“Thank you for waiting.”
I peek out from Enki’s walls, and see everyone’s dressed up and ready.
“Is it best to meet them head-on?”
“Yes… Depending on what they are, we might attack first. Normally it would take a lot of preparation and coordination to fight underwater, but we have that skill.”
“Bubble Magic.”
“Yes. The group in front is making its way directly towards us, but it would be annoying if they turned and spread out. We should avoid letting the monsters spread.”
It would be trouble if monsters slipped into a natural environment.
In the first ever stampede, I saw on TV that there were explorations done in mountains and other places with no people for over half a year, to see if any monsters made their way there. And it’s even worse if they’re in the sea.
“I know we have to watch out for that, but we have another problem. Why are they coming straight here? It’s too convenient for us.”
I ask.
“Stampeding monsters tend to head straight to the closest location with people. That means this island is the closest place to where they spawned.”
“I see.”
Is that how stampedes work?
So if a fishing boat just happened to be passing when they started stampeding, it would’ve been horrible.
“Master, I can see the monsters.”
Aira is pointing to monsters that are close enough to see even without Perception Strengthening. Among the many shadows, a few have their faces visible. Most are fish monsters, but unlike the ones with old man faces, they look like regular fish. If they all had old man faces, this would be horrifying.
Actually, this is scary enough as it is for a regular person.
“Enril, I’m using Vision Sharing again. I want to take a good look at them.”
‘Popo!’
Enril flies, and I borrow its vision. And the benefits of the skill being II are immediately apparent.
Up until now, it was like having to look at two cameras at the same time, but now I can turn one off at will, and even control the size of each ‘screen’. I can also switch between cameras one and two… And I see more targets for the skill.
It’s worth a try.
“Aira.”
“Over here.”
“Vision Sharing. Hawk Eye.”
“This…!?”
I knew it.
I can use three cameras. Aira’s point of view has been added to my own. And by pushing it with Hawk Eye, it’s like I have six cameras.
“Is this Enril’s vision!?”
And to add to the surprises, people connected via Vision Sharing can also change their point of view. All of that, and I’d be happy even if it was just the feature to turn them off at will.
With Aira’s vision, I can see the whole stampede even before getting there.
“Aira, do you know what the fish monsters are?”
“…Yes. The small ones are killer fish, vicious carnivorous fish. They are level twenty-five, and have no skills.
There are two medium monsters. The more numerous ones that look like fish are great sharks. They are around level fifty, and have a few skills. The ones with a humanoid top half are mermen. They are rare monsters that attack with spears up close, and are adept at using Water Magic.”
“I see… And the big ones in the back?”
“…I cannot confirm it, but the pressure coming from them is without a doubt that of a monster that is over level one hundred. It is very likely this is also a rare monster.”
“Can stampedes include rare monsters…”
I guess.
Those huge slimes appeared as a result of triggering a sort of stampede… But I heard that in the stampede a long time ago, dragons escaped the high rank dungeon. It’s hard to imagine a mythical being such as a dragon is a regular monster, so it would make sense for them to be rare monsters, or stampede exclusive monsters.
“Piiiiii!!”
I whistle again, and call Enril back.
Five minutes until they get here.
‘Popopo!’
“Thanks for the info, Aira. Should we assume the fish and sharks won’t come to the surface?”
“That should be the case. However, since they are following the initial protocol of a stampede, they could get away if we take too long. We should prioritize eliminating them as they arrive.”
Since this battle could turn frantic, I should give instructions while I still can.
“Okay. Maki and Aki, make use of your combat arts skills to attack from a distance. Ayane, fire large scale magic in the center of their groups. Enki, stop them from landing. Enril, use lighting from above. Iris, dive underwater and eat them as you approach them!”
“““Yes!”””
‘Gogo!’
‘Popo!’
‘Pururu!’
“What about me, master?”
“Do what you think is best.”
“Understood.”
Let the battle begin!
Join my patreon to support me and read ahead.
