Chapter 73


    A golden weekend morning after midterms.


    The main gate of Kizen was crowded with students trying to go down to Rochest.


    On one side of the gate, a long line of carriages that had received reservations were waiting. Students who wanted to go picking in the valley or on the beach were bargaining with the wagoners.


    And if there were students who were excited, looking forward to such a happy holiday,


    Ah for reeaal! Whats this?!


    There were also students hanging onto running wild hippos since the weekend morning.


    Meilyn was making a long face.


    I was crazy! Secret technique of cooking monsters, my ass!


    To be in this kind of situation on this golden weekend


    Meilyn wanted to strike her past self in the head like a certain other person once said.


    It started like this.


    Meilyn and Camibarez begged Simon to learn Hong Fengs monster cuisine, and Simon sent a letter to Hong Feng.


    Hong Feng dly responded to the letter and informed him of the time and meeting ce.


    When Simon and hisrades arrived at the meeting point after finishing their preparations, four hippos were grazing around.


    And that was it.


    Hey, Meilyn! Arent you in a dangerous position in many ways right now?


    Rick, hanging on the hippo behind her, teased her as usual, but Meilyn responded as though finding him pathetic.


    Im wearing shorts today, you crazy bastard!


    Ah, how did you not fall for this?


    Ill see you after I get off this thing, honestly.


    She growled and pulled Rick down with force before stealthily turning her head.


    Camibarez was now hanging on with a resigned look, and Simon was


    It pisses me off that he, yet again, is the only one riding it well.


    Simon held the hippos body with his two legs and kept his bnce sitting upright. Only the assistants rode like that. It was a whole different level of stability.


    After going through such a difficult time, the four finally arrived at their destination.


    Huff! Phew! Whoa, that was so tiring! We just got here, but were already out of energy.


    Rick gasped for air as he rested his hands on his knees. Meilyn and Camibarez were already lying on the grass.


    Simon was the only one standing upright and checking Hong Fengs letter.


    Lets take a short break and depart right away.


    Hong Feng said that it wasnt difficult to teach the recipe for cooking monster, but she needed prey. So, she suggested hunting a monster called a nustlck.


    It was some kind of a mission.


    ording to Hong Feng, the nustlck was an invasive species and was disturbing the forests of Roke Ind.


    It was a monster that originally lived ind. Still, somehow it came to Roke Ind, and its poption increased drastically due to its tremendous eating habits and reproductive rate.


    Hong Fengs mission was to capture the leader of the nustlcks.


    She mentioned that the monster would be butchered and eaten after the hunt was over, so capturing the boss monster as unscathed as possible was important.


    Unnng No matter how much I think about it, it feels like we were handed work.


    Muttered Meilyn as she stood up. Simon said in a soft voice as thoughforting her,


    Professor Hong Feng must have her ways of thinking. Its a win-win, since we can practice hunting monsters too.


    Thats true.


    Simon!


    Camibarez rushed towards Simon.


    What is it, Cami?


    Hiding behind Simons back, she stretched out her hand, a tense expression on her face.


    O-Over there!


    Simons head turned.


    Perhaps they smelled the scent of humans. Three nustlcks were prowling around and approaching them.


    They had a short and blunt body, their whole body was covered with turquoise hair, and their faces looked like a mix between a gori and a pig.


    Im gonna go insane. Do we have to eat something like that today?


    Scowled Meilyn, and Rick chuckled.


    I think its going to be pretty good. Might taste like monkey meat.


    Ive never tried that!


    [Gourrgh!]


    The nustlcks started rushing toward them.


    Ah,e to think of it


    Simon turned his head and looked at his group members.


    The members, busy preparing dark spells, opened their eyes wide and looked at Simon as if wondering if there was something wrong.


    This is the first time weve all properly fought together.


    There were restrictions on the set position in the Cyclops performance assessment, but it was different today. A stage where everyone could fully put their strengths together and fight.


    Simon felt strangely excited by that fact and turned his head back to the front.


    Ill start.


    Simon pulled the virtual lever.


    He took out skeletons armed with spears and shields from the subspace one by one. A skeleton with a shield rushed forward and shed with a nustlck.


    <em>Kakiing!!</em>


    The nustlcks main weapon was its sharp ws and teeth. While the shield skeletons blocked the attack, a skeleton with a spear turned around and thrust its spear.


    <em>Pshk!</em>


    The tip of the spear stabbed the nustlcks body. However, it couldnt pierce through because of the beasts strong muscles.


    Excuse me.


    At that moment, Rick approached with gentle movement and lightly touched the skeletons spear.


    Enchant.


    The spear was dyed ck, and it pierced through the nustlcks body beforeing out the other end. The monsters eyes flipped over and drooped.


    Be careful~ More of them areing from the left and right.


    We know!


    <em>Crackle!</em>


    As Meilyn, standing on the right, swung her arms, ck mes spread across the nustlcks, leaving them writhing in agony.


    Hyaaah!


    Camibarez could be seen firing blood bullets from a kneeling position on Simon''s left.


    The moment the blood bullets hit a nustlcks body, a red explosion boomed out. It had the destructive power to shatter the upper half of the monster with one blow.


    Simon also moved.


    He pulled out three skeleton archers from the subspace, and Simon himself also took out the gold bow he got for free from the weapon shop.


    Load.


    <em>Shk.</em>


    Simon and the skeletons simultaneously loaded an arrow into their bows and pulled their strings taut.


    Fire!


    * * *


    * * *


    When Simon naturally released the power in his right hand holding the arrow along with themand, not one but four arrows flew at the same time.


    <em>Psssshhhhk!</em>


    Soon, they stuck into a nustlck running toward him.


    Two shots to the head and two to the chest. It died and copsed right away.


    Reload.


    <em>Shk Sshhk.</em>


    Simon and the skeleton archers reloaded their arrows in unison.


    Fire!


    This time, the arrows flew in different directions. Nustlcks approaching through the bushes were hit by arrows one by one and copsed.


    On the front! They keep oning from the front!


    Shouted Rick.


    More than six nustlcks were rushing all at once from the grass.


    Seeing that, Meilyn said,


    Simon! Cami and I have enough firepower, so please pay more attention to tanking!


    Ok.


    One of the strengths of Summoners was that they could move flexibly depending on the battle situation.


    Simon put the archers back into the subspace and resummoned the normal skeletons.


    He lined up six skeletons with shields using cross-operation.


    Enchant is going in!


    Rick took out a shield from his subspace, enchanted it, and gave it to the skeleton without a shield,pleting the defensive line in the blink of an eye.


    <em>Thump!</em>


    <em>Thuuump!</em>


    The nustlcks who rushed in immediately mmed into the line of shields with their whole bodies, but Simon clenched his teeth and maintained the formation.


    Hang in there!


    He repeatedly alternated between the thoughts of skeletons 1, 3, and 5, and then the thoughts of 2, 4, and 6.


    Since the skeletons defenses loosened in those few seconds when his thoughts were cut off, he had to endure it with cross-operation.


    Urk! I wontst long!


    Back off now, Simon!


    Simon raised his head.


    Meilyn, who had soared high in the sky before he realized it, was clutching a burning ck me in the palm of her hand. She spun in a circle once and swung her arm straight down.


    <Dark re>


    <em>Fwoooooooooosh!</em>


    Dark mes fell on the heads of the nustlcks, causing a massive explosion. However, the skeletons retreated safely, avoiding getting caught up.


    A near perfect level of control. Charred ashes crumbled in front of the shields.


    Nice, Meilyn!


    Thats nothing.


    After gently descending to the ground, she smiled whilebing her hair back under her ear.


    [Gourururugh]


    Just then, a nustlck ran toward her from behind her back. She looked back, flicking her sky-blue hair around.


    <em>Booooooom!</em>


    Immediately, a red explosion erupted from the monsters body, and it fell to its knees. In the distance, Camibarez was seen lowering her hand.


    Thank you, Cami!


    Yeah!


    Simon and hisrades started marching forward after oveing the crisis. They went deep into the forest, defeating each of the nustlcks that came out one by one.


    Could it be because of the Cyclops performance assessment? The four people worked in harmony, and it was almost perfect.


    Woah, its no joke.


    Said Rick, who cut through a nustlcks body while looking behind him.


    One side of the forest waspletely dyed ck by Meilyns firepower.


    By the way, Meilyn, is it okay to use fire-based dark magic like that in a thick forest like this? What if you cause a forest fire?


    Dumbass.


    Meilyn frowned while drawing a magic circle.


    The mes of the jet-ck elemental system are artificially materialized mes, so they will go away over time.


    Ah I see.


    So you piss off too, please.


    Yohoo~ good roast right there!


    Gosh.


    Meanwhile, Camibarez was gasping for breath, looking as though she had used too much blood. She was also feeling slightly anemic, and her head was starting to feel dizzy.


    Cami, are you alright?


    Simon quickly approached her and checked her condition.


    Her gaze went toward the smooth nape below Simons face for a moment.


    Her heart throbbed frantically all of a sudden, and she felt very thirsty. Her mouth opened on its own and she felt a twinge in the ridge of her nose.


    Just once.


    Just once will do. Let me put my fangs in there and take as much as I wa


    Cami?


    Ah!


    Startled, she backed off to a seated position and covered her mouth. Simon tilted his head.


    What''s wrong?


    N-N-N-Nothing! Its just that Im a little dizzy.


    Then lets take a break.


    Simon waved to Rick and Meilyn, who were going ahead, signaling a break. They both nodded, also feeling the need to take a break.


    Ugh Whats wrong with me?


    Camibarez buried her face in the palms of her hands.


    It had been almost 5 years since she felt the instincts of a vampire. She thought she hadpletely suppressed them now, but Simon continued to shake those thoughts of hers.


    Cami! Are you alright?


    Meilyn came running, but Camibarez forced a smile and said that she was fine.


    Meanwhile, Rick was looking at the traces on the floor.


    Theres a good chance that the head nustlck is around here. I see more footprints that are much bigger than the usual nustlcks. I think it was here until very recently.


    Is that so?


    Simon took out somethingrge from the subspace and dropped it on the floor.


    It was nothing other than the golems core.


    Then Ill prepare the golem while were taking a break. Lets break through the forest with this in one go.


    Oh, good idea!


    Simon dug a little in the ground with his hands and ced the golems core in the hole. Soon after connecting the golems core to his thoughts, he began to form jet-ck.


    <em>Whir. Whirrr.</em>


    The soil began to stick to the Golems core like a ma. It was the first time seeing a golem being made for everyone, so they watched with fascination.


    <em>Stomp! Stomp!</em>


    As 1/3 of the golem waspleted, unusually loud footsteps could be heard.


    Rick drew his sword and shouted,


    Everyone, be careful! Something ising this way!