Chapter 159
Chapter 159
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 159
Chapter Title: Slaying the Wild Mother
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After relaying the story of Günter and the current situation, I asked him,
"By the way, weren't you heading deep into the mountains?"
"That's because it's dangerous. After spending a day here, I realized it. There are dangerous monsters of unknown origin living in this place."
So he was heading deep into the mountains? Not to find the village? It was hard to understand at first, but his next words made it click instantly.
"There might be other people coming here like you, Als. People like you or Illya Anpei are fine, but for Princess Sophia or other young ladies, this place is extremely dangerous. So I was heading into the mountains to check for their safety just in case. If they've gone to the village, then no matter what, I can relax, so the village wasn't my first priority."
"I see."
He was surprisingly thoughtful.
It meant the powerful Günter himself was checking the monsters' lair, the most dangerous spot.
While I prioritized scouting the village, Günter had decided to immediately confirm the safety of others.
Hearing that, his words started to make sense.
Honestly, I had no interest in the monsters or dungeon in these mountains, but now that Günter was found, things changed.
The possibility that someone else was here was plenty.
"I'm going to check the monsters' lair. Als, you can head back to the village."
"No, I'll go with you. The mercenaries have already gone to clear that dungeon, so it would be best to join up with them and move together."
"The mercenaries? Perfect timing."
With that, we cautiously moved toward the place where the ominous aura grew thicker.
The Savior Alliance group that had found the village was in a frenzy.
"Kelly! The Salvation Teleport magic circle is ready!"
"Good, prepare to go right now!"
They were on pins and needles. The situation was that urgent.
Seeing them like that, the village chief asked anxiously,
"W-What's the problem?"
"A big one. If things go south, the entire village will have to evacuate to another island. Do you have enough boats for transport?"
"We can make three round trips. But is it really that bad...?"
"It really could happen."
If that occurred, this island would be overrun by monsters. In other words, it would become lost territory.
At this news, the villagers fell into panic.
Unable to hold back, Rudolph asked,
"B-But you just said it was Hazard Level 6! Isn't 6 on the lower end? Surely you can handle it!"
Dungeons were rated from Level 1 to 9, excluding Special Class, with lower numbers indicating higher danger.
Level 6 was indeed on the lower end, as Rudolph said.
But the Wild Mother had unique traits that made it impossible to judge solely by rating.
"Outsiders really know nothing...."
Kelly let out a frustrated sigh. Deeming any retort a waste of time, she headed out immediately.
Composed of two vanguards, a mid-line mage, and a rear-line archer, they were a promising team on the rise lately.
They mainly cleared Level 5 to 8 dungeons, so the Level 6 Wild Mother was a suitable opponent, but it came with variables.
"Kelly! Look at this!"
The archer Jelson pointed to a spot where a blood-soaked man lay. It was the mercenary Torres. His body was torn to shreds, already dead.
The other three had been swallowed whole by an even larger beast or dragged off, leaving no trace.
"Tch, this is why mercenaries.... They refuse to use Salvation Teleport even when it's a shame, and end up like this...!"
Kelly clicked her tongue and stared in the direction the blood trail led.
"That must be where the mother is! Let's hurry!"
"B-But Kelly! It might be too dangerous for just us! From what the villagers said, the dungeon's been here for at least a month. That means the mother might have already given birth! We can't handle it alone!"
The Wild Mother was a low-level dungeon, but under certain conditions, it transformed into a higher-level one.
Namely, when the monster leader, the mother, gave birth.
To gather nutrients for birth, the mother released all sorts of beast-type monsters into the territory.
That's why people often mistook it for the lowest Level 9 dungeon upon seeing the rabble.
The mercenaries rushing in thinking it was a Hellhound dungeon was a prime example.
Once the mother successfully birthed her offspring, the dungeon shifted from Level 6 Wild Mother to the Level 4 Wild Prince.
After its growth phase into maturity, it became the Wild King, earning a top-tier Level 2 hazard rating.
Thus, despite being Level 6, the Wild Mother demanded caution.
"Shouldn't we report to the Alliance and wait for orders?"
"No, the mother hasn't given birth yet. Mothers that do birth are always doomed to die. That roar earlier was definitely the mother's, so she hasn't given birth. If it's right around birthing time, the prince hasn't fully powered up yet, so we can handle it. Enough talk—let's go!"
Pushing down their ominous feelings, they moved out.
By then, Als and Günter had already encountered the mother.
*
*
*
I headed to the heart of the mountains with Günter.
Screams-like roars kept coming from there, making it easy to approach.
'The blood smell is getting thicker.'
It was nauseating. Even I, accustomed to the stench from battlefields, felt my stomach churn.
"This might be more dangerous than I thought."
Günter muttered, sensing the same ill omen.
Reaching the center, we spotted it.
"Kuooo!"
A monster roaring in rage and pain.
It looked like a crocodile fused with a leopard. Thick, rugged crocodile skin covered in leopard spots.
Not hugely massive, but its belly was hugely swollen—pregnant.
"Als, this is our chance. Let's end it now."
"Right."
But soon, thud! Thud! More monsters appeared.
Including the hulking one I'd fought on the first day, and assorted smaller ones. They charged us blindly to protect the pregnant one.
"Damn! Günter! Clear these first, quick!"
"No choice!"
Twenty in total.
Tough for me alone head-on, but with Günter, it was different.
"Uoooo!"
Günter swung a massive log he'd picked up, smashing the beasts. Those hit died without even screaming.
He then smashed the house-sized monster's head with it.
'This monstrous strength without even using aura.'
Unimaginable if he could wield aura.
Günter took out five, I six, and the monsters hesitated in fear.
"Als! Look at that!"
Günter pointed to a monster holding a human woman in its mouth. Chewed to bits, bloodied corpse, hard to identify.
He yelled thinking it might be one of ours, but I recognized the clothes.
"No! That's one of the mercenaries!"
Lena, was it? The woman who'd asked me to join her.
"Hard to call it lucky, but... our group doesn't seem to be here."
The possibility they'd been eaten existed, but I pushed it aside.
"What now? We've checked, so retreating's fine."
"Might as well finish them off since we're here. Gives us a reason to borrow boats from the villagers."
I felt no real crisis then.
The others weren't much threat, and the leader was immobilized in labor.
We quickly dispatched the rest and approached the leader.
"Kuo...! Kuo...!"
The leader glared at me, panting heavily.
Its eyes mixed hatred and mockery.
'What?'
I didn't know what it meant, but it didn't matter. I leaped lightly and plunged my spear into its head. Puk!
It deflated with a hiss and died anticlimactically.
Like the others, I expected it to dissolve into light and vanish, but no sign.
Then Günter shouted.
"Als! The belly!"
"...!?"
The leader's belly writhed wildly.
I stabbed it without hesitation.
It stopped.
'The spear's stuck!?'
Held fast, like gripped by something.
"Tch!"
I poured aura into my left sword and swung at whatever held the spear inside the belly.
Slash! The belly split, revealing what was within.
"Huff! Huff...!"
Drenched in amniotic fluid, glaring at me...
"A beastman!?"
No doubt. More human-like than beast, but far more feral than purebloods like Gaspar. Incomparably so.
It glanced at its mother and roared in fury.
"Kuoooo!"
"Urk!"
The primal cry gripped my heart. As I faltered, it lunged.
Clang! Screech! I crossed spear and sword to block its claws, pushed back several steps by the force.
'Strong!'
Far beyond any monster so far.
"Shaaat!"
It raised its right claws for my throat.
I ducked, slipped to its right, and pulled my left sword to slash its arm—the technique that severed Fisher Partin's left arm.
But pik! It twisted away, leaving only a scratch.
"How fast...!"
This confirmed it.
The foe before me was equal to—or stronger than—Fisher Partin, whom I'd fought for my life.
"Als! Duck!"
"...!"
Whoosh! The log swung over my ducked head.
Even it couldn't take the blow, leaping back.
"Thanks, Günter."
"No problem. ...But Als, is this okay? Looks insanely dangerous. Did we step in shit?"
"Seems like it. But doesn't look like we can avoid the mess."
It knew I'd killed its mother; its glare was murderous.
"Maybe if we retreat, reinforcements come?"
"Seeing that, the mercenaries are probably all dead."
The Savior Alliance might arrive soon, but we couldn't base plans on vague info.
"We handle this here. Günter, back me up."
"Damn, no choice."
We took stances.
It charged without hesitation.
*
*
*
Clang! Screech! Whoosh!
Intense exchanges amid suffocating tension.
Günter supported from the side, while I maxed my aura for frontal clashes.
"Shaaat!"
Claws for my left neck. I parried with my left sword, intentionally loosening my grip.
Ting! The sword flew high, overpowered.
It thought it had the advantage and pressed, but it was a trap.
Releasing the sword, I gripped the spear two-handed and thrust five rapid strikes at vitals.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh! Head, neck, heart, neck, head again.
Precisely aimed, it staggered back.
'Got it!'
I spun 360 degrees, using the momentum to swing the spear shaft wide. Target: the falling sword.
Tang! The spinning shaft hit the sword's base perfectly, launching it at the retreating beast.
'Chester Style Secret: Thunderbolt!'
Rotated off the shaft, the sword flew like lightning.
Even it couldn't dodge, hastily crossing arms to block.
Puk! It protected its heart, the sword piercing both forearms but barely missing the chest.
"Now! Günter!"
"Yeah! Raaah!"
Günter swung his fist to drive the sword deeper into its arms, like hammering a stake.
"...!"
Judging it unavoidable, it did something insane.
Screeech! With the sword in its forearms, it tore its own arms off for freedom.
Rolling on the ground, it blocked Günter's blow.
"What a tough bastard...."
Günter muttered in disbelief.
More shocking followed.
Its torn wounds healed at rapid speed.
"No way...."
Still, it shook—damage done.
"Seems stabbing vitals is the only way to kill it. Even then, with that regen, not sure heart does it."
"Then smashing the head? Als, how many tricks left to catch it off-guard?"
"Hmm. Plenty of techniques, but ones to fluster it..."
"Trust me then?"
"You've got a plan."
"Nothing fancy. Als, that spear sturdy?"
"...!"
I got it.
I nodded, picked up my fallen sword.
Finished healing, it stared at its trembling hands and smirked faintly. Like finding a fun rival, thrilled at prey to evolve it. Eerie smile.
I aimed my weapons.
"Who's your prey?"
"..."
"Come on. I'll blow that head off."
No more words needed. It charged, claws ready.
I met it head-on. Günter grabbed the log again, swinging to harass.
Then it happened.
Judging my defense solid, it pivoted to take out Günter first.
Günter excelled at offense, not defense, and wore no armor, leaving few ways to block claws.
He raised the log horizontally to block—slash! It sheared in half, claw-marks raking his chest like a bear's.
"Günter!"
"I'm fine! Stick to the plan!"
Günter went aggressive instead. As if offense was his specialty, he stepped forward, gripping the halved log two-handed and swinging.
But shortened, the reach was much less.
It scoffed at the short range, stepping back half a pace to evade easily.
That's when.
'Caught!'
I thrust my aura-charged spear at Günter. He had the log tucked under his right armpit.
I speared the log's center.
Puuuk! Not dry, it didn't splinter. The spear embedded deep, becoming a handle.
Günter grabbed it instantly and swung fiercely at the beast.
His main weapon was a hammer. Smashing enemy skulls with long swings.
This distance was ideal.
Plus, it'd underestimated and relaxed against him.
"Eat this—!"
Whoosh! Full-power hammer swing, spear as handle.
It ducked hurriedly, but Günter's strength exceeded expectations.
Anticipating the duck, he halted mid-swing with crushing grip—kwak! Right over its head.
Then slammed down.
Even it couldn't evade.
"Raaah!"
It raised arms to block its head, but couldn't absorb all the shock.
Thud! Knees buckled, crouching.
I moved in that gap.
"Sorry to greet you at birth. Time to die."
"...!?"
Slash! Closing in, I swung my sword, severing the crouching beast's neck.
Its head fell, face etched in disbelief.