Chapter 393: It was a Magnificent Entrance, and yet…
Translated by Zzonkedd
Edited by Gumihou
For now, let’s focus on the mission at hand. The subjugation of the Tyrant Forest Python. [5] [4] “By the way, we encountered some Forest Scorpions on the way here…”
[6] “What!!?”
[4] “… I just thought you should know…”
[4] “They must have been pushed out by that Forest Python from the Southern Forest onto the main road. Excuse me, I must handle this matter at once. Thank you for letting me know.”
[6] He jumped out of his chair and yelled out from his door, [4] “Set out a new mission for C Rank or higher to be dispatched along the highway. Forest Python has been spotted there! High priority!”
I’m sorry for thinking that he’s the type who pushed responsibilities onto others. Isaac-san was clearly the responsible type and fast to react to an emergency.
After giving out instructions for the new mission, the Guild Master turned around and said, “Apologies, Mukouda-san. If you could set out for the Southern Forest right away…”
Since we have already accepted the mission, and my familiars are all impatient to just get it over with, we all headed towards the Southern Forest.
We were now deep in the heart of the Southern Forest.
“I can’t hear the birds,”
It was so quiet in the forest that it was eerie.
““That stupid snake probably ate everything,”” [3] said Dora-chan.
Well, stupid is kind of…
“Hey, look at this,”
The call was from Fer.
We all came over to see what he had discovered.
There was a depression on the ground. The grass had been squashed, shrubs flattened and rocks scattered. Whatever did that must have been heavy.
“Traces of the Tyrant Forest Python?” [7] I asked.
“Umu, obviously [5],” [7] said Fer.
“It looks… kind of huge.”
Seriously, the depressions on the ground were quite wide, about one and a half meters at the narrowest.
“”Yup, a big dumb one,”” [7] sneered Dora-chan.
“”Sui will pew pew the big monster~~”” [3] Sui bounced cheerfully into the depression.
“”Oi, oi, don’t hog all the fighting,”” snapped Dora-chan. “”Bet you I tag it first.””
“Mu, since I’m here… [5]”
“”Sui can defeat one all alone!””
“Now, now, don’t squabble. Everyone can take a shot at the python, but no instant kill attacks, okay?”
[6] I can’t believe I have to say this.
Anyway, there was some general noise of acquiescing, so I count that as a win.
The Tyrant Forest Python’s tracks were very easy to follow.
[6] Fer took the lead and the rest of us followed.
““Stop.””
We all stopped at Fer’s telepathic command.
[7] He pointed his snout in a certain direction. “It’s over there.”
I squinted in the direction indicated. [8] It took me a moment to understand the reason why sunlight was moving wrong against a mottled colour wall was that the ‘wall’ was the slowly undulating body of a huge snake.
“I- it’s enormous…”
The thickness of the torso [5] itself exceeded my height. That was just how thick that creature was. [1] Its size alone was comparable to Vasuki, one of Doran’s dungeon bosses and Avering’s Hydra. In fact, I have to say that this creature is bigger than any I have ever come across.
I swallowed audibly.
“”Oi, that thing saw us!”” [3] Dora-chan warned [5].
[8] Indeed, the giant head of the Tyrant Forest Python had now emerged from the tree tops and was swivelled in our direction. [1] Then, it started to move towards us. [6] Worse, instead of the slow ponderous movement from earlier, it was darting through the trees at great speed. [5]
“Oi, isn’t it moving too fast!!?” [3] I shrieked
“This is normal when a predator notices prey,” [7] said Fer. [9] He looked meaningfully at me, then at the giant snake hurtling itself towards us.
[9]
“Wait, me? It wants to eat me?! Why not you?!” I shrieked.
“Umu, that’s because humans are tastier.,”
“I so do not want to know how you know that!!!” I flinched away from Fer, who smirked.
“”Don’t worry, I’ll take it down!”” Dora-chan called and Ice Pillars attacked the Tyrant Forest Python.
However, the giant snake shrugged off the attacks and leapt forward like a spring-loaded thing. Its mouth was wide open to swallow me whole.
“Uwaaaaaaaaaaa!!”
I don’t care what anyone says! It was scary to have a giant mouth filled with fangs hurtling your way, you know!!??
Which was the only reason why I tripped and fell onto my butt and could only sit there as doom approached me.
Then, a large paw stepped forward and a white body blocked the sight of impending doom from my eyes.
“Umu, it’s here.”
A faint breeze blew and Fer’s brilliant white fur waved majestically in the wind-
“”Sui will protect Arujiii!!!!””
Something small and hard slammed into the huge body of the impending doom and sent it toppling away.
Me, “… …”
Fer, “… …”
Dora-chan, “”Gahahahaha!! So much for your majestic entrance, gyaaahahahhahah!!!””
“… …” I turned wide eyes at Fer. [5]
Fer was vibrating. He was… vibrating with… fury?
“Guuwwaaahhhh!!! I will destroy this thing!!”
Blue wind power sizzled visibly around Fer.
““Hey! Don’t hog it all!”” Dora-chan cried.
“Guwooohhh!!!” Wind Magic slashed forward and I saw Dora-chan perform some swift aerial acrobatics to avoid getting sliced.
Booming sounds could be heard all around. Was that… the so-called sonic boom? Was that Fer’s magic breaking the sound barrier?
When silence finally fell, I looked up.
“Erm,”
A lot of the trees around us were missing their tops. The giant snake was missing its head. Overall, the damage was quite minimal, especially since it involved an enraged Fer. I looked at the sky. I- I think the clouds didn’t look like that earlier?
It was probably my imagination.
It must all be my imagination.
Haha.
“”Woah, that was awesome,”” Dora-chan flitted over to settle beside me and stare at the clouds.
Suddenly, there was a pyon and Sui bounced over. “Eh? It’s over? Sui didn’t get to pew pew Mister Big Snake?””
“Gunununu,”
“”Eh, don’t be a sourpuss, this is just some minor entertainment. We get to fight better stuff later,””
“Gunununununu,”
Looks like Fer was Not Amused.
However, I know just how to cheer him up.
“Great job! Now that the mission is over, let’s head back to the city and have some nice thick dragon steaks!”
“… I’m going to eat tons today.”
“Of course, of course,”
[9]
After collecting the Tyrant Forest Python, no sense wasting money that could be earned, we returned to Hirschfield.
[Gumihou: Writing comedy is a skill. The build-up, pay off and aftermath are all very important. Hence Note 9]
[1] Structural Change: Combine 2 paragraphs
[2] Structural Change: Combine 3 paragraphs
[3] Structural Change: Combine paragraph & dialogue
[4] Structural Change: Change passive sentence to dialogue
[5] Delete Repetitive or Pointless Information… starting to delete pointless scenes now
Delete the rather lacklustre, dialogue filled ‘dramatic moment’ and replaced it with [9] [6] Additional Information for Aesthetic Purpose
[7] Add Dialogue Tag
[8] Creative Licence Taken – Describe le snake
[9] I think the author is attempting some dramatic writing that mixes comedy with drama. Gumi gave some assistance.