Then after three hours of walking, the journey became even more difficult.
“As expected, this really isn’t simple…” [Ryouma]
The ground in the surrounding area is all mud. So every time I take a step, the mud swallos my foot all the way until the ankles, making it considerably harder to move. At the same time, the magical beasts continue to attack me without holding back.
And right now, there is a 4-meter-tall, brown-colored alligator glaring at me.
This is a Galmos Alligator, a Cranked magical beast. Its strong jaw could easily tear through the flesh and armor of humans, but right now… It can’t use that jaw it’s so proud of.
It’s because I took everything into consideration when I was preparing. And naturally, I prepared a plan to deal with the Galmos Alligator as well.
I know from my previous life that alligators have strong bites, but relatively weak power when opening their mouths. So taking advantage of that, I transformed the concentrated hardening liquid plank and created a spray can. I then filled that can with the sticky slime’s sticky liquid. I brought with me a large supply of those cans.
And I threw those cans into the mouths of the galmos alligators before me.
The cans are only durable enough not to break when dropped, so naturally they would break when crushed between those fangs that could easily tear of armors. And when it does, the sticky liquid will spill into the alligator’s mouth.
The spilled sticky liquid will cling to the upper and lower jaw and all of the fangs of the alligator, spreading even more with each bite the alligator makes. In the end, the galmos alligator will no longer be able to open its mouth.
“I was worried at first at whether the alligators’ saliva would dilute the effect of the sticky liquid, but things actually worked out better than expected.” [Ryouma]
Of course, I did do some tests to ensure that the sticky liquid couldn’t be washed off by water, but still… I didn’t think it would actually work this well. I was only really hoping that it would buy me some time to make my move, so I’m really surprised.
Anyway, it’s dangerous to just turn my back to this alligator and run, so I immediately pierced its head with my katana to subjugate it. Then I continued on my way as I retrieved its corpse.
This magical beast’s hide can be used to make armors, clothes, bags, small accessories, and then sold at a good price to the nobles. But the most profitable item are stuffed animals made completely with the galmos alligator’s fangs and hide. And naturally, the less injuries there are on the raw goods, the higher it sells.
After that, it took me another four hours of walking before I finally reached an area with no mud. Along the way, I met a total of 8 galmos alligators. Their sizes varied, but I hunted them all the same.
I quietly continued to walk again, and after two hours, I found myself in another muddy area.
I haven’t reached the lake yet, but since I was planning to take a break anyway and since it’s already getting dark, I decided to stop here and retire for the day… Or at least that’s what I was thinking, but then it suddenly came to me that the area I’m in now has less living things in it than any other area I’ve come across yet.
Normally, there would at least be insects, but… I wonder if there’s something here…?
I walked as I paid careful attention to my surroundings. When the third minute struck, I suddenly felt the presence of something!
Immediately, I jumped back. And right after, the sound of the trees’ leaves being rustled entered my ears as a long, cylindrical, green lump the size of a log fell from a tree onto the place I was standing at just a moment ago.
“Is… Is my luck seriously that bad?” [Ryouma]
The lump that fell squirmed as it fixed its gazed at me. Of course, it’s a living being after all, naturally it would have an eye or two, right? It sure hid itself well atop that tree considering how big it is.