Chapter 129

Chapter 129

[Touka, instructions—]

[You should step back this time . ]

[…Acknowledged . ]

Without any questions, Eve stepped back .

Eve said so herself, that she could win against it .

An opponent that the strongest Blood Champion couldn’t win with a fair fight .

Well, she could request to act as a decoy that would distract the attention of the enemy .

However, she may get injured in the process .

She may even get seriously injured for doing something unnecessary .

I want to avoid a situation like that .

Eve’s special characteristics aren’t something that could be easily replaced .

Night vision .

Sensor-like hearing .

I don’t want these two to end up becoming useless as a result of making them decoy .

There is no time for me to prepare the combination technique with Pigimaru before the monster arrives .

I hide behind the trunk of a tree and check out the situation .

The creaking noises began steadily approaching our direction as trees fell one after another .

It has a large body that can’t weave its way between the trees .

That thing’s already in a distance where I could see it .

It’s a gigantic slug .

The base of the monster reminds me of that .

There were two golden eyes on top of its head .

Those eyes remind me of the compounded eyes of dragonflies .

Even the mouth between its two eyes also looks like the mouth of a dragonfly .

Also, there are multiple things growing out from its back .

Those things kind of resemble an elephant’s nose .

Furthermore, there were humanoid arms growing out from both sides of its body .

The blood vessels were bulging out of its thick, muscular arms .

And, there was its really large frame .

Speaking of its size alone, it slightly exceeds the size of the Soul Eater .

Elephant Slug .

There were two of them .

Are those the Human-Faced?

[…………… . ]

No, they weren’t .

Human-Faced should have more “human”-like faces .

Along the way, Seras had told me about them .

The Soul Eater was certainly under this category, however those two weren’t .

[Nuuuuuuooohhh! Booooooorrroooorrrrooooooooooonnnn!]

A bizarre shrill roar shook the air .

Something that I guess would be some kind of birds flew away from the source of the sounds .

Perhaps, they sensed the presence of the Elephant Slugs and ran away .

Even so…

[I see . ]

For a moment, the feeling of delight exceeded the calmness I’ve been trying to hold on to .

[So, it’s you bastards . ]

Dondondondondondondon——!

With the earth trembling in each of their steps, the Elephant Slugs reduced the distance between us without pause .

Even though that thing looks like a slug, its speed doesn’t look like a slug at all .

Its undulating explosive speed…

It doesn’t really fit the slow image of slugs .

It’s honestly kind of creepy .

Hmm?

Ah, I see .

So, they could use those arms as support when they want to change directions huh .

The head of the elephant was swinging left to right .

[………………… . . ]

Perhaps, they were looking for me and Eve .

I could feel it .

It’s great delight and killing intent .

I guess it feels excited hunting its prey .

However, it seems that its perception ability is duller than I had expected .

It’s the type where it has a wide field of vision, but its ability to sense the presence of others is quite weak huh .

And, they are now—

[Welcome . ]

—within my range .

[]

Crack, crackleee—

Cracklee—

[Ooouuoo!? Oorrrooouuooohhh… . . oohhh—!?]

“An opponent that the strongest Blood Champion couldn’t win with a fair fight . ”

Snorting, I emerged from behind the trunk of the tree .

It may certainly be as she said but—

[That’s only if we were to fairly fight against it . ]

I don’t really have to fight from the front .

All those b*llshit about fighting fair and square or having that spirit of fairness could eat sh*t .

Defeating them by trickery…

Surprise attacks…

Both of them are good .

[Finally finding the prey that you let loose— you must have been really delighted that the hunt continues… But before you noticed it, the hunter becomes the hunted . ]

The two Elephant Slugs have stopped in their places .

These two were standing still in front of me, just like two cliffs standing side by side .

The great delight and killing intent that they have been releasing earlier .

Now, they had turned into bewilderment and rage .

[Ooouuuoooohhh—-! OOouuooohhhnnnn!]

I also decided on using the skills that I could stack with the others .

Of course, it was to increase the number of skills I could use .

And, the finishing blow would be—

[]

Fssshhhh! Gussshhhhh!

Blood began spouting out all over the body of the two elephant slugs .

The monsters’ blood began raining down upon the surroundings .

[Oggguuueeeeehhhhhh!?]

The more they violently struggle about while they’re paralyzed, the more damage they would receive .

However, the monsters couldn’t even stop their own bodies from rampaging .

No one could resist it— once has been invoked on them .

[Oggooooo… giiii… riii—-]

Sinking in the pool of their own blood, they died .

The surroundings began descending to silence again .

[Oh?]

So, I could level up here huh…

There’s also the experience points I’ve accumulated so far .

However, the experience points these two monsters have given may be reasonably high .

The combination of the experience given by these two was enough for me to level up .

[…My MP has also fully recovered . ]

Eve rushed over .

[Is it done, Touka?]

[Yeah . ]

Her leopard eyes looked at the monsters’ corpses like she found it hard to believe what she’s saying .

[You defeated that monster without even breaking a sweat… while I could only run away with all of my might . I could only feel embarrassed with how I acted…]

I think it’s quite amazing that she managed to escape from those guys before though .

[That’s an opponent you couldn’t win against if you fairly fight against it . By the way, these guys weren’t Human-Faced, right?]

[That’s right . However, the Human-Faced weren’t the only strong monsters in this place . Even if they’re not Human-Faced, there were still lots of frightening monsters here . ]

[Ah, I know . I already know enough about it . ]

A good example would be the monsters from the Disposal Ruins .

Eve let out a subdued groan .

[Touka . ]

[Hmm?]

[Just before you fought these monsters, you spoke earlier as if you’ve come across this monster somewhere before? If I remember it correctly, I think you said something like “I see . So, it’s you bastards . ” . ]

As expected, she really has great ears .

[These were probably “Nazoto” . ] (T/N: ナゾート)

I called out to Seras who was walking towards us with Liz .

[Seras, help me with this . ]

It seems she understood what I’m talking about .

Seras places her hand over her chest .

[Yes, please leave it to me . ]

Incidentally, Liz doesn’t look particularly confused .

When the monster appeared, she was able to remain calm .

How should I say this—- her eyes look like she believes in us .

That’s how I see it .

I step into the pool of blood and lightly lift up the monster’s humanoid arm .

There’s a hemisphere buried in the palm of the monster .

It feels kind of squishy .

If I were to compare it with something, it would be that—- it’s just like a cat’s paws .

Well, this feels comparably worse than a cat’s paw but…

A monster’s hand .

I want to check the toughness of its skin .

Alright .

It looks like this would be a good spot .

I unsheathe the dagger from my waist .

[What are you doing, Touka?]

[I’m going to chip off this fleshy bead part . ]

[What? This thing…? D- Don’t tell me— you can’t possibly be thinking of using that in our meal? It wouldn’t be easy for me to say that I want to eat something like that…]

Slightly doubtful, Eve pulled away .

[Heh— That’s not it, Eve . ]

Seras wryly smiled .

[Is that really so, Touka-dono?]

[Yeah . I’m not really chipping this off for us to eat this . ]

It seems Seras had already read about it in the book “Encyclopedia on the Forbidden Arts” that I’ve lent her .

The “Nazoto” that I mentioned earlier is the official name of the elephant slug .

[This guy is one of the ingredients I need . ]

Yes…

[—for Pigimaru’s Enhancer . ]

[Pii . ]

Is it because his name was mentioned?

Pigimaru responded .

Eve looks like she finally understood .

[Mhmm, so that’s the reason . Umu? However—]

Eve tilted her head .

She looks really troubled .

[What’s the matter?]

[You said this won’t be eaten but… it would be used for Pigimaru’s Enhancer, that means—-]

[Puyuu?]

[—It would only be Pigimaru that would be ingesting this creepy flabby part into his body?]

[………Pigii!?]

Pigimaru suddenly looked scared .

However, it will be alright, Pigimaru .

When the enhancer is completed, the appearance shouldn’t be a problem anymore .

[……………]

Maybe .

▽

It was about an hour after I collected the usable material from the elephant slug and left that area .

Without any warnings, it suddenly happened .

[——————–]

What the…?

Fwuuusshhhh!

We stood with our backs behind each other and raised our vigilance towards the surroundings .

[Eve, do you feel anything around?]

[…No, I can’t find anything . ]

[Seras . ]

[N- No… I- I also don’t know what’s happening…]

However, there certainly is something there .

The presence of a monster .

Suddenly, the presence of that monster appeared .

Of course, this is quite different from Pigimaru’s presence .

Even Pigimaru looks confused .

Eve, Pigimaru, me, Seras .

None of the four of us have noticed that whatever that thing has gotten closer towards us .

There was no sign at all .

There was nothing but that sudden appearance of the presence of the monster we felt .

It’s close .

It would shortly arrive here .

What is that?

What the heck is going on…?

Furthermore, I couldn’t even feel its hostility .

Not a single killing intent leaked out of it .

Looking at it in another way, it’s really unsettling .

We still couldn’t get a hold of how much of a threat that monster is .

However, I could feel something strange about it .

It feels quite different from any of the monsters I’ve encountered before…

[Where did that come from?]

There is nothing even after looking around .

It’s just the never ending trees lined up around us .

Even if it were hiding, we would have been able to know its position if we felt its presence was close .

Seras drew her bow and pointed it to the air .

[—-It doesn’t feel like it’s somewhere in the air . ]

And it’s also not below us .

I had assumed first that it would surprisely attack us from underground .

However, the presence didn’t come from under the ground .

No, rather than that, it would be—

[—coming from me, huh?]

———-Crackkkkk————-

I heard a sound .

The density of the presence suddenly increased in one go .

[Pigiii—!

At the same time as Pigimaru cried out, I hastily took off my backpack .

It appears like Pigimaru also felt something from “me” .

[It came from here, huh…?]

Eve is prepared with her sword in hand .

[It’s in your backpack, you say…]

Anxious, Liz clung on to Eve .

Seras also looked like she’s sweating bullets as she seems to be preparing for something that’s about to appear .

The preparation to use her Regalia of the Spirits .

[——Ah . ]

I suddenly remembered one thing .

[Could it be—-]

——-Crackkkk——–

[……… . So, it’s this . ]

I gently put down “that thing” on the ground .

Taking a step back, I called out to everyone .

[Don’t let your guard down . ]

It’s obvious why I felt the presence from me .

It’s because…

The source of the presence came from “that thing” inside my backpack .

Seras looks towards me .

[Touka-dono, that must be…]

[Yeah . ]

That black egg I obtained from Mills Ruins .

Yeah, that is—

[—-about to hatch . ]

———-Craaackkkkk————

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