READ NOVEL ONLINE chapter 41 - Divine Cat Mii-chan finds a rare monster.
41 Divine Cat Mii-chan finds a rare monster.
As they entered the second level, a large lizard-like creature called a Rock Lizard appeared. Mii, peeking out from the carry bag, watched the Rock Lizard with a mix of curiosity and apprehension.
Müller quickly took care of the creature without much trouble, making Nero wonder if such battles had become routine for him. Nero immediately felt sorry for the thought, realizing it was a bit presumptuous. He promised to be more considerate.
The second level was vast—about four times the size of the first level, according to their map. They were exploring by circling the perimeter, so the central area remained unexplored.
“It’s really spacious,” Nero remarked.
“It’s suddenly expanded so much,” another member noted.
“Finding Rock Lizards on the second level is unusual,” said someone else.
“It’s not common, that’s for sure,” Müller added.
They discussed how finding Rock Lizards this early was an anomaly. Normally, such creatures would only appear after descending many more levels.
“It’s a rare find,” Müller said. “We’re discovering things that normally wouldn’t appear until much deeper.”
The guild was comparing the map Nero made yesterday with past labyrinth maps to see if they matched. Flowing labyrinths often appear in different locations over time, so if this maze matched any historical maps, it would be valuable for future explorations.
“Most likely, this labyrinth is one that hasn’t been discovered before,” Müller concluded.
“Is something wrong, Mii? Did you find something?”
“Mii~”
“Sorry, can we stop for a moment?”
“It’s not time for a meal yet.”
“Is it a bathroom break?”
Nero felt a bit exasperated by the assumption that he might be acting childish.
“Mii seems to have discovered something. Can I check it out?”
“Could it be a hidden room?”
“Uh, not really. The map doesn’t show anything.”
“Alright, if you sense any danger, let us know immediately.”
With that, Nero followed Mii. She was intently staring down the corridor. As they carefully approached, they reached a T-junction. Mii was fixated on the left path. It seemed like something was there.
Nero took a careful look around but found nothing visible. However, Mii remained tense and continued to stare down the corridor. Nero decided to use his appraisal skill on the corridor. Although it seemed empty, the appraisal revealed a Jewel Lizard hidden there. Since it wasn’t visible, it might be using some sort of camouflage.
Returning to Müller and the others, Nero explained the situation.
“A Jewel Lizard!?” Müller’s surprise was evident.
“Are you sure?”
“It’s not visible, but the appraisal shows it’s there.”
Jewel Lizards are extremely rare, with skin that is highly coveted for making armor that can deflect even swords. They’re a prized find for hunters.
The elf woman glanced at Müller, who nodded in response. The elf then went to investigate further.
“It’s there. It seems to be asleep since it doesn’t react to light.”
“What’s the distance?”
“About twelve meters from the corner.”
“That’s quite a distance. Can we take it down?”
“It’s difficult. We can’t aim at something we can’t see.”
“Then we’ll need to close the distance quickly.”
Müller was skeptical about the idea, given the Jewel Lizard’s speed and the fact that splitting the party wasn’t an option. However, when Nero proposed using Mii’s cat food to lure the Jewel Lizard, Müller agreed to give it a try.
Nero scattered the contents of Mii’s cat food can just beyond the T-junction, ensuring the scent would drift down the corridor. Mii seemed excited by the prospect, but Nero had to ignore her pleas for now. He promised to give her a proper meal afterward.
“Alright, let’s see if this works. Mii, stay quiet for a moment,” Müller said, trying to keep things under control.
As they waited, the party observed the area closely, hoping the scent would attract the Jewel Lizard or at least make it reveal itself.
As Nero used his wind skill to guide the scent of the cat food toward the Jewel Lizard, it seemed to work. The Lizard began moving toward the bait, and the party prepared for an attack.
Despite the distraction, the Jewel Lizard didn’t notice the approaching danger and continued to devour the cat food with great enthusiasm. Nero couldn’t help but find it amusing that Mii’s food was so effective.
At Müller’s signal, two arrows were fired, hitting the Jewel Lizard but not delivering a fatal blow. The Lizard, realizing it was under attack, swiftly attempted to escape. It was surprisingly fast for its size.
Even as Müller’s team tried to close the distance, the Lizard made a hasty retreat. One of the arrows managed to hit its leg, but it continued to flee at a remarkable speed.
Nero, feeling determined not to be left out, threw his short dagger at the Lizard, but it merely bounced off its hard hide. Despite feeling frustrated, he decided to try one more thing: using his compressed air cannon.
“Boom! Boom! Boom!”
The cannon shots echoed down the corridor, sending powerful blasts of air toward the fleeing Jewel Lizard.
As the shockwave from Nero’s compressed air cannon hit the Jewel Lizard, it was thrown against the wall, flipping over in the process. Nero, despite feeling exhausted and having been overtaken by Müller’s team, pushed himself to keep running.
When the Jewel Lizard was finally incapacitated, the cat beastman swiftly finished it off. Meanwhile, Mii jumped out of the backpack and ran ahead to the corner, meowing back as if to tell Nero and the others where to go.
The group, now in a safety zone, looked relieved but also slightly exasperated. They realized that with the safety zone so close, the Lizard had been trapped and their struggle had been unnecessary from the start.
“Good job, though,” Müller said, a bit begrudgingly. “Sometimes the results are what count.”
Nero, a bit relieved and exhausted, nodded. “Yes, it worked out in the end.”
Mii seemed pleased, purring contentedly.