Chapter 108 - Chapter 107: Side Story: Chimera
[Shesbarno's Perspective]
"Damn it allllllll......"
Shesbarno shouted, catching the giant claw with his body.
But he couldn't withstand the overwhelming impact and was blown away.
No, Shesbarno had judged that he couldn't withstand it, so he flew himself to mitigate the impact.
"Where the hell did you come from!? Damn it!"
Shesbarno straightened his posture and pointed his sword at the giant monster.
The monster's body height was nearly three meters.
A lion's face large enough to swallow Shesbarno whole.
But its torso was like a goat, and a huge snake was sticking its tongue out from its tail.
"A Chimera... Why is such a monster... here."
Shesbarno spat out bitterly.
He had never heard of such a dangerous monster appearing in Modessa Forest.
Moreover, he didn't know where it had appeared from.
It had suddenly attacked the ruins where they were camping in the early morning.
"Hoguajil!"
Shesbarno called out to the Vice-Captain in a loud voice without taking his eyes off the Chimera, but there was no answer.
It seemed he wasn't nearby.
"Neilmeier! Nuborg! Get Neziszas down!"
Shesbarno gave orders to the two knights while on guard.
Several had been injured by the Chimera's surprise attack.
They were trying to get the injured down, but Neziszas was too close to the Chimera to be rescued.
Shesbarno wanted to lure the Chimera away somehow so they could get him down in the gap.
There were plenty of Potions.
If they hurried, there was a high chance he could be saved.
"Captain! No good!"
But Neilmeier, who had received the order, shook his head.
Probably, from Shesbarno's position, he couldn't see it, but Neilmeier could confirm it was a fatal condition.
"Tch... damn it..."
The Chimera rumbled its throat and looked around the knights surrounding it as if licking them.
Was it on guard, or sizing them up?
(...Which one looks the most delicious, huh? Don't lick me, you little doggy...)
When Shesbarno's back teeth ground together, Hoguajil came rushing over, looking urgent while keeping an eye on the Chimera.
"Captain! I brought it!"
What Hoguajil brought upon saying that was a waist bag.
"Good job! Put it on!"
Shesbarno, still wary of the Chimera, made him strap the waist bag to his own waist.
He lightly patted the securely strapped waist bag.
(...One, two, three, four... ten... With just this much...)
Confirming the ones lined up two by two inside the waist bag, Shesbarno raised the corner of his mouth.
With this, Shesbarno was fully prepared to fight.
But for the other knights, it would just be getting beaten up.
"Hoguajil, take command of the unit. Just get everyone to retreat. If possible, even the dead ones..."
"I'm sorry, Captain. Please order that to someone else."
Saying that, Hoguajil moved the waist bag attached to his own waist and showed it to Shesbarno.
Shesbarno made a dumbfounded face.
"Hey, hey, openly ignoring orders? ...You've got some guts."
"Of course, right? What do you think I'm doing assigned to this damn squad?"
Shesbarno's squad, a collection of outcasts.
The fact that they were assigned there naturally meant there was a reason for it.
Shesbarno let out a bitter smile.
Then, he gave the orders to Neilmeier and Nuborg again.
The knights surrounding the Chimera carefully withdrew.
During that time, Shesbarno and Hoguajil had only kept the Chimera at bay, buying time.
And finally, only Shesbarno and Hoguajil were left.
They slowly moved their positions, successfully separating the Chimera from Neziszas.
They managed to retrieve him.
"...However, having more idiots than expected was out of my calculations."
"Is that so? Isn't this about normal?"
Shesbarno glanced sideways.
Then, there were several people who had ignored orders other than Hoguajil.
Ignoring the order to retreat, they were hiding in the forest so as not to get in the way of the Captain and Vice-Captain.
"After all, it's a squad that gathered idiots from the whole kingdom."
"Hehe... That's right."
Shesbarno returned his gaze to the Chimera.
"...About time."
"Yes, it's about the right time."
Shesbarno and Hoguajil did not exchange glances.
Still, the two spoke the incantation at exactly the same time.
"Fire God, source of creation. You, great divine offspring, god of overflowing and surging power. Hear our prayer, cast off calamity, crush hardship, and grant us the mighty power to break through!"
In that instant, the two bodies were wrapped in heat haze.
Manifesting [Physical Enhancement] via [God's Miracle], their physical abilities jumped up.
Guguaaaaaaaaooooooo!
The Chimera let out a huge roar.
Lowering its posture, it was clear it had entered a combat stance, no longer playing around.
(Ten bottles of mana recovery potions. With just this much, even if I strengthen the enhancement and do something reckless, it should be manageable.)
Hoguajil quickly moved to the side of the Chimera.
The Chimera, baited by that movement, turned its head toward Hoguajil.
"What are you looking at! You little doggy!"
From the front of the Chimera, which had turned its head, Shesbarno slashed down.
Shesbarno slashed the Chimera's cheek, and Hoguajil simultaneously slashed its torso.
Zashu! Bashu!
Gyaaaooo!
Slashed in two places at once, the Chimera couldn't help but scream.
It was a bit shallow, but finally, they could strike back.
A little of the blood that had risen to their heads went down.
"I'll finish this in one go!"
The time they could manifest [Physical Enhancement] was limited.
There were mana recovery potions, but if they strengthened the enhancement, those would disappear in a flash.
There was no time to waste even for a second.
"Uraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"
Letting out a war cry, Shesbarno charged at the Chimera.
Gyaooo!
The Chimera, dyed bright red with blood flowing from its whole body, let out a dying scream.
When Shesbarno pulled out the deeply stabbed sword, blood sprayed out vigorously.
"Die quickly! You dog bastard!"
Shesbarno thrust his sword again into the throat of the Chimera, which could no longer move properly.
Gubuuuu... Gyugyubu...!
Had its windpipe been damaged? The Chimera could no longer bark.
Shesbarno pulled out his sword, stepped back a few paces, and sat down heavily on the spot.
"Captain!"
"Captain Shesbarno!"
The knights who had been watching Shesbarno's fight in the forest rushed over.
Looking over, knights were also rushing to Hoguajil, who had rolled onto the ground, and it seemed they were using Potions.
Hoguajil hadn't been hit by the Chimera, but he had squeezed out all his mana to the limit. He wasn't unconscious, but he couldn't move properly.
He had already used up all his handheld mana recovery potions and couldn't even walk on his own.
Shesbarno searched his own waist bag and pushed the last remaining bottle to one of the knights.
"...Use this."
"But, Captain?"
"I'm fine. Go quickly."
He shoved the knight's chest with a thud and waved his hand to hurry them along.
"Captain, a Potion."
"Okay."
He drank the handed-over Potion in one breath and exhaled, phuu...
Shesbarno took another Potion and slung it over his left arm.
He had been slightly burned by the Chimera's Fire Breath, so he could move, but it throbbed with terrible pain.
When he applied the Potion, the pain eased considerably.
It wasn't fully healed, but it seemed there would be no trouble moving.
Shesbarno slowly stood up.
"Well then, you lot. You stayed even though you ignored orders. You still haven't done enough work, have you?"
"Huh?"
"Eh?"
The knights looked blankly, wondering what Shesbarno was going to say.
"An investigation into the cause of the doggy appearing out of nowhere. It seems related to those missing mages, you idiots."
"Whaaaat!?"
"Seriously...!"
When Shesbarno grinned, the knights made faces of despair.
It seemed they didn't expect him to say something like that right after fighting such a monster; they collapsed or looked up at the sky.
"Haha, just kidding, just kidding. Of course, we need to straighten out our formation first. I also need to tell the Knight Commander."
At Shesbarno's words, the knights visibly sighed, "Haaa...", exhaling.
Hoguajil also seemed to have recovered his mana and stood up while being helped.
Hoguajil had taken a little Ice Breath from the snake attached to the Chimera's tail on his leg, but it seemed he didn't suffer a serious injury from that either.
"We'll retreat for now. We don't know what else is lurking. Don't let your guard down."
"Yes!"
Technically, they should seal off the area around the ruins right now, but dealing with monsters wasn't their specialty.
Even if they left some units for surveillance, if another Chimera like that appeared again, it would be too much to handle.
They needed to find effective ways for knights other than Shesbarno and Hoguajil, who could use [Physical Enhancement], to fight.
If they made knights fight without a plan, the result would just be more casualties.
The knight walking in front kept an eye on the surroundings, looking around.
Then, he looked at Shesbarno, and his expression hardened.
The knight's gaze passed right through Shesbarno and looked behind him.
(No way!?)
Shesbarno instinctively turned around.
Had the Chimera he had just finished off started moving?
He turned around with that premonition, but the corpse of the Chimera was still lying there unchanged.
"Impossible!?"
But another Chimera, different from the one just now, had appeared.
(Where the hell did you come from!? N-no, this isn't the time!)
Shesbarno and Hoguajil were already covered in wounds.
They had already used up their lifeline, the mana recovery potions.
(Grr... Should I run!? No, no good!)
He didn't think they could escape.
More importantly, if such a monster followed Shesbarno and the others out of the forest, it would be a disaster.
(If it goes to District 3! How many casualties do you think will happen!!!)
Knights who should protect the people would never leave the forest knowing that would happen.
They were a collection of outcasts, but as knights, they had that much pride.
"Call the unit back immediately! Send a messenger to the Knight Commander! Go!"
Shesbarno ordered the knight walking in front as if shouting, and he himself drew his sword again to face the Chimera.
The sharpness of the sword was already starting to dull.
But still, ---.
"Only those who think of themselves as knights follow me! Those who aren't knights are in the way, get lost quickly!"
He shouted that and ran under the Chimera.
To be honest, Shesbarno had already given up on returning alive.
After all, they had defeated a monster with two people using [Physical Enhancement], and now without [Physical Enhancement].
He wasn't so conceited as to think he could defeat it in a state of exhaustion.
(...It's going to be a fight where lives are ground down.)
Ordering a charge while knowing they will die.
Ordering a delay while knowing they will be crushed.
It would be a fight like that, throwing away their lives.
"...Captain, how do we proceed?"
Hoguajil lined up beside Shesbarno.
Looking over, all the knights who had remained earlier, except for the messenger, were still there.
"Tch... you big idiots."
Muttering that, Shesbarno laughed.
The squad members had been kicked out by knight orders all over the kingdom.
Knight orders were full of rules and regulations, annoying, and focused on strength in groups rather than individual strength.
It was a strange organization that ordered you to accommodate the weak.
When they had kicked out an annoying superior officer and kicked a clumsy colleague, they had nowhere to stay.
What's wrong with strong knights?
That's right.
Shesbarno had just aimed to become a strong knight.
He was clumsy in various ways, not very smart, and couldn't explain what he was aiming for to others well.
Not to mention, he couldn't even understand it himself well.
Still, Shesbarno aimed to become a strong knight.
Not a knight as a profession, working for his salary, or not starving for a lifetime.
He wanted to become a knight that he himself recognized, within his own heart.
Ozendorwa had gathered rough knights from all over the kingdom, but he was properly seeing their essence.
He didn't want just thugs.
Even if others didn't evaluate them, he gathered those who held a knight's soul in their hearts.
Most of all, Ozendorwa's standards were hard for Shesbarno to understand, and at first glance, they were no different from a group of thugs.
After all, they were a bunch who didn't intend to follow military rules properly.
Even if they said they aimed to be strong knights, they would be laughed at.
Still, they knew what they should protect, and when they should fight.
More than anything ---.
"I'm sorry. It seems today is that day."
The day to use his own life.
He understood that.
He thought it would come eventually.
He thought he was always ready.
Still, it weighed on his heart more than he thought.
"Ah, well, it's tough, isn't it."
"Well, days like that come around sometimes."
"What? Is there something special about today?"
"I'm telling you to die, you slowpoke."
"Oh, I see."
But the subordinates had no tension whatsoever.
Hoguajil let out a bitter smile at the tone that was exactly the same as usual.
But soon, he tightened his expression.
"If we follow the theory, we surround them. But with this number, even if we surround a monster that size, it probably won't mean anything."
"Yes."
The Chimera before their eyes was even larger than the one they had just defeated.
Its body height easily exceeded three meters.
Surrounding it would make the line thin.
Surrounding only has meaning if that state can be maintained.
There is no point in a siege that can be easily broken.
Then, in that case...
"Split into two groups, restrain from the front. Attack from the flank and rear --- no good! Don't come!!!"
Shesbarno suddenly shouted.
The knights watching the Chimera and Shesbarno also immediately understood why Shesbarno shouted.
Beyond the Chimera.
A young girl appeared from that bush.
Shesbarno tried to rush out instinctively, but his feet tangled and he fell to his knees.
Using a Potion would recover stamina, but it wouldn't completely remove fatigue.
"You two, go! Protect that girl and evacuate immediately! Quickly!!!"
They must absolutely avoid civilian casualties.
Receiving Shesbarno's order, two knights headed toward the bush on the side.
On the opposite side of the Chimera.
They couldn't go straight there.
"I'll draw attention here! Hoguajil, take those two and go there!"
He positioned Hoguajil on the side opposite to the bush the two knights headed toward.
Shesbarno and Hoguajil would restrain, so the Chimera's attention wouldn't turn to the girl.
(Absolutely! Absolutely, I won't let such a child become a sacrifice!)
If it came to it, he would jump at the Chimera head-on to draw its attention to himself.
Children are the treasure of the nation.
Children are the future of the nation.
If that could be exchanged for that, what a better way to use a life.
"Uoooooooooooooooooooooh!"
Shesbarno spurred himself on and let out a war cry with all his might and spirit.
[Author's Note]
To everyone who always reads my work, thank you.
Recently, the number of PVs per day suddenly increased, which surprised me a bit.
Two days after celebrating that we achieved a past record, we hit double that amount of PVs, so I'm twisting my neck wondering what's going on.
Well, I also think it's because the base number was low to begin with...
I apologize that I can't always reply to your comments.
It makes me very happy and encourages me, but please forgive me for not replying individually.
Thank you to those who report typos and such.
I try to look over it many times and be careful, but whether my eyes are bad or my head is bad, I often find things myself even after posting.
I correct them each time, but if anything comes up in the future, I would appreciate it if you could report it.
Thank you to everyone who has "Bookmarked," "Rated," or "Liked" my work.
It encourages me very much.
When I was a reader on "Narou," I didn't even have an account, so I never did those things, but I am filled with regret that receiving them is this happy.
Nowadays, I only have time to write every day, so I don't have the leisure to read others' works, but I think I will actively do so from now on.
And to everyone who has accompanied me this far, I express my gratitude.
It's still a long way to go, but I want to try to finish writing until the end, so please continue to support me.
I don't often have the opportunity to say thank you, so I haven't told you these things much until now, but I thought of this as one such opportunity and wrote this.
I am very happy that you support me.
From now on (from now on?), I will squeeze out my limited wisdom and hope to deliver content that you can enjoy even a little.
Riuto Gunshi