Semi-retired Adventurer Lives Leisurely

pierced the air as she grabbed her bow from her back.

 

I took one look at the Ape leading the pack, and realized that my worst case scenario just came true.

 

Henry: “UGHHHHH～!! I knew it!”

 

It was at least twice as big as the Demonic Apes around it.
It was the first time seeing one, but I’ve heard the rumors and read the reports that matched its description.

 

It held a metal pole made from its own Magic Power, and from its Corrupted Magic aura, it created more Demonic Apes .ーー one of the Highest-Tier Demonic Creatures.

Henry: “It’s a Hanuman! Everyone, be on guard!!”

 

As I spoke, I cast two [Strengthen] {Hazac} upon myself.
And with my full out spear throw, the battle began.

 

<<<<>>>>

 

[Kiiiiiiiiiーーーー!!]

 

My spear split into 14 clones, and screaming at a high pitch, the Hanuman swung its Nyoibo Staff to deflect them.

 

Some spears shot past it and struck the Demonic Apes behind it, but only one hit the Hanuman, and it only glanced it at that.

 

It responded to my attack as if it was expecting it…….it must have been that one Demonic Ape scout who reported back and told the Hanuman about it!

 

Henry: “UGH!! Everyone, I need you to take out the Demonic Apes! Leave the Hanuman to me!”

 

Jend: “You’re taking a Highest-Tier alone?! That’s too much even for you!!”

 

Henry: “Yeah, I’m going to be in a really tight spot, so as soon as you take care of the Demonic Apes, I need your support!”

 

I can only respond pitifully to Jend’s protest.

 

But right now, only I can face that.
Everyone is stronger, but it’s still way too soon to fight a Highest-Tier!

 

Henry: “Cyril! We’ll split them up first!”

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Cyril: “Understood!”

 

Cyril began singing her Spell incantation as soon as Teo shouted her warning, and she answered confidently to my command.

 

Cyril: “{Meteo-Flare}!”

 

With words of power, Cyril swung down her staff.

 

Hearing that, I began running at the same time.

 

[ーーーGiiiiii!!]

 

Henry: “Take that!!”

 

With the momentum pushing me forward, I lengthened the Nyoiten Spear to its maximum length and thrust it forward.
The Hanuman deflected it with its own staff, and also countered me with a similar weapon that can lengthen and shorten like mine.

 

I let the Nyoiten Spear go from my hand…….and with the ability to draw it back, and with some luck, I was able to block the Hanuman’s attack with the spear in a new position and held his staff for a moment.

 

…………then, Cyril’s balls of flame came crashing down around us.
The few Demonic Apes that tried to assist its master were all burnt to a crisp.

 

Jend: “You’ll have to deal with us first!”

 

Teo: “Mr.
Henry! Move towards your right!”

 

Jend’s shout gathers the rest of the pack’s attention, and Teo’s throws out a command.

 

Henry: “[Strengthen] {Hazac} + [Strengthen] {Hazac}!”

 

I cast two layers of Strength-enhancing Magecraft on my arms.
With the Strength-Enhancing Potions already at work, it felt like my arm was about to burst, but I ignored the pain.
I push against the Hanuman with my spear against its staff to try and move it to the right.

 

Henry: “UGH! UURRRGGHHH….!!”

 

But no matter how much I enhanced my strength, I wouldn’t be able to push a Highest-Tier with brute power.
Instead, the Hanuman pushed me back.

 

For a moment, I thought the Hanuman smiled at its small victory.

 

……..even so.

 

Henry: “There!”

 

[Kiiiーー?!]

 

I allow the Hanuman push as I guide the momentum and break its sense of balance.
The Hanuman hangs in the air helpless for a second, and I strike it as hard as I could to push it away.

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It rebounded two or three times on the ground, and as it stopped, I chased it down.
The Demonic Ape that was in the same direction took an arrow from Teo and was struggling for breath.

 

Jend came around to run past me, and we exchanged a quick glance as I kept running.

 

I stop right before the Hanuman.
Jend stopped the Demonic Apes from interfering, so this Hanuman has no more support.

 

We succeeded in splitting their group.

 

I was fortunate that this Hanuman hasn’t been around for that long.
An aged Hanuman would have staff skills that would easily exceed a human expert…….or so I heard.

 

So that was the first good news I picked up.
But……

 

Henry: “………a one on one with a Hanuman, huh.”

 

I feel a cold sweat bead down my face.
Being the leader of the Party, I can’t afford to panic because that would spread quickly across the team, so I tried to remain calm………..but I barely suppressed my hands from shaking with Death knocking at my door.

 

If I was doing this solo, I would make several layers of preparations, and then maybe……just maybe I would have about a 10%, 20% chance of winning………for me, that’s how difficult facing a Highest-Tier means.

 

It’s been a while facing such low oddsーーin fact, the last time the odds were this bad was when I faced Gilverte.

 

If it was just me, I could probably run away successfully, but that would be at the cost of abandoning everyone else.
The only other person that could run away would be Teo, and that’s still uncertain.

 

Cyril: “ーーJend, I’ll take care of the left! {Bright Flood}!!”

 

……well, not that I would ever do so in the first place.

 

Henry: “C’mon, you Apey bastard.
I’ll pummel you to the ground.”

 

To shake off the fear, I spit out taunts at the Hanuman………..and though it probably didn’t understand what I said, it clearly understood that I was mocking it, and waves of blood lust began pouring out of it.

 

We both grind our feet against the ground as we measure the distance between us….

 

Henry: “ーーC’MOOOOOOON!!!”

 

[Giiiiiiーーーー!!]

 

And my Nyoiten Spear and the Hanuman’s Nyoiten Staff collided once again.

 

<<<<>>>>

 

CHONKY TL LiT (Lost in Translation)

 

The story of Sun Wukong (Chinese) or Son Goku (Japanese) has been watered down in popularized Japanese fairy tales and mythology quite a bit, and it was quite shocking to read even a tad bit of the Indian lore of Hanuman.
I cannot speak to the historical development and evolution of the concept of “Son Goku” (孫悟空) other than that growing up in the 1990's, I read a few Japanese fairy tales and then was hit with Dragon Ball (the original).