817 Bear discovers a cave - Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear

The view from the top of the pillar is breathtaking. I can see far into the distance. Mane stands beside me, trembling as she takes in the scenery around us. To get our bearings, I pull out the bear map. This must be the area where Mane found the medicinal herbs and moved on, and these are the places I covered while hunting monsters. The paths we've traveled are like winding earthworms. By tracing back the path, I can determine the direction we came from. It's logical that the direction ahead of the earthworm trail is the way forward. "We came from that way and are headed over there," I explain. "You can figure that out without Kumayuru and Kumakyuu?" Mane asks with surprise. Kumayuru and Kumakyuu are waiting for us below. "Well, sort of," I reply. "You have a good sense of direction, Yuna," Mane says as she looks in the direction I pointed with my bear puppet. "If the path we're on is correct, we should spot a rocky mountain somewhere," I murmur, squinting to look far into the distance. Unfortunately, I don't have a handy skill for seeing into the distance, so I have to strain my eyes to make out any details. In the distance, I see creatures that seem to be flying monsters. What kind of monsters could they be? "Isn't it over there?" Mane suggests, pointing with her finger while clutching the fence for support. I follow where Mane points, and, though obscured by trees, I can make out a rocky mountain. "There's nothing else like it, right?" she asks for confirmation. "I don't see anything else that looks like it," I respond after scanning the surroundings. "Alright, then it's settled. We'll head over there," she concludes. "Yeah." With our next destination decided, I use earth magic to dissipate the pillar beneath us. "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" Mane screams as we descend. I catch Mane in the air and land gracefully on the ground. "Kumayuru, Kumakyuu, we're heading that way," I call out to them. "Kuun," they both respond with soft whimpers. "Mane, let's go," I say. "Y-Yunaaaaaaaa!" Mane suddenly cries out. "What is it?" I ask. "Don't just make the pillar disappear like that! I thought I was going to die!" she scolds me while shaking me by the collar. "Sorry, sorry!" I apologize. Once I lower Mane to the ground, she sits down heavily. "I seriously thought I was going to die," she mutters. "Sorry," I apologize again. "I am never going up there again," Mane says as she stands up. "But just to confirm, you're okay with creating such a big pillar? Is your mana alright?" she asks, her voice tinged with concern despite her earlier anger. "I'm fine," I assure her. "Alright, but don't push yourself too hard," she replies. Even after frightening her like that, she's worried about me. She's a kind person. Mane and I mount Kumayuru and Kumakyuu and head towards the rocky mountain we spotted earlier. "Wasn't it a problem not dealing with that lost flower? Some adventurers might get lost there, right?" I ask. Considering the adventurers who might come later, it's probably best to dispose of it. Mane also mentioned that some adventurers get lost there. "I'm not an adventurer or an explorer. Cutting through the forest isn't my job. Besides, from a researcher's perspective, I wouldn't dispose of a rare flower. That place is also safe since neither monsters nor animals venture there," Mane explains. "But if they can't reach it..." I start to argue, but Mane shakes her head. "It's old, but there were traces of a campsite. For adventurers who know about it, it serves as a safe spot. If it can be used by adventurers, then it's best left alone. Personally, I think doing nothing is the right choice." For one adventurer, it might be a dangerous flower, but for others, it might be a place of respite. The fact that it's still there is evidence of that. "I understand. I agree with you, Mane," I concede. If other adventurers are using it, then it's not my place to interfere. Satisfied with our decision, we move towards the rocky mountain. Like yesterday, Mane collects medicinal herbs whenever we encounter them, while I create pillars to confirm our direction. We progress smoothly, without encountering any monsters, and eventually reach the rocky mountain. Nearby, a ribbon is tied to a tree. I have no idea who tied it there, but it indicates that someone has been here before. "This is the place," Mane states. "There should be a cave somewhere around here," I say. Kumayuru and Kumakyuu carry us as they walk around the rocky mountain. With no signs of nearby monsters, we can focus on searching for the cave. "Kuun," Kumayuru whines before taking off running. Kumayuru and Kumakyuu lead us straight to a cave. It seems they've found it for us. "Is this it?" I ask. "I think so," Mane replies. The entrance is large and gaping, but beyond it is darkness with no end in sight. "Ugh, did that adventurer really venture into a place like this?" Mane hesitates at the cave entrance, clearly reluctant to enter. I activate my detection skill to find out what's inside. "Ugh..." The detection skill identifies "Snake." That means it's filled with snakes. Those writhing, creepy creatures... I hate them. And since there's a monster reaction, they're not ordinary snakes. In games, there were snake monsters too. I've always attacked them from a distance with magic because of how unsettling they are. What's worse is that there are numerous reactions indicating their presence. Facing a single Black Viper would have been preferable—just one spell in its mouth, and it's done for. "What's wrong?" Mane asks, noticing my reaction. "Uh, do we have to go through this?" I ask hesitantly. "I don't want to enter a dark place like this either, but this cave is a tunnel that leads to the other side," Mane explains. Peering into the cave, it's dark and stretches far into the depths. Should I dig a hole next to it? But the cave may not be straight, and if it twists and turns, there's no telling where we'd end up. "Is it a monster?" Mane asks. "...Yeah," I admit. "What kind of monsters are in the cave?" she inquires. "The bears say it's a snake," I reply. "Can you tell?" Realizing I can't keep quiet about it, I decide to attribute it to Kumayuru and Kumakyuu's abilities. "Well, not everything, but..." "Come to think of it, I knew you could communicate with these bears, but I didn't think you understood their words," she says, sounding impressed. "It's thanks to the Bear's blessing," I explain. "The Bear's blessing…" she repeats, somewhat skeptically. "Anyway, snakes. I don't like them either," Mane admits, clearly not fond of them. She stares thoughtfully at the cave. "Wait a moment," she says, and then dismounts Kumayuru. She spreads a sheet on the ground and sits down. "What are you doing?" I ask as I watch her pull herbs and various equipment from her item bag. "I'm going to concoct something that repels snakes," she explains. "Can you really do that?" "Yes, by mixing some of the herbs we've found on our journey in the right proportions, I can create an effective repellent," she assures me. Combining herbs in a game is as simple as clicking "Combine," but reality is more complex. It involves precise ratios of herbs A and B, magical water, stirring times, and even temperature control. Mane adds crushed herbs into warmed magical water and stirs it. "How long until it's ready?" I ask. "It's done now," she replies. The transparent magical water has turned a bluish hue. "Sprinkle this on your legs, and the snakes should stay away," Mane explains. She sprinkles the mixture on her own shoes and around her feet, then applies it to Kumayuru and Kumakyuu's feet. Approaching me, she crouches down. "Looking closely, those are really bear feet," Mane observes as she sprinkles the liquid on my bear shoes. "Will this really keep the snakes away?" I ask. "The effect is proven. But remember, there's no absolute guarantee in this world. Some individual snakes might not be deterred, just like people have different preferences," Mane says. "That's true," I agree. "Still, most snakes tend to dislike it, so I doubt they'll wrap around your legs suddenly." Even if it's 80% or 90% effective, that's reassuring. My main concern is whether it actually sticks to my bear shoes. They're immune to rain and even muddy water. Though I can't see it, it's possible the liquid Mane applied might be getting repelled. But since I'll be riding Kumayuru and Kumakyuu, it should be fine as long as they've been treated. They get dirty from mud unlike my shoes, so the liquid should be effective on them. "Alright, let's go," Mane says, standing up and mounting Kumayuru. "Have you seen a snake before, Mane?" "Yes, and they're not the most pleasant creatures," she replies. I've never seen a snake, but I can understand the sentiment. "Smaller than a Black Viper, right?" I ask. "Don't compare them to those monsters," she retorts. So, the Black Viper is indeed a monster. "Seldom do you encounter beasts like that," she admits. It's rare, then. "Come to think of it, Black Viper materials were recently up for sale, weren't they?" Could that be…? "I participated in the auction and bought them. The cost was painful," she says. As I suspected… "What did you buy?" I inquire. "Besides the meat, I got the skin and a tooth. Rare materials, so there was competition for them." The price must have been bid up at the auction. "Do you use them for medicine?" I ask. "The skin is for magical tools. It's durable and resistant to magic, making it valuable for crafting heat-resistant tools." Indeed, the flames of my bear magic were repelled by it. That's why I had to throw the bear flames inside its body to defeat it. "What about the tooth?" "It has various uses. Some grind it down for weapons. I mainly grind it into powder for medicine," Mane explains. "It can be used in medicine?" "I can't disclose the specifics, but it's valuable." I'm curious but not keen on making it myself. Besides, it's surprising that materials from the Black Viper I defeated ended up with Mane. "By the way, how big are the snakes?" I ask. "You don't know?" "I haven't encountered them before." "They're about 2 to 5 meters in length, with varying thickness." Sounds like a large snake. "If they wrap around you, it's dangerous. They can crush your bones, leaving you immobile before consuming you, so be careful," she warns. Just imagining being encircled by snakes makes me shiver. If I had to choose between facing a swarm of snakes or a single Black Viper, I'd pick the Black Viper. A swarm is unsettling. It's scary when it's big, but easier to fight one large creature.