CH 22

Nick Bakker-sensei smiles proudly as he flaps his dusty body.

“MEAT! Did you see what I just did?”

It’s an advanced technique to minimize damage by lifting your body off the ground the moment you are struck.”

It’s really funny how you’re so proud of your celebrity without even knowing it!”

The surrounding students become relieved.

“Oh, so that’s what this is all about. ……”

“I thought it was funny. It’s impossible to get a one-punch KO.”

“Yeah, maybe someone like Monsoon from Class 1-20 can do it! There’s no way a jobless trash guy can do it!”

Come to think of it, there’s no sign of Monsoon, and none of the members of Class 1-20 seem to be taking part in this gym class.

That aside, I ask Nick Bakker-sensei.

“But didn’t you faint?

Then the teacher’s face turns as red as a boiling kettle.

“That’s ……! That’s ……! It’s a very advanced technique called ‘pretending to be dead’!

But that’s not the point, the game is over! I’m going to be serious next time, celebrity!”

“What, are you still doing that?”

“MEAT! Of course! I’m not going to let you get away with it. …… No, you haven’t shown me how it’s done yet!

I let you hit me with one just now, now let me hit you with one!”

He is talking like a child, completely.

Nick Bakker-sensei walks over to me with his log-like arms raised in the air.

“Wait, Sensei?”

“No questions! Come on, let’s go!”

I get in a hurry to activate my “Dexterous Body” skill.

I change the stats from “Strength” to “Toughness” in a hurry.

Name Leopin”

“Occupation Martial Artist”

“Lv 8”

“HP 10”

“MP 10”

“Status Life 1”

“Endurance 1”

“Toughness 1 ⇒ 2501”

“Spirit 1”

“Resistance 1”

“Agility 1”

“Concentration 1”

“Strength 2501 ⇒ 1”

“Magic 1”

“Dharma 1”

“Intelligence 1”

“Liberal Arts 1”

“Five Senses 1”

“Sixth Sense 1”

“Charm 1”

“Luck 2”

“Dexterity 200”

A massive, roaring arm closes in on my face.

At the moment of impact, Monaka, who has returned to the crowd, screams, “Kyaa!” and is holding her face with both hands.

…… Gochiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnn!

A sound like someone punches a stone wall as hard as they could, echoes throughout the schoolyard.

It’s not that I was blown away, but I didn’t even move from the spot.

“It doesn’t hurt at all ……?” I let out an involuntary gasp.

I barely managed to keep my composure, but inside I am filled with surprise.

For a brief moment, my body hardens like a rock, and I become as solid as a mountain.

I didn’t even use magic, so why?

The higher the “toughness” status, the more able you are to withstand physical attacks.

But no matter how high you raise it, it doesn’t make your body heavier.

In direct contrast to my cool face, Nick Bakker-sensei’s face and fists swelled red at the same time.

And then, as if he had been hit by a powerful counterpunch, he fell backwards.

“Oh no! My bones! BONES!!!!”

Like a whale washed up on the shore, Nick Bakker-sensei goes wild with a thud on the floor.

The boys around me are looking at me in fear this time.

“Oh ……, no way, no way ……!

Not only did you take that punch and not care, but you didn’t even do anything to fight back. ……!”

No, no, this is another one of Nick Bakker-sensei’s advanced techniques. ……”

“That’s not possible! Look at this!　Look at that garbage …… face Leopin!

It looks as if you’ve been exposed to a gentle breeze.”

I think you should be more worried about Nick Bakker-sensei than you are about me.

Then, a voice asked, “Are you okay?”

Monaka pops out again from the crowd of female students.

I think it is going to happen this time, but Monaka is heading straight for me again.

Monaka comes running towards me again, running so fast that I thought she was a hungry cat, touching me here and there to make sure I am okay.

◆　　◇　　◆　　◇　　◆

Nick Bakker-sensei’s broken bones could not be healed by the female students who were Healers (Young Saints), so he was taken to the infirmary in a stretcher.

Physical education class had to end and it was after school.

All the students went back to the school building to change out of their gym clothes.

I am still in my uniform, so I leave the school grounds alone.

On my way back to my home in the forest, I change jobs to “Lumberjack”

I rebalance my status, which has been skewed by the physical education class.

╔═══════════════╦════════════════╗

║ Name ║ Leopin ║

╠═══════════════╬════════════════╣

║ Occupation ║ Martial Artist ║

╠═══════════════╬════════════════╣

║ Lv ║ 8 ║

╠═══════════════╬════════════════╣

║ HP ║ 10 ⇒ 1810 ║

“Well, let’s go back and do some work.”

I go back to the forest and start chopping down trees with my stone axe.

In the midst of all this, I keep thinking about Nick Bakker-sensei’s words.

“Right now, there’s protective magic around this school!”

But starting tomorrow, the effect will gradually fade!”

Do you know what this means? It means that after tomorrow, monsters will enter your living quarters!”

If these words are true, then there is a possibility that we will encounter monsters tomorrow.

The residential area where the other students are is crowded, so monsters are less likely to attack.

If everyone took turns guarding the area at night, there would be no chance of a monster attack.

But I’m on my own.

And since I live in the middle of the forest, there’s no one easier for monsters to attack than me.

So I decide to defend myself.

“I think this is all the wood I need.”

Can be used for building materials with various bonuses

I change my job to “Carpenter”.

With enough lumber to build a house, I build a fence and a gate around the house.

With various bonuses, it is more robust than stone walls, and is resistant to earthquakes, fire, and corrosion.

More robust than stone gates due to various bonuses, and resistant to earthquake, fire, and corrosion.

The towering wall that surrounds the house is quite a reliable looking structure.

And then something unexpected happens.

When the house, gate, and wall …… come together, they begin to glow as one.

No way, level up ……! Just as I am thinking that, a window appears in front of me.

“Your home has evolved into a base!”