Chapter 39: Dispel (2)

Dispel (2)

5 p.m. The foggy mountain, darkened by the setting sun, was as black as pitch. It wasn’t just because of the fog. The altitude was such that sunlight barely penetrated, making it truly dark all around.

“Wow. At this rate, we’ll be in first place, won’t we?”

The Soliette team was in the midst of writing a report there. As they compiled the information each had researched, it seemed like a fairly credible report would be completed. Thi/s chapter is updated by nov(e)(l)biin.co/m

Of course, Soliette’s share was over 70%.

“Indeed. The ecosystem is almost complete.”

The ecosystem of the foggy mountain had been largely sorted out. They had found and recorded all the beasts, monsters, and vegetation observed on this mountain.

“But this mana is... it’s water attribute, right?”

However, the easiest part continued to cause unease.

The mana attribute of this foggy mountain being water, or water attribute, was almost certain. After all, the fog itself would be a product of water attribute mana.

That’s why it’s more difficult.

It’s too easy, making them wonder if it’s a trap.

“Hey. Isn’t this that thing? It’s so easy that it’s confusing. ...What does the team leader think?”

Team member Aryen asked, gauging Soliette’s reaction. She, wearing an MF-94 mask, had been crouched in thought for a while.

“I’m not sure.”

“What’s uncertain? We can’t even light a fire.”

Aryen pointed to the traces of a campfire. They had tried to light it due to the chilly temperature, but the sparks faded as soon as they touched the fog.

“I just have that feeling.”

“Hey~ but-”

“—Your feeling is right.”

Then, a strange voice came from the bushes. Everyone turned to look at the source, startled by the alien baritone.

There was a man with yellow buzz cut.

“...Who are you?”

“Are you here to cheat again?”

Shion Ascal. The Soliette team grimaced as if looking at a nuisance, but he shamelessly approached and sat down on the ground.

“No. I came to help, not to cheat.”

“What help? Hey. Hide the report.”

They quickly flipped the report over. Shion chuckled and scanned their faces.

“You guys aren’t sweating at all, how can it be water attribute?”

Aryen retorted at that.

“It’s cold now, okay?”

“Wouldn’t you sweat even if it’s cold? If you’re in a water attribute fog.”

Soliette had been lost in thought until then. To her, Shion was not just being treated as if he didn’t exist, he simply didn’t exist.

“If you move, you’ll sweat right away. Can you please stop pretending to know?”

“No.”

Shion raised a finger. It was a gesture to concentrate, and the team members unwittingly perked up their ears.

“It’s Spirit.”

Spirit.

Aryen asked back at that strange word.

“...0? No attribute?” (0 and spirit can be misunderstood as one another)

“No. Spirit as in spirit.”

“.....”

Then, all the team members had blank expressions.

They couldn’t even laugh. It was such a nonsensical, idiotic statement. If it was a joke, it was of the worst kind, and if he was serious, he was a lunatic.

“Are you serious?”

“Yeah. I’m serious.”

“You’re crazy, aren’t you?”

Among the properties of mana, the most famous and common are of course the ‘elemental’ series, including water, wind, earth, and fire.

However, the properties of mana itself are countless. Metal, beast, emotion, light, darkness, etc... as diverse as the Spectrum, and among them, ‘Spirit’ belongs to a very rare category.

“It’s not the type of mana that comes up in the College Board course.”

“Hey, you know Kielli is on the edge, right? He’ll be here soon, so if you don’t want to get hit, just leave... or not.”

Team member, Karius, stood up from his seat. He went behind a tree and picked up a paper cup.

“Kielli. Are you listening?”

Hearing the voice directed at Kielli, Shion chuckled.

“Anyway, I’ve warned you. Is the debt paid?”

“What do you mean, paying off the debt-”

“...spirit.”

The team members wished he would leave quickly, but Soliette was the one who found it strange.

spirit, spirit, spirit... She murmured quietly and then asked.

“What’s your basis for thinking it’s spirit? Perhaps-”

“Aren’t there too many mushrooms on this mountain?”

In response to Soliette’s curious question, Shion answered with certainty.

For a moment, Soliette’s eyes widened. Arjen, who had been glaring at Shion until now, smirked.

“Hey~ Team leader, what’s wrong?”

“There was a foreign substance in the fog.”

“...Huh?”

That’s why Soliette wore a mask. She, with her sensitive senses, kept feeling something touching her skin and inside her nose.

“Right. This fog isn’t just moisture.”

Shion Ascal raised his eyebrows and continued.

“I think it’s the spores and byproducts of mana that fungi, or mushrooms, emit.”

It was a perfectly reasonable inference. Soliette nodded with a face that had gained a big hint, and the other team members slowly changed their stance.

Soliette raised her Magic Body in a combat-ready stance. Unfortunately, she had no weapon. The only thing she could use was the explorer’s kukri knife at her waist.

—You have many parts worth taking.

At that moment, his cloak rippled. Soliette looked closely at it.

It wasn’t a cloak. It was a deep, ink-colored shadow. A ‘shadow’ resonating with the monster’s magic.

Whooosh—!

He released the shadow like a harpoon. Clang-! As soon as she deflected it with the kukri, sharp fragments rushed in one after another.

Soliette deployed Arkne’s defensive swordsmanship to repel them, but the blade was too short and her hand was slightly cut. She frowned at the faint pain.

The shadow showed her no mercy.

Swoooosh—!

This time, it swung around like a circular scythe, as if intending to sever the ground where she stood.

Soliette raised her kukri high.

Zzzzzing—!

She generated magic in the kukri to block it, but the blade split. Preparing for the next attack, Soliette split the kukri in two with her own hands. Holding one piece in each hand, she set the blades upright.

—...Hmm?

But suddenly, the monstrosity, who had been frowning, stopped his attack.

—You’re not moving from that spot. Why?

He scratched his chin with his large hand and cocked his head.

Thanks to his momentary distraction, Soliette caught her breath, but he seemed to realize something and snapped his fingers.

—Aha. It’s because of that guy behind you, isn’t it?

He opened his mouth and laughed. His gums were as red as a monkey’s, and his veins reached up to his teeth.

It was disgusting.

Swoooosh——!

Again, a volley of shadows was fired. This time, it blatantly curved towards Kielli behind Soliette. Soliette twisted her body to defend against all of it. Some of the shadow grazed her arm, and blood spurted from her hand, but it was bearable.

—Hahaha.

He stomped on the ground with his foot, laughing heartily. Boom-! From the shockwave, shadow spikes sprouted. Soliette crouched to block the onslaught, which came like a tidal wave.

Kwoooosh——!

The impact spread throughout her body. It felt as if her bones and joints were crumbling.

—Hehehe. Humans are indeed foolish.

By this time, the odds were already slim. Soliette scanned her surrounding, trying to find a way to escape with Kielli, but the monster’s shadow was flickering all around them.

—To choose death because of a worthless comrade.

As the monster muttered bullshit, preparing to finished them.

Whooosh——.

An object flew from the forest behind them. Soliette saw its silhouette.

It was a large rock.

—You guys are the problem-

Thud!

It fell right on his head.

—.......

The monster was momentarily speechless.

—Ha. You guys are the prob-

He sighed slightly and tried to ignore it, but thud—! Another one flew and this time, it squarely hit his jaw.

—.......

The monster fell silent.

Whooosh——.

A third rock flew at a right angle.

Thud—! Unable to endure a third time, he raised his arm to catch it. The rock crumbled into sand in his large hand.

—Which bastard is doing this?

The monster, with a vein popping on his forehead, looked in the direction the rock had come from. It was a dense forest. Conveniently, the mountain fog had descended like a gray curtain.

—Aren’t you the bastard?

Another voice flowed from the beyond the fog. To Soliette, it was a voice she had heard at some point. She asked while maintaining her tension.

“......Shion Ascal?”

—A piece of trash like a mongrel who caught a monster on a whim and shoved it into his body.

It was certain.

It was Shion Ascal.

—It’s you, isn’t it?

He was provoking the monster from his hiding place in the forest.

—Ha ha. Human jealousy is indeed disgusting. Babble all you want. Go ahead.

The monster, on the other hand, sneered and shook his head, but.

—You limp-dick bastard. Who did you get it from? No matter what, you should pay the full price and a little extra for a Chimera transplant. If you fail like you, there’s no turning back-

—Shut your fucking mouth or I’ll rip you apart!!!!

He exploded in an instant. His eyes were covered with dark blood vessels. The shadow wrapped around his body noticeably trembled.

Kwaaaah——!

—You’re just a piece of human trash! How dare you! How dare you insult me!

The shadow sprang up haphazardly, tearing through the trees. All of his nerves were focused on the bush where the voice had come from.

Taking advantage of the situation, Soliette burned the shadow that was suppressing Kielli.

“......Krrr. Ah, ah, I, that.......”

As soon as he was released, he vomited.

That was still okay.

“Th-that, ugh...... that.......”

But the sight of him trying to crawl away while vomiting.

“What an asshole.......”

Soliette was utterly disgusted.