First Outer World Story Series: The Black Mist that Devours - Chapter 125
Translator: MadHatter Editor: MadHatter
(Izumi POV)
“Is this the place…”
“Woof…”
Before us towered a colossal tree of such size that it seemed to challenge heaven. The magnitude of the tree was amazingly immense, and its top was obscured by clouds.
“Well, the first step to take is to collect information and do preliminary preparations. Moyasuke, take the children and hide them in the nearby forest.”
“Wan.”
After dropping me off, Moyasuke took his own children and disappeared into the nearby forest.
Oh, when the women were able to augment their fighting strength adequately, they were turned into experience points for me. Once I shared this story with Kurokiri though, he replied to me, “You’re far more qualified to be a Demon King than I am”.
I then entered a town built near the dungeon.
————–
“The dungeon’s name is ‘Giant Tree that Threatens Heaven and Earth,’ while the Demon King’s name is ‘War-Mongering Multitude[i] Squirrel’. From my previous investigations, I have learned that the dungeon is surrounded by a forest, and the monsters are primarily beast and insect types, varying from each level of the dungeon. Furthermore, based on the information obtained from the few encounters with the Demon King, it is believed that his abilities are of the disruption and illusion type. As for the strategy, some parties have already advanced all the way to the second level.”
This was the information I obtained in this town.
Yeah. While I didn’t mind the fact that there was a forest in the dungeon or that it was predominantly beast and insect type, the ability of the Demon King was irksome. When confronting a group combat, the most tricky scenario was not a ranged attack in which all allies were involved, but one in which it became impossible to distinguish between friend and foe. The greater the numerical disparity between the two sides, the more successful the side with the fewest numbers will be.
Well, in conclusion…
“As long as both Moyasuke and I are able to recognize each other, it should work out fine. Besides, the role of the Thin Mist Wolves is to disperse small fry.”
…this was my plan.
After I had purchased all the items that I considered essential for capturing the dungeon, such as rope and lantern, I met up with Moyasuke outside of town and plunged into “Giant Tree that Threatens Heaven and Earth”.
————–
“Even though we’re amidst the trees, the light is bright.”
“Woof.”
We were advancing through the “Giant Tree that Threatens Heaven and Earth” in formation.
However, we had been able to get by so far with just the Thin Mist Wolves and hadn’t run into any major monsters.
Despite being in a cave, the second level of “White Mist and Black Swamp Forest” was likewise bright, which led me to assume that there may be something similar here for the lighting.
Rustling.
And now, it looked that a new foe had shown up.
“!”
That’s not a good sign!
The monster that had emerged from the forest as if it were trying to thrust its way through the bushes was a massive praying mantis-like creature.
Its appearance was not particularly eccentric. It was simply a large, full-body red praying mantis, and I had seen other monsters like this one in different colors up to this point.
Nonetheless, its vibe was strikingly distinct from any of the creatures we had faced so far, and it exerted an overwhelming sense of intimidation over my side.
It was likely that it was a higher species than other praying mantis.
If so, then the measure I should take at this moment is…
“Run away, all of you!”
[[Woof!]]
…to make a daring escape!
Simultaneously with us fleeing, the red praying mantis began to act.
It noticed the slowest of the wolves and lifted its right-hand sickle, then ripped through an entire tree in its path in a heartbeat as if by instantaneous teleportation without even letting the wolf wail its death cry.
“!?”
That speed and the sharpness of the sickle filled me with dread. With that speed and attack power, hardly any of the Thin Mist Wolves would be able to escape. Moreover, this was still only the entrance of the dungeon, so I didn’t have time to be stuck in a place like this.
Therefore…
“Moyasuke! ≪Human and Cavalry As One≫, ≪Bio Weapon Creation・Axe≫, ≪Bio Weapon Enhancement・Blood≫, ≪Strength Enhancement≫.”
“Woof!”
I was going all out to eliminate the red praying mantis.
There were four skills utilized by me. Through ≪Human and Cavalry As One≫, my intention was directly conveyed to Moyasuke, and the information obtained by Moyasuke’s five senses was conveyed to me without any restriction. Subsequently, a poleaxe comprised of bones sprouts from my right arm by ≪Bio Weapon Creation・Axe≫ and a small amount of blood flowed into the axe from my body through ≪Bio Weapon Enhancement・Blood≫, coloring the edge of the axe a bewitching crimson and reinforcing its sharpness and strength at the same time. Furthermore, ≪Strength Enhancement≫ boosted my own strength as well as Moyasuke’s strength, who was considered to be united with me.
While simultaneous to this, Moyasuke also deployed a mist around himself, rendering it tougher for the red praying mantis’ eyes to catch sight of him.
“Haah!”
“ー!”
As Moyasuke pounced on the red praying mantis, I used the momentum of the assail to slam the pole axe into the red praying mantis.
By my attack, the praying mantis’s left hand cracked as it defended against the pole axe.
The red praying mantis, however, may have determined that Moyasuke and I were the first to be eliminated after this strike, and it repelled my axe with its left hand, adopting a stance similar to the one it used in the previous blow.
“ー!?”
“Too naive!”
Notwithstanding, lifting the sickle implied that the next line of attack can be anticipated to a certain extent, which was why I held the handle of my axe in front of me to block the blow.
Perhaps it was more accurate to say that my attack power was second to none? With the current strike, the sickle dug into the center of the handle.
The red praying mantis, though, had left an opening with me blocking this attack. Hence,
“Bite off its joints!”
“ーーーーーーーーーーー!?”
I called for the Thin Mist Wolves again, which were scattered around the perimeter. They swooped down from the red praying mantis’ right side and devoured its joint.
The red praying mantis frantically struggled to resist with its left hand, which can move unhindered. Unfortunately, the sickle in its left hand cannot slice through the Thin Mist Wolves that were gnawing at its body, so it can only fight back by kicking the Thin Mist Wolves with its legs.
But gradually its movement became slower and slower, and its legs were chomped off with its neck ultimately severed by Moyasuke’s fangs.
“Phew.”
Despite the fact that I was able to defeat it this time, one of the wolves died and several others sustained critical injuries.
I must exercise more vigilance the next time.
After all, this was a dungeon where there was not a soul to help us.
And so, we continued to venture deeper into the dungeon.
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T/N:
[i] Can be read as 800 too
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