Chapter 8

Seeing a red-haired girl running desperately towards us, it seems she is fleeing from a large lizard covered in creeping minerals.

"Ah..."

She runs towards us, but stumbles and falls over a tree root halfway.

At that moment, our eyes meet, and I inadvertently catch her desperate expression.

"Grr! (Tch!)"

Even as I let out a short sigh, I find myself running out.

Because I still have the memories of my human days, it is painful to abandon her. Besides, my sister has sprained her ankle and cannot run, so the only option is to fight.

"Roar!!"

Before the predator, which roars and charges, I quickly embrace the girl and leap to the side. Immediately after, the massive body of the rock lizard, moving at incredible speed, passes the spot where we were just standing.

"What!? It's fluffy? What's going on!?"

"Woof, Waoon! (Hey, stop struggling!)"

I hold down the confused girl and turn my gaze back to see Buster, who has readied his weapon, facing the opponent that has slowed down and changed its body orientation.

"Rooow... Gao, Waoon!! (It's so hard... But, that's good!!)"

It seems something in my friend has been triggered. He shoulders his weapon, lowers his stance, and takes a fighting position.

"Gargwoa, Kwooon!! (With this one strike, I will crush you!!)"

Aiming for the head of the rock lizard, which is charging to bite and press down, Buster delivers a heavy slash, but...

"Gah!! (Gah!!)"

The sword strike, loaded with his weight and centrifugal force, is blocked by the minerals covering the skin, and the shock is reflected back into Buster's arm. However, the rock lizard's head, which it had raised, is knocked down and pinned to the ground by the great sword.

Perhaps due to the heavy blow to its head, its movements temporarily stop.

"Waoon!! (I'll take advantage of this!!)"

"Kyaa!"

I release the red-haired girl I was holding and draw a short sword from the sheath at my waist, running towards the rock lizard and aiming for the gaps in the minerals covering its body, I thrust the tip of the sword.

"!? Gaaaah!!"

"Ugh! (Ugh!)"

The rock lizard, writhing in pain, pushes back Buster's great sword and uses its massive body to knock me away.

"Gru, Kwoarwoan, Gaoora! (Captain, that thing isn't working, it's no good!)"

"Woof, Grua (Yeah, leave it to me!)"

And I, gathering strength in my abdomen, let out a magical dog's roar to boost the abilities of my fellow kobolds.

"Woaaaaaooon!!"

"Gargwoon! Waoon!! (I'm getting fired up! I'll conquer it!!)"

Buster's muscles in both arms bulge instantly, and he delivers a full-bodied strike.

"Guraaa!! (Slash!!)"

Zash!

The mineral armor shatters, but the great sword, blocked by the rock lizard's sturdy defense, only pierces shallowly. The rock lizard, spinning around in anger, delivers a tail strike.

"Gaaaaoo! (Angry)"

"Woaoon!?"

Buster, caught off guard after his attack, is blown away by the thick tail from the side.

"Gruaaa!! (Buster!!)"

"Gah, Guraa!! (Gah, uraaa!!)"

The black-armed, massive-bodied kobolt, having regained his composure, endures the pain, roars, and regains his fighting spirit.

(He seems to be okay)

However, this is not good... The attacks aren't working.

What's going on here? The strength of the monsters has been strange since just now.

If there were many of these in the forest, we kobolds would have been wiped out long ago. I can't help but complain, but there is a chance. When Buster was knocked away by the rock lizard's tail, the underside of its body, which was exposed, was not covered in minerals!

"Kru, Kwooon!! (Come on, let's do it!!)"

I kneel on the spot, place my hands on the ground, and converge my magic.

Since turning into a silver-furred form, I have instinctively felt something. This is probably a natural understanding that living beings are born with to fully utilize their abilities.

I am likely a mage-type kobolt who can handle earth and wind magic!

"Woar, Wolf!! (Take this, fangs of the earth!!)"

"Gah, Gaaaar, Gih, Gia..."

Multiple earth fangs grow from beneath the rock lizard, piercing its belly and pinning it to the ground. Indeed, the underside of its body, facing the ground, is not covered in mineral armor.

Even on its back, the minerals covering the skin have gaps to allow for movement. If it were rough all over, it wouldn't be able to move so quickly.

"Grua, Gaooran? (Captain, did we get it?)"

"Gao, Wao (No, not yet)"

I call Dagger (my sister), who is standing behind me.

"Woof? Kwon (What? Big brother)"

"Kua, Gaoora (You finish it off)"

When we changed after defeating the pitch-black unicorn, which was stronger than the surrounding monsters, I want to confirm if the same phenomenon will occur when Dagger delivers the final blow.

"Ku, Garukuga, Kruun (But, this dagger won't work)"

"Garow (Use this)"

I take the unicorn's horn, which was peeking out of the mouth of my waist bag, and hand it to Dagger.

"Kruo, Kwon (Okay, I'll try, big brother)"

Thus, Dagger deeply pierces the gap in the mineral armor covering the head of the rock lizard, which is pinned to the ground, delivering the final blow.

Thank you so much to everyone who reads this!

I am really grateful when I realize I have received evaluations and bookmarks. Even though my work is clumsy, it gives me the motivation to keep writing.