"Organic traps are harder to identify than the man-made tripwires you found in the castle area. You'd have been caught sooner or later."

What, is that supposed to boost my morale? I push myself upright. The ditch must be thrice my height and just as wide. I shake off as many nature-bits as possible and search the wall for places to grip.

"So... any trap that spawns in nature is 'organic', then?" I put away my weapons and start climbing. My SP drops as I ascend, so much that I pause halfway up to recover before clawing through the final stretch. "Seems... haah... simple enough."

"You're on the right track. Traps that monsters laid down are 'organic' too, though. Don't forget."

I emerge from the ditch like a zombie fresh out of the grave. "R-right," I wheeze. "Like spider webs or goblins' nets."

In a gesture of unexpected kindness, Antoine pulls me to my feet. He plucks a leaf from behind my ear and tosses it over his shoulder.

"Spider webs, goblins' nets... have you heard of「Caterpine」hatches?"

I adjust my clothes, re-equip my pistol and mace. "What's a 「Caterpine」hatch even look like?"

"Well..."

Antoine steps back. Then, slowly, his eyes angle skyward. He points a gloved finger above my head.

"Why don't you ask that 「Mother Caterpine」? After all, you broke her hatch."

...Oh.

Yikes.

I freeze in place, a rustling noise at my back. Its source casts a growing shadow while she descends, and a violent shiver rockets through my body. Bile rises in my chest when thick strands of sticky thread drop around my shoulders.

I don't dare turn around.

"She's right behind me, isn't she?"

"A hairsbreadth away."

"What are my chances of escaping?"

"Around negative ten."

Welp.

I take a deep, rattling breath. My fingers tighten 'round my mace, and then...

SMASH

I whirl around and shatter the plank on the 「Mother Caterpine」's staring face. Stars explode around her head and form a swirling halo.

「Mother Caterpine」is stunned!

「Mother Caterpine」's HP -4!

Well done, makeshift mace! I'll remember your sacrifice! I spring back, nail her between the eyes with a [Concentrated Strike], and follow up with several shots. Thanks to the [Stun] affliction, swaying is her only response.

「Mother Caterpine」's HP -4!

「Mother Caterpine」's HP -1!

「Mother Caterpine」's HP -1!

「Mother Caterpine」's HP -1!

My attacks somehow shake her dizziness away. The stars disappear from her head, and with a grating squeal, the 「Mother Caterpine」drops to the earth. The ground vibrates from the impact.

I see now why the 「Caterpines」in the castle bore the 'Small Lesser' prefix. This one's enormous! Taller than me, taller than Antoine, at least twelve feet long...

If it's anywhere near as fast as its spawn, I'll be trampled!

"How am I supposed to survive!?" I cast Antoine a panicked look while firing madly at the monster, who deflects every second bullet with a toss of her head. "Do I even have enough HP for this?"

"Observation IV."

Antoine's eyes narrow and defocus. When his mind returns, he replies with a damningly cheerful shrug.

"You're good at dodging, yeah?"

My eyelid spasms in disbelief. The first time he smiles in half an hour, and it's because I might die? If boredom makes you this cruel, I never want free time.

"Kuiiii!"

The 「Mother Caterpine」's squeal pierces the air, making birds scatter overhead. She paws the ground. Small clouds of dirt rise from her feet while her large eyes lock on me. I fire at them, one after another.

Ping! Ping!

"E-eh?" Each shot ricochets off a transparent eyelid and into the underbrush. Of course. Making her face the weak point would be much too easy.

Still, she shrieks in annoyance. The back fifth of her body arches forward, and... Oh. I've learned enough from the 「King Slime」 to recognize an impending ranged attack. The spine capping off her rear glints under the sun.

【Observation I】

MOTHER CATERPINE Lv. 2

HP: 14/25 | MP: ??? | SP: ???

An unevolved, mature 「Caterpine」devoted to protecting its offspring. These gentle giants are lovers, not fighters; they prefer to lay traps than hunt for prey, so they can spend more time tending their young. 「Mother Caterpines」 bred in captivity can spin [Caterpine Silk], a common ingredient in many [Crafting] recipes.

If this is what our world calls 'gentle', I can't wait to meet our hostiles. Good thing I managed to stun her: With her Health halved, I might escape oblivion yet.

"Kuii!"

The 「Mother Caterpine」 telegraphs her attack with a thrust of her tail and launches the barb my way. It whizzes past my ear.

CHHK--!

The projectile embeds itself in a nearby tree, and cold perspiration pours from my hairline. Ahaha... Splintering bark sure sounds brittle. I bet human bone sounds worse.

No time to hesitate. Get it together, me! I jump back and level my pistol with her backside, aiming for the point of a new, emergent barb.

【Concentrated Strike】