Chapter 196.2
Chapter 196: When it Pours the Ground Grows Firmer (2/2)
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“Iyo! Hey!” [Fishermen Leader]
‘Hey!’ [Fishermen]
The fishermen did their weird sound thing again as they pulled on the ropes and steadily stepped back .
The battle between the mud salamanders and the fishermen began by the boats in the offing . I could see from the corner of my sight that the nets were now being raised . It’s only a matter of time now before they get here .
I calm down my racing heart and wait a few minutes .
When the first haul of the day was brought to the processing plant, the first mud salamander finally reached the shore .
“They’re here!” [Kei]
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“Okay! Please take care of them if they manage to break through the encirclement!” [Ryouma]
Kei-san was positioned at the very edge of our area of responsibility .
The mud salamander ran straight for the fishermen carrying the haul of fish, but…
“—!?” [Mud Salamander]
The mud salamander that had made shore and ran suddenly squirmed .
I can’t hear it screaming, but from the way it’s writhing about, it’s clear that it’s in pain .
“Looks like the plan is a success . ” [Ryouma]
The first layer of our defense, the ‘obstruction of the mud salamanders’ through the iron slimes and the metal slimes .
Here in the beach, the metal and iron slimes have a problem in that they ‘can’t move as they please’ . But when it comes down to it, all that really means for them is that they need a role where they ‘don’t need to move’ .
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As such, I had the iron slimes and metal slimes thin their body and had them hide in the sand like rays or flounders . Whenever a mud salamander steps on them, they will then change a part of their body into a harpoon, gutting the critter .
The good result brought by their efforts is none other than the writhing mud salamander before our eyes .
The mud salamander had stepped on a blade that shouldn’t have been there before . Because of that its body was deeply penetrated and it writhed about uncontrollably . But the slime that stabbed it didn’t just stop there . It continued to push its metal body into the mud salamander and wrapped itself around it, turning its own body into a kind of weight to impede the movement of the mud salamander .
The mud salamander that had taken the charge ahead of its brethren couldn’t even reach the spears of the poison slimes .
10 more mud salamander came from behind, but they all reached a similar fate, as the metal and iron limes caught them and they tumbled along the sand .
“I kind of feel bad for them when I see them like that . ” [Adventurer Leader]
Oh? The leader of the adventurers came .
“Good work out there . ” [Ryouma]
“I came to check how you’re doing, but it looks like you’re doing just fine . ” [Adventurer Leader]
“For now . The mud salamanders that have been caught will gradually run out of stamina . When more mud salamanders come and they are crushed underfoot, some of them will finally be greatly weakened . ” [Ryouma]
“If they are able to get past that, then we’ll continue as planned, and if there’s too many, you’ll reduce their numbers with an areof-effect dark magic, right?” [Adventurer Leader]
“That’s right . ” [Ryouma]
“…” [Adventurer Leader]
Is there a problem?
“Is there something bothering you?” [Ryouma]
“Hmm? Oh, I was just thinking that if this plan goes well, we can reduce the number of adventurers here even further . ” [Adventurer Leader]
This village isn’t the only one being attacked by the mud salamanders, so if there’s people to spare, then it would be better to allocate them somewhere else instead . That’s basically what the leader is saying .
“Of course, that’s only if we have people to spare . Regardless of how the other areas are doing, we’d be messing up our priorities if we prioritized those over what was entrusted to us . ” [Adventurer Leader]
“That makes sense . ” [Ryouma]
No matter what job it is, there is always a certain level of responsibility that comes with it .
I too want my slimes to do their best for the sake of my training .
“Well, in any case, everything will depend on today’s results . Do show me that the slimes can be used . ” [Adventurer Leader]
“You can count on it . ” [Ryouma]
As the hauls for the day were carried to the processing plant, the number of mud salamanders attacking grew .
As I saw the leader of the adventurers off, I renewed my resolve .