Pioneering the Apocalyptic World - Chapter 93
Chapter 28: The aggravating situation
The next day, I tried to talk about this with Regulus, who came after resting, and Lieze, who came with him, but we couldn’t come up with an idea that sounds right.
“In addition to the miasma he also is flying in the sky, huh. It’s even more troublesome than the Chimera…”
Perhaps remembering the Chimera battle, Lieze muttered while trembling.
Well, it’s definitely more difficult than that time. Moreover, it’s a dragon-type monster that is normally classified as a boss.
The Chimera had a caused us a lot of trouble because Its large number of parts, but now that I think about it, I don’t think that its blows were that strong. Was it because it was just a ‘clump of patchworks’?
While everyone was thinking, Regulus asked a good question, but.
“Isn’t possible to purify the miasma by spraying holy water around it?”
“Hmm… In first place, just the purification of the miasma will be hard, and on top of that, if the miasma was purified it could set Zephyrus free from Its bindings and he would attack us freely from high sky…”
Actually, I still have [contaminated soil] in my inventory.
Even if it is purified, it will just become normal soil, and there is no need to purify it. Or rather, the contaminated soil can be used as a material for other items, and I can use it for experiments on purification items…… I thought doing so, but I still haven’t done any yet. I don’t have enough holy attribute items in stock, and there are too many other things I want to do first… At least holy water or holy nectar can only erase a little of miasma, so if I am asked if it works against miasma that spreads over a wide area, I can’t help but answer that it would be a hard work.
Also, regarding the miasma itself, even if you purify it, if you don’t destroy the source of the miasma, it will just continue to bubble up and your work would be only a temporary stopgap. So it’s a difficult matter to deal.
And again, I don’t know why he is like that, but the fact that the miasma is binding Zephyrus is also a big factor. Although his attack and defense is being strengthened by the miasma, his mobility is greatly reduced in return. Considering Uru’s ability, the latter case might be better, but as soon as he’s freed, he could fly to Bartle Village and cause damage, so he can’t be carelessly released.
“… I don’t think we can come up with any new ideas even if continue to worry about it anymore… Hey Rion.”
“Hmm?”
The talk was closed with Uru’s words, and finally.
“Are we going or not?”
I was asked to make a decision.
Zephyrus cannot move.
In other words, there is absolutely no need for us to defeat him at this point.
For Bartle Village, which would be the first place to be exposed to danger, it’s a thought that they can’t stand, but I should be able to cooperate with them and prepare a defense system.
Then I can obtain items and gain experience in other lands, and after establishing countermeasures, I can try again. Rather, it is safer and more secure to do so, and it should be postponed by all means.
But even so.
“…… Let’s go.”
From my mouth came the opposite words.
Uru didn’t particularly object to my decision that didn’t have any explanations.
“Is that so.”
She only laughed.
At that time, I answered with only a vague feeling, but soon after, I learned that I had made the right decision.
We moved to Bartle Village again.
Only Regulus will be brought along (Uru is a main member, so she isn’t counted) this time as well. Nearly invisible wind bullets flying out of nowhere are really dangerous… But I have to go, so I decided to take only Regulus, who has the most endurance as an emergency member. It might be only for comfort, but I made an iron shield and gave it to him to solidify his defense. The surface is rounded, so it should be easier to parry. It should be…
As an aside, maybe she heard from Regulus about what happened in Bartle Village, there was an aggressive or rather ominous aura being emitted from Lieze, so I’m seriously wondering if I should bring her when things settle down or if I should never let her set foot in.
It seems that neither a monster attack nor anything else unusual happened while I was away. By the way, they still don’t have any clue about the wind god. Well, I didn’t think they would find it in a few days, so it’s fine.
I asked if there were any other fulgurites, but apparently they don’t have any. In the first place, even if lightning strikes, It doesn’t always create one, and if they find one a year, it’s a lot, so it seems that I was quite lucky to receive one just the other day.
I wonder if this is also God’s will, I pray firmly not only to the creator god but also to the wind god. …… It was at the same time that I was making a return stone, but that’s just a coincidence, cough cough.
Then we borrowed a horse and followed the same road for two days.…… Although it is possible to set up a creator god statue, if it was done in such dangerous place, there is a high probability that it will be destroyed even if it is protected, so I didn’t set it up.
We didn’t need a guide, but I was reluctant to leave the horses alone, so I asked Dozle-san to come with us again. I’ll have to thank him for accompanying us without complaining, or rather he seems to be happily doing it.
…… And it was him the first to notice the anomaly.
“… It’s strange.”
Dozle-san muttered while slowing down.
“Hm? What is it?”
“Well, if my sense of distance is correct, we should have already seen the miasma…”
I looked at the direction that Dozle-san was staring at, but I still couldn’t find anything that looked like miasma.
“That’s strange.” said Dozle-san while scratching his head.
After a while, the miasma was clearly visible.
“Oh, good, I thought we took the wrong direction.”
Dozle-san lets out a big sigh of relief. Regulus also patted him on the shoulder while saying, “Good job.”
But… Uru and I felt something very unpleasant.
On the surface, I calmly thanked Dozle-san and saw him off with the horses.
“… Uru.”
“Umu.”
“Hmm? What’s wrong?”
Regulus tilted his head to us, who showed strong tension.
“Regulus… Don’t you think that ‘the miasma around here is thin’…?”
“Now that you mention it… It looks like it. But isn’t it fine if the enemy becomes weaker?”
After looking around restlessly, Regulus seemed to have noticed that and agreed.
Yeah, it’s certainly not a problem if the enemy is weakened.
… If they weaken, that is.
Silencing our footsteps, holding our breath, we walk carefully in silence.
Seeing our attitude, Regulus’ face became grim as if he guessed that something unusual was going on.
And when we saw the abandoned village, my bad premonitions proved to be correct.
??Woooooooooooooooooon??
If it doesn’t look like we can do, let’s withdraw and try again.…… I was thinking about such carefree thing.
The miasma around it is thinning.
…… But instead, the miasma is clearly getting thicker around the entry of the abandoned village. The place where Zephyrus is clad in an even more thicker miasma.
It’s like… No, It is certainly gathering all the miasma from the vicinity.
Due to the increased density, the air feels thicker and heavier, and there is even a putrid smell that makes you want to cover your nose drifting around.
…… This should not be left alone.
I have to get rid of it immediately.
I can’t let it stagnate like this.
I can’t let it rot any further.
I’m not sure why, but I thought so. I was reminded that.
A sense of impatience shook my chest.
??Instinctively, I realized that there was only a little time left.
??Guuuoooooooooooooaaaa……!
Zephyrus’ roar sounded like crying.