bigger issue is a chink in my reputation such as this could forever damage my ability to rank up in the Adventurer Industry. I can't have that. We have mutual reasons to stop each other. Let the fight commence.

"Redescription: Black Lightning!" I gained a new skill, it's called Black Lightning and consumes 500 MP per cast on its highest consumption. I read the appraisal, apparently I can cast less MP to it and gain a smaller bolt. Wonderful, a scalable skill.

"Are you prepared?! That black lightning that surrounded you just then was creepy!! Why did your hair glow gold there for a second?!"

What? Did his ambition to fight be overshadowed by his curiosity? How annoying. Wait, why am I thinking this?!

"Heh, what? Did your ambition to fight be overshadowed by your own morbid curiosity?!"

The moment I said that, the radical fool came at me. "Die!!"

Appraisal is telling me he will be left with 1 HP if I use 12 MP for the skill. If I eliminate him too quickly, it will be suspicious.

"Black Lightning [2MP]!" I dodged his attack and cast Black Lightning at him. The black lightning looks strangely different from the black lightning from my Racial Unique Skill... Sorry, my Fabrication.

It's quite a bit thinner (Due to low MP usage), but the other property of it is it doesn't move, it's a straight up static bolt that does not move like the energy expelled from my Fabrication produces. My Fabrication's lightning also has a tinge of purple as a glow. This Bolt however slowly fades out of existence. Lot less scary, but it instantly reaches my opponent.

"Guh!! You got me. How could a newbie like you deal such catastrophic damage to this D-Ranked Grant??!!" Dear gods, please make this fool repent for talking in third person. I would give anything for that. I don't even care that he's D-Ranked. It was obvious when the battle first began because of the such low scale of magic required to almost finish him.

"Here I come!!" He swipes his sharp metal plank with a handle wildly like a meathead with no technique. I haven't done any training and can tell he can barely lift his sword. I hope people like this aren't big-shots around here, because I'm already tired of seeing this pathetic scene.

I have 3797 MP remaining. Apparently, creating Black Lightning costed 5,000 MP to produce while the Bill Production skill costed 1,000 (100 with its appraisal). Black Lightning, huh? What a terrifying skill. The appraisal costed 100 while the cast costed 2 when I adjusted it.

Grant lunges his great sword in my direction, seemingly with the intent to kill, but I can't tell because he's so bad at it. I can literally deflect his sword with my hand. It's exactly what I've decided to do. I sidestep slightly and push his sword aside.

Don't get me wrong, if he stabs me with it, I'll take an insignificant amount of damage, but I'd like to avoid needing a hospital at all costs. I don't want to wound this man either, seems annoying.

Then, suddenly Grant smirks and raises his knee to knee me in the chest. It seems he isn't completely hopeless. I cast Black Lightning at his knee with slightly more power.

"Black Lightning [6MP]!"

I've casted a total of 8 MP at him. By now, his shattered armor and battered charring on his face are apparent. Since he expended so much stamina, I probably should deduct 1 MP from the total twelve, just to be safe.

After casting the remaining 3 MP of Black Lightning on him, he is panting on the ground, face bruised and completely burnt, paralyzed and twitching. Is this the effect of black lightning?!

I have an opportunity here.

"Hear me! Those radicals who wish to fight me openly in the street should know I don't take kindly to attempted murder! Please get the bureau here and deal with this issue." By the time I finished saying that, I was looking at one of the Patrol.

They hurriedly carried him on a stretcher in less than 5 minutes. Pretty good health care.

"If you need witnesses to our battle, please ask members of the audience. I'm sure you've video recorded this duel. Please use it to disprove such ludicrous rumors. I will be heading to the Adventurer's Industry now." By this time I've realised that my cover never existed to begin with, there's no reason to play silent assassin anymore.

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