Chapter 299: Encounter
“Ah, is this the place?”
As we made our way along the highway, we arrived at a bridge spanning a mountain stream. To the left of the road, a steep incline rose sharply, with water cascading down like a waterfall. On the right, the slope gently descended, revealing a sparsely wooded area along the stream.
Before the bridge, a narrow beast trail led down to the water, suggesting we could reach a wild wasabi patch from here. The path ahead was no longer a well-maintained road but a rugged mountain trail, rocky and uneven. Overall, it sloped gently downward, but the jagged terrain would surely drain our stamina.
“Is there anything edible around here?”
As I scanned the surroundings, Ivan’s voice called out from behind. He had run to catch up with us, and it seemed his energy had somewhat replenished.
“There are a few things here and there, but they’re not clustered together.”
“Oh, really? So there is something.”
“Look! A river!”
Phonia exclaimed, splashing joyfully at the water’s edge.
After walking a bit further, I began to notice ‘Mountain Pepper’ appearing in my appraisal results, so I decided to pull one up.
“This looks like it.”
“Wow, it looks just like wasabi!”
“Yeah, though I’ve only seen it in pictures.”
Even before being summoned to this Otherworld, I had never seen real wasabi. I had only eaten the kind that came in tubes or was served with sashimi and sushi.
“By the way, there’s a special grater for wasabi, right?”
“Oh, I’ve heard of that too. Isn’t it made from shark skin?”
As I spoke, it seemed Rio was familiar with this as well. I had never heard of using shark skin for grating, but I wondered if a regular grater for daikon would suffice. Perhaps I should look for one when I return to Japan.
“Shark skin?”
I explained it to Ivan, who didn’t quite understand, but I wasn’t entirely sure myself. I figured we could try it out and also experiment with how they prepare it in this world.
As we continued toward what should be the wasabi patch, I sensed a presence approaching us. It seemed to be just one person.
“Someone’s coming this way.”
“It seems like they’re being chased by something.”
As Rio pointed out, I could also sense the presence of a monster lurking behind them. Could it be the Black Ape the Guild Staff mentioned?
“Whoa.”
I doubted anyone would come here alone, so I extended my presence detection further. Sure enough, I sensed someone being attacked by a monster.
“I’m going to check on the person being attacked.”
“Be careful!”
As I dashed forward, a figure came into view. Now, would this be a case of someone fleeing alone, or had they used their companions as bait to escape?
“Help—!”
The person noticed us and called out, but before they could finish, they rushed past us. They looked like a plump middle-aged man, but he didn’t seem like an adventurer. I sensed him hesitating, glancing back at us, but my focus was still on the person ahead.
The monster chasing him was indeed a Black Ape. It had a red face, but I wondered where the “black” part came from. Snatching prey can lead to trouble, and since it didn’t seem like the man would be caught anytime soon, I decided to leave it to Rio and the others.
“I see them.”
The adventurers ahead looked like they could handle themselves. It appeared to be a party of two men and two women, but they seemed to be struggling against two Black Apes.
“Do you need help?”
“Please!”
When I called out from a distance, I received an immediate response.
“Got it!”
One of the Black Apes swung its long arm like a whip, aiming for the man who had called for help. Just as its arm was about to crash into his shield, I unleashed a spell that conjured a blade of wind, silently severing the ape’s head. The second Black Ape, which had been preparing to strike from behind, met the same fate moments later.
“…Huh?”
The man let out a bewildered voice, likely surprised by the lack of impact he had expected. With the Black Ape that had been right in front of him now gone, he seemed to lose focus for a moment. When he finally looked down, he spotted the fallen Black Ape and slowly turned his gaze toward us.
“—Ah, Fei-san!”
As the man snapped back to reality, he shouted and turned his attention behind me. It seemed he was concerned about the man who had fled. His name was Fei, but judging by his appearance, he looked more like a target for protection than an adventurer.
“That one is fine.”
I reassured him as I walked slowly, but I soon sensed the man I had passed earlier running back toward us. It seemed Ivan had taken down the Black Ape that had been chasing him. It appeared that monsters one rank higher were becoming less of a challenge for us.
“Everyone!”
“Thank goodness, you’re safe!”
“Yes, these people helped me…”
Just as Fei turned to face us, Rio and the others joined us.
“Please don’t run off like that suddenly, Fei-san.”
The adventurer scolded Fei, and I could understand why. If your charge suddenly made an unexpected move, it would be quite alarming. Although my assumptions had been off, they didn’t seem like bad people.