Published at 11th of February 2021 05:28:05 PM

270 The Great Grafant

I lead Aro, the lesser treant, and the baby araenie en masse into the forest. As usual, its not like we can show our faces to the Lithovars at the moment, so I lead them in the opposite direction to the village.

The baby araenie are crawling around as they please, though at least it looks like theyre following me to an extent If they stray too much, theyll end up inside an abyss right away, so I hope they dont do as they please too much. Theres no way for me to get them to understand what I say, so theres no helping it. If I only feed them, theyll grow lazy and wont ever be able to hunt for themselves.

First of all, I want to get the baby araenie to evolve up to D-rank. That should be enough to make them considerably more sturdy.

My [Presence Perception] isnt picking up on any Lithovars, so I carefully proceed through the forest.

Noticing some small presences, I raise my eyes to once again see a group of small children sitting on a tree branch, emitting a faint green light. Theyre forest children, rarans. Theyre lined up on a nearby tree branch. Theres eight of them this time, more than usual. I wonder if theres some reason for there to be so many of them. I hadnt thought they were very heavy, but with so many, the branch is starting to creak.

It doesnt look like theyre doing anything beyond just observing me from a distance. Theyre still keeping an eye on me, then? Its a bit creepy.

Hey, wouldnt you guys say Im getting used to being the dragon-god? I give them a look packed with that thought, but they dont give any particular response. After observing me for a while, they all jump down from the branch together and start running in the same direction. They soon disappear, not a single one being left behind.

As usual, I dont understand them. Do they want me to follow them?

But that way Id be going into the shallow part of the forest. Itd be one thing if it was just me, but since Aro and the others are here, I dont want to walk around an area where the encounter rate of people is high. Last time I followed one of them, it led me to finding another village. Though theres no reason for them to take me anywhere Was it just a coincidence? Both previously and now, they just ran off in the opposite direction form me and disappeared.

This way, this way!

While Im worrying about what to do, my partner starts pulling me in a different direction. She mustve spotted something. I probe around that direction with [Presence Perception].

Theres a large presence that way. I put my head to the ground and hear what sounds like massive footsteps. Is it a giant-type monster? I cant say anything without seeing its status, but it doesnt sound very fast. I can help from the side, so Im wondering if its perfect for everyone to earn some experience.

The giant monster is headed in this direction, so I wait in a place where theres a good view of the surroundings.

Its big, but its still a size smaller than me. Its as large as the little rock dragon at best. I feel a bit nostalgic, remembering being unable to do anything but run away from it with Miria.

While Im indulging in my emotions, a distant tree falls down. The monster that makes its appearance by the base of the tree is a giant cow, about six metres tall and covered with light brown hair. The hair on its face is bizarrely long. Its eyes are bright red and its breathing is rough, so its clear that its in a state of excitement.

I-it might be a little tough. Anyway, from this distance, I can check its status.

Species: Grafant

Condition: Enraged

Lv: 27/65

HP: 342/361

MP: 125/153

Attack: 152

Defense: 167

Magic: 98

Speed: 64

Rank: C

Characteristic Skills:

[Short-tempered: Lv-] [Automatic HP Recovery: Lv 1]

Resistance Skills:

[Physical Resistance: Lv 2] [Poison Resistance: Lv 3] [Fall Resistance: Lv 4]

Normal Skills:

[Horn Lance: Lv 4] [Charge: Lv 3] [Ramming Attack: Lv 2] [High Jump: Lv 3] [Meteor Dive: Lv 2] [Power: Lv 3]

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Title Skills:

[Strongman of the Forest: Lv 4] [Reckless Charger: Lv 3]

Aros status is [Magic: 42], [Speed: 22]. Previous experience has taught me that in order to damage a target, you need to hit it with firepower of atleast half the its defense.

If I make a wound and they aim for that, they should be able to get some of the experience But if anyone takes a single hit from the grafant, theyre dead, so its a bit dangerous.

But, theres no mistaking that its a good target. With my speed, I should be able to interject the moment it tries to attack Aro and the others. Plus, Im grateful that it doesnt have any suspicious skills.

Theres some skills there that I dont recognise, but judging from their names, theyre only about attacking straight forwards. If I leave its rear to Aro and the others while I take it from the front, it should be restricted in its ability to attack them.

[Meteor Dive] might cause damage in all directions, but since its probably a pair with [High Jump], I should be able to tell when its about to use it. After jumping up high, itll fall back down. If the preparations are long, I should be able to safely evacuate Aro and the others and before maybe launching a counter.

Its level is quite high, so they should be able to get a decent amount of experience points. In order for them to be able to defend against an abyss, I cant let this prey get away. Even if theyre not able to fight an abyss, Id like if they at least had a high enough status to run away. As things are, theres a good chance theyll suddenly end up in the stomach of an abyss one day. They should fight here.

Though I was preoccupied, my partner noticed it first. I ought to concentrate on [Presence Perception] a little bit more.

That looks tasty. Please roast it after the hunt.

Ah, thats why. Part of me was expecting that was why.

I fire off a light [Wind Slash] to the grafants foot. Clad in magic power, the blade of wind draws closer to the grafants leg as though sucked in, before leaving a slight wound in its surface.

Of course, I could slice through its entire leg if I felt like it. But that attack was purely to provoke it. If it got scared and tried to run away, it wouldnt be a fight any more. Its important to attack it lightly like that to appeal that the difference in our fighting ability isnt so large.

Buumo?

The grafant raises its thick neck and fixes me with a hostile gaze. Its eyelid twitches. If it were a human, itd be saying What have you done, you bastard?about now.

I shrink my body down, trying to look as nonthreatening as possible from its perspective. Its the opposite tactic of a weak insect trying to make itself big to look strong. I lower my back to the ground, occasionally fluttering my wings to fire off weak [Wind Slashes]. With a sputtering sound, the blades of wind collide with its forehead.

What are you doing?

Stretching out her head, my partner looks at me in concern. N-no, I was trying to get that huge one over there to let its guard down Well, Im more huge, though. You should stoop down too, partner. Put your jaw on the ground.

BuumoOOOOOOOH!

The grafant opens its mouth and roars as it charges towards me. It looks like the provocation was a success.