Chapter 9: The chief priest has seen it! A huge aquatic organism lurking in the village

Chapter 9: The chief priest has seen it! A huge aquatic organism lurking in the village

Translators: DOdz Editor: Arocks141 Proofreaders: Nixie Nyx, YomigaeruTLC: Yomigaeru

『Leviathan.』

A giant aquatic creature.

Its size is about the same as a small whale.

Its head is covered with countless tentacles and the creature attacks whenever someone invades its territory or makes a racket near its habitat.

At the tip of every tentacle, there is a needle used to stab paralytic poison into its prey.

Fundamentally, it is an omnivore and eats everything.

It appears to have been eating the village’s sheep and cows.

Its image resembles that of a whale with a sea anemone on its head.

The thing that bothers me is that those tentacles have regeneration ability.

It’ll regenerate immediately even if you slash or cut it.

Previously, it was repelled by 6 adventurers whose levels are LV15.

By the way, the reward for driving it away is 40000 Arusha.

If you are able to exterminate it, then it will be 80000 Arusha.

But, it’s irrelevant to us who are not members of the guild.

「No no no! Why is there something like this !? 」(Rita)

From the lake, a whale-like head is sticking out.

It extends its tentacles and tries to entangle Rita who is at the lakeside.

She jumps around while on the verge of being entangled by the tentacles.

This is badー.

Can we make it in time?

Since we were listening to the villages regarding 『Leviathan』on our way here.

Rita dodges the tentacles that come attacking at the last second, kicking and striking them as she somehow repels them.

I see.

Does she have a martial arts skill?

She looks like a wild animal.

She dodges by kicking ten incoming tentacles.

I wonder if she has eyes on her back.

She is good enough to endure 『Leviathan』’s attacks alone.

Rita.

She’s incredibleー.

「Cecyl.」(Nagi)

「Yes, Nagi-sama.」(Cecyl)

「Without any delay, let’s use the ancient language magic.」(Nagi)

「Understood, I’m going to use 『Fireball』.」(Cecyl)

「Got it. Start when I give you the signal. Oi, chief priest Ritaー!」(Nagi)

I scream towards Rita who is fighting at the lake’s bank.

「Hurry up and escape from there since I’m going to hit that guy with an extra-large magicー」(Nagi)

「Stop stop, it’s no good!」(Rita)

「What!?」(Nagi)

Towards my voice, Rita points at the carriage which was static at the bank.

There are no horses. The windows and door are wide open, and something like human legs are sticking out from there.

This is surreal.

Are those『Iturna Cult’s』 priests?

I wonder if those guys tried to run from the tentacles by jumping into the carriage, but in the end, they got hit by the paralysis poison.

「I can’t just let my subordinates die, can I? If you want to help, then please save all of them! 」(Rita)

「Ehー」(Nagi)

「Don’t 「Ehー」meeeeeeee!」(Rita)

It is quite dangerous to get into combat with my current combat abilities.

The pink tentacles become *nyurunyuru/slimy* at the lake shore and Rita is handling all of them frantically.

To go to the battlefield and retrieve the carriage, it’s quite difficult since I have only 『Fencing LV2』.

Although I accepted the request to travel together with the carriage, I don’t have any obligation to put my life on the line just to go and save them.

If it was just Rita then I’d help her out, though.

「Got it! Request! It’s an official request. That’s whyーtte it’s *nyurunyuru* cominーggg!」(Rita)

Rita is cornered while we’re talking.

If we don’t restrict 『Leviathan』’s movements a little, I guess Rita won’t have time to speak.

「Cecyl. Do you know any magic that could stop its movements? A standard magic that could hold it down so it can be shot by ancient language fireball.」(Nagi)

「If that’s the case, I’ll use 『Fire’s Arrow』. But, from this distance, I have to confirm it first…」(Cecyl)

「That’s alright. For now, let’s see if we can somehow talk to Rita.」(Nagi)

「Yes.」(Cecyl)

Cecyl raises one of her hands into the air.

「『Breath of the spirits, destroy my enemies! Fire Arrow!』」(Cecyl)

A flame that is about arm-length flies towards the lake.

『Leviathan』stops moving after it receives a direct hit from the fireball.

It withdraws its tentacles and retreats back to the lake.

But, the tentacles’ tips are targeting the carriage.

When the creature starts to move again, I ask Cecyl to shoot it with 『Flame’s Arrow』and I approach Rita slowly.

「I thought you have been taught about mercy! To abandon people who are in trouble, you heretic! 」(Rita)

While turning her back towards me, Rita shouts.

Ahー, I knew it, I knew she would say it.

「You guys, who didn’t even greet the village chief, are the ones to be blamed. If you had told them that you’re going to be camping near the lake, then they definitely would have told you about 『Leviathan』. Instead, you put yourselves into this dangerous situation!」(Nagi)

「I did say it properly! Since I was indebted to him, I have already greeted the dwarf village mayor! My subordinates already said『Hello』to him! 」(Rita)

「Can’t you tell just by looking that there are no people around here! Didn’t you think it was strange that there isn’t even a fishing boat around!?」(Nagi)

「I said so too! But then, I was told that 『It was fine to camp here ten days ago』. I am a new chief priest so I couldn’t be too forceful!」(Rita)

In other words, Rita was being made fun of by her subordinates.

The other priests were nobles, Rita was the only one who got picked up from the streets.

I can imagine what Rita looked like in the story I heard earlier.

So,『Iturna Cult』always comes here for an annual event and because the human supremacy doctrine despises demi-humans, they don’t stay at the inn nor do they give greetings.

They camped at the lake without permission, which was alright since it has been like that beforeー or so they thought, but after a few decades the lord of the lake came back and attacked them.

That’s funny.

Although it’s a story from another world, I remember a case where there was a project that had a huge loss and went bankrupt because they ignored the subcontractor’s advice and continued working on it.

There were talks that said it was because the higher-ups didn’t make good use of the site, I heard such things all the time in that world, but…… haah.

………It can’t be helped.

「Understood. Then, I’ll accept your request. How about 20000 Arusha?」(Nagi)

「Are you alright with just 20000 Arusha? I was thinking that you’re going to ask for 1 million Arusha.」(Rita)

She really thinks of me as a heretic.

「It’s fine with just 20000 Arusha! The reward for 『Extermination of the Lord of the Lake』is 80000 Arusha at the village’s guild. It’s 40000 Arusha if you just drive it away. We are only helping out the priests so it would be half of that which is 20000 Arusha. That’s good, don’t you think!」(Nagi)

「Y-yeah.」(Rita)

「………… Is it really alright? Can you pay us?」(Nagi)

「D-don’t make light of me!」(Rita)

I’m not a fool. Rita looks very confident but there are other priests. After the rescue, I have a hunch there will be a lot of disagreement between them.

「Alright! I understand! I’ll request it formally!」(Rita)

Turning her back like that, Rita nodded.

「I’ll make a 『contract』as a representative of the『Iturna Cullt』’s carriage. We will pay 20000 Arusha if you help us out! If I can’t pay it out, then you can do anything to me and I’ll become your slave!」(Rita)

「No, you don’t have to go that far.」(Nagi)

「Take out the medallion! 『Contract Agreement』!」(Rita)

「Ah, okay.『Contract』.」(Nagi)

The crystal on my chest and the crystal that Rita took out shine white.

The formal 『contract』would need the crystals to be knocked with each other but it seems to work like this if it’s informal.

Well. It’s my first job as an adventurer.

The job is simple. Both Rita and I must escape while rescuing those priests in the carriage.

That’s why.

「Cecyl. When I start running, use『Flame’s Arrow』again as a diversion. Then afterward, prepare to launch『Fireball』using 『Ancient Language』. Shoot it on my signal, alright?!」(Nagi)

「Understood. Please be careful, Nagi-sama.」(Cecyl)

Cecyl anticlimactically nods without hesitation.

「If Nagi-sama dies, then I tooー」(Cecyl)

「I’m off! I trust my back to you」(Nagi)

I start running without listening to all of Cecyl’s words.

Then, this is my first battle against demons. Let’s see how far can I go with my skills.

「Invoke『Reconstruction ability?Skill Structure』! 」(Nagi)

While running, I invoke my skill.

I have to calculate the risk properly.

There is only Rita here. The other priests are paralyzed with their heads stuck in the carriage. Rita is infatuated with Cecyl, so if she asks her, I’m sure she will keep it a secret.

Well, more or less, it should probably be alright to show some strange skill. Only probably, though.

And my goal is to save those priests in the carriage, so I have to make an opening for that.

My job is not to suppress the monster.

I don’t think I could handle that thing which even the LV15 adventurers couldn’t take down.

Well, I carry a short sword as my weapon for self-defense but I have only one skill for combat.

I have to use that this time.

Not to defeat it but to stop its movement even if it’s just a little.

Currently, the skills I have available for reconstructing areー

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『Fencing LV2』『Foreign World Language LV5』『Meditation LV1』『Healing LV1』

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Now, how can I stop『Leviathan』with these?

……Which reminds me, when I was making the game back in my world, I was wondering if I could 『take down』my opponent by using its regeneration ability.

It is too common to simply overwhelm it with firepower, so there isn’t any other tricky method.

Think, thinkー there must be someone who actually burned it down.

Why don’t I just have a go?

I set both 『Fencing LV2』and 『Healing LV1』.

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『Fencing LV2』

(1) 『Increase (10% + LV * 10%)』『Damage』to 『Sword Type Weapons』skill.

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『Healing LV1』

(2) 『Enhance』『Resilience』on『Body』skill.

_______________________________________________________________

I can’t redo it.

Is it okay?

Probably, it’ll be good with this.

Then.

「Execute! 『Reconstruction ability?Skill Structure』!」(Nagi)

「You’re slow! I’ve done the『Contract』so quickly do your job.」(Rita)

Again, the tentacles come from the lake.

One of them is pierced by Rita’s punch.

The crushed tentacle stops moving and regenerates.

Then I slice its wound using my short sword.

*pusha* and its mucus scatters.

Alright, it hit.

The level is low but since it has combined with fencing, will the attacks hit if it stops moving?

「Wait a minute! What did you do when I took it down?」(Rita)

「You’ll understand if you look at it.」(Nagi)

As I imagined.

Look.

*guniguni* *guniguni* *bushaa*

A lump of meat spurts out from the tentacle’s wound that was about to regenerate.

It is even bigger than the original size, and only the tip is enlarged.

The tentacles that are trying to attack us ー stop.

They stop moving.

The tip part of the tentacle is too heavy for it to lift them.

They are raised halfway and keep falling down.

「W-what the heck in the world did you do!? 」(Rita)

「I made its regeneration ability rampage.」(Nagi)

While talking, Rita kicks another tentacle.

I slash the torn tentacle again using my short sword.

The tentacles which have had their regeneration abilities go rampant form a ball at their tips.

The『Leviathan』looks like it’s wearing weights on its own tentacles.

And one by one, the tentacles are being immobilized.

「I’m able to manage it, somehow. It’s the same situation but if it had been the game then it would have gone up in flames.」

I guess reality and games are different after all……

_______________________________________________________________

【Guide Bulletin Board】

Questioner: No matter how many times I play it, I can’t take down the mid-boss with regeneration ability.

Respondent: Try casting recovery magic on the mid boss to make its regeneration ability go rampant. It will self-destruct. You might have noticed that this opponent is the only one that can be selected with the healing magic cursor. And…… (300 characters of commentary below)

Questioner: How the heck would I know that. I want my time back……

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………Yeah, there were things like that.

Enough about that, this time 『Reconstruction ability』created 2 skills.

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『Gifted Fencing LV1』

(1) 『Increase (10% + LV * 10%)』『Recovery Power』to 『Sword Type Weapons』skill.

Effect: Increase the recovery power of the opponent when slashed with a sword or katana. The effect is added to the original regenerative ability of the opponent. Increase value based on the skill’s level 『 LV * 10% + 10% (current increment : 20%) 』.

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『Unarmed Combat LV1』

(2) 『Enhance』『Damage』dealt by 『Body』skill.

Effect: Raise damage dealt to the opponent when using bare hands.

_______________________________________________________________

I just changed the middle characters from 『Healing Magic LV1』『Enhance』『Regeneration』of『Body』.

As I thought, it doesn’t become a cheat when I create it on on my own, huh.

『Gifted Fencing LV1』, increase the opponent’s recovery power by slashing.

If the opponent’s regeneration ability was 100%, it will become 120%.

The regeneration ability will go rampant.

If 『Leviathan』’s regeneration ability was 『100% immediate recovery』, then 『Gifted Fencing LV1』would change it into 『120% immediate recovery』.

On the 『Leviathan』’s tentacles, 20% of extra meat is attached…… that seems impossible, but there’s no mistaking that it’s regenerating in an odd manner.

For example, what will happen when the weight of the human arm suddenly increases?

Its movements, and the burden on the shoulder and elbow, will all change.

Besides, 『Leviathan』’s tentacles are probably moved by instinct. It never thought there would be a time when it couldn’t control its own regeneration ability.

That’s why this guy doesn’t know why its tentacles suddenly became so heavy. It can’t move properly.

「The details are secret, but my sword is the one that caused the opponent’s regeneration ability to go rampant. But, since the level is low, its accuracy is really bad.」(Nagi)

I explain it to Rita.

Though she shows me an unpleasant expression.

「In other words… all you do is slash at the tentacles after I stop their movements by destroying them?」(Rita)

「That’s right. I’ll give you a discount, so please be my shield.」(Nagi)

「You are so mean! You are really a heretic, aren’t you! 」(Rita)

It can’t be helped since I’m not a cheat character.

With her golden hair fluttering, Rita flying kicks three tentacles at once.

When the tentacles stop moving, I slash them using my short sword. *saku*

And the process repeats over and over again.

「Tte, don’t get cocky! Behind you! 」(Rita)

Suddenly, Rita pushes me away.

I turn my head reflexively, and behind me there is a tentacle with 『Paralysis Needle』.

「Are you an amateur!? Good grief! 」(Rita)

The 『Paralysis Needle』rips out Rita’s shoulder who is protecting me.

But, Rita smiles fearlessly.

「That’s not gonna work! 『Divine Protection』!!」(Rita)

Rita’s body shines in gold.

The 『Paralysis Needle』is destroyed and in that moment, Rita chops the tentacle with her leg.

「……That’s really amazing, Rita.」(Nagi)

「Because I am the chief priestー! I have been trying so hard since I was littleー!」(Rita)

『Divine Protection』’s effect neutralizes poison and paralysis, Rita boasts.

So that’s why there’s one person still kicking while the other members got paralyzed.

And here I was thinking that 『Iturna Cult』was nothing but disappointments.

Rita holds down the tentacles one by one. It’s like she can tell the tentacles’ trajectory.

Her nose occasionally twitches like she’s smelling something.

It’s just as Cecyl said. This fellow is really amazing.

「Let’s change the topic.」(Nagi)

I ask Rita.

「Don’t you think that the carriage seems like a room?」(Nagi)

「Haa?」(Rita)

Rita replies in exasperation as I pointing at the carriage which has legs protruding out from it.

Because of the weight of the carriage, its wheels are completely wedged in the soil, but miraculously the carriage is still standing without falling.

「What are you saying? A carriage is a carriage, isn’t it?」(Rita)

「But in a foreign country, carsーI mean…… Umm, there are stories where people live in that kind of vehicle, that looks like a carriage, it has walls, roof, and a door too, you can’t really say that it’s not a room.」(Nagi)

「……I guess I can’t, but why?」(Rita)

「A room is a building, isn’t it?」(Nagi)

「That may be so, but so what?」(Rita)

「Yeah, it is good if it’s a building.」(Nagi)

I run towards the carriage and raise my fist.

Around the frame, I aim at the most solid partー!

「『Building Strike LV1』(destruction effect disabled) !!」

*garagara**garagara**garagara**garagara*────*plop*

Yeah, it was impossible after all.

The carriage advanced about 40 meters, its axle broke halfway and it fell over sideways. Well, whatever. It should be alright this far away from the 『Leviathan』.

「What!? W-wh-what was that!? 」(Rita)

「I pretended the carriage was a room, and I was wondering if I could move the carriage by using a skill that deals heavy damage to buildings, or so I thought, but……… moving it that far is good enough, right? 」(Nagi)

「You, who the heck are you!? You’re not an ordinary heretic, are you!? 」(Rita)

「I’m not a heretic in the first placeーI mean, don’t worry about that, let’s hurry up and escape!」(Nagi)

Both of us start running.

The 『Leviathan』can’t move because its own tentacles are hindering it. It’s just struggling at the lakeside.

The carriage has moved far enough from the lake.

I could just escape without having to fight, but I also want to check Cecyl’s magic power.

And if we deal damage to the 『Leviathan』, it may drop some valuable items.

「Cecyl! shoot it!!」(Nagi)

While running, I shout at Cecyl who is continuing to chant.

Beyond the darkness, Cecyl nods her head.

And thenー

「『The incandescent volcano that burns in 16 directions, that isーFireball !!』」(Cecyl)

The ancient language『Fireball』explodes.

And the lake blows up.