Chapter 95

"…Another rock."

Toll's words, tinged with weariness, made the silver-haired beauty smile wryly as she had already begun her incantation.

"Flower of vengeance—"

It's fast.

The spherical rock, carried by the wind, rapidly approached.

At this rate, Yuril's magic technique wouldn't be in time.

The mass, of that size, was coming with great force.

Even Toll would find it tough to withstand it head-on.

But there was no need to take it head-on.

Holding his sword and slightly lowering his stance, Toll exhaled deeply.

Then he called out to his reliable companion behind him.

"Count on you, Sora."

"Sure thing!"

With a confident face, the girl raised her staff and unleashed her magic.

—<Fixation>.

The rock, which had been stirring up dust, came to an abrupt stop at that moment.

It seemed to be a monster, not just a rock.

"Scatter—<Frost Array>"

Next, the prayer ended, and the activated magic technique created an invisible trap between Toll and the rock.

After five seconds, the rock regained its freedom.

However, it had already lost all its speed.

As Toll and the others watched, the rock mass, pushed by the wind, began to move slowly.

The monster, rolling slowly, reached the dangerous ice hidden on the ground.

White ice pillars rose, lifting the rock mass and instantly enveloping its surface in cold air.

Sora clapped in admiration at the beautiful frost crystals that bloomed.

"Wow, Muu, it's so beautiful, look!"

"No, not now… I'll look later…"

"Come on, come on, if you don't wake up soon, it'll melt!"

"Muuu. I said I'll look later…"

Sora, with a half-smiling, troubled face, shook Muu, who was still pouting with her eyes closed.

It seemed the backlash of waking up too early was setting in.

"Let her sleep. It doesn't look like we'll need <Radar> for a while."

Since it can be clearly detected from a distance, there's no need to know in advance.

Toll approached the monster, which had been stopped again, with caution.

"…This one is like a bug, too."

Circling around the ice pillar, Toll looked at the frozen monster and muttered.

It looked round, but some parts had opened up due to the cold, revealing its insides.

It seemed to be a bug that curls into a ball, with six legs protruding from the gaps in its shell.

After a while, the ice, whipped by the wind, began to melt, and the giant bug rolled onto the ground.

Since it didn't return to its spherical shape, it seemed to have stopped breathing.

As a precaution, he kicked it over with his foot.

Inside were two spiral antennae, a thick jaw, and a familiar shape.

"Could this be—"

"Yes, this is also a rock beetle…."

Salissa, the guide who had been silent all along, answered Toll's doubt.

"Hmm. So there are mobile types, too."

"…Could it be a larva?"

Salissa nodded slightly at Yuril's words, which had joined the conversation.

According to her, the larvae of rock beetles gradually grow larger as they roll around in this barren wasteland.

Once they reach a certain size, they roll into the Thousand Blades Plain and take root.

"I didn't know that. Thanks, it's helpful."

"You're welcome…"

It's typical of the Adventurer's Bureau to withhold such information.

For a party encountering it for the first time without any immobilizing magic techniques, it would be a tough opponent.

If it's the same species as the rock beetle, it will definitely have a range attack with its antennae after getting close.

"We're lucky to have Yuril and Sora with us."

"Hehe. If you say you want to marry me, I get a bit embarrassed…"

"Me too? I'm not much, but please take care of me."

"Sure, sure, I will. Now, for the strategy, <Ice Bed> might accelerate it, so <Cold Sleep> and <Freeze Crystal> seem to be the most effective."

"In a curled-up state, <Freeze Crystal> would be tough. Plus, the wind is too strong here…."

<Freeze Crystal> is a magic technique that affects the air around the target, so it's less effective if the target isn't breathing.

Moreover, with this strong wind, it's more likely to be scattered.

Rather, there's a risk that Toll and the others, who are downwind, might be hit.

"And <Cold Sleep> wouldn't make much sense even if it put it to sleep in that state…."

Indeed, putting a monster rolling with great force to sleep wouldn't significantly reduce its speed.

"So, <Frost Array> is the key. If it fails, we'll have to rely on <Fixation> and <Reversal>."

"Sure, leave it to me, Toll!"

"Sure, I'm counting on you."

At the usual words, the girl nodded with a full smile.

However, contrary to her enthusiasm, the rolling rock beetles only attacked three or four times an hour.

By the time the sun was high in the sky, the landscape had not changed.

As far as the eye could see, the barren wasteland stretched to the horizon.

Toll, pondering whether to take a midday break, heard a voice from behind, against the wind.

"May I have a moment…?"

The speaker was Salissa, who had somehow acquired a strange tool.

The guide, who had caught up to Toll with a quick walk, continued with a serious gaze.

"This is a warning. Are you willing to hear it…?"

"Go ahead."

Toll agreed without hesitation.

The guide's warning is valuable advice that can help avoid danger, but if he accepts too many, the exploration will be cut short as it's considered too much assistance.

He should keep it to a minimum to move forward, but continuing the exploration with too little information is reckless.

Salissa, nodding slightly, unfolded a map she had taken from her backpack.

"Our current location is around here. We're about 30% through…"

"How do you know that?"

"With this celestial navigation device, I can estimate the distance…"

"I see, go on."

The blue-scaled woman, slightly lowering her eyes, stated her conclusion matter-of-factly.

"At this rate, we won't be able to leave this area today. Once night falls, we will probably die…"