Chick (Chicken)
After handing over the magic beast mats to the blacksmith, we went to a magic tool store to order enchanted accessories for Alma, and that was it for our equipment.
I asked the store to enchant the Magi Pearl I bought on whim at the port town, wonder if it was for the best.
When I said, 'I think this would look good on you Alma, what do you think?', she gave an immediate reply, 'That'll do'. Me think she should think it through more as the one that'll be wearing it...
Well, I guess it's fine if she's happy with it... I should give her more time to dress up next time.
Afterward, we went to the adventurer guild to take on magic beast culling commissions like usual.
The receptionist appraised me and said, 'Ah, you're that man I heard about'.
What did you hear. Can't you pick better words please. Just what kind of intel do they have on me anyway.
It's nice that the commission taking process went smoothly, but it's really bugging me now...
I saw urgent recruitment notices for anti-demon corps, or for a town defense on the bulletin board, apparently there's been an influx of demon-related commissions lately.
Considering what happened at Vinfitt, this doesn't hit far from home to us. Guess anything demon is gonna be urgent, what a dangerous world we live in.
It finally feels like the war is on the cusp of breaking out. I'd like to take shelter but where, I don't think anywhere is safe, so for now we should focus on getting stronger to deal with any trouble we might get dragged into.
So there you have it, entering [Monster Mountains Wilenfillet], unauthorized people turn around.
It boasts the greatest area of any magic beast territory I've come across so far, I can sense magic beast proliferating the entirety of my search area.
What's going on here. Is a Stampede happening soon or what?
<<This area is about as big as Japan's Hokkaido, there are 11 towns adjacent to this territory. Even if a Stampede were to occur, the magic beasts would disperse between all those towns, making it manageable. However, several thousands beasts would still invade in spite of that, as such reinforcements are required.>>
Several thousands even after dispersal!? Daijel's Stampede only had around 600 beasts, just how small scale was that...
I'm sensing some stupidly strong magic beast readings on higher elevations too, the thought of those invading towns sends a chill down my spine. Heck, are those maybe the boss of each mountain? What kind of monsters inhabit those places anyway.
"Fuwaa, what a spectacular view. This vastness has a different feel to it from the sea at the port town."
"When I heard mountain range, my image was rows of mountains, and yet all this greenery is a thing of beauty."
"Yeppers. Would have been the color of autumn if we waited a bit more, but we'd probably have moved on to another town by then."
『Cluck.』
For the time being, gotta enjoy the view and raise our spirits.
We're gonna spend some time here for leveling, might as well enjoy this until we get tired of it.
By the way, Hiyone has undone its Mimicry back to a chicken for leveling. The name Hiyone feels a bit weird now, maybe we should have a do over? Like Niwako.
<TLN: I'm really not sure if he named the chick, 'Hiyone' or, 'Hiyoko' aka literally 'chick' now.>
『Cluck! Cluuck!』
You'd rather stay with 'Hiyone'? Think about it seriously? I'm being serious though. Eh, that makes it worse? Oh okay.
Maybe I should go with a cool name instead of cute? Like Gonzales... Okay, okay, sorry, it's my bad, quit kicking me with your spur.
While we were having this dumb skit, we found our first villager, I mean magic beast.
No, not just one. More like 20-30 of them.
They're insect-type beasts below Lv10, coming at us in a swarm while letting out unpleasant buzzing noises.
Bees, butterflies, beetles, grasshoppers... Ew, so gross! I'm getting goosebumps just looking at them!
"Hiiyi!? There's so many, so many buuuuugs!"
"...Disgusting."
Reina's over reaction and Alma's sharp remark almost made me laugh.
Getting swarmed by that is no laughing matter though. Gross.
"Alma, leave two, three of them for Hiyone, and..."
"Un, I'm burning them."
Alma replied right away before shooting a barrage of fire balls like a machine gun at the swarming insects.
The swarm is getting turned into cinders as we speak. Merciless.
...I get her, I really do. But maybe hold back a, okay no, they're gross.
"O-only three bugs left in a flash... Alma-san's magic is so amazing."
"You can do it too if you rearrange your Skills with Mana Control, Reina... There's a limit to it though."
"Limit is it? What kind?"
"Your creativity. Without a good understanding on how to make best use of Mana Control, then..."
<TLN: Catch the latest updates and edits at Sousetsuka .com >
Alma said something seemingly with a deeper meaning to it, while Reina tilted her head in confusion at that.
Lately, it seems Alma has begun questioning her tactics, she's been checking out what she can do bit by bit.
Of course it ended up with her running out of mana until I refilled it. Been telling her not to use up all of her mana, how many- (etc).
『Cluck!』
Whoa, gotta start Hiyone's leveling now.
Let me see how good you are now after Status Succession.
...Its original Attributes weren't that high, so the boost didn't do that much.
『Cluuck!!』
!?
Eh, so fast!?
I get Hiyone used Quick Step to zero in on the magic beasts, but that speed is not normal.
Not quite Ground Shrink level, yet it's way fast compared to normal Quick Step. Oy oy, there's no way...
<<Hiyone had strengthened Quick Step through the use of Energy Control. It learned from the time Kajikawa Hikaru powered it up.>>
But I only boosted Hiyone's Attributes with energy like a couple time or so?! It can already use Energy Control by itself!?
Hiyone mowed down the magic beasts with Extended Mana Claw, killing them all in one go. You can tell it's that Platinum Chicken's child, alright.
Hiyone is moving much better than the first time I had it do leveling. Perhaps Succession also let one inherit part of the battle experience.
『Cluck.』
Hiyone put on a smug face this way. Okay okay, that was great.
Seeing as it can deal with multiple enemies easily, the leveling process should go smooth now.
So yeah, next up, going up against five at once. Fighto.
『...Cluck!?』
'Eh no, that's too much', I'd ignore that.
You can do it, I believe in you. Surely. Hopefully.
『...Pi.』
Hiyone went back to chick size flopping down after defeating more than 30 beasts.
'I don't wanna go on anymore', I can sense that thought transmitted... Guess that was too much.
I actually went out of my way to avoid it being as bad as Reina's first day leveling, but I guess it's a struggle still.
"Can't be helped, guess we're done with Hiyone's leveling for today. And it's just right on time for lunch too."
『Pipi! Pipipii!!』
"Okay okay, I've made a lot, eat to your heart's content. Noon will be our turn to level, you can ride on my shoulder and watch."
『Pi.』
"You're chatting like it's the most normal thing... Kajikawa-san is finally graduating from human to magic beast..."
"Reina, one-on-one fight versus a Lv30s magic beast this noon."
"Sorry, I'm sorry!!"
"...So lively."
Alma's right, it's lively for a party this small. We're lacking tension too. This place is a magic beast territory you know.
But well I don't see any beast we should be wary of on my Map.
Now then, it's the real thing from noon on. Let's see how well can Alma and Reina handle the magic beasts here.