kscans

Chapter 88 - The Path of Calamity 3. True Identity

"...We were attacked without warning. We were completely on the defensive, with no time to get into formation... It was all we could do to escape while trying to heal ourselves..."

"Really, there was no sign of it at all, I swear..."

"Alright, that’s enough of that. So, what kind of creature was it?"

"...I don’t know. ...I’ve never seen anything like it... It felt like a bear-type monster, but... something was off."

"What about its attacks? If it’s a bear type, did it use its claws?"

"Yes. Ashenda was sent flying with a single blow. Mig... even that Mig couldn't properly evade... he was relentlessly cornered..."

"And magic... Fireball and Flame Lance didn't seem to faze it... It was as if its fur just deflected them..."

The group listened to the explanation, a collective look of confusion on their faces. But Yuri, who had read the text of his Anti-Monster Tactics skill so many times he had it memorized, had an idea.

"Um... may I speak?"

The group seemed surprised as Yuri timidly raised his hand, but they seemed to reconsider. He might be a child, but he was a formidable one who lived on Salt-Sour Mountain. Perhaps he knew something. Above all else, he was the distinguished hero who had saved the injured with his potions. Naval nodded silently, and Yuri turned to the three adventurers.

"This monster, was it covered in long, black fur, with unusually long forearms? Also, was its neck a bit longer than a normal bear's?"

The three adventurers’ eyes widened. They said nothing, but nodded repeatedly, affirming his description. Having confirmed this, Yuri turned to the magician.

"About the fire magic... did it seem to waver and dissipate just before impact?"

"! ...Now that you mention it... How did you know!?"

"Yuri, do you know something!?"

Yuri, now the center of everyone's attention, looked slightly troubled.

"...I can’t say for certain, but... I believe it was a monster called a Tyrantbot, also known as a Tyrant Grizzly."

"A Tyrantbot?"

"No... I think I’ve heard the name Tyrant Grizzly before."

A Tyrantbot. Also known as a Tyrant Grizzly. A monster with an appearance somewhere between a bear and a gorilla. Its forearms are exceptionally long, and its entire body is covered in long, black fur. Not only its arms but also its neck is longer and more flexible than a bear's, allowing it to move freely and leaving it with almost no blind spots. Its weapons are its long, agile arms and powerful claws, but its fingers are long and its grip is also strong. It is not just a power fighter. It is also adept at technical attacks that utilize its flexible body. Its legs are short compared to its arms, but its stride is still much longer than that of an average person. Its excellent dashing and jumping abilities mean it often breaks through encirclements and escapes. Its most distinctive feature is its use of magic for defense. It can emit a weak magical presence to interfere with detection magic, or use a barrier of magic around its body to deflect magical attacks. However, it cannot master all elemental magic. It is usually limited to one or two attributes. It is often fire and wind magic, though individuals that use water magic have also been confirmed.

"...So that’s why my detection didn’t work..."

"And the magic communication device... it was disrupted by that... so we couldn't make contact..."

"And it deflected my fire magic because..."

"Sounds like a troublesome monster... Yuri, what rank would you say it is?"

"Well... I don’t know that much..."

"Even if they were caught by surprise, ‘Red Sandstorm’ is a C-class party. For it to beat them down so one-sidedly, it must be B-class or higher."

"A monster like that... why here..."

"Maybe it’s trying to find food before it hibernates? It seems its nature is similar to a bear’s."

Hearing this heart-stopping line, the group turned to stare at Yuri. It came out to fill its stomach? If so... does that mean it will stay until its belly is full?

"If that happens... we’ll be out of business..."

"More than that, if we’re not careful, the merchant city of Laurenzen could dry up."

It might sound like an exaggeration, but given the current situation, it was a possibility that couldn't be laughed off. Due to the chronic food shortage as of late, food was being brought into the merchant city from rural areas. Not all of it was consumed here. Much of it was shipped elsewhere after being traded... but that in itself brought the possibility that other towns would starve.

The gazes of the group, their faces grim, eventually gathered on Yuri.

(...Eh?)