Micchi Versus the New World - Chapter 84

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Chapter 84

"Make sure to protect everyone while I'm gone, Kawa." I grabbed the elemental wolf by the snout and grinned.

Kawa returned a disappointed whimper that I was leaving her and Loraine behind for the second time. I had no choice. We didn't know what was in Mou'nan. Just like if I had brought them with me to Jinwa, there was no telling how Kaoru would have used them against me.

Although the two of us were chill for now, I still didn't know if the Bishamonten could be trusted. Didn't know if Mou'nan was going to have their fair share of surprises either.

Loraine pulled me in for a hug and sighed, sharing Kawa's sentiments. "Don't forget what we talked about last night. Yui has been your friend for as long as you can remember. You can't always just leave her behind like you do us."

"I know, but…" I glanced over to the carriage where Yui was inside, giving me the cold shoulder since this morning.

As soon as everyone said goodbyes to their respective family and friends, we proceeded to set off immediately. I watched from the back of the wagon both Kawa and Loraine slowly grow further away from me.

Whatever was going to happen, I'd come back to them no matter what.

"I hope you have brought extra layers of clothing," Kain said, riding up alongside the wagon on his trusty horse with Mildred behind him.

"Mou'nan is mostly mountains. Our destination, the city Grishant, is actually built into a mountain and can get very cold. Though I don't suppose that will be a problem for the brute," Mildred smirked.

"Cold ain't ever really bothered me." I thought back to all the times Chika made Yui and I fight in the winter.

Like the journey to Amarinth and Jinwa, a well-traveled road leading north would eventually get us to Mou'nan. After all, they were a major ally and trading partner to Scoth, importing the most lumber and animal meat. Their sudden reclusion put a stop to all that, which was a big reason why Kain was coming along in hopes of restoring trade.

It took a whole week's worth of travel before they entered some gargantuan jungle. A dinosaur could pop up any second, and I'd think it would be a normal thing with how big the place was. Trees were so tall, I had to crane my neck up to see. The vegetation were inconsistent, and we could pass by a whole clear field or have to cut our way through every other kilometer.

"Where the hell are we? I thought we were going into mountains, not some giant's hairy armpits," I groaned out loud.

"We're actually in the jungles of Kazaar," the caravan driver began, "which means Mou'nan is only a few more days away. Just hang in tight, missy. Be there soon."

Kazaar? Feels like I heard that name from somewhere before.

We passed under brush growing out of an enormous tree. I plucked a round fruit from it that had green and black dots all over the skin.

"I wouldn't eat that if I were you. It's a toxic fruit that even native beasts of this jungle avoid. Paralyzes you in seconds, then causes pain that makes you wish you were dead," the man explained.

I looked him dead in the eye and chomped into it.

"Miss, please!" he cried in horror.

Aside from a tingling sensation on my tongue, I got nothing.

"Relax. I got juiced by azure viper's venom before. This ain't shit to me. What doesn't kill me only makes me stronger, right?" I flashed a grin.

The driver's jaw dropped.

In the wagon ahead, Kaoru briefly glanced over her shoulder at me before facing straight again.

This whole ride had been one whole borefest. There was nothing to do except sit around. Why couldn't I have been sent to a world with teleportation magic instead? Well, I guess if I went somewhere else, it wouldn't have Chika and all of them there, too.

"Hey, I heard there are giant monsters around these parts. How come we ain't seen any yet?" I asked.

"Ah! I'm glad you're interested. If you look hard enough at the trees, there are lanterns attached to the trunks every few miles. They emit a mixture of scents that repel monsters away. The Semaris Clan's shamans created them so that caravans like ours can venture safely—"

I used Sacchan to zap one lantern down and caught it in my hands. Twisting it shuttered the openings that stopped the weird smell from coming out.

"WHAT DID YOU DO THAT FOR?!" the driver screamed in panic.

"What?"

In a matter of seconds, something large started stomping our way.

Kain and Mildred pulled up next to me.

"Be on your guard, Micchi. It appears the Semaris Clan's lantern might be broken here and—" Kain finally noticed the closed lantern in my hand. "WHAT DID YOU DO THAT FOR?!"

"Leave it to someone like you to do something so reckless. Do you have any idea what bringing that down means?" Mildred asked.

"Fun, right?"

"No!" Kain and the driver shouted at the same time.

A massive dinosaur on two legs bursted out from the trees and let loose a deafening roar.

"Holy shit. It's a real dinosaur!" Yui exclaimed with glee.

"Eh… What happened?" Anya drowsily sat up and rubbed her eyes.

"It's a saurak! We're doomed!" the driver wept.

The saurak charged the caravan and knocked over two wagons. I picked up the scared old man before he got crushed, then leapt away as the vehicles flipped.

"Finally some excitement!" I smashed my fists together. "Bring it on, you prehistoric dog bone! I'm bringing Kawa home a souvenir!"

It swung a meaty tail at me, but I caught the thing and stopped it in its tracks. Pulling on the saurak dragged it down to its knees.

"I wanna take it for a ride!" Yui said, clinging to the base of the dino's neck.

"Hold on, you monkeys. Don't you dare have a good time without me." Anya hopped out of her wagon to join in.

The three of us wailed into the saurak until it went still.

"That didn't last long at all." Yui poked at it with a stick.

Unimpressed, Kaoru walked up to us with her arms folded across her chest. "If you're done bullying the wildlife, I think we should be on our way."

"I don't mean to be the bearer of bad news, but after that little stunt, I don't think we're going anywhere," Kain said.

The two wagons flipped over by the saurak were in bad shape. Their wheels had come off, the spokes were cracked, and supplies spilled all over the ground.

Everyone turned their eyes on me.

I threw my hands in the air. "Alright, my bad! Shit, we've been sitting on our asses for an entire week. I'm close to ripping my hair out."

A whole bunch of shadowy figures started moving around in the branches above and behind the bushes around us.

"Looks like it wasn't the only one. Form up!" Anya shouted.

The caravan gathered in a circle with the noncombatants inside.

"Halt! Identify yourselves if you don't wish to be harmed!" a voice told them.

"More like show yourself before I drag you out of there myself!" I yelled back.

"Eh… it can't be?"

That was the fastest 'oh shit' moment I ever heard come out from someone. What emerged wasn't more dinosaurs. They were beastlings. Almost a hundred of them, tatted up and wielding various weapons.

"I recognized that voice anywhere. You're the Lannarkis champion!" a pint-sized woman with the bestial traits of an orange fox exclaimed.

"Sorry, who the fuck are you again?" I asked.

"I'm Breila, Chieftain of Semaris! We fought at the Lannarkis Ring!" she cried, seemingly insulted that I didn't remember.

"Oh!"

The fox girl beamed. "You remember now?"

"Nope, sorry. Doesn't ring a bell." I shrugged.

"Uuh… Somehow, this feels like a worse defeat than at the tournament." She sighed.

"Chieftain Breila? It's me, Prince Kain of Scoth!" Kain shook hands with the chieftain, both of whom appeared to recognize each other.

Unfortunately for me, a fight wasn't going to break out. Everyone put their weapons away, and the Semaris Clan started helping us gather the supplies.

"A shaman notified me that one of our lanterns broke, so we came to investigate. Didn't expect to run into familiar faces," Breila said.

Kain and Mildred glared at me, but I avoided eye contact.

"Our vehicles are totaled. I would be greatly indebted to your clan if you could help us." Kain worked his diplomatic etiquette and secured us passage to Breila's main village of Yowan.

It wasn't exactly a sprawling metropolis like Cynderace or Taiq'ae. Cabins and huts were built elevated along the length of the trees, connected by thick vines that also served as bridges. At ground level, there were longhouses where many beastlings hung out. Everyone seemed to have a role, even kids were helping their families skin animals, with bows and knives of their own.

Instead of magic lamps to light up the streets, natural light was produced by large fireflies clinging to trees and torches at every nook of the village.

We were brought to an unoccupied longhouse furnished with beds and a cooking area.

"You may lodge here for the night while we repair your wagons. If you need anything, please don't hesitate to send for me." Breila pointed to a wooden oval structure built on the ribcage of a once large creature at the far end of the village.

"What's a girl gotta do to get some grub around here?" Anya asked, rubbing her growling stomach.

"W-Well, we've brought back the saurak you killed earlier. Food may be acquired at the communal hall at the center of the village. Please, help yourself—"

"Now, I remember." I slapped a hand on Breila's shoulder, causing her to flinch and tuck the tail behind her legs. "I kicked the shit out of you at the Lannarkis Ring. Why didn't you just say so? You can afford to show us a little more hospitality, right?"

Breila threw herself to the ground belly up. "Eep! As you wish! I'll bring anything you guys want!"

Once the chieftain scrammed to get us some food, I spun around to Kain with his face in his hands.

"For the love of the gods… Please, don't bully my kingdom's allies."