When I was asked to go search for the kings of the West during the emergency meeting, I would have to admit that I was not up for it. However, I couldn't turn them down, since I was the one who brought it up. Seeking a way to get back at those five for making me have to do this, I requested for aid, but Diane had foreseen my argument and had already prepared a sprite.
I was ok with the thought of traveling alone with a beauty, but then the rat leader appeared, saying he would go with us to the Insect King. I feel as if it were my fault, well mostly because I wasn't capable of convincing the Wolf King to aid us.
So when he joined us, I felt that this trip was going to be an unpleasant one for me. I was proved wrong.
The rat man was a good guy. Funny, quick-witted and dependable. He tried his best to socialize with the sprite and me, and had been a great help during this entire time. Thanks to him, catching breakfast was not a bother anymore. Sure, he wasn't really helpful in catching the creature. However, he was one of the few creatures I had seen after my reincarnation that could cook. Even now, as we were catching lunch, remembering how good the horned rabbits we had for breakfast tasted was bliss. Unlike Oda's. I had chills remembering her cooking.
A massive stag beetle about my size, hovered above me. Apparently it was their way of threatening us to leave.
'Hey rat dude. Can you make something good out of the stag beetle?'
"Maybe… I have not really had the opportunity to cook one before, but I can try to make something out of it. And it would be good to add it to the records."
His response was all the confirmation I needed.
'Ok, then! Cover your ears!'
Once I had made sure both of them had covered their ears, I used [Wolf king's howl] and this made the stag beetle fall to the ground, paralysed. Since it was strong enough to survive, I used shot a bit of poison specifically on its head to kill it, leaving its body unscathed.
[You have killed Giant Beetle]
[You have gained 70 XP]
As usual, I was informed of my kill and the amount of experience points I got from it. Considering how easy it was to kill it, I expected lesser experience points. I would have to look into the experience point delivering function sometime later.
'I'm done.'
I called out to them and they both looked at the dead stag beetle. The rat man went over and kicked the corpse."
"As expected of Hinotori. However, could you not have refrained from doing that to the head?"
I looked at the half melted head, a truly gruesome scene.
'Hehehe…, I guess you're right. We can't have a lady seeing these things.'
"Oh, pay no attention to me. Such things do not bother me."
"Yeah, I think I can make something nice for the two of us out of this."
The rat man said as he eyed the beetle.
'Two of us? Have you forgotten that there are three of us?'
I asked him but he ignored me.
"Give me some time and I'll be done over here."
I shrugged, then left him to his business.
'That was kind of rude, wasn't it?'
"What do you mean, sir Hinotori?"
The dryad looked sincerely confused.
'I'm talking about how he didn't include you when he was talking about the food earlier.'
"Oh, that? Why would that bother you?"
'Hmm? Why wouldn't it.'
"Um, I do not understand."
She didn't understand? What was too confusing?
'I don't like how he is ignoring your presence.'
"He is not doing that."
'How can you say that when he didn't even include you in his lunch preparation?'
"Fufufu."
She put her hand over her mouth to stifle her laugher, but I could hear it as clear as day.
'What's so funny?'
"Oh, I'm sorry. It's just that the way you lack information about the world is amusing."
I could feel my blood rushing to my face.
"My kind don't eat meat like other magical creatures do. We receive our nutrition from the magical essence Sol emits."
'Sol?'
"Yes. Sol. The god who provides light for us. That ball of light is a portion of his body that he left before deciding to never directly interfere with the world. Something like his last blessing to us."
She pointed to the sky and I saw the sun.
'Wait… a god of light left his ball of light and it is what you feed on?'
"Yes"
'Oh god, I really don't want to laugh right now. I really don't want to laugh right now!'
"Laugh? Why?"
'Never mind. Sprites simply need sunlight to live?'
"Yep"
Her smile was bright and heartwarming. This world keeps on shocking me, though. Even the sun is magical. I really want to explore it.
After a while, the rat man said he was done with lunch.
Stag beetles taste bad. Like really bad. Or maybe, the rat man wasn't as good a cook as I thought he was. No, I couldn't blame the chef. This was all on me for choosing the ingredients. What kind of moron says he wants to eat cooked beetle for lunch.
At least I got some skills.
[Due to the unique skill [Evolver] you have acquired the skill [Beetle Armor]]
We continued on our journey and as time progressed I found a centipede and I felt kind of hungry at the sight. As voracious as it may have seemed, I killed it and ate it. I then acquired the skills [Centipede Armor] and [Acid Spit]. It didn't take long for us to run into a giant ass bee. I killed it and got the skill [Compound eyes] and [Stinger]. I also managed to go up one level after eating so much till I was filled up. That was when I noticed something odd.
'Hey, haven't we been seeing a lot of bug monsters around?'
"Now that you mention it..."
The rat man agreed with me.
"That is because we are in the Insect King's territory."
'Eeeh? Already?'
I looked at the sky, and it was barely twilight. A huge bee flew overhead, carrying something. I couldn't make out what exactly.
'Then we might even get to the king earlier than expected?'
"Hmm, yes. Just a little more and we'll get to the bee hive."
She responded.
'We aren't at the bee hive yet?'
"Of course not."
'But I thought the Spider King's territory was the bee hive?'
"Oh no. The hive is its home in its territory. If you fly above the trees you should see a waterfall."
I wasted no time in getting above the tree tops. The view of the sunset was amazing, and just as I had been told, there was a waterfall up ahead. The way the clear water glittered made the view all the more amazing. It was like a portrait painted by a master artist. Nature truly was beautiful.
"Do you see it?"
The rat man called out.
'Uh, yeah.'
"Ok good, because that's the hive."
'The waterfall is the bee hive?'
"No! Behind the waterfall!"
'Oh, that makes sense.'
I descended to the ground.
'But why behind a waterfall?'
"I'm not too sure, but I do hear somethings about how the spider king hates the day time."
The rat man answered.
Hates day time? Is he a vampire or something? Guy sounds like a NEET.
'Ok, I'm going to go ahead. You guys hurry up.'
I took to the sky, leaving them in the dust. I had patiently walked with them the whole way, even though I could fly about much quickly. Now that I knew the location, there was no point in me wasting any more time.
"Hinotori!"
I could hear those two screaming my name, wanting me to get back.
'Don't worry! If you want, I won't start the negotiation without you guys!'
I left them with that. Surely that should ease their minds a little bit.
When I got to the waterfall, I was almost deafened by the loud roar of the water mightily slapping the river. I looked for possible entry roots and found quite a few, so I flew through one of them. I was planning on just flying through the waterfall, but according to god's agent, I would have just fallen to the river with my current strength stats.
When I got into the cave, it was quite dark so I couldn't really see anything. Even when I used [Night Vision] and [Heat Vision] the heat signatures were faint so I couldn't make out much. However, [Mana perception] was a whole other story.
<<Alert! Alert! Hostile aura detected! >>
'What?'
Without even giving me time to think correctly, something shot at me. I instinctively blocked with my right wing, but the impact from the hit was so strong that it threw me off balance. I fell on my back with a thud. I tried to free myself, but the thing was quite strong and felt sticky. When I looked at it, it was a thread that had been shot from the shadows. Another one was shot out from behind me, and again I blocked with my left wing. Then a third one grabbed my tail. I was completely immobilized. I struggled a bit but I couldn't free myself, even with my strength stat.
<<Notice: It appears mana is constantly being applied to the threads>>
'And because of that I can't break free?'
<<Affirmative>>
'Damnit! How am I supposed to escape from this?'
<<Notice: None of your skills can do anything to the threads>>
'Seriously!?'
<<Notice: Affirmative>>
'You know, none of this would have happened if I was able to simply use my awesome skill combo from before. I would have been able to scout this place to see all life forms present.'
<<Notice: Would you prefer if the selected skills were fused? >>
'What? Of course I would, but I can't.'
<<Notice: The skills [Auto Mapping], [Heat Sense], [Mana Perception] and [Goggles] will be fused if you will grant the permission to do so>>
'What? Seriously? You should have told me this earlier. Feel free to do so then!'
<<Notice: According to calculations, it would be optimal to include the skill [Analyst] in this fusion>>
'Ah… I'm busy now. Sure, sure!'
DING!
[Due to the skill [God's Voice], you have acquired the skill [Fusion]]
