Chapter 115 - A Monster's Killing Intent
As we continued north through the western forest, our usual hunting ground, the flat path began to turn into an incline.
"The deep mountains start from here,"
Lauren-san, who was walking in front, said.
In other words, from here on, it would be the first time for both me and Kyle.
Ahead of us was a place that couldn't even be called a path, more rugged and overgrown than anything before. Perhaps because people rarely entered, the footing was uneven and the grass grew wild.
Since the trees grew in a disorganized fashion, visibility would be worse than ever. Monsters would come out from within that, so we had to stay sharp.
As Lauren-san strode forward with a practiced air, Kyle and I followed slightly behind.
"What kind of monsters are around here?"
I knew most monsters, but there might be some that only lived here.
"Goblins, Black Wolves, Oribu, Dial, Bugbears, Horned Rabbits, and Rock Birds, I guess? There are other kinds, but those are the ones you mainly see."
Since it wasn't exactly a magical region overflowing with mana, the monsters that appeared were on the gentler side. That said, there were various other kinds, so we couldn't let our guard down.
The only one I hadn't heard of was the Oribu.
"What kind of monsters are Oribu and Dial?"
Just as I was about to ask about the Oribu, Kyle asked the question for me.
"An Oribu is, simply put, like a small boar with a hard head. They don't have fangs like boars do, but instead, their heads are incredibly hard. If they feel like it, they can smash trees and rocks just by charging."
I see, a type of monster with an abnormally developed skull.
Compared to general boar-type monsters, they lacked fangs, so measuring the distance seemed like it would be easy.
That said, if one were to crash into your leg, it would certainly send you flying and break your bones.
"Don't ever try to shoot them in the head with an arrow, okay? It'll just bounce off."
""Understood.""
They might be a slightly unfamiliar opponent for a pure archer like Kyle. Well, it'll be fine if Lauren-san or I show him how to defeat them.
"Next is the Dial, which is a large deer with twisted horns. However, they're more intelligent than deer and have a violent temperament. They'll charge at you immediately with a 'kill them before they kill me' vibe. Also, even if you fire an arrow from the front, they'll deflect it with their horns, so if you're going to finish one off, do it before it notices you."
Dials are a bit smarter and more proactive than ordinary monsters. If you're going to take one down from long range, it would be easiest to do so before the opponent detects you, as Lauren-san said.
If we were found and charged at, it seemed like it would be a hassle in the unfamiliar mountains. Since their body length was larger than a human's, they probably had quite a bit of presence.
"Well, they're a tough opponent for the current Kyle to handle."
"They're the kind of monster that a C-rank party of adventurers would take down, after all."
"I-Is that so?"
Kyle was surprised to hear my words.
When told in words, it's vague, but having a clear index like that probably conveys the threat level more easily.
The Adventurer Guild's grading of monster threat levels can sometimes make people careless, but it also has the effect of serving as a warning like this.
Though, in my experience, once you get to B-rank monsters and beyond, the guild's grading isn't very reliable.
"Among these, the ones that would be appreciated if hunted are the Horned Rabbits and Rock Birds, right?"
As the one marrying Flora, the Village Chief's daughter, I had to work hard as a hunter this year. Since I would also become the Next Village Chief, I wanted to show that I was reliable and had the strength worthy of being Flora's partner.
If so, it would be best to hunt the monsters with the highest difficulty that would bring the most joy.
"Yeah, and also Dial and Oribu. Especially Dials are hard to hunt, so if you bag one every year, the villagers are overjoyed."
"Then let's hunt about ten this year."
A monster of the Dial's level was easy enough even for one person.
"Hey now, no matter how much it's you, Aldo... is what I thought, but you already took down a Red Bear by yourself."
"If it's you, Aldo-san, you might actually do it."
By the way, a Red Bear is categorized as a B-rank monster, so it's tougher than a Dial. Compared to that, even multiple Dials would be easy.
"Well, today is just for scouting, so I won't be hunting that many."
"Oh, that's a help. Dials are big, so if you hunt them one after another like that, transporting them would be a nightmare. Please hold back for today."
As I was exchanging light banter with Lauren-san, my ears caught a faint sound.
"...Lauren-san."
"This is!"
When I lowered my voice and spoke with a serious expression, Lauren-san also made a face as if he had noticed.
As expected of Lauren-san. He noticed the presence immediately.
I was about to be impressed, but Lauren-san fell silent for a while and then scratched his head awkwardly.
"Sorry, I still don't get it."
"...Master."
Even Kyle, who had been on guard, sounded exasperated at this.
"No, no, there's no sign of anything! Kyle, are you saying you can tell!"
"I can't. In fact, it's so quiet I doubt there's really anything there, but if Aldo-san says so, then there is."
"Dammit, Aldo's detection range is as weird as ever. Where exactly are they?"
The two of them looked around and closed their eyes to probe the surroundings.
But it seemed they still couldn't tell.
"There's a presence of a small creature over in that direction."
"...Don't know."
"I don't know either."
I pointed my finger, but the two of them stared in that direction and answered flatly.
"For now, let's try getting closer."
At Lauren-san's word, it was decided that we would try approaching with me leading the way.
As I stepped forward to lead, Lauren-san noticed halfway through, and Kyle noticed a bit later.
"...Hey, it's pretty far away. How did you notice it from back there?"
"Is that so?"
Personally, I didn't think I had sensed a creature that far away.
"Also, there are some fairly large presences over that way and that way. Are they Dials?"
"With you around, Aldo-san, it's easy because we know where the opponents are even in a mountain full of monsters."
"! This will make things too easy for Kyle! Hey, Aldo. From now on, you don't have to mention the far-off prey!"
"Ah, yes. Understood."
This was the first time I'd been told not to report what I'd sensed. I felt a bit guilty pretending not to notice when I did, but I'll endure it for Kyle's sake.
For now, we decided to go see the source of the first presence I'd noticed, so we approached quietly while masking our presence.
Then, about twenty meters ahead, we saw a rabbit-like silhouette with brown fur. However, it had a magnificent horn that was ill-suited to its adorable appearance.
Horned Rabbits are popular as a beginner quest for novice adventurers, but one cannot be careless as they have caused many deaths and injuries in the shadows.
"Is that a Horned Rabbit?"
"Yeah, that's it. A monster that leaps and impales its prey with the horn on its forehead. It doesn't seem to have noticed us yet... want to try?"
When Lauren-san asked with a serious expression, Kyle swallowed hard and then nodded firmly.
At this distance, Kyle could hit it with his usual skill.
"It would be good if you could finish it with the bow, but if you miss, it'll attack you. It's hard to hit a Horned Rabbit with a bow once it starts leaping with its horn, so use the dagger at your waist then. A Horned Rabbit makes a large motion of gathering strength in its legs when it leaps. If you dodge with the right timing, stab it from the side."
"Understood."
There was a sense of tension hanging around Kyle as he nodded firmly.
Lauren-san was watching such a Kyle with a somewhat worried look.
Kyle's only experience defeating a monster was a Goblin. Goblins are certainly dangerous monsters, but looking at the horn on the Horned Rabbit's forehead, it's obvious which one is more terrifying.
If he missed, it would come charging at him, so the pressure must be great.
"Kyle, if anything happens, Lauren-san and I will step in to help, so don't worry."
"Thank you."
I thought it might help him relax a bit, but Kyle's voice was stiff.
Calling out any more would just be a distraction for Kyle. We just had to stand firm and follow up for him.
Having decided that, Lauren-san and I moved a little away from Kyle to watch over him.
Kyle readied his bow and notched an arrow.
There were no obstacles between our thicket and the Horned Rabbit. Well, we had taken up positions in an easy-to-aim spot.
The Horned Rabbit was sniffing the ground, twitching its nose, unaware of us.
The target wasn't moving much. Now was the chance to aim.
While Lauren-san and I watched, Kyle took a deep breath and then released the arrow.
The arrow released from Kyle's bow flew straight toward the Horned Rabbit—and then, it pierced the ground, slightly missing the Horned Rabbit.
The Horned Rabbit immediately turned toward us.
And it caught sight of Kyle, who had a look of panic on his face.
The Horned Rabbit distorted its cute face, piercing Kyle with red eyes overflowing with anger and killing intent.
"!?"
Showered by the Horned Rabbit's gaze, Kyle's shoulders gave a violent twitch.
His usual calm expression vanished, and he reached for his quiver in a panic.
"As if your arrow would hit now! Steel yourself and draw your dagger!"
Perhaps becoming a bit more composed after hearing Lauren-san's roar, Kyle discarded his bow and drew the dagger from his waist.
In the meantime, the Horned Rabbit came straight for Kyle.
It leaped with leg strength unsuited to its thin legs, rapidly eating up the distance.
However, Kyle remained motionless with his sword readied. I thought he was gauging the Horned Rabbit's movements, but I was wrong.
His complexion was so pale he looked ill, and cold sweat was pouring from his forehead.
It was the expression of someone swallowed by a monster's killing intent, an expression I had seen many times before.