Third Outer World Story Series: Pumpkin Sorcerer - Chapter 9
Translator: MadHatter Editor: MadHatter
“Fuh, hah, tou!”
He continued to dance while concentrating on producing a specific color of phosphorescence.
Apparently, the most efficient way to change the color of phosphorescence would be to imagine it while performing a specific action, and similar to the strengthening of the body, the more he became accustomed to it, the more efficient it would become.
Therefore, he continued his training while aware of what a bizarre sight of a pumpkin dancing around while emitting strange noises from the side looked like.
“Alright! I did it!”
He consequently succeeded in producing blue-greenish phosphorescence this time.
But the amount is very small, just like the yellowish-green. Well, since this is my first time, I guess it can’t be helped.
“I’ll keep trying!”
After that, he tried to determine if other colors could be produced, and succeeded in making four different shades of green: yellowish-green, blue-green, light green, and dark green.
They are all greenish colors, huh?
No, if it were only for a moment, he could have produced colors a little more distant from green, limited to colors other than those in the red spectrum. However, perhaps due to a lack of training, the colors dissipated in an instant, and the quantity was even less than the four colors mentioned above.
This must be it. There is a color chart, right? I think there is a law that says that the color next to the original color can produce 1 light with 2 lights, but the color next to it can only produce 1 light with 3 or 4 or more lights.
That’s why red light, which is the exact opposite of green, can’t be produced in the first place because the absolute amount of light is too small, or something like that.
… Oh yes, the final conclusion is still the four words: a lack of training.
“But I’m not giving up! I won’t give uppppp!!”
From that day on, color change was introduced to his training menu.
Basically, if he didn’t have a body that could survive on water and light, he would undoubtedly be dead.
Unless there was some change of pace, even his psyche itself would turn into a plant.
————–
“Alright.”
So, a few days later, after completing his regular training, he went out for a short reconnaissance today.
His target was a lake that he thought to be a sacred place that he had looked at before.
Since the total amount of phosphorescence overflowing from the tree was weaker here, he decided that if something were to happen to him, he might have a better chance of escaping.
Also, he calculated that drinking water from a lake that was brimming with phosphorescence might lead to an increase in his power.
“Then off I go. Hyulololoooo.”
He took off from the base, clutching a pouch made from a boar’s stomach, and soared swiftly over the trees towards the lake.
After all this time, the principle of being able to fly in the sky was still a mystery to him. He wondered how he could fly without any feathers, wings, or even a propeller.
Well, it’s useful, so I may investigate to refine it in the future.
“Oh, I can see it now.”
When the lake came into view after a period of flying, he slowed down and approached it from the ground, lurking in the shade of a tree to observe the lake first.
The lake, as expected, appeared to be connected to multiple streams, and the plants surrounding the lake seemed to be more vibrant than those elsewhere, possibly because they were receiving water from the streams.
Well, it’s autumn now, so many of the leaves are beginning to fall off the trees.
Oh, and I haven’t had an opportunity to disclose this, but my ability to discern phosphorescence has been enhanced a bit since I started practicing color change. To be more exact, I am now able to distinguish colors more precisely than before, and the threshold for the amount of light needed to detect it has been lowered.
It was now feasible for him to distinguish between different species of animals and plants based on the color of the phosphorescence they generate, which was extremely useful in a variety of ways.
“Hmm… it looks like a mixture of different lights.”
After passing through the forest to a position where he could directly see the lake, he viewed the lake with his enhanced eyes and found that while the trees were almost completely monochromatic, the lake was mainly blue, but with a variety of colors mixed in.
This is likely the fish and aquatic plants that inhabit the lake, but as the saying goes, many a little makes a mickle.
“But after all, it seems that the master of this place is here.”
Nonetheless, there were territorial conflicts, as one might expect in such a vast and fertile area, and the light leaking from the lake varied in shade and intensity from place to place, with certain areas having a light that could only be characterized as overpowering in comparison to its surroundings.
Perhaps the owner of this lake was the one who was producing that overwhelming light.
Unless, of course, they have reinforced the light so that it wouldn’t leak outside at any time, like how he did.
“Well, there doesn’t appear to be any immediate hazard in terms of light or vision, so I’ll endeavor to approach a bit closer.”
After looking around to make sure it was safe, he moved closer to about three meters away from the shore of the lake.
He then reached out with a pouch and scooped up a bag of water from the lake before fleeing into the forest.
For a second there was movement in the light that he thought was coming from the master, which freaked him out, but it was probably nothing to worry about.
If it was emitting that much light, surely it couldn’t have been big enough to climb out of the lake through the stream.
“Phew. Now, the most important thing is the water.”
When he put one of the roots into the bag, which was emitting a lot of blue phosphorescent light, he sucked it up.
“!!?”
The first sensation was a strong taste that caused him to wonder if it wasn’t water that he had been drinking.
This was followed by a feeling of energy throughout the body, a complex taste from the mixture of various nutrients, and finally, a clean aftertaste despite the fact that it had so much flavor.
To put it concisely…
It’s delicious.
That’s the only word I can think of to describe it.
Ah… I want to drink this every day no matter what it takes. My time schedule is already packed, but I might as well add a daily round trip to the lake to my training.
“No, I think you’re too moved by a little bit of water.”
“What the heck! Given my inability to eat regular meals, this is what makes my life worth living!”
Someone spoke to him from behind while he was engrossed in his delight, exhibiting a hint of wrath as he turned around.
“Huh!?”
“Oh, you can fly.”
As soon as he caught sight of the other figure, he realized that his back had been seized without him realizing it, and he leaped up into the air and assumed a fighting stance.
Although it was true that he had been so moved by the lake water that he had been somewhat distracted, he still managed to keep an eye out for any other creatures approaching by spreading vines around the perimeter as a warning net.
“Who are you?”
But this fellow… a creature that resembles water compressed and immobilized into the shape of a human being, slipped effortlessly past my vigilance netting.
That was enough to convince him that he needed to be extra cautious.
And with a laugh, the creature added, “Haven’t you ever heard of the saying, ‘When you ask someone for their name, you have to introduce yourself first’?”