Chapter 15

Ossan, Leads *Disclaimer: I don't really know j.a.panese, these are machine translations that I try to put into proper english. Read at your own discretion. *This is the first chapter I started translating. There are a lot of sentences that don't really make sense because I was purely relying on online translators, which for some sentences, work surprisingly well; but now, when I get something that makes zero sense, I put the sentence through jisho.org and work trying to construct an appropriate translation from the individual words. *Well I skipped some chapters, since I was reading the manga so I figured I'd start from where the last chapter left off.—————————————————————————————–

The next morning, Zeros left the tent, basking in the sun shining on the gra.s.slands while feeling refreshed.

He's, originally, up early in the morning because he's used to farming. That's why he goes to bed earlier than the others, but it's proof that he has a healthy lifestyle.

The problem is that there are no fields to cultivate here. It was good until he got up, but he was infinitely free.

"I'm free so, What should I do?"

There was nothing to do.

In his former world, this is the time when eggs were collected from the henhouse and the fields were weeded out. Breakfast was the leftovers from the previous day and he would spent his time leisurely watching TV and playing online games in the afternoon. Even though he was unemployed, he wasn't troubled with his living expenses because of the rent from the house his parents left him. In a sense, he was in a privileged environment.

He's now a vagrant without a place to stay. Even if somehow he managed to get a home and a plot of land, he was still unemployed. He's a tutor, but in a month he'll just return to being out of work. He can sell the materials from the monsters he defeats but he'd rather refrain because it seems to be a dangerous way of living. He doesn't want to work for the country either, he just wants to freely live a normal life.

"That's not going to happen isn't it?…"

In all honesty, he didn't want to get a job with many responsibilities attached. That is even more true if someone else's life is involved.

It should be a refreshing morning but his mood gets progressively worse.

"Ohh… he's out!! Oooooooooohhh!!!"

"It's a white devil! The one that took my pants off!"

"Calm down! Is everyone alright?"

"I don't believe it! It ran away!!"

The watchman after the night shift seems to have encountered the Crazy Ape. The knights… no, the men have no choice but to think the Crazy Ape is a demon.

Even though she had a spear, Celestina attacked the knights without looking.

Seven knights got their pants removed, and two of them got not only their pants removed but their manly parts between their legs caressed. The dread is unimaginable.

In a way, it might be better to come across a dragon, the Crazy Ape was dangerous in another way, leaving enormous mental trauma on the knights.

"I can hear his voice ♡!"

Well they don't seem to be suffering anymore…

It seems they had a traumatic enough experience to start hearing voices.

A sorrowful cry reverberates through the morning plains. Zeros feels heavier in a different sense and for some reason his tears don't stop flowing…

"Why is the breakfast's mood so gloomy?…"

"You're okay because you're a woman, only men know true fear…"

In response to Celestina, who gave her honest impressions, Zweit grumbles at her. Breakfast is on a day-to-night condition(*T.N: no idea what's supposed to mean). Honestly, n.o.body can savor the taste of the meal.

They silently give up, just quietly chewing their breakfast.

It wasn't just gloomy, it was a despair equal to everything in this world, and it was wrapped in such an atmosphere as if all dreams and hopes were lost.

There are two female knights in this squad, but the Crazy Apes spared them not even a glance so only the male knights became their prey.

Zeros' spirit was already driven to a corner before so there wasn't any more fear in him.

"This is just a question, but if the males attack other males… then what about the females?"

That was a question that should never be considered because it can lead to further misfortune. But once you start wondering about it… It's something difficult to omit.

"After all… wouldn't it just attack a female?"

"Wait, so would it attack a female if it pretends to be a male?"

"Maybe it does both…"

"I don't want to think about it!!"

"Wait, hypothetically as to aim only for the females… Do you want to see such things?"

"I don't want to see it… not pretty to imagine."

"" You guys are perverts!!""

If you think about it, they're killing monsters because they are harmful beasts but they don't know anything about their ecology. There is certainly a breeding season as with animals but no one has confirmed the authenticity of that. It is likely that some of the people that have investigated in the past have died because there's not much knowledge about it in the present. Ecological investigation of monsters is difficult due to being full of dangers.

It is, therefore, obscure and full of mysteries, but whether anyone wants to investigate the Crazy Ape's ecology is a great question. In another sense, the risk is too high.

"So what about today's schedule? We're your escorts, so it'll depend on your actions."

"Well it's not like I have to do it. Let's hunt the monsters after collecting their magic stones? They'll be extra revenue"

"""Don't want to!!!"""

The Crazy Ape had too much of an impact. The wounds carved by it are quite deep. In the end, they all get along well an go to the depths of the forest. That's the knights' job and role.

If you accept any job, you have to take responsibility until the end. It's the same in every world.

Far-flung's large, deep woodlands is a forest that boasts a vast an area as its name suggests. More than half of the continent is covered by this forest, and only about a third of the area is where people can live. (*T.N: Yes, “Far-flung” is the name of the forest. There were much cooler options but the reference wouldn't make sense if it didn't have the word “far” in it.)

The countries are scattered in a narrow territory, and at the time of the Evil G.o.d War, it was enough for a unified state to be formed for a while. The great nation eventually declined and, once again, returned to a situation where small countries were trying to conquer each other.

It may be difficult to make the ideal a reality, because the rise and fall of great empires is the norm of the world, and the downfall of the Unified State was in less than a hundred years.

This vast forest is a place that will never change as we continue to watch the situation of this world.

The environment in which many monsters live, in the providence of carnage and rejection of civilization, is pretty much h.e.l.l, and it'd take being an elf to live in such a harsh forest.

Such elves try to not get too involved with humans, and don't show themselves in front of anyone except certain people.

The reason lies in the Unified State after the Evil G.o.d War, at that time it flourished as a country with a philanthropic spirit beyond tribes but it ended up corrupting and splitting up before human desires. The ideal is expensive and difficult to materialize.

The elves were so taken aback by the foolishness of the people that they went into this harsh forest to create their own country, and then secluded themselves. Because they lived for a long time, they looked too far ahead and despaired.

It's now unclear where the country is located, and many are trying to find it an obtain it.

Because of their excellence in magic, greedy individuals are trying to enslave them and incorporate them into their own armies. You can only say there's no salvation.

There are times you can see elves, but most of them are the descendants of those who have lived with humans without hiding themselves.

Nonetheless, the large and deep greenbelt of Far-flung is a harsh environment, although at the same time, is a rich forest. There are many medicinal herbs and minerals in this vast forest, so there are many people who set foot in it in search for them. The profits are higher than what you can make by farming alone, double the value of medicinal herbs, and ten times the value of special herbs such as mandrakes. If you can make an elixir or secret medicine, its value will continue to rise. 

"This forest… has an unusual concentration of magic, that's why the monsters are so strong."

"The trees are ma.s.sive, too. They seem healthful and growing quite fast."

"I don't care, It is not here, is it? I don't wanna see it in a place like this."

The knights all nodded.

"I'm interested in females…"

"""Please don't say horrible things!!!!"""

The cry of the soul of every knight.

No one wants to encounter a monster with a metamorphic habit. Celestina, who knows that there's no harm to herself is calm in her heart.

It's nothing other than fear for the men in this place and they're getting more vigilant than usual because of it.

Whether it is happiness or misfortune, they have sensed the presence of monsters immediately.

――― Gruooorruurururur…

The monster has the body of a lion, the head of a goat, the tail of a scorpion and bat wings on its back. It's a chimera, famous for being a high-ranked monster.

Chimeras don't have an identical appearance with one another. Their appearances range from things that might be similar to completely different figures. Furthermore, they have special abilities that differ from individual to individual, and even if they are defeated there's the added difficulty of having to change your strategy for every single Chimera to be able to defeat them.

Thus, it was one of the monsters you didn't want to encounter in this vast forest.

Chimera Ｌｖ１２４

ＨＰ　２８４６/２８４６

"It's a Chimera, level 124. It's a bit weaker than the previous one I defeated."

""" Level 124??!!! Impossible!! We can't possibly win!!"""

The level is about four times the average of the knights, but much higher in terms of strength. If they are attacked, they would be overwhelmed enough to be killed instantly… except for one person.

"It's alright! 『Chain of Darkness』"

A jet-black chain entangles from the shadow of the Chimera, sealing its movement in an instant.

"""What are you doing!?"""

"Are you going to kill it? Please attack quickly, this magic consumes magic power so it'll drain mine eventually."

It sounded like a joke, but Zeros was completely serious.

"Isn't it an attack? You have two swords, right? Didn't you use magic too?!"

"It's a little bit of magic, but it's the other characteristic of this magic that makes it tenable, if you do your best you can defeat it."

"By the way, the power is great but the restraining time is short, It'll attack if you don't do it right now?"

"""What's wrong with youuu!!!"""

They cry and cry… No, they're pulling out their swords while actually weeping and charge towards the Chimera. There was nothing but fear, and the knights wielded their swords to live.

They don't know when the Chimera will be free of its restrains so the knights wield their swords in fear because they want to live, and they'll surely do some damage.

It's no longer a controlled, precise technique, it just looks like they're slamming their swords blindly.

If you look from the side, it looks like a group lynching, but the Chimera is a formidable enemy and if you don't defeat it they will soon pursuit you.

If you do poorly, they could come after you in your country. There exist the bad example where, in the past, some n.o.bles entered the forest and unsuccessfully tried to kill a Chimera. Later, the monster appeared in the territory of the foolish n.o.bles and many people were sacrificed. The level of that chimera was around 200. 

The average level of the world's strongest humans is around 250. Even Creston is level 243 so it's no wonder they can't manage Wyverns who are around level 300.

They have the potential to be strong, but in reality, they've stopped growing. The people of this world should be able to go up to level 500 at the highest.

After a while, the Chimera stops moving.

Is it about forty minutes now? They continue to wield their swords, but they're mentally fatigued.

Even if each of them are weak, if they attack in group they'll eventually manage to acc.u.mulate damage to the chimera. Moreover, a Chimera that has been deprived of movement and magic is just a target, and they should be able to defeat it without much difficulty.

"Hahaha… I'm level 43. It was 24 until a while ago…"

"Me too… I'm not happy at all."

"My body hurts… is it the side effect of rising your levels?"

"The skill level has gone up… hahaha…"

"My level is 68…?"

"I will be 50 soon…"

But none of them were happy with the victory. More than that, fear has bound them.

Zeros who had been watching on the sidelines, examined the HP reduction of the Chimera and estimated that the damage points the knights dealt was about ２～１５.

Apparently, this Chimera is likely a defense-specific type, it seems to have had more defense than what its level implied. Though the defensive power was reduced by the magic's effect, even if its magic power is further deprived, it seems to have some kind of resistance skill so there was a strong tendency for the effect to be resisted.

In addition, it seemed to have HP resilience as a special ability, but it was meaningless before the sheer number of the group attacking it. It would be difficult to break through Zeros' magic, but the probability isn't nil so you can't judge whether you have good or bad luck.

"Let's dismantle it, Can someone help me?"

""Wait, koorrraaaaahhh!!!""

The knights' angry voices contrasts Zeros who tries to start dismantling as if nothing even happened.

Fear turns into anger and that anger has already reached its limits. If there's no good reason, the brunt of that anger will be directed at Zeros

"How do you fight it, What would have happened if we died?!!"

""It almost killed us!!""

"Who died?"

"That's not it! That's what would've happened if the restraining magic ran out!"

"Did it run out? The restraining magic?"

"""……… Ohh?"""

Zeros said the restraining magic would break sooner rather than later. However, the magic actually lasted until the chimera died so there was a sense of incongruity there.

"Z-Zeros-dono? No way, did you lie to us?"

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"I thought it was bad, but you're too weak and there's no way of escaping when there's a powerful monster in front of you. However, if you raise your level, your chances of survival will increase."

*** You are reading on https://www.novelhall.com/ ***