So I'm a Snake, So What? (Kumodesu x OC)

27 - Is This Child Abuse? ...Probably.

Not long after the group of Hakuja, Ryoshi and baby Austyn left the ruined village, Hakuja was quick to put his idea into effect.

What was the idea? Well, it was simple enough: Get the child some more Skills. Of course, Hakuja understood that Skills and Stats weren't everything when it came to combat in this world, but considering Austyn's lack of general combat ability with his feeble little baby limbs and combat experience, Skills to make him even slightly more durable than he was then would definitely be appreciated.

And so, whether he was willing or not, Austyn found himself partaking in an impromptu training program to achieve that exact goal.

Was spending his surprisingly large sum of Skill Points an option? Yes. But before that happened, Hakuja, for the first time ever, found a use for those Biology classes he took, and remembered that, according to some book he read, a person's highest growth rate is in their infancy.

After seeing him gain a new Skill through one interaction with Ryoshi's『Tyrant』, Hakuja figured that the growth rate also applied to Skills. And come to find out, he was right!

『Instantaneous』,『Persistent』,『Strength』and『Running』were all Skills that Austyn was able to acquire simply by moving past his body's natural capacity.

Was it morally questionable? Yes.

Did Austyn break out into tears multiple times? Of course.

Did Hakuja care? Not really. 

After all, the whole ordeal would serve to benefit both of them, with Austyn being able to grow stronger quickly, and Hakuja having something to do other than the mind-numbing process of spamming his low level『Spatial Magic』spells.

Hakuja prompted Austyn to purchase more advanced skills that couldn't be acquired through simple practical application like the Magic Power skills,『Appraisal』,『HP Auto-Recovery』, and others like it, and while he did, he thought over the idea of simple spending his own Skill Points to raise his『Spatial Magic』, but decided against it once he remembered that his "infancy" stage had long passed, and gaining levels and subsequent Skill Points was getting harder and harder as he went on.

If he was going to spend his Skill Points raising a Skill's level, it would only be when he had no other choice. Using『Hierarchy』to snatch the Skill Points from Ryoshi or the Fire Wyrm also crossed his mind, but... 'Nah, I've got other ideas for how to use them...'

That aside, the day seemed to pass bye quicker than it was before, and before long it was night, and after being pushed to his limit multiple time without much rest in-between, it was starting to look like Austyn was ready to keel over and drown in a puddle of his own vomit if he took a single step more. Per him wanting to keep Austyn alive, Hakuja finally decided now was the time to rest, lest he wind up being fallible for the pink-haired boy's early second death.

As such, the group decided to hunker down till sunrise, Austyn managing to find some comfort and warmth in Ryoshi's surprisingly thick coat of fur, the physical and mental exhaustion from the day's events making it impossible for him to fight sleep despite his discomfort around the giant rodent.

Meanwhile, Hakuja stayed awake to admire the fruits of "his" labor, Appraising the boy as he settled into an uneasy sleep.

【Human    LV1     Austyn Nuernbrey (Naofumi Kogure)】

Status

【HP: 10/10】

【MP: 30/30】

【SP (Yellow): 10/10】

【SP (Red): 10/10】

【Average Offensive Ability: 4】

【Average Defensive Ability: 6】

【Average Magic Ability: 18】

【Average Resistance Ability: 6】

【Average Speed Ability: 6】

Skills

『HP Auto-Recovery LV1』『Instantaneous  LV3』『Persistent LV3』『Arithmetic Processing LV2』『Memory LV2』『Protection LV1』『Appraisal  LV2』『Stealth  LV3』『Prediction LV2』『Magic Power Perception LV2』『Magic Power Operation LV1』『Ice Magic LV1』『Shadow Magic LV1』『Cutting Resistance  LV1』『Pain Resistance LV3』『Fear Resistance LV2』『Strength LV3』『Running LV4』『Stealth  LV3』『Overeating LV5』『Sharing LV3』『Tears  Shed』『n%l=W』

Titles

None.

Skill Points: 68,700

It was clear to see that his "work" was paying off, regardless of how unethical it may be.

'Not bad, considering this whole thing was just me going off of a hunch...' He thought to himself. '...Would it be possible to get him some Resistances?'

At that thought, he found himself looking over his own list of Skills. 'Maybe Titles?' he found himself wondering.

Seeing as he was aiming to see just how much could be done without spending Skill Points, he looked to his list of Titles as a starter. He first turned his attention to Monster Slayer. 

'Nah, too weak...'

And quickly found that that wouldn't work out. Then he looked to Merciless. 

'Nah, too soft... Heresy Resistance is good, but I doubt I could expose him to enough fear before he croaked from a heart attack. Hm... Oh...?'

However, his eyes finally landed on one that could work.

『Foul Feeder』

That put a light-bulb in Hakuja's head. Foul Feeder was a rather common title in the Great Elroe Labyrinth. In fact, from his memory, the only creatures that didn't have the title were the ones that were either just born, or were quick to get eaten by something else, providing them with the title.

Regardless of the lower density of monsters, and more so, monsters possessing poisonous properties, he was plenty venomous on his own, right?

Of course, the poison produced by Deadly Poison Fang, and even the LV1 spell of Poison Magic, were most definitely too strong for the boy. However, he knew of one particular skill that he had yet to level in the slightest. In fact, it was one of the skills he had lost in the aftermath of that one incident he's convinced himself didn't happen.

That skill being: 'Poison Synthesis.'

《You currently have 5,000 skill points. The skill『Poison Synthesis LV1』can be acquired by spending 100 skill points.》

'And just like that, I have another thing to do until Spatial Magic is useful!'

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Hey! Remember me?

No?

Okay... :(

But anyway, uhhh... I remembered how to write for a second, so I made a chapter :D

Except I actually made two chapters, with a third in the oven. Cool right? I mean, it's only been like four months, right? That's not that bad!

...Writer's block is killing me ;-;

Anyway, hope you enjoyed, and I hope I don't take another four months to upload again ;v; Bye.