Chapter 458: Invader 5

「…It’s over there!」(Mile)

「Ooh…」(SHW leader)

From the direction pointed out by Mile, there’s a herd of Orcs, about 5-6.

The numbers are uncertain because they may be hidden behind the trees.

And …

「Two of them are Unique Monster…」(Mile)

It wasn’t search-magic but a judgment based on Mile’s eyesight, which is better than ordinary people.

「Obviously, the situation is different from that time in the dwarven village…」(Rena)

「The rift is also different from the last time.」(Pauline)

Yes, as Rena and Pauline say, at that time, the monsters are only Unique Monsters, they weren’t mixed with “ordinary”, normal or native monsters,

and the rift appears to have remained open in the same place for quite some time.

However, both on the way to the Capital and this time, the Unique Monster and the normal monsters are together. They behave as if the Unique Monster is in control of the herd.

The rift also seemed to close naturally in a short amount of time. The girls couldn’t find it near the place where they found the Unique Monster, except that one time.

Moreover, it closed immediately in front of the Red Oath at that one time.

Based on that and the widespread of Unique Monsters, the girls believed that the rift closed relatively quickly and appeared elsewhere.

… Perhaps, it’s possible that the rifts are open in multiple places at the same time.

In addition, there was an “odd metal golem that seems to be giving instructions to the Unique Monsters”.

Regarding this golem, the girls only reported to the guild by telling a simple fact… its existence and the fact that it had escaped.

They don’t know what it is but they can’t help but talk by speculation.

Therefore, the guild only recognizes it as a “small iron golem that just happened to there”.

But, of course, Red Oath knew that it is an important key from Mile’s reactions.

… In addition, the existence of a “rift”.

However, the probability of encountering an open rift by chance is very low.

Even if Mile asks the nanomachines to tell her about the occurrence, it’s very unlikely that it will happen to occur in a convenient place where she can reach in a few minutes.

She “accidentally” missed the opportunity and she regretted it.

「We will start with a surprise magical ranged attack.

Following that …」(Rena)

Rena tried to give instructions with her usual habit,

Cadillac, the leader of the Shining Holy Sword, raised his left hand to stop it.

「No, no

Please leave it to us.

Assist us only when the Unique Monsters are about to escape from us.

In the first place, the request is having us defeating these monsters」(Cadillac)

「Ah…」(Rena)

Rena’s becomes a little red like saying she carelessly forgets it.

Certainly, it was the initial plan.

Besides, if “The Shining Holy Sword” can’t deal with those monsters alone, there is no point in this joint order.

It was Rena’s mistake.

And Mile’s group backed down a little for the guidance/test.

The magicians cast and get their spells ready for support.

“The Shining Holy Sword” is ready to attack.

First of all, the archer shoots an arrow, and immediately after that, the magician shoots ice-based attack magic.

And almost at the same time, three vanguards rushed in.

The magician of this party seems to be a support and a little weak at attack magic,

Even if he is “a B-rank magician”, his power is only compared to C rank hunters.

Originally, he seems to be good at healing and life support. But of course, it was natural that he was also helped out during battle.

And the reason for delaying the magic by one tempo from the archer is, of course, to avoid affecting the trajectory of the arrow.

The arrow naturally aims at one of the Unique Monsters and the attack magic is an AOE range attack magic to reduce the combat power of all enemies.

Right after that, the magician starts the next chant and the archer keeps shooting arrows while taking a position to protect the magician. He is also paying attention to switch to a weapon for close-quarters combat at any time.

Meanwhile, the three Vanguards have started to attack the Orcs.

「Ku~u, it’s hard」(Cadillac?)

「Ranged attacks aren’t working!」(Archer?)

The Vanguards tried to get rid of the dangerous Unique Monsters first, but it backfired.

If they defeat the normal monsters first, the number of enemies will decrease and the number of attacks they received will also decrease.

However, even if they do some damage to the Unique Monsters, the amount of attack from the enemy won’t decrease unless they defeat it.

And if they try to defend, block or parry them, they will not be able to attack.

Ranged attacks also should have been used to reduce the number of normal monsters.

And as soon as the Vanguards approached, they should deal with the remaining normal monsters, then everyone would need to deal with two Unique Monsters only…

… Yes, they were looking down on the Unique Monsters.

Even though Red Oath explained it properly, they probably thought, “They are about an average between Orcs and Ogres”

「Mile!」(Maevis)

「Yes!」(Mile)

Mile and Maevis jump out at the same time.

Rena and Pauline stand by in an attacking position to avoid friendly fire.

If their allies are really in danger, they will attack without hesitation even if they risk shooting allies, but it’s still early now.

Za~shu, Do~shu, Bu~shu! (SFX)

Mile and Maevis slash all normal Orcs,

The Vanguard team of “Shining Holy Sword” no longer has to worry about their backs, they can attack the two Unique Monsters without danger.

「「「…………」」」(SHW 3 people)

And the three Vanguards look at the two Unique Orcs that lied down on the ground with indescribable faces.

「Damn, this is bad…」(SHW vanguard)

「You gotta be kidding me…」(SHW vanguard)

「Hey hey hey hey……」(SHW vanguard)

They are weaker than C-rank.

Although they are a B-rank party, they have trouble fighting the Orcs.

…Moreover, the young party decided that it was dangerous and intercepted.

And they didn’t find that interception unpleasant.

Certainly, they still might be able to annihilate the Orcs as they were.

In exchange for the price of serious injury or death of one or two people…

If Red Oath isn’t together with them in a joint request.

If there were 3 Unique Monsters or more.

If this wasn’t Unique Orcs, but a “Unique Ogre” that is known to exist …

「「「Damn, this is bad……」」」(SHW 3 people)

＊ ＊

「Then, May I ask you for storage?」(Cadillac)

「Ah, yes」(Mile)

The leader of “Shining Holy Sword” asked Mile to do so and when she tried to store the Orcs …

「Please wait.」(Pauline)

For some reason, Pauline stopped Mile.

「What would you do now if we weren’t there and didn’t know about Unique Monsters?」(Pauline)

「「「「「Eh……」」」」」(SHW 5 people?)

The five members of “Shining Holy Sword” seem to be taken aback by Pauline’s question.

「No, I’m sure we will take it apart and bring back as much as we can the highest-selling parts…」(Cadillac)

「Isn’t that right…?」(Pauline)

Pauline shows a face like “isn’t it obvious?” to their answer.

「Ah…」(Mile)

And Mile also seems to have understood.

「Even if we check the guild’s dismantling site, we shouldn’t be able to find any Unique Monster…

First of all, if the hunters lose, even if there are survivors, they aren’t in the shape to bring back the prey.

It’s best to run away with the injured people.

Even if they defeat the monster to some extent or repel it, the Unique Monster will usually be the survivor. And even if it’s defeated, its companion will drag the corpse home.

And even if the hunters annihilated the monsters safely, they will say “Somehow, it was really tough, this time…”

Then, they dismantle the prey and bring back only the highest-selling part …」(Mile)

「「Ah…」」(Rena + Pauline)

Apparently, Rena and Maevis also understood.

「「There is no Unique Monster in the dismantling site!」」(Rena + Pauline)

Yes, only if the Unique monster was hunted relatively close, small, and not too difficult to carry the whole body, then the hunters might bring it in as is, without dismantling and transformed it into a chunk of meat.

…… And all Unique Monsters are huge.

Even Unique Goblins, which aren’t so big, but no one can take them home because they have no material to sell.

「Yes, the existence of Unique Monster wasn’t well known.

Do you think there are people who say, “The goblins were extraordinarily strong”, “I struggled with the orcs”, and demand some bonus?」(Mile)

Rena’s group shakes their heads.

Yes, that’s what makes people laugh at them in the guild.

And, after returning home, the “Shining Holy Sword” must report exactly that.

「「「「「…………」」」」」(SHW 5 people)