Chapter 3 - Field Boss?

Outside the City.

Walking in this field, I realized that monsters are everywhere. I even witnessed the birth of a monster in front of me as if it emerged from the underground or out of nowhere.

Honestly, this is the first time witnessing this scene. I thought they have some habitat or something. But to think its so simple like this, I say R.I.P for those who are serving people for justice or trying their best to liberate this world from monsters. Just seeing that monster just then and the thought that liberaring this world from monster might be hopeless.

Walking away from hungry lions called Locusts---I must say that's a double meaning: some approached me as if I'm their prey and asks for a Quest again while others? Well, I saw familiar faces so they stopped others from approaching me.

Maybe I'm actually a popular, huh? Welp, no way. The other thing is that, they are exhilarated just killing one fluffy looking monster like a nutjob. As if this is the first time they encountered monsters.

And as for how I differentiate Locusts to a normal people? In my opinion, it's too easy. . .they are like what I described and also a bunch of curious fella, ah and their equipment too, it is almost the same as everyone be it man or woman, although there are few who stands out but all in all? That's that. Too easy to guess.

Again as I silently walking forward, I saw a group, no---a horde of people in one area while others are spectating from afar.

A murmur arrived on my ear from the spectating Locusts. Some pointed towards me but they didn't approach to where I'm at.

"A-a Field Boss?" is what I heard and curiosity is kicking in. . .As I am once a soldier in that village, I am knowledgeable of this so called Field Boss.

Just like how we dealt and almost exploited by the Goblins we once fought, one of them is what you called a Boss, to be precise it was an Oni-Goblin. It stands out more than anyone as it has not just an incredible Stamina, it also have an intelligent comparable or maybe higher than a human. I don't know how other monster Boss's works but thanks to those goblins, our work job is extended. It's obvious who won in the end as we are still alive and kicking in until this moment and so does our village.

Thinking back, curiosity struck me for real. But two people blocked my pathway and prevented me from passing.

"NPC are not allowed, I mean...not until we take care of the monster from my back" With double edge sword resting in this man's back, he claimed and dissed me.

"Thank you but I can do it alone" I replied

"Do what!? What do you mean by that response?"

What else? Of course I don't have to wait just because you are killing it. I'm curious though so stop blocking my path.

"This NPC is an aberrant, to think he have guts to steal our loot" It vaunted. . .

Loot. . I know for sure that words do exists in my dictionary as that is the reward for killing not just strong monsters. It's a bummer if you risk your life without a reward after all. But why blocking my path?

"Too bad, he looks like someone we can ask for a quests. . .but I'm sorry mister NPC, we are raiding this boss about an hour now"

"Return back mister, Please spare us some trouble"

Am I too silent to receive a barrage of word? Until now, this man with sword resting in his back continue blabbering nonsensical word, and what's that NPC thing? I heard it more often from the mouth of Locusts but this is the first time I've heard one, directly towards myself so I guess thats an insult from Locusts vocabulary, huh.

I take it as a yes then. But the second kid is lightly polite, So I spare you guys for that, he looks like a good boy.

. . .Bypassing the duo thereafter with a flick, I start moving towards the Field Boss they are talking about. This time its easy to count how many Locusts are encircling it. 23 huh, so many. Counting those two and a total of 25. For them to amass this many people to kill Boss at once. Not bad, I say. Its hard to l gather tens of them even for a mercenary.

Leader watch out!

The duo panicked that one of them shouted aloud. They warned to watch their companions back from me. Wow, hostility at its finest little man. I was aching to kill people right now but I guess this is not a good time and place so I backed down.

Looking at it again, its pretty easy now to describe this Boss of theirs. Its a Gorilla but crystal spikes could clearly be seen coming from its fur, and surprisingly, it has a tusk. Eye crimson as it is in a state of rage and has mini pocket in its belly, I'm surprised as it budge and what appears is a mini version of a Gorilla but without a tusk and looking anxious and afraid.

It looks lonely but who am I to judge that its harmless? It is easy to say that--that mini Gorilla is harmless but a monster is a monster. Monster is a harmful creature to begin with, that's why they are in the category of 'Kill on Sight'. I assumed that Boss is the parent as it tried not to get stabbed from frontal attack.

" " "Ohhhhhhhhh" " "

Momentarily, battle cry echoed from afar. smoke created as it advanced forward until it is easy to distinguished them. Yep, they're another Locusts alright. I late to realize but this place is full of Locusts.

At first, I thought that the current Locusts attacking the Boss are their companion but then again, the man with a double edged sword trembled and create a stance while his partner pulled out a knife. Trying their best on how to stop that many people.

Of course it won't change the fact that I am in the range of this group. . .

"Boss, you're in that Tea Shop, correct?"

One of the 23-man retreated back and strike a conversation with me. To think this boy didn't have any hostility, but then hearing his words and voice like under the prepubescent, I'm a little bit surprised.

Yup its me. I nodded as an answer and set my thoughts aside just hearing his words.

Now that I think about it, I see why he recognized me, I forgot to change clothes after accepting the request from the little girl.

Forget it then, I don't have any casual clothes to spare anyway.

"I knew it. your Shop is a bunch of strong fella, I remembered an acquaintance of mine boasted how well you guys teach people learn their lesson who tried to messed your place up"

Hmmm you're a man of culture I see, I remember it happened at least three times by now. We can't tolerate such behaviour so we kicked them after squeezing their pocket out to empty. Of course about 'We can't tolerate such behavious' is a joke, we let them go wild and destroy anything they want and charge them for the damage, more than twice its original value. That's how we run our business, We don't care if they got themselves some debt from others but not for us. Maybe thanks to that why our Tea Shop become popular this days?

"He he, thats aberrant for you"

While happy hearing his praise, my ears tickled hearing that familiar word almost often. Did Locusts knows how to create an insulting words? Maybe yes. They are good at pissing me off ever since.

I know for sure that an aberrant is how you describe Monsters who did not follow their original behavior or proceed on how they got their prey or how they fought.

That Centipede for example. I'm sure if it's not us, those people won't exist today, as for how---not only will it kill its prey, it also playing them by splashing sands everywhere. . .normal person would pissed their pants off from just that. Imagine, not only fear but the torture it gives to ones emotion as its playing on its prey? Terrifying, maybe?

In short? Ego. Intelligent. Or what's beyond the norm, is where this so called aberrant was born.

Like how that mother Gorilla protects its child from this Locusts whilst if its just normal monster, it doesn't care about anything but kill their prey or enemy, or retreat back.

This is why, calling me an Aberrant infuriates me: "And? What is it that you want?" Yes, the words I spew has a mix of anger.

"Pleas help us, I'll pay you later"

But that last sentence changed my mood yet again.

I can't help but grin...

Pay, huh...