《The Tale Of A Slayer》


 Chapter 1 - The Reject

    Yuuya leaked a sigh as he bathed in the cool water. The chilly water clung to his skin as he walked out, a yawn suppressed at the edge of his lips.


    It was the same as usual, to wake up before sunrise, yawning and sighing all the while. Bathing in freezing water before going to the kitchen, rays of morning light beginning to appear. Helping out the old lady to make breakfast for the little ones. Life at the orphanage has been like this, for what seemed like the past millennia.


    He was Yuuya Nakajima. And he was an orphan. Neither abandoned, nor parents that died in a tragic accident. The old lady, the caretaker of all the children at the orphanage told him that he had just popped up at the orphanage one fine day. Either way, it had been a long time since then, nearly seventeen years. To Yuuya, the old lady was his mother.


    Another sigh, as Yuuya washed the rice thoroughly. He looked out the window, at the sky that gradually lightened. His eyes were downcast, bored by his life. For Yuuya, the repetitive schedule in his life, that he had followed for nearly two decades had burned him out. Perhaps something new, something¡­ novel.


    A whistle sounded out, startling Yuuya from his reverie. With practiced motions, he poured out the steaming hot porridge into a pan. He lifted it, covering his hands with a wet cloth as he placed the hot pan in a bowl of water to cool it.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be done in a minute, granny,¡± Yuuya called out, and in response, the clear sound of a bell rang out. Yuuya listened as the pattering of feet ran out as the kids gradually woke up, getting ready for the day.


    The sun was up in the sky when the drawing of chairs sounded in Yuuya¡¯s ears. Jumping off the counter, he picked up the porridge, heading into the dining room. As he rounded a corner, an old woman, with wrinkled skin and silver hair walked out, smiling at Yuuya. ¡°Make sure to eat, Yuuya,¡± she said, smiling sweetly at him. Yuuya grinned at her, weaving around her as he headed into the dining room.


    With a practiced gait he wove around and between the tables, pouring the porridge, a modicum of it in everyone¡¯s plate. The steam rose up and the children greeted him as he swung by. The old lady hobbled behind him, laughing and greeting each of the children as she laid out bread and spoons for each one. With a cheer they delved into his porridge, for cooking came almost naturally to him. Yuuya couldn¡¯t hold back from beaming as he surveyed the children tearing into what he had prepared for them, delight in their eyes. A familiar feeling surged up, and Yuuya grinned at them.


    ¡°Yuuya. Did you have some breakfast? You¡¯ve been skipping out on meals lately,¡± Granny hobbled up next to him, leaning against her stick to support herself. Her eyes were tinged with age, age and worry. Yuuya grinned, rubbing her head affectionately as he ran by her. Without ado, he grabbed his bag, rushing out of the Morning Bee orphanage.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine granny. I had some already,¡± he called out as he opened the door, not wanting to stick around for she¡¯d surely drag him back to eat.


    ¡°Liar! I¡¯ve raised you for 16 years! You think I don¡¯t know when you¡¯re lying?¡± Her reply came out, and Yuuya started, recognizing the calm that came before the storm.


    ¡°Later!¡± He yelled back, rushing out the door before she¡¯d get her hands on him.


    Yuuya walked down the street, with an occasional skip in his steps. He stared up at the clear sky, and a smile came on his face. One day, once he¡¯d graduated and had enough money from a job, he¡¯d leave. He¡¯d leave and follow the sky, let the wind take him to all the different places in the worl-


    ¡°Yuuya! Wait up!¡±


    A groan escaped Yuuya¡¯s mouth as he recognized the owner of the voice. Scratching his head, he turned to awkwardly smile at the pink haired girl that ran toward him. She stumbled as she ran, trying to pull on her shoe at the same time. She came to a running stop before him, and looked up to glare at up.


    ¡°Sh-Shizuka¡­ Erm, I had to submit my assignment that¡¯s wh-,¡± Yuuya began, trying his best not to meet her eyes.


    ¡°Liaaar! Teacher didn¡¯t give us any assignments! You should work on your lies more, liaaar,¡± she nagged, pulling on his sleeve. She was an entire head shorter than him, adorned in the school¡¯s uniform, a stark white blazer and a blue skirt. Her pony tail stretched to her back, and her brown eyes gleamed with idiocy. But even Yuuya had to admit, she was quite the beauty. But to him, she was always Shizuka Oshino, the little girl that followed him around as long as he could remember.


    Accompanied by her consistent babbling in his ear, Yuuya headed toward their school at an even pace. The school would open earlier than usual offices, and the streets were quite empty. Within minutes, they had arrived before the grand edifice.


    ¡°We¡¯re here!¡± Shizuka chimed, tugging on his sleeve.


    ¡°No wonder, idiot,¡± Yuuya grinned, patting her head as he walked past her.


    ¡°Mou~, you¡¯re the idiot!¡± Shizuka pouted, walking behind him, huffing. They walked past the humongous front yard, heading toward the grand Holy Dragon Institute.


    With infrastructure and facilities that couldn¡¯t be afforded by even ten schools in this area, this school was the epitome of prodigality. It was built like a grand palace, with carved pillars and sloped roofs. Yuuya couldn¡¯t resist sighing as he walked closer to the entrance. This was a school he should never be able to afford to attend in his entire life. But somehow, the principal of this school, James Larson, was once a resident of their orphanage. With sizable donations that had never made Yuuya¡¯s or any of the children¡¯s childhood difficult and special exceptions in the school requirements, everyone from the Morning Bee orphanage could attend. Yuuya sighed exasperatedly at Shizuka, the idiot who didn¡¯t understand any of this. She patted the pillars, staring in wonder at the carvings, her mouth wide open.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    ¡°Shizuka, you go ahead. I¡¯ll come later. I¡¯ve got some errands to run,¡± Yuuya said as they climbed up the stairs, splitting off from her before she could respond.


    ¡°O-oh ok Yuuya,¡± Shizuka replied, troubled. But she did nothing to stop him, already used to his daily ¡®errands¡¯.


    With a leisurely gait, he headed to the restroom, and simply loitered around there. Sometimes the janitor would be there, who would stare at him strangely before leaving. For Yuuya, the restroom had been his ¡°resting room¡± for a long time before he¡¯d head to class.


    The clock chimed seven, and Yuuya knew he could not wait around for much longer. The teacher would come in any time, and he did not particularly like her ¡®reprimanding¡¯.


    Yuuya stopped before the door, and took a deep breath before heading in. He knew what was awaiting him, and despite how he despised it, he knew he had to bear with it. Bear with it, just for another year.


    ¡°Ara, who let the mongrel in?¡± Eiji questioned lazily as he saw Yuuya enter. With blonde hair that his foreigner parents bestowed to him, Eiji was unquestionably the ¡®leader¡¯ of their little clique. Their annoying little clique.


    ¡°Tch. It stinks now,¡± said another annoying voice. Yuuya did his best to ignore the annoying shorty, Mayumi. Her short temper was infamous, and he did not want to be the unlucky one to set this black star off. With barely a cursory bow toward the clique, he headed past them, toward the back where he sat.


    Yuuya walked past Nanami, whose spectacled eyes wove up to regard him. With a glance, she returned to her book, tucking her short hair behind her ears. The badge pinned to her lapel shone in the light, proudly announcing her status as the class rep. Yuuya returned the same, completely ignoring her.


    A certain idiot sat a few benches ahead, who hurriedly wove at him. Yuuya sighed at this clueless idiot, and nodded towards Ayumi, her best friend. Ayumi returned the nod, and did not speak any further. Her ponytail swished as she turned back to Shizuka. Next to her sat the long haired Rika, who completely ignored his existence, not even deigning to look up.


    ¡°Oho. Look who the guards let in. Seems even dogs can attend our school now,¡± Satoshi chuckled, regarding Yuuya with a grin on his face. He waved mockingly towards Yuuya, earning laughter from his stupid friends, Eiji and Mayumi. Hideki, the athletic over achiever, simply smiled toward Yuuya, who grinned back. Of the clique, Yuuya only agreed with one person. Hideki, the muscle-head that got along with everyone, even Yuuya.


    Satoshi further tousled his tousled hair, and ignored Yuuya. Glad that the initial round was over, Yuuya rested his head on his chin, staring out the window. Until the first hour was over, he would probably not have to deal with anything else.


    If only¡­ If only life were a bit more interesting.


    BZZZZT~ SSRRRKK!!!


    Yuuya started, jumping out of his seat. All of a sudden, bolts of lightning appeared in the class, violently whooshing about. Everyone looked around wildly, eyes wide with surprise. A marked circle began appearing in the air, gradually spreading out, sending out wild sparks of electricity. Yuuya stared at the weird circle, his eyes widening. Was it a dream?


    ¡°Wh-Wha-What¡¯s happening?!¡± Eiji stuttered, slipping and crashing into a desk. He was terrified by the bolts of electricity that fried the air, narrowly missing them.


    ¡°Eiji? Are you alright?¡± Mayumi rushed towards him, the lightning dancing about her as she struggled to lift him up. Her gaze was worried and Eiji looked immensely confused.


    ¡°A circle? What¡¯s it doing?¡± Nanami tucked her book into her bag, staring up at the lightning filled circle. The light gleamed on her spectacles as she tried to back away from it.


    ¡°Is that electricity?! Are we gonna get electrocuted?¡± Hideki rambled, pushing the benches aside as he rushed to get out of the lightning field. For a split second, Yuuya had the urge to laugh at Hideki¡¯s words.


    ¡°Shit. Guys, hold on tight! Seems like something¡¯s gonna happen!!¡± Satoshi cursed, falling and curling up on the ground. He covered his head with his arms as he cowered, preparing himself for what was going to happen.


    ¡°Yuuya! Are you alr¡ª,¡± Shizuka began, turning to him, her hand stretching out. Yuuya rushed forward, wanting to pull her out from the lightning. Yuuya felt terrified of the fierce lightning, although it did little to harm them.


    But she couldn¡¯t finish what she was about to say. Within the time he had taken to blink, she had vanished into thin air, her outstretched hand forming a ghost image in his vision.


    What?


    How was that possible?


    Where had she gone?


    ¡°Shizuk¡ª,¡± Ayumi yelled, startled as she had witnessed the same thing. She began moving, moving toward where Shizuka had been-.


    And as she did, even she blinked out of existence, perhaps fried by the electricity.


    ¡°Did they d-die?! What happened to them!?¡± Rika, the one next to them, yelled, terror on her face. But the next second, she was gone.


    ¡°I can¡¯t get out! There¡¯s something like a force field!¡± Hideki yelled out, his arms smashing against what seemed like an invisible force field. He raised his muscled arms once more only to-


    Boom. He vanished, the next second.


    And one by one everyone disappeared, the stray bolts of lightning striking, perhaps consuming them. Yuuya¡¯s terror began growing, except at the same time, he was excited. He was excited because he was guessing. Guessing, based on what had happened in the several novels that he had. A wild guess, an impossibility that could change his life.


    A summoning.


    The circle grew brighter and brighter, the lightning growing thicker as time passed. The shred of excitement intensified as Yuuya began wildly speculating. Was he the one? The one who would save them all, the special hero? Would he get a chance to finally be in a world that did not force him to be something? Would it be a world of infinite wonders?


    The circle¡¯s brightness reached its zenith as blinding light filled his vision. Yes. It would be so. He, Yuuya Nakajima would-


    And then the circle shattered.


    Yuuya stared, eyes widening.


    Like fairy dust, golden specks of light cascaded down, their brilliance fading. The lightning vanished. The circle was gone. It was like a cold bucket of water had been dumped on him as he realized.


    He was not a chosen hero.

 Chapter 2 - The Forced Summon

    Yuuya¡¯s mouth dropped open, leaking inaudible sounds. All his excitement and rising adrenaline had vanished in a flash, replaced by utter shock.


    He was alone in the classroom, benches and seats strewn about, and the sun shined in as usual.


    ¡°What¡­ the ¡­ actual...,¡± Yuuya cursed, rubbing his eyes as he regarded the scene before him. His rationality back to him, all that was left was an empty classroom, and an experience no one would believe. He couldn¡¯t just tell people that lightning circles had arrived and zapped his friends out of existence. The cuckoo house would be where he¡¯d get summoned to.


    And so, Yuuya resorted to absolute denial.


    Because it was simply impossible, logically, that it could possibly have happened. Leaving out the matter of his rejection, it was impossible for something like this to happen, ever. There was no burnt smell, no residue that indicated that there were previously seven healthy teenagers here, chatting and wasting time.


    But his memories told him otherwise.


    He precisely remembered the scene of Shizuka turning to him, her hand stretching to him. He remembered Hideki trying to break out of the force field, he remembered Satoshi trying to protect himself. The lightning, the bright light, it was still in his vision, having happened merely seconds ago. How could it be possible that it was all merely an illusion?


    Their bags were strewn about, books spilling out, further confirming Yuuya¡¯s memories.


    Yuuya raised his head slowly, where the lightning circle had begun appearing.


    And he gasped.


    Up there, on the roof, was a circle. Not the circle of lightning, but the opposite. A black circle, the same as that of the one that had appeared moments ago. Ash fell from the black circle, the black circle that had been burnt on to the roof.


    It really had happened.


    This was not a dream¡­ It was¡­ It was too real. He pinched himself, only to wince. He did not understand what to do, and stood there, gaping all the while.


    The sound of concrete breaking entered Yuuya¡¯s ears. Shocked, he turned to look at the windows. His eyes widened as he looked at the walls breaking. The broken rocks flew into the sky, completely ignoring the laws of gravity. Yuuya felt too surprised to even muster a few words.


    And then it hit him.


    It was like a hammer had smashed into his side, knocking the air out of his lungs. It pushed him out, directly through the hole that had opened up. His vision turned into a blur of colors as he felt the urge to throw up. He was flying, flying from the force that struck him. His limbs were like branches flapping in the wind, the wind itself like blades as it whipped past him. Within moments, he was outside the hole that opened up in the wall, floating dozens of meters above the ground. He¡­ was about to fall.


    But then he felt himself being pulled.


    Being pulled upwards. Like the broken concrete, Yuuya flew towards the sky. He tried to grip onto something, but what met his hands was only air. Within seconds, he was well above the building, flying towards the sky.


    Turning to look at the sky, he could see a golden spot high above in the sky. And Yuuya flew towards it. The spot flickered, changing into the image of a dense forest. A forest with an unearthly golden mist floating around it. He could see birds of unknown species cawing as they fled away, out of the range of this vision. And then it flickered again, returning to the churning golden mass.


    But this was merely the beginning. Within seconds, the entire eastern sky turned a stark red, like the beginning of an apocalypse. The skies rent apart, and an inhumanely strong pressure descended upon the world. A pressure that made Yuuya feel as if his innards were being crushed to paste, like he was just a balloon, squeezed by powerful arms.


    The wind whipped against his blazer, shredding it. He gasped for breath as the air got thinner. Thinner, as he approached the golden spot that seemed to welcome him.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    The spot got closer and closer, with Yuuya being only about three meters from it. His blood was rushing to his head. He could hear his heart pounding loudly, and his entire body weakening. He needed¡­ He needed air.


    Drawing in a deep breath, Yuuya plunged into the golden spot.


    ***


    What met his eyes was a field of white. Till the ends of the seemingly infinite space he was in, it was all white, white like fresh snow. Yuuya hurtled through the space, unable to control anything, even his body. Even though his eyes told him that he was in an endless space, he had the distinct feeling that he was inside some sort of tunnel. And the tunnel led somewhere.


    He struggled to open his eyes, the bright light stinging his eyes like acid. And now, the terror set in. Yuuya was scared, terrified. A lot of weird things were happening, and he landed smack right in the middle of it. Shizuka was gone, the others were gone, and now even he was gone. Worse, he was not zapped by lightning, which strangely seemed more preferable now. He struggled to make sense of what was happening, but was unable to. All that existed was an expanse of whiteness.


    However, he could now see some more things amidst the spotless space. Chunks of rocks, like boulders floated around. There were also chunks of concrete. Yuuya had the feeling that this wasn¡¯t from his school. Rather, it was much larger, much more precious than those of his school. He spotted the side of a building floating around, and the occasional lamp post. Once, Yuuya thought he saw a person. Floating behind a rock, a body, or what seemed like it. He rubbed his eyes, unwilling to believe it.


    The strange thing was that even though he was hurtling at breakneck speeds, there was no wind whipping past him. There was no air here, nothing of any kind. Yet, he could breathe.


    Then, at the end of the tunnel he hurtled through, something moved. Shocked, he realized that it was a tree. Stretched and wrecked, the humongous tree flew towards him, spinning as it did so. Panic flared in his head as the trunk swung at him. Yuuya did the first thing that came to his mind. He buckled his knees and curved into a ball, covering his head.


    The collision was brutal. The bark of the tree tore through his shirt, scratching his back. Blood sprayed out, making Yuuya want to scream. He bit the inside of his cheek, holding it in. The trunk passed by, then came a branch. Almost as thick as a grown man¡¯s thigh, it smashed against his side. Without doubt, all of the wind in his lungs had been knocked out. He gasped, spittle flying out as he did so. The sound of his arm cracking, followed shortly from the side of his chest travelled to his ears. Wincing, Yuuya held on as the tree passed by. And then a bunch of mud smashed into him. It splattered the white front of his shirt, a bit of it going in his mouth. Spitting it out, something charged up his throat, hot and scalding, from inside him. He doubled up, and coughed out a mouthful of blood. The blood floated there, like a globule of liquid.


    However, there wasn¡¯t any time for him to marvel at the lack of gravity. His eyes caught onto something familiar. Amidst the huge expanse of white, a spot of gold was visible. And it was what was pulling him through the tunnel.


    By now, Yuuya could figure out what was happening. However, before he could test out his theory, he plunged into the small golden spot once more. Everything around him turned golden, but only for a moment. The next thing he saw was a wonderful world.


    A huge forest expanded before him, covering every spot till the horizon. There was a variety of shades amidst the tree canopy, like a God had bent down and painted it, whimsical. And far away, rose five grand peaks, like the fingers of some ancient slumbering beast. Covered with greenery, they thrummed with life, obscuring the curved ends of the world from him.There were clearings amidst the velvet forest floor, showing patches of tall grass that swayed in the wind, relaxed. Huge boulders, of the kind that he had seen in the space, dotted places occasionally. But that was not what made it wondrous.


    Trees floated upwards, their roots flying in bits and pieces next to them. Clumps of mud discharged from the roots, like planets orbiting the sun. They flew towards him and rushed past him. For some reason, the spot didn¡¯t pull him back, but let him free fall towards the ground. Free fall hundreds of meters toward the ground.


    The wind finally picked up and whipped past him. He flailed his arms about, yelling as he rushed towards the ground. He would definitely go SPLAT if he were to hit the ground. However, there was nothing he could do. From time to time however, he would try and grasp the trees that accompanied him, so that he could slow down. It would slightly slow his momentum, but it never worked perfectly. His left arm ached as he tried to move it, and every time he did so, he would spasm in pain. Unable to do anything, Yuuya hurtled towards the ground.


    However, he suddenly found himself slowing down. The wind became slower, and he was no longer on a suicide run towards the ground. The ground came towards him slowly, and he fell like a feather, the occasional gust pushing him wildly off course. He gently hit the ground, but even that made him reel in pain. Gasping for air, he struggled to suppress the pain, but to no avail.


    Reason came to the front of his mind as he stopped moving. Yuuya tried to resist moving his arm as much as possible, so that the pain would stop. His muscles were being torn to shreds when he moved his arm, like a loaf being torn from bread. The injuries were without doubt, severe. He rolled onto his right arm, supporting his body with the other side. Breathing deeply to calm himself down, Yuuya struggled to get up.

 Chapter 3 - To Survive

    After what seemed like hours, he finally managed to prop his upper body up. Placing his arm against the ground, he winced as he pushed himself up. The pain was subdued compared to before, but it still hurt like hell. His side felt like it had been torn asunder. There was surely a humongous bruise awaiting him there. A broken rib might not be an overestimation too. His left arm was completely useless. Even shifting it would cause spikes of pain to pass through his body.


    However, Yuuya knew that he was lucky. The tree had merely grazed past him. It was not the trunk, but one of the thick branches that had smashed into him. If it had been the trunk¡­ he shuddered, frightened of what had happened.


    Finally, he began to look around. From what had happened, it didn¡¯t take much time for Yuuya to make sense of the situation. The golden spot was without a doubt, a portal. He had read enough science fiction to know that. But what Yuuya couldn¡¯t guess was whether he was still on Earth. For all he knew, he might have been tossed into some other continent. Worst case scenario, it was a different world altogether.


    The state of his clothes was terrible. It was ripped to shreds, and what remained of the prestigious white blazer was merely a dirty rag. The shirt he wore inside was splattered with mud, something that would have him severely reprimanded by the old lady. However, the back of his shirt was in a much more pitiful condition. Was it wet? It clicked a moment later how his back was wet. It was wet with his blood. Thankfully, the gashes on his back weren¡¯t too deep. They were merely scratches, so it wasn¡¯t too bad, compared to the rest of his body.


    Where he stood was what seemed like a crater. The hole had formed fairly recently. Most probably from the portal pulling up the ground. The mud that covered him, perhaps it was from this very spot. He looked up to check the portal, and as he did so, it began to flicker. Like an illusion, the spot faded away, a blue patch of sky replacing it. His eyes widened as the currently floating trees suddenly began falling.


    He crouched, trying to keep his arm out of the way. Booms resounded out as the trees crashed against the ground, sending mud and dust flying in the ground. The trees didn¡¯t fall into his crater, but the dust did. However, Yuuya didn¡¯t move an inch. It was best to wait, wait for the storm to pass by. He felt specks of dust fall over him, coughing as he tried to keep them out of his nose.


    After a few seconds, all was still. Scared but cautious, he crawled out of the small pit, hissing all the time. The formerly green forest was now a mess, with uprooted trees strewn about. There were numerous pits like the one he was in all about, making it seem like a great battle had taken place here. Dust floated around concealing most of the damage. Yuuya coughed, spitting out brown saliva. His throat itched so bad, he wanted nothing more than to scratch it out.


    Covering his face with what was left of his blazer, Yuuya moved through the trashed forest. This was a dangerous venture, one that he expected nothing from. But staying would prove nothing. He had no idea where he was, and how he¡¯d get back home. But however dire the situation was, panicking wouldn¡¯t help. Taking a deep breath to try and calm down his frantic heart, he stumbled through the forest.


    He, naturally, did not know what to do. He was in a seemingly mystical forest, and that implied a high chance of there being animals here. Perhaps even predators, at that. For now, he decided to just keep moving through the forest. Hopefully, there were humans nearby. If it were so, it¡¯d boost his chances of survival.


    He was already formulating a basic idea of what to do if there were no settlements. Find a tree, and try to live atop it, maybe. Heights might protect him from the beasts of the land. However, with his arm being broken like this, climbing a tree wouldn¡¯t just be difficult, it¡¯d be impossible. Just the thought alerted him of the pain in his arm, making him grit his teeth.


    Yuuya coughed up another mouthful of blood as he staggered through the forest. His arms and legs, they were screaming with pain. He didn¡¯t want to move, but he clenched his teeth and kept moving, for he had to. Who knew whether this would be the end of the floating trees? Maybe the spot would reappear, and he¡¯d be bombarded by dive bombing trees.


    His breaths came in gasps. Unable to take the strain anymore, he slumped against the stump of a tree. The rough bark pressed against the wounds on his bare back, making him wince in pain. Enduring the pain, he took deep breaths once more to calm his racing heart. His body began relaxing, like it was being set free from its torturous existence. His eyelids fluttered, unsteady. He struggled to remain awake. If he fell asleep here, who knows what dangers he¡¯d have to face up against. And that too, to face it unconscious.


    Suddenly, Yuuya¡¯s eyes snapped open. A sound boomed in his ears. A sound like the earth was being split apart. It stopped, and then started up again. The ground beneath him trembled, seemingly frightened, like him. Danger. Danger! His instincts screamed at him. He scrambled to his feet, but the pain from his hand exploded out, sending him reeling onto the ground. The sound was getting closer. Yuuya knew that this was not human. If it were, it would be a titan. And titans weren¡¯t known to be very friendly. Judging by the fact that it was coming towards him, it could be a beast, a bloodthirsty predator.


    His instincts sent bells tolling in his head as he scrambled forward. He knew that he had to get away, and as fast as he could. Without pause, Yuuya ran forward, stumbling and falling as he did so. The lack of a fully functioning arm severely affected his balance. Blasts of pain kept emerging from his hand as he moved it even the slightest bit. He could hear the sound of feet- or dreadful paws- hitting against the floor. Something running towards him.


    Trembling in fear, Yuuya turned back to look at his pursuer. His breath caught as he froze up. Some sort of invisible force clamped down on him, preventing him from breathing. It was raw, filled with a chilling intent.


    The silhouette of an enormous beast appeared in front of Yuuya. Its furry body heaved as it shot behind him. It was currently about 500 meters away from Yuuya, but with its speed, it¡¯d catch up soon. Its eyes glinted with ferocity as they stared straight at him. Legs the size of a man¡¯s waist pounded against the floor, sending vibrations throughout the forest. Its large head craned back as its mouth split apart to reveal a set of sharp white fangs. An earth shattering howl emerged from the beast, shaking Yuuya to his core.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    His blood ran cold as his eyes fell on the monstrous wolf. The force that locked down on him almost made him want to just stop and give up. Just become its food, because there was nothing else he could do. It was instinct, and it told him to do so.


    However, Yuuya¡¯s eyes shone with a strange light as he shook his head. For some reason, the pressure lessened quite a bit, allowing him to retain his reason. But, the pressure still pressed down on him, locking his legs. Without waiting another second, Yuuya waved his right arm, sending a humongous wave of pain bursting out from his arm, like a dam breaking. He howled in pain, the pain seemingly breaking the pressure¡¯s effect on him. Biting the inside of his cheek to not faint from the agony, Yuuya sped forward.


    The wolf pushed on, chasing closely behind Yuuya. The distance between them was reduced to 400 meters as the wolf relentlessly chased him. A scene that felt like the apocalypse had just occurred, and food was important for wild beasts like it. When a tasty morsel like Yuuya appeared, how could it not want to tear into him?


    Yuuya¡¯s body began to shudder as he pushed himself to the limit. His back continuously tinged with brief bursts of pain. His running was extremely bizarre, but it was the best he could muster. Leaning to one side, his speed was severely reduced from what he was usually capable of due to the incapacitation of an arm.


    The wolf was now only about 300 meters away from him. Despair began to show in Yuuya¡¯s eyes as he continued to run. In his state, getting away was extremely unlikely. The wolf was one of a kind, something he had never seen. It further increased his suspicions of being in another world, which he tried to suppress.


    Yuuya began to feel rage seething up from him. For some reason, he was sent to this hell hole. He was merely a teenager, but he had to survive from the moment he came here. With a broken arm, he had to run. The wolf was a terrifying beast. Yuuya couldn¡¯t hope to defeat it. It was just too monstrous.


    He had expected perhaps, a hero¡¯s welcome, as in the stories. A smooth ride till he vanquished the villain, a life that stories showed. Perhaps he could finally follow his dream, and in a world completely unknown to him. To roam the world, to see sights that Earthlings would never see, a life that he wasn¡¯t bored of.


    Rage and despair swirled around inside Yuuya like a tremendous vortex. However, these feelings were far out-shadowed by the inner need in him to survive. He had to get away, no matter what methods he had to use. However, he had no methods to use.


    There was only a 200 meter, at best, distance between them. The wolf¡¯s ragged breathing, its claws digging into the mud, everything, he heard. It occasionally growled, sending pangs of fear surging inside him.


    Had it caught up? Was it right behind him? Would he die? How would he survive?


    However, Yuuya could now hear another sound. The sound of something repeatedly smashing against a hard surface. It took him only a moment to realize that it was running water.


    Hope.


    Go there.


    Go there! Live! Your only chance!


    His instincts took over as he turned towards the water source. He had no hesitation as he made his decision. He had no other options, other than helping out the ecosystem by feeding himself to this poor wolf.


    Maybe.


    Maybe he can live.


    The distance between the predator and the prey closed even more. Yuuya could distinctly hear the sound of the water now. It was like a mighty roar, shaking the earth. His eyes shone with determination as he shot off towards the river. The wolf was even more relentless. Its body bulged a bit as its speed increased further. There was only a 70 meter distance separating it from its meal. Within a few breaths, the wolf would be upon him.


    The trees around them thickened as they ran through the now dense forest. Yuuya entered the forest, leaving behind the land filled with craters. With his small size, he could move through the forest, albeit with some difficulty. The wolf however, had no such advantage. With its now enormous body, it had to plough through the dense network of trees.


    Yuuya allowed himself some hope.


    He sped up, trying to be as careful as possible not to trip. He heaved huge amounts of air, his breathing laborious. His vision was dimming. Exhaustion was catching up to him. He was no athlete. His stamina was truly pitiful when compared to that of the wolf. He stumbled as he moved through the forest.


    Once again, he just wanted to give up. Just lie there, and allow the tiredness to take over him. Just relax. However, he knew that he had no such option if he wanted to survive. If he wanted to find Shizuka again. If he wanted a chance at his dream, ever again.


    He couldn¡¯t die like this.


    Die, without having done anything. He had dreams he had to fulfill.


    Was the world truly boundless? How different was this world from Earth? Did Magic exist?


    He had to push on.


    The roaring in his ears grew even louder as he neared the river.


    The greenery around him began to thin as he neared it. He was followed by loud sounds of branches breaking and trees shattering as the wolf chased him, hot in pursuit. Its eyes were now red with rage. Its body expanded even more as it shot through the trees like a meteor. In the blink of an eye, it was merely 10 meters behind Yuuya.


    The surroundings trees seemed like they vanished as Yuuya entered the clearing. He only saw one thing, the one thing that gave him hope. He could clearly hear the threatening growls of the wolf behind him. However, he spared no effort to look back. He set his sights on the mighty river in front of him.


    It was huge, several meters wide. The water within it roared like a dragon as it pounded against the banks. Bit by bit, soil was carried away by the river, to be deposited where the river would die. Yuuya however, had no time to admire the mightiness of the river, or the beauty of nature.


    He expended every ounce of energy he had left to shoot towards the river. His breathing was ragged. His vision was completely clouded over now, the entire world a haze to him. Yuuya had truly reached the limits of his body.


    The wolf roared in dismay as it sensed Yuuya¡¯s intentions. Without hesitation, it whipped its claws forward, sending the wind screaming towards Yuuya like sharp blades.


    The wind roared behind Yuuya, heading toward him. He would be injured if they hit him, if they even touched him. It would almost shred his skin to bits. However, he had to take the blow. In his almost dead mind, he could make out that the wolf would reach him regardless of whether it did or did not use the wind claw.


    Yuuya bent forward, the pain from his arm temporarily dispelling his fatigue. The wind was mere inches away from him. The air around him whipped about, lashes of an unseen God. Without hesitation, Yuuya dove forward. The wind blades swept past him, narrowly missing him. However, they shredded his shirt to bits, and blood sprayed out of his already injured back.


    Yuuya coughed up arrows of blood as the wind blades shot past. The winds accompanying the strong wind blades however, pushed Yuuya forward. In a final spurt, it shot him over the bank, into the river.


    The wolf howled in rage, its frustration clear as it saw its prey getting away. However, it could only show its frustration like this. It was clear that it couldn¡¯t eat Yuuya, no matter what it did now, unless it sought to challenge the river, just for Yuuya.


    The winds carried him into the water¡¯s embrace, like the old lady had when he was young. His fatigue was now reining in his mind. His vision dimmed as he fainted. Just before the last sliver of consciousness vanished, Yuuya felt the waters wash over him as he submerged in the river.

 Chapter 4 - To Explore

    For Yuuya, the fatigue taking over was freedom. Unconsciousness, a release from all the pain. He let it wash over him; he let it take him to fanciful land of dreams, away from all this. He certainly didn¡¯t have the luxury for that earlier. But now, as the waves washed over, he was away, away from his physical body. He had no desire to hold on to the last sliver of consciousness, and immersed himself in the darkness.


    Moments later, he was rudely awakened.


    Pain coursed through him as his already battered body banged against the shores. The pain spread throughout his body, like spilt water. It was no longer contained within his arm. His back stung as the speeding waters smashed against them, making them burn in pain. He could feel bruises blossoming all over his body, pinpricks of pain stinging him. Yuuya was a second away from losing himself in the pain.


    However, he had no desire to do so. He was deep within the rapids, his limited breath already decreasing. He had no idea how long he was out. It felt like he was unconscious only a moment ago.


    The waters surged as he got pushed to the top of the water on a whim. His face emerged from the sheet of water, breaking it apart. Before he could revel in the joy of emerging from the depths, something slammed violently against him.


    It felt like a mountain had dropped by to say hello, right on his chest. All the air in his lungs was instantly knocked out, and his eyes went wide. He heard something crack in his chest. Within moments, however, he was out of the river.


    He gasped for breath on the smooth boulder, pain tearing his body apart. The river water that slammed against the boulder made water flood into his open mouth. He had already gulped down countless mouthfuls. Why would a few more gulps matter?


    Inwardly, Yuuya was shocked as he laid eyes on the evening sky. It was clearly daylight when he first came here. Perhaps late in the morning, or maybe midday. However, now it was late in the evening. Night was almost here, the dark sky streaked with fading rays of red. The retreating sunlight was already far away. Soon, the reign of darkness would commence.


    He was bewildered as he realized how late it was. He was unconscious for more than a couple of hours. Or maybe, a couple of days! All this time he was in the river, but he still hadn¡¯t died. Yuuya thanked his lucky stars as the pain continued to sear within him.


    For now, the pain didn¡¯t matter. For Yuuya, this was a revelation. After all these dangers, he clearly had not died. Perhaps God did exist, watching over him. If God himself didn¡¯t want Yuuya to die, then why would he go against the Lord¡¯s will?


    Chuckling bitterly, he rolled over onto his side, coughing out tons of water. The cold wind was like an ice wave, his wet body shivering in its influence. He lied there, sopping wet and freezing. He was almost naked, with bits and pieces of cloth sticking onto him. His shirt was already nonexistent. His pants were now just shorts. The water diluted his blood, as pale red water washed the surface of the boulder.


    His ribs were definitely broken, along with his arm. Gashes covered his back, making it seem like a torn down painting. Water dripped from his hair, and Yuuya had nothing to protect himself from the invading cold.


    Frozen to the bone, Yuuya slowly got to his feet. His movements were sluggish. He had lost a lot of blood, and the pain within him was like a thousand needles pricking his flesh at the same time. He sucked in a huge mouthful of air, spluttering as he spit out some more water.


    He staggered forward, the cold making his joints work like rickety machines. His body just wanted a release. He was on the verge of giving up, once again. The fact the he lived till now was the only thing that served as motivation as he kept trudging on.


    He was soon under the cover of trees as he entered the forest again. The sound of the roaring rapids still rung in his ears. By now, it was completely night time. A faint light filtered through the canopy of trees. The golden light made the scene look magical as it illuminated the slowly swaying grasses. Yuuya looked up to see a sight he might never forget.


    A golden sphere hung high up in the air, like some treasured jewel. It glowed with a soft light, the rays from it looking like heavenly beauty. It was completely smooth, like the ravages of time had not tarnished it in the slightest.


    ¡°The moon¡­¡± Yuuya muttered. This had been the first words he had spoken after a long while. His hoarse voice was like a contradiction against the beauty of the moon. However, Yuuya¡¯s mind had already begun to conjure assumptions.


    Since the moon is golden here, there¡¯s no room for doubt that he was no longer on Earth. He had never heard of golden moons, and Earth¡¯s moon definitely had blemishes on it. Yet, this is completely perfect. He¡­ He was in another world!


    The discovery brought both joy and despair to him. The joy was that he was now in a new world. With new sights to see, a world filled with countless possibilities. Magic, dragons, it might all be possible here! However, it also brought despair. For one, he was completely stranded here. He knew no way for getting back home. Here he was, tired, shivering and hungry in another world. He had no family, no friends, and no connections. For once, Yuuya truly felt loneliness clamped down on him.


    He continued to stare at the moon as he thought of his pitiful state. The chances of him surviving were extremely slim. Even if he did, what would he do?


    Gradually, memories of the orphanage welled up in his mind. Granny, Shizuka, the other little mischief makers there, every single one of them flashed before his eyes. He thought of how the day had begun. Yuuya knew that he¡¯d never have expected something like this to happen. He thought of how Shizuka disappeared right in front of his eyes, and his eyes clouded over. He realized how much they helped him out. Unless you lose something, you¡¯d never realize its true value. Shizuka, the idiot that always used to disturb and irritate him when he was in the orphanage, just so that he never felt lonely. No matter how much he rebuked her, she¡¯d come running back whenever she saw Yuuya sitting alone. For once, Yuuya truly appreciated how much Shizuka had helped him.


    As he reminisced about everything that happened, Yuuya did not notice the phenomena happening around him. Something indescribable was swirling around him. He knew it was there in his subconscious, but never paid any attention to it. It felt mysterious, and was invisible to the eye. As it swirled around him, it seemed as if it were confused upon finding Yuuya. Like a small stream, a tendril of it entered Yuuya.


    However, Yuuya did not mind what was happening. His mind was raging as he thought of what had happened in his life, that he did not notice the strange phenomena. The substance kept entering him, gradually thickening.


    Slowly, Yuuya snapped out of his trance. As he did, the stream of the substance was suddenly cut off. He subconsciously prevented it from entering him. As if it had lost interest, the substance continued to swirl around.


    His eyes shone with a strange glow. All this time, Yuuya thought of what happened in his life. His life had started off bizarrely. At the orphanage, even Granny had no idea where he came from. He was¡­ just there. He thought of how he lived all these years, how even after he was an orphan, he could live comfortably. How even after a monstrous wolf chased him, he could escape from its claws. How even though he was submerged under the raging river, he survived.


    Yuuya was brimming with desire. The desire to live! He had no intention of just giving up and dying here. That was the coward¡¯s way out. Without trying, how could he know whether he would wound up dead? This¡­This was a new world! The possibilities were boundless here.


    He had to live on.


    His dreams weighed upon him.


    His responsibilities weighed upon him. Perhaps Shizuka was here somewhere. Frightened, alone. He had to find her. He owed her.


    Gritting his teeth, Yuuya continued on. He wrenched his eyes away from the intoxicating glow of the moon as he pushed on. Although his body screamed in protest, he suppressed it as he kept moving.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    Hours passed by as he continued walking. The night that covered the entire forest slowly lightened up as streaks of sunlight began to color it. Yuuya¡¯s mind was hardwired to continue walking. He betted his all on the possibility that if he did so, he would eventually be able to leave the forest.


    The remnants of the inky blackness of the night completely faded away as day replaced it. The golden moon was replaced by the vibrant glow of the sun. The weather was quite pleasant, allowing Yuuya some respite from nature¡¯s wrath. He frequently sniffed as he kept going. The cold wind, his soaked body, they had begun showing its effects on him. He sniffed again, sweating profusely as he walked on.


    As it slowly became day, pain began to course through him. His stomach twisted and curled in protest. Hunger was roaring in Yuuya¡¯s mind. It had been over a day since he had any food, and the signs were beginning to show. His previously resolute steps were no longer so steadfast. The resolution in his eyes was fading, quickly being replaced by a corrosive hunger. He knew he had to eat. He had already lost a lot of blood. Thankfully, the blood had clotted to a certain extent, preventing him from losing any more blood. However, the loss right now was not small.


    His head was light, as if it were floating in the clouds. His body continued to shiver although he was no longer wet. He kept sniffing as he took another trembling step. He wanted to resist the urge to just curl down on the ground. Hot fluid stormed into his stomach, bringing him pain. His entire body was hurting. The bruises from being banged up against the river, the scratches of the wolf, the collision against the tree, the painful hunger, all of it felt like his body was being torn to shreds.


    He barely kept himself together even with all that pain. But the roaring of his stomach was something he couldn¡¯t bear. His body was tired. Too tired to walk on. It had no energy to. Even if he slept for few more hours, it wouldn¡¯t change the state of deficiency his body was in.


    His vision began to blur as the colors all mixed together. The world was beginning to spin. After surviving being chased by a wolf and being thrown around like a ragdoll in the river, he was going to finally meet his death by hunger. Yuuya chuckled to himself as he thought of his sorry state. His mind was in the clouds already, struggling to escape from reality.


    Then, a roar snapped his mind out of its attempt to escape. It felt like the skies itself trembled under its pressure. The earth shook as it passed by, sending Yuuya onto his knees. His eyes were no longer hazy. They cleared as the sharp sense of danger imprinted itself on his heart. He scrambled back to his feet, the pain of his broken arm and chest once again making him wince. Ignoring it, he continued to move forward. He had no idea what the danger was. And he didn¡¯t plan to find out.


    The hunger and the protests of his body were put in the back of his mind as he staggered forward. All that filled his mind was the desire to escape.


    Yuuya¡¯s eyes were pulled to the sky as he saw the gigantic figure descending. It was much, much larger than him. Almost three hundred meters large, the figure landed on the ground.


    Like a meteor striking the earth, a tremor ran through the ground. A second later, violent winds were brought forth which split apart the forest and rushed out from where the figure landed. Like the winds of a tempest, it blazed past, pushing Yuuya back several meters. He screamed in pain as he collided against a tree with his already injured back. However, the sound of his scream was drowned out by another roar.


    It was much deeper. Rather than the force the first roar carried, it was much more subtle. However, it carried with itself a drowning feeling. Contradicting the fierceness of the previous one, it carried a much stronger impact on Yuuya¡¯s mind.


    He shuddered as two enormous pressures descended on him. He coughed up blood as they pressed down on him. His internal organs could barely hold up against the pressure. His innards would be ripped to shreds in seconds. The two pressures fought against each other with Yuuya being ravaged in the midst of it. However, as if by some miracle, they suddenly lessened. They weren¡¯t interested in an insect like Yuuya, someone destined to die.


    He heaved a huge gulp of breath as he felt his body unfreezing. His body thrummed with pain as if he had just exercised. Sweat beaded his head, flowing. He shuddered again as he looked at the two humongous figures.


    One stood before him, like a mountain that towered over everything. He could make out brilliantly white scales covering its back, gleaming brightly in the sunlight. Two heads snaked out from in front of the monster. It was reptilian, with bright blue eyes. The enormous power could be felt for miles on end.


    It was a dragon. However, it lacked any wings. Yuuya gasped as it swung its huge tail about. It whipped up another wind which tore apart the surrounding trees. Thankfully, Yuuya was far away from it. However, the resulting winds still buffeted him strongly. He continued to lean against the tree, ignoring the pain from his back.


    The other floated high up in the sky, flapping the wings it was proud of. Yuuya could instantly recognize that it was a dragon. With a reptilian face and tough violet scales covering it up, the three hundred meter large beast glowered at the wingless dragon on the ground.


    The two heads snaked around as they roared again. Seemingly in response, the dragon roared back. The sounds collided as the air between them seemingly began to distort. Suddenly, the dragon¡¯s amethyst like eyes flickered as they looked in the direction where Yuuya was in. A pressure incomparable to the one before pushed down on Yuuya. His face turned pale as he doubled over and coughed up another mouthful of blood.


    However, just like before, the pressure suddenly vanished. The dragon, as if it had lost interest, looked back towards the wingless dragon. With a pale white face, Yuuya looked on. He felt no desire whatsoever to run. He wanted to watch these legend like beasts fight. His eyes glinted as he thought of how lucky he was to even see them.


    The staring contest between the two ended as the dragon began its offense. It opened its maw, revealing a set of sharp white incisors and let loose a torrent of flames.


    The flames poured down like a stream, almost like a liquid, as they pushed towards the wingless dragon. His skin recoiled from the heat. He kept his eyes on the battle, not willing to take his eyes away from it for even a moment.


    The tongues of flames twisted and turned as they headed for the wingless dragon. The two heads twisted as they opened their mouths and let off another wave of attacks.


    A pristine beam of white shot out of its mouth. The coldness of the beam spread out, as if it wanted to show off its superiority. Fire and ice collided in mid air as a blinding mist spread out. It covered the entire area, hiding the two dragons.


    Yuuya¡¯s eyes flickered in disapproval as the fight became hidden from him. He wanted to see this fight, no matter what. He grunted as he got to his feet, and rushed towards the spot where the beasts fought. He wanted to get a closer look at the fight. His body groaned in displeasure, but he paid it no heed. He didn¡¯t pay attention to the fact that he might be in danger as he rushed in. All he knew was that he wanted to see what was happening.


    Instincts were not wise, he would have told himself.


    But in his delirium, Yuuya could care less about his safety.


    As he got closer, the mist slowly cleared, letting him see.


    Booms sounded out as the heads of the dragon and the wingless dragon collided. The dragon went for the spot between the two necks as it opened its huge maw to bite down. Seemingly as a retaliation, the two snaky heads bit down on the neck of the dragon.


    The dragon growled in displeasure as the sharp teeth of the two heads pierced into its neck. It was merely a slight wound; however the dignity of the dragon had been harmed. It twisted its neck as it changed its mind and bit down on just one neck.


    Wrenching its head back, a fountain of blood sprayed out as the dragon bit off a huge chunk of flesh and scales from the neck of the wingless dragon. The head yowled in pain as it let go off the dragon¡¯s neck. The dragon flapped its wings, sending a buffeting wind towards the body of the wingless dragon, pushing it back.


    Roaring again, the dragon pushed back as well, returning to its place in the sky. Its tail swung about like a threatening whip. The dragon kept its eyes on the howling wingless dragon. Clearly, the wounds on the wingless dragon were much more severe. Issuing a cold snort, the dragon dived down.


    The heads of the wingless dragon whipped out as it looked at the approaching dragon. Uttering a yip in dismay, the wingless dragon crouched. It did not plan to go down without a fight.


    The earth shuddered again as the enormous beast took off from the ground. It could not fly without wings. However, it still shot like a meteor towards the dragon. The dragon spread its wings apart as it stopped midflight. A torrent of wind emerged as it did so. The wingless dragon was bewildered for a moment. However, it was only for a moment.


    The dragon¡¯s strong whip like tail lashed at the neck of the partially severed head. The blow was like a guillotine as it completely severed the head, letting it drop down to the ground.


    A smash resounded throughout the forest as the head landed on the ground.


    Yuuya was pushed back as the first head landed near him. Violet blood sprayed out from the severed head, dousing him. It was still several meters away, but the quantity of blood wasn¡¯t small. As it touched his skin, it burned with a sickly smell. Without hesitation, he brushed it off of him, frightened.


    His nose wrinkled as he saw the descending rain of blood. The forest around him had already been torn to shreds. The rain completely doused him, covering him with the smell. He tried to cover his back, fearing that the blood might infect the wounds. However, he was completely doused in it within moments.


    The wingless dragon roared in pain as its single head collided against the dragon. However, the dragon had a look of indifference as the wingless dragon pushed against it. Its eyes glowed with a strange light as it raised its head and bit down on the second neck.


    Like breaking dried weed, the dragon snapped at the neck of the wingless dragon. It was pushed back as the wingless dragon collided against it, but it apparently sustained no damage. With a final wrench, it pulled out the neck of the wingless dragon and threw it to the side. It roared mightily towards the skies, shaking the very heavens and earth. The sound pressed against him, until it was unbearable. It felt like his head was on the verge of exploding when Yuuya suddenly lost consciousness.


    Flapping its wings, the dragon headed off in flight. It paid Yuuya no heed, as if he were merely an insect.

 Chapter 5 - To Hunger

    Pain.


    It raged around within his body, a typhoon of agony. He clenched his eyes shut and yelled, unable to bear it. He didn¡¯t know why it hurt. But it did. Like lava were flowing on his skin, like his skin was being peeled off his being. He rolled around, trying to stifle the pain.


    A sickly smell hung on his nose, reminding him of the dragon¡¯s blood. Finally, realization dawned on Yuuya as he remembered the epic fight between the two legendary beasts. The excitement and tension was beyond compare. His blood was boiling, roaring in response. And then, the dragon knocked him out with some kind of pressure.


    Yuuya spluttered as he struggled to open his eyes. Saliva sprayed out of his mouth, as he attempted to recover. The pain primarily came from his back. It was searing hot, a hot ladle rubbing against his back. His skin had been flayed most likely, and his wounds had lemons rubbed in them. It was like a million specks of fire were forcefully widening the wounds, burning his innards.


    He clenched onto the grass, stopping himself from rolling around. Clenching his teeth, he shakily opened his eyes, watching the world through the crack he could open up. The agony was just so much that he could barely do that too, as he immediately closed his eyes again.


    Rolling onto his back, he howled again in pain, his skull reverberating with the sound. His throat felt like it was being torn to shreds as he roared, giving vent to the pain in his body. It had little effect, as the pain only got even more intense. Yuuya punched the ground, bloodying his fist. Ignoring the pain, he kept on doing it, shattering the bones of his knuckles. The skin on his hands was all but shredded, drenching it with his warm blood. Then, he could feel some thick viscous liquid covering the wound. Struggling again, he opened his eyes to look at the battered fist.


    His entire arm-no, his entire body was covered with the violet blood. As he watched, the blood seeped into his fist. It was so battered that he could even see the horrifying whites of his knuckle bones.


    An excruciating pain, triumphing what he felt from his broken fist shot up as the blood seeped in. It felt all too similar to the pain from his back. He resisted the urge and watched on. He wanted to know what it was that made him hurt so much.


    For a second, he was bewildered. The violet blood was like some sort of glue. It visibly seeped into the cracks in his bones, and slowly dissipated. When the last drop vanished, it was replaced by a fully healed crack. However, that was all the more painful.


    The blood healed.


    Yuuya bit his tongue, gaining a bit of clarity. This could be his chance. If the blood was some sort of magical healing liquid, he should take advantage of it. Who knew whether he could get such an opportunity again?


    The pain from his back, it was probably because of the blood healing his wounds. Biting down fiercely on his ravaged cheek, Yuuya struggled to sit up and sag against the tree. Gasping from the effort it took, he drew in huge breaths of air before he could get used to the pain. The agony from his back was mind crushing, but Yuuya held on. He had to focus now. He redirected his attention to his broken arm. The wounds on his right arm were quickly healing. A thick steam rose off of it as the skin was slowly being replaced.


    Gritting his teeth, he gathered up some of the blood on his thigh and slathered it on his left arm. He readied himself for the onslaught of pain, but it never came. Surprised, he gazed at the slowly dissipating blood. Although it was vanishing, it had no effect. He checked his right fist and then the slowly decreasing puddles of blood on the ground.


    It had to go inside him, mix with his own blood to heal. For a moment he considered consuming it, but his mind immediately warned him against it. Too dangerous. Some other way. Yuuya continued to storm his brain, trying to find a solution. Finally, he came to a conclusion. His right fist was almost healed, and most of the pain on his back was fading. The gashes would have healed by now. He turned around, and tightened his grip on a tree¡¯s bark.


    Grunting, he wrenched off a piece of the bark. Panting, he looked down at his arm, regret welling up inside him. Before rationality could persuade him away from it, he jabbed down. He tore a gash on his hand, ripping the skin, letting his blood burst forth.


    With shaky arms, he dropped the blood soaked bark. He did not have much time remaining. He gathered up whatever he could of the violet blood, and pressed it into the wound.


    Agony flared up as he did so. Grunting again, he kept gathering up all the blood he could. Droplets, handfuls-whatever he could and pressed it into the wound. The wound began closing up, and Yuuya panicked. He lurched forward and scooped up some of the blood on the ground, covering his hand with it.


    With the extra blood in there, the pain almost doubled. Yuuya let out a gasp, his lungs lacking air. He curled up into a ball as his hand exploded into flames- flames of pain.


    A few minutes later, it slowly faded away. Yuuya panted on the forest floor, lying down on his back. His body was covered with sweat. His clothes were fully revealed, and the blood had already vanished. Only dregs of it were around, remnants of large puddles.


    With shaky legs, Yuuya struggled onto his feet. The pain on his back was all but gone. But, he lightly winced as pain shot up from his left arm.


    ¡°It¡¯s not completely healed huh¡­¡± Yuuya bitterly smiled as he held his left arm.


    The pain was minuscule, but it was there. The gash he opened up was gone, but the broken bones were not completely healed.


    When he raised his head, Yuuya caught his breath.


    Before him, there lay a humongous cylinder, covered with brilliant white scales. The scales glittered in the sun, although a major part of it was dim, covered in dirt.


    ¡°The dragon¡¯s¡­ head?¡± Yuuya muttered to himself as he captured the scene with his eyes. He remembered the wingless dragon¡¯s head dropping after the dragon chopped it off with its tail.


    Curiosity overwhelmed his caution as he went towards the dragon¡¯s head. His steps were shaky at first, but they gradually grew more stable. Finally, all the pain he felt had faded away. His arm was the only injury he had, and that was almost fully healed. He heaved a sigh of relief, for the hectic events that had inflicted several wounds on them, they had finally been healed.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    As he walked towards the severed head, Yuuya kept swinging his left arm around. He wanted to know how much it hurt, and when. As he raised his arm above shoulder height, the pain flared. Smiling bitterly, he quickly neared the head.


    However, the removal of pain from his wound brought about a new pain. One that troubled him even before, but which was much more pronounced now. His stomach curled up in hunger, sending out twinges of pain. He pressed his arm against his tummy, as if he were suppressing the hunger. He needed food. And if worst came to worst, he¡¯d just eat the grass.


    When he reached the remains of the dragon, what greeted him was a huge oval. The outer oval was white, like the scales, while the inner surfaces were a thick pale violet. It was meaty, with a partially covered hole in the middle. A strong smell assaulted his nose, similar to that of the blood from before. Only, it was much stronger. Pinching his nose, he came about 5 steps away from the meaty surface.


    There, Yuuya blanked out. His head was completely devoid of thoughts as he gazed at the flesh. Within him, a raw unbridled desire welled up. One that he could barely hold in. Within moments however, he couldn¡¯t. Throwing away any and all restraints, Yuuya dove towards the flesh, his hands lashing out. His stomach growled as if in agreement. Any civilized impression he gave off completely disappeared as it was replaced by an animalistic expression. He tore the flesh away from the huge mass and stuffed it into his mouth.


    It tasted like wax. Wax, with a fiery taste. His mouth felt like it swallowed a candle as he choked for breath. He clutched at his throat, his face turning blue as he struggled to swallow the chunk of hot wax. It almost burned a way through his esophagus as he somehow managed to swallow it. Gasping for breath, his caution against the pain was completely overwhelmed as he once again tore off meat from the carcass.


    A few times he kept doing it, swallowing the hot waxy meat and choking himself to a near death state. His tummy was filled, his hunger sated, but he couldn¡¯t stop. For some reason, the allure the meat presented was almost otherworldly. Even though he wanted to stop, he just had to keep eating it.


    The last morsel was larger than the rest as it sent him sprawling on the ground, gasping for air. It was clear that this was too much for him, as he finally became lucid- only to be greeted with him choking himself to death. Stopping his attempts to spit it out, Yuuya struggled to swallow it.


    His face turned white as he somehow managed to do it. He was tired-everything that happened finally took its toll on him as he collapsed. It was purely mental fatigue. Any physical fatigue he had was completely wiped by the painful yet potent treatment of the wingless dragon¡¯s blood. His gaze was dimming as finally, finally Yuuya could go to sleep.


    Darkness.


    When he finally regained consciousness, Yuuya could feel that something was wrong. His back felt like it was being rubbed against something. Opening his eyes, he was greeted by a mud roof. Surprised, he tried to get up, but was unable to. His body was immobilized and something was holding him down as it dragged him along. Directing his gaze downward, Yuuya sucked in a cold breath of air as he realized that a pincer was gripping his abdomen tight.


    Looking beyond the pincers, there was a dark brown fleshy part, with an aperture in the middle. Above it was a pair of large semi transparent sheets. Below the fleshy part, two long appendages stretched out, waving about. They were both covered with thin hair like filaments, and bent in the middle.


    Yuuya gasped as he realized that he was being dragged away by some sort of giant insect. Looking back, he was in a tunnel, and there was a huge ugly face right behind him. It looked like an insect¡¯s face, with multiple joined hexagons constituting two gray eyes. The tunnel was quite dark, but it was illuminated by some sort of glowing stones that were scattered here and there.


    With horror, he realized that he was probably being dragged into the insect¡¯s nest. He struggled to free himself, twisting and turning within the pincer¡¯s grasp. It was futile as its hold was quite firm. Yuuya slammed his fists against the thick pincers, wincing in pain. His arm was still not healed, and it sent out pangs of pain. However his actions were useless as the pincers refused to budge.


    As a last resort, Yuuya fiercely kicked against the hole in front of him, unwilling to give up.


    A shrill cry, which sounded like the strings of a violin being ripped, echoed out as the pincers abruptly loosened. Yuuya¡¯s body was freed as he fell onto the ground. Scrambling onto his feet, Yuuya immediately bolted to the opposite direction in which the insects were heading.


    The insect right in front of him gave way as if it were afraid. It scurried away from him, and on its back was a chunk of violet meat. The dragon meat! Yuuya recognized it as he soon as he saw it.


    Following after the ant, Yuuya shot off to the exit.


    There were a lot more ants behind the first ant as they all began to flee. At first they were unwilling- but after seeing Yuuya running towards them, they were almost panicky as they rushed towards the exit. Gratified, he bolted toward the exit- hoping there was one.


    The tunnel, which was initially level, began to slope upwards. A rush of cool air brushed past him, alerting Yuuya that the exit was close.


    The ant guides did not disappoint as soon, Yuuya was jumping out of a hole. Without waiting for even a second, he bolted towards the left, deep into the forest. He was no longer hungry, nor in much pain. Being well rested, Yuuya was in a near perfect form as he raced into the forest.


    Soon, he left the horde of ants behind as he went deeper into the forest. The golden moonlight illuminated the path as Yuuya kept running- He did not want to take his chances. As soon as he got a suitable distance between the insects and himself, he would try to climb a tree. With his nearly healed arm, it would only be a matter of time.


    Glancing at the moon, he realized that it was night already. Meaning, he was out for quite a few hours- or maybe even a day. Since he wasn¡¯t all that hungry anymore, it might¡¯ve only been a few hours.


    Yuuya slowed down and stopped running, gasping for air. He didn¡¯t exercise much, and didn¡¯t have a large amount of stamina- only average at best. He sagged against a tree and slid down into a sitting position. His eyes were filled with determination. All the happenings only proved one thing to him. He cannot die here. Until his last breath, he shouldn¡¯t give up.


    As his breath calmed down, he jumped onto his feet and began inspecting the tree. He placed his arms against the rough bark, and clenched it. Placing his right foot on there first, Yuuya slowly began climbing the tree.


    It was quite slow. With an injured arm, there were some times when he almost fell down. After about 10 minutes, Yuuya finally mounted a branch. He lied down on his stomach, hugging the thick branch. Although it was rough and uncomfortable, he tried to sink into a light sleep. Although he got some sleep before, he had to rest when he could. And since it was nighttime, there was no guarantee that there wouldn¡¯t be predators prowling around.


    Yuuya¡¯s eyes were clouded over as he reminisced about all that he faced here. It had been two¡­ or maybe three days since he¡¯d arrived. Slowly, he remembered how he came here, and how the others had vanished. Were they here as well? However, they were zapped away, while he was thrown into the sky. Worry for Shizuka blossomed in his gut.


    A hint of panic arose in his eyes. He had no idea what to do. Even if Shizuka came here, how would he find her? Within this forest, he could only barely survive, how would he go about searching for Shizuka?


    Taking a deep breath, he tried to calm himself down.


    Yuuya collected his thoughts as he tried to figure out a solution. The biggest disadvantage was that he had literally nothing here. No knowledge, no strength, no contacts. That said, it wasn¡¯t even necessary that Shizuka was here. She could be somewhere else, and he wouldn¡¯t be able to find her either way.


    Finally, Yuuya came to a conclusion. One, he had to get out of the forest, or find some habitation. There, he had to find someone to help him search the forest. Two, he had to find some method to make himself able enough to scour the forest. Either method was not easy.


    His gaze turned resolute as Yuuya decided on his course of action. He had to either find someone to do it for him, or make himself able to do it. Either way, he had to find a place of inhabitation.


    He once again began to sink into sleep as he made up his plan. He could only depend on luck as he had to walk in a random direction.


    And hope he¡¯d end up somewhere.


    End up somewhere alive.

 Chapter 6 - To Rage

    Distinctly, the ground beneath Yuuya rumbled. The branch he hugged to sleep shook like an earthquake was occurring.


    Yuuya jolted awake as his branch swung wildly, his eyes snapping open. The tree shook like a giant was waving it around, its branches cracking. He crouched on the branch, his hands gripping it tightly for stability. His eyes darted around, searching for the source. Leaves broke off, slapping on to his face as even the branch he was on began straining itself.


    To his surprise, all the trees in the vicinity were violently shaking like the one he was on. However, there were no storm winds. The ground rumbled fiercely, but it felt off to Yuuya. For some reason, he couldn¡¯t equate it to an earthquake.


    Yuuya gasped in surprise as suddenly, the tree itself rose up. No, it wasn¡¯t the tree that rose up, but the ground. The grass and mud on the forest floor shook as cracks covered it. They kept spreading, forming a huge net. Chunks of mud were eroded away as even the trees were pulled along with it.


    The ground rose up, forming something similar to a mountain. A few meters away, a tree- a thick and splendorous tree- rose up from the midst of the forest, like a sovereign among the others. The trees all around it fell as if it were kneeling before it. Yuuya¡¯s gaze turned back towards the ground and his eyes widened.


    Beneath the eroding soil, he could see markings. On a thicker looking layer- a dark brown colored one- were numerous hexagonal markings. Putting two and two together, Yuuya realized what was happening.


    It was a tortoise.


    A gargantuan tortoise.


    Yuuya gaped as he struggled to stay on, unable to understand how such a big beast could exist.


    The tree Yuuya was on was also dragged off, with him on it. He didn¡¯t dare let go off the tree as he got pulled away with the mud. The tree roots stuck out in the air as they were pushed away like logs in the sea.


    Finally, he could see the edge of the rising landmass. Or the rising tortoise shell. The tree fell off, free falling for at least five meters before crashing on the ground. Yuuya rolled onto the floor, negating much of the damage. His teeth smashed against each other as his head went numb.


    Without waiting to let the pain fade, Yuuya jumped on to his feet. Stumbling, he began to run. The ground continued to rumble behind him- but he paid it no heed.


    GROOOOAAAAOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!


    The fierce waves of air that the beast stirred up with its roar slammed in to his back, sending him sprawling onto the ground. His head was being torn apart as the sound wave rushed past. He clutched his ears and shut them, trying to keep out the noise as much as he could. His bones rattled, clattering. But Yuuya didn¡¯t stop moving. Rolling and falling continuously, he tried his best to put some distance between the beast and himself.


    Cursing his fate, Yuuya continued to flee. He didn¡¯t want to find out what would happen.


    But, the tortoise seemed to think otherwise.


    An enormous head- almost 10 meters high, pulled out of the ground. The mud and grass that grew on its head cascaded down as the two beady green eyes appeared, zeroing in on the fleeing Yuuya. Behind the head, the tree rose to the sky, with a curved thick shell beneath it.


    The ground shook severely, sending Yuuya sprawling on the ground. Gasping, he turned to look at the terrifying head staring at him. Its face was strangely reptilian, covered with scales. The moment his eyes met with its eyes, his head was filled with a roaring sound. Clutching his ears, Yuuya wrenched his eyes away from it. But the sound didn¡¯t disappear. It was merely muted. Yuuya gaped in shock as he saw a pillar emerge out of the ground. Mud fell like rain as the scaly pillar rose into the air and stamped down on the ground. Another pillar rose up, and along with it, the large head rose up. Yuuya finally understood. It was climbing out of the hole it was in. How many years was it in for trees to grow on it? Why did it choose this very day to wake up?


    Smiling bitterly, Yuuya continued to flee. He had no time to admire the beast.


    The tortoise opened its maw, revealing a dark red tongue. The tongue rolled out like a carpet, and the tortoise sucked in.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    A vacuum like force caught Yuuya, pulling him towards the tortoise. His forehead was beaded with sweat as he dove and grabbed a tree. His hugged it like his life depended on it, and refused to let go. The pulling force doubled, almost as if it were also unwilling to Yuuya live.


    The ground continued to shake as the tortoise moved, step by step towards Yuuya. For once, Yuuya really had a feeling to curse at the gods. What wrong did he do to undergo severe trials like this?


    The tortoise edged forward, slowly advancing towards Yuuya. He had no method to escape. If he let go of the tree, he¡¯d be sucked towards the tortoise.


    The tree groaned in displeasure as it began to crack. Under the extreme pull of the tortoise, it could barely hold on. If the pull increased any further, it would definitely yield.


    Almost as if it sensed this situation, the tortoise opened its mouth even wider and the pull intensified. The tree shattered as Yuuya was left clutching at a flying tree. It was completely uprooted, and he could only hang on to it.


    The tree flew towards the tortoise¡¯s maw, twisting in mid air. The tortoise opened its mouth to the maximum and bit down on the tree.


    The tree shattered as the two end segments were chopped off. Yuuya let off the tree and rolled onto the ground. The tortoise kept chewing on the rough tree bark like it was a blade of grass. The two apertures above the mouth enlarged as two hot puffs of air gushed out.


    Yuuya didn¡¯t wait for it to finish eating as he began to run again. However this time, he ran to the left of the tortoise¡¯s mouth. Evidently, running in front of it was merely suicide. He ran like he was on his last breath, not faltering for even a second. The monstrous size of the tortoise was revealed to Yuuya as he kept running. But of course, the dragons were even larger than this tortoise. In front of them, the tortoise was like Yuuya. Dinner waiting to be served.


    A dust rain began once again as the shell began to move. Coughing, Yuuya tried to cover up his face so that the dust didn¡¯t choke him. As the tortoise took the next step, another earthquake began, almost sending Yuuya flying. He kept low to the ground, trying to not fall. Falling would mean only one thing-To be eaten.


    Thinking that he¡¯d put enough distance between the tortoise¡¯s mouth, Yuuya began to run away from the tortoise. His legs began to scream as he overworked them. But there was no stopping. The shaking stopped for a second, bewildering Yuuya. Then, another earthshaking stomp came, much greater than before. He couldn¡¯t bear this one as he was sent flying on the ground, face digging into grass and mud. He covered his head, trying to prevent damage.


    Yuuya struggled to his feet and continued to run. His eyes widened as they perceived the scene before him.


    Like a tsunami, waves of rocks and mud rose up in front of him. It was continuous, like a circle. It kept rising-2 meters, 5 meters, 10 meters, 20 meters- until it came to a rest at a shocking 30 meters. The mud wall enclosure stood like an impassable barrier, and impassable it was.


    Despair began to surge up from within Yuuya. There was no escape now. If that thing looked at him and sucked in again, he would be flying towards it. And that time, he might just die.


    Unwilling to give up, Yuuya continued to run toward the wall. Perhaps there would be a hole. Maybe a forgotten tunnel. Something. Something that¡¯d help him get away.


    Suddenly, the ground lurched as Yuuya was once again sent flying in the air. No, it wasn¡¯t Yuuya who was flying, but the chunk of ground beneath him.


    The dirt floating around his platform solidified, forming into thick spikes. They floated in the air, and after a split second, shot toward him.


    Shocked, he tried to jump off the small island, but it was to no avail. Like it sensed him jumping, clumps of soil rose up and formed a platform to catch him. Like a jet, it zoomed towards the place he dreaded-the tortoise.


    Whenever he tried to jump off, new platforms would form and catch him. The platform flew through the air and came to a stop before the monstrous head. The spikes continuously shot toward him, wanting to tear into him, to taste his blood. He jumped up, sideways, down, everywhere, but it was of no use.


    As Yuuya began his final attempt, a spike finally found him.


    He screamed an unearthly scream as his vision turned red. Pain. Pain far surpassing anything, burst into his body, wrecking havoc as it surged through. Nothing could compare to that, as the spike continued to dig in.


    Continued to dig into his eye.


    With a yell of defiance, he ripped out the mud spike, blood and gore leaking from the hole where his eye had been. He couldn¡¯t hold on¡­ his vision ¡­ his vision was dimming. Everything was quite¡­ quite light.


    The turtle raised its head and once again laid its eyes on Yuuya. The two green eyes shone as the mouth of the tortoise opened up. Yuuya felt immensely agitated by this tortoise. His face turned red with anger as the blood flowed more intensely out of his eye. He began to yell at it. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you, you big turtle brained¡­ thing! What the hell do you want, huh?! Look at me! I¡¯m not even enough to be your appetizer, you, you, turtle egg! Urgh! If you dare eat me, I¡¯ll eat my way out from the inside you big turtle dumbass! I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll¡­!!!¡±


    He yelled his throat out, trying to vent the frustration that was building up. The tortoise continued to suck in, relentless. The platform broke down into dust and Yuuya fell through the air-right into the tortoise¡¯s mouth. He cursed, he cursed with every inch of his being, the existence of this tortoise. He cursed through the end as he fell through the sky, falling into its mouth.


    Sleep.


    He closed his eyes as the gaping maw bore down on him, unable to fight any longer.


    ¡°I¡­ I did try¡­¡± He murmured, sleep coming over him.


    Suddenly, Yuuya¡¯s vision became blurry. Something had hit his side, pushing him away. Wind whipped past him, tousling his air. All of a sudden, even that stopped.


    When he came to, Yuuya found out that he was in somebody¡¯s embrace. Long strands of hair hung onto his face. Blinking, Yuuya tried to make sense of what was happening.


    And then he fainted.

 Chapter 7 - Where?

    Heavy. Everything seemed heavy, like metal weights were tied to it, pulling him down, down in to the abyss. The darkness spun, the vortex gradually resolving itself into a gaping maw, accompanied by two beady green eyes that stared out avariciously. A feral wolf jumped out, madness gleaming in its maddened eyes, claws swiping, tearing gashes.


    And out of the gash flew a majestic violet dragon, its eyes filled with rage, opening its maw wide. Fire built up in the back of its throat, and a stream of liquid flames shot out, searing hot.


    The insects stared, pincers clicking, mouths open wide to reveal jagged teeth.


    Everything shattered like a pane of glass as a wooden spike jumped out, the face of a horrific turtle on it, screaming inaudibly as it headed for Shizuka.


    Yuuya¡¯s eye jolted open.


    Sweat poured down his forehead, gathering there, drenching his head. His entire body was soaked with sweat, sweltering heat burning him. Yuuya lifted his hand, holding his head as he groaned in pain. His eyes fluttered shut once more, tired. His face was buried in soft bedding, moisture near his mouth.


    His head throbbed continuously, and his eye itched. Annoyed and half asleep, Yuuya grabbed at his hair, only to meet resistance. His eyes shot open as his fingers explored the covering on his head, which only now seemed to register in his groggy mind. That was what made his head feel so heavy. His fingers went around his hand, to find out a thick cloth binding his head tight, almost as if it would split open if not for it.


    He grabbed the knot at the back of the bandaging and pulled at it, desperate to get free of it.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do that, if I were you,¡± a quiet voice spoke, shocking Yuuya out of his grogginess. He shot upright, head swinging around, only now fitting the pieces of the puzzle. The voice was oddly structured, like that of a machine speaking.


    He had been attacked by the monster turtle, and had fallen into its maw, right before¡­ right before¡­


    His head drooped down, bogged down by the weight. Almost as if he were following the actions of his head, his entire body gave out, smothering himself once more into the soft bedding. This was indeed, better.


    A chuckle came from elsewhere, but Yuuya did not bother checking. His mind began wandering, and his thoughts were nearly incoherent.


    Once more, he lapsed into sleep.


    Yuuya¡¯s eyes fluttered open once more, regaining consciousness. He stretched, yawning lazily. His head was still in the clouds, skipping and jumping above the fluffy cotton candy. Cotton candy was quite delicious, he had to ask the old lady to buy some again¡­


    He held his hand to his mouth, yawning once again. Once more he reached for his hair, and once again he encountered the resistance. A little voice in his head whispered to him, but he paid it no heed. After all, cotton candy was waiting for him.


    He tugged at the little knot, harder this time. His eyes had closed already, his mind drifting somewhere between consciousness and unconsciousness. He wanted to sleep for a few more hours, perhaps wake up tomorrow. The old lady would understand, skipping school for one day was no big deal, the others did it all the time. Even Eiji had¡­


    Eiji¡­ had¡­


    Yuuya¡¯s eyes shot open as finally, he remembered. He propped himself up, gasping. Memories rushed through his head, the wolf, the dragon, the insects,¡­.


    The tortoise.


    Yuuya reflexively reached, reached for the bandage that covered his head- no, his eye. He looked down, only able to see his left arm. He had to twist to see his right arm, the right arm that struggled to reach past the infinite darkness on his right.


    A chill ran up his spine as pain struck up from the right side of his head.


    He¡­ He was blind.


    Yuuya gagged as he recalled what had happened, the spike running into his eye, gouging his vision, handicapping him. The hateful tortoise, the moving hill, cotton candy¡­


    He grabbed his head, shaking it fiercely. Something¡­Something was in his head, some sort of smoke that flitted here and there. He couldn¡¯t think clearly¡­ But it helped, it helped alleviate the pain, it helped him to forg-


    The creaking of a door sounded out.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    Finally, the questions filled his mind as he regarded his surroundings, curious. Someone¡­ Someone had saved him at the time, someone had hugged him. Silver hair that caressed his face¡­ Someone¡­


    Wooden walls surrounded him in four directions, logs of wood seemingly stacked on top of each other. He lay in a bed with a soft mattress on it, with a small table next to his bed. Several bowls were arranged on it, filled with ground herbs and sickly smell of medicine. There were even crushed insect carapaces, but he quickly looked past them, toward the front of the little cottage.


    A small table laid near the open door, with a few scattered books on it. He looked past the table, at the open door.


    Her hair danced in the wind, as aged eyes regarded him curiously. Wrinkles twisted and knotted around her face, but surely, surely she was a beauty in her prime. She would be as tall as him, and her eyes sparkled in the sunlight. Reflexively, Yuuya covered his eye, shielding himself from the bright sunlight. It flooded in intrusively, and her silver hair shone. For some reason, Yuuya¡¯s muddled mind trusted this woman.


    She was after all, his savior.


    ¡°I see you¡¯re awake,¡± she said, eyes running up and down his body. Yuuya looked down himself to see that his uniform rags were no more, instead replaced with a simple cotton tunic and breeches. They were pristine, untouched by dirt.


    ¡°I¡­ Where¡­ Who¡­¡± A multitude of questions rushed to his mouth and all that came out was an unintelligible mess.


    She did not reply, instead shutting the door, cutting off the sunlight. Only wisps of sunlight from the edges of the cottage slipped in, illuminating it enough. Accustomed more to this, Yuuya properly regarded his savior now.


    She ignored him, instead pulling out a chair, seating herself in it. She crossed her legs as she regarded him for a few minutes. Yuuya understood, he was not to speak. He looked away, instead inspecting where he was, curious.


    ¡°So,¡± she began, and Yuuya turned back to her.


    ¡°So,¡± she repeated.


    Yuuya started, rubbing his eye, sure that he had seen an illusion. Either that, or his vision was delayed. With teary eyes he looked at her, who looked back at him with a smile on her lips.


    ¡°You are not from here,¡± she began, ¡°Outsider, I feel it¡¯s better to call you.¡± She folded her arms over her knees, coolly staring at him. For once, Yuuya began to feel nervous. But some part of his head told him to be cool, and to just be honest, for that would keep him safe. He had no idea how to respond, or even begin. And what he was seeing¡­ surely that was because his head was muddled.


    She nodded toward her silence, and instead reached back towards the table, pulling a book towards herself. With long fingers she flipped it open, rapidly searching for some unknown page.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be asking some questions, and you¡¯ll be answering them,¡± she said, and Yuuya nodded in understanding. But his mind was filled with confusion. Was the damage to his brain so severe?


    ¡°First, your name? Where are you from? How did you get here?¡± She fired off, not looking at him in the slightest. She merely rested her chin on her hand as she read her book, seemingly disinterested.


    For how could her voice be so disjointed from her lips? What she seemed to be speaking, was entirely not what Yuuya was hearing. No, it wasn¡¯t even a delayed voice, the movement of her lips did not match what he heard even remotely.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Yuuya began, his head hurting has details churned around his head. He was immensely confused by all that happened, beginning from the teleportation. Forget it. It was better to speak about it, perhaps that would help him understand more as well.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ Yuuya. Yuuya Nakajima¡­¡± Yuuya croaked out, his voice hoarse. His throat felt sore, as if it hadn¡¯t spoken in days. He coughed, trying to clear up his throat. ¡°I¡¯m from¡­ Japan.¡±


    He looked up, warning in his eyes as he stared at the calm woman. She had not even flinched, seemingly unsurprised by what he had said.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t told me where you¡¯re from,¡± she said, flipping page. Her attention was completely on the book, and Yuuya almost wanted to thank her for it.


    ¡°I¡­ I swear, what I¡¯m saying might sound crazy, but I swear it¡¯s true!¡± He said, not wanting to be labeled crazy by her. Of course, that was what would happen either way, most likely. He cleared his throat as he prepared himself for what he was to say.


    And he spoke. Hesitantly at first, but it flowed smoother as he went on. He spoke of how his friends had disappeared in the lightning circle, how the golden spot had pulled him in. The wolf that chased him, the river that saved him. The war of dragons, the bathing in Dragon blood. The insect nest and his fleeing from it. He did not want to hold back, as if there were a voice in his head that urged him to go on, to open up. He wholeheartedly agreed, because as he spoke, his headache lightened considerably .For once, he was able to regard what happened as a bad memory, he did not have to live through it again.


    For now.


    ¡°-and¡­ and then I was saved by¡­¡± He stuttered, not knowing how to finish. She closed her book and looked up, grey eyes evaluating him and his story. She remained silent as she examined him. Yuuya fidgeted, nervous.


    She sighed, snapping her book shut.


    ¡°So, will you be telling me the real story anytime soon?¡± She said, and Yuuya froze. Nervous, he stared at her, who had turned cold. The wrinkled face seemed filled with icy fury as she glared at him.


    ¡°I- I¡¯m sorry?¡± Yuuya gulped, not knowing what else to say. ¡°I didn¡¯t-¡°


    She bowed her head, chuckling. ¡°A golden spot in the air sucked you up? And the golden spot dropped you here? In this forest? You saw dragons fighting? You survived a Dreadwolf¡¯s attack by jumping into the Reijler?¡± She laughed uproariously, before her laughter slowly died down. Her face changed as she regarded him, suspicion clear in her eyes.


    Panic rose in Yuuya¡¯s mind, because he had no idea how he had provoked her. He had simply spoken the truth, and it seemed like this black star would crash on his head for it. He had escaped from the sea, only to end up in lava.


    ¡°That¡¯s rich, brat,¡± she finished, getting up. ¡°You will stay here until you confess, confess who else made it in, and where you¡¯re from.¡± Having said that, she turned to leave, her long white dress swishing with her. Silver hair danced around as she left.


    ¡°N-no! You can¡¯t! I have to get back to Japan!¡± He yelled. Yuuya scrambled out of bed, hand reaching out toward her.


    The door slammed shut in his face.


    Yuuya banged his fists against the door, crying out helplessly. The smoke aggravated him, wanting him to expel his emotions without holding back.


    ¡°I have to get out¡­ I have to save¡­ I have to save Shizuka¡­ She¡¯s helped me so¡­ She might be scared¡­¡± He murmured, voice weakening. His fists slackened as he dropped to the floor.


    ¡°I have to¡­¡±

 Chapter 7.5 - Hardwork

    It had been five whole days.


    Five whole days since Yuuya had been confined to this rickety wooden cottage, forbidden from leaving. He sat on the bed, head craned back to stare at the sloped ceilings. He would count the logs from time to time, and other times, he would simply sit and stare.


    It had been five days of indifferent confinement.


    He had tried numerous methods. His fists had bruises decorating their surface, courtesy of banging them against the steadfast wooden door. He had screamed his throat hoarse, but no reply came. He had tried dashing out when the door would open at the appointed time, only for Miras to catch him and throw him back in.


    Today was his sixth day here, and the appointed time was arriving.


    ¡°Now,¡± Yuuya absent-mindedly said, staring at the door.


    After staring at it for a while, seeing that there was no reaction, he went back to staring at the roof, his lips moving inaudibly as he counted. The first day, he had complained and cursed, and had even flipped the table- which Miras set back in position at the appointed time. By the third day, his protests had been weaker, convinced that there was no one around to hear them. Perhaps they had him confined out in the woods, away from any possible civilization.


    By the end of the fourth day, he had nearly given up on noise getting him what he wanted.


    ¡°Now,¡± he said, eyes riveting downward.


    It was past the seventeenth now that the door swung open, and Yuuya shielded his eye, quite used to this by now. Miras cast a shadow on him as she walked in, silver hair bobbing with her gait. Yuuya stretched his neck out to see what was beyond the door before she would swing the door shut, but the blinding light only showed him haphazard shapes.


    And the door swung shut.


    As usual, Miras walked in, disregarding him completely. Her eyes flickered toward the floor, where green stain dirtied the floor. Her nose wrinkled in displeasure at the result of one of his rage throws- he had thrown his medicine out. She pulled her chair out once more- which he, admittedly, had tried to break, only in vain- and sat down. Once more she crossed her legs, and she set her cool grey eyes on him. Only for her eyes to widen a bit.


    Yuuya stared at her impassively, his legs crossed in the exact same posture. ¡°So,¡± he repeated.


    An amused smile flickered on her face as she saw his actions. ¡°And what might this be? A ¡®rebellion¡¯?¡± she added, a mocking smile now on her face.


    ¡°And what might this be? A rebellion?¡± Yuuya repeated with an even tone, holding her eye.


    ¡°Heh. Quite a futile attempt, let me tell you. But amusing nonethles-,¡± she began.


    ¡°Heh. Quite a futile attempt, let me tell you. But amusing nonetheless. Now, we have a variety of methods to extract information from you, so confess before I get angry,¡± he cut in, finishing with haste. His job done, he laid back on the bed, staring at the roof.


    ¡°I already told you everything I know, aunty. If I¡¯d come here with anyone else, why would I be willing to kill myself by jumping into that tortoise¡¯s maw?¡± Yuuya sighed, quite used to this exchange.


    Miras reached for her book, a different one this time. He had tried to read them, only to realize that they were all written in code, or a language he had no knowledge about. It was almost as if they wanted to bore him to death, and it was working quite well.


    Except he had nothing more to tell them.


    Miras sighed, flipping through the pages of her book. Perhaps she never read any of it, and only wanted to further his impression of her disregard for him.


    ¡°Look here, brat,¡± she said, stopping at a random page. ¡°Do you even realize the intensity of what you are saying? Perhaps the farfetchedness of your story should be very telling of how true it is, but it could also be the other way around. You are either an idiot who doesn¡¯t know who we are, or a spy sent with that very same purpose in mind. You¡¯ve met Dreadwolves, Dragons and Flood Dragons, yet you escaped alive. You bathed in the blood of a Flood Dragon¡¯s corpse to heal your injuries, despite not knowing what a Flood Dragon even is.¡± Miras finished, looking up from her book.


    ¡°Ok. Ok!¡± Yuuya jumped off his bed. Today, he had prepared. If only she would listen, he could convince her. He prayed to whatever force was keeping him alive as he began, ¡°Look, I really, and I swear, I really was brought here to this world.¡± He jumped the gun, talking quicker as Miras began to interrupt, ¡°I have proof! I told you I was pulled in to the sky, right? And at the other end, I fell from the sky, and the trees were flying to the sky as well, pulled from the roots. And then the spot disappeared, and then all the trees fell down, it should still be like that there, I know it!¡±


    Miras raised an eyebrow, lighting hope in Yuuya¡¯s mind. Perhaps, perhaps he really could convince her.


    ¡°What are you made of, brat?¡± Miras asked, a smile on her face. He stared at her, bewildered.


    ¡°Your stamina, strength, and everything else in general is¡­ to be blunt, extremely average. Average to the point of being pitiful,¡± Miras held nothing back as she spoke, already getting up from her chair. She headed toward the door, speaking as she left.


    The door opened, and blinding light spilled in.


    ¡°Yet still, you are full of hope, hoping for the best after all this,¡± Miras said, turning toward him.


    Yuuya covered his eyes, a grin on his face.


    Miras chuckled, swinging the door shut as she left. ¡°Very well, I will look into this.¡±


    Yuuya jumped, overjoyed as he heard her words. He had a chance. He had a chance to get out of here, and finally go out into the world. How was it like, outside? Was it a town? Was it a fantasy city? Did magic exist? Were humans strong as well?If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Yuuya dove into his bed, cuddled up. His excitement began fading as he remembered the events that had plagued him, the possibility of Shizuka being in trouble. Perhaps before he¡¯d grazed by death, he would¡¯ve believed that she would be living the life of a Hero as in the novels, vanquishing monsters and generally having a good time.


    But now¡­


    His eyebrows furrowing, he rolled on the bed. He had to do something. Miras had only said that she would look in to this, it could take anywhere from today to months for her to find it. After all, he had no idea where it was, having been washed away by that river.


    He was average.


    Average to the point of being extremely pitiful.


    Yuuya¡¯s eyes narrowed as he made his decision. Something he had never done since being at the orphanage, something he¡¯d put away for a long time. Fleeing from the turtle, yet not being fast enough to escape. Could Satoshi have done it? Perhaps he could have. Hideki would have thrown the turtle away, perhaps.


    He got out of bed, inhaling deeply.


    And then he turned to lift the bed.


    ***


    Yuuya lay on the ground, panting heavily.


    His eyes were wide with terror as he lied there, not knowing what to do. There was a gut-wrenching pain in his inner thigh, and it was obvious to him what had happened.


    In his feverish exercise, he had ignored the possibility of a very possible thing happening.


    He had messed up.


    Perhaps it was a muscle that he had pulled. But he feared the possibility of it being permanent, some nerve damage that would render him with pain forever in his life. His legs called out to him, miserable with their pain. They had already had their fair share what with his frequent running a few days ago. Once more they were in the fire, and this time, there wasn¡¯t even any danger.


    Yuuya struggled to prop himself up, his arms threatening to give out due to exhaustion. He looked down at his left thigh, where the pain was prominent. He had been doing squats, reaching the thirty fourth when the pain hit. Immediately collapsing, he knew not what to do.


    He was in deep trouble.


    This was his seventh day in confinement, and Miras had not arrived at the appointed time, hopefully searching for the site he had informed her of. And without her, there was no one to help him out in his predicament. He was quite sure that he was in some secluded area so that even if he¡¯d escape, he wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything to them.


    And inside this wooden prison, there was obviously no Flood Dragon blood to heal his injury. If only he had¡­


    Yuuya¡¯s head flicked up, staring at the wooden stand behind his bed. A bowl still laid on it, filled with greenish violet goo, a white pestle resting leisurely in it. The medicine that Miras had told him to eat. In his ¡®rebellion¡¯, he had refused to eat even an inch of it, but she¡¯d still refill it if he¡¯d ever throw it away. Perhaps. Perhaps it could¡­


    Yuuya struggled to his feet, legs threatening to give out. He stumbled forward, nearly crashing onto the bed. Chuckling from his inability to move, he dipped his finger into the bowl, scooping out a generous amount of the gooey medicine.


    Gulping, he regarded the goo, which for sure seemed like something from a poison master¡¯s arsenal.


    ¡°Well, otherworldly cuisine tasting involves this as well, I guess,¡± he grimaced, and before letting his rational part persuade him, he put his finger in his mouth, downing the bitter concoction.


    His throat clamped down as he struggled to swallow the drop of who knew what, trying his best not to think of the insect carapaces that had been next to it the first time he¡¯d seen it. He swallowed, making a face as the bitter taste rampaged on his tongue.


    ¡°This¡­ will take a while to get used to¡­ Can¡¯t they use sugar?¡± He spat, massaging his throat as he did so. With nothing else to do and his leg hurting, Yuuya simply went to sleep.


    ***


    Sweat soaked his body, drops continuously dripping off, causing clear sounds to ring out. Only his ragged breathing accompanied this, as Yuuya lied there, unable to move an inch.


    Every square inch of the wooden floor had at least some of his sweat, sweat that he had worked up in the past hour. He had tried everything he knew of to burn off steam, some of his frustration making him go at it harder than ever. His worries, his responsibilities, his fears, he tried to burn them all away as he exercised with renewed intensity every time. So hard, that each subsequent try might have been the most athletic action he¡¯d ever seen in his life. Something had grasped his throat, choking him down, for no matter how deep he inhaled, the air just didn¡¯t seem enough. His tongue rolled out like that of a dog as he tried to recover.


    It had been five days since Miras had agreed to look in to the ruined forest that Yuuya had told her. She had not returned, causing his frustration to build up even more. How far down the river had he been pushed?


    All of it went into this newly found hobby of his, exercising. Every second he could move, he tried to exercise more, to improve his body up if even a little. He had tried every move he knew of, and had invented a few of his own. And the cost was proportionately increasing. Everything around him was blurry, a swirling mix of colors. His fingers trembled, and his stomach ached. His legs were the worst, shivering so badly that he could barely get up until after at least two hours of reclining.


    At times he would pull something badly, making him unable to move. At those times, he¡¯d push his aching body to the mystery concoction that would fix everything in the time it knocked him out. Sometimes he would be out for hours, once he was out for an entire day. Only the brightness of the light that seeped through the gaps in the cottage could tell him of the passing time. He had tried to climb up on the table, to try and see through those gaps, only for it to be in vain.


    By five days, he had become used to the state of his half-blindness, accepting it with grudging reluctance whilst cursing a certain turtle.


    With nothing to do, his time was spent sleeping and exercising, nothing else.


    Blinding light filled the room once more as the door creaked open. Yuuya shot up, eyes filled with excitement as he did not even bother hiding his eyes.


    Miras stepped in, a bit of astonishment in her face as she saw him on the floor. Closing the door, she pulled up her chair and took a seat. Without looking at Yuuya, her eyes ran over the whole sweat soaked room, before finally coming to rest on Yuuya.


    ¡°I see you took my words to heart,¡± she said, smiling.


    ¡°Of course! If aunty were to tell me that I was average, I¡¯d exercise to death! If aunty were to tell me to climb over hills of fire, I¡¯d still do it!¡± Yuuya cheerfully replied, delighted that he had someone to talk to. His five days of solitary confinement, with not even the usual visit had drained him all too well. There was no food delivered, but he¡¯d understood that the medicine was the food for him. Other than a craving for an actual meal, his needs were well accounted for with the medicine, not even having to do his ¡®morning routine¡¯.


    ¡°Alright you brat, stop flattering me, it isn¡¯t going to get you anywhere,¡± she said, chuckling. Then, she said nothing, simply looking at him with unreadable eyes. Yuuya similarly stared back at her, expectant.


    ¡°You really are from Earth?¡± she asked, her eyes inscrutable. Yuuya nodded earnestly, not wanting a lack of enthusiasm be his undoing.


    ¡°I went upriver, and it really had trees strewn about. Even the wind whispers of the sky opening, and herbivores dare not come there,¡± she said, ¡°But you brat, to be the only one to be affected by the Alignment¡­.¡± She trailed off, mind wandering.


    ¡°Say, aunty? Can I ask you some questions as well?¡± Yuuya pleaded, hoping that this time, he could finally get some answers.


    ¡°I suppose you¡¯ve earned that, having been cooped up here for so long. I would say our non violent interrogation has worked perfectly, no?¡± Miras grinned, ¡°How did you like the medicine? Were you wishing for something sweet, by any chance?¡±


    ¡°Even that?¡± Yuuya gaped at the scheming old woman that grinned like a tomboy. ¡°The first time I ate it, I thought even plain old rice porridge would have satisfied me.¡± He sighed. Miras simply waved it off, laughing.


    ¡°Anyways, sitting here makes me quite annoyed as well,¡± said Miras, getting up. She pushed her chair back in, heading back to the door.


    ¡°But aun-,¡± he began, panicking.


    ¡°Follow me. Or do you want to stay here forever?¡± Miras said, smiling back at him.

 Chapter 7.5.1 - Outside

    The sun had never been so welcome.


    A wide smile split Yuuya¡¯s face as he stepped out of the despicable wooden cottage. He was a free man, having been declared innocent by the Judge, Miras. And today was the day he could leave his confinement, the chains holding him back slackening.


    Soft grass bent under his bare feet, their tips tickling him. The scent of the forest washed over him as he walked forward, step by step.


    Tears came to his eyes as the sun glared into his eyes. But he did not mind, for he was simply overjoyed at finally escaping. He looked back, back at his prison.


    It was truly as dull as it was on the inside, an inconspicuous box of wood with a sloped roof. There were no markings, no hints of time on it. It almost looked¡­ brand new.


    ¡°Was that?¡± Yuuya questioned, looking back at Miras. She smiled, nodding.


    ¡°It was made especially for an intruder that rudely barged into our territory, awakening a Taotie on his way in as well. The Gigant nest was hugely disturbed, not counting the Taotie¡¯s mud wall that now we have to bring down,¡± Miras said, walking out front.


    ¡°Taotie?¡± Yuuya asked, his eyes wandering elsewhere. Verdant trees surrounded the prison, with dew tipped grass abundant everywhere. The trees were aged and tall, reaching for the skies. Some bloomed with flowers of wondrous colors, while others bore thick, juicy fruits, their branches reaching for the ground.


    ¡°The tortoise, as you so rudely described it. It¡¯s an ancient beast, which mostly hibernates during its life to extend its lifespan. All of the other animals wisely stay away from its grounds, but it permits trees to grow on it. Until you came along, barging in on its space, not even showing it its deserved respect,¡± she admonished him as she walked, no, gliding as if the ground were air. He was already quite used to the disjunction between her voice and face, attributing it to his head injury.


    He looked down, embarrassed, recalling how he had been cursing at the turtle the entire time. He did not comment, instead stooping and touching a blade of grass, enjoying the soft texture.


    ¡°Say aunty, what is this Alignment you were talking about?¡± Yuuya asked, gently tearing off a piece of the grass.


    ¡°I was wondering when you¡¯d ask that,¡± she replied and sat down beneath a tree. Reclining, she continued lackadaisically. ¡°To put it simply, you could say that Earth and Redorias are two independent zones in an unknown space. Sometimes, and very rarely, they pass over each other, and an interworldly portal opens up. That¡­ is the Alignment. Yours seems like an isolated case, or perhaps small incidents of Alignments always happen, and we never noticed it.¡±


    ¡°Redorias?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s our world, brat,¡± Miras flicked open an eye at him. ¡°To think you were average up there as well¡­¡±


    Yuuya started, dropping the grass. ¡°It isn¡¯t like¡­ I¡­ uhm¡­¡± He began, trying to find a reply, yet in vain.


    ¡°Don¡¯t try,¡± Miras cut him off, her eyes closing again. ¡°So, is that all you wanted to know? The Alignment? I expected more curiosity from a young interworldly traveler.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s that¡­ I¡­ want to¡­¡± Yuuya fumbled with his words, caught off guard by this opportunity to ask anything he¡¯d want. This was Redorias, a fantasy world! The Dragons, the Taotie, the Dreadwolf, these were legendary beasts that were fantasy-like. What else was there here? Were the people here different? Did Elves exist? Did fairies float around, causing mischief? Or did the lords of the underground, the Dwarves exist, pulling on their beards, drinking from tankards? Did Magic exist?


    As all of these questions rushed to his mind, he found himself asking only a single one.


    ¡°Aunty, is there anything like Summoning that exists here?¡± A worried expression flickered across his face as he stared seriously at Miras. She simply smiled enigmatically, almost as if she had expected it all along.


    ¡°People come to this world alive by two ways,¡± Miras lifted up two fingers, eyes closed. ¡°The first, and the more natural method, is the Alignment. A coincidental phenomenon. In human memory, it occurred once, more than a decade ago. It was a major disaster,¡± her eyes snapped open, staring at him, who was covered in cold sweat, ¡°A major disaster that destroyed more than half of a continent. People fell from the sky then.¡±


    Yuuya gulped, recalling how his experience was nearly the same, except there was no ¡®major disaster¡¯ other than one to his own life.


    ¡°The second,¡± she lowered a finger, closing her eyes once more, ¡°Is what you¡¯re looking for, the artificial method, a ritual that is conducted almost every five years, with a rather low success rate.¡± She smiled, ¡°Hero Summoning.¡±


    His doubts confirmed, Yuuya felt a strange mix of fright and relief. Relief that he knew that Shizuka was most probably in Redorias, and not in another world where he could never reach. Or worse, perhaps zapped dead.


    Fright, because he feared his own experiences. He had been ¡®summoned¡¯ as well. Summoned, to face danger after danger before finally finding some respite. Although for how long, he did not know. But what of Shizuka? What if the summoning had gone wrong and she was somewhere worse than he was? What if the ritual was to summon and fight some dangerous beast, like the Taotie?You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    ¡°You¡¯re worried for your friends?¡± Miras queried. He nodded, gulping. Well, ¡®friend¡¯. The others, perhaps Hideki he would be somewhat worried about.


    ¡°You have nothing to worry about. Our contact with the outside world is a little¡­ iffy, but from former experiences, I can assure you that your friends are in good health. Well, compared to you, they might be living the life of kings,¡± she added, giggling. ¡°Hero Summoning is a complicated thing, they even borrow the power of Gods to do it, and so anyone who¡¯s summoned will be blessed by a God¡¯s power. You could even say that they are figuratively the conduits of the God¡¯s power.¡±


    ¡°Why do they even¡­ Why do they even need heroes?¡± Yuuya asked, troubled. It surely wouldn¡¯t be something like-


    ¡°To combat the Demons that want to invade, the sworn enemies of humans.¡±


    Yuuya had the urge to curse out loud. Summoning ritual, blessings from Gods, AND to fight Demons?


    He took deep breaths, calming himself down. It didn¡¯t necessarily mean that it was the usual novel plot. After all, that was what he had expected as well, being ¡®summoned¡¯. But all that greeted him was not the love-filled stare of a princess, but the avaricious stare of a Dreadwolf.


    Immediately, worry blossomed in his gut. That idiot couldn¡¯t kill flies, much less sentient demons that threatened humanity itself. As expected, he had to find her.


    ¡°Aunty, can you get me to wherever they did the summoning?¡± Yuuya asked, troubled.


    Miras opened her eyes, startled. ¡°What? Bring you there?¡± An amused smile appeared on her face as she regarded his serious demeanor. ¡°Brat, do you even know where you are?¡±


    ¡°Seeing as I only just found out that this place is called Redorias, I¡¯m pretty sure we¡¯re just five miles from the coast,¡± he responded off-handedly, mind elsewhere. How would he get there? If Miras didn¡¯t help him it would be impossible. But perhaps there were others, or maybe some traders? He had no money however. He could ask for a loan from-


    A clear sound rang out as something smashed into his head. Yelping, he rubbed his head, casting an accusatory glance at the perpetrator, who was similarly glaring at him.


    ¡°You brat, I haven¡¯t even let you free for an hour and you¡¯re already this audacious?¡± She grinned, reaching for another rock. Yuuya panicked, only now realizing what he had said.


    ¡°N-no aunty, that was just me daydreaming, I wouldn¡¯t dare be disrespectful again, I swear. If aunty wants me to climb hills of fir-.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I get it. Quiet,¡± she cut in, nevertheless pelting the rock at his arm. He cried out, jumping away from her. ¡°Either way, I¡¯ve lost interest in talking now. You¡¯re free to roam about, but I¡¯ll be here, so don¡¯t wander around too much. Unless¡­¡± Her voice trailed off threateningly.


    Yuuya watched on strangely as Miras climbed up the same tree and reclined on one of the thicker branches. Although her balance was astounding, her eyes were half shut, seemingly almost asleep.


    He cautiously took a step back, observing closely for any reaction. She barely moved, only her chest moving up and down from her snooze. Not willing to take the risk, he slowly wandered off, making sure to stay close enough. He wanted to run away, run away to any nearby town and perhaps find someone willing to get him to where they did the Summoning. But Miras seemed quite temperamental, and he did not want to test the devil¡¯s bottom line.


    Instead, he ran around her.


    He ran with all he could, pushing his legs to the limit. He ran around the tree Miras was on, but giving it a wide berth so that she wouldn¡¯t be disturbed.


    Where he¡¯d usually took three strides he took one, excitement pumping through his veins. Sometimes he¡¯d lose balance, unable to see anything on his right. But almost used to his blindness from running around in the cabin, he persisted, albeit with quite a lot of stumbling.


    He was flying, flying through the forest, his legs like that of a cheetah as he jumped and dashed, weaving with ease through the forest. It had only been two minutes before his lungs were beginning to become winded. But the sensation was reaching his head as he laughed uproariously. This was the fastest he had ever run in his life, if he had ever.


    He leapt up, grabbing onto a branch. Swinging, he launched himself forward, the rewarding surge a drug to him. He jumped over a small stream, running alongside it as he jumped from bank to bank. Eventually, he reached a small basin of water, grinning. The slippery stones would make him slip over them with his feet being bare, but he leaped.


    Inhaling, he jumped over an edge of the basin, and kept running. Simply to run.


    He suspected that it was the concoction that made him so good with just five days of training, no matter how intensive it was. It was simply impossible for a human to improve so fast, unless that human was in Redorias.


    Perhaps the people who had come to Redorias in the First Alignment had been like this as well, exhilarated from the simple joy of their body¡¯s improvements.


    Adrenaline surged through Yuuya as he laughed uproariously. Although his body screamed from the sudden exertion, only shortly after being tired out from the exercise he had done, he laughed. He laughed because finally, some of his worries had abated.


    He was safe, for now. Shizuka was most likely safe as well, and no doubt, in an even better condition than him. Not just that, he even had a lead. He only had to convince Miras to escort him there.


    Otherwise, he had to flee.


    The desire welled up within him as he looked to his right. The thick trees spread out, almost welcoming. He only had to run now, and he could reach some town. Perhaps there were smoke trails, nearby civilizations, something.


    But a foreboding feeling came over him as he looked back, back towards Miras. She had warned him to not wander too far. Perhaps the suggested danger was from her, or perhaps from beasts that surrounded them. He had no knowledge where he was, after all. With such little known, he could not easily risk it all in an endeavor based on a possibility.


    For now, he had to know more.


    He headed through the forest, back to the basin of water that the stream poured into. Smooth rocks protected its banks, only fine soil at the floor of the basin. He stooped down, washing his face with the clear water. The cool water was cleansing, washing away his sweat. A part of him wanted to clean up fully here, but the rational part of his mind told him not to ruin this basin.


    The ripples cleared, and the gleaming sunlight revealed to him a face.


    The face stared back at him, brown eyes staring into his. Black hair hung from his scalp, longer than the old lady would usually have allowed it. The face was leaner than before, revealing a strong chin. Like plantlets, hair had begun sprouting above his lips, and a few at the tip of his chin.


    The face grinned at him, and he could see the shoulders of his reflection, considerably lighter. He leaned in further only to-


    Splash!


    With a loud splash he fell in, bouncing up from the basin floor. Coughing and sputtering, he emerged, wiping the water out of his eyes as he chuckled. The little stream poured directly onto his damp hair.


    ¡°Well, so much for not ruining it,¡± he laughed, climbing out of the basin.


    Sopping wet, he walked back to his cabin, the smile still persisting on his face.

 Chapter 7.5.2 - Books

    Yuuya¡¯s eyes fluttered open, the wooden logs stacked before him as usual. He reached out with pale fingers, rubbing the smooth wood. The tips of his fingers slipped off it, a barely visible layer separating his fingers from the ridges in the wood.


    ¡°Awake, I see,¡± said a voice from behind him.


    ¡°Mm...¡± Yuuya hummed in reply as he refused to turn around. Today, he wanted to sleep in. He had widened his circuit area even more yesterday, and the resulting exhaustion had been dreadful. Although the concoction had healed him of his pain, making him better than ever...


    Today was his lazy day.


    The novelty of his freedom, he had not expected would wear off so soon.


    The second day out he had been wildly excited, looking at every tree, every blade of grass, examining fruits, flowers and bark altogether. He was from another world, in another world. All new species, all new organisms, this would be a field trip for a scientist back from Earth.


    And the sights had amazed him as well. Trees that bent away as he approached, whilst some plants bowed toward him, as if they understood that respect would spare them from possible injuries. Leaves of shapes he had never seen, some twirling together into a helix, strung up by an insect that looked curiously like a spider. The insects were unbelievably hairy here, not having the chitin of those from Earth. Each of them had thick hair that covered their body, perhaps from the warmth.


    There were trees that changed colors as the sun went down, and yet another flower, a wildly attractive flower, that would gleam brightly in the night, like it were amplifying the Golden Moon¡¯s radiance. Grass would seemingly pull a few inches out once he¡¯d passed by, and some would pull into the ground if he stared at them. And there were star shaped discs that grew in patches in a spot. It had puffed out clouds of sweet smelling gas that had made him want to eat a few- right before Miras dove in, shoving the concoction into his mouth.


    Despite his continued insistence, persisted begging and shameless flattery, she refused to add anything that remotely tasted good, or even bland, to the concoction, all the while trying not to grin.


    He had tried to eat some of the luscious berries that grew on the trees, but she¡¯d warned him of how she¡¯d made sure that the berries around were poisonous, and that if he wanted to, he could eat it. Too scared to argue, he had simply avoided the berries.


    That was the first two weeks of his parole.


    And today was the beginning of the third week.


    By the end of the second week, he had grown bored of the subservient plants and color flashing trees. Instead he had begun to expand the radius of his daily run, hoping to find something. Miras did nothing to stop him, exciting and suppressing his excitement at the same time.


    It had already been a month since he had arrived at Redorias, nearly a month since his confinement began. He was beginning to grow restless, and although his release had allowed him to expel some of his frustration, he was feeling it again.


    His exercise, his running, his inquisitive searches¡­ They were all beginning to feel repetitive, awfully reminiscent of his life on Earth.


    ¡°Are you not going to run like a fool today?¡±


    ¡°Mm¡­ Today¡¯s my lazy day,¡± he answered, a yawn slipping out at the end.


    Miras simply chuckled, not saying anything more.


    After a while, he rolled over to face her.


    Miras was as usual, absorbed in her book. She would occasionally flip the pages as she read through them leisurely. When he got up to leave she¡¯d set it aside and follow him, only to climb up some tree and doze off. Miras¡­ was a total slacker.


    A bookworm slacker.


    ¡°Say aunty.¡±


    ¡°Mm?¡±


    ¡°Why is there no one else here?¡± Yuuya asked.


    ¡°Because you¡¯re a prisoner,¡± she replied, turning a page.


    ¡°But I proved my innocence.¡±


    ¡°Indeed you did.¡±


    Silence followed as Yuuya stared at her, expecting some sort of continuation. She simply stayed silent, continuing to peruse her book.


    ¡°Auuuuuuuntyyyyyy¡­.¡± Yuuya droned out, rolling lazily on the bed.


    ¡°What is it?¡± she asked, her eyes finally looking up.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I¡¯m bored. I don¡¯t have anything to do,¡± he confessed, staring accusatorily at her.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you go out and play then? Don¡¯t you want to get stronger so that you can save your friends?¡± She replied off-handedly.


    ¡°I really do, but it isn¡¯t time for the hero¡¯s entry yet,¡± Yuuya quipped.


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°Auuuuuuuntyyyyyy¡­.¡±


    ¡°¡­What is it?¡±Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°I¡¯m boooored.¡±


    ¡°Read then. Can¡¯t you see what I¡¯m doing?¡±


    ¡°But I don¡¯t know how to read the gibberish in that book.¡±


    ¡°Write something and read it then,¡± Miras sighed, turning her gaze back toward the book.


    ¡°Auuuuuuuuuntyyyyyyyy¡­.¡±


    ¡°¡­What is it, you brat?¡±


    ¡°Teach me how to read then,¡± Yuuya said, finally popping his request.


    Once more Miras looked up, this time regarding him with an amused smile. ¡°Teach you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, teach me. I want to learn. Once I leave this place, I would need to know how to read, wouldn¡¯t I?¡± Yuuya sat upright, staring intently at her. ¡°Besides, it doesn¡¯t seem like the Alignment is happening any time soon,¡± he looked out through the open door, scrutinizing the clear sky. ¡°Yep, the skies are clear, weather says there¡¯s no Alignment scheduled. So I should be staying here for a while, and I want aunty to teach me how to read, or I¡¯ll bother you until you do.¡± Finishing, he crossed his arms, handing her the baton.


    ¡°What makes you think I¡¯d teach you? I could lock you in here and leave,¡± she replied. She was trying not to smile as she looked at his unexpected seriousness.


    ¡°Aha! But I know that aunty only sleeps in these trees. I¡¯ll just keep yelling day and night and deprive you of sleep,¡± Yuuya responded, nodding along with his threat.


    ¡°Or¡­ I could just mix something into your concoction that makes you mut-¡°


    ¡°-But of course! It¡¯s because aunty is the most beautiful and the kindest woman. Aunty¡¯s heart is made of gold, and she would surely help any who need help, because she¡¯s an angel in human skin¡­ No, an angel incarnate!¡± Yuuya cut in, finishing quickly before she had a chance to complete her threat.


    ¡°Alright you brat, quiet. I want to read,¡± Miras said, sighing as she returned to her book. Disappointed, Yuuya rolled out of bed, heading out of the cottage. He no longer felt like sleeping in, and instead ran.


    Miras did not follow him out.


    But his latent fear of her sent him veering away from the point till he had explored, not daring to go a step further. Her threat had terrified him, the possibility that she might mix something into his concoction without him knowing.


    ***


    SPLASH!


    Gasping and sputtering, Yuuya cursed as he tried to save himself from drowning. The chilly water slipped into his nose. He shot out of the bed, jumping upright as he roared in pain.


    ¡°Wh-what!?¡± He managed to croak out. His nose burned with the water, and he struggled to wipe the water off his face. His hair was damp, water dripping on to the wood floor.


    ¡°I see you¡¯re awake. Good,¡± Miras said, a pitcher in hand, still pouring the water on to where his head had been.


    Yuuya stared at her with a strange expression on his face as he tried to sneeze out the water from his nose.


    ¡°Come,¡± she said, gesturing toward the centre of the room.


    And there, instead of the usual single, were two chairs, placed on either side of the table which had been pulled to the centre of the room. A smokeless oil lamp burned on the table, its flame occasionally dancing as it illuminated the little cottage. The door was open, revealing the dark sky. The sun hadn¡¯t even risen yet.


    ¡°What¡­ Why¡­ It¡¯s not even morning¡­ A-aunty?¡± Yuuya managed out, only to be smothered by something distinctly white. Staring all the while at the crook with the pitcher, he wiped his face and hair with the towel. Done, he threw it back at her. Albeit with a bit more force.


    Catching it, she went to the table, pulling out the chair and taking a seat. The oil lamp¡¯s flame danced, highlighting some of the lines on her face.


    ¡°Sit,¡± she said.


    Bewildered, Yuuya pulled out the new chair, the exact same one as hers, and sat down. He stared at her, expecting some sort of explanation. Miras simply stooped down, and came back up with a thick leather bound book. She set it on the table with a soft thud, flipping it open.


    Unknown runes covered the brown parchment of the book as she turned through the pages.


    ¡°The most commonly used script in Redorias is Threon-,¡± she began, long finger pointing toward some of the gibberish at the top.


    ¡°Aunty,¡± Yuuya interrupted.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± He questioned.


    ¡°Were you not the one who wanted me to teach you?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Either way. As I was saying, the most commonly used script in Redorias is the Threo¡­¡±


    ¡°Aunty,¡± he cut in again.


    ¡°Can you not see me trying to teach? What is it?¡±


    ¡°Why are you doing it¡­ now?¡±


    ¡°Because you were the one who told me that you were bored. I figured you¡¯d like it better the sooner I began,¡± she replied innocently.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Now, let me teach you properly. The most commonly used scrip-.¡±


    ¡°Aunty.¡±


    ¡°Do you really want me to teach you? I¡¯m beginning to doubt it now,¡± she said, sounding a bit annoyed.


    ¡°I meant, why are you doing it so early? The sun hasn¡¯t even risen yet. Is it¡­ Is it even dawn yet?¡±


    ¡°In four more hours, it will be.¡±


    ¡°H-how long was I even asleep for?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯d say it was somewhere around four hours. But four hours are fine!¡± She added quickly, noticing his shocked expression. ¡°Actually, for a human to function productively, a single hour of sleep is more than enough. Now now, enough of the distractions, let¡¯s get back to our lesson.¡±


    ***


    Yuuya supported his chin with his hands, struggling to remain awake as Miras droned on about the language. His former enthusiasm was nowhere to be found as he couldn¡¯t care less about Threonis or Artethi script, much less Vreedian curves or Pursian runes.


    His eyelids constantly fluttered, working futilely against the mysterious force that existed to bring them down. What was it that made his eyelids so heavy? Were there little invisible creatures that sensed his boredom and sought to give him respite? Were they the fae-


    Cold water splashed rudely on to his face, startling him awake. Miras stared at him, indignant. Her nefarious pitcher seemed to be making a face at him, its curved mouth almost a smile in his eyes. Yuuya grabbed his towel that had wiped his face down three times, for the fourth time.


    ¡°I must say Yuuya, I couldn¡¯t be more disappointed. I made time out of my day-¡°


    Night. It was nighttime now.


    ¡°-to teach you because you asked me to, and you show me this? Simply dozing off in class, ignoring all my hardwork, I don¡¯t think I can take this,¡± Miras lamented, rubbing her forehead.


    ¡°Aunty¡­¡± He finally muttered out, determined to seek justice.


    ¡°What is it?¡± She looked up.


    ¡°You might not have noticed with your nocturnal lifestyle, but we humans are usually¡­usually asleep by now,¡± Yuuya finished, yawning. It was the widest he¡¯d ever yawned, he was sure. Even the old lady didn¡¯t force him to study like this; she would be pestering him not to stay up even a minute after ten past eleven instead.


    Only now did a glimmer of understanding pass past her face as her eyes widened. She stared at the already drooping Yuuya, before pushing back her chair, getting on her feet.


    ¡°Indeed, that makes sense. Although waking up early does help in memory, depriving someone of sleep will only be counterproductive,¡± she said, pacing back and forth. ¡°Perhaps we should establish a set schedule, one that¡¯ll accommodate your studies and your foolish running.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I agree,¡± Yuuya murmured his assent, beginning to nod off. Some parts of his head worked, while the others were already shutting down. Her excitement was quite surprising, had she been¡­ planning it for a while? That was¡­ That was bad¡­ He should listen to her classes then¡­


    ¡°And so, with you running around or doing that silly dance for about six hours, the rest of the time, from dawn, we can devote to your studies,¡± Miras said. She was deep in thought, completely ignorant of Yuuya¡¯s plight. ¡°There¡¯s so much for you to learn. The countries, the trades, and so much more. Don¡¯t lose yourself in excitement, alright?¡±


    She turned to him, regaining composure. Her face was stern, only for her jaw to slacken.


    Yuuya was already on the book, snoring deeply.

 Chapter 7.5.3 - Plan

    Yuuya sat in front of the newly appointed study desk, chin in cupped hands as he glowered at the culprit that ignored him completely as she flipped through her book. Dark circles surrounded his eyes, and daylight illuminated the little cabin, the leaves of trees outside twinkling with dew.


    He stared at her mouth, the disjunction between the voice and the movements extremely jarring to his vision. His brain couldn¡¯t make sense of it, so he had attributed fault to his own brain¡¯s injury from the Taotie¡¯s magic.


    Until Miras had begun teaching that day, right before dusk.


    Miras was an excellent teacher, breaking down all these new things that he¡¯d never heard into simple blocks of information that he could easily swallow without having to trouble his brain too much. She had started with Threonite, the archaic language that existed before the Five Continents had formed. Before, there was only one landmass, currently the continent-pair that was dubbed ¡°the mainland¡±, then called Kranea.


    Kranea had been an excellent system, having risen from several prior failures to institute this powerful kingdom. In order for the denizens of its huge land to not feel the strain of multiple languages, had created Threonisian, the fairly formal language made in order to make inter-community interactions mutually understandable. And in order to send notices in such a way, the Kranean royalty had issued the official Threonite Script. The script that was still prevalent, to this day.


    ¡®However,¡¯ Miras had said then, ¡®Now, Kranea has fallen, instead giving birth to two of the most powerful continents in Redorias. Vreede and Ars. Of course, they still used Threonite for communication with each other and with the newer continents that broke off in the great disaster that occurred ages back. However, they still made their own languages, Artethi for Ars, which, as you know, is what I¡¯m speaking in, and Vreedian.¡¯


    And that had caught him off-guard.


    For it seemed like everything had crashed around him at her words, as when she had finished, only one line remained. ¡°Artethi, which is what I¡¯m speaking in¡±.


    Artethi.


    She was speaking in Artethi, a language of their world.


    Then why was he clearly hearing Japanese, the language of his world?


    Two distinct possibilities, he came up with. One, the more unlikely one, that Japanese was coincidentally the same language that the Ars continent had come up with.


    Either that, or the even more unlikely possibility, one that every fibre of his being wanted to reject.


    He could translate Artethi to Japanese and Japanese to Artethi.


    His world-crossing power would have to be Translator.


    Yuuya wanted to tear down the sky and scream at whatever power was responsible for bringing him to Redorias. It was that same being that could possibly have given Shizuka and the rest world-crossing Hero powers, whilst it had given him ¡°Translation¡± powers. Of course, translation would be immensely useful to him considering his situation, but if a World-governing power had to give him some sort of gift, surely it could be something other than ¡®translation¡¯?


    And so he stared, determined to prove from her words that it was something wrong with his brain that made it seem like she was talking something different, but she had been talking Japanese all along.


    So far, his dread had only deepened as Miras seemed to be moving her lips in a way that did not even remotely connect with what she was saying. Forget similar, with how she was speaking, it wasn¡¯t humanely possible for that to be Japanese. He had begun jumping to wilder and wilder conclusions, the least of which were his possible tutoring in Artethi in school.


    ¡°Will you be telling me why you¡¯re staring at me like that for, any time soon?¡± Miras said. She carefully turned the pages of her book, which looked like they would fall off any time.


    ¡°It¡¯s...¡± Yuuya began, considering how to phrase his question. ¡°It¡¯s uh...¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Miras said. She softly smoothened out the page and began, ¡°Anyways, the Threonite script wasn¡¯t abandoned after the Kranea Era, as the Five Continents... Well, Grimoi uses it rarely, what with their ¡®conservative¡¯ approach towards things. Anyways they still use it for official missives and notifications-.¡±


    ¡°Aunty, I have a doubt,¡± Yuuya interrupted.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°You really are speaking Artethi? Artethi the language of Ars? Really?¡± He asked, nervous.


    ¡°Indeed I am. Is that all?¡± Miras answered, glossing it over as she began to continue her lecture.


    ¡°No, but...¡± Yuuya hesitated, but went with it. ¡°Well, you say that you¡¯re talking Artethi, but I hear you talking Japanese, and I thought maybe Japanese was the same as Artethi and then I realized that you aren¡¯t speaking Japanese at all, so I was wondering if... If I had the power to translate and all...¡± He trailed off, looking away.


    ¡°You do not have to worry, you have no ¡®world-crossing powers¡¯ whatsoever. Of course, there are some other interesting things about you, but the translation,¡± she looked at him with an enigmatic smile, ¡°Is all me.¡±


    Relieved yet disappointed, Yuuya slumped back into his chair. But then he started, ¡°Other interesting things? What things?¡±


    ¡°Certain things, amongst others. For one, although your mental capacity for understanding isn¡¯t too impressive, your mental capacity for remembering is quite... quite interesting. I have my theories, but nothing conclusive as of yet,¡± she said.


    Confused, Yuuya replied. ¡°Remembering? I mean, I¡¯m not that great at-.¡±


    ¡°Who added the second addendum of the Threonite draft, and what was it?¡±


    ¡°Tuvoh Decei, that the Threonite Script, while it is meant for formal writing, informal versions, or mix of other scripts thereof, are allowed, however, too much deviation from the Kranean version will not be recognized by any institute of law,¡± Yuuya replied. His eyes widened as he looked at the Miras¡¯s smile. ¡°Oh.¡±


    ¡°As I¡¯ve said, your capabilities were quite astonishing when I first noticed it. Even you don¡¯t realize how your functioning has improved so much,¡± Miras said. ¡°Well, back to our lesson then.¡±


    ***


    ¡°Alright alright! I¡¯m up!¡± Yuuya yelled out, right before the pitcher dumped its contents onto his face. He jumped out of bed, already used to this schedule. He rushed away with haste, fearing that she would still pour it on him, judging from past experiences.


    Miras stood there, smiling, showing him the pitcher. To his surprise, it was quite empty.


    ¡°The funny thing is aunty, it still feels colder than usual,¡± Yuuya sighed, tousling his hair. Miras simply chuckled, placing the pitcher on to the wooden stand. The concoction next to it was, as usual, filled to the brim.


    ¡°As I¡¯ve told you, doing it enough times, you¡¯ll begin waking up on your own,¡± Miras said, headed toward the table.


    ¡°But aunty, your water¡¯s becoming colder every day, I might just become sick from this,¡± he said, plopping onto his chair.


    ¡°That¡¯s a risk you¡¯ll have to live with then,¡± said Miras, settling in as well. She picked up her characteristic book, which he could swear was getting thicker every day. With a bang she opened it, hard cover smashing on the table top. She flipped past the pages, filled with notes that he could barely catch a glimpse of.


    It was written in thick Artethi script, long curves that wound around gracefully on the paper.


    ¡°Artethi was designed to be easy and understandable, and it was made to be widely spread to every part of the world so that people could use it as a common language. Naturally, Vreedian was quite well-spread as well, so although the Artethi script wasn¡¯t a huge success, it was still a success. It¡¯s easier to write, and nobility did prefer to write it so,¡± Miras explained, tracing out the letters one by one.


    In the previous twenty two days since Miras had begun teaching, she had finished Theurian first, right after the fairly archaic Threonite. The common tongue of the Kabal Continent, it was the complicated script in which most of the books of hers were written. It was filled with dots and dashes, with careful combinations of them making the letters. Theurian itself was a graceful language, soft and quick.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°This would have meant the spread of Artethi from Ars, the centre of the Western World, to all the other continents, but Kabal stuck to Theurian, steadfast-,¡± she snapped her fingers. ¡°-What makes Theurian more preferable? Explain to me why Pursia could have chosen to adopt Artethi as its language?¡±


    ¡°Pursia had already been engaged in a dependent relationship with Ars, with them supplying the necessary spices and grains that Ars, with its huge demand required. With Ars granting monetary support and personnel to it, Pursia was already a subsidiary continent to Ars. Theurian on the other hand, is a graceful language that was already very prevalent in Kabal, and it made no sense to adopt Artethi,¡± he answered promptly in thick Theurian.


    ¡°Very good. Now, tell me what the fifth continent is?¡± Miras said, switching to Artethi. She would always teach the language first before the script, to make it easier for him to understand. Her switches were quite spectacular, as her Theurian and Artethi sounded like music to his ears. He struggled to imitate her enunciation, but he would be impeded by the Japanese within his system, hindering him.


    ¡°Fifth continent... er... It¡¯s I don¡¯t really know it but, you didn¡¯t even teach me that, aunty!¡± Yuuya complained, only for her to silently chuckle.


    ¡°Indeed I haven¡¯t. Now that we¡¯ve covered Threonisian, Artethi and Theurian, you¡¯ll eventually get Artethi down, I¡¯m sure, we can start with a new subject. I would say these many days of languages with the occasional hint of the world would have to have been quite the strain on thine performance, would it not?¡± She said, switching between all three in the same breath.


    Yuuya stared at her, struggling to comprehend her words. The moment she¡¯d snap her fingers, all sense of ¡®Japanese¡¯ would be gone, replaced with pure gibberish. She had to start slow for him to slowly pick it up, and would occasionally turn on her ¡®translator¡¯, only to take him out of his comfort zone once more. She would constantly talk to him in Theurian for the first ten days before he understood it somewhat, and Threonisian wasn¡¯t even meant to be spoken all that much. Artethi, however.


    Artethi troubled him.


    Something that was made to be informal and easily understood, he was having the hardest time comprehending. Miras had contributed it to the significant difference between the graceful Theurian and the rather crass Artethi.


    ¡°Now,¡± Miras said. One by one she picked up the books and placed it back on the ground. She then reached back, rolling something as she picked it up. A huge cylinder she pulled out, lines spinning around it. On both ends it was covered with a graceful silver cover, shaped like frozen flames. She set it with a thump on the table, over the books.


    Yuuya pushed his chair back, startled. Getting up, Miras unscrewed the covers, setting them aside as well. She looked up to smile at Yuuya and then unfurled the paper. It flew up into the air like a bird, waving as it slowly landed on the table. Dust flew off it, which Miras promptly dispersed with a wave of her hand.


    ¡°Today, we study the map,¡± said Miras.


    The entire world stretched out before him, with an ornately drawn compass in the corner. Royal blue danced through most of it, a wondrous quality as it seemed to be faintly moving, like the waves of the ocean. Six huge landmasses spanned the map, each given its own characteristic color, albeit with other colors flickering past it, depicting regions.


    ¡°This, is the mainland, consisting of Ars and Vreede,¡± Miras said, still speaking in Artethi. She pointed to the biggest landmass, the one that seemed to be the king of it all. Previously Kranea, the sole Continent of Redorias itself, its glory still persisted, although as two separate powers. ¡°The Viriel Mountain Range protects these two powers from each other, ensuring ¡®peace¡¯, as it were, between them. Although both of them would like to be the one who rules over it all, nature, says no,¡± she said.


    ¡°And over here is Kabal, the land of Elves,¡± she drew her finger to the left, showing a continent that stuck to the edges, mostly in green as it seemed to sing of freedom. She then drew her finger to the extreme right, where another continent was. ¡°And here is Pursia, within which is Hordshen, the haven of dwarves. The Hordshen have several conflicts with the human influence there, which is why Pursia isn¡¯t the best place to be in.¡±


    Yuuya looked on, astonished. Pursia was painted brown, with ridges that rose out of the paper on it. Upon it was Hordshen, written in complicated Theurian. ¡°Elves and Dwarves? Like, the races? Do they have pointed ears? Are they really short? Are they real?¡±


    ¡°I see you¡¯re losing our Artethi deal in your excitement. Well, no matter, you¡¯ll catch on either way. And to answer your question, yes, Elves and Dwarves are real, brat. Why else would I be talking about them? You have seen them?¡± Miras said.


    ¡°Seen them? They¡¯re everywhere in light novels!... I mean, literature. Elves of archery with bows aloft and dwarves beneath their mountains, forging,¡± Yuuya responded, enthusiastic.


    ¡°Interesting... Could it be?¡± Her eyes clouded over as she once more began ignoring Yuuya. But he did not mind. He himself was absorbed in the map, looking at every corner with unhidden enthusiasm. It was incomparable to any work of art from Earth, that he even suspected it had something to do with Magic.


    He had asked Miras about the existence of Magic, but she had only smiled, refusing to confirm his suspicions. Her translator powers had impressed him, but it did not seem like actual magic. But now, right before his eyes was a live map, shimmering and shifting in colors as it showcased an entire world.


    ¡°Perhaps it is so,¡± Miras said, snapping out of her reverie. ¡°Now, as I was saying. Below the mainland, the land of demons is Grimoi, a smaller continent, but filled with elite warriors.¡± Yuuya had the urge to roll his eyes when he heard of the ¡®demons¡¯ only to be replaced with another worry. She still had to be safe. He looked at the map to distract himself, down at the smaller landmass beneath the Mainland, yet separated by a wide sea marked the Padziel Sea.


    ¡°And up here is the fairly peaceful continent, the trade centre of the world, Rudia. It is populated mostly by humans, and thrives on trade. Perhaps the entirety of Redorias depends on Rudia for that,¡± she explained, pointing at a continent in the North-east, right above Pursia. It was painted a faint brown, with a grove of red trees in a corner.


    ¡°But what about that?¡± Yuuya asked, pointing toward the last continent, at the top of the map.


    ¡°That...That is Ignoratica, the forgotten continent. It used to be called Silurai, one of the major powers, but the... the First Alignment had occurred there, causing massive amounts of damage there,¡± she said, averting her eyes. A grimace flashed past her face, but she did not comment further. Yuuya did not want to ask her as well, and remained silent.


    ¡°Well, that will be enough for today. You can... you can return to your exercising now,¡± Miras said, hands faintly shaking as she rolled the map back up. Without waiting for him to leave first, she left the map partially closed and left the cabin half-running.


    Looking on with a troubled gaze, Yuuya rose to his feet.


    But then his eyes sharpened.


    He looked the way Miras had left, the possibilities dawning on him. Perhaps, perhaps this could be his chance. She had been understandably affected by mentioning Ignoratica, and he dared to hope that she had been gone a further distance this time. Although it was distasteful to consider it so, her past would be his chance.


    He scrambled forward, and slowly swung the door closed. It was inch by inch, wanting to make it seem as if the wind were blowing the door shut. He neared it till the doorframe, and left it there, not wanting to make any unnecessary sounds. Having done so, he released a sigh of relief.


    He walked back, tip-toeing out of anxiety. This might alert Miras of his plans of rebellion. Although he did like Miras quite a lot, everything about him itched uncomfortably. He was worried. He was immensely worried about Shizuka and whether she was alright.


    No matter what, he had to leave.


    He swirled the half-closed map open, and studied it carefully. The drawing gently moved, simulating life. His heart pounded in his head, his blood seemed to be roaring. The light had begun to dim already, but the map itself seemed to glow faintly.


    He studied the map carefully, searching every inch of it. He had to know where he was, any clue to imply it.


    And then he hit the most probable spot.


    ¡°Kabal,¡± he whispered.


    Verdant forests covered the entirety of the Elven continent, and Yuuya could swear that only the shade of the forests there seemed to match those around him. He remembered the sight he had seen as he fell from the sky. Five mountains rising up, aiming for the sky. The shade of the forest canopy, the variations in it, it all seemed to match as it was perfectly in the map.


    ¡°I¡¯m in the Elven continent,¡± he said, a tinge of excitement leaching into his voice. But he did not know where to head toward. If he headed the wrong way, he¡¯d only end up deeper in the forests. Was he on the inner side of the five mountains or the outer?


    But then he spotted the blue line that wound down the continent, even the movement of its waters clear to him. And above it, in tiny words, he read the name of the river. The Reijler. The very same river that Miras had mentioned when he described what had happened to him.


    The Reijler was on the outer side of the mountains, and he had to walk away from them to reach outside the forest, perhaps a trade centre or shipyard. From there, if he could, he could catch a ship or be a stowaway and find his way to Ars¡­ somehow.


    The dubiousness of his plan astounded even him. Shaking his head clear of faraway goals, he decided that he had to find his way to some town first. Perhaps earn some money there before heading to Ars. First, he had to get away from here. He rolled the map back up, the first phase of his plan complete.


    With a sigh he headed out, back to train.


    He ran around, completely enjoying the feeling of consistent improvement. His body seemed to metamorphosing, becoming a butterfly. His athleticism was through the roof as he was confident that he could have outrun the Taotie if he were to be given another chance. The Dreadwolf he was not so confident about, but perhaps he could escape in a better shape. The Dragon, he did not even dream of escaping from. It could fly and breathe fire.


    Tired and panting he headed back, sweat glistening on his body. He was a changed youth. Nearly two months he had been here, and he felt stronger. Better, better than ever. He was no longer Yuuya, the weak boy that ignored all the insults. He was Yuuya, the one who had survived and gotten stronger.


    He downed the usual dosage of the concoction, face puckering as it ran down his throat. Panting, he laid down to sleep, but not before directing a worried gaze out, wondering what had happened to Miras.


    In the middle of the night, his eyes snapped open.


    The possibility had struck him, and he was raring to try it. This might be his only chance, and he did not want to waste it. Although his intestines greened from having to take advantage of Miras¡¯s grief, he knew he had to take this chance. The fear and trepidation for Shizuka was only intensifying, and he had to know something at the very least. Miras seemed awfully patient with him, as if she did not even imagine him leaving. That¡­ that worried him.


    He listened carefully, and waited. He wasn¡¯t confident yet. Only the faint sound of branches sighing in the wind responded to him. Shivering with fear, he decided. There wouldn¡¯t be a better time. A battle surged within him, hate for himself at having to leave Miras, the poor old aunty behind, alone. She seemed to have only him as her company, and teaching him gave her something to do.


    But he had to help Shizuka. He had to be with her, to help her, to support her. He had to be there for her, as she had been with him.


    Quelling his thoughts of doubt, he headed out into the night, pitcher in hand.

 Chapter 7.5.4 - Escape

    Inky black painted the night sky full, the glimmering stars trying to fight futilely against the invading darkness. Amidst it all shone the golden moon, its radiance cast down caringly, giving all those who sought vision, light. And it immensely helped Yuuya.


    He rushed through the forest, bounding up and down, the entire scene a blur to his eyes as he passed through it. Trunks and barks of various kinds surrounded him, trapping him in their leafy embrace. Once he would have been curious, as these, observing in the faint golden light, seemed to be different from the ones he had seen near his wooden cabin. But now, he had no time. Now, he had to run.


    His heart pounded against his chest, the rhythmic and accelerated thumping the only sound in his head. His blood roared fiercely as he pushed himself to his limits. He had to get out of the forest soon, very soon. What would Miras do once she found out about his escape? Perhaps drag him back? Perhaps she would support him to get where he wanted to? He did not want to find out, for the former possibility scared him more. If he were to get caught this time, he could say goodbye to ever escaping. The relaxed nature with Miras frightened him. He loved it, yet he feared it would eventually dampen his desire to find Shizuka. He did not want to indulge himself. The constant exercise, the feeling of his muscles burning with flames of pain, had helped him immensely, to keep that desire burning. And today, he would feed that desire of his.


    He struggled to keep balance occasionally, his pace slightly slowed by the object in his hands. With two hands he clasped the pitcher together, the thick liquid within sloshing around like tidal waves. When he had schemed during his ¡®sleep¡¯, he had encountered a problem that threatened to crush him before all else. Money. He had none, and he was sure that Miras wouldn¡¯t have stowed any money within the cabin for him to use. He did not dare ask Miras for even a tiny detail about the world beyond for fear of alerting her, much less asking her for money that he would have to use within a forest. And so he had come to the easiest conclusion. Use what he had. And the only things he had were his tunic, his pants and the bowl. The bowl full of the bitter concoction. Perhaps it would be extremely common-place in the outside world, but he was willing to bet that somebody would be in need of it and would pay him for it. It was his only chance. He had feared that the water in it may dilute the concoction, but then Miras had descended for him, almost as if she were encouraging his escape. The pitcher had been empty that day.


    The lid of the pitcher he kept pressed against its mouth, his caution considerably slowing him down. He had debated repeatedly about bringing it as it would only slow him down, much less him having only adjusted with having half of his sight. But he had decided that if the need were to come, he would lose it, instead to preserve his life.


    Yuuya bounded through the dark forest, only the chirping noises of insects accompanying him. The occasional noise or chirp would make him jump. His hairs were on end as his eyes darted around, wary. This place still gave him nightmares, nightmares of all the pain he had suffered.


    The forest closed in around him, and he jumped over thick roots that pushed out of the ground, dodging colored vines that swung in the air before him, dancing enticingly. He was frightened of touching anything that seemed even remotely out of the ordinary. Of course, he did not know what the standards for ¡®ordinary¡¯ were here. As such, he simply avoided everything.


    The forest would occasionally thin out, allowing moonlight to firmly illuminate his path. Sweat gleamed golden as it poured off him, and his muscles seem to slightly feel strain. But he had only started; the path was still long before him. He took a deep breath, rushing forward with renewed vigor. He looked around, cautious for any enemies that might attack him.


    And then his eyes widened.


    There, beyond the groves of trees, the golden radiance clearly illuminated a majestic tree. It rose above the canopy, rearing its crown high majestically. Its leaves danced in the faint wind, and its trunk stood strong and tall. All the trees of the forest seemed to give it a wide berth, as several meters around the tree was barren, only tumbled mud around it. Even the forest acknowledged it as its master.


    But he had recognized the tree.


    For what else could it be, but the notorious Taotie?


    Uttering a startled cry, Yuuya rushed away from the lone tree, his body co-operating completely with his mind. Screaming filled his head as his body jerked away irregularly, terrified by this fiend. His legs were starting to freeze up, and his vision seemed to be clouding. Not stopping to recover himself, Yuuya continued to rush away, his locked legs slowing him down considerably. His eyes had widened, pupils dancing around, horrified. He had to get away from this black star, quick.


    And the earth shook.


    A terrifying wave rushed by the ground, pushing him away effortlessly. His newfound strength and improved body could do little to defend against this, immediately pushing him to the ground. His teeth clattered against each other as his body went cold. A fire burned in his belly, making his blood boil ¨C not with courage, but absolute terror.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    The entire forest stilled as the wave passed by, as leaves shook violently before freezing up. Even the wind had stilled as the air solidified. It was before him, locking down, preventing him from approaching the lone tree even if he wanted to. The grass shivered and rocks trembled. The entire forest would prefer to not be subject to the Taotie¡¯s wrath.


    Yuuya scrambled to his feet, struggling to keep himself steady. His pitcher was inches from being dropped as he could barely keep his arms steady. He had understood what it had meant. It was warning him to not approach again. Smiling wryly as he recalled his insults against this ancient beast, Yuuya sped away, heading with faster speed to the edge of the forest.


    It had only been a few more meters before a dark shape crashed into his side.


    He coughed, spitting saliva as the mass crashed into him. He had not seen it coming at all, as it had struck him from his blind side. He rolled on the ground, pitcher flying out of his hands. It clattered against the ground, spilling the concoction all over the ground. Yuuya rolled himself to a stop, panting as he pushed himself up. The sudden shock had disturbed his body, and it had taken its toll on him. He was not injured as grievously as he would have been. He grinned through clenched teeth, staring at the hulking beast.


    ¡°Well, well well,¡± he said with a grin. ¡°You seem to be new at the job. Didn¡¯t your Papa wolf tell you how it had failed to kill me the last time?¡±


    The Dreadwolf stood before him, revealing sharp teeth as it growled at Yuuya. Its yellow eyes glinted with malevolent hate. With sharp claws it treaded the soft ground, shrinking away from Yuuya. Its thick black tail swished around, perhaps deciding what it would do. It was smaller than the Dreadwolf that had attacked him, probably a teenager in wolf terms.


    And so it attacked.


    Yuuya¡¯s face hardened as the hulking mass charged at him, jaws opening wide as it prepared to tear off meat from him. Clenching his jaw, he dove to the side, narrowly missing its attack. Without ado he scrambled forward, grabbing a rock in his hand. He turned back, roaring as he threw the fist sized rocks at the Dreadwolf¡¯s head.


    Muffled tong¡¯s echoed out as the tiny rocks struck at the Dreadwolf¡¯s powerful skull. It turned toward him, swishing its tail about as it slowly circled around him. He had thrown it with all his strength, yet at best he could only cause a few lumps to appear, at best. He crouched, maintaining an eye-to-eye with the beast. It would send out occasional growls, wanting to terrify him into submission. His face remained impassive as he stared back at him.


    This time, he moved.


    Yelling a garbled war-cry, he rushed toward the wolf, shoulders lowered and arms bent forward. The wolf started, shortly recovering its composure. Eagerly it moved, thick forelimb whipping out, its claw coming for a clean swipe.


    Right before they met, Yuuya ground to a stop, the force sending his feet digging in to the ground. With his toes he gripped onto the mud, bringing his acceleration to a stop. The Dreadwolf was stunned, frozen in its oncoming attack. Yuuya began moving diagonally, toward the claw of the wolf. Relaxing, it continued its frenzied attack, claw coming to where Yuuya¡¯s shoulder would be.


    With a powerful thump Yuuya planted his other leg forward, bringing himself to a stop. The Dreadwolf was caught in its attack, unable to retrieve itself. With an earnest shout that startled even him, he dove in the other way, to the wolf¡¯s unprotected side.


    With all the strength he could muster he crashed into the thick matte of fur, fingers digging through them, into hard skin beneath it. With a roar he pushed it away, making the beast yelp. He ripped his hands off, pulling off fur from the beast. It flew through the air, eyes wide with fear as it was astounded by the puny human¡¯s strength. On two hind legs, it was already quite unbalanced. It rolled away, heavy body crashing against the ground. With a short howl it jumped onto its feet, staring at Yuuya warily. On its side were two spots without fur, revealing dark violet skin that rose with undulations.


    ¡°Go!¡± Yuuya shouted, waving his arms about wildly above his head. The wind picked up the fur, further enhancing his display. ¡°Go away! I will kill you! Run!¡± He tried to make himself sound as menacing as he could, and thankfully, it worked. The wolf uttered two short growls of unhappiness before it turned away and left. It dove into the bushes, its movement revealed to Yuuya, bushes shaking as it passed by.


    He panted, sweat beading on his forehead. Looking ahead, he did not relax, his arms still raised above his head. Until the beast had completely disappeared from his sight, he did not dare look away. What if it changed its mind? When convinced that the little Dreadwolf had left, his shoulders finally slumped down. With weary eyes he looked on at the damaged ground, processing what just happened.


    And then he burst out laughing.


    He, Yuuya Nakajima, a human from Earth, had made a Dreadwolf, a fantasy beast, run away. He laughed uproariously, pride and joy mixing itself inside him. Chuckling, he got to his feet. His laughter faded as he looked back, his joy now replaced by regret.


    The pitcher lay on the ground, its content dying the grass violet. The pitcher itself had broken into tiny shards, with no hope for repair. Yuuya looked away, his gut wrenching as he remembered Miras¡¯s care. What he was doing¡­ It was betraying her, wasn¡¯t it? No, she had imprisoned him. He had only escaped from his own imprisonment.


    Futilely trying to convince himself, Yuuya began running forward. This was no time to think. All of this, he had to channel in to running. Before the sun rose, he had to be out of the forest, heading to Ars, hopefully. He had no resource for money anymore, but Yuuya still tried to remain upbeat. Perhaps he could sell his tunic for some chump change.


    Minutes passed like hours as he continued to run through the forest. The sky showed no signs of lightening, although the moon moved, surreptitiously at that. The golden gem danced across the sky as night turned to day, and its path was one of the few things he had to observe, other than the numerous trees that surrounded him.


    The forest had returned to slumber once night came by, no more attacks coming toward him after. Perhaps the Dreadwolf itself had been a stray, finding itself lucky at having seen Yuuya. The only creatures active now were the Gigants that had kidnapped him when he had arrived. They roamed the forest, their numbers numerous. They avoided him, as did he them. They searched the forest thoroughly, occasionally dragging back carcasses or remnants of it that they found, presumably back to their nest. Yuuya grinned as he remembered how they had mistaken him for dead meat. Well, he was dead meat at that time-


    His breath caught in his chest as he crashed through an invisible screen.

 Chapter 8: Realisation

    I prepped myself the next day. I¡¯ve already decided to leave this cabin and head to the outside. I need to track the others down as soon as possible and find a way for us to return. Right. I can do it now. I¡¯m strong enough.


    I dress up, wearing a simple long sleeved T shirt and some pants. It¡¯s all they gave me, so I treat it as precious resources. My school blazer is already in tatters and unusable, so this¡¯ll do.


    I pick up the sword I got from Miras san, sheathe it and leave the cabin. My makeshift satchel version two is back and I¡¯m already ready. I walk down the cliff on top of which the cabin is , heading for the direction where there are no mountains. The exit. I need to find a way to some big city and begin my search there. Shizuka¡­ I hope she¡¯s fine.


    Oh by the way, don¡¯t misunderstand. I have absolutely no romantic feelings towards Shizuka. She¡¯s like my little sister, since she¡¯s so clumsy and unreliable. From a young age, I was the one who helped Shizuka out, so for me, she¡¯s in every sense except blood relations, my clumsy little sister.


    I reach the entrance of the forest. I feel a bit nervous, since I had a near death experience here. Last time, Miras san saved me. But from now, I¡¯m on my own. And I know my strength is enough. The potions and elixirs that Miras san used on me improved my physical condition greatly, so I could take on at least 3 wolves one by one without tiring out.


    I head out, cautious of everything around me. Since I lost an eye, I made it a regular practice to close my eyes and depend on my hearing to fight, so I can manage somewhat even if I¡¯m attacked from a blindspot.


    It¡¯s been 2 hours since I set out, and Miras san did not come to say goodbye. I don¡¯t know the others anyways, so they won¡¯t go out of their way to come and bid farewell to a total stranger like me.


    I¡¯ve been heading through the forest, with the humongous exit as my target. I¡¯ve encountered a few monsters, but I just avoided them, since needless fighting would just slow me down. I keep heading in and then I hear it.


    Water. The noise of water gushing with great force. I feel a familiar sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. I head to the noise, and track it down. It¡¯s the river. The very same river, on whose banks I spent my days desperately trying to survive. But I¡¯m different now. I¡¯m confident I can do much better than last time. Ah? That tree looks a bit familiar.


    I approach the banyan like tree and observe it. There, I spot it. My make shift rope ladder. I look up and see my vine hammock too. It¡¯s mostly withered though. Haha. I feel nostalgic.


    I leave behind the base and continue on towards the exit. As soon as I get to another one of the clearings, something occurs. A ripple passes through the surroundings. Weird. What just happened?


    I keep advancing, cautious. I need to keep my guard up. And I hear¡ª


    *pitter patter*


    --Footsteps.


    And from the thicket emerges-


    Shizuka.


    Huh? How? How did Shizuka get here? She¡¯s here? Meaning everyone got teleported here too?


    ¡°Ah! Aaaaaah!¡± (Shizuka)


    Shizuka. That airhead. She looks shocked at seeing me, as if she found a ghost. Immediately , she starts crying. Bawling, more like. She keeps crying and hits me on the chest, snot and tears running down her face.


    ¡° Uwaaaah. Id wab sooooowwww scawwwwyyyy!!!¡± (Shizuka)


    Geez. This idiot is the same as always. So clumsy. I pat her head, trying to make her feel better.


    ¡°Shizuka? Where did you come from? How did you find me?¡±(Yuuya)


    She calms down and wipes her snot on my shirt. This girl¡­


    ¡°I¡­. I was teleported to this biiiig kingdom. And then the king like old man started talking about killing demons and stuff¡ª¡°


    Well to sum up, she underwent the clich¨¦ storyline development and was asked to defend the continent against the demon¡¯s onslaught. But Shizuka got scared, and needed a great deal of consolation to calm down it seems. After that it seems she started searching for me, and the other guys went to subjugate the demons. She started searching around and got a clue that a guy who looked like me came to this forest, so she used the tracking skills she obtained to find me. What a desperate girl.


    ¡°There there, you did well.¡± (Yuuya)


    ¡°Un! Ehehe¡± (Shizuka)


    She calms down and starts talking about all the stuff that happened in the kingdom, and showing off her skills. She does seem strong, but she needs to be much stronger here. Because the monsters here¡ª


    ¡°RRRRRRR¡±


    The ground rumbles. My heartbeat quickens. I know that rumbling. I was made oh-so familiar with it. And when I turned, it was there. The embodiment of my fears. The green turtle. Just like before, it had a thick brown shell with a bonsai like tree growing on it¡¯s back. It edged closer, with the ground shaking with its every step. It¡¯s just like before. I feel the fear . My arms have already turned to lead, and I can¡¯t move anymore. The turtle roars and stomps the ground. Just like before, those oppressive walls grow out from the earth.


    ¡° Yuu-nii?! It¡¯s a turtle! It¡¯s using magic! Wh-what is it gonna do?!!¡± (Shizuka)


    Shizuka seems panicked. Of course she would. That beast was the embodiment of despair.


    ¡°Yuu-nii! Back off, I¡¯ll save you!¡± (Shizuka)


    Yelling so, she kicks off and rushes towards the turtle. I can¡¯t move. Fear overrides my senses. I want to help her, but I can¡¯t. Dammit. Dammit. Dammit.


    She attacks the turtle, drawing her rapier like sword, and plunging it into gaps in the turtle¡¯s shell. The turtle scream at every attack. Good. It seems she can win¡ª


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°GURYAAAH!!¡±


    It yells and swats her aside. The huge paw accurately hits her chest and she¡¯s sent flying. She crashes into the wall and sinks down. The turtle moves towards her, and opens it¡¯s mouth. The all too familiar scene unfolds again. But I couldn¡¯t even move. It takes Shizuka¡¯s head in it mouth ¡­. And bites down.


    ¡°Ugyaaaaaah!!!¡± (Shizuka)


    Shizuka¡¯s yell resounds in the forest, and the birds fly away. A few moments later, blood splatters. Her head crushed, the headless body of Shizuka falls down.


    She died¡­ Shizuka ¡­ died¡­.


    ¡°No¡­No¡­. No¡­NOOOOOOOO!!!!!¡± (Yuuya)


    Yelling so, I rush at the beast, drawing my sword. I¡¯ll kill you I¡¯ll kill you I¡¯ll kill you I¡¯ll kill you I¡¯ll kill you I¡¯ll kill you I¡¯ll kill you I¡¯ll kill you I¡¯ll kill you I¡¯ll kill you I¡¯ll kill you I¡¯ll kill you I¡¯ll kill you I¡¯ll kill you I¡¯ll kill you


    The words resound in my head, and all I can think is of killing that damned turtle. I rush at it and¡­


    A spike pierces through my heart.


    ¡°Ugh- Cough¡± (Yuuya)


    I cough up blood.


    ¡°Haaah¡­Haaah¡­.¡± (Yuuya)


    Such a pitiful end¡­ I couldn¡¯t even avenge Shizuka¡­ So powerless¡­. I think so as my consciousness fades away¡­.


    ¡°Uwaaaaaaaaahh!!!!! Id wab sooooooowww scawwwwyyy!!!¡± (Shizuka)


    Shizuka beats her little fists on my chest. Eh. Why¡­ why am I back here? Is it ¡­reincarnation? Is that my special ability? Great!


    ¡°Shizuka. Let¡¯s move away from here. It¡¯s dangerous.¡± (Yuuya)


    I pat her head while saying so. She looks bewildered at first, but then understands and nods. We move away from the clearing and head deeper into the forest, away from the direction the turtle was going to come from. As soon as I feel relieved¡ª


    Another turtle. This one comes running and rams at me full speed. I can feel a few of my ribs breaking.


    ¡°Yuu-ni! Are you okay?!¡± (Shizuka)


    Drat. Of course not idiot. But that¡¯s not the time for this. This time will be different. I¡¯ll fight with her and protect her. We will survive.. Yes¡­ We will!!


    ¡°Cough¡­¡± (Yuuya)


    A strong sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu and despair enters my mind. Shizuka¡¯s headless body lies on my lap, and another earth spike pierces my chest. No good huh. If I get another chance, definitely¡ª


    ¡°Uwaaaaaaaaahh!!!!! Id wab sooooooowww scawwwwyyy!!!¡± (Shizuka)


    Great. This time. This time for sure.


    ¡°Yuu-ni! It¡¯s some kind of turtle!¡±


    Saying so, she rushes in.


    I can¡¯t take it¡­ Shizuka¡­ She¡¯s dead¡­. One more try¡­.


    ¡°Uwaaaaaaaaahh!!!!! Id wab sooooooowww scawwwwyyy!!!¡± (Shizuka)


    Another chance. I¡¯m sure¡­ I¡¯m sure I can do it¡­.


    I crash onto my knees, breathing heavily. It¡¯s impossible¡­ I can¡¯t do it¡­ I¡¯m too weak¡­ It¡¯s the 123rd time already¡­. Shizuka¡­ She died ¡­ Her head¡­.. I can¡¯t take it¡­. Please¡­ don¡¯t ¡­..Not again¡­. I can¡¯t take it anymore¡­. I can¡¯t watch this anymore¡­¡­. Please¡­just let me die¡­.


    It¡¯s the 1132nd time now¡­.I don¡¯t even feel anything now, Despair and fear clouds my mind. I¡¯m weak¡­ Hopelessly weak¡­ I can¡¯t save Shizuka¡­ I¡­ wish I was stronger¡­. I wish I could protect her¡­¡­ This cycle.. it¡¯s hell¡­ I can¡¯t take it anymore¡­.


    ¡°Yuu-nii¡­.¡± (Shizuka)


    ¡°Uwaaaah!!¡± (Yuuya.)


    I yell out in fear. Her head. Shizuka head. Half broken, covered in blood.  Her pink hair dyed red in her blood. It¡¯s talking to me¡­. It¡¯s eyes are filled with contempt.


    ¡° I¡¯m sorry¡­I¡¯m sorry Shizuka¡­ I couldn¡¯t even save you¡­..¡± (Yuuya)


    I sob, I cry. I can¡¯t take it. I¡¯m truly too weak. Hah. What was I thinking. I could protect Shizuka? Don¡¯t kid me¡­. I¡¯m just a weakling¡­.


    ¡°Yuu-nii ¡­ Why are you so weak? ¡­. Why didn¡¯t you protect me?¡± (Shizuka)


    My head hurts¡­ My heart hurts¡­ Her question destroys me¡­ Tears flow uncontrollably¡­ Even I¡¯m despaired with my weakness¡­.Why¡­WHY AM I SO WEAK?!!!


    ¡°Why are you so weak Why are you so weak Why are you so weak Why are you so weak Why are you so weak Why are you so weak Why are you so weak Why are you so weak Why are you so weak¡±(Shizuka)


    Arggghhh!!!! Stop it!! I can¡¯t take it anymore!! Just let me out! Let me die!! Please!!


    Slowly¡­ Realization dawned on me¡­. What I¡¯ve been doing from the start is wrong¡­ I shouldn¡¯t give up. I¡¯ll depend on my ability. I¡¯ll reincarnate again, and then I¡¯ll get stronger. Strong enough to protect Shizuka. Strong enough to protect everyone important me. I need to get stronger!!


    The world cracks, and the cracks spread. It shatters like glass, and a figure enters my vision.


    The forest is dark but I can see her clearly. Her silver hair billowing in the wind, her golden eyes staring down at me.


    ¡°I ask you again¡­ Yuuya Nakajima. Do you want to get stronger?¡± (Miras)


    Hah. Is that even a question? In order to protect Shizuka, in order protect the things important to me, I¡¯ll even slay god if I have to. But for that I need strength.


    ¡°Please¡­ teach me how to get stronger¡­.¡± (Yuuya)


    ¡°Very well. Yuuya Nakajima , from now, you are my,Miras Arisbell''s disciple¡± (Miras)


    Ah¡­ That¡¯s right¡­ This person saved me¡­ Even now¡­.I¡¯m truly indebted to her¡­..


    My consciousness fades away as I renew my determination.


    I need to get stronger.

 Chapter 9: The tale of the Slayers

    ¡°A¡­a slayer?¡± (Yuuya)


    I¡¯ve been brought back to the cabin, my first house in this world, although it¡¯s kind of like a loan. The repeated scene of death wore out my mind a lot, and I feel fatigued, as if I just ran a marathon while swinging a stone sword. But Miras san¡ªI mean Master did not give me time to rest, as she immediately barged in and gave me a truly bewildering question.


    ¡°Yuuya. Do you want to become a Slayer?¡± (Miras)


    I have no idea what a slayer is, but if it is what its literal meaning declares, it¡¯s something about killing stuff I guess. I don¡¯t have much questions about it, except one.


    ¡°Will it make me stronger?¡± (Yuuya)


    ¡°Ufufufu¡­....... Nope.¡± (Miras)


    Eh.


    She took me by surprise. It won¡¯t? According to the storyline, it should¡ªno wait.  That was my mistake. I mistook this world as a game. I thought it was nothing but fantasy, a make believe world. But I learnt my lesson. I was wrong. This is reality. A world where I can die. A world full of unfairness. A world which follows the basic principle. ¡°Survival of the fittest¡±. The strong stamp out the weak. They have the right to do so, because they¡¯re strong. And if I feel that it¡¯s unfair that I was stepped on, I can only blame myself for being weak.


    ¡°Well¡­. Don¡¯t be so lost in thought. Becoming a slayer¡­. Is a wild card. It depends on you. If you can become a slayer, you might be strong. If you¡¯re not meant to be one, you¡¯ll be weak. A slayer is truly a wild card.¡± (Miras)


    I see. It¡¯s a go big or go home type of situation. If I can do it, I will do it.


    ¡° I understand. But¡­ what is a slayer?¡± (Yuuya)


    ¡°Oh that¡¯s right. You don¡¯t know what a slayer is huh? I thought you were kidding. Well then, I¡¯ll tell you.¡±


    Saying so, she sat down on the bed, near my legs, and brought out a book from somewhere. The miko outfit like dress she was wearing spread out onto the bed. Was that magic? Ah.. I can¡¯t wait to learn some cool magic. She cleared her throat, and read out the contents of the book. Eh¡­ what is with this night time bed story like setting?


    ¡°Long ago, in the age of the gods, there lived a child. His name was unknown, since the times have already erased it. He was the son of a farmer, a commoner. He spent his life living it like any other youth, and enjoyed helping his father out on the fields. As a child, he was regarded as untalented and useless, with an average body and almost no aptitude for magic.¡±


    Eh. Sorta like me. I was untalented when I came here too. Well I still am, but that doesn¡¯t matter. I can sort of sense how this story goes.


    ¡°But the child never gave up, and kept helping his father, and with all the strenuous effort forged his body into that of a splendid youth. All the ladies in his village eyed him, and the males envied him.¡±


    A popular guy? Well that was unexpected. But since he became something like a Slayer, I¡¯m sure there¡¯s something like a death fla¡ª


    ¡°Everything became perfect for the youth, until disaster struck the village¡± (Miras)


    There it is.


    ¡°A dragon god attacked the village. With his army of dragons, the Dragon god Miliater attacked the village, merely on a whim. The village was devastated, and every one were annihilated.¡±


    But one lucky survivor¡­.


    ¡°But luckily, the youth survived. Losing a limb, he cried out in despair upon seeing the figures of his dead family, and swore revenge against the Dragon god. He rushed out and slew every monster in his path, driven mad by his rage. The sword he carried, a sword handmade by him, was a different type of sword, with a curved single edged blade and a long grip for two hands. His sword was bathed in the blood of his foes, and was drenched with his rage and madness. That was how the cursed sword ¡®Rebellion¡¯ was born¡±


    Ending the story, Miras sa-Master closed the book. Eh. What an unsatisfactory end. Is that it? He made a sword? That¡¯s the story of the slayers?


    ¡°But that¡¯s not where the story ends.¡± (Miras)


    Ah. Good. I was about to end up criticizing the author at this rate.


    ¡°That was the extent to which the humans know the tale. But the youth, Diores, with Rebellion in his hand, symbolizing the rebellion against a god, exterminated all the monsters that came in his way and kept on killing. He suffered wounds and near death situations, but kept slaying monsters, for that was what his purpose was. In the end, he reached the Dragon god, after slaying all of the dragons that accompanied him, and confronted the Dragon god. And thus began a great battle. They battled for days and nights, months and years, with neither gaining the upper hand. In the end, after a couple hundred years, Diores struck the final blow, ending the life of the Dragon God. After slaying the god, he drank his blood and bathed in it. And that¡¯s how the very first slayer was born.¡± (Miras)


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    Woah. What a barbaric story. The guy didn¡¯t have to drink and bathe in a dragon¡¯s blood. Maybe he stank a lot. That might explain it. But still¡­


    ¡°Master, does that mean¡­.?¡±(Yuuya)


    ¡°Ufufu.. That is not so my little disciple. ¡° (Miras)


    I felt relieved. At least I didn¡¯t have to hunt a Dragon god or something and bath in it. That¡¯s just gross. And impossible. Did I mention impossible?


    ¡°But.¡± (Miras)


    Master¡¯s voice turned grave. Seems becoming a Slayer is not a walk in the park. But I expected that much.


    ¡°A Slayer is someone who has the abilities of the ones he slays. He grows from killing and relishes in it. His purpose is to eliminate the ones designated as his enemies. Do you understand, Yuuya?¡± (Miras)


    *Gokuri*


    I swallowed.


    That means, only a killer can become a Slayer. Only the feelings to kill motiva¡ªNo. It¡¯s not so. Master is also a Slayer, I can guess that much. She slew a god in order to take revenge. But if she had to slay a god in order to protect her comrades, then I think even then, she would have done it. Because, in the end, it is not the power, but the person who wields it that matters.


    ¡°Master, you cannot make me turn back. I want to protect the people important to me, and I want to live safely in this world. If a slayer exists to kill, then I¡¯ll become a slayer who kills in order to protect.¡± (Yuuya)


    That¡¯s obvious. For me, right now I need strength. And if I need to undergo a lot of pain to get that, so be it. I¡¯ll take it on, all of it.


    ¡°Good. I was worried that you might be a spineless coward. ¡° (Miras)


    Urk! Her words sting a bit. I never thought of running away at first. Nope. Never.


    ¡°But, I¡¯ll tell you another fact. A job, in fact. If you become a slayer, then you¡¯ll have to do it. Even if you decide not to become one I¡¯ll definitely train you to the best of my abilities.¡± (Miras)


    Eh. A job? What¡¯s it about? And I couldn¡¯t help but notice something about what she said. ¡°If¡± you become a slayer. Master, you¡¯re subtly hinting that it¡¯s not a sure fact.


    ¡°What¡¯s it about Master?¡± (Yuuya)


    ¡°The Slayer¡¯s curse.¡± (Miras)


    She answered gravely. Her wrinkled face turned dark, and she looked a lot more older.


    ¡°Promise me Yuuya, never tell anyone what I tell you now. But if you become a slayer, it is your secret. You can do as you wish with it¡± (Miras)


    Again with subtle hint of failure. Geez, master, you aren¡¯t any good at motivating me!


    ¡°Of course.¡± (Yuuya)


    She takes a deep breath, and starts talking.


    ¡°Remember how I told you about how I slew a god?¡± (Miras)


    I nodded. Of course. Miras san killed a god. How could I not remember that?


    ¡°Well, it was apparently a god with a lot of followers. In those times, the Slayers were the ones with power, and were needed everywhere since their strength was needed to survive in this world. But with my act, a large number of followers lost their powers. Their blessings from god vanished, and the countries withered. They pinned all the blame on the slayers, forgetting that they were the ones who killed a lot of people in the name of God. Even though it¡¯s my fault, all those poor kids¡ª¡°(Miras)


    Master broke down, and started crying. Geez, she¡¯s really fragile. I don¡¯t know how to comfort her, so I silently listened.


    ¡°They banished us to this place. And we were sealed here. All the Slayers were cursed to never be able to leave this forest. The monsters here get stronger with each passing day, and our deaths are nearing. We cannot survive in this place for long. We need to get out. That is why I request you, no beg you, Yuuya Nakajima, please dispel the curse. I don¡¯t want to let those children suffer. I want to let them see the world. Please.¡± (Miras)


    Huh. The Slayer¡¯s curse huh. It¡¯s a deep story. Banished? Sealed? This curse, this story, there¡¯s something fishy about it. In the first place, how did all the Slayers get rounded up here? How did they out a seal powerful enough to trap them, and strengthen monsters? I don¡¯t know about this world¡¯s standards, but this seems too high leveled for some Church guys. But for now, I subdue my suspicions.


    ¡°Of course Master.¡± (Yuuya)


    Of course I¡¯ll do it. Master is my benefactor. My savior. If I can¡¯t even do this for her, then what kind of disciple am I ? I¡¯m gonna become a slayer anyways, hopefully. It¡¯s my business too.


    ¡°Master. I¡¯ve decided. I want to become a slayer.¡± (Yuuya)


    Ah¡­ Master looks relieved as well as worried. But I know. In a world where unfairness is prevalent, I need strength. Even if it¡¯s a wild card, I¡¯ll draw it if it gets me closer to my goal.

 Chapter 10: Pro slayers are really strong

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you surprisingly strong willed? For a person who gave up after seeing a dead head talk, you do have some backbone don¡¯t you?¡± (Miras)


    Uuuu¡­ Master. That¡¯s strictly confidential. And it¡¯s normal for people from modern Japan to be freaked out by their friend¡¯s talking head. Please understand that¡­


    ¡°But. You don¡¯t know the first thing about being a Slayer, and nor do you have the potential to. All right, I permit you to enter the village. You should continue your everyday schedule, training your body. After a sufficient amount of time has passed, I¡¯ll tell you what to do. You can live in the village till then, Yuuya.¡± (Miras)


    The village! The forbidden place! The super secret base! The village of Slayers! It feels appealing, but honestly, I¡¯m scared. The residents weren¡¯t very welcoming of me, and basically glared at me at every possible opportunity. Sigh. But that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m unenthusiastic. I still want to enter the village. Master tells me to pack up all my stuff and follow her. Well it¡¯s not like I have a lot of belongings. The clothes and the sword. Nothing else needed.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± (Miras)


    ¡°Picking up¡­my stuff?¡± (Yuuya)


    ¡°I can see that. But who¡¯s gonna take the rest of the stuff?¡± (Miras)


    ¡°Rest of the stuff? I only have this much you know? And all of these are borrowed too.¡± (Yuuya)


    Master drops her fist on my head. Ouch. It hurt a bit.


    ¡°Idiot disciple, then who¡¯s gonna bring the house?¡± (Miras)


    Eh? What did she say? Bring¡­ the house?!!


    ¡°Master, please stop joking around. Even you kno¡ª¡° (Yuuya)


    ¡°New order. You can¡¯t become a slayer unless the house is brought to the village. Understand?¡± (Miras)


    Eh? Ehhhhhhhhhhhhh?!!! Bring the house?! I¡¯m a normal student you know?!


    ¡°Now, your first lesson to you from me. You never know unless you try¡± (Miras)


    What¡¯s with that useless advice?! It¡¯s not going to help me lift a house you know!? At least give me a secret technique or a clue?!!


    ¡°If you can do it, I¡¯ll consider it as a fact that you passed the first phase of your training. ¡° (Miras)


    And so, my life in this place began. With my first task being to bring the house.


    Life here is the same as before. I follow the same regime as before, training my body and swinging the sword. The magic elixirs from Master really boost my body, and Master says that I would die if I didn¡¯t exercise to the absolute limit of my body after consuming them. My first quest in this RPG is to bring the house to the village. That¡¯s just absurd. How am I supposed to do that?!!


    I tried to lift the house yesterday, and I couldn¡¯t even make it budge, much less even lift it. It really is impossible for me. My physical body strength might be lacking.


    Thinking about the ways to lift the house, I return back to the cabin. As always there¡¯s master, in her miko outfit, reading some or the other book. What a fearsome reader.


    ¡°Ah. You¡¯re back Yuuya?¡± (Miras)


    ¡°¡­Yes¡± (Yuuya)


    I felt a bit dispirited, since my first task to become a slayer was pretty much impossible after all. Tch.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t feel the house moving today¡­ Could it be¡­ you failed?¡± (Miras)


    She¡¯s deliberately doing that. She wants to rub it in me. I nod and head to the desk. Books! Rescue me and sprint me away into a world without Master!


    ¡°Ah. There¡¯s no need to worry. It¡¯s natural to fail in your first attempt. A house has to be brought to the village of course. It¡¯s not something like lifting a bucket of water.¡± (Miras)


    ¡°..That¡¯s right¡± (Yuuya)


    It¡¯s been a week since master asked me to bring the house to the village. I¡¯ve been thinking about it lately. No matter how you look at it, isn¡¯t it just impossible? Meaning, my approach has been wrong from the start.


    ¡°Ah~ You didn¡¯t get the house to get to the village yet? Not yet? It¡¯s been a week you know? I might end up forgetting at this rate you know?¡± (Miras)


    Ah there she goes again, rubbing salt in my wounds.


    Wait what? What did she just say? She asked me if I didn¡¯t get the house to the village yet. I recount all of her provocations and instructions. From the start, she¡­ she didn¡¯t intend for me to do it. She wanted the house in the village, that¡¯s it. I figured it out! Great! Now to pass this task-


    ¡°Master? Can you please help me get the house to the village please?¡± (Yuuya)


    ¡°Ufufufu¡­¡± (Miras)


    She gives her suspicious laugh out again. Meaning, my guess was correct! Eureka! She looks pleased. I can finally become a Slay ¨C


    ¡°Nope¡± (Miras)


    No way. It was wrong?! Drat. She wasn¡¯t supposed to deny it! She was supposed to say ¡®Congrats my genius disciple¡¯ and congratulate me!


    ¡°Did you think that I would say ¡®Congrats my genius disciple¡¯?¡± (Miras)


    Right on the mark. Poker face, help me out.


    ¡°But I¡¯ll give you a clue since you figured something is right. Your approach is right, but your target is wrong.¡± (Miras)


    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.Approach was right, Target was wrong, huh.


    Probably, does she want me to seek the help of the villagers? Maybe. I¡¯ll try that approach out too.


    The next day, I prepared myself for ¡®Operation: Make friends¡¯


    Even back in my world, it wasn¡¯t like my social skills were great, the only friend I had was Shizuka and the others at the orphanage. But I¡¯m sure I can do it. Probably.


    ¡°Fufu.. All the best!¡± (Miras)


    Master spends almost all of her time here now. Maybe because she feels guilty about the village being sealed here. She has her shares of troubles too I guess.


    All right! Let¡¯s begin the operation!


    I spot my first targets a short distance off from the rock formation where I do my body training. A pair of men, both burly and with bulging muscles. They wore matching vests lined with fur like cloth on the edges, colored red and green.


    They both had a crossbow on their backs, while the man with the red vest had a needle like sword on his side and the one with the green vest had a great axe on his back. Huge. It must be about my height.


    I waved my hands at them. At first, they glared at me, and then ignored me.


    ¡°Great weather huh?¡± (Yuuya)


    ¡°¡±¡­..¡±¡±


    Silence. Awkward. Seems like they¡¯re heading out for a hunt. They were walking deeper into the forest, so I decide to follow them. It might give me some battle experience.


    They ignore me, and occasionally send hostile glances at me, hoping I¡¯ll buzz off. As if. I¡¯m gonna make you guys my friends!


    Then, after walking for a while, they suddenly stop, and crouch. I understand what happened. I can hear it. A growl. I crouch down and hide behind a thicket.


    A silver fur wolf. At least that¡¯s what Master told me they are. There were three of them, prowling the forest, with their snouts sniffing the air. The uncles with me move slowly, careful not to attract attention. The uncle with the axe turns to me and signals me to stay quiet. I nod.


    They get close to the wolf, and start preparing. The uncle with the axe, who signaled me before, takes his crossbow and takes out a bag of bolts from thin air. It seems to be the same magic as the one Master used to take the book out. He nocks the bolt on to the crossbow and takes aim. He adjusts something on the crossbow, and then takes him again. He waits, with his axe at his side.


    The other uncle takes out his sword, the needle like weapon, and coats it with something like poison. A viscous violet liquid, from a small vial on his waist. After ensuring the sword was properly coated, he waited too.


    The wolves wandered closer, almost as if they caught some prey. I notice that the axe uncle had opened a box of meat too. Might be bait. The wolves edge closer.


    And as if at some invisible signal, the axe uncle fires the bolt. It accurately hits the neck of the wolf. It yelps and leaps away, scared from the sudden attack. As if waiting for this moment, when the wolves became distracted, the needle uncle dashes out, with his needle sword.


    Beautiful.


    That¡¯s the only word with which I can describe their fight. As if dancing to a perfect tune , the needle uncle perfectly stabbed into the neck of one of the wolves and danced away, out of range of the wolf¡¯s claws, and the other wolf¡¯s bite. The axe uncle immediately launches another bolt into the mouth of the wolf which came into bite.


    It howls in pain and leaps back. The wolf which was shot first joins the fray again, in order to back up his buddies. The moment the wolf tries to attack the needle uncle, he perfectly stabs the wolf, through the back of it¡¯s mouth, and through the back of its head. A one hit kill. He draws it out, and jumps back again. The wolf which was stabbed first by the needle uncle suddenly coughs up blood and falls, dead. The last wolf, scared from this, attempts to run away. But as if predicting this, the needle uncle draws a knife and throws it into the head of the last wolf, killing it.


    In under a minute, they annihilated a pack of silver fur wolves. Too OP.


    But in the excitement of watching their battle, I forgot to protect my own back. From behind me, emerged a huge grizzly like monster. It was huge, almost 4 meters tall, with knife like fangs and claws. It was about to kill me in one go.


    Fear enveloped me.


    Shit. So careless.


    But, like a gallant knight from the stories, the axe uncle from before suddenly appears beside me, and slams his great axe into the throat of the grizzly, insta-killing it.


    ¡°Dang. I didn¡¯t expect a Great Bear to approach this place¡­ Are you ok kid?¡± (Axe uncle)


    I nod. He smiles at me. Arcus , for that was his name, had long blonde hair, and was almost 3 meters tall. He was really tall. And reliable. He smiled at me, and introduced himself.


    And the needle uncle, Gillareal, was a man with a marimo like cut of brown hair. He was considerably shorter and leaner than Arcus, because he was more of an agility build.


    And thus, I made my first friends from the Slayer village.

 Chapter 11: The village of Slayers, Baras

    ¡°Heup!¡± (Arcus)


    ¡°You¡¯re really strong, aren¡¯t you, Arcus san?¡± (Yuuya)


    ¡°Haha. I¡¯m a strength oriented build after all. This much is pretty average in my class.¡± (Arcus)


    I started talking with the big man and big heart Arcus san, who easily agreed to bring the house to the village. Today, it¡¯s gonna be the first time I see the village! It¡¯s different from before now though. Before, I was scared because the villagers seemingly hated me. But Arcus san tells me that¡¯s because it¡¯s been a long time since the villagers have seen an outsider, and were unsure how to act with me.


    They were ostracized due to the Slayer¡¯s curse after all. Well, to make it short, misunderstandings led to misunderstandings, and both of us were scared of each other. Fufu. That¡¯s right. The crazy strong Arcus san, who unbelievably, is lifting the cabin as if it were just a piece of wood, was scared of me.


    Right now, we¡¯re heading to the village, and Arcus san agreed to introduce me to everyone, since I¡¯m also gonna be a slayer in the future. He¡¯s a really good natured person, but in front of his strength, I¡¯m glad I¡¯m not his enemy.


    Gillareal san, headed to the village before us, saying he needed to deliver the meat to the village¡¯s meat storage facility. Gillareal san was shrewder. He replied with no more than three words, and seldom speaks on his own. But nevertheless, he¡¯s also a good person. All of the people here are good people. Damn those Church fanatics. How dare they expel the ultra nice Arcus san and the others here?


    Saying so, we entered the village. A canopy of trees blocked my view of the village, but once I crossed it, I could finally bask in the glory of the village.


    ¡°Welcome, to the Slayer¡¯s village, Baras.¡± (Arcus)


    Arcus san seems pleased seeing my reaction. Because obviously, the village looks really beautiful. The village was built on the side of a mountain, and it was shaved off a bit in order for the houses to be built in various levels. On the ground, near where we were standing, there was a market like place, with people yelling the prices and offering discounts. Truly, this seems like every other village, only grander. We cross the stone walls that encircle the village and enter. Arcus san said that he needed to speak with the guards, so he left me with the house for a while.


    In front of me, a huge plain extended, at the end of which the market was. There was a well in the middle of the marketplace, with a stage behind it. The market was busy, with people selling and buying stuff. I walk through the marketplace, leaving the house at the outskirts. I made sure it was locked though.


    It seems people here don¡¯t use money, since it¡¯s mostly useless in such a place, where survival was the only thing that mattered. Instead, they depend on a barter system, and exchange stuff for what they need. I can see a variety of weapons, ranging from broadswords to bows, and daggers to spears. Everything was displayed here, and the merchants were appealing to the customers with meat and expensive looking magic weapons. A little further from the market place, a road snaked up the village, in to the village. Ledges were made, presumably with earth magic, on which the houses were built. At the very top of the mountain, a bigger house stood. Might be the house of the village head. It was bigger than other houses, with a bright red roof and a pavilion erected near it.


    ¡°Amazing¡­¡± (Yuuya)


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it?¡± (Gillareal)


    Suddenly, Gillareal san appears beside me, and starts talking as if he was here all along.


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    ¡°Ah Gil, you¡¯re here already¡± (Arcus)


    And then Arcus san appears, carrying a house,  walking through the market. The odd thing is, most people ignore it, as if it were normal.


    ¡°Arcus..Here¡± (Gillareal)


    Saying so, he tosses a bag to Arcus san, who catches it.


    ¡°Thi-This is!¡± (Arcus)


    ¡°Yeah..The cleaning set for your axe. I exchanged it for the meat. ¡° (Arcus)


    ¡°Gil¡­Really¡­Thank you so much!¡± (Arcus)


    Arcus san looks close to tears, and Gillareal san seems embarrassed, since the burly person was just about to cry. Fumu¡­ Gillareal san uses more than 3 words only with Arcus san. Seems they''re really good friends.


    Arcus san walks off, whistling happily, and sets down my house on the lower levels. Sweet. I own a house in Baras now! I¡¯m glad!!


    ¡°Well, Lil Yuu, I did your job. So, now, listen to my request. Follow me.¡± (Arcus)


    ¡°Eh? Y-yes ! ¡° (Yuuya)


    Arcus san has already starting walking way, so I also follow him. Gillareal san chuckles and walks away. What¡¯s happening?


    Arcus san climbs on to the stage, and beckons me to come next to him. I follow him and do so. What¡¯s he gonna do? Arcus san takes a deep breath, and yells.  Yep. Yells. My eardrums might burst.


    ¡°EVERYONE! THIS IS LIL YUU, AND HE¡¯S GONNA JOIN US AS A SLAYER!! EVEN THOUGH HE IS AN OUTSIDER, PLEASE TREAT HIM LIKE ONE OF OUR OWN!!!¡± (Arcus)


    Eh. What. Did he just do something like a class introduction? In front of all of these people? Arcus san, I suffer from a serious case of social anxiety, you know?


    ¡°¡±¡±¡°UOOOOOHHHHH!!!!¡±¡±¡±¡±


    Everyone starts yelling and stomping their feet. Oh god. This is so embarrassing!


    ¡°Haha. Relish the moment, Lil Yuu¡± (Arcus)


    Arcus san says so, patting my back. Uuu..Arcus san, you traitor. I weakly raise my head, and bend down.


    ¡°My name is Yuuya Nakajima! Please take care of me, seniors!¡± (Yuuya)


    Not a sound. No one responds. Eh? But I made sure to learn the language properly. Did¡­did something happen?


    And contrary to my expectations,--


    ¡°¡±¡±¡±¡±¡±¡°UOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!¡±¡±¡±¡±¡±¡±¡±¡±


    A yell much louder than before erupts, and the people all clap me on my back as I walk down the stairs¡­ Uuu¡­ So embarrassing¡­ Arcus san¡­ I¡¯ll get you back for this!


    I walk back home, defeated. I feel tired. I had to deal with that public embarrassment and even a round of congratulations. But even then, I can feel it. I¡¯m smiling. Because right now, I¡¯m the happiest I¡¯ve ever been after coming to this world. Miras san, Arcus san, Gillareal san, Birinio san, everyone here, they¡¯re all like family to me. And unexpectedly, it¡¯s quite a good family. I can¡¯t wait to become a slayer. Because after that, I can truly say that I¡¯m one of them.


    Maybe this trip to another world¡­ might not be so bad after all¡­.


    I enter my cabin, and fall onto the bed. I feel tired, but my mind feels happy and strange. It feels good.


    ¡°So¡­¡± (Miras)


    Master! She got here before me? Maybe she was here all along... What a troublesome master.


    ¡°Master! I did it! I got the house to the village!¡± (Yuuya)


    ¡°Good work. Yuuya. It¡¯s time.¡± (Miras)


    The praises are short, but I can tell that she really is pleased, and it¡¯s not something shallow. It feels nice.


    ¡°Time for what?¡± (Yuuya)


    Master seems a little worried, but still speaks up.


    ¡°Time to become a slayer¡± (Miras)

 Chapter 12: I suck at choosing

    Time to become a slayer huh. That said, I still don¡¯t know how to become one. Is there some ritual?


    ¡°Master? How do I become a slayer? You still haven¡¯t told me, you know?¡± (Yuuya)


    ¡°Oh that¡¯s right. You don¡¯t know, do you? Well, it¡¯s¡­um¡­ how do I explain it.. Oh right. You remember Diores¡¯s story right?¡± (Miras)


    ¡°The first Slayer? Yeah I do. Why? It can¡¯t be. I need to hunt a Dragon Go--?!¡± (Yuuya)


    ¡°No you idiot disciple. If you could, I would never give you the choice to become a Slayer of course.¡± (Miras)


    But I have been wondering about some things for awhile. I¡¯ve been talking about it nonchalantly, but now is the time to ask it.


    ¡°Master, what exactly is a God?¡± (Yuuya)


    ¡°A god, huh. Pitiful that you don¡¯t even know what a God is.¡± (Miras)


    Uuu¡­She really likes to make fun of me, doesn¡¯t she?


    ¡°Well, A God is, one who has transcended.¡± (Miras)


    ¡°Transcended?¡±(Yuuya)


    ¡°Yup. One, who has understood and comprehended a part of the world to a certain degree, has the capability to become a god.¡± (Miras)


    Understood and comprehended? So something like scientists from my world? I must have had a ¡®I still don¡¯t understand¡¯ look on my face, since master sighed and continued explaining.


    ¡°Imagine a person, who completely understood what fire is, was and will be. He knows everything about fire, and is the number one authority about the knowledge of fire. He, has the possibility to become a Fire god. Understand? Only a possibility. It¡¯s not something definitive. To become a god, he has to become the fire itself. His mind, body and soul has to become a blazing fire. And someone who can do that, transcends above his peers, and becomes an existence above all. That, is a god. Get it?¡± (Miras)


    ¡°So, how is it different from a spirit?¡± (Yuuya)


    That¡¯s right. Spirits exist in this world. They¡¯re one kind of a race here. The spirits have only a body made of the element they represent, and controls it to a great extent. They can be contracted by people though. And if you contract a spirit, it¡¯ll be your lifelong partner. Unless you insult it, and it gets mad, kills everyone and goes back to it¡¯s homeland.


    ¡°A spirit becomes the element in body only. A god becomes the flame itself. And as an intelligent flame, it can control everything that can be classified as a flame in this world.¡± (Miras)


    So it¡¯s like a Master level wizard? No wait, maybe they have infinite magic power too.


    ¡°But, what makes a God so strong, Master?¡± (Yuuya)


    ¡°A god has it¡¯s ability called domain. In it¡¯s domain, a god is near invincible, immortal, and has complete control over the part of the world it comprehended. So in its domain, a god is just invulnerable.¡± (Miras)


    I wanted to ask her how she killed a God, but it¡¯s best I don¡¯t, since it seems like the dark chapters of her history. No one wants to talk about the dark chapters of their history.


    ¡°Anyways, back to topic. How to become a Slayer. Diores, had a special ability. A unique ability, called Counter absorption. Counter  Absorption absorbs the powers and mana of others and modifies his body to become like it, so that he gets a better idea how to kill it. Know thy enemy. But for Slayers, it¡¯s Become thy enemy. That¡¯s why Diores had no ability as a magician. From when he was a child, all of his mana was sapped by his ability. That¡¯s the extent of his strength. But when he drank the mana rich blood of the Dragon God, it overcame his ability¡¯s consumption limit, and his ability started forcefully storing the Dragon God¡¯s energy, as well as modifying his body to become like it. Understand?¡± (Miras)


    Become thy enemy huh. Certainly, if I fought myself, my resistance to my own skills would be higher than most, since I know myself best. I think. I nod.


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    ¡°Now, none of us, normal humans, and beastkin and demi humans and other races have such an ability. So, what we do is, we forcefully inject the mana of the beasts we want to kill, master it, and release it whenever necessary. Just by being able to contain the energy, one would be able to grasp the weakness of the other party, since the mana of the beasts corrodes and rewrites our thinking processes, but by releasing the raw energy into your body, it forcefully transforms your body in order to be able to contain it. Of course, the physical strain from such a thing is really too much.¡±


    Eh. So it¡¯s no pain, no gain? But I had made up my mind already. I ain¡¯t gonna back down now!


    ¡°Master, so, I can become all the beasts and slay them? That¡¯s amazing!¡± (Yuuya)


    ¡°Wrong. You cannot become every beast. That would destroy your body, and you¡¯ll be torn to shreds. Every slayer chooses a path. To become one type of slayer. Then, that particular mana is administered to you, and you have to learn to control it and not let it rampage. After you can safely store it, you can call yourself a Slayer.¡± (Miras)


    Tough. I can tell it from her expression that doing it is not easy. But, Master told me it¡¯s time, meaning she believes I can do it!


    ¡°Master, what are the choices?¡± (Yuuya)


    ¡°Sadly, after we were sealed at the ends of the world, the people destroyed every trace of the herbs needed to ,make the Slayer concoction. Right now, we have only one batch, and that too only half of it.¡± (Miras)


    This Slayer¡¯s curse is getting even more suspicious. The ingredients for the Slayer concoction, I¡¯m sure it¡¯s not public knowledge. Then how could some Church fanatics¡­.


    ¡°We only have five of the concoctions left. Meaning, there¡¯ll only be five more Slayers. The slayers are a dying kind, Yuuya. We are near immortal unless we fall in battle, but here, our chances of survival get slimmer day by day. But thankfully, the new Slayers are exempt from the curse, so they can roam the world, hiding their identity.¡± (Miras)


    Eh. There are others? Other slayers huh. I¡¯m sure even they have clues about the Slayer''s curse. I need to make contact with the¡ªwait. Why am I so confident that I¡¯ll become a Slayer? I might very well die!


    ¡°The monster, the dragon, the chaos, the god and the demon slaying concoctions. That¡¯s all that¡¯s left. Choose your pick. And choose carefully.


    The monster slayer can grasp the weaknesses of any and all monsters. They¡¯re more focused on strength, although you can focus on agility, or defense if you wish to. A versatile class.


    The dragon slayer is focused on strength, jumping strength and fire magic.


    The chaos, well no one knows about it. It¡¯s a type of slayer I have never seen or heard of, and it¡¯s concoction has been here ever since the village was established, but was never used.


    The god slayer, is a tricky one to pick. Because the only one you can kill with it are gods and demigods.


    The demon slayer is focused on magic. A master of magic, so to speak. You can choose whatever you want.¡± (Miras)


    Uuu... A multiple choice. I suck at this. Wait, maybe i should get advice from an expert.


    ¡°Master, what did you pick?¡± (Yuuya)


    ¡°Me? I¡¯m a special case. Ufufufu. I picked both the god and demon slayer. Don¡¯t worry, Yuuya, I¡¯m just special¡± (Miras)


    So¡­You can pick more than one eh. Two seems to be the limit. Then isn''t my choice obvious/


    "Master,I''ve chosen." (Yuuya)


    "Which one?" (Miras)


    ¡°All of them.¡± (Yuuya)


    ¡°Eh?¡± (Miras)


    "Ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhh?!!!!!!!!!?!?!?" (Miras)

 Chapter 13: My decision was a bit rash

    Uuu¡­ Master, please don¡¯t look at me with those eyes! You make me feel like I¡¯m filth.


    Right now, we¡¯re heading into the forest. Master is leading the way. She looks really pissed off. She tried more than a hundred times to stop me from doing the reckless stunt, but i didn''t budge, so she reluctantly gave in, but still really pissed off. I don¡¯t know whether it¡¯s because she thinks I¡¯m cocky, or whether it¡¯s because I¡¯m greedy, or whether it¡¯s because I might be about to break her record.


    I definitely don¡¯t think it¡¯s the last one. Nope. Definitely not.


    Master was hacking and slashing at all the trees in her way. Master, they are innocent. Please don¡¯t become a nature slayer!


    ¡°All of them. All of them he says Cocky brat! I hope you die!¡± (Master)


    I can faintly hear her muttering. I hope it¡¯s not something that would make me die. Wait, will she tamper with the process?! No way. Master is a tolerant person. She would never do something so dishonorable just due to jealousy. Right? Right?!


    We¡¯ve already left the village behind, and are quite deep in the forest. Master annihilates every tree and every monster in the way, creating a path.  Master, you really shouldn¡¯t do this. This might attract some of the big fis¡ª


    ¡°KIEEEEEEE!!!!¡±


    And there it is. A demon bird. It looks like a Pterodactyl with feathers. It was covered with a violet plumage, and its eyes were blood red. Its diving down, attempting to take us out and carry us away.


    ¡°Master, be careful--!¡± (Yuuya)


    ¡°I was waiting for you, you damn bird!!¡± (Miras)


    Eh. She cut apart the forest just to bring demon bird here? Master, environmentalists won¡¯t be very pleased with you. They¡¯ll hunt you down you know?


    Master leaps off the ground, and approaches the demon bird with terrifying speed. The bird looks shocked, and tries to change its trajectory, but its too late. Master draws her sword, a double edged bastard sword, and throws it into the eye of the demon bird. Blood spurts out, and the demon bird cries out in agony. Is that.. a chain? Master had attached a chain to the hilt of the sword. Then,she pulled the chain in to get onto the back of the demon bird.


    The demon bird. A 7 meter long bird ,which is renowned as the master of the skies. But against Master, its like a helpless child. Truly, master is too OP. She repeatedly stabs the neck of the demon bird with another bastard sword she had. The demon bird does various aerobatic stunts, trying to shake off master. But the sword is lodged firmly into the eye of the demon bird, without any sign of being shaken off. The demon bird tries inverted flight to shake off master, but then she swings on the chain, reaches above its underbelly, and drives her sword down into the throat of the monster.


    ¡° Flaming greatsword!¡±


    She  yells, and suddenly, a greatsword, much larger than master, appears from nowhere, made out of flames. It stabs into the point where master was stabbing into, and the bird loses the color in its eyes. Dead. Was that magic? But more importantly, the demon bird  comes crashing down into the forest.


    *BOOOOOOMM!!!!*


    It crashes, and a dust cloud rises. Out of the dust, a figure emerges. Master. Too OP. Seriously too OP. Master looks soooo cool! Like the superheroes from movies!


    ¡°That was a good breather. Now then, Let¡¯s go!¡± (Miras)


    Breather. A monster that might be inferior only to the dragons, was just small fry for master. Ah~ I can¡¯t wait to become a Slayer.


    She might just be showing off though....


    We continue heading into the forest, and right now, we¡¯re quite close to one of the mountains. It¡¯s almost sun set now, and we reach the mountain. A lot of people were standing there, including Arcus san.


    ¡°Arcus san!¡± (Yuuya)


    ¡°Ah~!  Lil Yuu. You¡¯re here. Go become a great slayer.¡± (Arcus)


    Arcus san pats me on the back, saying so. The others also smile at me. I haven¡¯t talked to them, but I know I can trust them. Because we¡¯re Slayers. Well, I might become an Ex slayer in the process though. I hope not.


    We keep walking, with Arcus san, to the face of the mountains. There, a huge rock with charms all over it stood, almost as if it was covering a cave. Arcus san, with his super OP strength, lifts the rock and gestures me to go in. I feel a bit nervous, but still went in. Master follows after me.


    ¡°Master? Why are a lot of Slayers here? ¡° (Yuuya)


    ¡°Precautions.¡± (Miras)


    She replied quietly. She seems quite worried. Don¡¯t worry master, I¡¯ll conquer all of the Slayer energies. I¡¯ll definitely become a great slayer. After getting to the centre of the cave, I can see the surroundings. A huge rock, like a slab was placed in front of me, with an altar like structure before me. The walls of the cave were full of holes, and there were windows, and people stood there, anxious.


    It can¡¯t be something like, precautions in case I rampage, right? No way. Right?


    ¡°Take off your shirt. Then lie down¡± (Miras)


    Master pats the altar. I take off my shirt and lie down on it. Cold. The mood seems heavy. Master, don¡¯t do this! I feel really scared now.


    She takes out some tube like things from a compartment in the altar. It was black, and about 7cm long, I guess? They had a white sheen.


    ¡°What¡¯s that master?¡± (Yuuya)


    ¡°Scales from the first slayer.¡± (Master)


    Scales? Oh right. The Slayer became what he killed, meaning his skin became like scales. Maybe the Counter absorption might be in them.


    ¡°They¡¯ll forcefully inject the energy into your system. We¡¯ll release it from those holes, and this room will be thick with the energy. It¡¯ll all enter into you, all at a time, so be sure to try and control it. We¡¯ll heal you if something goes bad, but try not to let the mana corrode your mind. Once you feel like you¡¯re in control, just knock on the wooden part on the wall, thrice. Understand?¡± (Miras)


    Master says so, with a grim expression on her face. I nod. She nods back.


    ¡°Then, bear with me for a while¡± (Miras)


    It hurt. Master plunges the tube into my forearm, and it goes in, as if my skin was butter.


    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    ¡°Ugyaaaa!!¡± (Yuuya)


    I yell out. But no. This is nothing compared to the turtle. I just need grit my teeth face it.


    I steel my nerves, and the next one comes in, on my other hand.  The pain was horrible. But I just grind my teeth and lay there, bearing it. Master helps me stand up, and plunges two more in, on each of the shoulder blades on my back. It hurt. It hurt a lot.


    But the last one was unexpected. All of a sudden, a familiar feeling came to me. The earth spike of the turtle, felt a lot like this, didn¡¯t it?


    A tube pierced into my heart. I couldn¡¯t even yell, just shock. My mind was losing consciousness¡­.


    *SLAP*


    Master slaps my cheek, and I return back, wide awake. That was bad. I almost fainted there.


    ¡°The real pain is just starting. Good luck, my disciple¡± (Miras)


    She walks off, saying so. After she exits the cave, Arcus san shuts the cave with the cave.


    Dark. I can¡¯t see a thing. But I can feel something. A something.


    It was sudden. It gushed into my body, and I couldn¡¯t help but start screaming. It hurt to that extent.


    I see. Real pain huh. True. This is much worse.


    ******Arcus¡¯s POV******


    That kid was a good one. I met him a few days back, and I was unsure how to deal with him. He followed me and Gil when we were going for a hunt. I didn¡¯t stop him, but checked from time to time to see if he was alright.


    Good. We showed off plenty to the kid. Gil especially. He could have wiped out the wolves in a second, but he chose to do flashy movements. What a show off. Well, can¡¯t say I didn¡¯t too.


    I noticed the bear approaching from a while ago, and I let it.


    As soon as it got close, I rushed in with my axe to kill it. Ah. The kid¡¯s looking at me with admiration. It feels kinda nice.


    I walked with him to the village, carrying the house. Miras san gave him an absurd task, but I can see why she gave it to him. She wanted him to get friendly with us, and for us to get someone to talk to. What a good person. She acts as if she¡¯s a demon though. She thinks it¡¯s her fault we were banished, but even we supported her. And that¡¯s because the god she slew was not deserving of its title.


    Ah. He looks happy when he sees our village. Me too. I feel so happy when I see it.


    Such a good young lad.


    But now, I can hear him screaming. I want to shut my ears, but I can¡¯t do it. Everyone here knows what it means to do that. They all sat near the entrance, with grim expressions. Maybe I look like that too. Miras san looks a lot older, and she¡¯s sitting a ways off, with a worried expression on her face.


    I hope that child will be fine¡­. But taking on five at once is a bit too reckless.  But we respect everyone¡¯s choices, no matter how reckless they may be. Because everyone has their pride. Even that child has his pride. And I¡¯ll respect it.


    ******Yuuya¡¯s POV******


    Pain. That sensation covers all my senses. I can¡¯t feel anything else. Neither the cold hard floor, nor my body.


    I desperately try to focus, but the pain overrides everything. It makes me feel like my mind has been torn apart.


    My body has already been torn to shreds more than a couple of times, but something warm always fixes it. Occasionally, my nerves burst, but that warm feeling always fixes it. Might be healing magic.


    I can feel the multiple energies rampaging in my body. Their rampage is what¡¯s causing my body to self destruct continuously.


    I admit, I might¡¯ve been a bit rash, since I wanted to control five energies at once. It was too much for me. But I know. I can¡¯t give up just because of this. The forest taught me something. My weakness. It etched it into my heart. I can¡¯t just give up now. If I give up now, when will I get stronger?


    I try to focus again. But again, it was disturbed by the rampaging energy.


    Maybe my approach is wrong. I need to ignore the pain, and think calmly.


    Instead of subduing all at once, I should concentrate on subduing it one by one. Master had told me about subduing multiple energies. I need to make one of them as my main energies, and subjugate the others one by one. My influence on them lessens by every step, but that¡¯s the only way. I¡¯m still a normal student. If I want to become a cheat character without the summoning circles and what not, this is the only way.


    I try to sense the characteristics of each energy, to find the best method to subdue them. Of course the first one I decide to subdue is the Chaos energy.


    Not because it¡¯s a wild card, because it¡¯s the most troublesome one. It¡¯s like a support character, encouraging the rampaging of the beasts, and disrupting my concentration.


    I try to focus on it. I can visualise it. A huge swirl of energy, completely erratic, and without any patterns. No order, only Chaos.


    Subduing this  might be harder than I thought.


    I have no sense of time in this cave, but I know a lot of time has passed. Still, the Chaos energy persistently swirls around, and I can¡¯t control it.


    I try to rack my brain for all the instructions given to me. None of them apply to this. Because this is not something that follows rules. Its made to break all the rules.


    Wait. There¡¯s one. Not an instruction, but the basic idea of a Slayer.


    Become thy enemy


    That¡¯s right. A slayer doesn¡¯t subjugate an enemy with his own skills, but the enemy¡¯s skills.


    I accept it. The chaos. I burn the idea into my mind. Everything is chaos. Rules are broken. Everything is possible. The chaos energy slowly merges with my mana flow. Slowly, bit by bit. Its gonna take some time. But I know I can do it. Because that¡¯s my only choice.


    A long time has passed. I can feel it. Finally, the Chaos energy has merged into my mana, completely. I seal it up in my mana pool, completely cutting off it¡¯s supply.


    Right. The next one now.

 Chapter 14: There are other ways to become a cheat character

    ¡°Cough..!!¡± (Yuuya)


    I spat out blood. It¡¯s pretty normal now. I¡¯m sure a long time has passed, and I¡¯ve been subduing the energies one by one. Without doubt, the toughest by far would be the Chaos energy. I sealed it up in a separate corner in my mana pool so that it won¡¯t make the other energies run rampant.


    Although I say mana pool, its just an accumulation of all the mana in my body. And frankly, its quite small. The chaos energy occupies a major part in it, since I¡¯ve erected maximum fortifications to keep it from leaking. I can kinda sense how to use the Slayer energies. I just need to release the energies into my default mana pool, and both of them mix and start flowing in my body.


    Now, the pain from the energies is not even half as much as before. Goes to prove the strength of the supporting Chaos energy.


    After subduing the Chaos energy, I started on the Monster energy. A wild, indescribable type of feeling. It just wants to eat, or kill. The basic instincts of a monster. It¡¯s strength was great, but it wasn¡¯t as hard as the chaos energy. Its finally sealed up in my mana pool.


    From then on, the struggle worsens. The Dragon slaying energy. Truly, it deserves the name Dragon. White and majestic, the Dragon energy only tries taking over my body and killing me, since for a dragon, nothing is above it. And right now, I¡¯m above, so the energy runs even more rampant than before. I can feel the strength of a Dragon emanating from it, since it takes everything I can muster to finally subdue it, and seal it up too.


    Then, trouble starts. The Monster and Dragon energy start repelling each other. The Chaos energy doesn¡¯t show this since it strengthens others. But the two repelling energies throw my mana pool into turmoil.


    Subduing the God slaying energy was eerily easy. I mean, it¡¯s used to kill God, you know? It should be something like a mid boss. But after sealing it, it violently repelled the monster and dragon energies. Were they all in an antagonistic relationship? I¡¯m glad that I took down the Chaos energy first, since it gives me the occasional strength needed to survive against these energies.


    But after that, the real trouble starts.


    ******Miras¡¯s POV******


    ¡°Haaah¡­..¡±


    I sigh, because I¡¯ve been worried sick about my idiot disciple. It¡¯s been a month since he went into the ritual chamber, and I feel very anxious.


    Of course, it¡¯s natural that subduing the energies would take at least a month. It took me a month to subdue the Demon slaying energy. And after subduing the God slaying energy, the repulsion was so great, I almost died from over consumption of mana. Oh Damn!


    I forgot to tell him about the energy repulsion!


    Ah He¡¯ll be fine anyways. He¡¯s my disciple after all. The first time I saw him, he was just a pathetic weakling, whom she brought to me when she found him half dead in the forest after facing just a turtle.


    But to my surprise, he was from Japan! I feigned ignorance, but I recognized it. My extra ability, ¡®All translator¡¯ automatically makes both parties understand each other, but I could see that the words he mouthed were Japanese. A teleported person.


    He was persistent. He kept training every day, and studied our language every night, but he was weak. But he was interesting. The Nutas, which always shy away from people, cuddled him. The spirits love him, as he was always surrounded by spirits. Spirits only like people with good hearts, and he had one.


    He failed in the Forest¡¯s Test, miserably. A pathetic weakling, who thought he got strong after a few pushups. True, it may be strong for him, but in this world, he¡¯s at the rock bottom.


    And I made him my disciple, and taught him about the Slayers.


    And right now, he¡¯s subjugating five energies at once. I¡¯d be lying if I said that I didn¡¯t envy him, but I was also proud of him. He¡¯s my precious disciple. And now, I¡¯ll believe in him.


    At first it was full of screams. It hurt my peace of mind, but I continued to persevere, to endure the thought of rushing in and saving him.


    Now, it¡¯s more or less quiet. There¡¯re occasional yells, but he¡¯s fine, I think.


    I hope he returns all ok¡­.


    *Knock Knock knock*


    The wood! He knocked on the altar! He did it!


    My happiness was immeasurable, as I rushed towards the ritual chamber, tense, but happy.


    Arcus smiled at me. He¡¯s a good man. But I don¡¯t deserve his kindness.


    He lifted the rock and exposed the cave¡¯s hole. And from there emerged¡ª


    ¡°Yuuya!!¡± (Miras)


    I rushed to him, since I was worried. He looks more or less alright. He does seem tired, but that¡¯s okay. But.. but.. What¡¯s he doing? Why¡­ Why is he strangling me?!


    ¡°Miras san!¡± (Arcus)


    Arcus yells my name and rushes in. He pushes away Yuuya and carries me back. I gasp for air. Wh-wha- what¡¯s happening? Why? Why?


    Why was Yuuya possessed by the demon energy?!


    ******Arcus¡¯s POV*******


    He stood there, waiting. I can sense it. The maliciousness of demons. Its sad but, Lil Yuu is no more. Miras san looks distraught. The other slayers have all drawn their weapons, and are on guard. Shit. The only Demon slayer here is Miras san, and she¡¯s in no condition to strike her favourite disciple.


    Lil Yuu bends down, and then dashes out. He comes at me, with the intent to kill.


    ¡°Filthy humans.. how dare you imprison me?!¡± (Yuuya)


    What?! A demon¡­ retained it¡¯s conscious?! Meaning it took over Yuuya¡¯s mind! This is not a rampage, it¡¯s a possession!


    The other slayers have realized it too, and they all raise their guard. Because if its just a possession, then it can be cured by a <


    > spell. But all the spiritualists! They¡¯re at the village. It¡¯ll take too long to contact them.


    Miras san stands up suddenly. She looks resolved. Is she gonna do it? Is she gonna kill Lil Yuu?


    She draws her sword. The pair of bastard swords, ¡°God killer Teryon¡±. The swords she used to slay the god. She disappeared, like an illusion.


    Her custom magic, <<Mirage>>. She reappears next to Lil Yuu and delivers a powerful kick to his side.


    He gasps for air, and is sent flying. She disappears again, and then appears, delivering another strong kick from below, sending him flying into the air. She throws her sword with the chain into his leg and pulls him down. Lil Yuu crashes into the ground. Forget attacking, Lil Yuu couldn¡¯t even defend against Miras san¡¯s superhuman strength.


    ¡°Wake up Yuuya! How long do you think you¡¯re gonna sleep huh?!¡± (Miras)


    Saying so, she kicks his chest, sending him skittering across the field. Again, she uses <<Mirage>> and reappears next to him, and delivers an axe kick to his head.


    ¡°Wake up Yuuya. Are you so weak that you¡¯ll get possessed by demons?¡± (Miras)


    She lifts him up and throws him into the air. Then, she delivers a strong blow to his chest with the hilt of her sword. Ouch. I can hear his ribs cracking from over here.


    ¡°Yuuya.. Weren¡¯t you going to protect your friends?! Weren¡¯t you gonna become strong? Weren¡¯t you¡ª¡° (Miras)


    Keeping on admonishing him, she thrashes him left and right, and slams him into the ground again.


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you gonna dispel the Slayer¡¯s curse?!¡± (Miras)


    ¡°I get it, so shut up you old hag of a master!!¡± (Yuuya)


    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    Eh.


    Did I just? No way right? Everyone else looks shocked too. Miras san froze up. Because Lil Yuu, he was¡ª


    ******Yuuya¡¯s POV******


    Has master gone crazy?! She¡¯s thrashing me without holding back! I can feel that all of my ribs were broken! What would you do if I died, master?!


    The trouble started when I was subduing the demon slaying energy. As soon as I got a bit of progress on it, Boom, My mana pool practically collapsed. I somehow kept the energies from running rampant, but the collapse was due to the massive repulsion between the god slaying energy and the demon slaying energy. My mana pool was already overworking from holding up all the energies, and this happened.


    This guy, this energy, it had consciousness. It could speak. It could act.


    It took over my body the second I collapsed, and sent me into a coma like state. He read through all my memories,and figured out the way to exit. Shit. I ¡­I¡¯m losing consciousness again.


    And BAM! The old lady comes in, thrashing me without mercy. Her first hit already woke me up, and drove out the demon, but she didn¡¯t stop beating me up and kept doing it, spewing out a lot of my dialogues from before.


    My crazy master doesn¡¯t even give me a chance to speak, to warn them that the demon already escaped and was heading towards the silver fur wolf that was about to attack the slayer aunt who was there.


    Somehow, I got a gap to speak, and yelled out. My master suddenly froze up and I went crashing down. Ouch ouch, It hurts a lot.


    ¡°Yuu¡­Yuuya?¡± (Miras)


    ¡°Master. No time to speak. The demon energy is possessing tha¡ª¡°(Yuuya)


    ¡°Kyaa!!¡± (Slayer)


    See. Too late. The demon possessed silver fur wolf claws the slayer and she¡¯s sent flying across the plain.


    ¡°The demon! It possessed that wolf!¡± (Yuuya)


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry Lil Yuu, as long as its not one of us, we can easily exterminate it.¡± (Arcus)


    ¡°No. Arcus san. I want to try fighting it.¡± (Yuuya)


    ¡°You will? How?¡± (Arcus)


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but my instincts are roaring to fight.¡± (Yuuya)


    I don¡¯t even wait for his reply and dash in. This body, that I got as a Slayer, its specs were several leagues above how I was before. Like they say, if there¡¯s pain, there¡¯s always some gain.


    I close in on the monster that was currently transforming. I hit a wall. Tch. A barrier eh. Well, I¡¯ll allow it to transform. I need to get used to this body before it.


    I run around, and jump up and down, in order get used to my now superhuman body I occasionally strike the barrier, but it has no signs of cracking.


    My mind¡¯s thought process speed has also boosted. Somehow, I can see it, no feel it, instinctually that I strike at the neck joint of the now transforming demon wolf, I can take it down.


    Ouch. My ribs hurt. That crazy master. But suddenly, my ribs feel warm and they¡¯re good as new. Healing magic. What a cheat..


    Fine. I¡¯m more or less able to use this body effectively now.


    ¡°Yuuya¡± (Miras)


    ¡°Master?¡± (Yuuya)


    Master comes to me, with a wrapped bundle in her hand. She hands it to me. I unwrap the bundle and,


    Two katanas.


    ¡°Your¡­graduation present¡± (Miras)


    Uuu¡­ Master¡­ You even prepared a gift for me.


    I pick up the two katanas. It seems to be quite a well made katana. Suddenly, I¡¯m attacked by a torrent of feelings.


    Eat Kill Torment Pain Anguish.


    Every emotion tries to flood my mind, but I easily suppress it. My feelings of wanting to protect are much more than your hunger, you damn glutton.


    ¡°Master, this?¡± (Yuuya)


    By the way, the stupid demon is still transforming. Its more like a huge mass of red and black pustules, enlarging and shrinking. Eugh.


    Master looks pleased. She nods and says.


    ¡°As I thought. These are the legendary pair of swords. Rebellion¡± (Miras)


    Re-re-rebellion?! I just got a super cheat weapon too! Sweet!


    ¡°¡ª¡®s replica¡± (Miras)


    Master. You did that intentionally, didn¡¯t you. She¡¯s laughing in her usual creepy way.


    ¡°Ufufu.. who¡¯s an old hag, you brat!¡± (Miras)


    Well whatever. Using this seems a bit difficult, but I somehow manage it. I¡¯m officially bored of this demon¡¯s transformation, because right now, I want to fight.


    I close in on the barrier, and strike the spot I need to strike. The weak spot. I instinctually know that this is the weak point. I repeatedly stab the same point again and again, and finally, the barrier breaks like glass.


    ¡°BOOOM!¡±


    The pustule bursts, and I¡¯m sent flying. And from it emerges----


    A man.


    A man of medium height. His skin is black, with red lines on it. He has two huge horns on his head, and he walks out of the remains of the pustule. His eyes are all white, and he has a disgusting smile.


    ¡°A lesser demon¡­¡± (Arcus)


    Arcus san says so. A lesser demon eh. Here I come, my prey.


    ¡°Behold humans, I am Melios! The demon that rules the¡ª¡° (Melios)


    ¡°Shut up¡± (Yuuya)


    I slam my fist into his face, sending him flying. It feels great. Combat. Is great!


    His annoying metallic voice starts up again, and it seems he¡¯s¡­chanting?


    His shadow extends,  and out of it, a huge black broadsword comes out. It¡¯s oozing some kind of mist.


    Not like I¡¯m gonna give him time for that again. I dash in, and draw the left handed member of the Rebellion. Although my dominant hand is the right, my eyesight there is quite bad. I swing  my sword down and he blocks it with surprising speed. Metal clanks and we keep exchanging blows. I swing my sword around like a madman, totally ignoring any techniques.


    Inspite of looking like a blockhead, his techniques are great, and he effectively parries every slash I fire at him.


    I can feel it. The excitement of combat, my heart thumping, my vision sharpening.


    I release the Chaos energy that I holed up in my mana pool. A reddish black energy oozes out of my skin, and I can feel myself changing.


    My vision turns sharp. Very sharp. I can count even the number of eye lashes the demon has. Yup. Demons have eyelashes. Long ones. Girly.


    My body thickens, and I can feel my muscles growing. I grow a bit taller, and the mat of hair that was in my eyes turns white. Did¡­did my hair turn white?!


    One eyed, and white hair. The path of chuunibyou opens to me.


    But what I feel is not that. My mind was already calculating, all the ways to kill him, all the ways to make him fall.


    I step in. Fast. Even I was shocked when I instantly reappeared next to him on his left. He realized it a bit late, because as if by instinct, I had already plunged my sword into his arm. He yelled in pain. I twisted it, making the arm unusable. This sword, it¡¯s really sharp.


    I draw my sword and back off. He chants something, and suddenly appears before me, his sword coming down on my head.


    Speed boost magic? Maybe. I twist in a way humanely impossible,narrowly dodging his sword. In a second, I had drawn both my swords and stabbed through his chin, up his head.


    My complete victory. I draw my swords out, and kick his carcass away. The mist had stopped oozing, and the broad sword melts away.


    That¡¯s right. I became a cheat character.

 End of Volume 1

    Um, yeah. Like the title says, Volume 1 ends with Yuuya becoming OP.


    I''ll release some special chapters about his classmates,and other stuff, and then start volume 2.


    For anyone who has any complaints about the storyline, please feel free to post them here, or in the chapter post itself.


    Im still a newbie at this, so I hope everyone will point out the mistakes i might have made, and ways in which the story can progress. Also, please tell me if there''s something that feels unnatural or forced so that i can figure out a way to fix it.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    And, about my release schedule, i''ll release at least one chapter per day, unless i''m really busy.


    Thanks a lot for reading this series guys! I hope you enjoy this series!

 Special chapter 1: The summoning of heroes

    [Hey guys, this is the first special chapter for volume 1. I ''ll release it as interludes for the volumes. It''s mostly about the other heroes though]


    -----------------------------


    ¡°Huh? Where.. where am I ?¡± (Shizuka)


    I mutter, because suddenly, I was in a completely unknown place. I have no idea where I am, because this place looks totally out of place from the classroom I was in. I was going to ask Yuu-kun whether he was alright, but suddenly, I blacked out. After I woke up, I was in this place.


    There was someone here. A woman, seems like. I can¡¯t make out her face, but I can tell that she¡¯s extremely beautiful. Everyone else are here too. Yuu-kun! No¡­ Yuu-kun wasn¡¯t here. The woman began to speak.


    ¡°Welcome heroes, I am Miriabelle ,the goddess of beauty and safety. I¡¯m a goddess of this world, Redorias. My heroes, I¡¯ve summoned you here from Earth in order to combat the demons that threaten the existence of humans, who are under my care. You are all the chosen ones, who were handpicked to combat the vile demons. I beseech you, please fight to protect my people. The strength of heroes shall reside in you¡­Please,do not meddle with this world¡¯s development,lest divine judgment shall be delivered upon you¡±


    Everything turned white after that. Then, I suddenly fell into a dim room. I look down, and I see a circle.


    Is this¡­. The same circle which appeared in the classroom? I look around, trying to find where I am. It¡¯s something like a dungeon, with dark red brick walls surrounding me. The huge circle is at my feet, and I¡¯m alone here. No one is here¡­ Everyone-


    ¡°Woah!¡± (Ayumi)


    Suddenly, Ayumi-chan appeared next to me. H-how did she get here?


    ¡°Ayumi chan! ¡° (Shizuka)


    I yell out her name and hug her. I feel scared. Really scared. This foreign place, I don¡¯t even know where I am. I feel relieved Ayumi chan is here. She¡¯s reliable. Ayumi chan¡¯s smart. She¡¯ll figure out a way to figure this situation out.


    ¡°Eh?! How did I get here?!¡± (Hideki)


    Hideki kun also got here. Does that mean everyone is coming here? I feel relieved. Yuu-kun will get here soon. I¡¯m sure. He¡¯ll help me out. He always has.


    But he doesn¡¯t arrive. Everyone, Eiji, Ayumi, Satoshi, Hideki, Nanami, Maeda-san Mayumi got here. But¡­but Yuu-ku-Yuu-nii¡­. He¡¯s not here¡­.


    ¡°Ha? It seems the mongrel didn¡¯t get here. Pfft.¡± (Satoshi)


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious Satoshi? Only the chosen ones can get here. I¡¯m sure that dork Nakajima wasn¡¯t chosen.¡± (Mayumi)


    This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.Everyone start speaking bad about Yuu-nii. But only Ayumi chan and Maeda san are actually trying to find out where we are. Eiji kun is helping up Nanami san, who looks bewildered.


    In front of us, there was a door. A huge oak door. The doors slowly open, and a beautiful woman walks out. Breathtakingly beautiful. Her pink hair was braided into a beautiful Waterfall hairstyle. Her eyelashes were long and curved, hiding her mesmerizing blue irises. Her straight nose and small mouth with pink lips. Her figure was beautiful, with a well proportioned body, and she was wearing a luxurious pink dress, almost like a princess. No. Definitely like a princess.


    ¡°Welcome heroes. I am called Misangeline Crangel. I¡¯m the first princess of Klaido, the Imperial Capital of Ars continent. We have summoned you according to the oracle of our goddess, Miriabelle. Please, help us fight against the Demons. ¡° (Misangeline)


    Saying so, she bowed down.


    ¡°Please raise your head princess. A beautiful flower such as you should not lower your head to us.¡± (Satoshi)


    Satoshi kun immediately asks the princess to raise her head. I think so too. I¡¯m just a poor orphan. A princess isn¡¯t supposed to bow to me.


    ¡°Hero samas, please do not tell me to raise my head. You are the great heroes, who were summoned to get rid of the demons and save us. Raising my head in your head is a disgrace to the Royal Family¡± (Misangeline)


    ¡°Rest assured princess Misangeline, We will do everything in our power to drive out those demons who plague your land. If it¡¯s for the princess, I¡¯ll slay the demon lord himself if I have to.¡± (Satoshi)


    ¡°Tch. What¡¯s with those clich¨¦ lines¡­What a womanizer¡± (Ayumi)


    Eh? Why did she call Satoshi kun a womanizer? Isn¡¯t he a really nice guy? Ah.. I don¡¯t understand Ayumi chan at all¡­


    ¡°Princess, if I may, what do you mean when you ask us to get rid of the demons? Are there demons here?¡± (Eiji)


    ¡°Ah! Yes. Please follow me. I¡¯ll lead you to father. He¡¯ll tell you everything.¡± (Misangeline)


    We followed after the princess, who led the way. After exiting the dungeon like room we were in, a dozen guards emerged and surrounded us. They were wearing shiny silver armour, and they escorted us. We climbed a spiral staircase, and after getting on to a floor, the guards opened a door and we went into the castle.


    Luxurious. Too luxurious. A passage made of marble. We kept crossing various statues and sets of armour, and an occasional painting. As expected of a Royal Palace.


    We arrived before magnificient oak doors, and the guards standing beside them, who were wearing bulky silver armor and carried a halberd, pushed the door open. And the sight that greeted us¡ª


    I, Shizuka was summoned to another world as a hero.

 Special chapter 2: A lesser demon appears!

    [Yo guys, this special chapter is to show the difference between the heroes and Yuuya. That''s right. He became really OP.


    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    ¡°Deryaaaaah!!!¡± (Eiji)


    My name is Eiji Ikeda. I was summoned about a month ago to this world, Redorias. I was asked by the king here, Avelicas Mirelia Crangel to help the humans defeat the demons who were encroaching on the Ars continent.


    Of course, I agree. Its obvious that I, as the hero should agree to defeat the demons. Isn¡¯t that the basis of all fiction? I select my career to become a <Holy Paladin>, the figure of righteousness. The kingdom gave me the best equipment as I¡¯m a hero. The ¡°Great Paladin¡¯s armor¡± and the ¡°Holy sword Solaris¡±. With these, I¡¯ve got the image of a hero from the legends.


    Right now, our party, was attacking the nearby dungeon, ¡®Ocru dungeon¡¯. We¡¯re already at the 6th floor of the dungeon. The king asked us to conquer this dungeon so that we can get stronger. With me, Hideki, who became a


    acts as the Vanguard. Shizuka san, who selected the <Rapier master> class and Mayumi, who became a summoner, acts as the mid guard. Nanami san, a <Wizard> acts as our rearguard, with Rika san as a <Swordsman>. Ayumi and Satoshi were back at the kingdom, since the king exempted them from the quest. They needed special training it seems.


    Our party strength was really great, as we reached the 6th floor in just a month. The Demon moths attacked us in groups, and we were having a bit of trouble in order to finish them up. Since the Demon moths attack in a ratio of 30:1, they always try to maintain a numerical advantage.


    I start chanting, in order to prepare my intermediate magic, <Holy light>. It¡¯s lethal against monsters with a demon alignment. I use the special option of the ¡®Great Paladin¡¯s armour to add a defense boost to everyone in my party.


    Hideki frequently uses his skill, <Shockwave>. A convenient crowd control skill, its used by clapping his hands together, which creates a shockwave that pushes away almost all attacking enemies. Shizuka san dives in and out of our battles, in order to keep the monster attack count to a minimum. Mayumi is controlling her familiar, <Flame Golem>. Another attack scheme that¡¯s suited for crowd control, the flame golem sets any Demon moths that come close to it on fire and occasionally fires fireballs, which decimates a large number of the moths. Nanami san is constantly buffing us in order to increase our attack strength, and Rika san protects her from any moths that wander close.


    ¡°Shine bright,Holy Light!¡± (Eiji)


    I release my magic, and the entire dungeon floor is illuminated by the magic. Every Demon moth is annihilated, and any strays that were still coming were quickly cleaned up by Shizuka san and Hideki.


    ¡°Haaaah..Haaah¡­¡± (Eiji)


    Panting, I sat down. I feel fatigued. A dungeon of 7 floors, conquering the Ocru dungeon was extremely tiresome. My <Holy light> magic takes quite a toll on me.


    ¡°Alright guys, only the boss room is left! We can do this! The king will be pleased.¡± (Hideki)


    Every one of us were dead tired, and feebly nodded. This bastard Hideki, how is he still so energetic?


    We bring out the portable food we brought and start munching down. We were so tired, that I couldn¡¯t even bite in. It was stale and tasteless, yet nourishing. After keeping watch and taking turns sleeping, we all woke up, ready to take on the dungeon boss.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± (Eiji)


    ¡°¡±¡±Ou!!¡±¡±¡±


    We head out, and rearrange our equipment, making sure everything was ok. We pushed open the door and entered the boss room.


    A huge hall spread out before us. The signs of battle were evident. Might be the previous challengers.


    In the middle of the room, there was a disgusting pustule like thing, which was pulsating. It was black and red. It looked really disgusting.


    ¡°There¡¯s a barrier surrounding it!¡± (Nanami)


    ¡°Everyone, concentrate all your long range attacks onto the same point. We can break it like that.¡± (Rika)


    Everybody nods. I start chanting, preparing my elementary magic <Holy beam>. After preparing it, everyone nods at each other.


    ¡°Holy projectile!¡±(Eiji)


    ¡°Flame golem¡¯s flame ball!¡± (Mayumi)


    ¡°Air slash!¡±(Rika)


    ¡°Ethereal Rapier!¡± (Shizuka)


    ¡°Fireball!¡± (Nanami)


    ¡°Force throw!¡± (Hideki)


    A bright flash of light, two fireballs, a rock thrown at superhuman speeds, a misty rapier, a sharp gust of wind, all head towards the barrier.


    *Ptshhh!!!!*


    The barrier shatters, and the pustule explodes, covering the surroundings with some kind of a gooey mucus. And out of the pustule came¡ª


    A lesser demon.


    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.Fear struck my mind. A lesser demon wasn¡¯t supposed to appear here! They¡¯re as strong as the commander who trained us! The demon , a long and lanky figure with two long horns on his head, was black from head to toe, with some red lines on his body. His eyes glowed white, without pupils.


    ¡°Welcome humans, I am the demon Serios! The demon which rules the Guradia sect !! Tremble before me!!¡± (Demon)


    I can¡¯t move. A demon .. its still out of our league. We¡¯re gonna die at this rate!


    ¡°Oooooaaah!!!!¡± (Shizuka)


    Everyone of us were frozen with fear, but only shizuka charges to the front, determined.


    ¡°I commend you little human, for overcoming my <Intimidation>¡±


    The demon extended it¡¯s hand after chanting something and a black longsword came out of it¡¯s shadow. It swung the sword onto Shizuka. She can¡¯t take it! It¡¯s too strong!


    ¡°¡°Defense boost, Synergy!¡±¡± (Nanami)


    Nanami shoots a synergy defense boost, and Shizuka parries the sword and tries to drive it into the torso of the demon. No. The material is too thick, you can¡¯t¡ª


    ¡°Flame enchantment!¡± (Mayumi)


    Mayumi¡¯s <Flame enchantment > coats the rapier in flames, and Shizuka tries to wound the demon.


    *CLANG!*


    No good. The demons skin is like steel. She made a scratch, but she couldn¡¯t do anything else. Eh. Wait. If I had used my <Holy enchantment>, couldn¡¯t she have pierced through? Aren¡¯t everyone fighting? I need to move.


    ¡°EIJI! GET YOUR BUTT OVER HERE!¡± (Hideki)


    Hideki¡¯s yell snaps me out of my delirium. That¡¯s right. We can¡¯t give up yet. We need to win against this guy first. Alright. Here goes. Feel the power of a hero¡¯s strike, demon.


    I begin chanting, and casting all the magic I can on me.


    ¡°Guys, hold him down for as long as you can. I¡¯ll, I¡¯ll finish him!¡± (Eiji)


    Everyone nods, and continues. Ah this is bad.Everyone are badly wounded. Shizuka¡¯s rapier broke too. Faster, faster, faster!


    ¡°Holy defense!¡±


    ¡°Holy attack!¡±


    ¡°Holy agility!¡±


    ¡°Pierce power,boost!¡±


    ¡°Defense power,boost!¡±


    I use all of my buff enchantments. Even Nanami buffs me up . I prepare to use my strongest skill, and my strongest magic.


    I charge up my attack, waiting for my opening. Hideki attacks the sword wielding hand, and holds it down. Shizuka holds his leg and tries to keep it down as much as possible. Mayumi was already knocked out by the demon. Nanami also uses up her magic and casts a <Restriction> magic to stop its movement. The demon was stopped. This opening, I definitely won¡¯t waste it.


    ¡°Pierce through, Holy Paladin¡¯s strike!!!¡±


    I use my strongest skill, and use it on to the demons head.  A perfect win! Our wi¡ª


    Eh. The demon vanished.


    ¡°Eiji, behind you!¡± (Hideki)


    It reappeared behind me, it¡¯s sword raised up high, in order to finish me off. What terrifying speed.


    I try to turn and kill it, but it¡¯s too late. The sword has already begun its descent. Then suddenly,as if by some miracle, the demon drops its sword to the side, and crouches down, holding its head, as if its in pain.


    ¡°Urk! Someone..killed big bro Melios?!!¡± (Serios)


    Melios? Might be another demon. But, I¡¯m not gonna waste this chance. I use another skill, the hero specific one.


    ¡°Strike down the evil before me, <Hero¡¯s strike of desperation>!¡±


    Truly, a desperate situation. A cheat skill given to me, a cheat character.


    My sword,¡±Solaris¡± drives into the demon¡¯s head,and kills it. Or not.


    ¡°Did you think that would be enough, little hero?¡±(Serios)


    ¡°I knew this would happen, that¡¯s why, <Holy Light>!¡± (Eiji)


    The shine covers the entire hall, and the demon¡¯s scream resounds. A demon needs to be purified to be killed. Or they need to be destroyed to the extent that they can¡¯t regenerate.


    ¡°We¡­we won¡­¡± (Eiji)


    I collapse, after using up all my energy. Truly, what a tiring battle. Rika san catches me, and together, we leave the Ocru dungeon.


    <<Dungeon conquered>>


    --------------------------------------------------


    [If anyone has a doubt why Yuuya could kill the demon in one strike, it''s because he''s just too much of a cheat. Ha just kidding. Well, remember how the demon possessed a silver fur wolf in order to become a demon? So basically, the demon was a monster, not a demon. And the monster slayer ability kills him off. Since his constitution changes to that of a monster''s. And the demon essence that escaped again was eaten by the pseudo rebellion. I don''t plan to put this is in the main storyline FYI]


    [This is the end of the special chapters for volume 1. So the next chapter will be the start of volume 2]

 Chapter 15: My training from hell

    ¡°It¡¯s time. The Oracle has awakened¡±


    So spoke a man, with long blonde hair tied up in a ponytail behind his head. A mischievous smile played on his mouth, as he listened to the knight next to him.


    ¡°Sir Chernokoff, we shall depart immediately. Whose presence has the oracle requested?¡±


    A man in gaudy white clothes embroidered with the royal insignia spoke to the knight, whose green hair fluttered in the wind of the morning sky.


    ¡°Duke Vistria sama, your presence has been requested. Follow me.¡±


    The knight walked off, with the blonde man in tow.


    They headed into the royal palace, into the dungeon that was hidden from the public. They walked down several flights of stairs. They stopped next to a grand statue, of a man of incomparable valor and charisma, which one can feel by just looking at it. They went behind the grand statue of gold and various other precious stones, and opened a secret door that was a national secret.


    The temperature dropped as soon as the stepped in. They walked down the stairs which led into a dungeon like room beneath the statue. The blonde man kept looking around, cautious. But the knight kept moving forward, ignoring the bones and skulls hanging on the walls.


    They stepped on to even ground, and there was a door. A door with inscriptions of the stories of the man whose statue was built. As soon as they stepped near the door, a man wearing a black cloak appeared, and the blonde man held his breath, because the intimidation the man released was on a whole different level.


    ¡°How is it? The might of a slayer?¡±


    The knight said so to the blonde man, who nodded, trembling in fear from the figure. His mischievous smile was long gone, replaced with a look of nervousness.


    The knight spoke something to the man. The figure vanished as if he were never there. The blonde couldn¡¯t help but glance around nervously. The door opened, ominously.


    They walked in, into a room filled with white clothes fluttering around ,hiding a figure in the back.


    ¡°My god.¡±


    The blonde and the knight went down on one knee, and bowed their head to the woman like figure behind the curtains.


    ¡°Duke Vistrias¡­I have a task for you..¡±


    The figure spoke, in a voice that echoed all around the room, making it seem like it came from all around them. A deep voice, which could make anyone who listened to it have their heartbeats quicken.


    ¡°Your wish is my command¡±


    ¡°In the north¡­ Chaos has arisen, a figure, whose destiny is unforeseeable¡­.It¡¯s a danger¡­Immediate elimination is needed¡­A boy¡­with hair as white as snow, and his eyes shine violet¡­.Quickly¡­Do not fail me¡­¡±


    The figure collapsed, and darkness enveloped them. Instantly, they were bought to the entrance of the room.


    ¡°Sir Chernakoff, prepare the troops. Eliminate any who resemble such a description. This is an order¡±


    ¡°As you command¡±


    Right now, I¡¯m performing dogeza in front of Master. She¡¯s really pissed off at me. Well, I did call her an old hag. Because she really is an old hag! But Master doesn¡¯t forgive. I have no choice to beg for forgiveness.


    ¡°Master, I¡¯m really sorry. The demon posse¡ªGufaaaH!¡° (Yuuya)


    I was sent flying away by master¡¯s fist. Painful.


    ¡°Liar. How dare you lie in my presence, you third rate disciple?!!¡± (Miras)


    ¡°Master¡­Please forgive me. I won¡¯t repeat this mistake. My master is a youthful woman whose beauty charms any those who happen upon it. If you weren¡¯t my master, I¡¯m afraid even I might have tried to court you.¡± (Yuuya)


    Master nods at every one of my lies. Good. She calmed down for now. So it¡¯s time to tell her about my plans.


    ¡°Master, I plan to leave Baras tomorrow¡± (Yuuya)


    She looks at me for a while, as if looking at filth. Then she steps forward, and stamps on my head, grinding my head against the floor. Master! It hurts!


    ¡°Haaa~? What did you say? I saw your fight with the demon you know? What did you think you were doing? Using your Slayer energy from the get go? And what was that fighting style of yours? Even animals can do better than that.!¡± (Miras)


    ¡°But Master!¡± (Yuuya)


    ¡°Yuuya. You continue to overestimate yourself. You remember your result at the Forest¡¯s test right? Even now, you¡¯ve only gotten a bit stronger. You¡¯ve only got the sword. You still don¡¯t know how to wield it. You remember what happened after the fight right? Your limit of fighting in Slayer form is only 6 seconds. With a lower class demon, you would¡¯ve been wiped out after that 6 seconds. Your endurance is really pitiful. Your mana pool is as unstable, and weak. As your master, I forbid you from leaving the forest without my permission. Understand?¡± (Miras)


    I nod. Because it was undoubtedly true. Last time, I made the very same mistake. I still don¡¯t know the limits of my strength.


    ¡°Yuuya, your opponents aren¡¯t gonna be something like those weakling lesser demons. Your objective is inter worldly travel and a strong curse. You think all you¡¯ll be fighting are a couple of demons? Right now, as a foreigner to this world, you are an irregular. I¡¯m sure many countries would have had their Oracles inform them to eliminate you, or get you on their side. This is the real world, Yuuya. Here, with your strength, you are nothing but a pawn.¡± (Miras)


    Master really puts her all into her words. But I can understand what she¡¯s trying to say. If I continue to overestimate myself, I¡¯ll only lose. There¡¯s always someone stronger than you. In this world, even gods can die.


    ¡°Yuuya. From tomorrow, I shall personally oversee your training. Come to the village entrance  by daybreak. For today, rest.¡± (Miras)


    After giving me my instructions, Master leaves the cabin. She gave me a lot of books to read. It¡¯s all about Slayer basics and Energy control. I engross myself into the first book¡­


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    The sounds of birds chirping wake me up. Eh? Did I sleep reading the books? This is bad. It¡¯s already daybreak. I quickly wear my shirt and pants, pick up Rebellion-2 and head out.


    Near the gate, I see her. A demon queen. She was glaring at me, with a nerve twitching on her forehead. This is bad.


    ¡°Ahahaha~ Master. You sure look beautiful tod¡ªGufaah!¡± (Yuuya)


    She decks me again. It¡¯s like Spartan training. It hurts Master! She beckons me and quickly dashes into the forest.


    I get up and quickly follow. Master adjusts her speed so that I can match it to an extent. I follow behind her, trying to keep my focus on the obstacles that appear.


    ¡°Your training is simple. You will attempt to control your energies, then raise your stamina and endurance. Finally you will spar with monsters. Understood?¡± (Miras)


    ¡°Yes¡± (Yuuya)


    I try to observe master, her foot movements when she runs, her tactics when surrounded, everything I can when she¡¯s surrounded by monsters and attacked. I observe everything, since I need to leave here as soon as possible, I need to get as much extra information as possible.


    We keep heading into the forest. It¡¯s been almost an hour now. That sound. Is that¡­ water? A river? No It¡¯s much stronger. It¡¯s a


    Waterfall.


    A waterfall, to the size that makes the tallest waterfall in my world seem like a baby. Humongous.


    ¡°Welcome, to the waterfall of death and misery.¡± (Miras)


    What¡¯s with that ominous sounding name?


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s gonna be a symbol of death and misery for you. Ufufufu¡± (Miras)


    I see what you mean. But Master, isn¡¯t dangling me in front of the waterfall a bit too much?!!!


    ¡°Train over there Yuuya. Try to control your energies as much as you can, even above the sound of the waterfall.¡± (Miras)


    I can faintly hear her voice from above me. This waterfall is really loud. But I try to focus, nevertheless.


    Impossible. This sound is just enraging my Chaos energy more and more. I need to control it. Control ¡­.


    *Snap*


    The rope snaps, and I fall down. Eh? Was this supposed to happen? I plummet down towards the water, free falling. Its alright. Master will save me. Definitely.


    That said, where is master?!!


    I crash into the water, and my ribs crack. I spit out blood and I went quite deep into the water. I swim up, and resurface. I can see her. That witch. She¡¯s laughing at me!


    ¡°Did I not tell you? The waters are very fast, so they may snap your rope. You need to figure out a way to keep the rope intact and subdue your energies. Don¡¯t worry. A special softening  magic has been cast here, so that the most you can get are broken bones.¡± (Miras)


    I climb out of the water basin, without saying anything. One of the healers there heal me. Ah~ Warm. There are a lot of people here, training like me.


    I¡¯m back at my spot, dangling in front of the waterfall. I focus as much as possible, in order to control the energies. The books told me that the best method to increase possible time for Slayerification (That¡¯s what I decided to call the changing into a beast) is to reduce the amount of energy I release into my mana pool to the barest minimum possible, and then increase it in equal quantities.


    Right. I have a wild fire in my hand. I need to control it. I need to make that wild fire mine.


    I start on the dragon energy. I learnt that the energy which made me want to fight was the influence of the dragon, which is always yearning for stronger opponents.  That might be a bit troublesome, since if I wanted to fight everyone I meet, it¡¯ll be troublesome for me in the long run.


    ¡°Haaah¡­haah¡­¡± (Yuuya)


    I¡¯m mentally tired from this training. The noise from the waterfall makes my eardrums almost burst, and the frequent crashing makes my body hurt all over. Even healing magic has it¡¯s limits.


    My entire body sore, I slowly walk back to the village.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± (Miras)


    She¡¯s here! She¡¯s here! Ring the bell! The demon queen is here!


    ¡°Um¡­home?¡± (Yuuya)


    ¡°Ufufufufu¡­ how na?ve of you, Yuuya. The training¡¯s just starting you know¡± (Miras)


    Uuuu¡­ Master¡­ I¡¯m really sorry for calling you an old hag!


    The endurance and stamina training was simple. The first phase was to run 100 laps around the village wearing stone armor, within the time limit. The second phase was to stay in the Slayer form for as long as possible. It has to increase; otherwise she¡¯ll beat me black and blue.


    I ran, and ran and ran. I was beyond exhausted, but my willpower helped me to keep pushing forward. Sweat drenched my body, and I collapsed at the 30th lap. A course of 120 km was my best for now. Sorry master..


    The second phase was even more tougher. I had to release my energies, and maintain it. My first attempt today was the Monster slaying energy. When I released the pale green energy, I could feel my body getting stronger. My body bulged, and I could feel my teeth becoming canines. The nails grew longer, just a bit, and with my raw strength, I could easily lift my house. Only for 8 seconds though. I¡¯ve learnt my limit in every form.


    Chaos slayer: 6 seconds


    Dragon slayer: 11 seconds


    Monster slayer: 8 seconds


    God slayer: Indefinite amount of time


    It seems its useless to try and maintain my God slaying state, since it¡¯s true power comes only when I face off against a god. It makes me a bit nervous.


    The fighting was more my style. I had to fight against all sorts of monsters, and improve my fighting style. All unnecessary movements had to be cut off, and my movements had to be sharper and faster.


    Everytime I made a mistake, master would hit me, and then advise me. I kept fighting, till finally, the day ended. And so I slumped on to my bed, too tired to even pick up the book I was reading yesterday. My body feels sore, and bruises were present all over my body.


    And so, days passed, and I spent my days at Baras, training to become a Slayer.

 Chapter 16: A typical day in Baras

    ¡°Ah¡­Arcus san, wait up!¡± (Yuuya)


    I call out to Arcus san, who already left the village, and was heading out into the forest. Arcus san and Gillareal san always go party hunting, so I thought it would be important to go with them, so that I¡¯ll have at least some experience in party play. That said, Arcus san firmly rejected me coming with him, since last time, the Great bear crept up on me too. But somehow, me and Gillareal san persuaded him, and we agreed to meet up the next day. Master also consented, and gave me exempted me from training for the day.


    That said, Arcus san is trying his best to leave me behind and go out hunting so that I¡¯ll be safe. But I know Gillareal san will stop him and ask him to wait for me somehow. Gillareal san, please do your job properly!


    I head into Baras village, searching for the herbalist¡¯s shop.


    Baras is as lively as always. It¡¯s a wonder how they don¡¯t run out of stuff to sell. But like every other day, they sell the meat for weapons, or weapons for meat. Food and weapons. Those are the only things that can ensure survival in this area. That said, the sheer number of Slayers here are shocking. There must be at least a thousand people here. And of them, 700 might be slayers. One slayer has enough ability to slay even immortal beings who can never be beaten. No wonder the Slayer village was sealed away. They could tip the power scales on a whim if they wanted.


    But that is, if they wanted to. But those people, they sealed the slayers here, just because they got revenge on someone for killing their comrades. I admit, that someone was a god, but this entire plot seems suspicious. Its most probably an orchestrated plan to remove one of the most influential pieces from the playing field, in order to secure one¡¯s own position. Politics. What a disgusting subject.


    I head down the path I remember perfectly. Straight, third left, second right and there it is. The herbalist, Biriona san¡¯s house. I¡¯ve visited her ever since I got to this village, since master frequently sends me out on errands to buy herbs and what not. I knock on the door.


    ¡°Come in?¡±


    Biriona san¡¯s voice comes out from the inside. Her voice is truly like a song. She even speaks as if she¡¯s singing.


    ¡°Ah Biriona san. I need some of the Ripsien grass. Do you have any in stock? ¡°


    ¡°Ah~It¡¯s Lil Yuu! I do I do! Take a seat. How much do you want? The usual? How about some tea?¡±


    Biriona san starts off with her machine gun like speech as usual. I nod and politely decline the tea, using hunting as an excuse. Biriona san is about 170 cm tall, with dark green hair cut into a messy hairstyle. She never styles her hair, saying ¡®Natural hairdos are the best¡¯. Two pointed ends peek out of each side of her head. Yup. She¡¯s an elf.


    ¡°Here you go~ Here you go~ Three bags of Ripsien grass, all fresh and washed~! I plucked it today morning you know~? Scaary monsters attacked me too~! ¡°


    Even though she acts weak, the barbaric mace that was on the counter destroys it. Yup. Contrary to her weak and playful appearance, Biriona san is a Mythical beast slayer. A specialist. If described in power, she alone could hold off Master for more than 10 minutes. By the way, Arcus san can hold her off for one minute at most, and I ¡­. A second if I¡¯m lucky¡­


    I thank Biriona san and head out. I climb down the mountain like the others, using the sloping sides as a shortcut to slide down the mountain. It¡¯s fun. Ah. Like I said, there are various races in Baras. They¡¯re mainly divided into humans, demi humans, beast men, demons, spirits, fairies, and undeads. Elves and dwarves were all demihumans, while people with animal characters were beastmen. Isn¡¯t that rude? There are women too you know? Spirits were the beings who had energy for a body, while fairies were nature¡¯s guardians, who kept a place lively. The demons were, well, demons, and undeads were,¡­..undead?


    I drop the bags near the cabin¡¯s door and head out. Arcus san is standing near the gate, and he looks very tense. On the other hand, Gillareal san looks almost carefree, and was munching on a bun like food.


    By the way, Arcus san and Gillareal san were monster slayers.


    We head out. It seems today¡¯s targets are Reguluses. A flaming lion, the Regulus always roamed in prides of three to five of them. Their meat was extraordinary, and their strength even more so. I still haven¡¯t revealed my cooking skills though. I have a gut feeling which says that it might be troublesome.


    Gillareal san moves ahead of us, occasionally checking the ground and the trees. He must be looking for clues. Arcus san on the other hand just swings his axe and practices his techniques. The atmosphere seems a bit tense.


    It¡¯s because the Regulus were only second to monsters like the demon bird. Mid boss level monsters, so to speak. And recently, their population had a huge spike, so the slayers decided to send the expert duo, Arcus and Gillareal to subjugate them.


    Its been two months since I came to Baras, and I¡¯ve already made them my best friends. I¡¯ve trained constantly, and master says the improvement was good. She taught me magic too. Elementary class. From all five elements. Luckily, since I was possessed, even though for a short while by the demon¡¯s energy, I could use the ability of the demon slayers, Magic mastery. So I learnt five new spells!


    Fire magic: Flame


    Water magic: Water stream.


    Wind magic: Gust


    Earth magic: Earth spike


    Lightning magic: Spark


    Every basic magic was drilled into me, so that I could use it properly. Using magic was quite different from what I imagined. It was all about visualization. If I imagined the mana flowing in me to convert into what I needed it to become, a chant will automatically be learnt by me. The chant, is a prayer. It¡¯s a prayer to the elements to receive temporary control from them. And by setting basic chants, the elements ensured that the development of magic will always be limited, and not exploited.


    Seems like Gillareal san found something. He immediately starts dashing, and so do we. We run after him, moving quickly through the forest. Thanks to the slayer body and the endurance training by master, my current limit is 1200 km around the village. That¡¯s 10 times the amount Master asked me to do.


    I keep up with them thanks to the enhancements, and see them. The regulus.


    There were 7 of them, and it seemed they were having an internal dispute. A territory was, I guess. GIllareal san and Arcus san look distressed. 7 might cause casualties after all.


    ¡°What do we do, Gil? There¡¯s only 7 of them. The meat won¡¯t even nearly be enough¡±


    Ah of course, they were worried about the meat. I made a quick suggestion.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we split up? Of course, remain within running distance of each other, but fight separately? We can get ¡®meat¡¯ quicker too¡±


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    I put emphasis on the meat part. An immediate effect.


    ¡°True¡­ Meat is important. ¡°


    ¡°Right. Arcus, these are mine.¡±


    Gillareal san already moves, going in for the kill. Arcus san looks distraught, since he totally forgets about the Regulus before him. Then, he sniffs something and moves off. He tells me to keep safe before moving though.


    But my objective has already been spotted. The minute hole straight in front of me. The Regulus¡¯s den.


    I reach the entrance of the den. Thanks to Arcus san and Gillareal san, none of them notice me. I slowly edge towards the entrance. I slip in, and darkness surrounds me. I can¡¯t see.


    Aren¡¯t lions related to cats? So they can most probably see in the dark, right?


    ¡°Burn through all my obstacles, ¡®Flame¡¯ ¡±


    I cast the elementary magic Flame, and a little ball of fire becomes bright in my arm. The surroundings light up. I move in, carefully and slowly. This time, I won¡¯t make a mistake.


    It¡¯s a labyrinth. I¡¯ve encountered none of the Regulus so far, but I¡¯ve reached really deep into the cave. Now, I mostly use Flame occasionally, just to check it whenever necessary. My mana pool is dangerously low. Meaning I need to use it sparingly.


    I finally get into a huge hall. It seems it¡¯s a huge wall though. There is wind blowing, and I can even see a little bit of light in the roof. But something feels wrong. The lack of monsters was wrong from the start.


    I cast flame once again, and I can see the situation.


    13 Reguluses. All sleeping. Their chests rise up and down, and all of them are in deep sleep.  Luckily, It might be their hibernating period. Now to slip quietly ou¡ª


    *RUMMMBBLLEEE*


    The entire floor rumbles. I can say who it is even with my eyes closed. Arcus san.


    All the lions tremble from the tremors and jump up, ready for battle. And I¡¯m right in the middle of them. Well damn me.


    I use my sword to parry the REgulus¡¯s fangs. That is my only way for now. I can¡¯t use the Slayer energy yet, since it¡¯s not necessary for now. Three Regulus jump at me, from three directions.


    ¡° Blow everything away, ¡®Gust¡¯ ¡°


    I use the Gust on the Lion that¡¯s jumping from my front, quickly draw the two swords, and slash their heads apart.


    That doesn¡¯t make my situation any better though! I¡¯ve killed four Regulus, and the other nine are attacking me even now. The heat from their mane constantly raises the room temperature, and it¡¯s making me feel more slow and sluggish. I need to finish this fast! Right!


    ¡° Douse the flames that block my way, Water stream!¡±


    I use the water stream, and a small jet rushes to the monster. It evaporated even before it even hit the Regulus. Their strength is phenomenal!


    I quickly put some distance between the monsters and prep myself. Alright. Calm as a river.


    I need to slowly release the bare minimum energy and increase it slowly. I can feel it. The all so familiar pale green energy reconstructs my body, and I can feel it bulging up a bit. Not too much, just a bit.


    Right! Ready for the fight.


    I rush back in, and I can already see how the third and fourth Regulus were trying to corner me in from the back, while the first, fifth and sixth were trying to keep my interest from off their brilliantly obvious tactic. But too late for that now.


    I swing the sword in an arc and cut off the Regulus head perfectly. His two attendants, were shocked and tried to charge in and kill me. I let one of them bite my forearm, while I swing the sword around, in order to kill the second and parry the claws of the fourth, who tried to execute his sneak attack. The second Regulus tries to desperately bite through my skin, in vain. My skin is harder than steel now, you know? But the heat on my forearm is uncomfortable. Before the Regulus could figure out what I was going to do, I swung my arm in an arc, and batted away the other Regulus with the one stuck on my arm. Immediately, I used my katana to stab through it¡¯s heart.


    Right. 7 left. I dash in on the replacements who try to cover the dead one¡¯s place, and immediately execute a roundhouse on its head. Waiting for the moment it exposes the side of its face, I accurately drive my sword in through its temple. The pseudo Rebellion is amazing, without a doubt.


    6.


    Four of them try a new tactic now, by using one to intimidate me and the other three to jump in from other directions. A good tactic. I roar, and release a bit more Monster energy. The strain increases tremendously, but I can do it. I charge into the lion which was supposed to intimidate and distract me, and wrestled bare hand with it. The other Regulus could only stand and watch. I had already sheathed my sword, so with my bare hand, I plunge it into the Regulus¡¯s chest area and kill it.


    5.


    I throw my two swords at the perfectly careless opponent, and drive my fist into the face of another Regulus. It¡¯s sent flying away. I close in on him, and deliver the killing blow to it.


    2


    The other Regulus were just small fry.


    I cancel the transformation, and slump onto the wall. My muscles come swelling down, and my physique changes to how it was before. The fatigue that hits me Is no joke . Good thing all the monsters came at once, so there won¡¯t be any additional damage.


    ¡°Haaah? Slayer ¡­.techniques?¡±


    I had already finished the Regulus subjugation and returned. Arcus san was mad at me for not telling him about the den, since he could have gotten more meat. Like always, Master was in my cabin. What''s she talking about? Slayer techniques?


    ¡°That¡¯s right. The basis for a Slayer. There are some procedures to kill certain monsters after all. And some skills you can incorporate into your fighting style. So you¡¯ll need to learn all of it. The slayer techniques will help you to conquer the weakness of your no sword style form. If you get the basic idea of the two blade style, you can become much better. By the time you leave, I require you to complete all these books.¡±


    Master puts a bundle of huge books on my table, and walks off.


    The first book was¡­


    ¡°Eh? Master? This is¡­ ¡®The Chaos manual?!¡¯ ¡°


    ¡°That¡¯s right¡­ I found it in my storeroom when I was going through my old stuff. It¡¯ll be important for you, Yuuya¡±


    I was shocked. Even the chaos slayers had techniques. Meaning, I¡¯m just starting to become strong. I understood that a long time ago. Compared to my master, i''m still a fledgling. My OP level is too low.


    I still got a long way to go¡­.

 Chapter 17: I retake the Forests test

    ¡°Fuuuu¡­¡­¡±


    Right now I¡¯m in a cave an hour¡¯s walk away from the village. MY endurance and stamina training had ended a week ago, so Master told me train the skill ¡°Mind¡¯s Eye¡± since I had a lot of free time. Now, I can easily run 1400 km around the village, in short bursts of course, and my slayerification limit has gone up by leaps and bounds. But master says it¡¯s not enough and that I should keep training it, since all my fights aren¡¯t gonna end in a few minutes. Right now, my limits are:


    Chaos slayer: 3 minutes


    Monster slayer: 3 ? minutes


    Dragon slayer 4 ? minutes


    God slayer: Indefinite time


    The god slayer is what worries me the most, since it¡¯s the mystery card type of energy. It actively repels all the other energy, and doesn¡¯t do anything. A freeloader.


    Recently, I learnt a lot of Techniques from those manuals, enough for all of my slayer energies. I learnt some of the possible demon slaying techniques as well, but they¡¯re just dregs in front of the real thing. The chaos slayer style is based on weapons, for some reason. Does chaos need weapons? And all of the techniques, (there were 3 of them) were impossible to do without the chaos slayer energy, and the consumption was huge.


    Every transformation affects my body in some ways. It seems the dragon slayer and monster slayer energies are from actual god class monsters who the previous slayers killed. My monster energy was from a Girisian Rhigior, a monster wolf  from this world, it seems. That¡¯s why I had super thick skin, which was like its fur and my movement speed was exemplary. My dragon energy was from a Bloodwing dragon. A dragon, which like its name says, gets stronger from blood.


    Master taught me that slayerification is not just the first transformation. They¡¯re divided into three tiers. And I can barely reach the first tier. If you surpass the third tier, then you can become the beast itself, it seems. Epic!


    I try to concentrate, in this dim cave. The basics of Mind¡¯s eye are, to be able to see without seeing. All my sensory skills have to be upgraded to the max.


    But since I do have one eye, I¡¯m planning to mix the two. Mind¡¯s eye and my eye together. The image from my Mind¡¯s eye is still imperfect, it gets blurry at times. But I try to make improvements though!


    I release the Monster slayer energy into my skin, coating it with, but preventing transformation. That¡¯s how Mind¡¯s eye is done. A monster¡¯s, especially a wolf¡¯s senses are extraordinary. So in order to replicate it, I need to coat my skin with the pure Monster energy. It feels sort of chilly, and itchy, but I coat my body with it. With my mind as the focal point, I continuously send waves of energy out.


    It works like sonar, except the waves don¡¯t come back. I can sort of feel it, everything the energy feels. But my Mind¡¯s eye has a bit of disadvantage. If someone corrupts it, I will lose my sight. So I need to use it only when in combat, or when I need to be extra cautious. The other method will be to gain complete control over my energy.


    I can see. I open my eye. Everything is coated with a fuzzy green outline, but I can see it. Even on my blind side. Good. My training is as good as always.


    I try to refine the monster energy to the utmost, in order to get a clearer image.


    Master told me that the Mind¡¯s eye technique is merely a replacement to a real eye, and that I shouldn¡¯t depend on it too much. Rather, she said I should try and get a prosthetic eye. That is to say, purify the wound and attach another¡¯s eye. An eye transplant.


    Tomorrow will be my day of departure. I¡¯ll have to face the Forest¡¯s test today, and if I can pass it, I can leave. It was disastrous last time, but this time, it won¡¯t be so. I¡­ I want to protect everyone. I have my limits, but I know I can do it.


    I pack up, taking my Rebellion (fake) and leave.


    Monsters don¡¯t attack me when I use Mind¡¯s eye, since it¡¯s basically their kin, and a god class monster is someone they don¡¯t want to mess with.


    Monsters, Spirits, Magic, Skills and even Demons are divided into classes.


    Elementary class


    Intermediate class


    Adept class


    Expert class


    Master class


    Legend class


    God class


    Transcendent class


    God class monsters are super rare, and Transcendent monsters have never been spotted. There has only been one God class magic, Apocalypse, and no one has used it, since it would mean the destruction of a world.


    Scary


    I¡¯ve already reached the village, and I walk through the market. Everyone greets me as I pass by, and I greet them back too. I jump up the slope and reach my cabin. I push open the door, and place Rebellion near the bed and just fall onto it.


    ¡°I could get it to a decent level Master¡±


    ¡°Fumu¡­¡±


    As always, master is here, I don¡¯t even need to check. She¡¯s been really worried, and has kept suggesting me to not take the test and train for some more. I can understand her concern, but it¡¯s time now. Even Master can¡¯t deny it. It¡¯s been a fun and eventful three months in Baras, and I don¡¯t really want to leave so soon. But, I have my promise with Master, and also my duty to protect Shizuka.


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    I slowly feel my vision fade and I fall asleep.


    Fluffy. It feels warm. A blanket?


    Master had left a blanket on me it seems. Oh god!  It¡¯s time. I quickly get up, wash my face and leave.


    I rush back in, take Rebellion and rush back out.


    I ran through the forest, heading towards the exit. The forest will test me today, and then I can leave or come back any time I want. A test for an entrance pass.


    I run past the river, and glance at my old hideout. The vines have pretty much fallen, so there¡¯s nothing left. I keep running, and make sure that I won¡¯t trip or something. Soon, I reach it.


    The nostalgic ripple.


    As I walk into the clearing, I can hear it again. It feels like yesterday. Her footsteps.


    ¡°Ah! Aaaaah!¡±


    Like always, my airhead of a little sister, Shizuka. She looks shocked at seeing me, and runs at me. Then she starts beating on my chest with her cute little fist.


    ¡°Yuu-nii! It wabb soooooooowwwwww scawwwwwyyy!!¡±


    Those nostalgic lines. I heard it so many times. I can¡¯t believe that line started to torment me before I knew it.


    *RUMBBBLLLEEE*


    The ground rumbles, and they walk out. Those despicable turtles. A horde of them. Almost a thousand, my Mind¡¯s eye tells me.


    ¡°Shizuka, stay back. I¡¯ll take care of this.¡±


    ¡°Yuu-nii? Wha-what are those turtle?! There¡¯s an army of them! I¡¯ll help you too!¡±


    ¡°Stay back Shizuka. This, this is my test¡±


    The Forest¡¯s test. A test for any outsider to leave this area. The Slayers cannot take this test, since they were sealed here, fated to never leave. If they walk to the entrance, they¡¯ll end back at the entrance of the village. The so-called illusion magic. And this illusion magic is god class.


    But every child who was not a Slayer at the time of sealing, can take this test and go out, even if they became a Slayer. There are hundreds of Slayers out there, trying to find ways to break this curse.


    And every one of them used the same method to pass the test. Annihilate every enemy, even if it is on their last breath. The forest will always give you opponents that are stronger than you, in order for you to overcome it and become even stronger. The forest tests you to see whether you have the courage to go against an enemy greater than you, and whether you have the ability to do it.


    Sorry Forest. But I¡¯m not one of those slayers. I¡¯m the chaos slayer. One who throws everything into chaos. If the test¡¯s rules bind me, I¡¯ll obliterate them.


    I release the Chaos energy, full force into my system. I can feel it. Every inch of my body strengthening, my vision sharpening.


    My hair turns white. Silver white. Reddish black energy oozes out.


    *RUUUMMMMBBBBBBLLLEEEE*


    The surroundings shake from the rapid release of Chaos energy. That is the strength of chaos. To destroy the order in this world.


    ¡°Limit break¡±


    I release the ability, a common ability that everyone has, that the forest forces everyone who tries to pass the test to gain. Sorry forest, but my Master¡¯s hell training gave me that a long time ago.


    I ready my sword, and raise them a bit. Right leg forward, Left sword a bit to the front. Alright, the stance is perfect.


    ¡°Chaos Slayer Secret technique


    Pandemonium¡±


    The dimension cracks. I throw every bit of Chaos energy I have into that attack. I can see it¡¯s strength. An attack designed to change the world, into my own vision of Chaos.


    The ground falls away, and lava emerges, like little volcanoes. The turtles squeal as they fall to their deaths. And suddenly, the space starts cracking.


    The secret technique, an all or nothing attack of desperation, Pandemonium throws everything into turmoil. If it¡¯s an illusion like this, it¡¯s no surprise it shatters. Because Pandemonium destroys those very rules.


    My conscious fades¡­ Pandemonium is a double edged move. It kills me too.


    I open my eye. I¡¯m back at the clearing, and there¡¯s no sign of Shizuka or the turtles. The ground is back to normal. My hair is back to black again too. Looks like Pandemonium utterly destroyed the Forest¡¯s test. Seriously, a Chaos slayer is too OP. Wild card? No way. It¡¯s the best card!!


    A path opens in front of me. The trees diverge, creating a hole.


    Yep. I passed the test. Woohoo!!

 Chapter 18: Memories,Departure and Companions!

    I¡¯m rushing back to the village, zipping through the forest. I feel extremely happy at passing the trial that I can barely hold myself from jumping up and yelling out. Right. This calls for a celebration. I stopped running, and cast a more intricate version of Mind¡¯s eye, ¡°Detect¡±


    I decide not to use the monster slayer energy this time, since it may make the monsters run away from a sudden burst of god class energy. Dragon energy is also a no, since if they¡¯re scared from a wolf, they¡¯d be dead from heart attacks if the lord of the sky wanted to hunt them.


    I release the super passive, highly efficient, freeloader, the God slayer energy. It courses through the forest, at high speeds. Right. Already found seventeen of them, within 20 meters of me.


    I run to the first mob, a pack of silver fur wolves. They don¡¯t see me coming, as I was still a bit far from them, but by the time they detect me, I had already reached them and pierced the alpha with my Rebellion.


    There were four of them, and one was already dead. The others went into panic, seeing that the alpha died. In a smooth movement, I sliced off the legs of one of the wolves, while hitting another with a kick in one rotation. The third tried to attack me from the front, but I quickly release the magic I had already chanted, Flame. The hot fire burns into the wolf¡¯s face, and it howls in pain. I quickly kick its chin with an upward stroke, and it died with its neck twisted. Immediately, I dispatched the legless wolf by throwing my sword at its head, and killed the last one by stabbing it through its chest.


    I gather up the wolves and lay them near the tree. And then


    ¡®KIIIEEEEEEEEEE!!!¡¯


    A high pitched scream resounds, and I reflexively shut my ears. The boss monster is here. A demon bird. But it¡¯s not a normal demon bird. Its 8 meters long, and its purple feathers are spotted with white. A queen bird. Jackpot. Delish. My body is raring to fight against it, the monster which Master killed in mere seconds. But I know I need to use my Dragon energy, since I can¡¯t jump as high as master.


    I release the energy in to my legs, reinforcing them. There is an extra effect since it¡¯s an airborne enemy. The instincts of a dragon, that no one can be above it is flaring within me. Woo yeah!


    My legs thicken, and a dark tint appears on it. Pseudo scales. The queen bird dives down, trying to use its claws to just quickly kill me.


    I jump, up high right into the bosom of the bird. A dust cloud raises when I jump. That¡¯s the raw strength of a dragon. I drive my sword into its chest, trying to quickly kill it. The bird senses my intentions, and spreads its wings, backing off from me. Shit. My jump was too short. It flaps its wings, and a huge gust of wind carries me off, sending me crashing into the forest. Ouch. I can feel my right arm dislocate. Damn bird.


    I jump up to my feet, and run at the bird, which is still really far away from me. I put maximum strength into my lower body, so that the strain of jumping doesn¡¯t cause any injuries.


    I leap, up high, above the queen bird. It narrows its eyes, and tries to skewer me on its long beak by rushing at me like a drill.


    As if I¡¯ll let you do that. I use Gust and roll my body to the side, rotating violently, with my unsheathed blade. The bird goes past me, without hitting me, but my sword pierces through its wing, and with the rotation, successfully tears a huge gash down its left wing. I free fall into the ground, but I occasionally use Gust to soften my landing. The bird screams in pain and crashes into the forest. I run, not willing to let it escape, even by luck. The bird struggles to get up, since one of its wings were badly damaged.


    I don¡¯t give it even a second of reprieve, as I bring my blade down on its super thick neck, releasing my Monster slayer energy.


    ¡°Monster Slayer¡¯s killing blade!¡±


    I use the Monster Slaying skill and quickly end the bird¡¯s life. Tch. I dislocated an arm. I pop it back in, feeling disgruntled. I took longer, and even got an injury. I take the bird by its long beak, and drag it back to the village.


    ¡°Ou! Lil Yuu? You got a queen bird? That¡¯s a great catch!¡±


    Arcus san greets me, with a look of envy. That¡¯s right. Arcus san wanted to hunt these.


    ¡°Lil Yuu, how did the test go?¡±


    A man with light blue hair tied into a bun behind his head, asks me. His spectacled eyes look over me with worry.


    ¡°I passed it Hario san. It was easy¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯ll be leaving tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°Yup¡±


    ¡°Then that means we need to hold a farewell party don¡¯t we?!¡±


    Arcus san, please don¡¯t. Your class introduction itself was very embarrassing.


    ¡°That¡¯s not necessary Arcus san. It¡¯s best we don¡¯t do parties. Right, Hario san?¡±


    I ask Hario san. He¡¯s a quiet type of person, so he would definite¡ª


    ¡°Definitely not. We shall be holding a party for sure. It¡¯s a Slayer custom. Are you trying to break out traditions, young man?¡±


    Hario san, you traitor.


    I walk into the village, and give the queen bird to the shopkeeper san. She always wears a hat on her head, hiding her blonde hair. A woman who looks as old as Master,Angela san.


    ¡°Oh. If it isn¡¯t Yuu boy! Is that a queen bird? You¡¯re gonna exchange it?¡±


    ¡°Yup. I want a weapon repairing set, Angela san¡±


    ¡°A weapon repair? You have that splendid sword don¡¯t you? You can easily fix¡ª Oh. Are you leaving, Yuu boy?¡±


    ¡°Yes..¡±


    Angela san looks visibly saddened. Every one in the village were like my family. I¡¯m sure they don¡¯t really want me to go, even if it¡¯s to dispel their curse.


    ¡°I see. I¡¯ll deliver it at your farewell party, so go on¡±


    Uuuu¡­I don¡¯t want such an embarrassing event Angela san!!


    I head back to the cabin, and as always, just fall onto it.


    ¡°How was the test?¡±


    ¡°Fwine¡±


    My voice kind of gets muffled by the bed, but I¡¯m too lazy to lift my head up.


    ¡°Sleep for now. I¡¯ll call you at midnight. Your party preparations have already started.¡±


    I didn¡¯t listen to the party part, and already dozed off.


    The noise and clamor wake me up. What¡¯s happening? I rush out, picking up my Rebellion. And what greets me is a¡ª


    Festival.


    With music playing and people singing along with it, Baras village was wrapped in a festive mood. The entire market place was gone, and replaced with pavilions and tents, with all the people having drinks and enjoying themselves with all the food.


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    My farewell party huh? No matter how you look at it, isn¡¯t a festival too much?!!


    I walk down the slope, and quickly try to find the culprit.


    There he is. Arcus san.


    ¡°There he is! Lil Yuu!¡±


    He yells out so, and everyone turns to me. Everybody rush to me, patting me on my back, and giving me gifts for the journey. A lot of people invite me to a drink, but I decline. I¡¯m a minor. But maybe, letting loose like this might be a bit good.


    In a valley surrounded by mountains, the monsters of the forest in the valley can hear singing. If you go a bit deeper into the forest, you¡¯ll find the village of Slayers, Baras. Because tonight, at midnight, the entire village was wrapped in merrymaking and joy. People sung and dance to the music, forgetting their daily lives of difficulties, and enjoyed themselves to the fullest.


    A youth wearing a black shirt and brown pants walked up to a stage, as per the request of the crowd. He was the centre of attention for today. The Slayer Yuuya, who had suddenly intruded their village, but still made everyone happy. Then, the youth, with his cheeks red presumably from alcohol spoke.


    ¡°Everyone! I thank you for having me here at Baras! It was truly a fun three months, and I enjoyed meeting everyone here. Arcus san, Gillareal san, Hario san, Angel san, Biriona san, Kirika san, and everyone else who¡¯s here. I Yuuya Nakajima, give you my wholehearted gratitude!! Thank you. And a special thanks to my master, Miras Arisbelle for making this weak and pathetic me, even a little stronger! Everyone! Master just feels a bit shy because she¡¯s afraid everyone hates her!! Please be friendly with her, and make my old hag master a¡ª¡°


    ¡°Who¡¯s an old hag, you idiot disciple?!!!¡±


    A stone was thrown from the crowd, and knocked out the youth. Every body gathered there watched the scene with warm gazes. And the merrymaking continued all night¡­


    Uuuu¡­.. My head hurts. I don¡¯t remember what happened before¡­ I¡¯m back in my bed. I yawn, trying to remember what happened.


    Ah wait. I remember. Master carried me to the bed, and since she was dead drunk too, she collapsed onto the bed. That¡¯s right. IT¡¯s just like a grandmother and a grandchild sleeping together. Nothing wrong. Right?


    I was drunk yesterday huh¡­ Yesterday was a wild night. It was fun¡­


    I smile, remembering what happened yesterday. I see why the Slayers keep these parties. Because right now, I feel reluctant to go. Well, I need to get ready to leave now.


    I get up, and get ready. When I glance to the table, a whole lot of stuff is piled on there.


    Gifts to our little slayer


    Geez.. these guys. How am I supposed to carry these many things?


    I sort through the gifts, and pick out whatever I need. The rest, I¡¯ll keep here since I¡¯ll come back here one day. That¡¯s right. This is home.


    I pick up the long black overcoat that Arcus san got for me. Haha, He even wrote a description. It¡¯s made of Violet spider kings web, so it won¡¯t tear easily huh. What a luxury item. I wear it, and swish it around a bit. A coat seems cool.


    I pick up the gift from Master. It¡¯s a ring. It¡¯s green in colour, with gold patterns on it. What is it? I read the card next to it. An interspatial ring huh. It''s like a hole, with almost 10000 sq metres of area in it, with at least 10 metres of depth! That¡¯s almost 2 football fields!! Master! You¡¯re great! I''ll never need a bag!


    I pick up the next gift from Biriona san. A mask. A black mask with some gold lines on it. Why a mask? I read her letter, and it says that it¡¯s for covert work. Secret agent Nakajima. Sigh..


    I place the mask inside my coat, near my chest. At least it¡¯ll work as armour.


    Hario san got me a hood that I can attach to the coat. And Angela san got me the weapon repair tools, along with an eyepatch. An eyepatch! My chuuni side is tingling!! Well, I do walk around with my eye shut, since if I open them, they look like a horror movie. The eyepatch was black, with a gold flower like design on it. I wear it, and walk a bit ahead on my path to become chuunibyou. I''m only a prosthetic eye away from completing the set! But it does feel comfortable.


    I waive my hand, and all the stuff goes into the ring. Convenient. Truly. Time runs in a different way inside the ring¡¯s space.


    I wear the belt Gillareal san got for me and wear the swords on both sides. Sweet. I have an adventurer like look now!


    ¡°Setting off?¡±


    A few hours later, Master asks me, as I was picking up the belt with my swords and walking out of the cabin.


    ¡°Yes. Please take care of yourself, Master. I¡¯ll be back¡±


    She nods, and I leave. Right. It¡¯s time to see the outer world.


    Everyone comes to see me off, and I say my farewells to everyone. Some cry and the others cheer me on. For me, they are the closest I have to family. I head towards the entrance, and there, Biriona san calls out to me.


    ¡°Lil Yuu~ Can you do me a favour~?¡±


    Biriona san gestures to a child standing next to her. There are children here?! The child is about 120 cm tall, with hair in twin tails. The same dark green hair as Biriona san. Her eyes were emerald green, and she stared at me. Might be Biriona san¡¯s relative.


    ¡°She¡¯s a niece of mine, Miliasa. Um¡­Can you..um.. drop her off at the Forest of the Elves?¡±


    ¡°Biriona san? What about the test?¡±


    ¡°Ah~ she passed it already~¡±


    She ¡­ she passed it?!!


    Biriona san looks at my shocked face and giggles.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry . She only had to fight a demon cricket. Well, it might have been too much for her though.¡±


    Maybe demon crickets are easy monsters? I hope so¡­


    Well there¡¯s no way I¡¯m gonna say no to Biriona san. Forest of the Elves huh? Well, I¡¯ll need to do that first then, right?


    ¡°Um, Biriona san, I might¡¯ve to head to someplace else first though?¡±


    Biriona san looks thoughtful at first.


    ¡°Um~ Allright~ Just make sure she gets there~ It¡¯ll take longer if she had to get stronger and leave on her own,so it¡¯s alright~¡±


    ¡°Haha. Then it¡¯s ok. Biriona san. Leave it to me!¡±


    I say so to Biriona san. As if I¡¯m gonna say no to her. What¡¯s more shocking is that the kid passed the test. And i¡­I failed!!


    And so I set off, with Miliasa in tow, to the outside world!

 Chapter 19: Uneventful, but it begins!

    I watch as the branches curl and bend, forming a path through the dense layer of trees. Why is Miliasa glaring at me? Did I do something?


    ¡°Did I do something Miliasa?¡±


    She keeps staring at me. And then, she opens her mouth.


    ¡°What did you do? The forest is scared of you¡­¡±


    Huehuehue


    The forest is scared of me eh? Maybe Pandemonium was a bit of an overkill. Sorry Forest san. I really wanted to try that technique out, since it¡¯s the only chance I got. But, I scared the forest eh? Payback, Forest!


    ¡°You¡¯re making a scary face¡­.Creep¡±


    Urk! Critical hit! A child saw my sadistic side!


    I wave my hand, and the map appears before me. I check it, just to make sure I didn''t forget it at Baras. I''d hate to return, since it hasn''t even been a day since I left. We have no idea where we will be after we exit the forest, since no one in the forest knows it. Anyone who exits can never enter back, I think. I place it back in the ring, reassured. I check all my preparations and get ready to leave, but then I stop.


    There was a tree there. A bonsai like tree. It looks very conspicuous, since it¡¯s one of a kind tree, that I¡¯ve seen only in one place other than this.


    ¡°Oi turtle. Did you think I¡¯d forget my promise?¡±


    I release my Monster slayer energy toward the tree, and it shakes. I draw my sword and release it full force. The tree is shivering now. I told you didn¡¯t I? If I find even one of your kind, I¡¯ll exterminate them.


    After putting the turtle meat inside the ring, I once again prepare to set out. The branches stay opened, and we exit the Forest.


    The moment we step into the pathway, we¡¯re at another forest. It¡¯s different from the forest I saw before, because the leaves here were all red. I turn back, and the greenery is all gone.


    Tch. Teleportation huh. Might be random spots.


    ¡°Miliasa, climb onto my back¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Don¡¯t need to.¡±


    ¡°It might be dangerous here¡±


    ¡°The only thing dangerous here might be you¡±


    Oi oi oi, what¡¯s with those lines? Why does the kid hate me?! It breaks my heart. The feeling when a child looks at you with disgust is extremely painful.


    I can only sigh. I advise her to stay close and I keep heading into the forest of red. I shouldn¡¯t let my guard down.


    Odd. There aren¡¯t many monsters here. I frequently use Detect in order to check whether there are monsters. But till now, the only one I¡¯ve encountered is a demon cricket, and Miliasa insisted she¡¯ll fight it. It was cute, seeing her struggle with a little insect. Well the demon insect looked really similar to a normal cricket, except with red eyes and a white body.


    ¡°It¡¯s best if you keep your swords away. Since they look conspicuous.¡±


    ¡°Conspicuous? How?¡±


    I ask, puzzled. Isn¡¯t my Rebellion completely normal?


    ¡°Those kinds of swords are rare for one. And a cursed one is especially rare¡±


    ¡°The sword is cursed? How?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? It gives off an ominous feeling. It¡¯s like a monster sealed in a sword. It wants to eat. The reason it cut easily through that turtle was because of the sword¡¯s curse. ¡°


    Huh. Miliasa is really knowledgeable huh? She spotted in one try that my sword was cursed. Well, it might be obvious. Now that I look at it, the sword does give off an ¡®I¡¯m cursed ¡® feel.


    I heed her advice and put the Rebellion in my ring. I take out another normal sword,  a bastard sword like monster¡¯s¡ªI mean master¡¯s.


    That said, this forest is really huge huh? We¡¯ve been walking in this forest for almost 3 hours, and there¡¯s no sign of an exit. An uneventful journey. We quickly pass by various fruit groves, without any guardians or monsters.


    It¡¯s almost night now, and we set up camp near a stream. Arcus san already taught me how to make a fire and I did it. The branches from those red trees burn really hot and bright. The colour of the flame was pink. Reminds me of Shizuka¡­. I hope that airhead is fine.


    I take out the world tour books from my ring, that I brought with permission from Master. I try to quickly read through it, in order to find any clues of a red forest. There¡¯s pretty much nothing, and I fell asleep, snoring from the reading.


    I woke up with a start, and the book fell onto my lap. I fell asleep huh. Seems like my sleeping habits haven¡¯t improved. Miliasa was already up, and she was poking through my books. I spook her, and she jumps up, shocked. She gets flustered and runs away, hiding behind a tree. Cute. No. Not a lolicon. Don¡¯t look at me with those eyes!


    Wait, why can¡¯t I just ask Miliasa? I¡¯m sure the all knowledgeable Miliasa sama would know about it! I could try asking her.


    ¡°Ne, Miliasa? Do you know where we are?¡±


    She looks at me like I was sort of dumb. Sighing, she answered.


    ¡°Un? Isn¡¯t it obvious? We¡¯re in the Rudia continent, judging from the fact that monsters are on the low and based on the season now, it¡¯s in the southern part of Rudia¡±


    ¡°Uwaa¡­ Miliasa, you¡¯re awesome!¡±


    Must be right on the mark, since there''s not even a hint of doubt in her answer. I can ask every doubt I have to Miliasa sama. She seems flustered from the sudden praise, as she goes back to hiding behind the tree.


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    ¡°Something like this¡­. Is only average¡±


    ¡°No no.. It can¡¯t be?! Miliasa, are you hinting that I¡¯m below average?!¡±


    I ask her, just to tease her. But her reaction was contrary to my expectations.


    ¡°Of course. You¡¯re scum.¡±


    Critical hit! What did I do?!! Miliasa, don¡¯t kill me like that!


    ¡°Ne, Miliasa, why aren¡¯t there any monsters here?¡±


    I ask Miliasa, taking out the map and spreading it out. I check the Rudia continent¡¯s southern part. The only country in the south is the Ugraok kingdom, a comparatively smaller kingdom. I call Miliasa and ask her to point out where we might be. She points to a forest a little bit east off from the small Ugraok kingdom. Meaning, that¡¯s the place we need to head to.


    ¡°That¡¯s because it¡¯s the awakening period of the Dragons.¡±


    ¡°Awakening period?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, the Dragons from these parts are super sloths. They spend most of the year sleeping, and this is the period when they roam around. Of course, there are monsters that aren¡¯t scared of the dragons, who roam around without restraint, but those are rare. The monsters are generally scared of becoming fodder for the dragons, so they go into hibernation¡±


    Miliasa sensei once again proves her superiority. Her knowledge is several leagues above mine.


    ¡°Miliasa, can you tell me the direction we need to go in, in order to reach that country?¡±


    Miliasa nods, and then puts her little hands on the ground, and closes her eyes in concentration. The wind stops blowing, and then Miliasa opens her eyes and points to a direction. Seems that¡¯s the way. Alright. I need to get there within today. It¡¯s only about 30 miles away. I can easily run that much within two hours. I grab Miliasa, put her on my back and run off.


    ¡°Wai-what are you¡ª  ?!!¡±


    I was already zipping through the red forest, and Miliasa¡¯s protest was lost to the roaring of the wind.


    It¡¯s been two hours, and I can see that the forest is thinning. The trees become sparse, and I can see some stumps here and there. Alright! Signs of civilization! We keep running, and I see it.


    A dragon


    Truly majestic. A huge figure, almost 12 meters long, flaps its humongous wings and flies a ways above me. Its red scales glitter in the sunlight, and it ignores me, while flying off.


    I¡¯m itching to fight it, But I should remember that Miliasa is on my back. She¡¯s already turned green, and has vomited a few times.


    Finally, I can see a village. A small one, but a village nonetheless. Alright! My adventure in another world starts now!


    I stop near the village, and let Miliasa down. She looks at me with eyes full of hatred, and throws up again. Haha! That hurts Miliasa.


    I wait for her to recover, and check my equipment. Great. I walk into the village, with Miliasa behind me. She keeps out of my arms reach. I think she¡¯s scared that I might do a grab and run again. Haha.


    It seems this village is called the Pioneer¡¯s village, and the nearest town from here is Ravenblack. What an obvious name. Ravens are black. Is it for general knowledge?


    This village seems to be a small and less urban one, with a makeshift wooden fence around it. The edges of the fence were sharpened, maybe to keep out monsters. There was only the Village head¡¯s house that was worth mentioning, a comparatively better house which seemed to be a bit bigger than my cabin in Baras. The other houses were grey shacks, and there were a great number of them. There¡¯s nothing worth mentioning here, as it¡¯s just a normal village. I prepare to leave for Ravenblack the next day, as I have a feeling there might be something of interest there. My primary objective is to find clues about summoning or foreigners, since that might be my only chance at finding the others. If they were moved to remote spots, I¡¯m gonna be in trouble. If someone died¡­. No wait, it¡¯s better not to smile at the prospect of Satoshi dying.


    The probability that they might¡¯ve been summoned as heroes is very high, since summoning does take place in this world. I read it in a book, that heroes were summoned in times of disaster. I¡¯m sure they might¡¯ve been summoned here as heroes.


    But in such a remote village, there¡¯s no chance of getting clues about heroes and summoning.


    But I know one thing I will do in the next town. Become an adventurer. Not doing that after coming to a fantasy world is like going to a restaurant and not having dinner! Having decided my course of plan, I head outside the village, since that¡¯s the only place I can camp. I don¡¯t have any money too, so becoming an adventurer is my sole option.


    Tonight, I cooked for Miliasa, since normally we just ate the food I had in my ring. The stew made from the damned turtle was delish, seeing Miliasa¡¯s reaction, as she swallowed it all down in one go, and even asked for seconds. Alright, I scored more points with Miliasa!


    As the moon came from behind the dark clouds, I lie down on the Giant bear fur I used as a bed. Miliasa gets a deluxe bed of Demon bird fur, but it¡¯s fine, since Miliasa sama deserves it. I slowly nod off, mesmerized by the flickering flame.

 Chapter 20: I became an adventurer!

    I can see Ravenblack from the cliff I¡¯m currently on.


    A town, which was obvious, comparing it to the Pioneer¡¯s village. It had a mid-European feel to it, with a stone wall around it, and houses that were mostly yellow and white, with a white church that could be seen even from here. Another huge building, a grey building of stone could also be seen. It seemed to be a bustling and lively city, since I can see a lot of people around here. Alright. I¡¯m here!


    But right now, I¡¯m being attacked by a group of Sarols. They were about as big as a normal humans, with yellow skins and, skinny wings. They couldn¡¯t fly, but could jump high up. Their legs were thick and strong, and they mostly used kicks. We were admiring the scenery from above the cliff, and were ambushed by the Sarols. The four Sarols were small fry if I used my Monster slayer energy, but it¡¯s best if I train my base abilities, according to Master. Slayerification should be my trump card.


    I keep parrying the Sarol¡¯s kicks, but the shock from the kick, throws me off balance from time to time. I hold on, trying to spot a weakness. There! One of them just stumbled. I quickly close in, and I try to slice off its leg. I couldn¡¯t completely cut it off, but I could leave a huge gash on it. It collapses, and I attempt to go in for the kill.


    ¡°Waaah!¡±


    Damn! I forgot about Milias! She was about to be kicked by one of the Sarols, and the damage won¡¯t be a few bruises. I quickly get into range, and fire my pre-chanted ¡°Flame¡± and distract them. I dive in front of her, and the other Sarol kicks my side.


    ¡°Gufu!¡±


    I cough, spitting out blood. I¡¯m still inexperienced. Strength is not all in a fight. Tactics, strategy, everything is important. I¡¯m reminded of my inexperience in every fight. In a solo fight, this might not have happened, but in a group fight , i need more experience. I need to form a party! My instincts dull without the Slayer energy, but even with that, fighting while keeping someone safe is difficult.


    I once again go back on the defensive, blocking and parrying the heavy attacks.


    ¡°Earth, pierce through, Earth spike!¡±


    I use my elementary earth magic, and the spike moves to kill the Sarol, flying towards its head. It shatters. But that¡¯s what I needed. A distraction. I stab into the Sarol¡¯s head, killing it. I pull out the sword by wrenching the blade out, so that the blood distracts one of the Sarols. A useful trick Arcus san taught me. It¡¯s been two days since I left Baras, huh.


    I quickly dispatch the other two Sarols and the handicapped Sarol, and wipe my blood on the ground.


    ¡°All right Mili, let¡¯s head to Ravenblack¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    I started calling her Mili, since Milias was a mouthful, and she doesn¡¯t mind it to. The plan of using food to defeat her was a success! We head down the slope, and walk towards the town.


    The difference between a town and a village is evident. People are running about, or conducting trade. Some people also have leather armor and swords on their hips. Adventurers, looks like. Mili looks around, fascinated. Well, it¡¯s not really much different from Baras.


    Right. I¡¯m in a town. So what do I do?


    I¡¯m in a dilemma. My plan was limited to coming to Ravenblack and becoming an adventurer, but now that I think about it, how do I become an adventurer? That¡¯s right, Milias sama!


    ¡°Mili, how do I become an adventurer?¡±


    Mili looks at me strangely, and then replies.


    ¡°You don¡¯t even know that? Isn¡¯t that the absolute bas¡ª. Never mind. We need to register at an Adventurer¡¯s guild.¡±


    ¡°An adventurer¡¯s guild huh.¡±


    So those do exist? Game elements are evident here. Wait. It may be possible that the games were influenced by this world! That makes sense! People get teleported here, and when they return, they use the knowledge from here, to create games. That actually makes sense.


    So a way to return does exist. Good. I was a bit worried.


    ¡°Oi, uncle, do you know where the Adventurer¡¯s guild is?¡±


    ¡°Oya, a newcomer? It¡¯s that grey building over there. Go kill some monsters!¡±


    ¡°Ou!¡±


    I ask an uncle, who looked like an adventurer, and it seems my hunch was right. The grey building is the Adventurer¡¯s guild. I head over there, and above the gate, it was inscribed, Adventurer¡¯s guild.


    I enter the guild. Like in fiction, the guild was filled with macho men and dangerous looking ruffians, with battle hardened faces. To the right, there was a restaurant like setup, and a reception counter to the left. There was a request board next to the reception too. There were stairs in the corner of the room, which climbed to the top of the Guild.


    I walk to the reception, and a receptionist onee-san greets me. She was a bit shorter than me, with auburn red hair tied into a bun. Her spectacles, hiding her brilliant blue irises looks up from the book she was reading when I approach. Mili sticks quite close to me, seemingly intimidated by the ruffians. So she thinks I¡¯m better than dangerous looking people at least. Good.


    ¡°Yes? How may I help you?¡±


    ¡°Um, I want to become an adventurer.¡±


    ¡°Ah you¡¯ll need an entry fee of 200 nirs. Then, please place your hands on the Luxur stone, in order to make your adventurer¡¯s card.¡±


    ¡°Haha.. I don¡¯t have any money..¡±


    ¡°Well, you seem to have some good weapons. Why don¡¯t you sell them at the guild store, and use the money to pay the fees?¡±


    Sell the stuff huh. Maybe I can sell the meat ?


    ¡°Um, can meat and other stuff be sold?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Food is a vital resource after all.¡±


    ¡°Thank you¡±


    I thank her and leave, heading to the guild store. The guild store ¡­ Where is it? There¡¯s only the restaurant and the reception office here. Upstairs?


    ¡°Fufu¡­ It¡¯s just next to the guild.¡±


    The onee san tells me where it is. I thank her, and quickly head to the store. Mili relaxes once we exit the guild. I¡¯m sorry Mili, but we¡¯ll have to head in there again.


    ¡°Uoooo! Is that an interspatial ring?! That¡¯s good stuff, laddie! And this meat! Is this Sarol meat?! You must be quite an experienced adventurer ,lad! Tell you what, I¡¯ll buy all of this meat for 70 silver. How about it? Quite a good deal, eh?¡±


    The guild store owner, a bald muscle man with a handlebar moustache, looks amazed at the sarol meat. It was quite tasty. 70 silver huh?


    ¡°Shopkeeper san, I don¡¯t really get currency though?¡±


    ¡°Of course of course. I¡¯ll tell you.  A 1000 nirs make a silver, a 100 silvers make a rais. A 100 rais make a gold¡±


    Nirs, silver,rais and gold huh. There¡¯s some unconventional names mixed in , but it does seem similar to everyday currency. What about copper though?


    I exchange the meat for the silver, and head back inside the guild. Mili opts to stay out, but I can¡¯t let such a cute girl alone in a town now can I? I drag her in, and walk to the reception onee san again. Right now, I have 70,000 nirs. Plenty. I give the onee san the money, and she places an orb before me. It was filled with some blue mist, which kept swirling around.


    ¡°Place your hands on it, then state your name and title.¡±


    ¡°Title?¡±


    ¡°Ah. It¡¯s what you want to be called as an adventurer.¡±


    I was almost about to keep it as slayer, but decided against it. It¡¯ll be best to keep that hidden.


    I place my hand on the orb, and the mist starts glowing and swirling faster.


    ¡°Yuuya Nakajima. Chaos King¡±


    Right. A name like this, will be¡ª


    No! Too chuuni! I was such an idiot!


    The onee san giggles, but quickly regains her professional expression. Uu¡­so embarrassing. It was a bad idea to use it after all!! I want a re do!


    ¡°Um, can I have a redo?¡±


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.¡°Of course. But it¡¯ll cost you 20 gold¡±


    Tw-Twenty gold?! Impossible! It¡¯s inflation! My fate as a chuunibyou is sealed¡­


    The onee san gives me two cards, one bronze,and the other white.


    ¡°Ah. This is your ID card, and the bronze one is your adventurer card. The ID card will cost another 200 nirs¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t ask for one though?¡±


    ¡°The information network has no record of your mana, so it made an ID card for you. ¡°


    I give her the 200 nirs, and receive the cards. I examine the two cards.


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''1''>Name</td><td colspan=''3''>Yuuya Nakajima</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''1''>Status</td><td colspan=''3''>Commoner</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Race</td><td width="25%">Human</td><td width="25%">Gender</td><td width="25%">Male</td>[tr]<td width="25%">Age</td><td width="25%">16</td><td width="25%">Job</td><td width="25%">Adventurer</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''1''>Name</td><td colspan=''3''>Yuuya Nakajima</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''1''>Title</td><td colspan=''3''>Chaos King</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Race</td><td width="25%">Human</td><td width="25%">Gender</td><td width="25%">Male</td>[tr]<td width="25%">Level</td><td width="25%">28</td><td width="25%">Rank</td><td width="25%">Bronze</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Oh. Admit cards huh. Since Mili also doesn''t have one, maybe I should get one for her.


    "Um, can i get an admit card for her too?"


    "Of course. Place your hands on the Luxur stone."


    I lift Mili up, and she stretches her little hands and places it on the orb. The orb once again glows and swirls, and the onee san picks up the card from below it and gives it to me. She doesn''t even glance at it. Professionalism, i guess. I check Mili''s card.


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''1''>Name</td><td colspan=''3''>Milias</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''1''>Status</td><td colspan=''3''>Princess</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Race</td><td width="25%">Elf</td><td width="25%">Gender</td><td width="25%">Female</td>[tr]<td width="25%">Age</td><td width="25%">93</td><td width="25%">Job</td><td width="25%">None</td></tr></tbody></table>


    E-Eh?! Age¡­ 93?! She¡¯s¡­ she¡¯s a senior! Wait wait. Elves run on a different system. So in a mental sense, I¡¯m older than her.


    I convince myself with that. I forgot that she already knew a lot more stuff than me. Yup. Definitely.


    ¡°Since you¡¯re officially an adventurer now, you can start on the requests ¡°


    ¡° How do I do requests?¡±


    ¡°Ah. You just need to check the requests on the contract board, and tear off the ones you want to do. Shall I give you a thorough explanation?¡±


    ¡°Yes, please¡±


    ¡°There are three types of requests, the guild sponsored ones, the private requests, and the emergency requests. The guild sponsored ones are at the top right corner of the board, and you are not supposed to tear it off, since the guild will pay you if you bring the proof of completion. The public requests are the ones given by other people. Those, you need to take if you¡¯re going to do it. The rewards are decided by them, and they will have to deposit the money to the guild. The guild receives a 5% for putting up the contract, and another 10% upon completion. Of course, the deducted money is removed from the request. The emergency requests are compulsory for all adventurers, and if you decide not to do it, you may be demoted, or even stripped off your adventurer job. Next to it is the notification board, where you can put up announcements. The guild receives a payment for it, and you are not supposed to take it.¡±


    ¡° I see.¡±


    ¡° The adventurers are divided into ten ranks, the bronze, silver, gold, platinum, black gold, mithril, champion, master, emperor and legend ranks. The ground floor is for Bronze and silver ranks, the first floor for gold, platinum and black gold ranks, the second floor is for Black gold, champion and master ranks, and the third floor is for  Legend ranks. Of course, the second floor and above here has never been used, since such high ranked adventurers seldom stay in such rural towns. After joining, you are registered as a Bronze adventurer. After you complete 5 requests of the next rank, you can promote yourself to the next rank¡±


    ¡°I understand. Thank you¡±


    I thank the one san and try to leave the guild, with cards in my hand. Try to. Because some rowdy looking men stand in front of me. I expected this though. But, I need to stay low.


    ¡°Hey, junior. We¡¯re your senior adventurers. Now, show me your card, let¡¯s see your strength!¡±


    The leading man, a tall guy with a mohawk, attempts to take the cards from me. I step back, put the cards inside my coat, and attempt to leave. It¡¯s best not to cause any trouble.


    ¡°Come on~ Don¡¯t be so cold, junior!¡±


    He puts his arm in front of me, to stop me from leaving. Tch. What an annoying guy. Won¡¯t you allow someone to live as a non violence lover?


    So I think, but in reality, I¡¯m itching to thrash him. I hold back my instincts and coldly glare at him.


    ¡°Ha~ Just show me the ID card of the elf. And give her to us. We¡¯ll have some fun time with her~! Right, elf~chan?¡±


    My fist is white from me clenching it so hard. He wants to do vulgar things with my Mili chan? MY MILI CHAN?!


    ¡°Come on little elf~ Let¡¯s play~ In bed~!¡±


    Mili gets scared and hides behind me. I¡¯m one more comment away from sending him to Purgatory, when¡ª


    ¡°OOORYAAAH~!¡±


    Someone else busts in, and sends my prey flying. Good. I would have killed him if he were even a bit more annoying. I look towards our savior, and¡ª


    Her fluttering light blue hair enters my vision. Her light blue eyes, now filled with disgust and anger, stared down at those vulgar men. She wore a white long sleeved shirt with shoulder plates and arm guards, and pants similar to cargo pants. A bow and a quiver were strapped onto her back.


    ¡°How dare you go and bully some newbies huh Marco?!?¡±


    ¡°Shit, Maria, it¡¯s an elf. So we were trying to protect her from that weak looking low life.¡±


    Who¡¯s a low life, you fag! Oh yeah. I¡¯m not a low life too.


    ¡° I don¡¯t care. He does look ¡®super weak¡¯


    [Critical hit]


    and ¡®completely weak¡¯


    [Critical hit X 50]


    and totally a ¡®wuss¡¯


    [Super effective. Yuuya has fainted]


    But that elf chan is travelling with him of her own volition! How dare you try and do such vulgar things, Marco?! Even I¡¯m a lady too!¡±


    ¡°Says who. You¡¯re totally unladylike¡±


    ¡°Yup.¡±


    I nod. And when I look up, everyone looks shocked. Oops. Did I say that out loud?


    ¡°What¡­.did you say?¡±


    Maria san turns her head towards me, her eyes were burning. All my senses are warning me to ru¡ª


    She walked closer to me, and i swear i could see steam coming out of her head. She kicked away the furniture, and edged closer to me. She isn''t going to hit me, right? Right?! Every step of hers seems to make the ground tremble. The entire guild room watched silently. Save me!


    ¡°U-um I was talking to Mili and uh.. agreeing when Mili said that you looked really beautiful!¡±


    ¡°You think I¡¯ll fall for that, you bastard?!!¡±


    She closes in on me, grabs my collar and wrenches me upto her face, looking down on me. She "Humph"s then pushes me away and walks away, all yakuza like.


    The devil incarnate walks out of the guild. I breathe a sigh of relief.


    My first day of becoming an adventurer¡­was a disaster.

 Chapter 21: Never trust people with creepy laughs

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯ll be 40 silver for the damage to the guild. 30 silver for the damages, and 10 for the improper conduct.¡±


    I wept tears of blood as I saw my fortune of 70 silvers slowly fly away from me. Improper conduct? What did i do?!! The onee san smiles sweetly when she receives the money. Uuu¡­ My fortune¡­. Mili has been hitting me for quite some time, since she¡¯s angry that I didn¡¯t do anything. I try to console her as I head towards the request board to take some requests, since my first objective is to double my loss of 40 silvers into a profit of 80 silvers.


    It was a huge board, with various parchments stuck on it with little gold pins. The top right corner, like the onee san said was filled with parchments with green outlines. Those might be the guild sponsored quests. The rest of the request board was full of parchments of various sizes, with a great variety of quests. I check the guild sponsored ones first, The rewards¡­. Were disappointing.


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''>Slime subjugation</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''1''>Requestor</td><td colspan=''3''>Adventurer¡¯s guild</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''1''>Proof</td><td colspan=''3''>Slime cores</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>A slime outbreak has been spotted on the outskirts of Ravenblack, and the local farmers have filed a complaint about it. The adventurer¡¯s guild has decided to sponsor the adventurers in order to reduce the number of slimes as much as possible.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''1''>Recommended rank</td><td colspan=''3''>Bronze, Silver</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''1''>Reward</td><td colspan=''3''>100 nirs for every 10 slime cores</td></tr></tbody></table>


    100 nirs for every 10 slime cores huh. I need to earn 80,000 nirs, so that means I need to kill¡­.. 800 slimes?!! And collect all of their cores too. I¡¯m sure the maximum number of slimes that would be available would be at most 2000. Correlating that with the estimated number of adventurer that would be in Bronze or silver rank, I could get a shot at about 5 of them per day. Meaning, I¡¯ll need to spend at least 50 days to earn it up?! Decreasing the other costs that may happen, like the repair fees I had to pay today, I may be set back for even a longer time. I need a better request, something tougher, and more plausible. I scour the request board, and I tear of three requests that seem perfect. It¡¯ll also help to become a Silver ranked adventurer.


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''>Curas subjugation</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''1''>Requestor</td><td colspan=''3''>Ravenblack mercenaries</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''1''>Proof</td><td colspan=''3''>Curas scales</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>The Curas near the route to Alsain village has been troubling us whenever we try to head to the other villages for work. Urgent cleanup is requested</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''1''>Recommended rank</td><td colspan=''3''>Silver</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''1''>Reward</td><td colspan=''3''>10 silvers</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''>Collecting water from the Red springs</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''1''>Requestor</td><td colspan=''3''>Ravenblack Town Herbalist</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''1''>Required</td><td colspan=''3''>Red spring water (5)</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>The water from the red springs is needed for the preparation of several salves and tonics. The Red springs are infested by monsters, so caution is advised.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''1''>Recommended rank</td><td colspan=''3''>Silver</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''1''>Reward</td><td colspan=''3''>5 silvers for every vials of Red spring water.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''>Sarol subjugation</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''1''>Requestor</td><td colspan=''3''>Ravenblack town head</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''1''>Proof</td><td colspan=''3''>Sarol leg meat</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>A wounded Sarol is bothering the town by frequently gobbling up the village¡¯s livestock. The Sarol is missing a leg, so the difficulty is quite low.</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''1''>Recommended rank</td><td colspan=''3''>Silver</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''1''>Reward</td><td colspan=''3''>20 silvers</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Alright. If I do all of these I can earn 55 silvers at most. The variables are the spring water quest, since it¡¯s possible that the request might have already been fulfilled to a certain degree. I walk off, and then remember.


    ¡°Ah~ Where do I go again?¡±


    ¡°Sigh¡­¡±


    I understood why the spring water collection quest was such at Silver rank. The monsters were small fry, but there were quite a lot of them. But that¡¯s not the tough part.


    ¡°Where is this damn spring?!!¡±


    I yell as I slice apart another monster caterpillar that tries to salivate on me. Ewww. Gross.


    I have no idea where the spring is, and I¡¯ve been in a forest quite a bit away from Ravenblack. I just roamed around the forest, trying to find the spring. I was sure I would find this spring within a second. I was wrong. Oh so wrong.


    I keep walking through the forest, killing occasional caterpillars. I don¡¯t collect their meat. It¡¯s quite disgusting, so it¡¯s better to just leave it alone.


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    As I keep walking, the sounds of battle reach my ears.


    Might be other adventurers. Now, what do I do? I¡¯m sure they know the way to the red spring, so I could ask them for the path. But the limit of vials that is needed is just 5. Meaning, they might get greedy and not share. Well, I could easily outrun them and win the mone¡ª


    ¡°Yuuya, your face looks creepy¡±


    I quickly wipe the evil smile off my face and smile brightly at Mili. She insists on following me, and I let her. She looks quite disgusted with the caterpillar drool though.


    ¡°Mili, there are some other adventurers here. Why don¡¯t we party up with them?¡±


    ¡°Un? Why? Aren¡¯t we plenty? Yuuya is plenty strong¡±


    ¡°Hahaha¡­ Well, that is, don¡¯t they say, ¡®the more the merrier¡¯? And, um, well we can get some frie¡ª¡°


    ¡°Yuuya, you don¡¯t know the way right?¡±


    ¡°Hehehe¡­ Of course I do.¡±


    She stares at me. I can¡¯t look at her face. Geez, do you really want me to admit it?


    ¡°Alright, I don¡¯t ¡°


    ¡°Good. At least you¡¯re honest. Don¡¯t worry. We don¡¯t need the help of some scary adventurers. You have me¡±


    Mili puffs out her little chest and beats her fist on it. Cute. Seriously, too cute.


    ¡°Yes Mili sama. Please lead the way¡±


    ¡°Un! Leave it to me, useless Yuuya¡±


    You didn¡¯t need to say that Mili. I follow after her, and she confidently leads on. Good thing she knows the way¡­


    ¡°Eh? Didn¡¯t we cross this place before Mili?¡±


    ¡°Um, no way. You¡¯re just confused. This is the first time we came here. Of course.¡±


    ¡°So you say, but isn¡¯t that the corpse of the caterpillar I killed a while before?¡±


    Her eyes start swimming wildly, and she tries to make up excuses. I see, we¡¯re lost.


    I sigh. No choice then. I charge up the Dragon slayer energy into my legs, and crouch down. The nerves in my legs bulge, and I can feel my legs digging into the earth. I push off, and fly.


    Flying is so great! I soar through the skies, at high enough speeds. When I reach the apex of my jump, I repeatedly use gust to slow my descent to the maximum. I glance around as much as I can, to find a place where the other adventurers were.


    There. I just saw a hint of flame. Fire magic. I face that direction and land onto the ground, as softly as possible. I grab Mili and put her on my back ,and start my super run.


    ¡°Eh. No wait, waiiiiiiiiiiiiiitttt!!!¡±


    I was already running in the direction, and Mili¡¯s screams were lost to the wind.


    A few minutes later, I can see the adventurers. Change of plans. I¡¯ll just ask them the way to the spring, and be on my way. I ignored all the monsters on my way here, so we get there fast.


    I let Mili throw up, and head on to the adventurers. It was a party of five, with a warrior, two pikemen, and two magicians. An.. ordinary party?


    They were fighting against some of the caterpillars, and seemed to be having a hard time. I remind myself to always pretend to be weak, so that I¡¯m not marked by some weird organization or the other. I wait for the adventurers to finish their battle.


    It¡¯s been fifteen minutes, and they¡¯re still fighting. Are they just seriously weak? They haven¡¯t even killed one caterpillar, and they¡¯re covered in the acid drool.


    Thirty minutes. Even Mili looks amazed at the fight of the adventurers, since they¡¯re taking so long. I¡¯ve given up just killing time, so I try to learn some party play tricks from them.  The warrior engages the caterpillars in battle, using his heavy armour to tank the attacks. The pikemen stab into the gaps of the caterpillars tough skin, in order to distract them and deal some serious damage. The magicians began chanting in sync suddenly. Is this Union magic? I feel interested, and gaze towards their magic.


    ¡°¡±Burn through our enemies, swallowing them in a tempest of flames, leaving behind nothing but their ashes, and present them to the all ruling Fire. Burn through, Flame Vortex!!¡±¡±


    Just like its name, a vortex of flames swallow up the caterpillars, and two of them fall dead. Finally.


    The other three concentrate their attacks on the third one and quickly finish it off. I didn¡¯t use the Monster slayer energy to intimidate them. Nope. Never.


    I wave towards the warrior, who was clad in heavy leather armour, and a copper helm with a red plume on it.


    ¡°Yah? What d¡¯you want?¡±


    ¡°Can you tell me the way to the Red springs?¡±


    The adventurers laugh at me. I have no idea why.


    ¡°Yah sure. Jus¡¯ head tha¡¯ a way. You can get there in no¡¯ time¡±


    He points towards the direction behind him. The pikemen burst out laughing. I seriously don¡¯t understand.


    I thank him and walk off to the direction. I call Mili, who stays away from them and then she follows along too. Their laughter echoes into the forest, and I¡¯m still feeling that something¡¯s wrong. They couldn¡¯t have tricked me right? No way.


    Those bastards. They tricked me. I swear, if I ever find them again, they would wish they were dead.


    Because right in front of me was¡ª

 Chapter 22: A hunting spree has its side effects!

    ¡°Kuhahahahaha!¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but laugh at my luck. Truly, my luck was just too much. Getting tricked by some random adventurers, and now to be trapped in such a situation because I was deceived so easily.


    I can feel Mili trembling on my back. She¡¯s already burrowed her head into my back. Well, it must be scary. Since even I can feel something run down my spine , looking at what lay before me.


    The adventurer¡¯s trick revealed itself, just a while ago, when¡ª


    ¡°Haaah.. Mili, we have been walking for quite a while¡­. Are we even getting close to the red spring?¡±


    Mili had already made my back her base, and was comfortably riding on it. My body was well toned. I was slim, but not too much, with an adequate amount of muscle and a minimum amount of fat. Even after becoming a Slayer, my muscles were only improved, my physique didn¡¯t change much. I never preferred too many muscles, since it¡¯d just make me look like a muscle freak. A muscle fanatic? Although it¡¯s not realistic, I¡¯ll just avoid it.


    If I was ripped with muscles, Mili wouldn¡¯t even come near me now. Right. A bit above average is best after all! That said, I do become quite ripped when I release the Monster slayer energy, but that¡¯s a special case.


    We¡¯ve been walking- well I have been walking in this damn forest for atleast an hour, following the adventurer¡¯s advice. I had half decided that they¡¯d tricked me, but still I kept pushing on, thinking that maybe, just maybe they might have told the truth? As I think that, their laughter once again surfaces onto my mind.


    Then suddenly, I could hear a lot more sounds. The forest rustling, the branches whishing around. I suddenly felt a lot more cautious, and raised my guard.


    My hunch was right. Because suddenly, from the forest, jumped out a lot of them. A lot of monsters. About 4m high, they were covered in dark yellow scales that overlapped all over their body. A long tail swished behind them, and their big heads with sharp canines glared at us. Their heads were like a T-Rex¡¯s, only smaller. Their little eyes squinted at us. Beneath their abnormally long and ripped hands, some webbing like skin connected their underarm and their chests.


    A Curas, if I¡¯m right. Just to make sure, I take out the request sheet and check out the back. There was a sketch of the monster¡¯s characteristics that the onee san had written for me. And it matched perfectly.


    A herd of 23 Curas. Quite a huge group. And right now, any Bronze ranked adventurer would be filled with despair. Because a herd of Curas were something from which a gold ranked adventurer would run away from. Even a platinum ranked would hesitate to attack them. That¡¯s right. Any normal Bronze ranked would have already forfeit their lives right now.


    I couldn¡¯t help laughing at my luck. Yup. My luck was just too good to be true. Because for me, a herd of Curas were nothing but a fountain of cash. And an ambush by the same would be nothing more than a sea full of cash.


    I vaguely remember what the shopkeeper san muttered after looking at the Sarol meat. That some Curas meat would cost¡­. 5 silvers each. Yup. 5 silvers.


    I should really beat up those adventurers for tricking me. But they did help me out, so I¡¯ll leave some money? No. I could just leave a get well card.Yup. Even that was too much.


    My eyes could no longer see the intimidating Curas. Because all I could see was 115 silver piled up in front of me, just waiting to be taken.


    Truly, this was just the jackpot. Because the arrival of the Curas was just too good for me. And three facts made it extremely good.


    First, the income a Curas would bring me was monumental. And if it were a herd of them, it was just raining cash. I could easily earn my loss back with these piggy banks.


    Second, one of Arcus san¡¯s tips. If a monster ambushes you, it always has a hideout nearby, where it could run away to immediately if the situation got bad. Meaning, if I leave one alone and chase them, I could get even more income!


    Third, Gillareal san¡¯s tip. The luck if you could find a dragon related species¡¯ den. Because a species, even remotely related to a dragon, like the Curas, would have the dragon¡¯s basic instinct. Collecting shiny things. Meaning, a den of Curas could give me enough money to live lavishly and still have enough.


    The feeling that runs down my spine, was not a shiver of fear, but the excitement of a challenge. Because I¡¯m not a 100% sure that I could successively take them all down. Even if I went all out, my time limit might become my weakness. Because surely, a large group of monsters would have the advantage of strategies too.


    I had already put away the dummy sword, and pulled out my Rebellion. I could feel it tingling, from the prospects of this fight.


    I rush in, forgetting everything around me. The ecstasy of battle has already taken root into my mind¡­.


    I couldn¡¯t help but yawn. These caterpillars are way too weak. We could defeat it in just half an hour. I mean, seriously. It¡¯s a silver ranked quest. It should at least be life threatening.


    But no. This quest is seriously too easy. In two, no one week, we could finish it.


    Our party, the Wolf Dragons, is a silver ranked party pretty well known in the guild. Because, we could easily finish some of the toughest Silver ranked quests, most of us were in the top 20 silver ranked in our guild¡¯s leaderboard. I¡¯m sure, there¡¯s no one in Ravenblack who doesn¡¯t know our names.


    ¡°Oraa, Lux, don¡¯t you think we¡¯re pretty close to the springs now? Check the map¡±


    My buddy, the pikeman Cricks calls out to me. I take out the map from the little backpack I have. Our party was relaxing, since for now, there don¡¯t seem to be any monsters nearby.


    I spread out the map, and ascertain our location. A bit more to the east. An hour¡¯s walk at most I think.


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    ¡°We¡¯ll get there in an hour, tops, tha¡¯ a way.¡±


    ¡°Allright! Let¡¯s prep up as soon as we can. Oi ladies, we¡¯re leaving. Mark, pack up the stuff. We¡¯re gonna get that spring water today.¡±


    I check my sword for any chips or nicks. After cleaning it off caterpillar goo, I sheathe it and prepare to head out. The two magicians also pick up their staves and dust off their clothes. Alright, we¡¯re ready.


    ¡°Good thing we have a map huh? Otherwise, we would be roaming this forest forever, and still not find it¡±


    Yup. Everyone agrees. The forest of the lost, which was the name of this forest, was very easy to get lost in. Even with a map, we had sidetracked a few times, but somehow, we could reach this point. It was pure luck that we got the map. We ignored the request on the board, and went onto directly meet the requestor, since he was an acquaintance. My hunch was right. He did have a map. He gave it to us for 2 silvers, but that was a loss we were willing to take. Even taking into account the travel expenses, we would get a net profit of 20 silvers at least. And with the five of us, that¡¯s 4 silvers. A great payday.


    ¡°Haha. I wonder how that idiot of a rookie died¡± (Mark)


    ¡°Yup! He was so na?ve. Asking random adventurers for directions, not even considering that even we may have come for the quest.¡± (Cricks)


    ¡°He¡¯s a rookie, so he might have thought that quests that were on the board would have been untaken.¡± (Magician 1)


    ¡°Yah. He was so weak lookin¡¯. How did he eve¡¯ get this fa¡¯?¡± (Lux)


    ¡°Maybe the lil elf girl who was with him?¡± (Mark)


    ¡°Uooo! There was an elf?! Why didn¡¯t you tell me? If we called her, I¡¯m sure she would easily come over!¡± (Cricks)


    I could totally agree with Cricks. Because elves were undoubtedly beautiful. If I could get one as my girl¡­. I wipe off my drool, and turn serious again. Right. It¡¯s a shame but, that elf would have died by now.


    The death claw. That was the area I had directed them off to. A popular site of Curas ambushes, which was just overkill. Even stepping in there would already decide your fates. It¡¯s quite far, but they would head there, since adventurers are desperate for money. Even if it could be a trap, that rookie would head there, believing in my words. What a pitiful end.


    ¡°Hahahahaha!!!¡±


    I couldn¡¯t hold my laughter in. The Curas herd that attacked me were already in my ring, all 22 of them. The last one did its job, leading me to its hideout. I stand at the entrance, unable to hold in my laughter.


    After all, this was a Curas den. And it should be quite easy. Most of the members go out for ambushes, and now, only some people should be home.


    I walk in, checking the amount of time I can use Monster Slayer energy for. Half a minute left. Too less. The ambush was successful, if I do say so myself. Their team play was so great, that after killing just two of them, I was already forced to use my Monster slayer energy. Truly, team battles are fearsome.


    Even then, it wasn¡¯t easy. The Curas judged that my power boost should only be temporary, and they kept attacking sparsely, trying to tire me out.


    3 minutes. That¡¯s how long it took for me to take them out. The last one already started retreating, and I reverted back and chased after the stupid pseudo dragon.


    And now, I¡¯m here. I advise Mili to hide somewhere near here, since it could become danger in such a place where visibility was low. Thankfully she agreed, and hid herself. Amazing. I couldn¡¯t even sense a hint of her presence.


    I enter the cave, ready to get the shiny stuff.


    ¡°DERYAAAH!¡±


    I parry the Curas¡¯s claws, and sliced off its arm with an upward slash. The Curas screamed in pain and retreated. Another replaced it, immediately using a new attack pattern.


    29


    ¡°Killer Stab!¡±


    I use the Monster Slayer¡¯s sword specific skill, and pierce through the gaps of the Curas¡¯s thick scales, killing it.


    28


    Three more attack, and I go on the defensive, trying to find an opening.


    Right now, I was in a huge cave, within the Curas den, where another horde of a shocking 34 Curas attacked me. I killed off 4, and then was forced to use Monster Slayer energy. A monster house, with a 30 second time limit.


    By the time I use Flame and kill two of them, the other brings his claws down onto my back. The claws get deflected away, by a metallic clang. The steel like skin of a slayer won¡¯t be cut by something like that! I twist around and throw a knife I just brought from my ring right into the Curas¡¯s head. Another kill.


    8.


    Only 12 Curas are left, and 8 seconds for me to stay OP. I can¡¯t stop Monster slayer energy now, since the strain won¡¯t be a breeze to recover from, and my overpowering defense would fall considerably.


    Rebellion relishes as it cuts through the neck of the Curas, cutting through it like butter.


    1.


    I collapse, and start gasping. Haaaah haaah¡­ This wa¡­ was¡­ tiring¡­. I struggle onto my feet, and the rebound was huge. Finally, finally done. I couldn¡¯t help smiling, since the battle was just too exciting. I learnt quite a lot of stuff from this, and even more moonneeey!!! I need to call Mili¡ª


    I lean against the wall of the dark cave, gasping. Damn. My luck ran out this time. I used it up too much with the Curas, since I¡¯m getting the repercussions now. The dummy cloak I wore was now torn, and a huge gash spread across the front. The white shirt I had gotten was now red, drenched with blood. My blood. I never expected it to appear in such a moment though.

 Chapter 23: Always have a trump card

    A rabbitman. Contrary to its name, which gives off the image of people with rabbit ears, these are monsters which are completely unrelated to the Ulbae, the actual people with rabbit ears.


    The rabbitman, is actually a monster. A monster strong enough to rule an entire den of Curas. Of course, a normal rabbitman cannot do such a feat, but the ones that have the ability to do this are the Evolved rabbitmen. Yup. Monsters evolve. Mid fight, post fight or pre fight, when some conditions are met, like mutations, monsters evolve.


    And an evolved rabbitman is just a heap load of trouble. Especially when the opponent is under the rebound of using a forced modification technique to boost his abilities. Yup. You guessed right. I¡¯m currently at the mercy of an evolved Rabbitman.


    My entire body feels like lead, and I can feel something exploding in my body from time to time. Not good. My body is being racked with pain, and I can barely move. Right now, I¡¯m in a pinch.


    The white plushie like monster stares down at me with its glowing crimson eyes. In its cute rabbit hands was a long sickle, with the steel glistening from the dim light in the cave, with its sharp end pointed at me.


    The rabbit ears of the rabbit plushie waved from side to side, as if it was happy. A stitched mouth, and button eyes. Really, a plushie, except with overflowing killing intent.


    The athletic plushie had complete dominance over me, and I could do nothing but stare back.


    This pinch, is quite disadvantageous for me. At most, with the amount of pain my body is enduring, I can swing my sword once at best. I only have 1 second left for using Monster slaying energy, since if I exceed the limit, I might lose consciousness, or worst case scenario, rampage.


    My chest is throbbing, and the fresh beads of blood emerge everytime I move. It¡¯s quite bad, a 20cm slash on my chest, under extreme rebound, and the maximum movement I can do is just one. It seems simple when I think, to just use the energy and kill the monster within one second, but the rabbitman has total advantage.


    Due to the wound on my chest, even if I tried to move, it would be extremely slow, and the rabbitmen would instantly kill me.


    If I charge up my energy, the rabbitman would notice and kill me.


    Checkmate huh.


    But, there was one lesson Master taught me in her ¡®Hell¡¯s training¡¯


    Always have a few cards up your sleeve.


    I smile at the rabbitman, exuding an aura of confidence. The first trick, Bluff.


    An instant effect. The rabbitman stiffens. The plushie immediately raises its sickle, bringing it down onto my throat.


    The second trick, Misdirection.


    I look to the entrance, and yell,¡± Come out, Mili!¡±


    A perfect bluff. The rabbitman turns its head, looking to where I looked.


    ¡°Idiot. Pierce through, Earth spike~!¡±


    The needle like earth heads towards the face of the rabbitman, but it easily cuts it apart. That was my plan from the start though. I complete the words I need to speak.


    ¡°¡ª sword¡±


    The rabbitman looked shocked. It gazes down at the huge greatsword that pierces through the chest of the rabbitman. A huge greatsword, its blade was black, with violet energy pulsing through it. My real trump card.


    The rabbitman instantly collapses, and the sickle makes a *CLANG* sound as it falls to the ground.


    My win.


    I can¡¯t even maintain consciousness anymore, and slowly, I slip off into the gentle embrace of sleep.


    ¡°Urgh¡­¡±


    I groan as I open my eyes. Urgh¡­. The corpse of the rabbitman lies in front of me, with a huge gash through it. I smile at my ¡®trump card¡¯


    ¡°How..long?¡±


    I struggle to get up. There¡¯s mostly no major pain, but my body feels sluggish, and fatigue rules my body. I raise myself somehow, and stagger to the sword on the ground. I pick it up, and place it in my ring. I feel too tired, my vision is blurry. I lean on the wall, and take some deep breaths. This¡­ this rebound was extreme..


    I remember the rabbitman and shudder at my unpreparedness. I stagger to the rabbitman, and it was as its appearance suggested. A plushie. Inside, there was some kind of soft white flesh inside. I put into my ring. I sigh at the scene unfolding before me.


    The huge room in the cave was littered with corpses. Some without heads, some with cuts on their body, a one sided massacre. Even platinum adventurers would be shocked if they found out that this was done by just one person.


    ¡°Mili¡­¡±


    She¡¯s still hiding. I need to quickly search this room, and return to her.


    I check around the room, in order to find something. I want my treasure~!


    In the end, I found a small crevice in the rock, and upon closer inspection, I found out that it was actually a huge hole high up in the wall. I use the crack from the wall to slowly climb the wall. The fatigue still holds me down, but I somehow climb on.


    It was shiny.


    That was my only expression. The place was filled with gold and other gems. I didn¡¯t check since the next moment everything was gobbled up by my ring. I hope there might be some good equipment in that lot.


    I fiddle with my eyepatch, bored, as I walk to the entrance. This quest was troublesome. I fought a lot of monsters, and I didn¡¯t even complete the quest. Well great.


    Once I emerge from the forest, it was early in the morning. Mili was alone all this time? I felt a bit guilty when I thought that. But I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be okay, since she¡¯s Mili after all.


    ¡°Mili? Miilliiiiii?¡±


    I call out a few times, and then wait for some time.


    After a couple minutes, I could hear some tottering footsteps, and from that direction, a haggard Mili appeared.


    ¡°Mili? What happened?¡±


    ¡°Yuuuyyyaaaa!!!¡±


    She jumps into my chest. I didn¡¯t feel happy, only worried. Yup. Definitely.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong Mili?¡±


    I ask her as I pat her head. Her dark green hair was disheveled and she herself looked really tired.


    ¡°Yuuya went into the cave 3 days ago, and didn¡¯t come back too! I was really worried! How could I go home without a meat wall! I could have died you know! I had food so I survived, but all night the monsters howled, so I couldn¡¯t even slee¡ª¡°


    3 days?! I was out for 3 days?! Woah. Poor thing. She must have been scared. I stroke her head. I ignore the ¡®meat wall¡¯ part. It didn¡¯t hurt. Nope. Definitely no¡ª


    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    ¡°Mili, you can sleep now. We¡¯ll leave after you get enough sleep¡±


    ¡°Un¡­¡±


    She dozed off, and I kept patting her. Sleeping Mili looks cute. I lay her down on my lap, and I take out my sleep assistor. Books. I take out the monster books this time, and read through it.


    I wake up, and understand the situation when I look at the open book next to me. I place it into my storage, and gently wake Mili up.


    ¡°Mili, it¡¯s time to wakeup you know?¡±


    She slowly stirs awake, and lets out a cute yawn. When she sees me, she looks shocked. She looks where she¡¯s sitting, my lap. Her face gets red at an alarming speed.


    She jumps off, and hides behind a tree again.


    Haha~ Too cute.


    ¡°Well then, shall we go no, Mili?¡±


    ¡°Un¡±


    ¡°Wh-wh-what is this laddie?!!¡±


    The shopkeeper san looks shocked. Well he might, since a mountain of Curas meat just appeared from nowhere. I calmly reply to him.


    ¡°63 Curas meat. I want to sell it.¡±


    The shopkeeper san looks at me, bewildered.


    I extend my hand


    ¡°That¡¯ll be 315 silvers old man.¡±


    ¡°Uh..Uhhhh¡­ ¡°


    He needs some time to catch up with what happened it seems. Well I don¡¯t blame him. But the money is more important.


    A few minutes later, the shopkeeper san composes himself and weighs all the meat, and accurately takes the readings.


    ¡°All right kid. I¡¯ve confirmed there¡¯s 63 Curas worth meat, but I can¡¯t give you 315 silvers. Since it¡¯s a bulk purchase, the most I can pay you is 290 si¡ª¡°


    ¡°Give it.¡±


    ¡°Eh? You¡¯re not gonna try and bargain? Well whatever floats your boat kid.¡±


    I keep my arm extended, impatient. The shopkeeper san understands and quickly gives me a small bag of coins.


    I open it and count it meticulously. 2 rais coins, which look like emerald discs. And a whooping 90 silvers!


    I feel overjoyed! Yay!


    ¡°All right. Old man, there¡¯s something else.¡±


    ¡°What is it kid?¡±


    I bring out the rabbitman¡¯s corpse onto the counter.


    ¡°Eh?! IS that a rabbitman?!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a gold ranked monster right?!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s evolved too! Pl-platinum ranked?!!¡±


    The surroundings become noisy. I see. It¡¯s famous huh. Maybe I should have shown it in private. Well too late to regret it now.


    I immediately forget the unnecessary things, and extend my hand again. Shopkeeper san also looked shocked at first, but then laughed heartily and handed me a coin.


    A-a-a-a- gold coiiinn?!?!?!?!


    I couldn¡¯t hold in my surprise at the unexpected amount. I¡¯ve decided. The rabbitman is gonna become extinct.


    I head off from the store, and enter the guild. It looks as rowdy as always. I head to the onee san.


    ¡°Haah.. I want to report the failure of a quest please¡±


    ¡°Failure? Are you sure? That¡¯ll blackmark you though?¡±


    Blackmarks are what they are. A blackmark is given whenever you failed a quest. The more the blackmarks, the more unreliable the adventurer.


    ¡°Yes¡­ I couldn¡¯t find the red springs¡±


    ¡°Ah. Then you could just buy a map of the area and try to track it down?¡±


    I felt stupid. The completely obvious answer from the onee san makes me feel stupid .I dejectedly head to the inn I had booked for a week in advance.


    The Roaches Hometown, with a completely unreliable name was the inn I was staying in. It was livable, and the food was terrible. Well, since I cooked myself, we had no shortage on that part, and we could sleep, so it was a win win situation.


    I head to the room, tired and depressed.


    When I open the door, Mili was there, sitting on other bed, reading one of the books I gave her.


    I shut and lock the door. I shut the windows, and only a dim light enters the room.


    Yuuya, what are you doing?¡±


    ¡°A check on the rewards¡±


    I look at my ring in anticipation, to check the contents of the Curas treasure.


    ¡°Huh¡±


    I could just stay that to the Curas treasure.


    ¡°No matter how you look at it, isn¡¯t this just junk?


    It could best be described as a junkyard.


    Because it was just toys with shiny colours. All of the treasure was like that. There was a  pile of gold coins, which I put into my storage. It might be an antique, or the currency from another country.


    I examine the rest. I¡¯ve already got rid of most of the junk. Right now, I¡¯m looking at the stuff I thought would be useful.


    A pair of gloves, A bandanna, A knife, and a bracelet.


    The rest was just gold ornaments, which I might just sell.


    Now, these things. All of these seem like normal items, but they¡¯re not normal. Why? Because several patterns have been drawn on them. Like one suspicious circle I know.


    ¡°Mili, do you know what these circles are?¡±


    ¡°Un?.... those are magic inscriptions. It¡¯s like a program to execute its function. Basically, a magic artifact.¡±


    Magic artifact! Bingo. But ,just because it¡¯s a magic artifact doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯ s something great.


    I examine the gloves. A white pair, with black flames on it. On the back of the glove was an inscription pattern. I immediately wear it, and it snugly fits in. I poured my mana into them.


    The inscriptions glow, and the glove changes a bit. The threads of the gloves unravel and retie themselves, rapidly. And in less than 5 seconds, a shield was formed from the threads on one arm.


    I see. Gloves with high defense, and a special function to create a shield. It¡¯s useful.


    The bandanna, I decide to check at a later date. It gives off an ominous feeling, like it¡¯s cursed. And I¡¯m worried off wearing it on my head.


    The knife, was a normal knife with one jagged end . I poured mana into it, and the knife burst into flames!


    Shocked, I dropped it. The moment it left my hands, the flames died off. I see. An incantation boost like effect eh.


    Finally, I pick up the bracelet. It was made of light green gems connected end to end with each other. It was completely empty.


    A useless find?


    Not a chance. It might have some use.


    I wear it on my left hand, so I can easily check on it.


    The rewards from the subjugation weren¡¯t disappointing. But the cash award was delightful!

 Chapter 24: I joined my first party!

    The Sarol glared hatefully at the enemy that stepped before it. It could do nothing but glare at the monster, because at its current strength, it couldn¡¯t even scratch the entity. The Sarol wasn¡¯t sure if it could do it even at full strength. Despair, hate, was all that existed in the mind of the Sarol.


    A few weeks ago, the Sarol¡¯s leg was cut off by some adventurer party. The Sarol was ready to die, but the adventurer party quickly retreated since they were also badly wounded. Thankful that it survived, the Sarol laid low and hunted the delicious meat from the small villages.


    And then, one fine day, this hateful man appeared.


    The man who the Sarol could do nothing against.


    The man who called the Sarol ¡¯20 silvers¡¯.


    I whistled happily as I left the guild, tossing the 20 silver coins in my hand. Haah~ Being rich feels so good!


    Today was a good day. Luckily, I found a slime den on the way to the highway to Alsain village, and after finishing it off, I earned a net total of 10 silvers, killing about a 100 slimes there. After that, the Curas, which was, for some reason, immensely scared when I came, got me another 10 silvers. And the 20 silvers from subjugating that monster.


    All in all, a good day.


    I also got some good news, that the party that cheated me into getting a large amount of treasure got overwhelmed by monsters and they retreated, failing the quest, about a week ago, when I returned to Ravenblack. I already erased my blackmark by completing two higher ranked quests. If I complete 4 more silver ranked quests, I can easily become a Silver ranked adventurer.


    I plan on leaving Ravenblack once I become a Silver rank. Of course, I have no idea where to head to, but I¡¯m sure Mili sama will know. Because after all, Mili sama knows everything there is to know!


    ¡°Oii! You there! Eyepatch kun!¡±


    Someone calls out to me, I think. I turn around, and I see a young man, about my age, in flashy silver armour, with his red spiky hair, waving at me.


    I head to him, while I check out his equipment.


    My estimation¡­ Gold Rank?


    ¡°Yo! The name¡¯s Zwert¡±


    Zwert extends his hand towards me.


    ¡°Yuuya¡±


    We shake hands, and then the lady ki- Zwert starts speaking.


    ¡°I heard your party beat an evolved rabbitman?¡±


    ¡°Haha Nothing of the sort¡±


    ¡°Trying to lay low?¡±


    ¡°Might be so. What might your business be?¡±


    ¡°An invite. To become temporary members of our gold ranked party, Air walkers. How about it?¡±


    That was abrupt. He didn¡¯t even sugarcoat his words. This guy, he¡¯s surprisingly honest, contrary to his looks.


    A party huh?


    ¡°Why do you want to form a party?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re gonna do an advancement quest, of platinum rank, and we only need one more person for it. A magician is preferable though¡±


    ¡°A magician? I¡¯m not one you know?¡±


    ¡°Ah that¡¯s fine. You can just bring people you know as well¡±


    Ah! I sniffed out his true intention. He doesn¡¯t really want me, he wants Mili. But since Mili is an elf, they assumed she¡¯s a great magician, and she¡¯s helping me out. But Mili won¡¯t join them if they just ask her. They decided for a package deal, huh? Fine. I¡¯ll play along.


    ¡°Is that so? When are you gonna do the quest?¡±


    Zwert looks happy, since it seems I accepted. I hope he¡¯s not thinking something like ¡®What an easy guy. Truly a leech¡¯ or something.


    ¡°Today, in an hour, near the Alsain highway. Can you come?¡±


    ¡°Ah. Got it¡±


    I nod and leave the place. I head to the inn, since Mili was waiting there.


    When I reach the door, I can hear faint voices of chanting going on. I see. Mili is practicing magic huh.


    I open the door and go in. Mili greets me, and then quickly begins reading the books.


    ¡°Mili, I¡¯ll be gone for a while okay? I¡¯ll leave some food for you too. Remember, don¡¯t leave the inn. Understood?¡±


    I advise her, like a parent, as I organize my stuff and rearrange everything.


    ¡°Un! ¡°


    Feeling relieved, I head out, to the meeting place.


    ¡°Eh? What the? The elf chan is not here?¡±


    That explains everything. Everyone was disappointed that Mili didn¡¯t come. Well, I just came here for party play though. There¡¯s a chance they might kick me out too. We carried out the introductions, as  a social nicety.


    Zwert¡¯s party consisted of a warrior which was him, with the silver armor he had before. A longsword was at his hip, with gold inscriptions on it. Most probably a magic sword, no doubt. His silver armor was covered with a red mantle.


    There was a magician, called Aura. She was obviously a demihuman, with her slit like pupils, and a long forked tongue that snaked out when she talked. She wore a full length robe, with golden stars on its dark blue cloth. A¡­ childish image. She had a cute wand with a star at its end as her weapon, and I could faintly see the outline of a dagger near her legs. There were scales on places of her body, and her black hair fluttered around quite freely. What if it got caught in a fire magic?


    Another member, called Kai. A huge muscular man, who wore sleeveless thick armor. His bulged hands quite frequently kept checking the giant hammer on his back. He had spiky yellow hair, with a scar near his jaw.


    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    The last member of Air walker was someone I knew. I didn¡¯t wait for her to introduce herself, and walked right up to her. Without a hint of hesitation, I bowed and apologized.


    ¡°Maria san, I¡¯m very sorry for what I said that day. You saved me from those people and I was quite rude to you. I offer my deepest gratitude, and my apologies¡±


    In a quite noble like manner, I offered polite lines to her, with a bow. Maybe they¡¯ll confirm their mistaken suspicions about me being a noble who just wanted to play adventurer. Of course, my gratitude was not false, neither was my apology. She was quite cute, and it would be unjust for me to name her as unladylike even after she saved me.


    She looked flustered at my words, and started stuttering her words.


    ¡°N-no it¡¯s al-alright. I ju-ju-just did what I ha-had to d-do, afte-after all¡±


    She nervously eyes her teammates, avoiding eye contact. Weird. The person who came to the guild exuded confidence, since she even beat up a total stranger. The other teammates were ignoring this, presumably because of me. This party, it¡¯s quite strange.


    We¡¯ve already started the hunt, heading into the forest of the Lost. A clich¨¦ name, but it was quite true. Without a map, it was quite easy to get lost in this natural maze.


    We¡¯re in Curas territory right now, heading deeper in. I asked Zwert whether it was a good idea, and he laughed it off, saying ambushes were easy for them. Maria still avoids me, and walks off a distance from the main party. They don¡¯t even pay attention to her, and keep heading in. I think it¡¯s natural though. An archer is a long range fighter after all. But, isn¡¯t that a little bit too far? As I thought, this party was bursting with strangeness.


    ¡°Yuuya, you don¡¯t need to fight alright? If we really need your help, we¡¯ll call for you, so till then, just stay back, alright? We need our members to have reserve strength after all.¡±


    This guy, Kai, wasn¡¯t he too much of a nice guy? He¡¯s plainly hiding the fact that I¡¯m weak, and tries to encourage me by saying stuff like ¡® You¡¯re our trump card¡¯ and all. I was almost about to smirk, but I played along, nodding my head.


    We keep heading in, with no signs of an ambush.  Now, the party members raise their guard, since the lack of an ambush in Curas territory is just strange. I¡¯m sure they won¡¯t attack for a while though. Huehuehue.


    A while later, some nostalgic faces walk out of the woods.


    His red plume is still fresh in my mind. I do owe him a gift card after all.


    Right, the party that tricked me, just crossed us. Seeing us, they waved their arms and walked to us. Those lucky bastards. If only I weren¡¯t with these guys, I would already be carving your gift cards!


    But for now, I quickly retreat to the back, and walk off to a thicket, under the guise of checking the curious and interesting flowers that were growing. Maria glances at me, full of suspicion, but she just lets it pass, since like me, even she was retreating.


    ¡°Air walkers huh? Zwert, you¡¯re planning on doing the advancement quest?¡±


    ¡°Lux huh? Yup. It¡¯s odd to see a silver ranked in these parts. Or did you forget that the death claw was a bane for silver ranks?¡±


    ¡°Hahaha~ You don¡¯t get it do you? These parts are no longer gold platinum ranked. The Curas were exterminated by us a few days ago after all. Why do you think we failed our quest?¡±


    That bastard! He¡¯s stealing my credit?! He extends his hands towards Zwert.


    ¡°Leader of gold ranked party, Wolf dragons, the bane of Curas¡±


    Th-they got promoted to gold rank? By stealing MY credit?!


    ¡°Go-gold ranked? You exterminated the Curas? Don¡¯t kid me Lux! You¡¯re not even capable of taking down a caterpillar alone!¡±


    Yeah! Give it to him Zwert! That bastard.


    The bastard smiles back at Zwert, and walks off.


    ¡°Enjoy the death claw. It¡¯s the easiest area for us after all¡±


    You think you can act cool just by stealing what someone else did? I¡¯ll remember this, you thief.


    ¡°All right guys. Although it¡¯s unbelievable that those Wolf dragons could wipe out the Curas, but either way, it¡¯s a great thing for us. We can head directly to our destination, the lair of Dortohs.¡±


    Dortohs huh. I remember reading about those boars.


    ¡°So, let¡¯s just quickly finish this subjugation and become platinum ranked!¡±


    ¡°¡±¡°Ou!¡±¡±¡±


    Everyone yells out with fighting spirit, except Maria. She looks depressed for some reason. I wonder why?


    We walked into a newer area, which was less denser than the death claw, and more sky could be seen. The Dortohs lived on plains deep inside the forest. And it was quite a trip to get there.


    *Rustle!*


    Suddenly, some ¡®things¡¯ jump out of the branches.


    ¡° Careful, those are Nores! ¡°


    The Nores, like Zwert called them, looked like kids. With brown skin, their legs were covered by stuff like beehives. They had a long nose, and a wig made of leaves.


    Everybody rushed into battle, and I just stood back to observe, in order to learn more about party play. I took up the offer that Kai so graciously offered to me, and waited.


    As to the strangeness about the party and Maria¡¯s odd behavior, it was immediately clear in this fight.

 Chapter 25: The Weakest Class

    [Sorry for the delay in updates. I was a bit busy, so i couldn''t update. Also, there''s a change in my schedule, since i''m starting work on my other fiction, "I''m the descendant of the Maou". So i''ll be updating on alternating days, if possible. Thx for reading, and hope you enjoy it!]


    The Nores weren¡¯t really strong monsters, individually. They were group type attackers, who focused on a main contingent attacking from the front while a few others hid in the surroundings, sending sneak attacks. A sly bunch. But anything goes.


    They primarily used wind magic, using wind blades, which were the greatest threats, since it was invisible, flying at their enemies. The wind blade is their primary attack magic, and their racial characteristic was Wind Armor, which causes the surrounding air to automatically form a current on their body, deflecting minor attacks and such. Even a variant Nores, could only use Wind blast, a violent torrent of wind, as their trump card.


    Variant monsters were special, since they were created by mutations in their genes. Of course, that was my theory, and the one prevalent here was that they got stronger by gaining a great amount of mana.


    Variants could be stronger, weaker, or experts in another field. Some, like the variant Nores that¡¯s here, can use stronger wind magic, while some would lose the ability to use wind magic. The others might gain the ability to use Fire magic and wind magic. Well, you get the idea.


    And right now, we were being confronted by 4 Nores and one variant. The variant was of a lighter brown, with darker green leaves on its head. I could immediately sense with a short burst of Detect that there were more than 5 hiding around us, waiting for us to drop our guards.


    And the battle begins.


    The magician Aura starts chanting, in some language I don¡¯t know yet. Oh yeah. Magic had different variations too. Chants could be in different languages and the slight differences in the meanings of the words changes the power of the words significantly. The language I use to chant is the Emulcus language, the one Master taught me. It significantly raises the base ability of every magic, so it¡¯s good enough for me. I¡¯ve started learning the Renicus language, one which boosts the ability of Fire magic. The chant languages are like tongue twisters, and if you don¡¯t understand the underlying meaning, it¡¯ll only come out as ¡°Doobidabidada¡± and other gibberish. Your understanding of the chant brings the magic into this realm, and your vision of the magic changes its appearance. Or so, ¡°The guide to understanding magic¡± says.


    Also there are three types of magic, the Model magic, the Original magic, and the freeform magic. Model magic is something like default magic, with the chants being pre written and the power and delivery is all at a set level. Something like using a store bought car for races. Original magic is brought about by one¡¯s own understanding, so the power and delivery are maxed out. This is like using a custom car. And free form magic is almost not related to magic at all, since it involves bringing the magic into the material world, and giving it shape and specific features. Meaning, I could use fire natured mana to create a barrage of fire magic spikes. Freely forming it by one¡¯s imagination and it doesn¡¯t need any chants. It¡¯s like building a car myself. But, the difficulty in freeform magic is on another level, since constant concentration is required. Failing at using it can cause a severe rebound. Or so, ¡®Types of Magic 101¡¯ says.


    By the time I reviewed my knowledge, Aura finishes chanting and aims her star wand at Zwert. Some kind of yellow bands revolve around him. Reinforcement magic, I guess?


    He rushes in, swinging his sword around. Is he mad? No, if I look closely, I can see the faint changes in the wind current where he hits. Wind blades, huh?


    My guess was right, since even the Nores jump back, waving their hands around, and wind currents start forming. They can fire at about 3 blades per second, and there were four of them. The variant stays back, biding his time. The wind blades fly at the party, and Zwert expertly deflects them to the surroundings.


    Aura starts chanting again, this time it seems to be something much more complex, since she immediately tenses up. Makes me curious.


    Kai, the hammer dude, keeps guard for Aura, to make sure no one attacks her. Seems like the need of a magician is essential.


    Maria, on the other hand, is weird. While everyone else is fighting, she keeps her bow at the ready, not firing any of the arrows on her back. She looks tense, and watches the fight as such. She notices my stare, gets flustered, immediately nocks an arrow and shoots.


    By chance, it wasn¡¯t because she didn¡¯t want to look uncool in front of her junior right?


    Perfect hit. The arrow flies and hits the Nores on the forehead, and it dies, the poor Unicorn Nores.


    But almost immediately¡ª


    ¡°MARIA! I TOLD YOU TO NOT SHOOT! HOW DARE YOU DISOBEY ME?!¡±


    Zwert¡¯s kind and friendly attitude disappears, and he roars at Maria, with rage on his face. Disobey? Dude. What the hell is going on here?


    The other members of the party sent reproachful gazes at her, as if agreeing with him.


    Maria looks down, her eyes clouded.


    The variant suddenly takes advantage of this moment of falling out between party mates. He raises his little clawed hand, and growls. Suddenly, a huge burst of wind flies towards us, throwing the party off balance. The other Nores take this chance to prepare to fire a simultaneous barrage of Wind blades. The damage won¡¯t be minor. All right, a bit of help is fine.


    I release a quick burst of Monster Slayer energy, freezing the Nores due to the sudden killing intent from a much stronger monster.


    The variant turns its leafy head towards me. Haha. You got me, tree head.


    It points its finger at me and grunts. All of the Nores turn their heads towards me. Shit. My plan was a success, in a sense. Although it didn¡¯t improve my situation.


    Ok. I didn¡¯t want to reveal myself this soon though.


    But before I could start my rampage, the one other person who doesn¡¯t lose balance, raises his giant hammer and roars. Is he the tank?


    But, even he won¡¯t get off unscathed from 24 wind blades fired in a second. But, since the hidden ones haven¡¯t revealed themselves here, I can decrease the amount by at least 15. He¡¯ll survive, I guess.


    I move into the woods, towards the first Nores I detected. In a single slash, I finished it. It couldn¡¯t even raise a scream. I aim at the most probable location of the second and third Nores, and leak a bit more of the Monster Slayer energy. They stiffen, and I could clearly see the leaves rustle.


    Three down. Two to go. I release Detect, and discover the location of the last two. Aura is getting up. Good.


    The fourth one was over when I set its head on fire and lopped it off, but I was a bit late.


    The last one released a wind blade before I could finish it. Drat, it¡¯s heading for Maria. Should I ?


    Dang it, of course I should! What am I hesitating for?


    So, I think, but Maria had already shot an arrow, and cut the wind blade in two, dispelling it.


    Maria, is she hiding her strength or something?


    I was back behind the tree I was hiding before by the time Zwert got up. There are only 3 Nores and a variant Nores left. Maria immediately slung her bow onto her back, and stepped back.


    ************


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    The fire crackled, shedding light on the darkness of the night. We set up camp in a clearing, and a campfire was prepared. Everyone sat near the fire, chatting, and I stayed inside the tent. I could faintly hear them speaking.


    ¡°Today was great huh? To think a variant would appear¡±


    ¡°As if. I wish it was our original party facing them¡±


    ¡°Right now we¡¯re stuck with an escort quest, to protect some noble like kid. It¡¯s your fault Zwe¡±


    ¡°What did you say? You were the one who suggested we call a magician in the first place Kai!¡±


    ¡°Calm down, both of you. We just need to finish the quest as fast as possible. We don¡¯t need to protect that dork. Even if he died, it¡¯s not exactly out fault.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Silence followed. I guess they are in agreement. Sigh. I closed my eyes and began integrating more of the energies to increase my endurance with the energies. It¡¯s my daily training that Master suggested for me.


    ¡°But, Maria¡­.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because you told us, Aura, that we¡¯re still letting her go around with us¡±


    ¡°Yeah! Even today, we lost concentration because she broke the rules¡±


    ¡°She fired an arrow when we specifically told her not to.¡±


    ¡°Guys¡­ But Maria was the one who formed this party¡±


    ¡°So? Do you want us to worship her as the founder?¡±


    ¡°Then, we¡¯ll dissolve this party, and make a new one. Is that fine, Aura?¡±


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    Maria huh. She¡¯s not weak, I can guarantee that.


    ¡°She¡¯s just too weak. I mean, the arrows do hit the mark, but in overall terms of firepower, an archer is useful only in wars. And in party battles, there¡¯s the risk of friendly fire and such. If foes with strong defense come, she¡¯ll be no more useful than that deadweight we¡¯re carrying!¡±


    True, Archers aren¡¯t exactly the strongest. Maria must have heard it all too huh. Maybe she listens to this everyday¡­


    Some amount of empathy wells up in me, since it was a bit similar to when I was young. People didn¡¯t want to mingle with me since I was weird from a young age and frequently bullied. Shizuka was the one who first approached me, and I swore that I¡¯d protect her, just like she saved me.


    If one is left alone, they are just waiting for someone to approach them. Maybe some will deny it, but deep in their hearts, no one wants to be truly alone.


    ¡°Allright~!¡±


    I get up, and dust myself off. I walk off from the camp site, exiting the tent. The three don¡¯t even glance at me as I leave; I guess they¡¯re hoping I die in the forest.


    A few ways off from the main campsite, there was a small fire, dying. In front of the fire, there was Maria, her head drooping.


    ¡°Flame¡±


    I intensify the flame, and it burns brighter. Maria wakes up in a shock, stood up and was already aiming at me with her bow. When she sees my face, she relaxes, and sits back down.


    I move closer and offer a bit of meat strips I had made as emergency food. She accepts it and bites into it, with small bites, her eyes on the fire.


    I sit next to her. She doesn¡¯t seem to mind it, so I relax.


    Now, what exactly do I do?


    Now that I¡¯m here, my mind is blank. How does one talk to a girl again? In this situation, I face my biggest trouble. Initiating a talk with a girl. I could reply, but never start a conversation.


    Thankfully, she does it for me.


    ¡°Yuuya san, you¡¯re really strong aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Poker face. Poker face.


    ¡°Hm? What might you be talking about?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to hide it you know. I was suspicious of you from the start. It¡¯s obvious that the elf chan who accompanies you isn¡¯t exactly strong, and is only a child. Then how does one finish silver ranked quests like a breeze? It¡¯s obvious. Yuuya san is strong.¡±


    She paused, waiting for my reply. I remain silent, so she continues.


    ¡°And it was obvious today. When the Nores attacked, I saw it clearly. I was behind you, and I sort of sensed it. Some¡­ something came out of you, and every one of the Nores stopped their simultaneous fire. Even the variant ordered an attack on you, didn¡¯t it? And like a mirage, you suddenly disappeared, and reappeared in the forest.¡±


    ¡°Maria san, how did you?¡±


    ¡°Haha. Don¡¯t underestimate an archer¡¯s eyes¡±


    She tapped her eye and said that. Too close. Almost fell for her. I calmed down my racing heart, and stared into the fire like her. Maria wasn¡¯t a beauty that surpasses all in this world, but she¡¯s cute enough to become super popular back at my school.


    ¡°Yuuya san¡­ Do you know how it feels to be weak?¡±


    I stay silent. Of course I do. But now, I have to let her talk. A good speaker also has to be a good listener.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m really an idiot¡­ I took up the bow since my father also used it, but once I did it, I realized how impossible it is¡­ My friends all want to get rid of me, and people don¡¯t want an archer to be in their party. I can¡¯t even use other weapons since I swore to my father, but even if I wanted to, I wouldn¡¯t, since I like using the bow. It¡¯s like a part of me¡­ And the bow is the weakest of all¡­.Pathetic, aren¡¯t I?¡±


    I stayed silent, and after a moment of pondering, I came up with m reply.


    ¡°Maria san, what makes one strong? Is it being able to kill God class monsters? Or eliminating an entire army? Or is it the mental fortitude for one to pursue their dreams without giving up? Is it the determination to do even the most gruesome tasks, just to help someone else?¡±


    She stayed silent.


    ¡°In the end, strength is subjective. Each and every class has its individual strengths, and weaknesses. There¡¯s no one who¡¯s truly strong. I¡¯m not comforting you, Maria san, but in the end, you don¡¯t understand what it means to be an archer¡±


    ¡°What it means to be an archer?¡±


    Maria asked me, tilting her head.


    ¡°An archer¡¯s strength is not just shooting arrows that hit a target. Like every other class, innovation and imagination can increase an archer¡¯s strength by leaps and bounds.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t really get you Yuuya san¡±


    ¡°An archer can run around the field, with the highest mobility, and fire arrows at any angle and stance. An archer can become the backbone of a party, by attacking the weak points of a monster. In the end, even an archer can be strong. But that depends on you, Maria san¡±


    She started thinking my words over, and I could almost see smoke emerging from her ears. Then, after a while,


    ¡°Yes, Yuuya sensei¡±


    Sensei? Well, whatever. Looks like she¡¯s serious about it.


    ¡°You can, well customize your arrows.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I use steel and iron arrows. So customizing is okay. And I use poison arrows if necessary¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡±


    I¡¯m disappointed. The archers can create a versatile skill set, and they stop with poison arrows? Fantasy world, thou art disappointing.


    ¡°Maria san, why don¡¯t you try more stuff, like exploding arrows, acid arrows, smoke screen arrows¡ª¡°


    I list off everything I can from my mind, and Maria gets more and more excited from each suggestion.


    ¡°Alright, tomorrow, we¡¯ll hunt together. We need to train your mobility and versatility. Understand?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Yuuya sensei!¡±


    Ah. She looks happy.


    Well, somehow, she became my student, but seeing the end result, it¡¯s not so bad I guess.

 Chapter 27: The Dusk Hunters!

    ¡°Eh? They¡¯re not?¡±


    I was back at the guild, reporting the success of the gold rank advancement quest I did with the Air walkers, and I just asked about them on a whim; since it did tick me off a bit.


    ¡°Um, do you have any information about the gold ranked party called Wolf dragons?¡±


    ¡°Yes? Wolf dragons? Oh, them. Yes, they¡¯re just silver ranked, but they go around saying that they¡¯re gold ranked, many people have raised their doubts to the guild.¡±


    ¡°Silver ranked? But what about the Curas extermination they performed? ¡°


    ¡°Ah, they were confirmed to be in the area, but it is too rash for the guild to promote them just because they were in the area, and the fact that the messenger they sent didn¡¯t even have a single proof of subjugation of the Curas, their request for promotion was denied¡±


    Oh, I see. If there weren¡¯t any proof of subjugations, then in the end, the guild can only conclude it as fake.


    ¡°But, since the achievement was huge and the Curas menace was almost wiped out, the guild decided to conduct an investigation in order to find out the actual adventurer, who did the task.¡±


    Actual adventurer huh. Wait, don¡¯t tell me¡ª


    ¡°So, without further ado, congratulations for promoting to Silver rank, Yuuya san!¡±


    She says so, with her usual business smile, and extends her hand.


    ¡°Please give me your adventurer card so that I can update your promotion.¡±


    ¡°Eh? Ah? Um, why me? How did I get promoted?¡±


    ¡°Well, the guild did a preliminary investigation, and discovered that on the third day after the extermination, a suspiciously high amount of Curas material was sold to the guild shop, as testified by the manager. We tracked the adventurer to be you, Yuuya san. Also, since you completed a gold ranked quest, albeit with a gold ranked party, your promotion was just a matter of time¡±


    That old shopkeeper san! I love you! I¡¯m silver ranked now! And those Wolf dragons are nothing but self proclaimed Gold ranks! Mwahahahahaha! This day, could it get any better?!


    The onee san takes my guild card, and places it under the Luxor stone. The stone glows, and shines brightly. After the light dies down, she hands the card back to me. A silver card. Yipee!


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''1''>Name</td><td colspan=''3''>Yuuya Nakajima</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''1''>Title</td><td colspan=''3''>Chaos King</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Race</td><td width="25%">Human</td><td width="25%">Gender</td><td width="25%">Male</td>[tr]<td width="25%">Level</td><td width="25%">29</td><td width="25%">Rank</td><td width="25%">Silver</td></tr></tbody></table>


    ¡°But, are there different methods other than completing five higher level quests to promote oneself?¡±


    ¡°Yes, there are two methods. The first is, to hunt with a higher level party, and successfully make a significant contribution. The party you travelled with, Air walkers has recognized your role, and so it was successful. The last method is the achievement system, implemented by the Guildmaster, Johnathan, that when an adventurer reports an achievement far surpassing his own rank, he can be promoted. And he implemented the system as a surprise, so that adventurers who risk life and death to complete such a quest will feel glad on doing something and being rewarded suitably for it.¡±


    ¡°I see¡±


    I bid the onee san farewell and exit the guild, heading to the shop. Achievement system eh? Well, truth be told, I was glad when I got promoted for doing it. Uehehehe


    ¡°Ah, old man!¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it the laddie?¡±


    ¡°Thanks for the helping hand old man. Thanks to that, I became silver ranked!¡±


    ¡°Ou! Good! Those Wolf dragon brats were full of themselves anyways, so it¡¯s a reward for me too¡±


    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll be leaving Ravenblack soon. Take care of yourself, old man¡±


    He looked shocked. What? Is it that surprising? After a while, he recovers and bids me farewell, and that I should take care of myself too. I depart to the inn, in order to inform Mili.


    I head to the Roaches hometown, and head in.


    ¡°There you are Yuuya san!¡±


    A completely unexpected person greets me. Standing there was¡ª


    ¡°Maria san? What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been searching for you of course. How difficult do you think it is to track you down? Luckily, some people told me that they¡¯d seen Mili chan near this area, and I found her! You didn¡¯t even tell me where you lived! You¡¯re so mean, Yuuya san!¡±


    M-Mili chan? When did you become so close?


    Now that I look closer, I can see that Mili is under her arm, squealing delightfully, and spreading her arms like she¡¯s swimming. Unexpectedly, she¡¯s still a child huh?


    She notices me, and immediately goes real red, upto the tips of her pointed ears. She escapes from Maria¡¯s hold and runs into the inn, up the stairs. Hehe, too cute.


    ¡°When did you get here Maria san?¡±


    ¡°Un? A few hours ago¡±


    ¡°I see. So what brings you here?¡±


    ¡°I want you to¡­ um¡­. Teach me¡­¡±


    ¡°Teach you? Teach you what?¡±


    ¡°Yuuya san helped me get stronger, and thanks to you, I could even help my friends out. So, um¡­ I want to get stronger!¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­.¡±


    I could only reply as such to the deeply blushing girl before me. Seriously, she has to rein it in. Otherwise, I might seriously fall for you, you know!


    ¡°So, you accept!?¡±


    Her eyes turned bright, and expectant. Too bright!


    ¡°Aha. I¡¯m sorry Maria san, but I¡¯m leaving Ravenblack tomorrow. Today will be the final day I spend here, since I¡¯m heading to the capital tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Th-the capital? Ugras?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I have to search for my friends, so I can¡¯t stay around here for a long time.¡±


    ¡°I-I see¡±


    She gets depressed, and stares down. I guess she really wanted to be stronger. Not like I don¡¯t empathize with her.


    ¡°Th-then, I have a solution!¡±


    ¡°A solution?¡±


    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    ¡°Yes! Yuuya san, party up with me!¡±


    Maria, it¡¯s supposed to be the other way around you know¡­


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Then, I can also come together with you, and then I can get stronger¡­¡±


    But still, a companion eh. Not a bad idea, considering that my skills are mostly close range. Maybe a long range fighter will be unexpectedly welcome.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a bad idea, but¡­¡±


    ¡°But?¡±


    ¡°I dunno¡­ I¡¯m not really sure, Maria san¡±


    ¡°C-Ca-Call me Maria!¡±


    She looks super embarrassed saying it, stuttering and looking down at the floor, with her hands behind her back.


    ¡°Eh? Fine. I¡¯m not really sure, Maria¡±


    My reply surprises her, but then she recovers, and begins talking again.


    ¡°B-b-but isn¡¯t it fine, Y-y-yuuya?¡±


    Unexpectedly, calling me without honorifics was real tough for her, since she¡¯s gasping and coughing now. I feel bad now.


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask Mili and tell you?¡±


    ¡°Mili approves!¡±


    Mili? I thought you ran away? I thought, looking at the bright red face hiding in the corridor, peeking out.


    ¡°Well then if it¡¯s okay with Mili, I¡¯m fine with it too, I guess¡±


    ¡°Yes! Nice to meet you! I¡¯m Maria Chris, an archer.!¡±


    ¡°Yuuya Nakajima, Sl-Swordsman¡±


    Too close. I almost revealed it. I need to get a better idea about the situation of Slayers before I go public, if I go public at all.


    ¡°Yuuya sa-Yuuya, what¡¯s your level?¡±


    ¡°Level?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s written on your adventurer card, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Level? Such an RPG like term came out. I take out my card, and examine it. As expected, there¡¯s no leve-


    No. That word, it seems suspiciously like level, although it reads, Rivel. Is my reading not too good?


    ¡°Ah, well it¡¯s 29.¡±


    ¡°TW-TW-TWENTY NINE?!!!¡±


    Maria is shocked, and yells. Everyone turns to her, shocked at her outburst.


    ¡°Haha, I¡¯m just level 9 Maria. I was just kidding¡±


    She calms down, but still looks suspicious. Figures.


    ¡°What¡¯s your level, Maria?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s it¡¯s 14¡±


    14? So, isn¡¯t it fine? Then am I super weak ?


    ¡°Is 29 a really outrageous level?¡±


    ¡°Yes, a holy knight would be more than level 20 I guess.¡±


    ¡°I see. We shouldn¡¯t just stay around here and chat I guess. Why don¡¯t you come upto our room, Maria¡±


    ¡°Eh? Ah yes.¡±


    We all head up into the room, and sit down. Mili and Maria on the bed, me on the chair.


    ¡°Well then, Maria , my level is quite literally 29¡±


    ¡°EH??!!!!¡±


    She was shocked, and it took her a while to calm down. It makes me feel quite good about myself when I think about myself as a super strong entity.


    ¡°Yuuya, aren¡¯t you strong enough to become a Black gold rank?


    ¡°Maybe. Not important. What¡¯s important is to plan our route.¡± (Mili)


    Mili is back in adult mode, although she does look a bit red. Her eyes have turned cold and calculating, like a genius scientist¡¯s.


    ¡°Yeah. We need to get to Ugras, right?¡± (Yuuya)


    Mili spreads out a map, and starts pointing to a spot.


    ¡°Yep. The safest route would be¡ª¡° (Mili)


    ¡°Forget about it. We need the toughest route. Our strength now is still far too low. And once we go through enough hardships, our party teamwork will go up too. I¡¯ll be the vanguard, and Maria will be my backup. Mili will be the strategist, in case something goes wrong¡± (Yuuya)


    Everyone nods.


    ¡°Speaking about party, what exactly is our name?¡± (Maria)


    ¡°Fumu.. a valid question¡± (Yuuya)


    ¡°Name, huh?¡± (Mili)


    ¡°How about, Master of the skies?¡± (Maria)


    ¡°What¡¯s with that name??¡± (Yuuya)


    ¡°Ehehehe¡± (Maria)


    Maria san, she¡¯s a terrifying girl.


    ¡°How about, Adventurers?¡± (Mili)


    ¡°¡±Too plain¡±¡± (Maria & Yuuya)


    Mili falls, depressed. I guess it was a critical hit.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we just keep it as, um¡­ Dusk hunters?¡±


    I suggested the name of a game I used to play, and surprisingly, they accepted it.


    ¡°Well then, Maria can go and register our party, and I have to go to a certain place.¡±


    ¡°YeS!¡± (Maria)


    ¡°Mili, you get ready, alright? We¡¯re leaving tomorrow¡±


    ¡°Un!¡±


    And so, The Dusk hunters were formed, with two members, me and Maria.


    The sun was setting by the time I set out, and the streets were filled with people selling merchandises. Slowly, dances and bards came out, and performances started. By night, the entire Ravenblack was filled with music and dance.


    I wonder what¡¯s going on. Might be some festival for all I know.


    I move through the crowds of people, moving towards my target, the tavern. ISn¡¯t it common knowledge that taverns are the spot to get information?


    I head into the Bear¡¯s claw, a popular tavern. I went to the counter and ordered a glass of Miirial extract, a comparatively weak alcohol. I guess its okay for minors to drink in another world. I keep my ears open as I sit at the bar, keen to get any information about heroes or summoning.


    The bartended gives me a small glass of a thick yellow liquid. I chug it down. The sweet taste spreads through my mouth, and down my throat. I order another, and wait for the next batch.


    Seventeen glasses later, the bartender was staring at me, shocked. Even I was shocked. Even if it¡¯s a weak alcohol, seventeen glasses and not being the least bit intoxicated is too weird. I head out of the tavern after my eighteenth glass of the sweet juice, since my actual objective was never accomplished. The capital might be a more probable place of obtaining info about this.


    I head back to the inn and slump onto the covers, tired. Tomorrow, we¡¯re leaving Ravenblack. A lot of stuff happened after we came here I guess. Some good, some bad, but still, it felt good. I nod off, into a deep sleep.

 Chapter 26: The Dortoh Subjugation

    [ One more chapter to go for today!]


    *******


    I still remember how I met him. I was walking into the guild, tired after finishing another gold ranked request with Air walkers. Even today, I was forbidden from fighting, and to do menial tasks. As I walked in to report the success, I saw him.


    A boy, about my age, maybe younger. His hair was short, and black as the night. His eyes were the same, black. It was like staring into a chasm. He wore a normal white shirt, and a black pant, with a sword at his side. Behind him, stood a cute little elf girl, with dark green hair and with the tips of her ears peeking out of her hair. She watched fearfully at the three men before her. Marco. Geez, he¡¯s not trying to court her right? I¡¯ll have to solve this one then.


    ***


    ¡®Crap!¡¯


    I could only think that after intimidating him. Father taught me this whenever someone tried to dominate over me, and i reflexively did it on him. No wonder i got called as unladylike! I stormed out, half in anger and half in fear. I got another scolding for not even reporting the quest completion¡­


    ***


    Huh? Zwert is bringing a magician into the party?


    I could only think that as Zwert reported the news. We were about to head out to finish the Dortoh subjugation and become platinum ranked. Honestly, I don¡¯t deserve to become platinum rank, but Aura won¡¯t even let me leave, so I feel like I¡¯m some kind of a parasite, sucking all the credit from them. It doesn¡¯t feel good in the end.


    He said it was a magician who was the escort for some kid, and that we¡¯ll have to bring him along to the quest, since the magician refused to come unless the kid could come with them.


    Why is he here?!


    The same boy I punched was standing before us, introducing himself to our party, smiling, as if unperturbed by the displeased stares they were sending. When he saw me, his eyes widened, and I looked away, as if fascinated by the butterfly that was not there.


    Suddenly, he apologized to me, saying stuff like how he shouldn¡¯t have called me unladylike. I was surprised by this and could only stutter, since we were with my party members too.


    ****


    Today is a bit weird. We¡¯re walking in the death claw, and not even a single Curas, much less an ambush has been seen till now. This is like the fortress of the Curas. And there¡¯s not even a single one here. Then, from the woods, a familiar party emerges. I-It¡¯s the Wolf dragons!


    Those guys, they always used to bully me. For being an archer¡­


    I backed away, slowly. When I looked to the side, I saw Yuuya moving back too. Did he have some skirmish with them? Probably. He sneaks back, and hides his face by showing his back to them. I imitate him, by quickly backing off and standing behind the tree that was thick enough to hide me.


    They got to gold rank by exterminating the Curas? Impossible. These guys were way too weak, and the best they could be was Silver rank. The last time fought against a Curas was a week ago, and we witnessed it. If we hadn¡¯t intervened, they would already be mincemeat.


    Even Yuuya looks a bit mad from their statement. I wonder what happened between them.


    *****


    I saw it. He was really strong, without doubt. Dad always told me that I had the special skill, All seeing eyes, partially awakened. With it, I could see all sorts of lights and flows, which were energies according to my dad.


    I used my eyes as I saw Aura chanting, seeing the orange energy, symbolizing the Flame type mana welling up from her, and surrounding Zwert. All the Nores were covered with a pale white light, and white arcs were fired with a swing of the Nores ¡®s hand.


    That guy, Yuuya, he wasn¡¯t even taking part in the fight, and stayed back, observing us. Does he want to kill us? No. Impossible. We¡¯re only a minor gold ranked party, and we didn¡¯t make any bigshots our enemies. He must be learning party play. And then, he suddenly diverted his gaze to me. I immediately understood the reason for his gaze. Why am I standing without doing anything?


    In order respond to my junior adventurer¡¯s wish, I immediately nocked an arrow and fired it, straight into the head of a Nores. A clean kill. It was my mistake.


    Zwert yelled at me, and everyone was mad at me. I messed up¡­ And, as if waiting for such a moment, the variant between them suddenly fired a Wind Blast, throwing us off balance. Damn. We¡¯re gonna die aren¡¯t we?


    Then, my All seeing eyes reacted. A violent surge of emerald green energy burst forth, like a wave. It had the presence of a proud monster, and its overwhelming killing intent.


    All the Nores stiffened, unable to move. The epicenter of this energy was none other than Yuuya. Kai got up, and roared, attracting the attention of the Nores. Useless. The variant immediately sensed that Yuuya was a threat, and ordered the others to attack him. But he vanished, as if he was never there. Suddenly, one of the lights from the forest got shut. Almost immediately, two more were shut down. Before they were cut, I saw a ray of the same green energy, and the white energies flickered. Then, they died. Just a second before the last light got snuffed; an arc of white light flew at me. Then, as if by cue, the same energy, like a fountain burst forth, and started getting compressed. I fired an arrow and dispelled the wind blade, and at that second, the fountain extinguished. The next second, Yuuya was back in the place he was standing.


    Strong, without a doubt. We underestimated him, severely. I was suspicious of his strength when I saw the elf chan, since she was really young. No doubt, it was his strength that allowed them to finish those quests.


    *****


    Yuuya came to visit me that night, and I was grateful to him for it. Since, like every night, I was alone, and secluded in my own campsite. He gave me some meat strips. Tasty.


    He talked to me about strength and what not, and I didn¡¯t really understand him. But he listened patiently when I told him about myself. I guess that made me a bit happy.


    Then all of a sudden, he started spouting ideas for archers, on how to become strong as an archer and stuff. His ideas were wild and inconceivable for any sane person, but somehow, I believed him. He told me that he would train me on how to fight with any stance and improve my mobility on the field.


    Really, I¡¯m thankful to Yuuya san.


    *****


    ¡°Yuuya san!¡±


    I yelled out to him, worried.


    Right now, we were fighting against a Guars, a four legged monster with dagger like canines. It tried to slash Yuuya to ribbons with its huge claws and pressed him, trying to finish him off.


    Yuuya kept parrying and dodging, but never let the Guars move too much.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me Maria san! Fire your arrows! Now! Keep moving and firing!¡±


    He yelled out advice to me, all the while dancing around the 2.5 meter large beast. It couldn¡¯t get a clear swipe at him, and it kept turning around, trying to kill him.


    I did the same, running around the Guars, trying to aim and fire at the Guars. It¡¯s not good. The ground is littered with arrows, all of them mine. The few that reached it were deflected by its metal like fur with a clink sound.


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    Yuuya kept at it, giving it short cuts from time to time.


    ¡°Fuuuu..¡±


    I breathed out, and took a deep breath. Right. Yuuya is my comrade. Right now, I have to trust him, and do my role. I run out, with my bow on my arms and the arrow nocked on it. I kept moving, waiting for an opening. Right, It¡¯s just like normal archery. Only the target matters.


    I stretch the string of the hunting bow my father gifted me, praying to him as I let loose the arrow.


    Perfect hit. It hit the Guars square in the eye, and it roared in pain. Without giving it a second of respite, I fired two more arrows, running close to it, piercing it diagonally upwards, through the roof of its mouth and into its brain. It fell to the side, dead.


    ¡°See? Told you that you could do it.¡±


    Yuuya came to me, brushing off the dust raised from the falling Guars. This was the thirteenth time we fought, and all of the times, I got scared for him and didn¡¯t fire the arrow perfectly.


    He walked off, in search of newer prey. I collected the arrows and quickly followed him.


    Whenever we saw a flying monster, he ordered me to shoot it down with only 3 arrows as my limit. I missed most of the time, but recently I got better at it. Truly, Yuuya sensei is a great teacher.


    We walked a bit behind the main party, hunting for training. We were nearing the Dortoh base, and I had to get better at this quick.


    ¡°Just focus on the target Maria san. Everything else will work out¡±


    ¡°B-but what if Yuuya san got hit? Then?¡±


    ¡°I trust Maria san. Don¡¯t you trust me? Of course I won¡¯t get hit¡±


    He puffed out his chest with pride. Ufufu. He¡¯s cute when he¡¯s like this. No no! What am I thinking?!


    ¡°By the way Maria san, please call me Yuuya¡±


    I was surprised at his non chalant words. Does he even know the significance of not using honorifics?! This meant, that¡­we-we were friends!


    ¡°Then, Yuuya san should too¡­¡±


    My voice trailed off, embarrassed to say any further.


    ¡°Eh? What?¡±


    Before I could repeat, I looked behind Yuuya, and saw something strange. The other party members were running out from the forest, screaming, and the reason for their fear was evident.


    Behind them, the wall of woods was ripped apart, as a 6 meter tall boar, with tusks almost the size of an entire Guars rushed out. A fat brown boar, with tufts of hair on its head, charged at us, with its fat little legs gouging the ground with its every step.


    A Dortoh.


    A Dortoh was a charging type beast, and the reason for it being platinum rank was its enormous size and its rushing speed. It never stopped charging until the fight was over, got stopped forcefully, or unless it got tired out. And it won¡¯t be tired out any time soon.


    I immediately fired an arrow, right into one of the six yellow beady eyes behind its huge tusks.


    It hit, and the Dortoh diverted its course, narrowly missing the others. Zwert regained composure, and immediately readied himself.


    Aura started chanting, and Kai and Zwert acted as the vanguard. They didn¡¯t have time to order me to not fire arrows, and I wasn¡¯t going to stop even if they told me to. The lives of my friends were more important. I started rapid fire, and as if by instinct, it swung its head, perfectly deflecting the pinprick like arrows, stopping them from getting its eyes.


    ¡°Zwe, the high fall!¡±


    ¡°Ou!¡±


    Zwert bent down, exposing his back.


    Kai used Zwert¡¯s back as a foothold and jumped off, high into the sky, and swung his great hammer down on the Dortoh.


    The Dortoh, sensing danger, raised its head, trying to deflect the blow from Kai¡¯s hammer.


    ¡°Dumbass¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but mutter that, since the Dortoh exposed its eyes to me. I rushed in, and dived when I was near the head of the big boar. I turned mid air in the stunt, and rapid fired the arrows, a trick Yuuya taught me. Three of its eyes were hit, and it roared in pain, unable to bear the pain. It stopped its charge, and couldn¡¯t block Kai¡¯s hammer perfectly. The hammer sent shockwaves on its face, creating a huge depression on its cheek, sending it sprawling on the ground.


    I panted, since that experience was really scary.


    ¡°Nice, Maria!¡±


    Kai yelled that as he landed, and showed me a thumbs up. Ah~! It felt a bit good.


    Speaking of which, where¡¯s Yuuya?


    I look back, and find him dawdling near Aura, not even feeling the slightest hint of anxiety at this platinum rank monster.


    Is he really that strong? I know he is strong, but his strength, I don¡¯t know his true limit.


    The Dortoh got back up, but Zwert had already thrown his secondary weapon, the Javelin at its flank. His special skill, Pierce Javelin.


    Blood spurted out of its side as the Javelin pierced through the thick hide of the monster. With four bloody eyes, a huge crater on its face and a Javelin on its side, it was in a really pitiful state.


    But, like a final hurrah, it rushed at us, with speed surpassing the speed from before. Its eyes were red, and it started gushing out a fierce red aura.


    ¡°Berserk state?! Why now?¡±


    Suddenly, my eyes saw brown colored bands surge through the ground, causing the ground to tremble, sending us all off balance. Aura, who was finishing her Restraint type spell¡¯s chant, got disturbed and the chant got cancelled.


    ¡°Earthquake?! Damn it!¡±


    I could only curse at my fate, as the Dortoh charged at Zwert, with eyes full of rage. It ignored me and Kai, and set Zwert as its sole target.


    Then, I saw him.


    He got up, seemingly bored. His eyes were closed, and he stretched his limbs. Yuuya, it¡¯s not the time to play around! Run!


    Then, like a geyser, an enormous amount of the same emerald green energy gushed out, like a Tsunami. It made the previous surges feel like child¡¯s play. He opened his eyes, and they were the same emerald green as the energy. His hair changed color to the same beautiful emerald green, and his body bulged.


    The weak looking boy suddenly underwent a total change, as his body became like that of a monsters, a silvery sheen surrounding his white skin, and canines in his mouth. He drew his sword, and he vanished.


    Too fast!


    The last time, he was next to a thicket, so it wasn¡¯t so surprising, but in this clearing, he vanished without a trace.


    But I followed the track of the emerald energy, and saw, just in time, him standing right behind the Dortoh. His sword perfectly pierced through the Dortoh¡¯s hind legs, and as if its tendons were cut, it crashed on to the ground, unable to run. The emerald energy vanished, and he was back where he was before, right behind Aura, bored as before. He had perfectly moved in such a way that none of us would spot him. If it weren¡¯t for  my All seeing eyes, even I would have missed him.


    The Dortoh crashed right in front of Zwert, who had opened his eyes wide from the sight of the huge monster groaning pitifully in front of him.


    Yuuya, just how strong is he?


    I could only watch in wonder as he yawned.


    Like that, we completed the Dortoh subjugation quest.

 End of Volume 2

    The end of an era! Or volume. I crossed a 100 followers, and believe me, super happy right now.


    Not exactly sure how many chapters i should put in a volume, so using random numbers. 14 for the 1st and 13 for the 2nd, i guess. Well, what comes next would be the Side stories.(Which i forgot :P )


    And, just a reminder, and i should probably mention this, for those of you wondering about his demon slaying power, he does have it, well not exactly him, but *SPOILER*SPOILER*SPOILER* a certain something that ate the demon''s essence and became a demon slaying something. I mentioned it as an afterword in the special chapter 2 i guess.


    I''m trying to ''thicken'' the plot somehow, and i have no idea how to do it. Any opinions are appreciated. Also, please point out any mistakes, since i might have made quite a few. Also, i''m just a novice author, so please don''t get mad at me for something being stupid. I''ll try my best to fix whatever went wrong!


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    Well Volume 3 will be about Ugras, and since it''s the capital, and since it''s the MC, i hope i can make something good (or bad) happen there.


    The harem part, well i somehow made two harem mates, and have plans for another one later in the story, hoping i can continue this story.


    NEW UPDATE: Added two new adventurer ranks, Mithril and Emperor. to make it 10. Finally, i can breathe easy.


    Well, as a finale, thank you for reading, and please make me stronger! (As an author)

 Chapter 28: Arrival! A mohawk gangster!

    ¡°Rise, Duke Vistrias¡±


    ¡°My king¡±


    The blonde man with a ponytail remained on one knee, facing the ground.


    ¡°Has the oracle spoken?¡±


    An old man, about the age of 50, asked. His silver gray hair and red eyes were a terror in the distant past. He wore a red and white robe, adorned with emeralds. On his head glittered a golden crown, shaped like an eagle. The gems on the crown glittered as the old man looked down upon the young man, with his head on his chin.


    ¡°Yes, my king¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s message?¡±


    ¡°To hunt the chaos in the north. ¡°


    ¡°Preparations?¡±


    ¡°Me and Sir Chernakoff, along with a contingent of 20 elite knights shall be heading out at the earliest.¡±


    ¡°I see. May you succeed, Vistrias¡±


    ¡°In the name of Theyios¡±


    ¡°In the name of Theyios¡±


    *******


    ¡°Fumu¡­¡±


    I stared at the request board, in order to find a gold ranked quest good enough to accomplish three of our goals.


    1. An escort type quest which required us to move to Ugras.


    2. A quest which paid well


    3. A Platinum or Gold ranked quest, hard enough for us to get stronger.


    The requirements were specific, so we couldn¡¯t find a lot of requests that fit the bill. We found three of them, and none looked quite appealing.


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''>Merchant escort</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''1''>Requestor</td><td colspan=''3''>Urkial trading company</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''1''>Destination</td><td colspan=''3''>Ugras kingdom</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Calling all adventurers who are strong enough to become our escort to Ugras. Transporting a large quantity of goods, via the Yolvian highway. Must be able to take care of all monsters and bandits. (14 slots)</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''1''>Recommended rank</td><td colspan=''3''>Platinum</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''1''>Reward</td><td colspan=''3''>8 silvers per day. 2 extra for exceptional service</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''>Noble  escort</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''1''>Requestor</td><td colspan=''3''>Mikuel sama¡¯s aide</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''1''>Destination</td><td colspan=''3''>Ugras kingdom</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Need Adventurers to travel to Ugras. The young miss needs protection from bandits and monsters.  (8 slots)</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''1''>Recommended rank</td><td colspan=''3''>Gold</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''1''>Reward</td><td colspan=''3''>13 silvers</td></tr></tbody></table>


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''>Merchant escort</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''1''>Requestor</td><td colspan=''3''>Dharka trading company</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''1''>Destination</td><td colspan=''3''>Ugras kingdom</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Transporting a wagon of Kiril oil to Ugras. All able bodied adventurers are accepted. (10 slots)</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''1''>Recommended rank</td><td colspan=''3''>Gold</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''1''>Reward</td><td colspan=''3''>6 silvers per day.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    ¡°Erm¡­ These¡­ huh?¡±


    Even Maria looks displeased with these three, and who can argue with that? Aren¡¯t merchants vile despicable and dishonest men who want to buy anything they see, if it has value, even if it means using underhanded methods? Merchants work on profit. So, there¡¯s a good chance that they might try to steal from us. Probably. Can¡¯t trust merchants blindly. So two of them are a no go.


    I immediately move on, and so does Maria. We check out the next quest, a noble escort.


    ¡°Noble escort, huh.¡±


    ¡°It looks to be quite rewarding¡±


    ¡°It does, but it¡¯s not what we need. With 10 people along with us, we can forget about training. Maria can just sleep along the way.¡±


    There¡¯s no doubt. Too many people aren¡¯t good. Like they say ,¡¯Too many cooks spoil the broth¡¯. Can¡¯t be any truer.


    ¡°In the end, there¡¯s no quest that fits our needs huh?¡±


    ¡°Sigh¡­.¡±


    We relaxed in the chairs in the restaurant, depressed.


    I keep my eyes on the door, since for some reason, I always feel sort of cautious in this place. Like I¡¯m going to be attacked at any moment.


    Then, a familiar figure walks into the guild. The Mohawk dude, Marcus. That was his name right? Don¡¯t expect me to remember your name!


    He wore a light brown jacket, which looked like leather armour. A knife was strapped to his side, with armguards and knee guards made of iron.


    In his hand was a looped leather strap, which he was holding onto. The strap was tied to a chain. I followed the chain and it ended up at a collar.


    A collar on a girl.


    She was about 17 years old, appearance wise. Her flaxen hair lay disheveled, covering her dirty face. Her hazel eyes had no life in them, as if she were a puppet.


    ¡°Mar¡­co?¡±


    Maria whispers, looking at him. Maybe she was shocked by the woman? Well, I sure was.


    Marcu¡ªMarco turns, and his eyes brighten when looking at Maria. He rushes over, pulling the chain as if it were a dog leash. The woman stumbled along, not even caring what happened to her. As I thought. A slave.


    I clenched my fists, to keep myself from hitting that disgusting face of his. He looked happy, as if he got a trophy, and pulled the girl along as if she were a dog, in the truest sense. Damn it.


    In this world, slavery is prevalent, almost everywhere. Except, ironically, in the Grimoi continent, where demons live. The demons, who were the evil that plagued the lands, didn¡¯t do despicable acts like this. What an irony.


    Slave traders, slave markets, it was like a deep rooted weed, which could never be truly pulled out.


    Human rights are nothing more than garbage here.


    He walks upto us, and greets us.


    ¡°Yo, Maria! Did you band together with the newbie now? Love at first sight?¡±


    This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    Maria turns red, and looks down, momentarily forgetting her shock at seeing the slave. What a fickle person.


    ¡°N-n-no way¡­ Wh-wh-wh-what are you saying, Marco?!¡±


    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s a surprise! The gangster Maria is actually behaving like a lady for once¡±


    ¡°Marco!¡±


    I smile pleasantly. But in truth, it¡¯s my poker face. Maria san, she¡¯s just too dangerous. Whenever she gets flustered, I get this close to falling for her. Calm down, my wild heart!


    ¡°Oi Maria! Check this out! I got one of them slaves!¡±


    He pulls the dog leash, and sends the woman crashing headlong into our table, her head planted on there.


    I barely stopped myself from killing him.


    The annoying thing is, whatever I do, I can¡¯t exactly save her. There aren¡¯t human rights for slaves, but there are rights for the owners. If anyone steals the slave, legal punishment is imminent.


    What a shitty world.


    I help her up. That¡¯s the least I could do. I take out a cloth from my ring and wipe her face, ignoring the doofus in front of me. He totally ignores me, and smiles happily at Maria, with a ¡®Praise me¡¯ attitude. Oh yeah, I¡¯ll praise you buddy, with my fists of course.


    She looks up at me, as if she were dreaming. Her face looked delirious, like a person who couldn¡¯t think anymore. I wonder, what¡¯s she thinking about? In the end, what I¡¯m doing, to her, seems useless. A person having good will against a slave. For her, it¡¯s no different than the people who treat her like a slave.


    I gave her a bit of bread, and forget receiving it, she doesn¡¯t even lift her hands. She stared at it, as if not understanding what it was. What did those guys do to her?


    Maria and Marco kept chatting, but I kept tending to her. I don¡¯t mind if it¡¯s useless in the long run. It eases my conscious, thinking that at least I didn¡¯t just leave it alone.


    I tear off a piece, and bring it to her mouth. She stays like that, without moving.


    I bring my hand up, and open her cracked lips, and began feeding her. After the first few bites, she slowly began to eat the rest of the bread, and stayed as she was.


    ¡°¡ªYou know? This thing, a lot of men used her up, so I got it  cheap! Only for a gold coin! I¡¯m too damn lucky!¡±


    I began to listen into their conversation, now that I fed the girl. Used her up? Cheap? It?


    I could hold in my anger, somehow, before I rampaged.


    I combed her hair, and washed her face with a bit of water magic.


    True, she was quite a beauty. But a doll like beauty, without life.


    Her dress was only rags, and her body was covered with too many wounds. On her neck, there were three deep red scars, stretching from under her chain till between her shoulder blades.


    Nail marks.


    Shit, I wish I could use healing magic.


    Till then, I never noticed that everyone were sending strange looks at me, as if I were an odd creature. I glared back at them, releasing a bit of killing intent, and they turned back to doing their business.


    I cleaned those terrible scars, and put a bit of herbs on them.


    She winced when my hands touched her, as if she were scared. Marco, you bastard.


    I was so focused in my work, that I didn¡¯t even notice Marco and Maria staring at me.


    ¡°Yuuya? What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Hm¡±


    I didn¡¯t pay attention to her question , and gave my full attention to the girl before me. Then¡ª


    ¡°What the fuck you think you¡¯re doing, huh?!¡±


    Marco pulls on her dog leash ad kicks me away. I smiled.


    ¡°I was waiting for this, you bastard¡±


    I muttered my true feelings.


    I did an ukemi and jumped back to my feet. I raised my fists, challenging him.


    He let go of the leash, and raised his fists. Good. Now this is an official match.


    ¡°I,Yuuya Nakajima, challenge you to a match!¡±


    ¡°What do you wanna wager, buddy?¡±


    ¡°3 gold. Good enough for you? I get the girl if I win¡±


    Maria looks at me with shock, as if I were doing something stupid. Maybe I was, don¡¯t care.


    ¡°Girl? What girl?¡±


    This bastard.


    I gesture at the girl, and face back at him.


    ¡°Oh! The slave! Fine. I can buy three more like her after I win then! I accept your challenge!¡±


    ¡°Yuuya Nakajima. Adventurer.¡±


    The custom for challenges were simple. A wager, and an introduction.


    ¡°Marco Girares, you can call me with a sama. The great me is a Mi¡ª¡°


    ¡°Annoying¡±


    I moved.


    ******


    WWWWha-what does Yuuya think he¡¯s doing?! Challenging a Mithril ranked adventurer?! For a slave? Marco was dumb, but he was super strong!


    Before I could stop him, he accepted the challenge. Too late! Everyone started laughing at the na?ve boy. I would have to, if it wasn¡¯t Yuuya .


    Yuuyaa was oddly attached to the slave, and cleaned her up. He even fed her. What¡¯s up with him? Slaves aren¡¯t meant to be treated that way, you know?


    I admit, I don¡¯t like slavery, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s something that can be stopped either.


    And I have never tried to.


    Yuuya introduced himself, and Marco began his speech. But he can do it, since he was a Mithril rank. Yuuya was Black gold at best. I need to stop this somehow!


    ¡°Annoying¡±


    Halfway through, Yuuya stepped forward, and like an illusion, vanished.


    *DOGGAAAN!!*


    Marco crashed into the opposing wall, and just lay there. The entire wall broke and crumbled down, revealing the side street. Under the wreckage, was Marco. His nose was broken and bleeding, and his eyes were all white, with his mouth foaming.


    ¡°Wh-what?!¡±


    Not only me, but everyone in the guild were shocked.


    Marco, the Mithril rank, was downed in a single shot, by a Silver rank.

 Chapter 29: Our path is decided!

    I glared at the pitiful remains of a man , lying under the wreckage of the wall. His mouth was foaming, and I could only see the whites of his eyes. Fainted, huh.


    I stared down at my fist, which was covered in blood. It stung a bit, because not only was there his blood, there was also my blood on it.


    Right when my fist was about to hit that guy, some resistance met my fist. It was like a burning wall of flames, and when I shattered it, it pierced my hands, like glass shards. It caused a wound on my hand, but I still pushed on, paying no attention to it.


    And now that I check it, I could see that the entire skin on my fingers were peeled off, and bleeding. My arm was pretty much covered in blood, so I took the cloth I used to wipe the girl¡¯s face, and tied up my hand, preventing it from bleeding any more. The white cloth was slowly turning red.


    I turned back to the girl, who was lying on the ground, with her face planted in the ground. I walked up to her, and kept my hand at her neck. Good. There¡¯s a pulse. She only fainted.


    I turn her over, and pick her up in a princess carry. I walked over to the receptionist san.


    ¡°Y-yes?¡±


    She looked plenty scared of me. Well, maybe it was a bit too much violence. Doesn¡¯t matter. That guy deserved it.


    ¡°Is she registered as his slave?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°How do I transfer ownership?¡±


    I bit my tongue after saying ownership, in order to keep myself from strangling me. Ownership? Don¡¯t kid me!


    It¡¯s totally normal here, so I just kept my opinions to myself.


    ¡°A-Yes. You need to go to the Slave Traders and officially transfer it. Otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t be valid, and Marco san can act against you. Since it¡¯s an official duel and I bore witness to it, you can show that as proof, and we¡¯ll without doubt testify it as true.¡±


    ¡° I see. Where do I meet these¡­Slave traders?¡±


    ¡°North of the guild, there¡¯s¡­.¡±


    People continued to stare at me strangely, as I walked through the streets of Ravenblack. I ignored them, and kept moving, making sure that the girl in my arms didn¡¯t feel uncomfortable in the slightest.


    After I beat up the douch-Marco, I picked her up in my arms and moved out of the guild, disregarding the stares of disbelief sent at me. Maria rushed after me, and attacked me with a barrage of questions.


    ¡°Yuuya?! What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Mm? Taking her away from the bad guy?¡±


    ¡°Bad guy? What¡¯re you talking about? And more importantly, h-h-how did you beat Marco!?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ punched him?¡±


    Is it just me, or does Maria look shocked at my comment? It¡¯s true you know? I only punched him. But that dude, he wasn¡¯t normal, that¡¯s for sure. That barrier¡­


    ¡°Maria, do you know anything about a barrier around people?¡±


    ¡°A-Ah yes, that¡¯s what I wanted to ask! How did you break through his Mana barrier?¡±


    ¡°Mana¡­barrier?¡±


    According to Maria sensei, adventurers ranked Black gold rank and above generally begin training their mana manipulation in order to make the mana barrier. It¡¯s an external barrier, and just like it¡¯s name, made with mana. If you get the needed artifact, you can maintain it for indefinite periods of time, as long as you store mana in it. The actual method is like pouring mana on one¡¯s body, and it hardens after time, forming an invisible layer of skin. You can make it a few mm thick at most, and beyond that would be stupid and non conservative. Experienced adventurers train this method, and keep it up every time they can in order to prevent surprise lethal attacks.


    Marco had one, and I shattered it with my fist. Big deal, it seems.


    ¡°Yuuya, why did you save her?¡±


    ¡°Un? She doesn¡¯t want to be a slave, and everyone has their own rights.¡±


    ¡°Rights? Yuuya, bu¡ª¡°


    ¡°Maria, does that mean you don¡¯t mind becoming a slave and a men¡¯s toy?¡±


    I question her, and I guess I had a really cold look on my face, since Maria immediately stopped talking. Good, I guess.


    ¡°Oi! Anyone here?¡±


    I ask at the Slave Trader¡¯s tent, a huge pavilion, which was like a circus tent. At the entrance, lots of cages were placed, like walls. Inside them, there were many monsters, starved and weak.


    I keep moving, and call out. Then, from another alley like path, a man emerged.


    He was a dwarf without a beard. Well, a human I guess.


    He wore a long tailcoat, and swung around a stick with a gem embedded at its end, which sparkled like electricity. He had a monocle and an all white handle bar moustache. Baldy.


    ¡°Yo~ho! I¡¯m the slave trader of these parts, Likir! What brings you here, oh so wonderful stranger~?¡±


    He spoke, dancing around and swinging his stick around.


    ¡°I want to transfer ownership.¡±


    ¡°Owner~ship? Of that slave¡¯s?¡±


    I nod my head, getting sick of this comic character.


    He whisks the stick around, and gestures me to follow him.


    ¡°This is our proud establishment, the Laikur trading company~! How is it~? How is it~? I established this establishment about 2 years ago, and this establishment is working wonderfully even after 2 years of the establishment of this establishment!¡±


    That¡¯s a lot of establishments. What¡¯s with this guy?


    Maria stayed out, since she doesn¡¯t want to see this place.


    Inside, the reason became apparent.


    A lot of cages, and in it were¡­


    People.


    A lot of them, starving and naked, without a shred of light in their eyes. Steeling myself, I kept moving forward, ignoring the people around  me.


    ¡°It seems custom~er san doesn¡¯t like these ones? Don¡¯t worry~ I have my premium products too~¡±


    He keeps talking, and I kept ignoring him.


    Suddenly, a man, who was naked, with rat ears on his head, rushed at the slave trader from his cage, his face like an animal¡¯s. The slave trader swung his stick and tapped the cage with the stone.


    ¡°AWwAWWAWWAwaw!¡±


    The rat man fell to the ground, seemingly electrocuted. What is with this treatment?


    ¡°Oh~ I¡¯m sorry customer ~san had to see that~!¡±


    He kept walking, still swinging his stick.


    Finally, we entered a wider room, with a desk at the corner and shelves across the room with files in it. He walked over to one and pulled out a file, and after reading it, turned to me.


    ¡°Marco~san bought this. Shall we~proceed to the legal punishment?~¡±


    He threatened me with a smile. Bastard.


    ¡°I won her fair and square in a match. Ask the guild if you will.¡±


    ¡°I see~¡±


    Out of the shadows, a man emerges, robed in black and whispers something in the slave trader¡¯s ears. He nods, and the man walks into the shadow, and his presence disappears again.


    ¡°True~True~ So shall we begin the transfer process?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t we need Marco?¡±


    ¡°Of course~ We need his blood, which we have already~!¡±


    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    He beckons me to the centre of the room, and I head there.


    ¡°Ashta uldaris graven tahties!¡±


    He exclaims something, and a circle emerges from the ground, red in color. A magic circle. I¡¯m not good with these.


    He walks up to me, takes the girl¡¯s hand, and pricks it with a needle he took from the tailcoat. Then, he walks to the back of the room, and after a while, comes back, with a vial of blood.


    He stops near the centre of the circle, and pours the blood onto the circle, and then dips the needle with the girl¡¯s blood in it, all the while muttering something.


    The circle glows, and begins pulsing. Soon after, it shatters.


    The man, smiles pleasantly at me.


    ¡°Well~ we did the process¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s done?¡±


    ¡°Not yet. Payment will be needed after all~¡±


    ¡°How much?¡±


    ¡°1 gold~!¡±


    ¡°Fine¡­¡±


    I guess he needs his profits. I throw the coin at him, and he catches it.


    ¡°The girl is free now~ Have a good day~!¡±


    I walked out, albeit a bit faster. This guy, he¡¯s dangerous.


    ¡°Eat up!¡±


    I poured the steaming hot stew made of 20 silver¡¯s meat in a bowl in front of her.


    She stares at it, and then at me.


    Geez¡­. Whatever.


    I take a spoon, and extend a spoonful in front of her. She looks at it, and then bites down.


    Her face turns red hot, and she clutches her throat, as if keeping herself from screaming.


    ¡°Idiot! You need to blow on it before eating!¡±


    I give her a glass of water, and she chugs that down, surprisingly.


    We were back at the inn, and now taking care of the girl. I already got her an ID card, since it seems she needs one in order for her to not be captured as a slave.


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''1''>Name</td><td colspan=''3''>Saki</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''1''>Status</td><td colspan=''3''>Commoner</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Race</td><td width="25%">Human</td><td width="25%">Gender</td><td width="25%">Female</td>[tr]<td width="25%">Age</td><td width="25%">17</td><td width="25%">Job</td><td width="25%">None</td></tr></tbody></table>


    ¡°Yuuya, we need to talk about what we¡¯re going to do with her¡±


    ¡°Umu¡­ Yup.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯re we gonna do with her?¡±


    What we are gonna do with her huh¡­.


    Now that I think about it, my plan only covered the valiant saving.


    Oh dear, I messed up.


    ¡°Yuuya, perchance, it¡¯s not like you don¡¯t have any idea right?¡±


    Maria questions me, and I can so totally see the demon behind her!


    ¡°Haha¡­ Of course not. I obviously made a plan!¡±


    ¡°I see. That¡¯s good. So what¡¯s your plan, Yuu~ya~ san?¡±


    Maria, that¡¯s threatening, you know? I¡¯m getting chills, you know?


    ¡°Well, I guess I want her to be able to survive on her own for now?¡±


    ¡°Yuuya, are you dumb? Or are you just dumb?¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    ¡°Able to survive?! She¡¯s nothing but bones! She¡¯ll drop dead if you leave her alone for a day!¡±


    True¡­ I need to have her be able to live without troubles for now.


    ¡°Then, why don¡¯t we take her with us?¡± (Mili)


    ¡°¡±Rejected¡±¡± (Maria&Yuuya)


    ¡°She might get in trouble¡±(Yuuya)


    ¡°She¡¯ll be deadweight!¡± (Maria)


    Mili sinks down, dejected.


    ¡°Well. We¡¯ll take her with us until we get to Ugras? And then we¡¯ll find somebody to take care of her¡±


    ¡°Take care of her? Why would anyone¡ª¡°


    ¡°Maria, everything will work out. Definitely~!¡±


    ¡°Sigh¡­¡±


    Maria gave up, sighing. Good. Obstacle one is cleared. Mili seems to have no comment regarding this matter too.


    ¡°Then, how about we head to Ugras?¡± (Yuuya)


    ¡°We¡¯ll need to head to the guild tomorrow. Maybe some new request? And there might be requests we overlooked?¡± (Maria)


    ¡°That¡¯s true¡­ Then, we¡¯ll head to the guild tomorrow! Mili, you¡¯re coming with us too! Saki, you¡¯ll stay here, and eat. That¡¯s an order! Eat until you¡¯re full!¡±


    Yup! Our course of action got changed a bit, but we¡¯re doing it nevertheless!


    ******


    The guild was as noisy as always, with everyone cackling and boasting about their quests and kills. But today, was a bit different.


    As soon as we stepped in, the entire guild turned silent, and turned their eyes towards us.


    Should I give a speech now?


    Maria ignores them and heads in, with Mia in suit. I imitate them and head to the request board. Yup, wasting time is no good.


    Right, we¡¯re finding a good quest today!


    ¡°No good huh..?¡± (Yuuya)


    ¡°Not a bit¡± (Maria)


    Like yesterday, we were relaxing on the chairs, feeling dejected from the failure. Mili kept at it, scouring the request board, not leaving even one quest unchecked. Oooh d¨¦j¨¤ vu. I look at the guild entrance, and just like yesterday, Marco walks in.


    Except today, his face was bandaged, with his nose completely covered. His eyes were teary, and he walked in, ignoring the stares of ridicule sent at him.


    He saw me, and his eyes widened in terror. He immediately turned and walked away, towards a group of people sitting in the opposite side of the restaurant. Heh. What a scaredy cat.


    I was feeling pretty good about myself until i looked at Maria. She was staring at me, leaking killing intent. The real thing.


    ¡°Yuuya¡±


    A sweet voice greets me, and I look towards it, seeing Mili. She holds up a request. I take it from her, and read it.


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''>Escort</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''1''>Requestor</td><td colspan=''3''>Gold ranked party¡¯s cleric</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''1''>Destination</td><td colspan=''3''>Ugras</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>Need an escort of warriors in order to head to Ugras. Focusing on leveling, and heading to Ugras at the fastest pace, so using the Yolvian highway. (2 slots)</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''1''>Recommended rank</td><td colspan=''3''>Platinum</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''1''>Reward</td><td colspan=''3''>40 silvers per adventurer.</td></tr></tbody></table>


    ¡°Mili! You¡¯re a genius!¡±


    She puffs her chest out.


    ¡°Of course!¡±


    Hehe.


    This quest, it¡¯s perfect! It¡¯s a cleric too! Meaning, we get magic support.


    ¡°Our path is decided, Maria! Check this out!¡±


    I show Maria the quest, and even she looks pleased by it. Perfect.


    Time to meet this mage!

 Chapter 30: What a nice guy

    ¡°Yes? How can I help you?¡±


    ¡°Um, we want to do this request¡±


    I show her the cleric¡¯s escort quest. She takes the parchment from me and reads it, after which she takes another long notebook like thing which looked like a logbook. After reading it for a while, she replied.


    ¡°Ah yes. The requestor is Niviel Margistra, the All healer. He has given the contact timings, and the slots are still open. I can¡¯t give you the quest unless he approves that you are up to the task, so you¡¯ll have to meet him for it.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes. Where can I meet this¡­ Niviel?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll draw you a map, so please hold on¡±


    The receptionist san opens a door and goes to the back of the guild. Since we were free for now, I started checking the bestiary.


    The bestiary was a thick book with a cover that looked like it was made years ago. It described everything about monsters in these parts, according to ranks. Adventurers who fought with the monsters gave reports about their characteristics, and their weaknesses, which was then entered into the bestiary. Of course, giving information would give you a substantial reward. The guild would cross check it, of course, and if it turned out to be fake, you had to pay a fine. There were quests from the guild even for crosschecking, but those were given only at much higher ranks.


    I browsed through the bestiary, which was strictly for silver and bronze ranked. The monsters were not especially strong, like the Nores and Curas, and there were a lot more.


    ¡°Ooooh! Is that a slime!¡±


    I exclaim, looking at the mass of red stuff that looks like the major opponents of level 1 players in RPGs. A slime.


    ¡°A slime? No way. Slimes are platinum ranked monsters. Those are Sludges, a weaker variant of slimes.¡±


    I see. Sludge huh. Isn¡¯t that just a synonym?


    Mili was gorging herself on some food in the restaurant since she hadn¡¯t eaten anything in the morning. I gave her a little bit of leeway since she worked hard in the morning too. Maria waited with me, and glanced at the bestiary from time to time.


    Finally, the receptionist san came out, and handed me a paper.


    ¡°Yes, this is the map. Just follow the path and you¡¯ll get there in no time¡±


    ¡°Thank you¡±


    After thanking her, I left the place, with Maria and Mili. Mili kept eating, refusing to leave any leftovers. She might be more of a glutton than my Rebellion.


    Still, Rebellion huh. It¡¯s been a long time since I used it. I miss swinging that katana.


    ¡°No matter how you look at it, how is this even a map?!¡±


    I sighed, exasperated by the receptionist san¡¯s ¡®map¡¯.


    Maria had already given up the moment she saw the ¡®map¡¯ and was wandering the streets, asking for directions.


    The map was nothing but scribbles, like a kid¡¯s piece of art. There were lines here and there, and I could distinctly see something that looked like a small building. I think that was a miniature version of the guild, or a monster attacking a city.


    I crumpled the paper and put in my pant¡¯s pocket, giving up on using the map.


    We asked around, and searched for Niviel Margistra the cleric. Luckily, his adventurer title, All healer was well known enough for us to track him down to a tavern, the Unicorn.


    ¡°Speaking of which, Yuuya, what¡¯s your adventurer title?¡±


    Maria asked me, and I pretended not to hear. That name, is erased forever from my mind. I never had that name. Nope, neve¡ª


    ¡°Chaos king¡±


    Mili! You traitor! She has an evil grin on her face, and was one step away from becoming a supervillain.


    ¡°O-oh I see.¡±


    Maria looks taken aback from this, and she barely holds in her laughter. I knew it was a bad idea. My dark past..


    Suddenly, Maria¡¯s eyes widen, and she looks at me with shock.


    ¡°?¡±


    ¡°Yuuya, you, by chance, aren¡¯t ¡®the¡¯ Chaos king right?¡±


    ¡°Eh? I accidentally kept it as my title Maria! Please don¡¯t tease me!¡±


    ¡°Y-y-you¡¯re the Chaos king?!¡±


    ¡°Maria!¡±


    ¡°The adventurer who wiped out the death claw!?!¡±


    Death claw? What¡¯s that?


    Oh right. The hideout of those Curas. Yup yup. Those annoying minor dragon species. I fiddle with the bracelet, one of my spoils from the hunt. The knife was in my boot, as an emergency measure.


    ¡°I guess? How do you know that, Maria?¡±


    ¡°How do I know that?! Isn¡¯t the Chaos king a celebrity in Ravenblack? The person who wiped out the death claw, a place where even platinum ranks hesitate to dive into! And the adventurer, Chaos king, wiped out the entire den singlehandedly! The guild news was raging about it!¡±


    ¡°Oh~ Is that so.¡±


    So that¡¯s why the title is needed huh. Your title is a pseudo name, if you don¡¯t want your identity to be revealed. That¡¯s convenient.


    ¡°Maria, what¡¯ s your title?¡±


    ¡°Artemis¡¯s arrow¡±


    ¡°Artemis?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s the god of archery, and hunting.¡±


    Artemis? Wasn¡¯t that a greek goddess? How did¡ª


    Maybe someone from our world came here and spread greek myths here? This is new.


    ¡°Yuuya, you don¡¯t know about Artemis?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t I guess¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you~!¡±


    Before Maria could begin her lesson, Mili cuts in, and starts the story on her own.


    ¡°Long time ago, there was a woman who came down to this world. She called herself Artemis, and she always had the bow by her side. From a young age, she hunted with the bow, and when she became older, she became one with the bow and transcended, and became a goddess.¡±


    Mili cuts the story short and finishes it, leaving Maria with her mouth gaping.


    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    ¡°Mou! Mili chan! I wanted to say it!¡±


    ¡°Slowpoke¡±


    Mili climbs on my cloak and sits on my shoulders. It¡¯s her ¡®spot¡¯ it seems. Well, whatever suits her fancy.


    And so we walk towards the Unicorn, squabbling and quarrelling.


    A person who understood archery completely huh. And she ¡®came down¡¯ to this world. Could it be, that even otherworlders can become gods here?


    Hiding my doubts, we entered the tavern, a dingy place like you would see in the cowboy movies. The bartender was a burly man, no, not a man, but an orc. With his teeth jutting out, he looked like he was brought straight from an RPG. He looked repulsive, but not repulsive enough. He was wiping a glass, and grunted after seeing us.


    I walk upto him, and he looks at me.


    ¡°Niviel Margistra?¡±


    He grunts, and gestures with his chin towards a table in the corner. I slid a few silvers onto the counter, like in the movies, and walk away magnificently.


    ¡°Yuuya, why did you pay him?¡±


    Maria asks me, bewildered. Geez, she¡¯s such a child. Isn¡¯t it obvious?


    I walk upto the man, pull the chair and sit down.


    He wore a hood, which covered most of his face. When I sat, he looked up at me. The bottom of his chin was furry, and I could see a nose which looked like a button. A beastman huh.


    I sit there, waiting for him to say something.


    He sits there, waiting for me to say something.


    Now that I think about, what should I do at this moment? Whisper the code words?


    Maria holds her head, as if she had a headache  and taps me on my shoulder. She gestures towards another man, and beckons me to follow.


    Haha~ That¡¯s embarrassing! I got the wrong man!


    I thank the beastman for keeping me company, and wished him luck. He thanks me back, and goes back to sipping his tea. What a nice person.


    Hiding my embarrassment from going to the wrong person from Mili, I head over to the man Maria had begun chatting with.


    Mili snickers and looks away. I messed up. Badly.


    ¡°Ou! You guys are the ones who took up the request huh!¡±


    The man wore a large white robe, suitable for his size. His figure suggested he was a battle hardened warrior, but the cleric¡¯s robe ruined the image.


    He had ginger red hair, in a high and tight style, with the sides of his head shaved. He looked about 30 years old, like a typical middle aged man.


    He surveyed us from top to bottom, and then made a comment.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but it doesn¡¯t look like you¡¯re the guys whom I need¡±


    Well, that was obvious. I looked more like a thief class or magician rather than a warrior class.


    And Maria was an archer.


    And Mili was a child.


    An assortment of oddballs, so to speak.


    But Maria began persuading the man, with subtle hints.


    ¡°Are you sure? But I think we should introduce ourselves first.¡±


    The man look disinterested, but gestures for us to sit nevertheless.


    ¡°Niviel Margistra, the All healer from gold ranked party Baphomet¡±


    He smirks, as if he was superior to us.


    ¡°Maria Chris, Artemis¡¯s arrow, ex member of platinum ranked party Air walkers, now member of rankles party Dusk Hunters¡±


    The man¡¯s eyes widen a bit, but Maria introduces me before I could do it.


    ¡°This man is Yuuya, the Chaos King. You know, the Sarol exterminator. Also, he one hit KO¡¯ed Marco, the mithril rank. The Mithril breaker, Yuuya¡±


    What¡¯s with those names?! But the man looks shocked, and his eyes widen, to the edge of his face. Whoa, what an exaggerated reaction. Am I the devil in these parts? Forget low key, I¡¯m just too well known now. At least my appearance is not so¡ª


    ¡°Now that I look at it, his short black hair, his eyes which look like the depths of hell, he matches the description of the Mithril breaker!¡±


    Depths of hell?! What do you mean, depths of hell!


    I stay silent, since opening my mouth would only get it pierced by rapid fire from Maria¡¯s arrows.


    ¡°Not to worry, we won¡¯t cause any trouble. I trust you¡¯ll reconsider us?¡±


    The man sighs, as if he¡¯d given up.


    ¡°If I say no to the Mithril breaker, I¡¯d most likely be giving up diamonds for rocks. Fine. You guys can go along with her¡±


    ¡°Him?¡±


    I ask, bewildered. It¡¯s not this guy?


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious, Yuuya? He¡¯s a warrior, obviously not a cleric. I¡¯m assuming he came as a proxy for the actual requestor. Am I right?¡±


    He sighs, and began talking.


    ¡°Right you are, lil missy. The name¡¯s Reginald, Gold ranked warrior. Niviel wanted to get to Ugras to meet her uncle, since he¡¯s sick. So she requested me to act as a proxy, since she was scared of meeting strangers. What a silly girl¡±


    A proxy? Then, Niviel is a girl?! Wait, Niviel is an androgynous type of name from the start, so I can¡¯t complain. A girl huh.


    ¡°I¡¯ll inform her. You guys are the only ones coming right?¡±


    ¡°No, there¡¯s one more girl, she¡¯ll be coming with us too. Not to worry, we¡¯ll take care of ourselves, including food and shelter.¡±


    ¡°I see. One more girl, huh¡±


    The man lets out a murderous glance at me. What did I do?!


    ¡°She was preparing to set out the day after the morrow. We¡¯ll be there at the southern gates, and we¡¯ll head out at dawn. Understood?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Then, later¡±


    ¡°Fare thee well¡±


    We say our goodbyes and leave.


    On the way out, I gave some coins to the beastman since he looked broke. Maria glared at me, but I ignored her, unperturbed.


    He was such a nice guy indeed.

 Chapter 31: A Day in Ravenblack

    [Fair warning: This is just the party touring Ravenblack. Sort of like a filler? The next chapter will feature the travel! Hope you guys enjoy it!]


    *******************


    We headed back to the inn, pleased with the quest. On the way, I complimented Mili quite a bit, since she exuded quite a powerful ¡®Praise me¡¯ aura, and she deserved it too, for finding such a perfect quest.


    Halfway through, Maria splits up from us, since the inn she¡¯s staying at is at the opposite edge of town. We bade our farewells and promised to meet each other at the guild the next day, since we were going to go on a sightseeing tour in Ravenblack.


    Since I came here, all I had focused on was quests and money, so I never really checked out Ravenblack. Crap, I forgot my tertiary objective.


    I reviewed the ¡®objective list¡¯ that I made.


    1. Find my idiot classmates, if they are here.


    2. Find a way to undo the Slayer¡¯s curse


    3.Sightsee!


    And I so blatantly forgot it¡­ Truly, I¡¯m such a fickle person.


    I berate myself as I head back to the inn, with Mili happily pulling at my hair.


    I walk into the inn and greet the landlady.


    ¡°Yo! Yuu boy, huh?¡±


    ¡°Ah, Landlady san!¡±


    ¡°So, what¡¯s new, Yuu boy?¡±


    The landlady was a woman who was in her mid 40¡¯s, with her hair tied up in a bun above her head. She had quite the build, rivaling that of a musclebuilder back on Earth. It seems she was an adventurer, back in her youth.


    ¡°Landlady san, I¡¯d like to change our rooms¡±


    ¡°Change?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯d like to book another single room¡±


    I had already decided this, since Mili and Saki can stay in the same room, and I, the untameable beast should be locked up alone.


    Just kidding. Girls should have their privacy after all.


    ¡°Oh! Understood! Then, that¡¯ll be a 100 more nirs, allright?¡±


    The landlady cheerfully claps my back, knocking out the air from my lungs. I weakly smile and walk up the stairs, towards our room.


    As I opened the old wooden door, for some reason, I saw Saki rolling around on the bed. She was sniffing the bed, and squealing, for some reason.


    I walk in, and greet her.


    ¡°Yo, Saki¡­. You alright?¡±


    Her body freezes, and I could almost see a chill run up her body. She quickly sits up and nods her head, quickly.


    There was a bit of stew at the corner of her mouth. Good, she ate well.


    She looked like a pile of bones when I met her, and she¡¯s improved at least a bit now. She responds more, and her face looks a bit more lively. What kind of beasts would such people be to violate such a beautiful woman!


    My inner rage exploded, gazing at the cute and pretty woman before me. Saki was, without doubt, a really pretty girl. Her face was like a finely sculpted piece, with a straight nose and high cheekbones. Her figure was like a fruit that was yet to ripen, with an hourglass like figure and long slender legs. Mili had braided her long flaxen hair into a single braid, like Maria san. Her hazel eyes were so beautiful, that men would write poems about her.


    And they made her a slave.


    I pat her head, and wipe of the leftovers from her lips. Her face turns a bright shade of red. I guess she¡¯s still not good with men.


    She doesn¡¯t talk much, forget much, not at all, and just nods to respond. Well, there¡¯s nothing wrong with that, she¡¯ll gradually open up.


    ¡°Saki, did you eat okay?¡±


    I ask her, and she nods quickly. Mili walks up to her and starts playing with her. Both of them were like best friends. Mili used to read storybooks for her, and teach her stuff, and she would listen attentively.


    I sigh, and head towards the makeshift kitchen I made. Yosh! It¡¯s time for Yuuya to show off his cooking.


    I take out the turtle meat, which tasted a bit like beef, oddly. It had a similar flavor, so it was good enough. I take out the magic knife and rapidly chop the meat into fine pieces. I take out a large bowl that I had bought from the store, and put in the meat. I then add the lumek, a rice like cereal, except it was red in color. I add the rest of the spices, and vegetables, mixing them into a fine mixture.


    I roll them up into small balls of about 10cm in diameter, and place them on the cooking board I made. Mili and Saki curiously look at my performance, intrigued. Huehuehue, I shall show you my power!


    I take out the flat pan like skillet I had borrowed from the landlady, and heat it with Flame. I add the meatballs and heat it. I turn it over occasionally, letting it turn into a beautiful golden brown. I drained the excess grease, and let it simmer after adding some water.


    My pseudo meatballs were now piping hot, and I assure the curious young uns to wait. Waiting for it to simmer, I began preparing a stew from the remaining ingredients, completely devoted to my work.


    ¡°Dinner is served!¡±


    A while later, I serve up my meatballs and stew set. Mili prods the meatballs, while Saki sniffs the stew.


    In order to make them understand, I bite into the soft and chewy meatballs.


    Delish~


    It reminds me of home. I used to make these whenever grandma bought meat. Ah¡­ I kinda feel homesick. I hope those guys are fine¡­


    Mili shows an expression of pure ecstasy as she bites into the meatballs, and Saki chews on it, like a little squirrel.


    And so, we retired for the day, after a delicious dinner.


    I was lying on my bed in an adjacent room, staring at the ceiling, when a knock resounded.


    Ara? Who¡¯s it at this time of the night?


    I head to the door, cautious. I gently open the door, and peep through the crack.


    It was Saki.


    She stood there, hugging a blanket like a pillow, staring at me. I opened the door wide.


    ¡°Saki? What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    She extends her hand and grips the hem of my shirt, and tugs at it. Huh?


    ¡°Did you not get sleep?¡±


    She nods, and keeps tugging at my shirt.


    ¡°What is it, Saki?¡±


    Then, to my surprise, Saki spoke.


    ¡°Master¡­  Sleep with¡±


    *BBBOOOMMM!**CRAASSHHH*


    I was one step away from yelling in surprise before I regained composure.


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°Saki?¡±


    Her face was red, and she looked at the floor, embarrassed.


    ¡°Scary¡­¡±


    I see. I led her into the room, and gestured her to lay on the bed. She nodded and laid down, and stared at me expectantly.


    I¡¯m sorry Saki, but I have no wish to become a lolicon.


    Saki had a body that suggested she was a young woman, but mentally, she was just as old as Mili. Just as old as Mili mentally is, anyways. I lie down on the ground, and continued counting the patterns on the ceiling.


    ******


    ¡°OU! We¡¯re gonna go sightseeing today!¡±


    ¡°Ou!¡±


    Mili shouts back, energetic. Saki nods, giving her approval.


    Today, we shall explore Ravenblack.


    Early in the morning, we headed to the guild, as we planned with Maria. Today, Maria was going to show us the specialties of Ravenblack, since she was a resident here.


    Today, we were wearing civilian clothes, the expensive looking coat that I had bought once. Mili was wearing a cute robe, which was an elven dress, according to her. I had Saki wear a top that looked quite good on her, with golden designs, and a long red skirt.


    We headed to the guild, to meet Maria, who was in¡­..her usual attire.


    ¡°Yuuya! Let¡¯s go!¡±


    We head out, intent on touring Ravenblack.


    Ravenblack was a major town in Ugraok, a trade point between the capital Ugras and the neighbouring towns. The numerous highways in this area further promoted its safety, and the town prospered due to its prosperous position. Or so, the guide Maria san said.


    ¡°Well, this is the adventurer¡¯s section, so not many attractions are here, except for the weapons shop and the utilities shop.¡±


    She explains, leading the way, heading deeper towards Ravenblack. The streets were filled with people, and some adventurers had even set up shop. We wandered through the streets, and Maria showed us several stores, so I bought a small magic staff for Mili, and a knife for Saki.


    We kept heading east, and reached a darker part of the city. Mostly nobles and other superior looking people roamed the area. But what made the place dark was the excessive number of slaves.


    Some pulled on their dog leashes, others whipped them like animals and rode them. Shit. Even Saki looks uncomfortable.


    ¡°Yes, this is the Slave district, and most slavery businesses are conducted here. Slave traders and merchants flock to this place, but its honestly a bit too stifling here.¡±


    Saying so, Maria quickly leads us away from the oppressive atmosphere, and Saki¡¯s breath relaxes. I rub her head in order to calm her down, and she turns red again. Geez, this girl.


    This time, the place was much more vibrant ,with arts and crafts filling the streets. The shops were filled with sculptures, and paintings and little shops that sold souvenirs. We examined the goods, and I had a portrait made of our group. Ah, this is going into my collection. I put it into my ring, and was determined to keep it safe. The crafts district, according to Maria,a great variety of professions, like blacksmiths, sculptors, painters, woodworkers all made their living here, and this was the centre of business.


    We moved to the central part of town, and the scene changed considerably.


    The busy and bustling streets became more refined and less populated. The balconies and windows were decorated with plants, like  a noble¡¯s house. A few minutes in, we reached a square, which was filled with benches. In the middle of the square, a magnificent fountain stood, gushing out the water in a mesmerizing way. We stood there, gazing at it for a while, before hunger brought us back to the real world.


    *Raaaaooooor!!*


    A terrifying roar howled, the source was Saki¡¯s tummy. She looked quite embarrassed,and covered her arms with her stomach, looking around wildly as if she were being attacked.


    Haha. She¡¯s quite cute.


    ¡°Maria, we should get something to eat you know?¡±


    I reminded Maria, and she gave a ¡®Leave it to me¡¯ pose.


    Mili was also looking uncomfortable. I guess hunger torments all.


    We headed a bit west from the central square, towards a place where even more visitors were present.


    There were various stalls and stores, and the delicious smell of food wafted through the air. I could barely keep myself from licking my lips, as we headed towards the first delicacy.


    ¡°Swwwweeet~!¡±


    I leaked a bit of my thoughts, involuntarily. The sweet, which was called a Gulais, was a diamond shaped soft block, with a creamy color. On biting into it, an incomparable sweetness burst into my mouth, sealing my senses.


    Mili was so charmed by it that she bought a dozen more. Well, who¡¯s got a sweet tooth?


    Definitely not Saki, who bought at least double that of Mili. I encouraged her to eat as much as she liked, so she went all out.


    Maria refrained from eating, since she disliked sweets. Under the orders of Maria, we ordered the next confectionary, something that was round, with a granular surface. According to Maria, it was called a Clalis, and it was her favorite food item.


    It had a gooey texture, and a spicy yet subtly hidden meaty taste permeated my mouth. A perfect balance, this time I ordered a dozen. And Maria ordered quite a few, since it¡¯s been quite a while since she ate them, it seems.


    After eating a lot more of the delicacies from Ravenblack, tired, we headed to a quiet terrace caf¨¦.


    The sun was setting, and we were presented with a wonderful view. We gazed at it, sipping the Oolong tea like Klamook tea, peacefully.


    After the tea, weary, we headed back to the inn, in order to get sufficient rest before the long trip tomorrow.


    ********


    ¡°Bags?¡±


    ¡°Check¡±


    ¡°Clothes?¡±


    ¡°Check¡±


    ¡°Food?¡±


    ¡°Check¡±


    ¡°Backup food?¡±


    ¡°Um¡­¡±


    ¡°Mili?!¡±


    ¡°Ok, I¡¯ll pack it. Check¡±


    ¡°Umu, good. Saki?¡±


    ¡°Check¡±


    ¡°Mili?¡±


    ¡°Check¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s head out!¡±


    ***************************


    [ It''s my first attempt at describing cooking. Hope there''s no major mistakes. Please point it out if there''s any!]

 Chapter 32: The Journeys begin!

    The day when The Dusk Hunters had decided to head out to Ugras with the All healer, another journey was beginning, far away, in the central continent of Vreede.


    In the training grounds of the holy knight order-


    ¡°Sir Chernakoff, how goes the preparations? The king has ordered us to leave at the soonest.¡±


    The blonde man questions the knight, now wearing a long black robe with silver armguards and greaves. He has a helm at his side, the shape of a phoenix engraved on it. The knight, his head hidden by a helm of similar design, and wearing a pompous golden armor, promptly replied.


    ¡°The party has been prepared. We shall leave in an hour at the latest¡±


    ¡°Good. Prepare the steeds.¡±


    The blonde man says so and leaves, his robe fluttering in the wind. The knight yells at another knight, who was wearing silver armor, signaling his position as an elite knight of the Holy knight order. The knight was the Knight General, a position that gathered great respect in the kingdom.


    The silver knight promptly brought out a team of pure white and golden horses, which neighed, spreading their beautiful angel like wings.


    The blonde man walked into the huge training hall, heading deeper into the back chamber. His fingers constantly rubbed on the surface of his golden ring, one that seemed almost too precious to him.


    There, in a glass case, there was a sword, a sword which thrummed with energy, releasing an incredible bloodthirst.


    ¡®The Bloodweaver.¡¯


    The blonde man thought to himself, as he opened the case and grasped the hilt of the blood red sword, sending a wave of negative emotions into his head. He countered it with his magic, and succeeded in subduing the terrifying sword adorned with rubies.


    He swung the falchion, its sharp edge leaving a bright red trail in the air.


    With the legendary sword that slew the Vampire ancestor, the man, Duke Vistrias, set off, in order to quell the chaos in the north.


    ¡®¡®The God¡¯s graveyard, huh¡¯¡¯


    ******************


    ¡°Yo, Maria!¡±


    I greeted Maria, who was waiting near the weapon shop we had agreed to meet up at. Behind me, Saki and Mili followed. Mili was skipping and prancing, and Saki imitated her, like a little girl would. Saki slept in my room yesterday too, and since it¡¯s her wish, as a gentleman, I naturally complied.


    ¡°Yuuya! Mili chan, Saki chan!¡±


    Mili raises her hands in a victory pose, and Saki nods at her quickly.


    Do I really attract oddballs?


    We head off, towards the southern entrance, in order to meet Niviel san and Reginald san, who told us to meet up there.


    As we neared the southern entrance, I understood that this was the actual entrance of Ravenblack, and not the shoddy side entrance I used.


    A humongous wall was raised, almost 7 meters in size, made of cold grey stone. Above the walls, several soldiers roamed, as I could see with my super sharp eyes.


    A huge gate was present between the walls, and they were open now, but would be closed at night. A huge line of caravans stood there, presumably traders. They all waited, and were given admission one by one by the personnel. The guards stood there, unmoving like a statue, as if to inspire a sense of respect. Pshaw~ I saw that guy dancing drunk the other day at the tavern.


    We headed towards the gates, trying to spot them. They gave us such a vague spot to find, so we couldn¡¯t find them until we saw them near the guards, waiting bored.


    By this time the sun had rose to the top of the sky, and chirping of birds could be heard frequently. A normal busy day at Ravenblack.


    We waved at them, and noticing us, Reginald san called the woman next to him and walked towards us.


    The woman, Niviel san, was a pretty tall woman, with bright yellow hair and the characteristic brown eyes of the Rudia continent. Her figure was okay, and some freckles were on her face, but without doubt, she was not ugly, but pretty. Saki has raised my standards too much, I believe.


    But the fact that makes her not too pretty, were


    Her muscles .


    Her body was ripped,--


    Nah, just kidding. Niviel san greeted us, in a cheerful voice.


    ¡°Oh! You must be the adventurers that Reginald chose? You look quite young? Are you eating well? How old are you? Aren¡¯t you quite lean-¡°


    She began a rapid fire round of questions, which Reginald san immediately stopped by shutting her mouth.


    ¡°Yo, lil missy! Shall we head out?¡±


    ¡°Eh? You¡¯re coming along?¡±


    The request clearly said that we had to escort only a cleric. Could it be?


    ¡°Ah, the original condition was like that, but now, after seeing a certain person-¡°


    He glared at me,


    ¡°I changed my mind, since that person-¡°


    Glaring!


    ¡°Was a real womanizer. And I didn¡¯t want our Niviel to travel alone with such a bastard¡±


    He finished his speech, with an all out murderous glare at me. What did I do?!


    Now that I think about it, my party is an all girls party, huh.


    Uehehehehe~ To think I accidentally made a harem!


    ¡°Creep¡±


    Mili mutters, glaring at me. Crap. I wipe my face, and smile pleasantly at her. She turns her head away, disregarding me. Urk!


    Niviel san chuckles at our exchange, and even Reginald sighs, but with a smile on his face.


    ¡°Then, shall we set off!¡±


    Maria exclaims, full of enthusiasm, and we set off, towards Ugras.


    Ugras was the royal capital of Ugraok kingdom, a minor kingdom in Rudia, but it was the centre for production of cattle and dairy products. The sweet that I had eaten the other day, Gulais, was made from the milk of Atoph, a cow like monster that was prevalent in this parts.


    North of Ugras, was Ravenblack, to the east of which were numerous minor villages, like the Pioneer¡¯s village for one.


    And it would take almost 3 days to reach Ugras by foot, while taking only 2 days by carriage.


    Right now, we were on the Yolvian highway, a prime spot for monsters to prowl. Since we formed this party to get stronger as well, we were focused on hunting whatever monsters we found.


    On the Yolvian highway, we could get to Ugras a bit faster, so we were heading there, full speed.


    I roll to the side, from the flying claws of the Guars. The gold ranked saber, Guar. It was a huge saber like monster, almost twice as large as the turtles, which considered this area, almost a third of the Yolvian highway as its territory. It was an aggressive monster, hell bent on eating meat. Gluttons are just everywhere.


    We were doing the usual, a training bout of a sort for Maria to get used to archery¡¯s strong points. But now, even Reginald san supported me, drawing off stray blows from the Guar.


    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    We were facing a bunch of them, and I let Reginald and Maria take them on one by one, while I took care of crowd control.


    I slide my blade into the underbelly, and with a twirl, tear its heart in two. The Guar collapses, breathing heavily before it eventually died. I skipped over the carcass, skipping over to the next monster.


    A Guar jumps towards Reginald san, from its back. Before I could do anything about it, an arrow pierces through the air, accurately piercing through its eye. Nice, Maria!


    I ignore them, since Reginald san and Maria can take care of themselves, and switch targets.


    The alpha Guar.


    It glares at me, its body glowing in a strange way. I see, incomplete Berserk huh.


    The alpha charges at me, sending its claws flying at my head. I duck, and grasped the tuft of fur on its underbelly. Releasing a bit of Chaos energy and enhancing my strength, I slam the monster on its side onto the ground, raising a cloud of dust. But, the alpha, withstanding the pain, moves its head, attempting to bite me.


    Shit ,I underestimated berserk. I step back, but I was sure that I won¡¯t get out unscathed. Then, a ball of fire collides against the alpha¡¯s head, giving me the interval I need.


    Rather than backing off, I immediately dart forward, twisting to dodge its huge fangs, and plunge my blade up its neck. The hot blood flows down my sword, and pull it out, killing the beast.


    By this time, all the monsters were killed, and we head to Niviel san for a checkup.


    On the way, I pat Mili¡¯s head, and show her a thumbs up. She turns red, and slaps my hand away, running towards Saki. Haha~


    I had already noticed that Mili was studying magic, using the books I had left outside. I guess she felt that even she had to contribute.


    So, I secretly kept the basics books out, in order for her to learn it.


    I wave my hand, and the body of the alpha disappears into my ring. It¡¯s said that berserk meat turns juicy and the tastes are enhanced, for some reason.


    Niviel san greets us, and begins casting fatigue revealing blessings on us, since we were quite tired. Well, not me, but I can¡¯t say that out loud, can i?!


    It was almost sunset, and we set up camp, planning to continue early in the morning tomorrow.


    Godly chef Yuuya sama made a special fried Guar steak. It was a grand success, yup!


    Saki came to me tonight too, but with a different request.


    ¡°Master¡­.stronger¡±


    She flexes her hand, as if showing off her muscles. I see, she wants to become stronger huh?


    ¡°Not yet Saki, you still have to heal. Eat up a lot, and fatten up, although not too much. Then, I¡¯ll definitely make you stronger!¡±


    She looks a bit dejected, but still nods.


    ¡°By the way Saki, you shouldn¡¯t call me master. Just call me Yuuya like the others¡±


    She whips her head to the sides, quite aggressively.


    ¡°Master¡­is master¡±


    She smiles, and grasps my shirt¡¯s hem again. I lay down, and to my surprise, Saki lays down next to me, her hand still on my shirt.


    Sigh¡­. Whatever.


    The bracelet devours my mana, like a never ending pit. I keep sending it whatever I can spare of my little amount of mana, and it consumes it at an incredible speed.


    That day, when I had sent my mana into the bracelet, it was not that it didn¡¯t work, it was that it wasn¡¯t enough. My pathetically weak mana was, well weak.


    So, I regularly poured in my mana every time before sleeping, so that I could recover it while sleeping.


    Initially, there was no response, but nowadays, it sends out a faint green light, the gemstones gleaming.


    Intrigued, I kept doing it with more vigour, convinced that this was no normal bracelet.


    Suddenly, something trembles near me. When I look to my side, I can see Saki.


    She was sweating, quite a lot, her forehead beaded with sweat. She was curled up like a ball, trembling. A bad dream huh. Her face was distorted, as if in pain. I wonder if this is why she wanted to sleep with me.


    I take out a cloth from my ring, and wipe off the sweat from her forehead, gently so that she doesn¡¯t wake up. After confirming there was no more sweat left, although hesitant, I edged closer to her, and patted her head with my right arm. Thankfully, her expression loosens, but not so thankfully, she clings on to me, and refuses to move away.


    What a fearsome girl.


    Therefore, troubled by such things, I fell asleep.


    ***************


    ¡°Umu, Maria, the biggest problem is, that you have a limited quantity of arrows.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    Maria mutters at me, dejected. We were having our ¡®How to strengthen archers meeting¡¯ since we were now resting, ready for lunch.


    We had made camp near a huge rock formation, assured that monsters don¡¯t wander near her.


    Mili and Saki were playing in the sun, while Reginald was sharpening his sword. Niviel san was reading some material, which she said was her research on blessings and the sort.


    ¡°Maria, we need to save up money and buy you an interspatial ring, first off¡±


    ¡°Eh?! An interspatial ring?! Even the smallest one is almost a 100 gold!¡±


    Eh? What? Whaaaat?!!! On my hands, I was wearing a fortune?!?!


    MY eyes bulged out as I stare at the beautiful ring. My precious~ I need to protect-


    ¡°Snap out of it, Yuuya!¡±


    Maria drops a fit on my head, irritated. Ehehehe~ I got a bit carried away.


    ¡°Well then, we need to earn a 100 gold. It¡¯s not much. We¡¯ll earn it easily by the time we¡¯re Champion ranked!¡±


    ¡°Ch-ch-champion ranked?! Yuuya, you¡¯re really ambitious aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Umu ? Nothing¡¯s impossible, Maria! Believe it!¡±


    Maria looks at me, disbelief evident on her face.


    ¡°Anyways, you¡¯ll need to master freeform magic, is what I¡¯m coming to say¡±


    ¡°Free form¡­. Magic?¡±


    ¡°Yup. Then , you can use your own mana to create the arrows you need. And you can customize it, and add cool stuff to it.. .Maybe something like a sniper too! Also, you can get a mana storage device too!¡±


    Maria appeared thoughtful.


    ¡°Un, it is as you say, if I can create arrows, my number of arrows will increase a lot. But, where do i¡ª¡°


    I throw a book into her lap, ¡°The basics of free form ¡° She looks at it, bewildered.


    ¡°Learn it as quick as you can, ok?¡±


    ¡°Un!¡±


    Maria responds cheerfully after a while, and I leave the tent, satisfied. I can¡¯t learn it anyways, since my mana quantity is pitifully low. Well, I didn¡¯t have any before I became a Slayer, so I can¡¯t really complain about it too¡­

 Chapter 33: Damar Village!

    ¡°Ara, Yuuya kun, I¡¯ve been meaning to ask you, but why do you wear that eyepatch?¡±


    It was on the second day of our travel to Ugras, when we were walking along the Yolvian highway, relaxed because for now, there wouldn¡¯t be any attacks. Suddenly, Niviel san popped the question, which I was worried that no one ever asked me about.


    ¡°Is it one of the delusions of an adolescent boy?¡±


    Niviel san asks, poking my side. To my surprise, everyone nods, as if that was the truth. Was that what you guys thought of me?! As a delusional little boy?


    ¡°Ah, I got attacked by a monster, when I was in the woods. It bit into my eyes, and for some reason, it got cursed, it seems.¡±


    I told her, undoing my eyepatch. I opened my eye, and they all gasped.


    ¡°Hm? It looks that bad eh?¡±


    ¡°Y-Y-yuuya san..¡±


    Niviel san, shaking, points to my eye. When I try to look at it with my other eye,


    ¡°Woah! What¡¯s with that!?¡±


    Some kind of black gas was leaking out of my mutilated eye. What¡¯s happening?!


    I shake my head, to get the gas out of me. After a while, it stopped, and I sighed, exhausted.


    Niviel san comes close to me and examines my eye, stretching my eyelids and looking into that horror movie.


    ¡°Hm¡­It¡¯s quite a strong curse. It¡¯s grown stronger with time too¡­¡±


    She keeps looking, and then chants something. A silvery light comes out, and something sooths my eye. Temporarily. It immediately disappears, like an illusion.


    ¡°As I thought. Its strength is something beyond my Elementary Purify. You might need to go to a major church and use some high grade holy water, I fear¡±


    She sighs, giving up.


    ¡°Niviel san? Your Purify isn¡¯t strong enough?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m more of a healer class, with blessings as my forte.¡±


    ¡°There are other types?¡±


    ¡°Well, our basic class is Support based, but there are different variations. The Cleric class, like mine, which specializes in blessings and heal spells. The Priest class, which excels in purification and curses, along with negating debuffs. There¡¯s also the shaman class, who primarily do debuffs. There¡¯re exorcists, who deal with possessed people too¡±


    ¡°I see. It¡¯s really versatile.¡±


    Then I remember. If Niviel san can heal people easily, then!


    ¡°Niviel san, can you please heal the scars on Saki?!¡±


    Saki looks surprised, but keeps silent. She looks happy . As I thought. Scars are bad.


    ¡°Eh~to¡­Well¡­¡±


    Niviel san answers vaguely. But then, Reginald san steps in.


    ¡°She¡¯s not the type of healer you need. She¡¯s a battle oriented healer, meaning if she heals scars and the such, it will heal of course, but deformities may remain.¡±


    He says, gesturing at the scar on his forearm.


    ¡°You¡¯ll need someone who can perform more delicate healing magic, who has more of an understanding of the body¡¯s structure than this moron.¡±


    ¡°Regi! I¡¯m not a moron! You see, Yuuya kun, healing magic consists of two phases. The growth boost, and the remodeling. If you had a cut on your arm, then my healing magic will first boost the growth rate of your flesh, and then make the flesh grow in the way I need to cover up the cut. Do you understand?¡±


    I nod. So it¡¯s like crafting. It has to be done delicately, since I want Saki¡¯s skin to be perfect. Supple and soft. Yup!


    ¡°A battle oriented healer has to work quickly, so my healing spells will focus on quickly repairing it haphazardly. Of course, for more critical wounds,I¡¯ll have to focus and do it delicately, in order to return to its former state.¡±


    Oh~ho! I see, I see. I glance at Saki, who looks a bit dejected, but I pat her head, in an attempt to cheer her up. Good girl~


    ¡°If we take Yuuya kun¡¯s eye is cursed, so the growth boost will be rendered ineffective. And, if I heal your eye, it¡¯s possible that it might get permanently impaired, since only someone who has completely understood the structure can do it perfectly¡±


    So, I¡¯ll be the one eyed Slayer for a while, huh.


    "By the way Niviel san, why are you traveling to Ugras?"


    "Oh? Hehe um, well my uncle is sick, and well...."


    Oh... I see. Deathbed level sick, maybe. That was why the request had such a short time limit huh?


    ¡°Oi, you guys, we¡¯re already at Damar, you know?¡±


    Damar village. A well off village, the last stop before Ugras. By afternoon tomorrow, we¡¯ll be at Ugras.


    ¡°Yawnnn¡­¡±


    I yawned, feeling sleepy. It¡¯s already night time, and it¡¯s a good thing we¡¯re at Damar, right on schedule. It seems it¡¯ll be a while before I can get my eye back. I need to fix Saki¡¯s scars as soon as possible. Yosh~ I¡¯ve added it on my objective list.


    I fiddle with the eye patch, thinking whether I can change the color of my eye. How about¡­ blue? Bright blue and black. Blood red and black. Gold and black. White and black?


    Thinking so, we enter Damar village, searching for an inn. Mili was already on my shoulders, snoring cutely. Saki stumbled quite a few times, since the physical exercise is new for her. Niviel san was getting a piggyback from Reginald san. Well, aren¡¯t they quite lovey dovey. When I asked them about it, they denied it outright, turning beet red.


    ¡°Landlady san, three double rooms please.¡±


    ¡°Ou! New travelers eh? Ye lot adventurers?¡±


    Her accent is quite strong, so I can¡¯t make full sense out of it, but I somehow make do with what I know.


    ¡°Yes. We¡¯re heading for Ugras.¡±


    ¡°Journey be good to ye¡±


    I¡¯m guessing she wished us luck on our journey, since the word she said, Klimke meant journey, pronounced as Kl-ei-m-ki. But she pronounced it as Kli-mk-ei. Harbouring such thoughts, we headed into the inn.


    A room for me and Saki, which was pretty much official now, Mili and Maria, and Reginald san and Niviel san. Maria turned red and started hitting me when she heard that me and Saki slept in the same room. I¡¯m not  a lolicon, Maria!! (Saki has a child¡¯s mind, in case you forgot. Yep, I¡¯m breaking the fourth wall here. Not really. I¡¯m the Author!)


    We wearily went into our rooms, and I felt so sleepy that I stumbled and the key crashed to the floor. Woah¡­ what¡¯s happening? I can see three keys on the floor¡­.


    I stumbled around, unable to make sense of what was happening. I sagged onto the wall for balance. My mind was as clear as day, but my senses were scrambled. That must be why I¡¯m smelling some sweaty people around here.


    Something hits my head, and I feel pain. I see, I was drugged huh. I sniff the air, and I can feel the scent of something flowery. Did the landlady know about this? Saki¡­.


    I got on four knees, my consciousness still awake. My mind was already calculating what to do, but my body was whirling around, like I was drunk. Shit. What a potent drug. I could faintly sense that Saki was collapsed next to me, snoring soundly. I need to stay alert. I tried running various scenarios. Bandits? Thugs?


    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    They might get suspicious, since I''ve still not collapsed. This drug is no joke. What, has it been ten minutes since I collapsed here?


    For now, I decided to play along with them, like a weak little adventurer.


    I crashed onto the ground, still very much awake. I strained my ears, to listen to the sounds. The effects of the drug were already vanishing, since my constitution as a Slayer was different, I guess. Something like an intoxication resistance in RPGs. I wonder if that¡¯s why I didn¡¯t get drunk? But the effects of the drug were still present, since my joints felt rickety and rusty.  I listened closely to the footsteps that echoed into the corridor.


    ¡°Another harvest, eh? But that guy, he resisted it for quite a while. The others finished up quick¡±


    A deep and disgusting voice came from my right, but I kept my eyes shut, trying to find their motive. There were two men, judging from the footsteps.


    ¡°Woah~ This is great, big bro! This guy, he¡¯s got an interspatial ring!¡±


    A squeaky and high pitched voice reaches my ears, and I can feel someone touching my hands, trying to take away my ring. I stayed still. For now.


    ¡°Lil bro! This woman, she¡¯s a beauty! Oh my god! The boss will be pleased without doubt.¡±


    That did it. I whirled around, yelling.


    ¡°Take your hands of Saki, you bastards!!!¡±


    I kicked the face of the man next to me in the rotation, and he collapsed. Fainted I guess. So frail.


    But without stopping, I landed on all fours, and faced the man who was about to touch Saki. That pig of a man. He was wearing a suspicious black bag on his head, with holes for seeing and breathing.


    I darted at him, and aimed my knee at his Solar plexus. I can hear him gasping for breath at my attack, but without stopping, I hoist him up with my hands and slam him onto the wooden floor, sending shards of wood flying.


    He already fainted, and I turn back at the other one. Tch, escaped huh. Maybe he was faking that he had fainted.


    I help Saki up, and break down the inn¡¯s door. Doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯ll blame it on my battle with them. I lay her down on the bed, cover her up, and head out. On the way, I tie up the pig man. I took out a ¡®small¡¯ boulder I had picked up near Ravenblack for ¡®miscellaneous¡¯ purposes and blocked the doorway, to ensure nobody tried to touch Saki. I dragged the pigman by the scruff of his neck, and dragged him along.


    As I thought huh.


    Niviel san, Mili and Maria were missing. The idiot Reginald san was snoring on the bed, having happy dreams, except he was butt naked. Someone had taken all his equipment. I cover him up, and similarly block the doorway.


    Those guys, they are gonna pay for touching my party.


    I release the sensory trick I had not used for a long time, with Detect. The landlady was gone. A co conspirator? I couldn¡¯t trust anyone now.


    I sent the energy racing across the entire village, until I found something. An unusual gathering of people. Suspicious.


    I head out, towards the first suspicious spot.


    It was a family gathering. Damn. That¡¯s some more time wasted. I had already searched the entire village without getting a trail.


    It¡¯s a given that they¡¯re of the same organization.


    I race out of the village, past its wooden barricade. The guards were missing. Shit, is this entire village made of thieves? This entire plot seems suspicious.


    I stopped, realizing something. I looked back at the village. The gathering.


    I ran back, and tried to confirm my suspicions. I walked into the hall, swords unsheathed.


    As I suspected. They don¡¯t even realize that I¡¯m here. An illusion, huh. My Detect was fooled magnificently .


    Then, I remembered. My sole lead.


    I rushed back to the ¡®inn¡¯ and woke up the pig man. Reginald san was still sleeping like a baby. Damn, it¡¯s been two hours since they¡¯ve been gone. I need to act fast.


    I slap his cheek, left and right, twice. He finally woke up, staggering around like a drunkard.


    ¡°Wh-wh-where am I ?¡±


    I kick him in the face, with a Mawashi giri, sending him crashing into the walls.


    ¡°Where are they?¡±


    I spit out, my words filled with anger. They dare touch my party?!


    He gasps, looking at me. Then, he begins laughing. Annoyance.


    ¡°BUhahahaha! They might have been sold already!¡±


    I elbow him on the nose, letting it bleed. He screams in pain, holding his face.


    ¡°Where. Are. They?¡±


    He keeps rolling, shaking his head in denial.


    I kick him in the side, and he gasps.


    ¡°One last time. Where. Are. They?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re in our hideout! I swear! ¡°


    Finally, he breaks.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the hideout?¡±


    ¡°Th-that¡¯s¡±


    I raise my leg, ready to drop a kick onto his miserable face. He squeals in fear, and begins talking.


    ¡°Outside! Outside! The eastern caves! I swear.¡±


    ¡°What did you guys do here?¡±


    ¡°Buhahaha! We, are the followers of our great master, Arlenid! He ordered us to take over this village, and raid everyone who comes here! The residents are merely an illusion now! Go, go to our hideout, foolish adventurer! My thousand brothers, and our master, shall show you the difference in power! Our master, is a Slayer! A Slayer! Tremble in fear! Buhahahaha¡ª !¡±


    He laughs out loud, as if convinced that his boss will save a grunt like him. Irritated, I knock him out, and tie him up.


    Hm¡­ A slayer huh? This just got interesting.


    {A few things to inform you guys, which has been pointed out by bradyman50. First off, Yuuya was down for quite a while. He resisted the drug, and was struggling to regain control of his body. Meaning, by this time, the others were completely knocked out. Kidnapping, and plundering were done. Second, Maybe you guys don''t know,, but Saki is NOT a slave. She is a free girl now. The MC doesn''t want slaves. Sorry to the people who want a slave harem :P . Lastly, the town is a town in buildings only. Minor spoiler, but the residents were kidnapped. The residents in the town are ALL illusions, to fool naive adventurers who wander in.  They knock them out, strip them of their equipment, sell them as slaves. There are scouts outside the town to inform the bandits in town. They quickly do the job, and get to their hideout. Since their force was composed of almost 1000 people, they could easily take over the town. And, it happened really recently, so that''s why a lot of people don''t know it yet. If you want to ask, why didn''t the other adventurers alert the authorities of other towns it''s cuz they themselves don''t know that the town was taken over. they wake up in the morning, equipment less. They can only think that bandits attacked them. Hope that cleared your doubts. Thank you for reading!}

 The first poll!

Upon reaching 222 followers, and seeing its a cool number, here''s my first try at a poll. Well well, i have grown!

 Chapter 34: The Hideout of the Thugs!

    ¡°Heup~!¡±


    I stretch my body, in order to confirm whether it had returned to its former state. I was at the inn, and am preparing to head out to the hideout after making some preparations. Since there¡¯s a ¡°Slayer¡± involved, and I¡¯m pretty much a novice, I¡¯m not sure I can beat the Slayer. Of course, there¡¯s a good chance that it¡¯s just a farce, but being cautious ain¡¯t a crime, right?


    ¡°Alright. I don¡¯t think anything feels wrong¡±


    I comment, swinging the sword in an arc, just to confirm once again. Right.


    I sniff the air. The drug is still present, although the smell is getting fainter by the second, with the wind blowing into the corridor. I had opened the window, so that I don¡¯t get any nasty rebounds from inhaling the drug too much or anything.


    I keep sniffing, trying to track down the source. It¡¯s a flowery and fragrant scent, and just inhaling it makes me feel light headed. Kinda. I walk down the corridor, to the turn in the hall.


    A dead end.


    There was a window there, the hinges creaking in the night wind. I check, leaning out of the window.


    As I thought huh.


    A rope ladder was dangling down, swaying in the wind. This must be how they got in and how that squeaky voiced guy escaped. I cut the ladder, letting it fall onto the ground. I don¡¯t need them to creep in this way.


    I search around, and finally find something. A gray powder. Just a hint of it, near the wall. I rub it off and smell it. Ah. The same smell. Ash huh?


    Some kind of incense? That¡¯s what comes to my mind. I look towards the corridor in which the rooms are. A single window here, the others all shut. I guess those gas masks are to ensure that they don¡¯t breathe in the drug. And seeing that this place was made airtight, it¡¯s obvious that this place would be heavily filled with the scent, immediately knocking out adventurers and the lot.


    I head over to Reginald, who was still sleeping. What a careless guy. His party member got abducted and he¡¯s out like a light. Men should be like me~


    I lift him up from the bed, and carry him downstairs. I cross the counter, and open the backdoor. The landlady¡¯s room. I lay him down on the bed there. Yup, most people won¡¯t think of checking such places.


    Likewise, I bring Saki here, and lay her down too, on a separate bed. Can¡¯t let them lie on the same bed. What if Reginald had sleep groping tendencies?! The various scenes from the manga I had read enter my head, so I decide to let Reginald sleep on the floor.


    As to why I didn¡¯t wake him up yet, I¡¯m not really sure whether I should call him. It¡¯s not a matter of his strength, it¡¯s more of the Slayer part. What if he finds out I¡¯m a slayer? They were nice guys. I wouldn¡¯t want them hating me for stuff like my class.


    After making sure the sleeping beauties were tucked in, I began my preparations. I head out of the room, and take out the stuff I need. Ten minutes at most. You guys will be ok for that long, right?


    I sat down, cross legged, in front of the room. I survey the stuff before me.


    A demon bird¡¯s blood, the ash of a burnt silver wolf, the desiccated remains of a Chimpak. A champak was a monkey like monster, with huge wide ears. A great annoyance, thanks to their speed and their mobility, but quite weak.


    I take the small bowl, and pour the blood from the vial. The thick red blood flows into the bowl. I take the ash of the silver wolf, and mix it with the desiccated Chimpak¡¯s entrails. After mixing it, I heat it, all the while crushing it into a powder. Once it turns a bright yellow, I prick my finger, and let a small drop blood fall onto the powder. Then, I add the powder into the blood.


    A deep green color spreads across the surface of the blood. I put in two fingers and mix it, slowly rotating my fingers. Two times clockwise, seven times counter clockwise.


    I finish the ink I needed, and take out the parchment from my ring.


    Dipping my fingers into the deep green mixture, and begin drawing the inscription circle. I pour in mana into my finger, and begin drawing, gently.


    Sweat beads my forehead, as I struggle to complete the barrier inscription. My mana was almost dried up, but somehow, I finish it. With the last stroke, I cut the supply, and heave a sigh of relief.


    I take out a towel and wipe my sweaty face. Drawing barrier inscriptions is simply too much for me. But Master had insisted that I learn it, and drilled it into me. She said it would be useful to make traps for monsters in order to weaken them. Almost 10 minutes have passed. I need to get going, soon.


    I paste the barrier inscription onto the door, with some resin like substance I had collected in the forest. The ring kept it sticky, thankfully.


    I deploy the barrier, and I can feel an invisible barrier surrounding the room. Yosh~ that should keep them safe for now. Only I can enter the barrier, so intruders will have some difficulty.


    I meditate, closing my eyes, in order to let my mana replenish itself. Thankfully, the regen rate is quite high, compensating for my low quantity.


    In a minute, I ascertain that I had recovered over half of my mana. I quickly change, wearing the coat Arcus san had got me. I take out Rebellion, and place the steel sword in the ring.


    After a lot of deliberation, I take out the mask. It has been in the coat pocket all this time, and this would be the first time I wear it.


    I remember the hood, so I brush my hair back, and attach the hood on. Alright, now no one can find me based on the hair color.


    Chaos King sets off!


    I race across the plains, the cold night air cutting into the coat, making it flutter. I use my full speed, since I wasted quite some time already. I headed towards those mountains, the pig said that there were caves there.


    And about the pig, I tied him up, securely. But feeling insecure, put him in my room, covered him up, and hit him once more, to make sure he was knocked out.  I made a small trap outside, in case the squeaky voice or someone else came into the room to save their ¡®Big bro¡¯.


    I quickly deploy Detect. I knew that it can be fooled, but maybe they won¡¯t use illusions near their base.


    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    No luck huh.


    The entire mountain gives off a no life sign reading, regrettably. But I intensify the energy, hoping for a breakthrough.


    I vaguely sensed someone. Above the mountain, I could feel a presence.


    I crouched down, and began sending dragon energy into my legs. No wait. Dust clouds get raised whenever I use that. I need to be inconspicuous now.


    I jump onto the wall, and with a minor enhancement, quickly climb up.


    Once I climb onto the cliff, I spot the presence immediately.


    A small girl, wearing dark green clothes. She had dark green hair, tied in twin tails. Mili.


    She was lying on the ground, and looking at the face of a mountain, expecting something. Hm? Is that where their hideout is?


    I walk upto her, and poke her on the shoulder. Mistake.


    She gets shocked and almost screamed, so I immediately clamped her mouth shut. She began squirming around in my hands.


    In Japan, I would have already been arrested.


    ¡°Mili, it¡¯s me! Yuuya!¡±


    I whisper into her ear, and she calms down. Good. I let her go, and she suddenly turns and kicks me on the leg.


    ¡°Idiot Yuuya! How long does it take for you to come! They¡­they took Maria!¡±


    She kept kicking and admonishing me. I stayed silent. It¡¯s my fault after all.


    After she vented out her frustration, she sat down on the ground, her cheeks puffed. Her eyes were swollen. I see, she was crying huh. I sat down next to her, and put my arm around her. Then I pat her head.


    ¡°Were you scared, Mili?¡±


    At my question, she tears up, and hugs onto me, crying. She stays like that, burying her face onto my coat. I keep patting her head, saying ¡®There,there¡¯.


    ¡°It wabb sooww scawwy, you know? Bhey book Mawia! I wab sow scabbed!¡±


    She kept crying, for five more minutes. And I kept patting her. She finally settled down. She¡¯s a little girl after all.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Yuuya sama is here! ¡°


    I said to her, showing a thumbs up. She sniffles, and smiles at me. Poor thing.


    ¡°Then, what happened?¡±


    ¡°Um, it was at the inn..¡±


    According to Mili, she immediately found out that something was wrong with the air, and stopped breathing. Maria got knocked out immediately, so scared, she hid behind the door of the room. Some men came in, and took her out, it seems. She followed them, and saw two more men, carrying out Niviel san. She said she couldn¡¯t come to me, since she was afraid that she wouldn¡¯t be able to find Maria¡¯s trail. She followed after them, and somehow, trailed them. Then only did she notice that the village¡¯s residents were illusions. And they came here, and headed into the rock, passing through it.


    ¡°Oh¡­  Then Mili, hop on! We¡¯re gonna get them, and wipe out these guys!¡±


    ¡°Un!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be depending on you for support fire, okay?¡±


    She nods, and climbs onto my shoulders, straddling my neck. Then, let¡¯s begin the bandit extermination mission. Of course, I won¡¯t kill them. I¡¯m a normal high school student from modern Japan. As if killing people is simple! Killing monsters is different though. The RPG mindset protects me!


    I head towards the rock, stealthily from the side. I place my hand on the rock, and contrary to my expectations, it slips right through. I see, the entire entrance is blocked by an illusion, huh?


    Mili stays low, pressing her head against mine. I slowly step into the rock, still feeling cautious. The scenery changes suddenly, and I¡¯m in a cavern.


    Woah! That was sorta like from that train station for wizards in the novel that I had read!


    The walls of the cavern were dark, and the entrance was located at quite a height. The passage moved down, opening up into a huge room, for all I could see. There was some faint light coming from the room, which was what gave me some visibility. I looked at the guard near the entrance. Luckily, he was sleeping. I hit him on the back of his neck, tie him up, and leave him there.


    When I look back, I can see the open air and the cliff. Hm¡­ A one way illusion huh.


    I stealthily move through the passage, and peep down.


    The source of light in the cavern was immediately identified.


    A huge pool of water was at the floor of the huge cavern. From its depth, a mystic light was emerging, filling the entire cavern with its luminescence. A lot of people were here, sitting around and chatting. Roughly cut stairs led down onto the floor from where I was standing. I was at a height of about 6 meters. The cavern roof was another 6 meters above me. Mili gasped at the sight, gazing at the pool of water.


    Then I noticed. In the center of the pool, there was a small land mass. On it, sat a man. I couldn¡¯t see his face properly, owing to the shadow cast by the landmass, but I could see his well built body. The boss character? He sat, there, unmoving. Was he meditating or something?


    But crap, this is a problem. I have no idea where the others are, and I can see a passage heading deeper into the cavern. But, there were a lot of people sitting near it. Meaning, stealth was useless. Fighting like a madman was also a no go, since there¡¯s a chance that something might happen to them.


    Right! I used Detect again, and finally, finally, it worked.


    I could see that there was a room beyond the passage, and something like a treasure room. The room had the girls. I could faintly see something like boxes, so I¡¯m guessing those are cages.


    Now, how do I proceed with the rescue mission?


    The idea pops into my head almost immediately, and I smile mischievously.


    {Just a reminder, but Yuuya never uses the equipment he got from Baras, since they''re quite good, no excellent equipment, and it''ll make him conspicuous if he used them, as he''s supposed to be a weak and naive adventurer. The kidnapping arc ends in the next chapter, or so i think}

 Chapter 35: The Fight in the Caverns!

    My smile was long gone. I immediately realized the extent of how flawed my plan was, after I thought it through again. Good thing I didn¡¯t do it.


    The perfect method to slip past a large group of people to get to the other side?


    Stealth is needed, of course. But the perfect solution is a distraction.


    A distraction good enough to shift their attention so that I can get into that passage. My plan was perfect, until I recognized that fatal flaw. Then what?


    IF I somehow distract them, the best I can do is slip past them, and make sure the girls are ok. After which, I¡¯m back to square one, except the trouble is more. Those guys might just attack the girls, and kill them, since obviously; I¡¯ll be trying to protect them. Sigh¡­ These are the times when I wish I was a perfect Jack of all Trades kind of character. This, this is hard.


    And my initial plan for distracting them was to make the cavern roof collapse. But now that I think about it, it might very well be a double edged sword. And a sharp one at that.


    And so, I¡¯m sitting cross legged, just like the boss man, trying to figure out a way to solve this stupid dilemma.


    Hm? Another bright idea!


    The reason why they would try to attack the hostages would be if I tried to save the hostages, right? So what if I appeared as a neutral character? A wandering hero? Who by chance found this hideout, and decided to wipe them out? It¡¯ll work out right? Right?


    I really do suck at planning¡­


    Mili is looking at me worriedly. I guess she¡¯s anxious why I haven¡¯t begun my heroic assault. But before that, I need to check something.


    ¡°Ne, Mili, they didn¡¯t see your face right?¡±


    I whispered to her, to make sure those guys don¡¯t find us.


    She shakes her head in denial. Yosh~ Then it¡¯s good enough. My plan was already formulated. But, if we go by this scenario, the first thing I¡¯ll need to do is¡­


    ¡°Ara ara~? What might this place be? A gathering of louts?¡±


    My voice echoes into the cavern. A really high pitched voice, so that they don¡¯t track me by that. The only thing left is scent, and I sure hope they don¡¯t smell me out or something.


    This was, the perfect distraction. Every head turned towards me, and even the boss man half-opened his eyes.


    ¡°Who might you be?¡±


    He lightly replies, his face completely composed. I could barely see his face, shadowed by the light from the pool, but i could sense his eyes, the way they stared right at me, unfazed by my oh-so awesome appearance.


    ¡°A wandering hero, I can say. What about you?¡±


    ¡°A wandering bandit, I can say.¡±


    He smirks at me. Tit for tat huh. Whatever.


    ¡°Well then, why don¡¯t you guys all surrender, so that I can quickly round you up and give you guys to the authorities!¡±


    The people start laughing. Well, that¡¯s to be expected. A masked man comes in and asks them to surrender? As if they¡¯ll listen.


    ¡°Kill him¡±


    The boss man growls, and every one of them roars, taking out their swords and maces and clubs and daggers and lots of stuff I don¡¯t even know about. Well then, time for part one.


    Cut off the escape route!


    I charge up my legs with Dragon Slayer energy, and crush the pillar like construction supporting the stairs. I jump on the debris and land lightly onto the ground, and the debris crashes behind me, burying the people who wanted to climb it. I¡¯m not a good Samaritan. I like Batman, you know. I won¡¯t go out of my way to save them, and I won¡¯t kill them. A few broken bones are fine.


    I immediately stop the Dragon Slayer energy, since I learnt an invaluable lesson at the Curas den. Efficient fighting. I draw Rebellion, and face my first obstacle.


    How do I stop them with a super sharp sword?


    Tch! And I went to all the trouble of grandly displaying it too. I put it back in my ring, feeling disgruntled.


    By this time, the first bandit swings his sword, at my neck. I duck, evading the blow. Bare handed?


    I catch his wrist, and twist it. He yells in pain. I push him away and jump to the right, evading another blow that comes out. This, this is gonna be good practice. Anti personnel combat, to be exact. But my plan is not this. For now, I need to look weak. For my plan!


    I twist and turn, evading their blows by millimeters. I kick the head of a bandit lightly, sending him flying. Oops. They all wore those creepy black masks. What are they, some kind of cult?


    I weave through the horde of people, evading and pushing away the attackers. By now, I¡¯ve established my image as a nimble fighter, so the attacks are getting more complex.


    A person rushes at me, swinging a metal club. Is that a baseball bat? I dodge, sidestepping it. As if waiting for it, a man darts out from the crowd behind me, dagger in hand. Good strategy, but something with a longer reach would be more effective.


    I thought, as I extended my leg, kicking him square in the chest. He gets pushed back, into the huge crowd. It creates a good measure of confusion, as his dagger causes some damage to his ¡®brothers¡¯. I take advantage of it, and quickly release the Gust I had chanted, throwing them off balance. I jump, and use their heads as footholds, to run towards the back entrance.


    ¡°e¡¯s goin¡¯ toward¡¯s the treas¡¯e!¡±


    Someone yells, and their fighting spirit increases drastically. Wow. Some people love their trea-


    Wait, treasure? The treasure room! Gold! Silver! Rais! I¡¯m gonna be rich!


    ¡°Why¡¯s e¡¯ smilin¡¯ like tha¡¯! Weird¡¯o! Kill ¡®im of!¡±


    It¡¯s kinda tough to understand their thick accent, as I jump across the crowd, kicking and dodging at various spots.


    Finally, I reach the intended spot. In front of the passage. This needs a lot of timing and acting to pull of perfectly.


    The first person that lunges at me, I catch him and throw him back. Blunt weapon is no good. Come on, you guys! The next person uses a spear. Good.


    Accurately, I bend when the spear approaches me, somehow allowing it to graze my chest, cutting the strap of the bag on my back. The bag fell, and in a smooth motion, I fumble with it, and ¡®somehow¡¯ toss it into the passage. I hope Mili is ok.


    ¡°Oh no! My bag!¡±


    I yelled, to make sure they thought that it was legit. I must say, I¡¯m quite pleased with my acti¡ª


    Woah! I couldn¡¯t help but exclaim in my mind, as an exceptionally strong attack comes at me. I barely dodge it, but it cuts across my chest. With a *clang* the coat deflects it, preventing injury. A dagger huh. No good. Focus on the battle.


    I clap my hands together, and hold them as if in prayer. The plan still has to be completed after all!


    ¡°Summon boulder technique!¡±


    A 3 meter tall boulder appears out of thin air behind me, blocking the sole escape route that was left. Now, be amazed!


    ¡°Oi, didn¡¯ he jus¡¯ use a interspacical rin¡¯g?¡±


    I was found out! Whatever. Time to clean up the trash.


    I take out the wooden sword from the ring, and begin my assault.


    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    I parry the attack from the mace, and kick him in the temple, in the same motion, I hit a person in the shoulder, disabling their attack from initiating. I roll on the ground, dodging the barrage of strikes. I keep up my defense at all times, since there¡¯re strong guys hidden among these common thugs.


    There were about a 100 of them, and I defeated around 15 by now. I don¡¯t know about the rest 900 people, but a 100 are enough for me. I¡¯m the kind of person who¡¯s happy with what he has.


    I twist the sword in, and he yells in pain. I grasp the wrist of the person who tried to stab me, and throw him into the thicker crowd. I jump at them, and in a flurry of strikes, wipe out all who were defenseless. A swing at their head would be enough to knock them out after all. And Master had made me do this as an exercise more than a few times. Brrr~


    I jump up, at swing the sword in an arc, parrying the dagger. Another phantom strike eh. Too bad I noticed you!


    I mark the person who threw the knife, and decide to head after him, after I deal with them. I wish I had some aerial movement skill. Gust does the job, but the mana consumption is too high for me.


    I begin murmuring, in order to prepare the chant. So what if I¡¯m airborne? You¡¯re clearly in my sights!


    ¡°O,Earth, Pierce through, Earth spike!¡±


    I fire the spike, rotating it for more speed and piercing power. It hits the expert¡¯s leg, wounding him. Good enough for me.


    I dash out, using my sword to hit the heads of anyone who were in arm¡¯s reach. I kept my focus on the expert. Hidden experts are troublesome.


    I bring my sword down on his neck, for a perfect KO. Or so I thought.


    ¡°Gua!¡±


    The basics of group fights, never concern yourself with a single opponent. I was hit point blank with the stone hard fist, and  two of my ribs cracked. Damnit!


    But ignoring the pain, brought my leg around, in a roundhouse, to incapacitate the sneaky attacker. My leg meets with resistance, as a thick arm blocks my kick perfectly.


    When I look at my opponent, I immediately understand. The boss finally began moving huh.


    He looked almost 25 years old, with dark blue hair. His ears were well, webbed and like a fan. His eyes were like his hair, a dark blue shade. A fearless grin played on his face, as he looked at me.


    Don¡¯t mess around.


    In a flash, I turned my body, using his hand as a foothold, to bring my other leg down on his head. He immediately shifts his hand, ruining my balance, and raises his leg up, perfectly hitting the joint. Or it was supposed to. In the last moment, I pulled back, and his leg hit the outer arch of my foot.


    We immediately jump back, creating some distance between us. On the way, I knocked out a few more of the goons.


    So, let¡¯s check the situation.


    Almost 60 goons, with some experts mixed between them, and a boss. Not too good, considering that the boss equals my base abilities. I ready my wooden sword, in my first serious fight ,with just my physical abilities.


    ¡°Oi, you guys. Back off. This guy is mine!¡±


    The Boss yells out, and the goons immediately back off. Hm? Well, what a nice guy. He bows down, and introduces himself.


    ¡°Xhoing Narkiar. The sin of Greed Arlenid¡¯s right hand. If I lose, then all of us shall surrender¡±


    Greed? Arlenid? Wasn¡¯t Arlenid the slayer guy? Greed huh. Sin of greed, to be exact. The Seven Deadly Sins?


    My mind was a whirlpool of thoughts, and I realized Xhoing was looking at me expectantly. Oh! This is a duel.


    ¡°Yuuya Nakajima. Silver ranked adventurer. I shall give you information about my treasure, if I lose¡±


    He cocks an eyebrow.


    ¡°Silver rank? Surely, you jest.¡±


    I stay silent. Then, his eyes widen with surprise.


    ¡°Ou! Have the outside¡¯s people gotten so strong? To think a Silver rank is as strong as a Mithril rank now!¡±


    Confirmed. Marco was a weak little Mithril rank. Maybe because of his party. As I thought, my strength was only at the level of Mithril rank¡­ Looks like he misunderstood, but it¡¯s not my job to correct him.


    ¡°Then, let¡¯s begin!¡±


    He dashes, heading towards me.


    I punch him and knock him out.


    Is what I¡¯d like to say, but I bend down, preparing for a counter.


    He raises his knee, going for my left side. I sidestep to the right, and try to slam him on to the ground by grabbing his shirt. He dances away, and I follow after him, sword aiming for his leg.


    He stops and gives a powerful kick, which I parry with my wooden sword. No good huh. With a crack, the trusty wooden sword breaks in two, and the broken part flies off into the pool. I throw away the stick, for that¡¯s all it was now, and dash in, aiming a punch at his right lung. He captures my wrist and tosses me. As soon as I reach the apex, I grab back at his wrist, and use the centrifugal force to land, and slam him into the ground in the same motion. The peanut gallery were ¡®oooh¡¯ing and ¡®aah¡¯ing.


    Annoying.


    I jump back, dodging his leg that was coming for me. He jumps on to his feet, and without pause, attacks. This time, he goes for a more subdued approach, rushing straight in. I raise my right fist, aiming at his face, while I ready my left fist at his abdomen.


    My right goes straight into his face, and he magnificently blocks it, but he fell for it. My left buries itself into his thick body, and he spits out blood. Not willing to give him any respite, I keep attacking, continuously punching at his abdomen.


    He tries to kick with his left leg, from my ¡®blindspot¡¯. I swing my leg, full force, and both our legs clash. His leg gets bent out of angle. My strength, is it increasing?


    With the suspicion in me, I immediately aimed a kick at his temple, aiming for a knockout. He jumps back, evading it. Tch.


    He does some emergency treatment, and his leg looks, usable. He glares at me, and finally, finally uses enhancement magic, to get that extra spark. Well, mister, I know some enhancing tricks too.


    His speed increased, without doubt. An overall boost, I guess.


    But so did mine.


    I release the Chaos energy, accelerating my body. In a second, I was already at his flank, aiming my knee at his ribs.


    A square hit, and he coughs out, unable to bear the pain. I twist and aim a kick straight at his face, with all my power.


    He flies off and crashes onto the wall, and the rocks come crumbling down, from the huge impact.


    The dust cloud races over here, and I stand calmly.


    ¡°Now, surrender!¡±


    The entire room stays silent. Really? Did it work?


    ¡°OOOOAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!!¡±


    With an ear splitting yell, they all come at me. That¡¯s more like it.


    I crack my knuckles, for the beat up bonanza.

 Chapter 36:The End Of The Journey!

    ¡°And¡­ done!¡±


    I wiped the sweat off my brow as I finished tying up the last guy. I took off all of their masks and got a good look at their faces, in case one of them ever notices me in the future and causes trouble for me. That happens a lot in the novels I read, and I¡¯m not taking any chances. Even if I had a mask on, safety is best after all. Of course, remembering the faces of a 100 people is pretty much impossible for me, but at least I¡¯ll get a vague sense of familiarity when I see them, or if I see them in the future.


    I tied them up, exhausting the ropes I had in stock. I actually stocked up on a lot of them, reminded of my experience with the usefulness of the vines during my stay in the forest, so as security I got quite a lot of them. I tied them up in groups of three, and I have enough for at least 2 more people, so I used them to tie up the boss. Double reinforcement!


    I dragged the boss, who was out cold, to the edge of the water and pushed his face in. Bubbles came up, and he started struggling, seemingly awake now. I pull him out and throw him aside, and then crouch down. He splutters and gasps, his face wet.


    ¡°Yo, we meet again¡±


    He looks up at me, and then looks around wildly. Looking at his tied up comrades, he sighs, and then replies.


    ¡°Haaah¡­ I lost huh.¡±


    He chuckles, and then keeps talking.


    ¡°It was¡­a fun fight. You¡¯re really strong huh?¡±


    I stay silent. I¡¯m strong if compared to him, but the upper limits of strength I know are too far away for me. Arcus san, Master, they are the strong ones, if you ask me.


    ¡°So.. what do you want to know?¡±


    ¡°The villagers?¡±


    ¡°In the backroom, where you threw your teammate in.¡±


    What? How did he?!


    ¡°It was really obvious, seeing your plan. And the bag kept moving, so I kinda guessed there was someone in it.¡±


    ¡°And you didn¡¯t stop me?¡±


    ¡°There was a monster in front of us, and the path was blocked. Like we¡¯d show our backs to an enemy just to chase after a child¡±


    ¡°Hm¡­¡±


    The mask saved me, but inside, I was sweating quite profusely, seeing my plan was seen through in a glance. Sigh..


    ¡°But that¡¯s not what you wanted to ask, is it?¡±


    ¡°The Slayers¡±


    I affirm his suspicion. The more important thing was obviously finding out about the Slayers, and the Seven Deadly Sins. Well not exactly seven, since I only know about the sin of Greed, this guy¡¯s boss.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll tell you. The Sla-¡°


    ¡°Skip the introduction. I know what the Slayers are. Tell me about your boss and your group as a whole¡±


    His eyes widen with surprise, and then he stares at me with suspicion. After a pause, he began answering.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have any names, but the Yiwolk Empire has termed us as Rebels. So, we called ourselves that. The top brass are seven Slayers, the strongest in our group. Our boss, Arlenid, is the seventh of the Sins, Greed¡±


    ¡°Seven sins?¡±


    ¡°Haaah.. We don¡¯t know about it either. One fine day, a youth appeared, and gathered the slayers. He named them The Seven Deadly Sins, starting with himself as Wrath, then Lust, Gluttony, Envy, Pride, Sloth and our boss, Greed. He spewed a lot of such stuff, and he¡¯s famous as the ¡®Delusional Savage¡¯.¡±


    Delusional¡­Savage? The Savage part seems a bit, influenced, for some reason.


    ¡°But, the fact that all of us agreed to it is nothing but a statement of his strength. I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t think you can even beat Greed, leaving out the other six.¡±


    Hm, true. They must have at most 16 years of experience, a really large amount when compared to me. Master had told me that the sealing happened 16 years ago, and that everyone who was near a Slayer, as well as the Slayer himself, was teleported into the forest. So, the people who weren¡¯t Slayers then weren¡¯t included in the sealing, but the seal created a test for them, if they wished to leave. What a complex seal.


    ¡°Where do the rebels operate?¡±


    ¡°Hm? Are you gonna hunt them?¡±


    ¡°No. I want to meet them. I have a job to do, which a certain Slayer friend of mine, gave me. He asked me to find the rest of the Slayers in the outside world.¡±


    This should be good enough for a cover story right?


    He stares at me, but then replies.


    ¡°Slayers are taboo after all. And in 16 years, most have forgotten about their raw might. I¡¯m sorry, but I cannot tell an anonymous person the whereabouts just based on your words. But I¡¯ll tell you this, the land of the long horns, that is what you seek. Now, to the matter at hand. What are you gonna do with us?¡±


    ¡°Leave you here, alert the authorities, and move off? After all, even if you are related to Slayers, what you did here is inexcusable¡±


    ¡°What the humans did to us is inexcusable! This is nothing but payback for their crimes! They think of themselves as superior to us, like we are bugs! We¡¯ll show them, we¡¯ll show them what we can do!¡±


    The calm Xhoing turns violent, as he spits out the words mixed with hate. Humans huh?


    I ¡®lightly¡¯ knock him out, and then head towards the rock, pondering about what I learnt.


    Sooner or later, I¡¯d have to act for one of the sides. I can¡¯t ignore it, since the moment I decided to dispel the curse, it was sealed that I¡¯d get involved in these matters. But without doubt, what the Sins are doing now is wrong. Revenge for the sealing won¡¯t help Baras, and it¡¯ll only increase the feud. And helping the humans is just unthinkable.


    I wonder when I began to refer to my kind as humans, as if we were not of the same kind¡­


    For now, I need to learn of the situation properly. Information is crucial, and I have none of it. Xhoing was merely the weakest Slayer¡¯s henchman, and he himself was only slightly weaker than me.


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    I need more cards up my sleeve, that I can use to counter any situation. I wave my hand, returning the boulder to the ring, and walk into the passage, troubled by my current state.


    The passage was barely taller than me, and my head scraped the ceiling from time to time. Torches were lit along the passage, and the smoke made it stifling inside.


    As I walked deeper, I noticed something.


    A body was sprawled across the floor, face down. Near the person, crumbled rocks were there. Earth magic huh? Mili?


    But, where was this guy when I used Detect? Did he use illusions to hide? Or..


    I quickened my pace, worried about Mili. Shit, if anything happened to her¡­


    I entered the room where the girls were, and sighed, in relief.


    She was fine. Thank God.


    ¡°Oi Mili¡±


    She turned around, her brow sweaty. She was taking care of Maria and Niviel, along with the refugees from the village. What a hard worker.


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get them back to the village¡±


    Mili smiled, relieved.


    We escorted all the people, around 300 people, back to the village. It was early morning by the time everyone got back, and once we got back, we crashed into our beds, exhausted. I slept all through the day, and woke up at noon.


    ¡°Nn¡­¡±


    I turned my head around, weary from the events of the day before. After a day of continuous walking, running around the village, and the battle royale, the fatigue had accumulated, and I was ready to drop.


    When I turned my head,  the sight surprised me. On my chest, a little girl was sleeping. Her dark green hair was sprawled across my chest, and she was sleeping quite peacefully.


    Uehehehehe. Finally! Finally ! Mili has accepted me! Not a lolicon. Definitely not.


    She must have been quite tired, and the nearest place was my room, so she just bunked with me, I guess. Maybe she misses her parents? She¡¯s a little girl after all.


    Speaking of little girls, I wonder how Shizuka is doing? That airhead, I hope she doesn¡¯t wind up in any trouble. I need to meet up with her, soon.


    I gently lifted Mili and placed her near Saki. Saki was awake, and she was gazing at the ceiling. A pensive mood for Saki, I guess.


    Before I knew it, I was sleeping with two girls. But after all the crazy stuff that happened up till now, it doesn¡¯t really have that much of an impact on me.


    I sat up and flexed my tired body. It was alright, I guess. The sounds from the busy village reached my ears and I smiled, remembering the things that happened to me till now¡­ My life was certainly screwed up. But strangely, I quite liked it. Fantasy worlds are great after all.


    At that moment, if I were asked to pick between my old world and Redorias, I would have, without a doubt, picked Redorias.


    ¡°Uoooooh!!! Is that Ugras?!¡±


    I exclaimed, looking at the capital Ugras.


    We left in the evening, and had to suffer through Reginald grumbling about how he slept through all the action. Niviel san repeatedly thanked me, but I told her not to mind it. Saki kept her hand on my shirt all through the day, as if showing her gratitude.


    And now, our adventures in Ugras, begins!


    Extra Story:


    After I checked up on Mili, I immediately left the room. My objective does not lie here, but the other room. The second best thing after seeing Mili smile, the treasure room!


    The loot is the romance of RPGs. After an especially hard fight against hordes of monsters and a near death victory against the boss, the feelings of expectations about what would be obtained when the loot drops are simply unparalleled!


    I head out into the passage, and then head right, deeper into the cave.


    The torch¡¯s light is reflected by something, something shiny. Something that shined golden!


    My expectations were almost through the roof as I stepped around the corner, to take a look at that delicious loot.


    ¡°Thank you, Kami samaaaa!!!!¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help exclaiming when I saw the treasure room.


    It was just like the treasure rooms I had in my mind.


    With gold coins spilling left and right, and precious gems strewn across the mountains of gold. The center of the small room had lots of equipment, some expensive and some super expensive.


    If I could, my eyes would have already turned into gold coins from the very sight of them.


    ¡°Lalalalala~¡±


    Singing, I waved my hand, collecting all the precious loot.


    Or so I thought.


    It remained the same, without a change.


    "Don''t tell me..."


    Writing appeared on the back of the wall.


    <table><tbody><tr><td> The Greedy shall never be rewarded. Only I, the Sin of Greed, Arlenid shall obtain everything!!! Bwahahaha!


    </td></tr></tbody></table>


    Huh?


    Huhhhh?!!


    Anger welled up in me. Don''t kid me. Sin of Greed? Arlenid?!! Who cares!!


    I left the room, vowing to show Arlenid the depths of hell when i met him.


    (Kami sama: God.


    Saki and Reginald had already been released from the barrier, FYI.


    Windfall!)

 Chapter 37: The First Day At Ugras!

    Ugras!


    The capital city of Ugraok kingdom, a comparatively small kingdom of the north eastern continent of Rudia. Being in the southern parts of this continent, the climate was fairly warm, and got colder towards the north. The God¡¯s Graveyard, was the northernmost continent, and several expeditions had been sent to create settlements there. But, the sub zero temperatures were impossible to survive in, for most civilians. But, southern Rudia was still a comfortable place, with winters being colder than in the central continents, but still bearable.


    A capital city was on a completely different level from Ravenblack. I wonder how the royal capital of the empire would look like? I pondered, as I walked into the huge city.


    A wall surrounded the city, seems like that was the norm for every kind of settlement. But, the quality of the walls was related to the financial state of the settlement. Generally, villages had wooden fences, towns had stone walls, and cities, well cities had these.


    These huge white walls, that were almost 30 meters tall, surrounded the outskirts of the capital city. There were humongous brown metal doors that I have no idea how people were going to open. Outside the city, there were countless small houses and settlements, sprawling across the plains. The splendor of a capital city was incomparable.


    We were waiting outside the city, in a huge queue for almost two hours, waiting to get entrance into the capital. Reginald san had already begun munching on the crackers that we had bought from a passerby merchant. It was salty, and perfect for a light snack.


    The city was obviously popular, and to get admission, we had to wait in this queue, since illegal smuggling is not uncommon in these parts of Ugraok. Strict checkups were set up at city gates, and the number of merchants that wanted to enter was not small. Tch~ Sometimes, capitals are a pain.


    We neared those gates, which had a domineering presence, as if expressing the might of Ugras. Just outside, there was a huge semicircle like space, where the checkup was held. In the middle of said semicircle , there was a statue.


    A woman, with her hair billowing around her. She raised her sword, aiming at the sky, with a valiant expression burning on her face. The perfect sculpture almost made it seem lifelike, expressing the great life this woman might have led.


    Of course, such poetic and philosophical thoughts never entered my head.


    ¡°A stone woman?¡±


    Maria looked at me like I was an idiot. What? Was it not a stone woman? It obviously is!


    Niviel san chuckles, and answers.


    ¡°Yuuya kun, that¡¯s Koon Aguera. She was an attendant of the hero of the Wilterburn kingdom. To become a hero¡¯s attendant, is a true honor, and only the strongest can become one.¡±


    Sigh¡­ Heroes sure have it good. I wonder what category I¡¯m classified under? The illegal immigrant group?


    We headed towards the desk that blocked the doorway. A group of guards surrounded it, fully covered with armor. The symbol of the Ugraok kingdom, a burning rose, was inscribed on their chest plates. They stood around, chatting, while some of them stood like unmoving statues, keenly observing the area.


    The person at the desk was obviously a guard captain, since added to the armor, he wore a red mantle. His helmet also had a bright red plume, indicating the gravity of his position. It was a bit ironic to see such a warrior doing paperwork on a desk.


    He glanced at us, and looked us over.


    ¡°Adventurers? What might be yer purpose?¡±


    Thankfully, his words were quite legible, and I could more or less understand it. His voice was rough, and he questioned us, like it was a chore.


    ¡°Ah, yes. We¡¯re here to meet her uncle, and they are our escorts.¡±


    Reginald san replied, gesturing to Niviel san and then to us. He smirked in derision after looking at us. ¡®Such weak looking guys¡¯ must be what he was thinking, I guessed. Well, suits his fancy.


    He asks us to submit our ID cards, and he checks them all, and then marks our name on the register beside him. After that, he stamps something on a paper and gives it to us, telling us to show it to the guards when we passed by. He tells us not to cause any trouble, and gestures us to enter.


    We walk past the guards who were standing near the door. We showed him the seal of approval we got from the guard captain like man at the desk, and walked in to the capital.


    ¡°Huuuuugeee!¡±


    The entrance paved way to a path that descended down a small stairway, down into the city. From above, we could see, almost entirely, Ugras¡¯s glory.


    Red and brown roofs spread out to the left in a huge area, encompassing almost a third of Ugras. The residential area, I guess. In the middle of the huge area, a humongous white palace was present, the red flag that waved above the four spires that surrounded it were quite evident even from this distance. The royal palace?


    The frontal part, where we were closer to, was an assortment of each and every kind of buildings, with hordes of people walking through the streets. We walked down the stairs, down into Ugras.


    ¡°Let¡¯s head to the adventurer¡¯s guild. There, we can register ourselves, and complete the mission¡±


    Niviel san says so, and I ask her my query at her words.


    ¡°Register?¡±


    ¡°Ah? Yuuya kun doesn¡¯t know? Whenever you¡¯re going to quests in a certain area, you¡¯re supposed to register yourself in the area¡¯s guild, so that the guild can record whatever you did, and update your card. Also, the guild can identify you if were, well, dead.¡±


    Huh. The guild was oddly quite meticulous in their works. But another part of her words bother me.


    ¡°Niviel san, update my card? As in, the rank promotion?¡±


    ¡°Ufufu, nope. Every quest you¡¯ve done, every achievement you¡¯ve earned, everything is recorded in the guild card.¡±


    Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    My card has my every secret?


    Thinking that, we headed to the adventurer¡¯s guild, in order to register ourselves.


    The guild building was quite obvious, but more extravagant than the one in Ravenblack. It was huger, and looked like it was repainted recently. And, the logo of the adventurers, A sword crossed by two spears, was inscribed on top of the wooden doors of the guild.


    I walked into the nostalgic atmosphere of the guild, with sweaty and rowdy men, and even a similar arrangement.


    But, everything was more refined. The receptionist desk was gleaming like it was polished. The food in the restaurant was hot and fresh, unlike the cold food that was served in Ravenblack. The entire guild looked luxurious, compared to the one in Ravenblack.


    We walked upto the desk, and the young man there greeted us. Tch. I thought it was mandatory for attractive onee sans to be in the desks?


    The young man looked to be about my age, with the characteristic blue hair that most people in this area possessed. Even Maria had the same color, except it was of a more lighter shade.


    ¡°Welcome to the Adventurer¡¯s guild. How may I help you?¡±


    ¡°We want to register the completion of an escort quest¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course!¡±


    I let Reginald take the reins here, since I¡¯m just here for the money. I hope they don¡¯t shirk on the payment just because we became friends. If that was so, let¡¯s become friends after we get paid.


    Thankfully, Reginald san didn¡¯t do such deplorable acts. Good, at least he¡¯s a honorable man. We handed over our cards and had it registered. Then, an idea struck me.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯d like to register someone else.¡±


    ¡°Of course. It¡¯ll be 300 nirs¡±


    My ears twitched when I heard his reply. An extra 100?! Tch, whatever.


    ¡°Mili, come on, place your hands on it¡±


    I lift her up, extending my arms so that she can reach the Luxor stone. She looked surprised, but then nods, determined. What a good girl.


    ¡°Um¡­Miliasa¡­. The Forest Elf!¡±


    On the other hand, I can feel a cold stare on my back. Sorry Saki! You¡¯re still too weak! I¡¯ll help you, definitely!


    I receive the card from the receptionist, and give him the money.


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''1''>Name</td><td colspan=''3''>Miliasa</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''1''>Title</td><td colspan=''3''>The Forest Elf</td></tr><tr><td width="25%">Race</td><td width="25%">Elf</td><td width="25%">Gender</td><td width="25%">Female</td>[tr]<td width="25%">Level</td><td width="25%">3</td><td width="25%">Rank</td><td width="25%">Bronze</td></tr></tbody></table>


    Hou~ she leveled up once, eh?


    It struck me as odd that I never questioned the existence of levels, and that I never bothered to find out. Oddly, I found it extremely ordinary, and never learnt about what the levels exactly where, and just replaced it with the information I got from RPG¡¯s. Defeat, Gain EXP, Level up. Must be it, right?


    ¡°Then, we¡¯ll be off¡±


    ¡°See you around, Reginald san! Thanks for everything, Niviel san!¡±


    ¡°Mm! Later, Yuuya kun! Let¡¯s meet again!¡±


    We bade our farewells to Reginald san and Niviel san.


    ¡°So¡­they¡¯re gone eh?¡±


    Maria muttered, looking at the spot they had gone to. I guess she liked having them around. Well, I did too. Mili looked a bit sad, and Saki¡¯s face was blank. She was like this since yesterday. I wonder what happened.


    ¡°Then, let¡¯s find an inn!¡±


    ¡°Ou!¡±


    We energetically reply to Mili¡¯s declaration, trying to put the past behind us. Travelling with them was a really fun time, and it taught me a lot of things. The sins and the conflict between the human kingdoms.


    I had reported about the bandit group at the guild, and they agreed to send forces towards Damar village at once.


    Xhoing, the fight with him was great, without doubt. Of course, I didn¡¯t go all out ,but with respect to my base abilities, he was an even match. I resolved myself to get stronger even more, so that stuff like that never happened. I was lucky enough to face only a hundred of them, but if I had to fight against their full force, or even Arlenid, I¡¯m sure I have no chance of winning.


    I slid the key into the door and turned it, the door creaking on its hinges as it edged open.


    A musty room, with two beds in it, and a study place with a lamp at another end. A simple room and this was more than enough.


    Saki enters along with me, and sits on the bed, without speaking even a word. I wonder what¡¯s wrong with her. But, right now, it¡¯s not the time for such things.


    I sat down on the ground, and take out the bunches of old parchments from my ring. I coughed, and began reading.


    The basic skill of the Chaos slayers, <Blink>.


    I read into the technique, the execution. I studied all through the night, and only got up when I decided it  was time to get some dinner for Saki. She was sullen like before, but still ate her food obediently. I wonder¡­


    I got back to the room, and restarted my studies.


    I was always bad at studying. Just taking the book would make me sleepy, and right now, I was a step away from deep sleep.


    It looked so pleasant, its warm embrace beckoning to me. My eyelids felt heavy, and my mind was sluggish. I kept reading, determined to fully understand this.


    Finally, I slipped into sleep, weary from the studying and the travel. Saki was already asleep, and soon, so was I.


    Tomorrow, tomorrow, I had to test this out.


    Resolving this to myself, I slept peacefully with Saki at my side.

 Chapter 38: A Moonlit Stroll

    ¡°Then, see you later!¡±


    The next day, I waved goodbye to Maria and Mili, as they left the inn. Today, the Dusk Hunters were going to function in two groups. Well not just today, but for a couple days.


    After bidding them farewell, I head up the stairs, after greeting the landlady. The landlady is a cheery type of person, who turns not-so-cheery if you don¡¯t pay the rent.


    The stairs creaked as I climbed them, and entered my room.


    As usual, Saki was on the bed, bored. Her sullen mood had improved, but she was still very much bored. It hadn¡¯t been even an hour since Mili left and Saki is already at a loss on what to do. It¡¯s quite cute to see her nervously look around the room, trying to find something to do. They really do get along well huh.


    I headed to the study, and took out the same old parchments.


    I stare at the triangles and the circles, the extremely difficult language of Jlikonrit.


    Jlikonrit is a language from the ancient times that Master taught me. She tried her best to teach me the wordings and the alphabets. Speaking the language is too much for me, since I can barely enunciate the hard to pronounce words of the language. Reading on the other hand, is possible for me. But, for such important notes, where I need it to learn a skill, it¡¯s not enough to vaguely understand the meaning.


    For example, the line ¡°Jkiyil kinfasri myouikwra¡±, literally means ¡°To see the unseen¡±. For me, that¡¯s a really vague description, and I have to work out various possible explanations and test them in order to find it.


    The day was really bright, with clear white clouds floating in the blue sky. The noises of people walking around in the bustling streets, bargaining, arguing, laughing, everything can be clearly heard by me. It kind of reminds me about when only I was to study, but the other kids could go and play. I didn¡¯t study a word that day.


    But now, I ignored all the distractions and single mindedly focused on the wood of the de- I mean, the Chaos slayer notes.


    ¡°Yaaaawnn¡­¡±


    I wipe my heavy eyes, and get up from the desk. Somehow, I had read up on the basics of the technique. Trials, corrections, and perfection are only what are left.


    I put the notes back in my ring, and then decide to check my inventory, just in case. A recap, so to speak. I had to get back to revising all that I had learnt soon, so this was good as a break.


    I head over to the empty bed, and pat it. Ah, soft. Maybe lying down for a second might be ok? Saki was already snoring lightly on the other board, so it¡¯s fine I guess.


    Just a light nap, and then I¡¯ll get back to¡ª


    ¡°¡ªya!¡±


    Nn?


    ¡°¡±Yuuya!¡±¡±


    The sound enter my ears and I open my eyes, feeling well rested. On my chest, Mili was jumping up and down, presumable trying to wake me up. I turned my head to the right, and I see Maria¡¯s face.


    Close. Too close.


    Her face turns red, and she pushes me away, falling onto the adjacent bed, screaming cutely. Haha~  I guess she was yelling in my ear, and was shocked when I turned suddenly.


    I prop myself up , and stare out the window.


    It was dark. Yup. The sun had set, and it was almost time for dinner. A light nap was a bit longer than I thought I guess.


    ¡°Yuuuya!¡±


    Mili calls out to me, pulling on my cheek.


    ¡°Today, today, I killed loots of monsters! I used my fireball, and it went fwaaah¡ª¡°


    After the incident at the cavern, Mili had become a lot more open with me. I smiled wryly, looking at her acting like a little child. When I first met her, she was like an aloof adult, exuding an aura of maturity.


    And now, looking at her describe the magic she used with sparkling eyes, I couldn¡¯t help but rub her head.


    ¡°Is that so, that¡¯s amazing Mili¡±


    ¡°Un~¡±


    She narrows her eyes, seemingly pleased with the action.


    Today, the plan was different. Maria and Mili would go and attempt low ranked quests, to train Mili with magic, and Maria with her currently developing Freeform magic.


    Right now, Maria can create a small ball of mana. But it was still a long way to go from what she needed to get. She trained constantly, waking up early in the morning just to develop it.


    Mili would roam near me, seemingly hoping that I would ¡®accidentally¡¯ leave some books out. She was like a dog that hoped for some treats.


    Now that I think about it, Saki was the only one who was not doing anything. Even I had started studying the training techniques, so Saki was pretty much doing nothing all day.


    Alright! Tomorrow, I¡¯ll need to start helping Saki too. She might feel like she¡¯s deadweight. I won¡¯t allow that.


    ¡°Saki, be ready tomorrow. We¡¯re going on a trip¡±


    ¡°A t-t-trip?! Just the two of you?!¡±


    Maria replies, flustered. Even Saki turns red, averts her eyes. Eh? What?


    ¡°I-I-I-sn¡¯t that a d-d-d-date?!!!¡±


    Maria yells, super flustered. Oh. A date huh. Is it that much of a big deal?


    The me from before would probably have had a similar reaction from such words. Forget reacting, I would never even speak it. People change, huh.


    ¡°We¡¯re gonna do some training, Saki!¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ It¡¯s that huh..¡±


    Maria sighs, and resumes tending to her bow, as if she had lost interest. Geez, was it just for gossip or something? I seriously don¡¯t get girls.


    But Saki had a completely different reaction. I could almost see flames burning in her eyes, with determination. Haha~ I guess she really wanted to get stronger.


    ¡°So then, Mili, what spells did you learn today?¡±


    ¡°Um, I learnt Fireball, Water stream, Fire vortex and every elementary magic!¡±


    Uoooh! That¡¯s three intermediate magic spells! And Fire vortex is a higher level intermediate.


    Even within the spell classes, they are divided into three levels, the higher, middle and lower levels. Higher levels consume ridiculous amounts of mana, and the power is no joke. The Flame Vortex Magician 1 and 2 used was a sync magic, and the aim was pretty much trash. I don¡¯t remember their names, wait, I don¡¯t even know them, so Magician 1 and 2 is fine.


    By the way, I can cast one middle level intermediate spell, Water Pulse. It¡¯s like condensed ball of super hot water, that¡¯ll explode on contact. It¡¯ll exhaust almost all of my mana, so it¡¯s something I¡¯ve used only once, and that was when I learned it.


    I stretch my arms, since my body was feeling kinda stiff.


    We keep talking late into night about stuff, and before we knew it, we were deep asleep.


    ¡°Stealth mode, activate!¡±


    I whispered it since it kinda sounded cool. I creep out of bed, and gently place my feet on the floor.


    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    It was past midnight, and our party is deep asleep. Maria is lying on the ground, her bow still in her hands. Mili was on my bed, hugging Saki and sleeping. Saki looked peaceful with a small smile on her face.


    They were pretty tired today, I guess.


    I lift Maria in a princess carry, as delicately as possible so as to not wake her. I place her on the adjacent bed, and cover her up with the blanket, tucking her in. The night wind was cold, so I did the same with Mili and Saki. When I was pulling the blanket on top of Saki, she suddenly moved, as if she had woken up. But thankfully, it was nothing, as she immediately asleep again.


    Alright, tending to teammates is done.


    Next, for some much needed practice.


    I walk out into the desolate street, pulling my coat around me, trying to get as warm as possible. Thankfully, our inn was near the outskirts, so I didn¡¯t have to walk far to get outside the city walls.


    I walked towards those humongous walls, trying to keep out the chill as much as possible. There were a few people out, but they generally paid no heed to me. In a few hours, it would be sunrise, so I had to move quickly and finish up before the girls wake up.


    As soon as I get near the gate, I tread more cautiously. Heading out of the city after hours, there would be a lot of unnecessary questions. I avoid the guards, and at about 10 meters from the gates, I glance at the forces there.


    There were almost fourty soldiers near the gates, with a lot of them patrolling. Archers were also placed above the walls.


    Outside the gate, a few caravans were present, and they were talking with the guard captain. I need to dash out as quick as possible.


    I release the Dragon slayer energy, feeling the familiar heat spreading through my legs, making my blood boil. I crouch down, and ready my self.


    At an invisible signal, I kick off, aiming for outside the gate. This would be good practice too, in order to get past tons of guards with stealth and speed.


    My speed was dangerously high, as I whizzed past the astounded guards. Slowly, they noticed my presence and began shouting, alerting the others. Doesn¡¯t matter. Need to get out.


    In a flash, I had passed the gates, and was running across the plains, accelerating away from the city walls. My first successful dash. But I was lucky, since they sure didn¡¯t expect my arrival, or my speed. Next time won¡¯t be so easy, I figured.


    I slowed down, as soon as I was sure that I was out of danger. I walked through the Ihilka plains, a wide expanse of tall green grasses. They almost reached my waist, and the thicker parts would go above my head. This place was dangerous, since it¡¯s obviously a sweet spot for ambushes.


    I quickly move past the tall grass area, and head towards the mountains.


    I moved quicker, so as to finish it up quick. It had been a long time since I self practiced, and I might have been getting a little rusty. Master told me to practice swordsmanship at every possible moment, along with the endurance training. But, thanks to the girls, I¡¯ve been mostly busy, running around and travelling. I haven¡¯t got much time to train, and at this rate, I might meet a really powerful opponent and die, just because I couldn¡¯t get enough time to train.


    Nearing the mountains, I used Detect, in order to ascertain whether there were any secluded spots good enough for me to practice.


    As I used my Monster slayer energy to search the field, I silently admired the beauty that was before me.


    I was standing on the side of the mountain, my vision expanding across the plains.


    The cold winds of the night gently brushed past the reeds and grasses on the wide plains. They swayed,ever so slightly, as if in a trance. They were bathed in a silvery moonlight, shining with a soft sheen, intensifying the simple beauty of this natural scenery.


    I looked up at this world¡¯s moon. Just like on Earth, there was only a single moon, but the size of it was what made it mesmerizing. It was a pure white ball in the sky, unblemished by dark marks like on Earth¡¯s moon. It was like a jewel, that seemed so close, yet so far. I felt like I could grab it, if only I extended my arms.


    ¡°A fantasy world huh¡­¡±


    Looking at the undeniable beauty of this world, I once again came to terms with the question I had stowed away in the back of my mind.


    To return.


    Certainly, I didn¡¯t belong here. A foreigner, an alien entity. Even the summoned heroes were brought here because they had a purpose, and to do that, they could belong to this wonderful world.


    But, I was not a summoned person. I was not reincarnated. I was brought here, by a third party. Not the clich¨¦ summoning, but kidnapped. Literally kidnapped. No powerups, no cheats.


    I was kidnapped and brought to this world. But why?


    As I detected the presence of a very perfect cave in the bosom of the mountains, I began heading towards there, and adding to my objective list to find why I was summoned here. A purpose? No. The reason is what I want to know.


    Can I stay here? Can I live here?


    On earth, I couldn¡¯t say I belonged somewhere. The orphanage, I was there because it was the old lady¡¯s responsibility and kindness. Even if I wasn¡¯t there for a couple years, soon enough, I¡¯d be forgotten. My origins in itself are non existent.


    The only reason I¡¯d have to return would be¡­ Shizuka.


    But even she, even if she was an airhead, even without me, she¡¯d manage right?


    Because, in this world, I have people I can call my comrades. A village full of people I can call family. People I can trust, people I need to protect.


    Even if it meant using up my last breath¡ª


    No. What am I thinking? I keep forgetting why I want to protect them. Because I enjoy being with them.


    If I started my resolve to protect them by using up my life as the first idea, then isn¡¯t that just because I¡¯m weak? My death for them would be the last straw. Until then, I have to do everything I can.


    But, the weak have no right to say such noble ideas. That¡¯s right. I¡¯m weak. I got full of myself just because I¡¯m stronger than average. In the end, if I want to protect them, and survive with them, what I need is¡ª


    Strength.


    Absolute strength. So that I can protect them. No, what am I thinking up now? They aren¡¯t little kids. To fight with them. We¡¯ll get stronger together. Because we¡¯re comrades.


    I need to get stronger.


    Much, much stronger.


    Thinking that, I stepped into the dark cave, clenching my fist in order to renew my determination.


    (Well then, let the Ugras arc officially begin! Special chapters imminent, or so I think!)

 Chapter 39: An Expedition in the North

    (A smaller chapter this time. Hope you enjoy it! World Domination is at hand! :D )


    The beautiful golden wings of the Pegasus flapped in the air, as it flew through the blizzard.


    Before the Pegasus, a huge sheet of white was spread, like a humongous cloud. The Pegasus struggled to go against the cold icy winds, the hail hindering its flight.


    On top of the winged horse, a man sat, straddling it. He lay low on the back of the creature, a thick woolen coat around him. In his hands, a green crystal faintly glowed, covering the Pegasus and the man with the green light.


    Behind the golden Pegasus, a horde of silver pegasi, 12 of them, fly behind the golden Pegasus, heading deeper into the blizzard, towards their target.


    The Holy Knight Order¡¯s top brass, The Golden Sun, headed to the northern continent, The God¡¯s Graveyard.


    ¡®Vistria. How close are we?¡¯


    A voice resounds in the leading man¡¯s head. The head of the Holy Knight Order, Vistrias Realis.


    ¡®Chernakoff. This blizzard. It¡¯s unnatural. The barrier crystals are almost done. As for how close we are, even I do not know.¡¯


    ¡®You don¡¯t? What do you mean, you don¡¯t?!¡±


    Chernakoff, the figure atop the silver Pegasus leading the other eleven, asked, shocked. They were to slay the emerging chaos in the North as it was wished by their god. Being devout believers, they took up their arms and rushed here, for their god. But, the horrors of the God¡¯s Graveyard was not small.


    A never ending blizzard plagued the area, hindering the vision of every person who wished to walk here. It was as thick as a veil covering the eyes, preventing one from seeing more than a meter ahead of him. The cold was enough to freeze even a Mithril ranked easily, but being Master ranked, they weren¡¯t going to go down that easily, along with the crystals they had on hand.


    The power crystals were special devices, made from the Luxor stone. It was capable of storing magical energy, so a genius magician, Abraca devised a way to imprint spells on them. With that, useable spell crystals were made. But due to the process of making them being so closely guarded, it was basically impossible to buy, with its sky high prices.


    Rather than the long term spell crystals, people used scrolls. By using the inscription patterns, one could use the scroll as a one time use spell.


    It was cheaper, and hence more popular.


    ¡®Theyios sama had told us that we had to head to the ends of the world. The place where the great demon is sealed¡¯


    Vistria replied, his eyes trying to discern the sight before him, to find out where they were heading.


    ¡®A great demon?¡¯


    ¡®It is said that it was a demon that was capable of destroying the world, so Theyios sama, along with the other major gods, intervened and sealed it there. A god died in the fight. That is why it is called as the God¡¯s graveyard¡¯


    ¡®Oi¡­ We don¡¯t have to face the demon or something right?¡¯


    Even if he was a proud knight, Chernakoff worried more for his life rather than his pride as a knight. It was disgraceful for a knight, but his sheer strength allowed him to gain the position.


    The blood red sword at Vistria¡¯s side, suddenly glows, and trembles violently. It was as if it had gone mad, suddenly releasing bloodthirst.


    ¡®The Bloodweaver is tingling, for some reason.¡¯


    ¡®The blood weaver? Another work of the Weaver series huh?¡¯


    ¡®That is not important, Chernakoff. The sword, it¡¯s releasing killer intent. What Is happening?¡¯


    Vistria, worried, places his hand on the pommel of the sword, attempting to figure out the reason.


    The sword doesn¡¯t respond, and keeps glowing, like a beacon. Like it was attracting something. And attract something, it did.


    The sky above them split apart, as a humongous sight made itself visible.


    ¡°Wh-Wha?!¡±


    ¡°Where did that come from?!!¡±


    From the sky, came the terror of the northern skies, a Frost horn. It emerged, spreading its massive wings.


    A 100 meter long dragon.


    ¡°GUAAAAAAOOOO!!!!¡±


    It opened its gigantic maw and roared, an ear splitting roar that would make even the Gods hesitate. The shockwave sent the pegasi flying away, its riders trying to desperately hold on, to not fall off. The clouds split away, and the land itself shook, from the sheer might of the king of the skies.


    ¡°Well, no one told us that this was going to be easy¡±


    Smiling at the challenge, Vistria draws the Bloodweaver. It tingles in anticipation, to bathe in the blood of its foe.


    ¡°Haaa¡­ Haaaa¡­¡±


    I gasp, collapsing on the rock. Blink sure is hard.


    I roll onto my back, breathing heavily. My Chaos energy is almost depleted, and slowly regenerating itself.


    I chuckle to myself, happy. Finally, finally, I had learnt Blink.


    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    It took me three days of night time sneaking, but I did it. Blink became mine.


    But the price to finish it was large. The physical exertion was too much for me, since it was my first time doing it. I had to devise countless theories and verify them, to check whether it would work. Every time I failed, a violent rejection would occur, and I would struggle to recover.


    But, it was worth it. Blink would surely increase my power, for the trick itself was a great help to combat.


    Blink was a short range teleportation move. A move I would need oh so much in my future fights.


    I prop myself up, and sit cross legged. I cross my hands over my chest, and breathe deeply. Slowly, I practice the Nine Revolving Planets technique, to calm and refine my energies.


    The Nine Revolving planets was a breathing technique devised by the Chaos Slayer who wrote the manual. I don¡¯t know the guy, but the technique sure is good. It helps me to calm down the Chaos energy, and enables me to use more of it. Right now, I could only use it for a limited time, but this breathing technique greatly boosted my endurance. I wonder if it¡¯s because the Chaos energy was the first one I integrated my mana with.


    Slowly, I get up, and prepare to use Blink once more.


    The Chaos energy spreads through me, through my blood. My flesh and my tissues get intertwined with the energy, to make every part of my energy to be filled with it. My body to become the energy.


    Taking a deep breath, I release the energy around me. In a circle. The cave I was in fills with a reddish black  light that only I can see. It spreads out like a circle, in a 6 meter radius.


    ¡°Fooo¡­.ha!¡±


    In an instant, I violently release my energy with a shout. To disturb space and time. To create a rift. To pass through that rift.


    I open my eyes and I was standing five meters ahead of where I was .


    The second attempt was much better, with the energy consumption going down by a lot. I flex my muscles, deciding to master this within today and get back to the city. Maria and the others might wake up soon, so it¡¯s best I guess.


    I run across the plains, my feet beating against the soil. The ground gets gouged as I run across it, as fast as possible. I had to get back soon.  They might get worried if I wasn¡¯t there. Of course, it¡¯s not like I wanted to keep it a secret from them, but it¡¯s just that¡­. I¡¯m kinda afraid.


    What will they do once they learn who I am? Mili already knows it, so it¡¯s fine, but what about the others? Will they hate me? Detest me? I don¡¯t want that. I might be overthinking it, but in the end, all¡¯s well that ends well, Right? Right?


    I shoot past the fields,  those huge walls being my targets. The sunrays were slowly emerging from the earth, light shooting through the clouds in a bright streak.


    After two days of dashing past them without getting caught, they had put up their guard, in an all alert mode. Of course, since the time I arrive is inconsistent, they still get surprised from time to time.


    The gates . I can see them. I dash in, flitting past the guards. Another successful ru¡ª


    Or so I thought. But finally, the guard captain moves. He stands in front of me, sword unsheathed. Haha~ He wants to welcome me back, I guess.


    Without stopping, I keep moving, aiming to dart around the captain. But his defense is solid, leaving me no gaps to get through. I want to avoid fighting him, since with these many guards, they might catch me.


    Even though I had no gap, a bright idea flashes into my mind.


    A test run!


    Using the familiar process, I ready myself for blink, to get past the captain.


    As soon as I get within sword¡¯s reach, he swings his sword, at a blinding speed, aiming for my face.


    ¡®Blink¡¯


    I think it to myself, and in a second, pain coursed through my body, as I stumble and fell.


    I crashed into something, splinters chipping at my cheek.


    What happened?


    I scrambled to my feet, and look around. I could see the captain¡¯s back. He was looking at me with widened eyes, his mouth agape. I see, Blink worked.


    Without stopping, I ran into the city, towards the inn where they were waiting.


    Blink training, Success~!


    Atop an icy mountain, Vistrias breathed heavily, with his sword lodged into the ground.


    A few steps behind him, Chernakoff was on his back, gasping for air. His sword lay a few meters away from him, as he struggled to get up.


    The Golden Sun¡¯s thirteen members had reduced to seven.


    Vistria draws his blade out of the ground. After a long and painstaking battle, he had somehow survived, but lost 6 of his comrades in the process.


    ¡°Chernakoff, come, we must.. continue the mission¡±


    Vistria struggles to speak, and somehow gets the words out. Chernakoff weakly replies.


    ¡°Haah¡­. Mission¡­. Huh?¡±


    ¡°Chernakoff?¡±


    ¡®Nothing¡­ I was just thinking¡­ Does Theyios sama really care about us?¡±


    ¡°Chernakoff!?¡±


    In anger, Vistria brandishes his sword, aiming it at his sole friend. Chernakoff stares back at Vistria.


    ¡°As I thought. You wouldn¡¯t understand¡­ Let us be off then¡±


    With a solemn attitude, Chernakoff mechanically gets up and walks towards the north, each step feeling like a step towards death. Vistria sighs at his friend, and supports him, as they walk, further towards their target.


    The Golden Sun walks towards the north, leaving behind the mountain, the corpse of the Frost Horn.

 Chapter 40- A Day in Ugras (and an announcement)

    ¡°Too slow! Faster, faster!¡±


    I yell at Saki, who was running around the inn, carrying a rock on her back. Of course, it¡¯s is something that¡¯s suitable for her physique. I sure don¡¯t want to hurt herself now.


    Thirty rounds around the inn. That should be good enough for her current bodily strength, I hope. I¡¯m not really an expert on such things, so I¡¯m just giving a haphazard guess on what to do. Maria gives her own input from time to time, and that does help me out. It seems she was trained by her father, and her father had her do all this, from a very young age.


    After the run, she had to stay in a half squat position, for the maximum time possible, to increase her leg strength. Of course, having her do a handstand is pretty much impossible, so I decided to give her push ups and chin ups in the routine for now, since that¡¯s pretty much all I know.


    Fashioning dumbbells in this world doesn¡¯t seem like a bad idea.I could popularize and sell it, earning me a lot of MONEY!


    Well, I refrain from spreading the ideas of modern Japan, since typically, that would cause problems. Leaving aside the possible intervention of gods, there might be other unlikeable consequences. Kidnapping, interrogation. Is it really worth it?


    I¡¯m going to head to the caves to train again today, since I¡¯m searching monster caves and hunting in them, just to increase my skill with Blink. It¡¯s really tough, and with my current experience, I can do it about¡­ 5 times, give or take.


    Apparently, Maria and the others had already found out that I snuck out, and they immediately questioned me when I returned. Stealth mode failed¡­ Of course, I told them everything, but I left out the parts about me crashing into the building and almost getting caught. That¡¯s not necessary, right? Of course.


    I keep reading while keeping an eye on Saki, since it¡¯s sort of dangerous watching Saki running. The sight is quite¡­ stimulating. The challenges faced by an adolescent boy.


    I kept reading the catalogue in my hand intently. The Legendary Weapons. It was quite interesting, reading about the various functions and strengths of those cool sounding swords. I added another objective to my list, to collect legendary weapons if possible.


    Right now, I was reading about the set of ten unique swords, the Three Swords of the End, Death, Demise and the Eternal Rest.


    <table><tbody><tr><td colspan=''4''>The Three Swords of the End</td></tr><tr><td colspan=''4''>The end of a war, the destruction of an empire. The Three Swords of the End symbolized this, with the great havoc they wrecked in the defensive war of Alsiar. Against the mighty Polius empire, the three swordsmen of the End, as they were popularly known, entered battle, swinging the blades of Death, Demise and Eternal Rest. They gifted their foes what their names symbolized, as the greatest event in history was recorded, the victory  of a small kingdom against one of the greatest empires of an era¡­..</td></tr></tbody></table>


    I kinda feel sleepy¡­. Books always get me sleepy.


    Saki walks upto me, sweating profusely. I throw a towel at her and turn away. Wiping, might be too much.


    ¡°Master.. Good?¡±


    ¡°Nn? Of course!¡±


    ¡°Good¡­¡±


    Haha~ I have no idea what she said, but since she said good, and since it was a question, yes was most likely the correct answer, I think.


    I head inside, with Saki stumbling behind me. Her stamina is too weak, since she was a slave for a long time. We need to fix her up, even more.


    ¡°Yuuya, you¡¯re here? Training¡¯s all done?¡±


    Maria asks me as I enter the room. She was checking her arrows, polishing the arrowheads. I wonder why she does that. True, it does look shiny, but maybe it has some added effects?


    Mili was on the bed, reading one of the magic mastery books I gave her.


    Well, our party is forming, bit by bit. Me as the vanguard, Maria and Mili as the rearguard, with Saki as¡­. A trainee?


    Today, we decided to head to the weapon store, to get some new stuff. I also need to sell of the old sword, and get some better swords if possible. Right now, I was using an iron sword, the typical weapon for Bronze ranked. My Rebellion, which I¡¯m thinking of renaming into something more original, is too ¡®conspicuous¡¯ so it spends most of its time in my ring. Poor sword.


    Saki heads on over to Mili almost immediately, and both of them immediately start chatting. Mili doing most of the talking, of course.


    Since everyone were busy, and I had enough time till our planned shopping tour, I headed to the corner of the room, and sat cross legged on the dusty floor. I closed my eyes, and began meditating.


    A technique that was really essential for me had caught my eye in one of the books that I had read, which I immediately taught to Mili and Maria. The Seventeen paths technique. A truly complex technique, it involves locking the mana pool in a closed space, and forcefully expanding your mana. By expanding it, you push against the limits of the mana pool, enlarging it. IF you can do it. If it fails, your mana pool goes berserk, and shatters, End of story.


    The technique is just right for me, except it¡¯s ridiculously slow. Since I have so little mana to spare to bombard the limits of my own mana pool, I have to do it bit by bit, like a snail. On the other hand, Mili, with her naturally huge mana pool, can explosively expand hers. Uuu¡­ Makes me jealous.


    Maybe it might help me in the long run, but without doubt, for me to expand it enough for me to cast two intermediate spells, I¡¯d have to do it regularly for a year, at least.


    There is another method, according to the book, and that is external mana. Mana crystals and the like, when combined with the Seventeen paths technique, can boost the expansion. Except, mana crystals don¡¯t come cheap.


    I close my eyes, and feel my mana pool, entering the anatta state. The inner mind.


    It felt like I was in a large space. I was drifting there, like a feather.


    In the four corners of the room, I could feel four humongous energies, surging around like an uncontrollable sea. They pounded at the space, and I could feel the vibrations in my being.


    My mana pool.


    In the center of my mana pool, a small whirlpool of mystic blue energy swirled around. It felt strangely eerie, yet familiar. Like a slow current, it spiraled around, calm as the sea.


    I willed the eddy to disperse, into several battering ram like structures. They were quite small, but they¡¯d do. I kept chanting the technique¡¯s scriptures, as I willed the battering rams to bash the walls of the space.


    Visualization. It was an essential method to do it. The manual said to do it by making the mana pool rapidly expand, but since my quantity was too low, I improvised.


    ¡°Yuuya!¡±


    I opened my eyes, exiting the anatta state.


    Everyone were looking at me, all geared up to leave.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t coming?¡±


    Maria looks at me, cocking her head. I get up, as I reply.


    ¡°Of course! Let¡¯s go!¡±


    ¡°Woah. That¡¯s ¡­..expensive¡±


    I muttered, looking at the necklace. The Blood Queen¡¯s Relic, was a cursed item that was on display in the shop. It was like typical jewelry, except adorned with beautiful deep red rubies, which had a mysterious charm to them. The cost of it was something I could never afford.


    I gazed around the shop, checking out the products.


    The Belmion¡¯s General Store. The store sold anything and everything, and it was divided into three floors. The first floor housed the enhancement items, like jewelries, headbands, and various other stuff, with exorbitant price rates. The value of one of them could get me in to debt for a million years. That was how expensive the jewelry was.


    The second floor was the Armor and weapon displays, showing off the various works of the blacksmiths all across the continents, and the seas. It was an extensively huge display, with such a great variety of stuff. On the third floor, it was the VIP floor. Of course, I couldn¡¯t even step foot in there. The top floor had the most secretive and expensive goods. Many people have tried to steal from here, and the same number of people had failed at it. That was the iron clad security of Belmion¡¯s General Store.


    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡°Ah! Young master! Here¡¯s the appraiser!¡±


    A short heavyset man called out to me, with his pot belly bouncing up and down as he moved. He had dark red hair, and he stared at me through his monocle with his dark yellow eyes.


    Belmion, the head of the Belmion trading company. He was the one who founded it, which was now a multicontinental organization, but bored from the stress and pressure he had to go through, he left behind the empire he had made, to start this shop.


    Next to Belmion, there was another man. He was long and lanky, with thin fingers and stick like hands. Boy, even I have looked better.


    His cheeks were hollow and sunken, as dark bags were present under his dry eyes. His dark red hair was made to stand upright, with the rest of the hair missing.


    ¡°Ah, yes¡±


    I take out the bandanna I had got from the Curas hideout, and hand it over. The appraiser takes it, and begins examining it.


    My first objective after coming to the General store, get some good stuff, and buy some weapons. Then, see if I can get any info about this.


    And to my luck, this shop had an appraiser. The appraiser runs his long fingers covered with latex like gloves over the surface of the silky cloth, looking at it closely.


    ¡°I have appraised it¡±


    The appraiser talks with a barely audible voice, as I struggle to hear his comments.


    ¡°A cursed bandanna. That much is obvious, yes? The curse is fairly strong, and it may become a hindrance in most battles. It can be used to¡­ make stuff shiny and golden. That is all that it can do.¡±


    The appraiser demonstrated it by rubbing the bandanna on his robe. Like a treasure, it immediately glowed like gold, looking all expensive. Oh~ho. Might be useful. In some cases.


    After a while, he hands it back.


    I put the cleaning cloth in my ring and thank the owner. I pay him the required fee, and headed to the upper floors, where Maria and the others were shopping.


    A familiar sting of the curse affects me, but it was weaker than the pain caused by Rebellion. I grasp the bandanna tight and put it inside the bag on my back, acting if I actually stowed it inside, to fool people effectively. I put the cleaning cloth in my ring and thank the owner. I pay him the required fee, and headed to the upper floors, where Maria and the others were shopping.


    ¡°Yuuya, what do you think about this bow?¡±


    Maria asks me as soon as I get to the first floor, showing off the shiny bow she had. Well, I¡¯m not an expert in bows, and it did look quite good, I guess? The wood of the bow was inscribed with intricate runes, so I¡¯m guessing that means it¡¯s a good thing.


    Mili, on the other hand, was checking a small wand. There were two types of weapons magicians mainly used, the staves and the wands. They were made with specific materials and enchanted, so that mana consumption could be decreased. It could also be used to boost the power of a spell. Staves, being larger and longer, naturally were more efficient than the short wands.


    Saki just roamed about the huge room, gazing at each and every weapon and passing onto the next. The items were covered with glass panes to prevent direct contact, but the store officials would give it to you if you wanted to check it. The store gave off a luxury feel, with the embroidered green carpets covering the floor, and the sculptures decorating the walls. People here normally wore expensive looking clothes, and the adventurer¡¯s equipment was no joke.


    In the end, we decided to buy a new bow, restocked Maria¡¯s arrows, a small wand for Mili, and gauntlets for Saki. She said she wanted to try something, and so, I bought it for her.


    I fiddled around with the pommel of my new ¡®Dortoh tusk sword¡¯. As its name said, it was made out of the tusk of a Dortoh. Thick and light to an extent, it was much better than the iron sword I used to use. I asked for the sharpest one possible, as I had noticed the difference in sharpness between the Rebellion and the iron sword. It was like heaven and earth. The Dortoh sword was of a curved kind, with a broad blade like a falchion. It was single edged,  with an ivory like color. The crossguard was like an S, made of some steel like material. The pommel was decorated with a deep blue jewel. The grip was made by rolling some sort of soft twine repeatedly around it, making it comfortable to hold. The sword was thick to an extent, but the sharp edge was nicely thinned out, making it perfect for hacking at some monsters.


    We walked through the streets of Ugras, chatting about our new weapons. Saki immediately wore her deep red gauntlets. The fists were shaped like the mouth of a tiger, and the back of the gauntlets were shaped into spikes, giving it a bit more of a menacing atmosphere. I told Saki to be careful with it, since they could end up hurting her too.


    ¡°Yuuya, do you not use armor?¡±


    Maria questioned me, looking over my equipment. Huh. I guess I didn¡¯t. I only used the old coat I bought at the Pioneer¡¯s village, and pretty much skipped out on everything else. The white shirt and pants I wore were ones I had got at Baras, and I didn¡¯t mind getting any replacements. I wanted maximum mobility, so I always focused on minimum armor. The coat Arcus san had given me compensated for the lack of armor, so I ignored it. But perhaps.. I should get some light armor. Something that won¡¯t hinder me too much. Better safe than sorry.


    ¡°Mmh.. I don¡¯t I guess. Well, I tend to go for speed, so I avoid wearing armor¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ But you should get some, Yuuya¡­¡±


    ¡°Could it be, because I look fragile, Maria?¡±


    I question her, remembering what she had said about me at the guild when we first met.


    ¡°Ah ha ha¡­ No way ¡­ ri-right..¡±


    She stammers, and her eyes begin swimming around. Sigh.. Maybe I do look fragile. I do have a moderate amount of muscles, but my overall figure is skinny upon first sight. As we talked about other stuff, we see someone familiar.


    ¡°Niviel san!¡±


    Maria calls out to her before I could even mention her. Niviel san was standing there, in the middle of a group of people wearing long white robes. On their right chest, a symbol was embroidered. A coiled snake. Is it something like an emblem? Niviel san was wearing the same outfit, her long yellow hair braided into a ponytail. She looked at us as we called out to her, and looked visibly flustered, for some reason.


    After a while, she waves back, her hand half raised, as if she were conflicted on whether to respond. Hm? Does she feel uncomfortable greeting us in public? Maybe it was a bad idea to call out to her.


    ¡°Ara? Isn¡¯t it Yuuya-kun? Mili chan and Maria chan are here too!¡±


    For some reason, she kept looking around when she was talking to us. Was she being chased? Now that I look closely, I could see that the others who were with Niviel were looking back at us and whispering.


    ¡°Niviel san? Are we disturbing you?¡±


    ¡°Ah-haha ! There¡¯s no way for that Yuuya-kun¡±


    ¡°Is that so¡­¡±


    I trailed off, unconvinced. Without doubt, something was fishy.


    AUTHOR HERE!!


    Yo! Nexus here!


    Ahem~


    Let''s proceed now, shall we.


    The Tale of a Slayer, ToS and I''m the Descendant of the Maou, DoM, will be on hiatus for an indeterminate amount of time.


    I can''t update it, since I have my exams, and I have also decided to train my writing skills. So, I shall be reading other fics on RRL, to power level my writing skills (hopefully)


    I''ll try to update again as soon as possible, but this will  be the last chapter for a while. Do not worry, for i shall be back.


    Also, please leave a review and suggest ways for me to improve.


    Thank you for reading, and Hope you keep reading too!


    If you have any complaints regarding the novel, please inform me what''s wrong so that I can avoid that in future chapters, if possible.


    In the name of Theyios.


    Ciao!

 Chapter 41- The Sin Of Wrath?

    ¡°How¡¯s your uncle Niviel san?¡± I asked Niviel san, hiding my suspicions for now. I shouldn¡¯t ignore them, but I should put them on hold for now. Especially since the others haven¡¯t felt that anything is wrong, it just might be me being paranoid.


    ¡°Hm? Ah yes, he¡¯s fine! As fit as a cow!¡±


    ¡°I see¡±


    Hou~ I thought it was an emergency and that was why Niviel san rushed here? Even Maria frowns at this. Perhaps she noticed something too? Nope, I shouldn¡¯t get my hopes up. The others start chatting about the best places to visit in Ugras, and even Saki is paying intense attention to it. Meanwhile, I direct my attention towards the white robed people.


    There was a huge crowd of them, almost 50 people. They stood around the central fountain, in a strange orderly formation. The formation was well organized, but that didn¡¯t stop them from gossiping about us. Suddenly, my eyes met with one of the white robed people, and his face turns hostile, and his lips curl upwards, into an unmistakable smirk of superiority. What is up with this dude? He averts his gaze, and I keep surveying them.


    ¡°Ara Yuu kun! Are you perhaps interested in my family?¡±


    Niviel san suddenly pops the question, and I nod, surprised at the sudden diversion of the conversation towards me..


    ¡°Of course, as you can guess from my last name, this is the Margistra family. It¡¯s sort of like a religious cult, with us worshipping the great snake god Kuniyaltre. See? That¡¯s the snake on our emblem!¡±


    She points towards the golden emblem embroidered on her robe. That snake just creeps me out, for some reason. A bad feeling.


    ¡°But, why are they gathering here, Niviel san?¡±


    Maria quips in, seemingly curious. GJ Maria! You saved me the trouble!


    ¡°Eh... Ah um¡­ It¡¯s a ritual¡­ Well, we¡¯re doing a sort of yearly ritual¡­ Well, not really yearly, but it¡¯s done once in a while¡­. Eh¡­ Um¡­¡±


    She trails off, her face troubled. My suspicion spikes at a rapid rate at her oh-so suspicious reaction. A yearly ritual? But she quickly denies it again¡­ Just what is going on?


    ¡°Ehe¡­ Um¡­ Like I said, my uncle is the family leader¡­  And he sort of named his successor¡­ and it¡¯s me¡­¡±


    Huh. Huh. Huh?


    ¡°N-Niviel san¡­ You¡¯re the family head? ¡°


    Mili seems flabbergasted at this, her mouth agape. Is it that unbelievable? Niviel san seems like she¡¯d make quite a fine leader, if you ask me. That said, maybe they know something I don¡¯t. I shrug it off, disinterested.


    ¡°Ehehe¡­ Well, I feel the same way too¡­ And I¡¯ve been begging uncle to reconsider¡­¡±


    At this point, the crowd suddenly reacts. A person walks out of the crowd, heading towards us. I could recognize him as the same man who smirked at me, since it was obvious from his haughty attitude.


    His robe swishes around him as he steps in front of Niviel san. He spreads his arm, raising it to bar Niviel san from us. As if we were¡­


    ¡°You bugs¡­ How dare you talk to our future leader so lightly? Have you no manners, plebeians?¡±


    There it is. The haughty attitude. Sort of reminds me of another oh so annoying personality. My hand twitches in anticipation. In a desire to just deck him.


    His eyes immediately travel to my arm, as if judging danger. Oh~ He¡¯s sharp, I¡¯ll give him that. I relax my hand and his eyes travel back to my face, his expression changing back to one of disgust.


    ¡°Niviel sama, let us be off. We do not need to waste our time with such plebeians. After all, we are of the great Margistra family!¡±


    He haughtily declares it and walks off, completely disregarding us. Niviel san looks at us with a sorry expression and follows off after the annoying guy. Maria and Mili were silent through the proceedings, their faces wary of the intruder. But Saki¡¯s face was strangely calm. A dangerous sort of calm.


    I shrug it off and walk towards our inn, already forgetting about the annoyance.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go guys¡­ I need to head off in a few hours too you know?¡±


    ¡°Hoi~!¡±


    Maria replies cheerfully and walks behind me, putting the matter to the back of her head. She¡¯s sort of like a musclehead. Or in this case, an arrowhead.


    The rest of the journey passed uneventfully. But we did try out some of the delicacies, since it seemed too good to pass it up. Maria was squealing in delight from the new tastes, declaring her undying love for Ugras¡¯s sweets. I wonder how long this love will hold after she gets some newer delicacies. The matter from earlier still kept coming across my thoughts, like an irremovable pest. Something felt off.


    We walked up the stairs, tired from the long day. I still had to leave to the outside in order to explore the caves and find even more suitable places to train. Staying in the same place for a long time would attract monsters, and that wouldn¡¯t be too helpful for me. The floorboards creak under our weight as we walk towards our room. The sun had turned into a bright orange, signifying the approaching end of the day.


    ¡°Will you be going now, Yuuya?¡±


    Maria asks me as soon as we relax in our room. I lightly nod, distracted by thoughts about Niviel san and the Margistra family. Now that she asked me, I remembered that I had to leave. I immediately stand up, and prepare myself. I check my equipment; wear a newer black cloak, replacing the old worn out red one.


    ¡°You need newer clothes¡­¡±


    Mili quietly noted as she looked at me stowing the red cloak away. I lightly smile at her as I bring out the same old iron sword. The Dortoh Tusk sword was worth a fortune, and I definitely didn¡¯t want it to get chipped from any careless mistakes.


    ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll be off¡±


    ¡°Nn. Be safe¡±


    Maria and Saki nod at me. Now that I think about it, perhaps I should warn them about Niviel san. Just in case. Better safe than sorry.


    ¡°Maria¡­ Um¡­ ¡°


    I¡¯m sort of unsure on how to say it, since Niviel san is our friend and all. Maria looks at me quizzically and this attracts even Mili¡¯s attention. Oh whatever.


    ¡°Well, I just wanted to say that perhaps you should be careful with the Margistra family. I¡¯m not saying that we should suspect them, but something about them feels off to me¡­¡±


    Maria¡¯s confusion deepens at my words and I inwardly sigh to myself. What was I thinking?


    ¡°Umu, that¡¯s right. Even I felt it. There was¡­ something wrong about them. But I just can¡¯t put my finger on it.¡±


    Unexpectedly, Mili comes to my support. GJ, Mili! I knew you were a good girl.


    Maria nods since Mili adds her opinion too.


    ¡°Well, just stay careful. I¡¯ll try to return as quickly as possible.¡±


    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.With that, I leave the room, the mountains being my objective.


    The guard captain eyes me as I walk past the gate, his eyes filled with suspicion. Perchance, did he figure out that it was me? Well, he¡¯s not taking direct action against me, so I think I can rest easy.


    I leave the city walls behind as I walk along the crude path on the plains. The sun had almost set now, dyeing the sky in flame like colors. In about half an hour, I was back at the mountains, walking through the dense vegetation, killing occasional monsters that happened upon my path. Detect was up, and I was skipping caves that seemed to me uninteresting, or the ones that I had already gone to. Until I detected something a lot more interesting.


    ¡°Hou~ This cave seems interesting¡±


    My Detect was hindered by this one cave. It looked normal enough, with sharp rocks jutting out of the walls, just like the others around here. But it was interesting that Detect couldn¡¯t find this cave. An illusion, or some sort of jammer was here. I walk closer to the cave, unsure about whether to enter it. For all I know, this might be some great magician¡¯s lair, or a legendary beast¡¯s resting spot.


    Curiosity gets the better of me, and I sneak into the cave. My steps were light, since I didn¡¯t want to alert anything or anyone that may or may not be here. A few steps in, a turn comes up. And beyond the bend, it was pitch black darkness. I place my hand on the wall and slowly step into the overbearing darkness. Detect was useless here, so I could only use one eye. Man, it¡¯s been a long time since I felt this lack of vision.


    I take care not to make any sounds as I head deeper and deeper into the cave. It went even lower into the earth, the temperature slowly rising. Occasionally, there were weird stones embedded in the walls. They radiated light, calming me down to an extent. I must admit that this sense of caution and wariness was making it sort of hard for me to breathe. But this experience in itself was exhilarating.


    Then, I reach a fork. Urgh, sometimes, I hate making choices. They always leave me unsure whether my choice was correct. These devilish forks!


    I figured it was time to man up for once, so I headed into the left fork without hesitation. I will conveniently forget that I doubled back from the right one and headed into the left since I was unsure.


    The cave brightened as soon after a while, revealing a message on the wall. As I read it, I couldn¡¯t help but feel shocked. Huh. To think this was that.


    ¡°Uooo! It¡¯s so tasty!¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but exclaim that. The Yilka was a spicy specialty in Ugras according to the shopkeeper. And oh so tasty it was. A salty yet hot taste spreads upon my tongue. Uwaaah.. This is really good.


    Once again I check up on the fountain, and the Margistra family members were still there, standing around the fountain. I checked the fountain once, although I had to pay a fee for some reason. Niviel san wasn¡¯t here, so it was a perfect time for me to check it out.


    The fountain was about 5 meters in diameter, with a marble white sculpture spouting water in the middle. The bottom of the fountain was a beautiful deep violet, spreading across the entire fountain floor. Since I only had to check on them, I decided to taste some more dishes from here. Yuuya did tell me to just be careful with them, but curiosity got the better of me.


    Mili tugs on my sleeve, her eyes directed elsewhere. I look towards where she was looking.


    A group of knights walked in, about 20 of them. They wore bright silver armor, which shone in the evening sun. Heavily armored, their hands were on their swords, as if they were expecting an attack. Well, at least the first few knights. The others were like complete newbies, tripping and stumbling like little children. They stood around at the opposite side of the fountain, keeping an eye on it just like us.


    ¡°Hm? What¡¯s up with this timing?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but feel suspicious at this. The knights looked prepared, as if they were expecting a fight. Is something going to happen here? The Margistra family¡¯s ritual, the appearance of these knights. It all seems too suspicious.


    ¡°Ars continent¡¯s knights?¡±


    ¡°Mili? Ars continent? How do you know that?¡±


    ¡°That emblem on their chests. I remember seeing it in a book about the Ars continent. I don¡¯t remember the country, but it¡¯s without a doubt the same one.¡±


    Mili explained, pointing at the emblem of a dragon¡¯s head that was inscribed on their armor. A few of them turned to look at us, their helmets hiding their expressions. The Ars continent? Why did they travel up till here?


    ¡°Oh~to!¡±


    I stumbled, being bumped into by someone. Mili, who was on my shoulder, tumbled down, but I caught her in the nick of time. I turned to look at the person who had bumped into us and suddenly, I felt fear.


    The man was taller than me, with straight dark blue hair. His eyes were a dark red, like burning coals. An earring hung onhis ears, with a long paper dangling from the golden stud. On it, some foreign words were written. He wore an open shirt decorated with red stripes, its color the same as that of his hair. It revealed his finely sculpted body, trained by years of training, without doubt.


    But that was not what scared me. A mischievous smile played on his lips. Something about him told me not to mess with him.


    ¡°Are you alright? I¡¯m sorry, I was not paying attention.¡±


    He extends his hand towards me, the smile still on his face as if he were joking. I ignored it and stepped away from him, wary.


    ¡°Haha~ That hurt!¡±


    His playful attitude doesn¡¯t change, but I could see that his smile didn¡¯t completely reach his eyes. Something felt off about him.


    ¡°Well then, let me introduce myself. I¡¯m Tallios, the sin of Wrath. Nice to meet you~!¡±


    Important news, folks. My hiatus has evolved into a quasi hiatus since my schedule is screwed up. I have no idea when i can update. But i''ll try my best to update as soon as possible. Hope you enjoy this series!!! *gets to work on the next chap* *munches on some cookies* Want some? *offers cookies*


    UPDATE: Btw, i forgot to mention in the earlier chapters (at least i think i did) But Niviel wanted to travel to Ugras because her uncle was sick. I''ll check if i have added it, if not, I''ll do it now! :D :D :D


    UPDATE 2: I reckon i haven''t, so I put it in Chapter 33. It''s not like reaaaallly important, but check it out if you''d like to ! :D :D

 Chapter 42- The Depths of a Cave

    I¡¯ve read about them in countless fantasy novels. Hell, these are one of the things that made fantasies fantasies.


    The target of almost every explorer, a place of mysteries, traps and wonders. One could lose their lives in this place, dying as a unfortunate fool that stepped on a trap, or as the lucky ones. Ones who survive such tribulations and gain the treasures contained within. Typically they were represented as caves. Long twisted cave networks, containing monsters, traps and boss monsters too.


    Dungeons.


    And I am trapped in one.


    What are the odds?


    I wondered as I sat there, gazing at the blazing inscriptions above the foreboding entrance. The letters illuminated the place where I stood, but its light did not reach beyond. For all I knew, the entrance was blocked. That was how dark it was.


    <table><tbody><tr><td> WELCOME TO MY DUNGEON, EXPLORER!! FORGET ABOUT LEAVING, FOR YOU ARE ALREADY TOO DEEP INSIDE MY CAVE! MY MAGIC RULES HERE, SO THE PASSAGE YOU FOLLOWED HAS ALREADY BEEN ERASED!! SO EXPLORER, VENTURE FORTH AND OBTAIN MY TREASURES, OR DIE TRYING! </td></tr></tbody></table>


    Well, that¡¯s simple enough. Enter, kill some monsters, get the treasure and get the hell out of here. Wait, if exiting is impossible for me, how do I get out of here? Let¡¯s just hope that there is a short cut at the end of the dungeon¡­


    My Detect is blocked here, but whatever is blocking it is gradually weakening. I can feel that because the vision from my left eye has already expanded a bit from before. Is the dungeon preparing something? I hope it¡¯s not some insta kill magic or something.


    I tentatively step in to the pitch blackness, my breath quickening. This deep in the cave, oxygen should be limited. But I could breathe comfortably enough. Perhaps some air holes prepared by the dungeon? What a good dungeon. The person who controls the dungeon is a dungeon lord right? Perhaps I should thank him.


    As soon as my body passes the dark barrier, light greets me. I gasp from the sudden brightness and step back, stumbling into a wall.


    I turn back, shocked to see that the entrance had been replaced by a wall. I looked forward, the light greeting me again. A pale blue light, emanating from some crystal like thing embedded in the wall.


    I sigh and plop down, deciding to check my equipment first. I had forgotten to do that before entering the dark door¡­ thingy, since I was overwhelmed that I had actually found a dungeon.


    A dungeon! I mean, they were one of the most needed things in a fantasy world!


    Wait, that means there are traps right? And I don¡¯t even have my left eye fully functional, let alone my Detect. Finding traps is gonna be a pain¡­


    I take out the three most important stuff that Master gave me before leaving. Three cylinders of parchment wound over a tube. Two of them glowed  white while the other had turned black.


    The last thing that my Master gave me. My trump cards. Three legend class spell scrolls.


    I had to use one of them on the rabbitman, and now I can¡¯t help but feel regret, thinking that I wasted such an important thing on a small fry monster.


    Nether sword, a Dimensional magic which partially summons the sword of the Nether. A sword that can pierce through almost everything. And I used it up on that stupid rabbit.


    I check the other two scrolls, turning them around in my hands, checking that the containment enchantment on them hadn¡¯t weakened. That would be a problem, since it could release the contained spell within, wasting them.


    ¡°All right¡­ let¡¯s do this¡±


    I switch to the passerby hero attire, including the mask. Not for the sake of hiding my ability, but for protection. This mask is hard. Super hard. Tough enough to take a stab to the face and not even take a scratch.


    As I donned the hood, covering my head, I remembered Maria¡¯s advice to get the armor. Man, I regret not listening to her now.


    Wondering whether there were trap detecting apparatus or something, I took my first step, beginning my dungeon adventure.


    *******************************


    ¡°Sin of wrath?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right~! What might your name be, oh lovely maiden?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Maria, Artemis¡¯ arrow.¡±


    ¡°A wonderful title~ If I may¡ª¡°


    ¡°Tal!¡±


    A voice called out, one interlaced with irritation. The dark blue haired man turned, the smile on his face faltering a little. The girl that stood before him, confusion etched on her face, turned along with him, towards the source of the call.


    ¡°What is it, knight boy~? Can¡¯t you see me talking here?¡±


    The man questioned the other man, his smile not fading from his face. The other man was a bit shorter than the blue haired man. He had spiky red hair and his eyes were the same, red as blood. He wore a long coat, pieces of silver armor decorating his shoulders and chest. The other man rubbed his stubble with his short fingers as he regarded Maria, his blood like eyes running over her.


    ¡°We have to go now. No time for chit chat¡±


    The man spoke, his eyes moving back towards Tallios, disregarding Maria.


    ¡°Ara~ It seemed I have to go now! Well, see you later, Maria~!¡±


    Saying that, Tallios walked away, patting Maria¡¯s cheek as he did so. Maria had no time to bat it away, the speed of the movement overwhelming her. It was almost like the hand vanished, reappearing next to her face.


    The two men walked away, disappearing as they mixed into the crowd.


    ¡°Just what is happening..?¡±


    *****************************


    ¡°Tei!¡±


    I twist around the stinger of the monster and kick it away, narrowly missing the pointy tip. The liquid sizzled as it dripped to the ground, and the worm twisted around to keep its big red eyes on me. Almost 3 meters in length, this worm-with-a-poison-stinger frequented the dungeon, constantly attacking me as if in a rage.


    ¡°This is bad¡­¡±


    I muttered as I observed my Rebellion stuck in the side of the worm. I had stabbed it when it suddenly moved away, pulling my sword along with it.


    If that thing runs away with my sword, I¡¯m gonna have a hell of a time finding it¡­


    Another blob of deep violet liquid falls to the ground, and I step away from it. It splashes around, burning-no melting the rocks along with it. A Drooler. It literally drools acid, sticking to the roofs to attack me. With the worm to support it, I can¡¯t even send an attack towards the stupid thing. Hiding in the shadows of the roof, I can barely even see it.


    I pick up a rock and haphazardly  shoot it towards the roof. The sound of stone hitting rock echoes across the cave, and I click my tongue in irritation.


    ¡°Damn it¡­¡±


    Another blob came flying at me, this time from the side, surprisingly. I duck, dodging it, and turn my eyes towards the culprit.


    It looked like an overweight man with a big nose, except the man is blue and the nose is red. Its face looks like it¡¯s smiling lecherously; with drops of the acid near it mouth. It climbs back up into the shadows, using the six legs on its back.


    Not willing to let it escape, I quickly shoot a rock into its big red nose. It wails in agony as it crashes to the ground. Taking advantage of this moment, the worm tackles my side. I barely move away, but it still grazes my back. Maybe it didn¡¯t want to waste this great chance, so it sent its tail like a whip towards me, the sting glinting in the pale light.


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    I catch the fat tail and twist it, using the sting to stab it. Then, I pull it upwards, tearing a huge gash in its side. I wrench of the sting along with a piece of the tail, poison and some fluids flying around as I did so.


    I dash towards the Drooler and bury the sting into its nose, listening to it wail in despair as it dies.


    Wiping my hands on the coat, I return back to the worm to retrieve my sword.


    ¡°Oh come on¡­¡±


    The worm was gone.


    With my sword.


    Dammit all.


    I look around and sigh in relief, spotting the trail of goo.


    Taking a deep breath, I head deeper into the dungeon, following the worm swiftly.


    It¡¯s been almost 2 hours since I entered the dungeon, and I climbed down the stairs almost 4 times. That makes 5 levels now¡­


    Oddly enough, or maybe luckily, all the traps were already activated, or they were dismantled. Some other raiding party must have taken them down because there were a LOT of traps.


    Quickly heading into another passage, I try to avoid getting the goo on my shoes. Damn, how far did this worm go?


    And then I noticed some stuff.


    Dead bodies.


    Of monsters of course.


    The floor was littered with dead worms and Droolers. Annihilated, to be precise.


    Carefully, avoiding the entrails and all other stuff that looked quite disgusting, I get to the other side of the passage. Oh great, the trail¡¯s gone now.


    I check around the passage, hoping to find a secret passage or hole. But thankfully, it was still here.


    It had already died, and was lying belly up in the midst of the bodies. My sword stuck out from it like a unicorn¡¯s horn, except from the side. I got closer to it, stepping on my toes, to see how it had died.


    It was the sword. It had eaten away at the flesh of the worm, slowly killing it from the inside. I drew it out and stared into the hole the sword had made and enlarged.


    ¡°Quite the glutton aren¡¯t you buddy?¡±


    I wiped the sword clean with a towel when inspiration struck me.


    ¡°Glutton¡­. Yes! I got a name! Sword, I name you Gluttony!!¡±


    I held the sword up to the roof, overjoyed at the name I had given it. I slashed with it once or twice, enjoying the feeling of it cutting apart air.


    ¡°That said¡­ Maybe gluttony wasn¡¯t that good a name¡­ Well, whatever¡±


    Putting the matter to rest, I sheathed the sword again, and left the passage, heading in to the dungeon. Even deeper into it.


    A few minutes past, there were still no monsters. No monsters, no traps. This was starting to lose the feel of a dungeon right now. It seemed more like it was a leisurely stroll in a monster graveyard. By now my Detect was almost back, with whatever blocking it fading away. Suddenly, the cavern widened, opening up to a bigger room.


    A crystal.


    The first thing that greeted me was the crystal that lay shattered in the middle of the room, with little green pieces scattered around. The room was well lit, with lots of activated traps around.


    I walked closer to the crystal cautiously, half expecting an ambush of sorts.


    ¡°Battle ?¡±


    I observed the charred ground, noting to myself that someone fought here. Was this crystal the boss?


    As I got closer to the crystal, I could see that there were inscription patterns on the ground. Overjoyed, I headed to the half broken crystal, and began studying the inscriptions.


    ¡°Th-this is?!¡±


    I almost squealed in delight as I understood the inscriptions.


    ¡°Flight? No floating. Kind of a flight¡­ I need to copy this and make modifications too¡±


    Overjoyed at the prospect, I quickly copied the patterns onto a parchment, stowing it back into my ring after that. Deciding that it might be useful, I took some of the crystal pieces, intending to experiment with them.


    But it was not the end of the dungeon exploration. My Detect had already found something. In the back of the huge room, there was another passage, half hidden in shadow.


    I went closer to it, still feeling happy at the great find.


    As I got closer, I could hear something. A song? Something similar. There was a lot of noise coming from down the hallway.


    By the time I stepped into the passage, I could clearly make out the sound. Chanting. People chanting something.


    ¡°People here?¡±


    Muttering to myself, I immediately move along the passage, intent on finding out what was happening.


    Inside a dark but dimly lit room, lots of people stood around. Almost a thirty of them. All of them wore suspiciously familiar clothes. White robes with the design of a snake as the emblem.


    ¡°The Margistra family?¡±


    They all wore masks, long ones with pointed tops and holes for seeing and speaking. Like real cultists. And based on the chanting, they were cultists.


    I couldn¡¯t make out the language, but based on the words, it was something for magic. Something old. That was the feeling I got from their words. But a word they said rang a bell. Something someone had told me.


    ¡°Of course, as you can guess from my last name, this is the Margistra family. It¡¯s sort of like a religious cult, with us worshipping the great snake god Kuniyaltre. See? That¡¯s the snake on our emblem!¡±


    Kuniyaltre. The snake god. Niviel san told me about it.


    I peeked a bit more in to the cavern, wanting to see where they were looking at.


    In the far end of the room, there was something like a stone stage. On it, a fountain was placed, and it spouted suspicious violet water. For some reason, that fountain looks exactly like the one in Ugras. Don¡¯t tell me¡­ This is a huge flag.


    As I watched, a man, I think? A man climbed onto the stage and stood before the fountain. He turned around to look at the people who had stopped chanting.


    ¡°MY BRETHREN!!! FOR YEARS WE HAVE TOILED UNDER THE TYRANNY OF THE KING!!! OUR LEGENDARY MIGHT HAS BEEN REDUCED TO A MERE SHADOW OF ITS FORMER GLORY!!! BUT TODAY¡­ TODAY, WE SHALL REGAIN IT!!! TODAY, WE SHALL BRING BACK OUR GOD, AND REGAIN WHAT IS OURS!!! TODAY, WE SHALL REVIVE KUNIYALTRE SAMA!!!!!!¡±


    He bellowed with his huge voice, but even that was deafened by the ear splitting roars from the crowd.


    He raised an arm, and the roaring died down.


    ¡°MY BRETHREN, TODAY WE SHALL BRING GOD BACK WITH A SIMPLE SACRIFICE!!! WE SHALL DOUSE THE GROUND WITH OUR BLOOD, TO DO IT!!! FOR KUNIYALTRE SAMA!!!¡±


    The crowd roared back, and everyone pulled out some dangerous looking knives. This seems bad. Alright, time to stop this. I¡¯m not good with mass suicide.


    ¡°What might you be doing here?¡±


    I froze at the sudden question. Someone had crept up on me, and I couldn¡¯t even feel their presence. Sweat beaded on my forehead as I slowly turned towards the source.


    Crap.


    AUTHOR


    The once in a blue moon update is here!! *expects applause*


    Ahem. Sorry for the late updates, but there''s a lot of problems with my PC, and I''m fixing them one by one. I hope I can return to regular updates soon.


    On a more interesting note, I used to name chapters as Chapter X: Blah and now it''s Chapter X-Yada


    Yeah i know ... It''s not really interesting.. *sulks*


    Thanks for reading! And please point out any mistakes if you see one! Constructive criticism is very welcome, and as you might know, it is kinda necessary!


    *bows and leaves*

 Announcement! (might be important)

    It might be a bit of a sad news to some, but I believe it might be news of great joy.


    I''ll get right to the point. The start of my novel sucks. Yep, I''m surprised too! Not really, it''s blatantly obvious. The beginning (and quite possibly) the present state of my fiction is not up to the mark.


    And so, I shall rewrite!


    Quite obviously, tis the best option, so that I can improve on the fic and that even more people (hopefully) will like this fiction. AFter reading more of the great works on RRL and from the great advice given from WriTE, I have decided to do this.


    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    The fiction will be inactive for quite a while, and then I will just redo the entire thing. If that''s not possible, I''ll release it as a new fiction. I''ll be sure to post a link here *winks* Mass release so that it catches upto the current events of course.


    But, what do you think? IS a rewrite necessary? IS the novel fine as it is? OR should the rewrite be done, since it might increase the quality of the work? (I''ll put it in as a poll )


    Thank you for supporting me all this while, (I''m hoping that it was support) And I''ll try my best to increase the quality of the work during the rewrite. (there may very well be a prologue!!)

 Chapter 43: The Rise of the Snake God

    I could hear the sound of blood spurting as yells of pain echoed from the chamber behind me. Agony ruled there, and I could hear splashes of liquid striking the floor. It didn¡¯t take me too long to figure out what happened, what with the knives and the ¡®sacrifice ourselves¡¯ declaration.


    A simple sacrifice. A blood sacrifice.


    But whatever happened behind me was completely pushed to the back of my mind. Because the person who had crept up on me with near perfect stealth to the extent that I couldn¡¯t even find a hint of his presence was definitely dangerous. His hair was as red as blood, and his red eyes gleamed with an animal ferocity.


    The man smiled at me, a smile that didn¡¯t reach his eyes. It was a kind of sympathetic smile. Like the kind one gives when he¡¯s gonna gut you like a defenseless fish.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t answer me. Going somewhere?¡± The man insisted, his smile fading. I somehow managed to stammer out a reply. ¡°I-I just got lost in here¡­ I was adventuring and-¡°


    ¡°That was not my question.¡± He said, standing up. His silver armor made me intensely regret not buying armor. Not even the rudimentary kind. His hand tensed as he went for his sword, a two handed double edged killing machine.


    ¡°I¡¯ve had enough of this adventure, so I¡¯m leaving.¡± I declared, standing up as he did. A smile flickered on his face before it vanished just as quickly. ¡°Lies. You were about to stop the sacrifice. An interruption. An anomaly. Anomalies must be destroyed.¡±


    It was then I realized how robotic his voice sounded. Like a preprogrammed automaton. Oh yeah. A preprogrammed automaton with a wireless polygraph system. And did I mention the mind reading function?


    I tried to assure myself that the reason Detect didn¡¯t work was because he wasn¡¯t alive- I mean, it wasn¡¯t alive- and that it must be because it¡¯s an instrument of magic.


    The metallic clang of swords echoed as his double edged sword clanged against Gluttony. It felt like a canon had hit me as I was sent flying merely by the force of his sword. Crashing against the wall, I was sent tumbling through the tunnel into the chamber of the crazy cultists. Did I mention that they only had one hand?


    As soon as my legs met the floor, I boosted my Dragon slaying energy and propelled myself off the ground, and into the air. I flew through the air, surveying my surroundings for any tactical advantage. The fountain of violet water was glowing now, its water slowly turning red as the blood flowed into it. All around it, the Margistra cultists were sprawled on the floor, some screeching in pain, others out of it as blood continuously flowed out of the bloody stumps of their right hands.


    The arrangement was dizzying when you looked at it from above. There were grooves made in to the floor through which the blood flowed. It formed a continuously crisscrossing floral pattern, that suspiciously looked like a snake as well. All of the blood flowed into a depression beneath the fountain, draining the people of their life.


    Barbarians.


    I tried to land directly on top of the fountain, but some invisible barrier was present there, sending me flying-again- at a wall. Coughing as a sheet of dust collapsed on me, I struggled to my feet, only to see the silvery glow of a sword tip mere inches from my eyes.


    Automaton, it seemed, wasn¡¯t slow. Its eyes were definitely glowing now, as it raised its sword to bring it down on my neck. My senses kicked into action as adrenaline bursted into my bloodstream. My heart pumped with anticipation as Chaos energy flooded into my veins, enhancing my senses, granting me a vision of the world my eyes never could do. A vision that granted me control over space.


    The familiar reddish black light floods through the room, in an invisible circle. Taking a deep breath, I enjoyed the feeling of the mad energy becoming me, as I disturbed space and time. ¡°HA!¡± I expelled all the energy, my self, my being as I instantly felt myself passing through the disorienting feeling of Blink.


    An instant later, I was behind the automaton, my back facing its. I cursed myself as I failed to consider the possibility that I would be putting my back to its back as well. A deafening noise echoed as his sword clashed against the stone wall. Thanking god for this unexpected windfall, I twist around, Gluttony whistling through the air as it went for the thing¡¯s head.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    CLANG!


    A violent rebuttal greets my hand as Gluttony gets violently repelled by the air next to the automaton¡¯s head. The fierce push twists my hand to unimaginable extents, and I could hear the disconcerting sound of my bones yelling in pain as I flew through the air and crashed into the cultists.


    Blood drenched my right hand as the twisting tore my skin open like wet paper, causing multiple wounds on my hand. Panting, I grasped my arm and tried to sit up on the bodies that lay below me. A certain panic grips me as I realize that the bodies were merely flesh and bones now, their faces emaciated.


    Dead.


    All of them, dead.


    It suddenly struck me that in this enormous chamber filled with bodies, I was the only one breathing. Even the automaton was just that- an automaton.


    I staggered to my feet, panting as I glared at my enemy. For the first time in my life after the forest¡¯s test, I felt it. An astounding sense of helplessness. I knew it. I couldn¡¯t beat him¡­. Not now, not ever. My sword was gone, somewhere amidst the cave. My arm felt like it had been ripped to shreds.


    And as if to emphasize my despair, the Chaos energy cut off, making me weaker, as if I had run a thousand miles nonstop. My legs began shivering as fatigue began taking over me. Taking a deep breath, I released a flood of Monster slaying energy, the invigorating feeling strengthening my limbs and steadying my heart rate.


    That¡¯s right. Giving up here is simply useless. If I¡¯m gonna die here, then I¡¯ll do it with a bang!


    Deciding so, I got to my feet and increased the flood of energy, feeling my skin thickening and my teeth extending into canines. My body felt rawer, stronger. A green tinge came into my sight as I began regarding everything purely with instinct. But I didn¡¯t stop there. At a steady rate, I could maintain this for about 3 more minutes. But I wasn¡¯t going to do that. I was going to finish it within one.


    The automaton looked like it had deactivated as it had bent its back with its sword buried in the rock. It was, however, gradually coming to its senses.


    Without holding back, I released an even larger burst of energy, accelerating the Slayerification. Master had told me that once I began gaining proficiency in a type of energy, I would gradually begin gaining the characteristics of the animal whose blood ran in my veins, slowly turning into the beast itself. A maximum stage Energy.


    But there was another way. One that she¡¯d warned against. Increasing the rate of energy within the veins to the extent of accelerating the Slayerification process. To reach the third tier by becoming the beast at a faster pace. But the problem with that was the same which would happen if you give a baby an adult¡¯s body and asked it to break dance. Absolute mayhem.


    Keeping in mind to not take it too far, I accelerate it just a bit. The effect was instantaneous. It was like an invisible barrier had broken in my body as the flood rushed through my veins. The silvery sheen around me intensified as my hair lengthened. My face felt like it was being pulled in two directions as the pain coursed through me.


    Unable to bear it, I crouched down onto four legs and instantly felt a distinct sense of clarity.


    It was so simple.


    Before my mind could register it, I was at the automaton¡¯s throat. The thing had barely noticed me before my hand- no, paws- were bathing in blood. Blood spurted as my hand once again clashed against the invisible barrier, which seemed like a thin sheet of glass as it gave way under my might.


    My hand didn¡¯t stop there, however. Within seconds, my nails were tearing into its throat, with it gurgling blood like a real person. I tried to stop myself as I tore at its neck with a desire to see more-more blood, more flesh.


    STOP IT! It was like a minute voice in the back of my head as I continued mangling the body of the automaton. It was gasping, coughing blood before it finally slumped onto the wall, dead. The stunning discovery of what I had done stayed my hand. With my now enhanced ears, I could hear it. Its- No, his dying heartbeat. I realized that ¡­


    ¡°I killed him¡­ ¡°


    My hands limply fell to my sides as I fell on my knees. The monster slaying energy had vanished, lifting that ferocity out of my vision. My eyes were dragged to my hands, bloodied by blood. By blood, and his life.


    ¡°I¡¯m a murderer¡­ A murderer¡­¡± I looked back at my victim- his eyes now lifeless, with blood staining his white clothes. But what horrified me was only that I had killed. It was also that I enjoyed it.


    ¡°I¡­ really am a monster¡­.¡± I chuckled.


    Meanwhile, the blood flowed through the groove into the fountain with crushing force. Deep beneath the stone floors of the cavern, the blood mixed with the violet waters of the fountain and flowed through the underground pipe.


    Past the mountains, past the fields, past the Ugras walls, it flowed into an enormous cavern located beneath the fountain in Ugras, a cavern that greatly resembled the one Yuuya was in. The blood flooded into the dark cavern, filling it completely. The water from the fountain gushed in, trying to stop the blood from filling the cavern, but the mixture of blood and the violet water was too much. Within moments, the cavern was filled with it.


    In the depths of the blood filled cavern, an enormous orange eye opened.


    Maria felt an increasing sense of foreboding as time passed. Something was going to happen, she just knew. Next to her, Mili felt similarly tensed as she gripped Maria¡¯s robes.


    ¡°The ground¡­ something¡¯s happening. Maria, let¡¯s get out of here. Something doesn¡¯t feel right.¡± Mili insisted yet again, pulling on her robes. This time, Maria agreed. But unfortunately, it was too late.


    An enormous earthquake shook Ugras, sending Maria tumbling on top of Mili. The earth shook and rumbled like an ancient beast as cracks began spreading from the fountain. The knights of the Ars continent tensed, their hands going for their swords.


    The earthquake stopped, and Maria started to get up. Hwoever, it happened again, sending her off balance. This time, it was much stronger. Someone from amidst the knights- a magician- cast a spell, covering the knights in a green glow, stabilizing them.


    Once more the earthquake ceased, but this time the rest period wasn¡¯t for long. An unearthly roar echoed out from beneath the earth, making Maria clutch her ears. Everyone around her did likewise as the roar persisted.


    Next however, a voice spoke. A voice that seemed to be ancient, as well as powerful. Carrying a certain fierceness, it seemed as if the earth itself were speaking.


    ¡°I WILL BE FREE!!!¡±


    Once more the earthquake occurred, but this time, it was to be the last time. The square rent apart as mud and dirt flew through the air, making it difficult to see. The fountain got smashed to pieces, spraying water like a broken tap.


    And from within the ruins of the square, the monstrous snake emerged.

 Chapter 44: Destination-Ugras

    Far away from the eastern Rudia continent, in the Ars continent. Inside the royal palace of one of the mightiest countries, Tyerst, a girl walked along the corridor.


    In the extravagantly decorated corridor, the girl with bright pink hair walked, her footsteps echoing at every step. She wore a gaudy robe, indicating her possible relation to nobility or her high position. As she crossed a guard, he bowed, showing his respect.


    Waving at him, she headed towards a set of magnificent doors. They opened as she neared, and the guards standing guard bowed and murmured something. She replied to them cheerfully and entered the room.


    ¡°Ah, Shizuka, you¡¯re here?¡±


    A man with blonde hair greeted her as she walked in. He was without a doubt a handsome man, with striking features and sharp golden eyes.


    ¡°Eiji kun! You¡¯re back? Did you finish another dungeon too?¡±


    ¡°Nah. This time we were sent to quell the rebellion in one of the villages¡­ Uhm¡­ I don¡¯t know¡­ Some village¡­¡±


    The girl nodded and headed towards the fireplace. She placed herself in one of the plush chairs and relaxed, warmed by the heat of the fire. Next to her chair, another girl was relaxing in a chair similar to hers.


    ¡°Rika chan¡­ How long has it been since we came here?¡±


    The pink haired girl, Shizuka asked the girl, who sat up straight when the question was directed to her.


    ¡°How long huh¡­ I don¡¯t even remember¡­¡±


    ¡°Can we even return?¡±


    Another girl, who was bespectacled spoke up, barely looking up from the book she was reading. Her expression showed how bored she was, and how uninterested she was in the proceedings.


    ¡°Mou~ Ishikawa san! Of course we¡¯ll return. We just need to¡­¡±


    ¡°Need to what?¡±


    Ishikawa finally diverts her attention towards Shizuka, her eyes narrowing.


    ¡°That is¡­ Um..¡±


    ¡°As I thought huh¡±


    The bored expression returns to her face as she continues to read, absent mindedly scratching the pages.


    ¡°Shizuka. You shouldn¡¯t be so serious you know! We got here somehow, that means we will return¡­. Eventually. But, why would we want to return? I mean, this world is just amazing!¡±


    Eiji speaks up, rolling a die around in his hand. His expression was one of joy, joy induced by living in Redorias. Redorias was completely different from Earth, and in a good way. The experience of living in such a world was new to him, and he thoroughly planned to enjoy it.


    ¡°That said do we need to return?¡±


    Another person, a comparatively shorter girl mutters, her head buried inside a pillow on a bed in the room. At her muffled comment, Shizuka suddenly turns in her chair, facing the girl.


    ¡°Mayumi chan! What are you saying?! We need to return right?¡±


    Shizuka looks around, expecting someone to come to her aid. To her surprise, no one responds, and averts their eyes.


    ¡°Return..? Return to Japan and return to that boring lives? Shizuka! This world, this world is amazing! Honestly, I have no desire to return whatsoever¡±


    Rika admitted, staring into the burning coals. Eiji lightly nods, agreeing with her. Shizuka sinks back into her chair, dejected. She wanted to return, and expected the others to feel the same way.


    ¡°I mean, Shizuka, it¡¯s almost like an RPG! With status and levels and skills! How can you not like it?¡±


    She remains quiet at Mayumi¡¯s argument, thinking about ways to return. She wondered whether Yuuya was in this world too, and worried whether something happened to him. Looking at her being thoughtful, Eiji cuts in, attempting to lighten the mood.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    ¡°But to be honest, I¡¯m really jealous of Satoshi¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah right¡­ He even got such a cool class. I would¡¯ve loved to get it!¡±


    Mayumi immediately sits up and replies, excited at the new topic. Even Nanami seems interested as she sets down her book and listens to what¡¯s going on.


    ¡°Even Ayumi chan got such a cool class¡­¡±


    Shizuka grumbles unexpectedly, earning a lot of looks from the others. Grinning at his success, Eiji continues his assault.


    ¡°Maybe we should go and check out their training? They have a joint practice session right now right?¡±


    ¡°Ou! Sounds good!¡±


    Mayumi immediately responds, accompanied by Rika¡¯s nod. Shizuka pushes herself off from the chair, and the group prepares to set off towards the arena.


    ¡°Ou! This place is huge!¡±


    Mayumi comments as she walks in to the kingdom¡¯s arena. Being sent off to train in dungeons frequently, their training was mostly held on site. Mayumi, being a summoner frequented the library along with her trainer, so she had never set foot in to the arena.


    A huge dome covered the roof of the coliseum like arena. It was almost a 150 meter wide ceiling. The dome was made of glass, brightening the entire arena with sunlight. There was a huge opening in the corner of the dome. The entrance through which they walked in was almost 30 meters in height, easily taller than them.


    A group of soldiers were doing their training session in one corner of the wide grounds, the guard captain shouting out the commands.


    In another corner, a lot of people clustered around, cheering on something.


    ¡°Hm? What¡¯s going on there?¡±


    Nanami notes, looking at the commotion. As the crowd parts, they get to see what¡¯s happening.


    ¡°That musclehead¡­¡±


    Eiji holds his head with his hands, sighing.


    In the middle of the crowd, a boy stood. Taller than most his age, with a well muscled body, he smiled cheerfully at the opponent standing before him. He was covered in sweat, the sleeveless sweatshirt he wore drenched with his salty sweat.


    His arms were raised, towards the other man. He was considerably larger than the boy, his hulking figure suggesting an overwhelming strength.


    ¡°Come on Darik! Don¡¯t you wanna play with me no more?!¡±


    The boy beckons Darik, jumping from side to side. Excitement covered his face. He relished in fighting.


    ¡°B-but hero-sama.. you¡¯re too strong¡­ This one cannot beat you¡±


    The huge man, Darik sighed, his face resigned to his defeat. The difference between a hero and a normal soldier was too much, even for Darik. The boy laughs cheerfully, and walks away from Darik, brushing his dark green hair with his hand, sweat spraying out. He notices the group looking in his direction and his eyes brighten. He waves at them cheerfully.


    ¡°Yo! Guys! Surprise to see you guys here!¡±


    ¡°Ah.. Hey Hideki!¡±


    Eiji greets him and the others also wave at him. Hideki jogs towards them, moving his hand in front of him as he did so. His eyes kept moving as if they were reading something. With a final swipe of his hand, Hideki finally reaches them.


    ¡°What¡¯s up? What brings you here? Did you want to see my fight?¡±


    He jabs his thumb towards Darik, smiling happily. Sighing, Eiji replies.


    ¡°No you musclehead¡­ Seriously, is fighting all you think about?¡±


    ¡°Haha~! Maybe maybe!¡±


    Hideki laughs it off, his cheerful attitude not changing.


    ¡°Well, we¡¯re here to see Satoshi and Ayumi anyways. Where are they Hideki kun?¡±


    Mayumi questions him, holding back the desire to hold her nose, due to Hideki reeking of sweat.


    ¡°Oh them? There!¡±


    Hideki points up, and they look up.


    The clear sky greets them like always, but they keep looking.


    ¡°They should be back right about¡­.. now?¡±


    As soon as the words leave Hideki¡¯s mouth, the glass shatters. Amidst the cascade of falling glass, a huge figure could be seen. Almost 12 meters long, with a reptilian body. It tries to flap its wings as it falls down. But due to it being rolled up into a ball, it was futile. Then, a small figure kicks it off, sending it flying. It spreads its wings and glares at the figure with its yellow sclera and black slit like eyes. Two brown horns curved around its head, and its reptile like body was matted with dark red fur in several places. Other places were covered with red scales of a lighter tone, and a long tail whipped out behind it. The wyvern spread its wings and flew around, surveying its opponent.


    Its opponent on the other hand was standing on air, the wind curving behind her feet. Her small ponytail moved from side to side due to the updraft. She wore a tight fitting spandex like dress, with two curved knives in her hands.


    Noticing the group of people below her, the girl immediately dropped to the ground. Just before impact, the wind curled around and slowed her down. She walked down, as if she were walked on invisible steps. With light steps, she landed on the ground and spread her arms.


    ¡°Ayumi chan!¡±


    Shizuka ran up to the girl and hugged her. Ayumi pats her head and then separates from her, directing her attention towards the others.


    ¡°Heya. What¡¯s up?¡±


    She greets them in a aloof manner, her head held high. Grinning at her, Eiji replies.


    ¡°Man, I can¡¯t enough of your class Ayumi. Elemental blademaster is just too cool!¡±


    Eiji drones on and on about how cool Ayumi¡¯s class is, and Ayumi lightly smiles.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time¡±


    Rika greets her, and she nods back. Due to her training, she was not allowed to meet her friends, save for Shizuka.


    Then, in a massive gust of air, the red wyvern descends. As its bird like claws touch the ground, the body distorts and shrinks. The massive form of the body shrinks into a humanoid form, and the scales begin to rapidly decolorize. The scales slowly fade, replaced by skin. In a swift motion, a cloth swirls around the boy, his dark blue hair flying around. He opens his eyes, which was the same yellow as before. As he blinks, the color changes to a dark blue, and he smiles pleasantly.


    ¡°Tada~!¡±


    The boy spreads his arms, closing his eyes as if expecting applause. Chuckling, Hideki claps him on his back, and he stumbles forward.


    ¡°Damn, your class is just too awesome, Satoshi¡±


    Eiji grumbles, looking at his childhood friend. Satoshi grins at him, showing off his sparkling white teeth. Eiji smiles back at him, and they both laugh together.


    Satoshi¡¯s class is the morpher. It allows him to transform into a specific monster. Gifted by the gods, he got a special blessing along with his class, allowing him to evolve his abilities. Unlike normal morphers, he could choose what monster to turn into, and develop the monster into a higher grade monster, similar to leveling up.


    ¡°It truly is exquisite, seeing it firsthand¡±


    Nanami notes, her spectacles sparkling at the sight. Rika nods, her mouth agape. Ayumi ¡®humph¡¯s and turns away, pouting.


    ¡°Ara, don¡¯t worry Ayumi chan! I still think your class is the best!¡±


    Shizuka tries to cheer Ayumi up, and everyone begins laughing together. Shizuka¡¯s gloomy mood vanishes, being surrounded by her friends.


    ¡°Hou~ So you guys finished another dungeon huh? How many does that make it now? Damn, you guys are leveling up rapidly¡±


    Ayumi comments as she listens to the stories of her friends. They were lounging around in the break corner, sipping on some tea. They began chatting about their experiences during the time they were separated, exchanging stories.


    ¡°But, we get a group mission this time right?¡±


    Rika added, a smile playing on her lips. Even if they enjoyed being in a different world, being with friends was truly better than being alone.


    ¡°Hou~ That¡¯s right. Some event right? The cap told me about it. Seems like we¡¯re setting off tomorrow.¡±


    Hideki replies, his eyes wandering over the arena.


    ¡°An event? Where¡¯s it?¡±


    Mayumi questions them, puzzled. Since she was mostly in the library, she could never obtain news.


    ¡°Um¡­ Some place called Ugras I think? I heard they¡¯re bringing us in disguises!¡±


    ¡°Oo! That¡¯s cool!¡±


    They continued chatting through the night, making jokes and such, bonding amongst friends again, feeling happy.

 Chapter 45: The Snake God Kuniyaltre

    For Ayumi, the wind felt like a part of her. She felt like she belonged there. With a feeling like she was embracing a part of her soul, Ayumi stepped on to the wind and rose into the air, using the air to propel herself above the monster snake.


    ¡°The Boss¡­¡± Ayumi muttered. The snake was enormous, about 70 feet in length. Its thick body wiggled as it crawled out of the hole in the ground where the fountain had been, revealing its stunning size. Its bright yellow skin glowed with a poisonous green light- a barrier, Ayumi guessed- and was covered with bright green diamonds.


    ¡°Bring in the Snake hunters! Woot!¡± Ayumi grunted as she heard the muscleheaded Hideki yell. Her job, as discussed was the same as Shizuka¡¯s. To distract the boss and make sure that it didn¡¯t concentrate fire on any one of them. Despite her strong class, Ayumi felt a bit of apprehension as she regarded the large snake. She couldn¡¯t see the others, as the entire ground was filled with dust. As she rose above the dust with the snake¡¯s moving head, she felt as if she were confronting the beast alone. Great. She thought to herself. My first quest is to kill a big bad snake.


    Almost as if it heard her comments, the snake turned its jeweled head around to face her. Its slit like eyes narrowed as it stared venomously at her. Ayumi froze, struck by a heart wrenching fear. Its stare was unlike any as it seemed to make even her heart stop beating.


    And then the snake snapped at her.


    Its impressively large fangs gleamed as it raced through the wind towards her. A forked tongue whisked in and out as it tasted the air. The snake was fast. Faster than Ayumi expected. And floating there, paralyzed, she felt helpless as the snake bit at her.


    AYUMI! FOCUS! The mental shout expelled her fear as she regained control of her faculties. Remembering all the training her master had given her, she twisted through the air, using appropriate gusts of wind to propel her around the lower jaw of the snake.


    The metallic scraping of her knives against their sheaths gave her a sense of clarity as she sent the blades digging into the snake¡¯s skin. It was futile, however, as the barrier around the snake repelled her violently, sending her flying.


    Using a significant amount of mana, she sent an updraft to stabilize herself as she regarded her opponent with wariness. The snake seemed to feel the same as it stared at her with its slit like eyes. ¡®Thanks, Shizuka.¡¯ Ayumi said, thanking her friend for her timely mental shout using Nanami¡¯s <Mind Network> magic.


    ¡®No problem. How¡¯s it looking up there? I can¡¯t see anything. I can only see you two staring at each other¡­¡¯ She replied. ¡®The thing is fast. And huge. What about you guys?¡¯ Ayumi asked, not taking her eyes off the beast. ¡®Not good. This might be the toughest boss yet, Eiji kun said. There¡¯s some sort of wind down her, keeping us from getting too close. And Satoshi kun tried to morph, but his armor stopped him. So you¡¯re gonna have to wait for some time for air support.¡¯


    Ayumi sped through the air towards the ugly head of the snake. The snake turned with a speed surprising her again as it set its sights on her. Ayumi didn¡¯t back down however, as she brandished her blades with ferocity. Cut like the wind, and flare with the flame, her master had taught her, and she did just that.


    The blade screeched as it cut through the air, propelling Ayumi along with it towards the snake¡¯s eye. The snake didn¡¯t expect the sudden burst in speed as it slightly recoiled. But Ayumi was faster as she whooshed towards the snake. Her blade met the expected resistance of the barrier, but this time, she was ready. A significant amount of mana got used up as she sent forth a blade of flames, heating the air to an unimaginable degree. Another batch of mana got used up as she brought down her second blade, sending a wave of ferocious air.


    Wind X Flame, Synergy slash. She thought as she brought forth a headwind to slow her down to a stop. The wind accentuated the flame, bringing forth a large tempest of flame hot enough to melt iron. Ayumi rapidly hung back as she watched the flames burn. My class, the Elemental Blademaster allows me to use all the elements¡­ But master only taught me fire and wind for now. I hope it¡¯s enough to break its barrier.


    The flames spiraled out of control with a final burst before dying away, revealing the snake¡¯s head. There was little to no damage to it as it continued to glower at Ayumi. Before giving in to despair, she rejoiced as she saw a spot below the snake¡¯s eye, the scale smoldering with a dying flame. So it isn¡¯t invisible! She immediately drew back and continued staring at the snake while trying to access Nanami¡¯s network. ¡®Nanami! The thing has a weak spot! I¡¯m gonna go in for the kill, but how¡¯s it looking down there?¡¯ Nanami¡¯s reply was slow to come. ¡®It¡¯s¡­. it¡¯s not good. Hurry up Ayumi. Its sprouting smaller snakes and Hideki has already been poisoned¡­¡¯


    Astounded, Ayumi prepared herself for another attack. The snake seemed bored as it looked on. Irked by its uncaring demeanor, she immediately shot through the air, high above the snake¡¯s head, trying to find an opening. The head twisted around, keeping an eye on her. Ayumi tensed as it opened its mouth.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    And then it spoke.


    ¡°Children. Children gifted by the gods? Why are you here? Have they sent you to kill us of the demon race?¡± Ayumi couldn¡¯t believe her ears as she heard it speak. The snake¡¯s voice was strange. Ancient and full of unimaginable power. It looked at Ayumi with a questioning glare as it cocked its head. Ayumi stammered as she replied. ¡°Th-they who? What¡¯re you talking about? The king sent us.¡±


    ¡°The king?¡± The snake questioned. ¡°Avelicas Crangel¡­ King of Tyerst.¡± The snake seemed to snort in derision as it bobbed its head back and emitted a hissing sound. ¡°That child? King? Bah. He has no right to call himself king. Now, Notinnrah, he was a fine king.¡± The snake replied.


    Ayumi on the other hand, felt bewildered. What is with this monster? Why is it talking to me so casually? It¡¯s almost like¡­ ¡°Are you wondering why I¡¯m so unperturbed by your¡­ attacks? Because it¡¯s exactly what you think. I have no fear of you. If I wished to, I could kill you on a mere whim. But now, I need to return¡­To Grimoi¡­. My Emperor waits.¡±


    Ayumi felt herself getting angry as she whipped her blades around. ¡°You think you¡¯re so powerful huh?¡± The snake chuckled as it replied. ¡°I don¡¯t. I know it.¡± As if to emphasize its point, an enormous pressure crushed Ayumi, rendering her incapable of even articulating a word. The snake huffed, sending a burst of hot air.


    A pair of wings sprouted from its back. Dark, velvety wings which were even larger than the snake. It flapped its enormous wings, brushing away the dust that covered the town like cobwebs. It rose into the air, its tail twisting about as it rose.


    Ayumi gaped at the sight, but her surprise was interrupted as a figure shot through the dust cloud, speeding towards her. The dust cleared, revealing an impressive wyvern flapping its wings next to her. It growled and gestured at the snake, with a questioning look.


    ¡°Ah. Another one. This one seems to be a shape shifter. Not bad, not bad at all.¡± The snake muttered. Then, flapping its wings, it began to fly away. The wyvern¡¯s head began to shrink as it turned into Satoshi¡¯s head. His face was filled with puzzlement as he asked Ayumi, ¡°What happened?¡±


    Ayumi could barely reply. ¡°W-we can¡¯t do it¡­ It¡¯s too powerful¡­¡± She panted, sweat beading her forehead. Satoshi looked incredulous as he replied. ¡°Too powerful? Are you off your knocker, Ayumi? We can beat it.¡±


    ¡°No, she¡¯s right.¡± Another voice intruded as another person came flying towards them. The dust slowly cleared, revealing all the others-Eiji, Shizuka, Mayumi, Nanami, Rika- all of them unconscious and on the ground. Satoshi gaped at the sight, disbelief on his face. ¡°It¡¯s more powerful than we anticipated. It seems Kuniyaltre has used its years of confinement to actually become stronger.¡± The red haired commander, Lufrew said. ¡°No doubt the Oracle didn¡¯t foresee this development. Well, no matter. At least you kids got a good measure of how Intimidate works.¡±


    ¡°S-so we¡¯re just gonna let it go?¡± Satoshi muttered, irritation flashing in his eyes. He was raring to fight. But Ayumi just shrugged at this. After all, it seems he didn¡¯t get affected by the Intimidate. No wonder he¡¯s so confident.


    ¡°Boy, the Oracle charged us to kill Kuniyaltre. You think we came here without backup?¡± Lufrew questioned him. He stretched his arms and eyed the beast that was leaving. ¡°C-commander, could it be you¡¯re going to-?¡± Lufrew issued a short bark of a laugh. ¡°Ha! No way.¡± Then his eyes turned serious. ¡°We have an even more dangerous person on the job.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡± Satoshi questioned. Lufrew looked at him seriously before answering. ¡°The Sin of Wrath.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the Sin of Wrath?¡± Satoshi wearily asked. Ayumi shared his sentiment as every word Lufrew uttered only brought forth more questions.


    ¡°That, kids, is the name of a Slayer.¡± Lufrew said, with complex emotions thundering in his eyes. ¡°A Slayer? Are they special?¡± Satoshi queried, asking Ayumi¡¯s question. ¡°Special? No. They¡¯re strong. Very, very strong. Be it monster, dragon or even a god, they can kill it. The most dangerous beasts to walk this earth. If you meet a slayer¡­¡± Lufrew took a deep breath. ¡°Run the other way. I¡¯m serious.¡± He added, looking at the incredulous look on Satoshi¡¯s face. ¡°Slayers are dangerous. At your state, you¡¯d die within moments if you were to face the Sin of Wrath, or more appropriately, Tallios. And Tallios is one of the strongest free slayers.¡±


    ¡°Free slayers?¡± Ayumi jumped the gun, cutting off Satoshi from asking questions. Lufrew smiled as he answered. ¡°The Slayers committed a crime, Ayumi. Like I said, they can kill gods. And kill a god they did. A god that was important to a lot of people.¡± A grim smile played on his lips. ¡°A slayer killed Lord Theyios himself.¡±


    Ayumi gasped as she replied, ¡°Th-Theyios?! But then¡­¡± Lufrew nodded and replied. ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking. But no, Lord Theyios didn¡¯t die. He used a complicated piece of magic to switch it to another minor god. But Lord Theyios had been severely weakened. A slayer¡­ is never to be underestimated. They¡¯re¡­ anomalies.¡±


    Satoshi let out an exasperated grunt as he replied. ¡°Bah! If they¡¯re so special, why can¡¯t we get the Slayer class? I mean, we could annihilate this Kuni-whatsit then, can¡¯t we?¡± Lufrew crossed his arms. ¡°It¡¯s understandable that they don¡¯t want you guys to have Slayer powers. Besides, there are special procedures to become a Slayer. You don¡¯t just up and become one. And, an Apostle becoming a Slayer nearly killed Lord Theyios. You think they¡¯ll risk it by giving a hero such powers as well?¡±


    ¡°So, what if the Slayers become our enemies? Are we supposed to get killed by them?¡± Satoshi asked, a bit angry. ¡°You don¡¯t think we just let the Slayers go after nearly killing Lord Theyios? The priests cast a high class magic to seal the Slayers in an eternal prison to punish them. But even amongst the slayers, some of them escaped the enchantment. And people who became slayers after the enchantment was cast were able to leave the forest. Needless to say, that number is staggeringly less.¡±


    Satoshi grumbled a bit, making Ayumi smile. She regarded the scene before her as Kuniyaltre flew away, flapping its gigantic wings, heading not south, where the Grimoi continent was, but due east. She wondered where the snake headed as she went towards the ground with Lufrew and Satoshi.


    Maria gazed in wonder as she saw the person who had been talking to her just a while ago; fly off from the ground in pursuit of a humongous snake that emerged out of the ground. She was amazed to see that such a sequence of events had occurred in such a short span of time. Next to her, Mili was the same as she stared with her mouth agape.


    ¡°And to think¡­ Yuuya missed it¡­¡± Mili muttered. Maria nodded, still in awe of the power play that had occurred. Just moments ago, the entire earth split apart, covering the square in dust and mud, blinding her. She had staggered around until she managed to find Mili and kept her close. Then violent winds had started up, clearing the dust and revealing the monstrous snake that rose high above her. It seemed another flying person was fighting it, but they soon began talking. The knights from the Ars continent had all passed out, and one of the knights stripped their armor and turned into a flying lizard.


    And then the snake began flying away, a while after which another figure began following the snake. To her surprise, it was Tallios, the person who had been talking to her. What surprised her even more was that there was a hint of green about the person, just like Yuuya¡¯s.


    ¡°Yuuya¡­ He¡¯ll be safe, right?¡± Maria wondered as she gazed at the departing Tallios.

 Chapter 46: The Second Ordeal

    Yuuya staggered to his feet, panting. His head felt empty as he stumbled forward, through the mass of bodies that lay scattered in the cavern. Yuuya turned back to look at the result of his frenzy. Now a bloody mass, the eyes were still open as they seemed to stare accusatorily at Yuuya.


    ¡°I¡¯m- I¡¯m sorry¡­.¡± Yuuya coughed out weakly. He felt like he had just swallowed a ton of vomit as he continued walking forward, towards where his sword, Gluttony lay. He coughed again, trying to ignore the squirming of his gut. He felt like some part of him had broken. The humanity in him shattered into bits and pieces.


    He had taken a life.


    For years he had seen it on the news, people getting murdered and the photos of the accused being pasted across the screen as they were declared guilty. A period of incarceration, hanging, the electric chair, there were plenty of punishments. Because of all the crimes, murder was one of the worst.


    But the reason Yuuya felt queasy wasn¡¯t because he had taken a life, but it was because he hated himself for enjoying the act. True, he tried to stop himself when the frenzy of the Monster slaying energy took over, but the reason he couldn¡¯t stop himself was simple. There was a part of him that wanted it to happen. A part of him that wanted to rip his opponent¡¯s throat out. A part of him that wanted the blood of his enemies to stain the land. He was fooling himself into thinking that he would be the same after all that happened and whatever was to happen.


    He grasped Gluttony¡¯s hilt, feeling the familiar sting of the curse rush through his veins. His eye stung as well, like lava had been poured in it. But it wasn¡¯t because of the fact that he had been in battle, but it was because of the fact that he had arbitrarily taken a life. He was cursed, just like them.


    Yuuya could still see the face of the automaton- no, the man- he had killed with his bare hands every time he closed his eyes. It seemed to flash before his sight, a phantom that looked at him with hate. ¡°Hate breeds hate¡­¡± Yuuya muttered as he cleaned the blood, his blood, off Gluttony and sheathed it. To his mild surprise, his arm, which had been twisted by the impact against the man¡¯s barrier, had healed with superhuman speeds. There were only minor scratches that surrounded his arm, stinging slightly when he moved his arm. Maybe the Girisian Rhigor had some healing ability as well.


    Yuuya felt spent as he felt fatigue wash over him. He stuck Gluttony into the ground and leant against it, taking a deep breath. Now I have killed¡­ How many more atrocities would I have to commit here? He sighed to himself, unable to get over the fact that a living, breathing man had just stopped breathing because of his actions.


    And then the ceiling tore apart.


    Like wet paper tearing to pieces, boulders crashed into the floor, sending shockwaves throughout the chamber. Dust cascaded down in sheets like rain as a hole opened up in the roof. And through it, an enormous orange eye became visible, blinking as it stared into the chamber.


    Yuuya collapsed onto the floor as an earth shaking roar echoed out from the eye, sending him sprawling on the ground. He pulled out Gluttony from the ground and crouched low, trying hard not to fall. ¡°HERE IT IS!¡± A voice said, before another hole opened in the side of the chamber, out of which came an enormous tail, which extended to the other end and opened another hole.


    Like a banana being peeled off, the monster peeled off the roof of the cavern with stunning ease, throwing it away somewhere beyond the mountain. Yuuya reeled from the shock, staring at the gigantic snake head slithered into the cavern. Its tongue continuously flashed into existence from its lipless mouth, tasting the air. Suddenly, it came to a stop and twisted its head around.


    It stared right at Yuuya.


    Yuuya tensed, feeling fear as he stared at the beast. He released a rush of Dragon slaying energy, strengthening his limbs. His skin hardened into pseudo scales as his skin rapidly gained a reddish tinge. Yuuya felt himself increase in strength, his vision expanding as everything red in his sight was enhanced. He uttered a shocking growl, startling the snake.


    Without giving it the chance to gather its wits, Yuuya immediately jumped back, using his powerful legs to send himself rocketing to the back of the cavern. He had wisely chosen to retreat. After the tiring battle with the man and the expedition through the dungeon, Yuuya¡¯s body felt weary. He sniffed the air, his enhanced sense of smell immediately locating the place through which the scent of Drooler blood came. Without waiting to think, he shot off towards the entrance he had come through, violently rushing through the corridor, through the chamber with the broken crystals, through the chamber with the mass of dead monster bodies.


    He dodged all the remaining monsters, not wanting to confront them and waste his energy. If the snake decided to chase him, he¡¯d have to have at least a bit of energy to fight. Without pausing, he was soon through the entrance archway of the dungeon, and outside, in the side of the mountain he had entered a few hours before.


    He cut off his Dragon Slaying energy and stowed his mask inside his coat. He then turned to look at the mountain, only to gasp. An enormous tail emerged from where the chamber was, swaying in the air. It looked gargantuan, and Yuuya felt glad that he had chosen to run. A fight then would surely have resulted in his death.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    That must be the snake god they mentioned. He thought, thinking of the man¡¯s declaration about the simple sacrifice. Kuniyaltre, was it? That reminds me¡­ Niviel! Alarmed, he turned to look back at the entrance of the dungeon. He wondered whether Niviel was among the bodies, drained of blood. No, that can¡¯t be. She is the leader of this cult. They probably won¡¯t let her die. He assured himself. For once, he felt conflicted about Niviel. Although she was part of this cult, she was a nice person and it was inevitable for Yuuya to consider her important.


    Wait! Yuuya realized, shocked. The snake, could it be¡­ did something happen in Ugras? Yuuya felt perspiration bead on his forehead as he realized that Ugras might¡¯ve been where it came from. The fountain here was the same there, and the snake had obviously come from somewhere else. Fearing for Maria and the other¡¯s safety, Yuuya set off at a run, rushing towards Ugras. He didn¡¯t dare use any more energy; for he feared that there might be more trouble there.


    The grassy plains quickly whizzed by as Yuuya arrived at the gargantuan walls of Ugras. There was obviously some scuffle here, as he could hear yells from within the city. Smoke and dust hung above the city in large clouds, and from what he could see, the people were running around frantically, chased by what looked like snakes.


    As Yuuya entered the city, he realized that the situation was far worse than he thought. The entire city was in turmoil, with yellow snakes, very much like the one that had come at the cavern, attacking everyone. To his surprise, they were able to breathe fire, and flames razed the houses.


    ¡°Oi! You there!¡± A man wearing a full suit of armor with a plumed helmet covering his face shouted at him. ¡°You¡¯re the troublemaker aren¡¯t you? If you can fight, help out! Everyone are! W just need enough time so that the magicians can use an Adept class magic and quell the flames!¡± Yuuya felt a flash of fear as he realized that that was the man he had run past everyday to exit the city. He saw my face? Yuuya reminded himself not to underestimate others once more as he nodded at the captain. He glanced at the group of magicians, with joined hands as they chanted continuously together. Conjoint magic. Yuuya knew that this was a complicated task, as first they had to synergize each other¡¯s mana by using specific chants and then use the magic to produce a boosted version.


    Yuuya shot forward, drawing his sword out of his sheath, and twisting to cut off the head of the snake that was chasing a poor trader. All of the snakes instantly turned to look at him, judging him to be dangerous. They rushed towards him in groups of two or three, baring their fangs ferociously.


    Yuuya responded in kind as he dived forward, gripping Gluttony harder as he did so. As the first snake shot through the air towards him, he twisted, dodging its fangs and cut its head off in a similar maneuver as before. He crouched down, letting the second snake sail over his head, and stuck Gluttony¡¯s blade in the ground. Using the blade as a pivot, he spun as he kicked the last snake into the wall of a burning house. It cried out in dismay as its own flames burned it to death.


    The rest seemed wary now as they slowed to a stop. They circled around him, trying to find a weak spot. Yuuya had already forgotten about his reservations about killing, his mind lost in the heat of battle. His hand tensed on his blade, relishing the feeling of fighting. To fight for dominancy and show one¡¯s superiority, it caused a hot fire to rage in his chest. A fire that made him feel complete.


    I enjoy fighting. He realized as he shot forward. He soon turned into a whirlwind of slashes and stabs, killing snakes by the tens as he indiscriminately cut off their heads or stamped them to death. He occasionally used Dragon slaying energy to enhance his strength to get out of tough spots.


    But he did not escape unscathed. There were occasional snakes, ones that managed to get past his blades and bite him, or set him on fire. He ignored most of the bites and the fire as his clothes seemed impervious to it, but one of the snakes managed to scratch his cheek with its fangs.


    His cheek throbbed as he panted, and as he looked around, he realized that the number of snakes hadn¡¯t decreased. On the contrary, it seemed to be increasing. But instead of despair, a manic grin split his face as he yelled hoarsely and swung his blade, ending the life of another snake.


    A contingent of guards arrived, interrupting his fight as they began using their spears and swords to kill the snakes, taking some of the pressure off Yuuya. But Yuuya felt irked by their help. My prey! He leaned menacingly towards them, his sword eagerly throbbing as it thirsted for blood. The captain of the guard suddenly turned to look at him sharply, snapping Yuuya out of his battle haze.


    Horrified, Yuuya stood there. I was just about to kill them. Another human. Gluttony clanged against the ground as he looked at his trembling fingers. What is happening to me? ¡°Kid! Snap out of it!¡± A yell from the guard captain distracted Yuuya as he saw that the snakes were closing in on him rapidly. Bursts of fire erupted towards him, threatening to burn him.


    His cheek throbbed with increasing intensity, and his vision became muddled. Poison. Yuuya realized. He staggered, about to fall, before the heat of the flame alerted him. Not good. ¡°Douse the flames that bloc-!¡±He began, but was cut short as his tongue hung limply out of his mouth. The snakes were upon him, futilely trying to burn him. One of the snakes sent a torrent of flames, setting his cheek on fire.


    ¡°Oh Goddess of Water, Grant me access to thy sacred waters, Purge the evil and douse the heat, Eliminate all who stand as obstacles, Break with force and submerge our enemies, And make all pure with thine embrace! WATER WAVE!¡± Yuuya heard the chant, and within minutes, he was immersed in a flood of water. It hit him with the force of a truck, sending him flying. Like a rag doll, the water carried him away, before it suddenly turned gentle and carried him out of the wave. He collapsed, gasping and coughing water.


    Sopping wet, he pushed his hair out of his eyes as he sat up. He looked to his side and was shocked to see that Gluttony was missing. He remembered that he had dropped it when the poison began taking over. That reminds me! The poison¡­ Yuuya¡¯s hand went to his cheek, and he was stunned to see that the poison¡¯s effect had completely vanished, along with the bleeding cut which had healed to a scar. A scar¡­ Yuuya wondered as he ran his finger along the inch long ridge on his face. One of many to come. He sighed and got to his feet.


    To his surprise, he was on top of a building, and seemed to be yards away from the walls, where he initially was. The entire section of houses was dipping wet with water, and he could even see corpses of the snakes strewn here and there. Yuuya jumped down the house and rapidly headed towards the walls. His Gluttony was there, and losing it would be devastating for him.


    Within moments, Yuuya had arrived at the square where he had fought, and was astounded to see that the guards seemed to be circling something, wariness clear in their postures. The guard captain, who had removed his helm, was kneeling, examining something on the ground with a guarded expression. As Yuuya got closer, the man¡¯s eyes shot up examining Yuuya. As soon as he realized that it was Yuuya, he got to his feet and bowed his head towards Yuuya.


    Flustered, Yuuya stood there, not knowing what to do. The guard captain looked up and said seriously. ¡°Thank you, stranger. If it hadn¡¯t been for your help, I¡¯m afraid¡­¡± He trailed off, and the other guards shifted as they murmured thank you¡¯s to Yuuya. ¡°N-not at all!¡± Yuuya exclaimed, a bit higher than he intended. ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me¡­ After all, it was only natural for me to help out¡­¡±


    ¡°But, friend, as much as we¡¯re grateful for your help, I¡¯m afraid we have to talk about your¡­ sword.¡± He looked back, and the crowd parted to reveal Gluttony, which very clearly seemed to be leaking miasma.

 Chapter 47: Back to the Inn

    Yuuya sheathed Gluttony, the sting of the curse affecting him a lot more. He painfully smiled at the guard captain as he apologized to him. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sorry. An important friend gave this to me, and I would hate to let this go.¡± The guard captain, who was apparently named Farkas, waved his hand dismissively. ¡°It is of no matter. Only, please refrain from showing it in public. A cursed object warrants much attention, but after the disaster Ugras has been through..¡± He turned to look at the smoldering wreckage of his city, pain broiling in his eyes. ¡°It would¡­ Ahem, cause unrest to see such a strong cursed weapon wandering the streets.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Captain Farkas.¡± Yuuya smiled politely as he left the man and left for inn. As soon as he rounded a corner and Farkas disappeared from view, Yuuya¡¯s smile vanished, replaced by a grim look that made his face look gaunt. Deadened by the weights of his crimes and what he was becoming, Yuuya trudged along the road.


    The dark atmosphere that pervaded Ugras seemed to reflect Yuuya¡¯s self depreciation. Women wailed and men assumed rugged expressions as they watched their loved ones. Many had died. Some by the poison of the snakes invading their body and painlessly killing them. Others burned to death by the heat of the flames. And even some who were strangled to death by the beasts.


    And it¡¯s my fault. Yuuya admonished himself as the despair all around him darkened his mood further. He wanted someone to blame, something to blame. And to blame the snake was just an excuse. It was a monster, and to attack and wreak havoc was only natural for it. To blame the members of the Margistra was useless. They were dead, anyway. And it was obvious who stood to blame in Yuuya¡¯s perspective.


    Himself. If only¡­ If only I had stopped them, stopped the Margistra family members from cutting their hands. If I could¡¯ve stopped their sacrifice¡­ A part of his mind argued against this. The man he had killed was too strong. He couldn¡¯t have helped either way. Aggravated, he struck out with his leg, kicking a building ferociously. ¡°That just proves the point!¡± He yelled, sadness welling out from him. If only¡­ If only I had been strong enough. Strong enough to beat him¡­ So many people¡­ because of me¡­


    Their deaths weighed down on him like lead as they seemed to drag him deeper, deeper into darkness. His eye and sword tingled with anticipation. They wished for such a thing.


    As he walked, absorbed in his thoughts, Yuuya suddenly walked into someone. Stumbling, he mumbled an apology and continued on his way. ¡°Ah! Yuuya! Why are you ignoring me like this?¡± Maria¡¯s voice said as she sharply pulled him back. Yuuya looked blankly at her for a second before looking up at the building he was in front of. [Insert name of the inn]. I¡¯m already here huh.


    He looked back at Maria to see a concerned expression on her face. ¡°Yuuya? Are you alright? You look¡­ well, sick.¡± Yuuya glumly nods and passes her by as he enters the inn. Maria, looking even more concerned than ever, hurried after him. Everything around him seemed muted as Yuuya trudged on. With barely a nod to acknowledge Saki and Mili, who seemed to have sustained a few scratches, Yuuya collapsed onto the bed, trying to get rid of his gloominess with sleep.


    He heard Maria enter the room, and then unsurely pace around him. After a while, she gave up and sat down next to his bed. The comfortable embrace of sleep enveloped him as Yuuya quickly drifted in to the world of dreams.


    It was like reliving the forest¡¯s test for the first time again. Giant turtles stomp everything before me, crushing cities and mountains. I could distinctly see one of them about to stamp Baras. I try to run, to stop it. But then the man whom I had killed materializes before me, and hits me away with his powerful sword. Once more I crash through the door and fall into the space of white. There are snakes all around me, but they seem to ignore me as they quickly advance towards Maria and the rest, tied helplessly to a pole. I try to rush towards them, to help them, but I couldn¡¯t move. The scene changes again. Now I stand in the cavern once more, with the terrifying snake glaring down at me. I try to access my energy, but all fails. Despair creeps in me as I look around to see bodies rising around me like a tide, full of the Margistra cultists who bled to death. They all look at me with anger. Wails of despair and cries of agony make a cacophony around me, wreathing me in its dark embrace. ¡®No! No! Leave me alone!¡¯ I cry, shutting my ears, trying to expel the noise. But it all seems futile. The face of the man I had killed floats before my eyes, laughing at me. The man¡¯s face turns angry as it speaks, ¡®Everything¡¯s your fault.¡¯


    ¡°NO!¡± Yuuya yelled as he whirled out of his bed, Gluttony out of its sheath within seconds. A crash echoed around him, and yells of surprise he heard. Without a thought, he sent Chaos energy flooding through his veins. As his vision sharpened, he swung his sword at the attacker, intent on cutting them down. ¡°YUUYA! STOP!¡± Mili¡¯s voice cut through to his surprise, and at an invisible command, his sword swung to a halt.


    Mere inches from Saki¡¯s throat.


    She looked terrified, a small container with a smelly white cream inside it in her hands. Panting, Yuuya looked around, only to see Maria and Mili staring at him with alarm in their eyes. His eyes narrowed as he saw Maria¡¯s fingers coiled around her bow. Sweat beaded his forehead, and he realized that the paste was on his face as well. Startled that he had almost decapitated Saki, Yuuya jumped off the bed and back. Some instinct prompted him not to sheath his sword as his grip only tightened around it.


    Their eyes followed him as he stood near the door, panting. Yuuya looked at each of them in turn, and then cut off his Chaos energy. He sheathed his sword, and bowed to them. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± They seemed to be too shocked to answer. Apparently realizing as such, Yuuya pulled the door open and stepped out. ¡°I¡¯m going¡­ for a walk.¡± He said before he left the inn, still incredulous of the events that happened.


    The cool night wind seemed relieving to Yuuya as he walked through the desolate streets of Ugras. There seemed to be a great deal less of a noise, and from what he could hear, because he had chosen to not use Detect, there seemed to be no living beings in the vicinity. Understandable. After such a catastrophe, only fools would still be living here.


    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Yuuya looked up to see the endless expanse of the night sky. Only last night he had thought it extraordinarily beautiful. Now it seemed cold and desolate, like a blanket that existed to smother all light. The moon was no longer a beautiful jewel to him. Rather, it seemed like a lonely light trying futilely to light up the world. The elegance of the silver light it cast seemed weak and ineffectual, the light of a dying moon. Yuuya sighed to himself as he walked along the street.


    The echoes of boots tapping against the pavement reached Yuuya¡¯s ears. When he rounded a corner, he found himself facing a guard patrol, headed by Captain Farkas. Farkas raised a hand in greeting towards Yuuya. He smiled back, albeit without much feeling. As if noticing this, Farkas told the others to continue their patrol before gesturing towards Yuuya. ¡°Come, walk with me.¡± He said and stomped off. A bit bewildered, Yuuya complied.


    ¡°So. What happened?¡± Farkas questioned. Yuuya shrugged noncommittally. Farkas considered a while before asking again. ¡°Today, during the attack of the snakes¡­ You¡­ you were about to attack my men. Remember?¡±


    Yuuya¡¯s steps faltered a bit before he nodded. He plainly remembered the incident. How he had been on the brink of swinging his sword and finishing off the soldiers who were attacking his prey. How he had been able to restrain himself when Farkas had shouted at him. ¡°Do not worry yourself about it.¡± Farkas said reassuringly. ¡°You are strong, but it¡¯s obvious that you aren¡¯t much experienced in the art of battle. It¡¯s easy to lose yourself in the heat of battle, especially when you¡¯re young.¡± Yuuya didn¡¯t take it silently as he replied. ¡°I¡­ I almost lost control. I almost killed one of your soldiers.¡±


    Yuuya looked up, and Farkas was alarmed to see that he was tearing up. ¡°Am¡­ Am I a monster?¡± He asked, as if wanting reassurance. Farkas grinned once before pushing Yuuya away.


    Stunned, Yuuya stumbled away before balancing himself. Looking back, he saw that Farkas had removed the short spear on his back. Pointing it at Yuuya, he declared. ¡°Kid, men don¡¯t speak with words. We speak with our blades and fists! Come at me!¡±


    ¡°Wh-what?¡± Yuuya asked, bewildered. Farkas only flashed his teeth before he shot forwards.


    Reflex took over Yuuya as he ducked beneath the blade whistling through the air at him. Farkas stopped, and stooped low to swing the spear at Yuuya¡¯s legs. Alarmed by his speed, Yuuya jumped up, the blade nicking the sole of his foot.


    He used Farkas¡¯s back as a platform to kick himself away and put some distance between them. Yuuya¡¯s heart rate rose as he sunk in to the mood of battle. His hand tensed as Farkas moved. His eyes narrowed, following his every movement with analyzing eyes. ¡°Not bad! At least you have good reflexes.¡± Farkas commented as he stalked towards Yuuya.


    Yuuya slowly drew his Dortoh Tusk sword from his sheath and carefully got up to his feet. Farkas and Yuuya judged each other as they slowly prowled in a circle. Yuuya told himself not to use even a hint of the slayer energy, and just use his base ability to fight.


    KRRK! Yuuya went rigid as Farkas suddenly dragged his leg roughly against the ground. Taking advantage of the surprise, he shot forward, his spear spinning as it went for Yuuya¡¯s head. Cursing himself for his folly, Yuuya twisted to parry the blade. But his response was a bit too slow as the spear nicked the side of hand, spilling blood.


    Yuuya didn¡¯t stop as he switched his sword to his other hand, and caught Farkas¡¯s wrist. Using it as a pivot, he delivered a kick to Farkas¡¯s side. Farkas was evidently experienced as he used his muscular arm to block the blow. Hanging in midair, Yuuya twisted as he coiled his legs around Farkas¡¯s spear wielding arm. He arched backward as he sent his sword stabbing towards Farkas¡¯s head.


    Without a care for his spear, Farkas dropped and brought his fist down, down towards the ground. Alarmed that his legs might break from the impact, Yuuya broke contact from Farkas and jumped away.


    BOOOM!!! Dust spewed out as Farkas slammed his fist against the ground. Cold sweat poured down Yuuya¡¯s back as he regarded the damage. Taking a deep breath, he readied his sword again. Farkas leisurely picked up his spear and slowly walked towards him. ¡°You didn¡¯t think I was weak, did you? I was in the Royal force for ten years kid. I ain¡¯t gonna go down easy.¡± Farkas said, smiling slightly.


    All his depression had vanished in the frenzy of battle. Yuuya smiled as he replied. ¡°Old man, don¡¯t flatter yourself too much.¡± Both of them grinned maniacally before shooting forwards again.


    CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! The sound of metal striking metal echoed through the street, rousing whatever residents remained in Ugras. They came out to see the awe inspiring fight between Farkas and Yuuya.


    Both of them were a whirl of silver, spinning and twisting as they sought an opening in the others defense. Yuuya laughed as he sent his blade clashing with Farkas¡¯s spear. Farkas suddenly dropped down, swinging his leg at Yuuya. Yuuya mimicked the action, and both their legs clashed powerfully, sending a burst of wind outwards. Quickly withdrawing, Farkas swung his spear at Yuuya¡¯s hand. Yuuya stepped backwards, dodging it with minimum movement.


    SRRRRRRPPPP!!! The spear suddenly extended, and a metallic grating echoed as it clashed with Yuuya¡¯s coat. Alarmed, Yuuya tried to block it, but he was so far within the attack range that the hit sent him flying. He crashed into the side of a house, and dust cascaded down on him. Coughing, he emerged, massaging his side. Broken rib. He thought, spitting blood. Farkas swung his blade around and pointed it mockingly at Yuuya.


    ¡°Already done?¡± Farkas queried. ¡°Not on your life,¡± responded Yuuya. He shot forward, grimacing as his now broken rib pained him. Trying to ignore the pain, Yuuya ducked beneath Farkas¡¯s overhead spin with surprising agility. Getting inside Farkas¡¯s guard, he stabbed his sword initially towards Farkas¡¯s heart. But realizing his mistake, he angled it downward, sending it stabbing at him.


    An ear shaking sound echoed as Yuuya¡¯s sword clashed against Farkas¡¯s armor. Farkas was sent reeling backwards, and he coughed out some blood. A dent had formed on his armor, and Yuuya guessed that he got some broken ribs as well. An eye for an eye.


    ¡°Enough, enough.¡± Farkas panted, holding up a hand. Yuuya felt slightly irritated as he saw this. He wanted to fight more, enjoy it further. And he could tell that Farkas was far from tired. It was easy for Yuuya to guess that Farkas had let Yuuya hit him. He had purposely opened himself up to a blow. Although Yuuya wasn¡¯t pleased, he didn¡¯t complain.


    Farkas swung his spear up and fixed it on his back. Yuuya got to his feet, sheathing his sword as he grudgingly smiled at Farkas, who smiled back good naturedly. He beckoned to Yuuya and once again set off at a brisk pace.


    ¡°You and I are similar, in some ways.¡± Farkas began as Yuuya caught up to him .Yuuya rose an eyebrow questioningly. He bumped Yuuya on the shoulder as he continued. ¡°See kid, it¡¯s simple. We both thirst for something simple. We thirst for the exhilaration of combat. It¡¯s understandable of course, there¡¯s that feeling in it, a feeling of delight in the heart pumping heat of battle. Am I right or am I right?¡± Farkas looked at Yuuya, who nodded.


    He laughed once, a short bark of a laugh as he removed his plumed helmet, revealing to Yuuya the captain¡¯s face. His sandy hair was cropped short to his skull, and his eyes were filled with a chivalry, yet it also carried a certain felicity. He seemed like a man whom anyone would consider honest and brave. And that he is. Yuuya thought. ¡°See kid, the reason why you¡¯re leaning towards killing is only because you lack the opponents that can really give you a sweat. It¡¯s an ingrained instinct for you to want to fight. I¡¯m not saying it¡¯s bad, Hey, I¡¯m pretty much the same, but you should learn to control it. Have some bouts like this one. Challenge yourself. Don¡¯t let the monster take over.¡± Farkas smiled kindly as he winked at Yuuya.


    Yuuya looked thoughtfully at the night sky as Farkas¡¯s words echoed in his mind. Don¡¯t let the monster take over. Farkas however, wasn¡¯t done. ¡°It¡¯s not just you though. There¡¯s a monster in all of us. The anger and all the other negative feelings in our head. But you see kid; it¡¯s not about how much power you have, it¡¯s how you use it. Use that monster within you. I saw you at the gates that day. If those girlies are important to you, use that monster within you to protect them. See kid, every part of us is essential. Be it the worst, or the best.¡± Farkas patted Yuuya on the shoulder before walking away. Yuuya watched him leave and then called out. ¡°Captain Farkas!¡±


    Farkas turned around, looking curiously at Yuuya. ¡°I¡¯m no kid. I¡¯m Yuuya. And¡­ thank you.¡± Farkas grinned widely before waving at Yuuya. ¡°You need to prove to me that you¡¯re not a kid, kid. Till then, you¡¯re just a kid to me.¡± Yuuya smiled at Farkas as he left.


    Yuuya was once again left alone in the street, but now, it didn¡¯t seem as dark as before. On the contrary, the light of the rising sun from the north showed how Yuuya felt. Although a torrent of darkness raged within his heart, there was still a light of goodness in him. He smiled to himself once more before he walked back to the inn.

 Chapter 48: The End of the Expedition

    To Duke Vistrias, the title didn¡¯t amount to much from the start. He was always a devout follower of Lord Theyios. For him, even if it was to delve in to a pool of lava to burn his mortal husk, he¡¯d do it gladly if it was for Theyios. His eyes narrowed in displeasure as he regarded Chernakoff.


    The Head of the Holy Knight Order himself, Chernakoff set a poor example as the head of the unit that was regarded as the ¡®Hand of Theyios¡¯, carrying out the Lord¡¯s will in the world. A position Vistrias greatly envied, but did not desire as much. Although to do the bidding of the Lord was something Vistrias greatly wanted to do, his own position as Duke was much more important to him. Dukes were meant to serve the Lord himself, to be lucky enough to be graced with his presence. Even above the Dukes were the Priests, who were almost always in close proximity to the Lord. The one person the Vistrias loved more next to the Lord was the Oracle. The tongue of the Lord.


    The entirety of the Ars continent bent their knees towards Lord Theyios. The entire continent was controlled by the Conclave. The Conclave dominated the Ars continent, even the Emperor himself. The Imperial Capital was where they operated out of. Vistrias turned back to look at the abysmal ice sea stretching out beyond the cliff they were on. The sight was surely fantastic to see. On the icy coast, lay the giant corpse of the Frost Horn. They had recovered some of the meat for their dinner. Beyond the coast was an icy surface that looked as smooth as a mirror. It stretched on for miles and miles, until it met with the sky at the end. The treacherous Glaca-Muer. Vistrias thought, regarding the infamous death trap.


    After the God¡¯s death here, the entire space had become inhospitable to humans, to the extent of the entire area being frozen to the core. Only the crystals were keeping Vistrias and the rest alive from the biting cold. If not, they would¡¯ve already been ice sculptures.


    As he bit in to the tough, undercooked meat, Vistrias turned to look at the camp. It was a shoddy couple of tents which seemed extremely fragile next to the frigid landscape. The Golden Sun, or what was left of it, sat around the flickering fire, staring into the dying embers. There was barely any firewood here, and even that took magic to burn. Vistrias sighed as he remembered Chernakoff¡¯s words. ¡®Does Lord Theyios really care about us?¡¯ Abruptly, his memories from his visit with the Conclave emerged in his mind.


    ¡°Duke Vistrias.¡± The ancient sounding voice emerged from the shadowy recesses of the Conclave¡¯s Chamber. Vistrias kept his head down and remained silent. He had only been there once before in his life, when he had been made Duke. When he had left then, he had only managed to catch a glimpse of the powerful Conclave. ¡°Raise thine head, Duke Vistrias.¡±


    Elated that he was able to look at them, he turned to look up. When one enters the Conclave Chamber, it was an unspoken order that one should never look up and always look down at the floor. It was an enormous domed chamber, with inscriptions all over the walls, radiating powerful power. Near the top of the dome, stained glass windows decorated with intricate designs surrounded the apex. Vistrias guessed that they sat within the glassed rooms.


    ¡°Has Lord Theyios spoken to thy?¡± The ancient voice continued. Vistrias nodded solemnly. ¡°Good. Now tell us what he has said to thy.¡± Vistrias took a deep breath and narrated his experience with the Oracle. His voice echoed throughout the enormous chamber. The loneliness Vistrias felt, standing in the middle of a dome, being scrutinized by the most powerful people of the continent, gave him an unexpected chill down the spine.


    Vistrias had heard that the Conclave consisted of the Head Priest and the Primo Apostle. Other than that, there were rumors that other powerful members of the Clergy, the Church of Theyios were also present. It was one of the most religious groups, and Vistrias felt humility in front of them. As he finished, the silence continued. Unable to see who he was speaking to, Vistrias shifted uncomfortable. ¡°Very well. If our merciful Lord has given thy this mission, then carry it out with pride.¡±


    As Vistrias began to leave, noises of protest echoed down, and the ancient voice, now a bit panicky, struggled to control the commotion. Puzzled, Vistrias stopped and looked back up. The ancient voice, filled with anger, had expelled him from the chamber for stopping.


    The Conclave is weakening. Vistrias thought, twisting around a piece of the bone in his hand. On the mainland, it would¡¯ve been priceless, but in this dismal hell, Vistrias only felt contempt for it. Funny how coming here can change your perspective¡­ If the Conclave falls due to infighting, then Vreede will invade, and it will only be a matter of time before my blood dyes the ground. Vistrias clenched his fist in frustration. If only I was more powerful!


    The Ars and Vreede continents were always at each other¡¯s throats, with frequent skirmishes occurring near the borders of the two giants. The only thing that prevented an all out war from occurring was the Viriel mountain range, a giant system of mountains that separated the two powerful entities. If it hadn¡¯t been for the fact that crossing over to one would essentially be weakening their own strength, the two continents would¡¯ve become one by now. Vistrias sighed again, a fine mist forming before his mouth.


    It had been a month since they set off from the Ars continent, traversing across the cold peaks of the Guardian mountain range, across the icy Glace-Muer and finally ending at the edge of the world, the God¡¯s graveyard. For weeks they travelled with haste, losing three of their comrades as they headed to the edge of the Graveyard. And after days of continuous battles and difficulties, the Golden Sun arrived at the edge of the world, the top of a sky high cliff. As they peered down the cliff, Chernakoff gasped with surprise, mirroring the others¡¯ expression.


    Just beneath one of the coldest points of the coldest areas of Redorias, was a lush green forest. It spread for miles beyond, with five mountain peaks rising far away, covered with trees. Birds flew near the mountains, indicating life. And they weren¡¯t monster birds, but rather normal birds, the first ones they had seen in a month. Vistrias gaped at the sight, unable to believe his eyes. He wondered if it was a hallucination, but the fact that the others saw it too confirmed it. A gust of wind buffeted them, the first hint of actual warmth. But as soon as it passed them, it seemed to turn ice cold.


    ¡°Th-this¡­ this is the end of the world¡­?¡± Chernakoff stammered. His eyes were trained on the expansive forest, not taking them off. Vistrias mutely nodded, still feeling too overwhelmed by the sight. ¡°The edge of the darkest place is a paradise¡­¡± One of the knights, Luhteran said. Vistrias rested his hand on the pommel of Bloodweaver and shook himself of his disbelief. Straightening, he managed to bark. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Our Lord obviously wanted us to come here.¡± Saying so, he set off down the cliff, followed by the still astounded knights.


    As they got to the base of the cliff, a sudden change came over the atmosphere. The previously stone cold air suddenly turned pleasantly warming, shocking them. With trembling fingers, Vistrias retrieved his spell crystal and deactivated the protection spell, letting the heat fully wash over him. They were soon sopping wet as all the ice that had accumulated on them completely melted away.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°Vistrias¡­ This is surely a powerful enchantment.¡± Chernakoff observed. Vistrias nodded as he replied, ¡°Not just an enchantment. This¡­ the air itself is powerfully saturated with mana. There is no doubt that at least a thousand enchantments are working together to reproduce the effects of a God level magic¡­¡± ¡°God class?!¡± Chernakoff staggered backwards. Vistrias waved him off as he replied. ¡°A God class magic is not as rare as you think. The Floating Mountain in Maoin is a complicated piece of natural magic. The power used to maintain that enchantment is surely God Class. And don¡¯t get me started on the Dark Fortress¡¯s Reh-gia Cannon Arsenal. That monster might even be an upper tier God class, or a lower tier Transcendental. Although Apocalypse is the only single piece of God class magic, several spell networks can reproduce the strength of higher spells.¡±


    ¡°Is it¡­ Synergy, Duke Vistrias?¡± Arytus, another one of the knights questioned. ¡°Yes. Complementing a spell with another to enhance its effect. Even our Magic unit is developing some. What do you think the last explosion was?¡± Vistrias said. They proceeded towards the forest, pondering Vistrias¡¯s words.


    As they silently walked towards the gigantic embrace of the greenery, Chernakoff broke the silence. ¡°Vistrias¡­ How could such a secret be hidden? Such a forest at the edge of the world¡­ It¡¯s impossible for it to be hidden¡­¡±


    ¡°Chernakoff, you should remember, we used about 70 Antifreeze crystals to travel through the coldest areas, facing against a Frost horn and all the other horrors of this god forsaken land. And that was because it was the Lord¡¯s command. Do you think anyone with a sane mind would begin such an expedition here just for simple curiosity?¡± Vistrias questioned back. Chernakoff mutely nodded as they finally reached the edge of the forest.


    ¡°Wh-what¡¯s that?¡± Luhteran yelled, drawing his sword. Like the air above a flame, the space a mere five feet away from them suddenly begin shimmering. As if responding to their tensing, the air vibrated even faster until it broke like a pane of glass-


    Revealing a man.


    He wore a grey cloak, completely covering his figure. The cloak spread out around him, making him look exceptionally large. The hood of the cloak covered most of his figure, but Vistrias managed to catch a glimpse of the shriveled chin just beneath the peak of the hood. The figure immediately bowed its head, hiding even that. ¡°We are the Golden Sun, unit of the Holy Knight Order, the Hand of God. We come here with a mission from our lord to slay the Chaos in the north. Who are you?¡± Vistrias questioned. An old voice emanated from beneath the hood, giving an appearance of extreme age.


    ¡°Boys? No. Mere babes. What are you doing here? Did you get lost? I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t have any candy.¡± The voice spoke, with an apparent trace of haughtiness. It sounded tired, like he was exasperated with the world, and that Vistrias was merely a distraction. Although he was not one to be irked to soon, Vistrias, annoyed with the dismalness of the land, immediately went for his sword. But before he could even draw it out an inch, Chernakoff jumped forward, uttering a savage growl. The others knights seemed to be the same as they drew their swords. His sword at the ready, Chernakoff prowled closer to his prey with surprising sloppiness. But Vistrais did not care to advise him. After all, he felt very much the same. But some part of rationale arrested him, stopping him from jumping to action. Wariness overriding his eagerness, he watched.


    ¡°Eh?¡± Vistrias blinked once more, for what he saw, there was no way that it was true.


    Within the span of his blinking, the sight that was revealed to him was two headless corpses. Chernakoff appeared to be bound by fear as he stopped his advance. A voice in the back of Vistrias¡¯s head snorted in derision as he realized that the only reason Chernakoff hadn¡¯t died was because he was too scared to head into the fray. Slowly, Vistrias raised his eyes.


    The shriveled, long fingers of the old man clutched at the hair of the heads of the two knights. Their expressions were fierce and bloodthirsty. With a chill, Vistrias realized that they must have died without even realizing why. Dangerous! Vistrias¡¯s instincts screamed, telling him to run. But he could not. His muscles felt deadened, like his whole body had turned to lead. His hand still on the pommel of the BloodWeaver, Vistrias watched on. Chernakoff seemed to be in a similar situation, fear soaking his pants.


    The old man got to his feet at his own leisure, like he had all the time in the world. Vistrias¡¯s eyes widened as he realized that the blood that spilled from the corpses seemed to be moving-moving towards the man. It flowed into him, vanishing into the voluminous folds of his robe. The corpses whitened to the shade of chalk, devoid of blood. With a sigh, the man dropped the heads. His hands, now noticeably less shriveled, moved up, drawing back the hood.


    It was not the hint of an old man that Vistrias had seen. It was a man of incomparable beauty, with ceramic like skin and a lean face. His eyes were angled, holding two of the most wonderful jewels in the whole world- one blue and the other red- which seemed to radiate unearthly light. Vistrias, unprepared with this development, could only watch on.


    ¡°During war, the blood boils¡­ I never knew my powers were publicized to this extent¡­¡± The man muttered, his voice nothing like the previous ancient one. It was mellifluous, like honey that flowed smoothly into their ears. The man regarded them with his eyes, the heterchromia of his eyes unnerving Vistrias. ¡°For years I have been chained here, restrained by the gods and their lackeys, to forever guard this infernal place from outsiders. They took my power from me, cursing me.¡± He walked forwards, and slowly raised his hand, pointing it towards Chernakoff.


    Chernakoff froze. Vistrias knew what would happen. Another head would be taken. But no matter how much he held Chernakoff in contempt, to Vistrias, he was his lifelong comrade.


    With a yell that seemed to shatter the bonds that held him, Vistrias dove forward. The Bloodweaver flew out of its sheath, cutting an arc as it cleanly sliced off the man¡¯s arm. With a spray of blood, it flew into the air. The man¡¯s eyes widened as he stared at Vistrias. However, he pushed out once with his other hand, sending Vistrias smashing into a tree. Feeling that something within him broke, Vistrias yelled with what he could, ¡°Run Chernakoff!¡±


    He felt a bit disgusted when he saw that the one he had risked his life to save, had already ran away. Watching the situation, the man laughed out loud. It was a laugh like none other, a laugh that was so unearthly that it seemed to wash away Vistrias¡¯s pain. He struggled to his feet, trying to hoist his sword. The man regarded Vistrias with amusement, and a trace of admiration. ¡°The mainlanders seem to have grown! Very good child! You have impressed me. As a reward, I shall tell you my identity.¡±


    Coughing out blood, Vistrias managed to muster up a reply. ¡°Come at me, you vampire dog.¡± The man smirked in amusement as he began walking towards Vistrias. A similar feeling enveloped Vistrias as he once more turned immobile. The man waved his hand, and the detached hand flew through the air, connecting with his stump. ¡°Very good! You recognized me. I would¡¯ve thought that my.. unique powers would shield my identity more.¡±


    As Vistrias watched, he observed that the man¡¯s skin was turning dry again, his beauty fading once more. He winced noticeably as he discovered Vistrias¡¯s observation. But he did not comment on it. ¡°I am Radmien El Triestoren. Not exactly a vampire, but the vampire. I am the father of vampires. I am the Vlad.¡±


    Dread filled Vistrias as he remembered the tales his mother used to tell him before he slept. The Vlad. The terror that plagued the lands, the Lord of Blood. The Conclave¡­ They sealed such a monster here?! Vistrias was blinded by shock. ¡°I see you¡¯ve at least heard of me. And you can observe¡­ my condition. You see, the primordial forces created me, and for great power, they took something away from me. Unless I continued to feast on life blood, I would turn frail, and weak. I could not hold on to my power for long. And so I had to live like that, to depend on human blood every few minutes, lest I die.¡± The man stopped, taking a deep breath. He was mere inches away from Vistrias, yet he couldn¡¯t move a muscle.


    ¡°You might wonder, why I have survived till now then. Well, luckily for me, a diet of life essence can support me¡­ to a certain extent. However, back to where I was. Well, there was a great smith during that time, the Blacksmith is what he called himself. With his transcendent control over the arts of smithery, he crafted for me a weapon. A weapon that would hold blood for me, make me self sufficient. A weapon so wonderful, I took my title after it.¡±


    ¡°I am Radmien El Tiestoren, the Weaver of Blood.¡± He declared solemnly as his hand plunged through Vistrias¡¯s heart. He felt his blood being drained away, his life being drained away. Trembling he looked up to see the man take the Bloodweaver. He gazed at it lovingly, like a father would his daughter. Gasping, Vistrias collapsed. The blood formed a trail as it led into the sword, its glow strengthening as it rejoined its master. ¡°And this is my blade, the Bloodweaver.¡±


    His joyful smile was the last thing Vistrias saw before he faded into oblivion.


    Stroking his beloved blade, Radmien turned his sites to the south. In his eyes burned complex emotions, and he spoke with difficulty. ¡°You have returned to me my blade and fulfilled your promise. I¡­ I owe you a favor.¡± The southern sky flashed and rumbled, seemingly in response.


    ¡°The Weavers shall rise again. Last time, we failed. This time, we will surely awaken Father. Whatever the cost.¡± Radmien declared as he began moving south.


    Miles away from the God¡¯s Graveyard, above the Padziel Sea that separated the Central continents and the demonic continent of Grimoi, a figure flew through the turbulent clouds. His blue hair whipped about with the rush of the wind, but a calm smile played on his face. A faint smirk appeared as he thought out loud. ¡°Those priest idiots will learn to not underestimate us. They will never see it coming. To be your dogs? Not for long!¡±


    He sped towards the Ars Continent, the gigantic head of a snake floating behind him, its eyes lifeless.

 End of the Volume

    And so it ends. After trials and tribulations that threatened to destroy it forever, Tale of a Slayer has persevered and has been strengthened. Like they say, the hardest steel is tempered in the hottest of flames. And so it has been. I think.


    The Volumes have ended. Like, literally. I''m scrapping the Volume thingies. (Admittedly influenced by Japanese light novels) And at this glorious time, here are some of the changes I have implemented and have noticed:


    -> It will be third person limited from now on.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    -> Previously, Fake-Rebellion AKA Gluttony was a pair of blades. No longer, since they''re extremely impractical. (And extremely cool).


    -> Yuuya will change a bit. He won''t be the wimpy Jap Ln''s Cliche protagonist anymore, I think. I want him to grow up, since it''s been nearly 50 chapters since he got to Redorias.


    -> I will be updating a summary chapter of Chapters 1->43 so that if needed, readers can skip directly.


    -> A map will be put up. (Rudimentary, Incomplete, MS Paint. )


    -> A change in the release schedule to weekly release. I plan to give some time to other projects and even replan Yuuya''s path.


    -> Anything else I remember will be updated... Sorry, Terrible Memory.


    -> And as always, please rate and give suggestions! This must improve!

 Chapter 49

    Yuuya looked lovingly at the Violet spider king coat in his hand. Arcus san¡­ He thought longingly of his time at Baras. Smiling slightly at the unexpected nostalgia, he stowed the coat into his ring.


    Yuuya turned to regard himself in the mirror. It seemed it was only yesterday when he had looked at the mirror before he had to head back to school. But the Yuuya from then had changed a lot now. Now, it was almost like a different person.


    His face had changed the most. The eye patch from Angela covered his right eye hiding from view the horrors of what was left in the cavity. His hair was longer after not having cut it for three months. It hung past his chin, tossing around when he moved. Streaks of crimson shot through his dark brown eyes, giving him a piercing yet calm stare. But what had most changed about his face was the burn.


    It was like his skin had folded on itself to form the likeness of a whirlpool, covering his entire left cheek. On his right cheek, there extended an inch long scar which looked like it had only been recently healed. Yuuya fingered it as he remembered the events of that day. His previously average body had now miraculously transformed, his lean body packed with muscles like a fine sculpture. His arms were muscular now, and Yuuya himself looked much more like a warrior. All the baby fat on his face from before had vanished and he himself looked as if he had matured over a few years.


    He turned to look at the set of clothes on the bed that Maria, Mili and Saki had handpicked for him. He smiled solemnly as he remembered his apology to them after he had told them what he had seen at the cavern. He had left most of it out as he only told them about that he had seen a multitude of bodies. Although they accepted it, Yuuya still felt a pang of guilt. They had immediately forgiven him for it, and even blamed themselves for leaving it all up to Yuuya. Mili was on the verge of tears as she struggled not to cry. Yuuya smiled as he remembered consoling her by patting her on the head.


    With a solemn pace, Yuuya began pulling on the clothes, watching the alien person in the mirror mimic his actions. After he was dressed, he pulled on his leather belt and hung the Dortoh sword on it and admired himself for a few moments.


    Yuuya had decided to not wear any of the things he had been given at his farewell party. Although it made him feel guilty about not using their gifts, Yuuya concluded that it was for the best because he was depending on his armor too much and not honing his skills enough. The trio had nearly jumped out of their shoes with excitement when Yuuya suggested to them that he needed some new clothes.


    He wore a comfortable white cotton tunic and brown trousers made of a coarser material. A crimson cloak covered his shoulders, fastened by a crystal embedded equal armed cross that Saki had picked for him. On his wrists went a couple of sturdy bracers along with the shield gloves from the Curas treasure. He wore leather padding beneath his shirt, making him look slightly bulkier than usual. Maria had also bought him a helm, although he chose not to wear it unless the occasion demanded its necessity. And around his neck hung a faintly glowing crystal, a mana storing crystal that Mili had recommended for him.


    Yuuya looked down at his wrist to see the familiar mana devouring bracelet. He had continuously poured in all the mana he could muster, but it still seemed dormant. Yuuya sighed to himself and made sure that his sword was properly buckled. Taking one long look at his reflection, Yuuya turned and set off.


    ¡°Ah! Yuuya! You¡¯re finally here.¡± Maria greeted him as he entered the lobby of the inn. The trio was at the mess, gorging themselves on the landlady¡¯s excellent cooking. Yuuya smiled at her and seated himself next to Mili. Saki nodded towards him before returning her attention to the piece of fish she was gnawing on.


    ¡°Yuuya.¡± Mili tugged at his sleeve and showed him the brown parchment in her hand. As Yuuya bit into the loaf Maria offered him, he read through the mission. ¡°Hou¡­. A Platinum ranked mission huh¡­¡±


    [align=center]


    <table><tbody>


    <tr><td colspan=''4''> Courier Needed </td></tr>


    <tr><td colspan=''1''> Requestor </td><td colspan=''3''> Guriera Trading Company</td></tr>


    <tr><td colspan=''1''> Destination </td><td colspan=''3''> Manjial </td></tr>


    <tr><td colspan=''4''> Need an escort of warriors to transport precious cargo to the city of Manjial in Triol-Estri kingdom.(12 slots) </td></tr>Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    <tr><td colspan=''1''> Recommended rank </td><td colspan=''3''> Platinum </td></tr>


    <tr><td colspan=''1''> Reward </td><td colspan=''3''> 60 silvers per adventurer. </td></tr>


    </tbody></table>


    ¡°It¡¯s 60 silvers as well¡­. Not bad Mili.¡± Yuuya muttered as he read the quest again. ¡°But, twelve slots? Wouldn¡¯t it be crowded? And where is this¡­ Uh¡­ Triol-Estri kingdom? Why do we need to go there?¡± Mili shifted in her seat as she picked the map from her bag and spread it on the wooden table. She pointed to the Ugraok kingdom, where they were now and began. ¡°Yuuya, I don¡¯t know if you forgot, but I¡­ I need to get to the Forest of the Elves, Yuuya¡­ And for that we have to head further west, to the Kabal continent¡­ Manjial is one of the major harbor cities in Rudia, so we might be able to head to the Kabal continent from there.¡± She said, tracing her finger straight across the map, right to a continent in the west that was comparatively greener.


    Yuuya felt a pang of guilt as he remembered the promise he made to Biriona. He had been so caught up with recent events that he had more or less forgotten that Mili was supposed to be dropped off at the Forest of the Elves. Maria looked gloomy as she stirred her soup around, feigning disinterest. Yuuya painfully smiled as he nodded. ¡°You¡¯re¡­ You¡¯re right, Mili. We should head to this, Triol-Estri kingdom. Good job.¡± He said and continued consuming his loaf. Mili nodded as she packed her bag up again. For the first time ever, Yuuya didn¡¯t notice the normal air of aloofness around her, but rather, she seemed rather gloomy.


    ¡°Well,¡± Yuuya began, trying to clear up the gloomy mood. ¡°At least we¡¯ve got a few weeks to enjoy together! Let¡¯s have some fun on the way!¡± He turned to look at Mili. ¡°Mili, did you already accept the quest?¡±


    ¡°No. I asked the receptionist, and she said that we need to go to the Guriera Company ourselves and accept it. It¡¯s a recruitment quest, so that ¡®s the procedure, it seems.¡± Yuuya nodded as he replied. ¡°Fine then. As soon as we eat up, we¡¯ll head for the company.¡± Everyone nodded except Saki, who seemed to have managed to get a fishbone stuck in her throat.


    ¡°So wait.¡± Yuuya said. ¡°To get to this¡­ Triol-Estri Kingdom, we have to travel through¡­¡± Yuuya squinted as he tried to read the script on the map. ¡°Te¡­ Terof Kingdom?¡±


    ¡°Terosf Kingdom, and yes. It¡¯s a small kingdom though. A bit bigger than Ugras perhaps.¡± Mili said matter-of-factly. ¡°Right, right.¡± Yuuya muttered, struggling to restrain a smile. ¡°You know Mili, how do you plan to get across an entire country? Or more importantly, how long do you plan to take?¡±


    Mili seemed to stammer a bit as she replied. ¡°W-we just have to¡­ um¡­ walk¡­ Wait!¡± She started. ¡°Like we¡¯re going with these traders now, we can get there¡­ And as for how much time¡­¡±


    Yuuya relished in her nervousness as he pressed. ¡°Well, that¡¯s good and all, but you do know that it took us nearly a month to get to Ugras, and that was because Ugras was closer to Ravenblack Mili. But if we¡¯re talking about one- no, two countries- Oh wait, it¡¯s actually three countries. Haha.¡± Yuuya said as he slowly traced his finger across the countries. Maria stifled a laugh as she saw Mili sweating profusely.


    ¡°Oh wait!¡± Yuuya said, faking an expression of surprise. ¡°Then, we¡¯ve got to travel¡­¡± He moved his finger to the green Kabal continent. ¡°¡­All the way here. By your estimate, how much time will we take Mili?¡±


    ¡°Yuuya, you idiot!¡± Mili yelled as she bolted away from the table. Maria burst out in laughter and even Saki managed a smile as she struggled to spit out the bone.


    Chuckling silently, Yuuya returned his attention to the map.


    But after all, I have been here so long, I¡¯m no closer to find Shizuka¡­. I haven¡¯t been able to find much here what with all the training and the Snake god. ¡°-uuya!¡± Maria¡¯s shout broke Yuuya out of his contemplation as he turned towards her.


    ¡°Yuuya, what you said, is Mili really going to leave at the¡­¡± She asked sadly. That reminds me, Yuuya thought, Maria doesn¡¯t know about how Mili and I met. Yuuya nodded as he replied. ¡°Yeah. You see Maria, Mili¡¯s aunt actually told me to escort Mili to the Forest of the Elves, and I¡­ I haven¡¯t got around to doing it yet.¡± He added guiltily.


    Maria stirred her soup gloomily. ¡°Then, Yuuya, whn are you going to leave?¡± Yuuya laughed heartily as he rubbed Maria¡¯s head on an impulse, making her blush. ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere for now, nor do I have anywhere to go¡­ But I am searching for someone. Someone important to me.¡± He added, widening Maria¡¯s eyes. ¡°Im-important¡­ Is it¡­¡± She began, but Yuuya quickly cut in. ¡°She¡¯s someone who has helped me out a lot in the past. It¡¯s only right for me to want to search for her.¡± Maria let out what seemed to be a mix of a relieved and a nervous sigh. ¡°On that note, where do you want to go Maria?¡±


    She played around with her soup as she replied. ¡°For now¡­ I just want to stay with the Dusk Hunters.¡± It took Yuuya a moment to figure out that it was the name of their party. ¡°I¡­ I feel happy here. Satisfied. And that¡¯s something I haven¡¯t felt in a long time.¡± Maria smiled sweetly at Yuuya. Yuuya grinned back at Maria as he stood up. ¡°Well, that¡¯s good to know. Get some work on your Freeform magic.¡± He patted Saki¡¯s head as he left and she slightly inclined her head as a reply. Still silent huh. Yuuya thought.


    A quick use of Detect and his senses were all it took for Yuuya to find Mili. She was in her room, snuggling herself inside the blanket. She merely sniffed as Yuuya greeted her, not even turning to look at him. Smiling, Yuuya seated himself next to her. ¡°So, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Mili shifted, but didn¡¯t speak. Sighing, Yuuya reclined on the bed, staring at the ceiling. ¡°You know Mili, I know you¡¯ve been through a lot, but unless you tell people, it will eat you up from the inside. If you want to, I can always lend an ear.¡±


    Mili¡¯s blanket moved as she removed it to regard him with her brilliant emerald eyes. Yuuya was startled to see that the tips of her eyes were shining with fresh tears. She took a deep breath as she replied after a few minutes. ¡°I¡­ I feel confused Yuuya.¡±


    ¡°Mm?¡± Yuuya raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s like you said¡­ I want to be with Dusk hunters, but¡­ but I also want to see Papa and Mama¡­¡± She sniffed, fresh tears beginning to flow. Yuuya thought for a minute before replying. ¡°Well, like I said, we¡¯ll be together for a while. And obviously, we¡¯ll come with you to see your Papa and Mama. And then we¡¯ll all be together for some time, won¡¯t we? So cheer up. You¡¯re gonna have to put up with me for a while more.¡± Yuuya said, grinning.


    Mili wiped her eyes as she replied. ¡°Y-you¡¯re¡­ you¡¯re not as bad as I thought Yuuya¡­¡± She seemed to be struggling over the words, making Yuuya smile painfully. ¡°But you¡¯re still a big idiot!¡± She added with a smile that made his day.


    Yuuya smiled back at her happily as he replied. ¡°Then, let¡¯s go to this¡­ Gurie-whatsit company and head to Manjial!¡±


    ¡°Mm!¡±

 Chapter 50.

    ¡°So we have to apply for a position at the Guriera company?¡± Maria queried once more as the group walked along the busy road. It was just another day in Ugras, with people hustling and bustling around, minding their business. However, unlike usual days, the air was filled with the taste of anxiety. Compared to the jovial laughs and the cheery talks from before, everyone seemed to be a lot more despondent.


    There were several wrecked houses now, with some people shifting through the wreckage, scavenging whatever supplies they could. The roads were busy only because the people were anxious to leave Ugras now.


    ¡°Mm. Yep. The Guriera trading company is apparently a powerful organization in this area, and the only reason they put up the request was because they were struck by the earthquake.¡± Yuuya shot a praising look at Mili, who had gathered all this information on her own. There was no system that was more efficient for information than the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. Rumors were easy to find at the guild, especially for the ones willing to listen. Yuuya found it slightly amusing that those battle hardened veterans might gossip as much as the housewives back on Earth.


    ¡°So, they¡¯re what, transporting supplies?¡± Maria asked. Yuuya nodded as he replied. ¡°Yep. They must have other branches too. They might be evacuating as well.¡± Maria looked doubtful as she continued. ¡°But since the area is in such a state now, can¡¯t they reap some profit?¡±


    Yuuya looked surprised at the way the seemingly innocent Maria thought up things. Mili quickly interjected as she replied. ¡°That might be the case if they sold needed supplies. However, the Guriera company is more specialized in selling treasures and other rare to find things. Their clientele are mostly the rich aristocrats, and even they¡¯re fleeing town now.¡±


    Yuuya sighed self-depreciatingly, thinking of how experienced both Maria and Mili seemed in the art of business. As if sensing his feelings, Saki lunged forward to hastily pat his shoulder. The group kept moving, occasionally asked for directions, finally arriving at a grand yet dilapidated building with a half crushed board.


    Yuuya looked confusedly at the grand entrance, which was blocked with rubble. A voice greeted them from the side. ¡°Huh, you guys must be here for the quest.¡± Yuuya turned to look at a man with balding hair, wearing spiked black armor with a scar across his cheek. Yuuya nodded in reply. The man perused them for a moment, his eyes lingering on Maria and the rest. Yuuya fidgeted, clearly showing displeasure. The man suddenly shifted his eyes to Yuuya and replied. ¡°Meh. You lot look acceptable. What rank are you?¡±


    ¡°Gold ranked party, Dusk Hunters.¡± Maria took over as she replied. The man seemed to think of it as funny as questioned, ¡°A gold ranked party? Didn¡¯t you read the quest¡¯s recommended rank? It¡¯s a Platinum ranked quest. And you lot seem like amateurs.¡± Maria smiled as she calmly replied, ¡°But we completed a Platinum ranked quest to get here.¡± She tossed her adventurer card over to the man. With a grunt, he turned it over and whispered something indistinct. Magic words? And a language I haven¡¯t heard of, no less. Yuuya noted. The man tossed it back to Maria as he continued. ¡°Well, that¡¯s fine enough I guess. I¡¯m Filrek, captain of the Guriera guards. You can head over to the Ugras entrance, the cargo will be there. You¡¯ll have to manage for your food and other needs on your own. And also, you can¡¯t have these many lackeys with you.¡± Filrek finished, gesturing at Saki and Mili.


    ¡°For one, Mili is an adventurer too, and Saki will tag along with us. It¡¯s not like a single person more is a bother to you. Also, we¡¯re taking care of our own needs, and they count amongst it.¡± Yuuya coldly replied. The man seemed a bit irritated as he snapped back. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter anyways. If you want to use our convoy to escort two nobodies, we¡¯ll have to deduct your pay appropriately.¡± Yuuya didn¡¯t seem to mind as he shrugged. However, Maria wasn¡¯t so easy to please. ¡°Deduct? By how much? It¡¯s sixty per adventurer, so how much will you deduct it by for bringing them?¡± Filrek rubbed his chin as he thought. Finally, he replied, ¡°Alright. How about this? 5 silvers each for each of them. That¡¯s fifty silvers for the both of you if you do your cut of the job. Fair enough?¡±


    Surprising Filrek and even Yuuya, Maria immediately pulled out a parchment and began scribbling on it. Finally, she addressed Filrek, ¡°Sign here please. We wouldn¡¯t want you reneging on your word.¡± Filrek chuckled wryly as bit his finger and rubbed a streak of red on the yellow parchment. ¡°Careful, you are. That¡¯s good.¡± Filrek looked at her with appraising eyes. ¡°Well then, you lot can head over to the main camp. The others will be there.¡± Maria nodded and left, with the others in tow.


    ¡°Where did that come from?¡± Yuuya asked, a little bit of surprise lingering in his voice. Although he would think of asking how much exactly the payment would be reduced, he wouldn¡¯t be cautious enough to ask for a written agreement. Maria smiled proudly as she replied, ¡°Oh please, I¡¯ve been an adventurer for 2 years now. Adventurers work for money. And unless you¡¯re shrewd enough, you¡¯ll always be broke.¡± She proudly extracted a bag from her boot and jingled it to emphasize her point.


    ¡°It¡¯s no surprise that Maria is smarter than Yuuya.¡± Mili chipped in innocently. Yuuya laughed awkwardly as he remembered how the party at Ravenblack had tried to steal credit for his deeds. Although the claim by the shopkeeper had earned Yuuya his Silver rank, it was still an oversight by him to not think of the consequences. I still have a lot to learn, huh. Yuuya chuckled inwardly as he thought of this.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    As they neared the gates of Ugras, they were surprised to see a long bustling queue standing there. Most of the people carried bags and whatever they could carry, and whole families were present, ready to leave. Mili seemed somber as she looked at the scene. Most of the people had despairing looks on their faces, fear clear in their eyes as it continuously darted back at Ugras, as if fearing another monster bursting through the earth and causing a calamity.


    ¡°Ugras¡­ is going through tough times now, isn¡¯t it?¡± Maria asked hesitatingly. Yuuya smiled darkly as he replied, ¡°Tough times is understating it Maria. Ugras will probably keep declining at this rate. This damage, it won¡¯t be easy to fix.¡± Yuuya cast an eye towards the city that once was Ugras. Its formerly prestige was gone, with a cataclysmic hole gaping in the middle of it. A dark aura pervaded the air, seemingly suffocating people. Mili nodded as she added, ¡°The nature energy here has been tarnished. And with the large blow it suffered, people will only keep leaving. This will only lead to a decline of economy in Ugraok too. ¡°


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like we can magically fix it.¡± Yuuya added as he noticed the gloom in the air once again. ¡°We¡¯re adventurers, and there¡¯s still a large world for us to adventure in!¡± Yuuya added cheerfully. Saki, her face a bit saddened, grabbed onto the hem of Yuuya¡¯s tunic. With heavy hearts, they moved to the end of the queue.


    ¡°Oh! Master Yuuya!¡± One of the guards that were struggling to keep the line in check brightened up as he noticed Yuuya and his group. He waved towards them and gestured them to come over. Curious, they waded through the crowd to meet the guard.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if Master Yuuya recognizes me, for we only met that day. But Captain Farkas told us to tell you that he¡¯ll be here in Ugras, so no need to search the world for me¡­. kid.¡± The guard added with a hint of hesitation, as if worried Yuuya would be offended. However, contrary to his expectations, a beaming smile split Yuuya¡¯s face. ¡°That old man. I would like to trouble you to tell him that I¡¯ll definitely beat him the next time!¡± The soldier looked shocked hearing such a statement, taking a moment before nodding his understanding.


    He began to leave before he turned around and asked again. ¡°Is Master Yuuya leaving Ugras? If so, I can get you past the queue.¡± The soldier offered. ¡°But wouldn¡¯t it-?¡± Yuuya began, but was interrupted by the soldier as he explained. ¡°The queue is only forming because all those who are leaving need to provide and inventory of all they¡¯re taking away and proof identity. It¡¯s just a legal formality. But since Master Yuuya and the others are adventurers, and have also been vouched for by Captain Farkas, you don¡¯t have to provide such documents.¡± Since the soldier was more than willing to get him past this, Yuuya also acquiesced.


    The soldier nodded well naturedly after seeing Yuuya and the others off beyond the city walls. This was apparently a military exclusive exit, and so Yuuya encountered no problem exiting. They set off once more, heading towards the convoy¡¯s meeting place. As they walked, Maria questioned, ¡°Yuuya, who¡¯s this Captain Farkas?¡± Yuuya smiled as he explained all that happened with Farkas, only leaving out the circumstances of why they met.


    Once they reached the rendezvous point of the convoy, they were mildly surprised to see that the people there were already preparing to set off. A line of carts stood ready, a trio of Curas harnessed at the front. However, unlike their feral kin, these were quite docile, and it also seemed like their sharp claws were reduced to mere snubs.


    ¡°Are you the last two for the spots?¡± A man with a bird called out as he saw them heading towards the convoy. Nodding, Maria showed them her adventurer card for proof. The man nodded as he replied, ¡°Mm. Filrek had sent word ahead about you two. I¡¯m Tirel, the representative of the company. You people be quiet and not make trouble now. Filrek will tell you what jobs to do.¡± He stroked the bird tenderly. Yuuya noted that the bird seemed to be quite special. It had something that seemed like a brand cut into its beak, and he could detect hints of magic from it. Maria nodded at the man and beckoned at Yuuya to follow her.


    The other adventurers didn¡¯t talk to them much, except a young man with glasses who amiably waved at them. The others were more reserved, minding their own business. Yuuya however noticed that the number of adventurers exceeded the 12 spots that were offered. Probably because they¡¯re leaving Ugras as well. And Ugraok too, with this quest.


    The people from the Gurier company all wore dark blue robes embroidered with a wilting rose. They seemed to be in quite a hurry as they hustled and bustled around the 4 carts, chaining them together and preparing the Curas. Yuuya began inspecting his sword since he was bored, and Maria took to her new bow, adjusting it to its peak condition.


    As they checked their equipment, Yuuya noticed that three of Maria¡¯s arrows seemed thicker and different from the rest. Curious, he asked, ¡°Maria, what is with those bows of yours?¡± It was as if an electric current had passed through her as Maria immediately became quite jittery. Like a child getting a gift, she carefully but excitedly took out one of the bows.


    ¡°Yuuya, remember that day when you told me about innovating the arrows and making more?¡± Maria could barely hold in her excitement as she handed him the arrow. To Yuuya¡¯s surprise, even the shaft of the arrow was thicker than normal. As he rubbed his fingers against the uniformly coarse arrow, he was stunned to discover that the body was lined with several threads folded on one another. ¡°I had to spend a bit of my savings, but I managed to buy some Golden Wing Spider¡¯s webs. I even had an Artificer look at it, so if all is well, the arrow should-¡°


    ¡°Fire with a tensile wire attached to it¡­.¡± Yuuya murmured, almost dazed. Did she just manage to make something like an arrow grappling hook? ¡°Mm! But I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯ll work as expected though. I wanted to compress the wire in order to make it work as I want, but the folding might affect the trajectory.¡± Yuuya was joyous as he handed the arrow back to Maria. ¡°It¡¯s no matter Maria. All starting steps are slow. I¡¯m amazed you actually made one in our time in Ugras.¡± Maria laughed as she replied, ¡°Heh Yuuya, you¡¯re not the only one who went for secret training. Even Mili went to some magic courses and Saki al-¡°


    It was as if an electric current passed through Mili and Saki as they dove at Maria. Saki was faster, even tackling Maria to the ground in an attempt to stop her from talking. Yuuya chuckled as he saw the trio play around. Even they¡¯re trying to become stronger. As expected, to survive, one must always keep moving forward.


    ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough for now. We¡¯re about to set out now, you guys.¡± Tirel called out. ¡°Filrek is here now, and he¡¯ll assign you your chores.¡±

 Chapter 51

    The rim of the wooden wheels cut into the dirt as the crack of the whip sounded out. The whip struck against the body of the Curas with unerring accuracy, earning a mournful cry as the Curas began moving. One must say, their body strength was quite stunning. The wheels were forming deep ridges in the dirt, showing how heavy these carts were. But the Curas could even pull this. And judging from the fact that this was a journey from Ugraok to Triol-Estri, past a kingdom, it was easy enough to judge their stamina.


    Tirel quietly moved as he led his weird bird into a silver cage, hushing and shushing as he tried to calm it down. The others began preparing for the journey as well once the caravan started moving. To Yuuya¡¯s surprise, the other adventurers had bought various steeds, ranging from horses to beasts that looked like dinosaurs. Although they themselves did not get on it, they helped the ones they brought with them to climb on top of the steeds.


    Filrek stretched his arms as he walked into the clearing, nodding at Tirel as well. Unexpectedly, he even nodded at Yuuya¡¯s group, going so far as to smile at Maria. ¡°All you adventurers, get over here.¡± Filrek called out and moved to the side of the road as the caravan slowly trudged past. ¡°The companions you¡¯re bringing with you can go with the caravan as well. Not to worry, although robbers might be present on the path here, Tirel is capable enough. After all, only few would be daring enough.¡±


    Although Saki and Mili were more than willing to stay, Yuuya still told them to go with the caravan. After all, he did tell the adventurers to gather. No need to offend him. Yuuya thought as he accompanied Maria to Filrek.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Filrek began as soon as they gathered. ¡°Well, you should know about the disaster that occurred in Ugras. Anyway, the Guriera company is moving out of the country, moving their core supplies back to their home country. It doesn¡¯t concern you lot, just be sure not to make too much of a ruckus. Moving on, there are twelve of you, state what you¡¯re good at. They wanted to move out as soon as possible, so we didn¡¯t have the luxury of specific selections. Go on.¡±


    All the adventurers began stating their roles, and it turned out that the young man was actually an Intermediate level fire mage. Although he did wear robes befitting a wizard, Yuuya could not feel a single trace of mana from him. Could it be that Intermediate level mages are strong enough to do things like this? I shouldn¡¯t underestimate someone simply based on appearances.


    ¡°Yuuya. Swordsman. I can do offense pretty well. And some amount of magic expertise. Only at the elementary class however.¡± Yuuya finished. ¡°Maria. Archer.¡± Maria seemed a bit intimidated when all the Platinum ranked adventurers turned their gazes towards her. Even Yuuya had to admit that it was quite intimidating.


    Filrek crouched down and gestured at the others to do the same. He used a stick to draw five boxes on the mud, and began to explain. ¡°Alright, so we¡¯re going by the mountain route. It¡¯s quicker to get to Triol-Estri, and these Guriera people want it done as soon as possible. There will be robbers, and that¡¯s why we¡¯re hired. At the rate the Curas move, we¡¯ll take at least 2 months to get to Triol-Estri. We¡¯ll be rotating people who keep watch. And if you need to hunt for food, I¡¯ll allot times for each of you.¡±


    Everyone nodded, and Filrek continued on. ¡°Well, the mountain range will be the most dangerous. We¡¯ll be moving towards the Great Plains. Food will be scarce, so stockpile all the food you want at the Horus Forests.¡± Filrek pulled out a map from thin air. Surprise glinted in the eyes of the adventurers as they realized that it was a spatial ring on his finger. He seems to be doing quite well for himself. Yuuya noted as he shrewdly slipped his ring into his pocket. Judging from the looks on their eyes, it would be better that way.


    Spreading out the map, he gestured at a great patch of green between the Terose kingdom and the Ugraok kingdom. A darker shade of green preceded it, and on top of it, ¡°The Horus Forest¡± was scrawled in tiny letters. Since the Horus Forests provide great cover, it¡¯ll undoubtedly be thick with robbers. Well, we¡¯ll be going by the sea side, so the towns might give us some reprieve. Then we cut west-¡° He drew his finger sharply to the side, ¡°-into the Great plains. The I¡¯lltaey might be operating there, but chances of meeting them are low. And then we move through Terose, and past the mountain range, finally ending it at Manjial.¡±


    ¡°The I¡¯lltaey?¡± One of the adventurers questioned. Another adventurer, who wore a bandanna, quietly answered. ¡°A rebel force formed by the elves here and there. They simply want to free all slave elves. However, they¡¯ve devolved to highway robbers now.¡± The adventurer seemed quite reserved as he immediately stopped talking.¡±


    The questions weren¡¯t over as another question popped up. ¡°Why can¡¯t we just head to Port town and sail to Manjial? It would be safer.¡± Filrek sighed as he answered. ¡°If we could, there would be no need to hire you guys. The recent action of the knights from Ars in Ugras was unauthorized. Until the issue is resolved, Rudia is putting an axe in the trade. Swimming would be more possible than sailing.¡±The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Knights from Ars? Yuuya wondered. A glint of recognition passed through Maria¡¯s eyes. Yuuya decided to ask her later on about what happened.


    ¡°Well, since this is a rough bunch, we¡¯ll just go for a simple arrangement here. Twelve of you, three at each side of the convoy.¡± Filrek began divvying up everyone according to their roles. Yuuya and Maria were separated, as Yuuya had to take the vanguard position, with Maria as the rearguard. To Yuuya¡¯s surprise, he was with the bandanna adventurer and the fire mage.


    As they caught up to the convoy, Saki immediately left Mili and began following behind Yuuya. Although the bandanna adventurer raised an eyebrow, he did not comment. Yuuya sighed helplessly as the trio walked at the lead of the caravan. The people that the adventurers bought with them were all at the back of the convoy, so Yuuya felt reassured since Maria was with Mili. The fire mage smiled amiably at Yuuya, and he responded in kind.


    They set off on the path, heading towards the Horus forests. Although Yuuya felt slightly pressured, he didn¡¯t mind the endless walk much. Filrek was on the caravan with Tirel and the other members of the Guriera company. Yuuya barely saw any action as they travelled on the route. It seemed quite desolate, cut away from civilization. However, there weren¡¯t even many monsters to fight.


    ¡°Um¡­ Mr. Yuuya?¡± The fire mage began hesitatingly a few hours after they set out. ¡°Please, we¡¯re almost of the same age. Feel free to call me Yuuya.¡± The fire mage laughed nervously as he replied, ¡°Haha. Well, please just call me Blaze.¡± The bandanna adventurer snorted as he cut in. ¡°When a man offers you his name, you respond in kind.¡± Yuuya smiled and looked expectantly at the bandanna adventurer. He seemed almost flustered as he stammered out a reply. ¡°Wh-what are you looking at? My name is Ti¡¯el.¡± He seemed to regain composure at the end as he finished.


    Blaze laughed a bit awkwardly as he replied. ¡°Well, I was abandoned at a young age, and don¡¯t have any name up till now. I took up Blaze as my name, not because I meant any disrespect.¡± Ti¡¯el snorted but did not reply. Yuuya felt quite amused seeing their interaction.


    ¡°Anyway Yuuya, what I was about to ask was whether th-the girl behind you is a slave.¡± He looked quite nervous as if he had offended Yuuya. Ti¡¯el looked sharply at Yuuya, as if he were also expecting the answer. ¡°Who, Saki?¡± Yuuya laughed heartily as he replied. ¡°Haha. No way. She¡¯s someone I¡¯m taking care of. But she had a rough past, and so she doesn¡¯t talk much.¡± Ti¡¯el turned away, but did not reply. However, Yuuya felt he was a lot less cold towards him.


    ¡°So it¡¯s like that. Well, since we have some time right now, perhaps I should introduce myself properly. Like I said, I¡¯m Blaze, an Intermediate level fire mage. However, I can cast an Adept class spell. Only once though.¡± Yuuya felt awed as he heard his words. He still remembered the might of the Adept class Water Wave. How its domineering strength managed to eliminate a great majority of the snakes. Even Yuuya himself was swept away in its embrace, powerless. In fact, I don¡¯t think I could escape it without using a bit of my Slayer energy. Fighting back against it would require me to overload it as well. After his life changing fight with the mecha in the dungeon, Yuuya had a clear estimation of his strength. Although he could easily rank amongst the Black Gold ranked adventurers, beyond that was simply day dreaming. And Yuuya knew better than anyone the difference between ranks. It only increased as it went on.


    In the end, it all comes to strength.Yuuya inwardly sighed. Since Blaze was also revealing some of his cards, Yuuya felt it was quite rude for him not to do so. So far, he liked Blaze. ¡°Yuuya, and like I said, swordsman. I¡¯d be able to take on at least a Platinum ranked monster. Even Black Gold monsters if I used a special technique.¡±


    Ti¡¯el and Blaze looked shocked at Yuuya¡¯s casual word. Yuuya shrugged nonchalantly. Ti¡¯el sighed and began. ¡°You two are monsters. Ti¡¯el. I specialize in throwing daggers, so I¡¯m more suited to long ranged attacks. I can use a spot of support magic too.¡± Ti¡¯el finished. ¡°Well, seems like Filrek took all of our strengths into account.¡±


    It was then that Yuuya noticed something was off. Filrek had taken account of all our names and abilities privately. How did he know my name then? Even if he was eavesdropping, he had no reason to call my name out and shed light on this. Could it be that I know him from before? Or is he an enemy? Yuuya subconsciously raised his guard against Blaze.


    Soon, it was dark and the convoy came to a stop. Filrek stood up and announced. ¡°Here¡¯s good enough to take a rest. We¡¯re near the outer fringes of the Horus forests, so feel free to hunt and get food. Also, the first two adventurers who joined will keep watch tonight, with the next tomorrow night, and so on.¡±


    Yuuya bid farewell to Ti¡¯el and Blaze and headed towards where Maria was. Although he had some amount of trust in them, he definitely would not pick them over Maria and the rest. Saki followed him docilely, still gripping the hem of his shirt. Even though he still had some distrust towards Blaze, it wasn¡¯t to the extent of being openly hostile towards him. There could be other possibilities as well.


    Maria was already setting up camp with Saki when Yuuya arrived. ¡°How was your day?¡± Yuuya asked as he wearily plopped down on the ground. They had already set up a fire, with Mili tending to it. Mili glowered at Yuuya¡¯s nonchalant mood, but did not comment on it.


    Maria looked comparatively more cheerful as she replied. ¡°Well, I had Mili to keep me company after all. It wasn¡¯t too bad. And Filrek was kind enough to put me on the rear guard with another woman. So it wasn¡¯t all too bad.¡± Yuuya sighed as he replied. ¡°Meanwhile, I¡¯m stuck with a couple of monsters.¡± Maria giggled as she replied. ¡°But Yuuya, aren¡¯t you the biggest monster of them all?¡±


    Yuuya sighed, not replying. Seeing that Maria was about to set off to hunt, Yuuya hastened to stop her. ¡°No need to hunt Maria.¡± As he prepared to draw the prepared meat in the spatial ring, Yuuya suddenly thought about the strangers around them. He withdrew the ring and made it appear as if he took the meat from his backpack.


    ¡°Here. I had some meat prepared already. I think we should have enough for a while.¡± Yuuya said as Maria received the meat.


    After a quick meal, they soon laid down to sleep. Like always, Saki snuggled close to Yuuya. However, compared to before, he only thought of Saki as he would about a younger sister. No matter what happens, no one will touch them. Yuuya thought, suddenly feeling protective.