Level Eater
Chapter 143

Piporin.

Originally it was a monster that lived in the sea, specifically in the deep sea, and had no place in freshwater rivers.

If someone were to capture a Piporin from the deep sea and release it into a river, it would be difficult for it to survive, even though it is a monster that ranks above normal living things.

And what the doctor told Tatsuro and Ai this time was that they were going to bring back a monster that most likely didn't exist, and capture it alive, which seemed like an extremely unreasonable request.

"They say that Pipurin isn't a monster. How can we bring it here if it doesn't exist?" (Tatsuro)

"It's not Pipurin, it's Piporin. No matter what the people on the streets say, Pipu - Piporin is over there."

"That being said, I have heard that many other adventurers have also gone to capture it. However, no one has seen it. If you say so, does the professor have definite proof?" (Tatsuro)

"Yes. I witnessed it once, twenty years ago."

"You don't think you are looking for it in the wrong place?" (Tatsuro)

"No. In fact, Piporin was in the middle of shedding its skin at the time, and I still have that skin in my possession."

Seeing as there was no reason for the doctor to lie, Tatsuro decided to proceed with the story assuming for the time being that what the doctor had seen was a fact.

"Well, let's say it was there. But surely it must have gone somewhere else since twenty years ago right?" (Tatsuro)

"That can't be. How much do you guys know about Nazeto Falls? "

"Honestly, I don't know anything." (Tatsuro)

"I don't know anything at all." (Ai)

"I see, then let me explain. Nazeto Falls is-- "

And so the doctor's course on Nazeto Falls began hastily.

"According to the report. It's a big waterfall with a fall of over 200 meters, and above it, there is a normal river that drops water down, and below that there is another river. So far it seems like a big, normal waterfall."

However, there is one feature that makes it different from the norm: there is a hole with a radius of about 10 meters around the waterfall basin where the waterfalls and it is said to be so deep that it spreads out into the depths. The depth is currently unknown and cannot be measured.

Since the hole is far too deep to have been created by the power of the waterfall alone, many theories are circulating among researchers, but the reason for this is not clearly understood.

So it seems to be somewhat famous as a mystery spot.

"That's why an environment similar to the deep sea has been created around the waterfall basin. However, once you leave it, it's just a river, and no matter how deep it is, it's only two meters, so you can't survive for long. In other words, I don't know how Piporin got there, but it's no exaggeration to say that it is currently trapped in a natural prison. "

"But even if it could solve the problem of depth or rather the water pressure, how can something that lives in saltwater be found in a freshwater body? And if it was able to get here doesn't that mean it can also get out?" (Tatsuro)

Even if Tatsuro was going to search for a monster that was known not to exist among other adventurers, he could not let Ai, Cardina, and the others waste their time due to his lack of confirmation. With that sense of responsibility, Tatsuro wanted some kind of solid proof, even if it was just one thing.

However, this seemed to annoy the professor, as he found it roundabout and rested his chin on his hand in a bad mood.

"Well, that's what I am saying. I'm sure it exists. To begin with, I'm a plant specialist, and although I think I know a little more than the others, I don't know that much about other living things. But it just seemed to me like it was completely adapted to living in freshwater."

"I have to say, isn't that odd, too? Why was Doctor able to see it when you claim it can only live under high water pressure?" (Tatsuro)

"Piporin is a monster that can come above ground for a few minutes. However, it only comes above ground when it needs to shed its skin. It does this by deliberately inflating its body by rising upwards, and then breaking through its old skin. I was lucky enough to be present at that moment, which is how I got the skin."

"In that case, I think the quickest way would be to wait and try to catch it." (Tatsuro)

"The molting cycle varies from 50 to 100 years, and it'll take at least another 30 years. I can't afford to wait that long..."

Although it cannot be called definite proof, if the story about the molting is true, there is no way that the doctor would not have seen it.

Tatsuro thought back once again to the information and sincere feelings the doctor had expressed during their conversation. Judging from his reaction, he had explained as much as he could convey.

Therefore, Tatsuro convinced himself that he would not be able to obtain any proof by asking any more questions.

Then, the question is whether or not to accept the request.

Perhaps it was because they had been talking about rice since yesterday, but both Tatsuro and Ai had a craving for it.

"Why don't you just take the test? I don't care if it's a waste of time."

"Well, I guess we should just go there and catch one if it's there, but if it's not then we will just give up and go to the next town." (Ai)

Ai's frank opinion made Tatsuro realize that maybe he had been overthinking things too much, and it helped him to take a bit of the weight off his shoulders.

{Yes, yes. And I want to see that waterfall too!} (Ai)

{It seems Ai has become more interested in sightseeing. However, it's not often you get to see a 200-meter waterfall, so if we think of it as a trip to see the magnificent scenery of another world, it won't be a wasted trip... right?} (Tatsuro)

After finishing his telepathic discussion with Ai while pretending to think with his eyes closed, Tatsuro opened his eyes and looked at the doctor.

"I understand. I can't guarantee that we will bring it here, but we will try our best." (Tatsuro)

"I see. Well then, I'll leave it to you! I'll make sure to prepare something to give to you guys."

"Please. Is there anything I should be careful of when catching it?" (Tatsuro)

"You mean be careful or... In any case, it is probably in deep water, so you should take some kind of precaution. I'll leave the rest to you to think about, my specialty is plants, after all." (T/N: This is definitely how trouble givers talk)

Although Ai agreed that it was true when he said it, she couldn't help but question the underlying question.

"Now that I think of it, why does the plant Doctor want a monster?" (Ai)

"I don't think there's any need to tell you that."

"Hmm, I guess that's true now that you mention it..." (Ai)

"Well, this is the end of the matter. I want to get back to my research soon. Next time you catch the Piporin, come and see me."

Tatsuro and Ai were practically kicked out of the house by the doctor, who had suddenly become cold towards them.

Since it was still early in the afternoon, they decided to find a suitable bench where they could sit next to each other to find the exact location of the waterfall. They then started up the system and used the map and help functions to search for the waterfall.

"Well, let's get out of the town… Hmm, looks like we won't need to hire a guide or anything." (Tatsuro)

"How far is it?" (Ai)

"It's not that far. If we go by carriage, we'll have to go through some areas rich in nature, so it looks like we'll have to walk, but even so, we should be able to get there in a day." (Tatsuro)

"If that's the case, if we ask Jeanne, we can travel faster, so I think we can do the round trip, including finding Piporin, in two days." (Ai)

"Was it Piporin? Well, that's not important. If we choose the air route, it will be faster but more noticeable, and discovering a hidden waterfall at the end of our exploration might be a fun little adventure." (Tatsuro)

"Well, if we think of it as enjoying outdoor leisure activities, then this request seems like it would be fun." (Ai)

They went shopping yesterday, so they are fully stocked up on consumables such as seasonings and daily necessities.

So after having an early lunch, the two decided to head straight to Nazeto Falls.

Once that was decided, and the two of them had already gone outside the town to a deserted area, they acted quickly and called out Jeanne and Nana. Cardina was already waiting in Tatsuro's Pocket.

After connecting Jeanne to the rhino-cart, the two climbed into their usual driver's seats, Cardina transformed and flew off to her designated seat on the top board, and Nana climbed onto Jeanne's back. Once they were sure they were in their familiar positions, they began to move in earnest.

They continued without slowing down much, occasionally overtaking carriages and people in front of them and occasionally passing people coming from the other direction, and they soon came to the point where they had to start taking the path off the cobblestones to get to the waterfall.

"Jeanne, slow down a bit! We're almost off the road!" (Tatsuro)

"Neigh!" (Jeanne)

Jeanne immediately began to slow down, as she had been told in advance that she was going off the road.

As the speed slowed down, there was surely a large rock that had been left there as a marker for people going to the waterfall, so Tatsuro and Ai began searching for it.

"Ah, isn't that it?" (Ai)

"Hmm? It looks like it. Nana, please tell Jeanne to turn left as soon as we get by that big rock in that direction." (Tatsuro)

"I got it!" (Nana)

For safety's sake, Tatsuro wanted Jeanne to keep her eyes firmly on the road ahead, so he transmitted the location of the rock to Nana, who was riding on her back.

Then, Jeanne slowed down even further and made a gentle arc as she turned left without any effort.

From there, they left the neatly laid out cobblestone path and began to drive on plain ground, which increased the shaking somewhat, but their new chairs covered it well, and they proceeded without too much trouble.

Time passed like this, and just before dusk, they arrived at a lush, natural forest area that was impassable by carriage.

"We'll be walking from here, but since the sun is about to set, we'll camp out tonight and leave tomorrow morning." (Tatsuro)

"Yes" (Ai)

"Pewee" (Cardina)

"Neigh" (Jeanne)

"That's it." (Nana)

So Tatsuro and his team parked their rhino-cart a short distance from the forest area and, although it was a little early, started preparing dinner. At the same time, Tatsuro checked the growth of the plants he had put in his Item Box and obtained three new fruits.

So they finished off their meal: a few vegetables, some preserved foods, and a hearty meat, and enjoyed the fruit as a dessert.

"This grape-like fruit tastes like a mandarin orange. It's tasty, but it feels weird." (Ai)

"These peaches are a little more bitter than the ones we know, but they taste similar." (Tatsuro)

"These cherry-like ones taste like blueberries and are probably my favorite." (Ai)

"Hmm, if we can harvest fruit consistently like this, it might be nice to try making some honey-pickled or dried fruit." (Tatsuro)

"What is that? It looks delicious!" (Ai)

Ai's eyes lit up more than he had expected, so Tatsuro decided to give it a try next time.

And so the night drew on as they talked about new ways to use ingredients.

***

Not long after the sun had risen, Tatsuro and Ai had already finished their breakfast and had had enough sleep, so they were full of energy and set off into the forest.

Incidentally, Jeanne was the only one who had to knock down the trees that lined the forest to pass through with the huge body of a rhinoceros, so she walked in the front as a small rhinoceros in [Child Form].

Although it was called a forest area, a path made by people and animals extended to the waterfall, so unlike the forests the team had seen so far, it wasn't a dense area they had to pass through; if anything, it was a perfect space for forest bathing.

As they continued on their way, they enjoyed taking a deep breath of the crisp air: a mixture of the slightly chilly morning air and the fresh forest air, and within ten minutes of going in. Cardina detected the reaction of some kind of living creature.

"Isn't this ... a monster?" (Nana)

"Pewee, beep beep." (Cardina)

"It's probably just an animal, or so Cardina says." (Nana)

"Thanks for translating, Nana. It's an animal after all. No wonder there wasn't even a millimeter of magical reaction." (Tatsuro)

"What kind of animal is it? Is it cute? I'm in the forest, so I'd like to see squirrels or things like that." (Ai)

"Ah ... Unfortunately, I don't think it's that type. I think it's more like a dog or a fox." (Tatsuro)

"--Oh. Actually, I'm open to it, so I'm quite happy to see that as well." (Ai)

"That's good then." (Tatsuro)

Tatsuro smiled and stroked Ai's head, and soon the creatures appeared.

It was a mysterious ball of fur, its entire body covered in lush, bright green fur, making it impossible to see its entire appearance; it was about the size of a medium-sized dog, and only the tips of its four paws could be seen peeking out from the tips of the fur just above the ground.

Then, five of these green furballs lined up in a row, and as soon as they noticed the team, they lay down on the spot, curled up like a seaweed ball, and stopped moving.

"What are those furballs?" (Ai)

"I wonder if that's supposed to be a camouflage ... It makes them stand out." (Tatsuro)

"What are we going to do, Father?" (Nana)

When Nana asked him this, Tatsuro looked at the furball once more before making a decision.

"Let's leave them alone. As long as we don't do anything, there won't be any problems." (Tatsuro)

"That's right. I'd like to see what their face would look like if I trim that fur, but it would be too pitiful." (Nana)

"But it does look like it would be warm. It might be perfect for the winter." (Ai)

"Y-You certainly seem warm ..." (Nana)

"Stop it! They're doing their best to survive in the wild too!!" (Tatsuro)

The tone of their voice sounded so serious that Tatsuro hurriedly pushed Ai and Nana away from the green furballs.

In the end, the team left the place without doing anything, and as they continued walking along the well-trodden, grassless path, they soon heard the sound of a babbling river.

Soothed by the moderate nature and the pleasant sound of the river, they headed for the riverside and found the water to be absolutely crystal clear.

"Whoa, there's a fish I've never seen before. I wonder if I can eat it." (Ai)

"It's pretty big. How about some grilled salted fish for lunch today?" (Tatsuro)

"That looks delicious. At this rate there should be some upstream too, let's analyze them and see if they are edible and catch a few later." (Ai)

"When that happens, leave it to me!" (Tatsuro)

"Yeah, I'm looking forward to it." (Ai)

After watching today's lunch swim, they head for the pool at the bottom of the waterfall and walk along the riverside, just like they did before.

Although the path was slightly inclined, it was still nothing more than an easy hiking trail, so they walked together without any trouble when Cardina sensed a monster's reaction.

"This time it's a monster. There's only one, it's about one meter in size, and I don't think I've ever seen one before. And judging from its reaction, it doesn't seem to be that strong." (Tatsuro)

"Well then, should we just ignore it and go?" (Ai)

"No, it looks like it has already gotten us in its sight. It'll be a pain if it follows us, so let's defeat it here for sure." (Tatsuro)

"Yes" (Ai)

Fully prepared, they lined up by the river and waited to face the unknown monster heading their way.

Suddenly, the sound of light, and running footsteps echoed through the forest.

The team had perfectly pinpointed the direction and location, so they weren't surprised and just listened to the sound, waiting to see it.

"Hmm? That's..." (Ai)

"What's wrong ... Wait, that animal from earlier ... it looks similar, but it's different." (Tatsuro)

"Oh. Then I can do it without any worries." (Ai)

What the team saw was a monster that looked exactly like the green furry animal they had seen earlier when curled up, but this one was a monster that looked like a seaweed ball with two thick bird legs attached to it.

Tatsuro realized that the animals from earlier had not done that to blend in with the surrounding forest, but had instead been surviving in the forest by mimicking this monster.

While he was thinking about that, it had gotten much closer.

And that moment the monster got within about five meters of the team, a horizontal cut appeared on its body, and inside it housed a large mouth with saw-like teeth which it opened wide and leaped at Jeanne in her [Child Form] mode, who was in the middle of group, intending to swallow her.

However, Jeanne used wind magic to create a strong headwind as if she was swatting away a flying insect, completely neutralizing the monster's momentum in the air, then she got ahead of the monster's fall point, and before it could reach the ground, she did a half turn using her two front legs as a starting point, and with a graceful small psychic kick using her hind legs, sent it flying diagonally upwards.

Cardina, who was in the sky, caught it in mid-air and hurled it straight down.

If it crashed into the ground with that same momentum, no matter how much hair this monster was covered in, it would surely turn into something unrecognizable.

However, Nana, who had been waiting for this, took out two dragon fangs from her [Item Box] and, before the monster could completely fall headfirst, bit into its legs with pinpoint precision, piercing them and stopping it in a hanging position just above the ground.

The monster's leg was pierced by the fangs and torn in half lengthwise due to the force of the fall, causing excruciating pain and foaming at the mouth, before falling unconscious.

"No mercy..."

"That's true, but it was pretty merciless as well."

"I see. Life is at stake, so we have no choice but to do our best."

With these words, Tatsuro and the team approached the barely alive furball ghost monster.