Chapter 78: Side Story 8: Logan’s Great Adventure – Prologue
My name is Logan.
It’s a name my beloved Boss gave me.
I used to be the boss of the Wolf Fang tribe, but after being completely dominated by Yabe-sama, I decided to follow Yabe-sama and call him my boss.
Thinking back on it now, I feel a bit careless that the boss who so revered me was named "Logan"... but complaining to the boss I deeply admire would be rude.
Besides, he always calls me "Logan" so casually. I have no complaints.
If it were something like "Alexander," it would be hard to call casually.
We are now moving at high speed toward the dark python that appeared near Bahana village, following Boss’s instructions. If we were the original Wolf Fang tribe, we wouldn’t have been able to move at this speed and would have quickly gotten tired. Moreover, dark pythons absorb magical energy and grow into large monsters. In some cases, they might have become too huge for us to defeat.
But after becoming Boss’s subordinates, we have become incredibly strong.
It might even be abnormal.
Incidentally, I am the strongest among them.
With our current strength, dark pythons are an easy and delicious catch.
According to the ranks set by humans, our group is classified as C-rank.
By the way, last time when we went hunting to the northern mountains from the spring, we defeated a manticore.
It was a troublesome creature with a lion’s body and a venomous snake tail, but we were able to take it down easily. According to human rankings, it’s B-rank. Since we defeated it one-on-one, we already had the power to defeat at least a B-rank monster at that time.
It wasn’t that long ago that we became Boss’s subordinates.
Compared to that time, our power has increased even further.
Not only combat power, but our understanding of various things has also improved.
Originally, we couldn’t understand human language at all, but after starting to communicate with Boss through telepathy, we were able to understand each other. Later, we could understand what Boss says even without telepathy. And now we can understand almost all human conversations.
Of course, only Boss understands our conversations.
My body was connected to my life by Boss’s body part because it was severely damaged. So I think part of Boss’s body is inside me. I believe this has brought me tremendous evolution. The same is true for the Chick Captain, who was also saved by Boss’s body part.
The Chick Captain’s combat power and information-gathering ability are also at an abnormal level.
It seems our special status as those who received part of Boss’s body is also passed down to our subordinates.
Perhaps even just being near Boss gives us evolutionary power.
Irina, who publicly declares herself Boss’s wife, was once an unbelievable clumsy girl when we first met, but now she crushes Boss’s left hand. Boss’s pain tolerance is ridiculous. When did she acquire such power? I think the blessing of being near Boss is the most reasonable explanation.
The Three Heavenly Kings are the same. Wind Fang, Thunder Fang, and Ice Fang couldn’t use magic before. They gained that power only after becoming Boss’s subordinates.
Incidentally, I can use all their magic.
Of course, I don’t need to use such magic, and I won’t meet such opponents anyway.
『Boss! We’re almost there!』
『Idiot! Who’s the boss! Call me Leader!』
We have no boss other than Yabe-sama. I am the leader, not the pack leader, now.
『Sorry, Leader, we can’t enter the village.』
『Yeah, without Boss, we won’t receive protection as contracted beasts. We might have to exterminate them.』
『Then, how do we find the dark python?』
『Leave it to the professionals.』
『Professionals?』
『The Chicks.』
『I see.』
Even though we’re moving at high speed, we aren’t going full throttle. We’re adjusting to the Chicks’ flying speed without straining them.
『We’re heading out to investigate the dark python. Contact us if we find it.』
『Understood. But it’s not just the dark python. We’re entering the forest too. Report every finding immediately.』
『Understood!』
The Chicks scattered into the forest.
『Let’s go, everyone. Don’t hold back on the prey. The mobile Yabe body will receive everything through sub-space compression storage.』
’"""Haha!"""’
「No one...」
I had a bad feeling.
A huge snake appeared near the village, and the village chief prohibited entering the forest.
But my two daughters were gone.
"Mika... Mikuru..."
My husband disappeared three years ago after being attacked by a monster in the forest. Since then, I have been working various odd jobs in Bahana village to earn money and raise my two daughters.
Today is my birthday.
Exactly one year ago, my daughters and I went to pick flowers near the spring in the forest.
"Could it be... the kids remembered what happened last year and are doing it by themselves..."
A surprise gift for me. I’m very happy, but the timing is terrible.
A huge monster is hiding in the forest.
"I have to go look for them...!"
"Miku-chan, is this flower right?"
"That’s probably it. This flower is pretty too."
"Miku-chan is full of flowers~"
"Mika-chan also picked so many flowers~"
The two sisters were very happy, picking wild flowers and making bouquets.
The flowers they picked together with Mom last year.
This year, I picked wild flowers to give as a birthday present to my beloved daughters.
The two sisters wanted to make their favorite mother happy.
"Gurururu..."
But such happy sisters were suddenly interrupted by a threatening growl.
A huge bear appeared from the depths of the forest. Its body length was over 3 meters.
"Kyah!"
"Waaah!"
The two sisters gasped, but they held onto the bouquets tightly.
"Mika! Mikuru!"
Mom ran over and hugged her two daughters.
""MOM!""
Mom covered her daughters as the bear slowly approached without fear.
"This... this bear...!"
The big brown bear had one injured eye.
The bear that attacked my hunting companions and killed my husband.
The right eye injury from escaping my husband’s enemy. There’s no mistake — the brown bear that killed my husband and ate him!
But I had no weapons at all.
I might lose my daughters as well...!
I can’t allow such a fate!
Mom hugged her daughters tightly and cried in regret.
"Guaaaaa!"
"!!"
I hugged them as tightly as I could, trying to buy even a second more.
"Shut up!"
DOOON!
A tremendous rumble and dust cloud happened right nearby.
When the dust settled, there was a huge wolf that had driven the brown bear’s head into the ground.
"Hmph! What a weak human to attack. What a spineless bear."
The brown bear that was just about to attack my family with its fangs was slammed into the ground by the front paw of Logan.
’Boss, this is definitely a Bloody Bear abnormal species!’
’Who’s the boss!’
’Ah, sorry Leader. But the Leader is super strong, isn’t he. Bloody Bear is an upper species of Killer Grizzly and its abnormal type would be practically A-rank.’
’Hmph, I don’t think they’re weak bears.’
’Leader, you’re terrifyingly strong.’
"What... what is this?"
I realized I was surrounded by huge wolves.
Among them, the largest wolf was stepping on the brown bear that was my husband’s enemy.
"Guaaaaa!"
’Hmm?’
The Bloody Bear jumped up from Logan’s front paw and stood up, releasing magical power.
"Kyah!"
"Waaah!"
The two sisters screamed in fear.
But the magical power vanished.
When I looked closely, the huge wolves were standing protectively over the mother and daughters.
’All this magical power and still acting so pretentiously.’
The huge wolf moved its neck with a crunch.
’Better to back down a bit more.’
The huge wolf turned its head and flicked its front paw. It was telling us to back off.
"Mika, Mikuru! Over here!"
I somehow managed to move and separated from them a little.
"Guaaaaa!"
The huge brown bear charged at the huge wolf.
The huge wolf drew its right front paw back.
’As expected, it’s a weakling. It’s been shouting the same thing since a while ago.’
Logan muttered and sighed.
’One-Slash Fang, Issen-gai.’
Zan!
The head of the brown bear that charged flew into the air.
The brown bear that lost its head collapsed while spraying blood.
’Hah! Whoever challenged you, repent in hell.’
"This bear... killed my husband..."
I glared at the fallen head.
Then, with tears still streaming down, I clenched my fist and punched the head that only had a skull left.
""Mom?""
"If this bear hadn’t been here! If this bear hadn’t been here, that man would have...!"
’Who are you? Why are you hitting the head of the bear that Leader killed?’
’Why is this human...?’
’She seems to have been killed by this bear. She’s probably very resentful.’
’But they came to hunt under Boss’s orders, right? We should take the catch.’
’...No, Boss’s order was to exterminate the dark python. The Bloody Bear isn’t included.’
’Then?’
I suddenly noticed the huge wolf staring straight at me.
When I looked closely, I was surrounded by wolves. How could I possibly be happy after defeating the bear that killed my husband?
"Ah..."
I hugged my daughters tightly again.
I had to do something. I wanted them to be spared if possible.
’Woman.’
"!?"
The wolf seemed to speak to me.
’You’re the mother of these girls, right? I don’t know how you feel after losing your husband, but you have to live for these two girls now. You can’t be trapped by past grudges.’
"..."
’Well, a conclusion is necessary. I’ll give you this catch. Eat the meat and make a rug from the fur. Also take the grudge with you.’
The huge wolf seemed to say something and smiled.
Was I dreaming? Or was I seeing the form of a god in a wolf?
’Bring the head and body of this bear to the village.’
’"""Haha!"""’
The huge wolf took the collars of the two girls in its mouth.
"What are you doing!"
I couldn’t help but shout.
But the huge wolf turned its head and threw the girls onto its back.
"Waaah!"
"It’s fluffy!"
The two girls were overjoyed on the back of the huge wolf.
This wolf wasn’t trying to harm them — it was carrying them on its back.
’You should ride too. I’ll take you to the village. Normally only Boss can ride on my back, but...’
The huge wolf crouched down, looking at me as if to say "You’re special!"
"Mom! Hurry up and ride!"
"The wolf feels nice and fluffy~"
My heart was pounding. Would it be okay to ride on such a huge wolf...?
When I looked closely, the other wolves were dragging the brown bear’s body toward the village.
They were carrying the head too.
Could it be... they were bringing the defeated prey to the village?
"Wolf-san, you’re carrying the brown bear to the village?"
’Yes, it’s your husband’s enemy, right? Eat the meat and make a rug from the fur.’
The huge wolf seemed to smile while saying something.
"You’re telling me to let go of my grudges...?"
I placed my hand on the wolf’s neck. It was soft and fluffy fur. Suddenly I noticed — this wolf had a collar.
He’s someone’s contracted beast.
That’s why he’s so intelligent...
"Thank you, wolf-san. One day, I’ll thank your master."
I rode on the back of the huge wolf.
The huge wolf slowly walked toward the village.
"Waaah! It’s high~!"
"It feels nice~"
"It was good that we met this wolf, wasn’t it, Mika and Mikuru? Let’s thank him properly later with a big bouquet!"
"Yeah!"
The two sisters each gave me the flowers they had picked.
"Mika, Mikuru!"
I had planned to scold them strictly.
I thought it was unforgivable that they sneaked out without telling me.
But I couldn’t scold them. The many miracles and kindness from the wolf-san must be shared with my daughters too.
"Thank you, both of you. You’re so pretty..."
I hugged my daughters tightly while holding the bouquet they gave me, not even noticing the tears that wouldn’t stop.
’Family is at its best when it’s together.’
The huge, kind wolf seemed to be smiling.
