Translator: OssanTL
Proofreader: Enkiros
While Zeros was escorting the youths, Celestina and the others were also making their way through the forest with Iris and Jane.
Celestina aside, the objective is to level up Uruna and Cristey, with Iris and the other two acting as guards to keep the area safe.
The problem was that the members of this group were terribly unbalanced.
There are three mages, two beastmen, and two swordsmen, close combat types. None of them were in charge of healing.
“…… This party is pretty unbalanced, isn’t it? There are two vanguards, and one of them is low level.”
“Yeah, we’re all girls, so we don’t have to be so awkward with each other, though it’s not so good in terms of combat, is it?”
“Don’t say that! Even though it may not look like it, I’ll have you know we’re among the best students in the academy.”
“That doesn’t mean you can fight, right? I can’t speak for others, but at least Iris is the strongest between us. But in terms of spotting the enemy, you need to rely on that girl…… Uruna, right? You can’t find the monsters without her, you know?”
“We can use magic to search for monsters, but if we draw a strong monster, we’ll be the ones in trouble, okay? Ojisan would kill it in an instant, though.”
Iris casually mentions Zeros, but her student, Celestina, is slightly unhappy.
It’s not that she doesn’t like Iris, but when it comes to her mentor, she feels jealous of Iris, who knows things about Zeros that she doesn’t know. She felt a small amount of jealousy.
“That mage, is he that good? He didn’t seem that way to me.”
“He’s strong, okay? He’s one of the five [Annihilators]. I’ve always admired him, even though he’s not really my uncle.”
“It’s a very disturbing name, isn’t it……? What did he do to get such a nickname?”
“The five of them have slain a dragon of Dragon King class, defeated a behemoth, reduced an entire city to ashes, and eliminated all the hitmen seeking fame. That’s just a few of the stories I know.”
“He is dangerous! He is no match for a mage.”
For Cristey, who admires the legendary Sage, the feats of the [Annihilators] were something she could not overlook. Well, it’s just an online game, but that’s something that she doesn’t know.
However, it is certainly difficult to believe, perhaps because he is moving in the opposite direction from the ideal of what a mage should look like.
“Why do you admire such dangerous people? Unbelievable!!”
“Maybe it’s because they developed their own magic, were kind to the weak adv— mercenaries, and perfected magic tools and elixirs that I’ve never seen before? Some people were sacrificed in the name of experimentation, but it’s cool that they enjoyed the adventure and continued to ignore the bad mouthing of others.”
“They’re so selfish, aren’t they? In short, they are criminals who act as they please, causing trouble for others, and yet they don’t give a damn!”
“What’s wrong with that? It’s just that they’ve always been free from common sense, you know? The mages in this country are also very selfish. I’ve seen them behave in a pompous manner, flirting with the townspeople.”
“Ugh……”
“Ojisan and the others were nice, at least to the weaker people, you know? They just seemed to annihilate anyone they didn’t like.”
“Iris…… you aren’t following them, are you?”
Certainly, it’s not a good example to follow.
There is a difference between the real world and the game, but Zeros and the other [Annihilators] were notorious in any case, and they were merrymakers who caused a commotion at any time.
However, since they acted based on their own philosophy, others may have different opinions about them.
“You were quite famous, weren’t you, Sensei? The rumors did not reach this country, but you were such a great mage……”
“He was notorious for it, but it was cool to see him take his own path! I was collateral damage in the desert city, though.”
“Ah…… well, that’s what they call a fight between friends that turned into a magic shootout……”
“Yeah. It was amazing, you know? The Death Scorpion that filled the desert was obliterated in an instant, and the fight that developed from that involved the surrounding area, and the [Pharaoh Scorpion], a disaster-grade monster, was blown up in a spectacular explosion.”
“How did that ossan stay alive?…… Normally, you die, right?”
“…… I wonder if I could ever admire that? It’s a very dangerous situation, isn’t it? I mean, they were fighting and ignoring the monsters they were going to kill, right?”
Everyone nodded in agreement with Uruna’s perfectly reasonable opinion.
“It’s not the attitude of not being bound by anything that’s cool, I admire the fact that they are tolerant of the weak and unforgiving of those who oppose them, and that they live freely as their heart’s desire.”
“Being strong is justice. I kind of get it, don’t you?”
‘I don’t need a wild child to sympathize with me, It’s just a nuisance to normal people……’
Uruna easily sympathized with Iris. It was something that Jane, a commoner, and Cristey, a noble, could not sympathize with.
As for Celestina, she was in a delicate position, and although she didn’t admire her mentor’s behavior, which had been waging a flamboyant battle at will, she couldn’t deny his competence.
The question was whether to take the general sense of ethics or to acknowledge the insane behavior of Zeros.
“Oh, I can smell the monster from here……”
“It is finally here……. This is an opportunity for us to raise our game. Celestina and Iris, please stand by, Uruna and I will take care of this!”
“Oh, you’re going to do it, aren’t you, Cristey? Your hands seem to be shaking, are you okay?”
“No, I’m fine! This is a knight’s (warrior’s) shiver!”
It’s the first time they’ve had a real battle and their hands are shaking from nervousness, but Uruna is completely unaffected and is making fun of them in her usual relaxed voice.
The bushes at the far end of the forest were making a racket, indicating that there were monsters deep inside.
Iris and the others readied their staffs and weapons just in case, but the monsters that came out were something unexpected.
“…… No way, my, my god……..”
“Are we…… really going to attack that thing?”
“U~u ~ n. To be honest, I’m not sure I’m comfortable with that……”
“Cu, cute……”
Out from behind the bushes came a huge rabbit, over two meters long, with its entire body covered in black and white fur.
“…… looks delicious!”
“”””!?””””
However, only Uruna was different, the giant rabbit looked like delicious meat.
“U, Uruna-san? Are you going to eat that rabbit?”
“Huh? Rabbit meat is delicious, you know?”
“No, it’s delicious, but can you kill it? That’s crazy!”
“Well, beastmen are like this. Basically, they think with their instincts……”
The tension was ruined by the giant rabbit and Uruna’s comment, but it was understandable. The big rabbit with the dull eyes was too adorable to kill.
Well, that’s just the way it looks.
The rabbit began to bounce up and down, a very funny sight that made everyone feel a little emotional, leaving Uruna with a fatal opening.
Only Uruna is aware of the danger.
“Hey, this rabbit…… is dangerous”
“”””Eh?””””
Simultaneously, the giant rabbit suddenly started spinning at high speed and rushed towards Celestina and the others with great velocity. The four of them were stunned as they narrowly avoided the attack, which was filled with deadly intent to run them over with its momentum.
The rabbit crashed into a tree, causing the tree to shake violently.
――― Beki…… bekibekibeki… zazazazazazazazazazazaza, dozu~u ―――――――― n! !
The large tree fell with a loud crash, closing in on Celestina and the others.
Everyone rushes to evacuate.
“I remember now! [Crusher Rabbit] Ahhhhhh!!”
Iris remembered the identity of the rabbit in front of her.
[Crusher Rabbit]. It is a vicious rabbit that possesses many skills with the ability to destroy weapons and is basically omnivorous. It is a ferocious animal that will attack first if it finds its prey.
It was a fierce monster that liked to eat meat and was far from being as cute as it looked.
It also has the [Gluttony] skill and will eat anything that comes into its mouth, whether it be iron or orichalcum.
It can be called simply a vicious monster.
“Th, that…… [Cute Devil]! I’ve never seen one of these before!”
“It’s far from cute to look at! Because they have the skill to eat anything and everything, and they are very fierce!”
“”Tell us that soon――――er! How could you forget!””
“It’s just a rumor. I’ve never fought one! No choice, [Pit Hole].”
Earth-attribute magic [Pit Hole].
As the name implies, it is a magic that creates a pitfall.
However, the Crusher Rabbit, who was about to launch a rolling crash, skillfully avoided the pit and rushed towards them.
“Evad―――――――――― e!!”
“Kya ――――――――――!!”
“Ah~…… this monster is as strong as the Fire Grizzly, it seems. This one has better defense, though.”
“Sa, say it earlier. Iris-san! Doesn’t it have any weaknesses!”
“As I recall…… is supposed to have good hearing, so it was vulnerable to loud noises.”
“Loud, right? Understood…… [Sound Bomb]”
――― Do~ooooooooooooooon!!
The sound of a tremendous explosion echoed through the forest.
[Sound Bomb] is a wind-attribute magic that has no offensive power, but releases a loud sound that makes you want to cover your ears.
There is no additional effect other than sound, but it is effective against monsters with good hearing, and some of them may even be stunned.
As expected, the Crusher Rabbit became dizzy, so Iris and the others did not want to miss this chance.
“Let’s go, then, shall we? [Shadow Bind]”
The magic that Iris used was dark attribute magic [Shadow Bind].
It is a binding spell that manipulates shadows to capture prey, but it has a short effect time.
However, it was a very useful spell for blocking the movement of prey in a short time, as it was highly effective and could be used for capturing the prey immediately.
“Then…… O Frost Spear, pierce thyne enemies that stand before thee, [Ice Lance]”
“I’m going too～♪. [Beastification]”
Cristey shoots an ice spear, and Uruna strengthens her body with magic power and fights closely.
Uruna’s fighting style is hand-to-hand combat. She strikes with her gauntlet, which has claw-like blades attached to it, making it look like a talon.
“As an extra, [Power Boost], [Wind Enchantment], and [Intelligence Boost].”
Uruna continues to hit it continuously, but the [Beastification] consumes a lot of magic power and doesn’t last long. So, by raising her attack power with Iris’ auxiliary magic, she temporarily increases the effectiveness of her damage.
[Wind Enchantment] is a spell that cloaks weapons and armor in wind magic, strengthening their defense and attack power.
Cristey’s magic also increased in power, penetrating the thick outer skin of the Crusher Rabbit, and from there, the frostbite from the additional effects steadily accumulates damage.
Kyuo~oooooooooooo~!!
The Crusher Rabbit roars.
Then the white and black panda-colored body hair stood upside down and shook off Iris’s restraining magic.
“I can’t! Uruna, you have to run!”
“I’m…… out of magic!?”
The Crusher Rabbit swung the sharp claws of its paws at Uruna.
“I won’t let you! U a~!!”
“Wa~a a~!?”
Jane immediately stepped in between them and caught the attack with her sword, but she could not kill the momentum and was blown away along with Uruna. Iris quickly followed up.
“[Storm Blitz]”
Gyuo~ooooooooooooo~!?
Subjected to a lightning-based paralysis spell, the Crusher Rabbit is electrocuted and paralyzed by the additional effect.
This moment buys time for Cristey’s to chant her spell, and she casts the strongest magic she can.
“Torrents of wind and ice. Torn through thy enemies and put ’em into a frozen sleep…… [Ice Storm]”
With Iris’s magic effect added, the power of the magic was comparable to that of a higher level magic [Blizzard], and the blade of wind sliced through the Crusher Rabbit, freezing its entire body.
“Did you get it?”
“Jane-san, that’s a death flag!”
Perhaps that statement was right, because the Crusher Rabbit begins to move, albeit sluggishly, to attack.
“Ei!”
――― Bogu~u!!
However, Celestina rushed in and hit it with her mace to put an end to it.
It must have been a last-ditch effort. The Crusher Rabbit collapsed and stopped moving.
“Nya~!?”
“Kya a~!?”
Uruna and Cristey suddenly sat down with a feeling of fatigue and dizziness that hit them. It was a side effect of the increased level.
This symptom means that the two of them have greatly increased their level.
“You both seem to have risen your level. But I don’t think we can go any further today.”
“I guess so. I think I’m level up too, but not as much as you two. The fatigue will last until tomorrow, huh?”
“Well, I’m glad to hear that …… but I’m also bummed.”
“Ugh…… can’t get up……. I’m running out of magic and my head is spinning……”
The five of them managed to kill the monster, but there was a problem.
Celestina, Iris, and Jane were the only ones who could move properly.
“I’m pretty sure we could carry them on our back, right? How are we supposed to let them know we’re here?”
“If we raise a smoke signal, the mercenaries waiting for us would have come to us. They gave us smoke bombs for communication in advance, and we should use them.”
“Until then, we’ll be guarding you two.”
“The main focus this time is the academy students! Even if you defeat the monsters, the materials will all belong to the students…… It’s not a profitable job.”
Certainly, as mercenaries, they would be at a loss. However, in addition to the reward for their escort, Jane and the others also receive a reward from the Duke of Solisthea. While they don’t know it, the total amount is far more than what the mercenaries here are getting.
However, since Zeros was the one who negotiated the request from the duke, they didn’t know how much they would get.
And, the ossan doesn’t know either.
“I’m sure the other mercenaries will defeat the monsters on their own and secure the materials. The monsters are a bit strong for the academy students to defeat, you know? If all of them are mages, I think they’ll have a hard time.”
“I see, the academy can only collect the monsters that the students defeat. If a mercenary kills it themselves, they can keep it in their pockets……”
“There’s nothing in the contract that says ‘monsters defeated by mercenaries themselves are the Academy’s possessions’, and I don’t think it’s much of a challenge for the students to defeat the monsters.”
If you compare Iris’s level with the standard of this world, she is a great mage.
Although she can’t dismantle it, from a mage’s point of view, she qualifies as a first-class mage. The level of Rahmuff’s forest was too low for Iris.
“I can’t believe this Iris girl. She is the same age as us, and she has already mastered multi magic casting……”
“And it is all without chanting. Just like Sensei……”
“I told you, didn’t I? I said, ‘I feel a strong presence.’…… Ugh…… I feel sick……”
In response to seeing Iris’ abilities for the first time, the two top students at the academy learned about the vastness of the world.
Most of the students with top grades in the academy are assigned to the Mage Corps after graduation. However, not all of them are as good as Iris. In fact, they’re probably not even close.
Celestina thought that the mages who knew Zeros were out of the ordinary.
“More importantly, if we don’t have the rescue team here soon, the other monsters are going to come by, okay?”
“You’re calling with a smoke bomb? Celestina-chan, use the smoke bomb.”
“What? Chan? The smoke bomb…… eh……”
Celestina was confused when Iris suddenly called her by her “chan”, but she took out a smoke bomb from her waist pouch.
“…… This, how does it work?”
However, Celestina did not know how to use the smoke bomb.
“Let me have a look…… Oh, it’s the same as the one on the car, then it’s easy.”
Iris unscrewed the cap of the smoke bomb and used the ‘torch’ to light the wick that seemed to be the fuse at the tip.
There was no fire, but instead, there was a huge cloud of smoke.
Iris, who was holding it in her hand, was immediately engulfed in smoke.
“Cough! Cough! You have to throw it as soon as you light it～……”
“Obviously. Sometimes Iris does unusual things, doesn’t she?”
“I never thought such a small tube could produce so much smoke! It stings my eyes~……”
It would be some time before the rescue team arrived after spotting the smoke from the smoke flares.
In the meantime, the group waited for the rescue team to arrive, keeping an eye out for other monsters to appear.
◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
“[Fireball].”
――― Do~ooooooooooooooooon!
Enveloped in crimson flames, the [Armored Boar] fell to the ground.
Kreuz took one look at his fallen prey and immediately began searching for medicinal herbs and other plants growing in the surrounding area.
The ingredients for the potion were more important than the monsters.
“You…… keep your own pace even in times like this. What if there are other monsters out there?”
“I can’t dismantle them, you know. Then shouldn’t we use the time we have left to our advantage?”
“Well, yeah, that’s what I’m talking about…… You’re still researching magic potions at a time like this.”
“There are endless heights for a mage. I’ve recently learned that I need to keep learning. What is Makarov’s future plan? Do you want to become an alchemist?”
“I think that would be the smartest thing to do. I was thinking of joining your faction if you don’t mind.”
“Not my faction, but Grandfather’s.”
The mercenaries used smoke bombs to warn the others until the rescue team arrived.
Although they can’t dismantle the monsters, it is faster to do the bloodletting and other pre-processing right there.
It had been more than seven hours since they had entered the forest, and Kreuz and his party had made their way through the forest without too much damage and had succeeded in defeating some big monsters.
It is characteristic of the Saint Germain faction, a research-oriented faction, that they try to collect medicinal plants and other materials for research while exploring the forest.
“Is this a poisonous plant, I think it’s called…… [Dead Lily]? I heard the roots and stems are poisonous.”
“Sounds like something that could be used to commit a full-blown crime.”
“The poison causes purple spots on the skin and bloodshot eyes, so you can tell right away if the poison was used on you.”
“You know a lot about it……. You, you’re not experimenting with this on people, are you?”
“・・・・・・・・・・・”
“Tell me something! Were you planting it!? Were you experimenting on someone else!? You’re scaring me!”
Kreuz did not answer.
His priority at the moment was to gather herbs, and he was too lazy to talk to Makarov. In addition, he was too tired from the increased level of his status to open his mouth.
Even so, he was still collecting medicinal herbs, which showed his impressive researcher’s spirit.
“But…… that mercenary woman is rather gloomy. She’s mostly quiet and mumbling to herself.”
“There are a lot of strange people in the world. Why should I care about them?”
“You’re the last person I’d expect to hear that from……”
As Makarov looks at her, she is in despair over everything and says, “Why am I the only one…… the boys I’ve had my eye on, escorted by Zeros-san…. God is my enemy…… and the devil is the one who prevents me from loving them……” and so on.
Her appearance was far from her usual self, and she looked like a grudge-holding spirit caught in a dark emotion.
To put it bluntly, she looked absolutely creepy.
◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
“Dio! It went that way!”
“Damn, that thing’s moving fast……. This thing is strong……”
Zweit and the others were also fighting monsters deep in the forest.
The opponent is a bipedal dinosaur-like demon called the [Venom Raptor].
Its skin was covered with scales, and its color was dark purple. It was a fast-moving monster that was a bad match for a mage.
The other Academy students were unable to cope with the movement, and while they were tossed around, they were taking damage little by little.
And there are many of them. These monsters have a habit of acting in packs, so it’s a heavy burden for a mage with no real combat experience.
The reason why they are still alive is because of the three Cuckoos.
“You kids! Make sure you kill them. There’s a lot of them, which makes it easier to hit them!”
“Go ――――！! [Fireball].”
The Academy students aimed and fired their magic as they were told. However, the Venom Raptor easily avoided it by jumping toward the left, showing that it is a more cunning monster than it looks.
“They’re dodging our spells……”
“Is it observing our moves and avoiding us by following our movements……?”
The mercenaries’ commands are unreliable. The only way to survive in this situation is to act on your own. However, the monsters in front of them, who are moving together, move seamlessly and aren’t willing to act carelessly.
The Venom Raptor was responding to a high-pitched squeal, as if it was giving instructions somewhere, and was beginning to surround the area to set up a perimeter.
“We wanted to get through this as best we could on our own, but…… there will be casualties if we don’t. I don’t have a choice, uh～…… Wu Kei, was it?”
“Koke? (What is it?)”
“The boss must be giving orders to this monster somewhere. Find it and defeat it.”
“Koke~ (Okay).”
Accepting Zweit’s orders, the cuckoos flapped their wings and jumped to the branches of the trees, disappearing as they bounced around among the trees.
“Zweit…… Are you sure it’s okay to ask that cuckoo? We don’t have a lot of strength left……”
“It’s okay. He was raised by Shishou, remember? You can tell by looking at him that he’s not a normal cuckoo.”
“I know, but……”
“Now it’s just a matter of how long we can hold on…… Everyone, take a tight formation! Save your magic, we’re going in close combat!”
“”””O u ~!!””””
All of the mages, Zweit including those of the Weissler faction, had been trained in close combat.
There was not much that could be learned in a short period, but there was still enough time to get some close combat skills, and this training was also used to improve their fighting skills.
They have been trained in extremely close combat and are capable of fighting to a certain degree. Well, not as good as skilled fighters, but still better than not being able to.
“They’re coming!”
“Got it! Uri ~ya~!!”
One of the academy students exerts a full swing with his mace and takes one of them down. But at that moment, another Venom Raptor attacked them almost immediately. However, Zweit and the others had trained well in tight formations.
They all took their positions and attacked one another in turn while protecting each other. Their defensive formation was ironclad against the Venom Raptor, which used its wild instincts to kill its prey.
However, they also have weaknesses. They are at a disadvantage when it comes to long-term battles, and if they are attacked all at once, they will surely be annihilated.
All that was left was for the Cuckoos to defeat the boss.
“Damn, there’s too many of them!”
“Don’t be hasty! If you let it get to you, it will lead to an opening.”
“But…… we’re at a disadvantage in terms of numbers. The boss needs to be defeated quickly……”
Mages are basically turrets. But right now, they were fighting half as well as knights. No, they were more like mercenaries.
Without any means to defend themselves, they would be the ones killed. It was a matter of life and death, so they had no choice but to do what they had to do.
Other than Zweit, the other mage apprentices had learned firsthand the importance of close combat.
――― Gopa~aaaaaaaaaaaaan!!
At that moment, something was suddenly blown into the sky from the depths of the forest.
If you look closely, you’ll see that it’s a carnivorous monster, larger than a Venom Raptor, and it slams into the ground in a drilling spin.
“[Venom Pois]. The chickens…… killed it.”
“Yosshaa~a! Let’s start a counterattack here!”
“We’re going to take them out! Use your spells together and go!”
――― Gyopa~aaaaaa~!!
“”””Ha~a!?””””
When they were about to launch a counterattack, they were taken aback by a second [Venom Pois] that came storming in from the back.
It had been slashed everywhere and was bleeding profusely and dying.
Another one came running out from the back as if to escape. And from the sluggishness of its movements, it appeared to be on some kind of [Paralysis].
Eventually, the paralysis spread to his entire body, and when it no longer moved, it collapsed to the ground on the spot.
“Th, there were three of them……”
“We’re actually in serious danger, aren’t we?”
“A~a…… I can’t win this one. Three bosses are no match for me……”
“I mean, the Cuckoos… they’re too strong……”
“Now is our chance! We’ll hit these guys as hard as we can while they’re still confused!”
“””O~oooooooooooo~!!”””
Once the command is lost, the pack quickly falls apart.
With no boss to give orders, the Venom Raptors were no big deal, running left and right. The weaker ones were the first to flee, while the more belligerent ones attacked Zweit and his group and were killed in return.
Once separated, the only thing left to do was to strike them hard and accurately. Not long after, the battle was over.
The two mercenaries were unhappy at being showed that they were more dependable than them.
“…… What’s the point of us being here?”
“Don’t say that…… It will make you feel depressed.”
The mages from the Academy who were engaged in coordinated close combat and the Cuckoos who were exceptionally strong. The two mercenaries felt a little overwhelmed.
These two men were not weak, but they were actually amateurs when it came to group combat and had never fought in a large crowd before. There are many such mercenaries, and when they join a war, they start acting on their own judgment and die first.
If you are strong enough to separate yourself from the rest of the world, you will survive, but since war is fought on quantity rather than quality, those who are driven by individual strength will not survive.
The two mercenaries were learning for the first time the importance of group combat. The way the mages of the academy fought had impacted the two of them in more ways than one.
“I guess that’s it for training for now. Now we’ll collect the monster remains and get some rest for today. We can’t afford to be exhausted tomorrow.”
“Agreed. It’s dangerous to force things, and I think the best thing to do is to pull back when you have to.”
“A~a…… I’m a little tired, and I’ve increased my level. I’m feeling a little sluggish.”
“We’ll use a smoke bomb. We’re gonna have to stay on alert in the perimeter until the rescue team gets here.”
The mages of the Weissler faction had decided that rest was important, as part of their plan to carry out an actual battle strategy with Zweit.
Perhaps that’s why they knew when to back off and decided it was too dangerous to go any further into the forest.
More importantly, it was unlikely that they would be able to continue the battle since all but Zweit’s level had increased.
The smoke bombs were lit and when the rescue team arrived, they left with them.
◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
“How long do we have to stay here ……?”
“I don’t know. You’ll have to ask him.”
The party of Academy students who had been hiding in the pillbox and shooting at their prey had continued to defeat the monsters that had gathered and had improved their level considerably, but they were now in a situation where they couldn’t escape because of the flood of monsters around them.
They attacked until they ran out of magic, recovered their magic, and then attacked again. Surrounded by monsters that had been lured by the smell of blood, they were unable to escape.
“Fumu…… I think we gathered too many monsters~. What should we do……”
“Damn it, we can’t go back to the camp!! What are we supposed to do!!”
“Maybe you should continue to beat them and level up instead of leaving? Isn’t that the goal anyway? What’s the problem?”
“What about food? If we don’t get back before nightfall, then we won’t even be able to eat!”
“You’ll go through the same thing when you’re trapped on the battlefield, though. Think of it as training for that moment.”
“You want us to spend the night in this pit!”
Cabruno-kun, who had been spoiled growing up, insisted that he could not spend the night in a pillbox
If this were a battlefield, he would be the first to be abandoned. A selfish and self-centered superior would be the first thing they would abandon.
“You’ve been really spoiled……. That’s why you’re just a little boy…… Fu~…”
“Tsk!?”
Another harsh word.
There was a ruthless intent in it that left Cabruno speechless.
“You think this is a bad situation? You’re making me laugh………. This is not as bad as Far-Flung Forest…….
You should know……. real life is a dog-eat-dog world where authority means nothing……”
[The Zeros of that time] returns. The majestic natural forest changes him into a crazy warrior.
Indeed, the deadliest Beast, born after surviving in the harshest of environments and experiencing the true horror of the survival of the fittest, has awakened once again.
He lifted his mouth in a sly smile. The mask over his eyes hides his expression only slightly.
The ossan laughed at the boys as if he was crazy and truly amused.
In a word…… it could not have been more sinister.
“Come on…… let’s give them hell. You’re going to have a hell of a fight coming your way.
No whining allowed. No weakness, no giving up, no thought of dying to make it easier. Fight…… fight to the end and survive …… kuhahahahahaha!”
The boys grow pale. Then they realize, this is just the beginning……
That day, the party of boys from the Istor Magic Academy never returned to the campsite.
They will have to fight all night long. They will be watched from behind by the worst mages who have awakened his madness…….
“”””Somebody……, somebody, help us! ——————!!””””
The cries of the boys echoed through the forest of Rahmuff.
By the way, Rhasus was just watching (although he did come in to help in times of danger……).
At any rate, the boys have certainly thrown themselves into a hell of a fight.
Translator: OssanTL
Proofreader: Enkiros
While Zeros was escorting the youths, Celestina and the others were also making their way through the forest with Iris and Jane.
Celestina aside, the objective is to level up Uruna and Cristey, with Iris and the other two acting as guards to keep the area safe.
The problem was that the members of this group were terribly unbalanced.
There are three mages, two beastmen, and two swordsmen, close combat types. None of them were in charge of healing.
“…… This party is pretty unbalanced, isn’t it? There are two vanguards, and one of them is low level.”
“Yeah, we’re all girls, so we don’t have to be so awkward with each other, though it’s not so good in terms of combat, is it?”
“Don’t say that! Even though it may not look like it, I’ll have you know we’re among the best students in the academy.”
“That doesn’t mean you can fight, right? I can’t speak for others, but at least Iris is the strongest between us. But in terms of spotting the enemy, you need to rely on that girl…… Uruna, right? You can’t find the monsters without her, you know?”
“We can use magic to search for monsters, but if we draw a strong monster, we’ll be the ones in trouble, okay? Ojisan would kill it in an instant, though.”
Iris casually mentions Zeros, but her student, Celestina, is slightly unhappy.
It’s not that she doesn’t like Iris, but when it comes to her mentor, she feels jealous of Iris, who knows things about Zeros that she doesn’t know. She felt a small amount of jealousy.
“That mage, is he that good? He didn’t seem that way to me.”
“He’s strong, okay? He’s one of the five [Annihilators]. I’ve always admired him, even though he’s not really my uncle.”
“It’s a very disturbing name, isn’t it……? What did he do to get such a nickname?”
“The five of them have slain a dragon of Dragon King class, defeated a behemoth, reduced an entire city to ashes, and eliminated all the hitmen seeking fame. That’s just a few of the stories I know.”
“He is dangerous! He is no match for a mage.”
For Cristey, who admires the legendary Sage, the feats of the [Annihilators] were something she could not overlook. Well, it’s just an online game, but that’s something that she doesn’t know.
However, it is certainly difficult to believe, perhaps because he is moving in the opposite direction from the ideal of what a mage should look like.
“Why do you admire such dangerous people? Unbelievable!!”
“Maybe it’s because they developed their own magic, were kind to the weak adv— mercenaries, and perfected magic tools and elixirs that I’ve never seen before? Some people were sacrificed in the name of experimentation, but it’s cool that they enjoyed the adventure and continued to ignore the bad mouthing of others.”
“They’re so selfish, aren’t they? In short, they are criminals who act as they please, causing trouble for others, and yet they don’t give a damn!”
“What’s wrong with that? It’s just that they’ve always been free from common sense, you know? The mages in this country are also very selfish. I’ve seen them behave in a pompous manner, flirting with the townspeople.”
“Ugh……”
“Ojisan and the others were nice, at least to the weaker people, you know? They just seemed to annihilate anyone they didn’t like.”
“Iris…… you aren’t following them, are you?”
Certainly, it’s not a good example to follow.
There is a difference between the real world and the game, but Zeros and the other [Annihilators] were notorious in any case, and they were merrymakers who caused a commotion at any time.
However, since they acted based on their own philosophy, others may have different opinions about them.
“You were quite famous, weren’t you, Sensei? The rumors did not reach this country, but you were such a great mage……”
“He was notorious for it, but it was cool to see him take his own path! I was collateral damage in the desert city, though.”
“Ah…… well, that’s what they call a fight between friends that turned into a magic shootout……”
“Yeah. It was amazing, you know? The Death Scorpion that filled the desert was obliterated in an instant, and the fight that developed from that involved the surrounding area, and the [Pharaoh Scorpion], a disaster-grade monster, was blown up in a spectacular explosion.”
“How did that ossan stay alive?…… Normally, you die, right?”
“…… I wonder if I could ever admire that? It’s a very dangerous situation, isn’t it? I mean, they were fighting and ignoring the monsters they were going to kill, right?”
Everyone nodded in agreement with Uruna’s perfectly reasonable opinion.
“It’s not the attitude of not being bound by anything that’s cool, I admire the fact that they are tolerant of the weak and unforgiving of those who oppose them, and that they live freely as their heart’s desire.”
“Being strong is justice. I kind of get it, don’t you?”
‘I don’t need a wild child to sympathize with me, It’s just a nuisance to normal people……’
Uruna easily sympathized with Iris. It was something that Jane, a commoner, and Cristey, a noble, could not sympathize with.
As for Celestina, she was in a delicate position, and although she didn’t admire her mentor’s behavior, which had been waging a flamboyant battle at will, she couldn’t deny his competence.
The question was whether to take the general sense of ethics or to acknowledge the insane behavior of Zeros.
“Oh, I can smell the monster from here……”
“It is finally here……. This is an opportunity for us to raise our game. Celestina and Iris, please stand by, Uruna and I will take care of this!”
“Oh, you’re going to do it, aren’t you, Cristey? Your hands seem to be shaking, are you okay?”
“No, I’m fine! This is a knight’s (warrior’s) shiver!”
It’s the first time they’ve had a real battle and their hands are shaking from nervousness, but Uruna is completely unaffected and is making fun of them in her usual relaxed voice.
The bushes at the far end of the forest were making a racket, indicating that there were monsters deep inside.
Iris and the others readied their staffs and weapons just in case, but the monsters that came out were something unexpected.
“…… No way, my, my god……..”
“Are we…… really going to attack that thing?”
“U~u ~ n. To be honest, I’m not sure I’m comfortable with that……”
“Cu, cute……”
Out from behind the bushes came a huge rabbit, over two meters long, with its entire body covered in black and white fur.
“…… looks delicious!”
“”””!?””””
However, only Uruna was different, the giant rabbit looked like delicious meat.
“U, Uruna-san? Are you going to eat that rabbit?”
“Huh? Rabbit meat is delicious, you know?”
“No, it’s delicious, but can you kill it? That’s crazy!”
“Well, beastmen are like this. Basically, they think with their instincts……”
The tension was ruined by the giant rabbit and Uruna’s comment, but it was understandable. The big rabbit with the dull eyes was too adorable to kill.
Well, that’s just the way it looks.
The rabbit began to bounce up and down, a very funny sight that made everyone feel a little emotional, leaving Uruna with a fatal opening.
Only Uruna is aware of the danger.
“Hey, this rabbit…… is dangerous”
“”””Eh?””””
Simultaneously, the giant rabbit suddenly started spinning at high speed and rushed towards Celestina and the others with great velocity. The four of them were stunned as they narrowly avoided the attack, which was filled with deadly intent to run them over with its momentum.
The rabbit crashed into a tree, causing the tree to shake violently.
――― Beki…… bekibekibeki… zazazazazazazazazazazaza, dozu~u ―――――――― n! !
The large tree fell with a loud crash, closing in on Celestina and the others.
Everyone rushes to evacuate.
“I remember now! [Crusher Rabbit] Ahhhhhh!!”
Iris remembered the identity of the rabbit in front of her.
[Crusher Rabbit]. It is a vicious rabbit that possesses many skills with the ability to destroy weapons and is basically omnivorous. It is a ferocious animal that will attack first if it finds its prey.
It was a fierce monster that liked to eat meat and was far from being as cute as it looked.
It also has the [Gluttony] skill and will eat anything that comes into its mouth, whether it be iron or orichalcum.
It can be called simply a vicious monster.
“Th, that…… [Cute Devil]! I’ve never seen one of these before!”
“It’s far from cute to look at! Because they have the skill to eat anything and everything, and they are very fierce!”
“”Tell us that soon――――er! How could you forget!””
“It’s just a rumor. I’ve never fought one! No choice, [Pit Hole].”
Earth-attribute magic [Pit Hole].
As the name implies, it is a magic that creates a pitfall.
However, the Crusher Rabbit, who was about to launch a rolling crash, skillfully avoided the pit and rushed towards them.
“Evad―――――――――― e!!”
“Kya ――――――――――!!”
“Ah~…… this monster is as strong as the Fire Grizzly, it seems. This one has better defense, though.”
“Sa, say it earlier. Iris-san! Doesn’t it have any weaknesses!”
“As I recall…… is supposed to have good hearing, so it was vulnerable to loud noises.”
“Loud, right? Understood…… [Sound Bomb]”
――― Do~ooooooooooooooon!!
The sound of a tremendous explosion echoed through the forest.
[Sound Bomb] is a wind-attribute magic that has no offensive power, but releases a loud sound that makes you want to cover your ears.
There is no additional effect other than sound, but it is effective against monsters with good hearing, and some of them may even be stunned.
As expected, the Crusher Rabbit became dizzy, so Iris and the others did not want to miss this chance.
“Let’s go, then, shall we? [Shadow Bind]”
The magic that Iris used was dark attribute magic [Shadow Bind].
It is a binding spell that manipulates shadows to capture prey, but it has a short effect time.
However, it was a very useful spell for blocking the movement of prey in a short time, as it was highly effective and could be used for capturing the prey immediately.
“Then…… O Frost Spear, pierce thyne enemies that stand before thee, [Ice Lance]”
“I’m going too～♪. [Beastification]”
Cristey shoots an ice spear, and Uruna strengthens her body with magic power and fights closely.
Uruna’s fighting style is hand-to-hand combat. She strikes with her gauntlet, which has claw-like blades attached to it, making it look like a talon.
“As an extra, [Power Boost], [Wind Enchantment], and [Intelligence Boost].”
Uruna continues to hit it continuously, but the [Beastification] consumes a lot of magic power and doesn’t last long. So, by raising her attack power with Iris’ auxiliary magic, she temporarily increases the effectiveness of her damage.
[Wind Enchantment] is a spell that cloaks weapons and armor in wind magic, strengthening their defense and attack power.
Cristey’s magic also increased in power, penetrating the thick outer skin of the Crusher Rabbit, and from there, the frostbite from the additional effects steadily accumulates damage.
Kyuo~oooooooooooo~!!
The Crusher Rabbit roars.
Then the white and black panda-colored body hair stood upside down and shook off Iris’s restraining magic.
“I can’t! Uruna, you have to run!”
“I’m…… out of magic!?”
The Crusher Rabbit swung the sharp claws of its paws at Uruna.
“I won’t let you! U a~!!”
“Wa~a a~!?”
Jane immediately stepped in between them and caught the attack with her sword, but she could not kill the momentum and was blown away along with Uruna. Iris quickly followed up.
“[Storm Blitz]”
Gyuo~ooooooooooooo~!?
Subjected to a lightning-based paralysis spell, the Crusher Rabbit is electrocuted and paralyzed by the additional effect.
This moment buys time for Cristey’s to chant her spell, and she casts the strongest magic she can.
“Torrents of wind and ice. Torn through thy enemies and put ’em into a frozen sleep…… [Ice Storm]”
With Iris’s magic effect added, the power of the magic was comparable to that of a higher level magic [Blizzard], and the blade of wind sliced through the Crusher Rabbit, freezing its entire body.
“Did you get it?”
“Jane-san, that’s a death flag!”
Perhaps that statement was right, because the Crusher Rabbit begins to move, albeit sluggishly, to attack.
“Ei!”
――― Bogu~u!!
However, Celestina rushed in and hit it with her mace to put an end to it.
It must have been a last-ditch effort. The Crusher Rabbit collapsed and stopped moving.
“Nya~!?”
“Kya a~!?”
Uruna and Cristey suddenly sat down with a feeling of fatigue and dizziness that hit them. It was a side effect of the increased level.
This symptom means that the two of them have greatly increased their level.
“You both seem to have risen your level. But I don’t think we can go any further today.”
“I guess so. I think I’m level up too, but not as much as you two. The fatigue will last until tomorrow, huh?”
“Well, I’m glad to hear that …… but I’m also bummed.”
“Ugh…… can’t get up……. I’m running out of magic and my head is spinning……”
The five of them managed to kill the monster, but there was a problem.
Celestina, Iris, and Jane were the only ones who could move properly.
“I’m pretty sure we could carry them on our back, right? How are we supposed to let them know we’re here?”
“If we raise a smoke signal, the mercenaries waiting for us would have come to us. They gave us smoke bombs for communication in advance, and we should use them.”
“Until then, we’ll be guarding you two.”
“The main focus this time is the academy students! Even if you defeat the monsters, the materials will all belong to the students…… It’s not a profitable job.”
Certainly, as mercenaries, they would be at a loss. However, in addition to the reward for their escort, Jane and the others also receive a reward from the Duke of Solisthea. While they don’t know it, the total amount is far more than what the mercenaries here are getting.
However, since Zeros was the one who negotiated the request from the duke, they didn’t know how much they would get.
And, the ossan doesn’t know either.
“I’m sure the other mercenaries will defeat the monsters on their own and secure the materials. The monsters are a bit strong for the academy students to defeat, you know? If all of them are mages, I think they’ll have a hard time.”
“I see, the academy can only collect the monsters that the students defeat. If a mercenary kills it themselves, they can keep it in their pockets……”
“There’s nothing in the contract that says ‘monsters defeated by mercenaries themselves are the Academy’s possessions’, and I don’t think it’s much of a challenge for the students to defeat the monsters.”
If you compare Iris’s level with the standard of this world, she is a great mage.
Although she can’t dismantle it, from a mage’s point of view, she qualifies as a first-class mage. The level of Rahmuff’s forest was too low for Iris.
“I can’t believe this Iris girl. She is the same age as us, and she has already mastered multi magic casting……”
“And it is all without chanting. Just like Sensei……”
“I told you, didn’t I? I said, ‘I feel a strong presence.’…… Ugh…… I feel sick……”
In response to seeing Iris’ abilities for the first time, the two top students at the academy learned about the vastness of the world.
Most of the students with top grades in the academy are assigned to the Mage Corps after graduation. However, not all of them are as good as Iris. In fact, they’re probably not even close.
Celestina thought that the mages who knew Zeros were out of the ordinary.
“More importantly, if we don’t have the rescue team here soon, the other monsters are going to come by, okay?”
“You’re calling with a smoke bomb? Celestina-chan, use the smoke bomb.”
“What? Chan? The smoke bomb…… eh……”
Celestina was confused when Iris suddenly called her by her “chan”, but she took out a smoke bomb from her waist pouch.
“…… This, how does it work?”
However, Celestina did not know how to use the smoke bomb.
“Let me have a look…… Oh, it’s the same as the one on the car, then it’s easy.”
Iris unscrewed the cap of the smoke bomb and used the ‘torch’ to light the wick that seemed to be the fuse at the tip.
There was no fire, but instead, there was a huge cloud of smoke.
Iris, who was holding it in her hand, was immediately engulfed in smoke.
“Cough! Cough! You have to throw it as soon as you light it～……”
“Obviously. Sometimes Iris does unusual things, doesn’t she?”
“I never thought such a small tube could produce so much smoke! It stings my eyes~……”
It would be some time before the rescue team arrived after spotting the smoke from the smoke flares.
In the meantime, the group waited for the rescue team to arrive, keeping an eye out for other monsters to appear.
◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
“[Fireball].”
――― Do~ooooooooooooooooon!
Enveloped in crimson flames, the [Armored Boar] fell to the ground.
Kreuz took one look at his fallen prey and immediately began searching for medicinal herbs and other plants growing in the surrounding area.
The ingredients for the potion were more important than the monsters.
“You…… keep your own pace even in times like this. What if there are other monsters out there?”
“I can’t dismantle them, you know. Then shouldn’t we use the time we have left to our advantage?”
“Well, yeah, that’s what I’m talking about…… You’re still researching magic potions at a time like this.”
“There are endless heights for a mage. I’ve recently learned that I need to keep learning. What is Makarov’s future plan? Do you want to become an alchemist?”
“I think that would be the smartest thing to do. I was thinking of joining your faction if you don’t mind.”
“Not my faction, but Grandfather’s.”
The mercenaries used smoke bombs to warn the others until the rescue team arrived.
Although they can’t dismantle the monsters, it is faster to do the bloodletting and other pre-processing right there.
It had been more than seven hours since they had entered the forest, and Kreuz and his party had made their way through the forest without too much damage and had succeeded in defeating some big monsters.
It is characteristic of the Saint Germain faction, a research-oriented faction, that they try to collect medicinal plants and other materials for research while exploring the forest.
“Is this a poisonous plant, I think it’s called…… [Dead Lily]? I heard the roots and stems are poisonous.”
“Sounds like something that could be used to commit a full-blown crime.”
“The poison causes purple spots on the skin and bloodshot eyes, so you can tell right away if the poison was used on you.”
“You know a lot about it……. You, you’re not experimenting with this on people, are you?”
“・・・・・・・・・・・”
“Tell me something! Were you planting it!? Were you experimenting on someone else!? You’re scaring me!”
Kreuz did not answer.
His priority at the moment was to gather herbs, and he was too lazy to talk to Makarov. In addition, he was too tired from the increased level of his status to open his mouth.
Even so, he was still collecting medicinal herbs, which showed his impressive researcher’s spirit.
“But…… that mercenary woman is rather gloomy. She’s mostly quiet and mumbling to herself.”
“There are a lot of strange people in the world. Why should I care about them?”
“You’re the last person I’d expect to hear that from……”
As Makarov looks at her, she is in despair over everything and says, “Why am I the only one…… the boys I’ve had my eye on, escorted by Zeros-san…. God is my enemy…… and the devil is the one who prevents me from loving them……” and so on.
Her appearance was far from her usual self, and she looked like a grudge-holding spirit caught in a dark emotion.
To put it bluntly, she looked absolutely creepy.
◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
“Dio! It went that way!”
“Damn, that thing’s moving fast……. This thing is strong……”
Zweit and the others were also fighting monsters deep in the forest.
The opponent is a bipedal dinosaur-like demon called the [Venom Raptor].
Its skin was covered with scales, and its color was dark purple. It was a fast-moving monster that was a bad match for a mage.
The other Academy students were unable to cope with the movement, and while they were tossed around, they were taking damage little by little.
And there are many of them. These monsters have a habit of acting in packs, so it’s a heavy burden for a mage with no real combat experience.
The reason why they are still alive is because of the three Cuckoos.
“You kids! Make sure you kill them. There’s a lot of them, which makes it easier to hit them!”
“Go ――――！! [Fireball].”
The Academy students aimed and fired their magic as they were told. However, the Venom Raptor easily avoided it by jumping toward the left, showing that it is a more cunning monster than it looks.
“They’re dodging our spells……”
“Is it observing our moves and avoiding us by following our movements……?”
The mercenaries’ commands are unreliable. The only way to survive in this situation is to act on your own. However, the monsters in front of them, who are moving together, move seamlessly and aren’t willing to act carelessly.
The Venom Raptor was responding to a high-pitched squeal, as if it was giving instructions somewhere, and was beginning to surround the area to set up a perimeter.
“We wanted to get through this as best we could on our own, but…… there will be casualties if we don’t. I don’t have a choice, uh～…… Wu Kei, was it?”
“Koke? (What is it?)”
“The boss must be giving orders to this monster somewhere. Find it and defeat it.”
“Koke~ (Okay).”
Accepting Zweit’s orders, the cuckoos flapped their wings and jumped to the branches of the trees, disappearing as they bounced around among the trees.
“Zweit…… Are you sure it’s okay to ask that cuckoo? We don’t have a lot of strength left……”
“It’s okay. He was raised by Shishou, remember? You can tell by looking at him that he’s not a normal cuckoo.”
“I know, but……”
“Now it’s just a matter of how long we can hold on…… Everyone, take a tight formation! Save your magic, we’re going in close combat!”
“”””O u ~!!””””
All of the mages, Zweit including those of the Weissler faction, had been trained in close combat.
There was not much that could be learned in a short period, but there was still enough time to get some close combat skills, and this training was also used to improve their fighting skills.
They have been trained in extremely close combat and are capable of fighting to a certain degree. Well, not as good as skilled fighters, but still better than not being able to.
“They’re coming!”
“Got it! Uri ~ya~!!”
One of the academy students exerts a full swing with his mace and takes one of them down. But at that moment, another Venom Raptor attacked them almost immediately. However, Zweit and the others had trained well in tight formations.
They all took their positions and attacked one another in turn while protecting each other. Their defensive formation was ironclad against the Venom Raptor, which used its wild instincts to kill its prey.
However, they also have weaknesses. They are at a disadvantage when it comes to long-term battles, and if they are attacked all at once, they will surely be annihilated.
All that was left was for the Cuckoos to defeat the boss.
“Damn, there’s too many of them!”
“Don’t be hasty! If you let it get to you, it will lead to an opening.”
“But…… we’re at a disadvantage in terms of numbers. The boss needs to be defeated quickly……”
Mages are basically turrets. But right now, they were fighting half as well as knights. No, they were more like mercenaries.
Without any means to defend themselves, they would be the ones killed. It was a matter of life and death, so they had no choice but to do what they had to do.
Other than Zweit, the other mage apprentices had learned firsthand the importance of close combat.
――― Gopa~aaaaaaaaaaaaan!!
At that moment, something was suddenly blown into the sky from the depths of the forest.
If you look closely, you’ll see that it’s a carnivorous monster, larger than a Venom Raptor, and it slams into the ground in a drilling spin.
“[Venom Pois]. The chickens…… killed it.”
“Yosshaa~a! Let’s start a counterattack here!”
“We’re going to take them out! Use your spells together and go!”
――― Gyopa~aaaaaa~!!
“”””Ha~a!?””””
When they were about to launch a counterattack, they were taken aback by a second [Venom Pois] that came storming in from the back.
It had been slashed everywhere and was bleeding profusely and dying.
Another one came running out from the back as if to escape. And from the sluggishness of its movements, it appeared to be on some kind of [Paralysis].
Eventually, the paralysis spread to his entire body, and when it no longer moved, it collapsed to the ground on the spot.
“Th, there were three of them……”
“We’re actually in serious danger, aren’t we?”
“A~a…… I can’t win this one. Three bosses are no match for me……”
“I mean, the Cuckoos… they’re too strong……”
“Now is our chance! We’ll hit these guys as hard as we can while they’re still confused!”
“””O~oooooooooooo~!!”””
Once the command is lost, the pack quickly falls apart.
With no boss to give orders, the Venom Raptors were no big deal, running left and right. The weaker ones were the first to flee, while the more belligerent ones attacked Zweit and his group and were killed in return.
Once separated, the only thing left to do was to strike them hard and accurately. Not long after, the battle was over.
The two mercenaries were unhappy at being showed that they were more dependable than them.
“…… What’s the point of us being here?”
“Don’t say that…… It will make you feel depressed.”
The mages from the Academy who were engaged in coordinated close combat and the Cuckoos who were exceptionally strong. The two mercenaries felt a little overwhelmed.
These two men were not weak, but they were actually amateurs when it came to group combat and had never fought in a large crowd before. There are many such mercenaries, and when they join a war, they start acting on their own judgment and die first.
If you are strong enough to separate yourself from the rest of the world, you will survive, but since war is fought on quantity rather than quality, those who are driven by individual strength will not survive.
The two mercenaries were learning for the first time the importance of group combat. The way the mages of the academy fought had impacted the two of them in more ways than one.
“I guess that’s it for training for now. Now we’ll collect the monster remains and get some rest for today. We can’t afford to be exhausted tomorrow.”
“Agreed. It’s dangerous to force things, and I think the best thing to do is to pull back when you have to.”
“A~a…… I’m a little tired, and I’ve increased my level. I’m feeling a little sluggish.”
“We’ll use a smoke bomb. We’re gonna have to stay on alert in the perimeter until the rescue team gets here.”
The mages of the Weissler faction had decided that rest was important, as part of their plan to carry out an actual battle strategy with Zweit.
Perhaps that’s why they knew when to back off and decided it was too dangerous to go any further into the forest.
More importantly, it was unlikely that they would be able to continue the battle since all but Zweit’s level had increased.
The smoke bombs were lit and when the rescue team arrived, they left with them.
◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
“How long do we have to stay here ……?”
“I don’t know. You’ll have to ask him.”
The party of Academy students who had been hiding in the pillbox and shooting at their prey had continued to defeat the monsters that had gathered and had improved their level considerably, but they were now in a situation where they couldn’t escape because of the flood of monsters around them.
They attacked until they ran out of magic, recovered their magic, and then attacked again. Surrounded by monsters that had been lured by the smell of blood, they were unable to escape.
“Fumu…… I think we gathered too many monsters~. What should we do……”
“Damn it, we can’t go back to the camp!! What are we supposed to do!!”
“Maybe you should continue to beat them and level up instead of leaving? Isn’t that the goal anyway? What’s the problem?”
“What about food? If we don’t get back before nightfall, then we won’t even be able to eat!”
“You’ll go through the same thing when you’re trapped on the battlefield, though. Think of it as training for that moment.”
“You want us to spend the night in this pit!”
Cabruno-kun, who had been spoiled growing up, insisted that he could not spend the night in a pillbox
If this were a battlefield, he would be the first to be abandoned. A selfish and self-centered superior would be the first thing they would abandon.
“You’ve been really spoiled……. That’s why you’re just a little boy…… Fu~…”
“Tsk!?”
Another harsh word.
There was a ruthless intent in it that left Cabruno speechless.
“You think this is a bad situation? You’re making me laugh………. This is not as bad as Far-Flung Forest…….
You should know……. real life is a dog-eat-dog world where authority means nothing……”
[The Zeros of that time] returns. The majestic natural forest changes him into a crazy warrior.
Indeed, the deadliest Beast, born after surviving in the harshest of environments and experiencing the true horror of the survival of the fittest, has awakened once again.
He lifted his mouth in a sly smile. The mask over his eyes hides his expression only slightly.
The ossan laughed at the boys as if he was crazy and truly amused.
In a word…… it could not have been more sinister.
“Come on…… let’s give them hell. You’re going to have a hell of a fight coming your way.
No whining allowed. No weakness, no giving up, no thought of dying to make it easier. Fight…… fight to the end and survive …… kuhahahahahaha!”
The boys grow pale. Then they realize, this is just the beginning……
That day, the party of boys from the Istor Magic Academy never returned to the campsite.
They will have to fight all night long. They will be watched from behind by the worst mages who have awakened his madness…….
“”””Somebody……, somebody, help us! ——————!!””””
The cries of the boys echoed through the forest of Rahmuff.
By the way, Rhasus was just watching (although he did come in to help in times of danger……).
At any rate, the boys have certainly thrown themselves into a hell of a fight.
