492 – Scapegoats

I should check the details of the shub-niggurath’s and the black youngs’ skills. There’s a lot of them that are new to me, and they seem impossible to guess from the name alone. I’ll start with the shub-niggurath’s [Feast of the Young Goats], [Feast of Calamity], and [Feast of the Harvest].

【Normal Skill [Feast of the Young Goats]】
【Allows for the creation of [Black Young] from the user’s mouth.】
【However, the health of the [Black Young] continuously falls, and so it will die within a day if nothing is done.】

I had guessed that might be what the skill did. It simply produces the [Black Young]. The shub-niggurath has [Rest], so it’s probably acting as their life support.

【Normal Skill [Feast of Calamity]】
【Emits a black light.】
【All those touched by the light who lack sufficient magical strength are transformed into [Black Young].】
【By reducing the affected range, it is possible for the threshold to be raised.】

…This is probably the skill responsible for the anecdote about the village in the species explanation. The black lizard is only one rank lower than it, so I don’t think she’d be affected, but… I should probably be careful to keep its attention focused on me. I’m just glad that this place isn’t somewhere like a red ant nest. If it was, I could have easily ended up surrounded by a hundred [Black Young].

【Normal Skill [Feast of the Harvest]】
【This skill can be activated in the bodies of those nearby who possess the [Black Blaze] characteristic skill, or who have been inflicted with the [Cursed] status condition by the user.】
【Causes the body to burst into flames from the inside.】

…This sounds like another annoying one. The black young I checked earlier had the [Black Blaze] skill. Their stats aren’t that high, but if they surround me and then explode with [Feast of the Harvest], I might not be able to ignore them.

I should also check the black young’s skill, [Substitute].

【Normal Skill [Substitute]】
【When the user’s master receives damage while nearby, the user can take that damage instead.】

…This one might be the most troublesome of all. The shub-niggurath’s attack and speed are high enough that I can’t look down on it. But with how many black young there are that can each nullify one of my attacks, I can easily envisage this fight becoming drawn out.

As I was once an ouroboros, I understand. While it still has plenty of black young, the shub-niggurath can attack recklessly.

…It seems like this fight could be surprisingly tough. I might have no choice but to deal with its kin first. But there’s the issue of how close they have to be in order to take the damage for it. If they run around, it could be hard to kill them all. No, they’ve already scattered.

『…As long as those small ones are around, it seems the main body won’t take any damage. There’s a few things I want to try, but… Either way, I’d like their numbers reduced. Could you focus on the ones that have dispersed? Until you’re done, I’ll keep the main body busy.』

“Got it, we’ll take care of the scattered ones. It galls me to admit it, but I’m no match for the monster in the centre.”

Volk glares at the shub-niggurath through thinned eyes. It seems he understands just how dangerous it is… That lump of flesh is stronger than Dragon King Eldia and Magic Beast King Beelzebub. If this world were a game, it’d totally be a hidden boss. It far surpasses the Saint in terms of pure strength.

『The small ones aren’t too tough. They’re faster than a troll mandragora, but their only attack is [Clay Gun]. You don’t have to worry about them other than that. Although, while they’re near the big one, it’s possible they’ll suddenly explode.』

“It feels a bit dissatisfying. Would you mind if I made a selfish request?”

『Hm?』

It’s an unexpected question. At this time, what could Volk possibly want to ask?

“To be safe, I think the lecherta and treant need to be protected. However I’d like to fight separately this time.”

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Volk swings his golden sword. Aah, I see, he’d like to try it out…

I glance at Aro and the others. The atlach-nacha has crossed her arms with a look of uninterest, but Aro, the black lizard, and treant-san all nod in assent. It should be fine, I think.

“Then, a pairing of Aro and the black lizard would be good, I suppose.”

Aro and the black lizard twitch. They glance at each other, both with a look of dissatisfaction…  I-it doesn’t seem like they’re quite on bad terms, but they do seem to struggle with each other a bit.

Treant-san watches over Aro and the black lizard. Its expression is as unchanging as ever, but I can somehow sense a smile.

Treant-san, did you forget that this means you’re going to be paired with atlach-nacha? As I think that, the atlach-nacha reacts.

“….Eh!? Why?!”

The atlach-nacha sends a delayed reproachful glare at Volk. Is treant-san that bad for you!? What’s so bad about treant-san!?

But, Volk has already charged forwards. If I don’t start fighting right away, the shub-niggurath could target him.

I’m reluctant to change Volk’s pairings without consulting him. I feel bad, but let’s go with his idea for now. For that matter, try to get along a bit better please.

The treant shakes its trunk in bewilderment, but then stops as the atlach-nacha glares at it… When treant-san became B+, it felt a bit like it was usurping its seniors, but now things are back to normal.

It’s okay, treant-san. You still have room to evolve. The next time you evolve, I’m sure you’ll become L+ rank and grow even stronger than me, let alone the atlach-nacha.

…Now then, while Aro and the others thin down their numbers, I need to keep the main body occupied. Each time I hit it, it should also kill another of its scapegoats. I’ll draw its attention, while looking out for opportunities to cut them down.

“Oo, OoOOOOOOoO…”

The shub-niggurath’s countless mouths moan. Next to it, two spheres of earth float up. It’s preparing two simultaneous [Clay Spheres]… It looks like it’s about to get serious, too. The scattered black young begin to crawl towards me.

I’ll draw their attention all at once! I rake my foreleg in a wide arc, releasing a maximum-length [Dimension Claw]. A huge line carves into the ground, cutting through four of the black young in a spray of green blood.

It also hits the shub-niggurath. Its huge body trembles, and the two [Clay Spheres] collapse to the ground. A black young next bursts into a shower of green blood, apparently having taken the damage for it.

The shub-niggurath begins to charge towards me with a strange gallop. It probably judged that it was bad to let me keep doing that. It’s as fast as you’d expect for a maximum level A+ rank. I charge forwards to meet it.

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