Chapter 145
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 145
Chapter Title: Memory
It seems like the snail is just that strong, but come to think of it, I'm a crow too, aren't I?
In a world where crows can get this powerful, a snail powering up shouldn't be a big deal.
"Do you remember those Emerald Knights we saw before? They say the strength of two Emerald Knights equals an entire knight order. And that snail would be on par with such a knight order."
So, you're saying this snail has the power of two Berlts?
I kept wondering if a snail could really be that strong, but since it was coming from Moona, I had no choice but to believe it.
Of course, it might just be a monster that happens to look like a snail.
Honestly, with that massive size, it couldn't be anything but a monster.
Still, the idea of it matching two Emerald Knights was just too hard to swallow.
What would happen if I fought a Berlt-level knight right now?
I'd win for sure, no question.
Last time wasn't a fight to the death, and my victory came from an unexpected trick anyway.
Who could've guessed my feathers would turn into hair like that?
But I'm incomparably stronger now than I was back then.
Even if a Berlt-level knight went all out, I'd have no trouble beating them.
But two of them?
That's something I need to think about carefully.
It's not just double the power—it's closer to squaring it.
And this snail is supposedly at that level too.
"I think I get it now. Why the master of this place hasn't come out to greet us. In my opinion, those soldier cards and the snail are more like intruders. The soldiers might be one thing, but the snail is practically a calamity."
That's some strong wording for a snail.
But given everything, I had to admit he had a point.
"The best outcome would be meeting the master of this place without running into the snail... but if we do encounter it... we'll need to be prepared for a fight to the death."
Yeah, no matter how strong the enemy is, I don't think I'd lose.
And it's not an ogre or a dragon—it's a snail?
I absolutely refuse to hear that I lost to something like that.
"I'll have to use every ability at my disposal."
Moona's eyes burned with resolve.
Oh yeah...!
Am I finally going to see it?
The true power of the sage, Moona!
"So slimy. Oh, ooh... this one's really tickly..."
"Caw!"
I bit down on Moona's butt wedged between the mimics and yanked him out.
This guy seems so well-behaved, so why does he lose it every time he sees a mimic?
"Well, call it the sage's chronic affliction. Even an elf who's lived a thousand years couldn't resist those mimics."
"Caw caw."
Moona was spouting nonsense again.
Looked like there was no such thing as a sage's true power after all.
Moona had a diamond-shaped gem in his beak.
Diamond, spade, heart.
We'd successfully collected all three symbols.
By sneaking around and ambushing the spots guarded by the card soldiers, we'd gotten them faster than expected.
Humm, humm.
When I brought the three gems close together, they hummed in resonance.
But that was it for now—nothing special yet.
Probably need the last one, the clover, before their true form reveals itself.
Until then, they're just useless rocks.
Still, having three already and just one more to go was pretty motivating.
I hadn't used it much before, but being able to fly was a huge advantage.
Not just for this job, but against tough enemies too.
Scope things out, and if it looks bad, just flee to the sky, right?
Of course, for someone like me who occasionally gets dizzy, it's not a perfect plan.
"Repel them!"
"Fight!"
I could hear card soldiers moving in the distance.
Interestingly, the card soldiers' abilities varied by their suit symbols.
The spade soldiers we faced first were like spear-wielding infantry, with the ability to combine their strength.
The heart soldiers were like archer hunters, and their power was something close to rapid regeneration.
The diamond soldiers wielded diamond-shaped axes like berserk warriors, and surprisingly, their ability was mental attacks.
Of course, it didn't work on us.
They started doing some weird dance, so I was wondering what was up, but Moona said it was a brainwashing ritual.
No sign of it working no matter how I looked, so I just gave them a chicken-foot kick.
And showed them what a real dance looks like.
The clover soldiers we still had to take down looked exactly like proper knights.
I hadn't encountered the ones guarding the boxes yet, but they seemed stronger than any soldiers I'd fought so far.
And there were a ton of them.
Given their knightly nature, maybe their ability has something to do with numbers.
Like forming a proper knight order.
If the strongest ones are also the most numerous, it throws off the balance, but hey, this isn't a game—no need to worry about that.
"Advance!"
"Protect the clover!"
The clover soldiers I'd rated pretty highly were marching forward.
"Kieeeek!"
"Kiaaaak!"
But what they were fighting weren't the usual foes—it was rabbits.
True to the name Rabbit Hole, this place was teeming with them.
The first time we spotted some, we thought they were the ones we were looking for and charged in, only to get rabbit-kicked back to our senses.
These weren't the rabbits we knew.
Muscular beasts bigger than grown men.
And there were loads of them.
Moona said if the soldiers were like germs, these rabbits were probably the white blood cells.
I don't know if this world's medicine is that advanced or if Moona's just that smart, but it clicked perfectly.
"Defend the clover!"
"Kieeeek!"
I watched the fierce battle between the clover knights and the rabbits.
"Caw caw."
Them fighting each other was a golden opportunity for us.
Lots of rabbits, lots of knights.
And both saw us as enemies.
But they hated each other too.
Just sitting back and watching would thin their numbers naturally.
In other words, no need to go all out from the start—just steal the treasure chest while they're busy.
"Caw caw caw."
And maybe smack a few in the back of the head for some easy levels on the side.
With those devious thoughts, I spectated their brawl.
Kwachik!
Kwaaaang!
Brute force rabbits versus skilled knights.
That was the vibe.
A buff rabbit hoisted a card soldier right up, but the knights quickly locked in a joint lock.
They must hit the gym or something—this was some quality eye candy.
Hmm, I should try that move myself.
Kwachik!
"So savage, so violent."
Swungswung didn't seem to approve of the spectacle.
As we crept toward the treasure chest while enjoying the show—
Wooooodruk.
A tense battle.
An intense clash.
The line between foe and ally blurring—then suddenly, every movement froze.
A thick fog rolled in instantly.
"Kuh! It's here! The thing's appeared!"
"Kraaaak!"
The rabbits and clover knights stopped fighting each other.
All they did now was glare at the massive shape writhing in the fog.
Its mere appearance warped the space itself.
Humidity spiked in seconds, turning it into the perfect environment for the beast.
And for anything else, even moving became a struggle.
No wonder Moona had warned us.
This was almost identical to what the nymphs empowered by Snow White pulled off.
But this thing wielded that power alone.
No—just by showing up.
That foe was none other than...
"Snaaaaail!"
"The snail's here! Everyone, prepare for battle!"
A snail.
The silhouette in the fog was unmistakably a giant snail.
"Krorrarrararak!"
Wait, what the hell?
A snail roaring like a dragon?
"Kiwi kiwik..."
And what's your excuse?
Don't try to compete with roars.
It might look ridiculous, but its power was no joke.
The knights and rabbits formed a temporary alliance and charged into the fog.
Kwaduduk!
Wooooodruk!
Invisible, but the gruesome sounds carried through.
Kwaaang!
Wreckage that used to be rabbits and cards flew out of the fog.
Chiiik...
"Hmm, it's got acidity. We should avoid close combat."
You could tell just from how they melted.
Get too close, and I'd end up as crow juice.
Plop.
Something else dropped.
The moment I saw it, I couldn't believe my eyes.
That compressed purple fur ball was all too familiar.
Yeah, the one who'd come here with us.
No way... taken out already?
"Caw..."
Time to pray for its soul.
"Nyaaak! I'm not dead, you idiots!"
Thank goodness—a familiar voice rang out.
A cat soaked like it'd been caught in the rain came dashing toward us.
"Why'd you take so long, nyang! Take responsibility, nyang!"
I thought it was the cat itself that fell, but nah—just a hairball?
Worried for nothing.
"Caw. Caw caw caw."
I was about to banter with our newly joined feline companion when—
"...Hmm, something's off."
Moona and I sensed the wrongness at the same time.
"What's with those looks, nyang?"
I know exactly who this purple cat is.
Our informant—the one who led us to the Rabbit Hole.
But...
Why can't I remember her name?
It felt like someone had just plucked it straight from my head.