島の縦横ボス

 

I thought that fighting in the forest edge if not a walk in a park it would at least be something manageable. Was I wrong in assuming that the forest near the beach is only for low level monster?

 

Because...

 

Right now in front of me with bared fangs, dangerous gleam in the eyes, standing tall is a GREYWOLF. The only difference is that it was standing least 3 meter tall and almost 2 times bigger than the normal GREYWOLVES that I fought in the beach and it now donned three tails which should have been only one for the normal GREYWOLVES.

 

I thought that it would be something like the gigantic like insects n the southern side but clearly it was something different. As my danger sensors were tingling like crazy, telling me –Run.

 

There was no way I could fight off something this dangerous and so thought to find a way to get away from it.  However, the moment I lowered my stance to make a run for the beach, the beast launched itself to intercept my movement.

 

With its sheer size it should not have been possible to go through to that speed. Yet, it was fast enough that I could easily lose sight of it if I do not focus and observe the flow of battle, I would have been easily pounced also if I had not trained my legs to make sudden turns.

 

As a strategy I tried to use the same tactics I have been using against the smaller GREYWOLVES and slash at its body the moment it got closer after a complete evasion; however, the giant GREYWOLF’s agility was faster than the smaller ones, that and its body was much sturdier. ‘How is something this big become faster than the smaller ones?’

 

For a while now I have been trying my best to head to the beach, I wanted to have my safety zone increase even for a bit.

 

But, the giant GREYWOLF must have notice that I still have enough courage to move despite it being stronger than him and clearly must have ticked it off somehow. And so with a loud howl.

 

 

*≪HOWL≫

 

The moment I hear its howl, my movements became sluggish, I must have sensed the strength from that howl and instantly gotten afraid of it. it felt like something was being inflicted in my mind –fear. Right I was finally sensing that fear and I was sure that in the state of fear, panic should have been next to it. Once you panic sound judgement become incomprehensible, this time around I might lose my life.

 

But an amazing thing happened, while I was waiting for my doom.

 

“Captain use Return to Ship… Hurry!”

 

I don’t know why a voice which is for some reason very familiar caught my attention, it should not be loud and yet it resounded in my mind like it was directly spoken through my brains.

 

 

Grim-chan’s voice that I can only hear when near the ship resounded in my head and as per her suggestion, I proceeded to shout...

 

"《RETURN to SHIP》!"

 

*****

 

The scenery of the forest instantly changed from the wooden deck of the ship and was instantly teleported to the Grimoire Atelier the fear has yet subsided and breathing continued to be erratic while my feet continued to shake uncontrollably.

 

"It has been a while since I felt this sensation..." I muttered loudly to myself.

 

Even my thoughts were unstable, I usually do not speak loudly especially when there is no one to talk to but due to my uncontrollable fear I begun speaking out loud. The constant shaking made me unable to stand up straight. I have not felt this sensation since my first encounter with the smaller GREYWOLVES in the beach a mere 9 months ago.

 

I checked my log and status for some confirmation about the monster that I had encountered.

 

.『Grimoire Atelier』Memory Log {

• Received a race specific skill attack from【MASTER ALPHA GREYWOLF】, ≪HOWL≫, inflicted with status ailment 〔fear〕, effects include uncontrollable shaking and irrational thoughts
• m(ﾟДﾟm)
• Invoked 《RETURN to SHIP》
• Captain, are you okay?

}

 

“Thank you Grim-chan.” The emoji was a bit out of place, but it had helped me calm myself and get back to a relaxed state. Had it not been for her, I would have been dead in that situation, it was the first time I was inflicted with a tremendous status ailment of 〔fear〕.

 

Thanks to the log I was able to learn the name if the monster that had almost killed me, a MASTER ALPHA GREYWOLF. And it would seem that the howl indeed inflicted me with the Status Ailment known as Fear and due to a status ailment I will get this uncontrollable shaking and irrational thoughts as if my death is imminent.

 

My short battle with the MASTER ALPHA GREYWOLF was so sever I was not able to move much, but thankfully as I am sitting at the deck of the Grimoire Atelier my health gradually begun to be restored some point at a time. The effects 〔Fear〕status ailment should also be wearing off.

 

Just when the shaking finally stopped and my heart rate settled down.

 

A howl, I had just got acquainted with just a mere seconds ago started to drew closer and as if visualizing my fear, I saw him. Grey fur and almost 3 meters tall the MASTER ALPHA GREYWOLF was before me again, did it chase me from here.

 

I did not know why but it did not proceed to attacking me, instead placed himself between the ship and the open sea... clearly, this guy is smart and instantly cut my escape.

 

"This guy, does he have a grudge on me or something?" I cursed at his fearsome visage.

 

'Grim-chan I don't know if this can reach you, and if you are able to do it. But ....'

 

I desperately called for Grimoire-chan in my mind asking if she can somehow use the cannon I have been saving for just this occasion.

 

'I want you to load a cannon ball and prepare to fire whenever you get a clear shot.'

 

We have limited shots but even if it misses, the loud explosions and the splinter that would burst should be able to scare it off... or so I hoped anyway.

 

I needed to stop this guy for few moments and buy some time for the cannon to be prepared. Steeling myself I summoned a great big sword ‘Wooden Trial’ type from the detachment room, I then launched an attack from the deck towards the beast.

 

For most, using a two handed sword and one that is long and heavy should be a bad choice in this terrain. But right now I decided not to match the beast's speed, but rather something to stop it from easily devouring me in one go.

 

I poured a lot of KENKI on the great sword and started to stand my ground to form a defensive stance and focused to ensure that I get to observe the battle flow to get a good prediction of its attacks.

 

Then as if finally gotten itself ready... it pounced at me.

 

There was also another reason why I took a heavy-big sword in this fight. Unfortunately when I squared off with this beast using a one handed sword in the earlier fight, my sword broke even though I had poured KENKI on it. This heavy-big sword should be able to withstand the attacks from the beast.

 

‘I'm sorry captain, it would seem I am unable to load cannon, how should we act?’ While waiting for good news from Grim-chan, a voice again resounded in my mind. But the news she brought was not a good one.

 

It would seem that, she also has limited access to the ship this must be due the seal. Well there is no need to force things that cannot be done and so let’s go with another strategy to get out of this predicament.

 

If I can't fire then prolonging this battle is futile and instead I should run, but where... while thinking hard, my peripheral vision caught sight of the mountain in the north.

 

'Grimoire-chan use AUTO-PILOT and choose the destination at the foot of that mountain.'

 

If I can't run towards the beach from this direction... then I can only go towards the beach in opposite direction.

 

I had ordered Grimoire-chan to head for the mountain at the center of the island and hope that at least this would be part of its unsealed function… or else.

 

This is another of my conjecture (which has failed once today by the way), but I should be able to access the beach from the other inlets. I just need to Grim-chan to navigate to that area and traverse the more dangerous areas deeper in the forest.

 

.『Grimoire Atelier』Memory Log {

• 353, 1870 Selected for destination

}

 

‘Captain hurry and board the ship!! We’re leaving full speed ahead!’

 

"Right"

 

To create that opening, I then used one of the skills I had created as part of my martial arts school. By saying the skills name out loud together with my own visualization the proficiency will increase and so loudly and steadily:

 

《Techniques of a Thousand Demons Ways – Dance of the Earth: KENZAN》

 

It’s an all for one attack that I have developed under the SENKIDOURYUU School of Martial Arts, it is an AOE attack that creates a radial earthquake; it is a terrain changing skill that should also act as a shock to create an opening for an attack or in my current case -escape.

 

And it worked, gladly it did. With its footing disrupted and the shock of something like an earthquake occurring made the beast change its concentration from attacking me to defending itself.

 

Using this chance I jumped and boarded the Grimoire Atelier and immediately went to the cannon room, loaded a cannon ball and instantly aimed at where the beast was still crouching.

 

I was about to fire when something else thing broke my concentration...

 

*Snaaaarllll

 

"The hell is that!" I shouted in disbelief...

 

A giant lizard like thing just jumped from one of the trees and made its way towards the MASTER ALPHA GREYWOLF’s way.

 

If I had to guess, this one is definitely the boss of the southern side, and as of the moment, the GREYWOLF should be in the encroaching the giant lizards turf, it must have guessed that the beast encroaching its territory and needs to send it away.

 

Without stopping the fight between them, I decided to head for the mountain and make my escape.

 

I decided to stay inside the cannon loading bay just in case, we stayed course until I saw the mountain. Thankfully my instinct this time did not fail me as the river was indeed connected to all the other inlets and to the sea. I should use the North Eastern Inlet to make a getaway.

 

While sailing forth, I saw them... possible the other two bosses of the islands, a giant shell like creature makings its way towards the mountain and a giant gorilla like monster with four arms looking down at my ship from atop a large tree.

 

It would seem that the gorilla like monster does not seem to be too hostile towards me, it was just standing there, looking down upon me... and the other one just wanted to go to probably cool itself in the riverbed... for whatever reason.

 

There was no need to question their motive, instead I made sure to get to the open sea. As soon as I got out, I immediately took a large distance away from the island.

 

*****

 

The overwhelming defeat in the eastern part of the island with that MASTER ALPHA GREYWOLF, I had some needed rest, as well as time to ponder on a few things.

 

First of it is that I needed to confirm my theories first before I can truly establish the ranks of the monsters in the island, and after I finally stopped from the uncontrollable shaking I did a few tests:

1. I sailed around the island and wait a few minutes near the shores.
2. North side: nothing to report;
3. West side: nothing unusual;
4. South side: everything is regular
5. East side however was a bit different, I stayed for about 3 - 5 minutes and the MASTER ALPHA GREYWOLF growled at me at the shore.
6. I went another round and circled the island again; the GREYWOLF alpha followed me, but soon stopped when he was at the edge of his territory.
7. At the northern shore, I disembark and waited... nothing... the giant shelled monster did not even bother coming to the shore, so did the western and southern bosses.

 

Conclusion: I was right in my assumption that the monsters in the forests near the shores are low ranked, the further you are, or the closer you are to the mountain, the more sentient and higher the rank of the monsters becomes.

 

So why then did that alpha GREYWOLF came after me in such a low level area? If I have to make an educated guess then it was simple, it most likely has a strong grudge against me and the answer to that grudge probably dates back to my first encounter with some GREYWOLVES in the beach.

 

I was fully utilizing my observation skill and noticed a scar in right chest area of the Alpha GREYWOLF. It must mean that, it was one of the few who survived from being the ‘bled to death’ tactics I first employed as an experiment.

 

Solution: the East Side of the island should be off limits until I am able to combat fairly with the beast on equal grounds or perhaps completely subdue him.

 

Which had led me to the second issue that needs to be addressed: I need stronger weapons.