I Was a Small Fish When I Reincarnated, but It Seems That I Can Become a Dragon, so I Will Do My Best - Extra Chapter 201
7-21. Side -Ouren- Enemy Base in the Sky
One man walked through the city in high spirits. However, the man accompanying him wore a look of exasperation, almost seeming to loathe the sight of the man before him. Despite the piercing glare from his companion, the man leading the way appeared utterly unfazed, seemingly enjoying the present situation.
Both men wore robes, their hoods pulled low over their faces. Their distinctive appearances necessitated such concealment. Although hidden, they wished to avoid drawing undue attention. Houen harbored such thoughts as he moved through the city streets, but Ouren was eagerly enjoying the rare leisure time, striding along with a sense of purpose.
This was the closest human city to the angels’ aerial stronghold. Though its name was unknown and unasked, they knew it belonged to the Valpan Kingdom. Given its proximity to the angels’ base, it was a sizable city.
Reaching this city hadn’t taken long. Alongside the flying Houen, Ouren had ridden the Racc halfway there. Flying through the air, a month-long carriage journey took less than a day.
With time to spare before Abs arrived, they had decided to gather information while leisurely exploring, leading to the current moment. Houen, having suggested this plan, now found himself regretting it.
“…”
“Hey, the food’s pretty different now, huh? Well, the monsters have changed a lot too, so I guess that’s only natural. Shopkeeper, give me this!”
“Coming right up!”
Ouren paid for a piece of fruit, immediately biting into it and making a sour face.
“Ugh, that’s awful…”
“Hahaha! Are you a traveler? The skin is bitter. You should peel it first.”
“Oh, really? Okay, I’ll do that.”
With a flick, he tossed the fruit and instantly peeled it. The shopkeeper was stunned, but Ouren paid no mind, continuing to eat as he walked.
“Hey, idiot, I told you not to draw attention.”
“Is that really noticeable?”
“How did you even do that?”
“A small ‘Sharp Water Blade’.”
“Don’t use skills for such things, idiot!”
Ignoring Houen’s whispered reprimand, Ouren continued munching on the fruit. Already growing tired, Houen wished fervently for Abyss to arrive soon. Though they didn’t plan to wander for long, Abyss was late.
Much time had passed since leaving the Oni’s village. The sun was setting, making it likely they would start their investigation tomorrow.
“Hey, Ouren… why are you so at ease?”
“It’s not that I’m not cautious. I’m monitoring the entire city and the bases with ‘Mist Manipulation’. I’ll show you a map later.”
“Your inexhaustible mana is as impressive as ever… So, based on your surveillance, there’s no current threat?”
“Yeah, that’s right. I wouldn’t just wander aimlessly. You’re just too uptight.”
“Is that so?”
Houen remembered Ouren’s abilities. No one surpassed him in surveillance and investigation. ‘Mist Manipulation’ was a convenient ability that could detect hidden or invisible entities. The larger the area, the more mana it required, but Ouren’s vast mana reserves made this negligible. He had the skill to identify suspicious activities immediately.
Realizing he’d been too tense, Houen relaxed his shoulders.
“So, where is Abyss now?”
“She should be here in about five minutes.”
“Looks like the investigation will be tomorrow. And about the barrier… you do have a plan, right?”
“Leave it to me.”
Despite his casual response, Houen felt uneasy, suspecting Ouren might simply break through the barrier head-on.
“Please, no trouble…”
“Don’t worry, we can sneak in without being noticed. That barrier has some flaws.”
“Oh?”
“It hasn’t been attacked in a long time, so there haven’t been any improvements. Exploiting that will be easy.”
“…”
“Come on, trust me…”
Such lack of trust was disheartening. Ouren truly had a plan. Finding a loophole and slipping through was a simple task for him.
For now, they just had to wait for Abyss.
“… Hey, Houen.”
“What?”
“Can Abyss hide her wings?”
“… Surely she hasn’t overlooked that… She’s older than us, after all.”
“Right…?”
However, the woman approaching the city showed no signs of landing. Concerned, they finally saw her descend.
“What…”
“…? What’s wrong?”
“No way…”
Using ‘Mist Manipulation’, Ouren confirmed Abyss’ approach. To his surprise, she split into two. One headed into the forest, the other towards them. The half that came to them looked like a child.
“Sorry to keep you waiting!”