Chapter 328

328 – Lightning Sword Lapar

I feel the sensation of trampling on something and quickly cancel my [Roll]. This is bad, I was too worried about the village and didn’t pay attention to my surroundings. I might have hit a Lithovar who was running away.

I hurriedly look left and right in search of whatever I sent flying. They should be fine, I only grazed them, I think. If we can heal them right away, their life shouldn’t be in danger…

『…Isn’t that him?』

I look in the direction she indicates and see a man breathing heavily as he leans against a tree. His neat and tidy moustache gives him an impression of primness. But that impression is marred by the tears in his clothes, and the splotches of mud that cover all over him. There is a mark in his shoulder where a monster bit him, and a faint purple tinge to his arm. His outfit is the same as the soldiers from earlier, so there’s no doubt that he’s one of them.

“Damn it…! Damn it! Such bad timing…! Abhorrent monster!”

Perhaps having been injured when I crashed into him, he clutches his knee as he breathes laboriously. The complexion of his face is a ghastly pale all the way to the tips of his ears.

It seems he was already injured all over his body.

『What are we doing with him?』

“……”

I don’t plan on killing someone who has lost the will to fight, nor do I want to get used to doing that. The fight is already over. Plus, his body isn’t in a state to fight. I’m not obliged to heal him, but I also don’t have a reason to go out of my way to kill him.

Just as I’m thinking I should leave him and hurry along, he raises his sword high into the air.

“[Lightning Radiation]!”

Light gathers at the tip of his sword, condensing into bolts of lightning that scatter around. Some of it flashes towards my face. I close my eyes to endure it, then rub my face with my foreleg. I wouldn’t say this level of attack doesn’t hurt or isn’t itchy, but it’s not life threatening.

He stands stock still with an expression of despair. His almost drops his sword, but instead raises it to the sky again and howls.

“[Wide Sumon]! Come, trell ratons!”

A ring of light expands around him, then ten-or-so fat yellow rats appear. Big white horns sprout from their foreheads.

Each of them tilt their heads in confusion, then start wandering around. I don’t have time for him, yet either he thinks I’m here to kill him, or he’s desperate to strike back at me in some way.

I gather magic in the pit of my stomach, then raise my mouth high.

“Berser-…”

He tries to chant magic, but my [Roar] drowns him out. His entire body stops moving as though paralysed and his injured leg collapses, causing to sink to the ground. His sword falls from his hand.

“ChuUH!” “ChuAH!”

Stimulated by my [Roar], the yellow rats squeak restlessly. Electricity crackles between their horns. Something’s wrong about them.

【[Trell Raton]: D+ rank monster】

【A monster with outstanding agility, but few other advantages.】

【But when it feels danger approaching, it enters a state of extreme excitement and jumps at any nearby animal that isn’t charged with electricity to launch a powerful suicide explosion attack.】

【By doing so, it reduces the number of outside enemies and creates a safe environment for its species.】

When danger is approaching, a suicide explosion attack? My [Roar] might have triggered them. Damn it, I wasn’t planning on doing anything to him, but now he’s gone and summoned some annoyances.

…That’s what I think, but then the trell ratons all throw themselves at the man.

“Ah, a…”

He hurriedly tries to pick up the sword he dropped. As his hand touches the sword, the trell ratons start to explode. Their bodies swell, then explode in a burst of electricity. Craters form in the ground around him, and when the explosions stop, all that remains are scorched limbs and organs of trell ratons.

Thrown up by the explosions, the sword lands on a nearby rock with a clang. Its hilt is burnt black, and the blade is covered in soot.

“…”

Wh-what did he want to do, this guy? I was going to let him go, but then he went and blew himself up.

【32 experience points have been acquired.】

【Due to the Title Skill [Walking Egg: Lv -], an additional 32 experience points have been acquired.】

The experience points…are not that much. I suppose that would be the case. I didn’t do anything. I just bumped into him a bit.

I stand in a daze for a few seconds, but then remember the reason I was in such a hurry and head towards the truga. Remnants of the 『Starved Hunters』 like that man might be attacking the village.

The place the truga was sounded should be near here. I stop my [Roll] and run.

I feel several human presences with [Presence Perception] and head towards them. They’re not moving much. It doesn’t feel like they’re in combat. I almost slow down in relief, but then notice Aro’s presence mixed in with them.

I hear a Lithovar’s scream. Then someone swings a weapon.