CH 300

As soon as I go around the sculpture of Araysla, something swings down from the shadows.

“Ah!”

I reflexively raise my knife with an underhand grip.

What echoes is something different from the metallic sound that should be heard, and some pale light sparks.

I peek towards it, and see a scythe-shaped something.

It keeps swinging down, and this time I try to brush it away.

I manage to do it by making the enemy’s attack slide off my knife, and I can finally get a clear picture of what’s attacking me. It’s a praying mantis attached to the sculpture of the goddess.

Worse yet, it’s huge, and has four sickles for some reason.

It’s not as big as me, but it’s probably bigger than Kalin.

The compound eyes of the giant praying mantis are painted blue. So that’s where the pale light I saw before was coming from.

“《Polish》, 《Polish》, 《Polish》.”

I jump back while sending scrolls towards the giant praying mantis, and three tornadoes with diamond dust assault it.

“Uwa… It blocked them!?”

I have to be careful not to damage the sculpture of Araysla but still, the giant praying mantis skillfully protects itself against the three incoming tornadoes with its scythes.

Those scythes must be harder than metal.

It’s at times like these that I get excited about getting to harvest materials from a new monster, but I look over at Kahelone, who is watching this unfold.

“Kahelone, take shelter in that passage! Is this praying mantis always here?”

“…! No… I’ve never seen it before. It’s so big and creepy…”

The giant praying mantis spreads its wings and flies away from the sculpture. Kahelone probably sees it very well from that passage, and she covers her mouth with her hands and her face twists with disgust. I guess she doesn’t like bugs. But still, she does as I say and withdraws back into the passage.

So this isn’t normal. That means it will be hard to get a lot of these materials. But leaving that aside, this is most likely related to Zwei. I barely feel any magic elements, but instead it’s enveloped in purifying light.

There’s a faint blue light covering its whole body.

I don’t let up, and keep sending the 《Polish》 tornadoes against the giant praying mantis.

I see it blocking them with its scythes every time, but that might create openings for attacks elsewhere.

“Ah…”

I unconsciously let out a sound.

The giant praying mantis twists itself in midair to change trajectory, and heads for the source of the tornadoes, the scrolls.

It attacks a scroll with scythes on each side like they’re pincers, and mercilessly rips it apart. The tornado it created disappears.

“What happened, Master Rust!?”

Kahelone pokes her head out again, probably because she heard me.

Her movements are a bit awkward, probably because she’s trying not to look at the giant praying mantis.

“Nothing, I just lost a scroll.”

“Eh, but aren’t those valuable…”

“Kind of, but it’s fine.”

I put my knife away, and take out six more 《Polish》 scrolls, three in each hand, and activate them.