âIs that a tradition that your kind has or something?!â
I prompt it to stand up, but it blanks⌠and collapses forward with a smile on its face. With its thumb held high, it disperses into particles of light.
The audience of Baby Blue Punching Bears breaks out in cheers.
At the same time my gloves light up and begin to change.
Baby Blue Punching Bear Punching Gloves
Effect: Dynamic Vision Increase; Wind Punch; Bear Claw; Earth Crash; Wild Sense
Instant Expansion Ability: Kangaroo Step; Boxer
My gloves were significantly strengthened, but I donât need them. Iâve already decided to use the metal turtle sword Meguru-san left behind. That is when that I noticed a medal roll next to my feet.
Itâs quite big this time. Wait, this medal⌠Itâs a belt!
Baby Blue Punching Bear Kingâs Medal
Effect: Kingâs Protection; Glove Strengthening;
It looks like it can be used as a type of defensive equipment⌠Although, Iâm not sure how Iâd use it. Thereâs no way Iâll wear something like this around my waist!
With the match over, the Baby Blue Punching Bears disperse.
The gloveless Baby Blue Punching Bear who assisted me in my corner waves to me.
Even though Iâm in tatters, I unintentionally groan out and collapse.
Upon seeing that, the gloveless Baby Blue Punching Bear leaves the corner and supports me.
Treatment after the matchâŚprobably wonât happen. Iâll just transfer some of the ointment I got from Hagisawa.
I then notice the Baby Blue Punching Bear looking at my gloves.
Thinking about it, itâs because of these gloves and those medals that I keep getting dragged into these fights. They keep herds of mamono from targeting me if I win, but in turn, theyâre also weapons I donât need with the ability of drawing those mamono to me in the first place. Iâve already decided that Iâll use the metal turtle sword after all.
With all of these considerations, a deal comes to my mind even though I donât understand the lanauge. I turn to the guy who healed my wounds during the intervals by licking themâŚ
The Baby Blue Punching Bear nods.
Looks like this species really loves gloves.
âThis is a unique equipment, you know? Anyone besides me canât⌠actually, you might be able to wear them.â
I donât quite get the requirements for using them, but it might work if itâs by a member of the same species?
The gloveless Baby Blue Punching Bear cries out his desire for them a number of times.
Well, even if they canât be worn, we can still make an agreement?
âIn that case, letâs make a deal. Iâll give them to you in return for you healing me, how about it?â
The gloveless Baby Blue Punching Bear nods once again.
Does he actually understand me?
I hand the gloves over to the Baby Blue Punching Bear. They are tried on the moment they are are recieved. The gloves grow in size for a perfect fit.
With a crackle, the Baby Blue Punching Bearâs fur stands on end⌠and begins to change color.
An icon with those words appear out of nowhere within my field of view. Following them, the name Punching Bear gradually appears as well.
Unique Ability: Assist; Insect Killer
Its ability is Boxer⌠Well, I guess that makes sense. That is his species after all. Thereâs also an assist ability. Could it be a combination ability? Iâm not sure.
Insect Killer looks like a straight forward way for taking out insects. This is a bear after all. He should be pretty strong against insects.
Still what in the world is this taming thing?
Speaking of status, Punching Bearâs are slightly weaker than mine.
I then hand over the medal and he wraps it around his waist.
Whoa⌠Itâs way more effective than when I wear it.
Punching Bearâs status far exceed mine by putting on the gloves⌠In addition, doing that also came with a number of abilities.
Punching Bear proceeds to lick my wounds as I sit down on the ground.
What I felt during the intervals seems to have been genuine. My wounds gradually heal.
After 5 minutes pass, the medicine I transfered finally appears and I can finish treating myself.
I look at the bearâs status. Appeared, healing my wounds with licking consumes magic power.
Once Iâm somehow able to walk again, I give Punching Bear my gratitude.
Punching Bear roars as if to say, Youâre welcome!
âWell then, as per our deal, those gloves are yours. Later.â
I then walk away but⌠Punching Bear tags along.
Why are you tilting your head like that? Your herd is going to leave you behind if you donât hurry.
âNo, itâs true that I asked you to heal me butâŚâ
I recall the word, âtaming,â that appeared earlier. Seeing how this world is similar to a game, there is a good chance its meaning is literal.
âCould it be⌠Does taming imply youâve become my follower and will continue to follow me?â
Punching Bear nods with all his might.
In other words, Iâve obtaining a mamono companion?
I didnât realize unique equipment had such an effect.
âŚCome to think of it, back when I fought the Kangaroo, one of them didnât have gloves either⌠I wonder if Iâd have been able to tame it as well if I had given it my gloves?
Good grief⌠How am I gonna explain this to Shigenobu and the others?
No wait, first thingâs first.
I need to hurry up and find them!
With that in mind, I use remote viewing to check whether theyâve returned or not.
As I do, I discover that Hagisawa and the others are back at the camp.
âThank god⌠Iâll be able to meet up with them if I head back right now!â
Do they remember who I am now that Iâm back in this world? Except⌠They seem to be strangely conscious of their surroundings, and there are far fewer people than before. I better hurry there as fast as possible.
âIâll use transportation right now to⌠Wait, do you understand what that means?â
âTransportation is an ability that only allows me to teleport myself. Iâm afraid I canât take you with me. Do you understand? I apologize for taming you like that, but⌠â
Why is it that the creatures of this speicies look at me with chihuahua eyes?! That boss who nailed me is one thing, but getting it from this guy who healed me is troubling.
The bear, lost over how to react, claps his hands as an idea comes to mind.
Smoke soon appears with a pofun⌠he somehow transforms into a pair of gloves.
I slowly pick up the gloves. There is a faint warmth to them. I can also check their status. They had gone back to being treated like equipment.
This⌠should I think of him having disappeared after turning into light? Or that he took the form of gloves⌠Is this really going to be okay I wonder? Iâm not sure if I can treat Punching Bear as equipment for transporting, but itâs worth a shot.
âI got it. Iâll give it a shot, but donât hold it against me if it doesnât work, okay?â
The gloves do something like vibrate.
Just in case, I marked the area with my remote viewing and use transportation to go to Hagisawa and the others.
The view in front of me changes and I confirm that the gloves are still in my hands.
So Iâll be able to transport Punching Bear as gloves?
âI finally found you! Where in the world have you been?!â
âHanebashi! You⌠Youâre covered in wounds arenât ya! What the hell did you do!?â
Hagisawa rushes over to me and asks.
âYou donât need to worry about me, Iâm fine. What happened here?â
âSuddenly, we were attacked by a horde of mamono led by a powerful mamono. We were able to fend them off while defending those who couldnât fight, but we decided that staying here was too risky.â
âWhat?! Is everyone okay?! No one died, right?!â
Well, I guess them returning means that they defeated themâŚ
Hagisawa nods at my question.
âEverythingâs alright, calm down⌠Like I was saying, after some time had passed, we remembered you, Hanebashi. We thought you were with us, so it took us a while to realize you werenât. Forgetting a friend like that was a horrible feelingâŚâ