Chapter 21: We won... but...?
Fricka still looked a little pale. It seemed like she'd pushed herself to come here. I wanted to tell her to take care of herself, but since I've been salved by her, I will simply express my gratitude.
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"It looks like there are still some injured people, so I'll go around and heal them, but Fricca--"
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"I'll be guarding Rion-sama.... Since Rion-sama has the bad habit of putting yourself second to others."
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"Ugh... I'm sorry."
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I was trying to ask her to help the vilgers to clear out the monsters inside the wall, but she told me first.
It's not that I don't value my life or anything like that, but I know I lost my cool, and I had just made a mistake, so I really can't make any excuses. All I can do is apologize.
Well, it's probably safer if we work together to defeat the monsters rather than splitting up.
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"Well, let's go. It's a chaotic battle, so be careful not to accidentally hit the vilgers."
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"I know that."
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I would like Fricka to learn to use a close-range weapon for times like this, but given her athletic ability it would be dangerous for her to hold one. When I gave her a short sword she almost cut herself, when gave her a staff for hitting she tripped over it and fell over. It was so bad I wanted to cover my eyes.
They say that everyone has their strengths and weaknesses, but it's rare to see someone this extreme. I should at least develop a support item that allows for chant shortening so she can defend herself on the spot. I would also like to make a magic sword someday... I'm getting sidetracked.
I shook my head lightly and headed towards the sound of the screams, pulling Fricka with me.
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"I thought I was going to die... Thank you."
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"Sorry, can you heal that guy too?"
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"Agaghagah... I'm numb, numb..."
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There were quite a lot of injured people, but thanks to Uru's rampage outside the wall (everyone flinched when they heard the noises), the number of monsters invading the inside seemed to have drastically decreased. We were steadily killing monsters and reducing their numbers, so things were slowly calming down.
If it continued like this, the situation would eventually come to an end, or so I thought, but that was a fg.
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--Gigaaaaaaaahhh!!
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A loud roar rang out, so loud it made my whole body tremble.
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"Wh-what is that thing!?"
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"A big... Snake... Dragon...?"
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"It suddenly appeared! What's going on...!"
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Pushing through the dust, a gigantic snake-like, dragon-like monster appeared.
The vilgers were frightened, as they had never seen anything like it before, and all voiced their confusion.
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"Rion-sama, what is that...?"
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"It's a monster that appears in the desert, with the characteristics of a snake and a lizard... It's an Amphisbaena."
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Its body length is about seven or eight meters. Had it been hiding in the sand for it to have gone unnoticed until it got this close? I wonder if Uru had noticed it, she probably did.
It was a two-headed, two-tailed snake, with limbs and wings growing from its huge body. It looked heavy, but its scales were hard and could not even be scratched by a mediocre bde. It could also fly in the air using its wings, and each head spits poisonous and acidic liquid.
In a normal fight, it would be a formidable opponent.
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I looked at Fricka, who, in contrast to the vilgers who were panicking, was incredibly calm.
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"Oh, you're not nervous, are you?"
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"... Rion-sama doesn't seem to be in a panic, so I thought that everything is okay."
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Oh, I see.
Well, Amphisbaena is certainly a tough enemy. I remember having a hard time with it back when I was pying the game.
You encounter it in the desert, so the footing is bad, poor weapons won't work on it, it can fly through the air and spits out poison and other harmful things.
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But... That's if you fight it normally, that is.
Sadly, although it was also surrounded by miasma, the concentration of it was low.
In other words.
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"Uru!!"
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Far ahead, a small back could be seen between the colpsed walls.
Faced by the gigantic Amphisbaena, it neither ran away nor panicked. It faced it with a dignified posture.
Its reliable back made it look bigger than the Amphisbaena for a moment, it was only my imagination, but it was probably emotionally right.
Uru kept her back turned, but raised her hands and waved them as if to say, "I can hear you." to me.
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"Fifteen seconds ter! Bst it upwards!"
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Uru clenched her fist at my request and leapt at Amphisbaena.
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"Fricka, chant Sacred Wind Lance. When Uru unches it up, attack."
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"Okay."
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Fricka immediately began chanting.
I nocked my own Sacred Wind Arrow (which I'd had various magic enchanted in it beforehand. I am really overworking Fricka after all?) and drew it back, waiting for the time to come.
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--Dogon!!
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--Gugyaaah!?
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Exactly fifteen seconds ter, as ordered.
A particurly loud impact sounded, and a beat ter the huge body of Amphisbaena was unched into the air with a bang.
The scene was so comical it seemed like a dream, but this was the perfect opportunity.
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"--Become a spear like a storm that pierces evil power. Sacred Wind Lance!"
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"Go for it!!"
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Doppaaaaaaaaa!!
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The two holy wind spear pierced the defenseless body of Amphisbaena, blowing most of it away.
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"Ah, the magic stone... Is it okay?"
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It looked like an object that looked like a magic stone was sent flying away, but Uru skillfully caught it. If it was separated from the main body to that extent, it would not be able to serve as a power source to the monster.
The magic stones of powerful monsters make good materials, so if we can be avoided without being crushed, that's the best.
I thought I could rex at this point, but it seems the situation is still won't let me rest.
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"Big brother! Are you okay?"
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A familiar boy ran out into the harsh battlefield, letting out a painful cry.
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"Fricka, I'm going to go rescue the injured people outside."
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"Yes."
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The scene outside the walls was devastating. Monster corpses were scattered everywhere, and the stench of rotting flesh and bodily fluids gave off a foul smell.
None of the vilgers were in good health, and many were sitting or colpsed, either from fatigue or from the severity of their injuries.
I had given some potions to Uru, but perhaps there weren't enough, or she didn't have the time to use them. Anyway, without even taking the time to check the severity of the injuries of the vilgers, I started indiscriminately scattering them with Fricka's help. Some of the vilgers were suffering from abnormal conditions, but I decided that as long as their LP wasn't depleted, they would probably be able to survive, so I put them off for ter.
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And so, when we finally arrived at the pce that was the front line, we found Uru scratching her head in frustration, holding an empty potion bottle.
Lying at her feet were the boy from before and the man the boy had called his brother.
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However, it was clear that he was no longer alive.
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"--!"
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My heart thumped, making an unpleasant noise.
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"Big Bro! Big Bro... Please answer!"
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The boy seemed half-crazed and clung to the young man, shaking him without caring that he was getting covered in blood.
It was spilling out from wherever he was shaking.
From his torn arms. From his crushed legs. From the stomach that had been sshed open, with his organs spilling out.
The remains of a life that had long since ended.
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I stood there frozen, unable to call out to the boy, but it seemed he noticed me.
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He suddenly raised his head and, with a face that was a mixture of despair and hopelessness, screamed out a plea to me.
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"Hey, you have some amazing potions, right?! Help my brother too!!"