Chapter 17: Debuff item?

  "... You want to train?"

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  After that, Regulus and Liese woke up safely. I tried to calm down the two that were menting that it was over while they were unconscious, we trudged back the way we came (the shortest route would have been to dig a hole and climb up, but I thought a lot of dirt would fall over my head, so I gave up on that idea) and returned to the vilge.

  It was getting close to dusk, I considered either rest there or return, but the effects of the miasma were still lingering around, so we couldn't do either, and we had to move away from there quickly before returning home.

  Luckily, we didn't encounter any monsters, but it was already night, and we just got to bed without eating anything... Or not, that's not something that my hungry friends would do, so we ate a good meal before going to bed.

  And this is what Regulus said to me when I first met him today.

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  "Yeah, I've been holding Rion back a lot tely..."

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  "I've been causing trouble too, so you don't need to worry about it that much, you know?"

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  "No, I just don't think I'm strong enough."

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  Regulus's resolve is firm and he doesn't seem to be backing down.

  Training, huh... I think it would be fine if Ryza-san continued to train him like before... But it seems he wants to consider more different scenarios. Did it get monotonous fighting against the same person every time?

  But I'm not strong enough to teach Regulus anything, and against Uru the power difference is so great that I'm afraid of what might happen if she made a mistake.

  ... Ah, I've got an idea.

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  "How about training with the people of Bartle Vilge? I don't think you'd be short of opponents there."

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  "Oh, that sounds like a good idea!"

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  Bartle vilge is full of muscle-brains - Correction, people who love fighting, so Regulus will be able to compete with people of the same level as him, and he'll also be able to learn from stronger people. It's definitely not because I think it would be a hassle, and he seems keen on it, so there shouldn't be a problem.

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  "I'll ask Tigar-san."

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  “Thank you very much!”

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  And as I was walking, thinking what to give Tigar-san as a gift in return, I met Liese.

  I wonder if she already knows the about Regulus' training?

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  "... Regulus-nii makes decisions on the spur of the moment... I never heard anything."

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  Liese shrugged her shoulders with a wry smile... You're having a hard time too.

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  "Um... I suggested to him to train in Bartle Vilge, but... Was that unnecessary?"

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  "That vilge, huh... Hmm... I'll go too."

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  "It's not required, so if you don't want to go, you don't have to...?"

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  "Just like Uru-san can't leave Rion-san alone, I can't leave Regulus-nii alone. I don't know what he'll do..."

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  Apparently even putting romantic feelings aside, it's hard to take your eyes off him.

  ... Well, yeah, good luck with keeping an eye on him.

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  Tigar-san gdly accepted. There are still many monsters appearing, so he was happy to have more people who could fight.

  To thank him for looking after the two, I offered him a rge amount of my hand-made food (mostly meat) and alcohol. He accepted it with a stern look on his tiger face, but I found it kind of cute to see his tail swaying happily. Let's never say that to him under any circumstances.

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  "I wonder if there's something I can do too..."

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  After seeing the two off, Uru came to me for advice.

  She said that it was frustrating that she couldn't use her full power in pces like the underground dungeon the other day, where it would be dangerous to use it all.

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  "Hmm... I've always wondered this, but is it really that hard to hold back?"

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  "I'm trying to hold back, but maybe I'm unconsciously using too much force, it just happens..."

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  I guess it's difficult to correct something if it's on an unconscious level.

  To begin with, Uru-san still breaks tools... I want to get her some sturdier ones soon.

  While from Uru's perspective, it may seem a serious problem to be too strong, but I can't understand that luxurious problem, I never had it.

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  "Can't Rion make any items that can help control power?"

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  "Well, putting aside control, just reducing it is possible."

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  There are quite a few debuff-type items.

  They can reduce attack power, defense power, speed, various resistances, and so on. They come in two forms: potions and arrows; the former have strong and long-sting effects but a short range, while the tter have the opposite advantages and disadvantages, so I have to use them depending on the situation.

  This can be said for any item, but if used effectively against strong monsters, it will give you an advantage in battle.

  However, they have a fatal fw.

  And that is... The stronger the monster, the higher its resistance to debuffs.

  The stronger the monster, the more you want to use a debuff item, so that a huge dilemma. The Ouroboros Dragon was completely immune to them, so I couldn't rely on them at all. It's sad.

  On the other hand, there were monsters that you cannot defeat without using a debuff item, but those were special cases, and in the end I only used them in those situations in the game, so debuff have been a low priority since coming to Asteria.

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  I wonder if those debuff items will actually work on Uru...?

  Even if I ignore the fact that I'm still a newbie miko, I can't help but have a feeling that they won't have any effect.

  Still, she asked me to try them, so I decided to experiment.

  I never thought I'd end up using a debuff item on an ally...

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  So we arrived at an open area outside. Fricka is there watching us, and Fin, who seemed to have some free time, is also there.

  Being careful not to get too close or stand downwind, we began the experiment.

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  "Then I'll throw a potion that reduces attack power."

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  "Umu, bring it on."

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  I threw the test-tube potion at Uru's feet.

  It broke with a loud crack, and the liquid inside turned into a mist that engulfed Uru.

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  "Has anything changed?"

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  "... Nothing in particur..."

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  Although she's clenching her hands and waving her arms around, she doesn't seem to be hindered.

  I put down a stone block for her, and she broke it with a light jab, just like always. I try a slightly harder granite block, but the result is the same.

  Uru looks at me slowly, mouth clenched... Even if you look at me like that...

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  "Rion-sama, could you please try it out on me?"

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  "Fricka?"

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  Fricka, who had been watching the situation quietly, raised her hand.

  Well... I don't think I failed in the creation, but perhaps I should test it out to see if the potion itself has any effect...?

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  "Huh... Then, shall I go ...?"

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  "Go ahead."

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  I asked Fin to move to a position where it wouldn't affect her, and threw it at Fricka's feet in the same way.

  And at the moment that the debuff mist enveloped Fricka, she colpsed.

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  "Onee-chan!"

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  "F-Fricka?!"

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  "... I'm... Lost my strength... Can't stand..."

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  "It's too strong!?"

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  I rushed over, picked her up, and used a potion to cancel out the debuff.

  Hey, Fin, wait, don't hit me, it was unavoidable, she asked for it herself!

  But, does it really have that much of an effect when used on a person who is weak to begin with? Or is it just that Fricka's power or resistance is too weak...?

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  I tried using it on myself, but it only had a slight effect.

  However, in my case, I felt some resistance, so perhaps my resistance is quite high. Hmm.

  As a side note, as expected I don't intend to try it on fin.

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  Whatever the case, it won't change until I can get better materials or raise my skill level to increase the debuff effect.

  Just as I came to that conclusion, Uru made another suggestion.

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  "Can't you make accessories instead of potions?"