Volume 13 Chapter 8 Monster Hunting – Miriallia Blackdagger
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Sir Kent… I can’t… I can’t go first, following Lady Miriallia’s Instructions…”
Annabella wasn’t following Milly’s Instructions, she was trying to stay and protect me.
”Ms. Annabella, didn’t you hear before we left? Lady Miriallia’s Instructions are the same as Sir Kent’s Instructions this time.”
Ines was pulling Annabella back, trying to make her retreat.
”Mr. Kent will get angry with you~”
Feria was also holding Annabella’s hand, trying to retreat with her.
”Annabella, follow Milly’s Instructions properly! My Armor will protect me from most attacks, so it’s okay!”
I patted Annabella’s shoulder and told her the Instructions again, so she would retreat.
Carly and Flamil, who had already retreated, were making sure the back was safe. I was using [Hawk Eye] and [Concentration] to make sure I didn’t miss when I was shooting the tentacle monsters and camouflage ents swarming Milly with Elitzina.
”Sir Kent… Understood. I’m sorry, but I’ll go ahead.”
Annabella gave in and retreated with Ines and Feria.
Then, Milly came back, dragging the enemies with her.
”Kent!! Use [Blow Away] to blast these guys towards the mushrooms!!”
The tentacle monsters and camouflage ents Milly brought with her were coming at me, holding clubs covered in slime and thorns.
The battle skill Milly locked on was a great shield skill, a more powerful skill than [Shield Bash].
It was a skill I had unlocked after the last monster hunt, but I hadn’t learned it because I didn’t have enough Skill points.
”Understood!”
I activated the [Blast] on the disguised Camouflage Treant that charged in first.
A dull boom echoed, and the disguised Camouflage Treant was blown away.
The Tentacle Unit that was chasing from behind got caught up and rolled away with it.
”Kent!! Run like the wind!!”
”O-Okay!”
Milly shouted instructions to run for all we were worth, so I quickly stashed Elitzina away and dashed in the direction where my allies were falling back.
I could hear Milly chanting magic behind me.
”Gathered mana! Turn to flame and scorch the enemies! fireball!”
Right after she finished her chant, I heard the sound of the fireball launching and suddenly, I was pushed down to the ground by Milly.
”Ughhh!”
Boom, boom, BOOOM!
There was an explosive sound so loud it felt like it could burst my eardrums, followed by a fierce heatwave that nearly scorched my face.
Then, bits of wood and dirt started to rain down around us.
”Hah, mission accomplished. It’s been a while since I was in the Southern Region, but the southeast is crawling with dangerous things, huh…”
Milly brushed the dirt off her hair as she stood up.
I wiped the dirt from my face and turned back to where we had just been.
”…W-What the hell is this!!! The ground is completely gouged out!!”
When I looked back, the massive tree that had been there was blown to smithereens, leaving a huge crater about 15 meters wide.
”Nitro Mush and Magic Mush can lead some to misfire in attacks, but generally, using long-range explosions for elimination is the proper way. Besides, monster materials won’t get blown away by the blast. I think that’s the safest way to handle them.”
As she brushed off the dust from her armor, Milly stared at the crater with a calm expression.
”…So this is how the battles in the undeveloped southeast of the Southern Region go… pretty amazing…”
”Alright, stop dawdling and let’s gather materials to find the next monster!”
Prompted by Milly, the members who had been hiding gathered to collect the monster materials scattered around the crater.
Together, they picked up materials like [Lotion Slime], [Spiked Club], and [Explosive Spores].
Among the collected items, one caught my interest.
It was the [Lotion Slime], which seemed to be a drop from a Tentacle Unit.
This stuff is what they call aphrodisiac materials, and I’d heard it’s highly valued as luxury gifts among the Kingdom Nobles.
Rumor has it this liquid boosts libido, increases sexual desire, and doubles sensitivity, making anyone with this lotion smeared on their private parts lose all inhibitions for wild sexual acts.
You might wonder how I know about this, but back when I stayed in Capital City, I was introduced to a merchant specializing in aphrodisiacs and learned all sorts of stuff.
For now, only Layla, one of the 3 bureaucrats who joined the Capital City expedition, knows about this, and she experienced the lotion aphrodisiac’s effects firsthand.
…That aphrodisiac material back then was this [Lotion Slime], right?
I think they said that when you bind someone or something with tentacles and get aroused, the lotion changes properties, but since it’s exploded now, it’ll probably turn into a high-purity aphrodisiac raw material…
Thinking that, when I refilled the small bottle with lotion that I got from Annabella, I managed to secretly toss one bottle into my inventory while everyone wasn’t looking.
…Phew, mission accomplished.
It’s a crime-smelling aphrodisiac, but I just stashed it as an interrogation item, so it should be fine…
I convinced myself and handed the remaining small bottles back to Annabella.
”Sir Kent, thank you for your help. This kind of task is normally our job, but… I’m sorry for having to rely on you, our king, Sir Kent…”
Annabella looks a bit sorry for making me work, but since I said I’d join as a Monster Hunter, I couldn’t just sit back like a king.
”Ms. Annabella. Let Kent carry the gear; the vanguard needs to move light. Kent is the toughest here, so if he slows down, it’s fine.”
Milly hands the gear Annabella was about to take over to me.
It’s true what she says──it’s best for the vanguard, which faces the most monster attacks, to lighten their load as much as possible.
”Alright, let’s hunt a few more monsters before sunset.”
”””””Understood.”””””
We decided to go around the big crater that had formed and push deeper in.
~New Monster~
Monster Name: Magic Mush
Slaying Rank: C
Type: Plant
Characteristics: Looks like a huge shiitake mushroom.
However, if you get within 5 meters, it releases spores from the cap.
These spores can cause paralysis, poison, or sleep.
It devours anyone weakened by paralysis or poison.
You might think, “I can just burn it with fire,” but this carnivorous mushroom creates huge explosions that confuse and bewilder when attacked by fire magic or any other spells.
Also, they grow clustered under specific trees, so if you hit one with magic, all nearby mushrooms explode, leading to a disaster, so beware.
The weakness is that if you attack with fire that doesn’t involve magic, it can be burned safely without causing explosions.
Monster Name: Camouflage Treant
Slaying Rank: A
Type: Plant
Characteristics: Ordinary-looking tree, so normal it’s almost forgettable.
But when prey walks by carelessly, it reveals its true nature and attacks as a carnivorous tree.
Its bark is tough and can neutralize most physical attacks.
It attacks by waving its own branches around.
The branches have toxic thorns, and it Devours prey weakened by the poison.
Its weak spots are attacks with an Axe and various kinds of magic.
Be careful, all physical attacks except Axe blows will be deflected.
It also has the ability to enslave nearby plant-type monsters, which is why its bounty rank is so high.
Monster Name: Tentacle Unit
Bounty Rank: E
Type: Monster: Plant
Features: A humanoid plant that extends long, white tentacles to capture its prey.
The tentacles have organs that secrete a slimy, lotion-like liquid.
This liquid has effects that increase libido, enhance sexual desire, and double sensitivity, so it’s literally sold as [lotion].
Moreover, when the Tentacle Plant Person gets excited, the components in the lotion-like liquid switch between paralysis poison, corrosive poison, and a cure poison.
By the way, its weakness is fire magic; all other physical, magic, and combat skill attacks are nullified, so be careful.
Monster Name: Nitro Mush
Bounty Rank: C
Type: Plant
Features: A superior species of Magic Mushroom (Magic Mash).
If you hit it with a physical (or physically attributed combat skill) attack, it will scatter a shockwave and a heat wave with a temperature over 10,000 degrees Celsius within a 15-meter radius.
If you get within 5 meters, it will spew spores; the spores have hypnotic and hallucinogenic effects, and since it’s often found with its symbiotic Magic Mushrooms, adventurers have been known to mistakenly attack and get obliterated.
Its weakness is magic attacks, but be careful because it’s very prone to detonation.
Monster Name: Explosion Bug
Bounty Rank: E
Type: Insect
Features: Normally it’s not particularly harmful, but during spring and winter it suddenly becomes violent. When it sees a male and female couple, its green compound eyes turn red and it screams while charging and exploding.
But in autumn, it sings with a very beautiful voice and is also known as the forest’s musician.
When it charges during winter and spring, it somehow sounds like a “real couple,” leading to speculation that its name might not just mean a real beast.
~New Skill~
[Blow Away]…an advanced skill of [Shield Bash]. Uses a large shield to send enemies flying tens of meters. Sometimes it can cause paralysis. Costs 10 Skill Points.
[Shield Bash]…slams your shield into the enemy, stunning or staggering them, with a chance to knock them out. Costs 10 Skill Points.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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