Chapter 74 – Mysterious CraterSasa Sasa Sasa
Peshi Peshi
While running through the jungle…
Gra.s.s. .h.i.ts my face as usual.
It bends like a whip and directly strikes my face.
But, there’s no pain.
Probably because of the evolution into the Baby Angel Vampire.
My skin might have become even tougher.
「Tokukawa nya~ The gra.s.s is peshipeshi hitting you, are you all right nya?」
「No problem」
「I see nya~ I’m unhurt thanks to you, Tokukawa nya~ Nyanya」
I hear a happy voice from the rear.
Because Ado is running quite fast through the jungle.
Chiko is holding me around my belly so that she doesn’t fall.
Chiko’s cat hair is tickling my neck.
Chiko also sometimes rubs her cheek against my back.
When Chiko gets excited she gets closer and starts rubbing against me.
It may be Cat tribe’s habit.
「Goshujin-shama~ We will be leaving the jungle soon deshu~」
「Nu. True」
In response to the voices, I look forward…
And surely, an open terrain come to sight.
Excellent.
I can finally say goodbye to the gra.s.s. .h.i.tting my face.
There’s no damage, but it feels uncomfortable.
It’s p.r.i.c.kling.
「Nnya~? Strange nya~? We should still be advancing through the jungle nya~」
Nn?
Eh?
I hear Chiko’s confused voice.
It seems we shouldn’t be getting out of the jungle.
「Chiko, what do you mean?」
「Nnya~ We should keep on advancing through the jungle nya~」
「But, it’s open terrain in front of us…」
「This is strange nya~ We should be going the right way, though nya~」
Nn?
Why is it?
But.
Well.
We will understand soon.
We will be leaving the jungle after a few seconds.
Uun.
However…
What is it?
I have an unpleasant premonition…
Sasa Sasa Sasa
We leave the jungle.
「We are out deshu~」
Ado vigorously left the jungle…
However, this is…
A large cave-in?
The terrain is greatly scooped out like a crater.
As if a meteorite fell here.
「W, what the meow is this nya? What nya~! This wasn’t here last time nya~」
「Nu. What is this?」
「A big hole deshu~」
「Yeah」
Poka~n
Poka~n
Poka~n
Poka~n
We blankly stare at the crater.
I feel like.
This crater was made recently.
「Looks new deshu~ Great Hole-san」
「Nu. I think so too. An after battle trace? If that’s the case, the one who left the crater here… may have quite the skill」
「Nyanya~ So huge nya~ The me~ow is this nya?」
We fixedly stare at the crater.
Uun.
Fu~mu.
Anyway, it’s a huge hole.
It’s larger than the crater left by En-san and Tortoise-san.
This is…
Made with magic?
Or from a clash of some big monsters?
I don’t see anything special in the crater.
It’s just a hollow hole.
「Lord. We should be more careful from now on」
「As En-san said. We should watch out for whoever made this」
「Deshu ne~」
「Lord~ Let’s check the surroundings?」
Uun.
What to do?
We may be able to find out the cause of this crater.
But…
I feel like it would be better to quickly leave this place.
Uun.
However~
I also feel that it would be good to check it out.
Ado and En-san are both here.
「Let’s see. Let’s take a look at the center of the crater for now. Ado, please」
「Understoodeshu」
「I will be watching the surroundings, no need to worry」
「Nyanya. Investigation nya~ I will investigate too nya~」
Sasa Sasa Sasa
We approach the center of the big crater.
The ground seems harder the more we approach the center.
Rather than that…
It became stiff after being melted.
「Nyanya~ This ground… looks like it was. .h.i.t with a great heat nya~」
Oh.
Chiko has the same thought.
「Nu. Possibly a fire magic. However, the scale is quite considerable」
You think so too?
But, a magic that surprised even En-san?
This feels considerably bad~
I got chills.
Sasa Sasa Sasa
We approach the center on Ado’s back.
Sa Sutan
I get down from Ado and walk around.
Everyone else also checks the ground.
Busu
Chiko inserts a syringe into the ground.
It’s a similar syringe to one she has used on the huge tree.
A magic tool that examines mana.
「I see nya~ I see nya~」
Oh.
Chiko looks at the displayed screen and nods.
「What’s wrong? Chiko. Have you found out something?」
「Yes nya~ The mana around here has completely disappeared nya. Mana is normally everywhere no matter what nya」
Chiko looks down.
Chiko looks in wonder.
Mana is… a source of life.
And if there’s none that means…
That there’s no life in this crater?
「Nu. Certainly. I can’t feel mana here」
En-san is of the same opinion.
When I look at Ado…
She’s staring at the ground as if she found something.
She moves her head closer to the ground and sticks out her b.u.t.t.
Her tail is fluttering.
Umu.
What is the matter?
Sutasuta Sutasuta
I approach Ado.
「What’s wrong, Ado? Have you found something?」
「Goshujin-shama~ I feel that it’s little soft here deshu~」
What?
The ground Ado is looking at doesn’t look any different from the ground around.
However.
When Ado taps on the ground…
Kankan
Nn?
A strange sound.
Something feels wrong.
When I tap on other places.
Konkon
Indeed.
The sound is different.
It sounds like a cavity is at the place Ado is looking at.
Uun.
If that’s the case…
Is there something under the ground Ado is looking at?
「Nu. What’s wrong?」
「Nyan nya~?」
Oh.
En-san and Chiko came too.
「In fact, it seems like something is under this ground?」
「Deshu~」
「Nu. Then, it’s simple. Leave it to me」
「「「Eh?」」」
Bakon!
Kachan!
Oh.
Ou…
En-san suddenly strikes the ground with a great force.
Then.
A mysterious s.p.a.ce appeared.
And underground room? or something.
「Nyanya~ There really is something nya~」
「Deshudeshu~」
「I told you to leave it to me」
En-san makes a satisfied expression.
Ado and Chiko put their faces bellow.
「It looks like that there’s a room down bellow?」
「There might be a treasure nya~」
「Deshu ne. Going deshu~」
「Nu. I’m going too」
Huh.
Looks like everyone is determined to go down.
Maa, I was also thinking about taking a look.
I can’t ignore it after coming this far.
「Yosh. Let’s investigate the room bellow」