Shota's Isekai NTR Adventure Chapter 2005: Stragglers

Previously on Shota's Isekai NTR Adventure...

After cleaning up the traces of a recent skirmish, the group pressed on through the night along a secured route prepared by the royal guards, arriving at a pre-set camp without incident. Though the guards urged a swift return to the Kite Kingdom amid lingering threats from the Solar Kingdom, the protagonist insisted on lingering in hopes of finding aid for Dorothy's condition, having drawn no answers from the god's messengers encountered so far. Their debate was cut short by a sudden emergence of monsters from the roadside bushes—an unexpected random encounter despite recent suppressions—prompting the guards to engage while the protagonist observed, ultimately directing them to spare a few to track back to the nest and eliminate the threat for other travelers.

"You're not joining in the fight." Klein ensured I understood this clearly before allowing us to trail after the monsters.

I realized it was out of the question for me to participate in the battle, yet that wasn't something I desired in the first place. Agreeing to his rule of staying out of the fray during their clash with these creatures came easily to me.

To claim there wasn't a sliver of curiosity in me about pitting my power against these beasts would be dishonest, though goblins hardly sparked any thrill.

In the past, such goblins would have represented a massive danger to me, my followers, and my lands.

With the authority and might I've acquired, my viewpoint has truly shifted as time passed.

As we pursued the goblins, they led us to a cavern situated along the edge of a sheer drop. Oddly enough, this opening wasn't embedded within the cliff face but carved into a mound perched atop the precipice.

Given the abyss yawning behind it, picturing where this cavern might extend was challenging.

Still, venturing far inside wasn't necessary to spot the goblins clustered within.

Assembled here weren't solely goblins; various other beasts had congregated as well.

Moreover, it went beyond just a couple of monster varieties; a diverse array of creatures had amassed in this spot. A closer inspection revealed that these varied monsters weren't truly uniting.

In reality, they merely tolerated one another for mutual safeguarding, without any real concern for their neighbors.

The assorted monsters huddled in their own clusters, avoiding any interaction whatsoever.

"These must be the remnants of the monster wave." I remarked steadily while observing the creatures ahead of us.

Klein and his companions nodded, concurring with my assessment.

The evidence was plain to see, as certain monsters appeared utterly drained. Some even looked like they were mending, bandaged in injuries.

These beasts seemed to hail from distant regions, since many weren't native to the surrounding territories.

The majority originated from lands that ought to be remote from here.

Thus, their journey to reach this location must have been arduous and lengthy.

Compounding the difficulty, the racial alliance had dispatched forces to hunt down such monsters.

To prevent another disaster like the previous incident, we'd been deploying squads to curb these threats. For all of them to arrive here, the ordeal must have been grueling.

"What is it about this place that’s drawing them in?" I pondered aloud, gazing at the throng of monsters assembled there.

"We’re leaving." Klein declared in a resolute tone.

This didn't catch me off guard, considering the peril of lingering in this area.

His patience in allowing us this far already showed considerable restraint on his part.

The issue lay in him holding leverage over my vulnerability.

Should this reach Rose's ears upon our return, I'd undoubtedly face repercussions.

With a casual shrug and a nod, I replied, "Let’s go."

Forcing the matter held no benefit for me at all.

By now, the situation demanded a formal expeditionary team to handle them properly. Without such a force, losses among our ranks and fleeing monsters were inevitable.

Likewise, I had no intention of endangering Klein and the royal guards.

Thus, I accepted his proposal, and we readied ourselves to depart.

Yet prior to our exit, I added one directive: "Make sure that you keep a few people here to watch over this place."

Klein nodded as though he'd anticipated this precisely, and it aligned with his own intentions.

After all, predicting the actions of these unchecked monsters was impossible.

That necessitated stationing observers to relay any developments from this group.

However, just as we were set to withdraw, unrest erupted among the monsters. Something had abruptly agitated them into motion.

"Please move back." Klein instructed, unsheathing his blade in readiness for combat.

In response, I cautioned, "Don’t do anything rash. We’re the ones that will be in danger if we do anything now."

Though Klein acknowledged with a nod, his stance betrayed his willingness to intervene sacrificially if required.

Naturally, I would never permit such an outcome.

Despite our exchanges, their unwavering devotion and constant presence stemmed from a deep-seated reason.

Observing the monsters closely, we discerned that an emergence from the cavern's depths was provoking their disturbance.

By attuning my awareness to the cave, I sensed an peculiar aura emanating from within.

It resembled mana, yet carried echoes of another familiar essence...

"What is this thing?"

Klein shot me a puzzled glance at my murmur, but his astonishment deepened upon noticing the glow emanating from my hand.

This object had responded to the presence deep inside the cavern.