Chapter 51
Chapter 51 – Detachment
We set up camp for the night before it got dark yesterday, and resumed moving onwards the next morning .
We had Kobolds approaching us even as we camped, goes to show just how close we are to the Horde .
After a few hours of walking, we encountered a group of monsters .
And currently, we are observing said group within some nearby bushes .
[Uwaaa… that’s quite the sight…]
[This would be one of the Signs . ]
The Kobolds littered the entire meadow . It looked as if they were all moving together towards a certain destination .
They weren’t densely packed, but spread out rather widely across a large area .
At a glance they look coordinated, though a closer look proves otherwise .
This group of kobolds look different from the ones I have seen before, they overall have a darker color tone and wield spears instead of swords . So these are High Kobolds?
At the head of the group, there was a bigger sized and even darker colored axe wielding kobold . I’d say that’s the Tyranos Kobold .
I’ll have a look at both types .
=====
●High Kobold Race:Kobold
Level:25
HP:3500
MP:0
Attack Power: 250
Defense Power: 80
Agility: 50
Magic Resistance: 0
Unique Ability None
Skill None
=====
●Tyranos Kobold Race:Kobold
Level: 35
HP:15 . 000
MP: 0
Attack Power: 600
Defense Power: 150
Agility: 80
Magic Resistance: 0
Unique Ability None
Skill Enrage
=====
Nn? They are much weaker than I thought . But when you consider the numbers, it would have been dangerous for Dhius’ party alone
[Aren’t there much more of them than usual?]
[Yeah, you’re right . Even though the Core Individual isn’t here, they are already moving around in such large numbers…]
Hearing the exchange between Miguru-chan and Dhius, this group we have encountered is much bigger than what has been seen before .
At a glance there’s probably 40… maybe even more than 50 of them? Encountering monsters in such numbers all at once is probably a first for my party, aside from our Area Hunting shenanigans .
At first I thought the Tyranos Kobold heading the group was the Core Individual but that doesn’t seem to be the case .
[Is the Core Individual not in this group?]
[If it was then the center of the group would be way more fortified than this . I’d say this is a group that has separated from the one main horde where the Core Individual is, and has started patrolling the area . ]
[… . . though normally there would only be around 20 of them . ]
[T, there’s more than 50 of them here no matter how you look at it…]
Gauss-san and Sumika-chan were also surprised by their numbers .
So when enough of them gather up they split up and have roaming parties, Prime Subjugations are a real pain in the ass .
And if there’s 50 Kobolds in a detached group like this, it’s not a stretch to say there’d be over a 100 of them in the main horde .
I wouldn’t be surprised if there were hundreds of these guys around the Kobold Lord… . .
[It’s to our interests to wipe this group out, yes?]
[Of course . If even a detached group is already this large… It’d be quite the nightmare to imagine how many there are in the main horde . ]
If we ignored a group of this size they’d end up as a source of trouble for the nearby villages and common folk .
Looks like we’ll be cleaning up all the groups we come across along the way .
[Since we are doing this should I just up and erase them all in one fell swoop?]
[Woah hold on there . You shouldn’t be wasting your magic on the likes of them . Me, Noru, and Dhius’ party should be more than enough to handle this . ]
Estel took out her red grimoire from her bag and was ready to go, but I got Estel to refrain from blasting them with her magic .
I don’t think it’s a good choice to use her magic on a measly detachment . I’d want to keep her wide area destruction in reserve for those oh shit moments later .
Us melee fighters should be more than enough for a group of this scale .
[The plan is me, Noru and Dhius taking the front after Estel and Shisuha buffs us, with supporting fire from Miguru-chan . Gauss-san stays back to protect the girls in the rearline . ]
It really is much easier to appoint roles when there’s this many people in the party .
I don’t need to worry about High Kobolds flanking our rearline with Shisuha around, I also got Gauss-san to stay back and protect Estel and the other girls .
Noru would be our main attacker when we fight the Kobold Lord, with either me or Dhius falling back for more defense . ‘Cause she’s the best vanguard in our combined party .
Perhaps having Shisuha at the front might be more effective than even me or Dhius… But I’ll be having her do her job as a healer this time .
[So even Shisuha-san can use support magic…]
[Uuu… I’m so sorry that I’m unable to…]
[Eh! Ah, that’s not what I meant . I’m sure Sumika will also be able to one day . ]
From hearing my proposed strategy, Dhius let slip his astonishment about Shisuha’s abilities .
Which Sumika-chan hears and becomes dejected as she lowers her head .
So he ends up correcting his statement… . . That’s another sensitive topic .
Even then, is it so unusual for a priest to be able to use support magic?
[I-in any case! Does everyone agree with what I proposed earlier?]
[Yeah, it sounds good to me . Is everyone else ready then?]
The atmosphere became just a little bit strange right before battle, so I attempted to straighten that by bringing the main topic back up .
Then to Dhius’ words, his other party members reacted by nodding .
What happens next is me getting Estel and Shisuha to buff the entire party .
[… . . this is amazing . I can feel my strength welling up . ]
[Estel-chan’s buff… Mmnn~, this is the best!]
[Hey, can you not react that way?]
While my party is already quite used to support magic, Dhius’ party had nothing but amazement for their first experience with support magic .
It was the same for me when I received my first buff, I was very surprised at the effects it had on my body .
Miguru-chan was hugging herself in bliss for some odd reason, while Estel reacted to that with a turned off look despite the smile on her face
Honestly… Aren’t there too many weirdos in this party?
[Well then I too shall- ―― guee!?]
With our preparations ready, Shisuha nonchalantly makes her way to the front as that is the norm for her .
So I grab her by her collar from behind and stop her .
[Goho… Wh, why did you do that Okura-san!]
[Why are you going to the front when you are supposed to be a priest! Shisuha is our healer so you’ll be in the rearline this time . ]
[Bu, but…]
Due to me suddenly snagging her from behind she was coughing and tearing a little, she scowled at me with her slightly gleaming eyes .
And when I told her she isn’t getting any frontline action, she went OTZ with a look of despair on her face .
(ED Note: being descriptive of the orz pose isn’t something english is good at)
Her beauty belies her warped logic… Dhius’ party watched our skit in dismay .
[This time…? You mean she normally fights on the frontline despite being a priest? Just what kind of party are you guys…]
[Sh, she’s really a priest right?]
[Of course I am a priest . ]
A priest fighting on the frontlines is a foreign concept to them after all . Dhius and Sumika were the most perplexed .
Although she answers that she is indeed a priest with a less then energetic face, it felt as though there was nothing but doubt in the eyes around her .
The less then tense atmosphere continued for awhile, but that also comes to its end as we complete our preparations to begin our attack on the monster group .
[Well then here I goー!]
Miguru-chan’s arrow shot is our first move against the group .
She spryly removes an arrow from her quiver and nocks it . She exhales and draws back the bowstring a little more as she locks on to her target .
Light began gathering on the arrow after she finished locking on, the arrow was then loosed . The arrow cloaked in light hurtled towards the high kobolds with tremendous momentum .
The target was a high kobold at the very outer edge of the group, the surprise flanking arrow hits the high kobold square in the head . But the arrow didn’t stop after decapitating and penetrating through the skull of the first kobold, it went straight through the heads of the next 2 kobolds in the arrow’s trajectory as well .
[Uuwah!? Wha, what just happened!?]
I’m guessing that light on the arrow was from a Skill she used, but she was bewildered by the very unexpected result .
That result was probably from a combination of the party buffs from me and Noru, plus the buff from Estel’s support magic .
[Hey, don’t just stand around it’s time to get to work!]
[Aah, right…]
The surrounding high kobolds that noticed the attack turned and faced our direction .
The ones walking at the head of the group turned their attention to us as well .
I called out to Dhius whose mouth was still agape after seeing Miguru-chan’s attack, as I jumped forward to receive the incoming monsters .
I stabbed and sweeped away the incoming high kobolds, one after another .
I actually do enough damage to instagib high kobolds, their bodies crumble in one hit regardless of where I stab them .
Looking at Dhius, it takes not 1, but 2~3 strikes from him to take down one high kobold so he’s still alright .
Noru had already charged way ahead of us straight at the Tyranos Kobold, after chopping an arm off she proceeds to behead it as usual .
The high kobolds in her way stood no chance, as multiples of them get cut down by her in a single sweep . She’s even faster than me or Dhius, the speed at which she cleans up the monsters can only be described as disturbing .
[Hmm, stuff of this level is still easy for me . ]
[This group only had quantity not quality . Okura-dono, don’t go letting your guard down when we are fighting the main horde . ]
We decimated that number of high kobolds within minutes . Scattered on the ground were the bucketload of Drop Items from them .
I patted myself on the back a little, but Noru didn’t let that slide .
[Well then… how should I say this . I thought I knew how absurd you guys were, but you guys just had to go beyond my expectations . ]
[That support magic is outright cheating! Estel-chan really is amazing!]
[Ara, thanks for the compliment . ]
Having cleaned up that large group with ease, Dhius’ party was perturbed to no end .
Miguru-chan seems to be thinking that the power of her arrows was all because of Estel’s support magic though .
If they are already this surprised, I can’t even imagine their faces when they see Estel’s full power offenses…
[Noru-san was amazing enough when I saw her deflect the Ogre’s attack… but never did I imagine she would be this capable . You have my utmost respect . ]
[Mu… sure . ]
Dhius then spoke to Noru with a very serious face . Something might have sparked in him after seeing her battle just now .
He was so humbled, you could almost see the envy seeping out of his eyes . Even I can tell that Noru’s fighting style is every boy’s dream .
Although it sounds like she still doesn’t like him much, she at least gave him a reply of sorts .
Ever since we partied up, Noru hasn’t been as cheerful as she normally is . Could it be that she has yet to forgive Dhius?
Uーmu, can nothing be done about that I wonder .
No Comments Yet
Post a new comment
Register or Login