◆ Garden of Beasts, Southern Sky ◆
“Wow, are all those tiny swarms of bugs actually monsters?”
“Yeah, it seems Kiki was telling the truth. Let’s take them down quickly!”
From a distance, they looked like insects flitting around in the light. Just their presence over the continent visible on the horizon was enough to send shivers down a human’s spine. In the center of the Ballad Continent lay the nation of Mizkal, with a thriving commercial city at its heart. Before being overrun by beasts, it was said to be a hub for trade among nations worldwide, but since then, all that has come to a sudden halt. The impact on trade has been significant, leading to the collapse of numerous merchant guilds. Kurinka had previously commented on it with a detached tone, but upon learning that many restaurants had shut down due to food supply issues, she was furious. Hearing her say, “Let’s take them down quickly!” was something I never thought I’d hear from her.
“If we shoot Sonic Impact Rain over there, it’ll be over in no time!”
This wasn’t the Kurinka I knew. I half-seriously wondered if Eerlich had taken her place. Sure, I had my own concerns about the recoil, but more importantly, using such a skill might end up killing people who could still be alive. Not to mention, it was questionable whether the continent could even maintain its shape after such an attack. I had only aimed Sonic Impact at the King of Six-Six before, and I still didn’t fully grasp its destructive power. Logically speaking, I couldn’t imagine anything could withstand the Sonic Impact that had nearly destroyed the Dragon God in the past.
“I understand how you feel, but our target is still Beast Master Pansard. If we take him down, the other monsters will likely flee.”
“Is that so?”
“In the Abyss Cave, beast-like monsters usually form packs, and the boss is among them. After the strongest boss is defeated, the rest tend to crumble surprisingly easily. It’s as if they instinctively sense they can’t win.”
“Then, why not have Lua-chan intimidate them?”
“That could work, but I worry it might scare ordinary people too…”
“…I hope there are still survivors.”
That was the truth. I wondered if there were any survivors among them. I thought it was hopeless, but if even one person was alive, I had to save them.
“Are we just going to charge in?”
“I’m not planning to sneak around; we’re going in headfirst.”
Forests and jungles. As they say, the Ballad Continent is mostly covered in thick trees, with only the sandy beaches and cliffs remaining. I had no idea how things had come to this, but it was no longer a place for humans to inhabit. As we swooped down from the sky, the swarm of monsters that had looked like bugs suddenly attacked us all at once.
◆ Garden of Beasts ◆
“I can’t tell from up here. Maybe we really need to go down and search.”
“Should we head to where the Royal Capital Mizkal used to be? Pansard might be in the castle.”
We had cleared all the visible monsters in the sky. There were an incredible number of them, but with Sonic Rain, I could skewer or obliterate them efficiently. I was glad I had learned Sonic Rain. With Sonic Ripper, the range was limited to a straight line, and Sonic Spear wasn’t suited for groups. It wouldn’t be fair to have Kurinka flying around too much, so this skill was truly useful. I know it sounds a bit self-praising, but it was true.
“What a dense forest… I wonder how it would be to wander around here.”
“Let’s just fly. I can’t deal with this.”
We were going up and down, unable to settle. It was unreasonable to think we could search the entire Ballad Continent by ourselves from the start. Ultimately, we just needed to defeat Pansard, so there was no need to waste unnecessary stamina.
“Alright, I’m flying again.”
“Whoa! What do you think will happen if you move there?!”
Oh no, we had attracted something strange. A hippo-like humanoid emerged slowly from the shadows of the trees. I couldn’t help but wonder how such a large hippo head could be attached to that round body; it was a bizarre monster. It was bigger than us, and if it opened its mouth, it could probably swallow a person whole.
“There it is!”
“That’s my line! What did you think was coming? It’s just as Lord Pansard said! That kid in shorts with bare feet is Lua, isn’t it?”
“How is this considered disrespectful? It’s my choice.”
“I never expected you to come in such light armor… Oh, how did I know you were Lua?”
“More importantly, Lua-chan, it seems Pansard knows we’re here for some reason.”
Oh, now that I think about it, that’s true. We had just arrived, and it hadn’t taken long for the swarm of monsters in the sky to gather. And given the vastness of this continent, it was unreasonable to think they could have heard the commotion.
“How do you think I figured it out?”
“How?”
“Ha ha! That’s because Lord Pansard possesses hearing so acute that he can pick up sounds from all over this continent!”
“Wow, that’s impressive.”
“Isn’t it terrifying? His senses far surpass those of you humans. So, no matter what attacks, there’s no need to panic. He alone is enough to handle everything.”
I understood that, but there was no point in continuing to chat with this hippo monster. It wouldn’t be entertaining to let it get too cocky, so I ignored it and climbed onto Kurinka’s back.
“What do you think will happen if you don’t listen to me until the end?”
“I don’t care; see you later.”
“If you go without knowing, what do you think will happen?”
“I don’t care; see you later.”
“I see… Hey!”
“Ah! Is it my turn, Heepo-sama?”
Two bipedal leopard-patterned monsters emerged from the shadows. Their bodies were surprisingly thin, but they radiated a menacing aura. Their long claws and fangs betrayed their ferocity.
“Whoa, don’t get too riled up; it could get dangerous!”
Before we could make a move, the monster named Heepo blocked our path with its short arms.
“This Garden of Beasts used to have humans. But now, it’s in this state. What do you think happened to the humans that once lived here? You humans keep dogs and cats as pets, right? They might just become prey for our amusement. There are many uses for them. In other words…”
【You have defeated the Gluttonous Beast Heepo! HP 0/4190】
“H-Heepo-sama…?”
I acted out of anger. There was no way I could listen to that until the end, and this wasn’t the time for such things.
“Lua-chan, this might be bad…”
“Why? There’s no reason to let something like that live.”
“That’s true, but that’s not the point…”
“Could it be that Heepo-sama was taken down in one hit?! He’s one of the top fighters of the Second Brigade! So this is the one…!”
I realized it too late. But the two beasts bared their sharp claws and fangs, clearly ready to fight. More importantly, I needed to deal with those two.
“What makes you think you’re so powerful?”
When I glared at the two monsters, they took a slight step back, but they showed no signs of fleeing. However, their hesitation to attack suggested they understood they had no chance of winning.
“Where are the surviving humans?”
“Y-You fool! You should be more concerned about what Heepo-sama was trying to convey… Listen, this matter has already reached the ears of Lord Pansard. He holds the power of life and death over the surviving humans. In other words, you have no choice but to obey what we say from now on.”
“I refuse.”
“Then, listen to the end! As Heepo-sama just mentioned, Lord Pansard’s hearing is so acute that he can hear even this conversation. If you do anything here, there will be no human lives left.”
“Lua-chan, this is bad. There’s a possibility they’re lying, but if it’s true, our actions could cost someone their life…”
“Oh, it seems something is coming.”
From the direction the two monsters pointed, something was approaching from the sky. With powerful flaps, a monstrous bird descended, breaking branches and toppling trees as it landed noisily. This poisonous purple-feathered bird looked familiar.
“Here it comes, Demon Garuda! Alright, do you have what Lord Pansard entrusted to you?”
One of the monsters took something from the beak of the monstrous bird and thrust it toward us. It was a piece of paper and cloth, but no, that wasn’t just any cloth. I recognized it immediately; it was a kimono from the country of Azuma, with a distinctive design. I understood instantly, but I couldn’t accept it. Why did that monstrous bird have it? Who had worn it? But with it right in front of me, I had no choice but to acknowledge it.
“Read this. Kukukuku…”
“K-Kurinka, read it.”
“Um…”
“Welcome to the Garden of Beasts. I extend my greetings to you, Flash Strike Girl Lua and Roel. No, wait, it’s Kurinka. You thought you could run wild here without a care, didn’t you? Unfortunately for you, this is my domain, and from now on, you will follow my orders. If you defy my law, you should consider that many humans, as well as the lives within those garments, will be forfeit. I’ve already confirmed that these twins are acquaintances of yours. You wouldn’t want them to die, would you?”
“Wait, twins? No way! Why?!”
“I-I’ll keep reading, okay?”
“First, place your weapons on the back of that Demon Garuda over there. It has a special metal cage on its back; if you throw it, it should make quite a loud noise. Let me hear it.”
“Th-this is…”
“You can ignore me if you want. But your precious friends will be devoured by Lord Pansard! Kukukukuku!”
This is insane! Nanoka and Konoka, who should have been in the Kingdom of Normitz, have been taken by the monsters of the Garden of Beasts, and now they’re with Pansard. He’s using them as hostages to make such unreasonable demands of us. What should I do? I can’t contain my anger. There’s no need to comply.
“…Let’s do as he says, Lua-chan. If we stubbornly resist and those two get killed…”
“B-but this could all be a lie!?”
“Then what if it’s not a lie?! Their lives are at stake! We’re in the Garden of Beasts, completely under enemy control! We were reckless… I never imagined they would involve innocent people…”
“Hya-hya-hya-hya! It’s fine to consult, but hurry up! The mood of that gentleman might change, you know? After all, he urged the human army of this country to surrender, and just a moment of hesitation led him to change his mind and slaughter everyone!”
Kurinka seems calmer than I am. I need to clear my head, and then I’ll throw this Disballade into that cage. As I carelessly do so, it makes a sound far louder and more grating than I expected. It should have echoed throughout this area, even if it didn’t reach Pansard. The two monsters, having confirmed that I followed Kurinka’s lead, are completely triumphant. I want to hit them. Not those two, but Pansard, who dragged innocent people into this with his own hands.
“…There’s more to come.”
“Next, you are prohibited from any resistance. There are over a thousand hungry monsters roaming this Garden of Beasts, and of course, they will attack, but you are not allowed to fight back. Transforming into a Dragon is also forbidden. You will walk to Mizkal Castle in that state. Then I’ll prepare the next challenge for you. Your actions along the way will be monitored from above by another monster, the Blast Chimera. If you violate any of these prohibitions, it has been instructed to let out a mighty roar. At that point, it’s game over. You might even consider trying to kill the Blast Chimera. It’s not a weak monster that can be taken on with bare hands, and even if you somehow manage to defeat it, it would still be game over. Are you angry that I know all this? Well, if you want to find out, go ahead and try. There’s no specific time limit, but if you take too long, that will also be game over. I wish you luck.”
“From the King of the Garden of Beasts, Beast Master Pansard…”
“Kurinka… I can’t take this anymore…”
The hand gripping the paper is trembling, indicating that it’s even harder for Kurinka to endure this. She stands completely still, holding the crumpled paper.
“Demon Garuda, return to Mizkal Castle. Deliver this to Lord Pansard.”
Under the command of the leopard monster, the Demon Garuda took to the skies once more. Mizkal Castle must be in that direction.
“And that’s that. You understand the contents, right? Then let’s get started!”
【Ripping Cheetah x2 has appeared! HP 760】
I feel terrible for those two. If they hadn’t gotten involved with us, this might not have happened. I wonder if they’re cursing us right now. For them, who have no combat experience, this must be terrifying. They’re probably trembling even now. The more I think about it, the tighter my chest feels.
“It’s a slaughter, yeah! Hya-hya-hya-hya!”
【Ripping Cheetah’s Speed Fang!】
Beast Master Pansard. What should I do with him?
◆ Shin Report ◆
Give me that paper!
There’s still something written on it, seriously.
P.S.
The traitor Shin is there too, right?
I’ll make sure to take good care of you, so be prepared.
H-huh?
Hya-hya-hya-hya-hya-hya! Ahahaha!
Monster Compendium
【Ripping Cheetah HP 760】
A humanoid beast with intelligence, unlike the Winged Cheetah. Among beast-type monsters, it is small but specializes in ground combat. In the forest, they fight by darting between trees, so never engage them in their territory.
【Gluttonous Hippo Beast Heepo HP 4160】
A main force of the Garden of Beasts, one of the second battalion. A humanoid hippo. It has a strong territorial instinct and usually focuses on defense within the Garden of Beasts. It’s not as slow as it looks, and with incredible charging power, it bites its prey and swallows it whole. Its catchphrase is, “What do you think will happen?” as it tries to pressure its opponents and weaken them mentally.