Chapter 13: Human’s way
Translator: “Pink Tea” Editor: ”Ryunakama”
Buy time, huh.
Holding a sword and a shield I step forward.
In turn, members of the militia retreat to the rear.
As one of the fieldzauruses tried to go after them, I used Taunt and brought its attention to me.
As a fieldzaurus charges at me, I block the attack with the shield.
「He took it head-on?!」
Sinanis yelled.
But I don’t have time to respond.
I immediately looked at Luna.
「Luna, I want to rob the enemy of their sight. Do you have any magic you can use for that?」
「Acknowledged. I can use light magic.」
Luna made a sharp nod and began preparing her spell.
Now, I only have to wait until the magic is ready.
The fieldzaurus came at me with its fangs, which I repel, striking at it with the shield.
As I fend off the attack, deflecting it, a tail came at me from the side.
Oh smart, attacking at a hard to see angle. Those guys understand how to fight.
But I evade it anyway.
Jumping off the tail I avoid the attack, leaping over their heads.
Striking with a sword I taunt them.
In order to prevent them from going for others, I keep repeatedly using Taunt at every opportunity I get.
「Hurry up and run away!」
I shout at the members of the militia still too frightened to run.
In such a situation, they would not move unless you at least shout at them.
Finally, they got up and began running away from the fieldzauruses.
「GaAAARR!」
The fieldzaurus swept with its tail. I once again block it with the shield, but the attack is stronger than before.
I step back, negating the impact, and then confirm my surroundings.
Everyone escaped. I can’t see anyone around.
With the fight until now, I should have enough magic power stored in the sword.
Releasing the stored magic power, I then further enchant the sword with my own magic power.
Charging with the shield, I slam the sword into a fieldzaurus.
「GuuuA?!」
A scream-like roar resounded.
My sword pierced through the scales of the fieldzaurus.
Lucky. Looks like I struck a pretty weakly protected spot.
Seeing the green-colored blood splatter, the other fieldzaurus raised a worried cry.
Now!
As I swung my hand, Luna activated light magic.
The moment I hid my face behind the shield, a burst of intense light occurred.
The fieldzauruses closed their eyes.
Now, they shouldn’t be able to see anything.
I and Luna run in the direction where everyone retreated.
The fieldzauruses made no attempts to chase after us.
「Weakness of a pair, huh.」
「……One of them tried to protect the other.」
「Yeah.」
They get along better than some families out there.
And while having such thoughts, I head to rejoin with everyone.
With no pursuit from the fieldzauruses, we could finally stop running and calm down.
It didn’t take us long to catch up with Feel and the others.
Wiping our sweat, I survey the situation.
All of the members of the militia looked completely exhausted.
Can we even win…… Is what their despairing expressions seemed to be asking.
「Feel, what are we going to do next?」
「Wait a moment, that’s what I’m thinking about right now.」
Feel put a hand to her chin.
Frowning, she from time to time glanced at me.
She looks like she’d like to get some kind of a hint.
……But this is something akin to an exam, given to her by her father.
Her father, who usually was in command, today, didn’t participate.
This was done probably out of consideration for her future.
If I interfere, it would ruin this rare opportunity.
I’m going to stick to the support role to the bitter end.
Like a proper tank.
Nin approached and cast a heal on me.
「Are you okay?」
「Well, this much is not a big deal.」
I’m quite used to this level of damage.
Since my outer shell was restored I raised a hand, stopping Nin.
「Thank you. What about you? You were moving quite a lot, is your hand okay?」
「Pretty much. It’s almost completely healed by now. So, what are you going to do from here?」
「That is up to Feel to decide.」
「……Isn’t the burden a bit too heavy for her? She probably never went through anything like this before.」
「Then, she can ask others for assistance.」
Me helping arbitrarily and her asking for help by herself are two different things.
Feel, after breathing a sigh, gathered everyone.
「Anyway. We have to subjugate the fieldzauruses…… I want to create a strategy for that, does any of you have any good ideas?
For an opening statement that gets a passing mark.
Kicking the ground, Sinanis let out a dry laugh.
「You, you are kidding, right? We barely might take one of them, you know? As much as I hate to admit, but only that F rank and Saintess-sama could move right away in that situation. In such a state, how are we supposed to fight two of them?!」
Sinanis wasn’t wrong.
Faces of members of the militia turned to a vexed grimace.
Normally, the proper course of action would be calling strong adventurers to the town.
However, in the meantime, the damage from the fieldzauruses would keep growing.
「…I know. However, it mostly went this way due to the element of surprise being on their side. We have Rude and Nin. Until some days ago they belonged to the hero’s party.」
I see. A talk to boost morale, huh.
Immediately, everyone was gripped with excitement.
Especially Sinanis and his party, who didn’t know me that well, were surprised from the bottom of their hearts.
The atmosphere changed slightly.
Not lending her a hand here would be way too mean. Though I’d like to see that as well.
「It’s just as Feel said, I was employed in the party of the hero. Due to reasons, I returned to this town, but I have enough confidence in my strength. Furthermore, the skills I have, allow me to take damage in place of my comrades. As long as I stand, none of your outer shells will be damaged. Well, though it still hurts a bit, so make an effort to dodge incoming attacks.」
Though personally, in cases where they can deal damage to an enemy but it would require taking a hit, I would prefer it if they went for it anyway.
「……From the hero’s party. And with such amazing skills?……」
Sinanis put a hand to his chin, while his comrades raised their voices.
「If those two are with us, then C ranked monstersーー!」
「Ah, Aaaah! Just now, when Rude-san fought against the two fieldzauruses, he wasn’t pushed back at all!」
With the militia joining as well, the excitement kept growing.
Feel sighed, seemingly relieved with how the situation currently developed.
Sananius’ and my gazes met.
He also understood this change and was now deliberating on it.
I put a bit of force into my look.
「You too, cooperate.」 urged so, he bit his lip.
「Indeed, with this, we might manage somehow, probably.」
With Sinanis, who until now was quite negative, also agreeing with us, the morale rose even higher.
Though he is foul-mouthed, he has good judgment.
Most likely, others also were of the same opinion of him.
That’s why his affirmation meant a lot.
「Then, let’s put up a plan to take down the fieldzauruses.」
Gather everyone, Feel worked out the battle plan.
☆
Returning to the orchard we spot the fieldzauruses.
Taking down a monster living in the orchard, both of them were now feasting on it.
With their giant bodies, that volume of meat clearly was nowhere near enough to satisfy them.
It would be best if they grew bored with this area and moved somewhere else.
Since it’s a couple, there is a possibility that they are looking for a place to make children.
If they conclude that this area is easy for living, then they would settle here.
「Ah, awawa……… A fieldzaurus…… Two of them.」
Beside me was one of Sinanis comrades, a girl with a detection skill.
Clenching her staff in both arms, she was greatly shaking.
「Calm down. Your role ends here. Can you call everyone?」
「……U-Un-Understood.」
She slowly stood up.
Due to how nervous she was, her movements were quite clumsy.
The sound of cracking branches resounds. Fieldzauruses raise their heads.
……Are you serious?
「Ru-Rude-san! It’s an entrance to a labyrinth!」
Turning my gaze there, I indeed see an entrance protruding from the ground like a small hill.
A familiar-looking entrance to a labyrinth.
……The orchard didn’t have a labyrinth in it.
Could it be that those fieldzauruses came from there?
……I can think about that later.
For now, I have to do something about them.
Slightly lowering their posture, the fieldzaurus then opens its maw.
Magic, huh.
Activating 『Taunt』I stand between the woman and the monsters.
I blocked a wind sphere that they shot at us.
「Hurry up and call them…… No, since it came to this, shoot magic into the sky.」
「Un-understood!」
Raising her staff to the sky she then casts a fire spell.
It made a loud bang in the midday’s sky.
She kept repeatedly casting it like crazy, eventually catching the attention of the fieldzauruses.
「It’s enough, step back!」
「Un–underderderder!」
Seeing a fieldzaurus charging at us, she went pale.
Meanwhile, I lower my posture, bracing for the impact, and block the attack.
As expected, it’s hard to do when you can’t move freely. But I manage to block it.
Yeah, it’s fine.
A heavy impact rings through my arms. A faint pain feels good.
A moment when I can actually feel that I’m alive.
Deflecting that power to the side, I slap the opponent on the head.
After using『Taunt』, I parry the bite from the other one with my sword.
I don’t retreat. Quite the opposite, I advance.
I have to gather their attention to myself.
The woman hid behind the trees and began working on a spell.
This is fine.
While the fieldzauruses focus on me she can support me with magic.
After calming down she acts befitting of her D rank.
She knows her job. I shall put my trust in her.
The militia arrives.
Arrows and magic flew through the air, swooping upon fieldzauruses.
The aim is the female fieldzaurus.
A few shots stab into her.
As she raised a scream, the male fieldzaurus let out a rage-filled roar.
As expected, those two are quite close. This is their weakness.
The fieldzauruses’ yellow eyes turn to the shooters.
An opening.
There, Sinanis swooped in.
Masterfully handling the two-handed sword, he shaved off some of its scales.
Annoyed, it swings its tail at him.
Shinanis tried to avoid by jumping, but unable to dodge the follow-up attack he gets knocked away.
As I took over that damage, Sinanis glanced at me and made a small bow with his head.
「Don’t mind that. Focus on attacking!」
The female fieldzaurus’ breath is rough.
Looks like poison is working. The arrows were smeared in it.
That makes the male fieldzaurus even more impatient.
Desperate to kill us as fast as possible, it once again turned to offense.
And to make him panic, even more, I block his attacks, while slowly retreating.
To provoke him further I make no attack of my own.
Arrows rain upon them.
This time they also managed to stab the male fieldzaurus.
As he staggered, the magic struck him.
What matters in battle is strength.
However, aside from that, there is also a whole array of factors that can influence the outcome.
Can you fight in full strength if there is a hostage involved?
Can you focus on the enemy, while caring about others?
The monsters are the same.
To get an advantage we will use everything.
This is how humans fight.
The female fieldzaurus falls to the ground.
Seeing her unmoving body, the male fieldzaurus sank to the ground beside her.
……Both humans and monsters fight to protect their lives.
With a swing of a sword from Feel, blood splashed from the fieldzaurus’ neck.
Then, the light disappeared from the fieldzaurus’ eyes.