Chapter 18 – Fake Adventurer

Adventurer Uruud is a rat-faced middle-aged man on his forties, but he has a slim figure and works at a taxidermist house.

In the past, he had formed a party with Shouji several times.

He knew how to handle materials skillfully and proficient with his hands.
Whether if it is a monster, an animal or a plant, or even a poisonous monster that no one has ever seen, he can fight against them using his innate judgement.

Maybe it is because Shouji used the Adventurer’s Guild to call him, Uruud appeared at the Adventurer’s Guild with a cautious look at Shouji’s call.

It was early in the morning when the little birds sings.
Shouji had just received a suitable request when he was teasing the receptionist Lyril, who was rubbing her drowsy eyelids when he had just arrived at work, so he was willing to invite Uruud to an adventure.

「You who was called as “The Demon of the Underground Guild” feels like doing a legal job now?」

Uruud was making fun of Shouji as he opened the double door and walked outside.

He wears a thick green hooded jacket, there are three kind of daggers with various shapes inside his sword belt that wrapped around his waist. The blades were like a coil if they were put on the right angle.

The following parts of the text will be scrambled to prevent theft from aggregators and unauthorized epub making. Please support our translators by reading on secondlifetranslations (dot) com. If you are currently on the site and and you are seeing this, please clear your cache.

Gzz sq vbkp yal prlnkyzzu ralryale vs nwv vbl pjkd, pnyzlp, kdvlpvkdlp, qzlpb yde yde czsse.

Mbl sze zlyvbla fynjlv yde yaxsa vbyv sdzu rasvlnvp vbl ycesxld eslp dsv zssj nayxrle.

Ohld vbswtb bkp nzsvblp olal ayttle yde qayule, cwv bl jdlo bl bye vs vyjl nyal sq bkp posae.

Fbswfk alprsdele vs Bawwe’p vlypkdt iwklvzu.

「R yx jkzzkdt vkxl.… R yx vbkdjkdt sq vlpvkdt xu pjkzzp qsa vbl qkapv vkxl yqvla y zsdt vkxl」
「Flyanbkdt vbl xkppkdt rlapsd kp y vaswczlpsxl fsc. Rv okzz dsv xyjl xwnb xsdlu」
「Rq vbl nypl oyp ekpyrrlyale obkzl qkpbkdt kd vbl qkpbkdt hkzzytl yv xkedktbv, vbld kv kp wpwyzzu vbl osaj sq y ply elxsd. Rv nyd yzps cl y xswadkdt qsa Plpxsde」
「Xb…. yb, usw yal aktbv. Pyxd, R qsatsv. Vzlypl zkpvld. Tl oyp yd wdzwnju twu. Tl oyp pweeldzu tsv ckvvld cu vbl ckt vwavzl Gprbkesnblzsdl. Mbl hydtwyae kd xu wdksd kp lypu vs ekl」

Ebkzl xswadkdt vbl elyvb sq yd sze yniwykdvydnl, vbl vos sq vblx ayd pkel cu pkel sd bsaplcynj.

Mblu zlyhl vbl swvla oyzz vbyv nshla Oaasa Idkql Msod yde ts vs vbl lypv vsoyaep vbl lmrydpkhl tayppzydep.

Wasx vbl nzkqqp yzsdt vbl asye, vblu nswze nzlyazu pll vbl pydecydj lmvldekdt kdvs vbl blye cyu.

The higway is also an out-push trading road in the neighboring town, so even though it is near the forest, a sufficient number of moving groups and merchants pass by.

The forest road was shaded by tall vegetation.

The forest under development is overgrown with primeval forest, but there was a lumberjack cutting down beech trees for shifting cultivation.

It was rumored that large-scale central development was underway around the royal capital, but in recent years there has been a tendency that they do not want the development of each city.

They are afraid of town having too much power, Error Knife is more than just an exporter of fine ore, it will not let go of its economic leadership in the processing and development of metal products.

Even now, the mining in the Myurun mountain range are rotating at full speed, and miners are sweating desperately to get food for tomorrow.

Like Error Knife, the royal capital is suffering from a shortage of supplies due to the war, even now grain and food production is still in decline.

「Shouji, do you want to join my union?」

Uruud, who was troubled with the topic, began to search.
For some reason, he sometimes shows confidence and pride of his union.

It is an absolute requirement to join a high-ranking union in order to earn a stable income as an adventurer.

Even if you want to be independent, it is easier to join somewhere to learn the know-how.

Even if you cannot fight monster, if you have a trick, you can have a share, and even if you cannot do anything, you can live as a supply worker.

『Jupiter Rock』was also a high-ranking class union, and had reputation for their openness.

「I do not have any problem surviving as a solo. Besides, even though I am back like this, I am going to keep my adventures as a side job」
「I see…. Well, I got married. I was introduced by the corps commander to the daughter of a flour-food shop. I have a favor. It is fun to act with you, but the underground business is difficult」

Feeling of guilt shows on Uruud face when he said it hesitantly.

He used to accompany Shouji a long time ago, but he says he has a family now and become conservative and does not want to be involved with underground guild or other business.

Shouji who was reminded firmly, nodded while manipulating the reins.

Uruud could have been able to disappear. And yet, he chose to meet Shouji shows that he has fulfilled his duty.

「Uruud, I promise not to force anything today」
「I see, it is fine then. I am sorry to distract you」
「You do not have to apologize. It is okay we can just have reminiscent talk today. We can already see the village」

The eaves of the fishing village came into view from the top of the hill.

The number of doors is less than a hundred.
Wooden buildings are lined up unplanned on the grassland near the sandy beach.
Each one of them looks shabby because they are decaying due to the influence of the sea breeze.

The figure of an old woman making dried fish can be seen, a child is running around the corridor of a windowless house.

Along the harbor, the fishermen sewed nets in a circle and scraped off the barnacles of a small fishing boat like a barge with a stick.

The clothes they wears were full of repairs and Shouji could clearly see the poverty.

Shouji head to the victim’s family hut while holding a map with one hand that he got from the Adventurer’s Guild.

「I am from the Adventurer’s Guild. I came here because of the request」

Shouji take out the notebook in his chest pocket, and show it open.

The feeling of work for the first in a long years made Shouji feel strange, but he did not dwell in sentiment.

「Ah, yes…. my son disappeared five days ago … He was depressed because of his daughter who was supposed to get married, escaped … I wonder where did he go? I even made everyone in the village pay for the reward, I am sorry」

The old man with an empty voice threw his gaze here and there, and then turned his head down ashamedly.

「It seems he went fishing at night. Was there anything that he left behind?」
「I had some thorn clothes left. It looks like he was injured … There was blood on it」
「Understood. Please show it to me」
「I-it is inside the guardhouse over there … It said to be evidence. Perhaps it was a robber」

The direction that the old man pointed to was a station near the lighthouse.

The rugged stone house was built in a tower shape, and the national flag was drawn on the wall, so it is easy to understand.

Uruud nodded, and when Shouji was about to leave, the old man gazed at him.

「W-will my son come back?」
「I cannot promise anything, but I will find him as requested」

　△　▼　△

The sandy beach where the disappearance scene happens was open and was the perfect place to enjoy fishing at night quitely.

It is about 200 meters away from the fishing village, there is a calm sandy beach at the front and a quite forest at the back.

It is a perfect space to get lost in thought while fishing.

However―― Even if you scream, even if there is a slight uproar, it will not reach anyone.

「Shouji, how do you see it?」
「The guards said it was the work of a bandit, but the fibers on the ripped parts of his clothes were crushed. It was torn off roughly. Few bandits use blunt knives. No matter how brainless they are, they will at least use a sharpening stone」
「There was a piece of meat left on the back of the clothes. It is certainly strange to cut it with a knife. As expected, is it the works of a monster?」

The on-site inspection while crouching continued for more than 30 minutes.

Shouji investigated everywhere, he digs over the sandy beach while turning over the surrounding driftwoods and seaweeds.

Perhaps because he thinks that the waves brought the evidence and everything away, Uruud was just pretending to look for it, he is doing a half-hearted movement.

Shouji raised his voice as if he had found what he was looking for after a while.

「Uruud, look at the sand at this spot. It is a lump of solidified sand. This is a trace of high molecular liquid. It flows diagonally, but it is only drooled in here. It is swelling. It is a type of monster that releases liquid. After blocking the opponent’s movements, it take away the prey … It is not a siren, and it is not a harpy either」
「Then, what?」
「I am surprised…. You are in your current position. Did you became an adventurer without knowing the ecology of monsters?」

After throwing away the solidified lump of sand and returning it as if he was amazed, Uruud opened his hands a bit like an excuse.

「I am not saying this, but everyone has a role. And I am good at receiving and peeling the prey」
「It is a sperdo crab. It has large scissors and is over 4 meters wide. It hides in a moist rock cave, it also lurks in the sea, but it is timid and rarely attack humans. It brings the prey into its den for preservation and afraid of foreign enemies」
「I have not seen it in action, but I have dealt with it. It is a rare species. The shell is difficult to process, but it can be used as armor and medicine for wound. The wholesale price is 2000 Idols per kilo. You can get 50kg from one monster.」
「It is a nocturnal, but it has a habit of building nest that serve as bed. It is a rock cave mostly. It has a strong territorial sense. It should be within a radius of 5 kilometers at best. I will track it down.」
「How about ambushing it here?」
「If there are two men lurking in a spacious feeding area, it may arouse their alertness and make it turn back. It is better to hunt for it」

A green small bottle―― Shouji fetch a nose-potion from a pouch coiled near his waist, turned it upside down and dropped it onto his tongue.

A bitter taste.
The astringency left in his throat gradually increases.

Something mysterious runs around his brain. The world of his consciousness expands as if he just awaken.

―― Shouji clench his teeth to control the sensation that is about to burst.

His black eyes turns to red-copper. His body changes. His nerves are being reconstructed and stretched.

The petals of his innate nature blossom gracefully.

For temporary, Shouji gain a sense of smell equal to that of a hound.

He can smell the rotten smell of the remaining liquid that is scattered on the sandy beach.

「The smell of human and sperudo crab disappeared into the sea. But, they are probably lurking in the rocky cliffs on the west side. Looking from a distance, it is full of reefs, there are few people, the waves are wild and it is difficult for foreign enemies to come, it can be said to be a perfect place…… Let’s go check it out」
「Yeah」

The two of them moved along the beach.

They had to swim in order to look around the sheer reefs, so they wrapped their bags in waterproof cloth bags along the way, Shouji and Uruud leave their bodies to the cold sea.

As they swam, their noses twitched, and they came across the distinctive fishy smell of shell, created by the slightest scrape against the reef. they could predict that the faint smell was not from the surface, but from the bottom of the ocean.

Sperudo crabs cannot live only in the sea. They need to ingest air. It lives and stay in the sea although it may show its face sometimes.

When Shouji and Uruud dove down, they found what looked like the entrance to an underwater cave.

They continued to dive and entered the dark cave. The mossy rock surface was slippery.

When they crawled up from the waterside, the cave goes on and on.

The ceiling was high, as befitted a giant crab.

The ocher-colored stone pillars that are piled up looks like a cave in a limestone cave are piercing.

The floor was noticeably wet, and there were puddles of water here and there.

In the darkness, unidentifiable red-dotted mushrooms were spreading their spores and sprouting on the mossy walls and ledges.

「It is 50 meters away from us. This thing is more agile than human. At the moment, it seems to be preparing its stomach for the winter. It seems to be eating right now」
「Damn, I cannot see a thing in the dark. Shouji, can you see anything?」

Even when he waved his hands in the pitch darkness, he couldn’t understand anything.

Uruud needed Shouji’s help to get to land, and he was on the verge of confusion from the lack of light.

「It is just the smell. But even if I cannot see it, I can sense it. If your sense of smell is alive, you can kill your enemies」
「I just remembered that you are a street corner hero beloved by the gods, damn it!」

In frustration, Uruud lowered the backpack on his back and took out the light source stone lantern by groping it.

He passes a small amount of magical power. The central part of diamond-shaped stone glows faintly.

Warm light radiated through the glass. Even if it gets wet, there is no problem with magical light.

Amongst the two who were soaking wet, Uruud was wiping his face with a hand towel.

As the water dripped from his clothes and stained the ground, Shouji stared into the darkness.

「This thing, usually eats sea lions and large-sized fish that dwells in the bottom, but…… it seems to notice the intruders who had entered his territory. It turned around. It looks like a female with eggs. It is no wonder she is so hungry and aggressive. She moved to the ceiling. She is probably planning to attack us from above」
「W-We’re already in battle?」
「Uruud. It is coming. Faster than expected. Stay back if you can. I will take care of it.」

Shouji took a Speed-Potion from his ammo belt and drank it. He put the empty bottle back in its place.

It is been a while since he killed a monster.

With a flick of his wrist, Shouji dropped his waist and took a stance to face the monster that leapt from the shadows of the darkness.

He take out the boots that he wears, since bare feet will be lighter.

His lower body is heavily strengthened by the effect of speed potion that gives him acceleration.

His hit-and-run fighting style is perfect for wide area.

The frightened Uruud hunkered down and grabbed both of the biggest mountain swords he could find timidly.

He put the lantern on the ground, but it is not enough to illuminate the area.

「Here it comes」

　△　▼　△

The Sperudo Crab was moving its huge body at high speed.

Two pairs of slanted, gray eyeballs caught sight of Shouji and Uruud.

With her mud-colored shell, she crawled along the ceiling, defying gravity with her dexterous ten legs.

The sticky effect of the fine cilia and the tough multiple-legs make it possible to move-betraying her dull appearance.

It may have been surprised that the smell of its prey came near it, and the shaking of its legs showed its confusion, but there was no change in its plan.

Her fighting style, which favors surprise attacks, remains unchanged, and she begins preparing her spew from the sticky pouch that is different from her stomach.

It mixes air into a sticky mixture in front of the palate.

It is a fluid specializing in captivity, it is normally not viscous, but when it comes into contact with the outside air, it contains moisture and becomes sticky.

Once she have sealed her prey’s movement, it became her possession, and humans who are vulnerable to the darkness will not know anything.

She shoot her spew towards the two people that are standing upright―― She have never missed a shot.

But.

One of the prey disappeared.

The cloudy white spurt stuck to the floor, and makes a miss.

Shouji grabbed one of the Sperudo Crab’s legs and pulled it out in one breath. There was a loud thud and a part of her was missing.

Kiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!

A scream roared through the cave.

She shook her four-sided body, trying to escape the pain. Shouji tried to grab another leg, but failed to do so because of the rampage.

In a fit rage, she turned to unleash a furious attack. Her width was wider than Shouji had expected.

It is over four meters. Maybe six or seven. It is an amazing size. It was the largest specimen he had ever seen.

It was also over two meters tall, and Shouji was overlooked.

She clicked the scissors once and pointed the huge blade at her prey, hoping to entangle it. A weapon with a terrifying sharpness that could cut a person in two.

Shouji dealt with the situation calmly. He dodged the approaching object with his head low and kicked the ceiling to land close to his original position. It was an impossible position, as he was originally hanging from the ceiling with only his toes.

When the Spelled Crab saw that he had escaped, it also descended from the ceiling and attacked him without pause.

It approaches in a circular motion, moving sideways, but it doesn’t walk completely sideways. Sometimes it turns at a sharp angle, and sometimes it zigzags.

Shouji was attacked by two scissors and roughly three small crab scissors almost at the same time, so he jumped up with his fist on the large scissors that seemed to be the most powerful.

One side of its huge body was lifted up by a sharp uppercut.

Shouji immediately felt the effect of the impact.

The feeling of hitting a heavy object. The chitinous exoskeleton is hard as expected.

Because of the loss of stance, the other large scissors flew to the wrong directions and missed.

One of the remaining legs caught a part of Shouji’s body. It was a forceless blow that hits Shouji’s body randomly, tearing some of the skin on Shouji’s shoulder and flank, but only creating a shallow wound as the blow lost its power.

She should have kept his distance, but Shouji tighten his flank, and purposely get in close to the Sperudo Crab. He was ready to strike from the inside.

In a flash, he delivers a barrage of fists.

The surface of its body was slippery, perhaps because of the wetness.

The skin of his fist became bloody as if it had been scraped by a rasp.

Lastly, Shouji turned himself around and delivered a spinning kick to its head and chest.

The Sperudo Crab, which had been shaken by the heavy blow, tried to run away, perhaps because of the damage, or perhaps because it was frightened of a counterattack, but Shouji grasped the leg that was attached the most to the ground.

「Uwoooooooo!」

The muscles in his shoulders creaked. The huge crab, more than twice his size, was lifted up.

The unbelievably large body struggled and curved in the air, was slammed into the other side.

There was an unpleasant crunching sound and one of its legs fell off with a plop.

The collision with the ground chipped the stone floor and part of it flew away.

The multi-legged thing must have been originally designed to be easily detachable. Some of the legs that Shouji did not touch were bent and the ends of the joints were missing.

Her teeth chattered weakly.

This time, she stiffens in shock.

「Oraa!」

Shouji took advantage of the opportunity and approached it, grabbed its eyeball with both hands and squeezed it.

This would make it difficult for her to fight back even if she escaped.

Her eyeballs cracked open like crushed eggs, and her bodily fluids sprayed out.

Shouji pushed her out with a kick to the forehead, just above the mouth where the bubbles spewed out.

「Whoooo!」

Uruud, whose presence was forgotten by Shouji, let out a yell, swung his mountain swords and thrust it right through the weakened Sperudo Crab.

He had been watching for an opportunity so as not to get in the way, but it had become a display of his courage.

He pushed the sword in with a do-or-die look, and gouged out the internal organs of the whimpering Sperudo Crab.

It became a finishing blow.

Having lost the battle, she fell to the ground, completely silent.

Shouji massaged its neck, then struck its head again with his fist to make sure his prey was dead. It makes a sound like hitting a bell.

There was no response.

The lantern illuminated the presence of blue blood flowing in a turgid stream.

The stinky smell of rocky shore and stale air wafted from the puddle of blood.

「Thanks for the follow-up」
「I-it scared the shit out of me. It is around six meters. It is freaking huge」
「Let’s take a break. This guy bodily fluids stink like shit. Let’s make a fire and warm up」

Striking the flint, Shouji began to burn the solid fuel.
He took off his clothes and washed them with seawater.

The clear, thick fluid was hard to remove and had to be scrubbed off with a pumice stone.

「Shouji, can we eat this thing?」

Still in a state of exuberance from the battle, Uruud excitedly held one of the legs attached to the shell, broke the joint, and shove his hand into the leg.

It was filled with transparent crab meat.

Uruud scooped it up with curiosity, and the smell of the beach was strong.

「You can eat it, but I am having a lunchbox」
「I see. I will just try it a bit. Yeah, it is sweet, somewhat」

Then the unpleasant lunch break began.

During this time, Uruud repeatedly offered Shouji meat from the Sperudo Crab, but each time he declined. There are two reasons why he stubbornly refuses to eat monster meat.

The first reason was to clean up the lunch box he had brought with him.

The second reason is that I cannot eat demon meat and recover yet.

It is not a good time to eat Sperudo Crab to heal the damage.

Thus, he should wait a little longer.

―― The brave men had now stripped off their armor and clothes, and were eating around the fire in their underwear.

There was still the search for the missing person.

He did not want to wander around the cave in wet clothes, so he covered his clothes with rocks and exposed them to the fire, trying to keep them fresh and dry.

Uruud seemed to think that he wouldn’t have to dive into the sea on the way back, but Shouji knew that he would have to dive because he could not smell the outside air inside the cave. As the person in question, he wanted to tease him by telling him just before he left.

「This is really good. Do you want some?」
「No, thanks」

Uruud bite the huge leg as it is, his mouth was soaked with crab juice and his eyes were shining.

The sweetness of the crab’s peculiar taste, which sticks to the tongue, seems to entertain Uruud as a superb taste.

Although, it was also the flesh of a monster that had been hostile to him just a moment ago.

Uruud’s insensitivity is the toughness of living as an adventurer on a daily basis.

「Oi, Shouji. What kind of joke is that, a pink lunch box? No, wait …… you are kidding. Did you get married too?」
「No, I’m not married, but my woman made it」

Shouji’s lunch was a kyara-bentou

Sandwich was the main dish, and a small bear made of bread dough was smiling and waving at him. If he had said that he had made it with his own sense of style, Uruud might have died of laughter.

He could never say that the girl behaves like a barging-in wife―― not to mention it was made by a fellow gangster.

When Shouji speaks vaguely, Uruud raised and lowered his chin repeatedly with a knowing look on his face.

「I know what you mean. I was perplexed myself. She was cute in her own way, but a little clumsy when she smiled, hot-tempered, and her boobs is not that big. But the more we went out, the less I cared. It all seemed like such a small thing. But the more we go out, the less I cared. It all seemed like a trivial thing」
「Yeah」

After Shouji vaguely replied to the sudden story of how the couple got to know each other, Uruud put his hands on his knees and stared into the flickering flames.

He was influenced by something and continued as if he was recalling a scene from the past.

Shouji knew that he was trying to open up, so he listened in silence.

「It was one day. I made a mistake at work. It was my mistake. It was a month’s work for all of us at『Jupiter Rock』. I was lucky enough to catch and strip a baby golden flying dragon, but I packed it in a bag, and the scales rubbed against each other and the value of the product dropped. The gold lost its value. I was so depressed, all I could think about was how much money I would have to pay for my mistake, so I tried to escape the union」
「How harsh」
「My friends at the Union blamed me. Even the ones who did not say anything avoided me. It is because everyone’s life depended on it. They were desperate, and they deserved their shares. I wanted to go into hiding rather than being burdened with debt」
「I understand」
「She did not run away from me when I was in debt. She supported me. When I took all my money to pay some of my debts, the leader forgave me. He told me that it was a mistake that everyone makes. My friends also forgave me. They forgave me because I did not run away. I have decided to marry her, too. I did notrun away」
「That is a good story. I forgot to say, congratulations on your marriage. Let’s have a toast」

They clinked their glasses.

He didn’t know what Uruud’s wife looked like, but Shouji knew that it took courage to start a family.

「Yeah, not a bad story, right. So…… You are going to get married too sooner or later」

The distant look in his eyes made Shouji feel uncomfortable.

He has no intention of settling down, and Lorelei, who made his lunch too―― she, who makes a peace sign in his brain – is still too young to get married.

If she were to ask him to marry her, rather than being congratulated by many people, she might be frowned by them.

I drank a perfect potion to cover it up. And indirectly, as a way to recover from the damage.

For a moment, a white haze enveloped his body.

The pale luminescence became a soothing breeze that gave his inside a cool feeling. The sensation of something soothing circulating through the nerves and blood. The scratches healed. The red bruises from the bruises disappeared completely.

His head became hot and a feeling of euphoria washed over him.

He is still at work, so he cannot afford to lose his focus.

He peeled off the clotted blood from his bloody fist.
The peeled skin was restored.

He looked over to see that Uruud was stunned, and slapped his knee.

「Okay, let’s go find the dead body」
「Wait a minute, Shouji, that is one hell of a potion. I have never seen such a pure white before. What kind of purity is that?」
「It is an underworld potion. That is why it is so effective. It can even brings back the dead」
「Wow, that’s great…… Give me a bottle」

　―― He got caught.

It was well worth the effort to reduce the power of the strike on an enemy that would normally be defeated with a lot of joint techniques or smashed with Power-Potions.

The reason he do not eat demon meat is because he have been waiting for this opportunity.

Shouji knew he would bite once he showed him the effects of the Perfect-Potion.

Uruud, who had been wary at first, was now completely at ease.

The fact that he had lived and died together must have had an effect on him.

Standing up, Shouji rolled up his sleeves.

He pretended not to be paying attention.

He let out a frustrated sigh and put on a negative look.

If he showed a willingness to get in on the action and offered it himself, Uruud’s wariness might be up again.

「This is a forbidden item. The effects are wonderful, but it can be addictive. Possessing it is a minor offense.」
「I will use whatever I can to save my injured friends. I can change the color with red food coloring and put it in the Middle-Potions container and it won’t be exposed」
「That is true, but you are an honest adventurer」
「Even a ruffian like you has become a government official. And I am an S-rank adventurer, which means I have a much better position than you. Hurry up and tell me how much is it. Let your friend take safety measures」

The information seemed to be flowing well enough.

It was worth the effort to stand out.

People are more interested in hearing bad behavior than honest behavior.

He smiled inwardly and pretended to shrug his shoulders.

「…… How about 20,000 Idols a bottle? It is a valuable commodity. I will give you a deal, but …… take good care of it」
「Thanks, man. Of course, I will use it when the time comes.」

That is not good enough―― Shouji want him to brag about it to his friends.

He want to spread the word and get more people to covet it.

Perhaps he should have asked him to injure himself―― But he had already defeated the monster.

Shouji did not let the thought leave his mind and urged them to explore the cave.

Even without the use of a Nose-Potion, the rotten smell of the Sperudo Crab’s dwelling was diffused the with leftovers.

There were a few human bones among them, but they were bleached and too much time had passed.

A foul smell wafted from the remains of sharks, sea lions, whales, dolphins, stingrays, and other marine animals.

When they reached what seemed to be the deepest part, they found a nest.

The seaweed was stacked in a whirlpool, and there was a brand new corpse right next to it.

Leaning against the wall, the corpse was missing its right leg and arm, and its abdomen showed signs of having been eaten, with some of its organs sticking out of its skin.

It was a recently added corpse of a man.

It looks like he was slowly devoured, and there are chips here and there.

「That’s gross……」

He jumped when Uruud sneaked up on him and put his hand on his shoulder.

Uruud points at the corpse and pulls his chin back while holding his heart.

「Whoa, this guy, he is alive!」
「……You gotta be kidding me. His organs are ripped out」
「It is true! But, it is already at the death’s door…..」

Shouji thought it was a joke, but as he approached, he heard a faint but steady breathing.

His clothes were covered in blood and his face was lifeless. When he approached him, instead of pleading for help, he did not even twitch. He must be unconscious.

It was unclear how long it had been since he had sustained fatal damage to his body, but there was no doubt that he was still alive.

Shouji felt like he was throwing it down the drain, but decided to give the man the Perfect-Potion he had.

In a way, it was a gamble.

If he comes back to life, there will be no doubt about its efficacy, and the Uruud will praise him.

On the other hand, if it failed, he would lose faith.

It will be positioned as a recovery potion that is slightly better than a High-Potion.

Percibell is the only alchemist who has aimed to purify Recovery-Potions

How powerful will her Perfect-Potion be?

Let’s give it a try.

　△　▼　△

「My son…… Oh, you idiot! I have given up on you!」

The fisherman’s father cried and hugged his son, who was still weak, and patted him repeatedly on the shoulder.

It is time to feel alive.

The villagers were gathering in a huddle for the guy who returns alive from the monster’s cave.

After a while, he turned to Shouji and Uruud.

「Thank you! Thank you so much! How can I thank you?」

「We only did what we were paid for. The monsters have been vanquished, but from now on, you should not go out alone without caution. Most intelligent monsters will stay away from humans if they are in groups」

With a brief answer that could have been taken coldly, Shouji got on his horse.

It was not his nature to help people, nor did he want to be thanked more than necessary.

Uruud followed suit, stuffing a saddlebag full of Sperudo Crab’s shells into the saddlebags on either side of his horse, but he was in a good mood as he pulled away from the village.

He had been itching to talk for a long time.

「I did not expect it to restore all four limbs. It is on par with the sacred magic of the Royal Priests.」
「I am surprised, too. Maybe he had the right stuff. It does not usually happen that way. It is very rare.」

Either it was filled with a liquid that was even purer than the purest of Perfect-Potions, or it had been exposed to the effects of magic while spending time with the monster.

The Sperudo Crab is a monster with a strong life force.

If he had ingested even a small portion of its bodily fluids as drinking water, it would not be surprising if he was affected.

Although he could not be sure which one it was now, Uruud did not doubt that the Perfect-Potion was the drink of the gods.

He would not be able to stop himself from telling his friends about this incident, and he would certainly be a good advertisement for it.

「Shouji, you should join『Jupiter Rock』. You’ve got talent. You’ve got the skills, you’ve got the abilities」
「I am glad you asked. But I am an addict. I am not fit for group activities」
「Do not worry about such a thing. Just think about it.」
「Yeah…… I know」

Shouji once dreamed of living as an adventurer.

Now it is enough for him to take another step back and look at it from a distance.