Ossan, escorting the youths.
Translator: OssanTL
Proofreader: Enkiros
As it turned out, Zeros and the others were not able to escort Zweit.
The escorts were assigned by drawing lots and he got a completely random group of people, leaving Zweit, the target of the assassination attempt, completely exposed, and having to leave everything to the excellent chickens.
The problem was that Wu Kei and the other three chickens tended to get overly excited about fighting.
They are fearless when it comes to seeking strong opponents and reaching new heights. Besides, they have a belligerent nature that will not allow them to hesitate to fight anyone who stands in their way.
On the contrary, there is a high probability that they will be so engrossed in the battle that they will forget about the escort, and yet they are the only ones Zeros can count on, which is troubling. He’s unsure whether they’re reliable or not.
“Well…… what can I say.”
Commonly, wild cuckoos are vicious yet weak monsters.
Wu Kei and the other chickens transformed into a completely different subspecies of monsters, but they look just like wild cuckoos. It was hard to imagine them agreeing with being called escorts.
Fortunately, they were known to be strong because they had annihilated bandits, but that didn’t mean they could be trusted. After all, they are monsters.
Even though they understand human language, most people would think of them similarly to pets like dogs or cats, and cannot brag about how good they are as escorts. Because they’re chickens……
The ossan went to Zweit with heavy steps.
“Shishou?”
Zweit noticed Zeros and came toward him a short distance away.
“Zweit-kun…… I have bad news.”
“So Shishou can’t escort me? That’s to be expected……”
“Thank you for understanding the situation so quickly. Instead…… I’ve asked the three chickens to escort you.”
“Ah-…… the chicken-looking monsters! How did they get so strong? I think they’re already different species……”
“Yes, they’re different species now, grappler cuckoo, slash cuckoo, and sniper cuckoo. Be careful, because if you’re fooled by their appearance, you’ll get hurt badly.”
“I’ve never heard of them!? They’re not subspecies, it’s a mutation, right?”
“But, they’re strong……. So strong that ordinary mercenaries can’t hold a candle to them……”
The cuckoos ahead of them were ready to kill.
They are always looking for the strong.
“They’re…… very feisty…”
“U ~ n. I guess they’re just waiting for the assassins to come. They are obsessed with defeating the strong and getting stronger-……”
“No, they’re battle junkies …… Seriously, I want to know what Shishou did.”
“It’s been like this since I met them. The person who raised them before was a level 200+ ex-mercenary.”
“…… What did that mercenary do? How can he raise such a monster? Before that, the cuckoos…… U ~ n.”
“I guess that’s the mystery. The other cuckoos were also subspecies, and there must have been a fierce battle for the eggs. The previous owner and them……”
Surely Wu Kei and the others are strong.
However, the sight of him walking around with three small cuckoos during combat training is not exactly something cool to look at.
In fact, it will be so funny that it will make you feel at ease.
“Zweit…… we’re going on a monster hunt with cuckoos? Wouldn’t everyone laugh at us?”
“Don’t tell me…… These chickens, they’re stronger than us, right?”
“But seriously, isn’t it kind of embarrassing? If Celestina-san saw me walking with a cuckoo……”
“She might say “Cute”. To the cuckoos, that is……”
“OK, I’ll accept it, Cuckoos are fine. If it makes her smile, I will even be the villain!”
Dio’s change was quick.
If Celestina was even slightly involved in the matter, he was ready to make an enemy of even God.
A man in love was reckless.
“Zweit-kun…… he can’t possibly be…….”
“You’re right, Shishou. He’s madly in love with Celestina……”
“What a reckless little daredevil he is…… Does he want to die?”
“I know, but he’s a…… ku…………”
“You’ve been having a hard time, too…… If he’s not careful, he’s going to die, no joke……”
“I tried to stop him… that is, repeatedly at different times……. But his feelings are real. There’s nothing I can do to stop my best friend……”
Zweit’s position was a difficult one.
As long as Dio continued to have feelings for Celestina, the obstacle would be the geezer Creston.
In the minds of the ossan and Zweit, all they could think of was the image of Dio being deliciously roasted whole, and Celestina shedding tears at her grandfather’s outrage.
Either way, it was obvious that the only outcome would be misery.
“Anyway, I’ll have Wu Kei and the others as escorts, but if it comes down to it then just use the……”
“I know. I wish it was just a needless worry, though, if possible……”
“There is no way to save an idiot…… I’m sure they’re going to come up with something at this time, and they probably have a grudge against DelSasis-dono.”
“Father…… seriously, what are you doing behind my back? You’re causing me a lot of trouble……”
“Hold on!”
When they turned around at the sudden voice, they saw two mercenaries glaring at Zeros.
They were probably Zweit’s escorts, but they looked like men in their twenties with a half-hearted air about them.
It was hard to believe that they would be able to serve as escorts.
“Why are you ignoring us and set your own escort!”
“You think those chickens are more useful than us? Haaa?”
“To be honest, you’re right. My three chickens are much stronger than you guys.”
“”What did you just say!?””
It can’t be helped because it is true.
“You gotta be kidding me! Where are these cuckoos!!”
“They’re right here, aren’t they?”
“I’m gonna kill you, old man!”
“Hey, don’t do that. You’ll just end up getting hit back, okay?”
“Shut up, you spoiled brats! All you need is us to protect you!”
Six eyes gleam as they look at the mercenaries who speak and act arrogantly.
――― Goki!! Besha! ! Guchaa! !
It was an instant kill.
The mercenaries licked the ground and groveled at the feet of the cuckoos.
“…… I don’t know if the cuckoos are too strong or the mercenaries are too weak……”
“Isn’t it both? You don’t have to be so sophisticated about it…”
“Hey…… what’s with these guys……. Th, They’re not cuckoos!”
“Mo…… monster……”
“Be careful what you say. They understand the human language, so if you’re not careful, you might end up disappearing without people knowing.”
The two mercenaries’ faces instantly turned pale, and they refused to defy Wu Kei and the others. In the world of mercenaries and monsters alike, strength is everything.
The two mercenaries, who were in high spirits, were baptized by the strong.
“It’s time to go, then, Wu Kei, Zan Kei, Sen Kei, I leave the rest to you, okay? Please, don’t get carried away with the fights……”
“””Koke~! (Leave it to us, Shifu!)”””
“Where will Shishou escort them to?”
“They are your juniors. Well, I suppose it’s good that the girls weren’t your escorts…… Zweit-kun, please be careful, okay?”
“I understand. I’m counting on you, Shishou and the others, more than an army of 10,000.”
“Please don’t flatter me up too much! I’m under a lot of pressure here……”
There was no point in being a guard if the target was no longer under your supervision.
However, as long as he participated as a mercenary, he had to abide by the decisions of the guild.
In a way, Iris and her friends were able to get to the target of their escort, but the ossan had bad luck with the lottery. It was a problem because they were escorting students from the academy who had nothing to do with them.
Then, the ossan made his way to the students assigned by the lottery.
◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
After the instructor’s long talk, the students were finally on their way to the site of the test.
Rahmuff forest is inhabited by many monsters and is used as a training ground for mercenaries and knights to gain experience.
Even though there are only weak monsters, this forest is actually a place where you can’t underestimate the weak and the strong.
Many people have been killed or injured in this forest, and sometimes they make big discoveries that make the world go crazy, similar to Far-Flung’s forest that has yet to be fully explored.
It’s a great place for mercenaries to make money because the monsters in this forest produce magic stones, which are different from the monsters in other areas, so mercenaries don’t really care about protecting the students.
These mercenaries have no qualms about abandoning the students when the danger arises.
The only ones who didn’t know that were the Academy students.
“”・・・・・・・・・・・””
The two men, Zeros and the quiet mercenary stare at each other in silence.
They don’t seem to know what to say to each other.
“Zeros.”
“…… Rhasus.”
” ・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・”
Honestly, it was hard for both of them.
“Men staring at each other is creepy. I don’t think I can count on mercenaries who can’t use magic, but at the very least, don’t drag me down.”
“”・・・・・・・・・””
“Are you listening to me? You lowborn bastards.”
“”・・・・・・・・・・・・・・””
“Hey, you!!”
One of the people that Zeros was escorting was from a noble family.
He was probably one year younger than Celestina. He was a cocky boy who had been spoiled and raised with expensive equipment.
However, judging from what he saw, the youth wasn’t very good, and his cocky tone was a sign of naivety, so Zeros and Rhasus didn’t pay attention to him.
“I’m asking if you’re listening to me! You all think I’m an idiot!!”
“・・・・・・ I have no interest in weak brats.”
“What can a little boy with nothing but magic do? To be honest, I can only picture you fighting desperately against goblins, have you any battlefield experience? If you don’t have any experience on the battlefield, don’t say anything unnecessary~.”
“You all know who I am!”
“”・・・・・・ not at all””
Although irritated by the answer, the noble boy manages to control his emotions with self-restraint and takes a deep breath to calm his mind.
After he managed to calm down, he stroked his hair in a uselessly pompous gesture, and the boy opened his mouth while trying to be cool.
“If you don’t know, I’ll tell you. I’m Count Pantysky’s eldest son, and my name is Cabruno Casilla Pantysky. Well? Did I scare you?”
“Bufu~!!””
The ossan and Rashus gushed.
Not just because his name was funny, but also because his name sounded terrible.
‘・・・・・・ Do you like panties?‘
‘I wonder if he wears them, does he like panties? Whatever.…..’
In their minds, a rude interpretation of Cabruno’s name emerges.
“”You’re not kidding, right?””
“What are you talking about……? You guys didn’t weirdly interpret my name, did you?”
”・・・・・・・ Seriously?’
They retorted in their minds but the youth seemed to have a sharp intuition.
His face gradually turned red with anger, and he looked as if he was about to shoot a spell. He must have been told the same thing over and over again in his daily life.
“Now, let’s go. The main focus this time seems to be on their training～.”
“・・・・・・ Yes. I don’t have time to deal with the little boy.”
“Li, Little boy!! I am……”
However, the ossan didn’t care and kept walking towards the forest. Rhasus did the same.
He was about to reach the limit of his anger at being ignored, but he couldn’t afford to be late as he and the other students began to move on, so he quickly joined his friends.
“Just watch…… I will make you pay for this humiliation……”
“Ca, Cabruno-kun…… I think you should stop. There’s just something about those two that’s not normal by the looks of it.”
“Say Cabruno-sama! Those mercenaries, with your father’s authority, you can do whatever you want……”
“You’re just a little boy because you put your trust in your parents’ authority instead of your own. If you don’t like it, show them that you are strong enough to survive on your own. After all, this is a world of the weak and the strong.”
“Shut up, you black bastard! You are nothing to my father……”
“There’s nothing you can do about it. I know some people, and I think your father is more in danger-……
Even if I don’t do anything about it, those people? They’re working in ways I don’t even know about……”
The House of the Duke of Solisthea is willing to take advantage of Zeros, though they have no hostile intentions towards him, and they will only approach him after they have prepared a suitable reward and preparation. Duke DelSasis, in particular, does not hide his intention to use him.
On the contrary, after showing his intention to do so, he will offer to negotiate for the ossan’s benefit as well.
The ossan needs to have connections as well so that they can be of use to each other, but at the same time, they don’t go into anything else and offer to talk business when they deem it necessary.
Well, the old man thinks that the value is in the [Solistea Firm], so the authority of the Duke of Solisthea is unimportant.
“Some people? No one is beyond the reach of my father! And even if there were, who would they be?”
“And why would I need to tell you that? What authority do you think a mere inexperienced student has?”
“Shut up, I’m a noble!!”
“So, what? Just because you were born into a noble family, you don’t have any responsibilities or authority, do you? There’s no need for me to answer your question. You need to think a little bit more before you say or do something…… Or you’re gonna die someday, okay?”
“！？”
The last word contained a cold hint of cruelty that was somewhat chilling.
Cabruno, who had a keen intuition, felt a cold sweat run down his spine.
It was the first time in his life that he had felt a murderous intent.
“・・・・・・・ Isn’t that too much?”
“It’s good that you have sharp intuition. If you don’t work on those qualities a bit, you could end up dead in here. I think you need to be cautious.”
・・・・・・ Agreed. But it won’t be that easy.
“It’s okay. If you are even a little sensitive to the killing intent……. I don’t like seeing young people die.”
“・・・・・・・・・・”
Rhasus does not answer, because he agrees with him.
Zeros and the rest of the party were making their way, little by little, deeper into the forest.
Cabruno was leading the way, but he didn’t have any particular destination or plan in mind, so he just kept walking.
From time to time, they would hear bursts of magic or sword fights, but for some reason, they never came across any monsters.
Time passed by as they continued walking.
“Damn it! There’s not a single monster here.”
“That’s right ～……. This won’t help with the training.”
“I don’t have enough credits. At least I have to defeat an Orc……”
“You’re not strong enough, and you can’t have a strong monster all of a sudden.”
Without encountering any monsters, the Academy’s students become less and less cautious.
It is only at such times that monsters appear.
“It’s the monster you’ve been waiting for, isn’t it? It’s not an orc, it’s an ogre.”
“”””Impossible————–!””””
“The Lesser Ogre, to be exact.”
[Lesser Ogre] is smaller than an ogre, but still stronger than an orc or a goblin. It is not a monster that can be defeated by academy students.
It is a humanoid with well-developed muscles and limbs, but its appearance is similar to that of an ape. It is tougher than an orc, with superior physical strength rather than instantaneous power. Its skin is hard and strong enough that it cannot be scratched by the magic of inexperienced mages, and it was commonly used as a material for armor by mercenaries and other professions.
If it is an [Ogre], its skin material is five times more expensive, and its gall is also expensive as medicine.
Well, the gall of the Lesser Ogre is also used as a potion, but it is a degraded species and not very effective. Still, it was a valuable material for the alchemists who made magic potions.
“You’re not going to defeat it? The monster you’ve been waiting for?”
“I can’t fight that thing! It’s an ogre!”
“We, We have to run……”
“We can’t win.――――!”
Sighing at the teary-eyed boys, the ossan turns his attention to the Lesser Ogre.
“There are 3, can I leave one of them to you?”
“…… And the other two?”
“Let me take care of it. Now, let’s get to work……”
Zeros pulled out the combat knife at his waist and smiled wryly at his prey.
Rhasus also readied his battle-ax and started running towards the Lesser Ogre.
“Goaaaaaaaah!”
“Hmph!”
The Lesser Ogre raises his club and throws it at Rhasus, swinging it down with all his might at him as he comes at him.
When he catches the club with his battle-ax, Rhasus forcefully pushes the Lesser Ogre back and strikes a sharp blow with his battle-ax the moment the club bounces up with all his might.
His ability to handle heavy weapons with ease was amazing, but so was his skill to strike a blow to a vital spot in an instant. Rhasus was no ordinary mercenary.
Zeros also ran towards the Lesser Ogre and slipped past it like the wind was blowing through, slashing its neck and killing one of them in the process.
The third Lesser Ogre swung his club at Zeros, but the club slipped through as Zeros faded, and before it knew it, it was behind him, plunging combat knives into his neck from both sides.
“A, Amazing……”
“Those two …… are amazingly talented people. Coo――――――l!”
“Cabruno-kun…… It seems like you’ve been picking fights with some awesome people, huh?”
“Wait, that’s crazy! I don’t care about that unfriendly mercenary, the black guy is a mage! So why doesn’t he use magic?”
“””Of course it’s because he’s so strong that he doesn’t need to use magic.”””
Strength can be something to aspire to.
They easily defeated the Lesser Ogre, giving the boys a yearning to become stronger, and for a brief moment, their path fascinated the still young minds of the boys.
A single moment can change the course of a life, making Zeros and the other mercenary leave a vivid impression on the boys of their longing for strength, which eventually leads them to aspire to be strong themselves.
The old man and Rhasus began to dismantle the Lesser Ogre without regard for the boys’ feelings.
“The only thing we can use is the gall and the skin! This monster……”
“・・・・・・・ meat, it’s useless.”
“Shall we use this to cramp some goblins? After all, the purpose is to train the boys.”
“・・・・・・ sounds reasonable. What about the location?”
“Around here is good, isn’t it? If we stay hidden, we might find some hungry goblins or forest wolves, which would be a good experience for the young boys.”
“・・・・・・・・ I see. I’ll go with that then.”
The ossan gathers up the unused meat of the Lesser Ogre, piles it up in one place and leaves it there, then uses [Gaia Control] in a nearby open area to gather soil from the ground and then creates a pillbox.
(*https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pillbox_(military))
He carefully wrapped the pillbox in the grass to camouflage it and make it invisible to the monsters.
Hiding in the pillbox, they let the boys attack and try to level up. Above all, the boys were mages, so there was no way they could fight in close quarters. It seemed like a safe strategy.
“Amazing …… You use magic to create a place to hide, right?”
“Magic can do this and that. The teachers didn’t tell us that this was possible. ……”
“You’re a first-rate mage, aren’t you?”
“Gununununu……”
Except for one of them, the boys were surprised by the ossan’s magic control.
The techniques taught at the academy are mostly for battles, but not for setting up bases like this. Dirt barriers are also not designed to use the ground at all, as they are formed by collecting dust with magic power, which collapses into the sand in a short time.
In addition, the same is true for earth-based magic such as [Rock Lance], which does not try to utilize what is already there, but forms it from dust, so if the magic power dissipates, the rock lance formed will disappear immediately.
However, Zeros’ magic is different. By using the soil of the existing ground, he can quickly build earthen walls and rock spears, etc., with little magic power consumption, and he has transformed his magic to have some strength with excess magic power.
This allows him to manipulate and bring about various effects with a small amount of magic power consumption, and even if the magic power dissipates, the formed object will not disappear. The boys were shocked by this magic and began to discuss what kind of magic it was.
“Why doesn’t it fall apart? You made it with magic, didn’t you?”
“You’re supposed to use a lot of magic when you do this, and since you’re an adult, I know you have a lot of magic, but you don’t seem tired.”
“Could it be that you’ve improved the magic formula? But it’s a difficult task that even the teachers at the academy struggle with, isn’t it?”
“Unununu…… I refuse. I refuse to acknowledge it!”
Cabruno-kun still refuses to acknowledge his abilities.
“So, let’s hide here and wait for the monsters to come. In any case, I don’t think you guys are capable of close combat. We’ll take a rest and ambush to conserve our strength.”
“I’m the leader of this group! Do as I say!”
“I think that being arrogant and dictatorial is unbecoming of a nobleman. If you don’t listen to other people’s opinions and force things forward, you will receive a terrible punishment. This is not a place where you can safely live anymore.
You should be aware of that. If you’re not careful, you’ll end up like that too……”
As the ossan puffed on his cigarette and pointed, an omnivorous bird scavenging the corpse of the Lesser Ogre pecked at the carcass. The world of the weak and the strong is ruthless, and once you die, you become nothing but meat to be eaten. Perhaps they imagined this image in their own forms, but the boys’ faces grew pale as they watched.
But some did not listen to others.
“Don’t lump me in with these guys! I’ve been trained as a gifted student by a talented teacher, and I’m not going to be killed by some monster!”
“・・・・・・・ If you can’t figure out what you’re capable of, you’ll just die. And if you want to die, then die alone.”
“I wonder where they get their confidence from. A teacher’s education is only for reference, but you’re the type of person who will die first if you underestimate nature. If you don’t get rid of your pride while you’re in the forest, you’ll die for real.”
“・・・・・・ Isn’t that another good thing? Better to not be a burden.”
“When he dies, I’ll report that ‘He was very selfish and didn’t listen to others’. I can also add, ‘How did the parents educate their children?’. We’re not responsible for anything.”
In other words, He said, ‘It’s not our fault that he died ignoring the opinion of his guards, is it?’
The mercenaries guarding the students are tasked with protecting them, but they bear no responsibility for their deaths if they act on their own. Even if Cabruno went rogue here and died, it was all his own fault.
If they underestimated the field training and died because of it, it would not be the fault of the academy, mercenaries, or mercenary guild.
“Do you understand? Our job is to protect the students, but we don’t take any responsibility for those who go out of their way to put themselves in danger.
First of all, aren’t nobles supposed to be more thoughtful in their actions? Your actions could cost many people their lives. Is your life worth that much?”
“Of course! I’m a noble, and I am the one holding the fate of those…… Hi~!?”
Cabruno could not continue.
He could not continue, because all eyes were focused on him, and all of them were filled with contempt.
“That’s hubris…… The title of nobility has no influence here. The only thing that matters is whether you live or die. You should also remember that if you are dragging your friends down we might as well just leave you behind……”
“I, I can’t believe you’re abandoning me!”
“I’m just saying I will if I have to, okay? You should know that depending on your actions, you could be left behind. This is especially true on the battlefield.”
In a real battle like this, the uncooperative are the first to drop out.
On the battlefield, this kind of arrogance and ego is resented, and in some cases, allies will attack you from behind and eliminate you.
It would be different if they had more experience and were better fighters, but inexperienced people with no combat experience are just a hindrance.
Of course, in an emergency, the chances of being abandoned are even higher.
“Ugh……”
“…… Sir Zeros ……they’re here.”
“Oh? There they are. Goblins, you guys better get ready.”
“””Yes, sir!”””
The goblins are omnivorous.
It eats whatever it can and searches for prey to satisfy its hunger.
They are weak, but their numbers are large and their fertility is high. However, this is only in this forest, and in fact, they vary greatly in strength. In the Far-Flung Forest, many goblins organized themselves into armies, and in some places, they were monsters that required extra caution.
“I’ve…… never fought a monster before……”
“I’ve tried to attack one goblin in the academy, but I’ve never actually hunted one before.”
“But there’s no part of a goblin that…… can be used as material, right?”
“Hahahaha, yeah? It’s nothing to brag about when you’ve killed a goblin. That’s why you should go for the big one……”
“・・・・・・ reckless.”
“It’s okay to die from overconfidence in your own power, but I don’t think it’s a good idea to involve others in your death! I’m sure you’ve seen the difference in power between different races, even at the same rank level. Do you really want to be eaten by that big monster? Are you suicidal?”
Although he says he is stronger than the other boys, the difference is not so great. He can buy [Magic Scrolls] and use stronger magic than other classmates, but the more powerful the magic is, the more magic power is consumed.
The worst that can happen is that you use a spell that doesn’t fit with your strength, you run out of magic power and collapse, and then you’re targeted intensively by monsters without much effect. It is common knowledge that even powerful magic is less powerful if the mage’s level is low.
“Ten of them, that’s a good number. Now, [Intelligence Boost].”
[Intelligence Boost] is a supportive type of spell that temporarily increases the effectiveness of magic.
It is possible to increase the power of a spell by adding magic power to the spell cast by the mage from the outside, but it is only effective until the magic power granted is over.
The effect of the [Intelligence Boost] on the magic power of the granted mage will generally increase the power by almost double. But in the case of the ossan, it’s a different story. The effect of the magic power granted by him is too high, so the effect of his spell is too strong. In other words, ……
――― Dogo~o ――――――――――― n! !
Even a simple spell with a small amount of magic power can be transformed into a powerful spell.
One of the boys shot off a simple [Fireball], but the fireball that was released enveloped the two goblins, turning them into lifeless corpses.
It’s the same thing he did to Celestina before, but the [Intelligence Boost] was not as powerful.
“””E~e ―――――――――――― ~! ?”””
The boys’ magic was so powerful that it was no wonder they were surprised.
“There’s no time to be surprised, okay? The goblins have noticed the presence of the enemy. I’m sure they’ll be attacking us soon. We’d better intercept them one by one, don’t you think? While the magic effect is still in effect……”
“Yeah, yeah! Frozen Debris, destroy the enemies. …… Go, [Ice Blitz]!”
“Me too. …… Well, Stone Rubble, blast through the enemies… [Stone Blitz]!”
“Well then, Blades of Wind, cut through the enemies…… [Air Cutter]!”
The boys unleashed their basic spell from inside the pillbox. The power of the spells had been increased by the magic effects they had been given, and they were powerful enough to kill an attacking goblin with a single blow.
The goblin was knocked down and crumbled to the ground, but there were still goblins and no time to relax. They chanted their magic again and continued to attack.
“Wait, if a basic spell can be so powerful, then why not cast a spell on me!”
“You’ve got at least some intermediate spells under your belt, don’t you? If so, do you have any idea how much damage an amplified magic can do? Elementary magic can be that powerful, you know?”
“Ugh……”
“If you are a mage, you have to be familiar with the efficacy of the spells and then instantly choose which spell to use. Furthermore, intermediate magic is slower than basic magic because of the longer chanting. While you’re using magic, the goblins will get here, okay?”
At first, he thought he could show off his magic, which was stronger than the other boys around him.
However, the black mage in front of him ruined his plan, and he turned to the side where he was shown the powerful effects of a simple yet powerful magic.
He had been going in the wrong direction of education for the gifted, and he hated this black-robed mage.
“・・・・・・ One of them’s gonna run away?”
“It is troublesome if it called its friends…… [Fire].”
The old man’s carelessly shot [Fire] wrapped the goblin as it was and turned it into charcoal instantly. Seeing the shocking scene in front of their eyes, the boys were speechless.
[Fire] is a basic spell, but it is not powerful enough to turn a goblin into charcoal. The fact that this is possible means that there is a huge difference in the level of mages.
“Well, now that everything’s taken care of, let’s wait until you recover your magic power.”
“・・・・・・・・ It’s a boring job.”
“Shall we make some tea? I’ve brought my own tea utensils.”
“・・・・・ Let’s.”
Next to the stunned boys, the old man began to prepare tea and boil water in a pot. It was a very relaxing scene.
The field training for students of Istor Magic Academy began with a series of surprises, at least for some of the boys.
Ossan, escorting the youths.
Translator: OssanTL
Proofreader: Enkiros
As it turned out, Zeros and the others were not able to escort Zweit.
The escorts were assigned by drawing lots and he got a completely random group of people, leaving Zweit, the target of the assassination attempt, completely exposed, and having to leave everything to the excellent chickens.
The problem was that Wu Kei and the other three chickens tended to get overly excited about fighting.
They are fearless when it comes to seeking strong opponents and reaching new heights. Besides, they have a belligerent nature that will not allow them to hesitate to fight anyone who stands in their way.
On the contrary, there is a high probability that they will be so engrossed in the battle that they will forget about the escort, and yet they are the only ones Zeros can count on, which is troubling. He’s unsure whether they’re reliable or not.
“Well…… what can I say.”
Commonly, wild cuckoos are vicious yet weak monsters.
Wu Kei and the other chickens transformed into a completely different subspecies of monsters, but they look just like wild cuckoos. It was hard to imagine them agreeing with being called escorts.
Fortunately, they were known to be strong because they had annihilated bandits, but that didn’t mean they could be trusted. After all, they are monsters.
Even though they understand human language, most people would think of them similarly to pets like dogs or cats, and cannot brag about how good they are as escorts. Because they’re chickens……
The ossan went to Zweit with heavy steps.
“Shishou?”
Zweit noticed Zeros and came toward him a short distance away.
“Zweit-kun…… I have bad news.”
“So Shishou can’t escort me? That’s to be expected……”
“Thank you for understanding the situation so quickly. Instead…… I’ve asked the three chickens to escort you.”
“Ah-…… the chicken-looking monsters! How did they get so strong? I think they’re already different species……”
“Yes, they’re different species now, grappler cuckoo, slash cuckoo, and sniper cuckoo. Be careful, because if you’re fooled by their appearance, you’ll get hurt badly.”
“I’ve never heard of them!? They’re not subspecies, it’s a mutation, right?”
“But, they’re strong……. So strong that ordinary mercenaries can’t hold a candle to them……”
The cuckoos ahead of them were ready to kill.
They are always looking for the strong.
“They’re…… very feisty…”
“U ~ n. I guess they’re just waiting for the assassins to come. They are obsessed with defeating the strong and getting stronger-……”
“No, they’re battle junkies …… Seriously, I want to know what Shishou did.”
“It’s been like this since I met them. The person who raised them before was a level 200+ ex-mercenary.”
“…… What did that mercenary do? How can he raise such a monster? Before that, the cuckoos…… U ~ n.”
“I guess that’s the mystery. The other cuckoos were also subspecies, and there must have been a fierce battle for the eggs. The previous owner and them……”
Surely Wu Kei and the others are strong.
However, the sight of him walking around with three small cuckoos during combat training is not exactly something cool to look at.
In fact, it will be so funny that it will make you feel at ease.
“Zweit…… we’re going on a monster hunt with cuckoos? Wouldn’t everyone laugh at us?”
“Don’t tell me…… These chickens, they’re stronger than us, right?”
“But seriously, isn’t it kind of embarrassing? If Celestina-san saw me walking with a cuckoo……”
“She might say “Cute”. To the cuckoos, that is……”
“OK, I’ll accept it, Cuckoos are fine. If it makes her smile, I will even be the villain!”
Dio’s change was quick.
If Celestina was even slightly involved in the matter, he was ready to make an enemy of even God.
A man in love was reckless.
“Zweit-kun…… he can’t possibly be…….”
“You’re right, Shishou. He’s madly in love with Celestina……”
“What a reckless little daredevil he is…… Does he want to die?”
“I know, but he’s a…… ku…………”
“You’ve been having a hard time, too…… If he’s not careful, he’s going to die, no joke……”
“I tried to stop him… that is, repeatedly at different times……. But his feelings are real. There’s nothing I can do to stop my best friend……”
Zweit’s position was a difficult one.
As long as Dio continued to have feelings for Celestina, the obstacle would be the geezer Creston.
In the minds of the ossan and Zweit, all they could think of was the image of Dio being deliciously roasted whole, and Celestina shedding tears at her grandfather’s outrage.
Either way, it was obvious that the only outcome would be misery.
“Anyway, I’ll have Wu Kei and the others as escorts, but if it comes down to it then just use the……”
“I know. I wish it was just a needless worry, though, if possible……”
“There is no way to save an idiot…… I’m sure they’re going to come up with something at this time, and they probably have a grudge against DelSasis-dono.”
“Father…… seriously, what are you doing behind my back? You’re causing me a lot of trouble……”
“Hold on!”
When they turned around at the sudden voice, they saw two mercenaries glaring at Zeros.
They were probably Zweit’s escorts, but they looked like men in their twenties with a half-hearted air about them.
It was hard to believe that they would be able to serve as escorts.
“Why are you ignoring us and set your own escort!”
“You think those chickens are more useful than us? Haaa?”
“To be honest, you’re right. My three chickens are much stronger than you guys.”
“”What did you just say!?””
It can’t be helped because it is true.
“You gotta be kidding me! Where are these cuckoos!!”
“They’re right here, aren’t they?”
“I’m gonna kill you, old man!”
“Hey, don’t do that. You’ll just end up getting hit back, okay?”
“Shut up, you spoiled brats! All you need is us to protect you!”
Six eyes gleam as they look at the mercenaries who speak and act arrogantly.
――― Goki!! Besha! ! Guchaa! !
It was an instant kill.
The mercenaries licked the ground and groveled at the feet of the cuckoos.
“…… I don’t know if the cuckoos are too strong or the mercenaries are too weak……”
“Isn’t it both? You don’t have to be so sophisticated about it…”
“Hey…… what’s with these guys……. Th, They’re not cuckoos!”
“Mo…… monster……”
“Be careful what you say. They understand the human language, so if you’re not careful, you might end up disappearing without people knowing.”
The two mercenaries’ faces instantly turned pale, and they refused to defy Wu Kei and the others. In the world of mercenaries and monsters alike, strength is everything.
The two mercenaries, who were in high spirits, were baptized by the strong.
“It’s time to go, then, Wu Kei, Zan Kei, Sen Kei, I leave the rest to you, okay? Please, don’t get carried away with the fights……”
“””Koke~! (Leave it to us, Shifu!)”””
“Where will Shishou escort them to?”
“They are your juniors. Well, I suppose it’s good that the girls weren’t your escorts…… Zweit-kun, please be careful, okay?”
“I understand. I’m counting on you, Shishou and the others, more than an army of 10,000.”
“Please don’t flatter me up too much! I’m under a lot of pressure here……”
There was no point in being a guard if the target was no longer under your supervision.
However, as long as he participated as a mercenary, he had to abide by the decisions of the guild.
In a way, Iris and her friends were able to get to the target of their escort, but the ossan had bad luck with the lottery. It was a problem because they were escorting students from the academy who had nothing to do with them.
Then, the ossan made his way to the students assigned by the lottery.
◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
After the instructor’s long talk, the students were finally on their way to the site of the test.
Rahmuff forest is inhabited by many monsters and is used as a training ground for mercenaries and knights to gain experience.
Even though there are only weak monsters, this forest is actually a place where you can’t underestimate the weak and the strong.
Many people have been killed or injured in this forest, and sometimes they make big discoveries that make the world go crazy, similar to Far-Flung’s forest that has yet to be fully explored.
It’s a great place for mercenaries to make money because the monsters in this forest produce magic stones, which are different from the monsters in other areas, so mercenaries don’t really care about protecting the students.
These mercenaries have no qualms about abandoning the students when the danger arises.
The only ones who didn’t know that were the Academy students.
“”・・・・・・・・・・・””
The two men, Zeros and the quiet mercenary stare at each other in silence.
They don’t seem to know what to say to each other.
“Zeros.”
“…… Rhasus.”
” ・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・”
Honestly, it was hard for both of them.
“Men staring at each other is creepy. I don’t think I can count on mercenaries who can’t use magic, but at the very least, don’t drag me down.”
“”・・・・・・・・・””
“Are you listening to me? You lowborn bastards.”
“”・・・・・・・・・・・・・・””
“Hey, you!!”
One of the people that Zeros was escorting was from a noble family.
He was probably one year younger than Celestina. He was a cocky boy who had been spoiled and raised with expensive equipment.
However, judging from what he saw, the youth wasn’t very good, and his cocky tone was a sign of naivety, so Zeros and Rhasus didn’t pay attention to him.
“I’m asking if you’re listening to me! You all think I’m an idiot!!”
“・・・・・・ I have no interest in weak brats.”
“What can a little boy with nothing but magic do? To be honest, I can only picture you fighting desperately against goblins, have you any battlefield experience? If you don’t have any experience on the battlefield, don’t say anything unnecessary~.”
“You all know who I am!”
“”・・・・・・ not at all””
Although irritated by the answer, the noble boy manages to control his emotions with self-restraint and takes a deep breath to calm his mind.
After he managed to calm down, he stroked his hair in a uselessly pompous gesture, and the boy opened his mouth while trying to be cool.
“If you don’t know, I’ll tell you. I’m Count Pantysky’s eldest son, and my name is Cabruno Casilla Pantysky. Well? Did I scare you?”
“Bufu~!!””
The ossan and Rashus gushed.
Not just because his name was funny, but also because his name sounded terrible.
‘・・・・・・ Do you like panties?‘
‘I wonder if he wears them, does he like panties? Whatever.…..’
In their minds, a rude interpretation of Cabruno’s name emerges.
“”You’re not kidding, right?””
“What are you talking about……? You guys didn’t weirdly interpret my name, did you?”
”・・・・・・・ Seriously?’
They retorted in their minds but the youth seemed to have a sharp intuition.
His face gradually turned red with anger, and he looked as if he was about to shoot a spell. He must have been told the same thing over and over again in his daily life.
“Now, let’s go. The main focus this time seems to be on their training～.”
“・・・・・・ Yes. I don’t have time to deal with the little boy.”
“Li, Little boy!! I am……”
However, the ossan didn’t care and kept walking towards the forest. Rhasus did the same.
He was about to reach the limit of his anger at being ignored, but he couldn’t afford to be late as he and the other students began to move on, so he quickly joined his friends.
“Just watch…… I will make you pay for this humiliation……”
“Ca, Cabruno-kun…… I think you should stop. There’s just something about those two that’s not normal by the looks of it.”
“Say Cabruno-sama! Those mercenaries, with your father’s authority, you can do whatever you want……”
“You’re just a little boy because you put your trust in your parents’ authority instead of your own. If you don’t like it, show them that you are strong enough to survive on your own. After all, this is a world of the weak and the strong.”
“Shut up, you black bastard! You are nothing to my father……”
“There’s nothing you can do about it. I know some people, and I think your father is more in danger-……
Even if I don’t do anything about it, those people? They’re working in ways I don’t even know about……”
The House of the Duke of Solisthea is willing to take advantage of Zeros, though they have no hostile intentions towards him, and they will only approach him after they have prepared a suitable reward and preparation. Duke DelSasis, in particular, does not hide his intention to use him.
On the contrary, after showing his intention to do so, he will offer to negotiate for the ossan’s benefit as well.
The ossan needs to have connections as well so that they can be of use to each other, but at the same time, they don’t go into anything else and offer to talk business when they deem it necessary.
Well, the old man thinks that the value is in the [Solistea Firm], so the authority of the Duke of Solisthea is unimportant.
“Some people? No one is beyond the reach of my father! And even if there were, who would they be?”
“And why would I need to tell you that? What authority do you think a mere inexperienced student has?”
“Shut up, I’m a noble!!”
“So, what? Just because you were born into a noble family, you don’t have any responsibilities or authority, do you? There’s no need for me to answer your question. You need to think a little bit more before you say or do something…… Or you’re gonna die someday, okay?”
“！？”
The last word contained a cold hint of cruelty that was somewhat chilling.
Cabruno, who had a keen intuition, felt a cold sweat run down his spine.
It was the first time in his life that he had felt a murderous intent.
“・・・・・・・ Isn’t that too much?”
“It’s good that you have sharp intuition. If you don’t work on those qualities a bit, you could end up dead in here. I think you need to be cautious.”
・・・・・・ Agreed. But it won’t be that easy.
“It’s okay. If you are even a little sensitive to the killing intent……. I don’t like seeing young people die.”
“・・・・・・・・・・”
Rhasus does not answer, because he agrees with him.
Zeros and the rest of the party were making their way, little by little, deeper into the forest.
Cabruno was leading the way, but he didn’t have any particular destination or plan in mind, so he just kept walking.
From time to time, they would hear bursts of magic or sword fights, but for some reason, they never came across any monsters.
Time passed by as they continued walking.
“Damn it! There’s not a single monster here.”
“That’s right ～……. This won’t help with the training.”
“I don’t have enough credits. At least I have to defeat an Orc……”
“You’re not strong enough, and you can’t have a strong monster all of a sudden.”
Without encountering any monsters, the Academy’s students become less and less cautious.
It is only at such times that monsters appear.
“It’s the monster you’ve been waiting for, isn’t it? It’s not an orc, it’s an ogre.”
“”””Impossible————–!””””
“The Lesser Ogre, to be exact.”
[Lesser Ogre] is smaller than an ogre, but still stronger than an orc or a goblin. It is not a monster that can be defeated by academy students.
It is a humanoid with well-developed muscles and limbs, but its appearance is similar to that of an ape. It is tougher than an orc, with superior physical strength rather than instantaneous power. Its skin is hard and strong enough that it cannot be scratched by the magic of inexperienced mages, and it was commonly used as a material for armor by mercenaries and other professions.
If it is an [Ogre], its skin material is five times more expensive, and its gall is also expensive as medicine.
Well, the gall of the Lesser Ogre is also used as a potion, but it is a degraded species and not very effective. Still, it was a valuable material for the alchemists who made magic potions.
“You’re not going to defeat it? The monster you’ve been waiting for?”
“I can’t fight that thing! It’s an ogre!”
“We, We have to run……”
“We can’t win.――――!”
Sighing at the teary-eyed boys, the ossan turns his attention to the Lesser Ogre.
“There are 3, can I leave one of them to you?”
“…… And the other two?”
“Let me take care of it. Now, let’s get to work……”
Zeros pulled out the combat knife at his waist and smiled wryly at his prey.
Rhasus also readied his battle-ax and started running towards the Lesser Ogre.
“Goaaaaaaaah!”
“Hmph!”
The Lesser Ogre raises his club and throws it at Rhasus, swinging it down with all his might at him as he comes at him.
When he catches the club with his battle-ax, Rhasus forcefully pushes the Lesser Ogre back and strikes a sharp blow with his battle-ax the moment the club bounces up with all his might.
His ability to handle heavy weapons with ease was amazing, but so was his skill to strike a blow to a vital spot in an instant. Rhasus was no ordinary mercenary.
Zeros also ran towards the Lesser Ogre and slipped past it like the wind was blowing through, slashing its neck and killing one of them in the process.
The third Lesser Ogre swung his club at Zeros, but the club slipped through as Zeros faded, and before it knew it, it was behind him, plunging combat knives into his neck from both sides.
“A, Amazing……”
“Those two …… are amazingly talented people. Coo――――――l!”
“Cabruno-kun…… It seems like you’ve been picking fights with some awesome people, huh?”
“Wait, that’s crazy! I don’t care about that unfriendly mercenary, the black guy is a mage! So why doesn’t he use magic?”
“””Of course it’s because he’s so strong that he doesn’t need to use magic.”””
Strength can be something to aspire to.
They easily defeated the Lesser Ogre, giving the boys a yearning to become stronger, and for a brief moment, their path fascinated the still young minds of the boys.
A single moment can change the course of a life, making Zeros and the other mercenary leave a vivid impression on the boys of their longing for strength, which eventually leads them to aspire to be strong themselves.
The old man and Rhasus began to dismantle the Lesser Ogre without regard for the boys’ feelings.
“The only thing we can use is the gall and the skin! This monster……”
“・・・・・・・ meat, it’s useless.”
“Shall we use this to cramp some goblins? After all, the purpose is to train the boys.”
“・・・・・・ sounds reasonable. What about the location?”
“Around here is good, isn’t it? If we stay hidden, we might find some hungry goblins or forest wolves, which would be a good experience for the young boys.”
“・・・・・・・・ I see. I’ll go with that then.”
The ossan gathers up the unused meat of the Lesser Ogre, piles it up in one place and leaves it there, then uses [Gaia Control] in a nearby open area to gather soil from the ground and then creates a pillbox.
(*https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pillbox_(military))
He carefully wrapped the pillbox in the grass to camouflage it and make it invisible to the monsters.
Hiding in the pillbox, they let the boys attack and try to level up. Above all, the boys were mages, so there was no way they could fight in close quarters. It seemed like a safe strategy.
“Amazing …… You use magic to create a place to hide, right?”
“Magic can do this and that. The teachers didn’t tell us that this was possible. ……”
“You’re a first-rate mage, aren’t you?”
“Gununununu……”
Except for one of them, the boys were surprised by the ossan’s magic control.
The techniques taught at the academy are mostly for battles, but not for setting up bases like this. Dirt barriers are also not designed to use the ground at all, as they are formed by collecting dust with magic power, which collapses into the sand in a short time.
In addition, the same is true for earth-based magic such as [Rock Lance], which does not try to utilize what is already there, but forms it from dust, so if the magic power dissipates, the rock lance formed will disappear immediately.
However, Zeros’ magic is different. By using the soil of the existing ground, he can quickly build earthen walls and rock spears, etc., with little magic power consumption, and he has transformed his magic to have some strength with excess magic power.
This allows him to manipulate and bring about various effects with a small amount of magic power consumption, and even if the magic power dissipates, the formed object will not disappear. The boys were shocked by this magic and began to discuss what kind of magic it was.
“Why doesn’t it fall apart? You made it with magic, didn’t you?”
“You’re supposed to use a lot of magic when you do this, and since you’re an adult, I know you have a lot of magic, but you don’t seem tired.”
“Could it be that you’ve improved the magic formula? But it’s a difficult task that even the teachers at the academy struggle with, isn’t it?”
“Unununu…… I refuse. I refuse to acknowledge it!”
Cabruno-kun still refuses to acknowledge his abilities.
“So, let’s hide here and wait for the monsters to come. In any case, I don’t think you guys are capable of close combat. We’ll take a rest and ambush to conserve our strength.”
“I’m the leader of this group! Do as I say!”
“I think that being arrogant and dictatorial is unbecoming of a nobleman. If you don’t listen to other people’s opinions and force things forward, you will receive a terrible punishment. This is not a place where you can safely live anymore.
You should be aware of that. If you’re not careful, you’ll end up like that too……”
As the ossan puffed on his cigarette and pointed, an omnivorous bird scavenging the corpse of the Lesser Ogre pecked at the carcass. The world of the weak and the strong is ruthless, and once you die, you become nothing but meat to be eaten. Perhaps they imagined this image in their own forms, but the boys’ faces grew pale as they watched.
But some did not listen to others.
“Don’t lump me in with these guys! I’ve been trained as a gifted student by a talented teacher, and I’m not going to be killed by some monster!”
“・・・・・・・ If you can’t figure out what you’re capable of, you’ll just die. And if you want to die, then die alone.”
“I wonder where they get their confidence from. A teacher’s education is only for reference, but you’re the type of person who will die first if you underestimate nature. If you don’t get rid of your pride while you’re in the forest, you’ll die for real.”
“・・・・・・ Isn’t that another good thing? Better to not be a burden.”
“When he dies, I’ll report that ‘He was very selfish and didn’t listen to others’. I can also add, ‘How did the parents educate their children?’. We’re not responsible for anything.”
In other words, He said, ‘It’s not our fault that he died ignoring the opinion of his guards, is it?’
The mercenaries guarding the students are tasked with protecting them, but they bear no responsibility for their deaths if they act on their own. Even if Cabruno went rogue here and died, it was all his own fault.
If they underestimated the field training and died because of it, it would not be the fault of the academy, mercenaries, or mercenary guild.
“Do you understand? Our job is to protect the students, but we don’t take any responsibility for those who go out of their way to put themselves in danger.
First of all, aren’t nobles supposed to be more thoughtful in their actions? Your actions could cost many people their lives. Is your life worth that much?”
“Of course! I’m a noble, and I am the one holding the fate of those…… Hi~!?”
Cabruno could not continue.
He could not continue, because all eyes were focused on him, and all of them were filled with contempt.
“That’s hubris…… The title of nobility has no influence here. The only thing that matters is whether you live or die. You should also remember that if you are dragging your friends down we might as well just leave you behind……”
“I, I can’t believe you’re abandoning me!”
“I’m just saying I will if I have to, okay? You should know that depending on your actions, you could be left behind. This is especially true on the battlefield.”
In a real battle like this, the uncooperative are the first to drop out.
On the battlefield, this kind of arrogance and ego is resented, and in some cases, allies will attack you from behind and eliminate you.
It would be different if they had more experience and were better fighters, but inexperienced people with no combat experience are just a hindrance.
Of course, in an emergency, the chances of being abandoned are even higher.
“Ugh……”
“…… Sir Zeros ……they’re here.”
“Oh? There they are. Goblins, you guys better get ready.”
“””Yes, sir!”””
The goblins are omnivorous.
It eats whatever it can and searches for prey to satisfy its hunger.
They are weak, but their numbers are large and their fertility is high. However, this is only in this forest, and in fact, they vary greatly in strength. In the Far-Flung Forest, many goblins organized themselves into armies, and in some places, they were monsters that required extra caution.
“I’ve…… never fought a monster before……”
“I’ve tried to attack one goblin in the academy, but I’ve never actually hunted one before.”
“But there’s no part of a goblin that…… can be used as material, right?”
“Hahahaha, yeah? It’s nothing to brag about when you’ve killed a goblin. That’s why you should go for the big one……”
“・・・・・・ reckless.”
“It’s okay to die from overconfidence in your own power, but I don’t think it’s a good idea to involve others in your death! I’m sure you’ve seen the difference in power between different races, even at the same rank level. Do you really want to be eaten by that big monster? Are you suicidal?”
Although he says he is stronger than the other boys, the difference is not so great. He can buy [Magic Scrolls] and use stronger magic than other classmates, but the more powerful the magic is, the more magic power is consumed.
The worst that can happen is that you use a spell that doesn’t fit with your strength, you run out of magic power and collapse, and then you’re targeted intensively by monsters without much effect. It is common knowledge that even powerful magic is less powerful if the mage’s level is low.
“Ten of them, that’s a good number. Now, [Intelligence Boost].”
[Intelligence Boost] is a supportive type of spell that temporarily increases the effectiveness of magic.
It is possible to increase the power of a spell by adding magic power to the spell cast by the mage from the outside, but it is only effective until the magic power granted is over.
The effect of the [Intelligence Boost] on the magic power of the granted mage will generally increase the power by almost double. But in the case of the ossan, it’s a different story. The effect of the magic power granted by him is too high, so the effect of his spell is too strong. In other words, ……
――― Dogo~o ――――――――――― n! !
Even a simple spell with a small amount of magic power can be transformed into a powerful spell.
One of the boys shot off a simple [Fireball], but the fireball that was released enveloped the two goblins, turning them into lifeless corpses.
It’s the same thing he did to Celestina before, but the [Intelligence Boost] was not as powerful.
“””E~e ―――――――――――― ~! ?”””
The boys’ magic was so powerful that it was no wonder they were surprised.
“There’s no time to be surprised, okay? The goblins have noticed the presence of the enemy. I’m sure they’ll be attacking us soon. We’d better intercept them one by one, don’t you think? While the magic effect is still in effect……”
“Yeah, yeah! Frozen Debris, destroy the enemies. …… Go, [Ice Blitz]!”
“Me too. …… Well, Stone Rubble, blast through the enemies… [Stone Blitz]!”
“Well then, Blades of Wind, cut through the enemies…… [Air Cutter]!”
The boys unleashed their basic spell from inside the pillbox. The power of the spells had been increased by the magic effects they had been given, and they were powerful enough to kill an attacking goblin with a single blow.
The goblin was knocked down and crumbled to the ground, but there were still goblins and no time to relax. They chanted their magic again and continued to attack.
“Wait, if a basic spell can be so powerful, then why not cast a spell on me!”
“You’ve got at least some intermediate spells under your belt, don’t you? If so, do you have any idea how much damage an amplified magic can do? Elementary magic can be that powerful, you know?”
“Ugh……”
“If you are a mage, you have to be familiar with the efficacy of the spells and then instantly choose which spell to use. Furthermore, intermediate magic is slower than basic magic because of the longer chanting. While you’re using magic, the goblins will get here, okay?”
At first, he thought he could show off his magic, which was stronger than the other boys around him.
However, the black mage in front of him ruined his plan, and he turned to the side where he was shown the powerful effects of a simple yet powerful magic.
He had been going in the wrong direction of education for the gifted, and he hated this black-robed mage.
“・・・・・・ One of them’s gonna run away?”
“It is troublesome if it called its friends…… [Fire].”
The old man’s carelessly shot [Fire] wrapped the goblin as it was and turned it into charcoal instantly. Seeing the shocking scene in front of their eyes, the boys were speechless.
[Fire] is a basic spell, but it is not powerful enough to turn a goblin into charcoal. The fact that this is possible means that there is a huge difference in the level of mages.
“Well, now that everything’s taken care of, let’s wait until you recover your magic power.”
“・・・・・・・・ It’s a boring job.”
“Shall we make some tea? I’ve brought my own tea utensils.”
“・・・・・ Let’s.”
Next to the stunned boys, the old man began to prepare tea and boil water in a pot. It was a very relaxing scene.
The field training for students of Istor Magic Academy began with a series of surprises, at least for some of the boys.
