CH 74

Following the dark wolf that has escaped, we move about on the streets. For tracking purposes, Momo’s nose is extremely reliable. “Detect Enemy” is rendered ineffective if the distance becomes too big. Also, I can’t even feel the “unpleasant feeling” that I had before.



It might be because the dark wolf is by itself. It could also be because it is weak right now. Regardless, it is apparent that I won’t experience the unpleasant feeling unless there’s a certain level of threat involved. This also means that killing the dark wolf right now would be much easier. We follow after Momo who is tracking the dark wolf with her nose. Ichinose-san is on my back. I wanted to use my bike, but there are so many obstacles on the street that it can’t run properly.



It might work out if my “Riding” level increases, but there’s no point in wishing for something that can’t be done. Anyways, the only method right now is to run after the wolf. Just then, “Detect Enemy” reacts. It’s the sign of a monster. Have we caught up already? No… that isn’t the case. This is from another monster. When I look towards the direction, I see goblins at a location near the opposite side of the lane. There are three… Without noticing our existence, they are walking leisurely.



They can be a source of experience, but I shouldn’t get distracted by other things right now… Ignoring them, I continue on our way. After a while, I enter a park. There aren’t many obstacles blocking our view, so the view is wide open.



“Wan!”



Momo stops on her track. Seems like the smell ends abruptly here. She looks around. There is no sign of the dark wolf. “Detect Enemy” isn’t showing any reaction either.



“It’s not here.”



“Yeah.”



Once again, I carefully look around us, but I don’t see the dark wolf anywhere.



“Kuuun?”



Momo sniffs around with her nose as well, but she tilts her head afterwards. What does this mean…? For its scent and presence to suddenly disappear without a trace…? Is it some form of a skill? Wait… this happened before too. It was when I first met the dark wolf.



The dark wolf was hiding within the “darkness” and evaluating our strength. During that time, we weren’t able to sense its existence before it came out. Momo can cut off her presence by hiding in her shadow, and the dark wolf might have a similar ability. If that’s the case, this could be a hassle. While we won’t have any means of attacking, it could decide on when it would reveal itself before us…



What should we do? Should we first abandon the dark wolf and proceed as planned to the market or the warehouse of agricultural cooperatives? Just like that, I was considering what we should do. Suddenly“Wan! Wan wan!”



“Hey, what is it, Momo?”



Momo who was roaming the park in search for the wolf’s scent suddenly returned. She looks quite urgent. What exactly happened?



“Wan! Wan wan! Wan!”



“Eh? Is that true, Momo?”



“Wan!”



Momo nods. Seriously… but how is that even possible?



“Kudou-san, is something wrong?… Rather, how can you communicate with Momo?”



“Eh, isn’t it normal to do so?”



Momo and I are one body and one mind. Of course I would understand what Momo is getting at. On a serious note, Momo might possess a skill that allows her to convey her thoughts to us. For some reason, I can understand what Momo is trying to say.



“What’s considered normal again?”



Ichinose-san’s face is telling me that she’s unwilling to accept my explanation, but let’s leave it at that for now.



“So, what is Momo-chan saying?”



“She’s telling me that she can smell the dark wolf, albeit fainty.”



“Really?”



“Yes, but something concerns me. According to Momo, the dark wolf’s smell is mixed in with the smell of a human and various other monsters.



“Eh?”



More precisely, it seems like the smell of the dark wolf and the monsters have latched onto the human. Momo’s nose sure is impressive to detect something like that.



“And the smells seem to continue beyond the park.”



“Eh? But that means…”



Ichinose-san starts to think after hearing my words. Indeed, if that’s true, there’s something peculiar. The question of why the man carries the scent of the monsters and the dark wolf.



“The other monsters include goblins, orcs, and a species that we have never encountered before.”



“Wan!”



Ichinose-san’s expressions become increasingly steep.



“But there weren’t any monsters here when we arrived. Perhaps this person defeated the dark wolf and the other monsters?” “Yeah, that could serve as an explanation for the smell, but…”



The dark wolf was severely weakened, so an individual with high levels and powerful skills could have potentially killed it.



“…If that’s true, there should be some marks of battle, right?”



“Ah…”



Ichinose-san has noticed as well. There are no signs of battle whatsoever in this park. If that person fought against the monsters to the point where their smells linger around, it wouldn’t be weird if the park was destroyed.



“Then maybe that person was hiding from the monsters?”



“And that individual ran away after the monsters left? In that case, the monsters should have gone in different directions.” Momo says that all the smells are coming from the same direction. Then where have those monsters gone? Why isn’t “Detect Enemy” showing any reaction?



The dark wolf’s scent that abruptly ends here. Monsters that disappeared after leaving behind their presence. The mysterious individual with the monsters’ smells wrapped around him. What do these indicate? I imagine something terrible in my mind.



“Momo, can you chase after the individual and the monsters?



“Wan!”



Momo nods with confidence. I hope I’m mistaken. I hope I’m just thinking too much. But, if my predictions prove to be accurate, it might become troublesome. There shouldn’t be any harm in checking things out.



“Let’s go.”



When I convey my thoughts to Ichinose-san, she agrees. Following the scent, Momo starts to run. We follow her from behind. Passing through the park and the streets, we head towards the source of the smell. After a few minutes, we arrive. To be precise, we have returned. It’s because this is where we were a while ago.



“Isn’t here…?”



Ichinose-san raises her voice in surprise. I feel the same way.



“I wonder what this means…”



The place where the smell led us to was the school.