kscans

Chapter 286 - A Howl in the Snowy Plains 6. The Demon Bear of Daylight

"Kudol-san, please wait a moment."

Yuri, who was positioned in the middle of the group and sensing the surroundings, called out to Fray and Kudol who were leading the way at the front.

"Did you find it!?"

"...Only for a moment, but I caught a presence that seemed like the Tyrantbot. Also… there’s a small group moving around chaotically as if flustered… is this what they call ‘fleeing in panic’?"

From Yuri’s explanation, there seemed to be no other interpretation than ‘fleeing in panic,’ but…

("Ah… Yuri probably doesn’t have experience with that sort of thing…")

("He might not understand what ‘fleeing in panic’ is…")

("He did say ‘what they call’…")

"?"

The strange atmosphere lasted only for a few moments before a composed Kudol immediately asked for the key details.

"Yuri, you said a ‘small group’? Does that mean it’s not a group of ten?"

The young master’s party was supposed to be nearly ten people, including attendants and a guide. If it was smaller than that, then it was either a party participating in the search or…

"Umm… about four people. But… I can feel a faint presence a little ways off. …To put it one way, it’s like a wounded, dying beast…"

It was likely the case of the young master’s party being attacked by the Tyrantbot, with only a part of them narrowly escaping with their lives. The predator Tyrantbot seemed to be planning to leave the incapacitated prey as they were and hunt down the rest.

"Looks like we drew the worst-case scenario…"

Kudol and the others muttered with bitter faces, but beside them…

(For me, this is the best-case scenario, though…)

He had been worried that a monopoly would be difficult, but he had managed to find his target prey, the Tyrantbot, in an ideal fashion. The name of the party, "Lucky Footsteps," had brought him a fitting result, and Yuri was secretly overjoyed.

"Kudol-san and the others should proceed with the rescue. I’ll circle around to divert the Tyrantbot’s attention."

Yuri naturally insisted on splitting into two groups. The Adventurer’s Guild had no intention of exposing Yuri to danger, and Adon had strictly instructed them, "Do not, under any circumstances, let Yuri get into trouble." But…

(The guy himself… is standing before his prey, a bear, and he’s raring to hunt…)

Even if they told him, "Be a good boy and retreat to a safe place," he didn’t seem like he would listen. If they forced him, he would likely use his specialty, Stealth, and charge the Tyrantbot alone.

(…In that case, it’s probably a little better if he works with us…)

Having resigned himself to the situation, Kudol stopped Yuri, who was eagerly about to head off to collect his game, which was now more of a retrieval than a hunt.

"Before you disappear, at least tell us the bear’s location."

Facing an elusive Tyrantbot, even the veteran party "Lucky Footsteps" could not avoid a tough fight. They wanted to at least know its current location. Yuri, finding Kudol’s request reasonable, agreed to guide them to the scene of the battle, or rather, the Tyrantbot’s "hunt." Of course, the Tyrantbot, perhaps having decided that skills were unnecessary against inferior opponents, seemed to have no intention of hiding.

"...Hey Yuri, do you know that bear’s attributes?"

Kudol, convinced that Yuri must have a skill like Appraisal, asked him, but…

"One moment… ah, it seems to be a tri-elemental with Water, Wind, and Fire."

Kudol’s question was so natural that Yuri answered with the appraisal result just as naturally. For the record, the official story was that Yuri did not have Appraisal. Hearing this exchange between the two, the other members slapped their foreheads in a "there they go again" fashion. However, one of them didn’t seem to have the presence of mind for that…