## Chapter 117 – Soul Ascension Battle
“Whatever you think about prosecutors, you shouldn’t treat someone you’re meeting for the first time like that. Isn’t that common sense?”
Serka hesitated at my question, then glanced around before speaking.
“…Are you talking about common sense?”
“This bitch still hasn’t learned her lesson. You came at me like a dick, so I’m coming at you like a dick. Isn’t that common sense? If you hate me, I hate you too. Why don’t you get that? Guess it’s your mom’s fault? This is why family education is so important.”
I got off the rock.
I’d rested enough. I couldn’t understand the way these isekai people thought, nor did I need to. If they hate me, they’ll find a reason to hate me. That’s the same whether it’s modern Earth or this isekai.
The world is full of incomprehensible bullshit.
As far as I’m concerned, I can only be appalled by things that don’t make sense from a common-sense perspective. So, I need to be a little more flexible in my thinking. I need to abandon modern common sense and think in a savage, violent, isekai way.
“Break time’s over. Let’s go find that goddamn Konpeito now.”
And so, we set off to find the Konpeito again.
We encountered mushroom monsters and desert runners hiding in the bushes along the way, but we took care of them all without any real danger. Those weak-ass monsters just get a one-way ticket to the afterlife when Kim Katte gets his hands on them. It’s a shame they’re all worthless.
“Roel, when are we going to find it?”
“…I don’t know either.”
Still, we couldn’t find the Konpeito easily. Roel directed Serka this way and that, but it didn’t produce much results. When I asked, she said she didn’t know the details either.
“You don’t know?”
“Yeah. I know where it’s likely to grow, but finding it…”
“Why are you trailing off?”
“It’s just, uh, difficult. So, a little…”
“A little?”
She turned completely pale when I glared at her while talking.
I think she’s a little too scared of me. Well, there’s no need to say anything more, so I decided to just let it go. I sent her ahead again and walked at the back of the party, guarding our surroundings.
This party is running like clockwork, really.
Time just kept passing.
“Finding Konpeito is fucking hard, seriously.”
“K-Katte-nim… Just c-calm down a little…”
“No, I was just grumbling. Because I’m tired. It’s nothing, so don’t be anxious. Do I lose my cool every time I open my mouth?”
I hope you guys are as uncomfortable as I am.
The overflowing bushes made my head spin. The air smelled different, as if there was a strong floral scent in the air. I cut down the overgrown plants, clearing the path. It would be better to mark it like this for when we return.
Then, we came across a hill.
I could see something like a tree growing on top of it.
“F-found it!”
Roel shouted, looking up at the top of the hill.
“Is that tree…?”
“Yeah. That’s the tree where Konpeito grows… *sniff* Finally… I can finally finish this… Finally…!”
I put Roel in front of me, who was a little too moved, and decided to climb the hill. Serka, in the lead, lowered her body and climbed the hill, taking a stance like a boxer. Behind her, Kusto climbed, looking left and right, and finally, it was me and Roel.
—Flutter.
—Flutter.
But as we climbed, I felt like something was flying around. Things that glowed with a faint green light were hovering near the tree.
“Speak of the devil, and he shall appear. Moss Wisps, huh?”
Looking at them, they were Moss Wisps.
It seemed like they appeared because of the song Serka sang last time.
I’d seen Moss Wisps before when I went hunting Cockatrices. Who was it, William? Anyway, I’d watched him easily take them down with a longsword, while Copson and I were in shock.
As far as I knew, Moss Wisps were very dangerous monsters, but after hearing the explanation, that wasn’t the case. I’d mistaken them for Soul Eaters. Anyway, the Wisps’ cores are quite expensive, so taking them would be… Ah, I don’t know. Should I just run?
“Wisp!”
Kusto, who spoke with proper pronunciation for once, let out a scream of surprise.
Then, Roel stepped forward, as if to protect him, and pointed her staff forward.
“Kusto, should we take care of them?”
“Hey, wait a minute. We don’t know how many there are yet.”
I stopped her, who looked like she was about to cast a spell right away.
“…That’s right. Ah, okay.”
I strained my eyes and looked around the tree.
The number of Wisps flying around like fireflies seemed to be three or four. Since they’re monsters that use basic hypnotic magic, close combat would be difficult… And even if I threw a rock, I wouldn’t be able to hit something that’s flying around.
“Hmm, Roel. Have you ever seen a Moss Wisp?”
“…I’ve caught them a lot.”
“Really? Are they easy to deal with?”
“One spell is all it takes.”
Then it should be fine.
I think it would be good to lure them out first, since they might run away, and then take them all out at once with Roel’s magic.
If we get the Konpeito and the Wisps’ cores, we’ll not only be able to ascend, but we’ll also have a decent side income.
“Serka. You go around and climb up, and Kusto, let’s climb up together. Roel, you watch the situation and cast a spell with the intention of ending it in one shot. If a fireball flies out, the ones that get hit won’t matter, but the rest will all run away.”
When I forced them to answer, looking at each other’s faces, they each stuttered and said they understood. Serka then slowly climbed up a little away from us, and I climbed the hill with Kusto.
The higher we climbed, the clearer the Konpeito tree became.
It was an impressive tree with fruit that looked like star candy. Indeed, it looked like a magical ingredient. It looked quite delicious, and my mouth watered. If I take ten of those, I’ll be able to ascend. If there’s any extra, I’ll take that too and gobble it up.
—But.
“Huh? What’s that bastard doing?”
While climbing, I discovered something suspicious.
Even as I spoke, I felt a sense of foreboding, and I stopped everyone. —I could smell a strong, lingering floral scent. What kind of flower scent is it…? At least it didn’t seem like the kind of flower you’d be happy to receive as a gift.
…Something foreign was leaning against the tree.
No.
Wait a minute.
‘Leaning’?
“That bastard…”
Something ‘that looked like a person’ was leaning against the tree.
What is it? Another adventurer? No, then there’s no way the Wisps would be nearby… As if realizing that something was wrong, cold sweat poured down my back and my body began to turn cold.
An extreme sense of tension soared in the face of an unexpected situation… Claudie.
Claudie isn’t here. What is it? What the hell is that?
Why isn’t Elise here either! Copson, damn it! He’s not here either!
All I had around me now were not reliable companions, but rather a bunch of goddamn, fucked-up, motherfucking bastards. Realizing that fact, I felt a chill as if a hole had been drilled in my bones. It was a coldness that would freeze even a May puppy to death.
My adventurer’s danger-sensing sensor, honed over three years, began to sound the alarm.
—Teeeeeeeeeeeng!!!!
Extremely anxious at that signal, I grabbed Kusto’s robe and slowly backed away. Kusto also turned to me with a frozen face and retreated at my pace. He also noticed the suspiciousness of the situation.
“Huh? Kusto? What is it?”
Roel came forward, asking what was there.
For a moment, I had the thought that a hatchet would suddenly appear in my hand, and I should just split this bitch’s head open to silence her. But by the time I thought about it, it was already too late.
“Huh…? What’s that?”
A voice as if she had discovered something.
—And Roel shouted in shock.
“A, a Dryad!!!”
Dryad! Just hearing the name made it sound like a fucked-up monster! In the first place, things that look like people are mostly dangerous. My mind began to fade in the face of this unbelievable situation!
Run.
I have to run!
—…?
‘That thing.’
The Dryad stood up as if awakened by Roel’s shout. Stood up? No. I had a kind of illusion. It didn’t stand up—it bloomed.
It bloomed like a flower.
That alien sight was definitely not human.
“…Monster.”
A female monster that looked like a combination of a flower and a person.
Green skin, vines and petals of green shade wrapped around its body!
What was standing there looked like a person, but at the same time, it also looked like a flower!
“Agent Yellow!”
A half-human, half-flower Dryad!
I felt a level of fear that transcended everything. I absolutely didn’t want to fight an enemy I didn’t know. I’d never even heard of something like that, and I’d never even imagined it in my nightmares! Black Birdman was just a kind-hearted neighborhood fool compared to that!
To hell with Konpeito, I have to live first!
If I fucked up the ascension battle, I’d bow deeply to Claudie and beg and plead, and she’d reluctantly forgive me and hug me. And then I’d be dragged to bed. But if I die, I won’t even be able to do that. I was determined to die in Claudie’s boobies…!
—Whoosh!
“Fire Bolt!!!!!”
That’s when an unexpected situation occurred.
“You fucking bitch!!!!!!”
A scream that seemed to shatter the earth itself burst from my mouth! Roel couldn’t stand it and fired a Fire Bolt!
What’s worse, the fireball flew and crashed into the Konpeito tree, not the Wisps or the Dryad, and exploded.
—Boom!
Your mom, boom!
“You fucking idiot, can’t you even aim!!!”
“D-don’t shake meee!!!”
Out of my mind, I grabbed Roel’s shoulders and shook her wildly.
The Dryad flinched at the sudden explosion. Fortunately, perhaps because of the explosion, the Wisps all found a way to escape. Star candy-like Konpeito fell from the Konpeito tree. Those kind of dreamlike scenes seemed to move slowly, like a slow-motion video.
Should I run away?
No, can I run away?
Or am I simply more afraid of the unknown than I need to be? I couldn’t tell. I don’t fight opponents I don’t know.
—Thwack!
Serka kicked off the ground.
“Why the fuck is that bastard running again!!! Hey Kusto! Stop that thing!”
“S-Serka! Serka! Run, run… away! Run!”
Haaaaaaap!!! Serka’s shout drowned out our pleas. Was it a shout, or a scream? Like a Vajra warrior, she rushed at the Dryad and unleashed a punch that pierced through the soul itself.
—Thwack!
“What!”
At that moment, rising vines created a barrier.
Serka’s punch was futilely blocked by the plant barrier. Is that even possible, damn it! This is fantasy! Serka began to whine. Looking closely, her fist was stuck between the vines.
—Swish!
At that moment, my eyes met the Dryad’s. That thing, no, she looked at my face. She looked at my face—
—And then rushed towards us like an arrow!
“You fucking bastards! At that speed, we can’t even run away! Hey! Prepare for battle!”
Looking at that speed, it seemed impossible to escape from here.
I shouted at myself to hypnotize myself. I gripped the sword I had drawn in my hand. In this extreme situation where I had to risk my life—I made a decision!
It would be a problem if these kids die here.
But it’s more of a problem if I die.
So, should I run away alone? No. It’s getting dark soon. I don’t think I can make it to the city alive if I run away alone.
The Dryad has already spotted us. It would be a more correct judgment that the monster will kill these three and chase after me.
Then, the only way is to use our numerical superiority to overwhelm it.
—Okay. It’s a showdown. I might die, but I believe in my skills and equipment that I’ve built up so far.
—Swish swish!
The Dryad’s build, as she rushed towards us, seemed smaller than mine, at least. The sprinting Dryad spread her palms wide. Hideous fingernails emitted reflected light. It was as if her fingernails contained the primal malice of nature against humanity, which destroys it!
“Kusto! Prepare for battle! Roel! Aim your Fire Bolt!”
“H… Haa, haa! Yes, yes! I understand!”
“F-fire…”
“You idiot, don’t shoot now, aim! Uaaaaaa! It’s coming!!!”
