Monster Musume chapter 65: Alone with Shadow-san
Lunch is finished in a suitable shop and we went out of the imperial capital. Because it's afternoon, we won't be possible to go to a far place today.... Well, Ruu and Rin are fast and they'd be able to go farther than an ordinary horse.
"For now, shall we enter the nearest forest? Everybody can just do what you want, because I will train the basics with Shadow-san” Tsuchio
I fly away from the gate of the capital in a slightly remote place and get down on the forest several kilometres away. It isn't a big forest, because it is near the castle town and the devil beasts aren't very strong either. It is a tutorial forest for new adventurer. Well you shouldn't underestimate the small fishes so much, because even strong guys die when they are surprised.
"Okay, then do we go?" Tsuchio
Shadow-san stands next to me. This child still seems strange. She isn't so talkative and I know clearly what to consider. No, it isn't necessary for her to speak because I can understand her thoughts. She speaks well with Lime.
When we hunt at such place, we have decided to act separately from Ruu and the others. When the ability is too far, devil beasts won't appear. Still in case of Lime it might be safe, but with Ruu and Rin we might not get any experience. When we're here, they wouldn't be able to go to a far place.
"Hmm, it came" Tsuchio
The place where I got off is around halfway in the forest. Generally it's the middle point from the entrance to the center. Going inside at such a place, the monsters might be stronger.... Like Danze island. It is just fine to level up Shadow-san...but well, spirit-san seems to be busy and I don't want to bother her. If I haven't come to the capital, I wouldn't have met Yukurishisu-san and be concerned with the circumstances of the Zakurion empire.... There is no help for it even if I say now, however it isn't necessary to participate in the next strategy and wait for the war to end. I want Yukurishisu-san to do her best as far as she doesn't overdo it.
In the middle of thinking about such a thing, I encounter devil beasts. Whether it's the purpose of Shadow-san absorbing my life force, but I´m able to feel their vitality. The area isn't too wide, so I don't need to worry about a surprise attack. It doesn't react to the ghost system.
Several wolves have appeared before us. Slaver is dripping from their mouths and their fangs are peeled off as a threat. They try to surround us, but there is no justice letting them do so.
I throw a talisman to the left side of the wolves´feets, while Shadow-san lies hidden in the shade of a tree after shooting a black blade from the front. The wolves jump away as soon as earth pillars arise from the ground, but one didn't make it. The wolf which was stabbed is swallowed by Shadow-san which jumped out of tree. The wolves who try to attack me are cut into the black blade, because a wall appears in front of them and push them back. One wolf goes around the wall and tries to attack me but he is intercepted by Shadow-san. She swung her arm and one foot of the wolf is cut.
"Thank you, you may eat everything" Tsuchio
When I said so, Shadow-san was swallowing the wolves who lie on the ground one after another. She took the wolf corpse off the earth spear and absorbed it. When I think how she swallowed the body so leisurely, she spitted out the bones. It is spurted by wind quickly when it fall onto the ground. When all my vitality is sucked, I becomes like this.... Since she always absorbs my vitality, she already knows well how to modify. As long as there is Shadow-san, the perfect crime seems not to be a dream.
After all, wolves aren't very delicious.... It doesn't need to be said that devil beasts with stronger vitality will be more delicious. So we have to go more to the inside to let stronger devil beasts appear.
“Hey Shadow-san, I think it is not good to call you Shadow-san every time, so let's consider a formal name” Tsuchio
I decide to think about a name for Shadow-san while walking in the forest. I may not need to mention, but there were no chances to talk with Shadow-san.
"When I gave an name to everyone, I used something basic from their race. In case of Ruu, she is an dragon who speaks with a local accent. By Lime I take out the lime from slime. And by Rin I saw that she was a female kirin”
It is very cheap now when I think...so shall I devise it a little bit more. Because Shadow-san herself was satisfied, I thought this was okay.
“Ah, do you understand kirin? You understand!? Then it is good.... I want to decide the name for Shadow-san, you're a shadow monster.... Where should it be taken from...?"
Was there something? A one using the shadow? I can't think of it really.
“Uuhh...because you're a shadow monster, is it ray? Or Emma? It is unpleasant like some votive pictures.... Eh, pride? No No, that is not good. Because of arrogance"
While discussing about various things when we're walking something has fallen in front of us suddenly. We split up into left and right and avoided it in a rush. The person who keeps passing through between us stops, while shaving the ground for ten metres before looking back to us. White breath is gush out at the warped horn on its big nose and it was a wild boar that was totally 3m long.
“Tchi, it wasn't so hard in case of Ruu and the others.... Shadow-san, I will think about a name for you another time”
The wild boar which aims at me is thrusting again. I avoided it with a side jump and the boar passed beside me right now and hit a tree. The tree broke remarkably from the right in the middle of the trunk without being able to endure the impact. It would be dangerous if I have received it....
Shadow-san shoot a black arrow at its back, but it doesn't stick deeply because it might be blocked by the muscles. On the contrary, it only angers the wild boar and it plunges into Shadow-san this time. Shadow-san jumps into the shade of the nearby tree to dodge, but if this battle prolongs more, my stamina will be empty quickly. Using Ruu and the others as help is the last mean. Lets try to beat it with only me and Shadow-san.
“Shadow-san kill it, when it draws closer”
I say so and throw a talisman at the wild boar, while getting away from Shadow-san. Even if I enter into forest, the trees are mowed down from the charge.... For the time being, shall I keep my position? It is awkward that I lost sight even if it goes to Shadow-san.
The wild boar rushing from the rear is avoided with a sideway jump again. Because it was later than a while ago, avoiding was easy. But before regaining my balance, the wild boar which didn't slow down and turned his aim at me has crashed in by first speed. If you can do such a trick, use it from the beginning!
I scatter talismans on the ground which connect with each other by a ray and defend me from the front. I made an imitation of Loreen´s talisman art! And just like that I thrusted , it was just like a bio movie work, scattered properly. There isn't a airflow here and a quick movement wouldn't be able with that body. I thought so...but the wild boar avoided the lattice and plunged into me. This is unexpected, so I take shelter in the air by getting on a earth pillar in panic. To avoid by such smooth movement...I underestimated the wild boar a little.
The wild boar throws his head into the earth pillar I was standing on and the pillar is crushed after it can't endure it anymore. I greatly return to the side of Shadow-san. It is a fault to leave her alone so much...she seem to be ready. The gaze of Shadow-san is painful, though she has no eyes. It is to the extent that she seem to be proud...but I made sure that it won't begin to remain on her face, so do I look through Shadow-san?
“Then stop walking!”
Shadow-san and I are supplemented and it is seen not to move, so the wild boar that lacks ground accumulates power. It is convenient to be able to do it in time, so I prepared my talismans and Shadow-san concentrates her magic.
“Buruhhiiiii!!!”
The wild boar makes a big roar and rushes with a speed that is faster than before. The momentum is threatening, but I'll counter him.
I throw out a set of several talismans at the course of the wild boar. The appearing earth pillars mix together and become a twisting drill that confronts it. I should wait because it is thrust in from the other side if I do nothing. I didn't forget to reinforce the earth pillars neatly.
The wild boar doesn't seem to intend to stop even if it looks at the rock drill. It might crush it from the front. Before that, the drill won't break before sticking deep inside. That's also an aim. And because it'll be soon in front of the drill, it's also difficult to exchange.
And as expected the boar confronts the drill head on. The tip of the drill cuts into the chest, but the reinforced earth pillars cracks when they lay emphasis on the wild boar. During such, I let Shadow-san jump into the shadow of the wild boar. 2 black circles stood out on both sides and a black ray was thrown from there. Its head and neck were pierced and the boar fell down to the ground. When it's seen, it seems to be convulsed and also die soon timidly.
Shadow-san swallows that wild boar. Her appearance doesn't change at all, even after absorbing the wild boar. As expected, is the fourth dimension inside Shadow-san? Thereupon it will take a good amount of time to absorb the vitality of the wild boar. This wild boar might be more delicious than the wolves.
"The way of evolution seems still far...so shall we take a break around here?
Her evolution will be quicker than Ruu.... As I thought, it brings nothing no matter how much small fries she defeats. This wild boar was quite strong, but we can't hunt only this guy.Therefore I want her to gain more experience if she face stronger devil beasts. However I can't let her fight too strong monsters however in this neighbourhood it shouldn't be difficult....
Shadow-san who finished absorbing the life of the wild boar discharge the bones. Because it took plenty of time, may she not evolve soon? What kind of feeling will it be...though she didn't change very much.
Normally strong monsters have also high vitality. Except the ghost type. I decided that we don't have so much time to fight small fries, so we only fight those who attack us and strong devil beasts. Those wild boars would live in this place won't be alone and there may be also monsters which eats that wild boar. Although I don't know whether there is a food chain here, but there was one in Danze island. This shut environment...was plain. Those beetles will be suffering predators. With that alone it is a big threat. I want beetles to exert themselves by the amount more than the quality.
When such a stupid thing is considered, I have encountered a brown bear. How dangerous is a brown bear.... The gray is chancy and black is cowardly. When I return I will touch Fal´s kuma ears again.
I and the brown bear continued to look at each other for a while. The bear moved first. It cut down the distance to me at a stretch and strikes at me with its sharp claws. The bear runs surprisingly fast and it is also powerful because of its large-built. Fire bees are thrown while retreating. They hit the bear who was standing on two legs directly and made him stagger greatly. As expected, it is a devil beasts that doesn't suffer a great wound and just burn a little. Even though I didn't intend to kill it with the explosion originally, so is there still room for improvement? The bear is bleeding from its mouth, so the interior of its body was damaged by the impact.
A wind blade is fired blindly by the bear, when he swung his claws around the spot. Shadow-san fights back with a black blade from my back while preventing the attack with a wall.
The bear which is going to run away from the several blades that will hit it lost its fighting spirit. I released some fire bees that charge at the bear from the side. And the bear which is blown away by that explosive impact lands against a tree. Next Shadow-san who is inside the tree's shadow drags the bear inside. Although the bear struggles and tries to resist, black ropes crawled all over its body and didnt permit it. And it has been dragged down as it is.
“Absorb it quickly. You must not torment it very much"
Shadow-san´s inside is like a black hole when you see how she absorbs everything inside. Well, it is natural for Shadow-san. Because it is Shadow-san who decides whether to suck up a life, can I enter inside? When she can absorb a bear, then she also can absorb Rin...however it is impossible if there is no air. If she evolves, will the environment of her inside become smaller and detailed...is it possible? Shadow storage is convenient. I must evolve her quickly!
I thought so and the sun has also gone down and I'll do around here today. Ruu and the others might return to soon so we need to consider their return time. Although they moved freely, Ruu should know the place. Oh, they came.
“Good work, did you hunt a lot of devil beasts?” Ruu
"Well, because Shadow-san eat everything in a hurry, I couldn't get any material. Ruu, Rin and Lime, where did you go?” Tsuchio
“I didn't go to a very far place. Therefore I knocked down the flying devil beasts that flew on the sky” Ruu
“Kokukoku”
“Bururuu”
"Was it so? Then shall we go back to the imperial capital quickly?”
Shadow-san can't be leveled up so much around the imperial capital as expected.... Does only Osnyl-san go to the fortress first?