Volume 6
Chapter 6
In the Gloauraum Institute located in Arcazam, various research projects are conducted day and night.
The institute's
research facility itself was built adjacent to the west side of Solminati
Academy, and on the opposite side of the academy from Ecros, an affiliated
school of Solminati Academy.
In one corner of that
laboratory, Torgrein, a staff member, and Tom, a student of Solminati Academy,
were busy working.
The two met, as
expected, in a class at the academy. Tom was originally a very excellent
student in alchemy. In the alchemy class, he actively asked Torgrein questions.
Tom, who was
originally quiet, and the gentle Torgrein. The two hit it off as they talked
more, and Tom would sometimes visit Torgrein to talk about various things, and
in the process, he started helping with research as an assistant.
This time, he and Torgrein
were creating a magic circle to be used in an experiment.
The magic circle was
drawn in the center of a large laboratory that could fit an entire classroom.
Eight magic stones were arranged concentrically around the magic circle.
Furthermore, many
lines were drawn from the magic circle with various dyes, extending to a
crystal ball placed at a distance.
"Teacher, is this
formation okay?"
"Yes,
please."
Tom was drawing more
magic circles on the magic stones arranged around them. Mimuru was watching
him, dangling her legs on the desk used for recording experiment results.
"Hey Tom, what's
that for "
"Hmm, this? It's
a formation to stabilize the magic power flowing through the magic
circle."
"Oh~"
Mimuru replied
unenthusiastically, but a smile was on her face. Her lover, who was engrossed
in his work in front of her, had sparkling eyes.
Tom is always timid
and nervous, but when he's doing alchemy, he's truly vibrant. Seeing him like
that made her happy too.
Even though she
thought, "It can't be helped," Mimuru couldn't stop her lips from
loosening.
Unaware of Mimuru's
state, Tom diligently continued drawing the magic circle under Torgrein's
instructions.
The magic stones
placed around them were to supplement insufficient magic power. The magic
circle drawn was huge and complex. With something this massive, it would be
difficult for one person's magic power to activate it.
Given that such a huge
magic circle was being prepared, it was clear that the experiment to be
conducted was quite large-scale.
"Teacher, what
exactly is this magic circle going to be used for?"
"Hmm. I’m a bit
feeling bad about hiding it since you're helping me..."
Tom, trying his luck,
asked Torgrain about the purpose of this magic circle, but Torgrain's reply
was, as expected, not favorable.
It couldn't be helped.
He couldn't easily leak research content to a student, no matter how excellent he
may be. Naturally, the number of people who could enter this laboratory was
limited.
No matter how
promising he was for the future, Tom, who was currently just an assistant in
the laboratory, couldn't easily be told important research details.
Tom was considered Torgrein's
assistant in this laboratory, but his research scope was limited. Moreover,
Mimuru, who had nothing to do with the research, was present.
The reason was that
Mimuru had thrown a tantrum to go with Tom, and the kind Torgrein had
reluctantly agreed.
In reality, her
presence there was solely due to Torgrein's goodwill.
"I'm sorry. I
asked a strange question."
"No, I appreciate
you saying that."
Seeing Torgrein's
hesitation, Tom thought it would be bad to trouble him and backed down.
In Tom's line of
sight, Torgrein had a apologetic look on his face. Honestly, Tom was the one
who forced the question, so he didn't need to feel bad.
The magic circle drawn
on the ground was incomplete, with crucial parts missing, but in Tom's
estimation, it seemed to be for interfering with an object placed in the
center.
Something this massive
was rare, but in the world of alchemy, where one understands, rearranges, and
creates various objects and properties of power, it was not a particularly rare
technique. The key elements were undoubtedly the magic stones arranged around
it and the remaining formation to be drawn in the center.
"Hmm. I don't get
it at all..."
Mimuru, watching from
the side, was completely bewildered. She was originally not good at things that
required thinking, such as magic or tactics, so she had no idea how the
formation spread out before her would interfere with anything.
"Mimuru-kun,
please don't carelessly touch things around you."
"Oh, come on~. I wouldn't
do something like that~."
"You say that,
but didn't you spill my reagent before and ruin the experimental materials? At
that time, if things had gone wrong, the reagent could have reacted and caused
something terrible..."
"Ah,
ahaha..."
At that time, what
Mimuru had playfully handled and spilled was magic stone powder and a fire
lizard's tail.
When a magic stone is
broken, the magic power accumulated inside scatters, but through a special
process, it can be powdered while retaining its accumulated magic power.
It can be used in dyes
for drawing magic circles to improve the flow of magic power, and it has
various applications in magic tools. However, because its reaction efficiency
with magic power is increased, if handled carelessly, it also has the property
of rapidly releasing the contained magic power in a short period of time.
A fire lizard's tail
is the tail of a magic beast with that name, and it generates fire in response
to magic power.
Now, the result of
magic powder reacting with magic power to create fire... I think it goes
without saying.
Fortunately, at that
time, the spilled magic stone powder and fire lizard's tail did not react, so
it did not become a major disaster, but if things had gone wrong...
Mimuru's face turned
pale and she broke out in a cold sweat. At that moment, her hand on the desk
bumped into something.
Wondering what it was,
Mimuru picked it up, and it was a portrait in a frame.
A fragile-looking
young girl smiled faintly in the frame.
"Who...?"
As Mimuru tilted her
head, wondering who it could be, Torgrein, who was drawing the magic circle,
let out a small voice. The laboratory door opened and someone had entered the
room.
"Torgrein-dono,
regarding the next experiment... hmm, you two."
"Oh, no..."
Jihad had entered the
laboratory. He seemed to have some business with Torgrein, but he frowned when
he saw Tom and Mimuru in the laboratory.
"Torgrein-dono. I
wonder if it's appropriate to summon students to a place like this..."
"J-Jihad-sensei.
I'm Torgrein-sensei's assistant..."
When Jihad heard Tom's
explanation, he looked surprised. Normally, he wouldn't have thought that a
student, even if an assistant, would be assisting a researcher at this academy.
"But she's
different, isn't she? Torgrein-dono..."
Jihad's eyes widened,
but he quickly retorted when he looked at Mimuru. In fact, she was not supposed
to be in this room, and Torgrein could only bow deeply.
"I-I'm
sorry..."
"You two as well.
There are extremely difficult things to handle in this laboratory. If something
goes wrong, Torgrein-dono will be the first to bear responsibility. Be fully
aware of that."
She was certainly not
an assistant. While she was indeed Tom's girlfriend, as Jihad said, they should
properly separate public and private matters.
And if any problems
occurred, not only she but also Torgrein would be affected.
Tom bowed deeply,
saying he was sorry. Mimuru also looked down, her ears drooping in dejection.
"Now, Torgrein-dono,
regarding that matter..."
Jihad, having firmly
admonished Mimuru and the others, seemed to finally be getting to the main
topic. However, perhaps still concerned about Tom and the others who were still
in the laboratory, he glanced at them and then gave Torgrein a meaningful look.
"Tom-kun, you've
done enough for today."
Torgrein,
understanding Jihad's intention, urged Tom and the others to go home for the
day.
"Understood. I'll
go home today. Mimuru, let's go."
"U-Uh, y-yes.
Excuse us."
The two hastily packed
their belongings and quickly left the laboratory.
After they disappeared
beyond the door, Torgrein bowed to Jihad again.
"Jihad-dono, I
apologize."
"No, it's fine.
It seems they haven't learned anything crucial, so let's overlook it this time.
In the first place, I am not the administrator of this facility. However,
please be careful in the future. In the unlikely event, not only you but also
they will have to take responsibility."
Torgrein nodded firmly
at Jihad's words.
Jihad was so sharp-tongued
because he was worried about Tom, Mimuru, and Torgrein.
He, too, didn't want
to tarnish the future of his precious and promising students.
"However,
regarding this matter, they are not entirely unrelated..."
"Yeah, I saw that
report. As expected, that magic beast was... them..."
Jihad nodded deeply at
Torgrein's words.
Torgrein looked
surprised at his reaction.
"Let's get back
to the main topic. When can that experiment be done?"
"Since Tom-kun
helped, the major parts are finished. We can do the experiment anytime once the
central formation is complete, but..."
Torgrein reported to
Jihad with some hesitation.
"I see,"
Jihad muttered, then closed his eyes for a moment and thought deeply. A few
seconds of silence enveloped Torgrein in a heavy atmosphere.
Eventually, Jihad let
out a long breath and slowly opened his mouth.
"I understand.
The experiment will be conducted tonight as planned. Prepare."
Jihad's words echoed
in the inorganic laboratory. A calm, unadorned command. But those words were
filled with the utmost tension.
***
Nozomu and the others
proceeded deeper and deeper into the forest. Irisdina knew the exact
destination, so she walked at the front, with Nozomu and the others following
behind her.
Even though the sun
was still in the sky, the forest was dim. Still, warm sunlight filtered through
the trees, and the light passing through the translucent leaves faintly
illuminated the dim forest.
Also, the chirping of
birds could be heard through the gaps in the overgrown branches, echoing in the
ears of Nozomu and the others as they walked through the forest. Even though it
was a forest inhabited by magic beasts, birds and other small animals seemed to
be enjoying their lives.
Nozomu and the others
proceeded cautiously, sensing the presence around them.
As Nozomu looked
around, wondering how far they had walked, Irisdina, who had been leading,
turned back.
"Nozomu, is your
body... okay?"
"Eh?"
"No, you seemed a
bit tired this morning..."
Irisdina asked Nozomu,
hesitating slightly. She was probably concerned that Nozomu had been exhausted
from the dream of Tiamat that morning.
"Ah, yeah. I'm
fine. I was a bit tired from being stared at from all directions because of the
special training exercise, but my body moves without problems, and my head
isn't fuzzy. I won't be a hindrance."
"That's not what
I'm talking about..."
Irisdina was simply
worried about Nozomu. He had a strong tendency to keep painful things to
himself.
Perhaps the series of
events with Lisa and Ken had made him that way. Or perhaps it was his innate
nature?
It wasn't so bad since
he told everything to Irisdina and the others, but she was still worried.
Irisdina stared
intently into Nozomu's eyes.
Her beautiful face,
reminiscent of a master craftsman's sculpture, drew closer as if to peer into
the depths of his heart.
Her skin was flawless,
as pure as fresh snow. Her obsidian-like eyes wavered with concern.
"...Are you
really okay?"
Irisdina's voice was
probing. Nozomu slowly nodded, trying to calm his rapidly beating heart.
"I'm fine. I'll
tell you if things get dangerous."
"I really hope
you do. You push yourself too hard."
Irisdina added,
"It was the same with the Corpse Dragon." Nozomu could only give a
wry smile and scratch his head.
"By the way, Somia-chan
wasn't with you this morning, did something happen? She's usually with
you..."
"Ah, Somia went
to school early this morning. Somia has been very motivated lately. She went to
receive instruction from a teacher at Ecros."
Hearing that, Nozomu
let out a voice of admiration.
Somia was still 11
years old. It was probably a time for her to play a lot, and she herself
probably had many other things she wanted to try.
She was always a
bright girl like the sun. Nozomu had a good impression of her sincere attitude
in aiming for her sister, who was her goal. Well, it seemed like she had been
troubled for a while about her sister, so he also felt worried that she might
be trying too hard.
"Well, Somia
probably became like that because..."
Irisdina looked at
Nozomu with a meaningful smile.
Nozomu, who didn't
understand her true intentions, just tilted his head.
"Speaking of
which, Nozomu, you got into a strange entanglement at the guild earlier, didn't
you?"
At that moment, Feo,
who was walking beside him, spoke up.
"Ah, that male
student, Eldor?"
"That's right,
that's right. He's apparently one of the top students in the first year. The
rumor is he's head over heels for the Black-Haired Princess and recently made a
move on her."
"Oh..."
Nozomu glanced
sideways at Irisdina. Her expression was back to her usual dignified look, not
the worried face she had moments ago when she was concerned about Nozomu.
According to Feo, he
was one of the top-ranked students among those who entered this year.
His father had served
in the military, and the swordsmanship he learned from his father was quite
impressive, specializing in an offensive and defensive style using a sword and
shield.
Despite that, on his
first day at the academy, he fell in love with Irisdina at first sight and
confessed, but was unfortunately rejected.
However, seeing that
he was still making moves relentlessly, it seemed he hadn't given up yet.
"What, such a
bland reaction."
"Well, what else
am I supposed to do..."
"There, you
should say, 'What are you doing touching someone else's woman...'"
"Feo-kun, did you
come to help? Or to get in the way?"
Feo put his arm around
Nozomu's shoulder with a smirk, but just as he was about to continue, the
black-haired girl stopped him.
When Nozomu looked at
her, Irisdina's eyes narrowed, and her mouth was upturned.
At first glance, she
seemed to be smiling, but a sharp killing intent emanated from her body.
Nozomu, who was more
sensitive to killing intent than anyone else, couldn't stop sweating cold. He
even imagined his master, holding a sword behind her, smiling coldly.
Naturally, Feo, the
instigator, panicked and rushed to save himself by making excuses.
"O-Of course, I
came to help! Look, like this!"
Feo hastily pulled
something out of his pocket. Three iron rod-like objects were tied to a
belt-like strap.
"Feo, is
that..."
"Nozomu's
throwing daggers. Nozomu seems to avoid bulky items, so there are only about
three."
Feo had brought
throwing knives for Nozomu. They were small for easy carrying, and there
weren't many of them.
Nozomu received the
belt Feo threw to him, took out one of the three throwing knives, and held it
in his hand.
"It feels more
comfortable than I thought..."
"Of course, I
picked them out."
Nozomu was impressed
by Feo's discerning eye for choosing throwing knives that fit his hand better
than he expected.
Well, Nozomu himself
thought his throwing knife technique was not yet at a practical level, so he
didn't think he would use these throwing knives, which he had received with
great effort, for this request.
Feo would probably be
able to throw throwing knives accurately in any situation, but he was not yet
at that stage. He probably wouldn't be able to throw them accurately unless he
was in a defenseless position and not exposed to attack.
Also, he felt bad for
Feo, who had gone to the trouble of preparing throwing knives, but even if such
a situation fortunately occurred, Nozomu was reluctant to rely on this
unfamiliar technique.
Feo puffed out his
chest as if to say, "How about that?", but Irisdina's cold gaze
pierced Feo, who was getting carried away.
"Well, it seems
you really did come to help. But if you mess around again, I'll sew your mouth
shut, okay?"
"Yes, I'm sorry.
I'll behave..."
Irisdina drew her
rapier slightly from its sheath, glaring at Feo with a menacing look.
Feo, affected by her
dangerous aura, immediately flattened his ears and let his tail droop limply,
then hunched his shoulders and submitted to Irisdina.
Nozomu smiled wryly at
the sight of the two, then fastened the belt containing the throwing knives Feo
had brought around his waist.
"Well, it seems
Feo-kun understands, so let's be careful. I think we're getting close to our
destination."
According to
Irisdina's explanation at the guild, this request was to subjugate the orcs
that had recently settled in the forest or drive them back into the depths of
the forest.
The request came from
hunters who hunted in this forest. A part of the orc horde that had been living
deep in the forest seemed to have come near the town and settled there.
Orcs are C-rank magic
beasts. They generally have larger bodies than humans and use primitive weapons
such as clubs.
Considering their
physique, they are magic beasts with considerable physical strength, but their
power does not match that of Triclops or Cyclops, and they do not possess
powerful unique abilities, so they are not as threatening as the giant Nozomu
fought before.
"Iris, did those
orcs settle around here?"
"Yeah, it used to
be a goblin settlement, but now it seems to be their dwelling place."
Irisdina answered
Nozomu's question, pointing to the depths of the forest.
"Hmm. So the
goblins ended up as dinner for those pitiful pig-noses, huh..."
Indeed, while goblins
are numerous, their individual threat is not that great. If they were up
against a sufficient number of orcs, they would probably be overrun without
much resistance. In fact, it's not uncommon for goblin settlements to be
attacked by other magic beasts.
However, Irisdina
shook her head at Feo's words.
"No, according to
the hunters, the goblins in that settlement were defeated before the orcs
arrived. It seems the orcs conveniently moved into the vacant settlement."
"Oh... huh?"
A goblin settlement
that was recently wiped out. Something clicked in Nozomu's mind.
"The hunters were
concerned that the goblins had disappeared, so they went to check on the
settlement, but the place was apparently a mess, like after a storm."
"Was there such a
powerful magic beast? Isn't that a bit dangerous?"
"I confirmed that
with the guild, but after investigating, there were no traces of the magic
beast left. Seeing that orcs are still living there, at least that magic beast
must have left this place."
Indeed, if such a
powerful magic beast were still in the vicinity, the orcs would not continue to
live there.
Also, the hunters who
made this request to the guild might have suffered damage or witnessed
something, but no such information has come in.
"Well, even so,
it's not without danger, so I thought I'd ask Nozomu, who knows a lot about the
forest, to come along."
However, prior
information is not everything. There might still be unknown facts.
Amidst the possibility
of uncertain factors, Irisdina relied most on Nozomu.
Irisdina glanced
sideways at Nozomu. It was hard to tell in the dim forest, but his cheeks
seemed slightly flushed.
"............"
However, Nozomu
remained silent, with a complicated expression. He put his hand to his mouth,
his gaze drifting into space, muttering something.
"No... no
way."
"Nozomu? Is
something wrong?"
"N-No, perhaps
the reason those orcs settled near the town is..."
Irisdina tilted her
head at Nozomu's strange behavior. Feo, standing next to her, also looked at
him with a strange expression.
What came to Nozomu's
mind was the life-or-death escape from that magic beast. Running through the
forest, using traps, and then...
"...Ah."
Nozomu felt as if he
had caught a glimpse of one of the reasons why this request was made to the
guild.
Just as he managed to
calm his agitation and was about to bring up the hypothesis that had crossed
his mind, a strange sight, rarely seen in the forest, jumped into his eyes.
"Nozomu?"
"No,
that..."
Irisdina and Feo
looked in the direction Nozomu was pointing.
In their line of
sight, two legs protruded strangely from a bush growing on the ground.
Moreover, whatever the
person deep in the bush was doing, the two legs sticking out of the bush were
wiggling. Nozomu and the others' eyes widened at the strange sight.
"Huh? That's
strange... I'm sure..."
A familiar voice
echoed in Nozomu's ears.
While wondering what
this person was doing in such a place, Nozomu approached the legs sticking out
of the bush and called out.
"...What are you
doing, old man?"
"Fwooooh!"
Startled by Nozomu's
voice, a white-haired old man jumped out of the bush as if startled.
Nozomu was taken aback
by the sheer force and instinctively stepped back.
"W-What, brat.
W-Why are you here!"
"That's my line. Why
is an old man in the forest?"
An old man alone in
the forest. From an outsider's perspective, it was highly suspicious.
"W-What, it
doesn't matter, does it? Why do I need to tell a brat..."
"Elder, why are
you here?"
"I lost something
important! I came to look for it!"
Zonne suddenly smiled
when Irisdina spoke to him. As always, his attitude completely changed
depending on whether the person was male or female.
Nozomu, seeing his
usual lecherous behavior, was starting to feel a headache rather than anger.
However, since it was
probably useless to say anything, he settled on the dangerous conclusion that
he could just punch him to stop him in the end, and Nozomu quickly changed his
thoughts.
"What's so
important?"
"Well, it was
something I asked a merchant to deliver, but the luggage was stolen by goblins
on the way to town."
Goblins... Nozomu
thought it was probably the goblins who used to live in that settlement.
Goblins sometimes
steal livestock from settlements, utilizing their small stature.
In fact, those who
lack individual strength often hunt prey in groups, typically targeting weaker
opponents, those acting alone, or those injured and left behind by their group.
The attacked merchant
probably hadn't hired guards or formed a caravan.
"But elder,
entering the forest is beyond dangerous, it's reckless."
"Oh~. Are you
worried about me, young lady? How kind, unlike that rude brat over there."
A vein throbbed on
Nozomu's forehead at Zonne's words.
He impulsively reached
for the hilt of his sword, but he slowly released his hand from the hilt,
repeating "Calm down, calm down" in his mind.
"But,
Zonne-jii-san. Didn't you ask the guild for a request?"
"I did ask for a
request. But there's been no progress no matter how long I wait. So it's faster
to look for it myself."
"What a reckless
old man..."
One could guess that
it was something very important if he went to such lengths, but even
reconsidering it, his actions were completely reckless. A sigh escaped from
Nozomu and Irisdina's mouths.
As Nozomu slumped his
shoulders and Irisdina put her hand to her forehead, looking up at the sky,
Feo, who had been talking to Zonne, turned to Nozomu and the others.
"So, what are we
going to do?"
"The orc den, our
destination, is close. It would be dangerous to leave the elder here."
Feo asked what they
should do with the old man. Irisdina also informed them that their destination
was close. In other words, they could encounter orcs at any moment.
Honestly, it was not a
place for an old man to wander around alone. Considering what might happen,
they should probably escort him back to town.
"Well... even
though he's a lecherous fiend, without a shred of reason, who feeds
self-control and restraint to pigs as fertilizer, a pure instinct-driven person
who claims to be popular but has never been seen with a woman next to him, a
deluded old man..."
"Y-You
brat..."
Nozomu also thought
that leaving Zonne in this place would be nothing but dangerous. He also took
the opportunity to thoroughly criticize Zonne as revenge for earlier. This
time, a vein throbbed on Zonne's forehead.
Catching a glimpse of
Zonne's reaction out of the corner of his eye, Nozomu shrugged, thinking that
Zonne was the one who started the criticism in the first place. Honestly, they
were both equally bad.
"As Irisdina
said, we can't just leave him here. This forest is still dangerous."
"You're right. We
should go back to town for now."
Indeed, he was a
person who seemed impossible to kill, but this old man was, after all, a
civilian.
In the end, Nozomu and
the others concluded that they couldn't just abandon such a person near a magic
beast's den.
They decided to take
Zonne back to town for now. However, Zonne had a dissatisfied look on his face,
perhaps concerned about his lost item.
"But you know. I
still have something to look for..."
"How about this,
old man? We'll look for something that seems like it in the forest while we're
on our quest, so for today, please stop here."
"Oh, really?! I'm
sorry, but I'll rely on you. Oh! So that means I can accompany the young lady
to town! Young lady, as thanks, when we get to town, how about I take you on a
date or something..."
Perhaps because the
search for his important item was temporarily put aside, Zonne immediately
started hitting on Irisdina.
"I'm sorry, but I
have a prior engagement today."
However, Irisdina once
again cut him off. Her gaze fell upon the young man with a katana at his waist,
holding his head in his hands at the old man's actions.
"Grrr... You
again, brat..."
What floated in the
old man's head was the image of Nozomu being led by the hand by the
black-haired beauty. The scene of their date when they met a little while ago
came back to him.
With ugly male
jealousy in full display, Zonne glared at Nozomu with bloodshot eyes, as if to
curse him to death.
"As expected, a
bodyguard for this old man is necessary..."
To add to that, for
Nozomu, the old man Zonne was a person who would do anything if left unchecked.
Before he knew it, he
had unleashed unnecessary charisma, resulting in a chaotic strip show at a
certain bar. He would quickly solve a girl's problems with fortune-telling,
only to try and hit on her. He was a person who needed to be monitored, or
rather, someone who was so unrestrained that Nozomu wondered if he should just
turn him over to the military police.
Thus, Nozomu and the
two others decided to take Zonne back to town and tried to retrace their steps.
"Hmm?"
But at that moment,
Nozomu felt something was off about the forest. The chirping of small birds had
stopped, and he felt a strangely sticky, heavy atmosphere. Feo, next to him,
also seemed to sense something with his beast-man's keen senses, twitching his
ears repeatedly.
"This is..."
A beat later, Irisdina
also sensed the abnormality in the forest and placed her hand on the rapier at
her waist.
In the silent forest,
Nozomu and the others focused all their senses, sensing the presence around
them.
They strained their
eyes through the dim trees, felt the sticky air clinging to their skin with
their fine hairs, and distinguished the sound of branches swaying in the wind.
"Kyaaaaaa!"
In the silence that
felt like a ringing in his ears, Nozomu heard someone's scream from afar.
"Gah! Old man! Don't
move carelessly, stay there!"
The next moment,
Nozomu dashed towards the sound. Irisdina and Feo followed behind Nozomu.
Nozomu and the others
ran at full speed, weaving through the thick trees.
From the depths of the
dim forest, mixed with the rustling of bushes, came the sound of battle.
The clash of metal,
the explosion of magic, and roars that seemed to belong to magic beasts.
Eventually, a glimmer
of sunlight leaking through the gaps in the trees came into Nozomu and the
others' sight. The sounds that had been difficult to hear from afar gradually
became clearer.
"Hurry... at this
rate..."
"I know...!
But..."
Someone's voice could
be heard mixed with the sounds of swordplay and magic explosions, but it was
hard to make out.
However, judging from
the fragmented content, the situation seemed unfavorable.
Nozomu exchanged
glances with Irisdina and Feo, and the two nodded as if they understood.
The distance to the
battlefield was not far. Prioritizing time over conserving energy, Nozomu
raised his ki throughout his body and channeled it into his legs.
Irisdina instantly
constructed a spell, and Feo also quickly activated a spell using a talisman.
The three accelerated,
enhancing their leg strength with body strengthening.
Nozomu began to fall
behind due to the effects of ability suppression, but he signaled with his hand
for the two ahead to go on without him.
Seeing his gesture,
Irisdina and Feo accelerated. They cut through the bushes, putting more magic
power into their legs to speed up.
Irisdina and Feo led
the way. Soon, light began to filter through the gaps in the trees, and then,
with a flash of light, their vision opened up.
What they saw was
their juniors, whom they had met just before entering this forest, being
cornered by orcs.
Eldor, the student who
had spoken to Irisdina, stood in front of the orcs, and the female students who
were with him were lying behind him.
The male student with
a spear was trying to provide treatment, but he couldn't concentrate on it
because the orcs were pressing so close.
Eldor, standing in
front of the orcs, seemed completely overwhelmed, his sword and shield
trembling.
An orc in front of him
swung down its club.
Eldor raised his
shield and blocked the club, but he couldn't resist at all because his stance
was too defensive. Pushed by the force of the club, he knelt down.
The orc then tried to
crush Eldor. Eldor's face twisted in terror from the pressure applied through
the shield.
"Feo-kun!"
"I know!"
Irisdina drew the
rapier from her waist, and Feo pulled a talisman from his pocket.
Darkness and lightning
manifested with rising magic power. Although they had assistance from abilities
and talismans, the way they constructed spells in an instant spoke volumes
about their skill.
The condensed darkness
turned into a magic bullet, and with a crackling sound of purple lightning, it
flew towards the hideous orc.
Suddenly, intruders
appeared. The orcs, who had been snorting and glancing at Irisdina and Feo,
were surprised by the sudden surge of magic power and immediately tried to
intercept them.
Several orcs stood in
front of Irisdina and Feo, but Irisdina and Feo’s magic attacked them.
The magic bullet that
struck exploded, and lightning burned their bodies.
However, the orcs'
vitality was considerable; the magic bullets gouged their flesh, and the purple
lightning burned their skin, but it was not a fatal blow.
But that was fine.
This magic was originally meant to distract the orcs and divert their attention
from their juniors.
With the momentum of
cutting through the forest, Irisdina and Feo leaped into the group of orcs and
engaged in a chaotic battle.
"Ooooh!"
As the orcs' attention
turned to Irisdina and Feo, the force on the shield that was grappling with
Eldor weakened.
Taking advantage of
the opening, Eldor put strength into his legs with a surge of spirit. The orc,
surprised by the sudden increase in pressure from its opponent, instinctively
retreated. Eldor then pushed back with full force.
"Aaaaaah!"
Eldor screamed an
inarticulate cry and wildly swung his sword.
The orc, startled by
the fierce counterattack from its pathetic prey, who was supposed to be its
dinner just moments ago, was thrown off balance and forced onto the defensive.
Taking advantage of
this, the spear-wielding student began treating the fallen female students.
While glancing at
their juniors regaining their composure, Feo and Irisdina continued to parry
the remaining orcs' attacks, delivering precise counterattacks in between the
waves of attacks.
Only one orc was
currently facing their juniors. Furthermore, it was agitated by the sudden
arrival of Irisdina and Feo as reinforcements and was being pushed back by the
junior.
Irisdina and Feo also
precisely reduced the number of orcs one by one, by slashing the orcs' bellies
with their rapiers or striking their foreheads with swung clubs.
"De-e-e-e-i!"
"Bugyaaaauu!"
Eldor's sword deeply
gouged the flesh of the orc's leg. The orc he was fighting involuntarily knelt
down.
This should be fine.
Just as Irisdina and Feo thought so, multiple shadows appeared from the depths
of the bushes.
"What!"
A gasp escaped
Irisdina's lips.
What appeared were
orcs with hideous faces. They were probably companions of the orcs they were
currently fighting.
"Bururururu!
Buoooooh!"
Seeing their comrade,
who had been slashed and was kneeling, the newly appeared orcs let out roars of
anger.
"Ugh!"
Eldor winced and
groaned, intimidated by the roar that shook the trees.
The next moment, the
kneeling orc swung the club in its hand with one arm.
The club, swung with
brute force, struck Eldor's sword, sending it flying far away.
"Whoa!"
Eldor was thrown back
forcefully and involuntarily fell on his backside.
What jumped into his
eyes, as he grimaced in pain, was the enraged face of the orc.
The anger at being
wounded by prey that was merely supposed to be hunted emanated from its body
like an aura.
"Hmph!"
"This is
bad!"
"Kuh! Eldor-kun, get
away, hurry!"
Irisdina desperately
called out, but he remained frozen, his face twisted in terror.
She tried to launch a
magic bullet with instant deployment to provide support, but the orcs she was
currently fighting swung their clubs down at her.
Irisdina barely
managed to evade the rain of clubs, but the crucial magic bullet was obstructed
and missed its target by a wide margin.
"Kuh!"
Frustration escaped
her lips, but Irisdina still tried to help somehow.
However, perhaps
understanding her intention, the newly arrived orcs charged towards Irisdina
and Feo.
Irisdina and Feo were
subjected to a wave of attacks from numerous orcs, unable to go to Eldor's aid.
Eldor's will to
counterattack, which had temporarily surged due to the fear of death, was
completely crushed.
The terror that once
again enveloped his mind and body bound him, leaving him completely unable to
resist. The orc had already risen and was holding its club high, intending to
crush its hateful prey.
If it swung that club
now, he would die in less than a second, still bound by fear.
It was too late.
Irisdina's face was
stained with regret.
But at that moment,
her eyes caught a shadow leaping out from the depths of the bushes.
When she confirmed the
figure dashing like the wind, the expression on her face was not one of shock
or resignation, but a smile of relief.
The next moment, the
arm of the orc that was about to swing its club down at Eldor flew through the
air.
-----
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