Day 391-400/Day 391

Day 391
Naturally speaking it is natural, except for special existence like the undead or golems, water is one of the basic essential elements to maintaining life.
Therefore, the value of water is very high in a land where the desert area spreads like the New Continent.
If you can freely manipulate water in the New World, you alone would be able to connect many lives, gain great wealth, or bring a lot of death.
So it is unavoidable that a struggle would break out over any oasis where the life giving water could be secured.
Because no one wants their own people to die.
Saying so, I could see many people traveling overland seeking the waters of life, seemingly without plans, as we were floating up the majestic «Gangjinamus Taiga».
One time, six 3 meter tall armadillo-like monsters, "Sabachct gemmadillo", rode by straddling"Desert LaPrice" brown lizards, faster than a horse, running in the wilderness with countless sharp and long spines on their back shells. I found a group of beast people hunting together.
The Beastmen look like a light-drafted camel, wearing what looks like a brown turban wrapped around their heads.
When asking one of the local slaves, who were brought along as a guide, apparently they seem to be from a race called "Camelman Jamal".
The brown short hair that covers their body makes them resistant to the heat, dryness, and cold, and the hunches on their back has the ability to store extra water and nutrients.
Their people tend to be able to survive even in harsh lands such as the desert, so the tribe's population is quite large, but it seems that they are spread out widely and constitute a large force of nature.
The weapons that they are using are Jamahadaru, Siamseal and even Chakram.
Although they seem to have no large weapons that could inflict damage even without cutting, they avoid the tough outer skin and any sharp long spines accordingly, by precisely cutting the soft parts with their sharper weapon.
Even when the Sabachct gemmadillo tries to curl up and defend itself, the presence of outstanding techniques negates the slight resistance from its skin.
They prefer to aim at gaps in its defense and steadily accumulate damage.
Perhaps they are already familiar with its structure as their Jamal quickly deliver fatal strikes.
As time goes by, the movements of the Sabachct gemmadillo become fainter and it gets worse, eventually the muscles and tendons are worked around, and it will be killed soon.
It was just attack here, but in the end it fell to the ground with "Kyuu" with a sharp decay in vitality.
After finishing the hunt and raising a shout of victory, the Jamals began to quickly disassemble the monster to collect everything without leaving a drop of blood that remained in its body.
Meat and internal organs are obviously for edible use, crustacea and fangs are used as weapons, and the blood seems to be used for various things, such as nourishing tonic medicine and valuable moisturizers.
It was a moment when I felt the wisdom of life here to utilize everything without waste, in this place where resources are so precious.
Another time, I witnessed a clan confrontation.
It was a confrontation that involved hundreds of Camelians Jamal beastmen who rode Desert La Prince Clans of the large scale, with their brown skin and short black hair, black demons sandwiched them in a pincer attack. The attacking clan was the Desert Demon Road Ogres, which is characterized by an Orb on their forehead.
There were only a few of the Desert Demons, roughly around the forty of them?
Moreover, compared to the Jamal which consisted only of adult men, there were old people and young women who would have barely old enough mixed in with the Desert Demons.
Just counting the number of adult men, it was about a little more than half of them.
Considering ordinary people, sexual difference, and age, fighting the Desert Demons with anything less than triple their number would be disadvantageous. The number is power by itself, so it would be a bit difficult to overthrow them otherwise.
But the Desert Demons looked to be dominating to my eyes.
Anyway, the desert demons is one of the top desert desirables on the "Sand Storm Demon Hubb Road", because it is such a big oni.
Their well trained body is easily noticeable, even when covered with a gusset and leather armor.
The weapon they have in their hand a large sword that they use a martial art capable of cutting a giant rock about 2 meters through, but it seems to be used more like a blunt weapon rather than to slash.
There's no doubt there would be considerable weight in their attacks, their strength is very deceptive, as they lightly carry their swords on their shoulder shoulder.
While observing from on top of «Gangjinamus Okawa», I saw two small sandstorms swirling around a demon.
The sandstorms seemed to move like they were following his orders and from the fact that the opposing Jamal were looking at it with a bitter expression, he seemed to be drunk on power.
As an answer to them, he wielded the sandstorms have a wild, self-confident smile.
Although he seemed to be about a youth of about thirty years, he may be in the position of a clan leader or young head, from the attitudes of the old Desert Demons who referred to his judgment.
He seems to have the a style of a person that stands above.
He has probably been leading since the beginning of the clan struggle while either clan began to show the opponent their hand, the clan of desert demons had been led by the giant sandstorms to an expected victory.
Perhaps he had possessed the [Protection] of a strong sandstorm demon, and used it for a preemptive strike, throwing around the camp of the Jamal as if they were in a sand mixer.
And, with small gaps that should have let the other Desert Devils strike, it was a simple plan, but it unexpectedly ended, since it became a tactic that was difficult to deal with.
Following the orders from their Commander, many of the Jamal escaped as the war situation worsened, but there are many who died or were caught and restrained.
Those who are caught will be used for reparations as ransom are paid out for them to be released, otherwise they will be kept as slaves or outright executed.
Although I am a little interested to see if it develops into an all-out war, as muddy as the situation is, but at any rate I was more interested in the sandstorm demon who demonstrated such a unique power.
I had nothing to do at the moment so I flew overhead as they celebrated their victory. As a souvenir, we prepared a type of labyrinth meat of a kind that is not available in the New World, preparing meat of black foil in tons of parts.
Although he was clearly wary when I approached from the sky, I told him "I was watching the battle, but as you are from the same demon species, I'm thinking of celebrating that victory too" and so on, smiling and getting closer.
I wonder if he was generally wary of gifts that appeared too good to be true or if he realized the power relationship through instinct alone?
As if to entertain a superior person, I was invited to their small party and exchanged pleasantries with the sandstorm and regular demons.
There was an oni sake made from desert monster blood as well as dozens of other materials.
Their separate tastes will melt together in the sake leaving the liquid with a mellow taste, and have a rich fragrance drifting around it. Besides, the strong alcoholic taste is also the best.
Although I unintentionally drank with a Gubigubi sound, since the production volume is limited, my fun was unfortunately gone soon. It will be for a future festival even if I regret that I could only taste a little of that drink.
I liked the taste that was similar to an upper ranked labyrinthine sake, and I would have liked to ask the recipe, but they have to move on to another place now, so even if there are a variety of things I wanted to know, I could not ask them any details.
I only enjoyed sake for a short time, but for the time being I could only exchange the minimum necessary information, so I also handed over an iron calling card.
They could get in touch with us at anytime with this, and as an added bonus, as soon as the sandstorms moved anywhere, I would be able to find out where they were.
We added meat and vegetables to the souvenir, and shook hands as we parted.
I made an appointment, promising that the next time I went on the road I would bother them at their village, so I'm looking forward to that a bit from now.
At another time after that, I saw a struggle for survival between monsters living in the desert.
On one side is the "Calabakada", an eight meters long monster covered with brown hair like a mix between a camel and a hippopotamus, a truly massive monster.
Systematically it seems to be a monster of the Borufu type, and, because of its thick hair, usually appears around the shore.
Just by being baited by a bit of monster blood it appears deeper in the desert, but it also has a fighter's ability to hunt on its own. It is possible to count it as a fighting force in an emergency.
It is also a creature that stores moisture and nutrients in large humps, internal organs on its back, so it is less popular to want to take care of, but it is popular as a beast of burden when going through the desert.
The opponent for the Calabaka this time is the "Sand Lily Yalong Chaba Ram" which is classified as a dragon.
It is a type of worm that has a system which dives into the ground with a long torso and comes up from its opponents feet, a ten-meter class monster that was especially suitable for the sand ecology.
Although it is slightly similar to a dragon, once it find a target, it will be followed it anywhere, so it has become quite feared by the locals.
Their struggle seems to be about halfway through, but both are fighting with scars all over.
It seems that the Calabaka, which is protected by thick armor, skin and fat, as well as armor-like muscles which are bigger and faster than horses, is not compatible with the Chaba Ram that specialize in surprise attacks.
The Chaba Ram hurts the Calabaka by cutting into it with a fine scaled blade that grew on its long fuselage, but it has not been able to attain that needed mortal wound.
The Calabaka has not being unilaterally wounded, it bites with its big mouth, or it knocks the Chaba Ram off and flicks it away.
It had become a battlefield the wise would retreat from. Well, I was looking forward to seeing which one would win.
However, the battle abruptly ended with the benefit of the fisherman "Desert Death Des Mantis" cutting off the heads of the two monsters.
Desert Death Mantis live in a harsh desert and excel in their mimicry ability and fighting power, they are feared as creeping hunters that move without making a sound.
While having a body no bigger than three meters, its mimicry ability allowed it to perfectly blend into the surroundings, even if its movements are awkward until it hunts the two.
If such a thing is around just behind you, it may not be noticed if you are eating or doing anything else.
Well, in the end I also killed that Desert Death Mantis.
This is how the food chain plays out.
It is scary because it can be so well hidden, and it has a transition that can kill you with one strike if it finds you.
I was able to get the whole body of the Desert Des Mantis.
I cut up two bodies of Calabaka and Chaba Rams, especially the particularly tasty parts and left the rest to nature.
The small bugs and monsters that came out of the ground just a little ways away were swarming, enough that the corpses will soon disappear.
I prayed that would never happen to anyone I know.
Take heart.
Immediately the three bodies were cooked by the courageous sisters, the Chaba Ram was soft and fleshy, the Calabaka had a hard and chew quality, and the Desert Des Mantis had a texture like a Trost.
Personally I think the belly fat of the Desert Des Mantis is delicious.
Its abdomen bag was filled with nutrients and seemed to be a popular high-class food material in the desert, the local slave that accompanied us was very pleased when we shared it.
This will give you loyalty and help draw out their best...maybe.
While looking at various other things, we continued forward.
Oh, the combination of the belly bag and labyrinth liquor is the best.
What is it? Should I say it is a relationship like cheese and alcohol?
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PLACE TRANSLATIONS ABOVE THE BAR. THESE ARE THE RAWS, LEAVE THEM HERE UNTIL SOMEONE DOES A REAL TRANSLATION (NOT JUST A GT OR RUSSIAN TRANS). CLICK EXPAND TO VIEW THEM.
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“三百九十一日目”
　そもそも当然と言えば当然だが、アンデッドやゴーレムなど特殊な存在を除外すると、基本的に水は生命を維持するのに必要不可欠な要素の一つである。
　それ故に、新大陸のように砂漠地帯が広がる土地では水の価値は非常に高い。
　新大陸では自在に水を操れるなら、それだけで多くの命を繋ぐ事も、巨万の富を得る事も、数多の死をもたらす事も可能である。
　だから水が確保できるオアシスを巡った闘争が勃発するのは、生きるために避けては通れない。
　誰だって死にたくはないのだから。
　そう言う事もあり、命の水を求め、雄大なる≪ガンジナムス大河≫を遡上していると無計画に陸路を行くよりも多くの人々を見る事が出来た。
　ある時は、馬よりも速く荒野を駆ける六足歩行する茶色いトカゲ“デザートラプリス”に跨がり、背面甲殻に鋭く長い棘が無数に生えた三メートル級のアルマジロのようなモンスター“サバクトゲマジロ”を集団で狩る獣人達を見つけた。
　獣人は茶色いターバンを頭に巻いた、軽装のラクダのような外見をしている。
　案内役として連れてきている現地奴隷の一人に聞くと、どうやら“駱駝人ジャマール”という種族らしい。
　全身を覆う茶色く短い体毛は熱や乾燥や寒さに耐性があり、背中のコブには水や栄養を蓄える能力がある。
　種族的に砂漠地帯など過酷な土地でも生き残りやすいので人口もかなり多く、広範囲に散らばり自然と大きな勢力を構築しているそうだ。
　そんな彼等が使用している武器はジャマハダルやシャムシール、それからチャクラムなどである。
　斬れなくても打撃でダメージを与えるような大型武器は一つも無いが、その分硬い外皮と鋭く長い棘は避け、その鋭利な武器で的確に柔らかい箇所を切り裂いていく。
　サバクトゲマジロは丸まって防御しようとするが、卓越した技術の前ではそれも僅かな抵抗でしかなかった。
　甲殻の隙間などを狙われ、着実にダメージは蓄積していった。
　ジャマール達も何処を斬れば致命的か、構造を熟知しているのだろう。
　時が経つにつれてサバクトゲマジロの動きは目に見えて悪くなり、ついには丸くなるための筋肉や腱が斬られてしまうと、後はもう成されるがままだ。
　ここぞとばかりに攻め立てられ、最後には『キュゥゥゥゥ』と甲高い断末魔と共に地に倒れた。
　狩りを終えて勝利の雄叫びを上げた後はジャマール達は素早く解体を始め、サハクトゲマジロの体内に残っていた血まで残さず採取した。
　肉や内臓は当然食用に。甲殻や牙などは武具として。そして血は滋養強壮の薬や貴重な水分として、様々な事に使われるらしい。
　資源が貴重なここで、無駄なく活用する生活の知恵を肌で感じた瞬間だった。
　またある時は、氏族闘争を目撃する事になった。
　対峙しているのはデザートラプリスに騎乗した百数十人はいるだろう規模の大きい駱駝人ジャマール達の氏族と、褐色の肌と短い黒髪、額にある二本角に挟まれた黒い鬼珠オーブが特徴的な砂漠鬼デザートロードの氏族である。
　砂漠鬼の方が数は少なく、だいたい四十鬼くらいだろうか。
　しかも成人男性だけで構成されたジャマール達と比べれば、砂漠鬼達には歳経た老人や若い女性もチラホラと混じっている。
　成人男性の数だけで言えば、半分よりも少し多いくらいだろう。
　普通に考えれば性差と年齢、それから三倍近い人数差がある砂漠鬼の方が不利になる。数はそれだけで力であり、これを覆すのは少し難しい。
　だが、俺の目には砂漠鬼達の方が優位に見えた。
　何せ、砂漠鬼達の中には砂漠鬼の上位種の一つである“砂嵐鬼ハブーブロード”らしき大柄な鬼人が一鬼居たからだ。
　ガッシリとした鍛えられた肉体は、装備している何かの革で作られた革鎧で覆われていてもよく分かる。
　手に持つ得物は二メートルほどの巨大な岩を削ってできたような武骨な大剣で、斬るというよりかは叩き潰す鈍器にしか見えない。
　そして相当の重量があるだろうそれを軽々と肩に乗せている事から、外見通りの膂力があるのは間違いない。
　そして≪ガンジナムス大河≫の上から遠目に観察しているのだが、その鬼の周囲には二つほどの小さな砂嵐が渦巻いているのが見えた。
　砂嵐は砂嵐鬼の意思に従うように動き、相対するジャマール達がそれを苦虫を噛んだような表情で見ている事から、何度となく煮え湯を飲まされてきたのだろう、と想像できる。
　それに答えるように、砂嵐鬼は野性的で自信に満ちた笑みを浮かべている。
　三十路前後くらいの若さに見えるが、その後ろに控える年老いた砂漠鬼の態度から、氏族長とか若頭といった地位にいるのかもしれない。
　上に立つ者としての風格は備わっているようだ。
　そして、恐らくはどちらかの氏族が相手に手を出して始まったのだろう氏族闘争の結末は、概ね予想通りに砂嵐鬼が率いる砂漠鬼達の氏族が勝利を修めた。
　多分【加護持ち】だろう砂嵐鬼の強烈な砂嵐が先制攻撃として放たれ、まるで砂のミキサーのようなそれにジャマール達の陣営は掻き乱された。
　そしてその隙をついて他の砂漠鬼達が襲いかかると言う、単純だがそれ故に対処が難しい戦法で呆気なく終わってしまった。
　ジャマール達の多くは戦況が悪化すると指揮官の指示に従って逃げ出したが、討ち死にした者も多く、また捕らえられ拘束された者も多いようだ。
　賠償金や身代金が払われれば捕らえられた者達は解放されるが、そうでなければ奴隷落ちか、あるいは処刑されるかになるだろう。
　このままドロドロの戦争に発展するか少し興味はあるが、ともあれ俺が興味を持ったのは力を示した砂嵐鬼である。
　関係ないが、勝利を祝おうと空を飛んで近づいてみる。手土産には新大陸では手に入らない種類の迷宮酒と、ブラックフォモールの貯蔵肉をトン単位で用意した。
　空から近づくと明らかに警戒されたが、『戦いを観ていたが、同じ鬼種だ、その勝利を祝おうと思ってな』などと言い、笑みを浮かべながら近づいていく。
　手土産が良かったのか、あるいは本能で力関係を悟っていたのか。
　まるで上位者をもてなすようにちょっとした宴会にお呼ばれして、砂嵐鬼と鬼血酒を飲み交わす。
　鬼血酒とは、砂漠のモンスターの血とその他数十種類の材料で作られた地酒である。
　まろやかな口当たりで水のように次々飲めてしまうし、漂う芳醇な香りは飲まずにはいられなくなる。それに濃い酒精がまた最高だ。
　思わずグビグビと飲んでしまったが、生産量が限られている事もあり、残念な事に手持ちはすぐに無くなってしまった。もう少し味わって飲むべきだった、と後悔しても後の祭りだ。
　上等な迷宮酒並の味が気に入り、製法とか聞いてみたいものの、彼等もこれから別の場所まで移動しなければならないし、色々とやる事もあると言うので詳しくは聞けなかった。
　酒を飲み交わしたのは僅かな時間だけだったが、とりあえず最低限必要な情報は交換できたし、名鉄も渡している。
　これでいつでも連絡がとれるし、砂嵐鬼達がどこかに移動してもその居場所はすぐ分かるようになった。
　手土産に追加で肉や野菜などを持たせ、握手して別れ、俺達は先に進んだ。
　今度は陸路を行って、彼等の集落にお邪魔する約束も出来たので、今から少し楽しみだ。
　またある時は、砂漠に生きるモンスター達の生存闘争を目撃した。
　片方は“カラバクダ”という、茶色い体毛に覆われたラクダとカバが一体化したような八メートルはありそうな巨躯のモンスターである。
　系統的にはボルフォル系のモンスターらしく、普段は温厚で、水辺によく出現する。
　ただ餌は砂漠に出現するモンスターの血肉であり、自力で狩るだけの戦闘能力もある。緊急時には戦力として数える事も可能だ。
　それに背中の大きなコブや内臓に水分や栄養を蓄えているので世話の手間が少ない事から、砂漠を行く騎獣としても人気がある。
　そんなカラバクダと敵対していたのは、亜龍種に分類される“砂潜亜龍シャーバラムス”である。
　細長い胴体を使って地中に潜り、獲物の足下から襲いかかってくるワーム系の一種で、特に砂地に適した生態をした十メートル級のモンスターだ。
　亜龍としては小柄ながら、一度狙いを定めると何処までも追ってくるので地元ではかなり恐れられている。
　そんな二匹の闘争は途中からしか見ていないが、どちらも傷だらけで戦っている。
　亜龍といえど奇襲に特化しているシャーバラムスに対して、分厚い毛皮と皮膚と脂肪、そして巨躯を馬より速く動かす筋肉の鎧に守られたカラバクダは相性が悪いらしい。
　シャーバラムスはその長い胴体に生えた細かい鱗の刃で削るようにカラバクダを傷つけているが、致命傷までには至っていない。
　カラバクダも一方的にやられている訳ではなく、その大きな口で噛みついたり、あるいは体当たりしてはじき飛ばしたりもしている。
　一進一退の攻防。さて、どちらが勝つのか、と期待しながら見ていたのだが。
　しかし結果は漁夫の利で横やりを入れた“砂漠死蟷螂デザートデスマンティス”が二匹の首を切り落として終結した。
　過酷な砂漠で生きるデザートデスマンティスは擬態能力や戦闘力に優れ、音もなく忍び寄る狩人として恐れられている。
　三メートルを超える巨体でありながら、二匹を狩るまでは周囲に完璧に溶け込んでいた擬態能力は確かに厄介だ。
　こんなのがそこらにいたら、背後からバリバリ食べられていても気がつかないかもしれない。
　まあ、そのデザートデスマンティスも俺が殺しました。
　これも食物連鎖である。
　隠れているから怖いのであって、見つけてしまえばサクリと殺せる訳である。
　デザートデスマンティスは全身全てを。
　カラバクダとシャーバラムスの二体は特に美味しい部位を切り取り、残りは自然に任せる事にした。
　少し離れただけで地中から出て来た小さい虫やモンスターが群がっていたので、死体はすぐに無くなるだろう。
　南無、と拝んでおいた。
　気を取り直して。
　早速三体とも飯勇や姉妹さん達に調理してもらったが、シャーバラムスは柔らかい肉質で、カラバクダは硬く歯ごたえのある肉質、デザートデスマンティスはトロトロとした食感がした。
　個人的にはデザートデスマンティスの腹袋が美味いと思う。
　貯め込まれた栄養が詰まった腹袋は砂漠でも人気の高級食材らしく、同行していた現地奴隷にもお裾分けすると大変喜んでいた。
　これで忠誠心をあげ、頑張ってくれるだろう。たぶん。
　その他にも色々見ながら、俺達は進んでいく。
　あ、腹袋と迷宮酒の組み合わせは最高です。
　何だろうか。チーズと酒のような関係とでも言えばいいだろうか。
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Category:Novel
Category:Re:Monster ~ The Dark Continent ~ Vol. 1
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