Chapter 51: Ruthless Action (3)

Hexter Vald was walking ahead of me, completely disarmed.

“……”

At the same time, he was cautiously glancing back at us.

It wasn’t because he wanted to run away.

It was due to the raised voices between us.

“Why does it have to be like this?”

Tirvaen’s eyes narrowed sharply.

It was a natural reaction when I said I was going to destroy the East Dormitory.

I answered the witch simply.

“Because it has to be.”

“Then tell me why! You crazy………!”

“Crazy?”

“You heartless bastard!”

…………Her reflexes are better than Karls’.

There wasn’t just one reason why I had to smash that cabin, but to put it bluntly, it was this:

“We have to tie Eve Wyler’s feet.”

But the little witch didn’t back down easily.

“That’s all? There must be other ways to bind the Special Task Force’s movements.”

Since that cabin was her own sleeping quarters as well, my plan didn’t sit well with her.

I sighed.

“Alright. This will take a while, so listen carefully.”

Once the dormitory is destroyed, Eve and the girls will have nowhere to rest.

In other words, it becomes difficult for them to regroup.

Especially the girls, who are more vulnerable to sleeping outdoors than the boys, so we can’t leave it as is.

“So Eve will definitely have to ask the boys to share their dormitory for shelter.”

Now, what happens then?

“Now the boys and girls will have to stay together in the West Dormitory, right?”

“That sounds a bit…………. too cramped and uncomfortable for grown kids?”

“Kal, that’s not the issue.”

What’s important is how this variable will affect the Ultra Wave.

Originally, the Ultra Wave was a disaster targeting only the boys in the West Dormitory.

But now, boys and girls will be staying together there.

That means when the Ultra Wave strikes, everyone could be wiped out together.

-Then isn’t that more dangerous? If the risk level goes up, Eve’s Special Task Force might mobilize faster, right?

“Well, you could think that way.”

Baruel gave me a confused look at my confident answer.

“But you have to think one step further.”

The girls who wouldn’t have been hurt if they’d stayed in the East Dormitory…

They are now within the danger zone……………

What does this mean?

“It means the situation turned out exactly opposite to what the perpetrator intended.”

“……!”

The Priestess of Kishiris planned this scheme solely to wipe out the boys.

But if the kids get mixed up like this?

“She won’t be able to trigger the Ultra Wave immediately.”

They can’t afford to have the girls caught up and killed by accident.

That’s why.

“The culprit won’t even appear in the Orc Shaman’s Cave.”

As a result, nothing is expected to happen tonight.

Shark nodded.

“I see. If the monster doesn’t appear, it means the Special Task Force won’t move either.”

“Exactly right.”

Eve will also grasp the situation similarly and think hard.

So she won’t lead the Special Task Force out needlessly.

‘Unless she’s really stupid.’

The clever young mage drew a new conclusion.

But still, the Ultra Wave will happen eventually, right?

I smiled faintly.

“Right, that’s the important point.”

Not tonight, but the Ultra Wave will eventually occur.

Even if we attack the cave first and take down the Orc Shaman.

What’s needed for the Ultra Wave is a monster with strong magic power.

Even if it’s not the Orc Shaman, as long as there’s a creature of similar strength, it can happen anytime.

‘It’s just that when the dormitories are merged, there’s no way to single out only the boys.’

That’s the culprit’s challenge.

But it’s an easy problem to solve, just takes some time.

“……Eve will take care of that instead? Though she wouldn’t intend it at all.”

Everyone nodded at Tirvaen’s words.

“What do you mean?”

Karls blinked, not understanding immediately.

He’s really bad at this kind of scheming.

“Think carefully, brother.”

With a bright smile as ‘En,’ Tirvaen explained directly.

“Eve is leading all the girls right now. There are 25 of them divided into five teams, but they actually move as one.”

“So?”

“When Eve takes the girls to hunt the next target, we just trigger the wave everywhere except where they are.”

“……OF!”

Just as the little witch said.

Since the girls move with Eve, all we have to do is avoid that area and pick the right timing.

…………The timing is delayed and concentration is slightly diffused, but the Ultra Wave is still targeting the boys.

“So, that’s why you’re planning such a ruthless act?”

“What are you talking about? It’s just breaking down an empty log cabin.”

“That’s my dormitory, too, you know?”

“It can’t be helped. That’s the way it has to be.”

I was sorry, but to hold back Eve who was trying to get ahead and still cause the wave to happen, this was the best course.

Everything.

I had to properly provoke and block this madness.

“Alright, then. Come to think of it, I can just sleep with you, Kal.”

“……Uh?”

Kal’s face flushed bright red at that bold and brash remark.

Meanwhile, Tirvaen had a calm expression as if ready to play her part.

I clicked my tongue inside.

‘Maybe it’s because of her transferred memories, but sometimes her mind flips like this. It’s scary.’

I just wish she would pick one — either clueless kid or skillful adult.

‘Anyway.’

I left the awkwardly pretending siblings behind and turned away.

Far ahead, the towering rocky terrain and two cabins came into view.

“Alright, let’s go split that hill apart.”

Of course, this wasn’t something I could do alone.

So preparations were needed.

But I was a bit confused about something………….

“En, do Rock Drakes prefer young Grol or old Grol as prey?”

Drakes are one of the dragon-like species, considered mid-level monsters.

‘Wingless dragons.’

Among them, the Rock Drake was somewhat weaker.

Sometimes called ‘Stone Dragon,’ but that name was a bit grandiose.

‘It’s better to just think of it as a giant beast that looks somewhat like a dragon.’

Comparing a mid-level monster to a powerful, intelligent creature like a dragon was unfair.

According to the original setting, dragons live longer than humans, so they are in a different class from drakes.

But facing a drake in person changed my perspective a bit.

“…..This is no joke.”

It could easily pass as a dragon, really.

Having always seen them on a monitor, meeting a drake in real life was……………

‘Like mixing a lizard and a turtle once, putting a lion’s soul inside, then blowing it up thirtyfold?’

It even felt more dragon-like than the noble dragons that spoke human language.

“Wow, this is a real monster.”

I muttered dazedly, and the drake roared fiercely at me.

Kararararara

But I just covered my ears and stepped back.

“Ugh, my ears hurt.”

“Told you not to get close.”

There was no danger.

This Rock Drake was completely restrained.

Deep below the rocky hill where the kids’ dormitories were located.

There was a narrow gap just wide enough for one person to pass through.

Hidden by bushes, it wasn’t visible at first, but it was clearly a path made with intent.

We passed through that narrow passage and arrived at this hollow.

[Hidden Space ‘Beast Prison’ Discovered.]

This place was made precisely to imprison this creature.

Thick iron bars were tightly wrapped all around, and the drake’s limbs were bound with powerful iron chains.

So it couldn’t move at all, only roar.

“……Why is something like this here?”

Hexter, suddenly dragged all the way here, asked.

I chuckled.

“To protect you guys.”

“Protect us?”

“Yes. If it was a creature prepared to kill you, it would have had better treatment.”

“What do you mean?”

“Hmm…….”

Apparently, no one understood.

I scratched the side of my head and said,

“No, everyone, think about it. How could there be dormitories right in the middle of a hunting ground?”

“……?”

“There are just two log cabins, but how can this place be safe? There’s no defense magic either. Isn’t that strange?”

・Why the cabins in the middle of the hunting ground are safe from monsters.

Baruel’s pupils widened in realization.

-They are securing the dormitories’ safety using the Fear of the Drake!

Smart kid as always.

I nodded.

“That’s right. That’s it. Although a subspecies, drakes are classified as dragon-kind.”

That was partly because of the drake’s appearance resembling dragons.

But it also included their ability to use some of the special powers only dragons possess.

That was Fear.

One of the dragon-kind’s powers that instills ‘fear’ in other living beings simply by their existence.

“Not comparable to the true dragon’s Fear, of course.”

So even these low-level kids couldn’t stand it……………….

“But it’s enough to repel monsters that are relatively sensitive to Fear.”

In other words, by invisibly confining the Rock Drake here, they secured a monster-free zone in the middle of the hunting ground.

“Quite a clever tactic.”

“Whose idea could this be?”

Even Karls and Tirvaen admired it.

Damn it, even if the kids don’t get it, why do you guys have to be impressed here?

“……Anyway, that’s enough explanation.”

Let’s get to work.

I gestured to Shark Robren behind me.

“Now take that out and throw it. The ones we hunted earlier.”

“Got it.”

Shark opened his inventory and started pulling out something, placing it on the ground.

It was the corpse of a monster twisted like a bunch of black bears.

< Grol >

[Monster] A mutated beast born from wild bears and trolls. Notorious for its ferocity, attacking even its own mother from birth.

Tirvaen and Baruel looked queasy at the sight of the body.

Grrrrrr!

The Rock Drake behind the iron bars started thrashing as if trying to snap the chains.

“This thing’s really going crazy.”

I smirked.

The Grol Shark hunted was a particularly young specimen.

‘A tailored prey to suit the picky Rock Drake’s appetite.’

If we threw this in now, the ravenous drake would devour it in less than a second.

Everything.

But.

“Let’s add some seasoning first. En, please.”

As I had instructed beforehand, Tirvaen began weaving magic onto the Grol’s corpse.

[Attack Magic: Poisonweed’s Harmony]

[Effect enhanced by 200% due to equipped accessories.]

“Done.”

It’s said that Tirvaen’s witches have mastered poison magic through generations.

With this potent poison magic infused……………

“It’ll probably be a bit spicy for you too.”

I dragged the now deadly toxic corpse in front of the iron bars.

Then I pushed it forcefully toward the howling, hungry Rock Drake.

The next moment.

“Now, run! Run!”

I shoved Hexter and shouted at full force.

Behind us, the sound of the drake gulping down the Grol echoed.

It wouldn’t take long.

Just as everyone squeezed through the rocky passageway.

[‘Imprisoned Rock Drake’ affected by status ‘Severe Vomiting’!]

[Sudden Event: Eye for an Eye, Rock for a Rock triggered!]

[Escape from danger immediately!]

“It’s started!”

Kyarararararara!

With a tremendous roar, the drake trembled violently, and the rocks began to shake.

I shouted once more.

“If you don’t want to become dried fish, get out now!”

Thus, the collapse began.