Volume 9 - CH 8

Chapter 8 – Earth Dragon Forest and the Earth Dragon

We entered the Earth Dragon Forest. We walked for a while, but the woods and bushes were so deep that it was unlikely that we would be able to ride the Add.

“The bushes are very deep. We will have to walk.”

“Yes, but the thicker the bushes and trees, the safer the place is in this forest because it is proof that the earth dragon has not passed through.”

…Oh, is that how it works? What Alessia-san means is that where the earth dragons pass through, the trees have been cut down, so the paths are wide, and the bushes have been trampled? I have heard that earth dragons are quite large.

“Then I don’t know if I should get on the Add when we get to the wide road or if I should get off the road and walk through the bushes.”

“I think it would be better to get on the Add. Once they see you, they will attack you whether there is a tree or not, so if they attack you, just take them down. But beware of the ancient dragons.”

Ordinary earth dragons are said to use their large bodies to charge and bite, and they sometimes breathe sand and dirt, but those that have lived for a long time are said to be able to manipulate the ground. In that case, I would be worried about the Add.

“Are you saying that they can lift up the entire seawater, or in this case, the entire ground, like Paris-san did? That would be dangerous for the Add.”

It would be dangerous if the part of the ship that is in contact with the ground is lifted off the ground, wouldn’t it? The ground will rise, the Add will be launched, and we’ll be thrown out of the barriers… There’s no guarantee that this will happen, but is it likely?

I think even I could at least keep my hands on the controls. If I were attacked or taken by surprise, the possibility is not zero.

“I wonder if Felicia’s barrier would prevent an attack by an earth dragon?”

“Yes, I think so. My level and barrier techniques have increased, so I don’t think there will be a problem even if the earth dragon attacks. But be careful; if we are attacked again and again, it will break apart.”

…It looks like we’ll be okay if we can buy some time. If the road is wide enough, an amphibious bus will not throw you off as long as you keep your seatbelt on. Do you think I should buy a bus? I’m afraid we’ll get stuck in one place, but the advantage is that everyone but me, the driver, can attack at will. If not, we can just take the Add. Buying one wouldn’t hurt.

“I understand. Thank you, Felicia. I’ll think about it.”

“Are you going to do anything?”

“Yes. I’m thinking about buying a new ship. I’m going to walk while I look at the screen for a while, so please protect me.”

I should have bought one before coming here, but I never thought of a bus in the forest.

“Master, you can buy it when we take a break. You won’t get hurt if you fall, but it would be embarrassing.”

“You’re right. I’ll look for it when we take a break.”

Of course, the name “Earth Dragon Forest” doesn’t mean that there are only earth dragons there. There are usually some monsters as well. Not only Girasole but also Rimu, Fuu-chan, and Beni-chan defeated them.

Rimu and the others are incredible. Beni-chan has also reached a certain level, and he can defeat goblins, orcs, and the standard weak monsters with a single blow. I also beat an orc for the first time. I think that is a great thing. But it’s not cool.

We kept going as we defeated the monsters that attacked us. Since it is a forest, there are also insect monsters. I still don’t like insects. I don’t know why, but I get goosebumps when I see them. Especially when I see the base of their legs or their stomachs, I get creeped out.

During our lunch break, I looked at the purchase screen. There is a 5-seat water taxi, so we have to split into two, but only I can drive it at the moment. If I had to choose, I’d go for a medium 20-passenger or a large 40-passenger amphibious bus.

If I want to take Dark Elf back, I’d better get a big one, but… big buses are hard to drive. I only have a regular driver’s license, to begin with, but can I drive a medium or large bus? Oh, I can drive whatever I summon. I figured it out on the Add, so I guess I can drive an amphibious bus, too.

Now, if I can find the road the earth dragon took, I’ll make a choice. The big one is 2.5 meters wide, so if it looks like there’s room, it’s the big one. I finished my checks and drank my canned coffee with satisfaction.

“Master, are you finished?”

Ines asks curiously.

“Yes, I found two. I’ll look at the path of the earth dragon and decide which one to buy.”

“What kind of ship is it?”

Ship… I’m still wondering if I can call an amphibious bus a ship, but let’s assume it’s okay since it requires a marine license.

“Yes, it’s like a big boxy ship that can also run on land, like the Add.”

Ines, Felicia, and Girasole, who were listening around me, all looked at me blankly, except for one person. The only ones who have not changed as usual are Carla-san and the Slime trio, who are continuing their lunch.

Come to think of it, since Beni-chan joined them, the gluttonous trio has become the gluttonous quartet. If we didn’t make so much money, the cost of food would kill us.

“Wataru-san, I don’t really understand this, but is it fast? Can I drive it too?”

Even though Alessia-san doesn’t really understand it, if it’s fast, she wants to drive it. I remember that the operation was manual, so it was impossible for her to drive it all of a sudden.

“Well, it’s faster than the Add, but the controls on this one are more complicated, so you can’t just jump in and go for it. You have to practice.”

“Practice? If it is faster than the Add, I would like to try it. Can you teach me if you have time?”

“Yes, of course. We can practice when the time is right.”

Before I knew it, Ines and Marina-san were nodding their heads on either side of Alessia-san, and I was beginning to feel that teaching the three of them was going to be quite a challenge.

When the gluttonous quartet is satisfied with a solid lunch, we set off again. We head straight for the marker, fending off the occasional monster that attacks us.

As the sun set, the forest opened up, and we came to a large road. I was getting nervous, wondering if this was the territory of the earth dragons. But is this the path of the earth dragon? …Isn’t it big?

The width of the road is 3 meters. This makes me wonder about the total length and height of the earth dragon. The road is not flat, but it seems to be passable enough.

“If it were that wide, we could continue with the ship I bought, but the sun is about to set, so let’s stay here today. I ask you to level the ground so I can summon the Hideaway.”

“I understand. Then proceed as usual.”

At Alessia-san’s command, the Girasole disperses; I’m used to it by now. Ines and Felicia accompany me. They blow down the trees and kill the monsters that are attracted by the sound.

“Hey, Ines, Felicia, do you hear the earth trembling in the distance?”

“Yes, I can hear it. Girasole is back too.”

Was it just my imagination? It’s a forest of earth dragons, so they must be coming out of it.　

“Wataru-san, the earth dragon is coming; please bring out the Hideaway.”

“Understood.”

I summoned the Hideaway into a larger space and boarded it. Looking from the deck in the direction of the rumbling earth, we see a large earth dragon.

It’s huge. Very huge. But is it a dragon? With its bulky body, four thick legs, and horns, it looks like it could be a triceratops. The face looks more like the dragons you see in anime. The brown ground surface could be the same as the ground. I can see its back above the trees in the forest; it looks to be three to four meters long.

“It is big. Is this earth dragon an ancient dragon?”

“Hmm, I don’t know; this is the first time I’ve seen one myself.”

Ah, our eyes met. When I somehow felt my eyes meet the earth dragon’s, the speed of the earth dragon increased rapidly. The dragon charged at us, creating a cloud of dust. The screams of the dragon are also monstrous. Gyao… something else, like a Gugyaoo? The heavy, deep voice is so powerful.

“It is very powerful. If I weren’t in the Hideaway, I would run away as fast as I could.”

“The power is amazing. I wonder if Carla can handle it. What do you think?”

Alessia-san said something I didn’t understand.

“I don’t know. I think I can handle it, but I feel like I’m being pushed in.”

Carla-san, you are still not sure whether you can withstand that kind of force? It’s like a truck hitting you, you know? It’s a momentum that will reincarnate you into another world.

“Yeah, it looks like we can beat them, but if there’s more of them, it’s going to be impossible. No, if we don’t have to worry about what happens afterward, maybe some of them will be okay?”

“I think we’ll be fine. If we run away, can we still explore this forest?”

Dorothea-san joined the conversation. The dragon is right in front of them, but they seem to have plenty of time. That’s how much they trust the Ship Summoning. If I give the earth dragon permission to board the ship here, everyone will be surprised… Let’s stop. I don’t think they will laugh. They’ll either be stunned or offended… and either way, the odds are against me.

The earth dragon has hit the Hideaway. It’s like watching a movie. The dragon was unable to stop the momentum of its own charge and was sent flying. With a thunderous roar, it falls down with a subtle and pathetic cry of surprise.

“Wataru-san, I want to check the earth dragon’s attack. Can I see it?”

“Yes, no problem.”

In response to Alessia-san’s question, the ladies provoked the earth dragon at the edge of the deck. The angry dragon opened its mouth wide and came to bite. It is more powerful than in the movies. I would have leaked if I wasn’t sure it was safe.

Maybe it doesn’t like the fact that Rimu, Fuu-chan, and Beni-chan are standing side by side in front of it, looking so happy and relaxed. It’s like a cat provoking a dog on a leash. Rimu, where did you learn this?

“Rimu, why are you doing this?”

I asked with trepidation. It would be unfortunate if my bad character were reflected in Rimu.

“? Big.”

“Yes, it’s big. What do you think?”

“Cool.”

…Good. He wasn’t trying to provoke it. He was looking at it with excitement because it was so cool. I’m relieved. I have to act a little more respectable in front of Rimu as well. Most of the time, he’s on top of me, so I have to act respectable all the time… I’ll try my best, even if it’s just a little.

Even as I’m thinking about changing my mind, the earth dragon is still ramming into us and going on a chaotic rampage. It doesn’t seem very smart, not like an ancient dragon.

“It doesn’t spit breath, does it? I’d still like to see it.”

“Well, if you don’t give it a sense of danger, it might not spit breath. It might run away, but I think it’s time to attack it.”

Alessia-san answered my question. She said she would attack with her sword instead of attacking all at once to see what would happen.

The moment the dragon bit her, Alessia-san’s figure disappeared. I notice that the earth dragon’s face is cut open. It’s fast. From my point of view, it’s no different from Paris-san’s movement.

“Ara, it’s softer than I thought. It’ll be surprisingly easy to defeat it.”

Soft? It looks like tough skin, doesn’t it?

After being attacked for the first time, the earth dragon takes a little distance and is cautious. A breath might come. But it charged again. It attacked several times, and Alessia-san slashed its face. It’s kind of nasty.

After several attacks, the earth dragon opened its mouth wide while keeping its distance. At the same time, a large amount of dirt and sand came flying violently. The dirt and sand flying in front of us blocks our view.

The breathing stops. The dragon seems a little tired. It seems that the breath is the dragon’s trump card. The scattered sand and dirt pile up on the ground.

“Is this sand and dirt created by magic?”

“Hmm, if it is created by magic, I don’t think it is mixed with tree branches or anything like that. It is more likely that the sand and dirt have been swallowed.”

There are certainly tree branches in the mixture. If it’s swallowing sand and dirt, it’s like vomit. If that’s the case, we shouldn’t let it keep spitting out its breath. I know what it’s like not to be able to throw up your breath easily. It’s hard to vomit, isn’t it?

“It must be very tired. Can you tame this earth dragon?”

“I’ve never thought about it before, but I wonder if it’s possible to tame a dragon. First of all, Wataru-san, can you take care of the earth dragon after taming it?”

Alessia-san said something that sounded like a mother to me. It certainly seems impossible. I might be able to keep it on a luxury liner, but that’s about it. Should I tame it and let it live at the orphanage?

It would be very safe, but I think some troublesome things might come after the earth dragon. I don’t even know if it would be allowed in Cagliari. I’ll have to discuss it with the city authorities.

But an orphanage with an earth dragon. If the mage is behind it and the Navy is guarding it… I don’t think anyone but the monster class would touch it.

“Hmm, why not just let it live in the orphanage? It would be a powerful guardian dragon.”

“If you command it, it will protect the orphanage, but what do you think? What if it gets out of control?”

Orphans being trampled, the earth dragon destroying the rebuilt cityscape… It’s a nightmare.

“Let’s not do that.”

“I think that’s better. There doesn’t seem to be anything else to see, so let’s defeat the earth dragon.”

Everyone raised their weapons and looked at the dragon. The dragon turned and ran away.

“It ran away.”

“It ran away, didn’t it?”

Seeing the dragon run away, I was disappointed. Since the atmosphere was subtle, I went into the Hideaway to take a break and have a cup of tea.

“I think there will probably be a lot of things like that earth dragon attacking us. Is that a problem?”

“No problem. If the dragons don’t run away, we can defeat them. Its attacks were easy to dodge, so we should be able to proceed without any problems.”

Since the earth dragon was no problem, we decided to proceed with the attack starting tomorrow. The earth dragon’s path was wide, so even a large amphibious bus would have no problem. It seems that we will be able to complete the dark elves’ migration surprisingly quickly.

Since it had been a long time since we had been in the Hideaway, I filled the Jacuzzi with hot spring water and took a bath in it. It’s nice, isn’t it? Bathing with everyone. It’s always exciting. After taking our time to enjoy it, we had dinner and went back to our room.