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"It turned out to be Ren. Besides the so-called Balloon Monsters, I didn't even spot a bug!"
Motoyasu said this without thinking twice as he observed Ren approaching with the adventurers.
"What? You didn't see any monsters at all?"
At that moment, Itsuki joined them, walking over slowly.
"Based on what you just mentioned, have you really not found any monsters?" Motoyasu questioned, his tone laced with suspicion.
"Of course! Otherwise, I wouldn't have come over to ask about it," Itsuki replied, his expression reflecting his helplessness.
Given their previous gaming experiences, they understood that the number of 'wild monsters' in any particular area of a map was finite. The strategy they typically employed was to split up to maximize their chances of encountering monsters and securing loot.
However, they hadn't anticipated the complete absence of any monsters at all.
It was worth noting that Jason had engaged the balloon monsters here for nearly an entire night—there hadn't just been a few, but hundreds had populated the area, their presence long since depleted.
"None of the three directions have shown any signs of monsters, so... are you lying to us?"
Feeling betrayed, Ren eyes turned cold as he glared at the adventurers accompanying him.
"How could we do that? We have no reason to deceive you, hero!"
An adventurer trembled visibly, hurriedly defending himself.
"Ren, don't blame them. They truly don't have any motive to mislead us. Even if they did decide to deceive us, it wouldn't benefit them in any way," Itsuki interjected, stepping forward to support the adventurers, sounding like a compassionate hero.
"In that case, why haven't we seen any of the Balloon Monsters?" Motoyasu pondered, resting his chin in thought.
"Master Motoyasu, let me try something!"
A magician from Motoyasu's group stepped forward, gripping her staff. With her eyes closed, she began to channel a probing spell, waves of energy emanating from her form.
Before long, she opened her eyes and exclaimed, "Master Motoyasu! Biological fluctuations detected one hundred meters ahead!"
"Oh... they must be hiding!"
Motoyasu felt a surge of joy at the news that a target had been found.
"However... creatures like the Balloon Monsters are typically aggressive. They should have attacked by now," the probing magician added, her brow furrowed in concern.
"What do you mean? It must be because of Motoyasu-sama's powerful aura that even those aggressive Balloon Monsters dare not approach," Myne chimed in enthusiastically.
In his original world, Motoyasu was never flattered like this, having never experienced the admiration of beautiful girls. Her words made him feel lighter, significantly boosting his confidence, even if they did seem a bit excessive.
"Ren, Itsuki, this is my discovery. You are not allowed to intervene!"
Motoyasu declared, taking the lead as he advanced one hundred meters ahead.
"Don't worry, I would never do something so reprehensible as stealing a monster," Itsuki reassured him.
"Exactly right!"
Ren echoed, though they merely stood by without taking any action.
"Master Motoyasu, you've got this!"
Myne waved her hands in encouragement, her voice cheerful and sweet.
"Don't worry; whatever monster it is, I'll take it down with my spear!"
Motoyasu shouted with confidence. However, as he neared his target, his pace slowed, caution taking over as he prepared for a potential surprise attack.
Admittedly, he had some experience in such matters.
30 meters... 20 meters... 10 meters...
Just when Motoyasu was about to close in on the target, a bizarre 'creature' suddenly emerged from the grass: it resembled a humanoid monster composed of dozens of orange balloons, its body riddled with multiple mouths that opened and closed menacingly.
Taken off guard, Motoyasu instinctively stepped back, tripping over some grass blades beneath his feet and landing unceremoniously on the ground.
"Didn't you say the Balloon Monster resembled a balloon? What on earth is this?"
Overwhelmed by fear, he forgot his previous embarrassment and yelled in terror.
"I've never seen such a creature before; it looks like a conglomerate of Balloon Monsters!"
Many adventurers echoed his astonishment at the sudden emergence of the bizarre creature.
"A combination of Balloon Monsters? Could this be a BOSS?"
Ren and Itsuki exchanged surprised glances, quickly analyzing the situation.
"We need to assist Master Motoyasu!"
The adventurers from Motoyasu's side rushed forward, ready to help him confront the unforeseen challenge.
At that moment, a voice suddenly emanated from the 'monster': "Hey, hey... isn't it a bit too much and too rude to label others as monsters?"
Hearing the unmistakable voice, Motoyasu froze for a second, a sense of familiarity washing over him that he couldn't quite place.
It was only when the 'monster' reached out, grabbed Kitamura's face, and pulled away one of the balloon creatures that everyone finally recognized the true identity of the monster.
"Jason! Why are you!"
Motoyasu exclaimed, his horror palpable, as if he had just encountered a nightmare.
Indeed, the 'monster' was Jason. The swarm of balloon monsters biting at him had nearly concealed his entire figure, causing him to initially appear as a grotesque amalgamation of balloons.
"What on earth are you doing dressed like that?"
Motoyasu had managed to stand up, but he still regarded Jason with extreme caution.
His fellow adventurers had gathered behind him, weapons drawn and ready, prepared to defend against any potential attack from Jason.
"Hey, hey, hey... you just called me a monster, and now you think I have sinister motives? I was simply lying on the grass, letting the balloon monsters give me a massage! And yet, here you are, pointing your weapons at me! Is there any logic in this world?"
Jason spoke lazily, feigning outrage as he gestured dramatically towards the sky.
Motoyasu appeared dazed, but the adventurers behind him had expressions that twisted in disbelief and fear.
"I let all these balloon monsters bite me, and I don't feel a thing? How terrifying is the Shield Hero's defense!"
The adventurers were completely taken aback. Although balloon monsters were considered weak creatures, their bites still inflicted damage.
Even without firsthand experience, they could reasonably conclude that had they been in Jason's position, they would have met their demise by now—overrun by a swarm of ants attacking an elephant.
"Um... Lord Shield Hero, how long have you been here?" one of the adventurers under Motoyasu asked hesitantly.
"Not long, really. I think I've just been lying here for about two or three hours," Jason replied after a moment's thought.
"Two... two or three hours?!"
The adventurers exchanged incredulous glances, taking a collective breath as they processed this new information.
If the balloon monsters could potentially overwhelm one with their numbers, the prospect of being bitten non-stop for two or three hours was nothing short of horrific.
The adventurers quickly deduced that if they had been in Jason's shoes, they would have surely become a gruesome statistic.
"Sorry, Lord Shield Hero! We didn't mean to interrupt your rest!"
The adventurer who had initially asked about Jason's presence bowed deeply in apology, suddenly recognizing that, in a way, they had indeed uncovered a 'monster.'
"It's alright, no problem!" Jason waved dismissively.
Just as the adventurers began to relax with a sigh of relief, Jason rubbed his fingers together, a mischievous smile spreading across his face.
"But you know, it would only be fair to compensate me for the mental damage. Alternatively, how about I give you a good thrashing to vent my frustrations?"
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