An active hunter from Hokkaido was thrown into another world - Chapter 73

Living Fossils – Chapters

Chapter 73   Wyvern

Saran and I walk to Kyrif’s mansion together.

Since the Elf kidnapping gang seems to have stopped, both Saran and I have stopped wearing hats to show our ears. Today is our day off, after all.

“It’s been a while. I’m glad we could meet again. Take your time and relax,” Kyrif says as he enters the salon.

Tea and sweets are already served. He always brings out such wonderful treats.

“Do you know about the outskirts of Topurus, the Natral Ranch in Shiratser?”

“Yes, I do. I’ve taken care of coyote extermination there and bought wool, and I’ve even received lambs as gifts.”

Kyrif nods in agreement.

“Well, Wyverns are appearing there. They’ve been attacking the sheep.”

“What exactly are Wyverns? I’m not that knowledgeable about monsters, surprisingly.”

“Um… Well, you see, I’m not really an expert on monsters, either.”

Kyrif takes out something like a monster guidebook from the bookshelf and opens a page to show me. It’s a print of a copperplate engraving. I guess that’s how illustrations are done in these guides.

“Here.”

…Isn’t that a Pteranodon?

I mean, I thought Wyverns were dragons with two wings that serve as limbs.

What kind of ecosystem is this? How come dinosaurs are still alive? This world is quite strange.

“Wingspan of 20 Naaru (18 meters). It can snatch sheep easily. Carnivorous and ferocious. Humans are not often attacked, but it’s not unheard of. It’s not very fast in flight. However, it can only attack when descending, as it soars at an incredible height. It lives in the hinterlands, but occasionally ventures near human settlements.”

Well, that’s terrifying. Historical Pteranodons had an 8-meter wingspan and weighed less than 20 kg, and they could only catch fish. They were rather unfortunate dinosaurs. They couldn’t perform powerful, dynamic movements like soaring powerfully and snatching away sheep. They were more like gliding along the coast on updrafts. They weren’t the ferocious creatures that could carry off sheep.

It’s the same with any creature that flies, they’re quite vulnerable.

They need to be lightweight. Otherwise, they’re ineffective and break easily.

Unlike in movies or games, they don’t seem like formidable foes that can just carry humans away.

However, guns don’t exist in this world, so basically, flying creatures are untouchable.

“Wingspan of 20 Naaru… That’s twice the size of the ones I know. So, in terms of volume, it’s eight times bigger due to cubic scaling. Raptors can lift something about their own weight, so around 160 kg of lifting power… Certainly enough to carry a sheep. The weight of a Wyvern would be around that range. Probably less than 200 kg.”

“Such peculiar calculations, Shin. And what kind of field of study is this? Why would Hunter Shin know about this?”

“Well, let’s just skip that part.”

Scratch, scratch, scratch, scratch.

Scratching my head.

Yes, considering the weight of the prey, my .308 Winchester might be sufficient. Unlike shooting down a flying target with a shotgun, which is quite challenging and usually ineffective, using a rifle might work better. If the creature is circling slowly like a vulture, there’s a chance I could hit it. And if it descends for a counterattack, it might even become an easier target to shoot.

“Alright, then we just need to hear from Faal-san.”

“Yeah, I was just asked to get in touch with you all.”

Pteranodons are Wyverns, huh?

This world is strangely realistic.

Well, if something like a Tyrannosaurus Rex shows up, that would be quite a problem.

Flipping through the pages…

Oh, they’re here.

It’s called a “Dino Dragon,” and it exists.

A Tyrannosaurus Rex.

Once defeated by a hero, or so the story goes.

This one is big too. About 15 Naaru in length. Around 13 meters, I suppose.

I hope I don’t end up having to confront one someday.

…Lyle Slime.

A copy of the report I wrote is tucked in here.

Good, the information is being properly shared.

Maybe I should contribute to enriching these kinds of resources next time.

“Shin, hey, look at this!”

I was nudged by Saran.

Oh right, I should definitely hear about this.

“We actually just celebrated our first wedding anniversary.”

“Well, congratulations. That’s enviable.”

Lord Kyrif is still in his teens. Marriage is probably far off for him.

“So, we decided to take a trip to celebrate, and that’s why we’re here. Do you happen to know of any hot springs or places like that?”

“Hmm, speaking of hot springs, the Sakutsu Hot Springs in the Mukurasu Mountain Valley are quite famous. It’s a popular resort and wellness destination. A tourist spot, you know. I haven’t been there myself…”

“Do you have a map with the location marked?”

Kyrif-san brings out a large leather-bound atlas.

It’s not something that’s normally shown to outsiders. Quite precious.

“If you head south towards Topurus, take care of the Wyverns, then continue south to the royal capital, turn west at the Edras Road, and pass through the mountains, you’ll reach the hot springs area. The road is well-maintained and there are even horse-drawn carriages available. It’s a safe journey.”

“Thank you.”

I borrow a pen and ink to transcribe the map onto paper.

I actually have a ballpoint pen, but using it here is out of the question, of course.

“I really want this… monster encyclopedia. Where can I buy one?”

“You can get it at the Central Library in the capital city. Having knowledge of these monsters to protect your territory is a customary practice among nobles. Even if you’re not a noble, I can write you a letter of introduction.”

Saying that, Kyrif-san swiftly writes a formal document.

“But a hot spring, huh? Sounds nice. Can I join you guys?”

“That’s fine, but just so you know, Saran and I will be all lovey-dovey the whole time. Are you still okay with that?”

“…Never mind. I think I’ll save that for my own honeymoon.”

“Do you have such a joyous occasion?”

“Not really. Honestly, that’s the least of my concerns.”

“Well, that’s a shame.”

Saying so, Kyrif-san still seems to be enjoying himself.

He presses the paper onto the ink pad, places it into an envelope, and seals it with wax.

It’s a letter of introduction from the Viscount’s household. With this, we shouldn’t be dismissed outright.

“Well, as a rural lord like me, there’s no talk of arranged marriages or political unions. I can charm the lovely girls of the town and fall in love freely. In that regard, I’m much happier than a count who’s had a fiancée chosen since childhood. Ahahaha.”

… Does Faal have a fiancée already?

Well, never mind that. I need to hurry up and rescue them, or Natral’s ranch will go out of business. I’ve got a rough idea of how to defeat them.

On that day, I didn’t take on any escort jobs and simply reserved a carriage like usual.

We’re departing tomorrow morning.

That day, in the inn, I set up an LED lamp and started sketching in my notebook.

I need to derive the equations from this diagram.

When it comes to firearms, the point of impact changes depending on whether you shoot horizontally or at an angle. This is because gravity affects the trajectory of the bullet.

It’s just a simple geometric problem, but it’s a bit of a hassle because you have to calculate it using the cosine function. Let’s start by calculating it at a 45-degree angle. It’s the reciprocal of the square root of 2, so it’s 0.7.

Now, when you shoot a gun horizontally, the bullet will drop and hit the ground below.

When fired at a velocity of 860 m/s, after 1 second, the bullet will have traveled 860 m, and due to the effects of gravity, it will impact 4.9 m lower than the starting point. To counteract this, the scope is adjusted, and the barrel is angled upward to hit 4.9 m above the target at a distance of 860 m. So, it rises initially, then falls along the slope to the point of impact. Without exception, the barrel is angled upward in relation to the sightline.

Now, let’s consider what happens when you aim straight up and fire.

The bullet should fall 4.9 m due to gravity, but it doesn’t, does it? It actually travels in the upward direction from the shooter’s perspective.

Therefore, when shooting directly upward, the impact will be 4.9 m above the intended target.

Let’s work out the calculations. The formula can be derived from the diagram as (1 – cos(angle)) times the amount of descent.

At a 45-degree angle, at a distance of 100 meters, it’s 4 cm above. At 90 degrees, it’s 12 cm above.

At a 45-degree angle, at a distance of 200 meters, it’s 11 cm above. At 90 degrees, it’s 37 cm above.

At a 45-degree angle, at a distance of 300 meters, it’s 23 cm above. At 90 degrees, it’s 78 cm above.

Compared to the intended point of aim, it hits this much higher.

Drawing an illustration of a Pteranodon on paper, assuming a wingspan of 20 meters, I’ll draw concentric circles from the center of its body. This represents the deviation from the intended point of aim. Let’s remember this rough estimate. I’ll affix this diagram to the stock of the Remington M700. It’s a simple ballistic adjustment.

The next thing is determining its flying speed. This can only be known by trying it out. Sometimes, when you see a bird flying really slowly, it seems like you could shoot it down even with a rifle.

Let’s hope for that kind of situation.

“What’s that?”

Saran looks at me with a curious expression from behind.

“Ballistic calculations.”

“Ballistic?”

“I’m calculating how bullets fly.”

“I see… But, Shin, you understand things that make no sense.”

Actually, having a computer would make this much easier.

You can easily create a ballistic table using a spreadsheet.

I wish I could afford a laptop.

Interestingly, I tried to buy a laptop once, but my Magic Bag didn’t respond at all. It seems like I’m bound by various restrictions from the home center.

“I feel so lonely being left alone, y’know―――!”

I’m suddenly embraced from behind by Saran and playfully squeezed.

“Sorry, sorry. It’s over now.”

“Alright, let’s get into the bath!”

Well, it’s a bathtub, though.

Let’s hope for a nice hot spring experience.