Manowa Chapter 161

Kazane and the others noticed the abnormality around Blue Rifon Fort slightly before their arrival. That situation wasn't sensed by Kazane's『Intuition』but by Naoki's『Sense』Skill working literally. Naoki was able to just barely see a tumult occuring at the fort and immediately understood the situation, so he called out to his sister.

And as asked by Naoki, Kazane used the remote viewing of her Circlet of Wisdom to check the state of affairs around the fort. That let her know the place had become a battlefield, and since it seemed likely that monsters had overflowed from the fort, she told her companions so.

When they were about to speed up so they could immediately enter the battle, Kazane witnessed the eight meter long Earth Core Dragon crawl out of the fort. An Earth Core Dragon was a variant type of dragon that occasionally generated from herds of Earth Dragons. It was also the original nature of the Crystal Dragon that Kazane and the others had defeated recently.

Then Kazane was able to grasp through remote viewing that the appearance of the Earth Core Dragon made the light of victory disappear from the adventurers' eyes. It was a situation where the worst case scenario of being annihilated was possible if things stayed as they were.

Therefore, at the present moment, Kazane had decided to crash into it with maximum firepower to overcome that situation.

◎ Blue Rifon Fort, Ahead of the Entrance

「Yeah. It seems the path is clear. Shall we go?」

Kazane said after confirming with remote viewing that the preceding Naoki and Emily had cleared away the adventurers on the advancing route.

「Can we really do it?」

Lyle holding the reins was nervous and shaking. Understandable. Earth Core Dragons were one of the most powerful and brutal monsters that could be encountered within Hyvern. Besides, this was a kamikaze attack. Lyle's fear was unavoidable.

「That isn't the question.」

But Kazane smiled and told Lyle:

「『Can』doesn't matter, we『will』do it.」

So saying, Kazane struck Lyle's shoulder.

「Don't worry about that, let's do it quickly. Don't be afraid.」

At those words, Lyle took a breath and resolved himself. After being told that much by a girl that looked like a child, Lyle couldn't speak any complaints. While saying「Alright,」he gripped the reins and made Hippomaru-kun and the Thunder Chariot start running.

Their speed quickly surpa.s.sed 150 km/h, and as always, fierce purple lightning violently scattered about as they charged. From a distance, it would probably look like lightning was running across the ground. Or an observer might be under the illusion that light was cutting through the ground.

Then, while receiving surprised gazes from the adventurers and monsters that saw it, the purple flash christened『Crawling Lightning』rushed at full speed toward its intended target the Earth Core Dragon, and the Black Rock Dragon horns immediately pierced it.

Then, accompanied by flas.h.i.+ng sparks, the roar of the Earth Core Dragon resounded.

The shock of the impact a.s.saulted the carriage and Lyle groaned, but he tightly gripped the reins and opened his eyes. And Lyle clicked his tongue at the first sight that came into view.

「d.a.m.n it. It couldn't completely finish it.」

A ferocious eye was in front of him. Yes,『Crawling Lightning』certainly directly hit the Earth Core Dragon. The Black Rock Dragon horns opened a large hole in the right chest of the Earth Core Dragon. But it wasn't dead. The dragon's vitality was keeping the Earth Core Dragon alive.

Kazane saw Lyle's face stiffen when he understood that the dragon's eye was turned towards him.

「It's fine. This is OK! Nevermind that, let's go!!」

But even though her face had tightened, Kazane smiled.『Crawling Lightning』was also unable to bring down the Crystal Dragon. She couldn't look down on the enduring power of this cla.s.s of monster. Therefore, it being unkilled was within expectations. They would simply have to defeat it themselves after this.

So switching over her thoughts, Kazane immediately cancelled the Thunder Chariot summoning. Tatsuyos.h.i.+-kun Dragoon and Normal, who were in the carriage, stood on the ground. Then Kazane, Yuuko-nee summoned by Kazane, and Lyle shouting「Let's do it!」leapt towards the Earth Core Dragon.

(Alright, I'm so agile!)

Kazane truly felt her new agility as she used Air Jump. The increased leg strength granted by『Killing Leg』Lv3 allowed Kazane to jump higher and move more quickly. The Pa.s.sive Skill didn't only increase her attack power; she could also feel that her movements were more agile. So she could jump higher with『Air Jump』and could continually give powerful kicks with『Nimble.』

But what she needed right now was power. Kazane jumped high and shouted「Skill・Killing Leg」and drove a kick into the Earth Core Dragon. A more powerful kick than before hit the Earth Core Dragon, and it screamed from the impact as its head was knocked to the right.

「Lyle!」

Then Lyle charged after Kazane's signal. He sliced its right arm.

「Uraa!!」

When Lyle swung his dragon fang spear, the Earth Core Dragon's scales were cut more easily than he expected.

(It's incredibly sharp!?)

Lyle was shocked by the power of spear that was given to him by Kazane. It was a spear made from the Black Rock Dragon Gieve's fang. Naturally, the very high ranking dragon material could easily slice through the Earth Core Dragon's scales, since it was only an evolved low rank dragon. But now wasn't the time to be deeply moved. While the Earth Core Dragon was on the verge of death, it wasn't dead yet. Tatsuyos.h.i.+-kun Dragoon and Normal were also attacking, but regrettably, it seemed the scales were hard enough to prevent their attacks from being effective.

「Settle it!」

「Let's go!!」

Naoki and Emily also partic.i.p.ated. Both used long range attacks. The Earth Core Dragon screamed in response to their attacks, but it still wasn't defeated.

After all, it seemed that only Kazane's Killing Leg and Lyle's dragon fang spear were capable of breaking through the defenses of the Earth Core Dragon. The problem that accompanied any battle against a dragon was whether or not the dragon's scales could be broken through. Several other adventurers also partic.i.p.ated in the battle, but the arrows they fired were naturally ineffective.

「Dragon scales really are as troublesome as they say, aren't they.」

So saying, Kazane used『Invisible』to run around the back of the Earth Core Dragon. Since the Hate was concentrated on Lyle, the power of『Invisible』was also increased. The enemy didn't notice her at all.

(Neo Bazooka is too powerful, so I might be buried again)

It was partially due to greed, since if she overdid it they might not be able to gather as many materials afterwards, but she was also holding back for the battle afterwards. In the Crystal Dragon battle, Kazane was buried in the ground without being able to kill her momentum, but this time there would still be other enemies. She couldn't do anything too rash.

(Besides, level 3 Killing Leg with the dragon claws and Charge should do it!)

Then Kazane released the dragon claws from her greaves and ran up the tail of the Earth Core Dragon on to its back while chanting Skill・Charge.

『Gugaa?』

(I was noticed!?)

As one would expect, the Earth Core Dragon immediately noticed something was running on its back. But that didn't change what she had to do at this late hour. Even if it noticed, it was already too late. The s.h.i.+nigami's sickle was already descending.

「Killing Leg!!」

And then Kazane kicked, the dragon claws pointed forward, and the claws sliced through the neck of the Earth Core Dragon. The power had increased after all. And accompanied by fresh blood, the head of the Earth Core Dragon sailed through the air.

「What is that kick!?」

Lyle shouted. Kazane couldn't hide her excitement at the power being beyond her expectations... but standing on top of the Earth Core Dragon had put the battlefield in a new perspective, and the cause of the uncomfortable feeling she had started to feel when she saw the battle was given to her by『Intuition.』

「Naoki!」

「I know!」

Naoki noticed earlier with『Sense』and was already running towards it. And to support Naoki, Emily was shooting the monsters that headed for Naoki with her magic bow. Lyle was already heading to Emily to guard her.

(I see, so their party is like this?)

Kazane admired as she saw it.

And Naoki being Naoki, the Magic Sword Operator, he was holding the Wind Wing magic sword Force. This was a magic sword that raised the speed of the equipper, and covered with a green light emitted from the magic sword, Naoki ran like the wind towards the location.

His aim was the center of an unnaturally crowded a.s.sembly of monsters. Naoki the『Magic Sword Operator』raised his arm and loaded them with power.

「Go, magic swords!」

Together with Naoki's cry, magic swords flew forward and pierced the group of monsters. He didn't have to defeat all of them. He only had to reveal what was at the center.

Then with Emily's covering fire and the caught up Yuuko-nee's claw attacks, the flock of monsters dispersed. Beyond them was a small pink goblin-like monster.

「It's a Monster Tamer!」

Somebody shouted. It was a Monster Tamer, that is to say, a monster user. It was the reason multiple monster species were mixed together and only attacking humans. In that case, the situation would immediately change if they defeated it.

「Defeat it!」

「「「Oooh!!!」」」

The Earth Core Dragon had been defeated, and then the culprit behind the battle difficulty was also found.

In one go, the adventurers had livened up, and they rushed to challenge the Monster Tamer. Shortly after, the Monster Tamer was defeated, and agitation ran through the monsters in that place. It was the backlash from regaining freedom after the taming restrictions were lifted. The adventurers didn't overlook that gap and went for the kill. Even if they were manipulated, they were still monsters. They were living things that would attack the people again once they regained their wits. But right now they couldn't resist, and they were exterminated.

And the sudden appearance and partic.i.p.ation of the『White Party』was enough to bring an end to the battle. The battle with monsters that made them fear annihilation was instantly settled.

In addition, this battle changed Kazane's Skill『St.u.r.dy Teeth』to the higher ranking『St.u.r.dier Teeth.』She couldn't confirm it, but it was probably from the Earth Core Dragon. Also, since the Monster Tamer was defeated by the other adventurers, she didn't gain any Skills from it. Kazane was crestfallen. I wanted the Tamer Skill... she muttered, but it was too late. Since it was a rare monster, the probability of Kazane meeting one in the future was very low.

Name: Yuihama Kazane

Occupation: Magic Swordswoman

t.i.tle: Ogre Killer, Dragon Slayer, High Beast Summoner

Equipment: Staff 『White Blaze』, Two Handed Sword『Black Fang』, Adhesion Sword『Gum』, Spell Dagger, Dragonscale Breastplate, Drake Gauntlets, Silver Sheep Clothes, Sylphyn Skirt, Plasma Pants, Dragon Ogre Greaves, Indestructible Cloak, Mysterious Pouch, Crimson Saint Coffin, Heroic Spirit Summoning Ring, Circlet of Wisdom, Aim Bracelet, Magic Acc.u.mulator, White Magic Acc.u.mulator

Level : 30

Health: 107

Magic Power: 181+420

Strength: 52+10

Agility: 43+4

Endurance: 29

Wisdom : 57

Dexterity : 38

Spell : 『Fly』 『Torch』 『Fire』 『Heal』『Firestorm』『Healer Ray』『High Heal』

Skill : 『Warrior's Memory』 『Night Vision』 『Crus.h.i.+ng Blow』 『Dog's Sense of Smell』 『Golem Maker: Lv3』 『Rush』 『Fire Principle: Third Chapter』 『Healing Principle: Fourth Chapter』 『Air Jump: Lv2』 『Killing Leg: Lv3』 『Fear Voice』 『Invisible』 『Tiger Eye』 『Wall Walking』 『Intuition』 『Cheat Death』 『Nimble』『Charge』『Material s.h.i.+eld』『Information Link』『Optical Camouflage』『Dash』『Bloodsucking Blade』『Dragonization』『Regenerate』『Soul Breaking Blade』『Stealthy Placement』『Thunder Chariot』『St.u.r.dier Teeth』『Crystallization』

Yumika:「St.u.r.dier Teeth...」

Kazane:「I should clearly understand the difference when I get old.」

Yumika:「A story of patience, isn't that right?」