章 20: Who is the Sinner?
A 'scroll' is a document containing magic.
It's in the form of a roll, so just tearing it can cast magic.
Even a seven-year-old child who has never seen magic in their life can throw a fireball if they have a scroll.
The method of creating this mysterious magical tool was very secretive.
In fact, since the magic tower monopolizes its management, the price of scrolls is quite expensive.
Even Zain, a hero's squire, can't afford to have many.
However, the appearance of a Chimera is sufficient justification to use a scroll.
Zain tore that papyrus paper with his trained arm strength.
Rip-
The effect was excellent.
A burst of pure white light emerged from where the paper was torn, and that light flew towards the Chimera.
An amazing thing happened.
The light enveloping the Chimera soon disappeared, but this time the Chimera itself started to glow.
Perhaps between yellow and orange? The color differs for each part of the body.
The sharp and hard legs are orange, and the body is yellow.
The brilliantly glowing Chimera seemed surprised and floundered.
That glowing light was the magic tower's detection spell.
An intuitive and even beautiful magic developed by a genius magician.
"Overall yellow light!"
"Level 4... We should be able to handle this!"
There was a bright tone in the voices of Zain and the Guard Captain.
And for good reason, the color of the glowing monster was an indicator to gauge the strength of the opponent.
Harmless creatures are white.
Then blue, green, yellow, orange, red, purple, and finally black.
One squire, a Guard Captain, and four elite soldiers.
There's even a trap prepared for the Chimera's appearance.
They judged they could sufficiently deal with it.
"Fire!"
The Guard Captain shouted so.
Then the soldiers released their drawn bowstrings.
Four arrows cut through the air and flew towards Fafnir.
Ping ping ping ping!
But the arrows bounced off the monster's carapace.
Greyrim's bows are all composite bows made using monster horns.
The draw weight is extraordinary, piercing even ordinary wooden shields, but they only left marks while sparking off.
An carapace of remarkable strength.
The Guard Captain, with a serious expression, shot his composite bow himself.
Thud!
"Queeeeek!"
The Chimera roared.
The arrow from the composite bow precisely pierced between the Chimera's joints.
It was a display of archery skill that could be called masterful without exaggeration.
The problem is that the Chimera has eight legs.
And that the creature started to rampage in anger.
The Guard Captain retreated with a leap and called out Zain's name.
"Sir Zain!"
The strongest in personal combat is, of course, the knight.
Zain was clearly an officially appointed knight.
Moreover, he had personally learned the pole axe from Steel Gunter.
He drew out a pole axe, smaller than Gunter's massive one, but still sufficiently long.
"Haap!"
An honest battle cry.
And Zain's pole axe began to shine.
The light gathering on the blade of the pole axe was clearly a distinct aura.
The spear was swung at the Chimera.
Crack!
The pole axe pierced through the Chimera's carapace and stuck.
Zain was surprised by the strong repulsive force felt in his grip.
"This thing is incredibly hard!"
"Inflict as much damage as you can! It would be good to cut off its legs!"
Zain did so.
The Chimera seemed surprised by the pain it was experiencing for the first time in its life.
But it wasn't frightened.
It was just angry at the unfamiliar monkey that was breaking its carapace.
Its legs were certainly different from a spider's.
A spider's legs weren't meant for swinging to strike opponents.
Clang clang clang!
Zain barely blocked it.
Indeed, the Chimera is a terrifyingly formidable monster.
If Steel Gunter were here, he might have subjugated it easily, but it's a challenging opponent for Zain alone.
It didn't matter. He wasn't alone.
"Fall back!"
Zain ran backwards as soon as the signal dropped.
The Chimera was momentarily startled, then tried to chase.
And the soldiers threw oil flasks.
Since humans befriended fire, it has been the most effective means of frightening beasts.
"Light it up!"
The Guard Captain used fire tactics once again.
A torch flew through the air.
==
Wow, have you seen that madman, like the reincarnation of Zhuge Liang.
That insufferable nemesis of mine even used fire tactics against a Chimera.
It should rightfully be called the Battle of the Red Cliff, no, the Battle of the Cliff.
The Chimera that was glowing brightly yellow is now engulfed in flames.
"Queeeeek!"
Hidden in a tree, I watched the fight while crunching on crickets.
The scroll torn by the knight activated an amazing magic I couldn't have imagined.
It seemed to be something that could intuitively gauge the opponent's combat power through colors.
Can't they see status windows?
I'm not sure. I also had limitations on what I could see before eating the centipede's inner dan.
Still, this detection magic seems quite effective.
I have to gauge the opponent's combat power by looking at the status window.
If it's not visible at all, it's an incredibly strong opponent, so immediate evacuation.
If the level is high and the skills are unusual, it's likely to be strong, so evacuate or investigate.
It's not intuitive.
In fact, there's a chance that something that seemed weak turns out to be incredibly strong when you fight it.
It might be more convenient to be able to judge by color like that.
"Maintain distance! Shoot more arrows!"
The Guard Captain commanded.
The knight is better at fighting, but the Guard Captain seems more capable in other aspects.
Seeing the subtle tension between the two, somehow I felt more favorable towards the Guard Captain.
That young knight seems somewhat arrogant.
Standing up to the adult Guard Captain so bluntly.
It seems the spirit of the Eastern land of courtesy remains in my heart.
"This thing is persistent! Huff."
The Chimera rampaged madly even while on fire.
Confusion spread across the humans' faces.
But to me, it was a natural occurrence.
Well, it has high heat resistance.
"This thing seems to have high heat resistance!"
"It's a mix of spider and mole, isn't it! There's no reason it should be fine even when on fire..."
Their panicked cries were heard.
Hmm, it seems they indeed can't see the opponent's status window.
It looks like my reincarnator trait isn't just a translation function.
After all, the Chimera's status window visible to me was like this:
──────────────
[Chimera Fafnir lv20+++]
[Traits]
[Chimera], [Underground Monster], [Dragon's Lineage], [Molting]
[Skills]
[Molting: Emergency lv2]
[Carapace lv10], [Burrowing lv9], [Heat Resistance lv6], [Self-Healing lv3], [Magic Detection lv4], [Sense of Smell lv7], [Frenzy lv20], [Cutting lv10], [Doppelganger lv3], [Two Hearts lv1]
※Evolution possible
[Carapace lv10], [Frenzy lv20], [Cutting lv10]
[Status]
[Molting Possible], [Burn], [Frenzy]
──────────────
It's certainly no ordinary creature.
What's notable is that despite reaching the level cap of 20, the status doesn't show 'Evolution Possible'.
It seems Fafnir hasn't met the evolution conditions.
If Pelerian knew this fact, he would be sad.
Instead, the status 'Frenzy' has appeared.
The skill 'Frenzy' at level 20 was also radiating its presence brilliantly.
It was at that moment that the Chimera's movements became faster.
Its burning legs were swung fiercely.
It's a fantastic attack, like swinging fire.
Clang!
The knight raised his pole axe to save a soldier who was about to die.
But as a consequence, he was pushed back, almost bouncing away.
"What strength...!"
They seemed to think it would instantly burn and shrivel up if they just set it on fire.
Well, no matter how high its heat resistance is, it can't be fine with its body on fire.
The Frenzy skill probably can't be used indefinitely, so it should die soon.
Or...
──────────────
[Molting: Emergency lv2]
──────────────
That skill stands out.
There's Molting in the traits, and there's also a skill related to Molting.
If this is a skill at a similar level to my 'Billy's Horn', then the outcome probably...
"Die-!"
The knight seemed to be trying to end the fight.
He gathers all the magic power he has to increase his aura.
The aura of the pole axe suddenly grows larger and strikes the Chimera's body.
Crack!
The carapace shatters and the pole axe is buried in the body.
Sparks fly and blood gushes out.
The blood sizzles in the fire, releasing acrid smoke.
A definite effective hit.
Joy spread across the faces of Zain and the soldiers.
However, it was too early to rejoice.
Molting: Emergency was executed incredibly quickly.
I saw the creature's status changing rapidly before my eyes.
──────────────
[Status]
[Frenzy], [Burn], [Emergency Molting], [Recovery], [Skill Evolution]
──────────────
Huh?
Molting is originally a time-consuming process.
Preparation is needed before molting, and it takes time to execute.
During that time, it becomes extremely vulnerable, of course.
But Fafnir's molting was different.
It was as if it had used a doppelganger technique.
The burning shell remained in place.
The creature escaped from its carapace, wrapped in mucus.
"No."
Those were the last words of the soldier named Hanson.
The Chimera's legs suddenly elongated.
Unlike when they were covered in hard carapace, the legs now were flexible like tentacles.
Thud!
It brushed past the knight and pierced through the chest of the soldier behind him.
The Chimera leaped up.
There were wounds on its body, but the flames that had been tormenting it the most were gone.
Fafnir, having broken into the midst of the soldiers, swung its legs in all directions.
Like a berserker.
──────────────
[Chimera Fafnir lv20]
[Skills]
...[Berserker lv1], [Slash lv1], [Iron Armor lv1(Inactive)]
──────────────
Frenzy evolved into Berserker, Cutting into Slash, and Carapace into Iron Armor.
It had achieved skill evolution through the process of molting.
Indeed, Emergency Molting was as overpowered a skill as Billy's Horn.
The knight and the Guard Captain still didn't know how much stronger the Chimera had become.
Because the effect of the detection scroll had ended.
"Uwaaa!"
The knight swung his pole axe like a madman.
That momentum was extraordinary.
But the Chimera was cunning.
It started by taking out the relatively weaker soldiers.
Perhaps because it had just molted, the pole axe actually left wounds on its body more easily.
Slash-
However, Slash, the Chimera's new skill, cut the bodies of the soldiers in half.
Just as the crazed knight was about to charge at the Chimera, disregarding his life.
The Guard Captain pushed him away.
"Run..."
I saw the whole process.
The Guard Captain pushed the knight's body away to save his life.
Stab!
As a consequence, the Chimera's leg pierced through the Guard Captain's chest and protruded out.
Blood spurted from his mouth like a fountain.
"Cough!"
"Ah, no."
The knight failed to seize the opportunity the Guard Captain had provided.
He was hit in the chest by the Chimera's tentacle.
Bang!
Thanks to the full plate mail he was wearing, instead of being cut, he was thrown back.
He rolled on the ground a few times and then lay motionless.
Is he dead?
No, I don't care.
'Guard Captain...!'
I was deeply moved by the Guard Captain's actions.
He seemed to have no blood or tears.
He sacrificed his own life to save the knight.
The wounded Chimera quickly devoured the corpses of a few fallen soldiers and started digging the ground.
Dig dig dig!
Its speed was incredibly fast.
It seems the fight wasn't easy for it either, as it's fleeing in a hurry.
Only the smell of blood and silence remained in the scene.
I'm the only one with eyes still open.
I quietly broke the silence.
"Hiss."
I came down from the tree.
Huh.
They fought quite well.
Their struggle was praiseworthy enough to applaud.
The problem was that the opponent happened to be at max level and had been conserving its strength.
If it weren't for Emergency Molting and Skill Evolution, they would have won.
Well, thanks to that, I've gotten a clue on how to catch the Chimera.
Hiss hiss. I flick my tongue cowardly.
Where I stopped was in front of the Guard Captain.
Yes.
The Guard Captain was an excellent man.
Although I have a snake's heart, he showed a cool enough appearance to make my cold blood boil.
But his sacrifice will not be known.
That bravery of saving a comrade and being pierced instead. It wouldn't be enough even if he received a medal of honor.
But I saw it.
I, this one, will remember that sacrifice.
RIP Guard Captain.
May you be at peace in that place you're going.
Somehow my chest felt hot.
The Guard Captain with his chest pierced was dead with his eyes open.
Hmm, should I close his eyes for him?
As I was pondering that, I slightly raised my tail.
That's when it happened.
The Guard Captain's eyeballs suddenly rolled and looked at me.
"Uh, ugh, sn, snake. Cough!"
Oh man of tenacity.
The Guard Captain must have moved instinctively.
He tried to swing the dagger in his hand to cut me.
And I also moved instinctively.
I'm not one to be cut by the weak sword swing of a dying soldier.
Tap!
Whoosh, I avoided the body and instead bit his wrist.
...Huh?
"Cough, hack."
The Guard Captain's eyes rolled back, showing only the whites.
Uh, uh.
Uh oh oh!
No, it wasn't me!
「You have killed Guard Captain lv24.」
「You have achieved the 'Guard Captain Killer' achievement.」
Aaaaah!
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