Chapter 20 - Owlbear (1)

A bright and energetic good morning!

(A photo giving a thumbs-up)

If anyone asks who I am, I'm Grylls!

└Heavenly Demon You're awake. Did anything happen during the night?

└Wild Grylls Nope. Slept like a log. Did you sleep well, Heavenly Demon?

└Heavenly Demon At my level of attainment, I have no need for sleep.

└Wild Grylls Oh. Right...

Whatever entertaining drama had unfolded while I slept, my job remained the same: checking in to confirm I was alive. A post to start the day.

Heavenly Demon and the other familiar registered users left their greetings. Quite a few anonymous users commented too.

└Grylls. See the posts from early this morning?

└Wild Grylls What posts?

└The ones offering to buy mature mandrakes from you. There were tons.

└Wild Grylls Oh yeah, saw those. Got a load of trade requests too.

└You gonna sell?

Well, as I'd said earlier, I didn't have the time for that. I wasn't short on money, and there was nothing in particular I needed. I could buy pretty much anything at the auction house.

The people I'd traded with so far had helped me out of genuine goodwill, so I'd been happy to trade with them.

xxx has requested a trade.

@@@ has requested a trade.

Anon has requested a trade.

Before long, trade requests came pouring in. I looked them over and searched the usernames.

Most of the accounts had no posts, and even their creation dates were recent. It seemed they were going out of their way to get mature mandrakes from me.

'First, reject them all.'

I needed to make a post. Ignoring them completely might only make things more annoying later. I also wanted the admin to see what was going on.

To everyone who sent trade requests

Wild Grylls

I'm guessing you want mature mandrakes, but I'm not planning to trade right now.

Given my situation, and the fact that I don't even know what you're offering, please make a post saying what you want to trade instead.

I'll take a look, decide, and send a request myself.

Also, please avoid asking for regular trades.

For all I know, I could die tomorrow.

└Wait. The rumors were true?

└The mature mandrakes were real, so it figures?

└But that bit about dying tomorrow lmaoooo

└He's got a realistic view of himself lol

└Can't argue with that

└All Hail the Sun If anyone offers money, tell me. I'll pay more lol

└Whoa. Loaded much?

└Look at this guy flexing lol

└Our rich dark-elf bro. Damn

└Don't Abandon the Hero Hmm! I think I get the picture! I'll keep an eye on things!

└Wild Grylls Thank you. Do you happen to need a mandrake too, Admin?

└Don't Abandon the Hero Huh! But I've never done anything to help you, Grylls!

└Wild Grylls It's a bribe lol

└Don't Abandon the Hero No bribeees!

└Lmaoooo

└Just openly calling it a bribe lol

With that more or less settled, I started my daily routine. First came the lotus position to improve my flexibility.

Just three days ago, it had felt like my whole body was being twisted out of shape, but it was starting to feel all right now.

'I should be ready for Heavenly Demon's lessons soon.'

An internal energy cultivation method, or a mana training method. Learning that would make things better than they were now.

Heavenly Demon wouldn't teach me anything dodgy.

'It should make chopping and digging easier too, right?'

My top priority right now was improving my shelter. I'd have loved to cut down trees with Heavenly Demon's sword instead of an axe, but chipping the blade would be a problem, so I had no choice but to use the axe.

It was the same with the shovel. Nothing but backbreaking work, whichever way I turned.

'No interesting posts coming in, either.'

Nothing had particularly caught my eye since I'd made my post. As always, I had fasting pills for breakfast.

'I'll start by digging the trap today.'

Since deciding to adapt to life in the Forest of Four Seasons, I'd kept a simple routine: spend the morning and afternoon either exploring the surroundings or improving my shelter.

Yesterday had mostly been exploration thanks to the mature mandrake incident, so today was for improvements.

Not that those improvements amounted to much beyond hacking at nearby trees with an axe or digging holes with a shovel. Even ten minutes left me feeling wrecked, but it was essential for my safety.

'Maybe I've been lucky. Not a trace of the owlbear.'

I flinched whenever I heard the occasional rustle, but nothing happened. I was a fair distance from where it had appeared, but I couldn't relax.

The forum had told me owlbears were fiercely territorial. They tore apart anything in their territory, animal or human. Given its house-sized bulk, especially, I had to assume an encounter would be fatal.

'Or I could lure it back to the cave.'

I stopped working on the trap and looked at the cave entrance. It was only big enough for a mad dog to pass through. That mountain of an owlbear couldn't get through easily.

With the trap at the entrance as well, I might even be able to kill it if I got lucky.

'Though it'd be better to learn where it roams first.'

After digging away, I checked the hole's depth. This ought to be about enough. All that remained was camouflage.

Wasn't I going to put sharp spikes in the bottom? I might end up falling onto them myself. This trap wasn't merely near the cave; it was right at the entrance. It was a last resort.

'Something at the auction house I can use as a tarp...'

I bought a tarp at the auction house to cover the hole. Then I stretched it taut, secured the edges with rocks, and disguised it with dirt.

One trap complete. I felt a swell of pride.

'... Why am I so proud of something this small?'

Before long, though, I was sighing at my own circumstances. It was too early to celebrate finishing just one thing. The hardest part, logging, still awaited me.

The thought alone made the future look bleak.

RUSTLE

Then I heard rustling in the undergrowth. I jumped and shrank back, turning warily toward the sound.

"..."

Had I imagined it? I stared at the bushes, but nothing happened.

Breathing a sigh of relief, I went inside the cave, with a jump over the trap first so I wouldn't fall in.

'Should I put a plank across it?'

Having to jump every time could lead to an accident in an emergency. I'd get used to things gradually, through trial and error like this.

I shouldered my logging axe and headed outside.

'I've got a whole new respect for lumberjacks.'

How had they felled so many trees before chainsaws existed? They'd even used that timber to build wooden buildings and ships.

Every day taught me how great civilization was. That appreciation would only grow with time.

'Couldn't I ask the dwarf to make me a chainsaw?'

The pointless thought crossed my mind, but I soon dropped it. After drinking yesterday, the dwarf was probably feeling miserable by now.

Besides, I was more curious about how Starlight Lady was doing.

THWACK! THWACK!

I started with the tree I'd left half-chopped yesterday. Its trunk was too thick to saw through.

But no tree could withstand chopping forever. If I kept at it, it would fall.

'I should make it fall toward the cave, right?'

That meant I needed to chop the other side too. I caught my breath for a moment, then walked around.

RUSTLE

Once again, rustling reached my ears. This time, I'd heard it clearly. Tensing up, I slowly turned.

RUSTLE, RUSTLE

I wasn't imagining it. The bushes were definitely moving. The sound was getting louder, too; something was clearly coming toward me.

I edged backward, ready to bolt for the cave at any moment.

At last, the source of the noise pushed its way out of the thick undergrowth. The instant I saw its face, I sucked in a sharp breath.

Fierce, piercing golden eyes. A vicious avian beak.

And, to top it off, a body the size of a house.

"Grr?"

"..."

An owlbear. My body went rigid with tension.

Thankfully, it didn't attack immediately. Perhaps this was its first time encountering a human in the Forest of Four Seasons. It seemed to be sizing me up first. I slowly backed away.

"Grrrr..."

"Whew..."

I glanced behind me, gauging the distance to the cave. Provoking the owlbear could get me more than hurt. It could get me killed.

Fortunately, it looked too large to fit inside the cave.

'Something to distract it...'

I rummaged in my pocket and felt something round. A fasting pill I'd brought along as emergency rations.

Maybe this could distract it. I cautiously tossed it at the owlbear's feet.

"Sniff, sniff. Sniff."

"..."

The owlbear began sniffing the fasting pill on the ground. I used the opening to make it close to the entrance.

Apparently finding nothing wrong with the smell, it took the pill into its mouth.

"Chomp."

"..."

"Smack. Smack, smack."

After savoring the taste for a while, the owlbear let out a shriek at the fasting pill's distinctive bitterness.

"Kweh! Kweeeh! Kieeeek!"

The instant I heard that shriek, I realized something.

If I didn't get inside the cave right now, my limbs would be torn to shreds.

'Couldn't you tell by the smell? I thought bears had good noses!'

As I fled, I felt a terrifying presence behind me. Was this what they called killing intent? My knees felt weak.

THUD-THUD!

Remembering the trap at the entrance, I launched myself into a dive. I'd scrape up my legs and knees pretty badly, but I was in danger if I didn't.

BOOM!

"Kyaaaaa!"

As if to prove the point, an enormous crash came from behind me, accompanied by the owlbear's savage roar.

Every hair on my body stood on end. I scrambled to my feet.

"Hah... Hah..."

"Kyaaah! Kyaah!"

SCRAAAPE! SCRAAAPE!

The owlbear's sharp claws raked the ground. I watched, panting for breath.

Its huge body was halfway through. In other words, it was stuck. If the entrance had been even slightly larger, it would have made it through.

Thanks to the trap, its short bear legs apparently couldn't reach the ground either.

'N-now's my chance.'

There was no time to stand and watch. I immediately grabbed a weapon other than my axe: the crossbow I'd gotten from Passing Dwarf.

I loaded an ordinary bolt instead of the harpoon. Even an ordinary bolt was dwarf-made, so it ought to do plenty of damage.

TWANG! THUNK!

I didn't need to aim carefully. I just fired, and it hit the face.

"Kyaaaaaah!"

With a bolt lodged in its eye, the owlbear thrashed violently. Just how strong was it, to make the entire cave shake?

My brief relief evaporated as I saw the entrance starting to crumble under its monstrous strength.

'I'm fcked...!' *

The moment the entrance collapsed, my life was over.

THUNK! THUNK! THWACK!

Without wasting a moment, I fired the crossbow again and again. Each bolt in its face only made the owlbear thrash harder. It showed no signs of quieting down.

'Does this bastard not have a brain?'

I fired not just the ordinary bolts but the tethered harpoon as well. That final harpoon lodged in its remaining eye, blinding it completely.

But it was still thrashing so violently that I couldn't easily approach.

'A spear! Right. Buy a spear!'

I hurriedly opened the forum and bought a spear at the auction house. I didn't bother with reviews or prices. Any spear would do.

Watching the owlbear continue its rampage, I gripped it with both hands.

"Hyaah!"

THUNK!

I drove the spear into its head. Whether by luck or not, the blade struck dead center in its forehead.

Before it could thrash even more, I pressed down with all my strength.

"Keeeeeeek!"

CRACK!

But a spear was still a spear. Whatever the blade was made of, the shaft was wood.

A swipe of the owlbear's claws snapped it. I nearly lost my balance but just managed to catch myself.

RUMBLE!

"W-whoa?"

What I'd feared came to pass. The entrance almost completely collapsed. As I stared in alarm, the owlbear forced its way inside.

Fcked. I was truly fcked.

Even as I thought that, I grabbed Heavenly Demon's sword and the golden shield.

The worst-case scenario had arrived, but the owlbear was close to death. If I could find an opening, I still had a decent chance.

"Kiaaaaaah!"

BOOM!

With bolts and a spearhead embedded in its face, the owlbear charged me. Startled, I hastily brought up the shield to protect myself.

One of Sword Masta's posts flashed through my mind, allowing me to brace myself.

CRASH!

"Guh!"

But even with a shield, stopping its charge completely was impossible. Not only was there a vast difference in size, I was a frail human and the owlbear was a bear.

THUD!

My feet left the ground, and I went flying. Thankfully, I merely hit the floor rather than slamming into the cave wall.

But it was too early to feel relieved. I kept my eyes on the owlbear.

"Kyaaaaaah!"

It charged at me as I lay on the ground. Even without sight, it could roughly locate me by sound.

Its attacks were bound to be less accurate. I stayed focused to the very end.

'... Left paw!'

The owlbear raised its left paw high. All that remained was to work out where it would strike.

Eyes wide, I watched its attack. That raised left paw came straight toward my left shoulder.

BANG!

I twisted slightly, barely avoiding it. There was no escaping the ringing in my ears from the deafening impact, but they were already ringing anyway, so I didn't pay it much attention.

What mattered was the counterattack to follow.

"Aaaaaah!"

With a shout, I thrust Heavenly Demon's sword toward the owlbear's jaw.

Please let this be the last attack.

SHUNK!

Heavenly Demon's sword lived up to its reputation. It pierced the owlbear's jaw and went straight through its head.

With its brain struck squarely, even the owlbear could do nothing but shudder. There were no more desperate struggles. Its brain was too badly damaged to send signals to its body.

BOOM!

"Urgh!"

Its enormous body collapsed on top of me. It was fucking heavy.

Grunting and straining, I wriggled out from beneath it. In the process, I got a look at my legs.

'Scraped all to hell.'

Was it from that lifesaving dive? My knees were badly scraped. Actually, "scraped" didn't begin to cover it. The wounds were deep enough to nearly expose muscle.

A little deeper, and something white would have been visible.

"Ow, ow, ow..."

As the adrenaline faded, pain bloomed all over my body. That one dive had left wounds on my knees and everywhere else.

Without clothes, I'd have ended up with a huge wound across my upper body too.

'First, some Elixir... which I don't have.'

I'd have to buy a potion. Normally, I'd have traded with Starlight Lady for Elixir, but she hadn't even posted a survival check-in yet.

Besides, my trade request was still on cooldown.

I poured it out.

"Aaargh..."

I'd bought a reasonably priced potion at the auction house and applied it to my wounds. It was the signature red you'd expect of a potion. I could at least count on it to disinfect them.

Next, I wrapped the wounds in cloth I'd bought separately, using it in place of bandages. There were so many injuries that I ended up with cloth wrapped around each arm and leg.

'Now to deal with the owlbear.'

Countless bolts studded its face, with a bolt in one eye and a harpoon in the other. Looking at the corpse, I felt a little sorry for it, but the thing had tried to kill me.

Killed an owlbear

Wild Grylls

(Photo of the owlbear's corpse)

Seriously thought I was gonna die killing this thing. Jeez.

Putting it on the auction house soon, so do what you want

└Wow. How'd you kill it?

└Wild Grylls Lured it to the narrow cave entrance. Then fucked up its face with the crossbow

└Lmaooo look at its face. It's got a bolt and a harpoon instead of eyes

└Are you really an ordinary person?

└Kills an owlbear, calls himself ordinary. Damn

└Heavenly Demon Are you hurt anywhere?

└Wild Grylls Aside from a lot of scrapes, I'm fine.

└Heavenly Demon What a relief. Whenever I see posts like these, I feel your basic fighting ability is remarkable. Am I mistaken?

└Wild Grylls Without the sword you gave me, even finishing it off would've been hard.

└Heavenly Demon That is gratifying to hear. Are there any weapons you need?

Weapons I needed? I certainly seemed to need a spear. But I had no intention of asking Heavenly Demon for one.

As I'd said over and over, it wasn't good to depend too much on someone else.

└Wild Grylls Not yet. Oh! I'm getting used to the lotus position now. Could you teach me the internal energy cultivation method?

└Heavenly Demon Now that is welcome news. I shall organize it in a way you can easily understand.

└Wild Grylls Thank you.

└Sword Masta Impressive. You said you lured it to the cave entrance?

└Wild Grylls Yes.

└Sword Masta You seem surprisingly quick-witted.

└Wild Grylls Haha, thanks.

└Sword Masta Someday, you'll be able to face one head-on, one-on-one.

└Wild Grylls Do you know how to fight an owlbear?

└Sword Masta It's quite easy. Its claws are its main weapons, so just cut off its legs. When it raises a forepaw to strike, cut it off. Easy, right?

└Wild Grylls Uh...

Easy for you, maybe. How could a mere ordinary person understand a genius?

I skimmed through the forum's reactions, then dealt with the owlbear. As soon as I listed it at the auction house, the corpse vanished.

The bids began coming in. The auction would run for twenty-four hours.

'Will it fetch much?'

I had no idea. What I needed now was rest.

But first, I had to inspect the trap. The owlbear had wrecked it, so repairs were essential.

"Huh?"

"?"

But the instant I stepped outside the cave, I came face-to-face with something strange.

Bright, round golden eyes. An avian beak. A body the size of a medium-sized dog, and a face full of curiosity.

"Kyuu?"

A baby owlbear tilted its head in front of me.