Chapter 65: Alone with Shadow-san
We finished our lunch in a suitable shop then we went out of the imperial capital. Because it's afternoon, we won't be be able to go to a far place today.... Well, Ruu and Rin are fast and they'd be able to go farther than an ordinary horse.
"For now, shall we enter the nearest forest? Everybody can just do what you want, because I will train the basics with Shadow-san” Tsuchio
I fly away from the gate of the capital in a slightly remote place and get down on the forest several kilometres away. It isn't a big forest, because it is near the castle town and the devil beasts aren't very strong either. It is a tutorial forest for new adventurers. Well you shouldn't underestimate the small fishes so much, because even strong guys die if they are taken by surprise.
"Okay, should we go then?" Tsuchio
Shadow-san stands next to me. This child still seems strange. She isn't so talkative and I know clearly what to consider. No, it isn't necessary for her to speak because I can understand her thoughts. She speaks well with Lime.
When we hunt at such place, we have decided to act separately from Ruu and the others. When the the difference in ability is too big, devil beasts won't appear. Still in case of Lime it might be safe, but with Ruu and Rin we might not get any experience. When we're here, they wouldn't be able to go to a far place.
"Hmm, it came" Tsuchio
The place where I got off is around halfway in the forest. Generally it's the middle point between the entrance and the center. Going inside such a place, the monsters might be stronger.... Like Danze island. It is just fine to level up Shadow-san...but well, spirit-san seems to be busy and I don't want to bother her. If I haven't come to the capital, I wouldn't have met Yukurishisu-san and be concerned with the circumstances of the Zakurion empire.... There is no helping it even if I say now, however it isn't necessary to participate in the next strategy and wait for the war to end. I want Yukurishisu-san to do her best as long as she doesn't overdo it.
In the middle of thinking about such a thing, I encountered devil beasts. Whether it's the purpose of Shadow-san absorbing my life force or not, I′m able to feel their vitality. The area isn't too wide, so I don't need to worry about a surprise attack. It doesn't react to the ghost system.
Several wolves have appeared before us. Saliva is dripping from their mouths and they are showing off their fangs as a threat. They try to surround us, but there is no advantage in letting them do so.
I throw a talisman to the left side of the wolves′feets, while Shadow-san lies hidden in the shade of a tree after shooting a black blade from the front. The wolves jump away as soon as earth pillars rise from the ground, but one didn't make it. The wolf which was stabbed is swallowed by Shadow-san which jumped out of a tree. The wolves who try to attack me are cut by the black blade, because a wall appears in front of them and pushes them back. One wolf goes around the wall and tries to attack me but he is intercepted by Shadow-san. She swung her arm and one foot of the wolf is cut.
"Thank you, you may eat everything" Tsuchio
When I said so, Shadow-san started devouring the wolves who lay on the ground one after another. She took the wolf corpse off the earth spear and absorbed it. When I think how she swallowed the body so leisurely, she spit out the bones. It withered away as the wind blew before it reached the ground. When all my vitality is sucked, Will I end up like that.... Since she always absorbs my vitality, she already knows well when to stop. As long as there is Shadow-san, the perfect crime seems like it isn’t a dream.
After all, wolves aren't very delicious.... It doesn't need to be said that devil beasts with stronger vitality will be more delicious. So we have to go deeper inside if we want stronger devil beasts to appear.
“Hey Shadow-san, I think it is not good to call you Shadow-san every time, so let's consider giving you an official name” Tsuchio
I decide to think about a name for Shadow-san while walking in the forest. I may not need to mention it, but there were no chances to talk with Shadow-san.
"When I gave a name to the others, I used something basic from their race. In Ruu’s case, she is a dragon who speaks with a local accent. With Lime, I got lime from slime. And with Rin I saw that she was a female kirin”
It is very cheap now when I think...so I should give deciding Shadow-san’s name some more consideration. Because Shadow-san herself was satisfied, I thought this was okay.
“Ah, do you understand kirin? You understand!? Then it is good.... I want to decide the name for Shadow-san, you're a shadow monster.... Where should it be taken from...?"
Was there something? A one using the shadow? I can't really think of anything.
“Uuhh...because you're a shadow monster, is it ray? Or Emma? It is unpleasant like some votive pictures.... Eh, pride? No No, that is not good. Because of arrogance"
While discussing various things while we're walking something suddenly fell in front of us. We split up left and right and avoided it in a rush. The person who passed through between us came to a stop after shaving the ground for ten metres before looking back to us. White breath gushed out from it’s big nose under a warped horn, it was a wild boar that was 3m long in total.
“Tchi, it wouldn’t be hard to defeat if Ruu and the others were here but.... Shadow-san, I will think of a suitable name for you another time”
The wild boar which aimed at me is thrusting again. I avoided it with a side jump and the boar passed beside me right now and hit a tree. The tree broke remarkably from right in the middle of the trunk without being able to endure the impact. It would be dangerous if I have received it....
Shadow-san shot a black arrow at its back, but it didn't pierce deeply, possibly because it was blocked by it’s muscles. On the contrary, it only angered the wild boar and it plunges into Shadow-san this time. Shadow-san jumps into the shade of the nearby tree to dodge, but if this battle is prolonged more, my stamina will run out quickly. Using Ruu and the others as help is a last resort. Lets try to beat it with only me and Shadow-san.
“Shadow-san kill it, when it draws closer”
I say so and throw a talisman at the wild boar, while getting away from Shadow-san. Even if I enter the forest, the trees are mowed down from the charge.... For the time being, shall I keep my position? It is awkward that I lost sight even if it goes to Shadow-san.
The wild boar rushing from the rear is avoided with a sideway jump again. Because it was later than a while ago, avoiding was easy. But before regaining my balance, the wild boar which didn't slow down and turned his aim at me has closed in with it’s initial speed. If you can do such a trick, use it from the beginning!
I scatter talismans on the ground which are connected to each other with rays and defend me from the front. I made an imitation of Loreen′s talisman art! And just like that I thrusted , it was just like a bio movie work, scattered properly. There isn't any airflow here and quick movements with that body won’t be possible. I thought so...but the wild boar avoided the lattice and plunged into me. This is unexpected, so I take shelter in the air by getting on a earth pillar in panic. To avoid it with such smooth movements...I underestimated the wild boar a little.
The wild boar throws his head into the earth pillar I was standing on and the pillar is crushed after it couldn’t endure it anymore. I quickly return to Shadow-san’s side. It is a fault to leave her alone so much...she seemed to be ready. The gaze of Shadow-san is painful, though she has no eyes. It is to the extent that she seem to be proud...but I made sure that it won't begin to remain on her face, so do I look through Shadow-san?
“Then stop walking!”
Shadow-san and I are supplemented and it is seen not to move, so the wild boar that lacks ground accumulates power. It is convenient to be able to do it in time, so I prepared my talismans and Shadow-san concentrates her magic.
“Buruhhiiiii!!!”
The wild boar roars loudly and rushes with a speed that is faster than before. The momentum is threatening, but I'll counter him.
I throw out a set of several talismans at the course of the wild boar. The appearing earth pillars mix together and become a twisting drill that confronts it. I should wait because it will thrust in from the other side if I do nothing. I didn't forget to reinforce the earth pillars neatly.
The wild boar doesn't seem to intend to stop even after it sees the rock drill. It might intend to crush it from the front. Before that, the drill won't break before sticking deep inside. That's also what I was aiming for. And because it'll soon be in front of the drill, it's also difficult to change.
And as expected, the boar confronted the drill head on. The tip of the drill cut into it’s chest, but the reinforced earth pillars cracked when they were put under the force of the wild boar. During such a time, I let Shadow-san jump into the shadow of the wild boar. 2 black circles stood out on both sides and a black ray was fired from there. Its head and neck were pierced and the boar fell down to the ground. When I timidly took a look at it, it seemed to be convulsing and will also die soon.
Shadow-san swallows that wild boar. Her appearance doesn't change at all, even after absorbing the wild boar. As expected, is there a fourth dimension inside Shadow-san? It seems that it will take a good amount of time to absorb the vitality of the wild boar. This wild boar might be more delicious than the wolves.
"The road to evolution seems like a long one...so should we take a break around here?
Her evolution will be quicker than Ruu.... As I thought, nothing is going to change no matter how many small fries she defeats. This wild boar was quite strong, but we can't hunt only this guy.Therefore I want her to gain more experience from facing stronger devil beasts. However I can't let her fight monsters that are too strong however, in this neighbourhood it shouldn't be difficult....
Shadow-san who finished absorbing the life of the wild boar discharged the bones. Because it took plenty of time, isn’t she going to evolve soon? What kind of feeling will it be...though she didn't change very much.
Normally strong monsters also have high vitality. Except for ghost types. I decided that we don't have so much time to actively fight small fries, so we only fight those who attack us and strong devil beasts. Those wild boars that live in this place won't be alone and there may be monsters which eat that wild boar. Although I don't know whether there is a food chain here, but there was one in Danze island. This closed environment...was plain. Those beetles will be suffering from predators. With that alone it is a big threat. I want beetles to use their quantity rather than quality.
When I was considering such a stupid thing, I encountered a brown bear. How dangerous is a brown bear.... The gray is chancy and black is cowardly. When I return I will touch Fal′s kuma ears again.
I and the brown bear continued to look at each other for a while. The bear moved first. It greatly shortened the distance between us and slashed at me with its sharp claws. The bear runs surprisingly fast and it is also powerful because of its large-built. I throw fire bees while retreating. They hit the bear who was standing on two legs directly and made him stagger greatly. As expected, it is a devil beasts that doesn't suffer a great wound and just some light burns. Even though I didn't originally intend to kill it with the explosion, so is there still room for improvement? The bear is bleeding from its mouth, so the interior of its body was damaged from the blast.
The bear blindly fires a wind blade, when he swung his claws around the spot. Shadow-san fights back with a black blade from behind me while preventing the attack with a wall.
The bear which was trying to run away from the several blades that were going to hit it lost its fighting spirit. I released some fire bees that charged at the bear from the side. And the bear which is blown away by that explosive impact landed against a tree. Next Shadow-san who was inside the tree's shadow drags the bear inside. Although the bear struggles and tries to resist, black ropes crawled all over its body and didn’t permit it. And it was dragged down as it is.
“Absorb it quickly. You shouldn’t torment it too much"
Shadow-san′s insides are like a black hole when you see how she absorbs everything inside. Well, it is natural for Shadow-san. Because it is Shadow-san who decides whether to suck up a life, can I enter inside? When she can absorb a bear, then she also can absorb Rin...however it is impossible if there is no air. If she evolves, will the environment of her inside become smaller and detailed...is it possible? Shadow storage is convenient. I must evolve her quickly!
I thought so and the sun has also gone down so I’ll end it around here for today. Ruu and the others might return soon so we need to consider their return time. Although they moved freely, Ruu should know the place. Oh, they came.
“Good work, did you hunt a lot of devil beasts?” Ruu
"Well, because Shadow-san eats everything immediately, I couldn't get any materials. Ruu, Rin and Lime, where did you go?” Tsuchio
“I didn't go somewhere too far. Therefore I knocked down the flying devil beasts that flew in the sky” Ruu
“Kokukoku”
“Bururuu”
"Is that so? Then shall we go back to the imperial capital quickly?”
Shadow-san can't be leveled up so much around the imperial capital as expected.... Does only Osnyl-san go to the fortress first?
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