Manowa Chapter 278

The standby group was inside a forest a little apart from the entrance to the Vordo Ruins.

Tiara was concentrating on her summoned knight inside the Thunder Chariot. Hippomaru-kun was connected to it, and the Tatsuyoshi-kuns and other Hippo-kuns were stationed as guards around it. And Naoki, Lyle, and Tatsuo were vigilant of the area around Tiara.

Though saying that, the Dragon Spirit from Hippomaru-kun's ram kept low-ranking monsters away. For that reason, far from fighting any monsters, at the present time Naoki and the others hadn't even been approached.

「I'm free.」

Lyle was looking at the sky while saying that. Although he said he was free, his expression was by no means relaxed. After all, since they were on the outer edge of the island, high-ranking monsters like Griffons and Wyverns might appear. It was certainly regrettable to Lyle that he couldn't enter the ruins, but escorting here could be considered equivalent to a rank B Guild request. The casualty rate wasn't as high as inside the ruins, but there was no mistaking that the area itself had a high degree of difficulty.

『There are no monster scents, Lyle. Mother is still gone?』

Tatsuo asked Lyle below him as he flew around in the sky. He was turning in circles while being vigilant of the surroundings.

「No, they only just entered, right? Well, they'll probably be back around dusk. Unlike a dungeon, it seems there's no resting place inside.」

It seemed there was a boss-class monster on each level, but apparently, Adamant Skull Ashuras still attacked even when fighting them. One could be surrounded and killed even during a boss battle unless the boss was killed quickly. That was the place called Vordo Ruins.

『Is that so? Will Mother be okay?』

「Your mother should be fine. It feels like no matter what happens, she won't die.」

Since she had the powerful Skill Cheat Death, in a certain sense, Lyle's words were correct. It could only prevent a single fatal blow, though.

『Is that so? Ahー I also wanted to go inside!ーー』

Tatsuo said while flying around in circles. Lyle told him「If you fly too high, you'll summon monsters, so be careful.」Tatsuo cried Kweh in reply and returned to the ground.

That wasn't a trifling threat. To human beings, Tatsuo was a rare existence that would surely be aimed for if his true identity became known, but that was, in fact, the same for monsters; he had a small body that seemed easy to hunt and eat, and furthermore, eating him would almost certainly cause a monster to evolve, making him a delicious existence to them.

『Teiya!』

And with flapping wings, Tatsuo landed on Lyle's shoulder. One month had passed since he had been born, but his appearance had yet to change. It seemed that currently, his magical power body was in the process of becoming fixed as a material body. Real growth would start after a little while more. Though since Tatsuo was in the process of becoming fairly proficient with the Skills inside him, he had become dramatically stronger in comparison to the short amount of time that had passed since his birth.

In particular, his ability to adjust the power of Mega Beam and shoot it in succession was valuable war potential for the『White Party』, as they had few ways of attacking at long distance.

「Well, you have the same scent smelling power as your mother. Instead of flying around, be on guard that way.」

Tatsuo replied Kwaa to Lyle's words. Lyle was being vigilant to the surroundings in his own way, and Lyle's friend Naoki was sitting beside him with eyes closed.

「You aren't sleeping, right?」

「……I'm not sleeping.」

Naoki sullenly opened his mouth after Lyle's words.

「I'm looking at the surroundings with my Distant View Earrings. I told you earlier, didn't I?」

So saying, Naoki tapped the round gemstone earring in his ear. That earring had the same capabilities as Kazane's Remote Viewing. Naoki was using it to watch the surroundings from the skies.

「What, did you see something?」

「Yeah, Wyverns are coming. It looks like they haven't noticed us, though.」

「Seriously!?」

Lyle said with wide eyes. Like Earth Dragons, Wyverns were low ranking dragons, but they still had a 3-4 meter physique, and their Breath attacks were strong.

「I thought Tatsuo would need to descend soon, so I guess it was perfect timing?」

Tatsuo cried Kwaa and trembled beside Lyle. It seemed he had imagined himself being swallowed whole by a flying Wyvern.

「Well, since we're hidden by the trees here, I think they'll pass us by. Be quiet for a little while.」

「Ye, yeah.」

『Understood, Uncle.』

Lyle and Tatsuo replied to Naoki's words. Then after a short while, they could hear the sound of wings flapping.

(They came?)

Lyle looked up at the sky and muttered in his mind. There were three Wyverns there. They were circling in the sky, so perhaps they were looking for prey. Tatsuo was also watching without making a single Kwaa. As a dragon, Tatsuo was higher rank, but his actual strength wasn't so.

Also, wild dragons that didn't possess intelligence weren't recognized as fellow members of the dragon race. If they were human beings, they would be called savages, and Tatsuo also didn't see them as the same kind.

(Now then, please pass by)

Naoki also had a nervous expression as he looked at the Wyverns in the sky.

They were twice as tall as Naoki. Their color was greenish grey, and their long necks were swinging as they surveyed the surroundings.

A typical dragon basically looked like a long necked lizard with wings, but the Wyverns currently flying in front of Naoki's eyes had wings in place of their arms.

However, if a Wyvern became a superior species and then evolved one more level, they changed into a normal dragon, and their arms and wings separated. That was the same for Earth Dragons; if an Earth Core Dragon evolved one more level, they would grow wings.

Depending on the individual, they could also still be the same after they transformed, so that couldn't be called an unconditional rule, but if the lower rank subspecies like Wyverns and Earth Dragons were omitted, all dragons could be called unique specimens. They were categorized by their attributes and special characteristics, but they were all distinct.

Kazane the Blue Dragon and Aka the Red Dragon had attributes that matched their color, but there were also dragons like Ao, who was blue even though he handled fire.

Also, when a lower rank species evolved to the point of becoming a dragon, any children they had after that inherited their dragon characteristics and weren't born as Earth Dragons or Wyverns.

In a sense, low rank dragons could be considered larva that didn't become a species that gave birth to larva.

Though in terms of their degree of danger, three Wyverns were more dangerous than one average dragon. Naoki and the others were hiding in the shadows of the trees while watching the Wyverns and praying for them to leave. Apparently, Naoki and the others hadn't been noticed, and while they didn't relax their vigilance, they were a little relieved.

However, when it seemed like the Wyverns were going to pass them by,

DoOOOOOOOOON... the tremendous sound of an explosion rang from the entrance of the ruins. It was the thunderous roar of a girl's bomb-holding banzai attack. Kamikaze was blowing.

「What?」「Eh?」『Hohe?』

Two people and one nonperson looked towards the ruins with wide eyes. Then they looked at the Wyverns.

「This is bad!?」

Lyle said. The Wyverns' line of sight was directed at them. They probably noticed them when they turned in the direction of the explosion sound from the ruins.

(Would staying here be bad?)

Lyle looked at the carriage. Inside, Tiara was concentrating on operating her Flame Power.

「Naoki, let's get away from here.」

「I agree. Dragoon with me. Tatsuo and Normal, act with Lyle.」

『Understood!!!』

Tatsuo exclaimed. The two Tatsuyoshi-kuns nodded. The Tatsuyoshi-kuns were designed to behave that way when they received orders.

(Is there no choice but to do it?)

Naoki tutted, but even if he lamented, the situation wouldn't change.

Tiara was inside the Thunder Chariot, which could defend against a little Breath with its Purple Lightning Barrier. If push came to shove, Hippomaru-kun could also run away, and Hippo-kuns High, Clear, and Crys were all respectively equipped with a single fang from the Black Rock Dragon. However, while they had reasonable combat power as escorts, opponents flying in the sky were troublesome.

Naoki and the others thought they had no choice but to move away as decoys, then crush the Wyverns that followed them. Naoki held the Operator magic sword and Crystal Dragon magic sword in his hands.

「Now then, let's try out Aneki's gimmick,『Rainbow Horn』!」

Naoki threw the Crystal Dragon magic sword『Rainbow Horn』into the sky. Glittering with rainbow light, the magic sword flew towards the Wyverns.

Name: Yuihama Kazane

Occupation: Summoning Fighter

Title: Ogre Killer, Dragon Slayer, High Beast Summoner, Rea King

Equipment: Staff 『White Blaze』, Two Handed Sword『Black Fang』, Draghorn Tonfa x2, Dragonscale Breastplate, Drake Gauntlets, Silver Sheep Clothes, Sylphyn Skirt, Plasma Pants, Dragon Eating Ogre King's Greaves, Indestructible Cloak, Mysterious Pouch, Crimson Saint Coffin, Heroic Spirit Summoning Ring, Circlet of Wisdom, Aim Bracelet, Magic Accumulator, White Magic Accumulator, Rainbow Necklace, Rainbow Dragon Ring

Level : 36

Health: 145

Magic Power: 304+420

Strength: 67+20

Agility: 71+14

Endurance: 38

Wisdom : 72

Dexterity : 47

Spell : 『Fly』『Torch』『Fire』『Heal』『Firestorm』『Healer Ray』『High Heal』『Golden Dusk「Dragon Exclusive」』『Mirror Shield』

Skill : 『Kick Devil』『Warrior's Memory: Lv2』『Night Vision』『Crushing Blow』『Dog's Sense of Smell: Lv2』『Golem Maker: Lv3』『Rush』『Fire Principle: Third Chapter』『Healing Principle: Fourth Chapter』『Air Jump: Lv2』『Killing Leg: Lv3』『Fear Voice』『Invisible』『Tiger Eye』『Wall Walking』『Intuition』『Cheat Death』『Nimble』『Charge』『Material Shield: Lv2』『Information Link: Lv2』『Optical Camouflage』『High Dash』『Bloodsucking Blade』『Dragonization: Lv2「Dragon」』『Regenerate』『Soul Breaking Blade』『Stealthy Hand Placement』『Thunder Chariot: Lv2』『Sturdier Teeth: Lv2「Dragon」』『Crystallization: Lv2「Dragon」』『Devil King's Intimidation』『Stone Minotaur: Lv2』『Mega Beam: Lv2』『Space Expansion』『Pseudo-Silver Creation』『Poison Claw』『Fireball「Dragon」』『Cuticle「Dragon」』『Arms Creation: Black Flame』『Ingredient Connoisseur』『Dragon Pheromone「Dragon」』『Boost』『Monkey's Strong Arm』『Two-sword Style』『Boobies Plus』『Living Armor』『Alarm』

Yumika:「Come to think of it, Naoki never shows up here, does he. He should be able to show up in Player Chat.」

Kazane:「It's because that guy's a keyboard warrior. He writes revolting things all the time, so he was banned.」

Yumika:「Ah, I see.」

Chapter end