NOVEL NEXT Chapter 333: Slave Cerian Beast
Check outside from the camp set. No boxer kangaroos...good, it looks okay.
We resume moving. Then Ix spots something.
"Master, there's a group on the move"
"People?"
"Perhaps...they are on something like us"
A group like that in the desert, you mean a caravan? I'd love to talk to them, but this place is full of summoned beasts. I don't know what information there are on this place, but I'd better put the summoned beasts away just in case.
Then I headed in the direction of the group under Ix's direction and found an oasis, a place of water and greenery. It's only natural...a caravan should have a destination, right?
Then let's go into the oasis first.
We enter the oasis without letting the caravan find us. The water in the oasis was clean and I appraise it.
Medina Oasis Water: Rarity 5, Material, Quality C
Underground water in the Medina Oasis. It can be drunk normally and is one of the important water sources in the Sandwall Desert.
So this place is called Medina Oasis. Usually when there is an oasis, there is a town, but here is wilderness.
"Master, hostile reaction"
What now? Just don't come with the Boxer Kangaroo. But apparently there is nothing to worry about. The footsteps are loud.
Pachycephalosaurus Lv30
Normal Monster Subjugation Target Active
It's a famous stone-headed dinosaur. Is it living in the desert? Well, never mind. If it's going to attack us, we'll just take it down!
The Pachycephalosaurus rushes forward, which is probably its specialty. We flee into the sky. Poor thing can't head butt us.
Then, a lot of stones flew out of its stone head. Oh, yeah! But sweet.
『Byakuya, Stra. Let's split up and fight separately』
We split up and the Pachycephalosaurus came after us. Meanwhile, Byakuya and Stra will be free.
When Gray, Byakuya and Stra attack, the Pachycephalosaurus changes its aim from us. We get it.
"Rune Skill!"
Now I've sealed the stone throwing, man. Then this time, it deploys a magic circle. Sweet.
"Rune magic!"
The magic is also blocked and the Pachycephalosaurus stomps on the ground and roars at me.
It seems to be protesting for a fair fight. If you already fight Lesser Griffon and Boxer Kangaroo, die comfortably.
In the end, Gray and Byakuya won with a safe bite attack and us with a safe long-range attack. Dismantling.
Stone-headed Dinosaur Skull: Rarity 6, Material, Quality C+
Skull of Pachycephalosaurus. Very hard, compatible with rushing techniques and used as material for shields.
After all, the stone head is a skull. The material is a shield material. Seems to increase the power of shield tackle and such. I'm sure Mangetsu-san´s party will want it.
"Master"
"Hmm?"
Ix called over and when I followed her gaze, there was a cerian beast girl with strange ears.
"Hii!?"
Realizing that she had been noticed, she hid in a tree. However, she quietly looks at me. Well, what should I do...should I call friends in such a case...I change Hix and Stra and call Koihi and Wako.
"What's wrong? Takuto-oniichan"
"Koihi...there's someone over there"
"Ah! There's a cerian beast!"
Koihi says so and the cerian beast girl hides in a tree again.
"What...she looks just like Koihi, doesn't she?
"Eh!? Is that why you called me!?"
"No, No. I just thought that if I summoned a cerian beast, it might be able to do something about it. Could you do me a favor?"
"I'm sorry to hear that..."
When Koihi was in trouble, Wako headed toward the girl.
"My name is Wako. I'm a fox cerian beast. Can you tell me your name?"
"I...I'm Sunasaki. I am a fennec fox cerian beast..."
Fennec is a fox in the desert, known as the smallest fox among foxes.
"Sunasaki...that's a pretty name~"
"Th, Thank you...very much"
The quintessential Wako...only Koihi's older sister can do that.
"Umm...did I need to be called?"
"Hmm? Who knows, maybe you'll make a friend?"
Fennec has a chance. As I approach with Koihi in tow, I notice something.
A thick iron collar was attached to Sunasaki's neck. I tried to appraise it, but could not. Wako asked.
"That, what did you do with it?"
"...I can't tell you. If I tell you, I'll die"
It's confirmed that it's a terrible thing.
"Takuto-han..."
"Yes. I am Takuto, the summoner of Wako. This is Koihi. This one is Ix"
"I'm Ix"
"I, I'm Koihi!"
You're too nervous...Koihi.
"Sunasaki, right? Would it kill you to tell me?"
"...Yes"
"Well, how about this?"
I write on the ground with my cane. This way, I'm not saying it.
"""Indeed"""
Koihi and the others are convinced. I hand over the stick and Sunasaki fearfully writes letters on the ground.
『I am a slave of the leader of the caravan that will be here soon』
There is no response. Knowing this, Sunasaki smiles for the first time and writes the letters selflessly.
『I was attacked and forced into slavery』
『There are a number of slaves in the caravan』
『Please. Please help us』
It was a desperate plea. Then comes the info.
『Special quest 『Free the Slaves of the Caravan』 has occured』
Special Quest 『Free the Slaves of the Caravan』: Difficulty C
Reward: Title 『Liberator of Slaves』
Free the slaves from the leader of the caravan.
Well, it's a quest. Then Wako hugs Sunasaki.
"It's all right. I was once caught by a scary man, but Takuto-han helped me out. I am sure that Takuto-han will help you"
No, I'm going to do it. Wako-san. Haven't you raised the bar tremendously?
Sunasaki looks at me. See! She's looking at me with great anticipation! I can't fail this one.
"Okay...I'll help you. But we don't know anything. We're going to ask you some questions and you're going to write the answers down in motion or on the ground"
Sunasaki nodded. Good, so I'll ask her one question at a time...first, about the slaves.
"You said earlier that you were going to die, but is there something tampered with that collar?"
『There's a bomb in it』
It's a common story. Judging by the way she was frightened, she must have been shown the actual explosion.
"Do you know the conditions under which it will explode?"
『Talk to others about slaves. Touch the master. Disobey the master's orders. Not leaving without Master's permission. I haven't heard the rest』
Not leaving without the master's permission? This is odd. The other three are all triggered by rebellion, but only this one is different. If the master allows it, she can escape.
"Doesn't the leader of the caravan have something with a button or a switch?"
Sunasaki tilts her head. I thought there was a remote control to detonate the bomb, but I guess that's off... or maybe it's too early to tell.
"Then, does he have anything on him at all times?"
Sunasaki thinks for a moment and then writes.
『He wears a lot of rings all the time』
It could be a transition or defensive item I've seen before, but it's possible that those rings are the blast switches for the collars.
"I see...just in case you're wondering, you don't know how to remove the collar or anything, do you?"
Sunasaki nodded. So it's not just a matter of defeating the leader of the caravan. The quest does not say to defeat the leader of the caravan. In other words, we need to get information from him.
So the next thing we need is information about the leader.
"Can you tell me about the leader of the caravan? Gender, physical appearance..."
『A man, scary face. He has a lot of beard and he hides his face with a black cloth when he walks out in the desert』
"Besides being scared, can't you tell anything about his personality? Angry, nervous, whatever"
Sunasaki thinks about it and then writes it down.
『He is always yelling at us』
『He's just someone who thinks about caravans and stuff』
Angry and thoughtful, sort of. This is a good sign that the other side is wary of Sunasaki's late return.
"Thank you. Then listen carefully to what I'm going to say now"
Sunasaki nodded.
"Sunasaki, tell the leader about our battle you saw"
"Eh!? Are you sure?"
"Yes. Tell him that Sunasaki and the slaves' lives are in danger if we don't talk...and then tell him that you have been asked that I want to purchase that collar from him"
"I understand"
Now we get the information about the collar. The rest is just a countermeasure against the vigilance of the other side.
"Sunasaki, stay right diagonally behind the leader. However, if your life is in danger, you do not have to protect him. Is that clear?"
"I understand"
With that, Sunasaki hurried back to the caravan.
"What are you going to do?"
"I can't do anything until I hear about that collar first. I'll do the negotiating. It's going to be a pretty bad conversation, so don't take it seriously. Especially Koihi.
"Eh!? Just me!?"
"Koihi is so pure~"
I would not even want them to hear it if I could. But they won't budge.
"I'd like you two to change your appearance. I'd prefer Arleigh or Keigo"
""Eh""
They gave me a very disgusted look. If they knew this, they would both cry.
"Can't we...get someone else?"
"Ummm...would you mind if I ask Reppuu-san or Raiden-san?"
""That way""
Let's keep this to ourselves. The size of that caravan was quite large, just from what I could see from afar. I'd like to keep it quiet if possible, but I'll have to take precautions.
Name Takuto Love Summoner Lv9
Vitality 76
Magic Power 202
Strength 60
Defense 40
Agility 60
Dexterity 120
Skills
Fighting Lv15
Kicking Lv20
Staff Lv27
One-handed Sword Lv30
Spear Lv19
Katana Lv14
Throwing Lv8
High-Speed Chanting Lv37
Summoning Magic Lv34
Seal Magic Lv22→Lv23
Horsemanship Lv31
Alchemy Lv20
Mining Lv28
Logging Lv33
Dismantling Lv39
Appraisal Lv30
Identification Lv35
Fast Magic Lv2
Flame Magic Lv3
Land Magic Lv2
Sea Magic Lv4
Darkness Magic Lv2
Sacred Magic Lv10
Lightning Magic Lv31
Explosion Magic Lv28
Wood Magic Lv26
Ice Magic Lv29
Space-time Magic Lv40
Beast Magic Lv2
Delay Magic Lv2
Continuous Chanting Lv3
Underwater Action Lv12
Swift Lv1
Reading Lv14
Cooking Lv38
Feeding Lv8
Fishing Lv20
Synchro Lv16
Cooperation Lv7
Name Gray Silver Wolf Lv19→Lv20
Vitality 57→60
Magic Power 47→50
Strength 88→90
Defense 47
Agility 100
Dexterity 58→60
Skills
Bite Lv25→Lv26
Silver Claw Lv17→Lv18
Iron Wall Lv17
Sign Detection Lv27
Night Vision Lv27
Danger Detection Lv31
Silver Fang Lv24→Lv25
Gale Lv20
Roar Lv17
Name Byakuya Hermit Tiger Lv16
Vitality 44
Magic Power 67
Strength 80
Defense 40
Agility 99
Dexterity 51
Skills
Bite Lv22
Wind Claw Lv12→Lv14
Lookout Lv6→Lv7
Flight Lv15
Leap Lv14
Night Vision Lv18
Overpowering Lv11
Wind Magic Lv21→Lv23
Hermit Spirit Lv14
Spirit Power Lv12→Lv13
Whirlwind Lv9
Roar Lv12
Sprint Lv22
Name Hix Lesser Griffon Lv18
Vitality 76
Magic Power 94
Strength 126
Defense 50
Agility 138
Dexterity 68
Skills
Flying Lv30
Claw Lv10
Riding Lv21
Whirlwind Lv18
Windproof Lv10
Wind Blade Lv9
Gale Lv17
Afterimage Lv13→Lv14
Wind Magic Lv12→Lv14
Lightning Magic Lv12→Lv14
Lightning Breath Lv10
Majesty Lv4
Strengthen Horsemanship Lv17→Lv18
Name Stra Wyrm Lv17
Vitality 102
Magic Power 98
Strength 108
Defense 62
Agility 90
Dexterity 72
Skills
Flying Lv20→Lv21
Bite Lv10
Coiling Lv9
Poison Armor Lv10→Lv11
Assault Lv10
Deadly Poison Lv13
Deadly Poison Breath Lv13→Lv14
Corrosion Breath Lv14
Heat Detection Lv5
Wind Blade Lv9→Lv10
Wind Magic Lv7→Lv9
Overpowering Lv5
Riding Lv12