The seventh day of the festival. Today, I'd like to pay attention to Kugime's place. The event Kugime-chan is hosting is "Hidden Demon".
Its details were simple. The members are to be hidden in the rich expanse of the Kuuderun Great Forest while Kugime-chan, who is a [Nine Divinities Demon Princess] (Kugionihime), uses[Superior Demon Species Creation]to create "Pursuit Eye Demons (Seeker Eyes)" to search for them.
The fighting power of the Seeker Eyes, which had the appearance of a one-eyed Small Demon (Goblin) wearing a kimono, was equal to the weakest members. To put it bluntly, they are small fry.
However, its ability to search for the enemy alone is high, it can easily see through a sloppy[Hiding]. Mastering[Hidden Body]by experience to resist it is an important skill needed to survive. Incidentally, since various penalties are imposed on the members found, everyone has become desperate. Well, it's still a relatively easy category, isn't it?
A certain Male Elf's POV
The forest filled with nature, for us of the Elf tribe, while being the home we are familiar with, is a hunting ground where oneself can raise their ability. In the long life of an Elf, we fundamentally never leave the forest. Hunting for prey that would become our daily meals everyday since childhood, we live while receiving the favor of the forest.
Therefore, nearly all of us Elves are expert users of the bow. We possess superior physical ability and knowledge to run through the forest's entirety, in addition, the affinity with spirits of the wind is high. We are a tribe with the characteristic of having raised abilities just by being in a forest with all its natural abundance.
――Well, the Sand Elves prefer the deserts where burning sand swirls, the Dark Elves like caves and underground spaces, there are various tribes of Elves if one classifies them finely. Though we would be called something like Forest Elves if we spoke by classification, I'll set that aside.
The growth here is remarkable. After the hot spring was dug here, our growth was remarkable. We rapidly grew after the Hot Springs――
If it's in «Kuuderun Great Forest», no less than 50% of one's ability would be raised. Partly due to its benefits, I was able to overcome the severe events of the past several days somehow. But now, even with the benefits of that, we can't let our guard down for a moment.
『Miiiiwanan, miiiiwanan, miiiiwanan.』
There were small noises from the plants it pushed aside, however I wondered if it was a purposeful diversion.
Currently moving actively, while there were countless others in the surroundings at this time, inviting prey with a peculiar cry and a sweet aroma, capturing with nets made from strong and sticky spider silk while making cicada-like sounds, it is the Seeker Eyes who tread slowly through the Great Forest while searching for us.
The combat ability of the Seeker Eyes who had faces like one-eyed Small Demons was low, almost all members could kill them in an instant if they needed to.
However, the current event we are participating in is "Hidden Demon". I can do it if I intend to eliminate it, but I would be discovered if I did. The risk is too high, therefore I lied low in the Great Forest, I can do nothing but melt into the surroundings.
(Fuu... Quickly, please leave.)
I stabilize my mind to calm down as much as possible. I let the sound of my breathing slip under the breeze as it rustled the surrounding leaves. My senses seem to become one with nature. The Seeker Eyes with the exceptional ability to locate enemies did not seem to notice me and left, therefore I was finally able to relax my efforts.
『If it's just this much, I won't get discouraged.』
If I compared the current event, it was still comfortable. However one's willpower is constantly steadily reduced, neither could the physical fatigue be made light of. If one rarely seriously hides himself, it's quite difficult when one is not used to it, right?
However, I should improve if I think about the future, and since I haven't been found, I can't say there are any complaints. The fate of the person who is found, it would be right to call it pure misery.
『Miiiiwanan, miiiiwana――I found you』
『Damn it, how was I exposed here!』
The Seeker Eyes seem to have discovered a colleague in a slightly distant place. Though I hear my found comrade run away in a hurry, the sounds of something huge that could shake trees was approaching from a long distance and gradually growing closer.
『Aa, , no, NO, NO! PL, PLEASE HELP, GUBURUREREEEOOOOOOooo...』
『BUGUOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!』
Then, after a few moments, there was an urgent scream from his colleague and the roar of a huge monster, mixed with the sounds of battle and the crushing of trees and metal.
As punishment for being discovered, the colleague must have been attacked both mentally and physically by the "Mad Multi-Eye Giant (Mad-Eyes Argoros)" that immediately approached.
"Mad Eyes Argoros" is a kind of giant demon that boasts a figure as massive as that of a Gigantic Demon (Troll), there has nearly 100 magic eyes all over its whole body capable of inflicting mental state abnormalities like[Confusion]and[Panic]on those who make eye contact with them, in addition it has a huge and robust body that hides the muscular strength to crush a careless opponent.
In a word, the punishment of the person discovered by the Seeker Eyes is to be fiercely violated by a Mad Eyes Argoros just like this. It's good if you can defeat it one-on-one, unfortunately it's not such a lenient race. As long as it's not at the level of an executive, victory or defeat as an individual is obvious. The physical damage from the punishment is heavy, it is certain to have a considerable influence to hiding when one is beaten up.
However in this instance, the mental damage and status abnormality are more troublesome than any physical damage. It is severe even when one is in a perfect state, so the possibility of being discovered rises dramatically after being punished.
Concentration greatly drops from the damage to the body, however you're far from being able to hide when you're unstable from mental statuses such as[Confusion]and[Panic]. Because one's discord and roughness stand out even if you try to disperse your presence, you are easily discovered and penalized again. Since the next time will be identical, you could easily fall into a negative cycle.
How difficult it would be to escape from this cycle, it's not hard to imagine. Gradually I stop hearing my colleague's voice, I confirm that the signs of the Seeker Eyes and the Mad Eyes Argoros have completely disappeared from the surroundings, I murmur to myself with some uneasiness.
『Listen to the sound (voice) of the world, huh?』
With camouflage applied to the face, clothing of plants are worn, lying down in the earth between thickets, I decide to wait for time to pass while blending into nature. Rather than moving forcibly and getting discovered, I judged that it was best to wait for time to pass in this way.
『I did not understand it before. Now even if just a bit, I can understand his teachings.』
As I was once instructed by the clan's chief in the past, the techniques that I've been cultivating up to now has certainly helped me, however this was also another chance. If nothing else, I want to concentrate only on safely returning alive from "Hidden Demon" without being found.
Rou's POV
Since you can hide in this event until the time limit, there were unexpectedly few dropouts. However, the mental load is heavy, and everyone seems to be looking quite tired. Let's soak in the hot springs and get ready for tomorrow.