We pa.s.sed the night in the inn.
In order to save Elesia, we will wake up at dawn and depart.
「Good morning. Nikola-chan」
「Orphe-nee, good morning」
While rubbing their sleepy eyes, both of them woke up.
As usual, both of them did not hesitate at all, even though they were in front of me.
Did they forget that I am a man, even if I am a slime?
「Let’s eat breakfast as we move. We have the cake I made yesterday for Elesia-chan」
「Mn. Let’s hurry」
Orphe carried her bow on her back, and Nikola equipped a knife and a few tools.
I organised the things that are 【Stored】 in my belly.
Both of them jogged and headed towards the mountain.
While running, Nikola opened her mouth.
「Orphe-nee. As I fell fast asleep in the futon, I realised something」
「Let’s buy a soft futon, not a travel blanket. We have room for a little more weight in the golem carriage. A comfortable bedding is important」
「Mn. Also, if we are troubled on where to put it, we can put it into Sla’s stomach」
「Pyui! (Leave it to me)」
Insufficient sleep will disturb one’s growth.
Even Otou-san approves, so I’ll jump up and down to tell them that I approve.
We entered the mountains.
If I observe well, I can discover traces such as monsters’ footprints, markings, and feces.
As I expected, this is weird.
I’ll have to strengthen my vigilance even more.
The two of them proceeded on the mountain trail carefully.
Those unpleasant meals are useful.
「Pyui!」
I sensed the presence of a monster with 【Presence Sensing】, though it’s quite far.
As I shook my body which is in Orphe’s arms, Orphe realised my intentions, and stared at the place I am landing my gaze at.
She’s gotten serious. Her eyes are those of a hunter elf’s.
「Nikola, stop」
Orphe reached out her hand in front of Nikola and blocked her movements.
She then placed me onto the ground, calmly and lightly kick on a tree trunk, and with only two steps, she stopped on a tree branch, and drew her bow with beautiful movements.
「Such a strong monster’s so near to human habitation? A normal bow wouldn’t have enough power against that cla.s.s of monster, huh. In that case…… 【Gale of Ice Spear】」
As she muttered that, the tip of her arrow became gigantic. No, the arrow is clad in ice and became a spear.
That spear exceeded the speed of sound, and disappeared from our field of vision.
A sound of explosion was given off from afar. It probably smashed the target.
「As expected of Orphe-nee」
「This is only a piece of cake」
We headed towards the defeated monster along with Orphe who came down from the tree.
Needle Bear.
Its disposition is wild, and thanks to the spines covering its whole body, it’s hard to jab at it, and stabbing it with a sword can only result in a skin wound; A dangerous monster. On top of that, it can harden its spines with magic power, and its power when it rams in such a condition is byond imagination.
However, that monster is mere small fry in front of Orphe, the Enlight of 【Magic Arts】.
Her long distance marksmanship, pinpointing the glabella where there isn’t any spines and shotting at it.
On top of that, this kid calmly cancelled the chant before simultaneously used ice magic art and wind magic art, but she cancelled the chant yet used simultaneous chanting. Either one of them are extra-high levelled techniques, can only be used by elite magic arts users, to say nothing of using those high level techniques simultaneously, and only a small handful can imitate it.
If someone who intends on dabbling in magic arts sees Orphe, they’d probably lose their confidence at the excessive different in power from just that one blow, and crumble.
「Orphe-nee, why did you use ice? Even though your forte is 【Flame】」
「There’s so many trees here, so I’m afraid it’ll become a forest fire」
Orphe, while being an elf, is strongest with 【Flame】 magic arts, and she can even use 【Earth】 in addition to the 【Wind】 and 【Water】 she showed us earlier, which makes a total of four attributes.
There are only three magic arts users who can manipulate all four elements, as far as I know.
「Now that you say it, that’s true. But I’m sure we can somehow manage」
「As expected, I’m uneasy without my fire power. Ah, that’s right. Sla-chan, are you eating this?」
Orphe pointed at the Needle Bear.
*Slurp*, my slime body’s desiring a new power. I can certainly get a new Skill with this.
「Pyui!」
「Sla-chan’s a glutton, aren’t you? However, we don’t have time, so hurry up, okay?」
Of course, I am eating it.
Let’s eat it immediately. Munch munch, chew chew. Mn, it’s hard and stinks, but it’s quite addicting.
Oh, I feel like my body’s more solid. I’ve also obtained a Skill.
「Pyui!」
Let’s quickly try using the Skill I got. 【Thousand Needles】(TLN: SENBONZA— no.)
My slime body transformed, and only my thorns hardened as if I am a sea urchin.
「Uwaa, Sla-chan looks like a j.a.panese chestnut」
「You can’t hug that」
This technique is relatively difficult.
After all, I’m a slime body. Though I was clad in magic power and hardened, there’s a limit.
『However, I’m one step closer to becoming a human』
Although it’s an unfortunate Skill, what I obtained was great. I’ve obtained the “sense to alter my body’s hardness”.
With practice, I might be able flexibly manipulate my hardness way more than I could until now.
Let’s try testing some things. As I thought, it’s easy to alter my hardness. Done! The feel of Orphe’s b.r.e.a.s.t.s…… no, it’s still too hard. Un, I still have a long way to go.
Colour, transformation, hardness, tactile sensation. When I can freely manipulate all of this, I can mimic the figure of a human. I want to quickly become a human.
「Sla-chan, let’s go. Elesia’s waiting for us」
「Pyui」
Orphe held me up in her arms.
We then headed deeper into the forest.
『……This is quite bad. What are they doing using Elesia?』
Orphe and Nikola who cannot perceive miasma hasn’t realised, but the deeper we went, miasma is rapidly getting stronger. And it’s quite the unbelievable extent.
A tragedy where the Family of the Protector of Wind, an elf family which guarded the seal of an evil G.o.d, was attacked.
Even with the power of this Great Sage, I could only rescue Orphe, and Orphe has a heavy burden on her shoulders.
What’s occuring here is probably the same as that time.
『The Needle Bear I just ate. It seemed to be escaping from something. It’s probably way worse deep in the mountains. It’s impossible to change it this much in one day with ordinary means」
I did not imagine that it would be this bad.
I’ll have to hurry.
Elesia, stay safe.
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Level: 7
Skill: AbsorbStoragePresence SensingFamiliarFlight ⅠHorn ChargeLanguage ⅠThousand Needles
Status:
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