第８９５堀：竜山を登る (Part1)
**Chapter 895: Climbing Dragon Mountain**
**Side: Kaya**
"Gaaaaahhh...!!"
A massive, four-legged lizard—or something akin to one—charged toward us. It didn't seem driven by hostility so much as the simple instinct of having found prey.
However...
*CRACK!!*
"Gah!?"
*THUD...*
"This level of strength is hardly worth the effort."
I spun my combat staff, planted it firmly into the ground like a walking stick, and looked down at the Rock Lizard that had collapsed in a heap. If it could be felled by a single light strike from my staff, it was no match for us.
"Guguuu..."
Perhaps because I had held back, it still had enough vitality to struggle to its feet. *Phew*, that’s a relief. It would have been a hassle if I’d accidentally ended its life.
"Zargis, is the appraisal finished?" I asked, turning my gaze toward Zargis, who was busy investigating the monster behind me.
"Yes, appraisal complete. Its name is 'Rock Lizard.' Very literal, isn't it? And there doesn't seem to be any discrepancy between its listed status and its actual combat capability."
The data Zargis passed over listed it at Level 120. Riel tilted her head, looking at the stats with a puzzled expression.
"Eh? But is Level 120 really just this? Aren't they usually stronger? When we go up against Steve’s subordinates, anything over Level 100 puts up a much tougher fight."
"No, Riel, my girl. You can't compare them to the goblins under Steve’s command; that’s just wrong," Mauve replied.
"Indeed. That is truly an anomaly. Their stats should be several tiers lower than other monsters, yet because they have received military-grade training, they are simply not normal," Lowel added.
As the two of them pointed out, it was a mistake to compare anything to the monsters belonging to Weed.
"For starters, you need to realize that a Level 100 goblin is already completely absurd. A normal goblin usually ranges from Level 3 to maybe 10 at most. Honestly, if a monster over Level 100 were discovered anywhere else, it would be a case that requires a group of top-ranked adventurers like us to mobilize for an extermination. So, the monsters here are plenty strange as it is."
"Master Riya is correct. A Level 120 monster is usually the kind of threat that requires moving an entire army. To have them roaming around and attacking us... as expected of a place called Dragon Mountain."
Just as Riya and Charl said, while we were handling them with ease, these were technically formidable monsters. But to us, they were nothing more than small fry. It was just that Steve’s subordinates—who made us recognize them as difficult opponents despite being Level 100—were the real outliers.
Now, the question was what to do with this Rock Lizard...
"However, this is already the fifth one. I don't think there's any need to defeat them unnecessarily."
"True. Kaya, we can't carry any more, so we don't need the materials either."
"Understood."
With the words of Curse and Tori, the fate of the Rock Lizard before us was sealed.
"Grrrruuu!!"
It was still growling, but the way it was shuffling backward showed it had properly grasped the difference in our power. In that case...
I spun my staff rapidly before thrusting it forcefully into the ground.
*BOOM!!*
The hard ground buckled around the staff, and I opened my mouth.
"Go home. If you come at us again... I will kill you."
"...Gru."
The moment it let out that groan, the Rock Lizard turned its back and fled. For such a massive body, it was surprisingly agile. I suppose that much is to be expected of a high-level monster.
"Phew."
I was glad it ran away. If I had killed it, dealing with the carcass would have been a chore. Recovering the bodies is a hassle, and leaving them behind might attract other monsters. Usually, we could just use our Item Boxes for recovery, but our policy this time was to avoid using them too much. That was why we were dragging the monster remains we took as souvenirs from Dragon Mountain in the real world—to avoid causing suspicion among the mountain's inhabitants.
"Still, the number of monsters has surged since we entered the mountain," Zargis remarked.
Just as he said, since we started climbing, monsters had been appearing in staggering numbers. And they were all around the same level as that Rock Lizard.
"Yeah. I wonder if this is their den?"
"Who knows. Regardless, it’s better than being bored. Well, we don't need any more materials, so from now on, it’s better to just scare them off like Kaya did. It’s a pain if they start gathering because of the scent of blood."
I didn't know if it was a den as Riel suggested, but as Mauve said, we didn't want monsters swarming us due to the smell of blood, so I was glad it had run off.
"Hmm. I think we should just wipe them out if that happens."
"My lady, you know Yuki-sama and Comet told us not to do that. If we change the ecosystem, there’s a possibility the monsters of Dragon Mountain might start heading toward the town."
Right. If it were just about defeating them, even a mountain full of monsters at this level wouldn't be a problem for us. But Yuki and Comet had strictly forbidden excessive slaughter. Doing so could cause environmental shifts, potentially pushing monsters toward the town.
...Having too much power can be a burden. Well, at least it’s a good thing we don't have to worry about being in any real danger.
As I was thinking about this, I received a message from Comet, who was supporting us via drone.
『Alright, we’ve collected enough data and monster souvenirs, so let’s make a dash for it. If we keep walking at this leisurely pace, we’ll never have enough time.』
It was true; we had been investigating and defeating monsters along the way, and it was already nearing dusk.
『Don't push yourselves too hard. We’re crossing the 1,000-meter altitude mark soon. Find a good spot, set up the tents, and get some rest.』
"Understood. We’ll rest in an area without enemies. So, is there a place we can camp?"
『Let’s see... there’s a spot a little further ahead where you can pitch the tents. It’s a bit rocky, though.』
"We aren't in a position to be picky. Alright, everyone, let's jog until we get there. Ignore any monsters that appear. If they chase us, just drive them off."
" " "Understood!" " "
Following Mauve’s order, we ran up the mountain. We didn't encounter any particular issues and reached the campsite Comet mentioned in just a few minutes.
"How’s the enemy situation?"
"No, none here."
"I don't see any. How about you, Tori?"
Upon arrival, Mauve and the others immediately checked for enemies. We also scanned our surroundings, but...
"I don't sense anything either. Riel?"
"No reaction from me. Kaya?"
"...I don't feel anything. But..."
I had found something far more impressive than that.
"But?"
"...It’s so beautiful."
Beyond my line of sight was a breathtaking view that could only be seen from the mountain. I had been so focused on the climb that I hadn't noticed it until now. Looking back, the world stretched out far into the distance beneath our feet.