Okami Wa Nemuranai

"Oy."

Morda the cook handed out a cloth sack.

It's filled with Griphil Leaves.

"Narou (Thanks)."

Lecan took a leaf as he thanked. He put it in his mouth and chewed on it. Bitter taste spread inside his mouth. Apparently it hadn't been fully dried out yet, a sharp jolt assaulted him. But he preferred it right now.

Despondent, you could say that's Lecan's state right now.

He lacks drive to do anything.

Though that doesn't apply to Lecan alone. The day after the young lady left, sword training stopped altogether. The servants turned untalkative.

Lecan has been sitting on this rock behind a tree so many times all day, gazing at neatly growing vegetation. Morda has taken a rock next to it.

The two sit together without saying a word, just chewing for a while.

Lecan felt a sense of loneliness.

Is that from his jewel going far away, or Lady Rubianafale going far away, he himself is not quite sure.

As he chewed on the luxury goods that would have fetched a nice price were sold, Lecan pondered about the great beast.

Lecan has an awful affinity with that monster. To begin with, it's a monster he should not challenge alone, and even discounting all that, it'd be hard a fight regardless.

Lecan specializes in fighting a great number of enemy at the same time in a cramped place. His full potential is unleashed when he fights against magic beasts in a dungeon, or when he's surrounded by enemy all around on a battlefield.

That monster's forehead eye can probably see mana. That's why it was able to detect Lecan through obstacles.

Since <3D Perception> range is limited to 50 steps, he's in a serious disadvantage against that monster. His foe has at least two means to attack from more than 50 steps away. On top of that, it can roll around. Speed, range and area of attacks, it's got everything he's unable to deal with.

The monster's skin seems to be quite hard too. It's unclear whether Lecan's attacks could get through it.

He might be able to overcome it if he used <Bombshell>, but that's something he's saving for a really critical situation, he has no way to replenish it once used.

Lecan wishes Boudo was here.

Boudo's blunt weapon and ability <Impact Penetration> are effective against foes with hard outer shell. Lecan draws the enemy's attention, Boudo whittles it down. There's nothing to be afraid of against this monster if he could do that.

However, Boudo isn't here. There's no one else he could work together with.

He's got to do something about the monster by himself.

For now, he'll try to challenge it once again. To ascertain the enemy's ability. Everything begins after that.

Lecan spat out the leaf that had lost its flavor and stood up.

<TLN: If you're reading this novel at any other site than Sousetsuka.com you might be reading an unedited, uncorrected version of the novel.>

The next day, Lecan went out early in the morning and came back late at night.

The fight today was a close call. He missed his chance to dodge a spine the monster launched, opening a hole in his stomach. He survived thanks to the high potions he had stocked, but he would have succumbed to the wound and died if he didn't have them.

Magic potions is a headache inducing problem itself.

Lecan made low and mid potions himself, but he has no idea what their raw materials are in this world. He needs to find a talented apothecary and learns from them. Otherwise, he cannot fight recklessly. It's imperative for him to obtain high potions. If such things even exist here that is.

At any rate, the battle today was a fruitful one. He's seen through the monster's skills.

First of all, the spine launching attack, it can continuously launch its spines so long as there remain some, but once it's past the fiftieth spine, its attack power and speed fall.

As for the frost breath, it can only exhibit its true power at around 70 steps to at most 100 steps, at 50 steps the breath could freeze a huge tree down to its core, but at more than 100 steps, its strength falls down dramatically and could only freeze leaves.

The rolling attack is a menace. Moreover, when it's in that state, its skin turns even harder, making it completely invulnerable to physical attacks. However, the rolling speed is slower than he originally thought. It's one thing inside a forest, but in places with clear views, Lecan can outrun the beast roll.

He thought it was an opponent with bad compatibility that he couldn't beat it by himself, but it might not be the case at all.

Going against it in a group would slow down mobility, the rolling attack would devastate them. Even if he brings a mage that could attack from a distance, they'd just get frozen over within 100 steps, and you'd be hard pressed to find a mage that could launch an attack from more than 100 steps away. Even if there is one, they have no way to keep the beast away anyway, it'd close the 100 step distance in a flash and massacre everyone.

However, for Lecan who's capable of accelerating himself with <Gust>, it should be possible to get away from it depleting its mana all the while.

That said, the problem is offense.

He managed to strike the monster's neck three times, and none dealt a serious wound.

Landing a blow near its throat should be more effective than the sides of its neck.

However, it would be difficult to aim at such a small throat when its head is situated so low.

Lecan can't think up a solution. He's got no choice but to look for one while fighting.

It's probably a good idea to attempt the rematch asap. This monster would be more difficult to defeat the more time passes.