I made full use of Presence Detection, Magic Perception, Enemy Search as we searched for a large horse-sized monster.
Wearing the Overcoats of Existence Concealment, we made full use of the overcoats’ abilities and took the initiative against monsters 100% of the time.
The 『Inhibit Perception』 and 『Enhanced Stealth』 combo became a powerful asset. That’s because all four of us have the Stealth skill. For instance, even against a better opponent, a steady fight is possible if we can do a preemptive attack.
Zashu! It started freezing from the pierced part.
Piercing through the neck of a Bush Wolf with the Ice Spear 【Ice Bringer】 , I regretted not making the overcoat sooner at this too quick a victory.
「If I had this overcoat when I fought the Huge Armored Boar, I could have finished it without getting scared.」
The alchemy skill 【Decomposition】 that I used to defeat the Huge Armored Boar is a strong attack that directly destroys an enemy’s vital points, but I would need to fight in close proximity. But with this overcoat, if I could get close to the enemy without it noticing and hitting it in one strike………… No, it was after coming to Volton that I’ve become able to use true bestowal magic.
Right before my eyes, Maria swung with her Flame Spear 【Explode】, instantly killing the Bush Wolf.
Sophia, with the Absorber and Fuuma’s Round Shield, displayed a steadfast fight.
「If it can fool a Bush Wolf’s nose, we can make use of this overcoat.」
「That’s right. But it is also necessary to fight without the overcoat for training.」
Sophia’s desire to be strong is insatiable.
「There is a Long Horned Bull.」
In front of where Sophia pointed, there is a mini truck-sized cattle-like monster with enormous horns protruding sideways.
「It is more ferocious than the Black Buffalo, and its monster rank is higher as well.」
「Apparently it’s as delicious as the Black Buffalo.」
Maria sure has quite the appetite.
「Kaede will finish it with threads.」
Kaede said so and readied the thread she took out previously.
Undoing her stealth, Kaede was noticed by the Long Horned Bull.
In order to remove us from its territory, it charged savagely.
Just when the Long Horned Bull thought it had reached us with its very heavyweight charge, its legs were suddenly caught several meters from us. Rolling vigorously, it found itself entangled in the threads that Kaede had prepared.
The Long Horned Bull was largely built, but it couldn’t move in Kaede’s threads and only breathe roughly through its nose.
「Now will end it.」
Kaede threads cut through its neck, free of any resistance.
「You did well, Kaede. It’s perfect since you’re draining the blood too.」
Seeing the blood spurt out vigorously and not minding it made me reaffirm my believe that I am no longer Japanese.
I stored the Long Horned Bull into my Item Box, then cleaned up the traces of blood with Purification. If left as is, monsters would gather here, after all.
「How lucky, we got more meat.」
Maria had become a gluttonous character.
We proactively hunted for monsters while getting used to the new equipment. Halfway through, we stopped using the Stealth skill and trained, aiming to improve our fighting techniques.
「(I’m an artisan, but it doesn’t seem like talking to Sophia would be of any use.)」
At times, I’d gather medicinal grass and flowers while looking for horse-type monsters.
After that, when we were looking for horse-type monsters, we encountered human-shaped monsters.
Sophia’s beautiful face contorts in disgust.
Maria looked a bit scared.
「Are those Orcs?」
Yes, an Orc is over 2 meters tall, with a body with wrestler-like thick limbs, and a pig face with tusks. It has a flesh-colored skin and wears another monster’s pelt over its lower body.
They probably came to hunt. There are 5 orcs, each one has a club on hand and is searching for prey.
Seeing Sophia and Maria’s reaction, they are most likely the enemy of women, just like in the novels.
When I looked at Kaede, she was drooling and slurping it back. It seems they’re a feast for Kaede.
Sophia and Maria finished preparing, ready to release their magic. It seems the girls don’t want to approach them as much as possible.
Avoiding the line of fire, Kaede took a roundabout path as she shortened the distance.
Sophia fired blades of wind, lopping the head of one of the orcs. Three of the orcs panicked when their companion’s head fell and its body spurt blood. Then they were attacked by Rock Lance. The Earth magic Rock Lance that Maria had fired pierced through one of the panicked Orcs.
『Gumooooooーー!!』
「Thunder Arrow!」
I fired Lightning magic at the screaming Orc.
With three of their companions dead in the blink of an eye, the two remaining Orcs recklessly swung their clubs. The head of one of those Orcs silently fell. Kaede’s thin yet tough threads cut through the neck of the Orc without any resistance.
It was only then that the remaining Orc noticed that I was running up to it.
『Bumoooooooーー!!』
The orc, raising an angry war cry, and I, wielding the Ice Bringer, clash.
I dodged the club that the orc swing down, and stabbed its thick torso and moved sideways. The movement of the orc that was stabbed with the magically charged Ice Bringer worsened.
The place where the orc was stabbed started freezing. I then swung the Ice Bringer down, cutting off the orc’s log-like arm.
I stabbed the orc’s neck deeply with my Ice Bringer when the orc, who lost its club-wielding arm, tried hitting me with its remaining arm.
I breathed deeply as I watched the orc spurt blood and die.
Sophia and Maria rushed over to me while I was storing the orcs into the Item Box.
「「Takumi-sama! Thank you for your hard work!」」
「Good job as well, you two.」
「Tonight’s dinner is orc meat? Or cow-san?」
There, Kaede suddenly showed up.
「Let’s decide when we get home.」
We continued searching afterwards, but just when I was thinking it’s about time we go home for the day, I sensed the presence of many monsters.
「A fight between monsters?」
「It seems the Army Ants are surrounding their prey.」
Did Sophia hear about it from the spirits? She informed me of the details.
「Do you know what monster they are hunting?」
「………… it might possibly be a Dragon Horse.」
I began running when I heard that.
Shortly after, I saw more than 20 ants surrounding and attacking a Dragon Horse. It’s just that, each of those ants were monsters over 1 meter long. They attack their prey with their large jaws.
***