Riot Grasper - Volume 3 - Chapter 3

Volume 3, Chapter 3 【The Monster Lurking in the Forest】

Inside a room of Bellyful Flavors, I pleasantly welcomed the morning.

Although there were no ringing bells in the Royal Capital to tell me that it was morning, I had developed a habit of rising early.

After finishing breakfast, I had Stela-san tell me the location of the Adventurer Guild and left the inn.

This canal system would be a useful defence in emergencies. Thanks to Rook, however, forcing my way to the destination without taking a detour was refreshing.

… As for my plan going forward, I wanted to put showing my face at the King’s off for the time being.

Although it was the greatest of honors to have been invited personally by the King, to be his subordinate, I wanted to travel this world freely.

Besides, all of this might as well be a joke. He might have said it on the spur of my achievement in rescuing Marita. There was even a possibility that I would be turned down at the door.

A lowly adventurer, who took diplomatic words seriously, visited the royal palace, and was arrested by the soldiers for spouting such nonsense as, “I was chosen by the King”――It would not be funny.

For now, I wanted to receive quests from the Guild, create new magic, and reinforce my skills all the while.

My current status――

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Name: Seiji Agatsuma
Race: Human
Age: 18
Job: Adventurer (Rank C-)
Unique: Thief’s Eyes
Skills
Thief’s Godly Skill Lv3 (24/150)
Physical Ability Enhancement Lv3 (14/150)
Sword Arts Lv3 (97/150)
Abnormal Status Resistance Lv3 (1/150)
Vitality Enhancement Lv2 (34/50)
Light Magic Lv3 (2/150)
Origin Magic Lv3 (20/150)
Monster Tame Lv2 (14/50)
Body Arts Lv3 (15/150)
‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐

――looked like this.

Although raising the Lv of Sword Arts sounded good… Presently, my body was feeling slightly burdened.

The phenomenon of physical abilities not keeping up with the Skills; it was exactly that.

Before leveling up Sword Arts to Lv4, it might be better to level up Physical Ability Enhancement.

And then there was the number of Skills, which was currently nine. Since the limit of the Skill Frame was 10, I would soon lose the free space. I wanted to try out Skill Transfer at some opportunity.

When I was training with Merville as my base, Thief’s Godly Skill had reached Lv3. Even though I was able to use Skill Transfer… I had yet to practise it.

「――Oh well, guess I should be patient about it.」

Upon my signal to Rook, who was advancing down the canal, we bounced onto the stone paved passage.

The building in front of us had a signboard with the emblem of the Adventurer Guild, a crossed sword and shield, hanging.

The interior of the guild… was no different from the Merville Guild.

Being an Adventurer Guild… It was expected to be standardized to an extent. Quest Bulletin Board, Reception, Material Trade Counter… Perhaps there was a Training Field, too, inside.

The number of quests posted on the Bulletin Board was, as expected, a lot.

The higher the population, the higher the number of Quests. A fair number of high ranked Quests could be seen as well.

Out of those, I was searching for a quest I could accept when――

‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐
Deliver Corolla of Mana Torrent to the Royal Magic Research Institute
Reward: 5000 Dalas
Time limit: Urgent
Client: Worm
‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐

The Royal Magic Research Institute…? Sounds interesting.

Mana Torrent was most likely a monster. However, the reward was not bad.

…Let’s pick this one then?

――I completed the quest receipt procedure and was informed of Mana Torrent’s characteristics and habitat.

Although the rank mentioned on the Quest Paper, Rank C+, was higher than my Adventurer Rank, it fell within the scope of Rank C. After considering the fact that the quest was urgent and that I could use Fire Magic, that was the weakness of Mana Torrent, I was granted permission.

Mana Torrent was a monster borne into existence by an old tree. It took the form of a tree and attacked people.

It was sighted in the vicinity of Horn… Felmar Forest, huh?

Although the forestry was an active one, it was quite dangerous deep inside the forest. So much so that one could not approach.

It was distant. However, it was not that far if I mounted on Rook.

Gearing myself up, I decided to leave right away.

――I set foot in the deep green forest where leaves were thriving on the trees that were growing in color. It had been several hours since I left the Royal Capital.

Around the entrance to the Felmar Forest, the sound of a faraway lumberjack using an axe to cut down a tree could be heard.

Can’t lose to him… then, shall I hunt the big trees?

Feeling within my skin, the vibration of some tree falling somewhere, I slapped my cheeks to psyche myself up and advanced deep inside the forest with Rook.

――How far have I ventured inside?

Since I could not see the sky even if I looked up, due to the trees of the forest blocking my view, my sense of time had dulled.

My body’s clock was accurate, though. Obliging my desires, I obediently took the lunch out of my luggage.

Bellyful Flavors had no box lunch offer. It was packed like in a proper store.

「Ah, yeah… Rook, wanna eat something?」

When I asked so while tossing the lunch into my stomach, still mounted, Rook brought her nose closer to the ground and sniffed. Apparently, it had detected prey.

I released Rook. After a while, a silhouette could be seen moving under the shade of a tree.

That appearance, with its body covered in olive brown fur, was a boar’s no matter how you looked.

In this world, wild animals and monsters had distinct ways.

Broadly speaking, those who had higher likelihood of harming people were 『monsters』.

When it came to a monster that was strong to a certain extent, only someone fairly trained in combat could face it.

Unless you possessed a Combat Class Skill, it would be difficult to win.

Of course, if you stood defenceless in front of it, you would only receive a ram. After all, it was a wild beast.

To Scaled Dragons like Rook, however, it was no more than feed.

The moment I got off Rook’s back, so she could move easily――She ran off to the wild boar at full throttle.

「Kwooo」

「Bugiiiiii!!」

――And thus, wild boar-san was summoned to the heavens, ending up inside Rook’s stomach.

However, Rook–who was in the middle of eating–suddenly lifted her face and looked around.

I–who was watching the state of affairs while thinking how greatly would the food expenditure be saved if she could feed herself–turned my line of sight, too.

「――Uoooooon」

…… For a common man, this forest sure was dangerous.

The source of the sound seemed to be a wolf. It must have smelled the drifting stench of blood. It would shortly be here.

However, a wolf–that was no more than a wild animal–could never be an opponent of Rook.

Was what I thought, yet… Rook showed slight signs of caution…

「What happened? …Is it not an ordinary wolf?」

As if answering my doubts, rough breathing started leaking from the surroundings.

「This… We’ve been surrounded…」

It was a trait of wolves to hunt in a pack. To ensure the hunt of their prey, they would undertake deployment.

Although it could not be confirmed by sight, there was a considerable number of wolves lurking in the thicket.

However, there was no reason to panic just yet.

Such times must be dealt with calmly.

「Guaruru 」

The wolf that jumped out of the thicket and rushed at me was just an ordinary wolf. It’s fur ash brown and it’s eyes rotund. Although it’s fangs and claws were a little dangerous, they would not be able to leave a single scratch on my armor.

…If it attacks, I won’t be able to help it…

*Shurari*――With the pleasant sound of a hard blade rubbing against its sheath, I pulled the jet black sword out.

「Rook, can you defend yourself?」
「Kwo」

Against such an opponent, it was not necessary for me to defend.

I swung at the neck of the wolf that had jumped at me and tried to bite the base of my throat.

Moving on, I greeted the one running on the ground with a jaw breaking front kick.

The beasts charged without any fear even after witnessing the two immobile beasts.

So as not to make my body still, I kept my feet moving cautiously. I would swing my sword down at the beast that attacked.

In total――there were about ten beasts.

Apparently, we were able to repel all the wolves.

「Guess it’s all over――… except you…」

Without putting the sword back, I turned the tip of the sword toward the thicket where the wolves were lurking.

After a while… what showed up was a big wolf covered in reddish brown fur.

With a build as large as a bear’s, it was evidently a creature different from a wolf.

Ordinary wolves had attacked, disregarding such an existence as Rook. For it to have had forced them to move, it must be something of the same level as her. Although it was a conjecture… it seemed to be spot on.
I concentrated my consciousness on the monster before me.

《Gigvuorg》…I think I have heard this name before.

Indeed… the material my very first leather armor was made from seemed to be this fellow’s pelt.

As for the skill it possessed――《Physical Ability Enhancement Lv1 (9/10)》, huh?

「Guwaoo 」

Amassing power in its limbs, it launched a bite attack that leveraged its high physical abilities to it’s utmost.

No, it was not something so cute as a bite. It was rotating its body; it was an attack that could shred it’s opponent into pieces.

Having closely confirmed the opponent’s move, I dodged it. When I looked behind――the trunk of the tree had been gouged out in the shape of Gigvuorg’s jaw.

That was some power.

Although my armor was knit with black steel thread, it would hurt a little if I were bitten.

However,

「…You thought you could hunt us? Sorry to disappoint you, but――」

I thrust the blade at the opponent. Its sharpness had not whittled in the slightest even though the blood of wolves was clinging to it,

I just wanted its Skill… Physical Ability Enhancement. I couldn’t suppress the impulse to touch its body with my palm.

《Thief’s Godly Skill》――It was a Skill specially gifted to me when I reincarnated in this world. In simple words, it was an evil Skill that allowed me to steal a Skill from a target.

After the Skill the target possessed has been grasped and its effect has been visually confirmed, I would have to touch the target directly. Only then could it be invoked.

「――…The one hunting here is me.」

「Guaaaruaaaaaa!!」

――――Guess things have settled with this. For now, at least.

I wiped off the blood, sticking to the sword, with a swish. Lying at my feet, where the blood splashed――was the monster covered in reddish brown fur. After the Physical Ability Enhancement Skill had successfully been stolen, I finished it off without inflicting any pain.

Fumu… although it was not originally my objective, I would take its pelt back.

Pretty sure it was on the material trade list. Since it could sell for a reasonable price, it would be wasteful to leave it here.

Fortunately, I once had an opportunity of experiencing how to dismantle when I received a quest with Arnold-san guys.

This time, I had confidence in doing it myself.

――First, you incise the edges of the limbs in girth. Then you peel the skin up to the other end. Then you stab the sword erectly into the abdomen and incise it. After that, you do nothing but peel.

There was less resistance this time than the last.

「…Fuu, done.」

Peel off, grow up; there’s a saying to that effect. Those words were fitting for this creature that had grown larger after having shed its skin. The monster that had literally been peeled off took a ridiculous form.

“Please don’t; it’s embarrassing.”

After cleaning my hands that were smeared in blood with Water Magic, I washed the pelt too and crammed it inside my bag.

「Uun, I could sell the pelts of these wolves too, but… I can’t carry them.」

Since the wolf pelt was cheap, I dug a hole with Earth Magic and buried them together with the Gigvuorg.

Although it was a bit wasteful, there was no room for bulky goods given the size of my luggage bag.

「Even though there was a harvest, the quest item is still left…」

It was fine to resume strolling inside the forest; however, as you would expect, I was slightly tired. Since there was ‘Delivery of Goods: Urgent’ written on the Quest Paper, it would be possible to deliver it by the end of the day… or tomorrow.

I rested my back against the base of a tree to have a short break and tilted the canteen.

…Mana Torrent. It was surely hiding in this forest. If it mimicked any of the trees here, it might be difficult to find it. If I concentrated my consciousness on every tree one by one, it would take forever; I wouldn’t be able to go out of this forest.

It would be amazing if it showed up right now… eh?

Now that I think about… was there such a big tree so far? It was quite comfortable to lean on, though.

In the illusion where I had already entrusted my back to a luxurious cushion――

「Haha, that… can’t possibly be… naaaaa」

I twisted my body and rolled on the ground.

The place, where I had previously been sitting, was pierced by countless branches; sharp enough to dig the ground up.

Oou, scary.

That was a close call.

On the puddle of water, which had formed when I washed my hands after dismantling, I saw the reflection of an atypical monster.

Until it moved, even Rook could not sense it.

「Booo, boooooo」

I once again directed my consciousness to the monster before me.

I see… so this fellow is 《Mana Torrent》, huh?

Although it was an eerie monster, with a human looking face having surfaced on the huge tree trunk, there was a lovely yellow flower blooming on it’s forehead.
No… That combination did not look cute at all.

That might be the Corolla of the Mana Torrent.

「Well then, let’s dig in without wasting any moment――Woah, close.」

Out of nowhere, it’s root stuck out of the ground and almost skewered me.

If I received it, I wouldn’t be safe.

…My sorry behind, to be exact.

Let me correct myself, it was unconditionally eerie.

Then I’ll have to lumber it――from midair.

Thinking so, I leapt with all my energy. What greeted me this time was a repelling attack from the branches. The moment I lopped those off and tried to close in on it――big bullets of earth rained down on me.

「Ouch- ow, ow ow ow ow」

Thanks to my armor which boasted excellent defence, it ended merely in pain.

The skill the opponent possessed was Earth Magic Lv2. Although it was not a particularly attractive Skill to me, that timing of use was-

I’m not doing it!

Skewer attack from its roots, repelling attack from its branches, and Earth Magic――It had so many moves that it was troublesome.

If approaching it is toilsome, let’s burn it.
Was what I thought; however, coming all the way here would be meaningless if I burned the quest item, Corolla.

In that case――

Blazing flame; clad in wind, it swells; it is not allowed to die down until it has scorched everything.

《Blazing Tempest Style》!!

Having finished chanting the aria in my mind to manifest the image, I silently conjured a vortex of flames.

With my Origin Magic Lv2, the composite magic of Fire and Wind was burning vigorously――and would soon coil itself on the opponent’s body.

In accordance with the prior information, the Mana Torrent that was weak to fire faltered.

Just as planned.

「Thereeeeee!」

I thrust my own body into the vortex of flames.

I had of course coated my body with a thin film using Water Magic, so it wouldn’t burn.

The vortex of flames――was a shortcut to closing in on the opponent.

Just that.

Treading the flaming path, I caught the bewildered Mana Torrent’s body――the huge tree trunk, at point blank range.

「Booo?! Boooooooooooo」

――And bisected it.

Simultaneously, I invoked Thief’s Godly Skill on the no-longer opponent’s Earth Magic; however, it failed.

If I stole it, testing the Skill Transfer on Rook wouldn’t be bad, but… bad luck.

「…Quite a difficult opponent. Had Corolla not been the Quest Item, though, the battle might have been easier.」

I collected the Corolla from the dead Mana Torrent, that was lying there in two, and put it in the bag.

At a glance, it looked like an ordinary flower; however, it must have a use since the Magic Research Institute requested it.

‘How is it used?’ A slight curiosity welled up.

‘If I get to hear something interesting, that will pay off.’ With that thought, I straddled Rook and ran off to exit the forest.