I Became a Veteran Who Has to Stir Up Trouble to Survive - Chapter 37

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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[037] The Cococura Tribe’s Assault
Malton’s leadership shone brilliantly even amidst the chaos.
“Everyone gather in one place! Lash the rafts together, and have the warriors position themselves on the outside!”
“Yes, sir!!”
“Amphibious monsters generally possess low intelligence, so remain calm and composed! They can occasionally drag people from beneath the water, so don’t lean too close to the raft’s edges!”
“Understood!!”
The Guild Members hastily drew their weapons and prepared for battle.
Truly befitting a former high-ranking Adventurer—his command was masterful.
I had already begun preparations the moment the Cococura Tribe appeared.
“Catch this!”
Whoosh—! As I hurled the mooring rope to bind the rafts together, Radi, who had been sniping at the monsters’ heads with his crossbow, asked me a question.
“Doran, should I deploy the poison? I have a potent toxin in my pack that could be mixed into the water to temporarily prevent their approach.”
“No, that could provoke the other monsters. Save it for now… You keep your eyes sharp and provide support to anyone in danger. Be careful not to waste too many bolts—we might run short later.”
“Understood.”
Radi nodded and nimbly climbed atop the mast to survey the battlefield.
I examined the updated log window while shouldering the oar.
[Cococura Tribe]
｢A warrior collective composed of swordsmen, spearmen, and shield-bearers!｣
｢They wield rusted scrap metal as weapons, and the blades are encrusted with decaying fish entrails, bacteria, and pathogens. Exercise caution to avoid infection!｣
｢Their specialized webbed feet enable them to traverse water, and they occasionally emerge onto land to perform courtship dances on their hind legs.｣
‘Damn it… Nothing ever goes smoothly…’
The Cococura warriors were roughly level eighteen, but one must never underestimate aquatic humanoids at the water’s edge.
Standardized levels fail to account for environmental synergies, the peculiarities of aquatic combat, and the countless variables they introduce.
Above all, the most threatening aspect of the Cococura warriors was their sheer numbers.
—Cococura! Cokku!!
—Cococura croak!!
“Get out of here!!”
I brought the oar down hard on the skull of one approaching unguarded.
The corpse of the Cococura rose to the surface, scattering viscous brain matter.
‘Seeing it directly is far more repulsive… The stench is unbearable…’
The biological revulsion from witnessing an amphibian resembling a human walk upright on two legs was overwhelming.
Suppressing my nausea, I swung the oar, and the struck Cococura’s eyeball popped out, rolling across the log.
As I kicked the corpse aside to avoid slipping, the others leaped up like frogs.
I lowered my stance, pressed firmly against the ground, and swung the oar with tremendous force to intercept them.
With a dull thud, two creatures were sent flying.
One wasn’t fatally wounded and staggered to its feet, but when I struck it again, its head burst and it perished.
‘I couldn’t kill it in one blow. My strength still falls short…’
While the extended reach offered an advantage, wielding a long-shafted weapon inevitably demanded considerable strength.
—Cococura… Kuwaaak!!
“…Shut up!”
I drove the oar’s end into the creature’s maw, then drew my blade and severed its neck in one fluid motion.
Before the corpse even collapsed, another attacker lunged forward, but the moment it entered my strike zone, I swung without hesitation.
A barrage of spear thrusts followed in succession, but I deflected them with my blade and struck at vital points.
Kokokuran, pressing in from behind, hurled a fallen stake that pierced through an enemy’s chest.
‘The confined space on this raft is proving bothersome.’
But since I had already analyzed every aspect of Kokokuran’s attack patterns, I could manage even this.
A spear blade suddenly erupted from beneath the water’s surface, but anticipating their scheme, I stomped down on the rusted shaft and countered with a decisive slash.
The moment our eyes met, the shield-bearing Kokokuran hastily raised his guard, only to expose his lower half—which I cut clean through.
Excited swordsmen surged forward simultaneously, unleashing a flurry of attacks, but they staggered backward as bolts struck between their brows.
I drove my blade downward, piercing the final Kokokuran’s heart, and the log window updated.
｢You have successfully concluded the first wave of attacks from the Cococura Tribe!｣
｢You have repelled the monster wave without sustaining any damage! Your remarkable Achievement grants a permanent +1 to Charisma.｣
｢Your ally Malievertone has demonstrated extraordinary prowess, single-handedly dispatching half the horde!｣
｢Your ally Radi has rescued multiple Guild Members from mortal peril! Achieving an exceptional support Achievement grants her +1 to Insight!｣
｢Yet beware of intoxication by sweet fruit. The Cococura Tribe, having tasted bitter defeat, will pursue you with even greater forces.｣
｢The Cococura Tribe now recognizes you and Malton as the leaders of the horde! You have become their targets!｣
｢Claim your rewards. Cococura eggs are highly regarded among connoisseurs!｣
“So we’ve extinguished the immediate threat, at least….”
Fortunately, because Malton and I drew attention at the raft’s vanguard, no one suffered injuries.
But as I wiped the blood from my blade, an unexpected consequence emerged.
“W-wait, but I thought only Malton was that strong… these people are all incredibly skilled….”
“Could they be…?”
“The legendary trio?! The party that earned a fortune hunting golems?!”
As the Guild Members murmured while staring in our direction, Radi quietly descended from the mast and whispered to me.
“Doran, those people seem to suspect us. Perhaps we should fabricate some excuse….”
“…No.”
Since it had come to this….
“Shh, this is a secret from everyone else.”
“”…!””
I brought my index finger to my lips and winked with shameless charm, causing the Guild Members’ eyes to widen in astonishment.
｢The Guild Members have discerned your true identity!｣
｢The tale of three adventurers from the Acaia Guild earning a fortune in a single night is legendary! These individuals will now execute your commands with utmost enthusiasm!｣
｢All your stats increase by +2 until you part ways with the Guild Members!｣
‘This works out better, actually.’
To traverse this wetland, I would require the cooperation of many.
If I could command these people like extensions of myself, my survival rate would increase considerably.
By leveraging this elevated reputation strategically, I could govern them with ease.
As I sheathed my blade with deliberate flourish, a Guild Member approached and asked with exaggerated enthusiasm.
“H-hey, is there anything we can help with right now?!”
“First, carefully inspect the raft for any damaged sections. If we capsize out here on the water, it would be catastrophic.”
“Understood!!”
“What should we do after checking the raft?!”
“After that, each of you should inspect your weapons, and if your clothes are wet, change into dry ones so your body temperature doesn’t drop. We don’t know how many more battles like this we’ll face.”
I turned my attention to the log window while the Guild Members hurried to follow my instructions.
‘Since this was the first wave, the next one will arrive soon enough. And Cococura eggs… why is there nonsense written about them being highly regarded among gourmands?’
Still, they might prove useful later, so I’ll keep them for now.
After pulling the corpse of a Cococura that had been drifting around the raft closer with an oar and drawing my dagger, Radi looked at me with suspicion.
“What are you planning to do with that? Surely you’re not trying to harvest materials…?”
“Exactly. Do we have any spare containers?”
“We do have some spare glass bottles, but… are there any useful parts from this monster? Amphibians decompose quickly, and without hard scales, it doesn’t seem very promising.”
“It’s fine. See this?”
“Is that… eggs?”
When I flipped over the seaweed-like hair of the Cococura, clusters of crimson eggs became visible, densely packed near the roots.
[Cococura Eggs]
｢Certain creatures find these appealing!｣
As I scraped the salmon roe-like eggs into a glass bottle with my blade, the Adventurers asked with keen interest.
“Oh, so the eggs were hidden in such a place! Are they edible?”
“Edible? Well, technically they are consumable, but…”
“That works! Hey, let’s gather these quickly too!”
“Just collect them! There must be a reason for everything!”
The excited Guild Members scraped eggs from the Cococura corpses and gathered them.
‘Even if they collect that many, there’s probably no use for them…’
As I watched the scene with bewilderment, a Guild Member approached and bowed his head.
“Thank you for your help. If it had been just us, we surely would have suffered casualties. Thanks to you and your party, we were able to overcome this crisis safely.”
“It’s nothing. It’s only natural for fellow Guild Members to help each other. …Is there something else you wanted to say?”
“Yes, actually…”
The Guild Member spoke with a worried expression.
“During the battle just now, I saw several frogs conversing with each other before diving underwater to escape. I couldn’t understand their language, but the atmosphere felt somehow…”
“As if they were going to gather their allies and mount a counterattack?”
“How did you…?”
“The Cococura Tribe are persistent creatures. Just as you said, they’ll attack again before long. With far more troublesome numbers and tactics than before.”
“Then, shouldn’t we flee immediately?! We managed to survive this time, but if they swarm us with numbers we can’t handle…?”
“We’d be helpless fish food in the middle of the wetland.”
“Ugh…!”
“Don’t worry. If fighting on water is disadvantageous, we simply flip the board by moving to terrain that favors us, don’t we?”
Having decided to brave the danger and cross the wetland swiftly, I had already resolved myself for a final confrontation with the Cococura Tribe.
As I turned around with a meaningful smile, the eyes of the Guild Member watching me filled with shock.
The direction of his gaze.
A massive shadow emerged from behind me, parting the water mist and rippling into form.
｢You have discovered the Unknown Mangrove Island!｣
｢A place of remarkable flora and fauna with a pristine natural environment! The waterways are intricately interwoven, so exercise caution lest you lose your way within!｣
The vast Mangrove Forest, shrouded moments before in mist, revealed itself in all its majesty.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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