39 – The Lake of Ley Lines
It was only that the elves had the upper hand in the eat-or-be-eaten relationship, but the hunting season was also a crucial time for the monsters.
If they did not have enough food activity in the fall and store nutrients, they would have a hard time surviving the winter because they could not move or hibernate with the seasons.
That’s why fall was also called the most dangerous season.
If their power was weakened and they could not cope with the monsters that flocked in, fall was nothing but a hellish season where they were attacked by all kinds of monsters.
That was the case even if they only looked at the situation in front of them.
The eastern region of the Great Forest, where their power had diminished, was currently in a hellish situation.
“We’re almost there!”
I nodded at Evi’s shout and looked around.
Rudolf was running fast, but the traces of the battle that remained everywhere were clearly visible.
The corpses of the monsters that were torn apart were left behind, and the surrounding area was boiling with beasts attracted by the smell of blood.
It was a sight that could tell at a glance how much Blue Moon had no room to spare, and how urgent the situation was.
I hope we’re not too late.
I stroked Rudolf’s neck and asked him to hurry up a little more.
Rudolf stretched his legs and responded eagerly to my expectations.
Thud-! Thud-!
The sound of hooves kicking the ground cut through the forest filled with the smell of blood.
How long did they run like that?
Evi clung to my back and shouted loudly.
“Lord Gaul! I hear fighting noises over there!”
I turned the reins and moved Rudolf in the direction Evi pointed.
They couldn’t hear any other noise because of the wind, but they had no doubt about the words of the rabbit-people who had excellent hearing.
Sure enough, as they ran a little further, they began to see the scene of the battle.
A dozen beastmen warriors facing off against two giant monsters.
They were undoubtedly warriors of the Blue Moon Territory, judging by their hanbok outfits.
“That’s Kaa, the warrior leader!”
[What the hell! What is she trying to do!?]
“I, I don’t know!”
But one of the warriors was in a strange state.
The wolf-people (狼人族) warrior leader, ‘Kaa’, with her abundant silver hair.
Around her, blue-white mana was gathering like a storm.
She looked like she was trying to use magic, but at a glance, it was clear that her momentum was not normal.
[Gaul! Hurry up and stop that woman!]
Pii also felt it and shouted urgently.
I urged Rudolf and asked Pii.
“What kind of magic is that?!”
[I don’t know, but if she does that, she’ll die!]
“Damn it!”
Even as they spoke, the wild mana was gathering fiercely.
The mana that gathered to Kaa was not something that a human body could handle.
Then, through prayer, the mana was sacrificed, and they felt the presence of the wild god watching over this place.
I instinctively knew one thing from that transcendent gaze.
If Mahesar gives his permission, that woman will die. She will surely burn out all her life force and crumble.
I pulled the starter cord of the chainsaw and shouted with a hoarse voice.
“Don’t allow it!!”
――――――!!
I raised a prayer like a threat to the wild god and pulled the trigger of the chainsaw.
The roar of the chainsaw echoed and the monsters and beastmen turned their attention to me.
At that moment, the gathered mana dispersed and the wild god withdrew his gaze.
I didn’t know if my plea had worked, but Mahesar had refused and Kaia’s magic had failed.
Whatever the reason, I didn’t have to worry about Kaia dying anymore.
Then the only remaining problem was the monsters in front of me, the drake and the lintbloom.
I prepared to jump off and tapped Rudolf’s back lightly.
Rudolf seemed to understand my intention and started to run towards the monsters with full power.
[Woah!!]
“Kyaaak!”
The four-legged giant lizard, the drake, arrived in front of Rudolf, who kicked the ground and leaped high.
I followed suit and climbed onto the monster’s back.
I grabbed the spiky scales and looked down, and saw Rudolf, who had thrown us, leaving the battlefield with his ears up.
[Hey! You almost dropped me!]
“Sorry! Stay in there!”
Rudolf and Ivy escaped from the battlefield and hid inside the squeaking breastplate.
Now that they didn’t have to worry about their backs, it was time to swing the chainsaw and run wild.
I stood on Drake’s back and lifted the chainsaw.
The target was the precious spine of the quadruped lizard, hidden under the hard scales.
I held the trigger and raised the rotation speed of the saw blade to the maximum.
Then I started to rip Drake’s back as if digging the ground.
――――――!!
– Krrraaak――!!
Two kinds of roars crossed as Drake began to writhe in pain.
I clung desperately to the chainsaw, pushing it deep into him to avoid falling.
Soon after, there was a clack! noise and Drake’s spine bone caught on the saw blade.
Without hesitation, I squeezed the trigger and the engine spewed fire, tearing everything that got in the way.
It was a matter of seconds before the rampaging Drake collapsed.
– Kwoooong!!
“Krrruuk!!”
I got up quickly as Drake fell and rolled away and sprinted with all my strength.
Not far away, ten beastmen were struggling with a monster that surrounded them.
The distance was close in the blink of an eye.
The monster, which looked like a Tyrannosaurus, had its mouth aimed at the fallen beastman.
I boosted my physical abilities and slammed into the monster’s head.
– Kwaaang!!
– Kraaak――!!
The Lintbloom, hit by the antler helmet, staggered and roared loudly.
It shook its head to get rid of the dizziness, then spotted me below and opened its mouth without hesitation.
“Ugh!”
It was impossible to avoid it, as the injured beastman was lying behind me.
I breathed in mana to the limit and thrust my body into the Lintbloom’s mouth.
– Karduk!!
“Kuuk!!”
I confronted the beast’s jaw strength head-on, trusting the defense of the spirit armor.
I grabbed its huge fangs and pressed its chin with one foot, blocking its charge.
A sticky liquid flowed down and a foul smell stung my nose.
I felt like I wouldn’t last long for a secondary reason.
I lifted up the chainsaw and started to split its palate in half.
――――――!!
– Kyaaeek――!!
Blood splattered everywhere and a scream I had never heard before hit my ears.
The Lintbloom, which had clenched its jaw to kill me, now started to shake its head to spit me out.
I held onto its fangs and clung to it stubbornly. Then I desperately lifted up the chainsaw and stabbed it into its palate.
From Noble mtl dot com
The Lintbloom calmed down after the chainsaw blade tore up its brain.
– Krrr…
With a weak cry, the giant of Lintbloom collapsed.
Only then did I come down to the ground and spat out curses while shaking off the blood and saliva that stained my armor.
It was completely waterproof and could be cleaned by Pii’s magic, but I never got used to wearing the monster’s blood.
As I was brushing off my body and grumbling, the beastmen who came near bowed their heads to me.
“Th-thank you so much for your help… If it weren’t for you, we would have been in big trouble.”
I took off my helmet and looked behind me.
There was a beautiful woman with silver hair, expressing her gratitude in a weary state.
Her drooping wolf ears and tail felt cute and pitiful.
As I smiled awkwardly at her, she introduced herself with a polite attitude.
“I am the warrior chief of Cheongcheongyeongwol, ‘Kaa Ri Gai Ulje’. If it’s not rude, may I ask your name?”
I had noticed it to some extent while traveling with Evi, but the beastmen of Cheongcheongyeongwol seemed to value courtesy and decency as virtues.
They wore hanbok and spoke in a refined manner, a race that valued courtesy and decency as virtues. They were like the scholars from the dramas, weren’t they?
It was natural that I, who came from the Eastern Country of Courtesy, felt a sense of familiarity with them.
I took out Pii from my chestplate and accepted Kaa’s introduction.
“I’m Gaul Krud. This guy is Pii.”
[Hello?]
Hearing my name, Kaa furrowed her eyebrows and fell into thought.
‘It sounds familiar?’ She muttered, as if she had heard a rumor about the druid candidate.
Then, with a sound of hooves that shook the ground, Rudolf, who was carrying Evi, came back to us.
Kaya, who witnessed Ivy, shouted in surprise as he snapped out of his thoughts.
“Ivy! What are you doing here, you herbivore?”
“Ka, Kaya sir!?”
“Did you try to fight the monsters?!”
“No, sir! I only brought the druid here, I did not participate in the battle at all!”
“What? Did you just say druid? You went all the way back to the World Tree? Didn’t I tell you it was dangerous!”
“Yes? Um! That’s not it! Well, it is, but that’s not….”
For some reason, Ivy started to get scolded by Kaya.
Ivy looked pitiful as he drooped his rabbit ears, unable to do anything.
We had a bond that came this far together, so I couldn’t ignore him and had to help him out.
I climbed on Rudolf’s back and spoke to Kaya as if to inform him.
“Kaya. Let’s greet each other later.”
Then I grabbed Rudolf’s reins without waiting for Kaya’s answer.
“Go back to the city and rest! We’ll clean up the area and come back!”
I shouted loudly as I made Rudolf run.
Kaya protested from behind, but I ignored him and urged Rudolf on.
We had to move quickly if we wanted to circle the leyline lake before the sun went down.
“Ivy. Tell me right away if you hear anything.”
“Yes?”
“We’re going to hunt down all the monsters around the leyline lake.”
I hunted down all the monsters around me and made a break for the Blue Moon.
It was a dangerous plan that clearly showed the hardship ahead, but it was not impossible with the help of Evi’s hearing radar.
“Ah, yes, sir!”
Evi seemed to understand my intention and showed an active attitude.
Then, a faint blue mana circled around her, and her brown rabbit ears twitched cutely.
“Over there, sir!”
The next prey was found soon.