Chapter 153. Anomaly
The spring festival was a huge success. Everyone enjoyed themselves, eating takoyaki, okonomiyaki, yakisoba, crepes, and more from the lined-up stalls, shopping for clothes, accessories, dishes, cups, and other goods at the spring festival sale, watching street performances, and thoroughly enjoying the festival. I was delighted that the spring festival had turned out so well.
As the spring festival ended and Golden Week passed, people returned to their usual routines a few days later. Sitting on the sofa in my living room, I couldn't hide my confusion as I looked at the skills displayed on the Equivalent Exchange Store. With Yukihana away for training with her subordinates, it was just Shizuku and me alone after a long time, albeit in her astral form. Floating in the air, she looked at me while I hesitated to speak.
"I think this skill could be useful... What do you think?"
[Hmm... I've never seen this skill before. If I don't know about it, it means that the Equivalent Exchange Store or someone has created an original skill.]
Placing her hand on her chin, Shizuku also looked at the lineup on the Equivalent Exchange Store with a puzzled expression.
So it's an original skill from the Equivalent Exchange Store. I see. So the Equivalent Exchange Store has begun to acquire original powers?
Last time, I obtained the Rare Elemental Core B by defeating Seriton. When I decided to see what I could exchange it for, many lists appeared. That's ranged from materials to skills, and even unique skills. They all seemed powerful, but among them was a skill that Shizuku didn't know about.
[Limited 1: Normal Terrain Change: Rare Elemental Core B 1, consumes mana to create ordinary environmental terrain in a small area. Cannot change to a magical terrain environment.]
Being able to change terrain is wonderful. Perhaps, just perhaps, it's a skill to change terrain. I don't really understand what a magical terrain environment is, though.
[A magical terrain environment refers to an unnatural environment. For example, a desert with a temperature of 100 degrees, where the oasis in the desert is a snowy mountain, or where plants spew flames and freeze-resistant magma rivers flow in a world with temperatures as low as minus 100 degrees. It's an environment where temperature changes and poisons, among other things, wouldn't normally exist.]
"Fire flowers? Is that what you mean by an environment that wouldn't normally exist? I see. So, by 'normal', you mean a regular environment."
[That's what I think. If you can exchange it for the power of an element, you can also acquire such a skill. I underestimated the power of the Equivalent Exchange Store.]
Shizuku, unusually impressed, nodded in agreement. Indeed, being able to change terrain is an incredibly powerful skill. It's even possible to drop enemies into a lava flow terrain instantly. It's an invincible skill, isn't it? Wonderful.
As my level increases, I'll gain more powerful skills...
"Or maybe not. I think there must be some weaknesses."
[I think there are. It's troublesome... If we can't analyze it, it's dangerous to acquire.]
I chuckled and leaned back on the sofa. Shizuku also seemed to be troubled as she looked at me like that.
It's not that user-friendly, so if I acquire it and it turns out to be a skill with significant drawbacks, it'll be troublesome. Is there a skill or function that provides detailed information about the items for sale? I can understand to some extent with the skill to change performance, but... it's scary. I don't think it's the time for adventuring.
"There's no point in worrying. Why don't we try using the last remaining element I got from Proto-Elriton?"
Unfortunately, until we find a way to verify it or understand detailed information, we'll leave it aside. Let's use another Elemental Core instead.
[Spirit Stone C: Elemental Core C]
Let's exchange it for a Spirit Stone. I don't know how to use it, but what kind of power does it have?
With a clatter, a small hexagonal crystal appeared in front of me, just like a can of juice popping out. Rolling it on the palm of my hand, the translucent, beautiful white crystal sparkled brightly.
"I wonder if it's okay to show this to Serika now... If I say I found it in the dungeon she made?"
[Well... huh?]
Just as Shizuku was about to answer in agreement.
Ping!
The status board appeared in front of me. I was somewhat surprised by that. But I was even more surprised by the content displayed.
[Terrain Environment Change Possible]
[Familiar Creation Possible]
[Physical Ability Enhancement Possible]
[Familiar Enhancement Possible]
[Plant Growth Possible]
"This is... amazing."
There's even the possibility of changing the terrain environment that I was just worrying about. And Familiars? Does that mean creatures like Kou and Mike?
[Because elements are concentrated forms of energy. So even as materials, they may have various uses.]
"...If I had given this to Serika before Seriton was created, it would have been bad."
[Maybe an upgraded status Seriton would have appeared.]
"That's creepy. I'm glad I didn't show it."
I breathed a sigh of relief, patting my chest. That was close. I was lucky. Now, what should I use it for...?
[Well, I guess it can wait. Familiars are the priority.]
"You want a flying familiar, right? Let's become the second generation to protect the Tower of Babel."
[What's with that ancient-sounding second generation?]
Shizuku always talks in riddles, but later, later.
After careful consideration, though I had planned to use it,
"Oh nyo! Oh nyo~!"
Karin, in a hurry, sensed Dark Cat running up the headquarters building while shouting loudly about the trouble. The subordinates in the headquarters noticed Karin's commotion but she continued to run up, ignoring my attention, and shouted loudly about the trouble.
It's so artificial, beyond belief. She's intentionally making sure everyone hears her, that Karin.
Well, can't be helped. Should I prepare some tea, perhaps?
As I boiled water and prepared tea, Nekomusume jumped in at just the right moment.
"Oh no, Sakimori-nya! Ah, thanks again for helping Selika the other day-nya. Let me thank you properly-nya. Wanna touch my tail-nya?"
Despite her cries, Karin gracefully thanked me and lowered her head, fluttering her hands. She had explained to Hanari about Selica's research on illusions and the subsequent repairs. It seemed more convincing than dungeon explanations, so Hanari accepted it.
As thanks, Hanari showed me her tail to touch, tempting me to pet it, but I restrained myself. It wouldn't suit a hard-boiled guy like me.
"Calm down, Karin. What's going on?"
Handing her a teacup, I watched Hanari who nodded vigorously as if she had been waiting for this. She was slightly sweaty, indicating her urgent rush. She didn't even stop by the cafeteria.
"Oh no, the vegetables and gasoline in the inner town are getting more expensive. Gasoline is especially bad."
Pausing mid-sip of tea, I was surprised. Prices were rising?
"The factories were destroyed, causing considerable damage, and oil tankers have been sinking one after another. Bad luck keeps coming."
"Gasoline prices are rising?"
"Yeah. It was 1500 yen per liter, Now it's 5000 yen."
With a pout, Hanari complained about filling her car's gas tank.
1500 yen per liter... Was it always that expensive? The inner town's inflation is out of control. Prices are way too high compared to the outer city.
I began to realize the intentions behind Nekomusume's attention-seeking climb.
"Are they implying we can't bring gasoline or diesel in? Rather than raising prices?"
Karin flinched under my sharp gaze, her eyes darting as her tail swayed vigorously. She couldn't hide her emotions.
"Hehe~. Actually, yes-nya. Sakimori, you can manage without gasoline, right-nya? Oh, wanna touch my cat ears-nya?"
"Alright, I'll tie your tail into a butterfly knot, so show me your tail."
As I leaned forward to grab her swaying tail, Hanari hastily moved away, prompting a sigh from me. Are gasoline prices going up? That's troublesome.
"Selika at the Amatsugahara Corporation's front desk faced harassment, and they refused to supply gasoline-nya."
"Tanks and armored vehicles can't run without gasoline."
While wryly smiling at the sarcasm, I agreed with Karin's words. Her actions also hinted at an attempt to blame me. Someone in the inner town might be behind this scheme.
But we'd be in trouble without gasoline or diesel. If the power goes out, the people in the abandoned town would panic. Just when I thought we'd overcome the darkness of the night, losing electricity would be a big blow. Electricity and water are essential to people's lives, easily felt when absent.
"This is bad. When will the next oil tanker come?"
"Probably in a few months-nya. They're coming slowly from the Middle East-nya."
In a few months? I grimaced, thinking about gasoline allocations for the future. Wait, something's not right.
"Karin, did the inner city only have such tight reserves before? Normally, with such tight reserves, wouldn't gasoline be even more expensive?"
If the tanker missed just once, it shouldn't severely affect the oil tank's reserves. The country should have had reserves with some margin of safety.
"Maybe they knew reserves would be tight and raised prices?"
"Ah... maybe you're right, Sakimori... Serika was experimenting with how much bioethanol she could craft from corn-nya. If we mass-produce corn, we should be able to make bioethanol, right-nya? Should we ask Serika-nya?"
"How much can she make?"
"About 500 milliliters of bioethanol from 100 kilograms of corn-nya."
"What would that be per liter?"
I scolded Karin while hugging her face. She, or rather Serika, had anticipated my thoughts and briefed Hanari on how much bioethanol she could make from corn. Wasn't she supposed to protect me?
"It's probably not viable without a factory, lots of losses..."
We have to do something. Should we make hand-cranked generators? It would be like trying to bail out a sinking ship with a teacup.
"Well, we have to do something. It's better than doing nothing. Since we're creating new fields, should we turn some into cornfields?"
It's tough not rebuilding the factory. We showcased prosperity during the spring festival, but raising prices on vegetables afterward would backfire. Maybe it was unlucky, timing the spring festival poorly.
Can't we make a lot of gasoline with alchemy skills or something? If Serika can't do it, then maybe it's impossible.
[It would be great if we could make it in the Alchemist's Atelier. Like an engine that generates infinite energy.]
[That reminds me of an old anime. They created solar panels that generate infinite energy around the Earth. The world became prosperous, but wars never stopped, so a group called Celestial Alchemists, with robots powered by alchemy solar furnaces, would intervene with force and cause terrorism. The protagonist was a chubby-thighed alchemist girl. Double R... That was the protagonist's robot's name, but I forgot.]
[That's different from the anime I know. Please show me that anime later.]
[In the end, the protagonist awakens as a true alchemist and reconciles with the tar-like extraterrestrial life forms that came from space.]
[Definitely show it to me later. It's a promise, okay?]
Watching Shizuku excitedly pleading with me, I consider her request sideways. We need to procure fuel somehow before we run out of gasoline.
For now, let's create new fields. It's time for earth magic to shine.
I've received Selica's indirect message. It seems like a serious situation.
By the way, I haven't told Serika about our ability to communicate through thoughts. I've been busy and forgot. I'll have to trust her a little more before revealing that.
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