8-6
The Strange Book Says to Back Down,
But I Won't Obey
Translator : PolterGlast
I'll just state the
key points of the situation. Two young sisters with red hair were paralyzed
with fear. At a short distance from them stood the massive figure of an Abyss
Hound. Moreover, for better or worse, there were exactly two of them.
Tormented by
bottomless hunger, the beasts were snarling at each other, fighting over the
prey that was the human children.
If I provoke them
poorly, it could lead to the worst result. Suppressing my footsteps so they
wouldn't notice, I decided to circle around carefully to the children's side.
They were too
absorbed in each other to notice me. Roaring with terrifying voices, a fierce
fight between the great wolves of hell began. The earth and forest screamed,
and the trees around them shook violently like a storm.
If they are beasts,
they won't take the life of their own kind. If I stay hidden like this without
being noticed, one of them should retreat.
Then, once one runs
away, I just have to defeat the remaining one. Reaping the fisherman's profit—no,
in this case, it's hunter's
profit.
And so, I
successfully circled around to the children's side. Climbing the tree above
their heads, I threw some acorns I picked up in front of the two.
「Ah...?!」
「H-Help...
us... Help, us...」
Quietly taking off
my jacket, I signaled them to cling to it. The older sister understood and had
her little sister hold on tight.
Carefully, making as
little sound as possible, I used only my STR 44—four and a half times
the strength of a normal person—to evacuate the little sister up the tree. Next
was the older sister. Once I safely hid her up the tree as well, their tears of
terror turned into tears of relief and salvation.
「Eh...?」
「B-Big
Brother... why...」
Instead, I climbed
down the tree. Why? To eliminate the threat called the Abyss Hound.
Using the Shovel as a cane, I waited there until their conflict reached
a conclusion.
It was a fierce
struggle, but shortly after one was body-slammed against a tree in the back, it
ran away, and the victor turned its eyes back to the prey.
「Quietly
now. A cornered Abyss Hound will flee. Usually with edible prey in its
mouth.」
The tender-looking
children had been replaced by a mysterious, half-naked Shovel Man. Even
for an unwelcome beast of the Abyss, it was bound to be surprised. When that
man boldly closed the distance with the self-proclaimed strongest carnivore,
naturally, it would be wary.
「Grrr...」
「Unwelcome
beast, don't you want to eat some occasionally shining firefly meat?」
I didn't stop. With
the Shovel on my shoulder, I placed both hands on it, ready to swing
down at any moment. When I entered its range, whether as a check or simply
giving in to gluttony, the great wolf attacked.
I dodged it with the
agility granted by the Book of the Evil Dragon, and toyed with its sharp
fangs and claws using skill and my Shovel. Of course, I used my usual
petty tricks too. I dug out the landing point where the beast's front paw
should have stepped, and threw a clod of earth into its eyes when it lost
balance.
「It
seems you and I are a bad match. I should be able to cut through iron, yet...」
I could slice
through the iron swords of bandits and soldiers like clay, yet I cannot cut the
claws and fangs of this Abyss Hound. It's not that its claws are harder than
iron; rather, the power of Shovel LV 5 is likely the power to dig earth,
rock, and metal.
However, I felt my
own growth. Back then, I was overwhelmed by its agility, but the current me has
no openings. Eventually, against prey it couldn't hunt no matter how it
attacked, the great wolf of hell finally ran out of stamina.
「This
is tougher than I thought... No wonder Sigrun had a hard time.」
Even if I wanted to
trap it in a pitfall, the opponent is huge and has has great jumping ability. Even if I wanted to beat it down, its
hide and fur are so tough they don't seem like earthly creatures; even the
steel Shovel can't seem to inflict deep wounds.
Therefore, even if I
aim for vital points, the blade doesn't reach the vital points themselves.
Aiming inside the mouth is blocked by fangs. Speaking only of offense, I really
had terrible compatibility with this guy. The goblin army would be far easier
than this.
「What
to do...」
Back then, Sigrun
delivered the finishing blow. It seems I was conceited, thinking the power I
obtained was omnipotent.
『Eei,
how long do you intend to continue this nerve-wracking battle! I will lend you a little of my power. Slam the next blow
into its head!』
「Then
do so from the start.」
But this is exactly
when I rely on Zirant-sama
in times of trouble. Since her voice echoed from nowhere, I decided to trust
and follow her request immediately.
Parrying its foreleg
with the Shovel, I stepped in during the momentary opening created and
swung the Shovel down on the beast's head as ordered. Then, the grip of the Shovel became
chilly and cold.
No, the Abyss
Hound's side didn't get off with just that. Zirant's power of ice
froze the Abyss Hound's head, turning it into a crisp, frosted state
along with the fur.
Naturally, having
its brain frozen means instant death, even for a monster of the Abyss.
『Phew,
phew, making me take care of you... Now Ashley, hurry... take the
children and flee quickly...』
However, it seems
even Zirant herself couldn't control the Book of the Evil Dragon.
Suddenly, the small book emitted a faint light, asserting itself to be read, so
I opened the page.
- Development -
【Secure
1000 Subjugation Points for Erin's Safety】
- Subjugation Points:
400 / 1000
- Reward:
EXP 200 / Hearts of the People of Erin
- 『Oi... don't... read... flee...』
What are Subjugation
Points? I assumed the tasks were issued by Zirant's will, but it seems
that's not necessarily the case.
Looking over, the
corpse of the Abyss Hound turned into black, sludge-like mucus and
seeped deep into the earth. The Abyss, where those banished by God are said to
dwell. It is said these monsters slip through the barriers of that land to
appear on the surface.
「Amazing!
Big Brother is strong...!」
「Are we
saved...? Eh, what?」
Eventually, the
sisters in the tree cheered in time with the Abyss Hound's
disappearance. However, I seem to have dragged out the fight too long.
「Stay
hidden!」
The other Abyss
Hound, which should have fled earlier, had returned.
「Consecutive
battles, huh... Well fine, I'll manage. Loser dog, come at me. If I lose to the
likes of you, then that's all my life was worth.」
It will take time,
but there is no element of defeat. I'll use it as material to gain combat
experience.
Once again, I
clashed claws, fangs, and Shovel with the great wolf, slightly smaller
than the previous one.
How long did we
fight? Because the opponent is fast and voracious, my sense of time dulls. But
at least enough time passed for Zirant to interject again.
『This
is bad, Ashley! Something else is coming from deep in the forest! It is
incredibly fast; be careful!!』
「Zirant,
they say what happens twice happens thrice. No, don't tell me that is—」
Seeing that figure,
I inadvertently let out a voice and laughed. Because the one who surprised Zirant
was someone unexpected. Coincidence piled upon coincidence, and the impossible
inevitability called Black Horn Sigrun appeared there.
She drew one of her
twin swords and charged into the Abyss Hound with truly incredible
speed. Jumping onto its back, she aimed for the vital point where the heart is
and thrust the one-handed sword, held in both hands, deep inside.
The monster thrashed
for a moment, but having its heart destroyed was the end. As if the prolonged
battle was a lie, the Abyss Hound stopped moving, and eventually lost
its physical form and melted away.
「Shinza!
Is that not Shinza?! What a coincidence!」
「So you
appeared, Sigrun.」
「What
do you mean, talking about people like ghosts! Isn't this a touching reunion
between us!」
「Oi...」
Even with
inexhaustible stamina, my concentration had admittedly run out. Perhaps
relieved after eliminating the threat targeting the children, I was caught off
guard by Sigrun's embrace.
「I
wanted to see you, Shinza! In the short time I haven't seen you, haven't
you become thrillingly strong?! As expected, as expected of the man I
acknowledged! Wahahaha, what a day full of surprises!」
「Sigrun...」
「Umu!
What is it, what is it~?!」
「I am
still seventeen. Don't press your huge breasts against me.」
「Obviously that's an
expression of affection! Wow~ strong, you've become strong, Shinza!」
「I'm
telling you, it's troubling... Stop it...」
Zirant is
watching. If I make a sloppy face, Zirant might make me a laughingstock.
She has a tendency to tease me about women relations...
「It's
thanks for helping with the quest! Oh, by the way, did you see another one?
Right, if you like, together we could—」
「I
defeated that one.」
「What
did you say?! Then, that means... the request is complete... Ugh... unfair, Shinza!
Eating all the good parts by yourself, I'm disappointed in you!!」
「Okay, I apologize. So hurry
up and let go...」
Until the children
voluntarily revealed themselves, Sigrun just kept pressing her
complaints and breasts against me simultaneously, never backing down. That's
right. The horned species rare in the Empire, Black Horn Sigrun, was
this kind of person.
- Development -
【Secure
1000 Subjugation Points for Erin's Safety】
- Subjugation Points:
400 / 1000 → 750 / 1000
- Reward:
EXP 200 / Hearts of the People of Erin
- 『Look at the Book of the Evil
Dragon. ...Good grief, too absorbed in a woman's breasts to notice?
Kukuku, still a child.』
◇ ◆ ◇
When Sigrun's
attention turned to the rescued
children, I finally noticed something odd about the Book of the Evil Dragon.
Opening the page, something incomprehensible had happened.
- Adventure -
【Complete
3 Jobs at the Adventurer's Guild】 2/3 Completed
- Reward:
EXP 450 / ???
- 『One more. By the way, oi—』
- Table of Contents -
【Name】 Ashley
【Lv】 21 → 22
【Exp】 2535 → 2635
【STR】 44 → 45
【VIT】 123 → 126
【DEX】 110 → 111
【AGI】 90 → 93
【Skill】 Shovel LV 4 Scoop
LV 1
『Let me
tell you, I had my eye on your talent first. Tell Sigrun, 'You are
second. Evil Dragon Zirant was first!'』
I don't get it. I
merely helped with Sigrun's quest as a result, yet my quota advanced by
one. Then, if I deliver the medicinal herbs like this and report to the Guild
in the Imperial Capital, will I be treated like Firefly-san in that alcohol-reeking
building again...?
I don't understand
the rules. But I feel like I scored
a win. By the way, Zirant, I cannot accept your request.
Why are you being so stubborn? Bringing up the name of you, an Evil Dragon, will naturally only invite unnecessary disaster. I refuse.
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