CHAPTER 3 – SLOUGHY TURNAROUND
I wake up, getting all the impressions I heard and smelled during my sleep hammered into my brain at once, [Dormurnal]-skill. Sometimes it makes me wonder about stuff like why Rine and Ara'ainn spent most of their night watch trying to make instruments out of most likely willows and reeds when none of them knew how to do it.
“Phew...” This is one of the days when you wake up and have the urge to jerk off. My god below is greeting the day as well and wants to say hello to the sun, despite mist and clouds blocking it out. I fold my blanket above my crotch to hide it, one of the many strategies I've picked up while traveling with this party, especially since Ara-san will most likely want to draw a picture of it.
I sit up and open my eyes.
You gain 2 WP. Sleeping next to your wives makes you feel better despite the danger.
If having a boner is 'feeling better', then you're right, curse.
I look at the still sleeping Kyou-san besides me. I want to wake her up and ask her if it'll rain today, as she has the [Weather Forecast]-skill, but instead, I look at Ara-san, who sits at my other side, while she's staring blankly into the nothingness. Guess, she's dozing off in her own way...
Only Rine left, she's doing push-ups on her fists in quick succession. This sweating appearance isn't helping with my nether problem, you know!? Luckily, she's fully concentrated on her training...
Wait, so Rine and Ara-san aren't keeping watch at all!?
For the fracture of a second, I think if I can get away with some right-hand action right now if I keep quiet, but with Ara-san next to me and her good senses, it'll be impossible. As I don't dare to get out of camp on my own, I have to wait for it until we're out of this swamp, so for this particular uprising, I need to sit it out, literally.
Well, time to distract myself. I take my shaving set and look at the mirror, especially my chin. Nice fact: Medicine helps heroes immediately. So the moment I put the cream Kyou-san gave me during the night on my zit, it just vanished. This hero-body of mine may be the only upside of being in a fantasy world.
I still have some left, so I search for other suspicious places, but it seems like I can shave just fine.
The moment I'm finished: “Dear, good morning!” Rine greets me. Since she finished, she waited at my side, as I forbid her to come close to me when I shave. She knows why!
“Who's your Dear!?”
“You.”
“I'm not.” Almost every day the same routine.
“Do you want to start with lap?” This means WP-farming with resting one's head on the lap of the other or having Rine sitting on my lap.
Usually, doing it as early as possible per day would be a good idea, but sweaty Rine looks way too hot, and I just have lost my vigor, no need to make her feed it again. So I just point at her.
“Oh. Sorry, I'm all sweaty. Give me a minute.” She simply wipes her face with a towel, as we try to save water for drinking. “Ah, I'm also drenched...” Her suit made out of fryon-mane cloth is actually her armor undergarment, it's super resilient, though it doesn't do much against physical force. “Do you mind?”
Why do I have to have one of my horny mornings? Well, in the end, it's always mind over body. “Did I ever?” Yes, I don't care if she smells a bit or not, it's not like she's not taking care of herself, she just does stuff that makes her sweat now and then.
For some reason, it makes her irritatingly happy. “Tehehe.” Oh, she looks like she's about to burst, so this is my cue to use [Focus] so that I can at least try evading her attack this time. My score isn't looking good so far, but one day... There it is, the classical hug, I'll use my palm-barrier, then- wait, her hand is flashing forwards, she's about to grab my hand, I need to- too slow, I can see it, but my body isn't as fast as hers, so while my hand is halfway back to me, hers catches up and clenches my hand. Wait, don't pull me!
What a high-level technique, now I'm about to crash into her, it looks like I'm jumping off from my seat to hug her by myself! There she is, opening her arms to welcome me, her breasts ready to cushion me.
Not with me! I know that this will hurt me, but I push my other hand forward, trying another palm-barrier directly aimed at her face, there is enough force behind it to hurt her. Given Rine's reflexes... there it is, she grabs it and twists my arm before she even knows what she's doing, a sharp pain, but still worth it! Now instead of forwards, my body is yanked to the side.
You may call me petty, but I'm the one who decides who I let hug me, and I choose nobody! I'm adamant about my personal space!
“Ah, Dear!” Rine lets go of me: “I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, I...” Why are you about to cry? “Sorry.” Now she's crying... oh god, Rine, get your mood together, it's not like it's the first time you did this to me. Nor the tenth time. I'd guess we're about thirty right now?
Just to be sure... “Rine, did you take your medicine?” This may explain her current behavior.
“...uh, now I even forgot to take it.”
“Just do it now, OK.”
“Yes.”
Seriously, I can't endure this girl crying. I'm a wuss in that sense, but seeing her cry just feels bad.
Now to another matter. “Did you enjoy the show?” Ara-san's eyes have been fixated on us for a while now.
“Seven out of ten was amusing, but the joke is getting old.”
“Aha. And you?” This time at Kyou-san, who woke up from the noise.
“...shut up.” She greets me with her bad mood after waking up while having her monthlies.
This day is bound to be great. I'm being sarcastic, you know.
―○●○―
Today's a rain-cloak day, so being in a swamp that means water from above and below. We walk through some shallow puddles, as the mud above water looks much more treacherous. Like it'll make your boots sink in up to our ankles. So there is water up to that point instead, still much easier to handle. Sadly, Ara-san's [Air Bubble] works only underwater.
“Vine gnome.” The alfr proclaims while lifting her staff: “[Entangle]!” A current in a bog, most likely a vine gnome who's caught by its own vines. It's rather pathetic.
Still, I finish it: “[Speedthrust]!” The spear blade pierces something underwater, I lift it to confirm a dead vine gnome is on its end, showing it to the girls afterward.
In the end, vine gnomes are solitary and wait for other monsters to catch their prey, so when Ara-san detects one, it has no chance. Good XP though, so we kill every single one of them. Staying here for a few days would certainly be great for farming, just hunting these suckers, but that's not our agenda. This time.
Sometimes I feel a burden on my mind, the pressure of someone using [Spirit Magic] on me, but so far Ara-san could deny any attempts to mess with my mind, though my own mental resistance might also be a factor.
I regularly look with [Wild Eyes], searching for other threats so that we don't push all of the work onto Ara-san, but so far-
“Ara-san?” I ask her, pointing into some bushes at the shore: “Could you look at that?” There is a really strange spirit here, but I feel like I have sensed something like that before.
“...[Synchronize].” Her ears freeze.
Dammit, the squirrel-skill! One that synchronizes several [Spirit Magic]-users to strengthen their power, a nasty skill. Also, a strong indicator that the panda-squirrels are here, who have some sort of mini-war going on with Rine. The squirrels' hatred made them work with Correo's oni in the past!
By the way, Ara-san is terrified of them, so she's currently overwhelmed by the sheer possibility, that the squirrels are here... shit!
Suddenly, from all directions, vines, reeds, and other plants begin to move, trees are whipping at us. Without a moment of hesitation, the trees seized the opportunity of Ara-san slipping her guard.
“[Crescent Moon]!” Still, Rine is faster. She sends a flying sword-strike at the branches, cutting them, while she dances around the vines which emerges from underwater.
“Rine, Ara-san, I leave it to you.” My attention is at whatever uses [Synchronize]... wait, the bushes are moving... no, the monster itself is the bushes! Wait, underwater! Root shoots from there right into my direction. It's just like Ara-san's [Root Lance]-spell!
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However, I'm still too nimble and could sense the change in the water current on my boot beforehand, so I can evade it, but the movement messes up my balance, and I slip on something in the water, maybe a moving vine or just a pile of dirt, but I fall on my butt. Great, now my underwear is also wet.
No time to whine, another current! I roll to the side, causing everything to get wet and soak in the process, then I quickly get back to my feet. “[Speedthrust]!” I narrow the distance and stab the bush-monster.
...no effect!? I get a fist full of leaves, and more roots shoot out to pierce me, this time they hit me straight on my armor, which protects me from being impaled. The pain is really, really awful, but I'm still glad to not be turned into a shish kebab.
“[Protect]!” A little late, Miss Support!
I would like to switch to [Pikeman], I rather need toughness than mobility here, but I also need [Spirit Magic] or more specific [Wild Eyes]. As my opponent uses [Synchronize] and my last attack had no effect, there is one thing that comes into my mind: The enemy is actually a bunch of critters that use its linked [Spirit Magic] to move the plants around here, including that bush golem.
To attack the critters, I need to see their spirits inside the plants. I can sense them, though I can't see them with their coat made out of plants. That's exactly the reason why I need [Wild Eyes].
If these bushes act as armor... “[Armor Piercer]!” Aiming at the one inside the shoulder, I pierce effortlessly through leaves and wood, stabbing something. Let's see what's inside, time to fish it out. There! It's a kind of swamp-rat, though the head is rather weaselish. No squirrels, good news.“Ara-” My words are stuck in my throat.
This is natural, as a pillar of water emerges from the bog. What is- It's coming at me!
―○●○―
“Ken? Rine-chan? Arako? Where are you!?” They were right before me a minute ago, I just followed Ken after he gave the signal for the retreat! I shouldn't have looked back to see if someone was following us because everyone was gone when I turned my head back...
Ken and Arako have to hear me, I'm so loud that I fear that someone else will hear me, but how will they know otherwise that I lost them?
An icy block is forming inside my stomach, because of that other possibility I deny with my everything, but the doubt is there... That they left me behind. You don't have to be faster than the tiger, as long as you're faster than the slowest member of your group.
No, they wouldn't do it, right? But considering how Ken and Arako think... no, don't let them in, these thoughts. I need to focus on what to do right now... My head, it's so heavy! Out! This is mine!
What did Pavi'yorn-shishou tell me... I need to remember these lessons on [Spirit Magic], but I can't! Why can't I!? Panic starts welling up, I feel like drowning, struggling uselessly in a swamp. We should have never entered this place...
“Kyou-san, come here!” There he is, there is Ken! He came back!
“You asshole! Don't just leave me behind!?”
“Shut up and follow me!” He turns around but doesn't go away.
I run to him, but I notice something... something is wrong, I can't say what, but... Intuition tells me that I'm about to make the same mistake again. “You...” No... The chunk of ice in my stomach shattered, its shards wander through my spine instead. “You're not real.” The moment I speak my suspicion, the image of Ken slowly fades away...
What have I done!? There was no retreat signal. I was lured away from the rest by... by these trees! This means that I'm alone somewhere within these murderous swamps.
Time to woman up. I ban the grip of fear and chain it deep inside. I haven't learned much about tracking and navigation, but there is no other chance than to stop with the nonsensical stuff and start to work on bettering it.
This is just like the chasm, but this time I'm on my own. I can't be sure which way I came, as the heavy feeling in my head tells me that the trees are still spooking inside it, maybe messing up with my perception and orientation.
So the best course of action would be to stay here and make noises so that the others can find me. I also need to write them a message and put it into my backpack, so that they can use theirs to access our [Shared Inventory] and read it.
―○●○―
“Then here I did a turn, I think... So this may be the place where I cut the vines...” Here I am, backtracking my last battle moves. How exactly did I get lost during fighting? I have no idea, but this is a bit concerning.
I sure hope that I will find the others, but I'm not nearly as good as Kenta when it comes to finding and reading tracks. I can't even find my own footsteps, especially as many were done within the shallow water.
I'm also not as systematic as Ara, who would easily get through this predicament by deciding what course of action would be the best before even attempting the first try. Maybe I should have thought this through before I started moving again.
Kyou might know what to do in this situation, but she isn't here either.
Danger from below, I quickly draw my sword and thrust at it, it's just a leech. Ah, being bitten by one would be bad, though they shouldn't be able to get through my boots.
Where was I? Ah, backtracking. However, I have no idea what I did before the cut as I tend to move a bit during a fight and I plainly forget most of it. I'm more living in the present moment during combat, so... ah, my instructor would scold me for being so careless. 'Idiot, can you tell me, how good a sidestep is when you smack into the wall in the process!?' He always told me to pay more attention to my surroundings and to mind my moves while not thinking about them. It makes no sense to me, but that only means I'm not there yet.
Nonetheless, I have no other option but to keep trying.
―○●○―
They're here, they're here to get me, they won't, never again! Painful memories are emerging, when I was in their grip, their claws on my body, their malicious spirits! Never, ever again! I brokered a deal, so why did I let Katarine-san attack them? They're here to get me.
“[Entangle]!” I use vines to grab other vines. “[Warp Plants]!” This way, it'll take them a while to do anything with them. “We need to regroup!” Why haven't Kenta-kun made that call so far? We're at this for some minutes and it won't get any better!
I look around and see... nobody? Why am I in the midst of a fight on my own? My ears drop, as I realize that I should have kept more attention to my comrades, especially their spirits.
Quickly, I change to [Acrobat] and leap out of the pool. If nobody is here, I need to get away on my own for now and regain my composure. I may have made an unforgivable mistake there, but as long as I'm in a life and death situation, I can't assess everything accurately.
Another leap, then a third one. I run while concentrating on the sounds and spirits around me, while my eyes wander in every direction, my senses are sharper than usual, though I can also hear my heart beating and my breath jangling.
Apparently, nobody is following me. I take a deep breath and dismiss my angst about the squirrels for starters. I better think about what exactly happened there. I was very distracted and have tunneled my whole perception, but I'm changing into [Druid] again. In this class, I have a high [Intelligence] which also makes my memories work better. Therefore I may be able to unveil my perceptions from back then.
Yes, the moment Kenta-kun asked me to let my spirit sense investigate a particular spirit, it made me jump to conclusions. [Synchronization] is a spell awakened rodents usually learn. I also know that the squirrel-plague is capable of using it. I should start from there...
There I made the first mistake, the trees used that opportunity to attack everyone's senses. Kenta-kun may have escaped that due to his training with Oro'hekk, but Momo and Katarine-san? The latter had no chance, so if I piece it together correctly, she distanced herself further and further during the fight. Maybe she wanted to charge and ran in the wrong direction, causing her to get lost into the swamps?
What about Momo... ah, there she screamed. It's unlikely that it was a battlecry, so she may have been hit by a vine instead... Oh, she also called me several times, I guess I was too distracted with attacking some rats controlling the vines... Ah, thinking about it, it may be those rats that have been synchronizing as well.
Is everything actually my fault?
What about Kenta-kun? He was fighting something with a large frame. Wait, there was a big splashing sound. There were constantly some during the battle, but this one beat everything regarding volume. Was he attacked by a water-spell?
As I can't imagine awakened rats learnt water-magic, which belongs to [Elemental Magic] and is much different from [Spirit Magic], it may have been another monster.
My assessment of the whole situation isn't good, though it's not hopeless. We need to regroup, but the chances to find anyone in these swamps are almost nil, even when trying to meet up at a point we decided upon. Neither Katarine-san nor Momo are capable of adequately navigating in here. As long as the others are close by, I should still be able to-
A new spirit, alfroid, this... isn't one of the others, but it's still familiar. I turn my head also to see the person, but suddenly it's behind me, the presence just slid the moment I turned my head, and I can't hear breathing or something else except the squelch of bare feet. Bare feet, another alfr? One I hadn't met a while ago, can it be one of the other heroes?
Like human faces, alfr spirits can change over time, so it can be hard to recognize one by spirit alone if you haven't seen the person for a few decades, and it's over twenty years ago since I last heard from another of my hero-generation.
I try to turn my head again, but suddenly, I feel tired. Soooo tired...
Then plants wrap around my body.
―○●○―
“Sweet dreams, Ara'ainn.” The alfr hero waves at the unconscious Ara'ainn, who he just enclosed into a cocoon made out of bushes to protect her while she takes a little nap. She may be in the way in what he has in mind with the dumans, he may also be careful about her, but he doesn't hate her or something. It just may become problematic if she's snooping around, especially when he takes reigns over the plants here so that his dear friend Kruan can have his date without worrying about what the malicious spirits may do to him.
So, the male one was flushed away and the duman girls, lured away. Nice quota. Even Ara'ainn didn't notice how he orchestrated each step, though he's not sure why she slipped her guard to begin with, what a rookie mistake. Maybe because she's usually just lazing around in her house and lacks the experience?
“Today's lesson: Never be lazy.”
Then he takes a look at Ara'ainn's face, as expected from an alfr, she looks like before. What a shame! Time to make some improvements. He puts his hand into his backpack, his [Inventory] and retrieves a belt with several fastened bottles and jars. His very own atelier.
“Now the critical question... what to do with this canvas...”
“Ze human!”
“Hm... making her look like a human? Certainly quite the challenge, maybe I should start with writing 'breeding sow' on her head, though... Could it be that she already is? I mean, she's with-” He catches an incoming tail without even looking, maybe Kruan hasn't intake his daily ration of flies yet and is easily irritable. “-humans, did the male turned her into his bitch? Ah, poor Ara'ainn, maybe I should just let her be, let her dream her sweet dreams of not being a human plaything... Nah.”
“Alf!”
“Alfr.”
“Hu?”
“It's alfr, with an 'r'-sound at the end. It's because of people like you, who just drops stuff because you're incompetent and call it convenience, that we're called elves.”
“Alf-r.”
“Better.”
“Kenta!”
“That's not my name.”
“Lu- La-”
“Lvo'tjos.”
“Luvo'toss.”
Lvo'tjos turns his head to Kruan. “Look at my tongue. L-vo-t-jos.”
“Lbrotshos.”
“Ah, forgot about your way too flexible forked tongues. Well, you can call me 'friend'.”
“I rather dai!”
“Then 'boss'.”
“Kall yuu hero.”
“Yeah, yeah. So now that this is finally said, I'll return to my canvas, which is Ara'ainn's face.”
“Hero! Kenta!”
“We were there before...”
“Shtopp shtolling!”
“If you stop nagging me, I would be much faster here, so if you mind?”
“Pleeeze!”
“*sigh*, I can't say no to you with your serpentine eyes and your spit that's raining on my face. OK, time to make the spirits here understand who's the new king around here, then I'll lead you so that you can catch your date. While you have fun, I'll return here and play a bit with her. Really, I feel like a mother here.”
“Theeenk yuu!”
“But when we're back in the village, I make a muzzle for you, so that you stop spitting on me. That's unsanitary.”[https://kentusauthor.files.wordpress.com/2019/07/lvotjos-character-design.png]