“…………”
The man pressed himself against the trunk of the giant tree, intently observing the monster.
He was covered in mud to mask his scent, and draped in camouflage fabric. From a short distance, he blended perfectly with his surroundings, and the monster he was observing remained completely unaware.
The monster was a bipedal animal.
It was characterized by its developed hind legs and thick, long tail. It was currently stretching its legs, using both hands to pull down some kind of fruit from a slightly higher branch.
As far as the man could tell, this area was used as a feeding ground by a herd of these monsters.
Fruit trees grew sparsely, and the fruits themselves were plump and large. Thanks to the warm climate, and perhaps because of the nearby Maso reservoir, the trees grew exceptionally well.
The fruits themselves seemed to grow large in about a week, making it an excellent place to obtain a continuous supply of food.
“…………”
For the time being, the man was calling the monsters ＜Kang-Loo＞.
“Kang” was a common expression for a “jumping animal,” and “Loo” was the name of a bipedal monster that appeared in fairy tales.
Loosely translated, it meant a jumping, bipedal monster.
Incidentally, Dahlia=Cosmos, the representative of ＜Paraiso＞, decided to name the monster “Kangaroo” after hearing this tentative name, but that’s another story.
This ＜Kang-Loo＞ was a previously undiscovered monster.
Its existence was only recognized after adventurers were attacked several times in an area they had entered for the first time.
The current assumption was that it was located in a relatively remote area, and that anyone who encountered it had probably been killed outright, preventing them from bringing back any information.
In fact, this monster was terrifyingly fast. The jumping power of its developed hind legs was tremendous, and it could skillfully run through rough terrain using its thick, strong tail.
Furthermore, its body seemed to be enhanced by magic, and it didn’t care about half-hearted obstacles.
The reason the attacked adventurers were able to escape was thanks to the Smoke Bomb Shell they carried as a monster repellent.
This was a new type of equipment that had recently begun to be supplied by ＜Paraiso＞, and it released a loud explosion, a large amount of smoke, and a pain component extracted from chili peppers (capsicum).
Of course, it also affected the user, so a mask to protect the eyes, nose, mouth, and ears was essential when using it.
This Smoke Bomb Shell was said to be effective on all animal-type monsters, making it a very valuable charm for escaping.
Of course, it wasn’t a panacea, as the sound could attract even more monsters.
“…………”
As the man continued his observation, the ＜Kang-Loo＞ chewed on the fruit with its sturdy jaws, devouring it in an instant.
After eating about three more fruits in the same way, the monster hopped away into the depths of the forest.
“…………”
The man remained in place for a while, then slowly relaxed his body.
For the ＜Kang-Loo＞, this feeding ground seemed to be a place they only came to when they were really struggling to find food. The individual from earlier may have come to eat it as a dessert.
It had also been determined that the ＜Kang-Loo＞ hunted other animals and monsters in groups. They were basically carnivores, but they also ate fruits and other things.
In other words, they had a certain degree of sociality and were omnivorous.
Well, they were troublesome monsters.
He hadn’t yet been able to observe their parenting methods, but like other monsters, their growth rate was probably quite fast.
And if they were omnivorous, their habitat should have expanded more.
“…There must be other hostile monsters around…”
The man muttered to himself as he retreated to a safe area.
The current request was to observe the ecology of the ＜Kang-Loo＞.
With this much information, the request would be considered sufficiently fulfilled.
The man quickly packed up his simple base and began to move out for his return.
If he stayed in the same place for too long, carnivorous monsters would pick up his scent and come.
He needed to move his location by the third day at the latest.
◇◇◇◇
“Another monster territory has been added, hasn’t it?”
“……. Indeed, troublesome.”
Dahlia=Cosmos, an advisor to the Adventurer’s Guild, nodded in response to the analyst’s grumble as he organized the information.
“Conversely, the monster territories are determined by an exquisite balance. If we break it carelessly…”
“A Stampede, was it? We might trigger one.”
“If possible, we’d like to breed monsters from which we can obtain useful materials, but it seems difficult.”
Spread out on the desk was a map of the Demon Forest, with the forward base at the center of the lower edge.
The officer in charge of the Adventurer’s Guild was analyzing it.
“For now, we know the habitat of the new monster. Let’s aim for the strays and secure some materials. May I issue a request?”
“Leave it to you. The profits are good enough, so we can continue with this policy.”
Dahlia=Cosmos.
She was a “counselor” dispatched from ＜Paraiso＞ to monitor the Adventurer’s Guild.
She was a tall, beautiful woman who appeared to be about 18 years old.
And most characteristic of all was the reptile-like tail that extended from her rear.
The tail, covered in bluish-black scales, was dotted with ruby-like crimson colors, and beautiful scales on her face and hands reflected the wet light like decorations.
She was a girl with such a mystical appearance, but she had a higher position than anyone else in this organization, and she was more than intelligent enough.
Perhaps because of her race, she opened her pale lips again.
Her beautiful voice, which sounded slightly lower than that of a woman, spun out the guild’s policy.
“Priority is given to securing Maso Meter materials. Based on past trends, the relationship between Maso reservoirs and monsters is clear. Clarifying this will lead to prosperity for the next 100 years.”
“That’s an exaggeration… or maybe not. If we understand the factors that cause monsters to appear, as Dahlia-sama said, we may be able to see the light for efficient collection of monster materials…”
Currently, the North End City Adventurer’s Guild was undergoing a rapid change in its structure.
This organization, which had been working to unite powerful adventurers with violence, had been suppressed by even more powerful violence and thoroughly reorganized.
Incompetent people who had become entrenched in vested interests were expelled, while talented people were embraced.
And, through compulsory orders in the name of advice, the organization began to function as an organization.
They send adventurers to the front lines, have them bring back information, and analyze it.
Based on the information gathered in this way, they gather, lead, and execute people in order to efficiently and safely hunt monsters and collect natural resources.
If an adventurer has sufficient ability, a direct investigation request will be made.
This clearly divides the roles.
In other words, there are powerful adventurers who are always on the front lines, gathering information, and execution teams that efficiently use the information they provide to collect materials and resources.
“Well, this is not a problem. We can proceed slowly. As I said earlier, we are already achieving sufficient results at this point. There is no need to rush and cause an accident. The problem is the troublesome people who are trying to stop our actions.”
“…I am very sorry, Dahlia-sama. Despite your warnings, we were unable to make use of them…”
“It’s fine. As I told you at the same time, I understand that it is difficult to deal with. Rather, they are coming out with much clumsier hands than I had originally anticipated. They are also impatient. This is thanks to your actions. We are properly evaluating it.”
And.
A problem that arose precisely because the organization was originally based on violence.
A group of incompetent people who had monopolized high positions and were exploiting them for exorbitant profits were rebelling against their removal and starting an opposing organization.
But all of that was in the palm of ＜Paraiso＞’s hand.
“We have already tightened up the supplies. We have also pulled out as many personnel as possible. They have nothing left. All that remains is the violence they themselves possess.”
“…To think that things would go so smoothly as Dahlia-sama predicted… I am impressed by your keen insight.”
“With this, North End City will become a city of adventurers in name and in reality. We will no longer have to think about troublesome things.”
And so, Dahlia=Cosmos, advisor to the Adventurer’s Guild, began to move her forces.
Everything was going according to their plans.
The battle with vested interests is the most exciting part, isn’t it?
Unfortunately, this story ends in just one line… It’s just too overwhelming…
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