Kuma ch 312

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312 Bear-san, Makes Karina Cry.

 

 

Aiming at the sands that were packed with worms, I shot my wind magic. The worms popped out of the sand and danced in the air.

The worms then fell like a fish washed up on land. Mel-san treats them to a magically mortal wound. Jade-san and the others stab them for the finisher.

We repeated this many times.

 

[Mel-san, don’t fall.] Yuna

 

Mel-san is carrying out magical bombardment with one hand on my shoulder, while her knees are on the back of Swaying Bear.

Mel-san looks at the direction of my Bear Puppet and fatally injures the worms with precise timing. The rest is a simple collaboration between Jade-san and the others.

Thanks to Mel-san’s attack, Jade-san’s burden had been reduced.

 

[Yuna! Are there still more?] Jade

 

Out of breath, Jade-san asked me from behind. Even with Mel-san’s help, the burden that they take is not zero. Their physical strength was gradually decreasing.

Looking at the Bear Detection Magic, it’s about half less than their initial number. We defeated quite a lot, but.

We still have a long way to go.

It looks like there were so many, quite astoundingly large number of worms gathered around the pyramid.

 

[There’s more, we’re not even close to being done, so there’s more.] Yuna

 

If you look at the area where the worms’ corpses are, it’s obvious where we didn’t pass yet.

Some of the worms came together and recognized us as food; there are still a lot of worms left.

 

[Uragan! Are you still all right?] Jade

[Well, we’re going to be okay! Who do you think you’re talking to?] Uragan

 

When Jade-san checks on Uragan, he answers with a mean tone. He’s like a barbarian putting up the bravado air.

But it’s better than making a weak cry.

So then, I’ll go and make you squeal, let’s dig up the rest of the worms.

 

---

 

[Follow me!] Mel

 

Mel-san, who’s riding behind me, told everyone.

I dug out the worms one after another. However, this is a trivial work.

I’d be happy if this was something that could be eaten, like a fish. Worms aren’t happy either.

The same work continues.

 

[Hey, bear!] Uragan

 

Uragan is shouting in the back, but I’m not listening.

 

[Hey, black one!] Uragan

 

My name is not black.

 

[Are there still…] Uragan

 

The voice in the back is getting smaller.

 

[Yuna-chan, behind…] Mel

[It’s almost time.] Yuna

[I’m begging you… Please stop …] Uragan

[And that’s it.] Yuna

 

---

 

The final air bullet was driven and the worm around here was the last one.

Looking at behind me, everyone is falling out of breath.

However Uragan, who kept wielding his sword throughout the ordeal, seemed to have a lot of guts.

But in the end, he was complaining in a weak pacified tone.

Uragan aside, his party members have stopped, due to exhaustion.

 

[Damn, it’s been a long time since I’ve moved like that.] Party Member

[I… I can’t move.] Party Member

 

Uragan’s party were out of breath and were now lying on the back of the Ragaroot. However, they looked terrible and they somehow managed to follow.

But if you really couldn’t do it anymore, I would do it by myself.

Unlike Uragan’s party, Jade-san and the others thought they’d be okay.

 

[I don’t want to do that ever again.] Toya

 

Toya was complaining while almost fainted on his ride.

 

[But I never would’ve thought I’d really kill such a large amount of worms.] Jade

 

Jade-san said that while watching the worms lifelessly lying around.

Roughly, about 500 worms had been killed.

It was certainly quite a lot. However, it’s still few compared from that incident at the Royal Capital.

With this, we were able to subdue almost all of the worms around the pyramid. Even if I confirm it using the Bear Detection Magic, there were hardly any of them left.

I think that its fine to leave them be if its just this much.

In the first place, its troublesome to move around just to defeat a single monster.

 

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[Don’t take it in the pyramid. You’re gonna have to dismantle it here.] Jade

 

Jade-san mercilessly said to the tired Uragan.

 

[Do.. Don’t be stupid! You’re gonna let us do this amount alone!?] Uragan

[You made a deal. I’ll give you half of Yuna’s share and half of our share, so you’re going to do the dismantling.] Jade

 

Jade-san looks at Uragan.

Did you possibly knew the number of worms, Jade-san?

Is that why you made a deal like that?

 

Jade-san has to go into the pyramid with me and Karina anyway. But the worm’s processing is very essential. Did you think that by giving half of your share, you can get paid without participating in the dismantling work?

 

[You did said that, but…] Uragan

 

Uragan saw the countless worms lying on the desert sand.

Will they make it before the end of the day?

Well, unlike the wolves, worms have very little usable material, so if you take out the magic stone, you’ll just have to burn it to keep the other monsters from getting close.

So it shouldn’t take much time to dismantle a single worm. However, the amount is large. Also we’re in the middle of the desert.

It’s a place where you don’t want to take your sweet time doing dismantling work.

 

[I think you’ll be fine after doing a few minutes of work.] Jade

[Damn, I’ll do it. But we’ll get a better share.] Uragan

 

Certainly, in this subjugation, they seem to have earned more than a few rewards. Uragan, who noticed it, reluctantly accepts Jade-san’s words.

His party did not complain because their leader Uragan consented.

Well, if you don’t do your best at dismantling work, you’ll be in trouble if the other monsters came.

For the time being, I’ll go back to where Karina is.

 

---

 

The original purpose is to take Karina into the pyramid. However, the worms were almost exterminated, so we can proceed to the pyramid with a peace of mind.

While we’re moving towards Karina, Swaying Bear turns to the right.

 

[What’s wrong? ] Yuna

 

The sand moves.

A worm?

I’m looking at the Bear Detection Magic, there is indeed a worm at a distance.

Swaying Bear cries with caution.

 

[Swaying Bear, it’s okay.] Yuna

 

If it comes here, I’ll kill it. You can leave it alone.

Huh? I think, a small sand dune is getting closer and closer. The movement of the sand gradually grows. Everyone noticed that.

 

[What?] Uragan

 

The moment I thought that a small wave of sand had occurred, the sand surged and a huge sandworm emerged from the sand.

 

[What the!] Jade

[There’s such a big one?!] Uragan

 

A sandworm about the size of a worm I killed in the capital appeared.

So this is what made Swaying Bear wary.

A big sandworm appeared when I thought it was just a normal sandworm. The Bear Detection Magic also only tags it as sandworm.

Just like the case with the bees the other day, I want it to be able to distinguish between ordinary worms and big worms. This is where the Detection Magic is not flexible.

 

I faced the worm.

Maybe it’s a parent or something? The parent is here, because the normal worm’s corpses are gathered?

Or was it born here?

Even so, the worm gets worse as it gets bigger. That sticky saliva was the most unpleasant.

 

[Yuna-chan!] Mel

[Shit, let’s get out of here.] Uragan

[Yuna! What are we going do now?] Jade

 

Mel-san is screaming behind me.

Uragan’s party wants to run away.

Jade-san is looking at me and Uragan alternately.

They seem to be thinking about either fighting or fleeing.

If you think about the future, it is better to just kill it. I will decide immediately.

 

[I’m going down, everyone go to Karina.] Yuna

 

Here it is easier to fight alone than to fight several at once.

I got off Swaying Bear.

Because it is troublesome, I will end it quickly.

I know how to kill large worms.

 

[Yuna-chan, me too.] Mel

[Mel-san wait there with Swaying Bear till I come back.] Yuna

 

If Swaying Bear is not nearby when I’m finished with this, it’ll be troublesome to return to Karina.

 

[Yuna, are you really going to be okay?] Jade

[I’ll be alright.] Yuna

 

After answering Jade-san, I started running alone towards the worm. The worm perceived me as food and squirms its body, screaming from its large mouth.

Did you mistake me for a bear?

The one-sided battle between the Bear and the Sandworm begins.

 

---

 

I lined up the Flame Bears. Countless Flame Bears appear before me.

 

[Bears, Go!] Yuna

 

Secret technique, internal destruction.

As I swing my arms forward, the Flame Bears jumped out and flew towards the mouth of the big sandworm. Then, they rushed into the mouth of the approaching sandworm while shedding it.

I couldn’t see it, but the Flame Bears were moving around inside the worm, burning it. The worm faced it and tossed its body around. It hit its body so many times on the sand.

Although impossible with ordinary magic, my Flame Bears do not disappear easily. They will go all the way inside if I order them to do so.

Monsters with large mouths are the fastest to destroy from the inside of the body. If there are other important materials inside the monster’s body, then I can’t use this secret technique.

But right now, you don’t have any other essential materials so there is no problem.

Worms are stupid. It became like this because you wanted to eat the Bears. If you only slept in the sand obediently, this would have never happened.

The giant sandworm slams its body onto the sandy ground just to suffer even more.

 

At that moment, when I thought it was over, the back part of the worm bends and suddenly attacks me. I thought it could be defeated with that, thus my reaction was a little delayed.

I tried to defend quickly with my Bear Puppet, but I got blown away from the impact.

I was rolling around in the desert with a sound <korokorokorokorokorokorokorokoro>.

Though it doesn’t hurt, it’s a bit eye-catching.

 

When I got up, I felt a little giddy.

There is no injury to the body. As expected of the Bear Equipment.

But you know as they say, don’t let your guard down.

I thought I defeated it, after looking like that, I thought that took care of it.

 

[Yuna-chan!] Mel

 

Mel-san, who’s riding on Swaying Bear is running towards me.

 

[Yuna-chan, are you okay?] Mel

[I’m okay, I blocked the attack. I just briefly turn my eyes away when it happened.] Yuna

[Just briefly turn your eyes, you say… I think it blew you off quite a distance.] Mel

 

She’s looking at me astoundingly.

Well, it would have been really dangerous if I didn’t have the Bear Equipment.

 

Looking at the worm, it seems that the last attack took the last drop of its power; it gradually weakened then slowly fell to the ground.

Finally, it stoped moving.

I was careless and got hit once, but I was able to subjugate it safely.

 

We approached the big sandworm, I smacked it with my Bear Puppet to see if it was dead and to make sure it doesn’t move anymore.

Then we went back to Jade-san and Uragan.

 

[Did you really defeated it?] Uragan

 

Uragan looks alternately between me and the big sandworm.

The big worm can’t be left to Uragan, so it ended up in the Bear Box.

This time, I may be able to use it when I’m fishing for another Kraken. But sandworms are different than normal worms, so how does it’s taste then?

Well, I’ll try using it as a bait and if I can’t catch it, should I just throw it into the sea?

It couldn’t be processed here so I can’t leave it here.

 

Then the big sandworm disappeared.

Uragan was surprised with his eyes wide open. He tried to ask me something, but he couldn’t, so I ignored it.

When Jade-san saw such a scene, he gives an explanation or something to Uragan.

 

[Suddenly, a worm… in that hand…] Uragan

[…Just give it up.] Jade

 

I heard you said give up, but what are you giving up?

I want to ask Jade-san a little.

…………..

………

 

---

 

I’m not convinced, but I’ll head back to Karina at once.

Upon returning, Karina was crying heavily.

 

[What’s wrong? ] Yuna

 

Why is she cying?

Karina rubs her eyes, jumps off of Hugging Bear and rushes to me.

 

[Yuna-san!] Karina

 

I got off of Swaying Bear and hugged Karina.

Karina grabs my Bear Clothes with her little hand.

 

[Maybe Senia-san did something?] Yuna

 

I asked her while looking at Senia-san who’s riding on Hugging Bear, Karina shakes her head.

 

[I didn’t do anything. It’s Yuna who made her cry.] Senia

 

Senia-san said something unclear. When did I made Karina cry?

Until recently, I was just killing worms.

I didn’t made Karina cry.

If someone made her cry, it would be Senia-san who was on her side.

 

[Yu- Yuna-san…..] Karina

 

Karina is crying on my chest.

I asked Senia-san, [Why?]

If I don’t know the reason, there’s no way for me to comfort her.

 

[Because Yuna went alone to face the big worm. So Karina here, started making noises and flailing around it was so hard to stop her. She kept screaming <Yuna-san is dying, Yuna-san!>.] Senia

 

Oh, that means you were worried for me.

 

[And when Yuna was blown away by the worm, she cried so hard. Karina kept saying <Its all my fault!>.] Senia

 

Ah, does it look like that from the outside perspective?

If a big worm appears, everyone should flee, but…

 

I went and faced a big worm alone.

I went and got blown away by a big worm.

The death flag is rolling up.

I am fighting, but to me it’s nothing.

 

[I’m sorry to make you worry. But you’ve already heard that I’m strong. I’m still okay.] Yuna

 

Karina knows about the Kraken. She doesn’t have to panic just because a big worm came out.

 

[It’s different between knowing and seeing. Going alone to face such a big monster…] Karina

 

She looked up… She’s looking at me.

Her eyes are bright red.

 

[I, I thought Yuna-san would get eaten.] Karina

 

She’s pleading with tears.

 

[Fu~tsu (sniffle sfx.), when you were blown away I thought you were gone.] Karina

 

Karina’s tears weren’t stop.

I took out my handkerchief from the Bear Box and wiped her tears.

You really seemed to be worried.

 

[Thank you for worrying for me.] Yuna

 

I stroke her head until Karina calmed down.

For some reason, she has a strong sense of responsibility, but we cannot forget that Karina is just a 10-year-old girl.

For Karina, the big worm is a terrifying monster. (TN: With that size, I think generally all people does…)

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Author’s Note:

Seen from a distance, it’s no wonder Karina is worried if Yuna confronts such a big worm alone and then gets blown away.

Next time, we’re finally going in the pyramid.

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