Vol. 2 - Ch. 24 - The Naughty Fairy

Looking up at the tree in dismay, the Chelf gave a peculiar laugh as it clutched its stomach.It was clearly making fun of Ash.

"That bastard..."

"It's starting to get on my nerves." Clara remarked.

Staring at Chelf, Ash felt something strange above his head.

He probed with his hand and grabbed a single leaf.

There were a lot of leaves falling around the area.

The Chelf then swung its wooden stick in a circular motion.

As if in tandem, the fallen leaves all rose up at once and began to swirl and fly up to the ceiling. The wind, soft at first, turned into a gust a few moments later.

Ash's feet left the floor, and his body was gradually lifted.

Ash quickly grabbed a nearby tree branch, but Clara, unable to do the same, was blown further upward.

"I didn't hear anything about this?! WHOA! Ash!"

"Grab on!"

Ash exclaimed, throwing the handle of the whip to Clara's side for her to grab.

After she grabbed a hold of the handle Ash pulled her in close and embraced her.

Almost simultaneously, the rolling gusts of wind stopped.

After landing on solid ground Ash finally let go of Clara.

"T-Thank you. I thought I was a goner." Clara exhaled, deeply relieved.

The Chelf was laughing out loud again, probably at the sight of their shaggy hair.

"We're at a disadvantage at this distance. I'll finish it off in close-range!"

"Be careful!"

Ash pulled out his stiletto and ran out.

The Chelf swung its wooden stick to keep Ash away, and several trees sprouted up to hold him in check. However, avoiding them was easy for Ash. That was, as long as he didn't miss the moment the Chelf swung its stick.

Ash took evasive actions and moved to a new location faster than the magic circle could be drawn under his feet.

He also increased the speed at which he ran, escaping the range of the rolling gusts of wind. Eventually, when he came within arm's reach, Ash saw the Chelf's annoyed face.

"Naughty kids need to be punished!"

With the stiletto facing forward, Ash delivered a thrust to the Chelf's small body.

However, it fluttered away like a leaf in the wind.

The Chelf laughed with a bellyful of laughter, as if to say that the impatient look on its face from earlier was a lie.

"Gishishishishi!"

"Tsch. What a slippery bastard."

Ash continued to attack but couldn't even graze the Chelf.

On the contrary, the Chelf seemed to have deliberately allowed Ash to get close, slipping out of range quite easily. Ash knew that he wouldn't be able to reach it with his stiletto.

"Clara, can you hit it?!"

"I'll try!"

Soon after her vigorous reply, a Frost Arrow was fired at the Chelf but was easily avoided.

"I'm sorry. It's too fast. I don't think I can!"

The Chelf danced in the air and then stuck out its tongue, mocking them.

"Gishishishi!"

"It's totally making a fool out of us!"

Clara began to release Frost Arrows in a grueling manner, but all of them missed their target.

In the end, the Chelf suddenly began to yawn.

"It's pissing me off!" Clara exclaimed.

However, thanks to her, Ash was able to keep his cool.

(It's impossible to hit such a slippery foe with normal means. Which means--)

"Keep shooting while going circles around it!" Ash exclaimed.

"Even if I miss?!"

"Even if you miss!"

Ash put away the stiletto and readied his whip.

The Chelf, in turn, tilted its head and looked at them with interest.

"I don't quite get it, but I'll do it!"

The moment Ash sensed Clara cast a Frost Arrow, he unleashed his whip.

A dry burst of sound echoed through the hall as the whip bent.

It was Ash's best shot, but it was easily avoided.

However, at the place where the Chelf avoided, a Frost Arrow was waiting for him.

The Chelf somehow avoided it with a panicked look on its face and suddenly got very upset.

(It has no choice but to evade the whip. As a result, launching a Frost Arrow in the location where the Chelf will end up increases the likelihood that the arrow will strike the Chelf. I thought it was a bad gamble, but judging by its face, it might just pay off.)

"More! Keep shooting for as long as you can!"

One after another Frost Arrows flew from behind.

Ash, in turn, whipped out his whip accordingly.

Although the attacks had yet to graze it, the Chelf began to take exaggerated evasive maneuvers.

It began growing trees and creating gusts of wind, most likely afraid that it would be captured.

Nevertheless, Ash continued his attacks while avoiding the Chelf's assaults.

(I knew it. As long as I pay attention to its wooden stick it can't hit me.)

As Ash thought that the Chelf, its face contorted in anger, turned to Clara.

"Clara, it's coming!"

"What?!"

The Chelf wielded the wooden stick, and a tree flew out from under Clara's feet.

Clara threw herself to escape in the nick of time, but immediately after, a gust of wind lifted her up.

(I have to stop it somehow!)

With this thought in mind Ash tried to stop the Chelf using his whip, but the monster easily evaded his attack.

(I guess it won't be that easy...) Sᴇaʀᴄh the NøvᴇlFirᴇ(.)nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

Just as Ash thought that, a Frost Arrow hit the Chelf in the head.

The Chelf began to wobble amidst the flurry of ice shards.

Ash looked behind him and saw Clara holding onto a tree branch, sticking out her right hand. Despite being flung up by the gusts of wind, and having been left in a disadvantageous position, she had cast Frost Arrow.

Ash immediately took this opportunity and unleashed his whip.

A cracking sound echoed and the Chelf was blown away. It quickly regained its consciousness and stabilized itself in midair. However, just as it did another whip strike hit it, slamming it straight into the wall.

As it began plummeting to the floor, the Chelf's head swelled up.

It was clearly trying to move onto its next form due to suffering a certain amount of damage.

The Chelf's face grew more and more grim.

Ash tossed his whip aside and pulled out the stiletto.

He then quickly closed the gap with the Chelf and stabbed it in the face with all his might.

The previous cute voice was now replaced by a wild scream. The swelled up head popped like a balloon, and finally, the Chelf's body disappeared.

Although Ash was doubtful if they had truly defeated it for a short while, he exhaled with satisfaction upon witnessing the trees the Chelf had made vanish.

"Auch!" Clara cried out.

It seemed that the tree she was holding onto had also disappeared, leading to her falling on the floor.

Clara rubbed her bottom with tears in her eyes.

Ash, in turn, exhaled and relaxed his body as he sheathed the stiletto.

He then picked up his whip and went to Clara.

"You did good. That last shot was amazing."

"I-I too thought that I did good work today. Hehe." Clara said with a wide smile, seemingly satisfied with her performance.

After helping Clara up, Ash took another look around the hall where the enemy had disappeared.

"That was surprisingly easy." He remarked.

"It seemed like it was trying to do something though..." Clara muttered.

"If you don't take them out when you can it'll just lead to it becoming messy as what happened with the Red Tower's Lord." Ash said.

Despite this, he kept hidden the fact that he had been tempted not to kill the Chelf just to see what it would do.

"I would've liked to contribute more though..." Clara remarked.

"What are you saying? We were only able to kill it because of that first hit."

"I guess you're right."

As they were talking, their Gamals were burping after having finished eating up all of the dropped Duri.

Ash picked up the two remaining green gems and handed one to Clara.

"But if you still want to contribute more, then use this next time."

"T-This... It's a Wind Arrow Magic Stone! Amazing! Can I really have this?"

"We promised, didn't we? All of the Magic Stones are yours."

"Super! Thank you, Ash!" Clara thanked him with a bouncy smile.

Just like the time with the Frost Arrow, Clara was most likely extremely happy because she didn't often get the chance to enhance her equipment like this.

"That leaves us with this Green Attribute Enhancement Stone." Ash remarked.

"What a haul! Are you going to embed it, Ash?"

"I'll hold onto it for now. If a time comes when we need it, I'll think about it."

He could use it himself, or he could enhance Clara's Wind Arrow.

This time, against the Chelf, Ash clearly realized that his lack of a long-ranged means of attack was seriously hindering him.

"I guess that wraps it up for this floor. Clara, how are you holding up?"

"What's with that question... You don't plan on climbing any more, do you? Tell me you're joking." Clara exclaimed.

The edges of Ash's mouth turned upward as he looked at the lighted exit.

"Well it's a good opportunity. We might as well take a peek at the 11th Floor."