832 Bear, watches the battle between monkey and wolf - Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear

The collection of the explosive flowers is successfully completed. "So, from here, which direction should we head?" Mane only had information up to the point of reaching the explosive flowers. "I'm not sure about the exact direction, but they mentioned reaching a small river." With that, Mane looks at Lydia. "Lydia, can you hear the sound of a river?" Lydia, caught off guard by the sudden question, stammers but says, "I'll try." She closes her eyes and listens intently. Her hair sways slightly as she tries to focus on distant sounds. Unless you pay close attention, you might miss it. Lydia opens her eyes and points. "I can hear it coming from that direction." "Then let's head that way." Mane says decisively, without hesitation. Lydia looks delighted at Mane’s words. It means her hearing is being trusted. We ride on Kumayuru and Kumakyu, proceeding towards the direction where Lydia heard the sound of the river. After traveling for a while, we arrive at a small river. The surrounding area is lush with trees, so even from above, the trees would have obstructed the view—I'm not sure I would've spotted it. "So, we've found the river. What's next?" "We'll follow the river downstream, but first, let's collect some herbs." Mane starts gathering flowers growing near the river. "I'll help as well." Lydia begins assisting Mane like an aide. Zekt and I check the surroundings. Checking, in my case, just involves using my detection skills. No monsters nearby. Kumayuru and Kumakyu would alert us if any approached, so I close my detection skill and leisurely watch the small river. All I can hear is the sound of water flowing. Without monsters, it's a quiet, pleasant place. With the herb collection finished, we resume our journey. We move along the river, heading downstream. Occasionally, we encounter animals, but no monsters. As I begin feeling like we're progressing smoothly, Kumayuru and Kumakyu let out a "kuuun." Checking my detection skills, I see red monkeys indicated—demon monkeys. "Yuna, are there monsters?" Mane asks, noticing Kumayuru and Kumakyu's reaction. "Yes, it seems there are red monkeys." "Are they nearby?" "Not yet, there's still some distance." The detection skill shows they’re a bit away. "But if we continue like this..." The red monkeys are in the direction we're heading. Unless the river takes a sharp turn, we'll likely encounter them. "Red monkeys, troublesome creatures." "I heard they move in groups, right?" "Other adventurers advised me: if you spot even one, run away." Lydia and Zekt share information about the red monkeys. "Indeed, they move in packs and are fast. They use the trees to ambush, so it's not a creature you'd want to fight in a forest." "What should we do?" Mane looks troubled by Lydia's question and eventually turns to me. "Just to confirm, Yuna, can you handle it?" In games, I've fought monkey-type monsters, but not in this world. Still, with my bear equipment, defeating them shouldn't be impossible. As a last resort, with Kumayuru and Kumakyu, we can escape from the likes of monkeys. "Probably. But promise not to stray from Kumayuru and Kumakyu." "Understood." "Alright." "Got it." We continue on. "I hear a waterfall." Lydia, since I mentioned the red monkeys, has been checking our surroundings. "Our destination is down by that waterfall, but..." "It seems there's a group of red monkeys." It looks like they won't let us collect easily. Unlucky. "The noise from the waterfall drowns out the sounds of the monsters." It seems even Lydia's hearing has its limits. If the surrounding noise is overwhelming, smaller sounds get drowned out. "What do we do?" "Can you tell how many there are?" "Kumayuru and Kumakyu say there are over 50." The detection skill shows countless points for the red monkeys, making it impossible to count accurately. Some spots are overlapping, so determining the exact number is difficult. Besides, counting those dots is too troublesome. "…That's the worst." Indeed, it is. If there's a group of monsters at our destination. But for me, whether it's 50 or 100, they're not much of a threat. "Should I just go ahead and take care of the red monkeys first?" That way, they could collect without worry. But when I suggest this, the three of them look at me in astonishment. "I’ve never seen anyone suggest fighting 50 monsters as if they’re going for a stroll." "That's because such people don't exist." "I wish I could say something so cool." It's easy to say it, but putting it into action is another story, with no guarantee of safety. "Let’s approach them as closely as possible and decide then." That being said, if I voiced my intentions to fight, they’d think I’m a battle maniac, so I refrain. We move quietly. Perhaps having the waterfall is advantageous. If the monsters were sensitive to sound, we might have been discovered already. I wonder how monkeys are with sound and smell. Are they similar to humans? But they're monsters. Since I don't know, I proceed with caution. The sound of the waterfall grows louder. "Looks like that's the waterfall." We dismount Kumayuru and Kumakyu and cautiously approach the waterfall. It is tall, with water cascading down from a high point. "There it is." In the direction Mane is looking, slightly away from the waterfall, there's a large tree. "Is that the tree we're looking for?" "Probably, but we can’t be sure without checking closely." Around the tree, there are numerous reddish monkeys. "What’s with that number?" "Get down." At Mane’s instruction, we crawl along the ground and peek at the area beneath the waterfall. "That's quite a number." "If they all attack at once..." "We wouldn't escape." The plethora of monkeys surrounds the tree. They seem fierce, but they're not unbeatable. "Everyone, stay put here. I'll go take care of them quickly." I feel sorry for the monkeys living here, but it’s for Mane’s sake. "Wait a moment." As I stand to move, Mane pulls at my bear outfit to stop me. The area around the tree begins to glow. It spreads into the forest. Then, the light fades. "What was that?" "The ground lit up." "A magic circle..." In a small voice, Mane answers Lydia and Zekt's questions. "I’ve never seen a magic circle this large." It had extended into the forest. Thinking about it, that implies it's a rather large magic circle. "Was that a magic circle that just shone?" "Yes, it was only partially visible, but it was shaped like a magic circle." If magic-circle-savvy Mane says so, it’s likely accurate. "But why is there a magic circle in a place like this?" "That’s something only the creator would know." The reasoning behind creating a magical circle in such a hidden location is something only the creator can understand. However, it’s certain it wasn't used for anything good. "But… I feel like I've seen that magic circle somewhere before..." As Mane ponders the magic circle, Kumayuru and Kumakyu let out soft cries. Checking with my detection skill, I see a pack of wolves is gathering. "Wolves!" A lone wolf lunges at a red monkey on the ground. The agile monkey evades and leaps onto the wolf’s back, biting it. The wolf's pained howl pierces the air. This triggers a massive brawl. "What's happening?" "Is it a territorial dispute?" "Why here of all places? There shouldn't be a need to fight here." Zekt's sentiment is understandable. Why fight to the death over this place? The battle between the wolves and the red monkeys unfolds, with the monkeys having the upper hand, effectively using the trees to launch attacks. They assault from above, latch onto the wolves' backs, and bite viciously. However, the wolves don’t just take it lying down. Some manage to dodge attacks from above and counterattack, biting back. Others rescue fellow wolves being bitten by monkeys by biting the monkeys in return. Eventually, a victor emerges from the chaos. The red monkeys claim victory. The wolves become their prey. "What was that all about?" Lydia's body trembling reveals her fear. "It's okay. They won’t notice us here." Zekt reassures her by holding her hand. "That magic circle..." While the wolf and monkey battle was intense, Mane mutters, absorbed in thought about the magic circle. "It’s similar to that magic circle… Unbelievable." "Mane, did you figure something out?" "There's... a possibility." "And that possibility is?" "It’s a magic circle that attracts monsters..." That word triggers my memory—ten thousand monsters in the capital. The mass movement of monsters Sanya mentioned. It's as if the puzzle pieces align. "But they’re fighting with each other." In the incident I know about with ten thousand monsters, they weren't attacking one another in the capital. "I can't say for sure. If this is linked to that incident, perhaps they’re fighting due to the absence of someone to command them." I only know bits from the king. Supposedly, a magician who bore a grudge against the king gathered monsters as revenge, planning to devastate the capital. But I defeated those monsters, thwarting his vendetta. If that magician was controlling the monsters, it's entirely plausible. Not long ago, I visited the town of Euphalia for a magic exchange event at Shia’s academy. There, I encountered a magician with similar abilities, controlling monsters too. "Hey, what have you been talking about? Explain so we can understand." "Well, if you're adventurers in the capital, you'd know about this." Mane and I explain to Lydia and Zekt within permissible limits. The capital was nearly attacked by ten thousand monsters. The monsters were ultimately defeated by a certain adventurer. "I might’ve heard rumors about it." "A fellow adventurer mentioned it with a laugh." "It’s true. Also, something I only recently learned is that those monsters supposedly came from this forest." "...!?" "...!" Mane’s revelation leaves them speechless. "And when the magic circle lit up, wolves gathered." "It all adds up." Zekt nods in agreement with Lydia. "So, you think this magic circle lures monsters?" "Yes. And without a magician to command them, the attracted monsters begin to fight each other—that's my theory." The two seem to accept Mane's explanation, showing an expression of understanding.